Chapter 183: Master Qian

In the Qian family's elegant, luxurious study.

Qian Hong sat in a chair, frowning deeply, while across from him sat a middle-aged cultivator with half-gray hair and an arrogant expression, yet he remained calm and composed.

"Master Qian, have you heard about the recent events?" Qian Hong asked.

"I've heard whispers. Family Head, there's no need to rush."

The middle-aged cultivator known as "Master Qian" spoke with a calm, unruffled expression.

Master Qian had only reached Qi Condensation Ninth Layer, yet he could draw a Grade One, Nine-Stripe Array — though he had not yet passed the court's grading to officially become a Grade One Array Master, it was merely a matter of time.

Thus, despite lacking official grading, Qian family cultivators and Array Masters allied with Xiancheng all respectfully addressed him as "Master Qian."

Having crossed the threshold to Grade One Array Master potential, Master Qian held high status within the family; even without Foundation Establishment cultivation, he had become a family elder, ranking only below the Qian family head.

Qian Hong said: "Yu Changlin has an Array Master aiding him — that's why he could stand against us in Great Heishan, and now, with an Array Master supporting him, he dares build such a massive Armory."

Occupying such a vast stretch of land, hiring so many craftsmen, constructing the largest Armory in Xiancheng — it was an open challenge to rival the Qian family.

In Great Heishan, they snatched away a huge chunk of meat from the Qian family's mouth.

Now that they've eaten the meat and grown strong, their courage has swelled — they dare try to snatch more meat from the Qian family's mouth? Utterly overreaching!

Master Qian sneered, "So they have an Array Master? Does that mean the Qian family has none?"

Qian Hong said: "That Array Master might be a Grade One Array Master!"

Master Qian flatly declared: "Impossible!"

"The arrays he used in Great Heishan were indeed Grade One…"

Master Qian shook his head. "Family Head, you're not an Array Master, you don't study arrays, so you don't understand how difficult it is to become a Grade One Array Master…"

"Take myself as an example — not to boast, but among all family disciples, my array talent is unparalleled. I spent decades reaching Qi Condensation Ninth Layer, then devoted myself entirely to arrays, enduring countless hardships. Forget other trials — just crossing the threshold from eight to nine array stripes took me ten years of relentless study…"

Master Qian sighed. "Though it's only one stripe difference, it's as insurmountable as a heavenly chasm. Back then, I could draw a Grade One array with nine stripes only once a day — and still couldn't complete it. Even though I couldn't draw it, I kept trying, drawing and drawing, persisting for over a decade, until I finally crossed that threshold."

"I poured in so much effort, endured so many years of solitary toil, and only now do I possess the strength of a Grade One Array Master — yet even then, last time the Tian Shu Pavilion graded me, despite smoothing over all connections, I still fell short by a hair's breadth and failed to gain official grading."

Qian Hong sighed, "Master Qian, you've suffered greatly!"

Master Qian shook his head. "I'm not complaining to you, nor am I seeking sympathy for how hard these years have been — I'm trying to make you understand just how difficult it is to become a Grade One Array Master!"

"Even with family support, I bled and toiled to reach this point — how much harder must it be for other Array Masters?"

Master Qian sneered again. "Under these circumstances, any Array Master with even a shred of talent or ambition, once he touches the threshold of Grade One, will look upward — seeking to ally with greater families or sects, to obtain superior transmission and advance further in arrays! Such an Array Master would never side with impoverished Hunter-Anti-Beast cultivators — what could he possibly gain from that?"

"Master Qian speaks wisely," Qian Hong frowned. "But the Array Master in Great Heishan's Hunter-Anti-Beast camp truly used a Grade One array…"

"Are you certain you didn't misread it?"

"I tested the array's power myself — it's no weaker than Grade One," Qian Hong said, a wave of humiliation surging within him.

He had indeed gone "personally" to test it — blasted into a disheveled mess, his head spinning from the explosion.

In the end, the spirit ore was entirely lost to others, and he even endured mockery from Yu Changlin.

This would be the lifelong disgrace of the Qian family head!

Master Qian pondered a moment. "Even if he can draw a Grade One array, that doesn't make him a Grade One Array Master. Besides, Grade One arrays are hard to learn and harder to master — he can likely draw at most one or two, nothing more."

Master Qian declared firmly.

Qian Hong relaxed — in array arts, Master Qian's expertise was still supreme; if he said so, the Hunter-Anti-Beast camp's Array Master wasn't truly worrisome.

Yet Qian Hong felt a pang of regret — if Master Qian had been present at the unnamed peak in Great Heishan, they wouldn't have been helpless against the Hunter-Anti-Beast camp's arrays.

But it was common knowledge in the cultivation world that Array Masters couldn't risk themselves in person.

If Master Qian had truly gone, and that old rascal Yu Changlin truly had no shame and simply struck him dead with one palm, the Qian family's loss would be catastrophic.

A cultivated Array Master capable of ascending to Grade One was vital to the Qian family.

"Their Array Master isn't worth worrying about," Master Qian added. "But if Yu Changlin truly completes his Armory, it will threaten our family. Family Head, you must plan ahead."

Qian Hong nodded. "Master Qian, rest assured — I've already sent people secretly to cause trouble. Even if we can't stop the Armory's construction, we can at least make them suffer."

Master Qian nodded, his expression arrogant. "In Xiancheng, anyone who dares challenge the Qian family must be made to suffer."

Qian Hong thought a moment, then said: "There's one more matter I need to trouble Master Qian with."

"Family Head, speak freely."

Qian Hong laid out his plan in detail:

"First, we send people to harass and provoke them — ideally, make it impossible for them to continue building the Armory, ending the matter once and for all. Even if this fails, it will delay their progress…"

"Meanwhile, I want to forge a batch of new Armory Furnaces. Have several of our family Armories work overtime to produce Spirit Tools. When Yu Changlin's Armory opens, we'll flood the market with Spirit Tools, slashing prices — leaving them no room to stand."

Qian Hong didn't understand the Armory trade well, so he asked: "What exactly do you want me to do, Family Head?"

Qian Hong replied: "I want to forge a batch of Armory Furnaces — expensive, high-quality, with stronger furnace flames capable of smelting more Spirit Tools. But the arrays inside… I must rely on Master Qian!"

Master Qian frowned. "Grade One arrays?"

"Ideally, yes."

Master Qian considered. "A Grade One Armory Furnace requires a Grade One Melting Fire Array. I haven't studied that array — I'll need time to research it thoroughly."

Qian Hong immediately said: "Naturally. We'll keep harassing the Hunter-Anti-Beast camp — Master Qian, don't worry. Focus entirely on your array research."

Master Qian nodded. "Good."

Qian Hong's eyes lit up. He bowed respectfully. "Then I entrust this to Master Qian."

Qian Hong's tone was extremely courteous — though he was Family Head with Foundation Establishment cultivation, he still showed Master Qian due deference.

In the cultivation world, some matters are resolved by cultivation, but others cannot be resolved by cultivation alone.

Array problems are precisely among those that cultivation alone cannot solve.

Cultivation level concerns only the individual, but arrays benefit and influence countless cultivators.

Fighting requires cultivation — but every craft and production process, to improve efficiency and quality, depends utterly on arrays.