Chapter 396: Intimidation

He did recognize the array patterns, but when they were put together, he no longer recognized them.

The array hub was completely unfamiliar, beyond his understanding of arrays, and he couldn't comprehend it either.

How could this array eye be some other array?

And this array—clearly only first-grade—how could it contain eleven array patterns?

For a moment, Sun Yi's eyes went dark; he racked his brains but couldn't figure it out.

Then he thought again:

"Is this kid tricking me?"

"Is the array he gave me a fake?"

Sun Yi speculated inwardly, then denied it himself.

Impossible…

Although he couldn't understand it, he had a vague feeling that this was indeed a complete array—and an extremely profound one at that.

More likely, it was an array left behind by his Sun family's ancestor!

If that were the case, it was normal that he couldn't understand it.

Because this was an array passed down from his Laozu Sect.

His own attainment in arrays was far inferior to the ancestor's; it was normal that he couldn't learn it.

But what he couldn't accept was—

This array, he couldn't learn it, yet this little array master surnamed Mo could?

He was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, while this kid was merely at Qi Refining.

If the kid could draw the array left behind by the ancestor, wouldn't that mean his array mastery was already comparable to the Sun family's ancestor?

A storm of shock surged in Sun Yi's heart; he muttered:

"Impossible…"

Sun Ze, standing beside him, seeing his father completely dumbfounded the moment he saw the array, with his expression shifting constantly, called out softly:

"Father…"

Sun Yi came back to his senses, but was still shaken to the core.

Sun Ze asked, "Father, is this the array?"

Sun Yi frowned, slowly nodded, then shook his head again.

"Father, what do you mean by that?" Sun Ze didn't understand.

Sun Yi said nothing.

He couldn't very well say in front of so many people that he couldn't understand it, couldn't learn it, and so wasn't sure…

Sun Ze, thinking it over, 试探道:

"How about we take this kid down and interrogate him?"

Sun Ze clenched his fist lightly. "No matter how stubborn his mouth is, it's not as hard as a fist. Beat him up a bit, and he'll confess everything."

Sun Yi was somewhat undecided.

From the other side came Mo Hua's clear voice:

"I've given you the array. Time to step aside, right? Those who break their word won't end up well!"

"Father…" Sun Ze urged as well.

Sun Yi furrowed his brow tightly, his expression torn.

He didn't dare, yet he was unwilling to let it go.

If this boy truly possessed such high array attainment, then he absolutely wouldn't dare to make a move.

But letting them go just like that—he was also very unwilling.

His original plan had been to first trick the array out of him, then seize Mo Hua and force him to marry into the Sun family and work for them.

But at that time, he had thought Mo Hua merely had decent talent, and that his array mastery wouldn't surpass his own.

Now, seeing this array, he suddenly realized he had underestimated this little cultivator.

At the same time, he had also vastly overestimated himself.

He had previously mocked that this kid would definitely never learn the Sun family ancestor's array. Now it seemed the one who truly couldn't learn it was himself…

But at only Qi Refining seventh layer, could he really draw such an array?

Sun Yi still couldn't believe it.

Is this kid tricking me?

Sun Yi frowned and asked:

"Kid, you've learned this array?"

Mo Hua nodded. "More or less."

Sun Yi's eyelid twitched.

After pondering for a moment, his face suddenly darkened, and he forced a smile:

"This array is our Sun family's ancestral array, never to be taught to outsiders. Since you've learned it, you are a member of our Sun family. You must enter the Sun family, work for the Sun family, and repay the Sun family's kindness."

Repaying kindness was a pretext; keeping a talented person was the real intent.

Sun Yi decided to gamble.

He figured out one thing.

The ancestor's array was so profoundly difficult that he might never learn it in his lifetime.

He couldn't learn it, but this kid probably could.

And even if he couldn't, it didn't matter.

Just because of his talent for arrays, I must make him join the Sun family as a son-in-law and sire children with the Sun bloodline.

Array talents are not easily found.

I must ensure this boy's array talent remains within the Sun family, and through the Sun bloodline, pass it down generation after generation.

So regardless of whether this young arrayist has learned this array or not, I must keep him here today.

Sun Yi said that to go back on his word and tear off the mask.

The Sun family cultivators stirred restlessly.

The spirit farmers gripped their spears and halberds, their expressions wary.

Ding Dachuan erupted in furious curses: "A household head who breaks his word is no better than a fart!"

Sun Yi merely sneered, ignoring him.

He fixed his gaze on Mo Hua and called out loudly: "Young brother, what do you say? If you join the Sun family, we will treat you well."

Mo Hua shook his head: "Your Sun family is too small. It probably can't hold me."

Sun Yi froze, then laughed bitterly:

"Our Sun family is vast—more than enough space for you!"

Mo Hua replied with quiet dignity: "I am a person of status."

What status could a child of such young age possibly have?

Sun Yi sneered inwardly, forcing a false smile: "No matter your status, our Sun family can accommodate you."

"Really?"

Mo Hua gave a faint smile, pulling out a ring and slipping it onto his pale, delicate hand.

The ring was white jade set with gold, ancient and noble.

Carved upon it were nine stellar traces, symbolizing the nine grades of array mastery.

A single starlight dot above the traces signified the Dao Court's official recognition of a true first-grade arrayist.

Sun Yi's smile vanished; his pupils shrank in shock:

"The Tian Shu Ring?!"

Sun Ze, puzzled by his father's reaction, asked:

"What is the Tian Shu Ring?"

Sun Yi's voice trembled: "The Tian Shu Ring… he… is a first-grade arrayist…"

At these words, every Sun family cultivator drew a sharp breath, their faces filled with disbelief.

The Sun family had an array lineage, though sparse, it existed.

There were many arrayists within the family.

They knew well how difficult it was to be graded.

In remote prefectures, arrayists who passed the grading were as rare as phoenix feathers or unicorn horns.

Even the household head, Sun Yi, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, had yet to attain first-grade status.

Yet this boy, barely ten or so, was a first-grade arrayist?!

Even if he'd started learning arrays in the womb, that would still be impossible…

This was a first-grade arrayist.

An arrayist without official grading was merely a "self-proclaimed" arrayist.

Only those who passed the assessment by the Dao Court's Tian Shu Pavilion were truly recognized as graded arrayists.

In other words, once an arrayist was graded, he stood behind one of the Dao Court's Seven Grand Pavilions—the Tian Shu Pavilion.

It was like a carp leaping over the dragon gate; his status and standing became entirely different from ordinary cultivators.

"Is that really the Tian Shu Ring?"

"How would I know?"

"If the household head says so, then it must be…"

The Sun family cultivators whispered among themselves.

Most Sun family arrayists had never even qualified to take the grading, let alone seen a Tian Shu Ring.

Sun Ze whispered again: "Father, is that really the Tian Shu Ring?"

Sun Yi, still stunned, slowly nodded.

He had visited several first-grade arrayists, leveraging his Foundation Establishment status and partial array knowledge, and had seen the white jade and gold Tian Shu-graded rings they wore.

Back then, he had been filled with envy and jealousy—so the memory was vivid.

Sun Yi had dreamed for years of one day passing the grading and owning his own Tian Shu Ring.

Yet he never imagined that before he himself was graded, this boy of ten or so already held one.

"Could it be stolen?" Sun Ze asked again.

Sun Yi's brow furrowed again.

He thought it might be stolen, yet deep down, he felt it impossible.

Arrayists treasured their Tian Shu Rings as if they were their lives—how could one be stolen so easily?

And no one would dare steal a Tian Shu Ring and then flaunt it so openly.

Sun Yi looked again at Mo Hua.

Mo Hua's pale, delicate hand, adorned with such a solemn and noble ring, seemed unbelievable.

Yet the Tian Shu Ring did indeed resonate with his aura.

Moreover, his demeanor and bearing while wearing it were unmistakably those of a first-grade arrayist.

Sun Ze's gaze turned greedy, a flash of cold light in his eyes as he whispered:

"Dad, let's take the ring from him!"

At this, Sun Yi could no longer hold back and slapped him across the face.

"Do you want to die?!"

Sun Ze was stunned by the slap, his gaze dazed, unaware of what taboo he had broken.

Sun Yi clenched his teeth and whispered an explanation to him:

"You're not a bandit, not a robber—you're a family cultivator!"

"You have a name, a surname, property—your grand mansion stands right in Qianjia Town, and every cultivator in our family is listed in the Dao Ting Si records."

"Who gave you the guts to steal the Tian Shu Ring from a Rank-One Array Master?!"

"A Rank-One Array Master is certified by the Tian Shu Pavilion, and behind them stands the Central Dao Ting!"

"Stealing the Tian Shu Ring means offending the Tian Shu Pavilion—it's defiance of the Dao Ting!"

"If they investigate, they might execute our entire Sun family!"

……

As Sun Yi spoke, his anger grew, and he slapped Sun Ze again.

Sun Ze turned pale with fear and dared not speak.

Sun Yi's fury slowly subsided; he let out a deep sigh, his expression filled with dread:

"This young cultivator… our Sun family cannot afford to offend him…"

Mi Du mobile version:

【Report Error】 【Add Bookmark】