Chapter 683: Commencing the Array (Part 1)

The martial law in Huangcheng reached its peak after sunset.

Within a hundred zhang around Chengtian Hall, aside from the designated imperial guards, there was no one else.

These guards were like stone statues, deliberately lightening their breathing, their sharp gazes scanning every corner.

The night sky had no moon, only sparse cold stars.

The hall's silhouette lay silent and towering in the darkness, like a crouching giant beast.

The entrance to the underground chamber was located in a side hall behind the main hall of Chengtian.

At this moment, the side hall's floor tiles had been moved aside, revealing a staircase extending downward.

On the walls flanking the staircase, every few steps a force-energy crystal emitting a soft white light was set in, illuminating the way ahead.

Zhang Cheng and Zhao Lao Nian had already been waiting at the entrance.

Both wore solemn dark ceremonial robes, their expressions grave, showing none of their usual casualness.

From afar came the sound of the night watch.

The zi hour was approaching.

On the dim street, several unmarked black carriages, escorted by elite knights, silently approached the side gate of Huangcheng.

The carriage doors opened.

Yue Fei stepped down from the carriage first.

He still wore that deep blue cotton robe, but his hair was neatly combed, and his face appeared especially composed in the dim light.

Following him were Zhang Xian, Yue Yun, Lin Chong, Wu Yong, Guan Sheng, and Hu Yanzhuo.

Among the five ministers, Shi Dun, Qian Gui, and Wang Ru also alighted from another carriage.

Their gazes met, and they spoke no words.

They followed the eunuchs already waiting here, silently passing through strictly inspected palace gates toward Chengtian Hall, which stood out conspicuously in the night.

At the side hall entrance, Zhang Cheng and Zhao Lao Nian bowed slightly and guided everyone inside.

Along the staircase illuminated by the crystals, they went downward.

The air gradually grew cool, carrying the distinct scent of earth and stone, plus a faint, indescribable sense of oppression.

At the end of the staircase stood a heavy stone door.

The stone door was now open.

Inside lay the chamber that had been prepared for days, its walls etched with conductive patterns.

The twelve entered one after another.

The sight within the chamber caused even the well-traveled Yue Fei and the battle-hardened Lin Chong to feel a slight tremor in their hearts.

The floor was black stone, upon which dark silver complex patterns flowed like living vessels.

Within the glass covers on the five main nodes, the force-energy crystals glowed warmly yet held immense power within.

The chamber's ceiling likewise bore an inversely converging array, from which hung an exquisitely crafted multi-faceted glass lamp, currently unlit.

Most striking was the center of the chamber.

There stood a circular stone platform slightly raised above the floor.

Its surface was smooth as a mirror, its edges precisely aligning with the conductive patterns on the floor.

Chen Wen already stood upon the stone platform.

He wore no ceremonial robes, only a dark black garment, its collar and cuffs embroidered with simple cloud patterns in dark gold thread.

His long hair was bound with a wooden pin, his face calm, revealing no emotion.

Yet his very presence seemed to have become the core of the chamber's energy flow.

An invisible force field undulated slightly around him.

"Take your positions."

Chen Wen's voice rang out in the chamber, clear and steady.

"Following the pattern's guidance, stand upon the secondary nodes."

The dark silver patterns on the floor, besides the main trunks linking the central stone platform to the five primary nodes, also extended into twelve slightly raised small platforms, each just large enough for one person to stand on.

The platforms' positions had been carefully calculated to ensure balanced energy flow.

The twelve hesitated not, stepping onto their respective platforms as instructed.

As soon as they stood firm, they felt an extremely faint warmth rising from beneath their feet, as if the patterns were not lifeless.

Zhang Cheng and Zhao Lao Nian entered last, taking positions to the left and right inside the stone door, serving as observers and ready to handle any sudden developments.

The stone door was slowly pushed shut by two strongmen from outside, emitting a dull scraping sound before sealing tightly.

The chamber was completely sealed off from the outside world.

Only the crystals' light remained, along with an increasingly obvious visual distortion of the air being slightly twisted by some force.

Chen Wen closed his eyes.

His consciousness sank into his body, touching the system experience bar that had already overflowed, like a dam brimming with floodwater on the verge of bursting.

This time, he did not suppress it.

Instead, he used his own will as a guide and the immense national fortune gathered beneath his feet as a hammer, actively striking the door leading to higher authority—Level 7.

"Break."

A short byte spilled from his lips.

As if an internal shackle had been instantly shattered.

Hum!

Centered on Chen Wen, an invisible wave, far stronger than before by a hundredfold, exploded outward!

The core of his "Cow Horse System" within him, under the entanglement and impact of the national fortune torrent, began to undergo drastic evolution, restructuring, and expansion.

The efficiency multiplier surged wildly from 64× toward 128×!

This was not a natural promotion that came as a matter of course.

This was a breakthrough forced forward using the vast national fortune as fuel, going against the rules!

The cost was the instantaneous evaporation of a massive amount of national fortune, and the enormous burden on Chen Wen himself, as if his soul were being torn apart and reassembled.

His body shuddered violently, his face instantly turning ashen as paper, veins bulging on his forehead, and the muscles beneath his dark robe twitched uncontrollably.

But he stood ramrod straight, his eyes still tightly shut, only a thin thread of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth, which he forced himself to swallow.

The upgrade continued.

Authorization was being unlocked.

Lifespan bestowed——the core rule hidden deep within Lv. 7, under the tempering of national fortune, gradually became clear, turning into an 'ability' he could comprehend and wield.

At the same time, all the silver patterns on the ground blazed brightly!

The light of the five main node crystals became blinding, the massive energy no longer gentle, like an enraged dragon roaring as it surged into the central stone pedestal and poured into Chen Wen's body as he broke through.

He became the junction and converter of the two violent energy sources—the internal breakthrough system and the external surging national fortune.

"In my name!"

Chen Wen suddenly opened his eyes; golden light welled up from the depths of his eyes like a tangible substance, his voice hoarse with metallic friction from bearing the immense force, yet it pierced through the energy roar of the entire secret chamber.

"With the 180-year reign of the Chen dynasty as proof!"

"With the hearts of myriad people yearning northward as the guide!"

"Formation arise! Bestow lifespan!"

The final two words fell like a weight of ten thousand jun, slamming heavily into the secret chamber.

Boom——!!!

As if the earth's veins turned over.

A purer, condensed golden flow of power—combining the dynasty's aura and the newly unlocked 'life rule'—surged forth from his body.

Along a hidden passage differing from the route taken, like twelve rivers of life, it surged violently toward the twelve platforms.

It surged toward Yue Fei.

It surged toward the five ministers.

It surged toward each selected cornerstone.

Outside the secret chamber.

Above Chengtian Palace, the thin layer of flowing clouds suddenly grew dense, and golden light became visible to the naked eye!

The flowing clouds spun wildly, forming a massive golden vortex that covered the imperial city; at its center a low rumble of thunder rolled, as if the heavens were enraged, or as if heaven and earth resonated.

Within Xijing City, all sounds fell silent.

All those who were asleep nearly simultaneously awoke, their hearts pounding for no apparent reason.

The night watchmen stood frozen, gazing up at the golden vortex they had never seen before, their legs going weak.

The imperial city's guards gripped their weapons, breathing rapidly.

Fortune Momentum manifested, and heavenly portents appeared!

Almost at the same moment.

To the west of the light curtain lay the Huai Xi camp.

Zhu Yue's charcoal pencil snapped with a 'crack' in his hand.

He stared in shock toward the east; that 'undulation' was no longer a ripple but had become a clear, tangible tide sweeping across heaven and earth!

It carried an aura that made the soul tremble, where vitality and majesty coexisted.

In the distant dark depths.

Countless gazes instantly went mad.

The alarm had been raised to the highest level.

Interference!

We must interfere!

At any cost!

An invisible flock of crows emitted a piercing screech at the extreme of the rule's level.