[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl":3,"chapter-the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-377":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Great Jin's Most Iron Rice Bowl",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1897151,2531,"Chapter 377: The Zhu Que Army Goes Missing","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-377",377,"\u003Cp>The ruins of the Array Saint Sect are located in a remote, sparsely populated area northwest of Jingcheng; this region is filled with strange rocks, featuring nine bends and eighteen turns, and is shrouded in mist year-round.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Without a disciple of the Array Saint Sect to guide the way, outsiders entering the Stone Forest would quickly become lost within it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Zhenzhen brought Hua Changxi to the edge of the Stone Forest but did not invite her inside: \"The Array Saint Sect is currently ill-equipped to receive external guests; please wait here while I consult the Elders.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi nodded, watching as Yan Zhenzhen walked briskly into the Stone Forest, where the pervasive mist quickly swallowed her figure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During the wait, Hua Changxi wandered around the perimeter of the Stone Forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At first glance, the Stone Forest did not seem very large, yet she knew this was merely an illusion; staring into its depths gave one the illusion of looking down a deep tunnel, as if entering meant never returning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi's curiosity flared again; she could not resist releasing her divine sense, carefully extending it deep into the Stone Forest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, the moment her divine sense touched the mist, her expression changed drastically, and she swiftly withdrew it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The mist within the Stone Forest devours soul power!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi's expression turned serious; no wonder among the Four Sacred Lands of Alchemy, Talismans, Artifacts, and Arrays, the Array Saint Sect remained the most secure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Compared to the Alchemy Saint Hall, which was as leaky as a sieve, the Artifact Saint Palace, whose mountain-protecting array had been blown open, and the Talisman Saint Pavilion, which suffered heavy-handed imperial interference due to the Prime Minister's Temple, only the Array Saint Sect had avoided forced infiltration by external powers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Merely venturing deep into the Stone Forest would likely cause ninety percent of people to rot outside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After waiting about a quarter of an hour, Yan Zhenzhen emerged from the Stone Forest accompanied by a cultivator dressed in white robes, with crane-white hair and a youthful complexion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Changxi, this is the Second Elder of the Array Saint Sect.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi clasped her fists in greeting: \"Hua Changxi pays respects to the Second Elder.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Second Elder of the Array Saint Sect smiled at Hua Changxi: \"Young Friend Hua, I have heard much about you; seeing you today confirms that heroes indeed emerge from the youth.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi chuckled: \"The Second Elder overpraises me.\" Unwilling to engage in small talk, she directly took out the fragment of the Karmic Fire Lotus: \"Second Elder, these are fragments of karmic power.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Upon hearing this, the Second Elder immediately sobered, quickly accepting the storage bag Hua Changxi offered; sweeping his divine sense inside, he saw the karmic fragments were plentiful, not diminished, and his eyes trembled slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Second Elder looked at Hua Changxi again, his gaze now even more eager than before: \"Young Friend Hua possesses remarkable fortune, to be able to produce so many karmic fragments at once.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi spoke vaguely: \"It was merely a fortunate coincidence.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Second Elder chuckled, offering no rebuttal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since Hua Changxi could produce so many karmic fragments at once to exchange for a teleportation array, she surely retained even more in her possession.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Second Elder also produced a storage bag and an array formation diagram: \"The array foundations, array stones, and array pillars required to set up the Otherworldly Realm Array are all in this storage bag; simply arrange them sequentially according to the diagram.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He paused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Setting up a sixth-grade teleportation array is a delicate task requiring the simultaneous release of spiritual power and divine sense; would you like this old man to assist you in arranging the array?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Second Elder had intended to probe Hua Changxi's cultivation level, but unfortunately, he failed to do so.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This girl must have cultivated a qi-concealing technique or worn some treasure, for even he, a Lingtai cultivator, could not detect her cultivation level.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi studied the array formation diagram carefully; having already arranged several teleportation arrays herself, she could roughly determine her ability to set up this one after reviewing the diagram.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thank you, Second Elder; for now, I shall not trouble you. I will attempt to arrange it myself first, and if I truly cannot manage, I will come back to bother you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Having said this, she pointed out several aspects of the diagram she did not understand and asked for clarification on the spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Hua Changxi decline his offer, the Second Elder gave her a deep look, then earnestly answered each of her questions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once certain she understood every step of the array formation process depicted in the diagram, Hua Changxi smiled and thanked the Second Elder: \"I have other matters to attend to, so I shall not stay any longer.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Second Elder smiled: \"If Young Friend Hua ever needs array disks, array flags, or the like in the future, feel free to contact Zhenzhen.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi agreed with a smile: \"I will.\" Afterwards, she exchanged a parting glance with Yan Zhenzhen and departed on a cloud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after Hua Changxi's figure disappeared from sight did Yan Zhenzhen turn to the Second Elder: \"Second Elder, are these karmic fragments truly that valuable?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Second Elder nodded: \"In ancient times, when various sects recruited apprentices, they would first test everyone's character and mindset.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You have visited the Artifact Saint Palace; you should recall the Stairway of Heart Inquiry behind its mountain gate, which consists of ten thousand steps.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yan Zhenzhen nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Walking back toward the Stone Forest, the Second Elder continued: \"One of the primary materials used to construct the Stairway of Heart Inquiry is karmic fragments.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Karmic fragments can induce karmic illusions in people; through these illusions, one can observe a person's inner heart and roughly judge their character and conduct.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Many sects cannot obtain karmic fragments and must resort to setting up mere illusionary realms instead, but the effect is greatly diminished.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Furthermore, when arranging offensive and killing arrays, adding karmic fragments to induce a person's karmic obstacles can greatly enhance the array's destructive power.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying this, the Second Elder looked at Yan Zhenzhen: \"This Hua Changxi possesses profound fortune; do not let your relationship with her fade.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Yan Zhenzhen felt somewhat displeased: \"Second Elder, Changxi and I were already friends; your words make it seem as though I associate with her only because of her deep fortune.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Second Elder laughed heartily: \"This old man misspoke.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, having obtained the teleportation array, Hua Changxi went directly to the Artifact Saint Palace, handed the Karmic Fire Lotus fragments to Tong Yao, and then returned to the Lingguang Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Where should I set up the teleportation array?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi scanned the Lingguang Hall, finally choosing the empty plaza opposite the Discipline Hall as the teleportation location.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Taking out a set of teleportation array materials, Hua Changxi began arranging the array according to the steps outlined in the formation diagram.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sixth-grade teleportation array was not easy to set up; moreover, Hua Changxi lacked experience in array formation, so it took her fully ten days to complete the array on the Lingguang Hall side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Afterwards, she immediately traveled to the Nine Heavens Fire Spring to begin arranging the array on the other side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Several more days passed before she completely finished setting up this teleportation array.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hua Changxi stepped into the teleportation array at the entrance of the Nine Heavens Fire Spring; her vision blurred, and the next moment she stood in the plaza opposite the Discipline Hall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although it had taken over half a month to complete this 'Lingguang Hall–Nine Heavens Fire Spring' teleportation array, Hua Changxi was still very pleased; just as she prepared to set up the 'Lingguang Hall–Karmic Fire Platform' array, her Yiniantong device vibrated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xie Hanzhang from the Mission Hall reported: \"Hall Master, recently members of the Zhu Que army have gone missing; dozens of Zhu Que soldiers have vanished so far.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yang Zhaoye from the Discipline Hall added: \"The Battalion Commanders mobilized collectively; in recent days, they have searched every corner of Nanxiang County, yet they found no trace of the missing Zhu Que soldiers—no sign of life, no corpse.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1373,"2026-06-12T02:51:23.636Z",1,"Qwen3.5 397B","e3379bfa81585240ee50dda4bd4a04753d250944bc238e98ac8ef228b37f94f9","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-378","the-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-chapter-376",558,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-great-jin-s-most-iron-rice-bowl-cover.jpg"]