Chapter 11: Entering the Formation

 

While Zhan Yunwei was busy recognizing people in the front hall, Yue Wujiu and Yue Huaiyue were busy by the lake.

Yue Huaiyue looked at the array compass her brother had pulled out and felt, for reasons she couldn't name, uneasy. "Will this work? Maybe we should just forget it. What if something happens to Zhan Yunwei? How will we explain it to Grandfather?"

"Nothing will happen. It's just a Four Symbols Harmony Array," Yue Wujiu said with complete confidence. "If you're not going to help set up the array, stand back and don't get in my way."

Yue Huaiyue breathed a sigh of relief when she heard "Four Symbols Harmony Array."

This was a relatively mild array, often used to trap opponents and make those inside feel unbearably hungry. A quarter-hour outside the array was equivalent to a full day inside.

She only married Yue Zhiheng because she couldn't endure hardship, Yue Wujiu thought. So I'll lock her up for half an hour. He wanted to make her suffer for two days in the array — just enough to teach her a lesson.

Of course, he couldn't openly harm Zhan Yunwei. With this array, he guaranteed she wouldn't have so much as a scratch afterward, and she wouldn't be able to complain about him.

After Yue Wujiu finished setting things up, he said to his younger sister: "Avoid Yue Zhiheng and lure her over here."

"I don't know her well. How can I lure her over?"

Yue Wujiu pondered for a moment. "Just say that Mother is waiting for her in the pavilion and has some private things to say to her alone."

Yue Huaiyue couldn't help but complain: "Brother, I've noticed that when you're not doing anything important, your brain works quite well."

This earned her a light tap on the head from Yue Wujiu. "Stop talking nonsense. Hurry up and go."

Seeing his sister head toward the front hall, Yue Wujiu called after her anxiously: "You've remembered the location of the formation, right? Don't go in later, or I'll have to find a way to rescue you."

"I remember."

---

When Zhan Yunwei had left home, it was just past chenshi (7-9 AM). But now, looking up, she realized it was almost noon.

She had met countless ladies — some of whom were unscrupulous and tried to give her gifts that exceeded the bounds of propriety, implying that she should speak well of their family's descendants to Yue Zhiheng and help them secure official positions in the dynasty.

One visitor grinned obsequiously: "Regardless of rank, as long as the head official grants the honor, my son will do his utmost, even unto death."

Zhan Yunwei looked at the box with its thin crack, inside which sat a fist-sized spirit-gathering stone. A surge of anger rose within her.

Spiritual energy in the Spirit Realm was thin. Even high-grade spirit stones couldn't be refined into much spiritual power — but spirit-gathering stones were different. Often, a spirit-gathering stone the size of a fingernail contained countless amounts of pure spiritual power. But spirit-gathering stones were only found in Du'e City.

High-ranking officials or scions of noble families naturally wouldn't risk their lives for wealth.

But they would send impoverished people from the Spirit Realm to obtain them.

Such a large spirit-gathering stone represented countless lives.

Zhan Yunwei closed her eyes, calming her anger. When she opened them, she said: "As far as I know, the dynasty does indeed have some official positions that are still vacant."

The other party beamed with delight. "What positions?" Unexpectedly, while Yue Zhiheng was impervious to persuasion, his wife was quite perceptive. If she could get into Chetian Mansion, wouldn't she be able to walk around the royal city with impunity?

But before she could finish rejoicing, she heard the smiling girl in front of her say: "A lowly official who empties chamber pots."

The woman's expression changed drastically. "You!"

Zhan Yunwei sneered. "Didn't you say that regardless of rank, it's an honor?"

After successfully driving the woman away, Zhan Yunwei finally felt a little less annoyed.

She managed to steal a moment of rest from her busy schedule — but then another young woman appeared.

Zhan Yunwei recognized her, of course. She was the second daughter of the Yue family, named Yue Huaiyue. However, she and Yue Huaiyue had never really interacted and weren't exactly acquainted.

Yue Huaiyue's eyes widened in amazement. Before coming, she had wondered if this new sister-in-law was overrated. But upon seeing her in person, she found that the girl before her was undeniably beautiful.

Her feelings were complicated. No wonder a cold-blooded and arrogant man like Yue Zhiheng would be willing to marry Zhan Yunwei.

Following her brother's words, she said: "Miss Zhan, I am Yue Zhiheng's cousin, Yue Huaiyue. My mother wants to speak with you privately."

The Second Madam wanted to see her?

The Second Madam of the Yue family was a clever woman, always adept at the middle way. She neither flattered Yue Zhiheng excessively nor provoked him, maintaining a superficial balance with him.

"What does the Second Madam want with me?"

Yue Huaiyue turned her face. "I'm not sure. Maybe it's about my cousin?"

Zhan Yunwei initially didn't suspect anything. After all, Yue Zhiheng still held the reins of the Yue household, and Yue Huaiyue's identity couldn't be faked. Although this young lady wasn't exactly friendly, she had never shown much malice.

Until the two arrived at a rockery, and Yue Huaiyue stopped walking.

Her eyes flickered. "Hmm, my mother is in that pavilion behind. I have some things to attend to — you can go there yourself."

Zhan Yunwei stopped, looking at her suspiciously.

They had now arrived at the Yue family's courtyard, where the rockery stood majestically and the stream flowed gently. It was summer, the weather was pleasant, and the garden scenery was quite beautiful.

Logically, the person before her was indeed Miss Yue. But Zhan Yunwei felt something was off.

The Second Madam was meticulous. If she really had something to say, she wouldn't have called her to a secluded place. Such an action would easily make Yue Zhiheng suspicious of her intentions.

"You... you hurry up. My mother is waiting for you."

Zhan Yunwei decided to test her: "I'm also feeling a bit unwell, and I'm afraid of offending the Second Madam, so let's visit another day."

With that, she turned to leave without hesitation.

Seeing that she was only a few steps away from the formation, Yue Huaiyue stamped her foot anxiously and stopped Zhan Yunwei. "No..."

Zhan Yunwei stared at her before saying: "Miss Yue, just tell me — what do you want?"

Yue Huaiyue gritted her teeth. She hadn't expected Zhan Yunwei to see through her and didn't know how to cover it up. Her gaze couldn't help but drift toward the artificial hill, where she knew her brother was hiding, hoping for help.

Yue Wujiu hadn't expected that his carefully laid trap would be so easily detected.

Seeing he couldn't fool Zhan Yunwei, he hardened his heart, stepped out from behind the artificial hill, and unleashed a sword aura at her.

Zhan Yunwei felt a sharp pain in her shoulder and was pushed several steps back by the sword aura.

She hadn't expected anyone to dare attack in the Yue residence. Before she could even see who had struck, a bright white light shone beneath her feet.

Her heart sank. The Four Symbols Harmony Formation?

No — that's not right!

The white array had just risen when it dimmed, replaced by a crimson aura mixed with dense black energy converging from eight directions, engulfing her.

Having read extensively in the academy in her youth, she recognized it immediately: a killing array... the Floating Dream Mirage?

Before Zhan Yunwei completely lost consciousness, she finally saw the expressions of two people outside the array change drastically.

The person behind the artificial hill rushed over, trying to grab her.

It was too late.

Zhan Yunwei recognized him. Fury surged through her. "Yue Wujiu, you just wait!"

---

Outside the array, Yue Huaiyue stammered: "Brother, how could this be? Didn't you say this was the Four Symbols Harmony Array? How could it be this color?"

A deep crimson. An ominous raven black.

Yue Wujiu's face had gone pale. He stared blankly at his fingertips, his mind replaying the last look the girl in the array had given him as he rushed over.

Her eyes, filled with anger, were unexpectedly clear and pure.

Yue Wujiu murmured: "How could this be..."

He had caused countless troubles in his life, but never before had he felt such regret and panic. Clearly, what that person had sold him was just an ordinary Four Symbols Harmony Array. How could it have transformed into a Heaven-Rank Killing Array in the blink of an eye?

Even though he wasn't an array cultivator, he could see the danger of this array.

"No, we have to save her quickly."

Yue Huaiyue, seeing her brother acting like a headless fly, actually planning to rush into the killing array, quickly stopped him. "You're just throwing your life away! Calm down. Go tell Yue Zhiheng — he might have a way."

After all, the only one in the Yue family who had studied arrays was Yue Zhiheng.

---

Half an hour earlier, Yue Zhiheng had been summoned to the Weapon Refining Pavilion.

Before leaving, he glanced at Zhan Yunwei. The young woman was surrounded by a group of ladies. It was all women — he couldn't go over there. He called over Shi Hu and instructed: "Tell Zhan Yunwei I'm going to the Weapon Refining Pavilion."

Shi Hu returned a while later. "The young mistress said, 'Don't worry, she's in the manor, she can't run away.'"

She really holds a grudge.

Yue Zhiheng hadn't meant it that way, but he didn't care what Zhan Yunwei thought of him. He went to the Weapon Refining Pavilion on his own.

Over the years, the Yue family patriarch had rarely interfered with his affairs — whether it was entering Du'e City, killing those who had fallen into evil, or persecuting the immortal sects. The patriarch had always remained silent.

Now, an aged voice echoed from the pavilion: "Do you still remember the agreement we made back then?"

Yue Zhiheng replied: "Yes."

"Good. Now there's one more clause," the old man said. "You must not use or harm this girl from the Zhan family."

Yue Zhiheng was silent for a moment. Then he smiled and said: "It seems that in your heart, I am indeed utterly wicked and ruthless."

Beneath the pavilion stood a huge paulownia tree, its leaves falling in the wind. The pavilion remained silent for a long time, as if in tacit agreement.

Yue Zhiheng understood his grandfather's unspoken meaning. He had originally wanted to retort, a surge of resentment and sorrow rising from the depths of his heart — but ultimately he felt it was pointless.

He smiled coldly. "Hmm, I understand. If you have no other instructions, I'll take my leave."

A soft sigh came from the high pavilion. "Tell me — did you have any ulterior motives in marrying her?"

Fallen leaves drifted at Yue Zhiheng's feet. He lowered his eyes to stare at them, calmly and coldly saying: "No."

The old man seemed to have guessed this answer. "Since you had no motives, then let her leave after you've finished your business."

After a long while, the old man heard the young powerful minister outside reply wearily: "Alright."

---

When Yue Zhiheng agreed to the old man's request, he had no idea how much trouble his cousins had caused.

Until he looked at the Floating Dream Mirage.

The suppressed emotions in his heart surged up in waves, and the Compassionate Lotus Pattern began to float.

How stupid could someone be to use the Floating Dream Mirage as the Four Symbols Harmony Formation?

Yue Huaiyue kept wiping away tears, while the Second Young Master Yue stood beside her, his face pale.

If they don't have brains, what's the use of keeping them?

Yue Zhiheng smiled slightly. Then he grabbed his cousin's head and slammed it against the nearby artificial hill. Having only opened his ninth level of spiritual meridians, Yue Wujiu was powerless to resist and couldn't break free.

Yue Wujiu groaned. Blood gushed from his forehead.

"Elder brother!" Yue Huaiyue cried, trying to stop him. "Please let my brother go! We know we were wrong!"

"Get out of my way." Yue Zhiheng's voice was slow and deliberate. "What did I say? You don't remember a single word."

Yue Huaiyue sobbed uncontrollably. "I remember, I remember! I'll definitely remember from now on!"

Yue Zhiheng smirked. "From now on?"

A surge of pent-up energy rose from his dantian. The lotus pattern on his robe shone brightly in the sunlight, like swimming fish and blooming lotuses — pure yet malevolent.

These lotus patterns vanished from his clothes and disappeared into his body.

Yue Huaiyue had never seen anything like it before. Yet she dared not let go, fearing that if she did, this man would kill her brother.

She was filled with regret. Her mother had warned them long ago not to provoke Yue Zhiheng — but they wouldn't listen.

Once the Lotus of Compassion had completely sunk into his body, Yue Zhiheng raised his hand. A Yang Spirit Cauldron appeared in his palm, and he pressed the blood-covered Yue Wujiu inside.

Yue Zhiheng lowered his eyes. "I'm entering the formation now. You'd better pray I return. If I don't, the Yang Spirit Cauldron will activate in three days, and Yue Wujiu, prepare to be buried with me."

Seeing the Floating Dream Mirage growing dimmer, this was the best time to enter the formation. Yue Zhiheng unsealed the Lotus of Compassion on his right hand.

As the budding lotus fully bloomed on his wrist, his figure disappeared into the formation.