Xuanwu War Sovereign

"Success!" In the hall, everyone’s throat went dry as they stared at the faint white light that symbolized the successful activation of the array.

"What a monster!" The crowd exchanged glances, the shock in their eyes impossible to conceal. The white-robed youth had actually managed to set up a Basic Xuan Array. Although it was only the simplest of its kind, he was now a true, newly-minted Apprentice Xuan Master.

A fifteen-year-old Apprentice Xuan Master. He had just broken the record for the youngest Apprentice Xuan Master in the Great Yan Kingdom...

"Boundless potential, truly boundless potential!" a dignified, elderly Black-robed Xuan Master said with a bitter smile, his eyes filled with amazement. When he recalled certain shady decisions he and the others had made in secret, the old Mystic Master’s face flushed with shame. He shot a sidelong glance at Liu Xi, who was grinding his teeth not far away, and a hint of reproach flickered in his eyes.

’This little bastard!’ Liu Xi lowered his head, grinding his teeth so hard it felt like they would shatter. For the first time, a sliver of regret appeared in his eyes. Guan Ruo Lin kept her head down; for the first time, the icy young woman felt a sense of panic.

Observing the stunned crowd filling the hall, Zuo Song and Hall exchanged a look, their eyes brimming with astonishment. "The kid actually succeeded in the Array Formation. A fifteen-year-old Apprentice Xuan Master... that level of talent is simply breathtaking!"

Hall nodded, unable to hide the smile in his eyes. "I’d really love to know what master could possibly produce such an exceptional disciple!"

"The kid’s background is too mysterious, and he has plenty of secrets. In the ’mentor’ field, he wrote ’self-taught’! Clearly, he’s unwilling to reveal who his master is." Zuo Song’s white eyebrows furrowed in a helpless expression, but his eyes were filled with respect. Not in a million years would the two old men believe that Qin Feng was actually self-taught.

"Still, any Mystic Master capable of raising such a disciple must be extraordinary. Since he’s unwilling to say, we shouldn’t press the matter. Some Mystic Masters are eccentric and prefer to remain low-key. It’s not at all unusual for them to want to stay anonymous."

Hall composed himself, then his salt-and-pepper eyebrows knitted together. "But our decision from before..."

Zuo Song’s long eyebrows twitched, and a flicker of frustration crossed his eyes. He had previously decided not to clash with Liu Xi. For one, he was about to leave the Mountain and River City Mystic Master Guild. For another, Liu Xi had a powerful backer. While Zuo Song wasn’t afraid of him, he hadn’t wanted to offend such a promising Second Grade Xuan Master over a complete stranger.

But things were different now. The talent Qin Feng had shown as a Mystic Master was simply too staggering. No matter how reluctant he was, he had to make a move—even if it meant offending Liu Xi.

As the president of the Mountain and River City branch of the Mystic Master Guild, he had a duty to protect every member. He was also responsible for scouting talented new Mystic Masters. If the main Mystic Master Association learned that a fifteen-year-old Apprentice Xuan Master had met with a "mishap" in his jurisdiction, the higher-ups would likely have him flayed alive.

Zuo Song glanced at Liu Xi, whose face was grim and whose eyes were practically overflowing with killing intent. Zuo Song sighed and waved a hand. "Have someone keep an eye on Liu Xi. Tell him not to do anything rash. That kid is part of the Mystic Master Guild now. Even if he is just an Apprentice Xuan Master, I won’t let anything happen to him in my jurisdiction!"

Hall took a deep breath and nodded. He cast a sympathetic glance at his old friend of several decades. It had been a long time since he’d seen the shrewd old man this frustrated and helpless.

It was hard to imagine his old friend—a man who held regional power and was known for being cunning and slippery—being backed into a corner by a fifteen-year-old boy.

He waved his hand, and two Black-robed Xuan Masters immediately approached. Hall whispered a few words to them. The two looked at him, then at each other, and vanished from sight almost simultaneously.

"Huh? What’s that kid doing now?" Hall had just turned away, but he suddenly frowned.

"Hm?" Zuo Song started, his gaze following Hall’s. His expression hardened, his eyes glued to the white-robed youth’s actions.

"His movements... they’re for..."

"The Level 1 Water Attribute Torrential Rain Array Map!" Their eyes lit up, and they spoke almost in unison. They exchanged a look, each seeing the profound shock in the other’s eyes.

"That kid’s actually trying to become an Official Xuan Master!" Zuo Song murmured. Losing his composure, he tugged so hard on one of his long, snow-white eyebrows that he pulled it out by the root.

"The kid is so ambitious! A Level 1 Formation is dozens of times more complex than a basic Array Map!" Hall stared numbly at the white-robed youth, his mouth agape. He couldn’t utter a single word.

...

The Kui Water Profound Array is just a Water Attribute Basic Xuan Array. Basic Xuan Arrays have virtually no combat power. For instance, the purpose of a Kui Water Profound Array is usually just to maintain soil moisture. They are mostly used in Medicine Gardens to draw in ambient moisture and nourish Spirit Medicine.

Another example is the Metal Attribute Basic Xuan Array, the Taibai Xuan Array. Once deployed, a Taibai Xuan Array can manipulate ambient Gold Qi, condensing it into fine Sword Qi. However, this Sword Qi is as thin as a hair and can hardly harm a Martial Artist.

The Taibai Xuan Array’s greatest function is pest control. Certain Spirit Trees and Spirit Flowers are susceptible to insect infestations. By setting up a Taibai Xuan Array in a Medicine Garden, one can easily eliminate these pests without harming the Spirit Trees or Spirit Medicine.

Few Basic Xuan Arrays can actually harm a Martial Artist. The most well-known ones that can are the Aurora Array, the Desolate Array, the Red Water Array, and a few others.

The Aurora Array is blinding, the Desolate Array disorients the mind, and the Red Water Array corrodes the flesh...

Advanced Arrays, however, are a different story. Even the lowest-grade Level 1 Formation can easily eliminate a Martial Artist at the Martial Arts Seventh Layer Heaven.

High-level Xuan Arrays are incredibly complex. Many Apprentice Xuan Masters can’t even comprehend them. Typically, after becoming an Apprentice, one spends four or five years studying the fundamentals to build a solid foundation. Only then do they begin to approach complex Level 1 Array Maps. As for successfully performing the Array Formation, who knows how long that would take. No one was like Qin Feng, who started the assessment for Official Xuan Master the moment he became an Apprentice.

Most importantly, to advance to the rank of Official Xuan Master, one must condense a true Lifebound Array Map within their Spiritual Sea. This is the crucial step; otherwise, Official Xuan Masters wouldn’t be so rare.

The Lifebound Array Map determines a Mystic Master’s future path and is the source of a Senior Xuan Master’s greatest power, much like an Alchemist’s Lifebound Flame. Both can be upgraded as the user’s cultivation level increases.

Qin Feng already possessed a Lifebound Array Map. It had always been hidden in the depths of his soul. It was an Origin Dao Map, one as high as Tier Nine. When Qin Feng had traversed Space-Time, his soul suffered a grievous wound. To protect him, the Dao Map that housed his soul had also been severely damaged and had receded deep within him. Despite this, its power was still immense.

This Origin Dao Map was called the ’Ten Directions Abyss Tribulation Destruction Divine Map’!