Chapter 0521: Cheating

The Orchid Borough Celestial River King looked ordinary, with a big nose and small eyes. Instead, the woman accompanying the Celestial Rover King brought out his grandeur. Compared to the average looking Celestial River King, Ning Cheng felt more surprised by the woman at his side.

“That pretty-looking woman should be Imperial Concubine Xuan Yu, isn’t it? No wonder that fellow decided to name this city as the Revolving Jade City.” Ning Cheng whispered. That woman was just too beautiful; no wonder the Orchid Borough Celestial River King took a fancy to her.

[TL Note: “Xuan Yu” and “Revolving Jade” are the same words; I just choose to mix it up for the different uses of the names.]

Compared to Shi Yulan’s beauty, which felt like an un-bloomed rosebud, Imperial Concubine Xuan Yu gave off the feeling like a fully blooming rose flower.

“You should keep your voice down. Don’t talk casually in this place.” Shi Yulan quickly spoke up. She had a lot more experience with Celestial River Kings; moreover, since she had personally witnessed the fearfulness of Celestial River Kings, she felt afraid that their words might end up reaching the ears of the Orchid Borough Celestial River King, even if they were only whispering.

Ning Cheng only smiled but did not continue to speak. He had already masked his voice; as such, even if the Orchid Borough Celestial River King were someone with cultivation above the Heaven Seated Realm, he still would not be able to hear his voice. However, Shi Yulan’s words, he might have heard them.

The Orchid Borough Celestial River King, accompanied with his beautiful Imperial Concubine, descended over the main altar of the Orchid Borough Public Square. At the same time, his Spiritual Consciousness had already swept through the entire public square.

When that fellow’s Spiritual Consciousness swept past Ning Cheng’s body, Ning Cheng felt his entire body turn ice-cold. It felt as if nothing could hide from the eyes of that person. Ning Cheng knew that it was just an illusion; however, it also proved the horrifying might of the Celestial River King. Moreover, this Celestial River King belonged to one of the most ordinary Celestial River. If it was a powerful Celestial River King, Ning Cheng could not begin to imagine the strength of such an existence.

When the public square finally turned silent, the Orchid Borough Celestial River King finally spoke up, “Today, I feel delighted. I came here to meet the elites of my Orchid Borough Celestial River. The future of Orchid Borough Celestial River lies in your hands, and you might even leave your mark within the Man Lun Starry Skies. I just hope that, in the future, outside of the Man Lun Starry Skies, if a powerhouse could say that he or she came from the Orchid Borough Celestial River, it would turn out to be the happiest thing for me.”

“Since the Man Lun Starry Skies is hosting the Celestial Scryer Genius Tryouts, it could also help you finally make your way out of our starry skies and enter the vast universe. The geniuses in my Orchid Borough Celestial River are like the passing clouds in the sky, and yet all of you experts have decided to gather here in the selection rounds of the Orchid Borough Celestial River. Right now, there are 1.06 million Celestial Scryer Geniuses taking part in this selection. However, although I wish to send every one of you to enter the Time Wilderness; the Man Lun Starry Skies just has too many Celestial Rivers and not just our Orchid Borough Celestial River.”

“As such, we can only select a limited number of geniuses from our Orchid Borough Celestial River. In fact, out of the nearly one million geniuses, we can only select 10,000 of you to enter the Time Wilderness. Entering the Time Wilderness, I trust everyone should already know what kind of benefits it could bring to your starry skies’ cultivation, and what it signifies, right? It means that you could walk further in the future and rush higher…..”

The thunderous cheers indicated the implicit support the people had for the Orchid Borough Celestial River King.

The Orchid Borough Celestial River King smiled before raising his hand and continuing, “Because there are too many geniuses participating in this competition, we will use a one-off method to determine things within a day…..”

Ning Cheng already had some idea about the method of selection; however, he still paid adequate attention. If he could, Ning Cheng also wanted to help the Jing Wuming trio. As for Ruan Mingshu, Ning Cheng felt sure that the other party had her own means to pass the selection round and did not need his help. However, he also felt somewhat doubtful about completing the selection round from more than a million cultivators in within a day.

“Many people might have already received the news that this time’s selection round will take place in the Orchid Borough Celestial River’s 9 Step Obscure Array. Our Orchid Borough Celestial River’s Obscure Array is a product of the Premier Obscure Array Grandmaster Xuan Ming and built for the masses. As such, using it for selection would be both fair and just. The first 10,000 geniuses who can go the farthest within our Orchid Borough Celestial River’s 9 Step Obscure Array will represent our Orchid Borough Celestial River within the Man Lun Starry Skies……”

As the Orchid Borough Celestial River King continued speaking over the altar, some whisperings had already started to spread below it.

Ning Cheng had never encountered an Obscure Array. From what he heard from Ruan Mingshu previously, Obscure Arrays and Array Formations had some differences. Mainly, when it came to using Obscure Arrays, one cannot just rely on the level of understanding of Array Formations. It also required sufficient Celestial Essence Force, sufficiently strengthened Spiritual Consciousness, right perception and a high enough comprehension ability, combining it all with adequate calculating skills. In a way, it was somewhat similar to gambling in casinos. He even heard that ‘gambling’ was one of the side branches of Obscure Arrays.

At the same time, the Obscure Arrays did not have any clearly defined rankings. Supposedly, the Orchid Borough Celestial River’s 9-Step Obscure Array referred to this Obscure Array having nine gates. The passage through each gate had an intrinsic connection to a cultivator’s Celestial Essence, Spiritual Consciousness and perceptual abilities.

“We have already prepared and placed the entry and exit points for the Orchid Borough Celestial River’s Obscure Array over the Orchid Borough Public Square. At the same time, the results of the participating talents would come up on display on the Orchid Borough Public Square’s Array Formation Displays. The selection round starts now……”

After the Orchid Borough Celestial River finished, he immediately flew out from the main altar along with his Imperial Concubine before landing on one side of the main stage to watch the proceedings.

A moment later, the main altar, where he stood a moment ago, automatically descended. Then a colossal Transfer Array entrance opened up and a long bearded man appeared next to this Array Entrance and took out a jade pillar before putting it down before speaking, “To cultivators participating in the selection round, please take out your identity jade cards and put them on your chests before stepping into the Transfer Array Entrance. If you are not a contestant, I would advise you to not try to go in; otherwise, you will be automatically sent out and killed on the spot….”

After the old man finished, he stood to the side. Many of the participating cultivators put their jade card over their chests and walked into the Transfer Array Entrance.

The large ten-sided blank Array Formation Displays in the middle of the Orchid Borough Public Square, which had remained blank until now, quickly started to display names one after another.

“Senior Apprentice Brother Ning, let’s wait for a while before the two of us go in together; also, take care.” Ruan Mingshu walked over to Ning Cheng’s side and whispered.

Ning Cheng took out his jade card and pinned it to his chest before asking, “Junior Apprentice Sister Mingshu, are you sure that you can enter the top 10,000?”

Ruan Mingshu nodded and spoke, “I have been inside an Obscure Array before; therefore, I am confident that I can get into the top 10,000.”

“Well then, you go ahead. I have a few things to discuss with my friends.” Ning Cheng rejected Ruan Mingshu’s proposal.

Ruan Mingshu looked at Jing Wuming and the Lan Ya duo before speaking with some disappointment, “Okay, then I will go in first. Senior Apprentice Brother Ning, in any case, you must pass this selection….”

Although Ruan Mingshu’s words did not contain even the barest hint of threat, Ning Cheng still felt a little uncomfortable. Those words were to remind him that he and the Ruan Clan had a cooperation agreement between them and that he cannot let others affect his selection.

After Ruan Mingshu left, Ning Cheng asked the Lan Ya trio, “Do you feel confident enough?”

Jing Wuming hesitated before speaking, “Although I don’t have much confidence, I still have some.”

Lan Ya also nodded, “I feel just like Wuming. I do not have much confidence. However, I want to go in and experience it. At the same time, I do believe that I might have a chance to pass.”

Shi Yulan remained silent until Ning Cheng looked at her, when she replied with, “I don’t have much confidence either.”

Ning Cheng pondered over things for a moment before speaking up through sound transmissions, “Ok, Shi Yulan and I will pair up as one group, Wuming and Senior Apprentice Sister Lan will pair up for the other. Let us go in first, Wuming and Senior Apprentice Sister Lan Ya, follow behind us closely. Whether we pass or fail, let us try things out first. Remember; do not immediately start moving after you go in. If you do not receive any message from me, it means that the Obscure Array does not allow cheating. In that case, everyone will have to rely on his or her own luck. If you can receive my message, then you would not have to worry too much.”

“Ok.” Jing Wuming and the three of them also agreed. With the three of them agreeing with Ning Cheng, the four of them decided to go in together. That way, they could take care of each other.

……

The Orchid Borough Public Square’s Transfer Array Entrance was huge; even if hundreds of people decided to enter side by side, it still would not feel crowded. Out of the nearly one million contestants, a little more than half of them had already gone through the Array Entrance.

Ning Cheng and Shi Yulan entered side by side, and Jing Wuming and Lan Ya quickly aligned themselves behind Ning Cheng and Shi Yulan before entering the Transfer Array Entrance.

As soon as he stepped into the Transfer Array Entrance, Ning Cheng felt the area around his body turn empty before landing on the ground a moment later.

Ning Cheng immediately focused his attention over the surroundings. From the looks of it, his surroundings looked like an empty hall. There was a wall in all four directions about ten meters around him. Moreover, both the walls and the hall’s floor seemed covered with some strange patterns. At the same time, there was only one person inside the whole room, and one could no longer see any trace of the rest of the people who entered.

Not to say about Jing Wuming and Lan Ya, Ning Cheng could not even see Shi Yulan, who had entered with him.

Although this hall did not have an exit or an entrance, Ning Cheng did not feel anxious. Since it was an Obscure Array, then one had to create their own doors. Carefully extending out his Spiritual Consciousness, he found his Spiritual Consciousness blocked the moment it touched the walls of the hall.

However, Ning Cheng did not recall it because of an obstruction. Before coming to this place, he had attempted many times to penetrate obstacles with his Spiritual Consciousness. Whether Spiritual Consciousness Blocking Array Formations or natural restrictions that blocked Spiritual Consciousness, none could completely prevent him. Moreover, Ning Cheng even had a verification about it when he had obtained the Fire Origin Bead.

Sure enough, when Ning Cheng’s Spiritual Consciousness forcibly tried to penetrate, his Spiritual Consciousness finally started to penetrate through the wall slowly. A moment later, he saw Shi Yulan frowning but motionless. Looking at two other sides, he then saw Jing Wuming and Lan Ya. Apart from them, he could also see a few other competing cultivators.

Ning Cheng gave out a sigh; the Starry Skies’ Sea of Consciousness indeed was quite powerful. He felt confident there was no other person like him in this place. Moreover, he also understood that this 9-Step Obscure Array most likely was a vast spacial treasure, with so much open space on the inside.

Shi Yulan looked worried as she stood in the middle of the hall. Her Spiritual Consciousness could only extend within the chamber. How could she receive any messages from Ning Cheng’s Spiritual Consciousness? Moreover, it was just the first level, yet she had no idea how to deal with it. What would she do later?

At that moment, she felt Ning Cheng’s Spiritual Consciousness Message, “Don’t worry; the first passage only requires calculation and Celestial Essence. You will have to walk from your spot towards the walls of the hall; however, there is some Celestial Essence drag in the middle. Do not retreat, once you retreat, you will immediately be sent out.”

“Moreover, there are also rules to move around under your feet; the specific foot position needs to be calculated and derived based on the patterns within the hall. Once you miscalculate, the hall will immediately send you out. This is the first level, so you should be able to pass it. If you feel there is no way to pass, do not rush to leave, just stay where you are.”

Shi Yulan felt unceasingly amazed. She could not think that Ning Cheng’s Spiritual Consciousness could penetrate the hall’s walls and even use it to transmit messages to her. It was just too much.

The same moment that Shi Yulan received Ning Cheng’s Spiritual Consciousness Message, Jing Wuming and Lan Ya also received the same Spiritual Consciousness Message, which had also similarly shocked the two of them. Ning Cheng’s cultivation was the lowest among them, so how did Ning Cheng have such a powerful Spiritual Consciousness. Alternatively, did he cultivate a unique cultivation method?

In any case, Ning Cheng’s formidable means was also a good thing for them. They immediately started acting according to Ning Cheng’s instructions and quickly broke through the first level.

What Ning Cheng had never taken into account was that when he passed the Spiritual Consciousness Message to the Shi Yulan trio, the Orchid Borough Celestial River King’s Imperial Concubine Xuan Yu suddenly give a frown as her gaze fell over the Transfer Array Entrance in the middle of the Orchid Borough Public Square.