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.
Chapter 0522 – Imperial Concubine Xuan Yu’s Invitation
Translated By – DemonKiller
Checked and Edited By – Livewidsmile
Proofread By – DemonKiller
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Ning Cheng had already checked things out, the first trial merely involved Celestial Essence resistance and simple arithmetic. This level of calculation posed no difficulty for Ning Cheng, looking at the pattern inscribed on the hall’s floor; first, one had to find the correct landing position by searching for the proper permutation. Then, when he or she landed in the right spot, they would immediately experience a strong Celestial Essence drag, which they would have to resist. This Celestial Essence drag would not pose many problems even for a normal Celestial Novice Cultivator; as such, it would not pose any threat to him.
Nearing the hall’s wall, one would then see a permutation-related calculation. Inscribing the result of that calculation on the wall will immediately open a gate over one of the hall’s wall, signifying the entrance to the second level.
The first level was just too simple. Ning Cheng estimated that there should only be a very few people who cannot pass through this level; therefore, he did not need to spoon-feed them.
Over at the 9-Step Obscure Array’s first level, some cultivators quickly popped out, once again appearing on the Orchid Borough Public Square.
Ning Cheng, however, had quickly made his way to the second level, finding that the second level was a deserted canyon. Ning Cheng had just come in when a powerful force pushed at him. If one did not pay attention to this invisible force, he or she would have inadvertently taken a step back. As soon as one took a step back, the formation would immediately teleport them out to the Lucky Heave City’s Public Square.
In addition to the force, there was a stone tablet at his feet, which also contained a complicated pattern inscribed over it. Armed with the experience from the first level, Ning Cheng knew that this stone tablet was the key to deducing the correct way of passing through this second level.
Moreover, under this gradually increasing force that bore down on the participants in this level, using Spiritual Consciousness to try to infer the correct walking path would prove even more difficult. As such, only those blessed with the advantage of a powerful Spiritual Consciousness gained through a systematic evolution could use it to calculate the correct walking path. Under normal circumstances, as long one had sufficient time, even an ordinary Celestial Novice Cultivator could figure out the right walking route.
However, the longer one stayed in this place, the longer one spent trying to extrapolate the correct path, the higher the force that one had to withstand, as the force bearing down would gradually strengthen. As such, there was no way for a cultivator to exploit the loophole of time to extrapolate the correct route.
Ning Cheng quickly calculated the correct route. However, he did not immediately move ahead and patiently waited for Jing Wuming, Lan Ya and Shi Yulan.
Ning Cheng had to wait for almost an hour before three of the participating geniuses appeared one after another within the range of his Spiritual Consciousness, each in another canyon.
The force bearing down on Ning Cheng was also starting to grow larger and larger. As such, he did not let the three people try to calculate the correct walking route. Ning Cheng quickly figured out the exact path for the three and passed it to the three of them through his Spiritual Consciousness.
The Jing Wuming trio felt pleasantly surprised as they discovered that Ning Cheng had already proceeded to the third level while the three of them had barely passed through the first.
The third level consisted of only six steps, and each step had a similar force bearing down on it. Every step forward would increase the pressure bearing down by several multitudes.
However, Ning Cheng quickly discovered that he could use his Spiritual Consciousness to block a part of this force, which made it a lot easier for him on the steps. Walking through these six steps not only tested one’s Celestial Essence but also was a test of Spiritual Consciousness. The more powerful one’s Spiritual Consciousness, the smaller would the force bearing down on him or her.
If Ning Cheng had to walk through these six steps alone, he most likely would not have to struggle much. However, Ning Cheng could perceive through his Spiritual Consciousness that Jing Wuming and Shi Yulan could not hold on for long, even Lan Ya did not look that good. At the same time, he also felt that to guarantee a spot to reach the Striking Order Starry Skies, one must pass through the third level.
Ning Cheng’s Spiritual Consciousness immediately spread out, helping the three of them to ward off some of the pressure. At this time, Ning Cheng had to bear several times more load than usual, if not for the formidable tenacity of his Starry Skies’ Sea of Consciousness, Ning Cheng might have already quit.
Ning Cheng slowly walked over the steps, one step at a time, aided by his strong Spiritual Consciousness. At the same time, because Ning Cheng was also helping the Jing Wuming trio, each step forward compounded the pressure bearing down on him.
The moment the four of them reached the sixth step, they immediately passed into the fourth level. However, Ning Cheng also felt a sharp pain from his Sea of Consciousness. By the time he recovered, his Spiritual Consciousness could no longer penetrate through the surroundings. At the same time, Ning Cheng could only observe the situation in front of him.
Ning Cheng realised that the Shi Yulan trio must have already exited. As such, he was now alone inside. Although passing through the fourth level alone would not pose many problems, there was still the fact that Ning Cheng was just a Celestial Novice Cultivator. If he showed off too much, it would definitely attract a lot of attention. Thinking of it, Ning Cheng deliberately took a step back as if affected by the pressure bearing down on him.
The next moment, Ning Cheng felt a warm light wrap around him that immediately sent him out.
“Ning Cheng…..” Lan Ya quickly rushed towards Ning Cheng. Seeing Ning Cheng’s pale face, she immediately knew what must have happened.
“Are you alright?” Jing Wuming also anxiously walked over. If not for Ning Cheng’s help, not to mention entering the fourth level, they would have found it difficult to pass through the second level.
“How’s our ranking?” Ning Cheng quickly asked.
Shi Yulan’s voice arrived, “We are all in the top hundred.”
Ning Cheng felt pleasantly surprised in his heart.
Was it too much?
Four of them entering the top hundred at the same time, was it good? Seeing that Jing Wuming wanted to talk, Ning Cheng quickly spoke up, “Don’t immediately leave. Let’s take a look at other’s rankings.”
Jing Wuming, who seemed to want to talk, immediately shut up. Just like Lan Ya and Shi Yulan, he also felt shocked by the power of Ning Cheng’s Spiritual Consciousness; however, he knew that this was not a place to talk.
Ning Cheng looked at the rankings over the Array Formation Displays, and his tense heart slowly started to calm down. In just a short time, the rankings of several people dropped from the top hundred to hundreds. Moreover, the rankings of many people were still falling. Ning Cheng knew that this was due to his relatively short clearance time. Furthermore, not a lot of people could compare to him when it came to computing ability.
People continually poured out into the public square, and the ranking of Ning Cheng and the others had dropped down significantly.
“Huh, how are your rankings so high?” Ruan Mingshu, who had just come out, immediately arrived by Ning Cheng’s side and spoke out in amazement. Shortly after that, she felt even more shocked to see the rankings of the three people accompanying Ning Cheng. She found that the four’s rankings were neither were very far apart nor were they low. Although the rankings of the four of them were not as high like her, it still stood out.
Ruan Mingshu did not pry into the matter; she affirmed that this matter was not simple as it looked on the surface. Moreover, she vaguely felt that this matter should have something to do with Ning Cheng. If that was the case, was it a good thing, or a bad thing?
Ning Cheng had never witnessed such a qui
ck selection process. More than a million people filtered down to the top 10,000 in just a single day.
Moreover, the top-ranked cultivator was already close to the seventh level, while the 10,000th ranked cultivator had just reached the third level. Ning Cheng’s quartet now ranked somewhere around 3000, while Ruan Mingshu ranked in the upper half of the 500s.
Ning Cheng felt relieved at this, ranked in the 3000s and ranked in the top hundred were two entirely different concepts. Among the more than a million contestants, obtaining a ranking in the high hundreds would mean a lot of attention from all around.
Even the Orchid Borough Celestial River King looked very happy. A cultivator in the Celestial Scryer Realm reaching the seventh level in the 9-Step Obscure Array was indeed a remarkable feat.
He stood up and spoke, “I’ll personally give out the rewards for the top ten of our Orchid Borough Celestial River’s experts, the first place Helian Pengbo….”
The Orchid Borough Celestial River’s top thousand would receive a variety of rewards; however, only the top ten could enjoy the privilege of the Orchid Borough Celestial River King personally rewarding them.
Ning Cheng also paid particular attention to Helian Pengbo. This cultivator looked very young, with a medium-sized build and a slightly yellow complexion. However, this fellow had almost managed to enter the seventh level, resulting in such a high evaluation score. No wonder the Orchid Borough Celestial River King felt happy.
The awarding ceremony went even longer than the selections. At the same time, Ruan Mingshu, ranking in the top half of the 500s, also received significant rewards.
After the completion of the award ceremony, the Orchid Borough Celestial River King spoke up, “Three days from now, the top 10,000 will once again gather in the Orchid Borough Public Square, from where we will head to the Striking Order Starry Skies. This time, I will personally escort and lead the group…..”
The Gate Of Good Fortune c1-905 Page 423