Chapter 13: The Killing Intent
A month had passed.
Hun Lian had already turned in the mission and received his 1000 contribution points, and was currently practising the Entry-Grade Earth Level Moon Lit Shadow dance movement technique.
This was the same technique he got from Mo Xieren along with 3000 thousand Low-grade Qi crystals and when he practised it, he found that it was complimentary to his spear technique as well.
A movement technique of this level was very fast and since they were rare, it was even more of an insurance for Hun Lian for future.
During this month, he would daily visit the Hall of Array despite the daily discouragement from Liu Si Xing, and daily, he would feel like he was being spied on.
Earlier he thought that a deacon from the Hall of Souls was inspecting him, but later he confirmed that it was Liu Si Xing's master, Zhan Min only.
He came to this conclusion because he could feel the same omnipresence from the person who was watching him the day he arrived in the sect and he was smart enough to draw the parallels.
Along with going to the Hall of Arrays and trying to feel it, he also enquired about Cui Zan and when he was following her one day after suppressing his breath, he found her talking to the Guardian of the Treasure Hall of the outer sect.
Treasure Hall, also known as the Hall of Artefacts was where disciples of the Outer Court can go and buy several kinds of Artefacts from the sect.
Mainly people would go to the Trading Area for buying what they need, but many a times they could not find the exact artefact they needed from the trading area, and hence they would exchange their Contribution Points in the Treasure Hall.
Upon following Cui Zan and inquiring about her in casual talks, Hun Lina found that Cui Zan was somehow related to the Guardian of the Treasure Hall, but when Hun Lian inspected the said guardian from afar, he could not find anything.
He did however notice that the Said Guardian/Elder was giving off radiations of Saint Realm, which was some bulls#it because Saint Realm powerhouses could very easily become Grand Elder of a Top Sect in the Rizedonia Empire, and could even start their own sect.
He even found that the radiations coming off from the Treasure Hall Elder was sometimes fluctuating between the Emperor Realm and the Spirit Realm which was another bulls#it as the current Emperor of the Rizedonia Empire, along with all the Heads of the founding families of the Empire were in the Emperor Realm.
It was a realm which was the point of summit in this part of the world, and no one was able to breakthrough past it.
That level of power was enough to destroy the empire and a person who could destroy the empire was chilling as an Outer Court Elder under the noses of everyone in the Perpetuity Sect.
'This is not possible. In the Perpetuity Sect, the Array Ancestor and the Patriarch of the Sect, both are in the Emperor Realm. They must know about him.'
Hun Lian was standing outside the Treasure Hall and looking at Elder Kong Jia, the Elder of the Treasure Hall with interest.
With slow steps, he started walking and soon arrived in front of the desk where Elder Kong Jia was sitting in the Treasure Hall and presented his Id card.
"Good Morning Elder Kong. I am Hun Lian and I would like to buy an artefact."
Kon Jia opened his sleepy eyes as he looked over at Hun Lian and took his Id card while yawning.
"Go in fast and come out fast. I don't have patience for people who waste time."
Kong Jia inserted Hun Lian's Id card into something that resembled a card reader and closed his eyes again.
Hun Lian tried hard to see any sort of disease in Kong Jia without using his spiritual strength, but didn't find anything.
With a last look at Kon Jia, he turned around and entered the Treasure Hall when Kong Jia opened his eyes and looked at the disappearing back of Hun Lian.
As Hun Lian entered the Pagoda, he couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at the imposing structure before him. The Pagoda was made entirely of white marble and was at least fifty meters tall, with three levels visible from the outside.
As he stepped closer, he remembered from memory that each level had a different set of arrays protecting it. The bottom level had the simplest arrays, while the middle level had more intricate ones, and the top level had the most complex arrays of them all. He knew that these arrays were designed to keep out anyone who wasn't authorised to enter, and detect if anyone was being naughty and tried to steal an artefact from here.
Upon entering the Pagoda, Hun Lian was struck by the sheer number of spirit artefacts on display. The shelves lining the walls were filled with treasures of every kind imaginable. The bottom level was where the more regular artefacts were kept, such as basic talismans and common defensive artefacts. Hun Lian noticed that each shelf was meticulously organized, with all of the weapon artefacts grouped together, such as swords, spears, and axes, and all of the defensive artefacts grouped together, such as bracelets, lockets, robes, and tokens.
The first floor contained more valuable artefacts, including some rare talismans and defensive artefacts that were way more expensive. The shelves on this level were similarly organized, but Hun Lian noticed knew that the arrays protecting this level were much more complex than those on the bottom level.
Finally, Hun Lian ascended to the top level, where the most precious artefacts were kept. He knew that only the most senior disciples of the outer court were allowed to buy from this level, but even on this level, he didn't find anything he wanted to get and even if he did want to get something from here, then he had to wait at least an year, as new disciples were not allowed to purchase from here.
Here, Hun Lian saw the most powerful talismans and artefacts that the outer court possessed. There were weapons that glowed with a fierce inner light, defensive artefacts that seemed to repel all harm, and talismans that pulsed with a strange energy. All of the artefacts were still organized in the same manner as the previous levels, but the quality and power of the treasures on display were on a completely different level.
Overall, the Pagoda was an impressive sight to behold, but Hun Lian couldn't help but think about what would he get if he were to smelt all of these artefacts.
'Better not do something crazy' he thought as he smiled and started to descend.
'My objective is complete anyway. Let's not waste time'
Hun Lian went up to the desk of Kong Jia and took back his Id, and under the suspicious gaze of the Elder, exited the Pagoda and started walking towards the Hall of Arrays.
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It was kind of a daily habit for Hun Lian to visit the Hall of Arrays in the hopes of one day making a progress in detecting an Array and hopefully breaking it to get admitted in it.
As Hun Lian was visiting the Hall of Arrays, his Spatial Ring buzzed, and he smiled at the voice which greeted him in his mind.
'*Ai Ren[1]! How is your day going?*'
He talked with Liu Si Xing daily through the Relay Talisman since they were not able to meet. Liu Si Xing had warned him against trying to seeking her out in the Core Court as that could draw some serious attention to him, both from people who like her, and the People who were curious about her, including her Master and Family.
It was a long separation which was difficult for the both of them and the distance only made Liu Si Xing's heart grow fonder.
No matter how ruthless Hun Lian was trying to make his heart, he also genuinely liked her but he still had no crazy thoughts of inviting her out from the Core Court where she was recently promoted to.
She told her that her parents had asked her to return to the family in the Capital, and she would be going there soon where the same physicians and Alchemists who had diagnosed her earlier were going to check her again.
She had no control over this matter and she also knew that her parents would have some questions for her, regarding which both she and Hun Lian discussed what to answer.
Hun Lian chatted with her till he arrived at the Hall of Arrays, and after saying his goodbyes, he removed every distraction from his mind and entered the imposing red hall and unleashed his Spiritual senses to the extreme, trying to detect the arrays.
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The blood attribute he received after becoming a creature of the night had increased Hun Lian's perception to a new height. He could sense the smallest of changes and see the smallest of details from far away and was banking on this ability to finally sense the Array.
Closing his eyes, Hun Lian focused his mind and began to sense the space around him. He visualized the room as a grid, with every inch of the floor, walls, and ceiling marked by a coordinate. Slowly, he began to feel the faintest hint of energy emanating from certain points in the room.
Hun Lian opened his eyes and looked around, but he saw nothing but red walls and empty space. He took a step forward and felt a sudden wave of energy wash over him. The sensation was like a mystical force, pushing against his body and mind.
As he continued to move forward, the waves of energy grew stronger, pulsing with an almost hypnotic rhythm. Hun Lian closed his eyes again and focused on the energy, trying to decipher the pattern.
The sensation grew more intense, and Hun Lian felt as though his mind was being pulled in a dozen different directions at once. He struggled to maintain his focus, but he refused to give up. The energy was building to a climax, and he knew that he was close to discovering the array.
And then, suddenly, he saw it. The array appeared in his mind's eye, a complex web of interlocking patterns and symbols. Hun Lian's eyes snapped open, and he saw that the walls of the Hall had turned a deep, crimson red. His own eyes felt like they were on fire, glowing red with the intensity of his focus.
Hun Lian stepped forward, drawn inexorably toward the centre of the array. With each step, the energy grew more intense, until he was standing directly in the middle of the web.
He raised his hands and began to trace the symbols with his fingers, feeling the energy coursing through his body. Hun Lian closed his eyes again, and this time, he saw the array in vivid detail. He knew its purpose, its strengths and weaknesses, and he knew how to break it.
With a final burst of energy, Hun Lian shattered the array, his eyes still glowing red with power.
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Zhan Min, as usual was watching Hun Lian with interest as he entered the Hall of Arrays but when his eyes started to glow red, her smile froze and slowly faded away.
She had already investigated Hun Lian and knew that he came from a normal background and even Liu Si Xing didn't say anything about him being having any eye prowess or being a vampire.
Vampires were once a powerful group of cultivators who could absorb the cultivation of others and within a few decades, surpass their piers.
This kind of cheat ability made people envious and worried. Vampires were prosecuted around the empire and when they joined the fight against Rizedonia, they were hunted and killed by her supporters.
Zhan Min herself had killed several Vampires and their servents some centuries ago and had thought that they were exterminated.
Now when she saw Hun Lian finally sense and destroy an array while only being in a Transcendent Realm, she didn't feel any surprise as she knew about the heightened senses of Vampires first-hand.
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As soon as Hun Lian shattered the array, he felt a bone-chilling murderous intent washing over him.
Immediately, when he shattered the Array, a new array was immediately casted on the Hall and he left.
'What was that!? Why would anyone try to kill me in the sect unless-'
Suddenly, as if realising why, Hun Lian quickened his footsteps and came back to his. He knew that he was being spied on by Zhan Min every day when he goes to the Hall of Arrays, but he never considered that she might be hostile to Vampires.
The original book never mentioned her involvement with any and the only Vampire which did appear, whose chance Hun Lian had stolen, was also never explained fully and even his fate was unknown.
After arriving at his house, Hun Lian's Id card buzzed and once he took it out, he could see that the outline of his card had turned red, and below his name, an additional title has been added which read 'Array Apprintice'.
Once Hun Lian clicked on this new title, a message appeared on the Id card, which revealed the process of casting a basic concealment array and a task was attached to it.
'I have to take part in this upcoming tournament and get to the Inner Court soon.'
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"Cui Zan, do you know a person named Hun Lian?" Asked the Elder from the Tresure Hall.
"Uhh…Yes, Uncle. I do seem to remember Disciple Hun, but why do you ask?"
Cui Zan had just come back after practising for the tournament and was very tired.
She was at the 9th Stage of the Transcent Realm and could very easily arrive at the Nascent Soul Realm, but she was delaying it under the instructions of her Uncle.
Most people didn't know, but she and her Uncle were not from this continent. She was actually the sole Heiress of a very powerful family from the Western continent, but when a conspiracy regarding her assassination was revealed, the Elder of the Family risked his life and tore open a spatial channel from a powerful artefact and fled here with her.
Because her uncle was only in the Spiritual Tyrant Realm, the pressure of Sapce-time fabric injured her uncle's spiritual veins, and since then, they are living here under fake names, trying to recover and contact her mother, by which they can return and avenge the assassination attempt.
Because her uncle was an expert in Martial arts, he had instructed her not to breakthrough past the Transcendent Realm because once she does steps into the Nascent Soul Realm, her spiritual soul would be born and then it was impossible for the soul to be upgraded.
Her uncle instructed her that they must first find the Ember of Basalt Ash and use it to breakthrough, which would give her spiritual soul an elemental affinity and her already powerful fire attribute would become devastating to her foes.
Spiritual souls were not something that can have elemental affinity like your Qi and hence no one was born with it.
This was also the reason she was trying to use this competition to enter the Inner Court, unlike the normal way of breaking through to the Nascent Soul Realm and entering the Inner Court.
"I have lived for a thousand years, Zan. I have been in countless life-and-death battles and have a strong insight.
Today I felt that the person named Hun Lian, who was merely in the 6th Stage of the Transcendent Realm actually saw through my injuries and my cultivation in one look.
I also felt a strange bone protruding sideways from his spine which was unnaturally attached to him. He also deliberately came there because he didn't even buy anything and came out of the Hall in just ten minutes.
I think he might be trying to tell me something."
Cui Zan was startled upon learning this. She had met this Junior brother of hers twice but she never thought that he could see through his Uncle's cultivation in one glance.
Her Uncle, although not that powerful in her family, but was easily the most powerful existence in this trash continent once he was fully healed.
"I shall then talk to him then."
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Hun Lian finally breathed a sigh of relief when he felt the feeling of being watched disappear.
He knew that if anyone of Zhan Min's calibre wanted him dead, then they just needed to think of it, and it would be done, he was that powerless against them, and hence he didn't try to run away.
Hun Lian went and took a bath to relax his tense muscles and lay down in his bed while staring at the ceiling.
'I need an offensive and a defensive martial technique, but before that..'
Hun Lian suddenly summoned 2000 Low-Grade Qi Crystal out of the three thousand he received from Mo Xieren and said in his mind
[Ether Furnace]
'Smelt these 2000 Low-grade Qi Crystals.'
[2000 Low-Grade Qi Crystals Smelted: Emperor Jade.]
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[1] Ai Ren : It is a term of endearment in mandarin chinese, which literally means "lover" and is often used by couples to refer to each other affectionately. It can be used by both men and women to refer to their partners.
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