Chapter 115: You Call This an Array? Practice More, Noob

"Leave Jianghai?"

Just that? Such a simple condition?

Qin Yang didn’t really care.

’There are plenty of places like Ten-Mile Slope. Worst case, I’ll just be a Sword God in a different city.’

Besides.

’I can see through this incomplete Ten Thousand Array Map far better than Li Qinghe can. It doesn’t even compare to the True Understanding of Array Dao. There’s no way I could possibly lose!’

With this in mind, Qin Yang readily agreed, "Whatever you want. Just set a time and I’ll be there."

"Great!"

When Li Qinghe saw that Qin Yang had agreed, her face lit up with joy.

’That guy Qin finally agreed!’

’Hmph, hmph, you’re in for it now!’

As if afraid Qin Yang would go back on his word, she took out her phone, opened a map app, searched for a few locations, and showed them to him.

"It’s not convenient here. Let’s do it tonight at Wujin Park on the southeast outskirts of the city. We’ll meet there after work. I’ll be waiting for you!"

"..."

Qin Yang took out his phone, searched for the name, and glanced at the address.

It was in the suburbs, an abandoned project in the middle of nowhere. A place so remote that ordinary citizens never went there. It was indeed a good place for a competition.

But still...

’Something feels a little strange...’

’"Don’t leave after work, let’s have a one-on-one."’

’Why does this feel like a challenge from an elementary schooler!?’

"Forget it. Have it your way."

Qin Yang waved his hand in dismissal but ultimately agreed.

’It’d be best if I could get a reward. If she wants to meet in some secluded spot, so be it. I’ll break her Array until she cries.’

"Hmph, hmph. Now you’re acting like a man, Qin."

Hearing Qin Yang agree, Li Qinghe’s mood improved greatly. She hummed a little tune as she returned to her post in Area 2 to prepare.

Watching her retreating figure, Xiaobai, who was nestled at Qin Yang’s feet, looked up at her, then tilted her head to look at Qin Yang, utterly speechless.

’I’ve been cooped up at home for the past two days, bored out of my mind. I finally get a chance to come out and run wild, but I haven’t even been out for long... and now I have to watch Qin Yang bully a noob? What level of power is he... and what level is she? Isn’t this just pure bullying?!’

At that thought, Xiaobai looked at Qin Yang with disdain.

’So dishonorable. I never knew Master had such a kink...’

...

「Evening.」

Qin Yang got off work on time. Cradling Xiaobai, he first went to the market to buy some groceries before using Close Yet So Far to rush to Wujin Park.

The park was located on the outskirts of the suburbs.

Overgrown weeds were everywhere. A rusty swing set swayed gently in the wind, and in the distance, some abandoned exercise equipment could be seen. Faintly, the rustling and croaking of frogs could be heard, painting a bleak and desolate scene.

When Qin Yang arrived at their meeting spot, Li Qinghe was sitting on a swing. She was stunned when she saw the grocery bag in his hand.

"You even stopped to buy groceries?"

"Cut the chatter. I still have to go home and eat dinner."

Qin Yang cut her off, put down Xiaobai and the grocery bag, and slowly walked into the waist-high weeds. "How do you want to do this?"

As his voice fell,

"Very simple..."

Li Qinghe jumped off the swing, summoned the Ten Thousand Array Map, and explained seriously, "The rules are simple. I will set up an Array."

"If you can break the Array and get out within half an hour, you win!"

"Fine."

Hearing this, Qin Yang agreed, then took out his phone to check the time.

’I won’t need thirty minutes. Three minutes will be enough. Break the Array, go home, eat dinner. My time management is impeccable!’

...

「An hour later.」

In the park, Li Qinghe took a few steps back and chose the pointed roof of a pavilion as the focal point for her Array Formation. She scattered Star Stones with her hand, and the Ten Thousand Array Map levitated above her palm.

"Array, activate."

Her soft voice faded.

The next moment.

BZZT!

A flash of electricity surged, and the yellow paper of the Array Map trembled.

In an instant, the Star Stones scattered at the park’s edge began to float, connecting into profound array lines that formed what seemed like an uncrossable barrier of lightning.

Star Pressure gathered abruptly. The scenery within the Array distorted, transforming into an ethereal, bewildering Domain, several times more powerful than her previous Arrays.

"It’s done."

Seeing this, Li Qinghe stood atop the pavilion, her clothes fluttering, as she surveyed the surrounding scene.

’This Illusion Array has reached the Third Level. Its power is astonishing, and with the enhancement from the Ten Thousand Array Map, it also conceals a Dharma Gate that can slow down time. It isn’t apparent from the outside. Only when Qin Yang enters to break the Array will he discover the problem within.’

"Heh, by the time you manage to break the Array, I’ll have already won on time!" Li Qinghe chuckled softly.

The Jianghai Li Family was a renowned Array Dao Family with a legacy stretching back through the ages and an incredibly profound heritage.

And she herself was the family’s Array prodigy. Even her two younger brothers couldn’t compare to her.

’If it weren’t for the Li Clan Rules being so rigid and archaic, with the Ten Thousand Array Map passed down only to men and not women, why else would I have had to resort to stealing the map?’

’Fine. Now that I have the Ten Thousand Array Map, I can use that guy Qin as a whetstone!’

Li Qinghe stood on the pavilion roof, looking down at Qin Yang in the distance, who was chewing on a blade of grass. She called out in a loud voice,

"You can enter the Array now!"

As her voice fell,

Qin Yang, who had been squatting in the grass scrolling through his phone, stood up, spat out the grass seeds in his mouth, and slowly walked toward the center of the park, disappearing directly into the Array.

The next moment,

a strange sense of resistance, like passing through the membrane of a water bubble, washed over him.

The scenery before him faded away, replaced by a world of pure white. There was no east, west, south, or north; it was a vast, boundless space without a single point of reference.

"Hm? A Third Level Illusion Array?"

As Qin Yang sensed the Magic Array’s level, he suddenly felt his body slow down. Even a simple wave of his hand seemed to take several minutes.

Time seemed to have slowed severalfold.

’She added a small slowing Array... This girl is nesting Arrays with the Ten Thousand Array Map. No wonder she gave me a thirty-minute time limit.’

Qin Yang waved his hand and tried to take a step forward.

An invisible resistance pressed down on him, making his movements as sluggish as a turtle. It took even more effort than usual.

Just then.

"Ding! Ten Thousand Array Map aura detected. This Array is ferocious. Host, please escape immediately!"

The system’s notification suddenly rang out!

"It’s finally here!"

Hearing this, Qin Yang’s spirits soared.

’A system prompt means that breaking the Array is a valid action. I can still get a reward from Li Qinghe!’

At this thought, his motivation surged instantly.

The next moment.

BOOM!

Star Force erupted, and Sword Qi raged around him, instantly sweeping across the entire park.

Qin Yang glanced at the surrounding Array. Instead of looking for the Array’s core, he simply raised his hand and pointed lightly into the empty space.

Surging Sword Qi shot out from his fingertip. He intended to sweep through with brute force and shatter the world of white.

BANG!

In an instant!

The world of pure white shattered. The real world returned, and scattered Star Force drifted down like a splendid meteor shower.

The whole process took less than a minute. Qin Yang strolled casually toward Li Qinghe as if he were taking a walk in the park.

"???"

On the pavilion, Li Qinghe’s eyes went wide. Calculating the time that had just passed, she was completely dumbfounded.

’Forget thirty minutes... That didn’t even take thirty seconds! Unbelievable! He broke the Array with just a flick of his finger again?!’

"Tsk, you call this an Array?"

Qin Yang shook his head, looking at the stunned Li Qinghe on the pavilion with an expression of contempt.

"If you’re bad, you should practice more!"