Chapter 1678 Conquering the Spirit Array
The Blue Orb in Gerlane's hand, signifying the identity and status of the Witch Clan, had erupted with a dazzling radiance. A true prodigy was being born within the Witch Clan.
Alas, Gerlane was envied by the heavens, lacking strands of Divine Soul / Spiritual Consciousness. Otherwise, the Witch Clan would surely have produced a peerless Grand Witchess, perhaps even a true Witch (or Shamaness) of the Upper Void.
The Array Formation Legacy of the Witch Clan was truly rare. If not for special circumstances, they would absolutely never have allowed a Barbarian inside merely to observe.
However, although the Witchess didn't know exactly what was happening within the Inheritance Ground, it didn't take a genius to imagine that knowledge of the Array Dao would be as utterly incomprehensible as heavenly scriptures to a Barbarian. The Barbarian's entry was simply to keep Gerlane company, acting as nothing more than a study companion.
No one believed a Barbarian could learn any Array Dao knowledge. Of the Ten Thousand Races of the Void Realm, when it came to learning ability, only the once-prosperous Human Clan could compare to the Witchess. But the Humankind's comprehension of Array Dao would never rival that of the Witchess, who possessed an Array Formation Legacy nurtured over countless eons.
In terms of understanding the Array Dao, the Witchess remained the strongest.
Over the past hundred-plus years of study, Sun Hao had deeply felt this as well. Gerlane possessed an innate, unparalleled learning advantage, with an acute sensitivity to the Array Dao. Sometimes even Sun Hao felt inferior.
Especially the mysterious Blue Orb in Gerlane's hand. It exerted a natural amplification effect on the comprehension and mastery of the Array Dao. Sun Hao couldn't help but admire it.
Of course, Sun Hao knew that without his own assistance in drawing inferences and understanding other cases from one instance, without him and Gerlane cooperating wholeheartedly to advance, even if Gerlane had managed to break through the sixth-level formations, it wouldn't have happened nearly as quickly.
Emerging from the sixth-level formation area, Sun Hao and Gerlane rested for a month. They specifically met with Border Collie. Thanks to Gerlane, Border Collie was doing quite well in the Dragon Domain these days. According to it, it had friends everywhere and lived luxuriously every day, eating and drinking well, without missing Sun Hao at all.
After the rest, Gerlane, brimming with enthusiasm and accompanied by Sun Hao, decided to challenge the Spirit Array.
Embedded in Gerlane's bones was the same kind of perseverance as her predecessor Witchess. She, too, hoped to travel further on the path of the Array Dao.
Sun Hao, who hoped to learn more Array Dao knowledge and witness Spirit Arrays, even Restrictions and Immortal Restrictions, naturally smiled and followed Gerlane, standing before the Spirit Array.
In the perception of the Witchess, this Barbarian Warrior, Sun Hao's strength might be nothing special, but his attitude was impeccable. Over so many years, anyone else might have grown weary, yet this Barbarian was somehow still grinning.
Races like the Witch Clan, who could become utterly engrossed in studying the Array Dao, were rare. A Barbarian who could patiently accompany the Witchess year after year, studying tedious Array Formation formulas for a century? This was probably the only one.
However, Sun Hao's conduct indeed perfectly embodied the traits of the Barbarian Tribe. Barbarian Warriors were crude yet loyal, straightforward and selfless. Jiang Xiaoshan seemed like a prime example of this.
The Spirit Array was like a labyrinth. Within its passages, countless crimson rays moved in regular patterns. Sun Hao, with his tall stature, carrying Gerlane on his back, once again experienced a sensation like when he entered the Void-Piercing Shuttle – instantly shrinking before the Spirit Array.
On Sun Hao's back, Gerlane was quite excited, her little head twisting this way and that. She yelled aloud, "Charge, Xiaoshan! Charge! Once we clear one Spirit Array, Little Lan will have supreme aptitude!"
A faint smile on his face, Sun Hao said softly, "Never underestimate this, Little Lan. The ray pathways in this Spirit Array are likely deliberately designed to force us into dead ends. Little Lan, you must engage your mind, calculate meticulously. Even how I should move needs to be figured out clearly. We absolutely must not fail at the final hurdle here."
Gerlane took a deep breath on Sun Hao's back and said, "Hmm, I know, Xiaoshan. Then I'll start calculating..."
A faint purple light emanated from Sun Hao's First-grade Purple-Gold Belt. The Knight Guardian Contract activated. Their hearts and minds in sync, they exchanged a glance and began calculating together.
Trying to compute a mutable Spirit Array using the formulas for sixth-level formations and Fundamental Arrays was indeed of immense difficulty. After a full teacup's worth of time, they finally calculated only the first step.
Gerlane's eyes gleamed as she spoke crisply, "Xiaoshan, advance straight ahead, one zhang! A gap will appear there in the red rays..."
Sun Hao replied, "Okay..." He took a large stride forward, one zhang, and stood upright within the Spirit Array.
On the resplendent golden Throne, the orb in Wei Niya's hand flickered, and the images of Sun Hao and Gerlane vanished.
Germain said softly, "Mother, I wonder if Little Sister can clear even the first Spirit Array. If she truly can, her Array Dao talent would be frighteningly formidable."
Wei Niya rotated the orb in her hand and spoke slowly, "Theoretically, being able to correctly calculate the first step means Gerlane possesses the qualification to traverse the first Spirit Array. Of course, the premise is that her calculation speed can keep up throughout the entire process, and that Barbarian can cooperate flawlessly without a single error..."
Sun Hao and Gerlane's hearts were linked; their understanding of the Array Dao was also tightly intertwined through the miraculous First-grade Purple-Gold Belt. There truly was no possibility of a coordination error. Furthermore, because Sun Hao's cultivation was far superior to Gerlane's, and he himself was a powerful Array Dao Master, it must be said, the first Spirit Array genuinely posed no difficulty for Sun Hao and Gerlane.
Stopping and starting, sometimes even needing to retreat before advancing again, they communicated constantly as they ventured further within the Spirit Array.
Initially, when Sun Hao had just entered the Witch Clan's Array Dao Inheritance Ground, he had been wary about whether or not to reveal his Array Dao comprehension ability. Due to the First-grade Purple-Gold Belt, Gerlane should have been able to clearly perceive the state of his Array Dao insights. If Gerlane had reported this to the Witch Clan, Sun Hao figured his days wouldn't be easy.
But after more than a hundred years, Sun Hao couldn't help but marvel at the profound insight of the mysterious person who had left him the message. In Gerlane's heart, her Guardian Knight held an exceptionally lofty position. Any questions about him, Gerlane would very naturally find abstruse and incomprehensible.
After a century, Sun Hao knew that the reason the mysterious person had advised him to treat Gerlane kindly was precisely because Gerlane truly deserved his kindness.
Therefore, now that they had reached the Spirit Arrays, Sun Hao didn't hold back. Cooperating with Gerlane, he pressed forward with all his might, breaking through the array.
The most unique characteristic of the Spirit Array was this: once an Array Master could accurately calculate its patterns and eventually break through it, it was equivalent to the Array Master having completely mastered that Spirit Array.
Sun Hao, who had just encountered the wondrously systematic Array Dao, was filled with a thirst for knowledge. He hoped to truly master more Spirit Arrays, thereby comprehensively elevating his Array Dao level.
The first Spirit Array didn't delay Sun Hao and Gerlane for very long. Half a day later, Sun Hao, carrying Gerlane on his back, stepped out through a ripple of energy, standing alert and refreshed within the Inheritance Ground's Sacred Mountain. They barely had time to catch their breath when, before them, the second Spirit Array automatically activated.
Sun Hao growled lowly, "Don't relax, Little Lan! Let's push hard and overcome the second level..."
Gerlane raised a small fist on Sun Hao's back: "Let's go, Xiaoshan."
Gerlane's mind was pure and single-minded; her Array Dao talent was truly formidable. Sun Hao, through his cultivation journey, had experienced much and possessed an exceptionally broad perspective. He had studied the Array Dao of the Human Clan, the Array Dao of the Soaring Sky Tribe, and was now learning the Array Dao of the Witch Clan. His skills were extraordinary. As the second Spirit Array activated, both had already simultaneously found the correct first step. Exchanging a glance, Gerlane whispered, "Three chi left, three chi right..."
On the Throne, the shadows of Sun Hao and Gerlane flickered briefly before vanishing again.
Germain asked quietly, "Mother, have they entered the second Spirit Array?"
Wei Niya rotated the orb, a brilliant smile spreading across her face. "Hmm, good. They're indeed within the second Spirit Array. More crucially, Little Lan's current condition is very good; she's not showing signs of mental overdraft or drowsiness. This means, theoretically, Little Lan can definitely clear the second Spirit Array..."
In another large room, several Witchess dressed in long robes, their faces covered by hooded veils appearing very mysterious and obscured, were intently watching an enormous Blue Orb.
One spoke, "Who would have guessed that Lan'er girl's talent would be so outstanding? It seems our Witch Clan might truly produce a Heaven-Soaring Witch."
Another replied, "It's a pity Little Lan has her flaw, requiring the protection of Guardian Knights to pass through. Otherwise, she'd truly be unsurpassably formidable."