lǐ fán yǒu yù gǎn ， yì bān de liàn qì hòu qī xiū shì ， rú guǒ qiáng xíng yuè dú zhè 《 shān chuān bǎi mài zhèn tú 》 lǐ nèi róng 。
李凡有预感，一般的炼气后期修士，如果强行阅读这《山川百脉阵图》里内容。
Li Fan had a premonition that if an ordinary late-stage Qi Refining cultivator forcibly read the content of *The Diagram of the Mountain and River's Hundred Vessels Array*, it would likely cause his brain to explode from the overwhelming influx of information.
nà me qí zhōng xiōng yǒng de xìn xī liú ， jiāng huì háo wú xuán niàn de bǎ tā de nǎo zi gěi chēng bào 。
那么其中汹涌的信息流，将会毫无悬念的把他的脑子给撑爆。
Even though Li Fan’s mental strength was higher than most, he might not fare much better in this situation. He retracted his divine consciousness and carefully stored it away in a storage ring.
lǐ fán jiù suàn jīng shén qiáng dù bǐ xún cháng xiū shì yào gāo yī xiē ， dàn xià chǎng kě néng yě bú huì hǎo dào nǎ qù 。
李凡就算精神强度比寻常修士要高一些，但下场可能也不会好到哪去。
"Have you made progress with your阵法 studies?" Gong Biyu asked casually.
dāng xià shōu huí shén shí ， zhèng zhòng de jiāng qí shōu dào chǔ wù jiè zhōng 。
当下收回神识，郑重的将其收到储物戒中。
Li Fan pondered for a moment before replying, "Junior has been studying for two years and has gained some understanding, but I am not sure to what extent."
“ nǐ zhèn fǎ xué xí de rú hé ？” gōng bó yǔ shùn biàn wèn le yī jù 。
“你阵法学习的如何？”宫伯羽顺便问了一句。
Gong Biyu said, "That’s easy to handle!"
lǐ fán chén yín le piàn kè ：“ wǎn bèi yán xí le liǎng nián ， lüè yǒu suǒ de 。 dàn jù tǐ zhǎng wò dào shén me chéng dù le , wǎn bèi jiù bù zhī dào le 。”
李凡沉吟了片刻：“晚辈研习了两年，略有所得。但具体掌握到什么程度了, 晚辈就不知道了。”
He then took out a small black ball and threw it at Li Fan. "Divide your divine consciousness and enter this."
gōng bó yǔ dào ：“ zhè ge hǎo bàn ！”
宫伯羽道：“这个好办！”
Li Fan examined the black sphere, which seemed to have starlight flowing across its surface, before following the instructions.
suí hòu tā ná chū yí gè tōng tǐ qī hēi de xiǎo yuán qiú ， rēng le guò qù ：“ nǐ fēn chū yī lǚ shén shí ， jìn rù qí zhōng jí kě 。”
随后他拿出一个通体漆黑的小圆球，扔了过去：“你分出一缕神识，进入其中即可。”
In an instant, Li Fan felt as if he was in a dark tunnel. His thoughts raced like a roller coaster through the tunnel, encountering array questions one after another. He subconsciously responded to each question.
lǐ fán duān xiáng zhe zhè hēi sè ， sì hū biǎo miàn yòu yǒu xīng guāng liú dòng de qiú tǐ ， suí hòu zhào zuò 。
李凡端详着这黑色，似乎表面又有星光流动的球体，随后照做。
If he knew and answered correctly, his thought speed increased; otherwise, it slowed down. This amplified mental processing speed was similar to the启灵 in the *Ten Thousand Immortals Mirror*, but more effective.
chà nà jiān ， lǐ fán hǎo sì shēn chù zài le yī tiáo qī hēi de suì dào lǐ 。
刹那间，李凡好似身处在了一条漆黑的隧道里。
After some time, Li Fan felt his thoughts gradually slowing until they stopped completely. He was expelled from the black ball.
sī xù rú tóng zuò shàng le yún xiāo fēi chē , zài suì dào lǐ jí sù huá xíng 。
思绪如同做上了云霄飞车, 在隧道里急速滑行。
Gong Biyu retrieved the black ball and looked at the faint light point on it with disbelief. "Did you really study for two years?"
yí gè gè zhèn dào wèn dá yíng miàn zhuàng lái , lǐ fán chà nà jiān bù yóu zì zhǔ de zuò chū huí yìng 。
一个个阵道问答迎面撞来, 李凡刹那间不由自主的做出回应。
Li Fan remained calm, replying, "That is indeed the case."
ruò shì zhī dào ， bìng qiě dá àn zhèng què ， sī xù huá xíng de sù dù biàn bèi zài dù jiā kuài 。
若是知道，并且答案正确，思绪滑行的速度便被再度加快。
A moment of silence passed before Gong Biyu comforted him, saying, "The array arts are heavily dependent on innate talent. Your slower progress is normal; don’t worry about it."
ruò shì bù zhī ， huò zhě huí yìng cuò wù ， nà me sī xù huá xíng de sù dù zé huì bèi jiàng dī 。
若是不知，或者回应错误，那么思绪滑行的速度则会被降低。
Li Fan nodded in agreement.
zhè zhǒng sī wéi sù dù dé dào bǎi bèi fàng dà de gǎn jué ， gēn tiān xuán jìng zhōng de qǐ líng yǒu xiē lèi sì 。
这种思维速度得到百倍放大的感觉，跟天玄镜中的启灵有些类似。
However, this statement angered another cultivator present.
dàn hái yào shén xiào xǔ duō 。
但还要神效许多。
"What nonsense? The way of arrays lies solely in diligence! Although my array skills are high, can you say that your understanding surpasses mine?" the man asked.
rú cǐ guò le yī duàn shí jiān ， lǐ fán gǎn jué zì jǐ de sī xù yuè lái yuè màn ， zuì hòu wán quán tíng zhǐ 。
如此过了一段时间，李凡感觉自己的思绪越来越慢，最后完全停止。
Li Fan looked over and saw a man with snow-white hair but eyes full of sharpness, making it hard to look at him directly.
cóng hēi qiú zhōng bèi fàng zhú le chū lái 。
从黑球中被放逐了出来。
"Brother Zhi Liang, don’t be so irritable. I was just comforting the junior and saying this offhand. Why take it so seriously? On Ten Thousand Immortals Island, who doesn’t know that you are the best array cultivator?" Gong Biyu said helplessly.
gōng bó yǔ ná huí le hēi qiú ， kàn zhe qí shàng nà yī sī wēi bù kě jiàn de guāng diǎn ， yòng nán yǐ zhì xìn de yǎn shén kàn zhe lǐ fán ：“ nǐ zhēn de yán xí le liǎng nián ？”
宫伯羽拿回了黑球，看着其上那一丝微不可见的光点，用难以置信的眼神看着李凡：“你真的研习了两年？”
"The way of arrays is both diligent and true; how can one speak recklessly!" Zhi Liang snorted coldly, clearly disapproving of Gong Biyu’s words.
lǐ fán miàn sè bù biàn ：“ què shí rú cǐ 。”
李凡面色不变：“确实如此。”
Turning to Li Fan, he sternly said, "Boy, don’t lose heart. Remember that when I first started learning arrays two years ago, my识灵 ball test results were worse than yours!"
yī zhèn chén mò zhī hòu ， gōng bó yǔ hǎo xīn de ān wèi dào ：“ zhèn fǎ yī dào ， shí zài tài kàn tiān fù 。 nǐ jìn dù màn diǎn , yě shì zhèng cháng 。 bù bì jiè huái 。”
一阵沉默之后，宫伯羽好心的安慰道：“阵法一道，实在太看天赋。你进度慢点, 也是正常。不必介怀。”
"For five hundred years, I have devoted almost all my time to studying arrays, slowly progressing through each step. Only then did I gain a deep understanding of the way of arrays. Diligence can make up for lack of talent, and in array arts, it is even more so."
lǐ fán shēn yǐ wéi rán , wēi wēi diǎn tóu 。
李凡深以为然, 微微点头。
"Although there are countless variations in the world of arrays, the commonly used patterns are limited enough that they can be mastered with human effort."
shuí zhī dào ， gōng bó yǔ de zhè yī fān huà què shì rě nù le zài chǎng de lìng wài yī wèi xiū shì 。
谁知道，宫伯羽的这一番话却是惹怒了在场的另外一位修士。
"If you diligently study without giving up, who knows if you won’t become a great master of arrays after several hundred years?"
“ shén me gǒu pì dào lǐ ？ zhèn fǎ zhī dào , zhǐ zài qín zhī yī zì ！ nǐ gōng bó yǔ de zhèn dào tiān fù shì gāo ， kě nǐ gǎn shuō ， nǐ duì zhèn fǎ de lǐ jiě ， chāo guò wǒ ma ？”
“什么狗屁道理？阵法之道, 只在勤之一字！你宫伯羽的阵道天赋是高，可你敢说，你对阵法的理解，超过我嘛？”
Li Fan responded respectfully, "Thank you for your guidance. I will remember it well."
lǐ fán wàng qù ， zhǐ jiàn shuō huà de zhè rén tóu fā xuě bái , dàn yī shuāng yǎn jīng què shì àn hán jīng guāng ， ràng rén bù gǎn zhí shì 。
李凡望去，只见说话的这人头发雪白, 但一双眼睛却是暗含精光，让人不敢直视。
Zhi Liang calmed down and said, "Although diligence is important, the proper guidance from a teacher is also crucial."
“ zhì liáng xiōng ， bú yào zhè me bào zào me 。 wǒ yě zhǐ shì ān wèi xiǎo bèi ， suí kǒu yī shuō ér yǐ 。 hé bì zhè me jiào zhēn ？ wàn xiān dǎo shàng ， shuí bù zhī dào nǐ zhāng zhì liáng zhèn fǎ dì yī ？” gōng bó yǔ yǒu xiē wú nài 。
“志良兄，不要这么暴躁么。我也只是安慰小辈，随口一说而已。何必这么较真？万仙岛上，谁不知道你张志良阵法第一？”宫伯羽有些无奈。
"When I first taught myself arrays, I knew how difficult it was to figure things out on my own."
“ zhèn fǎ zhī dào ， zhì qín zhì zhēn ， qǐ kě wàng yán ！” zhāng zhì liáng lěng hēng yī shēng ， xiǎn rán duì gōng bó yǔ de shuō cí bú duì fù 。
“阵法之道，至勤至真，岂可妄言！”张志良冷哼一声，显然对宫伯羽的说辞不对付。
Sun Zhiliang pondered for a moment before saying, "I see your temperament as calm and steady. You remind me of myself back then."
tā zhuǎn guò tóu lái ， yán sù de kàn zhe lǐ fán ：“ xiǎo zi ， nǐ qiè bù kě huī xīn 。 yào zhī dào ， dāng chū wǒ gāng xué zhèn fǎ liǎng nián de shí hòu ， shí líng qiú de cè yàn jié guǒ ， hái bù rú nǐ ne ！”
他转过头来，严肃的看着李凡：“小子，你切不可灰心。要知道，当初我刚学阵法两年的时候，识灵球的测验结果，还不如你呢！”
"The scroll *The Diagram of the Mountain and River's Hundred Vessels Array* by He Zhenghao has greatly benefited me. Bringing this incomplete scroll here is also an act of gratitude from you to me."
“ wǔ bǎi nián lái ， wǒ jī hū jiāng suǒ yǒu de shí jiān dōu yòng lái yán jiū zhèn fǎ ， yì diǎn yī dī ， màn màn xué xí jìn bù 。 cái yǒu le jīn tiān duì zhèn dào de lǐ jiě 。 qín néng bǔ zhuō ， zhèn fǎ yī dào ， gèng shì rú cǐ 。”
“五百年来，我几乎将所有的时间都用来研究阵法，一点一滴，慢慢学习进步。才有了今天对阵道的理解。勤能补拙，阵法一道，更是如此。”
"..."
“ tiān xià zhèn fǎ , suī rán hào chēng yǒu wú qióng zhǒng biàn huà , dàn qí zhōng cháng yòng de dìng shì ， què shì shù liàng yǒu xiàn ， yǐ rén lì zú yǐ jīng tōng 。”
“天下阵法, 虽然号称有无穷种变化, 但其中常用的定式，却是数量有限，以人力足以精通。”
He asked, "Do you wish to learn arrays under my guidance?"
“ nǐ ruò shì xī xīn zuān yán ， bù xiè dài 、 bù fàng qì 。 shù bǎi nián hòu ， yān zhī bú huì chéng wéi yí dài zhèn fǎ dà jiā ？”
“你若是悉心钻研，不懈怠、不放弃。数百年后，焉知不会成为一代阵法大家？”
Gong Biyu interjected, "Don’t forget to thank Master Sun!"
lǐ fán wén yán ， shén sè sù rán ：“ duō xiè qián bèi zhǐ diǎn ， wǎn bèi bì dìng láo jì zài xīn 。”
李凡闻言，神色肃然：“多谢前辈指点，晚辈必定牢记在心。”
Li Fan was overjoyed and bowed deeply.
zhāng zhì liáng yī xí huà shuō wán ， yě zhú jiàn píng jìng le xià lái 。
张志良一席话说完，也逐渐平静了下来。
Sun Zhiliang accepted the bow gracefully before continuing. "Let’s be clear from the start—I don’t want to take on disciples, so there won’t be a formal master-disciple relationship between us."
tā shěn duó le lǐ fán yī fān ， fù yòu huǎn huǎn shuō dào ：“ suī shuō qín néng bǔ zhuō ， dàn shī fù lǐng jìn mén yě tóng yàng shí fēn zhòng yào 。”
他审度了李凡一番，复又缓缓说道：“虽说勤能补拙，但师父领进门也同样十分重要。”
"I will not teach you my unique array techniques either."
“ wǒ dāng chū zì xué zhèn fǎ shí ， kě shì shēn zhī zì jǐ mō suǒ de jiān nán 。”
“我当初自学阵法时，可是深知自己摸索的艰难。”
"My role is simply to guide you into this path of arrays. I won’t hide any insights or experiences."
sūn zhì liáng chén yín le piàn kè ：“ wǒ kàn nǐ xīn xìng chén wěn ， bù jiāo bù zào 。 pǒ yǔ wǒ dāng nián xiāng sì 。”
孙志良沉吟了片刻：“我看你心性沉稳，不骄不躁。颇与我当年相似。”
"Given my busy schedule, I can only spare time to point out things for you."
“ hé zhèng hào zhè yī juàn 《 shān chuān bǎi mài zhèn tú 》， wǒ yě shì shòu yì fěi qiǎn 。 nǐ jiāng cán juàn dài lái ， wǒ yě suàn shòu nǐ ēn huì 。”
“何正浩这一卷《山川百脉阵图》，我也是受益匪浅。你将残卷带来，我也算受你恩惠。”
"On a daily basis, I am meticulous and strict with others. If I find you slacking off, I will not hesitate to expel you."
tā huǎn huǎn wèn dào ：“ bù zhī ， nǐ kě yuàn gēn zài wǒ zuǒ yòu ， xué xí zhèn fǎ ？”
他缓缓问道：“不知，你可愿跟在我左右，学习阵法？”
Sun Zhiliang listed all the conditions, which were harsh but reasonable.
gōng bó yǔ zài yī páng wén yán ， lián máng tí shì dào ：“ hái bù xiè guò sūn dà shī ！”
宫伯羽在一旁闻言，连忙提示道：“还不谢过孙大师！”
Finally, he asked, "Given these terms, do you wish to learn arrays under me?"
lǐ fán xīn zhōng yě shì jí wéi jīng xǐ ， lián máng gōng shēn xíng lǐ 。
李凡心中也是极为惊喜，连忙躬身行礼。
Li Fan set aside his joy and remained calm. He bowed again and said, "Junior is willing."
sūn zhì liáng tǎn rán shòu le lǐ fán yī lǐ ， jiē zhe shuō dào ：“ chǒu huà shuō zài qián miàn ， wǒ bù yuàn shōu tú 。 suǒ yǐ wǒ men zhī jiān bú huì yǒu shī tú míng fèn 。”
孙志良坦然受了李凡一礼，接着说道：“丑话说在前面，我不愿收徒。所以我们之间不会有师徒名份。”
Sun Zhiliang was satisfied with Li Fan’s response and stroked his beard.
“ wǒ chuàng zào de dú mén zhèn fǎ ， zì rán yě bú huì chuán shòu gěi nǐ 。”
“我创造的独门阵法，自然也不会传授给你。”
"Good. Diligent regardless of the time."
“ wǒ zhǐ fù zé lǐng nǐ zhēn zhèng jìn rù zhè zhèn fǎ yī dào 。 yī xiē gǎn wù xīn dé ， wǒ bú huì cáng sī 。”
“我只负责领你真正进入这阵法一道。一些感悟心得，我不会藏私。”
"Let your array studies begin today!"
“ gè zhǒng suǒ shì fán máng ， wǒ yě zhǐ néng chōu kòng zhǐ diǎn nǐ 。”
“各种琐事繁忙，我也只能抽空指点你。”
With these words, Sun Zhiliang grabbed Li Fan and vanished from the meeting room.
“ wǒ píng rì lǐ zuò shì yī sī bù gǒu ， duì yú bié rén yāo qiú yě jí wéi yán gé 。 ruò shì fā xiàn nǐ tōu lǎn 、 xiè dài ， bì huì háo bù liú qíng de jiāng nǐ zhú chū 。”
“我平日里做事一丝不苟，对于别人要求也极为严格。若是发现你偷懒、懈怠，必会毫不留情的将你逐出。”
Gong Biyu and other array masters exchanged glances, each giving a slight smile.
sūn zhì liáng jiàng yī xì liè tīng shàng qù yán kē ， shí zé zài qíng lǐ zhī zhōng de tiáo jiàn tōng tōng shuō le chū lái 。
孙志良将一系列听上去严苛，实则在情理之中的条件通通说了出来。
Following Sun Zhiliang, Li Fan found himself in a starry void.
zuì hòu yòu wèn dào ：“ rú cǐ ， nǐ kě yuàn gēn zài wǒ zuǒ yòu ， xué xí zhèn fǎ ？”
最后又问道：“如此，你可愿跟在我左右，学习阵法？”
Surrounded by darkness, countless stars twinkled behind him.
lǐ fán shōu qǐ xīn zhōng de jīng xǐ ， chén jìng xià lái 。
李凡收起心中的惊喜，沉静下来。
"Can you tell me what arrays are?" Sun Zhiliang asked.
xiàng zhe sūn zhì liáng chóng xīn gōng shēn yī bài ， huǎn huǎn shuō dào ：“ wǎn bèi yuàn yì 。”
向着孙志良重新躬身一拜，缓缓说道：“晚辈愿意。”
Li Fan was about to answer but thought better of it and shook his head. "Disciple does not know."
sūn zhì liáng kàn zhe lǐ fán de biǎo xiàn ， mǎn yì de mō le mō hú zi 。
孙志良看着李凡的表现，满意的摸了摸胡子。
"An array is the standardized application of laws," Sun Zhiliang said slowly.
“ hǎo ， xīn qín bù zé shí rì 。”
“好，辛勤不择时日。”
"Burning, freezing, lightning..."
“ xué xí zhèn fǎ ， biàn cóng jīn rì shǐ ！”
“学习阵法，便从今日始！”
"These are natural phenomena in the world, supported by various laws within the cosmos."
shuō zhe sūn zhì liáng zhuā zhù lǐ fán ， shēn xíng yī shǎn ， biàn xiāo shī zài zhè yì huì shì zhōng 。
说着孙志良抓住李凡，身形一闪，便消失在这议会室中。
"Laws remain unchanged through time, except for certain special cases..."
gōng bó yǔ hé qí tā zhèn fǎ dà shī hù xiāng kàn le yī yǎn ， jiē shì lù chū yī sī kǔ xiào 。
宫伯羽和其他阵法大师互相看了一眼，皆是露出一丝苦笑。
"Cultivators often observe and understand these cosmic laws during their cultivation."
……
……
"An array is the standardized, mechanized application of these laws," Sun Zhiliang continued.
lǐ fán gēn zhe sūn zhì liáng ， shà shí jiān ， lái dào le yī chù xīng kōng zhōng 。
李凡跟着孙志良，霎时间，来到了一处星空中。
...
zhōu shēn yī piàn qī hēi ， bèi jǐng shì wú shù shǎn shuò de xīng xīng 。
周身一片漆黑，背景是无数闪烁的星星。
As Sun Zhiliang spoke, the door to the world of arrays slowly opened before Li Fan. He was so engrossed that he lost track of time.
“ nǐ kě zhī ， shén me shì zhèn fǎ ？” sūn zhì liáng wèn dào 。
“你可知，什么是阵法？”孙志良问道。
Before long, it was 20 years later in the Congyunhai region.
lǐ fán zhèng yù huí dá ， xiǎng le xiǎng ， zuì zhōng hái shì yáo le yáo tóu ：“ dì zǐ bù zhī 。”
李凡正欲回答，想了想，最终还是摇了摇头：“弟子不知。”
Zhang Haibo stood mid-air and looked up.
“ zhèn fǎ ， jiù shì zhì shì huà de fǎ zé 。”
“阵法，就是制式化的法则。”
"Your final strike is about to come," he said.
sūn zhì liáng yī zì yī jù de shuō dào 。
孙志良一字一句的说道。
In his memory from the previous life, a terrible windstorm would soon occur, its power strong enough to change the heavens and earth. More than two hundred islands, including Duyuhai Island, were flattened, countless ordinary people lost their lives at sea.
“ rán shāo ， jié bīng ， shǎn diàn ……”
“燃烧，结冰，闪电……”
Compared to that terrifying storm, the one he currently controlled was pitifully weak.
“ zhè xiē dōu shì tiān dì cún zài de zì rán xiàn xiàng ， ér zhī chí tā men fā shēng 、 yùn zuò de ， biàn shì tiān dì jiān de zhǒng zhǒng fǎ zé 。”
“这些都是天地存在的自然现象，而支持它们发生、运作的，便是天地间的种种法则。”
But...
“ fǎ zé ， gèn gǔ bù biàn 。 ń ， mǒu xiē tè shū qíng kuàng chú wài ……”
“法则，亘古不变。嗯，某些特殊情况除外……”
Zhang Haibo, a reborn soul, destined child, favored by Congyunhai, would soon perform a feat of swallowing an elephant. Then...
“ xiū shì xiū xíng ， wǎng wǎng yě dōu yào guān mó gǎn wù tiān dì fǎ zé 。”
“修士修行，往往也都要观摩感悟天地法则。”
Pastor Wind!
“ ér zhèn fǎ ， biàn shì zhì shì huà 、 jī xiè huà 、 biāo zhǔn huà de fǎ zé yùn yòng guò chéng 。”
“而阵法，便是制式化、机械化、标准化的法则运用过程。”
Dominating Ten Thousand Immortals!
Li Fan had a premonition that if an ordinary late-stage Qi Refining cultivator forcibly read the content of *The Diagram of the Mountain and River's Hundred Vessels Array*, it would likely cause his brain to explode from the overwhelming influx of information.
Even though Li Fan’s mental strength was higher than most, he might not fare much better in this situation. He retracted his divine consciousness and carefully stored it away in a storage ring.
"Have you made progress with your阵法 studies?" Gong Biyu asked casually.
Li Fan pondered for a moment before replying, "Junior has been studying for two years and has gained some understanding, but I am not sure to what extent."
Gong Biyu said, "That’s easy to handle!"
He then took out a small black ball and threw it at Li Fan. "Divide your divine consciousness and enter this."
Li Fan examined the black sphere, which seemed to have starlight flowing across its surface, before following the instructions.
In an instant, Li Fan felt as if he was in a dark tunnel. His thoughts raced like a roller coaster through the tunnel, encountering array questions one after another. He subconsciously responded to each question.
If he knew and answered correctly, his thought speed increased; otherwise, it slowed down. This amplified mental processing speed was similar to the启灵 in the *Ten Thousand Immortals Mirror*, but more effective.
After some time, Li Fan felt his thoughts gradually slowing until they stopped completely. He was expelled from the black ball.
Gong Biyu retrieved the black ball and looked at the faint light point on it with disbelief. "Did you really study for two years?"
Li Fan remained calm, replying, "That is indeed the case."
A moment of silence passed before Gong Biyu comforted him, saying, "The array arts are heavily dependent on innate talent. Your slower progress is normal; don’t worry about it."
Li Fan nodded in agreement.
However, this statement angered another cultivator present.
"What nonsense? The way of arrays lies solely in diligence! Although my array skills are high, can you say that your understanding surpasses mine?" the man asked.
Li Fan looked over and saw a man with snow-white hair but eyes full of sharpness, making it hard to look at him directly.
"Brother Zhi Liang, don’t be so irritable. I was just comforting the junior and saying this offhand. Why take it so seriously? On Ten Thousand Immortals Island, who doesn’t know that you are the best array cultivator?" Gong Biyu said helplessly.
"The way of arrays is both diligent and true; how can one speak recklessly!" Zhi Liang snorted coldly, clearly disapproving of Gong Biyu’s words.
Turning to Li Fan, he sternly said, "Boy, don’t lose heart. Remember that when I first started learning arrays two years ago, my识灵 ball test results were worse than yours!"
"For five hundred years, I have devoted almost all my time to studying arrays, slowly progressing through each step. Only then did I gain a deep understanding of the way of arrays. Diligence can make up for lack of talent, and in array arts, it is even more so."
"Although there are countless variations in the world of arrays, the commonly used patterns are limited enough that they can be mastered with human effort."
"If you diligently study without giving up, who knows if you won’t become a great master of arrays after several hundred years?"
Li Fan responded respectfully, "Thank you for your guidance. I will remember it well."
Zhi Liang calmed down and said, "Although diligence is important, the proper guidance from a teacher is also crucial."
"When I first taught myself arrays, I knew how difficult it was to figure things out on my own."
Sun Zhiliang pondered for a moment before saying, "I see your temperament as calm and steady. You remind me of myself back then."
"The scroll *The Diagram of the Mountain and River's Hundred Vessels Array* by He Zhenghao has greatly benefited me. Bringing this incomplete scroll here is also an act of gratitude from you to me."
"..."
He asked, "Do you wish to learn arrays under my guidance?"
Gong Biyu interjected, "Don’t forget to thank Master Sun!"
Li Fan was overjoyed and bowed deeply.
Sun Zhiliang accepted the bow gracefully before continuing. "Let’s be clear from the start—I don’t want to take on disciples, so there won’t be a formal master-disciple relationship between us."
"I will not teach you my unique array techniques either."
"My role is simply to guide you into this path of arrays. I won’t hide any insights or experiences."
"Given my busy schedule, I can only spare time to point out things for you."
"On a daily basis, I am meticulous and strict with others. If I find you slacking off, I will not hesitate to expel you."
...
Sun Zhiliang listed all the conditions, which were harsh but reasonable.
Finally, he asked, "Given these terms, do you wish to learn arrays under me?"
Li Fan set aside his joy and remained calm. He bowed again and said, "Junior is willing."
Sun Zhiliang was satisfied with Li Fan’s response and stroked his beard.
"Good. Diligent regardless of the time."
"Let your array studies begin today!"
With these words, Sun Zhiliang grabbed Li Fan and vanished from the meeting room.
Gong Biyu and other array masters exchanged glances, each giving a slight smile.
...
Following Sun Zhiliang, Li Fan found himself in a starry void.
Surrounded by darkness, countless stars twinkled behind him.
"Can you tell me what arrays are?" Sun Zhiliang asked.
Li Fan was about to answer but thought better of it and shook his head. "Disciple does not know."
"An array is the standardized application of laws," Sun Zhiliang said slowly.
"Burning, freezing, lightning..."
"These are natural phenomena in the world, supported by various laws within the cosmos."
"Laws remain unchanged through time, except for certain special cases..."
"Cultivators often observe and understand these cosmic laws during their cultivation."
"An array is the standardized, mechanized application of these laws," Sun Zhiliang continued.
...
As Sun Zhiliang spoke, the door to the world of arrays slowly opened before Li Fan. He was so engrossed that he lost track of time.
Before long, it was 20 years later in the Congyunhai region.
Zhang Haibo stood mid-air and looked up.
"Your final strike is about to come," he said.
In his memory from the previous life, a terrible windstorm would soon occur, its power strong enough to change the heavens and earth. More than two hundred islands, including Duyuhai Island, were flattened, countless ordinary people lost their lives at sea.
Compared to that terrifying storm, the one he currently controlled was pitifully weak.
But...
Zhang Haibo, a reborn soul, destined child, favored by Congyunhai, would soon perform a feat of swallowing an elephant. Then...
Pastor Wind!
Dominating Ten Thousand Immortals!