Free Web NovelChapter 222: Chapter 221: Array of Heaven-Reversing Vault
Snow fell every day in the Northern Boundary, ceaselessly, without a moment’s pause.
This year, however, the West Ice Tribe had been struck by the greatest Blizzard in its history. The ice mountains were shattered and the igloos crushed. Of its more than two hundred thousand members, those who weren’t dead had fled for their lives.
Jiang Qiu had lost count of how many he’d killed. All the way to West Ice Valley, he had cut down everyone he came across, leaving no one to escape.
Perhaps some had already fled after he killed the High Priest. He didn’t have the energy to hunt them down. For one, completely eradicating them would be difficult. For another, it was unnecessary.
The West Ice Tribe was a Main Vein Tribe. It had only managed to achieve its current status by relying on the inheritance left by the Kun Jiu Ascendant, which was guarded by the Priests.
Now that the High Priest was dead and the heart of the West Ice Tribe had been breached, not a single living soul could be seen on the path.
As for Jiang Qiu, he had claimed the inheritance left by the Kun Jiu Ascendant: the *Array of Heaven-Reversing Vault*.
The moment he stepped into West Ice Valley, he felt a pull, much like the one he’d felt upon entering the North Snow Tower when he returned to the North Snow Tribe.
After all, the ancestral inheritance from the North Sea Palace belonged to the entire Northern Boundary Human Clan, not just a single family. The fact that it had also served as a key to unlock the Primordial Ascendant’s inheritance was proof enough.
Thus, within the lands of the West Ice Tribe, Jiang Qiu accepted the Kun Jiu Ascendant’s inheritance.
’Arrays comprehend the secrets of heaven and earth, encompass the changing stars, pierce through past and present with the Great Dao, and hold the hidden truths of destiny...’
Jiang Qiu murmured to himself, savoring the opening lines of the *Array of Heaven-Reversing Vault* that had surfaced in his mind. Similar to the *Cyan Simurgh Technique*, it was a guide to the far shore of the Great Dao.
Unfortunately, the *Array of Heaven-Reversing Vault* was far from complete. The only visible sections were the basic Chapters, along with a separate portion detailing Sealing Arrays.
The so-called Arrays were systems of Celestial Secrets built from Ancient Inscriptions. Jiang Qiu had heard of them before; it was an incredibly esoteric and difficult field of study.
The difficulty stemmed from two main issues. First, too few ancient texts had been excavated from the various Secret Realms and ruins, making knowledge of Arrays an incredibly scarce resource and preventing the development of a complete, systematic discipline.
Second, Arrays placed immense demands on one’s Mental Power. Only those with an exceptionally powerful Talent for commanding Spirit Charm could even hope to undertake research in the field.
Furthermore, since most Ancient Inscriptions were transcribed from ancient texts, any undiscovered inscriptions left gaping, incomplete holes, making it utterly impossible to construct a functioning Array...
’The basic Chapters... a Basic Array, the "Little Ice Realm," can withstand attacks from the Peeping Dao Realm?’
Jiang Qiu’s expression froze as he casually flipped through a page.
According to the inheritance he had received at the North Sea Palace, the Peeping Dao Realm was equivalent to a Martial Arts Grandmaster—specifically, one who was walking the correct path.
According to the Cyan Simurgh Palace, one of the ancient Holy Lands of the Human Race, pure Martial Arts could never lead to the far shore of the Great Dao. Its practitioners would get stuck upon reaching a certain Realm—a Realm that was merely the very first step for a true Cultivator on the path to the Great Dao.
’He just wasn’t sure if the Cyan Simurgh Palace’s standards were simply too high, or if everyone in the ancient era was truly as mighty as a dragon. Could it be that the esteemed Peeping Dao Realm—the equivalent of a Martial Arts Grandmaster—was really just the first step over the threshold?’
Even though the inheritance explained it that way, Jiang Qiu still found the Basic Array recorded in the *Array of Heaven-Reversing Vault* to be simply divine. If a simple Basic Array could stop a Grandmaster Level expert, it would be enough to shake the Xia Country—and even the entire world!
Currently, Xia Country’s research into Arrays was considered the most advanced in the world, yet they couldn’t achieve something so outrageously powerful. Their practical combat applications were almost nonexistent, to say nothing of using them to fight Grandmaster Level experts.
’The legacy of the Northern Boundary’s ancestors is truly abundant.’
Jiang Qiu took a deep breath and began to walk toward the outskirts of the West Ice Tribe’s territory, dragging his Northern Snow Lance. He had only taken two steps when he abruptly stopped. ’Judging by the contents of this inheritance, the Kun Jiu Ascendant was a master of Arrays. He would have certainly set up an Array to protect his own legacy... perhaps it even encompasses the entire West Ice Tribe?’
THUD!
The butt of the Northern Snow Lance slammed into the ground, planting it upright like a staff until it stood level with Jiang Qiu’s head.
He closed his eyes and began to sense for the aura of an Array within West Ice Valley. Following the principles of the *Array of Heaven-Reversing Vault*, he gradually began to perceive some unusual energies.
In just a few moments, a mental image of the array’s foundational core, buried deep beneath West Ice Valley, formed in Jiang Qiu’s mind. Though his eyes were closed, it was as if he could see the outline of the entire West Ice Tribe.
He even saw the shapes of the sprawling ice mountains, and by comparison, the entire territory of the West Ice Tribe was but a single grain of millet embedded within.
There was indeed an incredibly vast Array laid out across the Northern Boundary, and the West Ice Tribe’s location was merely one of its nodes. From this single point, he could glimpse the whole!
HSSSS—
Jiang Qiu’s eyes shot open. He gasped for air, exclaiming in astonishment, "There’s a Dragon Vein down here too?!"
The Dragon Vein. Before the North Snow Tribe was destroyed, he had taken part in the coming-of-age ceremony, entered the Ice Layer Hot Spring, and absorbed the Dragon Vein Water.
The Dragon Vein had seemed to be nothing more than a complex underground water system. Due to their limited tools and understanding, the people of the North Snow Tribe had never been able to determine where the Dragon Vein ended. They thought it might just be an extensive network of groundwater.
But now, he saw that the scope of the Dragon Vein extended far beyond the North Snow Tribe, passing beneath the enormous Ice and Snow Ridge to reach the lands under the West Ice Tribe!
Even though the two locations were a great distance apart, Jiang Qiu was certain it was the same Dragon Vein. He could never forget its aura—the similarity was undeniable.
’It’s a pity, though. The activity of the Dragon Vein here is too low. It hasn’t even given rise to something like the Ice Layer Hot Spring.’
Jiang Qiu shook his head, not dwelling on it further.
There were indeed traces of an Array beneath the West Ice Tribe, and they matched a fragment of a special Array mentioned separately in the *Array of Heaven-Reversing Vault*.
The name of that Array was—*Celestial Dao Prison Dragon*.
It was a Sealing Array, a Grand Array given special emphasis in the text. Unfortunately, many of its principles were left unexplained. It didn’t even show how to sketch the Ancient Inscriptions. It simply provided an ’artist’s rendition,’ telling Jiang Qiu that such an Array was here and that he should be careful not to stumble upon any of its taboos.
For Jiang Qiu, who knew nothing about Ancient Inscriptions, this Array was naturally meaningless. The West Ice Tribe, therefore, held no more value for him.
He did, however, find the Treasure Vault in West Ice Valley. Inside was the accumulated wealth of the West Ice Tribe from over tens of thousands of years. It seemed on par with the North Snow Tower’s former hoard, and even contained a good number of materials suitable for constructing Arrays.
For instance, the materials for the "Little Ice Realm" were mostly all there. Someone who knew Arrays could likely construct a very large "Little Ice Realm," or perhaps set up smaller versions in multiple locations.
’When I killed the High Priest just now, I think he muttered the two words "Ice Realm." He was probably trying to conjure an Array from nothing, wasn’t he?’
’It makes sense that there would be an "Ice Realm" that’s superior to the "Little Ice Realm." But that’s obviously not something the High Priest could have developed on his own. He was most likely trying to borrow the power of his ancestors, but the result was pathetic. He probably didn’t even manifest one-hundred-thousandth of its true power.’
’And yet, even that failed "Ice Realm" could block my Spear Intent, and I’m already in the Dao Forging Jade Sinew Realm. If I can set up a complete "Little Ice Realm," that should be enough to protect the North Snow Tribe, right?’
’According to the *Array of Heaven-Reversing Vault*, it’s an Array that can defend against the Peeping Dao Realm. The Northern Boundary can’t even produce a Cultivator at the Jade Sinew Realm who has just barely come into contact with Spirit Charm. Is it really going to spawn an enemy at the Peeping Dao Realm?’
Between those two Realms lay three entire High Realms: Spirit Body, Bright Soul, and Dharma Aspect!
’Although, the inheritance from the Cyan Simurgh Palace claimed those three Realms didn’t even exist...’
