Chapter 455 — The Array Master of the Western Frontier
The Herdsman of the Wasteland · Page 2 of 4
He had studied the Myriad Gods' Natural Art, but in this branch he had never labored to master it; what Yun City displayed to him was the wisdom of countless practitioners of the Western Land. The space of Yun City grew smaller and smaller, squeezing inward without cease.
By the end of its movement, this city would likely become a vast cube of tier upon tier of array structures, perfectly square; and if Shen Mu, Xiong Qi'er, and the dragon-qilin could not break out, they would surely be crushed into a smear of mud. The dragon-qilin too perceived the terror of Yun City as it now was, and at once began to reckon where a way of life might lie.
If this was an array, then there must be a process of activation—and that process was where life lay.
And since Yun City's array transformations came about through the movement of its stones, the process of the stones' movement was where life lay. Yet to unravel an array was monstrously difficult.
Those paths that seemed to lead out of the cube were precisely the roads of death; to flee by them would mean annihilation with no grave to lie in.
"The cube-prison of Yun City conceals within it calculations of the utmost complexity! " The dragon-qilin looked east and west, its eyeballs spinning like a revolving lantern as it spent its mind reckoning the movements of every cube within the vast cube, until it was foaming at the mouth. It said swiftly, "Give me time, and I could reckon out a way of life!
But I fear I shall be crushed to bits before I reckon where that way lies! Sect Master, your attainments in the arts of calculation surpass mine—can you reckon out that path?
" Shen Mu's eyes flickered, and he said with delight, "I have suddenly thought of a way to deal with Xing An!
If Xing An's four limbs could be made to grow spirits of their own, would they not slip entirely beyond his control? Killing him would be far simpler then!
" The dragon-qilin was beside itself with fury: "Sect Master, we are about to die, and you have the leisure for such thoughts?
" Shen Mu laughed. "The one who controls this Yun City has attainments in the arts of calculation of the highest order, not beneath my own. In a fair contest, I could still overcome him. But this man struck at me by stealth, moving first and seizing the initiative, and so breaking his array is extremely difficult.
By the time I solve his calculation puzzle, we shall have been crushed to death. " The dragon-qilin despaired.
Suddenly Shen Mu called out at length, "Brother Yu, it has been a long while.
Have you no wish to chat with me before I die? " "No chatting. I fear dying of too much talk.
" Yu Bochuan's voice came from no one knew where, and he laughed with great cheer: "For a personage like Sect Master Shen, the sooner you die the better.
I would not rest easy if you died a moment later.
Only a dead Sect Master Shen is a reassuring Sect Master Shen!
" Shen Mu's face was black as iron. "But Brother Shen may set his mind at ease: when I stand before Brother Shen's corpse, I will sit down properly and pour out my whole journey of the heart to you.
" Yu Bochuan laughed even more merrily: "This humble one has a rather poor habit—when contending with an opponent in a struggle of life and death, I like to do my utmost to finish him off.
Only after the opponent is dead do I grow talkative, conversing at length with his corpse and explaining just why he lost to me.
I will not make an exception for Sect Master Shen. " Shen Mu said with feeling, "A truly fine habit. Trapped here as I am, I am already doomed to die by your hand, and still you are so cautious—you are indeed a worthy opponent.