[In the year 5016 of the New Source Era, you took root in the Divine Strategy Pavilion.]

[Currently, your cultivation has reached Third-Layer Qi Refining, while you are also a Second-rank Array Master.]

[Qian Hua’s few words revealed your identity.]

[It’s natural for the Divine Strategy Pavilion, an intelligence-selling institution, to know your identity.]

[Qian Hua’s words undoubtedly meant to tell you that the Divine Strategy Pavilion doesn’t care about your past identity, and they will help you resolve any trouble you caused before.]

[You are somewhat aware that in this era, the status of a Master of Hundred Arts, as a productive force, has increased.]

[Becoming a Second-rank Array Master at such a young age, the weight of this leverage is heavier than you imagined.]

[Perhaps in the eyes of the Divine Strategy Pavilion, the grudges from Shallow Cloud Mountain are insignificant compared to your displayed talents and gifts? You gradually relax, as you most fear the pressure from Shallow Cloud Mountain ruining your tranquil days now.]

[You have a bit of joy in your heart because this represents that you are soon to no longer live under an alias.]

[You start to focus on the Array Dao, preparing to participate in the competition.]

[In the year 5017 of the New Source Era, the once-in-thirty-years Hundred Arts Competition begins.]

[The Hundred Arts Competition is jointly organized by the nine major sects and the three major business alliances in the entire Qu Hong Cultivation Realm, and you, as a participant from the Divine Strategy Pavilion, are directly invited to the main competition.]

[The competition officially begins.]

[First round, Array Setup, tests the basic skills of an Array Master. You easily laid out a second-rank Spirit Gathering Array, your skillful techniques astounding countless veteran Array Masters. When someone inquired, you simply replied that it was merely a matter of familiarity.]

[Second round, Array Breaking Ability. You didn’t even need to use the River Map Analysis Ability, breaking through an uncommon Trapping Array, an uncommon Killing Array, and an uncommon Defensive Array with just your pair of Spirit Illusion Gaze, learning the basics of these arrays in the process.]

[Third round, Array Improvement, focusing on an Array Master’s innovation capability. After a bit of thought, you pieced together an array integrating killing and trapping into one from the information provided by the organizers.]

[Your interest is piqued; Spiritual Light flashes in your mind as you reverse the structure of the Spirit Gathering Array...]

Hundred Arts Competition Array First Division.

There are too few Array Masters, naturally leading to fewer people in this division.

Yet currently, there are quite a few cultivators gathered here.

Array Masters, like Alchemists and Artifact Forgers, are known as rich men’s Hundred Arts, as these three paths require a vast amount of Spirit Stones.

Unlike the Talisman Dao, which is more accessible, with high demand, low threshold, and low consumption, almost all cultivators minor in Talisman Dao.

The first division is filled with first-rank and second-rank Array Masters.

They are mostly from wealthy families; even those from humble backgrounds usually catch the eye of an Array Master, inheriting the craft, soaring to the skies.

Only Zhong Heng, in a simple Divine Strategy Pavilion blue robe, stood out strikingly.

Currently, one Array Master after another is sweating profusely, occasionally glancing at Zhong Heng.

Zhong Heng stands in an inconspicuous corner of the competition, yet he is the focus of countless individuals.

"Brother Li, didn’t you say Zhong Heng’s skill level is on par with yours?"

"My Junior Uncle went up and couldn’t surpass him."

"Brother Li, what happened?"

Li, a young man, is the top genius of the Three Clouds Market Array Master Alliance.

At this moment, he is smiling wryly.

"It seems I was mistaken, Junior Brother Zhong... has outstanding qualifications, which is beneficial for my Three Clouds Market."

"After all, the more geniuses there are among Array Masters, the higher the Array Dao is pushed..."

The young man surnamed Li looks at Zhong Heng, his expression complex.

Zhong Heng has reached a state of self-forgetfulness.

Materials are steadily melted by the Five Elements True Essence, which is one of its advantages, capable of being compatible with materials of all attributes.

Materials are refined into Array Patterns.

Array Patterns fly, resembling vibrant butterflies fluttering around Zhong Heng.

Zhong Heng extends his slender fingers, touching the Array Patterns one by one.

At this moment, Zhong Heng’s spirits soar, his ordinary appearance masked by his radiance.

Making countless cultivators’ eyes light up.

"Reverse Spirit Gathering."

"It becomes... Spiritless!"

Accompanied by the ethereal operation sound of the array, an array emerges.

The Array Disc flies out; this array turned out to be a Moving Array.

A tester at Foundation Establishment is enveloped by the array.

An illusory blue light covers this person, dragon shadows faintly appear and disappear within the blue light, starting to devour the Spiritual Qi within, even beginning to absorb the True Essence escaping from this person.

The tester’s complexion turns slightly pale.

"Spiritual Qi absorbed, achieving the effect of Spiritless."

"The strength of the Trapping Array meets the standard; even Qi Refining Perfection requires at least three people to break it by force."

"The Killing Array strength is sufficient, capable of inflicting constant damage equivalent to Mid-Stage Qi Refining; embedding Spirit Stones can enhance its power to Late-Stage Qi Refining."

"Qualified array!"

"Array library search, similarity rate is forty-one percent, not exceeding sixty percent, hence an innovative array."

"Time... up, participant Zhong Heng uniquely innovated an array, other innovations pending verification, Zhong Heng is the champion."

An elder at the judge’s table suddenly stands up, his eyes shining.

"What is this array called!?"

"Spiritless Trapping and Killing Array."

"The name is straightforward and direct; child, you are outstanding."

Just as Zhong Heng was about to speak, he suddenly fell, unconscious.

His True Essence was already exhausted.

Only now did everyone realize that this dazzling array genius was only at Third-Layer Qi Refining!?

And so young?