C91 Array Origin Bead(2)

The idea was promising, but reality was harsh.

Two hours later, Woo Zhengyang finally saw the walls of the Hundred Twist Thousand Return Palace. However, he realized that despite all his efforts to get there, he had ended up in a dead end. Forget about finding an exit—he couldn't even get close to one and had to turn back.

It's not that Woo Zhengyang's method was flawed. He believed that with his strong memory, he could eventually memorize all the pathways of the palace and find a true way out by repeating the process.

Soon, Woo Zhengyang discovered he had underestimated the complexity of the maze. Since it was a labyrinth, it was naturally more than just a simple puzzle. On his way back, he found that the pathways were changing. What was once a clear path had now turned into a dead end.

Even if he managed to memorize all the routes, it would be useless. Another thing Woo Zhengyang hadn't forgotten was that he was in the middle of a trial, which lasted only nine hours. Three hours had already passed. The palace was vast, and it had taken him two hours just to reach one side.

With only six hours left, there was no way he could map out the entire maze, let alone find a path in the ever-changing corridors.

"Do I really have to rely on luck and wander aimlessly?" Woo Zhengyang thought, unwilling to accept defeat.

Ever since the mysterious vortex appeared, Woo Zhengyang's luck had been decent. However, he wasn't one to rely on luck. No matter how good it is, luck can run out. True strength is the only constant.

A bold idea flashed through Woo Zhengyang's mind. If he didn't want to depend on luck, he had to enhance his own abilities. Having found no success in unraveling the mysteries of the Hundred Twist Thousand Return Palace, he decided to study the art of arrays.

With this thought, Woo Zhengyang sat cross-legged, no matter where he was, and pulled a book from Gongyang Qiusheng's Hidden Heaven Bag. The book was titled "The Art of Arrays." Despite its grand name, it wasn't anything special. Woo Zhengyang had seen it before at the Profound Heaven Sect; it was just a basic guide to arrays.

Many had read "The Art of Arrays" countless times without ever mastering the art, and Woo Zhengyang wasn't overly confident he could either. But now, with the Array Origin Bead in hand, he was determined to explore the world of arrays, so he decided to give it a try.

After studying "The Art of Arrays" twice, Woo Zhengyang took out the Array Origin Bead and held it in his hand. Channeling his energy, he enveloped his surroundings with his mind. This time, he didn't focus on the pathways but on the changes in Heaven and Earth Vital Energy. Since arrays rely on the forces of nature, the formations of the Hundred Twist Thousand Return Palace must also be based on fundamental array principles. Woo Zhengyang was ready to use this as his entry point.

Ignorance is bliss, they say. If anyone knew Woo Zhengyang was planning to delve into the study of formations based on ancient arrays, they’d probably laugh their heads off. It’s like a clueless child trying to master techniques created by a Martial Emperor or even a Martial King—forget mastering, they wouldn’t even understand it.

Woo Zhengyang was well aware that his approach was a bit unorthodox, but he had no other choice. He was treating a dead horse as if it were alive, hoping for the best. At worst, he’d end up with nothing and be sent away when time ran out.

Immersed in his thoughts, Woo Zhengyang entered a state of complete focus, his eyes tracing the flow of Heaven and Earth Vital Energy within the Hundred Twist Thousand Return Palace. Trying to unravel the mysteries of the palace’s array with only a partial understanding was incredibly challenging. Yet, to his astonishment, Woo Zhengyang felt an overwhelming sense of familiarity, as if he had set up this array himself.

This feeling was something Woo Zhengyang knew well, though it had only occurred once before—when he practiced the Tyrannical Mountain Shattering Fist. It was this sense of familiarity that propelled Woo Zhengyang into an indescribable state, as if recovering lost memories, turning what was once unfamiliar into something intimately known, allowing the Tyrannical Mountain Shattering Fist to reach the Perfection Stage.

At this moment, that feeling emerged once more. Woo Zhengyang felt as though the intricate formations of the Hundred Twist Thousand Return Palace were his own creation. What was once a complete mystery slowly unveiled itself to him, piece by piece. The path that others found impenetrable became straightforward for Woo Zhengyang.

From knowing nothing to reaching deep within himself, Woo Zhengyang couldn't quite determine his current mastery of formation techniques. However, he was certain that being able to glimpse the mysteries of this ancient formation was far beyond mere beginner's luck.

Two hours later, Woo Zhengyang emerged from his trance-like state. Before him were still the ever-changing passageways, but in his mind, they had become as familiar as the back of his hand. Holding the Array Origin Bead, Woo Zhengyang strolled casually, fully understanding the layout of the formation...

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