"We’re trapped in a natural Illusionary Array. The ground beneath our feet, every bamboo stalk, every flower and blade of grass around us—it’s all part of this massive Array. Everything operates in perfect sync with the Array Pattern. It was so flawless, even I was fooled."

It wasn’t that he hadn’t been vigilant, but Natural Magical Arrays were simply too rare. He’d only ever read about them in ancient texts and never expected to encounter one himself. That was why he’d been caught off guard.

’Thankfully, this is an Illusionary Array and not a Killing Array,’ Song Changsheng thought, relieved. ’Otherwise, the three of us might have already been decapitated by now.’

Xu Yunhe didn’t know much about this, but he could hear the gravity in Song Changsheng’s voice. He couldn’t help but ask, "Brother Song, do you have a way to break it?"

"I’ll do my best." Since this was his first time encountering one, Song Changsheng couldn’t make any promises.

"You stay here with her and don’t move. I’m going to try and break the Array."

Keeping his Eye of Truth active, Song Changsheng began to move through the bamboo forest. The first step to breaking an Array was to figure out the distribution of the Array Pattern, and the second was to destroy the Array Hub.

The Array Pattern of a Natural Magical Array wasn’t as complex as one laid by an Array Master—in fact, it was quite simple. The main issue was its vast scope. This entire bamboo forest was within the Array’s range, so mapping it out was extremely time-consuming.

As Song Changsheng moved through the bamboo forest, he memorized the Array Patterns. Soon, a crude map of the patterns formed in his mind.

’Natural Magical Arrays truly are extraordinary.’ Song Changsheng’s expression grew solemn. This Array wasn’t entirely beyond his understanding, but since it was his first time encountering one, breaking it would be quite difficult.

Moreover, the concept of a perfect Array wasn’t just talk—it was real. A Natural Magical Array had very few flaws. Many people had been trapped in such Illusionary Arrays for decades, or even for their entire lives.

Song Changsheng executed Fleeting Shadows and arrived at the highest point in the bamboo forest. He sat cross-legged on the tip of a swaying bamboo stalk and began to apply his life’s knowledge to breaking the Array...

Xu Yunhe knew nothing about the art of Arrays, so all he could do at a time like this was watch and worry.

Just then, he felt the person on his back stir. The movement was fleeting, but with his keen perception, he knew he couldn’t be mistaken.

’Is she waking up?’ Xu Yunhe turned his head to look at the nation-toppling beauty on his shoulder, only to find she still seemed to be "unconscious."

He couldn’t help but frown. "Since you’re already awake, there’s no need to keep pretending."

The other person remained motionless.

Xu Yunhe spoke as if to himself, "Since you’re still unconscious, maybe I’ll just put you on the ground. I’m getting a little tired, anyway."

As he said this, he moved to set her down. The next moment, he felt his waist clamped by two powerful thighs, making it impossible to put her down.

Xu Yunhe looked at her still-closed eyes and gave a helpless smile. "Fellow Daoist Xia, must you be like this?"

Xia Wanyun’s tightly shut eyes finally opened. She rested on Xu Yunhe’s shoulder, her breath fragrant as she purred, "I was just trying to give a handsome man more of a chance."

Her voice was filled with allure and ambiguity, somewhere between a hint and a direct invitation.

Had it been any other man, he might have already been "standing at attention." Unfortunately for her, she was facing Xu Yunhe, a man who had experienced a Nirvana Rebirth after losing his arm.

His mind was incredibly firm and completely unmoved. He said coolly, "I don’t know what you’re talking about. Since you’re awake, you should get down. After all, men and women should keep their distance."

But Xia Wanyun acted as if she had discovered a new continent. Her pale, slender arms coiled around Xu Yunhe’s neck like water snakes. Biting her cherry lip, she said pitifully, "But I have no strength in my body right now... The ground is so dirty. Surely you’re not going to make a girl like me lie on the ground, are you, Sir?"

Xu Yunhe frowned. He reached out and pulled up the Treasure Sword stuck in the ground beside him. With a flash of Sword Light, he carved a smooth, flat surface onto a large block of Qingshi.

"Lie on this. It’s clean."

This time, Xia Wanyun didn’t argue. She obediently lay down, but she didn’t remain still. She exposed large patches of her snow-white skin, her phoenix eyes fixed on Xu Yunhe like hooks, and she would occasionally utter a provocative word or two.

Xu Yunhe suddenly felt a tinge of regret. Saving her seemed to have been the wrong choice.

The key was, he was powerless against her antics. He simply sat down cross-legged and began to meditate on the Sword Dao, deciding to ignore her completely.

Seeing him act this way, a trace of surprise flickered in Xia Wanyun’s beautiful eyes. She had seen many men; even those old enough to be her grandfather would look at her with eyes full of desire and possessiveness. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

She had used this to her advantage many times. Any man she actively set her sights on would be an easy conquest, ultimately falling at her feet.

But this time, she had suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of an unknown nobody.

"I don’t believe this! Unless you’re not a man!" Xia Wanyun said, gritting her teeth.

...

After several ancient hours, Song Changsheng finally managed to map out the entire network of Array Patterns for this vast Array. He had tried to break it, but with little success.

This led him to a realization: a Natural Magical Array couldn’t be treated with conventional methods. Although they were both types of Arrays, their fundamental nature was vastly different.

’It seems the only way is to first fully comprehend the Array Pattern.’ Song Changsheng frowned slightly. He knew this couldn’t be rushed. With a light tap of his toes on the branch, he drifted down to the ground.

As soon as he returned to the meeting point, he saw Xu Yunhe sitting cross-legged on the ground, eyes closed in concentration. He was enveloped in Sword Qi, preventing anyone from getting within thirty feet of him.

Meanwhile, Xia Wanyun, who had woken up at some point, looked utterly vexed. The gaze she fixed on Xu Yunhe was even a little... resentful?

’What happened here?’ Song Changsheng raised an eyebrow. ’Something fishy definitely happened between these two while I was gone.’

Xia Wanyun also noticed Song Changsheng’s arrival. She immediately concealed her annoyance and put on a pitiful, lovely expression that would make anyone’s heart ache with sympathy.

Unfortunately, Song Changsheng had already labeled her a "vixen" in his mind and was highly wary of her. Her performance was completely wasted on him.

"Fellow Daoist Xia, are you feeling unwell anywhere? I have some Healing Elixirs with me," Song Changsheng said plainly, offering a cupped fist salute.

Looking at the "new prey" before her, Xia Wanyun adopted a completely different strategy. Hearing his words, she lowered her head and said shyly, "Thank you for saving my life, Fellow Daoist. May I have your name, so that I may repay you generously in the future?"

"No need for thanks. We were just after the bounty from the auction house and the City Lord’s Mansion," Song Changsheng chuckled, watching her performance. "As for our names, we are but strangers who met by chance. There’s no need for us to know each other’s."

Rebuffed again, Xia Wanyun couldn’t help but feel a little annoyed. For the first time, she felt a little insecure about her looks.

’Are neither of these two men?’

Song Changsheng, unaware that his "man card" had just been revoked, took out the Pill he had found in the cave. "Fellow Daoist Xia, you’re knowledgeable from your time at the auction house. Do you recognize this Pill?"

Xia Wanyun glanced at it, and her expression changed slightly. Though she tried her best to hide it, Song Changsheng’s sharp eyes still caught it.

"Please, Fellow Daoist, tell me." Song Changsheng had no knowledge of Alchemy. He could only tell that the Pill wasn’t poisonous, but not what it was specifically.

He wouldn’t dare consume a Pill with unknown effects, even if it was a precious Tier Three Pill.

A light danced in Xia Wanyun’s beautiful eyes as she giggled. "I do indeed recognize this Pill. It’s not that I can’t tell you, Sir... but you have to agree to one condition."

"Oh? Let’s hear it, Fellow Daoist Xia." ’If it isn’t too outrageous, I don’t mind agreeing.’

"I want to know the names of my two saviors." Xia Wanyun bit her lip, feeling that this was the most humiliating day of her life. After striking poses for so long, she didn’t even know their names.

"I am Song Qingxing, and he is Zhu Yiqun," Song Changsheng said with a perfectly straight face.

Xia Wanyun didn’t suspect a thing. She took the Pill, a playful look on her face as she said, "Fellow Daoist Song, this is an aphrodisiac. It also has another name—a ’springtime’ aphrodisiac."

...