Cultivation : I'm an Ancient Giant Bear-Chapter 476 - 449: The Last Gamble

With enough Giant Stone and Profound Iron, building a Three-Defense Main Fortress isn’t very difficult.

Xiong Wang Shou, along with two other prisoner laborers, finished building it with smiles within minutes.

Wang Wu wanted to help, but was actually rejected by them.

"Young brother, take a rest. Not to brag, but if you can come up with a clone every day to seek out old relics, then wherever I am, if that Gray Eye tries to act up, I will directly crush his eggs."

"That’s right, that’s right. Although we are criminal prisoners, our eyes are still bright. What Miss Qingxue the Array Master said truly makes sense. The fewer Heaven and Earth Needles, the smoother the overall control of the Great Wilderness Sin Prison Tower. This is the Hidden Origin Association’s lowest quality control, with one hundred Needles as the minimum standard. If one hundred and five Needles were actually to be built, that’s when the real trouble would start."

"We don’t know what those guys are up to but surely have ulterior motives. Anyway, we are too lazy to be bribed, just want to reduce our sentences. Miss Qingxue the Array Master, don’t get discouraged, maybe talk with your Lord again, and perhaps invite two more Array Masters. If the Heaven and Earth Needles can be compressed to 99, that would definitely be a great achievement."

The two prisoner laborers spoke optimistically, while Xiong Wang Shou remained silent.

As for Wang Wu, he just took the old prisoner laborer’s words as nonsense, what a joke indeed.

When the Three-Defense Fortress was built, the five of them quickly entered it, none wanting to stay long in the Evil Wind.

At this moment, Qingxue suddenly said, "Until supplies arrive, don’t nurture the Three-Defense Treasure Armor. My Spiritual Qi is running low here."

Wang Wu agreed entirely, as the consumption was too great.

Hanging around in this land ravaged by the Three Calamities, it’s entirely supported by Spiritual Qi.

According to Qingxue’s earlier explanation, building one Heaven and Earth Needle requires ten trillion points of Spiritual Qi.

As exemplified by this Three-Defense Main Fortress, despite providing a very stable and clear Spiritual Qi environment, the price is the consumption of one billion points of Spiritual Qi per day in operation.

Moreover, daily maintenance of the Three-Defense Treasure Armor consumes one million points of Spiritual Qi every time, and this is just regular nurturing.

The last repair of Qingxue’s Three-Defense Treasure Armor for Wang Wu possibly exceeded several billion in cost.

Regarding the total value of the Three-Defense Treasure Armor, it must be tens of billions at least; otherwise, his lack of maintenance wouldn’t have angered Miss Qingxue to the point of her cursing.

"Wang Zhige, come over here."

At this moment, Qingxue beckoned and Wang Wu eagerly went over, while Qingxue had an extra Jade Talisman in her hand, which she casually swiped, dividing the internal space of the main fortress into two, perfectly separating them from Xiong Wang Shou and the two prisoner laborers.

Wang Wu was amazed, and he also completely understood.

This Array Masters’ team, although nominally dispatched by the Craftsmanship Department, is actually funded and assembled by Frost Monarch, with Qingxue being the spokesperson, and also the team’s financial and logistics manager.

As for that Zhao Zihan the Array Master, though she seems dainty, she is full of scheming.

It’s likely this is the ongoing sabotage between competitors of Frost Monarch’s level.

"Wang Zhige, can I trust you?"

Qingxue suddenly asked this.

Wang Wu carefully looked at her, then nodded, "Miss Qingxue, feel free to say whatever you need. I am deeply grateful for your past assistance. If you need me now, I will not hesitate to go through fire and water!"

Hearing this, Qingxue remained silent, her Three-Defense Treasure Armor concealed her appearance and gaze, making it unclear what she thought.

After a long pause, she finally spoke, "The three outside aren’t trustworthy either. Don’t be fooled by their sweet words; they won’t hesitate to turn their backs."

"Yet, we have no way out. We’re meant to construct one hundred Heaven and Earth Needles; we’ve built only twenty-four so far. That Qin Wushuang and Zhao Zihan have made their move now, clearly with premeditation, likely linked to what’s happening outside. Some folks see no chance for Frost Monarch, my mentor, to advance to Second-Grade Elder, and wish to seize the chance to ruin her."

"However, it is in the Great Wilderness Sin Prison Tower, which is unique, disconnecting communication with the outside world. If my mentor knows, the soonest would be nine days; finding a suitable Array Master by then would be too late."

"Hence, I need you to learn five types of Array Patterns to assist me in constructing the Heaven and Earth Needles!"

"What? Me!"

Wang Wu was shocked, "Is this appropriate?"

"What’s inappropriate about it? The main question is, can you master it?"

"Are those five Array Patterns difficult to grasp?" Wang Wu tentatively asked, for in reality, he already grasped the basics when Qin Wushuang analyzed the Array Patterns last time. He found it quite easy.

Qingxue then explained, "How should I put it, it’s very difficult. Becoming an Array Master requires talent. Not just having a strong Primordial Spirit or powerful analysis ability, but possessing skills of disentanglement, nuanced insight, and capturing that one strand of Spiritual Light change."

"Take the three outside, they are True Immortals at Taiyi Fifth Tier, their strength should be considerable, right? To say they don’t understand, aren’t familiar with, or aren’t skilled in Array Dao would be nonsense – what haven’t they learned over the endless years? Yet, what they lack uniquely is the talent to adapt and pinpoint the most correct line among countless variables."

"In a sense, I am not much different from them. I can be a secondary Array Master, as can they. But we can’t be a chief Array Master."

"Now, I believe your See Through talent may very well have this ability."

Speaking of this, Qingxue took out a similar purple Jade Talisman, and the Array Pattern on it was the same one Qin Wushuang had analyzed before.

"This is called the Vermilion Bird Array Pattern, one of the nine Array Patterns required for the reconstruction of the Sin Prison Tower. Our Frost Domain obtained the qualification to construct a hundred Vermilion Bird Array Patterns eighty years ago through a competition. Now try to see if you can analyze sixty-four variations of it. Based on these variations, you can determine the construction position of the Heaven and Earth Needle and how it should be built."

"Previously, Qin Wushuang was responsible for this, but he really went too far, and I can no longer tolerate it."

"Can’t you analyze it?"

Wang Wu asked curiously.

"I can, including the three outside, I can analyze them all, but it’s useless."

"I said, this is a kind of Talent, an unquantifiable, incomprehensible, indescribable, non-replicable Talent. Although I am also an Array Master, like Zhao Zihan and many others, I can only construct Heaven and Earth Needles based on an already engraved framework. Or, without the interference of the Three Calamities, we can efficiently and properly deploy most Arrays in this world."

"But in the current environment, the changes in Yin and Yang Qi are too drastic, and the variables caused by the ravaging Three Calamities are too profound, elusive, ever-changing. This requires truly talented Array Masters to resolve."

"Qin Wushuang has that Talent. Honestly, if the area he chose this time weren’t so outrageous, I wouldn’t have broken ties."

"I understand, let me give it a try."

Wang Wu suddenly realized. No wonder when he observed Qin Wushuang analyzing the Array Pattern last time, it seemed easy; there was this precondition.

It’s no wonder Qin Wushuang didn’t bother concealing anything and openly analyzed.

It’s like the knowledge in a book, clearly written out, the principles laid out there. Within a grand framework, most can score fairly high, even perfectly.

But applying it to real-world conditions leaves one clueless.

Now, within the Sin Prison Tower’s environment, so harsh and complex, Yin and Yang Qi roaming like smoke, unpredictable, with interference from the Three Calamities.

This indeed is enough to leave most Array Masters defeated.

At this point, Wang Wu didn’t hesitate and took that purple Jade Scroll and then the white Jade Scroll Qingxue handed over. After a brief contemplation, he began to inscribe analysis units on the white Jade Scroll.

In less than ten minutes, he inscribed a total of sixty-four analyzed Array Patterns.

"Earlier, when Qin Wushuang was analyzing, I picked up a little."

Wang Wu didn’t conceal anything.

However, Qingxue didn’t seem surprised. After taking the white Jade Scroll and assessing it briefly, she said, "Your analysis result is correct, but it only proves you and I, and those three outside, don’t differ much; any of us can be an Array Master. What I need is for you to accurately complete this deployment under chaotic Spiritual Qi conditions."

Having said that, Qingxue took out that Celestial and Earthly Compass and handed it to Wang Wu, "This Celestial and Earthly Compass is extremely valuable; its construction cost equals that of ten Heaven and Earth Needles. Take it with you, board the Three-Defense Treasure Ship, and try to scout out a position for constructing a Heaven and Earth Needle for me. Don’t ask me how to scout because I don’t know either."

"All I can do is give you fifteen days. If you succeed within these fifteen days, we’ll pass this calamity. If not, Frost Domain will sell this Heaven and Earth Needle construction task at half price to other forces. We cannot invest too much in this, it would plunge us into dire consequences, causing severe losses to Frost Domain and severing Frost Monarch’s path to becoming a Second-Grade Elder."

"Ah! Can’t I try here first?"

Wang Wu was taken aback, no wonder Qingxue was so decisive, the situation was already this severe.

Wait, if Frost Monarch withdraws, Qingxue will also leave, but he, as Prisoner Labor, cannot escape.

"Trying here is meaningless. Arrays are something you either understand, or you don’t. Constructing a Heaven and Earth Needle, success in scouting almost equals success in half the task."

After speaking, Qingxue unexpectedly took out a brand-new set of Three-Defense Treasure Armor, a large jar of Compressed Spirit Liquid, and a miniature Three-Defense Boat.

"Don’t be surprised; my current situation allows only desperate measures. Consider it a last-ditch effort."

"Remember, if you cannot complete the scouting within fifteen days, don’t return. Take the Three-Defense Armor and Boat and find a place to escape. Once Frost Domain sells this task, I can’t stay, and I can’t protect you anymore. Perhaps the Qin Family merely wants you to be buried with Qin Yu, but Xiong Wang Shou wants the Blood Curse on you, and Gray Eye wants the Hidden Dragon Sinew. Don’t underestimate these Criminal Prisoners; before being thrown into the Great Wilderness Sin Prison, each was renowned in various regions, on the same level with my Master Frost Monarch and your Master Elder Hui."

"Being allowed to help repair the Sin Prison Tower might seem like punishment to you, but it’s actually a reward for them, representing that Hidden Origin Association has worn down their spirit and decided to recruit them into the Dark Domain."

"So don’t listen to their nonsense about not daring to violate Hidden Origin Association’s rules. In truth, a few hundred years later, they can all become Third-Grade Elders of the Dark Domain, killing you without needing accountability, if you’re still alive then."

"Give me a strand of your fur and then go."

After saying this, Qingxue took Wang Wu’s strand of fur, sliced the Jade Talisman again, and a gentle Power slashed over, cutting Wang Wu out of the Main Fortress space.

After Wang Wu disappeared, Qingxue stared blankly for a moment at the original spot, then took out various materials and gently crushed them into a Jade Bottle, finally adding Wang Wu’s strand of fur.

The next second, as she turned the Jade Bottle, a stream of purple light slowly flowed out.

"Transform!"

A soft whisper, the purple light quickly faded, becoming Wang Wu’s appearance.

If Wang Wu were here, he probably couldn’t distinguish which was his real self.