Chapter 14: Spirit-Gathering Array

Chen Yi got up and went out.

Chen Jiankang brightened at the sight of his son. When Chen Yi was little, he had done well in school. Now that he was grown, he had received such an opportunity, and he was clearheaded and sensible too. He had even given him two wonderful grandsons.

So divorce was divorce.

With him and Chen Yi’s mother looking after him, it was no great matter. In the future, when he found someone he liked, he could just try again. His son’s future accomplishments would be extraordinary. He would always be able to find someone who suited him.

Thinking this, Chen Jiankang also explained, “I contacted them by phone. Captain Pang came personally and brought a few people with him. They’re right in front of the orange grove, blocked outside.”

The Mountain-Protecting Grand Array.

So that was how it worked.

Unless he permitted it, or unless they were sect members, they would not be able to enter?

Chen Yi stopped where he was, lowered his eyes, and thought for a moment. Then he walked out again.

After his conversation with Pang Xiaolei that morning, he already knew that Pang Xiaolei’s background was extremely powerful. For someone with such a background to still risk his life like this while working showed that his family upbringing must be excellent. Captain Pang, at least, was someone worthy of entrusting things to.

This sect system would definitely have to be handed over to the highest authorities in the end. It was impossible for Captain Pang to report something to the higher-ups based only on his son’s empty words, so he would certainly come witness it with his own eyes.

This was the critical moment for Chen Yi to build a bridge with the country and establish mutual trust.

Naturally, Chen Yi did not dare to be negligent. His footsteps were very quick.

He went out the door, down the stairs, and out of the space. Then he saw, above the green mountains, a vast expanse of fiery sunset clouds.

There was also a group of people standing outside the orange grove.

His father and Pang Xiaolei had successfully brought the people back before the sun went down.

Including Pang Xiaolei, there were five people in total.

Pang Xiaolei was wearing a police uniform jacket, which covered his injured and inconvenient hand, but it was clearly still hurting badly. A full day of running around had also made his complexion extremely poor.

When he saw Chen Yi come out, his eyes lit up, and he smiled and nodded.

The other four were dressed in plain clothes. Three of them guarded a middle-aged man on the left and right. The middle-aged man’s back was straight, and he had an imposing air. He was currently lifting his head to look around at the mountain environment.

Judging from his appearance, his brows and eyes resembled Pang Xiaolei’s. They were family.

Seeing strangers, Chen Yi was not without vigilance either. Fortunately, his current combat strength was still fairly good.

Most importantly, no one knew that his sect system could investigate a sect member’s real name. He had already looked up the names of several leaders from the Provincial Bureau. As long as the person Pang Xiaolei had brought joined, he could use the system to know whether the other party was real or fake.

“Leader.” Having made up his mind, Chen Yi quickened his steps and came before Pang Sen with an open smile. He extended his hand and introduced himself. “My name is Chen Yi. Chen Jiankang is my father. Hello.”

Pang Sen clearly had many doubts about Chen Yi too, but he had no choice but to come, because he knew far more than Pang Xiaolei did.

Ever since he saw the injury on his son’s hand, aside from feeling distressed, he had also confirmed that this was not damage an ordinary weapon could cause. Moreover, he knew his own son. Pang Xiaolei was rigid and not flexible enough, but his strength was honesty. He absolutely would not dare to deceive him with something like this.

Besides, just now, Village Chief Chen had directly disappeared right before his eyes.

He had not gone into the trees. He had vanished outright.

Yet all Pang Sen could touch was the tree trunk.

This place was indeed not ordinary.

So from the first moment Pang Sen saw Chen Yi, the things in his eyes were already different.

Curiosity, doubt, attention to details, and most importantly, puzzlement. Why had Chen Yi informed him of something so important through his son? What was his true purpose?

Of course, there still had to be polite greetings on the surface.

Once the greetings were done, and hands had been shaken, the atmosphere cooled again. Both sides knew where the next “icebreaker” lay.

Chen Yi craned his head and looked around.

Pang Xiaolei said, “We avoided people on the way here. I’ll go in last. You all go first.”

For now, Chen Yi still did not want the villagers to know. After all, this place would definitely become a national secret base next. It would be best to wait until the country decided how to resettle the people of Lishui Village.

So he nodded. “Sorry to trouble you, Brother Pang.”

Then he looked toward Pang Sen. “Leader, this way. You can enter now.”

Of course, the first to follow Chen Yi in was someone Pang Sen had brought.

This man looked very capable in a fight, very cool, and with threads of killing intent about him. He was probably a fierce man who had seen blood. He rushed to the front and came before the tree.

He reached out tentatively. This time, just as his hand was about to touch the tree, his entire palm disappeared, and there was no strange sensation either.

He withdrew his hand. At last, his cool face could no longer hide his expression. It was filled with shock.

Chen Yi said nothing and watched him with a smile.

Pang Sen nodded.

The fierce man’s face turned solemn, and he decisively walked in first.

Sure enough, just like Chen Jiankang earlier, he disappeared entirely.

About three seconds later, the fierce man appeared again, his expression extremely shaken. He said to Pang Sen, “Bureau Chief, there is a whole hidden world inside.”

Pang Sen nodded and looked at Chen Yi, not feeling that there was anything wrong with his probe.

Chen Yi understood too.

For something this mysterious and unfathomable, anyone in his place would have to test it. If not for a freak combination of circumstances, Chen Yi himself would never have come into contact with people at this level. The other party’s security and vigilance would definitely be extremely strict.

He had no ill intentions either, so he was not afraid of being investigated.

Next came his father, Chen Jiankang. He had to go in and receive the people entering the sect. The others Pang Sen had brought also filed in one after another.

Chen Yi remained at the rear, smiled at Pang Sen, nodded, and also walked in.

Space shifted. When he turned his head, he saw Pang Sen appear immediately after him.

Pang Xiaolei stayed at the very end. After staying on guard and confirming that there was no one around, he backed up and also entered the sect.

The terraced fields of the western mountain once again returned to peace. Red clouds clustered in the sky, mist curled through the village, and the wind blew green waves. It was as if no one had ever existed here.

No one noticed that someone holding a pair of binoculars had already crouched on a balcony and seen the entire process.

It was the Wang family’s fourth son.

Wang Pingyuan saw that everyone was gone, that they had truly disappeared into the orange grove—not entered it, but disappeared. Excited, he shouted, tossed down the binoculars, and rushed out the door.

Sister-in-law Wang called, “It’s time to eat! Where are you going?”

Wang Pingyuan’s voice was already running back from outside the courtyard. “I’m going west for a bit. I’ll be back soon.”

“Dinner’s ready! Should I wait for you or not…” She angrily chased out, but Wang Pingyuan was already nowhere to be seen.

Wang Pingyuan stayed up late playing games and lived a day-and-night-reversed life. Last night, he had stayed up the whole night. He still had not slept even now. After running only a few steps, he was already so tired that he was panting.

By the time he ran to the front of the orange grove, the sky had already turned dusky, and half his life was nearly gone from running.

He darted in and out before the orange grove, muttering to himself.

“That’s not right. It was right here…”

“Where did it go?”

“It was this tree. That’s right…”

Anyone who had not been permitted by Chen Yi would be blocked by the sect’s grand array. Wang Pingyuan could not find the entrance at all.

The sky gradually darkened. A cool wind blew over. Wang Pingyuan’s feverish mind calmed down, and he shivered. Remembering the scene he had witnessed last night, he hurriedly ran back again.

…

On this side, Chen Yi and the others had already stopped in front of the Sect Main Hall and had been talking for quite a while.

Pang Sen’s mood was now completely different.

Just as his son had said, no amount of talking was useful. It was better to come and see with his own eyes. Whether it was the method of entering and exiting this space or the grandeur of the main hall, none of it could possibly have been produced by a few ordinary people, or by a village.

At this moment, Pang Sen already believed it ninety percent. What remained was only his doubt about Chen Yi.

He knew about the system.

But why had the system chosen Chen Yi?

And what did Chen Yi intend to do with this system?

Hand it over to the country? What did he want to obtain in the process? And what changes would the appearance of this system bring to the current situation?

It was no wonder Pang Sen was overthinking. Anyone who encountered something like this would have to think too much, think carefully, and break it apart to examine every piece.

Let alone someone in his position, who had to think everything through to the end.

Pang Xiaolei found an opening and said, “You told me to bring four more people I trusted, saying you’d be able to complete the mission. There are exactly four people here. Let me see your mission reward.”

All of this had actually already been said over the phone. Since his own old man had brought people here, they would definitely be joining the sect next. Then they would see what this so-called cultivation was about.

Among the people his old man had brought this time, one was a security guard who stayed by his side. The other two were elite team members temporarily transferred from the Martial Protection Brigade. He heard one of them was even a squad leader.

When it came to physical training, it still had to be these special departments that could truly judge whether something was good or bad.

Hearing Pang Xiaolei say this, Chen Yi naturally nodded. “Brigade Captain, what comes next is procedure. Without this procedure, the system will not acknowledge it.

“May I ask if you wish to join The Lurker Sect?”

Hearing the sect’s name, Pang Sen’s brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, but he said nothing and gave a nod.

Chen Yi glanced at the number. Sect members +1.

Then he turned his head to look at the next person, waiting for Pang Xiaolei to introduce him.

Pang Xiaolei wanted to say, That’s it?

Where was the part about never abandoning the sect? Revitalizing the sect? So I was the only one whose initiation was that awkward?

Pang Xiaolei’s face reddened as he introduced the remaining three people to Chen Yi.

Chen Yi: “…”

With a leader present, everything should be kept simple.

But a sense of ceremony was still necessary.

When the last person had been added,

the water mirror rippled, and the mission appeared before Chen Yi’s eyes. Then it changed to completed status.

Recruit Disciples Widely completed

Reward: Spirit-Gathering Array, low-grade spirit stone x5

Main Quest: Develop the Sect

Reward: Divine Ability: Delusion-Piercing Eye Technique, spirit field x1, spirit seed x1, low-grade spirit stone x10

One: Qi Refining Fifth Level (0/1 incomplete)

Two: Reputation (1000/2100 complete)

Three: Recruit Disciples Widely (Four) (10/30 incomplete)

The next mission would reward a divine ability?

What was this Delusion-Piercing Eye Technique? It clearly seemed related to the eyes. Was it an offensive divine ability? Or simply an eye technique?

There were also the spirit field and spirit seed, which he knew about. They were one of the common resources in xianxia novels. It looked like he would have to plan out an area, and later, he would also have to arrange for professional agricultural talent to manage it…

As Chen Yi pondered, he selected the reward from the previous mission.

Immediately afterward, five pigeon-egg-sized spirit stones appeared in Chen Yi’s hand.

They had already seen a separate space, so Chen Yi producing spirit stones out of thin air did not shock everyone much either. Chen Yi also stuffed the spirit stones into his pants pocket as if this were nothing unusual.

After that, he took the Spirit-Gathering Array out from the system.

This was not his first time receiving an array reward from a mission. The Mountain-Protecting Grand Array had been the same.

These things had no real physical carrier. Instead, they were complex patterns drawn by light across the void. With Chen Yi’s current attainments, he definitely could not understand this thing, but using it was very simple.

He held the array’s light patterns in his hand. Glowing霞 flowed over them, lighting his eyes bright.

Then he planted his feet in a bow stance and slapped the array’s light patterns down onto the ground beneath his feet.

Array patterns flared into view.

A clear wind rose.

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