Chapter 921: Back at the Start

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“Ha-ha-ha, we have it!”

All watched the fading light with crushed looks. Flying Cloud manor’s hundreds of Genesis Stage experts, with a Sword King and the sage of the empire, found themselves utterly helpless in stopping one small thief.

The news was hard to swallow to anyone and the mood was bleak. But not for all, evident by that bright laughter.

With twitching faces and angry glares, they knew the laughter wasn’t mocking them, but it still felt like scorn in their ears.

So they turned towards the culprit, one of the ten array masters.

Totally oblivious of the hatred he gathered, the array master looked positively radiant at his discovery, skipping like a child to Baili Jingwei, “Prime Minister, we got it! The intricacy of the star array is obvious now!”

Baili Jingwei frowned and didn’t speak, but seeing their innocent smiles made him shake his head.

“Prime Minister, the Big Dipper Flinging Array isn’t just a short teleportation array but also a gathering array. He had been moving seven times, six times between Dubhe and Alkaid while the last transfer unleashed all the power the array gathered. It is just a minor teleportation array but acts like a major one. Using the connection between the North Star and the Big Dipper, he formed a large transfer. That’s why he said the focus wasn’t on the stars but on the Big Dipper, which is none other than a hint at North Star. By flinging he meant by using all the star power in the Big Dipper through the North Star!”

Baili Jingwei’s disappointed face didn’t even register to the ecstatic array master, growing more and more exuberant. The sudden venue of research he discovered was too much excitement for him to bear, “The star array is truly wondrous. I did say you must have the skills to do it, and power. Without it, it wouldn’t get you far. I just didn’t imagine he’d used seven stars’ power into one. That’s why there was such a great surge right at the end. But too much power would damage a minor array such as this, which is why it only works once. See for yourself, the array formation is ruined!”

The array master went to the bush and after a bit of searching he came out with sacred stone fragments, shouting, “See? It’s exactly as we deducted. The power overwhelmed the array and ruined it, ha-ha-ha…”

The other nine array masters broke out in laughter alongside him. This proved their conjecture was without a doubt correct.

Baili Jingwei was drained of the energy to even cuss at them. He just sighed and flew back to the manor. Danqing Shen went after him.

The array masters were stumped. 

[Is Prime Minister mad at us? He was so eager to know just a minute ago.]

“It’s too late…”

Shangguan Feiyun sighed, “He’s gone now so what’s the point of explaining? Humph, some array grandmasters you are…”

Shangguan Feiyun left as well with the guards. Some even shot them some looks of disdain. 

[Bookworms only like to show off!]

The ten were left baffled and clueless.

[Too late? Sure it is late, but not ‘too’ late. The guy might’ve escaped but getting this long lost star array is invaluable. Do you have any idea what it’s worth?] 

“Humph, what does a dumb philistine even know?”

The array master mocked them, “They’re gone so let’s research the array the man set up. Careful not to damage it further. This is a star array we’re talking about. Those uncultured swines have no idea what they’re dealing with here. Unlike them, our research might even lead us to develop many new arrays!”

“Hear, hear…”

“Well said…”

His friends wholly agreed, getting to work at once. They treated each remnant as an archeology site, turning every nook and cranny and speck of dust to get the most out of it.

This was the difference between a specialist and a politician. The first focused on his own world, going for new discoveries and innovations. While the second only cared about reputation and his pockets.

These two groups had no tangent whatsoever while also shunning each other. The politician laughed at the specialist for being pedantic, while the specialist disdained a politician’s sophistry. When a politician became a specialist, he’d show no result. If a specialist changed sides, his life would be ruined, always pulled in all directions and blocked from committing himself to his research. There would be no progress as well. 

Baili Jingwei had a healthy respect for specialists, since all he cared about was the benefits these men brought along. As for their academic research and goals, he knew nothing nor was he willing to try.

They were each stuck with a different perspective, abhorring the other’s style in every way.

Though Baili Jingwei understood one truth, that only the obsession and pedantic made one a specialist. Disapproval and poor communication aside, he wholly approved of them.

For he had only to gain from these kinds of specialists. With all the anger and frustration in their interactions, it was still not enough to snap and just kill them. 

This was just one of the crucial qualities for a man in power…

Back in the manor, at the Jade Falls, Baili Jingwei gasped at the icicles on the ground. He’d been going against people his whole life, yet this time he failed so miserably. He had gained nothing in this fight.

“Gu Yifan, you’re a true genius, but one that I found most revolting!”

Baili Jingwei took a deep breath, “We were born with conflicting personalities. Bemoaning a new contender. As we’re both deep thinkers, clashes are unavoidable. Guess scholars always tend to criticize another, ha-ha-ha…”

Whoosh~

Shangguan Feiyun came over with Gu Santong, “Prime Minister, what about the brat?”

“Lives for now. Until Gu Yifan takes the bait then he dies with him!” Baili Jingwei gnashed his teeth.

Shangguan Feiyun mocked, “That’s rare, for the talent cherishing Prime Minister to have such bloodlust against another talent. He must really have gotten under your skin, ha-ha-ha…”

“Today has nothing to do with it. Even knowing his real talents, I’d have never let him take another breath all the same. Especially if I could use him.”

Baili Jingwei’s eyes flashed and left while leaving behind a chilling tone, “I loath anyone like me!”

Shangguan Feiyun smirked, “Scholars never call themselves the best while fighters always fake modesty saying their second. Fighters shed blood and sweat in their savage fights while scholars pit their minds in convoluted schemes. So even the great Prime Minister Baili cannot live this down. He must really feel threatened, ha-ha-ha…”

Shangguan Feiyun turned to the now ruined water garden and gnashed his teeth, “Gu Yifan, you ruined my paradise and I’ll ruin you!”

Shangguan Feiyun huffed and walked away, the wounded Gu Santong dangling in his hand and leaving a trail of blood behind.

Danqing Shen stroked his beard while shaking his head.

[Boy, you now have a pair of rabid dogs after you. This will only get hard for you from now on…]

Meanwhile, as the beam of light fell, Zhuo Fan and Shangguan Qingyan appeared among the glittering motes in a thick forest leagues away from Flying Cloud City.

Shangguan Qingyan was still shellshocked by what had transpired. She had been going a hundred miles at a time in each jump then out of nowhere they were so far she couldn’t see a shadow of Flying Cloud City.

Shangguan Feiyun was not getting to them now.

Relishing the thought, Shangguan Qingyan turned to Zhuo Fan, “Mister Gu, how did you…”

“Wait here. I need to blow off steam.”

Zhuo Fan spoke coldly and went deep in a dark cave. Shangguan Qingyan looked worried, apprehensive at his words as she waited tense.

Howls of beasts soon reverberated from the cave, filled with anger and frustration.

Shangguan Qingyan jerked, lowering her head as she understood his grief. He needed to let go. All that perfect planning to get him and young Sanzi away from Flying Cloud City failed.

[Because of me, his son was taken.]

She blamed herself for everything, shedding tears of remorse in solitude.

The howls went on for a long time into the black night, all the way till dawn.

Shangguan Qingyan was conflicted about what was happening, how he was, but could not gather the courage to venture inside the cave. When Zhuo Fan finally did come out, he had a flat look, deader than before.

What got Shangguan Qingyan curious was that Zhuo Fan’s aura felt dimmer in a way and that his cultivation fell to the 4th layer of Radiant Stage from 5th… 

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