TL: Etude
Normally, to challenge the Shanghe Array Tower assessment, one could only take on the tasks from the Array Master Association one by one. However, in reality, it wasn't necessary to complete one to take on another.
Ye Tian spent a little money, used some connections, and easily obtained the opportunity to enter the Shanghe Array Tower assessment.
Initially, he could have sneaked into the assessment, but to avoid unnecessary trouble, he chose not to do so.
Why sneak around when he could enter openly and uprightly?
Shanghe Array Tower.
Ye Tian started challenging from the fourth level.
With his high-level array master status, he easily passed through the fourth level, then onto the fifth level…
Half an hour later.
Ye Tian arrived at the seventh level.
The array of the seventh level was quite complex, a kind of fire and ice coexisting superposition array, akin to two array spaces combined together, a dual-attribute offensive high-level array.
Although the power of such an array was indeed good, its weakness was also quite apparent. One only needed to find the point where the fire array space and ice array space were connected, shatter it, and the array would be broken.
With the aid of top-level array talent, it took him less than ten minutes to find that point. With one strike, he shattered it and broke the seventh level's array.
Wow!
An array appeared, a high-level array design, but not the high-level Gathering Array design he wanted.
"High-level Fire Serpent Array design, no use!"
Ye Tian was disappointed, but still kept the design. He could sell it after all!
Eighth level.
Ye Tian arrived here, seemingly entering a world of thunder and lightning.
"Thunder and Lightning Array; a good array. Among all the arrays, it belongs to the relatively powerful category!"
Ye Tian murmured.
Boom boom boom!!!
Massive thunderbolts as thick as water buckets bombarded Ye Tian, but he didn't even need to dodge. Merely holding up a pseudo-mystic level defense talent easily blocked the thunder and lightning attacks.
King Shanghe was merely at king-level, his real strength was not as good as Ye Tian's. How could the array he arranged harm Ye Tian?
In fact, if Ye Tian wanted, he could forcefully break the array, but King Shanghe seemed to have considered this point. Once a king-level strong individual forcefully breaks the array, the entire Shanghe Array Tower's power would gather to confront that king-level individual.
If he really wanted to forcefully break it, there would be only two results: one was failure to break, and the other was the collapse of the Shanghe Array Tower.
Ye Tian didn't want to destroy the Shanghe Array Tower, otherwise, all the array masters of the Demon Sea Base would resent him. He could leave, but his sister still had to live in the Demon Sea Base for a long time.
Therefore, he didn't want to take this step yet.
"Top-level array talent!"
Ye Tian's eyes looked into the world of arrays, where the world of thunder and lightning was revealed before him.
Node!
Node!
Ye Tian slowly searched for nodes. Anyhow, the array could not harm him, so he could research for as long as he wanted.
Ye Tian's array skill was still somewhat lacking, and this thunder and lightning array needed a highly skilled high-level array master to break, while Ye Tian had just barely reached the high-level array master level.
An hour later.
Ye Tian finally let out a sigh of relief, he found an array node.
Although only one was found, as long as this node was broken, the array would become unstable, other nodes would reveal flaws, and thus would be easily discovered.
"Break!"
Ye Tian shattered this node with one strike, and the entire thunder and lightning space shuddered.
In Ye Tian's eyes, a few more nodes appeared in the world of thunder and lightning, fleeting, but he caught them.
"Over there!"
Ye Tian attacked those nodes, shattering them.
In this way, after another five minutes, the entire thunder and lightning space was finally broken open by Ye Tian.
At that moment.
A design blueprint appeared before Ye Tian's eyes.
Ye Tian opened it and was thrilled instantly.
"High-level Qi Gathering Array blueprint!"
"I can't believe my luck, there must have been many high-level array masters who passed the eighth level, but none acquired the High-level Gathering Array blueprint, yet I got it!"
Ye Tian was very happy.
With the High-level Gathering Array blueprint in hand, his goal was achieved.
Yet, he was quite curious about the ninth level, so he proceeded to it.
However, upon reaching the ninth level, there wasn't an assessment, but a message left by King Shanghe.
"Successor, regardless if you are a high-level or top-level array master, if you wish for my inheritance, you must vow to slay an invincible king-level individual named Shui Qianyue. Kill this damned woman. As long as you vow to do so, I will present all treasures, array designs and even three high-level yuan force body refining secret techniques. You must promise to kill her within fifty years by any means necessary. If you can't do it, you shall perish with your spirit and body obliterated!"
"Remember, Shui Qianyue is from the Zhonghai Super Base!"
Reading these words, Ye Tian was rendered speechless.
Now he understood why other high-level array masters didn't complete the ninth level assessment—it was because the so-called assessment was a vow.
But only a fool would make such a vow!
It was clear that King Shanghe harbored deep hatred towards Shui Qianyue from the Zhonghai Super Base, though who was right and who was wrong remained unclear.
But judging from such a venomous vow by King Shanghe, he wasn't a benevolent person. Demanding someone to kill Shui Qianyue within fifty years, and obliterating his spirit and body if unsuccessful: could a kind-hearted person leave such words?
Perhaps it was King Shanghe who brought about his own demise due to his deeds.
Without a second thought, Ye Tian turned around and left.
The treasures of King Shanghe held no allure for him, and he wouldn't seek revenge on behalf of King Shanghe, especially since he had already achieved his goal.
Ye Tian didn't return to the Array Master Association to report the task, instead, he went straight home.
Upon reaching home, he took a look at the High-level Qi Gathering Array design blueprint.
"Three array spaces!"
Ye Tian was astounded.
The so-called High-level Qi Gathering Array was essentially three intermediate-level Gathering Arrays overlaid to form three array spaces. Of course, a lot of array patterns were added to stabilize the operation and connection of the three intermediate Gathering Arrays.
Although he understood the principle now, without the design blueprint, Ye Tian wouldn't be able to set it up.
"At least 125 array patterns are required to set it up. Let's start collecting materials!"
Thus,
Ye Tian cultivated while collecting materials for the High-level Gathering Array.
The so-called materials were not just array disks; various rare materials were needed to set up an array altar. On this vast array altar, array patterns needed to be engraved to set up the High-level Gathering Array.
This was also one of the distinctions between high-level arrays and mid to low-level arrays!
Ten days later, Ye Tian collected all the materials and began secretly constructing the array altar in a certain underground chamber beneath his villa.
Another ten days passed, Ye Tian's array attainment reached 125 array patterns, and the array altar was also completed.
"Engrave!"
Ye Tian, holding the engraving pen, meticulously engraved each array pattern onto the array altar.
Finally, after half a day, the engraving of array patterns was completed.
Ten yuan force stones were placed in the array holes, activating the High-level Gathering Array.
Boom!!!!!
Countless yuan force energies rushed in, forming a tidal wave of yuan force.
Soon, the yuan force stabilized.
"Ten times the yuan force, it's a success!"
Ye Tian was somewhat exhilarated.
——
TL Note: Qi/Yuan Force/Yuan Li/Elemental Energy seems to be the same thing.