The person capable of constructing such a grand Array must have a Cultivation at least at the Golden Core Stage, possibly even higher. Moreover, this Array was hastily laid out; Lan Tian speculated that he or she had sustained severe injuries and did not have time to deploy it slowly. After all these years, the Array hasn’t been modified, suggesting that the injuries haven’t fully healed yet; it is just unknown whether the Cultivation has increased or decreased.
Having circled around Hidden Dragon Mountain a few times and comparing it with the Array map in her Sea of Consciousness, she located the Array Core and attempted to break it. As she drew near, an immense pressure rushed toward Lan Tian, as if a mountain was bearing down on her, nearly forcing her to the ground. A slight pain pricked her Sea of Consciousness, followed by a blankness, and a voice whispered in her ear, "Stay," "Stay." The voice was as enchanting as the songs of the heavens; Lan Tian genuinely desired to abandon everything and stay. A tremor from the Cleansing Heart Technique snapped her back to reality, her face turning deathly pale with shock.
It was a close call. That voice was tempting her, lucky for the Cleansing Heart Technique, or she would have died without knowing how.
Throughout her Cultivation journey, Lan Tian had never suffered such a setback. She furiously circulated the Chaos Decision to resist the overwhelming pressure. The more she resisted, the stronger the pressure became, as if it was adamantly determined to make her stay. The constant pressure brought out Lan Tian’s ferocity; she refused to die and defy its wishes. Every step was fraught with peril—one step to heaven, one step to hell. The more dangerous the situation, the clearer Lan Tian’s mind became. Step by step, she slowly moved away from the Array Core, only realizing how drenched she was after sitting down on her flying sword.
"Luckily, there were only defensive arrays and no offensive arrays within the Array, or I would have been done for. This time, I was too careless," Lan Tian muttered to herself as she lay on the flying sword, still shaking from the close encounter. She took a rest to regain her strength, meditated to recover her Spiritual Energy, and flew back to the mansion on her sword to collapse into sleep.
Unbeknownst to Lan Tian, while she had triggered the hidden defensive array within the Array Core, in an inconspicuous room in a mansion in Beijing – a room sealed without windows and shrouded in darkness – the figure sitting cross-legged on the bed suddenly opened their eyes and turned towards Hidden Dragon Mountain. "I hadn’t expected someone of High-level Cultivator status still existed in this realm. The Heavenly Tribulation from last time must have been this fellow Daoist. Pity."
No one knew what this person meant by "pity."
Lan Tian slept until noon, washed up, and headed towards the main hall. Turning around a bridge corridor, she saw Mr. Ji watering plants in the garden, with a young guard watching him with a worried expression, fearing that something might go wrong with the elder as he kept advising him.
"... Chief, let me do it. If you like that plant, just tell me, and I’ll move it to your room," the guard said anxiously. He didn’t understand why the chief suddenly wanted to walk in the garden today; the doctor had strictly instructed that the chief was in terrible health and should not move around carelessly, which would aggravate his condition.
"Don’t worry. I’ll just walk around here; I won’t go anywhere else," Mr. Ji reassured the guard, handing him the watering can. Strolling leisurely, with hands clasped behind his back, he looked around the garden. Having been bedridden for years, he was eager to walk on the ground once allowed, finding it incomparably real.
That brat said he needed to pretend to be ill for a while longer until they found the hidden adversary before publicizing his recovery. Mr. Ji thought the brat made sense; he was getting old—it was time to let go and let the brat try his hand. Should he pass away one day, who down there would still listen to a young lad like him?
"Girl, come here." Catching sight of Lan Tian on the bridge corridor, Mr. Ji waved at her like a child.
Lan Tian walked over with relaxed steps.
"You tell this brat, can or can’t this old man take a walk?" He looked to Lan Tian as his last hope before turning back to the guard, "Look carefully, brat. This is the old man’s doctor now. Only because of this doctor, the old man can walk on the ground today. You saw yesterday too; it was this young lady who treated me, allowing the old man to walk today."
The young guard didn’t explicitly trust Mr. Ji’s words, but neither did he distrust them. Yesterday, he saw this girl come with Old Mo and the others; eventually, only this girl stayed, supposedly to treat the chief’s illness.
Such a young doctor yet so skilled at medicine—indeed, appearances can be deceiving! The guard admiringly watched Lan Tian, anxiously awaiting her verdict.
"She can move around on the ground, but not for too long. About half an hour each time, with three to four hours between each movement, this will benefit Mr. Ji’s recovery. However, strenuous exercise should be avoided; walking is the best."
The guard listened intently, thought for a moment, rolled up his sleeve to check his watch, then approached Mr. Ji, "Reporting, Chief, you’ve been out for more than half an hour. According to the doctor’s orders, movement time is over. Please return to rest."
Mr. Ji thought, "...," wondering who sent such a stubborn guard. He decided to replace him tomorrow. Under the guard’s expressionless face, there was nothing else for Mr. Ji to do but return.
Back in the grand hall, Lan Tian took Mr. Ji’s pulse once more. His life force hadn’t further declined, his body was still weak, but it would recover after some time.
"Follow the blood-nourishing and qi-replenishing prescription my grandpa wrote before. Take it for a month then reassess; acupuncture is still necessary for now. Can I make a phone call from here?" Mr. Mo must be waiting for her call.
"Sure, anytime," Mr. Ji said.
"Thank you." Lan Tian didn’t hesitate, walked to the phone, dialed a number, and it was promptly answered after a single ring. "Missy," the voice of Mr. Mo came through the receiver.
"Are you all right?" Some things everyone understands without having to be explicit, plus some information can’t be leaked as it could cause unnecessary trouble.
"I’m fine, no need to worry about me. I’m doing well. Please take care of yourself at home; at your age, your health is fragile. Just stay home and tend to the plants."
"Got it. As long as you’re fine over there, all is good. Don’t worry about home. I’ve already made a call to your grandma, and they know you’re well. Uh, no need to worry about home; just take care of your business."
"Okay, I understand." Lan Tian held the phone, silent.
"Missy, is there anything else?" Waiting a while without hearing a peep from the other side, Mr. Mo asked.
"Grandpa, how’s Mo Junhua?" Lan Tian pursed her lips slightly but still asked.
Over there, Mr. Mo chuckled, "Missy, I thought you wouldn’t ask. You are a tough cookie with a soft heart, aren’t you? You’re still worried about him. He’s right beside me, guarding. If you want to know how he’s doing, better to hear it straight from him. I won’t disturb you two youngsters now." He handed the phone to Mo Junhua, then walked away humming an opera tune, a smile spread across his face.