Nightfall

Conflicting emotions crossed Ning Que’s face when he heard His Majesty’s words. He raised his hand subconsciously and touched the hard object beneath his black Academy uniform.

The dark tunnel underneath the building was not long. One could reach the deepest point of it and reach an empty underground hall without walking for long.

Ning Que was mentally prepared for what he was about to see today. However, he did not expect the hall to be devoid of anything. The ground extended towards four corners until it disappeared into the darkness as if the space was endless. There was nothing else other than dust.

Unlike what he had imagined, there were no curious treasures, armors or divine weapons. There were no weird creatures either, and he did not see any trace of tactical arrays. The ground was clean and empty, it made one’s heart palpitate.

This floor was laid with seamless granite. Who knew what kind of skills the craftsmen had employed when building the royal palace.

Ning Que raised his head to look at the luminous pearls hanging from the ceiling like stars. He also spotted marks on the walls made by men and was impressed by the wits and mobility of mankind before the age of Tang.

The Emperor brought Ning Que up the clean rocky surface and into the hall.

Their steps whirled up the layers of dust that had laid dormant for thousands of years.

The Emperor stopped in the middle of the stone surface.

Ning Que noticed that there was a hole in the ground that had been seamless.

The sides of the little black hole were smooth and melded perfectly with the ground. It was only as deep as one’s palm.

The Emperor said, “You know what to do.”

Ning Que looked at the hole and suddenly asked, “That is the array eye?”

The Emperor replied, “No, the one you’re holding is the array eye.”

Ning Que was shocked beyond words.

He had always thought that the array eye was an eye and that the object in his arms was the key to it. He had only realized that the array eye had always been with him, and felt frightened.

After a moment of silence, he placed the object in his arms to the side and began to unravel the cloth wrapping it.

The cloth was a scrap piece that Sangsang used for shoe soles and was very sturdy. Sangsang had wrapped it with multiple layers, so it took Ning Que a long time before he completely unwrapped it.

A pestle-shaped object laid calmly on the cloth.

The pestle was made from a strange material. It was like metal, but also like a type of stone. It exuded coldness but its surface was warm and moist like jade. There was a complex pattern engraved on it.

This pestle-shaped object had always been guarded by Master Yan Se in the past decades.

Master Yan Se had given the object to Sangsang before his battle with the Great Divine Priest of Light. He had asked her to turn it over to Ning Que, which was why it was in his hands now.

The Emperor looked at the pestle-shaped object on the ground silently. There was a trace of sadness on his face and he looked as if he was reminiscing about the past. Perhaps he had thought of Master Yan Se.

Ning Que held the pestle and felt the moisture and coolness coming from it. He felt a little nervous and put his left hand on it as well. He took a deep breath, steeled himself and forced his hands not to tremble. Then, he slowly pushed the pestle into the hole.

The pestle in his hands fell into the ground inch by inch. Ning Que did not feel any resistance, but felt that the ground was transmitting a slick feeling.

There was a click when the pestle touched the bottom of the hole as if it was locking the pestle in. Half of the pestle was still exposed above ground. The patterns engraved on the surface of the pestle made it look like a carved flower.

Ning Que did not know what was about to happen next. He moved back a couple of steps subconsciously, wanting to move farther away from it.

However, the Emperor did not look alarmed. He looked at the part of the pestle that was sticking out silently.

Ning Que stopped beside the Emperor.

After a moment.

The segment of the pestle above ground suddenly lit up. To be more specific, the undecipherable patterns on the pestle lit up like a flower bathed in sunlight.

The complicated patterns glowed brighter and brighter and the light reached the bottom half of the pestle. Even the granite floors were bathed in the light, so much so that the fine lines of the rock could be seen.

The light on the patterns solidified and became something like a luminous liquid. It began to flow through the lines, looking exceptionally beautiful.

A crack silently appeared on the granite floors by the pestle.

The crack spread at an incredible speed and crossed where Ning Que was standing in the blink of an eye, shocking him. Then, he realized that the crack was not truly a crack, but was a groove formed by the ground depressing.

Many grooves formed on the previously clean and empty floors.

More and more stone grooves appeared, and they grew closer and closer. It looked like an invisible knife had scratched several straight lines in the smooth shiny floors and split it into countless segments.

The luminous liquid in the pestle flowed through the complex patterns and into the stone grooves by the side. Then, they flowed in the direction of the stone grooves like a stream. However, there was no stream like this in the world that could flow as quickly as the luminous liquid and then slow down when it reached the sides of the floor surface.

It was unknown how much light was hidden in the pestle, but it continued to flow towards the ground without stopping. After a moment, the entire network of grooves lit up.

Ning Que looked at the incredible sight before him, and a nervous grave look crossed his face. His eyes lit up and his gaze followed the movement of the luminous liquid in the stone grooves.

The grooves at the corners were the deepest and held the most liquid. The four long lines surrounded the ground. The image was like that of a city.

There was a groove in the middle that was very deep and wide. It shone the brightest and looked like a street.

“Is this the Vermilion Bird Avenue?”

Ning Que muttered to himself as he looked at the stone groove.

The Emperor looked at Ning Que’s expression and smiled gently.

Suddenly, the calm luminous light in the stone groove rolled violently as if it was being boiled by a fire beneath the ground.

Ning Que’s expression turned grave.

There was a faint buzz like numerous flowers blooming, or like the breathing of numerous trees, or like the cheering of numerous people.

In actuality, it was the luminous liquid in the stone groove evaporating.

The vaporized gases pervaded the air in the temple and gently swayed like clouds. Then, unable to resist the attraction to the stone grooves on the ground, they slowly converged into rays of light.

The lines and surfaces of these beautiful and pure rays of light formed a three-dimensional image on the ground. There were numerous gleaming buildings that looked insignificant but real at the same time.

Ning Que looked at the palace formed by luminous light before him, the Yanming Mountain that reached his waist and the Wanyan Tower to his right that reached his knees. He looked at the thick city walls that were bathed in light and was so shocked he could not speak.

This was a miniature Chang’an.

But this city was real and alive.

The Emperor walked out.

Ning Que followed him, and when his feet stepped on the image of the Southern Gate Temple, his body stiffened slightly. When he stepped over the houses in the west, he grew wary and felt as if he had turned into a giant and might cause destruction should he not be careful. It was lucky that the lines and surfaces formed by light were not connected to reality and nothing happened when he touched them.

Ning Que felt many different emotions as he walked through the miniature Chang’an formed by light. He was very surprised as he looked at the familiar architecture and sights. He even found Lin 47th Street and the Old Brush Pen Shop. It was the size of a box.

He finally walked out of the miniature city behind the Emperor. Ning Que felt much more relaxed and he breathed out holding his chest.

The Emperor looked at the miniature city and said, “Chang’an City, in fact, is a big array.”

Ning Que had heard Master Yan Se mention this.

“It is the greatest big tactical array in the world. It is a God-stunning Array.”

The Emperor pointed at the pestle a distance away and the palace beside it. He said, “The depths of the building we are standing in right now is the array center of this big tactical array.”

Then, he pointed at the widest, deepest and brightest stone groove and said, “That array root is the Vermilion Bird Avenue. The four walls of Chang’an city are also array roots. The city wall archway is the gateway to life.”

“There are numerous Divine Talismans hidden in this big tactical array. The statue of the Vermilion Bird is the largest of all. Wei Guangming had avoided it when he masked his aura and hid in Chang’an. Had he dared to show his State in the city, the big tactical array would have gone after him immediately.”

Ning Que listened intently.

Then, the Emperor pointed at the lake beneath the Yanming Mountain in the south. He said, “It wasn’t easy to build this big tactical array in Chang’an. And it wasn’t easy to protect it either. The imperial court had spent a large amount of money in building the Yanming Lake, but it had nothing to do with the citizens of Chang’an. It was to fix the big tactical array. The Imperial Center Administration had always been in charge of it.”

“The God-stunning Array had existed for thousands of years, but had never been activated. However, every Emperor in the Tang Empire would protect this big tactical array at all cost. Do you know why this is so?”

The Emperor looked at Ning Que.

Ning Que said, “That is because it is the last sanctuary of the Tang Empire.

“Sanctuary is a good description.”

The Emperor said calmly, “With the presence of this big tactical array, Chang’an does not have to worry. The Tang can be reborn in flames even if it falls apart.”

Ning Que said, “Master had once told me that if I ever had to activate the God-stunning Array, it would mean that the Tang Empire has encountered the greatest danger yet.”

“That is why this big tactical array had never be activated.”

The Emperor said, “As long as it continues to exist, no matter whether it is activated or not, Chang’an would be safe. Then, the Tang Empire would be safe.”

Ning Que had succeeded in ascending the mountain. He had been invited to the palace after entering the Second floor of the Academy. The Emperor had said that he would take him to see something in the future. That day was here and he had finally seen it.

Master Yan Se had once brought him to the city towers to get an overview of the city. He said that he would leave the big tactical array in Ning Que’s hands. Master Yan Se had since passed on and he finally had to take up the responsibility.

He looked at the city of Chang’an before him, and millions of thoughts streaked through his mind.