Painting of the Nine Immortals
chapter-265

"Shut up if you want to live."

As those words dropped, Ling Xian coldly glanced around the entire area. Though he did not exude any murderous intent, people still shuddered.

Instantly, everyone remembered the ruthlessness and horror of this person. They shut their lips and transformed from a group of lions to a herd of sheep.

One second ago, they were behaving majestically while mocking Ling Xian and the next second, they became gentle and amiable. It was hard to imagine them as the prominent Heaven’s Favorites who shocked all the islands.

One has to admit that they were now terrified of Ling Xian, terrified of provoking him and terrified of being slapped to death by him.

"Good."

Staring at the Heaven’s Favorites who shut their mouths in an orderly fashion, Ling Xian nodded in satisfaction. Towards Yan Ning Zhi, he said, "What do you say? Do you accept?"

Yan Ning Zhi raised an eyebrow. This dueling method plus the suggested Mingling Spirits Array made her believe that there was no way she would lose.

She misunderstood.

She wasn’t naïve enough to still think that Ling Xian only chose this method because he had no skills. But she was innocent enough to believe that Ling Xian was purposely trying to lose.

Therefore, she felt humiliated. In a cold tone, she said, "Ling Xian, are you humiliating me?"

"Humiliate you?" Ling Xian shook his head, realizing that she misunderstood him. He felt too lazy to explain, however, and decided to use facts to tell her what his intentions were.

"The process of this duel and the fact that every array master knows the Mingling Spirit Array convinces me that you are admitting your loss. Isn’t that to humiliate me?" Yan Ning Zhi raised an eyebrow as a wave of anger washed over her face.

As the apprentice of the well-known Jiang Cheng Zi, she displayed an impressive set of array skills since a young age. The older generation placed high hope on her and wanted her to achieve greatness in arrays.

She did not disappoint. As a fourteen-year-old, she officially became a member of the ancient array realm. Additionally, in one step, she entered a high leveled realm and was named number one of the younger generation!

Even the mature array masters could not out-compete her.

Therefore, for Ling Xian to have suggested such a process made her feel disgraced. It was as if Ling Xian didn’t think anything of her.

"You can see this whole thing however you want to. You just need to tell me, do you accept or no?" Ling Xian gently smiled, ignoring the lady’s anger. "If you don’t accept, then go back to where you came from. I do not have the time to hang out with you all."

Yan Ning Zhi’s face grew white. "I ask you one last time, are you sure this is the way you want to duel?"

"Yes, if you can cast the Mingling Spirits Array the way I do, then I lose." Ling Xian grinned.

"Well, well, well," Yan Ning Zhi said the word well three times and sneered, "Since you are asking for humiliation, then I will help you achieve that."

"Don’t be so sure so early. We will see who is really the one asking for humiliation."

Ling Xian’s lips curled up. Manipulating objects with his mind, three crystal clear spiritual stones appeared before him, emitting a dense amount of spiritual energy.

The Mingling Spirits Array was a fundamental array that every array master has to learn. It was also the most common array in the Taoism community. It was divided into five levels.

The miniature one could be brewed using three spiritual stones. It has the ability to increase the spiritual energy in the surrounding area by 10%.

The small one was usually used by small Clans. It requires about 30 spiritual stones and increases the spiritual energy in the surrounding area by 30%.

The medium one required 300 spiritual stones and increased the surrounding spiritual energy by 70%. Many mid-sized forces use an array of this scale.

As for the full-sized and enormous ones, those were rarely seen and did not need to be mentioned.

Without a doubt, the one Ling Xian was about to cast was the easiest miniature one.

Seeing that Ling Xian merely took out three spiritual stones, Zhan Ning Zhi was certain that she figured him out and that he was here to tease her. Her anger flared.

The Miniature Mingling Spirits were the easiest ancient array! There was no competition for that title!

Any student of ancient arrays would know how to cast this!

Everyone speculating was certain that Ling Xian would, without a doubt, lose. However, due to fear of his capabilities, they did not speak despite the taunting expressions they carried.

Seeing this, Ling Xian shook his head, thinking, [Laugh all you want. Once I’m done, I’ll see if you still know how to smile.]

He didn’t choose the miniature Mingling Spirits Array to provoke Yan Ning Zhi, nor was he planning to intentionally lose. The reason behind this was that this was the only array he knew how to cast.

He had spent the past days studying Feng Qing Ming’s techniques and analyzed in detail the lessons he learned in his lifetime. He never had the chance to actually learn how to cast famous arrays.

Though he only knew this one array, he was confident about winning this duel.

This was because Ling Xian had reached a realm that all array masters dream to achieve!

Instantaneous Formation!

As this realm’s name suggests, it means that he could simply wave his hand, and an array is made.

This was an almost ghostly realm in the field of ancient arrays, it was also an ability that was almost delirious!

Every array in this world is insanely time consuming. Even the easiest miniature Mingling Spirits array requires at least 30 minutes.

However, being in this realm allows him to instantly cast this array!

Imagine this, two array masters were fighting a battle that concerned life and death. While one was brewing using all he’s got, the other has already finished and could now kill the other!

The chance to always be the first to attack, how heaven-defying was this ability?

Therefore, this realm was the dream of all masters and apprentices of arrays!

Under a regular circumstance, only grandmasters could step into such realm and learn this overpowering ability. Instantaneous Formation was only achieved by those highly respected.

Of course, there were exceptions to everything. Some geniuses who were born with talents in array could also enter this realm at a fast rate.

Ling Xian was one of them.

He was new to ancient arrays but has already digested more knowledge about arrays than the majority of array masters.

Thought this was thanks to the Immortal of Ancient Array’s inheritance, it was also due to his shocking ability of comprehension. If he didn’t possess the talent, there was no way he could achieve this much after merely three to four months.

"I am about to cast my array. Watch carefully." Ling Xian faintly smiled, his confidence brightened the universe.

"You can start. I sure want to see how fancy you can make the miniature Mingling Array," Yan Ning Zhi snickered. Other than anger, she also looked a little disappointed.

The Mingling Array was the most basic array and was agreed by everyone that it could not be improved any more. She did not believe Ling Xian could make anything of it.

Originally, she had the intention to truly test her own skills against Ling Xian’s. But now, she had lost interest, believing that Ling Xian did not live up to his name.

Yes, he did not live up to his name!

To have suggested such an odd way of dueling and to be casting the miniature Mingling Spirits, how else could you describe him?

"How disappointing. I thought, finally, now there is someone on the 36 islands who could compete with me. I didn’t think that you were simply a deceiver." Yan Ning Zhi sighed, utterly disinterested and didn’t even want to look.

However, when she accidentally caught a glimpse of Ling Xian, she was petrified.

Ling Xian’s expression was calm. He placed the three spiritual stones into a triangle and casually brandished his hand.

Then, a white light flashed by and everything turned silent.

The three spiritual stones hung in midair in the triangular shape. What changed was that there was now a connection between the three of them, the spiritual energy within three meters of them also grew.

However, the increase in energy was only by 10 percent.

"Okay, I am done." Ling Xian smiled in satisfaction. Looking at the miniature Mingling Spirits Arrays he just cast, he was very happy.

He was done?

Everyone was in awe. But when they saw the actual array, they had to try hard to hide their laughter as they looked at Ling Xian mockingly.

These people originally thought Ling Xian would do something unique with the array.

However, the array before them was of bad quality. With only 10 percent increase in spiritual energy, it was no different than the Mingling Spirits Arrays they could find on the street.

Laughing sarcastically, they forgot about Ling Xian’s horror.

"Haha, I am dying. I thought he cast something extraordinary, but it turned out to be so pitiful looking."

"Yeah exactly. My stomach hurts from laughing."

"Haha, what a joke. I’m laughing so hard my teeth are falling out."

"Yes, even though I don’t know very much about arrays, I still think that any apprentice of arrays could make a Mingling Spirits Array better than this one!"

Everyone laughed holding onto their stomachs. Staring at the youth before them, their tone was sarcastic and taunting.

"What a group of mentally disabled morons." Ling Xian’s face remained calm and ignored their mocking.

He did not care, but someone did.

"Shut the hell up!"

Yan Ning Zhi screamed. These idiots could not pinpoint the value of this array, but as a Heaven’s Favorite specializing in arrays, how could she not tell?

The reason for her to speak so late was because she had been in shock and only regained herself a second ago by these people’s mockery.

If this were before, she would not open her lips to scold them. But now, she must!

This was all because she was dedicated to ancient arrays and would not dare anyone to laugh at an array master who had reached the realm of Instantaneous Formation!

Yes, she had realized that Ling Xian had reached such a state!

"What…"

Everyone was confused, unsure why Yan Ning Zhi would yell at them. Could it be that pitiful looking array had some sort of uniqueness?

"Hmmph!"

Yan Ning Zhi scorned, feeling far too lazy to deal with these idiots who had eyes but were blind. Shifting her gaze onto Ling Xian, she felt a hundred different emotions.

She knew far too well about the Instantaneous Formation realm. Even her beloved Master, the one who was named Father of Ancient Arrays on the 36 Islands, could only use it at certain times with certain arrays!

Before her nose, Ling Xian used this ability. The impact it had on her was unimaginable.

"What a terrifying attainment."

Yan Ning Zhi gaped at the handsome young man. Her face revealed shock, then denial, then powerlessness, which all ended up dissolving into admiration and respect.

Then, she wiped the wry smile off her face and made a statement that silenced everyone.

"Your Excellency, I… I admit my defeat."