Immortal Creation.

Chapter 695 Sun Lingtong's Perilous Investigation of Shuyu Zhai
The teleportation room inside Shuyuzhai was also not large.

The ground, walls, and ceiling are all decorated with numerous intricate patterns.

Sun Lingtong stepped out of the magic circle and came to the only door.

Instead of immediately pushing open the door, he cautiously used his thieving skills to probe the world behind it.

After using five different detection methods, he was finally certain that the door was secure.

He took a deep breath and telepathically communicated with Ning Zhuo: "Xiao Zhuo, I'm going to open the door."

There was always a life-or-death connection between Sun Lingtong and Ning Zhuo.

Ning Zhu nodded inwardly and replied, "I'm ready."

The big-headed boy was in a cave on the Cliff of Embracing Vine, completely focused.

Shuyu Zhai was his mother's former cave dwelling, and Ning Zhuo naturally hoped to explore it himself. However, reason led him to make a more rational arrangement.

Sun Lingtong's cultivation level is higher than his, and she has mastered many thieving techniques. These factors make Sun Lingtong a more suitable candidate for adventure.

In the battle of the Underworld of the River of Oblivion, Sun Lingtong even penetrated deep behind enemy lines into the capital of a nation, causing widespread destruction before making his escape. His achievements had a tremendous impact on the battlefield of the altar.

Although he relied on his senior fellow disciple Zeng Jide, if Ning Zhuo were in Sun Lingtong's position at the time, he certainly wouldn't have been able to achieve Sun Lingtong's level of performance.

Sun Lingtong is better suited to explore the front lines, while Ning Zhuo is better suited to cover the rear.

There is no one more suitable than him!
Ning Zhuo possessed the supernatural power of hanging by a thread, and combined with his Spirit Realm cultivation, rescuing Sun Lingtong was merely a matter of a thought. Back then, in the White Paper Immortal City, even the Daoist temple couldn't stop Ning Zhuo from rescuing Sun Lingtong.

Of course, with the magic array and restrictions separating Sun Lingtong and Ning Zhuo in Shuyu Zhai, it remains to be seen whether this off-site rescue method will still be effective.

But this arrangement is already the best possible safeguard.

Exploring the Shuyu Studio is risky.

In the message slip, the Buddhist physician Meng Yaoyin did not reveal any further details. She had reached her limit and could only entrust Ning Zhuo with more important matters.

She only told Ning Zhuo that there were many defensive measures in Shuyu Zhai, but no means of bloodline identification, and that Ning Zhuo should be careful.

After all, when she left the Myriad Manifestations Sect, she did not expect to give birth to a son.

After Sun Lingtong pushed open the door, she entered a secret room.

In the center of the secret chamber, there was a millstone-like array plate sitting on the ground, slowly rotating on its own.

The plate is carved from a single piece of Shenhu jadeite and inlaid with 360 water-patterned steel beads, with the interlocking beads revealing the trajectory of flowing water.

Hundreds of patterns extend from the bottom of the plate, some thick and some thin, resembling crystal-clear water veins or the roots of living things penetrating the four walls.

A glint flashed in Sun Lingtong's eyes: "This is the core of the array that controls the entire Shuyu Zhai cave!"

Ning Zhuo was delighted: "In this way, as long as we control this place, we can deal with all the defenses in Shuyu Zhai. No wonder Mother didn't explain much in the jade slip."

Sun Lingtong did not answer; he sensed something was amiss deep down.

He always took this feeling of unease very seriously.

Sun Lingtong has extensive experience in theft. Whenever he senses something is wrong during a theft, it means he already knows some ominous information, but he hasn't fully grasped it yet.

Sun Lingtong did not rush to act, but observed carefully.

He immediately activated his Innate Eyes of Intelligence, observed for a moment, and broke out in a cold sweat.

"These water-patterned steel balls are actually formed from water-elemental Yin lightning. Once triggered, the array will lock the entire room, sealing off the space."

"At that time, those who attempt to break through the formation will die without a burial place. No, the entire Shuyuzhai will be destroyed in an instant."

Ning Zhuo was astonished.

Sun Lingtong wiped the sweat from her brow and exclaimed, "How could Auntie not take precautions when she set up the teleportation array in the array's core?"

"That's what I felt was wrong!"

"If it were me, I would set up a secret passage to connect to the outside world, and I would also guard against the enemy using the secret passage to teleport to Shuyuzhai."

"This array plate has the function of identifying identities. I absolutely cannot touch it until I break through this layer and achieve disguise!"

Sun Lingtong made a judgment.

His gaze swept around the room: "Next, I should choose one of these six doors."

The array hub contained the array plates that formed the entire cave dwelling. There was also a small, obviously extra room, which contained only a teleportation array.

Besides that, there are six doors, distributed on the four walls.

Sun Lingtong maintained her detection spell at all times and began to walk cautiously within the array's core.

He would stop every two or three steps, use a round of thieving techniques to check the array patterns around him, and then take out various talismans and release them one after another.

His technique was so dazzling that even Ning Zhuo was overwhelmed.

Ning Zhuo couldn't help but hold his breath, his mind and body tense.

He was naturally quite familiar with Sun Lingtong. He knew that Sun Lingtong had already given it her all. In the more than ten years they had known each other, she had never shown such a full-fledged effort more than five times.

Sun Lingtong exerted all her strength, walking and stopping intermittently, sometimes even backing away or taking detours. It took her the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea to finally reach a door.

From the moment he started moving until where he stopped, the straight-line distance was only about twenty steps.

Sun Lingtong informed Ning Zhuo and, after receiving a response, pushed open the door.

The light from outside rushed in, causing Sun Lingtong's pupils to shrink.

Before him lay a winding corridor. The corridor was supported by twelve ice crystal pillars, an invisible force pushing open the lake water outside.

The fish and aquatic plants in the Jade Lake outside the corridor are clearly visible. A school of fish darts over from above, and the ripples stirred up by their tails seem to surge into the corridor.

Sun Lingtong and Ning Zhuo were both stunned by this unexpected sight.

Sun Lingtong was greatly shocked and transmitted her thoughts through divine sense: "This is a spatial array!"

Ning Zhuo was also shocked when reminded: "Yes, it seems so."

Constructing a spatial array is a highly advanced array-setting technique, which cultivators with limited mastery of array formations would absolutely be unable to accomplish.

Ning Zhuo had already experienced a similar level of formation technique before, namely the Invisible Hub.

On the Black Cloud Battlefield, Ning Zhuo found the magic array's core, but he couldn't destroy it. It was precisely the technique of the Invisible Core!
Sun Lingtong's mastery of array formations was deeper than Ning Zhuo's, and he was the first to recognize it. At this moment, staring at the corridor in front of him, his eyes gleaming, he exclaimed sincerely, "This is the first time I have ever seen this array formation technique in person."

“It is already rare for a magic array to construct an internal space. But a magic array that can construct a void can disassemble, reshape, and reconstruct the internal space of a magic array.”

"From the outside, the Shuyu Zhai cave dwelling appears to be just a palace at the bottom of a lake."

"But if you go inside, this hall is recombined and reconstructed with the cave's magic array, forming a wonderful state where the architecture and the magic array are closely integrated!"

"Little Zhuo, just how high has your mother's mastery of array formations reached?"

Ning Zhuo's mouth was dry: "I don't know either. You know my situation, eldest brother. You've read all the books my mother left behind."

"Wait, why are you so sure, Boss, that this was arranged by my mother, and not by the cave dwelling of Shuyu Zhai itself?"

Sun Lingtong shook her head, quite certain: "The status of Shuyu Zhai is similar to that of Panshi Cave, both being top-tier caves within their respective mountains." "But you've already been to Panshi Cave, what's its magic array like?"

"Even the Nine Palaces Formation set up by Xie Tang is definitely weaker than the great formation here in terms of grade and difficulty."

"This must be your aunt's doing!"

Ning Zhu blinked, his eyes slightly red. He sighed, "Alas, if my mother had left me some classic texts on array formations, my mastery of array formations might be about the same as Shen Xi's."

Sun Lingtong shook her head: "Your mother had good intentions. If she had left behind profound scriptures, it might have brought you trouble. After all, you were only two years old at the time. Your mother wouldn't have completely trusted an outsider like me."

Sun Lingtong stood still.

I dare not move.

This corridor is definitely not for sightseeing. Beneath the beautiful scenery at the bottom of the lake lie traps and deadly dangers.

Clearly, this is another means of preventing theft.

Sun Lingtong observed for a full incense stick's time before frowning and beginning to try.

He tiptoed and took a tiny, careful step forward. As his foot touched the paving stones, ripples spread across the surface of the water.

Sun Lingtong took several steps, her path crooked and erratic, creating more and more ripples on the floor tiles, eventually leading to a qualitative change.

Several water arrows appeared out of thin air and shot towards Sun Lingtong at the same time.

Sun Lingtong could only dodge, retreating rapidly backward.

Instead, this triggered even more defensive measures. A stream of water attacked his back, wrapped around his waist, and bound him tightly.

Sun Lingtong wanted to make a move, but the water that enveloped him possessed a restrictive power, preventing him from responding in time.

A life hangs in the balance!

A Mirror of Spirits!
In the critical moment, Ning Zhuo immediately stepped in to rescue Sun Lingtong, pulling her away from the scene and landing her in the cave on Baoteng Cliff.

Sun Lingtong was still shaken: "This formation is incredibly powerful! Xiao Zhuo, if you hadn't intervened in time, I would definitely have been seriously injured."

Ning Zhuo: "Boss, you took the blame for me."

Sun Lingtong waved her hand: "No, I should thank you for giving me this opportunity to steal and explore. It's so exciting, hahaha."

Sun Lingtong laughed loudly, her eyes shining brightly, her face full of interest.

"You know what? The more difficult the obstacles ahead, the more they ignite my desire for challenge. Xiao Zhuo, let's work together to understand the magic array in the corridor."

Ning Zhuo nodded emphatically.

The two brothers first summarized the information they had gathered so far, and then discussed the magic array in the corridor.

During this time, Ning Zhuo also took out the classics left by his mother and asked him and Sun Lingtong to study them together.

Although the content of these classic texts is relatively basic and involves more mechanical techniques, some clues can still be gleaned from them.

After all, this is Ning Zhuo's mother's work. One can discern the author's temperament and thought processes from it.

"Difficult, still too difficult," Sun Lingtong sighed.

Although there were gains, they were not many.

Ning Zhuo: "We need to test it a few more times before we can figure out the layout of the magic array in the corridor."

Sun Lingtong's expression turned grave: "I feel that we've only tried too many times. Auntie wouldn't have arranged it like this. Based on the current array patterns, it's very likely that if it's triggered a few more times, the entire corridor will be sealed off."

"At least that's how it is."

"What I'm more worried about is that it will activate the central array plate, triggering the self-destruction of the entire Shuyuzhai!"

Ning Zhuo thought for a moment: "If that's the case, I'm afraid we'll have to improve our skills in array formations."

Sun Lingtong shook her head: "That's unreliable. Cultivating the myriad arts isn't something you can master overnight. A fortuitous encounter like your previous Five Elements Realm breakthrough is extremely rare."

Ning Zhuo sighed, "Well, let's give it a try first and see."

His foundation in array formations was solid, and Sun Lingtong's was even stronger, but even when the two brothers joined forces, they both felt their own weakness in front of the array set up by Meng Yaoyin.

Sun Lingtong clearly possessed a powerful tool like the Array Gap Shuttle, but he couldn't find an opportunity to use it—he couldn't find any flaws or gaps in the array.

Using the Earth Escape Technique, Sun Lingtong entered the mountain and traversed the Thousand Vine Drinking Clouds Formation through the gaps in the array, eventually entering the teleportation chamber.

He entered Shuyuzhai again through the teleportation array.

After passing through the array, he still chose the same door as before.

Pushing open the door and entering the corridor, he and Ning Zhuo once again faced the same problem they had encountered before.

The corridor hadn't completely returned to calm; ripples still lingered on the brick surface. This was unprecedented, confirming Sun Lingtong's earlier ominous suspicion—they hadn't tried many times!
However, just as Sun Lingtong was about to continue testing the formation, a thunderous explosion suddenly rang out.

"What's going on?!" Sun Lingtong looked up at the sky in surprise and doubt.

He was now at the bottom of the lake, watching the water ripple and surge. Not only Jade Lake, but the entire Cloud Peak was shaking.

Ning Zhuo was so nervous that he almost used his supernatural powers again to pull Sun Lingtong back.

He was surprised to find that the cliff he was on, Baoteng Cliff, was also shaking!

"What happened?" Sun Lingtong was the first to calm down; he was certain it wasn't his fault.

Ning Zhuo immediately dispatched the old cook to investigate the situation.

Old Chef was also a newcomer and not good at gathering intelligence.

Ning Zhuo was aware of this, so after sending the cook out, he sent another letter to contact Yu Heye.

Soon after, Yu Heye's message arrived in front of Ning Zhuo first.

Yu Heye said he was also startled, and then told Ning Zhuo that a young cultivator named Niu Cheng was trying to find Xie Tang's array magic treasure, which triggered the Nine Palaces Array.

The Nine Palaces here refers to the nine peaks including Baoteng Cliff and Yunmo Peak. Therefore, all nine peaks experienced simultaneous tremors.

At the end of the letter, Yu Heye stated his speculation: Niu Cheng possesses extraordinary talent, capable of causing such a significant impact; he is likely about to succeed. If Ning Zhuo desires this array-based magical artifact, Yu Heye expressed his willingness to do everything in his power to repay Ning Zhuo for saving his life!
Ning Zhuo wrote a letter to reassure Yu Heye, telling him not to worry about the matter.

But the old cook has not returned yet.

With no guards around, Ning Zhuo was momentarily hesitant to focus on exploring Shuyu Zhai.

Neither Meng Yehu nor Yuan Dasheng have been repaired yet, and repairs are still very troublesome.

Originally, they relied on the old chef, but he was sent out to gather information.

As for Qingchi, Ning Zhuo wouldn't count on a girl with amnesia.

Ning Zhuo, being cautious by nature, immediately sent a message to summon the old cook back. He also contacted Sun Lingtong.

Sun Lingtong sat cross-legged on the floor tiles, her eyes gleaming: "Xiao Zhuo, don't rush! I've already figured out the details of the corridor's magic array."

(End of this chapter)