Chapter 391: Ciji Zhenjun's In-Competition Guidance
Seeing the message from Director Gao, Zhang Yu blinked in mild surprise. His first thought was that his relationship with Ciji Zhenjun had been exposed.
But after rereading the message twice, he paused, analyzing the tone carefully. Then, a quiet realization settled in his mind: Director Gao doesn’t seem angry… nor is he being sarcastic.
“Is he really introducing me to Ciji Zhenjun?”
After a moment’s thought, Zhang Yu decided to send a message to the immortal himself.
Zhang Yu: True Lord, Director Gao asked me to find you?
Ciji Zhenjun: Old Gao wants to help you—so he begged me to guide you.
Ciji Zhenjun: He could never imagine that the much-praised Disciple he so proudly claimed, had already secretly sworn allegiance to me long before he even became his disciple.
Zhang Yu: True Lord, what are you planning?
Ciji Zhenjun: Naturally, I’ll guide you.
Ciji Zhenjun: Don’t worry. As long as you follow my instructions without question, no one will get hurt.
Ciji Zhenjun: Come to this address.
Ciji Zhenjun: This is the training room Old Gao prepared for us.
In an instant, Zhang Yu found himself standing inside the training chamber.
Four massive characters—Ciji Zhenjun—appeared before him, projected in a glowing text box.
“The halftime break is only fifteen minutes. Time is tight, so I’ll speak to you at ten times normal speed.”
The next moment, Ciji Zhenjun’s voice accelerated dramatically—like a rapid chant spiraling through the air.
Zhang Yu centered his mind, activating the Shican Modong to amplify his mental processing speed. At the same time, he channeled Wuliang Xin Nei Fashen to synchronize the four aspects of his consciousness, allowing him to keep pace with the immortal’s lightning-fast delivery.
“The key to defeating Su Yanyang’s team in the next match lies in breaking their advantage in Intelligent Architecture.”
“Now, don’t let the fancy name fool you—under the surface, it’s still the same old tech: simply Civil Engineering, Array, and Soul Cultivator.”
“Your side already possesses Civil Engineering capability. I won’t elaborate further.”
“As for Array—all its functions can be replicated by a Spirit Artifact.”
“The real difference? When performing the same task, Spirit Artifacts respond faster and are far more portable. Arrays, on the other hand, take up more space but cost significantly less.”
“In short, Arrays are the poor man’s Spirit Artifact—trading space and inconvenience for the same divine power."
“But in reality, even the richest people have to compromise. Most often, the smartest strategy is to combine both—just like using Spirit Armor alongside Spirit Artifacts.”
“So, the weakness of Arrays? Their bulk and lack of convenience.”
As he spoke, Ciji Zhenjun sent a file to Zhang Yu.
Zhang Yu opened it. It contained the schematics for the Two-Worlds Division Array, the Ten Thousand Ghosts Confusion Array, and the Thousand Mountains Heavy Mountain Array.
“Su Yanyang deployed three major arrays,” Ciji Zhenjun explained. “The Two-Worlds Division Array severs communication between Ling realms. The Ten Thousand Ghosts Confusion Array disrupts vision and signals. The Thousand Mountains Heavy Mountain Array reinforces the structure and guides the Spirit Vein.”
“Moreover, these three arrays were modified by a certain Array Professor from the Civil Engineering Department. They’re interlocked, nested within each other—almost forming a single, unified system.”
“I already have the transmission rights. Today, I’m giving you these schematics for free.”
Though Zhang Yu had studied Engineering Array Drawing and Interpretation, he’d only ever learned the basics—simple arrays used for reinforcing construction sites, stabilizing foundations, and such.
For the three complex arrays Su Yanyang had deployed, Zhang Yu had already fought them once—but his understanding remained shallow.
Now, staring at the schematics, he felt his scalp tighten. The file spanned hundreds of pages, filled with intricate details involving Civil Engineering, Spirit Vein, geology, and advanced construction principles.
Just as he began to feel overwhelmed, Ciji Zhenjun spoke again.
“You must memorize these three schematics before the match begins.”
“And I’ve already highlighted the key points—those are the critical vulnerabilities. Memorize them thoroughly.”
Zhang Yu’s mind reeled: I haven’t even finished the table of contents… and he’s already marked the key points? How fast is his mind?
Ciji Zhenjun continued: “Only after mastering the schematics can you begin to break the Array.”
Zhang Yu’s focus snapped back. “So… there is a way to dismantle Su Yanyang’s Array?”
Ciji Zhenjun scoffed. “Breaking the Array by force? That’s just demolition. True mastery means stealing or hijacking the enemy’s Array—that’s real breakthrough.”
“Also, before the match, you’ll need two reliable Soul Cultivators to assist in breaking the formation.”
“A Soul Cultivator is the poor man’s Artifact Spirit. If your opponent uses an Artifact Spirit and you don’t—what’s the point? You’re essentially missing an equipment slot. You’ll be at a disadvantage from the start.”
Zhang Yu raised an eyebrow. “You know about equipment slots?”
Ciji Zhenjun waved a hand dismissively. “Of course. I was one of the first to design games. But the rich stopped playing—only the poor kept going. The games got worse, revenue dropped. I walked away long ago.”
After a casual remark, he continued explaining the techniques for dismantling Arrays. Once Zhang Yu had absorbed the schematics, he was to study them and integrate the knowledge himself.
Halfway through, Zhang Yu hesitated. “So I have to insert my Soul Cultivator directly into their Array? But I don’t have that level of Spellcraft Department skill.”
Ciji Zhenjun replied: “Who said you need to control it from afar? You’ve already managed to enter their Array—just go in physically and transmit the data directly. Study the schematics yourself. Look for the entry points.”
Once the Array-breaking strategy was laid out, Ciji Zhenjun added: “Now, I’ll teach you a technique I invented myself—Yuan Ci Jie Mai Shou—to counter Su Yanyang’s Spirit Armor.”
“Spirit Armor, though part of the body, is fundamentally a Spirit Artifact—it must be powered by Martial Energy.”
“The body channels Martial Energy through the meridians to fuel the Spirit Armor.”
“If you can precisely block the meridians—by targeting specific acupoints—you can temporarily cripple the Spirit Armor’s efficiency. With enough skill, you can even disable it completely.”
“Yuan Ci Jie Mai Shou was originally a maintenance technique I used while servicing Spirit Armor. But used in combat, it requires two conditions.”
“First, it’s a meridian-blocking technique—by itself, it has no destructive power. You must first break through the opponent’s Protective Aura, then inject Yuan Ci Martial Energy into their body for it to work.”
“Second, to succeed, you must accurately identify acupoints and meridians—knowing exactly which ones connect to the specific type and model of Spirit Armor.”
“Today, I’m sending you the meridian map for Su Yanyang’s Spirit Armor. For future opponents, you’ll have to learn and adapt on your own.”
Zhang Yu received another file—this one detailing the Spirit Armor’s meridian connections. Then, he was granted full access to the Yuan Ci Jie Mai Shou technique.
“Now, let’s begin the instruction.”
“First, cultivate a stream of Yuan Ci Martial Energy. This energy behaves like a magnetic field within the Yuan Ci Channel, excelling at penetrating flesh. Once it flows through the meridians, it can block Martial Energy—but it cannot pass through a Protective Aura.”
Ciji Zhenjun demonstrated the technique once, then guided Zhang Yu through a full practice.
“These thirty-six movements of Yuan Ci Jie Mai Shou correspond to the thirty-six major meridians of the human body. Each must be applied in a specific way to target the correct meridian. You have little time—master them before the match begins.”
Zhang Yu continued practicing, muttering: “True Lord, I think I’ve got it.”
At that moment, the movements of Yuan Ci Jie Mai Shou played out clearly in his mind—like he’d trained in it for years.
Truth be told, as Ciji Zhenjun piled one demanding task after another onto him—each to be completed in mere minutes—Zhang Yu’s heart began to race with urgency.
But he reminded himself: if Ciji Zhenjun set such a challenge, he must believe Zhang Yu could meet it.
After finishing one round, Zhang Yu decided to stop pretending. The technique wasn’t overly complex. He straightened up and said, “I’m nearly done.”
Ciji Zhenjun raised an eyebrow, skeptical. “You’re almost done?”
Just moments ago, during Zhang Yu’s first attempt, the movements had been clumsy and full of errors. Ciji Zhenjun hadn’t believed he could grasp it at all.
But now, as Zhang Yu practiced again, his form grew smoother, more precise—each motion deliberate and fluid.
Ciji Zhenjun stared, stunned. Did he really learn it?
“I thought I’d just have him master the few moves he’d need for the match… but he learned all thirty-six at once?”
“This kid’s no wonder—no wonder Old Gao values him so highly. He’s got extraordinary martial talent. If he’d studied under the Security Department for a few years, he could easily become a top-tier student.”
“Whether or not he’ll ever walk the Alchemy path is uncertain. But in terms of innate ability? He’s a natural.”
“Even if he’s not a genius… he’s definitely a talent.”
After a pause, Ciji Zhenjun said: “Since you’ve mastered the meridian-blocking technique, focus now on the Array schematics. Don’t forget to prepare your Soul Cultivators and other tools for breaking the formation.”
Zhang Yu bowed respectfully. “Thank you, Teacher, for your guidance.”
Ciji Zhenjun waved him off. “Hurry. No need for formalities. Go.”
…
Inside the Ling Realm, Ciji Zhenjun glanced sideways at Director Gao.
Director Gao smiled faintly and sent a private message:
How did it go?
Ciji Zhenjun: What do you mean, how?
Director Gao: How did Zhang Yu perform? Can he win?
Ciji Zhenjun: Not bad. I’ve taught him the methods. The rest is up to him.
Feeling the calm tone in Ciji Zhenjun’s words, Director Gao thought: So Zhang Yu didn’t impress much…?
He typed again: “Just… not bad?”
Ciji Zhenjun: What else? I’ve seen true geniuses. What’s so special about this one?
Detecting a flicker of disappointment in Director Gao’s message, Ciji Zhenjun smirked internally.
Old Gao, don’t blame me later.
You’re the one who let your disciple come to me. Not the other way around.
If anyone’s to blame, it’s your Civil Engineering Department for lacking appeal—couldn’t even keep your own people.
But don’t worry. I’ll take good care of him.
(End of Chapter)
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