Chapter 1683: Inverted Heavenly Gang

Bai Ziqi casually added another question: "When did he change it to this Spirit Wind Array?"

"Not long ago," the palace guard thought carefully. "It seems like nine or ten days ago? Because the change was rushed and the workload was huge, my colleagues had some complaints privately."

"Ten days ago?" Bai Ziqi's eyes flickered. "So, I had just met He Xiao in Tianshui City, and he immediately went to change the array?"

The sequential timing suggested that He Xiao's array was very likely custom-made for Bai Ziqi!

He Xiao had no intention of staying in Tianshui City to receive the Emperor's Nectar, so setting up this array was merely a superficial effort.

However, since it came from He Xiao, even a superficial effort would not be simple.

Had he started setting up this scheme back then?

After realizing this, everyone remained silent for a long time.

Counting the opponents Duke Bai had pursued over the years, apart from the State Preceptor Qingyang, this He fellow seemed to be the most troublesome and devious!

For the sake of caution, Bai Shiqi suggested, "My lord, let's record it separately."

At this point, they could only resort to a clumsy method: everyone would spread out and draw it by hand.

Bai Ziqi, however, let out a brief "hush," his face showing impatience, while simultaneously observing the array diagram and performing calculations with his fingers.

The moment he made that gesture, everyone knew Duke Bai had made an important discovery and dared not disturb him.

Then, next to the array diagram drawn by the palace guard, Bai Ziqi extended his hand and drew another array:

The Thirty-Six Heavenly Stars Shifting Array of Baimao Mountain, created by True Master Qianhuan.

He drew it swiftly, clearly having mastered the array by heart.

After finishing the drawing, he stood between the two arrays, gazing at one for a moment, then at the other, lost in thought.

Why did He Xiao also leave a Thirty-Six Heavenly Stars Shifting Array, and with only thirty-five points?

These two arrays... what exactly was the connection between them?

No one expected Bai Ziqi to be lost in thought for nearly half an hour!

The Heavenly Palace guards dared not move, knowing this was a critical moment. Anyone who dared to interrupt Duke Bai's thoughts would face severe consequences afterward.

Even the prying gaze from the jungle did not withdraw.

At this moment, the palace guard, whose legs had gone numb, shifted his stance, his boots crunching on the snow with a distinct rustle that sounded particularly abrupt in the quiet surroundings.

Everyone glared at him.

Bai Ziqi awoke as if from a dream, his gaze refocused and re-energized. He pointed at the diagram drawn by the palace guard and said, "Using a Spirit Gathering Array to collect the Emperor's Nectar is fine. Now, look at the array points on this diagram; their numbers and positions are all correct, only one point is missing."

Human memory follows patterns, known as "fuzzy shadows"; if one remembers incorrectly, a whole section is wrong. If this palace guard had misremembered, it would be impossible for thirty-five points to be perfectly accurate, without any error, except for just one missing.

"This isn't a mistake in memory; He Xiao did it intentionally," Bai Ziqi continued. "The reason the Thirty-Six Heavenly Stars Array on Baimao Mountain is strange is because it's a shifting array, with some points not in their original positions. In fact, when we finally added to the drawing, it actually had thirty-seven points, one more than a true Thirty-Six Heavenly Stars Array."

Everyone was also observing the array on the ground. Bai Shiqi let out an "Oh?" and pointed at the Thirty-Six Heavenly Stars Shifting Array drawn by Bai Ziqi, saying:

"My lord, I remember the array diagram wasn't quite like this; the positions of two array points have changed."

"Good, very observant," Bai Ziqi praised him. "After leaving the territory of the Xingyao Sect, about a month and a half later, I had someone secretly infiltrate Baimao Mountain again to recalculate, and found that two of the points were no longer in the positions we had recorded at the time, indicating they are not fixed. I've been studying this for so long and estimate they probably change with the seasons, and even with the stars in the sky. Now that it's early spring, they should be in these positions."

His expression was solemn as he articulated each word: "These two points are called 'variables'!"

"The changes in Baimao Mountain's Thirty-Six Heavenly Stars Array are initiated by them!"

Hearing this, the attendant could not help but say, "That Thirty-Six Heavenly Stars Array has thirty-seven points, while the one at Yongquan Villa has thirty-five."

Neither of these Thirty-Six Heavenly Stars Arrays was the original; both looked awkward.

"Indeed, as individual arrays, both are unbalanced. What do you think?"

Before the Heavenly Palace members could reply, the palace guard, who had been listening in a daze, subconsciously blurted out, "One has an extra, one has one less. Could it be that the 'variables' jumped over?"

The attendant glared at him: "Shut up!"

However, the palace guard received high praise from Bai Ziqi: "Exactly right!"

Bai Ziqi added, "They can not only jump over but also jump back! These two arrays are interconnected and correspond to each other; they can be considered a single entity."

Everyone found it incredible.

These "variables" were... appearing in two unrelated arrays?

These two "Thirty-Six Heavenly Stars Arrays," one on Baimao Mountain and the other at Yongquan Villa, were thousands of miles apart geographically.

One was created by True Master Qianhuan, the other set up by He Xiao, spanning a long period of time.

Why could these two arrays form a comparative set?

Bai Ziqi also looked somewhat elated: "In fact, both of these Thirty-Six Heavenly Stars Arrays are shifting arrays—let's temporarily call them the Xingyao Array and the Yongquan Array—each array has one variable, totaling two!"

"When we rushed to Baimao Mountain, both variables happened to be in the Xingyao Array, meaning the Yongquan Array's variables had jumped over. That's why the Xingyao Array had thirty-seven points, while the Yongquan Array only had thirty-five. And according to my calculations—" He took two tree seeds from the Xingyao Array and placed them into the Yongquan Array, "—exactly seventy-two days from now, both of these variables are very likely to jump entirely into the Yongquan Array. At that time, the situation will be reversed: the Yongquan Array will have thirty-seven points, and the Xingyao Array thirty-five."

Upon hearing this, although no one exclaimed "Wow," their expressions were greatly astonished.

What a bizarre array design.

But why would He Xiao create the Yongquan Array, echoing the Xingyao Array from afar?

"I tried to find True Master Qianhuan's cave dwelling, but my attempts in the Northern Sea repeatedly failed; I couldn't even find the entrance. The reason for this is that the Xingyao Array itself is incomplete, lacking the Yongquan Array as a comparative reference!"

This realization was like a sudden enlightenment!

These two arrays had to be examined together for comprehension. True Master Qianhuan absolutely did not want the Heavenly God Heavenly Palace to track him down, which is why he only set up one shifting array on Baimao Mountain.

Even someone as intelligent as Bai Ziqi would likely make incorrect deductions without sufficient information.

He subconsciously pressed a branch onto the array diagram on the ground, and with a snap, the branch, as thick as his middle finger, broke.

How could the dignified Duke Yun not control his strength? Bai Ziqi was merely calm on the surface, but inwardly, he was overcome with unspeakable excitement!

The Heavenly Palace members exchanged glances. This time, Bai Shiqi couldn't hold back: "Your Grace means that He Xiao completed the other shifting array for us, allowing you to deduce True Master Qianhuan's location?"

"Precisely!" Bai Ziqi said earnestly. "Though I don't know his intentions, he has indeed done so."

"I just recalled that these two arrays could indeed merge into one, forming seventy-two points, and then introducing infinite variations, creating a Great Earthly Fiend Array!" he stated, word by word. "There was indeed a Great Earthly Fiend Array in ancient times, but after the cataclysm, the stars shifted, and this array has been lost for a very long time, making it unseen today. He Xiao's arrangement of the array, not taking the form of the Earthly Fiend Array but its essence, was to convey a secret message to me."

Anyone else would have no idea what He Xiao was doing.

The more Bai Ziqi studied, the more enigmatic He Xiao became.

What exactly did He Xiao want to do, to actually hint at/guide him to True Master Qianhuan's hiding place!

Wasn't he from Ling Mountain? Why would he want to harm True Master Qianhuan?

Could it be that Ling Mountain was experiencing internal strife?

Or perhaps, this was a pure trap?

"Alright, let's set aside the matter of the Earthly Fiend Array for now. If we just connect these two Thirty-Six Heavenly Stars Shifting Arrays, due to the presence of the two variables, the array will undergo periodic changes. And this process—"

Bai Ziqi's eyes shone brightly: "Is called 'Reversing the Heavenly Stars'!"

The periodic jumping of the two variables would cause a reversal of the situation; sometimes the Yongquan Array would be abundant, and sometimes the Xingyao Array would be.

Also referred to as "The Way Reverses the Heavenly Stars."

"You've seen the array's variables. But there's another hidden variable you haven't discovered yet—" Bai Ziqi's eyes gleamed, "—and that is time!"

He continued, "I ask you, when will these two arrays return to balance?"

Return to balance?

This question wasn't difficult. The attendant replied without hesitation, "When the two variables return to their original positions, and both arrays have thirty-six points, shouldn't they be balanced?"

Otherwise, the two arrays would be imbalanced, always with one heavier and one lighter.

"Correct! The two arrays periodically reverse each other, but there must be a period of stability in between." Bai Ziqi moved a tree seed from the Yongquan Array to the Xingyao Array.

This way, the two arrays became symmetrical, both having thirty-six points!

"According to a secret report the Heavenly Palace received long ago, this cycle is five years, and the period of stability is only about ten days!"

Everyone looked bewildered, unsure of the implication of these words.

Fortunately, Bai Ziqi immediately clarified their confusion: "These ten days are the opening days of True Master Qianhuan's cave dwelling!"

"Once the ten days pass, the Thirty-Six Heavenly Stars Array will reverse again, and the cave dwelling will naturally close."

The clues held by the Heavenly Palace indicated that True Master Qianhuan's cave dwelling, "Sea and Sky Line," located within the Inverted Sea, opened once every five years, and remained open for ten days.

"Now that we know the two arrays reverse each other and complement each other, I can deduce the target's location from the existing clues!" Bai Ziqi picked up a branch and gently poked it in the middle of the two arrays—

"Reversed, reversed, this is the Inverted Sea!"

"Sixty-two days from now, True Master Qianhuan's cave dwelling will open for a period of ten days!"

He was finally going to uncover True Master Qianhuan's lair!

Everyone bowed, saying in unison, "Congratulations, Your Grace!"

This mystery had plagued Bai Ziqi for several months, but it was finally solved today.

He took a deep breath, and the night air seemed to become fresher.

"Returning to the mystery at Yongquan Villa, the method for deducing both arrays is the same," Bai Ziqi said, pointing at the Yongquan Array on the ground. "Now, He Xiao's array is missing one variable, turning thirty-six into thirty-five. So, it's simple: by finding this missing 'one,' we can find what he has hidden."

"I ask you, where is this 'one' hidden?"