Chapter 454: Chaos Bewitches the Eyes

Though she claimed not to care whether she was first or third, curiosity still stirred within her. In the Western Earth, she was known as the foremost formation master, the best in the Western Earth. However, considering the entire world, she couldn't be certain if she was truly number one.

Still, having been number one for so many years, she harbored a competitive spirit.

Qin Mu, as the Cult Master of the Heavenly Devil Cult, was well-traveled and knowledgeable. She was eager to discover who he considered the world's top two formation masters.

"Actually, Sister Yiyi, you might not know this, but I also come from the top formation family in the Great Ruins," Qin Mu said.

Qin Mu's expression was earnest. "The world's foremost formation master is my blind grandpa."

He Yiyi's dark eyes widened. The top formation family in the Great Ruins?

The world's greatest formation master is blind?

"Cult Master Qin, do you perhaps misunderstand what a formation is?" He Yiyi asked calmly.

"Formations are based on the art of calculation," He Yiyi explained. "The simplest, like the Nine Palaces Formation, uses Kan, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Zhong, Qian, Dui, Gen, Li, representing nine non-repeating numbers that sum up to forty-five. Slightly more complex are the Eight Trigrams Formations, evolving infinitely from eight entries to sixty-four. Even more challenging are the Five Elements Formations and Five Elements Eight Trigrams Formations, with five, eight, and sixty-four entries. The most difficult are the Taiji and Wuji Formations, whose perimeters are endless, and whose operations are incredibly intricate yet still possess flaws. How much mastery could a blind person possibly have in mathematics and calculations?"

Qin Mu said solemnly, "Sister, look at my eyes."

He Yiyi didn't understand, but she observed his eyes closely and felt a slight tremor in her heart.

She saw rings of formation patterns slowly forming within the young man's eyes, evolving into the first heaven. The mathematical variations contained within these patterns captivated her, drawing her into the boy's gaze.

Before she could fully comprehend the mathematical changes in Qin Mu's eyes, the second heaven began to form, involving even more complex and profound mathematical variations.

Then came the third, fourth, and finally the fifth heaven, Jingxiao Heaven, where the formation changes in Qin Mu's eyes ceased.

Each layer of his eyes represented a heaven, and the mastery of mathematics and calculations displayed was truly breathtaking!

Qin Mu's current cultivation only allowed him to activate the Nine Heavens Eye Opening Technique to the level of Jingxiao Heaven. However, the changes in his eyes hadn't stopped; specks of starlight appeared, a great sun hidden deep within, and constellations twinkled, forming a galaxy that revolved around the sun.

In the main hall, the hundreds of family heads and powerful clan leaders of Jun City exchanged glances.

Now, He Yiyi was almost pressed against Qin Mu's face, their eyes locked. Formation master He Yiyi gazed into Qin Mu's eyes as if lovers were gazing deeply at each other, lost in emotion.

"Cough, cough!" A white-haired old woman coughed repeatedly, attempting to get their city lord's attention.

He Yiyi snapped back to reality, her pretty face flushing. She quickly stepped back and said formally, "This blind grandpa truly deserves to be called the world's foremost formation master. I am ashamed to admit my inferiority."

Qin Mu's face also reddened slightly; He Yiyi being so close had made his heart pound. He quickly said, "When I first learned the Eye Opening Technique from my blind grandpa, I didn't fully grasp it; I didn't understand the formation changes within it. My blind grandpa's divine eyes can see through all illusions, discerning changes in space, formations, and techniques. Later, when I learned the Daoist arts of calculation, I finally understood the mathematical principles involved. The Daoists use calculation to explain all things in heaven and earth, and the operation of the universe. It was then I realized that my blind grandpa's divine eyes could see through everything precisely because calculation is the truth of this universe. That's why I understood that he is the true number one formation master."

He Yiyi suppressed her unusual thoughts and said seriously, "If he wished to break my Jun City's formations, it would be effortless. The title of number one is well-deserved. So, who then is the world's second-best formation master?"

Qin Mu offered an embarrassed smile.

He Yiyi's dark eyes widened again, and she gasped, "You are the world's second-best formation master?"

Qin Mu looked abashed. "I originally didn't dare to claim second place, but after seeing Sister Yiyi's formations, I feel I can indeed be second."

He Yiyi's anger flared, her pearly teeth grinding. She said with a smile, "I don't dare to contend for first, but I'm unwilling to be third. Cult Master Qin, you claimed to be third in poisoning, defeated Mu Yingxue, making that girl acknowledge her poison skills as fourth in the world, and now you claim to be second in formations. Your studies are far too varied. Since that's the case, let's have another match."

Qin Mu asked curiously, "How shall we compete?"

He Yiyi pondered for a moment, then smiled. "It will still be Jun City. You will be outside the city, and I will remain inside, not moving from this spot. If you can enter the city and find me, I will admit my inferiority and willingly take third place. Not only that, from now on, the He family and its forces will pledge allegiance to you. If you wish to help Naiku regain her position as Palace Mistress, my He family will provide full support!"

Qin Mu burst into laughter, stood up, and strode towards the city gate.

In the hall, the hundreds of powerful individuals of Jun City exchanged glances. An old woman was about to speak, but He Yiyi waved her hand. "You don't need to say more. I want to use this opportunity to observe the formation mastery of Yan Kang. If my formations are broken by Cult Master Qin, then if Yan Kang attacks in the future, Jun City will inevitably fall. It would be better to simply submit to Yan Kang. If Cult Master Qin cannot break my formations, then we will still have the strength to fight another day. You may all withdraw. Cult Master Qin and I will play a game that will decide the fate of Jun City and the Western Earth!"

The crowd had no choice but to exit Jun City.

The city gates stood wide open.

Qin Mu left Long Qilin and Xiong Qi'er outside the city and stepped inside. Jun City suddenly transformed: all buildings sank into the ground and vanished, replaced by massive boulders floating in the air, evolving into formations.

Jun City had changed dramatically. To others, it was merely a spectacle of moving stones forming various shapes, making it difficult to understand the intricate formation changes with each movement. However, to Qin Mu, it instantly became a dazzling and vibrant display.

Each movement of these stone blocks brought him immense delight. The intricate connections and interwoven structures of various runes were a joy to behold.

Whether they were towering fortifications or menacing killing arrays, they were all rooted in mathematics.

Rings of formation patterns appeared in Qin Mu's eyes. His steps were sometimes incredibly fast, sometimes abruptly halted. He would sometimes sketch out changes to the patterns with his finger, or move like a drunken man, advancing one step and retreating three. At other times, he seemed to have springs on his feet, leaping between the moving colossal stones in the air.

He moved like a startled swan taking flight, darting through collapsing barriers. Or he resembled a rampaging wild elephant, seemingly charging headfirst into a wall with suicidal abandon, yet just as he was about to collide, the stone wall would suddenly split open, allowing him to pass through.

He reveled in the intricate solutions of calculations, solving one mathematical puzzle after another, getting closer and closer to the center of Jun City.

Everything within the city was transforming. Even the main hall they had just been in had disintegrated and vanished. The only constant was He Yiyi's standing position.

The girl remained still, standing silently on a stone pillar, manipulating Jun City's transformations, altering various formations to obstruct Qin Mu.

This time was different from their last encounter. Previously, Qin Mu had walked into a trap and was caught within the city, which wasn't a fair fight.

Now, Qin Mu was directly breaching the formation, truly testing both their formation mastery.

After a long while, He Yiyi spotted Qin Mu's figure. Her face grew tense as she frantically manipulated the massive boulders to arrange formations, yet Qin Mu's figure continued to approach steadily.

He Yiyi stood at the heart of Jun City, the core of its formation. Qin Mu was now only a dozen zhang away from this core, and the final layer of formations failed to halt his advance.

He Yiyi suddenly gritted her silver teeth. Jun City vibrated violently as all previous formations activated simultaneously, transforming into a deadly killing array. Each killing formation perfectly integrated, their power surging ferociously, pressing down towards He Yiyi's location!

She had activated a death trap that disregarded friend or foe. Both Qin Mu and herself would be engulfed and destroyed by the killing array!

As the formation master of the Western Earth, inheriting the He family's honor, she could not tolerate their reputation being tarnished or the title of foremost formation master falling to another. Even if it meant mutual destruction, she would protect the He family's dignity!

Qin Mu's expression subtly changed. As the deadly formation activated, he flashed to He Yiyi's side, encircled her waist with one arm, and with his other hand, drew in the air.

He Yiyi closed her eyes as the rolling killing array surged forward, engulfing them both!

She opened her eyes to find that they were no longer within Jun City, but seemed to be hidden deep within its spatial layers. Jun City's deadly formation roared, tearing through the world of the painting, yet still pressing down on them.

The painted world they were in was on the verge of collapse and destruction!

Qin Mu's face was serious. His brushstrokes were like dragons and snakes, constantly changing as he painted within the painting. Suddenly, He Yiyi felt pressure on her waist as he pulled her into another painting.

They plunged into another painted world, where mountains and rivers were beautiful, flowers bloomed vividly, and the scenery was delightful.

However, the next moment, Jun City's killing array crushed through this painting-within-a-painting world, bearing down with an all-consuming force.

"You're not using formations to break my formations," He Yiyi said, looking up at the serious young man beside her. "Even if you carry me out of Jun City's killing array, I won't admit defeat."

"You are the second-best formation master; I won't argue with you about it."

Qin Mu laughed heartily, splashing ink and wielding his brush with the unrestrained abandon of a scholar. He scattered characters, carrying her through another painted world before Jun City's deadly formation could destroy the current painting-within-a-painting.

In this painting, stars shone brightly. They seemed to have arrived in the dark cosmos, with stars like luminous jewels dotting the darkness.

Qin Mu led her, stepping on stars, traversing the starry sky. His brush never stopped, drawing a Milky Way across the cosmos.

Behind them, Jun City's deadly formation surged forward. But they leaped into the river, splashing as they sped into the distance.

The galaxy flowed downwards, carrying Qin Mu, who held her waist, along with it. His brush gestured wildly, and then he suddenly leaped, still holding her, onto a mountain cliff.

He Yiyi had just regained her footing, still dazed, when she saw Qin Mu sketching with his brush and ink. With a final stroke, he scooped her up and leaped onto the back of a Pegasus he had just drawn.

The Pegasus galloped out of the painting, becoming real. Its white wings beat, and it flew away, soaring swiftly and leaving the killing array far behind.

Qin Mu once again wielded his brush with abandon. A gateway appeared before them, opening to reveal a bright light. The Pegasus carried them through the gateway, and He Yiyi, stunned, found they had arrived on a mountaintop outside Jun City.

Qin Mu scooped her up by the waist and dismounted. The Pegasus, beating its wings and raising its forelegs, neighed once, then dissolved into specks of ink that drifted away beside them.

In the distance, the many family heads of Jun City hurried towards them, flying to their side.

An elder was about to speak, but He Yiyi suddenly smiled and said softly, "I concede. Cult Master Qin is indeed the world's second-best formation master. My He family and all of Jun City will fully support you!"

Qin Mu, feeling puzzled, looked at her.

A hint of tenderness blossomed in He Yiyi's eyes, clear as autumn waters.