“Actually, I have a plan, though I do not know if Young Master Ao Fan would find it worthy of his consideration.”
Ao Fan, who had been racking his brains, immediately beamed with joy upon hearing this. However, not wanting to appear too eager, he composed himself and asked with feigned indifference, “Let’s hear it first.”
Zhai Bairong cleared his throat and produced a set of pre-prepared formation flags. “This humble one is untalented, but I happen to know a bit of the art of arrays. Since you do not wish to cause a great commotion, luring him out and then using an array to trap him is likely the best course of action at present. This formation flag was crafted by me; it is nothing grand, but please accept it as a greeting gift if you do not mind.”
Ao Fan perked up, finally giving Zhai Bairong a proper look. “I couldn’t tell that you were an array master. How did you end up in such a state?”
His previous acting had been quite convincing, but regarding the matter of arrays, Zhai Bairong had only learned a few simple tricks. These formation flags were naturally not his own handiwork, so for the first time during their conversation, he appeared somewhat awkward.
“It is because I have not mastered the craft...”
Ao Fan didn't understand arrays either. He took the formation flag and fiddled with it for a long while. It was an auxiliary flag designed to increase cultivation speed, though he couldn't discern its grade. He beckoned to the two Lan family cultivators, telling them to take the item and have it appraised at a merchant house.
“This fellow Daoist has just arrived in the Middle Realm, so there are likely many things you do not yet understand. In the future, if you have the chance, you should visit the Array Masters Guild. Once you obtain a certificate, you can make a living with this skill,” one of the Lan family cultivators said after examining the item. Estimating it to be at the level of a Level 2 Array Master, he gave Zhai Bairong a well-meaning reminder.
Zhai Bairong nodded, pretending to take the advice to heart. He thought to himself that if he were truly going to obtain a certificate, it would be from the Alchemists Guild. However, after seeing how Nie Shiyun had been collectively blacklisted by various families, he had learned just how tightly connected the guilds, merchant houses, and sects of the Middle Realm were. Zhai Bairong had always disliked such entanglements, so he had no intention of wading into those muddy waters.
Following the plan he and Nie Shiyun had rehearsed, Zhai Bairong explained his strategy to Ao Fan. First, he suggested they set the location at his own cave dwelling rather than within a town. For one, the towns were crawling with people searching for Nie Shiyun; if he suddenly invited him there, the man would surely become suspicious. Secondly, his cave was located in a densely forested mountain; setting an array there would be easier to conceal with the surrounding vegetation.
These were all logical points. Ao Fan and the Lan family cultivators found no fault in them and signaled for him to continue.
“I heard he is quite adept at escaping. I originally thought of using a Nine-Bends Array, which can temporarily trap a cultivator inside—once they enter, they cannot leave until it is broken,” Zhai Bairong illustrated by drawing a circle on the table with his finger. “However... arrays are not omnipotent. If he truly possesses some strange method to vanish instantly as you described, all our efforts would be for naught.”
The mere thought of it made Ao Fan's blood boil. He hurriedly pressed, “And so?”
“I believe using an illusion array might be more appropriate.”
Zhai Bairong then elaborated on the uses of an illusion array. He felt fortunate that Ao Fan did not have anyone proficient in arrays by his side; otherwise, he would have been incredibly nervous about showing off his meager skills before an expert.
Though, Nie Shiyun, who was listening with great interest from within the jade pendant, felt that Zhai Bairong had learned the concepts quite thoroughly and had nothing to worry about.
“This is a good method! Instead of guarding against him using some unknown trick to flee, it’s better to use an illusion array to make him stay put of his own volition. Then, as long as I strike a fatal blow while he’s off guard, no secret technique will save him. Haha!” As Ao Fan listened, he seemed to already see the future where his humiliation was washed away, a flicker of vengeful satisfaction appearing on his face.
“Young Master Ao Fan is so brilliant; you understand everything perfectly. It is truly easy to speak with you.” Zhai Bairong had become numb to lying. Ignoring the teasing expression Nie Shiyun surely wore while watching the show from the spatial dimension, he began to spout nonsense against his conscience.
The Lan family cultivators nearby wore looks of sudden realization—this guy was truly willing to say anything for fifty thousand crystals!
“But since you put it that way, shouldn't we find a high-level array master to be more certain? You wouldn't even need to do any work; you'd just be responsible for luring Nie Shiyun over,” Ao Fan suggested, having thought of something.
This was a problem.
Zhai Bairong put on a troubled expression and explained to Ao Fan, “If the illusion array is to be accurately targeted, it is best for someone who knows the target to set it. Otherwise, there is no guarantee the target will see what they want to see within the array.”
“Oh, I see.” Ao Fan didn't think much of it and nodded in acceptance.
However, one of the Lan family cultivators raised a question: “But fellow Daoist, your meaning is likely to have Nie Shiyun see his Dao companion in the illusion, right? Yet you said you haven't seen his companion either. Can you be accurate?”
Zhai Bairong replied calmly, “Naturally, it won't be perfectly accurate. But he has mentioned her to me many times, and I have a vague image in my mind. It is more reliable than a stranger brought in at the last minute.”
He did not boast of having absolute certainty, which instead made the others feel he was quite reliable. However, since his array skills didn't seem particularly outstanding and they only had one chance to lure Nie Shiyun out, the two Lan family cultivators felt they couldn't be too careless. They requested that after Zhai Bairong set up the array, they would bring an array master to inspect it from the outside.
“No problem. But it would be best to do so the day before I am scheduled to meet Nie Shiyun. He is a very cautious man; if many cultivators suddenly appear at the site, the chance of exposure will increase.”
With that, they finally reached a conclusion that satisfied both parties.
The formation flag Zhai Bairong gave to Ao Fan was tested and confirmed to be a Level 2 flag. Combined with the array knowledge he had crammed while explaining the plan, delivered in his steady and calm voice, no one actually asked him to prove his skills by setting an array on the spot. They simply believed Zhai Bairong was the array master himself, which allowed him to breathe a sigh of relief.
Having gained their trust, Zhai Bairong was permitted to return to his cave dwelling to set up the formation.
***
“Hard work on the acting.”
The first thing Zhai Bairong did upon returning to his temporary cave was enter the jade pendant to speak with Nie Shiyun. Facing Nie Shiyun’s smiling face, he couldn't help but let out a long breath. “I didn't leave any loopholes, did I?”
“It was perfect,” Nie Shiyun praised repeatedly.
This wasn't just a case of 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder.' Truth be told, Zhai Bairong’s talent in arrays was already excellent compared to most ordinary people. It was only because his cultivation talent and alchemy skills were essentially perfect that his array skills seemed less prominent by comparison.
However, because Nie Shiyun already practiced arrays, Zhai Bairong had no need for them and had subconsciously set that path aside, pouring all his energy into refining his path of alchemy.
“This is what you call a genius.”
“How is that an exaggeration?” Zhai Bairong nudged Nie Shiyun, who was muttering to himself in admiration. “Look at yourself—a dual-spirit root Body Integration stage cultivator under two hundred years old, who is also proficient in artifact forging, inscriptions, and arrays.”
Nie Shiyun sighed. “Think about the time flow in the jade space. One year for others is equivalent to over a decade for me; this was all built with time. If you really calculate it, my actual age is several centuries older than yours...”
He feigned the air of an elder and reached out to pat the top of Zhai Bairong’s head. Seeing him start acting on a whim again, Zhai Bairong didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He tilted his head to dodge and told him to get to work.
“You aren't really going to make me set that array, are you? I can try basic Spirit Gathering Arrays and the like, but I’m powerless with something of this level.”
“Of course I’ll do it,” Nie Shiyun said with a chuckle. “I’ll make sure to give that kid Ao Fan a big surprise.”
The array set in the cave was, just as Zhai Bairong had promised Ao Fan, a genuine illusion array, and a highly targeted one at that—except it wasn't targeted at Nie Shiyun, but at Ao Fan.
Zhai Bairong watched from the side as Nie Shiyun moved back and forth within the small space of the cave, bit by bit constructing a complex formation core that extended outward from the center. In a few days, he would have to pretend to be the array master and explain it to outsiders, so he had to learn as much as he could and dared not lose focus.
“Whether an array works and how long the illusion lasts are closely related to the array master’s cultivation and the cultivation of the person entering the array. When the time comes, you must find a way to keep those two Lan family cultivators outside. They are Body Integration cultivators like us, so the possibility of exposure would be higher.”
Zhai Bairong nodded. Using the excuse of "guarding against Nie Shiyun escaping the cave," it wouldn't be hard to arrange for those two to stay outside. In any case, according to their plan, he wouldn't have any other tasks to do on the day the show began.
At worst, if the matter was exposed that day, the two of them were already prepared to flee. Two against three wouldn't be difficult; it would just be a pity for all this effort to go to waste.
“If it succeeds, how long do you think it will take for him to realize?” Zhai Bairong couldn't help but calculate in his heart how much peace he and Nie Shiyun could enjoy once this was over.
“It’s hard to say—maybe several decades. In my estimation, unless I actively appear in the public eye, it will be a bit difficult for someone with Ao Fan’s IQ to figure it out,” Nie Shiyun said matter-of-factly without hesitation.
Zhai Bairong nodded in agreement.
A few days later, the array was complete.
Zhai Bairong took the initiative to visit and report. Ao Fan hadn't expected him to be so efficient and was beaming with joy. However, having been severely tricked by Nie Shiyun once before—and with many humans subsequently trying to scam the bounty money—Ao Fan had learned his lesson. He didn't say they would start the revenge plan immediately; instead, he had the two Lan family cultivators bring an array master along.
The effects of an illusion array vary from person to person, making it difficult to enter and test personally. However, a high-level array master has a very sharp eye for formations. By simply observing the exterior of the array for a short while, they can understand its essence without even activating it.
“It is indeed a genuine illusion array, and the techniques used are quite exquisite. If the target cultivator is at the Void Refinement stage, there is absolutely no way they could wake up on their own in a short time,” the array master praised while stroking his beard. “Your array skills are quite good!”
Zhai Bairong smiled and politely remarked that the senior was overpraising him.
The array master was simply puzzled as to why they had gone to such trouble to find him just to offer a critique. Although the young array master before him had good techniques, he was still a junior; if he were to do it himself, he could certainly produce an array of a higher level.
However, before coming, the two cultivators behind him had told him to speak less and ask fewer questions, focusing only on checking for flaws. He was a smart man and didn't want to get mixed up in the affairs of great families. After giving his evaluation, he left the cave without a word.
Once the array master spoke, Ao Fan’s confidence in the success of the plan surged, and he clapped his hands in praise repeatedly.
The two Lan family members saw the array master off and looked at each other, their final bit of wariness toward Zhai Bairong finally dissolving. Thinking back to how they had been advising Ao Fan not to trust outsiders over the past few days, they even felt a slight sense of guilt.
To show his sincerity, Zhai Bairong contacted Nie Shiyun in their presence, using the pre-arranged script. Not long after the message was sent, Nie Shiyun’s reply agreeing to the meeting arrived. Ao Fan’s ears immediately perked up; he had a very deep impression of that voice!
Zhai Bairong ended the communication with Nie Shiyun. The latter had already hidden himself several miles away.
“It will take a few days for Nie Shiyun to arrive. Why don't you return to the city to rest first?”
“No need! I’ll wait right here!” Ao Fan said through gritted teeth.
Zhai Bairong said helplessly, “Then at least wait a bit further away. Once I see him, I will find an excuse to lead him into the cave. It will be safer for everyone to approach only after he has entered the array.”
Arrays are not entirely without traces; otherwise, it would be too easy for cultivators traveling about to fall into traps. Everyone understood that they needed to lower Nie Shiyun’s guard as much as possible for things to go smoothly. If he sensed the presence of other people in the cave, with his level of cunning, he might not enter at all and simply grease his soles and flee.
“Young Master Ao Fan, he has a point. Let’s hide further away,” the Lan family cultivators also advised. Finally, they managed to persuade Ao Fan, who looked as if he were ready to rush forward and strike at any second.
“Then, as we discussed, I’ll have to trouble you two to stand guard outside the cave. In case he escapes, I’m sure a Void Refinement cultivator will be no match for you,” Zhai Bairong confirmed with the two once more.
“N-no problem. Leave it to us.”
“Yes, haha...”
To be honest, the two Lan family members felt a bit uneasy. Although they knew Nie Shiyun’s cultivation was lower than theirs, for some reason, they didn't have the confidence to beat their chests and say they could definitely catch him... But in front of Ao Fan, they didn't dare say anything discouraging and could only bite the bullet and give their guarantee.
Seeing their diligent appearance, Zhai Bairong felt a brief moment of sympathy for them having to work under Ao Fan.
With all the preparations complete, all that remained was to wait a few days for Nie Shiyun to "arrive."
***
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Transmigrated into a Total Shou Novel as a Cannon Fodder, but Ended Up 1v1-ing the Male Lead | Chapter 183 | Laying the Trap | Novela.app | Novela.app
