272: Chapter 272 Breaking the Formation Doesn't Necessarily Mean Breaking It; Control Is Also an Option

In everyone's consciousness, Xu Ruyu's setback in the Soul Power trial, though regrettable, was understandable.

After all, no one is perfect; for any Cultivator, possessing unparalleled ability in a single Domain is already a rare feat.

Moreover, Xu Ruyu wasn't just outstanding in one single Domain...

Lady Qingli bit her lip, her beautiful eyes fixed on the light screen without blinking, as she whispered in her heart, "Xiao Yuer, no matter the result, you have already done wonderfully..."

Finally, just as the last glimmer of the time limit was about to fade—

At the cave entrance, Xu Ruyu's Soul Power fluctuations, which had remained steady for three days and nights, finally moved!

It wasn't an explosion or an impact, but rather like a tide, receding rapidly into his body in an extremely orderly and precise manner.

Immediately after, inside the cave, the Forbidden Array energy that had been operating smoothly suddenly underwent a strange disturbance!

The scene on the light screen shook violently, like a giant rock being thrown into a calm lake!

"Time's up! The Forbidden Array is going to teleport him out!" an Elder shouted.

Everyone's spirits lifted as their gazes locked onto the cave entrance.

However, the expected teleportation light did not ignite.

Deep within the cave, the various lights that had been dim and shifting suddenly began to flicker and combine according to some entirely new sequence.

Then, one by one, the originally hidden Formation lines lit up as if by an invisible hand, clearly manifesting in the Void Realm and weaving into a massive, three-dimensional energy network!

This network wasn't collapsing; it was... reorganizing?! Transforming?!

A completely new Formation fluctuation, distinct from the ancient and desolate aura of the original Forbidden Array, slowly diffused from the depths of the cave!

"What... what is going on?!" The Grand Elder turned pale with shock. "The fluctuations of the Forbidden Array have changed!

It's not a teleportation, nor is it an explosion from breaking the array!

This... this feels like... the Forbidden Array itself is being modified?!"

The Clan Chief and the Supreme Mage also jerked upright, their moonlight and phantom images fluctuating violently, their eyes filled with extreme shock and suspicion!

Just as everyone stood dumbfounded—

The light and shadow at the cave entrance wavered, and Xu Ruyu's figure walked out of the cave step by step.

His face was somewhat pale, and his eyes held a deep exhaustion, but a faint smile played on his lips.

He walked straight to the Clan Chief and the Supreme Mage, cupping his hands. "Clan Chief, Supreme Mage, this Junior has come out.

Does this Soul Power trial count as passed?"

Everyone was stunned and looked behind him.

The cave entrance still existed, and the light screen of the nine Bronze Pillars remained, showing that although the form of the Forbidden Array's energy inside had changed, it was clearly still operating and had not been "broken."

Elder Mo Feng seized the opportunity and immediately screeched, "Passed? Xu Ruyu, don't you dare lie through your teeth!

The three-day time limit is up, and you were automatically teleported out by the Forbidden Array!

Furthermore, the Forbidden Array is perfectly intact and hasn't been broken at all. You clearly failed, yet you still want to bluff your way through?!"

Many confused Elders and Disciples also looked toward the Clan Chief with doubt.

The Clan Chief frowned slightly and looked at Xu Ruyu. "Holy Master Xu, according to the rules, one must break the Formation to emerge. Now that the Forbidden Array is still there, you..."

Xu Ruyu waved his hand, interrupting the Clan Chief, and smiled. "Clan Chief, everyone, you've misunderstood."

He turned to face the cave entrance, which still shimmered with strange light, and the light screen in mid-air that showed the drastic changes in the internal energy network.

"Breaking an array doesn't necessarily mean you have to force a path through."

Xu Ruyu's voice wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly. "Sometimes, a better way is to understand it, master it, and then... make it work for you."

Before his voice had even faded, Xu Ruyu raised his right hand, his fingers tapping several strange and concise hand seals in the Void Realm before him, as if playing a piano.

These hand seals were unlike any array-control hand seals known to the Taihu Clan. His movements were smooth and natural, as if done effortlessly, yet they carried an indescribable, profound rhythm.

As his final hand seal fell—

"Buzz...!"

At the cave entrance, the nine Bronze Pillars simultaneously erupted with light a hundred times brighter than before!

The patterns on the pillars seemed to come alive, flowing wildly and converging onto the light screen!

And inside the cave, the massive energy network that had been drastically changing and dazzling stabilized instantly, emitting an aura even more powerful than before!

Then, under everyone's dumbfounded gaze, the scene on the light screen changed again!

It was no longer blurry fragments, but clearly divided into several different "screens":

Some screens showed real-time views of certain complex passages inside the cave;

Some screens showed the intensity and direction of energy flow in different areas of the Forbidden Array;

Some screens even looked like "control panels," with various changing symbols and patterns appearing on them, suggesting the Forbidden Array was now adjustable!

Even more shocking was that Xu Ruyu casually pointed at one of the "control panel" screens from a distance.

"Swish!"

At the cave entrance, a gentle but incredibly resilient golden light screen rose instantly, completely sealing the entrance!

Ancient Fox-shaped Dao Patterns flowed on the light screen, emitting a defensive aura far exceeding what had been there before!

"This is the 'Great Profound Fox Light Wall,' one of the Forbidden Array's highest defensive forms. It requires at least three Nascent Soul Elders proficient in Formations to barely activate it..."

An Elder proficient in Formations cried out in disbelief.

Xu Ruyu pointed at another screen.

Inside the cave, on a path that had been peaceful, countless moonlight wind blades as sharp as knives and soul-bewitching, seductive sounds suddenly emerged, weaving into a death trap!

"The Phantom Moon Killing Array... this is one of the Forbidden Array's most aggressive variations!"

Another Elder's voice trembled.

Xu Ruyu moved again.

Those terrifying killing arrays and light walls vanished instantly, and the cave returned to tranquility, as if nothing had happened.

The "control panel" screens on the light screen faded, switching back to clear monitoring perspectives of several key nodes inside the cave.

Xu Ruyu withdrew his hand, turned around, and calmly said to the group, who were already like statues, "As you can see, this Taihu Forbidden Array... well, is temporarily under my command."

"I didn't destroy its structure. Instead, after understanding its core principles and all its 'backdoors' and 'interfaces,' I rewrote a more efficient and intuitive 'control protocol' and established a stable 'authentication link' with my Soul Power.

Now, I can call upon its defensive, offensive, confusing, and scouting functions at any time, just like operating my own Magical Artifact. I can even adjust some of its operational parameters to a certain extent."

He paused, looked at the Clan Chief and the Supreme Mage, whose expressions were nearly frozen in extreme shock, and added, "Of course, the highest authority and core imprint still belong to the Taihu Clan. I've only established temporary administrative privileges.

If your noble clan wishes, you can take them back at any time.

However, I suggest keeping this optimized control interface. Compared to the original method of control...

Well, the efficiency is increased by about fifty percent, the response speed is three times faster, energy consumption is reduced by twenty percent, and it supports multi-point monitoring and one-click triggering of preset plans."