273: Chapter 273 Xu Ruyu's performance once again shocked everyone.

Dead silence.

In front of the Thousand-Illusion Lost Track Cave, there was no sound other than the faint hum of the cave's energy flow and the sound of the mountain wind blowing through the mist.

Every member of the Taihu Clan, from the high-and-mighty Clan Chief and Supreme Mage to the most ordinary Core Disciple, was frozen in place as if subjected to a collective Body-Fixing Spell, their eyes vacant and their brains completely stopped in thought.

Breaking the Formation?

He hadn't intended to break the Formation at all!

In three days, he had... hacked... the ancient Forbidden Array that the Taihu Clan had passed down for ages, regarded as a core secret and a vital part of the Mountain Protection Array?

No, it wasn't hacking; he had comprehensively upgraded the control System, then turned the tables and became the temporary administrator of the Forbidden Array?!

He even nonchalantly provided the optimization data: efficiency increased by fifty percent, response speed increased threefold, and energy consumption reduced by twenty percent...

What the hell kind of Prodigy-level operation is this?!!

The Dao of Formations can be played like this?!!

"Thud!"

An elderly Nascent Soul Elder who specialized in Formations could not withstand this subversive shock; his eyes rolled back, and he fainted directly onto the ground, only to be hurriedly supported by those nearby.

Elder Mo Feng's face was as pale as a ghost as he stumbled backward, pointing at Xu Ruyu with fingers and lips trembling like leaves in an autumn wind, unable to utter a single word. Finally, unable to catch his breath, his throat made a strange "cluck" sound, and he nearly passed out.

The Grand Elder's mouth hung wide enough to fit a fist, his white beard twitching like a fish out of water.

Elder Lan Yi covered her red lips, her beautiful eyes filled with a dreamlike sense of unreality.

Lady Qingli burst into laughter, her voice filled with pride, and the gaze she directed at Xu Ruyu was soft enough to drip with water.

The figure of the Clan Chief, shrouded in moonlight, flickered intensely between light and shadow, revealing the storm raging within her heart.

She had lived for countless ages, experienced the ups and downs of the clan, seen the heroes of the world, and even faced life-and-death calamities, but never for a moment had her worldview suffered such a destructive impact and reconstruction as it did now!

The phantom of the Supreme Mage fluctuated so violently it almost dissipated, only reconsolidating after a long while. Her ethereal voice carried an unprecedented dryness and tremor: "Control... Control Protocol? Authentication... Authentication Link? Optimization Interface?

Little Friend Xu... just... how did you do it?!"

This had already exceeded all her understanding of "Formations" and "Soul Power"!

This was simply an ability from another dimension!

Xu Ruyu scratched his head, appearing somewhat embarrassed: "Actually... it wasn't that complicated.

I just treated this Forbidden Array like a particularly complex and precise 'machine' or 'program'.

I spent about two and a half days using Soul Power to scan, analyze, and reverse-engineer it inside and out—from the energy circuits and base Materials to the operational logic and control algorithms.

I found that although its design is ingenious, the control layer is somewhat redundant and inefficient. Many function calls require complex combinations of hand seals and a large amount of Soul Power guidance, like using a command line to operate a graphical user interface System."

He used a metaphor that the people of this world might not understand, but the meaning was conveyed: "So I thought, could I make a more user-friendly 'operating interface' for it?

While I was at it, I optimized the underlying code to make it run faster and save power.

In the last half day, I was trying to write new 'Control Scripts' and wrote a strand of my Origin Soul Power signature into its core authentication module as an 'Administrator Key'.

I didn't expect... it would succeed on the first try."

He spoke nonchalantly, as if he had just replaced the remote control for a household Formation.

But in the ears of the Taihu Clan members, it was like a thunderclap from the Nine Heavens!

Reverse Engineering? Optimizing code? Writing Control Scripts? Administrator Key?!

These terms were unheard of, but combined with the facts before them, they vaguely realized that what Xu Ruyu had done was a "conquest" far more ingenious and terrifying than simply "breaking the Formation"! He had understood the Forbidden Array at the level of rules and bestowed upon it a new order!

This required not just powerful Soul Power, but a level of understanding regarding the essence of Formations, energy operation, and information processing that was hair-raisingly profound, along with a way of thinking that completely transcended the framework of this world, akin to that of a "Creator"!

The Clan Chief took one deep breath, then another, barely suppressing the tidal waves in her heart.

She spoke slowly, her voice carrying a hint of imperceptible hoarseness: "Holy Master Xu... in this trial, you have not only passed, but... you have passed in an unprecedented way.

No, 'passing' is no longer enough to describe it."

She looked at the entrance of the Forbidden Array, now optimized and incredibly docile under Xu Ruyu's control, then back at Xu Ruyu. Her gaze under the moonlight was filled with extremely complex emotions: "Once again... you have given our clan a massive surprise—no, a shock.

Such a technique for controlling Formations is unheard of and unseen.

The Path of the Holy Master is truly... unfathomable."

The phantom of the Supreme Mage finally calmed down a bit, her tone solemn: "Little Friend Xu, your optimized method of controlling the Forbidden Array is of great significance to the overall improvement of our clan's Mountain Protection Array.

On behalf of the Taihu Clan, this old one thanks the Holy Master once again for his generous gift!

This favor is like a second life!"

The verdict of the two supreme beings of the Taihu Clan completely solidified the earth-shattering nature of Xu Ruyu's actions.

In the crowd, someone was the first to shout: "Divine Might of the Holy Master!"

Immediately, as if a fuse had been lit, a mountain-toppling, sea-crashing wave of sound rose to the skies!

"Divine Might of the Holy Master!"

"Divine Might of the Holy Master!"

"Divine Might of the Holy Master!"

This time, the cheers were more enthusiastic, sincere, and full of fanaticism than ever before!

If completing the saint tablet before was an act of kindness, then the control he displayed over the Forbidden Array now was an absolute power that inspired awe to the point of fear, yet commanded irrepressible worship!

Xu Ruyu stood in the center of the cheers, smiling slightly as he accepted this fervent adoration.

He knew that this move in the Soul Power Trial had not only passed the test but had also completely established his transcendent, almost legendary status within the Taihu Clan.

From now on, in the Taihu Clan, he would no longer be just a "benefactor" or "honored guest".

He would be the "Holy Master" who was revered like a deity.

Of the Nine-Aperture Exquisite Array, five trials had now passed.

And everyone was absolutely certain that for this youth who constantly created miracles, the remaining four trials—whatever they might be—would likely be nothing more than... going through the motions.