Chapter 2197

Zhu Yanyi casually flicked her fingers, sending objects flying. As her fingers moved, low-grade spirit stones scattered across the arena.

"I rarely set up arrays, so I never use array flags. These low-grade stones won’t hurt anyone, so I’ll use them. Please make do and don’t mind."

"Wasteful. Extravagant," Mi Xiao complained from the side. "Why not give the spirit stones to me? She wastes them like this. Truly rich and foolish."

"Junior Sister Mi Xiao, please forgive Junior Sister Yanyi. She said she never uses array flags," Jian Feiyan advised with a smile.

Zhuo Yue, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up proudly. "Junior Sister Yanyi not using array flags means only one thing: either arrays are too easy for her, or she knows nothing about them. But since she used an array in the Five Schools Competition, it proves she is absolutely an array master." she stared intently at the arena, trying to decipher the formation.

After flicking forty-nine low-grade spirit stones, Zhu Yanyi said, "This is our first meeting, so no need to be too fierce. I’ve set up a small, fun array with these forty-nine stones. Please go in and break it."

She made a welcoming gesture.

Chen Zhen looked at Zhu Yanyi. She couldn’t see what technique Zhu Yanyi had used. Zhu Yanyi’s casual setup was invisible to her, and she couldn’t identify the array type.

Chen Zhen realized Zhu Yanyi’s methods differed from what she had learned. In fact, Zhu Yanyi seemed more skilled, and her arrays were deeper. But as the challenger, she couldn’t retreat. She stepped into the array.

The moment she entered, mist rose around her. She felt as if she were in a vast, empty battlefield. There were no people, only corpses and desert. The hot sun beat down, making her feel her body’s moisture evaporating instantly.

Chen Zhen knew it was an array, but without knowing its type, she couldn’t find the core.

What kind of array was this? If it was an illusion, why did everything feel so real? If not, she clearly remembered this was just an array Zhu Yanyi set up during their match.

She had no clue how to break it, but she refused to admit defeat. She recalled the arrays she had learned. None matched this. That was impossible. She had learned many arrays. She absolutely refused to admit she knew fewer types than Zhu Yanyi.

Fortunately, Zhu Yanyi didn’t know her thoughts. Otherwise, she would have said, "Dear, you’re overthinking. You’ve learned many, but I learned from the Azure Sovereign Qingdi’s inheritance. Those arrays existed since the beginning of time."

Zhu Yanyi licked her lips, yawned, and watched Chen Zhen stand still. "She won’t come out soon. I’ll rest first." She pulled out a recliner and lay down.

Others stared in shock. But Ouyang Tianyun and those who knew Zhu Yanyi’s style looked unsurprised.

"Junior Sister Yanyi, do you want a drink?" Mi Xiao asked.

Zhu Yanyi tilted her head, looked at Chen Zhen in the array, and said, "Yes, I should drink something." She took out a tea set and began brewing tea.

Looking at the sky, she thought Chen Zhen might not come out today. This was quite nice.

Zhu Yanyi drank tea while Mi Xiao brought snacks made by Ouyang Tianyun. Tea and snacks. If not for Chen Zhen in the array, everyone would think it was a social tea party.

"It’s getting dark. Will she stay here all day?" others complained.

Everyone wanted to compete for the arena, but this situation prevented them.

After finishing her tea, Zhu Yanyi packed up and sent a mental message to Chen Zhen: "Can you break the array? Do you want to continue?"

"I have a clue. Just a little more," Chen Zhen refused to admit defeat. She was stubborn.

Zhu Yanyi shrugged at Xi Muzheng. "Dean, I don’t mind, but I don’t care what others think."

Xi Muzheng understood. He sent a mental message to Chen Zhen: "One more hour. If you can’t break it, you lose."

With Xi Muzheng’s words, others had no objections. It was reasonable. You couldn’t stall forever.

Zhu Yanyi shook her head slightly. She knew Chen Zhen couldn’t break it. She didn’t say more, just took out a book to read. It wasn’t her problem if Chen Zhen failed. She had offered to set the array, let Chen Zhen break it, and then modify it for easier breaking. But Chen Zhen refused, wanting to compete for free. Since she wanted to compete, let her. The result wouldn’t change, and it gave Zhu Yanyi convenience.

Now, she could rest properly. She had been busy lately. A vacation was welcome.

Poor Chen Zhen never imagined she was just an excuse for Zhu Yanyi’s rest.

An hour passed quickly for those with purpose, but slowly for those waiting.

When the hour ended, Xi Muzheng said to Zhu Yanyi, "Zhu Yanyi, dismantle the array. Let Chen Zhen out."

Zhu Yanyi sighed. "Dean, you’re silly. Letting her stay longer would be better. You insist on letting her out. Boring." She threw the remaining half-cup of tea. As the water splashed out, Chen Zhen found herself back on the arena.

Chen Zhen looked at Zhu Yanyi. "Why did you dismantle the array?"

"I ordered it," Xi Muzheng spoke before Zhu Yanyi, pointing at the crowd. "Look. Who agrees with your endless stalling?"

"Chen Zhen, if you can’t break the array, don’t show off. Are we waiting ten days if you can’t break it in ten days? Don’t be selfish," someone below shouted. "We want to compete too. We want this spot."