"Given Master Luo Zhiwei’s personality, for her to set such a high price, the fifth tier’s effect is probably a hundred times that of the fourth..."

*Gasp...*

The moment he said this, the Chu Family elders and the Clan Leader in the conference room all sucked in a sharp breath.

’A hundred times... No, even if it’s only ten times, the benefits of this Array are endless.’

...

The benefit of siding with Prince Qinghe was the ability to use the Dream Array to achieve an extremely high cultivation speed.

But the Silver Moon King and the Celestial Sea King were also important.

The second great calamity was about to arrive. In a time of chaos, those without power were lambs to the slaughter. The legions about to be formed were power itself—the authority to stand firm in such tumultuous times.

The present versus the future—which held more weight? All the great clans of Immortal Martial City were caught in a dilemma.

In the end, some chose to wait and see.

"*Phew.* Let’s just wait until the Path of Purgatory ends in three days... Besides, with such a heaven-defying Array appearing, how could the Silver Moon and Celestial Sea Royal Mansions just sit by and watch? Perhaps we won’t have to make this difficult choice at all."

...

Just as the Chu Family Patriarch had predicted, both Ji Hao and Shen Wanshang sent their trusted aides to investigate the moment Luo Zhiwei opened the Array.

The two, both wealthy, even spent a fortune to test the effect of the fifth tier—for Celestial Level guests—after confirming the Dream Array’s fourth-tier abilities. The price was ten times higher: ten wisps of celestial-grade Sha Qi from each family.

After their investigation, they learned that the fifth tier of the Dream Array allowed one to open up a small world and achieve Unity of Heaven and Man with the Dream World.

This ability, which could be described as a path to Enlightenment, made both Ji Hao’s and Shen Wanshang’s eyes shine with a brilliant light.

However, neither Ji Hao nor Shen Wanshang tried to recruit Luo Zhiwei immediately. It wasn’t that they didn’t want to; after learning of the Dream Array’s heaven-defying effects, they both understood this was no longer a matter for them to decide.

So, Shen Wanshang and Ji Hao immediately contacted the Celestial Sea King and the Silver Moon King, respectively, to report what they had learned.

Upon receiving the news, both the Celestial Sea King and the Silver Moon King issued orders at once.

"Recruit Luo Zhiwei at any cost."

Although contacting the two Princes took some time, after the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, both Ji Hao and Shen Wanshang had arrived at the Immortal Martial Daoist School. They each presented Luo Zhiwei with offers that could only be described as astronomical.

Shen Wanshang spoke first, her voice filled with sincerity. "Master Zhiwei, my father holds you in high regard. If you are willing to come to our Celestial Sea Prince’s Mansion, Father is willing to give you all his treasured Array manuals. From now on, we will also bear the cost of all resources you consume for your Array deductions and constructions. Furthermore, we have connections with the Sea Race. My father promises he will do everything in his power to collect knowledge of their Arrays for you."

Shen Wanshang’s offer was already incredibly generous, but Ji Hao followed right after with an even better one. "The Silver Moon Royal Mansion is willing to provide an unlimited supply of rare Array materials and offer all the Array codices in our mansion’s collection. We will even leverage our connections to the Royal Family to transcribe the true meaning of the Arrays hidden in the imperial palace’s secret collection for you."

Had it been the Luo Zhiwei of the past, she would have certainly been moved by such terms, no matter how firm her resolve.

But she knew very well that the so-called Dream Array that had drawn the tribulation lightning didn’t actually exist. It was Zhong Ming who had triggered it with his own abilities.

Since she didn’t possess that ability herself, she naturally wouldn’t accept Ji Hao’s and Shen Wanshang’s invitations.

Thus, faced with their astronomical offers, Luo Zhiwei simply shook her head, her tone firm. "Thank you both for your kind intentions, but I feel that being with Zhong Ming, Qingyue, and the others puts my Mental Realm at ease, which is more conducive to deducing Arrays."

"??!"

"Why..."

Luo Zhiwei’s unhesitating refusal stunned both Ji Hao and Shen Wanshang for a moment. Ji Hao blurted out the question subconsciously.

But before Luo Zhiwei could answer, Ji Hao and Shen Wanshang both seemed to realize something. This made their expressions turn ugly, and incredibly strange.

’It’s because of Zhong Ming, isn’t it!’

Not knowing the truth, Ji Hao was speechless and desperately wanted to rail at her on the spot: ’How can you be so blinded by love? The path of the Dao is long and the world is vast! How can you give up such a heaven-defying opportunity for the sake of romance!’

Although he was complaining endlessly in his heart, Ji Hao showed none of it on the surface.

Unwilling to give up, he patiently kept raising his offer, trying to tempt Luo Zhiwei to join his side with greater benefits.

Unfortunately, no matter what price they offered or what promises they made, Luo Zhiwei stuck to one line: she was more at ease staying with Zhong Ming and the people of Prince Qinghe’s Mansion.

This left both Ji Hao and Shen Wanshang feeling helpless.

In the end, with no other choice, they could only depart in frustration.

...

Upon returning to their respective mansion villas, their subordinates saw their dark and strange expressions and immediately understood that the recruitment had failed.

This prompted the subordinates from both sides to anxiously ask for the reason.

"My Lord/Princess, why did it fail? Did the Celestial Sea/Silver Moon Mansion make a higher offer?"

The subordinates who depended on them were naturally anxious. The Dream Array could accelerate a Cultivator’s training, an effect they coveted as well.

And if Luo Zhiwei were successfully recruited, they too would be able to use this Array.

Under these circumstances, they were naturally desperate for Luo Zhiwei to be brought over to their side.

At the same time, the people from both the Celestial Sea Prince’s Mansion and the Silver Moon Royal Mansion believed that only the other could compete with them.

However, Ji Hao’s and Shen Wanshang’s subsequent answers stunned the subordinates on both sides.

"The recruitment failed, but it wasn’t because our offer was insufficient. The Celestial Sea/Silver Moon Royal Mansion failed as well." Ji Hao rubbed his throbbing forehead, his tone helpless. "No matter what price I offered, Luo Zhiwei only wants to stay at Prince Qinghe’s Mansion."

"But why..."

Before he could finish, the person realized and suddenly lowered his voice.

"Is it because of Zhong Ming?"

Ji Hao nodded, his face a mask of helplessness. "If I’m not mistaken, that’s likely the case."

At these words, it wasn’t just him who was speechless. The Cultivators from both mansions found Luo Zhiwei’s choice incomprehensible.

"The path of cultivation is a Cultivator’s foundation! How could she be so foolish as to give up such a heaven-defying opportunity for the sake of romance?"

"...I always thought that for Luo Zhiwei to become an Array Master, she must be a person of profound thought and firm Dao Heart. I never expected... sigh..."

Resenting her for not striving for more, speechless at her choice—this was the sentiment of most Cultivators in the two great mansions.

However, beyond their resentment and regret, the Cultivators of the two mansions also felt a new sense of envy toward Zhong Ming that bordered on jealousy. Luo Zhiwei had rejected astronomical offers from two great mansions for his sake, Xiyue had betrayed her sect for him, and the two Commandery Princesses, Ji Qingyue and Ji Qinglian, were completely devoted to him. It would be strange *not* to be envious of such romantic fortune.

Just as the people of the Silver Moon Royal Mansion were grumbling, a Cultivator in the Celestial Sea Prince’s Mansion hesitated for a long time before finally gritting his teeth and speaking to Shen Wanshang. "Princess, perhaps we can change our approach... Since recruiting Master Luo Zhiwei alone isn’t working, what if we recruit Zhong Ming as well?"

The allure of the Dream Array was simply too great. This Cultivator could no longer care about anything else; he just wanted to use the Array to cultivate.

In his view, Luo Zhiwei was staying at Prince Qinghe’s Mansion because of Zhong Ming, not out of any particular loyalty to the mansion itself. If they could recruit Zhong Ming, Luo Zhiwei would likely follow.

But the moment these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the Celestial Sea Prince’s Mansion’s villa instantly turned strange. You could hear a pin drop.

Inviting Zhong Ming over as well seemed like a good idea, but no one had forgotten that the two Commandery Princesses, Ji Qingyue and Ji Qinglian, were completely devoted to him.

With this connection, Zhong Ming’s relationship with Prince Qinghe’s Mansion was extremely close. It wasn’t just *like* they were family—they truly *were* family.

Under these circumstances, if the Celestial Sea Prince’s Mansion wanted to lure him over, resources and authority alone would be far from enough.

’At Prince Qinghe’s Mansion, Zhong Ming has the affection of Commandery Princesses. If we want Zhong Ming to switch sides... we’d also have to...’

Glancing at the beautiful but ice-cold Shen Wanshang, the other Cultivators of the Celestial Sea Prince’s Mansion immediately fell silent, not daring to utter another word.