The poor quality jade stones that covered the square couldn’t compare to etherstone, but the sheer scale of the square left him breathless. Who would have thought that such a hidden grotto-heaven would be tucked deep in the belly of Cloudhill? From the external traces, it seemed to be man-made. The amount of manpower and resources required for its construction must have been exorbitant. Only a powerful qi refiner could accomplish such a feat.
The spiritual qi here… it’s so dense. Standing on the jade stone square, Wu Yuan could sense that the density of the spiritual qi was at least ten times that of the outside world.
What’s that? Wu Yuan’s pupils slightly contracted as he caught sight of a cauldron in the middle of the square, partially buried in the ground. It contained a faint red liquid. The cauldron and the surrounding jade stones were engraved with countless cryptic symbols, giving off a sense that they were one with nature.
“It’s an array.” Fang Xia looked around and explained. “The entire jade chamber is a potent spirit-gathering array. Beneath the chamber lies a spirit vein which a previous qi refiner tapped on to set up the array. The convergence of spiritual qi, combined with the unique characteristics of Cloudhill, resulted in the creation of Cloudspring Blood.”
As Wu Yuan listened, he couldn’t help but marvel at the abilities of qi refiners.
“A spirit-gathering array? Bu Yu, on the other hand, was stunned and confused. After all, the Cloudstride Sect had no Heavenly Rankers, hence they had been utilizing this immortal relic without understanding the principle behind it.
Suddenly, Fang Xia made a grabbing motion toward empty air, conjuring a massive green hand that reached for the cauldron on the ground. Before Wu Yuan and Bu Yu could react, there was a sudden explosion.
Boom! The massive cauldron on the ground was lifted into the air, causing cracks to spread throughout the surrounding jade stones. The once peaceful spiritual qi within the jade chamber was thrown into disarray. The cauldron then flew towards Fang Xia, who swiftly stowed it away.
“Ancestor?” Bu Yu spoke up with some hesitation. If the Cloudspring Blood, a crucial resource of the Cloudstride Sect, was compromised, it would significantly delay the cultivation progress of the sect’s disciples.
“Don’t worry,” Fang Xia assured, dismissing Bu Yu’s concerns. “I’m not destroying our sect’s foundation. The qi refiner who set up this array was terribly incompetent. They had a perfectly good spirit-gathering array, but they failed to understand the layout of the spiritual veins and ended up creating something flawed, then called it Cloudspring Blood. In reality, Cloudspring Blood is nothing more than impure spiritual liquid.”
Spiritual liquid was otherwise known as Ancient Immortal Dew!
“I will rearrange the spirit-gathering array such that it will continuously produce spiritual liquid. Both the quantity and the quality will surpass the previous Cloudspring Blood,” Fang Xia declared.
Bu Yu’s eyes brightened. With a larger quantity and stable supply of spiritual liquid, the cultivation speed of the Cloudstride Sect’s disciples would skyrocket. While the top-tier powers of the world had powerful instructors and cultivation teachings, they did not lack cultivation resources either!
“I destroyed the original spirit-gathering array to study the spiritual veins, but you don’t need to concern yourself with these matters for now,” Fang Xia said softly.
“Find any available alcove and begin cultivating.” Fang Xia pointed to a few alcoves carved from the jade chamber that were accessible through a distant passage, “Make good use of your time, consume the Purplewood Spirit Fruit, and focus on contemplating the world. For now, you needn’t worry about the affairs of the sect. If you fully digest the spirit fruit and still fail to make a breakthrough, I will share my insights on attaining the Harmony of Man and Nature with you.”
Bu Yu nodded in agreement. Despite being nearly a hundred years old, she knew she had much to learn from Fang Xia.
Not to mention, Fang Xia’s return, as well as Wu Yuan and Huan Jian’s strength, allowed her to truly be at ease. Even if she went into seclusion for cultivation, she didn’t need to worry about any untoward incidents befalling the sect.
Swoosh! Bu Yu darted swiftly into an alcove. As Fang Xia had mentioned, she didn’t have much time left.
Whoosh! With a flick of his wrist, Fang Xia summoned two beams of light, which coalesced into a shimmering barrier, completely sealing the entrance to the alcove. This barrier served to insulate against any external disturbances.
“Young Master.” Fang Xia abruptly turned to Wu Yuan and smiled. “Rest assured, Bu Yu cannot eavesdrop on our conversation.”
Wu Yuan responded with a slight smile. “What are the chances of Grandmaster Bu Yu achieving a breakthrough?”
Deep down, Wu Yuan truly hoped for Bu Yu to make a breakthrough, for she had sacrificed too much for the Cloudstride Sect.
“A breakthrough? It’s hard to say.” Fang Xia mused thoughtfully. “I understand your sentiments, Young Master. I too hope for her success. The decline of the sect to this point is partly my fault.”
“Her master, Ji Puyu, was just a youngster back in the day.” Fang Xia shook his head. “In the blink of an eye, his disciples have become the pillars of the sect for decades. Such is the unpredictable nature of life.”
“Nevertheless, From an objective standpoint, the likelihood of Bu Yu achieving a breakthrough is less than 30%!” Fang Xia murmured softly. “The time remaining for her is far too brief, and the pressure is immense.”
“The Purplewood Spirit Fruit provides decent support, but it lacks the potency to directly instill the insight of Dao. Even with my assistance, this is a pivotal step towards transcendence on the journey from Integration to Unity, the key to resonating with nature and heaven and earth. It all hinges on her,” stated Fang Xia.
Wu Yuan gave a subtle nod. In the world, there indeed existed some unimaginable treasures. It was a shame that Middle Land was too small to nurture them! The Purplewood Spirit Fruit was the best treasure they could find.
“Fang Xia, how do you plan to construct this array?” Wu Yuan inquired, gesturing toward the vast jade chamber before them.
“The construction of an array cannot be rushed, especially a large-scale defense array like this one.” Fang Xia elaborated slowly. “It requires a meticulous approach. I must first understand the entire layout of Cloudhill and determine the direction of the flow of spirit veins. Then, step by step, refine the array flags and establish a solid foundation for the array. Only then can I piece them together to form a complete and impregnable defense array!”
“It’s that complicated?” Wu Yuan was taken aback. He had never studied arrays before.
“The path of array cultivation is intertwined with the profundity of heaven and earth itself. At its core, it harnesses heaven and earth’s power to kill one’s enemies. How can it not be complicated?” Fang Xia shook his head, “If you really delve into it, it’s no less challenging than the path of equipment forging.”
“Fang Xia, if I understand correctly, aren’t there portable arrays?” Wu Yuan asked, puzzled.
This was something he had learned from an immortal slip, though his understanding was limited.
“That would be an array disk,” Fang Xia clarified. “Arrays can be classified into fixed arrays and portable arrays. A fixed array taps into heaven and earth’s power. It requires less resources, is far more powerful, and is more resilient against disruption,” Fang Xia elaborated. “On the other hand, a portable array relies on an energy source, such as etherstone or ethercrystal, which is infused into the array disk to activate it. An array disk is difficult to construct, its usage consumes a substantial amount of resources, and it lacks adaptability to different terrains. It is rigid in nature and comparatively easier for an array expert to decipher.”
Wu Yuan nodded subtly, recognizing the advantages and disadvantages of each array type. Their applications varied, contingent on the cultivator’s individual preferences and circumstances.
“Of course, there are arrays that encompass elements of both,” Fang Xia added. “Take for instance a qi refiner who cultivates a lifebound array diagram. They etch diverse array symbols into their lifebound array diagram, seamlessly integrating it with their understanding of heaven and earth. Deploying the array is completely effortless, requiring a mere thought.”
“However, while they are competent at utilizing arrays, they naturally find themselves at a disadvantage when it comes to direct combat,” Fang Xia concluded, chuckling softly.
“Lifebound diagram array?” Wu Yuan nodded.
A cultivator’s lifebound object often determined their expertise. For example, a sword immortal refining a lifebound flying sword would possess formidable destructive power! On the other hand, an eldritch warrior refining a lifebound eldritch beast would grow along with the beast, advancing together and battling side by side.
“Young Master, I know what concerns you,” Fang Xia said with a broad smile. “Rest assured, I should be able to lay down a mind confusion array, as well as a monitoring array which is capable of surveying a 100-li radius around Cloudhill, by today.”
“When it is completed, no qi refiner will be able to escape the array’s detection. And when the killing array is laid out, tsk tsk, few Qi Sea cultivators will be able to withstand it,” Fang Xia stated with confidence.
“Young Master, what you need to do now is to concentrate on cultivating. Once you become an eldritch warrior, with you in close combat and me attacking from afar, we shall conquer the world together!”