Chapter 851
The Third Killing Formation Under Heaven
"You want to know the answer?" The elder guarding the pavilion did not directly refuse him, but instead asked him a question in return.
Before Song Changsheng could respond, he said to himself, "The answer you are looking for is in the Star-Picking Tower. However, I don't know where it is. It's probably on the first hundred floors. You can go and find it yourself when you have time."
However, whether you can enter the Star-Picking Tower next time depends entirely on your own abilities.
As soon as he finished speaking, his figure disappeared again, leaving Song Changsheng full of questions.
This is the main reason why he is unwilling to contact these senior experts; he only tells three parts and leaves seven parts unsaid, relying entirely on his own understanding and guesswork.
They may have reasons for doing so, but communicating with them is exhausting, and not getting accurate answers only deepens their doubts.
Song Changsheng raised his head and looked up at the top of his head, his gaze seemingly trying to penetrate the layers of barriers and see through the Star-Picking Tower.
The time was too short, and his strength was still far from sufficient. Without relying on the power of the [Insightful Eye], he simply could not reach that level.
In just a few days, it was of great help and inspiration to him.
This is the charm of the Star-Picking Tower, a paradise for array masters. No one can resist its allure. No matter what level of array master you are, you can reap sufficient rewards.
For a formation master like Song Changsheng, who came from a "remote and impoverished area," it goes without saying that many of the theories here are very advanced. Not to mention in the border regions, even many formation masters north of the Tianshan Mountains have never come into contact with them.
He only regretted that the time was too short. If he could, he would have liked to stay there forever and stuff all the classics into his mind.
But as Elder Shouge said, the law should not be kept to oneself, nor should it be easily passed on. This is not only because one is worried about entrusting it to the wrong person, but also because one does not want knowledge to become "cheap," as cheap things are often not cherished.
According to the elder who was guarding the palace, anyone who can enter the Array Dao Academy is qualified to enter the Star-Picking Tower.
To enter the Array Dao Academy, one must undergo trials; the higher one's cultivation level, the higher the threshold.
They were invited by True Lord Yingyue this time, so they skipped the test, which can be considered a shortcut. Next time they want to enter the Star-Picking Tower, they will have to accept the test.
This is also what Elder Shouge meant in his last sentence: to reach the hundredth floor, one needs at least a fifth or even sixth level of array formation mastery.
The other party's refusal to tell him clearly stemmed from the belief that his current cultivation level was insufficient or unworthy of engaging in such matters. Song Changsheng could only helplessly accept this, as his Golden Core cultivation was indeed insufficient in the eyes of this person.
"Elder, I also wish to leave a legacy for future generations. Do I have the qualifications?" Song Changsheng suddenly said loudly, instantly attracting the attention of everyone on the first floor. They all stared at him with surprise or curiosity, as if they had seen some rare creature.
The elder's voice drifted from somewhere, saying, "Everyone is qualified. After summarizing it, just put it on the front desk. There will be someone in charge."
Song Changsheng took out a brand-new jade slip from his sleeve and placed it on the front desk as instructed. This jade slip contained all his insights into the Dao of Arrays. The Song family also had a copy. Although it was just his insights, it would be sought after by countless array masters in the outside world.
For ordinary array masters, they would almost never pass on their techniques to outsiders, let alone reveal them publicly.
Those who are truly selfless are ultimately in the minority; it is more common to cherish what one has.
He didn't make this decision on a whim. After seeing those images, he was inspired by the spirit of his predecessors. So, he took some time in the past few days to summarize his insights into the Dao of Formations, hoping to emulate his predecessors and do his part.
This is a meaningful thing; a person should always leave something behind in their lifetime.
As soon as the jade slip was placed on the front desk, the surrounding space distorted, and a slightly illusory but clearly defined golden figure appeared in front of him. The jade slip merged directly into its body, and then it looked at Song Changsheng, bowed to him and said, "I am the spirit of the Star-Picking Tower, Zhen Xin."
Thank you for your contribution to passing on the torch of humankind's martial arts; history will forever remember you.
As soon as he finished speaking, all the other cultivators on the first floor, regardless of their location, bowed respectfully towards Song Changsheng's position.
Song Changsheng was a little surprised. He did not expect that his action would earn everyone's respect, and he quickly returned the greeting.
He never had the idea of hoarding his own possessions; it was just a trivial matter to him, but obviously others didn't think so.
He couldn't help but look at Zhen Xin and ask, "I wonder how many people like me have there been in the last hundred years?"
Upon hearing this, Zhen Xin held up three fingers and said, "Besides my students and mentors, there are three of us including you."
"There are only three of us, including me..." Song Changsheng murmured softly.
In a hundred years, there must have been at least several hundred people qualified to ascend this building. He didn't know if the others here had seen those scenes, but they probably had. However, before him, only two people were willing to leave behind their own legacy.
They accepted the legacy of their predecessors, but had no intention of leaving anything for future generations.
Zhen Xin smiled slightly and said, "Actually, even going back five hundred years, it's still less than double digits."
Apart from the one you saw, the vast majority of the scriptures and classics here were collected and provided by scholars and tutors within the palace. We have accumulated a rich legacy for future generations.
Are we on guard against something?
"It's just a matter of preparing for the future and waiting for that day to come. It's a road with no end. Thank you again for your contribution to passing on the torch of the human race's array-based path."
After saying that, Zhenxin's figure gradually disappeared.
Song Changsheng still didn't know what Zhenxin meant by that day, but he felt inexplicably at ease.
Stepping out of the Star-Picking Tower, they found the elegant young woman who had led them there was already waiting outside.
“True Lord Yingyue has returned to the palace and is now residing in Yingyue Palace. If you have time now, you are welcome to visit him directly.”
"Where is my wife now?"
"Your beloved has made great progress in the Valley of Absolute Sound and is currently undergoing enlightenment. There are dedicated protectors in the palace, so you need not worry," the young woman replied respectfully but not obsequiously.
"Thank you for leading the way, fellow Daoist."
Leaving the Star-Picking Tower, Song Changsheng passed through several array barriers and arrived at an area completely isolated by a large array. Before his eyes was a huge azure lake, and in the center of the lake stood a magnificent palace.
If viewed from above, it looks like a sapphire set on a floating island.
The palace plaque bears the three characters "Yingyue Palace" in bold, elegant calligraphy.
"That is Yingyue Palace. Please make yourself at home, guest."
Watching the other party leave, Song Changsheng was not in a hurry to go over, but instead carefully examined Yingyue Zhenjun's dojo.
There are no spiritual veins beneath the floating island of the Array Dao Academy, but the spiritual energy inside is extremely abundant, even more so than that in Gaoyang City, the capital of the Great Zhen Immortal Dynasty, though not as exaggerated as the Five-Flower Grotto-Heaven. Overall, it is an environment suitable for most cultivators to cultivate and live in.
This is almost the highest level of achievement that human beings can attain.
However, this is far from enough for a Nascent Soul True Monarch, which is why the concept of blessed lands and grotto heavens arose.
The dojo in front of us can be classified as such. The environment has been specially modified. The spiritual energy is far less concentrated than outside, but it is filled with a large amount of law power. Even just standing here and breathing makes one feel completely comfortable.
The lake in front of him was not ordinary lake water, but a specially prepared spiritual liquid. If it weren't for the occasion, he would have liked to fill it with some. Whether for alchemy or irrigating spiritual fields, it was an excellent treasure.
"Take some if you want them. They're just sitting there anyway, no need to keep staring at them."
A clear and melodious voice rang in his ears. Song Changsheng looked up and found that True Monarch Yingyue had already walked out of the hall at some point.
"Greetings, True Lord Yingyue."
"I am but a country bumpkin with limited knowledge, and I couldn't help myself for a moment. Please forgive my rudeness, True Lord." Song Changsheng said this, but his hands honestly took out a jade bottle with an inner space. He didn't know if the other party had heard his thoughts, but since the other party had spoken, there was no need for him to pretend to refuse. It would be foolish not to take advantage of a good deal. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
To a True Lord, this is just ordinary lake water, perhaps only serving a decorative and embellishing purpose. But if it is taken back to the Song family, this spiritual liquid, rich in spiritual energy and the power of laws, can irrigate hundreds of acres of spiritual fields and improve the quality of a large number of spiritual pills.
"This is a reward for leaving behind the legacy of array formations. You are the third person in the last hundred years. This is very good."
"I was right about you. You can indeed become a friend of the Array Dao Academy," said True Monarch Yingyue calmly.
She used the weighty word "friend," and for a moment, Song Changsheng was quite flattered. He quickly replied, "You flatter me, True Lord. Compared to the benefits I have received in the Star-Picking Tower, what is my meager contribution?"
"Hehe, that's true in theory, but not everyone in this world has a grateful heart."
"Come in, let's have a good talk." True Monarch Yingyue turned and walked into the main hall, and Song Changsheng quickly followed.
The store was simply furnished and had a faint sandalwood scent, but a huge ball of light floating in the center immediately caught his attention.
He could sense that it was a supreme treasure of the laws, no less powerful than the Jade Cleansing Sword at its peak. It was perfectly integrated into the surrounding space, and if it weren't emitting light, its existence would be completely imperceptible.
With a wave of his hand, True Monarch Yingyue summoned a bright yellow, ancient-looking futon and gestured for Song Changsheng to sit down, saying, "I have discussed this with the other elders in the palace. Although your current cultivation direction is somewhat extreme, it can be an excellent means of self-defense in certain situations."
Therefore, we decided to eliminate the dross and retain the essence, and merge the two cultivation directions.
Therefore, we now need you to summarize your findings. If necessary, we may also need to guide the students we have selected in their cultivation. We will have a dedicated team of array masters to follow up, summarize and compare the advantages and disadvantages of the two methods. Can you accept this?”
"I can accept it completely, I just don't know when it will start."
These were all minor issues for Song Changsheng; there was nothing he couldn't accept.
"You can do it now. I will take full responsibility for this matter. Show me the array engraved in your body. Remember, do not hide anything, not even the slightest bit, as it may affect the final result."
I hope you understand the seriousness of this matter.
"This junior understands." Song Changsheng nodded solemnly and suddenly circulated the magic power within his body.
In an instant, golden light emanated from his body, and clear array patterns appeared on his skin.
A bright light gleamed in Yingyue Zhenjun's eyes as she looked him up and down, taking in the [Impermanence Killing Array] that he had inscribed in his body. She couldn't help but say, "This array of yours looks somewhat familiar. Is it the [Impermanence Killing Array] that Yunxuan created himself?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Do you know the basis upon which Yunxuan created this formation?" True Monarch Yingyue asked meaningfully.
Song Changsheng pondered for a moment and said, "Senior He once said that the inspiration came from an ancient killing formation."
"Indeed, this killing formation is called the Third Killing Formation in the World. This formation was not created by man, but is a supreme killing formation that existed since the beginning of time. It was infamous in ancient times, but unfortunately it has long been lost."
What Yunxuan saw back then was a remnant of his formation.
In fact, the reason why Yunxuan's path to enlightenment was hindered was related to this broken formation. The killing aura of this formation was too strong. Yunxuan's cultivation was low. Although he only caught a glimpse of it, he was still hurt by the killing aura. Therefore, his cultivation was hindered and he had to go to the outside world to train and seek a breakthrough.
Unfortunately, this departure was forever. A genius who had not yet fully realized his potential perished, which is a great loss to the world of formations.
"If Yunxuan were still alive, 'Inscribing Formations with One's Body' would probably have been completed and published long ago, and the Star-Picking Tower would have another masterpiece." True Monarch Yingyue's tone revealed a hint of barely perceptible regret.
The Array Dao Academy has never lacked geniuses, but most of them are just following the map and step by step in the footsteps of their predecessors.
He may be able to grow quickly, but if he does not break through his existing foundation, his achievements will be extremely limited; the end point of his predecessors will be his peak.
Therefore, those with pioneering and innovative abilities, like He Yunxuan, are the rarest geniuses in the Array Dao Academy and even the entire human cultivation world.
Unfortunately, he was wounded by the killing intent of the "Third Killing Formation in the World" after just one glance, and died young in the borderlands, leaving no trace of his body.
Most regrettably, no one discovered his talent before his death, which led to him not receiving enough attention while he was in the Array Dao Academy.
If they had paid more attention to him back then, if they had provided him with more help, he might not have had to travel to a remote border region and ultimately die from severe injuries.
No one knows what kind of feeling Yingyue Zhenjun had when she accidentally found He Yunxuan's manuscript in the Zhaixing Tower.
This became a regret, a lesson she kept in mind.
The main reason she was able to see through Song Changsheng's true nature at a glance was because of this. From that moment on, she was determined to bring Song Changsheng back to the Array Dao Academy.
Song Changsheng's focus was different, because he heard a familiar term.
"【The Third Killing Formation Under Heaven】, a legendary supreme killing formation possessing the power to slay immortals?"
"Indeed, if it weren't for this rumor, the Four Great Killing Formations would not have been destroyed by the immortals, which is a great loss to the world of formations."
Upon hearing this, Song Changsheng nodded in agreement.
Legend has it that when the world was created, the universe was not stable at the beginning. As a result, the four poles of the world, driven by the Heavenly Dao, gave rise to four killing formations to suppress the barriers of the world.
Later, after the world returned to normal, these four killing formations disappeared.
However, in the ancient times, a genius of unparalleled talent emerged. He was not human, but a unique innate being. He was the first person to cultivate to the pinnacle of this world. When he ascended to immortality, his primordial spirit roamed the void and observed the four killing formations hidden in the four poles outside the world barrier.
At that time, there was no concept of formations; he simply instinctively sensed their extraordinary nature, which coincided with the principles of the universe.
Therefore, he used his own immortal power to completely copy the four killing formations and scattered them to all corners of the world.
Later, these four great formations were acquired by different beings, thus creating four supreme experts.
From that moment on, the four killing formations were collectively known as the "Four Great Killing Formations of the World"!
Unfortunately, it was destroyed by the second True Immortal before his ascension because of the phrase "the power to slay immortals".
The fragments of those destroyed formations scattered in all directions, transforming into the seeds of the Dao of Formations.
Throughout history, countless array masters have lamented this. The Four Great Killing Arrays are arrays of the Heavenly Dao, undoubtedly the strongest killing arrays below the Immortal Realm, and the ultimate pursuit of all array masters.
Several eras have passed, and the original fragments have long been lost in endless scrambles, with only the legends continuing.
And now, True Monarch Yingyue actually told him that the Array Dao Academy still possesses a remnant of the [Third Killing Array in the World].
Even if it's just a remnant formation, it's still an extraordinary existence.
The Moon Reflection True Lord looked at him calmly and said indifferently, "That incomplete array is now in the Myriad Array Cave Heaven of my palace. If the 'Inscription of Arrays with One' technique can be successfully integrated, you will need to inscribe the array again when you start cultivating. I will allow you to enter the Myriad Array Cave Heaven."
What kind of formation you can inscribe depends entirely on your own fate.
Song Changsheng was shocked and quickly bowed, saying, "Thank you, True Lord!"
……
P.S.: Another long chapter of 5,000 words today. I still owe 16,000 words. I originally wanted to write 6,000, but I didn't have enough time, so I'll leave it for tomorrow. I'll try to update 7,000 words tomorrow. (End of this chapter)