Chapter 852
Li Chengjun, "Carving an Array with One's Body"
"Junior Li Chengjun pays respects to Master Zixu."
Song Changsheng stood up and carefully examined the person in front of him. He was dressed in a silver moon-colored short robe, eight feet tall, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. He was handsome and otherworldly, with a gentle smile on his angular face. He was a spirited young man who had already reached the Great Perfection of the Purple Mansion realm at less than a hundred years old.
Such innate talent is rare even in the Array Dao Academy, which is full of geniuses. It would be considered top-tier even among Golden Core or Nascent Soul factions.
According to True Monarch Yingyue, the person in front of him is a fourth-order low-grade array master, whose array skills are enough to rank him in the first tier among his peers in the Array Dao Academy.
Such a person is now merely an experiment.
Seeing him, Song Changsheng felt as if he were seeing his former self. They were almost the same age and had almost the same level of cultivation. The only difference was that their backgrounds were worlds apart.
He couldn't help but ask, "Although the 'Self-Carved Array Technique' that I cultivate has been improved many times, it still has many flaws. Not only is it extremely difficult to cultivate, but a single mistake could also lead to life-threatening danger. To date, no one else has successfully cultivated it. Are you sure you want to follow me in cultivating it?"
"You have a bright future ahead of you; there's no need to take such a risk. It's not too late to give up now. I will personally explain the situation to the True Lord."
Upon hearing Song Changsheng's words of "discouraging" him, Li Chengjun did not show any fear on his face. Instead, he smiled slightly and said, "May I ask, if I give up, will I need to find someone else to try?"
After a moment of silence, Song Changsheng slowly said, "Although I don't quite agree with this verification method, it is the plan set by True Monarch Yingyue, and I must abide by it."
"If that's the case, what difference would it make if it were someone else or me?"
Compared to his fellow apprentices, the younger generation has a slightly higher chance of success.
Furthermore, the Master just said that apart from you, no one else has successfully cultivated this method. I know that what you said is definitely true, but in my opinion, the reason why no one has succeeded is because they lack the courage to burn their bridges and not be afraid of death.
"This junior dares to ask you a question. When you first obtained this method, it was far from perfect. You didn't even have a reference. You had to explore and try everything on your own. Under such circumstances, why did you decide to cultivate this method?" Li Chengjun raised his head, calmly looking at Song Changsheng, his eyes gleaming.
Even Song Changsheng was momentarily stunned by this question.
He was only in his early twenties when he began practicing this method. What was he thinking during his seclusion?
At that time, he had the "Creation Manual" by his side and received preferential treatment from the clan's resources. He was about to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage. Even if he cultivated step by step, he would eventually have a place in the cultivation world of the Great Qi. His future was bright. He did not risk his life to cultivate an experimental technique.
So, what kind of force and idea drove him to take the risk?
The environment is unacceptable.
It was the environment and his unwillingness to succumb to despair that sustained him as he took such a huge risk and went all in.
By then, the Song family had lost its former glory and was surrounded by wolves, making it extremely vulnerable.
There's no time left for him to slowly improve, so he needs a stronger trump card that can protect both himself and his family.
At that time, although his cultivation was weak, his ambition was higher than the clouds in the sky.
He was unwilling to be confined to a small corner of the cultivation world of Daqi or even Lingzhou for the rest of his life. He wanted to step onto a bigger stage, and some effort and determination were necessary.
If the "Creation Manual" gave him a ticket, then the "Self-Inscribed Formation" was the source of his confidence that prevented him from being kicked out.
As it turned out, his choice was correct. He not only saved his life several times, but also made a decisive contribution in the Five Academies Grand Competition, gaining fame far and wide.
It took him more than a hundred years to accomplish all of this.
Over the years, many cultivators in the Song clan have developed talent in array formations. He had long ago added "Inscribing Array Formations with One's Body" to the Scripture Pavilion. Many clansmen tried to cultivate it, but none of them succeeded.
Is the Dharma too difficult, or are these members of the Song clan too incompetent?
Probably neither.
Perhaps, as Lee Seong-jun said, it's simply a lack of the courage to burn one's bridges.
Courage won't guarantee success in everything, but without courage, most things are impossible to achieve.
Looking at the spirited young cultivator before him, he said softly, "Because of his dissatisfaction with his fate, and because of his ignorance of the immensity of heaven and earth, he is willing to make some bold attempts."
Our backgrounds are worlds apart, so what are you doing this for?
Upon hearing this, Li Chengjun smiled helplessly and said, "My background is indeed the pinnacle for ordinary people."
But even in the Array Dao Academy, opportunities are reserved for those who are prepared.
This is an opportunity that many people don't dare to take, so I came.
If I succeed, I can stay by the side of True Monarch Yingyue to cultivate. I am willing to give everything for this, even my life.
Moreover, the younger generation isn't necessarily destined to fail.
Song Changsheng nodded silently at his answer. Ultimately, their reasons were the same: they were both just looking for an opportunity.
"In that case, you should prepare yourself and come to my secluded room to see me when you are ready."
After saying that, Song Changsheng turned and left, as he also had many things to prepare in advance.
"Thank you for your kindness, teacher." Li Chengjun bowed deeply with a solemn expression.
Song Changsheng waved his hand without turning his head and said, "It's not too late to call me teacher after you succeed."
"I will definitely succeed!"
……
In less than an hour, Li Chengjun, having finished dealing with everything and having no more worries, reappeared before Song Changsheng.
At this moment, Song Changsheng had also prepared all the materials needed to cultivate the "Self-Carved Array Technique".
Compared to the rather rudimentary materials he used back then, the Array Dao Academy has taken a comprehensive approach, replacing them all with third- or even fourth-tier spiritual materials.
"The key to this method lies in body tempering. Your physique is well tempered, but it is still far from enough."
The saying goes, "Nine forgings make a weapon," meaning that the body must be tempered nine times in the cauldron with different spiritual materials to forge it into a "magical weapon" so that it can withstand the power of the formation.
Your cultivation level was far inferior to mine back then, so nine body tempering sessions were no longer enough. Therefore, several fellow practitioners from the academy and I overturned and reshaped it, increasing the number of body tempering sessions to twelve.
These twelve body-strengthening sessions must be completed in one go, without any pauses in between. You must be mentally prepared for the pain and hardship involved.
"Since you've already made up your mind to face death and burn your bridges, I won't say anything more about giving up. It's all or nothing," Song Changsheng said solemnly.
Li Chengjun, with a cold expression, nodded and said, "Please, Master, proceed with your actions."
For the next half hour, Song Changsheng explained in detail the situation that the engraving array would face and some points that needed attention, without holding back any information and sharing everything he knew.
After the other party has no further questions...
Song Changsheng flicked his finger, sending out a ball of fire that ignited the spiritual charcoal beneath a giant cauldron in the center of the secluded chamber. With a hiss, it burst into a blazing orange-red flame, and the scarlet medicinal liquid that had been placed inside the cauldron immediately began to boil violently.
"Enter the cauldron."
Li Chengjun took a deep breath and slowly stepped into the cauldron.
With his current cultivation level, he could completely ignore the boiling temperature of the medicinal liquid, but the moment his skin came into contact with the medicinal liquid in the cauldron, it felt as if countless worms were crawling into his body through his pores.
His brows furrowed instantly, his expression filled with pain, and his body instinctively gave him an urge to pull his feet out of the hole.
He gritted his teeth, forcefully suppressing the impulse, and resolutely stepped into the cauldron until the boiling scarlet liquid completely submerged him.
"Clang"
With a wave of his hand, Song Changsheng closed the heavy cauldron lid and increased the heat to help Li Chengjun absorb the medicinal power.
In the kitchen, this action is generally referred to as "reducing the sauce over high heat".
Although this description is somewhat inappropriate, the underlying principles are actually quite similar.
From the moment you decide to practice this method, you can forget about receiving the treatment of a "human being".
In just one day, Li Chengjun absorbed most of the medicinal liquid inside the cauldron.
His endurance was also extraordinary. He was boiled for twelve hours in such a painful state, and his body was no different from a cooked shrimp. He didn't utter a sound.
Song Changsheng remained silent, but instead lifted the lid of the cauldron and added dozens more spiritual materials, beginning his second body-forging process.
Li Chengjun's muscles, bones, and even internal organs were constantly breaking and rebuilding during the tempering process. The excruciating pain was so intense that if one's willpower was even slightly weak, their soul might shatter.
He successfully survived, but this was only the second time he had undergone the physical training. Nine more rounds awaited him, and what he was facing now was merely an appetizer.
The further they go, the more medicinal materials they need to use, and the pain and danger increase exponentially.
After ten days, the body-training had been carried out for the fifth time. Li Chengjun could no longer endure it and began to let out extremely suppressed screams.
A month later, the body-training session had finally reached its ninth iteration. Li Chengjun no longer had the strength to scream; he was barely managing to persevere thanks to his extremely tenacious willpower.
In the past, nine times would have been enough, but his starting point was too high, so he had to do at least twelve times.
It would have been almost impossible for him to persevere on his own, but fortunately, the Array Dao Academy had prepared pills to stabilize his soul in advance, which gave him a lot of hope.
Over two months, twelve body-tempering sessions were conducted, using more than 1,800 kinds of spiritual materials.
When Song Changsheng opened the lid of the cauldron and pulled Li Chengjun out, he had already fainted and was like a lump of mud.
The Moon Reflecting True Monarch appeared behind him without him noticing, and asked in a deep voice, "What's the situation?"
"Still alive. The first step has been successfully completed. Next, it's time to inscribe the formation."
Looking at the unconscious Li Chengjun, Song Changsheng couldn't help but feel a hint of admiration in his eyes.
Compared to him back then, Li Chengjun endured at least ten times more pain, and he never stopped to rest during that time. It was truly remarkable that he was able to persevere.
Of course, this doesn't mean he had it easy back then. After all, he was only at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining, while Li Chengjun was already at the Great Perfection of Purple Mansion, a difference of more than tenfold. "What kind of formation do you plan to have him inscribe?" Song Changsheng asked Yingyue Zhenjun curiously.
"Regarding the [Impermanent Killing Array] left by Yunxuan, you will guide him. I will stay and observe the whole process."
"As ordered."
Li Chengjun had been on the verge of death more than once, and was unconscious for a full half month before waking up. After resting for several days, he once again appeared in front of Song Changsheng, looking refreshed and energetic.
"The next step is to inscribe array patterns into the body, which is far more dangerous than body tempering."
It involves multiple aspects such as the lower and middle dantian, meridians, bones, and acupoints.
A single mistake could result in anything from a ruptured dantian and the complete dissipation of one's cultivation to death.
The palace has prepared a "Heart-Protecting Pill" for you, which can buy you at least two hours in critical moments. You should place it in your mouth beforehand, and you will need to decide for yourself when to use it.
Once you start, you must finish it in one go, without interruption. Do you understand?
“I am ready.” Lee Sung-joon’s gaze remained firm.
"Okay, now do as I say, relax your whole body, concentrate your mind, focus your energy, and regulate your breathing rhythm."
"Concentrate your divine sense into a carving knife, starting from the bones..."
Under Song Changsheng's guidance, Li Chengjun began to inscribe array patterns.
From this point onward, there is a significant difference between him and when he first began his cultivation.
The version that Li Chengjun practiced was a fusion of the version developed by He Yunxuan and the Array Dao Academy. Compared to the previous version, it was much more sophisticated and naturally not on the same level.
It took a full nine hours for all 206 bones on his body to be "carved" with array patterns.
Of course, this "carving" is not a carving in the true sense; it is merely leaving a trace on it with one's divine sense, which can be changed at any time.
Next come the more dangerous acupoints. The human body has nine orifices and seven hundred and twenty acupoints. In the record of "Inscribing Formations with the Body", these acupoints and acupoints are compared to battle flags.
To inscribe a particular magic array, one connects these acupoints and acupoints according to the array's rules to form the array base.
The bridge connecting them is naturally the human body's own bones and blood vessels.
Go through the twelve regular meridians, the eight extraordinary meridians, and the fifteen collateral meridians one by one.
Yingxiang, Chengjiang, Jinjin, Yuye...
Under Song Changsheng's guidance, Li Chengjun connected the acupoints one by one with array patterns, resembling a shining star map. In the end, all the array patterns converged on the Guanyuan and Shenque acupoints.
His experience helped Li Chengjun avoid many risks, and the method had been optimized, making the whole structure more reasonable. Therefore, the process went surprisingly smoothly, and even the [Heart Protection Pill] that had been prepared in advance was not needed.
Moreover, there is a very crucial point: due to the limitations of his cultivation level, He Yunxuan only used the Guanyuan acupoint as the array's core. Now, by adding the Shenque acupoint, he has mitigated a significant portion of the risk.
"buzz"
The instant all the array patterns were connected, his bones and the acupoints that were linked together burst forth with a dazzling light, so bright that it even penetrated his flesh and skin.
From the outside, Li Chengjun appeared to be enveloped in a radiant light.
His internal magical power surged wildly, and an invisible domain expanded outward from Li Chengjun, with gray-white sword energy swirling around him, radiating an astonishing aura.
"It's done." Song Changsheng breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Li Chengjun did not open his eyes, but carefully felt the wonderful changes occurring in his body.
"Try to fully activate the array within your body," Song Changsheng said softly.
"Om..."
The [Impermanent Killing Array] instantly unfolded, covering an area of hundreds of feet around it, with a sharp killing intent filling every corner.
Upon seeing this, Song Changsheng's eyes lit up. This was the "Array Dao Domain" that He Yunxuan had envisioned before his death. He had exhausted his lifespan back then and didn't have time to realize it. But hundreds of years later, it had finally been realized, and it was in the Array Dao Academy that he had longed for day and night.
Previously, the formation was contained, and its full power could not be unleashed.
Now the formation can be fully deployed, truly allowing one to carry a formation with them, posing a continuous threat to the enemy, no longer a one-off deal like before.
"Activate the formation and attack me with all your might."
"As ordered."
Li Chengjun activated the formation with all his might. In an instant, a series of booming sounds emanated from his body. The spiritual energy within the formation's coverage area was instantly drained. A sharp killing intent condensed into a ten-foot-long sword aura and slashed out with lightning speed.
Although they were so close, Song Changsheng simply stretched out one hand, and to Li Chengjun's astonishment, his two fingers actually "clamped" the sword energy.
Sword energy has no physical form, so normally such an absurd scene would not be possible. However, as Song Changsheng stretched out his hand, he used spatial power to compress the space around the sword energy to an extreme degree, forcibly "condensing" the sword energy together, making it look as if it had a physical form.
Song Changsheng tightened his fingers slightly, easily shattering the sword energy. He then smoothed out the space around him and nodded slightly, saying, "Not bad. You've fully unleashed the power of this great formation, and judging from your condition, the consumption doesn't seem to be too great?"
As a fourth-tier low-grade array master, Li Chengjun's inscribed array was naturally also a fourth-tier low-grade [Impermanent Killing Array]. Its power was naturally not enough to extract all the mana in the body at once, but the difference was at most about 20%.
Most importantly, the energy consumption has been greatly reduced. The array can draw on the surrounding spiritual energy to launch multiple attacks, and it can also control the power of the attack when activated, which the original version could not do.
"There is one more technique, please try it, teacher."
Li Chengjun shouted, and all the magic power in his body surged into the formation. The [Impermanent Killing Formation], which had been fully deployed, contracted in an instant, and a gray sword aura was instantly slashed out, which actually burst out with power far exceeding that of the previous attack.
"Wow..."
This time, Song Changsheng was not as relaxed as before. He pointed his fingers like a sword and made a light slash in the air, which opened a dark crack in the space and directly swallowed the menacing sword energy.
Upon seeing this, Li Chengjun rolled his eyes, his aura plummeted, and he collapsed to the ground like a rag doll.
Song Changsheng was all too familiar with this scene; he had experienced it several times before. It was a sign of exhaustion caused by over-activating the formation. Judging from the current situation, it would take at least several hours to recover his mobility.
Song Changsheng looked at Yingyue Zhenjun beside him and said, "The power of the two times is at least 50% different. Even a Golden Core cultivator in the early stage can suffer a loss if he is not careful."
If facing a cultivator of the same level, it could almost certainly deliver a decisive blow. With such power, I wonder if True Lord is satisfied?
"The integration is not bad, but if that's all there is to it, the academy wouldn't have gone to such lengths."
Cheng Jun is an outstanding young talent. If even he finds cultivation so difficult, it goes without saying that it is even more difficult for others. The applicability of this method is too low.
Furthermore, compared to the risks involved in cultivating this method, the rewards are too low, and it also severely tests a cultivator's array formation skills.
Therefore, our focus should now be on reducing risk and increasing returns.
"I wonder if True Lord has any instructions?" Song Changsheng naturally knew that his current achievements were not yet worthy of True Lord Yingyue's attention, so he quickly and humbly asked for guidance.
True Monarch Yingyue slowly spoke, "One formation is not enough."
Upon hearing this, Song Changsheng had a flash of inspiration and recalled the scene he had witnessed when he first arrived at the Array Dao Academy: a Foundation Establishment cultivator had inscribed an Anti-Gravity Array on his hand, which enabled him to lift a cauldron far exceeding his own capabilities.
The Array Dao Academy initially focused on miniaturized arrays, and after numerous verifications, it has achieved great success and is gradually being promoted within the academy.
"You mean to miniaturize the array and then simultaneously inscribe multiple arrays within the body to form a chain array?"
"good."
Song Changsheng frowned slightly and said, "But the spiritual energy circulating in the world and the mana within a cultivator's body are both limited. There are too many formations, so it's definitely not enough to supply them all."
"Don't limit your thinking. Since your own magical power is limited, why can't you carry an external energy source with you?"
You should be able to see that inside this floating island beneath our feet lies a massive energy core, which is the energy source that sustains all the formations on the island.
Rumors circulate that this is a spirit stone even larger than a meteorite, possessing a continuous flow of spiritual energy.
This statement may sound ridiculous, but it is very close to the truth.
The mistake is that this is not a spirit stone, but it is indeed a man-made product that can accumulate a large amount of spiritual energy. If it is miniaturized, it will be enough to solve the problem of insufficient magic power.
Therefore, unleash your imagination; none of the problems you perceive are problems at all. The academy possesses ample technological reserves. "The Moon Reflection True Monarch said calmly.
For a moment, Song Changsheng felt as if he had been looked down upon.
However, he was indeed limited by existing ways of thinking.
There was no way around it; the Array Dao Academy had too much foundation. He had never fought such a rich battle in his entire life.
He took a deep breath and said, "I understand, and I will do my best to cooperate."
He was very clear about his own position. The Array Dao Academy had no shortage of array masters, and there were many who were more skilled than him.
Therefore, all he needed to do was come up with the ideas and work with Li Chengjun as a tool; the specific implementation would naturally be handled by others.
He was still very much looking forward to it. If he could really combine several formations within his body, the upper limit of "Inscribing Formations with the Body" would be greatly increased, full of infinite possibilities.
However, this is easier said than done; there are still many hurdles to overcome, and they have a long way to go...
While Song Changsheng and his wife were still at the Array Dao Academy and had not yet returned, an urgent message was sent directly from Luoxia City to the Twin Islands, in duplicate, one copy placed in front of Zhan Tianxia and the other in front of Song Qingxing…
……
P.S.: Sorry to keep you all waiting. Today's chapter is a long one of 6,200 words. I still owe 14,000 words. (End of Chapter)