Chapter 1033: Forgot Something

For different cultivators to form a formation, the first prerequisite is that their spiritual energies must be connected. Spiritual energy, being intangible and unique to each individual, makes connecting with one another naturally very difficult.

Therefore, many large sects designate a group of cultivators specifically for practicing formations. These individuals typically have decent, but not exceptional, aptitudes. If their aptitude were too low, their cultivation would be insufficient, rendering formations useless. However, if their aptitude were too high, they would be better off focusing on solo cultivation to advance their own strength rather than spending time on formation practice.

Generally, such roles are filled by those who are neither outstanding nor lacking within their respective sects. Once they form a formation, they can unleash power beyond their individual capabilities, thereby enhancing their sect's foundation and strength.

On the front lines of the conflict between the two major factions within the Nine Provinces, formations are rarely seen. This is because casualties are frequent there; painstakingly practiced formations can suffer losses in a single major battle, rendering all previous efforts meaningless.

Thus, while formations are very useful, they often demand significant manpower, energy, and time. As a result, few cultivators in the Nine Provinces are willing to dedicate themselves to practicing them.

But what if there was something in this world that could easily facilitate the connection of cultivators' spiritual energies, without requiring extensive practice or deep mutual reliance and trust?

Then, formations could be effortlessly established to fend off enemies. The Spiritual Kinship Formation Plate is precisely such an auxiliary item.

It must be said that Feng Wujiang's experience was broader than Lu Ye's. Lu Ye's original intention when crafting the Spiritual Kinship Formation Plate was for cultivators within its range to lend each other strength, only later realizing it could be used to form actual formations.

However, Feng Wujiang immediately saw the item's greatest potential.

It wasn't merely for lending strength, but primarily for assisting cultivators in forming formations. Moreover, using this item to form a formation could potentially yield better results than simple formation practice, because cultivators within the formation could still lend each other strength.

If cultivators were likened to individual components, the Spiritual Kinship Formation Plate could effortlessly interlock them, creating an inseparable whole.

It's fair to say that the emergence of such an item could play an incalculable role in large-scale battles!

With enough Spiritual Kinship Formation Plates, the overall strength of the Blood Sanctum could be boosted by at least 30%, perhaps even more.

This was critically important given the Blood Sanctum's current predicament.

Over several decades, the Blood Sanctum couldn't cultivate many exceptionally powerful experts. However, due to its vast population base, numerous human cultivators had emerged, including those at the Cloud River and True Lake realms. The Spiritual Kinship Formation Plate was perfectly suited for them.

"Is this item difficult to craft?" Feng Wujiang asked gravely.

"Not difficult," Lu Ye replied, shaking his head.

Crafting the formation plate itself was not hard, and imprinting the Spiritual Kinship Spirit Pattern within it was even easier.

"I'll take this for now to study it," Feng Wujiang said, standing up. "Junior brother, please rest. I'll come back to speak with you later."

The appearance of the Spiritual Kinship Formation Plate clearly excited Feng Wujiang, who was eager to have his subordinates craft many more to prepare for the upcoming major battle.

After these instructions, he soared into the sky and flew off in one direction.

Lu Ye's words, already on the tip of his tongue, could only be swallowed. He wanted to tell his senior brother that while crafting the item wasn't difficult for him, it might not be the case for others.

This was because the item's core was not the formation plate itself, but the spirit pattern. Such a complex spirit pattern could not be easily imprinted during crafting by just anyone.

Moments after his senior brother left, a man in green robes approached, cupped his fist, and bowed. "My Lord," he said, "the Sacred Lord has instructed me to escort you to your resting place."

Lu Ye nodded slightly. "Lead the way."

A short while later, he was led by the green-robed man into a grand hall and settled in.

For the past six months or so, he had been traveling ceaselessly. Had he not encountered Jian Guhong and others at the end, he would likely have needed another month of travel to reach the Divine Abode Sea.

He was indeed quite weary.

After meditating for a short while in the quiet room, Lu Ye suddenly opened his eyes.

He had a persistent feeling that he had forgotten something, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't recall what it was. He decided to let it go, assuming it would come back to him when it was supposed to.

At the foot of the mountain, Dao Thirteen was peacefully asleep with his head bowed. When he opened his eyes, Lu Ye was nowhere to be seen. He stood up, scratched his head, and unsure what to do, just stood there like a wooden post, waiting.

His thinking was simple: if he couldn't find Lu Ye, Lu Ye would eventually find him. It must be said that a low level of intelligence isn't always a bad thing; at least it brings freedom from worry.

Meanwhile, somewhere beneath the Sacred Mountain, clanging sounds echoed. Mostly burly men, stripped to the waist, toiled sweatily here. The surrounding environment was filled with rolling heatwaves, and scorching flames erupted occasionally.

This was the Holy Land's artifact forging workshop, dedicated to crafting spirit treasures for the great cultivators of the Divine Sea Realm.

Feng Wujiang stood beside a lean old man. Like Jian Guhong and the others, the old man had white hair and beard. Though his physique was gaunt, his bare torso showed distinct, well-defined muscles. In his hand, he held a hammer larger than his own head.

In his other hand, he held the formation plate Feng Wujiang had brought from Lu Ye. He silently probed the plate's internal structure, simultaneously activating his divine sense and spirit artifact.

The lean old man was named Ouyang Zi. He wasn't from a sect master or grandmaster background. Three hundred years ago, he had been the chief artifact forger of the Heavenly Mechanism Merchant Alliance, having crafted countless exquisite spirit treasures throughout his life.

Not only was he from the Heavenly Mechanism Merchant Alliance, but most of the other artifact forgers gathered there also hailed from it. Although they all possessed considerable cultivation, they had rarely, if ever, engaged in combat.

After sensing for a long time, Ouyang Zi finally opened his eyes, his expression grave.

Feng Wujiang immediately asked, "Senior, can this item be mass-produced?"

Ouyang Zi glanced at him, weighed the hammer in his hand, and silently estimated the power gap between himself and Feng Wujiang. He then abandoned the idea of hitting him with the hammer, and frowned, asking, "Where did the Sacred Lord find this thing?"

How could something like this be mass-produced? Among the entire forging workshop, he was likely the only one capable of crafting it, and even then, the success rate would be extremely low.

"Is something amiss?" Feng Wujiang noticed Ouyang Zi's unusual expression.

"The crafting technique for this formation plate is a bit unrefined, but it's clearly from a lineage. The crafter must have received guidance from a remarkable master. What puzzles me, however, is how such a crafting skill could imprint such a complex spirit pattern within the plate."

Ouyang Zi, having spent his life in artifact forging, naturally possessed keen insight. Lu Ye's crafting technique was indeed unrefined; to Ouyang Zi, the formation plate was essentially a flawed product with many imperfections, yet it was still usable. However, purely from the crafting technique, it was evident that the crafter had been mentored by a very skilled artifact forger.

But the key to this item was not the formation plate itself, but the spirit pattern it contained.

His recent examination had truly left him astonished by the spirit pattern's complexity and precision.

He had never heard of or seen such a spirit pattern before and had no idea what its purpose was. If he were simply to use spiritual energy to construct that pattern, he conservatively estimated a 30% chance of success.

However, trying to imprint that spirit pattern into the formation plate while crafting it simultaneously? Forget 30%, there wouldn't even be a 0.5% chance; it would be almost impossible to succeed.

"Who crafted this formation plate?" Ouyang Zi asked. He assumed no one in the Holy Land could have made it, which made him curious.

"My junior brother crafted it."

"The Sacred Lord's junior brother?" Ouyang Zi was bewildered, having never heard that the Sacred Lord had a junior brother.

"He's from the Nine Provinces."

Ouyang Zi suddenly understood. "The Heavenly Mechanism has sent more people here from the Nine Provinces?" And at this particular time.

Instantly, many thoughts ran through his mind.

"Your junior brother is very skilled in the art of artifact forging. If it's convenient, Sacred Lord, could you bring him to me? There are some things I'd like to consult him about."

Primarily, he wanted to see for himself how the Sacred Lord's junior brother managed to successfully imprint that spirit pattern into the formation plate.

Feng Wujiang was surprised. "If senior wishes to see him, I'll bring him over later. Perhaps you could also offer him some guidance."

This was somewhat unbelievable. Feng Wujiang knew that Ouyang Zi was the most formidable artifact forger he had ever met. Ouyang Zi also held himself in high regard in this field and had never been heard to consult anyone before.

"Senior, so this item cannot be mass-produced?" Feng Wujiang asked again, sensing something unusual in Ouyang Zi's tone.

Ouyang Zi couldn't help but weigh the hammer in his hand. "I can't even craft this item myself, let alone mass-produce it."

Feng Wujiang was stunned. "Even senior cannot craft it?"

Ouyang Zi explained, "The formation plate is simple to craft, but I cannot imprint the spirit pattern within it."

It was simply too complex; it would require an immense amount of time to study and practice, and even then, the success rate wouldn't significantly improve.

As he walked out of the forging workshop, Feng Wujiang's brows furrowed in thought.

Something was wrong. His junior brother had clearly said this item wasn't difficult to craft, so why did Senior Ouyang Zi say he couldn't make it?

It made no sense that his junior brother's forging skill would be superior to Ouyang Zi's.

He wanted to go and clarify the matter immediately, but considering Lu Ye had traveled a long way and was likely resting, he decided not to rush.

It wasn't until the next day that Lu Ye suddenly remembered he was missing someone.

He quickly headed down the mountain to search.

He found Dao Thirteen standing there, motionless.

Sensing Lu Ye's presence, Dao Thirteen immediately looked up, a resentful expression on his face.

Lu Ye gave him a meaningful glance, and Dao Thirteen followed him closely.

Back on the peak, he wasn't sure how to find his senior brother. There were few buildings on the mountaintop, only a few grand halls and several side rooms. It seemed that the cultivators from the Nine Provinces were not residing there.

The man in green robes from yesterday was still there, so Lu Ye stepped forward and asked, "Where is the Sacred Lord?"

The green-robed man replied, "The Sacred Lord has gone to inspect the defensive fortifications on the surrounding islands. Before leaving, he instructed that if My Lord was well-rested, you should wait for him on the Sacred Mountain."