Lu Ye naturally wouldn't activate his Talent Tree here to absorb the power of the ground fire. It would be highly inappropriate to do so, especially since he was kindly brought here to forge formation flags. That would be akin to poaching from someone else's resources.
The forge quickly glowed red. Old Bai raised his hand and dropped a metal ingot into it, taking the opportunity to test Lu Ye: "How are materials generally chosen for forging formation flags and bases?"
"Typically, one should choose metals that are light and sturdy, while also possessing excellent conductivity for spiritual power. Honeycomb Steel and Dark Iron are the most common materials. Additionally, if needed, the flag surface can be crafted from demon beast hide..." Lu Ye recalled Bai Qian's previous teachings and spoke fluently.
Bai Qian nodded in satisfaction, then asked a few more questions, all of which Lu Ye answered promptly.
"Theory, after all, is just theory," Bai Qian remarked. "One must not only grasp these theories but also possess the ability to implement them; otherwise, it remains mere talk on paper." The metal ingot Bai Qian had thrown into the forge quickly melted into a molten liquid. He channeled his spiritual power, reached in, and instantly pulled out the glowing hot liquid. Under the precise control of his spiritual power, the mass of liquid immediately began to transform into the shape of a formation flag.
"When you have a strong enough command over your spiritual power, you can refine formation flags without external aids. If not, you can use a mold." As he spoke, he placed the scorching liquid into a mold cavity on the forging platform, a mold specifically designed for formation flags. After a brief cooling period, Bai Qian removed the rough flag blank, picked up a hammer, and struck downwards.
With a single hammer blow, Lu Ye seemed to hear a rapid succession of strikes, but many of the impacts blended together, making it difficult for him to discern individual sounds.
"Whether refining formation flags or spirit artifacts, a very strong command over one's own power is essential. The primary reason formation flags and spirit artifacts function is due to the restrictions (sigils) engraved within them. Without these restrictions, no matter how precious the material, it's just an empty shell. An excellent artifact refiner can alter the internal structure of a spirit artifact during the forging and refining process to form these restrictions. Some refiners can even forge the artifact blank from one material and then create the restrictions using a different material, combining the two to enhance the artifact's power. However, that requires highly advanced techniques, and I lack the talent in that particular aspect, so I cannot achieve such a feat."
As Bai Qian spoke, the hammering sounds continued. Lu Ye observed carefully and noticed that each time the hammer struck, it vibrated intensely, creating the dense succession of blows. With the aid of his Spirit Pattern Insight, Lu Ye saw even more clearly: just as Bai Qian had said, the internal structure of the blank was subtly changing with each strike, forming restrictions one by one.
"That's why I said those with the Five Elements dominated by Fire, like yourself, and who cultivate fire-elemental methods, possess a unique advantage in forging and artifact refining. Once your skills are profound, you'll be able to refine desired objects directly in mid-air without external aids, and employ various techniques at will. However, your cultivation is still low; don't concern yourself with those things now. Laying a solid foundation is what matters most."
"Understood."
The clanging sounds continued ceaselessly. In just about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a small, palm-sized formation flag was finished.
A formation flag is merely a vessel; the restrictions (sigils) within it are the true key. Depending on the restrictions, a flag's function varies. However, a single flag is useless; different flags must be coordinated and linked to form or break a formation.
After observing the entire process, Lu Ye realized that forging the formation flag itself wasn't difficult. One could easily produce a rough flag blank with a mold, even if it was somewhat unrefined. The real challenge lay in creating the restrictions within the flag.
This was different from him activating his spiritual power to construct spirit patterns. He had a high degree of control over his spiritual power, so even constructing spirit patterns learned from books wasn't particularly difficult for him.
However, using a hammer to strike out spirit patterns and form restrictions, especially within the formation flag, presented an extraordinary level of difficulty.
"You try!" Bai Qian instructed. Lu Ye nodded. Observing something ten times was no substitute for trying it once oneself. Bai Qian had already demonstrated how to forge a formation flag, and although Lu Ye hadn't fully grasped Bai Qian's technique, he knew such things could only be understood through personal practice.
He took a metal ingot from Bai Qian, dropped it into the forge, and waited for it to melt into liquid. Then, he channeled his spiritual power to encase it, took it out, and placed it in the mold. After it cooled slightly, Lu Ye grabbed a nearby hammer, recalled Bai Qian's technique, and brought the hammer down.
Two distinct clanging sounds rang out, and as Lu Ye hammered, his spiritual power began to surge.
"You've just started, no need to rush," Bai Qian patiently instructed from the side. "You must first learn how to use hammering to infuse your spiritual power into the formation flag, using that power to alter its internal structure. Only then will it be possible to construct spirit patterns and form restrictions within the flag."
"Understood."
Clang, clang, clang... Lu Ye worked up a sweat. Bai Qian offered guidance from time to time, each piece of advice hitting a critical point, allowing Lu Ye to clearly recognize his shortcomings.
He failed repeatedly, yet he repeated the process again and again. Fortunately, this kind of practice didn't waste materials; if he ruined a piece, he could simply throw it back into the forge for recasting and continue hammering.
The Soul Cleansing Water he had previously given to Bai Qian had undoubtedly played its part; otherwise, why would Bai Qian, a sect elder, bother to personally teach an outsider like Lu Ye with such patience?
A day later, a somewhat crude formation flag was completed. Bai Qian examined it briefly and nodded slightly. "It's not bad, but there's much room for improvement. Keep going."
With the experience of his first success, forging other formation flags became simpler.
Time passed, and flag after flag was forged. According to Bai Qian's previous teachings, there were thirty-six basic formation flags. For Lu Ye's current cultivation level, forging these thirty-six flags would be sufficient. There was no rush to forge more advanced flags; he could consider them later when his cultivation improved and his understanding of formations deepened.
Initially, Lu Ye could only forge one formation flag per day on average, mainly because of the immense difficulty. While it was simple to alter the internal structure of the flag with a single hammer blow, transforming that structure into the specific patterns of spirit patterns was challenging. Any mistake meant returning the piece to the forge for recasting.
According to Bai Qian, true artifact masters could often form a spirit pattern directly with a single hammer strike, significantly improving both refining efficiency and fault tolerance. For cultivators like Lu Ye, whose Five Elements were dominated by Fire and who practiced fire-elemental cultivation methods, once their cultivation reached a sufficiently high level, they could directly activate their spiritual power to alter the internal structure of the formation flag, thus eliminating the need for hammering.
By the time Lu Ye finished refining the most basic set of formation flags, half a month had already passed.
As he walked out of the forging workshop with Bai Qian, the dazzling sunlight fell upon them, and Lu Ye felt as if he had been living in a different world.
"Go back and rest for today. Tomorrow, I'll take you to the Hundred Formations Pagoda," Bai Qian said, escorting him back to his lodging before departing.
After Bai Qian left, Lu Ye immediately collapsed onto his bed, not wanting to move, and fell into a deep sleep. Refining formation flags for half a month with almost no rest had left him truly exhausted.
When he awoke, Yiyi had already prepared a rich meal. Lu Ye devoured it heartily, only then feeling his energy restored.
Bai Qian arrived as promised, channeled his spiritual power to envelop Lu Ye, and then flew off in a certain direction.
Before long, they landed in a valley where a stone pagoda, dozens of zhang tall, stood prominently. Its base was roughly a dozen zhang square, and a powerful sense of ancientness emanated from it.
This was the Hundred Formations Pagoda, the very reason Lu Ye had come to the Heavenly Dao Sect. He had initially thought it would be simple, believing he could enter the pagoda as soon as he arrived. However, he ended up spending a month and a half just learning about formations and forging formation flags under Bai Qian's guidance. Nevertheless, it was ultimately worthwhile, as the saying goes, "Sharpening the knife doesn't delay the chopping of wood."
Just as the Heavenly Dao Sect had previously removed all personnel from the forging workshop to prevent news of Lu Ye's survival from leaking, today, they had also cleared everyone from this area. The valley where the Hundred Formations Pagoda stood was completely sealed off. Consequently, when Bai Qian brought Lu Ye here, the place was deserted.
The Hundred Formations Pagoda was incomplete. From its appearance, it looked as if the stone pagoda had been cut in half, with only its lower section remaining and the upper part missing. Zhao Li had previously told Lu Ye that the Hundred Formations Pagoda was divided into three parts: one part was at the Heavenly Dao Sect, another in the Cloud River Battlefield, and the last part's whereabouts were unknown and had never appeared.
At the very bottom of the stone pagoda, at its base, stood a stone tablet. Spiritual light flowed across its surface, occasionally revealing sporadic, chaotic patterns. Lu Ye stared at it for a while but couldn't make sense of what these patterns signified.
"It's said to be a ranking list," Bai Qian explained from the side. "Anyone who challenges the Hundred Formations Pagoda and performs exceptionally well is eligible to have their name inscribed on this list, to be revered by future generations. However, because the pagoda itself is incomplete, this list cannot be displayed. Perhaps only when the Hundred Formations Pagoda is made whole can this tablet's full function be restored."
He turned and looked at Lu Ye gravely. "You've likely learned some information about the Hundred Formations Pagoda these past few days. The pagoda holds opportunities, but also dangers. When you enter, remember one thing: always act within your capabilities."
"Understood."
During his time at the Heavenly Dao Sect, he had naturally gathered information about the Hundred Formations Pagoda from various sources and knew that Bai Qian was not exaggerating. Challenging the Hundred Formations Pagoda was greatly beneficial for cultivation in the Way of Formations. One could say that almost all formation cultivators within the Vast Sky Alliance across the Nine Provinces would try every means to come to the Heavenly Dao Sect and challenge the Hundred Formations Pagoda. The Heavenly Dao Sect welcomed this and did not hoard its knowledge, never even seeking profit from it.
However, it was undeniable that the Hundred Formations Pagoda brought the Heavenly Dao Sect extensive connections, an intangible benefit.
The Hundred Formations Pagoda was very dangerous. The dangers weren't limited to the formations themselves contained within the pagoda, but also extended to the rewards obtained after passing each trial, which inherently carried risks. Many formation cultivators had died challenging the Hundred Formations Pagoda, including a significant number of talented formation cultivators from major sects.
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