Chapter 674: Again Resonated

As the stone brick sank, the surrounding scenery underwent a dramatic transformation. In the blink of an eye, Lu Ye felt as though he had traversed countless spaces and times, arriving in an entirely new location.

The surroundings were empty. As far as the eye could see, there was no clutter, only a visible, semi-circular light barrier enveloping the area.

The light barrier covered a considerable area, spanning several miles in radius.

Was this a formation he needed to break?

Lu Ye immediately understood.

Generally, during the trials of the Hundred Formation Pagoda, the appearance of a formed array meant the challenger needed to decipher it.

Lu Ye recalled that the final trial in the Hundred Formation Pagoda at the Heavenly Origin Sect also involved breaking an array – specifically, a defensive grand array. It was that accumulated experience from the Pagoda that later allowed him to easily bypass the protective grand arrays of various Ten Thousand Demon Ridge strongholds on the Spirit Stream Battlefield.

He hadn't expected that the first trial in the Hundred Formation Pagoda of the Cloud River Battlefield would also involve breaking a similar grand array.

Although this grand array was smaller in scale than the previous one he encountered, the intensity of the light barrier told Lu Ye that this trial was far from ordinary.

As expected, this array was considerably stronger than the defensive grand array he had faced before.

Fortunately, his current mastery of array formations was incomparable to what it once was. Over a long period, he had thoroughly absorbed and internalized all the benefits gained from the Heavenly Origin Sect's Hundred Formation Pagoda. Consequently, Lu Ye's array mastery was now several levels higher than before.

For him, deciphering such an array was not difficult, merely requiring a bit of effort.

He activated the Insight Spirit Mark to empower his vision, scanning the surroundings for the grand array's nodes and weaknesses.

Soon, he realized something was amiss: the array he needed to break this time was not a defensive grand array, but a trapping array!

At first glance, these two types of grand arrays appeared almost identical, both manifesting as an enveloping light barrier. However, they were, in fact, two fundamentally opposite kinds of formations.

Protective grand arrays defended against external threats, while trapping arrays confined what was within.

Approaching the array without first understanding its true nature would undoubtedly lead to significant wasted time.

Furthermore, Lu Ye's observation revealed that this was not merely a trapping array. Hidden within it were several intricately laid killing arrays. These killing arrays had to be deciphered and neutralized first before the trapping array itself could be truly broken.

Otherwise, a rash attempt would most likely activate the killing arrays.

This was clearly a composite array.

True to its reputation, the Hundred Formation Pagoda of the Cloud River Battlefield presented a level of difficulty right from the start that was beyond what typical array cultivators could handle.

Nevertheless, under the scrutiny of the Insight Spirit Mark, the nodes and weaknesses of these numerous arrays had nowhere to hide.

Once he confirmed he hadn't missed anything, Lu Ye immediately began his work.

To achieve a good result in the Hundred Formation Pagoda trials, one had to complete them in the shortest possible time. No one knew the exact standards, as challengers couldn't communicate with the outside world or determine if their actions triggered the Pagoda's resonance. Thus, despite the Hundred Formation Pagoda of the Cloud River Battlefield having existed since ancient times, no one had been able to deduce its true principles.

Lu Ye didn't know the exact criteria either, but his previous experience in the Pagoda taught him one crucial thing: his performance on the current floor would set the standard for the difficulty of the next trial.

In other words, the array mastery he demonstrated while completing the current trial would directly influence the difficulty of the next. To continue achieving good results, he would need to perform even better.

Under normal circumstances, this would, of course, be impossible to achieve, as an array cultivator's mastery is not easily improved, nor can one continuously break through personal limits in a short span of time.

However, this was the Hundred Formation Pagoda. If one performed exceptionally well, the Pagoda would bestow rewards, enhancing the array cultivator's mastery. In this way, the impossible became possible.

The difficulty of the Hundred Formation Pagoda's trials would increase with each floor. However, if a cultivator received corresponding rewards at each level, their array mastery would also gradually improve. The process of challenging the Pagoda and receiving its boons would ultimately create a virtuous, snowballing cycle.

Time passed. As Lu Ye worked, the hidden killing arrays were successively broken, leaving only the trapping array before him.

By this point, the trial itself wasn't particularly difficult. The true challenge of this level lay in those concealed killing arrays; if they were activated, it would not only risk injury or even death but also severely impact one's final score.

The difficulty wasn't high, but it was rather troublesome. This trapping array possessed considerable strength, so Lu Ye would still need to exert significant effort to break it.

Outside the Hundred Formation Pagoda, array cultivators were debating who had triggered the earlier resonance. However, with many array cultivators entering the Pagoda daily, and some staying inside for days, such discussions rarely yielded concrete answers.

Even the challengers themselves couldn't be certain if they were the ones who had triggered the Pagoda's resonance.

Still, such a rare event, occurring only once every three to five months, always sparked considerable excitement.

Their discussion had barely begun when, suddenly, another peculiar undulation emanated from the Hundred Formation Pagoda, reverberating outwards.

Whispers ceased abruptly. All array cultivators instinctively turned their gaze towards the Hundred Formation Pagoda, their eyes wide with disbelief.

The Hundred Formation Pagoda had resonated once more!

“What… what is happening?” someone uttered, looking bewildered, while others gasped in astonishment.

Normally, a Hundred Formation Pagoda resonance was a once-in-three-to-five-month occurrence, yet today, within a short span, it had happened twice!

Just who was challenging the Pagoda today?

However, the crowd quickly realized that the two resonances, occurring one after another, couldn't have been triggered by the same person.

The time gap between them was simply too brief.

When array cultivators challenge the Pagoda, after successfully completing a trial, they are granted a period of rest. This period is neither excessively long nor too short, allowing them to recover their spiritual energy, alleviate mental stress, assimilate the rewards received, and prepare for the next floor's trial.

Every array cultivator greatly valued this recovery time and would never commence the next trial before the allotted period expired.

Today's two Hundred Formation Pagoda resonances occurred within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, clearly indicating they weren't triggered by the same individual.

In other words, two array cultivators inside the Hundred Formation Pagoda had achieved results significant enough to trigger its resonance today.

Any array cultivator capable of triggering the Hundred Formation Pagoda's resonance possessed immeasurable future prospects.

Shock, awe, and bewilderment — these myriad emotions were quickly suppressed by the array cultivators. Regardless of who triggered the resonance, it was ultimately a beneficial phenomenon for them.

Many had felt unsatisfied by the previous resonance, but with another occurring so quickly, some profound truths that had eluded them moments before might now become clear.

Thus, in an instant, silence once again fell upon the area outside the Hundred Formation Pagoda. All array cultivators closed their eyes tightly, absorbing the enlightenment imparted by the invisible resonance.

Inside the Hundred Formation Pagoda, in the small, room-sized space, Lu Ye watched with a calm expression as a cluster of faint light descended from above.

Although it had been a long time since he last witnessed this phenomenon, upon seeing it again, Lu Ye instinctively felt a twitch in his eye.

For the boons granted by the Hundred Formation Pagoda were not easily received.

Especially since he had completed this trial in merely the time it takes an incense stick to burn, indicating significant underlying benefits. This, in turn, meant a considerable impact on his soul.

However, this was a necessary process, a blessing rather than a curse. Gritting his teeth, Lu Ye raised his hand and reached for the shimmering cluster.

Upon contact, the light dissipated, its myriad points seemingly drawn by an invisible force. After a slight tremor, they converged and surged towards Lu Ye's head.

Then...

A suppressed groan escaped him. Lu Ye felt as if he had been struck by lightning, his body trembling violently, and his face rapidly paled.

His soul felt as if it were being torn apart by an invisible, powerful force. A torrent of information related to array formations surged uncontrollably into it, vigorously churning. As it churned, his soul continuously fractured.

Lu Ye's soul power far surpassed that of cultivators in the same realm, having already reached the True Lake Realm standard.

With strong soul power came strong resilience; under ordinary circumstances, he could easily withstand impacts to his soul.

For instance, when examining information on the Talent Tree leaves or experiencing death during a mirage trial, the pain was no longer as agonizing as it once had been.

These were all advantages stemming from his formidable soul power.

Yet, the torment he experienced this time was still almost unbearable.

This was primarily because the benefits he received were immense, and the method of their transfer, akin to a forced enlightenment, was incredibly brutal and overbearing.

Had any other Cloud River Realm cultivator experienced this, even if their soul wasn't shattered by the impact, they would likely lose much of their intellect and become mentally incapacitated.

There were benefits as well.

As the massive influx of information flooded in uncontrollably, Lu Ye's comprehension of array formations deepened considerably, and his array mastery received a corresponding boost, providing him with greater advantages for his subsequent Pagoda challenges.

Amidst the excruciating pain, a metallic taste filled Lu Ye's mouth, a sign that he had bitten down so hard his teeth were bleeding.

With trembling hands, he reached into his Spirit Beast Pouch and released Amber, who was always kept inside.

“Awoo?” Amber instantly appeared, spotted Lu Ye's dire state, and instinctively shivered. It immediately became vigilant, believing Lu Ye was under attack.

Yi Yi also quickly emerged from Amber's body.

“Soul Cleansing Water!” Lu Ye gritted his teeth and roared.

Yi Yi immediately understood that Lu Ye's soul had suffered a tremendous impact. She took out the jade bottle containing Soul Cleansing Water, dipped her finger in, and carefully placed some into Lu Ye's mouth.

The unique taste of the Soul Cleansing Water bloomed in his mouth, then spread throughout his body. The extreme agony was instantly suppressed, and the stinging and tearing sensations in his soul slowly subsided.

In just a brief moment, Lu Ye's complexion returned to normal.

For severe soul impacts, the efficacy of Soul Cleansing Water was unparalleled by any other treasure.

Lu Ye let out a long breath, secretly resolving that before accepting the Hundred Formation Pagoda's boons next time, he would first release Amber and Yi Yi.