Living steadily in the world of gods and mystery
Chapter 224 - 196: Success

Chapter 224: Chapter 196: Success

Time passed, and in the blink of an eye, more than half a month had gone by.

The originally picturesque and elegant courtyard had become unrecognizable, with holes densely packed one after another, resembling a construction site. Even several large trees that were in the way had been uprooted and tossed aside.

After countless trials and adjustments,

the Yin Yang Five Elements Gathering Spirit Array had finally been tweaked by Chen Li to perfection, its power fully unleashed.

Most importantly, he had gained some insights into array setting, mastering various techniques, no longer halfway understanding as before.

Unfortunately...

Even so, the attribute panel still did not form the skill he had hoped for.

Chen Li felt a tinge of regret, but soon came to terms with it; after all, this was just a technique of setting up arrays, far from being a skill, let alone mastery over the "Yin Yang Five Elements Gathering Spirit Array."

Even a Golden Core Sect like the Returning True Sect with over six hundred years of heritage, its knowledge of formations was basically limited to how to set them up!

As for what structures the formations were, how to refine the Magic Artifacts, Chen Li could only occasionally glimpse bits and pieces from certain texts, not much more than that.

For this reason, Chen Li had skimmed through books on Artifact Refining as well.

After all, array setting was also needed in Artifact Refining.

Indeed, there were quite a few.

He found thirteen methods for refining Magic Artifacts.

Among them, ten were for First Order Artifacts, and three were for Low-grade Second Order Artifacts.

But regrettably,

the formations contained within were fragmented and not systematic.

It was like drawing talismans.

Chen Li had learned so many talismans, many of which were max level, with a one hundred percent success rate in drawing them; he could practically do it with his eyes closed. But to say he understood talismans well, he still felt it was rather vague, only faintly sensing some patterns yet unable to articulate what exactly they were!

Fortunately, Chen Li wasn’t pursuing the title of Array Master.

Being able to use them was enough for him.

After the Yin Yang Five Elements Gathering Spirit Array ran perfectly, Chen Li started to explore the Green Yuan Avoiding Disaster Array.

As a Mid-grade Second Order array, the Green Yuan Avoiding Disaster Array possessed seven major functions: spirit gathering, spring-like, silencing, illusion, defense, attack, and disaster avoidance leading to good fortune.

Let’s not say, for the moment, whether the array’s "disaster avoidance leading to good fortune" lives up to its name.

Mere defense alone was far stronger than the Yin Yang Five Elements Gathering Spirit Array.

If it hadn’t been for his stealthiness by the side, taking advantage of Lin Qing opening the array and dashing into the Formation to overpower him, a straightforward confrontation would have been much more troublesome for Chen Li, even with his Max Level True Fire Skill that rivaled a Second Order level eight.

Besides, under control, this array could emit a beam of green light, its power comparable to a strike from a late-stage Foundation Establishment.

However, for Chen Li, such an attack was only slightly better than nothing.

Thanks to his previous experience, this time Chen Li spent even less time, and in just under ten days, the Green Yuan Avoiding Disaster Array was running perfectly.

From the outside, the entire array and the City Defense Array of Red Pillar City were compatible with each other, as if a drop of water had merged into the sea, or as if they were parasitically integrated without any obstruction, running harmoniously and smoothly.

Moreover, the aura was hardly noticeable, as if hidden!

If it weren’t for the mist-like illusions enshrouding the inside, one would never detect the presence of an array here.

"Indeed, compared to this super City Defense Array of an unknown level, what does a Mid-grade Second Order array count for? Who would notice a faint glow under the blazing sun? As long as it perfectly blends into the City Defense Array, it will naturally be hidden from sight," Chen Li muttered to himself.

"The same array, even Zhou Yuanpeng from those days, probably couldn’t achieve such a realm,"

Chen Li thought smugly, feeling even more confident about setting up the "Wu Earth Bright Light Array."

"However, I can’t experiment in the courtyard this time; the risks are too great, too dangerous... I wonder if it could be done underground?"

Initially, the underground shelter was dug so deep with this consideration in mind.

Generally speaking, small arrays.

Their coverage height isn’t high.

The coverage area of an array resembles an upside-down cover, forming a hemisphere. A small array with a coverage of a dozen acres typically has a maximum height between forty and seventy meters, and it never exceeds seventy meters.

As for the underground shelter, its area exceeds a thousand square meters and it extends over fifty meters underground.

Setting up such a small-scale formation.

The maximum coverage height would only be about twenty-one meters.

No matter what, it would be impossible for it to extend outside, plus there was a barrier of rock thirty meters thick, along with the Green Yuan Avoiding Disaster Array outside concealing and dissipating any mana fluctuations caused by the formation, effectively neutralizing them into nothingness.

But still, one must be cautious,

Chen Li thought over and over again.

He repeatedly weighed the risks involved and contemplated counter-strategies.

In the end, he gritted his teeth and decided to give it a try.

Otherwise, to let such a high-level formation languish unused in a storage bag would be an utter waste of resources.

Even so, Chen Li didn’t immediately start his work, but instead repeatedly studied the content of "A Detailed Explanation of the Wu Earth Bright Light Array," scrutinizing every detail, and from time to time, he would visit the basement in person to survey the site and collect various data.

After mulling it over for five or six days, until he knew all the content by heart, and after he had simulated the process countless times in his mind, Chen Li finally prepared to begin.

The day before he started, he spent the whole day playing outside with his wives and concubines, and at night, they stayed at an inn not far from home.

...

Late at night.

Afterwards!

...

The two exhausted women, having been tossed around several times, finally succumbed to fatigue and fell into a deep sleep.

Chen Li quietly got up, dressed in his robe, changed his appearance, and then went to the corner of the room. He cast spells successively, releasing eight illusions.

The illusions left the inn one after another, seven of them were positioned within five to six miles around the house, each using the Fortune Seeking and Disaster Avoiding Skill to monitor every move in the surroundings.

First, to see if setting up the Wu Earth Bright Light Array would break through the multiple barriers and cause a strong mana fluctuation. Second, in case of any danger, the Fortune Seeking and Disaster Avoiding Skill would also produce a warning, giving him enough time and options to respond calmly.

The other illusion, carrying a storage bag filled with array instruments, headed straight for the underground shelter at home.

In the process, he disturbed no one.

Everything was done without anyone’s notice.

Thanks to thorough preparations, when Chen Li’s illusion had placed all twenty-one sets of array instruments and made only minor adjustments three times, the array emitted a humming "Buzz" and the earth trembled slightly. The core of the array shone with a bright yellow light, then exploded outwards in a domineering, unstoppable manner, covering the entire underground space.

The second-order medium-grade Wu Earth Bright Light Array was successfully activated.

Chen Li then observed from the outside through his other illusions.

Indeed, nothing was noticeable!

Everything was perfectly concealed.

"Success!" Chen Li felt a surge of joy in his heart.

Though this attempt at setting up the array was far from perfect and still rough, what remained was the slow process of fine-tuning.

He finally took a long breath, feeling that the time limit of his illusions was almost up. He quickly dispelled the illusions and, looking at his wives and concubines still in their peaceful slumber, was tempted to wake them with another round of celebration, but in the end, he decided against it.

After all, there would be plenty of time in the future!