Cultivation of Immortality: Start by Improving Spiritual Root Qualifications

Chapter 949 Refining the Formation, Fifth-Rank High-Grade!
Zhou Xun took a deep breath and his gaze fell on the Nine Tribulation Thunder Pattern Wood that was floating in front of him.

This piece of spirit wood is entirely purplish-black, and the naturally formed lightning patterns on its surface flow slowly like living things, radiating astonishing lightning spirit power.

“A fifth-order formation requires 720 formation flags,” Zhou Xun muttered to himself, a hint of seriousness flashing in his eyes.

The fourth-order formation he used previously only had 360 formation flags, and now he needs to refine at least 360 more.

"Infant Fire, rise!"

Zhou Xun formed hand seals and spat out a ball of purplish-gold infant fire.

Flames enveloped the Nine Tribulation Thunder Pattern Wood, emitting a "sizzling" sound.

The spirit wood gradually softened under the scorching heat of the infant fire, and the lightning patterns on its surface flowed faster and faster.

This process is extremely mentally taxing.

Zhou Xun had to constantly control the temperature of the infant fire, ensuring that the spirit wood melted completely without damaging the thunder spirit power within it.

Five full days passed, and the Nine Tribulation Thunder Pattern Wood finally completely transformed into a ball of purple spiritual liquid.

"point!"

With a slight movement of his divine sense, Zhou Xun divided the spiritual liquid evenly into 365 portions, each of which floated in the air, emitting a rich aura of thunder spirit.

The extra five sets are for repairing the magic array in case the array flags are damaged in the future.

The next step is the most delicate one – shaping.

Zhou Xun made hand seals, and each portion of spiritual liquid slowly stretched under his control, gradually forming a flagpole shape that was 12 inches long.

The flagpole is entirely purplish-black, with natural thunder patterns faintly visible on its surface.

Fifth-Order Thunder Dragon Skin

Zhou Xun took out the animal hide material that he had prepared beforehand.

These animal hides came from a fifth-order Thunder Dragon. They were tough and had excellent conductivity for thunder spirit power, which he had purchased previously.

After being refined with infant fire, it was divided into 360 banners.

Zhou Xun waved his hand,
A flagpole and a banner flew out and connected together, gradually merging into one under Zhou Xun's magical manipulation.
This forms the prototype of a battle flag.

This process was repeated more than 300 times, taking half a month, resulting in a total of 365 preliminary formations of battle flags.

After completing these steps, the next step is to inscribe spirit patterns to form a spirit energy circuit.

His eyes flashed with a sharp light, and his divine sense transformed into an invisible carving knife.

They began to inscribe spiritual energy circuits on the array flags.

Every single line must be precise; even the slightest deviation will affect the power of the entire magic array.

This process is extremely energy-consuming.

Zhou Xun's technique was as steady as a rock. When the last spiritual energy circuit was completed, faint lightning simultaneously lit up the flagpole and the banner.

"go with!"

Zhou Xun summoned the Thunder Pool, drawing out a wisp of pure thunder energy. The lightning, like a serpent, darted around and merged into the flagpole and banner.

With the final incantation, the flagpole and banner merged perfectly, transforming into a complete array flag.

"The first shot is finally done!"

Zhou Xun breathed a sigh of relief, looking at the array flags floating in the air, a satisfied expression on his face.

This array flag is entirely purplish-black, with flowing lightning patterns on its surface, radiating astonishing spiritual energy fluctuations.

Without stopping, he immediately began refining the second one.
This process was repeated for a whole day before the crafting of a single array flag was completed.

A month later, thirty array flags floated neatly in the training room, intertwined with lightning, illuminating the entire room as if it were daytime.

Zhou Xun's face was pale, clearly indicating that he had exhausted himself.

Zhou Xun took out a fifth-grade Qi-restoring pill and swallowed it. The abundant spiritual power instantly replenished his energy. After a short period of adjustment, he continued refining the pill.

The creation of a magic array is best accomplished in one continuous process, as this will result in an array with more perfect power.
If there is a delay in the middle, the quality of the magic array will be greatly reduced.

Time flies, and two years have passed in the blink of an eye.

Zhou Xun spent almost all his time refining array flags.

When the 720th array flag was completed, the entire cultivation room was filled with lightning, and the powerful spiritual energy fluctuations caused the cave's restrictions to tremble slightly.

"The formation flags are complete; next is the formation plate."

Zhou Xun took out the original fourth-tier array plate, made hand seals, and erased all the spiritual runes on it. The array plate immediately became dull and lifeless, turning into an ordinary disc.

"Five Heavens Thunder Crystals, melt them for me!"

Five different colored lightning crystals flew out and gradually melted under the scorching of the infant fire, turning into five-colored spiritual liquid.

Zhou Xun carefully infused the spiritual liquid into the array plate, which immediately emitted a five-colored glow.

Two days later, it took shape as a preliminary array plate, radiating rays of spiritual light; its extraordinary nature was immediately apparent.
Next comes the engraving circuit.

Zhou Xun activated his divine sense to the fullest extent, inscribing spiritual patterns on the array plate that were several times more complex than the array flags.

Every single line must correspond perfectly with the 720 array flags, without the slightest error.

Three months later, when the last spirit rune was completed, the array plate suddenly burst out with dazzling light.

Zhou Xun dared not delay and immediately drew upon the power of thunder energy in the Thunder Pool, continuously injecting it into the array plate.

As the final incantation was cast, the array plate and the 720 array flags vibrated simultaneously, and lightning intertwined to form a massive electric net.

Zhou Xun repeatedly made hand seals, guiding the power of thunder energy to circulate within the magic array.

This is the final step: refining the magic array. Only by absorbing enough lightning energy can the magic array unleash its power!

Half a year has passed by in a flash.

On this day, thunder suddenly roared in the cultivation room, and five-colored lightning shot into the sky, illuminating the entire cave as if it were daytime.

"It's done!"

Zhou Xun suddenly opened his eyes, looked at the Five Heavens Purple Thunder Array floating in the air, and a look of joy appeared on his face.

The array plate transformed into a stream of light and fell into his hand, while the seven hundred and twenty array flags transformed into lightning and surrounded him.

Feeling the terrifying power contained within the magic array, Zhou Xun nodded in satisfaction.

Zhou Xun pushed open the door to the cultivation room, and was greeted by the refreshing spiritual energy of the courtyard. Sunlight filtered through the sparse clouds, casting dappled shadows on the bluestone slabs.

In the pavilion, Sun Yuanxuan was sitting and sipping tea.

Today she wore a light purple chiffon dress, the hem of which swayed gently in the wind, making her skin appear even more like jade.

Her slender, delicate hand held a white jade teacup, the rising steam of tea highlighting her beautiful features.

"Young Master has emerged from seclusion?" Sun Yuanxuan saw Zhou Xun approaching and quickly stood up to greet him, a gentle smile playing on her lips.

Zhou Xun sat down opposite her, his gaze falling on the teacup: "What fragrant tea."

Sun Yuanxuan poured another cup of tea and presented it with both hands: "This is the newly acquired 'Mist Condensation Spirit Tea'. Although it is only fourth-grade, its taste is quite special."

Zhou Xun took the teacup and gently inhaled the aroma. A delicate orchid fragrance permeated his senses, invigorating his spirit.

Taking a small sip, the tea soup is mellow and sweet, initially with a slight bitterness, which then transforms into a refreshing sweetness, leaving a cool sensation lingering in the throat.

"Excellent tea!" Zhou Xun exclaimed. "Although it is not of high grade, it is well-made, with a pure and warm flavor, making it suitable for daily drinking."

Seeing that he liked it, Sun Yuanxuan's eyebrows curved into crescents: "It's good that you like it, young master." She carefully studied Zhou Xun's expression and said softly:

"Young Master seems to be in a good mood today?" Zhou Xun put down his teacup and smiled slightly. "I just finished refining the Five Heavens Purple Thunder Formation. Now, unless a Void Refinement cultivator comes to the rescue, no one can pose a threat to me."

"Really?" Sun Yuanxuan exclaimed with surprise and delight. "Congratulations on your great increase in strength, young master!"

Zhou Xun laughed heartily and waved his sleeve lightly.

Suddenly, pale purple gauze curtains were lowered around the pavilion, isolating it from the outside world. The gauze curtains shimmered with light, clearly indicating that a barrier had been set up to isolate it.

"Such a joyous occasion deserves a celebration."

Sun Yuanxuan blushed slightly, understanding the implied meaning in the song, and nestled into Zhou Xun's arms.

A pale purple gauze curtain slipped down, filling the room with fragrance.
As the clouds dispersed and the rain ceased, Sun Yuanxuan leaned lazily against Zhou Xun's chest, her face as radiant as a peach blossom.

Zhou Xun gently stroked her black hair, quite pleased with himself!
In a sea area 500,000 miles west of Tian Shu City.

A figure suddenly appeared in the air; it was Zhou Xun.
He came here to test the power of the Five Heavens Purple Thunder Formation. As the saying goes, knowledge gained from books is ultimately superficial; practical testing is still necessary.

Only then can one know his true power.

Otherwise, if we misjudge the power of the magic array when war breaks out in the future, it could lead to serious trouble.

Zhou Xun stood in mid-air, his eyes slightly closed, his hands forming profound hand seals. Suddenly, a point of blue light appeared between his brows, which then quickly spread to his entire pupil.

"Spiritual Azure Light Eyes, activate!"

Zhou Xun suddenly opened his eyes, his pupils now a deep blue-gold color, with countless tiny runes seemingly flowing within them.

The view instantly became incredibly clear, and the mountains, rivers, plants, insects, and ants within several miles were all within sight.

Even the direction of the underground spiritual veins and the flow of spiritual energy in the air are as clear as the lines on the palm of your hand.

A blue light flickered in his eyes as Zhou Xun's gaze swept across the sea below.

Suddenly, his gaze sharpened, locking onto a deserted island five hundred miles away. This island, spanning over eighty miles in circumference, was flat and sparsely populated with spiritual energy, making it an ideal place to test formations.

"This is it."

Zhou Xun flashed and appeared above the deserted island in the next moment.

With a wave of his hand, a giant spirit wood box, about five feet long, appeared before him.

Inside was the Five Heavens Purple Thunder Array.

It is an extremely rare lightning-attribute magic array, combining offense, defense, and enemy trapping.
With a gentle toss of the wooden box, 720 battle flags flew out and hovered in the air.
Zhou Xun closed his eyes slightly, his hands moved swiftly in a mudra, and he chanted incantations.

He unleashed streaks of purple lightning from his fingertips, striking each array flag precisely. The flags immediately hummed, and intricate lightning patterns appeared on their surfaces.

"fall!"

With a soft shout, the 720 array flags scattered like flowers from a fairy maiden, and were inserted into the surrounding area of ​​Thunder Lake in specific directions.

Each time a battle flag landed, it stirred up a ripple of purple lightning.

"Thunder gathers from the five heavens, and purple aura arrives from the east!"

Zhou Xun unleashed his final burst of inspiration.
"Rumble--"

The entire island in the middle of the lake began to tremble, and thunderclouds surged wildly in the sky.

Countless bolts of purple lightning struck down from the clouds, but were drawn by the five array plates, transforming into a semi-transparent purple light shield that enveloped the entire island!
Thunder dragons roamed and electric snakes danced wildly on the surface of the light shield, emanating a chilling pressure.

It caused the surrounding air to distort.

"When this formation is fully deployed, its power is indeed astonishing. Next, let's test its defensive capabilities!"

Zhou Xun flipped his hand, and a flash of purple light transformed it into a seven-foot-two-inch purple flying sword.

It was his Xuan Ting Lei Sword.

With a slight thought, Zhou Xun made a hand seal and pointed it at the sword.
A series of sword lights instantly split out, and upon careful counting, there were as many as seven hundred and twenty of them.
"The sword shadows merge into one, solidifying."

A soft shout,
These sword lights, like birds returning to their nests, merged one by one into the Xuan Ting Thunder Sword. With each merge, the power of the Thunder Sword increased by one point!
The entire Thunder Sword became extremely bright, just like a lightsaber!
"go with!"

Zhou Xun pointed at the light screen below.
The Xuan Ting Thunder Sword transformed into a purple streak, slashing fiercely at the light barrier with a piercing sound.

"Ding--"

A crisp metallic clang rang out, and dazzling lightning burst forth where the sword tip collided with the light barrier.

The surface of the light screen rippled violently, and its color dimmed slightly, but it quickly returned to normal under the operation of the array.

A look of satisfaction appeared in Zhou Xun's eyes.

The power of that attack just now had reached the peak of the mid-stage Nascent Soul realm, yet it could only temporarily dim the light barrier, demonstrating the strength of the formation's defense.

It has reached at least the mid-grade level of the fifth rank!
"Next, let's try the Thunder Grass Sword Intent."

Zhou Xun took a deep breath, and the Thunder Grass Sword Intent surged forth like a tide, causing the Xuan Ting Thunder Sword to suddenly burst forth with dazzling golden light.
A swaying shadow of a thunder-patterned grass appeared at the edge of the sword, its delicate leaves bearing a sharp edge that seemed to cleave through space!

"break!"

Zhou Xun pointed his fingers like a sword and pointed at the air.

The Xuan Ting Thunder Sword slashed out again, this time with blue and purple lightning crackling around its blade, carrying an inexhaustible sword intent.

"laugh--"

The moment the sword tip touched the light barrier, it emitted a piercing tearing sound.

A fine crack appeared on the surface of the light curtain for the first time. Although repairs were started quickly, the repair speed was significantly slower.

"Come again!"

The second sword followed immediately, and the cracks on the light screen instantly expanded, spreading like a spider web. It was on the verge of collapse, but ultimately it did not break!

"The third sword!"

Zhou Xun roared, and the Xuan Ting Thunder Sword transformed into a dazzling rainbow, slashing down with earth-shattering power.

"Boom!"

With a deafening roar, the light screen finally gave way and dissipated into countless specks of light.

All 720 flags trembled simultaneously, emitting a mournful hum.

"Great!" Zhou Xun clapped his hands in praise.
With the sword intent amplified, that attack was at least at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage, yet this formation was still able to withstand it three times.
It seems that its light barrier defense capability has reached the late stage of the Nascent Soul realm.
A glint flashed in Zhou Xun's eyes, and his figure transformed into a streak of light as he actively entered the formation. He held the main formation flag and waved it gently.

In an instant, the scene within the formation changed drastically.

Countless purple lightning chains appeared out of thin air, coiling around Zhou Xun from all directions as if they were alive. The chains crackled with electricity, trapping him layer by layer.

"Well done!" Zhou Xun shouted, and the Xuan Ting Thunder Sword was unleashed in response. The sword light was like a dragon, slashing towards the nearest lightning chain.

"clang!"

The lightning chain snapped instantly, but the next moment, lightning surged at the break, and a new lightning chain was instantly generated, even thicker than before.

In an instant, sword light crisscrossed within the formation, and lightning chains shattered and regenerated, seemingly endless.

An hour passed, and sweat beaded on Zhou Xun's forehead.

He finally found a gap in the formation's operation, broke through the lightning chains with a single sword strike, and escaped.

"What an amazing ability to trap the enemy!" Zhou Xun exclaimed in admiration.

Even with all his strength, it took him an hour to break free. His ability to trap enemies has reached a state of perfection.

Next, I tested my attack capabilities, which also reached the late-stage Nascent Soul level.

"In that case, wouldn't my Five Heavens Purple Thunder Formation have reached the level of a high-grade fifth rank?"

(End of this chapter)