While the player is in Battle Through the Heavens, the system is in The Great Ruler.

Chapter 133 The Way of Spirit Arrays: Kidnapping an Old Man

After saying goodbye to Xiao Yan,
Lu Yu returned to the courtyard, where Xian'er was pondering the spirit-gathering array.

Qinglin was taking care of Xiaocai, who had just broken through to the Douhuang realm after taking the Breaking Emperor Pill.

"came back?"

Little Fairy Doctor sensed Lu Yu's presence, put down the jade slip in her hand, and her eyes were full of smiles.

"Yes, I just saw Brother Yan off."

Lu Yu sat down at the stone table and said gently, "I'm going into seclusion now. How's the research on the Spirit Gathering Array going?"

Little Fairy Doctor frowned slightly, somewhat annoyed, and said, "The basic spirit array isn't difficult, but the third-level spirit array..."

She gently raised her hand, and dozens of light imprints gathered in her palm. "Look," she said, "these spirit imprints always..."

Before the words were finished, the light imprints suddenly trembled violently and then dissipated like bubbles.

Little Fairy Doctor sighed and said helplessly, "I failed again."

Seeing this, Lu Yu smiled and nodded, explaining, "It's already quite good. A level three spirit array is equivalent to the power of a Dou Huang level, so it's understandable that you can't master it yet."

"The key to the way of spirit arrays lies in the condensation and control of spirit seals."

As he spoke, he lightly tapped his fingertip, and a crystal-clear spiritual seal slowly took shape in the air.

"Spirit seals are the foundation of spirit arrays. Each spirit seal requires a large amount of battle qi to condense, and at the same time, one must also be distracted by controlling it with soul power."

Lu Yu waved his hand and condensed several more spirit seals, continuing, "In essence, the way of spirit arrays is a method of using the energy within the body to achieve resonance at a special frequency, thereby attracting the energy of heaven and earth."

"The key to this resonance lies in the specific combination of the spiritual seals. Different arrangements will produce energy resonances of different frequencies, thereby triggering different powers of heaven and earth."

Little Fairy Doctor nodded thoughtfully, and then she saw the spirit seals in Lu Yu's hand begin to arrange themselves in an orderly manner, gradually forming a simple spirit gathering array prototype.

“A level three spirit array may seem to require only a few dozen spirit seals, but the ways in which these spirit seals can be arranged and combined in space are in the hundreds of millions.”

He flicked his wrist, and the arrangement of the spirit seals immediately changed subtly. "If there's even the slightest deviation, the entire formation will..."

Before the words were finished, the spiritual seal suddenly trembled violently and then vanished without a trace.

Lu Yu smiled dismissively and said, "See? Even I make mistakes sometimes."

"Although you have also cultivated the Heavenly Fire Forging God Technique, your soul realm is not as good as mine. It is already quite good that you have been able to comprehend the Spirit Gathering Array to the second level in a month."

"In order to quickly improve one's mastery of spirit arrays, in addition to improving one's soul realm..."

"The only way is to practice hundreds or thousands of times until you become proficient."

A flash of understanding crossed Little Fairy Doctor's eyes, and she suddenly asked, "Then can we work together to set up an array?"

"One person can only control a few dozen spirit seals, but two people can control more spirit seals, which would make setting up high-level spirit arrays much simpler, wouldn't it?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Yu nodded approvingly and said, "The method you mentioned has actually been tried by others before, and it is indeed feasible, in the vast world..."

"In this vast world, spirit arrays and alchemy are actually quite similar. If one person cannot complete the complex array setup and alchemy alone, multiple people can work together to complete it."

With that, he flicked his sleeve, and dozens of crystalline spiritual seals appeared in his hand, neatly dividing into two groups of light arrays in the air. As the spiritual seals swirled, mysterious runes could be faintly seen flickering within them.

"But the art of combining formations emphasizes the clear distinction between primary and secondary elements."

Lu Yu's expression was solemn. He pointed with his fingertips and continued, "A main array master is needed to oversee the entire operation, while the assistant array masters must fully cooperate..."

With his control, the two sets of spirit seals began to merge with each other in a certain rhythm of heaven and earth. Brilliant streams of light rippled between the spirit seals, gradually intertwining and merging like a galaxy in motion.

Suddenly, a dazzling golden light burst forth, and the complete Spirit Gathering Array instantly took shape in the void!
In an instant, violent energy fluctuations swept in all directions. The array's light shield shone with dazzling brilliance, and the energy of heaven and earth within a radius of hundreds of miles surged forth like a stampede of ten thousand horses, frantically converging on the small courtyard.

The hurricane formed by the energy tides bent the branches of the ancient trees in the courtyard, and caused the leaves to fall.

"This noise..."

Lu Yu frowned slightly, looked at the inner court students who had been alerted in the distance, and shook his head, saying, "Let's go there to practice after the Spirit Treasure Pavilion is completed."

He raised his hand and waved it, and the powerful spirit-gathering array vanished like a bubble. However, a dense energy fluctuation remained in the air, proving that everything that had just happened was not an illusion.

Little Fairy Doctor stared blankly at the now calm sky, murmuring, "This is the power of a level three spirit array..."

Lu Yu nodded slightly and explained, "The requirements for soul power in a level three spirit array are manageable; a late-stage mortal realm cultivator can handle it. But a level four spirit array..."

He paused, then added, "That would require a soul realm at the peak of the mortal realm."

"As for the level five spirit array..."

Lu Yu's gaze was deep, and he said in a deep voice, "I'm afraid only a soul powerhouse who has stepped into the Spirit Realm can truly set it up."

He turned to look at Little Fairy Doctor and said softly, "The reason we were able to master the Spirit Gathering Array so quickly is because we focused on only this one type of array. A true spirit array master needs to be proficient in various arrays, including defensive, offensive, and support arrays, and also know how to break other people's arrays..."

As he spoke, he looked up towards the direction of the Heavenly Flame Refining Tower, a glint of light flashing in his eyes: "Next, I plan to go to the bottom of the Refining Tower for seclusion. The fire attribute energy there is the most concentrated, and since it is buried deep underground, it will not interfere with the cultivation of other students."

Upon hearing this, Little Fairy Doctor frowned slightly and said softly, "The magma world at the bottom of the tower... isn't that too dangerous?"

"It doesn't matter."

Lu Yu smiled calmly and said, "With my current cultivation level, the environment there is actually most suitable for cultivation. Besides..."

He changed the subject, a deep look flashing in his eyes, and said, "I plan to set up a special spirit-gathering array there. If all goes well, I should be able to break through to the fifth-star Dou Zong level within three months."

"Ah."

Little Fairy Doctor nodded gently, without asking any further questions. She always unconditionally trusted Lu Yu's decisions.

……

Soon after,

Inside the Grand Elder's study, the air was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood.

"You're going to cultivate in the magma world at the bottom of the Heavenly Flame Refining Tower?"

Su Qian put down the dossier in her hand, her brows furrowing slightly.

"Exactly."

Lu Yu nodded and explained, "Since breaking through to the Dou Zong realm, the energy I need for daily cultivation has become too enormous, affecting the students around me. The fire attribute energy at the bottom of the tower is abundant and won't disturb others, making it the most suitable option."

Su Qian pondered for a moment, her gaze lingering on Lu Yu's resolute expression for a long time, before finally sighing softly, "Fine, since you insist, then so be it."

He added solemnly, "But remember, the world at the bottom of the tower is not as peaceful as it appears. If you find anything unusual, return immediately. I will notify the elder in charge to come and meet you."

"Thank you, Great Elder."

Lu Yu bowed in thanks, a hint of a smile flashing in his eyes.

...A moment later,

The bottom layer of the Heavenly Flame Refining Tower.

Lu Yu followed Su Qian through the deep passage, where the temperature gradually increased as they went deeper.

Upon reaching the bottom, the scene before me was almost identical to what I remembered: the dark red rock walls radiated a scorching heat, though the temperature was noticeably lower than when I last visited.

The huge crater in the center was sealed tightly by a colorful energy shield.

Zi Yan was curled up asleep by the pit. Sensing their presence, she grumbled, "You're disturbing my sleep again..."

Su Qian shook his head indulgently and said, "This girl has been helping to reinforce the seal for the past few months, which has exhausted her."

At that moment, two figures in black robes appeared silently in front of them.

"Elder." The two elders bowed respectfully.

Su Qian introduced to Lu Yu: "This is Elder Su, and this is Elder Li. They are both newly promoted Dou Huangs, and while consolidating their cultivation levels, they are responsible for guarding the Fallen Heart Flame."

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Su Qian formed a complex hand seal, and the sealing light barrier slowly cracked open.

"Go ahead, and be careful in everything you do," Su Qian solemnly instructed.

Lu Yu nodded slightly and leaped into the deep pit. The scorching wind howled in his ears as he walked on air, and with a few leaps, he was suspended above the sea of ​​lava.

Golden flames rose from within, shielding the area from the intense heat that could melt gold and iron. Before him stretched an endless crimson world, where enormous magma bubbles burst continuously, and the billowing white poisonous mist vanished without a trace upon contact with the golden flames.

Not far away, a ball of transparent flame burned quietly, surrounded by an energy shield, with the passage leading directly to the top of the deep pit.

That was the Fallen Heart Flame that Lu Yu had separated earlier.

"This is the closest place to the ancient Emperor Tuoshe's cave, but the ancient emperor's cave should be located very deep inside, and it won't be easy to find..."

"Otherwise, Mang Tianchi wouldn't have failed to discover it back then..."

Lu Yu surveyed his surroundings, taking in the desolate world of magma. With a thought, the Floating Pagoda emitted a faint black light, completely concealing its presence.

"There are some fire lizardmen here, and it would be troublesome to be exposed. Let's get down to business first..."

As he spoke, Lu Yu's mind stirred, and a ball of transparent flame appeared, which was the Fallen Heart Flame.

In that instant, he vaguely sensed a faint, inexplicable summons from afar…

Immediately, he activated the Danxin Tongming Technique, instantly expanding his soul perception and diving into the depths of the magma following the direction of his senses.

The invisible magma parted automatically, and Lu Yu darted through it like a fish. Ahead, an invisible flame, like a guiding light, stood out conspicuously in the crimson world.

After traveling through the crimson magma for an unknown period of time, the guiding Fallen Heart Flame suddenly stopped moving, casting a dazzling beam of light. Wherever the beam of light shone, the viscous magma began to writhe slowly as if alive, gradually forming a vortex about ten feet in diameter.

At the center of the vortex, a transparent halo slowly rose, appearing exceptionally mysterious in the crimson world.

"Finally found."

A glint flashed in Lu Yu's eyes, and he stepped into the strange light circle without hesitation.

Within the halo, there was nothing else but a skeleton that had turned to white bones, emitting a faint glow.

Besides, there was an invisible flame floating on the skeleton. That flame was completely transparent and was the Fallen Heart Flame of the juvenile form!
Lu Yu dispersed his soul power, then laughed and said, "Senior, if you don't show yourself now, when will you?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the skeleton remained completely still.

Immediately, Lu Yu displayed the Fallen Heart Flame in his hand and said, "As soon as I entered this magma world, I felt a summoning intent emanating from the Fallen Heart Flame..."

"I originally thought that I had been summoned by another Fallen Heart Flame when I arrived here, but now it seems that there is something fishy about it. Senior, you have fallen into trouble here. You must want to use me to leave this place, right?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a long sigh came from the skeleton.

"Young friend, what keen perception you have..."

In an instant, a dazzling white light burst forth from inside the skeleton. The light flowed like water and eventually slowly condensed into a phantom figure.

The old man wore a plain white robe, his hair and beard were all white, and although his face was marked by the passage of time, he exuded a transcendent air.

What's most chilling are those eyes; they seem calm as an ancient well, but in reality, they conceal a sharp edge, giving people an immense sense of oppression.

"Your Excellency... are you the current master of the Fallen Heart Flame?"

An aged voice slowly rose, its tone seemingly calm, yet containing a subtle, complex emotion.

It seemed like a mixture of relief and melancholy, along with a hint of scrutiny and probing.

Lu Yu straightened his expression, cupped his hands, and said, "Indeed, may I ask how you should address me, senior?"

The white-robed old man stroked his long beard, a proud smile playing on his lips, a hint of reminiscence flashing in his eyes: "I am Yao Tianhuo. Back when I roamed the Central Plains, everyone respectfully called me 'Lord Tianhuo'."

His voice, though soft, carried an undeniable authority, as if his name itself represented a legend.

Lu Yu's expression turned solemn, and he respectfully cupped his hands, saying, "So it's Senior Tianhuo. My apologies for my disrespect."

Yao Tianhu stroked his beard and smiled, a hint of arrogance in his eyes: "I am but a remnant soul, unworthy of such a great gift from you, young friend."

"Senior is joking."

Lu Yu revealed a hint of respect at just the right moment and said sincerely, "Even in Zhongzhou, a Dou Zun expert is extremely rare."

Upon hearing this, Yao Tianhuo's eyes flashed with pleasure. He stroked his beard and smiled, "Young friend, you have already reached the Dou Zong realm at such a young age. You must also come from a major power in Zhongzhou. I'm afraid my meager cultivation is not worthy of your attention."

Lu Yu coughed lightly and said, "Senior misunderstands. I do have some good fortune, but it is not from Zhongzhou."

Yao Tianhu smiled noncommittally, then sighed, "To be honest, I was the first owner of the Fallen Heart Flame in your possession. Back then, overconfident in my cultivation, I became greedy after subduing the first Fallen Heart Flame and sought out this second one..."

A hint of reminiscence flashed in his eyes: "I wanted to fuse the two flames, but I failed at the last minute and was even attacked by the creatures here, which has left me in this state."

As he spoke, he flicked his finger, and the unclaimed fallen heart flame drifted toward Lu Yu: "If you are willing to help me escape this predicament, I will give you this flame."

Lu Yu gently pushed away the strange fire and said with a smile, "I appreciate your kindness, senior, but this strange fire is useless to me."

A glint flashed in Yaotianhuo's eyes; he clearly hadn't expected anyone to be able to resist the temptation of the strange fire.

He pondered for a moment, then took out a scroll that glowed white from his storage ring. The scroll was decorated with images of flaming birds.

"Since you don't think much of this nascent Fallen Heart Flame, why not take a look at this fighting technique?"

Yao Tianhuo spoke with a hint of pride, stroking his beard and laughing, "This is my signature move, its power is extraordinary."

Lu Yu took the scroll and examined it carefully. After a long while, he looked up, a deep meaning flashing in his eyes: "Senior... are you proficient in the art of formations?"

(End of this chapter)