Cultivation: I can solidify equipment attributes

The next morning, Chen Yi delivered the Yuanyang Sect's documents.

"The task of setting up the Core Formation Platform auxiliary array has been issued." Chen Yi placed the document on the table.

"Preliminary preparations begin today, with the array masters, management office, and materials team working together. Would you like to participate?"

Li Yuan took the document and flipped through it.

The document is written in great detail.

The main array of the Core Formation Platform was not damaged when the ruins collapsed, and the platform itself still retains its functions. However, the main array only assists in the formation of the core and does not have the functions of gathering spiritual energy, guiding energy flow, or providing protection.

These supporting functions are all achieved by auxiliary arrays, but the old auxiliary arrays have long been obsolete and need to be re-laid from scratch.

The last page of the document included a permission statement.

All array masters involved in the array formation are granted long-term access to the Core Formation area, allowing them to freely enter and exit the outer ring and auxiliary array construction areas. The core area requires prior notification but is not subject to restrictions.

"What about the materials?" Li Yuan nodded in agreement and then asked.

"The first batch of materials for the sect has arrived. The management office is responsible for checking and putting them into storage," Chen Yi said. "Your list of materials for the array master is also in the documents. Just pick them up according to the list."

Li Yuan put the documents away and went to the Core Formation District that afternoon.

The Core Formation area has been manned since the lockdown began, and now, with the deployment of the array project approved, the manpower has increased once again. An identification array has been added to each end of the outer ring corridor, requiring identity tags to undergo two checks when entering or exiting.

After Li Yuan presented his ID card and documents, he passed through smoothly.

The layout inside the outer ring road hasn't changed much since my last visit.

Several temporary restrictions were still in operation, and the remnants of old runes around the Core Formation Platform were still on the stone walls and the ground. There were just a few piles of unopened array materials in the corner, covered with dust cloths, and a stack of registers next to them.

After Li Yuan joined, he first spent time helping to verify a round of materials.

After verifying everything, Li Yuan began to do what he truly wanted to do.

Investigate the old forbidden structures surrounding the alchemy platform.

This is the basic work that a formation master must do before setting up a new auxiliary formation. The new auxiliary formation must be compatible with the old structure. The direction of the formation patterns and the position of the nodes must not conflict with the old restrictions. Otherwise, after it is set up, the two sides will interfere with each other. At best, the efficiency will decrease, and at worst, the formation will collapse directly.

With his second-order array mastery and keen perception, Li Yuan began to systematically survey the old restrictions surrounding the Core Formation Platform.

The old restrictions had three layers.

The outermost layer is a defensive barrier temporarily set up by the Yuanyang Sect after the area was sealed off. It has a simple structure and clear array patterns, so this layer does not require much time to set up.

The second layer is a protective barrier left behind by the old sect. It is ancient and the array patterns are severely weathered, but the core structure is still functioning. The location of the nodes and the direction of the array patterns on this layer need to be carefully measured. In many places, the array patterns are so blurred that they cannot be seen with the naked eye and must be detected by divine sense and spiritual power.

The third layer, closely attached to the main body of the Core Formation Platform, is the oldest and most solid. The array patterns are directly engraved on the base of the platform and the surrounding stone walls, merging seamlessly with the main array of the Core Formation Platform. This layer has the most complex structure, with the most nested layers.

Li Yuan completed the mapping of the array patterns, node positions, and weak points of the three layers of restrictions, and recorded them in the jade slip he carried with him.

Other array masters were doing similar work, but none did it as meticulously as Li Yuan.

Their surveying mainly focused on the construction area of ​​the new auxiliary array and the outer structure of the old restriction, while only a rough scan was performed on the third layer of restriction that was closely attached to the altar.

That night, Li Yuan did not immediately begin cultivating after returning to the stone house.

He only got up and went out after the market had completely quieted down and the patrol at the outpost had changed shifts.

Go down from the mine entrance behind the stone house, walk all the way to the vicinity of the spiritual vein core, and then enter the underground passage from the core node of the main vein.

The hidden pulse and the concealed breath were suppressed at the same time, doubly concealing the pulse fluctuations and the outward aura.

All five layers of restrictions along the teleportation structure had been removed, leaving the passage unobstructed. Li Yuan followed the old route upwards, and after a short while, he arrived at the sealed space directly below the Core Formation Platform.

Surrounded by stone walls on all sides, with layers of stone overhead, the air was stuffy.

After Li Yuan stopped, he first took out the jade slip he had surveyed during the day and retrieved the records.

During the day, the perspective is from above, and the direction and location of all the restrictive array patterns are recorded from the surface. Now, standing underground and looking up, the perspective is completely reversed, and the relative positions of many things need to be recalculated.

Li Yuan memorized the comparison results one by one.

The key conclusions are already clear.

The restrictions above and to the sides of the Core Formation Platform are layered upon each other. To access the platform, one must break through all the restrictions from the surface, an undertaking of immense scale and with a very high risk of exposure. However, the situation is completely different if one proceeds from underground.

The first layer of restrictions has almost no downward coverage and poses no obstacle. The second layer has limited downward coverage and sparse nodes, making it far easier to dismantle than the upper layers. The only real obstacle to deal with is the third layer, the net of restrictions right next to the bottom of the altar.

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Once the restrictions on the underground direction are broken, one can directly access the Core Formation Platform from below.

There is no need to change other restrictions on the ground.

Li Yuan's gaze lingered on the stone layer above his head for a moment before returning to the array structure of the third layer of restrictions.

But just as he focused his perception on the outermost array patterns of the third layer of restrictions, a detail he hadn't noticed before surfaced.

Between the nodes of the array pattern, there is an extremely fine set of spiritual energy loops.

This loop is not part of the defensive structure of the restriction itself, and its direction is different from the main pattern. Like a thin thread, it connects all the key nodes of the third layer of restriction, extending from the bottom of the altar all the way to the top of the stone wall, and finally connecting to a location that Li Yuan cannot perceive.

Alarm loop.

Li Yuan immediately withdrew his senses and did not probe any deeper.

The function of this circuit is very clear. Once any key node of the third layer of restrictions is destroyed or dismantled by external force, the spiritual energy fluctuations will be transmitted along this thin line, triggering a pre-set alarm somewhere.

This means that even if one can remove the third layer of restrictions from underground, the removal will be detected the moment it is done.

Li Yuan stood in the sealed space for a moment, organizing all the information he had gathered that night in his mind.

The road is open, and the direction is right, but the last step is stuck on the alarm mechanism.

There are two options: forcibly break through the barrier, check if the Core Formation Platform can be equipped, and then quickly leave.

However, that's too risky. We need to find a way to shield the spiritual energy fluctuations when the barrier is broken.

Li Yuan did not linger and returned to the stone house by the same route.

The following day, Yuan Yang Sect officially distributed the array blueprints for this auxiliary formation to all participating array masters.

Li Yuan received a complete set of blueprints for a second-order spirit gathering and guiding array.

It's called the Spirit Gathering and Guiding Array, and as the name suggests, it has two functions: first, to gather the surrounding spiritual energy, and second, to guide the gathered spiritual energy to a designated location.

The formation's structure isn't particularly complex. The core idea is to gather spiritual energy at the formation's core and then guide it in a predetermined direction through a set of guiding patterns. The direction of these guiding patterns can be adjusted during the formation's setup, offering a high degree of flexibility.

After reviewing the blueprints twice, Li Yuan was able to determine the location of the formation.

This is not a spirit-gathering array used for cultivation.

Ordinary spirit-gathering arrays simply gather spiritual energy, which cultivators can then absorb while sitting within the array. However, this array has an additional diversion function, meaning that the spiritual energy it gathers is not for human use, but rather to be sent elsewhere.

When cultivators practice, their spiritual energy circulates freely, so this kind of guiding formation is not suitable.

The rationale for using it on the Core Formation Platform is clear. After the auxiliary array gathers the surrounding spiritual energy, it directs the spiritual energy to the Core Formation Platform through the guiding patterns, providing a sufficient and stable supply of spiritual power for the Core Formation process.

After putting away the blueprints, Li Yuan found an open space near the stone house that evening and tried to set one up.

The array materials used were the stable spirit sand and diversion stones that I had previously stockpiled, and the array eye was a medium-quality spirit gathering stone.

The setup process went smoothly. With his second-tier array mastery and the permanent enhancement of the array mechanism linkage, this level of array difficulty was no challenge for Li Yuan. In less than an hour, the Spirit Gathering and Guiding Array was completed.

As soon as the spiritual energy was sent, the array lit up.

After confirming the actual effect of the formation, Li Yuan walked back to the core of the formation.

As I crouched down, the array eye stone entered a three-foot range, and the panel popped up.

[Equipable item detected: Spirit Stone (Complete)]

[Equipment Attribute Preview: Spirit Stone (Green)]

[Effect: Increases the speed of spiritual energy flow by 30% and the precision of spiritual energy control by 20%]

[Preview of conditions for permanentization: Cultivation level reaches the late stage of Foundation Establishment]

The condition for permanentization is reaching the late stage of Foundation Establishment.

That's enough.

Li Yuan directly equipped it and then made it permanent.

[The 'Spirit Stone (Green)' has become a permanent entry]

The change was immediately reflected in the flow of spiritual energy.

The flow of spiritual energy in the meridians was noticeably faster. It wasn't the kind of abrupt acceleration that felt forced, but rather the reduced resistance to the flow of spiritual energy itself, making it move more smoothly.

At the same time, the precision of spiritual power control has also been improved. When a wisp of spiritual power is condensed at the fingertip, the control over the form and direction of the spiritual power is more delicate than before.

The speed of spiritual energy flow increases by 30%, and the precision of spiritual energy control increases by 20%.

These two enhancements are useful in alchemy, formation, and combat.

Li Yuan got up, cleared out the space where the spirit stone had disappeared from the array's core, and took a new spirit stone from his storage bag to embed in the core.

The array lit up again and resumed normal operation.

Li Yuan glanced at the spirit-gathering and guiding array that was being tested, and after confirming that the structure was stable, he ignored it and turned back to the stone house.

I've thoroughly understood the blueprints and practiced them. There shouldn't be any problems when I officially set up the formation in the Core Formation area.