Cultivation: I can solidify equipment attributes

Chapter 567 Kunpeng Guards the Way

The main island of the Kunpeng Alliance. A fourth-order grand formation. A Nascent Soul level Nascent Soul formation experience manual.

Li Yuan sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, practicing the Heavenly Evolution Divination Technique.

During the Great Completion stage, the hexagrams condense extremely rapidly, and the causal clues unfold in consciousness on their own into a rough panoramic view. The passive perception of celestial evolution and the intuitive causal direction of hexagram spiritual communication simultaneously amplify key information.

Divination objective: To determine the auspicious or inauspicious course of the journey to the main island of the Kunpeng Alliance.

The hexagram is clear. It is slightly auspicious, with no ominous signs. The intuitive discernment, refined through the permanent realization of cause and effect, captures a faint variable at the edge of the hexagram, pointing towards the later stages of stability, but not necessarily misfortune.

Li Yuan accepted the divination result.

Transforming into a beam of light, it left the Loose Cultivator Alliance stronghold and flew towards the main island of the Kunpeng Alliance.

The main island of the Kunpeng Alliance is located in the northeast of the sea, about two hundred miles from the stronghold of the Loose Cultivator Alliance. The light swept across a large area of ​​sea, and scattered islands and reefs could be seen along the way. Some islands had traces of spiritual energy from cultivators, but most were deserted.

As they approached the main island, the spiritual energy fluctuations suddenly intensified.

The main island was several times larger than the stronghold of the Loose Cultivator Alliance. The most eye-catching feature was the semi-transparent spiritual energy barrier around the island. The barrier covered an area of ​​about ten zhang above the island and below the sea surface, with the patterns of spiritual energy circulation faintly flowing on the surface of the barrier.

Fourth-order grand formation.

The purple text on the array's core responded automatically the moment Li Yuan approached the barrier. The outer structure of the array appeared to him like an extremely complex spiritual pattern diagram, with the flow of spiritual energy, the distribution of nodes, and the way energy circulated appearing layer by layer in his consciousness.

Li Yuan's escape light landed on the dock at the southern end of the island.

A middle-aged cultivator at the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm was already waiting at the dock, wearing a dark blue robe in the style of the Kunpeng Alliance, with a pattern of a Kunpeng spreading its wings embroidered on its chest.

"Fellow Daoist Li? The Loose Cultivator Alliance sent a message in advance, please follow me."

Li Yuan followed the middle-aged cultivator through the stone steps behind the dock and headed towards the main building in the center of the island.

Along the way, I saw many cultivators walking back and forth, most of them were in the Foundation Establishment stage, and their faces were tense.

Occasionally, a Golden Core cultivator would streak across the sky, landing on the rooftops of various buildings before quickly disappearing into the interior.

In the square in front of the main building, an old-looking monk stood on the top of the steps.

The spiritual energy fluctuations were calm and profound, indicating the completion of the Golden Core stage.

"This is the Vice Leader of the Kunpeng Alliance, Leader Jiang."

The middle-aged monk introduced them and then stepped aside.

Jiang, the deputy leader of the alliance, looked to be nearing seventy. His long, gray hair was tied back, his face was thin, his cheekbones were high, and his eyes were deep-set but had a sharp inner light.

The spiritual energy fluctuations of someone who has reached the Golden Core stage are extremely well-controlled; their cultivation level is almost imperceptible without careful observation.

"Fellow Daoist Li, thank you for coming to our aid." Vice Alliance Leader Jiang's voice was deep and slow, without any unnecessary formalities.

"Time is of the essence, let's go to the treasure vault first."

Li Yuan was slightly taken aback.

"Why not arrange defense first?"

"We'll talk about defense later." Vice Alliance Leader Jiang turned and walked towards a stone pavilion on the side of the main building.

"Fellow Daoist has come from afar; the Alliance cannot let him make a wasted trip. Let's choose something first, then we'll feel at ease."

He spoke frankly.

Li Yuan followed.

The stone pavilion had three floors, and its outer perimeter was protected by a separate, high-grade protective array. Vice Alliance Leader Jiang used his spiritual power to unlock the gate and led Li Yuan into the main hall on the first floor.

The hall was not large, about five zhang square. Stone display cases were embedded in the four walls, each displaying an item with a brief description inscribed on a stone plaque below it.

Li Yuan's gaze swept across the display case.

The items included magical artifacts, elixirs, spiritual materials, and cultivation manuals on jade slips—not many in number, totaling about twenty. However, each item was of high quality, at least second-tier, with some reaching third-tier.

Within a three-foot perception range, fluctuations from the entries were continuously transmitted.

Most are green, and a few are white.

Li Yuan walked slowly along the display cases, his fingers casually brushing over the top three feet of each item.

As I approached a display case near the back wall, I sensed a blue-grade fluctuation.

Inside the display case was a fist-sized, dark gold bead. The bead's surface had extremely fine spiritual grooves, within which flowed a pale golden spiritual light. The inscription on the stone tablet read: "Kunpeng Array Bead, crafted by the Kunpeng Alliance Leader using surplus materials from a fourth-tier grand array. It can assist in maintaining the operation of the array."

"This one." Li Yuan pointed to the Kunpeng Array Bead.

Without saying much, Vice Alliance Leader Jiang released the restrictions on the display case, took out the array bead, and handed it to Li Yuan.

Li Yuan took the array bead.

[Equipable item detected: Kunpeng Array Bead]

[Equipment Attribute Preview: Kunpeng Guardian (Blue)]

[Effect: Increases spirit power recovery speed by 50%; increases own defense by 30%, can consume spirit power to increase defense]

[Preview of Permanentization Conditions: Deploy a Tier 3 defensive formation]

Add to equipment slot.

The panel popped up, and the array bead disappeared from my hand.

Vice Alliance Leader Jiang then took out a jade slip from his sleeve and handed it over.

"A classic text on Nascent Soul formation. It is a record of Nascent Soul formation personally written by a senior Nascent Soul cultivator of our alliance. It is not to be passed on to outsiders. Fellow Daoist, please keep it safe."

""

Li Yuan took the jade slip and scanned the table of contents with his divine sense.

The content is completely different from the basic and advanced classics obtained previously.

It is not a standard procedure or a theoretical framework, but a detailed record of a Nascent Soul cultivator's feelings, actual operations, and unexpected responses at every key stage of the Nascent Soul formation process.

It has considerable reference value, but it is more of a reference because individual techniques will inevitably result in significant differences.

Li Yuan put the jade slip into his personal space.

Thank you.

"Of course."

Vice Alliance Leader Jiang led Li Yuan out of the Treasure Pavilion.

"Now let's talk about defense."

On the way from the treasure pavilion to the array's central hub, Vice Alliance Leader Jiang briefly explained the current defensive deployment.

"There are currently twenty Golden Core cultivators on the main island, fourteen of whom are from the Alliance headquarters, and six are independent cultivators from elsewhere. Including you, there are twenty-one. There are one hundred and twelve Foundation Establishment cultivators, responsible for the daily maintenance and spiritual energy replenishment of the array circuits."

"The operation of a fourth-order grand formation requires at least eight Golden Core cultivators to maintain the input of spiritual energy at each node simultaneously in order to exert its full defensive power. The remaining Golden Core cultivators take turns to rest and recuperate to ensure a continuous supply of spiritual energy."

Vice Alliance Leader Jiang stopped in front of the formation's central hub.

"Your node is the third one on the east side. The array's spiritual energy circulation branches off from the central point into eight main channels, each connecting to a node. Golden Core cultivators are stationed at these nodes to maintain the spiritual energy input."

"The third position in the east has the second largest flow of spiritual energy among the eight nodes, and it requires a cultivator with profound spiritual energy and high control precision to maintain it."

Li Yuan nodded.

As it approached the central point, the array's overall structure had already been largely revealed to the user.

The flow of spiritual energy in the third position to the east is indeed considerable. It would be very strenuous for an ordinary Golden Core cultivator, but for Li Yuan, who has reached the Golden Core stage and is blessed by various attributes, the pressure is not great.

Vice Alliance Leader Jiang led Li Yuan to the third node on the east side.

The node is a semi-open stone platform with a core spirit stone embedded in its center, surrounded by densely engraved array patterns. Spiritual energy radiates from the core spirit stone in all directions, converging into the main vein and flowing throughout the entire array.

Li Yuan sat cross-legged on the stone platform and poured his spiritual energy into the array's core.

The internal structure of the fourth-order grand formation was fully unfolded after the spiritual energy was connected.

The seven-layered nested spiritual energy circuits, the linkage mechanism of the eight main meridians, the signal transmission method between the central hub and the nodes, and the reconstruction path of the circuits in emergency situations—all these details are presented layer by layer with the blessing of the Array Dao Heavenly Pivot.

Li Yuan digested this information one by one, and his mastery of formation techniques continued to accumulate through practical observation.

Half a day later.

The sky above the sea suddenly changed color.

A powerful spiritual force, far exceeding that of the Golden Core stage, swept in from the southeast of the main island, covering the entire island.

The Foundation Establishment cultivators' faces turned pale instantly, and some of the lower-level Qi Refining stage servants collapsed to the ground.

The Golden Core cultivators rose from their positions and all looked towards the sea in the southeast direction.

Li Yuan's divine sense expanded simultaneously.

The permanent attribute of the Demon Tracking Mirror increases the sensitivity of detecting demonic beast aura by 30%, allowing it to capture the silhouette of an approaching being from an extremely distant location.

Enormous. Heavy. With a strong earthy smell.

The owner of the aura rose from beneath the sea.

A giant golden toad.

It was about six zhang tall, its entire body covered with dark golden wart-like skin, and its back was raised like a small hill.

A pair of vertical pupils gleamed with a murky golden light, and black vertical lines within the pupils slowly contracted. The corners of his mouth stretched to the sides of his head, revealing a dark gray oral cavity and two rows of blunt bone spurs.

Fourth-tier Great Demon.

The golden toad floated on the sea surface, not immediately approaching the main island. Its enormous body remained motionless in the waves, like a reef.

A deep croaking sound came from the golden toad's mouth, and the sound waves spread across the sea.

"Call your Nascent Souls back."

Jin Chan's voice was low and hoarse, and he spoke very slowly, each word sounding like a stone squeezed out from the depths of his throat.

"He comes back, I leave."

The island fell silent for a moment.

Vice Alliance Leader Jiang stood on the platform at the highest point of the main building, calmly watching the golden toad on the sea, without responding.

The golden toad waited for about ten breaths, then its vertical pupils slightly contracted.

"Not coming back?"

Silence is the answer.

The golden toad's mouth stretched even wider.

The pressure of spiritual energy suddenly intensified.

Li Yuan sensed a sudden increase in the flow of spiritual energy within the array's loop at the third node on the east side. The golden toad's spiritual pressure not only oppressed the cultivators' spirits but also impacted the outer barrier of the grand array. The first layer of the seven nested loops showed visible fluctuations under the pressure, and the rate of spiritual energy consumption suddenly increased.

The eight Golden Core cultivators simultaneously increased their spiritual energy input.

Li Yuan's spiritual energy output steadily increased.

The golden toad began its attack.

The first strike was a thick, dark golden venom, spewed from the golden toad's mouth, crashing into the array's barrier like a thick column of water. The instant the venom struck the barrier, the first and second layers of the spiritual energy circulation paths were simultaneously subjected to pressure, and a dark golden corrosive patch appeared on the barrier's surface.

The corrosion spots faded slowly under the automatic repair of the spiritual energy circuit, but the fading speed was much slower than the corrosion speed.

The second blow followed immediately.

The golden toad slammed its forelimbs against the sea surface, sending a massive column of water, imbued with golden spiritual energy, soaring into the sky and crashing down on the great array barrier. The impact of the water column far exceeded that of the venom; the first layer of the barrier trembled violently under the impact, and some of the spiritual runes showed signs of overload.

Li Yuan increased his spiritual power output by another 10% at the key point.

The understanding of array structure by the Array Dao Heavenly Pivot allows him to accurately determine which loops need to be reinforced first. There is a linkage node between the first and second layers of the eastern barrier. When the spiritual energy flow at the linkage node is insufficient, a brief gap will appear in the defensive connection between the two layers.

Li Yuan precisely channeled his excess spiritual energy into this linkage node.

The gap disappeared.

The golden toad attacked wave after wave, with extremely short intervals. It used venom, water columns, and spiritual energy shockwaves in rotation, with each attack slightly changing in angle and method, as if testing the weak points of the formation.

The offensive lasted for about two hours.

The Golden Core cultivators at the eight nodes had expended a great deal of spiritual energy, and some of them began to turn pale. Vice Alliance Leader Jiang ordered a rotation, and the Golden Core cultivators from the rest group took their place. The cultivators who were replaced immediately used pills to restore their spiritual energy.

Although Li Yuan didn't expend much energy, he was still rotated out.

Sunset.

The frequency of the golden toad's attacks began to decrease.

After the final spray of venom was blocked by the great array barrier, the golden toad's vertical pupils flickered in the dim light.

There were no further attacks.

Its massive body slowly sank to the surface of the sea, its dark golden skin gradually disappearing into the water. The oppressive spiritual energy dissipated, as if a boulder had been removed from everyone's chests.

The monks on the island let out a long sigh of relief.

Li Yuan withdrew his spiritual power at the node and checked his own condition.

The spiritual energy reserves are about 80%.

Li Yuan stood up and stepped down from the stone platform.

Night fell over the main island, and scattered lights illuminated the various buildings. The Golden Core cultivators, who were taking turns to rest, gathered in twos and threes outside the council hall, talking quietly, their faces weary.

Li Yuan did not join them and returned to the room assigned to him.

The stone gate closed, and he sat down cross-legged.