Creating something like this really depended on inspiration.
It was the same as writing a novel. Sometimes, you would have a plot in your head, but you would feel uncomfortable after sitting in front of the computer for two hours. Sometimes, you would get carried away with writing a huge chapter, and you would get carried away with writing.
It was the same for creating cultivation manuals.
Jiang He had felt awkward no matter how he made it up when he created the Item Refinement Manual, but inspiration was gushing like a fountain now, and he could not hold back.
"If I could replace enchantment with 'enchantment', what about enchantment for mystic treasures?"
"For example, the Scarlet Flame Sword is a fire-type flying sword, while the Autumn Water Sword is a water-type flying sword. Aside from the main materials for item refinement that lean towards fire or water, it also needs to be inscribed with runes. Could those be replaced with words as well?"
"If it's a mystic treasure used to trap humans, could the word 'trap' replace the runes?"
"Killing, defense, and even many special mystic treasures could work …"
In the old blacksmith's workshop, Jiang He wrote over two thousand words at great length, and then spent half an hour editing, perfecting, or even deleting over two thousand words.
After all, from Jiang He's perspective, what was the point of being so fancy about item refinement?
Was it not better to be simple?
If it was too complicated, he might not even be interested in item refinement.
"Item refinement manual settled …"
Jiang He was very satisfied with the two-page manual in his hand. Now, it was time for the headache-inducing naming …
Jiang He thought hard for half a day, eliminating fancy names such as the Nine Scrolls of Item Refinement and the Chaotic Cloak Thousand Tempering Hundred Refinements, and finally settled on the simple and obvious name of 'Jiang-Style Item Refinement'.
"Jiang-Style Item Refinement is not bad."
Jiang He wrote down the name of the item refinement manual. Since he had created it, it made sense to name it 'Jiang-Style Item Refinement'.
He checked the time to find that it was just past three in the afternoon.
Wu Yueru had informed him that the lecture would start at seven, and there were still four hours left.
"I could use those three hours to create the pellet refinement manual and the array."
Right then, Jiang He was overflowing with inspiration. After some thought and musing, he began to write.
"Since item refinement could pursue extreme simplicity, pellet refinement should be the same …"
"The first step is to prepare the ingredients."
"The second step of alchemy is to liquify the alchemy materials and promote the fusion. Then, prepare a mold to facilitate the formation of the elixir."
Jiang He stopped writing at that.
He thought of all the medicinal pills he had seen … Almost 99% of them were in the shape of a small ball, so when he described them, he could only use such boring words as "the size of a longan".
"Since I can use molds, then there are many options for the shape of the elixir. For example, the most common molds for making ice cream and popsicles. After I liquefy the elixir materials and pour them into the mold for making ice cream, will I be able to make the elixir into the shape of an ice cream? Add a stick and put it in the fridge for a few hours. Won't the pill be formed? "
"Eh …"
"Since it can be made into the shape of ice cream, what about the taste?"
"If I add some butter, melon seeds, and saccharin, it shouldn't affect the medicinal properties of the elixir, right?"
Jiang He thought about it … the chances of it being affected were not high. Even if it was, he could alter it until there was no effect. Hence, he simply searched for the recipe for an ice cream called 'Little Pudding' on the internet and referenced it.
"Drinking water, white sugar, grape syrup, vegetable oil, maltodextrin, full-fat milk powder, whey powder, egg, soy powder, food additives … Hmmm, food additives aren't very hygienic, so I won't add them."
"And what's vegetable oil?"
"I won't add that either …"
"Actually, I could refer to the recipes for ice cream and popsicles when it comes to taste. After all, some medicinal pellets are terrible, bitter, astringent, and your mouth would go numb for half a day after eating them."
Hence, it took Jiang He around an hour to create the pellet refinement art.
"Let's call it jiang-style pellet refinement … the only problem now is the pellet recipe and mold." Jiang He thought then, and glanced at the old blacksmith with a smile. "Old man, could you make me a mold?"
"I don't have any requests. It can be used to freeze popsicles, ice cream, or ice lumps."
Ice lumps were round.
It looked similar to normal medicinal pellets, and was a must.
"Are you going to make your own ice cream?"
The old man smiled. "Sure, no problem at all. I can make it in minutes … by the way, what material do you want for the mold? How about stainless steel? "
"What stainless steel? Old man, can you make A-grade alloy now? Then I'll just use A-grade alloy. "
The old blacksmith was stunned.
A-grade alloy mold for ice cream?
How much would one ice cream cost?
If he were to use grade A alloy to create this mold, the material value alone would be close to a million, right? That would be enough to build an ice cream workshop.
Still, since Jiang He had made such a request, the old man naturally would not say anything else. He had ready-made A-grade alloy in his workshop, and conjuring his giant hammer, he asked, "Do you have the size of the mold?"
It was common sense to put the mold in the fridge to make ice cream after it was done. Since it was too small, he could not make more than a few ice creams, and too big to fit in the fridge.
"Just do whatever you want."
Jiang He smiled. "As for freezing, there's no need to put it in the fridge. I'll find an ice-type cultivation manual later, and I could freeze it anywhere and anytime."
As the old blacksmith began to make the mold, Jiang He did not stay idle.
Then, he began to create an array.
Jiang He had experience in creating arrays, since he had already created the Nameless Sword Array.
"My Nameless Sword Array is very powerful. With the Ice and Fire Duality Sword Array alone, I could kill a full-fledged Yuan Spirit if I cast it as a novice Yuan Spirit, and the Sword Array of Five Elements and Six Pulses would reach the threshold of Convergence-tier … of course, that has to do with the fact that I'm a sword cultivator."
Sword cultivators excelled in killing.
It was normal to control a flying sword to fight above one's tier, but the fact that it could transcend such a great realm was enough to show how frightening sword arrays were.
But the key was that the sword array consumed too many flying swords.
Could an ordinary Sword Cultivator afford such wealth?
"That's why I have to keep it simple even if I create another array."
"Otherwise, how troublesome would it be to set up an array and prepare the materials, such as spirit stones, array flags, array boards, and even carving the patterns of arrays?"
"Perhaps the array flags, array boards, and spirit stones are necessary for setting up an array, but the patterns of arrays could be dispensed with …"
Jiang He mused.
With his experience in creating pellet refinement and item refinement, carving the patterns of arrays was easy. He just had to replace it with words, such as when he wanted to create a sealing array and name it the Great Nine Heavens Array of Dragon Sealing, he just had to write those words.
"For arrays, I could make a sealing array, a killing array, a defensive array, as well as an illusory array. I could also make an array to protect my house as well, and it has to be a grand array that gathers entrapment, killing, defense, and illusory. The kind that could stop even Convergence-tier or Sufferance-tier cultivators."
Jiang He rose to his feet and paced around the old blacksmith's workshop, musing to himself at times and appearing delighted at others. However, he soon shook his head and rejected his idea.
After pacing around for a dozen minutes, he sat down again and wrote dozens of words, only to cross them off as he was not satisfied.
"Creating a formation is indeed not an easy task …"
Jiang He sighed.
Creating cultivation manuals was too difficult.
Taking out a bottle of rank-nine Origin Fluid and a handful of purple-gold sunflower seeds, he munched on them as he thought, "Let's name it first … for the sealing array, let's call it the Great Nine Heavens Array of Dragon Sealing."
As for why he called it that …
Could it not sound awesome?
"Next is the power of the array … it would be best if it could be used until one becomes immortal or Saint, which is why it could be set to grow. For example, the stronger the person who sets up the array, the more effective it would be at trapping others."
"When setting up an array formation, the more spirit stones you use, the stronger the array flags and array discs you refine, and the more powerful the array formation will be."
"As for the killing array, let's call it the Nine Heavens Thunderflame Array."
"Once it's activated, it can attract the Heavenly Thunder and Earthly Fire. If it's strong enough, it can even attract the Purple Cloud Divine Thunder. Who can't be killed by it?"
"As for the Defensive Formation, let's call it the Earthen Black Tortoise Formation. After activating it, it'll be able to harness the power of the Earthen Element, making it as tough as a tortoise's shell. Let's call the Illusory Formation the Universal Phenomenon Formation then.
"Myriad Phenomena, Myriad Phenomena, Myriad Phenomena, Evoking Inner Demons …"
"My mansion's protective formation is a combination of these four formations. When someone attacks, I'll activate the formation, and they'll enter the illusory formation first. When you fall into an illusion, I'll activate the killing formation. Even if the illusory formation and the killing formation can't kill you, there's still the trapping formation. “
"There's still the defensive array left even if the sealing formation is broken. If they really did, they would be exhausted. Call out to the Cloudscraper Vine, Dumbo, Trumbo, and the Seven Bottle Gourd Brothers, swarm them and cut them down."
Delight appeared on Jiang He's face!
His creativity was simply perfect!
As for spirit stones …
They were actually Orirocks. He had plenty of them, and the secluded immortal sects would have a lot of them. In fact, there were spirit stone veins in their Secret Realms, and he just had to plunder them when the time came.
"If it's formation flags and formation plates … I'll buy some small flags and plates. When the time comes, I'll write words like 'formation flag' and 'formation plate' on them. Then, I'll plant them and see if I can grow real formation flags and formation plates."
Jiang He thought that it was worth a try.
After he finished creating the array, the old blacksmith had finished the mold as well.
That was when Wu Yueru called him.
"It's almost seven, Mister Jiang. When will you be coming?"
"Right away. Coming right away."
After hanging up, Jiang He felt a headache.
Giving a lecture …
For the first time in his life!
"Whatever, I'll just brace myself and do it. Since Wu Yueru has already said, I'll tell everyone about my cultivation experience, growth, and so on …"
Suddenly, Jiang He did a double take.
Cultivation …
Experience?
(PS: Asking for monthly votes and recommendation votes. There should be more tonight if nothing goes wrong.)
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