Since the other party didn't react, he should have stopped. Yet, the other party was fine while he suffered a backlash. If he was unable to stop it, his chances of survival would be extremely slim.
The disk spun faster and faster. The Great Dao Energy gathered by the formation patterns pressed down like a huge wave. Just as Xiao Chen was about to give up and wait for death, he heard a displeased voice by his ear.
"What are you walking around for? Go to the side!"
It was like a clap of thunder in spring. The Great Dao charging at Xiao Chen seemed to have met its nemesis, vanishing without a trace in the blink of an eye. Only then did Xiao Chen feel like he had gone from life to death, gasping for breath.
Raising his head, Zhang Xuan saw that the young man was still seated in front of the praying mat not too far away. Looking at the round plate in his hand, he said awkwardly, "I saw this plate spinning around so I was afraid that it would hurt you, so I chided it a little … It should be fine, right?"
Xiao Chen was stunned.
The disc was only a low-grade spirit artifact, so it was nothing much. However, the backlash of the Great Dao caused by the formation patterns was something that even a ninth-grade formation master could only blame himself for being unlucky. There was no other way around it. Yet, this person stopped after a single word of warning, causing the Great Dao to retreat in fear …
How did he do it?
"You … don't feel any pressure?" Xiao Chen couldn't help but ask.
"I thought you … haven't started yet?" Su Yin was stunned.
"I …" Xiao Chen was at a loss for words.
The wheels of the Great Dao are already rolling on my face, and you still think it hasn't appeared … Are you testing me, or am I testing you?
Despite his young age, he was still able to remain completely unfazed by the might of the Great Dao. Could it be … A name surfaced in Zhang Xuan's mind, and his body trembled slightly. "May I know how I should address you? May I know your name?"
"I'm Su Yin!"
"Su … Yin?" Xiao Chen's head felt like it was about to explode.
I should have thought of it earlier!
Given his age, he should have guessed that he was the Junior Uncle of the Immortal Subjugation Sect. If he had known that it was him, he wouldn't have dared to take the examination even if he were given ten guts.
He struggled to stand up and bowed deeply. "I didn't know that Grand Martial Uncle was here. I didn't recognize you in time. Please forgive me …"
"There's no need to stand on ceremony." Seeing that the other party knew his identity after he said his name, Su Yin felt slightly helpless.
Before his cultivation reached the peak, he really only wanted to keep a low profile. How did he get recognized so quickly?
This shouldn't be the case!
As soon as he entered the room, he sat on the praying mat, not doing anything at all … not saying a single word at all. Even if he was outstanding, how did the other party see through it?
"If it were Senior Granduncle, you could have just revealed your identity and asked me to bring you whatever formation blueprint you require. I wouldn't have dared to take the examination …"
Seeing that the person before him didn't blame him, Xiao Chen hurriedly explained.
A super ruthless person who repelled over a hundred experts with one finger … He was just a small Array Pattern Master, and he didn't dare to offend him even if he was beaten to death!
"Thank you so much …" Su Yin said, "I want to find a formation diagram that can shrink objects to learn!"
"Shrinking an item?"
Xiao Chen was taken aback. His face was filled with disbelief as he exclaimed, "This formation diagram … is related to the Great Dao of Space, and it has already reached the eighth level. Could it be that … Senior Granduncle is an eight-star formation master?"
"Level eight?" Su Yin frowned as well.
He only wanted to shrink the ship, but it actually reached the eighth level?
For someone like him with zero foundation, it would be difficult for him to learn such a high-level formation in a short period of time.
Just like a physician, ordinary illnesses could be easily treated by analyzing the differences between humans and animals. If it was too difficult, it would be somewhat difficult …
Even though he hadn't seen a powerful formation diagram before, it shouldn't be too far off.
"Shrinking doesn't actually shrink an item but distorts the space around it. The principle is similar to that of a storage ring. Thus, the formation diagrams are imbued with the power of space, and there are many of them! Even though I have a formation diagram here, I don't have a detailed inscription process or comprehension. If you want to learn it, it's impossible for you to do so … "Xiao Chen explained.
Diagrams were the only thing that was useful when it came to learning formation diagrams. Every single one of the diagrams had a different repelling method, strength, and attribute. Without the experience left behind by predecessors, even if one's cultivation was sufficient, one could easily cause an imbalance in the formation diagram and cause it to collapse.
To put it bluntly, inscribing formation diagrams was like stacking building blocks. Not only did one have to stack them high, one also had to deal with wind from all directions, as well as the repelling force of one's body. Without a specialized teacher to guide the way, it was impossible for one to learn it just by looking at a diagram …
"I'll take a look first. If I can learn it, I'll learn it. If I can't, then so be it." Su Yin didn't bother explaining.
"Senior Granduncle, this way please!" Having said everything that needed to be said, Xiao Chen didn't try to dissuade Zhang Xuan anymore. Instead, he led the way.
"Your injuries …" Seeing the other party bleeding profusely as they walked, Su Yin couldn't help but feel a little worried.
"This is a Dao injury, and it'll be difficult for me to recover in a short period of time. However, it won't affect my cultivation. As long as I don't inscribe formation diagrams within a short period of time, my life won't be in any danger!" Xiao Chen said.
Seeing that the other party had no intention of asking for his treatment, Su Yin didn't pretend to be a good person either. He followed behind Xiao Chen, and soon, they arrived at another room. This room wasn't as empty as the previous one. Rows of short walls resembling stone tablets stood in the middle of the room. On each wall, there were a few cloths dyed black with ink, and all kinds of diagrams were inscribed on them.
Formation diagrams had to be three-dimensional in order to draw upon the power of the Dao. On the other hand, inscriptions were two-dimensional, so they weren't affected by the power of the Dao.
Of course, there were also flaws. The depth of the formation diagrams and the strength required to inscribe them couldn't be displayed, so it was impossible to replicate them just by looking at them.
"Most of the inscriptions here are grade-1, and the ones in front are grade-2. The further you go, the higher the grade of the inscriptions …" Xiao Chen explained.
Su Yin glanced at the short wall closest to him. There were only a few dozen formation diagrams inscribed on it, and the gaps between the inscriptions were huge. Cultivators who had just come into contact with formation diagrams would be able to inscribe it if they put in some effort.
"This is the simplest Vertigo Formation Diagram. When used in battle, it can bring about unexpected effects. Of course, it's only effective on Juxi realm cultivators. After the Primordial Forging realm and the birth of Spiritual Perception, it won't be of much use anymore …"
"This is a Hypnotic Formation Diagram. It can allow one to sleep more peacefully, and it is beneficial for calming one's nerves. This is especially so for injured or insomnia cultivators …"
"This is a Drunkenness Dispelling Formation Diagram. If hidden on one's body, one can drink a thousand cups without getting drunk …"
"This is a Heaven Raising Formation Diagram. If used when many people are exercising, it can ensure that its might doesn't diminish at all!"
…
Xiao Chen introduced the inscriptions one by one.
Grade-1 formation diagrams are usually very simple and practical. They are extremely beneficial to ordinary people, but to cultivators, they are of little use.
Putting everything else aside, just the Drunkenness Dispelling Formation Diagram … Cultivators just have to circulate their Zhen Yuan to dispel the effects of alcohol. Who would waste a Spirit Artifact to inscribe such a useless thing?
Also, that Heaven Raising Formation Diagram … It felt a little weird. Rather than using Zhen Yuan to maintain one's stamina, one might as well buy some medicinal herbs.
Hearing the other party's introduction, Su Yin memorized the appearance of the formation diagrams in his mind.
When he learned how to inscribe in the Forbidden Grounds, there was a specialized examination on how to convert a two-dimensional diagram into a three-dimensional one. Thus, while others might say that the diagrams were only for reference, to him, as long as he memorized them, he could easily recreate them in his mind.
Furthermore, formation diagrams were more important than form. Memorizing the essence of the diagrams and changing them at will wasn't a problem at all.
"These are grade-4 formation diagrams, Haste, Levitation …" Soon, after scanning through the first three grade-4 diagrams, the duo arrived before the grade-4 formation.
Su Yin was taken aback.
He thought that these formation diagrams were easy to inscribe, and that they would at most be grade-1 or grade-2. He didn't expect them to be grade-4.
But thinking about it, it made sense.
Grade-4 formation diagrams required one to be at Transcendent Mortal realm to suppress the rampaging energy within them. At this realm, one would be able to fly on a sword, so levitation … wasn't a problem at all.
Compared to the previous ones, regardless of whether it was in terms of complexity, number of formation inscriptions, or density, the inscriptions here were much more complex. Those who didn't have a strong mind would feel dizzy just by looking at it, needless to say, memorize and learn it.
It was precisely for this reason that Xiao Chen wanted to test him. Otherwise, putting aside inscribing, just looking at them for a moment could cause one's cultivation to go berserk, and one's life and death would be beyond one's control.
"Memorization!"
To Su Yin, this kind of pressure didn't affect him at all. He focused his mind and memorized every single one of the diagrams.
Even though 'Shorthand' wasn't one of the thirty-six arts that he had learned, in order to pick up knowledge faster, he had studied it before. Initially, he had to read through the diagrams carefully to comprehend the meaning behind them. However, the more he memorized, the more he memorized the diagrams. Eventually, just by blinking his eyes, he would be able to imprint the diagrams in his mind, achieving a photographic memory.
It was precisely because of this ability that he was able to learn thirty-six different professions in a short ten years. Otherwise, if he couldn't even remember them, how could he learn them?
He continued along the stone wall and soon entered the Level Seven and Eight area.
Compared to the previous diagrams, the number of diagrams here was clearly much less. Furthermore, they were much more complex. Often, there would be over a thousand lines on a diagram. Moreover, there was no space between each line, and the distance between them was extremely small. Forget about carving, even if one used a brush to draw, the slightest tremor could cause one to lose everything.
"When I first started learning, I first used a brush to draw a diagram over a thousand times. Only when I was completely familiar with the distribution of each formation pattern would I start carving. However, no matter how familiar I am with the formation pattern, it's impossible to carve this kind of formation pattern. Putting everything else aside, just the material itself is so dense that it requires at least a Peak Grade Spirit Artifact to withstand it. And this kind of weapon … Without an Inherited Realm cultivation base, how could one succeed? "Xiao Chen said.
The Mona Lisa was there, and countless people had seen it. How many people could draw the charm of the painting? Sometimes, it wasn't something that could be done just by imitating it.
Su Yin nodded and didn't say anything. Instead, he focused his gaze on the shrinking formation pattern in front of him.
As expected, it was much more complicated than floating and moving. There were over three thousand lines, and each line was different. It was so complicated that it made one dizzy.
"Martial Granduncle, please help yourself …"
After looking at it for a while, Xiao Chen couldn't bear the power contained within it and could only turn his head away.
Ignoring his expression, Su Yin quickly memorized all of the contents. Only then did he heave a sigh of relief. He continued looking forward and saw that he had already reached the end of the room.
There was only one diagram left on the wall. The lines on it seemed even more complicated and complicated than the shrinking formation pattern.
"This is …" Su Yin looked over curiously.
"I don't know what it's used for either. It was copied from an ancient tomb seventeen generations ago by my martial granduncle. I thought it was very complicated, so I copied it and placed it here. However, because my mental power was too weak, I didn't dare to study it. It's just for show! As for whether it can be carved or whether it's real, I'm not too sure … "Xiao Chen explained.
However, no one had ever succeeded in carving the diagram. As such, no one knew what kind of formation it was.
Su Yin took a closer look at it.
This diagram was indeed more complicated than the shrinking formation pattern. There were over six thousand lines in it, nearly twice as many as the shrinking formation pattern!
"Strange …"
After looking through it once and memorizing all of the formation patterns, Su Yin frowned.
He was able to tell what kind of attribute the formation patterns were compatible with after studying them for a while. However, he couldn't tell what this one was.
"I'll have to try carving it …"
However, it didn't matter if he couldn't tell what it was. As long as he carved according to the lines on it, he would be able to determine the use of this diagram once it produced a repulsive force.
Hu!
A bed and a carving knife appeared before him.
In any case, this was an ordinary object. If he ruined it, he could always find another one. It wasn't a big deal.
"Martial Granduncle, you …" Xiao Chen was taken aback.
"Let's see what this diagram is!"
With a smile, Su Yin drew the carving knife lightly on the bed, and lines of formation patterns immediately appeared.
Xiao Chen was stunned.
To think that … the other party would really carve on the bed!
Putting aside whether the material of the wooden board could withstand the pressure of the Dao, just the difference between a 2D and a 3D diagram was not something that could be easily resolved!
But … the other party didn't care about that at all.
"He won't be able to withstand the pressure after carving a few lines …" After a moment of doubt, Xiao Chen frowned.
His thoughts were similar to the others in the shipyard. He thought that the other party would only be able to carve a few lines before he couldn't continue.
Yet, just as this thought surfaced in his mind, more than a dozen lines had already appeared under the other party's carving knife. Furthermore, the other party's carving speed didn't slow down at all. It was as if the other party was drawing instead of carving.
"Could it be that … the carving isn't compatible with the Dao, so it isn't rejected?"
Seeing how the other party had managed to carve another dozen lines while he was still pondering over the matter, Xiao Chen couldn't help but feel doubtful.
Even though the other party's carving was similar to a formation, it might not be compatible with the Dao. Thus, the other party would be able to carve as fast as he wanted.
"I'll know once I give it a try …"
With such thoughts in mind, Xiao Chen walked up to the bed and tapped lightly on it.
If it was real, there would be rejection. If it was fake, nothing would happen.
Pu!
As soon as the Zhen Yuan came into contact with the formation, an incredibly powerful pressure immediately surged toward Xiao Chen. As if struck by lightning, blood spurted from his mouth as he was sent flying.
Weng!
With the interference of the Zhen Yuan, the formation that Su Yin had just carved seemed to have suffered a great humiliation. It trembled violently, and a powerful aura burst forth from it. The pressure of the heavens descended upon Xiao Chen!
"This is bad … This is the wrath of the Dao. It's over …"
Feeling the pressure from the heavens, Xiao Chen's entire body turned cold.
The wrath of the Dao was even more frightening than the backlash of the Dao. It was the backlash that came after one blasphemed the Dao while carving the formation! The latter would come to an end once its energy was depleted. On the other hand, the former wouldn't rest until one of them was dead. It wouldn't stop until one of them was killed.
Thus, Xiao Chen injected the Zhen Yuan into the formation to test its authenticity. Who could have known that such a situation would occur? In the past, he often did this when he was carving formations. Why would it suddenly rage?
Peng! Peng! Peng!
Under the pressure of the wrath of the Dao, the low wall collapsed. Rubble and dust flew everywhere. The inscriptions hanging on the wall burned and turned into ashes.
Pu!
Blood spurted out of Xiao Chen's mouth. Xiao Chen's face was as white as a sheet of paper. He thought that the wrath of the Dao would rush into his body without hesitation and blow him up into dust. However, after waiting for a while, he found that nothing happened. He hurriedly raised his head and saw a scene that he would never forget.
The young man in front of the wooden board was carving with his carving knife. He was so fast that only afterimages could be seen. Lines of formation appeared on the wooden board as if they were printed on paper. They merged perfectly with the last inscription. Dense and vigorous Saint Qi surged out of his body and spread in all directions. The wrath of the Dao collided with it and immediately retreated like a tide.
"Surpassing the Ninth Grade? How … How is this possible? "Xiao Chen's body stiffened. He couldn't speak.
Under normal circumstances, Inscription Masters were only at the Ninth Grade. However, according to legends, there were existences that surpassed the Ninth Grade. This kind of powerhouse could carve any kind of formation and even create new ones. Even if they encountered the wrath of the Dao, they could easily resist it!
Xiao Chen thought that it was just a legend. Never in his wildest dreams did he expect it to be true. Moreover, it was so young.
Hu!
The carving knife in the young man's hand didn't slow down because of Xiao Chen's shock. Under the support of Saint Qi's True Intent, the repulsive force of the formation grew stronger and stronger. At this moment, it was like an obedient baby that didn't resist at all.
"This is … the Falling Flower Carving Technique? This technique requires one to complete it in one go. Not only is it fast, but it also requires one's eyesight and mental fortitude. He … actually managed to do it? "
"The Splitting Snow Carving Technique allows one to cut off one of the six falling snowflakes without affecting the direction and speed of the falling snowflakes. He actually knows it too?"
"Wood Chip Carving Boat Technique, Wood Dragon Scale Technique, Great Cloud Sea Hand …"
In the blink of an eye, the young man displayed more than a dozen top-notch carving techniques that Xiao Chen was familiar with.
Even a Ninth Grade Inscription Master would have to put in a lot of effort to carve these formations, but this young man was actually able to do it so easily.
Xiao Chen had learned a few of these techniques before, but unfortunately, his cultivation and understanding of Inscription Formations were too low. He couldn't even reach the basic level.
"Perfect, perfect, and perfect …"
Xiao Chen's body trembled non-stop. He didn't know whether he was excited or panicking.
Normally, when carving Inscription Formations, as long as each line passed the mark, it would be a success. Even a Ninth Grade Inscription Master would be so excited that he wouldn't be able to sleep. However, the young man in front of him was able to carve Inscription Formations perfectly. There wasn't the slightest deviation, and it was as precise as what was recorded in textbooks!
Moreover, whether it was the young man's actions, demeanor, or movements, they were all flawless. It didn't feel like a carving, but a demonstration of the Dao.
This realm had already surpassed the Ninth Grade Inscription Master Realm. It was an unimaginable realm that others couldn't reach.
PS: Eleven thousand per chapter, please continue to plead for monthly votes!
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