As Lü Yang had predicted, Zhao Xuhe ultimately sold him the Nine Transformations Dragon Technique for a mere 1,500 contribution points.
That's what debt does to a person.
After securing the technique, Lü Yang immediately returned to his cave abode, meticulously memorizing every character before storing it away carefully.
"A shame I can't cultivate it now."
His body had transformed into a blood shadow. His cultivation neither increased nor decreased, forever stuck at the late stage of Qi Refining. He couldn't even dissipate his cultivation to start over. He could only wait for his next life.
Even so, Lü Yang wasn't in a hurry to end this one.
Time was precious. Even with the Book of a Hundred Lifetimes, he wouldn't waste it lightly. Even if he couldn't advance his cultivation, there were other ways to grow stronger.
With that thought, he took out the Secret Explanation of Array Treasures he'd obtained from Fairy Qingchen's storage bag.
That's right—he was going to study array formations!
Of the four auxiliary arts of cultivation—Arrays, Artifacts, Alchemy, and Talismans—mastering any one could instantly elevate a cultivator to coveted status, ensuring prosperity anywhere.
Take Fairy Qingchen, for example. Lü Yang felt she was a genuine talent. Not only was she skilled in formations, but she could also refine formation patterns into magical treasures. A pity her taste in men was so poor. She'd fallen for two scoundrels who betrayed her, leaving her to die with resentment in both lifetimes.
Opening the Secret Explanation of Array Treasures, the very first page made Lü Yang sigh.
The so-called 'Array Treasure' uses formations as the treasure, and the treasure as the formation—the two complement each other. The methods within are the culmination of my lifelong research.
To walk this path, both talent and diligence are indispensable.
After the preface, the second page was densely packed with patterns, each accompanied by annotations explaining their meanings.
The Dao of Arrays is founded upon formation patterns. By outlining these patterns and depicting the workings of heaven and earth, one can borrow their wonders. However, the mysteries of heaven and earth are boundless and difficult to grasp, let alone translate into formation patterns. This requires extraordinary comprehension. Only by mastering formation patterns can one learn arrays.
[Very good. Now you understand the basic principles of arrays.]
[Next, turn to page three. Let's look at a simple example to apply what you've just learned.]
On page three, an extremely intricate and complex pattern filled Lü Yang's vision.
This is a formation diagram?
Lü Yang stroked his chin. Deciphering a formation diagram was essentially about identifying the composition of its runes to deduce the array's function.
Runes were the foundation of all formations.
Whether an array worked depended on whether the runes were combined logically, if there were conflicts, and if they could form a complete, operational chain.
"Interesting."
Lü Yang smiled confidently. This didn't seem too difficult. "With my talent and diligence, I'm determined to master this simple formation diagram!"
One month later.
Lü Yang sat blankly on his meditation cushion, surrounded by piles of manuscripts—the results of his calculations. He was utterly dejected.
In his hands were various combinations of runes.
After an unknown length of time, a glimmer of light suddenly flickered at Lü Yang's fingertips.
"I did it!?"
He sprang to his feet, face alight with joy. He carefully examined the array pattern he'd pieced together, silently calculating for a moment before confusion clouded his expression.
"Wait… how does this work?"
"Why does this even function?"
It was the result of a month's painstaking effort, and he couldn't even understand its operating principle. The feeling was driving him mad.
After a month of arduous study, his understanding of arrays had deepened considerably.
In short, arrays were similar to programming.
So-called comprehension of array principles was like extracting usable fragments from the mountain of code written by heaven and earth, then assembling your own program.
However, with arrays, if you didn't get it, you simply didn't get it.
It was like panning for gold in a mountain of dung. Those without talent would end up like Lü Yang—finding not a speck of gold, but a whole lot of waste.
"Well, at least I found something."
Lü Yang sighed and continued his arduous research. Over a month later, he finally deciphered the pattern in his hand.
"This is an Illumination Array!"
"Within the array's range, light shines everywhere, rendering most concealment methods ineffective. It has no offensive or defensive capabilities whatsoever."
Lü Yang looked haggard, eyes bloodshot, but his face glowed with excitement. With a sense of accomplishment, he opened to the third page of the Secret Explanation of Array Treasures.
[Actually, it's normal if you couldn't solve it.]
[The example on page three is mainly to help you understand the difficulty of arrays. Approach array study with humility. Don't always aim too high.]
Lü Yang: "…"
"Beast! Absolute beast!"
Lü Yang suddenly stood up and slammed the book to the ground. He was now 100% certain this was an array manual written by a Holy Sect array master!
After a while, he picked the book up again.
There was no other way. Some things didn't care whether you liked them, understood them, or wanted to do them. To survive, you had to grit your teeth and press on.
However, upon further study, Lü Yang discovered his talent wasn't as poor as he'd thought.
Just as the book stated, the intricate pattern on page three wasn't meant for beginners. That was why Lü Yang had been stuck for two months.
But there were advantages. Now that he'd moved on to simpler, more comprehensible formations, his learning speed noticeably increased. When he occasionally hit a snag, a few days of effort would overcome it. The previously discouraged Lü Yang gradually regained his confidence.
Time slipped away unnoticed within the cave.
In the blink of an eye, twenty years had passed.
During this time, Lü Yang was completely cut off from the outside world, wholly focused on studying formation texts. He even stopped paying rent for his cave dwelling and moved to the outer sect.
Since he couldn't cultivate now and had no urgent needs, he naturally chose to slack off.
In these twenty years, almost every few years, a chosen one with destiny as radiant as Xiao Shiye's in the past would suddenly rise to prominence in the outer sect.
However, after such a chosen one obtained a great opportunity known to all in the Holy Sect, they would abruptly vanish.
Along with them would disappear a large number of unfortunates who, upon discovering the chosen one's fortune, harbored malicious intentions, hoping to curry favor and share the benefits.
"That senior is fishing again."
Every time he heard similar news, Lü Yang felt a pang of trepidation. With examples like Xiao Shiye before him, he could only keep his distance from these chosen ones.
He couldn't afford to provoke them, so avoidance was his only option.
Then there was Zhao Xuhe. Twenty years later, he had reached the Great Perfection of Qi Refining and become a renowned True Disciple of the Holy Sect. Unfortunately, a few years ago, he failed to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage and passed away.
Lü Yang only sighed briefly before putting it out of his mind.
What truly brought Lü Yang joy was that after twenty years of diligent study, he had finally thoroughly mastered the knowledge within the Secret Explanation of Array Treasures.
Inside the cave, Lü Yang's entire concentration was fixed on the sword pellet before him. At this moment, he could barely maintain his human form; his blood shadow was incredibly faint.
This was a sign that his time was running out.
The side effects of cultivating the Heavenly Demon Blood Transformation Divine Light had finally caught up with him. At only forty years old, his lifespan was exhausted, his vitality drained.
Yet Lü Yang paid no heed. He remained completely focused on inscribing the array. Even as death approached, he didn't rise, didn't attempt any reversal—that would only interrupt his inspiration. He refused to waste this precious epiphany.
"I understand! Wait, no… that's wrong!"
"Ah, right! Right… no, still wrong! Oh, right! Yes, right!"
A long time passed like this. Finally, just as Lü Yang's blood shadow was on the verge of dissipating, at the very moment between life and death, his eyes flew open—
"Hahaha! I succeeded!"
Watching the array patterns he had painstakingly drawn piece together around the sword pellet and finally operate successfully, Lü Yang burst into laughter, the sound echoing through the cave.
Then, his breath ceased amidst the laughter.
The Book of a Hundred Lifetimes!