Several streaks of brilliance shot out with a flick of his sleeve.
Zimu Profound Gold was roughly the size of a fist, its surface a luminous white and covered in dense patterns of dark-gold etchings. Heartsway Gold was slightly smaller, pale-golden in hue, with no particularly remarkable features.
The Black Profound Gold, made of Geng Metal, was a scattered patch of black. They were remnants from when Chimen Difu’s dharma artifact had exploded years ago. They had also borrowed Ritual Pearl Gold from Profound Peak Gate, which formed a tiny mound of gold grains no larger than rice.
Li Xijun sent the four spirit items to land at their respective formation nodes. Instantly, the central formation’s White Lightning flared brilliantly.
Formation Master Lin immediately rose with the wind. He brushed his storage pouch with practiced hands and revealed a sword at the Embryonic Breathing Realm. He raised it high and flicked his finger hard against the sword’s spine.
Clang!
The sword trembled heavily as visible cracks ran down its length, but it didn’t break. Formation Master Lin looked momentarily awkward. He quickly lifted the sword and struck it three or four times against the dharma light at the edge of the formation. Only then did a crack ring out, and the sword split in two.
Formation Master Lin had already discussed this beforehand with Li Chenghuai, who stepped forward and explained with a wave of his sleeve, "This is a formation rite passed down through Master Lin’s dao lineage. It’s said to increase the chance of success."
Li Xijun nodded slightly, and the grand formation beneath his feet rumbled to life. Several streams of mana poured into the array’s core as dark clouds filled the sky.
Li Qinghong nodded as well as she said, "Interesting."
Sure enough, the forbidden formation began to flicker. The thunder within seemed to be drawn by some force and surged outward. White Lightning gleamed brilliantly and soared into the sky.
Li Qinghong continued to channel mana into the formation and watched as White Lightning devoured the thunder in the sky like a great whale drinking water. She murmured, "Residual thunder falling into metal... Perhaps it’s not a phenomenon exclusive to formations. If a skilled artifact smith were to forge a specialized dharma artifact, it wouldn’t be difficult. We should pay more attention to this in the future."
"I understand, senior." Li Xijun had already resolved to keep this firmly in mind. After all, their family possessed a Dao lineage in thunder arts, which was considered prominent even in Jiangnan. How could he not be concerned with such matters?
As the two exchanged words, the thunder in the sky had noticeably diminished. Empowered by the mana of all three, White Lightning inhaled with full force, digesting all the heavenly thunder. Meanwhile, the forbidden formation underground continued spewing thunder upward, but now it was clearly running dry.
After another fifteen minutes, the forbidden formation began drawing on the surrounding spiritual energy. The formation masters had anticipated this and simultaneously activated several auxiliary formations to lock down the surrounding energy, preventing it from being absorbed.
If this had still been the high-grade ancient formation of the past situated in a prime location, these few auxiliary formations wouldn’t have been able to seal off even a trace of spiritual energy. But it was now merely the remnant of a forbidden formation. Unable to draw energy, it began flickering weakly.
Boom!
Fifteen minutes later, the formation was finally exhausted. It let out a series of faint rumbles before slowly vanishing from the island at the heart of the lake, dissolving into countless arcs of lightning and mystic light that disappeared cleanly into the air.
A rich wave of spiritual energy erupted, leaving Li Chenghuai feeling refreshed and clear-minded. As he looked around he saw lush grass growing everywhere and, in the distance, four broken stone pillars still standing at the island’s core. The forbidden formation that had shrouded the island for nearly a century had finally dissipated.
"Congratulations, my lord."
Li Xijun let his hands drop as he exhaled slowly. After calculating, he realized he had expended half of his mana. When he checked on Li Ximing and his aunt Li Qinghong, both had steady auras. Li Qinghong had used up thirty percent, while Li Ximing had only consumed nearly twenty percent.
The two were far more advanced than him in cultivation, so Li Xijun wasn’t surprised. Li Ximing’s technique was of an even higher grade than either of theirs, making it easier for him to bear the load.
The three of them landed in front of the formation. Li Chenghuai had already retrieved the spirit items from the formation. As expected, the Black Profound Gold and Ritual Pearl Gold were not only unharmed but gleamed even more brilliantly, their quality seemingly improved.
As for the Heartsway Gold and Zimu Profound Gold, they had already vanished without a trace. Only the two other spirit items remained. Without even glancing at them, Li Qinghong accepted them and waited until the others had offered their words of blessing before speaking warmly, "Since you all are here, I’d like to trouble you to design a Qi Cultivation Realm formation for our family. One that covers the entire island will suffice. If you need anything, feel free to speak with Chenghuai."
Li Chenghuai stepped forward with a nod, and the few old men instantly beamed with joy.
The reward for breaking the forbidden remnant formation earlier had been modest, and yet several of them had competed to join in purely to hone their formation arts. But this new formation job was truly profitable, and since the island at the heart of the lake was so large, the profit they’d share was nothing small. Naturally, they accepted the task with utmost reverence.
Li Qinghong rode lightning back, landing alongside Li Xijun on Mount Qingdu. Only then did she flick her sleeve and release the two spirit items. One of the spirit items appeared fluid in form, so Li Qinghong’s mana formed it into a sphere the size of a head. It glowed like a miniature sun.
Li Ximing examined it for a while and said softly, "This seems to be Feathered Gold Liquid, a substance of the Geng Metal attribute. It disappeared many years ago. I was only able to recognize it thanks to the Gold Aura Profound Inquiry Technique."
Li Xijun usually didn’t have much time to read cultivation manuals, but he immediately understood. Li Xuanfeng’s storage pouch contained three ancient techniques. The first was Gold Aura Profound Inquiry Technique, the second was Meditative Chant, and the third was Clear Dew Origin Manual. Judging by the phrasing of these texts, they most likely came from the Three Drums Wall of Green Pine Grotto Heaven and could no longer be cultivated due to the disappearance of spiritual qi.
But the Gold Aura Profound Inquiry Technique required Feathered Gold Qi, which was refined from Feathered Gold Liquid. Now that they had obtained this substance, the technique could finally be cultivated!
Li Qinghong nodded slightly and mused aloud, "Having Metal, Fire, and Water attributes is sufficient for a technique suitable for core disciples. If it also includes Thunder, Frost, and Bright Yang, it becomes far less vulnerable to countering."
The other spirit item was only the size of a fingernail, and was gray-golden in color. It was also icy to the touch, and extremely tough. The three of them took turns examining it but failed to identify it. It was likely some ancient and extinct material.
Li Xijun stored both items away, looking thoughtful. He glanced at the other two and said quietly, "This whole matter has given me some ideas... We only converted Dui Metal into Geng Metal to dispel the residual thunder. But thinking further, if we can find more residual thunder, it could become a way to obtain spirit items that no longer exist in this world.
"These items are ancient secrets, so surely some sects still retain traces of their lore. There may be more methods of elemental conversion that could enable core disciples of immortal sects to cultivate ancient techniques long thought unusable due to spiritual qi's absence..."
Li Ximing immediately thought of something and was about to speak, but Li Xijun beat him to it, "Brother, do you remember the Yang Nourishing Technique?"
"Of course I do!" replied Li Ximing.
Li Yuanjiao had discovered that technique the first time he met Tu Longjian; it had been read from a jade slip on his person. It allowed the mutual transformation of spiritual flames. Their family had converted Profound Yang Li Fire into Long Marching Fire Essence through it, allowing their disciples to practice the Pheasant Flame's Long March Technique!
Having heard this much, Li Ximing naturally understood. He said quietly, "We only ever used that technique once, and it’s been gathering dust at home ever since. But it’s likely a thousand times more valuable than we thought! Most Fire Virtue techniques that others can’t cultivate... may be nothing to us now."
Li Xijun nodded deeply in agreement. Li Ximing exhaled and lowered his eyes. "He truly is favored by the heavens... Even a random jade slip found on his body contains treasures that ordinary sects spend centuries chasing in vain... Fate, how profoundly unjust it is!"