First-class array master, Zhou Tian Gathering Spirit Array!

Three days later.

Inside Xuan Yin Hall, the atmosphere was solemn.

Elder Wei, Granny Long, and eight other veteran Cultivators who had reached Core Formation Perfection gathered together.

Gu Zheng sat high on the main seat, her expression cold and aloof.

“Everyone, how have you considered it?”

Elder Wei was the first to step forward, bowing deeply to Gu Zheng, his expression incomparably resolute.

“This old man is willing to pledge allegiance to Elder Gu! From now on, the Wei family, from top to bottom, will only obey Elder Gu’s commands!”

“We all… are willing to submit!”

Granny Long and the others also stepped forward in unison, bowing respectfully, their voices firm and powerful.

After three days of deliberation, they had thought it through clearly.

Rather than clinging to their meager power and waiting for their end in despair, it was better to take a gamble and fight for that slim chance of survival!

If they succeeded, the world would open up, and their lifespan would increase by a thousand years!

If they failed, there wouldn't be much loss, as they were already members of the Yin Corpse Sect.

Gu Zheng nodded in satisfaction; she knew that from this moment on, the internal integration of the Yin Corpse Sect had taken its most crucial step.

“Very good,” she slowly began, “Since that is the case, let’s discuss the matter of Alchemy.”

She revealed Lin Yuan’s proposed improved Medicinal Pills and the Spirit Gathering Formation plan to everyone.

“The Materials and Spirit Stones for Alchemy need to be provided by yourselves, and you also need to pay 200,000 Spirit Stones as a maintenance fee for the Alchemy and Formation usage!”

When they heard that the refining cost could be reduced from three million Spirit Stones to one million, all the Elders trembled with excitement, tears streaming down their old faces.

One million Spirit Stones, they could still scrape together by selling everything they had and borrowing from all corners!

“Elder Lin… is truly a Divine Being!”

“This profound kindness, we shall never forget!”

For a time, the hall was filled with sounds of gratitude and tears, and everyone’s reverence for Lin Yuan had climbed to an unprecedented peak.

“Alright, who will be first?”

“Me!” Granny Long stepped out and quickly said.

In Tingfeng Courtyard.

Lin Yuan sat cross-legged, golden characters subtly refreshing in his eyes.

Two-Grade Formation Master

“Not enough! Max it out!”

The golden characters blurred, then reorganized.

Cultivation: Late Foundation Establishment Stage: 0/500000 (addable points); Early Golden Body Realm: 0/10000 (addable points)

First-Grade Alchemist: 900/900 (Perfection); Sixth-Grade Artifact Refiner: 1/400 (addable points); First-Grade Formation Master: 900/900 (Perfection)

Fifth-Level Fire Control Art: 0/500; Illusion Transformation Art (Perfection)

Available special attribute points: 18088

special attribute points: 104

In an instant, endless profound truths of the Dao of Formations flooded his mind. It was no longer rigid knowledge, but a completely new dimension of perception. In his eyes, the entire world had changed. The undulations of mountains and rivers were natural Formation patterns, the flow of Spiritual Qi was invisible nodes, and every plant and tree in the courtyard was arranged according to some profound law. He seemed to be able to hear the breathing of Black Stone City’s earthpulse and see where Spiritual Qi gathered and where it was sparse.

“A First-Grade Formation Master is indeed extraordinary!” Lin Yuan felt greatly reassured.

He slapped his Storage Pouch at his waist, and over a hundred rare Artifact Refining Materials flew out, suspended before him. The Earth Core Nether Fire rose from his palm, its dark blue flames emitting a heart-palpitating high temperature that twisted the air.

Blocks of Spiritual Qi-shrouded spiritual Materials were enveloped by the flames; in an instant, the Impurities within were incinerated into nothingness, leaving only pure essence.

Lin Yuan’s expression was focused, his hands moving like shuttle-weaving butterflies as he formed Hand Seals, fusing and shaping these liquefied Materials according to profound proportions.

Finally, one hundred and eight chess pieces formed before him. Half were entirely black like ink, so deep they seemed to swallow light; the other half were pure white like jade, emitting a warm, precious glow. Each chess piece naturally bore intricate Formation patterns, with Spiritual Qi flowing through them, making them incredibly profound.

“Today, I shall use these items to set up a Heavenly Cycle Spirit Gathering Grand Formation!”

Before his words finished, he flicked his long sleeve, and the one hundred and eight black and white chess pieces buzzed, transforming into streaks of flowing light, encircling him as he ascended into the sky.

Lin Yuan hovered above Black Stone City, his eyes shining brightly like a Divine Being, overlooking the topography of the city and mountains below; all Spiritual Vein nodes were laid bare before him.

Then, he flicked his finger.

“Xun position, fall!”

A black chess piece fell like a meteor, silently submerging into a Spiritual Qi node in the east of the city, instantly vanishing.

“Kan position, fall!”

“Li position, rise!”

Chess pieces continuously fell, and with Black Stone City as the center, the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi within a radius of several hundred miles seemed to be summoned by a supreme decree, instantly boiling and frantically converging towards Black Stone City!

“What’s going on? I feel… the Spiritual Qi concentration in Black Stone City is skyrocketing!”

“Something’s wrong, look at the sky! The surrounding Spiritual Qi is all rushing towards us!”

Countless Cultivators in the city looked up in horror, quickly discovering the celestial phenomenon.

When Lin Yuan’s last white chess piece fell, the Grand Formation completely closed! The Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi converged into a visible, mighty tide, emitting a huge roar like a rushing river, shaking one’s soul.

The entire Black Stone City had remarkably formed an enormous Spiritual Qi funnel.

And the center of this funnel was precisely Lin Yuan’s Tingfeng Courtyard!

Endless Spiritual Qi surged in frantically, making the Spiritual Qi within Tingfeng Courtyard so dense it almost materialized into tangible spiritual mist.

Xue Linglong stood dumbfounded in the courtyard, her red lips parted, feeling this unprecedented Cultivation environment, her pretty face filled with disbelief.

“This Spiritual Qi… it’s not just dense, it’s also been purified, incredibly pure… Cultivating here for one day might be equivalent to ten days in the past!”

Just as she was whispering, two familiar graceful figures quietly appeared outside the courtyard gate.

It was Mu Wanqing and Lan Cai’er, who had rushed over from the Five Poisons Sect’s base.

“Lin Yuan… is he here?” Mu Wanqing asked with a complex expression, looking at the courtyard that resembled a fairyland.

After the battle outside Black Stone City last time, she lost contact with Lin Yuan and later stayed with Lan Cai’er at the Five Poisons Sect. Recently, she heard that the Yin Corpse Sect had gained a mysterious Supreme Guest Elder. She initially thought it had nothing to do with her, but after returning to Black Stone City and inquiring, she was startled to realize that the high and mighty figure seemed to be… Lin Yuan.

Otherwise, how could Tingfeng Courtyard, the former residence of Old Ancestor Xuan Yin, have become his place?

“Senior Sister Mu…?” Xue Linglong recognized Mu Wanqing.

Immediately, Xue Linglong’s gaze fell on Lan Cai’er; the two exchanged glances, both seeing a knowing smile in the other’s eyes. In Demon Falling Valley, they also had Ji Hanyou. The three of them were all Lin Yuan’s people.

“So it’s Sister Linglong, is this… truly Lin Yuan’s residence?” Mu Wanqing asked tentatively.

“Yes!”

“Then is he… really that newly appointed Supreme Guest Elder?” Mu Wanqing pressed, her voice trembling slightly.

Xue Linglong nodded vigorously. Lan Cai’er’s beautiful eyes shifted to the side, her heart already churning with colossal waves. She was exceptionally intelligent and had personally witnessed Lin Yuan’s methods, so she naturally guessed that the successive appearance of Nascent Soul Cultivators in the Yin Corpse Sect must be inextricably linked to Lin Yuan. Ye Youmeng had also asked her to gather intelligence, and now it seemed the biggest piece of information was right before her eyes.

Cultivating in this treasure land where Spiritual Qi materialized into mist, even a pig would become refined over time, let alone a human!

“Senior Sister, and Fellow Daoist Lan, please come in and sit, he should be back soon!” Xue Linglong greeted them warmly.

Mu Wanqing looked at Xue Linglong’s natural hostess demeanor, then at Lan Cai’er, her heart a mix of emotions, secretly cursing Lin Yuan for being a greedy scoundrel. She sighed, yet felt a sense of powerlessness.

Just as the atmosphere became subtle, two powerful auras descended upon the small courtyard; it was Gu Zheng and Su Meiniang.

“Where is Lin Yuan?” Gu Zheng’s cold voice rang out; she knew Lin Yuan was setting up a Formation, but she hadn’t expected the scale to be so grand, so she specifically came to check.

As soon as her voice fell, her gaze landed on Mu Wanqing and Lan Cai’er, and her beautiful brows subtly furrowed. She keenly sensed that these were probably more romantic debts Lin Yuan had incurred outside.

For a moment, in the courtyard, the newcomers, the old acquaintances, five exceptionally beautiful women of different charms, looked at each other, and the air seemed to solidify.