215: Snake Scale Fruit, Level 3 Formation Master

Formation patterns are a unique kind of rune, passed down from ancient times, which later generations of Cultivators could only imitate but never surpass.

Initially, Formation patterns were comprehended from various mountains and terrains, but later, ancient Cultivators discovered that some ancient Yao Race also bore these Formation patterns on their bodies.

Lin Yongmao familiarized himself with the Formation patterns of the First-Order Spirit Gathering Array and intended to engrave them.

He chose a piece of wood, a century-old red sandalwood.

Ordinary wood could not bear Formation patterns at all, so Lin Yongmao chose the relatively inexpensive century-old red sandalwood.

If it was just about wood, Lin Yongmao wasn't worried; his Thousand-Pinnacle Cliff grew a large number of high-quality timbers, especially century-old wood, whose quantity was already ridiculously abundant.

Even if Thousand-Pinnacle Cliff didn't have any, the Lin Family would find ways to send them to Lin Yongmao.

"These Formation patterns are truly much harder than Talisman Making, Artifact Refining, and Alchemy.

The patterns are complex and messy; this is only a First-Order Formation pattern.

If the Rank were higher, how strong would the Mental Energy need to be!"

Lin Yongmao used an engraving knife to engrave the Formation patterns.

This engraving knife was also a Low Grade Spiritual Artifact he had refined in advance.

"Crack!"

As Lin Yongmao focused on engraving, the century-old red sandalwood suddenly cracked, and the first attempt at engraving the Formation patterns ended in failure.

"System Notification: Engraving [First-Order Spirit Gathering Array Formation Pattern] failed, gained Formation Master proficiency +1."

Second time, failed!

Third time, failed!

...

Fifteen days passed consecutively, and Lin Yongmao never succeeded once, only gaining a little proficiency after each failure.

He had thought he had no talent in the Dao of Formations, but he didn't expect it to be this bad.

Like most ordinary people, Lin Yongmao had no talent in Artifact Refining, Alchemy, Talisman Making, or formations; he relied entirely on accumulated proficiency.

...

Sunrise and moonset, a new day dawned.

Lin Yongmao woke up early from the stone bed, and after washing up, he brought the Moon Toad Rabbit and the Golden-Silver Twin Carp to his side.

Today was the special day of completing 30 days of sign-ins, and Lin Yongmao could once again receive a double critical bonus.

Thousand-Pinnacle Cliff was covered in Frost Moon Flowers, and he urgently needed to sign in to obtain other items.

Lin Yongmao silently chanted in his mind, "System, I want to sign in!"

"Ding~"

"Sign-in successful! Congratulations on obtaining [Thousand-Year Serpent Scale Fruit Tree] * 1."

[Thousand-Year Serpent Scale Fruit Tree]:

Rank: Third-Order High Grade

Description: Serpent Scale Fruit is a favorite of some Yao Beasts; consuming it can enhance Physique and Physical Body strength.

Cultivators need to refine it in a special way, otherwise there is a risk of exploding and dying.

Lin Yongmao planted this Thousand-Year Serpent Scale Fruit Tree next to the Thousand-Year red berry Tree and the Thousand-Year Purple Jade Fruit Tree.

All three Thousand-Year spirit plant trees were laden with spirit plant.

The purple jade fruit and red berry were now being treated as snacks by Lin Yongmao and the little ones, while the thousand-year purple jade fruit still had the effect of restoring true essence.

The fruits produced by the Serpent Scale Fruit Tree were fist-sized, with pure black skin covered in dense, snake-scale-like patterns.

Lin Yongmao picked one, peeled off the skin, revealing the white flesh inside, and popped it into his mouth without a second thought.

What a joke!

Could his Physical Body strength not handle this Serpent Scale Fruit?

A violent energy began to rampage through Lin Yongmao's body, as the Serpent Scale Fruit's energy started to damage his Meridians.

Lin Yongmao wasn't worried; instead, he silently circulated the Mystic Spirit Body Tempering Art, guiding and absorbing the Serpent Scale Fruit's energy.

After a dozen breaths, Lin Yongmao slowly ceased his cultivation.

The effect was quite good; he felt his Physical Body strength had been significantly enhanced again.

If he continued to consume several Serpent Scale Fruits daily like this, his Physical Body strength would far exceed his cultivation level.

After refining the last trace of the Serpent Scale Fruit's energy, Lin Yongmao once again immersed himself in engraving the Formation patterns.

This time, inspiration struck, and he finally succeeded.

This was a rare success after continuous days and nights of effort.

Light shone on the century-old red sandalwood, then quickly receded, revealing some strange, twisted patterns on the wood, looking extremely bizarre.

However, these were the Formation patterns of the First-Order Spirit Gathering Array, and Lin Yongmao had finally succeeded.

"System Notification: Congratulations on successfully engraving [First-Order Spirit Gathering Array Formation Pattern], gained Formation Master proficiency +20."

Lin Yongmao held the century-old red sandalwood engraved with the First-Order Spirit Gathering Array Formation patterns, intending to refine it into a Formation Plate, and with a few Formation Flags, he would have a complete set of First-Order Spirit Gathering Array.

Lin Yongmao took out his Refining Cauldron, and Nanming Li Fire enveloped the century-old red sandalwood.

"Damn it!"

Lin Yongmao couldn't help but curse.

The flames had instantly ignited the century-old red sandalwood, completely turning it into ashes, leaving no trace with a gust of wind.

The next day, Lin Yongmao finally refined a complete set of First-Order Spirit Gathering Array.

A complete set of First-Order Spirit Gathering Array consisted of one Formation Plate and five Formation Flags.

The Formation Flags corresponded to the Five Elements of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth; this was the most basic Five Elements Spirit Gathering Array, capable of gathering the chaotic Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.

The Formation Plate had a groove where a Spirit Stone needed to be embedded for the Formation to activate smoothly, as it required activation energy.

The Formation Flags were inserted into five positions centered around Lin Yongmao, perfectly covering a radius of one zhang.

A First-Order Spirit Gathering Array could only cover such a small area, unlike High Grade Formations that casually covered an entire mountain peak and Sect.

Lin Yongmao held the Formation Plate, placed a Low-Grade Spirit Stone into it, and then used his true essence to activate the Formation's operation.

The surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi began to converge towards Lin Yongmao, but the efficiency was not high.

It absorbed the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi of the entire Thousand-Pinnacle Cliff, where Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi was already very abundant.

It was better than nothing!

While this was not very useful for Lin Yongmao, it was very important for other Cultivators, as it could increase their Cultivation speed.

In the following time, Lin Yongmao continued to study Formations.

He planned to raise his Formation Master proficiency to Third-Order in one go, and at the same time, repair the Family's protective Family Formation.

Although the Formation on his Thousand-Pinnacle Cliff could cover the entire Cloud Mist Mountain Range, he had to personally control it every time, which was inevitably troublesome.

Although the Family's original Formation had been damaged, it could still be used once repaired.

Time flowed like water, and three months passed in a flash.

In these three months, Lin Yongmao's Formation Master proficiency finally reached Third-Order; he was now a Third-Order Formation Master.

Currently, his Hundred Arts of Cultivation were: Third-Order Alchemist, Third-Order Artifact Refiner, Third-Order Formation Master, Second-Order Talisman Maker, and Second-Order Spiritual Plant Master.

His Spiritual Plant Master Rank, which he relied on for his wealth, was still Second-Order, mainly because the Lin Family did not have the Legacy of a Third-Order Spiritual Plant Master.

During these three months, Lin Yongmao refined a large number of First-Order and Second-Order Formation Magical Artifacts, all complete sets of Formations.

From Spirit Gathering Array to trapping Formations, illusion Formations, killing Formations, and so on, each set could be used independently by Cultivators without any prior Formation knowledge.