308: Chapter 308 Each Has Its Own Benefits

The sword formation and vines collided, entangling and counteracting each other! While the middle-aged man's Formation Sword Art was indeed exquisite, Chu Lan's Spirit Plant Demon-Trapping Formation was not inferior in the slightest. Relying on its characteristic of endless growth, it managed to block the continuous attacks of the sword formation one by one!

Time flowed by quietly without anyone noticing.

After an unknown amount of time, when the middle-aged man swung his sword for the ninth time to lay down the ninth sword formation, his movements suddenly stiffened.

He looked down at his feet and discovered that at some point, they had been entangled by a thin vine.

The vine appeared weak and fragile, as if it would snap with a light struggle. However, when he tried to break free, he felt a strange suction force coming from the vine, frantically absorbing the spiritual energy within his body!

It was this single moment of stagnation that caused a decisive change in the entire battle!

Chu Lan seized this opportunity, her hands waving abruptly as countless streaks of Sword Qi shot out simultaneously! Within those streaks of Sword Qi were various spirit plant seeds, which germinated instantly under her catalysis, transforming into countless vines that surged frantically toward the middle-aged man!

thorn vines wrapped around his limbs, binding his movements!

spirit-devouring vines attached to his body, madly absorbing his spiritual energy!

iron wire vines formed sturdy cages, trapping him within!

entangling vines turned into green serpents, binding him tightly!

In the blink of an eye, the middle-aged man was wrapped layer upon layer by countless vines, turning into a massive green cocoon!

"Break!"

Chu Lan shouted explosively, her right hand's fingers joined like a sword as she pointed toward the green cocoon from a distance!

A sharp streak of Sword Qi shot from her fingertip and plunged into the green cocoon! That Sword Qi contained all of her spiritual energy and Sword Intent; it was her strongest strike!

Boom!

The green cocoon exploded instantly, sending fragments of vines flying in all directions! Amidst the debris, the middle-aged man's figure slowly emerged, a deep sword scar clearly visible on his chest.

There was no trace of anger on his face; instead, a faint, gratified smile appeared.

"What a fine Spirit Plant Demon-Trapping Formation, what a fine Spirit Plant Sword Formation."

He slowly sheathed his longsword and looked at Chu Lan, his eyes full of admiration. "You entered the Dao of the sword through spirit plant formations and created this brand-new combat style. Your talent and Comprehension Ability far exceed my imagination. I am more than willing to pass this Formation Sword Art to you."

He raised his right hand and pointed toward Chu Lan from afar. A brilliant starlight shot from his fingertip and entered the space between Chu Lan's brows.

In the next moment, Chu Lan felt a tide of information flooding into her Sea of Consciousness. It was the complete Legacy of the Formation Sword Art, including the middle-aged man's lifelong insights into the art, the methods for setting up countless sword formations, the ways of change, the techniques for breaking them, and his various experiences and realizations from the ancient battlefields of the past!

At the same time, Chu Lan felt her understanding of Spirit Plant Arts undergo a qualitative leap. Countless pieces of knowledge regarding spirit plant cultivation, growth catalysis, and mutation flooded her mind, bringing her understanding of Spirit Plant Arts to a brand-new height.

She slowly opened her eyes, her pupils flickering with the light of an unprecedented epiphany.

Now, she could not only catalyze ordinary vine-type spirit plants but also those at the high grade of Foundation Establishment! Each of those plants possessed combat power comparable to a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. If used properly, they would be enough to become a surprise force on the battlefield!

"Thank you for your fulfillment, Senior!"

Chu Lan bowed solemnly toward the direction where the middle-aged man was dissipating.

When she looked up, the middle-aged man's figure had already turned into specks of starlight, merging into the eighth stone tablet. On that tablet, the three ancient characters for 'Formation Sword Art' were now radiating brilliant light, as if celebrating for her.

The people in the distance had long been drawn in by this battle. Gao Feng walked over slowly, looking at Chu Lan with eyes full of gratification.

"Congratulations, Chu Lan. Not only have you comprehended the Formation Sword Art, but you've also created your own Spirit Plant Sword Formation."

Chu Lan smiled slightly and said, "I must also thank that Senior for his guidance. If not for fighting him, I wouldn't have gained such a profound understanding of the Spirit Plant Sword Formation."

She paused, her gaze shifting toward the eighth stone tablet in the distance that was still shrouded in silver light—the direction where Su Ning was—and whispered, "I wonder how things are going on Su Ning's side."

Gao Feng followed her gaze, a flash of complexity in his eyes. "Repairing a remnant manual is no easy task. But given Su Ning's character, since she has decided on it, she will surely achieve it."

Chu Lan nodded and said nothing more. She knew that in the coming days, what they needed to do was wait patiently.

And during this wait, they had more stone tablets to study and more paths of the sword to comprehend.

The cultivation on this first floor was far from over.

Time flowed like water, passing quietly.

Ever since Chu Lan successfully comprehended the Formation Sword Art, everyone threw themselves once more into studying the remaining stone tablets.

Lin Yue repeatedly deduced the Star Shield Sword before the sixth stone tablet, cross-referencing it with his own Rock Demon Prison-Suppressing Array, making his defensive techniques increasingly refined.

Tian Xin, before the seventh stone tablet, completely fused the Talisman Sword Art with his own Dao of Talismans; every Talisman he drew now faintly carried Sword Intent.

Yao Guang, before the third stone tablet, comprehended a deeper Dao of Life from the Life Star Sword. That vibrant Sword Intent made her entire aura increasingly gentle and warm.

Luo Li, before the second stone tablet, fused the Melody Sword Art with the Star Fall Heaven Sword. When the zither music rose, Sword Intent crisscrossed, making it impossible to defend against.

Lin Jingyu, before the fourth stone tablet, repeatedly polished the Heaven Breaking Nine Swords, each swing carrying an indomitable sharp aura.

As for Gao Feng, he sat cross-legged before the first stone tablet, repeatedly comprehending the Meteorite Sky-Breaking Sword.

He was already at the Foundation Establishment Fourth Layer Mid Stage. His understanding of the Dao of the sword far exceeded the others, and every time he studied the tablets, he could read new meanings from those ancient sword scars. He cross-referenced the Meteorite Sky-Breaking Sword with his own Tyrant Body Sword Art, gradually feeling his way toward some sword insights unique to himself.

Besides that, he often walked to the other stone tablets to study sword techniques that differed from his own combat style.

The profundity of the Star River Inverted Sword, the heaviness of the Star Immovable Sword, the mystery of the Void Destruction Sword... each sword technique contained a unique true meaning of the sword, benefiting him greatly.

In the blink of an eye, half a month passed.

On this day, when Lin Yue slowly stood up from before the sixth stone tablet, the entire first floor suddenly shook violently!

The nine massive sword path stone tablets—the first, Meteorite Sky-Breaking Sword; the second, Star Fall Heaven Sword; the third, Life Star Sword; the fourth, Heaven Breaking Nine Swords; the fifth, Star River Inverted Sword; the sixth, Star Shield Sword; the seventh, Talisman Sword Art; the eighth, Formation Sword Art; and the ninth, Void Destruction Sword—simultaneously erupted with dazzling starlight!

Nine pillars of sword light soared into the sky!

The first sword light was overbearing and sharp, as if it wanted to tear the firmament asunder; that was the true meaning of the Meteorite Sky-Breaking Sword.

The second sword light was ethereal and agile, like the stars of the Nine Heavens falling to the mortal realm; that was the charm of the Star Fall Heaven Sword.

The third sword light was full of vitality, and everywhere it passed, the starlight became gentle and soft; that was the aura of the Life Star Sword.

The fourth sword light was peerlessly sharp, carrying a sense of indomitable determination; that was the edge of the Heaven Breaking Nine Swords.

The fifth sword light was profound and complex, like the star river overturning and all things being renewed; that was the mystery of the Star River Inverted Sword.

The sixth sword light was heavy and steady, as if it could carry all things and resist everything; that was the foundation of the Star Shield Sword.

The seventh sword light was treacherous and ever-changing, with Talismans and Sword Intent intertwined; that was the essence of the Talisman Sword Art.

The eighth sword light was intricate and precise, with formation patterns faintly appearing within; that was the mystery of the Formation Sword Art.

The ninth sword light was mysterious and unpredictable, causing the void to slightly distort wherever it passed; that was the power of the Void Destruction Sword.

The nine sword lights converged at the dome, intertwining and merging with each other, finally transforming into a colossal golden sword pillar!

Contained within that golden sword pillar were the complete true meanings of the nine sword paths, radiating a terrifying pressure sufficient to make any Cultivator tremble!

Boom!

The golden sword pillar crashed thunderously into the dome of the first floor!

An earth-shaking roar sounded! The entire first floor vibrated violently, and fine cracks appeared on the hard obsidian ground beneath their feet. That indestructible dome instantly shattered under the impact of the golden sword pillar!

Countless fragments of stone fell from the dome, but in the process of falling, they were ground into dust by the Sword Qi radiating from the golden sword pillar, dissipating into the air.

The moment the dome shattered, a vast amount of Meteor Star Power poured down from the second floor! That Meteor Star Power was incredibly pure, so dense it almost condensed into liquid, washing over everyone like a waterfall!

Everyone felt a warm current surge into their bodies. Wherever the current passed, their Meridians felt clear and their spiritual energy boiled.

Luo Li sat cross-legged, allowing the Meteor Star Power to wash over her body.

She could clearly feel that the two sword techniques she had comprehended over the past half-month—the Melody Sword Art and the Star Fall Heaven Sword—were becoming increasingly harmonious under the nourishment of this power, showing a faint trend of merging into one.

Her cultivation stepped steadily from the Foundation Establishment Third Layer Early Stage into the Foundation Establishment Third Layer Late Stage, and the spiritual energy in her body became several times thicker than before.

Chu Lan was also absorbing this power.

The Formation Sword Art and Spirit Plant Sword Formation she had just comprehended became increasingly refined under the drive of this Meteor Star Power, and the Formation Sword Art passed down by the middle-aged Grandmaster also fused more perfectly with her Spirit Plant Art.

Her cultivation faintly broke through from the Foundation Establishment Third Layer Mid Stage to the Foundation Establishment Third Layer Late Stage. Her insights into spirit plants in her Sea of Consciousness deepened by another level, allowing her to vaguely touch upon the cultivation methods of even more powerful ancient spirit plants.

Lin Yue felt his Rock Demon Prison-Suppressing Array and the newly comprehended Star Shield Sword thoroughly merge into one under the wash of this power, his defensive capabilities rising by a whole level.

His cultivation broke through in one leap from the Foundation Establishment Layer Two, Mid-Stage to the Foundation Establishment Third Layer Early Stage, and the aura of his entire being became even more heavy and steady.