73: Chapter 73 Reverse Refinement Array

Formation Masters Pavilion, Inner Pavilion Study Room, green smoke curled up, and the air was filled with the scent of aged Jade Slips.

Over the past few months, relying on a Comprehension Ability and Heart-Nature that far surpassed the Cultivators of the outer pavilion, Shen Moyan successfully obtained an opportunity for guidance from an Immortal Master of the inner pavilion.

That Immortal Master was none other than Sun Haifeng, who had presided over the examination.

Shen Moyan's outstanding performance in the examination back then had left a deep impression on him, so when Shen Moyan appeared in the Inner Pavilion Study Room, he had already gained his favor.

"Interesting. It seems the ancient Formation master Legacy you obtained back then is quite extraordinary," Sun Haifeng remarked with a sigh.

Shen Moyan and Elder Sun sat opposite each other. On the giant Green Jade Table between them, light and shadow flowed, sketching out a dazzling phantom of a Formation diagram.

This was one of the core sections of the "All Beings Spirit Refining Grand Array" that he had reconstructed through memory and deduction.

At this moment, Shen Moyan was raising several difficult nodes he had encountered during his deductions one by one.

The trickiness of his perspective and the profundity of his concepts vaguely touched upon the Domain of a Formation Great Grandmaster.

Sun Haifeng's stiff face remained calm, but the rhythm of his fingertips lightly tapping on the table revealed the unrest in his heart.

"The grand array you've brought out, little friend, has an indescribable control over the Soul Power of living beings."

"However, it is precisely because it is indescribable that it is difficult to set up and modify."

Regarding the Formation Shen Moyan presented, even a Formation Grandmaster like Sun Haifeng found it troublesome.

Sun Haifeng couldn't help but think more highly of Shen Moyan.

He was willing to bring out such a complex and precious Formation diagram without any reservations, driven solely by a thirst for truth.

This was how a true scholar should be.

He looked up at this rapidly progressing outer pavilion Cultivator and spoke slowly, his voice raspy yet carrying a metallic resonance:

"Little friend, do you know that the path of the Dao of Formations is like water management?"

Shen Moyan's heart tightened as the scene of Wild Goose Formation True Monarch standing upon the sea surfaced in his mind. He said respectfully, "Please enlighten me, Elder."

"Ordinary Formation masters, seeing a torrential flow, think of how to build dams to block the flood or how to dredge and divert the flow."

"This is forward thinking and also the Righteous Path."

Sun Haifeng's fingertip traced a rune on the Formation diagram that absorbed the Soul Power of living beings.

"Your grand array follows this path—plundering and seizing, using ten thousand rhythms to nourish one body. It is indeed overbearing, but it lacks mercy and is prone to divine retribution."

He changed the subject: "However, an ancient sage once proposed: neither blocking nor diverting."

"Observe its nature, examine its source."

"Why is there water here? Why has the water reached this point? If there were no source of water, where would the flood come from?"

A flash of realization crossed Shen Moyan's eyes.

Sun Haifeng continued, "To understand this array, you have been obsessed with how to refine Soul Power more efficiently, but you never thought about why Soul Power can be refined?"

"What is the essence of the Soul Power of living beings?"

"Is it pure energy, or a complex entity containing will, memory, and the seven emotions and six desires?"

"If you view them as Impurities and forcibly strip and purify them, you will naturally get half the result with twice the effort, and it will also lead to endless future troubles."

With a tap of his finger, the Formation diagram phantom changed, and the rune representing Soul Power absorption suddenly magnified.

Then, the entire structure of the Formation lines was actually reversed by Sun Haifeng in an incredible way!

"Reverse thinking. You need reverse thinking."

Sun Haifeng's voice suddenly rose, "Don't think about how to refine it, don't plunder it. Instead, think about how to let the Soul Power generate automatically and gather together."

Shen Moyan felt as if he had been struck by lightning, his mind roaring!

But Sun Haifeng frowned slightly, waved his hand, and returned to his stiff manner: "This is a line of thought, not a specific method."

"Grasping the scale and the involvement of Karma within it is extremely difficult to control. A single wrong thought could lead to an abyss."

"Take care of yourself."

After saying that, he closed his eyes to rest, speaking no more.

Shen Moyan knew the guidance was over and respectfully withdrew.

"Thank you for your guidance, Elder! I am suddenly enlightened!" Shen Moyan took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the shock in his heart, stood up, and gave a deep bow.

Returning to his private quiet room, he immediately went into secluded meditation.

"The traces of will and stray thoughts within Soul Power are not obstacles. Why not view them as... firewood?"

Shen Moyan's eyes sparkled with the light of wisdom.

"Using their obsession to burn their Soul Power, triggering the love, hate, and sorrow of the living beings within the array to make them burn each other. The Soul Power refined this way would instead be even more pure!"

"But why didn't Wild Goose Formation True Monarch set it up this way?"

Wild Goose Formation True Monarch was at least a Formation Great Grandmaster; why hadn't he done this?

After thinking for a long time, Shen Moyan reached a conclusion.

"Because if he did, he wouldn't be able to fully control this nascent soul dao fruit."

"Zheng Quan... political power, heh, what a control-obsessed old man."

Shen Moyan stroked his chin, thinking so.

Running the All Beings Grand Array in reverse would create a massive flaw, making it impossible for the Formation creator to fully harvest the resulting nascent soul dao fruit.

"Now, even if I don't fight for the nascent soul dao fruit, I have a means to restrain Wild Goose Formation True Monarch."

As long as Shen Moyan could make the grand array run in reverse for an instant, he could destroy this nascent soul dao fruit, turning all of Zheng Quan's hard work into ashes.

Those who toy with common people will eventually face the wrath of common people.

"Heh, I'll proceed in this direction for now."

After considering all aspects, Shen Moyan believed it was necessary to keep some backup plans.

A month later, while studying the Formation, Shen Moyan felt something.

"The time has come."

"Luo Changting, let me see your level after all these years."

Shen Moyan smiled slightly... Outside East Mountain City, in a desolate forest.

The Opera Troupe's carriage moved slowly through the twilight.

Luo Changting sat in the carriage, eyes closed to rest, while two completely different forces circulated slowly within his body.

One was upright and peaceful, carrying a warmth like the rising sun; it was the Qi of the "Biyang First Rising Art," flowing through his Meridians and nourishing his Physical Body and Divine Soul.

The other was sinister and eerie, hidden deep within his acupoints.

The "Devilish Seed," which had been less than half-refined, emitted pure Devilish Qi, continuously eroding and transforming his Physique.

Relying on the resources and Cultivation Technique bestowed by the "Heavenly Devil," along with his own ruthlessness, he actually managed to maintain these two forces—which should have been incompatible—in a delicate balance.

His cultivation had reached the Seventh Layer of Qi Gathering, a progress that could be described as rapid.

But only he knew the danger and pain involved.

"Too slow... normal cultivation speed is completely insufficient!" Luo Changting frowned.

"Next time, I must trade directly with the Heavenly Devil for cultivation..."

"Brother, we're almost at East Mountain City. I want to eat sugar figurines when we get there!" Luo Hanchán stuck her head out of the carriage window, her small face filled with anticipation.

Her complexion was much better than it had been a year ago.

The outline of the city walls was vaguely visible in the distance; the Opera Troupe was almost in the city.

Suddenly, Luo Changting's nostrils twitched, and he snapped his eyes open!

A pure, violent Devilish Qi that carried an attraction of the same origin came from the direction of East Mountain City!

"This Devilish Qi... its grade is extremely high! It far exceeds all the Remnant Soul Devilish Seeds I have!" Luo Changting's pupils constricted.

"Something has changed in the city!"

Boom!!!

A massive explosion suddenly came from the direction of the city walls!

This was followed by Demonic Qi soaring into the sky and chaotic fluctuations of spiritual power!

"Yao Beast city raid!"

"It's a Mythical Bird! Run!"

Shrill screams and cries of alarm instantly shattered the tranquility of the sunset.

A ferocious bird with a wingspan of several hundred feet, shaped like a giant eagle with a single horn on its head, was attacking East Mountain City's Protective Light Shield.

The light shield flickered unsteadily, in a precarious state.