79: Chapter 79 Applying Knowledge to Practice: Xu Ruyu Discovers the Secrets of the Forbidden Array

As the one-hour limit neared its end, he had already developed a brand-new preliminary framework for understanding the basic Formation principles recorded in these Jade Slips, based on modern scientific concepts such as energy, structure, Materials, and field effects.

Although it was still crude and many details could not be verified, the direction was clear.

More importantly, he discovered some vague and even contradictory points in the traditional descriptions of Formations.

For instance, the pathing of certain Formation lines didn't seem optimal from an energy efficiency standpoint; some material combinations appeared to have attribute conflicts; and the descriptions of certain steps relied too heavily on "comprehension" and "experience," lacking quantitative standards.

"Perhaps... these are the reasons why traditional Formations are inefficient, difficult to set up, and have low success rates?"

Xu Ruyu fell into deep thought.

"If I can use more scientific models to optimize Formation line designs, and use more precise quantitative indicators to select Materials and regulate energy... could I create more efficient, more stable, and even unprecedented new types of Formations?"

This thought made his heart race.

But he knew this required a vast amount of experimentation, data accumulation, and deeper cultivation knowledge as a foundation.

Right now, he didn't even have the most basic Formation Materials, let alone experimental conditions.

The hour was up, and the low toll of a bell echoed through the hall.

Xu Ruyu quickly returned the Jade Slips to their original places, organized his thoughts, and hurriedly left the Pavilion of Miscellaneous Arts.

On the way back to Ningyin Hall, he was once again escorted "along the way" by some Senior Sisters he "happened to meet." However, after the conflict in front of the Hall of Power Transmission and Granny Liu's intervention, the attitudes of these Senior Sisters seemed to have undergone a subtle change, becoming less frivolous and flirtatious than before.

Xu Ruyu was in no mood to deal with them; his mind was entirely filled with his new understanding of Formations.

Returning to the Side Hall, he closed the door and confirmed that the Taixu Fox Shadow Sound-Proofing Array left by Lady Qingli was still operating silently (he could feel that extremely faint energy field that seemed to blend into the air). Xu Ruyu immediately couldn't wait to practice what he had just learned.

His first target was to analyze this Forbidden Array that kept him trapped!

He first walked carefully around the room, concentrating his spirit and using his perception—which had just broken through to the Great Perfection of Qi Refining—to carefully feel the ubiquitous pink energy field in the air.

At the same time, he recalled the basic techniques for "sensing Formation energy flow" mentioned in the Jade Slips. He tried to condense his Taixu True Qi at his fingertips, forming extremely fine investigative tendrils to gently touch the boundary of that energy field.

He didn't try to destroy or intrude; he was simply "perceiving" and "measuring."

Soon, he made a preliminary discovery. The distribution of this energy field was very uniform, covering almost every inch of the entire room without any obvious areas of varying strength (which meant there might not be any "Formation cores" or nodes in the traditional sense?).

The attributes of the energy field carried a clear sense of feminine softness, charm, and a strange "concealment" characteristic. Rather than a powerful "protection" or "isolation," it was more like a highly sophisticated "energy filter" or "information camouflage layer."

"Strange..." Xu Ruyu's brow furrowed. "If it's meant to isolate sound and Divine Sense probes, according to traditional Formation theory, there should be clear 'shielding layers' and energy convergence points for 'rebound/absorption mechanisms.'"

"But the energy flow of this Formation is too 'calm' and 'uniform.' It's more like it's maintaining a constant 'field state' rather than being an actively operating 'processing System.'"

A bold idea struck him.

He walked gently to the wall, pressed his ear against it, and then, in an extremely low voice, whispered as if talking to himself: "Testing sound conduction."

Then he immediately ran to the other side of the room and pressed his ear to the wall again.

No sound came through.

The sound-proofing effect seemed excellent.

But he didn't give up.

He recalled the Jade Slips mentioning that some high-level concealment Formations could not only block sound but also create "pseudo-sounds" or "energy simulations" to mask the real activity inside.

After a moment's thought, he picked up an empty teacup from the table and lightly let go.

Clink!

The teacup hit the stone floor, making a crisp shattering sound.

Xu Ruyu held his breath, sensing the energy field changes in the room with all his might.

At the very moment the sound rang out, he keenly captured a slight fluctuation in the calm pink energy field, like a small pebble being thrown into a still lake.

But the fluctuation vanished in a flash, and the field quickly returned to its calm state, as if nothing had happened.

"The energy field reacts to internal sounds! It's 'processing' the sound!"

Xu Ruyu's eyes lit up.

"But the reaction speed is extremely fast. The processing method seems to be... 'absorbing' and 'smoothing out' the energy ripples? Rather than 'blocking' or 'reflecting' them?"

To verify this, he performed several more tests, creating sounds of different volumes and frequencies while carefully observing the reaction of the energy field.

The results showed that the Formation's "processing" of sound was extremely efficient and "quiet." It completed the "erasure" at the energy level almost simultaneously with the production of the sound, preventing it from forming effective mechanical or energy waves to be transmitted outward.

This was more like an Advanced "acoustic anechoic chamber" or an "active noise cancellation System" rather than a passive "sound-proof wall"!

So, what about Divine Sense trying to probe from the outside? Xu Ruyu couldn't test it, but he guessed the principle was likely similar: using the special attributes of the energy field to "guide," "disperse," or "simulate the probe as harmless background noise," thereby making it impossible to obtain valid information.

This wasn't a "Forbidden Array" with powerful defensive or trapping capabilities at all!

This was a "High-Level Privacy Protection Formation" with a highly specific function and an extremely delicate design!

Its primary purpose was to prevent internal sounds and energy fluctuations from leaking out, while also potentially gently interfering with external probes. It was by no means intended to trap the person inside or defend against strong external attacks!

Lady Qingli's claim of "protecting you from being disturbed" was only half-true.

The true part was that this Formation could indeed effectively prevent external sounds from coming in (like the noise of Xiao Nianyin coming over at night?) and prevent internal sounds from going out (like... certain noises?).

The false part was that for her, or for the one who set the Formation, this array was likely completely non-existent! The "backdoor" she left was probably wider than the front door!

This was more like a... "one-way privacy barrier" designed to make it convenient for certain people to "come and go"!

Having figured this out, Xu Ruyu stood in the center of the room, looking at the invisible yet ubiquitous pink energy field in the air. His expression shifted from initial confusion to realization, and then to a complex look mixed with absurdity, anger, and a cold clarity.

"Well played, Lady Qingli... Well played, 'Taixu Fox Shadow Sound-Proofing Array'..."

He muttered to himself, a cold, temperatureless smile curling at the corners of his mouth.

"Do you take me for a fool? This isn't a 'Forbidden Array' to protect me; this is clearly a 'fig leaf' to make things convenient for yourselves!"