A Day to Mastery! Xin Ruoyin's Excitement!

"Fellow Daoist Han, what formation would you like to learn? I have thirteen basic formations here, including the Lost Track Formation, Burning Flame Formation, Earth Stone Formation... I can explain any of them to you."

The woman in white spoke, her voice gentle and pleasant, yet carrying the frailty of someone long afflicted by illness.

Han Feng did not beat around the bush and stated his purpose directly.

"I want to learn some formation techniques for setting up or breaking seals."

"The Art of Restriction?"

Xin Ruoyin was somewhat surprised. She carefully sized Han Feng up. He was so young, yet his cultivation was unfathomable. To think he was interested in the obscure and difficult Art of Restriction.

The Art of Restriction was exceedingly difficult, demanding vast amounts of time and effort. It was far less practical than learning offensive or defensive formations, and ordinary people would never choose such a path.

"Miss Xin, just teach me. Whether I can learn it is my own concern."

Han Feng smiled calmly.

"Young Master Han, let me make this clear in advance: whether you manage to learn it or not, the spirit stones will not be refunded!"

The maid Xiao Mei immediately cut in from the side, her attitude somewhat wary.

Apparently, they had encountered no few cultivators before who paid but failed to learn, then came back afterward to make a fuss and demand their spirit stones back, causing her and her mistress plenty of trouble.

"Very well, Young Master Han. Then I'll begin with the Minor Five Elements Restriction Formation."

Xin Ruoyin did not try to dissuade him further and softly named her price.

"Four hours a day, three spirit stones. No bargaining."

"Fine!"

Han Feng agreed readily.

To him, the price was not expensive. The spirit stones he had left were enough for him to study here for a month.

Even if he ran out of spirit stones, there was still the Thousand Year Spirit Medicine Han Li had given him in his Storage Bag. Selling just one stalk would bring him a great deal of wealth.

The Minor Five Elements Restriction Formation was considered the foundation of most restriction arts.

But Han Feng had never come into contact with the Dao of formations before. He had to start from scratch.

Xin Ruoyin's explanations were clear and detailed, but the complexity of the Dao of formations far surpassed imagination.

Han Feng listened for several days in a row, yet he remained lost in the clouds and mist, unable to find the way in.

During the day, he paid tuition and attended lessons with Xin Ruoyin.

At night, he returned to an inn in the Market, paid for lodging, and contemplated what he had learned during the day alone.

The inn was fairly cheap, costing only one spirit stone for seven days.

Day after day, time passed.

In the blink of an eye, fifteen days went by.

Inside his room at the inn, Han Feng sat cross-legged. His mind continuously replayed every detail Xin Ruoyin had explained, while his hands unconsciously gestured before him. Faint ripples of magic power flowed around his fingertips.

Finally, at a certain moment, inspiration flashed through his mind, and the window paper that had troubled him for days was abruptly pierced through.

[Formation Dao: Minor Five Elements Restriction Formation (Beginner)]

He had succeeded!

Delighted, Han Feng immediately opened the Attribute Panel.

Attribute Addition!

[Consumed 5 Attribute Points. Minor Five Elements Restriction Formation raised to (Minor Mastery)!]

[Consumed 5 Attribute Points. Minor Five Elements Restriction Formation raised to (Major Mastery)!]

[Consumed 10 Attribute Points. Minor Five Elements Restriction Formation raised to (Mastery)!]

In an instant, countless insights and techniques regarding the Dao of Restriction flooded madly into his mind.

From unfamiliarity to proficiency, from setting up to breaking them, every variation of the Minor Five Elements Restriction Formation was now perfectly clear to him.

Such an accomplishment was something ordinary cultivators could never attain without years, or even more than a decade, of bitter work.

Han Feng immediately took the ancient wooden box from his Storage Bag and tried again.

He gathered magic power at his fingertips and, following the method he had just comprehended, carefully tapped the restriction patterns on the wooden box, trying to locate their weak points.

A moment later, he withdrew his hand.

He still could not break it open.

The restriction on this wooden box was far more profound and complex than the Minor Five Elements Restriction Formation.

It seemed he would have to continue learning more advanced Arts of Restriction.

The next day.

Han Feng arrived at Xin Ruoyin's residence on time.

"Miss Xin, I've already learned the Minor Five Elements Restriction Formation."

At these words, Xin Ruoyin and the maid Xiao Mei, who was making tea beside her, both froze.

Xin Ruoyin found it hard to believe.

When she had taught Han Feng yesterday, he had clearly only half understood it. He had not even shown the faintest sign of getting started—how could he possibly have mastered it all overnight?

Han Feng said nothing more. He casually picked up a teapot from the table.

Magic Power flowed around his fingertips. One profound rune after another formed out of thin air and swiftly sank into the teapot.

Buzz!

A pale green energy barrier instantly enveloped the entire teapot.

A complete Lesser Five Elements Restriction had been formed.

Xin Ruoyin set down her teacup and stepped forward. Extending her slender jade-like fingers, she lightly touched the green barrier and carefully sensed the restriction's fluctuations within.

The more she examined it, the greater the astonishment in her heart became.

The sheer mastery of the restriction technique, the speed of its formation, the stability of its effect—even veteran array masters who had studied this path for years might not have done better than him.

To break this restriction, even she would likely have to spend some effort.

Fifteen days!

In merely fifteen days, he had gone from an outsider utterly ignorant of arrays to such an astonishing level?

How was that possible?

"Young Master Han... how did you do it?"

Xin Ruoyin raised her head. Her cool, clear eyes were now filled with shock and disbelief.