Refining Treasures, Setting the Formation

Piles upon piles of innate spiritual materials were refined within the artifact-forging cauldron, eventually turning into formation flags and formation disks, each engraved with runes containing the great Dao of heaven and earth, their radiance flowing brilliantly.

With Yellow Dragon's current artifact-forging attainments, refining these simple formation materials posed no difficulty at all. There were simply many of them, so it took a little time. Once the basic formation foundations had been initially forged—

Having finished warming up, Yellow Dragon brewed a pot of Dao Enlightenment Tea and adjusted his breathing for a moment, bringing himself to peak condition before beginning the most crucial step: forging the formation's core spiritual treasures.

He took out all the Five Elements essences condensed by the Five Elements Tower, supplemented them with the finest Five Elements spirit jade and Five Elements spirit iron from the Five Elements spirit veins, then drew down the power of the stars throughout the heavens and poured it into them.

Above the Daoist grounds, golden light flashed, azure brilliance flowed, water qi swirled in mist, fire spirits burned fiercely, and earth exuded heavy solidity. The powers of the Five Elements answered one another, finally condensing within the artifact-forging cauldron into five fist-sized spirit pearls, each containing a Five Elements spiritual restriction.

Forging five spiritual treasures at once, coupled with the ordinary materials and the fact that each pearl contained only a single innate spiritual restriction, meant they possessed virtually no killing power. But for use in setting up a formation, they were more than sufficient!

"Go!"

With a low shout from Yellow Dragon, the newly forged formation disks and flags transformed into streaks of light and flew beyond the Daoist grounds. Some sank into the mountains and rivers spanning ten thousand li, while the rest merged into the spiritual apertures of the earth veins.

Finally, with a flick of his finger, the five spirit pearls shot downward, landing precisely atop the five mountain peaks beneath his feet and echoing with the underground spirit veins.

"Formation, rise!"

"Buzz—!"

In the next instant, five dazzling pillars of light soared into the sky, stirring the clouds for ten thousand li. The pillars then spread outward, forming an enormous translucent five-colored barrier that enveloped the entire region within ten thousand li!

Across the barrier, formation inscriptions linked together like great Dao chains. The power of the Five Elements circulated without end, endlessly generating anew.

The already dense innate spiritual qi became even more active. The condensed spiritual mist would periodically fall as spiritual rain, nourishing all living things.

High above the nine heavens, flecks of stellar power were drawn in and gathered by the great formation like silver sand, merging into the mountains and strengthening the origins of living beings.

The functions of the newly arranged formation now revealed themselves one by one:

Spirit Gathering Amplification: The speed and range at which it gathered spiritual qi increased severalfold. At the same time, it drew in the power of the stars throughout the heavens, causing the Dao resonance within the formation to carry the attributes of the surrounding stars.

It also incorporated trapping, killing, and illusion formations within it.

Yellow Dragon stood atop Enlightenment Peak, continuously testing the various powers of the great formation. After a long while, this Five Elements Great Formation, composed of countless formations, was finally fully tested. Only now did the Daoist grounds possess the initial power to defend themselves.

Looking at this somewhat terrifying and rather badass great formation, it would be effortless for it to defend against Golden Immortals. Yet whether it could withstand Taiyi Realm cultivators would require someone to enter the formation and test it.

After some thought, Yellow Dragon took out a jade talisman, infused it with divine sense, murmured several words, and waved it out of the formation.

Before long, an auspicious cloud arrived from the horizon. Upon it stood an elder with crane-white hair and the face of a child, a massive forehead, and a Coiling Dragon Staff in hand. Kind-eyed and benevolent-featured, he was the person Yellow Dragon had invited to test the formation—South Pole Immortal Elder.

"Junior Brother Yellow Dragon, why have you summoned me? Hmm?"

The moment South Pole Immortal Elder arrived outside the great formation, he gave a soft exclamation, astonishment appearing on his face. Riding his auspicious cloud, he circled the formation several times, carefully inspecting the five-colored barrier that covered ten thousand li and displayed myriad phenomena. "This formation... is extraordinary. It cannot be mentioned in the same breath as your previous mountain-protecting formation, Junior Brother!"

Yellow Dragon came before South Pole Immortal Elder, cupped his hands, and smiled. "This junior brother studied Uncle-Master Tongtian's formation inheritance and gained a few insights, so I rearranged this formation. I simply do not know how powerful it truly is, so I invited Senior Brother here to test its depths and let this junior brother know its shortcomings." As he spoke, he handed South Pole Immortal Elder a jade box.

"These few leaves of Dao Enlightenment Tea may not be of much use to Senior Brother, but their flavor is quite good. I hope Senior Brother will not disdain them."

South Pole Immortal Elder accepted the jade box and swept it with his Primordial Spirit. Inside lay more than ten tea leaves, their Dao patterns naturally formed.

At the sight of the Dao Enlightenment Tea leaves, a gleam flashed through South Pole Immortal Elder's eyes. He chuckled and did not stand on ceremony as he accepted them. "Junior Brother is generous. In that case, this elder brother shall help you test it."

Having said that, South Pole Immortal Elder entered the formation directly, his expression becoming several degrees more solemn. He did not act at once, instead carefully observing the flow of the formation. A moment later, he praised, "The Five Elements cycle endlessly, and the power of the stars is drawn into the formation, adding yet another transformation. In the Dao of formations, aside from our three elders, no one in Kunlun can compare with you, Junior Brother!"

"You overpraise me, Senior Brother."

Yellow Dragon remained outside the formation, his Primordial Spirit covering the entire great formation as he watched every movement within it.

Having gained a general understanding of the formation, South Pole Immortal Elder lightly tapped his Coiling Dragon Staff against the ground. He did not use the power of a Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal, merely releasing ordinary Primordial Unity Golden Immortal-level mana, which condensed into solid streaks of azure light and struck at various nodes of the great formation.

Yet the power of the Five Elements at those nodes suddenly circulated, actually swallowing the azure light.

"Oh?" South Pole Immortal Elder raised a white brow and grew slightly more serious. His mana rose to the late Taiyi Realm. As he swung the Coiling Dragon Staff, dragons flew from it one after another, carrying the force of wind and thunder as they crashed into all parts of the great formation.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The great formation shook violently, and its five-colored radiance raced about, offsetting more than half the power of South Pole Immortal Elder's strike. At the same time, streaks of five-colored spiritual light emerged within the formation and wrapped around South Pole Immortal Elder, while countless divine lightning bolts flashed above his head.

After dodging several bolts of lightning, South Pole Immortal Elder's surprise deepened. "A fine formation! Attack and defense as one, forming its own cycle! An ordinary Taiyi Realm cultivator would likely find it difficult to escape after entering this formation!"

South Pole Immortal Elder gave a light shout. The Coiling Dragon Staff bloomed with countless rays of light, transforming into the phantom of an enormous Green Dragon. Its power had already reached the Zenith Heaven level as it fiercely slammed into the great formation!

With a single move, the impact was earth-shattering! The entire formation let out a groan of unbearable strain, and the five-colored curtain twisted violently. Just as it was about to shatter, South Pole Immortal Elder swept the Coiling Dragon Staff in his hand, and the Green Dragon phantom filling the formation instantly dispersed.

At that instant, Yellow Dragon also entered the formation and activated it with all his strength. The five spirit pearls spun madly, drawing upon the power of the spirit veins across ten thousand li to hold the great formation firmly in place.

South Pole Immortal Elder stroked his beard and praised, "Wonderful! Truly wonderful! Junior Brother, this formation is extraordinary! Ordinary Taiyi cultivators cannot break it, and if you personally preside over it, you may even be able to trap and kill Taiyi Realm cultivators! In the Great Wilderness, there are very few who can achieve this step through formations alone! Congratulations, Junior Brother—your Dao of formations has reached great accomplishment!"

Yellow Dragon's figure emerged, unable to hide the delight in his eyes. Cupping his hands, he said, "It was all thanks to Senior Brother showing mercy and pointing out the formation's weak points." During South Pole Immortal Elder's attack just now, he had clearly sensed several areas where the formation's operation was lacking.

South Pole Immortal Elder smiled. "Minor flaws. A few adjustments will suffice. With this formation in place, none below Zenith Heaven can break it." He paused and gave Yellow Dragon a meaningful look. "It seems that Junior Brother does not trust the disciples of the Sect of Interception."

Yellow Dragon merely smiled without replying, then thanked him once more.

After seeing South Pole Immortal Elder off, he immediately made minor adjustments to several formation nodes and the Five Elements transformations, making the great formation's operation more seamless and fluid. Its radiance withdrew inward, while its might grew still greater.