Ten Thousand Years to Set the Formation

Sizzle. Above the only mountain on a floating island in the Heavenly Court, Golden Flame had returned to his true form and was spewing flames from his mouth, melting the entire mountain as if it were wax.

"Yes, yes, control the temperature. Burn it into an oval arc, not a circle," Shi Mo instructed as he floated in midair as well.

Only after Golden Flame had burned the mountain into what looked like a huge black egg embedded in the ground did Shi Mo step forward and wave his hand, tracing one profound pattern after another across its surface.

The strange patterns seemed to draw starlight together, yet they were clearly incomplete, as though they were merely fragments.

After engraving the patterns, Shi Mo flipped his hand and took out some starstones, continuing to instruct Golden Flame, "Increase the heat and melt them. Then just coat the outside of the mountain with a layer."

Golden Flame nodded slightly before opening his mouth and breathing fire once more.

Starstones were much harder to melt than ordinary rock, but Golden Flame's flames eventually turned them into lava, which was poured over the oval mountain.

Buzz. Once the starstone lava rapidly solidified, the special patterns atop it gleamed brilliantly under the gathered starlight. It was as though they produced an invisible, mysterious pull, causing the power of the stars throughout the floating island to grow denser.

"So the starstone material is meant to better attract the power of the stars." Bai Ze, who had been watching Shi Mo set up the formation from the side, suddenly understood. "It seems all those starstones he took from the Primordial World's starry sky really do have a use."

"All right, on to the next location!" Shi Mo called to Bai Ze before taking him and Golden Flame elsewhere to set up more formation bases.

Gradually, Bai Ze also realized that Shi Mo truly was setting up an enormous formation.

Although Shi Mo appeared to be placing countless formation bases throughout the Thirty-Three Heavens in a chaotic fashion, before the formation was even complete, the concentration of stellar power throughout the Heavenly Court had already quietly risen.

As Shi Mo continued his work, Di Jun began inspecting the formation bases he had completed, studying the divine formation runes upon them.

On a flat boulder within a floating lake, Di Jun was frowning in thought as he looked at the patterns flowing with starlight when Donghuang Taiyi suddenly appeared beside him and could not help asking,

"Brother, how is it? Have you figured anything out?"

"It's too chaotic. I can't make sense of it! But it really is a formation for mobilizing stellar power. It looks so familiar, yet I can't grasp the key to it." Di Jun shook his head helplessly. "It seems we can only uncover its true mysteries after Shi Mo finishes setting up the formation."

"Brother, the density of stellar power in the Heavenly Court has already increased severalfold. Once the formation is truly complete, its effects will be unimaginable." Donghuang Taiyi could not help saying doubtfully, "But what I can't understand is this: is Shi Mo really putting so much effort into it? Is it all just for those innate spiritual treasures and spiritual materials?"

Di Jun frowned as well. "Never mind what he is thinking. Our true goal is the Heavenly Stellar Formation. Gathering the power of the Heavenly Stars in the Heavenly Court and creating a cultivation paradise for the Monster Clan is merely an additional benefit."

"Brother, we should still have Bai Ze keep a close watch on him, lest Shi Mo try any tricks," Donghuang Taiyi reminded him.

"Mm, don't worry. I already instructed Bai Ze. If Shi Mo makes any unusual move, the Demon Master will act in time." Di Jun remained rather calm. "The Heavenly Court is the territory of our Monster Clan. What tricks can he possibly pull?"

"Still, at his current pace, completing the entire formation may take several thousand years, or even longer." Di Jun frowned as he spoke. "He's spending so many spiritual materials and so much effort. This Shi Mo is indeed being a little too meticulous. Could he be leaving behind some means to control the formation? Even if he can control it, does he really intend to use this formation to contend against the entire Monster Clan?"

"Still, this fellow truly is a talent. What a pity he refuses to join our Monster Clan. Otherwise, he would be like wings to a tiger for us, and we would not need to be so wary of the Wu Clan." Di Jun shook his head with a sigh.

Donghuang Taiyi said, "Brother, although the Twelve Ancestral Witches of the Wu Clan are formidable, the Wu Clan's population is far smaller than ours, and they reproduce far too slowly. At the Monster Clan's rate of growth, we will soon surpass the Wu Clan."

"That is why I hope the Monster Clan's experts can grow more quickly, accumulating greater foundations and more powerful trump cards for our clan," Di Jun nodded.

Just as Di Jun had expected, Shi Mo went on to set up formation bases as numerous as stars throughout the Heavenly Court's Thirty-Three Heavens, and it truly took him several thousand years.

Golden Flame repeatedly breathed fire to help Shi Mo refine the formation bases, constantly exhausting and recovering his strength. In addition, after wandering throughout the Heavenly Court and witnessing many wondrous scenes naturally conceived across the Thirty-Three Heavens, his comprehension of the mysteries of the Five Elements had deepened sufficiently. His cultivation had already advanced to the Taiyi Loose Immortal realm.

In the end, Shi Mo spent even more time making repairs and adjustments here and there. It took him nearly ten thousand years in total before he finally completed the formation.

When the formation truly activated, Di Jun and the other Monster Clan experts inside the Demon Emperor Hall watched as the Heavenly Stars shone brilliantly. The Thirty-Three Heavens became a dazzling sea of starlight, with light falling like rain and meteors. They were all stunned by the spectacle.

"This formation truly gathered so much stellar power? Even the Heavenly Stellar Formation may be no more than this, right?" Once their shock subsided, Di Jun, Kunpeng, and Donghuang Taiyi were the first to recover, and the way they looked at Shi Mo had changed.

Something was wrong—very wrong. Shi Mo had put far too much effort into setting up this formation. During the process, he had even made numerous adjustments and arrangements throughout the Heavenly Court, turning it into what seemed like the greatest blessed paradise in the Primordial World. The sheer care and scale of it all made Di Jun and the others feel as though it was unreal, while an inexplicable unease rose in their hearts.

Yet outwardly, Di Jun and the others remained warm and courteous. They held a banquet to celebrate and entertain Shi Mo. After the grand feast, they had Bai Ze take Shi Mo to select the remaining half of the innate spiritual treasures promised in their earlier deal. They even gave him additional spiritual materials and treasures before finally seeing him off from the Heavenly Court.

After passing through the Nine Heavens Gale Layer, Shi Mo stood atop Golden Flame's head as he returned to his true form. Looking back toward the Heavenly Court, Shi Mo narrowed his eyes.

"They were so absurdly enthusiastic that I almost thought they wanted to recruit me again. Yet they never once mentioned having me join the Monster Clan. It seems they have made up their minds to discard me once I've outlived my usefulness and ensure I cannot return alive to Nine Tripod Iron Fork Mountain!"

"But I wonder how they intend to kill me. Will Kunpeng use his speed to launch a surprise attack, or will they join forces and besiege me?" As Shi Mo flew unhurriedly toward Nine Tripod Iron Fork Mountain, he sneered inwardly. Come, then! If you want to kill me, I wonder whether you can bear the surprise I have prepared for you.

As Shi Mo pondered this, he sensed a familiar cold, sharp aura rapidly approaching. He looked up with a fierce gaze. "Kunpeng! You really did come!"