"Fellow Daoist Ling, don't be so quick to praise me. My attainments in the Formation Dao are limited. I can see the formation layout displayed within this Ice Cave Grotto, but I cannot fully comprehend it for the moment!"
Su Shi'er waved his hand, his voice modest.
As he spoke, his gaze remained fixed on the ice sphere while his mind continuously analyzed the possible formations formed by the interwoven, hair-thin patterns.
To be fair, over the past several centuries, he had spent less and less time on the Formation Dao.
As his attainments in the Formation Dao rose, the scriptures he could find that might further improve those attainments became increasingly scarce.
After all, truly valuable scriptures concerning the Formation Dao were generally kept within the Scripture Pavilions of major factions, secrets never passed beyond their doors.
Indeed, he had once read extensively, even perusing the countless scriptures within the Ancient Immortal Sect's Scripture Pavilion.
The information in those books concerning Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, as well as records of strange tales and hidden secrets, was comparatively manageable.
Whenever he encountered the corresponding treasures, he could naturally recall them with ease.
Only the scriptures concerning alchemy, talismans, artifacts, and formations were different. Knowing them was one thing.
Only by truly digesting and absorbing them, integrating them until they became his own unique understanding, could one be said to have genuinely mastered them.
And every one of these pursuits required abundant practical experience and constant research and contemplation.
At the root of it all, they required time!
As a cultivator's realm and attainments in various fields rose,
the time needed to advance another step increased severalfold.
Even worldly mortals needed years to learn all manner of knowledge.
Knowledge difficult even for immortal cultivators would naturally require even longer.
For