Time Stone, Time Law

In the days that followed, Feng Xu gradually established a complete set of sect rules and a hierarchy.

Ancient One was also named deputy sect master. She retained her former authority over Kamar-Taj, except Feng Xu now stood above her.

As for Natasha, because she was the first to reach the Body Tempering Realm, Feng Xu made her an outer disciple, allowing her to enter the Scripture Pavilion and select a cultivation art.

She was also entitled to receive one Spirit Stone per month, which could be used to accelerate her cultivation.

With that, a wave of immortal cultivation fervor swept through all of Kamar-Taj.

Even the mages stationed elsewhere returned to Kamar-Taj to cultivate.

Everyone was holding their breath, hoping to shed the unpleasant status of menial disciples and obtain cultivation resources that would help them grow stronger faster.

As for Kamar-Taj's original magic, it was now regarded as nothing more than supplementary tricks. No one was willing to devote themselves to studying it anymore.

After all, one had to be strong oneself. Stolen and borrowed power would never be stable and always came with hidden dangers.

Inside the Scripture Pavilion.

Natasha carefully flipped through the various cultivation arts, pondering which one to practice.

Ancient One, meanwhile, had already made her choice. Happily holding a jade slip containing her cultivation art, she went to the registration desk by the entrance.

The one seated at the desk was Master Hamir.

This old man from Tibet had become the Scripture Pavilion's caretaker.

While registering, Ancient One suddenly thought of something. She turned to Feng Xu, who was standing beside Natasha, and cautiously asked.

"Sect Master, the spiritual energy within the sect is far too thin. Could you teach me that Spirit-Gathering Formation from yesterday? I could set up more of them throughout the sect and speed up the students' cultivation."

Feng Xu did not refuse. Instead, he pointed behind the bookshelves.

"There is no need for me to teach you. There are jade slips concerning formations on the last shelf. You may study them yourself."

"However..." Feng Xu paused, organizing his words before continuing.

"Setting up a formation requires Spirit Stones or objects containing spiritual power to serve as the formation base and formation eye, providing it with energy."

"I can create Spirit Stones or objects containing spiritual power, but for certain reasons, I can only make a small amount, so..."

Feng Xu had come to this world with severe injuries, so he had devoted most of his spiritual power to restoring his wounds and strength.

The Spirit Stones had been condensed from small amounts of expendable spiritual power, meant to motivate his disciples to cultivate diligently.

After all, there was no need to delay his own recovery simply to slowly nurture a few immortal-cultivating disciples.

Feng Xu did not finish his sentence, but Ancient One understood what he meant.

As for why he could not create large quantities, someone as shrewd as Ancient One naturally would not press the matter.

After pondering for a moment, she removed the Eye of Agamotto from around her neck.

Following a series of intricate hand seals, the mechanisms on the Eye of Agamotto shifted, and emerald light shot out.

"Sect Master, do you think this could replace the formation base and formation eye?"

The emerald light floated out from the Eye of Agamotto, transforming into an irregular emerald gem.

"The power of time... Is this the Time Stone?"

The instant he saw the emerald gem and the power erupting from it, Feng Xu recognized what stood before him.

The information Ancient One had given him had included an introduction to these things.

"That's right." Ancient One handed the floating Time Stone to Feng Xu and explained the origins of the Infinity Stones once more.

"There are six Infinity Stones in total. They were formed when six singularities from before the birth of the universe were fused and condensed after the Big Bang."

"And this is one of them, the Time Stone, something I have guarded for hundreds of years."

"You hid it quite well. Were you afraid I would use it to disrupt the timeline?"

A hint of disdain appeared on Feng Xu's face. Without waiting for Ancient One to answer, he continued.

"At my level, my own timeline has long since converged into one. Past and future are both the present. I am Eternity's sole constant within the universe. There is no need for such lowly methods as tampering with the timeline."

"If I were at my peak, a single thought would be enough to return you and this universe to its starting point. Your concerns are entirely unnecessary."

Ancient One seemed startled by Feng Xu's words, but she quickly recovered. Then, with an unconvinced look, she quietly advised him.

"Sect Master, it is fine to say such things among ourselves, but please do not say them recklessly outside."

"With your status and strength, words like that could easily draw the attention of multiversal beings, or beings beyond the multiverse, and cause unnecessary trouble."

Restarting a universe with a single thought was simply too absurd. Ancient One did not even dare imagine it.

Seeing that she did not believe him, Feng Xu could not be bothered to explain. He reached out and grasped the floating Time Stone in his hand.

Seeing this, Ancient One hurriedly reminded him, "Organic lifeforms cannot touch it. Its energy will explo—"

However, Ancient One's words caught in her throat halfway through.

The Time Stone, which should have erupted with power and run wild, had inexplicably become obedient and docile.

Even the green light it emitted had dimmed considerably, as though it were saying, Am I not adorable?

Ancient One did not know whether it was merely an illusion, but she could sense that the Time Stone was afraid.

Feeling waves of Law power flowing from the gem in his hand, Feng Xu turned his head slightly and asked, "Its energy will do what?"

"Uh... nothing. You should first see whether it can be used to set up a formation." Ancient One awkwardly stroked her beard.

She had forgotten how powerful her nominal sect master was. It was only an Infinity Stone, after all. Would he not be able to handle it with ease?

"This can certainly serve as a formation eye, but I will need to use it for a while before returning it to you."

To a certain extent, this Time Stone could be considered the tangible embodiment of this universe's Time Law.

It was perfect for him to study, allowing him to accelerate the recovery of both his strength and injuries.

When she heard that Feng Xu wanted to use it, how could Ancient One dare object?

She repeatedly waved her hands. "Please use it first. Once you are done, I will take it to set up the formation. I am not in a hurry, and I do not think they are in a hurry either."

As she spoke, Ancient One pointed at the somewhat dumbfounded Hamir beside her.

When Ancient One brought him into the conversation, Hamir hastily shook off his shock and nodded repeatedly to show that he was not in a hurry.

Yet Feng Xu ignored them both. He had already put away the gem and headed toward Natasha inside the Scripture Pavilion.

Clearly, his earlier question had merely been a notification to Ancient One, not a request for permission.

Seeing that the atmosphere had become awkward, Hamir, who had long since completed the registration, quietly asked Ancient One, "Ancient One... Deputy Sect Master, the cultivation art has been registered."

"Oh, right. Thank you for your hard work."

Taking the jade slip called the Myriad Thought Manifestation Art, Ancient One eagerly turned and walked briskly out of that awkward place.

Not long after Ancient One left, Natasha, who had agonized over her choice for quite some time, finally selected a cultivation art and brought it before Feng Xu.

"Teacher, I've decided. I choose this one!"

"The Ninety-Nine Heavens Spirit-Calling Art?" Feng Xu glanced at Natasha in surprise.

He had not expected Natasha to be drawn to this cultivation art.

"You truly have quite the affinity with me." Feng Xu sighed softly and rubbed Natasha's head.

"Hehe!" Seeing Feng Xu's expression, Natasha immediately felt that she had chosen correctly and could not help grinning foolishly.

"Always giggling and fooling around." Feng Xu shook his head, then clasped his hands behind his back and walked outside. "Come."

"Okay!" Natasha clutched the jade slip and jogged after him.

Only after master and disciple had gone far enough that only their backs remained visible.

Did Hamir suddenly come to his senses. In a voice so quiet it was nearly swallowed by his own stomach, he called out toward their retreating figures.

"Um... don't cultivation arts that are taken out need to be registered too?"