Refining the Array Token

The two traveled in silence.

When they arrived.

Huang Sunming strode toward Gu Jiu's cabin.

Seeing the bolt on the little wooden door, he frowned slightly, pulled it free, threw open the door, and rushed inside.

"Gu Jiu!"

Yue Shuo felt that martial servants differed from one another too.

This Huang Sunming seemed somewhat arrogant.

Still, Huang Sunming did not have much to do with him. Yue Shuo only briefly worried about having Yellow Talisman Paper purchased for him.

Then he let it go and stopped dwelling on it.

At worst, he could wait a few days until Gu Jiu recovered before buying it.

Or, since he had Spirit Stones, it would not be difficult to hire someone to purchase it for him!

These were all trivial matters.

Voices drifted from inside the cabin.

Yue Shuo did not eavesdrop. Standing in the Spirit Field, he took out the array token and refined it further.

There had been no outsiders in this valley before.

And he had been guarding the place constantly.

Therefore, he had not carried out the further refinement of the array token, which consumed mana.

Of course, that was also because he had felt that refining it with mana had no special use, while he always needed to save his mana for casting spells. There was no need to do something superfluous.

Planting Miscellany had briefly mentioned the formations set up within Spirit Fields.

Once activated.

The array token's primary function was to allow one to enter and leave the formation's range.

Without being rejected by the formation.

In other words.

Even if he was not inside the Spirit Field and had not shut down the Spirit Field formation, Gu Jiu would still be unable to enter its range without an array token.

Unless Yue Shuo led him in.

That required pressing the array token against the formation barrier and maintaining it for a while.

Of course, if someone attacked the formation like mad, the Spirit Field formation was ultimately focused on gathering spiritual energy and cultivation.

There was still a chance it could be destroyed.

The only effect of Yue Shuo's deeper refinement was that he could control the Spirit Field formation more freely and temporarily adjust the state of the invisible barrier covering it.

He could make it manifest as a thin veil of mist.

In other words.

It could conceal some of what was inside the Spirit Field.

Of course, it probably had no effect on Qi Refining disciples. If they truly wished to see what was inside the Spirit Field, they could circulate mana into their eyes.

This tiny bit of misty concealment.

Was utterly useless.

This effect of the formation.

Was mainly meant to block some sunlight when the summer sun was too fierce, allowing the temperature within the Spirit Field to be adjusted.

Yue Shuo had not considered any of this before.

After all, hardly anyone came to this valley.

Its location was somewhat remote.

Even if someone came, Spirit Fields were nothing rare; they were everywhere elsewhere.

At least, there were quite a few on Hemu Island.

He had already seen many Spirit Fields along the way.

Even if someone saw that the Gathering Spirit Grass in his Spirit Field was growing exceptionally well, he had not considered it a big deal. Being gifted at planting was an advantage.

However...

He seemed to have inadvertently become entangled in the struggle between Lineage disciples and guest disciples.

Yue Shuo had thought about it on his way back.

He had originally intended to reveal his outstanding, heaven-gifted talent in spiritual plant cultivation.

That would lay the groundwork for purchasing resources and advancing rapidly in the future.

But the conflict between guest disciples and Lineage disciples.

Made him feel it was best to hold steady for now.

He did not want to stand out.

He did not want people to notice him and then investigate him.

Zou Chongying had clearly drawn attention. Although he seemed to have gained many hidden and visible benefits, Yue Shuo truly had no need to fight for anyone's regard.

He had the Cultivator Character Panel!

As long as he had time, his cultivation would proceed more smoothly than anyone else's!

What he needed was not attention, but time!

Once he thought this through.

He repeatedly expended mana within the Spirit Field, cast the Qi-Replenishing Technique, and refined the array token with a great deal of mana.

He refined it until he could control it with a thought whenever he sensed it.

This alone consumed five hundred mana.

He recovered his mana eight times!

His Divine Sense was depleted once more, leaving only a trace.

The moment Yue Shuo heard movement in the cabin, a thought from him caused the inside and outside of the Spirit Field to no longer remain transparent.

It was like the frosted glass door of a bathroom from his previous life.

Excellent!

He could still see outside fairly clearly.

But from outside looking in, it was nothing but a hazy blur.

The array token's refinement effect was stronger than he had imagined.

Yue Shuo stepped out of the Spirit Field and withdrew his gaze, only to see Huang Sunming standing more than ten paces outside it, respectfully bowing to him.

Yue Shuo: ??

Yue Shuo stepped aside and asked in puzzlement, "Brother Huang, what is the meaning of this?"

"Young Master Yue, just call me Old Huang!"

Huang Sunming's attitude had changed drastically. He was more than ten times as respectful as he had been when he arrived, leaving Yue Shuo unable to make heads or tails of it for a moment.

At that moment, Gu Jiu's voice came from inside the cabin.

"Brother Huang, go get busy first! Once I recover, I'll have drinks with you all!"

Huang Sunming answered, then clasped his fists and bowed to Yue Shuo again.

"Old Huang will immediately handle Young Master Yue's matter. I'll make sure it is settled properly for you, Young Master Yue! I'll be back this afternoon!"

With that, he straightened his back and strode away.

Only after seeing him walk far off did Yue Shuo approach the cabin and look at Gu Jiu inside, his face full of confusion.

"What's wrong with this Brother Huang of yours?"

Yue Shuo had some guesses.

But asking Gu Jiu was naturally simpler.

Gu Jiu looked less weak than before, and his wounds seemed to have been treated with fresh medicine. It appeared Huang Sunming had changed his medicine again just now.

He shifted from lying down to sitting up, then tried to get off the wooden bed to bow the moment he saw Yue Shuo.

Yue Shuo made a pressing gesture in the air and glared at him.

Gu Jiu immediately lay back down obediently. After lying down, he said:

"Young Master, Brother Huang has a relative who was also a martial servant. By good fortune, that relative became a Lineage disciple's martial servant..."

Yue Shuo continued listening. He guessed there was a turn coming.

Gu Jiu paused to catch his breath, then explained:

"Unfortunately, while accompanying that cultivation disciple on an outing, he suffered grave injuries and did not receive treatment in time..."

Yue Shuo nodded.

So Huang Sunming had thought Yue Shuo did not value Gu Jiu's injuries and had taken out his resentment on him.

But Gu Jiu had probably explained things.

These were other people's affairs.

Naturally, Yue Shuo would not be affected. He merely needed to make sure Huang Sunming would not botch the purchasing job for him.

"Rest and recover properly!"

After thinking for a moment, Yue Shuo went to bring over the remaining Spirit Carp meat and soup.

He had tried some that morning, and it seemed that after sitting overnight.

It no longer had the effect of restoring Divine Sense.

That was rather regrettable.

As for whether it still contained energy that increased cultivation, he could not feel it clearly. Perhaps that was also because his cultivation had already reached its maximum value.

Yue Shuo made a mental note that Spirit Carp meat had to be eaten fresh in the future.

Then he let Gu Jiu try what remained.

"I saved this especially for you."

Gu Jiu looked at the remaining small half-piece of Spirit Carp meat and the half-pot still full of Spirit Carp soup.

His whole body began trembling uncontrollably.

"Didn't I feed you a Grain-Repelling Pill yesterday? I thought you couldn't eat anything after taking one!"

Yue Shuo left the pot behind and said casually.

Seeing Gu Jiu shaking as if stricken with malaria, Yue Shuo grew worried.

"Gu Jiu, are you all right?"

Gu Jiu burst into tears again.

"You don't want leftovers? Sorry, I didn't think it through. I'll pour it out, then you can rest first..."

Feeling that he had not been considerate enough, Yue Shuo stepped forward to pick up the pot.

"Don't!!" Gu Jiu's voice was filled with unusually intense emotion. Yue Shuo hurriedly retreated several steps and looked at him in confusion.

Did he not want it, or did he want it?

Then say it clearly!