His sea of consciousness was like a breached dam. As he inscribed the array marks, the Divine Sense within it flowed out ceaselessly like a tide.
The more Divine Sense flowed out, the closer his sea of consciousness came to drying up. Like a riverbed laid bare by receding waters, it gradually cracked, sending out stabs of pain and making his scalp tingle.
Qin Tian gradually felt his thoughts stagnate, and he drew the third section of array marks more and more slowly.
Suddenly, a needle-sharp pain shot through his sea of consciousness. Qin Tian blanked out for a moment and lost control, making a mistake in the array marks that caused the entire third section to collapse.
Until one reached a certain level, array marks were more intricate than machinery.
Qin Tian had no choice but to stop and clutch his head, waiting for the pain to slowly ease.
Only after the time it took to drink a cup of tea did Qin Tian recover. After a moment's reflection, he finally understood. Forming an array directly with spiritual sense is an extremely advanced technique. Generally, when cultivators first learn array formations, they use ink and diagrams to inscribe large formations.
Using spiritual sense to directly harness the power of heaven and earth may be quick and convenient.
But it is extremely dangerous. Once Divine Sense runs dry, the sea of consciousness may be damaged and crack. If those cracks become too severe, the sea of consciousness will shatter outright, and the cultivator will perish, their Dao extinguished.
At the very least, it is dangerous before cultivating an Immortal Platform.
Even a formation master like Black Emperor rarely formed arrays directly with Divine Sense. It was too dangerous. When Divine Sense came into direct contact with the laws of heaven and earth, one would either be beguiled by the Great Dao and dissolve into it, or have one's Divine Sense drained dry.
Fortunately, I have lived two lives, and a trace of the light of time and space touched me when I crossed over. My soul is exceptionally resilient, and the spiritual sense born from it is exceptionally sturdy as well.
As Qin Tian thought this, dazzling light bloomed between his brows. His silver spiritual sense flowed like water, spotless and flawless. Although more than half had been consumed, what remained was still far greater than an ordinary person's.
Like a silver lake, pure and powerful, it slowly absorbed lunar essence to replenish the power of his Primordial Spirit.
Qin Tian closed his eyes. Once he had finished recuperating, he began drawing the formation again.
This time, Qin Tian did not choose to draw the formation directly in empty space, instead opting to use a medium.
With divine power as his ink and the earth as his canvas, he outlined a large formation. Soon, a complete formation of pale blue lines appeared before him.
The formation's lines were solemn and exquisite, carrying an enigmatic air of mystery.
The formation began to operate, gathering the surrounding spiritual energy of heaven and earth and channeling it into its core.
Streams of pure heaven and earth vital energy flowed into Qin Tian's body. The Divine Spring gushing from his Life Spring rose to another level, and a faint rainbow radiance began brewing at the bottom of the Life Spring.
Qin Tian paid no attention to the changes within his body. He simply stared blankly at the array marks beneath his feet.
The array marks cycled, flickering between light and darkness, drawing in the surrounding heaven and earth vital energy with every breath. They embodied some unknown order and power of heaven and earth.
So this was an array formation!
Qin Tian felt dazed, as though nothing in the world could be more beautiful than these lines containing the laws of existence. Even merely looking at them drew him helplessly into their depths...
I love array formations!
A surge of emotion rose in Qin Tian's heart as he gazed at the formation before him with a hint of infatuation.
Interest was the best teacher. Though he could hardly hide the exhaustion on his face, Qin Tian was delighted.
To comprehend something himself, then create it with his own hands, manifesting the laws of the Heavenly Dao through formations and commanding the might of heaven and earth-that feeling intoxicated him!
Wind, rain, thunder, lightning, fire, earth, wood, and water-all changes in nature arose from vital energy.
In other words, through array formations, he could harness the power of heaven and earth and command every change governing the world's workings.
A line from the handwritten notes surfaced unbidden in Qin Tian's mind. What exists provides benefit; what does not exist provides use!
An array commands all things, reaches everywhere, and benefits every endeavor. Only that which gathers the world's accomplishments into one whole can be called an array!
A thought arose in Qin Tian's heart. How wonderful would it be to command heaven and earth without relying on array formations?
Instinctively, Qin Tian glanced at the name signed in the book and thought of Cao Yusheng's path during the Chaotic Ancient Era.
Using the Body as an Array!
The path Cao Yusheng had walked in the past was Using the Body as an Array. Even after dying and being reborn, he still carried traces of that Great Dao.
Within these handwritten notes, Qin Tian glimpsed hints of Using the Body as an Array.
A thought arose in Qin Tian's heart. Perhaps I could turn the laws I comprehend into formations and inscribe them within my body, developing a formation physique through cultivation?
Then Qin Tian shook his head and suppressed the idea. I mustn't reach for heights beyond my grasp. I'll cultivate array formations to the level of a Great Power first.
Qin Tian continued copying the Spirit Gathering Formation. Though it was only a simple, basic formation, it was his first small step into the Formation Dao, the starting point of his future journey across a ten-thousand-mile Great Wall, the first drop that would gather into the great river of the Dao, and the source of everything.
The next morning.
The Golden Crow sun rose in the east. The glorious sun released furious solar essence, which descended to the ground and became light that nourished all living things.
Sunlight slipped through the gaps in the doors and windows, falling onto Qin Tian's face and waking him.
After a night's sleep, he felt refreshed and full of vigor. Taking advantage of his keen morning spiritual perception, Qin Tian brought out paper and a brush. While his memory of the Spirit Gathering Formation was still clear, he began copying it stroke by stroke.
Qin Tian had completely mastered the Spirit Gathering Formation the previous night. This time, he was attempting to modify it.
Merely knowing how to draw it was not enough. A qualified formation practitioner needed to understand the principles and purpose of every Dao pattern. Someone who merely copied a gourd to draw a ladle would forever remain an apprentice. Only those who could create their own formations were masters.
"This feels a lot like programming!" Qin Tian involuntarily stroked the thick, glossy black hair on his head, and an image of himself going bald rose unbidden in his mind.
Then he shook his head vigorously, trying to shake off that terrifying future. "I'm a cultivator! How could my hair fall out?"
This time, he was not setting up a formation, merely copying one, so naturally he used the cheapest ordinary ink and paper. They contained no spiritual energy, and the formation he drew was nothing more than a pattern with no actual effect. He did not have to worry about wasting resources if he failed, either.
Qin Tian copied out the formation in one uninterrupted effort, then began modifying the diagram.
Time trickled by. He had nearly chewed his brush to pieces, yet Qin Tian still could not make another stroke or change even the slightest detail.
Though it had been casually drawn, it was still Cao Yusheng's handiwork. A Spirit Gathering Formation created by a Heavenly Venerable of the imperial Dao was almost perfect.
Even in the present day, with array formations constantly advancing, it was hardly outdated.
"I might as well break it apart and reconstruct it!" Qin Tian casually added two strokes, destroying its perfection, then began making sweeping alterations. Building on its spirit-gathering function, he added elemental transformations and a measure of offensive power.
In this volume of scripture, Cao Yusheng had left several formation diagrams, including Seal Heaven and Lock Earth and Void Shift.
Yet almost all of them were meant for escape, survival, or support. Not a single one was an offensive formation.
Qin Tian had no choice but to rack his own brains and devise an offensive formation. It did not matter if it was a little weaker.
At least through the Formation Dao, he could unleash offensive power far beyond the Other Shore Realm.
Time flew by. Qin Tian studied the Formation Dao while mining, dividing his attention between the two tasks. As he mined, he also used his newly cultivated spiritual sense to perceive the rhythms of the earth's veins, putting what he learned into practice.
After studying for a time, Qin Tian discovered that he possessed exceptional talent for formations. With scripture personally passed down by a Heavenly Venerable as well, he advanced rapidly, creating several formidable formations and becoming a master of the Formation Dao.
At the very least, the large formation set up around the Source Mine could no longer bar his way.
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