Dual Cultivation God Returns Chapter 1070: The secret of the formation

As Wu Long and the twins emerged from the mist within the Crow King’s Nest, a colossal, luminous formation met their gaze.

This array had grown significantly, nearly doubling in size and increasing in complexity multiple times over since Wu Long's last observation days prior. Its myriad individual array patterns and symbols pulsed with precise synchronization, akin to countless gears of varying dimensions within an elaborate mechanical device. Some moved in long, continuous sweeps, others in short, rhythmic ticks, and all at differing speeds to collectively create a seamless and harmonious overall motion.

The twins appeared somewhat awestruck by the spectacle, while Wu Long exhibited profound fascination.

"You have arrived!" Lian Zhiqiu turned from her study of the formation, her eyes alight with excitement, and approached Wu Long for a kiss.

As their lips met, Wu Long commenced questioning Lian Zhiqiu about the formation. His inquiries, while perplexing to the twins, seemed to thoroughly enthrall her as she responded, offering explanations and indicating various sections of the array.

His input also provided several technical insights that appeared to spark new ideas within Lian Zhiqiu.

Hong Ye and Hong Yue exchanged a knowing glance, silently resolving to forgo any attempt at comprehending the technical discourse. They chose instead to simply appreciate the magnificent display, consciously tuning out the conversation.

Their discussion appeared to conclude with Wu Long offering praise to Lian Zhiqiu, accompanied by another kiss. At this juncture, Hong Yue seized an opportunity to interject, "So... this is the formation that Daoist Wu mentioned was difficult to handle? It certainly appears... formidable."

"What? No, this is my formation, designed to help me decipher and analyze other arrays and formations," Lian Zhiqiu initially displayed a look of bewilderment, then chuckled as she recognized the white-haired beauty's misunderstanding.

"Please, take a seat. Allow me to demonstrate," she gestured invitingly toward a small table in the room. As they took their places—Hong Ye settling onto Wu Long's lap while Hong Yue sat opposite them, both subtly angling to observe the formation—Lian Zhiqiu positioned herself facing the array, ready to manipulate it.

Her hands gracefully swept towards the formation, rings of flowing symbols materializing around her forearms, wrists, palms, and all ten fingertips. A disk of luminous patterns emerged before her. As she subtly turned her left hand, the rings encircling it traced complex trajectories, while the disk of patterns before her resembled a circular puzzle, its segments rotating in response to her finger movements. Her eyes glowed with a reddish-orange hue.

The formation immediately responded, its innermost components elongating along their major diameters while simultaneously contracting along their minor diameters, thereby creating an empty spherical void at its core.

Lian Zhiqiu's visualized Symbol Qi, naturally exhibiting a reddish-orange color, gradually subsided, its brilliance fading until the hue paled to an almost transparent yellow.

Subsequently, a new formation pattern, rendered in vivid colors, began to appear within the newly created void. Despite their lack of expertise in formations, both Hong Ye and Hong Yue instinctively sensed a distinct difference in this new pattern—its structure felt alien compared to the formation they had observed moments before. Furthermore, another detail was immediately apparent to both of them: the pattern was incomplete, with portions visibly missing here and there.

"This is the formation of the Crow King’s Nest," Lian Zhiqiu stated with a smile, "Or at least, what I have managed to analyze thus far."

"It... appears somewhat... rudimentary? Compared to Sister Zhiqiu's formation, it feels far less intricate and not nearly as potent," Hong Ye remarked, raising an eyebrow, as this particular array did not seem impressive enough to warrant even Wu Long's focused attention.

"Complexity does not always equate to power or functionality. The ancient formations often baffle us precisely because of their apparent simplicity—so simple that we detect no clues as to their actual workings, let alone how they produce their profound effects," Lian Zhiqiu replied, shaking her head with a gentle smile. "Not to mention, this is the deconstructed version of the formation, stripped of all the protective layers of obfuscation and secrecy designed to prevent its understanding and appropriation."

She then rotated her right hand, her fingers seemingly grasping an invisible dial. As the luminous symbols surrounding it shifted and moved, the barely discernible pale formation underwent profound transformations, and the array floating in the center began to alter its structure and constituent parts.

What initially appeared as a straightforward diagram fractured into countless disconnected pieces, scattering across various dimensions before rotating and reforming. New layers materialized atop the existing ones, some merging, others altering previous configurations, rendering the entire structure increasingly obscure. Simple symbols and lines morphed into convoluted arrays, only to disintegrate again into disparate parts, seemingly unrelated to one another. Subsequently, new connections emerged between these scattered fragments, reassembling them into a unified, constantly shifting and evolving structure of ever-growing mass and complexity.

In less than a second, it transformed into a massive, extraordinarily intricate formation—the original simplified version was no longer visible. This realization caused the assassin sisters to widen their eyes, comprehending, or at least imagining, the immense effort, knowledge, and mental fortitude required to dismantle the formation to the state they had initially observed.

However, Lian Zhiqiu did not fully restore the formation to its original, formidable state. Her intention was merely to illustrate a point, not to impress. She reintroduced only about a third of the added complexity before reversing her hand motion, as if turning a dial back. This action reversed the augmentation process, and within another half-second, the simplified form of the Crow King's Nest formation reappeared before their eyes.

"You are correct, though I gained much from deciphering it due to the techniques employed. At its heart, it is a truly simple and uncomplicated formation, not in a profound sense—it shouldn't possess significant power or functionality on its own," she added with a faint smile. "Initially, I too was perplexed as to why such a formation would make Wu Long so wary. But I have finally uncovered its secret."

Her eyes gleamed as she spoke, and she manipulated the formation, enlarging its central area where all patterns converged. This revealed a missing central core component.

"This is it; there is no formation or array within the very core," Lian Zhiqiu stated, observing Wu Long for confirmation. "All other parts of this formation merely channel the functionality of this core area. I initially believed the secret to its potency lay there. That's why I struggled for so long—I assumed the core was integrated and concealed within the overall structure, leading me to misinterpret numerous obfuscation and security layers. But it is genuinely absent; the core component is truly missing."

"And what did that reveal to you?" Wu Long asked with a smile, nodding.

"I cannot be entirely certain yet, but I have deduced a possibility in which I have nine-tenths confidence. I have never encountered it in texts nor personally, but this is the only explanation that logically fits without resorting to speculation," Lian Zhiqiu declared, breaking into a wide grin, yet withholding her answer for the moment.

Seeing her anticipation for a dramatic revelation, he played along with a smile. "Very well. Since you are nine-tenths confident, allow me to pose nine questions. First, what prompted you to even consider the possibility that the core formation was missing?"

"The fundamental principle of a functioning formation. This formation merely channels the power and function of the core. Without it, it would be an empty shell. If a core formation existed, I might not have been able to breach it, but I am certain its functions would have been discernible, as they must originate from somewhere," Lian Zhiqiu explained, demonstrating with the formation how a core could have been hidden yet still connected to the main structure to transfer its functions.

"Alright, second question then," he nodded, acknowledging the soundness of her reasoning. "What about a detachable formation pattern? Similar to your block-based formation in the Yin Yang Unity Palace, which featured interchangeable formation blocks. The core formation could be physically detached from the main formation and reconnected when necessary."

Her eyes sparkled as she shook her head. "That could be a possibility, but the core functions of the formation are currently active, implying a connection that should have been detectable. Furthermore, I could not detect any hidden arrays or formations that might serve as triggers for the main formation to link with a detached core. Without such triggers, it would require manual connection, which is hardly ideal formation design.""Third question. Was it a Natural Formation or a unique phenomenon of the Spiritual Land?", Wu Long continued down the list of probable explanations.

"The chances of it being a Natural Formation or some kind of Spiritual Land-based unique trait are not high, since I checked for those with all conventional and even all unconventional methods you taught me."

"Speaking of what I taught you, fourth question - I just introduced a concept of a decentralized formation dispersed into the overall structure to you not long ago."

"Possible but not likely. It’s not only too high-level a technique for the Boundless Profound World, as you said when you gave me the introduction to it, but also has typical signs that allow its detection - none of the checks I performed showed any of those signs."

"Fifth question, what about the possibility of an active ancient formation, or ruins containing one, located underneath the Crow King’s Nest?"

"The formation pattern is a modern one from the Current Era. Even if it was using an active ancient formation or ancient ruins as a core, some of the aura and unique Qi flows from the ancient formation would have seeped into and mixed into the larger structure, which is not the case. Active ancient ruins that could provide protection or serve some kind of useful function are also usually too precious for a small force to successfully occupy them, unless not a long time has passed since their discovery or the secret somehow managed to be kept. So, although it is not impossible, given what we know, the probability drops even further," Lian Zhiqiu shook her head.

"Hmm, that last bit is a bit more shaky reasoning, but in this case, you’re right - your first point about the aura and Qi flows is sufficient proof," Wu Long smiled, nodding. "But this leads to the sixth question, how about a replicable ancient formation pattern?"

"Although also not impossible, the chances of that are also as low, if not even lower. You said that every ancient formation pattern that can be replicated by simply copying the design is so incredibly rare and so incalculably precious that 99% were impossible to monopolize even by the most powerful people and organizations throughout the history of the Seven Boundless Worlds, and thus are basically public knowledge. And all of them, without exception, are utility-based with unique functions that simply do not exist and are basically impossible to replicate with the Formations of the current era, rather than conventional protective formation types. And one that could obscure the core of a modern formation completely is currently not listed among the known replicable ancient formations. It would truly have to be an incredible coincidence to come across a newly discovered replicable ancient formation that is kept secret by a small local power and isn’t known to the rest of the cultivation world yet. So, while I do not rule it out, I will prioritize a more plausible explanation first."

Wu Long nodded to that answer and then suddenly stopped asking questions, causing Hong Ye and Lian Zhiqiu to make wry smiles, exchanging a look that seemed to say ‘so close...’. At some point, they even began wondering whether he was truly going to ask nine actual questions.

"Hmm, ehm..." Wu Long’s tone almost imperceptibly shifted, and without listing the number of the question this time, he added another one, "What about higher-level esoteric obfuscation and codifying techniques and tricks that I didn’t tell you about yet, that are impossible to find with the level of detection techniques I gave you?"

"Hehehe~" Hong Ye, sitting on his lap, couldn’t help giggling with amusement, and even Hong Yue was surprised at this type of question, which didn’t really fit in with the logical reasoning from before - it was basically 'what if you just can’t see it no matter what you do, but it’s there'.

Lian Zhiqiu smiled as well. "If it truly was out of my reach due to technical limitations rather than logical reasoning, you would’ve either given me at least some kind of possibility or basic capability to arrive at that answer. And, since the already higher concept of a decentralized formation core, which you did teach me about, is already unlikely to be encountered in the Boundless Profound World, even higher-level techniques than that, which you don’t even introduce yet since it is too early to explore them, are even less likely."

"Ehem, I see you’ve thoroughly considered all the angles," Wu Long traced his chin with the hand that wasn’t wrapped around Hong Ye, while speaking that line very slowly, as his eyes revealed an enigmatic, unreadable look. Then, narrowing his eyes, "So I suppose you have considered my eighth question as well; we’ll skip it and go straight for the final ninth question then."

Hong Ye couldn’t conceal her face as she embraced him tighter, trembling from silent laughter, while Lian Zhiqiu covered her mouth with a delicate fist and cleared her throat, suppressing a broad smile. Hong Yue’s eyebrows ascended further with this unexpected turn of events and the other two beauties' peculiar reactions.

"So..." Wu Long continued with a serious expression, so engrossed in the discussion he seemed oblivious to it all, "...what answer did you arrive at?"

"Eh?" Hong Yue involuntarily vocalized, thinking inwardly, 'D-does that count as one of the nine questions...?'

"Hihihihihi~" Hong Ye’s silent laughter morphed into suppressed, breathless chuckles.

"Hehe-...! ~khm" Lian Zhiqiu emitted a short giggle that ceased as swiftly as it began. She cleared her throat, restoring a solemn expression before providing her answer, "That left me with two possibilities I had never contemplated. However, neither would be integrated into the larger formation, yet both could function as its core."

She then manipulated the formation to illustrate her hypothesis.

"The first is a living Symbol Arts Cultivator who perpetually sustains the Formation with their personal cultivation base and formation. This would render the formation nearly impossible to hijack and turn against its owners. Furthermore, its fundamental functions would be exceedingly difficult to analyze, and it would possess the capacity to evolve alongside the cultivator’s advancing abilities. Nonetheless, there are significant drawbacks – it necessitates a host to maintain the formation’s activity. Thus, one individual or a group taking turns would have to dedicate immense time solely to maintaining and operating the formation continuously. It also implies that if only one cultivator is involved, the formation’s strength is tethered to that cultivator’s lifespan. Alternatively, if multiple individuals coordinate shifts, it constantly requires the recruitment and training of new Symbol Arts Masters dedicated solely to one formation. It also severely constrains the formation’s potential power, as it would be far more connected to the cultivator's strength, even with a complex formation within their Crystal Core. All these disadvantages led me to believe this option is less probable... however..."

Her grin widened as she triumphantly revealed her definitive answer, "...if it were a Spiritual Treasure, or some other form of Artifact, possessing profound secret arts or engraved arrays and formations, it could independently serve as the formation's core, much like a living cultivator, but without the same level of continuous upkeep. It presents different advantages and disadvantages, but I believe it is overall more logical than a living cultivator in the context of the Crow King’s Nest. Naturally, it must be a special kind of Spiritual Treasure capable of functioning not merely as a focus like a conventional Array Disc or Array Flag, a stabilizing anchor point like an ordinary Spiritual Treasure, or a simple enhancer of functionalities like a typical offensive or defensive Spiritual Treasure, but as the entire formation itself. The formation of the Crow King’s Nest merely disseminates its functions over a broader area."

"You are absolutely correct; it is termed a Formation Vessel Spiritual Treasure," Wu Long affirmed, eliciting a delighted and contented expression from Lian Zhiqiu. Her certainty grew with each question he posed, as he deliberately steered clear of this particular possibility. Nevertheless, receiving direct confirmation felt remarkably good.

Wu Long then chuckled, "Have you already pinpointed its location?"

"Once I deciphered the enigma, pinpointing potential locations and subsequently narrowing it down to the most probable became straightforward. If my calculations are accurate, it lies beneath the Death Arena’s fighting pit," Lian Zhiqiu stated, nodding. "It appears to be perpetually absorbing all the Bloodlust Aura, Death Aura, and other emanations lingering in a place rife with such struggle, bloodlust, battles, killing, and death."

Hong Ye and Hong Yue exchanged looks of realization, recalling Wu Long’s intrigued gaze upon observing the Death Arena's fighting pit, especially when he witnessed a fighter's demise there for the first time.

"Perfectly deduced," Wu Long smiled. "Congratulations, Zhiqiu. Not only for independently unraveling the secret but also for elevating your own decoding and analysis formation to this level."