Longevity through Upgrading Buildings Chapter 721 - 309: Golden Core Body Cultivator!!!
Previously on Longevity through Upgrading Buildings...
Ordinarily, a single inverted pattern on an array plate would render it completely unusable.
But this particular array plate? It appears every single pattern etched upon it is reversed.
"If one were to view it normally, this array plate should manifest as the 'Rivers and Lakes Array.' However, what occurs when all its patterns are inverted?"
Ji Yuan retrieved his Jade Scroll and channeled a sliver of his spiritual energy into it.
Instantly, Yun Qianzai's voice, brimming with excitement, echoed within Ji Yuan's mind.
"Junior Brother, prepare yourself to witness the zenith of my life's work!"
"I am aware that many within the sect dismiss my pursuits in the study of arrays as mere posturing, but that is far from the truth!"
"Just as attaining longevity is but a secondary benefit on the grand path of immortality, so too is ostentation a minor byproduct of this celestial Dao of arrays... Indeed, a considerable number of senior and junior sisters within the sect have harbored secret admiration for me, yet why have I remained unmoved?"
"It is because my true self has long been wholly devoted to this heavenly path of arrays!"
... No, Second Brother, must you adopt such grandiose airs again?
Ji Yuan couldn't help but inwardly scoff at the display.
He recalled how Yun Qianzai had once promised to show him the allure of Merfolk, a promise that, Ji Yuan mused, was ultimately directed at him.
"Very well, let us dispense with the pleasantries and I shall introduce my life's crowning achievement... Ah, perhaps it is premature to declare it my life's crowning achievement, for I stand in the prime of my life. How can it be the culmination? Nevertheless, that is a minor point. To put it in your terms, this array is simply... astonishing!!!"
"I have christened this creation the 'Inverted Rivers and Lakes Array.' It is the result of meticulously dismantling and reversing the foundational patterns of the original Rivers and Lakes Array, and it possesses an unparalleled proficiency in both ensnaring and annihilating adversaries."
The mere act of discussing the array seemed to fuel Yun Qianzai's excitement even further.
"Junior Brother, proceed to refine this array plate and then activate it to fully comprehend its profound intricacies!"
"Rest assured, what you are about to witness is nothing less than the unparalleled genius of Yun Qianzai, a true prodigy among mortals!"
Much remained unsaid, but the essence was clear: he had, indeed, indulged in considerable self-aggrandizement.
Even after the voice within the Jade Scroll had fallen silent, Ji Yuan could still faintly discern the echo of Yun Qianzai's triumphant laughter.
In that case, there is no harm in putting it to the test.
Ji Yuan carefully extracted the array plate and commenced the process of infusing his spiritual energy to refine it.
The act of refining brought a stark realization: the expenditure of spiritual energy required was exceptionally high.
Even for Ji Yuan, who had achieved the Peak of Foundation Establishment and consumed an immense quantity of Tri-colored Spirit Eggs, far surpassing the typical spiritual energy reserves of his peers at the same cultivation level.
He found that nearly one-third of his spiritual energy was depleted to fully refine the array plate.
With the four aquamarine array flags now hovering above the array plate, Ji Yuan stepped out from the confines of the cave. Surveying the surrounding landscape from his vantage point on the mountaintop, he ultimately selected a desolate marsh as his testing ground.
Holding the array plate steady in his left hand, he raised his right hand with deliberate grace.
The four aquamarine array flags detached themselves and soared outward. Swelling in size as they met the wind, they eventually plunged their bases into the four cardinal points of the barren marsh.
In that precise instant, a shimmering aquamarine halo emanated outward, rippling gently across the landscape before everything appeared to return to its previous state.
However, from Ji Yuan's internal perception, the environment had undergone a radical transformation.
The area before him now appeared as a vast, fathomless lake.
Its waters were a deep, impenetrable hue, stretching into an unfathomable abyss.
To fall into such a place would be akin to plummeting into an endless void, from which there would be no return.
Yet, if this were the entirety of its effect, could it not be considered, at best, merely the standard Rivers and Lakes Array?
Why, then, was it designated the Inverted Rivers and Lakes Array?
Ji Yuan cautiously probed the array's properties with wide eyes, a flicker of astonishment crossing his pupils.
... Now he understood the reason behind its formidable designation: the Inverted Rivers and Lakes Array!
Not only was the array already significantly more potent than any conventional Rivers and Lakes Array, but once fully activated, trapping a cultivator at the Peak of Foundation Establishment would hardly be a challenge.
Should the unfortunate adversary happen to be an Array Cultivator capable of breaking through the initial layer of the Rivers and Lakes Array.
Then, regrettably, they would find themselves ensnared within the second, more perilous layer of this formation.
The Inverted Rivers and Lakes Array!
As Ji Yuan's realization dawned, the array swiftly shifted its nature. One moment, he perceived himself on the edge of a bottomless pool; the next, the scene transformed into an immeasurably vast desert.
The preceding lake was characterized by its unfathomable depth, while the current desert stretched out with an immeasurable expanse.
Once caught within its boundaries, extricating oneself would prove exceedingly difficult.
This was because the central stabilizing element, the array hub of the Inverted Rivers and Lakes Array... resided solely within the first layer.
If one could locate and dismantle the array hub of the initial layer, a slim possibility of escape might remain.
However, should one become trapped in the second layer, the only recourse would be to rely on sheer brute force to shatter the array's integrity.
Ji Yuan surmised that breaking free from this Inverted Rivers and Lakes Array would demand the strength of at least a cultivator in the Late-stage Golden Core.
And this formidable creation... was not the work of the so-called 'Fake Pill Cultivator,' Yun Qianzai.
For a fleeting moment, Ji Yuan experienced a profound appreciation for Yun Qianzai's exceptional talent in the domain of arrays.
He could only concede that his previous assessment had been too dismissive.
He had underestimated the true capabilities of this array prodigy from the Water Dragon Sect.
Simultaneously, Ji Yuan's mind flashed back to his own Celestial Craft Square, or more precisely, its prior form as the Array Room. Once the Array Room reaches Level 3, an array known as the "Inverted Dipper Array" is unlocked. Does this hold some connection to Yun Qianzai's current array, the Inverted Rivers and Lakes Array? However, even if a connection exists, the Celestial Craft Square itself needs to be leveled up first. Following this thought, Ji Yuan collected the Inverted Rivers and Lakes Array and returned to the previous cave. Without a doubt, this array before him... is the most potent one Ji Yuan currently possesses. It far surpasses arrays like the Star Dust Illusionary Killing Array, the Star Spiral Cloud Barrier, and the Yin Ghost Array. Yet, this isn't a certainty; the Yin Ghost Array's power escalates as the strength of its two Yin Ghosts continuously grows, thereby enhancing the array's overall might. Regrettably, Ji Yuan has yet to find an opportunity to deploy this particular array. With that, he put away Yun Qianzai's Storage Bag.