Chapter 489: The Phantom Feather Empire

A spirit-infused formation plate not only possesses great power and can absorb spiritual energy to grow on its own, but more importantly, it can be activated automatically without requiring the cultivator's true qi.

It may seem no different from activation with true qi, but in reality, it has significant advantages.

For example, if the owner is in danger and cannot reach the formation plate, such a spiritual treasure might save their life.

Therefore, this type of formation plate is one of the most favored life-saving items among cultivators.

However, it can only be crafted by formation masters of six stars or above, and even then, success is not guaranteed—it requires a great deal of luck.

Previously, I had only heard legends about it and never seen one, so it didn't occur to me at first.

Even Sect Leader Sai found it hard to believe that this guy had carved one right in front of him.

What's more, he used a knife, a sword, a spear—items completely unrelated to carving tools.

After the shock, President Zheng looked at Master Zhang and sighed.

If before he thought they were on a similar level with comparable formation abilities,

now he finally understood that there is a kind of person in the world called a genius—once they make a move, it is something he can never achieve, only look up to.

In just a few minutes, he broke five formations in succession, even pausing the grand formation that maintained the guild's operation.

The formation plate casually carved with a sword and knife already contained spiritual essence...

If not for the fact that his strength hadn't even reached the Mortal Transformation stage, he would have suspected whether this was a six-star formation master in disguise.

"You mean this thing can activate on its own?"

Ignoring his shock, Zhang Xuan asked.

"Yes, as long as you first refine it and connect your spirit with its spiritual essence, you can easily activate the formation without needing true qi!" President Zheng nodded.

"Excellent!"

Hearing that it wasn't a failed refinement, Zhang Xuan finally relaxed. He gently touched the formation plate and indeed felt a joyful intent transmitted to him.

Using the carving method recorded in the Heaven's Path Formation, combined with sword intent, blade intent, and spear intent, if it were still the same as an ordinary formation plate, he would have found it hard to believe.

"Refine!"

He dripped blood onto it, and the spiritual essence within the formation plate slowly communicated with his spirit.

"Activate!"

Tossing it casually, the formation plate instantly activated. Spiritual energy from thousands of meters around converged like a whale drinking, and due to its intensity, it emitted a wailing sound like wind howling through a cave.

"So powerful..."

Seeing the surrounding spiritual energy being torn away completely, everyone was startled.

As expected of a fifth-level formation, its power was immense, terrifying to such a degree.

Although not inside the formation, one could still feel the richness of the spiritual energy within—at least three times that of the outside world!

Cultivating inside for a long time could definitely increase speed several times over.

Moreover, a spiritual formation plate, when damaged, could repair itself automatically. As long as it wasn't used too frequently, it wouldn't be affected by the number of uses and could be used indefinitely.

"Not bad!"

Feeling that the power was roughly the same as recorded in the formation diagram, Zhang Xuan nodded with satisfaction, grabbed the formation plate with a sweep of his hand, put it away, and looked up at the old man not far away.

"President Zheng, may I ask how much this blank formation plate costs?"

The longsword, broadsword, and spear used for carving were merely borrowed, but this blank formation plate was bought with the other party's money. Now that he had taken it for himself, he naturally had to ask about the price and not take something for nothing.

"Master Zhang, you flatter me. This thing is of no use to me anyway, so consider it a gift..."

President Zheng hurriedly said.

The other party was someone capable of carving a spiritual formation plate, and he was still young with limitless potential. President Zheng intended to build a good relationship with him.

"A gift?"

Frowning slightly, Zhang Xuan shook his head. "One should not accept undeserved favors. How about this: since you haven't yet refined this Jade Que Sword, let me help you, and that will serve as payment for the formation plate!"

Accepting favors meant taking on others' karma, and he was never one to take advantage of such things.

"Help me refine it? Can... a weapon be refined by someone else?"

President Zheng was stunned.

Refining a weapon was like falling in love—one needed to spend time with the item day and night to deepen the bond... Ahem, could this really be helped?

It felt like helping someone consummate a marriage!

"Of course!" Smiling faintly, Zhang Xuan reached out, took the Jade Que Sword from his hand, and gently stroked it.

"The Jade Que has already acknowledged you as its master. How could it possibly accept me!"

Seeing his actions, President Zheng shook his head.

"Rest assured, Master Zhang is a five-star appraisal master. Since he could easily make the Jade Que Sword acknowledge him as master, he naturally has a better method to make it acknowledge you!" Seeing his old friend's disbelief, Pavilion Master Sai stroked his beard and said.

By now, he had too much trust in this Master Zhang.

If the other party said it could be done, in his eyes, it would surely succeed. He was almost blindly devoted.

"A better method..."

Seeing him swear so solemnly, and recalling his various miraculous deeds, President Zheng was also filled with hope and couldn't help but look over.

Just as he was about to see what astonishing methods this legendary figure would employ, he heard his cold, stern voice ring out.

"You'd better obediently listen to President Zheng and acknowledge him as your master, or else believe it or not, I'll destroy you in no time?"

"Ahem!"

President Zheng and Sect Leader Sai were both choked by their own saliva, their faces turning green, almost on the verge of crying on the spot.

They thought he would use some method, but never expected it to be threats!

Didn't you know that spirit-level weapons are unruly and fear threats the least?

"Destroy you in no time"... If it could understand human speech, it wouldn't have put him in such a passive position.

Sometimes he felt this man was unfathomable, and other times, he seemed utterly ignorant, as naive as a newcomer just starting out...

"Master Zhang..."

Suppressing his frustration, President Zheng shook his head and was about to dissuade him from wasting his effort when he heard a "whoosh," and the Jade Que Sword shot straight toward him.

He hurriedly reached out to catch it, immediately feeling its spiritual energy surging uncontrollably, clearly... acknowledging him as its master.

"..."

President Zheng was going crazy.

How did this happen?

He had spent a full five years without success, yet the other party managed it with a single line: 'I'll finish him off in a minute.'

Normally, this longsword, refined over years, would be overjoyed to recognize its true master. But now, for some reason, instead of any joy, it felt so frustrated it wanted to vomit blood.

"It seems that in the future, when refining spiritual weapons, I shouldn't be too gentle—I should be more fierce..."

After sulking for a long time, President Zheng finally breathed a sigh of relief when he dripped blood to bind the Jade Que Sword. He silently summarized the lesson.

"I have matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave!"

Helping the other party's treasure recognize its master was repayment for the blank formation plate. Zhang Xuan cupped his fists and took his leave.

His purpose in coming to the Formation Masters Guild was to find a spirit-gathering formation. Now that he had the formation plate, it was time to return and accelerate his cultivation.

"Farewell!"

President Zheng nodded.

"Who exactly is this Master Zhang?" Seeing the young man and Guild Leader Sai leave without any hesitation, Wang Haoxun approached.

"I don't know either, but... this matter must be reported to the headquarters immediately. Someone who hasn't even reached the Mortal Transformation Realm, using a longsword, a broadsword, and a spear to carve a spiritual formation plate by sheer force..."

Recalling the other party's previous actions, President Zheng still felt his mouth twitching.

"Correct, we must report it immediately!" Wang Haoxun also nodded repeatedly.

The first time they assessed an array master in their branch, it was a talent belonging to their branch. Reporting it immediately, once praised by headquarters, breaking through the shackles and advancing to a five-star array master would be just around the corner.

"But before that, you need to inquire about this Master Zhang's specific background and whereabouts—where he came from and where he is going—so we can report better!"

President Zheng instructed.

"Yes!" Wang Haoxun nodded and hurried out.

Not long after, he returned, bringing a piece of paper densely covered with information about Zhang Xuan.

The Array Master Guild, as a leading power on the continent, found it very simple to inquire about someone.

Especially since Zhang Xuan and his group had not deliberately concealed their tracks.

"A nobody from Tianxuan Kingdom? In less than three months, becoming a two-star master teacher, three-star alchemist, three-star physician, three-star calligrapher and painter, two-star beast tamer, five-star appraiser, quasi-four-star array master..."

After reading the writing, President Zheng's lips went dry.

Even witnessing it with his own eyes, he found it heaven-defying.

In less than three months, from a place as insignificant as Tianxuan Kingdom to the Ten Nations Alliance, at an age under twenty, he had assessed at least seven professions, and all successfully, with some levels even higher than his own...

How did he do it?

"Seeing this, I was also very shocked..." Wang Haoxun smiled bitterly.

When he gathered this information, he was almost scared to death.

"Actually, I didn't gather all this. This Master Zhang once wiped out a small family called the Lin family in Tianwu Kingdom, and that Lin family had close ties with the local Array Master branch, so they gathered this much information."

Wang Haoxun continued: "However, although we have information about his arrival, we don't know what he plans to do next. Should we inquire in advance before reporting to the headquarters?"

"No need to ask. With such heaven-defying talent, if I'm not mistaken, he will definitely participate in the Ten Nations City Master Teacher Competition!"

President Zheng waved his hand and said.

"Master Teacher Competition?" Wang Haoxun was startled: "The one with the twenty-seven Master Teacher Halls at the same level as the Ten Nations Alliance?"

"Correct. This is a grand event jointly initiated by the [Huanyu Empire] Master Teacher Hall, with the twenty-seven subordinate Master Teacher Hall branches, held once every ten years. Such a genius will surely attend in person, and even if he doesn't compete, he will definitely observe!"

President Zheng nodded.

"Indeed, a grand event initiated by a two-star empire like Huanyu, with generous rewards, any genius would find it hard to refuse." Wang Haoxun nodded solemnly: "This Master Zhang, with such skills at a young age, will definitely participate."

"Mm, alright, report it quickly. We can't compete with the Master Teacher Hall for such a genius, but we must ensure his main profession is array master, so as not to bury his talent!"

President Zheng said no more, and together with Wang Haoxun, he walked toward the room with the communication wall.