Chapter 188

On the martial world, chaos reigned, and hidden currents surged violently.

Whether it was the malicious surveillance from the Mongol Yuan Empire or the treacherous schemes of the Beiliang Wang Fu.

These hidden dangers beneath the mist, Brother Ning Chuan did not yet know.

Even if he knew, given his current strength and disposition, he probably wouldn't care much.

When soldiers come, meet them with generals; when water comes, block it with earth.

If any fool dares to pull the tiger's whiskers, he wouldn't mind letting them know what true despair means.

If necessary, he would temporarily abandon Taohuadao and retreat with his close ones into the boundless deep sea to cultivate in seclusion.

Once his cultivation base was perfected and his divine art fully accomplished, he would emerge to settle accounts with every force that dared defy him—slaughter them all!

To him, this was no difficult task.

…

At this moment, beside the small courtyard's deep pool on Taohuadao.

Brother Ning Chuan's massive dragon-serpent body lay still, coiled in repose.

Before him floated scrolls exuding an ancient, primordial aura.

These were the precious Daoist scriptures passed down through generations, "compensated" by Congquanzhen Sect.

Their quantity and depth far surpassed the martial manuals stored on Taohuadao itself!

Among them were not only Congquanzhen Sect's core teachings, such as Xiantian Gong, Yi Qi Hua San Qing, Qixing Sword Technique, Tonggui Sword Technique, and more.

They also contained abundant records on Daoist cultivation, alchemy and talismans, astrology and divination, and even ancient secrets.

To Brother Ning Chuan, these were an inexhaustible treasure trove of knowledge!

He carefully studied these Daoist scriptures, memorizing every useful piece of information.

Occasionally, flashes of enlightenment would dart through his eyes—clearly, he had gained new insights.

These crystallizations of wisdom from another cultivation system provided him with invaluable ideas and references for forging his own demonic cultivation path.

"Yuyan, bring me the scroll detailing the formation method of the Big Dipper Seven-Star Sword Array."

Brother Ning Chuan instructed Wang Yuyan, who stood respectfully beside him.

Upon hearing this, Wang Yuyan promptly responded, her light steps moving gracefully as she extracted a yellowed ancient scroll from a neatly arranged pile and offered it reverently before Brother Ning Chuan.

As her beautiful almond eyes inadvertently swept over his majestic, awe-inspiring dragon-serpent form,

she could not help but flicker with deep reverence and admiration.

In her heart, this dragon-serpent master had long become a divine presence.

Brother Ning Chuan took the scroll detailing the Big Dipper Seven-Star Sword Array and began to deeply contemplate it.

This sword array was created by Wang Chongyang based on the celestial positions of the Big Dipper's seven stars; seven cultivators working in unison could unleash power far exceeding their individual strength—exquisitely refined.

As Brother Ning Chuan pondered the array's secrets, he combined them with his understanding of Taohuadao's Daoqi Sect techniques.

And with descriptions of ancient formations he had read in other Daoist texts.

In his mind, flashes of inspiration surged endlessly; countless formation-changing runes arose and dissolved in ceaseless flow.

【You deeply contemplate the operation principles and combined-strike method of the Big Dipper Seven-Star Sword Array…】

【You integrate the Daoqi Sect's Five Elements Formation with records of ancient killing arrays from numerous Daoist scriptures…】

【You comprehend the essence of formations: using cultivators as formation cores to draw heavenly and earthly power, condensing lethal qi…】

【You create a more powerful and complex combined-strike killing array—the Tiangang Dishasha Sword Array!】

Tiangang Dishasha Sword Array!

This formation has one hundred and eight formation cores, corresponding to the Thirty-Six Heavenly Stars and the Seventy-Two Earthly Stars.

It requires one hundred and eight cultivators who have trained in a specific Internal Energy Cultivation Method, arranged precisely according to designated positions and formation diagrams, to complete.

Once formed, it draws upon the world's lethal qi and stellar power to condense an invincible sword aura.

Its power is strong enough to trap and kill ordinary Foundation Establishment masters!

If the array's users possess higher cultivation and greater synergy, it could even threaten Duida Sect masters!

Brother Ning Chuan was quite satisfied.

Though the Tiangang Dishasha Sword Array had stringent formation requirements, its power was indeed astonishing.

Taohuadao now had many servants and disciples, who, under Xiao Xiao Yuanshan's meticulous instruction and the refined version of the Internal Energy Cultivation Method,

included several post-heaven cultivators with decent talent.

With further cultivation, gathering one hundred and eight qualified participants for the array would not be difficult.

Thus, Taohuadao's overall defensive capability would undoubtedly take a major step upward.

This, in a way, was a beneficial experiment in his quest to create spiritual formation methods.

His true goal, however, remained creating a "Spirit Gathering Array" capable of actively drawing in spiritual energy to aid cultivation.

"The spiritual energy in this world is simply too thin," Brother Ning Chuan mused inwardly.

"Even on this offshore Xiandao, Taohuadao, the spiritual energy's density is only slightly better than the outside world."

"If I could create a true Spirit Gathering Array, gathering all spiritual energy of a region into one point,"

"then whether for my own cultivation or training my subordinates, the benefits would be immense—double the results with half the effort."

But creating a Spirit Gathering Array was far more difficult than creating a killing sword array.

It required not only profound understanding of formation arts, but also precise mastery of the nature of spiritual energy and the laws of energy flow.

Brother Ning Chuan felt he was still missing one crucial element.

"Almost there, almost there," he sensed the vast demonic power within his black-mystic dragon core, nearing full completion.

"In a few more days, once my demonic power is utterly perfected, I can attempt to trigger the first Dragon Tribulation!"

"Once I successfully pass the Dragon Tribulation, my comprehension and control over heavenly and earthly forces will reach a new height!"

"By then, this spirit array technique will naturally fall into place!"

Brother Ning Chuan turned his gaze inward, where the black hole-like dragon core, deep and profound, rotated slowly, emitting terrifying energy fluctuations that stirred the heart.

His massive dragon body, continually nourished and refined by demonic power, grew even more majestic and divine.

The horn on his head became even more rugged, gleaming with a faint, dark luster.

The four dragon claws beneath his belly grew sharper and more powerful, as if capable of tearing through space itself.

Wang Yuyan watched beside him, her beautiful eyes filled with admiration and infatuation, her heart utterly lost.

Brother Ning Chuan suddenly spoke, his voice calm and commanding:

"Yuyan, bring me the Quanzhen Sect's Primordial Qi Technique and the annotated versions of the Nine Yin Manual stored on the island."

He intended to make final preparations before triggering the Dragon Tribulation.

Re-examining these supreme Daoist Mystic Methods might yield new insights.

"Yes, Master," Wang Yuyan replied swiftly and respectfully, then turned to retrieve the texts.

Two more days passed.

During these two days, Brother Ning Chuan carefully studied the Primordial Qi Technique, the many annotations of the Nine Yin Manual, and several advanced Quanzhen Sect Sword Techniques, such as One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones and the Tonggui Sword Technique.

That day, at dawn.

Brother Ning Chuan hovered above the sea surface above Taohuadao, bathed in the golden radiance of the rising sun.

In his mind, the Xuanaofa Sect's Primordial Qi Technique, the One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones method of creating external incarnations, and the Nine Yin Manual's numerous techniques for spiritual force application surged forth like tides, colliding and merging endlessly.

Spiritual insight erupted once more!

【You deeply comprehended the Qi Refining to Spirit Refining method of the Primordial Qi Technique, and the external incarnation technique of One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones…】

【You combined the Soul-Shifting Great Art and Mind-Seizing Techniques from the Nine Yin Manual with your own powerful dragon spirit…】

【You uncovered the mystery of spiritual division, thought manifestation, and energy projection…】

【You created a unique technique for the dragon body—Dragon Three Illusions!】

Another powerful Secret Technique!

Brother Ning Chuan was overjoyed!

The Dragon Three Illusions was both an unfathomably profound movement technique and a powerfully devastating Secret Technique!

When activated, he could condense two energy illusions, each nearly equal in strength to his true body, using his demonic power and spiritual force.

These three bodies could attack simultaneously, confuse enemies, shift between illusion and reality, and change unpredictably!

Its power was far more than simply one plus one equals two!

He immediately dove into the deep sea to test this newly comprehended technique.

At the thought of it, his vast demonic power and potent spiritual force flowed according to a specific method.

In an instant, two identical black dragon shadows appeared beside his true body.