Chapter 30 (1/2)

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

“Senior Brother, what do you have here? Is this also a tool that could speed up the installation of array formations?”

Lan Ling’e swore to the Grand Pure One it was the only thing she asked before she was called and imprisoned by her senior brother in a wooden cage. She had become a lab rat for that ‘technical product’.

The wooden cage was about the height of a man. It was made of 36 connected lightning-conducting logs. Its interior was also coated with a delicate layer of colorful iron web.

The lightning-conducting logs were pieced and tied together. That made the wooden cage appear a little shabby.

There was a rainbow-colored long needle at the tip of the wooden cage and a hexagram made of lightning-acc.u.mulating Seven Deity Metal at the bottom. However, the hexagram was not an array formation, and it did not contain any restrictions. It was just a plain and simple hexagram-shaped pattern.

When cultivators underwent Tribulation Transcendence, they could not rely on array formations to block the attacks. The rays of lightning during Heavenly Tribulation could disregard all array formations.

There were many miraculous uses for postnatal Dharma treasures that were refined by cultivators. They mainly relied on the restrictions inscribed on both the interior and exterior of the Dharma treasures.

After years of research, Li Changshou was certain about one thing—the principles behind restrictions were similar to that of array formations. Both relied on specific symbols and patterns to draw spiritual energy. The only differences were in the complexity and size of the symbols and patterns.

Restrictions were inscribed onto Dharma treasures. The Dharma treasures were similar to the base of an array formation. Cultivators could activate the restrictions and produce an enormous force by injecting immortal powers into the Dharma treasures.

In array formations, the base acted as nodes. By drawing on Heaven and Earth’s powers, spiritual energy would flow within the base of the array formations.

Although the principles behind restrictions and array formations were similar, they served completely different purposes.

Advanced postnatal Dharma treasures could usually compress a complete restriction into the size of a fingernail.

On the other hand, the strength of array formations was directly proportional to their sizes. Array formations had to integrate with heaven and earth so as to utilize their powers.

Therefore, although Li Changshou was skilled in creating array formations, he was not proficient in refining Dharma artifacts.

There was nothing he could do about that. He had only been cultivating for 112 years, and he had tried his best to reduce his sleeping time throughout the years. Nevertheless, cultivation and other skills such as alchemy, refining poisons, and array formations all required an immense amount of time to achieve mastery.

He would die to be able to spend the 24 hours he had every day as though he had 48 hours instead. Nonetheless, the duration of his cultivation was ultimately too short. He had to compromise some of his avocations. There was no way he could achieve mastery in all his avocations.

Back to the issue of blocking Heavenly Tribulation…

Heavenly Tribulation could overlook array formations and most defense-type Dharma treasures. Only some rare Dharma treasures could reduce the Heavenly Tribulation’s impact. Those did not include the connate Dharma treasures and ultimate Dharma treasures as they were too rare to be found.

However, Li Changshou had an advantage that no one else had—nine years of compulsory education.

The wooden cage that he had made was inspired by the Faraday Cage¹ that was in his high school physics textbook. It could be used to block out lightning and was often used in breathtaking high-voltage magic tricks.

Li Changshou had almost forgotten about the principles behind the cage, but he could still recall its structure.

Li Changshou instructed Lan Ling’e, “Do not touch the web around you.”

Lan Ling’e s.h.i.+vered in the cage. She stepped on a wooden plank and looked at her senior brother pitifully. “Senior Brother, what exactly are you doing?”

“Just don’t move,” Li Changshou replied calmly. He took out a few talismans from his sleeve and threw them about 100 feet above the wooden cage casually while pointing at the talismans with his left hand.

A few cracks were heard, and lighting soon struck down from the clear sky.

A few bolts of lightning struck directly on the lightning-conducting logs above the wooden cage. The iron web surrounding the wooden cage was lit up by tiny electric currents instantly. The lightning-acc.u.mulating Seven Deity Metal at the bottom of the wooden cage instantly scattered the electric currents and integrated them into the ground.

Lan Ling’e was hugging her head and cowering in fear. She looked up slowly and glanced around in astonishment. Praises escaped her mouth.

“What is this treasure? It could actually block the lightning bolts successfully!”

Li Changshou replied nonchalantly, “This is the Faraday Cage. Stay in there a while longer. I’ll try increasing the voltage.”

“Senior Brother! Why don’t we stop here? Aiya!”

Before Lan Ling’e could finish her sentence, Li Changshou had taken a stack of yellow paper talismans from his sleeve. He activated them using his Dharmic powers and threw them above the wooden cage.

These talismans produced bolts of lightning and filled the sky with thunderbolts.

Boom!

The lightning bolts crashed towards the wooden cage below!

In a split second, the sky was engulfed by lightning. The birds on the Little Qiong Peak flocked above the forest, and the spiritual beasts were filled with uneasiness.

The experiments showed that the Faraday Cage’s effects were pretty remarkable. The only concern that he had was whether the Heavenly Tribulation would demolish the cage.

He only hoped that the cage could block the first bolt of heavenly lightning during the Heavenly Tribulation for his master.

“Come on out. Thank you for your hard work.” Li Changshou called out before starting to think of ways to reinforce the wooden cage.

Lan Ling’e could not resist the urge to complain. “Senior Brother, you could have placed a fish in the cage! Wouldn’t that achieve the same result?”

“I wanted you to partic.i.p.ate in this. We both helped Master during his Tribulation Transcendence,” Li Changshou replied while smiling.

Lan Ling’e pursed her lips and arranged her beautiful hair behind her ears. “Senior Brother, are we going to continue experimenting?” she asked softly. “My cultivation level might not be high, but I can definitely help with these things.”

“You can’t stay in there for the next experiments. We’ll do as you have said. Let’s grab a bucket and experiment with fish.”

Li Changshou took out a bunch of colorful and long strings. He continued burying his head in the tasks. “We are now testing the intensity of the lightning strikes. There’s no way you can handle the impacts if they land on you.”

Lan Ling’e responded in agreement, turned around, and rushed to the side of the lake. She carefully avoided her master, who was meditating in the soundproof field, and jumped onto the lake.

After a while, lightning appeared above the Little Qiong Peak again.

That lasted for about three days. Those who noticed the lightning thought that someone was practicing lightning Dharma spells on the mountain peak. n.o.body paid attention to the weird occurrences.

That continued until Qi Yuan woke up from his meditation. Satisfied with the outcome of his meditation, he turned around to find that the lush gra.s.s and beautiful scenery beside the lake had been thoroughly demolished. Parallel black vertical lines appeared on his forehead that was full of wrinkles. A large hole had formed on the bank of the lake. His two disciples were squatting at the bottom of the hole and were working on a large birdcage.

Qi Yuan sighed in despair and chided them. “What are you two doing instead of cultivating?!”

“Master! You’re awake!” Lan Ling’e called out in excitement. “Senior Brother has made a treasure that could help you with the Heavenly Tribulation! We have tested it out hundreds of times with lightning strikes. The fish are still alive!”

Li Changshou added, “Please wait a moment, Master. This object will be completed soon.”

“Oh?” Qi Yuan’s expression changed instantly. He was curious about the new innovation his elder disciple was working on.