Peerless in Both

"This performance... these parameters..." "The specifications of a Rank 4 Spirit Gathering Formation can actually reach this level?" "Th-these figures can't be a joke, right? The output under Rank 4 manual operation standards is nearly approaching that of a Rank 5 Spirit Gathering Formation!" One after another, the formation grandmasters stared wide-eyed at the formation presented under Yaoguang's lead. Even Huang Wei, Hall Master of the Mystic Formation Hall and a Rank 6 formation master, felt as though she were living in a dream. Could this really be... A Spirit Gathering Formation perfected right under their noses? Seeing this, Zhao Siliang could not wait to ask Huang Wei, "Hall Master Huang, is this Spirit Gathering Formation's performance very high?" "High! Exceptionally high!" Huang Wei gave a resolute nod without the slightest hesitation, offering an unequivocal answer. She hesitated for a brief moment, seemingly wanting to add something, yet the words caught on the tip of her tongue in sheer disbelief. Only after glancing once more at the figures displayed by the formation did her incredulity instantly turn into firm conviction. "Old Zhao, if I'm not mistaken... we... we may have developed a fourth-generation Spirit Gathering Formation!" "A fourth-generation Spirit Gathering Formation?" Zhao Siliang froze. In the very next second, a deafening clang like a great bronze bell seemed to ring in his mind, leaving his thoughts buzzing. His voice involuntarily rose several pitches. "A fourth-generation Spirit Gathering Formation!?" "Yes!" Huang Wei nodded. Though she shared nearly the same sense of disbelief as Zhao Siliang, this formation had, after all, been discussed and refined bit by bit by her and the numerous grandmasters present—under Yaoguang's guidance. One could even say Yaoguang had taught them how to make it a reality. Having witnessed and participated in the entire process herself, she possessed the authority to pass judgment on this formation. "It's true!" Her tone gradually turned impassioned. "We truly have developed a fourth-generation Spirit Gathering Formation! Even if it is only a Rank 4 formation, it still elevates our Nine Cauldrons Sect's Spirit Gathering Formations to the world's apex in this domain!" "A fourth-generation Spirit Gathering Formation! A fourth-generation Spirit Gathering Formation!" As the branch sect's Vice Sect Master, Zhao Siliang understood even better what a generational iteration in Spirit Gathering Formations meant. Even if it was only a Rank 4 formation, even if such a formation could only function within an exceptionally stable node environment, even if the power of a Rank 4 formation was not particularly dramatic... Still... It was a fourth-generation Spirit Gathering Formation! This was something that fundamentally enriched the foundation of an entire sect! If what Huang Wei said was true, if they really had developed a fourth-generation Spirit Gathering Formation... It was no exaggeration to say that the entire Nine Cauldrons Sect would benefit immensely. "What about the results? How effective is it?" Zhao Siliang could not help asking. "If the data holds true... the comprehensive performance boost is definitely over fifty percent!" Huang Wei's pupils widened slightly as she spoke. She was frightened by the number herself. Fifty percent! Among the Spirit Gathering Formations across the sect's many spirit energy nodes, the output share from Rank 4 formations was not high proportionally, but Rank 4 formations far outnumbered all the others. The sheer volume of Rank 4 Spirit Gathering Formations yielded an annual production of up to twenty million spirit stones! A fifty percent increase... That meant ten million more! In other words, once the upgrade of the Spirit Gathering Formations was complete, the Nine Cauldrons Sect would gain an additional ten million spirit stones in annual output!? Ten million in one year, one hundred million in a decade! In the long run, how many more Great Cultivators could the Nine Cauldrons Sect nurture? And how many more flying swords, Treasure Weapons, and spirit pills could they purchase? "Fifty percent..." Zhao Siliang muttered the number under his breath. After merely a single breath, he collected himself and urgently barked orders. "Quick! Gather everyone and conduct tests immediately! Lay out this formation! We must determine exactly how much its efficiency has improved—preferably accurate to fractions of a percent!" "I will oversee the laying of this formation," Yaoguang said. "They are still somewhat unfamiliar with it. It just so happens that I can guide them in deploying the array, teaching them how to perfect this new type of Spirit Gathering Formation along the way. With my 'resonance' talent and the assistance of so many formation grandmasters, setting up a Rank 4 Spirit Gathering Formation shouldn't take much time." "You..." Zhao Siliang had originally been unwilling to let Yaoguang waste time on other matters. However... This was an optimization of the Spirit Gathering Formation. Before an undertaking of such enduring significance for generations to come, any other matter had to be temporarily set aside to make way. "Are you willing to make this improved Spirit Gathering Formation public? To pass it on to everyone?" Zhao Siliang looked at Yaoguang. Judging by the process over the past few days, the birth of the fourth-generation Spirit Gathering Formation was entirely Yaoguang's doing. The others... At best, they were free reviewers helping him verify the feasibility of his improvements. "Of course. Only then can the impact of this technique be maximized." Yaoguang nodded. A Spirit Gathering Formation was different from flying swords forged via the Myriad Spirit Sovereign method; there was no harm in disseminating such technology. "Good!" Hearing Yaoguang's words, Zhao Siliang took a deep breath. Looking at Yaoguang, he solemnly cupped his hands. "On behalf of everyone across the Nine Cauldrons Sect, I thank you for your contribution." "Sect Master Zhao overstates things. Don't forget, I am also a member of the Nine Cauldrons Sect," Yaoguang replied. "Right, we are all of the same sect." Zhao Siliang nodded heavily. Then he added, "Even brothers must keep clear accounts. For any technology licensing, the inventor is entitled to patent royalties. Our Nine Cauldrons Sect will not let First Seat Yaoguang contribute for nothing! Such fees usually account for twenty to thirty percent of the profits, and exclusive licensing can reach thirty to forty, or even forty to fifty percent. As for this formation improvement, if it can boost performance by fifty percent, for the sect that equates to an annual increase of over ten million spirit stones. Forty to fifty percent of ten million would be..." "Thirty percent will suffice," Yaoguang said. He was still waiting for the Nine Cauldrons Sect to place orders for flying swords. If the Nine Cauldrons Sect lacked funds, who would he sell his flying swords to? How else could his ultimate combat system—commanding one hundred and twenty-nine thousand six hundred Treasure Weapon flying swords—be perfected and realized? "Thirty percent..." A touch of emotion showed in Zhao Siliang's eyes, yet he still asked, "Would... wouldn't that be too little...?" "The Nine Cauldrons Sect has a thousand things waiting to be done, with far too many places requiring spirit stones. Besides, for my own cultivation, I wouldn't even know what to do with an excess of spirit stones." "Good! Good! Good!" Zhao Siliang's voice trembled slightly as he said "good" three times in succession. Looking at Yaoguang, he said earnestly, "I understand your intent. The sect will remember these contributions. Rest assured, the sect will never let you suffer a loss in the future." "That, I naturally believe," Yaoguang answered. ... Soon, Zhao Siliang and Tang Fenghua reported the news directly to the main sect. Upon receiving word, Sect Master Li Qingshan immediately withdrew himself from negotiations with the Brahma Cult regarding the containment of the Brahma Divine Kingdom. There were only three major sects bordering the Nine Cauldrons Sect: the Great Sun Sword Sect, the Shouyang Sect, and the Brahma Divine Kingdom. Among them, the Shouyang Sect had already fractured over the dispute between sword and qi factions, vastly diminishing its threat. That left the Great Sun Sword Sect dominating the East Sea and the Brahma Divine Kingdom south of Shiwan Dashan. The Brahma Divine Kingdom, the Brahma Cult, and the Brahma Gate were locked in fierce conflict over the orthodox mantle of 'Brahma,' and the Nine Cauldrons Sect was naturally more than willing to strongly back the Brahma Cult to keep the Brahma Divine Kingdom in check. Apart from these major powers, the remaining medium and small sects—such as the Xuanming Sect, the Astral Sea Sect, the Great Yue Dynasty, the Ancient Immortal Sect, and the White Jade Sect—could not pose a fatal threat to the Nine Cauldrons Sect. "First Seat Yaoguang has truly given us quite the pleasant surprise." Li Qingshan's eyes were filled with delight. "Sect Master, you should have seen the grand spectacle back then. Over a dozen formation grandmasters surrounded First Seat Yaoguang, listening and learning as obediently as schoolboys, without a single person interrupting. Afterwards, our branch sect's Hall Master Huang Wei outright stated that First Seat Yaoguang's talent in formations surpasses even his artifact refining talent, and that his refining skills were simply carried along by his formation talent. She said he should have specialized in formations from the very start instead of artifact refining." Zhao Siliang's eyes were likewise brimming with smiles. "Formations, much like spirit cultivation, heavily rely on innate talent. First Seat Yaoguang... clearly possesses such talent." In high spirits, Li Qingshan turned to an assistant beside him and said, "Bring a brush." Once the assistant presented paper and brush, he brandished the brush and boldly wrote four characters: *Peerless in Formations and Artifacts*. He then solemnly pressed his personal seal upon the paper. "Have someone mount and frame this, then present it to First Seat Yaoguang," he instructed. "'Peerless in Formations and Artifacts'—a title well deserved." Though Zhao Siliang felt a touch of envy that Yaoguang had earned calligraphy personally written and endorsed by the Sect Master, he understood full well that it was well earned. With this inscription, no one would ever dare question Yaoguang's attainments in artifact refining or formations again. Having finished writing, Li Qingshan turned his gaze to Tang Fenghua and chuckled. "Well? Having you oversee Yaoguang's safety—hardly a waste of your talents, is it?" "Master arranged it wisely; it was I who was short-sighted," Tang Fenghua replied hurriedly. Although Tang Fenghua carried himself with impeccable courtesy before Yaoguang, in truth... He had previously been unwilling to remain in the rear. As a fourth-tier Great Cultivator and an expert ranking among the top few dozen in the sect's primary combat forces, he preferred charging on the front lines, defending the sect and slaying enemies amid the tense situation in Shiwan Dashan. Yet now, after truly grasping Yaoguang's genius and weight, those thoughts had completely vanished. For now, Zhao Siliang was doing everything possible to shield Yaoguang from public attention. But... The first batch of Treasure Weapons had already been delivered. Once these weapons began being deployed, the secret would inevitably leak. When that time came, First Seat Yaoguang would certainly be exposed to hostile forces. Assassination attempts of all kinds would follow in rapid succession. Under such circumstances, the pressure faced by him—a fourth-tier Foundation Establishment sword cultivator tasked with close personal protection—would be scarcely less than charging on the front lines. At this moment, Zhao Siliang spoke in a lowered voice. "First Seat Yaoguang commands mastery over both formations and artifacts, and according to Hall Master Huang Wei, his talent in formations exceeds even his artifact refining... Perhaps it won't be long before he can lay Rank 5 or even Rank 6 formations... With such mastery over formations, combined with his refining skills that can already forge dharma treasures... would you say..." He paused briefly before continuing, "Is it time for us to pursue the research and forging of that ultimate vessel?" At those words, Tang Fenghua's pupils contracted. Li Qingshan instantly grasped his meaning as well. "You mean..." "A sky-patrol warship!" Zhao Siliang nodded heavily.