The empress smiled gently, and said, “I did not worry. I knew that you would be fine.”
Ling Han felt rueful. The empress’s gentleness was different from that of others. Her concern for him was also filled with a strong confidence in him.
This room was the empress’s, and it was her who had been taking care of him these few days.
Ling Han and the empress were lovey-dovey for a while, but fearing that they would go too far, he could only reluctantly call a halt. He got off the bed, and picked up the jade scroll on the table to familiarize himself with the situation in the Martial Arts Academy.
The Tranquil Heart Saint had become a Saint with his formation techniques. Thus, he also placed a great importance on teaching formation techniques. Every 10 years, he would hold a seminar to pa.s.s on his Dao and teach formation techniques. At other times, Eternal River Tier-level teachers would be responsible for explaining and clearing up doubts. Additionally, there was also a library in the academy, and there were a great many formation techniques, cultivation techniques, and secret techniques inside. They could be freely perused without any restriction.
However, this also meant that there couldn’t possibly be anything too impressive inside. How could high-grade techniques be so easily taught?
Ling Han had a great many cultivation techniques and secret techniques of Genesis Tier-level of the Celestial Realm, so he did not need to obtain more secret techniques. However, he had been aiming for formation techniques, and that was why he had enrolled into the campus of the Tranquil Heart Saint.
But under the condition that cultivation level did not change, formations could greatly increase battle prowess.
“Come, let’s go and check out the library.” He was filled with longing to increase his strength.
Empress Luan Xing nodded. She, too, felt sullen.
The two of them exited, and immediately garnered the attention of a great many people who pointed at them. Some were even whispering among themselves.
“Senior Brother Ling!” Someone approached them, and advised, “You had best not go out! The senior brothers in the medium extreme of the Eternal River Tier have already announced that if Senior Brother Ling dared to take one step outside, they would come over and make trouble for you.”
In the Star Sand Martial Arts Academy, one’s quarters was a place of absolute safety, and none were allowed to disturb others in their quarters. However, if one exited… then they had best pray for good luck. Aside from the fact that murder, damage to the life force, and crippling the foundations of others were not allowed, they could fight as much as they liked. The Academy completely did not care at all.
Only the fiercest and cruelest battles would help prodigies stand out among the ma.s.ses and climb to a higher level.
Ling Han nodded, but since he had come out this time, it was naturally impossible for him to turn right around and go back. He continued walking on with Empress Luan Xing, entered into the library, and began searching for formation techniques.
Not long after, one after another, powerful auras flickered. Some elites had arrived, but did not make a move yet.
There were some places in which making a commotion was strictly banned, such as the living quarters of every student. The library was another such forbidden place. Thus, before Ling Han and Empress Luan Xing left, no one would make a move.
Ling Han ignored them. He was searching for cultivation techniques. There was a large area here which contained jade scrolls with formation techniques. One only had to place them against their forehead, and they would be able to see all types of information about formation techniques in their mind.
“Nine Stars Heavenly Spiritual Formation.”
“Ten Kill Formation.”
“Cold Viper Red Clouds Formation.”
“…”
Ling Han looked through them one by one as he continued to absorb a great amount of “common knowledge” about formation techniques. This common knowledge was based on using oneself as a formation.
To inscribe a formation inside one’s body was not something that could be easily undertaken.
The moment a formation became active, it was equivalent to exploding first in one’s body. Without a tough physique, no one could sustain that. However, one’s physique had its limits. It was very difficult for even Saints to cultivate their physique to the level of the highest-grade G.o.dly metal. Thus, a different approach had to be taken if one wanted to use oneself as a formation.
The Tranquil Heart Saint’s method was to fuse the bones in his body with a certain amount of G.o.dly metal, and semi-metallize his bone structure to increase their strength. In that way, he would be able to inscribe formation patterns.
However, G.o.dly metal itself brought its own murderous aura. If one was struck, it would cause great damage. Thus, there was a limit to the amount of G.o.dly metal that every cultivator could imbed in themselves, and there was also a limit to the grade too.
Of course, the higher the cultivation level, the higher the grade of G.o.dly metal that could be fused, and the greater the amount too.
Ordinarily, cultivators could only integrate a grade of G.o.dly metal that was close to their own cultivation level. For example, those in the low extreme of the Eternal River Tier could integrate Level 13 G.o.dly metal, whereas those in the consummate level could integrate Level 16. Even Saints were no exception. Though the Tranquil Heart Saint had walked this path to the level of Great Accomplishment, the grade of G.o.dly metal he could fuse with was only Level 16.
When Ling Han finished reading this information, he couldn’t help the strange expression that appeared on his face.
Wasn’t this made for him precisely?
The strength of his physique was above Level 13—slightly below Level 14. Added with the healing effects that the Indestructible Heaven’s Scroll had on his body, his bone structure could completely be used like it was Level 14 G.o.dly metal to inscribe formation patterns that were equivalent to the medium extreme of the Eternal River Tier.
In that way, his battle prowess would be frighteningly increased. There would not be many even among the senior students that could be a match for him.
He became excited. It was impossible for his cultivation level to soar in a short period of time, unless he could once again obtain precious treasures of the Celestial Realm, such as the Sun Stone. However, he was also afraid. If he again advanced three levels successively in one go, he would definitely be struck dead by the heavenly tribulation.
What was more amazing was that the formation techniques in the library went as far up as Level 15, which completely satisfied his needs. Only Saint-level formation techniques could not be taught to outsiders. One first had to attain a higher level before he could be personally taught by the Tranquil Heart Saint.
It was naturally impossible that one could brand Level 17 formations in one’s body if one was not a Saint. Instead, they would use G.o.dly metal to lay out the formation, such as the Great Protective Formation of the eighth campus. Once it was activated, even lower level Saints could be killed!
Search, search for the strongest formation that he could inscribe in his present state. By then, it would become one of his strongest trump cards. Others would only think that he was in the Heavenly Body Tier, with power equivalent to the low extreme of Eternal River Tier, but in truth, if those in the medium extreme of Eternal River Tier dared underestimate him, they, too, would be killed by his hand.
“It is this one, Yinyang Five Element Formation!”
Ling Han drew out a jade scroll, and pressed it on his forehead. He then completely burnt the formation patterns into his mind. He did not need to understand it now; he only needed to brand it into his mind first. Later, he would slowly understand it underneath the Reincarnation Tree.
This formation technique belonged to the top grade among Level 14 formation techniques; its might was equivalent to the peak stage of the medium extreme of the Eternal River Tier!
Ling Han knew that there were a great many senior students waiting for him outside, but he did not care. He exchanged a smile with Empress Luan Xing, and both of them entered into the Black Tower.
He recited the cultivation techniques that he had obtained from Hu Yu one after another to see which one was more suited for Empress Luan Xing.
Soon after, the empress made her decision. She merely had to understand the cultivation technique thoroughly, and added with her bloodline of an ancient divine tribe as well as her own natural talent, along with comprehending Dao beneath the Reincarnation Tree, she should be able to complete her breakthrough in an extremely short amount of time.
They began cultivating in isolation, uncaring of all else.
Yet it had become complete chaos in the outside world.
Previously, the two of them had been clearly seen entering into the library; how had they disappeared all of a sudden?
They entered, and carefully searched, yet were unable to find any trace of Ling Han and the empress.
“They must have hidden themselves in a Spatial G.o.d Tool!” In the Star Sand Martial Arts Academy, though Spatial G.o.d Tools were still considered precious treasures, it was not something that had never been seen before, and some like Yu Susu, who had garnered much favor from the Tranquil Heart Saint, had even been bestowed a Spatial G.o.d Tool.
Yet Spatial G.o.d Tools were not formless, so they definitely could be found.
“Search!” They searched thoroughly, but even if Saints made a move, they could not possibly discover the Black Tower, what more them. It was fated that their hard effort would result in nothing.
Inside the Black Tower, underneath the Reincarnation Tree, Ling Han and Empress Luan Xing sat down on the ground, and worked earnestly on their comprehension.