Chapter 2300: Chapter 2304: Qualification for the Academy Entry Tournament
Watching the normally gentle and elegant Su Qingluan suddenly reveal an excitable expression, Ouyang Song and Lu Zhichen were both slightly surprised.
Meanwhile, Jiang Chen was slightly stunned, his eyebrows gently furrowing as he remained silent.
The formation required a formation diagram, and within Jiang Chen’s dream memories were many formation diagrams, all stored in his mind, one of which was the Nine Revolutions Qiankun Qingming Formation.
However, for an Array Master, formation diagrams were equivalent to cultivation techniques for a martial artist; casually inquiring about an Array Master’s formations was considered very rude behavior.
"Elder Su, you’ve gone too far!"
Hu Yiqiu’s face darkened, shouting in a low voice.
Upon hearing, Su Qingluan immediately realized her mistake, her delicate face turning slightly red, and she said apologetically, "Sorry, I was too presumptuous!"
Jiang Chen nodded lightly, still saying nothing.
"Are you willing to practice with me?"
Su Qingluan calmed her mind, looking warmly at Jiang Chen.
"Ah?"
Jiang Chen was momentarily confused, his eyebrows rising, revealing a hint of vigilance.
What did she mean? Was she trying to get the formation diagram of the Nine Revolutions Qiankun Qingming Formation?
After hesitating for a moment, Jiang Chen said softly, "Elder Su, sorry, the formation diagram of the Nine Revolutions Qiankun Qingming Formation was destroyed after I memorized it. I can’t lend it, but if you want to learn, I can tell you some of the formations I have mastered now."
Uh!
Su Qingluan was stunned for a moment, then said with a chuckle, "I’m not asking for your formation diagram, I... just feel that your formation skills are a pity if you don’t continue learning Spirit Arrays and Great Dao Arrays!"
"Spirit Arrays, Great Dao Arrays?"
Jiang Chen’s eyes showed a trace of confusion.
"You don’t know that formations are split into Spirit Arrays and Great Dao Arrays?"
Su Qingluan looked at Jiang Chen in surprise.
"It’s my fault, I should’ve explained!"
Hu Yiqiu quickly interjected: "Young Jiang, a Spirit Array is a formation set up using spiritual power, a Great Dao Array is set using the power of the Great Dao, of course, a Spirit Array can also use the Great Dao, and a Great Dao Array can be strengthened by infusing spiritual power. The distinction is just in the type of power used to set the array."
"The difference between a Spirit Array Master and a Great Dao Array Master is that a Spirit Array Master needs to refine spiritual power, much like a Pill Master, while a Great Dao Array Master doesn’t need such tedious work, just normal cultivation suffices."
"However, compared to Great Dao Array Masters of the same realm, Spirit Array Masters lay down more powerful formations, for a Great Dao Array Master, except making use of Great Dao comprehension, cultivators of the same realm don’t differ much in their Great Dao comprehension, and both have formation skills, hence Great Dao Array Masters don’t have the upper hand."
Jiang Chen nodded in understanding.
"Take me as an example, my strength is just at the peak of the Virtual Refinement Realm, but my spiritual power has been refined to be quite solid, utilizing this solid spiritual power as a guide, I can set up formations on par with those of Late Integration Realm experts, which is why I became an Elder."
Su Qingluan smiled gently, raising her jade-like hand, revealing a stream of azure spiritual power in her palm.
The spiritual power showed no signs of scattering, solid as if tangible, containing abundant energy, and just this one thread of spiritual power made Jiang Chen feel a sliver of danger.
Such solid spiritual power, this thread of spiritual power is nearly ten times more condensed than mine!
Jiang Chen praised inwardly.
Indeed, as one’s strength realm improves, the spiritual power within a cultivator becomes increasingly pure and solid.
Yet the solidity of Jiang Chen’s current spiritual power was already comparable to that of an Initial Stage of Virtual Refinement Realm cultivator, whereas Su Qingluan’s spiritual power density was ten times that of Jiang Chen’s, indicating Su Qingluan had focused intensely on this aspect!
"So? Are you willing to learn from me? Rest assured, I won’t ask for your formation diagrams, nor will I delay your cultivation. I simply believe your talent is remarkable, and if abandoned, would be unfortunate. After all, even in the entire Changling Main Court, I’m the only one who comprehends Spirit Arrays, all other Elders comprehend only Great Dao Arrays."
Su Qingluan explained again, looking at Jiang Chen expectantly.
Jiang Chen was slightly stunned, seeing a trace of loneliness in Su Qingluan’s eyes.
Thinking about it, she probably didn’t even have anyone to discuss cultivation with in Changling Main Court, as others didn’t understand Spirit Arrays and hadn’t comprehended them. Studying Spirit Arrays requires refining spiritual power, which is something most cultivators are unwilling to do.
Even upon reaching the Unity Realm Stage where refining spiritual power becomes necessary, most cultivators only refine enough to enhance their realm and then stop, unwilling to merely spend time refining spiritual power just to study Spirit Arrays.
"Alright!"
Jiang Chen nodded slightly; he indeed wanted to learn formations systematically.
Hu Yiqiu was merely a half-baked Array Master; all his formations were self-studied, and Jiang Chen was similar, relying on scant introductions found in his dream memories to explore. To continue progressing solidly in formations, it certainly required someone proficient in formations to teach him.
Su Qingluan’s eyes revealed a hint of joy, smiling softly as she said, "Good, then you don’t need to participate in the entrance exam, later I’ll take you directly to the main court."
"No need to participate in the exam?"
Jiang Chen was momentarily taken aback, looking at Su Qingluan in surprise.
Jian Cangqiong and others were also surprised, looking at Ouyang Song in confusion.
"Haha, this is a reward from the main court after learning about the Heavenly Sword Sect’s matters. As long as you agree to follow Elder Su in studying Spirit Arrays, you can be specially admitted to the main court, no exam necessary!"
Ouyang Song explained with a light laugh.
"Does not taking the exam mean I can still participate in the academy’s grand competition?"
Jiang Chen hesitated for a moment, then asked softly.
"Of course you can’t participate; the academy’s grand competition is not something every exam participant can join. Setting aside passing the exam, even those who pass need to perform exceptionally well to qualify for the grand competition."
Ouyang Song shook his head lightly.
"The academy’s grand competition requires qualification?"
Jiang Chen was momentarily puzzled, increasingly unable to comprehend.
"Ouyang, what are you talking about? What qualification?"
Hu Yiqiu and several others showed a puzzled expression, looking towards Ouyang Song.
"This time the academy’s grand competition is different; as you know, a year from now is the once-again grand competition among the academies, and after that it will be time to select people to go outside.
Outside needs more than just high-realm people, low-realm individuals are also required, so it’s been decided collectively by the alliance’s academies that the advanced academy’s grand competition this year will no longer be just a duel on stage, but it will be changed to a trial competition, and the trial area will be managed co-jointly by the Six Great Academies!"
Ouyang Song explained ambiguously.
Jian Cangqiong and others furrowed their brows, their eyes revealing a worry, hiding within them a deep frustration.
