Chapter 22: A Light at the End of the Tunnel
Tianwaitian, Xiao Tiance's Residence.
After organizing all the treasures from the Heavenly Phoenix Secret Realm, Xiao Tiance went into seclusion. This time, it wasn't to cultivate Dou Qi but to explore whether he could master the art of arrays and become a Spirit Array Master.
As a fan of Tian Can Tu Dou's novels, Xiao Tiance was deeply intrigued by the profession of Spirit Array Master introduced in The Great Ruler. He recalled the words of Wen Ling, Mu Chen's first mentor in array mastery:
"To become a Spirit Array Master, the first step is to master Spirit Seals."
Mastering Spirit Seals required absolute control, as even the slightest fluctuation or resonance could lead to failure and failure often resulted in backlash. In severe cases, one could lose their life.
Xiao Tiance was in no rush. Instead, he carefully reviewed the notes left by a former master, learning the foundational concepts.
"The first step is mastering Spirit Seals the more, the better. But before that, I need to understand how they are formed. More importantly, this is the Dou Qi Continent, not the Great Thousand World. I need to figure out how to convert Dou Qi into spiritual energy, which is the basis for Spirit Seals."
With no immediate time constraints, Xiao Tiance delved into the notes, searching for a method to transform Dou Qi into spiritual energy.
Midway through the notes, Xiao Tiance stumbled upon a revelation: the identity of the author.
"So, this person was from the Dou Qi Continent before ascending to the Great Thousand World! A Dou Di known as Fengtian left these notes. He must have created them to pass on his legacy. But…"
The notes included a critical requirement: to study the art of Spirit Array Mastery on the Dou Qi Continent, one needed soul power at the Spirit Realm's pinnacle and a special item stored in Fengtian Dou Di's ring. This item was the key to converting Dou Qi into spiritual energy.
"After thousands of years, who knows where Fengtian Dou Di's ring might be? No wonder the Heavenly Phoenix Clan never managed to practice this craft despite possessing these notes."
Xiao Tiance felt a pang of disappointment, akin to being offered a stunning beauty, only to be told he was incapable of consummating the encounter.
Still, driven by curiosity, he continued studying the notes, marveling at Fengtian Dou Di's ingenuity. Even with his extraordinary reincarnation as Xiao Tiance, he doubted he could ever reach such heights.
After half a month of intense study, he finally closed the notes and stored them in his spatial ring. Just as he was about to move on, a thought struck him.
Moments later, he appeared in Heavenly Phoenix Palace.
"Junior greets Senior Huang!" Xiao Tiance bowed respectfully before Huang Jiuji, the last surviving elder of the Heavenly Phoenix Clan.
"Hmm? Tiance, what brings you here? I heard from Qing'er that you've locked yourself away, not letting anyone disturb you," Huang Jiuji said with a curious smile.
"Senior, I recently discovered a set of notes among the Phoenix Clan's treasures. They detail the practices of a Spirit Array Master, supposedly left behind by Fengtian Dou Di after ascending to the higher plane. Do you know where these notes originated?"
Huang Jiuji thought for a moment before nodding. "Are you referring to a green scroll?"
Xiao Tiance quickly retrieved the scroll from his ring and asked, "Is this the one?"
Huang Jiuji examined it and nodded. "Indeed. Many years ago, the clan leader and I found this scroll in a hidden realm. At first, we attempted to study it, intrigued by its connection to a Dou Di. However, no matter what we tried, we couldn't form the Spirit Seals it described.
"The clan leader wanted to destroy it, considering it useless. But I insisted on preserving it as a relic of a bygone era. It's been gathering dust ever since."
Huang Jiuji shook his head. "If the scroll mentions a method to convert Dou Qi into spiritual energy, we were never able to find it. That's likely why no one from our clan ever became a Spirit Array Master."
Xiao Tiance felt another wave of disappointment. Becoming a Spirit Array Grandmaster, a figure equivalent to the Great Thousand World's Heavenly Sovereigns, was no small feat. On the Dou Qi Continent, such power would surpass even the Dou Di level.
"Ah, no matter, Senior. I was just curious. It seems my fate does not lie with the Spirit Array Master's path." Xiao Tiance smiled wryly.
Huang Jiuji shook his head in consolation. "You're one of the most talented individuals I've ever encountered. Focus on cultivating your Dou Qi. One day, you'll stand at the pinnacle of this continent."
"Thank you for your encouragement, Senior. I'll take my leave now."
"Go on."
Back in his residence, Xiao Tiance couldn't shake his disappointment. As he poured himself a drink, his carelessness caused water to splash onto the scroll.
"Ah, damn it!"
He hurriedly wiped the scroll clean, only to notice faint characters emerging on its surface.
"Huh? Could this scroll hold a hidden secret?"
Intrigued, he flipped the scroll over and studied the newly revealed text. His excitement surged.
The back of the scroll contained detailed instructions on creating the very device Fengtian Dou Di had mentioned one capable of converting Dou Qi into spiritual energy!
"Ha! The heavens haven't forsaken me after all! This is truly a light at the end of the tunnel!"
Bursting with joy, Xiao Tiance meticulously copied the instructions. Soon, he held a complete set of blueprints.
"Fengtian Dou Di must have hidden this method intentionally, ensuring it wouldn't be lost to the Dou Qi Continent. A genius indeed."
Reviewing the materials required, Xiao Tiance realized he had most of them from the Heavenly Phoenix Secret Realm. The only missing piece was Mithril, a rare metal.
"If I remember correctly, there's Mithril in the Xiao Clan's treasure vault. Looks like I'll need to return to the Xiao Realm. Besides, it's a good time to see how Brother Xuan is preparing for his breakthrough."
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