Chapter 71

The array formation was originally both offensive and defensive, but due to the limitations of time and space in its setup, it was mostly used for protection.

In the cultivation world, there were very few cultivators who were proficient in array formations, yet the applications of array formations were extremely broad. Whether it was cultivators, families, or sects, they all needed array formations in various aspects. Therefore, array masters held a very high status in the cultivation world. With the respect they received, they naturally did not lack cultivation resources, which also made almost every array master feel superior, priding themselves on their high-mindedness and arrogance!

However, after the great changes in heaven and earth, calamities arose everywhere, and the entire cultivation world was in turmoil. The transcendent status of array masters could no longer be maintained, and the cultivation methods of array formations became more widely known. Coupled with the scarcity of cultivation resources, array thieves began to appear in the cultivation world.

By "array thieves," it naturally referred to those who were proficient in array formations and used their expertise to bypass or solve protective arrays, infiltrating the residences of cultivators, families, or sects to steal.

Yang Junshan's current behavior was a typical example of "array theft." However, the array formation of the Shi family in the village was clearly too low in level. If other array masters knew about Yang Junshan's actions, they would likely denounce him as a disgrace to array masters, ashamed to be associated with him!

Yang Junshan successively neutralized the Shi family's protective array, two warning talismans, and three array traps. From Yang Junshan's perspective in his previous life, these arrays and talismans were very crude. It was only because the array masters in the current cultivation world were self-righteous that Yang Junshan could imagine most of the cultivation world's caves and residences becoming their private gardens, where they could take whatever they wanted.

However, if that were the case, within three years, the array masters in the cultivation world would fall from their pedestals and become the rats everyone wanted to beat.

There was nothing particularly valuable in the Shi family's residence that caught Yang Junshan's eye. However, Yang Junshan's original intention for infiltrating the residence was to annoy them, and of course, any unexpected discoveries would be a bonus.

However, Yang Junshan himself did not expect to find such a pleasant surprise so quickly. After searching the hall and bedroom without any significant findings, he soon discovered a hidden room behind the bedroom.

Using the spiritual energy released from a crushed jade coin, Yang Junshan easily pointed his finger in the air, breaking the illusion spell. In the center of the secret room was a stone cushion for cultivation, and on the west side was a bookshelf with a reclining chair below it, presumably used by Shi Jiutong for leisure during his cultivation.

The bookshelf held some collected cultivation notes, travel experiences, detailed explanations of spells, and books on various cultivation arts. These were not entirely useless for cultivation, but most were superficial and common, offering only vague and general insights. Truly useful information was always cherished by everyone, and there was no reason to spread it widely.

In front of the reclining chair was a five-foot-long desk with several talismans, including two completed ones. On one of the talismans was a paperweight carved from Cold Mountain stone in the shape of a leopard, and a half-completed talisman. On the pen stand was a spirit bamboo and night wind wolf hair brush, and the inkstone was made of green jade.

The paperweight of Cold Mountain stone, the spirit bamboo brush, and the green jade inkstone were all valuable items. Though not as valuable as specialized talisman-drawing magical tools, they were still excellent items for beginners. Yang Junshan naturally did not hesitate, sweeping all these items into his waist pouch.

Under the desk was a wastebasket with eight or nine crumpled talismans, clearly failed attempts by Shi Jiutong.

Holding the two completed talismans, one was a Rolling Stone Talisman, and the other was a Stone Armor Talisman, one offensive and one defensive. These were genuine Martial Realm talismans, each with a power exceeding the limits of Mortal Realm cultivators, far more powerful than the two Mortal Realm talismans in Yang Junshan's possession.

After a thorough search of the cultivation room revealed nothing else, Yang Junshan was about to leave when his gaze suddenly fell on the stone cushion in the center of the room.

The first priority for a cultivator's cultivation room was to gather spiritual energy, which was undeniable. In fact, the floor and walls of Shi Jiutong's cultivation room were inscribed with many spirit-gathering runes, though they did not form a complete spirit-gathering array, they were still very effective in gathering spiritual energy.

As the cushion used by cultivators during cultivation, which had the most contact with the cultivator during the process, it was usually highly valued. Even if a top-grade spirit-gathering cushion could not be obtained, a cushion that contained spiritual energy or had excellent spirit-gathering effects would be prepared to aid cultivation.

Shi Jiutong, a second-level Martial Realm cultivator and the head of the village, naturally had considerable wealth. Everything in this cultivation room was meticulously crafted, so why was this cushion made of ordinary green stone?

Flipping the stone cushion over, Yang Junshan saw a cluster of light gathered at the bottom. He immediately realized something was wrong and activated the Stone Armor Talisman he had just obtained. A black-brown stone armor instantly enveloped Yang Junshan, protecting him completely.

A loud explosion echoed as Yang Junshan was thrown against the wall, and the stone armor shattered into pieces, dispersing into a cloud of spiritual light.

Coughing loudly, Yang Junshan stood up, rubbing his aching chest and cursing himself for being careless. He had not expected a hidden trap under the stone cushion. If not for the Stone Armor Talisman, that spell would have been fatal. Shi Jiutong must have been sitting on this cushion for years without any issues.

The explosion, though contained in the secret room, was loud enough to attract attention. Someone might have heard and come to investigate, or even reported it to Shi Jiutong. He needed to leave quickly.

Approaching the fallen stone cushion, Yang Junshan flipped it over and saw a stone slab on the back. His expression changed, and he let out a sigh, then his expression turned to realization.

He had not expected the village head of the Earth Stone Village to have such good fortune, somehow obtaining the inheritance of a spirit spell, which was inscribed on the back of the stone slab.

Mortal Realm cultivators could use magical tools at the fourth level and cast spells at the fifth level. When they reached the Martial Realm, they could use spirit tools, which were even more advanced than magical tools, and could cultivate and cast spirit spells, which were far more powerful than spells.

However, in reality, high-level spells were rarer than Mortal Realm cultivators, magical tools were rarer than spells, spirit spells were rarer than magical tools, and spirit tools were the rarest of all!

There were a few third-level Martial Realm cultivators in the Wasteland Town, but why was Yang Tiangang, a second-level Martial Realm cultivator, one of the top five experts in the town?

It was not just because of the high-quality magical tool he possessed, but also because, as a direct descendant of the Yang family in Green Stone Town, he had successfully cultivated the only spirit spell inheritance of the Yang family.

In the current cultivation world, it was common for Martial Realm cultivators to possess a magical tool, but Yang Tiangang's magical tool was of superior quality, surpassing most Martial Realm cultivators, and he had also successfully cultivated a spirit spell. This made his strength comparable to a third-level Martial Realm cultivator. In fact, Qian Chunlai, a third-level Martial Realm cultivator, often lost to Yang Tiangang in battles, precisely because of this.

It was unknown whether Shi Jiutong had successfully cultivated this spirit spell. If he had, without his father's support, the Earth Mound Village would likely be at a disadvantage in today's conflict.

Without hesitation, Yang Junshan wrapped the one-foot-square stone slab and carried it on his back. He left the secret room, checked that no one was outside the residence, and quickly climbed over the wall, wrapping himself in a raincoat and hurrying out of the village. After leaving the Earth Stone Village, he did not immediately return to the Earth Mound Village but instead headed towards the Western Mountain in the rain.

While Yang Junshan was wreaking havoc in the Shi family's residence, the tension between the two villages at the Qianshui River upstream was escalating.

Although Zhang Tiesmith had shattered the boundary stone with one hammer and held his own against Shi Jiutong, his cultivation was only recently at the second level, and his internal turbid energy was far from matching that of Shi Jiutong, who had been at the second level for many years. Moreover, there was Qian Chunlai, a third-level Martial Realm cultivator, fanning the flames on the side of the Earth Stone Village.

Han Xiumei stepped forward and loudly questioned, "What does this mean, Shi Village Head? Are you trying to forcibly seize our Earth Mound Village's spirit fields?"

Shi Jiutong's massive body trembled, and he gruffly said, "The boundaries between the two villages have always been unclear. This time, the flood has submerged all the fields, so it's a good opportunity to clarify the boundaries and avoid future disputes."

Hearing this, Zhang Tiesmith angrily said, "Shi Fatso, have you grown fat to the point where your brain is full of lard? We just finalized the land agreement last year, and the boundaries were clearly defined. What do you mean by this?"

Shi Jiutong coldly snorted and said, "You don't have the right to speak to me. Call your village head out!"

Han Xiumei sneered, "Shi Village Head, you only have the courage to come when our head is not here. Have you forgotten that the land agreement was signed in triplicate last year, with you, our head, and the town all signing and sealing it? Do you think you can deny it?"

A light laugh suddenly came from behind Shi Jiutong, and Qian Chunlai stepped forward, smiling at everyone. "I apologize. I am here to inform the two village heads on behalf of the town. Due to the recent continuous rain, many houses in the town have leaked, and the land agreements from last year have been soaked by the rain, making the content illegible. Therefore, we request that the two villages clarify the boundaries again and send new agreements to the town."

At this, Shi Jiutong awkwardly chuckled, "The agreement stored in our village was also accidentally soaked by the rain."