Modern World's Martial Dao Human Immortal

"These capabilities... these parameters..."

"Can a Fourth Rank Spirit Gathering Array also achieve this level?"

"This... are these data jokes? A Fourth Rank formation operated by manpower, and the output is almost close to a Fifth Rank Spirit Gathering Array?"

One after another, the Array Masters gazed at the formation led by Alkaid and couldn't help but widen their eyes.

Even Huang Wei, the Hall Master of the Mystic Formation Hall and a Sixth Level Array Master, felt a sense of fantasy in her eyes.

This...

Was this Spirit Gathering Array truly refined right under their eyes?

Seeing this scene, Zhao Siliang couldn't wait to ask Huang Wei, "Hall Master Huang, is the performance of this Spirit Gathering Array very high?"

"High! Extremely high!"

Huang Wei nodded vigorously without hesitation, giving an utterly affirmative reply.

She hesitated for a moment, seemingly wanting to say something but the words at her lips felt somewhat unbelievable.

After another look at the data presented by the formation, her disbelief turned into firmness, "Old Zhao, if we're not careful... we... might have developed the Fourth Generation Spirit Gathering Array!"

"Fourth Generation Spirit Gathering Array?"

Zhao Siliang was slightly startled, and the next second, it seemed as if a loud tolling bell resounded in his mind, making his thoughts buzz.

The voice, also involuntarily heightened, "Fourth Generation Spirit Gathering Array!?"

"Yes!"

Huang Wei nodded.

Though she shared nearly the same disbelief as Zhao Siliang, this formation was, after all, one that she and many masters had painstakingly discussed and refined—guided by Alkaid.

It could even be said that Alkaid taught them how to achieve it.

But...

Having personally experienced the entire process, she had gained a definite say over this formation.

"Really!"

Her tone gradually became excited, "We've really developed the Fourth Generation Spirit Gathering Array. Even though it's just a Fourth Rank Spirit Gathering Array, it has still pushed our Nine Cauldrons Sect's Spirit Gathering Array to the top-tier standards in the world!"

"Fourth Generation Spirit Gathering Array! Fourth Generation Spirit Gathering Array!"

Zhao Siliang, being the Deputy Sect Master of a Sub-sect, understood even more what it meant for the Spirit Gathering Array to undergo such an iteration.

Even if it's just a Fourth Rank Spirit Gathering Array, even if this formation can only operate in an extremely stable node environment, and even if the power of a Fourth Rank formation is not significant...

But...

Fourth Generation Spirit Gathering Array!

This fundamentally enhances the heritage of a sect!

If what Huang Wei said is true, if they have really developed the Fourth Generation Spirit Gathering Array...

To say without exaggeration, the entire Nine Cauldrons Sect would benefit from this.

"What about the effect? How is the effect?"

Zhao Siliang couldn't help but ask.

"If the data is accurate... the overall performance boost is definitely over 50%!"

Having said that, Huang Wei's pupils dilated slightly.

She was even startled by this number.

50%!

In the many spiritual power nodes of the entire sect, the contribution of Fourth Rank Spirit Gathering Arrays to spirit stone production isn't high, but there are simply a large number of Fourth Rank Arrays.

The massive number of Fourth Rank Spirit Gathering Arrays meant the annual spirit stone yield reached as high as twenty million!

A 50% increase...

That means ten million more!

In other words, once the upgrade of the Spirit Gathering Arrays is complete, will the Nine Cauldrons Sect produce ten million more spirit stones each year!?

Ten million a year, a billion in ten years!

In the long run, how many Great Cultivators could the Nine Cauldrons Sect nurture?

And how many Flying Swords, Treasures, Elixirs could they purchase for the Nine Cauldrons Sect?

"50%..."

Zhao Siliang murmured this number.

Just a breath later, recovering from the shock, he hastily ordered, "Quick! Gather people, test immediately, set up this formation, we need to find out exactly how much efficiency it has improved, preferably accurate to a percentage in tens of thousands."

"I'll take charge of setting up this formation."

Alkaid said, "They are still somewhat inexperienced, and actually, I can guide them in setting up the array. In the process, I can teach them how to perfect this novel Spirit Gathering Array. Leveraging my 'resonance' talent and with so many Array Masters assisting, setting up a Fourth Rank Spirit Gathering Array shouldn't take much time."

"You..."

Zhao Siliang was reluctant to have Alkaid waste time on other tasks.

But...

The improvement of Spirit Gathering Arrays.

In the face of such a monumental task, everything else must temporarily step aside to make way.

"Are you willing to publicize this improved Spirit Gathering Array? To teach it to everyone?"

Zhao Siliang looked at Alkaid.

From the few days during which everyone worked on improving the Spirit Gathering Array, the birth of the Fourth Generation Spirit Gathering Array was entirely Alkaid's achievement.

The others...

Were at most free reviewers, helping him verify the feasibility of this improvement.

"Of course, that's the only way to maximize the impact of this technology." Find your next read at My Virtual Library Empire

Alkaid nodded.

The Spirit Gathering Array was different from the flying swords refined by Wan Ling; sharing this technology was not a problem.

"Good!"

Upon hearing Alkaid's words, Zhao Siliang took a deep breath and looked at Alkaid with a solemn bow, "On behalf of everyone at the Nine Cauldrons Sect, I thank you for your contributions."

"Zhao Sect Master, you are too kind. Do not forget, I am also a member of the Nine Cauldrons Sect."

Alkaid said.

"Indeed, we are all from the same sect."

Zhao Siliang nodded emphatically.

He then continued, "But even brothers must settle accounts clearly. Any authorization of technology allows the inventor to receive patent fees. Our Nine Cauldrons Sect will not let Chief Alkaid contribute in vain! This fee generally makes up two to three tenths of the profit, exclusive rights even up to three-fourths, four-fifths. With the improvement of the Spirit Gathering Array, if the performance could be increased by 50%, for the sect, it's equivalent to more than ten million in increased spirit stone production annually, ten million of three-fifths and four-fifths..."

"Three tenths will suffice for me."

Alkaid interjected.

He was waiting for the Nine Cauldrons Sect to place an order for flying swords after all.

If the Nine Cauldrons Sect had no money, who would he sell his flying swords to?

And how would his plan to ultimately manipulate 129,600 treasure flying swords be perfected and realized?

"Three tenths..."

Zhao Siliang had a touch of emotion in his eyes but still said, "Isn't that too little..."

"The Nine Cauldrons Sect has many deficiencies to address and many purposes for spirit stones. Moreover, as a lone cultivator, I wouldn't even know what to do with too many spirit stones."

"Good! Good! Good!"

Zhao Siliang's voice shook slightly as he repeated "good" three times. He looked at Alkaid and solemnly said, "I understand your intentions. Your contributions will be remembered by the sect. Rest assured, the sect will never let you suffer losses in the future."

"I believe so."

Alkaid responded.

...

Soon, Zhao Siliang reported this news to the Main Sect along with Tang Fenghua.

Upon receiving the news, Sect Master Li Qingshan immediately withdrew from his meeting with the Brahma Sect to curtail the Brahma Heavenly Kingdom.

Only three major sects surrounded the Nine Cauldrons Sect.

Namely the Great Sun Sword Sect, the Primordial Yang Sect, and the Brahma Heavenly Kingdom.

Among them, the Primordial Yang Sect had already split due to disputes over sword qi, significantly reducing its threat. What remained were the Great Sun Sword Sect, dominating the Eastern Sea, and the Brahma Heavenly Kingdom to the south of the Ten Thousand Mountains.

The Brahma Heavenly Kingdom, along with the Brahma Sect and Brahma Heaven Sect, were in a fierce dispute over the orthodox "Brahma" title; naturally, the Nine Cauldrons Sect was more than willing to strongly support the growth of the Brahma Sect to counterbalance the Brahma Heavenly Kingdom.

Besides these major forces, other mid-sized and small sects such as the Xuanming Sect, Star Sea Sect, Dayue Dynasty, Ancient Immortal Sect, and White Jade Sect did not pose a lethal threat to the Nine Cauldrons Sect.

"Chief Alkaid has indeed given us a wonderful surprise."

Li Qingshan's eyes brimmed with delight.

"Sect Master, you did not see the scene at the time—over a dozen Array Masters surrounding Chief Alkaid, listening to his lecture like students, not a single one interrupting. Afterward, Deputy Sect Master Huang Wei of our sub-sect even directly stated that Alkaid's talent in formations surpasses his talent in Artifact Refining, suggesting he should have focused on formations long ago instead of Artifact Refining."

Zhao Siliang's eyes also beamed with a smile.

"Both formations and divine cultivation lean towards talent. Chief Alkaid... clearly possesses such talent."

Li Qingshan spoke, his mood uplifted, and directly said to an assistant by his side, "Bring me a pen."

After the assistant handed him paper and pen, he wrote down the words "Master of Both Formation and Artifact" with a flourish.

Then he solemnly affixed his own seal.

"Have it framed and presented to Chief Alkaid."

He instructed.

"Master of Both Formation and Artifact, a title well-deserved."

Although Zhao Siliang was a bit envious that Alkaid could receive personal recognition from the Sect Master, he understood that it was deserved.

With this inscription, from now on, no one would dare to doubt Alkaid's expertise in artifact refining and formations.

After writing the inscription, Li Qingshan turned his gaze toward Tang Fenghua, saying with a smile, "What do you think? Not too big a job for a small task in taking charge of Alkaid's safety, right?"

"As the Master has arranged, it was my shortsightedness."

Tang Fenghua promptly replied.

Though Tang Fenghua was courteous and proper in front of Alkaid, in reality...

He had previously been unwilling to stay in the rear.

As a Fourth Rank Great Cultivator, one of the top battle department fighters in the entire sect, he preferred to fight on the front lines amid the tense situation in the Ten Thousand Mountains, protecting and killing for the sect.

But now, having comprehensively understood Alkaid's talents and importance, his previous thoughts vanished.

Though Zhao Siliang was making great efforts to shield Alkaid,...

The first batch of treasures had been delivered, and once these treasures began to be deployed, they inevitably couldn't be hidden. At that point, Chief Alkaid would surely be exposed to hostile forces.

Subsequently, various assassination attempts would follow one after another.

In such a scenario, the pressure he, as a personal protection Fourth Rank Foundation Establishment Sword Cultivator, faced would hardly be less than that of fighting on the front lines.

At that moment, Zhao Siliang quietly added, "Chief Alkaid possesses both strength in formations and artifacts, and according to Deputy Sect Master Huang Wei, his talent in formations even surpasses that in Artifact Refining... perhaps, it won't be long before he can set up Fifth Level, or even Sixth Level formations... with such mastery in formations, and the capability to refine magical treasures... what do you say..."

He paused: "Should we proceed with the research and refining of that heavy artifact?"

At this, Tang Fenghua's pupils narrowed.

Li Qingshan quickly understood his implication.

"You mean..."

"The Patrol Heaven Warship!"

Zhao Siliang nodded emphatically.