Chapter 468: The Modified Formation 2
Seeing Jiang Taishan and the elders of other sects studying Zhen Yuan’s formation, Luo Jianfeng smiled and shook his head.
’They are in for a rude awakening.’ He thought.
After all, the Tianxuan sect elders had been studying Zhen Yuan’s formations for more than three hundred years, but were still at a loss.
Half a day passed in the blink of an eye.
At this time, Jiang Taishan, Xia Xiuqin, Qiu Muzhou, and other elders gathered together to discuss the formation.
"Its foundation is the Five Elements formation." An elder said, and Jiang Taishan nodded before speaking.
"The five elements are in perfect harmony and continuously draw the power of heaven and earth to maintain the formation." He said, but frowned with a thoughtful expression.
Formations had four aspects: materials, flags, maps, and runes.
Materials provided power, attributes, and characteristics to a formation. Because of this, the same formations may vary in power due to the materials used to arrange them.
On the other hand, flags and maps were complementary aspects. As a result, good quality flags actualised a map’s potential while a good quality map optimised the flags’ potential.
Finally, there were the formation runes.
Formation runes were actually not necessary when arranging arrays, but their presence strengthened the arranged formation.
While studying Zhen Yuan’s formation, Jiang Taishan noted all four aspects.
At a glance, the materials and flags, although they were good quality, were all level seven and should not have been able to support a formation of such power.
As for the map, it was indeed a modified five elements formation, but Zhen Yuan had gone to great lengths to hide the actual layout so the grand elders couldn’t figure it out.
After examining the materials, flags, and map, the elders studied the runes, and this was where they were completely stumped.
It was clear that the runes were not ordinary formation texts at first sight! However, Jiang Taishan and the others were not immediately impressed.
After all, the formations’ art was broad, and there were many common and obscure runes.
Thinking this, they continued examining the runes, but the more they studied them, the more confused they became.
"The formation runes..." Jiang Taishan muttered, and the others nodded in agreement.
"He not only engraved them on the formation flags but also on the materials. This is not common practice." Qiu Muzhou said, and Xia Xiuqin narrowed her eyes.
"That’s not the only problem." She said and quickly continued.
"Disciple Zhen used one hundred and eight formation flags and five hundred and forty pieces of formation materials. Each of the flags and materials has exactly one rune, adding up to six hundred and forty-eight types of formation runes."
"Six hundred and forty-eight different types of formation runes..." Qiu Muzhou muttered, his eyes widened in horror.
Unlike Xia Xiuqin, he hadn’t noticed this detail, and now that someone had mentioned it, he couldn’t help but be shocked.
After all, he was a level eight formation master, but he knew fewer than two hundred formation runes, let alone six hundred.
"How is this possible?" He asked in an agitated voice.
"The number of runes aside, ..." Jiang Taishan started and continued when he had everyone’s attention.
"I am afraid the formation runes aren’t as simple as we think." He said, and Xia Xiuqin raised an eyebrow.
"I always feel there is something wrong with them, but I can’t put my finger on it." She said, and Jiang Tiashan nodded before speaking.
"I study the inscription art in my free time, and I could swear that the kid’s formation runes..."
However, before he could finish, another elder interrupted him.
"Old Jiang, you are mistaken this time." He said, and everyone turned to look at him.
"Old Lu, what do you mean?" Jiang Tiashan asked.
"It’s not inscriptions, it’s talismans." The person said and quickly continued.
"I may not be a full-fledged talisman master, but I can recognise talisman runes when I see them." He said, but Jiang Taishan was not convinced.
"Come and look at this one." He said, pulling the elder to look at a formation flag.
"This part is the inscription that enhances hardness." He pointed out, but the opponent shook his head.
"That’s not an inscription. It’s part of a fire-element talisman rune." Elder Lu argued.
Unfortunately, neither could convince the other, and they fell into an argument.
"This..." Xia Xiuqin muttered and stepped forward.
"Grand elder Jiang, Grand elder Lu, why don’t we invite a talisman master and an inscription master?" She suggested, and the two grand elders immediately agreed.
Soon after, another group of elders arrived and began studying the formation.
Three hours later, everyone gathered and looked at the latest arrivals.
"How?" Jiang Taishan asked, and a talisman master sighed before he began speaking.
"The runes definitely have an element of talismans." He said and turned to his companions, who also nodded.
"I can also guarantee that there is a hint of inscriptions in the runes." An Inscription master said, and everyone fell silent.
"Formation runes, talisman runes, inscription runes..., is it really possible to combine them into a single rune?" Qiu Muzhou asked, his face coloured with disbelief.
"My inscription association has an incomplete ancient text that suggests that inscriptions, formations, and talismans were originally one art but were later divided into three. Maybe it’s not impossible to combine the three into one." An elder from the Inscription Association said.
"My Talisman Association has a similar text, but hasn’t the art been lost for countless years? Where did Zhen Yuan learn to combine the three?" A Talisman Association elder wondered.
"I think we are missing the point." A female inscription master said, and everyone turned to look at her.
"What does niece Lin mean?" Someone asked.
"Zhen Yuan can combine the three types of texts into a level seven rune that does not lose in power to a peak-stage level eight rune. Doesn’t this mean that he is at least a level seven formation master, talisman master, and inscription master?" She asked, and someone gasped.
"Zhen Yuan is not even two thousand years old. Is he really so heaven-defying?" Qiu Muzhou asked, but no one knew what to say.
After all, the reality was in front of them, and they had no other way to explain the situation.
"Xiuqin, inform our people to avoid Zhen Yuan’s formations for the time being. Trying to break them will only waste time." Jiang Taishan said, and Xia Xiuqin went to inform Peng Chen and the others.
Similarly, the Talisman and Inscription Association elders informed their competitors but did not leave the area.
Instead, several grand elders camped outside Zhen Yuan’s formation, planning to study it and hopefully pass the breaking method to their people.