Setting up formations wasn't as complicated as pill refining. It bore more similarity to talisman making. Even the book titled [Is Formation Making Stronger Than Talisman Making?] contained details about both practices. After studying the text thoroughly, Xiang Yu finally gained new blueprint knowledge beyond just explosion talismans.
He also developed a fundamental understanding of formation making, acquiring an eighth-grade sword formation and a ninth-grade qi gathering formation.
Since the qi gathering formation was considered one of the simplest formations to create, he decided to begin with that one. His martial aunt had generously provided spirit stones for this purpose. Unlike talismans, which used energy injected by their creator and activated by a stream of qi, formations were typically placed and left to operate continuously. This meant they required an external energy source, usually spirit stones.
Xiang Yu arranged the formation with meticulous care, following the blueprints precisely. His first attempt failed, but after making several adjustments, he finally succeeded in creating a functioning qi gathering formation.
Though it only concentrated about twice the amount of qi as the surrounding environment, he reminded himself that this was merely a ninth-grade formation. The effectiveness would certainly improve once he reached eighth-grade proficiency and enhanced the design.
For now, he had accomplished his immediate goal:
[Formation Master: 9th Grade (1/100)]
Though Xiang Yu wanted to delve into the remaining professions, he noticed the growing darkness outside his window. Unlike before, when he could lose himself in training for hours on end, the conclusion of the Heaven Testing Pagoda event meant he needed to prepare meals for the others. He carefully stored the remaining manuals, planning to study them after dinner.
The evening meal passed quickly. Both Elder Huang and Li Yao seemed preoccupied with other matters. Surprisingly, Elder Guo had broken through to the ninth layer of the Qi Refining realm and could finally establish his Foundation. However, he had decided against taking that step immediately. Although cultivators could advance to the next realm after reaching the ninth layer, achieving the tenth layer first would provide a more stable foundation for future cultivation.
"Master, isn't it better to just breakthrough to the Foundation realm now?" Xiang Yu asked, genuine concern coloring his voice. "You've aged ten years in just one day. Will you be able to last another?"
"Hmph," Elder Guo snorted. "How many cultivators ever get a chance to start over again? If I don't use this opportunity to build a solid foundation, it would be a waste of a lifetime."
"But..." Xiang Yu began to protest, but Elder Guo raised his hand, silencing him.
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing," he stated firmly. "If I don't reach the peak tomorrow, I'll give up."
Only then did Xiang Yu relent. He thought to himself that even at the end of his life, Elder Guo remained a true genius. It was natural for such a person to challenge his limits. He just hoped the elder truly knew what he was doing—otherwise, what would he tell Martial Aunt if he allowed her beloved to perish?
Since only the two of them remained after dinner, Xiang Yu escorted Elder Guo back to his chambers.
"Boy, are you looking down on this elder?" Elder Guo protested when Xiang Yu helped him stand.
"How could I?" Xiang Yu replied innocently, though he maintained his supportive grip.
"How great is this kid's body cultivation—he won't budge at all," Elder Guo thought as he attempted to retrieve his arm.
"Then why are you helping me stand? Do you think I'm a cripple now?" he asked, his voice rising with indignation.
"Master, don't misunderstand. I'm only doing this for Martial Aunt," Xiang Yu explained.
Inwardly, Xiang Yu thought, "Who cares about you, old man? I'm only taking care of you because your wife is rich." Martial Aunt always gave him nice things, so he should naturally look after her husband when she was away.
"Master," Xiang Yu spoke as they reached the elder's chambers.
"What?" Elder Guo asked impatiently.
"When are you going to marry Martial Aunt?" he inquired with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Elder Guo's face instantly reddened. "You brat!" He attempted to strike Xiang Yu, but the younger man was faster, darting away while chuckling to himself.
"Hmph! Kids these days," Elder Guo muttered as he entered his room. "No respect for elders at all."
Once alone, he approached the small sandalwood altar in the eastern corner of his room where his master's memorial tablet stood. With reverent movements, he carefully placed a newly carved tablet beside it—his sworn brother's name freshly etched into the polished surface. He arranged three incense holders before the tablets.
The familiar scent of sandalwood filled the room as he lit the first stick, watching the thin trail of smoke rise toward the ceiling. He bowed three times, his forehead nearly touching the floor.
"Junior Brother, I failed to protect you," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion, "but I will not fail our sect."
...
After bidding goodnight to his master, Xiang Yu returned to his studies. This time, he planned to attempt blacksmithing. He didn't anticipate much difficulty—after all, he had watched numerous blacksmithing videos in his previous world and felt confident in his basic understanding of the craft.
This overconfidence evaporated the moment he began reading the manual. Only then did Xiang Yu realize his knowledge was superficial at best. Proper blacksmithing involved countless parameters he had never considered: metal compositions, temperature control, folding techniques, cooling methods, and intricate hammer patterns that varied depending on the desired outcome.
Fortunately, for ninth-grade blacksmithing where he would begin, the process wasn't dramatically different from his initial expectations—just requiring greater precision than he'd anticipated.
Later, when crafting genuine spiritual treasures became his goal, the complexity would increase exponentially. But Xiang Yu didn't dwell on these future challenges. With his system, mastering blacksmithing would come naturally through accumulated experience points and their subsequent doubling.
For now, he needed to take the first step.
Xiang Yu retrieved the iron ingots his martial aunt had provided, along with the small forge she had included in her generous gifts. He carefully arranged everything in the courtyard, ensuring adequate space to work safely.
He then summoned his Abyssal Void Flame. The dark fire responded instantly to his command, enveloping the iron and bringing it to a thousand degrees within seconds. Mindful not to melt the metal, he quickly withdrew the flame once the iron glowed a proper cherry-red.
Next came hammering the heated metal into the shape of a knife. He decided to start with a knife because of its simple shape and also because the knife had been the first weapon he'd wielded after arriving in this world. With methodical strikes, he formed the basic silhouette, each blow of the hammer reshaping the malleable metal beneath his steady hand.
Once satisfied with the basic shape, Xiang Yu proceeded to the critical hardening process. He reheated the blade to the proper temperature before rapidly quenching it in water, the sudden temperature change causing steam to billow upward in a satisfying hiss. He then tempered the metal on low heat, carefully watching for the telltale color changes that indicated proper molecular restructuring.
In the final stages, Xiang Yu meticulously ground and polished the edge, taking extra time to ensure proper sharpness. After fitting a simple but functional handle to the tang, he stepped back to examine his completed work.
The knife wasn't extraordinary by any means—certainly nothing like the spiritual weapons wielded by high level cultivators—but for a first attempt, it was passable.
Just as he had anticipated, his system confirmed his success:
[Blacksmith: 9th Grade (1/100)]
...
For the last two professions, it was a challenge to gain them. Medicine required treating patients, and farming required him to farm crops. After pondering for a while, Xiang Yu had a sudden inspiration. He walked to the livestock enclosure where he kept his collection—more than ten wild boars, five vicuñas, and various other wild animals he had captured over time.
His eyes swept across the pen, finally settling on the plumpest boar. He effortlessly hoisted the hefty animal and carried it away from the enclosure. His destination: the hidden spirit vein.
After reaching the concealed entrance, he carefully slipped inside with his cargo, meticulously resealing the opening behind him. The spirit spring within the cavern caught his attention immediately—its multicolored surface had nearly returned to its former vibrancy.
He concluded that the spirit spring took twenty-four hours to completely recover. This meant he could utilize it daily.
Returning his focus to the task at hand, Xiang Yu placed the boar on the ground and withdrew a knife from his spatial ring. He approached the animal, an unsettling smile playing across his lips.
"It's nothing personal," he said softly.
He then made a small incision on the boar, just enough to break the skin. Then, reaching into his spatial ring again, he retrieved one of the healing pills he'd acquired from the Core Formation expert. He carefully fed the pill to the wounded animal.
Before his eyes, the small injury closed completely, the skin knitting together as if it had never been harmed. "These pills are quite effective," he noted mentally, impressed by their potency.
However, the system didn't register a new medicine profession. Xiang Yu wasn't particularly disappointed—he hadn't expected it to work anyway. Not wanting to continue harming the innocent creature for the sake of his experiment, he decided to abandon the medicine profession pursuit for now.
Nevertheless, the boar still had another purpose to serve. Without hesitation, Xiang Yu lifted the animal and tossed it into the spirit spring. The boar splashed about, seemingly confused by its sudden immersion in the glowing waters.
"As my cooking level increases, it's becoming harder for ordinary ingredients to keep up," he reasoned. "If I want to continue creating exceptional dishes, I need superior ingredients."
This experiment with the spirit spring was his attempt to create a spirit beast—an animal that absorbed spiritual energy and developed enhanced qualities. Such a creature would provide the high-grade ingredients his advanced cooking techniques demanded.
Xiang Yu didn't linger to observe the results. He knew the transformation process, if it happened at all, would take considerable time as the beast gradually sensed and absorbed qi into its body. Instead, he turned his attention to the herb section of the cavern.
Using his knife, he harvested several plants, hoping this action might trigger the farmer profession. After multiple attempts yielded no results, he reluctantly accepted that actual farming was required.
Not one to give up easily, Xiang Yu collected seeds from the harvested herbs and sought out a clear area within the cavern. He diligently worked the soil with his knife until it was sufficiently soft, then carefully planted the seeds. Taking water from the spirit spring, he thoroughly watered his newly established garden.
"Now I just need to wait," he thought. "Once I harvest my own crops, the profession should manifest."
With his experimental tasks complete, Xiang Yu decided to take advantage of the spirit spring himself. Having broken through to the fifth layer during dinner, he wanted to accumulate experience points for the upcoming system reset.
As he soaked in the rejuvenating waters, his gaze drifted to the boar swimming aimlessly in the spring. It showed no signs of absorbing qi, making him wonder if his spirit beast experiment might fail.
"Even when exposed to spiritual energy, it still takes natural talent to transform from a normal animal into a spirit beast," he reminded himself. Despite his doubts, he resolved to leave the animal in the spring for a few more days to see if any changes developed.
With that thought, Xiang Yu closed his eyes and entered deep meditation. In this state, time slipped away like water through fingers. Before he knew it, the familiar notification appeared:
[Calculating Settlement]
...
[Calculation Complete]
[Body Refining: 11th Layer (940/11,000) (+100/11,000)]
[Qi Gathering: 5th Layer (50/500) (+50/500)]
[Mind: Level 4 (676/4000) (+60/4000)]
[Transcendent Dao Body: Level 1 (55/1,000,000) (+5/1,000,000)]
[Bloodline: Dragon, Phoenix: Thin Blood (15/1000) (+15/1000)]
[Enlightenment: High (1570/3000) (+50/3000)]
[Spirit Flame: Abyssal Void Flame: 6th Grade (10,155/40,000) (+5/40,000)]
[High-grade Lightning Strike & Palm: Beginner (40/100)]
[High-grade Fire Palm: Minor Success (14/200) (+10/200)]
[High-grade Water, Wood, Earth, Metal Palm: Minor Success (2/200)]
[High-grade Ice & Wind Palm: Beginner (2/100) (+2/100)]
[Cook: 4th Grade (90/600) (+50/600)]
[Appraiser: 8th Grade (100/200) (+100/200)]
[Talisman Maker: 8th Grade (10/200) (+10/200)]
[Alchemist, Formation Master, Blacksmith: 9th Grade (1/100)]
[Experience Points Doubled]
[Alchemist, Formation Master, Blacksmith: 9th Grade (1/100) → 9th Grade (2/100)]
[Talisman Maker: 8th Grade (10/200) → 8th Grade (20/200)] 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦
[Appraiser: 8th Grade (100/200) → 7th Grade (0/300)]
[Cook: 4th Grade (90/600) → 4th Grade (180/600)]
[High-grade Ice & Wind Palm: Beginner (2/100) → Beginner (4/100)]
[High-grade Water, Wood, Earth, Metal Palm: Minor Success (2/200) → Minor Success (4/200)]
[High-grade Fire Palm: Minor Success (14/200) → Minor Success (28/200)]
[High-grade Lightning Strike & Palm: Beginner (40/100) → Beginner (80/100)]
[Spirit Flame: Abyssal Void Flame: 6th Grade (10,155/40,000) → 6th Grade (20,310/40,000)]
[Enlightenment: High (1570/3000) → Superior (0/4000)]
[Bloodline: Dragon, Phoenix: Thin Blood (15/1000) → Thin Blood (30/1000)]
[Transcendent Dao Body: Level 1 (55/1,000,000) → Level 1 (110/1,000,000)]
[Mind: Level 4 (676/4000) → Level 4 (1352/4000)]
[Qi Gathering: 5th Layer (50/500) → 5th Layer (100/500)]
[Body Refining: 11th Layer (940/11,000) → 11th Layer (1880/11,000)]
[Next Settlement: 23:59:59]
...