Chapter 84: Creating Ariel Vehicle, Cosmic Energy Processor (1)
With his comprehension, all it took was a thorough study of the formations within the Formation Association for him to come up with one.
[Corruption Sealing Array]
That was what he decided to call it. It was a complex array inspired by many notes and formations Grey had encountered. He compiled them together and forged this array.
However, this formation couldn’t be used or inscribed by just anyone. Only a few could utilize it.
And those few were the ones who followed his own evolutionary path.
The Nexus Evolutionary Path, or as it was known in Blue Star, the Aether Evolutionary Path.
It played a key role in even inscribing the array.
Aether energy was the natural bane of Abyssal energy, and it would be even more effective against corruption energy, which was an impure fusion of different energies.
The main reason people couldn’t find a way to suppress or seal the corruption field was because they couldn’t create a formation capable of sensing its unique energy pattern.
Formations were all about patterns and inscriptions, and energies had their own patterns too.
Using that as the foundation, Grey created a sealing formation. He inscribed the patterns of both corruption energy and abyssal energy within the array, subtly and precisely.
No one would be able to find it since no one else had his level of Origin Insight. In this way, the formation would automatically activate when supplied with enough energy and directly seal the corruption field with Aether energy.
Only he and his pathstriders could use it. Even if it fell into the wrong hands, they would still need someone who followed the Aether Evolutionary Path. As the creator, Grey had discovered that he shared a connection with all his evolvers.
Currently, around five hundred 1st Rank Evolvers followed his path, spread across Blue Star. With a single thought, he could sever the connection through the Creator Invocation, rendering them unable to use his evolutionary path.
He, as the creator, had complete control over his pathstriders.
Grey snapped out of his thoughts and began speaking. "Did you comprehend the formation I told you to study?"
The formation he referred to was none other than the Corruption Sealing Array he had created.
He had given it to the old man as a test to see if he could grasp anything from it.
"No," the old man said after gulping slightly, a confused look on his face. "This formation is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before, Master. There isn’t a single reference in the Formation Association’s books that I can compare it to. After studying it for days, the only thing I’ve managed to figure out is that it’s a sealing array. But I also feel like it’s incomplete. The nodes in the array are all over the place, and I think it’ll lose energy once the flow exceeds three nodes."
Hearing that, Grey’s eyes brightened. "Not bad. You actually managed to figure out that it’s a sealing array."
This old man was smarter than he gave him credit for. He could be taught.
"Alright, I’ll demonstrate the array for you. Watch carefully."
Grey stood up from the chair. Nexus energy surged out from his energy field, which was now completely under his control. There was no trace of Leo Fang’s true energy or the Heavenly Tribulation left within him.
The Nexus energy began forming intricate patterns in the air. Nodes appeared one after another, and a complex diagram took shape.
"Observe."
He waved his hand, and a dense blue ore with specks of light appeared in his palm. It was a Cosmic Ore, or as people called it, a Cosmic Stone, a rare material that served as the foundation for many things created on Blue Star.
He placed the ore at the center of the array using his energy, then inscribed an energy conversion diagram that turned cosmic energy into Aether energy. Immediately, dense blue energy surged through the array, flowing perfectly across each node without any energy loss, contrary to what Werner had assumed.
"This... it actually works?" Werner exclaimed, his eyes wide as he tried to take in every detail before Grey dispersed the formation.
"The reason you thought it was losing energy was because of the array’s complexity," Grey explained, pointing toward the intricate web of patterns within the formation.
This was the tricky part. He believed even a 3-star Formation Master would struggle with it. That was because the structure of the array was intentionally built in the shape of the energy patterns of corruption and abyssal energy. He had to make it that way, otherwise people might eventually uncover those energy patterns and, in turn, discover Nexus energy.
He didn’t mind people knowing about Nexus energy itself, but if anyone managed to expose it publicly, the entire planet would be wiped off the starry sky.
Forget becoming an invincible evolver, he wouldn’t even survive long enough to reach the 2nd Rank before dying under the onslaught of heaven.
Hence, he had no choice but to make the array so complex. Werner would have to comprehend it on his own. All Grey could do was provide guidance.
"Wait... Master, is that Aether energy?" Werner asked, his voice trembling slightly.
"Indeed," Grey nodded. "That’s Aether energy. This particular formation requires Aether energy to function, which is why you couldn’t cross-reference it with other formations."
"This... you created a formation out of Aether energy, the same energy said to be effective against corruption energy?" Werner’s eyes widened in disbelief. "But it hasn’t even been three months since the Aether Path appeared. H-how did you already learn to create a formation using it, Master?"
He had severely underestimated Grey. His master wasn’t ordinary at all.
This level of comprehension in formations was unbelievable. Werner almost thought he was dreaming.
But then, a thought suddenly struck him.
"Master... this array, it’s a sealing array, right?" Werner asked carefully, his throat dry.
Something unthinkable crossed his mind. Something no one since ancient times had ever achieved.
"Is this a sealing array capable of surpassing corruption fields?" he asked, gulping hard.
"That’s for you to find out," Grey replied with a faint smile.
He sat back in the chair and dispersed the array, then picked up a glass from the side table and poured himself some wine. After taking a sip, he smiled at the old man.
"Once you comprehend it, you’ll naturally find out what it’s about. But before that," Grey said as he set the glass down, "you need to switch to the Aether Evolutionary Path."