"So, this is a seventh-tier formation.
It's truly a formation laid out with principles. A seventh-tier formation can only be broken by a ninth-tier attack that has comprehended intent.
Perhaps an eighth-tier domain could give it a try."
Three days later, Yang Hong opened his eyes. Within them, a river of seven-colored stars flowed, seemingly capable of ensnaring anyone who gazed upon it for eternity.
Simultaneously, a surge of majestic fortune and life force emanated from Yang Hong's body.
Wherever it passed, plants grew rapidly, flowers bloomed and flourished in the span of a breath, remaining vibrant and unblemished. The vitality of the vegetation surged.
The cultivators surrounding Yang Hong, nourished by this life force, found their various injuries, especially hidden ones, healing quickly. Those without injuries discovered they had entered a second spring; though they did not become younger, they all grew taller to varying degrees.
Inhale… Exhale… Inhale… Exhale…
Within a radius of a thousand miles, all living beings grew silently, no one speaking. Everyone seized the opportunity to adjust their physical condition and, by extension, began to cultivate with the aid of this life force.
An hour later, Yang Hong was fully awake. The seven-colored river of stars in his eyes vanished, returning to its original clear black and white. The fortune and life force also disappeared.
The disciples of Qingfeng Villa also gradually regained their senses.
"Husband, you succeeded."
Zhu Yuyan approached Yang Hong, her hand in his, and asked with surprise.
"Naturally, I succeeded. And because the formation I laid out is special, I have directly become a seventh-tier high-grade Formation Master, capable of directly setting up seventh-tier high-grade formations."
Seeing Zhu Yuyan's question, Yang Hong proudly stated his current attainments in the way of formations.
"Really? That's wonderful! With the protection of a seventh-tier formation, we won't have to fear the 'Black Despair' anymore if it attacks again."
Song Yuzhi, holding Yang Hong's other arm, laughed happily.
"Hmm. A single seventh-tier formation might not be able to withstand a sandstorm like the 'Black Despair,' but multiple combined formations could possibly do so.
Furthermore, as long as we cultivate a vast enough plain or even a forest, we can completely suppress the birth of the 'Black Despair.'"
"Can we do that? Then we can recruit more disciples and have them cultivate more."
"We should be able to. I'll research it further later. For now, let's see how effective this 'Seven-Star Gathering Spirit Formation' is."
"Mmm-hmm."
"Everyone, disperse. Return to your respective duties. Do what you need to do."
"Yes~"
The disciples of Qingfeng Villa bowed in acknowledgment. The more powerful disciples led the weaker ones as they traveled, and soon they dispersed. Yang Hong, accompanied by Zhu Yuyan and the other two, as well as the "third wheel" Zhang Zhengyan, toured the Seven-Colored Plain.
Once activated, the 'Seven-Star Gathering Spirit Formation' began to exert its effects. In just three days, the vast plain, spanning a million miles in diameter, had reached a spiritual energy concentration equivalent to a fourth-tier spirit vein.
Areas beyond a million miles saw their spiritual energy gradually decrease with the natural flow of heaven and earth.
Within ten thousand miles, the concentration was equivalent to a third-tier high-grade spirit vein. Further out, within twenty thousand miles, it was a third-tier mid-grade. Beyond that, the formation could not yet exert its influence, and the spiritual energy concentration was a third-tier low-grade.
The effect of this 'Seven-Star Gathering Spirit Formation' was even better than Yang Hong had anticipated.
On the Taiyuan Continent, there were specialized and precise standards for spiritual energy and its concentration, as well as magical artifacts for measurement.
1-20 points of spiritual energy constituted a first tier, 21-40 points were second tier, and 81-100 points were fifth-tier spirit vein level.
At the sixth tier, it was 101-140 points, and at the seventh tier, 141-180 points.
The higher the tier of the spirit vein, the more concentrated the spiritual energy.
Conversely, this could also be used to determine the spiritual energy level of spirit veins or spirit lands.
"Sect Master, after measurement, the spiritual energy concentration within the Seven-Colored Plain is 70-75 points, very uniform and stable. How does the Sect Master plan to develop the Seven-Colored Plain?"
After touring with Yang Hong for a considerable time, Zhang Zhengyan, responsible for measuring the spiritual energy concentration with the artifact, finally had an opportunity to speak.
"No development for now. Arrange for disciples above the Nascent Soul stage to enter, cultivate, and maintain the seven-colored spiritual flowers within the plain. As for the empty spaces on the plain, gradually replace them with spiritual plants of higher quality."
"I want to see the gathering limit of the Seven-Star Gathering Spirit Formation to accumulate experience for future formations."
Yang Hong had already considered this before setting up the formation; he wanted to further study and comprehend the Way of seventh-tier formations.
The greatest characteristic of seventh-tier and above formations is their growth potential. After the formation is set up, it can continuously grow over time with the infusion of spiritual energy and magical power.
Formations below seventh-tier, once set up, possess a fixed power with no room for growth.
During this growth process, not only can the Formation Master gain insights into the Way of formations, but other cultivators within the formation's range can also perceive the Dao rhymes within the formation, aiding in the comprehension of intent.
Upon hearing Yang Hong's arrangement, Zhang Zhengyan's face was filled with joy.
His current cultivation was at the sixth layer of the Primordial Sea, yet he had not comprehended any intent. Cultivating in this Seven-Colored Plain would greatly assist him in comprehending intent, especially as he possessed a wood-attribute spiritual root, making it incredibly beneficial for him.
"Thank you, Sect Master. I will go back and make the arrangements now."
"Mm-hmm. Go."
After dismissing Zhang Zhengyan, Yang Hong and his family of four did not linger. With a few earth-遁 techniques, they returned to Qingfeng Mountain.
Above Qingfeng Mountain at 1200 Zhang, in the undeveloped area, apart from the thorny grass covering the mountain, there were few spiritual plants, let alone any buildings.
Only at altitudes above 9000 Zhang, in the perpetually snow-covered summit regions, were Frost Willows planted.
Unfortunately, due to insufficient low temperatures, the Frost Willow trees, planted for over 20 years, were still small saplings less than three feet tall, rendering them useless.
Initially, Yang Hong had planned to use Frost Willow trees to construct teleportation arrays. However, as soon as his plan began to be implemented, he discovered that after being divinely infused, the spatial attribute of the Frost Willow trees would gradually dissipate.
Without the spatial attribute, even if the Frost Willow grew into a ninth-grade spiritual plant, it could not be used to construct teleportation arrays.
However, fortunately, Yang Hong had acquired a second type of plant with spatial attributes—the 'Azure Sky Willow.'"
Arriving at an altitude of 1240 Zhang, Yang Hong selected a sun-facing slope. With a few spiritual planting techniques, the thorny grass on the slope was pulverized into powder and incorporated into the soil, serving as fertilizer for the slope.
Six Azure Sky Willow seeds were planted in the arrangement of a hexagram, spaced a hundred Zhang apart.
Over a hundred fist-sized Azure Nether Stones were then shattered by him, covering the six seeds.
"Husband, you are truly generous. Using Azure Nether Stones as fertilizer is probably an innovation in the cultivation world,"
Zhu Yuyan sighed with a hint of heartache as she looked at the shattered Azure Nether Stones.
"It's certainly not my innovation!
Otherwise, why would the scripture on spiritual plants record: 'Azure Nether Stones can be used for nourishment'?
At most, I'm just picking up scraps."
"It's just that these 'scraps' are quite costly in terms of spirit stones."
Looking at the tens of thousands of low-grade spirit stones Yang Hong had shattered, Zhu Yuyan sighed again.
"It's just a small amount of spirit stones. We'll earn more once they're used up. Qingfeng Villa is not lacking in spirit stones now."
Yang Hong was unconcerned about the depletion of spirit stones. He shattered them in units of ten thousand, making Zhu Yuyan feel a pang of distress.
However, she did not know that the one who should truly be distressed was yet to come, when the moon rose.