"Indeed!"
Guild Leader Zheng nodded his head, "This formation blueprint was left behind by a 5-star formation master back when the branch was first built. Otherwise, as a 4-star branch, even if we were to apply for a grade-5 formation blueprint from the headquarter, we might not necessarily be able to obtain it!"
The formation blueprints in the Formation Master Guild was as strictly regulated as the pill formulae in the Apothecary Guild. One was only allowed to access resources corresponding to one's current level. If one were to come into contact with advanced topics when one's capability hadn't reached the required level, it would only harm oneself.
As such, 4-star branches like the Honghai City Formation Guild was only qualified to collect grade-4 formation blueprints. If one wanted to access higher grade formation blueprints, one had to apply it from the headquarter and pay a certain price.
Besides, this was only limited to the more basic grade-5 formation blueprints. As for the more profound materials, one would only have access to it when visiting a higher tiered branch.
Given how just the formation blueprint was so tightly regulated already, no more needed to be said about formation core and flags.
"Do I really have to head to higher ranked Formation Master Guild?"
What in the world was this?
He spent an entire day here and it turned out that even though there was a grade-5 formation blueprint here, there wasn't formation flags and core to set it up. Was he supposed to build it out of thin air?
The higher the grade of a formation, the higher the demand of the quality of the two items. These were fundamental needs so there was no compromising over them... Was he supposed to head to the Blacksmith Guild to learn how to forge these items just over a Spirit Gathering Formation?
Putting aside how it would take up a lot of time, the Honghai City Blacksmith Guild might, due to its limited rank, be unable to access the corresponding information required, just like the Formation Master Guild. Besides, even if he could find the respective blueprints for the formation flag and core, it wasn't guaranteed whether he could find the required material for it to forge them.
Rubbing his glabella, Zhang Xuan was distressed.
He thought that buying a Spirit Gathering Formation would be an easy and joyful matter, and he would be done in a moment's time. In the end, he spent several hours and the problem still wasn't solved yet.
"Actually... even without formation flags and core, it's not entirely impossible to set up a grade-5 formation!"
By the side, Elder Wang Haoxun seemed to have recalled something and interjected.
"Hm?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.
Through the books he had read through, he knew that these two items were necessities to setting up a formation. These were the basic materials and there was no way to avoid them. Could it be possible that there was some secret method to go around it?
"You mean that..."
Guild Leader Zheng seemed to have thought of something as well and he quickly shook his head. "Are you joking with me? That's impossible to accomplish!"
"Why?" Seeing that the duo seemed to have an idea in mind, Zhang Xuan asked curiously.
"What he means is... inscribing a formation plate!"
Guild Leader Zheng smiled bitterly, "But inscribing a formation plate is even harder than setting up a formation. It'll be impossible for one to succeed unless one reaches the level of a 5-star formation master!"
"Formation plate?" Zhang Xuan was taken aback.
Indeed! Why didn't he think of it?
The formation plate was a unique material that could substitute formation flags and core!
"On top of that, it'll be impossible to inscribe with it without a specialized carving knife. I once bought a blank formation plate from the Appraiser Hall and tried inscribing it myself. However, the surface was incr
edibly tough and ordinary blades couldn't even leave a mark on it. How is one supposed to inscribe on it like that?"
Guild Leader Zheng shook his head.
The higher the grade of a formation, the greater the requirement on the quality of the formation plate. If the formation plate was too weak, it could crumble even before the formation was triggered.
The carving knives in the guild were only suited for the use of 4-star formation master. Even though they had a 5-star blank formation plate, those knives were simply insufficient to inscribe anything on it, needless to say, draw out a formation.
"Can you bring the grade-5 Spirit Gathering Formation and formation plate so that I can take a look? If I really can't think of any solution, I'll drop the matter!"
Even though Zhang Xuan knew that what the other party said was true, he wasn't willing to give up on this chance. Thus, he made the request.
"Alright!"
Seeing the other party's insistence, Guild Leader Zheng nodded. Flicking his wrist, a jade token and a blank formation plate appeared in his hands.
These two objects were the most valuable resources of the entire guild. As such, he carried them with him everywhere he went.
Grabbing hold of the jade token, Zhang Xuan immersed his consciousness into it.
Just like the grade-4 formation blueprint jade token from before, the grade-5 Spirit Gathering Formation blueprint was also extremely detailed. All kinds of demands were written clearly on it.
Zhang Xuan hurriedly remembered all of the details.
"It's indeed quite difficult to set up!"
Reorganizing the information in his mind, Zhang Xuan sighed.
Even though there was only a grade of difference between grade-5 and grade-4 formations, their difference was immense. If one's cultivation hadn't reached the required level, even if one had the formation flags and core, it would be very difficult to set it up properly.
It was just like pill forging. Even if a 1-star apothecary possessed the pill formula of higher grade pills, he would still be unable to suppress the violent energy within the cauldron to forge a grade-2 or grade-3 pill.
If the different ranks were so easy to overcome, there would be no need to create such a clear ranking system within the occupations.
"However, if I use the Library of Heaven's Path to find out the various errors and flaws in them, there's still a chance that I might succeed!"
With this cheat code, even though ordinary 4-star formation masters would be hard-pressed to prepare a formation of such a high grade, there was still a chance that Zhang Xuan might succeed.
Taking pill forging for example again, if there were no errors in the sequencing, one could easily guide a 1-star apothecary to forge a grade-2 pinnacle pill.
Similarly, as long as there was no error in his sequencing, with just his cultivation as a Half-Transcension cultivator, there was still a good chance he could set up a grade-5 Spirit Gathering Formation.
But... These were just thoughts. Without the required resources, there was nothing Zhang Xuan could do at all.
"I should take a look at the formation plate!"
Dumping aside those miscellaneous thoughts, Zhang Xuan took hold of the blank formation plate.
The formation plate was black and heavy. It was a little hard to tell what it was crafted from but if one were to only look at one of the surfaces, it resembled a smooth copper mirror.
"This is a carving knife. You can give it a try!"
Seeing that Zhang Xuan was still carrying some hope over the matter, Guild Leader Zheng whipped out a carving knife with a flick of his wrist and passed it over to him.
Grabbing hold of the knife, Zhang Xuan drove the zhenqi in his body and slit it across the smooth surface of the formation plate.
Jiya, jiya!
A screeching sound echoed. Even though the carving knife was sharp, it wasn't able to leave a single mark on the blank formation plate.
Zhang Xuan smiled bitterly.
It seemed like what the other party said was true. Given how the carving knife couldn't leave a mark on it at all, it was impossible to inscribe the formation on it.
"Flaws!"
Frustrated, Zhang Xuan muttered silently while holding the blank formation plate.
Hu!
A book appeared in the Library of Heaven's Path. He slowly opened it.
"Grade-5 blank formation plate. Crafted using Frigid Silver and Nine Inch Gold by 5-star Blacksmith Yang Shu. It is incomparably resilient, and only a Spirit high-tier carving knife or a Spirit intermediate-tier weapon paired with Weapon Intent can leave a mark on it. Flaws: ..."
Several flaws were detailed on the book.
Sweeping through them, Zhang Xuan realized that the flaws were beyond his current ability to exploit. Thus, he was preparing to put it down when he suddenly froze.
"A Spirit intermediate-tier weapon paired with Weapon Intent... can also leave a mark on it?"
A Spirit high-tier carving knife was a tool specially made for 5-star formation masters. As such, it was impossible to obtain it.
However...
Speaking of Spirit intermediate-tier weapons, some of the Transcendent Mortal 4-dan experts possessed them. Thus, it wasn't too difficult to find it in Honghai City. In fact, a lot of treasures that Hall Master Sai gathered were of that level.
As for Weapon Intent, given that Zhang Xuan had even comprehended Sword Heart already, it wasn't a problem at all!
The sharp edge that Weapon Intent provided was sufficient to make up for the deficiency in the quality of the weapon.
The more Zhang Xuan thought about it, the more he felt that it was possible. As such, with glowing eyes, Zhang Xuan raised his head and said, "I know how I can carve it now! Is there anyone of you who have a Spirit intermediate-tier sword? May I borrow it for a moment?"
"Spirit intermediate-tier sword?"
Guild Leader Zheng was taken aback. "I have one, what do you need it for?"
"I'll explain later, just lend it to me for a moment!" Zhang Xuan said.
"Alright then!"
Knowing that it was impossible for the other party to escape with his item, Guild Leader Zheng flicked his wrist and passed a sword over.
Grabbing over the sword, Zhang Xuan slowly drew it from its sheathe.
A cold gleam immediately reflected on Zhang Xuan's face. Even without infusing zhenqi into it, he could already feel overwhelming spiritual energy weighing down on him from it.
As expected of a Spirit intermediate-tier weapon. It was truly much stronger than the weapons he had used before.
Weng!
However, as soon as the sword was out of the sheathe, a spirit wave began pulsing out from the sword. The sword was trying to struggle free out of his grasp.
A weapon of this tier also possessed its own spirit. It could acknowledge a master, and if someone who wasn't its master tried to wield it, it could possibly go berserk and even injure the wielder.
"I apologize. This sword has been with me for quite a long time so it's a little apprehensive of strangers. Allow me to talk to it for a moment..."
Seeing that the sword was on the verge of escaping at any moment, Guild Leader Zheng immediately walked up with a reddened face and stroked his finger on the blade of the sword, as though cajoling a lover. "Alright, Zhang shi needs your help for a moment so listen to him obediently!"
Weng!
Hearing Guild Leader Zheng speak up for Zhang Xuan's stead, the sword seemed to have suffered a great injustice and its trembling grew even more intense.
"Cough cough, don't worry. I'll try again..."
Embarrassed, Guild Leader Zheng continued to stroke the sword and attempted to placate it.
However, the sword didn't seem to be willing to give in at all. The more Guild Leader Zheng tried to persuade it, the more violent its response.
"Old Zheng, you've owned this Imperial Jade Sword for a very long time already, but you haven't made it submit to you yet?" Hall Master Sai couldn't help but ask.
He was the one who sold the sword to the other party five years ago. He didn't expect that the other party hadn't won the acknowledgement of the sword yet.
Once a weapon acknowledged a master, it would respectfully listen to the commands of its master. In any case, it was impossible for it to react so violently.
"Cough cough, you know that the acknowledgement process is extremely complex. After accompanying it daily throughout the years, even eating and sleeping with it, the situation is already slightly better now. It's beginning to listen to my instructions now. Don't worry, give me an hour to talk to it, I guarantee you that there won't be any problems!"
Guild Leader Zheng smiled awkwardly.
There was no secret to making a Spirit weapon acknowledge one; one had to accompany it daily and temper it with one's zhenqi.
The Imperial Jade Sword had been with him for nearly five years now, and the spirit was on the verge of recognizing him already. Even though he was still a long way off from achieving an acknowledgement, the relationship of the two of them was already intimate. If he were to talk to it, it would still listen to his words.
"An hour is a bit too long. Pass me your sword!"
Hearing that it would take so long to calm down a Spirit intermediate-tier weapon, Zhang Xuan shook his head.
"Pass it to you?" Guild Leader Zheng was taken aback. "Do you have an idea in mind?"
Unwilling to waste his time on words, Zhang Xuan created a loop with his thumb and middle finger, and he struck the sword on its tip, blade, and hilt.
Hu! Hu!
It was as though the sword had met something that had terrified it greatly, and it began to tremble violently.
With a darkened complexion, Zhang Xuan berated, "You'd better stay put obediently. If you were to cause any more ruckus, I'll cripple you!"
Weng!
Upon hearing those words, the sword immediately stopped its actions. Then, a sound reminiscent to the chiming of a bell sounded, reverberating straight within one's soul.
"Spirit Euphoria..."
Guild Leader Zheng's body froze and his eyeballs nearly popped out from their sockets. "The Imperial Jade Sword has acknowledged him as its master? Th-this... What in the world happened?"