At that moment, Jie Tianran's heart sank even further. He sensed that his connection with the copper mirror was beginning to weaken.
This signal meant his consciousness likely couldn't remain here much longer.
He would be forced to return to his main body.
And precisely at that moment, a voice sounded from within his body.
"Jie Tianran, I have already comprehended the formation arrangement diagram. I will transmit it to you now."
The instant those words fell, the formation arrangement diagram imprinted itself directly into Jie Tianran's mind.
"Jie Tianran, make haste."
"This formation has special requirements for materials."
"Only the power of the Age of Gods, once converted through the medium of consciousness, can satisfy those requirements."
"If your consciousness leaves this place, possessing the diagram alone will be useless. You must complete it within the world of this copper mirror."
The voice within Jie Tianran issued this reminder.
But truthfully, he didn't need anyone to tell him. He could discern that much on his own.
Even as the reminder came, Jie Tianran was already forming hand seals, channeling the power throughout his body to begin constructing the formation.
The process went remarkably smoothly. In no time at all, every wisp of aura surrounding him converged into his palm, condensing into a long sword that radiated brilliant light.
But upon closer inspection, the shape of this sword was unlike any ordinary blade. It looked far more like a key.
"What is that?"
The onlookers in the outside world all saw the long sword in Jie Tianran's hand.
A realization suddenly dawned on them — during this whole time, Jie Tianran hadn't simply been enduring the verbal abuse.
He had apparently been doing something else as well.
The sword in his grasp was the result.
Clutching the sword, Jie Tianran fixed his gaze upon Chu Feng once more. All trace of his earlier humiliation had been swept away, replaced by undisguised smugness.
Now that his consciousness was about to return to his main body, there was absolutely no chance for Chu Feng to comprehend the formation.
This invisible contest of wits — he had won.
And all of Chu Feng's insults just now, which had seemed to put him on the back foot, were nothing but a joke.
"Chu Feng, did the insults feel satisfying?"
"But satisfaction comes at a price."
"Why do you think this old man lowered himself to waste time with a little brat like you, engaging in a battle of words?"
The moment Jie Tianran said this, Chu Feng asked, "What was that?"
The question threw Jie Tianran off.
He had just said three sentences. Had Chu Feng not heard clearly?
Had all that cursing given Chu Feng tinnitus?
"Oh, you said satisfaction comes at a price, right?"
"What kind of price?"
"Is it what's in your hand?"
With those words, Chu Feng clenched his fist, and the power surrounding his body immediately surged into his palm.
An identical key-shaped long sword materialized.
Only this sword was not only longer than Jie Tianran's, but far more resplendent.
It was clearly the more powerful of the two.
"How could you—"
At this sight, the smugness on Jie Tianran's face vanished in an instant. Reflexively, he whipped his head around to look behind himself.
But there was nothing behind him — no trace whatsoever of any formation diagram.
Then how had Chu Feng grasped the formation arrangement diagram?
And not only that, but it was an entirely different diagram from the one he himself had obtained.
Otherwise, it would have been impossible for the swords they condensed to differ so dramatically.
"You really didn't want to engage in a battle of words with me."
"The only reason you kept provoking me was that you discovered the formation arrangement diagram hidden within the clouds behind me."
"You could use the power of the Age of Gods to condense it into that object."
"Your whole scheme to distract my attention was so I wouldn't comprehend this formation."
"But in your self-righteous cleverness, you never realized that while you were distracting me, I was distracting you too."
As he spoke, Chu Feng casually tossed and caught the long sword in his hand.
"What do you mean by that?"
Jie Tianran's mouth twitched as he sensed something was very wrong.
"Your eyes don't just reflect what you see."
"And through your eyes, that formation diagram would achieve an even more perfected state — elevated to a higher level."