This formation tablet was nothing more than a chicken rib to Yang Kai—even for Nanmen Dajun, it had been crafted casually and wasn't particularly valuable.
But to Elder Ban and Little Ling'er, it was something else entirely.
Elder Ban was only at the first level of the Dao Source Realm. Encountering a formation tablet that could trap even a third-level Dao Source Realm cultivator—how could he not be shocked? In other words, such a formation tablet could annihilate him a thousand times over.
Moreover, this formation tablet had been crafted by Nanmen Dajun himself, making it a masterpiece among masterpieces. It could protect Little Ling'er for a very long time on her path of growth.
Elder Ban couldn't help but feel fearful in his heart. Such a precious gift—he felt unworthy accepting it. Especially since Yang Kai and this Master Nanmen weren't exactly on good terms, he absolutely couldn't accept it.
But before he could open his mouth to refuse, Yang Kai set down the jade pendant and said, "Since it's a gift for Little Ling'er, just accept it."
Nanmen Dajun's spirits lifted upon hearing this, knowing his roundabout strategy had succeeded. He couldn't help but chuckle gleefully.
Elder Ban's expression was complex as he clasped his fists. "This old man thanks the Grand Master on Ling'er's behalf for his generous affection."
"There's no need for formalities, old sir. If you ever need my help in the future, don't hesitate to ask." In high spirits, Nanmen Dajun began making grand promises.
After all, Elder Ban looked like an honest man. Whether or not he'd actually come asking for help remained to be seen. Even if that day ever came, matters at the first level of the Dao Source Realm were nothing more than a casual effort for him, so he might as well make the offer and leave a good impression on Yang Kai.
The facts proved his approach was indeed effective.
Some of Yang Kai's earlier coldness diminished, and he gave a slight nod. "Master Nanmen is too kind."
Nanmen Dajun laughed heartily. "Young Master Yang flatters me."
He felt a slight sense of relief, but knew now wasn't the time to push too hard. So he dropped the subject of the Black Tortoise Seven-Section Formation and the Primal Wasteland, simply standing to the side and waiting quietly. There would be plenty of opportunities in the future—he wasn't worried about finding another chance.
Looking left and right, Nanmen Dajun's gaze was suddenly drawn to a certain formation.
This was the Ice Lake island. The spatial formation Yang Kai had previously set up was located here.
When Nanmen Dajun had first arrived, he'd been focused entirely on Yang Kai's attitude and hadn't noticed anything else. Now, in his relaxed state, he spotted the formation's extraordinary qualities at a glance.
He let out a soft exclamation of surprise. With keen interest, he walked toward the spatial formation and circled it once, examining it from every angle.
"Ah!" Moments later, Nanmen Dajun seemed to discover something incredible and cried out sharply, his eyes blazing with astonishing light. He lunged directly at the formation, reaching out to touch here and examine there. After quite a while, he exclaimed in shock, "A cross-domain spatial formation!"
It was unclear where he'd gleaned this insight, but he had instantly determined that this was a cross-domain spatial formation.
In an instant, Nanmen Dajun's face flushed red—the sign of excitement pushed to its limit. The light in his eyes grew even more intense as he devoted himself entirely to studying it, his focus absolute.
At this moment, for Nanmen Dajun, the entire world had shrunk to this single cross-domain spatial formation. Nothing else could distract him. As time passed, he would furrow his brow from time to time, seemingly encountering some difficult problem, then moments later break into a smile, and sometimes even cackle with a strange, manic laugh.
Cross-domain spatial formations—across the entire Star Realm, there were barely a handful. They were treasures left over from the primordial age, and every one of them was controlled by sects founded by Great Emperors.
In fact, across the entire Northern Region, there wasn't a single cross-domain spatial formation.
It could be said that cross-domain spatial formations were extraordinarily precious in the Star Realm. Even with Nanmen Dajun's considerable reputation, he'd never been able to find one to study.
Nanmen Dajun had never imagined that he'd actually encounter one here at Ice Heart Valley. This was his luck, his opportunity. If he could decipher the secrets of this cross-domain spatial formation, with his abilities, he might truly be able to replicate it. When that time came, it would be a blessing for the entire Star Realm, and the name Nanmen Dajun would surely resound throughout.
Fame and such were all irrelevant. What mattered was that if he could use this ancient marvel to make another breakthrough, he could die without regrets.
Specialization mattered in every field. For someone like Nanmen Dajun, a cross-domain spatial formation held more appeal than anything else in the world.
"Wonderful, truly wonderful!" After a long while, Nanmen Dajun slowly rose to his feet, his mouth full of praise. Though it was unclear exactly what he'd discovered, the admiration on his face was unmistakable.
He looked up and addressed Yang Kai: "Young Master Yang, you're familiar with Ice Heart Valley—do you know who set this up?"
"What about it?" Yang Kai asked curiously.
Nanmen Dajun pondered for a moment, then explained, "I can confirm that this is a cross-domain spatial formation. The design and conception behind it are extraordinarily refined—truly one of a kind in this world. However..."
"However what?" Yang Kai frowned.
"It's just that the technique feels slightly rough? That can't be right. Anyone who could craft such a refined formation would have to possess extraordinary mastery in the Dao of Formations—certainly several levels above my own. So why does it give me a feeling of being somewhat unpracticed?" Nanmen Dajun seemed to be explaining to Yang Kai as much as talking to himself, rambling on for a good while before shaking his head. "I can't figure it out. I really can't figure it out!"
It was no wonder he couldn't.