"This place holds the densest spiritual energy and most complete Laws on the entire continent — it can serve as the formation eye of the Dutian Mysterious Spirit Formation." Li Jiao waved his hand, and a crimson dot appeared on the projection of the Nine Heavens Sacred Land, as though he had marked it.
The Great Desolation Star Domain had run roughshod across the Tongxuan Continent for several years, and the Nine Heavens Sacred Land was indeed the only place that had remained untouched. With Xia Ningshang stationed here, it was the most suitable choice for the formation eye.
Yang Kai nodded slightly, committing it to memory.
Li Jiao waved his hand again, and eight small black dots materialized on the projection of the Tongxuan Continent — corresponding exactly to the locations of the Eight Desolations Spirit-Locking Formation that Yang Kai had previously dismantled. Li Jiao said, "These eight locations have suffered the most severe damage. If my calculations are correct, someone must have set up a great formation at each of these spots in an attempt to help the star recover its Yuan Qi. We absolutely cannot overlook these eight — they must be given special attention."
"Brother Li speaks sense."
Li Jiao raised his hand once more, and red dot after red dot appeared on the spherical projection. "I spent several days traveling and surveying various locations. In total, I have selected one hundred and eight sites for the formation. Apart from this formation eye and those eight locations, there are still ninety-nine remaining. Every single one of them will require Brother Yang to make a personal trip, burying a sufficient number of Source Crystals at each site. On the day the great formation is activated, these Source Crystals will be converted by the formation into spiritual energy to nourish this star."
"Brilliant!" Yang Kai clapped his hands in admiration. Over the past few days, he and Xia Ningshang had been studying the One Hundred and Eight Dutian Mysterious Spirit Formation, so he had gained some understanding of how it operated and how it should be deployed. Hearing Li Jiao's plan, he immediately felt the undertaking was entirely feasible.
For Xia Ningshang to recover quickly, she had to rely on the transformation of the Tongxuan Continent. Alternatively, she might achieve something like what Yang Kai had experienced on the Dark Star — a star lord's resonance that drew the power of celestial bodies into the Tongxuan Continent. If that were possible, there would be no need for the Dutian Mysterious Spirit Formation at all.
But Xia Ningshang's cultivation was simply not high enough. Achieving what Yang Kai had accomplished was far beyond her reach. The star lord's resonance was still too distant a prospect for her. Yang Kai had managed it so easily precisely because his own realm had long surpassed the limits that the Dark Star could cultivate.
"If Brother Yang sees no issues, then I shall proceed."
"I'll leave it in your hands, Brother Li."
Li Jiao gave a faint nod, paused, and added, "There is one more matter. I will need Miss Liu Yan's assistance."
Yang Kai grinned. "She's at your disposal."
Li Jiao needed to refine various components for the formation's construction, and Liu Yan's fire abilities would be a perfect help — besides, it would keep her from growing bored with nothing to do all day.
The two exchanged their supplies. Yang Kai took the Source Crystals, and handed the remaining materials over to Li Jiao — those would be used to refine the foundational arrays of the Dutian Mysterious Spirit Formation.
With the division of labor settled, Yang Kai wasted no time. He immediately found a suitable spot within the Nine Heavens Sacred Land, stamped his foot on the ground, and looked up with a smile. "Little Senior Sister, please lend me a hand."
The moment the words left his lips, the solid earth beneath his feet dissolved into quicksand, and he sank straight downward without the slightest resistance.
Yang Kai remained perfectly still, betraying not a trace of panic, silently calculating his position in his mind.
After a short while, he called a halt. He had already plunged a thousand zhang underground.
He produced a massive quantity of Source Crystals and scattered them abroad, letting them permeate the deep earth. This point within the Nine Heavens Sacred Land would serve as the formation eye of the Dutian Mysterious Spirit Formation, and so its demand for Source Crystals was exceptionally great.
Though Yang Kai hadn't kept a precise count, he left fully one million high-grade Source Crystals here before he was satisfied.
One million high-grade Source Crystals — even in the Star Realm, that would constitute a tremendous fortune, to say nothing of a lower-plane star domain. The currency that circulated in these star domains was mere spirit stones, and even the finest spirit stone could not compare to a single low-grade Source Crystal.
If the spiritual energy contained within these million Source Crystals were unleashed, it would instantly transform the Nine Heavens Sacred Land into a paradise rivaling any sect in the Star Realm.
With the formation eye complete, he immediately shot upward and streaked toward the next location.
A quarter of an hour later, he compared the information on the jade slip in his hand and came to a halt. He was at the outskirts of a city — though what should have been a bustling metropolis was now utterly deserted and dilapidated, clearly abandoned long ago.
Yang Kai called upon Xia Ningshang once more, repeating the process and leaving a vast number of Source Crystals at this site.
For the next several days, he traveled ceaselessly across every corner of the Tongxuan Continent, following the directions inscribed on Li Jiao's jade slip and carrying out the preparatory work for the formation's deployment.
In the heart of deserts, at the bottom of great oceans, deep within jungles, across open plains — Yang Kai's tireless figure left its mark everywhere.
When traveling between locations, he did not ask Xia Ningshang to intervene. Although a single thought from her could teleport him instantly to any two points on the Tongxuan Continent, doing so would still consume some of her energy.
He only had her lend a hand when it came time to bury the Source Crystals.
The crystals expended along the way were beyond counting — roughly ninety percent of his accumulated reserves had been used up. It was not that his wealth was insufficient; it was simply that this matter concerned Xia Ningshang's future, and he would not have been stingy regardless of how much it cost.
When all one hundred and Eight locations had been completed, several days had already passed.
He scratched his head, exchanged a brief mental communication with Xia Ningshang — who had been watching over him the entire time — and then dove straight into the earth.
The ground parted to form a passage, allowing him passage without the slightest obstruction.