I just became the Pirate King, and you're telling me I also time-traveled at the same time.

Chapter 563 Array Dao Competition

The next day, Chu Yang found Duo Bao and cupped his hands, saying, "Senior Brother Duo Bao, I have some questions about formations and would like to ask you for some guidance."

Daoist Duobao was easygoing and loved helping others. Seeing Chu Yang so humbly seeking guidance, he was naturally happy to give him pointers.

Furthermore, Chu Yang was representing the Jie Sect in the battle of formations against the Chan Sect, so he held nothing back.

Over the next few days, Daoist Duobao imparted his understanding of formations to Chu Yang without reservation, and instructed him on how to integrate the many variations of the Lesser Universe Formation.

Chu Yang then explained the concept of the Small Universe Formation and the difficulties he encountered.

Duobao is now at the level of a Great Luo Golden Immortal, and he doesn't look down on Chu Yang at all because Chu Yang is only a True Immortal.

Not only him, but also the Three Immortals, the Four Holy Mothers, the Seven Fairy Attendants, and so on, never underestimated Chu Yang.

As the senior disciple of the Jie Sect and a Great Luo Golden Immortal, his insight was naturally much higher than Chu Yang's.

Upon hearing this, Daoist Duobao's eyes flashed with admiration. Although this Small Universe Array was only in its infancy, it was already quite ingenious. What was even more remarkable was that Chu Yang was able to integrate several different types of arrays together, which showed his exceptional talent in array formations.

"Junior Brother Xiaolei, your talent in formations is so high that I am ashamed to admit my inferiority!"

"Senior brother, you flatter me too much!" Chu Yang bowed slightly, having gained quite a bit from Duobao.

Duobao shook his head: "Junior brother, once you've finished making the arrangements, I, your senior brother, will definitely go and scout it out for you!"

Chu Yang was moved. His formation had not yet been unveiled, and everything was still unknown. It needed to be tested from multiple perspectives.

A few days later, Chu Yang visited the Golden Spirit Mother. The Golden Spirit Mother's cave was completely different from Duobao's cave; it was clean, tidy, and spotless.

"Junior Brother Chu Yang, have you come for the materials needed to set up the formation?"

As soon as the Holy Mother of Golden Spirit saw Chu Yang, she went straight to the point and asked him the question.

Chu Yang was somewhat surprised, not expecting that the Golden Spirit Mother had already guessed his purpose.

He nodded in agreement and handed the list of materials needed for the Small Universe Formation to the Golden Spirit Mother.

Golden Spirit Mother took the list, looked at it carefully, and smiled, "These materials are not hard to find. Junior Brother, please wait a moment, and I will refine them for you."

After saying that, the Golden Spirit Mother turned and walked towards the weapon-refining room.

Chu Yang was about to take his leave, but the Golden Spirit Mother stopped him: "Junior brother, why don't you stay and observe? It might be of some benefit to your understanding of formations."

Chu Yang readily agreed and followed the Golden Spirit Mother into the weapon-refining room.

Inside the weapon-refining room, there was a huge weapon-refining furnace, with flames burning fiercely and radiating intense heat.

With practiced ease, the Golden Spirit Mother threw various materials into the furnace, chanting incantations as she cast spells into the furnace, controlling the temperature and intensity of the flames.

During the material refining process, the Golden Spirit Mother would occasionally explain the connection between weapon refining and formations, which deepened Chu Yang's understanding of formations.

Chu Yang suddenly realized that weapon crafting and formations, though seemingly two different fields, were actually intricately connected.

Refining artifacts can provide a powerful platform for formations; and formations, in turn, can enhance the power of magical treasures.

The Golden Spirit Mother's refining furnace went out, and the various materials seemed to be reborn in her hands, shimmering with a lively luster.

"It's done."

Golden Spirit Mother smiled slightly and handed the refined materials to Chu Yang, "Junior Brother, are you satisfied with these materials?"

Chu Yang took the materials. They felt warm and smooth to the touch, and were full of spiritual energy. He secretly admired the exquisite craftsmanship of the Golden Spirit Mother.

"Thank you so much, senior sister! These materials are wonderful!"

"Junior brother, you're too kind." Golden Spirit Mother waved her hand. "When you go to set up the formation, you must be careful and cautious, and do not be careless."

Chu Yang nodded solemnly, then took his leave.

Upon returning to his cave, he couldn't wait to begin setting up the Lesser Universe Array.

Inside the cave, Chu Yang sat cross-legged, with the Qiankun Ruler floating in front of him, emitting a faint golden light.

He took a deep breath and, following the instructions of Daoist Duobao and Holy Mother Jinling, placed the refined materials one by one in their designated positions.

Setting up an array is an extremely complex process that requires precise calculations and accurate control.

Chu Yang carefully adjusted the position and angle of each piece of material, as even the slightest deviation could affect the power of the entire formation.

"The position of this 'Celestial Star Flag' seems a bit off..." Chu Yang frowned and moved the Celestial Star Flag slightly to the left.

hum!

The Qiankun Ruler trembled slightly, and the surrounding spiritual energy fluctuated accordingly.

"It's still not right..."

Chu Yang sighed and readjusted the position of the Heavenly Star Flag.

Setting up an array requires utmost care; the slightest deviation could render all previous efforts futile or even backfire.

Chu Yang frowned, sometimes deep in thought, sometimes adjusting the position of the materials.

During the arrangement process, he encountered many difficulties, such as the conflicting properties of some materials, which made them difficult to integrate.

In some locations, the flow of spiritual energy is obstructed, affecting the operation of the formation.

Whenever he encounters a problem, Chu Yang enters the Soul Palace to discuss it with Chu Yangs from other worlds.

Finally, on the seventh day, Chu Yang completed the setup of the Lesser Universe Array.

He took a deep breath and inserted the Qiankun Ruler into the array's core.

hum!

A deep hum resounded, and the entire cave shook.

The Qiankun Ruler emitted a dazzling light, like a small sun, illuminating the entire cave.

The dazzling light gradually faded, and the Qiankun Ruler stood firmly in the center of the formation, radiating a warm glow.

Chu Yang wiped the sweat from his forehead and let out a long sigh of relief.

To test the power of the Small Universe Formation, Chu Yang first picked up a few ordinary stones and threw them into the formation.

The moment the stone touched the edge of the formation, it was instantly crushed into dust by an invisible force, leaving not even a trace.

Chu Yang took out another low-grade spiritual artifact, hesitated for a moment, and then threw it in.

The magical artifact struggled within the formation for a moment, emitting mournful cries, before finally being destroyed by the formation's power, turning into specks of spiritual light that dissipated into the air.

"The power is not bad."

Chu Yang stroked his chin, secretly pleased.

Although this Small Universe Formation is only in its initial stages, its power has already far exceeded his expectations.

However, Chu Yang still felt that the formation was not operating smoothly enough and that its power could be improved.

In order to more fully test the power of the Lesser Universe Formation, Chu Yang decided to invite Daoist Duobao to give it a try.

He immediately set off for Duobao Cave and told Duobao his idea.

Upon hearing this, Duobao immediately became interested and readily agreed.

After returning to his cave, Chu Yang quietly waited for the arrival of Daoist Duobao.

Before long, Duobao arrived riding a cloud, entering the cave with a smile: "Junior Brother Xiaolei, have you finished setting up the formation? Let your senior brother take a look!"

Chu Yang quickly stood up to greet him: "Senior brother, please!"

Duobao walked to the edge of the formation, observed it carefully, and a hint of admiration flashed in his eyes: "Junior brother, your formation is ingeniously designed and truly extraordinary!"

After saying that, he took out a high-grade spiritual treasure and smashed it fiercely towards the formation.

boom!

After a loud bang, smoke and dust billowed up.

Chu Yang stared intently at the formation. He saw that the attack of the high-grade spiritual treasure was weakened by more than half by the formation. It only caused a ripple on the surface of the formation before disappearing without a trace.

"What amazing defense!"

Duobao exclaimed in amazement, "This formation is so powerful that even an ordinary Taiyi Golden Immortal would have difficulty breaking through it!"

Chu Yang was secretly pleased, but he remained humble: "Senior brother, you flatter me. This formation still has many shortcomings."

Duobao nodded and pointed to several locations in the formation, saying, "Junior brother, the flow of spiritual energy in these places is a bit sluggish. You can make some adjustments, which should increase its power considerably."

Chu Yang humbly accepted Duo Bao's guidance and decided to further improve the formation.

Subsequently, he invited the disciples of the Jie Sect, including the Three Immortals of Sanxiao and the Holy Mother of Golden Spirit, to experience the Small Universe Formation and collect suggestions for improvement.

As soon as the Three Immortal Maidens entered the formation, Yunxiao exclaimed, "This formation is incredibly powerful! It's comparable to Zhao Gongming's Sea-Stabilizing Pearl!"

Qiongxiao directly unleashed the Hunyuan Golden Cauldron, striking the formation, only to have it easily neutralized.

Bixiao chuckled from the side, "Junior brother, if you used this formation against those guys from the Chan Sect, they'd be crying for their parents!"

Chu Yang wrote down everyone's suggestions one by one, feeling extremely grateful.

Based on everyone's suggestions, the Small Universe Formation was slightly adjusted, the array's cores were rearranged, and the positions and angles of the materials were adjusted.

As he continued to adjust it, the formation operated more and more smoothly, and its power gradually increased.

Three months passed in the blink of an eye.

The square of Yuxu Palace on Kunlun Mountain was already crowded with people, and the atmosphere was solemn.

The disciples of the Jie Sect occupied most of the territory, but their faces were all solemn.

The disciples of the Chan Sect formed a circle, each with an arrogant expression.

On the high platform, Laozi, Yuanshi Tianzun, and Tongtian Jiaozhu, three sages, sat upright, their eyes blazing as they looked down below.

Chu Yang took a deep breath, trying to calm his slightly nervous emotions.

Since he improved the Small Universe Formation based on everyone's suggestions last time, he has been studying the art of formations day and night, and now he finally has full confidence.

"Junior Brother Xiaolei, don't be nervous, just do your best."

Yunxiao comforted her softly, her tone tinged with worry.

At this moment, Guang Chengzi, holding a whisk, slowly walked to the center of the square and smiled slightly at Chu Yang: "Junior Brother Xiao Lei, please."

According to the established rules, Guang Chengzi was to set up the formation first.

Chu Yang nodded and walked to the opposite side of Guang Chengzi.

Guang Chengzi didn't waste any words and immediately began setting up the formation.

His hands moved swiftly, and he chanted incantations. Mysterious runes flew from his hands and landed on the ground, forming a complex pattern.

"The Yin-Yang, Four Symbols, and Eight Trigrams Formation!"

Qiongxiao exclaimed in surprise, "Guang Chengzi really thinks highly of Junior Brother Chu Yang, setting up such a powerful formation right from the start!"

Chu Yang frowned. He had naturally heard of the "Two Elements Four Symbols Eight Trigrams Formation". This formation was unpredictable and contained hidden dangers. If one was not careful, one would fall into a place of no return.

Once the formation was complete, Guang Chengzi gestured for him to enter: "Junior Brother Chu Yang, please enter the formation."

Without hesitation, Chu Yang, holding the Qiankun Ruler, stepped into the formation.

As soon as he entered the formation, Chu Yang sensed that the surrounding scenery had changed.

The once empty square has now turned into a misty forest, with gusts of cold wind and ghostly shadows, making it a chilling place.

Chu Yang dared not be careless and walked forward cautiously. The Qiankun Ruler emitted a faint golden light, illuminating the path ahead for him, while also probing the true nature of the formation.

"Exactly! How could he possibly break this 'Two Elements, Four Symbols, Eight Trigrams Formation'? I bet he'll have to come out and admit defeat in less than half an incense stick's time!"

Upon hearing this, the disciples of the Jie Sect were filled with righteous indignation, yet they were helpless.

Within the formation, Chu Yang moved slowly, taking each step with extreme caution.

He discovered that the formation was indeed as good as its reputation, unpredictable and ever-changing. If one was not careful, he would trigger the formation's restrictions and attract an attack.

The Qiankun Ruler spun continuously in his hand, emitting increasingly bright golden light that dispelled the surrounding mist and gradually unveiled the mystery of the formation.

As Chu Yang's understanding of formations deepened, his pace gradually quickened.

He swung the Qiankun Ruler faster and faster, and streaks of golden light, like sharp swords, slashed at the weak points of the formation.

"Snap!"

With a crisp sound, Chu Yang broke through one corner of the formation, revealing a slight flaw.

Chu Yang was overjoyed and pressed his advantage, swinging the Qiankun Ruler repeatedly, radiating golden light, and breaking through the weak points of the formation one by one.

Crack! Crack! Several crisp sounds rang out in succession, like rotten wood breaking. The runes at the edge of the formation flickered a few times and then dimmed, like a candle flickering in the wind.

Guang Chengzi's expression changed drastically.

He originally thought that even if Chu Yang could break the formation, it would take him an hour or two, giving him enough time to secretly do something.

But now, with the formation on the verge of collapse, his plans have been completely disrupted.

"Senior Brother Chijingzi, Senior Brother Taiyi, please lend me a hand!"

Guang Chengzi secretly sent a telepathic message to Chi Jingzi, Taiyi Zhenren, and others hidden within the formation, seeking their help.

Upon receiving Guang Chengzi's telepathic message, Chi Jingzi and the others immediately activated their magical power to secretly reinforce the formation.

The previously crumbling formation seemed to have been infused with new vitality and stabilized once again.

Chu Yang sensed the unusual fluctuations within the formation and immediately realized that there was more to it than met the eye.

He sneered, thinking to himself: Guang Chengzi, you really are playing dirty tricks! On the surface, however, he remained calm and continued to attack the weak points of the formation, pretending not to know anything.

"This kid's actually got some skills!"

Hiding in the shadows, Chi Jingzi gritted his teeth and said, "They actually managed to force Guang Chengzi to ask us for help!"

"Hmph, he's just relying on the power of the Qiankun Ruler!"

Master Taiyi scoffed disdainfully, "Let's see how long he can remain arrogant once his magic power is exhausted!"

The formation was barely maintained with the combined efforts of the group. Chu Yang pretended to be outmatched, fighting and retreating, while secretly observing the changes in the formation and searching for the true core of the formation.

"Ha, you're quite the actor!"

Guang Chengzi watched Chu Yang retreat step by step, feeling smug, thinking that Chu Yang had run out of tricks.

"Senior brother, don't let your guard down, this kid is very cunning!" Chi Jingzi warned.

While dodging the attacks of the formation, Chu Yang secretly observed its changes, searching for the true core of the formation.

Under Chu Yang's constant probing, the flaws in the formation gradually became apparent.

A cold smile curled at the corner of his lips as he thought to himself: Found it!

Chu Yang seized the opportunity and struck the core of the formation with the Qiankun Ruler.

"Not good!" Guang Chengzi and the others' expressions changed drastically, but it was too late to stop them.

"boom!"

With a deafening roar, golden light shot into the sky, like a dazzling pillar of light piercing straight into the heavens!

The already precarious formation collapsed instantly under this attack!

The hidden figures of Chi Jingzi, Taiyi Zhenren, and others within the formation were also exposed, their faces pale and spitting blood, clearly suffering from the backlash of the formation.

"Pfft!" Guang Chengzi spat out a mouthful of blood, his face as pale as paper, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief.

Chu Yang broke through the formation, holding the Qiankun Ruler, his eyes blazing, coldly staring at Guang Chengzi and the others, like a king looking down upon the world.

"This is the formation you, Guang Chengzi, prepared?" Chu Yang's tone was icy, tinged with sarcasm. "Next time you're thinking of using underhanded tricks, think twice before you try anything!" (End of Chapter)