Next Shareholder, Please

Chen Yi used the intelligence that "Shen Wanquan is collaborating with the Dragon Race" to trade for a set of materials needed to forge the immortal artifact, the Ten Thousand Souls Banner.

Then, on the spot, Chen Yi refined the artifact. Using the Shen family's artisans and forging facilities, he crafted the Ten Thousand Souls Banner into a super-immortal artifact identical to the one in the simulation.

"Holy crap! Bro! You're way too generous! Through fire and water for a friend, bro!!"

The Ten Thousand Souls Banner was so excited it babbled incoherently, howling crazily.

No one could ever call it a low-tier terrestrial magical tool again.

With a single transformation, the Ten Thousand Souls Banner became the most powerful immortal artifact in the mortal realm.

Just like in the simulation, the moment it was forged, extraordinary phenomena filled the sky—sacred, magnificent, and shocking the entire star domain.

The Furnace of Refining Elixirs watched enviously, its mouth turning purple.

"Hey—I say, my liege? Do we ever get a chance to upgrade too?"

Chen Yi shrugged.

"We’d need the original blueprint. Otherwise, what I forge wouldn’t be the Furnace of Refining Elixirs, but something entirely new. In that case, the 'artifact' and 'spirit' wouldn’t match, and you wouldn’t be able to enter it."

The Furnace of Refining Elixirs was deeply disappointed.

It didn’t know what its own blueprint looked like.

Unlike the Ten Thousand Souls Banner, which—back when it was mixed up in the underworld—often got shattered by righteous cultivators enforcing justice.

That’s why the Ten Thousand Souls Banner had memorized its own forging blueprint, so it could rebuild its body at any time.

It had even kept various low-tier versions, just in case resources were scarce for building lesser-quality copies.

"Next shareholder, please."

Chen Yi’s next stop was the Xiaoyao Holy Land.

The journey didn’t take long.

He flew through the star domain first, then tore open the barrier over the Holy Land to descend.

Flying in the star domain didn’t require overcoming gravity, so he moved much faster.

Chen Yi suppressed his aura, casually lifted a corner of the Holy Land’s defensive formation, and slipped into the Holy Land’s core without anyone noticing.

Along the way, he encountered many hidden magical barriers, but he dismantled them all with ease.

After all, he had learned the way of formations in the last simulation. To a celestial-grade array master like Chen Yi, the Holy Land's formations were nothing but window dressing.

Chen Yi arrived at the Nine Palace Island.

He wanted to make up for a regret he had in the simulation.

Xie Guihong, the Island Master of Nine Palace Island, was just then lecturing the new disciples on the island.

"What is a formation? Using tangible methods to gather intangible energy, borrowing the power of heaven and earth. The person setting the formation may not be strong, but if they are skilled in the way of formations, they can raise a great formation, overcome weakness with strength, and turn the impossible into possible…"

Xie Guihong had taken into account the mixed aptitudes of the students and had explained everything in simple terms.

But the disciples listening below were still scratching their heads, lost in a fog, nodding off.

"So, who can tell me the three key elements of a formation’s foundation?"

As soon as the teacher asked a question, the students lowered their heads, avoiding his gaze.

Xie Guihong sighed and shook his head.

"Another batch of mediocre apprentices. When will my Nine Palace Island ever get a true genius in the way of formations? If this keeps up, we’ll be running out of talent…"

Just then, a clear voice sounded from the air above.

"A formation foundation is the bedrock of any array. It determines whether the formation can succeed, how much error it can tolerate, and how much power it can unleash. So, the three elements are tied to these three purposes…"

Chen Yi’s understanding of formations had reached perfection.

His explanation was even clearer and easier to grasp than what Island Master Xie had said.

Xie Guihong listened to Chen Yi share his insights like a spring breeze, marveling as if he had found a treasure.

Only when Chen Yi finished did he suddenly snap to alertness.

"Which island are you from? You have cultivation above a Martial King, but why do you look so unfamiliar?"

Chen Yi smiled, raised his fists in salute, and said.

"Island Master Xie, I am not from this Holy Land…"

"How did you get in? Do you know that trespassing in the Holy Land is a serious crime?"

"I am a celestial-grade array master…"

"Well, come to think of it, my Xiaoyao Holy Land has always valued talent. If you truly are a celestial-grade array master, you will surely be welcomed with open arms."

The disciples of Nine Palace Island around the lecture platform watched their usually upright and stern-faced Island Master put on a dramatic show of "changing his face" right there on the platform. They struggled to hold back their laughter.

The arrival of a celestial-grade array master sparked great curiosity across Nine Palace Island.

Especially among the older, veteran array masters, who rushed over one after another, afraid that the celestial master might slip away.

Chen Yi sat and discussed the path of formations, generously sharing the pinnacle formation knowledge he had inherited from the simulation, embodying the spirit of open-source sharing.

After hearing Chen Yi speak, even without seeing him actually set up a formation, the experienced old array masters were basically certain:

The formation mastery of this young man surpasses mine.

But some reckless hotheads still voiced doubts.

"Anyone can just talk. Maybe he’s just read a few ancient records—sounds deep and mysterious, but can he really set up a celestial formation?"

The reckless one who ran his mouth was instantly smacked by his own master.

This master was none other than Zhao Hanzhou—Chen Yi's legitimate teacher in the simulation.

Seeing this white-haired old man again filled Chen Yi with emotion.

This teacher, who had helped Chen Yi refine his formation way, had died without seeing his favorite disciple one last time, nor the moment a celestial formation once again appeared in the world.

For a man who had devoted his entire life to the way of formations, it was undoubtedly a profound regret.

So, Chen Yi went with the flow and said,

"Fine. Practice produces true knowledge. I’ll simply set up a celestial formation."

Zhao Hanzhou said apologetically,

"Sir, there’s no need. My disciple’s reckless words are evidence of my poor teaching. Please forgive me."

"No worries."

Chen Yi borrowed some materials and crystals from Xie Guihong and the others. Under the watchful eyes of everyone on Nine Palace Island, he casually and effortlessly laid out the "One Continuous Sky Formation."

The absolute anti-flight field effect of this formation astonished the entire crowd.

Seeing a celestial formation with their own eyes brought tears to the eyes of many veteran array masters.

"Hahaha, I knew why the magpie was chattering on the branch this morning—it’s because a celestial-grade array master of the human race has emerged!"

"A momentous occasion! And he looks so young—imagine how many powerful array masters he could train in the future!"

"Say no more, I’m going to become his disciple!"

What a reversal of fortune.

In the simulation, Xie Guihong, Zhao Hanzhou, and others had been Chen Yi’s teachers.

But in reality, they were now begging Chen Yi to take them as his disciples, and they strongly urged him to stay on Nine Palace Island.

Xie Guihong even directly gave him the island master’s token.

"Island Master Xie! You shouldn’t! You are the island master—I cannot overstep my bounds!"

"Island Master Chen, you jest. On Nine Palace Island, whoever has the highest formation mastery becomes the island master. Who approves? Who objects?"

A chorus of approval rose from below; their expressions didn’t look like a joke.

Just then, Dongfang Shuo, the Grand Administrator of the Xiaoyao Holy Land, arrived on urgent news.

Chen Yi quickly explained his purpose to Dongfang Shuo.

"I came to the Xiaoyao Holy Land this time to meet God Xiaoyao."

Chen Yi slightly revealed Martial God-level aura, and Dongfang Shuo’s demeanor immediately became laden with profound respect. He bowed with his fists clasped.

"Have you recently broken through, senior?"

"You could say that."

I understand that you wish to converse with cultivators of the same realm, Senior, but God Xiaoyao is a truly exceptional case...