hé xún cháng cè yàn bù tóng 。
和寻常测验不同。
Unlike ordinary tests, this one was different.
yīn wèi tiān xuán suǒ líng zhèn zhèn shū shí fēn zhēn xī ， bù kě néng wèi le yī cì cè yàn ， jiù jiāng shàng qiān méi shù liàng de zhèn shū quán bù diào dòng zhì tiān yǔ zhōu 。
因为天玄锁灵阵阵枢十分珍稀，不可能为了一次测验，就将上千枚数量的阵枢全部调动至天禹州。
Because the Heavenly Xuan Locking Spirit Array Core was extremely rare, it wouldn't be practical to mobilize a thousand of them just for a single test in Tianyu State.
suǒ yǐ zhè cì bù zhèn shí cāo kǎo hé bú shì suǒ yǒu zhèn dào xué yuán tóng shí jìn xíng de ， ér shì yǐ wǔ shí rén wéi yī xiǎo zǔ ， fēn zǔ yī cì cè yàn 。
所以这次布阵实操考核不是所有阵道学员同时进行的，而是以五十人为一小组，分组依次测验。
Therefore, the practical array construction assessment wasn't conducted simultaneously for all Array Dao students; instead, they were divided into groups of fifty and tested one after another.
ér cān jiā kǎo hé de shùn xù ， jiù shì píng shí dà jiā de zōng hé cè yàn chéng jì 。
而参加考核的顺序，就是平时大家的综合测验成绩。
The order of the tests was based on their overall performance from previous assessments.
lǐ fán pái zài zhōng děng piān shàng wèi zhì ， suǒ yǐ bù yòng děng dài tài jiǔ 。
李凡排在中等偏上位置，所以不用等待太久。
Li Fan was placed in the middle, so he wouldn't have to wait long. The Heavenly Xuan Locking Spirit Array was vast, and even a genius would need several years just to fully construct it.
tiān xuán suǒ líng zhèn guī mó hóng dà ， jiù suàn zài zěn me tiān cái ， xiǎng yào wán quán jiàn zào ， méi gè jǐ nián shí jiān yě shì bù xíng de 。
天玄锁灵阵规模宏大，就算再怎么天才，想要完全建造，没个几年时间也是不行的。
Ultimately, it was merely an assessment of everyone's array construction skills, not something that would waste so much time.
zhōng jiū zhǐ shì yī cháng kǎo yàn zhòng rén bù zhèn shuǐ píng de cè yàn ér yǐ ， bù kě néng zhēn de làng fèi zhè me duō shí jiān 。
终究只是一场考验众人布阵水平的测验而已，不可能真的浪费这么多时间。
Thus, the specific rules were: within seven days, they should build as much of the central core structure of the array as possible. The final ranking would be determined by their actual array constructions.
suǒ yǐ jù tǐ guī zé jiù shì ， yǐ qī rì wéi xiàn ， jǐn kě néng de gòu jiàn zhèn fǎ zhōng yāng hé xīn jié gòu 。
所以具体规则就是，以七日为限，尽可能的构建阵法中央核心结构。
Li Fan was in Group Six, meaning he wouldn't have to wait for over forty days before his turn came around.
zuì zhōng pái míng yǐ shí jì bù zhèn qíng kuàng jué dìng 。
最终排名以实际布阵情况决定。
During the assessment period, no one was allowed to leave.
lǐ fán pái zài dì liù xiǎo zǔ ， yě jiù shì bǎo shǒu gū jì ， sì shí duō tiān hòu cái lún dào tā 。
李凡排在第六小组，也就是保守估计，四十多天后才轮到他。
Only those who completed the test were permitted to leave the Huanyu Study Hall and relax in Tianyu City.
kǎo hé qī jiān ， tóng yàng shì yán gé jìn zhǐ wài chū 。
考核期间，同样是严格禁止外出。
However, due to previous lessons, they weren't even allowed to leave Tianyu City.
zhǐ yǒu kǎo hé jié shù de xué yuán ， cái bèi yǔn xǔ lí kāi huán yǔ bié yuàn ， dào tiān yǔ chéng zhōng fàng sōng xīn qíng 。
只有考核结束的学员，才被允许离开寰宇别院，到天禹城中放松心情。
While waiting, Li Fan studied the small black box given to him by Zhang Ziliang.
bù guò yǒu le qián chē zhī jiàn ， yě shì bù yǔn xǔ lí kāi tiān yǔ chéng de 。
不过有了前车之鉴，也是不允许离开天禹城的。
Previously, he had attempted to decipher it but failed because there seemed to be an unknown restriction on top of the sealing array when Zhang Ziliang was still alive. He eventually gave up after a few attempts.
lǐ fán yī biān zài děng dài de tóng shí ， yī biān yán jiū qǐ le zhāng zhì liáng jiāo gěi tā de xiǎo hēi xiá 。
李凡一边在等待的同时，一边研究起了张志良交给他的小黑匣。
Now that Zhang Ziliang was gone, Li Fan noticed that this restriction had disappeared on its own.
zhī qián ， lǐ fán yě céng shì tú pò jiě guò 。
之前，李凡也曾试图破解过。
It indicated that it was time to open his legacy.
bù guò nà shí hòu zhāng zhì liáng wèi sǐ ， xiǎo hēi xiá shàng sì hū lǒng zhào zhe yī céng chú le fēng yìn zhèn fǎ yǐ wài de wèi zhī jìn zhì ， lǐ fán cháng shì le jǐ cì ， méi yǒu chéng gōng ， jiù zàn shí fàng qì le 。
不过那时候张志良未死，小黑匣上似乎笼罩着一层除了封印阵法以外的未知禁制，李凡尝试了几次，没有成功，就暂时放弃了。
With little effort, as soon as a silver line appeared on the small black box, Li Fan broke through the sealing array.
rú jīn zhāng zhì liáng yǔn luò ， lǐ fán chá jué dào nà céng jìn zhì yě zì fā xiāo shī le 。
如今张志良陨落，李凡察觉到那层禁制也自发消失了。
Inside were items similar to those from the twelfth incarnation: an encrypted jade slip containing infinite techniques, heart monkey incense, spirit ball, and a common jade slip with Zhang Ziliang's last words.
shuō míng shì dào dǎ kāi zhāng zhì liáng yí chǎn de shí hòu le 。
说明是到打开张志良遗产的时候了。
Li Fan first read Zhang Ziliang’s last words.
méi fèi shén me gōng fu ， suí zhe xiǎo hēi xiá shàng liàng qǐ yī dào yín sè xì xiàn ， fēng yìn zhèn fǎ bèi lǐ fán pò chú 。
没费什么功夫，随着小黑匣上亮起一道银色细线，封印阵法被李凡破除。
After a moment, his expression was filled with emotion as he put down the jade slip.
lǐ miàn de dōng xī yě lù chū le yàng mào ， hé dì shí èr shì de shí hòu méi shén me dà de qū bié 。
里面的东西也露出了样貌，和第十二世的时候没什么大的区别。
In the message, Zhang Ziliang briefly explained that several years ago, through sheer luck, he learned about the impending arrival of Scarlet Flame in Cunyun Sea.
jì zǎi zhe wú xiàn fǎ de jiā mì yù jiǎn 、 xīn yuán xiāng liào 、 shí líng qiú 、 yí duì ， yǐ jí jì lù le zhāng zhì liáng yí yán de pǔ tōng yù jiǎn 。
记载着无限法的加密玉简、心猿香料、识灵球、遗兑，以及记录了张志良遗言的普通玉简。
To advance to the Fusion Realm, he had embarked on a desperate plan. If Li Fan could read these last words, it would mean his Fusion attempt failed and he was dead.
lǐ fán xiān shì yuè dú qǐ le zhāng zhì liáng de yí yán 。
李凡先是阅读起了张志良的遗言。
Zhang Ziliang's tone was filled with regret but he also stated that he did not regret anything.
piàn kè zhī hòu ， shén sè gǎn kǎi ， jiāng yù jiǎn fàng xià 。
片刻之后，神色感慨，将玉简放下。
During the Great Battle of Tianling State, the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance and the Five Elders Association clashed. Countless cultivators died like ants.
yí yán zhōng ， zhāng zhì liáng jiǎn dān chǎn shù le ， zì jǐ zài shù nián zhī qián jī yuán qiǎo hé zhī xià ， zhī dào le chì yán jí jiāng jiàng lín cóng yún hǎi de shì qíng 。
遗言中，张志良简单阐述了，自己在数年之前机缘巧合之下，知道了赤炎即将降临丛云海的事情。
Zhang Ziliang even witnessed several friends dying before his eyes. The entire sky was filled with the spectacle of cultivator deaths. One after another, he could barely see one before it was covered by the next.
wèi le néng gòu jìn shēng hé dào jìng jiè ， tā kāi shǐ le gū zhù yí zhì de móu huà 。
为了能够晋升合道境界，他开始了孤注一掷的谋划。
In the war, Zhang Ziliang's pride as an Incarnation Realm Array Mage was completely shattered. Not only was he not an Incarnation Realm cultivator, but even a Spiritual Transformation cultivator would have to follow the tide of fate in this battle.
ruò shì lǐ fán néng gòu jiàn dào yù jiǎn zhōng de yí yán ， nà jiù yì wèi zhe tā hé dào shī bài ， shēn sǐ dào xiāo le 。
若是李凡能够见到玉简中的遗言，那就意味着他合道失败，身死道消了。
"Below the Fusion Realm, all are ants."
zhāng zhì liáng de yǔ qì mǎn shì yí hàn ， bù guò tā yě biǎo shì jué bù hòu huǐ 。
张志良的语气满是遗憾，不过他也表示绝不后悔。
Realizing his mistake, Zhang Ziliang couldn't help but develop an endless desire for Fusion.
tiān líng zhōu dà zhàn zhōng ， wàn xiān méng hé wǔ lǎo huì xiū shì hù xiāng sī shā ， rú lóu yǐ bān jiē lián yǔn luò 。
天灵州大战中，万仙盟和五老会修士互相厮杀，如蝼蚁般接连陨落。
Surviving and returning to Cunyun Sea after such a calamity, he had gained insight and ascended to the Spiritual Transformation realm.
zhāng zhì liáng gèng shì qīn yǎn kàn dào ， shù gè píng rì lǐ yǔ zì jǐ jiāo hǎo de xiū shì ， cǎn sǐ zài zì jǐ miàn qián 。
张志良更是亲眼看到，数个平日里与自己交好的修士，惨死在自己面前。
Now, with this unexpected opportunity, how could he possibly let it slip away?
zhěng piàn tiān kōng dōu bèi xiū shì yǔn luò de yì xiàng zhàn jù 。
整片天空都被修士陨落的异像占据。
Defeat meant death, but he was already prepared for that.
wǎng wǎng qián yí gè sǐ de hái wèi kàn qīng ， jiù bèi hòu yǔn luò xiū shì de yì xiàng fù gài 。
往往前一个死的还未看清，就被后陨落修士的异像覆盖。
He feared losing his entire life's work, Infinite Techniques, so he left behind a legacy in advance.
zài zhàn zhēng zhōng ， zhāng zhì liáng shēn wèi yuán yīng zhèn fǎ shī de jiāo ào ， bèi chè dǐ niǎn de fěn suì 。
在战争中，张志良身为元婴阵法师的骄傲，被彻底碾的粉碎。
...
bié shuō yuán yīng le ， lián huà shén xiū shì ， zài zhè chǎng dà zhàn zhōng ， yě zhǐ néng suí bō zhú liú 、 shēng sǐ yóu mìng 。
别说元婴了，连化神修士，在这场大战中，也只能随波逐流、生死由命。
Most of his savings had been used to manufacture array crowns. Therefore, the remaining contribution points in this incarnation were even less than before—only over 200,000 points.
“ hé dào zhī xià ， jiē lóu yǐ 。”
“合道之下，皆蝼蚁。”
For Li Fan now, it was merely better than nothing.
zhāng zhì liáng zài xǐng wù de tóng shí ， xīn zhōng yě bù kě bì miǎn de dàn shēng le hé dào de wú xiàn yě wàng 。
张志良在醒悟的同时，心中也不可避免的诞生了合道的无限野望。
What he valued more was the Infinite Techniques from Zhang Ziliang at the Spiritual Transformation realm compared to when he was an Incarnation Realm cultivator.
jiǎo xìng huó mìng huí dào cóng yún hǎi ， dà nàn bù sǐ yǒu suǒ dùn wù ， jìn shēng dào huà shén jìng jiè 。
侥幸活命回到丛云海，大难不死有所顿悟，晋升到化神境界。
He lit the heart monkey incense and picked up the encrypted jade slip with golden corners, carefully reading through its contents.
ér rú jīn tiān cì liáng jī yòu qià hǎo chū xiàn ， tā yòu zěn me kě néng huì fàng qì ne ？
而如今天赐良机又恰好出现，他又怎么可能会放弃呢？
After entering the Golden Core realm, his divine sense had greatly increased.
bài zé yī sǐ yǐ ， tā zǎo yǐ zuò hǎo le zhǔn bèi 。
败则一死矣，他早已做好了准备。
This time, there was no dizziness; Li Fan quickly skimmed through the content of the jade slip.
wéi kǒng bì shēng suǒ xué 【 wú xiàn fǎ 】 jiù cǐ xiāo shī ， gù tí qián liú xià chuán chéng 。
唯恐毕生所学【无限法】就此消失，故提前留下传承。
The original Infinite Techniques were already familiar to him. Comparing them with this new version, he soon noticed the differences—or rather, improvements.
……
……
The core concept of Infinite Techniques was that arrays could continue evolving on their own, always growing and changing.
yīn wèi dà bù fèn jī xù dōu yòng lái zhì zào zhèn miǎn ， suǒ yǐ cǐ shì yí duì zhōng liú cún de gòng xiàn dù ， bǐ qǐ zhī qián hái yào shǎo yī xiē ， zhǐ yǒu èr shí duō wàn diǎn 。
因为大部分积蓄都用来制造阵冕，所以此世遗兑中留存的贡献度，比起之前还要少一些，只有二十多万点。
The key issue was the lack of a central core providing infinite computational support for array evolution.
duì yú xiàn zài de lǐ fán lái jiǎng ， yě zhǐ shì liào shèng yú wú 。
对于现在的李凡来讲，也只是廖胜于无。
During the twelfth incarnation, due to his Incarnation Realm limitations, Zhang Ziliang hadn't explicitly mentioned possible reference points for this core.
lǐ fán gèng kàn zhòng de shì ， huà shén jìng jiè zhāng zhì liáng de wú xiàn fǎ ， bǐ qǐ yuán yīng shí ， yòu yǒu hé bù tóng 。
李凡更看重的是，化神境界张志良的无限法，比起元婴时，又有何不同。
But now, he openly stated that the Ten Thousand Immortals' Treasure, Heavenly Xuan Mirror, was the most suitable central core for Infinite Techniques.
diǎn rán xīn yuán xiāng liào ， lǐ fán ná qǐ nà méi sì jiǎo dōu xiāng yǒu jīn sè de jiā mì yù jiǎn ， zǐ xì yuè dú qǐ lái 。
点燃心猿香料，李凡拿起那枚四角都镶有金色的加密玉简，仔细阅读起来。
When countless cultivators in the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance used the Heavenly Xuan Mirror at the same time, it never showed any lag.
jīn dān jìng jiè hòu ， shén shí qiáng dù bào zhǎng 。
金丹境界后，神识强度暴涨。
Moreover, the Heavenly Xuan Mirror had to handle various tasks like regulating prices and controlling information flow.
zhè cì méi yǒu le xuàn yūn gǎn ， lǐ fán hěn kuài jiù jiāng yù jiǎn zhōng de nèi róng dà zhì liú lǎn yī biàn 。
这次没有了眩晕感，李凡很快就将玉简中的内容大致浏览一遍。
Its data processing capabilities were beyond imagination. And with its own consciousness, the Heavenly Xuan Mirror perfectly matched Infinite Techniques.
duì yú yuán xiān de wú xiàn fǎ nèi róng ， lǐ fán zǎo yǐ làn shú yú xiōng 。
对于原先的无限法内容，李凡早已烂熟于胸。
Previously, due to its unique position in the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, Zhang Ziliang never considered this direction.
cǐ fān hé zhè xīn bǎn yī duì bǐ ， hěn kuài jiù chá jué dào le bù tóng ， yòu huò zhě shuō gǎi jìn de dì fāng 。
此番和这新版一对比，很快就察觉到了不同，又或者说改进的地方。
However, after the Great Battle of Tianling State and the emergence of the Heavenly Xuan Locking Spirit Array, it gave him a new insight.
wú xiàn fǎ de hé xīn lǐ niàn ， jiù shì zhèn fǎ néng gòu zuò dào zì shēn bù tíng yǎn huà ， shí shí kè kè dōu chǔ yú chéng zhǎng zhī zhōng 。
无限法的核心理念，就是阵法能够做到自身不停衍化，时时刻刻都处于成长之中。
"The Heavenly Xuan Locking Spirit Array is a magnificent attempt combining the Heavenly Xuan Mirror's abilities with array techniques."
zuì guān jiàn de ， shì quē shǎo yí gè néng gěi zhèn fǎ wú xiàn jìn huà tí gōng suàn lì zhī chēng de zhōng shū hé xīn 。
最关键的，是缺少一个能给阵法无限进化提供算力支撑的中枢核心。
"They think this attempt was groundbreaking, but in my view, it still falls short."
dì shí èr shì shí ， chū yú yuán yīng jìng de yǎn jiè xiàn zhì ， zhāng zhì liáng duì yú zhè ge hé xīn de kě néng cān kǎo duì xiàng ， bìng méi yǒu míng shuō 。
第十二世时，出于元婴境的眼界限制，张志良对于这个核心的可能参考对象，并没有明说。
"However, the Heavenly Xuan Mirror is too important; any mistake would cause severe turmoil within the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance. Being cautious is understandable."
ér zhè cì ， zhāng zhì liáng què shì zhí yán bù huì ， zuì shì hé dàng zuò wú xiàn fǎ zhōng shū hé xīn de ， jiù shì wàn xiān méng zhì bǎo ， tiān xuán jìng le 。
而这次，张志良却是直言不讳，最适合当做无限法中枢核心的，就是万仙盟至宝，天玄镜了。
"Even so, the Heavenly Xuan Locking Spirit Array with its new mirror surface as an array core has fundamentally changed compared to other arrays in the world."
wàn nián méng wú shù xiū shì zài tóng yī kè shǐ yòng tiān xuán jìng shí ， tā dōu bú huì chū xiàn kǎ dùn de qíng kuàng 。
万年盟无数修士在同一刻使用天玄镜时，它都不会出现卡顿的情况。
"You might have some understanding of how to build it after your closed training in Tianyu State."
gèng bú yòng shuō tiān xuán jìng hái yào tóng shí fù zé tiáo kòng wù jià 、 kòng zhì xìn xī liú zhuǎn děng děng shì wù 。
更不用说天玄镜还要同时负责调控物价、控制信息流转等等事务。
"But you may not fully grasp its true power."
kě jiàn tā shù jù chǔ lǐ néng lì ， dào dá le hé děng nán yǐ xiǎng xiàng de kě pà dì bù 。
可见它数据处理能力，到达了何等难以想象的可怕地步。
"I personally went to experience the debut of the Heavenly Xuan Locking Spirit Array in Jiushan State."
ér tiān xuán jìng yòu yǒu zì shēn líng zhì cún zài ， gèng shì wán měi qì hé wú xiàn fǎ 。
而天玄镜又有自身灵智存在，更是完美契合无限法。
"When I saw those light columns spanning the heavens, when I felt the omnipresent surveillance and threats, when the fluctuations of the Heavenly Xuan Mirror swept over me..."
zhī qián yīn wèi tā zài wàn xiān méng de dú tè dì wèi ， zhāng zhì liáng gēn běn méi wǎng zhè fāng miàn qù xiǎng 。
之前因为它在万仙盟的独特地位，张志良根本没往这方面去想。
In *The Miraculous Encounter with Immortal Wood*,
bù guò tiān líng zhōu dà zhàn guò hòu ， tiān xuán suǒ líng zhèn héng kōng chū shì ， què shì gěi le tā qǐ fā 。
不过天灵州大战过后，天玄锁灵阵横空出世，却是给了他启发。
A shiver ran down his spine.
“ tiān xuán suǒ líng zhèn ， jiù shì tiān xuán jìng zì shēn néng lì hé zhèn fǎ jié hé de yī cì wěi dà cháng shì 。”
“天玄锁灵阵，就是天玄镜自身能力和阵法结合的一次伟大尝试。”
"Ji Hongdao and the others are true geniuses who created a real monster."
“ tā men dōu rèn wéi cǐ cì cháng shì yǒu xiē shí pò tiān jīng de yì wèi ， dàn zài wǒ kàn lái ， què shì réng rán yǒu xiē bǎo shǒu le 。”
“他们都认为此次尝试有些石破天惊的意味，但在我看来，却是仍然有些保守了。”
"Just imagine what would happen if countless Heavenly Xuan Locking Spirit Arrays were built, covering all territories of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance.
“ bù guò tiān xuán jìng shí zài tài guò zhòng yào ， yí dàn chū xiàn chā cuò ， wàn xiān méng bì rán huì xiàn rù jù liè de dòng dàng zhōng 。 xiǎo xīn jǐn shèn diǎn yě shì lǐ suǒ yīng dāng zhī shì 。”
“不过天玄镜实在太过重要，一旦出现差错，万仙盟必然会陷入剧烈的动荡中。小心谨慎点也是理所应当之事。”
"Everything that happens in this world, every slight breeze or ripple, will be captured by the Heavenly Xuan Mirror without fail."
“ jí biàn rú cǐ ， yǒu le tiān xuán jìng xīn shēng jìng miàn zuò wéi zhèn shū de tiān xuán suǒ líng zhèn ， hé shì jiān qí yú zhèn fǎ xiàng bǐ ， yě yǒu le zhì dì biàn huà 。”
“即便如此，有了天玄镜新生镜面作为阵枢的天玄锁灵阵，和世间其余阵法相比，也有了质的变化。”
"All cultivators before the Heavenly Xuan Mirror will have no secrets left."
“ nǐ zài tiān yǔ zhōu jiē shòu fēng bì xùn liàn ， huò xǔ duì rú hé jiàn zào tā ， yǐ jīng yǒu suǒ liǎo jiě 。”
“你在天禹州接受封闭训练，或许对如何建造它，已经有所了解。”
...
“ dàn tiān xuán suǒ líng zhèn de zhēn zhèng wēi néng ， nǐ què wèi bì qīng chǔ 。”
“但天玄锁灵阵的真正威能，你却未必清楚。”
Li Fan was startled as he read these words.
Unlike ordinary tests, this one was different.
Because the Heavenly Xuan Locking Spirit Array Core was extremely rare, it wouldn't be practical to mobilize a thousand of them just for a single test in Tianyu State.
Therefore, the practical array construction assessment wasn't conducted simultaneously for all Array Dao students; instead, they were divided into groups of fifty and tested one after another.
The order of the tests was based on their overall performance from previous assessments.
Li Fan was placed in the middle, so he wouldn't have to wait long. The Heavenly Xuan Locking Spirit Array was vast, and even a genius would need several years just to fully construct it.
Ultimately, it was merely an assessment of everyone's array construction skills, not something that would waste so much time.
Thus, the specific rules were: within seven days, they should build as much of the central core structure of the array as possible. The final ranking would be determined by their actual array constructions.
Li Fan was in Group Six, meaning he wouldn't have to wait for over forty days before his turn came around.
During the assessment period, no one was allowed to leave.
Only those who completed the test were permitted to leave the Huanyu Study Hall and relax in Tianyu City.
However, due to previous lessons, they weren't even allowed to leave Tianyu City.
While waiting, Li Fan studied the small black box given to him by Zhang Ziliang.
Previously, he had attempted to decipher it but failed because there seemed to be an unknown restriction on top of the sealing array when Zhang Ziliang was still alive. He eventually gave up after a few attempts.
Now that Zhang Ziliang was gone, Li Fan noticed that this restriction had disappeared on its own.
It indicated that it was time to open his legacy.
With little effort, as soon as a silver line appeared on the small black box, Li Fan broke through the sealing array.
Inside were items similar to those from the twelfth incarnation: an encrypted jade slip containing infinite techniques, heart monkey incense, spirit ball, and a common jade slip with Zhang Ziliang's last words.
Li Fan first read Zhang Ziliang’s last words.
After a moment, his expression was filled with emotion as he put down the jade slip.
In the message, Zhang Ziliang briefly explained that several years ago, through sheer luck, he learned about the impending arrival of Scarlet Flame in Cunyun Sea.
To advance to the Fusion Realm, he had embarked on a desperate plan. If Li Fan could read these last words, it would mean his Fusion attempt failed and he was dead.
Zhang Ziliang's tone was filled with regret but he also stated that he did not regret anything.
During the Great Battle of Tianling State, the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance and the Five Elders Association clashed. Countless cultivators died like ants.
Zhang Ziliang even witnessed several friends dying before his eyes. The entire sky was filled with the spectacle of cultivator deaths. One after another, he could barely see one before it was covered by the next.
In the war, Zhang Ziliang's pride as an Incarnation Realm Array Mage was completely shattered. Not only was he not an Incarnation Realm cultivator, but even a Spiritual Transformation cultivator would have to follow the tide of fate in this battle.
"Below the Fusion Realm, all are ants."
Realizing his mistake, Zhang Ziliang couldn't help but develop an endless desire for Fusion.
Surviving and returning to Cunyun Sea after such a calamity, he had gained insight and ascended to the Spiritual Transformation realm.
Now, with this unexpected opportunity, how could he possibly let it slip away?
Defeat meant death, but he was already prepared for that.
He feared losing his entire life's work, Infinite Techniques, so he left behind a legacy in advance.
...
Most of his savings had been used to manufacture array crowns. Therefore, the remaining contribution points in this incarnation were even less than before—only over 200,000 points.
For Li Fan now, it was merely better than nothing.
What he valued more was the Infinite Techniques from Zhang Ziliang at the Spiritual Transformation realm compared to when he was an Incarnation Realm cultivator.
He lit the heart monkey incense and picked up the encrypted jade slip with golden corners, carefully reading through its contents.
After entering the Golden Core realm, his divine sense had greatly increased.
This time, there was no dizziness; Li Fan quickly skimmed through the content of the jade slip.
The original Infinite Techniques were already familiar to him. Comparing them with this new version, he soon noticed the differences—or rather, improvements.
The core concept of Infinite Techniques was that arrays could continue evolving on their own, always growing and changing.
The key issue was the lack of a central core providing infinite computational support for array evolution.
During the twelfth incarnation, due to his Incarnation Realm limitations, Zhang Ziliang hadn't explicitly mentioned possible reference points for this core.
But now, he openly stated that the Ten Thousand Immortals' Treasure, Heavenly Xuan Mirror, was the most suitable central core for Infinite Techniques.
When countless cultivators in the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance used the Heavenly Xuan Mirror at the same time, it never showed any lag.
Moreover, the Heavenly Xuan Mirror had to handle various tasks like regulating prices and controlling information flow.
Its data processing capabilities were beyond imagination. And with its own consciousness, the Heavenly Xuan Mirror perfectly matched Infinite Techniques.
Previously, due to its unique position in the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, Zhang Ziliang never considered this direction.
However, after the Great Battle of Tianling State and the emergence of the Heavenly Xuan Locking Spirit Array, it gave him a new insight.
"The Heavenly Xuan Locking Spirit Array is a magnificent attempt combining the Heavenly Xuan Mirror's abilities with array techniques."
"They think this attempt was groundbreaking, but in my view, it still falls short."
"However, the Heavenly Xuan Mirror is too important; any mistake would cause severe turmoil within the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance. Being cautious is understandable."
"Even so, the Heavenly Xuan Locking Spirit Array with its new mirror surface as an array core has fundamentally changed compared to other arrays in the world."
"You might have some understanding of how to build it after your closed training in Tianyu State."
"But you may not fully grasp its true power."
"I personally went to experience the debut of the Heavenly Xuan Locking Spirit Array in Jiushan State."
"When I saw those light columns spanning the heavens, when I felt the omnipresent surveillance and threats, when the fluctuations of the Heavenly Xuan Mirror swept over me..."
In *The Miraculous Encounter with Immortal Wood*,
A shiver ran down his spine.
"Ji Hongdao and the others are true geniuses who created a real monster."
"Just imagine what would happen if countless Heavenly Xuan Locking Spirit Arrays were built, covering all territories of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance.
"Everything that happens in this world, every slight breeze or ripple, will be captured by the Heavenly Xuan Mirror without fail."
"All cultivators before the Heavenly Xuan Mirror will have no secrets left."
...
Li Fan was startled as he read these words.