82 Theoretically

"How did you do it?" a dazed expression emerged on Wilford's face as he asked a question to Lucas.

Meanwhile, Lucas just nonchalantly fixed the books in their order without answering him for a while. Curious about it, Wilford followed Lucas's actions to see if he could learn something from him, but as he was silent, he pondered.

'This senior is just too amazing. Even with how oblivious he was, he had some air to breathe without even showing much effort. I think, if not for his youthful attitude, we would understand each other and might talk about serenity.'

Wilford could only sigh in frustration as Lucas was still ignoring him. When he acted to leave, Lucas suddenly paused and Wilford noticed he was done organizing the books.

"I just have an amazing memory. That was all, but can I ask? Why, as a master, didn't you even teach me anything and just let me read?"

Wilford bitterly smiled, "I wanted to see if you have a great memory since array forming needs that kind of asset. And by the looks of it, you seem to be ready for my instructions, Senior Lucas." Wilford calmly said.

Lucas turned his back and shifted his face to Wilford's. 

"I am excited, you know. I am planning on creating a sect of unique cultivators. You want to join?"

Wilford snickered at Lucas's notion. He shook his head in ridicule and sat on the chair next to Lucas's.

"Why? Are you interested in making me your subordinate or disciple? What can you offer?" Wilford asked, seemingly his interest was piqued.

"I am a unique cultivator. And the reason why I am here learning arrays is to create my own sect with the same uniqueness that I had from the mass. I want some life experience." Then a smirk came after it.

"How could you even think of creating one if you are so obviously ignorant? Please don't take my words into offense, but just being honest, you are an ignorant, Senior Lucas."

Lucas snickered. "Here we are with that senior address. I really didn't like it, but I'll make an exception for you Sect Master. Because of your aura, you made me feel I had someone who is just the same as me." 

Wilford raised his eyebrows. He pondered on what Lucas was talking about. Being clueless about it, he raised a question.

"What do you mean? I can't keep up with your words, Senior Lucas."

Lucas scoffed, then shook his hands at his chest level. 

"Don't bother with it. If you are that curious about what I said, just show me some array. If you show me, I will finish my formula by experimenting if it practically works." Lucas remarked.

Wilford sighed at Lucas's still happy-go-lucky personality.

"Okay, I get it. Please follow me."

If ever there was a stranger witnessing this, they would wonder why a master shows respect to his disciple, even knowing how expert he was in array formations.

They went to an open field, which was Wilford's personal field. There were no people, just flat land and a forest-like environment. There were falls and even a streaming river that passed just to their left.

There were boulders formed like pedestals on the right with characters of some practice Wilford does.

Lucas's eyes ventured all around as he was mesmerized by how the beautiful cascading scenery existed in Wilford's personal field.

He breathed out an amazed exhale and faced Wilford.

"You've got a nice space, Sect Master. Does anyone in this sect have the same privilege as you have?" he asked.

Wilford didn't reply, and instead, he diverted the topic of the conversation.

"Did you experience making your own array, Senior Lucas?" Wilford asked.

Wilford's left, which was just before the streaming river, was where Lucas stands nearby. Lucas then pondered and shook his head.

"I didn't. Can you show me how? I only knew arrays theoretically. I still need to learn practical skills, right?"

"Yes, you still need it. Even with how good your memory is, without proper comprehension, you won't be able to create an array. So, let's begin?"

Lucas smiled before nodding after Wilford's question. After that, Wilford started drawing something on the floor after a wide circle.

He then drew something in the air and, for a brief moment, it was shown, but after a few seconds, it disappeared, as it had never been there before.

Lucas intently observed the whole process, then connected everything with what he knew. What Wilford just did earlier was the second layer of the array. As printing an array is enough to create it in the air, having the first layer, which was the basic, is important for those who still don't know the purpose of it.

Theoretically, a basic array can't stand without the first layer or the symbol on the surface. However, there are some arrays that don't need to be drawn on the surface, instead, they do it on-air and paste it invisibly on the surface.

At this point, not only was the array formation hidden, but it was also safe from interference because it was drawn in secrecy.

Then, since Wilford was intended to show the basics, he created the first layer with a physical drawing of the formation and the second layer with an invisible drawing.

When the formation was finally done, Wilford started putting some spiritual energy into the array he created.

'This is it. It is the activation of array formation that is like activating magic circles.'

Light emerged, enveloping the area around the array formation Wilford created. And as the light was already filled with white, they started forming a physical, transparent dome with Wilford inside. And as Lucas gazed at it, he noted the process he saw.

'So, it was this, huh? It wasn't what I'd been thinking. I assumed that activating required far more spiritual energy than was required. Well, the formula I created was the one that was faulty. And Wilford's form was a bit more complex and more well structured.'

Wilford then destroyed the protective array and faced Lucas.

"Was that enough? Do you think you already have an idea of how to do it practically?" Wilford asked.

Lucas didn't reply immediately and pondered.

"I think I can stand on it. Perhaps you can do it without using the theories in the books. After all, they were just theories, and they didn't help much with structuring. " Lucas commented.

"I guess you were not wrong there, but theories are helpful in creating another law in a branch of knowledge. In this case, there are still more studies needed from what you mentioned."

Lucas snickered and stood up before Wilford.

"Can you show me how you can gather spiritual energy with the array? That's what I needed the most." Lucas said.

Wilford chuckled, then nodded. "I get it. Let's continue, Senior Lucas. And please observe and feel the energy since this proves the Qi circulation you needed before passing the exams. If you are not good at circulating Qi, you won't be able to finish an array like this."

"I understand."

Then, without wasting any time, Wilford started drawing symbols in the air. And the next seconds, the symbols appeared for a brief moment then eventually disappeared.

Wilford finished creating the formation, and when he was done, he started circulating the Qi and also gathered some.

"This is registering the energy to the array formation..." Lucas commented.

Wilford nodded, but he didn't reply after that. He just concentrated more on making the array, and in the next few seconds, Qi started gathering around the array formation, as if at its center lay a strong cultivator with good cultivation.

Lucas widened his eyes and laid his gaze on each of the spiritual energies he could see that seemed to be drawn to him. They eventually entered his dantian as if he wasn't cultivating with simple breathing.

He smiled in delight, then checked his core, dantian, and third energy pool.

'They seem to be calm and co-exist. However, I am still worried that I can't merge my dantian and core. If ever there is a high-probability successful chance, I will merge them.'

When Wilford was finally done with the array, he faced Lucas.

"Was that all good?" he asked him.

Lucas nodded and pointed at some of the points that resurfaced on the ground. 

"That line there, it appeared after you circulated your Qi and cultivated using the array. Was that it?" Lucas asks as he points at the last symbol at the end of the array formation.

Wilford gazed at Lucas with amusement before nodding.

"Yes, that's where the part of the Qi I wanted to gather also with its identification. It was too complex to be explained by words. Perhaps I could easily show it with the symbols instead."

Lucas snickered, then shook his head.

"I already understood. So can we move to the next topic? What's the purpose of this line? " Lucas pointed at the center of the array formation, which had a character that seemed to be off for him.

Wilford raised his eyebrows and pondered. "What of it?" 

"It seems to be less effective. Did you purposely put it?" Lucas asked.

Wilford nodded after his question and explained it.

"In the theories, there exists a center with fewer effects, as they are the epicenter that needs the balance the most. However, they weren't that weak, and just 45% of the total effect was normal."

"But with my array formation, put it that way so that I can easily convert the formation into what I like. For example, this."

Then the symbols shifted like it was just easy, making Lucas dumbfounded.

"How did you do that?" he mumbled in disbelief.

"This new formation is called the defensive array. It gathers Qi and converts the Qi for the defensive mechanism. If some intruders step on this array, they will surely take damage."

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[A/N: I just created those theories and stuff. I didn't know how it happens in other books so please just pass at it without putting issue on it.]