NOVEL NEXT Chapter 52: Chapter 52
Nie Li's Courtyard
Inside the underground training hall beneath Nie Li's residence, the air was thick with lingering soul force, a testament to the intense sparring session.
The stone walls were reinforced with inscriptions, glowing faintly with residual energy. The wooden floorboards bore slight scorch marks, remnants overenthusiastic attacks.
Three figures, two big and one significantly small one, were constantly jumping around the whole room attacking a person in the middle with but had little to no success.
They had thick beeds of sweat forming on their forehead and an itching pain of fatigue all over their bodies.
In contrast their opponent was looking complete relaxed breathing normally without any labour. This only served to frustrate them more.
"Is that all you got?" Nie Li said standing in the middle of the training hall, a smirk tugging at his lips. Across from him, Du Ze, Lu Piao, and Nie Yu were catching their breaths.
"Dont bully us brother, Nie Yu would tell uncle and aunt!" The little figure puffed her red cheeks and shouted, but sadly only a sneer was the response in return.
"Attack!" Du Ze immediately attacked taking lead while Lu Piao and Nie Yu followed.
"Your form is good, a perfect textbook lile replication but this is where you fail. Don't just try to imitate it and perfect the move but make it yours, always try to improvised. Only when you do so would you be able to understand the essence of this art." Nie Li easily resolved Du Ze punch while deflecting Lu Piao attempt to grapple him.
"Du Zu, your attack is perfect. Your strategy is also fairly good but you severely lack experience and it hampers your ability to think at a broader level."
"Lu Paio, what should I say? You are the worst. Your moves are sloppy, strategy is shit, ability is negligible and experience is nil but you attack instinctually, try to improve all of your aspects and raise your foundation level because without a good foundation you would just become a decorative piece in a battlefield."
"What do you three think would happen if instantly all three of you are Legend Rank and fight Ye Mo? Let me put this as softly as possible —You would be crushed like ants." Nie Li said coldly while delivering a slap over the head of all the individual.
"As you are now, your cultivation is your only strength but against someone stronger you wouldn't fare well."
Du Ze, Lu Piao and Nie Yu fall down grabbing their heads while Nie Li stood straight.
"Okay then, this should be enough for today. That was a decent workout," Nie Li suddenly smiled and remarked, stretching his arms. "Tp be honest, You all have improved significantly in just few days. Don't be discouraged keep working hard. "
Lu Piao groaned. "Yeah, but sparring with you still feels like getting beaten by a demon beast."
Nie Yu grinned at her brother. "Brother, your techniques are unfair. You know all our moves before we even make them."
Nie Li chuckled, waving off their complaints. "That just means you need to get stronger."
"Xiao Yu go back to aunt, take a bath and dress properly we are going to a banquet."
"Banquet?"
Looking at their confused expression Nie Li explained,"The City Lord's mansion is throwing banquet is today. His son is returning or something."
"So cool, I hear those banquet are the best. There are good food, beautiful people ...*sigh*..I am so jealous." Lu Piao complained.
"Hmmm... Do you want to come?"
"..huh ..Really?" Lu Piao exclaimed with excitement .
"Yeah sure I don't care." Nie Li shrugged, the City Lord Mansion invitation did state he can bring his family, it's not a big deal to bring a few friends.
"No I don't think we should." Du Ze interjected.
Du Ze spoke before Lu Piao could complain again, his usual calm expression unwavering. "I appreciate the offer, but Lu Piao and I should rather cultivate. With your Soul Force Gathering Array, our training speed is far more valuable than a banquet. And as of now, even little Yu is catching up to us swiftly in cultivation, would you be fine if she surpasses us Lu Piao?"
Lu Piao sighed dramatically. "I guess you are right, rubbing shoulders with nobles sounds exhausting. I'd rather become stronger than deal with all that social nonsense anyways."
Nie Yu hesitated but eventually didn't say anything, since Nie Li told her to go she wouldn't disagree.
"Nie Yu, what about you? Do you also want to cultivate here with your brothers?"
Nie Yu hesitated but eventually nodded. "I feel the same, Brother. The array you created is incredible. I don't want to waste this opportunity."
"Oh but there would be very very tasty food there."
Nie Yu hesitated for a while but shook her head. Her cute little head bobbed side from side, and her slightly distressed expression made everyone laugh in amusement.
"No problem, you can cultivate then but not for long time I told you it's not good for girls to cultivate late at night till they reach silver rank."
"Okay brother Nie Li!" Nie Yu smiled brightly.
Nie Li smiled, "Very well. I guess I'll have to go alone." He walked out and beckoned everyone to follow, they were going into the direction of the cultivation room, which was where Nie Li has drawn the Soul Force Gathering Array.
"Before I leave, I will refine the array a bit more. There's still room for improvement."
Nie Li walked to the center of small room and pressed his hand against a stone slab. A pulse of energy spread through the floor as hidden inscriptions glowed in golden light, revealing a massive formation inscribed beneath the surface.
The Soul Force Gathering Array was one of Nie Li's newest creations, designed to absorb and refine the surrounding soul force, condensing it into a purified form that drastically increasing cultivation efficiency. However, its construction had been anything but easy.
With the assistance of the A.I. Chip, Nie Li had been able to analyze thousands of complex inscription patterns. The chip's vast database contained knowledge from lost civilizations, enabling him to merge multiple high-level formations into a single, unprecedented array.
Creating the array required extensive research. Nie Li had studied numerous ancient books, including Heavenly Engraving Codex, The Eternal Formation Scripture – A tome from an Sacred Empire clan, Mystic Soul Refinement Manual from Wood Empire.
Even with these inscription texts, integrating the knowledge into a practical formation had taken weeks of trial and error. The biggest challenge was balancing the soul force influx.
Too much uncontrolled energy could harm the cultivator, while too little would make the array ineffective.
There are many challenges creating such and array and operating it is also not cheap but once perfected, the Soul Force Gathering Array provided astonishing results. When activated, it created a cyclonic absorption field, pulling in the surrounding soul force like a vortex.
The energy was then purified and released in controlled pulses, allowing cultivators to absorb it efficiently without burdening their meridians. It can be used by cultivator of all soul attributes and soul form.
For Du Ze, who had a the array amplified the absorption of lightning-elemental energy, accelerating his breakthroughs.
For Lu Piao, whose soul realm was naturally chaotic, the formation stabilized his energy intake, preventing wasted cultivation.
For Nie Yu, who was still young, the refined soul force enhanced her foundational growth, ensuring she wouldn't face bottlenecks as she advanced.
The effects were immediate. Nie Li expertly adjusted the formation's parameters and activated it. The golden inscriptions pulsed with renewed intensity. A soft hum resonated through the hall as the array activated, filling the room with a dense, almost liquid-like soul force.
Nie Yu's eyes widened. "It feels... so rich!"
Du Ze closed his eyes, already feeling his meridians warming as his soul force surged. "I am always in awe whenever I come here."
Lu Piao grinned. "Alright! With this, I'll catch up to you all in no time!"
Nie Li chuckled. "Good luck with that."
Satisfied with his work, Nie Li adjusted the array energy to last for a few hours. "I'll be at the banquet. Make sure to use this time wisely."
As he left the training hall, he couldn't help but feel a surge of satisfaction. Every step toward greater power, no matter how small, was a step closer to the future he wanted to shape.
It's been a month since he met with Yan Xin, the beautiful Alchemy Association director. Since then he has kept working around his mansion to inscribe Ten Thousand Demonic Beast Array, and the work is half done. Even now when activated and it's can crush a Legend rank demon spiritualist, one can only wonder how powerful it would be when it's completely laid out.
Nie Li has also worked to stabilize his cultivation and soul realm which were affected because of his hurried and unorthodox breakthroughs. He has created many training facilities for himself, and also allows some of his close ones to use it.
Soul Force Gathering Array is one of his proudest creation, although it's a bit expensive to operate but effects are outstanding.
While thinking about the past few weeks reflecting on his achievements. Nie Li walked inside his private chambers, took a bath and started changing.
After a while inside his private chamber, Nie Li stood before a mirror, adjusting the folds of his robe.
He had chosen a deep midnight-blue robe embroidered with silver patterns.
The fabric shimmered subtly under the light, woven with silk extracted from spirit beast cocoons, enhancing its elegance.
His boots were made from spirit beast leather, dyed in an obsidian hue, offering both comfort and resilience.
Nie Li ran a hand through his orange-yellow hair, letting a few stray strands fall over his forehead in a deliberately messy yet stylish manner.
His ocean-blue eyes reflected his thoughts, deep and unwavering, carrying an air of wisdom far beyond his youthful appearance.
Tonight's banquet at the City Lord's Mansion was bound to be an event of intrigue, politics, and subtle power plays. But for Nie Li, all of that was secondary. His anticipation stemmed from the chance meet someone.
"Would you be coming though?"