Chapter 350 [Newly Set Cave]

In the back mountain, Chen Yan plunged into the forest and walked swiftly for about half an hour before reaching a lake.

Back when Gu Qingyi was around, during the last Nether Marriage ceremony, Chen Yan had already thoroughly explored this mountain forest.

As for this lake before him, it’s not unfamiliar—this was the habitat of the old turtle Gui Geng before he was subdued by Gu Qingyi.

The old turtle was a wild demon; its cultivation was not much in the Domain Realm, probably couldn’t even defeat a low-level loose cultivator. But in this world, it was enough to dominate a region. Therefore, the habitat it chose in this mountain forest was indeed the place with the densest primordial qi in the vicinity.

Standing by the shore, Chen Yan released his divine sense, which expanded instantly, thoroughly surveying both the surroundings of the lake and the underwater areas.

This wild lake is about a few square kilometers in area, not very deep; in the shallowest part, the water is two to three meters deep, and in the deepest, only about seven to eight meters.

Chen Yan stood by the lake, pondering for a moment, then pointed his finger, releasing mana, and among the wild forest around the lake, several trees were uprooted and spun in mid-air, surrounding and spinning above Chen Yan’s head.

Chen Yan took out a jade carving knife from the storage jade pendant, which he held in his hand and carved in the air a few times. Primordial qi in the air began to flow and gradually solidified, forming visible runes.

This jade carving knife was one of the magical artifacts gifted by Golden Blade, not for combat, but specifically a tool for carving magical artifacts.

With a beckoning gesture, Chen Yan had a large tree float before him. He pointed a finger, and a rune was embedded into the tree trunk.

Then came the second tree, the third...

After embedding runes into the trunks of seven trees, Chen Yan stopped his actions, having them float as a group before him. He took a deep breath and recited a spell, then expelled a breath of true fire from his mouth and nose.

This faint flame was not ordinary fire, but true fire condensed from mana—a spell that is part of the artifact refining process. Chen Yan, after all, spent some days as an outer disciple in the artifact refining hall of the Celestial Demon Yin Yang Joyful Sect, learning some basic methods of refining magical artifacts.

This spell, which uses one’s own mana to [refine with true fire], is one of the most basic techniques in artifact refining. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

True fire refining doesn’t burn the trees, but can purify impurities within, making the material even sturdier and more pure. After being refined by true fire, the seven trees’ trunks showed faint jade-like luster.

Chen Yan closely examined them and nodded in satisfaction—being his first time personally setting up these things, he was quite pleased with the results.

The group of seven trees, after being positioned by Chen Yan, was then manipulated back into the forest by the lakeside using mana.

The Star Circulation Array, counted by sevens, groups of seven trees forming the array.

Forty-nine ordinary trees were uprooted by Chen Yan, each embedded with runes and refined with true fire to become instruments for setting up the array—these materials were directly taken from ordinary trees, which in the Domain Realm would likely be scoffed at by cultivators or laughed at by insiders.

But in this world, they are considered rare materials for setting up arrays.

The Star Circulation Array was chosen by Chen Yan after careful consideration.

This array is not very advanced; in the Domain Realm, it’s quite common, used by many small sects and families as a household protective array. Some small sects also use it to set up mountain-guarding arrays—though with more advanced materials.

The Star Circulation Array is prized for its low threshold but high ceiling. It is a comprehensive functional array that can warn, confuse enemies, hide traces, repel enemies, and if high-grade materials are used, can even set up a powerful killing formation within.

Chen Yan didn’t intend to make it too complex; only ordinary trees collected from the wild were used as materials, thus unable to satisfy sophisticated functions.

However, the weakened version of the Star Circulation Array set up by him has two functions. One is to give warnings; should anyone enter the array area, it will notify the array’s owner.

The second function is an enemy-confusing array, a somewhat advanced blinding technique. If someone enters the array area, the blinding technique would make the intruder experience a ghost wall-like effect, unknowingly leading them astray, eventually exiting the array and moving farther away, unable to enter the area protected by the array.

No more functions for now.

After all, it’s just made of ordinary tree materials, unable to bear more advanced functions.

Although Chen Yan took away quite a few good items from the Black Wood Tribe, especially Golden Blade Master gifting him plenty of good materials for making magical artifacts, good stuff diminishes with use, and the Domain Realm’s advanced materials can’t be found in this world.

Considering the minimal cultivation in this world, it’s unlikely to encounter any strong enemies; even if there are some cultivators, they’re just "weak chicken cultivators."

The Star Circulation Array set up by Chen Yan is mainly to guard against ordinary people accidentally entering this back mountain lake; if someone enters, the blinding technique will divert them away.

If a cultivator truly enters, this array can also manage to deal with this world’s weak chicken cultivators, or at least give some warning.