Outside, the loose cultivators still lived day-to-day, unable to afford pills for cultivation without Spirit Stones, forced to rely on their bodies until they died of old age...

These loose cultivators, akin to short-lived worker ants, seemed to fill the final strength of the magnificent Cultivation Realm.

If Zhong Heng failed to enter the Divine Strategy Pavilion, he might end up like those loose cultivators outside.

The plainly dressed young man looked at the large pile of materials before him, eyes devoid of greed and desire, remaining calm instead.

The commotion attracted the attention of several clerks in the shop, and even the puppets curiously peeked their heads out.

"This boy, there’s no greed in his eyes, and these materials are quite valuable."

"Who is he?"

"I heard he’s Master Weidao’s disciple?"

"That old bumpkin? Mediocre talent, achievements piled up by sheer luck. How capable could his disciple be?"

"Judging by his attire, it seems he just crawled out from the mundane world."

"Hey, don’t say that. Since the Immortal Sect spread teachings to the world, countless masters have emerged from the mundane."

"I’ve got faith in this boy. His eyes have a spark, much like mine did when I was young."

They murmured softly.

Qian Hua’s tall figure remained as still as Ice Spirit Bamboo on a snow peak.

Zhong Heng’s heart was slightly excited, as this was the first array he was arranging.

He began selecting materials.

"Ice Spirit Beast Blood."

"Thousand Thunder Bird Feathers..."

"This kid couldn’t possibly be setting up an Ice Thunder Killing Array, could he? Though it’s a first-tier killing array, it’s still commendable..."

"No, wait, Fire Earth Bull Horn, Double-headed Water Dragon Fish Blood..."

"Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth... Wind, Thunder, Ice..."

"This kid... could he be recklessly assembling an array with materials?"

"Tsk tsk, nothing extraordinary..."

"Although these are all materials from low-level spirit beasts, collecting all takes some effort. Wonder how Sister Hua will deal with him."

Yet at this moment, Zhong Heng’s world had nothing left but his task.

His hands continuously formed seals, using True Essence to sketch one array pattern after another.

Materials were refined, horns, bones, scales, enveloped with True Essence Array Patterns. These materials began to melt, poured into the True Essence Array Patterns serving as moulds.

Patterns intersected.

More materials got refined into the foundation.

Zhong Heng did not take out the support array disc, as there was no need.

The patterns intertwined, closely linking with the array disc.

Each pattern was precisely connected, and even a one-thousandth error would lead to the array’s collapse.

A mortal naturally couldn’t achieve this, and even cultivators with Divine Sense found it challenging.

Spiritual power with differing attributes from the materials began weaving together, loading onto the array patterns.

The patterns floated in the air, dancing like elves. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

But anyone with common sense would know these patterns ran along precise trajectories.

Zhong Heng’s forehead showed a trace of cold sweat.

He had poor foundations, his True Essence nearing depletion.

With a wave of his hand, the patterns compressed and settled onto the foundation.

The final bit of True Essence activated the foundation, and the engraved lines began to shimmer.

The array pattern trajectory, construction completed!

A force of suction emerged, drawing in Spiritual Qi from all around.

"Spirit Gathering Array!"

"And of extraordinary quality, both the number and quality of the patterns approach that of a second-order array!"

"Moreover, he’s compressed all the patterns onto the array disc!?"

Arrays are further divided into Moving Arrays and Fixed Arrays.

Moving Arrays are set on array discs, devices, or other artifacts, and can move, making them convenient to arrange. However, they are less stable than Fixed Arrays, and some array discs and devices can be so smoothly arranged as to be used as artifacts.

Fixed Arrays are set in place, easier to arrange, with more fluid Spiritual Qi patterns and greater stability.

Moving arrays are undoubtedly much harder than fixed ones.

A glint flashed through Qian Hua’s eyes.

[The Spirit Gathering Array you set at the Hundred Dragons Mine is but an extremely rudimentary and truncated version. This is truly your first true array arrangement. If not for the lack of True Essence, you could use these first-tier array materials to arrange a second-order Spirit Gathering Array.]

[You glanced at the others, seeing their expressions and realizing you might have overdone it...]

[The icy Qian Hua astonishingly grabbed your hand and directly had you sign a contract with the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion, formally making you an employed array master of the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion.]

[You learned Qian Hua’s identity, a steward of the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion, holding a Foundation Establishment cultivation.]

[The Thousand Mechanism Pavilion gained a remarkably talented young array master, and you finally secured a stable cultivation environment.]

[Though it was not as you imagined, it wasn’t too bad.]

[At least on the pavilion’s territory, the people from Shallow Cloud Mountain wouldn’t dare rampantly search for you. Keeping low profile, nobody would notice you.]

[Yet, you quickly became renowned. Although you demonstrated only one array crafting ability, the Thousand Mechanism Pavilion sold the array discs you crafted, making their Tier One Spirit Gathering Array Plate the fifth in the ’Cultivation Item Cost-Effectiveness Rankings’ at Three Clouds Market.]

[The pavilion perceptively raised the disc’s price, knowing array discs are not high-yield products like talismans, where thin profits and quick sales do not apply.]

[You only needed to craft three Tier One Spirit Gathering Array Plates for the pavilion monthly. If you possess other array crafting abilities, you could report to Steward Qian, and the pavilion would increase your benefits. However, the pavilion respects individual cultivator freedom by not inquiring into your specific abilities, which is why many talented experts reside in the pavilion.]