Invincible Starts From Dao Fruit

Time flowed on relentlessly.

Chen Jichuan arrived on Wuhe Star in June of Wuhe Calendar Year 888. By the second year, Huang Quan had already been in the Innate stage for some time.

At the start of Wuhe Calendar Year 889, Huang Quan advanced from a Middle School to a High-class University.

Compared to Middle Schools, High-class Universities naturally excelled in every regard, including faculty strength and resources.

All the instructors at the university were Qi Refining cultivators.

The teachers of every subject were outstanding in their fields.

For instance, in the subject of talisman making, there were several talisman makers who had achieved recognized grades.

Huang Quan reaching the Innate stage at the age of twenty was considered respectable in East River Square's Middle Schools.

But in a High-class University, it was merely average.

This "Golden Corner City High-class University" attracted top talents from all thirty-six neighborhoods and their Middle Schools across the city—truly a gathering of geniuses.

Teenagers attaining the Innate stage at seventeen or eighteen years old were commonplace.

However, Huang Quan was not without distinction.

At least in the talisman making subject, he ranked among the best among the newly admitted disciples at the Golden Corner City High-class University. He had been praised by several talisman making instructors and gained their attention.

Within a certain circle, Huang Quan earned himself a modest reputation.

...

Chen Jichuan was observing Huang Quan—or rather, using Huang Quan to observe Golden Corner City and thereby familiarize himself with the myriad rules and systems within the Galaxy Sword Sect hierarchy.

Not only Huang Quan.

Huang Xuan, too, would record all sorts of news he gathered while mingling with various Demon Hunting Teams and provide a copy to Chen Jichuan.

Though Chen Jichuan secluded himself indoors, he could not afford to be blind to the outside world.

In the current situation, he could only rely on Huang Xuan and Huang Quan to act as his eyes.

Through the father-and-son pair.

Chen Jichuan's understanding of Golden Corner City, the interior and outskirts of Fat City, and the larger Wuhe Star grew increasingly detailed.

For example, Golden Corner City.

He knew there were True Persons stationed there.

For instance, within Fat City, beyond the High-class University, Chen Jichuan learned of even more specialized universities—

Qi Refining University.

Artifact Refining University.

Alchemy University.

Talisman Making University.

Among these, Qi Refining University focused exclusively on cultivation. Only Qi Refining cultivators could enroll, earning it an exalted status and offering promising futures. The lecturers there even included Second-order True Persons.

Such universities existed in every principal city among the ninety-seven principal cities governed by the Galaxy Sword Sect's two provinces.

"Elementary School, Middle School, High-class University, University."

"Step by step, they nurture and filter talent. Within the ninety-seven principal cities and the seven hundred and seventy-six Guard Cities under the Galaxy Sword Sect's jurisdiction, all kinds of talents and geniuses ultimately converge into these universities and are absorbed into the Galaxy Sword Sect."

"This model's effectiveness in both cultivating and managing talent is unparalleled."

"It's similar to the path the Heaven Mending Sect in the Central Continent World plans to take in the future."

Chen Jichuan speculated that the strength of the Galaxy Sword Sect likely surpassed the Heaven Mending Sect—

Every Guard City had a True Person stationed, and some dangerous or critical territories even had more than one True Person.

Every principal city had even stronger True Persons serving as local magistrates wielding significant authority.

Ninety-seven principal cities.

Seven hundred and seventy-six Guard Cities.

Just the True Persons stationed in various territories easily exceeded a thousand in total.

And this was just within the bounds of the Galaxy Sword Sect.

"Beyond the Galaxy Sword Sect, there are seven other forces of equal strength on Wuhe Star."

"The number of Second-order individuals is overwhelming."

Chen Jichuan was astonished and somewhat thrilled: "Second-order cultivators numbering in the thousands. Could there be Divinity Transformation Venerables on Wuhe Star?"

For instance, the Galaxy Old Ancestor of the Galaxy Sword Sect!

Or the True Martial Old Ancestor of the True Martial Immortal Sect!

Or the Four Seas Dragon King of the Four Seas Dragon Palace!

Or Moyun Demon Emperor of the Demon Palace!

Or the Nine Nether Demon Emperor of the Nine Nether Palace!

Among them.

The Galaxy Old Ancestor and True Martial Old Ancestor had emerged eight centuries ago. By now, they were likely well over a thousand years old.

Second-order True Persons had lifespans of a thousand years.

Based on their ages, it was highly probable that these two had already attained Divinity Transformation.

"Divinity Transformation!"

"If these two Old Ancestors are indeed at the Divinity Transformation stage, then Wuhe Star alone would have at least eight Divinity Transformation powerhouses."

Chen Jichuan was eager: "I don't need to advance to Divinity Transformation myself. Based on my foundation, once I return to the Second-order Ten Layer Heaven, I can contend against Divinity Transformation Venerables."

At that time, he would discover whether Wuhe Star truly had Divinity Transformation Venerables and just how deep the waters of this planet ran.

And beyond Wuhe Star, in the vast universe, how many mysteries and powerful figures remained hidden?

Chen Jichuan was filled with anticipation.

...

Anticipation aside.

Cultivation still had to follow a methodical approach.

Chen Jichuan cultivated daily. Having recently acquired a fifth Dao Fruit and sixteen Affiliated Dao Fruits, he gained new insights into cultivation, achieving a more profound, meticulous, and comprehensive understanding of each realm and level.

The realm was there.

What Chen Jichuan needed to do was simply fill in any gaps. Beyond that, he focused on delving deeper into the "White Tiger Sword Prison Scripture."

In this regard, Chen Jichuan progressed with ease.

After all, he had been a True Person at the Second-order Ten Layer Heaven in the past, so mundane stages of cultivation demanded relatively little effort from him.

Thus, talisman making.

Thus, studying formations.

In talisman making, it was a matter of diligent study, practice, and experimentation.

It was also a notorious "money pit," as were alchemy and artifact refining, collectively known as the "Three Great Traps of the Immortal Dao," all of which were bottomless wells.

For those with ambition—

Climbing from the unranked to the ranked.

Aiming for Second-order as a First-order.

Eyeing Third-order as a Second-order.

An entire lifetime of effort was required to achieve results and, perhaps, greatness.

Effort was one aspect.

Financial capacity was another.

The profits Chen Jichuan earned from alchemy partially went toward repaying Huang Xuan's five thousand Spirit Stone loan, as well as the debt previously owed to Xu Jishi.

The remainder was used to purchase various talisman making materials.

Once his debts were cleared, he went to the extreme of pouring nearly all his revenue into this endeavor, with a small fraction allocated to purchasing formation materials.

On one hand, he concentrated on talisman making.

On the other hand, he delved into formation studies.

The former burned through vast sums of money, while the latter consumed less.

Given his more developed skills in alchemy and artifact refining, Chen Jichuan did not intend to rely on talisman making for income—at least not for the time being. Once he mastered the crafting of a talisman, it was arguably time to start profiting, but Chen Jichuan would abandon it afterward to study more advanced and complex talismans instead.

This relentless practice enabled his talisman-making skills to advance rapidly.

Not just talisman making.

Although he invested far more financially in talisman making than formations, his dedication to formations was no less significant.

"Formations are less effective during hasty confrontations."

"But with adequate preparation, they're invaluable for ambushes or defense."

"I have the 'Insight Skill,' which allows me to discern all worlds and perceive all things. Ordinary formations cannot trap or harm me. For other cultivators, mastering formations also enhances their ability to break arrays. Whether ambushed, exploring ancient ruins, or attacking or defending mountains, they can navigate with confidence."

A formation could range from small to vast.

On a small scale, even grass, flowers, and trees could serve as the basis for formations.

For instance, popular formations like the Plum Blossom Formation or the Peach Blossom Formation used plum or peach trees, making them difficult for mortals to break.

On a grand scale, even stars and cosmic systems could form arrays.

The legendary "Celestial Star Battle Formation" employed primordial stars to create a formation of unimaginable power, said to be set up by the Ancient Demon Court in prehistoric times.

Closer to home.

When Huang Xuan and others hunted demon beasts, those with the resources often carried formation plates or sets of formation flags for self-defense or to kill enemies.

Similarly, around Fat City, the "Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation," constructed by the eight surrounding Guard Cities, sealed the skies and the earth to protect the nine cities from avian and beastly assaults.

When fully activated, it also boasted considerable power.

"Formations have immense potential."

"Cultivating the 'White Tiger Sword Prison Scripture,' with its 108,000 strands of Sword Qi, mastering formations would significantly enhance my strength."

"I also acquired a super-level technique, the 'Pill Dragon Map,' from the Heaven Mending Sect. Understanding formations grants this technique considerable power as well."

"Talisman making and artifact refining also share connections with formations."

Chen Jichuan had long been eager to study formations.

But in his early days, financial constraints forced him to prioritize alchemy and artifact refining, which were more lucrative.

Formation studies had been repeatedly postponed.

Now, the timing was finally right.

His progress in alchemy and artifact refining had plateaued for the time being, and he had acquired ten Dao Fruits from Third-order Formation Masters in the Central Continent World, providing the perfect opportunity to start learning.

Formation mastery involves leveraging the forces of heaven and earth, channeling them for personal use, and weaving intricate phenomena, rivaling the complexity of pills, treasures, and talismans.

He started with basic formations.

Then moved on to linking formations, embedding one formation within another, grouping small formations into large ones, and layering formations upon formations...

The complexity could grow infinitely.

It was far from the simplistic notion of arranging a few stones to conjure a stunning formation.

To maximize a formation's power, the same design might need to vary depending on terrain and environment. Much like constructing a building, adjustments were necessary to suit local conditions—

"To become a Formation Master, one must first become a designer."

Working from the talisman making workshop, Chen Jichuan lacked the means to experiment with how formations adapted to different terrains.

However, given his beginner status, simply adhering to theories and deploying formations uniformly across various terrains to achieve standard results was already a challenging feat.

He remained at the most foundational stage for now.

"Read a book a hundred times, and its meaning will emerge."

The same principle applied to formation studies—mastering each fundamental formation thoroughly, grasping the associated principles and intricacies. This solid foundation would greatly aid advanced progression.

Guided by the Dao Fruits.

Chen Jichuan methodically laid the groundwork for formations.

...

Time flowed on like a river.

Slowly and steadily.

After entering the High-class University, Huang Quan could no longer return home daily as he once did.

Now, he came home at most once a month, staying no more than two days before heading back to the university.

His visits to Chen Jichuan's place also became far less frequent, but each time he returned, he would visit. At some point unknown even to himself, Huang Quan had begun to observe the etiquette of a disciple before Chen Jichuan.

Though their relationship hadn't been explicitly stated.

'Xu Ning's age was even two years younger than Huang Quan's.'

But in terms of cultivation and talisman making, Chen Jichuan and Huang Quan already had a de facto master-disciple relationship.

One month.

Two months.

Three months.

Another year passed in the blink of an eye.

Chen Jichuan had been on Wuhe Star for a year and a half, adhering to a schedule of one month online and one month in seclusion.

His cultivation advanced steadily.

In total, he had cultivated for eight months, yet he had already ascended to the Innate stage.

This was largely due to the assistance of Source Power.

Operating the "White Tiger Sword Prison Scripture," with the White Tiger presiding, the Sword Qi circulating, and his Qi-blood roaring, the Source Power swiftly converted into Mana and then into cultivation progress.

Eight months to the Innate stage.

This was even with Chen Jichuan deliberately holding back.

As he had just begun practicing the "White Tiger Sword Prison Scripture," certain aspects, such as the "Sword Map," felt eerily familiar and were easy to grasp.

Nonetheless, as a new cultivation technique, it still required additional time and effort to achieve proficiency and a deeper understanding.

There was no need to rush or be overly aggressive.

Nor did he have to be excessively fast or frantic.

"Take it slow."

"Time is still on my side."

Chen Jichuan maintained a calm and composed mindset.

Upon reaching the Innate stage, time seemed to pass even faster.

Unwittingly.

It had already been five years since Chen Jichuan arrived on Wuhe Star.

...