Lin Mu was currently being instructed on setting up a formation array and was about halfway done. Xukong had taken a look at the components that Jing Wei had given Lin Mu and also the instructions that were given to him. As he had expected, their method of setting up the formation was quite inefficient.
Xukong could think of ten different methods by which he could set up a better illusory formation array with the same components. And that was exactly what he was doing right now. In fact, Xukong even found a way to add a few more features to the formation array that would increase its effectiveness.
The formation array was set up using a lot of components which included formation flags, talismans, formation plates, and formation stones. All of these were made of special materials and were inscribed with smaller individual formations on them.
When all of these were used in a certain pattern along with the right methodology, they would give rise to a formation array.
Lin Mu had just finished planting formation flags in each of the corners of his house and stuck talismans onto the four sides of the courtyard. Then finally he buried a formation stone at the very center of the courtyard. The stone would act as the main node of the illusory formation, the flags would act as the border posts and finally, the talismans would reinforce the borders of the entire array.
Then at the end, Lin Mu was left with the formation plate.
"What do I do with this Senior?" Lin Mu asked.
"That formation plate is the key to the entire illusory formation array. That is what you will be using to control the entire thing." Xukong answered.
Lin Mu nodded in understanding before looking at the formation plate and pouring his spirit qi into it. It took him about ten minutes before the plate was fully filled and ready to activate. It even took up a rather large amount of his liquid spirit qi, requiring around a hundred drops.
"This is a much larger amount than was mentioned by Duan Ke Senior, why is it so?" Lin Mu asked again.
While he was not bothered by the depletion of his liquid spirit qi as he could not gain it back within a day, he still felt a bit shocked as the difference between the amount that Duan Ke had said was barely ten drops of liquid spirit qi but this took about hundred which was ten times more.
"I've changed the setup of the formation a bit. While this has increased its initial consumption, it will also strengthen the entire formation array and make it more potent. Besides, the formation itself should sustain on its own for a few years after you inject it with the amount you have.
If we had an additional powering formation, then you would not have even needed to do this step and the formation array could have stayed activated forever as long as no one attacked it or something happened to the powering formation." Xukong spoke.
Just as Xukong finished explaining, runes started appearing in the air, denoting that the formation was now ready.
"Do it!" Xukong ordered.
Lin Mu's spirit sense connected with the formation plate and the entirety of the courtyard was now covered in formation runes. First, they were clashing with each other and seemed to be incompatible, but then with Senior Xukong pointing out the mistakes, Lin Mu corrected them.
Usually, this would have been quite difficult for Lin Mu to do, as he practically had no formal training with the creation of the formations. But with the pre-made components and Xukong's instructions, it was a piece of cake for him.
Lin Mu was able to rectify the mistakes with the help of the formation plate, as it did whatever he commanded it to with his spirit sense. About thirty minutes later, the entire formation array stabilized and the runes faded away.
But Lin Mu could still feel the connection with the entire formation array and knew that if he wanted he could activated, deactivate and even destroy the entire thing at will. It would not even need a snap of his fingers, and the entire thing would detonate.
But of course, that was not something Lin Mu wanted. These were just the features that were available to him. Along with the illusory feature, Xukong was also able to modify a couple of components in it, to add a mild bewildering formation to it as well.
Now with the combination of them all, if anyone were to look at the location the courtyard was located it, they would only see the other adjoining houses. It was as if the courtyard did not exist. And if someone accidentally touched the wall of the courtyard, for example, they would not think there is a courtyard there at all.
Their perception would be distorted by the formation array. But of course, there were limitations to the formation array, it was not all-powerful. The formation array could sustain itself for a few years or even up to a few tens of years as long if everything went well.
But if some damage was inflicted on itself, the spirit qi storage of the formation array would deplete, which would then reduce the time for which it could stay active. Another thing was the while this formation array could affect the commoners it was not the same for the cultivators.
In the case of cultivators, at most those below the Dao shell realm would be fooled by it. The perception of the Dao shell realm was in a completely different league because of which most common formations would not work on them.
There were also a few exceptions, such as if there was a formation expert who was passing by. If the formation expert had a high enough attainment, he or she would instantly be able to detect the illusory formation. Thought whether they would be able to resolve it was dependant on their strength.
Having completed this entire task, Lin Mu took a breath of relief and returned to his room to replenish the spirit qi he had spent.
