Ning Fa subsequently departed Ningchang Island, heading directly for the Jinchang Island Market.
At the market, he sold all the Essence Replenishing Pills he had, except for the one with a nascent Dao Mark, earning over a hundred Spirit Stones.
The price was slightly higher than normal because the shop owner saw the excellent quality of the Essence Replenishing Pills Ning Fa presented. He gave him a bit more Spirit Stones and enthusiastically invited Ning Fa to bring any similar pills he might have in the future.
Then, Ning Fa purchased a common wolf-hair talisman brush, a first-tier low-grade item, for twenty Spirit Stones.
He also bought thirty sets of talisman paper, spiritual ink, and other spiritual materials for talisman crafting, spending nearly another twenty Spirit Stones.
In addition, he acquired a complete beginner's guide to talismans. It should have been the same book as the one in the family's Scripture Pavilion, but it cost thirty Spirit Stones, quite a bit more. However, Ning Fa didn't mind the cost at this moment.
Ning Fa had intended to leave the market immediately, but after glancing at a shop by the roadside, his expression shifted, and he walked inside.
This shop was named the Ancient Spirit Pavilion, a branch of the Ancient Spirit Merchant Guild, a major merchant guild from Yun Prefecture, established in the Jinchang Island Market. The spiritual items sold there were generally more expensive, but their quality was top-notch.
Fifteen minutes later, Ning Fa left the Ancient Spirit Pavilion with a blank expression, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly.
He had just spent ninety Spirit Stones to purchase a first-tier low-grade formation, the Guardian Spirit Array.
This formation's defensive capabilities were not particularly impressive. Its specialty was its ability to block spiritual sense detection and mask disturbances, making it a dedicated alert formation.
Although this formation could only cover a radius of about ten zhang, it could intercept the spiritual sense probes of ordinary late-stage Qi Condensation cultivators, and even block most of the spiritual sense from peak Qi Condensation cultivators.
This alert formation was very suitable for Ning Fa at his current stage.
The previous sneak attack by Ning Zhen'an had served as a significant wake-up call.
He not only possessed the heaven-defying treasure, the Mysterious Scroll, but his body also harbored significant secrets. Therefore, it was very necessary to maintain vigilance and take precautions.
Thus, despite the considerable cost in Spirit Stones, he gritted his teeth and bought it.
Afterward, Ning Fa did not return home directly but went to Yun Chang Island.
Since Ning Shaohong had helped him so much this time, he felt obligated to thank her in person, both out of courtesy and reason.
However, it was rather inconvenient. Ning Xiuying, Ning Shaohong's personal maid, informed him that the Ninth Elder had gone to Tianshui Market on business and might not return for some time.
Ning Fa felt a bit regretful and asked Ning Xiuying for a favor: to notify him via Sound Transmission Talisman once the Ninth Elder returned.
Ning Xiuying readily agreed. Her attitude was noticeably warmer than before.
Ning Fa speculated that this was likely due to Ning Shaohong's significant efforts on his behalf this time, which made Ning Xiuying realize that Ning Fa's status in Ning Shaohong's eyes was unusual.
Ning Fa shook his head and smiled, then no longer delayed. He took his Spirit Boat back to his home on Pingchang Island.
In the alchemy room, the wall he had accidentally damaged earlier had been completely repaired.
Ning Fa took out the formation equipment for the Guardian Spirit Array from his storage bag. It consisted of eight formation plates and one formation flag.
The formation plates were octagonal, palm-sized, and entirely bluish-white. They were inscribed with various runes, and in the center, there was a groove where Spirit Stones were to be placed.
Setting up this Guardian Spirit Array once required eight low-grade Spirit Stones. Under normal circumstances, it could last for three months.
Of course, if it were frequently activated for defense, the duration would certainly be shortened.
Ning Fa happened to have ten Spirit Stones left. After embedding the Spirit Stones into the eight formation plates, under the activation of his Hand Seals, these eight formation plates floated to the eight corners of the alchemy room, including the floor and ceiling.
Ning Fa then took out the triangular green formation flag and lightly waved it towards the formation plate on his left.
A beam of green spiritual light shot out from the formation flag, striking the formation plate.
The formation plate immediately emitted a bright bluish-white light, then shot out a beam of bluish-white light, striking an adjacent formation plate.
That formation plate was instantly activated and then also shot out a bluish-white beam, hitting another formation plate.
Within a few breaths, the eight formation plates were connected to each other by beams of bluish-white light. Light shimmered, gradually forming a bluish-white light barrier that enveloped the entire alchemy room before disappearing without a trace.
Seeing that the Guardian Spirit Array was fully activated, Ning Fa walked out of the alchemy room and personally tested it with his spiritual sense.
He confirmed that even standing right in front of it, his spiritual sense truly could not penetrate the protective barrier. Only then did he nod in satisfaction, feeling the Spirit Stones were well spent.
Next, Ning Fa could no longer wait. He took out the jade slip that recorded the Fragment of the Heavenly Splendor Treasure Scripture and then activated the scroll.
Initially, the scroll showed no reaction. Ning Fa was startled, thinking perhaps the inscribed jade slip was useless.
But as he channeled his spiritual sense into the jade slip, the scroll finally reacted, its surface flashing with white light.
An image of an ancient book slowly appeared on the scroll. On its dark green cover were inscribed four ancient characters:
"Heavenly Mechanism Scroll"
"Heavenly Mechanism Scroll?"
Ning Fa was taken aback. Wasn't it the Heavenly Splendor Treasure Scripture? Why did it become the Heavenly Mechanism Scroll?
At this moment, the white light on the scroll continued to flicker, as if still struggling to trace the origin of this ancient book. The single remaining mysterious pattern on the scroll flashed intermittently, appearing somewhat strained.
After a while, the white light on the scroll ceased flickering. The image of the Heavenly Mechanism Scroll transformed into a mass of white flowing light and directly entered Ning Fa's forehead.
Ning Fa's entire body trembled, and he then closed his eyes, sitting down cross-legged on the ground.
Time gradually passed. Ning Fa remained still, like a sculpture.
A full three hours later, Ning Fa suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze filled with shock.
He now understood why the Heavenly Splendor Treasure Scripture had become the Heavenly Mechanism Scroll. It was clear that the content of the Heavenly Splendor Treasure Scripture was derived from this Heavenly Mechanism Scroll, which was why the scroll had traced its origin.
Compared to the content of the Heavenly Splendor Treasure Scripture, the content of the Heavenly Mechanism Scroll was significantly more profound.
For example, the Heavenly Mechanism Scroll's introduction to spiritual roots.
It turns out that besides spiritual roots like Ice, Wind, Lightning, and Dark, there are also rare special spiritual roots such as Hidden Spiritual Root, Sword Spiritual Root, Bitter Spiritual Root, Blood Spiritual Root, Qi Spiritual Root, and Moon Spiritual Root.
Furthermore, the Heavenly Mechanism Scroll also provides detailed introductions to cultivators' spiritual physiques and Dao physiques, listing quite a few rare ones.
In addition to the Three Yang Physique and the Darkwood Spirit Body.
There is also the Melting Gold Spirit Physique, a natural dual-attribute spiritual physique of Gold and Fire. It not only greatly boosts the cultivation of Gold and Fire attribute techniques but also allows one to safely establish their foundation without a Foundation Establishment Pill. During Nascent Soul formation, it offers at least a fifty percent chance of breakthrough and makes one a natural master of artifact refining.
Then there's the Clear Comprehension Sword Physique, a natural sword cultivator. Once they comprehend the Sword Intent of "Sword Heart Clarity," they can transform their body into a sword, facing no bottlenecks before Nascent Soul formation, and possessing unparalleled combat prowess.
Another example is the Nascent Core Law Physique. Before Nascent Soul formation, there are no anomalies. Once Nascent Soul formation is successful, two Nascent Cores, or even three, can be formed. Their spiritual power is far more abundant than peers, and they possess mysterious abilities, allowing them to directly contend with Nascent Soul cultivators while still in the Golden Core stage.
There's also the Blood Spirit Law Physique, a mysterious and unfathomable Blood Path physique, possessing bizarre and powerful Blood Path abilities. One drop of blood can become myriad, making it extremely difficult to kill, and its lifespan can even break through the limitations of cultivation realms.
Then there's the True Soul Physique, a rare Soul Path physique with formidable divine soul abilities. It can even ignore cultivation realms and directly devour the divine soul power of other cultivators to strengthen itself. Similarly, its lifespan can break through the limitations of cultivation realms.
Others include the Heavy Water Law Physique, Thick Earth Law Physique, Wind Thunder Law Physique, Ice Soul Spirit Physique, Moon Haze Spirit Physique, Nine Shao Spirit Physique, Yu Ming Law Physique, and so on, which simply opened Ning Fa's eyes and deeply shocked him.
The Heavenly Mechanism Scroll does not provide detailed introductions for every spiritual physique; many are vaguely described with limited information.
However, the scroll most emphasizes two spiritual physiques.
[Mystic Dragon Physique] and [Great Five Elements Thunder Body].