Mysteries of Immortal Puppet Master

Chapter 1284: Chapter 499: Dominating Learning

Ning Zhuo flipped through Shen Xi’s classroom notes, and it was utterly clear, easy to traverse, and unimpeded, with no obstacles whatsoever.

Not only that.

Ning Zhuo could also see the contents that were not recorded in the notes, the subsequent parts.

For example, "Fixed Calculation."

Shen Xi only wrote "deduce based on fixed principles," but Ning Zhuo could "see" that so-called Fixed Calculation actually involves pre-deducing every possible variation of the Nine Palace Formation and inscribing them into the Array Heart. The Array Heart is like a thick Array Map Book, turning to the corresponding page for whatever situation arises. This method is stable and reliable, but has limited flexibility.

For example, "Variable Calculation."

Shen Xi only recorded "adapt with real-time opportunity," but Ning Zhuo could "see" that so-called Variable Calculation is about granting the Array Heart the ability to deduce independently. The Array Heart no longer relies on preset Array Maps but instead deduces the best plan on the spot based on real-time situations. This method is flexible and dynamic but demands extremely high standards from the Array Heart.

It’s worth mentioning—these insights weren’t acquired through the memories and experiences of other Demon Cultivators, nor from any other classic texts, but were extrapolated and concluded through existing knowledge alone.

The memories and experiences of Demon Cultivators primarily focus on how to break through killing formations and confining arrays, how to avoid being ambushed, how to break defensive magic arrays, and so on. Even if they could form arrays, they typically dealt with basic arrays like the Spirit Gathering Array.

So far, Ning Zhuo has not collected the souls of Demon Cultivators who were proficient in formations during their lifetime.

Ning Zhuo opened the extensive array of Array Formulas that Shen Xi had lent him recently.

He saw various Nine Palace Array Variations.

Previously, he only found them dazzlingly complex, not knowing where to begin, studying them with patience and progressing slowly.

But now, as he glanced over, those patterns suddenly became clear.

He "saw" that each pattern in every palace actually followed a certain order. Some patterns gathered mana, some transported mana, some stored mana, and some released mana. These patterns each served their purpose without interfering with one another, yet complemented each other closely.

He "saw" that between the Nine Palaces, numerous fine threads connected them. Those threads were Array Lines, channels through which the Nine Palaces resonated with one another. Some threads were thick, some thin; some threads were straight, others bent. Thick threads conveyed more energy, thin threads conveyed less; straight threads transmitted swiftly, bent ones transmitted slowly.

These "sights," half originated from the introductions and recordings in the Array Maps, while the other half stemmed from Ning Zhuo’s active comprehension.

This kind of comprehension derived more from a certain "intuition," rather than from thorough experience, memory, or precise logical deduction.

One characteristic of the Master Level Realm is the emergence of related "intuition."

This Array Dao Realm was higher than Shen Xi’s, directly "crushing" his Array Dao Classics.

Ning Zhuo continued to peruse.

Concepts that once required repeated pondering were now immediately understandable; Array Maps that once needed constant reexamination were now instantly clear; results that once needed repeated calculation now appeared quickly and accurately.

Overlooking it from a great height!

Now, Ning Zhuo felt like a Great Scholar studying primary educational materials from another country. Even though it was the first time he saw them, he could easily see through them.

He quickly skimmed through and reached the foundational Fixed Formulas.

There were eighty-one Fixed Formulas in total; he had previously mastered three, each taking a long time to grasp clearly. But now, he understood them all; each took no more than 30 seconds to comprehend and memorize.

By the time he analyzed over twenty, he had already deduced the remaining forty himself.

Once he accumulated up to sixty Fixed Formulas, he silently noted in his mind, understanding the rest thoroughly. Upon using his Divine Sense to survey them, they indeed matched exactly with what he had speculated.

"The eighty-one Fixed Formulas all have their own patterns, in total... nine types, which can be set as: One White, Two Black, Three Cyan, Four Green, Five Yellow, Six White, Seven Red, Eight White, Nine Purple, each color corresponding to nine variations. Not many, not few, corresponding to the eighty-one Fixed Formulas."

Ning Zhuo summarized the rule.

"There are also connections between Fixed Formulas. For example, the nine variations of One White can derive three variations of Two Black; the nine variations of Two Black can derive six of Three Cyan. Layer upon layer, intricately linked."

"Simply mastering all these Fixed Formulas can produce a multitude of variations, just like the Nine Palace Formation itself, where the Nine Palaces resonate mutually, producing infinite variations."

Ning Zhuo suddenly recalled what Shen Xi mentioned during previous discussions: "Fixed Formulas and Variations are consistent to some extent. A well-mastered Fixed Formula can be considered a Variation."

Variations do not arise from nowhere, but are derived from Fixed Formulas. Only by deeply understanding Fixed Formulas can one truly grasp Variations.

Like Ning Zhuo at this moment, though he hasn’t learned those Variations yet, because he comprehended the rules of Fixed Formulas and mastered the eighty-one Fixed Formulas, he could already deduce many Variations by himself.

Ning Zhuo read faster and faster.

One volume of the Nine Palace Basic Explanation was read in half the time it takes to burn incense.

The second volume, Nine Palace Calculation Method, was read in half the time it takes to burn incense.

The third volume, Nine Palace Array Collection, was completed in 30 minutes.

The fourth volume, fifth volume, sixth volume...

Each book was opened, and each page of content absorbed. Those words, those Array Maps, those formulas, poured into his mind like flowing water, rapidly digested, organized, and absorbed.