Immortality Through Array Formations Chapter 2099 Chapter 996: The Highest Good Is Like Water
Previously on Immortality Through Array Formations...
"Taoist Soldiers" stand as a tremendously potent power within Tao Cultivation battles.
Regular cultivators often face constraints in their talents and cultivation levels, yet through the deployment of formations, arrays, and supportive spiritual artifacts, they assemble into Taoist Soldiers, merging their strengths to confront even the most exceptional prodigies.
This represents a wondrous transformation array spell.
The feeble join forces to battle mighty foes.
In Tao Cultivation's storied past, certain Great Demons boasting such overwhelming personal might that peers in the same realm couldn't compete, fell to relentless hordes of Taoist Soldiers with unbreakable resolve, charging forward without fear of demise.
Even prodigies of heaven must steer clear of direct confrontations with vast, fully armed arrays of organized Taoist Soldiers.
When ordinary cultivators merge into Taoist Soldiers, their might already surges impressively.
Imagine then what heavenly pride cultivators could achieve?
Should heavenly pride cultivators unite as Taoist Soldiers, wouldn't they become utterly unbeatable and unstoppable?
Across Tao Cultivation's long history, numerous noble clans, sects, and hidden groups have openly or secretly strived to cultivate "Heavenly Pride Taoist Soldiers."
Only a handful succeeded, while most efforts ended in failure.
The expense proved far too steep from the start.
Cultivating standard Taoist Soldiers demands a full legacy of spiritual artifacts, formations, cultivation methods, Taoist arts, and battle strategies.
It devours massive quantities of Spirit Stones, demands years of intense drills, and pours in boundless dedication.
Every step up in the soldiers' qualifications multiplies the costs dramatically.
Yet building Taoist Soldiers from heavenly pride cultivators with supreme or even transcendent spiritual roots calls for an immense legacy and resources beyond measure.
Not even mighty clans could shoulder such a burden.
These "heavenly pride" figures earn their name because each shines uniquely.
Should they join, they'd claim the "general" position.
They simply can't rein in their distinct natures and arrogance to serve as mere "soldiers."
Particularly in Qian Learning's borderlands today, the "elite" inheritance approach prevails.
Sects focus on grooming elite disciples via "survival of the fittest," allowing them to rise and secure glory along with rewards for the sect.
This serves the aims of both sects and noble clans alike.
Clans yearn for their disciples to outshine rivals, surpass all others, and ascend to greater heights later on.
They have no desire for heavenly pride disciples to assemble as Taoist Soldiers.
It would squander their potential.
Some sects have previously experimented with mimicking the "Taoist Soldiers" model to rally their disciples for the Sword Discussion Conference.
The Tai'a Sect gave it a try ages ago.
Outcomes fell short of expectations.
Challenges abounded, from squad harmony and forging spiritual artifacts to tweaking formations, shifting arrays, and running combat exercises.
The price tag was exorbitant right off the bat.
Producing spiritual artifacts and aligning formations posed the greatest hurdles.
The Sword Discussion's chaos defies prediction, after all.
Foes vary wildly in the Sword Discussion.
Though sects might cover the Spirit Stones, they lack the dedicated Tao Cultivation "industry" to mass-produce tailored gear quickly.
Coordinating everything drained enormous energy too.
No one could truly unite the heavenly prides under one "organization."
Each sect generation boasts a "Big Senior Brother," yet despite his prestige, he rarely oversees every detail or earns total loyalty from all disciples.
Besides, the Sword Discussion Conference escalates in stakes as rounds advance.
Arenas follow the Heaven, Earth, Xuan, Huang framework.
In particular, "Earth" stage clashes and the climactic "Heaven" stage bouts offer wins worth tens or hundreds of points each.
Thus, it's far simpler and more effective to stick with "survival of the fittest," nurture "elite disciples," and push them toward top placements rather than endure such hassles.
Gradually, sects stopped pursuing the "Taoist Soldier System" for the Sword Discussion.
The Tai'a Sect dropped the idea as well.
Watching the orderly, disciplined Taixu disciples drill in formation now left the Tai'a Sect Leader momentarily stunned.
This truly embodies the Sword Discussion via the "Taoist Soldier System"...
Peering closer for a bit, he sensed something off, surprise flickering through him.
It feels a touch distinct...
Mount Taixu's drills don't rely on a uniform Taoist Soldier System; not every disciple fits one mold.
Various specialized squads emerge, tailored to disciples' strengths, Taoist arts, and formations.
Some balance offense and defense, others excel in head-on charges, a few master rapid strikes, some focus on evasion, and others on lasting resilience...
With limited time and no custom spiritual artifacts or formations, their actual battle prowess might fall short.
Still, this method's potential was clearly emerging.
At minimum, it showed real organization, far surpassing past haphazard groups.
Gazing at the spectacle, the Tai'a Sect Leader inwardly admired it, then voiced genuine praise to the Taixu Sect Master:
"Dao Brother, your vision runs deep, and your methods are truly remarkable."
The Taixu Sect Master smiled faintly and replied, "Hardly, it's mostly the disciples' hard work."
"You're being too humble."
"It really is their efforts..."
"Still so modest..."
The Taixu Sect Master felt somewhat at a loss; he meant every word. The disciples truly drove it all. As sect master, he'd mainly "delegated authority" fittingly.
The pair then resumed sipping tea.
The Tai'a Sect Leader grew more captivated with each glance at the budding "Heavenly Pride Taoist Soldiers" practicing below. After several cups, he finally refocused, recalling why he'd come.
"Xuan Er...shouldn't be stirring up issues..."
Scanning the area, the Tai'a Sect Leader at last spotted Ouyang Xuan's figure off in the training ground's edge.
All seemed in order.
Ouyang Xuan trained steadily alongside Mount Chongxu's Sword Dao Genius, the Taixu Mountain Formation Leader known as "Mo Hua," a burly fellow, and a Sword Cultivator of notable talent.