The Six Desires Marionette Array was created by a Formation Master at the pinnacle of the Transformation God Realm.
Compared to arrays that assist allies, this formation leans more toward weakening enemies.
Unlike traditional formations, the Six Desires Marionette Array primarily focuses on controlling “emotions.”
From the Foundation Establishment stage onward, cultivators refine their Dao hearts to ensure steady progress on the path of Immortality.
By the time they reach the Nascent Soul Realm and break into the Transformation God stage, they must pass through the Heart Demon Tribulation to become a complete Transformation God.
Take Xiao Qingxuan, for example—she’s been stuck at the Half-Step Transformation God Realm precisely because she has only passed the Heavenly Tribulation, but never the Heart Demon Tribulation.
Therefore, influencing the emotions of cultivators with actual Dao cultivation is extremely difficult unless one is a master illusionist like the Huanshen Sect Master or at least one major realm above the opponent.
In an instant, the formation diagram and related information of the Six Desires Marionette Array flooded into Ye Luqing’s mind.
This array’s diagram was more complex than ordinary formations, requiring a longer setup time, and it heavily depended on a material called the “Emotion Branch.”
The greater the enemy’s emotional fluctuations, the more effective the Six Desires Marionette Array would be.
In other words, if the opponent’s Dao heart was clear and soul flawless, this formation would have no effect whatsoever.
Looking over these increasingly stringent conditions, Ye Luqing couldn’t help but feel speechless.
To be honest, the mere fact that it required pre-arrangement was already troublesome enough.
The Xuanhuang Qi Mountain-Suppressing Art she had just mastered could be activated almost anytime, as long as there was enough Xuanhuang Qi to build the array pattern and the core.
Formations requiring prior setup were generally considered “Great Formations.”
But when it came to emotional fluctuations, she did have a solution.
The “Heartthrob” title increased charm value, adapting itself to become others’ ideal type.
Even her master, Bai Yuhan, seemed affected, not to mention cultivators below the Combined Dao Realm.
The next moment, a wave of dazzling formation light surged into her mind.
“So this is what ‘emotion’ really is?”
Ye Luqing felt the mysterious energy as if the formation had bound her own emotions.
Her own emotions?
Exactly—why should this formation only control others’ emotions?
It could be used to control one’s own emotions as well.
Or rather, perhaps this was the correct way to use this formation?
A bold idea flashed through her mind, sparking a moment of clarity.
Her understanding of the formation deepened further.
In a daze, her consciousness returned to reality.
As vast formation knowledge poured into Ye Luqing’s mind, she successfully mastered the array.
Unlike last time when the system directly transmitted skills, she did not feel unreal nor experience the dissonance of acquiring skills bit by bit over time.
Ye Luqing was somewhat surprised.
The Dao Lord’s method of imparting skills seemed less effective than the formations bought from the Blackening Value Shop?
It appeared this system’s authority might even exceed the Combined Dao Realm.
“Have you comprehended it?”
Bai Yuhan asked in astonishment as she watched Ye Luqing.
Ye Luqing nodded.
She had now entered the beginner’s level of the Six Desires Marionette Array.
To improve further, she would need to practice and use it frequently.
Bai Yuhan nodded slightly, sensing that this personal disciple’s talent in formation crafting had not vanished.
Her gaze then shifted to Ying Qianqian, the other personal disciple, who was frowning deeply with fine beads of sweat covering her forehead.
It wasn’t that Ying Qianqian lacked talent, but compared to Ye Luqing, her aptitude seemed lacking.
Moreover, Ye Luqing had fallen from the Nascent Soul Realm.
Although her cultivation had dropped, a Golden Core cultivator who once reached the Nascent Soul stage was naturally different from an ordinary Golden Core cultivator.
“Master, is this formation really only a Profound-level Upper Technique?”
Ye Luqing asked, puzzled.
She had mastered many Xuan-tier formations, and the difficulty of the Six Desires Marionette Array felt on par with the Xuanhuang Qi Mountain-Suppressing Art.
Bai Yuhan raised her eyebrows slightly, a subtle smile gracing her lips, full of charm.
“You have a good sense of it. If perfectly executed, the Six Desires Marionette Array can reach Earth Grade power.”
“For cultivators with steadfast Dao hearts, it’s very difficult to trouble their emotions and spirits.”
“Conversely, if you manage to control the enemy’s emotions, their combat effectiveness will definitely drop—only a tenth of their usual skill remains.”
Ye Luqing nodded in agreement; she felt the same.
A formation with such harsh conditions and a long setup time, once successfully cast, could not be underestimated.
She closed her eyes and focused her mind, waiting for Ying Qianqian to comprehend the formation while constructing the Six Desires Marionette Array’s pattern.
A quarter of an hour later, Ying Qianqian slowly opened her eyes.
“Sorry, I’ve noted down the formation diagram, but I haven’t fully mastered it yet…” she said, her expression somewhat gloomy.
This Profound-level Upper Technique formation was still a bit difficult for her.
As if anticipating this, Bai Yuhan took out a colorful small branch.
“This is the Emotion Branch. It’s both the formation instrument for the Six Desires Marionette Array and an auxiliary material for cultivating this formation.”
“But the Emotion Branch is extremely rare and hard to obtain, which has led to the decline of the Six Desires Marionette Array.”
Sighing, Bai Yuhan added,
“A few hundred years ago, the Emotion Branch wasn’t scarce, and this array was an Earth Grade formation.”
“But due to many restrictions, the array’s status fell to Profound level, and fewer and fewer people managed to cultivate it.”
“Lower-level Formation Masters couldn’t gather the materials, while higher-level cultivators saw an emotional formation as superfluous.”
At this, Ying Qianqian’s eyes brightened.
“Then the Emotion Branch should be given to Sister Ye.”
“Since Sister has mastered the Six Desires Marionette Array, building the formation will definitely require the Emotion Branch.”
Ye Luqing was slightly taken aback.
“But, Little Ying, you haven’t fully comprehended it yet…”
Ying Qianqian gave a sly smile, “I can always go ask Sister Ye~”
“……”
Such a short map of the State of Yan.
Bai Yuhan laughed as she handed the Emotion Branch to Ye Luqing, clearly happy to see her personal disciples from Biluofeng getting along better.
Ye Luqing took the Emotion Branch, and immediately the Blackening Value Shop’s resale price flashed through her mind.
[Emotion Branch, Profound-level Upper, Resale Price: 50 points]
Huh?
Resale price 50 points?
She didn’t quite believe it and opened the Blackening Value Shop, finding the Emotion Branch under the Ling Plant Immortal Herb section.
The sale price… was indeed 100 points.
“Master, can the Emotion Branch be bought with Contribution Points from the sect?” Ye Luqing hurriedly asked.
Bai Yuhan shook her head with a hint of helplessness in her tone.
“Very difficult, and though it has a price, it has no market. Its price is far higher than other spirit plants of the same rank.”
“The price of Profound-level Upper spirit plants is around 150 points, but the Emotion Branch probably costs four to five hundred points.”
“Even so, it remains a rare commodity with little demand.”
The Emotion Tree is now nearly extinct, leaving the materials in an awkward position.
Materials derived from the Emotion Tree usually serve as auxiliary ingredients ranging from Profound-level Upper to Earth-grade Lower, neither high-grade goods nor essentials, so few cultivate it specifically.
Only a few sects that rely on emotional cultivation might raise a few trees themselves; wild Emotion Trees are very scarce.
Ye Luqing nodded calmly on the surface, but her heart churned with waves of excitement.
“So the Blackening Value Shop’s prices don’t seem to consider scarcity?”
“In other words, for some in-demand items, I can buy low and sell high.”
Besides supply-demand imbalances, there are specialized scenarios where trading can be profitable.
For example, an ordinary pot of water isn’t worth much, but for someone dying of thirst in a desert, it could be worth a fortune.
For a moment, Ye Luqing felt she had discovered the right way to use the Blackening Value Shop.
Seeing Ye Luqing deep in thought, Bai Yuhan looked over at Ying Qianqian, who seemed hesitant to speak.
“Little Ying, is there something you want to say?”