At the top of Green Lotus Peak, in the courtyard, around a stone table.

Xiao Lin, Yu Qiaoxi, and Ning Yunmiao sat in a circle.

"Phew, I thought Senior Brother was going to commit suicide, scared me for a moment..." Ning Yunmiao said while nibbling on a crane leg.

"Even if a cultivator wanted to commit suicide, they wouldn't do it like that." Xiao Lin shook his head, gnawing on a half-eaten crane wing.

[That's good, that's good. But I just revealed where I hide my snacks. Senior Brother probably didn't notice, right? Even if he did, he wouldn't sneak into my room to steal them, would he?]

Are you always thinking about your snacks?

Xiao Lin couldn't be bothered to respond, focusing instead on Yu Qiaoxi, who was engraving an array formation on the stone table. "So, Fifth Junior Sister, you're saying this mark needs energy to be used?"

"Yes."

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Yu Qiaoxi continued to engrave the array formation with spiritual energy as she replied, "Just like our Grand Sect-Protecting Array, which requires regular infusions of Supreme Spirit Stones to maintain its operation, I think this mark might work on a similar principle."

[Anyway, that's how our magic marks work. The principles of magic energy and spiritual energy have some overlap, and this mark resembles our magic marks so much that the method of use shouldn't be too different.]

The principles of magic energy and spiritual energy have some overlap? So learning math, physics, and chemistry really does prepare you for anything, huh?

Xiao Lin, who had once been a poor student, thought that if he transmigrated to Fifth Junior Sister's magic world, he'd probably struggle to learn even basic magic.

However... the principles of spiritual energy... It felt like if Fifth Junior Sister continued her research, she'd uncover something incredible...

While Xiao Lin was deep in thought, Ning Yunmiao was excited and curious.

"Fifth Junior Sister, did you draw three array formations? What are they? Can they help Senior Brother understand how to use the mark?" Ning Yunmiao licked the chili powder off her lips and asked with a blink.

"This is the Spirit Gathering Array, this is the Flower-Transposition Array, and this is the Spirit-Diffusion Array. Strictly speaking, I'm not using these three arrays to help Senior Brother; I'm breaking them down and recombining them into a new array," Yu Qiaoxi replied softly, staring at the three miniature arrays on the stone table.

"Breaking down... recombining?" Ning Yunmiao paused in her crane leg nibbling, blinking her big, bright eyes. "Fifth Junior Sister, are you saying you're creating a new array?"

[My god, if that's not genius, what is? Fifth Junior Sister is amazing! But come to think of it, why doesn't such a powerful character have much presence in the novel? Was I not paying attention when I read it?]

Probably not that you weren't paying attention, but that this Fifth Junior Sister isn't the one from your novel...

Xiao Lin thought to himself as he watched Yu Qiaoxi, who was frowning slightly. "Didn't Fifth Junior Sister say she's breaking down and recombining the arrays? She's extracting useful parts from them, so strictly speaking, it's not creating something new."

Even though just doing that was already extraordinary, considering she wasn't some ancient array master but a Foundation Establishment Realm kid... Hmm, come to think of it, I wonder how long she lived before transmigrating...

With that thought, Xiao Lin felt a bit more at ease.

"Senior Brother is right. Independently creating an array is still a bit difficult for me at this stage." Yu Qiaoxi's gaze moved back and forth between the three arrays on the table, her small hands tapping the stone table.

"Even just this is impressive," Ning Yunmiao sincerely praised, suddenly remembering something and asking, "Since it's about charging, can't Senior Brother just inject spiritual energy into the mark? Like using a magic treasure."

"If I could inject spiritual energy into it, would I still not know how to use this mark?" Xiao Lin retorted.

He had already tried directing his internal spiritual energy toward the mark, but it was useless; he had no idea how to inject it.

"This mark is similar to an array, but it's much more intricate," Yu Qiaoxi explained while taking out a small notebook and a special brush to write and draw. "According to my hypothesis, to use it by directly injecting spiritual energy, you'd need to fully understand its internal energy flow. Otherwise, you wouldn't even know where to inject the energy."

Hearing this, Xiao Lin nodded vigorously, then suddenly realized, "So, you understand the internal energy flow of this mark?"

"No, its internal energy flow is quite complex, and I don't fully understand it," Yu Qiaoxi replied, her eyes fixed on her notebook. "But after testing the mark earlier, I have a rough idea of how to inject spiritual energy into it."

"Then why not just tell Senior Brother the method directly? Why go through all this trouble?" Ning Yunmiao, eager to free her taste buds from worry, asked impatiently.

Yu Qiaoxi paused her writing and looked up at Xiao Lin. "Are you sure you want to hear it, Senior Brother? I can't guarantee I can teach you."

"Uh..."

Xiao Lin blinked, not feeling offended by Yu Qiaoxi's words. Instead, he leaned slightly to glance at her notebook.

With just one look, Xiao Lin sat back down. "Forget it, let's stick to Fifth Junior Sister's method."

"Huh? Why..." Ning Yunmiao, puzzled, also leaned over to take a look.

With just one glance, her bright eyes lost their sparkle, and she promptly closed her mouth.

Yu Qiaoxi shrugged and resumed her work.

[Help, what did I just see? If you told me that was an abstract painting, I'd believe you... Is this the so-called principle? I can't understand it at all. It reminds me of the fear of being dominated by advanced mathematics... No! Even advanced math wasn't as terrifying as this! It's too scary!]

Ning Yunmiao placed the finished bone aside, took a sip of steaming spiritual tea, and finally recovered from the earlier shock.

I was too hasty before. If I really transmigrated to Fifth Junior Sister's world, I'd probably only be fit to be a commoner...

Xiao Lin thought silently.

But before they could fully process everything, Yu Qiaoxi looked up from her notebook again.

"Alright."

"So fast? Cough, cough, cough..."

Ning Yunmiao was startled, choking on her spiritual tea.

"Then... shall we start the experiment?" Xiao Lin asked, gently patting Ning Yunmiao's back while looking at Yu Qiaoxi.

"Yes, it should be fine. Let's begin," Yu Qiaoxi said, putting away her notebook and dispersing the three arrays. She stood up and looked at Xiao Lin. "Take off your clothes, Senior Brother."

"What? Cough, cough, cough, cough..."

Ning Yunmiao, who had just recovered, was once again choked by her own saliva.