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46: Preparations (III)
🕑 Added 2024-11-12 01:10:16 +0000 UTC“During our stay in Heaven’s Pond, you learned about Alchemy and if you could use it or not. We’ll do the same for Formations now.” I said laying down two white cotton cloths on the floor, wide enough to be used as curtains these cloths had a series of inscriptions going across them.
“Alchemy is more about pushing the elements that are already present to form a pill, it creates chances where even people with other innate elements can refine 9th to 7th rank pills if they are diligent and try for specific pills.” Wang Yang was a prime example of this, usually, alchemists preferred to have only wood element as their single element. The more elements mix their advantages dim if a bad pair was made reducing the effectiveness of the wood element or making it stronger.
He would’ve faced the same issue if he didn’t have the perfect balance of elements, not to mention his diligence. Even if lucky, the kid was never outworked by anyone else.
“With Formations, however, things change drastically.” Using Qi I illustrated a picture for them on the board behind me. It showed a person, the land, surrounding qi, and the lines of qi running below the earth that connected with the formation above.
“Here, you not only have to push the Qi to attack your enemy and neutralize them but also pull Qi from the surroundings to make it possible and stabilize the formation.”
“Why do we need Qi from the surroundings?” Wang Yang asked.
“Because cultivators rarely have enough Qi to power high-grade formations alone, so they use their energy as the trigger and gather QI from the leylines below, or use spirit stones as an alternative.”
“Is that why Earth element is preferred for Formation users?” Sun Lingling has a little more knowledge compared to Wang Yang.
“Exactly, they use Earth element to their advantage and draw Qi from the leylines underground. Using high-ranking formations with spirit stones costs a fortune, but that also makes it a bit more flexible because the lack of talent and element can be supplemented by knowledge and preparation.” Lingling failed to pass the Alchemy test without a doubt, and I wouldn’t trust her to make anything, not even medicine for mortals.
“The test is simple, place your hand on the cloth and run your Qi through it. The further your color is in the rainbow the higher your talent, for reference I had green and the Grand Elder’s test showed red.” This couldn’t even be called a test because it was nowhere near to evaluating true geniuses.
We simply used it for new disciples to get an idea of their potential while saving the real test if someone reached red. Wang Yang didn’t show that sort of talent for formations, and I couldn’t guess for Lingling so I kept the real test for later in case it was needed.
If they could use formations, that would boost their combat power. Especially for Sun Lingling, I don’t need her to focus on formations, her specialization in sword supported by formations would blow away even stronger opponents with the techniques I had in store.
“It’s Yellow.” Wang Yang’s talent was the same as last time.
“…”
However, nothing showed from Sun Lingling’s side. The formation didn’t even light up, which was something I’d never seen before.
This was what it meant to put all eggs in one basket. And, that was how true geniuses were, they were good at one thing and stood at the summit of that mountain.
In my view, that was better for Sun Lingling. After all, a pure sword cultivator that had no connections to other paths whatsoever was a terrifying existence in itself. With this, I understood how to train these disciples of mine.
“Sun Lingling, you are free to use the lecture time for other paths as you wish as long as you memorize the books here.” I handed her five books, each as thick as a dictionary. They were about sensing, disrupting, dismantling, and destroying formations based on terrain along with information on different types of formations.
The books were compiled from knowledge of various sword grandmasters, past and future, and their know-how about dealing with formation users after years of experience. It was pure knowledge and didn’t need explanation from me, just remembering would be enough.
“Ok.” Lingling's answer was as short as the time it would take her to memorize the books.
Taking the books, she left the lecture room and headed for her cultivation room. Now, I turned to Wang Yang and he already sensed that he’d have to read books. However, I won't be as kind as last time.
“You have to finish these books in the next week.” Three stacks of books as tall as me appeared nearby, each book as thick as a diary.
“T-That’s too much!” He moved back in horror.
“If you don’t memorize ten books before midnight, no sleep for you~.” He had four hours and fifty minutes.
“Noooooo!!!”
As promised, I decided to be strict with him about reading. He couldn’t sleep for the next two days, but that wasn’t so bad in hindsight.
It was the fourth day since the lecture that something happened. I walked into the kitchen area around noon, only to see the two disciples snooping around the place. In truth, it was only Wang Yang who was opening and closing shelves and taking off jar lids with a serious look.
“What happened?” I asked.
“The Food array is empty.” Sun Lingling answered.
“But I refilled it yesterday.” I said looking over at Wang Yang since Sun Lingling rarely ate food from there, so it should’ve been enough for the week.
“I only ate two dishes for breakfast, and it was all gone.” Wang Yang claimed his innocence. “Someone is stealing our food!”
“Hmm? Like who?” I leaned against the doorframe.
“Like a food thief that sneaks in the dead of the night when it is past dinner time and eats without supervision.” Wang Yang clenched his fist.
“So, you?” Sun Lingling’s words made him take a step back.
“…I don’t eat everything though.” He didn’t deny it.
Normal people had three meals a day, Wang Yang had six. Since becoming a cultivator, his body has started to demand more energy so it was understandable, and I made the food according to that. So, it couldn’t be him, if he had eaten everything he would’ve admitted to it.
“There has to be a secret tunnel or something around here.” He went back checking the floorboards and walls with narrowed eyes, then he swung around his arm making a big arc. “Or the culprit could be invisib—ah!”
He froze up, his arm was caught causing his sharp twirl to come to an abrupt stop. The air moved, creating a ripple that showed a small silhouette on the table. Soon, the form took definition, it was a nine-year-old girl with shiny red hair tied in two buns on each side of her head and blazing golden eyes.
“Rude.” Indignant, the girl’s lips, smeared with chili oil, turned crooked.
Wang Yang looked at the little child in the red clothes with a golden collar sitting cross-legged on the table, then at the bowl in her hand. He repeated this another time before it finally registered.
“That’s my chili oil fried rice with roasted pork!” He lunged at her, trying to grasp what was left.
But he could only grasp air. The kid had already jumped and now stood right on top of Wang Yang’s head.
“Can’t you see I am eating?” She flipped through the air once again, dodging the attempt to catch her legs.
Landing on the windowsill, she took another bite as if it was nothing special.
Wang Yang looked ready to try and catch her again, even Sun Lingling seemed alert. So, it was a good time to stop here.
“What are you doing, Mei’er?” I asked, bringing them to a halt.
“Hmph!” However, the kid refused to meet my eye. “Mei doesn’t talk with liars.”
“Liar? Me?” My head tilted to the side.
“See? You forgot about it, uncle!” Mei’s anger exploded alongside the fiery qi filling the room.
“U-Uncle?” Wang Yang repeated.
“That kid…” Sun Lingling felt the realm of this little kid, the pressure of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
“Now now, calm down Mei’er.” This was quite the situation.
What did I forget? No, it would be better to think what Li Muchen before my regression had promised her. What could it be?
“There! You are using sweet words to buy time to think, just like Mother said.” She pointed at me with the white chopsticks. “Mei is too smart, I won’t fall for your excuses this time!”
Damn her mother, giving away my tricks like this. But before that, excuses in situations where Mei was involved, huh? That helps in narrowing it down, and given her age it could only be that.
“Come on Mei’er, forgive your uncle for not taking you to the Immortal forest this time. I was truly busy.” I took her to that forest almost every two to three months, but with the regression and the little time I had, it slipped my mind because we had grown out of that routine in the later years.
“I won’t hear it, uncle even went on a fun trip outside too with Mei.” She puffed her small face like a squirrel.
If only I could tell her how fun that trip was, regardless I had to bring out my trump card before the situation got any worse.
“It was for the disciples you know? And I went on a short note so I couldn’t tell you.” I stepped closer gauging her reaction.
“Mei is not listening!” She stomped the windowsill ready to run away.
I closed my right eye and took out a small plate from my ring. A soft, creamy white dish that gleamed under the warm glow of the room. A drizzle of honey glistened over the top and slivered almonds upon its jiggly surface.
“I see, it is too bad then. I was planning to give you this brand-new Almond Pudding I made.”
“M-Mei won’t falter in front of food.” She sneaked a few glances anyway.
“I see, then you can have the first taste, Wang Yang. I wanted Mei’er to have the first taste, truly such a shame this is.”
The faint aroma of sweet almonds and vanilla had already caught the attention of his hunger. He was reaching for the plate when the plate was snatched by the blur. The trap worked.
“Mei is willing to listen this one time!! Just this one time!!” Like a mother shielding her child, she hid the plate behind her so it wasn’t taken away.
This method works everything as Mei’er loved eating new dishes, so I always kept a few new dishes in my pocket, just in case they had to be used by me or someone else.
“So, this is my niece, Hua Mei, the princess of Tiger Peak.” I introduced the defiant kid, now sitting in my arms like a docile cat, to my two disciples. “She has a habit of sneaking in for food so don’t mind her.”
“Yesh, niceh to meeth youg!” Mei was too lost in the pudding to speak normally. She was kicking her legs while taking the bites so I knew it was successful.
“The Princess of Tiger Peak…” Lingling muttered not stopping at the adorable exterior of the kid.
“Yes, she is the daughter of Tiger Peak’s Peak Master, Hua Jiahong.” Although through ties, I would be her Martial uncle, she still referred to me as an uncle.
“Now that I think of it, this is a good chance.” Since the opportunity arrived, it's best to make use of it.
“What is?” Wang Yang wiped his drool, trying to distract his mind from the pudding.
“I’ll show you around Immortal Forest, the first wonderous sight of Azure Sky Sect.”
It makes me wonder. Would it happen this time too?
