txolops Chapter 17: The Inheritance of the Dao of Array Formations!
Chapter 17: The Inheritance of the Dao of Array Formations!
Chapter 17: The Inheritance of the Dao of Array Formations!
Sitting cross-legged on the futon in his temporary cave dwelling, Lin Chuan's gaze fell on the newly updated divination chart.
The two characters "中凶" (meaning "middle-level ominous") gleamed with a warning-like dark gold hue.
He closed his eyes and pondered for a moment, and when he opened them again, his eyes were clear.
"Since the cultivators came prepared, they must have set up an ambush on their way back. If I leave rashly today, I will be walking into their trap."
He got up and paced a few steps inside the cramped cave.
This temporary cave dwelling consists of only one room, with simple furnishings. Its only advantage is that the protective barriers are relatively reliable.
But Lin Chuan could sense that there were always one or two faint divine senses sweeping across the perimeter. Although he couldn't see them clearly through the barrier, they felt like thorns in his back.
"Since you're thinking of waiting for them to come to you..."
Lin Chuan's lips curled into a cold smile: "Then let you guard it."
He pushed open the stone door of the cave, walked to the front hall of the inn, and said to the waiter on duty, "One more day."
"Alright, fellow Daoist." The shopkeeper took the spirit stones and quickly registered them.
---
Meanwhile, ten miles outside Huangfeng Valley Market, in a dense forest on a hillside.
Five figures were hidden in the shadows of the trees, their auras concealed, making them virtually undetectable unless one got very close.
The man in the lead was the middle-aged man who had sold takeout pictures at Wanbaolou that day; his surname was Liu and his given name was Quan.
He was sitting cross-legged on a blue stone, his eyes slightly closed, with faint golden light swirling in his slits.
"Brother Liu, that kid hasn't come out yet?"
Beside them, a scarred man couldn't help but whisper, "It's been three days already. Could it be that they've noticed something?"
Liu Quan slowly opened his eyes, and a golden pattern flashed and disappeared deep in his pupils.
He possessed a secret pupil technique called "Mysterious Pupil," which allowed him to observe the "precious light" emitted by the treasures on a person's body.
That day outside Wanbaolou, he immediately noticed that the cloaked cultivator possessed several precious treasures, the brilliance of which far surpassed that of ordinary Qi Refining cultivators.
Then he deliberately approached her, and under the guise of selling fake pictures, secretly slipped "Thousand Mile Fragrance" onto her clothes.
This fragrance is colorless and odorless, yet it can retain spiritual energy for three months without dissipating. Only their unique secret method can detect and track it.
"They probably didn't notice."
Liu Quan pondered, "The scent of the Thousand-Mile Fragrance hasn't dissipated yet, and he's still in the market. Perhaps something came up and he's been delayed, or perhaps he's staying an extra day to observe him as a precaution."
"Hmph, what's the use of being cautious?"
On the other side, a tall, thin cultivator sneered, "Once we leave the market, it's our territory. With the five of us joining forces, plus Brother Liu's 'Mysterious Eye' and Scarface's 'Armor-Piercing Cone,' even a Qi Refining Perfection cultivator can be left behind."
"We must not be careless."
Liu Quan waved his hand, "This person can casually bid on a wooden box containing hundreds of spirit stones, so he must be quite wealthy and definitely not an ordinary Qi Refining cultivator. He may have some powerful trump cards."
Despite this, there was no fear in his eyes, but rather a hint of greed.
All five were skilled individuals at the twelfth level of Qi Refining, and they had been working together to carry out this robbery business for ten years without ever failing.
The radiance emanating from that boy was almost the most intense he had ever seen in years.
"Keep waiting."
Liu Quan closed his eyes again. "He'll have to come out eventually; he won't stay long."
---
On the morning of the fourth day.
Lin Chuan looked at the newly refreshed divination result:
Today's divination: Moderately inauspicious!
[The divination reads: You returned to Yellow Maple Valley, but were intercepted by bandits. You returned with minor injuries.]
"They're still guarding it?" Lin Chuan's eyes grew colder.
The hexagram changed from "serious injury" to "minor injury," indicating that by taking precautions, one can reduce the damage.
However, the divination results also confirmed his guess.
Although the opponent is not weak, there are absolutely no Foundation Establishment cultivators among them.
Otherwise, if a Foundation Establishment cultivator were to make a move, a Qi Refining cultivator would have little chance of escaping serious injury or even death.
Even so, he didn't want to take any risks.
The divination indicated that he didn't need to take any risks.
"Since you like to wait, then let you wait as long as you want." Lin Chuan sneered inwardly, already having a plan.
And so, another day passed.
The next morning.
The divination results have been updated.
Today's divination result: Very auspicious.
[The divination text reads: You rented the "Quiet Mind Courtyard" in Huangfeng Valley Market. Under the peach tree in the courtyard, you found a jade scroll containing the inheritance of the Dao of Arrays.]
Another auspicious day?
Lin Chuan was somewhat surprised.
This also confirmed my previous conjecture.
Staying in Yellow Maple Valley is certainly safe.
However, because there are no variables, it is difficult to encounter a very lucky opportunity.
Now that we are in deep crisis, it is actually easier to refresh our fortune.
However, Lin Chuan had no intention of taking any risks.
On the path of cultivation, one must never easily put oneself in danger for the sake of a few opportunities.
He got up, packed his belongings, pushed open the stone door of the cave, and walked straight into the depths of the market.
The Yellow Maple Valley Market is divided into two areas: an outer area and an inner area. The outer area is the main street with shops and stalls, bustling and noisy; the inner area is a quiet courtyard, exclusively for cultivators to rent long-term.
These courtyards are all equipped with ingenious formations, some for gathering spiritual energy, some for protection, and some for soundproofing. The rent is high, but it is worth the money.
Lin Chuan walked around half of the inner area and stopped in front of a courtyard with a wooden sign that read "Quiet Mind Courtyard".
The courtyard occupies half an acre, with a blue brick wall and a vermilion wooden door.
The stone tablet beside the door is inscribed with a brief description: It contains a "Minor Five Elements Spirit Gathering Array", a "Soundproof Barrier", and a "Warning Array".
Lin Chuan did not hesitate at all. He took out the spirit stones, handed them to the steward, and obtained the jade token to control the formation.
Pushing open the gate, you are greeted by an elegant little courtyard.
The ground is paved with bluestone slabs. On the left, an old peach tree is in full bloom, with pink and white petals falling in the wind. On the right, there is a stone table and benches, and in the corner, there is a medicinal herb field. Although it only grows some common medicinal herbs, it is still lush and green.
The main building has three rooms, including a quiet room, a living room, and a pill-making room.
Lin Chuan scanned the entire courtyard with his divine sense and, after confirming that there was nothing unusual, walked straight to the peach tree in the courtyard.
Following the divination, he dug into the soil three feet below the tree, and soon his fingertips touched a hard object.
It was an ebony box about a foot long, buried for a long time, but the box showed no signs of decay and instead shone with a faint spiritual light.
Lin Chuan carefully took it out, brushed off the dirt, and opened the box.
Inside the box lay a pale blue jade scroll, its surface warm and lustrous, with four small ancient seal characters engraved on it:
The Limitless Array Manual
He picked up the jade slip, placed it on his forehead, and immersed his consciousness into it.
In an instant, a vast amount of information flooded into my mind—
The general principles of array formations, basic array patterns, the evolution of the five elements, breaking restrictions, and the crafting of array plates... it encompasses everything and is profound and mysterious.
After a cursory glance, Lin Chuan was deeply moved.
This is actually the lifelong legacy of a Core Formation stage array master!
It not only includes hundreds of formations from basic to advanced levels, but also the master's unique insights.
"No wonder the divination was rated as 'very auspicious'..." Lin Chuan took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement.
The art of formations holds a special place in the world of cultivation.
An array master, regardless of their cultivation level, will receive respect from all sides.
High-level formations can protect mountains and gates, trap and kill enemies, and gather spiritual energy to aid cultivation; their uses are endless.
However, formations are difficult to learn and master, requiring extremely high talent and a large amount of resources to practice, and ordinary cultivators dare not even get involved.
This inheritance is truly a blessing from heaven.
"Perfect, I'll take this opportunity to go into seclusion and study."
Lin Chuan carefully put away the jade slip: "No matter how rampant those cultivators are, they won't dare to break into the inner area of the market and make a move."
He entered the meditation room and activated all the arrays in the courtyard.
The Lesser Five Elements Spirit Gathering Array operates, slowly gathering the spiritual energy of heaven and earth; the soundproof barrier isolates internal and external sounds; the warning array covers the entire courtyard, and will alarm if there is any abnormality.
A sense of security arises spontaneously.