Chapter 52: Setting Up the Formation
Chapter 52: Setting Up the Formation
Mu Yuan felt very satisfied as he left Green Tide Valley. He sensed the unstable Green Wood Thunderblade inside the Black Water Gourd but was not in a hurry to suppress and refine it. He simply went back to Cloud-Capped Peak by himself.
Hua Zhenzi had challenged Mu Yuan, believing he would win for sure. He had told everyone from all seven peaks about it. But things did not go as he planned. Instead, he lost the fight. Not only did he lose his flying sword, but he also completely shamed Strange Abode Peak. For a while, he became the laughingstock of the Longevity Palace.
Upon returning to Cloud-Capped Peak, Mu Yuan was immediately summoned by Cang Qing Zi to Qingguang Hall. When Mu Yuan followed the attendant and entered, he discovered all his fellow disciples were present. Cang Qing Zi saw Mu Yuan come in and asked with a smile, “So, what was the result of your fight?”
Mu Yuan was surprised by how quickly the news had spread. He thought to himself that his senior brother Chen Taiyi had not actually been present at the fight to stop him and Hua Zhenzi from brawling and sending them to the back mountain for reflection. He immediately replied, “Your disciple did not fail your expectations. I even won Hua Zhenzi’s Green Wood Thunderblade!”
Cang Qing Zi laughed and scolded him, “What ‘did not fail your expectations’? It sounds like I sent you to bully others! Tell me, how did you win?”
Mu Yuan did not try to hide anything. On Cloud-Capped Peak, it was just like being with his own family. His practice of Tidal Flow was no secret either. So, he explained everything about the Mystic Water True Dragon Formation in detail. Cang Qing Zi listened with great pleasure and immediately said, “Our sect also has a formation called ‘Mirage Dragon Thousand Illusions Array’. Today, as your master, I will make an exception and pass it on to you. Study it well!”
Cang Qing Zi casually pointed a finger. A illusory light shot into Mu Yuan’s Sea of Consciousness. Mu Yuan’s spirit intertwined with it, and countless Talismanic Seals swirled within, combining to form a mirage dragon illusionary realm. There were misty mountains and seas, faintly visible pavilions, rivers with green wood, mountains and lakes. If one sank into it, they could not escape unless they knew the secret of life and death. Although Mu Yuan did not particularly like formations, he was still happy. He quickly thanked his master.
“In the next few days, go to Cloud Brilliance Peak and listen to your martial uncle teach Divine Abilities. Soon, you will go with Old Daoist Danhuo. Find the Mind-Calming Pill and make your plans early!”
Mu Yuan nodded in agreement. Cang Qing Zi said nothing more, turned, and went back into the hall. All the fellow disciples around came up to congratulate him. Mu Yuan smiled continuously, exchanged pleasantries with everyone for a while, and then immediately rushed to Cloud Brilliance Peak to listen to the lecture!
At Cloud Brilliance Peak, he saw Qi Wei again. She was also among those listening to the teachings. Mu Yuan smiled and greeted her. Qi Wei just nodded slightly in response. Mu Yuan didn’t pay it much mind. He listened to the lectures on Cloud Brilliance Peak for three days like this. Finally, the time came to follow Old Daoist Danhuo to Medicine God Valley.
Before leaving, he went to thank and say goodbye to True Lord Qinghua. True Lord Qinghua laughed and said, “You also need to start Condensing Evil Energy and gathering energy. Coincidentally, Wei’er has also reached this stage. Let her accompany you. First, go to Medicine God Valley to see the sights of a major alchemy sect. Then, go to the East Sea to Condense Evil Energy. It will be good for you to look out for each other.”
Mu Yuan glanced at the expressionless Qi Wei and sighed inwardly. “It can’t be this coincidental, can it? Having me spend all day guarding such a silent, unsmiling, and rigid female cultivator is worse than being free and easy on my own.”
Although he thought this, he dared not say it out loud. He quickly smiled and said, “If Senior Sister Qi does not mind me, then of course it would be good.”
True Lord Qinghua laughed, “Your Senior Sister Qi praised your high Magical Power. You can naturally protect and look out for her on the journey. This matter is settled then.”
Mu Yuan had no choice but to nod. He returned to Cloud-Capped Peak, packed a few clothes, and thought for a moment. Suddenly, he remembered there was still a Mountain Elf inside the Black Water Gourd. Although it was trapped by restrictive spells, it wasn’t fully dealt with yet. He thought about how to handle it.
“Hand it over to Master? Not a good idea. I’ll use the newly learned Mirage Dragon Thousand Illusions Array and the Mystic Water True Dragon Formation to slowly wear it down. Wait until its Primordial Qi is greatly depleted, and after I succeed in Condensing Evil Energy and open my Yin Spirit, I’ll subdue it in one go, making it submit willingly!”
Having decided, he immediately focused his mind into the Black Water Gourd. The inside of the gourd had very dense water vapor and rich spiritual energy, so it didn’t need spirit stones to gather more. However, the Mountain Elf itself had immense strength, so he needed a Spiritual Treasure to anchor the formation’s core.
“Since I’m just wearing it down, I’ll use the Green Wood Thunderblade. Let this Magical Artifact and the Mountain Elf fight it out. I won’t bother with it!”
Mu Yuan, full of enthusiasm, found many plants, trees, and mountain rocks. He carved Talismanic Seals onto them and arranged them according to the formation pattern. The Mirage Dragon Thousand Illusions Array was an illusion formation, mainly used for trapping people. It was created based on the mirage dragon’s illusory realm.
Legend said among dragon kinds, there was one called the mirage dragon. It often lived at the mouths of rivers, lakes, and seas. It breathed in and out mirage qi, creating boundless illusory realms to lure passing birds as food. Mu Yuan set up the formation and immediately cast it down upon the Mountain Elf!
The Mountain Elf was trapped inside the gourd, confined to an area of several dozen square miles. Although Mu Yuan had caught some passing beasts and birds for it to eat as food, it still felt very stifled. Now that there was finally some movement, it let out a great roar, churned up stones from the ground, and hurled them towards the great formation!
The Mountain Elf was a natural being, not versed in magic arts itself. But it possessed immense strength. As the saying goes, sheer force can overcome ten skills. Mu Yuan’s formation was newly learned and initially set up, so this illusory realm immediately began to shake. Countless streams of Primordial Qi condensed into an earth-yellow scaled, brownish-red maned dragon beast. It let out an angry roar, its entire body’s mane standing on end. It opened its bloodthirsty maw, continuously breathing in and out a dreamlike, illusory stream of air. This air continuously surged out, forming large areas of city walls and bell towers, pressing down with imposing force!
Mu Yuan seized the opportunity. He shot the Green Wood Thunderblade into the mirage dragon formed by the illusory qi. The Green Wood Thunderblade writhed and charged. Its vast Sword Qi immediately whistled and surged, clashing directly with the Mountain Elf. The two sides were locked in a stalemate. Only then did Mu Yuan breathe a long sigh of relief. He then hurriedly set up the Mystic Water True Dragon Formation!
The Mystic Water True Dragon Formation could exert even more power within the Black Water Gourd compared to the Mirage Dragon Thousand Illusions Array. Vast amounts of black water true essence surged into the formation, continuously grinding, pressing, and squeezing the Mountain Elf in the middle. But he only used a fraction of its power, not going all out!
Mu Yuan wanted to subdue the Mountain Elf, and naturally, he also had thoughts about the Green Wood Thunderblade. He planned to wait until both were exhausted and then subdue them together!
“Formations are really useful! I don’t have to do everything personally. It seems I need to put in some effort to study them properly in the future!”
After finishing all these arrangements, Mu Yuan packed his bundle, tossed it into the gourd, and went straight to Cloud Brilliance Peak to find Qi Wei.
When he met Qi Wei, this senior sister, cold as an iceberg, had already packed her belongings. Seeing Mu Yuan come to find her, she just said flatly, “Let’s go.”
Mu Yuan smiled wryly to himself. He really wanted to know how Hua Zhenzi had managed to invite her to watch the fight back then, but it wasn’t appropriate to ask. The two of them then went to Flying Dragon Peak to see the sect leader. They reported that they had prepared everything. They immediately set off on the road to Medicine God Valley with Old Daoist Danhuo and his group!
Medicine God Valley was located within the borders of Tianlong Kingdom. Although the five of them were Qi Refinement cultivators, they were not in a great hurry. Old Daoist Danhuo also wanted to walk among the mortal world, thinking he might discover some rare medicinal herbs. So, they actually walked slowly, continuing their journey step by step.