Chapter 48
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Chapter 48
After this battle, the power of the Abyss of Weeping had undoubtedly waned.
It was uncertain whether the Abyss Master could withstand this calamity; after all, losing one’s head is not something that can be easily fixed.
The next day, the thirty Immortal Sects gathered again, but the number of attendees had decreased by sixty percent.
The previous lively crowd had become quiet and guarded after the provocation of the Eye Serpent Plague.
Many disciples were still healing in the medical hall, while some members struggled to explain how they ended up with Paper Persons attached to them, their identities and affiliations becoming muddled, leading them to be taken away by their Master and Uncle for further questioning.
Today, the lucky formation was about to be activated, which should have been the most festive and lively occasion.
With the absence of these people, the grand court felt much emptier. Still, many came early, eager to witness the once-in-a-thousand-years legendary formation.
The last time the formation was opened was to assist in a national war; if it hadn’t been for Jin Yan Tuo preserving those rankings, let alone Moonfire Valley benefiting from it, even the onlookers would never experience such a spectacle in their lifetime!
Several senior elders from Jin Yan Tuo had already arrived at the site four or five days prior.
They were reluctant to meet outsiders due to their confinement; who would have thought the same unfortunate fate would happen again at the scene?
—Now, wasn’t everyone feeling the same sympathy for one another? Damn that Abyss of Weeping!
“Opening the formation is good.” Yan Fangji sighed lightly, “It will ward off evil and disasters, washing away any bad luck.”
Gong Wu felt a bit timid, watching as the great formation was being inscribed and recalling the incident when she fell victim to He Zhao Li’s scheme.
The sight of the old master of Jin Yan Tuo dying suddenly was truly tragic, so much so that the thought of sitting in the formation again made her uneasy.
Ji Yang noticed her discomfort and softly reassured her, “If you’re worried, I can sit in there later.”
He merely wanted to take her back to that wondrous realm once more; everything else was unimportant.
Gong Wu raised her eyes and asked, “Really?”
“Yep.” Ji Yang smiled, “I still need to thank you for allowing this good fortune to your Senior Brother.”
She smiled bashfully and quietly recounted a few details about the incident at Jin Yan Tuo.
That was a shocking chapter in her life.
Even now, Gong Wu still remembered how she had fled back to Moonfire Valley under the cover of night.
“It’s all in the past.” Tu Xuixin patted his two disciples on the shoulder, “Today is a good day; an auspicious time is near, and I’ll be happy no matter who goes.”
“This formation is drawn in front of the crowd, so just have faith.”
As he said, the entire formation drawing process was complex and intricate, but each item used was of the highest quality.
The red cinnabar wards off evil, and the red clay boosts energy. The outer four formations are designed to shield those within from calamity, while the center four formations symbolize fortune, prosperity, longevity, and happiness.
A group of disciples brought forth the Eight Treasures, arranging them at each formation’s key nodes according to the principles of yin, yang, and the five elements.
Bells, drums, and string instruments were positioned in the four cardinal directions, while joyful brides and auspicious children bowed to the gods and buddhas, scattering sweet beans and fruits over the crowd.
The scale of the event was immense, and the formation’s density surpassed even the Old Formation of Jin Yan Tuo.
Hua Tingxiao initially watched with his arms crossed, but his expression gradually shifted.
“Is this a blessing ceremony or a wedding? Are they really throwing a banquet?”
“It’s far more extravagant than a wedding,” Du Ren remarked sincerely. “No wonder formation practitioners are all from wealthy families; poorer folks couldn’t afford such things.”
They had arrived early, and everyone observed the actions and arrangements of Jin Yan Tuo’s formation practitioners as if attending a live lecture, absorbing the intricacies of the rituals.
A large group of disciples spent two and a half hours preparing, and the crowd watched intently for the same duration, finding it neither tedious nor dull. Many took notes as they watched, eager to learn enough to secretly set up a grand formation of their own.
—Every movement was a treasure!
It wasn’t until Qin Cuohua returned that Gong Wu realized the lucky formation was complete.
Aligned with the stars and the prosperity of the five elements, every intricate layer of the formation was perfectly arranged.
“Good afternoon, everyone,” Qin Cuohua said with a smile. “In just the time it takes an incense stick to burn, you may enter the formation personally.”
The disciples of Moonfire Valley glanced around, and Ji Yang stepped forward.
“I’ll go.”
“Senior Brother, please be careful,” Gong Wu said, gripping the hem of his sleeve. In front of Qin Cuohua, she added, “If anything feels wrong, run immediately!”
Qin Cuohua also recalled the tragic event at Jin Yan Tuo and lowered her gaze. “I met the old master a few times; that incident was truly horrifying.”
“However, I personally supervised today’s arrangements, so please rest assured.”
After confirming everything was in order, Ji Yang changed into a red robe and walked to the center of the Main Hall’s Formation.
When he emerged from the tent after changing, not only did the disciples gasp in admiration, but even those who had been intently studying the formations were astonished.
—That outfit, that attire, looked breathtaking on him!
Ji Yang was only twenty-one, at the age when youthful brilliance shines brightest.
His long hair was tied into a ponytail with a sapphire hairpin, and he wore a red robe embroidered with gold, the sleeve hems flowing gracefully.
What was striking was the boldness of the red.
He resembled a top scholar or a groom, embodying the most vibrant color in the mortal world.
Yet on him, it appeared perfectly balanced—neither garish nor excessive.
From his long hair to his deep-set eyes, everything about him was dark and intense.
His demeanor was cold and aloof, and his cultivation exuded an aura that kept others at a distance. One glance made it clear he was a Daoist of the Path of Emotionless.
Such a cool and detached figure, dressed in such a warm crimson, made him appear even more otherworldly.
Yan Fangji leaned toward Tu Xuixin and whispered something in his ear, which Gong Wu happened to overhear.
“This might be your only chance to see Subei in wedding attire.”
“True,” Tu Xuixin replied with a hint of melancholy. “It feels like sending a son off to get married; it’s making me a little emotional.”
Gong Wu detected a hint of regret and turned her gaze to Ji Yang, who was deeply immersed in meditation at the center of the scene.
Clad in the most luxurious crimson silk robe, his strikingly handsome appearance was almost impossible to look away from.
She held her breath for a few seconds, suppressing the strange emotions stirring within her.
“Thank goodness Subei’s face isn’t that of a seducer,” Du Ren whispered to her. “If he were a prodigy, imagine how many men and women he’d ensnare!”
Gong Wu stifled a laugh. “Be careful, or Master Hua might give you a good knock on the head.”
Du Ren immediately grew nervous and glanced over to see Hua Tingxiao still furiously scribbling notes about the formation’s layout. Relieved, she relaxed again.
Ji Kai, who had been mid-conversation with a beautiful female cultivator, returned looking disgruntled after being abruptly ignored. He muttered, “If the outfit’s that flashy, I could pull it off too!”
Du Ren jabbed him with her finger. “You! Listen to yourself! What are you even saying?!”
As the music of strings and bamboo filled the air, the atmosphere shifted to one of solemn grandeur.
Dancers began to move gracefully, while musicians accompanied them with the pipa.
Threads of spiritual energy, like spider silk, wove through the eight treasures, connecting them to Ji Yang at the heart of the formation.
The Masters, who had been idly gossiping moments earlier, now focused intently, huddling together to discuss the intricacies of the formation and the key points of the scriptures being chanted.
Gong Wu, uninterested in the secrets of formation magic, continued whispering to Du Ren.
“Does something like a seducer really exist in this world?” she asked, her cheeks faintly reddening as she spoke. “Senior sister, you know so much.”
At her age, a girl might typically be oblivious to such intimate matters, believing that simply sharing a bed with a man would lead to pregnancy.
But as a healer, it was impossible to overlook such topics.
Beyond the medical principles of obstetrics and fertility, understanding the body’s workings required knowledge of numerous acupuncture points.
Moonfire Valley’s teachings were comprehensive, and its approach to matters of intimacy was relatively open-minded.
—In nearby villages, springtime was filled with songs, both bawdy and innocent; there was no way to suppress them.
Du Ren jolted at the question, first glancing around to ensure the Masters hadn’t noticed their whispered conversation. Then, lowering her voice amidst the chanting, she said, “In the far northwest, near the ancient kingdom of Loulan, there’s an Immortal Sect called Extreme Joy.”
She discreetly pointed toward a group of men and women seated in the southwestern corner of the main hall. “Their attire is adorned with bells, and they even arrived on camels. They’re disciples of Extreme Joy.”
“I’ve heard that there, both men and women practice dual cultivation, and there are even same-sex dual cultivators, and even…”
Gong Wu quickly covered Du Ren’s mouth, her face flushing as she couldn’t bear to hear more.
“Alright, alright, I’ll stop,” Du Ren conceded.
The grand festive formation indeed radiated a dignified and magnificent aura. After a full hour of ritual, every observer present felt refreshed and invigorated.
It was said that anyone who inhaled the incense and listened to the ritual music and chanting that day could extend their lifespan and see significant improvement in any lingering ailments.
As the disciples in the formation began to rise and depart, the disciples of Moonfire Valley hurried over to greet them.
“Ah, this formation is truly nourishing!”
“Look at Ji Yang’s complexion—he looks like he’s on the verge of Ascension!”
Everyone was beaming with joy for him.
After bowing to the Masters, Ji Yang returned to the tent to change back into his usual attire, his body now brimming with replenished spiritual energy.
After the previous trials and the battles during the Demon Realm’s surprise attack, Tu Xuixin had nearly depleted his spiritual energy. Now, in just one hour, he felt completely replenished, which he considered an unexpected gift.
Once the Eight-Flower Compass was taken out, he placed his fingers on it to channel his spiritual energy. The compass immediately pointed towards something rare, showing the golden camellia vividly depicted, looking very beautiful.
Ji Kai, watching from the side, was quite fascinated. “What is this?”
Tu Xuixin blinked and said, “Senior brother, you didn’t teach him this?”
“He’s too absorbed in alchemy to have the chance to learn this,” Yan Fangji replied, pulling out his own compass and handing it to Ji Kai. “Look, use your spiritual energy to activate the compass, and it will start the secret realm.”
“There are a total of eight types of secret realms in the world, and you can only explore one each day, but the compass will remind you in advance of the destination.”
Ji Kai listened to his master’s explanation and channeled his energy into the compass. The needle swayed left and right before stopping in front of the white sparrow flower.
“Nothing special,” Tu Xuixin chuckled, “It means once you go in, there’s nothing there; it doesn’t matter if you go or not.”
Ji Kai sighed deeply and looked at Ji Yang with envy. “Will you take me along to the Rare Secret Realm today?”
Hua Tingxiao examined him closely and smiled, “Actually, there is space for you.”
There were three Masters and four disciples on site, fitting the full configuration perfectly.
The capacity of the secret realm was limited, accommodating a maximum of seven people.
After last time’s experience, everyone was eager to carry a big basket inside to fill it with treasures.
As the light golden mist began to swirl outward, Gong Wu adjusted her medicine basket and turned, noticing that the other five in the group appeared energetic and full of spirit.
—It would not be an exaggeration to say they had all just entered the lucky formation.
“What will we find this time?” Hua Tingxiao rubbed his hands together and said, “I wouldn’t mind entering the plum forest again!!”
“I’ll go first,” Tu Xuixin stepped forward, “In case it’s too high, I can help—ah!!”
A muffled thud echoed as Old Tu’s scream grew fainter.
Hua Tingxiao pressed his ear to the mist.
“How high is it?! How do I get down?!”
At the edge of the slope, Tu Xuixin rubbed his behind and yelled, “Get lost! You come down yourself!”
