Chapter Eighty: Entering the Formation

Two days later.

On this day, the Star Pavilion was unlike any before. Light veils and mist drifted through the air, hanging from treetops, curling around eaves, and floating along the mountain paths. Everywhere, there were radiant clouds and shimmering lights, as if dawn’s glow steamed and gathered; in midair, a hundred birds flocked and cranes cried in unison. Such a scene could truly leave one awestruck at a single glance, as though gazing upon a hazy painting or a celestial paradise.

Many disciples and elders, who had secluded themselves for years, emerged from their retreats. Some rode spiritual artifacts, others walked the mountain trails, some moved in small groups, others alone. Yet all made their way toward the same destination: Heavenly Strategy Peak, at the heart of the Star Pavilion.

Today was the grandest event of the Star Pavilion: the once-in-fifty-years “Exquisite Calligraphy Gathering.” Every cultivator who had reached Foundation Establishment had long awaited this day. Among them, there were those of profound cultivation who hoped to shine during the martial debate and win the sect’s favor. But most were here for the Grand Elder’s discourse and the coveted Kirin Dao Fruit.

Yet all this bustle had nothing to do with Liang Yan. At this moment, in the disciples’ dormitory for the Formation Branch’s menial workers, a room in the rightmost corner stood with its door tightly shut. Inside, everything was tidy and in order, but the place was deserted, not a shadow to be seen.

...

At the entrance of a secluded gorge deep within the Star Pavilion, a middle-aged scholar sat atop a massive boulder, a scroll in his hand and a jade pendant at his waist. He had fair skin, a square face, large ears, and sported a thin mustache. He was fully absorbed in reading his scroll when suddenly, the jade at his waist flashed yellow and began to vibrate on its own.

“Hmm?”

His expression changed as he looked down at the jade, confusion flickering across his face.

“Why is the Treasure-Jade sending a message now? Could it be that one of the items I planted here in advance has reacted to something?”

His gaze swept the surroundings, as if searching for something.

Before long, as if in response, a small fox poked its head out from behind a tree, a thin cord in its mouth, with a copper coin tied to the end. The little fox glanced around warily, and only after confirming its safety did it slowly step out, drop the cord on the ground, and sniff at the copper coin. Its face showed a hungry longing, and it even licked its lips in a rather human manner.

“Wretched beast, how dare you!”

The voice belonged to the middle-aged scholar, whose cultivation had reached the ninth layer of Qi Refining. Spotting the little beast from afar and seeing it about to swallow the copper coin, he couldn’t help but shout.

Startled, the fox looked over in panic to see a white-robed scholar, eyes shining and cheeks flushed with excitement, charging toward it.

With a low yelp, the little beast grabbed the cord in its mouth and fled.

...

“Wretched beast, stop!” the white-robed scholar shouted, chasing after it relentlessly.

His name was Bai Ze, a registered disciple under the local overseer elder. Because of today's “Exquisite Calligraphy Gathering,” the elder and his Foundation Establishment disciples had all gone to Heavenly Strategy Peak, leaving only a Qi Refining disciple like Bai Ze to temporarily keep watch.

Fortunately, this place was deep within the Star Pavilion, where nothing had happened for over a century, and the elder felt secure leaving for just half a day.

Bai Ze was exceptionally gifted, possessing a superb single water spiritual root. In less than twenty years, he had already reached the ninth layer of Qi Refining, not far from Foundation Establishment. Yet, because he hadn’t cultivated long, he still retained some worldly habits. His friends knew well his fondness for collecting antiques, especially his obsession with the twelve Heavenly Treasure Copper Coins lost from the previous dynasty. It was said he had collected nine, lacking only the last three—his greatest weakness.

“This Redfire Fox loves eating copper and iron, and is an adept thief. I heard Senior Brother Ma from the Calligraphy Hall recently obtained a Heavenly Treasure Copper Coin. I was going to ask him for it, but this Redfire Fox stole it first. That saves me the trouble,” Bai Ze thought contentedly as he chased.

“No! I need to hurry, or this beast might swallow the treasure in panic!” Bai Ze’s expression grew fierce as he formed a hand seal; his speed surged, quickly closing the distance between them.

...

Almost as soon as Bai Ze left, a gray-clad youth stepped out from behind the tree, glancing sidelong at Bai Ze’s back with a faint smile before heading straight for the gorge’s entrance.

This youth was none other than Liang Yan, who had used the Heavenly Treasure Copper Coin to lure away the disciple guarding the formation. He followed the gorge inward, and after about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, he heard a muffled rumble like thunder.

A little further on, he discovered the thunderous sound was, in fact, snoring.

At the entrance to the inner gorge, a gigantic beast sat blocking the passage. It had the head of a stag but a body like an upright hippopotamus, with short, thick limbs. If it were a tiny beast, its appearance might be amusing, but this one stood nearly thirty feet tall, leaning against the gorge wall, fast asleep, completely blocking the narrow entrance.

But Liang Yan seemed prepared. Unhurriedly, he took a massive wine jar from his storage pouch, tore off the seal, and quickly retreated behind a large boulder.

As soon as the seal was broken, a rich aroma of wine filled the gorge. The beast sniffed at the air, and as if ensnared, it rose before even opening its eyes, waddling toward the wine jar on its short legs.

Upon reaching the jar, it finally opened its sleepy eyes, stretched its legs with a yawn, sat down, and, as if holding a cup, lifted the jar and gulped down the entire contents of spirit monkey wine.

“Hic!”

With a hiccup, a flush of red rose to its face. Swaying, it fell backward with a crash, shattering the rocks behind it.

“As expected!” Liang Yan emerged from behind the boulder. “This guardian beast is fond of spirit monkey wine, but its tolerance is truly poor...”

With the beast down, the entrance to the inner gorge was fully revealed. Liang Yan, calm and collected, took out a box of sandalwood incense, lit it, placed an antidote in his mouth, and strode forward.

...

As he approached the inner passage, swarms of green bees suddenly burst out from the cliffs on either side. Each bee was the size of a fist, their tail stingers gleaming with a cold blue light, and they numbered at least a thousand.

Yet Liang Yan was completely unafraid, proceeding at a measured pace. The green bees charged fiercely, but once within three feet of him, they dropped to the ground as if drunk.

Within moments, dozens fell around him. As he continued, more and more dropped, until the cloud of bees never came closer than three feet.

By the time a third of the intoxicating incense had burned, Liang Yan had exited the gorge. Looking back, he saw the bees did not dare follow him out, hovering at the entrance before turning back and vanishing into the crevices.

“Senior Brother Zhuo’s calculations are indeed marvelous; everything here is within his grasp,” Liang Yan said sincerely.

Steadying himself, he looked ahead.

To his surprise, a large village appeared on the road before him. The village was antique in style, with a dried well, old houses, locust trees, and ancient paths—everything but people.

“So this is the grand formation for testing disciples of the Formation Branch. To set a village as the trial site is quite original. Is it a trapping or an illusion array?” Liang Yan pondered as he stepped into the village.

The moment he entered, he felt a subtle breeze at his back. His ears pricked, and he turned sharply, but outside the village was empty, not a sign of anything unusual.

“How odd? What was that sense of unease?”

He scanned his surroundings. His senses were sharp and his memory keen, and though he scrutinized every detail, he detected no change in the environment.

“No... something has changed!”

A strange realization surged through his mind, sending a chill of cold sweat down his back. He hurriedly took out the half-burned intoxicating incense, placed the antidote in his mouth, and lit the incense again. Wisps of sandalwood smoke swirled upward—but strangely, instead of rising, the smoke drifted downward toward his feet.

“It’s not that something changed...” Liang Yan muttered, “but that everything has changed... The entire world... has been turned upside down!”

“This isn’t a trapping array, nor an illusion array—it’s... a killing array!”