Chapter 39: Learning Formations, Secret Realm

“Master!”

The moment you returned to the cave residence, Shangguan Lan suddenly appeared, rushing up to you with a face full of concern. “Master, you’re not hurt, are you?”

“I’m fine. Your Master here is quite formidable, you know!” You laughed as you ruffled Shangguan Lan’s hair, telling her not to worry.

When word spread that you had returned, the Soul-Refining Sect Master and the Vice Sect Master appeared together.

“You really took care of it?” Before Qingyunzi could speak, the Vice Sect Master beside him asked first.

You glanced at the Vice Sect Master and said flatly, “The Vice Sect Master is not welcome here. Please leave!”

“You!” The Vice Sect Master was about to explode with anger when Qingyunzi hurriedly spoke up to smooth things over.

“He even dared to kill the Cloud Mist Sect Master. Do you think he won’t kill you?” Qingyunzi transmitted to the Vice Alliance Master. “Take this chance and hurry up and mend things with him. If you really piss him off, I won’t be able to save you!”

Hearing this, the Vice Sect Master pursed his lips and said nothing.

“Ahem, Fellow Daoist Wuji, the Vice Alliance Master came this time to apologize to you.” Seeing the Vice Alliance Master couldn’t bring himself to swallow his pride, Qingyunzi assisted once more.

“Apologize? Show me some sincerity!” You were not so easy to fool.

“Your disciple’s Foundation Establishment cultivation resources are on me!” With that said, the Vice Sect Master turned and left.

Still a tsundere? You shook your head, thinking so.

“Fellow Daoist Wuji…” Qingyunzi was also somewhat helpless. If he hadn’t taken a bribe from the Vice Sect Master, he wouldn’t be here playing peacemaker at all!

“In that case, I’ll reluctantly accept it. There won’t be a next time!”

After this matter was settled, Qingyunzi told you another piece of news. The Cloud Mist Sect Master had been killed by you, and the Cloud Mist Sect’s Spirit Transformation Ancestor had come out of seclusion. He was now searching for the killer!

“As long as you, Fellow Daoist Wuji, do not leave my Soul-Refining Sect, my Soul-Refining Sect can guarantee your safety!” Qingyunzi made a promise.

“Then I’ll have to thank you, Fellow Daoist. If the sect has any matters in the future, just give the order!” You expressed your gratitude to Qingyunzi.

“We’re all family here. No need for such courtesy!” Qingyunzi waved his hand, unconcerned.

“In that case, then my cultivation resources?” You probed.

“I still have matters to attend to, so I’ll be going first. Fellow Daoist, cultivate in peace!” The instant the words left his mouth, Qingyunzi vanished without a trace.

“I didn’t say you had to give it now…” You were somewhat helpless. Having broken through three layers of cultivation in such a short time, you definitely needed to settle down and temper your foundation.

“Master…”

“Cultivate well and prepare for Foundation Establishment.”

“Mm hm!”

You began secluded cultivation. Aside from helping Shangguan Lan reach Foundation Establishment, you spent day and night studying and learning from Elder Qing’s formation insights.

A year later, Shangguan Lan returned to the cave residence to find you, only to be trapped by the formations you had laid down.

“Tier-Two Wind-Thunder Formation, Tier-Two Defense Formation, Tier-Two Illusion Formation…” As Shangguan Lan went deeper, she quickly recognized the tiers of these formations.

“Master, you’ve broken through to Tier-Two?!” Sensing the Tier-Two formations scattered everywhere within the cave residence, Shangguan Lan exclaimed in delight.

“Disciple, these are all the most common Tier-Two formations. Go in and give them a try.” Your voice emerged, though you yourself did not appear.

Shangguan Lan obeyed your command and began entering the formations.

A month later, Shangguan Lan walked out from the formations and came before you.

“Not bad. Your cultivation has improved quite a bit again.” You nodded in satisfaction. “Thirty Tier-Two formations, and you actually broke through all of them in just one month.”

“Master, you’ve already broken through to Tier-Two Formation Master?” Shangguan Lan was astonished. “The fastest anyone in our Soul-Refining Sect became a Tier-Two Formation Master took ten years, I think!”

“Master, you’re amazing!”

“Of course. Don’t you know who your Master is?” Praised by your disciple, your mood improved considerably.

“By the way, what did you come to see your Master about?”

“The Five Great Sects recently discovered a Secret Realm and want to send Foundation Establishment disciples to investigate it. I’d like to give it a try.” Shangguan Lan explained her purpose.

“A Secret Realm?” You remembered now. In the last simulation, you had heard about this matter in the Body-Refining Sect.

Because of this Secret Realm, Li Chen lost an arm and could never advance to Golden Core for the rest of his life!

You hesitated for a moment, then asked, “A Secret Realm is very dangerous. There’s a risk of falling at any moment. Are you sure you want to go?”

“I want to become as strong as Master. I don’t want to live my whole life under Master’s protection.” Shangguan Lan’s eyes were firm.

Strong enough to protect Master! Shangguan Lan added in her heart.

You chose to respect Shangguan Lan’s wishes. But before she departed for the Secret Realm, you passed on everything you had learned about survival over the years to her in one go.

At the same time, you left Shangguan Lan three protective talismans, each capable of blocking a full-power strike from a Golden Core cultivator!

“Go!” Watching Shangguan Lan’s departing figure, in that moment, you felt like an old father sending his daughter off to school.

“Don’t worry. I’ve already instructed several Foundation Establishment Ninth Layer Inner Sect disciples. They will take good care of your disciple in the Secret Realm.” Qingyunzi suddenly appeared and said to you.

You nodded and turned to go back and continue cultivating.

In the third year after Shangguan Lan’s departure, you successfully laid out a Tier-Three Formation and became a Tier-Three Formation Master.

In the tenth year, you thoroughly mastered every Tier-Three Formation you knew of, becoming a Peak Tier-Three Formation Master.

Now, in terms of formation attainments, you were no longer inferior to Elder Qing of the past.

Elder Qing’s formation insights could no longer teach you anything.

You took out the Secret Tome of Five-Element Formations. This time, with the foundation of a Tier-Three Formation Master, you could finally understand it.

This was a Secret Tome that used the mutual generation and mutual overcoming of the Five Elements as its foundation to create formations.

Formations laid out this way were ever-changing and endlessly self-renewing!

The formations recorded within started at Tier-Four!

You came out of seclusion and found Qingyunzi, asking him to provide the materials needed to lay out Tier-Four Formations.

“You… you’re about to attempt laying out Tier-Four Formations???” Qingyunzi was shocked beyond measure. “Ten years ago, you had just learned Tier-Two Formations, right?”

“Enough nonsense. Either give me the Tier-Four Formation materials, or provide me with Golden Core cultivation resources.” Having demanded an exorbitant price, you felt not a trace of psychological burden.

“You promised me all of this back then.” You reminded him.

Watching your departing figure, Qingyunzi felt his heart bleeding.

I regret my past self! At this moment, Qingyunzi was eager to slap himself twice. The casual promises he had made back then were now being fulfilled one by one.

“You’re a single Golden Core cultivator, yet you use more resources for cultivation than I, a Nascent Soul cultivator!!!”