Activating Dragon Searching Formation
“What is it?” asked Mu Yu.
“Do you know why I have to set up Dragon Searching Formation at Dustfallen Precipice? Remember I told you there’s a Spirit Collection Formation here? The spiritual qi supplements Dragon Searching Formation. I also discovered Dustfallen Precipice is the key for the formation protecting the entire mountain. I have an inkling there’s a secret hidden underneath Dustfallen Precipice, but my cultivation is too low to find out more.”
“What secret would be underneath Dustfallen Precipice?”
“Haha, we don’t have a burrowing skill, sadly. If we had the ability of earth demons, that’d be perfect. I don’t know if it’s worth destroying the Spirit Collection Formation to dig, either.”
Mu Yu glanced over to the banyan tree and wondered if he could travel down there via its roots. He had never entered the banyan tree before because he was afraid of scaring the twin devils if he emerged from the tree.
“How do we use the large-scale formation to fend off invaders?”
“I believe the foundation of said formation comes from here. I still need to locate the key. Assuming Patriarch Feng cast the formation, he would be the only one who knows its precise location.”
Kongkong soon came over to call Elder Xun and Mu Yu over for dinner. Kongkong gave Elder Xun a gloomy look. After having a taste of Elder Xun’s cooking two days ago, he discovered Elder Xun was a far superior cook compared to Uncle An. Whenever he saw Uncle An’s overcooked dishes again, he’d looked as sad as a widow.
“Can you cook for us again later?” whispered Kongkong.
“Sir An has something to attend to a bit later. How about I prepare supper?”
Kongkong pouted. The twins were the only one who dared to criticise Uncle An’s cooking. If anyone else complained, Uncle An would put them through “endurance” training.
Uncle An was seated and eating. Kongkong began to think about where to hunt for a rabbit after the meal. They hunted daily ever since their shifu went missing. Miaomiao suggested, “How about we let the prisoners have this meal? Shifu said we have to be humane even with prisoners. They must be hungry.”
Kongkong nodded furiously and carried the dishes off the table as if his life depended on it. The others tried to hide their smiles not because of Kongkong’s reaction but because feeding prisoners Uncle An’s cooking wasn’t remotely humane. The others pretended they were full.
“It’s almost noon,” Uncle An said to Elder Xun, setting his chopsticks down and leaving.
Everyone else set their chopsticks down as if they were setting down heavy shackles. Everyone but the twins assembled at Dustfallen Precipice.
Uncle An was holding onto a clean and neatly folded set of clothing. Elder Xun never expected their patriarch to be wear colour-faded, stitched-up clothing.
“May I kindly confirm again that you have Patriarch’s clothing for the search?” Elder Xun, “Remember to recall Patriarch’s appearance as vividly as possible. The more vivid the image is, the more accurate the results will be. Additionally, nobody what happens, do not stop. If you are unable to withstand it, your life will be in peril. This is serious. The formation is incredibly unstable. The pressure on the trigger will be dangerous.”
“I understand,” responded Uncle An, typically indifferent.
Elder Xun had Uncle An sit in the centre of the formation. At the centre of the Eight Trigrams Formation was a five elements treasure. The spiritual lines flowing on the ground radiated white. Uncle An placed Feng Haochen’s clothing on his knees. Everything was ready. Hence, Elder Xun declared, “It is noon now. The formation works best when the sun is at its hottest, so I shall activate the formation.”
Dragon Searching Formation emitted bright white light. The spiritual energy in the lines travelled faster and faster. A purple beam emerged from Uncle An. He groaned and shut his eyes. The purple light then did laps along the lines. Transcendent siderite glowed golden. Ten thousand year old greenwood glowed green. Mystic sea ice glowed blue. Ancient spirit five elements flame glowed red. Sunken iceblock glowed yellow. The five lights gathered on Uncle An. Uncle An raised his head and opened his eyes, revealing purple pupils. He fired the purple rays from his eyes into the sky. The energy dwelling in Dragon Searching Formation awoke, shaking the ground gently.
Elder Xun blasted blood mouth from his mouth and staggered back several steps, nearly falling off the precipice had it not been for Mu Yu catching him.
“Are you all right, Elder Xun?”
Face ashen and back soaked, Elder Xun replied, “I can’t handle the energy.”
Mu Yu provided Elder Xun with his qi to alleviate the symptoms. Elder Xun never utilised the formation, so he didn’t know what to expect.
Meanwhile, Uncle An quivered whilst bleeding from his mouth. His purple glow began to dim. Hence, Mu Yu questioned, “Did something go wrong?”
Dark shadows streaked around Uncle An at high velocities. Each streak that went passed would induce a shudder. Uncle An cried, “Those are heaven and earth wraiths. Don’t provoke them. You are currently a consciousness in limbo. Don’t let them mislead you, or you won’t be able to return!”
Wraiths were dead spirits who refused to move on. They couldn’t harm physical beings, but one would see them once they were just their conscious. If they could overpower one’s willpower, they could devour their target and resurrect in the host body.
Nobody knew if Uncle An heard the warning, but he started bleeding from his ears, and he looked deathly pale.
“Elder Xun, how is Uncle An?” inquired Cheng Yan
Elder Xun checked the formation carefully and elucidated, “I know why now. The formation’s foundational energy is insufficient. The five items must have been used several times already. I don’t think they have enough energy to last.”
“Several times already?” exclaimed Mu Yu, puzzled.
“I am to blame. I am to blame. I didn’t examine their energy levels beforehand. I thought they were complete.” Elder Xun’s blunder was understandable as it was attributed to his low cultivation and inexperience.
Knowing it was no time to be pointing fingers, Mu Yu followed up with, “Can we stop Uncle An?”
“No, unless Sir An can shake off the wraiths and return to his body in time.”
The shadows around Uncle An slowly but surely dispersed. Once he drove them away, the purple glow in his eyes returned, and he turned the clouds purple once again.
“Sir An is all right now. Wait. Where did the energy replenishment come from? Could it have been the large-scale formation?” remarked Elder Xun.
They didn’t have much time to celebrate as a thunderous voice shook Mount Dustfallen. “Dustfallen Sect’s brats aren’t even going welcome me on their knees?”
The energy was a dead giveaway. Primordial Infant Realm cultivator, Reverend Jiuhua, had dropped by for a visit.
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