Formation Casters and Talisman Masters
“Formation Sect is the child of Ancestors Zhen Xin and Fu Xin. Unfortunately, it got to a point where their opinions collided, hence the separation. We pursue formations or talismans exclusively depend on who we’re with. Since they split, the two sects no longer could measure up against the other eight great sects. The rest is self-explanatory. Ever since then, we’ve forever been competing to see which style reigns supreme.
“Formation Sect hasn’t had a Greater Heaven Stage disciple in a decade. We’ve been rolling down the hill. Meanwhile, Talisman Sect has grown. We’ve been on a losing streak for the last few years. As a result, Patriarch announced that winning against any of their disciples in the annual contest would be classified as a major contribution. Needless to say, that grants you the right to the forbidden grounds to learn directly from Ancestor Chen Tiandao.
“Talisman Sect’s disciples are bullies. After they defeat us, they add insult to injury every year. We have to avoid them when we see them while we’re out and about nowadays, literally. Otherwise, we get into physical altercations and lose. I’ve been on the receiving end multiple times already.”
“How many disciples do we have now? Can’t our Greater Heaven Stage disciples beat them?”
“The three ranks are only labels for us undergraduates; it’s just an examination system for the sect. It’s not an accurate measure of our performance relative to other sects. We have plenty of Lesser Heaven Stage disciples, some Heaven Stage disciples and only one Greater Heaven Stage disciple. Everyone else is considered a full-fledged formation caster. You can see why we lack Greater Heaven Stage disciples at the annual tournament. Oh, only disciples can participate. Those who have graduated to the working class can’t.”
“One?”
Once disciples finished the fundamentals course, they had two options to take thereafter. For instance, Lesser Heaven Stage disciples could take the exam to graduate to Lesser Heaven Stage formation casters and begin taking on jobs for the sect. Alternatively, they could’ve chosen to take the exam to graduate to Heaven Stage disciple so that they could continue expanding their knowledge.
The formation caster exams were easier than the ranking exams. Those less confident, consequently, opted to take the formation caster exam and start work as soon as possible. With funds came opportunities to purchase resources, which was another way to progress. Part of the decision stemmed from the fact that the majority failed their ranking exams. Luo Feilong and Ji Wenkai both failed their ranking exams several years in a row already.
Talisman Sect followed the same grading system as Formation Sect.
The tournament consisted of three disciples from each rank pitting their formations or talisman against the other sect’s.
“How many formation casters do we have?”
“We don’t lack Lesser Heaven Stage and Heaven Stage formation casters. We have over five hundred Lesser Heaven Stage formation casters and over a thousand Lesser Heaven Stage disciples. We have over a hundred Heaven Stage formation masters and over three hundred Heaven Stage Disciples. We, however, only have nineteen Greater Heaven Stage members, one of which includes a Greater Heaven Stage disciple. If we include those barely qualified, we’d have twenty.”
Formation Sect couldn’t just lower the bar to entry for the higher ranks. How would they have been able to comprehend the education content if they couldn’t qualify? Luo Feilong and Ji Wenkai wouldn’t be able to comprehend what Greater Heaven Stage disciples were taught.
“You planning to climb to Greater Heaven Stage disciple?”
“No, I know I won’t pass the exam. I’m just going to take the Heaven Stage formation caster exam in a few years’ time and get some work.”
“Do you know the difference between formations and talismans?”
“Not really, no.”
Mu Yu attended the formation class the next morning with Cheng Zhuo. They were split into sub-groups according to their level of knowledge. Cheng Zhuo was fairly advanced, so he dropped Mu Yu off at the latter’s class before going to his class.
Formation Sect was situated in the mountains as mountains made the best terrain for casting formations. Mu Yu’s class was held in outdoors. There was a large hall situated in the misty space. The hall wasn’t immediately visible for many formations were cast, thereby disguising buildings, ponds as houses and so on.
Mu Yu checked out the empty hall. There were various Eight Trigrams paintings hung on the walls, each having differing annotations. There were some formation foundations of the three ranks. Obviously, different formation foundations produced different results.
“Are you the new Heaven Stage disciple?” A man around thirty years old entered the formation approximately fifteen minutes after Mu Yu.
Mu Yu bowed. “Greetings, Formation Caster.”
The Primordial Infant Realm cultivator placed his hands behind him and surveyed Mu Yu. “How old are you?”
“Nineteen.”
“Nineteen? You’re old for a new disciple, yet you’re only a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator. You need to work hard on your cultivation to catch up with the others. I am Song Qingyu, a Heaven Stage formation caster. I am in charge of providing new Heaven Stage disciples with consultations, which was a rather easy job, for formation training. You can call me Heaven Stage Caster Song.”
Formation Casters automatically had their rank and title added as a sign of respect once they graduated as formation casters because they ranked higher than disciples.
“I will bear that in mind.”
“Tell me how much you learnt about formations prior to joining so that I may arrange your lessons. Formation Caster Liao brought a Heaven Stage disciple back last month, but his knowledge was too minimal and is having to start from the beginning. Honestly tell me how much you know.”
There was a strong chance Mu Yu knew as much as Song Qingyu, but he couldn’t reveal that, needless to say.
Qing Songyu spent all morning teaching Mu Yu basic Eight Trigrams knowledge. Mu Yu’s polite manners and expression of gratitude was something Qing Songyu appreciated.
“What a waste of an afternoon,” Mu Yu uttered after Qing Songyu left.
Mu Yu had to take mental cultivation classes in the afternoon as supplementation owing to his low cultivation. When he set foot outside the hall, he saw a dozen or so disciples having a go at each other.
“Luo Feilong, how you doing?”
“Ji Wenkai, drop the pretence. The last new Heaven Stage disciple was yours, so this one is mine,” Luo Feilong announced with a smirk.
“It’s up to our new friend to decide,” argued Luo Feilong, playing with his fingernail.
“Great timing, me, great timing,” Mu Yu sarcastically said to himself when Luo Feilong and Ji Wenkai’s gazes swam over.
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