Chapter 27: Comprehending Formations
Events unfolded exactly as Lü Yang had predicted—Zhao Xuhe ultimately sold him the 《Nine Transforming Dragon Art》 for a paltry 1,500 Contribution Points.
Such was the way of indebted men.
Upon obtaining the 《Nine Transforming Dragon Art》, Lü Yang immediately returned to his cave abode, committing every word and sentence of the technique to memory before carefully storing it away again.
"What a pity I can't cultivate it now..."
His body had transformed into a blood shadow, leaving his cultivation stagnant at the late-stage Qi Refining realm—neither increasing nor decreasing. Even attempting to disperse his cultivation was impossible. He would have to wait for his next life.
Despite this, Lü Yang wasn't in any hurry to end his life.
Time was precious. Even with the 【Book of a Hundred Lifetimes】, he wouldn't waste it frivolously. Though he couldn't cultivate, there were still other areas where he could make progress.
With this thought, Lü Yang retrieved Qing Chen Fairy's 《Secrets of Formation Treasures》 from his storage pouch.
That's right—he intended to study formations!
Among the four major arts of cultivation—formations, artifact refinement, alchemy, and talismans—mastering even one would elevate him to the status of a highly sought-after talent in the immortal cultivation world, ensuring prosperity wherever he went.
Take Qing Chen Fairy, for example. Lü Yang genuinely believed she had been a remarkable talent—not only skilled in formations but also capable of integrating them into magical treasures. The only flaw had been her terrible taste in men, repeatedly falling for scoundrels who turned on her without hesitation. Thus, in both lifetimes, she had met a bitter end.
Opening 《Secrets of Formation Treasures》, the very first page elicited a sigh of admiration from Lü Yang.
[So-called formation treasures fuse formations with treasures, each complementing the other. This art was painstakingly developed through my own tireless research...]
[To master this path, both talent and diligence are indispensable.]
Following the preface, the second page was densely packed with intricate patterns, each annotated with explanations of their meanings.
[The Dao of formations revolves around formation patterns. By sketching these patterns and mimicking the heavens and earth, one may borrow the wonders of nature. Yet the mysteries of the cosmos are boundless, difficult to comprehend, let alone translate into formation patterns. This requires extraordinary insight. Only by mastering formation patterns can one truly learn formations.]
[Excellent. Now you have grasped the fundamental principles of formations.]
[Turn to the third page, where we shall examine a simple example and apply the knowledge we've just acquired.]
On the third page, an overwhelmingly complex diagram greeted Lü Yang's eyes.
Was this a formation diagram?
Lü Yang stroked his chin. Deciphering a formation diagram essentially meant identifying the composition of its patterns to deduce the formation's function.
Formation patterns were the foundation of all formations.
A formation's efficacy depended entirely on whether its patterns were arranged harmoniously, without conflicts, forming a complete circuit that could operate smoothly.
"Interesting."
Lü Yang smirked confidently, finding the task not particularly daunting. "With my talent and diligence, a mere introductory formation diagram is well within my grasp!"
............
One month later.
Lü Yang sat slumped on his meditation cushion, surrounded by piles of handwritten notes filled with his calculations. His entire demeanor radiated exhaustion.
In his hands were clusters of assembled formation patterns.
After what felt like an eternity, a faint spiritual light suddenly flickered at his fingertips.
"Did I... succeed!?"
Lü Yang leapt to his feet, ecstatic. He scrutinized the patterns he had pieced together, silently calculating for a moment before furrowing his brows in confusion.
"Wait... how does this even work?"
Despite being the fruit of a month's labor, he couldn't comprehend why his creation functioned. The frustration was maddening.
After a month of arduous study, his understanding of formations had deepened considerably.
In essence, formations were akin to programming.
Deciphering formation pathways meant extracting usable fragments from the cosmic "spaghetti code" written by the heavens and assembling them into one's own functional script.
Yet, when it came to formations, comprehension was binary—either you got it, or you didn't.
Like sifting for gold in a cesspool, those without innate talent—like Lü Yang at this moment—would find no gold, only filth...
"Regardless, I've managed to salvage something."
With a sigh, Lü Yang threw himself back into his studies, neglecting food and sleep. Another month passed before he finally deciphered the diagram in his hands.
"It's an illumination formation!"
"Within the formation's range, light prevails, rendering most concealment techniques ineffective. Beyond that, it possesses no offensive or defensive capabilities..."
His face haggard, eyes bloodshot, Lü Yang nonetheless wore an expression of exhilaration and immense satisfaction as he flipped to the third page of 《Secrets of Formation Treasures》.
[Actually, failing to solve it is normal.]
[The third page's exercise is primarily intended to demonstrate the difficulty of formations, encouraging humility in your studies rather than unrealistic ambitions.]
Lü Yang: "......"
"Absolute monsters! Bloody monsters!"
He sprang up and hurled the book to the ground. He was now one hundred percent certain—this had to be a formation manual written by a Saint Sect formation master!
After a long while, Lü Yang picked the book back up.
Some things didn't care whether you liked them, understood them, or wanted to do them. Survival demanded perseverance.
However, as he delved deeper, Lü Yang discovered his talent wasn't as lacking as he'd feared.
True to the book's words, the third page's intricate diagram had never been meant for beginners—hence his two-month struggle.
Yet there was a silver lining: faced with simpler formations afterward, his learning speed visibly accelerated. Occasional stumbling blocks took only days to overcome, restoring the confidence that had been so thoroughly crushed.
Time slipped by unnoticed within the cave.
In the blink of an eye, twenty years had passed.
Throughout this period, Lü Yang remained utterly absorbed in his formation studies, oblivious to the outside world. He even stopped paying rent for his cave abode, relocating to the outer sect.
After all, unable to cultivate, he had no pressing needs—why not embrace idleness?
Over those two decades, every few years, an outer sect disciple blessed with heaven-defying luck—much like Xiao Shiye of old—would suddenly rise to prominence.
Yet without fail, once such a "Chosen One" obtained some widely known grand opportunity within the Saint Sect, they would abruptly vanish.
Along with them disappeared a host of unlucky schemers who, having noticed the Chosen One's fortune, sought to ride their coattails.
"That senior is still fishing, it seems..."
Each time such news reached him, Lü Yang's heart raced. With Xiao Shiye's precedent, he kept a respectful distance from these so-called Chosen Ones.
Unable to contend, avoidance was his only option.
As for Zhao Xuhe—twenty years later, he had reached Qi Refining perfection and become a renowned true disciple of the Saint Sect. Unfortunately, his attempt to break through to Foundation Establishment failed several years prior, resulting in his peaceful demise.
Lü Yang offered only a brief sigh before putting the matter out of mind.
What truly brought him joy was that after twenty years of diligent study, he had finally mastered the knowledge within 《Secrets of Formation Treasures》.
...........
Inside his cave abode, Lü Yang's entire focus was fixed upon the sword pill before him. So intense was his concentration that he could barely maintain human form—his blood shadow had grown perilously faint.
These were the signs of impending death.
The side effects of cultivating the Heavenly Demon Blood-Transforming Divine Light had finally caught up with him. At merely forty years of age, his lifespan was exhausted, his lamp of life burning its last dregs of oil.
Yet Lü Yang paid this no mind, wholly engrossed in inscribing formations. Even on death's threshold, he refused to rise or attempt any life-saving measures—such actions would only disrupt his inspiration, and he couldn't bear to waste this precious insight.
"I see! Wait... no, that's wrong..."
"Oh, right! Right... no, still wrong... Ah, yes, yes!"
Thus time passed until, in the fleeting instant between life and death—as his blood shadow nearly dissipated—Lü Yang's eyes suddenly flew wide open.
"Hahaha! I've succeeded!"
Watching the formation patterns he had painstakingly inscribed around the sword pill interlock and activate, Lü Yang burst into uproarious laughter, the sound echoing through the cave.
And so, amidst his laughter, his voice faded away.
"Book of a Hundred Lifetimes!"