Chapter 420: Martial Uncle?

The old man withdrew his gaze and turned to Xu Sanyan with a solemn expression. “I am Shan Zhoushan, a guest formation master from the Qianzhou Grand Temple of Eternal Harmony. I was invited here to observe the formation.”

Xu Sanyan was slightly surprised. Is this old man incapable of lying?

Even if he’d claimed to be passing by, I would have believed him. Why so blatantly sell out Li Wuxing?

Anyone with half a brain knows who sent him.

“Have you understood it?” Xu Sanyan asked, his curiosity piqued. If this old man had been sent to inspect the formation, he must have some skill. He wondered how much of it he could comprehend.

Shan Zhoushan shook his head. “This formation is incomplete, lacking a full cycle. Moreover, the formation patterns are intricate and encompass a vast scope. I cannot fully understand it and require further study.”

Hmph…

Xu Sanyan sneered inwardly. Of course you can’t understand it. This is a peerless Great Formation jointly created by four immortals. How could you possibly grasp it at a glance?

“If you don’t understand, go back,” Xu Sanyan said harshly. “What’s an old man like you doing meddling in such things? You’ll end up dying in some forgotten alley.”

Shan Zhoushan remained unperturbed by Xu Sanyan’s rudeness. After all, he was in the wrong for observing the formation without permission, a grave breach of etiquette that most formation masters would find deeply offensive.

However, the Junior High Priest had requested his presence, leaving him no choice but to endure the situation.

Moreover, Xu Sanyan was deeply curious about what kind of formation Li Wuxing claimed required no maintenance.

“What are you still doing here?” Xu Sanyan asked, his displeasure growing. This old fool is only at the Initial Stage of Soul Refinement. Doesn’t he fear provoking me and being crushed with a single palm strike?

“I want to observe.”

“Absolutely not.”

“I can offer other formation diagrams in exchange.”

“No!”

Xu Sanyan’s tone sharpened. What formation could possibly be more valuable than the Soul-Gathering Brilliance-Preserving Grand Formation?

Shan Zhoushan sighed helplessly. “Very well. This old one will remain in the city for a time. Once the Great Formation is complete, I must record its details meticulously and archive them in the Grand Temple of Eternal Harmony as a backup. It is the rule.”

Xu Sanyan couldn’t tell if he was telling the truth, but it didn’t matter. Without the formation diagram, Shan Zhoushan wouldn’t be able to decipher its intricacies anyway.

As Shan Zhoushan departed, Xu Sanyan resumed carving the formation patterns. As dusk fell, his spiritual power had dwindled to less than half, so he paused to rest.

The spiritual power wasn’t the main issue; it was his mental fatigue. After carving formation patterns for half a day straight, he needed a break.

He walked toward the city, the gates standing wide open, guarded only by two shift-duty officers leaning against the walls, half-asleep.

Xu Sanyan didn’t disturb them, instead carefully softening his footsteps to avoid waking them.

These people are my precious assets, he thought. I must treat them well. They’ll be invaluable later.

“Finished for the day?”

A voice called out from beside him. Xu Sanyan turned without surprise to see the old man from earlier that day. He had noticed the man’s presence the moment he appeared.

“Something you need?”

“Yes, I’d like to talk.”

“Hmm… very well.”

Xu Sanyan considered briefly before nodding. Learning more about the situation in Qianzhou City through this man would be useful.

The two settled into a stone pavilion in the prefectural office’s inner courtyard, sitting across from each other. Xu Sanyan spoke first: “Ask what you want, but I may not answer.”

Shan Zhoushan nodded, wasting no time. “What was that formation?”

“I’m not at liberty to say.”

“Where did you learn it?”

“I’m not at liberty to say.”

“……”

Shan Zhoushan sighed inwardly. This isn’t just “may not answer”—it’s a definite refusal.

“Then is there anything you can tell me?”

“Hmm… my name is Liang Yongzhuo,” Xu Sanyan offered.

“I know.”

“Male.”

“…That’s obvious.”

The atmosphere grew awkward. Shan Zhoushan quickly changed the subject. “I heard you once studied under Huai Qingzi. If that’s true, I’m practically your half-Martial Uncle.”

“Oh? You know my master?” Xu Sanyan feigned surprise.

Shan Zhoushan stroked his beard and chuckled. “Heh, I don’t just know him—Junior Brother Huai Qingzi and I came from the same sect. We were close in our early years, but circumstances eventually led us to part ways.”

Shan Zhoushan’s smile gradually faded as he recalled something. “By the time I received news, Junior Brother Huai Qingzi had already passed away. Truly, heaven envies the talented. What a pity… what a lamentable loss…”

Xu Sanyan’s expression immediately shifted. He hastily rose and bowed respectfully. “Martial Uncle, I was unaware of your presence. Please forgive my earlier rudeness.”

As a young man of the righteous path, respecting elders was fundamental. Xu Sanyan had to maintain the facade, even if it was just an act.

Shan Zhoushan gently waved his sleeve and gestured dismissively. “Ah, ignorance is no crime. It was my fault for not clarifying earlier. You bear no blame. Please, take your seat.”

Xu Sanyan obeyed, his demeanor now far more respectful than before, no longer casual.

Shan Zhoushan observed this with a nod of satisfaction. My junior brother truly took in an exceptional disciple, he thought. To have such cultivation at such a young age… truly enviable.

“After Junior Brother Huai Qingzi’s passing, did you join another sect, Martial Nephew?”

Xu Sanyan nodded. “I had only just entered the sect when my Master suddenly passed away. The Senior Brothers scattered, leaving me with no choice but to seek another master.”

Shan Zhoushan nodded in understanding. “In that case, it’s indeed not their fault.”

Without further hesitation, Shan Zhoushan retrieved a booklet from his robes. “Since this is our first meeting, consider this a greeting gift.”

“This…” Xu Sanyan feigned reluctance for a moment, but ultimately succumbed to the Confucian principle of “one cannot refuse a gift from an elder.” He accepted the booklet with a grateful expression.

“Now that you’ve mastered the fundamentals of formations, this contains my decades of insights into the Formation Dao. As the saying goes, ‘The stones of other mountains can polish jade.’ This might help you advance further.”

“Thank you, Martial Uncle!” Xu Sanyan bowed respectfully.

This gift was perfectly suited to his needs. While Xu Sanyan already possessed considerable knowledge of formations, he had largely been working in isolation. The opportunity to exchange ideas with someone else would be invaluable.

After carefully stowing the booklet away, Xu Sanyan hesitated slightly before saying, “Martial Uncle, it’s not that I didn’t want to answer your earlier question, but it concerns a secret of my sect. My Master repeatedly warned me never to reveal it. Please forgive me.”

“No matter,” Shan Zhoushan nodded. He understood that Xu Sanyan’s “sect” referred not to Huai Qingzi, but to another teacher.

He was particularly curious about this Daoist Yunshan—who exactly was this mysterious figure he’d never heard of before?

To have trained such an exceptional disciple, their cultivation level must be extraordinary. If he ever had the chance to visit them, it would be a great honor.

After chatting for a while longer, the two parted ways.

Back in his room, Xu Sanyan opened the notebook and carefully studied its contents. The insights on formations were remarkably unique and detailed.

The notebook didn’t contain any specific formation diagrams, only Shan Zhoushan’s personal insights. Yet its value was undeniable, rivaling even the blueprints of some Great Formations.

“Tsk… this old man is no simpleton,” Xu Sanyan murmured, growing more impressed with each page.

The next morning,

Xu Sanyan, who had spent the entire night poring over the notebook, had grasped its main points. Some of the unique perspectives had proven immensely beneficial.

The path of formations truly couldn’t be pursued in isolation. One needed to exchange ideas with others, even if they had a cheat-like advantage.

With this realization, Xu Sanyan opened his panel and prepared to further enhance his mastery of the Soul-Gathering Brilliance-Preserving Grand Formation.

(End of the Chapter)