Chapter 422: Martial Nephew... Why Is Your Great Formation Emitting a Bloody Glow?

Hearing this, Xu Sanyan nearly laughed in exasperation. In all his years, this was the first time he had ever been subjected to moral blackmail.

Moral blackmail!

If his acquaintances ever found out, they’d laugh their teeth out. The holy son of the demonic sect being morally blackmailed by mere mortals?

Xu Sanyan took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to slaughter them all. He mentally reassured himself: They’ll die eventually anyway. No need to rush. No need…

With a gentle flick of his sleeve, the kneeling mortals floated aside, clearing a path for him. A barrier materialized around him, isolating him from the crowd as he warned,

“This venerable one takes no disciples. If anyone dares to bother me again, don’t blame me for showing no mercy!”

“Then why was Liang Gou’er able to—”

Before the man could finish his sentence, Xu Sanyan’s gaze fell upon him, silencing him instantly.

“Hmph! Must I explain my actions to you?”

Seeing Xu Sanyan’s displeasure, the guards at the city gate rushed to disperse the crowd. Some stubbornly refused to leave and had to be forcibly dragged away.

“Kindness invites exploitation,” the saying goes, and it has held true since ancient times. Sensing Xu Sanyan’s willingness to compromise, the crowd sought to push their advantage. If he yielded an inch today, they would demand a foot tomorrow.

Once rules are established, some will inevitably exploit them for personal gain.

The laws of the Qian Kingdom served as such rules. Confident that Xu Sanyan wouldn’t dare harm them, these mortals brazenly pressured him.

Such audacity would never be tolerated in the demonic sect!

Ignoring their clamor, Xu Sanyan focused on carving the formation patterns.

The moment he began, he noticed a remarkable difference. Previously, carving a single formation pattern had taken the time it took to drink a cup of tea. Now, he could complete one in a single breath, the patterns flawless and more perfect than before.

The enhancement of his divine soul power had simultaneously raised the upper limit of his Formation Dao cultivation level—a truly unexpected boon.

At this rate, he estimated he could finish carving all the formation patterns in no time.

“Excellent, excellent!”

A smile spread across Xu Sanyan’s face as he continued his work.

Two days later, the secret realm fruit emitted a faint glow, and a figure tumbled out.

“Aiyo.”

Lin Fan’s expression was flustered and panicked until he saw Xu Sanyan, at which point he calmed down and let out a long, relieved sigh.

“What’s the situation?” Xu Sanyan asked quietly.

Lin Fan shook his head. “The secret realm is in chaos. My Jade Clan is locked in a stalemate with a neighboring clan, and the battle shows no sign of ending soon.”

“What about the soul crystal?”

“I couldn’t get it.” Lin Fan shook his head dejectedly. “The altar is a heavily guarded sacred site, and my attempts to infiltrate it have all failed.”

Xu Sanyan frowned, his tone tinged with exasperation. “Who told you to steal it?” Couldn’t this idiot think of a better approach?

“Uh…” Lin Fan stammered, then blurted out, “They wouldn’t just give it to me if I asked!”

“Sigh…” Xu Sanyan sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. It’s a miracle this idiot has survived this long.

“You could have traded for it! Soul crystals have limited use for them—they only slightly enhance the effectiveness of their sacrifices. You could have offered something they value more, like weapons, food, servants, or valuable artifacts. Material exchange is far more reliable than appealing to sentiment.”

Xu Sanyan’s words finally dawned on Lin Fan, who lowered his head in embarrassment. “This disciple is foolish.”

“Go now and negotiate the terms with your clan chief,” Xu Sanyan instructed, sending Lin Fan back into the secret realm.

Three days later, Liang Gou’er still hadn’t emerged from the secret realm. Whether he was dead or simply unable to return remained unknown, with no word from him at all.

Meanwhile, the progress on engraving the formation patterns was encouraging, already more than halfway complete. In another ten days or so, the entire task should be finished.

Once the formation patterns were engraved, the next step would involve using soul crystals. There was no rush for the Earth Core Stone; it would only be needed after all five city formations were completed.

Several days later, Lin Fan finalized the terms with the Jade Clan chief, agreeing to exchange food, weapons, and other supplies for soul crystals—a mutually beneficial arrangement.

For the primitive people, soul crystals held little practical value, while external supplies were abundant and inexpensive. Neither side would lose out in the exchange.

The task of preparing the supplies was entrusted to Yu Huisheng, who had returned the previous day, looking dejected and miserable—likely having faced severe reprimands for his failures.

Xu Sanyan didn’t press for details; he had no interest in such matters. His days had been remarkably simple: engraving formation patterns and, during his leisure time, engaging in Daoist discussions with Shan Zhoushan. Both were masters of formation arts, allowing them to explore profound concepts together.

Xu Sanyan learned a great deal from him, from the grand affairs of the Qian Kingdom’s Imperial Family to the trivial anecdotes of the prefectures.

Since Xu Sanyan planned to visit the Prefectural City next, he paid particular attention to information about it, now possessing a rough understanding of the city’s structure.

The Prefectural City was broadly divided into three administrative bodies:

First, the prefectural office, responsible for managing civil affairs. All matters, large and small, fell under its jurisdiction, with the prefect serving as the highest-ranking official.

Yu Huisheng’s father-in-law held the position of “associate magistrate,” whose duties included assisting the prefect in administrative matters. This role was roughly equivalent to the secretary of a municipal party committee, a position of considerable influence.

Second, the Grand Temple of Eternal Harmony oversaw all cultivators within the region and handled demon disturbances across various prefectures. Operating independently of the prefectural office, the temple possessed the authority to act decisively in emergencies.

This “authority to act decisively” resembled the principle of “execute first, report later.” When the Grand Temple of Eternal Harmony undertook missions, they could proceed as expediently as necessary, submitting a formal report afterward. The scope of their authority was staggering, which was why Li Wuxing worked tirelessly to restrain his subordinates, preventing them from overstepping their bounds.

The Grand Temple of Eternal Harmony employed roughly a hundred Golden Blade Envoys, over a thousand Silver Blade Envoys, and several thousand Bronze Blade Envoys. Though the numbers seemed vast, they were still insufficient for the temple’s needs.

Shan Zhoushan himself was affiliated with the Grand Temple, serving as a Formation Daoist. He received a regular stipend and was required to undertake occasional field missions, such as this one.

However, as a technical specialist, Shan Zhoushan had few daily duties and enjoyed a relatively high status. If he chose not to pursue further advancement, he could live comfortably.

Thirdly, the Prefectural Governor of Qian Prefecture held the highest official position in the region, governing an entire prefecture. The only void harmony realm cultivator in Qian Prefecture was none other than this governor.

Shan Zhoushan also warned that the Prefectural City was rife with powerful clans and numerous large and small gangs, creating a chaotic environment. Xu Sanyan would need to exercise extreme caution upon arrival, as one could never know if a seemingly idle young master might have a high-ranking official backing him.

Xu Sanyan remained unfazed. In this era where immense power was concentrated in individuals, his Peak Stage Soul Refining Realm cultivation level allowed him to move freely. If any fool dared provoke him, he would soon learn why the flowers bloomed so red.

Ten days later,

Xu Sanyan put down his final brushstroke, tilted his head back, and gazed at the sky. A crimson streak flashed across the horizon, coalescing into a luminous barrier above Zhangzhi City before vanishing.

Countless citizens within the city witnessed the spectacle, yet no panic arose. They knew this was the work of immortals, who had been diligently constructing a formation for over a month. Their tireless efforts had been plain for all to see, and today, their task was finally complete!

From this day forward, Zhangzhi City would possess its own Great Formation!

Smiles bloomed on every face, radiating joy and relief.

Inside the County Magistrate’s Office, Shan Zhoushan frowned slightly, watching the fading crimson glow above. A strange unease stirred within him.

The formation my martial nephew is deploying to regulate the feng shui and earth veins… why is it emitting such a bloody light?

(End of the Chapter)