Chapter 9: Ancient Secret Formation

  Tai Shang Lao heard Fang Li's words, and was suddenly shocked to the point of agape, only speaking after a long while: "Could it be that your master also wants to emulate the ancients and create his own path?"

  "This matter has nothing to do with my master, it's just a sudden idea of mine. The Way of the Array is no less than the Way of the Sword. Since there are sword cultivators in this world, why can't there be array cultivators? I've always disagreed that array techniques can only serve as auxiliary tools. Just like the ancient times when arrays such as the Zhou Tian Xing Dou Great Array, the Twelve Heavenly Gods' Killing Array, and the Exterminating Immortal Sword Array appeared... each of them possessed the power to destroy heaven and earth. If one could merge these arrays with their own body, hiding a great array within themselves, its power would be far beyond what sword cultivators can match."

  A strange gleam flashed in Fang Li's eyes, and the more he spoke, the more he felt that his idea was feasible, and he really wanted to go and verify it personally.

  The Supreme Elder was surprised by Fang Li's bold idea, but still advised: "Sword cultivation is a systematic practice that has been formed through the research of countless people. You want to enter the Tao without any reference, which is a bit too fanciful. Moreover, the word 'Tao' is still too far away from you, even I don't have any clue about it, and on the path of cultivation, I am just a toddler who has just learned to walk. How can you? What you should do now is to work hard to improve your cultivation, if you can touch the threshold of the Golden Immortal realm, maybe you can verify your idea."

  "Thank you, Elder Shang," Fang Li said respectfully, but the idea of entering the Dao through arrays did not stop in his heart.

  The elder nodded in satisfaction, then seemed to think of something and suddenly spoke up: "There's one more thing I need to tell you. Three months from now, the Four Clans Great Competition will be held, and all the young people from the four major families in Yan City will participate. I hope you can represent the Fang family in the competition. If you enter the top three, I'll take out an item that will make your heart move as a reward."

  Fang Li lowered his head in contemplation, then said: "My cultivation has only reached the fourth realm of Qi Refining. If I don't reveal my identity as an Array Master, I'm afraid I won't even be able to enter the top ten. After all, there are still many experts in the fifth and sixth realms of Qi Refining in Yan City."

  The Supreme Elder smiled faintly and said, "Don't be in a hurry to refuse, why don't you ask what I will give you as a reward?"

  "Oh? I wonder what reward the Supreme Elder has prepared for me?" Fang Li also became slightly interested, as the Supreme Elder was already a master of the Foundation Establishment stage. He wouldn't make such a confident statement without reason, so the reward must be extraordinary.

  。

  The Supreme Elder smiled mysteriously and said in a low voice: "It is an ancient secret array."

  "Primordial Secret Formation!" Fang Li's eyes widened, as a formation master, he had a strong interest in formations, and the addition of "primordial" and "secret" made it even more intriguing.

  Jian Fangli was indeed attracted, and the Elder couldn't help but nod his head in satisfaction, continuing to say: "Not bad, it's indeed the ancient secret array. This array was obtained by our family's ancestor a thousand years ago, but unfortunately, no one has become an array master in these thousand years, so it has been hidden until now. Now that our Fang family has finally produced an array master, it can be put to use."

  "Can the Great Elder show me this formation?" Fang Li looked at the Great Elder with a face full of expectation.

  The elder smiled slightly, "This array is recorded on a jade card, hidden in the family's forbidden area, but it wasn't brought with me. However, I do remember some of the introduction to this ancient secret array. This array is called the Two Principles Micro Dust Illusion Array, which was once the mountain-sealing grand array of the Emei Sect during the ancient times. The Two Principles Micro Dust Illusion Array is only an incomplete version, according to the jade card's records, the complete array is called the Two Principles Micro Dust Array, divided into six gates: life, death, hibernation, clarity, illusion, and extinction. The Two Principles Micro Dust Illusion Array is just one of them, but even so, its power is extremely strong."

  "Two Instruments Micro Dust Formation!" This time, Fang Li was indeed excited. The Supreme Elder might not know the significance of this name, but as a formation master, Fang Li did. The Two Instruments Micro Dust Formation was one of the few powerful formations in ancient times. If other formation masters knew that this formation had appeared, they would probably rush to seize it, even stirring up a bloody storm.

  "Does anyone else know about this?" Fang's vigilance was suddenly raised.

  "Naturally, this matter is only known to the eldest elder in the family. Now, apart from me, even the head of the clan doesn't know." The eldest elder isn't a fool either; things passed down from the ancestors wouldn't be spread around casually. If it weren't for Fang Li being the only array master in the family, he probably wouldn't have been told either.

  "Alright, I'll go participate in the Four Clans' Grand Competition three months later, and I will definitely enter the top three." Fang Li said with a firm gaze and confident tone.

  The Elder smiled lightly and said, "You just said it's difficult to even get into the top ten, how did you suddenly become so confident? Don't you worry about those geniuses who have reached the fifth or sixth level of Qi Refining?"

  "Genius or not, I want to enter the top three, no one can stop me." Fang Li looked at the Taishang Elder, a burst of youthful vigor emerged, like a sudden mountain peak, fearless.

  。

  "Good, this is indeed a young master of our family!" The Supreme Elder looked at Fang Li, seemingly seeing his younger self. Back then, if he hadn't relied on his impulsiveness, he wouldn't have stood out from the crowd and become a respected Qi Refining stage expert. Unfortunately, as time passed, that impulsive spirit gradually dissipated. He used to think it was a sign of maturity, but now, seeing Fang Li's vigorous aura, he suddenly realized that he hadn't matured, but rather lost something precious. However, people get old, and it's impossible to regain what's been lost. This must be why he couldn't break through after reaching the Qi Refining realm.

  Having said what needed to be said, Fang Li did not want to linger any longer and immediately bid farewell to the Great Elder, carrying his still sleeping sister as he quickly headed home.

  Watching Fang Li leave, the Supreme Elder stood still for a long time. After about a cup of tea's worth of time, he finally let out a sigh: "Alas, after many years of being as calm as an ancient well without ripples, a slight disturbance has appeared in my heart. I thought I could use this to break through, but unfortunately it was not meant to be." The Supreme Elder's face revealed a look of regret. Discovering that Fang Li had already left, he didn't linger and immediately returned to the clan's forbidden area.

  ……

  In a simple house, Fang Lijin sat quietly on a small wooden chair. Her sister Fang Liu'er and her mother, who had taken the nourishing blood tonic, were already awake. However, her mother's body was still weak and she lay half-reclined in bed, with her sister taking care of her.

  "My son, you really think nothing will happen if you kill Fang Linbao?" His mother, Ye Xiang, had been worried ever since she found out that Fang Li had beheaded Fang Linbao for revenge, and now she couldn't help but ask.

  "Mother, rest assured, this man's bullying of men and women has already violated many clan rules. I killed him to eliminate the harm for the family, and the clan leader and elders not only did not blame me, but also gave me a medicinal pill to bring back to you to heal your wounds. The child was even promoted to honorary elder, and from then on, no one in the family dared to bully us again." Fang Li said with a smile, wanting to comfort his mother.

  "That's good," Yexiang let out a sigh of relief, and then thought of something else and continued to ask: "But I heard that Fang Linbao's grandfather is the guardian elder of Gongfa Pavilion..."

  "The Shouge elder is also a person who understands reason. After learning about his grandson's crimes, he was furious and would have taken matters into his own hands if I hadn't killed Fang Linbao first. In fact, he was so angry that he didn't even bother to collect Fang Linbao's body, which shows how disappointed he is in his grandson." Fang Li explained again.

  "Ah! Not even a decent burial? This is going too far. As the ancient saying goes, 'the dead are to be respected', regardless of what wrongs they committed in life, it's all in the past now. Why must he still be left to rot outside? And to make matters worse, it's his own grandfather." A hint of compassion flashed across Ye Xiang's face.

  "It's none of our business to judge others' family matters, just let mother take a good rest"

  "Fang Li said, seeing his mother's complexion had already improved, he couldn't help but smile slightly. He estimated that by tomorrow, the medicinal properties of the Huo Luo Yang Xue Dan would be fully released, and at that time, his mother would recover, and her physical condition would even be better than before she was injured."

  "My son, you followed the immortal for only one year and then returned? " Ye Xiang spoke to Fang Li again, having been separated from her son for a year, she wanted to chat with him more.

  "Master has something to attend to, so he let me go home first." Fang Li also started chatting with his mother without getting bored.

  Seeing the two chatting happily, Fang Liu'er on the side would also interject a few words, but Xiao Yatou probably hadn't shaken off the shadow of being imprisoned yet, and spoke very little.

  It was already night, and after his mother and sister had fallen asleep, Fang Li returned to his own room. The room was somewhat dimly lit, with only a faint candlelight flickering weakly.

  "Three months later is the Four Clans Great Competition, and I must raise my cultivation to Sixth-Order Refining Qi within these three months. Otherwise, it will be very difficult to enter the top three." Fang Li sat on the ground, muttering to himself. However, wanting to raise his cultivation by two realms in just three months is no less than a fool's dream, unless he takes elixirs. But elixirs that can directly boost one's cultivation are at least third-grade, which is not something ordinary people can possess, and even the entire Flame City probably doesn't have many."

  "Now that I've boasted in front of the Taishang Elder, I mustn't lose face." Fang Li smiled and began to lay out his next cultivation plan.

  Fang Lizhu's qualifications for cultivation are quite good. Previously, he had been cultivating the Basic Guidance Technique and Basic Swordsmanship, but he managed to raise his cultivation to the fourth level of Qi Refining. If he could select a good technique from the Gongfa Pavilion, his cultivation speed would likely increase significantly.

  Not only that, as an array master, Fang Li also has an advantage, which is to use arrays to assist in cultivation. After studying for a year, Fang Li had already mastered three arrays: two first-class arrays, namely the Spirit Gathering Array and the Wisteria Entanglement Array, and one second-class array, the Water and Fire Two Instruments Array. The Water and Fire Two Instruments Array was mainly used for killing, the Wisteria Entanglement Array was mainly used for control, while the Spirit Gathering Array could assist in cultivation.

  With the strength of a second-rate array master, Fang Li's Soul Gathering Array can at least increase his cultivation speed by half. If he also takes the Soul Gathering Pill, Fang Li's cultivation speed might even double, which is extremely terrifying.

  "With this method of cultivation, even if I can't break through to the sixth level of Qi Refining, I'll be able to easily enter the fifth level of Qi Refining realm." Fang Li muttered to himself, filled with confidence for the competition three months later. Of course, what attracted him the most was still the reward given by the Supreme Elder - that jade plaque inscribed with the Two Instruments Micro Dust Illusion Array.