There was no need to explain further. Liu Xiaolou had more or less guessed the reason already. Golden Leaf was a rare spiritual material, and many formation masters didn’t even know how to handle it. Liu Daoran had been told earlier by him that it should be treated with the methods of plants and herbs. That was probably what led to the argument between him and Diao Daoyi.
Most likely, Liu Daoran wanted to use the plant-based method after hearing that advice, while Diao Daoyi insisted on using the metal-and-stone method. The outcome was obvious: Diao Daoyi lost face, and afterward it was only natural that Liu Daoran would get squeezed and suppressed through little tricks.
What Liu Xiaolou hadn’t expected was that Diao Daoyi, who had carried himself like a refined gentleman when they first met, turned out to be narrow-minded. It seemed wise to be more careful in future dealings with him.
Come to think of it, this little episode had been stirred up by his own words. In a sense, he bore some responsibility, and should lend a hand to this cousin of his.
“I’ll find a chance… though I’m worried Senior Master Diao might not be too pleased.”
“That won’t be an issue. He’s probably dying for me to get out of the way. If Grandmaster Tang doesn’t transfer me from Zhidu Ridge, I’ll have no choice but to leave Fangle Peak altogether.”
“There’s no need for that. Just wait for my word.”
A few days later, once Master Long had finished dealing with the large amount of spiritual materials in the early stages, he cleared out the firepit on the mountainside. Tang Song then took matters into his own hands and began refining the Xun Five Palace Micro Formation Disk.
But as the overseer of the entire grand formation, every single issue that came up during the refining of each sub-formation disk, and whether the final result met the requirements, had to be inspected by Tang Song himself. That made the refining of the Xun Five Palace disk fragmented and drawn-out, giving him quite a headache.
Liu Xiaolou volunteered on his own. “Master Tang, if it’s too difficult, why don’t we switch to refining the Li Nine Palace over on the half-mountain terrace instead?”
Tang Song frowned. “Isn’t that the same? I can never find the time…” Then suddenly it hit him. “You mean you want to take it on?”
Liu Xiaolou said, “I’ve carefully gone through the manuals on the Li Nine Palace these past two days. Within the Northern Blackwater Sub-Formation, this one serves the function of transformation. It should be an illusion formation.”
Tang Song nodded. “It is an illusion formation.”
Liu Xiaolou went on. “I have some experience with illusion formations. Please allow me to give it a try.”
He had once refined the Abyssal Blackstone Formation, and later, with Green Bamboo’s help, upgraded its formation disk by adding a Sky disk. That allowed the illusion formation to show the passing of the seasons and the alternation of day and night, which gave him solid hands-on experience. Even so, the Abyssal Blackstone Formation was just a simple personal defense formation. Compared to the guardian formation being refined for Fangle Peak, it was hardly worth mentioning.
A single Li Nine Palace Sub-Formation required three formation disks, and each disk contained the Heaven, Earth, and Human layers. It was far more intricate and profound than the Abyssal Blackstone Array.
Because of that, Liu Xiaolou was eager for the chance to try his hand at it.
For over a month, he had been serving diligently at Tang Song’s side. Tang Song was willing to give him an opportunity, but he still had doubts about Liu Xiaolou’s fifth-layer cultivation and held back from agreeing.
So Liu Xiaolou suggested, “At Zhidu Ridge, Liu Daoran has reached the eighth layer. From what I’ve seen, his skill is impressive. Perhaps he could be transferred here to the mid-mountain?”
“But Diao Daoyi is already short on people there,” replied Tang Song.
“I’ve been to Zhidu Ridge several times. From what I could see, Master Diao still seemed to have things well under control. Maybe we could first bring someone over, and then, once new formation masters are recruited, send reinforcements back to him?”
At last, Tang Song nodded. “Go ask him. If he agrees, then it’s fine. Otherwise, we can’t act rashly.”
Following the order, Liu Xiaolou went to Zhidu Ridge and asked Diao Daoyi, “Master Diao, Master Tang needs help with refining a formation disk, but so far no one’s been available. I wanted to ask whether you might have someone here who could be spared for a while?”
Diao Daoyi frowned, then finally gave in. “Since Grandmaster Tang has asked, I can’t really refuse. Do you know who he had in mind?”
“He didn’t specify anyone,” Liu Xiaolou said. “I’d rather leave it to your judgment.” He glanced toward the opening of the firepit. “Formation Master Zeng… seems busy. Formation Master Zu… also busy. And Formation Master Liu... he doesn’t look too busy, does he?”
Diao Daoyi looked over at Liu Daoran and gave a slight shake of his head. “I was planning to put more responsibility on him anyway. But if Grandmaster Tang wants to use him, I have no objection. Just remind him to be extra careful when handling spiritual materials.”
Liu Xiaolou quickly nodded. “Many thanks, Master Diao.”
When Liu Daoran followed Liu Xiaolou out of Zhidu Ridge, his face showed obvious relief. “This feels much better… Thank you, Brother Liu!”
Liu Xiaolou smiled. “We’re from the same clan. No need for such formality. I’ve already reported to Master Tang. From now on, the two of us will work together on refining formation disks at the mid-mountain platform.”
Liu Daoran nodded repeatedly. “Then I’ll rely on your guidance, Brother Liu.”
“Brother Daoran, your cultivation is much deeper than mine, and your mastery of formations is outstanding. When we’re refining the disks, you should take the lead.”
Liu Daoran looked uneasy. “How could I dare? In the past I was like a frog at the bottom of a well, dismissing the true worth of others. Now I’ve finally learned my lesson.”
Liu Xiaolou said, “As for Master Diao… men of great ability often carry a certain pride. Since you challenged him directly, it was only natural he’d take offense. I wouldn’t call it a lesson.”
Liu Daoran shook his head. “No, it was my fault. You had already told me how to handle the Golden Leaf, but I still refused to believe it and argued with Master Diao. In the end, it proved I was arrogant and ignorant. After all, Master Diao is a senior master, and you, Brother, serve at Grandmaster Tang’s side; both of you are people of far greater insight. So when we refine formation disks together, you should take the lead. I’ll gladly follow your guidance and never cling to my own stubborn views again.”
So that was how it was. It wasn’t that Diao Daoyi was petty, but that Liu Daoran’s own obstinacy had left him humiliated and unable to stay on at Zhidu Ridge with any dignity. Liu Xiaolou thought to himself that one must never take things for granted.
When they returned to the mid-mountain, Liu Xiaolou took out the manual of the Li Nine Palace and handed it to Liu Daoran. “Brother Daoran, have a look. This is the formation disk we’ll be working on.”
The manual was very simple. It described the function, what effect the formation must achieve once completed, but not the process of refinement. That was considered basic knowledge for any qualified formation master. Tang Song had never intended to spell that out.
Liu Xiaolou already had some ideas, but he wasn’t confident enough to bring them up with Tang Song. He didn’t want to expose his own shortcomings and risk losing Tang Song’s trust. Discussing them with Liu Daoran right now was just what he needed.
After looking through the manual, Liu Daoran nodded. “An illusion formation. The Li Nine Palace belongs to fire: it corresponds to spring, flourishes in summer, weakens in autumn, and dies in winter. It can conjure scenes of splendor, ease, clamor, bloodshed, and slaughter. It stirs the heart, shifting from great joy to great sorrow, from chaos to killing, from comfort to terror.”
Hearing that Daoran’s reading of the formation matched his own, Liu Xiaolou felt reassured. “Brother Daoran, where do you think we should begin?”
Liu Daoran replied, “We should start by drafting the talisman seals, don’t you think? Use the Festival of Eight Lights with the Cloudscape Talisman. Pair the Samadhi Fire with the Three Treasures True Cloud Talisman. For the seasons of summer and autumn, use the Dispersing True Qi Talisman. Then support it with the jeweled crest of the Seven-Color Luanbird. If I remember correctly, there’s a Five-Color Luanbird crest among the spiritual materials, though the supply is a bit low. Brother, would you be able to requisition it?”
There was no denying that Liu Daoran’s foundation in formation theory was solid. His choice to pair the Cloudscape Talisman, the Three Treasures True Cloud Talisman, and the Dispersing True Qi Talisman was right on the mark. Liu Xiaolou quickly noted it down in his mind, and outwardly expressed agreement. “Exactly so. As for the crest, I can requisition one qian’s worth.”
Liu Daoran clapped his hands. “That will be more than enough!”