Formations are generally divided into four types: killing, trapping, sealing, and illusion. Of these, killing and sealing formations are the most widely used. The first is self-explanatory. The second serves as the foundation for most defensive formations. Trapping formations are passive; they do not require the caster to be present. Once triggered, they activate on their own and confine whoever is caught inside. Illusion formations, meanwhile, are the only kind Liu Xiaolou currently knows how to refine.
A large mountain-guarding formation usually combines all four types, each interwoven with the others, layer upon layer. That makes it the most powerful, but also the most complicated and exhausting to create.
The Zhao clan of Fangle Peak intended to refine just such a mountain-guarding formation.
When the elder asked him a question, Liu Xiaolou answered with a trace of embarrassment: “I only know a little about illusion formations.”
The elder nodded slightly. “The Nine Gods form the divine disk. What’s the proper order?”
Although anyone recommended by the Su family was, by custom, exempt from testing, the elder felt uneasy about this so-called formation master, who was young and unknown. He decided to ask a couple of casual questions before deciding how to place him.
Liu Xiaolou replied at once, “For Yang, arrange them from right to left. For Yin, from left to right.”
The elder continued, “Draw the central vertical talisman.”
Liu Xiaolou pointed into the air and recited, “At the center stands Earth, the deity of Heavenly Yi, leader of the gods. Wherever it descends, all illusions scatter.”
The elder asked again, “And what is the purpose of Xuanwu?”
Liu Xiaolou answered, “The North corresponds to Water. It is the god of treachery and thievery, fond of schemes and harm. Once the Xuanwu talisman is formed, anyone caught in the formation will feel panic and suspicion, flee in fear, and fall into confusion and quarrels.”
The doctrine of the Nine Gods is a core part of formation arts, especially illusion formations. In the past, Liu Xiaolou had no grasp of it at all. He only knew how to bury his head in forging formation disks, while remaining largely ignorant of the Daoist formulas and incantations. It would have been easy to trip him up on the spot. For this, he had to thank Green Bamboo. After spending over three months with him, Liu Xiaolou had not only learned how to merge the sky and ground disks and apply the Three Wonders and the Six Harmonies, but had also memorized the Essentials of the Golden Scroll Formations. Without that, he would have been left stammering in embarrassment.
Still, if the elder pressed him with deeper questions, he’d probably break out in a cold sweat. So he quickly tried to change the subject: “May I ask, Senior, how should I address you?”
The elder said, “I am Tang Song.”
Liu Xiaolou had never heard the name before. Feeling guilty, he bowed deeply to the ground. “Ah… my apologies, my apologies!”
Tang Song stroked his beard. “No need for that. Please rise.”
When Liu noticed the elder seemed to be pondering another question, he hurriedly spoke first: “Do you know if Master Green Bamboo from Yuezhou's Lianxi Hall has entered the mountain yet?”
Unless Green Bamboo was just bragging. She had to be quite well known in Yuezhou; a formation prodigy among the younger generation. Liu Xiaolou wasn’t familiar with anyone else, so at the moment he could only bring her up as a shield.
But Green Bamboo hadn’t been boasting after all. Tang Song really did know of her, and his expression softened slightly. “You know Bamboo Lady?”
Anyone who called her Bamboo Lady was likely close to her. Liu Xiaolou hurried to say, “Earlier this year, I studied illusion formations with her. Over several months, I gained a great deal. Unfortunately, she had to return to Yuezhou to go into seclusion and break through, so we parted ways…”
Tang Song chuckled. “Bamboo Lady formed her Foundation just last month.”
Liu Xiaolou brightened with delight. “That’s wonderful news!”
Tang Song went on, “I had originally invited her to come, but she said she’d had some new insights and wanted to rerefine her own formation disk. She couldn’t spare the time, so I didn’t press her. You know how it is; when refining a disk, inspiration can strike like lightning. If you don’t pursue it right away, once the moment passes, it’s gone.”
Liu Xiaolou asked, “Was it the Six-Line Golden Scroll Formation? She mentioned before that she wanted to add a stronger sense of immersion.”
Tang Song nodded. “That’s the one.”
At this point, Tang Song no longer had any doubts. If Liu Xiaolou had been able to study with Green Bamboo for several months, then his skill in formations was beyond question. The only concern was his cultivation.
“Nephew, your cultivation level is…?”
“With shame, I must say, the fifth layer of Qi Refinement.”
“In that case, you won’t be able to lead a sub-formation…” Tang Song thought for a moment, then said, “Very well. I happen to be short a helper to run errands. Why don’t you stay by my side, hm?”
Liu Xiaolou felt uneasy. “This junior is hardly worthy…”
Tang Song waved his hand with a smile. “It’s fine. Bamboo Lady has always been very discerning. Any friend of hers won’t be lacking. No need to be so modest. I remember, back in the day, when I was with her master… Ah, forget it. Old men ramble, and young people get tired of hearing it.”
Liu Xiaolou forced a laugh. “Not at all. To hear a senior’s experiences is an honor, something I could only hope for.”
Tang Song chuckled. “Experiences? Nothing of the sort. Just old stories, better left in the past, better left in the past…”
With that, Tang Song pointed eastward. “Go and pick a room. Settle yourself in.”
Liu Xiaolou went east, picked a room at random, tidied up a little, and counted himself settled. The furnishings were plain, but the wood was all new, and everything was neat and clean.
And so, just like that, Liu Xiaolou was stripped of the right to refine formation disks on his own. What puzzled him was that he still had no idea who this Tang Song really was, or what role he held in the refining of Fangle Peak’s mountain-guarding formation.
As Tang Song had said, Liu Xiaolou’s work was nothing more than running errands. That very afternoon, under Tang Song’s orders, he carried two letters. One north to Horse-Breeding Slope, and another east to Qionghan Pool.
Both sites already had formation masters stationed there, newly arrived in the last couple of days. Each was in the late stage of Foundation Establishment. Formation masters are often seen in the cultivation world as “wandering specialists,” devoting immense time and energy to their craft. While formations are indeed one of the great paths of the Dao, and do benefit one’s cultivation, the progress is far slower than focusing solely on refining oneself. Even so, a formation master at the late Foundation Establishment stage is already considered quite accomplished, deserving the title of “senior master.”
Horse-Breeding Slope and Qionghan Pool did not belong to Fangle Peak, but lay closer to the main peak of the Jinting Sect. Each had an underground fire vein opening. Around these two senior masters, Tang Song had already assigned several other formation practitioners. In the coming months, each group would, under its master’s lead, refine its own formation disk.
After three days of errands, Liu Xiaolou finally learned Tang Song’s identity. The unassuming old man turned out to be in the mid-stage of Golden Core. He came from the illustrious Tang clan of Shu, and in his youth had studied the arts of formation at the great sect of Pingdu Eight Formations Gate. Since then, he had roamed the world, never returning to his homeland.
Yuezhou also had a sect devoted to formations, Siming Mountain. But their fees were far too high. After weighing the costs, the Zhao clan decided to entrust Tang Song with recruiting formation masters from across the land to oversee the refining of Fangle Peak’s mountain-guarding array. It was said this approach would cut the expenses by nearly thirty percent.
Jinting Mountain was one of the great cultivation blessed lands, with many openings to underground fire veins. In addition to the two already in use, the Zhao clan had applied to the Jinting Sect for two more: one at Zhidun Ridge in the northwest, and one at Stone Valley at the foot of the mountain. But neither site had anyone assigned yet, so more masters still needed to be recruited.
Liu Xiaolou’s tasks went beyond running messages. He was also responsible for guiding newly recruited formation masters to the fire vein sites, negotiating with the Zhao clan, chasing down materials, arranging meals, and handling countless other errands.
Originally, Tang Song had brought along a junior clansman from the Tang family for such chores. But just as they arrived at Fangle Peak, word came from home that the young man’s mother had passed away, and he had to rush back for the funeral. That was why Tang Song turned to Liu Xiaolou instead.
For Liu Xiaolou, even though it was just odd jobs and errands, the work taught him a great deal. Refining a true mountain-guarding formation was no simple matter. The sheer amount of preparation involved was staggering. And so, rather than resent the menial labor, he threw himself into it willingly, even eagerly.