Transmigrated into a Grandpa, Embracing the Laid-Back Life

”One thousand five hundred...” Su Ming gave a bitter smile. ”Senior Brother possesses heaven-endowed talent, I am far from reaching your level. I entered the path late, it’s only been a little over two years so far. Even going all out, I’ve only mastered around a hundred basic runes.”

”Around a hundred?” Hearing this, Luo Feng did not look down on him; instead, he glanced at Su Ming with surprise. ”Brother Su, do you know that learning these basic runes is not a constant speed? The first hundred, especially the first three hundred, are the most difficult. Because the structure, spirit attraction, and attributes of each rune are completely different, requiring rote memorization, repeated practice, and understanding their most fundamental ’meaning’. Many people get stuck at this entry stage, unable to make any progress for years.”

He recalled, ”I remember, it took me a full six years to master the first eight hundred basic runes. From eight hundred to one thousand two hundred, it took three years. And from one thousand two hundred to the current one thousand five hundred, it took nearly four more years. The further you go, many rune structures have similarities or originate from the same ’parent pattern’. Once you comprehend by analogy, sometimes a single day of enlightenment can allow you to master a dozen related runes. But at the very beginning, you might not be able to crack a single new rune in a month.”

Su Ming silently calculated. For him, one hundred fifty in two years, at this speed, he could learn about four hundred fifty in six years. Although it couldn’t compare to Luo Feng’s eight hundred, considering his damaged Dao foundation, lack of resources, and the need to divide his attention to manage the Repair Hall, this speed seemed... not too slow?

”Disciple, your learning efficiency, even among sect geniuses with complete legacies and ample resources, is considered above average,” Lin Yu said leisurely within the Consciousness Sea. ”Don’t forget, you also have this teacher as your ’cheat’. But what this kid says is right, being slow at the start is normal, it’s about laying the foundation. Those one hundred fifty runes of yours, each one has been thoroughly figured out by you using the ’Water Refining Method’ and practical application. Your foundation is much more solid than those who rely on rote memorization.”

Receiving his teacher’s affirmation, Su Ming felt slightly more at ease. He said to Luo Feng, ”Thank you, Senior Brother, for clearing up my confusion. So it seems, for us cultivators, on the path of formations, learning truly has no end.”

”Exactly that principle,” Luo Feng said seriously. ”So Brother Su, you must not belittle yourself. With your Qi Refining stage cultivation, being able to forge a new path in practical work is already rare and commendable. What Elder Qingquan values might be precisely this ’inspiration’ of yours that isn’t bound by convention.”

He reminded again, ”In three days, at the Listening to Waves Pavilion, don’t be late. The elder dislikes excessive formalities, but you must prepare yourself fully. He might test you. However, there’s no need to be overly nervous either, just face it with your usual mindset.”

After conversing a bit more, Luo Feng stood up to take his leave. He still needed to return to prepare for the final work on the Nine Palaces Soul-Locking Formation.

After seeing Luo Feng off, Su Ming returned to the stone chamber, stroking the storage pouch at his waist.One hundred fifty runes, not even a Formation Apprentice, yet he was going to meet a Grandmaster of Formations.

The pressure was like a mountain, but the opportunity was also right before his eyes.

”Teacher, what will Elder Qingquan test me on?” Su Ming asked in his heart.

”Nothing more than looking at your quality, whether you’re rotten wood or material that can be carved,” Lin Yu said. ”Formation basics, adaptability of thought, even temperament, could all be involved. However, since he actively wants to see you, it’s highly likely he doesn’t want to stump you, but rather wants to see exactly what makes you ’special’. Prepare the thinking logic behind your set of ’datafication’ and ’standardization’, and also sort out our approach to solving the Cold Pool and optimizing the Drizzle Formation. A Grandmaster of Formations looks at the ’Dao’, not the ’technique’.”

Su Ming took a deep breath, his gaze becoming resolute.

”I understand.”

For the next three days, he did not rush to tackle those profound formation texts. Instead, he calmed his mind, reviewing and organizing every successful or failed case since he first came into contact with formations, trying to extract his own, most fundamental ”view of formations” from them.

Whether he could catch Elder Qingquan’s eye depended entirely on this.

......

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

The Listening to Waves Pavilion was not at the highest point of Formation Peak, but was hidden behind a patch of emerald bamboo halfway up the mountain.

A winding bluestone path, full of moss traces, clearly saw few visitors on ordinary days.

Su Ming adjusted his lapels, ensuring the Repair Hall waist token was properly positioned, then stepped onto the stone steps.

The spiritual energy here was not violent; instead, it carried a sense of gentle, silent peace, completely different from the stern, oppressive feeling elsewhere on Formation Peak where formation lines interwove and spiritual pressure pressed down.

At the pavilion entrance, Luo Feng had already been waiting for some time.

This usually composed and confident Formation Peak genius actually seemed a bit restrained at the moment.

Seeing Su Ming approach, Luo Feng quickly stepped forward to meet him, lowering his voice, ”Brother Su, you’ve finally arrived. The elder is brewing tea. Remember, listen more, speak less. Answer what you’re asked.”

Su Ming gave a slight nod, his expression calm. ”Thank you for the advice, Senior Brother.”

In the Consciousness Sea, Lin Yu’s voice sounded lazily, ”This kid is more nervous than you. It seems this Elder Qingquan usually commands quite a bit of awe.”

Su Ming did not respond, following Luo Feng across the undefended bamboo fence gate.

The courtyard was not large: a stone table, several stone stools, with a stream of mountain spring water channeled to the side, dripping down a bamboo pipe with a tinkling sound, gathering into a clear, small pond.

An old man in a gray cloth robe sat by the pond.

His hair and beard were completely white, not tied up with a crown, just casually held with a wooden hairpin. He held a cattail leaf fan, gently fanning a small red clay stove.

In the clay pot on the stove, the sound of water gradually grew louder, just like the rustling of pine waves.

If not for Luo Feng’s respectful bow, Su Ming would have almost thought this was just an old man from the mortal countryside.

”Disciple Luo Feng, bringing outer sect disciple Su Ming, pays respects to Elder Qingquan.” Luo Feng bowed deeply.

Su Ming followed closely behind, performing a standard disciple salute. His movements were neither subservient nor arrogant, without a single fault to be found.

The old man did not stop fanning with his cattail leaf fan. His gaze fixed on the white steam rising from the pot’s spout, his voice gentle yet carrying a penetrating force. ”Here? Sit.”

Luo Feng did not dare to sit, retreating to stand by the side in attendance.

Su Ming hesitated slightly, then followed the instruction and sat on the lower seat of the stone stool, only half-sitting, his back straight.

Only then did Elder Qingquan turn his head. What kind of eyes were those?

The whites were clear as a child’s, but the pupils were deep as an abyss, like two ancient wells, without ripples, yet capable of reflecting one’s heart.

Under this gaze, Su Ming felt as if he had become that formation plate awaiting repair, his inner and outer structures seen through at a glance.

”Repair Hall, Su Ming.”

Elder Qingquan put down the cattail leaf fan. He did not release any pressure, but when his gaze focused, Su Ming felt the surrounding air seem to solidify for an instant.

It wasn’t killing intent, but a difference in ”quality” originating from the soul level, tempered by the passage of time.

Like a stream facing a deep pond; though the surface is calm, it knows the pond’s depths are unfathomable.

Su Ming noticed that the furnishings within the pavilion were extremely simple, but each one subtly conformed to a certain rhythm.

The fire for brewing tea was not ordinary fire, but a strand of tamed earth vein flame breath, burning docilely in a specially made stove. As the tea leaves unfurled and curled in the cup, faint, subtle spiritual energy runes flickered briefly.

Every plant, every object here seemed to have become a natural extension of his formation cultivation.

Elder Qingquan put down the cattail leaf fan, lifted the clay pot, and poured boiling water into two coarse porcelain tea cups. ”This name has been quite prominent on Formation Peak recently. Even these old bones of mine have heard it so much my ears are getting calloused.”

Su Ming stood up, accepting the tea cup with both hands, but did not rush to drink. He just kept his eyes lowered and said, ”This disciple is apprehensive. I merely do some trivial repair work, disturbing the elder’s peace.”

”Trivial work?”

Elder Qingquan chuckled lightly, taking a sip from his own tea cup. ”Being able to turn trivial work into rules, to turn patches into an essay, that’s not something the word ’apprehensive’ can cover up.”

He put down the tea cup, his gaze suddenly becoming sharp, piercing straight into Su Ming’s eyes.

”This old man asks you, what is your original intention in cultivating the path of formations?”