The Quest for Immortality

In the evening, Elder Zheng returned to Qiandao City, and several Taoist friends with whom he had a good relationship came to bid him farewell.

During the gathering, everyone was filled with emotion, some felt pity for Elder Zheng, while others, unable to bear his departure, invited him to join their family sects as a Guest Elder.

Elder Zheng politely declined each invitation.

After the banquet, they bid each other farewell.

Elder Zheng then returned to his residence, closed his eyes, and took a moment to rest.

When the hour arrived, he packed all treasures, formation books, and formation diagrams, and left the abode he had lived in for decades without looking back, heading out of the city.

Riding in a carriage, he left the city, and about two hours later, arrived at the Cloud Ferry at the state boundary of Qianxue.

Boarding the Cloud Ferry, with three transfers along the way, he’ll reach Zhen State in about a month.

Though Elder Zheng no longer felt attachment, as he took the step to leave, he suddenly felt some lingering sentiments.

The face and voice of the young brother he met during the day reappeared in his mind.

Elder Zheng felt a sense of reflection.

Amidst the bustling and profit-driven Qianxue state boundary, there truly existed such disciples who were born in poverty, yet showed genuine dedication and exceptional comprehension.

His previous judgment was indeed biased.

The Cloud Ferry’s whistle sounded, signaling its imminent departure.

Elder Zheng took a step forward but suddenly stopped.

”Stepping onto the deck, leaving Qian State, I’m afraid I’ll never return in this lifetime...”

Elder Zheng felt hesitated, his heart suddenly uneasy, as if he would miss something important upon departure.

He frowned, pondered for a long time, and finally sighed:

”Well, I might as well stay a few more days, finish watching this round of the Array Discussion Conference then leave. The journey to Zhen State is far, it doesn’t matter these few days...”

Thinking this, Elder Zheng felt much at ease.

He lifted his head, seeing a bright moon hanging in the sky, its clear glow illuminating the earth, occasionally accompanied by a gentle breeze.

...

Time passed, another day went by.

Tomorrow is the Array Discussion Conference.

At this moment, within a sealed grand hall on Mount of Tao.

A group of Elders of Formation Arts gathered together, deciding the topic for tomorrow’s ”Array Discussion Conference.”

The elders present were all from various great sects within Qianxue state boundary, renowned as third and fourth-grade formation masters.

Even though there were open and covert fights between the sects, often with disputes.

Yet, the status of a formation master was rather transcendent, forming a unique circle, not too constrained by sect prejudices.

Furthermore, they were currently deciding the topic for the Array Discussion Conference.

This was of great importance, no one dared to slack off, nor would they let personal grudges surface.

Thus, the atmosphere within the hall was quite harmonious.

Everyone discussed, selecting appropriate formations as the ”exam questions” for this year’s Array Discussion Conference.

To avoid bias, the chief examiner this time was a Feather Transformation Realm Array Master from the Dao Court Tian Shu Pavilion, known as ”Master Wen.”

Though Tian Shu Pavilion belonged to the Dao Court, it only oversaw formation affairs, relatively neutral compared to the Central Dao Court’s power institutions.

Master Wen himself was also from Qianxue state boundary, his formation mastery was evident to all, thus his role as chief examiner neither raised suspicion nor lacked credibility.

At this moment, the task of deciding the array topics was also led by Master Wen, proceeding methodically...

”This ’Yimu Gen Mountain Array’ is good, could be tested...”

”The various types of ’Li Fire Formation’ above sixteen patterns are too murderous, not suitable for encouragement. Moreover, if drawn incorrectly, it’s prone to backfire, causing chaos at the Array Discussion Conference.”

”True, they’re still sect disciples, it’s better to focus on cultivating one’s character, understanding Heavenly Dao, and primarily benefiting production, or testing defensive formations...”

”You’re mistaken, we must still test Killing Formations. Formation masters are inherently lacking in combat, if we don’t test more Killing Formations, they may be too weak when entering the cultivation world in the future, suffering great losses.”

”That’s for small battles, one-on-one, requiring time and effort to arrange formations, naturally cumbersome for formation masters.”

”But large battles are different; all great battles require strategic planning, forging armor and refining weapons, deploying formations—that’s where formation masters truly shine.”

”With hundreds, thousands, even tens of thousands, under the enhancement of formations, they march forth mightily, invincible...”

”Speaking of this is too soon; they are just young disciples, how could they command thousands in battle.”

”Indeed. Moreover, these disciples are treasures of their family sects; few would truly risk their lives on the battlefield.”

”Then why do they learn formations? Learn without application? Just to show off?”

”You’re being too radical...”

”How is this radical?”

”Alright, alright everyone, let’s focus on the important matters.” Someone urged. .

”Yes, arguing about this is meaningless; we should focus on the topic at hand...”

”I think half and half...” An elder balanced, ”Test half Killing Formations and half industrial arrays.”

Someone shook their head: ”Too many, I think four or five is better, Kill Formations and Trapping Formations four-tenths, industrial arrays five-tenths, the remaining one-tenth for theoretical formations with deep elements.”

”Then... specifically which ones? These formation diagrams have been tested too much.”

”We have indeed flipped them over many times, but consider the disciples; many formations they are just learning.”

”That is true...”

”However, it is somewhat tiring to test the same ones repeatedly.”

”Should we try something new?” suggested an elder.

”What kind of new thing? Too beyond the curriculum may not be good; if those disciples can’t draw them under stress, we, the exam-setting elders, will be silently cursed by them, and the ancestors of those family sects might also have criticisms...”