Cultivating Disciples to Breakthrough

As the formation covering an area over a dozen square kilometers began to implode, it wasn’t just Xuan Hao who was taken aback by the sudden drastic change, as Elder Song standing right next to him almost fainted on the spot after sensing the terrifying power that began gathering towards the qi spring at the core of the formation. His mind already having conjured up the tragic fate of the qi spring at the center of this terrifying power.

Rumble~!

However, contrary to Elder Song’s expectations, the terrifying power that had been created by the implosion of the formation didn’t end up destroying the qi spring. Instead, the terrifying power halted a few meters away from the qi spring underwater and began to follow countless miniscule channels that guided the terrifying power into countless smaller scale formations located all around the surface of the qi spring, causing the qi spring to crack but not break. The countless smaller formations seemingly keeping it just barely stable enough to not shatter, as the terrifying energy from the implosion continued to forcibly pour into the qi spring. Forcing the cracked qi spring to start evolving under the guidance of the countless smaller formations.

Observing all of this from the side, Xuan Hao had no idea what to say, as he simply couldn’t understand what was happening nor did he have any hope of being able to recreate something like this in the future. After all, while the larger formation was still somewhat within reasonable parameters outside of the unknown source of its rapid growth, as there was simply no way a low-grade qi spring would have been able to fuel the creation of such a terrifying formation, those countless minuscule formations were far beyond anything he had encountered so far.

It was not just the sheer quantity of these miniscule formations that had somehow emerged because of the implosion of the larger formation. Instead, it was the fact that the scale of these formations was small enough that even he was unable to sense most of the formation symbols that fueled them, something that was bewildering to say the least with his current cultivation realm.

The sheer number of formations covering a qi spring, only a few meters wide easily numbered in the millions with the formation symbols that made up these miniscule formations potentially numbering in the billions.

For Mui to create something like this with her current cultivation should have been impossible.

Not just her, but even a Formation Master at the Saint Realm shouldn’t be able to create something like that! And that did not even mention the fact that these millions of smaller formations worked together in one unit. Perfectly synchronized to subtle influence and change the qi spring with the assistance of the terrifying power that had been created by the larger formation’s implosion.

For the first time in a while, Xuan Hao found himself wondering just what his little disciple would end up creating when she became even stronger, a part of him even started to worry that he might not be able to keep up with the strength of her creations. After all, this time around, the strength of the formation she had created had strength comparable to the Middle Stage of the Sea Formation Realm. Awfully close to his current strength…

Looks like I will have to break through to the Land Creation Realm faster if I want to avoid being beaten by something created by that little one in the future…

Feeling a sense of pressure to improve his own strength before his disciple ended up creating something he wouldn’t be able to handle in the future, Xuan Hao frowned visibly as he glanced towards the qi spring in the process of transforming one last time before leaving. Intending to speed up his absorption of the Stardusk Essence and at the same time also deepen his understanding of the Dao of Formations.

After all, even though Mui’s formation symbols were far beyond his comprehension, the overall functioning and inner workings of her formation was still something that helped him increase his comprehension of the Dao of Formations. Especially those millions of smaller formations working in perfect harmony with each other, just a single glance had allowed his comprehension of the Dao of Formations to soar.

Reaching a point where he felt like he was only a single step away from breaking through to the Perfection Realm and officially stepping into the Saint Realm in the Dao of Formations. An accomplishment that he honestly hadn’t expected to come so soon, but it was far from unwelcome, as it would help him stabilize his spiritual sea and continue expanding it with Stardusk Essence.

As for the fate of the qi spring…

Ruuummbble~

It had already been decided, as it managed to successfully evolve under the guidance of the countless smaller formations. Not just transforming into a mid-grade qi spring like Xuan Hao, Elder Song had expected, but instead transforming into a high-grade qi spring that produced far more spiritual qi and at a far higher quality compared to the rest of the qi springs.

In a way, the birth of this single high-grade qi spring didn’t just increase the quantity of spiritual water, but also subtly influenced the remaining qi spring inside the qi spring lake.

By the time that everything was over and Mui had escaped alongside Song Jia, the newly dug out section of the qi spring lake had already been filled up with brand new spiritual water that was of far higher quality than before…

”Huh… Isn’t… Isn’t there a little too much spiritual water?”

”Hm? Now that you say it… It doesn’t look like the channels going off the side of the mountain can handle the sudden increase in spiritual water… And spiritual water is quite difficult to stop when it first starts to flow. Even someone in the Soul Ascension Realm would have a hard time stopping it…”

”Now that you say it… Isn’t this bad for those who located next to those channels to stay close to the spiritual qi rivers going off the side of the mountain?”

But along with that also came new problems, as the elders who had gathered around to watch were suddenly struck by the realization that although this increase in quality and quantity of spiritual water was good for the sect in the long term. In the short term, it caried a lot of problems for those living next to any of the channels that had been created to divert excess spiritual water off the Seventh Star Peak and into several small lakes that had been created around the base of the mountain-

”Ah! Look, the potion shop set up by Elder Peng Yun is being away!”

”Ah!? That’s my house!”

”Oh no…! My spiritual herb garden!”

And not long after this group of elders realized what was about to happen, distraught cries emerged all around them, as several elders watched their homes, shops or carefully cultivated personal spiritual herb gardens being carried away by the rushing tide of spiritual qi that swept out from the qi spring lake and down along the shallow channels that were far too small to handle the sudden massive influx of spiritual water.

Unfortunately for these elders, given the fact that the best cultivation environment was generally around the qi spring lake or the channels that had been dug to divert excess spiritual water, those affected by the sudden flood were only the sect elders, who were scrambling to save their home from being swept away.

Some of the stronger elders at the Soul Ascension Realm who managed to reach their homes in time were successful, though most were unable to stop the spiritual water, as part of their home ended up being dragged away by the sudden flood. Not knowing whether to cry or be happy about the situation, as their cultivation environment had now become far better with the higher quality spiritual water, but their homes had disappeared.

”…”

Seeing this situation playing out, the one most distraught about the current situation was none other than Elder Song, as he felt torn about how to feel.

The increased quality of the qi spring did benefit the entire sect in the long term, but… The damage done by this sudden flash flood was by no means small and would take months to rebuilt considering the channels had to be expanded and the lakes below that these channels flowed into also had to be expanded and potentially added on a few rivers that led into different parts of the Shattered Star Peaks to deal with the large quantity of spiritual water.

If the special artifact created by Mui and used by his granddaughter earlier wasn’t around, Elder Song could easily imagine a recovery from this kind of situation taking years if not decades depending on how much damage those flooded channels would cause before they were dug.

”Ah…” Suddenly remembering something he seemed to have forgotten in the moment, Elder Song could not help smiling something wryly as his gaze turned towards an especially violent water channel. ”I forgot about those recently constructed disciple abodes at the base of the mountain…” Muttering this as he gazed towards the area where the spiritual water had been designed to gently cascade down the side of the mountain, Elder Song could not help wondering what kind of reaction those disciples below would have when their newly built homes ended up being torn away by a sudden heavenly river from above.

In a way, it was lucky that those disciple abodes weren’t for the youngest disciples and were instead inhabited by the stronger Core Formation Realm disciples. Even if they ended up being swept away by the heavenly river of the spiritual water, they wouldn’t end up dying.

On the other hand, considering how beneficial spiritual water of this quality was for cultivation, it was more likely that these disciples would be overjoyed.

After all, they were disciples and didn’t have to do anything when it came to rebuilding those destroyed homes, that was something that would be entirely covered by the sect.

As for the elders whose homes had been swept away… They were… Respectable seniors and would be able to understand the sect first focusing on the needs of the younger disciples who had suddenly ended up homeless.

If they didn’t want to wait for the sect to help rebuild their homes that could now be found at the base of the Seventh Star Peak, they could always rebuild them themselves. After all, to elders, it wouldn’t really cost them that much to rebuild their homes. At most a few spirit stones.

Alone, it might not be that much, but put together, the sect could save a lot of spirit stones this way…

Narrowing his eyes dangerously as he thought this to himself, Elder Song didn’t linger around for long as he rushed towards a large group of elders who had begun to gather not too far away. The sect’s management elders who would oversee cleaning up the mess and the ones who would be helping Elder Song ensure that the sect’s resources were spent where it was most important first.