Setting Out

Ge Yuan chuckled. "Senior worries too much. Even if we cannot find the medicinal garden, I know a few places in Qiuhong Market where treasures are kept. If we search them together, we will definitely gain something. I will not let Senior return empty-handed." Yunyouzi smiled and nodded, merely agreeing perfunctorily with Ge Yuan. Qin Sang understood in his heart that Yunyouzi, just like himself, cared only for healing herbs; if they failed to find them, their efforts would truly be in vain. The three of them each dripped essence blood onto the Concentric Pendants, allowing them to blend together. Once the Concentric Pendants absorbed the essence blood, a connection was established among them. Each took one Concentric Pendant, and after some further discussion, they parted ways to attend to their own affairs. Unless absolutely necessary, they would not contact each other again before entering Qiuhong Market. *** In the courtyard. The group stood separately, listening to Yu Kong explain the Guiyuan Formation in detail. The principle of the Guiyuan Formation was not complicated: it channeled part of the power of the nine people within the formation onto a single person, combining the strength of all nine to deal with the various crises that might arise while breaching the formation. The formation did not strictly require nine people, but if numbers were lacking, its power would be greatly diminished. If there were only two or three, it would be no better than having no formation at all; instead, one would be constrained by the formation and better off acting independently and adapting as needed. Only when all nine were present could the Guiyuan Formation achieve its full potential. Among the nine people in the formation, the one receiving the power was also the one leading it, known as the formation core. The formation core could be rotated, but it required time, and there might not be time when danger struck. Only when the leader was accidentally injured and unable to bear the responsibilities of the formation core would they consider switching to someone else. Among them, Yu Kong possessed the highest cultivation and had previously entered Qiuhong Market, making him the undisputed leader of the formation. After gaining a thorough understanding of the Guiyuan Formation, Qin Sang felt it differed considerably from the Nine Luminaries Star River Formation. The greatest distinction lay in each person's autonomy within the formation. Once the Nine Luminaries Star River Formation was formed, everyone's power merged into a river of stars, possessing boundless might. However, those within the formation lost all freedom, their spiritual power constantly siphoned away by the grand formation, unable even to disengage from it. Only if they had immense trust in one another, or—like when they explored the ancient cultivator's abandoned abode—an overwhelming expert presided over them, would anyone ever agree to deploy such a formation. Even after Sikong Muyue modified the formation, while this flaw had been reduced somewhat, it still remained. However, there were pros and cons: precisely because there were fewer variations, mastering the Nine Luminaries Star River Formation did not take much time. The Guiyuan Formation was different. Although the leader still held tremendous power, the constraints placed on the others were far less severe. When disaster struck, each could fly their separate ways without fear of being dragged to death by the leader. Qin Sang guessed that Yu Kong's choice of the Guiyuan Formation was also out of necessity. After all, they were strangers who had never met before, and it was impossible to foster much trust between them, though this also introduced instability. In this regard, Yu Kong issued a deliberate warning. "Unless your life is truly at stake, no one is permitted to leave the Guiyuan Formation without permission. If doing so endangers the others, do not blame me for being ruthless! Consider yourselves forewarned!" Yu Kong erased the smile from his face, his cold gaze sweeping across everyone, reminding them that he was a middle Foundation Establishment expert, by no means a gentle scholar. Under Yu Kong's piercing gaze, Qin Sang nodded with a solemn expression, his peripheral vision catching the varied reactions of the others before settling on the three latecomers. These three were also rogue cultivators Yu Kong had recruited. One was an old man in a black robe, gaunt and haggard, with hands so emaciated they looked like a pair of eagle talons, known as Old Man Muteng. His mastery of wood-element incantations was exquisite. The second was a short, plump middle-aged man named Wu Chen. Like Qin Sang, he was skilled in sword arts, but his swords were hidden within a fan in his hand; the seven ribs of the fan were seven sharp blades. The last was a woman clad in diaphanous red silk, dressed revealingly with a sultry air. Her eyes rippled like water, as if gazing flirtatiously at everyone. She bore an attractive moniker: Crescent Fairy. Xiu Zhirui possessed a touch of allure herself, but compared to Crescent Fairy, she seemed far more green. As like repels like, the two women seemed to dislike each other on sight, their glances crackling with unspoken tension. Crescent Fairy's magic tool was a skein of red threads, capable of manifold transformations. Like Wu Chen's fan, it functioned more like a hidden weapon. Including Qin Sang, the strength each person displayed was already extraordinary, placing them among the finest rogue cultivators. "These jade slips contain the various transformations of the Guiyuan Formation. Once you fellow Daoists memorize them, we will begin drilling the formation. We set out in three months," Yu Kong said as he flicked out jade slips one by one. Crescent Fairy looked astonished by Yu Kong's decision, covering her small mouth in an exaggerated gesture. "Senior Yu, why the rush? Isn't Qiuhong Market inaccessible for at least another year?" Crescent Fairy's voice was just like her appearance, exceedingly sultry, making those who heard it feel as though a flame were kindling in their lower abdomen. A person of weak will could be charmed by her voice alone. Yu Kong's expression remained unchanged, ignoring Crescent Fairy's antics. He patiently explained, "The protective grand formation of Qiuhong Market is difficult to predict. I just received word that there has been a new shift in the grand formation. "Because the grand formation's low-ebb period lasts only a very short time, not much time is left for us. "We had best arrive early and wait outside the market. The moment the low ebb appears, we will enter immediately. Even if we can gain just enough time to drink a cup of tea, we might obtain one more treasure. "Besides, the distance between Xihuang Town and Qiuhong Market is not short. By setting out early, we can travel at an unhurried pace, gaining experience while getting familiar with one another along the way, which will give us a better chance of breaking the formation." After that, they followed Yu Kong's instructions. Three months passed in a flash. As the group cultivated and drilled the formation, they grew thoroughly proficient in the Guiyuan Formation. When the time arrived, they left Xihuang Town together and headed straight north. Everyone stocked up on cloud tools, spirit pills, and other supplies as they gradually drew closer to Qiuhong Market. As they became more familiar with one another, instances of teaming up to hunt cloud beasts occurred from time to time. The spoils were divided equally, and on the surface, the team's atmosphere was exceptionally harmonious. As time passed, they drew nearer and nearer to Qiuhong Market. Along the way, apart from Yan Wu, everyone had dropped hints asking Qin Sang about his plans once inside Qiuhong Market. Qin Sang, after playing 'hard to get' for a time, had long since accepted Yu Kong's invitation. He also noticed that Yu Kong had invited more than just him; likely everyone had received an invitation. However, unlike Qin Sang, who had an ulterior motive, most of the others were hesitant and undecided. Throughout these days of observation, Qin Sang had detected no suspicious signs from Yu Kong. Yu Kong paid no heed whatsoever to the rumors. Whenever anyone brought the matter up, he would dismiss it disdainfully and remind them that such an opportunity arose only once every thirty years. It would be a great waste to squander it on rumors; they would be far better off planning how to seize more treasures. And through Yu Kong's accounts, they also gained a general understanding of Qiuhong Market.