I was the first to step into my future manor. The moment I entered the gates, a long stone bridge appeared before me. Beneath it lay a vast artificial lake filled with quite a few aquatic plants, while rockeries and scattered stones surrounded the lake. Not bad, truly not bad. The artificial lake and that long stone bridge alone were worth the price.
"Everyone, back then Prince Wen had asked the previous emperor to order the Imperial Guards to spend nearly a month digging out such a large artificial lake. It became the talk of the capital then. Many people wanted to buy this manor, but because of that rear garden... I believe you already know about those matters. Sigh, Prince Wen truly had too much time on his hands. A manor worth nearly a million taels was rendered unsellable even for two hundred thousand taels just because he set up some formation!" the yamen runner said from the side, telling us about the manor.
I was rather puzzled. Even without the rear garden, the artificial lake and the residences not far away were already worth two hundred thousand taels. Why had no one come to buy it? I said to the yamen runner:
"Even without counting the rear garden, it is already worth two hundred thousand taels. How could no one buy it?"
"Ah! You don't know? Oh no, it looks like I'll have to keep guarding this place!" The yamen runner immediately drooped his head, growing dejected and sorrowful.
"Don't be like that. My master said he wants to buy this manor, so stop worrying!" My eldest disciple truly had a kind heart. He immediately cured the yamen runner's heartache.
"Really? Is what you said true? No matter what, you will buy this manor?" The yamen runner was nearly mad with joy, still not daring to believe it. No wonder—outside the gates, he had gone from the human world to heaven, then fallen from heaven into hell, and now he had entered heaven once more. Such violent ups and downs were not something a small fry like him could bear.
"It's true. Keep walking ahead. My master and the others have already gone on ahead," Li Da kindly reminded him from the side.
"Oh, right, go, go!" The yamen runner immediately hurried after them.
"Brother Wang, the buildings here are quite good, and the overall layout is excellent as well. This prince truly was a formation enthusiast. Even the arrangement of these houses follows the positions of the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams. Most importantly, he actually linked this grand formation with the eight formations in the rear garden, creating an unprecedented great formation. He really was impressive!" I said as I looked over the buildings.
These eight formations were the formation patterns of the long-lost Eight Formations Diagram. Back then, Zhuge Kongming, the chief military adviser of the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, created these eight formations: the Heaven Covering Formation, Earth Bearing Formation, Wind Raising Formation, Cloud Hanging Formation, Dragon Flying Formation, Tiger Wing Formation, Bird Soaring Formation, and Serpent Coiling Formation. The eight formations complemented one another, multiplying their power. It was precisely because of this formation that the founding emperor had escaped the pursuit of Wang Tian, leader of the greatest force of that time, allowing him to rise again after defeat and later establish the Ming Dynasty. Unfortunately, with Zhuge Kongming's untimely death, this peerless formation vanished as well. It was said that the Eight Formations Diagram had been torn into eight pieces and lost without a trace. I had never expected this formation to appear here.
"Young Master, because of this, among the several hundred rooms in the entire complex, only the dozen or so outermost rooms can be lived in. The rest cannot even be entered. No wonder so many people came to see this manor, yet no one bought it. Who would spend two hundred thousand taels of silver to buy only a dozen rooms? Young Master, this grand formation has already surpassed the power of the Eight Formations Diagram from back then. Are you truly confident you can break such a formation?"
I smiled. Of course I had a way to break it. No matter how ingenious the formations of this world were, they were still created by acquired power. Even if an expert used innate true qi to arrange a formation, once I reached the Golden Core Stage, every secret would be laid bare beneath the observation of my spiritual sense. But how could I tell Brother Wang such a reason? If I were to tell him, it would have to wait until after he had begun cultivating an immortal cultivation technique. I could only smile at Brother Wang confidently, showing him that I was utterly sure of myself.
"Brother Wang, I've decided. Buy it for me immediately. I don't want any accidents to arise," I said to Brother Wang. I had already taken a great liking to this manor, and I did not want someone else to stick their foot in at this point.
"Yes, Young Master. I'll go negotiate right away. I absolutely won't delay this matter. Young Master, just take a look around here. Sister Yu, come with me. We'll go find the yamen officials and discuss the matter together." Brother Wang called Sister Yu along as they headed outside.
Ah, no one had ever entered that rear garden or those rooms even once. I wondered whether there were any treasures inside. The moment that thought arose, I immediately wanted to enter the formation and investigate. I truly could not endure the curiosity in my heart. Looking at Zhang Yu and the others, I said:
"You wait here for now. I'll go in and take a look. Whatever you do, don't come in. Zhang Yu, you know how formidable the formations here are. Keep an eye on them for me. Don't let them run around recklessly. If they get trapped inside and cannot get out, that would be terrible."
Zhang Yu had studied formations intensely since childhood and was very familiar with the Eight Formations Diagram. He knew full well how formidable it was, and the formation before him was far more powerful still. He thought to himself, I could not even see the slightest mystery of this formation, yet Master already says he wants to enter and have a look. And he does not seem to take the formation before him seriously at all. Master truly is incredible. Not only is his martial arts unparalleled, he is also a top expert in formations.
Ever since I had displayed my transformation abilities before Zhang Yu, he no longer doubted any of my astonishingly bold words. In his heart, I was already nearly omnipotent. Zhang Yu looked at me and said:
"Master, go in without worry and take a look. I will absolutely keep a careful watch over them. I will not let a single one of them run about recklessly."
I nodded, ignored the pitiful looks in Li Da and Li Er's eyes, and calmly walked into the formation.
The moment I entered the formation, everything around me became a vast expanse of white. I could not see my hand before my face, and my eyes were completely useless. I was startled. This formation truly was formidable. Suddenly, I felt the ground shaking as countless clumps of earth rushed toward me, trying to bury me... I knew it was all an illusion, yet I was still shocked by how real it seemed. Although the formation was powerful, unfortunately for it, it had encountered me. I activated my spiritual power, and my spiritual sense began spreading outward. Before long, the entire formation was within my grasp. Very quickly, I thoroughly understood its mysteries. Even in the Cultivation World, this would be considered a fairly formidable formation. However, the formation before me was primarily powered by innate true qi, so naturally its might could not compare with formations primarily powered by true primordial energy.
I did not destroy the formation's foundation. Instead, I infused it with my true primordial energy, strengthening its power. Now, only an expert of the Nascent Soul Realm might be able to break this formation.
My spiritual sense swept across the surrounding houses. Wow! There were nearly eight hundred rooms in total. I suddenly had no idea where to begin searching. What a headache!
Suddenly, my spiritual sense detected faint waves of formation fluctuations. I was certain this was definitely not some grand formation, but rather a formation protecting something. To actually use a formation to protect something—it seemed to be a treasure!
Haha... I smugly walked toward my destination. A very ordinary room appeared before me. As I pushed open the dust-covered door, I activated my true primordial energy, immediately covering my body with a layer of qi barrier. Looking at the dust on the barrier, I could not help admiring my own foresight.
What was going on? I discovered that the fluctuations were coming up from underground, yet there was no secret passage here leading below. I searched almost every corner of the room, but I simply could not find a passage underground. I was dumbfounded. Could my spiritual sense have made a mistake? How was that possible? How could spiritual sense be wrong? Unless an expert whose cultivation surpassed mine had misled me. There was definitely no one here, so what exactly had caused this situation? I was confused...
"I'm very pleased to discuss matters with such a forthright man as Steward Wang. From this moment onward, this manor belongs to Young Master Zhang Xingfeng. This humble official shall take his leave first. When I have time in the future, I'll seek out Steward Wang for some tea. I hope Steward Wang will show me some favor then." A green-robed official smiled as he exchanged pleasantries with Brother Wang. Brother Wang was a steward specially trained by the Zhang Family, so naturally he understood that maintaining good relations with officials was essential.
"Lord Lin, please don't say that. I am merely a commoner. So long as my lord calls for me, I will certainly arrive at once. These thousand taels of silver are tea money from my young master for my lord. We have only just bought this manor today, and there are still many matters to arrange, so I will not see my lord off. I hope my lord will forgive me!" Brother Wang was also extremely attentive to him. A thousand taels of silver just for tea—this tea truly was outrageously expensive!
Brother Wang watched Lord Lin's figure disappear from sight with a smile filling his face, then went to find me and report the situation.
"My lord, isn't that young master the Third Young Master of the Zhang Family, one of the Four Great Families, who was driven out of the Household? He is no longer a member of the Zhang Family, so why were you so good to his steward?" On the road back to the yamen, a runner walking beside Lord Lin asked him.
"You don't understand. Although the Third Young Master has nominally left the Zhang Family, he is not yet seven years old this year. What grave mistake could he possibly have committed? Besides, what parents do not love their own son? Do you think the head of the Zhang Family would let his precious son suffer? People say this Third Young Master has no money, but look at him. The moment he arrived in the capital, he bought this manor—two hundred thousand taels! With my salary, I could not earn that in a hundred years. Then look at the tea money he casually gave away: a thousand taels. That is nearly my yearly salary. You must understand that people like this can only be courted, never offended. Sometimes, if they are happy, they may reward you with some silver—enough to last you quite a while!" Lord Lin patiently guided him.
The yamen runner beside him nodded nonstop like a chick pecking grain. These were golden words of wisdom! How wonderful it would be if someone rewarded me with a thousand taels of silver one day! the yamen runner secretly hoped.
"Zhang Yu, where is Young Master? I've already bought the manor and was just about to find him and report the matter. Where is Young Master?" Brother Wang asked Zhang Yu, who was sitting in a chair. He looked curiously at Li Da and Li Er behind Zhang Yu, standing motionless with bitter expressions. Uncle Zhang looked at the two living treasures and held back his laughter, though his eyes gave away exactly what he was thinking.
"Brother Wang, don't keep looking. They wanted to enter the formation to play and disobeyed Master's orders, so I punished them by making them stand there without speaking or moving. Master entered the formation just now. He told us that we could only remain outside and were not allowed to enter. Just wait here!" After Zhang Yu finished speaking, he closed his mouth again, lowered his head, and read the books on formations he had brought with him.
Brother Wang could only sit down with Sister Yu and wait for my return. Sister Yu turned around and looked at the miserable Li Da and Li Er behind her, then burst out laughing.
"Hahahaha..."
Uncle Zhang could no longer hold it in either, and he too laughed aloud with great satisfaction.
"Hahahaha..."
The entire hall was filled with laughter, the sound echoing back and forth through the hall without end...
Li Da and Li Er watched all this and cried wildly in their hearts, Master, come back quickly...