I looked at the formation before me, one that could be called the greatest formation on the Azure Dragon Continent, and sighed regretfully. Sorry, but for the sake of my plan, I had no choice but to destroy you.
I circulated my True Primordial Energy, spread my hands flat, and bent, extended, formed seals with, or trembled my ten fingers. Streams of True Primordial Energy flew from my fingertips toward the great formation before me... In the blink of an eye, my ten fingers returned to stillness. Looking at the buildings that had now been revealed, I felt that my skill with formations had not declined. At present, only the rear garden and the nearly hundred rooms within it remained inside the Eight Formations. The other main buildings could be entered freely. Of course, my secret chamber was still underground beneath the rear garden. With double insurance like this, who could pass through the Eight Formations laid out with True Primordial Energy and find the underground passage to the secret chamber?
Having finished my own task, all that remained was to wait for their return in the main hall. The entire manor was covered in dust now—how could anyone rest here? I turned and headed for the hall.
The moment I stepped into the hall, I was surprised to find that Brother Wang had already returned, yet not a single servant was present. I could not help finding it strange, but I still trusted Brother Wang's abilities. I walked over.
The moment Brother Wang saw me, he bowed and said, "Young Master, the matter has been handled." That made me even more confused. Frowning, I said:
"Brother Wang, if it has been handled, why isn't there a single servant here?"
"Young Master, don't you know what an employment agency is? Lin and I just went there to register the number of servants we needed and our requirements for them. Tomorrow morning, many servants will arrive." Sister Yu smiled as she spoke to me.
I was depressed. I was only six years old—how would I know about such things? Smiling, I told them what I had long wanted to do:
"Come with me into the rear garden today. There is something extremely important to do." Forget it. I would explain it to them carefully once we reached the secret chamber. Otherwise, they would start asking endless questions again.
"Master, it's already late. It's time to sleep." Li Da was opposing me again.
I glared at him and said, "This place hasn't been cleaned up yet, so we can't sleep here." I shot my eldest disciple a threatening look. My obedient eldest disciple immediately fell silent, though his eyes still showed grievance.
"Worthy Nephew! We're back! We gained a great deal today! I already bought two pieces of top-grade jade today. Of course, I used the hundred thousand taels in banknotes you gave me. I never expected that no one wanted even top-grade jade at fifty thousand taels, so I bought them. I just spoke with the person in charge of the Capital City auction house and arranged to purchase them at fifty thousand taels apiece. Just like that, I helped you save twenty thousand taels of silver! I'll save you quite a bit more in the future as well. How are you going to thank me?" Uncle Zhang walked in from outside and shouted at me. Lang Feng and Zhang Yu entered the hall behind him.
"Good, Uncle Zhang. Take half of the twenty thousand taels you saved. Now that everyone is here, come with me into the rear garden. Remember, you must follow behind me." As soon as I finished speaking, I anxiously turned toward the Eight Formations. I paid no attention at all to those twenty thousand taels of silver. Once the Flawless Jade was born, who knew how much it would be worth?
Everyone followed behind me toward the Eight Formations. Only Uncle Zhang remained standing there in a daze. He had only said it jokingly, never expecting that I would really give him such a huge reward. Then he suddenly remembered that I was going to create Flawless Jade. It seemed everyone was heading to the rear garden for the birth of Flawless Jade. The moment he thought of that, those ten thousand taels vanished cleanly from his mind. Uncle Zhang immediately ran forward, following behind Li Da toward the Eight Formations.
I stood before the Eight Formations. The formation was now filled with my True Primordial Energy and was naturally completely under my control. I flattened my right hand, and a stream of True Primordial Energy shot from my index finger into the Eight Formations. A narrow, visible passage appeared before me.
Zhang Yu was rather stunned. This was the formation from the legendary Eight Formations Diagram, yet Master had merely sent out a ray of blue light and broken through the Eight Formations. And only a single passage had appeared, while the formations elsewhere continued operating normally. This was far more difficult than simply destroying the entire formation! Mm, I must learn this move from Master. Zhang Yu secretly made up his mind.
I turned back and said, "Follow closely behind me through the passage. Do not step outside it, understand?" Seeing that everyone wore expressions of understanding, I took the lead and walked forward. Everyone followed one after another. After Zhang Yu's explanation, they all understood how formidable the formation before them was. Looking at the vast whiteness around them, each followed in my footsteps with utmost care, afraid of falling into the formation.
This passage had been calculated by me and led precisely to the entrance of the underground secret chamber, at the artificial hill. Turning back and seeing that everyone had arrived, I waved my right hand, and the passage vanished once more. The entire formation continued operating as though nothing had happened. Ignoring that group of astonished people, I walked up to the artificial hill.
I gently turned the stone with my right hand. After turning it five times, I heard a nearly inaudible click. I knew that the bolt had completely slid free.
With a hard push, I opened the stone door. Looking back at the astonished crowd, I said loudly, "Get in here quickly! Stop standing around in a daze! This is the secret passage from the old prince's residence. There are quite a few secret chambers below as well. Brother Wang, you no longer need to worry about building an underground secret chamber." After saying that, I ignored them and entered the secret chamber directly. Only then did everyone snap out of it and immediately follow me into the passage.
I stood before a relatively large secret chamber. This chamber might have been where the formation experts of the former prince's residence exchanged knowledge. It was much larger than the others and contained over a dozen stone chairs as well as a long stone table.
Looking at the stone chairs and table covered in dust, I gave a bitter smile. I was a young master, yet I had to do manual labor again. There was no helping it. Even if I did not want to do it, I had to. If I let them do it, who knew how long I would have to wait?
Forming hand seals, I gave a soft shout. "Rain!" Instantly, rainwater filled the entire secret chamber, washing away the dust. Mm, that should be enough. With a beckoning motion, all the water in the chamber immediately flew into my hand. A chorus of astonished exclamations instantly rose behind me. I knew it was that bunch of bumpkins again. This was merely the most ordinary Rain Summoning Art in the Cultivation World. It had no power to speak of.
The Heart Sutra technique circulating within my body immediately changed to the Mysterious Yang Art. Scorching energy instantly emerged from my hand, and the water evaporated in a moment, leaving the dust behind. With a casual toss, I threw the dust onto the ground and strode into the secret chamber. That bunch had probably been made thick-skinned by all my displays already. This time, they reacted quickly and immediately entered the chamber as well.
I sat in the seat of honor and watched everyone take their seats in turn. Once I saw that they were all looking at me, I spoke:
"From now on, I will explain some extremely important matters. You must not speak of them to anyone in the future. Do you know why, at only six years old, I possess such cultivation?"
Everyone stared at me wide-eyed. This was something that had long puzzled them. Ever since Uncle Zhang had been with us, he had learned that I was not the immortal he had imagined me to be, and he had always wondered where all my abilities came from.
Seeing the eager expressions on everyone's faces, I smiled and said:
"That is because shortly after I was born, I gained the memories of my previous life. I was extremely formidable in my previous life and knew many powerful secret manuals. That was why I could begin practicing martial arts at such a young age. When I left home in anger last time, I also learned the art of transformation. Today, I will have all of you begin learning my martial arts as well. But before learning them, I must cleanse your marrow and transform your bones, so that you can learn my martial arts more easily. Back when we were at the Zhang Family, I had already passed this technique to Brother Lang Feng. Brother Lang Feng surely already knows how formidable it is. But let me tell you this: the technique I will pass on to you today has only nine levels. Once you reach the ninth level, you will become a first-rate expert of the Azure Dragon Continent. Yet even if you reach the ninth level, it will only be equivalent to another of my techniques. After cultivating that other technique, you can attain immortality, even become immortals. Think carefully! Are you willing to cultivate this technique?"
After speaking, I reclined in my chair and rested with my eyes half-closed. I knew just how great a shock my words had dealt them. First-rate experts, another kind of technique, immortality, immortals—these were all things they had never even dared dream of...
After a long while, Zhang Yu was the first to recover from his shock. He looked at me with firm eyes and said, "Master, I will follow you for my entire life. I believe only Master can help me reach the pinnacle of formations."
After hearing Zhang Yu's answer, Uncle Zhang immediately said, "Worthy Nephew, of course I will advance and retreat together with my son. Besides, wouldn't it be good to spend more days researching carving? I also want to see just how many miracles you can create!"
Brother Lang Feng also said, "Second Brother, from the day I decided to become sworn brothers with you, it was destined that I would roam the world with you for the rest of my life. No matter who you are or what you want to do, I will support you."
First Wife also said, "Wouldn't it be wonderful if I could live a few more days and watch my son create miracles together with all of you?"
Li Da and Li Er immediately stood up and declared loudly, "Whatever Master tells us to do, we will do! We will always be your disciples!"
Brother Wang stood up while holding Sister Yu's hand and said, "Young Master, ever since we left the Zhang Family, we decided that we would always remain by Young Master's side and handle the trivial matters for you."
I looked at the people standing before me—my true "family." I smiled, and everyone else smiled too. We all knew that from this day forward, we would be one body.
I stood and said loudly, "Good. From today onward, we are all masters of Star Peak Manor. We are family. All the truly core things of our manor will be placed in the rear garden. Tomorrow, I will have Zhang Yu teach all of you how to enter the formation."
Zhang Yu said, "Master, I don't understand the Eight Formations. How can I teach them?"
My answer was to take the "peerless treasure" that I had painstakingly acquired that day from my robes and place it before him.
"Eight Formations Diagram, True Martial Seven Sections Array. Ah!" Fortunately, he had suffered too many shocks today. Even such a peerless treasure could only make him slightly surprised.
"Good. Now we will begin the marrow cleansing. Everyone, sit down where you are. I will cleanse your marrow and transform your bones one by one." I spoke loudly to everyone.
Before you continue