What's so difficult about a mere formation?

Qiu Changtian, from Kunlun's Taiqing Sect, currently serves as the 280th generation Chief Disciple of Kunlun.

He cultivates the immortal sect's secret, supreme Qi refinement art, Nine Heavens Pure Micro Realm Entry True Incantation.

The characteristics of this Qi refinement art are its difficulty to learn and understand, but the True Qi and True Essence it refines are exceptionally pure, providing valuable extra bonuses to the final Golden Core and Nascent Soul stages.

Furthermore, upon reaching the first level, it grants a derivative Dao technique, "Universal Pure Sound Minor Illumination Technique," which has the effects of healing injuries, curing illnesses, dispelling evil, and purifying the mind... Using it directly when encountering problems also yields various benefits.

In addition to his Qi refinement art, Qiu Changtian also possesses a seventh-tier Gold-element flying sword, "Jade Smoke," and a lightning technique, "Jade Spindle Lightning."

The Jade Smoke sword serves as a flexible, conventional offensive method, while the Jade Spindle Lightning is used as an explosive trump card.

Overall, Qiu Changtian's personal combat strength is significantly greater than Ling Yunpo's, and far surpasses the helpless Luo Yan.

Of course, these three identities are ultimately just virtual personas; the body under the illusion is still the same. All abilities are, in fact, his own.

Next, there are three things to do:

First, engage in daily outdoor training, establish a persona with fellow disciples, and increase synchronization value.

As for Chief Disciple prestige, Qiu Changtian actually doesn't care. In a cultivation sect, strength is king; what use is great fame?

Second, continue to study the Five Thunder True Law.

The Jade Spindle Lightning is his trump card, and he must master it thoroughly.

Regarding the clue to the Divine Firmament Lightning that Elder Xu gave him last time, because the location is in the distant southeastern Yangzhou, Qiu Changtian does not plan to travel thousands of miles until he has completely mastered the Jade Spindle Lightning he currently possesses.

Third, prepare for the Departure Palace trial.

Although he doesn't know the specific content of the trial for now, he can guess that since the Departure Palace is an ancient Heavenly Origin Sect relic, it will definitely focus on the aptitudes that the Heavenly Origin Sect values:

That is, the cultivation and state of mind, combat power and wisdom, and comprehension that Kunlun, Shu Mountain, and Penglai focus on respectively.

Coincidentally, no matter which of these aspects is tested, Qiu Changtian is not worried at all—so he calmly continues his outdoor training.

One day, while wandering in the Deacon Hall of Jade Void Peak, he encountered an interesting mission:

To go to the Qinling Mountains to rescue a group of trapped Penglai disciples.

It is said that these Penglai disciples, following a secret clue, found a grotto-heaven left behind by the ancient Heavenly Origin Sect in the Qinling Mountains. However, they accidentally triggered a formation within, trapping most of them inside.

Fortunately, one female disciple managed to escape being trapped and immediately flew to the nearest Kunlun Deacon Hall for help, where she happened to meet Qiu Changtian.

Qiu Changtian followed her, arriving at the Qinling Grotto-Heaven by sword. Behind the dense vines, he heard the panicked cries of the Penglai disciples:

"Senior Sister Bilian! Is that you back?"

The Penglai female disciple named Bilian quickly called back through the vines, "It's me! I've brought Kunlun's Chief Disciple, Fellow Daoist Qiu, to help!"

Upon hearing this, the trapped Penglai disciples inside began to clamor noisily, making it impossible to hear what they were saying.

Qiu Changtian calmly stepped forward, scanned the abnormally lush vines with his divine sense, and compared them with the formation knowledge in Luo Yan's mind.

"It should be the Wood Imprisoning Dragon Formation," he said with a frown.

"Wood Imprisoning Dragon?" Bilian's expression changed drastically upon hearing this. "But that... isn't that a mountain-protecting formation that can cover a hundred miles?"

"Some are made smaller, used to guard grotto-heavens," Qiu Changtian said calmly. "You must have tried various methods to break the formation, right?"

"Yes," Bilian said dejectedly. "Whether it was chopping with an axe, slashing with a sword, burning with fire, or tearing it apart by force, we couldn't do anything to these vines. No matter how many we destroyed, they regrew just as many."

As she spoke, she couldn't help but burst into tears.

This incident was, after all, caused by her. If she hadn't accidentally found the clue to this relic and rashly come to investigate, she wouldn't have implicated her junior brothers and sisters, trapping them within.

If her master found out about this, she didn't know how she would be punished!

"The Wood Imprisoning Dragon Formation is indeed not something you can break at your current level," Qiu Changtian comforted her. "Judging by the handiwork of the formation setter, it seems to be a cultivator at the Mansion Transformation stage."

Bilian was relieved that it wasn't a Golden Core True Person level, but then became troubled.

Formations are inherently meant to allow the weak to overcome the strong. To violently break a formation set by a cultivator at the Mansion Transformation stage would basically require a Golden Core True Person.

However, she was only a Marrow Cleansing stage cultivator. Where could she find a Golden Core cultivator to help? Even Kunlun wouldn't have a True Person she knew.

It seemed she could only rush back to Penglai to confess to her master, have her master use his influence to pull some strings and invite some fellow disciples who understood formations...

Bilian bit her lower lip and began to cry again, her heart filled with sorrow and lament. Then she heard Qiu Changtian say leisurely, "However, the skill in setting up this formation is truly subpar. Of the spiritual energy injected, at most six-tenths is being utilized. It's not difficult to break."

Bilian: ...

At this moment, she didn't have time to complain about him being cryptic and hurried to ask, as if grabbing a life-saving straw, "Senior Brother Qiu, do you have a way to break it?"

"If my observation is correct, this formation is established using the principles of the Three Powers," Qiu Changtian said, hands behind his back, with an infinitely confident smile. "These vines are merely one part of the formation gate. The true Wood Imprisoning Dragon Formation is actually much larger, composed of three nested sub-formations within, supporting each other."

He led Bilian upstream along a nearby stream, and soon they found a pool on the mountaintop.

"This is the Water Nourishing Descent Formation, responsible for converting external spiritual energy to provide the necessary operation for the Wood Imprisoning Dragon Formation."

As Qiu Changtian said this, he raised a finger and sent out a bolt of lightning.

The Jade Spindle Divine Thunder fell into the pool, instantly exploding the water.

The pool of water splashed in all directions, then abruptly vanished, leaving behind only a slightly damp depression.

Bi Lian stared blankly, and then heard Qiu Changtian say again:

"This formation is broken. Follow me."

Qiu Changtian flew down the mountain again with Bi Lian, stopping and starting, finally landing before a rock. He summoned his Jade Smoke Sword, and said with a smile:

"This is the Earth Metal Carrying Formation, the foundation of the Wood Dragon Binding Formation. It was deliberately disguised as an ordinary rock, even concealing its spiritual energy fluctuations."

"If I hadn't calculated it based on the formation's pathways, I wouldn't have found it here, even if I were face-to-face with it."

He manipulated the Jade Smoke Sword, slashing down and splitting the rock in two, revealing a small cauldron half-buried in the earth below.

After carefully collecting the small cauldron, and seeing that Bi Lian had no objections, Qiu Changtian led her back to the cave entrance.

The vines blocking the path had already withered and shrunk, but they were still tough and difficult to tear.

"Search the vicinity," Qiu Changtian called inside. "Is there a large tree?"

After a while, a Penglai disciple replied from inside:

"There's no large tree, but there is a potted ironwood tree!"

"Wood needs to climb on wood to grow," Qiu Changtian laughed. "All that's left is to chop down that ironwood tree, and this formation will be broken!"

Then, the sound of chopping wood echoed from inside. After two or three strikes, the vines blocking the path indeed rustled down, turning into withered branches and leaves.

The Wood Dragon Binding Formation that had trapped the Penglai disciples was thus easily broken by Qiu Changtian!

Bi Lian, who had watched the entire process from the side, was both delighted and excited.

Once all the vines had fallen, she finally breathed out a long sigh of relief, exhaling the stale air from her chest.

Her gaze towards Qiu Changtian now held a bit more admiration and longing.

[Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.]

The Kunlun Mirror announced.

"Looked, but also didn't look" is forbidden here. This is a transition chapter, call it foreshadowing, call it a plot hook.