Myriad Star Peak's back mountain.
Eagle Beak Cliff wooden hut.
"Did that old fellow Chang Chunbo really say you had no talent for learning formations?"
Zhao Tianchen frowned tightly as he looked at Fang Hong and asked.
Fang Hong nodded. The moment he had returned, Zhao Tianchen had eagerly asked what Chang Chunbo's reaction had been upon seeing him.
It was as though he had been waiting for this for a long time.
Yet when he heard Fang Hong say that Chang Chunbo believed he lacked the talent to learn formations, he was stunned on the spot.
This wasn't right.
With Hong'er's heaven-defying comprehension, how could he possibly lack the talent to learn formations?
Still, he had known Chang Chunbo for many years and understood him extremely well.
He knew the man was not someone who spoke recklessly.
Otherwise, he would not have sent his own son to learn the Heavenly Star Array Formation from him back then.
But if Hong'er truly had no talent for learning formations...
Then cultivating the Starry Sky Treasure Art...
There was likely no hope for that either.
The Starry Sky Treasure Art had been a knot in his heart for many years. In private, he had no idea how many times he had pored over that secret manual.
Thus, he knew all too well that to successfully cultivate this technique,
one had to be exceedingly proficient in the Heavenly Star Array Formation.
But now, Hong'er had no talent for learning formations.
Could it truly be fate? Was Heaven telling me to abandon that lingering thought sooner rather than later...
Zhao Tianchen clenched his hand into a fist, which trembled faintly.
"It's fine. If you can't learn formations, then don't."
"With your talent, Hong'er, even if you don't cultivate that Starry Sky Treasure Art, you can still break through to the Heavenly Realm by cultivating other techniques."
Zhao Tianchen forced out a smile and comforted Fang Hong, though his voice trembled slightly.
Yet no one knew just how bitter and agonized he felt inside at that moment.
Forget it, forget it. Since fate has decreed it thus, why must I force it?
Zhao Tianchen sighed bitterly to himself.
Seeing Zhao Tianchen put on a brave face while trying so hard to comfort him, Fang Hong felt a faint stir of emotion as well.
"Master, although Elder Chang said I have no talent for learning formations, I think I can still give it a try."
Fang Hong looked at Zhao Tianchen as he spoke.
At those words, Zhao Tianchen shook his head.
"Hong'er, there's no need for you to do this."
"Though I am not proficient in the Way of Formations, I do know a thing or two about the Heavenly Star Array Formation of our Myriad Star Lineage."
"The Heavenly Star Array Formation is more difficult than ordinary formations. If you have no talent for formations yet insist on learning it..."
"Never mind whether you can succeed. Even if you can, reaching a level sufficient to cultivate the Starry Sky Treasure Art..."
"I don't know how much of your time and energy that would consume."
"Your martial talent is rare throughout all ages. To waste so much time on a Way of Formations with such slim hope..."
Zhao Tianchen shook his head. "It isn't worth it, nor is it necessary!"
"Master accepts your good intentions, but you needn't squander your precious years for one of my wishes."
Though Zhao Tianchen himself was not proficient in formations, he had still been an elder of the Myriad Star Lineage for many years.
Moreover, he had once come close to becoming the master of Myriad Star Peak.
Naturally, he knew something about the Heavenly Star Array Formation, the specialty of the Myriad Star Lineage.
He knew just how much time, painstaking effort, and energy it would take to force oneself to learn formations without any talent for them.
As for why Fang Hong wanted to try, he knew it was for his sake.
What a good child.
But precisely because he knew Fang Hong was a good child, Zhao Tianchen became even more determined not to let Fang Hong continue cultivating the Starry Sky Treasure Art.
The Starry Sky Treasure Art was a technique created by his biological son, Zhao Wuming.
He knew exactly how much controversy and ridicule it had stirred up back then.
So he truly hoped that Fang Hong could successfully cultivate this technique.
He hoped to prove that his son had not been wrong, and to finally ease the illness in his heart that had lingered for so many years.
But even so, he was now Fang Hong's master.
Since he was Fang Hong's master, he had to take responsibility for him.
And he knew all too clearly just how terrifying Fang Hong's talent in martial arts was.
Precisely because of that, he could not allow Fang Hong to spend an unknown amount of incomparably precious time and energy on something with such little hope—something that could even be called virtually impossible.
Thinking of this, Zhao Tianchen sighed and said directly:
"Enough, Hong'er. Master understands your intentions, but from now on, you should focus your mind on martial cultivation."
"Master will immediately teach you another cultivation technique."
"Wait—"
Hearing Zhao Tianchen's words, Fang Hong immediately interrupted him.
"Master, I know you're doing this for my sake, but I still want to give it a try."
"You rebellious disciple, why won't you listen to advice?!"
"I already said..."
Hearing Fang Hong's still stubborn words, Zhao Tianchen grew somewhat angry.
But as he looked at the earnest expression on Fang Hong's face, his unfinished words gradually began to stumble.
The anger in his eyes slowly turned into hesitation, then uncertainty, and finally an inexplicable trace of expectation.
"Y-you... do you think you can succeed...?"
Zhao Tianchen hesitated uncertainly, his tone dry and stiff.
At those words, Fang Hong glanced at the panel before him.
Myriad Star Peak Heavenly Star Array Formation Fundamentals: Beginner (0/100)
Then, meeting Zhao Tianchen's hesitant and uncertain gaze, beneath which a trace of expectation lay deeply buried,
Fang Hong's lips curved up slightly as he gave a soft laugh.
"I think I can."
"..."
Hearing Fang Hong's words and seeing the calm smile on his face, one that somehow seemed to grant boundless hope,
Zhao Tianchen felt the flame in his heart suddenly blaze back to life.
Taking a deep breath, he said, "Good. Master believes in you. If you need anything, just tell Master!"
Fang Hong smiled lightly. "Got it. Then I'll go take a look at these formation basics first."
With that, Fang Hong walked into the wooden hut beneath Zhao Tianchen's watchful gaze.
A moment later, a calm voice drifted out from within the hut.
"Master, just wait for my good news."
At those words, Zhao Tianchen suddenly smiled.
He smiled without a sound, yet with immense delight.
At that moment, his wrinkled old face bloomed like a chrysanthemum.
Yet his eyes were already brimming with hot tears.
Meanwhile, Fang Hong, having entered the wooden hut, immediately began reading the thick volume in his hands.
The reason he had so confidently told Zhao Tianchen to await his good news
was naturally because he already had absolute confidence.
On the way back, he had already roughly flipped through the book.
And his Golden Finger had successfully recorded the contents of the book.
And once it had been recorded, it meant he could cultivate it.
And if he could cultivate it, then for him, it was merely a matter of practicing it several hundred times in a short period.
Easy as pie!
With a faint smile, Fang Hong casually flipped through the pages in his hands.
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