Heavenly Profound Formation Pavilion

Xu Yan stood in Blue Brick Square and looked around once more, but still saw no stallholders selling formations.

His survey was not entirely fruitless, however. He noticed many cultivators heading along Blue Brick Square toward the street leading deeper into Separation Valley.

Cultivators came and went from the shops lining the street. At the sight, an idea stirred in Xu Yan's mind.

After passing through the bustling Blue Brick Square, Xu Yan arrived on the street.

Only when he drew closer could Xu Yan make out the shops on either side.

"Li Clan Pill Workshop, Dragon Cloud Artifact Pavilion, Medicine King Spirit Herbs..."

Soon, Xu Yan's eyes lit up as a weathered signboard came into view.

"Grand Mystic Formation Pavilion."

Though the signboard before him was weathered, the four large characters spelling out "Grand Mystic Formation Pavilion" were remarkably eye-catching. As Xu Yan looked up at them, his entire awareness was drawn into them without his realizing it.

Then an aged voice rang out from inside the pavilion.

"Young friend, you've been lingering outside my formation pavilion. Is there something you need?"

Only then did Xu Yan slowly break free and come back to his senses.

Those four large characters were actually four miniature formations!

Xu Yan was deeply shaken. In a moment of carelessness, those four characters had captured his attention and left him unable to move a muscle. The thought made his skin crawl, and cold sweat was still trickling down his back.

Fortunately, the pavilion's owner had harbored no ill intentions. Otherwise, the consequences did not bear imagining.

Having recovered his senses, Xu Yan nodded and stepped into the formation pavilion.

The pavilion that greeted his eyes was roughly thirty feet square, with rows of blue jade shelves on either side, every shelf laden with Formation Disks. In front of the two rows stood a long jade counter, with a yellow pearwood chair behind it. A disheveled old man in a blue robe was slouched in the chair.

The old man's blue robe was covered in grease stains, his face was flushed red, and he had a bulbous, drinker's nose. Only after Xu Yan entered the pavilion did he rise leisurely from his chair.

"Take a look, young friend. I have every kind of formation here. You're sure to find something to your liking."

With that, the old man unfastened the wine gourd hanging at his waist and gulped down a mouthful.

Despite the old man's casual manner, Xu Yan did not dare be careless. Anyone who could open a shop in Separation Valley Market was certainly no ordinary cultivator.

Xu Yan immediately cupped his fist toward the old man and said, "Senior, I need a low-grade tier-one Fire Array. Does your pavilion carry any?"

After hearing Xu Yan's request, the old man dropped back into his chair with a thump. He poured another mouthful of wine into his mouth and mumbled, "Of course I have low-grade tier-one Fire Arrays. They're the most basic formations there are. I thought this would be a big sale."

With that, the old man beckoned toward the jade shelves on the left, and three palm-sized, fiery-red Formation Disks immediately landed on the jade counter before him.

"These three are all low-grade tier-one Fire Arrays: the Three Radiant Scarlet Fire Formation, an Attack Formation; the Two Poles Returning Flame Formation, a Defensive Formation; and the Ten Illusions Separation Flame Formation, an Attack Formation."

Having finished, the old man turned his gaze toward Xu Yan and waited for his response.

After listening to the old man's introduction, Xu Yan remained unsure. The Fire Array assistance mentioned in the Redfire Burning Art probably did not refer to these Attack Formations and Defensive Formations.

At that thought, Xu Yan shook his head and asked, "Senior, do you have any low-grade tier-one auxiliary Fire Arrays?"

Hearing Xu Yan's words, the old man's expression shifted slightly. Seated behind the jade counter, he looked Xu Yan over anew with his cloudy eyes. "So you want an auxiliary fire formation, young friend. I never expected you to be an alchemist at such a young age."

It was no wonder the old man jumped to that conclusion. Most people who bought auxiliary fire formations were alchemists. Alchemists often needed Earthfire to refine pills. If they could not find Earthfire and lacked sufficient magical power themselves, they could only rely on auxiliary fire formations.

Xu Yan's expression remained unchanged, betraying nothing unusual. He did not correct the old man's mistaken assumption that he was an alchemist, merely nodding to confirm that he needed an auxiliary fire formation.

Seeing Xu Yan nod, the old man's expression grew considerably more respectful. In the Cultivation World, an alchemist was worthy of respect. Though the youth before him looked quite young, it was often precisely such people who deserved greater consideration.

Such youths often had an unfathomably powerful elder alchemist standing behind them.

Xu Yan naturally knew nothing of the old man's thoughts. He merely watched the old man rise from his chair.

The old man walked to the jade counter at the far left, took another, slightly larger fiery-red Formation Disk from the lowest tier, and set it before Xu Yan. "This is a low-grade tier-one auxiliary fire formation. I spent decades observing earthfire before developing it. Once activated, you only need to feed it Spirit Stones, and it works just like ordinary earthfire. It's superb for both pill and artifact refining."

Xu Yan felt a flicker of delight at the old man's words. The Redfire Burning Art called for an environment with Earthfire or magma, with assistance from a Fire Array as the next-best option. A formation that could produce Earthfire was exactly what he wanted.

Though inwardly excited, Xu Yan betrayed nothing on his face. As if speaking idly to himself, he murmured, "This formation does meet my master's requirements."

Without looking at the slight change in the old man's expression, he reached out with his right hand and picked up the Formation Disk. "Senior, how many Spirit Stones does this Formation Disk cost?"

No sooner had Xu Yan spoken than the old man laughed. "I charge others sixty Low-Grade Spirit Stones for this Formation Disk. For you, young friend, fifty-eight will do."

Xu Yan was startled by the old man's answer. He had anticipated that formations would not be cheap, but had not expected such a high price. Still, before coming to Separation Valley Market, he had already decided to sell Golden Light Daoist's artifact, the Golden Cone.

Xu Yan had two reasons for selling Golden Light Daoist's artifact.

First, Golden Light Daoist had cultivated for nearly a century, and no one knew whether any of his friends or relatives were also cultivators. If they were, being discovered using the Golden Cone would spell disaster for Xu Yan. Even if he could use it, he would need enough strength to protect himself first—and who knew when that would be?

Second, selling Golden Light Daoist's artifact would earn him a substantial sum of Spirit Stones. Once he exchanged those stones for a formation, he could practice the Redfire Burning Art and rapidly improve his strength.

That was why Xu Yan had decided to try his luck at Separation Valley Market. Now that he had found a suitable formation, he had to secure it.

At that thought, Xu Yan set the Formation Disk back on the jade counter. "Senior, your price is too high. It isn't quite worth fifty-eight Low-Grade Spirit Stones."

With that, Xu Yan shook his head, looking regretful.

"Young friend, if this were an ordinary low-grade tier-one auxiliary fire formation, I could sell it to you for forty low-grade spirit stones. But this formation is different: it can produce earthfire. I can beat my chest and assure you that within a thousand miles, you won't find a second formation master capable of crafting a formation like this. I lowered the price of my own accord because I wished to make your acquaintance. If you truly want it, fifty-five low-grade spirit stones is my lowest price. Otherwise, you should try another shop."

Having said that, the old man moved to put away the Formation Disk, apparently intending to return it to its original place.

At the sight, a thought stirred in Xu Yan's mind. This was probably the old man's lowest price, and he had likely only offered it because he believed Xu Yan had some nonexistent expert behind him.

With that in mind, Xu Yan stopped the old man. "Since you're being so straightforward, Senior, fifty-five Low-Grade Spirit Stones it is."

Hearing Xu Yan's words, the old man's expression eased slightly. Yet before he could speak, his brows suddenly drew together.

For Xu Yan's next words struck the old man as utterly inconceivable.