Wondrous Formula of Perfect Comprehension, Good Causes and Good Fruits, a Geomancer's Revenge

Shopkeeper Xin personally accompanied Ao Ding and Sun Chen around the spirit market, and soon gathered all the materials they needed for artifact refining and talisman drawing.

"That's enough-roughly enough to last you three years." Sun Chen was very pleased with their haul.

He had originally intended to seek protectors from the Seven Spirits Sect. Since the sect could not possibly lack food or cultivation materials for low-ranking cultivators, everything he had prepared consisted of natural treasures and superior artifacts for the Light Joining and Divine Illumination levels. Now that Ao Ding had appeared out of nowhere, they naturally had to start from scratch.

Ao Ding was also very satisfied, because he had found a fist-sized Three-Qi Heavenly Crystal Stone at the Heavenly Craft Tower. It was a Spirit-Nurturing spiritual object, but the three kinds of Dao qi mixed within it had actually spoiled the crystal's quality. After Shopkeeper Xin's bargaining and persuasion, it had been thrown in with the large bundle of artifact-refining materials and given to Ao Ding outright.

Compared with the spirit woods, gold, and jade, Ao Ding preferred this crystal. He already had a plan in mind-

-to make a monocle for his left eye.

Wearing an eyepatch every day was still too conspicuous.

If he replaced it with a monocle and applied some spells, his eyes would look normal to outsiders, while his left eye actually remained closed and rested. That would spare him a great deal of trouble.

Shopkeeper Xin of the Alchemy Chamber was also very satisfied with this shopping trip.

Selling goods actually worth six thousand cowrie leaves and pocketing two thousand himself was the lower vehicle of commerce.

Bargaining goods with a market value of eight thousand cowrie leaves down to cost, leaving the sellers no profit while he alone earned a brokerage fee and letting Ao Ding and Sun Chen pay eight thousand, was merely the middling approach.

Shopkeeper Xin's method was to talk up cultivation materials with a market price of nine thousand cowrie leaves as being worth over ten thousand, then settle the bill with those eight thousand. This satisfied Ao Ding and Sun Chen emotionally, making them feel they had gotten a bargain-and in essence, they really had lost nothing. Even if they investigated afterward, they would find no fault with Shopkeeper Xin.

On the other hand, Shopkeeper Xin knew every merchant's purchase costs inside out. He also took the initiative to bring out the debts that the Heavenly Craft Tower and other merchants owed the Alchemy Chamber, demanding they sell at lower prices in exchange for wiping out a thousand in debt. That meant less money needed to pass through the Alchemy Chamber's books.

After returning, the shopkeeper pulled several slips of paper from his account book. Dim blue flames rose from his fingers, and the debt slips, imbued with the spiritual power of contracts, gradually vanished into nothing.

"Hmm-those old fellows should make a few hundred cowrie leaves, right? Not bad. The best of both worlds-"

The little rabbit spirit was kneading his shoulders and tapping his legs beside him, and asked curiously, "Master, you could clearly have kept all the profit yourself. Why bring out those debts as a favor?"

"Furball! Today, your master will teach you properly-remember, unpaid debts are pits. Only money safely in your pocket counts."

Those three shops owed a thousand cowrie leaves in scattered debts. Could he ordinarily collect them just by asking?

Forcibly collecting would damage their relationships, too.

Better to seize this opportunity and have them sell to Ao Ding cheaply in exchange for canceling the debts.

"We offset a thousand cowrie leaves in debts. It looks as though we earned a thousand less. But we smoothed things over on every side-especially by closing out those outstanding debts. That's what we really gained-"

A few less troublesome debts to chase, and he could cultivate in peace afterward!

Just then, a crisp knock came from the Alchemy Chamber's entrance.

The shopkeeper looked outside and saw a four-inch figure standing on the threshold.

Dressed in yellow robes and a yellow hat, impeccably polite.

The rabbit spirit exclaimed in surprise, "A Marsh Sprite? A Qingji? Do they need to buy things, too?"

At the sight of the Qingji, the shopkeeper rapped the little rabbit demon sharply on the head. "What do I teach you every day? Everyone who comes is a guest! What's wrong with Qingji? Can't a Qingji be a customer of our Heavenly Moon Alchemy Chamber?"

All smiles, he personally approached the threshold and cupped the four-inch figure in both hands, carrying the visitor to the table.

"What would you like to buy?"

The Qingji chattered away, making a succession of gestures.

"Ah-you're asking what that old man and young man bought just now? I can't tell you that. We have a duty to protect our customers' privacy-hmm? You want to pay their bill?"

The shopkeeper froze, then shook his head repeatedly.

"Though I don't know your relationship with them, that senior is by no means an ordinary cultivator... Besides, their purchases cost a great..."

A Marsh Sprite probably could not afford it.

Before he finished, the little Qingji removed that small hat and pulled out one red flower bud after another.

The shopkeeper immediately froze.

The rabbit spirit peering over the edge of the table was stunned as well, crimson eyes rounding. "Y-you... how does a Marsh Sprite like you have so many crimson cloud blossoms-where did you steal-" Before the sentence was finished, another blow landed on that forehead.

The shopkeeper beamed. "Oh my-so you're a steward of the Qingji Society. My eyes failed me! To think I didn't recognize you. I deserve a slap, I do-"

He lightly patted his right cheek twice, then said, "They spent thirty thousand cowrie leaves at the Heavenly Moon Alchemy Chamber altogether. Twenty-two thousand on pills, and another eight thousand for the Alchemy Chamber to purchase artifact-refining and talisman-drawing materials on their behalf."

After listening, the Qingji silently counted out three hundred crimson blossoms and pushed them toward the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper's gaze fell on the crimson blossoms. After some thought, he picked out twenty and returned them to the little figure.

"Are you repaying a favor? I've always admired those who are loyal and kindhearted, and love helping others bring good things to fruition. Let me tell you frankly, Steward: we made little on those eight thousand in purchases, merely a fee for our trouble. But we earned at least three thousand cowrie leaves on the fasting spiritual objects that senior bought. How about this? I'll give you a discount. Twenty-eight thousand cowrie leaves will settle the bill. I'll have someone return their three Sky Pills."

He looked at the rabbit spirit.

The rabbit spirit immediately ran to the secret golden coffer beneath the counter and retrieved the three Sky Pills.

"Go. Take these three Sky Pills back to Senior Sun yourself."

"Oh."

The rabbit spirit darted away in a wisp of smoke.

The Qingji glanced at the distant smoke, then pushed those twenty crimson blossoms back, with an air of conducting official business strictly by the book.

Only after both sides repeatedly deferred to one another did the shopkeeper reluctantly take back ten crimson blossoms and stuff the other ten into the little hat.

"All right, you needn't stand on ceremony with me. This fine affair of good causes bearing good fruits-I'm happy to do an easy favor along the current."

The little figure said nothing, gave Shopkeeper Xin a long look, then sank into the earth and left.

After the visitor departed, Shopkeeper Xin stroked his chin thoughtfully. "The Qingji are willing to pay their bill... just how big a favor did they do the Qingji Society?"

Just as the rabbit spirit had wondered in surprise, where would a Marsh Sprite get so much money?

The Qingji Society must be paying.

And if the Qingji Society was paying, this might involve that legendary Fourth Grandfather Qing.

"Forget it. No more thinking about it-I'll report this to headquarters later and let the proprietor think about it."

Since the Heavenly Moon Alchemy Chamber could casually produce so many fasting spiritual objects, it naturally possessed substantial resources. It was an enterprise operated by the Heavenly Moon Immortal Abode, a direct-lineage branch of the Jade Cauldron Sect.

Meanwhile, Ao Ding and Sun Chen were carrying their purchases back to the inn.

Along the way, Ao Ding kept stroking and playing with the Three-Qi Heavenly Crystal Stone, slowly harmonizing and refining the three strands of impure qi within it with true heaven golden gang.

"You're very fond of that thing? Have any ideas?"

Ao Ding told him his plan.

"A single-lens Ai Dai? Hanging a monocle over your left eye-that's an idea..." Sun Chen lowered his head and pondered for a while, then suddenly clapped his hands.

"Boy, hurry back with me! I'll teach you a secret art. Find a way to incorporate it into your Ai Dai. It's a secret formula of the Guangfa Sect, and nothing could suit you better!"

As he spoke, light sprang beneath his feet, and he pulled Ao Ding straight to the inn.

At the time, Lu Xiu was still practicing. They did not disturb him, going directly to the study next door.

"This formula is called the 'Wondrous Formula of Vast Dharma's Spiritual Mirror and Profound Comprehension.' It belongs to the arts branch, yet differs from all manner of arts and spells. It's a secret art of the Guangfa Sect specifically intended to aid cultivation. There's a saying: 'Three thousand vast dharma, one hundred thousand mirror spells, and the Dao is attained.' It means that, if you use this wondrous formula to thoroughly study three thousand true cultivation methods pointing straight to the true nature of the Great Dao, and a hundred thousand immortal spells pointing straight to the origins of heaven and earth, you can use the marvels of this spiritual mirror's profound comprehension to lay your own foundation for attaining the Dao."

Sun Chen gesticulated excitedly, his face flushed. "I've seen plenty of fellow disciples from the Guangfa Sect carrying artifacts such as jade books, treasure mirrors, and spiritual mirrors. After finding cultivation methods or spells, they sweep their artifacts over the texts to record their contents, then use the Mystical Perfection Formula to revise and improve them...

"When I had you collect artifact-refining materials earlier, I originally meant to teach you artifact refining so you could make a book-didn't you bring a cultivation notebook out of the Seven Spirits Sect, recording the cultivation inspirations and insights you gathered there? Later, refine that cultivation journal into a Collection of a Thousand Spells, and you'll be able to unleash a thousand layers of spell formulas at will."

Open the treasured volume and point casually, and the spells would activate automatically, without chants or hand seals.

But now, there seemed to be a better choice.

"Apply the Formula of Perfect Comprehension to the glasses?" Ao Ding sank into thought.

Sun Chen smiled. "Since you want to take a master in the Guangfa Sect, studying this art is quite appropriate. Before advancing, those Guangfa Sect cultivators are all sent to the scripture repository to copy books. The true methods recorded in the Guangfa Sect's Heavenly Firmament Cloud Repository number far more than a hundred thousand!"

Of all the immortal sects, the Guangfa Sect excelled most at creating cultivation methods, and more than half of today's methods originated there. Moreover, the six sects were branches of the same tree, and many true methods from the other five sects were also held in the Heavenly Firmament Cloud Repository. Thus, before becoming True Persons, Guangfa Sect cultivators had ample resources to complete their cultivation of the Wondrous Formula of Vast Dharma's Spiritual Mirror and Profound Comprehension.

"How do I cultivate this formula?"

"There's no particular method. Just collect cultivation methods and spell formulas. You need to visualize your Dao Register and seal the register script of heaven and earth into the lens, then carry out the first deduction using three true methods. The higher their grade and the more profound their essentials, the better. Hmm-the Golden Light Method I taught you originated from a true method of the Pure Tenuity Sect. The Seven Spirits Art you practice is utter rubbish, but it's still something from the Guangfa Sect. And your Northern Yin Curses can serve as an extra-as long as you comprehend the level of methods from those curses. Of course, it doesn't matter if you can't. Later, I'll teach you the true method Lu Xiu practices, and you can add it as 'calculating counters.'"

As Sun Chen explained, Ao Ding gradually understood what this so-called Mystical Perfection Formula was.

Wasn't this just a personal intelligence that Guangfa Sect cultivators fed with all sorts of cultivation methods?

Oh, they wouldn't let it develop self-awareness. Instead, they locked a portion of their own mind inside the Formula of Perfect Comprehension, an application similar to a second primordial spirit. Later, they could transmit the cultivation methods they collected to it, letting their own divided spirit deduce cultivation methods and help them cultivate.

"Of course, the urgent task is to finish making the lens. Here, this is my Pure Tenuity... ahem, this is the Pure Tenuity Sect's Heavenly Heart Artifact Refining Art. I'll teach it to you. Study it carefully-in a few days, begin refining your treasure."

Once again, he used mind-to-mind transmission, sending the secret art into Ao Ding's brow, then Sun Chen stood guard beside him.

Just then, a disturbance came from outside the inn.

Sun Chen sensed something and chuckled softly.

"I told you, good causes bear good fruits-here they are, aren't they?"

Still, the Qingji Society's generosity exceeded his expectations.

Could Ao Ding's "nonsense" really hold some possibility?

He summoned the rabbit spirit, retrieved his three Sky Pills, then Sun Chen casually pressed two pills into the visitor's hands and sent the rabbit spirit back.

Weighing the three Sky Pills in his hand, Sun Chen did not put them away, but instead went to the Heavenly Craft Tower again to purchase materials.

"Though we aren't truly master and disciple, I've supported him along a stretch of his path. I ought to prepare a parting gift."

For the next few days, the three stayed in the inn to rest.

One practiced diligently, consolidating his current Connection Realm and advancing toward the Upper Realm.

One polished the crystal, washing away its impure qi with true heaven golden gang, occasionally listening as Sun Chen transmitted methods, expounded the Dao, and taught spells.

One used the purchased materials to forge an artifact for Ao Ding, striving to recall his own teacher's past lessons and considering how to teach Ao Ding over the coming days.

Only on this day, when a sudden stirring of intuition told Sun Chen that the slight affinity within Ling City had come due, did he call Ao Ding out.

"Come on, come on. I'll take you to watch a show."

"A show?"

Ao Ding still held the crystal in his right hand.

Compared with several days earlier, only a strand of red qi remained of the three impure qi within the crystal. In another two days, he could refine it away completely.

Sun Chen said, "You remember Ling City has three great lineages, don't you?"

"The He Household, the Wang Household, and the Lin Household. He Wenchang's, Lin Bai's, and Wang Mao's lineages."

Sun Chen said, "He Wenchang's lineage rose through Beauty Ants, and an ancestor of Lin Bai's lineage received brewing instruction from an Azure Ape. Do you know how the Wang Household rose?"

"I don't know-could it also have something to do with immortals?"

"Yes-their rise came through a geomancer. That geomancer awakened a Spirit Acupoint and helped the Wang Household prosper. He intended to use their prosperity to increase his own fortune and Dao cultivation, allowing him to break through smoothly. But in the end..."

Ao Ding understood. "After borrowing his fortune, they refused to repay it?"

"Exactly. Now that geomancer has come for revenge-we can go watch the show..."

Suddenly, Sun Chen calculated on his fingers, and his brows furrowed.

"Ah, I'm afraid this isn't merely revenge... slaughtering the city? That's going a little too far. Boy, you've focused on polishing that crystal these past few days. Have you neglected your practice? Come on, let's put it to the test-you haven't fought anyone with your arts since entering the Mystic Gang Realm, have you? Let's give it a try."

Me?

I'm going to fight with magic?

How many Dao arts do I even know?

Ao Ding looked utterly bewildered.

But Sun Chen seized him, cloudlight flashed beneath their feet, and in the blink of an eye, they vanished from the inn...