As Impregnable as a Fortress, the Dao-Prudent Fellow!

Seeing this-

Huang Liang gave a slight nod, his expression poised.

With a flurry of finger-flicks, flag after flag flew toward the surrounding mountains and wilds!

There were twenty-four auxiliary flags and twelve master flags in total.

The twenty-four auxiliary flags landed upon the surrounding mountains and rivers, forming twenty-four nodal points that neatly enveloped the entire canyon plain.

Then-

using the twenty-four formation eyes as a baseline, they connected the earth veins to one another, gathered the Qi dynamics of the myriads of surrounding peaks, and drew upon ten thousand peaks...

To nourish the twenty-four peaks!

Next, using the twenty-four peaks to form a treasure-gathering layout, they amassed the Spiritual Qi of heaven and earth, seized the essence of all things, and produced the efficacy of gathering Qi!

With the Spirit Gathering Formation merely taking its initial shape,

Qin Lu already perceived the Spiritual Qi beginning to converge in density at a rate visible to the naked eye...

Though still incomparable to the commandery prefecture, it already possessed three to four tenths of its efficacy.

"Fellow Daoist Qin, don't celebrate too early."

"Because the earth-vein Qi dynamics of this place are truly wretched, the Spirit Gathering method I am using sacrifices the tens of thousands of surrounding mountains to nourish a single land."

"Because of this, if things go on like this for long, one day sooner or later it will drain the pond to catch the fish."

"If Fellow Daoist Qin wishes for sustained development..."

"For the coming decades, or even centuries, or longer, you will need to constantly comb the earth veins, stabilize the Qi of the mountains and rivers, and you will also need a multitude of grasses and trees..."

"To continuously nourish the twenty-four peaks with this. Once the Qi dynamics stabilize in the future and they become giant peaks, you can use this treasure-gathering land as a springboard to nurture these thousands of barren mountains back in return!"

"In the days to come..."

"If there are cultivators within the clan who break through, have them do so amidst these twenty-four peaks. It can draw down rosy clouds and spiritual rain to replenish the vital Qi of the mountains."

"And accelerate this process."

Having spoken-

Huang Liang channeled his spiritual power once more!

His twelve master flags spun, formed a formation, and descended into Muxuan Mountain!

The twelve master flags divided into four groups of three, landing in the four villages at the foot of Muxuan Mountain to serve as four primary formation eyes...

Then, using the outer layer of twenty-four peaks to gather Qi, they channeled it into the four regional primary formations...

The four formations hooked together, transforming into a light curtain that shrouded the entire Muxuan Mountain. Following this, a surging amount of Spiritual Qi was continuously channeled into this place!

Including the locations of the four primary formation eyes, all were places dense with Spiritual Qi...

Within Muxuan Mountain itself-

the places dense with Spiritual Qi could even transform into spiritual mists, resembling the heavenly immortal realms described in picture-story books, looking much like palaces in the heavens!

"Suppressed!"

In an instant, the imperial edict sounded like heavenly thunder!

As the formation operated, the massive Qi and luster of the mountains and rivers were suppressed by it!

When the formation discs operated in successive layers, the momentum of gathering Qi was already complete!

"Hoo~"

Huang Liang stretched his back, let out a long breath, and his expression showed a hint of fatigue...

"Though this set of the Spirit Gathering Formation is merely Second-Tier Medium Grade, it is the set with the widest coverage area, and its consumption is enormous..."

"Ordinary immortal households spend no less than several decades accumulating before they can deploy this grand formation."

"Fellow Daoist Qin certainly has good Dao fortune..."

These words seemed to carry a hidden meaning, and Qin Lu naturally heard the subtext...

Yet looking at Huang Liang's expression, he seemed entirely unfazed.

It was just like stating a trivial matter; after all, something like Dao fortune was terribly illusory. To be able to stand out from the vast living beings and subsequently step into Condensing Qi...

This in itself explained a great deal.

On the path of cultivation, who lacked some secrets, and who lacked some fortuitous opportunities?

In response to this-

Qin Lu merely smiled it off, giving an irrelevant answer:

"A fluke, purely a fluke."

"Qin is also short of Spirit Stones, but this formation has to be laid. It's just forced by the circumstances. I must ask Fellow Daoist Daoist Huang to continue exerting himself!"

"Lay down another grand formation for my clan, one that only needs to protect Muxuan Mountain."

"If possible, Qin would like a grand formation with comprehensive functions, ideally one that can both fend off enemies and hold the fort securely..."

"Hehe~"

"Fellow Daoist Qin, you really aren't holding back at all!"

"However, I do indeed happen to have a composite formation-within-a-formation here that meets Fellow Daoist Qin's needs, and the price isn't steep either..."

"Two hundred Spirit Stones, considered making a friend."

Hearing this-

Qin Lu's heart did genuinely ache a little at this moment.

Although he had acquired a massive fortune, deploying two grand formations in the blink of an eye was about to hollow out his foundation...

It truly made one's heart ache yet unable to stop!

"Fellow Daoist Huang, one hundred and eighty Spirit Stones, how about it?"

Seeing this-

after a brief moment of thought, Huang Liang readily agreed.

In his eyes, the rise of the Qin household definitely involved secrets and considerable wealth, but judging from Qin Lu's micro-expressions...

One would think the clan treasury was probably pretty much hollowed out as well.

There was no help for it, the way of formations was just like this: they didn't open for business on ordinary days, but a single opening fed them for half a year. Having finally waited for a fat sheep...

Being able to take an extra bite was best of all.

This single trip-

would net him more than half clear profit, comparable to the wealth accumulated by ordinary immortal households over several years.

Thinking of this, Huang Liang exerted himself once more.

This time, a full eighty-one formation flags flew out!

Nine flags formed a formation, and with nine formations coming out together, ring linked into ring, interlocking closely. They used the Spirit Gathering Formation as a foundation to provide the operation of spiritual power...

"This formation is named: Nine Jades Interlinked."

"It possesses nine variations respectively, combining: mazes, enemy-repelling, defense, mind-sealing, earth-solidifying, Qi-gathering, concealment, suppression, and hallucination."

"The nine formations merge into one, balancing offense and defense, and can block the might of Condensing Qi."

"However, if a single formation is driven independently, it is nothing more than a first-tier formation with weak might. Therefore, it is unsuitable for changes, and the nine formations require nine people to wield their full might..."

"It is likewise Second-Tier Medium Grade. Because its shortcomings are obvious, it can only be sold at a discounted price."

At this point-

the nine sets of formations fell in layers, forming eighty-one nodal points that hooked and protected one another in layers, resembling nine jade rings enclosing to form a circle!

"Done!"

"Four hundred and eighty Spirit Stones, no second price. Paid in full at once, no credit."

Huang Liang raised an eyebrow, and having spoken, extended his palm to signal for payment...

"Fellow Daoist Huang is truly... a man of passionate disposition."

Qin Lu didn't have any aversion to this; someone who was straightforward actually made people feel more comfortable.

Immediately afterward, he took out the Spirit Stones and pushed them toward Huang Liang.

The latter, as if counting them, had the Spirit Stones queue up one by one to enter his Qiankun pouch. He never expected that the seemingly honest Huang Liang was actually someone greedy for wealth...

However-

not plucking a single hair for others nor taking a single feather, he was still an upright man!

"Fellow Daoist Qin, these are the formation discs for the two sets of magic formations. Keep them well; as long as you are within the formations, you can drive the grand formation at any time."

"In this way, cash and goods are settled..."

"If you have needs in the future, just come to the commandery prefecture and find me in Huanglian Township!"

Huang Liang spoke-

bestowed a bow, flew toward the distance, and then in the blink of an eye vanished into the air, leaving even Qin Lu failing to perceive...

Just how he had vanished into thin air.

"This Fellow Daoist Huang... is truly cautious enough. It seems he is yet another Dao-prudent cultivator."

Qin Lu put away the formation discs, gazed into the distance, returned the bow, and then returned to the mountain to study carefully and attempt to drive the formation...

Not long after Qin Lu had left...

Huang Liang materialized in the air once again, gave a slight nod, and then dissipated into nothingness once more...