Chapter 4: The First Formation

What secrets does the Divine Map hold that would compel those in black to desperately seek its capture? Or was the map merely a pretext?

From which faction did these mysterious black-clothed individuals hail?

Mu Feng mulled over these questions and more.

On Night Raven Ridge, Mu Feng had confirmed that the thirteen black-clad individuals were not genuinely from the Ice Spring Sect’s Hidden Blade Thirteen. However, the leader's use of the sect's unique Ice Chill had left him perplexed.

At the very least, the leader was undeniably connected to the Ice Spring Sect.

Mu Feng initially suspected that the 'young master' mentioned by the men in black was someone he had offended in the past. However, after witnessing Yu Yihan being held hostage to threaten Qinghe Sect, he reconsidered. None of his past adversaries had the audacity or capability to orchestrate such a plan.

Mu Feng couldn't understand who, or which power, was orchestrating everything from the shadows. The men in black were clearly just pawns; the real threat was the unseen force behind them. This force not only plotted his murder but also aimed at his sect. What could their endgame possibly be?

Mu Feng was eager to uncover the truth, but he was currently unable to even move.

In the enveloping darkness, time became indistinct. Mu Feng found himself in a peculiar state, almost perceiving the passage of time—three years, five years, even ten or twenty, or perhaps it was just a few days.

In the darkness, Mu Feng pondered many things—from power struggles and deceit, to life and cultivation techniques, to various battle scenarios. Anything conceivable was reviewed and refined in his thoughts as time slowly slipped away.

As Mu Feng was lost in contemplation within the darkness, he suddenly felt a piercing brightness. Blinking through the haze, he realized he was still in his soul sea but could now sense everything around him clearly.

"What’s going on?"

Startled, Mu Feng looked towards the center above his soul sea, and to his amazement, found that his Heavenly Charge soul, the very core of his soul’s strength, was radiating a brilliant light.

Could he now control the Heavenly Charge soul?

From past experiences, Mu Feng could affirm that he had finally pierced through the first of his spiritual souls.

The path of soul cultivation begins with piercing through the seven souls, gathering spiritual energy from the universe, transforming the energy channels, and condensing it into a core.

Mu Feng had taken this critical first step once again.

His soul, like a miniature black silhouette, sat quietly in the middle of the soul sea. The Heavenly Charge soul, located at the center above the soul, relates to the strength of one’s soul; the stronger it is, the further one can go on the path of soul cultivation.

"Didn’t they say all seven souls were supported by formations? Could it be that my contemplations in the darkness somehow led me to master the first formation?" Mu Feng muttered, puzzled.

"This is…" Mu Feng instinctively tried to extend his perception to the outside world and, surprisingly, received clear images in return.

"Soul projection? Isn’t that a soul technique only accessible beyond the Core Condensation stage?" Mu Feng was astounded. Currently, he was only at the first soul stage, far from even the Spirit Gathering stage, which was followed by the Energy Channel stage, and then the Core Condensation stage.

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Had he really skipped three major stages?

Flashes of information about the Heavenly Charge Formation danced through his mind.

"Could it be due to this formation?" Mu Feng speculated. The Heavenly Charge Formation seemed to have boosted his soul strength across three levels, an enhancement that seemed almost too miraculous.

"It might not be solely the formation’s doing," Mu Feng considered that his explosive breakthrough to the Soul Realm, despite having lost his cultivation, had preserved his soul strength. It was just constrained by his current power limitations.

This formation acted like a key, unlocking part of his soul power that he hadn't been able to access.

After a bit of 'self-consolation,' Mu Feng spread his soul perception around, eager to discover who the formidable person was that had saved him. Who had the extraordinary ability to bring back someone from the brink of death, someone who had been savaged by a flock of crows?

Such defiance of natural law was intriguing, and Mu Feng was genuinely keen to meet this person. However, as his consciousness expanded, no one appeared.

Mu Feng began to carefully observe his surroundings for clues.

The first thing he noticed was a dark red stone bed with a handsome 'stranger' lying steadily on it, his back wrapped in white bandages showing he was seriously injured.

Wait a moment...

A realization dawned on Mu Feng as he looked again at this 'stranger' and found that it was actually himself. He couldn't help but feel a bit amused.

Not only were the Seven Souls foundational to soul cultivation, but they also fundamentally defined a person. The dramatic changes in Mu Feng's soul had naturally altered his physical appearance as well. Observing the unfamiliar face on the stone bed, Mu Feng quickly accepted the reality.

Indeed, his appearance had changed, but it seemed he had become even more attractive.

Upon closer inspection, his eyebrows were thick and long, adding a fiercer look. His lips curved in a way they hadn't before, almost as if he was always smirking, which added an alluring quality to his demeanor.

His long black hair was spread out, giving off a carefree and somewhat lazy vibe, but this combined with his refined and aloof facial features gave off a wildly arrogant air.

Mu Feng nodded in satisfaction.

His consciousness slowly spread out...

Near the stone bed was a bamboo table with four chairs neatly arranged around it, impeccably clean, with a pot and four cups also orderly placed.

The modestly-sized room surprisingly contained no other furniture. Mu Feng's curiosity piqued, his consciousness continued to spread, trying to move through the bamboo door far away, but he was shocked to find that no matter what he tried, he couldn’t penetrate beyond.

All these unanswered questions loomed in Mu Feng’s mind, seeking clarification yet unable to achieve it.

As time quietly passed, Mu Feng remained in this state for nearly half a month until, at last, he felt a connection to his body for the first time during his slumber. His fingers twitched slightly, his eyes rolled around before finally opening.

Blinding light assaulted his eyes, and Mu Feng frowned slightly. Once he adjusted, he slowly got up, planning to step outside the bamboo hut.

"You woke up half a month earlier than expected," came the aged voice from outside the door.

Mu Feng, leaning against the bed’s edge, turned to look at the elderly man approaching the doorway, feeling a sense of familiarity.

The elder had the appearance of a sage, with white hair down to his shoulders and eyes like sharp swords. Despite appearing frail, he was surprisingly robust, his white beard cascading down like a waterfall, adding a touch of the ethereal to his demeanor. Mu Feng was startled to notice the elder’s limp, indicating a severe past injury.

As Mu Feng scrutinized the elder, the elder was also assessing him. Not expecting much, the elder was shocked.

He had thought Mu Feng had merely awakened half a month early, which was normal as the integration of the Seven Soul Formation took time. But upon closer inspection, he was astounded to find that not only had Mu Feng awakened, but he had also mastered the Heavenly Charge Formation, leaving the elder somewhat dumbfounded.

This Soul Expansion Formation, which he had acquired after a life-threatening ordeal in a desperate place, had taken him years to barely understand. Compared to that, he felt a pang of jealousy at Mu Feng’s talent.

"How did you come to master this Soul Expansion Formation?" the elder asked, still somewhat in disbelief.

"I was just thinking about some things, and then suddenly, it all made sense," Mu Feng explained casually, describing the profound state he experienced in the darkness.

Listening to this casual reply, the elder felt a bit stifled, as if being shown up, and explained: "The formation placed on your Heavenly Charge soul is known as the Soul Expansion Formation. I acquired it after nearly losing my soul in a desolate place, and it's more powerful than you can currently comprehend. I hope you use it well," the elder said, seemingly lost in his memories.

Understanding the immense power of the Soul Expansion Formation, Mu Feng had already begun to grasp its profound impact, particularly how it had enhanced his soul strength.

Listening to the elder, Mu Feng felt a bit overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the formation's capabilities.

The elder handed Mu Feng a gray crystal stone. "Try this and see how much strength you possess now at the first soul stage."

The stone was a tool used on the Xuantian Continent to test a cultivator's strength. It was inscribed with a special formation that could accurately display the tester’s power.

However, the readings on the crystal stone were only a reference; the strength of a soul master could fluctuate significantly due to various factors and should not be completely trusted.

For instance, a soul master in a state of anger could exhibit power far beyond their actual level.

Mu Feng took the crystal stone, holding it tightly as he channeled his spiritual energy slowly into it, waiting for it to react.

In the path of soul cultivation, the Seven Souls form the most basic existence. An untrained person typically possesses the strength of 'five stones,' while each soul awakened by a cultivator adds ten stones of force. If all seven souls are successfully awakened and reach the Spirit Gathering stage, one can easily lift a thousand-pound cauldron with the strength of a hundred stones.

A typical first soul stage soul master possesses about 'fifteen' stones of force, a standard average across the continent used by families and sects to select and cultivate more promising talents.

Mu Feng remembered that at his initial first soul stage, he had 'nineteen' stones of force, already an exceptional figure among his peers. Now, with his Seven Souls shattered and remade, he expected his strength to be even greater.