Chapter 8: Time flies like a Dream
Before he realized it, Mu Feng had already spent three years in Linglong Valley. Every day during these years, he devoted his mornings to studying the Dao of Formations, practiced the Linglong Step in the afternoons, and spent his nights arduously learning more about formations. There was no rest for him.
Although Mu Feng’s theoretical knowledge was now abundant, his personal strength limited him from accessing higher-level formations. As a result, in the grand scheme of things, he could only be considered to have barely set foot in the world of formations.
One reason for his slow progress was the sheer complexity and vastness of the Dao of Formations. In comparison to the path of alchemy, where alchemists needed to memorize a myriad of heavenly herbs, medicinal plants, and pill-crafting techniques, formation masters fared no better. They had to not only memorize countless formations but also comprehend and innovate them. Furthermore, they had to engrain in their memory the intricate, profound patterns that formed the basis of these arrays. Mastering the various methods of engraving and manipulating the formation patterns was another daunting task.
After all, not every soul cultivator was willing to spend endless hours immersed in the 'tedious' study of formations. This was precisely why formation masters were so rare on the continent. There were far fewer formation cultivators than martial artists or alchemists.
Another key reason for the scarcity of formation masters was far more fatal: once a formation was cracked and the method to break it became widely known, that formation would lose all of its deterrent power. Worse still, the enemy could potentially exploit it.
This was a point that Elder Bai had repeatedly warned Mu Feng about. After teaching him a new formation, he would 'force' Mu Feng to research ways to alter the layout and operation of the array, making it more flexible. By adding this 'fluidity,' even if an enemy learned the method to break the formation, a simple change in its structure would render the breaking technique ineffective, possibly turning it into a trap for the enemy instead.
In these three years at the secluded valley, at first, it was only Elder Bai who taught Mu Feng. But as Mu Feng’s terrifying learning ability became apparent, Elder Hei couldn’t help but join in. The two elders even began competing with each other, using Mu Feng as their pawn in the contest.
Those days were the most 'miserable' for Mu Feng. He would painstakingly study Elder Bai’s formation techniques and finally manage to set up a formation, only to have Elder Hei 'force' him to use the breaking methods he had taught to dismantle Elder Bai’s formation.
In the end, there was no clear victor; both elders had their moments of triumph. However, both Elder Bai and Elder Hei praised Mu Feng for his impeccable learning ability and mastery.
But whenever Mu Feng asked how he compared to Liu Su, both elders hesitated, clearly indicating that while Mu Feng had performed admirably, in their eyes, he still fell short of Liu Su. This only piqued Mu Feng’s curiosity about Liu Su.
Unfortunately, Liu Su had left the valley for training four years ago and was not expected to return for another six years. Mu Feng had no hope of seeing him anytime soon.
Not that time was on Mu Feng’s side. In fact, he wasn’t even sure if he would survive that long. Despite three years of effort, he was still stuck in the One Soul stage, with no progress in understanding the remaining six formations.
He had only four years left out of the seven granted to extend his life.
According to the two elders, even if Mu Feng miraculously managed to comprehend all seven formations in four years, it still wouldn’t be enough to save his life. Understanding the formations was merely the threshold for cultivation. After mastering the seven arrays, he would need to use dragon breath's water to fuse them, enabling him to fully connect the Seven Souls, draw spirit into his soul, and reach the Spirit Gathering stage. Only dragon breath's water could extend Mu Feng’s life further.
But Mu Feng had never even heard of this dragon breath's water, and even the two elders had only heard its name and had never seen it. In these three years, the elders had been seeking information in their spare time, but so far, they had found nothing.
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Despite his impending doom, Mu Feng did not despair. He clung to hope and pushed himself to cultivate day and night without pause.
Having been granted a second chance at life, he wasn’t willing to waste even a second of it, even if it only lasted seven years.
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“I’ve got it! I’ve got it!”
Mu Feng was studying a formation diagram under Elder Bai’s guidance when Elder Hei’s excited voice rang out from the distance. Looking over, Mu Feng saw the elder’s round belly bouncing up and down as he ran toward them, clutching a tattered book in his hand.
“Still so impatient, even at your age,” Elder Bai teased with a smile. But he had already guessed what might have caused such a reaction. It could only be news about the dragon breath's water.
“Qing… Qinglong Town!”
Given Elder Hei’s strength, he shouldn’t be out of breath after running just a few steps. His breathlessness clearly wasn’t due to old age but excitement. Over the past three years, Elder Hei had come to see Mu Feng as family, and the concern he felt for him was sincere.
Elder Bai asked, “You know the location? Why haven’t you gone to get it?”
“Do you think I wouldn’t have gone if it were that simple?” Elder Hei shot him a disgruntled look.
“Isn’t this about the dragon breath's water? If you know where it is, go retrieve it already,” Elder Bai said with a smile.
Standing off to the side, Mu Feng was just as excited. The dragon breath's water held the key to his life. Even though his comprehension of the Seven Souls formation was far off, having a lead on the dragon breath's water gave him a glimmer of hope, knowing that it would be there when he needed it.
Elder Hei sighed, his face filled with regret. “It’s not that easy. I’ve only managed to gather some vague information. If I had actually found it, do you think I would’ve come back empty-handed?”
“Vague information?” Now it was Elder Bai’s turn to become impatient. Pointing at Elder Hei, he demanded, “What exactly do you mean by that? Speak clearly!”
“Calm down, calm down. Let me explain,” Elder Hei said, his earlier excitement now replaced by calm. He opened the yellowed book in his hand and pointed to a specific area. “It’s here. I’ve searched long and hard. If the dragon breath's water exists, this place is the most likely. It’s the only place where twin dragons have appeared in the past few thousand years.”
Mu Feng and Elder Bai both focused on the book. A small area the size of a fingernail was circled, with the ancient characters 'Qinglong Town' written in bright red ink.
“Don’t get your hopes up too much. I spent several days in that town and found no trace of the dragon breath's water,” Elder Hei said cautiously, fearing they might expect too much.
Before Elder Bai could respond, Elder Hei continued, “However, I did sense a faint trace of true dragon aura. It was fleeting, but I’m certain I felt it, and it carried a strong sense of threat.”
Both Mu Feng and Elder Bai were taken aback.
“I tried to detect the aura several times after that, but I couldn’t find it again. So I’m not entirely sure,” Elder Hei added, looking at Mu Feng. “Perhaps you should go yourself. There are many restrictions in the mortal world, and at our level, we are bound by certain limitations. This could be why I couldn’t find it.”
After a moment of deep thought, Elder Bai sighed. “It’s time for him to go out and experience the world. If he stays here any longer, it will be a death sentence.”
Elder Bai looked at Mu Feng with a trace of reluctance in his eyes. “Qinglong Town is just a remote village, and the cultivators there are weak. With your current mastery of formations, few can harm you. Even if you encounter someone you can’t defeat, your agility with the Linglong Step should allow you to escape as long as you don’t act recklessly.”
Elder Hei added with some reluctance, “Don’t worry too much. Bai and I will continue searching for the dragon breath's water. You can think of it as a chance to clear your head.”
Mu Feng had already been contemplating leaving but hadn’t known how to bring it up. Now that the opportunity had presented itself, he felt no joy. Looking at the concern and care from the two elders, his heart filled with sadness. He knelt before them, his throat tight with emotion. “I should have perished long ago. Every extra day I’ve lived is a blessing, and I’m already deeply grateful. I will never forget the kindness and teachings you’ve bestowed upon me in these three years.”
The eyes of both elders reddened slightly, filled with pride and affection as they looked at him.
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Before Mu Feng departed, Elder Bai reminded him, “The outside world has been chaotic these past three years. Many geniuses as talented as you were three years ago have been ambushed, plotted against, and killed. Almost none have survived. Although your appearance has changed greatly over these years, those who know you well might still recognize you. To be safe, avoid using your previous techniques, and don’t reconnect with anyone you knew for the time being. The enemy may still be hunting, and it’s better to wait until you’re stronger.”
Mu Feng listened carefully, imprinting every word in his heart. After the elders’ advice, he took the map to Qinglong Town and set off toward the exit of Linglong Valley.
Linglong Valley was surrounded by mountains on all sides, with no visible entrance or exit. The only way in or out was a small teleportation array. Elder Bai had temporarily adjusted the other end of the array to be near a secluded forest close to Qinglong Town.
As Mu Feng approached the teleportation array, he glanced back several times, his eyes misting with emotion. This farewell to the two elders might very well be his final goodbye, and he couldn’t help but feel sorrow.
Stepping into the array, the shimmering light gradually enveloped him, and Mu Feng’s figure disappeared.
After he left, the elders’ eyes also turned red. They knew better than Mu Feng how difficult it would be to comprehend the remaining six formations.
“Old turtle, do you think we’ll ever see that kid again?” Elder Hei asked, his emotions stirred by the three years of memories Mu Feng had given them.
Elder Bai sighed deeply, his worry evident. “Unless he faces life and death, trials of catastrophe, and survives by the skin of his teeth, I fear it will be impossible for him to experience the necessary growth. His heart is too resilient, and that’s harming him now.”
Elder Hei nodded in agreement. Over the years, no matter how strange or complex the formations they set for Mu Feng were, he managed to understand and break through them all. Time and time again, he emerged battered and bruised but never wavered in his determination. This left the elders with no doubt about the terrifying strength he once possessed.
With such talent and the courage to face death and be reborn, if Mu Feng could survive this ordeal, there was no doubt he would become incredibly powerful.
At that moment, neither Elder Bai nor Elder Hei could determine who was more outstanding, Mu Feng or Liu Su. They looked forward to the day when the two would return to the valley and finally have a chance to test their strength against each other.