Tower Bedchamber. Morning.

“No wonder Manager Qiao kept staring at my face yesterday...”

Looking into the mirror, Bubai touched his own face, a faint frown forming on his face when he noticed the subtle signs of decay.

The peculiar concoction he had acquired from the old mysterious shopkeeper indeed provided a considerable extension to the preservation of human skin, but it was still a mortal remedy with inherent limitations.

The preservation wasn't permanent. Natural decay was still occurring, albeit at an extraordinarily sluggish pace due to the applied concoction.

Now, over two months since the mask's creation, small grey spots had started to emerge, resembling tiny moles. In time, these sparse moles threatened to multiply, akin to the proliferation of freckles, and eventually, the mask would deteriorate until even parts of his actual face were exposed.

“At this rate, I might need a new mask within a couple of months.” Bubai lamented inwardly as his gaze fell upon the pouch of spirit rice he left on the small, sandstone round table next to the mirror.

Sigh. Just another expense added to his tight finances.

Bubai's ears perked up, catching the soft rustling coming from the bed. Glancing in that direction, he spotted Xiao Lan sitting up, cocooned in the blanket he had draped over her.

His dedicated secretary had worked hard until the early morning, contributing nearly 2% progress to Project Foundation. Such diligent effort deserved a well-earned rest.

“Not sleeping?”

Xiao Lan looked over at his face before she subtly shook her head.

Bubai raised a brow, “Got something to tell me?”

Xiao Lan nodded, her expression unwavering as she delivered her report. “Yesterday, I discovered Wei Er speaking to a strange bug while she was using the stalls in the bath room.”

“Hoh?” Bubai’s eyes gleamed.

Is that how these mortals are getting his news to their backer?

“A bug? It couldn’t be a snail phone or something, right?” Bubai asked with mirth.

“…” Xiao Lan quietly stared at Bubai before she laid back down, tucking herself in, clearly ready to sleep.

Well. He was just joking. He knew what that bug was.

Echo Bug, one of the peculiar creatures native to the Sunfire desert. Resembling a scarab, this critter had the unique ability to record sounds when fed with a special powder. Later, it could transmit these recorded sounds directly to others.

Although it couldn't exchange extensive conversations over long distances like a Sound Transmission talisman, the bug could still record plenty of details.

As it required no Qi to operate, it was a popular sound transmission device among the mortal tribes of the desert.

Though it wasn’t intelligent enough to serve as an espionage tool on its own, this bug possessed an impressive ability to seek its owner, navigating its way through structures via even the smallest gaps or cracks! It can even cross the desert to locate its master!

So, in collaboration with a mortal or cultivator, it became a cost-effective alternative to Sound Transmission talismans.

Of course, unlike the Sound Transmission talismans, such bugs weren’t completely foolproof. They were easily destroyable and relatively slow in delivery, especially over longer distances.

Honestly, Bubai could intercept the bug with ease if he so desires, but he wasn’t going to stop it, well aware that interfering with it might invite more secretive means of observation.

Instead, he turned a blind eye, entrusting Xiao Lan to monitor on his behalf. This way, he could discern the reporting schedule and maybe even the information being relayed.

The war of espionage and counterintelligence has only just begun.

Getting dressed, Bubai swung open his bedroom door, only to nearly collide with Wei Yi, patiently waiting outside and prepared to enter.

“Ah, master, you’re awake early today!”

Bubai extended his hand, affectionately rubbing her head with a warm smile, “Yes, has breakfast been prepared?”

Wei Yi smiled slightly, maintaining her composed demeanor even as she leaned into his touch, rubbing her head against his hand. “Mm, breakfast is already waiting.”

“Oh, then let me eat it before it gets cold.”

Stolen story; please report.

Book Pavilion. General Info Room.

Bubai held a wooden practice chip in his hand, closely inspecting the mysterious rune imprinted on its surface, tracing it with his formation brush. This was one of the many random symbols that had found their way into the formation supplies he had recently acquired.

“It shouldn’t be too hard to retrace this and draw it…” Bubai mumbled softly as he committed the symbol to memory.

However, he had no intentions of plunging headfirst into this money pit.

Don’t think anyone could master the formation techniques just because they have got their hands on the symbols.

The absence of details on the input and output points in the symbol meant extensive experimentation and tinkering would be necessary, which would be a costly investment of time.

Furthermore, knowing an individual symbol without its corresponding formula and details rendered it virtually useless.

Only seasoned formation masters, with a vast repository of runes and the ability to develop new formulas, appreciated such gifts because each new symbol might unlock breakthroughs in their expertise.

Yet, for these experts, basic symbols like the one in Bubai's hand were already etched into their memories. Only undiscovered symbols from ancient ruins truly piqued their interest, rendering gifts like these unworthy of a second glance.

For a fledgling in the world of formations, mastering the basics was more pragmatic than attempting to decipher unknown symbols. Plus, obtaining the detailed versions directly from the sect by paying contribution points was a more sensible approach.

Clearly, these symbols held not much value.

“But keep them in memory for now. If I have the time and points, I can scour through the books to uncover their corresponding formulas. Even if these samples seem relatively useless at the moment, they could serve as valuable references in the future when I'm ready to learn them.”

With the formation supplies securely stowed in his storage pouch, Bubai lethargically sauntered over to an unfurled scroll lying nearby, extending his arm in a lazy stretch.

“Journey of the Great Swordsman.”

A dramatic, short tale about a man leading his female party to explore the Sunfire Desert in ancient times. Alas, it was mostly a self-glorifying tale, having the taste of a dubious celebrity teacher from a certain wizarding school.

Fortunately, despite the apparent embellishments, it wasn’t a complete waste of time. He still managed to salvage some educational parts, offering decent survival knowledge.

Clever tricks to deal with the treacherous quicksands of the desert, subtle hints on how to distinguish mirages through Qi probing abilities, optimal timing to condense water in the dry desert, how to feed thirsty women in the desert- Ahem.

Indeed, the author was a great swordsman.

Rolling up the scroll, Bubai wore a satisfied smile as he mentally tallied his contribution points. “With this, I should be able to select my second auxiliary formation after a couple of days.”

Much faster than his initial expectation.

“As for which array to choose…”

In fact, he had long done his due diligence before he even opted for the formation route. He had preemptively identified and settled on a couple of options, aligning them with the changes in his circumstances.

Basic light array – one of the components of the sun lanterns of the sect.

There were tasks from the artifact craftsman requesting this, but the payment isn’t too high and typically lacked contribution points as rewards.

However, the materials will be provided. So, the task taker can technically hone their formation skills for free.

Of course, that is if no mistakes were made. Any missteps in the crafting process would result in a failed task, necessitating compensation from the task taker to the commissioner.

On another note was the water condensation array – a basic node capable of autonomously condensing a daily cup of water.

This particular node proved highly practical for household needs, particularly catering to individuals without water condensation techniques.

Regrettably, the market was already saturated with an ample supply of these nodes – stocked in many stores.

However, if offered at a discounted rate in the open market, it can still garner popularity as a viable commodity.

As long as not too many errors were made during the manufacturing process, it can be a stable source of profit, albeit not much.

Unfortunately, market entry would be difficult relying solely on this product, especially with the combination of its low price and fierce competition.

Finally, the overload array – an unusual formation circuit wired to overload all the interconnected arrays in its vicinity.

This was a node meant for sabotage and is held no practical application on its own.

Its primary function involved integration into more extensive formations by cautious formation masters, intent on safeguarding the secrets of their craft, triggering self-destruction of many important nodes under certain conditions.

Of course, it was a basic formation. So, there was no exaggerated explosions that can cause harm.

This node only induced a controlled self-destruction, scorching the circuits on the formation plate, damaging the plate itself and obliterating the engraved runes.

At first glance, this formula seems rather distasteful, but the demand for it was surprisingly high.

Shops tend to have a low supply of this node, creating a lucrative market. So, he even had the option to sell directly to these establishments, albeit at a reduced profit margin.

On the other hand, long-term commissions for formation apprentices capable of crafting these nodes were abundant, with many offering contribution points as rewards.

Compared to the other two, the rewards for this formula were extremely lucrative.

Of course, this was a reflection of the inherent risks involved.

The array itself was inherently meant for self-destruction. Even a minor mistake in the manufacturing process could scrap the entire formation plate!

Naturally, for experienced masters, crafting this basic node should be no problem, but they deemed it a suboptimal use of time due to the amount of symbols involved. They were better off crafting higher-level formations with more profitable returns.

On the other hand, for apprentices, engaging in crafting this node represented a risky venture due to its complexity and high failure rate. Furthermore, with limited resources, each failed attempted could mean a complete halt to their growth in the formation field!

As a result, many hesitated to invest time in crafting the overload node, contributing to its scarcity in the market.

Even Granny Shu had cautioned him, noting that the complex nature of this formula was better suited for geniuses seeking a challenge…

Nevertheless, Bubai still secretly retained this option on his list.

Always set the bar high to give himself room to work with.

He wasn’t a genius, but perhaps he could still learn it through sheer hard work if his circumstances demanded it.

Plus, with his recent acquisition of supplies, he now possessed greater flexibility in navigating the learning process.

Regardless, he was still aware he had only one shot at his choice because he must account for the likelihood of errors and failures during the learning process. His resources were limited, and he couldn’t count on another windfall to land on his lap anytime soon.

“It’s always about the choices, isn’t it?”