Chapter 46 Not That Hard

Mercury got up from the large rock he was sitting on.

“Done.” {Mercury}

“Is it really that hard?” {Clover 1}

“I had to make five clones at one time so… yeah. It was difficult.” {Mercury}

“Really?” {Clover 2}

“Yeah. I guess you are just better at having more bodies than me.” {Mercury}

Mercury broke down the clone of Clover and absorbed it.

“Hey, no fair I was still playing with it.” {Clover}

“We are almost at the city. Do you remember about what to say and what not to say?” {Mercury}

“…”

“Yes. No talking about your powers or my new ones. Also make sure not to Cultivate too fast.” {Clover}

“Good… I am really glad that my abilities can control how much Qi you take in.” {Mercury}

“I am not… It feels weird.” {Clover}

“Is it better than the necklace?” {Mercury}

“…”

“Fine. It is.” {Clover}

Mercury and Clover kept bickering as they reached the walls and gate of the city. A guard on top of the wall spotted them and scanned them with his divine sense.

“Stop. Who are you and why are you here?” {Guard}

Mercury pulled out his identification tokens.

“I am Mercury from Luminescence and Protector Weaving Metal’s student and Formation apprentice. I” {Mercury}

“FORMATION APPRENTICE! OPEN THE GATE!” {Guard}

An older guard heard the commotion and yelled back.

“HOLD THAT ORDER!” {Older Guard}

The older guard jumped up to the wall to see what was happening.

“You cannot just yell to open the gate. There is the process and chain of command. DO I need to remind you of that!?” {Older Guard}

“But, but, sir. They said that they were a Formation Mas” {Guard}

“If they are then we can bring them in after checking their identity. If not… then you could have just let in the murder who would kill your mother! Do you understand!?” {Older Guard}

“Ye, yes, s” {Guard}

“LOUDER!” {Older Guard}

“YES! SIR!” {Guard}

“Good.” {Older Guard}

The older guard turned to Mercury and Clover who were patently waiting. The older guard saw the identity tokens and glared at them and Mercury with his one unscared eye.

“I apologize on behalf of my subordinate, but can you please restate your identity and your reason for your visit.” {Older Guard}

“I am Mercury and this is Clover. We are from Protector Weaving Metal’s school and were out to do a mission in the Dark Earth Mountain Range. You should have that in your records that we left here around a week ago.” {Mercury}

The older guard turned to his subordinate, who just awkwardly stared back.

“Well?” {Older Guard}

“Well, what… sir!” {Guard}

“What are you waiting for? GET ME THE RECORDS!” {Older Guard}

“YES SIR!” {Guard}

The guard ran to where the records were kept. The older guard turned back to Mercury and Clover.

“So, what is this about a Formation Master?” {Older Guard}

“I am Weaving Metal’s Formation apprentice. I have heard that the event caused problems with some Formations. I can help out with them if you want me to.” {Mercury}

“It would be appreciated if true, but, and pardon any offence, you look a little young to be a Formation Master knowledgeable enough to fix them.” {Older Guard}

“None taken. After you confirm our identities and allow us into the city, I was going to check on the Teleportation Formations myself. You or someone else can verify my skill when that happens.” {Mercury}

The older guard did not say anything and waited for his subordinate to get back. Which he quickly did with some jades. The older guard quickly looked through them.

“It says that there were three people in your group. Where is the third?” {Older Guard}

“Dead.” {Mercury}

“Understood. You match the descriptions, so you may come in. OPEN THE GATE!” {Older Guard}

The older guard handed the jades to his subordinate.

“Put them back after the shift change and make sure you organize them correctly.” {Older Guard}

“YES SIR!” {Guard}

The older guard met Mercury and Clover at the gate and began to walk them to the Teleporter Formation Building.

“Sorry about all of that. Since ‘that thing’ everyone has been on edge and stressed.” {Older Guard}

“He did not have the feeling that he was a trained guard. Is he new?” {Mercury}

“I am ashamed to say that he is. We have had to enlist almost everyone to help out in some way or another.” {Older Guard}

“Is it that bad?” {Mercury}

“Yes, and no. It could be worse. We were told to be ready for any large Monster attacks but nothing came of it. The only major problem is that the food situation could become a problem. We have a reserve and Cultivators can have the will to not eat, but each passing day it will only get worse.” {Older Guard}

“I understand what you mean. I am guessing that the Teleporter Formations are still not working.” {Mercury}

“It is not my area of expertise but yes. I have not heard anything about them working, but we were ‘lucky’ enough to have a Formation Master get stuck here when it happened. Maybe he can tell you more.” {Older Guard}

“Okay. Thank you for this information.” {Mercury}

“If you want to thank me, get the Formations working. It would be one less source of stress to deal with.” {Older Guard}

The group quickly made it to the building. The older guard guided them inside and to where an older man was looking at a Formation with several people around him. The older guard called out.

“Formation Master Ruby, I have someone who says that they could help.” {Older Guard}

“As much as I could use any help I could get, I do not think that anyone could” {Ruby}

Ruby turned and looked at the group before staring open mouthed at Mercury.

“…”

“YOU! Could it really be?” {Ruby}

“Ahh, Teacher what ”{Formation Attendant}

“Are you really That Mercury?” {Ruby}

The attendants went silent and stared wide eyed at Mercury.

“You know me?” {Mercury}

“I was there when you made your debut as both The Grand Formation Master’s and Protector Weaving Metal’s apprentice. But even then, I do not think anyone who even cares slightly for Formations has not heard your name.” {Ruby}

“Thank you for the compliment, but it cannot be that exaggerated… right?” {Mercury}

“No. Your ideas have been revolutionary. Your new Teleportation Formation designs are slowly replacing the old ones. I am only here because I was teaching everyone here about them!” {Ruby}

“Well, if you will excuse me, I will be off.” {Older Guard}

“Oh, yes, thank you for bringing him here.” {Ruby}

The older guard walked off leaving Mercury and Clover with the group.

“Okay. Before we get crazy over me. Tell me what is going on with the Formation and Formations in general after that event.” {Mercury}

“Yes, that is more important at the moment. What do you know so far?” {Ruby}

“Only that they stopped working and some of them exploded. I have not heard much more than that, as I was walking back from a mission.” {Mercury}

“Okay, I will some it up the best I can. Most types of Formations have slowly become usable again. Although, most do not work as well as they used to but they are getting better over time. Teleportation Formations are the ones that still do not seem to work at all.” {Rudy}

“The Formations themselves have not been changed but their effectiveness is different over time?” {Mercury}

“Yes. Moreover, some cities are reporting different rates of recovery for the same Formations.” {Ruby}

“Is this information reliable? Do we have a list of cities to compare?” {Mercury}

“Yes. Formation apprentice Cove has been organizing the information while Protector Weaving Metal deals with everything as a whole. Who has the list of cities again?” {Ruby}

“I do, Teacher.” {Formation Student, while walking over to Mercury}

Mercury took the list of cities, and quickly found a correlation, but did not make any conclusions just yet.

“I have an idea. Let me see what happens when a Teleportation Formation is activated.” {Mercury}

“Of course. Some contact the connecting Formation personnel and tell them we will be activating it again.” {Ruby}

“You have done this before?” {Mercury}

“Yes. We needed to see what would happen. From what I have seen, the Formation does activate just fine but does not complete the teleportation.” {Ruby}

“Interesting.” {Mercury}

“It is ready to use.” {Formation Attendant}

“Thank you.” {Mercury}

Mercury placed an apple in the Formation and activated it. It lit up but the apple did not move.

“Hmmm. Have you tried activating both sides at the same time?” {Mercury}

“We have, but still nothing.” {Ruby}

“Then I would like to try something. May I add something to the Formation?” {Mercury}

“If you think it would help.” {Ruby}

Mercury quickly added a ring Formation around the Teleportation Formation.

“Is this… a Power Limiting Formation?” {Ruby}

“It is similar to one. I am using it to make sure the Teleportation Formation does not break.” {Mercury}

“What… What do you mean?” {Ruby}

Mercury activated the Formation again but this time instead of using the ambient Qi to power it, he put his own Qi into it. This caused the Formation to have much more Qi than what he was supposed to. So much so that his outer Formation was barely keeping the Teleportation Formation’s materials from breaking under the stress. Then the apple disappeared.

“WHAT!?” {Ruby}

“See if the other side got it.” {Mercury}

“THEY DID!” {Formation Attendant}

“Formation Master Mercury, what did you do?” {Ruby}

“What I think happened is that event caused all the ambient Qi everywhere to be drained of its power. Look at that list of cities again and you will see what I mean.” {Mercury}

Ruby grabbed the list and realized Mercury’s point.

“The cities that had more Qi before the event have their Formations recover quicker. But then what about the Teleportation Formations?” {Ruby}

“My guess what that the ambient Qi between the two cities has not recovered yet. This was causing the problems with the two ends of the Formation from connecting and completing the Teleportation. By overpowering the Formation, it could bridge the gap formed by the areas without Qi.” {Mercury}

“Then… How did this not come up before?” {Ruby}

“My guess is that when we, we as in Formation Masters, were testing the Teleportation Formations and adjusting them, we also adjusted them to the ambient Qi as well without realizing it.” {Mercury}

“Now that you mention it. When I was working on ones in more Qi poor areas it did take longer to make them.” {Ruby}

“Then in the future it must be something to teach about when making them. For now, we should tell Cove about the, albeit messy, solution. It should return to normal given more time, but this means that we can at least have access to Teleportation if needed.” {Mercury}

“Understood. I will pass it up the chain.” {Ruby}

“No need. I have her direct communication jade.” {Mercury}

(“Mercury! Teacher said that you were going to help out with this Formation Problem! Why am I just hearing from you now!?”) {Cove}

(“Well, I have just gotten to a city. I could not help with Formations that I was not there to help out with.”) {Mercury}

(“Okay, fine. Then what have you found out?”) {Cove}

(“I think a found a temporary solution to this problem.”) {Mercury}

(“ALREADY!?”) {Cove}

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Thank you for reading.