Book Pavilion. Morning.
“Today, your task is to copy ‘Mayhem of Secret Realms’ in the Room 3 of Section D. Remember, this is a room that requires contribution points to enter, and this old lady is only making an exception for your task. So, you can’t look at any other books. Understood?” Granny Shu opened one eye, fixing a solemn gaze on Bubai.
The moment he had been eagerly awaiting had arrived - the long-anticipated benefits of free reading!
Suppressing his inner excitement, Bubai maintained a composed demeanor, “Yes, Disciple Bubai understands and will heed Shu Po Po’s orders.”
“Good. Go now.” Granny Shu, acknowledging his answer with a wave, closed her eyes and resumed rocking in her chair.
With a stack of paper in hand, Bubai made his way towards the room brimming with higher-end knowledge.
Upon entering the room for the first time, Bubai immediately took note of the smaller number of shelves, indicating a limited repository of higher-end knowledge stored through mortal means. Most higher-end information were likely safeguarded in jade slips.
Setting his stack of paper on the table, Bubai strolled down the narrow aisles, scanning the titles of the books in the room.
“Rise of the Halls and Pavilions, Tower Architecture and Secrets, Centennial Sectarian War: Behind the Scenes, Origins of Sect Ancestor…”
Every title hinted at one of the sect’s secret.
No wonder they were a part of the classified section and required a substantial amount of contribution points for access.
In fact, in other sects, such sensitive information might not even be made available for reading. After all, some unscrupulous secrets are meant to be hidden to avoid affecting the image of the sect...
However, this was a demonic sect, and there was much less concerns about its own image compared to orthodox sects.
Alas, even if these books are placed here, they were eating dust most of the time.
Cultivators, driven by the pursuit of strength, preferred exchanging their contribution points for techniques that could enhance their power rather than digging into secrets that they might have to keep concealed after reading.
Picking up “Mayhem of Secret Realms”, Bubai refrained from attempting to sneak peeks into others.
Only integrity could help him establish relationships that could yield more benefits.
Placing the book on the table, he calmly ground his ink, prepared to immerse himself in the secret realm of classified knowledge.
Noon. Shopping District. Formation Pavilion.
Bubai halted before a grand store within the hall, its sign proudly proclaiming "Flower Formation Emporium."
Now that he had established the groundwork, he no longer needed to roam around gauging prices or check the Task Pavilion as often.
Furthermore, copying higher-end knowledge meant he couldn't read other books during his breaks.
With his freed-up schedule, Bubai decided to use it to practice his formation skills - temporarily viewed as a hobby.
But first and foremost, he needed to purchase the supplies.
With a sense of anticipation, he pushed open the door and stepped inside.
The door bell greeted him, accompanied by the sight of various formation tools displayed neatly on shelves.
A young servant girl was diligently dusting one of these shelves.
When the bell announced his arrival, she turned to the door, greeting him with a silent bow before scurrying over to the counter.
At the counter sat a voluptuous, middle-aged lady, her bored eyes lighting up as she noticed Bubai's approach.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" she exclaimed, her lips curving in a smile as her eyes scanned him up and down, "It’s a rare to see a young customer gracing our humble establishment. Welcome, dear."
Despite feeling slightly self-conscious under her scrutiny, Bubai returned her smile, handing over a signed note. "I was recommended by Granny Shu."
Taking the note, the lady’s eyes gleamed, "Oh, it’s really Granny Shu.”
Stowing away the note into her ample bosom, the lady's interest piqued further, a playful smirk tugging at her lips. “Since this is the case, big sis will give you a discount on your first purchase.”
Sweet! This was the benefit of a recommendation!
“So, what do you need, little brother?"
Bubai cleared his throat, gathering his thoughts. "I'm looking to purchase a formation brush and two formation plates, please."
The lady chuckled, a melodic sound that filled the air. "Ah, a little formation boy, are we?" she teased, earning an awkward reply from Bubai. “Yes… beautiful sis.”
“Oh, such a sweet mouth… unfortunately, big sis already gave you a discount this time, and you can’t earn another.”
“Haha…” Bubai chuckled awkwardly.
As the two engaged in banter, the servant girl scurried back and forth, retrieving the requested supplies from the back of the shop.
Once the items were laid out before him, the lady leaned closer, her gaze appraising. "Since you're new, would you like to purchase some formation chips as well?"
Bubai raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Formation chips?"
The lady nodded, her smile widening. "They’re smaller practice chunks for drawing symbols. Perfect for honing your skills without the risk of ruining a whole formation plate.”
“The formation plate can be damaged?!” Bubai’s heart already felt the pain.
“Indeed. Though it is possible to practice directly on the formation plate, each failure would ruin the Weeping Willow’s integrity, reducing its Qi-retention and in turn, your success. So, it’s best to practice on these formation chips first. For the price of one formation plate, you can get ten."
Despite his reluctance to spend more, Bubai recognized the wisdom in her suggestion. "I'll take your advice, then. Give me… ten?"
“Ten it is.” With the additional sales made, the lady's hand disappeared beneath the counter, emerging with a wooden ball clasped between her fingers. She shook it gently, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Interested in some formation balls, perhaps?" she offered. "Similar to plates, but smaller and cheaper. Two for one, in fact. Though, I must warn you, they're a bit trickier to work with due to their uneven surface."
Bubai furrowed his brows in thought. He recalled the Qi-gathering formation he possessed and noted that it didn't specify the type of medium required.
According to what he read, he recalled formation plates were the default option with the lowest learning curve...
After a moment's hesitation, he shook his head. "I think I'll stick with the formation plates for now. Perhaps I'll reconsider once I've mastered the basics."
The lady shrugged, accepting his decision with a graceful nod. "So be it. Now, let's tally up your purchases shall we? Two formation plates, a brush crafted from phoenix hair, ten formation chips. How would you like to pay, little formation boy?"
...
Carrying his package of supplies, Bubai stepped out of the Formation Pavilion with a wry smile.
“As expected, the initial purchase of tools is very expensive. And this is with Granny Shu’s recommendation…”
Alas, the investment was necessary.
Hobbies often felt like a second job that drained one's finances, but eventually… it had the potential to generate income.
Book Pavilion.
Bubai picked up the writing supplies from Granny Shu's desk under her watchful gaze, “Young Bubai, remember, it’s best to rely on your own hands if you really want to become a true formation master.”
“Disciple Bubai thanks Shu Po Po for her warning.” Bubai nodded in acknowledgment before making his way back to the classified knowledge room.
Though he could practice in his own tower, Bubai believed the Book Pavilion was the best place to practice for several reasons.
Firstly, he didn't have to worry about others disturbing him, as few people ventured into this secluded space.
Secondly, he could borrow the brush and ink for drawing symbols when needed. Of course, he still had to use his own quota of paper.
Lastly, the presence of Granny Shu added an unexpected advantage. This old lady could be secretly observing him at any given moment, and may inadvertently giving him tips.
Whether or not she was a formation master didn't matter. She was a knowledge bank.
Her tips might not be direct guidance but could involve giving him a recommendation to aid his progress or suggesting text to copy that would enlighten him.
Just some of the benefits of being an employee.
Alas, the unpredictable nature of receiving expert advice meant he could only demonstrate his persistence and hope for the best.
Unpacking his newly acquired supplies, Bubai retrieved a peculiar, thin brush from the package. Distinguished from the typical, traditional writing brush, this one boasted a firm, pointy tip made from glossy “phoenix” hair.
This was a formation brush, specifically designed for formation work - drawing symbols on formation plates, talisman paper, etc.
Formation engraving was not as simple as just drawing symbols with ink. In fact, writing ink is typically not even used in the process.
Instead, throughout the process, Qi had to be continuously infused into each stroke of the symbol. Otherwise, the drawn symbol would be rendered functionless, regardless of its “visual” perfection.
Not only that, mistakes or interruptions in the stream of Qi during engraving could lead to failure.
Plus, formations were not established on a single symbol alone. Thus, this must be done for each and every symbol in the formation formula, adding layers of complexity to the process.
Hence, ancient formation masters faced immense difficulty in drawing formations, a class reserved for geniuses adept in both Qi control and concentration. Typically, it was a rare role achievable only after establishing a foundation.
The invention of the formation brush revolutionized this art, making it more accessible. With this tool, cultivators could channel strands of Qi into the pen, allowing it to handle the continuous supply of Qi to the drawn symbol.
So, users no longer had to worry about their lack of Qi control. They then focused solely on drawing the symbol and ensuring the pen didn't run out of Qi.
This lowered the threshold of learning formations, allowing more people and even Qi-refiners to get started in the profession.
Of course, while the formation brush simplified the learning process, relying on an external pen wasn't advisable in the long term. True mastery of formations required transitioning to manual inscription without a brush.
Granny Shu had also warned Bubai regarding this.
However, relying on the formation brush in the short term was a necessity, even if it made mastering manual formation engraving more challenging later on.
He needed to learn formations from scratch, but he definitely can’t bank on possessing genius-level talent in the field of formations.
Adding onto that, his resources were limited.
So, time was of the essence. He must learn the basics fast enough and establish a steady income for himself before he goes bankrupt.
Otherwise, he won’t even have the chance to master the manual way.
Once stability was achieved, he could then focus on refining his skills. For now, it was a race to carve a path toward wealth.
Either he succeeds and begin his rise, or he falls short… rolling into the gutters.
