Pingdu Eight Formations Gate was one of the ten great sects in the world, and the largest of all formation sects. Since their people had taken the initiative to help set up the formation, Zhao Yongchun naturally found it hard to refuse, nor did he wish to. Tang Song understood this well.
It was also possible that Zhao Yongchun had invited them himself.
At that moment, more than a hundred formation disks were handed over to the Zhao clan.
Besides the disks, all the leftover and used-up materials were packed into five large chests. The original inventory list and the updated one, showing what had been used or discarded, were both clearly marked. Liu Xiaolou had handled all the sorting and record-keeping, and everything had to be double-checked during the handover. The point was to make sure no formation master could claim a failed refinement just to keep something for themselves.
As the Zhao clan’s stewards carried the boxes up the mountain, the formation masters finally relaxed. After three and a half months of grueling work, many sighed with relief and began deciding when to head home.
Long Zifu came to bid farewell to Tang Song. His payment had already been settled in advance, so with a respectful nod to both Tang Song and Jiang Feihe, he took his leave.
With that burden lifted from his shoulders, Tang Song also felt at ease. He called out to the formation masters to gather at Half-mountain Terrace, where they would distribute the payments. “Thank you all for your hard work,” he said. “I’m ashamed if I’ve fallen short in any way. If there were any missteps on my part, I hope you’ll be understanding.”
“Master Tang, you’re too polite. If anything, it’s we who have been lacking, and only thanks to your tolerance that things went smoothly. We’re the ones who should feel ashamed.”
“It was Master Tang who guided us. What fault could there possibly be on your part?”
“And we must also thank Master Long. We’ve gained a great deal this time, especially in refining materials. We’ve all improved.”
“Well said, well said.”
“Xiaolou! Xiaolou, time to go!” Tang Song saw Liu Xiaolou staring blankly at the towering Fangle Peak and laughed. “Let’s leave it for now. Next time there’s a chance, I’ll take you up there. The Zhao clan’s Fangle Peak truly lives up to its name. The scenery is beyond compare. Come on.”
“Ah, coming, coming.” Shaking off his reluctance, Liu Xiaolou called over to Liu Daoran: “Brother Daoran, let’s go.”
Liu Daoran was on the verge of tears. “Brother, how could this…”
But Liu Xiaolou shot him a look to silence him. Liu Daoran trailed behind, dejected, glancing back with every step. Seeing this, Liu Xiaolou whispered, “Don’t worry, Brother Daoran. If anything goes wrong, I’ll take responsibility.”
Catching up to Tang Song, Liu Xiaolou, like the other formation masters, expressed his gratitude. Over the past three and a half months, not only had his understanding of formations deepened and broadened, his skill in refining formation disks had advanced greatly as well. He had even learned the Heaven’s Origin, Beginning to End Method. But his greatest gain was mastering the process of refining a full grand formation:
How to break a formation down into parts, how to assign and coordinate tasks, how to oversee completion, and how to make efficient use of spiritual materials.
Tracing it all back, it was because he had been at Tang Song’s side.
In the face of his thanks, Tang Song accepted without modesty. “You’ve done well. You could even discuss formations with Green Bamboo. Among those in the early and middle stages of Qi Refinement, your attainments in formation arts already stand out. When your cultivation improves, you’ll be able to refine formation disks on your own.”
At that, the image of that unrestrained young woman rose in Liu Xiaolou’s mind. He bowed and said, “I hope Master Tang will continue to look after me in the future.”
When they reached the mountainside terrace, Tang Song entered the central bamboo hut and said to Liu Xiaolou, “Please ask Master Jiang to come in.”
So Liu Xiaolou passed on the message, letting Jiang Feihe enter while he waited outside the door. He knew they were probably discussing the distribution of spirit stones. Curious, he strained to listen, but not a word reached his ears. It was as if the room inside were completely empty.
After a while, Jiang Feihe pushed the door open. He glanced at Liu Xiaolou, who was waiting by the side, then smiled and gave him a hearty pat on the shoulder before striding off with his head held high.
Liu Xiaolou had never been treated with such warmth by a high-ranked Golden Core cultivator. In fact, not even a Foundation Establishment cultivator had ever clapped him on the shoulder like that. Well, not counting that unruly one back in Danxia Grotto-Heaven. His left shoulder felt almost numb, the sensation sinking straight into his heart. He quickly bowed deeply in Jiang Feihe’s direction as the man departed.
From inside came Tang Song’s voice: “Invite the formation masters of Stone Valley to come in, one by one.”
Liu Xiaolou immediately called out in a clear voice: “Senior Fei, please enter.”
“Senior Zhong, please enter.”
“Scattered Immortal Guo, please enter.”
“Daoist Friend Wan, please enter.”
First came the formation masters from Stone Valley, followed by Daoist Diao Daoyi and the others from Zhidu Ridge. Then came Fu Conglin and his group from Horse-Breeding Slope, and Xing Wujiu with his companions from Qionghan Pool. One by one, the formation masters entered the room with smiles, came out still smiling, and departed in high spirits. Gradually, fewer and fewer were left on the mountainside terrace, until only Liu Xiaolou and Liu Daoran remained.
At last, Tang Song summoned Liu Xiaolou inside. He said, “You’ve worked hard during the refining of these formation disks, always running back and forth at my side. Here are ten spirit stones as your payment.”
For someone like Liu Xiaolou, who was only at the fifth level of Qi Refinement, ten spirit stones counted as a favor from Tang Song. From what he knew, it was only two stones fewer than what the other Qi Refinement formation masters had received. But those others had all actually refined formation disks, while he had mostly been running errands. He really couldn’t compare himself to them. Delighted, he accepted the stones and bowed deeply in thanks.
Then Tang Song pulled out a red envelope. “This is your payment for refining the Li Nine Palace disks. Four spirit stones. Since you refined them together with Liu Daoran, these four stones were deducted from his share. Just keep this to yourself after you leave; don’t mention it to him.”
Liu Xiaolou was silent for a moment. Then he took out one stone, pushed the other three back. “Master Tang, I’ll only accept one. These three stones should go to him.”
Tang Song shook his head. "Keep it. You both worked on the Li Nine Palace disks. Even if he found out, he wouldn’t have grounds to complain. I only mentioned it to keep you out of any awkwardness."
But Liu Xiaolou said, “Master Tang, it was mainly Brother Daoran who refined the Li Nine Palace disks. This junior dares not claim the credit.”
Tang Song scolded him. “What’s yours is yours. I’ve always been fair in my dealings. Why put on false modesty in front of me?”
Liu Xiaolou said earnestly, “Master Tang, you know well that with my level of cultivation, I could never complete such a complex formation disk. Of the three Li Nine Palace disks, more than seventy percent of the planning and all of the actual refining was done by Brother Daoran. If I contributed anything, it was only in helping to prepare the materials. As for the design and setup of the disks, the only one I worked on was the Cloudscape Talisman Disk. The Three Treasures True Cloud Talisman and the Dispersed True Essence Talisman disks were both Brother Daoran’s work.”
He paused, then added firmly, “If there’s any mistake in the Cloudscape Talisman Disk, the responsibility is mine, and I’ll accept it. That’s why I’ll only take what I truly deserve.”
Tang Song was taken aback. “But I saw you working hard for many days at the earthfire site on Half-mountain Terrace. How can you say...”
“Brother Daoran’s refining methods are seasoned, and his foundation is solid. I actually learned quite a bit from him. That’s why I can’t call it joint refinement by any stretch.”
Tang Song hesitated. “This…”
Liu Xiaolou went on, “I’ve already gained so much from this experience, how could I dare take a share of Brother Daoran’s credit? I ask Master Tang to see clearly.”
Tang Song nodded. “You are indeed straightforward. Since that’s the case, go and call Liu Daoran in.”
And so, thanks to Liu Xiaolou’s insistence, Liu Daoran ended up receiving three additional spirit stones.
Tang Song was a man who traveled the world and would not be staying here. To walk down the mountain with him was like seeing a friend off on a long journey. At their parting, he said, “The Path of Formations is as deep as the sea, intricate and difficult. Many talented formation masters eventually change their path of cultivation altogether. I hope you can persevere, and not give up halfway.”
Liu Xiaolou gave his word, bowing deeply as he watched Tang Song’s figure fade into the mountains and rivers.
Just as he was sighing in thought, Liu Daoran came hurrying up behind him, anxious. “Brother, with things as they are now, what are we to do?”