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The first piece of information in the jade slip demonstrated Fairy Shi's sincerity.
The second piece of information was a set of second-rank superior-grade formation master inheritance. It wasn't just a single formation; it was an entire set of skills and techniques.
In Lan Chang'an's previous life, before his family produced an immortal, such a second-rank superior-grade formation inheritance was incredibly rare and difficult to obtain.
The jade slip only showed half of the inheritance content, with the complete inheritance offered as a trade item. Additionally, Shi Manrong's voice transmission talisman mentioned an opportunity.
"This woman is being open and honest and should be genuinely intending to trade. It's unlike last time when she employed some tricks," Lan Chang'an pondered.
He didn't mind making trades. For example, the Foundation Establishment Pill he sold to the Mu Family fetched five thousand spirit stones, helping him avoid some risks and mutually benefiting both parties.
The value of the second-rank superior-grade formation inheritance far surpassed the second-rank protective formation in Lan Chang'an's residence. The latter was just a formation, not an inheritance.
Even though he had formation knowledge from his previous life, more formation inheritances were always welcome, as they helped adapt to various environments.
As long as the benefits were sufficient, he could replace the defensive formation of his cave mansion with other formations as needed.
Shi Manrong was a formation genius with the potential to become a third-rank formation master, which was one of the reasons Lan Chang'an valued her. In his previous life, when he achieved Core Formation, he still respected third-rank formation masters.
...
Lan Chang'an grasped the layout and vulnerabilities of the formation where Shi Manrong resided. In theory, he could sneak into Fairy Shi's cave residence through the back door at night. However, Lan Chang'an didn't want to be so sneaky.
Shi Manrong's openness likely served to show her sincerity, perhaps with some subtle hints and temptations.
Lan Chang'an remained unmoved. Since they were making a trade, he preferred to do it openly.
The next morning, he sent a voice transmission talisman to Fairy Shi at Xiao Pan Peak.
That's right, Lan Chang'an chose his territory as the trading location. It gave him a home advantage and reduced risks. The defense formation of his cave mansion was in a semi-activated state. As long as Shi Manrong didn't touch the formation's core or observe it for an extended period, there would be no issues.
That afternoon Shi Manrong landed gracefully on the Little Turtle Peak.
"We have been neighbors for more than ten years, and now, at Talisman Master Lan's invitation, I am honored," said Fairy Shi, her hair elegantly styled, makeup immaculate, exuding grace and poise in her moonlit dress, resembling a refined female teacher.
Lan Chang'an noted the teasing in her words.
Despite knowing each other for over a decade, it was the first time Lan Chang'an had invited the female formation master since moving to Little Turtle Peak.
...
Lan Chang'an hosted Shi Manrong in his study. Guan Qiao-zhi poured tea and then left the room.
Shi Manrong sat in a dignified manner, her eyes clear as water, and spoke:
"Today’s discussion involves confidential matters concerning myself. I hope Fellow Daoist Lan can set up a restriction."
Lan Chang'an nodded, casting a spell to isolate the study's sound and light.
"Fellow Daoist Lan, when I invited you to my humble abode years ago, I was rather impolite and presumptuous. Manrong sincerely apologizes today." Shi Manrong walked forward with lotus-like steps, her graceful body bending low in a bow.
"Fairy Shi, there's no need for such formalities..."
Halfway through his sentence, Lan Chang'an froze. Fairy Shi wasn't merely bowing; she bent down, first removing her embroidered shoes to reveal her delicate feet clad in silken white stockings. Then, she lifted her skirt slightly, revealing a fair, jade-like calf, and moved to sit on Lan Chang'an's lap.
"Fairy Shi, is this what you call being open and honest?"
Lan Chang'an raised a hand to stop her, placing his palm on her slender waist only to discover that there lay between them merely a thin layer of outer garment.
When discussing business, he had no interest in entangling himself with transient affairs between men and women.
"Am I not beautiful?" Fairy Shi blinked, her voice gentle and soft.
"Fairy Shi, since you've come here for a transaction, please avoid any distractions." Lan Chang'an stated bluntly, releasing a gentle force from his palm to push Shi Manrong away.
"I understand! Personal feelings and transactions, each to their own..."
Shi Manrong's pretty face showed a mix of anger and frustration as she stood up and smoothed her dress. She seemed to forget her shoes as she moved back to her seat.
"Please take a look, Fellow Daoist Lan." Shi Manrong regained her elegant and calm demeanor, sending a jade slip towards Lan Chang'an.
Lan Chang'an took the jade slip and examined it. Moments later, his expression turned to surprise as he looked at Fairy Shi. Suddenly, he understood her previous actions.
If one couldn't even protect one's own life, even the most beautiful and noble woman might break her boundaries, either compromising or becoming venomous.
Shi Manrong's behavior was relatively restrained, still holding some bottom lines.
...
The jade slip described how twenty years ago, Shi Manrong had a restriction placed on her by a Fake-Dan cultivator. It was a special restriction that was connected to her sea of consciousness.
As long as that Fake-Dan cultivator willed it within a certain distance, or if too much time passed without reinforcing the restriction, Shi Manrong's sea of consciousness would be annihilated!
At that time, Shi Manrong was already a second-rank formation master, renowned for her talent. The Fake-Dan cultivator's goal was to conquer an ancient ruin hidden in the Black Fog Mountain Range.
The ruins contained numerous formation restrictions that needed to be overcome. The Fake-Dan Immortal was also a second-rank formation master but had ordinary talent, needing Shi Manrong's assistance to come up with ideas.
To ensure her full cooperation, the Fake-Dan cultivator treated her relatively well, giving her a certain degree of freedom. He even promised that once they conquered the ancient ruins, he would share the formation inheritance within with Fairy Shi.
But how could Shi Manrong accept being controlled by someone else? She refused to tolerate such treatment, fearing that she'd be abandoned after accomplishing her task—like a horse whose labor has been exhausted.
She had been secretly researching ways to break the restriction all these years. Restrictions and formations shared common ground: Restrictions constituted a branch of formations, representing more specialized applications thereof.
The defense formation Lan Chang'an set up on Little Turtle Peak was a simplified version of an ancient third-rank formation, offering decent isolation against spiritual sense.
This formation not only involved spiritual sense. It also had similarities with the formations within the ancient ruins Shi Manrong mentioned.
Obtaining this formation would benefit Shi Manrong in two ways. Firstly, it could help her find a way to break the restriction in her sea of consciousness. Her outstanding talent in formations made her want to give it a try.
Secondly, drawing upon this formation would aid her in understanding the formation restrictions within the ancient ruins.
...
"Fairy Shi, you don't expect me to intervene in a Fake-Dan cultivator's affairs, do you?" Lan Chang'an couldn't help but laugh despite feeling some sympathy for her unfortunate situation.
Such was the trouble that came with being a genius.
"There's no need to worry, Fellow Daoist Lan. That 'Qi Immortal' met an unfortunate fate two years ago and fell into a trap in the ancient ruins, without much chance to resist before being swallowed by a killing formation." Shi Manrong said with a smile, brushing her hair aside.
"The Fake-Dan Immortal is dead? What was his background?" Lan Chang'an was astonished.
He suspected that Shi Manrong had a hand in the Fake-Dan cultivator falling into the trap. However, even if she did plot against him, it was just self-defense.
It was not surprising news that a Fake-Dan cultivator perished in an ancient ruin. In the eyes of true Core Formation cultivators, Fake-Dan cultivators were often looked down upon, being considered the lowest on the chain of disdain.
Their cores were of inferior quality, with low purity of core power, possessing only forty percent of the mana of a True-Dan and incapable of elevating their cultivation realms any further. Although they could use magic treasures, they could not utilize their true power.
"Qi Immortal was a wandering cultivator from a neighboring country, holding a nominal position in Huanglong Immortal City." Shi Manrong replied.
Such nominal positions were usually quite free, and most of the time, they weren't even present in Huanglong Immortal City, not even having soul tokens stored there.
"A nominal position in Huanglong Immortal City?"
Lan Chang'an pondered, closing his eyes.
At this moment, he fused with the second life's soul imprint, his senses heightened as he probed Shi Manrong's sea of consciousness. freewёbnoνel.com
Regarding the restriction, as she described it, Shi Manrong hadn't lied.
From the perspective of a Core Formation cultivator, the restriction wasn't particularly advanced. The restriction was like a lock, with the key known only to the one who placed it. To break it directly, one would need a spiritual sense stronger than that of the Fake-Dan cultivator.
Alternatively, one could have a profound understanding of formation restrictions to devise a clever method to break it. This was also the method Shi Manrong sought.
...
"Fellow Daoist Lan might suspect that Qi Immortal's demise was my doing," Shi Manrong sighed softly.
"In fact, the main reason was that Qi Immortal hastily broke through a formation gate, and saw an opportunity inside the ruins. In his momentary distraction, he fell prey to the trap."
"What did Qi Immortal see?"
"Due to my lower cultivation realm, I couldn't see clearly from behind. Qi Immortal was ecstatic, nearly delirious, shouting about 'Yin Yang Water' and 'Xuanmu Vine'." Shi Manrong recalled.
Yin Yang Water and Xuanmu Vine?
Lan Chang'an's heart raced, understanding why the Fake-Dan cultivator went mad.
Under normal circumstances, Fake-Dan cultivators' realms would remain stagnant forever, unless they encountered a great opportunity, and Yin Yang Water was precisely one such opportunity.
It could help a cultivator safely dissolve a Fake-Dan or True-Dan, returning their mana to the liquid state of Foundation Establishment. On this basis, the next attempt at forming a core would slightly improve the quality of the core.
Xuanmu Vine was a legendary heavenly material, it could be used as the embryo of a wood-type magic treasure with extremely high growth potential.
"Xuanmu Vine..."
Lan Chang'an muttered, musing over how well-suited this item would be for refining a life-bound magic treasure for himself. Even in his previous life, he'd never managed to procure such high-quality magic treasure embryos.
...
"Fellow Daoist Lan, this is the opportunity I mentioned."
"If you can help me break the restriction, and I advance further in formations, we can jointly benefit from the ancient ruins."
"I have only five or six years left to live. By then, the restriction in my sea of consciousness will collapse." Shi Manrong's face was filled with sorrow as she explained her predicament.
"Fairy Shi, a Fake-Dan-level restriction is beyond my capability."
Lan Chang'an remained composed. In truth, if he summoned the second life's soul imprint, dispelling this restriction would be child's play. However, it would consume his trump card for ten years and expose the secret of the Nine Seal Stele, which wasn't worth it.
"I only wish to trade for the defensive formation in your residence to increase my chances of breaking the restriction." Shi Manrong pleaded softly.
Over the years, Shi Manrong had come to trust Lan Chang'an's character and integrity. He happened to be able to provide what she needed. Thus, she was straightforward and sought cooperation with him.
Fairy Shi had no significant background and was a talented and beautiful female cultivator. Allowing others access to one's sea of consciousness to break through the restriction meant opening oneself up completely, allowing others to exploit every aspect without conditions—a risk that could only be taken with someone infinitely trusted.
If she were to cooperate with other powerful individuals, it would likely end with either her being swallowed up without any bone crumbs left, or being placed under yet another restriction.
"I can't trade that formation."
Lan Chang'an was too lazy to undergo the hassle of replacing the formation.
"However, I do have a Foundation Establishment-level restriction technique involving the sea of consciousness that I can trade with Fairy Shi. Perhaps it could serve as a reference."
"Fellow Daoist Lan is kind."
Shi Manrong accepted the jade slip Lan Chang'an handed over and, after a brief inspection, showed a trace of joy.
The jade slip contained a rare Foundation Establishment-level restriction involving the sea of consciousness.
If she could comprehend it, it would be as effective as obtaining the mysterious formation in Lan Chang'an's residence, though it wouldn't help with the ancient ruins' formation restrictions.
"This is my payment."
Shi Manrong took out a jade slip and a set of formation disks.
The jade slip contained the remaining half of the second-rank superior-grade formation master inheritance. The set of formation disks was a second-rank mid-grade portable formation—one suitable for temporary use when traveling, quite practical.
Lan Chang'an knew very well that, based on the value of what had been exchanged, he'd earned far more than just a little bit.
The restriction technique he provided merely gave some insight into how to crack the Fake-Dan restriction, offering only a glimmer of hope.
(End of Chapter)