Liang Yan followed Lin Fei into the valley, and saw clear mountains and beautiful waters, with colorful clouds drifting gracefully. All manner of buildings were faintly hidden amid the scenic landscape; although they seemed scattered without order, they gave one a sense of an otherworldly paradise, a realm beyond the mundane.
At this moment, Lin Fei said to him, “My sect holds selection tests for outer disciples every year in the second month, and the recruitment period has already passed. However, I happen to be on my way to report a mission to the Pavilion Master, so I’ll take you along. As long as the Pavilion Master nods her approval, your entry into the sect will be easily settled.”
Liang Yan naturally had no objections, and so under Lin Fei’s guidance, they headed deeper into the valley.
After about the time it takes to burn an incense stick, passing through a lotus pond, they saw an ancient-style building rising before them. Although it lacked the carved beams and painted rafters of secular nobility, it faintly exuded a sense of ancient simplicity and grandeur, making one feel awe at a single glance. Above the main gate hung a plaque inscribed with three characters: “Deliberation Pavilion.” Liang Yan secretly guessed that the materials used for this building were surely no ordinary things.
Lin Fei straightened his clothes with a respectful expression and then led the group inside.
Inside, over a dozen people were already standing in the hall waiting. Liang Yan raised his eyes to look, and found that most of them were at the Foundation Establishment stage in cultivation. There were only four whose cultivation levels he couldn’t see through.
He thought to himself, ‘The old monk’s technique does have some tricks, but my strength is too low right now—at most, I can only see through Foundation Establishment cultivation; beyond that, I cannot. Hmm, these four must have already broken through Foundation Establishment and reached the legendary Core Formation realm.’
While he was musing inwardly, he suddenly sensed a cold glance cast his way, and only then noticed a woman sitting at the back of the hall. She looked about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, dressed in a purple robe and purple skirt, with a dignified face and a frosty expression. At that moment, her cold gaze swept over, and Liang Yan couldn’t help breaking out in a cold sweat at the back of his neck, as if all his secrets were laid bare before this person.
‘How formidable, this person is definitely not on the same level as the others in the hall. Her cultivation has probably reached a realm above Core Formation.’ Thinking this, Liang Yan silently lowered his head, not daring to meet her eyes again.
At this point, a middle-aged man in a gray robe spoke up in the hall, “Lin Fei, you certainly put on airs. Today was the agreed day to return to the sect; all the fellow disciples responsible for hosting various exchange meetings are already here, and only you arrive late. Did you intend to make everyone wait for you?”
Liang Yan followed the voice and saw that the speaker was one of those four whose cultivation he couldn’t see through earlier. The purple-robed woman seated in the hall also turned her gaze toward Lin Fei, her eyes expressing inquiry.
Lin Fei said respectfully to the purple-robed woman, “Reporting to Pavilion Master, it is not that this disciple deliberately delayed. I brought a junior on the way, and the speed of driving an object to fly could not be too fast, which delayed my return. I beg the Pavilion Master’s forgiveness.”
At these words, everyone in the hall cast their eyes toward Liang Yan. It needed no saying that the junior Lin Fei spoke of was naturally Liang Yan.
The purple-robed woman remained silent, her gaze briefly sweeping over Liang Yan before returning to Lin Fei, clearly waiting for his follow-up.
Lin Fei continued, “Years ago, when this disciple was training in Lush Cloud Mountain, I was besieged by several Six-Clawed Nether Wolves and poisoned by their venom. I was fortunate that a senior happened to pass by, saved my life, and even extracted the wolf venom for me. Without that senior, even if I hadn’t died, I’m afraid my cultivation would never have advanced a single inch in this life. During this outing to host the Green Mountain Auction, that senior sought me out and asked me to introduce this young man to the sect. This disciple is deeply indebted and could not refuse. I beg the Pavilion Master to see clearly.”
After hearing this, the purple-robed woman’s face remained impassive and cold. She merely nodded slightly and said, “So there is such a history.”
Lin Fei hurriedly said to Liang Yan, “Liang Yan, pay your respects to the Pavilion Master at once!”
Liang Yan responded and stepped forward, bowed to the purple-robed woman, and said in a clear voice, “Disciple Liang Yan pays respects to the Pavilion Master!”
“No need for respects.” Without looking at him, the purple-robed woman spoke coldly to Lin Fei, “Hmph, a mere five-element mixed spirit root, and you wish to recommend him to our pavilion? What does this senior of yours take my Yi Xing Pavilion for? Is it a place any trash can come to?”
At these words, a surge of evil fire shot up inside Liang Yan’s head. By nature, he was wild and arrogant; on an ordinary day, he would have flared up. But his surroundings were filled with lofty cultivation experts, any one of whom could turn him to ash with a flick of a finger. He could only grit his teeth and forcibly suppress the fire in his heart. Even Lin Fei wore an embarrassed expression.
Fortunately, the purple-robed woman continued, “However, for every effect there is a cause. Since that person saved the life of a disciple of my pavilion, if we don’t show him even a little face, I fear outsiders will laugh at us.” As she said this, she turned to look at Liang Yan.
Liang Yan knew there was a turn of fate and held his breath, waiting for what came next.
Sure enough, the purple-robed woman said slowly, “Your spirit roots are hopelessly mixed and impure; in this life, I’m afraid you won’t even break through the third layer of Qi Refining. However, my Yi Xing Pavilion has Three Meridians and Four Paths. If you feel you have any talent in these, you may choose one to join and become a miscellaneous duties disciple. Let the term be six years. If, after six years, you can prove your value to the sect, then naturally you will be permitted to enter the outer sect to cultivate and enjoy all the resources and treatment of an outer disciple. But if you have no talent at all, then just go down the mountain.”
After saying this, without waiting for Liang Yan to answer, she waved her hand to the blue-robed beautiful woman who had come with Lin Fei, her face showing obvious impatience.
The blue-robed beautiful woman understood, bowed respectfully, and then led Liang Yan out of the main hall.
Liang Yan said not a single word. Only after leaving the hall and coming out under the blue sky did he release a slight breath of stifled air.
Seeing his expression, the blue-robed beautiful woman said, “There’s no need to take it too hard. The cultivation world has always been about strength above all, where the mighty are honored. If you think about it more openly, though your aptitude is poor, you can at least receive the sect’s shelter here, which is better than suffering in the secular world.”
After hearing her out, although he didn’t fully agree, he knew she meant to comfort him, so he thanked her, “Many thanks for your guidance, Senior. But may I ask, what exactly did the Pavilion Master mean by the Three Meridians and Four Paths?”
The blue-robed beautiful woman smiled slightly and said, “You needn’t call me Senior anymore. Now that you’ve joined the sect, even as a miscellaneous duties disciple, you may call me Martial Aunt Zhou. As for the Three Meridians and Four Paths you asked about—the Three Meridians refer to the Pill Meridian, the Talisman Meridian, and the Formation Meridian. The Four Paths are Music, Chess, Calligraphy, and Painting.”
“So that’s how it is!”
Liang Yan showed a look of sudden understanding and thought to himself, ‘That old hag said that after six years, I must prove my usefulness to the sect before I can be accepted. Among the Four Paths—music, chess, calligraphy, and painting—all cultivate oneself. In terms of contributing to the sect, they surely can’t match pill masters, talisman masters, and formation masters. I once heard the old monk mention that pill masters need to condense their own pill fire, placing extremely high demands on entry; it would be extremely difficult for me to achieve anything within six years. As for talisman masters, it’s said those with quiet personalities and minds like still water are best suited—this, too, I’d find very hard to achieve. It seems I can only try the path of formations.’
(TL Note: ngl, MC is kinda way too cocky for someone that’s had people save him back to back)
His mind made up, Liang Yan said aloud, “Martial Aunt Zhou, this disciple wishes to join the Formation Meridian.”
Martial Aunt Zhou looked at him with an odd expression, hesitated a moment, but still spoke, “Although the choice is yours, you are, after all, the junior brought by Lin Fei, so I should explain. Although the founding master of our pavilion, Yi Xing Zhenren, was famed as unequalled in both chess and formations, in the millennium since, the art of formations has been waning day by day. Now, few can comprehend it. The Formation Meridian has few members; compared to the Talisman and Pill Meridians, it’s vastly inferior. If I may suggest, you could choose one of the other two meridians instead.”
“So that is the situation…” Liang Yan pondered briefly, but still said, “Martial Aunt Zhou, this disciple’s mind is made up. I have a particular fondness for the path of formations, and I earnestly request you to guide me into the Formation Meridian.”
“Very well,” Martial Aunt Zhou sighed and said, “Follow me.”
Within the valley of Yi Xing Pavilion, in a secluded apricot grove, stood a pavilion building with red bricks and green tiles, its design ancient and simple. Beneath the eight eaves hung bells, and with the breeze through the apricot grove, the eight bells occasionally chimed “clang clang,” like singing orioles and dancing swallows.
In front of the pavilion was a large yellow-wood table, over which a middle-aged man was sprawled, dressed in a yellow robe with long sleeves, a broad nose, thick lips, and an exceptionally high forehead. He was soundly asleep at that moment.
Suddenly, his large ears twitched slightly. He raised his head and looked ahead. At the end of the apricot grove path, two figures emerged—a man and a woman, none other than Liang Yan and Martial Aunt Zhou.
The yellow-robed middle-aged man was startled and immediately rose to his feet, dashing toward them. When he reached them, he cupped his hands in salute toward Martial Aunt Zhou and said, “The miscellaneous duties disciple manager pays respects to Martial Aunt. I did not know Martial Aunt was arriving; your distant welcome was lacking. Truly…”
“That’s enough, enough!” Martial Aunt Zhou cut him off with an impatient wave of her hand and said flatly, “I have brought him here to join the Formation Meridian’s miscellaneous duties disciples.” She pointed to Liang Yan.
The yellow-robed middle-aged man was briefly stunned, then looked at Liang Yan and said, “So our Formation Meridian actually has a new miscellaneous duties disciple joining, heh heh. Martial Aunt, rest assured, this Wang will certainly get him up to speed as quickly as possible.”
Martial Aunt Zhou nodded slightly, raised her right hand, and a sheepskin scroll flew into Liang Yan’s hands. Then she said to him, “From now on, you are a miscellaneous duties disciple of the Formation Meridian of my Yi Xing Pavilion. This is a map of the sect grounds. Tomorrow morning, go to the Rites Pavilion and the Law Pavilion to register and collect the sect’s rules and regulations handbook. From now on, you must strictly observe the rules; if you violate them, law enforcement disciples will surely arrest and deal with you severely. Do you understand?”
Liang Yan’s expression turned solemn, and he said respectfully, “This disciple understands!”
Only then did Martial Aunt Zhou nod with some satisfaction, then she turned and left.
The middle-aged man surnamed Wang kept watching Martial Aunt Zhou walk out of the apricot grove before turning his head to look at Liang Yan. The gentle expression on his face was swept away, and with a stern face he asked, “What is your name? Do you have any family elders, brothers, or sisters in the sect?”
Liang Yan was taken aback and answered truthfully, “I am Liang Yan. I have no family or relatives cultivating in the sect.”
After hearing this, a trace of contempt flashed through the middle-aged man’s eyes. He then took a wooden plaque from his sleeve, channeled spiritual power into his fingertip, wrote and drew on the plaque, and returned to the square table where he had been sleeping. He took a seal and stamped it on the plaque, then tossed it to Liang Yan.
“This is your miscellaneous duties disciple identity token. Starting tomorrow, report here every morning. You must chop fifty bundles of spirit wood, carry ten vats of water from the spirit spring, and then clean the Repository of Scriptures behind me. If you fail to complete the tasks, I have my own punishments. Hmph, remember well, my name is Wang Yuan. Every affair, great or small, here is decided by me. Is that clear?”
Liang Yan took the token and saw it was made of rough wood. On the back were written the four characters “Miscellaneous Duties Disciple,” and on the front was the name “Liang Yan” with a dark red seal stamped below. He secretly thought, ‘This immortal sect token is way too ordinary, isn’t it.’
Nevertheless, he cupped his hands and said, “This junior will do his utmost to complete the tasks.”
“Mm,” Wang Yuan added, “In the northwest part of the apricot grove, there is a residence where you miscellaneous duties disciples live. You can break the outer courtyard’s restriction with this identity token. Go inside and pick any room for your future living quarters.” After that, he ignored him, returned to the table, and closed his eyes to rest.
Liang Yan put away the token, bade farewell to Senior Brother Wang, and headed toward the northwest residence. Not long after, he saw a grayish-brown courtyard with around ten rooms. Having cultivated the Hooligan Art for a long time, Liang Yan’s six senses were sharper than ordinary people’s. Even from a distance, he could see that among these ten or so rooms, only two had their doors tightly closed; the others were wide open, with no one inside. He couldn’t help but smile bitterly to himself.
‘It seems this Formation Meridian is indeed in decline.’