Upon arriving at the Yu Family, the four junior sisters were finally assigned their own separate rooms. With no time to study alchemy or cultivate at the moment, Mo Tiange entered the Void Heaven Realm, staying only for a quarter of an hour to retrieve some books.
Having gained the memories of the Void Heaven Realm's experiences, Mo Tiange finally understood why she could enter it so easily. This Void Heaven Realm had drifted through the world, and many must have tried the blood ritual for ownership, yet only she succeeded—likely because of her Hunyuan Spirit Root.
The Void Heaven Realm was an artifact from the Primordial Era, when cultivation methods were vastly different from today's. Even back then, the Hunyuan Spirit Root only appeared once every few millennia, yet everyone practiced Hunyuan techniques. Thus, those with spiritual power all possessed a state of Chaos within their bodies. The Void Heaven Realm was crafted in that era, its principles also aligned with Chaos. However, with the loss of Hunyuan techniques, people today could not awaken the Void Heaven Realm even with the blood ritual—she speculated that besides Zhong Muling, there was another God Transformation cultivator who possessed a Void Heaven Realm, who must have used some special method to create Chaos to make the realm acknowledge ownership.
Inside the Void Heaven Realm were traces left by its previous owner. Who this master was remained unknown, but there were an immense number of books. Unfortunately, no magic treasures were left behind; presumably, such items were carried on the person and lost upon death.
Nevertheless, this person was undoubtedly a Great Divine Ability master. Mo Tiange found a handwritten journal recording some of this person's cultivation insights, but she couldn't understand it at all. She knew it was because her own realm was too low. According to Yuanbao, the Great Divine Abilities of the Primordial Era were not like today's Nascent Soul cultivators, but realms beyond God Transformation that were still unknown. Since Zhong Muling's Void Heaven Realm also contained such miscellaneous items, even with their cultivation levels, they couldn't comprehend them either.
However, some of the simpler books already astounded her. Alchemy techniques, talisman-making, artifact forging, formation-laying, and even mechanical arts—a wide variety. Because she had the deepest research into formations, she immediately began studying formation-laying methods.
Among them was recorded a Phantom Heaven Formation, which should be the formation arranged outside Zhong Muling's Void Heaven Realm. The book described it as the Myriad Manifestations Formation, where a single thought could give rise to countless illusions. What she had experienced were merely two of its weakest illusion formations. Yet, this was all she could comprehend. Cultivation realm also influenced one's ability to understand the Dao, and the Dao was divided into Yin-Yang and the Five Elements, which were the foundation of formations. Without sufficient realm, one could not advance further.
Even disregarding the Phantom Heaven Formation, some of the simple and practical formations recorded were incomparable to today's formations.
The Yu Family's defensive formation was called the Four Symbols Formation. While not an ordinary formation, it wasn't particularly profound either, typically used by medium-sized cultivation families. Mo Tiange also found the Four Symbols Formation in these books, but its layout method differed somewhat from today's, and its power was much greater. Additionally, there was a Four Symbols Hundred Flowers Formation, a variation of the Four Symbols Formation. Based on the Four Symbols Formation, it incorporated the layout method of another formation called the Prosperity and Decline Unpredictable Formation, creating a composite formation. At times, it manifested as the Four Symbols; at others, as the Hundred Flowers. The two formations were entirely unrelated yet combined into one, making it impossible to break with a single method.
When she saw this formation-laying method, Mo Tiange was awestruck by its creator. The principles were clear and easy to grasp, yet she had never had such ideas before.
Although demon beasts developed intelligence at high ranks, third or fourth-rank demon beasts still couldn't speak human language. Their bodies were robust, and they had no concept of Spirit Roots. Compared to humans, their cultivation and spiritual energy were more refined, giving them an advantage in pure combat. However, human cultivators often surpassed them with external objects born of wisdom: magic treasures, talismans, formations, and the like.
Among these, formations were the most cost-effective. After Mo Tiange announced she would rearrange the Yu Family's formation, the family head, being clever, showed her exceptional enthusiasm and dispatched many cultivators to assist.
However, Mo Tiange sent them all back. It wasn't that she feared leaking secrets, but these Qi Refining cultivators would only hinder her. It was better to set it up herself.
Formation-laying required items like formation plates, formation flags, spirit stones, and specific spirit beasts, spirit herbs, or spiritual objects. Mo Tiange chose to modify the Four Symbols Formation directly for two reasons: first, it was the original formation, making modifications convenient; second, this formation required simple items—only one type of spirit wood, which the Void Heaven Realm possessed.
After spending a day thoroughly understanding this Four Symbols Formation, Mo Tiange spent only half an hour to lay it out, effortlessly completing her task.
The Yu Family reportedly had two young cultivators in the Danding Sect. The family head, Yu Jingfeng, had actually taken a Beauty Preservation Pill, which was why he looked so young. Madam Yu was also not young. The four of them had only about a hundred years of lifespan left, and none had advanced to the late stage, so they had all returned to focus on nurturing the next generation.
Although these four had average cultivation, their judgment was good. The Yu Family's cultivators also had a solid foundation. Unfortunately, they clearly couldn't compare to the elite disciples of the Xuanqing Sect, not even matching the ordinary disciples of Qingquan Peak, which frustrated Luo Fengxue immensely.
Mo Tiange sat leisurely to the side, reading formation books while watching Luo Fengxue angrily lecture the Yu Family disciples.
"Hey, you! Do you even know how to use a talisman?"
"Senior... I... I'm only Qi Refining Level 1..."
"Qi Refining Level 1 is still a cultivator! As a cultivator, you don't even know how to use a talisman? How shameful! Step aside and watch carefully!" With that, she struck a pose, elegantly drew a talisman, and demonstrated.
"Got it?"
"..." The boy, only about fourteen or fifteen, looked at Luo Fengxue with trepidation.
Luo Fengxue flared up at his gaze. "Still don't know how?!"
"Senior," the child cried out, "I... I'll learn slowly. Please don't make me move things. People will laugh at me."
Moving things was a mortal's job. Over the past two days, Luo Fengxue had reorganized everyone in the Yu Family: mortals handled chores, while cultivators practiced several simple multi-person formations and some combat techniques.
Luo Fengxue was accustomed to such tasks and worked swiftly, taking only a day to assign everyone their proper roles.
Seeing the child cry, Luo Fengxue's anger subsided a bit. She had always been popular within the sect, not only due to her status but also her good temperament. Even ordinary disciples who sought her help would receive assistance if possible. Thus, seeing the child's pitiful gaze, her heart softened.
"You, come here!" Luo Fengxue called over a Qi Refining Level 3 cultivator who looked about thirty, pointing at the original boy. "Teach him how to use talismans."
The cultivator obediently approached, also trembling with fear as he replied, "Yes."
And so, the older cultivator meticulously explained how to use spirit talismans, with Luo Fengxue adding a few comments. Half an hour later, the boy cried out, "Senior, just let me move things instead!"
Luo Fengxue felt a surge of anger, nearly seeing black before her eyes.
At this point, Mo Tiange could no longer hold back, covering her mouth to stifle laughter.
The muffled laughter reached Luo Fengxue's ears. She turned with a murderous glare, but upon seeing it was Mo Tiange, she deflated instantly. Ordering the more capable Qi Refining cultivators to continue the instruction, Luo Fengxue slumped wearily beside her.
Mo Tiange stopped laughing and comforted her seriously. "Alright, these cultivators don't even qualify to enter a sect, so you can imagine their talent. Holding them to our sect's standards is too demanding."
Luo Fengxue exclaimed, "Demanding? I'm not demanding anything at all! In our Xuanqing Sect, forget elite disciples—even ordinary disciples can form ranks, each using their own methods, and several Qi Refining disciples can handle a second-rank demon beast without issue. But look at them! What am I asking for? Just to hold their positions and use the appropriate techniques when needed. And they don't even know how to use talismans!" She paused, turning angrily. "Tell me, have you ever heard of a cultivator who doesn't know how to use talismans? It doesn't even require special techniques!"
Mo Tiange sighed. "I have."
Luo Fengxue had spoken out of anger, but hearing such a serious response, she was taken aback. "Really?"
"Yes," Mo Tiange nodded. "Back when I wandered the jianghu with my second uncle, I saw all sorts of things. Cultivation families decline with each generation—there are plenty of examples. Some family descendants not only have mixed Spirit Roots but extremely faint ones at that. Having them cultivate is just better than nothing. Some remain stuck at Qi Refining Level 1 for life; some have intelligence on par with mortals or even worse—our Ye Family declined in just this way."
Luo Fengxue fell silent. She had been brought from the mortal world by Perfected One Xuanyin due to her excellent Spirit Root, directly taken to Mount Taikang and accepted as a formal disciple, so she wasn't very familiar with cultivation family matters.
"Forget it. Let's just make do. As long as they can handle first-rank demon beasts when the time comes, we'll handle the rest. You don't need to worry too much; Senior Sister Han will make arrangements. Ultimately, it still depends on us. These Qi Refining cultivators will be lucky just to protect themselves."
"I just hope we don't have to split our attention to protect them. But with them like this—fine, I admit this matter isn't where my strengths lie."
Mo Tiange smiled. Luo Fengxue's dejected look was rare. "Didn't you already realize this? Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. Fighting and brawling were never your forte. Leave these matters for them to handle themselves and go prepare."
"Hmm, you're right." Luo Fengxue thought for a moment, setting aside her displeasure. "By the way, do you have any extra talismans? I've almost used mine up. Senior Sister gave me some, but it's still not enough."
Mo Tiange knew that Luo Fengxue wasn't as proficient in refining magic tools, so she needed talismans more than the others. Mentally taking stock, she took out a stack of talismans. "I actually have quite a lot here. These were given by Uncle-Master, and these..."
Seeing what she produced, Luo Fengxue cheered, and the two sorted and distributed them.
"Huh, Tian Ge, these talismans are strange. They don't seem to be made by Master, yet they look very powerful. They couldn't have been bought outside, right? Where did you get them?"
Mo Tiange looked and saw they were from the Qiankun Bag given by Zhong Muling. Talismans made by a God Transformation cultivator, even if deliberately lowered in realm requirements, were no ordinary items.
"Uh..."
"Is it inconvenient to say?"
"No," Mo Tiange said. "They were given to me by Uncle-Master Shoujing."
"Huh?" Luo Fengxue, who had been examining the talismans, froze, looking up at her blankly.
Mo Tiange's expression remained normal, only a hint of obscure darkness flickering in her eyes.