Chapter 12

The days of cultivation always pass by particularly quickly.

After a heavy rain at the end of summer, autumn arrived silently.

Before he knew it, half a year had passed.

During these six months, Tang Jie followed Xu Muyang to cleanse his meridians and learn array formations, and his days were quite fulfilling.

Today in the courtyard, Tang Jie was practicing boxing.

He was currently practicing a set of Tongbi Quan, which Xu Muyang had taught him to use in conjunction with the Zangxiang Jing to cleanse his meridians.

At this moment, he was striking with great vigor, and from time to time, spiritual energy flowed through his body, circulating throughout. Each time the spiritual energy circulated, Tang Jie felt an incredible comfort, and it also made his physique stronger.

Xu Muyang said this was a sign that his meridians had not yet expanded to their limit.

After finishing a set of boxing, Tang Jie felt the spiritual energy in his body gradually dissipate, and he was extremely reluctant.

In theory, he could continue practicing, but Xu Muyang had said that cultivation was not about the more frequent the better. Overly intense and domineering training methods could lead to the depletion of one's potential, and might even harm oneself, leaving behind hidden dangers. The best approach was a proper balance of work and rest.

Therefore, he could only stop and couldn't help but sigh, "I wonder when this will end."

"What? Can't wait anymore?" Xu Muyang, who was in the pavilion, was holding a brush and drawing some strange array patterns. Hearing Tang Jie's words, he smiled and said, "For you, the days of cleansing meridians and laying the foundation might be boring, but do you know how many cultivators wish for a chance to start over?"

"Big Brother Xu, you are right," Tang Jie quickly replied.

Thinking back to his student days, he remembered how many classmates yearned to enter society early and escape the cage-like school life. Only after experiencing the harsh realities of the world and being battered and bruised would they recall the beauty of school life.

Tang Jie had lived a previous life, and although that life didn't give him any powerful advantages, it provided him with rich life experiences, allowing his thinking to transcend his age. He knew what was truly important. His sigh was just a momentary expression of frustration. If he were really asked to give up the foundation and directly cultivate, he wouldn't do it.

Xu Muyang had seen many cultivators before, who couldn't endure the loneliness and monotony. Even those with extraordinary talent often rushed to cultivate daily.

In the cultivation world, there were not many cultivators who started cultivating immortal techniques without a solid foundation. The majority were those who, in their eagerness to achieve success, neglected their health and, with a侥幸心理, pushed themselves too hard.

Therefore, he greatly appreciated Tang Jie's steadiness.

At this moment, he smiled and said, "Now that you've finished your boxing, let's learn today's array formation."

Tang Jie couldn't help but smile wryly.

Array formation, like medicine, was a field where knowledge was more important than technical skills, so there was no need for restraint.

In the past six months, Tang Jie had practiced the Zangxiang Jing only twice a day, which took no more than half an hour in total. Most of his time was spent learning array formations.

Sometimes Tang Jie would wonder if Xu Muyang was deliberately using this method to divert his interests.

Compared to the slow progress in cleansing his meridians, Tang Jie's learning of array formations could be described as rapid.

This wasn't entirely due to his good foundation in mathematics.

Array formation itself was a vast field, encompassing principles of change, numerology, geography, meteorology, and even history and culture, considering the existence of ancient array formations. Numerology was just one part of it.

The key was his adult mindset, which made him learn much faster than a typical twelve-year-old. People often say that children have strong learning abilities, but this refers to their ability to imitate. In terms of knowledge capacity, they are far inferior to adults.

The amount of content a primary school student learns in a year is less than what a high school student learns in a month.

Therefore, Tang Jie's learning of array formations could be described as rapid. The rote learning and memory techniques from his previous life provided a solid foundation. In just six months, he had almost mastered all the basic knowledge required for array formations, earning Xu Muyang's admiration.

At this moment, Xu Muyang flicked his wrist, and the array pattern he had drawn flew into Tang Jie's hand. "Set up the array according to this diagram."

"Detecting Spirit Array?" Tang Jie looked at the array diagram. Now he could clearly distinguish the functions of each array diagram. The Detecting Spirit Array was used to detect the flow of spiritual energy in the surroundings, helping cultivators find places with abundant spiritual energy for cultivation. It was one of the simplest array diagrams.

Cultivators themselves often had the ability to sense spiritual energy, but array formations, which aligned with the principles of heaven and earth, were even more effective than sensing techniques.

"Yes, this time you must set up a complete and functional Detecting Spirit Array, and the range must reach three miles."

"Understood." Tang Jie replied solemnly, raised his hand, and a beam of spiritual light shot out from his hand, forming a line of spiritual energy in the air, which landed on the ground.

His Jade Gate was already open, allowing him to absorb spiritual energy, but his Spirit Eye was not yet open, so he couldn't store it. Therefore, as long as he used the spiritual energy before it dissipated, he could still set up the array. However, this method of setting up the array was extremely disjointed, unable to be done in one continuous flow, with limited effectiveness and extremely low efficiency, much like a child tracing lines.

At this moment, Tang Jie drew the array stroke by stroke, while Xu Muyang observed from the side, occasionally giving him some pointers.

After a full hour, he finally completed the array. Tang Jie input a beam of spiritual energy to activate it, and a wave of mist appeared in the array, swirling and rising in white columns.

"Success!" Tang Jie exclaimed joyfully.

The appearance of the columns indicated that the array had been successfully set up. These columns represented the spiritual energy in the surroundings. The array pattern had markings, with different markings representing different locations. The columns varied in size and color, representing different levels of spiritual energy.

This was his first time setting up an array, with a range of only three miles. If Xu Muyang were to do it personally, it would be completed in a moment, and the range would extend for thousands of miles.

At this moment, Tang Jie watched the columns rise in the array, feeling an incredible sense of accomplishment. Thinking about the hard work of the past six months finally bearing fruit, he felt a deep gratitude towards Xu Muyang. Even the array formation, which he had found time-consuming, no longer seemed so tedious. Instead, he found it quite interesting.

Many things are truly appreciated only after one has experienced their success.

Xu Muyang was also very satisfied: "There are still significant flaws in the connection of the array patterns. Array patterns are the pathways for spiritual energy, and simply drawing them is not enough. You need to smooth out the pathways to ensure the free flow of spiritual energy. Look at this pattern; you drew it twice, and there are already breaks in the middle. On the surface, they appear connected, but in reality, the pathway for spiritual energy is only a thin line. Setting up an array is not like drawing a picture; neat patterns are not enough. The most important thing is the internal structure. Look here, here, and here... There are certainly reasons why your spiritual energy is insufficient to support continuous array setup, but there are also reasons related to your lack of skill."

"Right, I understand. It's like a road needs to be smoothed out. Even the widest road can still be congested if not managed well. Sometimes a single break can cause the entire road to collapse."

"Exactly. Another issue is your shallow understanding of the principles of change. The Detecting Spirit Array is used to observe spiritual energy. Since it is an observation array, you should strengthen the乾gate. The乾gate represents heaven, sitting at the center of the square altar, listening to the qi from all directions. Therefore, the Detecting Spirit Array should focus on the乾gate. Why did you strengthen the巽gate?"

Tang Jie scratched his head, embarrassed: "The巽gate represents wind, which is light and agile, and governs change and distance. I thought you required the Detecting Spirit Array to observe up to three miles, so I..."

"Missing the point!" Xu Muyang criticized bluntly: "Your task is to set up the Detecting Spirit Array properly, not just to meet my requirements!"

"Yes, I understand." Tang Jie replied solemnly.

Cultivation is not like rote learning. While Tang Jie benefited from his past experiences, he was also constrained by his previous mindset. Fortunately, Xu Muyang pointed out his mistakes in time, helping him understand his errors.

At this moment, Xu Muyang continued to explain the various shortcomings of the array, and as he became more excited, he shot out beams of spiritual energy from his fingers to repair the Detecting Spirit Array. Under his repairs, the array grew larger, and its range expanded. The mist swirled like a sea, and even the outlines of mountains could be faintly seen, as if the entire world were encompassed within the array, with everything under control.

In Xu Muyang's hands, the Detecting Spirit Array became a reflection of the real world, leaving Tang Jie in awe. Xu Muyang, however, was not impressed, saying, "Arrays are interconnected. Sometimes a small change can completely transform an array. When the Detecting Spirit Array reaches its peak, it can reflect the entire world, becoming a grand array. This is not limited to the Detecting Spirit Array; other arrays can also be combined, transformed, and enhanced in complex and profound ways. It's a lifelong pursuit, and you might never fully master it. Do you still think you have no interest in it?"

Tang Jie chuckled, "I know I was wrong. I will definitely study hard and strive for progress every day!"

Xu Muyang laughed, about to say something more, when suddenly a purple light flashed in the array.

Xu Muyang was taken aback and looked into the array, where a faint glow could be seen.

"Purple Qi Rising?" Xu Muyang blurted out, his expression changing.

"Purple Qi Rising? What is that?" Tang Jie, who had been cultivating for a short time, did not understand its meaning.

Xu Muyang, however, fell into deep thought.

"Is something wrong, Big Brother Xu?" Tang Jie, noticing Xu Muyang's expression, asked with concern.

Xu Muyang pondered for a moment, then chuckled, "Nothing, you don't need to ask about it. Oh, right, we've been together for half a year, but we haven't had a drink together yet? Since you successfully set up the array for the first time today, it's worth celebrating. Why don't you go buy some wine and dishes? Today, we'll sit under the moon and have a drink. Oh, and get the duck from Lao Chen's."

"But Lao Chen's is in Anyang Prefecture," Tang Jie replied hesitantly.

"Then go there. What's the problem?" Xu Muyang waved his hand casually.

"It's getting late, and it's not appropriate to go to Anyang Prefecture now. Besides, Lao Chen's ducks are always in high demand and usually sell out by evening."

Xu Muyang's expression faltered, and Tang Jie continued, "But there is some aged wine in the kitchen, left by the previous owner of this house. There are also two chickens in the backyard. If you want to eat, I can slaughter them for you to enjoy with the wine."

Without waiting for Xu Muyang's response, Tang Jie hurried to the kitchen.

Xu Muyang frowned but didn't say anything more, only sighing helplessly as he looked at the purple glow in the array.

Tang Jie was quick, and within an hour, dinner was ready.

By now, it was dark, and the moon hung high in the sky.

Xu Muyang and Tang Jie sat in a small pavilion, enjoying boiled chicken and rice wine.

The moonlight was beautiful, and Xu Muyang gazed at the sky, where the golden glow of the sunset turned the moonlight into a colorful light, casting a golden glow over the courtyard.

"This sunset... it's truly beautiful!" Xu Muyang suddenly said.

"Hmm." Tang Jie, noticing Xu Muyang's strange expression, didn't dare to respond casually.

Xu Muyang continued, "This sunset is the afterglow of the Golden Flame Aura. It protects us from external threats, safeguarding the Qixia Realm and ensuring the continuous flow of spiritual energy without leakage. But it is also our prison, the prison of the Qixia people, preventing us from easily leaving this realm... I really want to go out and see the vast universe beyond."

The vast universe beyond the Qixia Realm is what the ascended immortals call the Starry Multiverse. It is said that there are countless worlds of various sizes beyond the Qixia Realm.

If the Qixia Realm is Earth, then the Starry Multiverse is undoubtedly the universe.

Unfortunately, leaving the Qixia Realm is not an easy task. The Golden Flame Aura surrounding the realm acts like a natural barrier, even spiritual energy cannot escape, and ordinary cultivators would be burned to ashes if they even approached it. Only true immortals who have reached the Immortal Platform can hope to fly out of the realm and roam the nine heavens.

Some say this is a self-protection mechanism of the Qixia Realm. Because of the Golden Flame Aura, most cultivators are forced to remain within the realm, and the spiritual energy they extract from the world returns to the world, allowing it to cycle and remain eternal.

Without the Golden Flame Aura, cultivators would leave the realm at will, and over time, the spiritual energy would be depleted.

Therefore, in the eyes of some extremists, every immortal who ascends and leaves is also a thief who steals spiritual energy and does not return it.

Fortunately, those who can ascend are few, and the Qixia Realm's loss of spiritual energy is minimal.

At this moment, Xu Muyang's sudden mention of the Starry Multiverse left Tang Jie puzzled.

Xu Muyang had already drained his cup and refilled it, speaking to himself, "When I was a child, my father was very strict with me. Every day was either cultivation or learning how to manage the family. I was naturally rebellious and always found ways to sneak out and play. Every time I was caught by my father, I would get a good beating. My second sister always protected me. I remember once, I secretly went out to play and, being mischievous, I burned down half of the family's small pavilion. My second sister stood up and said she did it. Unfortunately, my father wasn't fooled and still found the real culprit... The beatings were really painful."

Tang Jie listened silently, not saying a word.

Xu Muyang continued, "So I started planning to run away, wanting to escape the Xu family. Unfortunately, I ran three times and was caught each time. Once, I even ran out of Moqiu, but my father still caught me and gave me another beating."

At this point, Xu Muyang laughed softly, "Later, I found out that I had the Xu family's bloodline, which was recorded in the ancestral hall at birth, leaving a life lamp. No matter where I went, the Xu family could find me through the life lamp, unless I could leave the Qixia Realm and enter the Starry Multiverse. So from then on, I dreamed of one day leaving this world. Of course, at that time, it was just a foolish dream. Later, I realized how difficult it is to achieve immortality. As one of the four major families, the Xu family couldn't even produce a Purple Mansion True Lord. To leave this realm, I had to find another way. That's when I started studying array formations... The deeper I delved into array formations, the more I could create a world within a world. The Qixia Realm itself is like a cosmic prison, a grand natural array. I was determined to break the array, and as I delved deeper into array formations, I grew to love it, studying it more and more, and eventually forgot my original goal."

He looked at Tang Jie, "You say you seek great freedom and great ease, but do you know how difficult that dream is? In life, true freedom is impossible. Even if you achieve great cultivation, as long as you are trapped in the Qixia Realm, in this cosmic prison, you cannot truly be free or at ease!"

"So as long as you are in the Qixia Realm, you can't escape the pursuit, right? That Purple Qi Rising... is it the Heavenly Palace Palace pursuing you?" Tang Jie said calmly.

Xu Muyang was taken aback and finally shook his head with a bitter smile, "I knew I couldn't hide it from you."

"Then you asked me to buy the duck from Lao Chen to send me away?"

"Yes." Xu Muyang nodded, "But later I thought, I don't know when they will come. If you leave and they haven't come yet, and you return and run