Nine Transformations of the True Spirit.

Chapter 228 Connections
Nothing else happened during the rest of the journey.

The robbers are all cautious people, and will never easily attack passers-by whose background they don't know, so as to avoid trouble.

Only a dandy like the young man in brocade clothes would act so unscrupulously.

But this incident also shows that the evil cultivators have become so rampant that they cannot be any more rampant.

When Chen Yuan returned to the Lingyun Sect's mountain gate, it was afternoon and still early, so he went directly to the Formation Pavilion to inquire about exchanging for a high-level spiritual formation.

The Formation Pavilion is located in a remote area within the mountain gate, and few disciples come here.

In the world of immortal cultivation, the number of formation masters is much rarer than that of alchemists, weapon refiners, and talisman makers. It requires extremely strong spiritual talent to be able to understand the flow of spiritual energy and the changes in qi, and to engrave forbidden patterns on the formation flags and plates.

There are only one such disciple among a hundred, and the caves of the Lingyun Sect's cultivators are all inside the mountain gate, so they rarely buy formations. Therefore, the Formation Pavilion has always been deserted.

When Chen Yuan walked in, there was only a disciple on duty at the fourth level of Qi Refining sitting in the Formation Pavilion. He was extremely bored and was holding a book, reading it with great interest.

He did not hide his tracks, and his cloth boots made slight tapping sounds as they stepped on the white jade tiles.

The disciple on duty heard the noise, looked up, and found that it was a cultivator in the late Foundation Establishment stage. He quickly put the books in his hand into the storage bag and stood up to greet him.

Chen Yuan explained his purpose. The disciple on duty did not dare to neglect him and led Chen Yuan to a quiet room on the second floor of the Law Enforcement Pavilion, where he met Ma Yuan, the deacon of the Formation Pavilion who was on duty today.

This Deacon Ma looked to be about fifty years old, with a cultivation level of the middle stage of foundation building. He was dressed in a Taoist robe, had a thin figure, three short wisps of beard under his chin, and held a whisk in his hand, with an elegant and refined temperament.

The two men greeted each other. Facing Chen Yuan, a cultivator in the late Foundation Establishment stage, Deacon Ma was extremely friendly and even a little respectful, and took the initiative to call Chen Yuan "senior brother".

However, Chen Yuan claimed to be a junior brother and was very respectful, on the grounds that he had only been a disciple for a short time.

Deacon Ma naturally refused to agree. After the two of them pushed and refused for a while, seeing that Chen Yuan was determined, he finally gave up.

The two of them sat down as host and guest. Deacon Ma personally served spiritual tea to Chen Yuan. With a gentle smile and a hint of doubt, he asked, "Brother Chen, what is the matter with you? As long as I can help, I will never refuse."

The Formation Pavilion has always been one of the quietest pavilions in Lingyun Sect. After the demon cultivators invaded Qi State, half of the formation masters in Lingyun Sect were transferred to the front line of the Demon-Slaying Desert. The Formation Pavilion became even more deserted, with only a few disciples coming to exchange formations. It was the first time in four years that a late Foundation Establishment cultivator like Chen Yuan had come to visit.

Chen Yuan took the teacup, took two sips, and said with a smile: "I want to exchange for a high-level spiritual formation. I wonder how many good deeds I need?"

"High-level spiritual formation?" Deacon Ma was startled, then laughed, "Brother Chen, you are joking. High-level spiritual formations are so precious. Our pavilion only has mid-level spiritual formations at most, which can be exchanged by the monks in the sect, and they need to be reserved half a year in advance."

Chen Yuan put down the teacup in his hand and frowned slightly: "I once heard from a friend that the immortal cultivation families affiliated with our sect can buy high-level spiritual formations from our sect as a protective formation. Why can't the disciples in our sect exchange them?"

Deacon Ma explained, "Brother Chen, you don't know that the spiritual materials needed for high-level spiritual formations are too precious and difficult to refine. Those immortal cultivation families that come to our sect to purchase high-level spiritual formations have direct descendants who join our sect and need to pay a large amount of cultivation resources. They must make a reservation one year in advance and get approval from the elders of the sect. Once something happens, they must serve as the sect's pioneers before they can be granted the formation."

"Moreover, according to the sect rules, disciples can only exchange for mid-level spirit formations at most. Even if the elders come forward, they cannot exchange for high-level spirit formations."

Chen Yuan frowned even more tightly, bowed his hands, and said sincerely: "Brother Ma, can you be flexible? I will definitely reward you handsomely and will never let you suffer any loss."

Deacon Ma sighed and said with a wry smile, "If it were any other matter, I would definitely not refuse, but due to the restrictions of the sect rules, I really can't help with this matter."

Chen Yuan nodded and said, "I was anxious and spoke rashly. I hope Brother Ma will forgive me."

Deacon Ma stroked his beard and smiled: "Haha, no problem, come, Junior Brother Chen, please, this tea was carefully cultivated by Ma, and the aroma is quite unique..."

He personally poured spiritual tea for Chen Yuan. Chen Yuan smiled, raised his cup to sip the tea, and talked about profound ideas with Deacon Ma, seemingly forgetting the matter of exchanging the formation completely.

Two hours later, the sun was setting in the west and it was getting dark. Chen Yuan just stood up and said goodbye.

Deacon Ma personally escorted him out of the Formation Pavilion, smiling broadly as he said, "Junior Brother Chen has profound cultivation skills and unique insights into the methods of cultivation. I have benefited a lot from this discussion. I admire you very much."

Chen Yuan smiled and said, "Senior Brother Ma has been immersed in water-based spiritual arts for decades, and I have also gained a lot."

Deacon Ma smiled and suddenly sighed: "I had a good friend in the past. I often sat and discussed Taoism with him, exchanged cultivation experiences, and told him about my travels. It was very comfortable."

"Unfortunately, things are unpredictable. My good friend's family was destroyed by the evil cultivators, and he himself died at the hands of the evil cultivators. I can no longer discuss Taoism with him."

Chen Yuan's heart moved. He had no friendship with Deacon Ma and he had already said goodbye and left, but Deacon Ma suddenly brought up this matter. There must be something fishy about it.

He showed a look of regret on his face: "Senior Brother Ma, please accept my condolences. When you have time in the future, I will visit you and discuss the mysteries of the Tao with you to ease your distress. But from what you said, your good friend actually came from a family of immortal cultivators?"

Deacon Ma immediately turned from sadness to joy, and said with a smile: "Then I'll trouble Junior Brother Chen. Junior Brother is right. My good friend is called Pei Jian. He was born in the Pei family of Weizhou. Three months ago, the whole family was killed by the evil cultivators. It's really sad and lamentable..."

Although he said it was pathetic and lamentable, his face did not show a trace of sadness. Chen Yuan knew that there must be something else going on, so he followed his meaning and pretended to be surprised, "The Weizhou Pei family has been passed down for hundreds of years, with a Jindan cultivator in charge, but it was destroyed by the hands of a demon cultivator?"

Deacon Ma sighed, "It was God's will. One year ago, the Pei clan leader followed our clan's order and went to the Demon Desert to fight against the demon cultivators. He held out for seven months, but was accidentally killed in battle three months ago. Not long after, the Pei clan was destroyed by the demon cultivators."

"More than a year ago, the Pei family spent most of their wealth to buy a high-level spiritual formation from our sect to strengthen the defense of the clan land, but they didn't wait until the formation was refined. Otherwise, even if the Pei clan leader died, they would not be easily destroyed by the demon cultivator."

"Now that this formation has been completed, it can only stay in this pavilion and not see the light of day..."

Deacon Ma had a look of regret on his face. When he got to this point, he finally reacted and said apologetically, "The Formation Pavilion is deserted and not many people come here usually. Junior Brother Chen and I are very close friends. I was talking too much and said some sad things. I disturbed Junior Brother Chen's mood. I hope Junior Brother doesn't mind."

Chen Yuan looked calm and said with a smile, "No, I have been traveling outside to complete the mission for the sect, so I don't know the situation in the world of immortal cultivation. Thank you for telling me."

Senior Brother Ma looked at Chen Yuan deeply, stroked his beard and smiled: "It's getting late, Junior Brother Chen, please go back. If you have time in the future, you are welcome to visit the Formation Pavilion. Ma will prepare a bed for you."

Chen Yuan smiled and said, "I'll take my leave now. I'll come back to discuss Taoism with Senior Brother Ma later."

He bowed, rode on a beam of light, and flew away.

Senior Brother Ma looked at Chen Yuan's receding back, stroked his beard lightly, and walked back to the Formation Pavilion with a smile.

...After Chen Yuan left the Formation Pavilion, he did not return to the cave residence on Yunyin Peak, but flew towards Suolong Peak.

Deacon Ma's last words were by no means groundless.

Since he mentioned that there was a high-level spiritual formation in the Formation Pavilion, he must have intended to sell it to Chen Yuan. However, he could not trade with Chen Yuan directly, so he hinted in this way.

Chen Yuan also understood what he meant, and the last sentence was to tell Deacon Ma that he would find a suitable way to complete the transaction with him.

Previously, he was able to exchange spiritual herbs from Lian Yan through Sun Congyao, and this matter was the same.

He had no friendship with Deacon Ma, so even if he gave him more spirit stones, Deacon Ma would not sell him the high-level spirit formation. He had to find a middleman whom Deacon Ma trusted before he would have a chance to buy the high-level spirit formation.

Chen Yuan didn't know who Deacon Ma was friends with, but Yi Jin had a wide network of contacts in the sect and was well-informed. Perhaps he could get something out of asking him.

He came to the Locking Dragon Peak, sent down a light of escape in front of Yi Jin's cave, and sent out a sound transmission note, but there was no response. He could only stand outside the cave and wait quietly.

Gradually, the sky became completely dark, and the full moon rose, casting a mercury-like glow, dyeing the earth white.

About an hour later, a beam of light descended, revealing Yi Jin's figure. Seeing Chen Yuan waiting outside the cave, he asked in surprise, "Junior Brother Chen, when did you return to the sect?"

Chen Yuan bowed and said with a smile: "Brother Yi, I returned to the sect two months ago, but I have been practicing in seclusion in the mansion. I just came out today and came to visit you."

After he returned to the mountain gate two months ago, he did not want to reveal his spiritual injury in front of others, so he stayed in the cave to recuperate and practice. Yi Jin did not know that he had already returned to the sect.

Yi Jin suddenly realized, took out his identity jade card, opened the restriction of the cave, invited Chen Yuan into the cave, seated the host and the guest, and served him spiritual tea.

After the two exchanged a few pleasantries, Chen Yuan got to the point: "Brother Yi, are you friends with Ma Yuan, the deacon of the Formation Pavilion?"

"Ma Yuan?" Yi Jin shook his head slightly. "I have never heard of this person's name. Why did Junior Brother Chen ask about this?"

Chen Yuan was a little disappointed. He didn't expect that Yi Jin, who had so many friends, had never even heard of Ma Yuan's name. It seemed that he could only go to Wang Ran to find out more.

He explained: "I want to exchange a formation from the Formation Pavilion, but this formation is a little special and it is not easy to exchange directly. It can only be traded privately. However, I don't have any friendship with Ma Yuan, so I need a broker to act as a go-between."

Yi Jin nodded, pondered for a moment, and said, "Not long after I established my foundation, I took the initiative to apply to the sect to become a steward disciple. I stayed in the sect and rarely interacted with the Formation Pavilion."

"Most of our sect's deacons and disciples are like this. There are also very few core disciples who exchange formations from the Formation Pavilion. If you want to find someone who is familiar with Ma Yuan, you might as well try the Weapon Refining Pavilion."

"Weapon Refining Pavilion?" Chen Yuan was startled. "Brother Yi, can you tell me more details?"

Yi Jin said in a deep voice: "The array plates and flags of each array formation of our sect are all made by weapon refiners, and then sent to the array formation pavilion by the weapon refinery deacon to be engraved with the forbidden pattern seal."

"If I remember correctly, there are only two deacons in the Formation Pavilion. The deacon of the Refining Pavilion must have had many dealings with Ma Yuan, and one of them might be someone close to him."

Chen Yuan felt that this made sense, and nodded continuously, then asked, "Brother Yi, do you know the steward of the Weapon Refining Pavilion?"

Yi Jin shook his head and said, "If it were any other hall, I would have one or two acquaintances, but in the Formation Pavilion, the Equipment Refining Pavilion, and the Alchemy Pavilion, I am powerless."

"The deacons in these three halls are extremely powerful. I am just a deacon in the Hall of Inquiry. I have not yet become a disciple of a Jindan elder, and I lack merits. How can I interact with them?"

Chen Yuan apologized: "I just said something wrong..."

"No problem." Before he finished speaking, Yi Jin laughed, "Why can't I tell others about this? Being a deacon in the Heart-Searching Palace also has its advantages. You don't have to go to the Demon-Slaying Desert to participate in the war. The deacons of these three palaces are usually very proud, but many of them died at the hands of the demon cultivators. It can be regarded as the cycle of cause and effect."

Chen Yuan smiled and didn't say much.

Although the deacon disciples do not have to go into battle, they are not absolutely safe.

Wang Ran and Mo Jingchun mentioned that demonic cultivators often sneaked into the vicinity of the oasis and killed disciples from the six sects, many of whom were deacon disciples.

He chatted with Yi Jin for a while, then stood up to say goodbye and returned to the cave in Yunyin Peak.

Early the next morning, Chen Yuan took out a sound transmission talisman, put it to his lips and said two sentences, then paused, added another sentence, and then raised his hand to throw it out.

After an hour, another sound transmission note flew into the cave. After checking it, Chen Yuan smiled, stood up and walked out of the cave, riding on the light of escape and flying to the south.

A quarter of an hour later, he came to a mountain that looked like a lion, and descended his light in front of a quiet valley.

The valley was filled with thick white fog, which completely concealed the situation inside. After Chen Yuan's escape light fell, it slowly dispersed to both sides, revealing a passage.

At the end of the passage was a cave. The stone door slowly opened and a monk in a black robe walked out. It was Huang Sipei, who had dealt with Chen Yuan before.

He came to the entrance of the valley and invited Chen Yuan into the cave.

The two of them sat down as host and guest. Huang Sipei served them spiritual tea and said straight to the point, "Brother Chen, why did you come to Huang's house?"

His expression remained normal as he spoke, but there was a hint of doubt in his eyes as he looked at Chen Yuan.

While Huang Sipei was meditating, he received a sound transmission note from Chen Yuan, saying that he would come to visit him today and was very polite, but he did not reveal his intention.

Although the grudge between the Huang family and Chen Yuan has been resolved, Huang Linye was still extremely unhappy about Chen Yuan killing Huang Yunshang and Huang Yundao. Otherwise, he would not have used low-grade spirit stones to exchange for the foundation-building pill in Chen Yuan's hand. It was only because of Jin Luoheng's face that he did not pursue the matter further.

Huang Sipei never had any contact with Chen Yuan because of this. When Chen Yuan suddenly came to his house today, he was naturally confused.

Chen Yuan smiled and said, "I want to meet Senior Brother Huang Anhe, but I don't have the means to do so. I hope Senior Brother Huang can help me get in touch with him."

(End of this chapter)