148 Fire Gathering

Dazzling red lights flickered out as Cha Ming failed to properly connect the fire sigils. While the Dao sigils weren't suitable for establishing a permanent formation, they were ideal for practice. The only alternative would be to waste countless precious resources as he scrambled to improve his technique a little at a time.

Despite his recent failure, Cha Ming sent out tendrils from the thirty-six sigils once more. This time, the 200 lines connected without any issues. The formation hummed to life and hovered above his hands in the shape of a two-dimensional disc. The energy in his surroundings gravitated toward the formation, which converted and purified it.

As an experiment, he threw a mid-grade spirit stone into the prototype. It was slowly converted to the purest fire energy, which he directed toward his Dantian and incorporated into one of his qi pillars. The instant he did so, however, he felt a rumbling sound that threatened to tear his foundation apart.

This development wasn't unexpected. He converted the dense fire energy to the other four elements until they reached a fragile equilibrium. While converting the energy caused substantial losses, it was far better than the alternative. Unfortunately, this also meant that using raw ore to cultivate was just as effective as using a single energy-gathering formation for Cha Ming.

Cha Ming willed the small formation to break apart, retrieving his qi and thirty-six gray sigils in the process. The Dao sigils reminded him that perhaps it would be possible to make a multi-element formation that could accommodate his unique cultivation needs.

He dusted himself off before walking to Wang Jun's office. The young master was busy poring over documents while discussing something with Elder Bai. "I miscalculated the market's appetite for weapons," Wang Jun said. "You can start reselling them as soon as it's convenient."

Elder Bai bowed and retreated from the room, nodding to Cha Ming on his way out.

"How is it going?" Wang Jun asked. "Can you succeed in forming a Mid-Grade Flame-Gathering Formation?"

"I can form a preliminary version using sigils," Cha Ming said. "Given the formation's grade, I give myself fifty-fifty odds of success."

"Fifty-fifty odds are pretty good," Wang Jun said, his expression brightening. "And it only took you a week and a half to learn it."

"Thanks for the sarcasm," Cha Ming snapped, rolling his eyes.

Wang Jun frowned. "I know you spent some time cultivating, but your personal strength is very important. It didn't mean what I said sarcastically. Is everything all right, Cha Ming? You seem more irritable than usual."

"Sorry," Cha Ming said. The guilty feeling that should have come didn't make even a slight appearance. "Regardless, by the time I've made ten, my odds should increase to nine tenths, if not ten tenths. I suggest we make some permanent formations in this building so I can practice making them using focus crystals. I've used flags and sigils before, but both materials are inappropriate for permanent installations."

Wang Jun nodded. He rang a bell, and one of the managers ran in and greeted Cha Ming. To his surprise, it was Hong Ling. The silence between them was palpable as they walked.

"How are your parents?" Cha Ming asked.

"I'm… not sure," Hong Ling answered as they walked. "I haven't seen them in years. Not since Xin Er ran away."

They passed by dozens of sealed cultivation rooms until they arrived at one of the larger premium cultivation rooms. It was a ten-by-ten-foot room built with an insulating material that could withstand the self-detonation of a peak foundation-establishment cultivator.

"Why are you still here, then?" Cha Ming asked Hong Ling.

"I'm still here because I've seen a side of the young master that they haven't," Hong Ling said. "I saw him lose weight when Xin Er disappeared. I saw him waste his precious time to look high and low for her. I've counted every penny he's spent to find information on her—a king wouldn't spend as much to find their only child. How can I hold a grudge against the man after all that?" He shook his head and left Cha Ming alone inside the cultivation room.

Is he really doing it for Xin Er, or is he doing it to recruit loyal subordinates? a voice whispered in Cha Ming's mind. Cha Ming rapidly pushed this preposterous thought out of his mind. What's wrong with me lately? Why am I putting such a negative spin on everything?

He sat down in meditation to calm himself before proceeding. Then he took out a ruby-colored crystal, which he painted with an exquisite formation using flame essence. It flashed and glowed with a warm light upon completion. Satisfied, he moved onto the next one. He continued until twenty-four crystal focuses were completed. Two of the focuses he attempted shattered due to slight mistakes in his brushwork.

Next, he took out twelve clear focuses. He used pure liquified elemental essence this time. He painted them with gathering and conversion formations—utility formations that were useless on their own. His success rate for these was abysmal. He broke half of them in the process, as he didn't have a suitable technique for using a sterilized ink like liquified elemental essence.

After recuperating his mental energy and fire qi, he proceeded to the next step. He summoned the Clear Sky Brush in its large form and threw out the thirty-six crystals simultaneously, and they floated in place with the aid of his resplendent force. He painted thick red lines on the floor between the crystals.

He didn't paint as quickly as he would mid-combat. Instead he took his time and paid great attention to detail. The types of lines used in utility formations varied greatly in both thickness and curvature. Thanks to his prior practice, he finished each one with ease, the lines snapping together once the last one was drawn, and the formation rapidly began absorbing the ambient energy and converting it to concentrated flame energy. Even if no one cultivated here, the formation would constantly create flame-energy crystals that a fire cultivator could use to cultivate for twice the result with half the effort.

Satisfied with his work, Cha Ming approached each formation eye one after another. He laid down a least-grade protective formation to prevent tampering and disruption by the formation's users. They weren't strong enough to prevent malicious actions but would still protect cultivators from their own stupidity. He nodded in satisfaction after inspecting his work one final time and headed upstairs. Only an hour had passed.

"You succeeded?" Wang Jun asked in surprise.

"I got lucky," Cha Ming said. "Though I'm apparently terrible at programming unaligned focus crystals. You'll need to order more."

"A small thing," Wang Jun said. "Ling Shao!" he called out.

A lanky cultivator in green robes walked in. He was one of the foundation-establishment guards at the Jade Bamboo Auction House. Wang Jun tossed him one hundred mid-grade spirit stones. "Go to practice room seven and test out the new energy-gathering formation. It should be quite effective. Make sure to note down the amount of time it takes you to fully process these stones. Use a standardized time-measuring incense."

Cha Ming sat down in meditation as Wang Jun worked. However, he couldn't focus on cultivation. He couldn't help but mull over negative thoughts in his mind.

Why couldn't he take the time to inspect the work himself? Is his time so precious? Besides, what's a man like Wang Jun doing in a small city like Songjing? What's his real purpose? And what's this favor I owe him?

His train of thought was interrupted by the man's return. "The hundred stones took one and a quarter hour to process," he reported.

"Excellent," Wang Jun said, dismissing the man. "That means the formation is operating at eighty-percent efficiency."

"Sorry," Cha Ming said.

"No, that's quite good," Wang Jun said. "A run-of-the-mill flame-gathering formation operates between sixty to seventy-percent efficiency, which means I can rent out the formation for a higher rate. It also increases my bargaining position with the noble families. I think I can rent out the formation you made for ten mid-grade spirit stones per hour due to the time savings. I expect I can rent it out at least twenty hours per day, so we're bound to make a tidy profit."

"Should I make another one?" Cha Ming asked.

Wang Jun pondered for a moment and nodded. "The market can take four more without a reduction in price. I want to keep the prices high to exaggerate the benefit of having a clan formation. Once you're done, we'll head straight to the Huang family."

"I'm starting to feel like a servant," Cha Ming said bitterly.

"Are you sure everything is all right?" Wang Jun asked with concern. "Maybe you should have a rest and relax a little."

"I'm fine," Cha Ming said as he shut the door just a little bit too hard.

***

The Huang family's residence was much larger than the Jade Bamboo Auction House. The architectural style reminded Cha Ming of Earth's Tang Dynasty. Its brick and stone buildings sported curved rooftops while golden decorations and paintings of landscapes adorned the walls. He recognized one of landscapes as the Silverwing Mountain Range.

A servant ushered both Cha Ming and Wang Jun through a quiet garden. They soon arrived at a small pavilion surrounded by a shallow lake. Red fish swam within it, giving life to the dark colors reflected off its surface.

"Have these young friends come see me?" an aged voice said from the pavilion.

Cha Ming followed Wang Jun across a thin bridge. They were greeted by two old men seated before an Angels and Devils board. One of the older men shook his head. "I concede, old friend. After all these years, I still can't match you."

"It's only two and a half points," the other man pointed out. "Why don't you try again next week?" The loser of the match bowed to the other and left without greeting Wang Jun and Cha Ming.

That's one of the ministers allied to the crown prince, Wang Jun explained mentally. He's been trying to rally the old man to his faction for weeks with little to no success.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, Second Young Master Jun?" the old man asked. With a swish of his sleeve, he sorted out the black and white stones to their appropriate containers beside the kaya-wood board.

"I've naturally come to continue our conversation," Wang Jun said pleasantly. "Would you care for another game?"

"I don't dare," the old man said, shaking his head. "I know my limits, and I don't like embarrassing myself."

"How about I play?" Cha Ming interjected. The man looked him up and down before glancing at Wang Jun.

"This is my friend Du Cha Ming," Wang Jun explained. "No relation to the Du Clan. Cha Ming, this is Huang Taishan, the grand elder of the Huang aristocratic clan. All decisions must pass through him."

"You're exaggerating things a bit," Huang Taishan said, motioning toward the mat in front of him. "I only advise, and my advice is highly respected. Young man, would you like a teaching game or a competitive match?"

"A teaching game, please," Cha Ming said. "The board position from your previous game was extremely complex. My skill is obviously lacking."

"Honesty is a good trait," the man said, nodding. Cha Ming played his first stone, and the man casually responded to his opening. "Second Young Master Wang, it's not that I want to rebuff your every advance, but I am truly helpless. I may seem like I have all the power, but I need sufficient benefits to convince the council of elders to take any action."

As they spoke, Cha Ming frowned, realizing that he'd already fallen into a disadvantageous position. The man was playing with the intent of forcing out everything he had. If he played too aggressively, he would be slaughtered, and if he was too passive, he would constantly lose ground. He chose to play an intermediate position, regaining a little of what he had lost.

"I have come today to offer you these benefits," Wang Jun said. "You are already aware that joining our faction will give you a steep discount when purchasing weapons. I know that you've been unable to adequately arm your promising juniors."

"But if we remain neutral, we can preserve much of what we have," Huang Taishan said, playing another aggressive move against Cha Ming.

Cha Ming sensed an opportunity and pounced on it. He was rewarded for his efforts by Huang Taishan's retreat. It was all for show, of course. This was an opening intentionally left by the older, more experienced man. It was a dance, and there would be no winner or loser in this game.

"Have you considered our proposition on guaranteed slots for spiritual blacksmith and spirit-doctor apprenticeships?" Wang Jun asked.

"The Zhou family has offered an equivalent guarantee on slots for alchemist apprenticeships and foreign spiritual-blacksmith apprenticeships," the man countered.

"You and I both know that you don't want those juniors leaving the city," Wang Jun said.

"And you and I both know that I have alternatives," Huang Taishan said.

Sparks flew as the young master and the grand elder faced off. The old man was a tough nut to crack, as Cha Ming could tell by the man's robust teaching game.

"I've come to sweeten up the deal," Wang Jun said.

"Do tell," the old man said casually. The intense conversation hadn't affected his game in the slightest.

"My friend here is a mid-grade formation master," Wang Jun said. "Just recently, he set up a few Mid-Grade Flame-Gathering Formations at eighty-percent efficiency."

"Then I'll be glad to have my family's juniors pay your auction house a visit," the man said. "You wouldn't let the allegiance of a neutral party stand in the way of making money, would you?"

"Naturally," Wang Jun said. "But I'm offering to have him build you one in your estate. This is all in addition to the previous promises."

The man's bony fingers paused as he was placing a stone. It was clear that he was performing some intense mental arithmetic.

"I doubt that you would allow us to be competitors," the shrewd man said, finally playing the stone.

"There would naturally be usage restrictions," Wang Jun said. "Only your family and sworn retainers could use it, not just anyone you hire off the streets."

"I must admit that your offer is very tempting," Huang Taishan said. "But I could also pay the Obsidian Syndicate 200 high-grade spirit stones and set myself up as a competitor."

"You can't," Wang Jun said, shaking his head. "Guo Jia is dead, so they are down a formation master. Cha Ming killed him in a formation battle."

Cha Ming could now feel the man's resplendent force lightly probing his cultivation base. He condensed his own resplendent force and easily repelled the older man's aura, causing the latter's eyes to narrow.

"Besides," said Wang Jun, "if you had this sort of cash available, you would have done so already. You know far better than me that raising a family's juniors isn't cheap. Only the Obsidian Syndicate would bother coming to this backwater country to set up a few formations. Now that they no longer have this ability, good luck securing an alternate supplier."

The man thought for a bit before placing an inconspicuous white stone. Cha Ming blinked a few times before realizing that this stone had completely crushed him.

"Thank you very much for the teaching game," Cha Ming said, bowing his head slightly.

"You need to remember that there are two parts to the game of Angels and Devils," Huang Taishan said. "There is a momentum you must follow to win, but your opponent will resist this momentum. You like to switch between attack and defense, but you must remember that Angels and Devils is more than just that. You need to combine momentum and resistance and develop your own flow in each game."

Something about these wise words resonated with Cha Ming's soul. As he was deep in thought, Huang Taishan turned to Wang Jun. "Three of them, and you've got yourself a deal. Bring me a contract when you have time."

"What about the council of elders?" Wang Jun asked.

"You and I both know I was lying through my teeth," Huang Taishan said.

Wang Jun smiled. "And I've taken the liberty of preparing a contract for you in advance," Wang Jun said, handing the man a golden scroll.

The older man read the document, which contained exactly what they had agreed to. He signed it with a drop of his blood infused with his resplendent force. Wang Jun did the same.

"Out of curiosity, how many of those documents did you prepare?" Huang Taishan asked.

"Just three," Wang Jun said. "You're harder to read than most people."

***

The duo left the Huang residence a half day later. Cha Ming had failed in creating the formation twice but succeeded the next three times. As soon as the first formation was active, one of the clan's juniors entered it with mid-grade spirit stones and began cultivating. He looked to be around eighteen years old, but he already had a cultivation base at initial foundation establishment.

"How many of the families do you expect to accept?" Cha Ming asked Wang Jun as they walked to their next destination.

"Only two or three, including the one we just visited," Wang Jun replied. "The ones that reject our offer, however, will have substantially elevated expectations. They will think twice before accepting an offer from the Zhou Clan and the crown prince."

"Then is it even worth the effort?" Cha Ming asked bitterly.

"Seriously, what's gotten into you?" Wang Jun said, stopping. "And Huxian as well. He's been causing much more trouble than he did on the way to Songjing."

"Maybe he just feels constricted in this city," Cha Ming said. "Have you thought about asking him what he wants?"

He continued to their destination while Wang Jun followed, brooding.