Chapter 30: Master and Disciple

"Senior brother, what new and strange contraption have you made now? Is this also a rapid formation deployment device?"

Blue Ling'e swore to Grandmaster Taiqing that she had only asked this one question before her senior brother called her over, locked her in a wooden cage, and turned her into a guinea pig to test this "technological achievement."

The wooden cage was taller than a person, constructed primarily from thirty-six bound thunder-struck logs, with an inner layer of fine, colorful "iron" mesh.

Since the thunder-struck logs were spliced and bound together, the cage looked a bit makeshift.

Above the cage was a long, seven-colored needle, while below it was a hexagonal star ring made of fused Thunder-Infused Seven-Spirit Iron. However, this was not a formation; there were no restrictions inscribed on it; it was simply shaped like a hexagram.

When Qi Refiners faced their Heavenly Tribulation to ascend to immortality, they could not rely on formations. The lightning of the Heavenly Tribulation ignored all formation barriers.

Acquired spirit treasures, refined later, possessed many wondrous uses, primarily due to the restrictions inscribed on their interior and exterior.

Based on Li Changshou's years of research, he confirmed that the principles of restrictions and formations were actually the same. Both utilized fixed "symbols" and "patterns" to draw in spiritual energy; the only differences lay in their complexity and scale.

Restrictions, condensed onto a spirit treasure, allowed the treasure to function as a standalone formation base. They typically required a Qi Refiner to infuse immortal power to activate them, unleashing powerful effects.

Formations, on the other hand, used formation bases as nodes, with spiritual energy flowing between them, primarily harnessing the power of heaven and earth.

Although their principles were similar, their development paths diverged completely.

A sophisticated acquired spirit treasure could often integrate a complete set of restrictions within an area the size of a fingernail.

The power of a formation, however, was often directly proportional to its deployed area, aiming to merge with heaven and earth to borrow their might.

Therefore, while Li Changshou was skilled in formations, he was not proficient in artifact refining.

This was unavoidable. He had only been cultivating for 110 to 120 years, and after reaching a stage where he didn't need to sleep, he rarely did. Cultivation and delving into miscellaneous skills like alchemy, poison-making, and formations all demanded vast amounts of time.

He wished he could split a twelve-hour day into twenty-four, but ultimately, his cultivation years were still relatively short. He had to make choices regarding his "side professions"; it was impossible to master everything.

Now, back to the matter of resisting Heavenly Tribulation.

The Heavenly Tribulation ignored formations and most defensive spirit treasures. Only a few rare artifacts could reduce its power. (Innate spirit treasures and ultimate treasures were not part of this discussion; they were far too uncommon.)

However, Li Changshou possessed an advantage others lacked: nine years of compulsory education.

The wooden cage he was constructing was essentially a "Faraday cage," which he'd learned about in high school physics. It was used for lightning protection and often featured in entertaining electric shock demonstrations.

Li Changshou had nearly forgotten the principles behind it, but he was quite sure of the structure.

Li Changshou instructed Ling'e, "Don't touch the surrounding mesh."

Ling'e in the wooden cage shivered. She stood on a wooden plank, looking pitifully at her senior brother. "Senior brother, what exactly are you planning to do?"

"Just don't move," Li Changshou calmly replied, pulling out several talismans from his sleeve and casually tossing them ten zhang above the cage. With his left hand, he pointed at the talismans from a distance.

With a few cracks, lightning struck from a clear sky.

Several bolts of lightning directly struck the thunder-struck logs above the cage. The "iron mesh" surrounding the cage instantly lit up with tiny electrical arcs, while the Thunder-Infused Seven-Spirit Iron below immediately dispersed the lightning, integrating it into the earth...

Blue Ling'e, who had been curled up with her head in her arms, slowly lifted her head. She looked left and right with amazement, letting out a series of exclamations.

"What kind of treasure is this? It can actually withstand lightning!"

Li Changshou calmly said, "This is a Senior Wizard's Birdcage... Stay a bit longer, I'm going to increase the intensity for another test."

"Senior brother! Let's just... Ouch!"

Before Ling'e could finish speaking, Li Changshou had already pulled a stack of yellow paper talismans from his sleeve. With a surge of spiritual power, he tossed them above the wooden cage.

These talismans triggered streaks of falling lightning, accompanied by widespread thunderclaps, as they slammed down onto the cage below!

Instantly, electrical light surged, birds on Little Qiong Peak soared in flocks, and various spirit beasts became restless...

Practice proved that the Senior Wizard's Birdcage was effective. The only question was whether it would completely disintegrate when facing a real Heavenly Tribulation.

As long as it could help Master withstand the first bolt of Heavenly Lightning, the rest would be manageable.

"Come out now, you've worked hard."

Li Changshou called out and then began contemplating methods to reinforce the wooden cage.

Ling'e couldn't help but complain, "Senior brother, wouldn't it be the same if you put a fish in there instead?"

"I wanted you to feel a sense of participation," Li Changshou chuckled. "We're both contributing to Master's tribulation passage."

Ling'e immediately pursed her lips, raised a hand to smooth the hair by her ear, and whispered, "Senior brother, are we going to try again? My cultivation is low, but I can still do this kind of thing."

"You can't be inside for the next stage. As you suggested, go find a wooden bucket and catch a fish."

Li Changshou pulled out long ropes emitting colorful halos and continued to busy himself. "The lightning power I'm going to test next would be too much for you to bear directly."

Ling'e agreed, turned, and hurried towards the lake. She avoided Master, who was meditating within a sound-proof barrier, and then stepped onto the lake's surface, walking on the waves.

A moment later, lightning flashed on Little Qiong Peak once more...

This commotion continued for three full days. Outsiders assumed someone was practicing lightning techniques there and paid it no further attention.

It wasn't until Elder Qiyuan awoke from his meditation and turned around with a satisfied expression that black lines immediately appeared on his wrinkled forehead.

The lakeside clearing, once lush with green grass and beautiful scenery, had now become a large black pit. His two disciples were squatting at the bottom of the pit, tinkering with an oversized birdcage...

Qiyuan sighed helplessly and reprimanded them, "You two aren't cultivating properly. What on earth are you messing around with down there?"

"Master! You're awake!"

Blue Ling'e excitedly exclaimed, "Senior brother made a treasure to help you withstand the Heavenly Tribulation! It's been struck by lightning dozens, even hundreds of times, and the fish inside is still alive!"

Li Changshou also said, "Master, please wait a moment. This item will be finished very soon."

"Oh?" Qiyuan's expression changed, and he immediately prepared to descend and see what new treasure his eldest disciple had concocted.

But as the old Daoist moved his foot, his expression suddenly shifted. He stared motionless at the eastern sky.

Blue Ling'e looked up and asked, "Master, what's wrong?"

"Alas," Qiyuan stood with his hands behind his back and softly said, "The Heavenly Tribulation has arrived."

Just those four words made the smiles vanish instantly from Li Changshou and Blue Ling'e's faces.

The two quickly jumped out of the pit and looked in the direction their master was staring, only to see a mass of grey-black clouds appearing in the eastern sky, rapidly flying towards the Immortal Du Sect.

"Ling'e, quickly!"

Li Changshou immediately ordered, "Take this cage to the tribulation passage site Master chose in the back mountain! Make sure to bury the six pieces of Seven-Spirit Iron at the bottom in the earth!"

"Yes!"

Blue Ling'e hoisted the "Senior Wizard's Birdcage" directly with her slender arms and hastily rode on a cloud towards the back mountain, completely disregarding her image as a fairy.

At this moment, Li Changshou was even more anxious than his master. He immediately pulled a brocade box from his sleeve and rushed over to Qiyuan.

"Master, this is a precious medicine that your disciple painstakingly refined.

It... it can help Master pass one stage of the Heavenly Tribulation. After the first tribulation passes, if Master feels unable to withstand the next, use it immediately."

Elder Qiyuan looked at Li Changshou with a faint smile, his eyes gently flickering. He softly said, "Keep this precious medicine for yourself, to use when you face your own tribulation in the future. No need to waste it on me."

"Master!"

Li Changshou knelt directly in front of Elder Qiyuan, pushing the brocade box into his hand, and urgently said, "Master has raised me, taught me for a hundred years, and led me to the Dao, never imposing any harsh demands on me.

This is the only thing your disciple can do for you. If Master doesn't accept this precious medicine, I'll destroy it right now!"

Qiyuan, however, gave a wry smile. "Why go to such lengths? Don't I know my own situation?"

"Oh, right, your disciple has eleven more!"

Li Changshou immediately changed his approach. "Your disciple can swear on the Great Dao that there are absolutely eleven more identical pills, and each Qi Refiner can only use one of these precious medicines!"

Elder Qiyuan immediately hesitated. "Really?"

"Absolutely true!"

"Alright then," Qiyuan took the brocade box in his hand. "Let's go to the back mountain. Don't let the Heavenly Tribulation destroy our dwelling."

The grey clouds flying from the east had now reached the Immortal Du Sect.

Li Changshou quickly summoned a white cloud, pulling his master as they rushed towards the back mountain.

"Master, save your spiritual power.

Oh, Master, do you have enough pills on you?

During the tribulation, various types of pills can be used. Are your healing pills and vitality-restoring pills all prepared?

How could this Heavenly Tribulation arrive so suddenly!"

"They're prepared, all prepared," Elder Qiyuan looked at Li Changshou before him with a smile, and in his heart, the image of the shy and somewhat bewildered boy he had brought to the mountain years ago resurfaced...

In a flash, so many years had passed.

Though the child back then had taken a somewhat unconventional path later on, he had ultimately grown into a capable individual.

He had used all of Little Qiong Peak's last reserves on him, truly just hoping he could successfully become an immortal...

"Changshou.

If your master doesn't survive this Heavenly Tribulation, Little Qiong Peak will be left to your care.

If the sect wants to reclaim our Little Qiong Peak, do not resist. Just follow the sect's arrangements. I've already implored a few familiar fellow disciples; they will take you and Ling'e to cultivate on other peaks."

"Master, you will definitely pass the Heavenly Tribulation!"

Li Changshou said firmly, "Be confident! You absolutely must not become dispirited now. This is an ordeal given by the Heavenly Dao; once you pass it, the world will be vast and boundless.

If a living being doesn't strive for that glimmer of hope, why even exist in this world!

Every desperate situation has a glimmer of hope; you can only survive by fighting through it!"

Elder Qiyuan sighed softly and gave a wry smile. "My good disciple, don't you know these principles? Why are you usually so overly cautious?"

Li Changshou said in a deep voice:

"Your disciple has never forgotten the principles Master taught.

My caution is merely to avoid falling into desperate situations."

In a blink, they arrived at the back mountain of Little Qiong Peak. Ling'e was continuously waving in a clearing among the trees. Li Changshou pulled his master down and, without a word, pushed him into the newly completed wooden cage.

Then, he quickly lowered his head to check how the birdcage was placed, took out a pile of porcelain bottles, threw them into his master's hands, finally closed the wooden cage, and rapidly pulled Ling'e backward, flying away.

The grey cloud had already appeared above the Immortal Du Sect, casting the sect into shadow.

Li Changshou shouted loudly, "Master, resist with all your might!

That precious medicine must be used after the first stage of Heavenly Tribulation!"

Qiyuan nodded with a solemn expression, looked up at the tribulation cloud, and surges of spiritual power emanated around him. His sleeves and the hem of his Daoist robe fluttered without wind.

Ling'e loudly cheered, "Master, you can do it!"

"Your master will also fight for himself this time!"

Elder Qiyuan looked up at the sky, his eyes gleaming.

"A gamble, on destiny!"

Suddenly, a dragon's roar descended from the clouds. A thousand-zhang azure dragon, covered in shimmering crimson fire scales, burst forth from the grey cloud and fiercely slammed its claw onto the mountain-protecting formation.

The mountain-protecting formation pulsed with light, the surrounding peaks gently trembled, and the ground rumbled in various places!

At the same time, a rough, deep voice descended from the sky!

"Whoever is in charge of the Immortal Du Sect, come out and answer!"

Wait!

Azure dragon? Shouting?

And this grey cloud was outside the mountain-protecting formation, lacking the characteristic of ignoring all formations...

Though there was pressure, a closer inspection revealed it wasn't divine might...

"Huh? Isn't that Master's tribulation cloud..."

Blue Ling'e tilted her head. Li Changshou couldn't help but palm his forehead; Elder Qiyuan, standing in the Senior Wizard's Birdcage, felt a twitch at the corner of his mouth.

The old Daoist silently turned around and slowly squatted down.

By Taiqing above, this was truly humiliating!