I didn't know where the temporary residence of the Wangwu Grotto-Heaven was, and I didn't want to bother to ask Wang Can. After pondering for a while, I decided to find a servant of the Wang family and ask him.
Because of the change in the formation, Wang Can had issued some kind of order. After the Allheaven Competition, the servants of the Wangwu Grotto-Heaven had changed their faces.
Although they were still respectful to the guests, they seemed to be in a hurry, which made them feel a sense of urgency. They were like a high-speed machine, and each of them had to do their job diligently. If they could do less, they wouldn't do more. They were afraid that their mistakes would affect the operation of the machine, which could bring a destructive disaster to themselves or their families.
When I finally found a servant of the Wang family and was about to ask him, my body suddenly trembled. I took it out and saw that it was the Sound Transmitting Talisman that Wang Can had given me.
Ever since I had entered the Wangwu Grotto-Heaven, no matter what I did, Wang Can could always sense it through the protective formation. Even if he couldn't come in person, Ah Fu or someone else would come to deliver his message, which made the talisman useless.
However, the destruction of the formation had disrupted his arrangements. Let alone coming in person, even if he wanted to send someone to deliver the message, he wouldn't be able to find someone who was free.
After I took out the talisman, the lines on it glowed. Eventually, a small white bead condensed at the center of the talisman.
With my previous experience, I used a wisp of True Essence and flicked my finger at the bead. The white bead turned into a white mist with words on it.
I looked at it. Sure enough, it was a message from Wang Can.
The message was short, but I could see Wang Can's urgency.
First, he apologized to me, saying that he had been busy with the formation and had forgotten to accompany me to the Han family.
He also said that he had arrived at the Dao Palace, but I had already left. He asked me where I was.
I thought that he wouldn't care about the Han family's matter anymore. I didn't expect that he wouldn't forget about it, and he even came to find me.
I condensed my true essence and prepared to write on the white mist. I wanted to tell him not to worry about me and to just take care of his own business. However, before I wrote, I remembered something and changed my mind.
What happened to the Wang family's formation was not only related to the Wang family's plan, but also to my safety. I had to call Officer Wang here to ask about the situation.
In addition, I just thought about asking the fatty to help me repair the formation. I'd better inform Officer Wang about this first.
I wrote down the location and followed Officer Wang's instructions to condense the white mist into a ball. Then, I flicked my finger and sent the message.
Soon, I received Officer Wang's reply. He asked me to stay here and wait for him. He would come soon.
Since I wasn't sure how long it would take for Wang Can to get here, I stopped for a while. Since I had nothing to do, I picked up the talisman and studied it.
This thing was very mysterious. Its function was similar to a text message on a mobile phone. It could quickly send text messages. It was not particularly appropriate to call it a voice transmission talisman. It was more appropriate to call it a communication talisman.
Although technology was advanced in modern society, things like mobile phones relied on satellite signals. If you went to a remote place, your mobile phone would lose its function.
Although the function of this voice transmission talisman was simple and couldn't be compared to a mobile phone, it was reliable. No matter where you went, as long as you had Taoist Qi, you could use it.
I had been traveling all year round, and most of the places I went to were remote places. Although I had a mobile phone with me, no matter if it was the people in my shop or my friends or relatives, they couldn't contact me if something happened.
If everyone around me had a voice transmission talisman, it would be much more convenient.
Officer Wang had told me that the voice transmission talisman was also a precious item. I didn't want to trouble him too much, so I wondered if I could figure out the principle behind it and make a few of them myself.
While studying the talisman, I waited for Officer Wang. Before I could finish studying it, Officer Wang came from afar.
I put the talisman away and looked at him.
Officer Wang looked hurried and panted. He walked toward me and cupped his hands to apologize to me. "I was so busy that I forgot about our agreement. Please don't blame me."
Looking at Officer Wang's appearance, I felt a little sorry for him.
"I've always felt that I've had a hard time on the road of cultivation, but from the beginning to the end, I've only worried about a few people. Wang Can is different. He needs to take care of the entire Wangwu Cave.
Officer Wang might have experienced less life and death than me, but he was much more tired than me.
Comparing the two, I was the one who was more relaxed.
After Officer Wang calmed down a little, I waved my hand and said, "It's okay. How's the restoration of the formation going?"
As I asked, I lifted my foot and continued to walk forward.
Officer Wang followed me, and his face looked a little unsightly.
In front of me, he didn't need to hide anything. He answered, "The situation isn't good. The formation is more complicated than I thought.
This formation was set up by my family's ancestor. I thought that there would be a record of it, but after flipping through the Scripture Pavilion, all I found was an incomplete record. Even if I gathered all the people in the Wang Family who were skilled in formations and asked them to do their best to restore that record without eating or drinking, it would still take them at least two months to do so.
Moreover, I don't know how many parts of the record will be useful to the restoration of the formation.
As for when the formation will be repaired, we can only leave it to God … "
Officer Wang's voice was getting lower and lower, which made my heart sink.
I understood that it wasn't easy to repair the protective formation, which had been handed down from ancient times. But I didn't expect that it would be so difficult. I couldn't even figure out how to repair it.
Previously, I was worried that Officer Wang wouldn't agree if I asked the fatty to help repair the formation. After all, the protective formation was related to the safety of the Wang family. If the fatty, an outsider, participated in it, Officer Wang would have scruples.
However, as things had come to this, I couldn't care less.
Although the Wang family was a family of cultivators that had been passed down from generation to generation, the Dao of formations wasn't very important. I guessed that few of the servants in the Wang family had learned about formations systematically.
However, the fatty was different. He had been cultivating in the Zhanyan Faction for a long time, and he had a profound attainment in formations. Even if he didn't understand the Wang family's protective formation, he could still help.
At the very least, the fatty could help us repair the incomplete record.
When I told him about it, Officer Wang didn't refuse. Instead, he looked excited and nodded. "I've heard of the Zhanyan Faction in the secular world.
Brother Lin is an outstanding disciple of the Zhanyan Faction. Judging from his performance in the arena today, his attainment in formations is really good. With his help, we can definitely break the current deadlock.
However, my relationship with Brother Lin … "
At this point, Officer Wang stopped and looked a little embarrassed.
He and the fatty didn't get along well, so even if he didn't say it, I could guess what he was going to say.
He was just worried that the fatty wouldn't want to help.
I smiled and comforted him, "Don't worry. Fatty, don't be fooled by his usual fiendish appearance. In reality, he has a sharp tongue but a soft heart.
Since you don't have any doubts about this matter, just leave the rest to me. "
Officer Wang knew the relationship between me and the fatty. With my guarantee, the fatty wouldn't refuse.
The worry on his face disappeared. After letting out a long sigh, he bowed respectfully towards me. "Saint, please tell Brother Lin that if Brother Lin is willing to lend a hand in this calamity of the Wang family, he will be the benefactor of our Wang family from today onwards.
If you need my help in the future, Officer Wang won't refuse. "
I waved my hand and smiled. "We're on the same side. You don't need to be so polite."
I didn't have many friends around me. Except for Dai Nanzhou, whom I'd met in the past two years, the fatty was the only other friend of the same age.
Although Officer Wang called me a Holy Sage, I regarded him as a friend in my heart.
Moreover, he had helped me a lot. If something happened to him, it was my duty to help him.
The Han family's residence wasn't close to the Taoist Palace, but Officer Wang was familiar with the way. He took me to the left and right paths, and after half an hour, we arrived at the place.
When Officer Wang told me that the temporary residence of the Western Mountain Paradise was in front of us, I looked up and saw a valley in front of us.
At this time, there weren't many people in the Western Mountain Paradise at the Heavenly Grand Ritual. Including the Han family's Fourth Uncle, there were only a dozen people in total. Although the valley wasn't big, it could accommodate hundreds of people.
If the participants of the Heavenly Grand Ritual lived in such a big place, the Wangwu Paradise wouldn't be able to accommodate everyone even if it was thousands of miles away.
I asked Officer Wang, "Why did the Western Mountain Paradise occupy such a big place in the valley? Is it the same for the other Paradises?"
Officer Wang's mood improved as he had some clues about the formation. While walking, he explained to me, "It's not the case for the other Paradises. Only the geniuses of the Ten Major Paradises can enjoy such treatment.
The Ten Major Paradises are different from the Thirty-six Minor Paradises. They are the real dominating forces, and when they go out, they pay a lot of attention to their extravagance.
This is especially true for the Western Mountain Paradise. They are well-versed in the Six Principles of Punishing Demons, Guarding against the Ghost Trials, and the Nine Principles of Wearing Clothes, Breathing Exercises, Storing Notes, and Misty Clouds. Their inheritance has never been broken, and even their sect rules are the same as in ancient times.
Although only a dozen people showed up at the meeting, this time, it wasn't them who played the leading role. It was the Palace Master.
It's said that in ancient times, when the Palace Master of the Western Mountain Paradise went out, he would be accompanied by tens of thousands of people. They were in charge of the ceremonial guards, carriages, daily necessities, and so on.
Although it's not as extravagant as it used to be, every time the Palace Master goes out, it's much more extravagant than the other Paradises.
This time, I heard that the Palace Master of the Western Mountain Paradise will go out for the Heavenly Grand Ritual, so I arranged the biggest valley for them.
Look at the mountain stream next to it. I planned to let them live there.
However, this time, the Western Mountain Paradise is a little different from the past. Including the mysterious Palace Master, there are no more than one hundred people. This valley is big enough to accommodate them all. "
We talked as we walked. Soon, we arrived at the entrance of the valley.
I glanced into the distance. In the pavilion closest to me in the valley, a group of maids dressed in simple and unadorned clothing were carrying lanterns as they carefully moved. They seemed to be far more cautious than the servants of the Wang family.
The Palace Master …
I was startled. Could it be that the old friend that Fourth Uncle of the Han family mentioned was this Palace Master?
When had I ever met such a character?
After pondering for a while, I asked Wang Can, "Have you seen this Palace Master before?"
Wang Can shook his head. "This Palace Master is very mysterious. Since he came to Wangwu Paradise, he hasn't contacted anyone. He didn't represent the Western Mountain Paradise at the Heavenly Grand Ritual either."