The Ritual
"Brother Feng I'm glad that you are willing to patch things with Yu'er. It's been so long, sigh. To actually make you do this, I'm already liking this new disciple of yours." Elder Zheng said while stroking his beard.
"Hmph. Who would patch things with that unfilial kid! This is a good opportunity for Wuji. Also, he likes to act all filial even after betraying me right, then he should play his part as Wuji's senior disciple brother." Feng XI didn't even look at him and answered.
"Sigh, brother Feng, you lived for two centuries and you still act like a child. Stop acting so stubborn. Everyone has their own paths, don't foolishly try to force things."
"Hmph. You have a lot to say don't you, I curse you that none of your descendants become alchemists and your inheritance ends with you, then you will know."
His hand stopped abruptly before he continued with a wry smile "You now have Zhang Wuji don't you?"
"What can that idiot achieve? He is nineteen and still in body refinement. With his third grade spirit root and his attitude it is doubtful whether he will ever reach even foundation building."
"If the first person to beat the Battle Tower using formations is an idiot, then I don't know what the rest of us in the sect are. Brother Feng it is about time you forgave him."
"Let the boy reach qi condensation first. Before his energy sense is determined, I have no inheritor. And before that he has to come back alive from the secret realm."
"You don't have to worry about that. He seems to be capable."
Feng Xi stopped and said in a dreary voice "Brother Zheng, you know no amount of capability is enough."
Elder Zheng froze. He looked at Feng Xi and sighed "I'll go prepare for the ritual." He left and Feng Xi was left alone with his thoughts. After some time he exhaled softly and left in the direction of his residence. He had a lot of teaching to do.
....
Feng Xi's residence.
"Master, what was all that about?" Zhang Wuji asked as soon as he got the opportunity.
"Wasn't that what you wanted? You should be happy. Now even the Sect Master is eager to meet you. Soon your name would spread all over the country and beyond."
"Master, I just.. wanted to beat the Tower." He started trying to give a noble reason but that's all he could mumble.
"Just wanted to beat the Tower." Feng Xi said in a mocking tone.
"Ahem now let's talk formations. Good job with the defense formation. But could you do it with only the basic resources?" After chiding him a bit more Feng Xi cleared his throat put on a serious face and said.
"Wait. Master, what was the summons about?"
"Right I forgot. The sect wants you to enter a secret realm. They just wanted to check your eligibility."
"Secret ream? Which?" Zhang Wuji asked nervously. He had a bad feeling about this. There was only one secret realm he knew that will be opened in the near future and it was not one which he wanted to go to.
"The Crimson Sky Realm."
"Crimson Sky?! Absolutely not! Master help me I don't want to go! I've just entered the higher stages also I am a formation master the sect should send someone that is a pure fighter I'll DIE!"
Crimson Sky Realm opened only once every thirty three years. It was created by the Golden Sun Empire as a competition ground to decide which subordinate kingdom got the most resources. It had two levels for body refinement and qi condensation realm cultivators. Less than one out of ten manage to get out alive. In the last competition Iron Rhino joined hands with another kingdom and completely wiped out the Frost Swallow's team.
Frost Swallow once had five secret realms under it's control with three being resource grounds. With that incident it was left with only one secret realm that it shared with another kingdom.
Not only was Crimson Sky dangerous, it was especially challenging for Zhang Wuji. Nothing grade one was allowed in including resources. He could only take ordinary tier 0 resources. Making worthwhile formations out of those would be tough to say the least.
"That's what you get for showing off." Feng Xi grinned.
"Master! I depended on resources. It was a hundred percent resources. Where am I to get resources?! I can't build shit without resources! Battle Tower has nothing to do with this."
"You'll have nine others with you. Search for the resources and build. It's no big deal. There are no thirty minute restrictions either. I think that is better than Battle Tower."
"Master please! I'll give the designs, send someone else!"
"We don't have anyone that can make so many formations in half an hour. I must say, I was pleasantly surprised. My selection is still so great. Haha."
"Master how can you send off your disciple to die!! And such a surprising one at that! Send some-"
"QUIET!!" Zhang Wuji shut his mouth abruptly mid-word. The rest of it escaped his lips in a whimper.
"What someone else! Why someone else? Are you not the sect's disciple? Is this not your country?"
Zhang Wuji wanted to say more but looking at his master's expression he remained silent.
Feng Xi understood what was going on in his head and sighed "Crimson Sky is indeed dangerous. But it is also a great opportunity. The sect will reward you greatly and if you make enough contributions, the Yi family will also reward you.
"Boy, I don't think I have to tell you this but your cultivation talent is not stellar. And you also wasted the crucial growth period in your life. You must be thinking you have great formation talent. But let me tell you, formation is more about energy sensing than design. The higher the grade the lesser the importance of such intellectual talent. Even if you truly are a formation genius, what will you do with your measly cultivation?
"Even if one has no talent, they can depend on resources. In your case, even with the support of the entire sect foundation building is the ceiling for you. There are better resources, but who will give them to you. Also do you think the sect will spend so much on someone like you, with neither talent nor loyalty.
"You have neither talent nor wealth. Unless an expert cultivator magically appears and helps you out, with the way things are, you are on the way to the life of a dog.
"It is said that the heavens always leave a way. The only way for someone with your talent and wealth to carve out a safe place for oneself is through fortuitous encounters. For which you will have to take risks. Wuji, death is a certainty. The only question is whether you want to live at the mercy of others or aim to be a dragon amongst men. The world is a cruel place. The only thing one can trust is personal strength. And here you are declining an opportunity to increase the same. Don't be a fool Wuji."
He paused for a while to let his words sink in. When he sensed the struggle in his qi flow, he used the big chip.
"Not only that, I have convinced the Sect Master to conduct a ritual to increase your talent. It'll guarantee that you will reach foundation building at the very least. It will be conducted before the day of departure. Your cultivation will increase by another level and with your combat prowess and formation knowledge, as long as you don't do stupid, the secret realm wouldn't be very dangerous."
Sensing that he was tempted, Feng Xi smiled inwardly and continued "You don't know what your master had to sacrifice to convince the Sect Master into conducting the ritual. I put my reputation and everything at stake. It really pains me that my disciple can't even recognize the value of the opportunity in front of him.
"Sigh, whatever. Know that your decision is final. No one can force my disciple." He patted his shoulder and walked toward the exit.
Zhang Wuji really wanted to comment on the obvious attempt at manipulation but he was disgusted by the thought of continuing in his past ways and this was clearly an opportunity, a test, a chance to prove to himself that he had changed.
"Master, what can I make with tier 0 resources."
"Hoho good lad! Come let me show you my prized collection." Feng Xi slapped his shoulders and pulled him further into the house.
....
Over the past few months Feng Xi taught Zhang Wuji a wide range of formations that could be constructed from the most common materials. He taught him techniques to reduce consumption and concentrated mainly on formations that would be of help in the secret realm.
Today was the day of the ritual. Zhang Wuji bathe in different medicinal liquids in the past few days to prepare himself for the transfer.
Inheritance Ritual of Life was a simple ritual requiring very basic materials. The key component were the Elders. They sacrifice a portion of their life to cleanse and improve the quality of Zhang Wuji's qi.
Everyone's qi was different and infusing one's qi into someone else is crippling if their qi is of a higher quality than the receivers. Therefore the ritual requires one to cut off their connection to a part of their qi thereby harming their qi flow and severely cutting their lifespan. To recover from this one would require vitality medicine of a higher grade than their own.
Nowhere in Frost Swallow were such precious medicine available. So the ritual was rarely done. It would've completely slipped out of everyone's memory if Feng Xi hadn't brought it up.
The ritual required four cultivators in the core formation realm. Feng Xi, Elder Zheng, the muscular elder named Biao Zhuang and Sect Master Gong were sitting on alternate points of an eight pointed star formation with a pool at the center. Zhang Wuji could be seen immersed in the pool of clear liquid. There was no movement in his body. Soon his qi flow completely stopped.
As soon as his qi flow stopped, the formation lit up and the four core formation realm cultivators' qi was infused into his body. An injury to the life force was more painful than any injury to the body but the four sat there expressionless as their life was sucked out of them. The ritual would leave the four weakened for an extended period of time. Losing four core formation realm elders even for a day could be dangerous to the sect.
After three hours a weary Feng Xi along with Zhang Wuji left the main hall to Feng XI's residence. He had a final lesson left in him before Zhang Wuji's departure.