138: Theory and Practice

The next day, in the Accounting Room.

Steward Liu Tong saw that Su Ming's face was a little pale, and assuming he was overworked, did not assign him any more strenuous tasks.

Su Ming was happy for the leisure.

He did not look at the regular accounts.

Instead, he walked straight into the archives deep inside the Accounting Room.

Piled up here were old, dusty files that no one bothered with.

He carefully searched through the dust-covered shelves.

Finally, he found what he was looking for.

—《Low-Tier Formation Maintenance and Material Replacement List for Various Peaks》.

This was exactly the "messy accounts" of the Formation Peak that he had organized previously.

He carefully unfurled a scroll containing the maintenance list for the "Dust Aversion Formation of Ding-Character Herb Garden."

The list meticulously recorded:

"The third day of the seventh month of the Jiazi Year, Ding-Character Herb Garden, 'Three Talents Dust Aversion Formation': Spiritual Power attenuation in the Formation Flag at the southwest 'Kun Position'; replaced with one Low Grade Earth-Attribute Spirit Stone."

"The fifteenth day of the seventh month of the Jiazi Year, Ding-Character Herb Garden, 'Three Talents Dust Aversion Formation': Core Formation eye Rune worn out; Formation Peak Disciple Li Changqing re-etched the 'Gathering Rune.'"

Su Ming matched these records one by one with the content he had read in the Jade Slip the previous night.

The outline of formation basics mentioned that the "Three Talents Dust Aversion Formation" uses the Three Talents of Heaven, Earth, and Man for positioning, requiring the activation of the Earth's Qi as its Foundation. Therefore, the "Kun Position" requires the use of Earth-Attribute Spirit Stones.

This perfectly matched the records on the list!

So that's how it is!

A light of excitement burst forth in Su Ming's eyes.

This was no longer dry theory.

This was the combination of theory and practice!

In the following days, during the daytime, Su Ming treated the various Formation maintenance lists as textbooks to study in the Accounting Room.

He cross-referenced them with the principles in the Outline, reverse-engineering every detail on the lists.

Why did Illumination Formations require Yang-Attribute Spirit Stones?

Why did the Formation Flags for Dust Aversion Formations need to be made from Rootless Wood?

Why did the Energy Core of Patrol Puppets have to be activated using Lightning-Struck Wood?

What were "common sense" issues that troubled ordinary Servants became Formation principles that could be dismantled and understood in his eyes.

His brain operated frantically, like a precision machine.

And when night fell, he put what he had learned during the day into practice... Su Ming sat cross-legged on his hard plank bed, having not lit a lamp.

Moonlight filtered through the window paper, casting a cold, silvery frost on the floor.

His fingertips unconsciously rubbed the xuantian ring.

The ring was cold, yet smooth to the touch.

But no matter how he activated his Divine Sense, he could only sense Lin Yu's Soul Body, weak as a candle in the wind, quietly floating in the center of the Spirit Gathering Array, showing no signs of waking up.

A feeling of loneliness surged into his heart like a tide.

In this past month, he seemed to have adapted to life in the Sect, thriving in the Accounting Room.

But he knew clearly that every step he took was like walking on thin ice.

The stability of the Accounting Room was a gift from Elder Ma, and also something he earned with his extraordinary Mathematical Ability.

But this stability was too fragile.

It was built on the premise that he was "useful."

The moment he lost this value, or the Accounting Room no longer needed him, he could be discarded like a worn-out shoe at any time.

He must possess strength that truly belonged to him.

"Master..."

Su Ming whispered softly in his heart.

"If you were here, you would surely be able to resolve my confusion."

"Where exactly should I begin with the Dao of Formations?"

He gathered his thoughts and placed the worn Jade Slip against his brow once more.

This time, he didn't try to bite off more than he could chew, focusing all his attention on the simplest Formation recorded in the Jade Slip.

—"Dust Aversion Formation."

As the name implied, this Formation had only one function.

To clear away dust.

This was an Entry-Level Formation used by Formation Apprentices to practice their touch and sense the flow of Spiritual Power.

Su Ming took a deep breath.

From under his bed, he retrieved several smooth pebbles he had picked up from the Back Mountain during the day, along with a small handful of dry wood shavings.

Following the diagrams in the Jade Slip, he arranged the three pebbles on the floor in front of him in the Pin-Character Shape ( Product).

This was the "Three Talents Positioning," the Foundation of the Formation.

Next, he extended his index finger, mobilizing the wisp of Spiritual Power inside his body—thinner than a strand of hair—and gathering it at his fingertip.

He held his breath and slowly etched the Rune onto the cold stone floor, mimicking the strokes shown in the Jade Slip.

The first stroke, the rising momentum.

Spiritual Power overflowed from his fingertip, leaving an almost imperceptible trace of faint Blue Light on the ground.

Success!

Joy sparked in Su Ming's heart.

However, just as he was about to draw the second turning stroke, the Spiritual Power at his fingertip trembled violently and instantly scattered.

The Blue Light on the ground also vanished, as if it had never been there.

He failed.

Su Ming did not lose heart.

He mobilized his Spiritual Power again and started over.

Rising momentum, turning stroke... "Snap."

A soft sound.

The Spiritual Power lost control again, breaking off at the turn.

Again!

"Snap."

It broke again.

Fine beads of sweat seeped from Su Ming's forehead.

He discovered a problem he had never considered.

Copying Runes in his mind was completely different from drawing them physically with Spiritual Power!

His hand seemed to have a mind of its own.

Every turn and every pause had a subtle, yet fatal deviation from the standard diagrams in the Jade Slip.

What he drew wasn't a Rune at all, just glowing graffiti.

"Calm the heart, focus the mind."

Su Ming forced himself to calm down.

He closed his eyes and visualized the form of the 'Gathering' Rune hundreds of times in his mind.

After confirming that every detail was deeply ingrained in his memory, he opened his eyes again.

This time, he drew extremely slowly and steadily.

The Spiritual Power at his fingertip moved slowly across the ground, like a docile little snake.

One stroke, two strokes, three strokes... Success!

A complete, though somewhat crooked, 'Gathering' Rune finally appeared in the center of the three pebbles!

Although the light was dim and seemed ready to extinguish at any moment, it had finally taken shape!

Su Ming was ecstatic.

He quickly followed the final step in the Jade Slip, lightly sprinkling the handful of wood shavings into the center of the Rune.

Then, he waited nervously.

One breath.

Two breaths.

Ten breaths passed.

Nothing happened.

The wood shavings remained just wood shavings.

The dust in the corner of the room remained quietly in place, completely ignoring his "masterpiece."

After flickering a few times, the light of the Rune finally exhausted its last trace of Spiritual Power and went out completely.

He failed again.

Su Ming stood frozen, the joy on his face slowly solidifying.

Where was the problem?

Su Ming replayed the entire process over and over in his mind.

Three Talents Positioning, correct.

Rune etching, though a bit ugly, was complete nonetheless.

The Guiding Material was also placed.

But why did it not trigger any change in Spiritual Qi?

The theory seemed applicable, but practical application yielded no results.

For the first time, Su Ming felt that his boasted Comprehension Ability was so weak and powerless before the Dao of Formations.

The Jade Slip only recorded "what it is" and "how to do it."

But it failed to record the most crucial part: "why."

Why must this Rune be drawn this way?

Why must the Spiritual Power pause at that specific Node?

Why must the three stones be placed at that angle?

These required the Master's verbal instruction and guidance through Divine Soul perception.

And these were exactly what the Jade Slip could not provide him.

Self-study had reached an impasse.