A Hidden Treasure and a New Obsession

Zhuge Dongming was genuinely surprised. The book was so well-hidden that generations of his family had missed it, yet Su Chen had found it. This could only mean one thing: when Su Chen set his mind to something, he saw it through.

"I'm truly sorry, you keep the book," Su Chen said sheepishly. "I'll just copy it by hand."

Zhuge Dongming gave him a sideways glance. "Forget it, I know you. Just take it. If I ever truly need it, you can copy it for me." He spoke partly due to his age, having lost his fierce competitive spirit, and partly because he knew the Way of Formation was incredibly profound. Without the right aptitude, it was difficult to achieve anything. The book wouldn't be of much use to him; he might as well give it to this young man he always had high hopes for, yet couldn't quite fathom.

"Then I won't be polite!" Su Chen didn't stand on ceremony, cheerfully pocketing the book before heading back to the Imperial Garden.

The Way of Formation

For the next few days, Su Chen was completely absorbed in the book, intensely studying various formations, especially the three Gathering Yuan Formations. He ate only one meal a day, skipped classes, and spent his time flipping pages and pondering deeply in his room. The more he studied, the more he felt the Way of Formation was unfathomable, beyond ordinary understanding.

He'd always thought he had exceptional aptitude, even his ghostly master had praised his astonishing insight. But after studying formations, he began to doubt himself. If my aptitude is so amazing, why am I still so bewildered after several days of study?

Anyone knowledgeable in formations would scoff at his thoughts. Formations weren't simple. Many talented individuals spent their entire lives just to grasp the basics. Expecting a breakthrough after only a few days was asking too much.

Su Chen's unusual behavior naturally caught Lin Ruoxue's attention. Concerned, she asked him what was wrong, noticing his constant frowning. Although he always smiled and said it was nothing, she could tell he was irritable. So, Lin Ruoxue didn't bother him; instead, she personally brought his meals back from the restaurant each day.

A Breakthrough and a Small Victory

After several more days of continuous study, Su Chen gradually began to get a feel for the formations. His understanding deepened, and he vaguely grasped the key elements. He decided to test his knowledge by setting up a small-scale Gathering Yuan Formation in his villa. True Essence could nourish everything, and living there would benefit Lin Ruoxue's health. Plus, he could practice his cultivation regularly, only needing to go to the manor when nearing a breakthrough, as the commotion was too loud (last time, it even shattered his clothes!). He wasn't yet capable of setting up the medium-sized Gathering Yuan Formation that Jianghai had spread across Jiangyang Lake. Luckily, Lin Ruoxue's detached villa with a courtyard was perfect for a small formation.

He immediately set about finding materials. A high-quality precious gem was ideal for the Formation Eye, and he had a piece of exquisite jade in a wooden box. He then needed ancient trees and stones with long histories to serve as nodes, which would go unnoticed by others. This wasn't difficult for him. He called Qin Ming, who, in a single day, collected all the items and delivered them personally.

"Su Chen, it took some doing to collect these from various parks and gardens," Qin Ming said, puzzled. "What do you need them for?"

"My wife thought the yard was a bit too plain and wanted to spruce it up," Su Chen replied, using Lin Ruoxue as a shield. Though he trusted Qin Ming, he didn't intend to reveal the truth, given the immense attraction of the Gathering Yuan Formation to cultivators.

Qin Ming clearly didn't believe him but didn't press the issue, leaving after a brief chat.

After a full day's work, Su Chen finally completed the small Gathering Yuan Formation. As soon as it activated, he distinctly felt the True Yuan around the villa gradually becoming richer.

"Haha, I've finally succeeded!" Su Chen, bathed in the increasingly abundant True Yuan, couldn't help but laugh out loud. He felt the hard work of the past days had paid off, completely unaware of the magnitude of his feat. Almost no one succeeded at setting up a formation on their first try, yet Su Chen had done it after only a few days of study.

Joy and Affection

"Honey, what are you laughing about?" Lin Ruoxue had just gotten off work and parked her car. She hadn't even walked into the yard when she heard Su Chen's hearty laughter—a sound she hadn't heard in days!

She walked into the yard and stood beside him. "Honey, what did you just say you succeeded at?"

"Hehe, nothing!" Su Chen chuckled foolishly, then happily scooped Lin Ruoxue into his arms. He wasn't telling her the truth, not because he didn't trust her, but because she wouldn't understand and might even think he had gone crazy.

Moved by a sudden impulse, Su Chen leaned down and kissed Lin Ruoxue. He didn't know how else to express his joy and excitement; only through this gesture could he convey it.

"Mmm mmm mmm~~~" Lin Ruoxue was completely caught off guard and instinctively resisted. However, after a moment, her resistance weakened, and she gradually began to respond.

Several minutes later, Su Chen finally released her, a satisfied and irrepressible smile on his face.

"You lecher!" Lin Ruoxue panted, her face flushed, before walking into the house.

Su Chen remained in the yard, still chuckling foolishly. He lit a cigarette and enjoyed the evening glow. "Life is so beautiful!" he sighed deeply, then also returned to the house.

"Honey, I'm sorry for these past few days. You've been working hard!" Su Chen said apologetically. He knew he'd been too obsessed with his formation research, neglecting Lin Ruoxue.

"Just bully me less in the future!" Lin Ruoxue rolled her eyes annoyedly. Being beautiful indeed had its advantages; his wife had a charm all her own even when rolling her eyes.

"How is this bullying? If you think this is bullying, then you can bully me too! I don't mind!" Su Chen shamelessly laughed and sat down next to her on the couch.

"I mind!" Lin Ruoxue looked at him, thinking of the saying: nothing beats a shameless person.