Traveling through time to cultivate immortality: a life and death test

Liu Xing's trip to the market was different from his previous light travels; this time, he carried valuables. One of his key objectives was to exchange Taoist Chongxu's relics for the resources he needed for cultivation. His current wealth was immense, and so he became even more concerned and cautious. Because wealth can be tempting, there was a high risk that he would attract the attention of those with ulterior motives during the transaction, leading to robbery and murder. Therefore, as he flew, he considered various possible scenarios and devised countermeasures.

He had unknowingly arrived at the entrance of Yinshan Market and hurriedly stopped. He thought: I can't just go in unprepared. What if I get chased? With the amount he wanted to trade, even a Foundation Establishment cultivator would be tempted. He had to have some backup plans to protect himself, to feel at ease. He was mainly on guard against Foundation Establishment cultivators; Qi Refining cultivators wouldn't be a problem for him.

So, he decided to find a place to set up some formations, as a backup plan. If he were to be robbed, he could activate the backup plan to trap the enemy and facilitate his escape. If nothing happened, it wouldn't matter if he didn't use it. But if something did happen, these backup plans would be his means of survival.

He flew back again, wondering as he flew: Where should I place the formation? It couldn't be too far away, or I'd be killed before I could even make it that far. It couldn't be too close, either, or I'd be overwhelmed if the enemy called for help. He needed to set up several more formations, just in case there were multiple enemies and he had to fight them off in batches. He mentally rehearsed every possible scenario, formulating corresponding strategies. He truly valued his life, but it was this cautious habit that allowed him to advance further on the path of cultivation.

He stopped in a canyon a day's journey from the market town. The area around here was very quiet and desolate, and it was the only way through this area, making it a good place to set up an ambush. When he was in the mortal world, he systematically learned various skills of a scout from Captain Wang of Yanyu Pavilion, including the ambush project. He first sat on a high place in the narrow valley, released his spiritual sense, and inspected and explored the surrounding environment inch by inch. He was sure that there was only one path here. In addition, he sat here for most of the day and no birds or animals passed by. It was indeed quiet and desolate. He also explored the topography of the canyon, including the earth piles and stone ditches. They were all naturally formed and integrated. There was no trace of artificial excavation, which would not arouse any suspicion. This is it. If someone really chases us, this place will definitely give the enemy a surprise.

So he took out the Ten Thousand Swords Returning Heart Formation, a killing formation, and planned to deploy it there to give the enemy a head start. If they were only in the early stages of Foundation Establishment, he could kill them within the formation. He first took out the formation plate and carefully placed it in the center of the canyon. Then he walked around to observe, and based on the terrain, he placed the other formation equipment in different locations. Once the formation was set up, he took off again, flying back and forth several times. He practiced the distance he would maintain between himself and the enemy, the best way to lure them into the trap, and the angle from which to enter to more easily trap them. He then made some minor adjustments to his position to ensure that everything was foolproof. He soared into the air and carefully checked again. Seeing no flaws, he nodded with satisfaction. Even a cultivator in the middle stages of Foundation Establishment would be trapped for half a day if caught in the formation, consuming half of his mana. With that half a day, he could escape far away.

He then changed direction, stopping in a ditch a day's journey from the narrow valley. The current was swift and the terrain was uneven, making it unsuitable for an ambush. These very characteristics made it easier for the enemy to fall prey to his trap, achieving the effect of surprise. The art of war is all about deception. So he flew to a rock on the riverbank, sat cross-legged, and released his spiritual sense, meticulously surveying the surrounding terrain, even the rocks and mud beneath the river. With his life at stake, he erred on the side of caution, meticulously preparing.

A quarter of an hour later, having finally surveyed the terrain, he summoned the Corpse Mountain and Blood Sea Formation, an illusionary formation. Enemies trapped within it felt like entering a Shura battlefield, blood gushing and corpses flying everywhere. Constant attacks from bloody corpses rattled the enemy's mind. Breaking free from the battlefield required a resolute mind and a powerful spiritual awareness; breaking the illusionary formation from within often resulted in exhaustion.

This time, Liu Xing chose to bury the array disk at the bottom of the river. He then arranged the auxiliary equipment based on the river's current, the reefs, and the quicksand. He also flew into the air, repeatedly rehearsing, debugging, and calibrating the array to ensure it was foolproof. Only then did he nod with satisfaction.

After setting up two backup plans, he still wasn't satisfied. He then went to a small mound a day's walk from the river, preparing to set up a small maze array. This was a trapping array, capable of trapping a late Foundation Establishment expert for an hour, giving him a last chance to escape.

He stood on a small mound, observing the surrounding terrain. The view from here was good, and the surrounding terrain was flat. A powerful enemy pursuing him would easily spot this mound. Liu Xing would then feign exhaustion and wait for the enemy on the mound, making a final desperate stand. He imagined that by the time they had caught up to this point, he would be at the end of his rope, while the enemy would be at least mid-stage Foundation Establishment, with powerful magic. They would be so underestimating that they would follow him into battle, falling right into his trap.

He spent an hour meticulously surveying the surrounding terrain with his spiritual sense, not sparing a single bush or weed. Finally, he took out the disk of the small maze formation and buried it in the very center of the mound. He then took out auxiliary equipment and deployed it, ensuring the formation covered the entire mound. Similarly, he flew back and forth, simulating the effects of insufficient mana, practicing repeatedly, adjusting the angle, optimizing the expression, and the fluctuations of his mana, ensuring the illusion was indistinguishable from the real thing.

With these three strategies, layered on top of each other, we should be completely safe. Having too much money isn't always a good thing; it makes you feel anxious. It's not like my past life, where I could deposit money in a bank without worrying about being robbed. In the world of cultivation, all your wealth is carried on your person, and with no legal protection, everyone feels insecure. It's truly difficult.

Liu Xing considered it carefully again, making sure nothing was left out. These three formations were worth over two thousand spirit stones. He preferred to be overly cautious, hoping his backup plan wouldn't activate, leaving him safe and sound. However, things are unpredictable, and a little extra caution and preparation are always a good idea. So, he composed himself and flew towards the Yinshan Market. As he neared the market, he folded up his assault boat to avoid attracting their attention, then soared towards the market gates at normal speed.