Horn observed the scene in the front yard from the terrace on the second floor, feeling a twinge of boredom. He had made a few random adjustments to a one-star formation, and now the old men were getting overly excited about it.
Finishing his jar of immortal brew, Horn decided to retreat to his room, uninterested in showing off in front of Mr. Wei and Mr. Qiao. To them, he was just a young man lounging in the sun, someone they assumed was a relative of Lin Zixuan.
Mr. Wei, breaking from his usual seriousness, addressed Lin Zixuan with a hopeful expression. "Lin family girl, would you consider becoming my apprentice?" His tone was filled with anticipation. After all, a one-star formation mage capable of pushing the boundaries of a one-star formation was a rare find. With proper guidance, Lin Zixuan could potentially become the most powerful formation master on Earth, and her mentor would inevitably share in that legacy.
Mr. Qiao, his face flushed with indignation, snapped, "Old man Wei, you're poaching! The girl has been learning formations from me. If she's to become anyone's disciple, it should be mine, not yours."
Mr. Wei shot back coldly, "Old man Qiao, you'll only hinder her growth. I'm the one best suited to guide her. If you disagree, we can settle it by comparing our formation skills."
As Lin Zixuan listened to the two men argue, she felt a surge of clarity. For so long, she had wanted to be Mr. Qiao's disciple, only for him to dismiss her with various excuses, suggesting she focus on her path to immortality instead of formations. Why the sudden change?
It dawned on her: Mr. Qiao never thought much of her talent for formations and simply didn't want her as a disciple. But Mr. Wei, a formation master far superior to Mr. Qiao, had only ever taken one apprentice, a person rumored to have extraordinary talent. To see these two masters now vying for her, Lin Zixuan felt as if she were in a dream.
Shaking herself out of her thoughts, Lin Zixuan addressed the two old men, "Mr. Wei, Mr. Qiao, I didn't arrange this one-star Spirit Gathering formation. Someone else altered my setup."
Both men immediately stopped arguing. "Who changed it?" Mr. Qiao asked urgently, with Mr. Wei's gaze fixed intently on her.
Aside from Horn, Tang Yuxin, Wang Menglu, and her best friend Jiang Wan, no one had recently visited her home. Jiang Wan, also a one-star formation mage and vice president of Tianhai Immortal Martial Academy, seemed the most likely candidate. Though they were close, Lin Zixuan had always viewed Jiang Wan as a rival.
"It must have been Jiang Wan who altered the formation," Lin Zixuan said.
Mr. Qiao frowned. "Are you referring to that girl from the Jiang family? If I recall, her talent in formations isn't much better than yours. She once asked to become my disciple, but I refused."
Lin Zixuan nodded. "Other than Jiang Wan, only three students from my college have been here recently."
Mr. Wei, accepting her explanation, said, "It seems that the Jiang family girl is indeed responsible. Tell her I'm interested in taking her as my disciple."
Not to be outdone, Mr. Qiao added, "Let her know I also wish to take her as my disciple."
Neither of the old men considered the possibility of a one-star formation master emerging from Linzhou Immortal Martial Academy. They were convinced Jiang Wan had made the modifications.
Lin Zixuan contacted Jiang Wan, relaying the news. Without missing a beat, Jiang Wan ended the call and made her way to Linzhou.
But before Lin Zixuan could discuss the formation, she was left pondering: "Jiang Wan must have secretly changed my formation, intending to surprise me."
The formation had appeared normal the previous night, so it seemed likely that Jiang Wan had used some technique to maintain its original appearance before the change.
"This woman really went out of her way to shock me," Lin Zixuan muttered to herself, biting her lip.
She invited Mr. Wei and Mr. Qiao to sit in the front yard pavilion, serving them tea herself. The two old men, as if forgetting their earlier intentions, sipped their tea in silence.
"Lin Zixuan, your true talent lies in cultivation," Mr. Qiao advised, trying to ease the earlier awkwardness. "You should focus on that path and not get distracted by formations."
Mr. Wei nodded in agreement. "Old man Qiao is right. Everyone has their own path, and yours lies in cultivation."
Lin Zixuan, who respected both men, resisted the urge to argue. Their words seemed so hypocritical now.
Time passed quickly, and soon, a red figure descended in the front yard. Jiang Wan, dressed in a long red dress with slightly curly hair cascading over her shoulders, exuded a captivating aura. In contrast to Lin Zixuan's cold demeanor, Jiang Wan radiated warmth and passion, often drawing public confessions from her admirers at the academy.
"Mr. Wei, Mr. Qiao," Jiang Wan greeted them respectfully as she approached.
When Lin Zixuan mentioned the formation, the smile vanished from Jiang Wan's face. She looked genuinely puzzled. "I didn't change the formation in your front yard. Do you really think I could push a one-star formation to its limits?"
Both Mr. Wei and Mr. Qiao frowned in surprise.
Just then, Tang Yuxin and Wang Menglu returned. Lin Zixuan immediately questioned them, "Are either of you formation masters? Did you touch the formation in my front yard?"
Both women looked bewildered. Wang Menglu responded, "Dean Lin, I'm focused on alchemy. Do you think I could be a formation master?"
Tang Yuxin added, "Dean Lin, I know nothing about formations."
After hearing their responses, Lin Zixuan thought of Horn. "Could it be him?" she wondered.