The sun was setting over the Li clan's sprawling estate, casting long shadows across the stone paths as the participants of the mini-tournament gathered once again. Today was different, however. Instead of sparring matches or physical combat, the young disciples would face something far more intricate—a test inside an illusory realm, created by the clan's formation masters.
Li Wei and his team stood shoulder to shoulder with other groups inside a large arena the size of a football pitch. The air hummed with latent Qi as the formation masters, old men with flowing robes and serene expressions, set up the illusory formation. The atmosphere was tense. Everyone knew that this was no simple test of strength. In this realm, teamwork, strategy, and mental fortitude would be crucial.
Formation Masters. Even Li Wei, with his vast knowledge from past lives, had to acknowledge their value. Rare and highly sought after by powerful families and clans, formation masters wielded the ability to manipulate space and reality. Their formations could protect cities, seal powerful enemies, or, as in this case, create entire illusory worlds. The art of formation-making was complex, requiring years of study and meticulous Qi control. For these reasons, formation masters were often reclusive, only revealing their talents to those they trusted or were bound to by duty.
As the air shimmered with flickers of Qi, the illusory realm began to take shape. From the outside, the arena remained unchanged. But inside, the space shifted, warping as a vast forest, filled with towering trees and dense fog, materialized. The teams were soon enveloped by the illusion, transported into a world that felt far more real than it should.
Li Wei, with his centuries of experience, saw through it all immediately. The intricate details of the trees, the subtle changes in the fog—every aspect of the illusion was masterfully crafted. But to Li Wei, this formation was child's play.
In his fourth life, he had been a high-level formation master, known for creating some of the most complex and powerful formations across realms. The illusory formation before him, though impressive to the others, was nothing more than a low-level trick compared to the standards of his past life. He couldn't help but smirk as he noticed several flaws in the design—Qi nodes placed too far apart, weak illusionary layers, and poorly anchored focal points that kept the entire formation in place.
"Amateur work," Li Wei murmured to himself, his ice-blue eyes scanning the landscape. His mind raced with possibilities. I could exploit this.
He turned to his team, his expression calm but his voice commanding. "Stay close to me. There's more to this formation than meets the eye."
Jin Rui, standing next to him, raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean? This is just an illusion, right? We have to survive whatever they throw at us."
Li Jun, still reeling from his earlier fight, looked at Li Wei with a mix of awe and confusion. He had already begun to suspect that Li Wei had been hiding his true abilities all these years. How else could he have grown so powerful, so knowledgeable? For years, Li Wei had appeared lazy and disinterested in cultivation, yet now, he moved and spoke with the confidence of a seasoned expert. What else had Li Wei kept hidden?
"Li Wei, how do you know so much about this formation?" Li Jun asked cautiously, still perplexed by Li Wei's sudden rise to prominence. "You've always been…" His voice trailed off, unsure how to phrase it.
"Uninterested?" Li Wei finished, his lips curling slightly in a smirk. "There are many things you don't know, Li Jun. Let's leave it at that for now."
Li Jun's confusion deepened, but he nodded silently. There was something about Li Wei—something beyond simple cultivation talent—that made him a mystery even to his closest teammates.
The elder overseeing the tournament raised his hand, his voice booming across the arena. "Your objective is simple: survive the illusory realm. Inside, you will face creatures born from the formation's Qi, and obstacles designed to test your coordination. The last team standing or the team to reach the central point of the illusion will win."
With a wave of the elder's hand, the ground beneath Li Wei and his team trembled, and the illusory realm solidified. In an instant, they found themselves standing in the heart of the dense forest, surrounded by towering trees and the soft rustle of unseen creatures lurking in the shadows.
Li Wei immediately spotted the flaw in the formation's construction. The Qi lines were stretched thin, poorly anchored to the environment, and the concentration of energy was uneven. If he could manipulate one of these lines, he could shift the illusion in their favor.
"Listen carefully," Li Wei said, his voice low but urgent. "This formation has a weak spot. If I can manipulate the Qi flow here, I can bend the illusion. It won't be much, but it will give us an advantage."
Jin Rui frowned, looking around the forest. "Bend the illusion? What are you talking about? We're supposed to be fighting here, not messing with formations."
Mei Chen, ever observant, nodded thoughtfully. "If Li Wei can control even part of the illusion, we'll have the upper hand. It's risky, but it's better than charging in blindly."
Zhou Wei, typically quiet and contemplative, agreed. "If anyone can do it, it's him. I've seen him notice things that others can't. We should follow his lead."
Li Wei wasted no time. He closed his eyes, extending his spiritual sense. The flow of Qi within the illusion was like a river, steady but vulnerable to disruption if one knew where to press. Li Wei's hand moved in a subtle, precise motion, manipulating the Qi around him.
Suddenly, the forest seemed to shift. The thick fog parted, revealing a path that no one else could have seen. It led toward the center of the realm, a place where the formation was at its weakest.
"There," Li Wei said, opening his eyes. "Follow that path. It will lead us straight to the heart of the formation. We won't have to waste energy fighting unnecessary battles."
Jin Rui's eyes widened in surprise, but he didn't argue. The others, trusting in Li Wei's mysterious expertise, followed his lead without question.
As they moved silently through the forest, avoiding the creatures that stalked other teams, Li Jun couldn't shake his growing curiosity about Li Wei. How could someone who was so lazy, so indifferent, suddenly become this skilled? Was he hiding his true abilities all along? It was as if Li Wei had been waiting for the perfect moment to reveal his power.
The team pressed on, navigating through the illusory forest with ease, thanks to Li Wei's keen understanding of the formation's flaws. They bypassed traps and illusions that would have ensnared others, heading straight for the core of the formation, where victory awaited.
Li Wei's mind was already racing ahead, considering their next steps. This formation is crude. If I can manipulate it enough, I might even be able to influence the other teams' perceptions.
A dangerous glint flickered in his blue eyes. Let's see how far I can push this illusion before it collapses.
The illusory trial was only beginning, but Li Wei had already turned the odds in their favor. For him, this was more than just a test—it was an opportunity to assert his dominance not through brute force, but through his superior understanding and control of Qi.
And as the final confrontation with the other teams loomed ahead, Li Wei knew that they were already playing his game.