After Li Yi and Yuan Shi departed, only Tong Tian remained on Shang Qing Peak. Tong Tian pursed his lips and grumbled,
"Just knew they'd make me a tool, hmph!"
Despite his complaints, Tong Tian wasted no time. He immediately left Qilin Cliff and returned to Shang Qing Palace to conceive the protective formation for Kunlun Mountain.
Tong Tian knew that this protective formation was a symbol of prestige for his three brothers and it absolutely could not be subpar. It had to be practical and capable of defending against powerful enemies.
Otherwise, if the day came when his three brothers were away, leaving only Qi Chen, Duo Bao, and the Golden and Silver Horned Beasts at home, and a cultivator of higher standing were to arrive, wouldn't these four little cubs be at the mercy of any attacker?
It also needed to have the ability to amplify cultivation, otherwise, it would be unacceptable for others to be unable to do anything while attacking those within the formation.
Furthermore, it needed the ability to conceal the environment within the mountain. If not, as Li Yi had said, the Qilin would only appear during auspicious times. If they were seen, wouldn't that violate the Heavenly Dao oath of the Qilin clan?
Individually, Tong Tian could fulfill these requirements. However, satisfying them all at once proved to be quite challenging.
Tong Tian pondered deeply, but no solution came to mind.
Suddenly, a spark of inspiration flashed through Tong Tian's mind. He realized that if one formation couldn't satisfy all conditions, he could set up a separate formation for each condition. These would be named subordinate formations.
Then, a main formation would be established to encompass these subordinate formations.
Tong Tian deemed this method feasible and immediately began to deduce it. Although Tong Tian had a general outline, there was repulsion between formations. Therefore, after deducing a method, Tong Tian immediately proceeded to experiment.
However, experimenting with formations required formation diagrams. Tong Tian immediately rushed to Yu Qing Peak to ask Yuan Shi for his help in crafting the formation diagrams.
Upon reaching Yu Qing Peak, Tong Tian ran directly towards Yu Qing Palace, shouting as he went,
"Second Brother! Second Brother!"
Yuan Shi was in the midst of cultivation when he heard Tong Tian's voice. He had no choice but to break his meditation and come out. Seeing Tong Tian, he said irritably,
"What are you shouting about? Didn't Eldest Brother ask you to go set up the formation!"
Tong Tian chuckled and replied,
"Second Brother, I encountered a problem and came to you for help!"
Yuan Shi said irritably,
"I can't help! I know nothing about formations. Solve it yourself!"
With that, he turned to go back to his cultivation without looking back.
Seeing this, Tong Tian quickly grabbed Yuan Shi and said,
"You can help! You can help! If not for Second Brother, truly no one else could help me!"
Yuan Shi said helplessly,
"Speak! What do you need me to do!"
Tong Tian grinned, rubbing his hands together,
"Second Brother, how about you help me craft a batch of formation diagrams? I need them to experiment with the formation operation method I just thought of!"
Yuan Shi thought it was a simple request. Crafting formation diagrams, he agreed,
"Alright, I'll help you craft them. But you'll have to inscribe the formation patterns yourself!"
Tong Tian rejoiced,
"Of course, thank you, Second Brother! Second Brother is the best!"
After Yuan Shi agreed, Tong Tian explained the required formation diagrams to him in detail. After Yuan Shi noted them all down, he extended his hand and said to Tong Tian,
"Hand them over!"
Tong Tian looked bewildered,
"What do you want, Second Brother!"
Yuan Shi was also taken aback,
"Refining materials! You didn't prepare any, did you!"
Upon hearing this, Tong Tian disappeared in a flash, and his voice echoed from the horizon,
"Thank you, Second Brother! I'll come back for the formation diagrams in three days! Sorry to trouble you, Second Brother!"
Hearing this, Yuan Shi roared,
"You brat, you've tricked me!"
But Tong Tian was already gone. Yuan Shi stomped his feet in anger.
Yuan Shi, grumbling, headed towards his treasure trove where he kept his refining materials, muttering,
"I must get it back from him next time! Otherwise, he's getting off too easy. Every one of these refining materials was painstakingly collected by me! Use one, and it's one less! Hmph!"
Despite his words, Yuan Shi still selected the necessary refining materials and headed towards the Refining Hall.
Three days later, Tong Tian went to Yu Qing Palace again. As soon as he entered, he shouted,
"Second Brother, I've come to get my things!"
Yuan Shi said irritably,
"I'm not deaf, you don't need to shout so loudly."
Tong Tian laughed it off,
"I was just afraid Second Brother wouldn't hear me!"
Yuan Shi waved his hand, and numerous formation diagrams appeared on the ground. He said to Tong Tian,
"Take them! Take them! I find you annoying!"
Upon hearing this, Tong Tian waved his hand and collected the formation diagrams on the ground. He said to Yuan Shi,
"Goodbye, Second Brother!"
Then, he vanished in a flash. Yuan Shi realized what had happened and shouted,
"You haven't given me the refining materials yet!"
On his way back to Shang Qing Peak, Tong Tian heard Yuan Shi's words and loudly replied,
"What did Second Brother say? The wind is too strong, I can't hear!"
Hearing Tong Tian's words, Yuan Shi shook his head and chuckled bitterly,
"This brat is feigning deafness! Oh well, I'll ask him for it next time!"
With that, he returned to his cultivation.
After obtaining the formation diagrams, Tong Tian immediately began to arrange the formations according to his ideas. As soon as he activated the formation, there was a loud "boom," and the formation immediately exploded.
Tong Tian had been eagerly awaiting the formation's operation, but instead, it exploded. Unable to dodge, he was instantly covered in soot.
Tong Tian murmured,
"This is not right! Where did it go wrong!"
He then took out another set of formation diagrams, inscribed the formation patterns with his spiritual power, and began experimenting again.
In Yu Qing Palace, Yuan Shi, having only recently seen Tong Tian leave, heard a loud noise from Shang Qing Peak. He wondered what Tong Tian was up to!
Just as he was about to go and investigate, he considered that although the noise was significant, it lacked any real power. With Tong Tian's cultivation, nothing serious would happen, so he let it be and continued his cultivation.
In Tai Qing Palace, Li Yi, upon hearing the loud noise, also murmured to himself,
"Wasn't Third Brother setting up a formation? Why is there an explosion? However, it seems to lack power."
Li Yi was too lazy to bother and continued his cultivation.
Tong Tian's first attempt was unsuccessful, and he continued to experiment.
With the experience of his first attempt, Tong Tian fared much better on the second. After the formation operated for a while, there was another "boom."
Li Yi and Yuan Shi had just entered their cultivation state when they heard another "boom." They could no longer sit still, fearing that Tong Tian might be in danger. Both of them headed towards Shang Qing Peak.
Upon arriving at Shang Qing Peak, Li Yi and Yuan Shi saw Tong Tian, covered in soot, tinkering with a pile of formation diagrams.
Li Yi and Yuan Shi walked up to him and asked,
"Third Brother, what are you doing? How did you end up looking like this?"
Seeing Li Yi and Yuan Shi arrive, Tong Tian chuckled,
"Eldest Brother! Second Brother, I'm trying out a method of formation operation!"
Hearing Tong Tian say this, Li Yi and Yuan Shi finally breathed a sigh of relief. Li Yi asked Tong Tian,
"Are you alright!"
Seeing Li Yi's concern, Tong Tian smiled foolishly,
"I'm fine! I'm fine!"
With that, he turned back to tinker with the formation diagrams.
Li Yi nodded and said,
"It's good that you're alright. Be careful!"
Tong Tian replied without looking back,
"Eldest Brother, Second Brother, don't worry, I know what I'm doing!"
Seeing Tong Tian's confidence, Li Yi and Yuan Shi realized they were being overly concerned. They each returned to their respective peaks.