The next day, the group gathered, knowing those people would surely reappear.
Last night, Qin Chuan hadn't asked the woman about her relationship with that snake-like man, or what their past grievances were.
He wasn't curious, had no desire to know; his only goal was to stop their killing.
Even without merit, Qin Chuan would do it, for merit resides in the heart.
This time, Qin Chuan truly understood this saying, because often rules aren't constraints, but bridges to progress.
Why can some people create rules, while others can only follow them?
Gradually, Qin Chuan began to understand: merit, merit—sometimes merit is an inherent manifestation, not an ability acquired from the outside.
A body of merit arises from within, naturally formed, not by external force. It's an inner cultivation, an awakening, and an experience, a continuous growth and transformation, ultimately forming a body of merit.
For a moment, Qin Chuan felt his body solidify; he possessed the power of merit, and had even cultivated a body of merit.
Previously, he had always thought he possessed a body of merit, albeit at a low level. But now he realized the path to a body of merit was long and arduous.
His current achievements were insignificant, but his previous insights had allowed him to take a crucial step towards this goal.
Merit resides in the heart!
This was the essence. Only by truly understanding the meaning of this phrase and breaking free from the constraints of traditional merit cultivation rules could one truly master the method of cultivating a body of merit.
Previously, Qin Chuan had witnessed the butcher gain merit after killing him, so he had always cultivated his body of merit through the method of slaying evil and promoting good.
This was correct, and one could even say that most people cultivated in this way; it was a correct method.
However, often the correct method wasn't necessarily the most superior. Furthermore, some things could be taught, while others couldn't be revealed.
The Dao is not easily passed on, and even if it were, it wouldn't be of much use.
Therefore, Qin Chuan felt an unprecedented ease and joy. His righteous energy had condensed to a point of greater purity.
Enlightenment can happen in an instant, transforming one completely. However, it's incredibly difficult, requiring the right timing, location, and people; talent, experience, and environment; and finally, a crucial catalyst.
All these conditions are indispensable, but once enlightened, it's equivalent to years of arduous cultivation, even if years of arduous cultivation are useless, as some things cannot be achieved through mere hard work.
This is why Buddhism always speaks of those with predestined affinity.
After last night, Qin Chuan and the woman seemed much more familiar, exchanging glances, and the woman wore a faint smile.
Others had no right to comment; many noticed Qing Xianzi's unusual nature, but they didn't dwell on it.
Nominally, the Heavenly Sect Master was in charge, but the true core was the woman. At this moment, the Heavenly Sect Master was frustrated, unsure how to proceed.
"Alright, don't worry. As long as they don't come looking for us, should we make any rash moves?" Qing Xianzi spoke.
The others naturally agreed, though puzzled as to why. Since Qing Xianzi had spoken and seemed relaxed, they breathed a sigh of relief.
Most people here didn't know how strong Qing Xianzi was, not even the sect leader of the Heavenly Sect. However, they could all sense that their own strength was far inferior to hers.
Qin Chuan had only demonstrated his abilities; whether he could destroy the opponent's formation was still unclear.
Generally, things are difficult to set up but relatively easy to break. Of course, some things are truly difficult to break.
Formations, for example, are used to trap and kill; they are not so easily broken—that would be considered breaking a formation.
Therefore, formations are among the most difficult to break. Breaking a formation is also considered breaking a formation; if it were easy, it would be considered breaking a formation.
However, for formation masters, it's naturally much easier than for ordinary people, but for those with insufficient skill, it's still useless.
What Qin Chuan needs to do now is to see if there's a breakthrough point in the formation. If not, he'll have to act prematurely and rely on force to win.
But this is a last resort. If he can destroy the formation, that would be best. If so, he can use a two-pronged approach, looking for an opportunity to destroy the formation during the battle.
This might be the most promising way to succeed.
"Let's go check out their formation. I'll cover you," Qing Xianzi said to Qin Chuan.
Qin Chuan had been there before. His concealment skills were decent, but he dared not get too close. After all, the other side's cultivation levels were high, and if they possessed any treasures or rare beasts, they would be easily discovered.
But now that this woman had spoken, it was practically foolproof. If they could observe and study it closely, they might actually find a way to break the formation.
No formation is perfect; every formation has flaws. The reason you don't see flaws is because your cultivation level isn't high enough to detect them.
"Okay!"
The two walked a short distance and disappeared from everyone else's sight.
"No one can see or sense us now, at least not the other side. But if someone attacks and gets close, they can touch us. So as long as we don't make a sound or get touched, they won't be able to detect us," the woman explained.
Qin Chuan nodded: "Yes, I understand."
This ability was powerful. He didn't know if it was a treasure or a divine power. It was a life-saving method, allowing him to disappear from the spot. As long as he wasn't directly attacked, he could truly remain hidden.
The mountaintop!
Upon reaching the mountaintop again, the grand formation was essentially complete. Qin Chuan instructed the Array-Devouring Beast to hide and cease its attacks.
"Well, can you see anything?" Qin Chuan spoke in a voice only the two of them could hear.
Fairy Qing also understood formations, even arguably being proficient, though it wasn't her primary focus. She understood them for better survival.
Many martial artists, while not formation masters, still possessed considerable skill in formations, not only in formations but also in detoxification and medicine.
"In my eyes, it's flawless," the woman sighed, knowing her own formation skills were lacking.
Her hopes rested solely on this young man.
Qin Chuan, unaware of the woman's thoughts, slowly approached the formation, observing it intently.
The woman stayed close to Qin Chuan. Many guards were present, and she had to be by his side, both to protect him and to prevent any unforeseen accidents.
Seeing Qin Chuan so engrossed in his work, she worried he might bump into someone or make a sound.