Chapter 63: The Guardian Formation

The next day, Zhang Pu informed Liu Yingde that he would be moving into his villa. Though it was not the weekend, Zhang Pu simply sent a message to his homeroom teacher, and the matter was settled. Liu Yingde dispatched members of the Witch Ghost Sect with a small car to help, and he personally arrived with utmost respect to assist.

Yet, in truth, there wasn't any real need for such a commotion—Zhang Pu, a student renting a room, barely owned anything worth moving. All the furnishings in his old apartment—beds, tables, chairs, and every other necessity—had been provided by the landlord.

Fortunately, the neighbors who witnessed Zhang Pu's move were unfamiliar with Liu Yingde. Otherwise, had they known the head of the Witch Ghost Sect himself had come with men to help move a student, someone they saw as utterly ordinary, they would have been utterly shocked. Still, the spectacle alone provided them with a good story to tell for some time.

But Zhang Pu had no interest in basking in such superficial displays. Impressing ordinary people held no charm for him. Soon enough, surrounded by his entourage, Zhang Pu departed in style.

Moreover, Liu Yingde had come in person to fetch him, and his car was no ordinary vehicle. Over the years, through various mystical dealings, Liu Yingde, though only a Taoist priest, had amassed a comfortable fortune—a luxury car was nothing to him. He even considered buying a fine car for Zhang Pu to drive to school, but seeing that his young master had no interest in driving himself and preferred to be chauffeured, he let go of the idea.

The residence Liu Yingde prepared for Zhang Pu was far more luxurious than the student apartment he had previously rented. The arrangements were so meticulous, it was as if Zhang Pu were Liu Yingde’s own father and he the dutiful son—though, in fact, Liu Yingde was old enough to be Zhang Pu’s grandfather, if one disregarded Zhang Pu’s millennium spent in the cultivation world.

Still, Zhang Pu was pleased with Liu Yingde’s preparations.

He harbored no worries that Liu Yingde might plot against him in secret, for he could sense that Liu Yingde was filled with awe and reverence for him, wary of the mysterious powers or figures that might stand behind Zhang Pu. Liu Yingde was doing all he could to curry favor, convinced that Zhang Pu’s future was limitless, and believed that even a share of Zhang Pu’s leftovers would be worth more than his own struggles.

“What? You want to set up a formation here?” When Zhang Pu mentioned his intent to arrange a grand protective formation around the villa, Liu Yingde seemed utterly startled. He had certainly heard of such things as formations, but even his own master had never possessed such skill. And here was Zhang Pu, a high school student barely old enough to shave, claiming not only that his formation could ward off ordinary experts sneaking in, but also withstand attacks from firearms.

Zhang Pu’s martial prowess had already left Liu Yingde deeply impressed, but he had never expected him to possess such profound and mysterious knowledge. What Liu Yingde did not realize was that ever since Zhang Pu’s encounter with the ninja, he had been concerned that more formidable adversaries might come to Qingwu. He was also wary of threats from firearms. He had already survived several attacks at his former residence near Nanhu Park, and now that he seemed to be making more enemies, who could say that those who feigned submission wouldn’t secretly try to harm or even kill him?

Judging from Liu Yingde’s reaction, Zhang Pu realized that even minor formations from the cultivation world were almost unheard of on Earth. These arrays were different from earthly labyrinths or the shallow arts of Qimen Dunjia; they could automatically strike back at intruders.

In truth, the cultivation world boasted much more sophisticated protective formations, but Zhang Pu’s current cultivation was too low to deploy them. Still, even the array he intended to set up at Liu Yingde’s villa would be more than enough to block most of the martial arts experts on Earth. Any intruder who triggered the array would immediately alert Zhang Pu by spiritual sense.

When Zhang Pu first arrived at the villa, he did not see Chen Wenfa. He still vividly recalled Chen’s exploits at the hotel that night. However, facing Liu Yingde, Zhang Pu chose not to mention it for now.

Zhang Pu handed Liu Yingde a list of materials required for the protective formation, and Liu Yingde happily agreed, hoping that Zhang Pu would reward him with some benefit in the future. By now, Liu Yingde was growing increasingly suspicious—perhaps this Zhang Pu was indeed one of those legendary cultivators.

Given his experience and his role as the head of the Witch Ghost Sect, Liu Yingde was well aware of—and even believed in—the legends of cultivators.

He resolved to cling tightly to Zhang Pu, this towering tree of fortune.

In fact, the most crucial core ingredients for the formation were spirit stones and the like. Zhang Pu doubted Liu Yingde could procure the highest quality, so he would have to make do with lesser substitutes. The effect would not be as remarkable, but it would still serve its purpose. Such rarities, Zhang Pu believed, could only be found at particularly special auctions. He planned to find time to have Liu Yingde take him to events even more exclusive than the one at Moonlit Manor.

Now settled in Liu Yingde’s villa, Zhang Pu decided to live in seclusion for a while and truly begin delving into the ways of the cultivation world. If he became too preoccupied, he could easily ask for leave from school—thanks to Old Master Zeng’s instructions, Zhang Pu enjoyed special privileges. No matter who was envious or displeased, the school authorities would smooth things over.

But what would Zhang Pu be working on? In reality, only upon stepping into Foundation Establishment does a cultivator truly enter the path of immortality. At that point, a cultivator could rival the martial experts and even grandmasters of Earth.

For one who had been reborn like Zhang Pu, it was only then that he could fully unleash the cultivation methods, spells, and magical artifacts of the immortal realm. Honestly, during the Qi Refining stage, his powers were far too limited—there were so few techniques or spells he could safely use on Earth, and he possessed not a single magical artifact.

Magical artifacts could be acquired or crafted, but Zhang Pu did not yet have the ability to forge his own. Only after some time in the Foundation Establishment stage would he be able to begin crafting simple ones. As for obtaining them from elsewhere, Earth was not the cultivation world—where could he possibly find such things?

Cultivation methods, martial techniques, spells, and artifacts—these were the means by which Zhang Pu, as a cultivator, could stand above ordinary humanity. They were also what he would rely on to confront the demonic cultivators and other extraordinary beings who might exist on Earth, just as he did.