PDLP Chapter 250 The Eight Formations of Qimen Dunjia, Another Challenge Overcome
Chapter 250 The Eight Formations of Qimen Dunjia, Another Challenge Overcome
"His surname was Zhuge, and he was a prime minister who devoted himself to the cause until his death."
"He was skilled in ingenuity and created the Qimen Bagua formation, which is what is described in the jade slip." (Note)
Chu Lengyu spoke softly, her words revealing a touch of melancholy.
Looking at the small jade slip in his hand, the old man Merlin felt a sense of heaviness for some reason.
This "Qimen Bagua Formation Diagram" is based on the Eight Trigrams of Heaven and Earth, and is unpredictable and infinitely powerful.
Within the formation diagram, the eight trigrams—Qian, Kun, Zhen, Xun, Kan, Li, Gen, and Dui—each occupy a side, echoing each other, forming a total of eight formations, including the Heavenly Cover Formation and the Earthly Support Formation.
Although it is a military strategy, it incorporates Taoist Bagua, astronomy and geography, and the interplay of the orthodox and unorthodox, creating endless cycles, with the beginning and end corresponding to each other, and its hidden and revealed aspects being unpredictable!
Old Man Meilin only glanced at it briefly, but he felt he had benefited immensely.
It is truly unimaginable that such an exquisite formation was actually a military strategy diagram created by an ordinary person.
Imagine two armies facing off, with flames of war raging across the land. If they were to use this Qimen Bagua formation to set up their battle array, how magnificent and wondrous the scene would be!
Amidst the clashing of troops, the Bagua formation danced like dragons and snakes, ever-changing and confusing the enemy, leaving them bewildered and at a loss. It was truly a magnificent spectacle on the battlefield!
Old Man Meilin was lost in thought, his eyes sparkling with longing for that magnificent sight.
Upon realizing this, he couldn't help but feel regretful that he had never heard of Mr. Zhuge and had missed a golden opportunity to exchange ideas on strategy with this wise man.
What a joy it would be to find this person, make him a close friend, and discuss the art of battle formations together!
Moreover, Elder Merlin also noticed that Chu Lengyu's evaluation was extremely high.
"He devoted himself to the cause until his dying breath"—these eight words encapsulate his entire life.
After a brief silence, Elder Merlin accepted the jade slip and solemnly thanked her: "This Qimen Bagua formation diagram is exquisite and incomparable. It is a treasure to me. I am fortunate to have received such a generous gift from the Imperial Preceptor. Although I am dull-witted, I will certainly devote all my efforts to studying it carefully."
"Once you have perfected the Plum Blossom Formation, you may come to find me at Pine Forest Cottage," Chu Lengyu said with a slight smile.
This is an invitation, and also a sign of high regard.
Old Man Meilin felt honored and remembered those words.
He then remembered something and inquired, "May I ask where this Mr. Zhuge is from?"
Since there is such a military formation, there may be traces of the battlefield left behind. If he could go there to observe it in person, he would be confident that he could learn the key points more quickly, master it as soon as possible, and learn to apply it.
"...He was born in Langya and served as prime minister of the Shu Kingdom." Chu Lengyu paused briefly before answering.
"The Shu Kingdom?" Upon hearing this, Elder Meilin frowned slightly, as if searching for the name in his memory, but he could not recall any such country existing in the current territory.
He thought to himself that the naming method of this name was very different from that of the surrounding countries. Perhaps it was the name of some ancient country.
He memorized the name and decided that when he returned, he would definitely read through ancient books to find traces of this mysterious ancient country and the deeds of that prime minister.
The old man Merlin felt a deep sense of regret. The person who created such a formation was a genius of all time and should not be forgotten in history.
Meanwhile, the second incense stick in the incense burner had already burned out quietly, leaving only the time for the last incense stick to burn.
The first person to clear the level has finally appeared.
Looking around, he was surprised to find that he had returned to the starting point. He was dazed and wondered: had he found the exit or had he inadvertently returned along the same path?
Old Man Merlin was in a good mood and said with a hint of approval, "Young friend, you are the first to pass this level, which is almost exactly what I expected."
Upon hearing this, the person who passed the test was flattered and quickly bowed, saying humbly, "This junior, Song Yi, actually only has a slight understanding of formations. My ability to pass this test is truly a case of showing off my limited skills before an expert. I hope you will forgive my ignorance, senior."
Upon hearing this, a hint of appreciation flashed in the eyes of the old man Meilin.
He knew that the art of formations was difficult and obscure, and very few people were willing to study it in depth. It was already remarkable that this young man in front of him had even a smattering of knowledge.
"The art of formations is profound and complex, and it's truly commendable that a young person like you is willing to delve into it," he affirmed.
Merlin's divination skills also require a thorough understanding of the principles of the Eight Trigrams and the ability to keenly observe changes in the world. It can be said that this second challenge, the Merlin Maze, is actually the most important selection test for this apprenticeship.
Two hundred people went in, and only one has come out so far, which shows that this challenge is extremely difficult and cannot be solved by ordinary people.
Now that he has obtained this "Qimen Bagua Formation Diagram", Elder Meilin is confident that he can further improve and expand the Plum Blossom Formation.
At that time, let alone two hundred or two thousand people, even twenty thousand people could be easily trapped in the formation and unable to escape.
For this reason, Elder Meilin raised his standards for his direct disciples even higher.
A moment later, another person staggered out.
He was covered in sweat, clearly having faced considerable challenges in the maze.
When he confirmed that he was the second person to pass the level, a relaxed expression finally appeared on his face, as if a huge burden had been lifted off his shoulders.
When the third incense stick had burned down to half its original length, Yi Xiaoqi hurriedly walked out of the plum blossom grove.
This scene surprised the old man in the plum grove. He never expected that this seemingly ordinary girl could walk out of the plum grove so easily.
He remembered that she went in quite late, so it only took her about an incense stick and a half to walk out of the plum blossom grove.
This speed proves that she did not hesitate or go astray in the maze.
As soon as Yi Xiaoqi left the plum blossom grove, she saw the old man in the plum grove and Senior Chu. Her heart skipped a beat, thinking that she had accidentally walked back to the starting point, and her heart sank.
She secretly lamented, thinking that all her efforts had been in vain.
Just then, Song Yi, the first person to pass the level, spoke up to congratulate her on successfully passing the level.
Upon hearing this, Yi Xiaoqi suddenly realized that she had already left the maze and had not returned to the starting point.
She was overjoyed and quickly gave Song Yi a grateful look.
She could hardly believe that only two people had cleared the level and that she was the third.
She asked in a low voice, "Are we the only three who can get through this now?"
Song Yi nodded and said, "That's true."
The second person to pass the test observed Song Yi and Yi Xiaoqi quietly from a distance before slowly approaching.
In his view, not many people will pass this level, and the remaining two levels will likely be fierce competition among them.
Therefore, learning more about one's opponents is undoubtedly beneficial.
"Greetings, gentlemen. My name is Zhao Sheng, and my family runs a herbal medicine business," he introduced himself.
Song Yi was slightly surprised and asked, "Could it be Baicaotang?"
"Exactly, exactly," Zhao Sheng replied with a smile, seemingly modest but actually quite pleased with himself.
Yi Xiaoqi listened to their conversation and felt helpless.
The path of spiritual cultivation is truly filled with human relationships and worldly wisdom.
The two quickly flattered each other, calling each other brothers and saying they hit it off immediately, and were willing to help each other through subsequent challenges.
Yi Xiaoqi shook her head slightly, disgusted by such hypocritical politeness. She couldn't stand it anymore and didn't want to get involved, so she silently walked away.
Back by Chu Lengyu's side, she finally felt relieved and said with a hint of excitement, "Senior Chu, I've passed another test!"
"I never thought that I could find my way out by relying solely on my intuition and not looking at the plum blossom trees!"
When the old man heard her words, he secretly shook his head in his heart.
It turns out that the little girl was able to get out not because she understood the plum blossom formation, but simply because she was lucky.
Such behavior, relying on intuition and luck, is difficult to sustain on the true path of spiritual practice.
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Note: This work has been modified and is based on "The Eight Formations: High Merit and Wonderful Uses, and the Eight Formations Diagram for Fame". Its power has been slightly exaggerated.