WBICDPH Chapter 48

Chapter 48 — When the Brush Falls, Mountains and Seas Arise

“Whoosh—”

A violent gust of wind swept through, bending the trees before him at the waist. Countless peach blossoms were torn free, swirling wildly through the sky.

“Half awake, half drunk, day after day; flowers fall and bloom, year after year.[1]”

Liu Xun’s voice drifted in with the wind:

“Brat, didn’t you want to ask for leave? This Peach Slaughter Formation—if you can break it within half an hour, I’ll grant you a day off!”

“Master, I’m only asking for one day of rest. Isn’t this a bit harsh?”

Lin Jin muttered under his breath. Even as the strange gale raged around him, he raised a finger and traced faint, cryptic sigils in the air.

“Reverse Flow—Still the Wind!”

The howling storm in the peach grove froze instantly. In the next moment, the petals that had been swept into the air drifted backward along their original paths, returning eerily to where they had come from.

“Combining the mysteries of reversal and wind? Interesting. Well done.”

Seeing the terrifying gale subside, Lin Jin let out a breath of relief.

It had been more than half a year since he entered Dongli.

During that time, he stayed in Nanqian tending crops and studying theory, ran daily to Dongli to learn talisman and formation arts from Liu Xun, and prepared meals every day. Sometimes only for three people—other times for a full table of six, their chaotic family meals loud and lively.

While Lin Jin spun between Nanqian and Dongli like a top, Han Ao steadily followed the classic “chosen hero” path within the sect—gathering opportunities, defeating minor enemies, and now reaching the Half-Step Golden Core stage.

This time, Lin Jin had asked Liu Xun for a day off so he could accompany Han Ao down the mountain to a nearby town for a small story event. It was brief—just a day trip—but Liu Xun refused to grant leave easily. She called him lazy and insisted he pass a test first.

Her exams were notoriously difficult. Lin Jin felt uneasy the moment he heard.

Liu Xun practiced both talisman and formation arts and had been a prodigy in her youth. She never tested one discipline alone; instead, she combined both to examine his adaptability and practical skill.

Like the Peach Slaughter Formation before him.

The peach grove marked the boundary, petals served as blades, and once the wind gathered strength, the blossoms became deadly weapons.

Lin Jin had seen through its mechanics when the storm began. By merging the principles of reversal and wind, he forced the gale to reverse course, returning everything to its origin.

Then…

He closed his eyes and sensed the flow of spiritual energy.

Every formation had a core. Destroy the center, and the whole structure would collapse.

The swirling petals suddenly froze for a fraction of a second.

Lin Jin caught the anomaly instantly. His eyes snapped open, hands forming seals in one smooth motion.

“Wind of Xun, Fire of Li—Break!”

A surge of energy burst from his talisman seal. Flames erupted midair, incinerating the petals into ash. The wind that once turned petals into blades was redirected, carrying the fire deeper into the grove.

Flames spread from petals to trees, forcefully breaking the formation. The illusory barrier surrounding the Peach Slaughter Formation shattered.

After a brief dizziness, Lin Jin returned to reality—and immediately saw Liu Xun standing with arms crossed.

His scalp prickled.

Her temper was legendary across Misty Rain Mountain. Partly because she was petty and controlled the supply of high-level talismans; offend her and you’d never get one again. Partly because she was loud, fierce, and carried an oppressive presence when angry—enough to make anyone feel guilty under her stare.

As a teacher, she was extremely strict. Under her gaze, Lin Jin began mentally reviewing everything—had he made mistakes? Was his method thorough? Would it satisfy her?

“Well? Explain,” Liu Xun said flatly.

“Explain… what?” he asked, caught off guard.

“Explain your thought process. Was setting everything on fire a calculated decision—or just blind luck?”

Sometimes Lin Jin thought Liu Xun would make a perfect high school teacher.

It felt like being called on to explain a multiple-choice answer—just when you thought guessing correctly was enough.

Scratching his head, he said, “This Peach Slaughter Formation appears to be based on wood, but it actually relies heavily on wind. The wind lifts the petals, stores force, and then attacks. Thousands of petals become blades—hence ‘Peach Slaughter.’”

“Correct. Go on.”

“Wind and wood support each other equally. Targeting either alone won’t break the formation. So the only option was to overturn the entire structure. Fire overcomes wood, and wind spreads fire. I used fire, harnessed the wind, and burned away the wood element—so the formation collapsed naturally.”

Liu Xun narrowed her eyes.

Cold sweat formed on Lin Jin’s back.

After a long silence, she suddenly laughed and tapped his head with her fan.

“Not bad.”

“…Huh?” He blinked, stunned by the praise.

“You little rascal—your clever tricks were used well. I thought half an hour was already pushing it, yet you broke it in less than one incense stick’s time. Makes me look like I went easy on you. Fine. Your day off is approved.”

His eyes lit up. “Thank you, Master!”

“Hold on—I’m not finished.”

She paused deliberately, watching his expression shift from joy to anxiety before continuing.

“You’ve been studying well lately. As a reward, besides tomorrow’s leave, take the rest of today off too.”

After all, the Peach Slaughter Formation she’d prepared was already destroyed; the lesson plan ended early. She had nothing else ready, so she waved him off generously.

Lin Jin nearly jumped for joy.

Half a year ago, he’d been a lazy nobody; now he’d somehow become Dongli’s senior disciple and Misty Rain Mountain’s hardest-working student. He could barely remember his last vacation. Two full days off felt like unimaginable wealth.

He thanked her again and dashed away—only to be yanked back moments later.

“Why are you so impatient? Wait!”

She flicked his forehead and took something from her storage ring.

The moment it appeared, spiritual energy surged toward it.

Lin Jin stared—it was a jade brush, pale green-white with carved patterns resembling vast mountains and rivers.

Liu Xun tossed it into his arms. “A Mystic-grade artifact called Mountains and Seas. It’s yours.”

“Whoa! Mystic grade?!”

He accepted it carefully, afraid to drop it. He rarely bought anything above low-grade tools; the only high-level artifact he’d used before had been borrowed. This was the first high-level item truly his.

“Look at you—so easily impressed,” she teased, hiding a smile behind her fan. “Elder Jiang made it recently. Nothing special. I don’t need it, and you lack a decent brush—consider it your lucky day.”

(If Elder Jiang were present, he’d faint. The brush had actually been custom-ordered by Liu Xun, who’d forced him to remake it dozens of times until it upgraded itself to Mystic grade.)

Lin Jin, unaware of the backstory, ran circles around her in excitement before sprinting off.

She watched his back, muttering “hopeless kid,” though her fan fluttered cheerfully—she was clearly pleased.

With two days off suddenly in hand, Lin Jin found himself unsure what to do. Eventually, he used the new brush to draw some low-grade talismans, sold them in the market for spirit stones, and prepared for tomorrow’s trip.

He and Han Ao planned to visit Golden Scale City near Misty Rain Mountain—a place famous for its annual Treasure Fair, essentially a massive auction drawing cultivators from everywhere.

They agreed to depart early, arrive by noon, and explore before the evening event.

On the second day of leave, Lin Jin waited outside Nanqian’s gate with his puppy, but Han Ao was late.

After waiting two incense sticks’ time, he finally saw Han Ao trudging toward him, looking dejected.

“First, I apologize for being late. Second… I need to apologize for something else.”

He bowed immediately.

Lin Jin took a step back, eyebrow raised. “What’s going on?”

“Ha!”

Before Han Ao could answer, Hua Nanzhi suddenly popped out from nowhere, hands on hips, pointing at Lin Jin.

“I knew Han Ao waking up early was suspicious! Spill it—where are you two sneaking off to work hard without inviting me?!”

Han Ao sighed helplessly.

Lin Jin looked at him, then at her—his face falling in defeat.