The ancestors of the Sun Family once had a true Second Grade Great Formation Master who could bring immense benefits to the Cultivators in the area.
Moreover, this Second Grade Formation Master likely even comprehended an Ultimate Formation.
Yet his descendants were bossing others around, indulging in pleasures.
Even after reaching Foundation Establishment, they hadn’t become First Grade Formation Masters.
"What about you, did you find anything out?" Bai Zisheng asked Mo Hua.
Mo Hua reported what he had learned, including the matters of the Sun Family ancestors, the monopoly on Formation for profit, and the Spirit Farmers without rice to cook and so on.
Listened and Bai Zisheng grew a bit angry, "I didn’t think he was not only an idiot but also a scoundrel."
Mo Hua asked, "Wouldn’t the Taoist Court officials care about such things within the Sun Family?"
Bai Zisheng didn’t understand and looked toward Bai Zixi.
After thinking for a moment, Bai Zixi said softly,
"Usually, they wouldn’t care."
"The Taoist Court is established in the Immortal City and governs the territory of the Immortal City. The areas beyond the city are governed by the local Clans, Sects, or local Elders. They just have to pay some Spirit Stone taxes every year."
"For small places like this, the Taoist Court has the right to intervene, but its reach is limited, and generally, they won’t bother unless there’s a serious issue."
Mo Hua nodded.
The layers of the Taoist Court are strictly hierarchical, but there are many fragmented places below, where interests are intricately interwoven, and governance is relatively loose.
As long as it doesn’t affect the stability of the Taoist Court, many things are overlooked by those above.
Mo Hua couldn’t help but turn to Bai Zixi and praised,
"Senior Sister, you know so much."
Bai Zixi nodded slightly, her expression calm, but her long eyelashes fluttered, revealing a hint of pride amidst her prettiness.
"So, you still haven’t found any clues about the Ultimate Formation?" Bai Zisheng asked.
Mo Hua shook his head regretfully.
"What do you plan to do next?"
"I’ll have some free time to go check out East Mountain Village and the Spirit Paddy again. I’ve done the Calculations, and there should be some clues in the Spirit Paddy."
Even though the hundred-acre Spirit Paddy might not have it now, it was likely that the Old Ancestor of the Sun Family once painted an Ultimate Formation there.
It was the "traceless and markless" Formation that Old Ding mentioned...
In the following days, when Mo Hua found the time, he would still visit East Mountain Village.
The people from the Sun Family reported his movements to Sun Ze.
Sun Ze then reported them to his father, the Family Head of the Sun Family, Sun Yi.
"Dad, what exactly does this brat want to do?" Sun Ze said unhappily.
Sun Yi frowned, saying nothing.
"I’ve sent people to ask around. A few days ago, the kid went into the Spirit Field, fixed a Cultivating Soil Formation, had a meal at an old man’s house, and then wandered around the Spirit Field a few more times."
"He’s been going there almost every day these past few days."
A flash of brilliance crossed Sun Yi’s eyes, "You said he fixed a Cultivating Soil Formation?"
Sun Ze nodded.
Sun Yi found it hard to believe, "This little brat is actually able to fix a Cultivating Soil Formation with six Patterns?"
He then looked at his son with a mixture of frustration and disappointment, saying,
"If you spent a fraction of your attention on important matters, you could go beyond just being able to draw four Patterns, and not bring shame to our Sun Family!"
"Dad, you’re not much better yourself, not even a First Grade Formation Master after reaching Foundation Establishment..."
Sun Ze muttered inwardly, but didn’t dare to speak out or argue back. He then said,
"Dad, what exactly does this unassuming brat want to do?"
Sun Yi’s expression became more solemn, and then a glint of shrewdness burst in his eyes,
"Formations... He couldn’t be targeting the Sun Family’s Formation heritage, could he..."
Sun Ze was also taken aback, and then he frowned, a bit disheartened, saying,
"But, dad... What heritage does our family have to pass on?"
Aren’t they all just common goods?
Deceiving those who don’t understand Formations and only know how to farm.
To say that the Formations in the fields must be repaired by our Sun Family.
But anyone with clear eyes knows that they are just ordinary Cultivating Soil Formations.
"Dad, you can fool others, but don’t delude yourself..." said Sun Ze.
Sun Yi rebuked, "What do you know? Our Sun Family has a secret heritage that isn’t passed to outsiders!"