Find where the story takes placeLog Entries of a Formation master,Formation master,root-book

  Log of Jian Feng - Year 1

  Entry 1: The Bitter Start

Content: Another day, another humiliating training session. My Dantian feels like a stubborn rock, refusing to absorb even a sliver of Qi. The other outer disciples are already on their first Qi Gathering stage, while I struggle to even feel the energy around me. Elder Li scoffed when I asked for guidance. "Some are born with the fate of the mountain, some with the dust beneath it," he said. The dust beneath it… fitting. But I refuse to simply become dust. I’ve heard rumors of other paths… what are these strange 'formations' people speak of? Research begins. I found a dusty, discarded text in the library, titled "Basic Formation Principles." It’s dry, but… promising.

Entry 2: The Allure of Structure

Content: I've spent nearly all my free time in the library, poring over the formation text. It speaks of manipulating the flow of energy, not through the body, but through arrangement. It's like a different language, a language of symbols and patterns. I am terrible at qi cultivation, but my mind finds the logic and structure of formations compelling. The text mentions "spirit stones", "formation flags", and "ink imbued with spiritual energy." It sounds expensive. I need to figure out how to acquire these things.

Entry 3: Humble Beginnings

Content: I've started doing menial tasks around the Sect - weeding the medicinal gardens, cleaning tools - just to earn a few copper coins. I managed to trade some of my excess earnings for a chipped inkstone and a few worn brushes. It’s not much, but it's a start. I’ve been practicing basic formation patterns on scraps of parchment, trying to understand how the flow lines interact. My fingers are stained with ink, but my mind feels alive.

Entry 4: First Spark

Content: I found a secluded spot to practice. Using sand and carefully placed pebbles, I attempted to recreate the simplest of all formations, the ‘Gathering Qi’ array. It's incredibly crude, with no actual spiritual energy to fuel it, but when I held my palm over the pattern I made, I could feel a tiny, almost imperceptible shift in the ambient Qi. It’s a small victory, but enough to keep me going. The text also mentions the importance of Sheng Fui, the life force of objects. I need to learn more….

  Log of Jian Feng - Year 2

  Entry 5: The Whispers of the Elder

Content: I stumbled upon a hidden annex in the library. It's filled with tattered scrolls detailing rarer and more complicated formations. An old librarian, Elder Bai, found me there. He didn't laugh, instead he offered some rare insight on Sheng Fui, “The life force of things. Even a rock has its own hum, its own spirit. A successful formation seeks to guide these natural currents.” He advised me to "listen" to the world, to feel the pulse of things, not just look at them. He warned that it takes years to master even this basic concept. A lifelong path.

  Entry 6: The Art of Sheng Fui

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Content: I spent days by the stream, attempting to "feel" the Sheng Fui of rocks, water, even the blades of grass. It was maddening at first. But slowly, the dull hum of the world around me started to become a symphony. I can feel the subtle pull of the earth on the stones, the way the water tumbles with its own energy, the faint pulse of the trees. This is more profound than I imagined.

Entry 7: Tools of Trade

Content: I've been saving diligently. My hard work paid off. I managed to scrounge enough for a set of basic formation flags, made of sturdy wood, with blank canvases for inscription. I also found a small mortar and pestle, and an old iron needle. With this I can mix my own inks. My formation tools are simple, but mine. The merchant was surprised a young practitioner would be interested in such things. “Most seek swords and pills, boy.” he said. Most, but not all.

  Log of Jian Feng - Year 3

  Entry 8: A Gradual Shift

Content: I have been modifying the simple Qi Gathering array, incorporating what I have learned of Sheng Fui. I carefully selected the placement stones, feeling the ‘hum’ of each before placing it. I used my needle and special ink to draw the formation patterns on my flags, each carefully infused with my own intention and understanding of the natural currents. The change is incremental, but I can feel it! The energy is subtly more focused, more potent. Still, it is not as powerful as true qi users.

Entry 9: First Commission

Content: My work of carefully arranging rocks in a simple protective formation within the training grounds for a group of outer disciples looking for an edge. When they asked for a basic protection array, they were surprised to find it actually worked! It's a meagre fee, but it is validation. Maybe I can make a living from this. Maybe talent isn’t everything.

Entry 10: The Road Ahead

Content: I am still a long way from a Qi refining master, but I have found my path. My hands are calloused, my clothes stained with ink, but, my mind is clear, focused, and I am filled with determination. I am Jian Feng, the formation cultivator. My body may not be exceptional, but my mind… my mind is a mountain waiting to be shaped. The path of formations is open to me. The path to mastery… is a long one indeed.

Formation master