Countless mystical symbols exploded in an instant. A formation swiftly enveloped Xiao Min, and a powerful aura of spiritual pressure erupted.
The moment she felt this pressure, Xiao Min was momentarily stunned. She had not expected Lin Tian to have such a hidden trick up his sleeve. The strength of the formation had reached the third layer of Foundation Establishment, while her own cultivation was only at the second layer. If she exerted all her strength, she could break through the formation, but it would come at a significant cost, and such an action would clearly not be worth the price.
However, Xiao Min remained entirely unperturbed. On the contrary, she gazed at Lin Tian with a mocking smile. "So that's why you've been so arrogant. It turns out you're holding a formation that activates instantly."
Creating a formation typically required considerable time, which is why disciples of the Formation Peak often engraved the formations on array disks. Once activated, these disks could trigger the formation and be traded as valuable items.
Taking advantage of Xiao Min's distraction, Lin Tian had surreptitiously inscribed spiritual seals and, upon sensing her hostility, triggered the formation. To her, it seemed that Lin Tian had used an array disk to activate the formation—after all, even the fastest outer sect disciple wouldn't have been able to arrange a third-layer Foundation Establishment formation in a single instant.
"Boy, if you're smart, you'd better release me quickly. Otherwise, don't blame me for being ruthless," Xiao Min's eyes gleamed with a fierce look. Instant-cast formations were consumable; once used, Lin Tian would be left without another powerful trump card, rendering him as insignificant as an ant, easily crushed at any moment.
"What if I don't release you?" Lin Tian's lips curled into a cold smirk. He had not come to the Medicine Peak to indulge in idle games with Xiao Min. He was certain that if he deactivated the formation, Xiao Min would immediately retaliate. Therefore, for his own safety, he had no intention of releasing the formation easily.
"Then I'll have to see how long this formation can hold me," Xiao Min snorted disdainfully. Though the formation exceeded her cultivation level, as long as it existed, Lin Tian would be continually draining his spiritual energy to maintain it. As an inner disciple, Xiao Min's spiritual energy was far superior to his, so if this dragged on, Lin Tian would eventually exhaust himself. At that point, escaping the formation would be a simple task.
"This formation will last about an hour. You can stay in here for that long," Lin Tian said, then turned and walked towards the Medicine Peak's library, his pace swift.
"Boy, stop right there!" Xiao Min's patience snapped when she saw Lin Tian walking away, but Lin Tian paid her no heed.
Just like the Formation Peak, the first floor of the Medicine Peak's library was open for outer disciples to browse. However, to enter the second floor, one needed to pass the Medicine Peak's trials or become an inner disciple.
As Lin Tian gazed at the many scrolls before him, his brows furrowed in mild displeasure. While the content of the Medicine Peak's library was far more accessible than that of the Formation Peak, it was still exceedingly verbose. The information that could be conveyed in a few sentences stretched into entire pages, leaving Lin Tian feeling increasingly weary of the reading.
"Who wrote this stuff? It's ridiculously overdone," Lin Tian muttered under his breath, holding a particularly lengthy scroll, utterly exasperated.
"Boy, what are you saying?" At that moment, an elderly man with a thick beard walked up, clearly displeased.
Lin Tian felt immediately awkward as he looked at the old man. He hadn't expected to encounter anyone in such a small library.
"Esteemed Elder," Lin Tian said, quickly cupping his fists and offering a respectful bow.
"Do you think there's something wrong with the books I've written?" The elderly man glared at him, visibly irritated. As an elder of the Medicine Peak, he had managed the library for decades and relished seeing disciples' enlightened expressions after reading his works. Yet, Lin Tian, after reading his books, not only showed no gratitude but also expressed clear distaste, which deeply offended him.
"Your writings are detailed and thorough, Elder, but the explanations could be simplified. It would be much better if the content were more concise," Lin Tian carefully replied.
"You're saying my books are filled with nonsense?" The old man's face darkened with displeasure.
"Elder, those are your words, not mine," Lin Tian quickly countered, raising his hands in protest, unwilling to take the blame.
"Since you think my writing is full of fluff, then why don't you show me some writing without it?" The elder snorted, handing Lin Tian a scroll.
Faced with the elder's challenge, Lin Tian could only accept the scroll reluctantly. After a quick glance through its contents, he immediately began writing. A stick of incense later, he had rewritten the scroll in a more concise manner, trimming down the material.
"So fast?" The old man raised an eyebrow in disbelief when he saw how quickly Lin Tian had finished. With a sneer, he picked up the rewritten scroll and began to examine it closely.
After a few moments, the old man's gaze shifted from disdain to astonishment. The arrogance in his eyes faded completely, replaced by an expression of admiration, as though he had discovered a rare treasure.
Not only had Lin Tian condensed the contents of the scroll to one-tenth of its original length, but he had also retained every critical point without omission. A smile spread across the elder's face, clearly pleased with the result.