I am the Magus Immortal Book 1: Divine Lotus Sect

Side Story: Valley of Spells

If he wanted he could actually be able to learn each of these formation diagrams. Of course simply unraveling them is different from actually learning to cast them. As the latter would require a lot of time, unless a scroll is available to explain the step by step procedure. Trying to learn a formation just by dissecting it is truly too hard. It's like trying to learn how to sew an intricate dress by unraveling the thread one by one.

However as he already had a huge arsenal of spells that he only need to modify with eastern magic standards, he wasn't keen on memorizing more spells aside from those that is actually helpful to him. He only needs to conform the magic information in his memory and with eastern magic.

When he reached fifty meters he passed a few intermediate disciples who looked at him enviously. At most intermediate disciples would reach about a hundred meters within the valley. However seeing how slow he was advancing these disciples gave a sneer. What they didn't know is that little Xi was only a beginner class and is actually trying to learn from these diagrams like how one would study scrolls. If they knew this they would surely be puking blood.

As he neared seventy meters he realized that the formations were actually quite similar and there were no more new symbols appearing. The twenty meter was a special spot where the difficulty of the formations increased by a level. I suppose the first twenty diagrams can be considered as low grade. He thought. Since there are more types of diagrams in the midgrade level I suppose the difficulty of diagrams will once again increase on the hundredth meter.

Having this conjecture and since the diagrams are not giving him new information he started to unravel them faster.

When he reached the ninety meter spot, more disciples have already taken note of him. Seeing that he doesn't look familiar but is now advancing fast these disciples assumed that he was an advanced disciple who had been away for a long time and have recently come back. Naturally he would be faster than them. Hence they hid their envy and returned to their own task.

Reaching the hundredth diagram his theory was proven. The difficulty increased as there are new symbols appearing again. He again proceeded to study them slowly, understanding their purpose and effects.

When the other disciples noticed he slowed down they sighed in relief, at least he isn't one of those monstrous advanced disciples who liked to show off, they thought.

There were those monstrous advanced or inner court disciples who would unravel diagrams so fast they only seemed to be walking in their garden. They, as ordinary disciples however need to be careful. Although lowgrade and midgrade formations are not deadly for them, if triggered they can still cause painful injuries, especially attack formations.

That is why disciples who challenge the valley of spells are adviced to bring recovery pills in case of accidents. As for high-grade diagrams, a single misstep can cause serious injuries even death.

Although there is supposed to be an elder responsible for the valley that will act in case anyone is in danger, no one has ever seen him or her.

Those who met with accidents would only find themselves wrapped in a shadow which would remove them from the valley. Hence there had never been a known casualty within the first and second region.

As for the third region no one really knows anything about it except those who enter. And they aren't able to divulge anything.

Little Xi ignored the other disciples as he immersed himself in learning the symbols, diagrams, and formations. His understanding about eastern magic grew as he advanced further and further. This allowed him to gain ideas on how to modify the spells in his memory. Ofcourse he would need to test them out first before he is one hundred percent sure they will work.