The Ninth Lady is a rebellious person.

Chapter 248 The Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Formation, All Done
Bagua City.

Two hundred years have passed since the city was rebuilt, and all traces of the war-torn past of the previous dynasty have long since disappeared. You can even see some foreigners walking around on the streets. The innkeeper told me that some people had moved out of the grasslands not far from Chiyang Pass. However, in recent years, because the Yi people have been invading the border from time to time, the city is afraid of spies infiltrating and has been very strict in its investigations. There are very few pure Yi people living here now. Those on the register are basically all people who have intermarried with Han people.

Gong Qi walked beside Lang Jiuchuan and said, "It seems that a hundred years ago was the real golden age. Now the barbarians are stirring again, and I wonder when the flames of war will reignite."

Lang Jiuchuan said, "It's normal that those who are not of our kind will have different hearts. It all depends on what the court plans. It's not something you or I can control."

Gong Qi nodded and asked, "Why are you using a deception to come out? Who are you trying to protect yourself from?"

Lang Jiuchuan said helplessly, "Do you think we can put everyone at ease just by saying we're Taoists? You and I suddenly appeared here without any luggage. Doesn't that seem strange? Ma Chengwei has no cunning at all and wouldn't have gotten to this position. He probably already had the innkeepers keep an eye on our movements."

She looked at the houses on both sides of the street and said, "We need to check the layout of this Bagua City. If our whereabouts are revealed, those with ulterior motives will probably think deeply about it. It's fine for ordinary people, but who knows if there are people guarding the formation living in this city?"

"The defenders?"

Lang Jiuchuan lowered his eyes: "The city has been built for two hundred years, and the steles and pillars have stood firm. The formation is unaffected by the changes of time. Even if the formation was created by a high-ranking Daoist, someone should still be guarding it to prevent any changes and to make timely repairs. If there really is such a person, and you and I are still walking around so ostentatiously, attracting attention, wouldn't we be asking for trouble? Think about it, General Fu and the others have not passed away for two hundred years. If they are really trapped by the formation, it shows that the formation has never been destroyed."

Gong Qi remained silent for a while before asking, "Have you always been this cautious?"

They were terrified of being murdered.

Lang Jiuchuan said calmly, "I'm not afraid of trouble, but I'll avoid it if I can. Being cautious isn't a bad thing. I'm weak and have a short lifespan, so I must cherish this body."

Is fighting effortless?
Combat is mentally taxing, and she doesn't want to have a small battle every three days or a big battle every five days.

Gong Qi opened her mouth, wanting to ask her what kind of life she used to lead, but then felt like she was prying into someone's secrets. They weren't that close, especially to her.

Forget it, let's not make a fool of ourselves!

Bagua City was not small. Lang Jiuchuan unfolded a map, memorized the general location, and set off from the inn. He followed the eight trigrams and arranged the eight directions to correspond to the eight gates. He first went to the Qian Gate, which is the northwest position, meaning to open the heavenly gate. Coincidentally, that was also a city gate.

Gong Qi took the map from her hand and examined it carefully, saying, "I only see it now. This city isn't small, but it's not that big either. Yet it has eight city gates. No one would believe it's a coincidence."

“As Ma Qiao said, the city is built like this, it’s a huge feng shui formation. Even with extra city gates, no one thinks there’s a problem,” Lang Jiuchuan said. “If it were truly an Eight Trigrams and Five Elements feng shui formation, it would be fine. It would have the intention of promoting good fortune and prosperity. Living in such a formation might bring good luck in everything and even longevity. But the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams combine the changes of Yin and Yang in heaven and earth and the principles of the generation and restraint of the Five Elements. Once the formation is complete, dazzling light will appear on the ground, like a reversed Milky Way, plunging people into a state of chaos from which it is difficult to enter or leave.”

Gong Qijun's face darkened slightly. He said, "Is this what the innkeeper meant when he said that a curfew would begin at the end of the 5-7 PM, prohibiting people from walking in the city? Is it because they would fall into chaos? Have the people been living like this for the past two hundred years? If someone doesn't obey the curfew, wouldn't something bad happen in the formation?"

Lang Jiuchuan said, "When more people get into trouble, they will start to abide by the rules."

"What exactly is the purpose of setting up this formation?" Gong Qi asked anxiously.

Lang Jiuchuan didn't reply. If she knew, she wouldn't be standing here.

To save time, the two used a mystical talisman, covering a hundred feet in a single step, and quickly arrived at the Qian Gate, which corresponds to the northwest direction. Standing under the city gate, they both saw a Bagua mirror hanging above them.

Made of wood, inlaid with a piece of black iron, the mirror surface engraved with runes. "Can you tell what material it's made of?" Gong Qi asked, frowning.

Lang Jiuchuan looked at the wood of the Bagua mirror, which showed signs of being burned by lightning and fire, and said, "It has existed for a long time without decaying, showing signs of age. If it is to be used to set up a powerful array, it must not be an ordinary material. It should be lightning-struck wood of considerable age."

She could still see the powerful aura emanating from the Bagua mirror.

After sketching the materials used for the Qianmen array eye with charcoal, Lang Jiuchuan quickly turned to the Kanmen in the due north. The city gate there was open to the river, and a rather large Xuanwu statue was placed in the river. The river surface was not yet thawed and was frozen, so several chains could be seen on the ground holding the Xuanwu statue.

Then we arrived at the Gen Gate, which faces northeast. It faces the mountain and there is a Taishan stone slab that is two zhang tall. The top of the stone is inscribed with the three characters "Bagua City" and the center is decorated with a simple painting of the Five Sacred Mountains.

The two glanced at the diagram, drew a picture, and moved on to the next one. As the diagram filled the paper in their hands, their expressions became increasingly cold and somber.

If we look at the map, we can only guess based on the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams diagram, and we still dare not be sure. Now that we have seen the corresponding arrangement materials for each trigram, how dare we still take chances?

As dusk fell, the two stood atop the city wall, gazing at the stele that appeared to be tinged with crimson under the setting sun, which seemed to be tinged with wisps of purple.

Lang Jiuchuan frowned and said, "That purple aura is unusual. This stele is the eye of the central palace formation. I'm afraid there is a real treasure suppressing the formation beneath it."

"Shall we wait until dark to dig around?" Gong Qi was eager to try.

Lang Jiuchuan rolled his eyes and said, "I'll provide you with a hoe for free. Go dig. It's your responsibility to bear the consequences."

Gong Qi clicked his tongue.

The two huddled together again to look at the paper, which had now been drawn into a real nine-palace eight-trigram array.

The eight trigrams are arranged in eight directions: Heaven, Water, Mountain, Thunder, Wind, Fire, Earth, and Lake. These correspond to the eight gates: Rest, Life, Injury, Death, View, Death, Shock, and Open. Each gate hides deadly intent and is infinitely changeable. The center of the nine palaces is the core of the formation, controlling the overall situation.

The Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams Formation is complete.

The two exchanged a glance, their expressions turning cold.

"I still don't understand." Gong Qi pursed his lips and said, "If it really is the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams Formation, it's understandable to use it against people, but it has existed for two hundred years. Who is it used against? And it shouldn't be used against evil spirits like the heroic spirits of the Fu family army. Why go to such lengths to set up such a large formation and let it exist for so long?"

Lang Jiuchuan glanced at the sky and said, "It's getting dark. Let's see if we find it after dark."

Gong Qi Yimo.

As darkness fell, the two figures, now invisible, stood atop the city wall, braving the howling north wind, watching the last glimmer of light disappear completely.

Suddenly, the surrounding atmosphere changed.