When people think of powerful formations in wuxia, they'll usually think of the Cheun Jen Sect's 7 Stars Big Dipper Formation or the Mo Dong Sect's similar 7-part formation. Though it seldom gets the same respect, the Beggar's Union's Dog Beating Formation appears in many wuxia adaptations (and presumably, the novels that inspired them), and one thing I've found in common whenever the Dog Beating Formation is deployed is that it tends to neutralize even the most powerful fighters. Without exception, across a number of different series based on both Jin Yong and Gu Long novels, the Dog Beating Formation consistently was successful in hemming in and neutralizing elite martial artists who otherwise seldom lost fights. It's a wonder that this formation doesn't get more attention/respect given its propensity for flustering even the most powerful individual fighters.