Immortality Through Array Formations (The Quest for Immortality)

Chapter 672 – Gods, Men, and Ghosts

Mo Hua was dumbfounded, and couldn't help muttering:

"No way…"

If he really had to "eat gods" to break through, could anyone even succeed with this kind of cultivation technique?

Or… was this just his own wild guess?

Mo Hua frowned.

This Tianyan Manual was an ancient cultivation method, given to him by his profound and mysterious master. Its origins were shrouded in mystery, but no matter how strange it was, it couldn't possibly be this insane… right?

Slaying gods, devouring divine marrow, refining his divine sense—and only then being able to break through.

If that were truly the case, it shouldn't be called "Tianyan Manual", it should be called "God-Eater Manual"…

Mo Hua silently grumbled in his heart.

"It shouldn't go that far…"

He quietly let out a sigh of relief—but the very next thought made his heart tighten again.

What if it does?

What if he really had to slay gods, eat gods, and divine-ify his divine sense just to shatter bottlenecks—advance to mid Foundation Establishment, then late Foundation Establishment, and eventually reach Core Formation?

Wouldn't that mean he was totally screwed?

Mo Hua frowned deeply, his little face solemn.

Evil gods weren't exactly easy prey…

And this thing called Divine Marrow was the very definition of "rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns."

Time was limited, too.

This was already his second year in the sect.

By the third year, it would be decided whether students could advance or had to repeat the year.

If he really needed to "eat gods" to break through, and he didn't prepare in advance and stock up on Divine Marrow…

Then by next year, when everyone else had broken through and advanced to mid Foundation Establishment…

If he still couldn't, he'd definitely be held back.

And if he never managed to find Divine Marrow, and his cultivation remained stuck at an early bottleneck, he might stay at early Foundation Establishment for life… stuck in the same grade forever!

A cold chill ran through Mo Hua's heart.

If he got held back even once, he'd go from being "Senior Brother" to Cheng Mo and the others… to being their "Junior Brother."

If he never broke through, he'd just keep getting held back…

And become a permanent Junior Brother?!

Mo Hua's expression turned grim.

"No way. Absolutely not!"

Even if, for Elder Xun's sake, the Great Void Sect wouldn't expel him, staying stuck at Foundation Establishment forever wouldn't just be embarrassing for himself—it would bring shame to Elder Xun, who believed in him.

And if he truly couldn't break through, he'd never be able to accomplish anything in this life with only Foundation Establishment cultivation.

He still had to wait until his cultivation was high enough to learn the kinds of arrays Grandpa Situ talked about—arrays that could "reverse yin and yang, defy life and death, seize the power of creation"…

To save his master!

Mo Hua's gaze turned firm.

"I need to come up with a plan—now."

Always assume the worst-case scenario…

If the Tianyan Manual really did require him to "eat gods" to break through, then he needed to prepare early, gather everything in advance, and stockpile Divine Marrow with everything he had!

That way, even if this cultivation method turned out to be absolutely "deranged," he'd be ready.

Mo Hua nodded.

"Let's assume 'eating gods to break realms' is real, and make plans accordingly…"

"But… where am I going to find that many 'gods' to eat?"

Mo Hua furrowed his brows in confusion.

Evil gods weren't like cabbages.

He couldn't just go pick them up, catch them, or munch on them whenever he wanted…

And even if he did find one, catch it, and somehow eat it—there'd still be more trouble.

He still didn't fully understand what "gods" were.

What's the difference between an evil god and a normal god?

What Dao do gods follow?

What kinds of powers or techniques do they wield?

And then there was the risk—eating Divine Marrow, being assimilated by divinity, gradually losing his humanity, forgetting his original intentions, and eventually becoming something that wasn't even "himself" anymore…

Without understanding all of this, there was no way he could confidently go around "eating gods."

Mo Hua furrowed his brow, pondering hard for a long time… but he couldn't come up with anything.

With his measly ten or so years of cultivation experience, he had barely encountered any real knowledge about gods.

He couldn't figure it out. So, for now, he decided to stop trying.

The next morning, after finishing his cultivation lessons, Mo Hua went straight to the Great Void Sect's Scripture Pavilion, hoping to find records about gods, or ancient texts on the topic.

Reading books in the Scripture Pavilion also cost sect contribution points.

Fortunately, Mo Hua was currently a "rich man" and had plenty of points to spare, so he didn't mind the cost.

But after flipping through countless books, he still didn't gain much.

The cultivation books had only brief, vague references—mostly things like:

"In such-and-such province, there exists such-and-such deity, who receives incense offerings and protects a region."

Or…

"Due to human greed and corrupted belief, a once-protective god fell into depravity and became an evil god."

Or…

"A powerful cultivator suppressed and sealed an evil god who was causing chaos…"

But most of these were just rumors and hearsay—the accuracy unknown.

Let alone anything involving the essence of gods, cultivating gods, or eating gods…

And there was certainly nothing about that giant golden-eyed evil god and what it mentioned—terms like:

Divine Fetus, Dao-Transformation, Divine Marrow, Worship Feasting, or "godhood," "incense," and "divine authority"…

In short: theology and divine cultivation traditions.

Mo Hua had a faint feeling…

Gods and humans might be two completely different types of cultivation beings.

"Ask Elder Xun? Or the sect elders?"

Mo Hua considered it… and gave up.

He was up to something shady, with some very "unspeakable" intentions. It would be far too suspicious to bring up these taboo questions with the elders.

Which left him only one option:

Ask Lord Huangshan.

After all, Lord Huangshan was the only "god" among his so-called "friends."

Even though he was a down-and-out minor mountain god, a broke deity, he was still a god.

So he definitely knew more than Mo Hua did.

Mo Hua made up his mind.

A few days later, on his ten-day break, he prepared wine and food offerings and made a special trip to Withered Mountain.

This wasn't just a detour—he was paying a formal visit.

To avoid flaking out and disappointing Lord Huangshan, he got up early, hired a faster carriage, and set out, hoping to go and return quickly in case something unexpected happened again.

The carriage flew down the road, and after a few hours, Mo Hua arrived at Withered Mountain.

He got out and saw the familiar rugged path, the steep stone steps.

The scenery was just as he remembered—quiet and desolate.

From far away, he could already see Lord Huangshan's broken temple.

A familiar warmth rose in Mo Hua's heart.

He stepped onto the moss-covered stairs, basking in the morning sunlight, cheerful and light-footed, making his way up toward the dilapidated shrine.

The mountain wind was crisp, and the mountain itself unchanged.

Mo Hua hummed a tune all the way to the temple. When he looked up, he saw Lord Huangshan's clay statue sitting upright—but with a very unpleasant expression.

He looked like a man sentenced to death—full of hopelessness and resignation.

Mo Hua looked up at the sky and asked curiously:

"Lord Mountain, such a beautiful day—why do you look so unhappy?"

Lord Huangshan shot him a resentful glance.

"Isn't it because I knew you were coming…"

The mountain god sighed silently in his heart.

Ever since he sensed this little troublemaker was planning to visit again, he'd been on edge—unable to sleep well for days.

He'd had the premonition since early in the ten-day cycle…

Then, for some reason, it had faded.

He'd thought, maybe the kid's not coming after all! and felt such relief.

But before long, the premonition returned—stronger than ever, and seemingly unavoidable.

So Lord Huangshan resigned himself to fate. He'd been sitting stiffly in his clay statue since early morning, awaiting his "VIP guest" with great emotional torment.

Mo Hua looked around and asked curiously:

"You're not going to jump into a puppy again this time?"

Lord Huangshan's expression was one of pure numbness.

"If hiding in a puppy actually worked, I'd have done it already."

But the truth was, even as a dog, he still couldn't escape. That kid could always "sniff" him out anyway…

It was just lying to himself—or rather, self-deceiving a god.

When Mo Hua noticed Lord Huangshan seemed unhappy, he thought the god was feeling down because no incense had been offered and there were no tributes to eat.

Apparently, it wasn't just humans who fell into misfortune and lived hard lives.

Even gods had to suffer through poverty.

Living at the bottom—whether god or man—was more or less the same.

Mo Hua felt a bit sympathetic, but then felt comforted: Good thing he came today!

"I brought you some food!"

Mo Hua took out spirit wine, spirit fruits, various steamed buns, snacks, and meat dishes from his storage pouch, laying them out on the altar. Then he looked eagerly at Lord Huangshan—

As if saying: Come on, dig in!

Amid his tangled emotions, Lord Huangshan actually felt a bit moved.

Even though this child meant nothing but trouble…

He sighed. As much as he didn't want to—and of course didn't dare to—refuse Mo Hua's goodwill, he took a sip of wine and a few bites of chicken.

The moment he tasted the meat, Lord Huangshan's long, narrow eyes lit up.

Heaven be merciful—he couldn't remember the last time he'd eaten tributes this delicious.

Truly divine!

For a moment, Lord Huangshan forgot his worries and began gobbling it all down without restraint.

Mo Hua nodded in satisfaction.

These offerings were specially prepared by him. Some of the dishes he even made himself, infused with the goodwill of a young "demi-god".

…Though Mo Hua didn't know this.

And Lord Huangshan never would've guessed.

All he knew was—today's offerings were exceptionally delicious. Possibly the best he'd eaten since he'd been slain by a divine sword of consciousness, and forced to hide in this broken-down temple.

Lord Huangshan feasted with gleeful head-bobs and squinting eyes.

Mo Hua, pleased by the sight, cheerfully hopped up onto the offering platform to sit beside him. Then he pulled out a roasted lamb leg from his storage pouch and began eating heartily with him.

He remembered Lord Huangshan didn't eat lamb, so this leg was his personal treat.

The moment Lord Huangshan caught the smell of lamb, his body stiffened.

He turned his head to see Mo Hua—seemingly oblivious—gnawing at the leg, his lips shiny with grease. Lord Huangshan's eyelids twitched uncontrollably.

After a moment, he sighed, took another sip of wine, and continued eating his own offerings.

The mountain woods were fresh, the temple quiet.

Golden sunlight spilled in through the broken rooftop.

Mo Hua and Lord Huangshan sat side by side, quietly enjoying their meal—one chewing on lamb, the other savoring divine offerings.

After a while, Lord Huangshan snapped out of it.

"You came here because you needed something, didn't you?"

"Mm!" Mo Hua nodded, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and asked directly:

"Lord Mountain, what's the difference between a god and a human?"

"That…"

Lord Huangshan was stunned. "Why are you asking that?"

"I'm just curious," Mo Hua said, blinking innocently.

Lord Huangshan silently pouted—he didn't believe that for a second.

This kid came all this way, brought food and drink, just for some casual curiosity?

"Tell me, please?" Mo Hua took another bite of lamb.

Lord Huangshan was just about to brush him off—when a chill suddenly ran down his spine.

The boy's words were said with a pure and innocent expression, yet somehow carried a mysterious aura of authority that made him—

Afraid to refuse.

Lord Huangshan's heart trembled.

What's going on with this kid now?

Why would his words instinctively make even a mountain god like me feel too afraid to say no?

Lord Huangshan's expression shifted, his mind surging with unease.

Mo Hua looked puzzled and asked:

"Lord Mountain, what's wrong?"

Startled, Lord Huangshan forced a stiff smile.

"N-nothing at all…"

"Oh." Mo Hua gave him a suspicious look, then asked again,

"Can you tell me? What exactly is a god? And how are they different from humans?"

Mo Hua expected Lord Huangshan to brush it off again…

But unexpectedly, the god gave a slight shiver, let out a deep sigh, and said solemnly:

"Alright. I'll tell you…"

"Mhm!" Mo Hua sat up straight, listening intently.

Lord Huangshan looked at him, expression complicated, and slowly explained:

"So-called gods are also a kind of being born from heaven and earth. But unlike humans, they do not rely on flesh and blood to exist. They are composed of pure, powerful, independent divine consciousness."

"However, that doesn't mean gods don't need a body to inhabit."

"Just like humans have both flesh and divine sense—both are essential."

"When a human's cultivation reaches a certain level, the soul can temporarily leave the body, but neither the body nor the soul can be destroyed."

"If the divine sense disperses, the body becomes an empty shell. If the body dies, the divine sense perishes as well."

"Gods are much the same…"

"Different gods dwell in different vessels. Some reside in mountains, some in rivers, but most inhabit something known as a 'divine statue.'"

"The divine statue is basically the god's body."

"But even statues differ. Some are natal statues, some are twin statues, some are sermon statues, and others are strange, foreign heretical types…"

"Sermon?" Mo Hua asked, puzzled.

Lord Huangshan explained:

"To grow stronger, gods need incense offerings—they require human faith. And to receive faith, they must 'preach the Dao'…"

"The wider the preaching, the more believers they gather, the deeper the wishful power—and the stronger the god becomes."

"When preaching, gods can't move their sole natal statue, so they divide their divine sense and inhabit various sermon statues, scattering them across the land to collect incense from mortals."

Mo Hua suddenly understood.

"So most of the statues we see in the world are sermon statues—housing a shard of divine sense? The god uses them to eat incense and receive offerings?"

"And the natal statue is like their true origin, which they never reveal lightly?"

Lord Huangshan nodded. "Exactly."

Mo Hua's eyes suddenly lit up. He stared at the clay statue that housed Lord Huangshan and asked curiously:

"Then this statue of yours… is it a natal statue? Or a sermon statue?"

Lord Huangshan jumped in fright and immediately clutched his clay body tightly.

"That's not something I can tell you!"

If he said it, he'd be doomed!

Mo Hua wasn't really pressing him. Seeing the god's panicked expression, he reassured:

"Relax, I was just asking. I'm not planning to rob your body or anything…"

Lord Huangshan looked half-convinced, but still hugged his statue tightly and refused to let go.

Mo Hua offered him some fruits and kind words, which finally calmed him down.

"Sermon statues…" Mo Hua muttered, thinking for a moment. Then he asked:

"Are there any gods who… dwell inside humans?"

Lord Huangshan's gaze trembled. His expression turned downright terrifying.

Mo Hua blinked in surprise. "What's wrong?"

Lord Huangshan's face twisted in inner conflict. At last, he sighed deeply and said:

"Yes…"

"Gods normally only dwell in statues. But if one chooses to inhabit a human, that means…"

"It has become an evil god."

"Evil gods…"

Mo Hua's gaze darkened slightly.

Lord Huangshan's expression turned solemn as he continued,

"Divine statues are typically made from clay or stone—dead materials born of heaven and earth. They have no life, no will, which makes them 'clean.'"

"When a god inhabits a statue, they uphold their own Dao, free from influence. There's no real danger."

"But humans are different. Humans possess divine sense—within it dwell countless unknown desires and greed. It is unclean…"

"If a god dwells in a human, either the god will corrupt the human, or the human will corrupt the god."

"And once corruption takes root… degeneration follows."

"And not just humans. If a god inhabits a demon beast, a spirit beast, or any other sentient, living creature—then it means that god has already become an evil god, or at the very least… has stepped onto the path of evil."

In Lord Huangshan's eyes was deep-seated fear.

Mo Hua's heart tightened. He whispered,

"Are evil gods… really that terrifying?"

Lord Huangshan nodded with a face full of dread.

Mo Hua thought for a moment, still puzzled.

"Why does inhabiting a living body cause corruption and degeneration? Why does it make a god evil?"

"Isn't accepting incense and belief also a kind of desire? Why doesn't that cause corruption?"

"And what happens when a god does become evil?"

"What exactly makes evil gods so terrifying?"

…

Mo Hua fired off question after question.

Lord Huangshan smiled bitterly,

"I'm just a little fallen mountain god… how would I know all that? Evil gods… they're not something I can afford to provoke."

"That's fair…"

Mo Hua nodded, and didn't press the issue further.

Lord Huangshan let out a long sigh of relief.

"By the way…" Mo Hua tilted his head, picking another question he'd been curious about.

"Can a person become a god?"

Lord Huangshan was stunned, then quickly shook his head.

"What nonsense… of course not."

(Click to next page for the rest of the chapter!)

"Not even if someone eats incense offerings like a god?" Mo Hua asked.

Lord Huangshan replied, clearly annoyed,

"Have you ever seen a living person receive incense offerings?"

Mo Hua thought about it and realized—no, not even once.

Lord Huangshan explained:

"Gods are gods. Humans are humans. Though both are living beings under heaven, they are fundamentally different. Humans cannot become gods."

"If a person loses their body, over time, their divine sense fades away."

"But if they have a body, then all the desires of the flesh cling to them. They are constantly being 'corrupted.' Without a foundation free of worldly ties, it's utterly impossible to become a god."

Mo Hua slowly nodded, then asked again:

"Then what if… someone gave up their body entirely, and chose to dwell in some external object instead? Like a painting, a sword, or a gourd?"

Mo Hua remembered—he'd seen many visualization diagrams. The malevolent entities inside were often just like that.

Lord Huangshan replied:

"That wouldn't be human… nor divine. That would make them a ghost."

"Ghost?" Mo Hua blinked in surprise.

Lord Huangshan nodded.

"A human's divine sense and body are one. Flesh, spirit, and mind are fused and inseparable."

"If a person's divine sense separates from their body—or if the body is destroyed and only divine sense remains—that divine sense becomes incomplete."

"And anything incomplete… will instinctively seek to fill the void."

"If it seeks shelter in an object—well, that object doesn't belong to you. If it seeks a new body—your original body is gone. Even if you take someone else's flesh, it's still not yours."

"In that case, your divine sense will gradually decay, your memories will blur, and your humanity… will begin to warp."

"Eventually… you will become a ghost."

Then Lord Huangshan looked at Mo Hua, sighed, and asked quietly:

"And what do ghosts do once they're born?"

Mo Hua furrowed his brow, thought, and said,

"They… eat other people's divine sense?"

Lord Huangshan nodded solemnly.

"Yes. Once your divine sense has no body, no source of nourishment, it will constantly wear down. With no way to restore it, the only option left… is to devour others."

"Can't they eat other ghosts? Or feed on evil thoughts?" Mo Hua asked.

Lord Huangshan replied,

"They can, of course. But ghosts and evil spirits aren't so easy to find. And even if you find them… you might not be strong enough to take them."

"And even if you do devour them—it's barely enough to delay the inevitable…"

Then, with a deep sigh, Lord Huangshan said:

"But the scariest thing about humans turning into ghosts…"

"Is that they'll go after their own blood relatives first."

Mo Hua's eyes sharpened.

"Blood relatives?"

Lord Huangshan nodded grimly.

"When someone becomes a ghost, their divine sense deteriorates, their memories fade."

"And those with the most memories connected to them… are always their closest kin."

"So when a person turns into a vengeful ghost, the first divine sense they want to devour—is their family's. Their parents', their children's…"

"It's an instinct. It can't be suppressed."

"Even if it's held back for a time… the bloodthirst will erupt one day."

"And beyond that—once the body is lost, the ghost will seek a vessel most similar to its original one: its own kin."

"That's why ghosts often possess their own parents or children."

Lord Huangshan let out a final sigh.

"So, when someone becomes a ghost—or a cultivator becomes a ghost cultivator—it almost always means… they've already harmed their own family."

Mo Hua felt a pang of sadness and lowered his head in thought.

At last, Lord Huangshan concluded in a firm, solemn voice:

"Gods, humans, and ghosts—all are linked to divine sense. All obey certain Dao principles—but they are utterly distinct."

"These matters of divine sense are extremely esoteric cultivation knowledge. I only know so much because I've lived long as a mountain god."

"Most ordinary cultivators who don't train their divine sense know nothing about this."

"They fear gods and fear ghosts—but have no idea what they're even fearing."

"Even among those so-called great cultivation clans with long-lived elders—if they don't have the right inheritances, their knowledge of gods and ghosts is shallow at best…"

As he spoke, Lord Huangshan smugly stroked his beard.

Mo Hua nodded with great respect.

Then he paused, blinked, and looked suspiciously at the god.

"Lord Mountain… have you been alive for a very long time?"

Lord Huangshan froze—and immediately broke into a cold sweat.

(End of Chapter)