Immortality Through Array Formations (The Quest for Immortality)

Chapter 676: The Past

"Master Gu?" Mo Hua looked a bit surprised.

Master Gu smiled kindly and clasped his hands.

"Young Master Mo."

"You're not in Lone Mountain City?" Mo Hua asked.

"Something came up suddenly. I had to make a trip to Qingzhou City," Master Gu replied warmly.

"Oh."

Mo Hua nodded.

Master Gu hesitated slightly, then smiled and said:

"Last time in Lone Mountain City, I didn't entertain you properly. It must be fate that we meet again—may I treat Young Master Mo to a cup of wine, if you're free?"

Although Master Gu was doing his best to be cordial, it still felt a bit awkward to see a powerful Jindan cultivator smiling and trying to please a mere Foundation Establishment junior like Mo Hua.

And clearly, this sort of polite flattery wasn't something Master Gu was very skilled at.

"I don't drink," Mo Hua said bluntly.

Especially not strong liquor—too spicy.

Fruit wine was fine, but most cultivators didn't even consider that real alcohol.

Master Gu looked a little disappointed.

"I'll eat, though," Mo Hua added.

Master Gu froze, then a look of relief spread across his rugged face, and he smiled.

"Good."

As long as Mo Hua agreed, that was enough.

Seeing it was still early, Master Gu figured Mo Hua likely had other business to attend to, so he didn't press and simply said:

"In Qingzhou City, there's a place called Immortal Crane Pavilion. Their spiritual fish is quite exquisite. I'll prepare a table there at noon and await your arrival, Young Master Mo."

"Just call me Mo Hua. No need for the 'Young Master,'" Mo Hua replied.

Master Gu nodded solemnly.

"Alright, Young Master Mo."

Mo Hua didn't know how to respond.

After parting from Master Gu, Mo Hua went to say hello to Aunt Wan.

Wenren Wan was playing with Yu'er.

Yu'er's complexion was improving by the day, growing more lively as well. She was no longer the frail, pitiful little girl she once was—now she was bouncing around, with a spark of mischief beginning to show.

Wenren Wan was deeply grateful to Mo Hua, and even more convinced she'd made the right decision by sending Yu'er to the Great Void Sect, to stay by Mo Hua's side.

"If you run into trouble in the sect that you can't resolve, go find Elder Murong. She and I are as close as sisters…"

"For anything outside the sect, just go to Changhuai."

She pointed to Gu Changhuai, who was drinking tea nearby.

"He's a Dian Si (Chief Officer) at the Dao Court. Even though he's only a Grade-3 Jindan cultivator, he holds a bit of clout in the Dao Court."

"If you ever have trouble and Changhuai doesn't help you, just come tell me…"

After saying this, Wenren Wan looked at Mo Hua again, a touch of sorrow flashing through her eyes. She sighed:

"In all of Qianxue Prefecture, with so many sects and disciples, there's no one quite like you. Still so young, studying alone out here, no parents or family around… no one to rely on, no one to care for you…"

"If someone bullied you in the sect, you probably wouldn't even dare tell anyone…"

She still seemed a bit worried.

Gu Changhuai silently sat there, emotionless, sipping his tea.

Who would even dare to bully him?

Even the brutal Fire Buddha—a fearsome devil cultivator—tried to kill Mo Hua and failed. In the end, he had a hole blasted straight through his chest.

Anyone else? They wouldn't even stand a chance.

In all of Qianxue Prefecture, besides the Elders and Ancestors of the major sects, or those born of the four great clans—true top-tier prodigies with heavenly spiritual roots—who could possibly "bully" him?

And besides, those real prodigies lived in a completely different world. They'd probably never even interact with Mo Hua.

Who would go out of their way to pick on a little disciple of the Great Void Sect?

Gu Changhuai sighed.

He had tried, very subtly, to tell Wenren Wan before that this Mo Hua kid only looks innocent. In reality, he was full of schemes and tricks, with a dark little mind—you really didn't need to worry about him.

Countless evil cultivators and criminals had already fallen to him.

But he failed to convince her.

Instead, she scolded him, saying he was small-minded, speaking ill of a child behind their back, and shameless to boot.

People only believe what they want to believe.

So Gu Changhuai gave up trying. Now, whenever Wenren Wan expressed concern that someone might bully Mo Hua, he just pretended not to hear it.

Mo Hua, feeling a bit awkward, said:

"Aunt Wan, the Elders, senior brothers, senior sisters, and fellow disciples in the sect all treat me very well. No need to worry."

Only then did Wenren Wan nod in satisfaction.

They chatted a bit more—some gossip about the sect, and Yu'er's cultivation progress in the Great Void Sect.

Then Wenren Wan got ready to leave.

She wasn't exactly free in Qingzhou City either. Aside from caring for Yu'er, she managed many businesses belonging to the Shangguan, Wenren, and Gu families in over a dozen nearby immortal cities.

But before leaving, her expression darkened slightly, and she reminded Mo Hua:

"That Master Gu… If you have requests, you can ask. But if he has any intentions or motives, you don't need to bother with him."

Mo Hua was startled.

Wenren Wan gently added:

"A few days ago, he asked around about your background through some connections in the Gu family."

Mo Hua suddenly understood and smiled:

"Thanks, Aunt Wan. I understand."

Seeing Mo Hua had taken it to heart, Wenren Wan smiled warmly and departed.

Only Mo Hua and Gu Changhuai remained in the guest hall.

Gu Changhuai sat in a corner, sipping his tea coldly.

Mo Hua quietly leaned over and whispered:

"Uncle Gu, how come you're free today?"

Without even lifting his eyelids, Gu Changhuai flicked away the tea foam with his lid.

"Dao Court cultivators aren't grinding mules. We get rest days too."

He took another sip, then put the cup down.

"Alright, speak. What do you need from me?"

Mo Hua blinked. "How did you know I needed something?"

Gu Changhuai glanced at him.

"Take a guess."

Mo Hua froze. "Uncle Gu… are you copying me?"

Gu Changhuai choked slightly and snapped:

"You saying it or not? If not, I'm leaving."

"Okay, okay!" Mo Hua quickly nodded, then cut straight to the point:

"Uncle Gu, if I had leads on criminal cultivators, could you issue bounties through the Dao Court?"

"Then I take the bounty, complete the mission, earn merit, while the Dao Court catches bad guys—a win-win!"

Gu Changhuai was stunned and looked at him.

"You've really thought this through…"

Mo Hua humbly replied:

"Just a little."

Gu Changhuai shook his head and rejected him:

"That's not within regulations."

Mo Hua pouted, clearly not buying it.

He'd already compared—his plan followed the Dao Court's normal procedure.

Whether the lead came from somewhere else or from him, issuing a bounty was still the same.

There was no bribery involved either.

Besides, he didn't even have the spirit stones to bribe Uncle Gu.

Clearly, Uncle Gu just didn't want to help.

So Mo Hua bargained:

"Uncle Gu, if you don't help me now, I won't help you later either."

Gu Changhuai snorted.

"What do I need you for?"

Then his heart sank slightly—something felt wrong.

Mo Hua gave a cunning smile and raised his fingers, counting them off:

"Let's see: tracking criminal leads, investigating formations, reconstructing messaging talismans, decoding seal runes and hidden scripts…"

"And I'm just Foundation Establishment now. My formations are only going to get stronger."

"If you don't help me now, don't blame me for not returning the favor later!"

Mo Hua's little face went stern.

Suddenly, even the tea in Gu Changhuai's mouth started to taste bitter.

He was being extorted!

He, a dignified Dian Si of the Dao Court…

Getting extorted by a kid barely in his teens…?!

Absolutely outrageous.

"This Is Utterly Absurd."

Gu Changhuai fell silent for a long time, his thoughts churning.

But even after all that thinking… he couldn't come up with a counter.

What's worse, Mo Hua wasn't wrong.

Given Mo Hua's current level of formation mastery, the Dao Court might really need his help with some cases in the future...

Gu Changhuai sighed.

"Even if I issue the bounty, it won't be easy for you to accept it…"

"The bounty is issued to the entire sect, not just you. If others meet the requirements, they can take it too. Just because I post it doesn't mean it'll land in your lap…"

Mo Hua blinked in confusion.

"Don't they need your approval to take the task?"

Gu Changhuai replied,

"There are set requirements. If someone else meets them, we can't just turn them down."

"Then make the requirements more specific?" Mo Hua suggested.

Gu Changhuai raised an eyebrow.

"Such as?"

Mo Hua thought for a moment.

"Like: early Foundation Establishment, must know Invisibility Technique, skilled in Grade-2 formations, familiar with Water Prison Technique… stuff like that?"

Gu Changhuai's face remained expressionless.

"Why not just write: 'Only open to early Foundation disciples of Great Void Sect, specifically one named Mo Hua.'"

Mo Hua looked a little embarrassed.

"Wouldn't that… be too obvious?"

Gu Changhuai snapped,

"So you do know it's obvious?"

Mo Hua muttered under his breath,

"It's not like we're doing anything shady…"

Gu Changhuai sighed again, helpless.

After thinking for a moment, he said:

"I'll try to think of a way. I'll let you know later."

Mo Hua beamed.

"Thanks, Uncle Gu!"

Gu Changhuai nodded slightly.

He weighed it in his mind—

While this did feel a bit like playing favorites… technically, it wasn't against the rules.

After all, the Dao Court's whole system revolved around trading merit for contribution.

And Mo Hua's understanding of formations was… terrifying.

For future tricky cases involving bizarre or complex formations, they might really have to turn to this kid.

So really, this wasn't him getting blackmailed—

This was the Dao Court initiating a mutually beneficial alliance with a rare "formation prodigy."

With that spin in his head, Gu Changhuai felt a lot better.

He picked up his teacup, took a sip, and nodded slightly.

Huh.

Didn't taste as bitter anymore.

With his goal achieved and the sun already nearing noon, Mo Hua stood to leave.

"Master Gu invited me to lunch, so I'll head out first."

Gu Changhuai blinked.

"Master Gu?"

"Yep," Mo Hua nodded.

"Which Master Gu?"

Gu Changhuai frowned. He thought of the "Master Gu" that Wenren Wan had mentioned earlier and asked,

"You mean the Gu family's artifact refiner?"

Mo Hua nodded again.

"Master Gu from the Lone Mountain branch of the Gu Family's Grade-3 Refiner Pavilion—he's a Jindan cultivator."

Gu Changhuai stared at Mo Hua, momentarily stunned.

Lone Mountain City. Grade-3 Refiner Pavilion. A Master Gu. Jindan level…

"He's treating you to lunch?"

Gu Changhuai looked even more bewildered.

Mo Hua sighed exaggeratedly.

"Ah… what can I do? Master Gu was so eager. I just couldn't refuse."

Gu Changhuai was speechless.

He genuinely couldn't wrap his head around it.

Within the Gu family:

Cousin Wan'er treats Mo Hua like her own nephew.

Elder Hong (his aunt) constantly praises how clever and good-looking Mo Hua is—and insists on finding him a good marriage match when he's older.

Even Gu An and Gu Quan bring up "Young Master Mo" every other sentence.

And now, even a craftsman from some remote outpost wants to personally treat him to lunch?

Gu Changhuai took in a sharp breath.

This kid's only been here a little over a year.

And he's already worked his way into everyone's good graces like this?

At this rate… in ten more years, is the Gu Family going to change its name to the Mo Family?

Mo Hua noticed the melancholic look on Gu Changhuai's face and mistook it for something else—

He probably felt left out because no one had invited him to lunch.

So Mo Hua whispered:

"Uncle Gu… why don't you come too?"

"They're serving spiritual fish at Immortal Crane Pavilion. Supposed to be amazing..."

Gu Changhuai's face instantly darkened.

Mo Hua wisely shut his mouth, but couldn't help muttering quietly:

"Fine, don't go then. Can't even recognize good intentions…"

Unfortunately, Gu Changhuai heard that.

Seeing his expression grow even darker, Mo Hua leapt up and blurted,

"Can't keep Master Gu waiting! Gotta go!"

Then—zoom!—he was gone.

The guest hall was now empty, leaving Gu Changhuai alone in silence.

He sighed helplessly.

Qingzhou City – Immortal Crane Pavilion

A private room on the third floor.

On the table: four dishes and a soup, elegant in both aroma and presentation.

Each dish featured a different kind of spiritual fish, and the soup was a glistening fish broth.

Mo Hua nibbled on the tender fish meat, sipping the delicious broth with narrowed eyes, clearly delighted.

Seeing him eat so happily, Master Gu silently let out a breath of relief.

They chatted while eating—mostly meaningless small talk, like lukewarm water.

Then Mo Hua brought up the real reason he'd come.

"Master Gu, I actually have a favor to ask."

Instead of being bothered, Master Gu looked pleased, and said generously:

"Young Master Mo, just say the word. As long as it's within my power, I'll do everything I can."

Mo Hua smiled.

"Master Gu, can you help me craft some formation implements?"

"Formation implements…"

Master Gu didn't look surprised. He didn't even ask further. He simply nodded:

"No problem!"

Then he asked:

"What kind of formation implements would you like?"

Mo Hua had come prepared. He pulled out a few blueprints from his storage pouch and handed them over.

They were his own designs—based on his understanding of array structures and his specific needs.

Most were basic implements: standard formation flags and formation plates.

At first glance, Master Gu found the drawings a bit crude—clearly the work of a novice—but he didn't say anything.

Yes, they were a little rough, and the designs weren't the most efficient—so they might waste some crafting materials.

But their functionality was solid. The structures were complete. They'd work just fine.

"How many do you need?" Master Gu asked.

Mo Hua wasn't exactly wealthy—and he wasn't the type to fake it just to show off.

So he asked honestly:

"How much per piece?"

Master Gu looked a bit surprised.

He rarely met young nobles this down-to-earth.

"If it's just a few dozen, I'll make them for free."

"If you need hundreds or thousands, I'll only charge material costs…"

He looked over the blueprints again, doing a quick estimate:

"They're all Grade-2 implements, and the materials aren't expensive. So the cost won't be high. Formation plates—about 50 spirit stones each. The formation flags use a special material, so 65 spirit stones apiece."

Mo Hua nodded slightly.

This was even cheaper than he'd expected.

But… he was conflicted.

Originally, he just wanted to refine a dozen or so formation implements for practice. But with Master Gu being a Grade-3 refiner, asking for such a small batch felt a bit… disrespectful.

But asking for too many would be wasteful—he wasn't some rich heir from a powerful clan. He couldn't afford to throw spirit stones around like candy.

Master Gu seemed to notice Mo Hua's dilemma. After a brief moment of thought, he said:

"How about this: I'll make twenty of each type first. When they're done, I'll bring them to you so you can check the quality. Just consider it an exchange of insights on formation implements."

Mo Hua… didn't really have any "insights."

Those blueprints of his? He'd copied them from a refining manual and made some wild edits on his own.

His only true "insight" was using dirt from the ground as an array medium.

Still, he understood—Master Gu was extending a kindness.

"Won't that… trouble you too much?" Mo Hua asked quietly.

Master Gu waved it off with a chuckle.

"What trouble? They're just a few Grade-2 implements. I've got free time anyway. It'll be a nice warm-up."

Mo Hua didn't act coy any further.

"Then I'll thank Master Gu in advance."

Master Gu cupped his hands.

"You're too polite, Young Master Mo."

Soon, the waiter brought two more dishes: one was steamed Bighead Fish, and the other was deep-fried Golden Carp—both things Mo Hua had never eaten before.

"Please try these, young master," Master Gu offered.

Mo Hua took a bite, then nodded approvingly.

"Delicious."

Master Gu smiled warmly.

They chatted a bit more—mostly with Mo Hua asking and Master Gu answering.

If Mo Hua didn't speak, Master Gu would simply serve him more food, without asking questions or offering unsolicited talk.

Mo Hua had initially assumed that Master Gu had invited him to lunch because he had something to ask.

But now… it really just seemed like a genuine meal. No strings attached.

Once he was full and content, another question popped into Mo Hua's mind. He decided to ask it while the moment was right.

"Master Gu, isn't Lone Mountain a Grade-3 prefecture? Then why does it look…"

Mo Hua paused, then decided to be blunt.

"…so poor?"

Master Gu paused too, then gave a bitter smile.

"Is it something you can't talk about?" Mo Hua asked.

Master Gu shook his head.

"It's not that. Since Young Master Mo asked, I don't mind explaining…"

He let out a soft sigh and began:

"It's actually quite simple."

"A few hundred years ago, Lone Mountain City had sprawling mountain ranges filled with mineral veins—it was a very prosperous place."

"The ores produced back then had high spiritual compatibility, especially good for refining formation implements."

"As the saying goes, 'live off the mountain when you live by one.' Lone Mountain cultivators mostly made a living refining tools—especially formation implements."

"They didn't become fabulously rich, but life was comfortable."

"And then?" Mo Hua sipped some fish soup, curiously asking.

"Then…"

Master Gu sighed again.

"Then some powerful clans in Qianzhou took interest in the massive mines of Lone Mountain. They wanted to buy them up to produce luxurious spiritual tools."

Mo Hua frowned.

"Luxurious spiritual tools?"

"Yes," Master Gu said, "like glazed roof tiles, multicolored spirit lamps, shimmering gold bricks, jeweled carriages..."

"Those things cost a fortune to make—and sell for even more."

"Do those even… have any use besides looking nice?" Mo Hua asked, puzzled.

Master Gu replied with a sigh:

"They're used to show off status. And to some people… that's more valuable than anything else."

"Did the cultivators of Lone Mountain agree to sell?" Mo Hua asked.

Master Gu frowned.

"Some did, some didn't. But those who didn't… were eventually forced to agree."

"In the face of such overwhelming power, the loose cultivators and small families of Lone Mountain didn't stand a chance."

His expression turned bitter.

"What about the Dao Court? Didn't they intervene?"

Master Gu didn't answer directly. Instead, he asked gently:

"Young Master Mo, where do you think most of the cultivators in the Dao Court come from?"

Mo Hua's eyes darkened.

Master Gu sighed again.

"On paper, everything looked legal and by-the-book."

"Those big clans 'bought' or 'rented' the mines directly from Lone Mountain cultivators."

"All the contracts and spiritual seals were clear and proper."

"The clans followed the rules. The Dao Court enforced them. And the cultivators of Lone Mountain… had no way to fight back."

"Afterward, those major clans set up refining workshops in Lone Mountain and began nonstop mining day and night."

"At first, local cultivators protested. There were even a few riots."

"Then the clans changed tactics—they only hired locals to mine. The wages weren't bad, either."

"The locals, getting paid in spirit stones, gradually quieted down."

"But…" Master Gu shook his head.

"The clans exploited the mines with brutal efficiency, using large spiritual machinery and array formations."

"In less than a century, the entire network of ore veins was completely drained."

"And once there was nothing left, the big clans just packed up and left—leaving behind nothing but ruined mountains."

"The foundation of Lone Mountain's economy… was utterly destroyed. After that, the region slowly collapsed into poverty."

"Small families went bankrupt and scattered, some couldn't even afford food. They had no choice but to split up and become wandering cultivators."

"As for the scattered cultivators? They were left to fend for themselves."

"The ones who could leave, did. The ones who couldn't… had no livelihood outside. So they stayed, rummaging through the abandoned mines for leftover scraps, selling broken ore to decaying refining shops—just to barely survive…"

Mo Hua sat in stunned silence.

He was clearly in Qianzhou… and yet, for a moment, it felt like he was back in Lizhou.

Back in those low-grade, impoverished prefectures where life was hard and opportunity scarcer.

"The Way of Man: to take from the lacking, to serve the excessive…"

(End of this Chapter)