Immortality Through Array Formations (The Quest for Immortality)

Chapter 679 – River-Crossing Dragon

Another fisherman sighed helplessly.

"Fine, fine. It's my fault for being useless—living poor all my life. Can't be helped."

He grabbed a lively spirit fish by the gills and tossed it into the bamboo basket.

"Dad, let's get back to work. Who knows, a river demon might climb ashore any minute."

Only then did the elder fisherman bow his head and continue working.

Nearby, a Qi Refining child around ten or so was picking up Grade One fish from the ground. Hearing that, he looked up and said:

"Grandpa, being third-rank is meaningless. Even disciples from third-rank families get bullied in the sect."

The elder fisherman froze slightly.

The young cultivator continued:

"It's true! That Zhu family's third son—always acting proud just because his grandpa's at the Golden Core stage. When he played with us, he was always strutting around…"

"But after joining a sect, he had to follow behind the disciples from bigger families, keeping his head down like some lapdog—totally lost his old swagger…"

"Even when he came back during sect breaks, he was like a zombie. Barely spoke. We'd ask him to play, but he just ignored us."

The elder fisherman shook his head and said,

"That just means he's learned some manners. You kids don't understand."

"Those noble clans have endured for tens of thousands of years. Their descendants are dragons among men. That Zhu brat being able to study with them in the same sect? That's his fortune."

"If you want to make something of yourself, you've got to learn from the best. There's nothing wrong with him following those noble disciples."

The child pouted but didn't dare argue with Grandpa, so he stayed quiet.

After his lecture, the elder fisherman glanced at Mo Hua and quickly waved him off:

"Kid, you'd better leave. That tiny frame of yours—if a water demon drags you into the river, you won't come out alive."

But Mo Hua still had that earlier comment on his mind.

He asked,

"Uncle, you mentioned one of the six people killed—was a young master?"

The old fisherman nodded.

"Do you know which family he was from?"

The old man shook his head.

"How would I know? Just some young master from a nearby clan. Could be a big clan, could be a small one—I wouldn't know."

Mo Hua frowned.

"What would a family's young master be doing out in the Smoke-Water River?"

Another Foundation Establishment fisherman snorted,

"What else? Out having fun, obviously."

"Fun?" Mo Hua blinked.

"The Rouge Boat…"

The man hadn't finished before his father gave him a slap on the shoulder.

"Don't go around saying everything! You'll corrupt the kid."

But Mo Hua had sharp ears, and he didn't miss that term:

"Rouge Boat?"

The elder quickly waved it off.

"Nothing important. You're still young—focus on cultivating. Don't ask about this stuff."

The more they avoided the topic, the more curious Mo Hua became.

But no matter how he pressed, they wouldn't say another word.

The rest of the fishermen busied themselves with their nets, sorting the spirit fish into categories, placing them into fish baskets, and sealing them with simple formation spells.

This was how their family made a living—the entire household relied on these fish.

Mo Hua didn't want to disturb them too much.

Still, since they had already helped him a great deal, he felt he should return the favor somehow.

His eyes scanned the area—most of the nets and baskets were old, and the formations on them were heavily worn.

After a quick estimate, Mo Hua said,

"These formations on your fishing nets probably won't last more than five or six more uses. Want me to fix them up?"

The fishermen all froze.

The old fisherman said,

"Little brother, you're… a formation master?"

"Mhm!" Mo Hua nodded.

The old fisherman stared at Mo Hua in surprise—then looked a little embarrassed.

"We… don't really have any spirit stones…"

"That's okay," Mo Hua smiled. "It's just a small effort."

He raised a finger—then remembered: he had to keep a low profile and act like an ordinary formation master.

"I'm a regular formation master… just a regular formation master…"

He repeated it twice in his head, then obediently pulled out a brush, dipped it in ink, and began methodically repairing the rough formation patterns on their fishing gear.

His brushwork was steady and neat—he looked downright professional.

The young Qi Refining kid watched with admiration.

The two Foundation Establishment cultivators were also moved and thanked Mo Hua earnestly.

"Little brother, thank you so much! If you're not in a rush, come home with us later—I'll stew some fresh spirit fish for you to try!"

The elder pointed off into the distance.

"Our little fishing village is just over there. Not far."

Fresh spirit fish!

Mo Hua's eyes lit up—he did want to try it. But he had work to do and couldn't slack off.

Just then, his Great Void Token vibrated.

He pulled it out—Huoxuan had sent a message!

Mo Hua's eyes brightened, and he quickly bowed in farewell:

"Uncle, the fish I was waiting to catch just bit the hook. Gotta go!"

With that, his figure flowed like water, wrapped in faint blue light, and vanished in the blink of an eye.

The fishermen were stunned.

What a graceful movement technique… definitely a disciple of a major sect.

One incense stick later, Mo Hua had rendezvoused with Huoxuan—Cheng Mo was also present.

Huoxuan said,

"There was some movement in the water just now."

He showed Mo Hua the formation disk. Mo Hua gave it a quick glance and instantly understood.

Indeed, a cultivator had swum past the Water Pattern Array, triggering a reaction in the spiritual flow and leaving traces on the array disk.

The river was dangerous, home to aquatic beasts.

For a cultivator to swim freely in it—they had to be skilled in water-type techniques and water movement. It was highly likely to be River-Crossing Dragon.

But the traces were already fading from the disk.

Clearly, River-Crossing Dragon had dived deep and swum off again, destination unknown.

"What do we do?"

Huoxuan whispered.

He was very self-aware—he knew his cultivation and techniques were just average among the sect's elites, and his real strength was knowing when to hold tight to the right thigh.

Huoxuan looked at Mo Hua with eyes full of hope.

Mo Hua raised his head and looked over the river, then recalled his own experiences as a "demon hunter" and muttered:

"In the mountains, where danger and beasts lurk, demon hunters have fixed hunting routes."

"Likewise, in these waters full of river beasts, River-Crossing Dragon likely has fixed water routes…"

"If he passed through here just now, this is probably one of his regular routes."

"The water's dangerous—we can't go in after him. So we'll have to go back to lying in wait."

Cheng Mo frowned.

"Even if we wait and catch him—then what?"

Mo Hua recalled Gu Changhuai's advice:

"Trap him with formations, drag him ashore. Don't let him stay in the water. Only then can we capture him safely."

Drag him ashore…

Mo Hua's eyes sparkled with an idea.

"You guys wait here—I'll be right back!"

Without waiting for a reply, he darted off.

Cheng Mo and the others were left bewildered.

Half an hour later, Mo Hua returned with a storage pouch. Inside were two old fishing nets—wet, covered in algae, and reeking of fish.

He'd bought them from that old fisherman earlier.

The fisherman had no idea what he wanted them for and just said,

"They're old nets, little brother. Use them if you want. Just bring them back after."

But Mo Hua still paid him spirit stones—because he knew once he was done with the nets, they'd be unrecognizable, and he wouldn't have the face to return them.

And old nets were better than new ones.

Old nets had been soaked in water for years, coated in algae and fish scent. With a few tricks, they'd be nearly invisible in the water.

Fishing nets were, after all, a kind of spirit tool.

Fishing Nets Are Also Spirit Artifacts.

Mo Hua had Cheng Mo and the others help fully dismantle the fishing net.

Once taken apart, the internal formations of the net were exposed.

Unlike his earlier quick repairs, this time Mo Hua intended to use the net as an array medium and reconstruct the formations inside it from scratch.

He first drew a Grade One Concealment Array.

A Grade One concealment array wasn't especially powerful, but underwater—where visibility was already poor—it was good enough.

Then, he added:

A Grade Two, 15-pattern "Water Net Array",

A Grade Two, 13-pattern "Water Poison Array",

A Grade Two, 14-pattern "Yimu Binding Array",

And the "Drowning Array", among others...

To play it extra safe, Mo Hua also attached barbed hooks to the net, coating them with a paralyzing poison.

Layer upon layer of formations, paired with the sinister green gleam of the poison—just the sight of it made Cheng Mo and the others' scalps tingle.

Only now did they understand what Mo Hua meant when he once said:

"If you prepare in advance, you stand firm. If not, you fall."

Once everything was ready, Mo Hua had Cheng Mo and the others help cast the net into the river, blocking off one of the "River-Crossing Dragon's" likely water routes.

Then he gave further instructions:

"As soon as River-Crossing Dragon enters the net, pull him ashore—immediately!"

"Don't stop once he's out—drag him straight into that small forest over there. Don't let him stay near the bank, or he might dive back into the river and escape."

Mo Hua led them into the woods, picked out a good spot, and then pulled out a formation plate, burying it into the ground.

Cheng Mo gawked.

"You're putting a formation here too?"

"Of course," Mo Hua replied. "Every extra array is another method, another advantage, one less risk."

"The more thorough the plan, the better. When it comes to arrays—more is always better."

"Oh…" Cheng Mo, more used to charging headfirst into everything, nodded vaguely in understanding.

Si Tu Jian and Yang Qianjun exchanged looks—eyes filled with admiration.

Their little senior brother was ridiculously reliable.

Even Yang Qianjun, who normally didn't attend Mo Hua's array lessons, had been spending time around Cheng Mo and the others for so long that he had gradually come to truly respect this "Little Senior Brother" from the bottom of his heart.

The only odd one out was Hao Xuan, who frowned while watching from the side.

"Little Senior Brother… your array-setting technique feels kind of off."

Mo Hua froze.

"What do you mean off?"

Hao Xuan thought for a moment, then said slowly:

"Last time I saw you set up an array, it wasn't like this. You didn't use formation plates or flags. One blink, and boom—there it was on the ground.

Those black-clothed guys came at us? One exploded. A whole squad came? Boom—two exploded…"

"Why're you now... burying formation plates one by one like it's a chore?"

Cheng Mo and the others all silently turned to look at Mo Hua.

Mo Hua kept a serious face and said solemnly:

"You remembered wrong."

Hao Xuan was stunned.

Mo Hua nodded sincerely, tone firm:

"I always set up formations this way!"

"That night, it was too dark—you couldn't see properly. And you were being hunted, losing blood, under stress—you were hallucinating…"

Mo Hua patted Hao Xuan on the shoulder.

"Think about it—doesn't that sound about right?"

Hao Xuan was completely thrown off.

He thought back carefully—that night had been pitch black, the mountains shrouded in darkness, and he had blood in his eyes. He had been seeing things unclearly…

And if Mo Hua had been crouched on the ground setting up formations?

It really was possible he'd missed it, especially being so far away and stressed out.

Hao Xuan nodded, suddenly enlightened:

"Little Senior Brother, you're right—it must have been my mistake!"

Mo Hua gave a gratified nod.

Cheng Mo and the others never suspected a thing. After all, none of them knew more about formations than Mo Hua.

Once the formations were ready, Mo Hua went over some final tips, and the group hid by the riverbank to wait.

They waited as the sky darkened and dusk painted the river red—still, not the slightest movement.

Even with their vigilance, Cheng Mo and the others eventually began to doze, eyelids drooping and spirits weary.

Mo Hua was bored too, but he'd sat cross-legged long ago, casually drawing and solving formations to pass the time.

Halfway through solving one, Mo Hua suddenly paused, eyes narrowing toward the river. He swept his divine sense into the water and muttered:

"He's here!"

Cheng Mo and the others immediately tensed, gripping the net ropes tight.

But just as Mo Hua had warned, none of them released their divine sense to peek.

They were all only in the early Foundation Establishment stage, while River-Crossing Dragon was mid-stage. If they used divine sense rashly, they'd risk being discovered.

So they simply waited—ready, but still.

Only Mo Hua used his divine sense to observe the activity in the river.

Within the blurred void of perception, everything in the water lost its form and color, reduced to shifting waves of spiritual energy.

Among the ripples of multicolored energy, a long humanoid figure glided with the current—like a flood dragon, or perhaps a giant white fish.

When this "big white fish" lazily swam right into the fishing net—seamlessly hidden among the reeds and mud—Mo Hua's eyes lit up.

"Now!"

At his signal, Cheng Mo and the others sprang into action, pouring all their power into the net and hauling it tight.

The once-empty river lit up with blue-green net-shaped light as the hidden "fishing net" emerged—layered formations activated all at once, rapidly tightening.

The "big white fish," startled, didn't even have time to react before getting caught and dragged toward the shore.

It thrashed in fury—only to find the net firm and unyielding, packed with interlaced formations. Even without knowing what they were, it was obvious they combined concealment, entrapment, and binding—clearly the work of a skilled formation master.

No matter how it struggled, it couldn't escape.

The fish-man drew a hook-claw spirit weapon, trying to rip open the net.

But just then, the barbed hooks had already pierced into his skin—paralyzing poison seeped into his blood, freezing his limbs.

The poison wasn't lethal, and the paralysis wouldn't last long.

But that short delay was enough—for the net had already bundled him up and dragged him onto the riverbank.

Mo Hua watched from the side as formation lights flashed and the net recoiled, revealing in the golden dusk glow—a "big white fish" flopping ashore.

Except… it was a man.

Bare-chested, pale-skinned, thin eyebrows, and strange features—he looked more like a river demon than a human.

He was none other than the criminal cultivator known as River-Crossing Dragon.

The moment he hit land, he began cursing:

"Who the hell are you sneaky bastards! Daring to ambush your Grandpa!"

Mo Hua didn't bother replying—he just waved his hand.

Cheng Mo and the others got the signal and stuck to the plan, dragging the net—and the man inside it—straight into the nearby woods.

Once away from the river, deep in the trees—River-Crossing Dragon lost his "river" and was no longer a dragon. Just a worm.

And the

River-Crossing Dragon clearly understood this much as well.

By now, the poison in his blood was beginning to fade, and the paralysis in his limbs was wearing off. His body was still soaked with river water, allowing him to circulate his water-element cultivation technique at full strength.

With all his might, River-Crossing Dragon slashed down with his Three-Barbed Hook, but the fishing net didn't budge an inch.

"Damn it—what kind of net is this?!"

He cursed inwardly, then struck several more times at the net's edges, targeting different corners.

Finally, he managed to slash open a weak point in the formation-lined net.

River-Crossing Dragon's body melded with water like a shark-dragon, attempting to squeeze through the gap and escape its restraints.

But just as he was halfway through, Mo Hua spotted him.

With a flick of his finger, Mo Hua cast Water Prison, trapping him instantly.

River-Crossing Dragon only let out a cold laugh.

"Water-based techniques? You think that can hold me?"

His body twisted like flowing water, slipping out of the Water Prison effortlessly.

But that brief delay was enough—Cheng Mo and the others noticed something was wrong and, with a sharp tug, wound the fishing net like a rope right around his neck.

River-Crossing Dragon was momentarily immobilized by the tightening net.

At that instant, Hao Xuan dashed in like the wind, appearing behind River-Crossing Dragon, and smashed the Thousand-Pound Staff Mo Hua had given him down on the back of the man's head.

Thunk.

River-Crossing Dragon's mind went blank.

Cheng Mo and the others took the chance, yanking the net like a leash and dragging him deeper into the forest.

From the shadows, Mo Hua's eyes lit up slightly as he used his divine sense to activate the array.

—Grade Two Earth-Burial Array, activate.

Gray light rippled across the ground. The earth sank inward like a burial coffin, swallowing River-Crossing Dragon into the soil.

Earth overcomes Water.

The watery essence surrounding River-Crossing Dragon began to dissipate under the array's effect, and the water-element spiritual power in his body rapidly drained away...

Every step had been countered. Every movement had been calculated. One trap after another—a crushing sense of helplessness and despair flooded his heart.

Face pale, River-Crossing Dragon cursed in rage:

"Damn it—who the hell are you people?!"

"Running dogs of the Dao Court?"

"Or maybe underworld rivals?!"

"Who the hell set this trap and ambushed your Grandpa?!"

He shouted and struggled, and in the end, with the power of a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, he broke free of the Earth-Burial Array.

Mo Hua didn't reply. He simply waved his hand.

Cheng Mo raised his twin axes.

Si Tu Jian summoned his Lihuo Sword.

Yang Qianjun readied his spear.

Hao Xuan lifted his staff—he didn't usually use a staff, being like most young nobles who trained with swords. But in real combat, he realized his mediocre sword skills were useless—the stick hit harder.

And thus, the four of them launched their assault on River-Crossing Dragon.

Fueled by fury, River-Crossing Dragon fought back, clashing fiercely with the group—but the longer he fought, the more shocked he became.

These… these are just brats?

They looked like kids fresh out of the sect's outer courtyard, all in early Foundation Establishment?

Impossible!

His pupils shrank.

A bunch of clueless kids—how could they have orchestrated such a deadly, airtight trap?

And the formations… all of them precise, layered, merciless…

There must be someone else behind them—a cunning, skilled, seasoned formation master directing everything from the shadows.

But who?

Did they come for the Dao Court's bounty? Sect merit? Revenge?

…Or was it because—

They'd discovered his secret?

A chill ran down River-Crossing Dragon's spine.

He wanted to flee—but it was too late. He had no more chances.

Cheng Mo and the others weren't pushovers either.

If River-Crossing Dragon had been in peak condition, diving through the river to raise a storm, they wouldn't have stood a chance.

But now he was on land, reduced to a "Land Dragon," and had already taken blow after blow from Mo Hua's traps—most of his power was gone. How could he possibly fight back?

Mo Hua didn't even lift a hand—he simply stayed hidden in a tree, shrouded in concealment, watching for signs of escape.

The rest? Cheng Mo's group could handle it.

Sure enough, within half an hour, Hao Xuan slipped in with a strike that shattered River-Crossing Dragon's right arm.

River-Crossing Dragon cried out in pain as his Three-Barbed Hook fell to the ground.

Yang Qianjun took the chance—his spear pierced River-Crossing Dragon's left leg.

Si Tu Jian followed up, his sword impaling the man's right thigh.

River-Crossing Dragon grunted in agony, cold sweat pouring down his face.

Cheng Mo came up behind him and kicked him to his knees, then pressed both of his axes against the man's neck.

Just like that—the infamous mid-stage Foundation Establishment killer of the Yan River, the feared River-Crossing Dragon, was subdued.

Everyone involved in the fight let out a collective sigh of relief.

Mo Hua nodded as well. He was just about to drop down from the tree and give River-Crossing Dragon a taste of his iron-plate formation upgrades, to see if he could squeeze out any juicy secrets—

But just as he was about to leap—

His expression turned cold.

"Cheng Mo—watch out!"

Cheng Mo froze—but immediately sensed the danger. He twisted to the side and raised his twin axes in defense.

From afar, a sharp golden sword-light split the air, crashing down on Cheng Mo's axes.

Brilliant gold light. Piercing sword aura.

Though the axes blocked the strike, the residual spiritual force jolted Cheng Mo's arms numb and sent him staggering back three steps.

Steadying himself, Cheng Mo's eyes widened in shock and fury.

"Sneak attack?! Who the hell—?!"

"Watch your mouth."

A cold, youthful voice rang out from the distance.

Moments later, a group of cultivators approached.

At the front—a nobleman clad in luxurious gold-stitched robes, pale-faced and arrogant-eyed.

"A bunch of baby brats… and you even dared to steal my prey?"

(End of this Chapter)