Immortality Through Array Formations (The Quest for Immortality)

Chapter 995: Ouyang Xuan

Mo Hua studied the youth standing in front of him.

— Taller than him.

— More muscular than him.

— Chin held higher than his.

— Features more heroic than his.

— Even the arrogance between his brows outshone his own.

Mo Hua nodded politely and said, "I'm Mo Hua."

The boy in golden Daoist robes gave him a cold glance and replied indifferently, "Ouyang Xuan."

His attitude wasn't exactly friendly.

Maybe it was because he saw Mo Hua as short, weak in cultivation, lacking spiritual strength—and simply didn't take him seriously.

Or maybe… he didn't take anyone seriously.

It wasn't necessarily personal.

The Sect Master of Great Void saw the brief exchange and nodded, saying:

"From today on, the two of you will be teammates in the Sword Debate. You must work together—not only for the sect, but for your own future."

Mo Hua nodded. "Don't worry, Sect Master."

Ouyang Xuan, however, remained silent.

The Sect Master didn't seem to mind. He smiled at Mo Hua, gave a small nod, then turned and left.

Once he was gone, Mo Hua turned again to glance at Ouyang Xuan.

He was sure he'd never seen this Tai'a Sect disciple before.

Even during the major array lectures, he hadn't shown up—definitely not one of Mo Hua's "junior brothers."

"So where did this guy pop out from…?"

Mo Hua was a little confused.

Still, he didn't ask much. It was their first meeting, and it wouldn't be appropriate to pry into someone's background or private matters.

But since they were now teammates for the Sword Debate, they'd need to build some rapport.

So, to lighten the mood and build a connection, Mo Hua started trying to make small talk.

Stuff like:

"Nice weather today, huh?"

"You like chicken drumsticks?"

"How'd you get so tall?"

But Ouyang Xuan remained indifferent, his expression cold—giving off a clear vibe of "couldn't care less."

Mo Hua found himself talking to a wall and quickly gave up.

He was only trying to be friendly out of respect for his Sect Master and Tai'a's Sect Master. He'd wanted to bring Ouyang Xuan into the fold.

"If someone respects me a foot, I'll return them ten feet.

But if they don't show me any respect… I'm not going to bend over backward."

Besides, Mo Hua was a busy man.

Seeing that Ouyang Xuan was still acting aloof and hard to approach, Mo Hua just snorted internally and tossed him to the side—then got back to organizing his junior brothers for their drills.

Between the outer and inner mountains of Great Void Sect lay a vast forest.

This forest was sealed by formations that blocked sound and sight. Its rugged terrain and complex landscape made it perfect for what it was—

The Sect's training field.

It had been specially developed in preparation for the Sword Debate, to provide a place for disciples to spar and practice formations.

Mo Hua hadn't taken the tournament seriously before—so he'd never really used the place.

But now that he was fully committed, and determined to help his junior brothers win, this practice field had become a core resource.

Based on the mountains' terrain and his team formations, Mo Hua divided his junior brothers into groups of five. Within this sprawling field, they began to drill, refine tactics, and hone coordination—just as he'd planned.

The training grounds were vast, a key sect resource, normally managed by a designated elder.

Technically, Mo Hua didn't have the authority to reserve or direct its use.

But even after he started using it so blatantly… no one stopped him.

The Sect Master turned a blind eye.

The elder in charge of the grounds also chose to silently allow it.

Because let's face it—any elder in the Great Void Sect with even a hint of background, status, or vision… already knew exactly who Mo Hua was.

Don't be fooled by his "outer sect disciple" status—sometimes, Mo Hua's words held more weight than the actual core elders.

So within the twisting terrain of the training field—

Disciples from the Great Void Sect, strong or weak, elite or ordinary, began organized drills under Mo Hua's plan. With tactical coordination, formation support, and structured rehearsals, they began training in earnest.

Most of these disciples were from Great Void Mountain.

Disciples from Tai'a and Chongxu Mountains were few.

The three-sect merger was still new, and Mo Hua's reputation hadn't yet reached the other peaks.

Normally, they got along fine. The Tai'a and Chongxu disciples even called Mo Hua "Little Senior Brother."

But for something as important as the Sword Debate—they weren't likely to follow his orders just yet.

Still, the disciples from the Great Void lineage were plenty to start with.

The training field buzzed with clashing swords and flashing spells—it was a spectacle.

Mo Hua watched from the side, occasionally shouting reminders, pointing out flaws, and offering tactical improvements.

The disciples' coordination steadily improved.

Their tactical execution also grew more and more refined.

Once Mo Hua felt a little reassured, he turned his attention to training his own team.

The sect-wide disciples were the foundation—the source of victory's "potential" and "hope."

But beyond that, he himself had to put in work, too.

It was a dual-track mission.

In a quiet corner of the training field—

Mo Hua gathered his team.

Just as he'd planned, it consisted of:

Himself

Linghu Xiao

Cheng Mo

Situ Jian

And finally… Ouyang Xuan

Linghu Xiao stood beside Mo Hua.

He had long dreamed of mastering the sword and standing by Mo Hua's side—charging into the Sword Debate together and slaying their way through the ranks.

Now, his wish had come true.

Cheng Mo and Situ Jian were also excited.

They had known Mo Hua for a long time, shared deep bonds, and trusted him absolutely.

No matter the situation—so long as they followed Little Senior Brother Mo Hua, they felt totally at ease.

The only one clearly out of sync was Ouyang Xuan.

He stood apart, face cold, eyes sharp. Though only a step away, he might as well have been across a cliff—he practically radiated "does not belong."

Mo Hua didn't care about his cold shoulder.

People were different. Conflicts were natural.

They'd only met a few times—it was too early to expect harmony.

Mo Hua didn't expect Ouyang Xuan to "blend in."

He only wanted one thing:

"Follow the plan, and execute during the Sword Debate."

That was enough.

Mo Hua squatted down and used a branch to draw lines and little stick figures in the sand.

Then he started explaining: tactical positions, formations, configurations, variants, and objectives.

It was all basic stuff—but critical.

The battles of the Sword Debate could change in an instant. There was often no time for commands—you had to rely on instinct and coordination.

And in those life-or-death moments, the stronger your fundamentals, the faster you could adapt.

Every advanced tactic came from the mastery of basics.

After his explanation, Mo Hua looked at Ouyang Xuan.

Ouyang Xuan remained calm and silent—saying nothing.

Mo Hua wasn't sure if he understood, so he simply said:

"Let's try a practice run."

Then the group began rehearsing the tactical movements he'd outlined.

Cheng Mo was the tank, with a bit of offense.

Situ Jian served as support, easing pressure off Cheng Mo.

Linghu Xiao was the primary attacker. His sword techniques were the strongest, but they required time to charge—and he couldn't be interrupted, so he needed cover.

That's why he stood in the rear.

Mo Hua stood at his side, serving as strategic support—observing the field, managing the flow, adapting on the fly.

And as for Ouyang Xuan...

Mo Hua swept his divine sense over him a few times and more or less discerned his strength.

Ouyang Xuan's cultivation was extremely profound. Sword qi radiated from his body—clearly a sword cultivator—and one with impressive talent and deep attainments in the sword.

His swordsmanship was a notch below Linghu Xiao's Swordheart Clarity, but his cultivation was deeper than Linghu Xiao's.

The Sect Master hadn't exaggerated—this Ouyang Xuan could indeed be considered a "top-tier prodigy."

Not the flawless "pentagon-shaped" kind of genius, but still very strong.

Therefore, Mo Hua assigned him the role of a "solo unit"—able to fight independently or provide support depending on the situation.

If he performed well, he could single-handedly turn the tide of battle.

If he didn't, it wouldn't disrupt the overall strategy.

The team continued training together for a while.

At first, things went smoothly. Ouyang Xuan had excellent comprehension and quickly grasped the tactics. With his strong strength, he even worked surprisingly well with the team.

But after a few rounds of practice… Ouyang Xuan began to get impatient.

Sometimes he'd just stand around like a statue.

Sometimes he'd move around unpredictably like a show-off.

Sometimes he'd simply do things his own way and shift positions as he pleased.

His behavior threw off Cheng Mo, who began to make frequent mistakes.

Cheng Mo, already hot-tempered, immediately exploded:

"What the hell are you doing!?"

Ouyang Xuan's face remained cold. "What about it?"

Cheng Mo snapped, "We're practicing tactical formations! You're not even standing in your position—what are you running around for?"

Ouyang Xuan sneered. "Tactical formations? It's just the same few positions over and over. One glance and I've seen through the whole thing. What's there to practice?"

He gave Cheng Mo a sharp look and said:

"If these low-level tactics still need this many drills, your aptitude must be pathetic. I really don't get why the Sect Master insists I be in a team with mediocre trash like you…"

His words were laced with barbs—and his side-eye was clearly aimed at Mo Hua.

Cheng Mo was truly enraged now.

His expression went stone cold as he hefted his twin battleaxes and growled:

"What? You wanna throw hands?"

Ouyang Xuan snorted. "Fight? You think you're worthy?"

Looking at Ouyang Xuan's smug, punchable face, Cheng Mo nearly swung his axes right then and there. But in the end, he held back.

Cheng Mo might look rash, but he wasn't a brainless brute.

Sect rules strictly forbade disciples from fighting each other. If he attacked, he'd be breaking the rules—and punished.

More importantly, he understood one thing clearly: this was Mo Hua's team, and only Mo Hua's word counted.

If Little Senior Brother gave the order, even if it meant violating sect rules, he wouldn't hesitate—he'd chop Ouyang Xuan in half right then.

But since Mo Hua hadn't said anything, even though he was fuming, Cheng Mo restrained himself.

Off to the side, Linghu Xiao and Situ Jian were also looking at Ouyang Xuan with cold eyes.

Surprisingly, Mo Hua remained calm, eyes thoughtful.

Under normal circumstances, no matter how bad someone's attitude was, Mo Hua wouldn't waste his breath.

But this was different.

This was the Sword Debate team. It concerned the honor of Great Void Sect… and his master's karma.

What Mo Hua needed was a reliable teammate, someone who would follow instructions to the letter and execute the plan with full commitment.

He didn't need a prodigy with great talent but a rebellious streak who'd stir up trouble.

With the tournament imminent and time precious, Mo Hua had no intention of wasting it on Ouyang Xuan.

Sometimes… you have to be ruthless.

Mo Hua gave Ouyang Xuan a look and said lightly:

"Come with me."

Then he turned and walked off toward a nearby grove of trees.

Ouyang Xuan frowned, visibly annoyed. He hated being "ordered around" like that.

But as Mo Hua continued walking away, Ouyang Xuan sneered and muttered:

"Let's see what you think you can do to me."

Then he strode after him.

The two vanished into the grove.

The woods were dense. The moment they disappeared, they were completely out of sight.

Linghu Xiao, Cheng Mo, and Situ Jian all looked at each other.

"What's Little Senior Brother planning…?"

"You think he's going to beat up Ouyang Xuan?"

"Can he even win…?"

"Hard to say… Honestly, Ouyang Xuan is pretty strong…"

"Main problem is that Little Senior Brother's a bit too 'squishy.' One mistake and it's over…"

"Should we go help? What if he gets hurt…"

Just as they were whispering—

A terrifying aura suddenly erupted from the forest, then vanished just as quickly. The trees remained completely undisturbed, but the woods felt… silent and oppressive, like something deathly cold had passed through.

The three of them all jolted with alarm and fell silent, turning to stare at the grove.

Moments later, the leaves rustled faintly—and two figures emerged.

Mo Hua walked out calmly.

Ouyang Xuan… looked ghost-white, body trembling slightly, like he'd just seen a ghost. His soul seemed shaken and disoriented.

As they reached the others, Mo Hua wore a gentle smile and said warmly:

"We had a heartfelt little chat. Ouyang realized that what he said earlier wasn't quite appropriate, so let's just leave it at that."

"We're all disciples of Great Void Sect. We should work together for the honor of our sect, and strive for a good ranking in the Sword Debate…"

His words were like a breeze on a spring day.

The other three looked at him… with very strange expressions.

Ouyang Xuan, meanwhile, looked like death warmed over. He couldn't even say a single word.

Mo Hua looked at the group and smiled:

"Alright. Then it's happily settled."

From then on, they continued training for the Sword Debate.

And this time… Ouyang Xuan was actually obedient.

In fact, he was a little too obedient—to the point of being wooden.

Rather than "obedient," he seemed stunned.

Whatever Mo Hua had shown him in the forest… the trauma clearly hadn't worn off yet.

But thanks to that moment of "soul education," the team's practice became unusually smooth.

...

Meanwhile, at Tai'a Sect...

The Sect Master of Tai'a was discussing the Sword Debate with a middle-aged elder when he suddenly frowned mid-conversation.

"What's wrong?" the elder asked.

The Tai'a Sect Master looked uneasy. "Do you think Xuan'er will be alright…"

The middle-aged elder was slightly plump, with a fair and pleasant face that naturally carried a three-part smile even before speaking. Upon hearing this, he said:

"What could happen to Young Lord Xuan?"

"It's about the Sword Debate."

"Over at Great Void Mountain?"

"Yes," the Tai'a Sect Master nodded, frowning. "I forcibly pushed Xuan'er into it. If it ends in conflict… it wouldn't be good."

The middle-aged elder pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly:

"Young Lord Xuan's status is quite unique. He was raised personally by the Ancestral Patriarch and taught by a True Inheritor Elder. Naturally, his temperament has grown a bit aloof. Honestly, expecting him not to cause any trouble might be unrealistic…"

The Sect Master of Tai'a sighed, brows tightly furrowed.

"There wasn't much choice…"

"The child's seniority is so high—he's technically the same generation as me, the Sect Master! I can't beat him, and I can't scold him."

"I haven't dared reveal the full story to the others either."

"If word got out about his true status, he wouldn't be able to mingle with the other disciples at all."

"None of the sect's elders dare to discipline him, and that's exactly how he ended up with such an arrogant disposition."

"But now, I've sent him to Great Void Mountain, to team up with their disciples for the Sword Debate…"

His brows knit tighter and tighter.

"I'm just worried that in an extreme situation… he might get into a fight and end up injuring someone from Great Void Mountain. That would seriously damage the harmony between our three sect branches."

And with Xuan'er's background, even if he did injure someone from Great Void Mountain, punishing him properly would be nearly impossible.

This… really wasn't an easy job for a Sect Master.

The middle-aged elder thought it over, then slowly suggested:

"Perhaps… we shouldn't force this. Why not just select a few disciples from Tai'a Mountain to accompany Young Lord Xuan to the Sword Debate? Just treat it like a game. They all know each other, so even if something goes wrong, it wouldn't turn into a mess."

The Tai'a Sect Master immediately sat up straight and said sternly:

"What kind of precedent would that set? If we keep pampering him like this, he'll turn into nothing more than a spoiled second-generation cultivator."

"If he reaches the Golden Core stage and still behaves like this—arrogant and dismissive of others—he's bound to suffer greatly. With no drive to improve, he'll waste all that outstanding talent he was born with."

The middle-aged elder shook his head.

"Then all we can do is let him slowly temper himself. If he does stir up any trouble, Tai'a Sect can step in, apologize, and offer reparations."

The Tai'a Sect Master thought for a moment, then finally nodded.

"That's the only option we have…"

"Hopefully, in time, Xuan'er can get along with the disciples of Great Void Mountain…"

Of course, he also knew—even if they could get along, it wouldn't happen overnight.

With Xuan'er's arrogant and unyielding nature—treating everyone else like ants—he was bound to stir up trouble sooner or later…

This kind of situation could only be dealt with step by step.

The Tai'a Sect Master sighed deeply.

Yet, two days later, he still couldn't shake the unease in his heart.

After hesitating several times, he finally activated his flight technique, left Tai'a Mountain, and arrived at the gates of Great Void Sect. He entered the training grounds, wanting to see for himself how his "second-generation noble son" was getting along.

And to make sure he hadn't caused real trouble.

But as soon as he entered the training grounds, he happened to bump into the Sect Master of Great Void.

Both were a little surprised.

But considering the importance of the Sword Debate, it was only natural that both sides would want to keep a close eye—so they didn't dwell on it.

"Please," said the Great Void Sect Master.

"Much obliged."

A young disciple brought out a table and served tea.

As the fragrance of the tea rose gently between them, the two Sect Masters sat in the lofted pavilion, sipping in silence.

Below them, the disciples were practicing offensive and defensive tactics, working on formation shifts and group combat drills.

The formations were sharp and orderly. Their movements, uniform and cohesive.

The Tai'a Sect Master had come here to observe Ouyang Xuan, but upon seeing this scene, he was momentarily dazed.

"This is… Dao Soldiers?"

The Great Void Sect Master replied, "Not quite. Just some slightly more disciplined drills from the disciples, that's all."

The Tai'a Sect Master took a closer look and nodded slightly.

It was indeed not quite "Dao Soldiers."

Dao Soldiers required stricter formations and stricter discipline—orders had to be obeyed to the letter, and even the slightest error was unacceptable.

In comparison, these disciples were still young and green. Their formation transitions were unpolished and lacked true mastery.

And it was clear that what they were practicing were only basic tactical formations—there were no supporting spiritual artifacts or array formations involved.

Still…

Even so, this was no small feat.

This… was the early blueprint of elite Dao Soldier formations built around Heaven's Chosen…

(End of this Chapter)