Immortality Through Array Formations (The Quest for Immortality)

Chapter 1109: Kindling the Flame

Mo Hua glanced at him calmly. "Are you teaching me how to act?"

The Sect Master of the Cang Wolf Sect froze.

If it had been any ordinary cultivator who dared to speak so impudently in front of him, he would never have let it slide. Even if he didn't kill them, he would at least cripple their meridians and break their limbs.

But under Mo Hua's tranquil gaze, the Sect Master of the Cang Wolf Sect felt a chill deep in his heart — a kind of instinctual wariness.

The Sect Master tried to steady himself and said, "Brother Mo... As a disciple of a major sect, gifted and extraordinary, your actions need not be questioned by others."

"However, facts are facts."

"You might have good intentions and don't wish to forget your roots — that's commendable. But your origins, your background, will not only fail to support you, they'll drag you down, hinder your cultivation, and prevent you from ascending to greater heights on the Dao."

"To achieve great things, one must be ruthless, and decisively sever ties with the past."

"Indecisiveness and blind kindness will rarely lead to anything extraordinary..."

Mo Hua's expression remained calm, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

The Sect Master of the Cang Wolf Sect frowned but knew better than to press the matter. He simply said:

"My words end here. How you choose is up to you, Brother Mo."

He thought for a moment and added, "I'll remain in Tongxian City for three days to enjoy the local culture. After that, I'll return to the sect."

"If you change your mind within these three days, feel free to come find me."

Mo Hua nodded. "I'll think about it."

The Sect Master rose, cupped his hands, and said, "I'll be waiting for your good news at the Tongxian Inn."

With that, he clapped his hands.

Several Cang Wolf Sect disciples entered the room, carrying a few storage chests and some storage bags.

The Sect Master said, "A small token of respect. Please accept it, Brother Mo."

Mo Hua did not refuse. He cupped his hands and replied, "Many thanks."

"Farewell."

With that, the Sect Master of the Cang Wolf Sect led his people and left.

In the elegant room, only Mo Hua remained, lost in thought.

———

On the main road of Tongxian City, the streets were packed with people.

The Sect Master of the Cang Wolf Sect walked through the lively crowd with some surprise, a wolfish glint flashing in his eyes.

"A fine place..."

After passing through the bustling street, they arrived at Tongxian City's largest inn. The group booked the most luxurious room and settled in.

The Sect Master sipped tea alone in his room.

After a while, there was a knock at the door.

"Enter."

A cultivator wearing the plain robes of a traveling merchant entered. His face was unremarkable, but his cultivation was at the late Foundation Establishment stage.

He closed the door behind him, stepped inside, and removed his outer robe, revealing the sect uniform underneath, embroidered with a wolf pattern.

It was the elder's robe of the Cang Wolf Sect.

"How is it?" the Sect Master asked in a low voice.

"I've gathered the information."

The elder presented a jade slip.

The Sect Master took it, pressed it to his forehead, skimmed through the contents, and remained expressionless.

The elder lowered his voice. "Sect Master, now that you've met him, what's your impression?"

The Sect Master fell into thought. "There's something odd about him. Hard to say for certain..."

"Do you think," the elder asked quietly, "he's truly a disciple of Qianxue, one of the Grade-5 major sects?"

The Sect Master remained silent for a moment, then shook his head. "Hard to say... A rogue cultivator from a lowly Grade-2 province somehow becoming a disciple of a Grade-5 sect — that already sounds like a fantasy."

"Even if he truly got lucky and received such an opportunity…"

He mused, "As a disciple of a prestigious sect in a Grade-5 province, why wouldn't he stay there? Why come back to this backwater province of Liyu? It makes no sense…"

The elder frowned.

"You mean… this Mo Hua couldn't survive in the Grade-5 province? Maybe he committed some crime, got expelled from the sect in disgrace, and slunk back to his hometown in Liyu?"

The Sect Master sipped his tea, neither confirming nor denying.

Logically speaking, it wasn't impossible.

A Grade-5 great province is no easy place to thrive. What could a rootless rogue cultivator offer?

And those Grade-5 sects had deep foundations and countless prodigies.

A disciple with average spiritual roots and weak blood and body — how could such a person be favored? How could they possibly learn anything meaningful?

If he'd done well, learned anything worthwhile, why would he leave that place and come back to this barren, backwater region?

A prosperous Grade-5 province and a remote Grade-2 immortal city — the difference was night and day.

Anyone with a brain would know to stay in the higher realm, seeking better opportunities and greater growth.

Why return to a place not even fit for birds, to play cultivation games with a bunch of vagabonds?

"But…" the elder said in a low voice, "I heard people say this Young Master Mo was personally taught formations by Ancestor Dongxu. Surely he wouldn't dare fake the name of such a venerable figure?"

The Sect Master sneered, "Anything else might be possible, but that — absolutely not."

"Dongxu — what kind of being is that?"

"Ordinary cultivators would count themselves blessed just to catch a glimpse of Dongxu, let alone be taught by him directly."

The elder's gaze turned sharp. "So you mean this Mo brat lied?"

The Sect Master shook his head. "Not necessarily."

The elder was confused.

The Sect Master countered, "What does it mean to be 'personally taught' by the ancestor?"

"If Ancestor Dongxu gives a lecture on formations to all sect disciples, wouldn't that count as a personal lesson?"

"Even if he was the most unremarkable one among thousands of disciples, wouldn't it still be considered receiving instruction from the ancestor?"

"Similarly, if he was among thousands listening to Dongxu preach on the Dao in the great hall, could that not also be called being 'personally taught'?"

"When you're out in the world, reputation is something you craft yourself."

The elder suddenly understood:

"I see now… So Mo Hua isn't really as formidable as people say. He just played with his words to make himself sound more impressive."

The Sect Master nodded slowly — then shook his head again, frowning:

"That's true, but... this boy still gives me a very... dangerous feeling."

"Dangerous?" the elder was startled.

The Sect Master of the Cang Wolf Sect, a ruthless man at the early Core Formation stage, felt threatened by a mere late Foundation Establishment brat?

"What kind of danger?"

The Sect Master fell silent. He did not answer.

"Where is it dangerous?"

The Sect Master of the Cang Wolf Sect fell silent, not answering.

An elder of the Cang Wolf Sect said, "How about… we find a way to investigate at one of the major sects?"

The Sect Master shot him a glance. "Where exactly do you plan to investigate?"

The elder was intimidated by his aura and stammered, "Naturally… the fourth or fifth-grade ones…"

The Sect Master's expression turned serious. He spoke slowly, "Do you even understand what the fourth and fifth grades mean?"

The elder looked completely puzzled.

The Sect Master sneered, "Don't tell me you literally think that the jump from third to fourth grade is just one rank. And from fourth to fifth, also just one rank?"

The elder looked guilty and said nothing.

The Sect Master took a deep breath and slowly said:

"Our Cang Wolf Sect struggled for two hundred years to rise from second to third grade. Then we spent another two hundred years working hard just to barely stabilize our position as a third-grade sect. Even so, there's always the risk of decline if we mismanage even slightly."

"Climbing from second to third grade was already extremely difficult."

"But going from third to fourth—it's ten times harder."

"And from fourth to fifth—it's a hundred times harder."

"You think it's just a one-rank difference?"

"Even saying tenfold or hundredfold difference is an optimistic view."

"The number of slots given from above is limited. If your sect wants to rise, you have to snatch someone else's position. As a newcomer, how can you compete? Who's going to give way to you?"

"So don't be fooled by the fact that we, the Cang Wolf Sect, are currently a third-grade sect and seem powerful. If we truly wanted to rise to fourth grade, even developing for another thousand years might not be enough."

"The path of cultivation is tightly restricted. The doors above have long since been shut to us."

"To us, Tongxian City might look like ants. But to those above, our Cang Wolf Sect is no different from ants."

"You want me to investigate? Where would I even start?"

"A small third-grade sect like ours can't even get a foot in the door of a fourth-grade power—let alone a fifth-grade one like the Qianxue Great Sect. A few late-stage Core Formation elders from there could wipe us out completely…"

The elder instantly fell silent, not daring to speak.

Only now did he truly understand the weight of Mo Hua's identity as a "disciple of a fifth-grade major sect."

Even if Mo Hua was just an ordinary disciple—someone at the bottom of the fifth-grade region, a "poor student"—he was still not someone a third-grade sect like the Cang Wolf Sect could afford to offend.

"If he really joins our Cang Wolf Sect, wouldn't we be bringing back a 'great Buddha'?" the elder said, concerned.

The Sect Master shook his head. "His background is indeed high, but he's still young, with shallow cultivation experience. Wine, women, wealth, and pleasure—he'll have his weaknesses."

"We just need to cater to his tastes and apply a few tricks. Sooner or later, he'll be wrapped around our finger."

"If he truly has ability, we'll use him for ourselves."

"If he doesn't, we'll still get to wear the tiger's skin as our cloak. With the reputation of a 'disciple of a fifth-grade major sect,' we can still get a lot done…"

The Sect Master's gaze turned cold.

The elder felt a chill in his heart. No wonder the Sect Master held his position—the depth of his schemes and means were far beyond his own.

He asked again, "But… what if that boy doesn't know what's good for him and refuses to join our Cang Wolf Sect?"

"No matter," the Sect Master replied calmly. "It's best if he agrees now. But even if he doesn't… he will eventually submit to us."

"Why?" the elder was puzzled.

The Sect Master's eyes narrowed. "He's already at the late Foundation Establishment stage. The next step is Core Formation."

"Core Formation isn't a joke—it needs immense cultivation resources."

"A small second-grade place like Tongxian City can't afford to support a Core Formation cultivator."

"And even if they tried, who knows how much blood they'd have to bleed? If he fails, all of it goes to waste."

"So, if he wants to form his core, he'll eventually need to rely on a third-grade force. Our Cang Wolf Sect might not be the best, but we're the most suitable."

The elder nodded admiringly. "Sect Master, wise as always."

While the Sect Master and elder were speaking…

Inside Fushan Pavilion…

Mo Hua was also talking to Elder Yu.

Elder Yu stepped inside, glanced at the room full of gifts, then at Mo Hua, looking hesitant. He sighed.

"Elder Yu, what's the matter?" Mo Hua asked.

Elder Yu thought for a moment and sighed slowly:

"If it were a proper third-grade sect, it wouldn't be too bad for you to become an elder. But the Cang Wolf Sect has a ruthless reputation, and their conduct doesn't seem great…"

"But aside from them, there really aren't any better choices nearby."

"I would prefer you stay in Tongxian City… but this is only a second-grade region. You… can't form your core here…"

"Staying too long might end up holding you back…"

Mo Hua could see Elder Yu was genuinely concerned. He smiled, "Don't worry, Elder Yu. I have my own plans."

Elder Yu was startled. Seeing Mo Hua so calm, he silently let out a breath of relief. "Then I'll stop worrying…"

Mo Hua looked at Elder Yu and suddenly thought of something.

"By the way, Elder Yu… why haven't you been scolding people lately?"

Elder Yu paused, then smiled awkwardly.

"In the past, I did it to bluff and resist the Qian family. But now… times have changed. No need to yell anymore."

Now that Tongxian City had grown and thrived, and he was an elder of the Demon-Hunting Division, he had to maintain a little decorum.

Not to mention…

Elder Yu sighed. "Yelling… doesn't really do anything. It changes nothing."

Mo Hua shook his head. "How can you say yelling is useless? I picked up a few of your insults and in Qianxue Region, I was invincible in arguments. Never lost once."

"They can beat me in cultivation, but win in a debate? No chance."

"And I've been holding back—if I went all out, I could literally make someone die from anger…"

Elder Yu was stunned. "I… was really that good at cursing?"

Mo Hua nodded sincerely. "Very good!"

Then, with a serious look, he added:

"Everyone in this world should have a skill. Even if it's just cursing, you must reach the pinnacle. Never give up or forget your original intention."

Elder Yu's pupils trembled—he felt as if he'd been struck by sudden enlightenment.

No wonder, even as Tongxian City prospered, he felt more and more lost and unsure of himself.

He looked at Mo Hua, a little uncertain, and asked again, "My cursing… really helped you?"

Mo Hua nodded. "Helped a lot!"

Elder Yu was deeply gratified, instantly energized.

Everything returned to normal afterward.

Three days later, the Cang Wolf Sect's Sect Master was ready to leave.

Before leaving, he came to visit Mo Hua again.

"Brother Mo, have you made your decision?"

Mo Hua replied, "I'll be staying in Tongxian City for now."

Mo Hua said, "I'll be staying in Tongxian City for the time being."

"Brother Mo, don't you want to form your Core?"

"I'll consider the matter of Core Formation on my own," Mo Hua replied.

The Sect Master of the Cangwolf Sect looked a bit regretful, but not surprised. He simply said:

"Since Brother Mo has made up his mind, I won't try to force you. But my sincerity stands—the gates of the Cangwolf Sect are always open to you."

"If, in the future, you change your mind and wish to join the Cangwolf Sect, just come find me."

"Our Cangwolf Sect will spare no effort to assist Brother Mo in forming his Core."

"Of course, even if you don't wish to join the Cangwolf Sect, that's fine too. We can still be friends. If you ever pass through the territory of the Cangwolf Prefecture, you're welcome to visit us. I'd be honored to host you."

The Sect Master of the Cangwolf Sect spoke with no flaws in his words—polished and airtight.

Mo Hua cupped his hands and said, "Thank you."

The Cangwolf Sect Master returned the gesture. "Farewell."

Afterward, the group from the Cangwolf Sect departed. They followed the main road out of Tongxian City through the south gate, continuing onward until they entered the Great Black Mountain.

Once atop the mountain, the Cangwolf Sect Master turned back and took in the full view of Tongxian City.

His eyes flickered slightly as he silently thought:

"It truly is a good place…"

…

After the Cangwolf Sect Master left, Mo Hua returned home and fell into deep thought.

He lay in the courtyard of his home, just like when he was a child, gazing up at the sky in a daze.

In a sense, what the Cangwolf Sect Master said wasn't wrong either.

Cultivation is like rowing upstream—if you don't advance, you fall behind.

If one wishes to become stronger, to raise their realm, to refine their cultivation, and seek the Great Dao of immortality, then they can only rely on a steadfast Dao heart and continue pressing forward.

Always climbing upward, reaching ever higher.

Only by climbing to the peak, standing equal to the Heavenly Dao, and wielding power akin to an immortal, can one hope to change anything in the cultivation world.

Without strength, even with the firmest Dao heart, one is still powerless in the face of the hardships of the cultivation world.

But to always press forward, to keep climbing—then what?

Is that really what he wants to do?

In his mind, Mo Hua couldn't help but recall the insight he gained more than a decade ago, when he resolved to construct the Grade One Five Elements Demon-Slaying Grand Formation to defend against the great demon Feng Xi.

At that time, facing a great calamity and a dire situation, he didn't want to just look after himself. So he made a grand vow:

If I cannot yet construct a world-shaking formation to use the laws of Heaven to regulate all cultivators and ensure the thriving of the cultivation world…

Then I will start from the simplest Grade One formation. I will learn it, master it, and lay down the very first one—to slay the wicked, to protect the peace of a single immortal city...

Now, things were completely different.

The test of his Dao heart was no longer the peril of Tongxian City—

But his own brilliant future.

It was whether he could resist temptation, not be ensnared by worldly fame and fortune, not be shaken by the eyes of others.

Whether, as he moved forward, he could refrain from despising his origins, not abandon his past, not forget the countless struggling lives of this world—and stay true to his original heart.

Top scorer of Qianxue Academy in both formations and swordsmanship.

Number one in the Qianxue Sword Debate.

Disciple of Qianxue Academy's greatest sect.

Little senior brother of the Great Void Sect…

A prodigious formation genius with a boundless future…

These titles were undoubtedly dazzling and intoxicating.

But the most fundamental identity must never be forgotten:

He was just a lone rogue cultivator from Tongxian City.

A young formation master who vowed to seek the Great Dao...

Mo Hua's aura returned to simplicity, his gaze clear and resolute as he looked at the vast sky.

Just like when he was a child, he reached out toward the heavens, as if trying to grasp the entire firmament with his pale hand.

"A formation master observes the celestial signs above and senses the spiritual veins below, studies formation patterns extensively—all to comprehend the Way of Heaven and Earth and bring benefit to all living beings."

"This is the Dao of formations."

"As a disciple, I went to Qian Prefecture to study, to learn the heritage of cultivators across the world, to broaden my vision, to solidify the foundation of my Dao."

"This is the Dao of cultivation."

"Now that I have achieved some success in cultivation, I should pass on what I've learned—this 'Dao'—to the world. Let all cultivators have the foundation to survive and cultivate, to comprehend the true principles of Heaven and Earth. Let their Dao hearts be clear and bright, so that the Great Dao may flourish endlessly, its legacy carried on…"

"Perhaps this... is the true path to immortality and ascension."

(End of this Chapter)