Arrays of Immortality

Chapter 3: Formation Master

After waking up at the hour of the Rabbit (around 5 a.m.), Mo Hua began his routine cultivation.

An hour later, he finished his practice and headed to the teaching room to wait for the instructor.

In the sect, instructors were collectively known as Jiaoxi, who taught various subjects such as cultivation, formation, alchemy, and weapon forging to outer disciples, while also overseeing and guiding their practice.

Like other sects in the cultivation world, Tongxian Sect also divided its disciples into three categories: direct descendants, inner disciples, and outer disciples.

The outer sect was open to the public, focusing on passing down the Dao and teaching people cultivation. It earned revenue by collecting fees for disciples joining, which were essentially tuition fees. Outer disciples learned the portions of the sect's teachings that were publicly accessible, and after graduation or voluntary departure, they maintained a sentimental bond with the sect but had no real connection.

The inner sect was the core of the sect, and its disciples were involved in managing various sect affairs outside of their cultivation, such as spirit mines, spirit lands, caves, and businesses.

Inner disciples had access to techniques and spells that were generally not shared with the public. Their relationship with the sect was inseparable, and they were bound by a teacher-student bond. If an inner disciple committed a crime, the sect would be held responsible, and betraying their master was considered a grave offense with severe consequences.

Direct descendants were the inner disciples who were either related by blood to the sect leader or elders or had a very deep teacher-student bond. These disciples were the core of the sect, often poised to inherit important positions like sect leader or elder.

Direct descendants learned the sect's most core techniques, as well as other forbidden methods, and if they betrayed the sect, they were pursued and killed.

The Dao Lu prohibits monks from taking personal revenge or engaging in indiscriminate killings. Pursuing and killing a direct descendant who betrays the sect would violate the Dao Lu, and the Dao Court would intervene. However, in practice, local Dao Court authorities often ignored such cases, particularly for powerful sects where local authorities did not dare intervene.

But none of this concerned Mo Hua.

He was just an outer disciple of the first rank in Tongxian Sect, neither an inner disciple nor a direct descendant. Even if he were targeted for death, no one would care.

Mo Hua wanted to join the inner sect, but without spirit stones or connections, he figured it was unlikely in this life, much less become a direct descendant.

Mo Hua focused and sat quietly for a while before he saw Instructor Yan walk in, looking serious.

Instructor Yan was in his forties or fifties, a strict man who had reached the ninth level of Qi Refining.

Among all the instructors in Tongxian Sect, Yan held a relatively high position because he was the only one skilled in formations. It was said that in a few years, he might become a first-grade formation master after passing the official exam.

All Qi Refining disciples at Tongxian Sect learned formations from Instructor Yan, whether they came from prestigious families or were ordinary rogue cultivators. Yan treated everyone equally—if someone made a mistake, he didn't care whose face they had, he would reprimand and punish them as needed.

As a result, the disciples of Tongxian Sect both respected and feared Instructor Yan.

The sect collected tuition once a year, so lessons were conducted annually. Today marked the last day of the sect's year-long training period, and after today, there would be a break of more than half a month. Also, the results of the disciples' annual assessments would be handed out today.

Instructor Yan held a stack of report cards.

The disciples were nervous. Mo Hua, who had usually been calm, found himself becoming anxious when he saw the tense expressions on his peers.

Soon, Mo Hua received his own assessment results.

As expected, his formation exam was marked A, which was his strongest subject. There weren't many disciples in Tongxian Sect who earned an A in formations, and Mo Hua was one of them.

Mo Hua's cultivation was rated B, not because he didn't work hard, but because his aptitude was limited—his middle-grade Five Elements spirit root was simply average, and no matter how hard he tried, his progress was always marginal.

For other subjects, such as Dao History and Qi Refining Theory, which could be mastered with effort, he also got A's. But for subjects that required purchasing materials with spirit stones, such as alchemy and talisman-making, he received B's or C's.

Mo Hua came from a poor family and couldn't even afford an alchemy furnace, so his alchemy wasn't good. During the assessments, he could only rely on his intuition and hope for the best. His results were uncertain and unstable.

But overall, his results were quite good. As the saying goes, "One good point covers many flaws." Formation was hard to learn, so getting an A in formations was already impressive.

Instructor Yan said a few words before leaving briefly. The disciples in the room began whispering among themselves while looking at their results.

"Mo Hua, you got an A in formations again!" one disciple said sneakily after glancing at Mo Hua's report card.

"Another A…"

"I'm still a B…"

"I got a C."

"Formations are so hard. My head hurts just looking at them…"

The disciples gathered around Mo Hua.

"Pah!" A disciple from the Qian family, wearing a silver-white Dao robe, sneered in dissatisfaction. "What's so great about it? You only get an A because you can draw these simple sect formations."

"What did you get?" a disciple asked in rebuttal.

"Why should I tell you?" the Qian disciple said dismissively.

Another disciple sneakily peeked at his report card and then burst out laughing. "He got a C!"

The other disciples froze, then burst into laughter.

"You got a C and are laughing at someone who got an A? How shameless!"

"Your skin's thicker than a forging furnace!"

"You're from the Qian family? You're so dumb! You're worse than me, I got a B."

The Qian family disciple was enraged and snapped, "So what if he got an A? Rogue cultivators can never become formation masters. Do you understand?"

He pointed at Mo Hua and the others. "You bunch of rogue cultivators, frogs at the bottom of a well, with no inheritance, will never become a formation master in your lifetime. Listen carefully, you can never become a real formation master. If you don't understand, I can say it again."

"Rogue cultivators will never become formation masters!"

The surrounding disciples fell silent.

Mo Hua looked at him like he was a fool, then stood up, bowed behind the Qian disciple, and said, "Good morning, Instructor Yan!"

The Qian family disciple froze like he had been struck by lightning. His head stiffly turned, and indeed, he saw Instructor Yan standing behind him with a dark expression.

"The sect is for spreading the Dao and cultivation, not for comparing and slandering fellow disciples!"

"Your own formation skills are pathetic, and you have the nerve to mock your peers?"

"Now go outside and stand until dark."

"Then draw the basic Five Elements formation a hundred times. Show it to me next year. If you can't do it, don't come back!"

The Qian family disciple turned ashen but dared not retort.

Instructor Yan's authority was so high that even a direct disciple of the Qian family couldn't escape punishment. Let alone the Qian family's distant branch.

The Qian family disciple slunk outside to stand in punishment.

Instructor Yan stood in front of Mo Hua for a moment in silence, then patted his small shoulder and sighed, "Don't mind what others say. Just focus on learning."

Mo Hua remained calm, bowed respectfully to Instructor Yan, and said, "I will remember this, instructor."

Instructor Yan nodded, then walked to the instructor's seat and gave a few more instructions before announcing the break for the year. Disciples were free to return home.

The disciples, filled with excitement, saluted Instructor Yan, thanked him for his guidance, and then scattered.

As the sect's year-long break began, the disciples were overjoyed.

Mo Hua, however, had mixed feelings.

Many of these Qi Refining disciples were still young and carefree, unaware of the hardships of cultivating.

Thinking about his father's wounds from hunting demons and his mother's weary face, Mo Hua felt a pang in his heart and sighed.

Becoming a first-grade formation master was still a distant dream, but within his power, he wanted to make life better for his parents.

Mo Hua put away his report card, pocketed twelve spirit stones, and instead of returning home, he walked toward the marketplace.

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Main Character Setting Reminder:

The protagonist awakened memories, but this is not a traditional "soul transmigration" story.

His body is his own, with actual blood ties to his parents.

The protagonist is a ten-year-old child in the cultivation world, but possesses modern thinking and knowledge.

(End of Chapter)