Immortality Through Array Formations (The Quest for Immortality)

Chapter 866: Sinister Calculations

"Young... Young Master?!"

Several Xiao clan elders—especially those from Xiao Tianquan's direct lineage who had placed great hopes on him—ignored all decorum, rushing to the high seat. They checked his breath, his pulse, and his spiritual sense. In an instant, their faces turned as pale as paper.

Some of them fumbled out pills and tried stuffing them into Xiao Tianquan's mouth.

But their hands were trembling so badly that it took them ages to get them in—and it was all useless.

Xiao Tianquan's orifices were bleeding horrifically. He had no breath left.

"He... He's really... dead..."

A cold chill swept through everyone present.

An elderly Xiao clan elder looked up at Inspector Xia, his eyes filled with blame, accusation, and even hatred.

But due to the difference in cultivation and status, he dared not show too much. He could only say, voice trembling with fury:

"Inspector Xia... what exactly is going on here?"

The Xia family's Golden Core cultivators exchanged uncertain glances.

Even Inspector Xia himself was frowning deeply—his usual calm composure shattered.

This matter was far too strange.

He had never imagined someone would suddenly drop dead right in front of him, without even the slightest indication beforehand.

There was no sign of spiritual force, no surge of blood energy, no evidence of spiritual tools or Dao techniques.

He just drank a cup of wine—then went mad and died.

From an outsider's perspective… it almost looked like—

He, a Feathering-stage expert, had killed Xiao Tianquan himself!

Inspector Xia stepped closer to Xiao Tianquan's corpse.

Several Xiao elders tensed up, wanting to block him, but hesitated in the face of his immense cultivation and pressure.

The old Xiao elder suddenly sighed and bowed slightly, speaking sincerely:

"Our clan's young master has suffered misfortune and died unexpectedly. We beg Inspector Xia to investigate thoroughly and return justice to our Xiao family."

"Elder!" some of the Xiao elders still looked unwilling.

"Silence!" the old man barked, shaking his head. "This matter has nothing to do with Inspector Xia."

Xiao Tianquan had been a key figure in the Xia-Xiao alliance.

Inspector Xia had no reason to kill him.

Even if he wanted to, he wouldn't have done it here, in public, in front of so many Xiao clan elders.

Earlier, everyone had been caught off guard and consumed by anger. But now, with a bit of reflection, they understood—and stepped aside.

Inspector Xia approached Xiao Tianquan's corpse and carefully examined it, frown deepening.

No signs at all…

Even with his years of experience in criminal and punitive matters, he couldn't find a single clue.

It looked exactly like someone who had suddenly gone mad with joy, lost control of their Slaughter Qi, suffered backlash, ruptured their sea of consciousness, and bled out from all seven orifices…

Impossible.

Inspector Xia withdrew a palm-sized blue jade compass from his sleeve, intending to trace the karmic cause.

But as soon as the thought surfaced and he turned the dial—his pupils shrank, and he slammed the lid shut.

He said nothing, silently slipping the compass back into his sleeve.

But nobody saw that the hand he hid away… was trembling.

And deep within, a wave of profound dread surged through Inspector Xia.

Malign karma.

It was the most dreadful omen he had ever sensed in the karmic web—an overwhelming, soul-freezing sign of danger.

His gaze turned icy.

The path of fate and karma was rare, and few cultivators even believed in it—let alone practiced it.

But he had once heard a saying from a true expert:

"Without observing fate, without peering into karma, misfortune comes unbidden, and life is not one's own."

That line had stuck with him.

So, after reaching Feathering, he had humbled himself before an elder of the Xia family, painstakingly seeking guidance.

After over a decade, the elder finally passed him a bit of insight into karmic divination.

But the way of fate was unlike ordinary cultivation—it was unique and obscure.

Even now, he had barely scratched the surface.

Yet even that little insight had completely overturned his understanding of the cultivation world.

Many so-called "natural disasters" were in fact man-made.

What looked like foolishness often hid profound schemes beneath.

People who seemed independent were really puppets, bound to spiritual tethers, "wound up" to walk a predetermined path.

And now, his understanding had been shattered again.

He had personally witnessed the "great terrors" spoken of by his elder—those entities that dwelled within fate and karma.

He vividly remembered the old Xia ancestor's words:

"Fate and karma—calculate when you can, avoid when you must."

The first half meant: don't be lazy—always look into karma, even the smallest things may hide great truths.

The second half meant: if you sense danger, stop immediately—lest you stumble into the unknown and draw catastrophe upon yourself.

Until now, he'd always followed "calculate when you can."

But for the first time, he now understood what it meant to "not calculate when you mustn't."

His expression turned grave.

The Xiao clan elders exchanged uneasy glances. One of them cautiously asked:

"Inspector… did you discover anything?"

Inspector Xia returned to himself, his face a cold mask. After a moment, a gleam flashed in his eyes.

He spoke slowly:

"His physical meridians, his qi sea, his consciousness—all self-destructed. There are no traces of external interference. It's either a cultivation mishap—or…"

He paused, then said in a low, heavy voice:

"A karmic grandmaster severed his life thread with a karmic technique!"

The moment he said it, the Xiao clan elders turned pale.

A karmic grandmaster?!

"Inspector Xia, do you know who…"

Inspector Xia shook his head, sighing. "Though I'm in the Feathering realm, my grasp of karmic arts is shallow. I tried divining, but found… nothing."

The elderly Xiao elder frowned, then sighed. "Then we must return and request the patriarch's help."

Inspector Xia remained silent.

After a moment, the Xiao elder clasped his hands and said:

"I have one more request, if I may."

Inspector Xia nodded. "Speak freely."

The elder said, "This matter is strange. To avoid public scandal… may we request that you keep this confidential, and not speak of it outside?"

Inspector Xia replied, "Of course. Things have come to this—none of it was what the Xia family wanted. Your young master had great talent and limitless promise. I had high hopes for him. The heavens must truly envy genius. I too, feel regret."

Then he added, lightly:

"The dead are to be respected. Whatever youthful arrogance or flaws he had in life, let them rest with him. If anyone asks, the Dao Court will declare he died in the line of duty—giving him an honorable record."

The Xiao elders all bowed in gratitude.

They knew full well what Xiao Tianquan had been like—and what he'd done.

Even if some hadn't known before, seeing the way he died, with such abject terror, made it obvious that he'd done something unspeakable and gotten his due.

Xiao Tianquan was their core heir—his honor was the family's honor, his disgrace their disgrace.

If his crimes were exposed, it would disgrace the entire Xiao clan.

The fact that Inspector Xia was willing to turn a blind eye and protect their reputation was a huge favor.

"We'll take Young Master Tianquan's remains home immediately," the elder said. "The patriarch has some understanding of karma. I'm sure he'll discover which fiend dared ambush our heir in the shadows…"

Inspector Xia nodded approvingly. "That's for the best."

Then, his tone cooled, and he added with pointed clarity:

"Tianquan was cursed to death before our eyes. That's a challenge to the Xia family—and a slap to the Xiao clan's face. Whoever did this likely hates the Xiao clan and doesn't want our two houses allied."

"If your patriarch is truly versed in karmic arts, then he must find the truth. The Xia family will not forgive whoever hides in the dark."

The Xiao elder clasped his hands. "Thank you, Inspector Xia. I will report everything to our patriarch."

Inspector Xia nodded.

The banquet ended abruptly.

What had been a joyous celebration turned into bloodshed and death—leaving the atmosphere eerie and unsettled.

The Xiao elders dared not linger. They sealed Xiao Tianquan's corpse in a coffin, packed up his belongings, said their goodbyes to Inspector Xia, and hurried home.

Inspector Xia watched them leave, but when his gaze landed on the coffin…

A flicker of undeniable disgust appeared in his eyes.

He sighed softly.

"Pity... the Life-Binding Longevity Talisman was planted too late…"

...

Xiao Tianquan was dead.

Though the news was being kept quiet, it couldn't be completely hidden—at the very least, word would inevitably reach the Dao Court.

After all, Xiao Tianquan was a Dao Court Executor.

Gu Changhuai and Magistrate Xia were still handling the aftermath of the Rouge Boat incident when they received an official dispatch.

This was an internal document, accessible only to cultivators at or above the rank of Magistrate.

The message was extremely brief—no context, no details, just a few stark words:

"Xiao Tianquan, Executor of the Xiao Clan—courageous and fearless—died in the line of duty."

Gu Changhuai and Magistrate Xia were both stunned, momentarily thinking they had misread it.

After rereading it several times, a storm surged in both their hearts.

They'd only just parted ways… and now the same Xiao Tianquan, shielded by a Feathering Realm cultivator, had—

Died?!

The "died in the line of duty" was clearly just a cover.

The truth behind his death… was definitely not something that could be made public.

The two of them looked up, instinctively locking eyes.

How did he die?

Or more precisely…

Who killed Xiao Tianquan—and how?

They wracked their brains, but still couldn't imagine who could have possibly killed one of the Xiao Clan's core disciples right under the nose of a Feathering Realm cultivator.

The room fell into silence.

Both men pondered in vain, finding no clue.

Moments later, a series of additional reports arrived.

They detailed a number of sudden deaths—cultivators and criminals alike—across Qianxue Prefecture and nearby regions: fugitive demonic cultivators, prisoners from Dao Prison, clan disciples, and even sect disciples.

Their backgrounds varied. Their death scenes were all different. But every case shared one thing in common:

All of them died violently and mysteriously. Cause: unknown.

Gu Changhuai and Magistrate Xia frowned even more deeply.

"Sudden death…" Gu Changhuai murmured.

The phrase struck a chord—felt strangely familiar.

Then, it hit him.

He remembered what Mo Hua had casually said at the restaurant in Smoke River City:

"The heavens are watching. Xiao Tianquan's wicked deeds will catch up to him. One day, he'll be struck down and die a sudden death."

It wasn't just Gu Changhuai—Magistrate Xia remembered too.

The two exchanged a long look, both feeling a bit stunned.

"Mo…" Magistrate Xia began, but Gu Changhuai quickly shook his head, clearly warning her not to speak that name here.

Magistrate Xia swallowed the words "Mo Hua" and muttered, dazed:

"…It must just be a coincidence, right?"

But as she said it, a sudden thought struck her, and her gaze turned sharp:

"Yesterday—did you…"

Gu Changhuai nodded. "Escorted him back. All the way to the Great Void Sect's gate. He should be cultivating quietly in the sect now."

Magistrate Xia finally exhaled in relief.

If that was true, then this shouldn't have anything to do with Mo Hua.

After all, he'd just casually said one sentence.

It's not like Mo Hua could speak something into reality, and whoever he cursed would just… die.

Magistrate Xia shook her head, trying to dismiss the absurdity.

But Gu Changhuai wasn't so sure.

With everything he knew about Mo Hua, he didn't believe the kid would say something like that without a reason.

If nothing had happened, it would've been a coincidence.

But now—his words had come true. That could no longer be brushed off as idle talk.

Mo Hua had said Xiao Tianquan "would surely meet his end for his evil deeds." It was highly likely that, even back then, he had already foreseen Tianquan's death.

But how…?

Gu Changhuai frowned deeply. Since arriving in Qianxue Prefecture, he'd known Mo Hua for five years.

In that time, the boy hadn't grown much in height—but his abilities had improved exponentially.

And not in ways most people could detect.

His cultivation realm might not stand out, but his mastery of arrays, Dao arts, and countless other strange techniques—endlessly evolving.

What started as "hard to read" had now become something bordering on unfathomable.

He says it—and it happens.

"Speech becomes law. Word becomes fate."

Whether or not Mo Hua was directly responsible for Xiao Tianquan's death didn't surprise Gu Changhuai.

And if he was, that wouldn't surprise him either.

Even if Mo Hua had somehow decided life and death with a single sentence, Gu Changhuai now felt that… wasn't that hard to believe.

Still, he kept all this to himself.

He told no one.

Meanwhile, in Smoke River City…

Ye Hong had not given up on revenge.

Though he knew it was impossible—he had lost everything. There was nothing left to fear.

And so, he had no more hesitation.

Three days later, through various means, he finally got wind of the news:

Xiao Tianquan had died in the line of duty.

He froze. Then slowly, disbelief gave way to remembrance—of something Mo Hua had once told him:

"The heavens are watching…"

Ye Hong let out a bitter laugh. Tears rolled silently down his cheeks.

He returned once more to the banks of the Smoke River.

There, he poured out a jug of wine to mourn his two wrongfully slain children. Then he faced eastward, toward Qianxue Prefecture, where the Great Void Sect lay.

He bowed low, prostrating three times, and solemnly declared:

"Many thanks, Young Master, for your boundless grace!"

"May your path to the Great Dao be fulfilled—bring justice to this world. Let there be clarity in Heaven's way, and fairness beneath the sky."

Xiao Clan.

Within a hidden and opulent cave residence, deep in the forbidden grounds—

An old man, white-haired and clad in black, stared at Xiao Tianquan's corpse—his soul annihilated, bleeding from every orifice.

Rage and grief shook his entire frame.

This was the great-great-grandson he had loved the most.

His chosen heir. The one he believed would one day inherit his legacy and lead the Xiao Clan to even greater heights.

And now, the one he cherished above all—

Was dead.

Just like that.

Without warning. Without clarity.

The Xiao Clan Patriarch's bloodshot eyes gleamed cold as he spoke, his voice like icy water:

"What happened?"

The elder beside him dared not raise his head and quietly recounted everything that had happened at the banquet.

At the end, he added cautiously:

"Patriarch, do you think it could've been… Inspector Xia?"

The Xiao Patriarch let out a cold laugh.

"He's no fool. Why would he kill my grandson without reason—and in public, no less? That man is far more cunning than you give him credit for. He would never act so recklessly and forge a blood feud with the Xiao Clan."

"You're right, Patriarch…" the elder murmured.

The Xiao Patriarch forced down his fury and asked:

"Tianquan died right in front of him. Did he say anything?"

The elder replied, "Inspector Xia said Tianquan had no external injuries. His death was either due to a cultivation mishap—or…"

"He was killed by a karmic grandmaster, using a causality technique to sever his life thread."

"A karmic grandmaster…?" the Xiao Patriarch snorted. "As if those are common! And even if there were one—why would they waste their effort scheming to kill a Foundation Establishment heir of my clan? If they were that powerful, why not just come kill me?"

The elder kept silent.

The Patriarch narrowed his eyes. "Inspector Xia—did he calculate it personally? Could he not figure it out?"

The elder thought for a moment. "He did take out a blue jade compass and tried to divine it… but he frowned quickly and put it away. It looked like he tried but lacked the ability to see anything."

The Xiao Patriarch nodded slightly, feeling a bit more at ease.

"Send word. Prepare a karmic compass. Gather causality items. Clear everyone out. Seal the cave. I am not to be disturbed."

"Yes, Patriarch."

"Yes."

Elder Xiao knew well that the Xiao Clan's ancestor had, by a fateful opportunity, obtained a secret inheritance of a powerful Heaven's Fate technique—and had become quite accomplished in its use.

In fact, much of the Xiao Clan's rise to a Grade-5 family could be attributed to the old ancestor's ability to use this technique to avoid disaster and seize opportunity, always landing on the right side of fate.

This recent decision to "turn toward the light," betray the Yin Water Sect, and throw their lot in with the Xia family—that too had been divined by the ancestor.

It was supposed to be the Xiao Clan's chance to ascend further.

But now… that chain of causality seemed to have gone awry.

A faint sense of dread rose in Elder Xiao's heart—but in front of the ancestor, he dared not speak out. He simply made all the arrangements, dismissed everyone, and sealed the cave residence.

He knew the Patriarch well. The old man was autocratic and extremely protective of his Heaven's Fate technique. During divination, no one was allowed to witness him.

The door slowly closed. The cave was sealed.

The ancestor of the Xiao Clan sat alone before the corpse of Xiao Tianquan.

Not long ago, this bright and promising great-grandson would still come to visit, calling him "Old Ancestor" in his sweet voice. Now, in the blink of an eye, he was gone forever—a white-haired man burying a black-haired youth.

The grief in the old man's heart grew heavier… and clouded his judgment.

Which made him commit a grave taboo:

"When the Dao heart is unsettled, do not peer into Heaven's Fate. Do not pursue karma."

But now, he didn't care.

He had to know who dared commit this outrageous act—who murdered the Xiao Clan's rising star.

Besides, that Inspector from the Xia family? He was only at the Feathering Realm, barely grasping the surface of karmic arts. He tried divining and nothing happened.

As for himself—he was a Cave Void Realm cultivator, who had studied the Heaven's Fate technique for years, using it to shield the Xiao Clan from countless dangers. Even if he couldn't divine the answer, no real harm should come from trying.

And so, the Xiao Ancestor silently chanted the technique's incantations, spiritual consciousness flowing as he began divining over Xiao Tianquan's blood-soaked corpse.

He was divining… Xiao Tianquan's karma.

But what he saw made him jolt in shock.

Heaven's mechanisms turned. Karma rewound.

The Xiao Ancestor saw his great-grandson committing acts of brutal torture—wanton slaughter.

Saw him indulging in debauchery aboard the Rouge Boat, living a life of rot and excess.

Saw him in a remote riverside stronghold, massacring cultivators… and sacrificing their bodies to a dark, unknown altar.

No.

This isn't right.

The old man's expression changed drastically.

This cruel, murderous, bloodthirsty youth—was not the obedient, well-mannered child he remembered.

Why?

Why had he never sensed any of this before?

What had blinded him to the truth?

Could it be… that now that Tianquan was dead, the fog had lifted—and the truth was finally emerging?

A chill crept down the Xiao Ancestor's spine.

He continued his divination…

And then, suddenly, a warning omen appeared in the threads of Heaven's Fate.

But the Xiao Ancestor—his heart already disturbed, emotions surging—ignored it.

He needed to know what his great-grandson had really done.

And more than that—who had killed him.

Even if the boy had been guilty of grievous sins, he was still Xiao Clan's blood. It was not the place of outsiders to pass judgment.

If punishment was needed, he, the old ancestor, would deliver it.

No one else had the right to kill his grandson!

Unconsciously, blood-colored light began to creep into his eyes.

He pushed deeper into the divination.

Soon, he saw the Dragon King Temple.

Saw the group of people inside—but they were blurred, indistinct, like shadows behind a veil.

In particular, there was one presence among them—half-formed, like a ghost—a tiny figure both vague and yet impossible to ignore.

He couldn't tell if this "little ghost" was a living person, or something else entirely… but its presence was unique—and clearly the core of the group.

More importantly, this little ghost seemed to be the focus of Xiao Tianquan's deepest hatred.

And yet—throughout the entire vision—the ghostly figure had its back turned to the Xiao Ancestor.

He wanted to see its face.

So, he poured more spiritual power into the divination, pushing his Heaven's Fate technique to its limit.

And just as he was about to get a glimpse—

The little ghost paused.

As if it had sensed someone trying to look at it.

Then, slowly, it turned.

And at last—the Xiao Ancestor saw its face.

A terrifying face, weeping black blood, as though just hatched from a womb—warped, unnatural, and crowned with twisted ram horns.

The little ghost grinned at him.

A smile that was both childlike and profoundly unnerving.

The Xiao Ancestor gasped silently.

A chill blasted through his soul.

His anger vanished in an instant, and clarity returned to his mind.

He realized, too late—he had made a fatal mistake.

He had tried to divine something… that should never have been divined.

Trying to remain calm, he averted his gaze, attempting to withdraw his spiritual consciousness from the ghost's stare.

But then…

From all around him, a vast and ancient aura—immense, primordial, and steeped in terror—began to descend.

As if, from the depths of time, an evil existence had been disturbed by his prying eyes…

And was beginning to awaken.

(End of this Chapter)