Immortality Through Array Formations (The Quest for Immortality)

Chapter 879: Elder Zheng

Two days later would be the Formation Conference— the final segment of the entire Dao Conference.

In these two days, Elder Xun surprisingly did not assign Mo Hua any more formation studies, instead letting him relax a little.

After all, after such a long period of intense training, everything that needed to be learned had already been covered.

So in this brief window of time, there was no need to keep the tension so tight.

With some free time, Mo Hua went to the Gu Residence to freeload a meal.

Well, it wasn't entirely his idea—Aunt Wan had personally invited him.

He had been too busy recently to visit, and Wenren Wan had been thinking about him the whole time.

Now that she heard he finally had a break, she specially prepared a table full of spiritual dishes to nourish him, worried that he might've gone skinny from overwork.

Mo Hua couldn't turn down such a kind gesture, so he went and ate to his heart's content.

After the meal, little Yu'er ran off to the courtyard to chase butterflies.

Wenren Wan, meanwhile, placed an invitation in front of Mo Hua.

Mo Hua was slightly taken aback. "Aunt Wan, what's this?"

"It's an invitation to attend the Formation Conference as a guest," Wenren Wan said.

"As a guest?"

"Mhm." Wenren Wan smiled gently. "I know how much you love formations. I figured you'd definitely want to attend the Formation Conference. But with how grand it'll be, the crowds will be massive. Ordinary disciples can only watch from a distance and can't see anything clearly."

"But with this invitation, it's a different story. It's one issued by the Four Great Sects to various noble families, inviting people like us to attend. The seating is up close, and you'll be able to see the duels and debates clearly."

Mo Hua was surprised, then asked, "This must be really valuable, right?"

Wenren Wan nodded. "It's very rare. If you're not the upper echelon of a fourth- or fifth-grade clan—a sect master or elder—you can't get one."

She only got this one because she was both a direct daughter of the Wenren clan and the future Dao companion of the heir to the Shangguan family.

Mo Hua glanced at the invitation again and asked, "There's only one… If I take it, what about you, Aunt Wan? Aren't you going to attend?"

Wenren Wan replied, "I'm not going."

Mo Hua was curious.

She explained, "If I go, I'd have to sit with the Shangguan family people. They're all sarcastic and passive-aggressive. I don't like dealing with them. I'd probably end up dragging Yu'er into it too, making her endure their petty nonsense."

Mo Hua nodded thoughtfully.

Wenren Wan, afraid he might mind, quickly added:

"You're different. You don't need to deal with them. Just take the invitation, find your seat, drink some tea, nibble some fruit, and enjoy the matches. No need to bother with the Shangguan family at all."

"They might pick on me, but you're a guest. And with Elder Xun behind you, even the Shangguan elders wouldn't dare openly make trouble."

"The Formation Conference only happens once every three years—it's a rare opportunity. If you can see it up close, I'm sure you'll learn a lot."

Wenren Wan had clearly thought this through for his sake.

Mo Hua felt a warm sense of gratitude in his heart.

If it had been earlier, he would've just accepted the invitation without hesitation. But now… things were a little different.

Mo Hua declined politely. "Aunt Wan, I can't accept this invitation."

Wenren Wan looked surprised. "Why not?"

She'd assumed, given his straightforward nature and love of formations, Mo Hua would happily accept it. She didn't expect him to turn it down.

Mo Hua hesitated for a moment but eventually decided to be honest:

"Aunt Wan… I might actually… be participating in the Formation Conference."

Elder Xun had told him not to mention this to outsiders.

But Mo Hua figured—Aunt Wan had treated him so kindly, she didn't really count as an "outsider."

Besides, with the conference just two days away, it wasn't like it would change anything now.

Wenren Wan froze in surprise, taking a while to fully digest what he meant.

He wasn't going just to watch the Formation Conference—he was going to participate.

"But… you're only at mid Foundation Establishment, and you haven't even been in the sect that long. You can still join?" she asked, astonished.

"I don't know either. Elder Xun told me to go," Mo Hua said honestly.

He wasn't sure if this violated any rules or not.

But if Elder Xun said he could go—then he would.

Elder Xun never made mistakes in his decisions.

"Elder Xun…"

Wenren Wan paused, then silently thought so that's why. Still, she couldn't help but feel a bit emotional.

Elder Xun clearly cherished Mo Hua deeply.

To make an exception like this—allowing a mid Foundation Establishment disciple to compete in such a high-stakes event—was no small thing.

It probably meant Elder Xun wanted to give Mo Hua early exposure, to let him adapt to big events like this.

And that also meant…

Elder Xun had great expectations for Mo Hua's future.

Wenren Wan felt genuinely comforted.

After a moment's thought, she made a decision:

"Since you're competing, then I'll go watch."

Mo Hua was pleased but couldn't help asking:

"But Aunt Wan, didn't you say you didn't want to deal with the Shangguan family?"

Wenren Wan snorted lightly.

"How could they compare to you? I'm going to watch you compete. What do they have to do with anything?"

Mo Hua laughed.

Wenren Wan gave him a firm pat on the shoulder and said warmly:

"No matter what, just being able to participate at your age is already incredible—regardless of the outcome."

"Your parents would be so proud of you. It's just a pity they're far away in Lizhou and can't be by your side."

"If you don't mind, Yu'er and I can count as half your family. You're competing in the Formation Conference—I have to be there to see it, no matter what."

Mo Hua felt a deep warmth rise in his chest.

"Thank you, Aunt Wan," he said with a smile.

Wenren Wan saw his pure, sincere smile and felt deeply comforted. She couldn't help smiling too.

…

After relaxing at the Gu Residence for a bit longer, Mo Hua returned to his sect.

Aunt Wan personally saw him to the gate and offered a few more words of encouragement, reminding him not to overthink things and to do his best to bring glory to the sect.

Mo Hua smiled and replied, "Mm."

Then he boarded the Gu family's carriage, left Qingzhou City, and headed for the Great Void Sect.

While passing through Taixu City, he noticed it was still early. So, per habit, he hopped off the cart and made a trip to the Formation Pavilion.

He browsed the shelves and picked up a few rare and peculiar books and diagrams—hoping to broaden his formation knowledge even further.

On his way out—

Mo Hua happened to run into a fellow disciple from the Great Void Sect.

The disciple had a square jaw, upright brows, and an honest look that Mo Hua immediately recognized.

"Zheng Fang?"

Zheng Fang also lit up with surprise. "Senior Brother Mo! What a coincidence."

"Buying something?" Mo Hua asked.

"Yeah," Zheng Fang replied. "I ran out of brush and ink. Didn't want to spend merit points, so I came to use spirit stones instead."

"Oh." Mo Hua nodded.

He himself always used merit points to get supplies. He had more than enough to spare.

Zheng Fang glanced at him and asked:

"Senior Brother, do you have a moment? I was going to buy some formation books, but I'd love to get your input."

Back when they first joined, Zheng Fang—coming from a prestigious clan—had been a bit reluctant to accept Mo Hua being appointed "Formation Senior Brother" by Elder Xun.

But after so much time and interaction, Zheng Fang was now fully convinced.

He referred to Mo Hua as "Senior Brother" every time now, and his tone was full of admiration.

Mo Hua happened to have time—and helping junior disciples as the "Formation Senior Brother" was part of his responsibility.

"Sure," he said.

The two of them returned to the Formation Pavilion, and Mo Hua "guided" Zheng Fang on what to buy.

By now, Mo Hua's formation knowledge had reached an almost masterful level—within the scope of second-grade formations.

He had read too much, learned too much, and practiced far too much.

Not just formations—when it came to spotting fake books, quality of brushes, the consistency of spirit ink—he could tell at a glance.

Zheng Fang, having received Mo Hua's guidance, purchased his formation books and tools, and the two of them walked to the gate together.

"I'm heading back to the sect. Want to come along?" Mo Hua asked.

Zheng Fang shook his head. "Nah, one of my elders is returning to the clan today. He taught me since I was young—I'm going to see him off."

"An elder? From the Zheng clan?"

"Yeah."

"Is he really good at formations?"

Zheng Fang nodded seriously. "Very. He's one of our clan's top core elders in formation arts."

Mo Hua's eyes lit up—he wanted to ask more, but he didn't want to delay Zheng Fang's farewell.

Just then— A man approached, with salt-and-pepper hair, a tall and upright posture, and sharp, dignified features.

"Zheng Fang."

The man called out.

Zheng Fang turned back and immediately responded with respect,

"Little Grand-Uncle."

Mo Hua blinked in surprise and looked up at the man.

The man had an imposing bearing, a sharp and steady gaze with flashes of thunder flickering deep in his eyes. He radiated a natural authority that needed no anger to instill awe.

His cultivation was also profound—there was a clear aura of transcendence around him.

A Real Person of the Feather-Ascension Realm!

Zheng Fang quickly introduced him to Mo Hua:

"This is the elder I mentioned before—my Little Grand-Uncle. He's a fourth-grade formation master and served as an elder in the Heavenly Dao Sect."

At the start, Mo Hua was full of admiration.

But the moment he heard the words "Heavenly Dao Sect," his expression cooled significantly.

He'd never had a favorable impression of the Heavenly Dao Sect. That killed any desire for small talk.

The man in question was none other than Elder Zheng.

He hadn't paid Mo Hua, a mere junior, much mind at first—until Zheng Fang introduced him:

"Little Grand-Uncle, this is the senior brother I told you about from the Great Void Sect."

Elder Zheng was a bit surprised.

When Zheng Fang had talked about this "little senior brother," he thought the "little" referred to status, like being of equal rank but slightly younger.

But seeing Mo Hua now…

This so-called "senior brother" was actually very young—practically a child.

He looked delicate and youthful, pale and clean-cut. Judging by appearance alone, it was hard to believe this boy was truly a senior in the Great Void Sect.

Still—

The Dao has no age. True ability earns respect.

And one must not judge by looks alone.

If he had been given the title of "senior brother," then he must truly have some skill in formations.

Elder Zheng softened his tone and asked kindly:

"Young man, what's your name?"

"Mo Hua," he replied.

"Mo Hua…" Elder Zheng murmured it once, then gave a sincere nod of appreciation.

"Ink painting formations… dotting the ink like painting. That's a wonderful name."

Mo Hua nodded in agreement, quite pleased. He, too, had always liked the name his parents gave him.

And because of that small compliment, his impression of this "Elder Zheng" improved considerably.

He did want to ask this Zheng Clan elder about formations, but he still felt a little uncomfortable about the man's affiliation.

So he asked cautiously:

"Are you really an elder of the Heavenly Dao Sect?"

Elder Zheng shook his head.

"Not anymore."

Mo Hua blinked.

"Not anymore?"

"I resigned."

Mo Hua's face lit up with genuine relief.

"That's great!"

Elder Zheng raised an eyebrow, a bit baffled.

"That was a high-ranking position in one of the Four Great Sects. Most cultivators would give anything for that title. Why would my resignation be 'great'?"

Mo Hua replied plainly:

"Exactly—it's something ordinary cultivators chase after. But if you truly have ability, why put up with all that nonsense?"

From what he knew, those top sects were strict hierarchies—everyone above you was a tyrant, everyone below expected you to act high and mighty. If you didn't play both parts right, you'd be treated like trash.

That remark hit Elder Zheng right in the heart.

Then he asked Mo Hua:

"Suppose someone offered you a spot in the Heavenly Dao Sect. Would you go?"

Mo Hua shook his head.

"They wouldn't accept me."

And it was true.

Back when he'd traveled across ten thousand miles with his master's recommendation letter to the Heavenly Dao Sect, they had rejected him outright for having poor aptitude.

The Heavenly Dao Sect's standards were too high. He couldn't meet them.

He still held that grudge.

Elder Zheng didn't know the backstory and asked:

"What if they were willing to take you in now? Would you accept?"

"Nope," Mo Hua said firmly.

"Not interested anymore."

He was living quite well in the Great Void Sect.

Elder Xun taught him formations, the Old Ancestor in the rear mountains taught him divine sword techniques.

All the elders treated him kindly, and he had a bunch of junior disciples calling him "senior brother" every day.

Compared to that, the so-called Heavenly Dao Sect was nothing.

Elder Zheng saw the sincerity in Mo Hua's tone—he wasn't faking anything. He really didn't care about the prestige of the Heavenly Dao Sect. And that made Elder Zheng very intrigued.

"Fate has brought us together. Let me treat you to tea and some pastries."

Zheng Fang's mouth fell open in shock.

He had never seen his usually rigid, disciplined Little Grand-Uncle offer tea to a Foundation Establishment disciple.

Mo Hua didn't stand on ceremony.

"Thank you, Elder Zheng," he said with a smile.

They found a nearby teahouse, took a private room, and sat down. Zheng Fang accompanied them while Elder Zheng treated Mo Hua to tea and cakes.

During their conversation—

Mo Hua didn't seem the least bit intimidated by Elder Zheng's cultivation or seniority. He spoke with poise and grace.

After all, in his sect, he spent plenty of time around Ancestor Dongxu. Over time, you naturally gained a sense of perspective. Sitting with powerful cultivators wasn't intimidating anymore.

They mainly talked about formations.

And the longer they chatted, the more shocked Elder Zheng became.

He hadn't expected the "senior brother" his grand-nephew kept going on about to be this knowledgeable and skilled in the Dao of Formations.

So he asked:

"Young friend, what is your family lineage? Who is your master?"

Mo Hua shook his head.

"I'm a rogue cultivator. No family lineage."

He did have a master, but it wasn't something he could talk about casually.

"A rogue cultivator…" Elder Zheng was stunned.

He never imagined that in today's Dry Learning Prefecture, one could still find a self-taught rogue cultivator with no backing or talent who had managed to achieve this much.

In this world— Clans monopolized resources. Sects raised barriers to entry. The poor had no place to stand. No place to learn.

For a rogue cultivator, the path was incredibly difficult.

Elder Zheng sighed deeply.

Then asked curiously:

"Since you're a rogue cultivator, how did you get into the Great Void Sect? And how did you acquire all these skills?"

Mo Hua gave a half-true, half-vague answer:

"When I was young, I received some guidance from a senior formation master—that's how I got started. Later, I entered the Great Void Sect due to a twist of fate."

"Elder Xun of the Great Void Sect is a man of virtue. He teaches all who are willing, and never minded my background. I've been studying formations under him ever since."

"Elder Xun…"

The moment the name was mentioned, Elder Zheng straightened up and nodded solemnly.

"The Great Void Sect truly is a remnant of a great Daoist lineage. They have the spirit of the ancients. Elder Xun… is indeed worthy of admiration."

He never expected that, while the famously prestigious Heavenly Dao Sect was rotting from the inside…

It was the seemingly declining Great Void Sect that still held onto the bold, unorthodox spirit of true Dao pursuit.

As they say—under great reputations, reality rarely lives up.

As the saying goes: Great fame rarely lives up to its name.

The Old Ancestor had misjudged as well.

Elder Zheng sat there, burdened with many thoughts.

Mo Hua peeked at him and quietly asked,

"Elder Zheng, I heard the Zheng Clan specializes in Thunder Arrays?"

Elder Zheng paused, then nodded.

"That's correct."

Mo Hua was itching to ask more about the theory behind Thunder Arrays but hesitated—asking directly about another's lineage could be seen as rude.

Elder Zheng seemed to notice his hesitation and explained,

"Thunder Arrays come from the ancient formation arts. They're the core of the Zheng family's formation inheritance and not meant to be passed on to outsiders. More importantly, cultivating them requires extreme discipline. Those with impure hearts or unstable Dao intent can't learn them."

Mo Hua nodded in understanding.

Elder Zheng raised an eyebrow,

"You don't think I'm just brushing you off?"

"Brushing me off?"

"Well, things like 'Dao heart' often sound vague and abstract," Elder Zheng remarked.

Mo Hua shook his head.

"Not at all."

When it came to Dao heart and spiritual awareness—well, this was his specialty.

He grew serious and said,

"The Dao heart is extremely important. A cultivator's pursuit of the Dao must be righteous and resolute. Otherwise, as one walks the long path filled with illusions, demons, desires, and delusions, it's easy to become lost… and forget your true self."

"Some get drunk on their own power, others obsess over fame and fortune, or get mired in base desires. Any of these can erode one's Dao heart."

"And once the Dao heart is lost—no matter how high one's cultivation, how great their power, or how loud their name—they're just a puppet to their own desires, easily manipulated by others…"

As Mo Hua spoke, he drew on his own insights into the Dao of Divine Sense.

Elder Zheng was stunned for a moment, then felt a deep sense of regret at having met too late.

What a remarkable child!

Why hadn't he ever encountered such a disciple back in the Heavenly Dao Sect?

Moved, he even poured Mo Hua a cup of tea himself.

After a moment of quiet thought, Elder Zheng suddenly had an impulse:

With a prodigy like this, I really ought to teach him something.

But the Thunder Array was Zheng family's core inheritance—he couldn't pass it on without the Ancestor's permission.

So Elder Zheng asked:

"Is there any array you're interested in? As long as it's not Thunder Arrays, and I know it—I'll teach it to you."

Mo Hua's face lit up with joy.

He hadn't expected this seemingly strict elder to turn out to be such a generous and kind person.

But…

What should he ask about?

Mo Hua began to consider.

It would need to be a second-grade array. Even if he were taught a third-grade one, he wouldn't be able to use it yet.

But among second-grade arrays—especially the basic ones like the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams—Elder Xun had already taught him plenty.

And when it came to foundational knowledge, no matter how capable Elder Zheng was, he probably couldn't outmatch Elder Xun.

There were some unique arrays.

But the Thunder Array was off-limits, and as for specialized Trigrams like Qian and Kun, Elder Zheng likely didn't know those either.

Forbidden arrays were also a no-go.

Those were top secrets, impossibly rare. It'd be too shameless to ask about those—and he couldn't use them yet anyway due to his limited spiritual sense.

So what else could he ask?

Mo Hua mentally flipped through all the arrays he could realistically learn and might actually use in the near future. Suddenly, his eyes lit up:

"Elder Zheng, are you familiar with Primordial Magnetic Arrays?"

"Primordial Magnetic Arrays?"

"Yes," Mo Hua nodded, "I've studied them a little before—though I'm slow-witted and not very proficient. I've run into a lot of questions…"

"From what I understand, it's more accurate to call them Thunder-Magnetic Arrays. At their core is something called Secondary Thunder Runes. Since these runes contain the character for 'thunder', are they connected to the Eight Trigrams' Thunder Arrays? How do the Secondary Thunder Currents they represent differ from true lightning…?"

Elder Zheng's expression gradually turned into one of shock.

Were the younger generation already researching arrays to this depth?

Thunder-Magnetic theory, Secondary Thunder Runes, and Secondary Thunder Currents—these were all obscure terms, usually studied only by third- or fourth-grade formation masters with access to specialized inheritance.

But… a challenge wasn't a bad thing.

After all, as a fourth-grade formation master, answering only basic questions would've been dull.

After a moment of consideration, Elder Zheng nodded:

"Secondary Thunder Runes and the accompanying Secondary Thunder Currents—what most cultivators refer to as Primordial Magnetism—are an extremely subtle, almost imperceptible form of lightning. Technically, they are derived from Thunder Arrays, but their nature is entirely different, and their applications differ greatly."

"While the Zheng family focuses on traditional Thunder Arrays, over the years, we've also explored many derived and secondary arrays related to thunder."

"Primordial Magnetic Arrays and Secondary Thunder Runes are rare, yes—but they aren't top-secret. There's no restriction on teaching them. I can explain them to you."

Mo Hua beamed with delight.

"Thank you, Elder Zheng!"

What followed was an in-depth discussion—Mo Hua asked numerous detailed questions about Primordial Magnetic Arrays, Secondary Thunder Runes, and the formation principles behind Secondary Thunder Currents.

Elder Zheng held nothing back.

The two had an enthusiastic and fruitful exchange.

By the time the sky darkened into dusk, Elder Zheng finally had to leave. Mo Hua, deeply satisfied and grateful, was still reluctant to end the conversation.

"Elder Zheng, are you really returning to your clan tonight?"

Elder Zheng nodded.

"There's a farewell banquet tonight. Around the Hour of the Dog, I'll be taking a cloud ferry and departing."

Since he carried the Thunder Array legacy but had resigned from the Heavenly Dao Sect, he had, in a way, made enemies. It was better to leave Dry Learning Prefecture sooner rather than later to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Mo Hua was a bit disappointed.

"What about the Formation Symposium? Aren't you going to stay and watch?"

Elder Zheng shook his head.

"No. I'm not interested anymore."

His tone was… complicated.

The Formation Symposium might appear grand, but in truth, it was just a social gathering for the noble clans.

It had little to do with the broader masses of ordinary cultivators.

In fact, future symposiums would likely become performative games.

The so-called "Heaven's Chosen"—who cared not for the world—would use them as stepping stones for fame and power, manipulating them to climb higher in status.

All of this would increasingly alienate the majority of low-born cultivators.

The silent majority would be forgotten.

It was the tide of the era—nearly impossible to reverse.

And formation cultivation, already difficult to access, would be even more monopolized by noble clans. The barriers would rise, and luck would disappear from the equation entirely.

There would be no surprises in the Symposium—nothing worth seeing.

Mo Hua felt a twinge of regret but still bowed and said,

"Then I wish Elder a smooth journey, a safe return, and continued breakthroughs in your formation path."

Elder Zheng smiled softly.

"And I wish you great achievements in your youth and a boundless future."

Mo Hua smiled, eyes squinting in that signature cheeky way of his.

The group then went their separate ways.

Mo Hua and Zheng Fang walked shoulder to shoulder back to the Great Void Sect.

Elder Zheng stood there for a long time, watching them leave. Especially Mo Hua's silhouette—it made his heavy heart feel suddenly light, as if greatly comforted.

In this world, even when dust chokes the sky and the air grows murky— There will always be a clear breeze. A bright moon. To soothe one's soul.

(End of chapter)