Immortality Through Array Formations (The Quest for Immortality)

Chapter 889: Great Void

Major sect affairs were, as always, decided behind the scenes by the Ancestors.

After they made a decision, the Sect Masters and key elders would meet to discuss the implementation details and carry it out accordingly.

The Ancestors of the Tai'a, Chongxu, and Taixu Sects had already made a secret agreement.

After that, the matter of the "Three Sect Merger" officially began to move forward.

This matter was extremely consequential, and within all three sects, many of the Sect Masters and elders were reluctant.

But since this was the Ancestors' will, they had no choice but to obey.

The Ancestors had higher cultivation, stood at greater heights, and saw farther.

Without standing in the Ancestors' position, one couldn't understand their concerns—nor grasp the scope of their strategy.

This was something all the Sect Masters and elders understood.

So despite many murmurs of discontent, the merger quietly and steadily proceeded.

Once most of the miscellaneous details were settled, the Sect Masters of Tai'a, Chongxu, and Taixu gathered to finalize the specifics of the merger.

These matters didn't need to trouble the Ancestors—they were left to the Sect Masters to argue and bargain over.

After they agreed on the final rules, the proposal would be presented to the Ancestors. If the Ancestors nodded in approval, the plan would be set in stone.

In a sealed great hall of the Taixu Sect...

The Sect Masters of Tai'a, Chongxu, and Taixu sat together in discussion.

"The three-sect merger will, in name, unify the sects—but each Sect Master and teaching elder will retain their current positions."

"Disciples remain unchanged."

"Each sect's authority remains intact."

"Each Ancestor and Sect Master still has full independent decision-making power over their own sect's internal affairs," said the Taixu Sect Master.

This, too, was a compromise.

Otherwise, stripping Tai'a and Chongxu of all authority would be tantamount to annexation—

Which would run counter to the original spirit of "mutual support and cooperation" that Taixu intended.

"However," continued the Taixu Sect Master, "for major decisions, all three sects must gather for a joint meeting. Only decisions with majority approval may be implemented."

"And my Taixu Sect shall have veto power."

That was Taixu Sect's privilege.

The Taixu Sect, now the most powerful of the three, held the highest standing. They didn't demand full authority—only a single-vote veto. That was already a huge concession.

The Sect Masters of Tai'a and Chongxu both nodded in agreement.

Everyone understood this dynamic well.

The Taixu Sect Master continued, "Next are the specific matters of interconnection—"

"Sect tokens will be made interchangeable. Disciples of all three sects may visit the mountains of any of the three sects freely with their respective tokens."

"Whether it be the Tai'a Token, the Chongxu Token, or the Taixu Token—they will be treated equally, as tokens of the newly merged sect."

Sect tokens were extremely important, symbolizing a disciple's affiliation and loyalty.

But early in the merger, it was unwise to unify them—doing so could alienate disciples of Tai'a and Chongxu.

Moreover, the construction of sect tokens was complex and costly. They were based on Thunder-Magnetic Arrays, requiring modification of formation cores, expanded array hubs, new sequences, and embedding of both the Merit Registry and Reward Registry systems. Unifying all that in a short time would be difficult.

Especially the merit system—since it was directly tied to each sect's inheritance system, it couldn't be hastily changed. Gradual integration was necessary.

The Taixu Sect Master said, "In the future, the merit registries of the three sects' tokens will be gradually integrated, allowing shared access to each other's merits and rewards."

"Each sect will first offer part of its merit rewards for interconnection. Depending on the situation, we'll gradually open up further until we become one unified sect."

"However, each sect's core inheritance may be preserved…"

"After the merger, we'll also coordinate our teachings for disciples."

"The elders and instructors of Tai'a, Chongxu, and Taixu will rotate and jointly instruct disciples in cultivation methods."

"From now on, sword forging will be taught by the Tai'a Sect, sword energy by the Chongxu Sect, and array formations by my Taixu Sect."

"This way, we can steadily deepen the ties and camaraderie between the three sects…"

"Additionally—"

...

The reforms required for the three-sect merger were massive.

The three Sect Masters discussed from morning until night, outlining the general plan. The draft regulations were recorded into jade slips.

Afterward, they each let out a sigh of relief and took a sip of tea.

But the atmosphere did not lighten. In fact, it grew heavier.

Because the three of them all knew—what came next was the most important, most central, and most contentious issue.

After a pause, the Tai'a Sect Master was the first to speak:

"After the three sects merge… what will the name be?"

The name of the sect—was absolutely crucial.

Without a proper name, nothing would flow smoothly.

And a good name influenced the sect's fate, possibly determining prosperity or decline for the next hundred or thousand years.

Especially since this was a three-way merger, the name would also affect each sect's pride and sense of identity.

The matter was too significant for anyone to speak carelessly.

The Chongxu Sect Master thought for a while and slowly said, "How about… we use the name of that ancient sect from before?"

The Tai'a Sect Master immediately shook his head. "You really dare use that?"

The Taixu Sect Master sighed. "That name… is no longer to be mentioned."

"Yes, all records have been erased."

"And the fortune tied to that name is too immense. We couldn't withstand it. The three sects were already forced to split once. If we use that name again, the merger might not last before we're forced to split again."

"Not to mention, the Dao Court would never allow it..."

"If we don't mention that name and only carry out the merger quietly, it's just the weak banding together for survival—understandable. But using that name? That would be seen as blatant ambition and would undoubtedly provoke the Dao Court."

"In this situation, if we can just quietly merge and survive the pressure from the Four Great Sects, that would already be a success. If we stir up suspicion from the Dao Court, all of this effort will be stillborn."

"We cannot use that name."

"Absolutely not…"

The three Sect Masters looked solemn.

"Then…" the Chongxu Sect Master asked, "what name should we use?"

The atmosphere turned stifled.

The Tai'a Sect Master had a tall and sturdy frame, a firm and steady gaze.

The Chongxu Sect Master looked like a sword cultivator through and through, with a sharp gleam in his eyes.

The Taixu Sect Master appeared calm and composed, with an aura of serenity and cultivation.

Each of them had their own thoughts—but none spoke.

After a long silence, the Tai'a Sect Master finally couldn't hold back and spoke first:

"How about this—before the merger, my Tai'a Sect was the most well-known, ranked first among the Eight Great Sects. I think… we should just call it 'Tai'a Sect.' The name already carries weight."

The Chongxu Sect Master instantly objected:

"Are you serious? That was in the past. Your Tai'a Sect doesn't even make the top eight now…"

"If you ask me, we should stick to our roots and remain focused on sword cultivation. My Chongxu Sect's sword energy techniques are comparable to the Four Great Sects—perhaps slightly inferior, but not by much. So after the merger, it makes the most sense to call it 'Chongxu Sect.'"

"No way, no way," said the Tai'a Sect Master. "My Tai'a Sect has the most disciples. Strength in numbers! Let's call it 'Tai'a Sect'—"

"Didn't a bunch of your disciples quit recently?" Chongxu's Master jabbed.

"Even with some quitting, we still have the highest headcount," Tai'a's Master shot back, then scoffed, "And those who left were just fair-weather cowards. They only wanted to share in blessings, not hardships. Their departure actually made my sect more unified!"

"But the ones who stayed aren't exactly top-tier talents, right?" the Chongxu Sect Master sneered.

Tai'a's Master grew angry:

"What do you mean, 'not top-tier'? Upper-grade spiritual roots aren't enough for you? You want only supreme-grade?"

"And besides, what even counts as 'good' aptitude? If a disciple has talent but no sense of belonging, no loyalty, and runs at the first sign of trouble, then what use is their potential? I won't waste my teachings on a backstabber!"

"Well, that's all fine and dandy," Chongxu's Master said, lifting a brow, "but at the Sword Dao Conference, it's all about aptitude, cultivation, and ability!"

"My Chongxu Sect has a rare sword genius—once in five hundred years! What's more, he's completely loyal to our sect. Even now, he stands with us."

"At the next Sword Dao Conference, he'll surely dazzle everyone—becoming the top sword cultivator among our three sects, perhaps even able to challenge the Four Great Sects!"

"And since a sect should be proud of its disciples, and mine are the most talented, I say—call it 'Chongxu Sect.'"

"No way! It has to be Tai'a!"

"Chongxu!"

"Tai'a!"

"If we name it Chongxu, I'll grant all of Chongxu's sword energy techniques freely to disciples of all three sects!"

"Then I'll make Tai'a's sword forging arts freely available to all too—!"

...

And so the argument began—line by line, back and forth, without end.

The two argued back and forth, neither giving in.

But after a long quarrel, they both noticed that the Great Void Sect's Sect Master had remained completely silent the whole time. They couldn't help but feel puzzled.

"You Great Void Sect folks have no opinion on this?"

The Great Void Sect's Sect Master had a completely nonchalant, Zen-like demeanor. He waved his hand and said, "It's just a name. The Great Void Sect doesn't mind. You two come up with something you're both satisfied with."

This left the Sect Masters of the Tai'a and Chongxu Sects a little surprised.

The Great Void Sect was this generous?

They even wondered if he was joking. But looking at his serene expression, utterly detached from worldly matters, he truly seemed unconcerned.

Thinking back on his usual easygoing, Buddha-like nature, both nodded in understanding.

The Tai'a Sect Master decisively said, "Then it's settled—we'll call it the Tai'a Sect!"

"What a thick face! What do you mean, 'settled'?!" the Chongxu Sect Master was not having it.

"The Great Void Sect already agreed."

"Nonsense! When did they agree? All they said was they wouldn't fight over it—not that they'd let you take it! Besides, my Chongxu Sect hasn't agreed yet."

"You really don't know what's good for you!"

"Says the one who doesn't!"

The two argued again, nearly coming to blows.

Seeing this, the Great Void Sect's Sect Master sighed and stepped in as a mediator. He said sincerely:

"The purpose of this three-sect merger is to unite as one and become a force that can cleave through gold. If we bicker endlessly over a mere name, doesn't that defeat the whole point?"

Both the Tai'a and Chongxu Sect Masters looked a bit ashamed upon hearing this.

It wasn't that they wanted to fight, but the name carried the weight of their sects' legacy.

As Sect Masters, even if they had to shamelessly argue, they had no choice but to do so.

Still… continuing like this really was unbecoming.

The Great Void Sect's Sect Master pondered a moment, then sighed and said:

"How about this—since the two of you can't agree, let's each take one character from your sect names to form a new name. That way, it's fair for everyone."

"One character from each name?"

"Exactly."

Tai'a and Chongxu looked at each other, then thought it over. Both nodded.

They didn't overthink it—this seemed fair and acceptable.

"Alright!" said the Tai'a Sect Master. "Then let the Great Void Sect choose the two characters."

That would also be fair to the Great Void Sect.

The Chongxu Sect Master nodded, "That would be best."

But just as he finished speaking, he suddenly felt something was… off. Like something didn't sit right.

But it was already too late.

The Great Void Sect's Sect Master's eyes gleamed as he said:

"Then I'll respectfully accept. I've already thought it through: we'll take the 'Tai' from Tai'a Sect and the 'Xu' from Chongxu Sect… and combine them to form the name."

"Take 'Tai' from Tai'a, 'Xu' from Chongxu, combine…?"

The Tai'a Sect Master snapped out of it and immediately slammed the table.

"Isn't that just the Great Void Sect?! So that's why you were quiet this whole time?! Waiting for this moment?!"

He'd been fooled by that calm, Zen-like act.

He should've known—when it came to naming a sect, who could truly be indifferent?

Turns out, the guy with the Buddha face was the sneakiest of all!

The Great Void Sect's Sect Master smiled faintly.

"But this was your agreement—you said to pick one character from each of your sects. And that I should choose. All of this was approved by both of you."

"Since everything was agreed upon, why not finalize it now? From today on, the unified sect will be called 'Great Void Sect.'"

"We're all Sect Masters here—our words carry weight. Surely we don't intend to go back on them?"

The Tai'a Sect Master's face turned beet red. The Chongxu Sect Master was equally speechless.

But the words had been spoken, and the decision left in the hands of the Great Void Sect. If they went back on it now, they'd just be slapping their own faces.

The Chongxu Sect Master sighed. "So be it."

The Tai'a Sect Master reluctantly added, "Then let it be 'Great Void Sect'…"

The Great Void Sect's Sect Master gave a light, peaceful smile.

Of course, all three of them knew deep down:

No matter how long they argued, the name was always going to be decided by the Great Void Sect.

In the grand scheme, sect politics are determined by strength.

And right now, the Great Void Sect ranked third among the Eight Great Sects and was enjoying its peak popularity.

In terms of lineage, the three sects came from the same root and complemented each other—hard to say who was truly superior.

But as for sword forging or sword qi? Those were powerful, but not unique.

What was unique… was the Great Void Sect's Divine Sense Sword Art.

Even if it could no longer be passed down in its original form, it had been refined and evolved into a Sword Intent-based art—a profound and elite inheritance.

Sword Intent might seem weak at the Foundation Establishment stage, but once a cultivator reached the Core Formation stage with strong divine sense, the true edge of Sword Intent would begin to show.

At the Nascent Soul level and beyond, it became truly terrifying.

And arts of this level only existed in deeply rooted sects.

So in terms of legacy, the Great Void Sect clearly had the deepest foundations.

As for disciples—well, there was no competition.

The Tai'a Sect had more disciples, but few elites remained after recent upheavals.

The Chongxu Sect did have a sword genius, but he hadn't yet competed in the Sword Debate. His strength was still unknown. Even if he proved exceptional, at best he'd match the top talents of the Four Great Sects.

But the Great Void Sect?

They had a monster.

Mid-Foundation Establishment stage, undefeated in formation battles, the undisputed king of array arts—practically guaranteed to take the next Formation Debate's crown.

A one-horse race level genius.

All things considered, the Great Void Sect was simply the strongest.

A sect's name carried great weight. As sect leaders, they were obligated to fight for it.

But if they couldn't win… then they had to accept it.

The Great Void Sect's Sect Master may have played a little trick, but in the end, he also gave them a way out.

Being outmaneuvered was easier to swallow than admitting their sects weren't strong enough and being forced to compromise.

And honestly, he wasn't wrong.

"Great Void" does contain "Tai" from Tai'a and "Xu" from Chongxu—it really was the perfect name for the new, merged sect.

And so, the matter was settled.

The Great Void Sect's Sect Master put aside his easygoing air, stood tall, and respectfully cupped his hands toward the others:

"Rest assured. With the three sects united, there will be no favoritism. Each sect's legacy will be honored."

"From now on, the three sects will be one, officially named 'Great Void Sect.' Disciples will retain their respective mountain titles."

"Tai'a Mountain, Chongxu Mountain, Great Void Mountain. The three peaks, one lineage, united in heart and purpose!"

Tai'a and Chongxu's Sect Masters both cupped their hands as well.

"One lineage of three peaks, united in heart and purpose!"

Their voices echoed through the Great Void Mountain.

Thus, the largest sect in the Qianxue Province, after centuries of division, had finally come back together.

The merger of the three sects caused a huge stir across the Qianxue cultivation world.

Especially among the Four Great Sects—they were shaken from top to bottom.

"This is… shameless!"

"They have no shame!"

"How could they do this? Throw away their legacy and just… merge like that?"

"What a joke! After all those years of independence, now they play the 'unite after division' card?"

Some were baffled. "Why wasn't there any hint of this beforehand?"

"The karmic threads were obscured…"

"It was the handiwork of the Great Void Sect's ancestor…"

"No—it's not that simple. It's because of that monster from the Great Void Sect."

"We all focused too much on that mind-blowing formation genius. Everyone was trying to predict him, read his fate. But we missed the shadows moving right under our noses."

"They used that monstrous talent as a smokescreen to distract everyone, cover their tracks, and push the merger in secret…"

"Struck fast and hard. By the time we realized, it was already too late…"

"Was that part of their plan too?"

"The Great Void Sect's ancestor's scheming… truly unfathomable…"

"Silence! How dare you speak so recklessly of a Nascent Soul ancestor?"

...

The Four Great Sects were stunned, reflective, furious, and uneasy.

The Four Great Sects were struck with a flurry of emotions—shock, reflection, fury, worry. Up and down their ranks, everyone was abuzz.

In the Heavenly Dao Sect, atop a lofty pavilion—

The patriarch of the Shen family, robed in finery, stared at the jade slip in his hand, brows tightly furrowed.

Elder Shen knelt below, not daring to raise his head:

"They manipulated the threads of fate and karma—feinting one way, advancing another…"

"And the Great Void Sect moved far too swiftly. Everything had been prepared in advance. The new regulations of Qianxue's sect reforms didn't explicitly forbid mergers, and they exploited that loophole."

The real issue was—none of them expected the once-split sects to actually be willing to abandon their independence and reunite.

To most cultivators in the Heavenly Dao Sect, this was simply incomprehensible.

"Even the bureaucratic process in the Dao Court has been completed. It seems some elder from the Grand Council issued an executive order, making it a special case…"

"It's too late for us to intervene now, even if we pull strings."

"This was a failure on my part…"

Elder Shen pressed his head to the floor.

The Shen Patriarch studied the jade slip for a while, then slowly relaxed his frown and tossed it aside.

"Enough. Three grasshoppers tied to the same rope—it'll save us trouble."

"The Tai'a and Chongxu Sects are both seriously weakened. The Great Void Sect's doing better, but only because they got lucky—produced a formation prodigy and squeezed into the top three of the Eight Great Sects."

"But even twisted into a single rope, these three still can't compare to any one of the Four Great Sects."

"Besides, the real show is the Dao Conference—the Sword Debate is what truly matters. If they can't shake things up there, they're just buying time."

"This wasn't your fault. Stand up."

Elder Shen let out a long sigh of relief. "Thank you, Patriarch, for your wisdom." He slowly rose to his feet.

But before he could fully stand upright, the Shen Patriarch's gaze sharpened. He asked coldly:

"It's not your fault, but—did you… hide something from me?"

Elder Shen trembled. His voice grew hoarse: "Patriarch, I… I don't understand what you mean…"

"Did you…" The Shen Patriarch spoke flatly, "Hide from me… the destruction of a registration scroll?"

The words hit like a thunderclap.

Elder Shen's body shook like a leaf. He immediately dropped to the floor in a kowtow. "Patriarch, I—I didn't mean to—I…"

The Shen Patriarch glanced at him with disdain and shook his head slightly.

"Enough."

Elder Shen still didn't dare to speak, trembling.

"It's not that big a deal," the Shen Patriarch said coolly. "At the end of the day, it's just one talented disciple."

"The cultivation world is vast. Geniuses appear often."

"But so-called 'genius' is fragile. It's hard to grow into something lasting."

"The path of cultivation is long and full of surprises…"

"Plenty of prodigies fall after one setback. Others dazzle in youth, but become mediocre with age. Some lose themselves along the way, falling into despair. Some are seduced by worldly pleasures and fall willingly. Others are envied and persecuted. Some are arrogant and dig their own graves…"

"Of all the so-called young geniuses, only a few grow up to truly succeed and dominate a region."

"Most real powerhouses were nobodies in youth—tempered by hardship, honed by time. Only then did they blossom late and ascend."

"This 'Mo Hua' monster is just a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Don't be rattled by temporary fame. Don't lose your footing over it."

"Yes, Patriarch. Your insight is unmatched." Elder Shen bowed.

The Shen Patriarch thought a moment, eyes gleaming with speculation.

"Besides, I don't believe his divine sense was self-cultivated. He must've used some strange method—borrowed it, stole it, something. It's likely not even his own."

He gave a cold snort.

"Mid-Foundation stage, yet able to seize the Formation Crown with a peak nineteen-rune array? That's way too fishy. What—do they think the rest of the cultivation world has never seen talent before?"

Hearing this, Elder Shen's heart finally settled a little.

He, too, had found the situation absurd—only, having witnessed it firsthand during the Formation Contest, he had been too shaken to think clearly at the time.

"Patriarch," Elder Shen added, "I only worry this boy carries some ancient sect token… there may be karma or destiny attached to him…"

The Shen Patriarch shook his head.

"Ancient destiny? You don't know the full story. But even so—what karma remains now?"

"The Dao gives fifty paths; Heaven allows forty-nine. We are already in the age of the Forty-Ninth. Those meant to die have died. Those meant to fall, have fallen. What 'fortune' could still remain? Don't make me laugh."

Elder Shen didn't fully understand, but bowed as usual.

"You're wise, Patriarch."

The Shen Patriarch gave him a cold look.

"Your greatest sin here wasn't in failing to accept this disciple—it was that, once trouble arose, you didn't report it. You tried to hide it."

"By normal rules, your position as Elder would be stripped. But I'll give you one chance…"

"Figure out a way—use any means necessary—to snatch the next Formation Crown for our Heavenly Dao Sect."

"I only care about the result. As long as the Formation Crown belongs to our sect, all will be forgiven. You'll still be trusted and promoted."

"Otherwise, you'll be demoted to an ordinary elder, and spend the next few decades—or centuries—slowly climbing back up."

Cold sweat beaded down Elder Shen's back. But with the Patriarch's order, he had no choice.

He kowtowed repeatedly:

"Thank you for your mercy, Patriarch. I will spare no effort!"

The Shen Patriarch waved his hand.

Elder Shen didn't dare say another word. He bowed and left respectfully.

Once alone in the jade pavilion, the Shen Patriarch sat quietly in thought.

A stick of incense later, he shook his head and sneered:

"Dead already, and you want to entrust your legacy?"

"What do you take the Heavenly Dao Sect for?"

"Times have changed. Do you still think my sect is beneath you, meant to beg and bow and carry your karmic burdens?"

He gave a cold snort.

The three-sect merger was now settled.

News spread quickly.

Not only to the outside world—even the disciples of Tai'a, Chongxu, and Great Void Sects were in uproar.

None of them had expected this.

The three sects had operated separately for so long—linked only by ancestral ties. And in the blink of an eye, they were merging?

Even Mo Hua was caught off guard.

He had considered the possibility of the three sects reuniting one day—but never thought it would really happen, and certainly not this fast.

He suddenly remembered something Venerable Elder Xun had said to him a few days ago:

"Once a Little Senior Brother, always a Little Senior Brother. That's not changing. In fact… before long, you might become even more people's Little Senior Brother."

Mo Hua was stunned.

Turns out… Elder Xun was right.

And now, the three-sect merger…

Mo Hua rubbed his chin.

Looks like this "Little Senior brother"… just unintentionally leveled up again.

(End of Chapter)