Immortality Through Array Formations (The Quest for Immortality)

Chapter 923: Loyalty

Mo Hua found it hard to believe—and was full of questions.

Why would a demonic sect that cultivated blood-drinking techniques hide such a peak-level array formation imbued with powerful spiritual law transformations?

How did they even come into possession of this Grade Two, Twenty-Rune Reverse Spirit Formation?

Was it plundered from someone they killed?

Taken wholesale from a higher-level demonic sect's inheritance?

Or… was it something deliberately hidden here by someone?

Did they truly understand what this formation meant?

Mo Hua flipped through the annotation recorded in the merit repository:

"Grade Two, Twenty Runes. An unconventional formation containing a portion of spiritual law power. Extremely difficult to comprehend. Effect unknown. Use unknown. Merit Points: 3000…"

Extremely difficult to comprehend. Effect unknown. Use unknown.

Mo Hua contemplated silently.

So in other words… this group of demonic cultivators had no idea what the Reverse Spirit Formation was, what it did, or how to use it.

And they were only asking for 3000 merit points.

While 3000 was by no means a small sum in the merit system of the Demonic Sect, for a treasure as rare as the Reverse Spirit Formation, it was practically insulting.

Any absolute-grade formation was priceless.

If you were lucky, you might stumble upon one in your lifetime.

If not, no amount of spirit stones could buy it.

This 3000-point price tag was a disgrace to the formation.

"These demonic cultivators really are blind fools," Mo Hua muttered.

"They wouldn't recognize a treasure if it bit them…"

He couldn't help but feel that the sect was guilty of squandering a divine gift—letting a formation like this collect dust in some forgotten storeroom.

But thinking deeper… it was kind of understandable.

Most of the demonic sect's cultivators practiced blood-based, savage arts. Few knew anything about formation arrays.

And among those few, probably none could decipher the Reverse Spirit Formation.

In their eyes, it was likely just some bizarre, overly complex, and utterly useless formation diagram.

Even if they could understand and learn it, it wouldn't do them any good.

Without a solid foundation in array theory, deep spiritual awareness, or advanced deduction skills, they'd be unable to correctly apply the Reverse Spirit Formation—let alone activate its collapse effect, which could disintegrate spiritual energy and unleash devastating destructive force.

The theory behind the Reverse Spirit Formation was profound and esoteric, so its application was incredibly difficult.

Mo Hua stroked the Guest Elder Token, his eyes fixed on the three glowing words: "Reverse Spirit Formation."

His heartbeat quickened.

In other people's hands, this formation might be a useless and incomprehensible burden.

But in his hands—

It was entirely different.

With this formation in hand, given a suitable array setup, he might even be able to use it to collapse a formation and kill Dao-level foes.

Of course, collapsing an entire grand formation was a luxury—he might never get such a chance in this life.

But even if not used for that, the Reverse Spirit Formation was still unimaginably powerful.

With his current array mastery, if he truly obtained this diagram, learned the Grade Two formation, and laid out a plan with foresight and precision—

It was entirely possible for him, a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator, to "collapse-kill" a Golden Core expert.

True across-realm killing.

Strictly speaking, it wouldn't be through brute cultivation power. But—

Cultivation knowledge is power.

A powerful array is power.

"This Reverse Spirit Formation—I must get it!"

"The Four Symbols Azure Dragon Diagram is great, but who knows where it's hidden. This juicy meat in front of me—I've got to bite down and hold on."

The fact that he could even see this Reverse Spirit Formation meant that he was meant to find it.

This was fate.

Miss this opportunity, and he'd regret it for life.

What if the Demonic Sect moved locations, was destroyed, the repository purged, or the treasures seized by the Dao Tribunal?

What if this diagram fell into someone else's hands?

Trying to recover it then would be like fishing a needle out of the ocean.

If fate gives you a chance—you grab it with both hands.

Mo Hua no longer hesitated and began seriously considering—how exactly could he get his hands on this Reverse Spirit Formation?

But after pondering a moment, his brows furrowed.

"Hmm… It's not that easy to get, after all…"

This Grade Two formation belonged to the Demonic Sect's merit vault—it required merit points to exchange for.

The merit points were actually the easy part. He was already deep in the underlying magnetic array network. In theory, he could alter the data and fake the required amount.

But the problem was—what next?

Even if he had enough merit points… how would he redeem the formation?

And once redeemed, how would he retrieve it?

Mo Hua had a general understanding of the Demonic Sect's procedures:

First, you needed a legitimate, living, and verifiable identity as a sect member.

Then, using your sect token, you'd spend 3000 merit points to redeem the formation.

After that, this demonic cultivator would need to personally visit some kind of Merit Pavilion to physically retrieve the formation scroll.

Then, that person would have to somehow deliver it to Mo Hua's hands.

This whole process required both magnetic-level manipulation and real-world action.

On the magnetic side, he could technically forge a fake identity, creating a non-existent sect disciple who would "redeem" the formation.

But in the real world, he couldn't conjure a flesh-and-blood person to walk into the sect and physically pick it up.

Plus, he didn't even know where the main base of the Demonic Sect was.

Even if he could create such a person, he wouldn't know where to send them.

"Troublesome…"

Mo Hua flopped onto the floor, using his arms as a pillow, staring blankly at the ceiling.

After a moment, he mumbled:

"If only I could use 'Dao Heart Demon Seed'... I could ask Uncle Gu to catch a demonic cultivator, plant the seed in him, and have him run this delivery for me…"

Of course, this was just wishful thinking.

The Dao Heart Demon Seed was a demonic technique.

It relied on splitting sinister intent to plant demonic thoughts in others, allowing control over them.

Those affected would become puppets of evil thought, and their divine sense would gradually decay—inevitably leading to death.

This kind of sinister sorcery—Mo Hua would never use it.

"Still… the idea isn't bad. If I can't use Dao Heart Demon Seed to control someone…

What if I use magnetic-level messaging to guide them?"

Mo Hua cultivated the Dao of Divine Sense, and he knew full well—

Human cognition is easy to manipulate.

The Dao Heart is always in flux.

Especially when there's an information gap or cognitive dissonance involved.

"If I use the magnetic array to send tailored messages, guide their thoughts, and trick a Demonic Sect disciple into doing what I want…"

In a way—that would be a form of control, too.

Mo Hua's eyes lit up.

He now had a plan.

Over the next few days, he worked out the details.

Of course, there were still many hurdles—especially in the realm of Thunder-Magnetic Arrays.

His current mastery of thunder-magnetic formations was still lacking. There were many intricate mechanisms he didn't yet understand.

So he carved out time to have another tea session with Elder Zheng, asking him for more insights on thunder-magnetic formations.

After returning to the Great Void Sect, he immersed himself in personal study and practice.

He ran multiple tests, refining his approach and ensuring everything was solid.

Only once he was confident did he begin executing the plan.

Several days later, with everything ready, Mo Hua made his move.

First, he had to pick a target.

This "target" would be the key to his entire operation—

The person who would exchange for the Reverse Spirit Formation and smuggle it out of the Demonic Sect to hand it over.

This person couldn't be someone too high up—

A Golden Core elder was out of the question.

Too risky.

If he failed, the backlash would be severe.

But he also couldn't be someone too low.

The ideal target would be an elite transmission disciple, just below elder rank.

Mo Hua monitored the Demonic Sect's internal communications for several days, eavesdropping on their chatter.

Eventually, he picked someone:

Li San.

A very ordinary name.

This man was at the peak of Foundation Establishment. His real name was unknown.

All Mo Hua knew was that his surname was Li, and within the blood-arts division, he ranked third—hence the nickname: "Li San."

Li San had been with the sect a long time, and his cultivation was high.

Once he broke through to Golden Core, he'd be eligible for elder rank.

And he was just one step away from that.

He'd been around long enough to accumulate a solid stash of merit points.

Redeeming a 3000-point formation? No problem.

It also wouldn't raise suspicion.

Most importantly—he was greedy.

All demonic cultivators were greedy, but Li San was especially so.

Greed is the easiest human trait to exploit.

Mo Hua, under the guise of "Elder You," sent a message to Li San:

"You. Do you want to become an elder?"

Every demonic sect disciple dreamed of becoming an elder—

Their desire was even stronger than in orthodox sects.

Their cultivation followed the Blood Art, based on a strict Blood Transmission Hierarchy:

Transmission elders drank the blood of their transmission disciples.

Those disciples drank from regular disciples.

Regular disciples… fed on innocent rogue cultivators outside.

In this cruel pyramid, every disciple was exploited by an elder.

But once you became an elder, everything flipped.

You gained autonomy—no longer forced to offer up blood or resources—

You gained the privilege of taking in your own blood transmission disciples, becoming the exploiter, not the exploited.

In the demonic sect, with no moral taboos, elders held immense power, far more than in righteous sects.

So naturally, not a single disciple didn't long for that title.

But this status wasn't something they could just reach out and grab.

The demonic sect had a rigid and oppressive hierarchy.

There were only so many elder positions, and to rise, one had to earn the favor of current elders.

More critically, due to the restrictions of the blood cultivation method, a disciple couldn't break through to Golden Core unless granted essence blood from a Golden Core-level elder.

So without elder-level support, a Foundation cultivator had no hope of advancing.

That's why the title "Elder" had irresistible appeal.

Somewhere within a hidden demonic sect base...

A thin, pale man with a cold, vicious gleam in his eye—Li San—received Mo Hua's message.

His whole body trembled.

Emotion surged within him.

He started shaking with excitement.

This single message carried so much hope and possibility—it stirred that long-burning desire within him.

But doubt followed close behind.

"Why would Elder You send me this message? What's he trying to say?"

"Is he… trying to recommend me for elder?"

"Could something this miraculous really fall from the sky?"

Though Li San was greedy, he wasn't stupid. Years of surviving in the demonic sect had made him cautious.

"Elder You… this disciple is dull-witted and dares not presume—what exactly do you mean?"

Li San feigned humility.

But that message was like a stone cast into the sea—no reply came.

Li San grew uneasy.

Was Elder You angry?

Was he simply too busy to respond?

Or… had his overly cautious answer disappointed the elder, who now considered him unworthy of a reply?

Li San began anxiously trying to decipher Elder You's intentions.

But the more he thought, the less he understood.

He had no idea what thoughts were brewing behind the elder's words.

He didn't dare ask directly…

But he also didn't want to let it go.

What if the offer was real?

What if Elder You really was trying to raise him up?

And he, acting overly reserved, failed to show sufficient sincerity—thus losing his chance to rise?

That thought filled Li San with regret.

His attitude slowly shifted:

From "How could something this lucky be real?"

to "Why didn't I seize this chance?!"

Suddenly, his token buzzed.

Li San, heart pounding, lowered his gaze—

And instantly felt like he'd fallen into an ice pit.

"Idiot. Forget it."

Just four words. But from Elder You, they turned his face pale.

At that moment, Li San became certain:

Elder You really had wanted to give him a chance—to lift him up.

But his own hesitation… had disappointed the elder.

That's why he was called an idiot.

That's why he was dismissed with a cold "Forget it."

The opportunity was gone.

Li San panicked.

Hands trembling, he frantically sent a message back:

"Elder! Please forgive this foolish disciple!"

"It was my ignorance! I beg you, give me another chance! No matter what you command, I will risk life and limb to fulfill it! Just please—grant me this opportunity!"

Li San's message oozed desperation.

But no response came.

Sometimes, one chance is all you get.

A single sentence. A single reply—can change your entire life.

He had hesitated, tried to play clever, and missed his moment.

Regret gnawed at him.

But he refused to give up.

"Elder! Please, I beg you—just one more chance!"

"Elder! I'll do anything!"

"Elder! I swear my loyalty—heart and soul!"

"Elder! Please believe me, my loyalty is absolute!"

From then on, Li San messaged Mo Hua every morning, noon, and night, trying to prove his sincerity.

Finally, after three days of persistence, he got a reply.

Just one word:

"Mm."

Li San was elated—but also bewildered.

What did this "Mm" mean?

Did Elder You acknowledge his loyalty?

Forgive his foolishness?

Was he willing to give him a second chance?

Li San obsessed over the meaning.

What he didn't know… was that this "Mm" had no special meaning at all.

It was just Mo Hua casually replying while chewing on a chicken leg.

Yet even so, Li San fretted over that one syllable all day.

That night, just as he was still guessing at the "divine will" behind that "Mm," another message arrived:

"Have you thought it through?"

Thought it through?

Li San froze—then immediately recalled the very first message:

"You. Do you want to become an elder?"

This time, he didn't hesitate in the slightest:

"Yes!"

Mo Hua asked:

"Do you understand what I mean?"

Li San paused. He wasn't entirely sure.

But based on prior interaction, he guessed Elder You admired those who were decisive, ruthless, determined—and above all… ambitious.

Ambition was key.

So he replied:

"Elder, you mean… you wish to nominate me as a new elder of the demonic sect?"

Mo Hua responded with another question:

"Why would I do that?"

Li San was stunned.

But then… it clicked.

No one gives away benefits for free.

Especially not someone of Elder You's caliber.

If the elder was willing to promote him, then he had to provide value in return.

Li San clenched his jaw and replied:

"From this day forward, I am your most loyal hound. Your command is my will."

"If I am ever graced with the title of Elder, I shall serve you alone and never waver—not in this life, not in the next!"

"Elder You" seemed satisfied.

After a pause, another message came:

"I want you to do something for me."

Li San immediately responded:

"Yes!"

Mo Hua then asked:

Mo Hua asked him, "Do you understand what I mean?"

Li San thought for a moment, then quickly replied,

"I understand. This is Elder You testing me—only by passing the test will I qualify to serve you."

Mo Hua paused for a bit, then nodded.

"Well said."

"Please give your command, Elder You."

Mo Hua sent him a name.

"Kill this person."

Li San froze the moment he saw it.

"Elder You, this…"

"What? You don't dare?"

"No, it's just…" Li San hesitated, "This person is a transmission disciple of our demonic sect… We've shared some camaraderie. He's contributed a lot to the sect…"

"If you're unwilling, forget it," Mo Hua said calmly.

Li San's heart tightened—he immediately sensed Elder You's displeasure and suddenly realized:

What Elder You required was absolute loyalty.

His orders were law.

Whoever he wanted dead—no matter who they were—you carried out the kill.

No explanations. No reasons needed.

Only by doing so could one prove their loyalty.

Only then could he possibly be trusted, truly promoted—elevated to the rank of elder.

If he couldn't even kill a fellow cultivator in the sect, how could he become Elder You's right-hand man in the future?

Besides… in the demonic sect, was there even such a thing as "comradeship"?

Once interests clashed, anyone could be killed—so long as you could do it.

Li San replied:

"Please be assured, Elder You. I will follow your command and kill this man."

"Follow my command?"

"No! I mean—I want to kill him. This has nothing to do with you, Elder You!" Li San corrected himself.

Mo Hua nodded slightly and added,

"There's no need to force yourself."

"There is no reluctance at all, Elder. This is something I eagerly desire."

Mo Hua was satisfied.

"I await your results."

"I won't let you down!"

Then Li San got to work.

His target was a late Foundation Establishment transmission disciple of the sect.

They'd shared a certain bond—killed together, drank blood together, even shared a blood slave once…

But in the face of ambition, in the pursuit of becoming an elder—those things meant nothing.

Li San, already at peak Foundation Establishment, took advantage of a trip outside the sect.

During that outing, he caught his fellow disciple off guard, killed him, drained his blood, and fed his corpse to the beasts in the mountains.

Once everything was taken care of, Li San returned to the sect and messaged Elder You:

"Mission complete. The man is dead."

"Elder You" replied with satisfaction:

"Good. Here is your reward."

"Reward?"

Li San blinked. Then he noticed his demonic merit points in the sect token skyrocketing.

Within moments, he'd gained 2,000 points.

Li San gasped.

Two thousand?!

To a Foundation-level disciple in the demonic sect, that was a massive fortune.

Enough to exchange for 100 Blood Lotus Fruits.

Even ten years' worth of aged fruits could get him 20!

And all he had done… was kill a fellow disciple in the late Foundation stage…

He was thrilled, but didn't lose his composure. Instead, he humbly messaged:

"Elder, this is too generous. Serving you is simply my duty. I'm unworthy of such great merit."

Mo Hua replied:

"Take it. It's a reward for your loyalty.

The more loyal you are, the greater the reward will be."

Li San was overwhelmed with gratitude.

His respect for Elder You swelled like a river bursting its banks—it couldn't be stopped.

"Yes!"

Then Mo Hua reminded him:

"You must remember—all our communications must go through this disciple token.

Out in the open, I do not know you. I have never seen you."

Li San's heart skipped a beat.

He understood.

Elder You's secrecy meant one thing—his ambitions were vast.

And Li San was his hidden blade.

So long as he followed this man, glory was just around the corner.

"This disciple shall strictly follow Elder's instructions. I won't utter a single word about our connection!"

"Very good."

From that day on, Elder You would regularly give Li San a name—

Each time, another fellow disciple to kill.

Each time he completed a mission, he would receive a handsome amount of merit.

And each time, his "loyalty" deepened.

During this period, Li San even encountered the real Elder You within the sect.

As they passed each other, Li San respectfully cupped his hands in greeting—

But Elder You acted as though he didn't see him at all.

Not even a glance.

Li San's gaze sharpened with admiration:

"As expected of Elder You—what flawless acting! Pretending not to know me, not a single slip. Perfect."

"With this, no one in the entire sect will ever suspect our relationship."

And so, after multiple "loyalty tests," when Mo Hua felt the time was right—

He revealed his true objective.

He gave Li San the order:

"Go to the Merit Treasury.

Exchange this formation.

Then deliver it to the place I told you last time."

(End of this Chapter)