Immortality Through Array Formations (The Quest for Immortality)

Chapter 933: The Valley Master of Hundred Flowers

[author]

The Actual Translation is "The Valley Mistress" but I translated it to "Valley Master" for now. Maybe I'll change it in the future. What do you guys thinks?

[/author]

Clatter— Mo Hua's chopsticks dropped to the table. He sat there dumbfounded.

Others might not have caught the implication, but how could Mo Hua not? He knew exactly what he had done.

Especially when just moments ago, he had clearly seen that absurdly beautiful Valley Master glance at him… with a meaningful look.

Mo Hua's heart trembled.

"Did the Valley Master find out I snuck into Hundred Flowers Valley? No way, my luck can't be that bad…"

"Or… did Senior Sister Qianqian sell me out? Did she secretly tell the Valley Master all my dirty laundry?"

"No… Senior Sister Qianqian isn't that kind of person…"

His thoughts were in chaos, and even the delicious crab in his mouth had lost all flavor.

Meanwhile, Gu Shouyan had also noticed the Valley Master's glance and nodded slightly, his mind piecing it together.

On the surface, the Mistress of Hundred Flowers Valley had come to visit her sect's disciples within the Gu Clan—but in truth, she was here because of Mo Hua, the rising Array Dao Prodigy.

What he didn't know, however, was that in a certain sense…

Mo Hua also counted as a "disciple of Hundred Flowers Valley."

Given Hundred Flowers Valley's special status, and especially with its Valley Master herself present, Gu Shouyan remained extremely courteous.

"Valley Master, please take the seat of honor."

Since she had come unannounced, he had servants hastily arrange a seat.

Owing to her high status, the Valley Master was placed side-by-side with the family head—right next to Supervisor Xia… and coincidentally, right beside Mo Hua.

Supervisor Xia stood up to greet her with a cupped-fist salute:

"Greetings, Valley Master."

His attitude was notably respectful.

The Valley Master merely gave a faint nod before taking her seat beside Mo Hua.

Mo Hua, meanwhile, silently picked up his fallen chopsticks and sat ramrod straight. He dared not breathe too loudly, using his chopsticks to delicately pinch bits of crab meat, eating in the most refined and demure manner possible. Gone was the carefree, messy eater from moments ago—he now looked like a very well-behaved young master.

Supervisor Xia gave him a weird look.

Wasn't this kid just running his mouth a second ago? Why the sudden transformation?

He glanced at the stunningly beautiful Valley Master in her regal robe, his expression a little strange.

She sat gracefully, her snow-white fingers pinching a jade cup as she sipped flower wine with elegance and composure. Since sitting down, she hadn't spoken a word.

Mo Hua, who had been sitting on pins and needles, finally sighed in relief.

"It must be a false alarm," he thought.

"She probably doesn't know I snuck into Hundred Flowers Valley…"

"I'll just pretend nothing happened. Sit quietly, finish this meal, and slip away before she corners me…"

"She looks so cold and aloof. She probably won't even bother speaking to me…"

But perhaps the heavens heard his internal monologue, because a clear and ethereal voice suddenly rang out:

"You are Mo Hua?"

Mo Hua's body stiffened. He turned toward the voice like a broken puppet—only to meet the breathtakingly beautiful face of the Valley Master, wearing a not-quite-smile.

"...Yes," Mo Hua whispered.

"Do you know who I am?" the Valley Master asked.

Sensing danger, Mo Hua nodded,

"You're the Valley Master of Hundred Flow—"

"Oh?" Her eyes sparkled. "You seem quite familiar with Hundred Flowers Valley?"

Mo Hua's heart skipped a beat.

Oh no. She really knows. She knows everything.

When did she find out?

She couldn't have known from the start… right?

Did she actually see me wearing the Hundred Flowers Valley robe?! Please no…

As the Valley Master's clear, discerning gaze bore into him, Mo Hua could only brace himself and reply awkwardly:

"K-kind of familiar… not that familiar…"

After all, he had only been there once—and he'd been led around by Senior Sister Qianqian the whole time, eyes down, quiet and well-behaved. He barely saw anything he wasn't supposed to see.

"Mo Hua…" the Valley Master softly repeated his name, then praised him gently:

"A mid-Foundation Establishment stage cultivator who leads in the Dao of Arrays—in the entire Qianxue Prefecture, there might be no equal."

"You flatter me, Valley Master," Mo Hua responded humbly.

"I have a small request," she said. "Would young master Mo be willing to consider it?"

Feeling incredibly guilty, Mo Hua quickly replied,

"Please, Valley Master—go ahead."

"Our disciples at Hundred Flowers Valley are all young girls," she explained softly. "They spend more time planting flowers than studying formations. Their array skills are, frankly, abysmal. If Young Master Mo ever has time, why not visit and give them some instruction?"

Mo Hua wouldn't dare say no. He immediately nodded,

"Of course! I'd be honored."

But right after he said it, he paused.

"Wait… isn't Hundred Flowers Valley off-limits to male cultivators?"

The Valley Master chuckled faintly,

"Is it? Oh, I nearly forgot. That's right—Hundred Flowers Valley forbids men from entering. Good thing you remembered."

Mo Hua wanted to crawl under the table.

Seeing his face turn as red as an apple, the Valley Master found it amusing and decided not to tease him further. She raised her cup, her tone half-joking, half-sincere:

"Young Master Mo's future is boundless. I toast to you. If Hundred Flowers Valley ever requires help, I hope you won't withhold your support."

Supervisor Xia, seated nearby, couldn't help but glance over in surprise. He hadn't expected the Valley Master to speak so directly.

Mo Hua quickly raised his own cup and replied:

"Mo Hua is of humble talent, unworthy of such praise. If the Valley Master ever needs anything, I'll do my utmost."

She nodded in satisfaction, drained her cup of flower wine, and smiled warmly at him.

"Please, no need to be so formal. Just enjoy yourself."

Mo Hua bowed and sat down properly at last—finally breathing a deep sigh of relief.

Thankfully, the Valley Master is magnanimous. She let me off the hook after I made that tiny 'offense,' only asking me for a promise in return. A minor show of loyalty, and she let it slide.

If she had pressed the issue… I would've been in serious trouble.

Maybe not completely doomed, but certainly thoroughly embarrassed.

After all, he was the dignified Senior Brother of the Great Void Sect, an Array Dao prodigy of Qianxue Prefecture…

And yet, he'd secretly put on a Hundred Flowers Valley robe and snuck into their sect.

If that ever got out…

Even imagining it made Mo Hua's scalp go numb.

The banquet continued. Mo Hua didn't dare make another peep. He didn't even dare look around. He just kept his head down and quietly focused on eating—right up until the banquet ended.

During that time, the stunning Valley Master only exchanged a few pleasantries with the Gu Clan Patriarch, then drank her wine in silence.

She held high status, unrivaled beauty, graceful bearing, and an overwhelming aura.

With her sitting there, no one dared approach to chat.

Once the banquet ended, she rose to leave. Both Gu Shouyan and Supervisor Xia rose respectfully to see her off.

"Apologies if our hospitality fell short," Gu Shouyan said.

The Valley Master smiled faintly.

"Forgive me for the sudden visit. I've troubled you."

Gu Shouyan cupped his hands,

"Not at all. Allow me to escort you."

She gave a small nod. But just before leaving, she glanced back slightly—her gaze resting on Mo Hua once more.

He had drunk quite a bit of wine. His cheeks were still flushed, but his eyes were bright. Standing obediently atop the high platform, he looked shy and well-mannered.

Her thoughts stirred.

Unbidden, she recalled the image of Mo Hua—on that vibrant mountain path in Hundred Flowers Valley—wearing the sect's robes, walking among blooming flowers.

"That child… actually looked quite good in our robes…"

With that final glance, the Valley Master turned away and left the Gu Clan estate—surrounded by a retinue of Hundred Flowers Valley maidens.

Inside the ornate, floral-scented carriage— She sat silently for a while… Then slowly took out a treasured sword.

The sword was inlaid with gold and jade, ancient and exquisite. Upon its surface were carved two characters: "Dragon Spring."

Yet the sword lay sealed in dust, long untouched, like its former master—once a radiant pearl, now buried by the hardships of time.

The Valley Mistress of Hundred Flowers gently stroked the Dragon Spring Sword, her expression tinged with wistfulness. It was as if she were speaking to herself—or to the sword—as she murmured:

"That day at the Grand Array Conference, I saw that child face the pride of the Four Great Sects and hundreds of others singlehandedly, calm yet domineering, with an aura that looked down on the world. He reminded me so, so much of you. I couldn't help but wonder… could there be some karmic thread tying him to you?"

"But after seeing him today, he's far too shy and adorable… and lacks bloodline or spiritual roots. You've never accepted disciples like that."

"Your disciples… would never sneak into Hundred Flowers Valley wearing our sect's robes…"

Her expression softened into a faint, amused smile—then slowly turned into deep melancholy.

Some memories are sweet at first…

But the more you chew on them, the more bitter they become.

The deeper the recollection, the more it aches.

"In this life… will I ever see you again?"

Each word stabbed at the heart.

But the Dragon Spring Sword remained silent—unable to reply.

At the Gu Clan Banquet

Mo Hua watched as the Valley Mistress left, finally exhaling in relief.

"I survived…

From now on, I'm never showing my face again.

I swear I'll never go back to Hundred Flowers Valley—ever."

Then doubt crept into his heart.

That stunningly beautiful Valley Mistress… seemed to hold an extremely high status?

Not only did the usually stern and upright Gu Clan Patriarch treat her with utmost respect, but even Supervisor Xia, a Sixth-Rank official from the prestigious Xia Clan and a Dao Court inspector, didn't dare show the slightest disrespect.

But why?

Wasn't Hundred Flowers Valley… just a Twelfth-Rate Sect?

Was she not just their sect master?

Or perhaps—did the Valley Mistress have some deep background… or come from a truly extraordinary origin?

Mo Hua thought about it… and gave up.

"Doesn't matter. As long as I avoid her from now on, I'll be fine. Just make sure she never catches me again."

He sighed faintly.

Originally, he'd thought this year's annual banquet would be like always—just a chance to mooch a nice meal.

He hadn't expected to run into so many unexpected figures.

And they were all major figures.

Still, thankfully he'd made it through. And he'd picked up a number of secrets about the great clans—so the trip wasn't a waste.

With that, the banquet drew to a close.

Guests slowly began to leave.

Mo Hua, as usual, wandered around the Gu estate's gardens to digest his food—and happened to bump into Elder Gu Hong.

As always, Elder Gu Hong was dressed in red and looking especially cheerful.

"Elder Hong," Mo Hua asked curiously, "Something good happen? You look so happy."

Seeing it was Mo Hua, Elder Gu Hong pulled him to sit, poured him tea, and handed him some fruit.

"Eat, eat. I'll tell you."

Mo Hua was already full, but he still picked up a slice of melon and nibbled politely.

"It's about Changhuai," Elder Gu Hong said warmly. "Lately, a number of noble families across Qianxue Prefecture have sent matchmakers to me."

Mo Hua raised a brow, surprised.

"Uncle Gu's stock value went up?"

"What do you mean stock value—you brat…" Elder Gu Hong pretended to scold him, but couldn't hide the grin on his face no matter how hard he tried.

"So what happened?" Mo Hua asked.

"I told you before," Gu Hong began, "Changhuai serves as a Diansi—an official inspector. It's a good job in theory, but not really attractive when it comes to marriage proposals. Dangerous, exhausting, and he's hardly ever home."

"If he's clean, the pay's lousy. If he's corrupt, he risks walking the crooked path."

"Plus, you know how stubborn he is. That temper of his scared off all the good matches."

"But these past few years… whether it's a change of luck or the help of a 'noble figure,' Changhuai's really made a name for himself at the Dao Court. He's racked up plenty of merit."

"Just recently, he even led the eradication of a demonic sect with over a thousand members."

"That's no small feat. The Dao Court seems to be considering promoting him to Vice Chief Inspector. For someone his age, if he works hard and his cultivation reaches the Ascension Realm… with enough seniority and good timing, it's not impossible for him to become Chief Inspector of all Qianxue Prefecture in the future."

"Even if not that, being made a Chief Inspector in one of the fourth- or fifth-rank provinces would still give him enormous power and a bright future."

Even Mo Hua was shocked.

"Uncle Gu really has that kind of future ahead of him?"

Elder Gu Hong beamed.

"Changhuai's always had talent. In the Dao Court, his background, aptitude, and ability are all top-tier. Sure, his temper's not great and he's not exactly popular—but the job of an inspector is to offend people. That's not really a drawback."

"Before, his biggest issue was his record—mediocre. Which made promoting him optional."

"But now, he has accomplishments and seniority. And that other Diansi from the Xiao Clan—what's his name again?"

"Xiao Zhenhai?" Mo Hua answered.

"Yes, that's him. Xiao Zhenhai was older and more politically savvy—but it seems he got into trouble? Gone now?"

"Yeah." Mo Hua nodded.

Gone straight to the underworld, thanks to a little scheming.

"So now," Elder Gu Hong continued, "at the Dao Court, when they look around, only Changhuai stands out. If they're going to promote anyone, it has to be him."

"He's a Gu Clan man. If he lacked ability, then fine. But now that he's proven himself—who would dare try to drag my Gu Clan down?"

Mo Hua nodded in agreement.

"In these noble clans," Elder Gu Hong said, "sure, there are plenty of fools… but when they are smart, they're sharper than knives. The way they see it now, Changhuai has enormous potential—possibly even to become a Chief Inspector. So naturally, their attitudes change."

"These past few days, I've had people practically stampeding to my doorstep for marriage talks."

He couldn't help but show off to Mo Hua, clearly in high spirits.

Mo Hua was genuinely happy for Uncle Gu.

But he also had his own little concern.

"But… what about Sister Xia?" he asked softly.

Elder Gu Hong paused, then sighed.

"That girl is certainly wonderful… but like I've said before—Changhuai might not be worthy of her…"

"Even if he's a future Chief Inspector?" Mo Hua asked.

"You said it yourself—future. And who can say what the future holds?" Elder Gu Hong shook his head. "To most noble or mid-tier clans, the position of Chief Inspector is extremely prestigious. But to the Xia Clan of Dao Prefecture? It doesn't carry the same weight. Besides, until the position is confirmed, everything's still up in the air…"

Mo Hua pondered a moment and said,

"Then… what if I talk to Supervisor Xia on his behalf?"

Elder Gu Hong looked at him in surprise.

"You and Supervisor Xia… know each other?"

"A little," Mo Hua replied.

Just a sliver of rapport from a recent chat, really.

Elder Gu Hong patted Mo Hua's shoulder, looking genuinely touched.

"I appreciate the thought, but something like this can't be forced. In life, fate and relationships are often written in the stars. In the end, it's up to Changhuai's own destiny."

"And don't go burning favors on his behalf. In the world of great clans, favors are precious. You have no family backing—you should save those favors for yourself. Don't always worry about others."

His words were heartfelt—thinking entirely for Mo Hua's sake.

Mo Hua was moved, nodding.

"I understand, Elder Hong."

—

After bidding farewell to Elder Gu Hong, Mo Hua went to see Gu Changhuai.

He was in the study, poring over Dao Court dossiers.

Mo Hua couldn't help but ask,

"Wasn't the demonic sect business already settled?"

"Still a few loose ends," Changhuai replied, glancing at the fruit in Mo Hua's hands. "You came from Aunt Hong's place?"

"Mm." Mo Hua nodded. "She told me a bunch of people are proposing marriage for you. Looks like you're about to get hitched—I mean, find a Dao companion."

Gu Changhuai paused, then muttered a flat,

"Oh."

Mo Hua studied his face, then lowered his voice and asked,

"Uncle Gu… what do you think?"

"Think about what?"

Mo Hua rolled his eyes at his deliberate cluelessness, then pointedly asked,

"What do you think of Sister Xia?"

Gu Changhuai froze for a moment before saying blandly,

"…She's fine, I guess."

Mo Hua looked at his obviously conflicted expression and sighed.

After a moment's thought, he said,

"Uncle Gu, let me tell you a story…"

"When I was young, I had an array arts instructor named Mr. Yan. On the surface, he was just a humble tutor from a small immortal city—but in truth, he bore the blood-deep grudge of a destroyed sect. His entire life was devoted to hunting the traitor and reclaiming his sect's legacy."

"He had a chubby junior brother who kept encouraging him to find a Dao companion, to pass on his legacy—but Mr. Yan always refused."

"Eventually, after years of effort, he found the traitor, recovered the legacy, and planned to spend the rest of his life rebuilding the sect."

"I honestly thought Mr. Yan was destined to grow old alone."

"But later, he saw the portrait of a female array master—just a painting!—and immediately set off to chase her. Within two months, they were married."

"He once told me: If you can grab hold of something… don't let it slip away."

"So, what I'm saying is," Mo Hua concluded seriously, "If there's no fate, then fine—just focus on your path."

"But if there's real fate… don't let it go. Or you'll regret it your whole life."

Mo Hua's face was solemn and sincere.

Gu Changhuai stared at him blankly for a long while before finally muttering,

"…How old are you again?

Why is your head full of so much bizarre nonsense?"

"Can't help it. Born brilliant," Mo Hua replied smugly.

Gu Changhuai's face darkened.

"Alright, alright, go play somewhere else. I'm busy."

He lowered his head and buried himself in the dossier again.

"Fine, I won't disturb you anymore." Mo Hua left reluctantly.

—

After Mo Hua left, Gu Changhuai stared at the document for a while…

But his mind kept replaying Mo Hua's words.

He looked down at his own hands, murmuring:

"If you can grab hold of it… don't let go, huh…"

—

After leaving the study, Mo Hua wandered around the Gu residence a bit more, then prepared to return to his sect.

As usual, he'd only come to mooch some food—he never stayed the night.

He had time to make the trip back, and once there, he could even get in some mental array practice within his Sea of Consciousness.

As for Uncle Gu's romance… that was on him. Mo Hua had done his part.

The Gu Clan personally arranged a carriage to send Mo Hua back.

But it was the New Year's festival, and Qingzhou City was packed with traffic and crowds. The carriage couldn't reach him inside the city—he'd have to walk out to meet it.

Mo Hua wasn't in a hurry.

He figured he'd stroll through the city's nightscape on the way.

Red lanterns coiled like dragons overhead, and brilliant fireworks lit up the sky. Amid the black night, the blossoming trees glowed—utterly breathtaking.

Mo Hua walked through the city, admiring the view as he headed toward the outskirts.

But as he strolled along…

Someone suddenly brushed past him.

The streets were crowded, so at first, Mo Hua didn't think much of it.

But the instant they crossed paths, a cold, oppressive chill rose from the depths of his soul.

His vision blurred slightly, and a swirling mass of black-purple karmic fate emerged—entangled, twisted, hideous and filthy. It pulsed with corrupt desire, like a diseased, disgusting heart… or a rotting opium blossom.

The poppy slowly unfurled— Just like that night by the Smokewater River, when he first saw the Rouge Boat.

Mo Hua's pupils contracted.

He instantly spun around.

At that same moment, the young nobleman who had brushed past him also turned—sensing something.

In that instant, their eyes met.

And they clearly saw each other's face.

(End of this Chapter)