Immortality Through Array Formations (The Quest for Immortality)

Chapter 934: The Young Master

This was a young man dressed in splendid robes, with features as refined as jade.

His fair and handsome face carried a natural air of nobility.

Mo Hua had never seen him before—his appearance was unfamiliar—but for some strange reason, he felt a deep sense of déjà vu, as though they had met long ago and shared some fated entanglement.

Mo Hua gazed at the Young Master, his thoughts swirling.

The young man, too, was looking at Mo Hua. For a brief moment, surprise flashed across his face. Then, arching his brows with a calm expression, he said,

"You are... Mo Hua?"

Mo Hua's heart skipped, but his face remained impassive.

"You know me?"

"The Array Dao prodigy of Qianxue Prefecture..." the Young Master said, with a tone that was part admiration, part casual indifference. "My cousin Jun Cai lost to you. He told me your formations are remarkable."

Mo Hua replied coolly,

"You flatter me."

He then glanced at the young man again and asked,

"May I ask your name, Young Master?"

The young man gave a faint cold laugh, visibly displeased.

It seemed that others always came to greet him first, humbly reporting their names. No one had ever not known who he was—let alone dared to ask so directly.

He looked down at Mo Hua with condescension, clearly not intending to respond. But for some reason, he sensed something unique about Mo Hua, something different from the usual rabble. That feeling compelled him to break his usual pride and actually give his name.

With a cold voice, he said,

"Shen Linshu of the Heavenly Dao Sect."

—

Heavenly Dao Sect. Shen Linshu. Shen...

Mo Hua's pupils contracted.

This jade-like, handsome youth... was a disciple of the Shen Clan of the Heavenly Dao Sect?

Mo Hua glanced at those behind Shen Linshu.

Six cultivators accompanied him.

Three of them were late Foundation Establishment stage, each with outstanding appearance and demeanor—clearly children of high-status families from Qianxue Prefecture.

Two were middle-aged men, their auras strong—they were Golden Core cultivators.

And the last one was an old man with unfathomable presence.

Mo Hua couldn't see through him, but having interacted with many high-level cultivators, his instincts told him: that old man was likely a Realm of Ascension (Yu Hua) True Person.

This Shen Linshu traveled with three noble disciples as attendants, two Golden Cores as bodyguards, and even a Realm of Ascension expert escorting him.

Even among the Shen Clan—or the entire Heavenly Dao Sect—he was probably a peerless genius, a true dragon among men.

Shen "Lin" Shu—a name as proud as his bearing.

Mo Hua's thoughts churned beneath a calm expression.

Shen Linshu glanced at him again, then, as if prompted by some mysterious impulse, said:

"On the seventh day after the new year, I'll be hosting a Dao Tea Gathering. Will you come?"

The moment he said this, the three disciples behind him all showed a visible change in expression.

The two Golden Core bodyguards looked surprised.

Even the Yu Hua expert turned his deep gaze toward Mo Hua.

Tea gathering?

It was probably not a friendly invitation.

Mo Hua shook his head,

"We're not exactly close, are we?"

Shen Linshu's eyelid twitched.

"I don't invite people often."

"Oh..." Mo Hua replied indifferently.

Shen Linshu's face darkened slightly. His gaze turned cold as he sneered,

"I offered you a chance—you're just not worthy of it."

With a flick of his sleeve, he turned and walked off.

The three noble disciples quickly followed, each casting Mo Hua a sideways glance—eyes full of jealousy and mocking disdain, as if ridiculing his ignorance.

The two Golden Cores and the Yu Hua elder also followed in silence.

Just like that, the group disappeared into the crowd.

Once they were gone, Mo Hua exhaled deeply. His palms were soaked with sweat.

Without lingering, he quickened his pace toward Qingzhou City's southern gate, boarded the Gu Clan's carriage, and immediately set off back to his sect.

The dazzling lights of Qingzhou faded into the distance.

The carriage left the bustle behind, entering the deep quiet of night.

Mo Hua sat inside, lost in thought.

"That omen earlier... it wasn't an illusion. That 'poppy-like' karmic chain was identical to what I saw with the Rouge Boat."

"This Shen Linshu… must be connected to it."

—

"Could it be… he is the so-called 'Young Master' of the Rouge Boat?"

"And in Ten Thousand Demons Valley, the young noble I hunted inside the nightmare realm—was also him?"

"He's the one pulling strings behind the scenes? Or at least, the highest-status figure behind the Rouge Boat and the Demonic Valley incidents?"

Mo Hua's expression grew grim.

Fate between people was truly strange and unpredictable.

He hadn't expected to bump into such a key figure from the Shen Clan at such an unsuspecting time.

"Is the man behind Mister Tu also the Shen Clan? The Heavenly Dao Sect?"

That… would actually make sense. It would tie all the debts together neatly.

But he had no proof—he couldn't yet confirm whether his speculation was true.

Shen Linshu's status was indeed exalted, but whether he really was the Rouge Boat's "Young Master," or the mastermind chosen by Tu, or the puppet master behind the Ten Thousand Demons Valley incident—

All of it remained unproven.

"Does he really know who I am?" Mo Hua frowned.

"He knows I'm Mo Hua, a disciple of the Great Void Sect, the Array Dao prodigy of Qianxue Prefecture—but he shouldn't know my true identity…"

"If he did, he would've tried to kill me on the spot—no way he'd invite me for tea."

"That tea gathering... can't be anything good. Who knows what poison he's serving."

"Could I kill him? Probably not..."

"Especially with Golden Core guards and a Yu Hua True Person protecting him. He's untouchable for now—I can only stay far, far away and return to the sect quickly."

The carriage sped through the darkened countryside.

Mo Hua gazed blankly out the window, mind a tangle of thoughts—but faintly, he felt that several key figures in the shadows were finally beginning to surface.

—

While Mo Hua exited Qingzhou via the southern gate, heading away from the city—

The one named Shen Linshu exited via the northern gate, boarding a low-key yet extravagantly furnished carriage—heading in the opposite direction.

Inside the carriage, Shen Linshu reclined on exotic beast hide, fingers lightly tapping the table, saying nothing, his expression dark.

The atmosphere was stifling.

The others had a fair idea what had upset the Young Master.

One of the noble disciples tried to console him:

"Young Master Shen, that man was simply blind to greatness. He failed to recognize the opportunity before him."

"Array masters bury themselves in study—clueless about worldly affairs."

"Too many arrays, too little brain. Doesn't know how to curry favor. He'll spend his life working for others."

"Indeed. Someone that ungrateful isn't worth your time, Young Master."

"I know," Shen Linshu said coolly, though his face looked even worse.

From childhood till now, he had never shown such courtesy to anyone his age.

And yet today, with that "Mo Hua," for some inexplicable reason, he had opened his mouth and extended an invitation to the Dao Tea Gathering.

Even he didn't know why.

After all, the Young Lords' Pavilion—with "Young Master" in the name—valued far more than talent in cultivation. Lineage, background, even bloodline—none could be lacking.

Even if Mo Hua was an "Array Dao prodigy," his family background, spirit roots, and bloodline were far too lowly. To join the Pavilion, to mingle with them—he was utterly unqualified.

Especially when it came to family and bloodline—you either had it or you didn't.

It was a chasm, separating the lowborn and powerless from the true core of elite cultivators.

Mo Hua had no idea what kind of invitation he had just rejected.

It was a true ladder to the heavens.

A path toward real power and nobility.

The members of the Young Lords' Pavilion were people he'd never have a chance to meet in his entire life.

Even to sit with them and drink tea should've been an honor beyond compare.

And yet, Mo Hua rejected it.

Whether it was "failing to recognize greatness" or "not knowing what's good for him," it was like a thorn lodged in Shen Linshu's heart—deeply unpleasant.

Moreover, he couldn't shake the feeling that Mo Hua gave off a strange sense of familiarity.

Shen Linshu frowned.

Seeing that he was still brooding, another noble youth smiled and said softly:

"Young Master Shen need not take it to heart. Lowborn people often can't recognize opportunity even when it's right in front of them. That's exactly why they remain lowborn."

"Whether he truly 'lacks discernment' or not, it's unforgivable to slight you. To disrespect the Young Master is to disrespect the entire Young Lords' Pavilion. If we allow this, others might start following suit. How can we maintain our prestige?"

He narrowed his eyes slightly, voice cold:

"Why don't we... have someone capture him, gouge out his eyes, break his limbs, and toss him into the Smokewater River to feed the clam demons?"

The other noble youths laughed and chimed in:

"Good idea."

"Since he's blind, there's no point in keeping those eyes."

The two Golden Core bodyguards said nothing, pretending not to hear a thing.

Only the Realm of Ascension elder furrowed his brows.

He knew full well—these so-called young lords were capable of anything.

They were born into greatness, given everything from the start. From a young age, people fawned over them—some of whom were even Magistrates and Supervisors from the Dao Judiciary. As a result, these sons of power had no concept of "law" or consequence.

Whenever trouble arose, their clans would clean up after them.

Some of them even took pleasure in causing trouble. Fear was a word they had never learned.

But this Mo Hua... was not to be touched.

He was the Array Dao prodigy of the Great Void Sect, with Venerable Elder Xun standing behind him.

Lowborn or not, he was no one's pawn.

Touching him would bring big, big trouble.

But this wasn't something that could be said outright.

If he pushed too hard, these young lords might get rebellious. In a fit of hot-blooded arrogance, they might actually do it—kill Mo Hua and make the feud irreversible.

After a moment of thought, the Realm of Ascension elder said calmly:

"The path of formations is, after all, just a 'clever craft.' No matter how skilled, one still ends up serving noble families. That's just the fate of the lowborn who study arts and skills for survival."

"This Mo Hua is the same. No matter how good he is at arrays, at best, he's still a high-end servant. Young Master Shen need not take him to heart and risk lowering your status."

Shen Linshu paused, then nodded slightly.

The others weren't fully satisfied but didn't argue in front of a Yu Hua expert.

The elder added:

"Besides, the next Sword Debate Conference is just around the corner. That is the true matter of importance. We should not allow petty distractions to disrupt the path ahead."

At this, the noble youths grew more serious.

One of them said:

"Right. The Sword Debate matters most. After nine years of cultivation in a sect, we only get one chance to participate. For some disciples, it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Another added flatteringly:

"Young Master Shen, with your lineage and talent, if you also win first place at the Sword Debate, you could soar straight to the stars. The path to immortality will be wide open."

"Exactly. Ranking is everything. As long as you win first place, the clan's patriarchs will give you anything. Do whatever you want, no one will dare stop you."

"In the cultivation world, strength is the only law."

"If you're talented enough, then everything you do is 'right.'"

"If I took first place, I bet I could barge into the Dao Judiciary and kill a Supervisor—and my patriarch would still cover for me."

"Bullshit. I don't buy it."

"I'll kill one and show you. Let's bet—if my patriarch protects me, you'll let me borrow your fiancée for a night."

"Go to hell!"

"You don't believe me?"

"I don't doubt your patriarch would cover for you. I doubt you could ever get first place. With your skill, you think you can win?"

"And you can? You loser. Sure, I can't beat Young Master Shen, but I sure as hell can beat you. Anyway, that fiancée of yours—she's from the Ming family, right? Been drooling over her for a while…"

"Screw off. I don't even dare touch her."

"It's just a little fun. What's the harm..."

The conversation grew more and more vulgar.

—

The two Golden Core bodyguards remained utterly silent. Even the Realm of Ascension elder turned a blind eye and deaf ear.

In their kind of job, the most important skill was simple: hear nothing, say nothing.

These young lords were the true "little ancestors." You couldn't afford to offend them in the slightest.

If you did, and they held a grudge, they'd complain to their parents or elders—or even their clan patriarchs.

Even if you were a Golden Core or Realm of Ascension cultivator, you'd be lucky to escape punishment.

That was power.

And that power stemmed from the massive, terrifying strength of the noble clans behind them.

After a while of noisy bickering, one of the noble youths asked:

"Young Master Shen, why are we going to Lone Mountain City? Isn't this detour too far? I'm afraid I'll miss my clan's ancestral rites."

Shen Linshu didn't answer.

Another youth snapped:

"The Young Master gave the order, so we follow it. Where's all this nonsense coming from?"

"You—"

Shen Linshu ignored their quarrel.

He gazed out the carriage window into the dark night, lost in thought.

That strange feeling returned once more.

Unbidden, he found himself thinking of Mo Hua again.

That clear gaze, that pure and composed face…

"Was that really the first time I saw him? Why does he feel so familiar? Why do I…"

"...feel threatened?"

Me? Threatened?

Shen Linshu's eyes grew colder as he muttered inwardly:

"This Mo Hua… just who the hell is he?"

....

Meanwhile, in the Great Void Sect.

After returning to the sect, Mo Hua finally settled down for the time being.

Over the next few days, he took some time to investigate this "Shen Linshu," but didn't uncover much. All he could confirm was that people like Shen Linshu—even among noble clans—were truly the upper crust, far removed from ordinary disciples like Mo Hua himself. They lived in an entirely different world.

Mo Hua sighed.

Cultivation walls… monopolized legacies… bloodline barriers…

The deeper you looked into it, the more daunting it all became. One chasm after another, one wall taller than the last—it was like trying to scale a mountain that grew taller with every step.

Of course, Mo Hua could only sigh about it. There wasn't much he could do.

After that, he simply resumed his proper duties—cultivating and attending classes.

A new year in the sect began, and everything quickly returned to routine.

This marked Mo Hua's eighth year in the Great Void Sect, and the second-to-last year of the sect's traditional nine-year teaching cycle.

Next year would be the Dao Discourse Conference.

In the Qianxue Province, a disciple could only participate in the Dao Discourse once in their lifetime. That made this opportunity extremely precious.

Mo Hua's participation in the previous Dao Discourse was an exception—he had entered through the back door.

Technically speaking, next year was the one he was truly eligible for.

And now, just like that, only about a year remained before his own Dao Discourse.

Time flew by. Though he had been through so much already, his first day in the sect still felt like yesterday. In the blink of an eye, his nine-year term would be over—he was about to graduate.

Mo Hua couldn't help but feel a subtle sense of urgency—though he couldn't quite put his finger on why.

Great Void Sect – Sect Master's Residence.

High towers stood tall, wreathed in clouds and mist.

Venerable Elder Xun and the Sect Master of the Great Void Sect were sipping tea while discussing sect matters.

"The next Dao Discourse Conference is almost here," the Sect Master sighed. "Less than two years to go…"

Elder Xun silently drank his tea, saying nothing.

After hesitating for a moment, the Sect Master finally asked, some anxiety in his heart:

"Venerable Elder, what do you think? What kind of placement can our sect achieve this time?"

Elder Xun said blandly:

"No point asking me—I'm not a fortune-teller."

"But… don't you specialize in deducing karma?"

"That's deduction, not divination. True fortune-tellers are incredibly rare in the cultivation world.

Besides, if you can deduce something, so can others. Trying to take shortcuts through deduction won't give you an advantage."

The Sect Master looked slightly disappointed, then frowned again:

"Logically speaking, after the three-sect merger, our Great Void Sect's strength is far beyond what it once was. And with Mo Hua securing our position in array formations, even if we can't advance further, we should at least be able to hold our ground. But still…"

He sighed again:

"I can't shake this uneasy feeling… like something big might happen at this Dao Discourse."

Elder Xun's gaze narrowed slightly when he heard that. After a moment, he poured himself another cup of tea and said:

"Do your best and leave the rest to fate. If a tribulation is meant to come, there's no hiding from it."

The Sect Master fell silent.

Elder Xun took another sip, then looked at him and said:

"Rather than worrying, you'd do better to spend more effort cultivating some promising talents. Let them strive for a good ranking at the Sword Debate."

"To forge iron, you need strong metal. If our disciples are strong enough, how could we possibly fail to hold our place?"

After thinking for a moment, the Sect Master nodded:

"You're right, Elder. I'll select more disciples and train them with extra care."

Still, he couldn't help feeling a bit helpless inside.

Easier said than done—this was the Qianxue Province, a land full of geniuses.

The Great Void Sect was already weaker than others when it came to disciple selection. No matter how hard he tried, the top-tier talents were still limited.

And now that the three sects had merged, the population had grown, but so had the expectations.

If this were the old Great Void Sect, even keeping eighth place would've been a blessing.

But now?

They had to at least reach the top three. Otherwise, they wouldn't get a big enough share of the Qianlong Spirit Ore, and they wouldn't have enough resources to support this big family.

Running a sect burns spirit stones like firewood.

Right now, the merged sects were still running on their accumulated reserves.

But if they didn't win a better placement and secure a bigger share of the Qianlong Spirit Ore, they'd eventually run out—and fast.

Once the flow of spirit stones dried up, debts would pile up. At that point, the Great Void Sect would become a giant, hungry shell, destined to decline. It was just a matter of time.

"Running a sect really is just burning spirit stones..." the Sect Master lamented inwardly.

That's why the Sword Debate ranking was so important.

He began seriously considering potential candidates for the competition:

"Linghu Xiao from the Chongxu Sect—once-in-500-years sword genius. He used to be their precious treasure, and now he's ours… No, we're all one sect now. No need to talk about who's benefiting whom…"

"As for the Tai'a Sect, the Ouyang clan has a few decent ones—solid sword techniques…"

"Our Great Void Sect doesn't have anyone particularly dazzling, but thanks to Mo Hua, our 'senior brother,' there's strong camaraderie among the disciples. Their teamwork is tighter…"

As he pondered, a thought struck him. Curious, he asked:

"Elder Xun… what do you think—should Mo Hua compete in the Sword Debate?"

At the mention of Mo Hua, Elder Xun grew serious.

He furrowed his brow and thought for a moment, then slowly shook his head:

"It's not ideal. That child has great skill—but both his strengths and weaknesses are far too obvious. If he really enters the Sword Debate… it'll be too exhausting, and he'll be an easy target."

(End of this Chapter)