Immortality Through Array Formations (The Quest for Immortality)

Chapter 943: Ominous Signs

"Ancestor, can you really rest easy about this...?" Xun Ziyou frowned.

He was only at the late Foundation Establishment stage—not late Golden Core. In a second-grade province, he could still manage, but once they stepped into a third-grade province, the dangers multiplied dramatically.

Some situations were truly riddled with peril—even he, a late-stage Golden Core Elder, might not be able to handle them.

Venerable Elder Xun was silent for a moment, then sighed softly. Instead of answering, he asked a question:

"Do you think Mo Hua will stay in the Great Void Sect?"

Xun Ziyou was taken aback. "You mean... whether he'll enter the Inner Sect?"

The old man nodded.

Xun Ziyou thought for a moment. "He should, right? He's the top genius in array formations. Though his spiritual roots are subpar, his talent in formations is heaven-defying. Plus, he's done so much for our sect—by merit and sentiment, the sect would surely accept him into the Inner Sect…"

"Not to mention, all the elders like the kid. He gets along well with his fellow disciples and is friendly with the elders. If he doesn't stay in the Great Void Inner Sect, where else could he go?"

Venerable Elder Xun shook his head.

"That child is destined... not to remain in the Great Void Sect."

Xun Ziyou was puzzled but didn't dare question further. He only said:

"If he doesn't join the Inner Sect, then he'll have to travel on his own and find a way to form his Golden Core..."

Xun Ziyou frowned deeply, his worry showing.

"Living rough like that—it'll be far too harsh. And who knows how many dangers await..."

And it wasn't just danger.

Elder Xun didn't spell it out.

Mo Hua's true origins were known to almost no one in the Great Void Sect.

And carrying such immense karma, the dangers awaiting him in the future would be even more terrifying—far beyond what normal people could imagine.

The enemies he might one day face… could be unimaginably powerful.

"One can only protect someone for a time, not for a lifetime…"

The old man sighed heavily.

"There are some dangers he must face himself. He must overcome them on his own."

"Misfortune and fortune are two sides of the same coin. In this world, crisis and opportunity are born together. Only by surviving great peril and enduring tempering—by seeking a sliver of opportunity amidst desperate odds—can one truly be reborn through fire, and grow stronger."

"Sect, elders, treasures—these are all external. The 'strength' they offer is something given by others."

"True strength is built from one's own insight, experience, agility, and power. Only by enduring calamities and transforming disaster into fortune does one forge real might."

"Only a sword tempered by fire can gain a true edge."

Xun Ziyou's expression turned solemn. Then he nodded in deep agreement.

Those raised in comfort were often the most fragile. They couldn't handle adversity, and when a true disaster came, their Dao hearts shattered easily.

Most people only admire the shallow things in a cultivator—spiritual roots, bloodline, family background, good looks...

They fail to understand the most precious thing is a Dao heart that has endured countless tribulations and remains unyielding.

And such a Dao heart can only be forged through hardship.

"Your foresight is truly deep, Ancestor," said Xun Ziyou. "If Mo Hua wants to venture out, I'll stop interfering."

He got up to leave—but was called back.

"Hold it."

"I didn't say to truly stop keeping an eye on him."

Xun Ziyou froze. "Ah?"

"You can't completely ignore him."

The elder had clearly thought it through. In the end, he couldn't help worrying.

"A sword's sharpness comes from tempering. The plum blossom's fragrance comes from bitter cold."

Sure, that saying was true. But in the whole Great Void Sect, Mo Hua was the only disciple like this. If he were to suffer some accident—or worse, die due to a single misstep…

Even imagining it made Elder Xun ache inside.

More importantly—Mo Hua, unlike other geniuses, didn't have a Life-Binding Longevity Talisman to fall back on.

Without such a talisman, even the slightest slip could mean total ruin.

And once it was too late, nothing could undo the loss.

In the past, Elder Xun had seriously considered planting one of those talismans on Mo Hua—to give him a guaranteed lifeline in times of crisis.

But… the Great Void Sect didn't have any Hollow Void cultivators on the verge of death.

And even if there were such a person, why would they waste their remaining essence for a child they weren't related to?

Elder Xun had thought of doing it himself.

But he was one of the few Hollow Void cultivators in the sect, and the only one who both knew array formations and had a grasp of fate and divination.

Right now, in the Qianxue Province, the threads of fate were murky. Storms were brewing. The situation was treacherous and unpredictable.

Many important matters still needed his personal attention.

His aging body had to keep burning, to help pass the sect's torch forward.

He couldn't afford to burn away his own foundation for Mo Hua's sake—to give him a Longevity Talisman and sever his own path.

So he had to find another way.

"If Mo Hua leaves the Great Void Sect and travels beyond Qianzhou—distant mountains and rivers—then I won't be able to help him, even if I want to."

"But at least while he's still near Qianxue Province, I need a backup plan to ensure his safety."

Elder Xun took out a pure white jade pendant and handed it to Xun Ziyou.

"This is the Tai Xu Yin-Yang Lock, a treasured artifact of our sect. It currently hangs on Mo Hua's neck, guarding his karmic fate."

"This jade pendant is its pair. It can sense a portion of his karmic aura."

"If it remains white, all is peaceful and Mo Hua is safe."

"If it turns pale red—minor danger. Deep red—major crisis."

"If it turns black…" Elder Xun's gaze darkened.

"…That's the omen of death."

Xun Ziyou's face grew grim.

The old man gave him the jade pendant and instructed:

"Keep it with you. Follow him, but not too closely. Let him face his own trials. But if he encounters a life-and-death crisis—you must protect him at all costs."

Xun Ziyou received the pendant solemnly, feeling the heavy weight of it—not just in his hand, but in his heart.

In a third-grade province, if all went smoothly, he should be able to handle any danger as a late Golden Core sword cultivator of the Great Void Sect.

But... better safe than sorry.

If something really went wrong and Mo Hua was harmed, even if he died trying to save him—it would be meaningless if he failed.

"Ancestor... what if I truly can't save him?" Xun Ziyou asked, brows furrowed.

Elder Xun was silent for a moment, then solemnly replied:

"If things become impossible—crush the Void Sword Talisman."

Xun Ziyou's heart skipped a beat.

This was the second time the old man had mentioned the Void Sword Talisman.

Its use showed just how much Mo Hua meant to Elder Xun...

Or perhaps, how important Mo Hua was to the Great Void Sect itself.

But Xun Ziyou was still confused.

"In a third-grade province, the realm barrier is active. Even if I shatter the talisman, won't it still be impossible to break through the void...?"

"That's not your concern. I've made arrangements." Elder Xun replied flatly.

Xun Ziyou didn't know what his ancestor had planned, nor did he dare ask.

Elder Xun flicked his fingers in a brief divination, brow twitching. Then he said:

"It's getting late. Set out early. Follow him from the shadows. You know how to do this…"

Then he added pointedly:

"And don't mess up like last time. A late Golden Core tailing a Foundation Establishment kid—and he noticed."

Xun Ziyou looked embarrassed.

"Understood. I'll be careful this time…"

"Go on." Elder Xun waved him off.

Xun Ziyou accepted the order and departed.

Now the Elders' Residence was quiet again—only Elder Xun remained.

He stared at the fuzzy and chaotic threads of fate on the divination compass, brows tightly furrowed. After a long time, he sighed deeply:

"This... is as far as I can protect you…"

"Whether this journey brings great fortune or grave danger… only you can find out for yourself."

...

On the mountain road of Qianxue Province, Mo Hua sat in a carriage, heading toward the remote Lone Mountain City.

After about half a day, he arrived.

The old city, built against the mountains, was worn and desolate. The mountain stones were pitch black, the woods bleak and sparse. From afar, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but Mo Hua couldn't shake the feeling—something strange was hiding within these mountains.

Upon entering Lone Mountain City, Mo Hua first went to find Shen Xiuyan.

In a private booth of a secluded teahouse, Shen Xiuyan handed Mo Hua a storage pouch.

"Everything you asked for, young master, is in this bag. But the time was short, and my authority is limited. I could only gather some scraps from the edges—many things are fragmented and might not be useful," Shen Xiuyan said in a low voice.

Mo Hua took the storage pouch, glanced inside, and cupped his hands in thanks.

"Much appreciated."

"As long as it helps," Shen Xiuyan replied, then offered a slightly apologetic smile. "I can't stay long."

He was a Shen family elder, and Mo Hua was a prodigy of the Great Void Sect. Although their two factions weren't outright enemies, being seen together could still spark suspicion.

Especially since, to some extent, Shen Xiuyan was betraying his own family.

If this got out, there'd be no way to explain it.

Mo Hua understood that too. He nodded, "Elder Shen, please take your leave. I won't see you off."

Shen Xiuyan let out a breath of relief, stood, gave a respectful bow, and departed.

Now, Mo Hua was left alone in the teahouse.

He thought for a moment, then stayed where he was, opening the storage pouch and sipping tea while flipping through the files Shen Xiuyan had given him.

The teahouse was quiet, undisturbed.

Mo Hua, with his powerful spiritual sense and focused attention, finished browsing through the documents within half an hour. He then sank into deep thought.

The records detailed the Shen family's mining operations in Lone Mountain—spanning centuries. They covered all sorts of aspects: the deployment of cultivators, engineering arrangements, spiritual machinery layouts, spirit-contract regulations, ore circulation, spirit stone pricing, copper ore reserve estimates, surname records of rogue cultivators... and more.

Some even detailed conflicts between the Shen family and rogue cultivators.

While these documents were vast in scope, they were scattered—snapshots of different events over hundreds of years.

Still, Mo Hua was able to piece together a general impression of the mining operations.

But any deeper truth remained elusive. He couldn't see the full picture.

What caught his eye, though, was the subject of the "orphans" in Lone Mountain City.

He noticed a sudden spike in the number of orphans during a certain time period—but none of the documents explained what happened.

Was it because the plight of rogue cultivators wasn't worth recording?

Or were there documents that were sealed by the Shen family?

Or worse... had they been destroyed?

Mo Hua furrowed his brows, suspicions deepening.

"What exactly did the Shen family do in Lone Mountain?"

"Could it be related to the evil fetus?"

"Three burrows for a cunning rabbit—one mountain, one water, one person... Could there truly be an evil fetus hidden inside Lone Mountain?"

"If so, where is it?"

Mo Hua spent the rest of the day poring through the scrolls, hoping to find a clue.

But despite combing through everything, he found nothing solid.

So—he decided to go see the Shen family's mountain area for himself.

He didn't bring along Master Gu.

Mo Hua planned to go alone—using his concealment arts to sneak in unnoticed. It would be much easier solo, and he didn't want to drag Master Gu into this.

Mo Hua had the Great Void Sect behind him. In Lone Mountain City, he was free to come and go without much concern.

But Master Gu was different. He held no real power in the Gu family, and was responsible for a whole group of crafting apprentices and their livelihoods. He couldn't just disappear—he'd be a sitting duck for retaliation if the Shen family were provoked.

Mo Hua had already assessed the situation.

Although Lone Mountain City was part of a third-grade province, it was a poor one.

Most Golden Core cultivators passing through were only early-stage.

Now that he had integrated his Concealment Art, Flowing Water Steps, and Water Shadow Phantom Body, even if he couldn't win against an early-stage Golden Core cultivator, he could definitely escape.

With his decision made, Mo Hua tidied up, cloaked himself in invisibility, and slipped alone into the mountains.

At the same time, over at the Shen family estate in Lone Mountain City…

Shen Xiuyan had boarded his carriage and was preparing to return to Little Spirit Sect.

Even though he'd only handed Mo Hua some less-important records, it still counted as leaking information.

Not a major crime, perhaps—but best to get away quickly and avoid unnecessary trouble.

Truth be told, just seeing Mo Hua lately made Shen Xiuyan uneasy. Knowing what he knew about the young man's background… he didn't really want to interact with him at all.

As he steered the carriage toward the sect—

He was suddenly stopped by someone coming down the road.

An unremarkable-looking man, but with an imposing aura, dressed in the robes of a Shen family elder—Shen Shouxing, one of the Shen family's true power holders.

"Xiuyan?" Shen Shouxing greeted.

Shen Xiuyan had no choice but to step out and bow politely. "Senior Brother Shouxing."

"Leaving so soon?"

"The sect has some matters that need tending," Shen Xiuyan answered.

Shen Shouxing nodded, then said,

"There's something I need to ask you. Come with me."

Shen Xiuyan felt a twinge of unease. Shen Shouxing had a higher cultivation and greater authority—he couldn't refuse.

The two did have some personal connection, but in a great clan, friendship was no match for interests.

"Alright," Shen Xiuyan replied.

They headed to a side hall, where someone served them tea.

Shen Shouxing dismissed the attendants. Once they were alone, he sat in silence for a moment—then finally said:

"A few years ago, you helped me ask for a divination…"

"A divination?"

Shen Xiuyan froze—then slowly exhaled in relief.

He'd thought it was about Mo Hua.

False alarm.

"That divination said," Shen Shouxing frowned, "that I would only have one son in this life, correct?"

Shen Xiuyan didn't know why this topic came up—but after a moment's thought, it clicked.

Ah. His "trump card" was wasted. He wanted to start again.

Shen Xiuyan nodded. "That's right."

"That divination… can't be changed?"

Shen Xiuyan paused in thought before replying,

"This divination—I had someone seek it from the elders of the Mystic Secrets Valley (Xuánjī Gǔ). They said the cause and effect are already set. This is your fate. Whatever you've done, whatever karma you've sowed—it can't be changed."

To be fair, this whole divination had been rather strange from the start.

Originally, he had wanted Old Man Wen to read it.

Old Wen came from Mystic Secrets Valley and possessed a treasure called the Trigram Coins of the Three Essences. It wasn't exactly all-knowing, but it could reliably predict fortune and disaster.

Back in the day, he had traveled with Old Wen and Young Lord Yun to cities like Tongxian, Nanyue, and Lizhou.

Along the way, their survival had often depended on Old Wen's fortune-telling skills.

But ever since that incident, after returning, Old Wen had been traumatized.

He said he feared being entangled in strange karma, and sealed away his own divination arts.

"For fifty years, I will not divine fate. I will not read cause and effect. I just want to survive."

Shen Xiuyan had no choice but to ask Old Wen for an introduction and then requested another elder from Mystic Secrets Valley to divine Shen Shouxing's fate.

When that elder finished the reading, his expression had turned ashen.

He had said some very unpleasant things.

Shen Xiuyan didn't dare repeat those words directly, so he had only relayed the milder part:

"Your fate is sealed. In this life, you will have only one son."

But truthfully, they hadn't taken it that seriously back then.

Karma was intangible, and a divination was just a divination—it didn't necessarily mean anything.

Yet now, Shen Shouxing really had only one son.

He had an official Dao companion, and countless concubines kept in secret, but not a single one had ever shown signs of pregnancy.

That was starting to feel… eerie.

And now that only son—Shen Qingsheng—was unruly, arrogant, and always stirring up trouble.

Raising a child is like growing a tree. If a tree grows crooked, you can prune the branches and straighten the trunk.

But if a child is raised wrong… it's too late. You can't fix it.

Shen Xiuyan, reflecting on all this, began to feel some sympathy for this powerful elder.

"So… you want to get another divination?"

Shen Shouxing nodded.

"I'll trouble you, Brother Xiuyan."

"And if…" Shen Xiuyan hesitated, "the result is still the same?"

Shen Shouxing frowned.

"Then please ask whether there is any way to reverse fate and alter my destiny…"

"Reverse fate… alter destiny…" Shen Xiuyan murmured, his gaze unfocused. Then he nodded.

"Alright. I'll ask for you."

"Thank you," Shen Shouxing cupped his hands.

With that, their conversation ended.

Shen Shouxing finished his tea and got up to leave. But after taking a few steps, he noticed Shen Xiuyan still sitting in his chair—completely still.

Shen Shouxing furrowed his brow.

"Brother Xiuyan?"

Shen Xiuyan sat motionless, his expression dazed. It was as if he couldn't hear anything—and had lost awareness of his surroundings.

"You…"

Shen Shouxing's frown deepened.

At that moment, a low, unfamiliar voice rang out:

"No need for another divination."

"What?" Shen Shouxing blinked in surprise.

Shen Xiuyan slowly lifted his head. His eyes were dull, with a hint of gray.

"I've already divined it for you," he said in a low, eerie voice.

"You will only ever have this one son."

The moment Shen Shouxing met Shen Xiuyan's gaze, his own eyes lost focus. His vision dimmed.

He muttered softly:

"I will only ever have… this one son."

Shen Xiuyan's voice turned even darker:

"If this son dies… your bloodline ends."

"If this son dies… my bloodline ends," Shen Shouxing echoed, word for word.

Those words took root in his mind—like a seed buried deep in his soul.

"I only have this one son…"

"If he dies, my bloodline ends…"

"My bloodline ends…"

Shen Shouxing's eyes went completely gray for a moment—but then gradually regained their clarity and brightness. He snapped out of it and turned to look at Shen Xiuyan.

Shen Xiuyan, too, looked slightly confused. Then he stood and bowed slightly.

"It's getting late. I need to return to the sect."

"I won't keep you, then," Shen Shouxing replied politely.

"Farewell."

"Take care."

They parted ways as if nothing had happened.

Shen Xiuyan boarded his carriage. Hooves clattered. The wheels rolled quietly as he left Lone Mountain City, heading back to Little Spirit Sect.

Mountains passed by on either side.

In the carriage, Shen Xiuyan sat for a while in a daze. Then, frowning, he muttered:

"Did I… say something to Shen Shouxing just now?"

"Seems like… we didn't talk much. Just had a cup of tea?"

"Right… there wasn't really anything to talk about anyway."

"Can't quite remember…"

He shook his head.

"Maybe I'm just tired. Or dreaming too much. My mind feels cloudy…"

Lately, he'd been dreaming again.

Dreaming of that dark little ruined temple outside Lizhou City.

But it wasn't a nightmare anymore.

He didn't slit his own throat in fear.

Now… it was just an ordinary dream.

It wasn't so terrifying. Not so dark. Not so bloody.

And in that dream, the figure of little Mo Hua roasting sweet potatoes had grown clearer and more vivid each time.

Shen Xiuyan exhaled softly.

He sat in his carriage at peace, headed back to Little Spirit Sect.

What he didn't yet realize… was that even as Mo Hua's image grew clearer in his dreams…

the figure of the robed man in the shadows… was also growing sharper.

(End of this Chapter)