Immortality Through Array Formations (The Quest for Immortality)

Chapter 977: Changing Fate

Later, Mo Hua took some time out of his day to visit the little garden next to the outer disciple quarters—specifically, to check in on the big white dog.

The big white dog was dozing off.

It wasn't until Mo Hua stood directly in front of it that the dog suddenly jolted awake. Startled, it jumped up, saw that it was Mo Hua, stuck out its tongue, and tried to lie back down.

But before it could settle, it slowly stood up again. Its large eyes stared at Mo Hua, scanning him left and right, even sniffing at the aura surrounding his body.

Then, as if it suddenly realized something, the dog shuddered violently. All the white fur on its body stood on end—it stared at Mo Hua, completely dumbfounded.

It could clearly sense that Mo Hua had become much stronger, terrifyingly so.

There was now a thick, pitiful wall between them—a gap in strength so wide it felt insurmountable.

The big white dog stood frozen like a clay statue, stunned and windblown.

Mo Hua found the reaction hilarious. He pulled out a bone and tossed it to the dog.

Just an ordinary bone—nothing fancy.

The big white dog snorted in disdain at first, clearly unimpressed. But after sniffing it for a few moments, it caught the powerful scent of demonic and monstrous qi.

Its eyes lit up instantly, drool dripping from its jaws.

This bone was a custom-made snack from Mo Hua.

He had used divine path array techniques to seal a portion of the monster essence he had extracted while occupying the Evil God's throne—leftovers from the Nightmare of the Evil Fetus.

Mo Hua had promised to bring the big white dog some "tasty treats," so when the opportunity arose, he'd saved a bit of that monster for it.

The big white dog gnawed on the bone, slurping up the demonic essence as its tail wagged furiously. The grudge it had started to harbor was quickly forgotten. Once again, Mo Hua was its "best friend."

Mo Hua gave the fur on its neck a good rub.

The dog responded by rubbing its giant head affectionately against him.

Nearby, in the study pavilion, the Sect Master of the Great Void Sect was holding a book in his hands, blankly watching the scene play out.

The more he saw, the more utterly confounded he felt.

After feeding the dog, Mo Hua returned to his quarters, feeling content.

The next day was a ten-day rest period.

Following his plan, Mo Hua made a trip to the Dao Court Office and requested a meeting with Supervisor Xia, a cultivator at the Feathered Transformation Realm.

Supervisor Xia came from the Xia family and served as a central inspector for the Dao Court. His position and authority were considerable—ordinary people wouldn't even get the chance to see him.

But when he heard Mo Hua had come, Supervisor Xia personally postponed several meetings with clan leaders and sect representatives just to meet with him.

"Supervisor Xia, greetings," Mo Hua said respectfully.

"Good," Supervisor Xia nodded, clearly pleased. He extended his hand in invitation.

"Take a seat, young brother."

There was a simple table and a chair next to him, with a modest cup of tea steeping on top.

The furniture looked ordinary. The tea had a plain taste.

But this was Supervisor Xia's office.

Normally, even the heads of mid-tier clans or sects wouldn't be qualified to sit here—they'd have to stand and be interrogated. And as for drinking tea here? Absolutely out of the question.

Mo Hua didn't overthink it. He sat down calmly, took a sip of the tea, and glanced around. Inwardly, he thought:

"This Supervisor Xia… actually seems pretty clean."

The room wasn't much larger than Uncle Gu's office. Simple layout, minimal decor—not too different overall.

Of course, this was inside the Dao Court. Who knew what shady dealings he might be up to privately?

Mo Hua took another slow sip of tea.

Meanwhile, Supervisor Xia was also quietly observing Mo Hua.

This young man sat comfortably, drinking tea with ease, showing no signs of nervousness despite being in front of a Dao Court inspector. He was respectful, yes—but not submissive or tense.

Supervisor Xia couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Truly a monstrous talent raised by a true elder. So young, yet already showing such composure and poise.

Supervisor Xia nodded slightly and finally spoke:

"Young brother, to what do I owe this visit?"

Mo Hua got straight to the point. "It's about the Shen family."

Even with Supervisor Xia's deep patience and composure, his eyes narrowed slightly.

He hadn't expected Mo Hua to be so blunt. No pretense, no circling around—just straight-up coming to talk about the Shen family.

"Supervisor Xia," Mo Hua said quietly, "you're probably already aware—I went to the Shen family's mine."

Supervisor Xia was silent for a moment, then nodded.

The whole situation with the Shen family had consumed almost all his attention these past few days.

Thanks to the channels available to the Dao Court, he knew the root of the incident began when two disciples were "kidnapped" by grave robbers and taken into the abandoned Shen family mine.

More people went in afterward, and that's when the full conflict exploded.

One of the "kidnapped" disciples was Shen Qingsheng of the Shen family.

The other was—Mo Hua.

Because of Mo Hua's identity, Supervisor Xia hadn't dared investigate too deeply.

Besides, while the Great Void Sect had remained outwardly quiet, Elder Xun had already begun suppressing and sealing off all news about Mo Hua behind the scenes.

Even if Supervisor Xia wanted to dig into it, he'd be stonewalled at every turn.

Mo Hua understood this too.

He knew that somewhere in the shadows, Elder Xun had always been silently covering for him.

But even so, some things couldn't stay buried forever.

There are no walls in the world that let no wind through.

Mo Hua had to start solving his own problems—had to begin learning how to deal with major figures like Supervisor Xia.

"Supervisor Xia," Mo Hua said softly, "do you want to know what really happened beneath that mine?"

Supervisor Xia considered it for a moment and nodded.

Of course he wanted to.

He'd already heard fragmented whispers about what happened in Lone Mountain.

But those were just bits and pieces—secondhand accounts, full of fog and half-truths. Not the full picture, and certainly not the whole truth.

The deeper, more critical parts—he had no way of accessing them.

Would Mo Hua really tell him everything so easily?

Supervisor Xia's eyes flickered with doubt.

But to his surprise, Mo Hua simply sipped his tea, cleared his throat, and began.

From the very beginning: how he discovered irregularities in Lone Mountain…

To encountering grave robbers…

To entering the Shen family tomb…

The corpse revenants…

The ten-thousand corpse coffin seal…

The crowd of demonic cultivators—including the Prince of the Great Wilderness, the Demon Sect's Second Elder, a late-stage Golden Core beast cultivator, and the heir of the Profound Demon Sect…

And finally, what the Shen family had done. The origin of the mass grave. The purpose of the tomb. The truth behind the Great Wilderness royal family's planned restoration…

Mo Hua left out only the most sensitive details—secrets relating to the Evil God and Lord Huangshan's divine path.

Everything else, he told Supervisor Xia in full.

Even someone as experienced and powerful as Supervisor Xia found it hard to believe after hearing it all.

A ten-thousand corpse pit. Aristocratic families committing mass slaughter. The Demon Sect raising dragons. The Great Wilderness plotting rebellion…

The threads of causality were tangled far too tightly.

And the consequences—absolutely dire.

Especially the part about "raising dragons" and "rebellion"—both were lines clearly drawn by the Dao Court.

If they remained in the shadows, fine. But if even a hint of this came to light and was sensationalized by the wrong parties, it could shake the foundations of the Dao Court itself.

Supervisor Xia was secretly shocked.

He looked again at Mo Hua—this boy who had somehow survived that mess of demonic monsters and late-stage Golden Core bloodbaths, and now sat here sipping tea like nothing had happened.

He frowned.

The Xia family's prodigies might have better talent, higher cultivation, or greater ambition—but when it comes to capability and mental resilience…

Few could compare to this one.

Supervisor Xia sat in deep silence, slowly digesting everything Mo Hua had told him.

After a long pause, his gaze sharpened slightly.

"Young brother… You told me all this because you want me to… take action against the Shen family?"

Mo Hua asked: "Would you?"

Supervisor Xia replied: "Lone Mountain was mostly destroyed by the Shen family. Everything inside was turned to dust and buried deep underground. Even if there was evidence… most of it's long gone. No proof, no crime."

He said it that way—but Mo Hua knew: even if there were proof, that didn't mean Supervisor Xia would actually act.

Aristocratic families prioritize interests.

The Dao Court balances political pressure.

No one puts "fairness" or "justice" first.

Not even Supervisor Xia.

Supervisor Xia was the same.

He might not be a bad person, but he certainly wasn't a good one either. When it came to dealing with people and handling affairs, he would always weigh the pros and cons first, seeking the greatest benefit.

If Mo Hua was useful to him, he'd naturally try to win him over. But the moment Mo Hua lost his value, Supervisor Xia wouldn't hesitate to sell him out.

The Shen family case was no different.

If there really was "evidence" in Supervisor Xia's hands, his first thought wouldn't be justice—it would be how to leverage that evidence to benefit the Xia family and himself.

Mo Hua never expected Supervisor Xia to truly take down the Shen family.

His goal was only to hand Supervisor Xia the "knife," to give him a wedge—an opening to carve off a chunk of the Shen family's fat.

Supervisor Xia represented the vast Xia clan, and the Dao Court's overwhelming authority. As long as he stepped into the ring, the Shen family would be under enormous pressure.

They wouldn't have the time or energy to deal with Mo Hua.

Even if, in the end, Supervisor Xia chose to "collude" with the Shen family, that would still mean he had extracted a significant share of the profits from them.

To "buy off" a Dao Court inspector of his level, the price would be immense.

The Shen family would have to bleed heavily.

And as long as their strength was weakened, that was a win in Mo Hua's book.

The Shen family was a fifth-grade aristocratic clan—a true powerhouse in Qianxue Prefecture. Mo Hua, as a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator, couldn't possibly bring them down alone.

Even though the Lone Mountain incident had come to light, with the Shen family's patriarch pulling strings behind the scenes, the final outcome was unlikely to be ideal.

That was why Mo Hua's strategy was to stir the pot as much as possible.

As long as the Shen family was forced to scramble and clean up their mess, their attention wouldn't be on him.

And once others had taken too big a bite out of the Shen family, once they'd been wounded deeply enough, internal fractures would begin to surface.

Even a centipede, though dead, doesn't stiffen easily.

The downfall of an aristocratic family rarely happens overnight.

And this… was the best Mo Hua could do for now.

As for how much the Shen family would be forced to cough up this time—Mo Hua wasn't sure. But he believed in two things:

—The greed of aristocrats,

—And the craftiness of the Dao Court.

Anything beyond that… wasn't his concern.

Mo Hua told Supervisor Xia honestly:

"I don't like the Shen family. But the Lone Mountain matter is too huge. I need to focus on cultivation—I can't manage everything, nor do I have the ability to."

"Besides, upholding the Dao's laws and enforcing justice is the Dao Court's responsibility. I'm just a humble sect disciple. All I can do is fulfill my duty and share the Shen family's secrets. The matter of justice… is in your hands, Supervisor."

He said it nobly—and distanced himself from the consequences.

Everything that followed was now official business for the Dao Court.

Supervisor Xia gave him a long, deep look.

"Is that all?"

"Mm." Mo Hua nodded.

"You have no requests?"

Mo Hua thought for a moment, then said:

"Just one—please don't mention me. If the Shen family finds out I leaked this to you, they'll do everything they can to make life difficult for me. I won't be able to cultivate peacefully in the Great Void Sect."

Supervisor Xia solemnly nodded.

"Of course. You can rest assured."

In the Dao Court, informants were strictly protected.

Even more so for someone like Mo Hua.

If he'd chosen not to reveal these matters, the Dao Court wouldn't blame him. But since he came forward voluntarily, both morally and politically, the Dao Court was obliged to keep his identity secret.

Otherwise, they'd offend the Great Void Sect and lose their own credibility as inspectors.

In a way, this was also Mo Hua's gesture of goodwill—and Supervisor Xia had no reason to reject it.

"This matter," Supervisor Xia promised, "only you and I know. Heaven and earth may know no more."

Mo Hua nodded, feeling reassured.

"Right," Mo Hua suddenly recalled, "Supervisor, are you familiar with Fan Jin, the local magistrate?"

Supervisor Xia thought for a moment.

"You mean the magistrate of Lone Mountain City?"

"Yes." Mo Hua nodded.

Supervisor Xia's expression grew slightly serious.

"Regarding Lone Mountain, I sent people to question him. His answers were vague and evasive."

Mo Hua replied,

"He's afraid of Shen family retaliation, so he's being cautious. He was with me in the tomb beneath Lone Mountain. If there's anything you don't know, feel free to ask him directly. If he's too intimidated to speak the truth, just mention my name."

"Mention your name?"

"Yes," Mo Hua confirmed. "In the tomb, Magistrate Fan helped me a lot—we're fairly close. If you mention me, he'll talk."

This, too, was Mo Hua giving Fan Jin an opportunity.

Fan Jin came from a poor background with no real connections. He wanted to rise but had run into walls at every turn.

Now that Mo Hua had mentioned him to Supervisor Xia, he was giving the man a ladder to climb.

Whether Fan Jin could seize the chance—that was up to him.

Supervisor Xia understood exactly what Mo Hua meant.

If someone like Fan Jin could earn Mo Hua's trust and even be brought up in front of a Dao Court inspector, he clearly had some ability.

"Fan Jin," Supervisor Xia nodded, "Alright. I'll remember."

With all said and done, Mo Hua downed the rest of his tea, stood, and respectfully said:

"Thank you for your time, Supervisor. I'll take my leave now."

"Take care, young brother. Come by anytime."

Supervisor Xia remained composed and courteous.

Mo Hua bowed and left calmly.

Once he'd gone, Supervisor Xia sat in silence, frowning, still deep in thought—not about the Shen family anymore, but about Mo Hua:

"Say what you will… just this poise alone is extraordinary."

"He's shrewd, and what's rare is—he doesn't let it show."

"What a pity… his background and bloodline are too low. He doesn't meet the marriage threshold for the Xia family's main line. The rules of the aristocracy are too strict… otherwise…"

Supervisor Xia let out a faint sigh.

After leaving Supervisor Xia, Mo Hua happened to pass by and visited Uncle Gu Changhuai. He had some snacks, chatted a bit, and then returned to the Great Void Sect.

After that, Mo Hua stayed quietly indoors for some time.

Ten days later, once the Lone Mountain incident had settled down, and everything with Supervisor Xia was wrapped up, he finally stepped out—planning a trip to Lone Mountain City.

Xun Ziyou still accompanied him.

That was the patriarch's decree: as long as Mo Hua remained within the sect, fine. But the moment he left, Xun Ziyou had to follow—no room for mistakes.

It wasn't a big deal to Xun Ziyou—he was already used to playing Mo Hua's "bodyguard," and didn't find it odd.

But this time, Elder Xun's attitude was even more serious than usual—almost overprotective, as if he were guarding a sect treasure.

Xun Ziyou found it strange.

Was it just because of the Lone Mountain incident and fear of the Shen family's retaliation?

Or was there… some deeper reason?

On the carriage, Xun Ziyou couldn't help but study Mo Hua.

The more he looked, the more he felt that Mo Hua was… different from before. There was a vague, hazy mist shrouding him, as if cloaked in a subtle veil that made him harder to read.

"What new method did the old ancestor use now...?"

Xun Ziyou shook his head and sighed inwardly:

"Even a biological grandson wouldn't get this level of treatment…"

He put those thoughts away, no longer overthinking, and instead released his divine sense, staying alert for potential danger along the road.

The bumpy ride eventually brought them to Lone Mountain City.

It had been more than half a month, and the city was now noticeably quieter.

Because of the previous upheaval—when major aristocratic clans and sects had their Golden Core cultivators mix into a chaotic confrontation—though the city's cultivators weren't directly harmed, the entire city had been shaken to its core.

Most cultivators had gone into hiding.

The streets were growing more and more desolate, and wandering cultivators were becoming rare.

In the distance, half of Lone Mountain had collapsed. Compared to "Lone Mountain City," it now looked more like "Half-Mountain City."

This was the Shen family's doing.

To cover up their crimes, they burned corpses, buried tombs, and finally blew up half the mountain—burying everything under layers of stone, so deep it might never be uncovered again.

This was a third-grade state-level territory. The mountain stone in Lone Mountain was also of third-grade hardness—extremely tough and difficult to excavate.

Once buried, it was nearly impossible to dig out again.

That included the Demonic Embryo Temple buried in the deepest part of Lone Mountain.

Mo Hua silently stared at the half-collapsed mountain.

Even now, just recalling that temple gave him an eerie, lingering sense of unease.

He couldn't shake the feeling… that something had slipped right past him.

But now that the temple had sunk into the depths, there was no way to investigate further.

Mo Hua withdrew his gaze, choosing not to dwell on it.

The carriage passed through the city gates smoothly; there were barely any foreign cultivators on the streets now.

All traces of the major clans and sects were gone—including the Shen family.

The Shen family had been stripped of all rights to Lone Mountain City by the Dao Court.

This was thanks to Supervisor Xia's efforts—using the authority of the Dao Court to forcibly expel all Shen family cultivators from Lone Mountain City, and issue a ban preventing them from ever reentering.

Though the Shen family had hidden the evidence, they had blown up half the mountain. That alone was a serious offense in the eyes of the Dao Court.

On top of that, everyone had suspicions about what really happened beneath Lone Mountain. No one was stupid.

Knowing they had no moral high ground, the Shen family dared not press the issue.

Once they left, all the other families and sects who had hoped to carve a slice from the Shen family's hide also backed off.

No one cared about this now impoverished, remote, and hollowed-out Lone Mountain City.

Now, Lone Mountain City was truly "peaceful."

Mo Hua, still in the carriage, traveled down the street to Master Gu's artifact workshop.

Master Gu had already been waiting at the door. When he saw Mo Hua, he immediately cupped his hands and bowed respectfully:

"Much thanks to Young Master Mo."

"Master Gu, no need to be so polite," Mo Hua replied with a gentle smile. "Is everything ready?"

"As you instructed—and with the Gu family's approval, as well as permission from Lady Wan—the spirit machines have all been delivered, and the manpower arrangements are complete."

"Good. Then let's begin."

Mo Hua nodded, his gaze sharp and bright.

He had come to give the wandering cultivators of Lone Mountain City a foundation—a way to survive and make a living.

As a divine sense cultivator with twenty spirit marks and a second-grade high-level array master, his formation skills were already deeply profound.

Relying on his own strength, Mo Hua was already capable of doing a great many things.

He still remembered the night in Tongxian City, standing before the thousands of lanterns, when he formed his Dao Heart:

In this life, he would cultivate diligently, master array formations, and with heaven-piercing arrays, seek immortality, and defy fate.

To change his own fate—

And to change the fate of all the struggling cultivators beneath the heavens.

Now, Mo Hua was no longer that green youth fresh out of the academy. He knew full well the Nine Provinces of the world were vast, and such a grand aspiration… was incredibly difficult.

But—

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

Great undertakings must start from humble efforts.

Now, he had entered the Great Void Sect and become a leading figure in the path of formations. His divine sense had formed a Golden Core.

His own destiny was already beginning to shift.

So—within the range of what he could manage—he wanted to help rewrite the fate of these poor cultivators too.

Change the fate of one person first.

Then change the fate of a city.

Grains of sand build a tower; drops of water become a river.

One day, when his Dao had reached the heavens and his formations could stir fate itself—

He would alter the heavenly patterns of the Nine Provinces.

He would change the destiny of the common people under the heavens.

And with that— He would prove his Dao Heart.

And pursue true immortality.

(End of this Chapter)