Immortality Through Array Formations (The Quest for Immortality)

Chapter 983: A god Imparting the Dao

Lord Huang gave Mo Hua a suspicious glance.

By now, it had been several years since he last saw him.

Earlier, due to the overwhelming gratitude over the Lifebound God Statue, he had been too emotional—so much so that he thought Mo Hua looked radiant and divine, glowing with golden light.

But now, looking closely… Lord Huang realized—it wasn't an illusion.

Mo Hua's divine sense was indeed faintly emitting golden light.

And this kind of light—only divine beings could perceive.

Moreover, Mo Hua's spiritual aura had become even deeper, even more hidden, like the vastness of the ocean. It had clearly evolved.

The stronger the divine sense, the harder it is to perceive.

An absurd thought floated into Lord Huang's mind.

"Little friend, you—" Lord Huang wanted to say something but stopped.

"What is it?" Mo Hua asked.

Lord Huang hesitated for a while, then shook his head.

"It's nothing."

He didn't dare voice it.

Humans and gods are fundamentally different.

To walk the Path of Apotheosis as a mortal—flesh and blood—was an immense taboo.

Those who attempted it would inevitably attract great calamity.

If this secret were ever revealed, it would not only bring divine wrath but also provoke the heavens themselves—and possibly, be met with execution by other gods.

Apotheosis in mortal flesh… is a blasphemy against divinity.

And for ordinary cultivators who try to reach godhood through the path of Dao transformation, the dangers are no less terrifying.

Any misstep along the way could turn one into an aberrant flesh-born evil god, spreading corrupted intent like a plague across the world.

In all Lord Huang's long life, only a few ancient cultivators—ones who were prodigiously gifted, practically mad geniuses in divine sense—had dared walk this path.

And even then, those people… could hardly be called "human" anymore.

He looked at Mo Hua again.

He was certain: Mo Hua was still made of flesh and blood. He was undeniably human.

Even with a powerful divine sense, Mo Hua still possessed abundant humanity, a resolute Dao heart, and a bright, spirited presence.

The more Lord Huang looked, the more uneasy he felt.

But he said nothing—and silently buried the suspicion deep in his heart.

He even forced himself to forget it.

After all, Mo Hua had shown him an unfathomable kindness.

If Mo Hua was truly walking the forbidden path of Dao Transformation into Godhood, then it was better not to speak it aloud.

Better still, to act like he never noticed.

Still uneasy, Lord Huang's eyes flickered as he subtly warned:

"There is a fundamental divide between humans and gods."

"Between man and deity lies a vast chasm. That boundary must never be crossed."

"No matter what happens, violating that boundary… will bring disaster."

Mo Hua instantly understood his meaning and nodded.

"I understand."

Only then did Lord Huang finally exhale in relief. He continued:

"When a cultivator refines spiritual power, each realm marks a transformation—"

"First realm, Qi Refining: spirit power is like mist."

"Second realm, Foundation Establishment: spirit power becomes like mercury."

"Third realm, Golden Core: spirit power crystallizes—"

"But the divine sense of cultivators… doesn't change like that."

"From first to second tier, divine sense doubles, and so on… But it's all just increased quantity, not a fundamental shift."

"True qualitative changes in divine sense belong to gods."

"First-rank gods: divine sense like mist. Second-rank: like mercury. Third-rank: crystallized—"

"This is the 'form shift' of divine sense—changes in its physical state."

"But beyond form, divine sense also undergoes 'essence shift'—this is called Dao Transformation."

"It's when the innate Dao manifests and cultivates divine essence. The rarer that essence, the deeper the Dao transformation, the truer the origin, the higher the god's rank, and the more powerful their laws."

"High-ranked gods possess vast origins and profound 'Dao Transformation' power. Some can even defy rank boundaries and kill superior gods."

Lord Huang began to explain these divine secrets in great detail to Mo Hua.

This set of godhood knowledge was much more complete than what he had shared before.

That's because after merging with his Lifebound God Statue, some of Lord Huang's lost memories had returned, and the knowledge became whole.

There was also another reason: Lord Huang had never brought it up before because he never imagined that this mischievous, clever little human Mo Hua might actually be walking the forbidden path of Dao-based Apotheosis.

But now… it seemed likely.

So he concluded: Mo Hua would definitely find this useful.

Thus, he spared no detail and explained it thoroughly.

Mo Hua, after listening, gained immensely.

In a certain sense—this was a true "god imparting the Dao."

Though Lord Huang was now fallen and faded, he had once been a peak third-rank Mountain God, steeped in experience, possessing deep heritage and terrifying power.

Otherwise, the Wildlands Evil Gods wouldn't have schemed so hard to seize his body and temple.

To have such a being personally teach him—was beyond precious.

This kind of direct divine instruction was, in a way, a divine taboo.

Very few in the world might even know this knowledge.

Even someone like Venerable Elder Xun of the Hollow Void Realm probably wouldn't understand it.

After all… Elder Xun didn't have a divine buddy to sit and drink with.

"Thank you, Mountain Lord." Mo Hua cupped his hands in gratitude.

"No need to be so formal, little friend." Lord Huang sighed.

Retrieving the Lifebound God Statue was a debt so immense, he couldn't repay it even by bending grass into rings or swearing eternal loyalty. Sharing divine secrets… was the least he could do.

After this divine teaching, Mo Hua's understanding of the god-path framework grew much clearer.

Currently, he was half-human, half-god, stuck somewhere in between.

The frameworks of two different systems were intertwined within him—so many common divine principles didn't apply.

He'd have to forge his own path, studying and experimenting, to find a way between humanity and divinity.

"By the way…" Mo Hua suddenly remembered something and asked,

"Mountain Lord, what about 'dragons'? Does the dragon soul have a progression path?"

"Dragons?" Lord Huang blinked. "What does this have to do with dragons?"

Mo Hua didn't know how to explain…

He couldn't very well tell Lord Huang he had… eaten one.

So he said vaguely,

"Some time ago, by coincidence, I ran into a descendant of the Great Wilderness and happened to witness a dragon soul. I've just been curious ever since."

Lord Huang looked quite surprised.

"And where is this dragon soul now?"

Inside my stomach, Mo Hua thought silently… then said aloud,

"I'm not sure anymore."

Lord Huang looked a bit regretful. After a moment's thought, he said:

"The dragon is a divine beast. A dragon soul is the soul of a divine beast. In a way, it's on par with gods."

"But dragons are extremely rare, and dragon souls even rarer."

"Even I, who once ruled over Lone Mountain for countless years, have only seen dragon souls a handful of times."

"The secrets of dragon souls are likely only known to the dragon race itself—or to humans who inherit the bloodlines of True Dragons or Karma Dragons."

"Humans with inherited bloodlines?" Mo Hua asked.

Lord Huang explained:

"The royal bloodline of the Dao Court inherits the blood of the True Dragons."

"The royal family of the Great Wilderness inherits the blood of the Karma Dragons."

"Besides them, the barbaric south, the northern frontiers, and the western extremes all have royal families or secluded clans—some of whom carry traces of Karma Dragon blood."

"Even among today's great clans and ancient families, there are rare cases where this blood still flows."

Mo Hua nodded in realization.

He had heard Supervisor Xia mention the difference between True Dragons and Karma Dragons.

But this was his first time learning about the factions that actually carried Karma Dragon blood.

"Even great families and major clans have Karma Dragon bloodline?"

Mo Hua couldn't help but recall his valiant and heroic senior disciple-brother—whose spear thrusts surged like a dragon.

"He's from the Bai Family… and he practices the 'Dragon-Following Dao.'

Doesn't that mean… he might carry the Karma Dragon bloodline in his veins?"

It certainly wasn't impossible.

"Next time I see him, I have to ask."

Now that he had clarified much of the divine path knowledge, Mo Hua engraved the key points into his memory. Then he turned to look at Lord Huang, noticing a faint golden sheen covering him.

Curious, he asked,

"Mountain Lord, after receiving that—"

Mo Hua paused. He didn't speak the words 'Lifebound God Statue' aloud.

The heavens have six ears.

And he himself was steeped in karmic threads.

If someone overheard or divined it, just mentioning those four words might bring unexpected calamity upon Lord Huang.

So instead, Mo Hua asked,

"Now that you've recovered that… thing, will your strength return to its former peak? You were really powerful back then."

He'd been a peak third-rank mountain god, just a step away from entering the fourth rank.

His Dao cultivation had been so enviable that even evil gods coveted it.

His divine abilities were terrifying.

Not to mention he'd once had a massive divine temple and numerous god-statues—clear signs of abundant believers and strong incense power.

In contrast, his current state… was a far cry.

Lord Huang smiled brightly.

"Now that I've regained my origin, everything is possible.

Of course, it won't happen overnight.

A god's cultivation still must be built step by step."

Mo Hua was happy for him.

Then he asked,

"If you want to reach third rank again, will you need to build more temples and feed on mortal incense offerings?"

Lord Huang shook his head.

"You won't?" Mo Hua asked, surprised.

Lord Huang's gaze deepened, and he let out a soft sigh.

"The support of all living beings… is ultimately an illusion."

"All existences—whether man, demon, or god—are, for the most part, slaves to power, fame, authority, and status."

"Humans are like that—"

"With power, one is an emperor. Without it, just another commoner."

"With overwhelming cultivation, one is a revered master. Lose it, and you're no different than an ant beneath the heavens."

"I, a mountain god, am no exception."

"When my divine sense was strong, when I had boundless power, of course I appeared mighty. I had crowds worshipping me, with incense burning day and night—"

"But what people revered… wasn't truly me.

It was the mighty force of heaven and earth that used me as its puppet."

"What they worshipped… wasn't me.

It was my divine power."

"Such devotion… is fundamentally illusory."

"Once the power of heaven and earth was gone, the people turned away, incense was cut off… and I became nothing more than a forgotten mountain god, dwelling in a ruined temple, lost to the world."

"Thus I came to understand—if a god is born from the Dao, then he should remain detached from worldly things, cultivate quietly, and simply form good karma."

"There's no need to beg for devotion. No need to build temples.

No need to force karma."

"Since it's all an illusion—why rejoice when it comes, and why grieve when it leaves?

Just focus on cultivating the Dao and preserving the essence."

Lord Huang spoke with profound meaning.

Mo Hua was silent for a moment, contemplating deeply.

He'd heard this view from Lord Huang before—but back then, he hadn't truly understood.

After experiencing all the events in Lone Mountain… hearing it again struck differently.

A divine being seeks the Dao, not incense.

Incense follows the hearts of people—fleeting and illusory.

But the Dao… abides in heaven and earth—eternal and unchanging.

Likewise, what a cultivator should pursue isn't just raw power, fame, or wealth—but the Dao itself.

Mo Hua nodded solemnly, then bowed deeply to Lord Huang.

"Thank you for the teaching, Mountain Lord."

Lord Huang waved his hands quickly.

"I've only gained a small bit of insight from all my hardships and misfortunes.

If it's helpful to you, I'm glad—but it's not worth such a great bow."

Mo Hua smiled.

"It helped me a lot."

They drank for a while longer, chatted about this and that.

But it was getting late.

Mo Hua needed to return—he couldn't leave Elder Xun waiting outside forever.

Just as he was getting up to leave, Mo Hua paused.

"Mountain Lord, you're cultivating in this ruined temple…

Will you be harassed by evil spirits?"

"Occasionally," Lord Huang replied.

"Hold on."

Mo Hua walked outside, broke off a tree branch, and carved it into the shape of a small sword.

Then, placing a finger to his forehead, he channeled a strand of divine sense sword intent into it.

Though still raw and unrefined, it carried a killing intent so intense it felt nearly tangible—Lord Huang shivered just watching it.

Mo Hua infused the sword intent into the wooden blade and hung it above the temple gate.

To outsiders, it was just a rough wooden sword.

But to any evil or ghostly thing that approached…

It would be a terrifying executioner's blade.

"With my sword hanging here, most evils won't dare come," Mo Hua said.

Lord Huang stared at him deeply, eyes full of gratitude.

He bowed with great reverence.

"Your kindness… I shall never forget."

Mo Hua waved it off.

"Didn't I say we're good friends? Don't be so formal with me."

"I'm heading back to the sect. I'll come visit again next time."

Looking at the rough little wooden sword hanging from the beam, Mo Hua nodded in satisfaction, waved goodbye to Lord Huang, and left freely.

The sun set behind the mountains; the ruined temple bathed in twilight.

Mo Hua and Xun Ziyou walked together, their backs lit by the rosy dusk, following the winding mountain path back down.

Lord Huang watched them leave, emotions surging in his heart.

He never would've imagined that the little cultivator who snuck into his temple eight years ago—

alone, in the dead of night—

would become… the greatest blessing of his entire life.

Under the moonlight, Mo Hua returned to the sect.

He spent the entire night practicing the Reverse Spirit Array.

The next morning, Zheng Fang came to see him again, handing him a letter.

"Senior Brother Mo, my grand-uncle is leaving for Zhen Prefecture in three days."

Mo Hua was taken aback. "Senior Zheng is leaving?"

Zheng Fang nodded. "My grand-uncle had already resigned from his position as an elder in the Heavenly Dao Sect, and even stayed longer than expected. But now, with the year-end approaching, some issues have arisen within the clan. He has to return."

"Before he leaves, he'd like to see you once more. He may have some things to entrust to you."

Mo Hua felt a pang of regret and replied,

"I understand. I'll make sure to visit Senior Zheng."

"Alright then, Senior Brother, I'll be going."

With that, Zheng Fang left.

Mo Hua pondered for a moment. Since Elder Zheng was returning to his clan, it would be best to visit him sooner rather than later—before anything unexpected came up that might cause a missed farewell.

So, around noon, Mo Hua went to visit Elder Zheng.

The elder had temporarily rented a cave residence in the city of Great Void.

When Mo Hua arrived, Elder Zheng was tidying up. Upon seeing him, his expression brightened, and he quickly instructed a servant boy to bring tea. The two sat in the courtyard, sipping and chatting.

"Senior Zheng, are you really going back to your clan?" Mo Hua asked softly, sipping his tea.

"Yes," Elder Zheng sighed. "I've already lingered here far too long. And recently, some matters have arisen in the clan… I must return before the New Year."

Mo Hua looked a bit downhearted.

Elder Zheng was a man of integrity, deeply learned in array formations, and had always been kind to him. Whenever Mo Hua sought guidance, he answered with patience and without reservation—a truly admirable senior.

Now that he was leaving, Mo Hua couldn't help but feel reluctant.

Elder Zheng quietly looked at Mo Hua, sighing inwardly.

He had taught in the Heavenly Dao Sect for many years, but never found a disciple he truly admired.

Yet now, just as he resigned and was set to return to his clan, he had encountered this youth—Mo Hua.

If only he had chosen to be an elder in the Great Void Sect…

Then he could've properly taken Mo Hua as his disciple and taught him array formations with a clear role and identity.

What a pity.

He stared deeply at Mo Hua again. But as he looked, Elder Zheng's expression suddenly changed. His brow furrowed slightly.

Even though Mo Hua's aura was veiled by the Great Void Sect's Two Yi Lock, as a Array Master in the Ascension Realm, Elder Zheng could still vaguely perceive…

Mo Hua's divine sense… had become significantly stronger than before?

"His divine sense strengthened again?"

"Impossible…"

"Peak Nineteen-Rune… if he goes any further, wouldn't that be… Twenty-Rune Golden Core?

Foundation Establishment realm… but with crystallized divine sense?"

Elder Zheng shook his head, feeling like he was spouting nonsense even to himself.

He retrieved several jade slips from his storage pouch—ones he had prepared in advance.

"I've recorded some foundational knowledge on Primordial Magnetism and advanced knowledge on the Thunder-Magnetic Array into these jade slips.

If you wish to study them in the future, they might be useful."

"I've also compiled a few array diagrams. These formations differ somewhat from your Great Void Sect's inheritances, so they'll make good points of reference."

"In addition, here are some of my personal insights on formations…"

One by one, Elder Zheng handed the jade slips and scrolls to Mo Hua.

Looking at them, Mo Hua felt a surge of gratitude.

Elder Zheng added warmly:

"The Dao is long and the path of arrays is boundless.

You must study diligently and persevere.

There are no shortcuts in the Dao of Formations—persistence is the only true way forward.

Only through unwavering commitment can you go far."

These seemingly ordinary words were, in truth, the distilled wisdom of a lifetime spent cultivating.

Then Elder Zheng said:

"And if you ever have the chance, come visit Zhen Prefecture. Come visit the Zheng Clan—"

"I will!" Mo Hua nodded earnestly. "I'll remember that well."

A faint smile appeared on Elder Zheng's usually stern face.

After that, he shared more knowledge—combining his personal experience with formation techniques, cultivation pitfalls, Dao-related taboos, and common dangers one might encounter while traveling through the cultivation world.

He spoke thoroughly, and Mo Hua listened attentively.

Before they knew it, half the day had passed.

The sun dipped low, painting the sky with evening light.

Seeing the late hour, Elder Zheng reluctantly bid farewell.

Mo Hua also knew it was time to leave.

But just as he was about to go, Elder Zheng suddenly called him back. His expression grew serious, as though internally debating whether to speak.

Perhaps he realized that if he didn't say it now, he might never have another chance.

He made up his mind.

With a wave of his hand, he activated a formation. A glowing barrier spread out, sealing the entire cave residence and isolating all sound and vision.

"Mo Hua," Elder Zheng said solemnly, "what I'm about to tell you—

Do not share it with anyone. Don't speak of it lightly."

Mo Hua was startled, but quickly straightened his posture and nodded with equal seriousness.

Elder Zheng nodded back, then slowly asked:

"Have you ever heard of… the Great Demon Hall?"

(End of this Chapter)