Immortality Through Array Formations (The Quest for Immortality)

Chapter 988: Blood of the Karma Dragon

Taixu Sect, Elders' Residence

As the end of the year approached, Xun Ziyou, as usual, discussed matters regarding the upcoming Sword Conference with Venerable Elder Xun.

These discussions were deliberately arranged by the old elder himself.

After several rounds of tea, with business mostly concluded, Xun Ziyou sipped his cup, hesitated for a long while, then finally asked:

"Old Ancestor… did you teach Mo Hua sword techniques?"

Elder Xun was slightly taken aback. He gave Xun Ziyou a glance and asked calmly:

"Why do you ask?"

Xun Ziyou fell silent for a few seconds before slowly replying:

"Mo Hua… seems to have learned the Taixu Divine Sense Sword Manifestation True Art…"

Elder Xun's pupils contracted.

"What did you say?!"

Xun Ziyou quietly repeated himself.

Elder Xun's gaze sharpened.

"You saw it yourself?"

Xun Ziyou gave a slight nod.

"I saw him… use Divine Sense to manifest a sword—and kill a Third-Grade demon boar."

Elder Xun was momentarily stunned.

After a long pause, he furrowed his brows and looked at Xun Ziyou, asking with great doubt:

"Do you even know what you're saying right now?"

Mo Hua…

Learned the Divine Sense Sword Manifestation Art?

Killed a Third-Grade Golden Core boar demon?

How could these absurd events possibly be linked?

After a moment's contemplation, Elder Xun said:

"Bring your head over—I want to check your sea of consciousness…"

He was now genuinely worried that Xun Ziyou had been affected by evil influences in the Lone Mountain Divine Temple, and his mind might still be cloudy—blurring fantasy with reality.

His eyes were filled with concern.

Xun Ziyou forced a wry smile.

"Old Ancestor, I'm fine. I really saw it with my own eyes…"

Elder Xun paused. Seeing Xun Ziyou's clear gaze that didn't seem like he was lying, he asked seriously:

"When did this happen?"

"Earlier today," Xun Ziyou answered. "Mo Hua went to Demon Refining Mountain, saying he wanted to test a minor technique. I stumbled upon it by accident…"

He proceeded to recount the entire sequence of events.

Elder Xun frowned.

"Did Mo Hua know… you were watching?"

Xun Ziyou thought for a moment.

"I kept my distance and suppressed my presence. He was fully focused on the demon boar—I doubt he noticed me…"

Even a Golden Core cultivator, in combat with a Third-Grade Golden Core demon boar, would have to go all-out with total focus.

Let alone Mo Hua—who was merely at the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Elder Xun fell silent, his expression gradually turning solemn.

Xun Ziyou stayed quiet as well.

That meant… he had to treat this seemingly ridiculous matter with all due seriousness.

But even after frowning and mulling it over for a long time, Elder Xun couldn't piece the events together in any logical way.

Individually, whether it was learning the Divine Sense Sword Manifestation or slaying a Golden Core demon—both were impossible on their own.

Mo Hua was only at the Foundation Establishment stage.

How could he possibly learn Divine Sense Sword Manifestation?

The Taixu Divine Sense Sword Manifestation True Art was the supreme sword art of the sect—a forbidden legacy, the sect's ultimate secret technique.

Every single genius of the sword path in Taixu Sect's history had practiced the sword from early childhood, laying a solid foundation.

Only upon reaching late Golden Core, with a stabilized soul, could one even begin to learn the art.

Only upon reaching Spirit Transformation (Ascension), with the soul able to leave the body, could one attain basic mastery.

Only upon reaching Hollow Void Realm, able to perceive the boundary between illusion and reality, could one wield the God-Slaying Sword.

A Foundation Establishment cultivator… how could they learn such a thing?

And more importantly—Mo Hua wasn't even a sword cultivator.

He was a rogue cultivator, born in poverty, who likely had never even held a spirit sword as a child—utterly lacking any sword path foundation.

He didn't even possess a natal sword.

Without a sword, how could his divine sense transform into one?

Not to mention—who taught him?

The Divine Sense Sword Manifestation True Art was harsh, difficult, and sealed away from casual access. It couldn't be learned without guidance from a highly skilled master.

Without proper teaching, even the most talented cultivator would easily go astray and suffer Qi deviation.

As of now, the only person in the entire Taixu Sect truly proficient in the art… was his own Senior Brother Dugu.

As for Elder Xun himself, although at Hollow Void Realm, he had never practiced the Divine Sense sword path.

But his senior brother…

Elder Xun sighed internally.

That man was still grievously injured, sealed away in the Sword Tomb, his fate uncertain.

There was no way he would teach Mo Hua the sword art.

Even if there had been a chance before, Mo Hua—an outer disciple—had no access to the rear mountains.

His senior brother was reclusive to the extreme, withdrawn and proud. There was no chance he would humble himself to personally teach an unaffiliated, swordless, nameless disciple like Mo Hua the sect's most secret sword technique.

And even if Mo Hua had somehow learned it…

To actually use it to cross realms and slay a Golden Core demon?

That's something even fiction wouldn't dare write.

The depth of mastery required in Divine Sense Sword Manifestation to do that was unimaginable.

This technique contained many layered sword styles:

Sword Manifestation Form

Divine Dread Sword

God-Breaker Sword

…and finally, the God-Slaying Sword.

Each step was a major threshold.

To slay a Golden Core opponent would require mastery of the final, strongest form—God-Slaying Sword.

But to achieve that required decades of hard training, an enormous price of time, focus, and spiritual energy.

Even if Mo Hua had formed his Divine Sense Core, he was still far too young. Where could he have found the time and effort to cultivate such depth in this profound sword art?

Even his senior brother—gifted beyond compare—couldn't accomplish something like this at the same stage.

Besides, Mo Hua had only just formed his Divine Sense Core. His power was still limited.

Even if he had learned the God-Slaying Sword, unleashing his full divine sense to kill a Golden Core demon boar… how could that be easy?

The room fell into total silence.

The candlelight flickered. Flames slowly burned down.

Elder Xun said nothing, lost in deep thought.

He went over the events again and again, scrutinizing every angle—and yet every angle was riddled with contradictions.

Xun Ziyou didn't dare interrupt.

After who-knows-how-long, Elder Xun finally stirred and asked:

"You're certain… you saw Mo Hua use a sword?"

Xun Ziyou thought for a moment, then shook his head.

"He didn't hold a sword, but he pointed to his brow with two fingers, and his eyes… seemed to shine with sword light…"

"You're certain it was sword light?"

Pressed with that question, Xun Ziyou wasn't so sure anymore.

He hadn't seen the full thing—only wisps of golden energy, faint and flowing, forming what appeared to be a sword's silhouette.

Whether that was true sword light… hard to say.

"But… I sensed sword intent…"

"You're sure it was sword intent?"

Xun Ziyou had no more words.

Sword intent is part of divine sense—formless and elusive. He could only say he "felt" it from experience… but he had no way to prove it.

Elder Xun's eyes narrowed. Then he declared with absolute certainty:

"Then it wasn't the Taixu Divine Sense Sword Manifestation True Art!"

Even if there was a one-in-ten-thousand chance—he would not allow that possibility.

The Taixu Divine Sense Sword Manifestation was a forbidden art of the sect.

No matter how talented or favored Mo Hua was, his status was still merely that of an outer disciple.

If an outer disciple had secretly learned a forbidden art—that was a capital offense.

If word got out, the entire sect would be in trouble.

And if they punished Mo Hua—it would be unbearable to him personally.

Stealing forbidden techniques, per most sect laws, would mean:

At best: being crippled and exiled.

At worst: execution.

But if they didn't punish him—it would give their enemies leverage and stir dissent within the sect.

Other disciples might start copying him—stealing forbidden techniques as well.

It would destroy the sect's integrity and order.

Thus, there was no way Mo Hua could've learned the Taixu Divine Sense Sword Manifestation Art.

Venerable Elder Xun firmly said: "He's only at Foundation Establishment, and not even a sword cultivator—how could he possibly have learned Divine Sense Sword Manifestation? Besides, he didn't even have a sword in his hand…"

Xun Ziyou paused, momentarily stunned—because that actually made a lot of sense.

He had assumed too much, fallen into preconceived notions. Upon closer thought, none of what he saw truly aligned with the "rules" of the Divine Sense Sword Manifestation technique.

But… Mo Hua had always been prone to strange and unexplainable things. He hadn't considered the details in the moment.

Still, no matter how bizarre things seemed, they had to follow the basic principles of cultivation.

According to sect records, Divine Sense Sword Manifestation simply wasn't practiced that way…

Xun Ziyou nodded, then looked up at the elder.

"Then… Old Ancestor, what kind of Dao technique did Mo Hua use? Was it some sort of rare Divine Sense art?"

After all, he did manage to kill a third-grade boar demon.

Elder Xun remained silent.

Seeing this, Xun Ziyou became a bit puzzled and asked,

"Old Ancestor… don't tell me you don't know either?"

Elder Xun looked up and silently stared at him.

Xun Ziyou instantly realized he had spoken out of turn. He shut up immediately and lowered his head to drink tea, not daring to ask further.

After a moment of contemplation, Elder Xun said:

"There's something strange about all this… but you don't need to overreact. A Foundation Establishment cultivator killing a Golden Core demon beast is—let's be honest—absurd.

Especially since you know what kind of foundation and background that child has."

"In terms of formations, yes, he may be peerless among his generation."

"But in terms of direct combat ability, he's still far behind."

"Let alone killing a third-grade demon beast on his own. Most likely…"

Elder Xun paused, then continued:

"He was carrying some sort of protective treasure. In a moment of crisis, it activated on its own and killed the demon beast."

"A protective treasure?" Xun Ziyou blinked, then nodded.

"What the Old Ancestor says is reasonable."

Truthfully, he didn't really believe it.

But… he had no better explanation. And since the Old Ancestor had spoken, how could he dare argue?

Seeing that Xun Ziyou was only half-convinced, Elder Xun simply waved his hand.

"Leave it alone. I understand the situation."

"Yes." Xun Ziyou cupped his hands.

Since the Old Ancestor had dismissed the matter, he knew better than to press it.

"Then I'll take my leave."

Elder Xun gave a slight nod, then reminded:

"This matter—do not spread it. Don't talk about it anywhere."

"Especially the part about Divine Sense Sword Manifestation. Whether it's true or not, if word gets out and rumors start… it'll cause unimaginable trouble!"

His tone was heavy and full of warning.

Xun Ziyou was shocked.

He'd almost forgotten—it was a forbidden art.

And forbidden arts were not a joke.

By definition, they were taboo, banned techniques, outlawed by the Dao Court.

All sects were strictly prohibited from teaching or cultivating them.

Thus, Mo Hua absolutely could not have learned the Divine Sense Sword Manifestation True Art.

Understanding the severity, Xun Ziyou immediately responded solemnly:

"Old Ancestor, I'll forget this ever happened."

Elder Xun nodded and waved his hand.

"Go on."

"Yes." Xun Ziyou gave a respectful bow and withdrew.

The elder residence fell into silence.

Candlelight flickered.

Elder Xun remained seated, unmoving—yet his thoughts danced like firelight, flickering wildly.

This matter… he simply couldn't believe it.

Even if he wanted to, it defied too much logic—there was no causal link, no signs or threads leading to such a conclusion.

And besides… his senior brother…

Elder Xun turned his head, his gaze sinking deep into the direction of the rear mountain.

Eventually, he sighed deeply.

"Taixu Divine Sense Sword Manifestation True Art…"

Those words… were a painful thorn in his heart.

Once, this sword art had symbolized the peak glory of the Taixu Sect.

Back then, the sect teemed with Divine Sense sword cultivators, cultivating their hearts to comprehend the Dao.

A hundred years to forge one sword—when drawn, it cleaved through demons and evil alike.

Under the light of Divine Sense Sword Manifestation, monsters and heretics fled, none daring to face its edge.

But… what raised them up, also broke them down.

Over the years, countless cultivators fell practicing this self-damaging sword art.

It had become both the Taixu Sect's supreme pride—and its deepest scar.

And now… this sword art was likely to vanish forever with Senior Brother Dugu.

Once Dugu returned to dust, Divine Sense Sword Manifestation would be lost for good.

In his lifetime, Elder Xun might never again see this art return to the light of day.

Nor would the world ever again witness the earth-shattering brilliance of Divine Sense Sword Manifestation.

His eyes dimmed.

This was something he had long accepted in his heart.

He was the one who ordered its sealing.

It was inevitable. But even so, he couldn't help but feel a deep, bitter loss.

Just then, Xun Ziyou's earlier words resurfaced in his mind.

A faint glimmer of light returned to Elder Xun's somber eyes.

"Divine Sense Sword Manifestation…"

"Mo Hua…"

He softly muttered the two names, his brows gradually furrowing.

"It shouldn't be possible… How could it?"

"But… what if it really is true…"

A chill crept up from the bottom of his heart, and he sighed again.

His gaze grew increasingly profound as divine sense swirled silently in his mind.

What he was thinking—no one knew.

Meanwhile, Mo Hua had no idea that the scene of him using Divine Sense to manifest a sword had been secretly witnessed by Elder Xun Ziyou.

The battle with the third-grade Golden Core boar demon was too intense, too dangerous—he didn't dare let his mind wander even for a second.

Slaying a Golden Core demon with Foundation Establishment strength had nearly exhausted his entire supply of divine sense.

So he had no idea he'd been "peeped on."

For the next few days, he remained immersed in the joy of using Divine Sense Sword Manifestation to kill a Golden Core demon.

Unfortunately… this wasn't something he could openly brag about.

He couldn't exactly go around telling everyone.

His little junior brothers and sisters had no idea he'd just done something so jaw-dropping.

"Wearing brocade robes at night—none to admire."

(A phrase meaning: doing something impressive with no one to witness it.)

Mo Hua felt a little bitter.

But still, he maintained a calm and steady heart, continuing with his cultivation.

Fortunately, after about a month, the bitter feeling faded—and it was time for the end-of-year sect evaluations.

Mo Hua finished the assessments and received the following grades:

One A,

Two B,

Four C.

Formations: A.

Dao Techniques: B.

And strangely enough, Pill Refining also got a B.

In the past, he'd always been "One A, Six C."

Last year, he got one extra B.

This year, he got two.

Mo Hua frowned.

He studied causality. He knew that "abnormal signs signal strange causes."

There was no way he could've scored this well for no reason.

Thus, Mo Hua couldn't shake off a vague sense of unease.

...

After the exams, it was the New Year once more.

This year, Mo Hua was once again planning to mooch the Gu Family's New Year banquet.

He specifically went to inform Venerable Elder Xun.

The current situation was delicate. Although things with the Shen Family appeared to have settled on the surface, the hidden power struggles and cutthroat conflicts between noble families were a bloody mess beneath the facade.

Mo Hua wasn't sure if showing up to the Gu Family's banquet now was really appropriate.

Elder Xun only pondered for a moment before nodding:

"There's no harm in going."

After the events at Lone Mountain, both the Taixu Sect and the Gu Family had undoubtedly been marked by the Shen Family—there was no point worrying about getting implicated any further.

Besides, it was a good thing for Mo Hua to maintain his friendly ties with the Gu Family.

Elder Xun even wrote a calligraphy piece for Mo Hua to present as a New Year's gift to the Gu Family.

Mo Hua gratefully thanked him.

It was getting late, so Mo Hua performed a bow to bid farewell. But just as he looked up, he met Elder Xun's deep and complex gaze—so profound it made him momentarily dazed.

"Sir… is something the matter?" Mo Hua asked, puzzled.

Elder Xun stared at him for a long moment.

That look gave Mo Hua the illusion that Elder Xun was suspecting something—yet due to some karmic constraint, couldn't speak of it aloud.

Heavy-hearted, Elder Xun had wanted to ask something. But when he saw how much Mo Hua had grown—his figure now that of a young man—he suddenly felt a sense of melancholy.

He'd already grown quite a bit...

His gaze was warm and clear, steady and resolute. Though he still had traces of youthful innocence, his demeanor had become far more composed.

Some things, he was already capable of shouldering on his own.

Or perhaps—he had always been carrying them, even since he was a child.

Elder Xun sighed lightly.

"It's nothing…"

He looked at Mo Hua, patted his shoulder, and said gently:

"It's the New Year—enjoy yourself."

Mo Hua nodded and smiled.

"Wishing you peace and health in the New Year, Elder. I'll be going now."

"Mm. Very good."

Mo Hua bowed respectfully and took his leave.

After he left, Elder Xun returned to flipping through a jade slip.

On it was written: "Catalog of Taixu Sect Forbidden Arts".

As he stared at the catalog, Elder Xun sank into deep thought…

Qingzhou City – Gu Family

The back courtyard was brightly lit, decked in festive lanterns and vibrant decorations.

Mo Hua was setting off lanterns with Yu'er.

Yu'er's little face was flushed with excitement as he looked up at the red, fish-dragon lantern Mo Hua had made for him. His eyes sparkled with joy.

But when he turned to look at Mo Hua again, his expression suddenly turned gloomy. He lowered his eyes, said nothing, and looked pitifully downcast.

Mo Hua noticed the change in mood and gently asked,

"What's wrong?"

Yu'er hesitated, then asked in a small voice,

"Brother Mo… are you leaving soon?"

Mo Hua froze.

"Who told you that?"

Yu'er shook his head, then looked up again.

"The big guy and the others said that after graduation, they'll leave the Taixu Sect… leave Qianzhou. Brother Mo, are you going too?"

The "big guy" Yu'er mentioned was the large oaf—Cheng Mo.

Mo Hua looked at Yu'er.

In the glow of the lanterns, Yu'er's eyes sparkled with attachment and reluctance.

Mo Hua didn't want to lie. He simply said softly:

"It's possible."

Yu'er looked even more dejected.

Mo Hua gently ruffled his hair.

"People come and go… That's the way of life. One day, Yu'er, you'll grow up too. You must learn to stand on your own, steady your heart, and grow stronger…"

His gentle words slowly sank into Yu'er's heart.

Courage began to rise within Yu'er. He nodded seriously. But after a pause, he asked with some lingering attachment:

"Will I… still get to see Brother Mo again?"

Mo Hua smiled and nodded.

"Yes. I'll come see you when I have time. Or… when you've grown stronger and begin traveling across the Nine Provinces, we'll definitely meet again someday."

"When I get stronger… we'll meet again…"

Hope and longing lit up Yu'er's eyes. He nodded repeatedly:

"Brother Mo! I'll definitely cultivate hard! I'll come find you!"

Mo Hua smiled warmly.

"Good."

Yu'er beamed with joy, the lantern lights painting his face with youthful radiance and innocence.

Mo Hua felt comfort in his heart—but in the next instant, his soul suddenly trembled.

The dragon soul within him resonated, and his vision turned blood red.

The lantern light above seemed to stain Yu'er's face a vivid crimson—like blood.

And that blood-red glow… vaguely formed the image of a dragon.

A scarlet dragon shadow, outlined by the red lantern flames, slithered across Yu'er's face—then coiled and spiraled…

…before merging directly into the space between Yu'er's brows, entering his spiritual sea.

Mo Hua's heart trembled violently.

"…A dragon?"

"Could it be… that Yu'er's bloodline is that of the Karmic Dragon?"

(End of this Chapter)