Immortality Through Array Formations (The Quest for Immortality)

Chapter 570 – "Windfall"

Master Luo had said all he needed to. He didn't go any deeper.

As the saying goes: "One must endure the bitter to rise above others."

If Mo Hua were to someday join a powerful clan or sect and become one of the elite—bound to them in mutual prosperity—then these words would be meaningless.

But if Mo Hua held true to his Dao heart and stayed true to his original intention, then with his intelligence, he would naturally understand the meaning behind these words.

Master Luo looked at Mo Hua and saw that he had a slight furrow in his brow, as if pondering deeply.

Knowing that Mo Hua had understood, he simply nodded and said no more.

Afterward, the topic shifted back to formations.

Master Luo explained:

"Second-grade formations are divided into beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels, based on the cultivator's Foundation Establishment stage—early, mid, or late."

"When one first enters Foundation Establishment, ten-pattern formations are considered the entry-level for second-grade."

"These beginner formations are simpler. Though they are technically second-grade, they're not truly ranked yet."

"Early Foundation Establishment covers eleven to thirteen-pattern formations—these are beginner-level second-grade formations."

"Mid Foundation covers fourteen to sixteen-patterns—intermediate level."

"Late Foundation covers seventeen to nineteen-patterns—advanced level."

"Second-grade formation masters are likewise categorized into beginner, intermediate, and advanced."

"For first-grade formation masters, the bar is already high. It's only categorized as 'first-grade,' without further sub-tiers. But truthfully, all certified first-grade formation masters should be considered advanced-level. These lower subdivisions were erased by the Dao Court…"

"But once you step into second-grade territory, the classification becomes more strict and detailed."

"Becoming a second-grade formation master is already difficult. Advancing within the grade is even harder—each step requires passing an official assessment…"

Master Luo frowned and sighed.

Master Qian, too, looked helpless.

Passing the first-grade assessment was hard enough—second-grade was even worse…

Mo Hua mulled over it carefully, then asked:

"So, to become a beginner second-grade formation master, I only need to learn some beginner formations?"

Master Luo shook his head with a bitter smile:

"It's not that easy. Beginner second-grade formations cover eleven to thirteen-patterns, and there's a huge difference in difficulty even within that."

"Each added pattern raises the complexity significantly."

"You must master the hardest of the beginner tier—the thirteen-pattern formations. And not just one or two."

"The Dao Court requires mastery of at least four or five different thirteen-pattern formations before you can apply for certification as a beginner second-grade formation master."

"It's the same for each tier: mastery of sixteen-patterns for intermediate; mastery of nineteen-patterns for advanced."

"So, any formation master who climbs their way to certified second-grade advanced level is already incredibly rare—a master with deep understanding of second-grade formations."

Mo Hua nodded, then asked:

"So… is it normal for someone in early Foundation Establishment to become a beginner second-grade formation master?"

He was being modest—his divine sense had already reached the fourteen-pattern level, meaning he was technically touching the threshold of intermediate second-grade mastery…

But Master Luo shook his head:

"No."

"Usually, only mid Foundation cultivators can become beginner second-grade formation masters. Late Foundation for intermediate. And as for advanced…"

He paused, then sighed:

"…either you've broken through to Golden Core, or your cultivation has stagnated at late Foundation for so long that you've spent a hundred or two hundred years painstakingly studying formations to reach that level."

Mo Hua's eyes widened:

"It's that hard?"

"Yes…"

Master Luo's brows knit into a "川" character.

He looked at Mo Hua and, though he knew this child was exceptional, some basic truths still had to be made clear.

He is he. Others are others.

Not everyone is a prodigy.

"Even if your formation skills are one minor realm below your cultivation, that's still considered very gifted. For ordinary cultivators, it's normal to study first-grade formations at Foundation Establishment, and only start second-grade at late Foundation or even Golden Core."

Mo Hua asked:

"Because their divine sense isn't strong enough?"

Master Luo nodded wearily:

"That's right. Divine sense just isn't enough…"

"Blood and spiritual power can be boosted with techniques, but divine sense can't."

"Most cultivators can't train divine sense. Unless you're born with exceptional talent, your divine sense grows strictly with your realm—and it's always at or below the average."

"Early Foundation gives you up to thirteen-pattern divine sense. So to become a beginner formation master, you'd need to learn thirteen-pattern formations…"

"And that's extremely taxing."

"Divine sense is consumed heavily and recovers very slowly. Learning formations like that is like crossing a river by feeling for stones—one misstep and you risk burning out your divine sense."

"Even then, with full effort all day, you can only practice two or three times."

"But these are second-grade thirteen-pattern formations—complex and deep. Practicing only two or three times a day just isn't enough."

"To truly master them? That'll take who knows how long…"

Master Luo's tone was bitter.

Mo Hua couldn't help but nod.

He had the Dao Stele—he could practice dozens of times a night. Two or three times a day felt like nothing… not even enough to scratch an itch.

With that low level of repetition, true mastery was incredibly difficult.

And cultivators still had to train, earn spirit stones, handle sect affairs…

Even clan disciples couldn't dedicate their entire day to formations.

"Which is why…"

Master Luo continued:

"Sharpening your blade before chopping wood is wise. Improve your realm first—strengthen your divine sense. Then come back to formations. With a stronger divine sense, it becomes much easier to learn."

"I see…"

Mo Hua nodded his little head. Then his eyes suddenly lit up:

"So… if I become a beginner second-grade formation master while still at early Foundation Establishment—that's pretty amazing, right?"

"Early Foundation… and already second-grade…"

Master Luo froze. He didn't even feel like talking to Mo Hua anymore.

But after thinking for a moment, he realized… with this child, it might not be impossible.

A spark of hope lit in Master Luo's heart.

If Mo Hua could reach beginner second-grade formation mastery at such a young age, he might go much, much further in the future…

Master Qian also praised:

"If Little Mister becomes a second-grade beginner while still at early Foundation, then even among the great clans, you would be considered a rare formation genius…"

"It's just that…"

Master Qian sighed regretfully:

"Here in Tongxian City, there's too little access to second-grade formation teachings and resources…"

Formations were rare, and ink, brushes, and paper were all expensive.

For someone with Mo Hua's background, continuing his studies would be extremely difficult.

Master Luo also felt a sense of pity for him.

After they finished discussing formations, they all shared some tea.

Around noon, the students at the academy ended their lessons, respectfully bid farewell to Master Qian, and went home for lunch.

Suddenly, from within the crowd, a five- or six-year-old child saw Mo Hua and lit up with joy, running into his arms and shouting in a childish voice:

"Big Brother Mo!"

Mo Hua was briefly stunned—he realized this child was Zhou'er.

Zhou'er's family name was Chu, the son of Uncle Chu—a demon hunter who specialized in traps and once taught Mo Hua the art of trap-making.

Zhou'er's mother was Aunt Jiang, who helped at Mo Hua's family eatery.

Several years ago, Uncle Chu had been seriously injured and could no longer hunt demons. He asked Mo Hua to teach his son formations, hoping he could make a living without risking his life.

When Mo Hua later left to travel, he entrusted Zhou'er to Master Qian.

Master Qian saw Zhou'er's behavior and said helplessly:

"No manners at all… completely lacking discipline."

"No discipline at all—completely improper."

Zhou'er quickly hid behind Mo Hua, peeking out with his little head.

Master Qian's tone was strict, but there was no reproach in his expression—it was clear he was quite fond of this little disciple.

Mo Hua patted Zhou'er's head and asked Master Qian:

"Master Qian, how is Zhou'er doing in his formation studies?"

Master Qian replied,

"He's still young and just starting out. For now, I'm having him memorize books, understand the basic principles, and practice one or two formation patterns."

Mo Hua nodded.

It was already noon, and Mo Hua had asked everything he needed to, so he stood up to leave.

Zhou'er clung to him, so Mo Hua took him along. They stopped by the eatery, picked out some delicious and easy-to-digest food, and fed Zhou'er until he was full. Then he asked Aunt Jiang to take the child home.

——

In the days that followed, Mo Hua began focusing wholeheartedly on practicing second-grade formations.

Each night, as darkness fell, he would sit cross-legged on his bed, divine sense entering his spiritual sea, where he practiced formations nonstop on the Dao Stele.

The formation he was working on recently was the Second-Grade Bramble Formation.

The Bramble Formation was a Wood-element formation.

Once triggered, it would spawn thorny vines to trap enemies—one of the Five Elements Confinement Formations.

It consisted of eleven formation patterns, making it one of the simpler second-grade beginner formations.

Mo Hua had derived it from the "Five Elements Formation Flowchart" through reverse deduction.

So far, this was the only second-grade formation Mo Hua had successfully reverse-engineered and found usable.

The Five Elements Formation Flowchart condensed all the formation legacies of the Five Elements Sect into one mysterious "Five Elements Source Pattern."

This source pattern was bizarre and dangerous—but ever since it was suppressed by the Dao Stele, it had become much more docile…

Even so, deciphering the sect's formations from the source pattern was still painstaking.

First, this reverse deduction consumed a lot of divine sense.

Even though Mo Hua's divine sense was powerful, he still needed to spend time learning formations, and his strength was ultimately limited. So he could only work on deciphering the source pattern occasionally—either when he had spare time or when he got bored of drawing formations.

Second, the decoded formations were random.

Mo Hua had no idea what logic or rule the Five Elements Sect's ancestors had used to condense all those formations into the source pattern.

Which meant the formations that emerged from reverse deduction were scattered, chaotic, and disordered.

It was like drawing a lottery…

They came from all Five Elements and included both first- and second-grade formations.

Mo Hua never knew what he'd get—what element, what grade, how many patterns…

All he could do was gamble.

The only insight he'd gleaned was that the maximum complexity of a deciphered formation seemed tied to his divine sense level.

If his divine sense reached, say, 14-patterns, then theoretically he could decode up to a 14-pattern formation.

But that was only in theory. Reality was another matter.

So far, the best he had gotten was this 11-pattern, second-grade Bramble Formation he was currently practicing.

Which was fine in itself.

What really drove Mo Hua mad was—this "source pattern" had no bottom limit!

The floor was insanely low.

Most of what he'd decoded so far were first-grade formations, and even a ton of ungraded junk formations. One time, he even got a miserable three-pattern Brightfire Formation, the lowest of the low…

Sigh…

Even though the Five Elements Source Pattern was said to contain the full range of Five Elements formations, having those low-end formations in it was technically normal.

But Mo Hua still felt like the ancestors had just thrown in filler content—deliberately polluting the pattern.

He sighed, helpless.

All he could do was keep practicing, and hope that one day, with a bit of luck, he could draw—

No, decipher—a 14-pattern, second-grade Five Elements formation!

Until then, he could only practice with these 10-pattern, 11-pattern formations…

Mo Hua put away his thoughts and practiced formations on the Dao Stele all night.

When he woke the next day, he still felt unsatisfied.

Unfortunately, the seven bottles of second-grade spirit ink that Master Luo and Master Qian had given him were already used up—he could no longer physically draw formations.

Seven bottles of ink just weren't enough. No matter how sparingly he used them, they were gone in no time.

"Learning must be applied…"

Mo Hua held tightly to Mr. Zhuang's teachings.

Thanks to the Dao Stele, "learning" wasn't a problem.

By sending his divine sense into his sea of consciousness, he could practice endlessly on the Dao Stele. No ink, no paper, no tools required. His divine sense could even replay the process, allowing him to practice ten times, even dozens of times more than others.

Thinking of this, Mo Hua felt grateful.

"Thankfully, I have the Dao Stele…"

It let him not only practice formations, but also hone his divine sense.

As long as he stayed committed and practiced consistently, he could learn more and more formations, strengthen his divine sense further, and in turn learn even more formations…

A positive feedback loop—like a snowball, his divine sense and formation skills would only grow stronger and stronger.

But now, while he could still "learn," he couldn't "apply."

It wasn't just the ink—paper and brushes had also become major issues.

He'd once bartered a few stacks of second-grade "formation paper" from Old Man An, but it had long run out.

And this kind of paper was expensive.

Hard to buy, easy to burn through…

Yet even so, formation paper was already the cheapest of all formation media.

Other materials—formation disks, spirit flags, spirit tools—were even more expensive. Mo Hua couldn't afford any of them.

Aside from paper, he also needed formation brushes.

To his surprise, brushes were even more costly than paper—and second-grade brushes wore out faster than first-grade ones.

Second-grade spirit ink was richer in spiritual energy and more saturated with demonic blood essence.

The longer a brush was soaked in it, the faster it wore down.

Cheap brushes would often go bald mid-drawing…

As for the durable, top-quality brushes—they were made of extravagant materials and sold for outrageous prices. Even if Mo Hua sold himself, he couldn't afford one.

"Is there a way to draw formations without using paper or brushes…"

Mo Hua stroked his chin, thinking.

He had a faint idea forming in his heart, but it would take time to develop.

Still, even without paper or brushes, you couldn't do without ink.

"Second-grade spirit ink is made from the blood of second-grade demonic beasts…"

That reminded Mo Hua of the big tiger.

Draining blood from the tiger… obviously wasn't going to happen. They had a good relationship—he couldn't use it like that.

So…

Maybe he could partner with the tiger to hunt other second-grade beasts in the Black Mountain?

It eats the meat, and I draw the blood?

"It eats the meat, I draw the blood?"

Mo Hua silently nodded. After thinking it through, he felt that this plan was still quite feasible.

But suddenly, Mo Hua froze.

The big tiger…

He'd just remembered—the tiger had also gifted him some "presents"—those storage bags of unknown origin.

After returning home, there had been too many people to greet, and he had completely forgotten about them.

"I wonder what's actually inside those storage bags…"

Curious, Mo Hua pulled the storage bags out from under his bed and began opening them one by one.

Some were still stained with blood, some were ornate and refined, while others were dull and filthy—carrying a faint sense of eeriness.

Mo Hua opened and sorted through all of them. Only then did he understand.

Some of these bags belonged to proper cultivators; others to demonic cultivators.

Aside from the standard spirit stones, spiritual tools, and pills, there were also some sinister things—demonic cultivation manuals that focused on blood-sucking, soul-harvesting, dual cultivation, and corpse-refining sorcery…

These demonic techniques were highly destructive and couldn't be kept. Mo Hua planned to burn them all to prevent harm to others.

There were also some righteous cultivation techniques and Dao arts…

As for cultivation methods, Mo Hua already had the Heavenly Evolution Scripture, so he didn't need any others.

The Dao arts were mostly body-refinement martial arts, with a few second-grade spells. They seemed to be fairly ordinary.

Still, Mo Hua wasn't picky—he figured he could study them when he had time.

There were quite a lot of spirit stones—adding them all up, he had tens of thousands!

If not for the limited capacity of the storage bags, which made them inconvenient to carry, there likely would've been even more.

The variety of pills was also impressive: spirit-replenishing, blood-recovery, anti-poison, miasma-clearing, even second-grade Lesser Revival Pills used for saving lives…

Mo Hua frowned.

Altogether, this was a massive windfall!

He was both shocked and delighted—but also slightly puzzled.

"Who exactly were the owners of these storage bags?"

"Why had they come to Tongxian City? And how did they die?"

"How did the tiger even get its paws on their bags?"

Mo Hua continued searching through the bags, hoping to find clues.

After rummaging for a while, he finally found a few scrolls of documents. On them were phrases like "To the Family Head", "To the Sect Leader"…

After reading through them, he suddenly understood.

"These cultivators came to Tongxian City because of Master…"

Some of them were from families in Dao Prefecture or its affiliated clans. They had been sent by their family heads or sects to investigate the whereabouts of his Master.

There were even some from demonic sects.

But they didn't seem to be from any major sects—just small-time factions.

When they arrived in Tongxian City, the two sides clashed in Black Mountain.

Then, in the heat of battle, either they died outright or were mortally wounded—after which the tiger swooped in and scavenged their belongings.

A few of the storage bags were torn and had clear bite marks from tiger fangs.

It was likely that the tiger had torn them open, devoured some spiritual treasures inside, and—after refining them—finally broke through to become a second-grade beast.

As for the remaining bags, the tiger had left them to Mo Hua out of gratitude.

Mo Hua thought it through and figured that's probably what happened. Even if he was a little off, it wouldn't be by much.

"Since they had malicious intentions toward Master… they got what they deserved."

With that justification, Mo Hua happily accepted the windfall.

Afterward, he spent time sorting and categorizing the contents of the bags.

While doing so, he accidentally came across a map.

It was a large map that included all Nine Provinces.

In the cultivation world, Dao Prefecture was the central core of the Nine Provinces, home to the Central Dao Court.

The other eight provinces were named after the Eight Trigrams: Qian, Kun, Kan, Li, Gen, Zhen, Xun, Dui, arranged in trigram directions to stabilize the world and surround Dao Prefecture.

"A Nine Provinces Map?"

Mo Hua blinked and examined it closely.

Though the map covered all Nine Provinces, the others were only vaguely marked—just rough sketches of mountains and terrain, with unclear borders.

Only Qian Prefecture was finely detailed—its borders neatly drawn, its mountains precisely rendered.

Within Qian Prefecture, one specific region was circled in red ink, with small notes beside it:

"Qian Prefecture, Dragon Path Mountains — Fifth-Rank Qianxue Prefecture."

"Sacred ground for cultivation across the Nine Provinces."

"A land of countless sects and gathered prodigies."

"A pinnacle convergence of formations, alchemy, tools, talismans, and martial-arts cultivation."

"The number one province for cultivation and seeking the Dao in the entire cultivation world!"

(End of Chapter)