Immortality Through Array Formations (The Quest for Immortality)

Chapter 583: Nightmare

The little boy, Yuer, who had "fallen" into Mo Hua's hands, was now tagging closely along behind this kind-hearted stranger, step for step, as they walked toward Qingzhou City.

Night had fallen, and the surroundings were quiet and empty.

The mountains and forests were cloaked in darkness.

But before long, muffled noise began to stir again—there always seemed to be cultivators traveling back and forth in the shadows.

Mo Hua's divine sense picked up every one of these figures with clarity. However, since he didn't recognize who they were or where they came from, he didn't react or make a sound.

The closer these cultivators got to Qingzhou City, the quieter they became.

Around midnight, they were still twenty li from the city.

Yuer had been walking for several hours. His face had gone pale with exhaustion, his legs felt as heavy as lead, and he could barely lift them anymore. But perhaps out of fear of being kidnapped again—or simply longing to see his parents sooner and not make them worry—he gritted his teeth and kept going.

Mo Hua extended his divine sense to scout the surroundings, then gently patted Yuer's small head.

"Let's rest nearby for the night. We'll enter the city first thing tomorrow morning."

Yuer whispered, "I'm not tired…"

Mo Hua smiled. "It's already late. The city gates might be closed. Get a good night's sleep so you'll be full of energy."

There were many immortal cities across the cultivation world.

Each province and each city had its own rules for entry.

From Mo Hua's experience traveling, some immortal cities imposed strict curfews at night.

Others didn't have a curfew under normal circumstances—but if something major happened, they might close the gates and activate formation barriers, forbidding entry or exit.

If Qingzhou City had such a curfew tonight, then the two of them would have to sleep outside the gates.

There were often many cultivators who camped outside overnight, waiting to enter at dawn.

But outside the city gates, the crowd was a mixed bag. With so many unfamiliar faces, both good and bad, it was hard to tell friend from foe. For safety, it was better to keep a low profile.

Mo Hua himself didn't mind—but Yuer was different.

He was a kidnapped child.

Though Yuer tried to be tough, he was still just a kid. He finally reached his limit and obediently nodded.

The area around Qingzhou City was a vast forested mountain range.

Mo Hua found a quiet, secluded spot surrounded by boulders and trees. It was well-hidden and relatively safe. He touched the ground with a finger and drew a Warmth Formation.

A soft golden light spread out, dispelling the oppressive chill of night and the biting mountain wind. It made Yuer's little face glow a rosy red.

Yuer's eyes lit up, sparkling as he looked at Mo Hua and gaped in awe.

"Big Brother! You can draw formations like that?!"

He hadn't used a brush or any talisman paper—just pointed a finger, and boom! Formation.

So calm. So cool.

Like a real expert!

Yuer's face was full of admiration.

Mo Hua looked a little smug. "When you grow up, I'll teach you how to draw them too."

"Mhm! Okay!" Yuer nodded enthusiastically, eyes shining with anticipation.

The night wind howled, bringing a sharp chill.

Mo Hua took out a small blanket and wrapped Yuer in it.

The little boy bundled himself up tightly, finally feeling warm. But then he frowned slightly, stole a glance at Mo Hua, and pursed his lips without saying anything.

Mo Hua saw right through him and chuckled. "Hungry?"

Yuer blushed and softly replied, "Mm…"

He hadn't eaten much since being kidnapped. And after being rescued, they'd been hurrying along the road. Now that he was finally resting and warm, his tummy started to growl.

Mo Hua smiled knowingly. With practiced ease, he took out dried meat, mountain yams, and a variety of wild fruits and nuts. He laid them out over the Warmth Formation to roast.

The heat from the fire soaked into the food.

A delicious aroma began to spread with the warmth.

Yuer looked at it like a hungry kitten eyeing dried fish—his gaze completely locked in.

The two of them sat by the fire, eating roast meat and yams, nibbling on fruits and nuts with a wild tang.

Yuer ate happily, with gusto.

Afterward, Mo Hua handed him some fruit wine to drink.

The wine was sweet and mellow, with a hint of alcohol that washed away the fatigue of the journey.

"So good!" Yuer beamed, mimicking Mo Hua by licking his lips.

With their bellies full and bodies warm, the two curled up around the formation fire, wrapped in their blankets, and drifted off to sleep.

Mo Hua appeared to be "asleep," but in truth, he was drawing formations inside his mindscape, his divine sense on constant alert for beasts or suspicious cultivators.

After a while, he suddenly paused.

He noticed Yuer's tiny body was curled up tightly.

Opening his eyes, he saw that Yuer's eyes were shut tight. His face was pale, and he looked terrified, like he was trapped in a nightmare. Two trails of tears ran down his cheeks, making him look pitiful and helpless. His small body trembled with fear.

Mo Hua sighed.

"Yuer…"

He called softly, adding a trace of divine sense to the sound, letting it reach Yuer's ears.

Yuer slowly opened his eyes, teary and dazed.

Mo Hua beckoned gently. "Cold? Come here."

Yuer hesitated for a moment, then wiped his tears and shuffled over, still wrapped in his blanket.

Mo Hua shared his own blanket, covering them both, and gently patted the boy's head.

"Don't overthink it. By sunrise, you'll be reunited with your parents…"

"Mm." Yuer nodded his little head.

"Sleep now…"

Mo Hua's voice was soft—gentle, yet firm.

Yuer's anxious heart gradually settled, his body no longer shaking from fear.

The shared blanket was warm.

Yuer let out a quiet sigh of relief.

He secretly peeked up at Mo Hua. Seeing that he had his eyes closed, resting, and hadn't noticed, Yuer scooted a little closer.

There was a calm, peaceful aura around Mo Hua.

Feeling safe and content, Yuer finally closed his eyes and slipped into sleep.

This time, he slept soundly.

There were no lingering fears of being trafficked.

No grotesque, greedy adult faces.

No heart stabbed by the malice of the world.

No terror. No despair.

And none of those— None of those nightmares that had haunted him since he could remember…

In the savage wilderness mountains…

Where living people were sacrificed…

Where flesh was used as bait…

Where all beings were treated like livestock…

Where a pure, twisted evil reigned,

In a realm of blood and brutality, bizarre and grotesque,

Nurturing the demons of the world— None of those.

...

The night passed in peace.

A Night of Peace.

Yuer slept soundly.

At first light the next day, Mo Hua brought Yuer to the gates of Qingzhou City.

Outside the city, there were patrols stationed by the Dao Court Office.

Mo Hua was stopped as he tried to enter.

The main issue? He looked too young—bringing along a kid even younger than him. Among a crowd of cultivators, that stood out a lot.

The patrol officer couldn't help but ask:

"How old are you…?"

"Fifteen…"

"What business do you have in the city?"

"Going to study in Qianxue Province…"

"Just you?"

"And my little brother!" Mo Hua patted Yuer on the head.

Yuer immediately stood up straight, puffed out his chest, lifted his chin, and nodded repeatedly to back up Mo Hua's words.

The officer was now in a bind.

His orders were: "Any suspicious cultivators traveling with child cultivators must be questioned thoroughly."

But… a kid with another kid—was that suspicious?

He'd heard rumors that a young master from the Gu family had been kidnapped by traffickers.

But oddly enough, the child's portrait wasn't disclosed.

All they could do was check based on age…

The officer glanced at Yuer. "That boy really does look like a young master…"

Then he looked at Mo Hua again, doubt creeping in.

A kidnapper… this young?

And if he really were a trafficker, shouldn't he be trying to sneak out of the city—not walking right in so openly?

"Maybe I'm just overthinking it…"

Seeing the officer murmuring to himself, Mo Hua asked, "Did… something happen?"

"Mm, it's the Gu family…" The officer nodded mid-sentence—then realized he'd slipped up and instantly straightened his expression.

"Kids shouldn't be asking questions!"

"Oh…"

"Go on, get inside!"

"Okay!"

And just like that, Mo Hua led Yuer straight through the gates of Qingzhou City.

Qingzhou bustled with life.

Stepping into Qingzhou City was as good as stepping halfway into Qianxue Province.

Soon, he could find a way to apply for entry to the Dao of Qian Sect.

But before that, he had to safely return this little "tag-along"—Yuer—back to his parents. Otherwise, he couldn't rest easy.

Qingzhou City was rather prosperous.

The streets were lively and full of people. On both sides were stalls selling everything from pills to talismans, spiritual tools, and array components—an endless array of goods.

As they walked, they browsed.

Yuer looked around wide-eyed, full of wonder.

Mo Hua, however, was deep in thought.

"How do I find Yuer's parents?"

"The Gu family…"

Along the way, he'd heard several mentions of the "Gu family…"

One of the traffickers, Boss Jiang, had said something about it. So had the patrol officer at the city gate…

Could Yuer actually be that missing young master?

Mo Hua turned to Yuer and asked, "Yuer, is your surname Gu?"

Yuer reluctantly dragged his gaze away from a glistening bunch of candied hawthorns, thought for a moment, and finally replied a beat late:

"I don't think so…"

"Then your mother's surname—is it Gu?"

Yuer shook his head.

Mo Hua frowned.

No surname Gu? Then there's likely no connection to the Gu family…

Yuer looked up at him guiltily. "Brother, I'm sorry. Mother said I'm not allowed to tell anyone our surname…"

"It's fine." Mo Hua smiled. "When you're out in the world, you've got to stay cautious. Even with me—that's the right instinct."

Still, Yuer looked ashamed.

So, Mo Hua bought him a stick of candied hawthorns.

Yuer immediately lit up, biting into them happily, his little mouth turning red and sticky.

"First time having one?"

"Mm!" Yuer nodded. "Mother never let me eat them."

Mo Hua sighed.

Now he was even more confused.

Whose child is Yuer, really?

Not allowed to eat candied hawthorns…

Was it because the family was too poor and couldn't afford sweets?

Or so wealthy they were afraid he'd upset his stomach?

"Yuer, is your house big?"

"Mhm!" Yuer stretched out his tiny arms in a big circle. "Very, very big!"

Mo Hua nodded. "So, a high-status family's child…"

But then again… maybe not.

A child's idea of "big" and an adult's idea of "big" could be very different.

He himself once thought Tongxian City was enormous—walking from the south gate to the north gate felt like forever…

But now, he could cross that same distance in half an hour.

"Do you remember anything about Qingzhou City?" Mo Hua asked again.

Yuer licked his candied fruit, thinking hard, then shook his head. "I'm not sure… they all kinda look the same."

Mo Hua paused, then nodded.

Fair enough.

Once you've seen enough immortal cities, they all do start to look alike.

But that made things trickier.

No clues. No leads.

Suddenly, Yuer's eyes lit up. "Brother! I remembered something! I have relatives in Qingzhou City! Mother said she brought me here to visit them!"

[End of page prompt: "Dear reader, this chapter continues on the next page with even more exciting developments!"]

"What relatives?" Mo Hua asked.

Yuer shook his head.

"What's their surname?"

Still shaking.

Mo Hua sighed.

Well, it was something, at least.

After asking around for a bit, Mo Hua sat down with Yuer at a noodle shop near the city gate.

From what he'd heard, the Gu family wasn't just a major presence in Qingzhou—they were the most powerful clan across several nearby cities in Qianxue Province.

A Fifth-Rank Aristocratic Family.

And according to the gossip, some young master of the Gu clan—identity unknown—had been kidnapped by traffickers. His whereabouts remained a mystery.

But the Gu family had not disclosed the boy's name or appearance.

Maybe the child had a special status and required secrecy.

All they said publicly was: Any clues about kidnapped child cultivators under ten—report to the Gu family. If confirmed, they will reward you handsomely.

That included… a guaranteed entrance spot to a Qianxue Province cultivation academy.

An admission slot…

Mo Hua already had a sect entry token, so he didn't need that.

Besides, he had no clue where that Gu family young master even was.

His priority now was making sure little Yuer found his way safely back to his parents.

"Should I just ask the Dao Court for help?"

Mo Hua considered it… then shook his head.

He didn't know anyone in Qingzhou's Dao Court.

And besides, the Gu family incident had stirred up a storm—most Dao Court officials were already busy with the search. It was unlikely anyone would care about Yuer.

But that wasn't even the worst part.

Mo Hua suspected that some cultivators inside the Dao Court might be colluding with the traffickers…

That was something Uncle Zhang Lan had warned him about.

The Dao Court wasn't as clean as it looked. Politics and power struggles ran deep.

You never know someone's heart—better safe than sorry.

You couldn't rely on outsiders.

It was best to hand Yuer directly over to his real parents.

"He has relatives in Qingzhou…"

"So do I go knocking door to door?"

Mo Hua shook his head again.

That wouldn't work either.

Families with enough power to live in Qianxue Province all had high thresholds. He might not even get past their gates.

And it'd waste too much time.

Worse yet—if someone claimed to be Yuer's relative, acted friendly enough, it'd be hard for a little kid to tell if they were truly family or just someone with bad intentions…

Mo Hua had a gut feeling— Neither of these approaches felt quite right.

In the unseen currents of fate, Mo Hua felt that both options had hidden flaws.

"Once you involve outsiders… something always goes wrong."

This instinct wasn't baseless. Ever since he'd started learning Heavenly Fate Deduction, he occasionally sensed faint premonitions—subtle, vague, not quite accurate, but surprisingly useful for decision-making.

After much thought, Mo Hua decided on the simplest, dumbest, yet most direct approach:

Stake out the gate.

Anyone entering or leaving Qingzhou City had to pass through its main gates.

Qingzhou was a central hub connecting to Qian Province's cultivation world.

If Yuer's parents were truly looking for him, sooner or later, they'd pass through this gate.

And just as Mo Hua made this decision, his heart gave a sudden thump—almost like the karmic thread he had envisioned was now following some mysterious heavenly principle and was destined to come true…

Mo Hua's heart trembled.

Was this…

True Heavenly Fate Deduction?

No—maybe just the embryonic form of true deduction.

In his mind's eye, the figure of Master Zhuang appeared again. Mimicking his master's gestures, Mo Hua made a few hand seals, closed his eyes, and focused his divine sense…

A few moments passed.

Nothing happened.

Mo Hua rubbed his chin.

He was starting to suspect that his master's fancy gestures were just for show—to look more like an "immortal sage." In truth, they probably didn't do anything.

When he did the same… his mind went completely blank. He couldn't deduce anything.

Maybe it was because what he'd learned so far was just Divine Sense Deduction, not at the level of Heavenly Fate Deduction.

At most, after enough practice, his sea of consciousness would occasionally give him vague hunches—small, scattered premonitions of fate.

After all, his master had never actually taught him how to deduce heavenly fate…

Mo Hua sighed.

What even is heavenly fate? He didn't fully understand yet.

As for how to calculate it? Completely clueless.

"Heavenly Fate Deduction…"

"If I ever come across other fate-based techniques, I should try to obtain them—study and compare them, maybe gain insight by analogy. Someday, I'll comprehend the real art of deduction…"

Mo Hua nodded to himself.

He couldn't always be the one being calculated.

Sometimes, he had to be the one doing the calculating.

He turned to Yuer and instructed,

"We're going to wait here. Watch the gate closely. If you see anyone familiar—your parents, relatives, teachers, or your family's carriage—tell me right away."

"Mm!" Yuer nodded eagerly.

Soon, the shopkeeper brought out two bowls of noodles—one big, one small.

Mo Hua ate quietly while continuing to ponder heavenly fate deduction.

Yuer imitated him, slurping his noodles with enthusiasm. Occasionally, he glanced up to see Mo Hua nearby, felt reassured, and continued eating.

As if just being near Mo Hua could slowly melt away those blood-soaked, cruel, demonic nightmares…

And so, the two of them waited by the gate.

The city gate was a sea of traffic—carriages, cultivators of every kind coming and going.

But after several days of waiting, and five or six bowls of noodles each, they still hadn't found anything.

Mo Hua started to doubt himself.

"Could I have guessed wrong…?"

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"No… I don't think I did."

Mo Hua frowned and focused his thoughts. In his mind, a faint image of a carriage and a blurry face began to form…

Meanwhile, inside the Gu Residence of Qingzhou City—

Within an elegant and lavish grand hall…

A stunning woman in a phoenix robe suddenly waved her hand, and crash!—all the ornate tables, chairs, porcelain, and screens in the room shattered to pieces. Even the formation-reinforced walls cracked slightly from the impact.

Outside the hall, the maids turned pale. They lowered their heads and quietly retreated.

Seated across from the furious woman was a man dressed in fine robes, extraordinarily handsome and clearly of high cultivation, giving a wry smile.

"Wan'er, don't be angry…"

The phoenix-robed woman's beautiful eyes were red, brimming with rage. "How can I not be angry?! A noble family like the Shangguan clan… and you let someone kidnap your direct bloodline? You think I'm a fool?"

The man in finery spoke softly, "Wan'er, no one wanted this to happen…"

"Shangguan Yi!" the woman snapped, voice sharp with fury. "Yuer is my child! You may not care, but I do! He's so small, so well-behaved… he's my life!"

The man's charming eyes were clouded with pain. "Yuer is my flesh and blood too. Of course I care…"

"Then what has your Shangguan family done about it?" she questioned coldly.

The man said bitterly, "Wan'er, you're part of the Shangguan family now. Please don't say things like that. If Father hears you…"

"And what if he does?" she cut him off. "He's been unhappy about this marriage from the start! He's always looked down on me!"

Her eyes, once full of affection, had turned cold as blades—now filled with deep resentment.

"He doesn't like me. So naturally, he doesn't like Yuer either."

"Let me tell you, if Yuer never returns—I'll hate the Shangguan family for the rest of my life."

Her voice trembled slightly. Within it was a mix of fierce resolve and the bitter pain of severing ties with a loved one.

"Including you, Shangguan Yi!"

The man's heart twisted like a knife. "Wan'er…"

She gritted her teeth. "Now tell me the truth. Who took Yuer? What have you found out? Where is he?"

The man sighed, face full of worry.

He knew his wife loved their son more than life itself. He had kept the truth from her, afraid it would break her completely. He'd told her they were close to finding Yuer, that everything was under control…

But now, there was no more hiding it.

He had to come clean.

"On the surface… it looked like just an accident."

"Yuer went out to see the lanterns. There were people watching him. But in the blink of an eye—he was gone."

"We investigated. But fate was like water… clear and traceless…"

"We have no idea who took him or why. What we did find is that after being kidnapped, someone started smuggling him out of the city."

"It was a trafficking ring."

"They split into several groups and moved out of Qingzhou City in stages, like they were trying to smuggle him far outside Qian Province… to who knows where."

"Over these past days, the Shangguan family, the Gu family, and the Dao Court Office have deployed countless cultivators to investigate."

"Shangguan clan moved in the shadows. The Gu family and Dao Court acted openly. Every group of traffickers we found—we interrogated, we executed, again and again…"

"But no matter how many we caught or killed, there were always stragglers… overlooked, invisible…"

"And those few… slowly, steadily… managed to smuggle Yuer further and further away."

"As if everything… had been calculated in advance…"

"That's why the Elders now believe—" he swallowed hard, voice shaking, "—that this was the work of someone with profound mastery of Heavenly Fate… a terrifying mastermind… someone orchestrating a grand scheme from the shadows."

He paused, took a deep breath, and finally said it:

"Someone deliberately kidnapped Yuer—the first child born from a thousand-year alliance between the two ancient noble families: Shangguan and Wenren…"

(End of Chapter)