Immortality Through Array Formations

Chapter 292: Chapter 291: Gains and Losses_1

On his way back, Mo Hua silently summarized the gains and losses of his journey in his heart.

Overall, infiltrating the Black Mountain Stronghold had been eventful but without peril; however, upon careful reflection, he realized that many situations he faced were quite dangerous.

Particularly when eavesdropping on the Foundation Establishment Evil Cultivators’ conversations, spying under their very noses, and eventually even stealing the third Householder’s Contemplation Map—getting caught by the third Householder himself…

These actions were akin to pulling teeth from a tiger’s mouth or retrieving chestnuts from a fire.

Although, in the end, Mo Hua managed to bluff his way through, converting danger into safety.

Nevertheless, one should seek benefits and avoid harm; it would be better to refrain from such dangerous activities in the future as much as possible. And if there were no choice but to undertake them, he’d need to plan even more thoroughly.

Mo Hua sighed softly.

His actions weren’t thorough enough; his considerations weren’t careful enough; his methods, not meticulous enough.

Most importantly, he had worried everyone, including his parents.

Mo Hua took this to heart.

The Cultivation World was boundless, the path of Tao Cultivation, long and winding.

He was still young with shallow experience; there was much he lacked and many more experiences to endure, with equally many things to learn.

If there were any oversights in his actions, he must reflect upon them greatly. Only then could he benefit from the experiences and make firmer steps in the future.

Mo Hua nodded to himself.

After reflecting on his mistakes, Mo Hua began to think about the gains from his trip.

Firstly, he had learned the truth about the depths of the mountains, discovered the entrance to the Black Mountain Stronghold, scouted out its strengths and weaknesses, and had more or less figured out the stronghold completely. He had even mapped the Black Mountain Stronghold and learned some of its deepest secrets.

The Black Mountain Stronghold was the most malignant tumor hidden in the depth of Big Black Mountain. If not removed, all of Tongxian City would face enormous peril.

When the time came, all the cultivators in Tongxian City, including his parents and the Monster Hunters, Artifact Refiners, and Alchemists he knew, could inadvertently fall prey to the evil cultivators.

This was not something Mo Hua wanted to see.

Therefore, the Black Mountain Stronghold would sooner or later have to be eradicated, and a clash was inevitable.

Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.

Once a direct confrontation with the Black Mountain Stronghold occurred, the intelligence Mo Hua had gathered would be crucial.

Upon understanding the stronghold’s strengths and weaknesses, it would be easier to plan and strategize, hence making it much easier to deal with the Black Mountain Stronghold.

If they were ignorant of the situation and acted hastily, the cunning and unpredictable Black Mountain Stronghold would be many times more powerful.

In a conflict with the stronghold, the casualties could also be many times higher.

Mo Hua hoped everyone could live well; it was best if there were no casualties. If that was unavoidable, he wished to minimize the losses.

Besides the intelligence on the Black Mountain Stronghold, the personal gains for Mo Hua were considerable.

He had killed the chubby cultivator and obtained Kong Sheng’s Jade Pendant.

This pendant, exclusive to the direct descendants of the Kong Family, had significant symbolic meaning. For now, it could only be traded for Spirit Stones, but if he kept it, there might come a day when he could exploit the Kong Family with it.

Next, Mo Hua obtained a Secret Manual on the Fireball Technique from a white-faced evil cultivator.

He hadn’t looked at this manual closely after putting it in his Storage Bag.

If Mo Hua’s guess was correct, although the manual was in the possession of the evil cultivator, it likely wasn’t his original property. It must have been stolen, robbed, or perhaps fortuitously acquired.

Such manuals that focus on a particular type of spell were quite rare, and ordinary cultivators simply didn’t have such inheritances.

Mo Hua was quietly pleased.

By comprehending this manual, he should be able to enhance the power of his Fireball Technique, making up for his shortfall where his agility was ample and his adaptability rich, but his offensive power lacking.

But there was no rush for now. Mo Hua planned to mull over it carefully after returning.

Additionally, the Contemplation Map was quite important.

It was Mo Hua’s first encounter with a Contemplation Map, and he had peered into its secrets and faced the dangers it concealed.

He had some speculations about the Contemplation Map, but due to his limited knowledge in Tao Cultivation, he was not yet certain and would need to consult Mr. Zhuang for clarification.

Thanks to the Contemplation Map, Mo Hua’s Divine Sense had increased dramatically, now comparable to that of Foundation Establishment. He also created a one-pattern Grade One Reversed Spirit Formation, considered an anomaly by the standards of the Heavenly Dao.

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Mr. Zhuang probably hadn’t expected this.

Mo Hua felt a secret sense of triumph, wondering if his return would give Mr. Zhuang a fright.

Ultimately, the most important matter was the Taoist Stele.

Mo Hua had always used the Taoist Stele to practice formations and sharpen his divine sense.

The stele, rather than being a stele, was more like a “blackboard,” drawn upon and then erased, erased and then drawn upon again.

Anything could be depicted on it, but in the end, nothing remained.

However, after his experience at the Black Mountain Stronghold, after seeing the Contemplation Map and having the Little Green-faced Ghost penetrate his sea of consciousness, after facing peril and turning the tide,

Mo Hua realized that perhaps he knew nothing about the Taoist Stele.

He could still remember the fear on the face of the Little Green-faced Ghost.

It was as if it faced the greatest terror in the world, the terror of true death and the obliteration of its path by the Great Dao.

The Taoist Stele didn’t even do anything—not shining or showing anomalies—just a few strands of breath turned the Little Green-faced Ghost into green smoke.

Mo Hua’s heart grew solemn.

This Taoist Stele might be much more powerful than he had imagined, and its origins were probably quite fearsome.

Mo Hua was not yet in a position to ask Mr. Zhuang.

Though he trusted Mr. Zhuang completely, the stele’s special origins and significant implications meant that the fewer people who knew about it, the better. It was best if he were the only one who knew.

As for the mysteries of the stele, he would slowly uncover them later.

The miasma around him started to thin, and the fog lightened, the surroundings no longer imposing, and the monster beasts encountered along the way were much weaker.

Before they knew it, they had left the Inner Mountain and were now walking on the mountain paths of the Outer Mountain.

Mo Hua turned back and glanced at the deep mountains.

The great fog shrouded everything, leaving only a vast expanse of haze.

But Mo Hua knew that the Black Mountain Stronghold was nestled deep within that fog, having persisted for two to three hundred years.

Inside, there were mountains of corpses and seas of blood, with demons dancing wildly.

The spirit slaves were reduced to skin and bones; the women suffered a fate worse than death, and the other cultivators who had been captured were tortured mercilessly.

Mo Hua had lived his whole life in Tongxian City, in poverty, but amid neighborly harmony and helpful cultivators.

It was only now that he had truly seen the other side of the cultivation world.

Bloody, icy, brutal, and evil.

In this world, there were diligent and righteous cultivators who pursued the Heavenly Dao; there also roamed lawless and utterly evil heretical demons.

Some cultivators not only killed people but also drank their blood, absorbed their spiritual power, treating people not as human beings but as spirit slaves, blood slaves—simply breathing spirit stones.

This was a “dog-eat-dog” world.

Mo Hua understood that simply learning formations was not enough.

If his cultivation was strong, then he could have saved all the innocent cultivators in Black Mountain Stronghold, instead of being forced to watch them be persecuted by the evil cultivators until their death.

To kill those evil cultivators, no cunning schemes would be needed—just one Fireball Technique could burn them to death.

And if his cultivation was high enough to comprehend stronger formations, he might even be able to set up an Earth Fire Great Formation that could send the entire Black Mountain Stronghold to heaven.

Ultimately, cultivation is the cornerstone of a cultivator, formations are the foundation of existence, and spells are the sharp weapons of self-protection.

None of the three can be lacking.

He had to understand the Heavenly Dao through formations for the benefit of all, as well as master powerful spells with his cultivation to eradicate evil demons.

Mo Hua’s thoughts became clearer, and his eyes grew more determined.

Liu Ruhua stood by his side. Watching his expression change from joy to frowning, she wondered what he might be pondering, and eventually, as if making up his mind, his expression turned serious.

Even just silently watching Mo Hua by his side, she felt much more at ease.

Liu Ruhua smiled with relief, her gaze as tender as water.

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