The Quest for Immortality

Mr. Zhuang would be leaving in a month.

He had said this to Mo Hua and the siblings Bai Zisheng, asking them to prepare during this time and to handle their private affairs.

After that, they would leave Tongxian City and wander elsewhere.

Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi didn’t have much to prepare.

The month was mainly for Mo Hua to say goodbye, to spend time with his parents and friends, and to settle some trivial matters.

Mo Hua was going to leave…

When Liu Ruhua made the decision, she was resolute, but now, as the departure approached and she realized that Mo Hua, who had been with her for over a decade, was about to leave, she suddenly felt heartache and reluctant to let go.

She worried about him facing the hardships of travel, not having enough food, and not sleeping well.

She was concerned about the long journey ahead of him, not knowing what dangers he would encounter, how much hardship he would endure…

So, Mo Hua took more time to stay at home, to keep his parents company, and to reassure them.

Elder Yu learned of this matter and, while he couldn’t bear to part with Mo Hua, he was also happy for him.

It was not easy for a monk to become a Formation Master, especially one as gifted as Mo Hua.

But a dragon that swims in the shallows cannot soar to the nine heavens.

Tongxian City was too small; being confined here would make it very difficult for Mo Hua to achieve greater accomplishments. Therefore, despite feeling regret, Elder Yu was also pleased to see him set out and become an apprentice to wander the lands.

After Mo Hua left, there would be no Formation Masters among the Loose Cultivators in Tongxian City.

Considering this, Mo Hua had made early preparations.

He went to Master Qian and said:

”Master Qian, I have a request.”

Master Qian hurriedly responded, “I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare…”

He neither dared to call himself “Master” in front of Mo Hua, nor did he dare to accept Mo Hua’s request, so he said:

”Little Master Mo, please tell me your command. As long as Qian can do it, I will not shirk.”

After the Patriarch of the Qian Family was convicted by the Taoist Court, all the family property was donated; the clan fell apart, and the members scattered, living their separate lives. Not only would they not help each other, but sometimes they would even fight tooth and nail over petty gains. ŕ𝒶Ｎ𝔬𝖇Εś

The Qian Family used to value profit over righteousness, and its disciples were like wolf cubs.

Now in decline, with no benefits left, it was natural for clan members to drift apart and lose their morals.

The Qian Family of today was no longer a clan but more like a group of Loose Cultivators sharing the Qian surname, and they weren’t even as united as the Loose Cultivators.

Master Qian was a Formation Master with a unique status; even without the protection of the Qian Family, he could still get by.

But many changes had also made him reflect on the unpredictability of Tao Cultivation and the impermanence of the world, and his desire for gains had faded, turning his focus to the study of formations.

Mo Hua then said, “Master Qian, could you teach Loose Cultivators formation methods?”

Master Qian looked astonished; he had never expected that Mo Hua would make such a request.

Master Qian hesitated:

”Teaching is certainly possible, it’s just that…”

It’s just that he had never considered this before, nor had he ever imagined that one day he might do such a thing—to teach formation methods to Loose Cultivators…

Mo Hua said, “If you are willing, I can speak to Elder Yu. If you ever need help in the future or encounter any difficulties, Elder Yu will also help you.”

Master Qian was slightly stunned, then slowly grasped the meaning.

Mo Hua was offering him an opportunity as well as some security.

With the Qian Family’s fall, they faced hostility from many sides, and old debts were being settled, foreshadowing difficult days ahead.

Although he was a Formation Master and didn’t need to concern himself with such things, he was, after all, a Qian by surname and couldn’t completely detach himself from these matters.

Now Mo Hua was giving him an opportunity: by teaching formation methods to Loose Cultivators, he was forming an alliance with Elder Yu, easing their relationship.

Should any difficulty arise in the future, Elder Yu would help him out of consideration for the formation teaching he provided.

Behind Elder Yu were the Monster Hunters of the entire Tongxian City. With this connection to Elder Yu, he would be untroubled by others in Tongxian City.

This arrangement was beneficial for both parties and had been thoughtfully considered.

Master Qian then agreed, “As long as Little Master Mo doesn’t find my skills meager, I am naturally willing to share all I know.”

Mo Hua nodded.

Although the Qian Family didn’t establish itself with formations, it still had a certain legacy in this field, particularly in imparting formation methods to disciples, and had experience to follow.

Mo Hua was counting on this when he asked Master Qian to teach formation methods to Loose Cultivators.

But this was not enough.

Mo Hua then took out a book titled “Comprehensive Explanation of the First-grade Formation Method” and handed it to Master Qian:

”This is a formation book I compiled in my free time. It records the drawing methods for common first-grade formations, lays out the learning process in a step-by-step progression, and includes some insights and experiences…”

“…Please, Master Qian, review it. If there’s nothing wrong, you can use this ‘Comprehensive Explanation of the First-grade Formation Method’ as the foundation to teach formation methods to the Loose Cultivator disciples…”

Mo Hua spoke very politely.

Master Qian smiled wryly upon hearing this, “Little Master Mo is too courteous. I don’t dare claim the word ‘review’…”

With Mo Hua’s level of expertise in formations, he truly had no place to “review” anything.

But Master Qian was curious about what kind of formation book Mo Hua would compile.

He opened the “Comprehensive Explanation of the First-grade Formation Method” and after a few glances, he was stunned.

This was no ordinary formation book.

It was a comprehensive guide to learning all the principles of first-grade formations and below, from a single formation pattern up to nine patterns, with depth and simplicity, progressively explaining the principles of first-grade formations and the laws of Spiritual Power operation.

Plain yet profound, with a deep foundation in Formation knowledge.

It’s even more valuable because it isn’t limited to basic Formation principles; it teaches how to advance further and learn more complex Compound Formations after mastering the Nine-Pattern Formation.

All of this is explained in this “Comprehensive Explanation.”

It means that this “Comprehensive Explanation of the First-grade Formation Method” can not only help Cultivators who are unfamiliar with Formations to learn First-grade Formation Methods from scratch, step by step.

But also for someone like me, a “pseudo-First-grade” Formation Master who is stuck at the assessment threshold, it’s beneficial, teaching higher-level Formations that can help me cross the threshold and gain the ability to pass the assessment and become a true First-grade Formation Master.

This book represents a continuous and comprehensive transmission of Formation inheritance.

Even the Formation tradition collected by the Qian Family over hundreds of years cannot compare to it.

Master Qian’s hands trembled, feeling the heavy weight of the book in his hands, he couldn’t help but ask,

”Is this… really for me to take?”

He felt unworthy of it.

”Yes,” Mo Hua nodded, “Formations, if hoarded selfishly, become nothing but stale knowledge. They only become true Formations when they are passed down, allowing more people to understand and benefit more Cultivators. This is how it conforms to the Heavenly Dao.”

Mo Hua’s eyes were clear, and his tone sincere.

In that moment, Master Qian even felt somewhat ashamed. He sighed and said solemnly,

”Rest assured, Mr. Mo, I will keep my promise and pass on these Formation Methods for the rest of my life!”

Mo Hua felt greatly relieved and gave a bow,

”Then I must thank Master Qian for his trouble!”

Master Qian hurriedly returned the bow, “Mr. Mo, you are too polite!”

After a moment of thought, Mo Hua said, “There is one more thing, I’d like to ask Master Qian for a favor.”

”Please don’t call it a ‘trouble,’ Mr. Mo, just let me know.”

Mo Hua said, “I’d like to ask Master Qian to take in a child and teach him Formations personally.”

Master Qian was slightly startled, “Who is this child?”

”His last name is Chu, and his nickname is Zhouer. I once promised his father, Uncle Chu, to teach him Formations, but at that time, Zhouer was too young to learn.”

”Having made that promise, I cannot go back on my word.”

”I will be traveling and I don’t know when I will return, so I’d like to ask Master Qian to help and teach Formations on my behalf, so he will have a means to make a living in the future.”

”Chu Zhouer…” Master Qian repeated the name then nodded, “Rest assured, Mr. Mo, I will teach him well.”

”Then I am very grateful to Master Qian!”

Afterwards, Mo Hua got up to leave, and Master Qian respectfully saw him to the door.

After leaving, Mo Hua went to find Master Luo and also gave him a copy of the “Comprehensive Explanation of the First-grade Formation Method.”

Master Luo treasured it, filled with gratitude.

The basic Formation techniques inside didn’t mean much to Master Luo, but the insights into Formations included in the appendix were invaluable to him and might even help him break through the bottleneck of becoming a First-grade Formation Master.

Mo Hua mentioned to Master Luo his request for Master Qian to teach Formations to Loose Cultivators. Master Luo, somewhat surprised, thought for a moment, then nodded his approval, saying,

”That’s a very good idea!”

It passed on Formation knowledge and eased tensions as well.

Seeing Master Luo relaxing at home, leisurely drinking tea, Mo Hua became curious and asked,

”Aren’t you going to Lanshan Sect anymore?”

Previously, when a Big Demon appeared and Tongxian City had to relocate, Master Luo found a way out by taking a position as an Outer Gate Elder at Lanshan Sect.

Master Luo shook his head, “Better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix. I know my own worth.”

”If it weren’t for no other choice, I wouldn’t want to leave Tongxian City.”

Master Luo smiled wryly, “It’s not embarrassing to say to you, Mr. Mo, that here in Tongxian City, I am revered as a First-grade Formation Master. But outside, I would simply be an ordinary Outer Gate Elder, in a position neither high nor low and subjected to others’ control. It may look impressive, but it’s not comfortable. I would not subject myself to that hardship.”

Mo Hua questioned, “But aren’t the Formation inheritances better outside? Don’t you want to advance further?”

”Just because you want to progress further doesn’t mean you can,” Master Luo shook his head. “When a power grows large, so do the interests involved. And with more interests come inevitable backstabbing and scheming.”

”Formations, sometimes, are better pursued outside the limelight, seeking tranquility and distance. When your mind is disturbed, it’s not easy to learn well, and you might even end up learning the wrong way.”

”Besides, getting a Formation inheritance from outside is not easy,” sighed Master Luo. “You might exert a lot of effort to get just scraps and leftovers that can scarcely fill your stomach, all the while enduring disdain from others…”

Then Mo Hua realized that Master Luo had his own story.

Perhaps he too had once ventured out, weathered the storm, struggled bitterly, yet still ended with nothing and faced others’ cold looks.

That’s probably why he returned to Tongxian City, to lie on his bamboo chair, drink tea, and live a steady and stable life.

”You don’t feel resentful?” inquired Mo Hua curiously.

”Everybody has their fate; it cannot be forced,” Master Luo seemed at peace with this, “and as for inheritance, sometimes it’s a matter of chance…”

He gently patted the copy of the “Comprehensive Explanation of the First-grade Formation Method” that Mo Hua had given him, “See, chance has just arrived, hasn’t it?”

Mo Hua was startled, then couldn’t help but laugh, finding Master Luo to be quite an interesting person.

After sharing several cups of Master Luo’s cherished tea and discussing some Formation knowledge, as the sky grew dark, Mo Hua got up to leave.

Master Luo also stood up and personally saw Mo Hua out.

Watching Mo Hua’s retreating figure, Master Luo muttered to himself,

”To follow his mentor and travel, that’s to receive personal instruction…”

”If he returns after learning well, having advanced even further in Formations, that would truly be… boundless…”

Master Luo murmured appreciatively, then with an expectant expression, watched Mo Hua’s silhouette and whispered,

”Study hard…”