The Quest for Immortality

On the next day, after finishing his lecture in the Tao Teaching Room, Mo Hua was tidying up the jade slips and books, preparing to return to the Disciple’s Residence, when he looked up and saw a Taoist Child at the door waving at him.

”Mo Hua, Elder Master Xun is calling for you.”

Mo Hua paused for a moment, then nodded slightly, ”Alright.”

Walking along the long mountain steps of Taixu Mountain, Mo Hua couldn’t shake off a sense of foreboding. He softly asked the Taoist Child:

”What is it about this time?”

The Taoist Child shook his head and answered honestly: ”I don’t know.”

”Is Elder Master Xun angry this time?”

”Angry...” The Taoist Child frowned and then shook his head again, ”But also not quite—it’s more like something big has happened. Even Elder Xun looked anxious and on edge.”

”Elder Xun?”

”Elder Xun Ziyou, the great-grandson of the ancestor, who serves as an Elder in the Inner Gate.”

Mo Hua nodded slightly, imprinting the name in his memory.

The Taoist Child gave Mo Hua a worried glance and said, ”Anyway, you’d better be careful and try not to upset the ancestor.”

Mo Hua was puzzled, ”I haven’t done anything. If the Elder Master is upset, what does it have to do with me?”

”Who knows...” The Taoist Child walked ahead but suddenly turned back, whispering, ”Mo Hua, the Little Tiger you made for me—I broke it again...”

”What did you do?” Mo Hua looked at him quietly.

The Taoist Child felt embarrassed and muttered, ”I was battling beasts with puppets with Qingfeng and Mingyue. The tiger won, but it broke afterward...”

Mo Hua sighed softly.

The Taoist Child looked guilty.

Mo Hua then said, ”If I have time, I’ll make you another one. If you want to fight beasts, I’ll make you a more ferocious one. But for the puppet materials, you’ll need to provide them yourself. I’ll handle the Formation Patterns...”

The Taoist Child’s eyes lit up, and he nodded eagerly, ”I’ve gotten some top-quality gold jade. When I craft it into a puppet, I’ll bring it to you to draw the Formation Patterns.”

Mo Hua nodded, ”Alright.”

The Taoist Child beamed with joy, ”Mo Hua, you’re the best. Next time something happens, I’ll tip you off again.”

As they chatted, they arrived at the Elder’s Residence.

The Taoist Child immediately composed himself, taking on a respectful demeanor as he led Mo Hua to Elder Master Xun, bowed, and then withdrew.

Mo Hua covertly observed Elder Master Xun, noticing that while the Elder Master looked complex, he didn’t seem particularly angry. Finally, Mo Hua quietly exhaled in relief.

”Greetings, Elder Master,” Mo Hua bowed and said respectfully.

Elder Master Xun nodded slightly and said:

”I called you here, not for anything else, but because I suddenly remembered that I have some collected insights on formations. They might be of some help to you in your studies. Take them and have a look...”

Mo Hua was greatly surprised. He had assumed that Elder Master Xun had discovered some ”misdeed” of his and intended to reprimand him.

He hadn’t expected it to turn out to be something good.

Delighted, Mo Hua said sincerely, ”Thank you, Elder Master!”

Elder Master Xun retrieved several dark-colored jade slips and some ancient manuscripts, handing them to Mo Hua.

Mo Hua accepted them respectfully and leafed through them briefly.

As expected, the contents of the jade slips and manuscripts were reflections on formations, including insights into Formation Eyes, Formation Pivots, and even discussions on variations of Formation Patterns.

Out of the corner of his eye, Mo Hua suddenly froze.

He saw two unexpected words:

Formation Flow!

A tremor ran through Mo Hua’s heart as he quickly picked up that manuscript, scanning it swiftly with his eyes. Sure enough, it contained reflections and understanding regarding ”Formation Flow”:

”The Formation Flow is the origin stream of all formations under the heavens, the convergence of ten thousand formations, where understanding one leads to grasping a hundred.”

”The pinnacle of formation mastery lies in comprehending formations across all realms, achieving self-returning to the source while consolidating the Formation Method Origin Stream.”

”To comprehend Formation Flow is also to transform one into many, capturing the essential essence, and governing all formation principles...”

...

Mo Hua’s heart trembled violently.

These words... felt incredibly familiar. This wasn’t the first time he had heard them...

Mo Hua glanced at Elder Master Xun in a daze and asked in a halting voice:

”Elder Master, this manuscript... where did it come from?”

Elder Master Xun replied, ”It belonged to an old acquaintance.”

”An old acquaintance?”

”Yes.” Elder Master Xun nodded slightly, his gaze tinged with melancholy, ”Many years ago, this old acquaintance visited our Taixu Gate as a guest. We discussed formations, sharing our thoughts and concepts. This manuscript is a record of some reflections and insights from our exchanges back then...”

”This old acquaintance...” Elder Master Xun’s voice was calm, his gaze solemn as he slowly said, ”Had the surname Zhuang.”

Zhuang...

Mo Hua’s mind went blank for a moment, standing frozen in place, his heart a whirlwind of mixed emotions.

”Master...”

Elder Master Xun observed Mo Hua’s expression, seeing his initial daze shift into sorrow, with eyes filled with tender longing that eventually dissolved into deep, profound loss.

Elder Master Xun let out a faint sigh.

There was no doubt—this boy was that person’s disciple...

The grief and disappointment in Mo Hua’s eyes lasted only for a fleeting moment before they were buried deeply within, transforming into a still, unfathomable pool, impossible for others to discern.

Mo Hua regained his composure, his tone admiring as he said:

”Elder Master, your old acquaintance must have been an exceptional master of formations.”

Elder Master Xun nodded and sighed, ”Indeed.”

”And this master...” Mo Hua hesitated briefly before continuing, ”He... where is he now?”

Elder Master Xun looked at Mo Hua in mild surprise, silently observing him for a moment before shaking his head and replying:

”In this life, it’s unlikely we’ll meet again.”

Mo Hua lowered his head, saying nothing.

Seeing this, Elder Master Xun could not help but feel a pang of heartache.

He silently studied Mo Hua before him.

It had been three years since this boy joined the sect. Mo Hua had grown taller, but his temperament hadn’t changed much.

At first, Elder Master Xun had thought the boy was simply innocent and lovable, earnest, and diligent in studying formations with remarkable perceptiveness—traits he had grown fond of.

Later, upon discovering that Mo Hua possessed an extraordinary Divine Sense Talent, he cherished him like a rare treasure.

Now, knowing Mo Hua was that person’s disciple, Elder Master Xun found himself feeling ever more conflicted, shaken as he was by the revelation.

That person had command of the Heavenly Mechanism Calculation Mastery. His every action carried profound purpose, veiling secrets of unfathomable scope within the folds of destiny.