The Quest for Immortality

Gu Changhuai also glanced at Mo Hua.

Among them, Mo Hua was the best at Formations.

Although Gu Changhuai was a Golden Core Cultivator, he was not as skilled in Formations as Mo Hua.

Mo Hua immediately straightened up:

”Let me take a look...”

He touched the door frame, with his back to Gu Changhuai, his eyes deep, using Tricky Calculation to amplify and deduce the Formation Patterns inside the carriage.

Gu Changhuai’s expression stiffened; he sensed that the aura on Mo Hua’s body had changed, becoming somewhat profound and eerie, but he was gradually getting used to it, so he said nothing.

After a moment, Mo Hua concluded:

”There’s a Door Lock Array on the carriage, and a self-destruct array, it’s a Compound Formation...”

Following the deduction of the Formation Patterns and the flow of Spiritual Power, he found the ”keyhole” in the right lower corner of the carriage door, among some carved wooden Patterns.

This hole merged with the wood Patterns, making it hard to detect. .

Mo Hua speculated:

”There should be a key in Hua Ruyu’s hand.”

”Only with the key can this carriage door be opened. Forcibly opening the door without it will cause the Formation to go awry, and the carriage will self-destruct...”

Gu An’s expression was a bit heavy, ”So, we need to think of a way to get the key from Hua Ruyu?”

”No need.” Mo Hua replied calmly, ”Using a key to unlock the Formation Lock is what a Cultivator does. For a Formation Master, knowing the principle of the Formation Lock makes the key unnecessary.”

Mo Hua’s tone was casual, but there was unmistakable pride in his eyes.

Gu An and Gu Quan were delighted, nodding and praising:

”Truly, Young Master Mo.”

But Gu Changhuai still had some concerns, ”This Formation’s grade doesn’t seem low; is it alright?”

He realized the complexity through the force of the counter-shock just now.

”They’re all Second-Grade Formations, no problem.” Mo Hua stated.

Gu Changhuai pondered, ”Even within Second-Grade Formations, there are elementary, intermediate, and high levels. Even at the high level, there are thresholds of seventeen, eighteen, and nineteen Patterns. Aren’t you in the Foundation Building Middle Stage...”

”No worries,” Mo Hua smiled, ”I did a bit of ’Chao Gang’.”

Seeing Mo Hua’s confidence, Gu Changhuai chose not to question further.

As a Supervisor of the Taoist Court, with hundreds of Enforcement Leaders, Gu Changhuai knew that ”professional” matters should be left to professionals.

Formation-related matters were best entrusted to the most professional, Mo Hua.

He watched silently from the side.

Mo Hua stared at the carriage for a while, reaching out, stopping mid-point, then sensibly taking out a brush and ink to draw something on the door.

As he drew, Gu Changhuai felt a twitch in his forehead.

He guessed that Mo Hua was likely deciphering the Formation.

He didn’t quite understand the specifics of how, but at least he could count the Formation Patterns.

Eighteen Patterns!

He was deciphering an Eighteen-Pattern Formation!

A Foundation Building Middle Stage Cultivator, deciphering an Eighteen-Pattern Formation.

Even someone like Gu Changhuai, who was used to Mo Hua’s incredible feats, felt a bit unsettled.

”Eighteen Patterns...”

Gu Changhuai took a sharp breath.

Even some old Formation Masters at the Foundation Establishment Peak level with slightly weaker Divine Sense might not be able to inscribe an Eighteen-Pattern Formation, let alone decipher it.

This was surely more than just ”Chao Gang”...

Gu Changhuai felt a wave of emotions.

Meanwhile, Mo Hua continued focusing on deciphering the Formation.

He inscribed the Formation Patterns for deciphering, then injected Spiritual Power to activate them. With a flash of Golden Light, the Patterns canceled each other out.

The Second-Grade Door Lock Array was thus dismantled by Mo Hua.

Then Mo Hua drew a circle on the door, turning to Gu Changhuai, ”Uncle Gu, hit here with your fist.”

Gu Changhuai then snapped back to attention, nodding.

He stepped forward, delivering a gentle punch, creating a hole in the door, but the carriage remained intact without self-destructing.

Mo Hua reached his hand through the hole, fumbled for something inside, and with a click, opened the carriage door.

The inside of the carriage was dim and dark.

With the door open, a sliver of light seeped in.

Narrowing his eyes, Mo Hua saw that it was empty, not a single person, just a few cushions.

A long-stored, somewhat stale scent of rouge lingered at the tip of his brush.

Mo Hua gingerly stepped inside, rifled through the cushions, and found two handkerchiefs, a scented sachet, some bits of incense, like flower pollen from the sachet, and some powdery traces.

”Many women had sat in this carriage...”

Mo Hua silently pondered.

Moreover, the assortment of scents clearly wasn’t from the same group of women.

This Hua Ruyu, outwardly an Instructor at Hundred Flower Valley, secretly perhaps engaging in some shady dealings.

Mo Hua glanced at Gu Changhuai.

Gu Changhuai’s expression was icy, his gaze sharp, evidently realizing this as well.

However...

Gu Changhuai furrowed his brow.

This woman Hua Ruyu was very cautious, leaving very few traces in the carriage.

Here, the clues broke off.

Where this carriage had been, and what it actually transported, they still didn’t know...

Mo Hua also frowned.

He examined the carriage for a while longer, suddenly paused, noticing something odd, squatted down, and started knocking on the floorboards of the carriage one by one.

When he tapped on a particular board near the carriage head, a hollow sound echoed from within.

Mo Hua lifted the wooden board, discovering inside a remaining Formation.

He examined the Formation Patterns, his eyes lighting up instantly.

Seeing this, Gu Changhuai couldn’t help but ask, ”What is this?”