The Quest for Immortality

Mo Hua said: ”It’s the internal driving formation of the carriage.”

Seeing that Gu Changhuai didn’t quite understand, Mo Hua explained:

”This carriage has a frame but no reins, which I found peculiar before. Now that I see the formation, it makes sense. This carriage looks like a carriage, but it’s not actually a ’horse’ carriage.”

”This vehicle doesn’t rely on horses to pull it. Instead, it uses mechanical techniques, embedding a composite formation inside to drive the vehicle forward.”

”And the formation hidden beneath this wooden board is precisely the embedded set of the mechanical driving composite formation in this carriage.”

Gu Changhuai pondered for a moment, a thought striking him, ”Does that mean...”

”Yes.” Mo Hua nodded, ”Once the composite formation is activated and the spiritual power flows, it will automatically drive the mechanism to move the carriage forward.”

”Moreover, this composite formation also has an embedded Yuan Magnetic Southerner Formation.”

”This Southerner Formation is used for navigation.”

”The carriage will follow the navigation of the Yuan Magnetic Southerner Formation and take us to our destination on its own...”

Mo Hua said logically and clearly.

The expressions of Gu Changhuai and his two companions slightly shifted, and then they were amazed in their hearts.

This is what formations are, encompassing the myriad phenomena of the world.

This is also what Formation Masters are, using formations to comprehend and control various kinds of knowledge and abilities...

”Then, can this vehicle move now?” Gu Changhuai asked with a slightly solemn expression.

Mo Hua said: ”This is a new composite formation system. It will take me some time to study it a bit.”

”Alright.” Gu Changhuai nodded.

After that, the three of them held their breath and kept absolutely silent, lest they disturbed Mo Hua.

Mo Hua, on the other hand, concentrated on studying this composite formation that integrates the Yuan Magnetic Southerner Formation and mechanical driving formations.

Mo Hua was barely familiar with the Yuan Magnetic Southerner Formation.

But he hadn’t really come into contact with mechanical driving formations before.

However, he had studied the First Grade Twelve Patterns, the Ultimate Technique of the Minor Hidden Spirit Sectthe Soul Pivot Ultimate Formation.

The Soul Pivot Ultimate Formation involves formation sequences, spiritual thread manipulation, and shares a resemblance with mechanical techniques.

In South Yue City, Mo Hua had even used the Soul Pivot Ultimate Formation to create some labor-saving, mineral-transporting ”Wooden Ox and Flowing Horses” for the impoverished mining cultivators.

So, he understood the basic principles of the formation.

Time was limited, and he didn’t need to master it thoroughly. He just needed to reactivate the formation.

The formation before his eyes was dim and lifeless, evidently out of order.

Mo Hua pondered carefully.

In about an hour, his eyes brightened as he gradually grasped some understanding.

This mechanical composite formation, like the carriage door, is opened with a shared key.

But the formation on the door had been resolved by Mo Hua, and the lock was broken; thus, the control entrance of this mechanical composite formation was effectively destroyed as well.

With the ”entrance” intervened gone, the formation could not be opened naturally, the formation eye could not be energized, and the mechanical driving formation failed, leaving the carriage immobile.

”In that case, the structure of the Formation Pivot has to be altered, severing the original entrance, externally connecting open-close formation patterns, and establishing a Spirit Gathering Array to serve as the formation eye, embedding it into the composite formation to power the existing mechanical formation...”

Mo Hua muttered to himself, speaking words that Gu Changhuai and the others could not understand at all.

Then Mo Hua took out pen and ink, beginning to reconstruct the formation step by step according to his own ideas.

Gu Changhuai and his companions watched intently.

Yet, they had no idea what they were actually watching...

About 30 minutes later, Mo Hua finally completed drawing the formation, and after checking it over once more, he couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.

”It should be about right...”

Mo Hua reached into his Storage Bag to take out Spirit Stones.

Halfway through taking them out, he silently pocketed his own Spirit Stones again, instead reaching out to Gu Changhuai:

”Uncle Gu, we need Spirit Stones.”

This was business, and the Spirit Stones used should appropriately be reimbursed.

Gu Changhuai was not stingy, and he took out a Storage Bag and tossed it directly to Mo Hua.

Mo Hua took the Storage Bag, extracting the Spirit Stones and crushing them, placing them on the Spirit Gathering Array to let it absorb the spiritual power, serving as the formation eye to empower the mechanical formation.

The Spirit Gathering Array absorbed the spiritual power, glowing with a blue sheen.

Mo Hua concentrated his thoughts, activating the formation through the interface he had constructed.

A stream of pure spiritual power flowed from the Spirit Gathering Array into the mechanical composite formation built into the carriage.

Then the carriage shuddered, and with a wobble, it began to move on its own.

The few of them quickly held onto the carriage.

Gu Changhuai even reached out to steady the swaying Mo Hua.

As the carriage trembled, it turned and spun around.

The Yuan Magnetic Southerner Formation lit up, setting a direction.

The carriage then, as though guided by some mysterious force, moved forward on its own along that direction.

”Supervisor, should we...” Gu An asked worriedly.

Gu Changhuai pondered for a moment and said, ”We’ll just sit in the carriage and see where it stops...”

”Yes.” Gu An and Gu Quan nodded.

The carriage creaked on as it silently moved forward.

Mo Hua picked a cushion and sat down honestly.

He also wanted to see where the Yuan Magnetic Southerner Formation ultimately pointed to and where this carriage would take him.

It would be best if it could directly lead to the lair of the Evil God.

If he got off the carriage and saw an altar, it would be perfect.

Of course, it was just a thought.

He knew such good luck would not happen...

Mo Hua took out some Spirit Stones again, crushed them, and recharged the Spirit Gathering Array.

These Spirit Stones should be sufficient.

But there were still quite a few Spirit Stones left in the Storage Bag.

Mo Hua initially wanted to return the Storage Bag to Uncle Gu, but on second thought, considering Uncle Gu’s wealth and status, returning something he had given could be seen as disrespectful, looking down on this Official of the Taoist Court?

Mo Hua nodded quietly and slipped the Spirit Stones into his clothing.

This was considered a fee for his hard work.

Even without a formal assessment, it was quite reasonable for him, as a ’quasi’ Second-grade High-level Array Master, to help out and receive some Spirit Stones as compensation.

Mo Hua felt at ease.

The mechanical formation churned, and the carriage moved along with the ”creak” completely on its own.

Inside the carriage was enclosed, with a heavy atmosphere all around.

Sitting in the carriage, heading to an unknown place, Mo Hua couldn’t help feeling a bit nervous, but thinking of Gu Changhuai beside him, he felt more at ease.

This was the Second Grade Territory, and judging by the carriage, it didn’t seem likely they would go too far, so clinging to Uncle Gu would be enough to keep him safe.

Mo Hua eased his mind, then turned and felt a bit bored, so he redirected his attention to the mechanical composite formation inside the carriage.

This was his first time seeing a real ”mechanical formation.”

It was yet another special formation system with its unique structure.

The mechanical formation inside the carriage seemed to share some common ground with the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams, as well as the Soul Pivot Ultimate Formation he had seen before.

Yet, upon careful deduction, there seemed to be many discrepancies as well.

”In the future, I should find an opportunity to study mechanical formations too...”

If he could learn mechanical formations and integrate them with the Soul Pivot Ultimate Formation, coordinating the two, he might be able to create a ”Puppet Army”...

Mo Hua couldn’t help but imagine.

Thus, as Mo Hua pondered, while the mechanical formation flowed, the carriage continued its journey...

No one knew how long it went on before the carriage suddenly halted.

It seemed they had arrived at their destination.

Their expressions subtly grew somber.

Gu An gave Gu Changhuai a querying glance, whispering, ”Should we get out?”

Gu Changhuai shook his head slightly.

”Let’s wait and see.”

They all waited in the carriage, not making any rash moves.

After another short while, amid the sound of water and the bumping of a boat awning, it seemed something was coming ashore.

At the same time, a clear male voice sounded:

”It’s not the fifteenth yet, why have you brought people over?”

Inside the carriage, Gu Changhuai and his companions remained silent.

The atmosphere momentarily tensed.

The man outside, sounding puzzled, said: ”Why aren’t you speaking? Angry? Didn’t you before...”

Before the man could finish speaking, he realized something was amiss.

His face changed, and an inexplicable Evil Qi emanated from him, seemingly soaked in icy blood and ruthless malice.

Sensing this aura, Mo Hua’s pupils shrank slightly.

This aura...

Could this man be...

The Water Yama?!