The Quest for Immortality

”You’re too kind,” the old man replied calmly. After pondering for a moment, he asked, ”I wonder, young friend, where are you from? Why have you ventured alone into these desolate mountains?”

Mo Hua clasped his hands in greeting and replied, ”I am a disciple from a small sect nearby. I was following my mentor to seek knowledge, and as we passed by Solitary Mountain, I took the opportunity to explore. I accidentally lost my way and ended up here, encountering you, senior.”

The old man’s wrinkled face showed a faint smile, ”Well, it seems we’re truly destined to meet, young friend.”

”Indeed, we are,” Mo Hua nodded, then sat down cross-legged, mimicking the old man’s gaze into the distance. Yet, the distance held nothing but desolate mountains, devoid of anything else.

Mo Hua withdrew his gaze, turned his head, and leaned forward to look at what was in front of the old man.

In front of the old man was a mound of dirt and sand. Upon it were drawn several lines of patterns.

Mo Hua exclaimed in surprise, ”Elder, are you a Formation Master?”

The old man raised an eyebrow, ”Young man, you understand formations?”

Mo Hua bashfully replied, ”I know a little.”

The old man showed interest, ”Where did you learn your skills, young man?”

”I dare not say ’learned’ from anyone,” Mo Hua replied modestly, ”I merely picked up some rudimentary knowledge from the sect’s instructor.”

The old man nodded approvingly, ”Nowadays, people are boastful, lusting for fame, exaggerating their skills. It’s admirable that a disciple from a sect remains humble like you.”

Mo Hua felt a bit embarrassed, ”You’re too kind, senior.”

Then he glanced again at the patterns on the mound before the old man, asking humbly,

”Elder, these formation patterns, I’ve never seen them before, nor learned them in the sect. They seem profound. I wonder if there’s any particular significance to them?”

The old man looked deeply at Mo Hua.

Mo Hua also gazed at the old man, his eyes clear.

Perhaps influenced by this ”clearness,” the old man’s heart grew fond of this talent. Stroking his beard, he said, .

”Meeting is fate. Today I shall teach you some secret teachings in formations, which even the Four Great Sects or Eight Great Gates might not have recorded.”

Mo Hua mouth opened in disbelief, his innocent face full of astonishment.

The old man pointed to the patterns on the ground and asked Mo Hua, ”Can you discern what these formation patterns are?”

Mo Hua pondered for a moment, ”They resemble the Five Elements Earth Series patterns...but not quite.”

The old man nodded, ”Correct, it’s an Earth Formation.”

Earth Formation...

Mo Hua’s expression changed, this time genuinely shocked.

”Senior, what exactly is the purpose of this Earth Formation?” Mo Hua asked respectfully for instruction.

”The Earth Formation has many categories and uses,” the old man explained, ”But the most common use is related to the earth.”

The old man pointed to the abandoned mine ahead, ”For instance, in the mountain ahead, many Earth Formations are buried.”

Mo Hua’s heart stirred, then feigned ignorance, asking, ”Do you mean Earth Formations are used to mine the mountain?”

”No,” the old man shook his head.

”Then...to detect earth veins, is the Earth Formation used?”

”Also no.”

”Then...” Mo Hua furrowed his brows.

The old man appeared solemn, ”For tombs.”

Mo Hua murmured, ”Tombs...”

”Indeed,” the old man looked out at the distant mountains, speaking with a sense of awe, ”The earth embraces all things, not only the living but also the deceased.”

”People live on the surface while alive, and rest beneath it after death.”

”Yet the living do not allow the deceased peace.”

”For the deceased to find peace, tombs must be built, formations drawn. Borrowing the power of formations, tombs are concealed within earth veins, merging with the earth, harmonizing with the Taoist essence, receiving the protection of the heavens and earth, thus distancing from the entanglements of the living.”

”These formations are Earth Formations.”

”Earth Formation...” Mo Hua stood there, dazed for a moment before realizing, surprised, ”You mean, within those mountains are buried Earth Formations, doesn’t that imply...there are tombs buried in the mines ahead?”

The old man nodded, ”Indeed.”

”But...” Mo Hua furrowed his brow, ”Isn’t there a mine ahead, full of mining tunnels? How could tombs have been built there?”

”Moreover, those mountains are ordinary, if tombs were built, why is there no indication at all?”

The old man smiled knowingly, ”An outsider watches the spectacle, while an insider sees the intricacies. Beneath the superficial commotion lies profound mysteries, unknown to others, hence invisible to them.”

”Insider...” Mo Hua muttered to himself, softly asking, ”Senior, what is it that you truly do?”

The old man chuckled lightly, not answering.

Mo Hua, feeling somewhat anxious, thought to quietly rise and leave, but as he turned, he noticed three people approaching from afar.

These three were all short-statured, clad in cloth garments, which were stained with an earthy smell.

They deliberately restrained their auras, but Mo Hua could sense that these three were all Golden Core cultivators, and their spiritual power felt peculiar.

Mo Hua then stood up, clasping his hands in gesture, saying,

”Hearing such words from an elder has been enlightening. As it’s getting late, the instructor might be searching for me, so I shall take my leave.”

However, the old man shook his head, ”You cannot leave.”

Mo Hua’s expression slightly altered, ”Senior, what do you mean by this?”

”Why do you think, without rhyme or reason, I told you so much?”

”Wasn’t it because we are destined?”

The old man in cloth laughed, ”Young brother, you’re still naive, here’s a lesson for you: in the cultivation world, never speak to strangers.”

”The cultivation world is perilous, you never know who you are talking to.”

”Nor do you know what their intentions are.”

”Just like now, you have no idea who I truly am...”

The old man’s aura shifted, shedding all semblance of friendliness, his face revealing a vulture-like sinister grin.

Mo Hua thought of escaping, but in an instant, the three Golden Core cultivators surrounded him completely, blocking any path for him to flee.