Chapter 527: Gateway to Life
Chapter 527: Gateway to Life
Mo Hua began to study the Five Elements Sect's mountain-guard array.
Although this array was only a second-grade formation, a second-rate grand formation, Mo Hua had no prior knowledge of it, and thus found it extremely challenging to comprehend.
However, after pondering it for a long time, Mo Hua began to grasp some of its underlying principles.
Second-grade formations differed from first-grade ones. Their formation patterns were more intricate and profound, requiring a more potent spiritual energy to activate. The nature of the spiritual energy flowing within the formation also differed fundamentally from that of first-grade formations.
This difference was akin to the distinction between the spiritual energy of Qi Refinement and that of Foundation Establishment.
The spiritual energy of Qi Refinement remained in its gaseous state, while that of Foundation Establishment resembled liquid mercury—refined and condensed.
The spiritual energy within the second-rate grand formation manifested in this liquid-like state.
Even divine sense derivation was ineffective. Although Mo Hua possessed a peak thirteen-pattern divine sense, reaching the limit of the early Foundation Establishment stage, the qualitative difference in formation patterns between the two grades of formations posed a challenge.
Thus, after performing the derivation, the formation patterns that appeared in his sea of consciousness were a dense, complex, and intricate mess of lines that made little sense to him.
Fortunately, while the formation patterns were difficult to interpret, the structure of the formation's key nodes was largely similar, providing some familiarity.
While Mo Hua couldn't derive the specific formation patterns, he could still make analogies to the Five Elements Beast-Slaying Grand Formation and, based on his experience, extrapolate the basic structure of the second-rate Five Elements Mountain Guard Grand Formation.
After spending several days dabbling in this manner, Mo Hua gained a rudimentary understanding of the framework of the mountain-guard formation.
However, more specific and deeper details of the formation eluded him.
Nonetheless, what he had learned was sufficient.
At the very least, Mo Hua now had a preliminary grasp and understanding of the Five Elements Mountain Guard Grand Formation.
True to its name, the Five Elements Mountain Guard Grand Formation focused on defense.
Most of the individual formations interconnected within the grand formation were second-rate earth and wood formations, along with metal-attributed second-grade formations.
Their purpose was to fortify the sect, protect its disciples, and defend against external enemies.
As Mr. Zhuang had said, in a third-rate province, the construction of such a second-rate grand formation meant that regardless of the strength of any invading force, once the grand formation was activated, they would essentially be invincible.
There was a cultivation restriction imposed by the Heavenly Dao grand formation.
Within a third-rate province, with Mo Hua's limited cultivation experience, he couldn't fathom a way to breach this mountain-guard formation.
Additionally, Mo Hua discovered another issue.
It seemed that this grand formation had been renovated.
The Five Elements Sect had undertaken massive construction projects, building caves and palaces, and in the process, they had altered the sect's foundation, naturally affecting the grand formation as well.
Many parts of the current Five Elements Mountain Guard Grand Formation appeared to have been modified.
Mo Hua went to ask Mr. Zhuang about it.
Mr. Zhuang nodded and sighed, "Indeed, they don't know how to cherish the legacy left by their ancestors..."
Mo Hua glanced at him and asked, "How's your research going?"
Mo Hua then explained to Mr. Zhuang about the formation patterns, the key nodes, and some of the formation structures he had deduced through his own reasoning.
Mr. Zhuang nodded in approval, "Your insights are quite good."
Mo Hua couldn't help but smile sheepishly.
Mr. Zhuang asked, "Do you still remember the gateway to life?"
Mo Hua thought for a moment and nodded.
He recalled Mr. Zhuang mentioning that in the principles of formations, where there is life, there is death, and where there is death, there is also life.
When using a reverse spirit formation to dismantle a formation, it was the "death" in the principles of formations, and within the "death" of the formation's collapse, there existed a glimmer of life—this was the "gateway to life" in formations.
A thought struck Mo Hua, and he whispered, "Master, you're not planning to collapse the Five Elements Sect's grand formation, are you...?"
Mr. Zhuang was taken aback and couldn't help but laugh, "Where did that thought come from? Collapsing a formation would cause too much damage and disrupt the harmony of the heavens. It's not something to be used so casually."
Mr. Zhuang drew a mountain diagram on a piece of paper and, following the contours of the mountains, sketched a few lines, instructing, "This is the network of key nodes in the Five Elements Mountain Guard Grand Formation. Memorize it."
"When the formation is activated, there will be a gateway to life on the key nodes."
"This small section, although a second-rate key node, has a structure similar to the Five Elements Beast-Slaying Grand Formation, and with your level of divine sense, you should be able to derive the gateway to life on your own..."
"Yes, Master," Mo Hua nodded.
However, he had some doubts lingering in his mind.
Why did his master want him to find the "gateway to life"?
Mo Hua pondered for a moment and asked worriedly, "Master, do you think the Five Elements Sect plans to use their grand formation against us?"
Mr. Zhuang was slightly taken aback and patted Mo Hua's head reassuringly, "Don't worry, I'm just being cautious."
Seeing that Mo Hua still looked unconvinced, Mr. Zhuang explained, "Second-rate grand formations are not commonly found, and I wanted to take this opportunity to teach you some key points about them..."
Mo Hua's eyes lit up, and he expressed his gratitude, "Thank you, Master!"
Mr. Zhuang nodded in satisfaction and then proceeded to impart some essential knowledge about second-rate grand formations.
He didn't provide specific drawing methods but shared insights on key nodes, formation eyes, and some broad conceptual ideas.
Mo Hua listened intently, captivated by the knowledge.
Having already constructed a first-rate grand formation, he could understand the principles of second-rate formations without delving into specific formation techniques.
However, he wondered if he would ever have the opportunity to create a second-rate grand formation in the future.
After Mr. Zhuang finished imparting his knowledge, he instructed, "Remember what I've told you. When you have time, think about it and review the Five Elements Sect's grand formation to validate your understanding."
"Also, be sure to derive the gateway to life for that section of the key node that I pointed out."
Mr. Zhuang's expression turned slightly solemn.
Mo Hua didn't understand why, but he nodded seriously nonetheless.
From then on, Mo Hua followed his master's teachings and began to observe the Five Elements Sect's second-rate grand formation.
Whenever he had free time, he would derive the section of the key node on the mountainside that Mr. Zhuang had indicated, searching for the ever-changing gateway to life within the constantly flowing key node...
When Mo Hua had gained a good understanding of the grand formation and mastered the derivation, Mr. Zhuang called for Liao, the sect leader, and instructed, "We're ready, so you can fulfill your promise now.
Naturally, he was referring to the promise to let Mr. Zhuang's disciple learn the Five Elements Supreme Grand Formation.
With a smile, Sect Leader Liao said, "There's still plenty of time. Elder Zhuang, feel free to rest for a few more days. As for this matter, I'll have to discuss it further with the inner sect elders..."
Mr. Zhuang replied indifferently,
"What I said earlier was a notification, not a negotiation."
Sect Leader Liao thickened his skin and tried to make more excuses, but his heart suddenly sank as he looked up and saw Mr. Zhuang's gaze, which was as sharp as a peerless divine sword. His aura was awe-inspiring and overwhelming.
There was no fluctuation of spiritual power, nor any sign of magic.
And yet, he exuded an intense oppressive force.
It left Sect Leader Liao without a shred of courage to resist.
Mr. Zhuang's eyes seemed to contain countless sword auras, as if they could see through Sect Leader Liao's every secret, leaving him terrified and lowering his head in submission.
A moment later, everything dissipated like smoke and clouds.
The oppressive aura vanished without a trace.
A gentle breeze blew by, leaving nothing behind.
However, Sect Leader Liao was drenched in cold sweat, and he said with a quivering voice,
"Elder, please calm your anger. I... I shall... report this to the grand elder immediately..."
...
Sect Leader Liao retreated in a flustered state and went to the cave abode in the back mountain to report the matter to the grand elder.
The grand elder slammed the table in anger, "This is too much!"
"Spiritual sense oppression!"
"Do they really think our Five Elements Sect is good for nothing?!"
Sect Leader Liao thought to himself, indeed, our Five Elements Sect is as good as nothing...
However, he didn't feel any resentment.
He just couldn't understand.
That man clearly had no spiritual power, and his sea of consciousness was shattered. How could he still exert such terrifying spiritual sense oppression?
It seemed that he didn't even need to lift a finger. A mere glance was enough to make one's heart and gallbladder shatter in fear!
Sect Leader Liao was still shaken by the encounter.
This was the man in his fallen state, with only a fraction of his original strength. If this was him at his peak, what kind of formidable posture would he have...
No wonder so many people had to be extremely cautious and scheming to deal with him...
This man was truly terrifying!
Sect Leader Liao calmed his emotions and asked about the main issue, "Grand Elder, what should we do now?"
The grand elder glanced at Sect Leader Liao indifferently, his expression blank. However, his heart was agitated:
"Whenever something happens, you ask me what to do. Where is your sense of responsibility as the sect leader?"
"How can you shoulder a great mission and revive the Five Elements Sect with this attitude?"
The grand elder said, "We'll stall..."
Before he could finish, Sect Leader Liao bitterly interrupted, "We can't stall any longer..."
"Just one glance from that man made my heart tremble in fear."
"If we keep stalling and he looks at me a few more times, I might not just have a shattered heart and gallbladder, but a broken Daoist heart as well."
How could I dare to stall any further?
The grand elder frowned.
Sect Leader Liao stood by, holding his breath. After a moment, he slowly said,
"Then, should we just let them learn it?"
"No!"
The grand elder firmly refused.
He glanced at Sect Leader Liao, his eyes icy, "We absolutely cannot let them learn it!"
"I've said it before, even if this grand formation is flawed, it can only remain within our Five Elements Sect!"
"Even if no one else learns it and it's lost forever, it must not fall into the hands of outsiders!"
Sect Leader Liao was in a dilemma, "But..."
They couldn't refuse to let them learn it, but they didn't dare to truly refuse either.
Their Five Elements Sect couldn't afford to offend that man...
The grand elder also understood the difficulty of the situation, and his cloudy eyes flickered, "We'll set some tests for them."
Tests?
Sect Leader Liao hesitated, "I don't think we have such a rule within the sect..."
"We do now," the grand elder said calmly.
As expected of the grand elder, he had lived a long life and had a thick skin.
Sect Leader Liao had his own thoughts about this, but he still asked, "But how should we test them? Who should we test? Elder Zhuang or his disciple?"
The grand elder's eyes turned cold, "Can't you think for yourself? Who can test him? Who is qualified to test him?"
Sect Leader Liao's eyes turned slightly cold, but he didn't get angry. He simply nodded.
So, they would test his disciple.
"Grand Elder, how do you plan to test them?"
The grand elder said in a deep voice, "Hold a discussion session."
"A discussion session... to compete in grand formations?"
The grand elder nodded.
Sect Leader Liao hesitated, "But who will participate in the competition?"
The grand elder frowned,
"Obviously, the elders and instructors of the inner sect are not suitable. It would be taking advantage of the young, and Elder Zhuang will definitely not agree. Therefore... only the disciples can compete in grand formations..."
"The inner sect disciples will compete..."
"That man's disciple must defeat all our Five Elements Sect's inner sect disciples in grand formations before he can learn our sect's signature Five Elements Spirit Formation!"
Sect Leader Liao said in a low voice, "Grand Elder, are you serious?"
The grand elder's expression turned displeased.
Sect Leader Liao reminded him, "Leaving other things aside, that young disciple of his is already a first-rate grand formation master..."
A genuine first-rate grand formation master...
Currently, none of the inner sect disciples in the Five Elements Sect had reached the stage of refining qi and stabilized at the first-rate level.
How could they compete?
Do you want him to humiliate our Five Elements Sect publicly, and offer your own face for him to slap?
Sect Leader Liao was speechless.
However, the grand elder shook his head, "Not necessarily."
Sect Leader Liao didn't understand.
The grand elder asked in return, "Aren't there some disciples in the inner sect who have first-rate potential but have repeatedly failed to stabilize their rank?"
Sect Leader Liao nodded, "There are."
The grand elder breathed a sigh of relief, "Then it's fine."
Sect Leader Liao asked, "What do you mean, Grand Elder?"
The grand elder mused, "The ranking sessions held by the Dao Court have a limited number of spots. The standards vary from place to place."
"In some remote areas, there are fewer grand formation masters, so the standards for stabilization are more relaxed, and the quality of the grand formation masters is also lacking."
"Some family heirs and young cultivators use their connections and relationships to secure a spot as a first-rate grand formation master, even if their skills are inferior."
"This kind of first-rate ranking has a lot of loopholes."
Chapter 527: Gateway to Life (continued)
"You're saying that young man with the surname Mo is a first-rate grand formation master?" Sect Leader Liao frowned.
The Grand Elder slowly nodded, "Even if he didn't use connections, he most likely achieved that rank in some remote area."
The Grand Elder continued, "Our Five Elements Sect is different."
"In the Dalisanzhou Province, there are many sect families that specialize in grand formations. This place used to be renowned for its grand formations, and although times have changed, the foundation remains. There are also many formation masters."
"It's extremely challenging to attain a rank here!"
"Even if one manages to attain a first-rate rank, it would be as difficult as ascending to the heavens."
"Ranking is not just about competing with peers but involves comparisons with all Qi Refining cultivators and even some Foundation Establishment formation masters. Only the best among them earn the rank."
"Others may have cultivated for longer, possess stronger divine senses, and have immersed themselves in grand formations for years, drawing countless arrays. How can our ordinary disciples compare?"
"So, it's normal that they haven't attained a rank."
"At the same time, don't assume that their lack of rank means their skills are inferior."
"In some small immortal cities or second-rate provinces, they would be considered genuine first-rate formation masters."
"Therefore, some of our disciples who haven't attained a rank might still possess superior formation skills compared to that young disciple of Elder Zhuang, who has already achieved a first-rate rank."
The Grand Elder's explanation was logical and reasonable, causing Sect Leader Liao to suddenly understand.
Sect Leader Liao praised, "As expected of Grand Elder, your thoughts are thorough."
"Indeed," Sect Leader Liao continued, "That first-rate formation master might not be as remarkable as we thought, and his achievement might simply be due to luck..."
Sect Leader Liao pondered further, "I suppose formation mastery depends on both talent and practice. It's a skill that improves with repetition. That young formation master is only about ten years old. Even if he started drawing formations in his mother's womb and continued drawing day and night without rest, how many formations could he have drawn?"
"With fewer formations drawn, his understanding would naturally be shallow."
"No matter how high his talent is, without diligent practice, it would all be like a castle in the air, unstable and unreliable."
These words resonated with the Grand Elder, who nodded in agreement but also cautioned, "While that may be true, we must not underestimate him. Even when a lion hunts a rabbit, it still exerts all its strength. We must not take him lightly..."
Sect Leader Liao cupped his fists and replied, "Grand Elder's words are reasonable."
However, he soon frowned again, "While that young formation master might be manageable, I'm concerned about his senior martial siblings..."
As he thought about the pair with profound cultivation, unrivaled spiritual roots, and heavenly appearances, the Grand Elder's expression also turned solemn.
After a moment, the Grand Elder sighed and slowly said, "In that case, we have no choice but to seek help..."
"Help?"
The Grand Elder nodded, "In the Dalisanzhou Province, there are quite a few sect families that specialize in grand formations and have good relations with our Five Elements Sect. Among them are many talented individuals with exceptional formation insights. We can invite them to uphold our reputation and suppress that man's arrogance!"
"Can they defeat that pair of siblings?"
"If we gather all the grand formation prodigies in the Dalisanzhou Province, it shouldn't be a problem..."
Sect Leader Liao nodded but couldn't help but ask, "Can they defeat Elder Zhuang from back then?"
The Grand Elder coldly snorted, "Don't even think about it. No matter how talented they are, they can't hope to beat that man..."
Fear flashed in the Grand Elder's eyes as he reluctantly admitted, "There are very few people in this world who can match Elder Zhuang."
Sect Leader Liao hesitated, "Do you think they will see through our plan?"
The Grand Elder shook his head, "They are guests from afar and not members of the Five Elements Sect. How could they distinguish our disciples from others?"
"Then, can we convince these prodigies to help us?"
"As long as we offer sufficient benefits."
"The price might not be small..."
"Any problem that can be solved with spirit stones is not a problem."
Sect Leader Liao felt a sting at the mention of spirit stones but still nodded in agreement.
After finalizing their plan, the Grand Elder breathed a sigh of relief and coldly said, "During the Doctrine Discussion, there will be a competition in grand formations. If that man's disciples can't defeat our Five Elements Sect disciples, with his arrogant temperament, he won't have the face to insist on learning our sect's supreme grand formation..."
Sect Leader Liao still felt uneasy, "Do you think they will agree to such an obvious scheme?"
The Grand Elder coldly smiled, "If he wants his disciples to learn our sect's grand formations, he has no choice but to agree!"
"We are not refusing him. We are just making a reasonable request."
"Why should they learn our sect's supreme grand formation if they can't even defeat our disciples?"
"In other words, even if they go to learn the supreme grand formation, they will never truly grasp it if they can't beat our disciples."
"I'm saying this for their benefit, saving them time and effort, and it's beneficial for both our sect and them..."
...
The Grand Elder's words were full of justification.
However, Sect Leader Liao sneered inwardly.
The older you get, the thicker your skin becomes.
It's people like you, always plotting and scheming, that have led to the gradual decline of our Five Elements Sect.
Nevertheless, he had no other choice in this matter.
He just didn't know if Elder Zhuang would agree...
Sect Leader Liao's heart was filled with uncertainty as he approached Elder Zhuang and explained the situation.
But to his surprise, Elder Zhuang didn't seem surprised or angry. He maintained his indifferent demeanor and calmly nodded, "Alright!"
Sect Leader Liao felt relieved.
As long as he agreed, it would be fine.
At least he now had a way to explain himself.
However, the enigmatic Elder Zhuang became even more mysterious in his eyes, and he couldn't fathom what the man was thinking or planning.
...
After taking his leave, Elder Zhuang called for Mo Hua and his siblings.
"In a few days, you will be competing in grand formations with the disciples of the Five Elements Sect..." Elder Zhuang looked at Mo Hua and smiled gently, "But not all of you... Mo Hua, you will be the one participating."
Elder Zhuang's eyes sparkled with anticipation, "You will take the lead, and along the way, you can uphold your senior martial siblings' reputation..."
"And bring honor to your master..."
(End of Chapter)
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