Chapter 888: Convergence
Chapter 888: Convergence
After more than a month, Mo Hua continued to cultivate peacefully, just as usual.
One noon, while eating in the disciples' dining hall, Cheng Mo kept staring at Mo Hua.
Mo Hua was puzzled, "What are you looking at?"
Cheng Mo stroked his chin, "Nothing, just thinking that, Little Senior Brother, you seem the same as before you became the top array master. Nothing has changed."
He remembered how, during the array competition, Mo Hua had a cold, indifferent expression, handling everything with ease, utterly dominating the competition with an unmatched presence.
The last three words, "So what," were simple but profound, causing the judges to tremble all over.
That cold, invincible demeanor was simply too handsome, making people's scalps tingle.
But now...
Cheng Mo glanced at Mo Hua.
He was just like everyone else, munching on a chicken leg in the dining hall...
Cheng Mo felt that these two contrasting images of Little Senior Brother were a bit jarring.
"Little Senior Brother, you're the top array master and the Array Dao's chief. Shouldn't you at least show a bit more dignity andaMoMo Hua curled his lips, "Just being the top array master and the Array Dao's chief, what's the big deal? The array arts are vast and profound; we shouldn't let this little achievement hold me back. I can't let this affect my progress."
The words left Mo Hua speechless, not just Cheng Mo, but everyone around him.
Cheng Mo sighed, "Little Senior Brother, don't say this in public, or you might lose your mind and fight me to the death..."
Mo Hua nodded, "Don't worry, I'm very humble outside."
Cheng Mo was momentarily confused, "Humble" standards, what are they?"
They all ate in silence after.
Mo Hua bit into his chicken leg, suddenly noticing something, he paused and looked at Cheng Mo, "You've reached the Foundation stage?"
Cheng Mo nodded, "Yeah, just these past two days, I just broke through."
He turned to Si Tu Jian and the others, "You're all about to break through soon?"
Si Tu Jian nodded, "Yeah a few more days... seven or eight days for me..."
Hao Xuan added, "Little Senior Brother, I'm about to break through in threeMoMo Hua felt an increasing pressure.
He still hadn't sensed the bottleneck for the Foundation stage breakthrough yet...
Perceiving the bottleneck, breaking it, and advancing to the Foundation stage, allThis all takes a lot of time.
And there were only a few months left in this academic year.
"We need to speed up!"
Mo Hua's heart clenched.
After that, he focused even more on cultivation, but progress was still slow.
Especially seeing Cheng Mo and the other "little junior brothers" breaking through one after another, Mo Hua's sense of urgency grew stronger.
Theoretically, reaching the Foundation stage shouldn't be too difficult—especially for the disciples of the Eight Great Sects.
Cultifying the Foundation, the gap is mainly in the spiritual roots, lineage, and cultivation resources.
Even the clumsest, as as long as they persisted, using various heavenly treasures and spirit stones, they could also force a Foundation stage breakthrough.
After the Golden Core, the variables would be many more.
Besides the spiritual roots, the quality of the lineage, and the cultivation resources, the standards also played a role.
So, generally, the general sects only teach the Foundation stage and below the Golden Core stage.
These could be taught in large classes, with a clear progression.
After the Golden Core, the changes become more complex, and the cultivation path deeper, requiring one-on-one guidance for specialized cultivation guidance.
In the world of Qianxue, the disciples of various sects almost all had superior spiritual roots and family support, with sect rewards not lacking.
Even the lowest family, the resources, and cultivation guidance were better than those of most independent cultivators in the world.
So, reaching the Foundation stage before the Golden Core shouldn't be too difficult.
The difficulty was only in perfecting, excelling, and standing out among the crowd.
But Mo Hua was different.
When cultivating, he skipped the bottleneck, the progress wasHisMo Hua's cultivation speed had noticeably slowed down, especially as he approached the Foundation stage.
Adding to this, he had spent a lot of time and effort on the array competition and the cultivation of the divine sword, the evil fetus, and the self-sacrifice of his soul, his spiritual essence realm had declined somewhat.
Mo Hua estimated that he wouldn't reach the Foundation stage by the end of the year.
And ifif he didn't reach the Foundation stage by the end of the year, it would mean...
Mo Hua's heart sank cold.
"Will I have to repeat a year?"
Mo Hua's heart turned icy cold.
But since the problem had occurred, it was a fact that couldn't be ignored, and deceiving himself was meaningless.
Mo Hua thought for a moment and went to find Elder Xun.
In the Elder's residence, Elder Xun was chatting with the Grandmaster of Tai Xu. Seeing Mo Hua, he was somewhat surprised.
Mo Hua tactfully told Elder Xun about his concerns: how his preparation for the array competition and his focus on array arts had delayed his cultivation, possibly preventing him from breaking through to the Foundation stage by the end of the year.
Mr. Xun pondered for a moment and said, "It's fine. Just do your best. Whatever you achieve is fine, no need to worry about the rest."
Though he didn't say it outright, Mo Hua understood the meaning.
It was like, as long as you strive in your cultivation, even if you can't break through to the later Foundation Building stage, you won't be held back.
Mo Hua let out a sigh of relief and then quietly looked at the Grandmaster of Tai Xu Sect.
The Grandmaster hesitated for a moment, glanced at Mr. Xun, and nodded, saying, "Don't worry, I'll guarantee it for you."
Even if it breaks the rules, it doesn't matter.
Being the champion of the Formation Law Conference is worth this special treatment.
Mo Hua was completely reassured, bowed, and then took his leave.
After Mo Hua left, the Grandmaster of Tai Xu Sect seemed to have something on his mind.
Mr. Xun asked him, "What are you thinking about?"
The Grandmaster of Tai Xu Sect pondered and said, "Grand Ancestor, I suddenly had an idea..."
"Suppose Mo Hua remains at the middle Foundation Building stage and can't break through, always being held back, never graduating. Wouldn't he be able to keep participating in the Formation Law Conference?"
"As long as Mo Hua is around, the four major sects, the other eight sects, and the twelve streams would all have to follow his lead. How could they even compete for second place?"
"In that case, wouldn't our Tai Xu Sect always dominate the Formation Law Conference, always securing the title of Formation Law Champion?"
Mr. Xun didn't take it well and said, "Nonsense!"
But after he said that, he paused, pondered carefully, and realized...
It might actually be feasible...
As long as Mo Hua is around, he would be the champion.
And since he's only at the middle Foundation Building stage, as long as he doesn't reach the later stage, he won't graduate.
This way, Tai Xu Sect could dominate the Formation Law Conference for a long time, right?
The temptation was too great, to the point where Mr. Xun's heart was momentarily tempted, thinking that if Mo Hua were to always be "held back," it might not be so bad...
But then Mr. Xun immediately shook his head, suppressing the greedy thoughts in his heart, and hurriedly said:
"No, no, this way it would actually harm the child. Absolutely not..."
The Grandmaster of Tai Xu Sect also knew this wasn't right, so he only said it in words.
Moreover, if he really did this, the four major sects would definitely be furious, who knows what dirty tricks they might use.
The other sects would also openly scold Tai Xu Sect for having no shame.
Mr. Xun said, "Let's not mention this matter. We still need to let the child strive in cultivation, enhance his cultivation, and learn higher-level formations. Even if he doesn't reach the later Foundation Building stage, we can't hold him back. Otherwise, what would the Formation Law Champion look like..."
"Yes," the Grandmaster of Tai Xu Sect replied.
With Mo Hua's matter settled, they continued discussing the main matters.
"That matter..." Mr. Xun's gaze slightly focused, "Have you prepared everything?"
The Grandmaster of Tai Xu Sect composed himself and solemnly said, "We've already started the preliminary talks, let out a bit of wind to the other side, but..."
The Grandmaster of Tai Xu Sect frowned, "They are very resistant."
"Only resistant?"
"Not just that..." The Grandmaster of Tai Xu Sect said helplessly, "They think we are taking advantage of their misfortunes, mocking them."
"Hmm," Mr. Xun nodded, unsurprised.
This was quite normal. If the situation were reversed, Tai Xu Sect would think the same.
The Grandmaster of Tai Xu Sect frowned and said, "It seems there's little hope, with many obstacles. Grand Ancestor, should we still insist?"
"Of course," Mr. Xun nodded, "This isn't just our sect's matter. When planning and acting, don't be swayed by what others say; instead, look at their actual situation, gains and losses, life and death, and interests."
"Most of what people say shouldn't be taken seriously."
"Most of the opinions you hear might be like duckweed on water, far from the true reality."
The Grandmaster of Tai Xu Sect was enlightened and nodded, "Yes."
"You are just feeling them out now, letting their grand ancestors hear the wind and be mentally prepared. The true decision still lies in their grand ancestors' hands," Mr. Xun said.
Hearing this, the Grand master of Tai Xu Sect felt somewhat relieved and clasped his hands, saying:
"Everything will be done as you say."
...
Everything was being pushed forward in an orderly manner.
Several days later, at Chong Xu Sect.
In the cave at the back mountain.
Ancient pine screens concealed the cause and effect, and the surroundings were silent and empty.
Linghu, the grand ancestor of Chong Xu Sect, sat alone in the cave.
In front of him was an ancient stone table, on which were three teacups, the tea steam swirling.
The table was old, the teacups were old, and the tradition was old.
This was an ancient tea meeting, which had been passed down for a long time but hadn't been held for a long time.
At this moment, Linghu, the grand ancestor, was drinking tea quietly and waiting.
After a while, a spatial rift suddenly opened in the void, sword qi surging.
A tall old man with a slightly dark complexion walked out, his steps like the wind, walking straight to the table and picking up a teacup to drink.
This person wore the highest-ranking robe of Tai A Sect, the identity of Tai A Sect's behind-the-scenes grand ancestor, Ouyang.
Ouyang sat down and drank tea without speaking.
Because both people knew the main person hadn't arrived yet.
After a while, the spatial rift opened again, steadily and smoothly, the traces fading.
Mr. Xun, with his head of white hair, walked out and came straight to the table, picked up a teacup, and greeted the grand ancestors of Tai A Sect and Chong Xu Sect, then drank it all in one go.
Ouyang, the grand ancestor, originally had an angry look, but seeing Mr. Xun's white-haired appearance, felt somewhat reluctant and sighed:
"Brother Xun, among the three of us, you're the one who has aged the fastest."
Mr. Xun said calmly, "Can't help it, too much to think about, too much to worry about."
Ouyang shook his head, "I've said it before, as a grand ancestor, why do you still personally teach and spread the Dao? It's a waste of your energy..."
Mr. Xun replied, "It's the ancestral rules, and I'm used to it. Moreover..."
Mr. Xun paused slightly, "Teaching in person is also good; occasionally, I can find one or two good disciples, which invigorates our Tai Xu Sect."
Upon hearing this, the grand ancestors of Tai A Sect and Chong Xu Sect felt somewhat uncomfortable in their hearts.
If it weren't for the prodigy of Tai Xu Sect, the current situation might not be better than theirs at all.
After a moment, the grand ancestor of Chong Xu Sect said:
"Alright, let's talk about the main matter..."
He didn't beat around the bush and directly said, "That matter, I've heard some wind, I guess it was Brother Xun who deliberately used the mouths of the elders and grandmasters to spread the word and probe the reaction."
"I must first make my stance clear: my Thriving Virtue Sect disagrees with this proposal."
Austin Elder also nodded. "My Supreme Unity Sect also disagrees."
Though the three sects shared a common lineage, they had long since gone their separate ways. Each had established their own foundations, and it was far too complex to merge them now.
The interests and conflicts involved were too numerous and intricate. Just thinking about it gave these patriarchs headaches.
Moreover, if the three sects were to merge, there would have to be a leader.
Who would take the lead?
Judging by the current situation, it would inevitably be the Grand Void Sect.
The Supreme Unity and Thriving Virtue Sects would never agree to that.
At best, it was a "merger of the three sects"; at worst, it was a "takeover" by the Grand Void Sect, taking advantage of their weakened state to swallow the Supreme Unity and Thriving Virtue Sects whole.
Thinking of this, Austin Elder felt a surge of resentment. He said to Mr. Xun:
"Brother Xun, the three sects are closely connected. I don’t expect you to help us in times of crisis, but don’t kick us while we’re down..."
Linghu Elder also nodded. "Indeed, this makes us feel very disheartened."
Mr. Xun silently sipped his tea, saying nothing.
Austin Elder and Linghu Elder remained expressionless but did not press him, waiting for Mr. Xun’s response.
After a moment, Mr. Xun finally spoke, asking the other two patriarchs a question: "Do you think our three sects can maintain their foundations?"
At this, Austin and Linghu Elders were taken aback.
Austin Elder said, "For my Supreme Unity Sect and Thriving Virtue Sect, it’s hard to say, but your Grand Void Sect, with its deep blessings and a prodigious disciple, has already risen to the third among the Eight Great Sects. With the recent reforms, your sect is thriving. What could possibly threaten your foundation?"
Mr. Xun shook his head. "Even if the Grand Void Sect rises to the top four sects, it might still not be able to secure its foundation."
Austin Elder and Linghu Elder exchanged glances, their expressions filled with confusion.
"Brother Xun, please be clear," they said.
Mr. Xun hesitated for a moment before slowly uttering two words:
"Dark Divinity..."
Austin Elder and Linghu Elder’s expressions changed, and they frowned.
Mr. Xun continued, "You should be familiar with these two words."
"What do you mean?" Linghu Elder asked.
Mr. Xun sighed. "A Dark Divinity has already infiltrated the Clear Snow Province, and the extent of this infiltration is far worse than we anticipated..."
Austin Elder and Linghu Elder remained silent.
Mr. Xun glanced at them and said, "I know you might have noticed some signs, but without delving into the deeper causes, you cannot understand the severity of the situation."
"Not just you, but the other elders are much the same."
"Either they are in seclusion, ignoring the outside world, or they are only concerned with the sect’s interests, focusing on its development and turning a blind eye to the misdeeds of their disciples as long as they don’t threaten the sect’s foundation."
"This is wrong..."
Mr. Xun said gravely, "The corruption of the Dao heart is the most terrifying thing."
"Once the Dao heart is corrupted, the Dark Divinity will take advantage of it. No matter how powerful a sect or how prosperous a sect, once it is corrupted, it will eventually decay and rot completely."
"The Dark Divinity dwells in the hearts of people, using insidious and unpredictable methods."
"Even cultivators with high cultivation, who focus on qi and strength but neglect the mind, are no match for the Dark Divinity."
Austin Elder frowned and shook his head. "Brother Xun, you’re exaggerating..."
Mr. Xun said, "Hasn’t the lesson of the Saltford been profound enough?"
This was a touchy subject.
Austin Elder and Linghu Elder’s expressions darkened.
"That incident was due to the lack of discipline in my Supreme Unity Sect and Thriving Virtue Sect. I don’t deny it, but to attribute it to the influence of a Dark Divinity seems... far-fetched..."
Mr. Xun raised an eyebrow. "Aren’t you curious? Why was this incident able to remain hidden for so long? Why did you, the patriarchs, overlook it? Why did such a vile act take place on the Yan Water River?"
"The dragon temple on the Yan Water River has a history."
"Why did the temple disappear? Who hid it? What happened inside?"
"What is being worshipped in the temple now, where water bandits kill for sacrifices?"
"Is someone manipulating the sect’s disciples to commit sins and nourish that thing?"
Austin and Linghu Elders’ faces changed.
As patriarchs, they had to focus on cultivation and strategic planning, and occasionally they would go into seclusion. They usually wouldn’t bother with the minor squabbles among Foundation Establishment cultivators in the second-tier provinces.
Moreover, the evil mist had obscured the underlying causes.
If not for Mr. Xun’s mention, they would never have realized the hidden dangers.
Or rather, they had noticed and had some suspicions, but they had deliberately or inadvertently forgotten...
Forgotten...
These Void patriarchs had forgotten...
Thinking of this, the two patriarchs were suddenly alarmed, a chill running down their spines.
What kind of existence could make them, the Void patriarchs, forget something?
After a moment of contemplation, Linghu Elder said, "I will investigate this matter..."
Mr. Xun shook his head. "It’s no use. You won’t find anything now. Even if you do, it will be half-true, half-false. And after some time, you might forget about it during your seclusion or a moment of distraction..."
Austin Elder and Linghu Elder’s frowns deepened.
After a moment, Austin Elder said, "Brother Xun, among the three of us, you are the deepest in the study of the Heavenly Dao. I don’t think you would lie. But without evidence, it’s too hasty for us to fully believe you."
"Especially when it concerns the fate of our sects."
"We understand your concerns."
"But we cannot agree to a merger that, on the surface, is a ‘unification of the three sects,’ but in reality, is a ‘takeover’ based on vague fears of a Dark Divinity..."
Linghu Elder also said, "Seeing is believing. We need to verify this before making any decisions."
Old Master Xun said, "If the Evil Gods appear, it means that the hearts of people are in turmoil, and the great Dao of heaven and earth is beginning to decline. By the time you realize it, it will be too late..."
Old Ancestor Ouyang and Old Ancestor Linghu clearly had their doubts.
Old Master Xun sighed softly.
This was the difficult part.
People can only recognize what they are capable of recognizing.
The longer one lives, the more this becomes true.
The existence of Evil Gods is born from divine thoughts, intangible and elusive.
Even highly cultivated practitioners might not see them.
And even if they do see them, they might not understand; and even if they understand, they might not truly grasp it; and even if they truly grasp it, they might not know what to do.
And even if they know what to do, when it comes to actually doing it, they will face numerous concerns and difficulties, making it hard to proceed with determination.
This is a flaw of human nature.
To "know" is already difficult, but to "act according to knowledge" is even more challenging.
But opportunities don't wait for anyone; they come and go in the blink of an eye.
Once the best opportunity is missed, the situation will worsen, and it will be too late to turn things around.
Old Master Xun had calculated many times, and the more he calculated, the more he felt that unless the three sects unite and advance together, it would be difficult to remain unscathed in the upcoming upheaval in Qianxue State.
However, if the three sects could unite, it would be a great opportunity.
But convincing these two old fossils, who had lived too long and were stubborn in their ways, was no easy task.
Old Master Xun fell silent for a moment, then said slowly, "Have you forgotten... the 'Great Demon Catastrophe' in the history of the three sects?"
At this, Ouyang and Linghu's pupils contracted, and they were shaken to their cores.
Old Master Xun continued, "This ancient secret has been erased from all texts. Only we old ancestors who have lived long enough, and even the current sect leaders, know nothing about it."
"But I believe you haven't forgotten."
"Back during the Great Demon Catastrophe, which lasted for a long time, how many people from our Taixu lineage died, and how many swords were broken?"
"My senior brother, with such great cultivation and sword skills at their peak, could not advance further and could only seal his divine thoughts, guarding the Taixu Sword Tomb, trapped there for life, unable to leave even a step."
"Throughout history, the Taixu Sect has silently guarded the heavenly secrets, causes, and divine dangers."
"Today, the Sword Tomb is buried with countless bones."
"These include the predecessors who died in the Great Demon Catastrophe and the geniuses who fell while slaying demons and evil spirits."
"This is perhaps the destiny of transforming divine thoughts into swords. I won't say more, and I don't want to bargain, but you should know that you do owe the Taixu Sect."
Old Master Xun's gaze was profound.
Ouyang and Linghu's expressions were silent, but they felt guilty.
Humans are selfish.
On a daily basis, they only think of themselves, but this doesn't mean they don't understand certain things.
The Taia, casting spirits into swords, and the Chongxu, cultivating sword qi, are tangible and visible. The actions of the two sects are also visible.
But the intangible is the most dangerous.
Over the years, the Taixu Sect's hidden sacrifices and contributions have been the greatest.
If the sect leaders and elders didn't know much about heavenly secrets, they might still argue, but as old ancestors, they understood the terrifying and unpredictable nature of the divine world.
They had also been to the Taixu Sect's Sword Tomb.
They knew how many people were buried there.
Old Master Xun looked at the two of them one last time and said solemnly, "The unification of the three sects is for mutual support to face the great catastrophe and preserve the foundation of our three sects."
"To put it bluntly, it can also be seen as compensation for the Taixu Sect's losses in the path of divine thoughts over the years."
"Moreover, I don't need to say more about your two sects' current situations. Do you really want to watch your foundation decay?"
"My Taixu Sect is different. Without mentioning other things, at least in array arts, we have Mo Hua, who stands out among the rest."
"I'll put it here: the next array master will definitely be from my Taixu Sect!"
"The situation is such, and this opportunity only comes once."
"Right now, I can still help you, but if you miss this chance and a great catastrophe truly comes, I will be powerless to help even if I want to."
"What you choose, you should understand in your hearts..."
Old Master Xun's expression was stern, and his tone was resolute.
Ouyang and Linghu fell silent, deep in thought, and finally, they could only sigh deeply.
...
An hour later, Old Master Xun returned to the Taixu Sect, and the heavy burden in his heart slowly lifted.
No matter what, he had taken the first step.
The plans of these days had not been in vain.
Old Master Xun breathed a sigh of relief.
Another hour passed, and Mo Hua came to seek Old Master Xun's guidance in array arts as usual.
Old Master Xun was pleased to see that Mo Hua had not slacked off and was still diligent, so he nodded in approval.
After the lesson, Mo Hua seemed hesitant to speak.
"What's wrong?" Old Master Xun asked.
"I..." Mo Hua whispered, "I really won't be held back, right?"
Although he had asked before, he still wanted to confirm.
Old Master Xun naturally wouldn't hold him back, but at this moment, he was in a relaxed mood and asked curiously, "Why don't you want to be held back?"
"Um," Mo Hua nodded.
Being held back was embarrassing, but more importantly...
"If I get held back, my junior disciples will become my 'senior brothers.'"
The title of "little senior brother" was hard-earned, and Mo Hua valued it.
Old Master Xun smiled slightly, "Don't worry..."
He thought for a moment, then said with a hint of a smile, "Once a little senior brother, always a little senior brother. It can't be changed, and who knows, maybe in a while, you could become the little senior brother to even more people..."
"More people's little senior brother?"
Mo Hua was taken aback, a bit confused, and didn't understand what Old Master Xun meant.
How could he suddenly find more people to be his junior disciples?
(End of Chapter)
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