https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-975-The-Extraordinary-Phenomenon/13113503/
Chapter 976: Auspicious Omens
Chapter 976: Auspicious Omens
"What are you talking about? I can't quite follow..." Xun Laoxian earnestly lied, his face serious.
Ouyang Laozu frowned, "Such a huge commotion, don't tell me you didn't see it."
"I was in seclusion, and I could see it clearly. A towering tree sprouted from the ground, and golden light covered the entire mountain range, turning the dark night into day..."
"Also, what's on that tree? Is it an array engraving? One branch, one formation, and one flower array engraving?"
"It's truly unbelievable..."
"I've lived for so long, and this is the first time I've seen something like this."
Ouyang Laozu pondered, "Is this some fellow cultivator breaking through? Is this the heavenly anomaly that has emerged? Is it an astonishingly talented immortal ascension or a breakthrough to the Dongxu realm, shattering the void?"
"Not quite..." Linghu Laozu from Chongxu Men thought for a moment and shook his head, "When a cultivator breaks through, the heavenly anomaly is formed by spiritual power or blood energy, not divine consciousness."
"That's true. I've never seen an anomaly that's composed of divine consciousness..."
"But regardless," Linghu Laozu said solemnly, "to be able to derive such a grand, brilliant, and profound anomaly, like the blooming of a heavenly golden lotus or the flourishing of the Jianmu's myriad laws, this person is no ordinary cultivator. He must be a 'master' and possibly an elder who cultivates the path of divine consciousness, taking an unconventional path..."
"That makes sense."
The other two elders nodded in agreement.
Xun Laoxian's expression became complicated, unsure of how to broach the subject.
What if this anomaly was indeed caused by Mo Hua?
He couldn't very well tell these three Dongxu realm elders that the "elder" they were referring to was just a Zhu Ji disciple...
These three old fellows would probably want to find a hole to crawl into...
Xun Laoxian coughed lightly and said slowly, "It's not that exaggerated, just a slight anomaly. No need to make a big deal out of it."
Linghu Laozu's eyebrows twitched, "Xun Laoxiong, are you saying you know the origin of this anomaly?"
Ouyang Laozu and Murong Laozu also looked at him.
Xun Laoxian remained calm. He knew these people were trying to trap him with his own words. So, he boldly shook his head and sighed, "I don't know. I'm getting old, and my eyesight is failing. When the golden light flashed, I only caught a glimpse of the afterimage, and I couldn't see anything clearly."
The elders didn't believe him.
Ouyang Laozu said, "You're more concerned about the Dao traditions of Taixu Mountain than anyone else. When there's the slightest disturbance, you're the first to know. Who would believe you if you say you don't know?"
"That's right. You've cultivated the art of Tianji, so it's understandable if we don't know. But when you say you don't know, it's a bit like deceiving yourself and others."
"Regardless, we need an explanation today..."
Murong Laozu was more reserved and hadn't said much.
However, the elders from the Tai'e and Chongxu lineages were more persistent in their questioning.
The golden light at midnight, the towering divine tree, and the flowing array—these heavenly anomalies had left the elders of the two lineages somewhat uneasy.
They didn't need to think to know that Xun Laozu must know something, but he wasn't willing to tell them.
Ouyang Laozu suggested, "How about this, Xun Xiong. Since you're proficient in the art of Tianji, why don't you calculate the cause and effect here? That way, we can rest easy."
Seeing that Xun Laoxian was still trying to evade the question, Chongxu Laozu spoke in a deep voice, "Xun Laoge, now that our three lineages have united, we should stand together. If you hide things from us, it will inevitably hurt our feelings and damage the bond between our three lineages..."
"Regardless, you have to give us an explanation today..."
This statement was more formal, and it was difficult to refuse with the unity of the three lineages as the reason.
Murong Laozu was also waiting for his response.
The interrogation from the three Dongxu elders increased the pressure.
Xun Laoxian sighed softly.
The difficulty of cleaning up after Mo Hua was indeed growing.
If he weren't the elder of Tai Xu Men, he might not be able to handle it.
Not to mention, Mo Hua had just reached the Zhu Ji stage.
Xun Laoxian didn't dare to imagine what kind of trouble Mo Hua could cause if he reached the Golden Core stage or achieved immortal ascension.
"Forget it, I'll do the calculation."
Xun Laoxian had no choice but to compromise.
He rearranged the compass, set up the heavenly stems and earthly branches, and the Five Phases and Eight Trigrams. Then, he formed hand seals and used a specific Qi mechanism to guide the compass to resonate and reveal the cause and effect.
Xun Laoxian frowned, looking serious, as if he was indeed "calculating." But in his mind, he was thinking of an excuse.
If it were just a simple anomaly, it wouldn't be a problem.
But what if it was Mo Hua's divine consciousness forming a Nascent Soul during his breakthrough? If others investigated, it would lead back to Mo Hua.
Breaking through the heavenly restrictions of Zhu Ji and forming a Nascent Soul with divine consciousness would put Mo Hua in grave danger if exposed.
He was just at the Zhu Ji stage and had no means to protect himself.
"I need to find a reason..."
Xun Laoxian fiddled with the Tianji compass, his thoughts turning. Suddenly, his mind stirred, his palm trembled, and the Tianji compass stopped.
Xun Laoxian seemed to have discovered something...
"What is it?" Ouyang Laozu's expression became tense.
Xun Laoxian was half-perplexed and half-relieved. "According to the cause and effect shown by Tianji, this anomaly is a 'Xiang Rui' of our Tai Xu Men..."
"Xiang Rui?"
The three elders were taken aback.
Xun Laoxian nodded solemnly and said confidently, "It's a sign of 'Xiang Rui' for our Tai Xu Men."
"How is it a Xiang Rui?"
"Isn't golden light filling the sky and the divine tree blooming a Xiang Rui?"
"Well... Are there any precedents in the sect's records? Who, what, or what event does this Xiang Rui refer to?"
"It's hard to say. The Tianji is vast, and it's not something that can be calculated in a short time. But it's definitely a Xiang Rui."
Xun Lao Xin firmly asserted, "I'm certain of this."
Linghu Laozu asked, "But if you don't explain, it's as if you never said anything."
Xun Lao Xin sighed, "That's the nature of the Heavenly Order. It's elusive and ambiguous, and you have to figure it out for yourself. If you understand it, you'll comprehend it, but if you don't, no amount of explanation will make it clear."
"But..."
Ta’e Laozu didn't know what to say.
Xun Lao Xin's words were vague, seemingly saying something but not really revealing anything.
On the surface, he seemed to be saying nothing, yet his words carried a certain weight of reason.
Indeed, the Heavenly Order's cause and effect was profound and mysterious, making it difficult to grasp. The ability to predict an "auspicious omen" was already impressive.
"But where would an unprovoked auspicious omen come from?"
"It's not unprovoked..." Xun Lao Xin's gaze intensified.
Ouyang Laozu was taken aback, "What do you mean?"
Xun Lao Xin spoke with a heavy tone, "All of this has its cause and effect. In the darkness, there is a cause and effect pushing us three sects to merge, reuniting our separated thousand-year-old clans into one lineage."
"This is no coincidence."
"And now, with our three sects united, an extraordinary phenomenon appears on Taixu Shan. The night turns into day, and the golden tree shines with a myriad of paths. Doesn't this prove that our decision to unite is correct?"
"Perhaps one day, we can truly revive the glory of the ancient clan and uphold the will of Qian Dao, becoming the top sect in the Qian Dao state!"
Xun Lao Xin's tone was passionate, painting a grand vision.
For a moment, Ouyang Laozu and the other two were truly stunned.
"So this really is... an auspicious omen for the revival of my Ta’e Men's three lineages?"
Xun Lao Xin nodded, "Exactly."
Ouyang Laozu fell silent.
After hearing Xun Lao Xin's words, he couldn't easily doubt them.
Especially with the extraordinary phenomenon of golden light and flowing laws, it wasn't an exaggeration to call it an auspicious omen.
Xun Lao Xin's expression turned slightly pale, as if the recent calculations had consumed a lot of his spiritual awareness. He couldn't help but sigh.
"At my age, my spirit is weak. After calculating for a while, I feel exhausted..."
Everyone understood that Xun Lao Xin was politely asking them to leave.
They knew better than to pry further.
Indeed, Xun Lao Xin was quite old, and deducing the Heavenly Order was mentally taxing.
"Xun Lao Ge, thank you for your efforts..."
"We won't disturb you further. Take care."
Ouyang Laozu and the other two exchanged some polite words and then tore open the void, leaving one by one.
Murong Laozu was the last to leave. He glanced at Xun Lao Xin and hesitated for a moment before asking, "Brother, are you sure you're alright?"
Xun Lao Xin's gaze was cautious, and he nodded slightly, "Don't worry."
"Good."
Murong Laozu nodded and also left using the void travel technique.
As the void rift disappeared, the room became quiet.
Xun Lao Xin heaved a sigh of relief and remained silent for a moment. Then, he couldn't help but mutter to himself:
"The Foundation Establishment realm, the condensation of spiritual awareness into a Golden Core, and that unknown phenomenon in the heavens and earth... could it be related to this child?"
Xun Lao Xin shook his head.
"I thought that Zhuang's disciple was already an extraordinary anomaly, but I never imagined that the disciple he took on, who seemed so unassuming, would unknowingly become so... 'frightening'..."
"This lineage truly produces 'monsters'..."
"Moreover, according to the generational order, Mo Hua is the youngest, the last 'monster'..."
...
Ta’e Men.
After Ouyang Laozu and Linghu Laozu left, they reunited.
"An auspicious omen... did he really predict this?"
"I feel like he's just making it up."
"I don't know. We don't study the Heavenly Order and cause and effect, so we have to take his word for it."
"What should we do then?"
Linghu Laozu from Chongxu Men sighed, "Let's just leave it at that."
Ouyang Laozu frowned, "Shouldn't we investigate further?"
Linghu Laozu shook his head, "Since ancient times, the casting of the Ta’e sword, the derivation of the Chongxu sword energy, and the transformation of the Taixu sword intent have been the responsibility of the Taixu lineage to predict, perceive, and sever the good and bad fortunes of the Heavenly Order."
"Our two lineages are not skilled in the path of spiritual awareness."
"If he says it's an auspicious omen, then let it be."
"Anyway, with the three sects united, we rise and fall together. If there are benefits, we won't be left out, and if there are drawbacks, they won't escape either."
Ouyang Laozu pondered for a moment and then spoke with a heavy tone, "I suppose that's all we can do..."
Both Laozu fell silent, each lost in their own thoughts. After a while, Ouyang Laozu couldn't hide his concern, "Brother Linghu, lately, I've been feeling restless. I have a strong feeling that something big is about to happen soon."
"The current situation is already turbulent. If something major happens, it will undoubtedly cause a storm, and whether our sect can protect itself will be a question..."
Linghu Laozu's brows furrowed.
At their level of cultivation, they occasionally had premonitions of 'knowing destiny.'
He often had similar feelings.
That's why seeing the extraordinary phenomenon in the sky made him feel so uneasy.
But the meaning of this phenomenon was indeed puzzling, and they couldn't fathom it, while Xun Lao Xin kept it to himself.
Linghu Laozu thought for a moment and helplessly said, "Let's take it one step at a time... I hope this phenomenon is truly an auspicious omen..."
Ouyang Laozu nodded and also sighed, "I hope so too."
However, after thinking about it for a long time, the two Laozu still couldn't figure out what kind of "auspicious omen" could be found in Taixu Men...
...
In the disciples' quarters.
Mo Hua sat on the bed, chin in hand, still pondering some matters:
He had secretly consumed the Shen Sui, and his spiritual awareness silently condensed into a Golden Core. Logically, these should have been low-key events.
(End of Chapter)
"How did Elder Xun realize something was amiss?" Mo Hua wondered.
"And why did he ask me if I had encountered any anomalies?"
"Did my divine sense create an anomaly when I formed my Nascent Soul?"
Mo Hua pondered for a moment before shaking his head. "What kind of anomaly could I possibly have?"
Moreover, if there truly was an anomaly, wouldn't there be some sign of it?
Mo Hua turned to look out the window, gazing at the entire Tai Xu Mountain.
The mountain court was serene, the forest tranquil, and occasionally, a gentle breeze would brush past, leaving the night peaceful and calm.
The disciples' residences were equally quiet.
Yuer and the other disciples were either sleeping soundly, reading by candlelight, or sleepwalking, but there was nothing unusual about them.
Mo Hua shook his head.
"Elder Xun is a Nascent Soul cultivator, and his divine sense is unfathomable. It's not surprising that he could sense my divine sense forming a Nascent Soul..."
Mo Hua no longer dwelled on this matter. Instead, he gathered his thoughts and began considering his plans after learning the twentieth pattern.
First and foremost, he needed to keep it a secret and ensure that no one found out about his divine sense forming a Nascent Soul.
This was something Elder Xun had specifically instructed him to do.
Mo Hua realized that he was now a "rare species," and if discovered, he might be captured and dissected for research on how Foundation Establishment cultivators could break through the realm's limitations by having their divine sense form a Nascent Soul first.
Whether or not others were interested in this cultivation topic was hard to say, but at least Mo Hua himself was very intrigued.
Secondly, he wanted to learn the ultimate formations beyond the twentieth pattern.
He had longed to learn these ultimate formations for a long time, and now he could finally fulfill his wish and study them thoroughly.
After that, his formation skills would improve even further, breaking through the pinnacle of the Second-Rate and exploring the realm of ultimate formations beyond the standard rank system.
Moreover, practicing these ultimate formations would further temper his divine sense, more so than ordinary formations.
Therefore, after learning these formations, his divine sense would continue to grow stronger.
Thirdly, he wanted to delve into the study of the divine sense path.
Mo Hua felt that the structure of his current divine sense was becoming too complex. Concepts like divine sense cultivation, divine position, divine rank, divine sense transformation, divine marrow, qualitative changes, and more were all part of it.
In reality, the structure of a cultivator's divine sense was quite simple.
The framework of a deity's divine sense, though profound, was also clear.
However, Mo Hua now found himself in a unique situation, having walked the path of both mortals and deities, essentially mixing two frameworks together, which led to confusion.
Many concepts and knowledge related to the divine sense path needed to be reorganized.
He also needed to re-plan how his divine sense would develop in the future.
There were still many things to do, but before that, he had to first settle some matters regarding Gu Shan City...
Mo Hua carefully considered each of these tasks and then enjoyed a rare, well-deserved sleep.
The next day, Mo Hua went to class and cultivated with his fellow disciples as usual.
Although Elder Xun had asked him not to reveal too much, just thinking about how his divine sense had already reached the twentieth pattern, the level of the Golden Core, made Mo Hua unable to hide his smile. He walked with a more confident and sturdy posture.
"Little Senior Brother, you seem... a bit different today..." During lunch, Cheng Mo observed Mo Hua and spoke softly.
"Really?" Mo Hua blinked.
Cheng Mo nodded, unable to clearly express his thoughts at that moment.
He felt that Mo Hua seemed more "profound" and "restrained" than before, as if he had become completely breathless, no matter what he did.
He was like those elders or instructors who would suddenly appear in front of you when you were cultivating, walking without making a sound.
In short, he had become even more inscrutable...
"That's what it's like when your divine sense is strong," Mo Hua explained.
Cheng Mo nodded in admiration. "Little Senior Brother, your divine sense must be at the nineteenth pattern now, right?"
Mo Hua nodded. "More or less. It's just one pattern stronger than the nineteenth."
Cheng Mo felt a twinge of envy. "I wonder when I'll have a divine sense as strong as yours, Little Senior Brother."
"Dream on. In your dreams, anything is possible," Si Tu Jian joked.
Some of the nearby disciples couldn't help but chuckle.
Cheng Mo was slightly annoyed. "Si Tu, you're ruining my moment again!"
Si Tu Jian took a sip of tea and said nonchalantly, "Ruin your moment? Where's your moment?"
"Fine, let's have a friendly sword duel later and see who's better!"
"Didn't you lose to me yesterday?"
"That was because I was momentarily distracted and you took advantage of it!"
"If you can't win, then practice more. Don't make excuses."
"Si Tu, why don't you learn something good from Little Senior Brother? Even learning formations is fine. Please, just don't learn his habit of being a smart aleck..."
"I'll learn..."
...
The group laughed and bantered, creating a lively and cheerful atmosphere.
Mo Hua smiled with narrowed eyes, but as he continued to smile, a sudden, inexplicable sentiment arose within him.
He had now formed a Nascent Soul with his divine sense.
He had been cultivating for nine years in the Qian Xue School, and this was already the eighth year. Only a little more than a year remained.
In a year, he and these junior fellow disciples might have to part ways and go their separate directions.
They had come from various regions of the Nine Provinces, studying together in Qianzhou. Once they parted, they would be like stars scattered across the earth, separated by vast distances, and it would be unknown when they would meet again.
It was even more uncertain if there would be another opportunity to gather like this, with a group of fellow disciples, laughing and drinking together.
Sometimes, the more ordinary and unintentional the friendship, the more precious it became.
Once it was gone, it might be impossible to retrieve it again.
Mo Hua sighed softly and took a sip of tea.
The tea was thick and sweet, but it also carried a hint of bitterness...
(Chapter 976: Auspicious Omens)
Chapter end
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