Chapter 990: Reincarnation
Chapter 990: Reincarnation
With the Swordsman Competition Congress approaching, the atmosphere in Tai Xu Gate became tense all of a sudden.
From top to bottom, everyone's hearts were strung tight.
Old Master Xun had also been out of sight for a long time.
Currently, all Formation Techniques classes, from preparation to teaching and assignment correction, were solely handled by Mo Hua.
Old Master Xun had taken on the role of a carefree boss, sitting in the Elder's Residence, day and night, fully focused on calculations.
Even the Tai Xu Gate's Sect Leader had become less leisurely.
When Mo Hua went to feed the Big White Dog, he occasionally saw the Sect Leader a few times, noticing his haggard appearance and thick black hair finally starting to thin out.
Additionally, the elders Mo Hua encountered were all in a hurry, their faces grave as they busily prepared for various matters related to the Swordsman Competition Congress.
However, the most nervous ones were still the disciples of Tai Xu Gate.
Because they were the ones participating in the Swordsman Competition.
The clan's glory, family interests, and personal futures were all tied to this Great Competition.
Everyone's hearts felt like they were hanging by a thread, filled with anxiety, as if a heavy stone was pressing down on their chests, leaving them breathless.
Amidst the tense cultivation and spellcasting, the disciples' expressions became increasingly grave and solemn.
Even during mealtimes, they spoke less and less.
At noon, in the disciples' residence.
Mo Hua was chewing on a chicken leg, looking left and right, only to find that the once lively and chatty dining hall seemed to be covered in frost. Everyone was silently eating with their heads down, not uttering a word, causing Mo Hua to shake his head.
This wasn't good.
The oppressive atmosphere could lead to indigestion.
Mo Hua turned his head to look at Cheng Mo beside him.
Cheng Mo, who was usually chatty, was genuinely 'silent' now, his face tense as he chewed on a pig knee with a lack of enthusiasm.
Mo Hua passed a chicken leg to him.
Cheng Mo was startled for a moment, then looked up and saw it was Mo Hua. He slowly said, "Thank you, Junior Brother."
Mo Hua asked him, "How's your preparation for the Swordsman Competition going?"
Cheng Mo nodded and said, "It's going okay..."
But his expression lacked conviction, clearly lacking confidence.
Mo Hua was puzzled, "Your foundation is pretty good, right? Why aren't you confident?"
Cheng Mo's heart was heavy, and he didn't really want to talk, but he couldn't ignore Mo Hua's question. After a moment's thought, he sighed, "Junior Brother, I'll be honest with you. With my cultivation, whether it's my technique, skeleton, or Dao technique, there are hardly any weaknesses. In my Cheng family, I'm second to none."
"But this is the Qian Xue Prefecture, a place where only the 'cream of the crop' disciples from the Four Great Clans and Eight Doors can come. My talent is only average, and I can only rely on my 'tough skin and meat' to be slightly better than others."
"When it comes to the Swordsman Competition, competing with the Celestial Geniuses from various clans, I... truly have no advantage..."
Cheng Mo's heart lacked confidence.
The others, including Si Tu Jian, nodded in agreement.
In their respective families, they were undoubtedly among the top one or two 'outstanding individuals'.
In other regions of the Nine Provinces, they would be considered once-in-a-century 'geniuses'.
Not to mention, if you randomly picked a disciple from Tai Xu Gate and sent them to Mo Hua's home, the Great Black Mountain Prefecture, they would undoubtedly be a sensation, a Celestial Genius.
But when all these geniuses gathered in the Qian Xue Prefecture, because they were all 'outstanding individuals' in their families, they became 'ordinary individuals' in comparison, lacking exceptional abilities and blending into the crowd.
It wasn't that Cheng Mo and the others were weak; it was just that the surrounding disciples were too strong.
There's always a greater sky above, and a greater person beyond.
Above geniuses, there are always stronger 'geniuses'.
Cheng Mo and their 'genius' was just the threshold of entering the Qian Xue Prefecture and encountering even stronger geniuses.
Mo Hua sighed inwardly.
Fortunately, he had achieved spiritual enlightenment through divine consciousness, and by chance, he had entered through the 'back door'.
Otherwise, with his talent, he wouldn't even have met the threshold to enter the Qian Xue Prefecture, let alone be able to join Tai Xu Gate and become the junior brother of Cheng Mo and the others.
Mo Hua mentally counted, and he realized that among the current Tai Xu Gate, the only one who could truly be considered a 'top-tier genius' was Xiao Xiao, who had been 'merged' over.
Ling Hu Xiao, a disciple of the Chong Xu Lineage.
His sword mind was illuminated, and his sword Dao talent was such that even in the history of the Chong Xu Gate, he would be considered a once-in-five-hundred-years genius.
If it weren't for the merger of the three clans, Tai Xu Gate wouldn't even have this sole 'top-tier genius'.
Mo Hua was a bit unhappy, but after thinking it through, he felt it made sense.
Top-tier geniuses naturally join the top-tier Four Great Clans.
Other talents are then distributed among the Eight Doors.
The Four Great Clans, with their top-tier geniuses, naturally dominate the Swordsman Competition, consistently occupying the top spot.
By consistently occupying the top spot, they consistently attract the top-tier geniuses.
Those not accepted by the Four Great Clans would then go to the Eight Doors, the Twelve Streams, and the hundred doors of Qian Xue Prefecture.
In this situation, it's genuinely challenging for Tai Xu Gate, including the Eight Doors, to recruit a few genuinely top-tier geniuses.
"It's not just Ling Shi and the legacy that are being divided; talent is also being divided..."
Mo Hua sighed in his heart.
The only somewhat special case was the Tai A Gate from three years ago.
At that time, Tai A Gate was ranked first among the Eight Doors, with a formidable reputation, and they had two or three top-tier geniuses within their clan.
But top-tier geniuses inevitably have their pride, and being young and full of vigor, they were stripped of their 'Swordsman Competition' qualifications due to the Zhi Zhou incident.
After losing the Swordsman Competition, Tai A Gate also became somewhat dispirited.
Currently, Tai Xu Gate, on the surface, is the result of the merger of the three clans, gathering their talents.
But because the 'cream of the crop' have been weeded out, it's not much stronger than the Tai A Gate, which was once ranked first among the Eight Doors.
In some ways, it's even weaker.
It's just that there are more people now.
Mo Hua frowned.
After such a careful calculation, Tai Xu Gate's situation in the Swordsman Competition is genuinely not optimistic at all.
No wonder the Sect Leader started losing hair.
"No, it seems not just unoptimistic..."
Mo Hua's thoughts turned, and he recalled that the Tai A Gate was the 'beam' that bore the brunt of the Four Great Clans' attacks.
Chong Xu Gate was the buffer in the middle, also sharing some of the pressure.
Tai Xu Gate was at the end, bearing the least pressure.
But now, Tai Xu Gate has 'absorbed' Tai A Gate and Chong Xu Gate, which is equivalent to drawing all the 'attacks' onto itself.
All the pressure is concentrated on one person, enduring the 'encirclement' of the Four Great Clans alone.
The situation is so dire that it's terrifying.
Mo Hua even felt sympathy for the Sect Leader.
"I wonder how much hair the Sect Leader will have left after the Swordsman Competition Congress..."
Mo Hua began to feel sorry for the Sect Leader's hair.
Seeing that Cheng Mo was still frowning, Mo Hua comforted him, "Just do your best, don't feel pressured."
Cheng Mo smiled bitterly, "Junior Brother, I understand the logic, but this pressure isn't something that can be easily dismissed."
How could he not be nervous about such a significant event as the Swordsman Competition Congress?
Mo Hua asked, "Do you want to aim for the top spot in the competition?"
"Everyone wants the top spot," Cheng Mo said helplessly, "but I don't have the skills for it. I'd be content with a decent ranking."
"What can a decent ranking do?"
"There are plenty of things it can do," Cheng Mo's eyes lit up, and he spoke with renewed energy, "First, a high ranking will earn a substantial amount of merit points from the clan, which can be used to exchange for resources, techniques, or even for entry into the inner sect, all of which are excellent opportunities..."
"Even if I don't make it into the inner sect, a good ranking will still make me stand out when I return home, and that's pretty impressive."
"This is the Swordsman Competition Congress of Qian Xue Zhou Jie, and the family's elders will definitely look upon me with favor."
"Even if I go back and boast, it will be one spit and one nail, and everyone will be in awe of me..."
Mo Hua looked a bit lost, "Is it really that powerful?"
Cheng Mo nodded, "Of course."
"But..." Mo Hua frowned, "I won the top spot in the Formation Techniques Congress, and it doesn't feel that amazing, not as powerful as you make it seem..."
Cheng Mo held his breath, feeling a bit reluctant to continue the conversation with Mo Hua.
The other disciples were also left speechless.
The junior brother was great in every way, except for his occasional irritating remarks.
However, after Mo Hua's words, the tension among the crowd gradually eased, and they became less anxious.
Mo Hua then asked the others, "Do you also want to win the Swordsman Competition to show off to your families?"
"Of course, it's a waste of youth if you don't show off."
"It's not just about showing off, there are many benefits..."
The atmosphere became livelier, and the disciples spoke more freely, each with their own thoughts:
"I want to bring glory to my family. With a good ranking, my parents will be proud. My father always says that the greatest achievement in his life is having me as his son..."
"I mainly want to earn some merit points. My cultivation technique consumes a lot of resources..."
"My parents told me to get a good ranking in the competition to gain a good reputation. With that, they can find me a good marriage prospect when I return."
"Are your parents setting the bar too high? You know how challenging the competition is, right? How much effort does it take to find a good marriage prospect?"
"That's because you haven't tried. Once you do, you'll understand..."
...
There were also disciples from prominent families who had less-than-ideal family backgrounds:
"My father is a gambler, and my mother remarried. I can't rely on anyone, so I have to depend on myself. I want to fight for my own future!"
Someone nearby chimed in, "Exactly, I also want to give it my all. In Qian Xue Zhou Jie, I want to carve out my own path with my own strength. If I fail..."
He spoke with reluctance, "I'll have no choice but to return home and follow my parents' arrangement, marrying a woman from a suitable family and inheriting the position of the family head..."
Many of them were left speechless...
"Thank you, we're no longer friends," said the previous disciple.
"No, my family is just a small one, only fourth-grade. Why are you getting so angry?"
"We're no longer friends, don't talk to me..."
...
As the conversation went on, the atmosphere became more harmonious. Everyone's mood lightened, and the pressure was somewhat relieved.
Cheng Mo glanced at Mo Hua and asked in a low voice, "Junior brother, are you also participating in the Swordsman Competition Congress?"
Mo Hua pondered, "I should be participating."
"Junior brother, do you also want to get a good ranking and show off to your family?" Cheng Mo asked.
"This..." Mo Hua fell into deep thought.
"Nonsense! How can you compare junior brother's aspirations to yours?" Si Tu Jian spoke up, dissatisfied.
"How am I being shallow?" Cheng Mo argued, "It's human nature to return home with glory, like wearing brocade at night. How is that shallow?"
"Exactly," some disciples agreed.
"While that's true, junior brother must have deeper intentions..."
"He probably wants to use the Swordsman Competition Congress to enter the inner sect and become an elder in the future."
"Why speculate? With junior brother's status, entering the inner sect is a given."
"Then is it for merit points?"
"Do you know how many merit points junior brother currently has?"
"How many?"
"So many that even he doesn't know the exact amount..."
"I heard the elder has already sealed junior brother's Tai Xu Gate merit points, fearing that we disciples would see it and damage our cultivation hearts..."
"It can't be that exaggerated..."
(Chapter 990: Reincarnation)
"Then, junior brother, are you participating in the competition to get a good ranking and find a good Dao companion in the future?"
"Nonsense! Does junior brother need to find a Dao companion?" A disciple spoke with reverence, "To be honest, I have a sister with an upper-grade spiritual root, young and beautiful, and of the perfect age..."
Before he could finish, someone nearby shouted, "Lu Zhen Ming! I asked you to introduce your sister to me, but you said she was too young, so you refused!"
"She's my own sister, how can I push her into a... well, you know..."
"Alright, alright, alright, brother, explain to me what you mean by 'hell'?"
...
The dining hall buzzed with lively chatter and laughter.
Mo Hua, however, fell into deep thought amidst the commotion.
Although most of the talk was in jest, the disciples' words held some truth.
"What am I really after by participating in the Swordsman Competition Congress?"
This question was worth pondering, and he needed to think it through carefully.
That evening, back in the disciples' residence, Mo Hua was still contemplating this question.
The other disciples had their own goals for the Swordsman Competition Congress. Some sought fame, some family interests, some merit points, some inner sect positions, and some a good marriage prospect...
But what did he seek? His reputation was already significant.
Being prominent could be a double-edged sword; fame might not always be a good thing.
He didn't lack merit points, and he had no intention of joining the inner sect.
As a wandering cultivator, he had no family interests to pursue and certainly no family head position to inherit.
As for marriage...
It was too early to think about that, and there was no need to consider it now.
Moreover, given Mo Hua's understanding of his junior sister...
If he truly participated in the competition, she would likely worry about his well-being first and foremost, rather than the ranking he achieved.
Whether he ranked or not, it wouldn't affect his status as her junior brother.
Mo Hua calculated and realized that, in truth, he had no real demands.
There might be a need for the top prize of the Swordsman Competition.
But these rewards have already been decided, and Mo Hua has seen them.
One is the top-notch, self-selected, supreme technique inheritance from the four great clans and eight great doors.
Another is the same, the top-notch, self-selected Dao Technique inheritance from the four great clans and eight great doors.
Additionally, there are also some supreme treasures of the clan, top-grade elixirs, and talismans.
Undoubtedly, these items are the best of the best, but they are prepared for the true "Celestial Geniuses." For Mo Hua, with his weak foundation, they are not very practical.
Even those techniques and Dao Techniques are not suitable for him to learn with his spiritual root.
Apart from this, the only reason to participate in the Swordsman Competition Congress is probably to help Old Master Xun and Tai Xu Gate through this difficult time.
After all, he has received too much gratitude from Old Master Xun and Tai Xu Gate.
Of course, it's also to help the Sect Leader lose less hair...
But that's all, and he won't exert so much effort.
Moreover, Mo Hua has considered it, and this matter is actually very risky.
Old Master Xun was right before; once he participates in the Swordsman Competition Congress, under the gaze of the masses, his trump cards will be gradually exposed.
This is extremely fatal.
After all, many of his trump cards are not meant to be exposed.
And if he doesn't use his trump cards, he simply doesn't have the ability to participate in such a grand Swordsman event.
The Swordsman Competition Congress is no child's play; it's a gathering of Celestial Geniuses, and the number of strong cultivators is countless.
This will be a long and arduous battle.
Mo Hua won't naively believe that he can achieve a good ranking without giving his all.
Even if he exerts all his strength and reveals all his trump cards, it's hard to say if he can make it to the end...
High difficulty, high risk, and low reward.
Mo Hua thought it over for a long time, only to helplessly realize that the objective situation is as such.
For the Swordsman Competition Congress, it's best for him to just go through the motions.
He will strive to help Tai Xu Gate move up in the rankings.
As for the rest, there's no need to consider.
Mo Hua sighed softly.
He thought it over several times, even using the law of cause and effect to calculate a little, and found that no matter how he considered or deduced, "going through the motions" was still the best choice.
Mo Hua felt a bit dispirited.
But the situation is as it is, and cause and effect are as they are.
One cannot act beyond one's means.
Mo Hua accepted it, and his mood became calmer, and he also became indifferent to the Swordsman Competition Congress.
While the disciples were doing their best to prepare for the Swordsman Competition Congress, Mo Hua continued to practice the ultimate formation and delve into the principles of formations as usual.
The days passed by calmly, one by one...
...
At this moment, in Dao Prefecture.
Tian Shu Pavilion.
The high pavilion was shrouded in mist, making it impossible to peer inside. Within, an old man with a full head of white hair was dozing off.
In the hazy smoke, the old man slept peacefully.
After an unknown period, the old man finally woke from his slumber, slowly raising his eyes to look at the chessboard before him.
The chessboard was made of dry wood, nothing special, but in the old man's muddy yet abyss-like gaze, a faint light flickered, as if the heavenly mandate was opening and closing, and cause and effect were interwoven.
The old man's voice, like the evening drum, slowly chanted, "The chess game... is set up, and the pieces are in place, but... there's still something missing."
The pieces were all dead, moving only in predetermined directions.
The chess game was naturally a stalemate, without any surprises.
It needed a variable, a "live piece," to liven up the entire situation...
So, who has the capacity to be this "live piece"? The old man's eyes were deep, and as his divine thoughts surged, cause and effect kept flowing.
At the same time, his withered fingers reached into the chess jar, groping for a moment before pinching out a plain black piece.
The old man's eyes widened in surprise, feeling it was strange himself.
"In such a grand chess game, there really is someone who can be this live piece?"
The old man was curious, pinching the piece, and in his eyes, the chess game unfolded. He wanted to calculate the identity of this "live piece."
But after pinching it for a while, he gave up.
Since it's a live piece, it can't be calculated; if it's calculated, it becomes a 'dead piece.'
"Forget it, it doesn't matter..."
"With a live piece, there's a fish; with a fish, you need to give it a 'bait' to make it move on its own..."
What kind of "bait"? The old man started calculating again, pondering how to "fish."
The myriad techniques of Tian Shu Pavilion flowed through his mind like a stream, but cause and effect didn't show the slightest fluctuation...
The old man skipped over the techniques and started calculating Dao Techniques, elixirs, talismans, and formations...
But no matter how he calculated, even using some supreme inheritances as "bait," he still couldn't lure this "fish."
The old man's expression was calm, and he wasn't surprised.
In such a grand game, the one who can be the "live piece" and this variable is definitely not an ordinary person; it must be a "big fish."
Since it's a big fish, it's not something that can be lured by an ordinary "bait."
The old man started raising the bar, searching for this "bait" among Tian Shu Pavilion's secret inheritances.
This time, there was a fluctuation in cause and effect.
But that was all.
This "big fish" seemed to have only sniffed the life force, feeling a slight stir, but soon returned to its original heart, suppressing desire, and swam back to the bottom, hibernating.
The old man was finally a bit astonished.
"Can't even lure it?"
"It's truly... a big 'pride'..."
"Is this fishing for a fish or a dragon?"
The old man felt a bit pained, sighing in his heart, "You can't catch the wolf without sparing the lamb..."
He gritted his teeth, and with a flick of his finger, he tore open the void, searching for it among Tian Shu Pavilion's sealed ancient inheritances.
One after another, extraordinary items appeared before his eyes. The old man flipped through them for a moment, and finally, a golden-fated inheritance caught his attention.
On the inheritance, the cause and effect was brilliant, condensed into gold.
This meant that using this inheritance to lure would definitely bring out this big fish.
The old man opened this ancient inheritance.
The inheritance was an ancient jade slip, and on it were five simple and unique words:
"Yin Yang Reincarnation Array."
These five words carried a chaotic aura of the initial separation of heaven and earth, the flow of yin and yang, and the reversal of life and death, causing the room to suddenly become stifling.
The old man's expression slowly solidified, and his eyes became deeply terrifying.
Yin Yang Reincarnation...
Whose "reincarnation"? It can't be...
In the heart of the calm well, layers of vibrations were set off.
The old man's eyes became as deep as an abyss.
(End of Chapter)
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