Immortality Through Array Formations (The Quest for Immortality)

Chapter 586: Heavenly Dao Sect

乾 (Qián) – Means "heaven."

道 (Dào) – Means "the Way," referring to Taoist philosophy or cultivation methods.

宗 (Zōng) – Means "sect" or "school."

So, "乾道宗" will be translated as "Heavenly Dao Sect". It can also interchange as "Qiandao Sect", depending on the context.

Mo Hua was stunned.

Wenren Wan's reaction caught him off guard.

"The entry token for Heavenly Dao Sect… is it that precious?"

Little Yu'er, who was eating nearby, blinked in confusion and looked up at her mother.

Wenren Wan sighed. "An entry token means admission without testing. In the entire Qianxue Prefecture, whether large or small, all sect tokens are extremely valuable. And Heavenly Dao Sect… that's a top-tier sect."

"Top-tier?" Mo Hua was surprised. Then he recalled what Wenren Wan had said earlier. "One of the Four Great Sects?"

"Mhm." Wenren Wan nodded slightly. "In Qianxue Prefecture—a fifth-grade land—Daoist sects are everywhere. Big and small, there are at least several thousand, if not ten thousand."

"Among them, the most revered are known as the 'Four Great Sects,' the 'Eight Grand Gates,' and the 'Twelve Streams'…"

"Beyond that, there are other capable but slightly less profound sects. Collectively, they're called the 'Hundred Gates of Qianxue'..."

"Four Great Sects, Eight Grand Gates, Twelve Streams, Hundred Gates of Qianxue…" Mo Hua murmured, silently committing the terms to memory.

Wenren Wan continued:

"Among all the sects in Qianxue Prefecture, in terms of lineage and orthodoxy, the Four Great Sects are the strongest. The Eight Grand Gates follow…"

"The Twelve Streams can rival the Grand Gates, but they tend to specialize in a single path—like Broken Gold Sect with sword control, Ten Thousand Arts Sect with spellcraft, and others that focus on formations, pills, tools, talismans, beast taming, martial arts, etc…"

"And Heavenly Dao Sect is among the most powerful of the Four Great Sects."

"One of the most powerful…"

Mo Hua was curious. "So… are they number one, or number two?"

Wenren Wan's expression grew complicated. She said softly:

"Well…"

"All four of the Great Sects claim to be number one. None of them will admit to being second. So… all of them are 'one of the best,' but no one dares say who's truly first or second…"

Mo Hua opened his mouth, speechless.

So even the top sects were playing mind games like this…

"That's why," Wenren Wan said seriously, "as one of the top sects in a fifth-grade prefecture, the entry requirements for the Four Great Sects are extremely strict. A token that allows admission without testing is naturally incredibly rare…"

"Even to families like the Shangguan and Wenren clans, it's a prized treasure."

Wenren Wan sighed.

Mo Hua, meanwhile, was a little dazed.

He hadn't expected that what his master had left him… was something this valuable.

After saying all that, Wenren Wan suddenly remembered something and warned:

"You must keep this token safe. And whatever you do, do not tell anyone else about it."

"Mm!" Mo Hua nodded firmly.

Wenren Wan saw Mo Hua's calm expression—able to hold such a priceless treasure without panicking—and nodded in secret admiration. But then, curiosity got the better of her:

"Where did you get that token?"

"I picked it up!" Mo Hua replied.

Wenren Wan froze. "P-picked it up?"

A Heavenly Dao Sect entry token… was something you could find?

Mo Hua, meanwhile, spun his tale without blinking:

"Back when I was hunting demons in a mountain in Lì Prefecture, I stumbled upon a storage pouch. Inside, there was a token… and it had the words 'Heavenly Dao Sect' carved on it."

"I asked around and learned it was an entry token from Qianxue Prefecture."

"Qianxue is very far from my home, but I thought—since I found it, it must be fate. I shouldn't waste this opportunity. So I traveled across mountains and rivers to come to Qian Prefecture and see if I could join a sect and learn the Dao…"

A humble, straightforward tale of seeking the Dao.

Half true, half fiction.

It sounded simple—but nothing obviously wrong.

Wenren Wan was skeptical, but after some thought, she nodded. Some people are just born lucky. No big deal.

Besides, this was the boy who had just saved her daughter.

She chose to believe him.

Mo Hua, though, still had some doubts. "Aunt Wan, this entry token… really lets me join without testing?"

"Of course…" Wenren Wan began—but halfway through, she paused. Her brow furrowed, her voice grew hesitant.

By all rights, carrying a token should grant you entry. That's how it works.

The issuing of these tokens was strict. Only the sect could grant them, and only to those deemed worthy.

At the time of admission, the sect would perform a brief karmic divination.

As long as the bearer had no evil karma, hadn't killed to steal the token, or snatched someone else's opportunity, there wouldn't be a problem.

Even if it was "found," it could still be viewed as the will of Heaven—fated by the Dao. The sect wouldn't refuse.

But…

Mo Hua's case was a little… complicated.

Heavenly Dao Sect was too big. Every spot was immensely precious.

And Mo Hua was a rogue cultivator. No background.

Worse, his spiritual root…

Wenren Wan whispered, "Mo Hua, your spiritual root…"

"Mid-low grade, Minor Five Elements Root," Mo Hua replied.

As she suspected…

Wenren Wan sighed.

That kind of spiritual root was way below average—barely enough to even get a foot in the door.

Still, Wenren Wan didn't want to discourage him. "Heavenly Dao Sect is a great sect. They value their word. I believe they'll accept you."

Mo Hua knew she was trying to comfort him. He smiled. "Thank you, Aunt Wan."

But deep down, he had adjusted his expectations.

Heavenly Dao Sect was even grander than he imagined. The threshold for entry… far higher.

Joining it would not be easy.

Still, where there's a will, there's a way. He would go and try.

Wenren Wan added, "Finish your meal and rest for the night. Tomorrow, I'll arrange for the Wenren family's carriage to safely take you to Heavenly Dao Sect…"

Mo Hua thanked her with a smile, then seemed to remember something. He leaned in and said softly:

"Aunt Wan, there's one more thing…"

"Go ahead," she said.

Mo Hua whispered, "The part where I saved Yu'er… could you not tell anyone about it?"

Wenren Wan froze—then quickly understood.

If someone could plot against both the Shangguan and Wenren clans, and even hide their karma from Heaven, that meant an enormous force was moving in the shadows.

Their schemes were definitely long-term.

Mo Hua had merely been lucky and rescued Yu'er by coincidence.

But if the people behind the plot learned that it was Mo Hua who ruined their plan…

Then that fortune would become a curse.

Mo Hua was still a child. A rogue cultivator. Low cultivation, no backing, no power.

He would most likely…

Die without a grave.

Wenren Wan's heart trembled. A sour ache welled up.

She knew the pain of losing a child.

Mo Hua had parents too. If he died because he saved Yu'er, how heartbroken would they be?

She would carry that guilt for the rest of her life…

Wenren Wan spoke solemnly: "Don't worry. I'll make sure everyone who knows keeps their mouths shut. Not a word will leak."

Mo Hua beamed. "Thank you, Aunt Wan!"

Looking at his clear, radiant smile, Wenren Wan finally felt a little more at ease.

After resting in Qingzhou City for the night, playing with Yu'er for a while, Mo Hua set off the next morning in a Wenren family carriage, heading north toward Qianxue Prefecture…

Qianxue Prefecture—land of learning and cultivation.

Sects lined the road in endless numbers.

Shrouded in mist and cloud, Daoist courts towered from mountaintops. The scenery was magnificent and awe-inspiring.

Golden light bathed the mountains, spiritual beasts chirped in the distance. It felt like a land straight out of a celestial dream.

Cultivators in various sect robes flew past in streaks of light.

Mo Hua was stunned.

"So this is… Qianxue Prefecture…"

"So this is… the greatest place in Qian Prefecture for seeking the Dao…"

The beautiful sights along the way were overwhelming. Mo Hua stuck his little head out the window, watching in awe.

The sound of hooves echoed gently.

Mountain paths wound through mist.

Travel felt like riding on clouds.

Two days later, the carriage arrived at Heavenly Dao Sect.

From a distance, a towering mountain came into view—piercing the heavens. Palaces were arranged across the slopes, courtyards and halls scattered like stars, magnificent and majestic. Shrouded in mist and clouds, it looked like a celestial jade capital from the heavens.

"Heavenly Dao Sect…"

Mo Hua felt nervous and excited, a flutter of unease rising in his chest.

The carriage stopped at the foot of the mountain.

A Wenren family guard clasped his fists apologetically and said, "Young Master Mo, the rules of the Heavenly Dao Sect are strict—no carriages or horses allowed on the mountain. I'm truly sorry; this is as far as we can escort you."

"No problem," Mo Hua replied.

He waved his hand to express thanks, then headed alone up the long, high steps toward the mountain gate of the Heavenly Dao Sect.

Up close, everything was made of gold and jade, exuding an aura of immortality and grandeur.

Along the way, there were others getting off their mounts and walking up the mountain as well—clearly new disciples seeking to join the sect.

But unlike Mo Hua, they wore ornate clothes, carried themselves with confidence, and had family elders or guards accompanying them.

Mo Hua, dressed plainly and walking alone, stood out.

But he was long used to it.

Step by step, Mo Hua walked up alone, until he reached the sect's mountain gate.

There, a tall threshold blocked the path—nearly taller than Mo Hua himself. It barred not just the path, but him as well.

Several Heavenly Dao Sect disciples stood guard at the gate. When they saw Mo Hua, they stopped him and asked for his purpose.

Their tone was polite, but there was an undercurrent of arrogance and disdain.

"I have an entry token," Mo Hua said, taking it out. "I wish to join the sect."

The disciples were visibly surprised. They exchanged glances before one of them said:

"Please wait here. I need to report this to the elders for a decision."

Then he added, "Please fill out your cultivation background and history."

Mo Hua looked at the form—it just asked for things like place of origin, family background, and spiritual root.

He filled it out honestly.

The disciple collected the form, then brought out a sealed box and stored the token inside. With that, he entered the sect and followed a wide jade-paved path, walking for the time it takes to burn a stick of incense before arriving at a hall.

Inside the hall, several Heavenly Dao Sect elders were in discussion.

The disciple presented the sealed box and explained the situation.

The elders were surprised. "An entry token?"

They looked to the head elder and asked, "Elder Shen, what do you think?"

Elder Shen, sitting at the head seat, had deep-set lines on his face. His robe bore four golden stripes—clearly a figure of high status and authority.

Upon hearing this, Elder Shen accepted the token, and upon seeing the inscription, his brow furrowed.

"Is something wrong, Elder Shen?" another elder asked.

Elder Shen shook his head and handed the token around. "Take a look yourselves."

The other elders were puzzled, but after reading it, their expressions changed.

One elder read aloud slowly: "Those bearing this token must not be refused…"

"That wording… doesn't look right."

"Shouldn't it say, 'We humbly request you accept the bearer into the sect'?"

"Yes, why does it sound like an imperial decree?"

"Is this token… a fake?"

Elder Shen shook his head. "It's real—just… old."

"Old?" The elders were surprised.

Elder Shen nodded. "It's from the sect's older era…"

He stared at the token and sighed slightly:

"This is from an older batch of entry tokens. Back then, the Heavenly Dao Sect had declined in strength. We had to act humbly to survive. That's why the token uses the tone of a command…"

"'Must not be refused'—meaning our sect could not deny the bearer…"

"But!"

Elder Shen's eyes sharpened, his voice ringing with power:

"With generations of effort by our past Sect Masters, with countless disciples striving and toiling, with the unity of the sect and tireless diligence—we have grown into what we are today…"

"The Heavenly Dao Sect… is no longer what it once was!"

"Our disciples are all chosen elites, with the finest talents!"

"Now, we are the foremost among the Four Great Sects—the greatest sect in all of Qianxue Prefecture!"

"Therefore, the wording of the entry tokens was changed."

"No longer 'must not refuse'—but 'we humbly request you accept them.'"

"Now it is they who beg us for entry—not us who bow to others' decrees!"

Elder Shen's words struck with the weight of mountains.

The gathered elders felt a wave of pride surge in their chests.

One of them said, "Then… since this token is from an old, less honorable time… should we reject it?"

Elder Shen considered, then shook his head.

"There's no need to be so hasty. Everything must be weighed carefully."

"These old matters, though embarrassing, are undeniable truths."

"As cultivators, we must remember the shame of our past. Only by bearing that memory can we move forward with strength—until the Heavenly Dao Sect stands tall for ten thousand years!"

The room erupted in flattery:

"Worthy of Elder Shen!"

"Such vision!"

"Truly magnanimous!"

…

Elder Shen waved his hand slightly, then asked:

"What about the applicant's qualifications?"

Someone handed over the background form.

Elder Shen took one glance—and frowned deeply.

"Rogue cultivator…"

"From some remote backwater in Lì Prefecture…"

"Mid-low grade Minor Five Elements Root…"

Elder Shen's expression turned grim, as if he couldn't bear to look any further. Elder Shen found it rather distasteful.

The other elders passed around the background form. One of them couldn't help but laugh, "In the 'Specialty' section… he wrote Array Formations?"

The others paused—then burst into chuckles.

"He actually dared to write that…"

"Probably because he had nothing else to put…"

"Array formations…" one elder shook his head. "My fifth-generation great-grandson has a rare gift for arrays, and even I wouldn't dare let him walk that path—much less claim he's skilled in it…"

"Truly… ignorance is fearless."

"For cultivators from small places, maybe learning a few simple formations makes them feel they've achieved greatness… unaware of how vast the world really is."

Another elder laughed, "Why not go ask how many formations he actually knows?"

"You've got too much free time…"

"Even if he tells you, what's the point? You think he can draw a second-rank formation?"

"Still… never underestimate a cultivator."

"True in theory, but this is Qianzhou—this is Qianxue Prefecture. All the geniuses are gathered here. We don't exactly need another 'array prodigy'…"

...

After some discussion, someone finally asked:

"So how did he get this entry token?"

"Hmm… that's the question."

"It's such an old one. Probably just found it lying around?"

"As if it's that easy to find. What if he… killed someone for it?"

"Or maybe… he's someone's pawn?"

Elder Shen shook his head. "I did a quick karmic deduction earlier. It's a bit blurry—unclear—but it seems clean enough. No obvious problems, no sign of evil karma or wrongdoing. It's likely he really did just stumble across it by chance…"

One elder clicked his tongue. "Such good luck…"

"Seriously, who just finds an entry token like this…"

Elder Shen nodded. "Some people in this world really do stumble into extraordinary fortune."

"Since the boy has such fortune, then…" a long-robed elder cautiously probed Elder Shen's intent.

Elder Shen fell silent in thought, then slowly replied:

"Yes, fortune is one thing. But…"

His expression grew proud as he said:

"The Heavenly Dao Sect—this level of fortune—we cannot let him bear it."

The elders paused—then all voiced admiration:

"Elder Shen speaks wisely!"

"Too great a blessing… can be a curse."

"A man of shallow fortune cannot bear heaven-sent prosperity."

"This is for his own good, really…"

...

"But…" one elder expressed some concern, "if we reject him, won't that damage the prestige of our sect?"

After all, a bearer of an entry token is usually not denied.

If they did refuse him, it could spread as 'The Heavenly Dao Sect breaks its word', and that would tarnish their reputation…

Elder Shen furrowed his brow, considered for a moment, then said meaningfully:

"It's not a 'rejection'… it's 'pending review'."

Everyone blinked.

"Pending review?"

Elder Shen nodded. "Not a rejection—just that this case is special and requires… thoughtful discussion."

Thoughtful discussion.

And once it's up for discussion… how long will that take? A month? A year? Ten years? Will a decision ever be made? And what will the result be?

—That's the Heavenly Dao Sect's business. No one else has a say.

Elder Shen didn't say all this, but everyone understood.

One by one, they nodded:

"Yes, that's the best approach."

"This is a serious matter. It does deserve proper discussion."

"As expected of Elder Shen—masterful judgment, measured and precise…"

...

"So… what do we do with the entry token?" someone asked.

Elder Shen said casually:

"Record it in the cultivator's file."

Entry tokens were valuable—one token per person. Once registered to a cultivator, if returned, it could no longer be used by anyone else.

And once a token's status is "pending review," the bearer's admission is essentially frozen.

A tidy resolution.

Elder Shen nodded slightly.

A flash of light from the token signaled it was now recorded in the cultivator's file.

Elder Shen then wrote two large characters across the file: "Pending Review".

Then he tossed the file aside, stuffing it beneath a stack of documents—left to gather dust at the bottom.

As he tossed it, his eyes happened to fall on the name at the top of the file:

"Mo Hua."

That name… Elder Shen forgot it the moment he saw it. It didn't leave any impression at all.

(End of this Chapter)

I did my best!

Nearly 10,000 characters across two chapters!