Immortality Through Array Formations (The Quest for Immortality)

Chapter 588 – Sect

"That Heavenly Dao Sect must've thought Mo Hua was just a wandering cultivator—no status, no background, no one to back him—so they bullied him! Outrageous!"

Wenren Wan fumed, voice full of righteous anger.

"I'll back him up!"

Shangguan Yi gave a wry smile.

"But he's not from the Wenren Clan, nor from the Shangguan Clan. How are we supposed to back him up?"

"He saved Yu'er's life! He did both our families a huge favor!"

Wenren Wan insisted stubbornly.

Shangguan Yi responded helplessly, "Didn't you say we couldn't make that public? That no one outside should know about it? Then how are others supposed to understand that he did us a favor?"

"If you storm into the Heavenly Dao Sect demanding justice for him, people will just think you're picking a fight, intentionally making enemies. That's not a light thing… The Heavenly Dao Sect is a top-tier sect."

"Even our Shangguan Clan can't afford to offend them casually."

Shangguan Yi tried to reason with her, words soft but sincere.

Wenren Wan frowned. "Then what should we do?"

Shangguan Yi felt a flicker of happiness in his heart, but on the surface still pretended to hesitate. He paused deliberately, then said:

"How about… we pull some strings and find Mo Hua a place in one of the Hundred Sects of Qianzhou? That should at least repay Yu'er's karmic debt."

"No way!"

Wenren Wan shook her head immediately, scowling. "Yu'er's life is only worth a spot in the Hundred Sects? Even if you agree to that, I don't!"

Shangguan Yi froze, then sighed.

"The Four Great Sects… we could get a spot, but with his spiritual root, he won't pass the threshold."

"Then the Eight Major Gates!" Wenren Wan declared. "Nothing lower!"

"The Twelve Streams…" Shangguan Yi tried to suggest.

But Wenren Wan cut him off immediately, "Absolutely not! The Twelve Streams are too specialized. Even if one masters a single path, they still need at least a basic understanding of others. Otherwise, their vision is narrow, their experiences limited—they'll stumble in basic areas."

"My father once told me—that's called a knowledge barrier in cultivation."

"Some things seem trivial, but knowing makes all the difference. If you don't, even with immense talent and comprehension, you could spend your whole life trapped in a dead-end."

"Mo Hua's already a wandering cultivator, with a weak foundation. If he enters one of those Twelve Streams, he'll only end up with blind spots everywhere and hit bottlenecks constantly!"

"He must enter a well-rounded sect with a long lineage and a complete cultivation system!"

"If the Four Great Sects are too hard to get into, fine—but at least the Eight Major Gates!"

She spoke with unshakable certainty.

Shangguan Yi was a bit surprised. He hadn't expected his wife to have such insight, nor to consider Mo Hua's future so thoroughly.

She might be impulsive, but her feelings were true. She genuinely cared about others.

Shangguan Yi sighed.

"But the Eight Major Gates… are still hard to get into…"

With a mid-low grade spiritual root, it was practically impossible.

Not to mention Mo Hua had no sect inheritance, no foundation, and his cultivation base, blood essence, and Dao core were all shallow and unstable.

Wenren Wan insisted,

"If the Shangguan Clan can't do it, there's still the Wenren Clan. If the Wenren Clan can't, then both together! We'll make it happen!"

Shangguan Yi murmured, "That's… a big move."

Wenren Wan simply replied, "Just tell me—are you helping or not?"

Shangguan Yi hesitated, unable to answer right away.

If he helped, it would require major favors and connections.

If he didn't, his wife would never let it go.

And besides, saving Yu'er really was a massive favor.

Caught between both sides, he looked into his wife's beautiful face and deep, earnest eyes—and finally sighed:

"…I'll try."

Wenren Wan lit up with joy, her smile blooming—but halfway through, she remembered she was still mad at him, so she held it back and said sternly:

"Then I'll go talk to my father."

"…That might not be a good idea."

"What's wrong with it? Even if I'm married, I'm still his daughter."

She patted Shangguan Yi's shoulder and said,

"I'll be waiting for your good news."

And with that, she turned and left—graceful as a startled swan.

Shangguan Yi sighed again.

This is no small matter…

Trying to force a mid-low spiritual root cultivator with no backing and haphazard Foundation Establishment into one of the Eight Major Gates of Qianzhou?

The price would be… hefty.

But since he'd promised his wife, he couldn't go back on it.

And besides…

That vague and mysterious aura surrounding Mo Hua—it drifted once again through Shangguan Yi's mind.

Clearly just a small cultivator…

So why did he feel… unreadable?

Troubled by this, Shangguan Yi went to find Gu Changhuai, and asked:

"When Yu'er was 'abducted'—no, saved—at that restaurant, were there any other strange traces left behind?"

Gu Changhuai frowned, "What are you implying?"

Shangguan Yi thought for a moment, then replied honestly:

"I suspect… that child Mo Hua might not be as simple as he looks. He might… carry some special karma."

"Special karma?" Gu Changhuai raised a brow.

Shangguan Yi continued, "I'm starting to think Yu'er's rescue… wasn't just a coincidence."

"In this world, every sip and every bite has its reason. It's very possible that someone passed this 'opportunity' on to Mo Hua."

Gu Changhuai's gaze narrowed slightly. "You mean…"

Shangguan Yi mused,

"My guess is: there's some mysterious master, one who grasps the secrets of fate, who rescued Yu'er—and then deliberately gave that opportunity to the child named Mo Hua…"

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Gu Changhuai frowned. "Why would they do that?"

Shangguan Yi shook his head.

"I haven't figured that out yet."

Gu Changhuai's eyes turned cold, but he nodded slowly.

Still, in his heart, he knew…

This was not a simple matter.

He had already sensed something off—the way those dozen or so child traffickers died in that restaurant… was very suspicious.

And Mo Hua, that boy… he'd only met him once, but despite the innocent face, his eyes were deep—unnaturally so.

There was innocence… but also a hint of something uncanny.

A child cannot be judged by appearance.

Even a child may harbor the unexpected.

Gu Changhuai remained wary and suspicious, but since he never got along with his cousin-in-law Shangguan Yi anyway, he kept those thoughts to himself.

In the following days, Wenren Wan continued running around trying to get Mo Hua an admission slot, and Shangguan Yi also pitched in.

The two of them called in countless family favors, spent a fortune in spirit stones, and even owed quite a bit of karmic debt.

Naturally, this stirred up a lot of dissatisfaction—from both the Wenren and Shangguan clans.

To the Wenren Clan, Wenren Wan was a married woman.

A married daughter is like spilled water—she was supposed to be helping the Shangguan Clan now, not bleeding her maiden family dry. And yet she'd done just that.

Meanwhile, to the Shangguan Clan, she was spending the family's resources on some unknown cultivator. It directly touched a lot of people's interests.

Even among the Eight Major Gates, slots were precious—and even Shangguan clan's own juniors didn't all get in.

Now they were giving one to an outsider?

They were far from happy about it.

Entrance quotas also represented the prestige of the clan. If the person they sponsored ended up being immoral or useless, it would shame the entire Shangguan name.

Of course, if Mo Hua accomplished something noteworthy, it could bring glory and benefits to those who recommended him.

But… this was Qian Prefecture.

And a no-name outsider, with mediocre aptitude, entering one of the Eight Major Gates brimming with geniuses?

Not a chance.

They wouldn't believe it even if you beat them with a stick.

So several of the Shangguan Clan Elders complained directly to the Patriarch, Shangguan Ce, accusing Shangguan Yi of overstepping.

Shangguan Ce called Shangguan Yi over and publicly rebuked him:

"Wan'er has gone too far in this matter."

"She married into the Shangguan Clan. She should prioritize our interests."

"You need to have a sense of propriety. Don't let her drag you into disorderly conduct."

Shangguan Yi didn't argue back. He simply bowed and admitted fault, taking full responsibility, and said humbly:

"I'll be more careful next time."

Admitting fault is one thing—changing course is another.

"Next time" meant he was going to go through with this one regardless—and maybe think twice in the future.

Shangguan Ce sighed.

His son wasn't dumb—he was sharp and smooth-tongued. And the way he handled this wasn't exactly wrong either…

His son did have both the smarts and the means, and he was smooth with words. And what he'd done—wasn't really wrong.

Now that this matter had already been set in motion, it naturally had to be carried through to the end.

If he backed down the moment pressure arose, it would only make him seem weak and indecisive.

At the end of the day, it was just giving a young cultivator an opportunity. Whether he gave it or not, it wasn't some major crime.

But… he was too sentimental.

And in the end, it would still be up to him, the father, to clean up the mess.

Shangguan Ce waved his hand. "Go on, then."

Shangguan Yi cupped his fists and took his leave.

Shangguan Ce, however, furrowed his brows.

For this matter… he would have to apologize to the clan's Ancestors.

The Ancestors—cultivation unfathomable, always in seclusion—were the true masters of the Shangguan Clan.

They were the ones who strategized from the shadows, deduced the clan's fate, and calculated the grand karmic cycles.

Whether it was the Shangguan Clan or any of the other massive family powers in Qian Prefecture, their destinies were held in the hands of these Ancestors.

Under no circumstances could they be angered.

Shangguan Ce sighed, his brows knitting tighter.

But what exactly were the Ancestors planning?

What was the fate of the Shangguan Clan?

Even though his cultivation was not low, he didn't know how to divine fate, couldn't comprehend the Heavenly Mechanism—so he knew none of it.

Shangguan Ce looked up at the sky, only to see the vast, hazy Heavens—mirroring the confusion in his own heart.

After a moment, he sighed inwardly:

"Heavenly Mechanism… what exactly is it?"

"Why can't I calculate it?"

"If one cannot perceive fate, nor see karma… then no matter how high one's cultivation, they're still nothing more than a toy—for others, for the Ancestors, for those old monsters… and even for Heaven itself."

His frown deepened.

Although Shangguan Yi had been reprimanded, the matter of Mo Hua's sect entry was now out in the open.

At this point, with "sunk costs" already incurred, it was unlikely they'd stop halfway.

The other branches of the Shangguan family mainly wanted Shangguan Yi to get scolded—they didn't care much about what he actually did in the end.

So Shangguan Yi seized the opportunity and, out in the open, began actively leveraging connections and pulling strings—alongside Wenren Wan—to secure a sect spot for Mo Hua.

A few days later, Wenren Wan found Mo Hua and laid out three gold-embossed invitation slips in front of him.

Each bore the name of a sect:

Tai'a Gate, Chongxu Gate, and Taixu Gate.

Mo Hua blinked in surprise.

"Aunt Wan, this is…?"

"They're sect invitations," Wenren Wan explained with a light tone. "Take a look and decide which one you want to join. I'll send in the invitation for you. All three are among the 'Eight Major Gates.' They're not as elite as the 'Four Great Sects,' but still quite respectable."

Her voice was calm, but her eyes couldn't hide a hint of pride.

Mo Hua's jaw dropped in disbelief.

"The Eight Major Gates… and I get to choose?"

He thought for a moment, then lowered his voice. "Aunt Wan, these… must've been expensive, right?"

"Not really," she said casually, clearly trying to make it seem like no big deal.

But Mo Hua was touched.

Since arriving in Qian Prefecture, Aunt Wan had been the kindest person to him. Though it all stemmed from him saving Yu'er, her sincere gratitude and tireless efforts… were rare and precious.

"Aunt Wan, I…"

Mo Hua's emotions were complicated.

"Don't dwell on it," Wenren Wan said gently. "This is what you deserve."

"But…"

Her brow instantly furrowed. "I went through a lot to get these—you'd better not say you don't want them!"

Her eyes were honest and earnest, her tone leaving no room for argument.

Mo Hua's heart warmed. He looked at the invitation slips and fell into silent thought.

He did want to enter a sect.

Sure, he could survive in Qian Prefecture by drawing formations for others and earning spirit stones—but that path was slow and uncertain.

Wasting time meant his cultivation would fall behind.

Even his progress in formations would slow.

And who knew when he'd be strong enough to rescue his Master…

He glanced at Wenren Wan again. The concern in her gaze was genuine—she truly meant well.

Mo Hua exhaled softly, then nodded, no longer putting on a tough front.

Even heroes have difficult times. And he was still just a kid.

There's no need to be stubborn when you don't have to.

When someone treats you kindly, the right thing to do is graciously accept—and return the favor when you can.

"Thank you, Aunt Wan!"

Mo Hua smiled, silently committing this kindness to heart.

Wenren Wan breathed a sigh of relief and beamed. "Hurry and pick one—see which one you like?"

"I really get to choose?"

"Mhm."

Mo Hua examined the three invitations… then tilted his head.

"Tai'a, Chongxu, Taixu… Why do these names feel kind of similar?"

"They're from the same lineage," Wenren Wan explained. "These three sects share some ancestry. It's not wrong to call them 'branches from the same root.'"

"But times have changed, and now they're completely independent sects. The similar names are just remnants of that shared origin."

She added, "Their ancestors had good ties with the Wenren Clan, and some with the Shangguan Clan as well—though not too deep. I used favors from both families to get these three invitations. But you can only choose one."

"Alright," Mo Hua nodded.

He frowned slightly, staring at the three sect names.

They were completely unexpected.

Tai'a, Chongxu, Taixu…

He hadn't really paid attention to these sects before. Even when submitting applications casually, he hadn't given them much thought. Somehow, their names never felt like a good fit for him…

"Joining a sect is a big deal… I have to choose carefully."

Wenren Wan's tone grew more solemn.

She thought for a moment and decided she should explain things more clearly.

"These three sects all have close ties with my Wenren Clan. Technically, I shouldn't say this, but…"

Wenren Wan leaned closer to Mo Hua and lowered her voice:

"Even though they're all part of the so-called 'Eight Major Gates'… there are levels among them."

"Of the three, Tai'a Gate is the best—it's ranked near the top of the Eight Gates."

"Chongxu Gate comes next—more middle-tier."

"Taixu Gate is the weakest of the three, considered the bottom tier."

"In terms of heritage, since all three come from the same origin—just different branches—their fundamentals aren't that far apart. But in recent years, the quality of the disciples raised by their elders has diverged significantly…"

"Of course, their status, cultivation resources, and so on also vary accordingly."

Wenren Wan went on to explain the details to Mo Hua thoroughly, then said:

"Think it over carefully…"

Mo Hua stared at the three sect names for a long time, and after careful consideration, he finally said:

"Aunt Wan, I choose Taixu Gate."

Wenren Wan froze.

"Why would you choose Taixu Gate?"

Mo Hua had his own reasons.

Tai'a and Chongxu were both upper to middle-tier sects, which meant their entry thresholds were higher—and the cost to get in, in terms of favors and resources, would be heavier. Aunt Wan would owe even bigger debts.

Given that, choosing the weakest, Taixu Gate, would be easier on her.

Also, Mo Hua didn't want to compete with the so-called "heaven's chosen."

He just wanted to cultivate steadily and study formations in peace.

As one of the Eight Major Gates, Taixu Gate had plenty of heritage and resources—enough for him to make good use of.

Of course, there was another reason.

Mo Hua's expression turned serious:

"Taixu Gate… just sounds cooler."

To reach the limits of the Dao, and roam the Grand Void!

Taixu Gate!

Wenren Wan stared blankly for a moment, her thoughts scattering. She couldn't help thinking to herself:

This kid… definitely thinks a little differently than most…

"You… really thought this through?"

"Yeah." Mo Hua nodded firmly.

Wenren Wan tried to nudge him gently:

"Tai'a and Chongxu really are better—stronger sects overall…"

Mo Hua's little face was full of conviction:

"Sect rankings are temporary—coolness is forever!"

Wenren Wan opened her mouth… but had nothing to say. In the end, she could only sigh:

"…Alright then."

"Oh right," she added, "do you have… any particular strengths? I'll write it into the invitation, so there's at least a reason—I mean, an excuse—for recommending you."

Mo Hua said, "I'm decent with formations…"

"Formations?" Wenren Wan hesitated. She didn't say anything outright, but tried to be tactful:

"Anything else…?"

She figured Mo Hua was from a minor city and probably didn't understand the standards here.

Qian Prefecture was a cultivation stronghold.

And formations? Vast and profound.

Here, casually claiming to "excel at formations" was an easy way to become a laughingstock…

Mo Hua replied, "I really am pretty good at formations."

He took out his Grade-One Tianxu Ring and showed it to her.

He could draw second-grade formations too, but they weren't yet formally ranked. He wasn't a certified Grade-Two Array Master, so it felt wrong to boast. A bit of humility was still best.

"You're already a Grade-One Array Master?"

Wenren Wan was a little surprised.

Even in Qian Prefecture, there weren't many noble descendants Mo Hua's age who had already reached that level.

Even if Tongxian City was just a minor place, with looser grading and weaker standards—

Even if their Grade-One didn't compare to Qian Prefecture's Grade-One—

It was still impressive.

Claiming "proficiency in formations" might be a bit of a stretch… but just barely acceptable.

At least on paper, it gave him a "specialty" she could write down.

Wenren Wan let out a quiet sigh of relief and nodded.

And with that—this matter was decided.

Mo Hua would be heading to Taixu Gate.

However, there was one final reason Mo Hua chose Taixu Gate… one he hadn't told Wenren Wan.

Roaming the Grand Void…

When he'd seen the characters for "Taixu Gate," his spiritual sense had stirred slightly. After a brief, quiet divination, he sensed a faint and obscure karmic cycle.

Though hazy, it was clearer than any karmic glimpse he'd had before.

And within that karmic thread…

A few fleeting scenes of Lord Huangshan—the one whose evil will he'd once slain in a ruined temple—flashed through his mind.

But it was not the Huangshan he'd previously encountered.

This version… was overwhelming in aura, massive in form. Its blood-soaked eyes were filled with endless malice and monstrous intent, wrapped in a terrifying aura of slaughter.

And at that same moment, another name surfaced in his mind—accompanied by a soaring sword intent and killing will:

Taixu Divine Thought Sword Incantation! (Great Void Divine Thought Sword Transformation.)

(End of Chapter)