Immortality Through Array Formations (The Quest for Immortality)

Chapter 604: Nightmare

"Let you play with it…"

Murong Caiyun chuckled helplessly at Mo Hua's childish words.

Message Tokens weren't toys.

Still, since Mo Hua asked so sincerely, she didn't refuse.

These were just leftover items from the Dao Court's inventory—everyone was free to take what they liked.

A blank Message Token like this wasn't useful to her anyway.

"Alright, fine."

Murong Caiyun handed over the white jade Message Token—the contents already erased—to Mo Hua.

"Thank you, Senior Sister!"

Mo Hua beamed as he received it, storing it away like some precious treasure.

Murong Caiyun couldn't help but smile and shake her head.

The remaining items were casually divided up.

Since they were just odds and ends the Dao Court didn't want and none were valuable, Murong Caiyun basically handed over anything someone asked for.

With the last bits of loot distributed, the group prepared to head back to the sect.

Unlike the rushed journey to Dian Cang, the return trip was far more leisurely.

Murong Caiyun had hired a luxurious carriage, spacious and well-decorated, scented with rain-mist incense, lined with mink-fur carpets, and furnished with soft cushions. Very comfy.

Mo Hua looked at the ornate carriage and guessed that Senior Sister Murong's family must be very rich.

He then looked further ahead.

Pulling the carriage were four majestic spirit horses.

These were second-grade spirit horses, specially raised by cultivators for pulling carriages.

They looked magnificent.

Mo Hua suddenly thought of "Big White."

Back when he traveled with his master, accompanied by Elder Kui, his little senior brother, and his little senior sister, they journeyed far and wide. The white horse pulling their carriage back then was "Big White."

"Big White" was the name Mo Hua had given it himself.

He figured it probably liked the name. Whenever he called out, the horse would affectionately nuzzle him with its head.

As for its original name… something like Cloud something Dragon Steed—too much of a mouthful. Mo Hua never bothered remembering it.

"I wonder… compared to these horses, which breed is better?"

Mo Hua quietly pondered to himself.

Clouds drifted above. Hooves clopped below.

Like mountain shadows from the past, old memories flickered in his mind—light and fleeting.

As they traveled, Mo Hua suddenly felt a tinge of loneliness and melancholy.

All those people who'd been with him for so long… were suddenly gone.

And he—he had to keep moving forward, alone.

And he must… always move forward.

A trace of sorrow mixed with resolve flashed in his eyes.

"Junior Brother…"

A soft and elegant voice pulled Mo Hua back from his thoughts.

Murong Caiyun looked at him gently. "Is something on your mind?"

"…No."

Mo Hua shook his head.

Off to the side, Hua Qianqian suddenly giggled behind her hand and teased:

"Don't tell me you're thinking about some pretty little junior sister you've fallen for~?"

Mo Hua's cheeks turned slightly red. He quickly denied,

"No, I'm not!"

Everyone blinked in surprise.

They thought back to Mo Hua's actions during the battle with Vulture—his mastery of stealth, clever use of formations, trapping enemies with water prisons, and finishing with a post-mortem Fireball.

His thinking was meticulous, his attitude calm under pressure.

There was a kind of childlike decisiveness in his killing intent—both innocent and ruthless.

Though he looked friendly and cute, there was something deeply mysterious, hard to pin down.

So even though everyone acted normal, they had all been a bit wary of him.

But now, at the mention of "crushes" and "little junior sisters"…

Mo Hua's fair face blushed red, pink tinting his cheeks, making his features even more delicate—his lips rosy, his brows like a painting.

And with that bashful expression and stiff awkwardness—he really did look like an adorable and innocent little junior brother.

Everyone's lingering caution melted away as they broke into smiles.

Seeing them all grinning, Mo Hua blushed deeper and tried to defend himself:

"I really didn't!"

"Alright, alright…"

"You guys don't believe me?"

"We believe, we believe…"

"Then why are you still laughing?!"

…

The atmosphere inside the carriage lightened and became much more cheerful.

On the main roads of Qianzhou.

The carriage moved without pause. Though the ride felt slow and comfy, the four horses galloped swiftly—the actual pace was far from slow.

By late afternoon, they crossed into Qianxue Prefecture.

Ouyang Feng was a disciple of the Tai'a Sect, and Hua Qianqian of Hundred Flowers Valley—they had to get off midway.

"Junior Sister Murong, Junior Sister Qianqian, Junior Brother Shangguan, Little Junior Brother Mo…"

Ouyang Feng greeted each by name with calm, polite formality. Only then did he clasp his hands and say:

"I'll be taking my leave now. If there's another mission next time, I hope we'll meet again."

Everyone bid him farewell.

Ouyang Feng took one last look at Mo Hua, hesitated a moment, then added:

"Junior Brother Mo, if you ever get the chance, you're welcome to visit Tai'a Sect—to admire the scenery, exchange insights. I'll host you properly."

"Thank you, Senior Brother Feng!" Mo Hua beamed and nodded. "I definitely will!"

Next was Hua Qianqian's turn.

She wore a bright floral Daoist robe, her features lovely and graceful. Though she seemed quiet and reserved, that was only because she wasn't familiar with them.

Once she opened up, she was surprisingly lively.

After saying goodbye to everyone, she turned specifically to Mo Hua and said:

"Little Junior Brother, come visit Hundred Flowers Valley sometime, too."

Mo Hua blinked. "Isn't Hundred Flowers Valley all female cultivators? I thought men weren't allowed in…"

Hua Qianqian smirked mischievously. "We'll just dress you up in a female disciple's robe, put on some rouge and powder—turn you into a 'pretty little lady'—then you can go right in."

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Mo Hua was instantly flustered and protested loudly:

"No way!"

He was a proud and proper man! How could he wear girls' clothes?!

Outrageous!

Hua Qianqian laughed even harder at his indignant reaction.

After laughing for a while, she stared at him again—clearly imagining what he'd look like in a Hundred Flowers robe, beautiful and elegant, with gleaming eyes and shy glances—her face full of giddy anticipation.

Mo Hua felt a sudden chill and immediately scurried away from her, hiding beside Murong Caiyun.

Murong Caiyun could only sigh in exasperation.

…

After Hua Qianqian got off the carriage, she waved at everyone from a distance before turning and heading toward the Hundred Flowers Valley, where blossoms bloomed year-round like spring never ended.

Not long after, the carriage returned to the Great Void Sect.

Murong Caiyun was a year senior to Mo Hua and lived in the female disciples' quarters, so she took her leave first:

"Senior Brother Shangguan, Junior Brother Mo, I'll head off now. Once the Dao Court finishes calculating our merits, I'll transfer your share to your sect tokens."

Mo Hua and Shangguan Xu cupped their fists in thanks.

Mo Hua hesitated, then lowered his voice and said, "Senior Sister Murong…"

Murong Caiyun paused. "What is it?"

Mo Hua finally brought up the idea he had been scheming all along during their journey:

"Senior Sister, next time you take a mission… if it involves stealth, investigation, formation setup or dismantling, trapping enemies with spells, or even augmenting Five Elements spells…"

"Can I go with you?"

The Great Void Sect's bounty missions had many restrictions.

Especially for newcomers like Mo Hua—low cultivation, little experience—the requirements were stricter.

Without missions, he couldn't earn merit points.

So, Mo Hua could only try to tag along with Murong Caiyun on her assignments.

Murong Caiyun blinked in surprise. "You… really need merit points that badly?"

Mo Hua nodded. "I need them to exchange for formation techniques."

"But…" Murong Caiyun frowned. "Doesn't Elder Xun have a bunch of formation scrolls?"

"Elder Xun said I can't break sect rules. I have to be self-reliant, earn merit points, and exchange for formations myself…" Mo Hua explained.

What he didn't say was that Elder Xun only allowed him to take entry-level missions.

These kinds of dangerous capture or extermination tasks? Elder Xun never imagined Mo Hua would even consider them—let alone actually complete one…

Murong Caiyun nodded slightly.

Indeed, rules were rules. Even if a teacher doted on a disciple, they couldn't break sect regulations.

That sounded exactly like how Elder Xun would handle things.

"But these kinds of tasks are very…"

Murong Caiyun was about to say dangerous, but then she remembered how the Vulture had died—suddenly realizing...

Yes, they were dangerous.

But who was in danger? That was… hard to say.

After all, Mo Hua was just fine.

The Vulture, however, was very, very dead…

Murong Caiyun's eyes glinted, her thoughts turning.

This mission really had been dangerous.

The Vulture's strength wasn't to be underestimated.

Especially with that strange Four Symbols Formation tattooed on his head. When it was activated, his flesh fused with demonic energy, his power surged, nearly rivaling a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Among all the rogue and demonic cultivators she had chased down over the years, few had such strength.

What's more, the Vulture was skilled in formations too.

If not for Mo Hua, they might not have made it back alive.

But Mo Hua—clever, sharp, skilled at stealth, adept with formations, and sensitive with spiritual awareness.

True, he probably couldn't take down the Vulture alone.

But escaping from him? More than doable.

So, if you really thought about danger…

The most dangerous one was the Vulture—for getting targeted by Mo Hua and dying.

Second were the rest of them.

Last was Mo Hua himself…

Murong Caiyun nodded. "Alright!"

Mo Hua lit up with joy. "Thank you, Senior Sister Murong!"

He hadn't expected her to agree so readily.

Shangguan Xu, standing nearby, was also surprised.

He thought Senior Sister Murong would definitely refuse something this risky—or at least decline a few times before agreeing.

Murong Caiyun looked at Mo Hua and smiled gently.

But there was one very important reason she didn't voice.

That formation…

That formation that enhanced Five Elements spiritual power.

A rare and powerful Absolute Formation.

She had almost never heard of any Foundation Establishment disciple in the entire Qianxue Prefecture capable of mastering such a formation.

It was nearly at the origin level of the Five Elements.

That rush of boiling spiritual energy… the elevation of spells… the explosive power that suppressed evil and swept through enemies—

Once you experienced it, there was no going back.

Those dazzling, beautiful, yet deadly Five Elements glows…

Just recalling it made her blood stir again.

Murong Caiyun couldn't help but glance at Mo Hua, eyes shining brightly—

As if she were looking at a rare and precious natural treasure that could amplify spell power.

If only I could carry him around with me…

She thought, a bit regretfully.

Mo Hua noticed her odd gaze and gave her a suspicious look…

After some small talk, Murong Caiyun also left.

Mo Hua and Shangguan Xu headed toward the disciples' quarters, chatting about random things along the way—like which elder had the worst temper or which canteen served the best food…

There were even some "wild delicacies" in the mountain—like golden-feather chickens raised by elders in the back mountain. Roasted, they were delicious… just don't leave evidence behind.

Because while elders weren't allowed to divine a disciple's fate without reason—

If you left traces behind, and an elder "reasoned it out" instead of divining…

Well, good luck.

Shangguan Xu shared a lot, and Mo Hua was wide-eyed with amazement.

These were the hard-won lessons of senior disciples!

Mo Hua remembered every word.

As they were about to part ways, Shangguan Xu suddenly thought of something and said:

"If you have time, you can visit the Shangguan household. Aunt Wan keeps asking about you—worrying whether you're… getting bullied in the sect…"

Shangguan Xu looked a bit awkward. "…She keeps reminding me to look after you."

Mo Hua smiled and nodded. "Aunt Wan is really kind!"

Then he frowned slightly and asked:

"Where exactly is the Shangguan household?"

He had never seen it before.

In Qianxue Prefecture, it didn't seem to exist.

In Qingzhou City, the places Aunt Wan had taken him were all Gu family residences.

Shangguan Xu slapped his forehead apologetically:

"I forgot to mention—our ancestral estate is farther from Qianxue Prefecture. Whenever our clan members come here, we usually stay with the Gu family."

"The Gu family is also a major clan, and our families have been intermarrying for generations—very closely tied. It's not an exaggeration to say we're like branches from the same tree…"

"So Aunt Wan brought Yu'er to rest and recover at the Gu family's estate in Qingzhou. If you're free, you can go visit."

Mo Hua nodded—but then suddenly froze. "Recover?"

Shangguan Xu's gaze darkened slightly. He paused, then sighed:

"Yu'er… hasn't been feeling well."

"Not feeling well?"

Shangguan Xu nodded. He hesitated, clearly reluctant to say more—but seeing as Mo Hua was Yu'er's "lifesaver," he finally explained:

"Lately, Yu'er… sometimes has nightmares."

Mo Hua's brows furrowed. "Nightmares?"

"Yeah," Shangguan Xu sighed. "I'm not sure of the details. Uncle Yi and Aunt Wan had diviners check for karma and doctors examine him, but they didn't find anything."

"And Yu'er can't leave Qingzhou City…"

"If he does, the nightmares worsen. Sometimes even during a daytime nap, he'll be seized by them—shaking all over, drenched in cold sweat…"

Shangguan Xu frowned, clearly distressed.

Mo Hua also felt a twinge of sympathy. He asked:

"Was Yu'er always like this since childhood?"

Shangguan Xu thought for a moment and shook his head. "I don't know, honestly. Yu'er has a special status. Back then, those of us from the main branch tried not to ask too much, to avoid suspicion…"

Avoid suspicion…

Mo Hua pondered that and roughly understood.

In noble clans, with so much at stake, even familial affection could become cold.

Kindness could easily be misunderstood.

Shangguan Xu sighed again and continued:

"I'm not sure about his childhood, but ever since that time…"

He paused, looked around, and seeing no one nearby, lowered his voice and said with a sigh:

"After he was kidnapped… whatever he went through, the nightmares got worse. And they've only been intensifying…"

"Aunt Wan's heart aches so much she's lost her appetite."

"And sometimes, when Yu'er has a nightmare, half-asleep, he keeps calling your name…"

"Maybe being saved by you during such a terrifying time left a deep impression… so now he feels close to you, and clings to that memory."

"Aunt Wan was hoping you could visit him when you have time…"

"But you just joined the sect, and your foundation's still shaky. She didn't want to distract you from your cultivation, so she never brought it up…"

…

Shangguan Xu looked helpless.

Mo Hua's gaze sharpened slightly. He nodded and said:

"Alright. I'll visit Yu'er when I get the chance!"

Shangguan Xu let out a breath of relief. "Then I'll trouble you with that."

Mo Hua smiled, then reminded him:

"Senior Brother Xu, you should also take good care of your injuries."

Shangguan Xu was briefly stunned, then warmth welled up in his heart. He nodded. "Thank you, Junior Brother."

After parting ways, Mo Hua returned to his disciple quarters, laid down on the table, and silently began pondering.

"Yu'er… nightmares…"

"Can't leave Qingzhou City…"

"Kidnapped…"

Mo Hua frowned. Something about this felt off.

But for the moment, he couldn't figure out what it was.

He sighed softly.

He really did like Yu'er—that pure, kind-hearted child. Aunt Wan had treated him well too.

Now that Yu'er was tormented by nightmares, Mo Hua couldn't help but feel troubled.

But this ten-day rest period had already ended.

Mo Hua thought about it for a while and decided—next break, he'd make time to visit the Gu family in Qingzhou City.

(End of Chapter)