Immortality Through Array Formations

Gu Changhuai took a sip of tea and set down the cup, "So, what brings you to me?"

Mo Hua puzzled, "How did you know I needed something from you?"

Gu Changhuai gave Mo Hua a glance, "Guess."

Mo Hua was startled, "Uncle Gu, why are you talking like me now?"

Gu Changhuai stopped in his tracks, trying to stifle a response:

"Are you going to talk or not? If not, I might just leave."

"Uh-huh," Mo Hua nodded repeatedly, then went straight to the point:

"Uncle Gu, if I had a lead on a Sin Cultivator, could you directly issue rewards from the Taoist Court?"

"Then I could accept the rewards, complete the mission, earn Merit Points, and the Taoist Court would catch the Sin Cultivator, killing two birds with one stone!"

Gu Changhuai looked momentarily stunned, then glanced at Mo Hua: "You've got quite the scheme..."

Mo Hua modestly said, "It's alright, I guess..."

Gu Changhuai shook his head, refusing, "It's against the rules."

Mo Hua pouted, clearly disbelieving.

He had compared his plan, and from start to finish, it was almost identical to the procedures of the Taoist Court.

There wasn't any bribery involved either.

Besides, he didn't have any Spirit Stones to bribe Uncle Gu.

It was simply that Uncle Gu didn't want to help.

So Mo Hua bargained, "Uncle Gu, if you won't help me, I won't help you in the future."

Gu Changhuai snorted, "What do I need your help with?"

After saying this, he was taken aback, having a bad feeling about this.

Mo Hua, with a sly smile, began counting on his fingers for him:

"Things like leads on Sin Cultivators, surveying Formations, restoring Letter Tokens, breaking Sealing Patterns and Secret Patterns..."

"And I'm only at the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment. My Formation skills will only get better."

"If you don't help me now, don't blame me for not returning the favor when you come asking for help!"

Mo Hua's face was stern.

Gu Changhuai felt even the fresh taste of tea in his mouth turning bitter.

He was being blackmailed!

Here he was, a respected Supervisor of the Taoist Court, blackmailed by a kid barely into his teens...

This was outrageous.

Gu Changhuai fell silent for a long time, deep in thought, but after a while, he was at a loss.

And Mo Hua was right, given his current level of skill in Formations, the Taoist Court might indeed need his help in the future...

Gu Changhuai sighed, "Even if I issued the rewards, it wouldn't be easy for you to accept..."

"The rewards are issued to the Sect, not just to one person. Others can accept them as well, and even if I did issue it, the task might not necessarily fall to you..."

Mo Hua questioned, "Doesn't it only work with your approval?"

Gu Changhuai explained, "There are requirements for the rewards. If others meet them, we usually can't refuse."

"Then make the requirements stricter?" proposed Mo Hua.

Gu Changhuai raised an eyebrow, "For example?"

Mo Hua thought for a moment, "Like: in the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment, knowledgeable in Concealment Technique, skilled at Second-grade Arrays, proficient in Water Prison Technique... These?"

Gu Changhuai expressionless, "Or, maybe I could just specify that this reward is available only to a 'Mo Hua' Disciple at the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment from Taixu Gate."

Mo Hua, somewhat embarrassedly said, "Is that... a little too obvious?"

Gu Changhuai spoke irritably, "You realize it's obvious?"

Mo Hua muttered softly, "It's not like there's any rule against it..."

Helpless, Gu Changhuai pondered for a moment and then said:

"Let me think of a way, I'll tell you in a bit."

Mo Hua exclaimed joyfully, "Thank you, Uncle Gu!"

Gu Changhuai nodded slightly.

After thinking it through...

While this somewhat resembled pulling strings, it wasn't entirely "unorthodox". Exchanging Merit Points for achievements was a principle of the Taoist Court.

Moreover, the breadth of Mo Hua's knowledge in Formations was... sufficiently concerning.

In the future with complicated and tricky cases in the Taoist Court related to Formations, they might indeed need to seek out this kid's help.

This wasn't about being blackmailed; rather it was a "mutually beneficial" cooperation by the Taoist Court to gain "special Formation talents."

Thinking in this way, Gu Changhuai felt much more at ease.

He took another sip of his tea, gave a slight nod, and found that the taste was not so bitter anymore.

The mission accomplished, and with the time approaching noon, Mo Hua took his leave from Gu Changhuai.

"Master Gu has invited me for a meal, so I'll be off."

Gu Changhuai was momentarily stunned, "Master Gu?"

"Yeah," nodded Mo Hua.

"Which Master Gu?"

Gu Changhuai frowned, his mind going back to what Wenren Wan had mentioned about "Master Gu." He asked, "The Artifact Refining Master from our Gu Family?"

Mo Hua nodded, "The Third-Grade Artifact Refiner from the Gu Family's Solitary Mountain City Refinery Shop, at the Golden Core Realm!"

Gu Changhuai looked at Mo Hua, momentarily at a loss.

A remote Solitary Mountain City, Third-Grade Refinery Shop, Master Gu, and even at the Golden Core Realm...

"He invited you to a meal?"

Gu Changhuai's expression became even more perplexed.

Mo Hua sighed, "Ah, it can't be helped. Master Gu insists, and I can't refuse."

Gu Changhuai was momentarily speechless.

He couldn't understand.

Within the Gu Family, cousin Wan'er treated Mo Hua almost like her own child;

Aunt Elder Hong often praised how clever and handsome Mo Hua was, declaring that when he grew older, she herself would find him a suitable match;

Gu An and Gu Quan also frequently mentioned "Young Master Mo."

And now, even an Artifact Refining Master from the Gu Family in the remote Solitary Mountain City was going out of his way to invite Mo Hua for a meal...

Gu Changhuai took a deep breath.

This kid had only been around for a little over a year, yet he had blended in so well...