Immortality Through Array Formations

Underneath the locust tree, Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi were reading.

Seeing Mo Hua, Bai Zisheng’s eyes lit up, and he hastily tossed aside the book in his hands, asking,

“Where have you been? Haven’t seen you around lately.”

Mo Hua opened the food box and shared the beef and cakes that his mother had prepared with Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi.

“I got held up by some matters.”

Bai Zisheng nodded and didn’t ask further, focusing on eating his beef.

He was simple-minded; when there was meat to eat, he generally stopped thinking about anything else.

Mo Hua thought for a while, then asked him, “Zisheng, when do you plan to reach Foundation Establishment?”

Bai Zisheng corrected him, “You should call me Brother Bai!”

Mo Hua ignored him.

While eating the meat from Mo Hua, Bai Zisheng felt obliged to answer,

“There’s still some time. I need to solidify my foundation first before I can establish it.”

Mo Hua nodded in understanding.

It seemed that Mr. Zhuang was right. Disciples from Noble Clans or Sects, who wanted to go far on the Tao Cultivation path, would not covet short-term achievements; starting from the Qi Refinement Realm, they will refine their realm and lay a solid foundation.

Bai Zisheng then asked Mo Hua, “Are you planning on establishing your foundation?”

“Yes, I’m at the seventh level of Qi Refinement, so I too need to start planning early.”

While Bai Zixi nibbled on pastries, she looked up at Mo Hua and suddenly paused, frowning as she said,

“Your Divine Sense…”

Upon hearing this, Bai Zisheng also took a good look at Mo Hua and immediately gasped in shock, “Mo Hua, what’s wrong with your Divine Sense?”

“Oh, I established my foundation with my Divine Sense ahead of time.”

Mo Hua tried to act nonchalant but still couldn’t hide a hint of pride in his eyes.

Bai Zisheng’s mouth fell open, and Bai Zixi stared at him in stunned silence, forgetting all about her pastries.

“Impossible!” Bai Zisheng exclaimed.

“Why is it impossible?”

“Qi Refinement Cultivators can’t possibly have a Divine Sense of the Foundation Establishment level.”

“Well, let’s just leave it at that then,” Mo Hua said indifferently.

Bai Zisheng scrutinized Mo Hua from every angle, still finding it hard to believe, “Have you really established your Divine Sense?”

“Didn’t you say it was impossible?”

Bai Zisheng scratched his head, murmuring,

“It shouldn’t be possible, I’ve never heard of the Divine Sense establishing foundation ahead…”

Mo Hua pinched a piece of pastry and placed it in his mouth, happily chewing away.

“How did you establish your Divine Sense?” Bai Zisheng couldn’t help but ask again.

“Brother!” Bai Zixi’s voice was crisp, with a tinge of reproach in her tone.

Only then did Bai Zisheng remember, and said with an apologetic air,

“I shouldn’t have asked. Every cultivator has their own fortunes which they usually don’t share with others.”

“It’s fine,” Mo Hua waved his hand and said, “But I can’t tell you just yet. If there’s a chance in the future, I will.”

He had only discussed the Contemplation Map with Mr. Zhuang so far, since it related to the Sea of Consciousness, and with the Taoist Stele there too, it was better the fewer people who knew about it.

At least for now, he shouldn’t tell Bai Zisheng.

Seeing how forthright Mo Hua was, Bai Zisheng nodded and said, “Alright!”

Mo Hua smiled.

Upon seeing Mo Hua’s smile, Bai Zisheng suddenly flinched and couldn’t help asking,

“Why did you suddenly start smiling so creepily? There’s even an evil aura about you.”

Mo Hua was slightly taken aback, then remembered that the evil thoughts of the Little Green-faced Ghost occasionally surfaced; when he smiled, it carried the same eerie evil aura as the ghost.

Mo Hua rubbed his cheek, “It’s nothing, my brain is just a bit off from eating something wrong, it’ll pass soon.”

Bai Zisheng listened, bewildered, but did not delve deeper. Instead, he asked curiously:

“What have you been up to recently?”

Mo Hua thought for a moment. He couldn’t discuss the Contemplation Map, but the affairs of Black Mountain Stronghold, telling Bai Zisheng and the others, should be fine.

Moreover, they were disciples of the Bai Family, with a deep family learning tradition; perhaps they might know some other clues.

So Mo Hua picked and chose parts of the affair at Black Mountain Stronghold to tell Bai Zisheng.

From the hidden mountain path between the cliffs, to the Foggy Forest covered in Fog Formation, to questioning cultivators at the dead of night, and finally, the bloodred Pill Room and the White Bone Pill Furnace…

Mo Hua told him everything that could be said, apart from matters related to the Contemplation Map.

Bai Zisheng listened with a mix of shock and righteous indignation.

One moment he was worried for Mo Hua, the next he was furious at the evil deeds of the Evil Cultivators, wishing he could storm into Black Mountain Stronghold and fight his way in and out seven times, cutting down all the heretical demons.

In Mo Hua’s impression, disciples from noble clans were either strictly disciplined, adhering to rules and order, or were indulged to the extent of being lawless.

Bai Zisheng’s righteous and chivalrous nature was truly unexpected.

Bai Zixi also listened intently, her book falling to the ground without her noticing.

After thinking for a while, Mo Hua asked:

“Do you know the difference between Evil Cultivators and Demon Cultivators?”

The third Householder regarded him as an old demon who had taken over another’s body through the Demon Path, so logically, Demon Cultivators should be stronger and more fearsome than Evil Cultivators.

But Mo Hua had never been clear on the difference between the two, and when he asked Elder Yu, the response was evasive, probably because Elder Yu had never had much contact with them and didn’t know much.

After all, if Mo Hua had not entered Black Mountain Stronghold, he would have only encountered one Evil Cultivator—the rapist he and Zhang Lan had caught, whose leg Mo Hua had broken.

As for the term Demon Cultivator, Mo Hua had rarely even heard it.

“I know this!” Bai Zisheng said with a proud smile, seizing the opportunity to show off his knowledge in front of Bai Zixi:

“Both Evil Cultivators and Demon Cultivators are no good; they practice the skills of heretical demons, and in general, it doesn’t matter whether you call them Evil Cultivators or Demon Cultivators.”

“If we were to differentiate, Evil Cultivators usually refer to those who turned to the evil path midway through their cultivation, while Demon Cultivators are those with an authentic Demon Path lineage, practicing the Demon Path Skills and Taoist Skills.”

“Demon Cultivators have a more authentic lineage, while Evil Cultivators are more unorthodox, so Demon Cultivators tend to be stronger. Of course, with these heretical demons, what matters most is how wicked you are—the more evil, the more powerful, and of course, the more deserving of death.”

…

Bai Zisheng explained in great detail.

Mo Hua had a sudden realization, but then he was puzzled again, “How do you know so much about this?”

Bai Zisheng said earnestly, “A cultivator fighting against demons and eliminating evil is a good cultivator! As such, without knowing oneself and knowing the enemy, how can one slay demons?”

Mo Hua sighed, “Alright then.”

So that was his intention.

Mo Hua asked further, “What about Evil Formations? How are they different from general formations?”

When it came to formations, especially in front of Mo Hua, Bai Zisheng felt out of his depth.

He was clear about Mo Hua’s level in formations, which was far higher than that of an average Qi Refinement Realm Formation Master.

Bai Zisheng didn’t dare talk nonsense, for fear that a mistake would make him lose face in front of Mo Hua, and then he wouldn’t be able to continue calling himself “Brother Bai” with any integrity.

Even though Mo Hua had never acknowledged him as “Brother”…

Bai Zisheng stole a glance at his sister Zixi.

Bai Zixi seemed a bit helpless and said:

“The matter of Evil Formations and Demon Formations is strictly forbidden by the elders of our clan, and our instructors won’t mention it either. However, I’ve seen bits and pieces of it in a book…”

Bai Zixi’s long, dark eyelashes fluttered slightly; her eyes, like autumn waters, reflecting contemplation as she recalled what the book said. After a moment, she continued:

“Evil Formations and Demon Formations, generally speaking, use flesh and blood as Formation media, draw Formation Patterns with malevolent thoughts, defy the Great Dao as the Formation Pivot, and refine human lives as the Formation eye.”

“As for the specifics, the book did not say, and I am not too clear on the differences between Evil Formation and Demon Formation.”

Mo Hua nodded.

Bai Zisheng said in a low voice, “Why don’t you ask Mr. Zhuang?”

Mo Hua was thinking the same, but then he saw Bai Zixi shake her head and say:

“The Gentleman won’t tell you.”

Mo Hua was startled and couldn’t help asking, “Why not?”

Bai Zixi replied, “Because you’re too clever; Mr. Zhuang is afraid you’ll learn it all too quickly.”