Immortality Through Array Formations

Chapter 303: Chapter 302 Taoist Soldiers_1

Mo Hua was somewhat disappointed and couldn’t help asking, “Why?”

Zhang Lan explained, “The deployment of the Taoist Soldiers is a secret of the Taoist Court. Their actions are generally quite covert, adhering to the principles of being immovable as a mountain and as swift as the wind, striking like thunder. Either they proceed without others’ knowledge, or, once discovered, they resort to thunderous measures to achieve a swift and decisive outcome!”

“Therefore,” Zhang Lan said with a smile, “it is impossible to let you know how the Taoist Soldiers operate.”

“What if you need my help?” Mo Hua asked.

Zhang Lan gave a slight smile, “Why would we possibly need your help…”

Zhang Lan stopped mid-sentence.

He suddenly realized that, in this campaign to annihilate the Black Mountain Stronghold with the Taoist Soldiers, whether they needed Mo Hua’s help or not was truly uncertain—considering he was a Formation Master after all.

Facing the enemy head-on was a tough battle, and they might not need Mo Hua for that, but if it involved Formation, then there probably weren’t many Formation Masters in the entire Tongxian City who could be more reliable than Mo Hua…

After all, there was a Foundation Establishment Stage-ranked Evil Formation Master in the Black Mountain Stronghold.

Yet Zhang Lan didn’t really want Mo Hua to take the risk, so he said:

“Don’t worry, you probably won’t need to take action. Just stay put in the city, and don’t wander off again.”

“Alright then,” Mo Hua nodded.

At times like this, perhaps not causing them trouble counted as offering help too.

A few days later, Mo Hua met Elder Yu, who also began by instructing him:

“Don’t venture into the deep mountains, especially not the Black Mountain Stronghold.”

“Elder, rest assured, I won’t recklessly enter the deep mountains again.”

Mo Hua promised, but then he felt puzzled:

“Why are you instructing me about this again all of a sudden?”

Elder Yu looked around to make sure no one else was present, then spoke in a low voice:

“I asked Court Leader Zhou, and the Taoist Court has already given approval. Soon they will dispatch Taoist Soldiers to enter the deep mountains and annihilate the Black Mountain Stronghold. I’m worried you might follow the excitement and enter the deep mountains too.”

Mo Hua scratched his head.

He wasn’t that fond of watching excitement, and besides, he didn’t watch every spectacle that arose.

Yet Elder Yu looked at Mo Hua with a solemn expression.

Qi Refinement Cultivation, Divine Sense Foundation Establishment!

Even now, he found it a little hard to believe.

Although Elder Yu didn’t understand Formation, he knew that Divine Sense was the foundation for a Formation Master. With such profound Divine Sense, Mo Hua’s future achievements in Formation were bound to be immeasurable.

So, no matter what, Mo Hua could not be exposed to even a slight risk.

There were four Foundation Establishment Evil Cultivators in the Black Mountain Stronghold. If they learned of Mo Hua’s identity and his talent for Formation, they would certainly stop at nothing to kill him.

Elder Yu said, “You’ve shown your face in front of the Third Householder; it’s better to be cautious to avoid their grudge.”

Mo Hua thought about it and nodded, agreeing that it made sense.

Having devoured the little ghost from the Contemplation Map and deceived the Third Householder, if he stayed out of sight, the Third Householder would be filled with suspicion and might not be able to figure out his true identity.

Even if the Third Householder noticed that the Formation of the Black Mountain Stronghold had been tampered with, like a rat had gnawed through it, being secretly unraveled bit by bit, they might not suspect Mo Hua.

Because Formation wasn’t something just anyone could learn, and Mo Hua, at around ten years old, certainly didn’t look like a Formation Master.

But if he showed himself and the Third Householder realized he was actually a Formation Master and also a Monster Hunter, then all the blame would fall on him.

Although all those troubles were indeed caused by him…

However, it’s still best to avoid trouble if possible. He didn’t want the Third Householder to be too preoccupied with him.

Deceiving people like this should be done without anyone’s notice, leaving others to hold a grudge without knowing against whom it should be directed.

Mo Hua then asked Elder Yu, “When the Taoist Soldiers arrive, can I go have a look?”

Mo Hua held up a little finger, “Just a quick glance!”

Elder Yu, just like Zhang Lan, flatly refused, “No.”

Mo Hua was somewhat disappointed again.

Elder Yu then consoled him:

“The Taoist Soldiers are meant for slaughter. It is better for ordinary Cultivators not to get involved. Besides, the actions of the Taoist Soldiers are secret and generally not open to inquiry.”

“Fine then…”

Although Mo Hua still couldn’t stop thinking about it and wanted to know what the Taoist Soldiers were really like, he couldn’t just ignore the words of Elder Yu and Zhang Lan.

In the following days, Mo Hua persisted in his Qi Refinement practice, as well as in practicing formations.

One day, when Mo Hua grew tired from drawing formations, he sat down at an Eight Immortals Table in the eatery to flip through Formation Books and rest for a while.

On the table, there was also a plate of pastries, flaky and crisp, newly tried out by Liu Ruhua.

Mo Hua read the book while snacking on the pastries.

After a little while, Zhang Lan arrived, saw Mo Hua, and seemed hesitant to speak.

Mo Hua was slightly startled and then had a hunch, but still pretended not to see him.

Zhang Lan lingered awkwardly for a moment before he approached Mo Hua and coughed, asking, “Reading?”

Mo Hua nodded, chewing on a pastry and not speaking.

Zhang Lan hesitated for a while, not knowing how to begin.

Mo Hua pushed the pastries towards Zhang Lan and said unhurriedly, “Uncle Zhang, would you like to try one? My mother just made them, they’re really tasty.”

Zhang Lan wasn’t in the mood to eat, but he still tried a piece and his eyes lit up, finding them indeed delicious.

After the two had eaten some pastries, Zhang Lan finally started to speak somewhat hesitantly:

“Mo Hua, could you help me out?”

“I can,” Mo Hua replied briskly, his eyes slightly bright, and then asked, “But is there a benefit for me?”

Zhang Lan nodded, “There is, it will be counted as merit with the Taoist Court.”

“Deal!”

Mo Hua let his mother know and then left the eatery with Zhang Lan. They walked out of Tongxian City and entered the outer reaches of Big Black Mountain.

Zhang Lan didn’t say much on the way, and Mo Hua didn’t ask.

Zhang Lan stole a glance at Mo Hua, seeing him humming an indistinct tune, walking with a light step, his expression bright and eyes filled with anticipation, he couldn’t help but ask:

“You seem… quite happy?”

“Yes,” replied Mo Hua cheerfully.

“Why?”

“Aren’t you taking me to see the Taoist Soldiers?” Mo Hua answered.

Zhang Lan opened his mouth, unable to refrain from saying, “How did you know?”

Mo Hua thought for a moment and then listed the reasons to Zhang Lan:

“You hesitated at the door, clearly you had something to say, you previously refused, but now you seemed to have changed your mind.”

“I asked if there was any benefit for me, and you said it would count as merit with the Taoist Court, so it must be something related to the Court.”

“Elder Yu had told me that the Taoist Court had already allocated Taoist Soldiers.”

“You and Elder Yu both didn’t want me to enter Big Black Mountain, but now without saying a word, you’ve brought me to the outer mountain, and Taoist Soldiers act in secret…”

“After thinking it through, it could only mean the Taoist Soldiers dispatched by the Taoist Court have arrived at Tongxian City and are secretly stationed in Big Black Mountain, but they’ve encountered some difficulties and want to consult me.”

Zhang Lan’s expression was complex, the young brain was turning too quickly…

But Mo Hua was happy, “So we really are going to see the Taoist Soldiers?”

Zhang Lan replied helplessly, “Yes.”

Mo Hua looked delighted but then puzzled, “Did you and Elder Yu talk about this? He has been refusing to let me into the mountain recently.”

Zhang Lan sighed, “We talked.”

“Elder Yu actually agreed?” Mo Hua was somewhat surprised.

Zhang Lan sighed again. “Elder Yu was dead against it at first, so I had to invoke the authority of the Taoist Court, even the commander of the Taoist Soldiers, and guaranteed him that no matter what, your safety would be ensured. Left with no choice, Elder Yu then nodded in agreement.”

Zhang Lan looked at Mo Hua and continued:

“Originally, I was also reluctant to let you into the mountain. However, some matters are more urgent than others, and right now we indeed need your help. As long as you don’t enter the Black Mountain Stronghold and don’t run into those in charge, relying on your Concealment Technique and the Water Passing Step, you are actually very safe, perhaps even safer than most of us cultivators.”

After finishing, Zhang Lan felt somewhat emotional.

He had been worried about Mo Hua before and did not want him to enter the mountain or take any unnecessary risks, but after thinking it over, their concerns for Mo Hua were already “outdated.”

The most worrisome time for Mo Hua was when he had sneaked alone into the Black Mountain Stronghold, constantly causing trouble and even coming face to face with one of the leaders.

Now things had changed; Mo Hua’s Divine Sense had reached the Foundation Establishment Stage, and it was likely that not even cultivators at that stage of Evil Cultivation could see through his Concealment Technique.

Given Mo Hua’s cleverness and familiarity with Big Black Mountain, together with his seamless Concealment Technique, he truly could be said to be like a fish in water there. Their current worries were, in fact, somewhat superfluous.