The Quest for Immortality

”Instructor Yan, what exactly is the Spirit Pivot Formation?”

Mo Hua couldn’t help but ask.

Just as Instructor Yan was about to answer, he suddenly paused, ”How do you know about the Spirit Pivot Formation?”

Instructor Yan was somewhat surprised.

The Spirit Pivot Formation Chart was supposed to be the ultimate technique of the Minor Hidden Spirit Sect. How did Mo Hua come to know of it?

”Manager Mo told me!”

Mo Hua immediately sold out Manager Mo.

Instructor Yan’s mouth twitched.

He made a mental note of Manager Mo’s indiscretion.

This plump junior brother was so loose-lipped, he actually spilled such important information to Mo Hua.

”Instructor Yan, can you tell me?”

Mo Hua’s face was filled with anticipation, her big eyes twinkling.

Instructor Yan didn’t want to speak, but looking into Mo Hua’s eyes, he couldn’t refuse. He hesitated for a moment and then heaved a deep sigh.

The Minor Hidden Spirit Sect had already perished; keeping these things secret was meaningless now.

”Alright,” Instructor Yan nodded as he looked at Mo Hua and began to speak about the origins of the Spirit Pivot Formation:

”When I was studying in the Sect, I was highly regarded by my master. Through casual conversations, I also heard some stories and secrets of the past...”

”The legacy of the Minor Hidden Spirit Sect was inherited from the ancient Great Hidden Spirit Sect.”

”Most of the legacies within the Sect are incomplete remnants from the predecessors, so it’s not rare to have only bits and pieces of them...”

”Only this Spirit Pivot Formation, it’s extremely profound and exceptionally difficult to grasp. It’s truly a Formation that could be used as a Sect-protecting technique.”

”However, this Spirit Pivot Formation is too mysterious, too difficult to comprehend. For hundreds of years, not a single cultivator of the Minor Hidden Spirit Sect has been able to penetrate the mysteries of this Formation.”

Instructor Yan sighed, ”First-grade Formations end at nine patterns, but this Spirit Pivot Formation actually has twelve...”

”Twelve patterns in Divine Sense, ah, only achievable by Foundation Establishment, and impossible without being a Second Rank Formation Master!”

Mo Hua, who was at the eighth level of Qi Refinement with twelve patterns in her Divine Sense, silently didn’t speak.

After thinking for a while, Mo Hua asked again:

”Did the Minor Hidden Spirit Sect ever have a Second Rank Formation Master?”

”Yes,” Instructor Yan nodded, ”Two hundred years ago, there was an Ancestral Master, at the Mid Foundation Establishment stage, who had attained the proficiency of Second Grade Initial Stage in Formation methods.”

”Did he not learn the Spirit Pivot Formation either?”

Instructor Yan shook his head with regret: ”No.”

Mo Hua frowned slightly, confused:

”A Mid Foundation Establishment cultivator should have around fourteen patterns in their Divine Sense, right? With that, he still wasn’t able to learn the Spirit Pivot Formation? Is it so hard to learn?”

”It’s not that simple...”

Instructor Yan organized his thoughts, explaining to Mo Hua:

”For a Formation Master, Divine Sense is a threshold, a reliance, but that’s all it is.”

”Without enough Divine Sense, one cannot learn a Formation.”

”With Divine Sense, you only have the qualification to learn a Formation, but that doesn’t mean you can certainly master it.”

”You have to study more, practice more, think more, and comprehend more...”

”If you’re not diligent, no matter how good your natural gift for Divine Sense, you’ll just be squandering time, wasting your talent, unable to become an extraordinary Formation Master.”

Mo Hua nodded.

Mr. Zhuang had taught her the same.

Instructor Yan’s gaze became intense as he continued with a sigh:

”And the Spirit Pivot Formation is a type that, even if one’s Divine Sense is sufficient, is extremely hard to comprehend...”

Mo Hua said, ”Is it because it involves understanding the Heavenly Dao and the origin of Spiritual Power?”

Instructor Yan looked surprised and nodded:

”Correct.”

Then, he became reflective:

”Mr. Zhuang truly is a remarkable man. Mo Hua, at such a young age, you already know about these deep levels of understanding in Formation techniques.”

It seems that his choice back then was not wrong; otherwise, he would have really wasted such a talented Formation sapling.

Mo Hua then asked, ”So that Second Rank Ancestral Master of the Minor Hidden Spirit Sect, did he fail to learn the Spirit Pivot Formation because he couldn’t grasp the Great Dao origin of the Formation?”

Instructor Yan nodded with a bitter expression:

”Yes, the Ancestral Master probably knew what the origin of the Spirit Pivot Formation was, but he just couldn’t comprehend it, much less draw out the Formation...”

”Sometimes, even if he managed to draw it, it would be merely an empty shell without spirit; utterly ineffective.”

Mo Hua nodded in understanding.

When she first learned the Thick Earth Formation, she didn’t know she needed to connect with the Taoist meaning of the earth. The Formation she drew only had the physical patterns but lacked the original effect of the Formation technique.

It was like a pattern that had lost its soul.

”Then what effect does this Spirit Pivot Formation really have?” Mo Hua asked curiously.

Instructor Yan said, ”The specifics, since no one within the Sect had mastered it, I’m not quite clear on them...”

”But according to the Ancestral Master’s deductions of the Sect, at the core of this Formation method should be the word ’control’.”

”Control?”

Instructor Yan nodded, ”Control of Spiritual Power.”

Mo Hua thought of Zhang Quan, who controlled corpses.

It seemed her guess was correct; Zhang Quan was first refining corpses, then using the Spirit Pivot Formation to increase the number of corpses he could control.

However...

”This... doesn’t seem that impressive,” Mo Hua said weakly.

It was merely the effect of controlling Spiritual Power.

Zhang Quan used it to refine corpses, and although the numbers of zombies he could control were significant and dangerous, it still wasn’t something particularly fearsome.

If it really came to a fight, there were still many methods that could be used to counter it.

”No,” Instructor Yan said with a grave expression, ”the Spirit Pivot Formation is actually very powerful.”

Mo Hua was taken aback.

Instructor Yan explained to Mo Hua:

”Controlling Spiritual Power is extremely important. Controlling corpses is just a minor application.”

”In other aspects of Taoist cultivation, from small wood and stone puppets to large mechanical beasts, and even giant Taoist soldiers, formations like the Spirit Pivot Formation are needed for central control.”

”Ordinary formations do not have such a strong effect on controlling Spiritual Power.”

”For an individual cultivator, the effect may not be obvious, but the more cultivators there are, the larger the power, the deeper the schemes, and the more massive the mechanisms, artifacts, and cultivation engineering involved, the more crucial the Spirit Pivot Formation becomes!”

Upon hearing this, Mo Hua was shocked.

It seemed she had underestimated its importance.

The Cultivation World is vast with extensive territories; there are indeed many aspects of cultivation knowledge that she had not yet understood.

The Spirit Pivot Formation was actually so formidable...

”Instructor Yan, do you know about Zhang Quan?” Mo Hua couldn’t help asking.

Instructor Yan’s expression turned solemn, ”You’ve seen him?”

”Mhm.” Mo Hua nodded.

Instructor Yan frowned, ”This person is treacherous and ruthless; it’s best not to have conflicts with him.”

Mo Hua whispered:

”It’s too late for that; now he probably dreams of killing me...”

Instructor Yan’s mouth fell open, ”You... what have you done to him?”

Mo Hua thought for a moment and said, ”It seems like not much, mainly because his mind is narrow, and he tends to hold grudges.”

All I wanted was to catch him, but I failed, to snatch his bell, but didn’t get it, and in the end, I only snatched away a few zombies.

And that was with the help of my senior brothers and sisters.

Who would have thought Zhang Quan would only target the weak and not hold a grudge against his senior brothers and sisters, focusing his resentment solely on me.

Mo Hua muttered to himself.

Instructor Yan didn’t know what to say.

Stay connected with empire

Zhang Quan was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and a corpse cultivator to boot, having dealt with corpses all the time, his hands stained with countless lives.

And now he bore a grudge against Mo Hua...

Instructor Yan was filled with worry.

Mo Hua then whispered, ”Instructor Yan, is the Spirit Pivot Formation stored on Zhang Quan’s body?”

Instructor Yan was slightly startled and slowly nodded, ”I had assumed so as well…”

Mo Hua nodded and seemed to remember something else. He asked, ”Instructor Yan, how did you end up at the Corpse Walking Stronghold?”

Instructor Yan looked melancholic, pondered for a moment, and still spoke slowly,

”Two years ago, I went to South Yue City, seeking that traitorous deserter who dishonored our sect...”

”But there was no trace of that traitor in South Yue City.”

”I concealed my identity, sought for a long time with no news; just when I was about to leave, I noticed something strange about the mine. Thinking the traitor might be causing trouble, I rented a room near the mine, intending to investigate.”

”One night, I heard some noise, went out quietly, and after some trouble, discovered several cultivators transporting coffins near the mine...”

”I was very cautious, but never expected there to be Foundation Building cultivators among them.”

”Was it that Zhang Quan?” asked Mo Hua.

”Hmm,” Instructor Yan nodded, then said with some embarrassment, ”I focused solely on studying formations, so my Taoist skills aren’t polished. I was no match for them, had no hope of escape, and thus fell into their hands.”

”Zhang Quan searched through my storage bag, saw that I was a formation master, and made me work for them.”

”I didn’t want to help a tyrant, but with deep hatred for my sect to avenge, I had no choice but to...”

Instructor Yan’s face showed shame, ”... to compromise and survive, I joined this Corpse Stronghold and started drawing formations for them.”

Mo Hua asked, ”Then have you seen the Spirit Pivot Formation Chart on Zhang Quan’s body?”

Instructor Yan said helplessly, ”I haven’t seen it...”

”I suspect that the zombies he refined were marked with Spirit Pivot Formations, but Zhang Quan never let me draw formations for the zombies, nor allowed me to come into contact with those walking corpses...”

Mo Hua said, ”Is he afraid of exposing some secret?”

Instructor Yan nodded, ”Very likely.”

Mo Hua rested his little chin in his hand, contemplating for a while.

This Zhang Quan harbored plenty of secrets; I must find a way to uncover them.

The Spirit Pivot Formation Chart is crucial; I must find a way to obtain it.

This Corpse Walking Stronghold, with its killing and corpse refining, must also be dealt with.

Mo Hua planned what he needs to do next, and then said,

”Instructor Yan, stay a few more days. In a few days, I’ll get you out of here.”

Instructor Yan was astonished, ”How are you going to do that?”

This place is the Corpse Walking Stronghold, with bandits, corpse cultivators, walking corpses and Iron Corpses, and Foundation Establishment phase Zhang Quan may return at any moment.

”Don’t worry,” Mo Hua assured.

He wanted to take Instructor Yan out of there right then.

The Corpse Walking Stronghold was, after all, no good place.

But he had sneaked in while invisible, and didn’t yet possess the strength to strike down all his enemies, even with the protection of his junior brothers and sisters. During a fight, he couldn’t ensure Instructor Yan’s safety.

It was better to take the long view, to prepare thoroughly before acting.

With the identity of a formation master, those corpse cultivators probably wouldn’t make things difficult for Instructor Yan.

Having decided on his plan, Mo Hua remembered something else and said with earnest concern to Instructor Yan,

”Instructor, the Minor Hidden Spirit Sect is gone; you shouldn’t be fixated on revenge. Think more of yourself, live well, find a partner, and start a family...”

”What you just said...” Instructor Yan frowned, ”Why does it sound so familiar to me?”

Mo Hua said crisply, ”Manager Mo asked me to tell you this.”

Instructor Yan’s expression was complex as his mind added another tally against Manager Mo.

It wasn’t enough for him to nag; he had to get Mo Hua to do it too.

Later on, he would settle accounts with him slowly.

After Mo Hua gave more instructions, he took his leave, ”Instructor Yan, I’m going back now. I’ll come find you again in a few days.”

Mo Hua’s tone was light and casual, leaving Instructor Yan feeling bewildered.

It was as if this place wasn’t the Corpse Walking Stronghold, but an inn in South Yue City, where Mo Hua would come visit again in a few days...

And then, in front of Instructor Yan, Mo Hua disappeared from sight.

Instructor Yan’s pupils contracted.

Although he had anticipated it, knowing that Mo Hua had a way to stay hidden, he was still taken aback.

Mo Hua had arrived without his notice, and left without a trace.

This method of concealment was remarkably clever.

Who taught him?

Mr. Zhuang perhaps...

Instructor Yan stood quietly for a moment, then suddenly startled as he recalled a question:

What did Mo Hua want with the Spirit Pivot Formation Chart?

Mo Hua always had many questions, continuously asking them when at Tongxian Gate.

As an instructor, Instructor Yan habitually answered them for Mo Hua.

So whatever Mo Hua asked, he answered.

But now, he suddenly realized.

Why had Mo Hua gone to such lengths to find this formation chart?

An unbelievable thought suddenly crossed his mind.

That child Mo Hua wasn’t really planning to learn it, was he?

Impossible...

A first-grade twelve-pattern, requiring divine sense...

Instructor Yan froze.

He realized that Mo Hua had entered the room completely undetected by his divine sense, and had left noiselessly.

Moreover, his presence was obscure and unfathomable.

This was a sign of powerful divine sense.

Could it be...

Instructor Yan looked at the empty room, towards the place where Mo Hua just disappeared, and felt a sudden tremor in his heart.

”The Spirit Pivot Formation...”

Instructor Yan murmured, a flicker of hope glowing in his eyes.

He, too, wanted to see if anyone could truly master this first-grade twelve-pattern Spirit Pivot Formation Method, the ultimate technique of the Minor Hidden Spirit Sect, that for hundreds of years, no one had managed to comprehend!