Immortality Through Array Formations Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – Taoist Stele_1

A Taoist Stele manifested within Mo Hua’s Sea of Consciousness the moment he became aware of his surroundings, accompanied by faint, ethereal memories of a past life.

In those distant recollections, Mo Hua had lived a brief existence in a realm completely devoid of Spiritual Energy.

During that time, he belonged to a common family but distinguished himself through diligent study. He eventually attended a university to major in fine arts, dedicating himself to the study of traditional calligraphy and Chinese painting.

Upon graduation, he secured a position as a graphic designer at a large firm, where he eventually perished from exhaustion in his twenties due to relentless overtime.

His days as a student were consumed by books, and his professional life was a cycle of labor; his entire existence had been defined by stress and persistent anxiety.

By the time he realized the futility of his muddled life, death had already claimed him suddenly.

As he drew his final breaths, his past experiences flickered before him like a revolving lantern.

He realized he had achieved nothing of true significance: he had failed to show filial piety to his parents, ignored his own ideals, and lived without dreams or love. He had never even witnessed the vast beauty of the world...

Because these memories were so fragmented, Mo Hua often struggled to distinguish reality from illusion.

It was much like the tale of Zhuangzi dreaming he was a butterfly; one could not be certain if the man dreamt of the insect or if the insect was dreaming of the man.

As years passed, Mo Hua eventually let go of these concerns.

The past was gone. Now, he was a ten-year-old boy living in the Tao Cultivation World.

Furthermore, he was a cultivator.

He could become a powerful figure who grasped the Heavenly Dao, traversed the Nine States, seized the celestial bodies with a mere gesture, and extinguished stars with a single grip...

Alternatively, he could remain a lowly cultivator who spent his days in Qi Refinement, never mastering flight or martial arts, capable only of minor spells while living a meager life...

Mo Hua suspected that without the Taoist Stele, he would surely have been destined for the latter path.

The Taoist Stele remained suspended in the center of Mo Hua’s Sea of Consciousness.

It was weathered and ancient, possessing an irregular and broken form. Though the stele’s body seemed intangible, it radiated a profound and mysterious aura. In a daze, it appeared as silent as the void, empty of all substance...

Mo Hua discovered that he could sketch Formation Diagrams upon the stele’s translucent surface. Each time he completed a drawing, his Divine Sense grew noticeably stronger.

In the realm of Tao cultivation, Formation Diagrams are held in the highest esteem!

Among all the various branches of cultivation, Formations are considered the most difficult to master, and the primary requirement for learning them is a powerful Divine Sense!

Formations are constructed from Formation Patterns—symbols meticulously deciphered by Ancient Cultivators who sought to unravel the enigmas of the Heavenly Dao.

The strokes of a Formation resemble both archaic characters and minimalist art, with every line hiding infinite secrets.

When one attempts to paint a Formation, the act of channeling the Mystery of Heavenly Dao within the Sea of Consciousness drains a massive amount of Divine Sense.

If a cultivator lacks sufficient Divine Sense, they cannot complete the Formation; attempting to do so could result in total mental exhaustion or even the collapse of the Sea of Consciousness, leading to death.

To attain the rank of Formation Master, one must tirelessly study various Formation Diagrams and practice drawing them thousands of times.

Because of this, the path is grueling. Many aspiring Formation Masters risk their lives, suffering mental collapse by trying to force Formations that exceed their Divine Sense.

While Mo Hua consumes his Divine Sense to paint on the Taoist Stele, the energy is immediately restored to him the moment he wipes the drawing away.

This cycle from existence to void, and back again, mirrors the profound mysteries of the Great Dao.

Furthermore, every completed Formation on the stele grants a tiny, incremental increase to his total Divine Sense.

Mo Hua was aware that the Cultivation World lacked specific Cultivation Techniques for training Divine Sense; it generally only improved when a cultivator broke through to a new realm.

Thus, even the slightest growth in Divine Sense was incredibly precious.

By repeatedly drawing on the Taoist Stele, Mo Hua could refine his skills and steadily expand his Divine Sense indefinitely.

With a sufficiently powerful Divine Sense, he would eventually be able to master higher-order and more devastating Formations.

He knew this could one day lead him to become a prestigious Formation Master.

The social standing of a Formation Master is immense. Even an unranked apprentice can earn a significant number of Spirit Stones by providing services to others.

Once Mo Hua achieved the status of a Formation Master and mastered complex Formations, he would have a solid foundation for his future. He would no longer be trapped as a common Qi Refinement cultivator for his entire life.

These were the silent thoughts Mo Hua harbored.

However, the journey to becoming a Formation Master was riddled with obstacles.

Learning the craft was hard, but gaining official recognition was even more difficult.

The Taoist Court maintained the most rigorous and demanding standards for certifying Formation Masters compared to any other profession.

A Formation is built from Formation Patterns; the simplest ones require only a single pattern. As more patterns are added, the rank and power of the Formation increase, as does the burden on one's Divine Sense.

A person capable of drawing one to five patterns is merely a Formation apprentice.

Those who can handle six to eight patterns are called Formation Masters, but they are considered unofficial and are not recognized by the Taoist Court's rankings.

A cultivator must successfully draw nine Formation Patterns and pass a formal examination to be recognized as a true first-rank Formation Master.

For someone still in the Qi Refinement Realm, becoming a first-rank Formation Master is a feat comparable to ascending to the heavens.

First-rank Formation Masters are treated as esteemed guests by powerful Sects and Clans. Even Foundation Establishment cultivators think twice before offending them. They receive a monthly allowance of Spirit Stones from the Heaven Shu Pavilion regardless of their activity, and many beautiful female cultivators seek them out as Daoist companions.

Aside from the brutal exam, the Taoist Court limits the number of first-rank Formation Masters allowed in each state. Success requires both talent and luck.

If the quota for a state is full, even a master with the necessary skills must wait for a vacancy, sometimes for years.

Many spent their entire lives waiting in vain.

Countless cultivators from humble backgrounds worked themselves to the bone, their hair turning white without ever achieving their dream of becoming a first-rank Formation Master.

In reality, these "quotas" were often just excuses used by Great Sects and major Clans. They hoarded these titles to ensure their own heirs and disciples appeared as peerless geniuses in the eyes of the world.

To them, low-born cultivators who sacrificed everything for the craft were nothing more than insignificant dust.

Night had fallen. While resting in the Disciple’s Residence, Mo Hua projected his Divine Sense into his Sea of Consciousness to practice on the Taoist Stele.

He was currently working on the Twin Yuan Formation. This basic Formation required two Formation Patterns.

Up until now, Mo Hua had never successfully completed it.

Disciples in the early stages of Qi Refinement usually lack the Divine Sense to learn anything beyond a single-pattern Formation. Even within the Outer Gate of the Tongxian Gate, very few of his peers had mastered even one pattern perfectly.

Mo Hua, however, had already mastered single patterns to the point of instinct.

Driven to advance, he spent every night on the Taoist Stele attempting the Twin Yuan Formation and its two complex patterns.

After weeks of relentless repetition and focused effort, he finally succeeded.

In the world of Formations, every additional pattern represents a massive hurdle. Mastering a new one is like climbing to a higher floor.

The fact that Mo Hua could now draw two patterns meant his Divine Sense and technical skill far exceeded those of other disciples his age.

Among the early-stage Qi Refinement disciples at the Tongxian Gate’s outer gate, he was now likely the most skilled in Formations.

Mo Hua exhaled slowly as dawn approached at 6 A.M. His Divine Sense returned from his Sea of Consciousness, and he opened his eyes.

Despite working through the night, his mind felt refreshed and alert. It felt as though he had enjoyed a full night of deep sleep rather than intense mental labor.

He pushed open the window, letting the early light touch his handsome features.

The horizon was painted with the vibrant, rosy hues of the rising sun stretching across the sky.

The ten-year-old boy took a deep breath, his eyes filled with determination as he looked toward the distance.

He believed that by continuing his practice and strengthening his Divine Sense, he would eventually reach the rank of a first-rank Formation Master.

When that time arrived, he would truly begin his quest for the Great Dao.

He refused to remain a simple Qi Refinement cultivator forever!