Immortality Through Array Formations Chapter 2044 Chapter 977: Defying Fate (Part 3)

In some ways, this was Mo Hua’s "gesture of goodwill."

It was an offer Master Xia simply could not turn down.

"Regarding this matter, only Heaven, Earth, you, and I shall know," Master Xia promised solemnly.

Mo Hua nodded, his mind at ease.

"By the way," Mo Hua recalled something else, "Master, are you acquainted with Master Fan Jin?"

Master Xia thought for a moment. "Are you referring to the Supervisor from Solitary Mountain City?"

"Exactly," Mo Hua confirmed.

Master Xia’s face tightened slightly as he spoke. "Concerning Solitary Mountain, I sent an envoy to investigate; however, his responses were vague and lacked specific details."

Mo Hua explained, "He is terrified of the Shen Family's vengeance, which is why he has been so guarded. He accompanied me to the Solitary Mountain Grave that day. If there is anything you find unclear, you can question him directly. Should he hesitate to speak because he is intimidated by your high status, just bring up my name."

"Mention your name?"

"Yes," Mo Hua nodded. "Master Fan was quite helpful to me in the grave, and we share a certain rapport. Once you mention me, he will find his voice."

This was also Mo Hua’s way of providing Master Fan Jin with an opening.

Master Fan came from humble beginnings and lacked a strong network; though he desired to advance his Cultivation career, he constantly ran into dead ends.

By mentioning him to Master Xia, Mo Hua was essentially handing him a ladder to climb higher.

Whether he could successfully ascend depended entirely on his own merit.

Master Xia quickly grasped Mo Hua’s intent.

If the man had built rapport with Mo Hua and prompted the boy to speak up for him before an Inspector, he surely possessed some level of talent.

"Fan Jin," Master Xia nodded. "Very well, I shall keep him in mind..."

With their business concluded, Mo Hua drained his tea in a single gulp and rose to say goodbye. "I have imposed on your time, Master. Mo Hua shall take his leave now."

"Take care, Young Brother. Please visit again when you are free."

Master Xia maintained a calm expression.

Mo Hua paid his respects and departed with a composed air.

Once Mo Hua had left, Master Xia remained in his seat, his brow knit in contemplation. He wasn't thinking about the Shen Family, but rather about the boy.

"Unbelievable... that demeanor alone is truly extraordinary..."

"He possesses such immense cleverness, yet it is nearly impossible to detect from his exterior."

"It is a shame his background and bloodline are of such low standing. He cannot cross the threshold required to marry into the Xia family’s direct line; the clan rules are far too rigid, otherwise..."

Master Xia let out a soft sigh.

...

After leaving Master Xia, Mo Hua took the opportunity to visit Gu Changhuai. He enjoyed some snacks and a brief chat before heading back to Taixu Gate.

Following that, Mo Hua stayed within the Sect and kept a low profile for a while.

Ten days later, once the situation at Solitary Mountain City had stabilized and Master Xia’s affairs were settled, Mo Hua organized a return trip to the city.

Xun Ziyou accompanied him once again.

This was an order from the Ancestor; whenever Mo Hua exited the Sect, Xun Ziyou was required to follow to ensure his safety.

Xun Ziyou didn't mind the command.

He had grown used to acting as Mo Hua’s "bodyguard" and found nothing strange about it.

However, this time, Elder Master Xun’s demeanor was far more grave and earnest, as if he viewed Mo Hua as the Sect’s most precious treasure that required absolute protection.

Xun Ziyou felt a sense of confusion.

Was this due to the threat of the Shen Family’s revenge over the Solitary Mountain incident, or was there a more profound reason?

Inside the carriage, Xun Ziyou couldn't help but study Mo Hua.

As he watched, he felt that Mo Hua seemed different—shrouded in a faint mist that made his nature even harder to perceive.

"Did the Elder apply some new technique to him?"

Xun Ziyou shook his head and sighed to himself. "Even a biological grandson wouldn't receive such special treatment..."

He pushed the thoughts aside and focused on expanding his Divine Sense, staying alert for any threats along the road.

After a bumpy journey, they arrived at Solitary Mountain City.

More than half a month had passed, and the city had grown significantly quieter.

The previous chaos involving the Golden Core cultivators from powerful Sects and families had caused a massive stir. While no local cultivators were harmed, the residents were left badly shaken.

Most had chosen to stay hidden indoors.

The streets were now desolate, with very few cultivators seen wandering about.

In the distance, Solitary Mountain had partially collapsed. Compared to the city, it now looked like "Half Mountain City."

This was the result of the Shen Family’s actions.

To hide their atrocities, they had burned the evidence, filled the tombs, and eventually detonated half the mountain to bury everything under tons of earth.

Since this was a Third-Grade State Boundary, the rock and geology of Solitary Mountain were also Third-Grade—extremely dense and nearly impossible to dig through.

Now that it was buried, it was unlikely to ever see the light of day again.

This included the deepest chamber: the Evil Embryo’s Divine Temple.

Mo Hua looked silently at the ruined peak.

Even now, the memory of that Divine Temple left him with a lingering sense of dread.

He felt as though he had narrowly missed uncovering something vital...

But with the temple now submerged under rock, further investigation was impossible.

Mo Hua looked away and cleared his mind.

The carriage rolled through the city gates without incident, passing the empty streets.

There was no longer any sign of the various Sects or the Shen Family.

The Taoist Court had officially stripped the Shen Family of their ownership of Solitary Mountain City.

This was Master Xia’s doing; using the Taoist Court’s legal power, he had forcibly evicted the Shen Family cultivators and banned their return.

Even though the Shen Family had destroyed the evidence by blowing up the mountain, the Taoist Court held them accountable for extreme negligence.

Furthermore, people weren't stupid; everyone had their theories about what really happened inside that mountain.

Knowing they were in the wrong, the Shen Family didn't dare to protest.

With the Shen Family gone, the other families who had hoped to profit also withdrew.

No one had any interest in a remote, impoverished city that had been stripped of its value. Solitary Mountain City was now deemed worthless.

And so, the city finally "settled down."

Mo Hua’s carriage traveled down the main road until it reached Master Gu’s Refinery Shop.

Master Gu was already waiting at the door. Upon seeing Mo Hua, he immediately bowed with deep gratitude. "Thank you for all your hard work, Young Master Mo."

"Master Gu, please, there is no need for such ceremony," Mo Hua said with a gentle smile. "Is everything ready?"

"I have followed your instructions, Young Master. With the Gu family's consent and Lady Wan's approval, the Spiritual Machines have been moved, and the workers are all in place."

"Excellent. Let us begin then..."

Mo Hua nodded, his eyes shining with determination.

He planned to give the loose cultivators of this city a foundation upon which they could build a real life.

With a Divine Sense of twenty patterns and the skills of a Formation Master beyond Second Grade High-Rank, his mastery of formations was profound.

Mo Hua was now capable of achieving great things through his own strength.

He thought back to the Taoist Heart he had established while looking at the lights of Tongxian City:

In this life, he would strive in his cultivation and master formations. He would use those formations to reach the heavens, seek immortality, and defy the whims of fate.

He would change his own destiny and the destiny of every cultivator under the sky...

Mo Hua was no longer an inexperienced child. He understood that the Nine States were vast and his goal was dauntingly difficult.

But every journey begins with a single step.

Great legacies are built from small deeds.

He was now the Formation Leader at Taixu Gate and had mastered the Divine Thought Formation.

His own Life Chart was being rewritten day by day.

Therefore, within his power, he wanted to change the lives of these poor cultivators.

First, change the fate of one person, then the fate of one city.

Grains of sand eventually form a tower; trickles of water eventually create a river.

One day, when he mastered the art of creation and his formations could reach the heavens, he would alter the very secrets of the Nine States and change the Life Chart of every living soul.

Through this, he would prove his Taoist Heart.

And find true eternal life.