Immortality Through Array Formations Chapter 2115 Chapter 1000: In the Spotlight

In her mind, Mo Hua remained nothing more than a young boy.

During this grand occasion of the Sword Tournament, not one relative stood beside him.

Wenren Wan passed a banner-like Jade Pendant to Mo Hua, representing "victory from the start", before speaking softly:

"Tomorrow, Yu Er and I will arrive to observe your sword debate."

She felt

a touch of anticipation regarding Mo Hua's showing in his debut Sword

Tournament.

Yu Er appeared thrilled too, "Brother Mo, best of luck!"

Mo Hua's face showed a hint of complexity; he truly wished to mention that there was no reason for such grand hopes in him.

Yet seeing the hopeful gazes from Aunt Wan and Yu Er, he couldn't voice it out, managing only a grin as he replied:

"Thanks, Aunt Wan, I'll give it my all."

Wenren Wan smiled and nodded, then mentioned, "Changhuai will show up to spectate as well."

Mo Hua seemed mildly taken aback, "Isn't the Court Official occupied?"

"The Sword Discussion Conference counts as a huge affair, drawing in cultivators across the Nine States; the spectacle is immense. The Taoist Court's main role is to preserve order on the Mount of Tao, making sure no serious troubles arise amid the Sword Discussion Conference..."

"This qualifies as official duty, so Changhuai must attend."

Wenren Wan clarified.

"Got it..." Mo Hua acknowledged with a nod.

Wenren Wan offered additional words of encouragement and well-wishes, advising Mo Hua against feeling anxious, prior to departing.

Mo Hua sensed no cause for anxiety whatsoever.

He carried on with his regular cultivation, studied texts, and as midnight struck, his divine sense dove into the sea of consciousness, spending the entire night honing formations.

On the following day, rising alongside the dawn, Mo Hua brimmed with energy. After a quick freshen-up, he departed, journeying alongside his fellow disciples toward the Mount of Tao for his initial Sword Tournament.

En route, Linghu Xiao stayed distant, while Ouyang Xuan wore a stern look.

Situ Jian kept his usual composure, whereas Cheng Mo buzzed with eager excitement.

The group of five reached the Mount of Tao as one.

Next followed the standard procedures for joining the sword debate.

They stepped into the prep area, choosing spiritual artifacts, pills, runes, and formations, after which Mount of Tao elders distributed the "Dao Discussion Jade".

This "Dao Discussion Jade" links directly to the Mount of Tao's fifth-grade grand formation, serving as a "key" to unleash the Void Power.

For participants, it functioned as both a "protective talisman" and a "lifeline".

When the jade stays whole, the individual remains safe; should the jade crack, the participant loses.

Prior to handing out the Dao Discussion Jade, elders needed to evaluate each disciple's body and blood qi to establish the "injury limit" for their Dao Discussion Jade.

All others proceeded smoothly, but Mo Hua's turn left the elders somewhat puzzled.

"I've served as an elder for years, managed countless Sword Discussion Conferences, yet I've never encountered a disciple quite like this..."

"Absolutely... astonishing."

"How is his blood qi this feeble?"

"What a revelation..."

Mo Hua's expression darkened.

Unaware of his feelings, the elders kept murmuring among themselves: "Given such aptitude, Taixu Gate still took him in—truly... unconventional... I can't fathom how he'll join the Sword Tournament..." "Yes, so fragile and tender, skin like paper; a single sword blow could end him..."

"His Dao Discussion Jade would break instantly too."

"How does one even debate swords in this state?"

A cluster of elders knitted their brows, fretting about Mo Hua.

One elder, no longer able to stand by, proposed compassionately, "Why not boost his Dao Discussion Jade with a tad more 'durability'?"

"Go ahead and add it..."

"Wouldn't that break the rules?"

"True, even a small boost is like a mere splash in the vast sea; the boy's jade would still crumble easily..."

"Still, toss in a bit—he's so frail, it's hard to bear watching..."

Mo Hua: "..."

Following their debate, Mo Hua ultimately obtained a Dao Discussion Jade with a minor "durability" upgrade.

Since a panel of elders had "verified" it, this didn't count as foul play.

Mo Hua's emotions swirled.

These elders had gossiped negatively about him for some time, yet their intentions were purely kind...

Naturally, though they called it a slight enhancement, the increase was minimal; Mo Hua's Dao Discussion Jade stayed quite vulnerable.

Everyone else's Dao Discussion Jades shone with strong light.

Mo Hua's gave off only a dim azure gleam.

A single look revealed the stark contrast.

Mo Hua paid it no heed; afterward, he pressed the Dao Discussion Jade to his brow, and immediately a faint glow quivered as void power enveloped him. With his sensitive and sharp divine sense, Mo Hua detected the formation energies circulating in the void—tangible yet intangible, elusive but immensely profound.

"This must be... the fifth-grade Void Power..."

Mo Hua's spirit trembled.

Regrettably, his cultivation level lagged far too much.

Under different conditions, he might have even deduced portions of this vast void formation's patterns via Heavenly Secret Calculation.

Mo Hua sighed inwardly.

Then, he lingered patiently with Linghu Xiao and the rest, awaiting the proper moment to take the stage for the sword debate.

At the same time, beyond the arena.

Unbeknownst to Mo Hua, numerous cultivators awaited his arrival.

Amid the enormous throng, openly or discreetly, endless gazes fixed on the illusory displays, eager for Mo Hua's emergence.

Within this assembly were plenty of acquaintances and kin.

Such as Wenren Wan, Yu Er, Hua Qianqian of Hundred Flower Valley, Murong Caiyun the Taixu Gate's core disciple, Shangguan Xu, and others... Plus various influential leaders from noble houses and sects.

This included those with past ties to Mo Hua—like the Gu family head and elders, Shangguan family and Wenren family elders—along with prominent individuals from clans and sects he'd never encountered.

In shadowy spots lurked icy, malicious stares yearning to spot Mo Hua.

Furthermore, cultivators from across the Nine States, including sect pupils unfamiliar with Mo Hua, also anticipated his debut.

Having journeyed to the Qianxue State Boundary for residence, travel, or visits to fellow Taoists, they had inevitably caught wind of Mo Hua's reputation.

Thus, numerous individuals desired a firsthand view of the famed "Formation Leader"'s appearance.

Of course, not all knew of Mo Hua.

In the Mount of Tao's outer grounds, someone might inquire now and then:

"Who exactly is Mo Hua?"

Then, a knowledgeable onlooker would rattle off an extensive array of honors:

The Taixu Sect's formation prodigy, boasting exceptional divine sense, at Foundation Establishment Middle Stage cultivation, surpassing array talents from the Four Great Sects, Eight Gates, and Twelve Streams, divine sense beyond third rank, forging Nineteen Patterns Peak formations, mastering the array contest's question set through drawing, claiming top spot in the array event, rising as Qianxue's Array Dao Leader, a mythic array fiend, an almost unattainable being, a fiend among fiends...

This lengthy, overblown litany of accolades caused many traveling cultivators to furrow their brows upon hearing it.

Their immediate thought was:

"Is this the style of bragging from Qianxue State Boundary folks?"

"Could you tone it down to reality?"

"Let's keep it straightforward."

"We outsiders might lack 'experience,' but we're hardly 'clueless'..."

Others, doubtful yet intrigued, would probe:

"Just what does this so-called Formation Leader 'Mo Hua' resemble?"

Which sparked further remarks:

"Rumors say he's not tall at all, wildly unpredictable in mood."

"Deeply somber, akin to a 'ghost'."

"To master formations at that level, he has to be either mad or 'deranged'..."

"I've asked around; he's deemed 'deranged'..."

"My distant relative's kin in Sever Gold Sect mentioned Mo Hua of Taixu Gate is utterly vile, acting without morals or bounds, once leaving a senior brother from Sever Gold Sect naked and dangling from a tree, even sketching turtles on his body..."

"Sketching turtles?! That's brutal..."

"Yes, brutally so."

"Plus, word is he's the Taixu Sect Master's bastard son, making him insufferably haughty and a complete playboy..."

"That's inaccurate; I can vouch he's no sect master's bastard, but the direct grandson of a Taixu elder! Inside the sect, he runs rampant, answerable to no one."

"Even True Transmission Elders pour his tea themselves..." "Scandalous? Utterly defies heaven's will..."

"On top of that, tales say his personal affairs are a mess, tangled even with lawful daughters of Sixth Grade Great Families under the Taoist Court..."

In the stands, folks engaged in heated arguments, clinging to their perspectives, stirring up quite the buzz.

And amid this eager wait, the illusory screens blurred briefly before ultimately displaying Mo Hua's form.