Immortality Through Array Formations Chapter 2121 Chapter 1002: Sword Discussion of the Xuan Character (Part 3)

Following a full day of fierce confrontations, the leaderboards underwent noticeable shifts, though Taixu Gate clung to the leading spot.

Yet all observers recognize that this top rank has morphed from a symbol of success into one of waning fortunes, now sliding steadily downward.

Today's matches mark the height of Taixu Gate's prominence, after which their decline into insignificance will commence.

Numerous spectators eagerly await the moment Taixu Gate slips from the top rank or even drops beyond the leading quartet.

Such a fall would strip Taixu Gate back to its true, unadorned state.

In this tense atmosphere, Mo Hua's initial "Xuan" stage of the sword competition kicked off at last.

The event drew tremendous interest from the crowd.

Mo Hua had long been a figure of intrigue and widespread renown.

Furthermore, his earlier showings in the sword trials, marked by apparent "passivity," sparked waves of "backlash."

Although his standing had tumbled, the spotlight on him intensified dramatically.

The entire Mount of Tao teemed with onlookers, many drawn there just to observe his moves.

Some yearned for him to shine and meet the hype, while others craved his stumble, eager to mock his woes and pile on the scorn...

Mo Hua remained utterly unaware of these swirling sentiments.

His attention stayed locked solely on the sword competition ahead.

For this opening Xuan round, Mo Hua drew a middling matchup, as the setup stuck to the standard "melee skirmish."

A straightforward clash of five against five.

Opposing them stood the Mystic Iron Sect, among the Twelve Streams.

This group excels in forging artifacts alongside body tempering instruction, boasting a hidden body refinement art that pairs seamlessly with their crafting skills.

Its disciples master both forging and physical hardening, wielding methods and builds as unyielding as forged steel.

Among the Twelve Streams, the Mystic Iron Sect ranks as a formidable force.

Still, the squad pitted against Mo Hua wasn't their elite lineup, merely a solid upper-tier contingent.

Their prowess proved substantial nonetheless.

The moment arrived, and both teams stepped into the arena, tension crackling as combat loomed imminent.

Unlike before, however, the fight dragged on without a quick resolution.

The two sides locked into a gritty stalemate.

The Mystic Iron Sect found themselves bogged down by their own restrained power.

Taixu Gate, meanwhile, grappled due to Mo Hua's presence.

He lingered at the edge, merely observing, refusing to stir or engage.

Thus, Taixu Gate fought shorthanded, four battling five.

On top of that, prior skirmishes had laid bare Linghu Xiao and his crew's tactics to rival sects.

The Mystic Iron Sect arrived with countermeasures tailored precisely.

They dismissed Mo Hua outright, focusing fire on the other four.

This numerical edge handed them a clear upper hand.

Every participant hailed from the Qian Learning State Boundary's prodigy pool, and while abilities differed, reaching the "Xuan" tier in the Sword Discussion Conference demanded real skill—no weaklings allowed.

In a balanced five-on-five, absent a vast power gap, one missing fighter tips the scales massively.

Linghu Xiao faced dual Mystic Iron Sect foes in brutal melee.

Ouyang Xuan dueled solo against a hulking body-tempered warrior.

Cheng Mo and Situ Jian traded blows evenly, locked in deadlock.

Taixu Gate edged ahead slightly, but their lead stayed razor-thin.

The Mystic Iron Sect exploited their extra numbers, rotating assaults and hammering Linghu Xiao's group, turning the bout into a relentless tug-of-war.

Fortune favored Linghu Xiao's exceptional might.

After holding out for more than an hour, he spotted a flaw in the Mystic Iron Sect's rotating strikes, absorbed the onslaught, then loosed a Chongxu Sword Qi to fell one foe, cracking his Dao Discussion Jade.

This evened the odds to four-on-four, easing the strain immensely.

From there, Taixu Gate leveraged the brilliance of Linghu Xiao and Ouyang Xuan, these twin "prodigies," to widen their margin and seal the victory.

All the while, Mo Hua played the role of detached onlooker, eyeing his comrades' toil without lifting a finger.

This display enraged the surrounding spectators.

With Taixu Gate's standing already spiraling down, the squad mired in exhausting fights and allies straining mightily, his aloof detachment struck many as especially infuriating.

"This fellow named 'Mo Hua' is utterly outrageous!"

"Freeloading without contributing a thing!"

"How does someone like that earn the title 'Formation Leader'? How can anyone label him a 'genius'?"

"Why does Taixu Gate even tolerate him?"

"Day-to-day, he basks in the sect's prestige to lord over others, yet when Taixu Gate faces crisis, he burdens his allies while sitting idle..."

"He's leeching off the sect and his teammates!"

"For the sake of Sword Discussion glory, he's tossed away all dignity."

"What possessed Taixu Gate's Sect Leader and Elders? Have they gone mad? Why not boot him out? Do they still coddle him like a 'Little Ancestor'?"

"Who could've guessed that the esteemed Taixu Gate, pillar of the Eight Great Gates, harbors such rot and tyranny within..."

"In my view, he ought to quit the competition outright, spare us the shame. His presence risks painting everyone from the Qian Learning State Boundary as talentless hacks..."

...

The chorus of condemnations grew ever fiercer.

Wenren Wan, Murong Caiyun, and fellow cultivators who knew Mo Hua caught wind of these murmurs, stirring inevitable fury within them.

But amid the throngs on Mount of Tao, too many voices echoed such barbs, leaving them unsure where to retort, so they bottled up the rage inside.

High-ranking figures from noble houses and sects subtly shook their heads in dismay.

They recognized Linghu Xiao's unit as Taixu Gate's premier sword competition force right now.

Should Taixu Gate's best squad barely scrape by like this, their path in this year's sword trials seems doomed to fizzle out...

Repeated tales breed conviction, mass chatter forges iron.

Opinions mold mindsets.

Even inside Taixu Gate, certain Elders started to doubt, pondering if pairing Mo Hua with Linghu Xiao made sense.

These doubters chiefly came from the old Tai'a and Chongxu Mountains factions.

They whispered their concerns in private.

Yet the Sect Leaders of those mountains quashed the talks.

Vows must hold firm, deals sealed mean teams stay set, no pulling out mid-sword competition.

Besides, regrets wouldn't change facts now.

What's more, Taixu Gate's current frontrunner status in the sword trials owed much to Mo Hua's efforts.

Mo Hua handled the orchestration and schemes.

One can't flip blame onto him for personal shortcomings in the sword competition, like failing to shine or rack up feats.

Additionally, though Tai'a and Chongxu Mountains' Sect Leaders hadn't dealt closely with Mo Hua, they sensed an enigmatic depth in this youthful disciple.

Taixu Gate's Formation Leader hides layers beyond the surface.

Within Taixu Mountain's own ranks, though, calm prevailed.

From leaders to rank-and-file, scarce few voiced qualms over Mo Hua's showing.

Particularly the Elders privy to snippets of Mo Hua's "exploits," confronting the outer world's skepticism and barbs, could only smirk in disdain:

What sorts of antics does Mo Hua pull in daily life?

Now, how does this sword competition stack up in scale?

Does it measure up?

If true masters were that obvious to spot, would they qualify as masters?

Beneath this surging wave of backlash, Mo Hua's next "Xuan" round in the sword competition commenced officially.

This foe belonged to the Twelve Streams as well.

But this adversary outclassed the prior Mystic Iron Sect by a wide margin.

As they filed into the Mount of Tao's sword competition staging area, a towering, imposing youth spearheaded his crew in facing down Mo Hua's group.

Ignoring Mo Hua completely, the youth strode straight to Linghu Xiao and inquired:

"Are you Linghu Xiao?"

Linghu Xiao gave a curt nod.

The youth jabbed a thumb at his chest, brimming with assurance, and declared, "Remember my name, I'm the one who's going to defeat you!"