Immortality Through Array Formations Chapter 2122 Chapter 1003: Taking Action

Previously on Immortality Through Array Formations...

Taixu Gate clung to the top rankings after intense battles, though its decline loomed as the peak of its performance approached. In the first Xuan round sword competition, Mo Hua's team faced the Mystic Iron Sect in a grueling five-versus-five clash, but Mo Hua remained a passive observer, forcing his teammates into a four-against-five struggle. Despite the hardship, Linghu Xiao and the others endured over an hour of back-and-forth combat to secure victory, shattering their opponents' Dao Discussion Jades. Public outrage swelled against Mo Hua's inaction, drawing sharp criticism from spectators and even wavering some Taixu elders, though sect leaders upheld their commitment. As the second Xuan round commenced against a stronger Twelve Streams foe, the opponent's confident leader directly challenged Linghu Xiao, bypassing Mo Hua entirely.

Linghu Xiao appeared utterly indifferent.

A mocking sneer played across Ouyang Xuan's face.

Mo Hua, Cheng Mo, and Situ Jian each wore expressions tinged with subtlety.

The young man fell silent after his sharp words, casting a challenging look toward Linghu Xiao before striding off with his chin raised proudly.

Once he departed, a brief silence settled over the area.

Mo Hua slowly pieced together an issue and furrowed his brow:

"He told us to remember his name, but... he never actually mentioned what it was?"

Situ Jian reflected for a moment, "Does he assume everyone already knows his identity?"

Cheng Mo shared the curiosity, "Who exactly is this guy?"

Mo Hua pulled out his Taixu Token, located the rival team in the matchup, scanned the names of the five opponents, and after a quick mental deduction, pinpointed the one he sought:

"Wu Ming."

"So his name is 'Wu Ming'?"

"Wu, made from 'mouth' and 'sky', and Ming, formed by 'sun' and 'moon'."

"Ah... so he's from the Wu family," Cheng Mo remarked.

"The Wu family?" Mo Hua inquired.

"An aristocratic family renowned for crafting runes, they rake in tons of Spirit Stones and are incredibly rich," Situ Jian summed up briefly, "Their primary estate lies in Kun State, though branches of the Wu clan dot various regions throughout the Nine States."

"Incredibly rich?"

"Absolutely, filthy rich." Situ Jian affirmed with a nod, "Qian State boasts a deep-rooted legacy, drawing in talents from every corner and fostering brilliant figures while amassing noble houses."

"On the other hand, Kun State's lush lands and plentiful resources have made it the wealthiest among the Nine States, nurturing a host of affluent aristocratic families and mighty clans."

"The Wu family ranks among Kun State's premier clans. Their vast wealth lets them dive into the pricey world of rune crafting, where runes fetch high prices and the trade yields massive gains, swelling the Wu family's power ever further..."

Situ Jian laid it all out for Mo Hua step by step.

Calm and thorough, sharp-minded and keen to absorb knowledge, he held deep insights into the noble houses—much of what Mo Hua knew about them stemmed from his guidance.

Yet Mo Hua harbored a lingering doubt:

"Why exactly are runes so 'massively profitable'?"

In his usual skirmishes with fellow cultivators, he seldom witnessed anyone relying on runes.

Runes served mostly as backup tools for crises or quick getaways. To date, no cultivator he'd encountered treated 'runes' as their core method for clashing in battle.

Situ Jian replied, "Plenty of factors at play—steep expenses, oversight from the Taoist Court, single-use nature... That's why most cultivators avoid leaning too heavily on runes."

"The stronger the expert, the richer their Taoist Skill legacy, and the slimmer their dependence on runes becomes."

"Runes shine brightest in Tao Cultivation conflicts and those mid-to-large scale clashes among cultivators, deployed for sudden barrages of fire or pinpoint blasts, and so on."

"Tao Cultivation warfare boils down to scorching through Spirit Stones."

"Without burning those Spirit Stones, you'd end up burning through 'human lives' instead."

"In the heat of war, the prime method for torching Spirit Stones is via 'Formation'."

"Yet Formations are bulky, tough to handle, demand coordination from Formation Masters, setup is a hassle, upkeep is tricky, they need advance planning, and in the thick of combat, they're heavily constrained with underwhelming results."

"That's where runes step in beyond Formations. They're straightforward, potent, handy, and sudden—ready to unleash right after breaking the seal, packing solid destructive force."

"Usually, the Taoist Court or major powers snap up huge quantities of runes at decent bulk rates to serve as 'military gear' in grand-scale cultivator confrontations."

"Crafting those runes, however, demands a fortune in backing. Only the ultra-wealthy aristocratic families of Kun State, whose heirs possess strong Spiritual Roots and ample Spiritual Power, backed by solid family legacies, heaps of Spirit Stones, and bountiful regional assets, can ramp up rune production on a grand scale..."

Mo Hua nodded, grasping the gist.

Runes acted as "military weapons."

Kun State's noble houses were the "major arms dealers."

These arms dealers hawking weapons reaped enormous profits, rising to "mighty clans."

Mo Hua eyed the matchup roster. Their foes this round hailed from the Twelve Streams' "Spirit Talisman Sect."

"Spirit Talisman Sect..." Mo Hua mused.

"The Spirit Talisman Sect focuses on mastering the art of rune forging," Situ Jian noted. "Certain powerhouse families in Kun State don't push their disciples toward the traditions of the Four Sects and Eight Gates; rather, they seek structured training in specialized rune forging techniques."

"So even as part of the Twelve Streams, the Spirit Talisman Sect excels in rune production, and it boasts disciples of exceptional caliber."

"Above all, the Spirit Talisman Sect swims in wealth."

Mo Hua's interest piqued, "Just how loaded are they?"

Situ Jian responded, "Word is, richer than the bulk of the Eight Great Gates."

"How come?" Mo Hua puzzled, "Do they run a rune-forging business? Peddle runes on their own?"

Situ Jian agreed with a nod, "Likely so..."

Though the finer points escaped him.

Right then, Ouyang Xuan, who'd been stewing quietly nearby while earwigging on their chat, spoke up coolly:

"It's because the Kun State great clans bankroll them."

"Bankrolled by Kun State's great clans?" Mo Hua blinked in mild shock.

Spotting Mo Hua's own veil of cluelessness, Ouyang Xuan suppressed a subtle smirk before continuing:

"Powerhouses like the Wu family in Kun State pour in vast troves of Spirit Stones and lavish resources to fuel the Spirit Talisman Sect's pursuits in rune forging arts."

"In exchange, the rune-forging expertise honed by the Spirit Talisman Sect loops back to enrich those Kun State great clans."

"Meanwhile, the Spirit Talisman Sect sets aside select 'elite' entry spots for the Kun State great clans' offspring, weaving ties through teacher-student bonds and mutual gains."

"The influx of these Spirit Stones is staggering, on par with the spiritual vein yields from Mount Qianlong's mines that the Twelve Sects divvy up."

"That's how this Twelve Streams sect, the Spirit Talisman Sect, outstrips most of the Eight Great Gates in riches."

"Other sects stick to straightforward legacy paths, with just a smidge of side ventures now and then."

"The Spirit Talisman Sect, though, blends sect life with great clan dynamics, pooling Tao cultivation arts and forging unbreakable ties of profit..."