Immortality Through Array Formations Chapter 2123 Chapter 1003: Making a Move (2)

The typically reserved Ouyang Xuan delivered an extended speech.

Mo Hua found himself sinking into profound contemplation.

Fusion between sects and noble clans...

It looks like a win-win arrangement on the outside.

Yet at its core, doesn't it simply form a double "monopoly" over Dao cultivation legacy and Dao cultivation assets?

Ultimately, sects and clans team up to expand and strengthen, achieving total dominance.

Who ends up bearing the brunt of this in the end?

After a brief reflection, Mo Hua abruptly turned to Ouyang Xuan, "How did you learn about all this?"

Ouyang Xuan let out a cold huff, displaying clear contempt, yet he responded to Mo Hua's query straightforwardly: "I caught it by eavesdropping on the Elder talking with the Sect Leader."

"I see..." Mo Hua gave a nod.

For Ouyang Xuan to listen in on talks between the Elder and Sect Leader, it suggests his background is more prominent than assumed.

"Are there limits on the runes for the sword discussion?" Mo Hua inquired of Situ Jian.

Situ Jian affirmed with a nod, "In a sword discussion, just like with formations, unrestricted use of runes would throw off the balance completely."

Particularly those "wealthy fellows" who splash out on runes without a second thought, something nobody could withstand.

"But it's restricted only in terms of grade and number, not kind," Situ Jian went on, "The Spirit Talisman Sect ought to craft some exceptional high-grade runes specifically for the sword discussion."

"Got it." Mo Hua nodded gradually, "No worries, we'll kick off the spar and adapt as we go."

"Junior Brother..." After a pause, Situ Jian ventured, "Are we... sticking with the old strategy?"

That simple approach feels overly rough.

After employing it across so many bouts, opponents must have devised ways to counter it.

Clinging to it might mean we can't secure victories any longer.

Mo Hua grinned, "It's okay, we'll deploy it one more time."

He cast a look at Situ Jian, Cheng Mo, Linghu Xiao, and Ouyang Xuan, his words carrying profound intent:

"This serves as 'weight training' for you guys, helping you hone skills via matches and boost your teamwork."

"In the end, if I stepped in fully, the fight wouldn't play out like this..."

Cheng Mo, Situ Jian, and Linghu Xiao went still, then their gazes sparked with excitement, as they nodded firmly: "Understood, Junior Brother."

Ouyang Xuan stayed quiet, though a profound unease flashed in his eyes, something one could label as...

Fear.

...

The sword discussion arena featured intersecting peaks.

Mo Hua and his group stepped inside.

Beyond the arena, once the terrain blurred, the forms of Mo Hua and his allies emerged, sparking a wave of chatter.

Predominantly negative comments.

Barbs such as "Taixu Gate is doomed," "The Elder lacks wisdom, the Sect Leader is average, Elders curry favor with the influential," "Disciples seethe inwardly but hold their tongues."

Apart from that, sympathetic tones like "Poor Linghu Xiao," "Poor Ouyang Xuan," "Poor that burly simpleton," "Poor the sword bearer"...

And sneers too, like "Why is that brazen Mo Hua still around," "Wonder how much longer he can hang on," "Taixu Gate's shame," "Worthless trash"...

Nothing new there.

As the outside critiques flowed like waves, the inside clash ignited.

It stayed a five-person melee.

The format remained unchanged, and Mo Hua saw no point in tweaking plans, opting for the simplest combat method to let Linghu Xiao and the rest clash based on ability and build natural coordination.

The field wasn't vast, and Mo Hua's Divine Sense proved overwhelmingly potent, letting him sense opponents' positions with ease.

Yet he held back from alerting them.

Since the moment hadn't arrived for his "sneaky maneuvers."

The opposing forces clashed head-on.

Among Mo Hua's team of five, the "burly simpleton" Cheng Mo held the vanguard, while the others fanned out for battle, setting up the simplest array.

On the Spirit Talisman Sect's side, a robust youth led the front.

The very same cocky and haughty lad who had insulted Linghu Xiao earlier.

The Wu clan's Wu Ming, from the noble house in Kun State.

Wu Ming sported ornate armor, his forearms sheathed in eye-catching, crimson arm guards, lavish and awe-inspiring, obviously costly at a glance.

The armor was tailored to fit.

The arm guards formed the core piece of his personal Spiritual Artifact, crafted with lavish investment.

Besides Wu Ming, the other four from the Spirit Talisman Sect also wore fancy armor, radiating an aura of "wealth is no object."

Even if the Spirit Talisman Sect ranked as just one of the Twelve Sects, its entrants hailed from rich or elite circles.

All of Wu Ming's teammates were elite heirs from prominent lines.

A single look from Mo Hua showed their gear was all bespoke at premium rates for the Sword Discussion Conference.

Its caliber outstripped custom Spiritual Artifacts from the Gushan Refining Workshop by two or three tiers.

But the price tag was at minimum tenfold.

Still, they counted as "disposables."

Such extravagance likely only came from Kun State noble clans throwing around Spirit Stones.

Mo Hua observed with astonishment.

Typically, rivals meet and dive straight into combat, skipping chit-chat or extras.

But this round differed; prior to engaging, Wu Ming appeared eager to speak.

The Spirit Talisman Sect held off on attacking.

Mo Hua refrained from ordering a charge too, curious about his words.

Wu Ming extended a gleaming arm guard, dramatically jabbing it toward Linghu Xiao, and jeered:

"Linghu Xiao, today you will definitely fall to me!"

"I'll demonstrate to Miss Lu that you, the so-called Sword Dao Genius, are merely a coward, a flop, unworthy of even her brief look..."

The opening part rang out with force, brimming with drive.

The ending veered into vagueness.

Mo Hua couldn't resist glancing at Linghu Xiao, "Who's Miss Lu?"

He had figured this as a clash of talents, not anticipating some gossip drama.

Linghu Xiao appeared puzzled as well, utterly lost on Wu Ming's rambling nonsense.