Immortality Through Array Formations Chapter 2134 Chapter 1006: Victory and Defeat (Part 3)

A thrilling yet sorrowful clash between young geniuses wrapped up in a bizarre "unfinished" conclusion.

Those cultivators watching felt a heavy blockage in their hearts, rendering them completely speechless.

Mo Hua's deployment of the Fireball Technique left every onlooker in utter silence.

...

Yet no matter how the battle unfolded, defeat stays defeat, and victory remains victory.

Mo Hua felt quite cheerful.

Securing such a decisive win at minimal expense, with just a simple Fireball Technique wrapping up the duel, felt perfectly ideal.

The sword discussion wrapped up, and Mo Hua along with Linghu Xiao prepared to depart from Mount of Tao.

At the fork in the road, they ran into Qin Cangliu once more.

Qin Cangliu fixed his gaze on Mo Hua, his expression swirling with tangled feelings: resentment, respect, fury, and a subtle hint of bitterness.

All these sentiments surged within him, leaving him at a loss for words, until he finally forced out one line:

"Mo Hua, I will remember you..."

With that, he spun around and walked away, not glancing back even once.

Mo Hua's composure held steady; he'd heard phrases like that before.

In contrast, Situ Jian trailing behind let out a quiet sigh.

Junior Brother's list of sword discussion rivals had grown by one...

The group headed back toward Taixu Gate.

During the return journey, Linghu Xiao stayed quiet throughout.

Mo Hua stole a few covert looks at him and softly inquired, "Xiaoxiao, are you feeling down?"

Linghu Xiao shook his head at first, but upon meeting Mo Hua's pure and earnest eyes, he nodded instinctively and confessed:

"I lost."

Mo Hua questioned him, "Do you believe you'll win every single fight in your life?"

Even someone with his impressive aptitude and formidable sword skills couldn't avoid losses forever.

For instance, today he had fallen to Qin Cangliu.

Yet it was exactly his gifted nature that ensured he wouldn't keep losing; ultimately, he'd claim far more triumphs.

Mo Hua gave a nod, "Yes, nearly all cultivators go through wins and losses across their lifetimes."

"In truth, both triumphs and setbacks serve as the Great Dao's guidance for those on the path of cultivation, molding your journey in Tao."

"A win strengthens your direction, a loss helps refine it."

"When you prevail, press forward; when you fall short, identify the gaps and gradually enhance yourself step by step..."

Mo Hua went on, "This comes from the lessons I've drawn from array formations."

"To many, I appear as a prodigy in formations, the top figure in that field, unrivaled during the Formation Competition."

"But in reality, I face endless setbacks while studying formations."

"I struggled to grasp or sketch a formation, failing over and over, so I persisted in studying, in training, in comprehending... and through accumulating those failures, I slowly achieved success."

The Taoist Stele allowed him to surpass the boundaries of divine sense, granting far more chances to hone formations than typical cultivators enjoyed.

This also implied he endured dozens or even hundreds of times more failures in array drawing compared to average cultivators.

It was because he'd stumbled so often in formations, far beyond what others experienced.

That very reason elevated him to a height where fellow Formation Masters of his age couldn't even catch a glimpse of his shadow.

"Genuine power emerges from enduring countless setbacks."

"Ignore the acclaim from others, and don't assume a so-called 'genius' must avoid all defeat."

"That's the thinking of the ordinary."

"Real prodigies concentrate solely on their personal Dao."

"Authentic Sword Cultivators fixate only on their own blades."

"Everything else fades away."

"Your deepest aspiration alone holds true weight. Wins and losses are just passing mists."

Linghu Xiao felt deeply touched; after some reflection, his gaze sharpened with resolve, "Junior Brother, I get it."

Cheng Mo and Situ Jian appeared lost in thought as well.

Even Ouyang Xuan shot Mo Hua a glance laced with astonishment.

Noting that Linghu Xiao had grasped the point, Mo Hua nodded approvingly.

Xiaoxiao stood as Taixu Gate's Sword Dao prodigy and his close Junior Brother.

Mo Hua truly wished for him to remain unaffected by fleeting reputations, to steadfastly pursue his Sword Dao, steadily advancing until he emerged as a legendary Sword Cultivator of unparalleled might in the days ahead...

...

In the end, the group made their way back to Taixu Gate.

With the sword discussion concluded, they settled in for a short break.

Mo Hua had one pressing concern on his mind, tied to the "Fireball Technique."

He went to find Xie Ling, seeking insights into what people were saying about his Fireball Technique.

Up on the stage amid the sword discussion, the grand formation had muffled external chatter.

He remained unaware of the audience's views on his Fireball Technique.

Mo Hua was eager to learn if the wisdom from Old Kui—that "Taoist Skills vary greatly, each with unique strengths, true power rests in the intent, so even the Fireball Technique can prove mighty"—had resonated with the crowd.

For that reason, he had to consult someone reliable.

Xie Ling, having wrapped up his duties at the Yellow Character Bureau, had claimed two victories before his elimination. Though disappointed, he'd given his all without lingering regrets. Afterward, he'd watched from the sidelines and caught plenty of the surrounding talk.

Mo Hua's query left Xie Ling pausing, as if reluctant to share.

After Mo Hua urged him on, Xie Ling sighed softly and murmured:

"Junior Brother, folks are calling you cunning and underhanded, using the Fireball Technique to 'snipe' opponents..."

"A sneaky Formation Master who dabbles in Fireball Technique."

Mo Hua froze in surprise, then disbelief washed over him.

His masterful Fireball Technique had evidently gone unappreciated.

They even accused him of "sniping" foes...

A wave of fatigue settled over Mo Hua.

Noticing this, Xie Ling offered timely encouragement:

"Junior Brother, your Fireball Technique was genuinely impressive. I was stunned when I witnessed it—never imagined it could be wielded like that..."

This compliment came off a bit clumsy.

Still, it warmed Mo Hua's heart just the same.

His fellow Junior Brothers were truly the finest.

With that in mind, he resolved to strive harder, elevating Taixu Gate to join the Four Great Sects and transforming all his Junior Brothers into "prodigies of the Four Great Sects"...

That said, Taixu Gate's standing in the sword discussion had grown shaky.

The day's events in the sword discussion had paused for now, and sure enough, Taixu Gate had slipped to second position.

Leading the pack was Heavenly Sword Sect, followed by third-place Qian Taoist Sect, and fourth-place Longding Sect.

Taixu Gate failed to hold onto its top spot.

What's more, even second place hung by a thread.

The whole sect's mood turned heavy and tense...