Immortality Through Array Formations Chapter 3
Previously on Immortality Through Array Formations...
Chapter 3 – Formation Master_1
Mo Hua rose at 6 A.M. to begin his daily cultivation routine.
After an hour, he concluded his practice and made his way to the lecture hall to await the instructor's arrival.
At Tongxian Gate, "Instructor" is the title given to those who educate Sect Disciples, providing specialized guidance in cultivation, formations, alchemy, artifact refining, and other disciplines. These individuals are also tasked with monitoring and directing the cultivation progress of the Outer Gate Disciples.
Following the standard structure of the Cultivation World, Tongxian Gate divides its disciples into three distinct ranks: direct disciples, the Inner Gate, and the Outer Gate.
The Outer Gate serves as a public institution for teaching the Tao and cultivation. The Sect sustains itself through the tuition fees collected from these students. The techniques shared with Outer Gate Disciples are those the Sect is comfortable making public; upon finishing their studies or departing, these disciples maintain a sentimental respect for the Sect, though no formal obligations remain.
The Inner Gate represents the Sect's foundation. Inner Gate Disciples are fully dependent on the Sect, balancing their cultivation with the management of Sect-owned assets, including spiritual mines, spiritual lands, caves, and various enterprises.
These disciples are granted access to restricted spells and techniques that are not shared with outsiders. Bound by the sacred master-disciple bond, their lives are inextricably linked to the Sect. An Inner Gate Disciple's misconduct reflects upon the Sect, and betraying the organization is considered a heinous, unforgivable crime that carries heavy penalties.
Direct disciples are the chosen successors selected from the highest ranks of the Inner Gate. They usually possess blood ties to the Sect Leader or Elders, or have forged an exceptionally deep bond of kinship through their apprenticeship. As the Sect's core, they are groomed for future leadership roles as Elders or Sect Leaders.
These successors are entrusted with the most secret and profound techniques, which are strictly forbidden from being shared. If a direct disciple ever turns traitor, they are marked for death and hunted down.
While the "Taoist Law" generally forbids cultivators from taking the law into their own hands or killing without cause, hunting a traitorous direct disciple technically breaches these laws and invites scrutiny from the Taoist Court. Nevertheless, most matters of betrayal are handled by the local Taoist Court. While the Taoist Court holds ultimate authority, its local branches in various states and cities are not always garrisoned by elite cultivators.
Because the betrayal of a direct disciple involves a Sect’s most guarded secrets, the matter is highly sensitive. Consequently, local Taoist Courts usually avoid intervening, particularly when dealing with the powerful Great Sects that rule a territory.
None of these high-level politics concerned Mo Hua, however.
He was merely a Class C disciple of the Tongxian Gate’s Outer Gate—a far cry from the Inner Gate, let alone a direct disciple. Even if he had the urge to betray the Sect, no one would find him important enough to hunt down...
Though Mo Hua desired to enter the Inner Gate, his lack of Spirit Stones and influential connections made it seem like an impossible dream for this lifetime, and becoming a direct disciple was even more out of reach.
Mo Hua settled his mind and gathered his focus, sitting quietly until Instructor Yan entered the room with a stern countenance.
Instructor Yan appeared to be in his late eighties or early fifties. He was a man of great discipline who had reached the Qi Refining Ninth Level.
Within Tongxian Gate, Instructor Yan was highly regarded because he was the sole teacher of formations. Rumor had it that he was on the verge of becoming a Class A Formation Master following an assessment in the coming years.
Every Qi Refinement Realm disciple at the sect attended his formation classes. Whether they were from prestigious Clans or were humble Loose Cultivators, Instructor Yan treated them with the same impartiality. He never spared anyone’s feelings when correcting errors, delivering rebukes and punishments whenever they were earned.
Because of this, the disciples of Tongxian Gate viewed Instructor Yan with a mixture of reverence and dread.
Since tuition is paid on a yearly basis, the curriculum also runs in annual cycles.
Today was the final day of the academic year at Tongxian Gate. After today, there would be a holiday lasting over two weeks. It was also the day the results for the various cultivation courses would be distributed.
Instructor Yan carried a bundle of report cards in his hands.
A wave of anxiety washed over the disciples. Even though Mo Hua was usually composed, the sight of his peers looking as though they were walking into a life-or-death battle made him feel tense as well.
Mo Hua soon received his own assessment report.
Just as before, he earned a Class A in formations, which was his best subject. Very few disciples at Tongxian Gate managed to achieve a Class A in this field, but Mo Hua was among that elite few.
His cultivation grade was only a Class B. This wasn't for lack of diligence, but rather due to his mediocre talent. Possessing a medium-grade Small Five Elements Spiritual Root meant his progress was limited—he was better than some, but lagged behind the truly gifted.
In subjects that required memorization and time, such as Taoist Calendar history and Qi Refinement theory, he consistently earned Class A marks. However, in practical subjects like alchemy and rune making—which required spending Spirit Stones on expensive materials—he only managed Class B or C.
Coming from a destitute background, Mo Hua couldn't even afford the fee to rent a Pill Furnace, which inevitably hampered his progress. During tests, he had to rely on his instincts to refine items, making his success a matter of luck and causing his grades to be highly erratic.
Despite this, his overall performance was solid. As the proverb goes, "One great strength can hide a hundred weaknesses." Mastering formations was notoriously difficult, so a Class A in that subject was highly impressive.
Instructor Yan gave a brief address before stepping out for a moment. Immediately, the students began whispering, comparing their marks with one another.
“Mo Hua, you got another ‘Class A’ in formations!” a disciple shouted in awe after catching a glimpse of Mo Hua’s card.
“Another Class A...”
“I can never get past Class B...”
“I’m still stuck at Class C.”
“Formations are just too difficult; the patterns alone make my head spin...”
“...”
A group of disciples gathered around Mo Hua.
“Hmph!” A disciple from the Qian Family, dressed in an elegant silver-white Taoist robe, snorted in annoyance at the display.
“What is there to be proud of? You just scribbled a few basic sect formations to get that ‘Class A’.”
“And what grade did you receive?” another student challenged him.
“That is none of your business!” the Qian family disciple snapped back.
Another student snuck a look at the boy's results and burst out laughing, “He got a ‘Grade C’!”
The room went quiet for a heartbeat before erupting in laughter.
“You actually have the nerve to mock an ‘A’ student when you got a ‘C’? You’ve got some thick skin!”
“It’s thicker than an Artifact Furnace!”
“For a Qian Family member, you’re quite clumsy. You’re even worse than me; I managed a ‘B’.”
The Qian family disciple turned red with fury. “So what if he has a ‘Class A’? There has never been a real Formation Master among Loose Cultivators, don’t you realize that?”
He pointed aggressively at Mo Hua and the others. “You lot are just Loose Cultivators, frogs in a well with no heritage. Listen well: not a single one of you will ever become a Formation Master in this lifetime. Not ever. Keep your ‘Class A’! Just remember, a Loose Cultivator will never be a true Formation Master! I can say it again if you didn't hear me.”
“Loose Cultivators aren't worthy of being Formation Masters!”
The room fell into a heavy silence.
Mo Hua looked at the boy as if he were an idiot. He then stood up, looked past the Qian Family disciple, and bowed deeply.
“Good day, Instructor Yan!”
The Qian Family disciple froze as if struck by a lightning bolt. He turned his head slowly and found Instructor Yan standing right behind him, his expression grim.
“The sect exists to teach the Tao and foster cultivation, not for you to insult and belittle your classmates!”
“Your own performance in formations is pathetic, yet you have the audacity to mock others?”
“Go outside and stand as punishment until sunset.”
“Furthermore, you are to draw the basic Five Elements Formation Patterns one hundred times. Bring them to me when the new term begins. If you fail, do not bother returning...”
The Qian Family disciple’s face went pale, but he didn't dare utter a word of protest.
Instructor Yan held a high status, giving him the authority to discipline even a direct descendant of the Qian family, let alone a distant relative with a weak bloodline like this boy.
The disgraced disciple slunk away to serve his punishment.
Instructor Yan stood before Mo Hua. After a brief silence, he placed a hand on the boy’s thin shoulder and sighed, “Ignore those words. Just focus on your path.”
Mo Hua remained calm and bowed respectfully. “This disciple will remember your words.”
Instructor Yan nodded and walked to the front of the class. He offered a few final words of advice before officially announcing the start of the year-end break, dismissing the students.
The disciples, unable to contain their excitement, thanked their instructors for the year of guidance and then hurried away like a flock of birds taking flight.
The break brought joy to most of the students.
However, Mo Hua felt a sense of heaviness.
Most of these Qi Refinement Realm disciples were young and didn't yet understand how brutal the cultivation life could be.
Thinking of his father, whose body was covered in scars from hunting monsters, and his mother’s tired face, Mo Hua felt a pang of sadness and sighed.
Becoming a first-grade Formation Master was still a distant goal, but he desperately wanted to provide a better life for his parents through whatever means he had.
Mo Hua gathered his report card and, clutching his twelve Spirit Stones, left Tongxian Gate. Instead of going straight home, he began walking toward the Market Town.