Immortality Through Array Formations

“We followed Uncle Zhou and his team up the mountain for monster hunting, when we encountered a Split Claw Wolf Demon, two men tall, with crimson fur, fangs three feet long, and claws like barbed hooks. Its strength was roughly at the middle phase of the first rank, not yet at the latter phase. Our squad should have been able to handle it. Uncle Zhou and the others entangled with it in combat, instructing us to provide support from the outside and prevent it from escaping…””

“After a long fight, Uncle Zhou and his team were injured, and the Split Claw seemed to be on the brink of death, but it suddenly burst forth with power and charged at the three of us. Da’hu and I remembered Uncle Zhou’s instructions not to act rashly, but Xiaohu, in his panic, struck at the Split Claw with a slash.””

“That slash hit the Split Claw, only wounding its fur. Taking advantage of the opening Xiaohu created with his attack, the demon circled to Xiaohu’s back and tore through Xiaohu’s rattan armor with one claw. Xiaohu’s flesh was ripped open, blood flowing unstoppably…””

Shuanghu wiped away his tears with his sleeve, choking up,””

“Uncle Zhou said that the claws of the Split Claw were enwrapped with demonic power. Once cut open by such claws, the blood would flow incessantly. Many cultivators have died like this, bleeding out after being torn open…””

Da’hu, with tears welling up in his eyes, spoke guiltily,””I wish I had taken the blow for him. I am stronger than Xiaohu; I wouldn’t have been hurt as badly.””

With their brother so injured, the two older brothers felt both sad and regretful.””

“Old Mr. Feng is very skilled in his pill craft; Xiaohu will be fine,”” Mo Hua comforted them with eyes also beginning to sting.””

Mo Hua examined Xiaohu’s wound again. Although blood still seeped out, the blood at the wound was slowly beginning to clot; Old Mr. Feng’s medicine must have been taking effect.

Mo Hua breathed a sigh of relief.””

Using his Divine Sense, Mo Hua observed a faint, fresh crimson aura wrapping around Xiaohu’s wound, which must be the demonic power that Monster Hunters often spoke of. It’s a special kind of spiritual power produced by Monster Beasts, a confusion of spiritual energy obtained through their diet mixed with their own Blood Qi.

It’s not only humans who can harness power from the Dao of Heaven and Earth; Monster Beasts can, too.””

Mo Hua offered a few more words of comfort to Da’hu and Shuanghu, then handed the items Liu Ruhua had entrusted him with to Auntie Meng.””

Auntie Meng was secretly wiping away tears on the side. Upon seeing Mo Hua, she rallied her spirits,””Thank your mother for me; these years, we’ve relied much on her help. And thank you for making the trip. Stay for lunch…””

Yet, thinking of her impoverished home, with not much food to offer, nothing impressive to serve, and the large sum of Spirit Stones needed for Xiaohu’s treatment, she didn’t know where they would come from…””

Auntie Meng’s heart soured, a forced smile on her face as tears once again flowed down her cheeks.””

Pretending not to notice, Mo Hua said,””No need, Auntie, my mother told me to get back early. You take good care of Xiaohu; I’ll come over to play once he’s recovered.””

Auntie Meng nodded, her voice choked with emotion.””

Mo Hua went on to reassure her,””I just checked; Xiaohu’s wound is already healing, and the demonic power at the wound has weakened a lot. I estimate he will slowly recover after a few days’ rest. Don’t worry about the Spirit Stones either. Give it some time, and once Da’hu and the others can handle matters on their own, things will get better…””

“Mhm,”” Auntie Meng touched Mo Hua’s head.””

Though young, Mo Hua was always thoughtful and knew much. His words inexplicably comforted Auntie Meng’s heart.””

Mo Hua handed the food box to Auntie Meng and then bid farewell to return home.””

“Be careful on your way,”” she said.””

Auntie Meng saw Mo Hua off to the door and, coming back, opened the food box. Inside, there were some steamed buns and dried meat, a small pot of nourishing soup still warm, and several bottles of pills for healing wounds.””

Beneath the pills was a small cloth bag, heavy in her hand. Auntie Meng opened it to find over a dozen Spirit Stones inside.”

Auntie Meng stared at the Spirit Stones, dumbfounded for a moment, then tears flowed once more.””

After returning home, Mo Hua also felt very downcast.””

He wanted to help Xiaohu and the others, but couldn’t think of an immediate way to do so. He didn’t know spells, couldn’t practice body refinement, had low cultivation, and had long ago run out of his own Spirit Stones.

After much deliberation, there was only one option left: drawing formations.

Mo Hua hurriedly finished his lunch at noon, then rushed to the Refinery Shop to ask Master Chen for a new set of rattan armor.

Mo Hua had no spirit stones and intended to ask for credit, but Master Chen, without a second word, gave it to him for free—and even gave him three sets.

“Rattan armor may cost spirit stones if you were to buy it, but it’s practically worthless here. The production of rattan armor doesn’t require much fine iron or spiritual liquid. After soaking the rattan, it just needs to be charred with a fierce flame using a special technique, and it doesn’t even occupy the furnace for long. At most, it takes a bit of effort. Just take these three sets and have fun…”

Mo Hua had drawn formations for Master Chen several times without charging any spirit stones. Master Chen felt guilty and wished Mo Hua would ask for more from him.

If it were valuable spiritual artifacts, he might have to think twice. However, as for something like rattan armor that his apprentices could make, he would give it away without even blinking an eye.

Mo Hua expressed his thanks and, upon returning, painted the Iron Armor Formation onto the three sets of rattan armor.

Mo Hua had one set of such rattan armor in his storage bag, prepared for self-defense in case he had to confront Qian Xing. But since Qian Xing went mad, the rattan armor was rendered useless.

What Mo Hua didn’t need, Da’hu and the others could surely utilize.

Monster Hunters have to fight to the death with monster beasts, and the process is extremely perilous, especially for body cultivators.

Seasoned Monster Hunters are better off, with abundant hunting experience and familiarity with the monster beasts. Even in dangerous situations, they could maneuver skillfully.

Novice hunters, on the other hand, lack experience. They can’t handle emergencies in time, and a single oversight, if exploited by the monster beasts, could mean minor injuries or even death.

Many gifted young cultivators, who could have become excellent Monster Hunters, lost their lives due to unforeseen accidents, thereby losing their futures.

Such tragedies happened too often. Mo Shan and Liu Ruhua had lamented about this several times during their chats, which Mo Hua had overheard.

At times like these, having a suit of sufficiently durable armor could be lifesaving.

Sadly, most Monster Hunters can’t afford expensive armors and have to settle for cheap rattan ones.

When Xiaohu was ambushed by a Split Claw Wolf Demon, if the rattan armor had been tough enough, he wouldn’t have been injured. Even with injuries, they would have been much less severe and not as critical as they were.

Rattan armor with the Iron Armor Formation attached is much more durable than before. Mo Hua hoped that by wearing it, Da’hu and the others would suffer fewer injuries during monster hunts.

Mo Hua thought to himself.

A few days later, Mo Hua visited Xiaohu, whose condition had improved, and his complexion looked much better.

Mo Hua took out the three sets of rattan armor and presented them to them. Da’hu and Shuanghu’s armors were still fine, just a bit cracked from fighting monster beasts. Xiaohu’s had been directly torn open by the Wolf Demon and was beyond use.

Auntie Meng, looking at the rattan armor in Mo Hua’s hands, hesitated, wanting to say something.

Mo Hua noticed Auntie Meng’s concerns and said, “These sets of rattan armor were given to me by Master Chen. I have no use for them, so I’m giving them to Brother Da’hu and the others. With the formations I’ve drawn on the armor, they’re much tougher than ordinary rattan armor. This way, they’ll be less likely to get hurt hunting monsters, and if they do get injured, the wounds should be less severe.”

Auntie Meng originally felt embarrassed to accept such a gift, but when she heard Mo Hua say it would “reduce the likelihood of injury,” she simply couldn’t refuse. Her eyes reddened with a mix of shame and gratitude.

Mo Hua tugged at Auntie Meng’s sleeve, “In the future, if I need help, I’m going to ask Brother Da’hu and the others for assistance. They can’t slack off and refuse to help me.”

Auntie Meng repeatedly agreed, “Yes, yes, anytime you need anything, just ask them. If those three dare to say no, I’ll break their legs!”

Auntie Meng’s demeanor brightened, and Da’hu and his brothers also laughed, holding onto their rattan armors.