Immortality Through Array Formations

“Are there any clans or sects that don’t oppress loose cultivators?”

“There naturally are,” Mo Shan explained. “Some clans adhere to strict clan rules, and some sects enforce stringent sect rules, and would not behave improperly. Or their Tao cultivation industries do not compete with loose cultivators for profit, so there is no need to mistreat the lower-ranking cultivators.”

“However, these are after all the minority. As long as one is weak, oppression is inevitable, it’s just a matter of time.”

Mo Shan sighed again, then continued,

“Here in Tongxian City things are still better. In some places, the lives of loose cultivators are truly fraught with extreme difficulties. Not to mention some of the higher-rank state boundaries, where noble clans and sects have been entrenched for ten thousand years, dominant like behemoths. The loose cultivators oppressed by them truly have no chance of turning their fate around…”

Upon hearing this, Mo Hua also felt somewhat heavy-hearted.

Seeing Mo Hua’s downcast expression, Mo Shan touched Mo Hua’s head and comfortingly said with a smile,

“We just need to do our own things, we can’t take care of everything else. If one day you truly possess incredible abilities that reach the sky and penetrate the earth, then it’s not too late to consider these matters.”

“Hmm!” Mo Hua nodded.

“Also, your Uncle Ji has just arrived and if there is anything you can help him out with, try to do so. Brother Ji is a just and helpful person. When our family was in dire straits, we received quite a bit of aid from him.”

“I understand, Dad.”

Afterward, Mo Shan was busy with monster hunting and it was several days later before he had some free time. He then prepared some gifts – some wine, meat, pills, and some daily necessities – and went to visit Ji Qingbai.

Mo Shan caught up with Ji Qingbai on past times, and before leaving, he stuffed a bag of spirit stones into his hand, saying, “Brother Ji, keep these for emergencies.”

Ji Qingbai initially refused to accept them.

Mo Shan said, “We are brothers, we should support each other. When my family faced difficulties, I also received aid from you. Please don’t decline.”

Only then did Ji Qingbai reluctantly accept them.

Having left Qingxuan City, he had traveled a long distance, and the savings he had gathered were nearly spent.

Upon arriving in Tongxian City, it was not good to impose on his old family friends and seniors for too long, so he rented a small courtyard. It wasn’t big, nor was it expensive, but it was sufficient for shelter.

After that, he spent some more on various small necessary items, and the already scant spirit stones quickly ran out.

The spirit stones brought by Mo Shan were like sending charcoal in snowy weather.

In the past, he wouldn’t have accepted such charity, but now, finding himself in straitened circumstances, he could only gratefully accept them.

Once his injuries healed and he was able to go monster hunting with Ji Li in the mountains and earn spirit stones, he would repay Mo Shan.

In the evening, while Ji Qingbai was discussing monster hunting matters with Ji Li, Fu Lan entered from outside.

In the past few days, her injuries had improved significantly, and while not fully recovered, she was now able to move around.

Fu Lan also came from a loose cultivator background, accustomed to enduring hardship since childhood, so she wanted to make some spirit stones to alleviate the urgent need and not burden Uncle Ji and Brother Ji too much.

Recalling what Mo Hua mentioned about the Fulu Building not being far away, she went to inquire. She had just returned from there.

“You’re not fully healed yet; rest more,” Ji Qingbai said, noticing her still pale complexion, expressing his concern.

Ji Li then helped her sit down and poured her a cup of tea.

A faint blush crept onto Fu Lan’s pale face.

Seeing the two of them like this, Ji Qingbai’s expression did not change, but his heart felt greatly comforted.

After a while, he remembered to ask, “Did you go to the Fulu Building?”

Fu Lan nodded, “They accepted me, and the spirit stones they offer each month aren’t few.”

Ji Qingbai sighed in relief, “That’s good.”

“It’s just…” Fu Lan seemed puzzled.

“Just what?”

“They initially didn’t want to take me in when they learned I was a cultivator from outside the area, but after I mentioned that young man’s name, without a word, they kept me on,” Fu Lan said.

Ji Qingbai was taken aback. “Mo Hua?”

Fu Lan nodded.

Ji Qingbai was surprised. “The kid Mo Hua holds such clout…”

Even such a large food building regarded his face highly.

And he had also unexpectedly found out during the day that Mo Hua was a junior formation master and that many of the formation patterns among loose cultivators were created by Mo Hua himself.

This left Ji Qingbai astounded.

Before coming here, he had thought that Mo Hua had given up on formation painting, which was a regretful matter for him.

But unexpectedly, Mo Hua had already become a genuine Formation Master.

Ji Qingbai spoke earnestly, “No matter what, we owe them a great debt of gratitude; we must find a way to repay them properly. Especially for the child Mo Hua, we cannot let anything happen to him.”

A Formation Master among Loose Cultivators, with such a kind heart, must not have any mishaps.

Ji Li and Fu Lan both nodded earnestly.

Ji Qingbai felt relieved and mused, “I’ve wandered around these past few days and from what I’ve seen, Tongxian City has truly changed. If we can settle down here, it would be considered living the good life.”

All his life he had toiled, seeking only to live peacefully, and now, after some twists and turns, he had found a place to call home.

Ji Qingbai looked at Ji Li and Fu Lan once more, feeling comforted, and said with a slight smile,

“If you don’t mind, you can start a family here; in a while, I’ll arrange marriage matters for you, so you can become Tao companions.”

The two were startled for a moment, their faces blushing abruptly, they exchanged a quiet glance, then both lowered their heads.

Under the pitch-black night, in the small courtyard, though the lamplight was faint, it warmed gently.

—————–

Two days later, Mo Hua was practicing solving formations in a food establishment.

He would first draw a Compound Formation, and then solve it himself.

Such a piece of paper was used to practice the formation method twice; self-drawing and self-solving, although it was somewhat wasteful of Spiritual Ink.

While Mo Hua was drawing, Dazhu came running over, saying that his Wolf Fang Club with no wolf’s teeth was now ready.

Mo Hua’s spirits lifted, and he left the incomplete formation behind to follow Dazhu to the Refinery Shop.

Master Chen handed over an iron club to Mo Hua:

“I’ve refined it according to your specifications, with no wolf’s teeth. I’ve also left spaces for the formation, wrapped it in iron skin—it’s very sturdy; the interior is made from hard wood, so it won’t be too heavy.”

“Thank you, Master Chen!”

Mo Hua happily accepted the iron club, examining it thoroughly several times.

The iron club was silver-white, with tough outer skin, thicker than both of Mo Hua’s arms, and it felt weighty in his hands.

Mo Hua tried it out; it was still a bit heavy, but that was his issue, not the club’s.

Mo Hua was very satisfied with the iron club, praising, “Very good, worthy of Master Chen!”

Master Chen was so pleased that he stroked his beard with delight.

When Mo Hua found the time, he drew a First-grade Formation Method on the iron club, known as the “Thousand Jun Formation.”

The Thousand Jun Formation is an Earth Series technique from the Five Elements, and once spiritual power is infused to activate it, the spiritual artifact with the formation engraved on it will instantly become as heavy as a thousand jun.

Of course, claiming a thousand jun is definitely an exaggeration.

Mo Hua didn’t even believe it himself.

The names that many cultivators give to their cultivation techniques and formations shouldn’t be taken entirely at face value; just get the general idea.

As for how heavy this formation truly was, Mo Hua did not know, and moreover, depending on the amount of spiritual power used to activate the formation, its weight could vary.

Regardless, it was certainly very heavy, and using it to smash someone would surely suffice.

Mo Hua’s plan was to first raise the iron club, then activate the formation, which when bolstered by the formation would instantly become as heavy as a thousand jun, to be brought crashing down with great force.

In this way, even though he was not a Body Cultivator with a powerful physical body, the iron club would still possess sufficient force.

To pick up the slack, to finish off, to deal a stealthy blow, it should be enough.

The Thousand Jun Formation wasn’t difficult, and Mo Hua learned it in just two nights.

The formation wasn’t hard to draw either, and Mo Hua completed it in half an hour.

Mo Hua went to Big Black Mountain and found a large rock to test it out.

He first raised the iron club high, then channeled spiritual power into it. The grey-brown formation patterns flashed across it and it instantly fell heavily.

The rock was shattered to pieces, and Mo Hua’s hands were left tingling numbly.

Despite the numbness in his hands, Mo Hua was still quite satisfied.

He gave the iron club a name he had thought up long ago:

Thousand Jun Stick!