Immortality Through Array Formations Chapter 2034 Chapter 974: Eerie Phenomenon

"A maze of celestial secrets, it seems..."

Shen Shouxing’s face remained frozen in an icy mask before shifting back to a state of cold detachment. A thin, mocking smile touched his lips as he whispered, "How intriguing..."

"The secrets of heaven are impossible to foresee, and the threads of karma are deeply entangled. One day, further down the path, the lines of cause and effect binding us will cross once more..."

"When that time arrives, I shall peel back the layers to see what you truly are..."

"I will witness exactly what kind of karmic burden you carry upon your shoulders..."

...

The voice that spoke was neither clearly male nor female, sounding both ghostly and distant. it felt as though it originated from the depths of the Nine Nether, accompanied by the wretched cries of a thousand malevolent spirits.

Beneath the shroud of pitch-black ghostly fire, the form of Shen Shouxing crumbled into nothing but ash.

The entirety of this event was erased from existence, leaving no witness to the truth.

Meanwhile, at the summit of Solitary Mountain, the struggle between the Shen Family and the various noble clans and Sects raged on without pause.

In the heat of the chaotic battle, not a single soul noticed the seed of Gui Tao that had been secretly sown at the mountain's foundation...

...

Inside a carriage traveling away from Solitary Mountain City.

As the distance grew, the heavy anxiety weighing on Mo Hua’s heart began to evaporate.

It was rare for him to feel such a profound sense of dread.

The feeling had been overwhelmingly powerful, yet even after searching his mind, he could find no tangible reason for it.

Mo Hua could only speculate that he had brushed against some terrifyingly dangerous cause and effect, perhaps involving a high-level figure orchestrating events from the darkness.

Fortunately, that suffocating sense of impending doom was fading.

Mo Hua took a sip of tea, trying to settle his frayed nerves.

He was alone in the fast-moving carriage with Elder Xun Ziyou.

Master Gu and Master Fan had already departed, returning to the Refinery Shop and the Dao Court respectively.

Mo Hua had initially considered advising them to take shelter within the Taixu Gate to escape the coming chaos.

However, as the head of the Refinery Shop and an Archivist for the Dao Court, both held significant responsibilities in Solitary Mountain City and could not simply vanish.

Furthermore, fleeing during such a volatile period would only invite unwanted scrutiny.

Consequently, both men chose to stay behind.

Mo Hua had also requested that Elder Xun Zixian keep a watchful eye on them.

Elder Xun Zixian remained in Solitary Mountain as well.

While Mo Hua had reached safety, the situation in the city was far from settled. Elder Xun Zixian stayed to monitor the fallout, and the other Elders of the Taixu Sect were needed to manage the cleanup operations.

Thus, the task of escorting Mo Hua back to the Taixu Gate fell solely to Elder Xun Ziyou, who took the Great Dao route.

For a journey through Second Grade territories, a Late Golden Core Stage Elder like Xun Ziyou was more than enough protection.

Given Mo Hua’s current movement techniques, he was generally safe unless a group of Golden Core cultivators specifically ambushed him with lethal intent.

The trip proved to be quiet and peaceful.

As the silence stretched on, Xun Ziyou found himself troubled by a nagging thought.

He kept stealing glances at Mo Hua, his mouth opening as if to speak before he hesitated and looked away.

Watching Mo Hua calmly enjoy his tea, Xun Ziyou finally broke the silence. "Mo Hua... have you studied the way of the sword?"

"Just a little bit," Mo Hua answered with total honesty.

Xun Ziyou’s brow furrowed in deep thought. "Back in that nightmare, I felt an incredibly powerful aura... it was the Taixu Mind Transforming Sword True Jue..."

"You were inside the Divine Temple at the time. Do you have any idea where that Sword Intent came from?"

Xun Ziyou stared directly at Mo Hua.

Mo Hua felt a flicker of inner conflict.

He certainly couldn't admit that he was the one who had swung the sword.

Patriarch Dugu had given him strict orders never to reveal his mastery of the Divine Thought into sword True Jue to anyone.

Mo Hua blinked innocently. "Well, it’s a bit of a long story..."

"A long story?" Xun Ziyou looked surprised. "Is there some hidden history behind it?"

Mo Hua nodded solemnly and began his tale:

"Long ago, a mighty Mountain God resided in Guhuang Mountain."

"This deity eventually fell into corruption and was struck down by a heroic senior of our Taixu Gate. However, the kill wasn't absolute, and fragments of Evil Thoughts survived."

"To ensure the wicked Mountain God could never rise again, our predecessor left a remnant of Taixu Sword Intent within the Divine Temple."

"When we entered Solitary Mountain, the evil deity stirred, seeking to devour us. However, its malice triggered the sealed Sword Intent left by our Taixu ancestor."

"That Taixu Sword Intent erupted, manifesting Divine Thought into a sword with terrifying power. It instantly destroyed the Mountain God and severed the cause and effect, which is why we were able to wake from the nightmare..."

Mo Hua’s explanation was a blend of ninety percent truth and ten percent fiction, making it sound perfectly plausible.

Xun Ziyou nodded slowly, convinced by the logic.

The Taixu Divine Thought into sword True Jue was a lost art; only the ancient ancestors of the Sect from generations ago could have possibly mastered it.

It was well known that the Taixu Gate ancestors loved to travel the world, using their Divine Thought to forge swords that hunted Demon Monsters and purged Evil Spirits.

It made perfect sense that a Taixu ancestor had dealt with a fallen Mountain God in the past.

After all, the alternative—that young Mo Hua had mastered the Divine Thought into sword True Jue on his own—was simply impossible.

Even Xun Ziyou couldn't wrap his head around such a ridiculous idea.

It had to be the work of an ancestor.

"I can't help but wonder which specific ancestor of our Sect was the one to slay that Mountain God..." Xun Ziyou mused to himself.

Mo Hua kept his face perfectly still, not daring to utter a word.

"Which ancestor could it have been..." Xun Ziyou remained fixated on the mystery.

Worried that Xun Ziyou’s constant talk of "ancestors" might somehow bring him bad luck or shorten his life, Mo Hua pivoted the conversation.

"By the way, Elder Xun, what was it that brought you all the way to Solitary Mountain?"

Xun Ziyou’s attention shifted. Knowing Mo Hua was exceptionally bright, he didn't bother with excuses. "The Sect Ancestor sent me."

"I see..." Mo Hua nodded, though a lingering doubt remained. "Did the Elder Master really just send you alone without any other precautions?"

Xun Ziyou had been trailing them from such a distance that even Mo Hua hadn't spotted him.

If things had gone south, wouldn't his life have been in serious danger?