Immortality Through Array Formations Chapter 2035 Chapter 974: Sinister Traces

"Then what is the point of all this?"

"Unless Elder Master Xun has made additional preparations."

This was precisely why Xun Ziyou found Mo Hua so exasperating; the boy possessed a Seven Apertures Exquisite Heart and was so overflowing with schemes that nothing could be hidden from him.

Observing Mo Hua’s bright, inquisitive gaze, Xun Ziyou contemplated for a moment before deciding there was no harm in revealing the truth. He spoke:

"You were given a Tai Xu Yin Yang Lock by the ancestor, were you not?"

"I was."

"That lock is linked to your vitality. I can sense it the moment you fall into peril. Should you face a true life-and-death crisis, I will shatter the Void Sword Order to alert the ancestor..."

Mo Hua stood there, stunned.

The Elder was treating him with such kindness...

While he felt a deep sense of gratitude, he was also somewhat confused. "But isn't this a Third-Grade State Boundary? Even if the Elder Master is capable of shattering the void, he shouldn't be able to descend here."

Xun Ziyou knit his brows. "I am not entirely certain... However, even if the ancestor cannot arrive in person, he surely possesses the means to preserve your life, provided you remain within the Qianxue realm. If you wander too far, his reach will fail."

Mo Hua gave a small nod of understanding.

"So, within the borders of Qianxue, the Tai Xu Yin Yang Lock serves as my lifeline during a crisis..."

Keeping this in mind, Mo Hua offered his thanks:

"I am grateful to Elder Master Xun! And my thanks to you as well, Elder Xun!"

Xun Ziyou dismissed the thanks with a wave of his hand. "There is no need for that."

In any case, that contingency was never triggered, which was undoubtedly for the best...

Following their talk, the two remained in the carriage, passing the time with tea and casual conversation.

By the time night had fully descended, they finally reached the Taixu Gate.

Xun Ziyou escorted Mo Hua to pay his respects to Elder Master Xun.

Upon seeing that Mo Hua was unharmed, Elder Master Xun’s outward demeanor remained stoic, yet he felt a secret sense of relief.

"Did you suffer any injuries?"

"I did not," Mo Hua replied with a nod. "Thanks to Elder Xun’s protection, no trouble befell this disciple."

He made sure to slip in a favorable word for Xun Ziyou.

Elder Master Xun cast a glance at Xun Ziyou, a trace of commendation visible in his eyes.

Xun Ziyou felt a surge of complex emotions.

He never imagined that as an Elder at the late Golden Core stage, he would one day need a Foundation Establishment disciple to validate his performance before the ancestor.

"As long as you are well, return to your quarters and rest early..." Elder Master Xun said in a kind tone.

"Yes, please take care, Elder Master. This disciple takes his leave." Mo Hua bowed respectfully before exiting.

Xun Ziyou stayed behind, aware that the ancestor would require a full report.

Indeed, once Mo Hua was gone, Elder Master Xun signaled him. "Relate everything that transpired."

Xun Ziyou provided an honest account of the events.

Yet, many details remained a mystery to him, such as the bundle Mo Hua had forced him to carry—which might have been non-existent—and certain strange Divine Sense techniques they encountered on the road.

He omitted the parts he couldn't verify, focusing instead on the certainties.

He spoke of the Shen Family, the mass burial site, the hidden schemes of the Great Wilderness royal line, and matters concerning the Dragon Vein.

As he listened, Elder Master Xun’s brow began to furrow.

He had not expected Mo Hua’s excursion to Solitary Mountain and the ancient tomb to involve such monumental consequences.

Could this child truly be born with a sacred body of cause and effect...

Everything seemed to revolve around him.

"Ancestor," Xun Ziyou said with a frown, "Was the tragedy at Solitary Mountain truly the work of the Shen Family?"

Elder Master Xun asked, "What did you see with your own eyes?"

"I saw it," Xun Ziyou replied, his eyes turning cold. "The hills were blanketed in corpses..."

"Then you have your answer." Elder Master Xun sighed.

"It is just..." Xun Ziyou’s brow tightened. "I find it hard to credit that a Fifth-Grade Righteous Dao noble family, sanctioned by the Taoist Court, would commit such atrocities..."

Elder Master Xun let out a soft sigh. "Such is the nature of man. When one pursues Cultivation without a Cultivating Heart, chasing only prestige and gain, any depravity becomes possible over time."

"How will this situation be settled then?" Xun Ziyou inquired.

Elder Master Xun looked uncertain, sighing. "The matter is excessively complex; the currents run deep and the storms are erratic. We must simply watch and wait..."

Xun Ziyou nodded in agreement.

"And... what of that Dragon Vein?" Elder Master Xun questioned.

"Mo Hua still has it," Xun Ziyou answered.

Since Mo Hua had "tricked" the item away from Young Master Xuan, it was rightfully his, and Xun Ziyou hadn't attempted to claim it.

This was despite the item's immense value.

However, because the Dragon Vein carried such weight, leaving it with Mo Hua might actually bring him harm.

"Should we... reclaim the Dragon Vein?" Xun Ziyou asked with a frown. "I worry that holding onto such a thing will bring disaster upon Mo Hua..."

Elder Master Xun reflected for a moment before shaking his head. "There is no urgency. Let him keep it for a while. When he grows bored of it, he will surrender it of his own accord."

"If you demand it before he understands it himself, he will only be resentful."

Xun Ziyou: "..."

It seemed the ancestors and Elders always felt the need to cater to Mo Hua’s whims before taking action.

Still, it was probably for the best that the Dragon Vein remained where it was for now.

Xun Ziyou remarked, "The remnants of the Great Wilderness have long plotted their insurrection. Now that their prince has perished in the depths of the Solitary Mountain tomb and the Dragon Vein is in Mo Hua's possession..."

"With their legacy ruined and their lineage ended, I doubt they can cause much more trouble. The conflicts in the Southern Wilderness should subside before long..."

Xun Ziyou sighed quietly. "When the fighting ceases, fewer lives will be lost..."

Elder Master Xun gave a slight nod, though a sense of foreboding lingered in his heart.

Matters might not conclude so easily.

Having endured several brutal encounters at Solitary Mountain, Xun Ziyou was exhausted in both spirit and body and chose not to dwell on it further.

"Elder, there is one more thing..."

Xun Ziyou repeated Mo Hua’s claim regarding a Taixu Gate ancestor who used the 'Divine Thought into Sword' True Jue to execute the corrupted Mountain God.

Elder Master Xun thought for a moment, then nodded. "Such an event did take place."

"Truly?" Xun Ziyou was shocked.

"It is an ancient tale," Elder Master Xun reminisced. "Our Taixu Gate records do mention a Sword Cultivator ancestor who slew the Mountain God of Guhuang Mountain, though the entries are sparse. The exact motive and the process remain a mystery."

Xun Ziyou nodded. "Then Mo Hua spoke the truth..."

That was a relief... For a moment, he had entertained the absurd thought that Mo Hua himself had manifested the 'Divine Thought into Sword'.

Afterward, Elder Master Xun and Xun Ziyou spoke a bit longer, reviewing specific details, until the Elder dismissed him. "You have performed well in this task. Go and get some rest."

Xun Ziyou nodded. "Understood. I shall take my leave, Elder."

As he turned to go, he couldn't suppress his curiosity and whispered:

"Elder, in your opinion... what was Mo Hua’s true goal in going to Solitary Mountain?"

Elder Master Xun paused. He didn't answer, simply shaking his head. "Go rest."

"Yes."

Xun Ziyou was merely curious. Since the Elder wouldn't say, he didn't push, offering a bow before departing.

Once Xun Ziyou had gone, Elder Master Xun’s brow furrowed once more.

He also found the situation peculiar.

While the Solitary Mountain incident carried massive karma, what did it really have to do with Mo Hua?

Why would the boy disregard his own safety to throw himself into the center of it?

More importantly, what was Mo Hua actually trying to achieve?

Elder Master Xun’s frown deepened.

...

Inside the Disciple's Residence.

First, Mo Hua stowed the Lifebound Divine Statue of Lord Yellow Mountain inside his cabinet, applying a Formation seal to keep it hidden.

While a normal person shouldn't be able to perceive it, it was better to be safe against the unexpected.

Next, he took the Dragon Vein—still wrapped in the black cloth Young Master Xuan had used—and tucked it beneath his pillow.

He intended to examine the Dragon Vein at a later time.

Finally, after bathing and burning incense, he waited until 1 p.m. arrived and eagerly submerged into his Sea of Consciousness.

Once inside his Sea of Consciousness, Mo Hua produced a strand of Third Grade Divine Marrow. It glowed with a brilliant, priceless golden light.

Such treasures were dangerous to keep for too long.

To prevent any unforeseen complications, he decided to consume the Divine Marrow this very night.

If his estimates were correct, this Divine Marrow held the key for his Divine Sense to finally reach the threshold of Twenty Patterns.