Immortality Through Array Formations Chapter 2043 - 977: Defying Fate (2)
Previously on Immortality Through Array Formations...
The narrative began with the initial clues discovered at Solitary Mountain and spanned through encounters with tomb raiders and the infiltration of the Shen Family’s ancestral burial grounds. Mo Hua recounted the horrific corpse infestation, the "ten thousand corpses sealing the coffin" ritual, and the assembly of high-level demons. This crowd included the Prince of the Great Wilderness, the Demon Sect’s leader and Second Elder, powerful late Golden Core monster cultivators, and the young master of the Mystic Demon Sect.
He detailed the Shen Family's hidden actions, the true nature of the pit of ten thousand, the secret objective behind the burial rites, and the restoration efforts of the Great Wilderness royalty...
Mo Hua chose to withhold only those secrets involving the Evil God and the Divine Way of Lord Yellow Mountain.
Everything else was recounted to Master Xia with meticulous detail.
Despite his high-ranking position and vast experience, Master Xia found the report nearly impossible to believe.
The mass slaughter by an aristocratic family, the pit of ten thousand, the Demon Sect’s "nurturing of dragons," and the Great Wilderness insurrection...
The web of cause and effect surrounding these events was incredibly tangled.
The implications were also dangerously grave.
Specifically, acts like "nurturing dragons" and "rebellion" were direct violations of the Taoist Court’s strictest laws.
Such crimes are tolerable only while hidden; once brought to light, a public outcry would surely provoke the Taoist Court into launching a devastating, bloody purge.
Master Xia felt a surge of internal alarm.
He cast another look at Mo Hua, his amazement growing.
In a chaotic environment swarming with demons and late Golden Core combatants, how did this child survive completely unharmed? Not only was he physically intact, but he was also sitting here calmly drinking tea within the Taoist Court.
Master Xia’s brow furrowed.
While the prodigies of the Xia family might possess superior roots, higher Cultivation, or loftier goals, very few could match this boy’s sheer capability and mental fortitude...
A long silence followed as Master Xia processed the heavy information Mo Hua had provided.
After a moment, his eyes sharpened, and he spoke slowly: "Little brother, by telling me this, is it your intention... for me to move against the Shen Family?"
Mo Hua countered with a question: "Will you?"
Master Xia replied, "The Shen Family demolished half of Solitary Mountain, reducing everything within to subterranean dust. Even if evidence existed, most of it is now obliterated. It is difficult to prosecute the Shen Family without physical proof."
Master Xia spoke those words, but Mo Hua understood that even with proof, the man might hesitate.
Aristocratic families are driven by profit.
The Taoist Court operates on political calculation.
Concepts like "fairness" or "justice" are rarely the primary concern.
Master Xia was no exception.
He wasn't necessarily a villain, but he wasn't a saint either; in every dealing, he weighed the pros and cons to maximize his own advantage.
He would recruit those he found useful, yet he would abandon them the moment they became a liability.
The situation with the Shen Family followed the same logic.
If Master Xia held "evidence," his first instinct would be to use it as leverage to extract the greatest possible benefits for himself and the Xia family.
Mo Hua never actually expected Master Xia to destroy the Shen Family.
His goal was simply to hand Master Xia a "blade," providing him an opening to carve a piece of profit away from the Shen Family.
Master Xia represented the powerful Xia clan and the authority of the Taoist Court. His involvement alone would place the Shen Family under immense strain.
The Shen Family would be too occupied to focus on anything else.
Even if he eventually reached a "settlement" with the Shen Family, it would only be after he had extorted a massive tribute from them.
The price required to "bribe" a Taoist Court inspector would be astronomical.
The Shen Family would be forced to bleed resources and suffer heavy losses.
Anything that diminished the Shen Family’s power was a victory.
As a fifth-grade aristocratic family, the Shen Family was a titan within the Qian Learning State Boundary. Mo Hua, being a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator, lacked the power to topple them alone.
Though the events at Solitary Mountain were out in the open, the Shen Family’s Old Ancestor was a cunning strategist, and a clean resolution was unlikely.
Therefore, Mo Hua’s strategy was to cause as much chaos as possible.
If the Shen Family was exhausted by external pressures, they wouldn't have the energy to target him.
Furthermore, as their interests were devoured by others, the Shen Family’s Vital Energy would be depleted, leading to internal fractures and conflict.
A centipede may die, but it does not easily fall stiff.
The collapse of a great aristocratic family is rarely a sudden event.
Mo Hua had done all he currently could.
He wasn't sure exactly how much blood the Shen Family would lose this time, but he had full confidence in the greed of the great families and the political maneuvering of the Taoist Court.
The rest was out of his hands.
Mo Hua looked at Master Xia and spoke with apparent sincerity:
"I have no fondness for the Shen Family, but the Solitary Mountain affair is too massive. I must concentrate on my Cultivation; I have neither the desire nor the power to manage such things."
"Furthermore, it is the Taoist Court's duty to uphold Taoist Law and ensure public justice. As a simple Sect disciple, I have done my part by exposing the truth. Only you, Inspector Master, can preside over the Solitary Mountain matter."
Mo Hua’s tone was righteous as he carefully distanced himself from the fallout.
The burden now rested solely on the Taoist Court.
Inspector Xia stared intently at Mo Hua. "Is that truly all?"
"Yes," Mo Hua confirmed with a nod.
"You have no other requests?"
Mo Hua paused to reflect, then said: "Just one. Please ensure my name is never mentioned. If the Shen Family learns I was your source, they will stop at nothing to harass me. I just want to cultivate in peace at Taixu Gate."
Inspector Xia gave a solemn nod. "That is only natural. You have my word."
Whistleblowers were technically under the protection of the Taoist Court.
Moreover, Mo Hua was no ordinary witness.
Had he kept silent, it wouldn't have mattered, but since he had come forward, the Taoist Court was obligated—both logically and ethically—to protect his identity.
Failing to do so would alienate Taixu Gate and destroy the credibility of the Taoist Court inspector.