Immortality Through Array Formations Chapter 2084 Chapter 991: Wood's Renewal

Within the lofty pavilion, tension weighed heavily in the air, as if the very space had turned rigid.

The hazy fumes lingered suspended in the air, utterly still.

The emblem of the Three Talents, a heavenly artifact, halted its spin entirely.

Time itself appeared to drag to a crawl.

Yet in the eyes of the Pavilion Elder, visions of dire heavenly secrets and tangled chains of cause and effect churned like massive tides deep in a chasm, surging without end.

After what felt like an eternity, the heavy mood began to lift a bit.

The void started to stir once more.

The fumes drifted lazily again, and the heavenly artifact resumed its gentle turning.

All returned to its normal rhythm.

The Pavilion Elder wore the same fatigued and bewildered expression, looking as though sleep might claim him any second.

Still, the waves from those heavenly secrets lingered unrestfully in his mind.

"Rebirth..."

"That individual's... rebirth?"

The Pavilion Elder struggled to believe it.

The chain of events long thought ended now stirred back to life gradually.

The already chaotic and earth-shattering game of strategy twisted into an alarming twist without warning.

"The Yin Yang Rebirth Formation, flipping Yin and Yang, shifting life to death, defying natural laws, bypassing Dao principles..."

"This array cannot be passed on..."

"Folks nowadays are so reckless, dreaming up wild ideas and acting on them without hesitation... Is it sheer ignorance driving them, or do they possess... bottomless bravery?"

"Why must it be... this particular formation..."

The Pavilion Elder fell quiet for a long stretch before letting out a heavy sigh.

As a Pavilion Elder, he grasped the sheer dread those four words—"Yin Yang Rebirth"—carried all too clearly.

Should it spread, the web of causality it unleashes would span too far and wide, potentially rousing even the sleeping elders.

If the uproar swelled out of control, he could lose his role as Pavilion Elder.

The Pavilion Elder stayed mute for a beat.

Switch the lure, or switch the target?

Employ this "lure" to hook that prized catch.

Or seek a different "target" to shake things up?

Anyone with sense would pick the obvious path.

This "lure" formed a mighty array, hiding secrets of Yin and Yang alongside rebirth, even tying into the Pavilion Elder's own standing.

Forget one target—even hundreds or thousands wouldn't match the value of this "lure."

Not even the Golden Dragon Fish could compare.

"If this target proves too slippery to snag, simply go for another."

After some reflection, the Pavilion Elder moved to store away the Yin Yang Rebirth Formation, but a sudden idea stopped him cold.

Internally, the Pavilion Elder reflected:

"Even a fool would grasp the right choice...?"

As a respected Pavilion Elder, should I settle for something so basic that even a fool could handle?

The Pavilion Elder's eyes sharpened a touch, plunging him into profound quiet.

A true Dao seeker senses heavenly secrets by instinct, seeing beyond the limits of mere sight.

Probe the essence of all matters without letting it chain you.

Stay free from worldly honors and gains, hold onto childlike purity, treat everything on equal footing—that's when the true threads of causality reveal themselves in the heart.

Building on this, the Pavilion Elder delved deeper into thought...

"At this moment, the heavenly secret lays out this dilemma for me, both as a test of choice and... a glimpse of deeper wisdom?"

"What sort of wisdom is this...?"

The Pavilion Elder positioned himself by the chessboard, lost in silent rumination, rigid like a statue.

Endless streams of heavenly secrets and causal links swirled through his thoughts.

Fate's paths twisted back and forth without cease.

Moments slipped by steadily.

The incense stick dwindled inch by inch.

The moon dipped low, the sun climbed high, dawn broke in the east, faded to dusk, until sunset painted the heavens red, signaling night's approach.

The Pavilion Elder remained seated firmly on the cushion, mulling over everything through a full day and night before finally settling his resolve.

This choice even sent a shiver of unease through him.

Yet it also granted him a sense of calm assurance.

In this realm, nothing comes as true profit or loss—it's all a revelation from the grand workings of causality.

With that realization, the entire world seemed to expand endlessly.

A spark lit in the Pavilion Elder's gaze as he drew the "Yin Yang Rebirth Formation," woven from threads of golden causality, from the emptiness; with a flick of his finger, his spiritual energy pierced the veil between real and unreal, forming intricate designs that layered fresh "Formation Patterns" onto the jade slip via pattern overlay.

In the end, he etched five more words onto the jade slip himself:

Wood Revitalization Formation.

Once finished, the Pavilion Elder called for a young attendant, directing him: "Fetch the Supervisor."

The boy nodded in compliance and departed.

Soon enough, the Supervisor entered, his hair streaked with silver and his face smooth as jade, offering a respectful bow: "Elder, you've summoned me."

The Pavilion Elder gestured invitingly, "Come over, let's share a game of chess."

The Supervisor paused uncertainly.

Matters in the Qian Learning State Boundary grew increasingly tangled.

Under orders from the Taoist Court, as Supervisor, he faced a pile of preparations, with deadlines pressing hard—how could he spare time for chess with the Pavilion Elder?

Besides, the Pavilion Elder had a "reputation for poor chess play"...

Yet refusal wasn't an option.

"Of course."

The Supervisor inclined his head, took his seat across from him with due respect, and they commenced the game.

As expected, the Pavilion Elder's stones soon lay in disarray, utterly routed.

This came despite the Supervisor going easy on him.

The Pavilion Elder frowned in annoyance, remarking: "Your style of play falls short."

The Supervisor let out a quiet inner sigh.

It's infamous in the Heaven Shu Pavilion how tough it is to game chess with the Pavilion Elder.

Not because the game itself is tricky, but figuring out his intentions is.

No one can tell what the Pavilion Elder truly aims for—his own skills are plainly weak, yet he always claims others lack finesse.

When facing the Pavilion Elder, a full-throttle win leads to complaints about your subpar skill.

A casual tie draws criticism for your lack of seriousness.

Intentionally yielding victory earns charges of a wavering spirit and bootlicking, followed by a stern rebuke.

Winning his approval proves nearly impossible.

"I can't imagine who could actually mesh well with the Pavilion Elder over a chessboard..."

The Supervisor grumbled inwardly but kept his focus sharp, continuing the match with full effort.