Immortality Through Array Formations Chapter 2121 Chapter 1002: Sword Discussion of the Xuan Character (Part 3)

Following a full day of fierce clashes, the standings have shifted noticeably, though Taixu Gate clings to the top rank.

Yet all observers understand that this leading spot has morphed from a symbol of success into one of fading glory, now sliding steadily downward.

And this day marks the highest point for Taixu Gate, after which it will plunge into the shadows.

Numerous spectators eagerly await the moment Taixu Gate drops from the top or slips beyond the "top four."

Such a fall would strip Taixu Gate back to its true, unadorned state.

In the midst of this tension, Mo Hua's initial "Xuan" stage of the sword competition kicked off officially.

This matchup drew massive interest from the crowd.

Mo Hua already carried a unique reputation, renowned across the lands.

Furthermore, his earlier showings in the sword events, marked by complete "inaction," sparked waves of "criticism."

Even as his fame tumbled, the spotlight on him intensified dramatically.

The bustling Mount of Tao overflowed with onlookers, many drawn solely to observe him.

Some yearned for him to shine and meet the hype, while others craved his stumble, eager to mock his woes and pile on the scorn...

Mo Hua paid no heed to any of this turmoil.

His mind stayed locked entirely on the sword competition ahead.

For this opening Xuan round, Mo Hua didn't snag the easiest draw, sticking to the standard "chaotic battle" setup.

A straightforward clash of five against five.

They faced off against the Mystic Iron Sect, a powerhouse among the Twelve Streams.

This group excels in forging artifacts and also drills in body refinement, boasting a hidden technique that pairs perfectly with their crafting skills.

Its disciples master both forging and physical hardening, wielding methods and builds as unyielding as forged steel.

Among the Twelve Streams, the Mystic Iron Sect ranks as a formidable force.

Still, the squad pitted against Mo Hua wasn't their elite lineup, just a solid upper-tier team, not the pinnacle.

Their power proved substantial nonetheless.

The moment came, and both teams stepped into the arena, tension crackling as combat loomed.

Yet this fight dragged on without a quick end.

The two sides locked into a gritty stalemate.

The Mystic Iron Sect struggled due to their capped prowess.

Taixu Gate faltered partly because of Mo Hua.

He lingered at the edge, observing quietly, refusing to budge or join the fray.

This forced Taixu Gate into a lopsided four-on-five scrap.

On top of that, from prior bouts, Linghu Xiao and his crew's tactics had been laid bare to rival sects.

The Mystic Iron Sect came armed with counters.

They brushed off Mo Hua entirely, zeroing in on the other four as their marks.

This handed them a clear edge.

Every participant here hailed from the Qian Learning State Boundary's brightest, and while skills differ, reaching the "Xuan" phase of the Sword Discussion Conference demands real grit—no weaklings allowed.

In a balanced five-on-five, unless one side vastly outclasses the other, losing a single fighter tips the scales massively.

Linghu Xiao got tied up in brutal melee by a pair of Mystic Iron Sect fighters.

Ouyang Xuan dueled solo against a hulking body refiner.

Cheng Mo and Situ Jian held their ground in a tense deadlock too.

Taixu Gate edged ahead slightly, but the lead stayed slim.

The Mystic Iron Sect, leveraging their extra numbers, switched assault points fluidly and hammered Linghu Xiao's group, turning the fight into a seesaw struggle.

Fortune shone on them, as Linghu Xiao's might was undeniable.

After holding out for more than an hour, he spotted a gap in the Mystic Iron Sect's rotating strikes, braced against the onslaught, and unleashed a Chongxu Sword Qi that felled one foe, cracking his Dao Discussion Jade.

This evened it to four against four, easing the strain sharply.

From there, Taixu Gate leaned on the brilliance of Linghu Xiao and Ouyang Xuan, these twin "celestial talents," to widen their margin bit by bit until they sealed the win.

All the while, Mo Hua acted as a mere "cold-eyed bystander," eyeing his comrades' hard fight without lifting a finger.

This spectacle truly enraged the surrounding crowd.

With Taixu Gate already trending downward, locked in exhausting skirmishes and allies toiling fiercely, his detached idleness struck many as especially infuriating.

"This fellow named 'Mo Hua' is just outrageous!"

"Freeloading without contributing a thing!"

"How does someone like that earn the title 'Formation Leader'? How can he pass as a 'genius'?"

"Why does Taixu Gate even tolerate him?"

"Back in daily life, he basks in the sect's favor to throw his weight around, but when Taixu Gate faces real peril, he burdens his own side while sitting idle..."

"He's leeching off the sect and his fellows!"

"For the sake of strutting in the sword competition, he tosses away all dignity."

"What are Taixu Gate's Sect Leader and Elders thinking? Have they gone mad? Why not boot him out? Why pamper him like a 'Little Ancestor'?"

"Who could've guessed that the esteemed Taixu Gate, among the Eight Great Gates, harbors such rotten favoritism deep inside..."

"In my view, he ought to quit the event outright, sparing us the shame. Parading him like this might convince folks that everyone from the Qian Learning State Boundary is just second-rate..."

...

The chorus of backlash grew ever fiercer.

Wenren Wan, Murong Caiyun, and fellow cultivators who knew Mo Hua well caught wind of these whispers, stirring their ire inevitably.

But amid the thronged Mount of Tao, so many voices echoed these barbs that they couldn't pinpoint targets to retort, forcing them to bottle up the rage inside.

High-ranking figures from noble houses and sects subtly shook their heads in dismay.

They recognized Linghu Xiao's squad as Taixu Gate's prime sword competition unit right now.

If even their best crew hovered at this caliber, then Taixu Gate's run in the sword events probably neared its close this year...

Repeated tales forge belief, mass chatter can sway convictions.

Popular sentiment bends minds.

Even inside Taixu Gate, certain Elders started to doubt, pondering if pairing Mo Hua with Linghu Xiao was sound judgment.

These doubters mostly stemmed from the old Tai'a and Chongxu Mountains.

They murmured in private circles.

Still, the Sect Leaders of those mountains quashed the talk.

A vow must stand firm, and with deals struck and squads set, pulling out mid-sword competition made no sense.

Besides, regrets wouldn't change facts at this stage.

What's more, Taixu Gate's current frontrunner status in the sword meet owed much to Mo Hua's efforts.

He's the one orchestrating and scheming behind the scenes.

You can't flip blame onto him simply for underdelivering in personal swordplay and netting no feats.

Additionally, though the Sect Leaders of Tai'a and Chongxu Mountains hadn't dealt closely with Mo Hua, they sensed an enigmatic depth in this youthful disciple.

Taixu Gate's Formation Leader hides layers far beyond the surface.

Within Taixu Mountain's core lineage, though, calm prevailed.

From leaders to rank-and-file, scarce few voiced qualms over Mo Hua's showing.

In particular, Elders privy to snippets of Mo Hua's "exploits" met the outer skepticism with quiet smirks:

What sorts of antics does Mo Hua pull in everyday life?

Now, how does this sword competition stack up in scale?

Does it measure up?

If true masters revealed themselves so plainly to you, would they qualify as masters at all?

Surrounded by this surging wave of scorn, Mo Hua's next "Xuan" round in the sword competition commenced properly.

This foe belonged to the Twelve Streams as well.

But this adversary far outpowered the prior Mystic Iron Sect.

As they entered the Mount of Tao's sword competition prep chamber, a towering, robust youth spearheaded his band to challenge Mo Hua's group head-on.

Ignoring Mo Hua completely, the youth strode straight to Linghu Xiao and demanded:

"Are you Linghu Xiao?"

Linghu Xiao gave a frosty nod.

The youth jabbed a thumb at his chest, brimming with assurance, and declared, "Remember my name, I'm the one who's going to defeat you!"