Immortality Through Array Formations Chapter 2256 Chapter 1044: Forbidden Sword Skill (3)

"On this issue, the Taixu Gate must give a proper explanation..."

Elder Master Xun fell silent briefly, then let out a sigh filled with helplessness as he spoke:

"This affair... remains a closely guarded secret of our Taixu Gate, never intended for outsiders' ears. Yet since you've raised the question, I'll hold nothing back."

Speaking with gravity, Elder Master Xun declared, "While our Taixu Gate banned the Divine Thought into sword True Jue, we never wished to abandon the Sword Dao heritage entirely. Thus, the Sect's highest leaders have spent years developing a balanced, upright sword intent technique."

"What Mo Hua mastered is precisely this fresh sword intent technique, called the Taixu Shocking God Sword Intent Manual."

"It's a legitimate sword intent method, free from any forbidden status, and far removed from the soul-damaging Divine Thought into sword technique that inflicts self-harm on the Divine Soul..."

Elder Master Xun elaborated gradually.

The assembled Heaven Void Ancestors sucked in sharp breaths, their hearts stunned, inwardly decrying how even a Sect ancestor could spout such blatant lies before this crowd?

Was the name and background of this sword technique simply fabricated right here?

Did he truly believe a hasty invention would pass muster? Was he trying to deceive spirits?

Noticing the skepticism among the onlookers, Elder Master Xun calmly produced a Jade Slip:

"I've documented this sword technique—its name, core principles, cultivation lineage segments, sword intent condensation process, and demonstration forms—within this Jade Slip, submitted ages ago to the Qianxue Court Tribunal...

"The Mount of Tao authorities also received our Taixu Gate's filing prior to the Sword Discussion Conference."

"This evidence clearly shows that Mo Hua's sword discussion technique wasn't the prohibited Divine Thought into sword True Jue, but simply Taixu Gate's innovative sword intent method, the Taixu Shocking God Sword Intent Manual..."

These declarations sent chills through the hearts of all present Heaven Void Ancestors, who inwardly sensed trouble brewing.

This obscure new method had drawn no attention, certainly not from these ancestors.

Especially since Taixu Gate held no reputation for superior sword arts before.

No one had bothered scrutinizing it daily.

Yet who imagined Taixu Gate would craft a genuine technique amid these mere formalities?

A legitimate title grants legitimate claims.

A chill gripped the crowd's hearts.

Could Ancestor Xun have foreseen everything from the start, preparing this countermove with calculations already in place?

Was even Mo Hua, Taixu Gate's Formation Leader, just his chess piece?

Did Elder Master Xun orchestrate this entire scheme with precision?

The ancestors furrowed their brows, gazing at Elder Master Xun, struck by how this outwardly ordinary elder—who toiled silently for Taixu Gate—possessed such profound, immeasurable depths, evoking profound wariness...

For the moment, silence reigned.

Elder Master Xun gave a faint sigh, bitterness weighing on his heart.

Only he knew this so-called "profound" ancestor was just stuck mopping up Mo Hua's messes.

He couldn't predict, much less direct, whatever Mo Hua set out to do.

Heading into the Sword Discussion Conference, he never dreamed Mo Hua would unleash such a "shock," almost stopping his heart dead.

Were it not for Elder Master Xun's prudent mindset, his focus on minutiae, and forward-thinking habits, he couldn't have shouldered this crashing burden.

Still, for now at least, they'd navigated the crisis.

The fallout from this event loomed large, and sects along with aristocratic families wouldn't drop it lightly, but that was tomorrow's worry.

Right now, the plan was to proceed cautiously step by step; as a Heaven Void Ancestor, shielding Mo Hua could only go this far presently.

Next, securing Mo Hua's safe return to Taixu Mountain, confining him in the Back Hill Forbidden Area, triggering the Formation, sealing the mountain gates to cut off the world—that was paramount to protect the boy, with all else secondary.

At worst, they'd shamelessly dodge blame and shift responsibility.

A bit of bloodletting, some flesh carved off, a few Spirit Stones offered up—none of it mattered.

As long as Mo Hua stayed unharmed.

Elder Master Xun's mind eased gradually, his eyes fixed unblinkingly on the square's phantom projection, ready to shatter the void instantly upon the Formation's opening and Mo Hua's appearance, whisking the child back to Taixu Gate.

To thwart any ancient, undying Heaven Void ancestors spotting Mo Hua, coveting him with envy, and yielding to murderous impulses.

Not only Elder Master Xun—numerous other Heaven Void Ancestors watched the phantom projection with rapt intensity.

The prior Dharma Form clash had exploded inside the Asura Battlefield.

To halt Spirit Tide leaks harming bystanders, the Mount of Tao's Large Formation had auto-sealed a vast swath of Asura Grounds while snuffing the five Heaven Void Dharma Phases.

They had to await the full dissipation of Heaven Void Dharma Phases and complete Spirit Tide subsidence before unsealing the Formation, revealing Mo Hua and the others' fates.

Soon, the golden radiance blanketing heaven and earth vanished entirely, the Spirit Tide receded completely.

The Large Formation's lingering power faded too. Only then could all behold the scene inside clearly.

Mountains, rivers, marshes, valleys... all razed flat, the whole zone turned desolate wasteland, mere sand and dirt remnants after the horrific Spirit Tide's consumption, wiping every trace.

Beyond that, a handful of figures lingered.

Mo Hua appeared pale-faced yet composed.

Encircling him lay five figures, Shen Linsu among them, their breaths feeble post-sword strike, sprawled motionless with fates unclear.

These five, naturally, hadn't perished.

Though Heaven Void Dharma Phases were destroyed, Eternal Life Rune remnants still glowed on their foreheads, safeguarding faint vital sparks.

The Heaven Void Ancestors had foreseen this result, yet witnessing it firsthand still shook their cores.

One versus five.

Mo Hua had truly, with solitary form and blade, solo-slain five,

"defeating" Qianxue State Boundary's top five Heavenly Pride Disciples.

Four among them even Foundation Establishment Peak bloodline geniuses.

This feat stood nearly unmatched in Sword Discussion Conference annals.

Unheard of before, improbable henceforth.

This kid was a freak among freaks...

Countless Heaven Void Ancestors inwardly exclaimed in awe, while many wrestled rising, irrepressible elimination urges.

Elder Master Xun's stare turned icy, vigilance peaked, guarding against any ancestor striking harmfully at Mo Hua.

Elder Master Xun's focus stayed locked on Mo Hua until a sudden jolt creased his brow.

Not solely him—many attending Heaven Void Ancestors detected the oddity too.

The strangeness lay not with Mo Hua, but Shen Linsu and his four companions.

Within the Asura Grounds, the five including Shen Linsu sprawled groundward,

faces drained of color, forehead long-life runes shining golden.

Yet this gold began shifting hues.

Purple-black strands laced with blood-red tinges emerged, corrupt and tainted, resembling festering "pus" from flesh oozing steadily.

As though Mo Hua had cleaved their Seas of Consciousness, allowing this "pus" to spill forth.

This Divine Thought "pus," though loathsome and impure, boasted extraordinarily high Divine Thought Rank.

Among attendees, solely Heaven Void Ancestors could discern these primal, decadent, corrupted Divine Thoughts clearly.

They observed the purple-black "pus" spreading across the earth, unfurling like poppy blooms nourished by malevolent notions.

Instantly, every Heaven Void Ancestor's expression twisted in shock.

Several Sword Dao Ancestors grew particularly grave, eyes flashing terrifying acuity.

Meanwhile, from the spectator stands.

Aboard Qian Taoist Sect's elevated platform, a scholarly middle-aged elder's features contorted, muttering darkly: "Cursed whelp, you've wrecked my grand scheme!"