The Quest for Immortality Chapter 2402: Barbaric Wilderness Ancient Array (part 2)

"Furthermore, another possibility exists..."

Mo Hua paused, considering, then proposed, "That is, I shatter the Eternal Life Rune, thus activating the Heaven Void Dharma Phase. While the Heaven Void Dharma Phase would target me, as a disciple of the Sword Discussion lineage, the fifth-grade Mount of Tao Grand Formation would inevitably intervene to protect me by engaging the Heaven Void Dharma Phase."

"Such a confrontation between a Void Realm Level Grand Formation and a Dharma Phase would be cataclysmic, capable of leveling mountains and churning seas. The entirety of the sword discussion arena would likely be obliterated as a result."

"Consequently, with such an outcome, the ongoing sword discussion would be forced to an abrupt halt."

"If the sword discussion concludes at that juncture, the final rankings would be determined based on the current standings."

"Our Taixu Gate has demonstrated formidable performance in the earlier phases. During the Shura battle, a significant number of our disciples persevered until the conclusion, and I myself was the sole survivor of that brutal contest. By these calculations, the victory points accumulated by our Taixu Gate would undoubtedly be the highest..."

...

"I have meticulously analyzed all conceivable scenarios outlined above."

"The intricate web of causality, along with the myriad variables at play, are largely within my predictive capacity."

Mo Hua articulated his plan with striking clarity and methodical precision, his gaze sharp and unwavering. Without haste, he laid bare all the intricate causal threads and strategic considerations.

Elder Master Xun stood aghast.

He observed Mo Hua’s face, still bearing the faint bloom of youth, his eyes as deep and tranquil as a secluded pool, and the profound calmness with which he could unravel causality with such meticulous depth and command over all variables. A profound sigh escaped his heart.

He had harbored suspicions that Mo Hua’s actions were guided by deliberate reasoning.

However, the sheer extent of Mo Hua’s foresight had surpassed his wildest conjectures.

At this tender age, recalling his life from birth, Mo Hua possessed merely about twenty springs and autumns of lived experience. Yet, his thoughts were already this intricate, his mind possessing a sharpness bordering on the demonic.

Should he be granted another century, or even a millennium, coupled with a higher cultivation base, a more potent power of Calculation, and a more profound grasp of causality, to what unimaginable heights of defiance would he ascend?

Elder Master Xun let out another silent sigh.

The heavens and the earth are but a vast chessboard, and all living beings are its pieces.

For Mo Hua to possess such terrifying talent, he was undoubtedly destined to be a player, not merely a piece. It was no wonder, then... that the Qian Path’s fortune and the very essence of the earth’s Taoist Meaning would converge upon him alone.

It was no wonder that the revered individual would accept him as a direct disciple.

Yet...

Elder Master Xun’s brow furrowed.

"Was it the act of that person accepting him as a disciple that awakened this profound comprehension and auspicious fortune within Mo Hua?"

"Or did Mo Hua already possess this innate comprehension and fortune, prompting that person to accept him?"

"Or is it neither? Could this truly be a mere serendipitous alignment within the Heavenly Mechanism Causality?"

Elder Master Xun descended into a state of deep contemplation.

A short while later, Mo Hua inquired, "Venerable Sir, was my assessment correct?"

Elder Master Xun blinked, momentarily lost in his thoughts, before snapping back to the present. He understood Mo Hua’s query and, with an inaudible sigh, nodded his assent.

"Your deduction is largely accurate..."

"In this matter, regardless of the calculations, our Taixu Gate is poised to secure the title of 'Sword Discussion Leader'."

"However, the path forward will not be without its complications."

"The various prominent Sects and influential aristocratic families within Qianxue will certainly not acquiesce readily. The Four Great Sects, in particular, will undoubtedly employ numerous overt and covert tactics to impede us."

"Furthermore, our Taixu Gate will not remain passive observers. Expect prolonged negotiations regarding the sword discussion outcome, potentially stretching for a considerable duration before a final resolution is reached."

"Nevertheless, my earlier sentiment remains unchanged." Elder Master Xun regarded Mo Hua, a blend of deep emotion and pride filling him. "You have already accomplished more than enough. This affair will be handled by me. Your sole focus should be on recuperation and distancing yourself from these brewing tempests."

"Understood." Mo Hua inclined his head in agreement.

Elder Master Xun fell silent for a beat, his gaze deepening subtly. Then, abruptly, he voiced a new question, "That sword technique..."

A subtle jolt went through Mo Hua’s heart.

Elder Master Xun's aged yet profoundly insightful eyes locked onto Mo Hua’s clear irises, and he asked in a low, deliberate tone, "Who imparted that skill to you?"

"This..."

Mo Hua’s response faltered into silence. After a moment’s pause, he let out a soft sigh.

Given the unfolding circumstances, any attempt to conceal the truth now would be futile.

Here, at the Sword Discussion Conference, under the watchful eyes of countless observers, he had already employed this particular technique. .

While ordinary individuals might fail to recognize the origin of 'Divine Thought into Sword' and thus overlook its significance, Elder Master Xun was no ordinary figure. Upon witnessing the technique, he would undoubtedly perceive its true nature.

Though Patriarch Dugu had explicitly cautioned him against revealing the secret, the current circumstances made silence utterly impossible.

"It was..." Mo Hua uttered softly, "Patriarch Dugu... he was the one who taught me..."

Elder Master Xun's eyelids fluttered. He thought, 'As expected,' before furrowing his brow and inquiring, "He's confined within the Sword Tomb Forbidden Land. How could he possibly teach you?"

Mo Hua explained, "Every seven days, Patriarch Dugu would tear open the void, pull me into the forbidden land, and personally impart swordsmanship to me."

A sudden understanding dawned upon Elder Master Xun, followed by inner astonishment.

His senior brother, possessing talent that shook the heavens and an air of looking down upon all others, had historically only taught the sword to those who groveled and begged, and even then, he responded with utter indifference.

There had never been a single instance of him proactively drawing someone to his side to personally instruct them in swordsmanship.

Who could have predicted that after a lifetime of unyielding stubbornness, with one foot already in the grave, he would end up shattering his own principles to 'pick up and deliver' a student for sword instruction?

Only...

Elder Master Xun then knitted his brows in bewilderment.

The vast distance separating the Sword Tomb Forbidden Land from the Outer Mountain Disciple's Residence, with no tangible connection between them, left him questioning how his senior brother came to discover this child, Mo Hua?

To the extent of not hesitating to expend his remaining cultivation to rend the void, drag Mo Hua before him, and impart swordsmanship personally?

Could there be a deeper chain of causality at play here?

The crucial point... this young Mo Hua possessed absolutely no foundation in the Sword Dao.

Before his entry into the Taixu Gate, it was highly probable he had never even laid hands on a sword.

Even with such a background, his senior brother could still teach him?

The more Elder Master Xun pondered, the more perplexing the situation became. Thus, he directed his question to Mo Hua, "This Divine... this sword technique, how did you come to learn it?"

Mo Hua found the question somewhat difficult to articulate.