Immortality Through Array Formations

So many people lost, so much time wasted, so much in Pills and Spiritual Artifacts spent, and not a single Spiritual mine reclaimed.

The Clan would not give him another chance.

The next day, Qian Zhuang was told that his command had been stripped by the Clan, but he was still allowed to stay at the Spiritual mines to make amends for his failure.

That evening, a Cultivator from the Qian Family, whose face bore the heavy patterns of authority, came to the Qian Family camp and harrumphed coldly upon seeing Qian Zhuang:

“Capable of nothing but failure!”

Qian Zhuang bowed deeply and kept his head lowered, not daring to utter a single word in rebuttal.

The visitor was an Elder of the Qian Family, a Foundation Building Cultivator, Qian Zhongxuan.

He was also his biggest support in this branch of the family.

“I wasn’t willing to come, but you’ve been so ineffective, not achieving anything for so long, that I had to take care of things. Otherwise, our branch would become the laughingstock of the Clan, unable to hold our heads high.”

Qian Zhongxuan said coldly.

Qian Zhuang’s face was flush with shame, “Elder, it’s not that I was ineffective, it’s just those…”

Qian Zhongxuan interrupted, “No excuses! These excuses are no use with the Family Head and other Elders, they will not listen to what you have to say, but will look at what you have done, what results you have produced!”

Qian Zhuang bowed his head, “Yes.”

Seeing Qian Zhuang’s sincere attitude, and knowing his branch had only a few promoters at the Qi Refinement Ninth Level, Qian Zhongxuan’s expression softened slightly as he instructed him:

“People say that we members of the Qian Family are like wolves, ambitiously wolfish, and that’s not an insult but a compliment. We, the disciples of the Qian Family, must be wolfish, striving and snatching!”

“Every piece of meat must be bitten fiercely in the mouth. If someone steals a bite from you, you should bite back a piece from them!”

Qian Zhuang’s spirits lifted, and he cupped his fists, “I have learned my lesson, Disciple.”

“Hmm.” Qian Zhongxuan nodded, “Don’t take this failure too hard. Success and failure are common knowledge; don’t let it dull your spirit for progress.”

Qian Zhuang was greatly encouraged and felt even more grateful to Qian Zhongxuan, saying:

“I will remember the Elder’s teachings carefully!”

“Rest up for a few days. Once I’ve arranged the personnel, it will be time to attack the mountain. Make sure you perform well and do not disappoint me.” Qian Zhongxuan looked sternly at Qian Zhuang before standing up and leaving.

Qian Zhuang respectfully saw off Qian Zhongxuan and breathed a sigh of relief.

At this time, Elder Yu also got the news that Qian Zhongxuan had entered Big Black Mountain and couldn’t help but snort:

“That old rascal Qian Zhongxuan has no good intentions entering the mountain. Everyone, be on alert; we may have a tough fight in the next few days.”

Yu Chengyi and others looked solemn and nodded in agreement.

Mo Hua also nodded along.

Elder Yu glanced at him and said, “You don’t need to nod; just stay here. Don’t go out.”

“Can I sneak a peek?”

“Peek at what?”

“At you fighting.”

Elder Yu frowned, “What’s there to see?”

“I want to learn.”

Mo Hua looked humble and eager to learn.

Elder Yu sighed, “You can look, but don’t you dare go out there. A cultivator’s melee is no child’s play.”

“Alright!” Mo Hua nodded vigorously.

His own safety was his priority. He would not go out; he wasn’t foolish.

In the following days, Mo Hua learned a new Formation:

The First-grade Earth Fire Formation.

This was also learned from the Formation Books given by Mr. Zhuang. Its effects were broadly the same as the Earth Fire Formation, only more powerful, containing nine Formation Patterns, a true First-grade Formation.

However, the previous Formation with seven patterns was called Earth Fire Formation, and this one was directly named First-grade Earth Fire Formation. The name hadn’t changed, only with the addition of “First-grade.”

Mo Hua criticized in his mind, wondering who wrote these Formation Books. They were too lazy, at least change the name.

After Mo Hua learned the First-grade Earth Fire Formation, he would draw it whenever he had free time, managing to create about ten copies a day.

Ten copies of the Earth Fire Formation is neither too many nor too few. If used directly, their effectiveness might not be very good, so Mo Hua decided to save them up for later.

One day, after he grew tired of drawing formations, Mo Hua took out some pine nuts to crack and eat for a while.

Meanwhile, Elder Yu was discussing matters in the next room.

To take care of Mo Hua’s needs, Elder Yu had opened up another stone chamber right next to Mo Hua’s for rest and discussions with other Monster Hunters.

Elder Yu was discussing with Yu Chengyi and others how to deal with the Qian Family when suddenly his expression turned solemn, and with a swift movement, he stepped out of the mine.

Outside the cave were rugged rocks and dense woods.

However, the ground was pockmarked and messy from having been blasted by the Earth Fire Formation.

Elder Yu let out a cold laugh and cursed aloud:

“Qian Zhongxuan, you old fart, creeping around like a thief, what the hell are you doing?”

Not far away, Qian Zhongxuan suddenly appeared, his smile neither friendly nor genuine, “Your dog nose is still as sharp as ever.”

Elder Yu mocked sardonically, “If I have a dog’s nose, then your mother must be a bitch, your father a dumb dog, and you a mongrel…”

These words were unbearable to hear, and the loudness of his voice made it so that anyone up or down the peak could hear, causing Qian Zhongxuan’s blood to seethe with rage.

Qian Zhongxuan wished he could slap himself.

He should have known that old bastard Yu Changlin couldn’t utter anything good, spewing the worst insults when provoked, so why did he bother to engage him at all?

It took Qian Zhongxuan a while to regain his composure.

“Let’s set some rules,” he suggested.

“So, because you say so, we should set rules? Does your ass grow on your face to give you such a big one?”

Suppressing his anger, Qian Zhongxuan gritted his teeth and replied, “If you keep being unreasonable, there’s no point in talking.”

Elder Yu chuckled curiously, “You’re not as good as Qian Hong. He can keep his cool better than you, no, I should say he’s more shameless than you.”

Qian Zhongxuan was on the verge of losing his patience.

Seeing an opening, Elder Yu said, “Say what you want to say.”

Qian Zhongxuan composed himself and proposed, “In the upcoming contention for the spiritual mines, I won’t intervene, and neither will you.”

Elder Yu raised an eyebrow, “And what about the other Foundation Building Cultivators of the Qian Family?”

“They won’t intervene either.”

“Why should I trust you?”

Qian Zhongxuan answered, “I’ve secured a public oath from the Court Leader of the Taoist Court, so you can rest assured.”

Elder Yu frowned slightly, unsure of what Qian Zhongxuan was plotting, but the absence of Foundation Builders on both sides would be favorable for the Monster Hunters.

“Fine, I agree,” he said.

Qian Zhongxuan breathed a sigh of relief, “Then it’s settled.”

Suddenly, Elder Yu sneered, “Qian Zhongxuan, you must be scared to death.”

Frightened to engage in a fight to the death with him, the old man, as well as wagering life for life against Monster Hunters.

Qian Zhongxuan’s face soured, but he neither confirmed nor denied.

Indeed, he was afraid. Yu Changlin, the old dog, did not fear death because being a Loose Cultivator meant enduring hardship.

But for Qian Zhongxuan, as a Foundation Establishment Elder of the Qian Family, with a revered status and endless luxuries, death was not an option.

Seeing his reaction, Elder Yu thought as much and verbally lashed out, “Then better you return to your mother’s womb and keep suckling her milk. This is no place for real fighting, you cowardly soft egg. Just hide in your den of riches and rot there…”

Knowing he was no match in a war of words, Qian Zhongxuan turned and left with a flick of his sleeve.

Mo Hua was dumbstruck by what he heard.

He thought that if insulting people had realms, Elder Yu would at least be a half-step Immortal.

Elder Yu, feeling unsatisfied as he watched Qian Zhongxuan slink away, turned his head back only to see Mo Hua staring at him with a look of amazement.

Coughing, Elder Yu said, “The things I said just now, you shouldn’t learn them.”

Mo Hua, who had already absorbed the lesson, assured, “Don’t worry, Elder Yu.”