Immortality Through Array Formations

Mo Hua thought that Zhang Lan’s words, “I’ll find you for some fun when I’m free,” were just a polite remark, but it turned out he was serious.

After that day, Zhang Lan would often show up at the restaurant with nothing to do, order a pot of wine, a dish of meat, and watch the people coming and going in the street as he ate all morning. Occasionally, when he saw Mo Hua, he would even complain to him:

“You’re just a kid, where do you go all the time? I’ve come here several times and haven’t seen you.”

Mo Hua’s small face turned serious as he said, “I’m not like you, I’m very busy.”

“What could you possibly be busy with?” Zhang Lan didn’t believe him.

Mo Hua started counting on his fingers, listing one by one:

“Daily routine cultivation, drawing formations when I have time, reading formation books when tired, bringing some food to my teacher and asking some questions on the side, and helping uncles and aunties in the neighborhood fix their formations…”

Zhang Lan felt overwhelmed, “Alright, alright, you win, you’re busier than I am.”

The eleven- or twelve-year-old little cultivator Mo Hua was so busy every day, while he, a cultivator of the Taoist Court, was spending his days here drinking wine. Zhang Lan even felt a bit guilty by comparison.

Considering that when his father pointed at his nose and scolded him, his own heart never rippled.

“By the way, are there any fun places in Tongxian City?” Zhang Lan asked.

“I’m a good kid, I don’t indulge in fun, how would I know.”

Mo Hua refused to answer, who knew what kind of fun he meant? He was still a child; there were things not suitable for children that he couldn’t touch.

“Then, where are the bustling places?” Zhang Lan settled for the next best question.

“The east side of South Main Street is somewhat lively.”

“I’ve been there, not many cultivators, not much of a market town either, not interesting.” Zhang Lan was unimpressed.

“Of course, it won’t be lively if you go during the day; not everyone is irresponsible like you, people have to make a living.” Mo Hua said.

Zhang Lan couldn’t argue with that. After thinking it over, he realized it was indeed true. He might be irresponsible, but so be it.

“So, when is it bustling?” Zhang Lan asked.

Mo Hua thought for a moment and said, “The day after tomorrow, I guess. It’s the annual Monster Hunting Festival — that’s the most lively time.”

“What’s the Monster Hunting Festival?”

Mo Hua explained, “It’s a festival where Monster Hunters celebrate their harvest. October is the prime month for hunting monsters. After that, the monster beasts’ activities decrease, and the hunters’ income drops. Monster Hunters usually hunt more monster beasts in October and sell them during the Monster Hunting Festival; after selling, they rest for a while. By then, the market town will have all sorts of things, and it’ll be very lively.”

Zhang Lan was surprised, “You sure know a lot.”

“Of course,” Mo Hua patted his chest, “I’m a bit of a local snake here.”

Zhang Lan laughed but also became quite interested in the Monster Hunting Festival, “Good, then I’ll go take a look the day after tomorrow.” After saying this, he brushed his sleeve and prepared to leave.

Mo Hua looked at him curiously and asked, “Haven’t you settled the bill yet?”

“I’ve put a few dozen spirit stones at the counter, just deduct directly from there,” Zhang Lan said with casual extravagance.

Mo Hua smacked his lips, thinking that Zhang Lan had quite a flair for playing the generous fool.

Then he continued to lower his head to read the formation books, thinking that he should learn a few more formations in the next couple of days, and then take a break during the Monster Hunting Festival, so he could play with Da’hu and the others for a couple of days.

Bai Zisheng heard that Mo Hua was going to play at the Monster Hunting Festival and envied him so much he almost drooled.

The Bai Family had strict rules, and even away from the clan, Aunt Xue required them to cultivate every day. Besides that, courses in alchemy, formations, and artifact refining were all laid out clearly, not a single one to be missed.

Perhaps because they were not within their clan, Aunt Xue feared they would fall behind the other disciples of the family, so she demanded even stricter standards. Mo Hua had glanced at many of the Alchemy, Artifact Refining, or cultivation books and found them profoundly abstruse, completely beyond his comprehension.

Fortunately, he could understand the books on Formations, and they didn’t seem too difficult to him.

However, Mo Hua had always harbored a question, what exactly were the Bai siblings learning by becoming Mr. Zhuang’s registered disciples?

So far, Mr. Zhuang didn’t seem to have taught them anything special, did he?

The things they were learning, Mo Hua could learn too; the questions they asked, Mo Hua also listened in on. Some of the material was obscure, but none of it seemed so advanced as to require Mr. Zhuang’s personal guidance.

Moreover, even if Mr. Zhuang taught them nothing, their cultivation was arranged perfectly by their family, with no need for Mr. Zhuang’s intervention.

Mr. Zhuang’s study was a place Mo Hua often visited alone, bringing some snacks and asking questions.

The Bai siblings just cultivated and studied in the small pavilion, and as far as Mo Hua remembered, aside from routine greetings and requests for instruction, they never sought out Mr. Zhuang privately.

It puzzled Mo Hua greatly.

Or perhaps, there are certain things that Mr. Zhuang would not teach registered disciples but would only pass on to direct disciples?

Were they so persistent because they hoped Mr. Zhuang would take them as his disciples to learn more profound arts?

The difference between registered disciples and direct disciples was significant, with registered disciples addressing him as “Gentleman” while direct disciples could call him “Master.”

Cultivators, place great importance on the transmission between master and disciple, considering “one day as a teacher, a lifetime as a father” to be no exaggeration. Dazhu was taken as a disciple by Master Chen, who treated Dazhu like a son and expected him to care for him in his old age.

Because of the weighty kindness between master and disciple, betraying one’s sect is also considered one of the worst acts of disloyalty in the Cultivation World.

Mo Hua stroked his chin, wondering to himself, “Would Mr. Zhuang possibly take me as his direct disciple?”

Comparing his own cultivation, Spiritual Root, talents, and family background to that of the Bai siblings, Mo Hua quickly sobered up.

It’s best not to aim too high.

Mo Hua thought to himself, silently discarding this unrealistic notion.

In two days, it would be the Monster Hunting Festival.

The Monster Hunting Festival was one of the biggest festivals in Tongxian City, even larger than the Lotus Festival.

Cultivators from Tongxian City, whether they were poor Loose Cultivators or wealthy family cultivators, had all started preparing for the Monster Hunting Festival well in advance. From morning, the festive atmosphere pervaded Tongxian City, and by evening, it was brightly lit.

During the Monster Hunting Festival, there were many people and eateries would be bustling, so Liu Ruhua would stay home and, together with Auntie Jiang and a few temporarily hired aunties, manage the business.

Mo Shan had to contact buyers to sell the skins, bones, or inner cores of the Monster Beasts killed by the Monster Hunting Team over the past month, as the coming months would be off-season for monster hunting, with lower earnings. Many cultivators relied on this batch of Spirit Stones to last them until the next year.

Mo Hua could only stroll the streets with Da’hu and their other two friends.

However, Da’hu and the others had one more thing to do, which was to participate in the Monster Hunting Rite.

Every year during the Monster Hunting Festival, a Monster Hunting Rite was held for young Cultivators above the sixth level of Qi Refinement to become Monster Hunters.

The sixth level of Qi Refinement was a watershed for the Loose Cultivators of Tongxian City, marking not only the peak of the Qi Refinement Middle Phase but also the hope of breaking through to the latter phase of Qi Refinement.

Cultivators in the Qi Refinement Middle Phase could learn some simple Spells or Martial Arts, and with decent Spiritual Power and physical strength, they had a certain capacity to protect themselves from Monster Beasts.

Taking one step forward from the Qi Refinement Middle Phase led to the Late Phase of Qi Refinement. In Tongxian City, where Qi Refinement stage cultivators were predominant, the Late Phase of Qi Refinement was the goal of many Cultivators.

But this step involved many variables, and due to reasons like Spirit Stones, Spiritual Roots, or Cultivation Techniques, many Cultivators could not make this step in their entire lives.

So for Loose Cultivators, reaching the sixth level of Qi Refinement meant they could become true Monster Hunters. And becoming a Monster Hunter meant they would have to rely on hunting Monster Beasts for a living