Chapter 889: Return to Truth

At the same time, in the Qiandao Sect, the Elder's chamber.

Mr. Tu, wearing the guise of Elder Shen, finished his daily lesson, returned to the room, activated the Divine Path array to shield his presence, then sat alone before his desk, gazing with reverent eyes at a ram's horn on the table.

The dim candlelight cast his gloomy face in shadow, making it seem sinister and terrifying.

"Mo Hua…"

Mr. Tu murmured the name, frowning.

"Just where did this person come from?"

"Why, though I've never heard this name before, does it feel so familiar?"

"What is this boy's true origin?"

Mr. Tu drew a short sword, sliced his finger, and let his blood drip onto the ram bone, silently praying.

Moments later, a blood-shadow shaped like a ram's horn emerged from karmic threads, tracing backward along the karmic path toward the name "Mo Hua."

His true name, his birthplace, his parents, his past…

But before he could glimpse the truth, the profound essence of Grand Void swirled seamlessly—yin and yang interlocked like fish, sealing the karmic cycle, blocking the ram's horn blood-shadow outside the karmic flow and locking away all truth.

Mr. Tu frowned.

"Such immense yin-yang heavenly fate power…"

"The Grand Void Gate still possesses such ancient heavenly fate relics…"

He considered forcing through the yin-yang lock, but after a moment's hesitation, he abandoned the attempt.

"Without invoking the Divine Lord's power, setting up an altar, and using abundant offerings as a medium, I cannot break this heavenly fate lock…"

"Moreover, it's not yet time to reveal the knife—no grand displays allowed."

Mr. Tu abandoned his desire to probe further.

Yet he had a persistent feeling: this array prodigy named "Mo Hua" was no ordinary figure.

He was very likely connected to the Grand Void Fiend God.

Mr. Tu wiped the blood from his fingers, pondered for a moment, then his pupils suddenly trembled.

"Of course… his spiritual sense exceeds the norm!"

"Ordinary cultivators are bound by the Dao's limits and lack cultivation methods—they could never surpass their realm's spiritual sense ceiling."

"This prodigy must have received the blessing of that 'Fiend God,' borrowing the Fiend God's divine awareness, allowing his spiritual sense to leap over three full realms—enabling him, even at Foundation Establishment mid-stage, to draw arrays matching Foundation Establishment peak…"

"That spiritual sense isn't his own—it was granted to him as a blessing from the 'Fiend God'!"

"In other words, this boy, like me, is a 'Divine Favored One.'"

"No—his level of divine favor far surpasses mine. He may even be one the Grand Void Fiend God selected from childhood, a 'Co-Born One' worthy to walk beside a deity—a true 'Divine Servant.'"

Mr. Tu felt both envy and jealousy.

His status within the Great Wilderness Lord's divine lineage was far inferior to this boy named Mo Hua.

Though he too was favored by the Divine Lord, it was only the most basic favor.

Unlike this brat—he could surpass three spiritual sense realms, nearly equivalent to receiving the highest divine "blessing."

Yet this also meant his array talent was no longer so astonishing.

"Just a lucky brat favored by a 'deity,' borrowing the Fiend God's divine awareness to claim the top spot in array arts…"

Mr. Tu sneered.

And in a certain sense, this was also good news.

The terrifying Grand Void Fiend God had finally "shifted from shadow to light," revealing his traces.

His core "believers" were now beginning to surface.

"We must hurry…"

While the Grand Void Fiend God is being parasitized by the Divine Lord's divine embryo, all plans must be accelerated…

Thinking of this, Mr. Tu felt a pang of pain.

The cost of scheming against this Fiend God was far too great…

His carefully nurtured horde of demons had their authority stolen by this Fiend God, forced to march to their deaths—none survived.

The Blood Oath list—those Divine Lord's vassals he'd raised for so long—had also been wiped out entirely, by unknown means of the Fiend God.

These vassals were Mr. Tu's life's work.

Using his title as Qiandao Sect Elder, he had traveled far and wide, recruiting candidates, secretly cultivating for years—building a vast network deeply rooted in Qianxue Province, interlinked, composed of sect disciples, protected by Dao Ting Si, yet operating in darkness, committing countless crimes as demonic cult "vassals."

These vassals could provide offerings to the Divine Lord.

Their own sins were the finest offerings to the Divine Lord.

Everything had been proceeding according to plan—yet in just the past few years, these vassals had been captured or killed, decimated in droves.

Now, they had been entirely erased at the root—none remained.

Mr. Tu's heart bled, and a deep dread arose within him.

The Grand Void Gate, and this Fiend God, were likely the greatest stumbling blocks to the Divine Lord's revival plan.

Mr. Tu's gaze sharpened slightly; in the night, his expression looked grotesque and twisted.

"But it doesn't matter…"

"The Foundation Establishment game has few pieces left—I've lost this round."

"If so, then let's play the Jin Dan and above game…"

"To plot great schemes, one must not cling to one's possessions—these resources must be deployed now…"

"The day the Divine Lord awakens is drawing near…"

Mr. Tu's figure slowly vanished into shadow, like a demon ready to devour its prey.

…

Within the Qiandao Sect, the Heavenly Mechanism was slowly decaying.

Within the borders of Qianxue Province, shadows continued to stir.

And the ripples Mo Hua had stirred at the Dao Discourse Assembly had not yet subsided.

Far away, beyond countless li.

Daozhou, Tian Shu Pavilion.

The elderly pavilion elder sat atop the high tower, dozing over a chessboard, half-asleep, half-awake.

He looked like an ordinary old man, worn down by age, constantly drowsy.

A disciple slipped quietly into the room, dared not disturb the elder, but respectfully placed a jade slip on the table, bowed deeply, then vanished without a sound.

The jade slip lay on the table.

All around, silence reigned.

Amidst the swirling incense, the elder still dozed.

After an unknown length of time, the elder slowly opened his eyes, as if waking, glanced sideways, saw the jade slip on the table, and reached for it to take a look.

He glanced at it once—and froze.

"Qianxue Province, first in array theory, Grand Void Gate, Mo Hua, Foundation Establishment mid-stage, spiritual sense nineteen patterns…"

The elder's drowsiness vanished instantly; his spirit sharpened, and he murmured slowly:

"Foundation Establishment mid-stage, nineteen patterns… that's strange…"

"Did he cultivate it himself, or borrow it from some 'thing'?"

"If he cultivated it himself, how? If he borrowed it, from where?"

The elder suddenly became interested.

The Qianxue Dao Discourse is held every three years, each time crowning a "Grand Champion."

Ordinary cultivators might revere this Grand Champion greatly.

But in Daozhou, in Tian Shu Pavilion, especially in the eyes of this elder—who had lived for ages—it was merely "useless."

Though called a genius, such geniuses appeared every cycle.

Their talent was indeed one in ten thousand, yet their selfish desires were no different from ordinary people's.

After seeing too many, it grew dull.

Yet even so, a spiritual sense exceeding three tiers was truly extraordinary.

He, this elder, had never seen such a thing before.

"Let me calculate…"

The elder eagerly extended his hand; his fingers had barely pinched the incantation when he froze, then frowned in displeasure:

"When did the Grand Void Two-Instrument Lock become so generous…"

"Back then, even letting me glance at it, they wouldn't allow…"

The elder felt a pang of envy.

Then his curiosity deepened.

"If they're willing to lend the Two-Instrument Lock, the karmic debt must be immense."

Without probing the depths, merely sensing the Heavenly Mechanism Lock slightly wouldn't alert the Grand Void Gate.

The elder now formed a more formal hand seal, but after calculating for a moment, he froze again—his aged face now etched with astonishment:

"This… how many layers of 'masks' are stacked?"

Why is the Heavenly Mechanism so complex?

And within it, there were even a few strands of karmic threads he recognized.

Some of these karmic threads even made this elder feel wary…

The elder's expression was one of disbelief.

After a moment, he slowly released the half-formed hand seal and ceased calculation, instead staring at the name on the jade slip, his eyes growing brighter.

"Mo Hua…"

"I'll remember that name."

Then he murmured again:

"But if the Array Grand Champion… then this…"

The elder cast his aged gaze back toward the chessboard before him.

Upon the board, a vast array of pieces intertwined, black and white mixed, inseparable.

"…The situation has shifted again."

The elder stared at the board; as he gazed, he suddenly glimpsed three slender great dragons on the board, faintly merging—and his expression stilled. He slowly sat upright, murmuring:

"No way…"

…

Within the Grand Void Gate.

The elders sat in the center; the Grand Void Sect Master said to Mr. Xun: "The Tai'e Sect and Chongxu Sect have both been confirmed to fall from the Eight Great Sects."

"Our earlier concerns were correct: Tai'e's 'sword forging' and Chongxu's 'sword qi' are not pure enough to meet the Twelve Streams' standards, and with the Sida Sect meddling, they have no place among the Twelve Streams."

"Tai'e and Chongxu will likely drop to the Qianxue Hundred Sects…"

The Grand Void Sect Master sighed inwardly, yet felt a touch of relief.

Had Mo Hua not suddenly emerged with his monstrous talent to claim first place in array theory, the Grand Void Gate's position might have been no better.

And it wasn't just that.

The Grand Void Sect Master sighed: "Many noble disciples who joined Tai'e and Chongxu are already preparing to leave their sects."

Mr. Xun frowned, "Tui Sect."

"Yes," said the Grand Void Gate's leader, "the scions of noble families enter the Tai'e and Chongxu Sects precisely because of the prestige of the 'Eight Great Sects.' Now that these two sects have slipped in rank and are about to vanish among the hundred schools of Qian Learning, these distinguished scions will naturally seek higher ground…"

Noble families act this way—cold and mercenary.

Even if these scions themselves do not wish to leave, their parents and elders will force them to leave the sect.

Mr. Xun nodded and asked, "What about the elders? Are none thinking of leaving?"

The Grand Void Gate's leader said, "At the elder level, things are still somewhat stable. After all, they all live off the sect's resources and draw stipends. Some are so tightly bound to the sect's interests that even if they wanted to jump ship, they couldn't."

"But this is only for now. Things may change later."

"At least a large number of guest elders will resign. Some neutral elders are likely already secretly seeking new positions…"

The Grand Void Gate's leader shook his head. "Reforming the sect is like rowing upstream—stand still and you fall back. Once you take this step backward, climbing back up in this raging current will be as hard as scaling heaven."

"Moreover, with a wave of core disciples gone and a wave of elders gone, and without the title of the Eight Great Sects, the quality of new recruits will decline. This is nearly an inescapable dead end. Tai'e and Chongxu Sects may never recover…"

The Grand Void Gate's leader spoke with a tone of sorrow, showing sympathy.

Mr. Xun nodded and said, "Good."

The Grand Void Gate's leader nearly thought he'd misheard. "Good?"

Mr. Xun nodded again. "Very good."

The Grand Void Gate's leader froze.

Weren't the three sects of the same origin, sharing the same breath and spirit?

How could the Ancestor be rejoicing at their misfortune?

Mr. Xun pondered, "I expected them to suffer, but I didn't think it would be this bad. Now, things have become easier…"

"These two sects still have stubborn bones. As long as they had even a breath left, they wouldn't be so easy to deal with."

The Grand Void Gate's leader thought for a moment, then his heart leapt. "Ancestor… you don't mean…"

Mr. Xun shook his head. "Observe the situation first. Don't say anything yet."

The Grand Void Gate's leader could only nod, and couldn't help but admire—the Ancestor was truly the Ancestor. Not only did he think far ahead and plan deeply, his courage was immense, and even his ambition was unimaginable…

Of course, this matter wasn't simple.

Resistance from all sides was immense, and much still needed to be planned.

Mr. Xun frowned in thought for a moment, then noticed the Grand Void Gate's leader was still there. "Is there anything else?"

The Grand Void Gate's leader nodded. "It's about Mo Hua."

"What's wrong with Mo Hua?" Mr. Xun's expression turned serious.

The Grand Void Gate's leader fell silent for a moment, then asked, "Ancestor, do you know how many merit points this child has now?"

Mr. Xun paused. "How many? A few ten thousand?"

"Four hundred eighty-six thousand nine hundred twelve points…"

The Grand Void Gate's leader named an astonishing figure.

Mr. Xun was startled. "How much? Four hundred eighty-six thousand? How could it be so much?"

The Grand Void Gate's leader said bitterly, "Earlier, I promised that if one placed in the Dao Debate Assembly, they'd receive four times the merit points."

"At the time, Grand Void Gate was on the brink of collapse, so I had no choice but to gamble everything. But I never expected Mo Hua to suddenly emerge and shock the world by ranking first…"

"The merit points for the Dao Debate champion were already extraordinarily generous. Now quadrupled, and added to his existing merit, the total became terrifying…"

When he checked the merit points, he nearly thought his eyes had failed him.

Which sect disciple, at only Foundation Establishment mid-stage, could earn four hundred eighty-six thousand merit points?

Four hundred eighty-six thousand…

The Grand Void Gate's leader murmured, "If we calculate by current merit, in another one or two years, before he even graduates, he could directly enter the Inner Sect as an 'Elder.'"

Even Mr. Xun drew a sharp breath.

His mind had been entirely focused on arrays—he'd completely forgotten about merit point balance.

He'd given the child too much, without realizing it.

And he couldn't take it back.

Who ever heard of an Ancestor withholding merit points from his own disciple?

Mr. Xun pondered for a moment, then said slowly, "It's fine. Don't show him the full number."

The Grand Void Gate's leader blinked. "Don't show him?"

The Grand Void Token was in his hands—how could he not show him?

Mr. Xun said, "Don't display the full amount. Hide the higher digits. Only show up to ninety-nine thousand nine hundred ninety-nine."

"Don't deduct the excess, just don't show it. If he asks, say his merit points exceed the sect's display limit, and don't tell him how much more."

"Say a few kind words, praise him a bit. This child, once happy, won't dig any deeper."

"He's always had plenty of merit—he'll never use it all, so he won't obsess over it."

The Grand Void Gate's leader nodded blankly, still uneasy. "Will this… really work?"

"Don't worry," said Mr. Xun.

He knew Mo Hua's nature better than anyone.

Besides, this isn't a bad thing.

He hasn't had his merit points cut—just temporarily hidden, to prevent him from becoming arrogant or complacent because of his excessive accumulation.

The Grand Void Gate's leader nodded.

But inwardly, he felt a strange complexity.

Their Ancestor and their leader, together, deceiving this young disciple—it just didn't feel right…

…

The disciples stood in the center.

Mo Hua also frowned.

He had a faint premonition:

"Someone is plotting against me."

But after careful thought, he sensed no malice, nor any imminent danger, so he dismissed it.

Most importantly, in recent days, his premonitions tied to karma had been triggered repeatedly.

As if many people were secretly scheming against him.

He even felt that an ageless, profoundly inscrutable, karmically terrifying "Old Grandpa" had glanced at him with keen interest.

Of course, this premonition lasted only an instant, then vanished completely.

Afterward, nothing else occurred.

Over time, Mo Hua paid it less and less attention.

But because so many had been spying on him, Mo Hua could not help but grow wary.

Thus, in recent days, he had strictly followed Mr. Xun's instructions, staying within Grand Void Gate, peacefully cultivating and studying arrays, going nowhere.

At this moment, he was writing a letter.

This letter was addressed to Elder Zheng.

Elder Zheng had sent word through Zheng Fang, saying his Yun Du had been delayed and would likely remain in Qianxue Province for several more months.

If Mo Hua had any questions or wished to learn anything about arrays, he could seek him out.

Mo Hua was overjoyed.

But since he could not leave the gate to ask Elder Zheng in person, he could only write a letter, recording his doubts regarding the "Yuan Ci" — or orthodox "Thunder Ci" — array, and seek guidance from Elder Zheng.

Great masters are rare.

A great master willing to teach me is even more precious.

Mo Hua cherished this opportunity deeply.

After finishing the letter, Mo Hua handed it to Zheng Fang, asking him to deliver it to Elder Zheng.

Afterwards, he went to class as usual.

Along the way, every Grand Void Gate disciple who saw Mo Hua was both surprised and delighted; some called him "Little Senior Brother," others "Mo Junior Brother," all greeting him warmly.

Now, throughout Grand Void Gate, from top to bottom, almost no one did not know Mo Hua.

Number One in Arrays, Array Master.

Leaving aside his Foundation Establishment mid-stage and transcendent spiritual sense, merely his title of "Array Master" was unprecedented in Grand Void Gate's history.

——for Grand Void Gate was not renowned for array arts.

Moreover, because Mo Hua was the top array expert, Grand Void Gate rose directly into the top three of the "Eight Great Gates," elevating the status of every Grand Void disciple.

Even boasting outside brought them honor.

Mo Hua now was like a "Lucky Cat"; everyone who saw him smiled broadly.

And it was not just that.

Since Mo Hua's fame surged, even while staying within Grand Void Gate, "visit notes" and "gifts" arrived daily without pause.

These visit notes and gifts came from other sects and clans.

Some wished to visit, some invited gatherings, some sought to build ties, some even proposed marriage, and a few tried to poach him.

Mo Hua declined most of them.

Reciprocity is the way.

There is no such thing as taking benefits without obligation.

Now that he had accepted their gifts, he owed them favors — which he would have to repay someday.

Mo Hua was not greedy, nor foolish.

But despite this, he accepted gifts from a few families.

For example, the Gu family.

He often ate at the Gu family's home and had good relations with many of their elders and disciples, so he owed them face.

The Shangguan family and the Wenren family also sent gifts.

Mo Hua considered it, then politely refused.

Indeed, several days later, Wenren Wan personally came to Grand Void Gate, representing both families' heads, to deliver the gifts.

Only then did Mo Hua accept them.

Wenren Wan also gave Mo Hua many additional gifts, showing him great care.

Afterwards, she silently watched Mo Hua, her beautiful eyes filled with both relief and gratitude.

She had never imagined this child would grant her such a profound blessing.

Now, her position within the Shangguan family was nearly equal to that of Elder Shangguan Wang, of the Liu Yuhua realm.

Wenren Wan felt countless emotions.

Then she gave Mo Hua detailed advice before reluctantly leaving Grand Void Gate.

Mo Hua personally saw Wenren Wan off to the mountain gate.

Mo Hua also accepted a few gifts from other factions, depending on circumstances.

Many sects and clans, even when Mo Hua refused, repeatedly showed goodwill, sending gifts into Grand Void Gate.

Thus, fame and fortune surged in.

Mo Hua could not help but feel somewhat elated.

But after some time, he realized this was not good.

These are not what I truly desire.

Cultivators cultivate the "True," and seek the "Dao."

Do not lose your ordinary heart for the sake of fame and profit; let not this restlessness and comfort corrode your Dao heart.

What I ultimately seek are the mysteries of arrays, the laws of heaven and earth, the truth that pierces through all illusions, and the great Dao of immortality.

Only then can one alter yin and yang, reverse life and death, glimpse the secrets of heaven, control cause and effect, endure countless calamities without dying, and attain the Dao to become an immortal.

Fame and profit are not necessarily good things.

If I become intoxicated by them, I will inevitably grow complacent, and gradually drift farther from the true "Great Dao."

Consider it from another angle: this is also a test.

Not only hardship refines the Dao heart; fame and profit clouding the mind, and the temptations of wealth and luxury, are themselves trials for the Dao heart.

Do not sink under hardship; do not lose yourself to fame and profit.

Do not lose it; do not forget it; uphold your original heart.

Without detachment, one cannot clarify one's aspiration; without stillness, one cannot reach far.

No matter how external things change, whether fortune favors or opposes, I remain myself.

Mo Hua froze, then his expression cleared in sudden understanding.

He felt his previously restless heart slowly settle again.

His Dao heart had shed a layer of superficiality, becoming clearer and more resolute.

"Winning first place in the Array Discussion, being the Array Dao's champion—these are past matters, insignificant. What cultivators seek is a higher Dao!"

Mo Hua nodded, silently thinking to himself.

Then he calmed his mind and resumed, as always, studying arrays and cultivating the Dao.

Mr. Xun saw all of this.

He had originally planned to let Mo Hua indulge for a while before pushing him to study arrays again.

After all, he was young, had won the championship, risen to fame, and been praised by all—he deserved some carefree days.

But he had not expected that, before long, Mo Hua had returned to his usual routine, studying arrays day and night.

His gaze was clear, his demeanor calm, nearly identical to how he always was.

As if he had never attended the Array Discussion, never dominated the Sida Sect, never won the Array Dao championship, never gained such renown.

From beginning to end, he was merely an ordinary sect junior, utterly devoted to arrays, single-mindedly seeking the Dao.

Mr. Xun stood stunned for a long while, his pupils trembling slightly, suddenly recalling the eight characters left by the ancestors of the Grand Void Gate:

"Dao heart Zhou Tiancheng, return to simplicity and truth…"

Mr. Xun silently recited these eight characters, gazing at Mo Hua, utterly focused, like a "child of pure heart," and felt an inexplicable shock surge within him.