Chapter 892

The merger of the three sects is now inevitable, but specific measures, due to their immense scale, still need to be implemented step by step.

The integration between the sects must proceed gradually.

Initially, only the elders would exchange lectures.

Then, disciples would visit each other's sects to foster communication.

Disciples from Tai'o Sect and Chongxu Sect would tour Taixu Sect, exchange insights on the Dao.

Meanwhile, Taixu Sect's disciples could freely visit Tai'o Sect and Chongxu Sect without obstruction.

Mo Hua naturally went along.

Although Mr. Xun had told him to avoid leaving Taixu Sect as much as possible, to avoid drawing too much attention.

But now that the three sects have merged, Tai'o Sect and Chongxu Sect should also be considered part of "Taixu Sect," so strictly speaking, visiting them doesn't count as leaving Taixu Sect.

Moreover, Mo Hua had never actually entered Tai'o Sect or Chongxu Sect before; he'd only passed by occasionally, stealing glances.

He really wanted to see what these two sects looked like inside.

Thus, Mo Hua accompanied Taixu Sect's disciples on a tour of Tai'o and Chongxu Mountains.

He hadn't realized until he went that both Tai'o Sect and Chongxu Sect seemed larger than Taixu Sect.

Especially Tai'o Sect—majestic and vast, its mountains like a green dragon, radiating an extraordinary aura.

Chongxu Sect wasn't as grand, but its towers stood tall, cloud-like eaves rose like peaks, roofs tiled with blue-glazed porcelain, sword qi piercing the mist, its aura magnificent.

Alongside the ancient, time-worn Taixu Sect.

The three sects shared a common lineage, yet each had its own brilliance.

Mo Hua couldn't help but be stunned.

Even, he couldn't help wondering: even split into three sects, each had built such a foundation and still ranked among the Eight Great Sects.

What must the ancient sect before the split have been like?

It must have been a colossal force, dominating one region, enough to make the Dao Court wary…

Mo Hua thought with longing.

Thus, as he wandered the mountain gates, he pondered inwardly.

During this time, Mo Hua encountered Linghu Xiao and Ouyang Mu.

Both were not opposed to the three-sect merger.

Because of Mo Hua, Linghu Xiao and the others had grown very close to Taixu Sect's disciples—even closer than to their own sect's members.

Moreover, Mo Hua, Taixu Sect's "Little Senior Brother," had saved their lives in the Ten Thousand Demons Valley; the three shared a bond forged in life and death.

And once the sects merged, they could openly follow Mo Hua without restraint.

Mo Hua was naturally delighted.

The five greeted each other and chatted for a long while.

After chatting, Mo Hua took another stroll; as he was about to leave Tai'o Sect and return to Taixu Mountain, he encountered Ouyang Feng.

The two naturally chatted a while longer.

After a while, having learned some circumstances from Ouyang Feng, Mo Hua exclaimed in surprise:

"Senior Brother Feng, you're leaving the mountain to travel?"

Ouyang Feng nodded, somewhat ashamed: "At the Sword Debate, I failed to preserve Tai'o Sect's rank among the Eight Great Sects—I've let down my seniors' expectations."

Mo Hua shook his head: "Senior Brother Feng, how could this be your fault?"

A fence needs three stakes; a hero needs three helpers.

The Sword Debate isn't like the Array Debate—it's not something one person can turn around single-handedly.

During the Yanzhi Boat incident, Tai'o Sect lost nearly all its elite disciples, then faced encirclement by the Sida Sect—under such dire circumstances, even if Senior Brother Feng had sacrificed his life, it would've made no difference.

Anyone else in his place would've faced the same helplessness.

Besides, Senior Brother Feng's path was never one of extreme offensive prowess.

He possesses deep cultivation, is steady and reliable, and has comprehensive abilities.

He can attack or defend, advance or retreat, assist in restraining enemies or cover retreats, lead the vanguard or guard the rear.

Though none of his skills stand out as top-tier, he is a "jack-of-all-trades" teammate—capable of handling any situation, filling any gap.

Precisely because of this, he relies even more on suitable teammates.

He needs the right team composition and a custom-tailored battle strategy to fully unleash his strengths.

Unfortunately, Tai'o Sect lost all its elite disciples and no longer had the conditions.

The outcome was obvious: during the Sword Debate, Senior Brother Feng had to handle both offense and defense alone, stretched too thin, and ultimately excelled at nothing.

Mo Hua felt deeply regretful.

If Senior Brother Feng had teamed up with me—no, if he'd teamed up with me in the Sword Debate—

I could've used my arrays to elevate all his abilities by a full tier, and with a few supporting teammates, he'd become a "hexagonal" warrior, absolutely capable of challenging the top prodigies of the Sida Sect.

But… it's a pity…

The three-sect merger came too late.

And Senior Brother Feng is one year ahead of me—he couldn't even be placed on the same team.

Mo Hua felt profound regret.

"Senior Brother Feng, are you leaving the mountain now?"

Ouyang Feng shook his head: "Not yet—I still have some matters to settle, but…"

He glanced at Mo Hua again, sincerely praising:

"I never imagined you could overpower the Sida Sect and claim the Array Dao championship. I always thought I understood just how exceptional you were—but I never expected you to be even more astonishing than I imagined…"

Mo Hua, flustered by the praise, waved his hands repeatedly, humbly saying:

"Just lucky, nothing special."

Ouyang Feng chuckled.

He pondered for a moment, let out a long sigh, and remarked, "Indeed, beyond the sky lies higher sky, beyond people stand greater people; confined to the narrow corner of Qian Studies, one's vision and insight remain too limited."

"I really ought to go out and train, to see this vast world."

"Mm-hmm!" Mo Hua nodded.

When he traveled with his master, he had learned much.

Cultivate a hundred years of Dao, read ten thousand scrolls, walk ten thousand miles.

Sometimes, if you don't step out, don't open your eyes, don't see this vast world, your horizons will inevitably remain narrow, and you'll fail to truly understand the Dao.

He also wanted to travel more, see more, when he had time.

But…

Mo Hua asked, "Senior Brother Feng, won't you wait until you've formed a Jin Dan before leaving?"

"Waiting until you form a Jin Dan to travel is already too late," Ouyang Feng said. "Whether from a noble family or a sect, once you form a Jin Dan, you're considered a 'pillar of the middle,' and must take up duties at home or in the sect—overseeing affairs or guarding a region—leaving little free time."

"Moreover, after Foundation Establishment, traveling as a late-stage Foundation cultivator is nearly the same as traveling as a Jin Dan—both can only wander within second-grade prefectures."

"Jumping straight to a third-grade prefecture right after forming a Jin Dan—especially in prefectures under lax Dao Court control, where lawlessness is rampant and heretical and criminal cultivators abound—is far more dangerous."

"Besides, forming a Jin Dan isn't easy; most cultivators fail many times before succeeding."

"And if you want to form a high-quality Jin Dan, you mustn't rush—it requires thorough preparation and solid groundwork…"

"Like how you established your Dao foundation during Qi Condensation?" Mo Hua asked.

Ouyang Feng shook his head. "Harder than Qi Condensation—this is forming a Jin Dan. Even in great noble families and major sects, forming a Jin Dan is a watershed, a major threshold in the Dao path."

"Advance, and the sea and sky open wide; retreat, and you may be trapped in stagnation for life…"

"Oh…" Mo Hua nodded solemnly.

Ouyang Feng looked at Mo Hua with concern and said, "Mo younger brother, I have a few words—might sound a bit Tang Tu…"

Mo Hua nodded. "Senior Brother, speak."

Ouyang Feng spoke sincerely: "Mo younger brother, you must pay more attention to your cultivation. Your spiritual power foundation is still very important."

"Your techniques keep coming at me—I'm amazed even watching—but your spiritual power is too weak; it remains a serious flaw."

"The further you go, the more this matters."

"Take the Sword Discussion Assembly, for example—you'll face multiple grueling battles, draining immense spiritual power. If your spiritual power is weak, you'll be depleted after just one or two fights."

"In cultivator duels, when battles drag on to the end, it's rarely about whose Dao art is superior—it's purely about who has deeper spiritual power. Whoever's spiritual power lasts longer wins; no matter how strong your Dao art, if you run out before your opponent, you lose."

Ouyang Feng understood this well.

At this Sword Discussion Assembly, Tai'e Sect was outnumbered; many of his matches were lost because he was literally drained of spiritual power.

"Also, have you decided on your Life-Root Artifact?" Ouyang Feng asked again.

Mo Hua shook his head. "I haven't got any clear ideas yet."

Choosing a Life-Root Artifact was a thorny problem.

He had no inheritance, no top-grade spiritual weapons, and hadn't had time to nurture one since childhood.

Even his cultivation method was unique, his Dao system unorthodox—some techniques he'd learned by going astray himself, with no precedents to follow.

Thus, the existing Life-Root Artifact lineages of Grand Void Gate mostly didn't suit his cultivation and abilities.

Mo Hua had pondered this issue in his spare time, but after much thought, found no good solution.

Moreover, he still had much to learn—swordplay, arrays, movement techniques—and his free time was scarce, so the Life-Root Artifact matter had to be put on hold for now.

Ouyang Feng said seriously: "Half a Jin Dan cultivator's power relies on their Life-Root Artifact. Crafting a Life-Root Artifact that's intimately fused with your life and flesh is nearly as important as forming a top-tier Jin Dan."

"You must start planning early…"

Ouyang Feng then chuckled. "I may have spoken out of turn—please don't take offense, younger brother."

Mo Hua shook his head. "Not at all—thank you, Senior Brother Feng."

These words had indeed reminded him.

Some things needed to be prioritized, at least started early.

Prepare, and you succeed; neglect, and you fail.

Don't wait until you're about to form a Jin Dan and still haven't decided on your Life-Root Artifact.

The two chatted a while longer, then Ouyang Feng took his leave. Before departing, he requested of Mo Hua:

"Xiao Muto is my only younger brother. He's quiet, resilient but lacking in adaptability. I beg you, Mo younger brother, to look after him in the future."

Mo Hua replied confidently: "If Xiao Muto follows me, Senior Brother Feng, rest easy!"

Ouyang Feng couldn't help smiling, then grew solemn, bowed to Mo Hua, and said:

"Your journey lies long and winding, years unknown—Mo younger brother, may we meet again on the Jianghu."

Mo Hua, reluctant to part, bowed back. "Senior Brother Feng, may we meet again on the Jianghu!"

The two parted.

For the next several years, Mo Hua never saw Senior Brother Ouyang Feng again within Grand Void Gate.

Senior Brother Feng must have set out alone on his wandering path, traveling the four corners of the world.

Mo Hua felt a pang of loss, and silently wished him safe travels…

…

After some time, through successive disciple exchanges, elder teachings, three-clan coordination, merit sharing, and other routine measures, the three-sect merger plan gradually took shape.

The Dao Court's bureaucratic process had finally reached its final stage.

Once the central Tianquan Pavilion of the Dao Court gave its final seal of approval, the matter would be settled.

At that time, there would be no more separate Tai'e, Chongxu, and Grand Void Sects—only one unified great sect: Sanshan Lineage, the Grand Void Sect.

Inside the Tianquan Pavilion.

Several chief clerks were chatting inside the pavilion.

Before them lay vast scrolls and piles of jade slips.

These contained the Juan Sect records of nearly all cultivation factions within the Nine States that had reached a certain scale, possessed significant influence, received official recognition from the Dao Court, and had their grade confirmed.

All matters concerning these factions—grade confirmation, demotion, promotion, naming, renaming, removal—were decided by discussion among the Tianquan Pavilion cultivators.

Thus, the Tianquan Pavilion cultivators held immense power, yet their duties were equally overwhelming.

At this moment, several chief clerks of the Tianquan Pavilion were discussing the "Three Sects Merging" of the Grand Void Gate.

Seated at the center of the pavilion was an "elder."

This elder had a blank face, rigid expression, and skin like decaying wood—he resembled a living puppet, mechanically stamping each scroll.

The chief clerks below paid him no attention, chatting among themselves.

……

"In Qianxue State, the Tai'e, Chongxu, and Grand Void Gates are merging under the name 'Grand Void Gate' into a single sect…"

"This matter has dragged on too long—the Pavilion Elder ordered it completed today."

"But it's all just cleanup work; the higher-ups already approved it. We don't need to decide anything."

"We're only chief clerks—we have no authority to make decisions…"

"You'd need to reach the rank of Supervisor."

"Don't even dream about it. Honestly, most cultivators are lucky to make it to chief clerk. Supervisor? Forget it. Even if you survive long enough, without the ability, you won't hold the position."

"Our Tianquan Pavilion Supervisor is fine—unlike the Tianshu Pavilion, which handles arrays and celestial mechanisms. Without real talent, they'd give you the Supervisor seat, but you wouldn't dare sit in it—you'd suffer terrible misfortune."

"The Tianquan Pavilion isn't simple either…"

"Enough. Focus on the work."

The pavilion fell silent.

But the work was dull, and after a while, someone spoke again:

"Grand Void Gate… come to think of it, these days, are there still sects willing to reunite after splitting? What's the point?"

"They couldn't survive anymore…"

"I heard Qianxue State is undergoing reforms—constant changes, fierce sect competition. They're probably about to fall out of the Eight Great Sects, so they're merging just to survive."

"No wonder…"

"Why change anything? Now we've got all this extra work."

"Men die for wealth, birds for food—sects are the same. The politics here, we outsiders can't understand."

"That's true…"

"But if the three sects are merging, why use only 'Grand Void Gate' as the name?"

"It's simple—Grand Void Gate is now the strongest and highest-ranked. Haven't you heard? They've produced an array prodigy…"

"Prodigy?"

"You haven't heard?"

One chief clerk shook his head. "I've been working overtime on the southern wastelands' war—haven't heard anything."

Someone else asked: "What prodigy?"

"You're out of touch," the first chief clerk said. "At the Array Contest in Qianxue State, a Grand Void Gate disciple—Foundation Establishment mid-stage—drew a Nineteen-Stripe peak array and won the Array Champion title."

"This news even reached Daozhou…"

"Foundation Establishment mid-stage? A Nineteen-Stripe array? Impossible."

"No way…"

"Spiritual sense can't be cultivated. Even if you're born with it, you can't exceed by so much—there must be trickery. I don't believe it."

"Even Daozhou, the heart of the Nine States, rich in talent and spirit, has no such genius…"

"They're blowing it way out of proportion."

"Qianxue State is so ignorant they don't even know what it means for spiritual sense to surpass the third tier—yet they believe this nonsense?"

"Are the Qianxue sects trying to hype up a genius by exaggerating too much?"

"True—I don't believe it either."

Several chief clerks shook their heads.

Someone added: "But the chief examiner of the Array Contest came from the Tianshu Pavilion in Daozhou. You can doubt the Qianxue sects, but you can't question the Tianshu Pavilion."

"That's true…"

"Mistaken?"

"What are you thinking? A fourth-rank Array Master? Could they make a mistake? Their expertise in arrays probably exceeds the number of scrolls we've reviewed…"

"Then… could such a genius truly exist?"

"Hard to say…"

"By the way," one chief clerk asked, "what's this prodigy's name?"

One chief clerk hesitated: "I think… his surname is Mo… Mo Hua."

As soon as he spoke, the chief clerk suddenly shuddered, his face turning pale.

The others, about to ask more, were startled by his expression. "What's wrong?"

"Why are you so pale?"

The chief clerk, still shaken, pointed upward. "I felt… just now, that puppet… looked at me."

Everyone turned to look—the "elder" at the center, face blank, still mechanically stamping scroll after scroll.

"What are you talking about? It's a puppet—not a person…"

A senior official said: "Speak carefully—any puppet must be respectfully addressed as 'Puppet Lord' according to the rules of Tianquan Pavilion…"

"There's no one else here—why be so formal?"

"Fine, fine, even if you call it Puppet Lord, it's still just a puppet."

"No, I really felt just now—that puppet… Puppet Lord—seemed to have looked at me…"

"Don't talk nonsense—why would Puppet Lord look at you for no reason?"

"This, I…"

"Enough, enough," said an elderly senior official, "no more idle chatter—get on with the work. Finish handling the merger of the three sects across Qianxue Province."

"The war in the Southern Wastes is intensifying; sects are moving frequently. In a few days, more matters may arise—there's no time for leisure."

"Yes…"

"Senior Xia speaks truly."

"Finish these trivial matters quickly…"

Thus, all fell silent and hurried to process the documents; only when dusk fell were they completed.

The elderly Senior Xia respectfully handed the Juan Sect documents on the merger of the Three Grand Void Gates to the puppet elder seated at the head.

The elder stamped them all equally.

Yet no one noticed his lips twitch slightly, emitting a faint "click-clack" sound—like the sound of cracking pine nuts.

…

After Tianquan Pavilion affixed its seal and ratified the decision.

The merger of the three sects was finally settled.

At Grand Void Gate, the grounds were packed with people.

Disciples from Tai'e Mountain and Chongxu Mountain—now to be called Tai'e Mountain and Chongxu Mountain—gathered on Grand Void Mountain's grand ceremonial ground for the first founding assembly after the merger.

Since the merged sect would be led by Grand Void Gate, such grand assemblies were always held on Grand Void Mountain.

This assembly was extremely solemn.

Disciples of Tai'e Mountain wore golden-yellow Dao robes; disciples of Chongxu Mountain wore blue-green Dao robes; disciples of Grand Void Mountain wore black-and-white Dao robes—all gathered together, dense as a sea of shadows, radiating the aura of a great sect.

Thereafter, the three sect leaders each delivered their customary speeches, urging disciples to unite as one and diligently cultivate.

When the founding ceremony ended, the new, grand Grand Void Gate—encompassing the Three Mountains and welcoming over ten thousand disciples—was officially born.

The next day was the Array Technique class.

Master Xun gathered all Foundation Establishment mid-stage disciples from the Three Mountains on Grand Void Mountain's ceremonial ground.

"From now on, I will teach you all Array Technique."

Master Xun's voice was aged: "But my duties are heavy, so on ordinary days, the Array Technique of disciples from Tai'e, Chongxu, and Grand Void Mountains will be taught by Mo Hua."

"Mo Hua, come forward," Master Xun gestured.

Mo Hua nodded and walked to the center of the ceremonial ground.

Master Xun addressed the disciples below:

"This is Mo Hua. From now on, he is your 'Junior Senior Brother' in Array Technique, representing me in teaching you."

"Come, pay your respects to your Junior Senior Brother…"

All disciples from Tai'e Mountain and Chongxu Mountain froze for a moment.

Most of them did not know Mo Hua personally, but they had certainly heard of his name.

Many disciples had even witnessed Mo Hua's astonishing brilliance at the Array Debate Assembly—crushing all opponents with overwhelming dominance to claim the top rank in Array Art.

Though Mo Hua looked young and did not seem like a "Senior Brother," no one dared question it.

Moreover, this was Master Xun's instruction.

Thus, across the vast ceremonial ground, thousands of disciples from the three sects bowed in unison, chanting:

"Greetings, Junior Senior Brother!"

"Greetings, Junior Senior Brother…"

The chorus of "Junior Senior Brother" swelled into one vast tide—like countless rivers merging into an ocean—thundering through Lin Yue, rising into the clouds, echoing for a long time among the ancient peaks of Grand Void Mountain.

Thus, Mo Hua became the shared "Junior Senior Brother" of all disciples across the merged Three Mountains.