Chapter 993: Yi Mu Hui Chun

Inside the high pavilion, the atmosphere was suffocating, as if even the void had solidified.

The hazy smoke hung motionless in midair.

The Celestial Instrument, symbolizing the Three Talents, had ceased its rotation.

The flow of time itself seemed to slow.

Only in the Elder's eyes did terrifying cosmic patterns and perilous karmic threads churn like colossal waves at the bottom of an abyss.

After an unknown length of time, the atmosphere slightly eased.

The void resumed its flow.

The smoke once again drifted in mist, and the Celestial Instrument resumed its turning.

Everything returned to normal.

The Elder still looked weary and dazed, as if he might suddenly doze off at any moment.

Yet the ripples stirred by the cosmic patterns in his heart had not yet calmed.

"Rebirth…"

"That person's… rebirth?"

The Elder found it unbelievable.

Karmic threads long dead had begun to slowly regenerate.

The already bewildering cosmic chessboard had, without notice, spawned a terrifying variable.

"The Yin-Yang Rebirth Array reverses yin and yang, transforms death into life, overturns natural order, disregards Daoic principles…"

"This array is not to be learned…"

"People these days have such boldness—daring to think anything, daring to do anything… Is it ignorance that breeds fearlessness, or do they truly possess… divine and demonic capacity?"

"Why must it be… this array…"

The Elder fell silent for a long while, then sighed.

He, as Elder, knew better than anyone how terrifying those four characters—"Yin-Yang Rebirth"—truly were.

Once unleashed, the karmic ripples would be so vast that even those ancient ones slumbering in deep dormancy might "rise from their graves."

If the storm grew too great, even his position as Elder might be lost.

The Elder fell silent for a moment.

Change the bait, or change the fish?

Use this "bait" to lure the great fish.

Or swap for another "fish" to revitalize the situation?

Even a fool would know how to choose.

This "bait" is a cosmic array, infused with the cosmic patterns of yin-yang and rebirth, even tied to the Elder's position.

Not one fish, not a hundred, not a thousand—none are worthy to swallow this "bait."

Not even the Golden Dragon Fish.

"This fish cannot be caught—swap for another."

After pondering, the Elder moved to retrieve the Yin-Yang Rebirth Array, but his thoughts flickered—and he froze.

The Elder mused inwardly:

"Even a fool would know how to choose…"

Am I, a mighty Elder, to do what even a fool would do?

The Elder's gaze sharpened, and he sank into deep silence.

Those who seek the Dao perceive cosmic patterns—they must use things without being used by them.

Exhaust the principles of all things, yet remain unbound by them.

Do not confine yourself within the frameworks of worldly fame and gain; preserve a "childlike heart," treat all things equally, so your mind may reflect the true form of cosmic patterns and karma.

The Elder followed this line of thought…

"At this moment, the cosmic patterns place this choice before me—not merely to choose, but also to… give me an insight?"

"What is this insight…?"

The Elder sat before the chessboard, silent and motionless as a clay statue.

All cosmic patterns and karmic threads flowed endlessly within his heart.

The choice of fate continued to sway.

Time slipped away slowly.

The incense burned down gradually.

The moon set, the sun rose; the east turned pale, then dimmed, until the sun sank beyond Luoshan, the evening glow painted the horizon, and night approached.

The Elder sat motionless upon his cushion, pondering for a full day and night, before finally making his decision.

This decision filled even him with dread.

Yet it also brought him peace.

All things in the world bring neither loss nor gain—they are all revelations of cosmic patterns and karma.

With this thought, heaven and earth suddenly widened.

A flash of brilliance lit the Elder's eyes; he drew forth the "Yin-Yang Rebirth Array," woven from Jin Se karma, from the void, tapped a finger, and his spiritual force pierced through reality and illusion, forming dense, intricate patterns upon the array's jade slip—overlaying another layer of "array markings."

Finally, he personally inscribed five additional characters upon the jade slip:

Yi Mu Hui Chun Array.

Having completed this, the Elder summoned the page: "Bring the Supervisor here."

The page bowed and departed.

Before long, the Supervisor arrived—hair half-white, face fair as a jade crown—and cupped his fist. "Elder, you called for me?"

The Elder beckoned. "Come, play a game of chess with me."

The Supervisor hesitated.

The situation in Qianxue State was very complicated.

By order of the Dao Court, he as Supervisor also had many matters to prepare, and his time was tight—there was no leisure to accompany the Elder in chess.

Besides, the Elder was a notorious "bad chess player"…

But he didn't dare refuse.

"Yes."

The Supervisor cupped his fist, sat down respectfully opposite, and began to play chess with the Elder.

Sure enough, within moments the Elder's pieces were slaughtered into total disarray, a shambles on the board.

And that was only because the Supervisor had held back.

The Elder, quite displeased, said: "Your chess isn't any good."

The Supervisor sighed inwardly.

It was common knowledge that in Tianshu Pavilion, the hardest thing was playing chess with the Elder.

It wasn't that the chess itself was hard—it was that guessing his thoughts was hard.

No one knew what on earth the Elder was playing. His own skill was obviously terrible, yet he always said others played poorly.

If you played seriously against the Elder and slaughtered his pieces into a shambles, he'd say your chess was no good.

If you played half-heartedly and drew with him, he'd say your attitude wasn't proper.

If you deliberately threw the game and let the Elder win, the Elder would say your character was crooked, that you were flattering your superior, and he'd curse you up one side and down the other.

He was truly very difficult to please.

"I wonder what sort of person could ever truly play chess with the Elder…"

The Supervisor grumbled inwardly, but didn't dare slacken, and still did his best against the Elder.

After a while, the Elder suddenly said:

"Do you know about the matter of Young Master Ge?"

The words came out of nowhere, and the Supervisor's finger, which was pinching a chess piece, trembled.

The piece dropped onto the board, landing on a "dead eye."

The Supervisor wanted to reach out and pick it up, but then recalled "no regrets once a piece is placed," and after a moment's hesitation, slowly withdrew his hand.

The Elder seemed not to have noticed his movement, still staring at the board, considering where to play.

The Supervisor said softly, "Just some children… playing around, that's all…"

The Elder neither agreed nor disagreed, only saying: "The character 'ge' cannot be used lightly."

"Yes…" the Supervisor said slowly, "children don't know what's weighty and what's not…"

The Elder said no more, focusing on the chess.

The Supervisor's heart was uneasy.

The two continued their game, black and white stones falling one after another.

On the board the Elder was still at a disadvantage, blunder after blunder, his stones being captured one by one.

Partway through, the Elder suddenly said: "Do you want my position as Elder?"

That sentence struck like a bolt from a clear sky.

The Supervisor dropped his chess piece and fell to his knees in panic. "Master, this student…"

The Elder waved his hand. "Just idle talk, why so nervous?"

The Supervisor knelt without daring to move.

The Elder's clouded gaze swept over him—eyes holding both appreciation and a trace of disappointment—and he slowly sighed:

"Even if you don't want the position of Elder, sooner or later I will have to give it to you…"

The Supervisor's voice was bitter. "Master, you speak too gravely, I…"

The Elder waved his hand.

The Supervisor could say no more.

The Elder looked at him and said meaningfully:

"You must think it through—what is it that you truly want. Once you've thought it through, pursue it with resolve."

"Seeking the Dao, seeking immortality, seeking fame, seeking power, seeking the position of Elder—any of them is fine. But you must think it through clearly…"

"Don't drift in a daze, being swept along, taking step after step forward without knowing why."

The Supervisor said sincerely: "This disciple understands."

The Elder sighed inwardly and shook his head with a touch of disappointment.

"The matters of Qianxue State—are they all prepared?" the Elder asked again.

"Yes…"

The Elder took out a jade slip and handed it to him. "On my behalf, add this formation into the reward for first place in the Sword Debate, as a grace from Tianshu Pavilion of the Dao Court."

The Supervisor rose respectfully, took the jade slip with both hands, and with a sidelong glance saw the words "Yi Wood Spring-Returning Formation" upon it. He asked:

"Master…"

"This is within the Pavilion," the Elder said.

The Supervisor paused, then said: "Elder, forgive this student's dullness—I don't know what deeper meaning this formation holds?"

The Elder's expression turned to one of compassion:

"In the Sword Debate, the hearts of contention and killing grow too heavy. We must make the disciples understand that the ultimate purpose of the Sword Debate is to use the sword to save people—not to bully others with power, let alone to kill."

The Supervisor bowed his hands, "Master's virtue is benevolent and kind."

The Grand Elder had already begun gathering the chessboard, muttering low, "Playing chess with you is truly boring…" He collected the game, lost within fewer than ten moves, then waved his hand. "Go now."

The Supervisor, helplessly, carefully put away the "Yi Mu Hui Chun Array," bowed deeply, and said, "Your student takes his leave."

The Grand Elder ignored him and began dozing off again.

This nap, the Grand Elder slept with perfect peace.

It was as if he were no longer a high-ranking, powerful Grand Elder, but merely an ordinary old man who loved chess and naps.

The Supervisor withdrew with utmost respect, left the tall pavilion, returned to his quarters, and stroked the ancient jade scroll of the array, frowning.

"Rather than teaching the disciples in the Sword Debate, the Grand Elder is… guiding me?"

"Holding goodwill, a withered tree revives; saving others is saving oneself?"

"Could it really be this simple?"

The Supervisor's gaze darkened slightly; his mind stirred with several thoughts, tempted to open the jade slip.

But remembering the Grand Elder's deep, ocean-like gaze and his earlier rebuke, he instantly crushed that petty desire.

The Grand Elder not speaking does not mean he does not know.

Do not even think of deceiving him.

Otherwise, it is covering one's ears while stealing a bell—only a fool would do such a thing.

The Supervisor placed the jade slip inscribed with "Yi Mu Hui Chun Array" into a jade casket, wrote an order, stamped it with his seal, then summoned a trusted subordinate and instructed:

"Send my seal, in the name of Tian Shu Pavilion, deliver this jade casket to Qianxue Province as an additional reward for the champion of the Qianxue Sword Debate."

"Yes."

The subordinate respectfully accepted the jade casket and withdrew, following Tian Shu Pavilion's protocols with strict discipline.

Thus, this seemingly luxurious yet ordinary jade casket, carried by Tian Shu Pavilion's decree, reached Qianxue Province.

It bore Tian Shu Pavilion's order.

It bore the Supervisor's seal.

It bore a sealed jade casket.

Everything seemed normal.

But no one knew what truly lay inside this jade casket—something so chaotic to the Dao, so inverted to yin and yang…

…

"Yi Mu Hui Chun Array?"

"What is that?"

Within Grand Void Gate, in the dining hall, Cheng Mo and the other disciples received the news, but all were puzzled.

"Fool, it's called Yi Mu Hui Chun Array—it's obviously an array."

"Of course I know it's an array! I mean, what kind of array is it, worthy of the Dao Court's special reward?"

"Sounds like an ordinary array."

"What rank is it?"

"No one said—only the array's name."

"Speaking of Yi Mu Hui Chun Array, my family seems to have one hidden away…"

"Don't even think it. Yours isn't the same. What your family has is surely no good thing."

"Arrays can share names. The Dao Court's Yi Mu Hui Chun Array is certainly not on the same level as yours."

"Exactly—if it were common trash, why would they give it as a reward? Wouldn't that be embarrassing?"

"Why give such an array? Why not a sword array, a killing array, or the Three Talents Array?"

"Didn't they say? To keep you from developing thoughts of violence and competition. Besides, even if the Dao Court dared give you the Three Talents Array, would you dare learn it?"

"That's true…"

"Still, I find it strange…"

The disciples debated among themselves.

As they talked, Cheng Mo turned to Mo Hua and asked, "Little Master, you're skilled in arrays—do you know what this one is?"

Mo Hua frowned and shook his head. "Yi Mu Hui Chun Array sounds like a healing array… but arrays are vast and profound, and many share names. Without seeing the actual array diagram, I can't be certain."

"Oh…" Cheng Mo nodded.

The others chatted a while longer, then lost interest.

Among the Sword Debate rewards, arrays held the least appeal for them.

Techniques, Dao arts, divine treasures, pills—these were far more practical.

Besides, only the Sword Debate champion would receive this reward—something impossibly distant for them.

They might chat about it briefly when excited, but once the excitement faded, they forgot.

Yet Mo Hua still pondered the array in his mind.

He felt something was odd.

"Yi Mu Hui Chun Array…"

Yi Mu belongs to the Five Elements; Hui Chun describes the array's function.

By array principles, it should be a healing array.

Healing arrays… so far, Mo Hua had barely studied such arrays.

Killing arrays, binding arrays, sword arrays, production arrays—he had dabbled in all, but healing arrays, he had almost never touched.

Healing arrays were rare; their transmitted patterns were few.

But this wasn't because they were hard—they were simply "discarded."

What eliminated the healing array was not the array itself, but alchemy.

With the development of Daoist industry and the maturation of alchemical skills, most injuries and ailments among cultivators could now be treated directly by preparing spirit herbs and refining medicinal pills.

Ordinary cultivators also preferred using pills for healing—not only cheap, but simple and swift.

When injured, just swallow a pill—why bother setting up an array?

Thus, situations requiring an array for healing had become exceedingly rare.

Healing arrays once had a dedicated name: "Yi Medical Array."

Mo Hua had seen this while reading histories of array arts.

But as the arrays fell out of use, the name "Yi Medical Array" naturally faded from mention.

What puzzled Mo Hua was precisely this.

After all, this was the reward for winning the Sword Debate's top honor—why would it choose such a obscure, obscure, and already "obsolete" category of array?

This doubt had long lingered in Mo Hua's heart.

The four characters "Yi Wood Revival" seemed to possess a kind of magic, continuously tugging at Mo Hua's heartstrings.

At night, Mo Hua sat at his disciple quarters' desk, studied array texts for a while, then involuntarily thought of this again.

"Yi Wood Revival Array… there must be something strange hidden within it…"

"What could it be?"

After much deliberation, Mo Hua could not figure it out, yet could not let go—he finally decided to perform a divination.

This was something from the Tian Shu Pavilion of the Dao Court; he dared not dig too deeply, so he took out copper coins, intending only to "brush the edge" of the karmic thread.

The karmic copper coins pulsed with shifting energy.

Mo Hua silently murmured "Yi Wood Revival Array," and in an instant, his heart clenched sharply.

Before his eyes, faint and hazy, a slender, refined, immortal-like figure appeared.

This figure stood proudly between heaven and earth, sharp as a sword, radiating an arrogant, unconquerable spirit.

When he turned around, all his sharpness vanished; his expression softened, his eyes held a faint smile, gazing at Mo Hua with reluctant affection.

Mo Hua could hardly believe it, momentarily stunned.

"Master…"

A memory veiled in pale yellow light rewound from the karmic thread.

Mo Hua seemed to see every moment of the past in Xiancheng.

He saw his master smiling warmly at him.

He saw himself waiting outside the bamboo hut, waiting for his master to rest before asking about arrays.

He saw himself and his junior brother and sister doing their cultivation under the big locust tree, while their master sat inside the bamboo hut, watching them from afar…

He also saw the hardships of wandering—sleeping under the open sky, eating wind and dew, the people and events along the way.

He saw the moment he parted from his master in the Wuxing Sect, when the demonic sword hung suspended and blood banners darkened the sky—their final meeting, and those earnest, reluctant parting words…

A bitter ache spread through his heart.

Mo Hua's eyes grew damp.

A single tear fell from his cheek.

After a long while, Mo Hua slowly came back to himself, his gaze gradually brightening.

"Yi Wood Revival Array… it is tied to my master's karmic thread…"

"Can this array save my master?"

Mo Hua's expression grew steadily resolute.

If so…

Then this array must be obtained at all costs.

All obstacles before him shall be crushed flat.

All enemies—even the most elite prodigies within the Sida Sects of Qianxue Province—shall be cut down!

In Mo Hua's eyes, brilliant pure-gold swordlight flashed, radiating terrifying sharpness.

"This array shall be mine!"

…

At this moment, thousands of miles away, in Daozhou.

Tian Shu Pavilion.

The Pavilion Elder, dozing off, suddenly jolted awake, opened his eyes, and saw a black go stone before him glowing with purest Jin Guang, interwoven with the faint sound of a dragon's roar—he felt a faint sense of relief.

"Finally… caught it…"

The Elder murmured, then sighed.

"Seems it's still… a great dragon…"

The Elder stared at the black go stone, watching the Jin Guang upon it, the dragon shape within.

As he stared, his expression subtly changed.

Within the black stone, it appeared to be a dragon—but there was also a vague, ferocious, savage aura trapping the dragon inside.

"No… this isn't a dragon?"

The Elder froze, his gaze deepening, radiating a chilling aura.

(End of Chapter)