Chapter 994: Team

Inside the Tian Shu Pavilion, the Pavilion Elder stared at the black stone labeled "Devour Dragon," lost in deep thought for a long while.

Meanwhile, within the Grand Void Gate, Mo Hua had officially begun planning his Sword Discourse Assembly.

If you prepare in advance, you succeed; if not, you fail.

This was a principle his father, Mo Shan, had taught him since childhood, as a Hunter of Demons.

The grander and more arduous the goal, the more thorough the preparation must be.

Mo Hua sat in the disciples' quarters, pondering deeply for a long time; the next day, he went to Elder Murong's cave residence in Grand Void City and met Murong Caiyun.

Murong Caiyun was his senior, one class ahead, and had already graduated.

Unlike Ouyang Feng, after leaving the Grand Void Gate, Murong Caiyun did not choose to travel the world, but returned to the Murong family to enter seclusion, preparing to attempt forming a Jin Dan.

"First, try once—if you succeed, you become a Jin Dan cultivator, able to stand alone and take over the Murong family's enterprises."

"Or enter the Inner Sect, start as an instructor, then gradually rise to Elder."

"If you fail, then travel the world, calm your heart, and seek another opportunity to form a Jin Dan."

"At the threshold of Jin Dan, breakthrough depends not only on foundation but also on fortune."

"If fortune favors you, you may form a Jin Dan on the first try."

"If fortune deserts you, you may need three, five, even ten attempts—repeated failure, repeated trials—yet this will waste years of hardship…"

In the Murong family courtyard, Murong Caiyun, dressed in a colorful robe, elegant and radiant, personally brewed tea for Mo Hua, poured it for him, and spoke of her plans to form a Jin Dan.

Mo Hua lifted the teacup and sipped.

The tea was tea—its aroma rich and dignified, yet also fresh and delicate, smooth on the tongue, soothing to the spirit.

No wonder it was tea brewed by Sister Murong.

The tea is like the person.

Mo Hua silently praised her in his heart, then asked: "Sister Murong, can you form a Jin Dan on your first try?"

Murong Caiyun smiled gently: "How simple would that be? But if not on the first try, then the second—merely more attempts, nothing more…"

"A cultivator's life is destined to pursue the Dao. The Dao has no end; maintain a calm heart, keep moving forward—success brings no arrogance, failure brings no discouragement."

Mo Hua nodded repeatedly, feeling Sister Murong was right.

Still, he wished: "May Sister Murong achieve victory at your first attempt and successfully form a Jin Dan!"

Murong Caiyun's eyes smiled. "Then I accept your brother's auspicious words."

She poured him another cup of tea.

Among fellow disciples, perhaps only Mo Hua could be served tea personally brewed and poured by the Grand Void Gate's senior sister, the Murong family's direct daughter.

And this tea truly was delicious.

Mo Hua drank another cup, and Murong Caiyun said: "You came to see me for a reason, didn't you?"

"Yes." Mo Hua nodded, set down his teacup, and spoke bluntly:

"I'd like to ask about the Sword Discourse."

Murong Caiyun was not surprised; she asked Mo Hua: "Are you also participating in the Sword Discourse Assembly?"

Mo Hua nodded: "After all, one only gets this chance once in a lifetime."

He had already participated once in the "Formation Discourse Assembly," but that was a special case.

It was Master Xun who pulled strings for him, and also because his spiritual sense had attained Dao, his spiritual perception was too strong, and his formation skills too advanced.

But the Sword Discourse Assembly is different.

Everyone is a prodigy—flooding themselves with spiritual stones and spirit liquids, consuming heavenly treasures and rare herbs, their cultivation progress nearly identical.

It's a true test of cultivation strength, blade to blade.

Even a Foundation Establishment mid-stage cultivator cannot truly compete against prodigies of Foundation Establishment late-stage or peak.

Moreover, the Sword Discourse involves many matches.

It's a contest of pure hard power.

Even if a Foundation Establishment mid-stage cultivator gets lucky and wins one or two matches, it means little.

This single chance at the Sword Discourse cannot be wasted.

Mo Hua said: "I want to strive hard and earn a somewhat better ranking."

He spoke humbly.

At that moment, Murong Caiyun had no idea what "somewhat better ranking" Mo Hua meant.

But Mo Hua's ambition was a good thing.

Though she had graduated, she was still a disciple of the Grand Void Gate.

The Murong family and the Grand Void Gate were closely allied.

Whether for Mo Hua or for the Grand Void Gate, she was happy to help.

Even though she was now at a critical stage of preparation for forming a Jin Dan, with time tight, Murong Caiyun cheerfully said:

"Fine. Whatever you want to ask, I'll tell you."

Mo Hua then asked all the questions he had prepared.

Murong Caiyun thought for a moment, then patiently, in a soft and gentle tone, explained to Mo Hua:

"The Sword Discourse Assembly is a five-person combat event."

"Though called five-person, it's not simple free-for-all fighting—it involves different terrains and varied formats, such as beheading, city defense, annihilation, survival, demon hunting, free-for-all battles… and more."

"Ordinary disciples, if merely watching for entertainment, need not concern themselves deeply."

"But if you truly wish to participate seriously, earn a ranking, bring honor to the sect, and secure your own future, there is much to study—you must devote great effort to preparation…"

"Different terrains, different formats, different teams, varying battlefield performance—each brings infinite variables…"

"You need thorough preparation, and the ability to adapt on the fly."

"Moreover, one must possess strong cultivation, the ability to remain unchanged amidst all changes, and reliable teammates."

"As for the rest, just do whatever it takes to win."

"The Sword Debate uses a best-of format, with many matches; whoever wins more advances."

"Similarly, each victory not only raises your team's ranking but also contributes to your sect's overall ranking."

"In the early stages, the system is simple: each win grants only one victory point."

"As it progresses, opponents grow stronger and victories harder to secure; each win accumulates more victory points, potentially reaching dozens, even hundreds."

"Thus, the Sword Debate ultimately tests the foundational strength of each sect's prodigies."

"The more prodigies a sect has, and the stronger they are, the further they can advance, accumulating more victory points—and the higher their sect's ranking will be..."

Here, Elder Murong sighed with regret. "Our Grand Void Gate... no, not just Grand Void Gate—all eight major sects and twelve minor schools face this gap."

"Our sect's top disciples are far fewer than those of the Sida Sect."

"By the time the Sword Debate reaches the semifinals—or even the finals—Grand Void Gate is lucky to have one or two elite teams left."

"But each of the Sida Sects likely has four or five such elite teams."

"And above those four or five elite teams, there are even more top-tier ones: Bloodline Prodigy teams."

"Top-grade, even Heavenly-grade spiritual roots, practicing the highest-tier scriptures and supreme Dao methods, Qi Zhou Tian perfected to its peak, direct-line bloodline, Foundation Establishment peak..."

Elder Murong smiled bitterly.

These are disciples with flawless talent, perfect lineage, and Qi cultivated to absolute perfection at Foundation Establishment peak.

Grand Void Gate would be lucky to have one—while the Sida Sects can form entire teams of them.

Mo Hua was secretly startled.

The Sida Sects' depth was truly immense...

He had previously underestimated things.

Mo Hua frowned in thought, lost in his own reflections.

Elder Murong's beautiful eyes shifted, watching Mo Hua, silently pondering.

She greatly admired Mo Hua's array skills.

But the Sword Debate is not the Array Debate—it does not directly test arrays. In rapid offense and defense, array setups are cumbersome and severely restricted, making them impractical.

In terms of true combat strength, Mo Hua is highly "imbalanced."

His stealth, evasion, movement techniques, and spell control are exceptionally strong.

But his physical body is weak, his Qi is low, and he lacks direct offensive methods.

This was her impression from past missions hunting fugitive cultivators and completing sect bounties alongside him.

Beyond that, the most unusual thing was that "amplification array."

Elder Murong still remembered the sensation of "Qi boiling," the powerful enhancement of the Five Phases.

The feeling of the Five Phase principles empowering one's body was deeply captivating.

Unfortunately, Elder Murong had experienced that sensation only once—from start to finish.

This left Elder Murong with lingering resentment.

Elder Murong pulled her thoughts back and began evaluating Mo Hua's strength.

Based on current circumstances, Mo Hua is a powerful "support" cultivator.

He's a jack-of-all-trades—able to fill any gap.

But this makes him heavily dependent on his teammates.

The stronger his teammates, the stronger he becomes.

Conversely, if his teammates are weak, Mo Hua's presence becomes awkward...

But...

Elder Murong looked at Mo Hua and carefully asked, "Younger Brother, the Sword Debate is a five-person format. Have you decided who your teammates will be?"

Mo Hua thought for a moment and said, "I have an idea, but it's not settled yet."

"You should decide early," Elder Murong said.

Choosing weak teammates means your "support" cannot lift them at all—then participating in the Sword Debate is pointless.

Choosing strong teammates—never mind whether they'd agree to join you—your own sect would have trouble justifying it.

The Sword Debate is a major event, determining the share of the Qianlong Spirit Mine, directly tied to the sect's core interests.

Arrangements for Sword Debate teams are planned well in advance and handled with extreme caution.

Especially for prodigies—each one occupies a fixed slot.

Mo Hua's current behavior clearly shows he's acting on sudden impulse, suddenly deciding to take the Sword Debate seriously.

This is outside the plan.

And he is favored by the Ancestor, revered as the sect's "Little Senior Brother," well-liked and highly esteemed.

If he pulls someone away, causing shifts in the sect's Sword Debate roster, the sect leadership will face serious complications.

Mo Hua understood Elder Murong's meaning and nodded seriously. "I'll think it over carefully."

He then asked a few more questions about the Sword Debate rules, gained a general understanding, and politely took his leave.

"Senior Sister, I'll return to the sect. Don't let me disturb your Golden Core formation."

Mo Hua finished speaking and turned to leave, but was suddenly called back by Elder Murong.

"Younger Brother..."

"Senior Sister, is there something else?" Mo Hua asked.

Elder Murong fell silent for a moment, her expression darkening as she softly sighed, "I can't help with Grand Void Gate's affairs... I..."

Her face was filled with unwillingness.

Mo Hua understood her thoughts, his gaze softening as he smiled:

"Senior Sister, don't worry. Let me handle the Sword Debate—I'm now the 'Little Senior Brother' of the Tai Xu, Tai E, and Chong Xu lines."

Murong Caiyun paused, suddenly feeling a strange sense of reassurance, and couldn't help smiling.

"Senior Sister, hurry and form your Jin Dan. When you do, throw a grand Jin Dan banquet and invite me to drink your wedding wine," Mo Hua chuckled. Murong Caiyun smiled back: "Mm. Stay safe."

Mo Hua waved goodbye to Murong Caiyun and set off toward Tai Xu Mountain.

In the distant green mountains, Mo Hua walked the mountain steps.

Murong Caiyun watched his back and suddenly realized that, without noticing, Mo Hua had grown much taller.

Now, walking alone on the mountain path, his figure was slender, yet connected to the vast aura of Tai Xu Mountain—subtly radiating an air of treading the earth, becoming the green mountain, shouldering the heavens…

Murong Caiyun gazed, lost in thought, then smiled faintly, her brows and eyes like flowing clouds—brilliant and radiant.

…

After returning to Tai Xu Sect, Mo Hua began seriously considering forming a team.

The Sword Debate was no joke.

Team formation needed early preparation.

Mo Hua didn't waste time—he went straight to Linghu Xiao and asked: "Xiao Xiao, I'm going to the Sword Debate. Are you coming with me?"

Linghu Xiao blinked slightly, then his eyes gradually sharpened as he nodded at Mo Hua:

"Alright."

In just two breaths, a single sentence—Linghu Xiao, the once-in-five-hundred-years genius of Chong Xu Line, was simply and directly "won over" by Mo Hua.

With Linghu Xiao, everything became easier.

Mo Hua himself, plus Linghu Xiao.

Plus Cheng Mo, plus Sister Situ.

That made four.

Cheng Mo and Sister Situ weren't top-tier disciples, but that was relative to the Sida Sect.

At least within Tai Xu Sect, both were considered "first-rate disciples."

Cheng Mo had thick skin and strong constitution—he could serve as a tank.

Sister Situ's swordplay was refined, capable of both offense and defense—a true "all-rounder" adaptable to any tactical need.

Within Tai Xu Sect, few were stronger than them.

Moreover, they often hung around Mo Hua; through constant exposure, their thinking and tactics bore his shadow—clever, underhanded, and in actual combat, their strength grew even further.

And they were all very familiar with each other, their coordination far more seamless.

In team duels, synergy mattered greatly.

One spot remained open, and Mo Hua had many candidates.

After all, he'd been Little Senior Brother for years—his connections were undeniable; he could pull anyone he wanted.

Brother Yang Qianjun, the fast runner Hao Xuan, the skilled spellcaster Yi Li… all could fill the gap.

But that could be decided later. The urgent matter was to report to Master Xun and the Sect Master first.

Especially "Linghu Xiao"—he was Tai Xu Sect's sole remaining prodigy, the "treasured genius" before the ancestral elder of Chong Xu Line.

He'd "won over" him… no, recruited him—he absolutely needed to consult Master Xun and the Sect Master.

Any potential problems must be resolved early.

When Mo Hua went to see Master Xun, the Sect Master happened to be there too.

He laid out his plan.

Master Xun frowned in thought.

But the Tai Xu Sect Master asked Mo Hua: "Did Linghu Xiao agree?"

"Mm." Mo Hua nodded. "He's long wanted to join me in the Sword Debate."

The Tai Xu Sect Master studied Mo Hua, sighing inwardly: truly, brine curdles tofu—one thing controls another.

Linghu Xiao, though his name carried the character for "laugh," never laughed.

He was cold to everyone.

Whether toward sect elders, the Sect Master, or even the ancestral elder, he remained respectful yet utterly expressionless.

To outsiders, Linghu Xiao was a solitary, proud sword prodigy.

The more one refined sword Dao, the more one merged with the sword—and the more one became untouchable.

Only Mo Hua could truly befriend him.

The Tai Xu Sect Master understood this well—after all, in the Ten Thousand Demons Valley, Mo Hua and Linghu Xiao had shared life and death.

One could even say Mo Hua had saved Linghu Xiao's life.

But now, all the plans he'd previously laid out were thrown into chaos.

The agreements he'd made with Tai E and Chong Xu Lines would have to be changed.

The Tai Xu Sect Master couldn't help scratching his head.

He knew this wasn't a good habit.

Because the more he scratched, the more his hair fell out.

But looking at Mo Hua before him, he had no choice but to scratch.

Master Xun said nothing, only calmly glanced at Mo Hua and asked: "Have you decided?"

"Mm!" Mo Hua nodded seriously.

"Your hidden cards…"

"I'll be careful," Mo Hua said.

"Good," Mr. Xun nodded slightly. "I understand. Go back and prepare well."

Mo Hua's expression brightened. "Thank you, Mr. Xun."

Then he turned to the Grand Void Gate's Sect Master, especially gazing at his hair, and bowed respectfully. "I've caused you trouble."

The Sect Master could only smile bitterly.

After Mo Hua left, the Grand Void Gate's Sect Master looked at Mr. Xun and hesitated. "Is this... wise?"

Mr. Xun thought for a moment. "I don't know if it's wise, but it can't get worse... You know the situation now."

The Grand Void Gate's Sect Master sighed.

Given Grand Void Gate's current state, their chances of winning the Sword Forum are slim.

With a lack of top-tier combat strength, Grand Void Gate has almost no chance of claiming one of the Sida Sect positions.

Even holding onto a place among the Eight Great Sects is extremely difficult.

Although, barring unforeseen events, Mo Hua might still win the title of "Array Master," they cannot place all their hopes on the Array Forum alone.

After all, the Sword Forum is the main event.

If they suffer a crushing defeat in the Sword Forum, even the title of "Array Master" may not be enough to preserve Grand Void Gate's precarious position.

Not to mention, after the sect's reorganization and the merger of the three lineages, Grand Void Gate now faces enemies on all sides, and the difficulty of the Sword Forum has increased manyfold.

The situation is dire; the number of prodigies is few, and the cards in hand are extremely limited.

As Sect Master, he could only rack his brains to plan—but whether they would win or lose, he had no idea.

Mr. Xun spoke calmly:

"Man proposes, Heaven disposes. No matter how much you plan for this Sword Forum, it still comes down to your disciples fighting for themselves."

"If so, let them handle it themselves."

The Grand Void Gate's Sect Master nodded.

Leaving aside other matters, he still trusted this boy Mo Hua—though sometimes Mo Hua was strange and hard to understand.

"But..." The Grand Void Gate's Sect Master paused, then added, "If we do this, won't the Tai'ao Sect have objections?"

Mr. Xun fell silent, offering no opinion.

Two days later, the sect's regular meeting.

The elders of the Tai'ao Sect indeed voiced strong objections.

"The established rules are being changed so casually? Are you treating the Sword Forum like a joke? Your Grand Void Gate..."

The elder realized he had spoken wrongly.

Now, they were all one Grand Void Gate.

He corrected himself: "Your Grand Void lineage—where do you place the sect's interests? Is this a game?"

Others expressed discontent with Mo Hua: "Yes, this disciple named 'Mo Hua' is indeed the Array Master—but he can't be allowed to act so arbitrarily."

"Besides, this is the Sword Forum, not the Array Forum!"

"What is an array specialist doing here? He'll be obliterated the moment he steps onto the arena."

"What exactly is your Grand Void lineage planning here?"

The Grand Void Gate's Sect Master's expression was indifferent.

Before the Ancestor, he might still hesitate.

But now, at this three-lineage meeting, he was the Sect Master—authority rested in his hands, and he could not show the slightest hesitation.

The Grand Void Gate's Sect Master spoke coolly:

"This matter is settled. The Ancestor has approved it. I'm informing you, not seeking your opinion."

"I, as Sect Master, will bear full responsibility."

The atmosphere in the hall froze.

The Tai'ao lineage elders fell silent.

After all, the Grand Void Gate's Sect Master was now the true ruler of all three lineages.

The decision was his to make.

Yet they still felt resentment, murmuring angrily: "You're coddling that Mo Hua. If you keep indulging him like this, trouble will come."

The Grand Void Gate's Sect Master replied calmly: "He is the Array Master—and possibly the Array Master for two consecutive cycles."

The implication: he, as Sect Master, intended to coddle him.

If Tai'ao or Tai'xu had disciples who could win the Array Master title, they could coddle them too.

Everything rests on merit.

Grand Void Gate's survival after the three-lineage merger may truly depend on this "Array Master," Mo Hua.

The Tai'ao lineage elders had nothing left to say.

Seeing no further objections from the Tai'ao lineage, the Grand Void Gate's Sect Master maintained his calm exterior, but inside, he breathed a slight sigh of relief.

"Then it's settled—"

Before he could finish, the Tai'ao Sect's Sect Master suddenly interrupted: "No! My Tai'ao lineage also objects!"

The Grand Void Gate's Sect Master froze, his gaze sharpening.

He hadn't expected the Tai'ao lineage to also object.

After the three-lineage merger and shared governance, the Grand Void Gate's Sect Master led, but the Tai'ao Sect Master still held considerable influence.

"Why object?" the Grand Void Gate's Sect Master asked.

The Tai'ao Sect Master snorted coldly. "Mo Hua is from your Grand Void lineage. Linghu Xiao is from the Tai'xu lineage. My Tai'ao lineage must also send a disciple in!"

Mo Hua is from the Grand Void lineage, Linghu Xiao is from the Rushing Void lineage, our Tai'e lineage must also add a disciple!

He, as sect leader, had also thought it through.

Anyway, the situation right now is exactly this—it won't get better, and it won't get worse.

If we lose, we all lose together!

But if we win, we all have to win together.

So, no matter what, he had to shove the disciple of Tai'a Gate who currently had the best talent, the strongest strength, and was also the most unruly—into this team!

(End of Chapter)