Immortality Through Array Formations

Aunt Xue looked into the two pairs of watery eyes and felt torn inside.

The lady of the house had always been strict, demanding much of the young miss and the young master. From a young age, she only allowed them to practice cultivation and study Formation, Alchemy, and other cultivation-related subjects. On normal days, unless it was a major holiday, they were not allowed to go out. Even if they did, they had to be accompanied, and they must return to the estate before nightfall, with no dallying allowed.

This approach, while making the young miss and young master’s cultivation stand out, also hindered the children’s nature.

Sometimes, Aunt Xue wished to let them play and laugh like ordinary children, but the lady had placed high hopes on them. If they neglected their cultivation for the sake of fun, she would bear a great sin.

Bai Zisheng said, “Aunt Xue, I’ll just look around for a bit. I haven’t even seen what Tongxian City looks like.”

Aunt Xue was still hesitating when Bai Zixi’s little hand tugged at Aunt Xue’s sleeve and also called out, “Aunt Xue…”

Aunt Xue’s heart completely melted, “Alright, but you can only roam until 22 p.m.”

“Thank you, Aunt Xue!” Bai Zisheng immediately became happy.

With a smile, Aunt Xue then turned to Mo Hua and said, “We’re new here and not familiar with Tongxian City, so we’ll have to ask you to lead the way.”

Aunt Xue was so kindly mannered that, looking at the bright eyes of the Bai siblings, Mo Hua didn’t have the heart to refuse.

He had intended to return early to paint a few more Formations, but he had painted quite a few in the recent days, and even his Meditation Technique couldn’t recover quickly enough. It would be good to rest for a night.

The group then followed the street and started browsing the night market at the Lotus Festival of Tongxian City.

Although Tongxian City was a Little Immortal City and not very bustling, the intermingling crowds and the myriad lights in the sky lent it the vibrant appeal of a lively festival atmosphere.

Mo Hua and Da’hu were leading the way, followed by the Bai siblings who were a few steps behind, looking around with eyes filled with novelty and curiosity. Aunt Xue, still worried, followed quietly behind the two.

Along the way, Shuanghu secretly asked Mo Hua, “Mo Hua, do you know them?”

Mo Hua nodded. “We’re registered disciples under the same master, Mr. Zhuang.”

“They’re not from Tongxian City, are they?”

“No, they seem to be descendants of a large and distant family…”

“Distant? Outside of Tongxian City? I’ve never been outside Tongxian City…”

“Probably even further, most likely beyond Li State.”

“Beyond Li State? How long would that even take to walk…”

The unfamiliarity of different states in the Tao Cultivation World was both fascinating and unnerving to them.

Xiaohu suddenly asked, “Mo Hua, are you close with them?”

After thinking for a moment, Mo Hua replied, “Not exactly close. We’re barely half-disciples of the same sect, and we don’t talk much normally.”

Xiaohu nodded and said, “Those noble family descendants really don’t have much to say to us.”

Mo Hua felt something was off about that statement but, after thinking about it, couldn’t pin down what it was.

In the Tao Cultivation World, Noble Clans and scattered cultivators were worlds apart. The more ancient and profound the Noble Clan, the more unattainable they seemed to ordinary scattered cultivators. Despite being cultivators from both backgrounds, they could hardly be considered part of the same community.

As the group strolled along, Da’hu and the others, following Mo Hua and accompanied by the Bai siblings, felt somewhat constrained and didn’t enjoy themselves to the fullest.

Seeing their awkwardness, Mo Hua laughed and said, “Go on and have fun on your own. I’ll just take them for a casual stroll and head back, I still have a few Formations to paint tonight.”

Xiaohu exclaimed, “You’re going to paint Formations tonight? Being a Formation Master really is hard work…”

Shuanghu added, “We’ll buy something fun for you too if we come across it later.”

“Do you want a sugar figure from Big Head Pan’s stall? We each want one shaped like a tiger, and we’ll buy one for you too.”

Da’hu scratched his head and thought for a moment before saying in his straightforward voice, “If anyone dares to bully you, just shout, and we’ll come over and beat them up for you!”

“Got it,” Mo Hua replied with a smile, and the three of them ran off like birds released from a cage, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Seeing this, Aunt Xue called Mo Hua over and asked, “I don’t know what festival it is today that everyone’s so lively.”

“Aunt Xue, today is the Lotus Festival.”

Aunt Xue looked perplexed, “I have never heard of such a festival in the Tao Cultivation World.”

Mo Hua explained, “It’s a minor festival, celebrated only around Tongxian City. It’s probably not observed elsewhere.”

“Why is it called the Lotus Festival?”

Bai Zisheng asked curiously, his eyes wandering around, and Bai Zixi also turned her head to look at Mo Hua.

After thinking for a bit, Mo Hua answered, “When I was little, I asked my parents, and they said the Lotus Festival is to commemorate the Lotus Scatterer.”

“The Lotus Scatterer? Is he a great cultivator?” Aunt Xue asked.

“To us, he would be considered a great cultivator, but perhaps not so much in the grand scheme of the Tao Cultivation World,” Mo Hua said, “I’m not exactly sure what his cultivation was, but I’ve heard some older folks say that he was probably at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage, although some also say he was at the Golden Core Stage.”

“It is said that back in the day, Li State suffered from scorching heat, with the vegetation withering and Monster Beasts driven by extreme hunger descending from the mountains to eat humans, causing a beast tide. The cultivators of Tongxian City fought valiantly to defend the city, but the overwhelming number of Monster Beasts made it difficult to fend them off. Just as the city gates were about to be breached, and countless cultivators were facing death at the claws of the beasts, the passing Lotus Scatterer alone held back the tide. Ultimately, he saved the lives of the cultivators in Tongxian City, but at the cost of his own life, as his spiritual power was exhausted…”

“It’s said that today is the anniversary of the Lotus Scatterer’s passing. Every year at this time, the people of Tongxian City light various types of Lotus Lamps and send them into the sky. The bright and magnificent scene with the lights is to commemorate the Lotus Scatterer.”

Bai Zixi was completely captivated by the story, and Bai Zisheng felt his blood boiling with excitement.

Thinking about the situation back then, as if he were in the midst of the beast tide, fighting to the death against all kinds of ferocious and brutal Monster Beasts. After a fierce battle, even though he succeeded in killing the leader of the beasts, he too perished from exhaustion.

Years later, numerous cultivators would still remember his deeds, and his name would be engraved in the memories of a city’s worth of cultivators.

With his blood running hot, Bai Zisheng proclaimed, “To live without fear of death, to be born towards it, such a tragic yet stirring life is the rightful end for a cultivator.”

Aunt Xue sighed helplessly, “Young Master, Madam only has you as a son. Please take care of yourself.”

Bai Zisheng’s spirits deflated as he hung his head.

Mo Hua burst into laughter, and Bai Zisheng asked with a tinge of anger, “Are you laughing at me?”

Mo Hua replied casually, “No.”

Bai Zisheng grew even angrier, while Bai Zixi’s lips curved upwards in a faint smile, her face more brilliant than the myriad lights in the sky.

Aunt Xue pondered for a moment and then voiced her confusion, “A Monster Beast’s physical body and Monster Qi are far more formidable than a cultivator’s. Even a Golden Core Stage cultivator couldn’t possibly fend off a beast tide alone. Not to mention a cultivator of the Foundation Establishment Late Stage—it doesn’t seem worth it for the cultivators of an entire city to commemorate him with such an elaborate ritual…”

As they talked, they arrived at a small stall, which displayed a variety of exquisitely crafted Lotus Lamps available for purchase for five Broken Spirit Stones each.

Mo Hua took out five Broken Spirit Stones, placed them on the stall, and picked up a Lotus Lamp shaped like an indiscernible mythical creature. He lit it with fire, which made the mythical creature seem lifelike.

Letting go of the lamp, Mo Hua watched as it slowly floated up into the sky, joining the sea of lights above.

Looking up at the sky filled with bright lamps, Mo Hua murmured,

“In this world of cultivators, despite reaching the heavens with their cultivation, how many are there who would give up their cultivation and Taoist Foundation for strangers they’ve never met? The cultivators of Tongxian City commemorate not the cultivation level of the Lotus Scatterer, but his magnanimity that benefited all beings.”

Bai Zisheng nodded his head and picked out a majestic red tiger-shaped Lamp with earnest respect, lighting it and sending it aloft into the sky.

Bai Zixi released a golden phoenix-patterned Lotus Lamp, splendid and opulent.

Aunt Xue hesitated for a moment, glanced at Mo Hua, and eventually chose a cyan phoenix-shaped Lotus Lamp to release into the night sky.

Around Tongxian City, the countless small lights converged, illuminating the pitch-black night sky.