Chapter 1532: Xirang and the Grand Formation

Chapter 1532: Xirang and the Grand Formation

The moment the thought of 【Xirang Grand Formation】 surfaced, Mo Hua's heart gave a violent leap.

It was as if some vast Heavenly Secret had begun to turn in the unseen, with cause and effect surging like the tides.

The expressions of all parties came tracing back toward him, like a pack of dogs catching the scent of blood, or hungry wolves guarding their food.

Mo Hua's face changed. He immediately used the Dān Fire in his palm to burn the slip of paper bearing the words 【Xirang】 to ashes, then used Five Elements Water Qi to wash away every trace of dust.

He also restrained the two-colored light in his eyes, severed his Heavenly Secret Computational Power, cut off his Divine-Sense Thought, and through meditation, steadied his breath and calmed his mind.

Almost at the same moment, within the vast Houtu City, an undercurrent of Divine-Sense Thought surged fiercely.

The chess players of the Heavenly Secret were tracing cause and effect through their own means.

But these surging currents of karmic thought power, following the traces of cause and effect, had only just reached the outskirts of Little Luan Mountain when they were instantly blocked by the barrier of the minor blessed land, unable to penetrate even a fraction further.

The Little Luan Mountain blessed land was an extremely special existence.

Those who dwelt within were no ordinary figures, and their cause and effect was far from commonplace. They absolutely could not be casually spied upon, let alone offended.

Within the spheres of certain powers, this was almost an unspoken consensus.

Therefore, these prying thought powers, cowed by the might of Little Luan Mountain, hesitated only for a moment before retreating with doubts in their hearts.

They did not know what terrifying existence they might provoke should their thought power penetrate Little Luan Mountain.

Nor did they dare to gamble.

Before long, the tide-like fluctuations of cause and effect gradually dissipated.

Inside the guest room, Mo Hua slowly opened his eyes again, his gaze deep as still water in a pool.

But he did not continue to ponder anything further. Instead, he severed all stray thoughts, steadied his breathing, calmed his mind, and sat in cultivation.

As if nothing had ever happened.

In the study on the other side, Bai Qingcheng and True Person Rong also sensed a hint of something unusual.

But this probing of cause and effect came quickly and left just as quickly. Moreover, what it had been tracking was Mo Hua's own karmic thread, which was inherently obscure.

These people also knew their limits well, they touched upon the barrier of Little Luan Mountain and immediately withdrew, not daring to linger.

Bai Qingcheng and True Person Rong were in the middle of discussing Mo Hua's marriage prospects. They merely furrowed their brows slightly and could not be bothered to pay it any mind.

And so, after the stirring of the Heavenly Secret, it quietly settled once more.

The night in Houtu City was as tranquil as ever.

…

The next day, likewise as ever.

Bai Qingcheng took Mo Hua out for more "socializing."

The Lu Clan was not the only great clan in Houtu City.

The other three great clans—the Wú Clan, the Zhū Clan, and the Jìn Clan—though each had different cultivation industries and varying degrees of wealth, were not far behind the Lu Clan.

And besides the four great clans, Kun Province also had some great families that kept a low profile. Though their fame was a notch below the four great clans, their foundations were by no means insignificant.

In fact, because their influence was smaller, their industries more concentrated, and their internal family structures relatively simpler, they lived even more comfortably.

In the days that followed, Mo Hua met in turn with Madam Wu, Madam Zhu, Madam Pu… a whole host of wives of the great clan patriarchs.

And even some Grand Elders, and wives at the level of Feather Ascension True Person.

Without exception, Mo Hua's beautiful appearance received unanimous praise from this group of ladies.

Even some of the great clan wives with the sternest expressions could not help but have their eyes light up at the sight of Mo Hua, captivated by his breathtaking appearance.

Among them all, it was Madam Zhu who treated Mo Hua the most kindly.

She was the mother of Zhū Mùchén.

Zhū Mùchén was Mo Hua's Little Junior Brother, who chattered about Mo Hua every day and thought of Mo Hua whenever something good came his way.

As Zhū Mùchén's birth mother, Madam Zhu had initially been rather displeased, feeling that her son had been raised for nothing.

But at this very moment, having seen Mo Hua with her own eyes, and witnessed his character and appearance, she could not help but change her mind, sighing that Mùchén was indeed her own son, his eye for people was truly excellent.

With this connection, Madam Zhu was especially kind to Mo Hua.

Aside from Madam Zhu, the other wives and madams of the various great clans also treated Mo Hua quite well.

But attitude was merely attitude. Once it came to marriage, that was an entirely different matter.

Things turned cold and realistic.

Some calculations were never brought to the table, but in each person's heart, there was a scale.

Especially the issue of spiritual root inheritance that True Person Rong had spoken of.

Intermediate-Lower grade spiritual roots, an Inferior-Grade Golden Core, no Bloodline Awakening... these meant that Mo Hua was destined to be nothing more than a pretty flower vase.

Pleasing to the eye, but without any value for spiritual root breeding through marriage.

Bai Qingcheng could naturally sense this as well.

Though all the wives treated her with the utmost respect, the moment the topic of Mo Hua's marriage came up, their expressions would invariably show a trace of reluctance.

If it were merely a matter of seeking an ordinary Direct Line Daughter in marriage, that would be one thing.

But Bai Qingcheng had high aspirations. Whoever she matched Mo Hua with would surely be a true 'pearl in the palm' of the great clans of Kun Province.

Though Mo Hua himself was not without reputation, and possessed some talent in Formations, in the eyes of these wives, he still did not measure up.

Bai Qingcheng could use her authority to pressure them, but this was, after all, a matter of seeking a marriage alliance. Unless it came to the final resort and there was truly no other way, there was no need to force an unripe melon.

She still hoped that among these 'sisters' of hers, some matriarch of the household might have enough discernment to see past his handsome appearance and recognize Mo Hua's true character and abilities.

Rather than having to rely on her own authority and the prestige of the sixth-rank Bai Clan to force them to nod in agreement.

But such things were difficult. In the eyes of these ladies, Mo Hua was still more like a pretty boy.

Bai Qingcheng felt quite displeased about this.

Mo Hua, however, didn't give it much thought. These past few days, only one thing weighed on his mind:

The Xirang Grand Formation...

Taking advantage of the opportunities that came with accompanying Senior Aunt Bai on visits to the inner courtyards of the major clans throughout Kun Province, Mo Hua would, whenever possible, subtly probe for information, discreetly asking around and using the Derivative Algorithm to trace the threads of cause and effect, searching for clues about the 【Xirang Grand Formation】.

He suspected that this formation, tied to the name 【Xirang】, might very well be the core of the entire situation in Kun Province.

Xirang was the legendary divine soil of antiquity.

And the words 'Grand Formation' held an irresistible allure for Mo Hua, a Formation Master.

Not to mention that this unknown 【Xirang Grand Formation】 might have been jointly constructed by the Earth Sect and the four great clans of Kun Province, a coalition of behemoths.

Just how massive was its scale? How immense its value? Even Mo Hua couldn't begin to fathom it.

Unfortunately, after quietly observing for a long time, Mo Hua had found not a single clue from the four great clans.

But this actually confirmed some of Mo Hua's speculations.

Lu Zhenlong was right, matters of cause and effect were secrets, and loose lips sink ships.

Too many great undertakings had failed because of a single word leaked here or there.

Therefore, true grand schemes and plans could not afford to reveal even a hint of wind before they were set in motion.

Finding no clues was only to be expected.

In comparison, the fact that Lu Zhenlong had revealed the two characters 【Xirang】 to him, exposing the thread of Kun Province's cause and effect, was already tantamount to divulging heaven's secrets.

And upon further reflection, the fact that Lu Zhenlong had managed to eavesdrop on fragments of conversation from her father, the Lu Clan Patriarch, and several Feather Ascension True Persons of the Earth Sect...

This suggested that this seemingly airheaded beauty, the eldest young lady of the Lu Clan, was not so simple after all...

Unfortunately, aside from the two characters 【Xirang】, Lu Zhenlong seemed to know nothing more.

...

And so, another ten or so days passed. Mo Hua met more and more ladies.

Yet still, there was no progress on the clues regarding the 【Xirang Grand Formation】.

Aside from that, there was another matter that troubled Mo Hua.

He had been following Senior Aunt Bai around, visiting friends and discussing marriage alliances, but he rarely saw Little Senior Sister anymore.

They were both within the minor blessed land, yet it felt as though they lived in two separate spaces.

When they occasionally did meet, they would only nod to each other in acknowledgment, like ordinary fellow disciples.

Their gazes, when they chanced to meet, carried a faint trace of distance.

Many things in this world were fraught with sharp contradictions and would not go as one wished.

Mo Hua understood his senior aunt's concerns and knew Little Senior Sister's difficulties.

In fact, part of the reason his senior aunt and Little Senior Sister acted this way was for his own good, to keep him from becoming entangled in certain more perilous threads of cause and effect...

And Mo Hua himself was well aware that he, too, was a perilous thread of cause and effect.

If his Fate Pattern were to deteriorate one day, he might very well drag Little Senior Sister down with him...

Things had come to this point.

The realities he had once been unwilling to think about, and even afraid to think about, were now finally laid before him.

Mo Hua understood that the time had come to make a choice.

But for a moment, he couldn't quite bring himself to decide.

While still hesitating, Mo Hua took advantage of a lull in the 'visits and marriage discussions' to spare some time and make a trip to the Dao Court Division.

He wanted to have a chat with Uncle Gù and, in the meantime, learn about the situation in the Great Spirit Field Realm.

But upon arriving at the Dao Court Division and meeting Director Yu, Mo Hua learned that Uncle Gù had been staying in the Great Spirit Field Realm all along and had never returned.

"The situation has deteriorated. The riots have spread..."

Yu Cangming sighed, his expression grave. "We haven't received any word from Magistrate Gu in a long time."

Mo Hua's gaze shifted slightly. "Not even a single message?"

Yu Cangming nodded. "All communication channels within the Dao Court Division, and even the Demon Suppression Division, have been completely cut off."

"Right now, the Great Spirit Field Realm is shrouded in fog. No one knows what's happening there..."

Mo Hua's pupils contracted slightly, his heart sinking.

Some threads of cause and effect... are accelerating?

Yu Cangming continued, "In Houtu City, Demonic Cultivators have started to show their faces as well. I can't get away for the time being. As for Magistrate Gu..."

He shook his head, let out a deep sigh, his brow furrowed with utmost solemnity.

Mo Hua's expression was equally grave, his thoughts unsettled.

Uncle Gù... what exactly has he run into...

But no one could give him an answer.

The situation was tense, and Yu Cangming, as Deputy Director, didn't have much free time either.

After those brief exchanges, Director Yu was soon called away by official duties again.

Mo Hua returned to the Little Luan Mountain Blessed Land.

Back in his room, Mo Hua lay on his bed, a whirlwind of thoughts churning within him.

All manner of emotions interwove like tangled threads, ceaselessly churning his heart and mind, granting him no peace.

Even as he activated his Meditation Technique to cast aside stray thoughts, his Sea of Consciousness refused to settle for a long while.

Mo Hua let out a sigh.

No wonder Master had told him back then that the Meditation Technique was not something that grew more profound the more one practiced it.

Sometimes, it could even grow worse the more one learned...

'You are still a child now. What you see, hear, and think is relatively simple. You have few stray thoughts, so entering stillness may come quickly...'

'But when you grow up, having seen all manner of things in this world, your stray thoughts will multiply, and worldly desires will grow. Entering stillness again will not be so simple...'

Master Zhuang's meaningful words surfaced once more in Mo Hua's mind.

Mo Hua pondered for a long while, then climbed back to his feet. He used a Formation to seal off his aura and employed the Great Wilderness Demon-Bone Divination Art to divine Uncle Gù's whereabouts.

This art of cause and effect, obtained from the Great Wilderness, was one Mo Hua practiced often and had already mastered with great proficiency.

Driven by his powerful Divine-Sense Thought, the divination art was activated, and dense rune-patterns of cause and effect emerged upon the Demon Bone.

Within the brazier, all manner of auras interwove.

These rune-patterns and auras were all projected into Mo Hua's eyes, deciphered one by one by the computational power of his Divine-Sense.

At the same time, within Mo Hua's Sea of Consciousness, chaotic images flickered ceaselessly...

Barren fields, polluted by an unknown rotting aura.

Spirit farmers in tattered rags, their eyes blood-red.

Wrapped in black robes, unseen layers of dark shadows slithered in the gloom.

Those clad in finery and feasting on delicacies stood high above; malformed Demonic Cultivators feasted on human flesh.

Within destitute thatched huts, one earthen idol after another was enshrined.

Upon a land where the people could barely survive, the wailing of the bereft filled the wilderness, yet Incense Offerings burned ever more vigorously.

Then bloodlight suddenly flashed, and people kept dying in struggle. Amid the glint of blades and flash of swords, cultivators clad in the robes of the Dao Court Division also fell into pools of blood...

Mo Hua's heart tightened.

These recurring, chaotic images flashed through his Sea of Consciousness in rapid succession within a few breaths, merging together.

Just as Mo Hua was about to glimpse that familiar figure, a sudden jolt of terror struck his heart.

It seemed he had been peering into cause and effect for too long, even if only for a few breaths, it had already drawn the attention of some unknown existence.

Mo Hua frowned, then without hesitation, he ceased the technique, severed his Divine-Sense Thought, and erased the cause and effect.

The brazier, the Demon Bone, the blood and ash—all the divination implements—were thoroughly disposed of by Mo Hua.

What should be destroyed was destroyed; the rest was stored in his Storage Ring, sealed off from cause and effect.

Having done all this with practiced ease, the feeling of cause and effect entangling him gradually receded, and only then did Mo Hua let out a slow breath.

These matters, he had experience with now, and could anticipate them in advance.

But soon after, his mood gradually grew heavy.

The fragmented images from his divination just now continued to surface in his Sea of Consciousness.

The flourishing Incense Offerings amid poverty, the chaotic demonic shadows, the spirit farmers with reddened eyes dying in despair, and the figures in Dao Court Division robes fallen in pools of blood...

The originally tranquil and serene minor blessed land suddenly turned somewhat cold.

The surrounding darkness of the night also seemed to grow thicker.

Only a single candle flame illuminated Mo Hua's face.

In the darkness, Mo Hua sat motionless before this candle flame for a long, long time, and ultimately let out a deep sigh.

The night was thick, as if it would swallow even this sigh of his...

...

The next day, Bai Qingcheng, as always, intended to take Mo Hua to visit the wives of the various great noble families, to secure him a good marriage and a good future.

She led Mo Hua out of the minor blessed land. As they passed through a beautiful mountain forest where luan birds and cranes danced, Mo Hua suddenly spoke:

"Martial Aunt..."

Bai Qingcheng, who possessed Feathered Ascension cultivation, clad in white like glazed glass, her bearing elegant yet imposing with dignified grace, turned her head to look at Mo Hua and asked:

"What is it?"

Mo Hua was silent for a moment, as if he had made up his mind, then sighed softly: "Martial Aunt, never mind."

Bai Qingcheng furrowed her brow slightly.

Mo Hua said: "I... will not stay in Houtu City. I am leaving."

...

Translator Note: 

Xirang (息壤 ) is a two-character Chinese term. I’ll write it as 【Xirang】 rather than 【Xi-Rang】 in English. So if the text says “the two characters Xirang,” I’ll keep “two characters” because Xirang (息壤 ) is still two characters in Chinese, I’m simply combining them into one word in the English translation.

(End of Chapter)