Late at night, within the borders of Qianyu Prefecture.
Inside a grand hall of a certain sect.
A group of elders specializing in martial techniques sat together, their faces dark with displeasure.
This was yet another all-nighter—one of many.
They had originally believed that Mo Hua wouldn't be able to stir up any more waves, especially since Tai Xu Sect had already lost several matches.
They thought the overall situation was set, yet things didn't go as expected. That detestable Mo Hua had caused another disturbance.
This time, the number of attendees in the grand hall had increased.
Besides the martial elders, a group of array elders had also been summoned.
After all, martial elders only dealt with martial arts.
As for matters related to formations…
Although they were all sect elders at the Golden Core stage or above, and many had broad knowledge, they couldn't claim to be true experts in arrays.
If it had been an ordinary array problem, it would have been handled by regular array masters.
But when facing an unparalleled prodigy in formations, they had no means of controlling the situation.
Especially since this was Mo Hua—a genius who stood at the pinnacle of array masters among the thousands of sects in Qianyu Prefecture.
Even though he was merely at the Foundation Establishment stage, and even though he was just a sect disciple, his attainments in array formations far surpassed what these martial elders could ever hope to achieve.
When it comes to professional matters, only professionals should handle them.
Thus, various sects had specially invited their most knowledgeable array elders to this emergency meeting.
The array elders, however, found this situation quite peculiar.
After all, this was a Sword Dao Tournament—meant for testing swordsmanship and martial techniques.
Those who studied martial arts wouldn't usually discuss strategies with those specializing in arrays.
But with Mo Hua's involvement, things had started to change.
Inside the grand hall, cultivators sat in a circle, deep in discussion:
"How should we deal with this kid…?"
"Who would have thought that during a Sword Dao Tournament, he would go out of his way to set up high-level defensive formations for protection? That's just absurd…"
"This brat always has new tricks up his sleeve…"
"This is such a headache…"
Some martial elders, utterly frustrated with Mo Hua, snorted coldly:
"The Sword Dao Tournament has existed for a thousand years, and never before has someone exploited such loopholes. This kid is too cunning, turning this into his own little game."
"Is it really exploiting loopholes? Or is it just pure skill?"
"A Foundation Establishment cultivator capable of drawing a high-tier, nineteen-pattern array—how many people in the world can do that? Someone like that wouldn't normally even enter the tournament!"
"You don't understand," an array elder explained. "It's not just about drawing the array. The key is how fast he can do it."
"In the heat of battle, being able to set up two or even three high-tier formations in a short time… That speed is unimaginable."
"Forget about him being a Foundation Establishment cultivator—even among Golden Core array elders, few could match that speed."
The array elders present had mixed expressions. Some were unwilling to accept it, but none could refute the truth.
Some had personally witnessed the battles.
Even those who hadn't attended in person had watched the recorded images multiple times.
Although Mo Hua had concealed his hand movements while setting up formations, making it hard to see clearly, his formation speed was astonishing.
Outsiders could only see the effects of high-tier arrays.
But insiders understood that his formation speed was the most outrageous aspect.
Powerful formations usually required long preparation times.
That was one of the greatest weaknesses of array techniques.
If one couldn't deploy an array quickly, no matter how strong it was, it would be useless.
Thus, beyond his deep understanding of formations, Mo Hua's ability to set them up rapidly was nothing short of "broken."
"We got played by this brat…"
One person sighed helplessly. "From the beginning, Mo Hua's role in the Tai Xu Sect's team should have been identified as an 'array master,' right?"
But he wasn't just any array master.
He was a second-tier high-ranking array master with immense survivability!
This was precisely why the Tai Xu Sect's Patriarch and high-ranking members had allowed him and Linghu Xiao to form such an unconventional team.
They had hidden their true strengths too well.
First, they showcased spells.
Then, they revealed stealth techniques.
Next, they displayed movement skills.
And finally, they unleashed their formations.
Their hidden cards were revealed one by one.
Every step, they had led others by the nose.
Everyone's initial impression of Mo Hua was that he was a mere "nominal" leader of array masters—a non-combatant, a mere troublemaker in the Sword Dao Tournament, a "protected young master" of Tai Xu Sect, a low-tier spiritual cultivator…
But in reality, he turned out to be a peerless formation genius, someone who suppressed four sects and dominated three generations of array masters.
He was the number one in Qianyu Prefecture's formation scene—the true Array Dao Leader!
At that moment, as the martial elders reflected on everything, they felt as though they had been toyed with like monkeys dancing to Mo Hua's tune.
"This damn brat… he's infuriating!"
One elder gritted his teeth.
If he weren't a respected elder, bound by the rules, he would have wanted to issue a "Mo Hua Hunting Order" and join the great tribunal against him.
"Enough," another elder said. "Complaining won't solve anything. The immediate priority is figuring out how to deal with the current situation."
"Isn't there a simple solution…?"
An elder's eyes flashed. "We can declare his actions a violation of the rules, nullify his victories, and ban him from using high-tier formations."
"That's right!"
"Using high-tier formations in the Sword Dao Tournament was never a precedent!"
"If we declare him in violation of the rules, it would solve everything."
Many nodded in agreement.
However, some elders sneered, "Do you think it's that simple?"
"He didn't break the formation rules. He used array brushes, formation mediums, and spiritual ink—all of which are explicitly allowed in the tournament rules."
"If you want to disqualify him, you'd have to change the rules entirely."
"But the rules of the Sword Dao Tournament have remained unchanged for thousands of years. Who dares to alter them?"
"That's true… The ancestral laws cannot be changed."
"Then at least we can classify spiritual ink as a restricted item?"
"Are you joking? Spiritual ink was explicitly approved by the tournament's founding ancestor. If even he allowed it, there must have been a deeper reason."
"The founder of the Sword Dao Tournament wasn't just any ancestor."
"Forget spiritual ink—if he had declared a pile of dung an acceptable item, no one would be able to change that!"
"Can you at least phrase that more respectfully?"
"Crude but true. That's just how it is."
Some nodded in agreement.
"Indeed."
"The ancestral laws cannot be changed…"
"The ancestral rules cannot be changed..."
"Besides, even if we wanted to change them, it would be a bit too late. We've already reached this stage."
"Moreover, this is the Sword Debate Grand Event, watched by countless eyes. Those esteemed guests are observing. If we change the rules at the last moment, it would seem too frivolous and might invite criticism."
"We cannot change them now. The competition must proceed as it is."
"So, do we have any means to deal with this Mo Hua's formation?"
"A high-tier formation with nineteen patterns of the second grade is not something easily countered. Even if we attempt it, the chances of suppressing him are slim."
"If we could fully grasp the fundamentals of his formation, it would be much easier to handle..."
Before anyone could respond, a seasoned elder with extraordinary insight into formations sneered,
"Do you all even understand the weight of the title 'Foremost of the Formation Path'?"
"Grasp the fundamentals of his formation?"
"Do you even know who you are talking about?"
"Did you witness the previous Formation Debate Grand Event?"
"Do you all even realize how this Mo Hua won? Do you have the slightest clue?"
"Do you understand what it means to dominate? To completely overwhelm?"
"This is the Sword Debate Grand Event. He relies on spell techniques here, so he can be countered in battle."
"But this is the Formation Debate Grand Event. It is a contest of formations. To put it bluntly, the arrogant prodigies in your eyes, every single one of them, is trash before him!"
"In the Sword Debate, he was an outsider. But in the Formation Debate, this is his domain!"
"When it comes to the true stage of formations, this Mo Hua is different from the other so-called prodigies who are merely disciples of different sects. He is the real deal, the genuine pinnacle of the Formation Path!"
"You all neither practice formations nor teach them, so you are completely unaware of how deep his foundation in formations truly is."
"And even more so, you cannot comprehend how terrifying it is to raise a monstrous genius of formations like him..."
The elder who spoke had a head full of white hair, deeply lined wrinkles, and immense seniority.
His words left everyone present with grim expressions.
Yet, not a single person dared to refute him.
The hall fell into silence.
On the stage, a highly respected elder from the Heavenly Firmament Sect finally spoke solemnly,
"Then, in Elder Yan's opinion, what should we do?"
The elderly formation master, known as "Elder Yan," pondered for a moment before stating directly,
"In formations, there is no way to suppress him."
"Even if all disciples from your Four Great Sects were to join forces, not a single one of them could restrain him through formations."
"Otherwise, he wouldn't be overwhelming you all and claiming the title of 'Foremost of the Formation Path.'"
"This has been the case for three years..."
The elder of the Heavenly Firmament Sect looked grim but remained silent.
Elder Yan continued,
"Even if you all dislike this young man, you must admit his natural talent in formations."
"After three years, no one knows how far his mastery of formations has progressed."
"Therefore, in terms of formations, you are definitely no match for him."
"But formations, after all, are still formations. Despite their immense power, they have significant limitations."
"Formations require prior setup and must be laid out in advance."
"Once deployed, formations cannot be moved."
"These two aspects apply to every formation master. Even a monstrous genius in formations is no exception."
"Furthermore, no matter how fast this Mo Hua draws formations, it still takes time."
"And that time itself is a weakness."
"His habits when setting up formations, his weaknesses—these can all be studied and exploited..."
"Anything, and anyone, becomes vulnerable once they are thoroughly studied."
"Once he is fully analyzed and countered, no matter how brilliant his formations may be, he will have no room to turn the tides again..."
Hearing this, the elder of the Heavenly Firmament Sect finally relaxed a little. Bowing slightly, he said,
"Then we shall entrust this matter to Elder Yan."
Elder Yan nodded slightly, though his expression remained heavy.
...
Heavenly Void Sect (Tai Xu Sect), Late at Night
Mo Hua lay sprawled over his fellow disciple's desk late at night, carefully planning something on paper.
"If one prepares beforehand, things will be established; if not, they will fail."
The sword duel seemed simple—just an exchange between the sect's young prodigies to determine a winner.
Yet, when Mo Hua stepped onto the stage, he had poured in an enormous amount of time, energy, and effort.
Deep into the night, he meticulously devised battle strategies, simulated outcomes, and searched for that one sliver of victory.
Still, despite all his effort, the vast number of cultivators watching would not care about his struggles.
Victory was never easily attained.
Moreover, the top talents from the major sects of Qianzhou were not easy opponents.
Just like his previous duel with the Heaven Sword Sect.
Mo Hua had already used one of his trump cards—a high-tier formation that fortified the city gates—yet the Heaven Sword Sect had broken through twice.
Especially that one move—Xiao Ruohan's Nine Heavenly Sword Forms—its power was overwhelming.
Had he not kept a backup plan and left himself some room, he might have suffered a disastrous defeat.
Mo Hua sighed.
"Winning just one match is already so difficult..."
Through numerous battles against fellow sect disciples, especially against the likes of Xiao Wuchen and Ao Zhan—heaven's chosen talents of their level—Mo Hua had deeply realized the profound foundation of major sects and the sheer strength of aristocratic disciples.
Xiao Wuchen and Ao Zhan were on par with the Fire Buddha, the Foundation Establishment peak-stage cultivator he had once faced in the past.
In fact, in terms of spiritual roots and cultivation inheritance, these prodigies likely surpassed Fire Buddha.
Fire Buddha's death was ultimately his own doing.
But Mo Hua knew the truth—it was because Uncle Gu, a Golden Core cultivator, had drawn the Fire Buddha's attacks, fighting him to the brink of exhaustion, allowing Mo Hua to claim victory in the end.
A sword duel was entirely different.
This time, there would be no Uncle Gu to divert the danger or block opponents like Xiao Wuchen and Ao Zhan.
And Fire Buddha was just one person.
Whereas, in this duel, Xiao Wuchen and Ao Zhan were only two of five top contenders.
Around them were even more elite disciples from various major sects, each an outstanding genius in their own right.
And this was just the Qianzhou Sword Duel—under the watchful eyes of countless spectators. Mo Hua had no choice but to be extremely careful.
Winning a single match would be a grueling challenge.
And even if he did win—what about the next?
Xiao Wuchen, Ao Zhan, Duanmu Qing, Shen Linshu... four top-tier prodigies from four major sects.
On top of that, there was also Xiao Ruohan, an elite among elites.
There were probably at least a dozen such figures...
All of them were opponents.
And this was just a sword duel.
Looking ahead to the even greater Heavenly Duel, he would be surrounded by enemies on all sides.
Just thinking about it sent shivers down his spine...
With these calculations, Mo Hua couldn't help but wonder—did the Tai Xu Sect really have a chance in this year's Sword Duel Tournament?
In the eyes of the Tai Xu Sect's leader and elders, securing a spot among the Four Great Sects was already an ambitious goal.
No, in fact, even claiming a place among the Four Great Sects was uncertain.
It was a tempting yet seemingly unattainable dream.
But Mo Hua never said it aloud.
His true goal had always been to claim first place in the sword duel.
Only by securing victory for the Tai Xu Sect could he obtain the top prize—
The Yi Wood Rejuvenation Formation.
Mo Hua's gaze darkened.
That formation was deeply connected to his master's fate.
It might even be the key to bringing his master back to life.
"Yi Wood Rejuvenation"—the name seemed ordinary, and others might not recognize its true value.
But Mo Hua understood clearly—
If this formation truly held the power to save his master, then it meant...
It could reverse yin and yang, defy death, trace karma, and break the will of the heavens.
From Mo Hua's intuition, this was undoubtedly an ancient and terrifying formation.
No matter what, he had to obtain it.
No matter what, he had to save his master...
"Master..."
Mo Hua sighed, interlocking his hands behind his head as he gazed at the night sky, lost in thought.
His master's face, the words of guidance once spoken, all resurfaced in Mo Hua's mind.
But he quickly cut himself off.
The will of heaven was unpredictable. He feared that if he dwelled too much on this, karma would catch up to him.
So, for the sake of his master, he only allowed himself brief moments of contemplation—never lingering on it for too long.
Closing his eyes for a moment, Mo Hua suppressed his thoughts of his master, refocused his mind, and silently swore:
"I must win..."
"Even if the path ahead is shrouded in mystery, I must give my all to win every match, gather every victory, and wait for the pivotal moment..."
Somehow, Mo Hua had a strong premonition.
This Sword Duel Tournament would be far from simple.
Something major was bound to happen...
For now, though—he just had to win, one match at a time.
Thus, the Great Sword Debate Tournament continued.
Mo Hua participated in the Sword Debate as a representative of Qian Yuan Sect's top talent.
He was not Shen Linshu, but he was not someone to be underestimated either.
The format of the Sword Debate was a battle of offense and defense.
However, this time, the Tai Xu Sect was the attacker, while the Qian Yuan Sect was on defense.
As the debate commenced, waves of people gathered at the Lun Jian Mountain to spectate.
Tai Xu Sect had been losing continuously, disappointing many.
But in the last match, Mo Hua revealed an array formation and unexpectedly defeated the Heavenly Sword Sect. Tai Xu Sect, which had been on a losing streak, finally regained some momentum, making this match worth watching.
Even so, criticism arose—especially directed at Mo Hua:
"Since this is a Sword Debate, relying on array formations is deviating from the purpose and undermining the essence of swordsmanship."
"If Mo Hua had any sense of honor, he should abandon his arrays and fight his opponent head-on, sword against sword!"
"Then why don't you go challenge Mo Hua yourself?"
"Hah, as if he'd even bother acknowledging you. That alone would be a loss for him."
"If someone refuses to fight head-on, does that not make them a coward?"
"Shouldn't the Lun Jian Mountain enforce the rules?"
"What rules were broken? Why should Lun Jian Mountain interfere?"
"Just watch. Mo Hua will definitely rely on arrays again this match."
"What kind of array will he use this time?"
"How would I know? That guy is as cunning as a ghost. Who knows what he's planning?"
"Relax. As soon as the fight starts and he makes his move, we'll find out."
…
Amidst the ongoing debates, the match finally began.
The disciples of Qian Yuan Sect took defensive positions within their fortress.
Tai Xu Sect split into two groups and launched their attack.
At first glance, this seemed like a typical siege battle, with one notable difference—Mo Hua did not participate directly.
As soon as the match began, he ran up a small hill and began secretly drawing an array formation.
Everyone was curious about what kind of array he was drawing.
What surprised them even more was his method of doing so.
The speed at which he set up his formations was astonishing.
As soon as he reached the hill, he pulled out a blanket and wrapped himself up completely.
He hid under the blanket, scribbling away, making sure no one could see what he was doing.
From the outside, all anyone could see was a moving "caterpillar" wrapped in a blanket.
The spectators were furious and started cursing:
"Coward!"
"Shameless!"
"Such deceitful tactics reflect his scheming nature!"
"Is he afraid to let others see his array formations?"
Nearby, an elder specializing in formation techniques sighed helplessly, feeling powerless.
The purpose of participating in the Sword Debate was to showcase one's abilities before prestigious sects and thousands of cultivators.
Other geniuses relished the opportunity to shine in front of an audience.
The grand stage of Lun Jian Mountain was meant for moments like these.
Yet, Mo Hua went against the norm.
Even the ancestors who built Lun Jian Mountain likely never expected someone to completely shroud themselves out of fear of revealing their techniques.
Drawing an array under a blanket?
That was something a true sword cultivator would never do.
They had their pride.
But Mo Hua? He clearly didn't care.
Inside the battlefield, Mo Hua remained unbothered by the mockery.
To him, victory mattered more than face.
Through past matches, he had learned one thing clearly:
At the Sword Debate, countless people were watching and plotting against him.
The more he revealed his methods, the more people would try to counter him.
If he could keep his trump cards hidden for longer, it might just be the key to victory.
So, he would conceal everything he could.
He would use any method necessary.
Even if that meant hiding under a blanket.
And often, the simplest methods proved to be the most effective.
At the very least, by covering himself with a blanket, Mo Hua had not only hidden himself—he had also completely baffled everyone else.
Just like that, after carefully drawing his array, Mo Hua stalled for a while to make it harder for others to gauge his true speed.
Only then did he put away the blanket, gather his formation, and dash toward the "fortress" of Qian Yuan Sect.
Other sects didn't concern him.
But he had a personal grudge against Qian Yuan Sect.
Back then, he had wanted to join them, but they had rejected him at the gate.
Now, at this Sword Debate, he would blow open their gates instead!
Mo Hua's face lit up with excitement.
Not because he was vengeful, but because the circumstances of the battle left him no other choice.
(End of this Chapter)