Asking about longevity

Late at night, in the territory of Qianxue Prefecture.

Inside a certain sect's main hall.

A group of Daoist elders were gathered together again, their faces dark.

And this time, there were even more people in the hall.

In addition to the Daoist elders, a group of formation elders were also pulled over.

After all, the Daoist elders only focused on Daoist techniques.

As for questions about formations...

They were all sect elders above the Golden Core stage, and many of them had a wide range of knowledge, so they weren't completely ignorant.

But that was for general formation problems.

And it was aimed at general formation masters.

A formation genius like a monster was not something they could grasp.

Especially since it was Mo Hua, the leader of the formation path who was the best among the thousands of sects in Qianxue.

Even if he was only at the Foundation Establishment stage, even if he was just a sect disciple, his attainments in formations were beyond the reach of these Daoist elders.

Professional matters could only be done by professional cultivators.

Therefore, within each sect, some formation elders with profound knowledge were specially invited to attend the meeting together.

The formation elders all found it strange.

This kind of thing was absolutely unique in the past.

After all, this was the Sword Debate Assembly, and what was being competed was swordsmanship and Daoist techniques.

Those who studied Daoist techniques would never ask those who studied formations to discuss the rules.

But with Mo Hua, some things gradually began to be "unprecedented."

Inside the hall, a group of cultivators sat around, discussing:

"In the end, we still underestimated this kid..."

"He actually racked his brains to exploit loopholes in the Sword Debate Assembly, drawing high-level formations to defend the city himself, which is really outrageous..."

"This stinky brat can always come up with new tricks for you..."

"It's really a headache..."

A Daoist elder, hating Mo Hua to the extreme, snorted coldly:

"The Sword Debate Assembly has been around for thousands of years, and no one has ever exploited this loophole. This kid is the only one who is so cunning, acting as a 'show-off'..."

"It's not that no one has exploited the loophole? It's that they don't have the ability to exploit it!"

"How many people at the late Foundation Establishment stage can draw nineteenth-纹 high-level formations? Such people may not necessarily come to the Sword Debate."

"You don't understand," a formation elder explained, "It's not just about being able to draw, the most important thing is to draw quickly."

"In the heat of battle, drawing two or even three high-level formations in a short period of time... This formation drawing speed is unbelievable..."

"Don't even mention him being at the Foundation Establishment stage, even many Golden Core stage formation elders present may not be able to draw as fast as this kid."

The faces of the formation elders present were a little ugly, but they couldn't refute it.

Some of them had gone to watch the battle.

Some people, even if they hadn't gone to watch the battle, had watched the mirrored images several times.

When Mo Hua drew the formations, although he was hiding it and it was not clear, the speed at which the formations were formed was truly amazing.

Outsiders only saw the high-level formations.

Only insiders could notice that this formation forming speed was the most outrageous thing.

Formations are powerful, but the preparation time is also long.

This is also one of the biggest drawbacks of formations.

If you can't quickly outline and form the formation, it's useless no matter how powerful it is.

Therefore, in addition to his extremely profound formation attainments, Mo Hua's method of quickly forming formations was also at the "cheating" level.

"We were tricked by this kid..."

Someone sighed and said helplessly, "Mo Hua's initial position in the Taixu Sect's Sword Debate team should have been 'formation master'!"

And not just a simple formation master.

A second-grade high-level formation master with extremely strong self-preservation abilities!

That's why the Taixu Sect's ancestor, and even the Taixu Sect's higher-ups, would let him team up with geniuses like Linghu Xiao.

It's just that they hid it too well.

First spells, then concealment, then body techniques, and finally formations.

The trump cards were revealed step by step.

Everyone was led by the nose by him, step by step.

Everyone's impression of Mo Hua went from a "leader of the formation path" with a false reputation, to a "slacker" in the Sword Debate Assembly, a "crown prince" of the Taixu Sect, to a low-level spiritual cultivator, to a spiritual cultivator who could conceal himself, a spiritual cultivator who knew body techniques...

When everyone thought that he was a powerful spiritual cultivator who knew everything, he suddenly brought out his old business again, catching everyone off guard.

Everything turned around and returned to the starting point:

This Mo Hua was still the formation monster who overpowered the four sects and suppressed three generations.

He was the number one in Qianxue's formation debate, the leader of the formation path!

At this moment, all the Daoist elders in the hall had also come to their senses.

In an instant, they all felt like they were monkeys being played around by sesame seeds, corn, and watermelons.

"This stinky brat... he really deserves to die..."

An elder gritted his teeth.

If he wasn't an elder and couldn't save face, he would have liked to ask for a "Mo Hua Slaughter Order" and join the "big family" that was denouncing Mo Hua.

"Alright," an elder said, "It's meaningless to say these things. The most urgent task is to think of a way to deal with the current problem."

"There is a once-and-for-all solution..."

An elder's eyes flashed, "Directly determine that he violated the rules, cancel the victory in the previous round, and prohibit him from using high-level formations again."

"Not bad!"

"There has never been a precedent for using high-level formations in the Sword Debate Assembly."

"Determine that he violated the rules, and everything will be settled."

Others echoed.

But some people sneered, "How can it be so simple?"

"He disassembled the formation media, brought a formation brush, and used spiritual ink. These are all things that the rules of the Sword Debate themselves have."

"If you want to determine that he violated the rules, you have to add rules and change the rules."

"The rules on the Dao Discussion Mountain have been used for thousands of years. Who dares to change them?"

"That's right... the ancestral laws cannot be changed."

"Then at least remove the spiritual ink from the sundries?"

"What nonsense are you talking about? This spiritual ink was personally decided by the Dao Discussion Mountain's ancestor to be placed in the 'sundries'. The ancestor must have had his deep meaning in doing so."

"The Dao Discussion Mountain's ancestor is not an ordinary ancestor."

"Don't mention spiritual ink, even if he put a pile of shit in it, it would be of profound significance, and you can't change it!"

"There are so many elders here, shouldn't your wording be more elegant?"

"The words are rough, but the principle is correct. That's the way it is."

Some people nodded in agreement and said: "Indeed."

"The ancestral laws cannot be changed..."

"Moreover, even if we want to change it now, it's a bit late. We've already competed to this point."

"Furthermore, this is the Sword Debate Assembly, and it's under the spotlight. So many distinguished guests are watching. Changing the rules temporarily seems too childish, and it's bound to be criticized."

"It can't be changed anymore, we can only compete like this."

"Then think of a way to target Mo Hua's formations?"

"Second-grade nineteenth-纹 high-level formations are not so easy to learn. This kid probably hasn't learned too many."

"If we can figure out the foundation of his formations, it will be easier to deal with..."

Before everyone could reply, a senior formation elder with keen insight sneered: "Do you know the weight of the four words 'leader of the formation path'?"

"Figure out the foundation of the formations?"

"Do you know who you're talking about?"

"Didn't you go to see the last formation debate assembly?"

"How did Mo Hua win in the end? Don't you have any idea in your hearts?"

"What is crushing? Do you understand crushing?"

"This is the Sword Debate Assembly. He has to rely on spells to make a living, so he can fight back and forth."

"If this was the formation debate assembly, and we were competing in formations, I would say without any politeness that those geniuses in your eyes are all trash!"

"In the Sword Debate, he is an away game, but in the formation debate, he is the home game."

"When it comes to the formation debate's home game, this Mo Hua, unlike other geniuses, doesn't distinguish between the number one person of this sect or the number one person of that sect. He is a genuine number one person in Qianxue!"

"You don't study formations, you don't teach formations. You don't know how deep his formation foundation is at all."

"You don't know how unbelievable it is to teach such a formation monster..."

The formation elder who spoke had a head full of white hair, deep wrinkles, and was extremely experienced.

His words made everyone's faces extremely ugly.

But no one dared to refute it, and there was nothing to refute.

The hall was silent for a while.

An elder of the Qiandao Sect, who was quite respected, said slowly at this time with a solemn expression:

"Then, according to Elder Yan's meaning, what should we do?"

The old formation master with a head full of white hair, who was called "Elder Yan," pondered slightly, and then said directly:

"Don't even think about restraining him in formations."

"Even if all the disciples of your sects, even the four major sects, are added together, no one can restrain him in formations."

"Otherwise, he wouldn't have suppressed you and won the title of leader of the formation path."

"This was still three years ago..."

The Qiandao Sect elder's face was livid, but he didn't say anything.

Elder Yan said again: "Although you don't like this kid, you must admit his talent in formations."

"Now, three years have passed, and no one knows how advanced his formations are."

"Therefore, you definitely can't compare to the formations themselves."

"But formations are, after all, formations. Although they are powerful, they have great limitations."

"Formations need to be ambushed and arranged in advance."

"Once the formation is set up, it cannot be moved."

"These two points are the same for any formation master. Even a formation monster is no exception."

"In addition, this Mo Hua, no matter how fast he draws formations, he still has to waste time after all."

"This time is also a flaw."

"His habits of drawing formations, setting up formations, and using formations, what bad habits are there, can all be studied and utilized..."

"Anything, anyone, is afraid of being studied."

“Once it’s understood and thoroughly researched, he’ll be constrained everywhere. No matter how brilliant his formations are, he won’t be able to make any waves…”

The Qian Dao Sect elder’s expression finally eased a little, and he cupped his hands and said, “Then I’ll have to trouble Elder Yan.”

Elder Yan nodded slightly, but his expression was clearly not relaxed either.

… …

Taiyi Sect, late at night.

Mo Hua was still hunched over the desk in his disciple residence, patiently planning something on paper.

Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.

The Sword Debate seemed simple, just going on stage to spar with the geniuses of other sects and decide a winner.

But Mo Hua, offstage, had devoted a lot of time and effort to it.

Day and night, he planned tactics, deduced cause and effect, and sought that glimmer of a chance to win.

It was just that these efforts were unseen by the watching cultivators, and most people.

Victory never comes easily.

Moreover, the geniuses of the major sects in Qianxue Continent were truly not easy to deal with.

The most ⊥ new ⊥ small ⊥ said ⊥ at ⊥ six ⊥ 9 ⊥ ⊥ book ⊥ ⊥ bar ⊥ ⊥ first ⊥ issue!

The Sword Debate with the Heavenly Sword Sect during the day was also like that.

Mo Hua had already used his trump card, reinforcing the city gate with a high-level formation, but it was still breached twice by the Heavenly Sword Sect.

Especially that Xiao Ruohan, his move, Heavenly Sword Nine Styles, was too powerful.

If he hadn’t been more skilled and had an extra trick up his sleeve, he would have almost failed again.

Mo Hua sighed:

“Winning one round is so hard…”

Now, having fought against a group of sect disciples, especially having personally clashed with geniuses of Xiao Wuchen and Ao Zhan's level, Mo Hua truly felt the profound foundation of the Qianxue sects and the strength of the disciples from influential families.

Geniuses like Xiao Wuchen and Ao Zhan were comparable to the Fire Buddha at the peak of Foundation Establishment he had encountered back then.

Even in terms of spiritual root aptitude and Daoist inheritance, these geniuses like Xiao Wuchen were even better than the Fire Buddha.

It was true that the Fire Buddha died at his hands.

But Mo Hua knew in his heart that it was because Uncle Gu in the Golden Core realm had attracted the firepower for him, fighting the Fire Buddha head-on to the point of almost exhausting his lamp, that he was able to pick up the scraps.

The Sword Debate was different.

In the Sword Debate, he no longer had a Golden Core realm “Uncle Gu” to attract firepower for him, directly blocking geniuses like Xiao Wuchen and Ao Zhan.

Moreover, the Fire Buddha was just one person.

But in the Genius Sword Debate, Xiao Wuchen and the others were all five people.

The people around Xiao Wuchen and Ao Zhan were also top-notch geniuses of their respective sects.

And this was the Qianxue Sword Debate, with countless eyes watching inside and out. Mo Hua also had no way to use all his methods without any scruples.

Winning one was already difficult.

And even if he won one, what about the rest?

Xiao Wuchen, Ao Zhan, Duanmu Qing, Shen Linshu, the four top geniuses from the four sects, plus first-rate geniuses like “Xiao Ruohan,” there were probably a dozen of them…

These were all “enemies.”

And this was just the Earth-ranked Sword Debate.

When it came to the later Heaven-ranked Sword Debate, looking around, it was all enemies.

Just thinking about it was enough to make one's scalp tingle…

Calculating like this, Mo Hua couldn’t help but wonder if the Taiyi Sect could really get first place in this Sword Debate.

In the eyes of the Taiyi Sect’s Sect Master and elders, the position of “Four Great Sects” might be enough.

No, they might not even dare to think about the position of "Four Great Sects."

This was a dream that was tempting but unattainable.

But Mo Hua didn’t say it. His goal had always been first place in the Sword Debate.

Only if the Taiyi Sect got first place in the Sword Debate, the rewards for the Sword Debate champion would fall to the Taiyi Sect, and he would have a chance to obtain that formation:

The Yimu Returning Spring Formation.

Mo Hua’s gaze darkened slightly.

This was a formation related to his master’s karma.

It was even very likely the formation that would bring his master back to life.

The name "Yimu Returning Spring" was unremarkable, and others might not know the value of this formation.

But Mo Hua knew in his heart that if this was really the formation to save his master, then it meant that this formation, in a sense, possessed the great power to reverse Yin and Yang, defy death and life, trace karma, and break the heavenly secrets.

According to Mo Hua’s intuition, this was definitely an ancient and terrifying formation.

He had to get it no matter what.

He had to save his master no matter what…

“Master…”

Mo Hua sighed, put his hands behind his head, looked up at the night sky, thinking about the past, his heart full of melancholy.

His master’s face, the words he had told him, flowed through Mo Hua’s mind one by one.

But Mo Hua only thought about it for a while, then didn’t dare to think about it anymore.

The Dao of Heavenly Secrets was treacherous and unpredictable. He was afraid of being detected by others, so he only dared to think about his master occasionally in his heart and didn’t dare to think about him often.

Mo Hua closed his eyes and pondered for a moment, abandoning the thoughts about “Master,” and then concentrated his attention, silently saying in his heart:

“Must win…”

“Even if the current karma is confusing, we must try our best to win every round, accumulate every victory point, and wait for the arrival of the key turning point…”

Mo Hua faintly had a premonition in his heart.

This Sword Debate would never be so simple.

Something big was definitely going to happen…

Before that, winning one round was one round.

… …

After that, the Sword Debate continued.

Mo Hua’s next opponent was a first-rate genius of the Qian Dao Sect.

Not Shen Linshu, but he was not to be underestimated either.

The format of the Sword Debate was still a siege battle.

Only this time, the Taiyi Sect was the main attacker, and the Qian Dao Sect was the main defender.

This was no different from the usual siege battle process. The only difference was that Mo Hua did not participate.

As soon as the Sword Debate began, he ran to a small hill and secretly drew formations.

Everyone was curious about what kind of formation he would draw.

What was even more curious was how fast he could draw the formation and how fast it could be completed.

As a result, Mo Hua ran to the small hill, directly took out a blanket, and covered himself.

Then he hid under the blanket and secretly drew, not showing anyone at all.

On the Fang Tian Painting Shadow, one could only see a "caterpillar" wrapped in a blanket.

This made the watching cultivators angry enough to scold:

“Miser!”

“Despicable!”

“Judging a gentleman’s heart with a petty person’s belly.”

“Drawing formations and not letting us see?”

… …

Some formation elders holding “Shadow Projection Charts” on the side also sighed, looking helpless.

They had come to participate in the Sword Debate in order to show their strength to the major families, major sects, and even thousands of cultivators.

Other geniuses couldn’t wait to show their divine power in front of everyone.

This Fang Tian Painting Shadow was the biggest stage.

But the ancestors who created the Fang Tian Painting Shadow probably didn’t expect that there would be someone who would go the other way, afraid of having their skills seen by others.

Even drawing a formation had to be covered with a blanket.

Ordinary geniuses really couldn’t do this kind of thing.

They cared about their face.

But Mo Hua was different. He really didn’t care about face at all.

As for Mo Hua in the arena, he naturally didn’t care so much.

Everything was for winning. How much was face worth?

Through the previous Sword Debates, he had clearly understood one thing:

That was, in the Sword Debate arena, there were always a bunch of people staring at him, and they were all trying to target him.

The more his methods were exposed, the more he would be targeted.

And some trump cards, exposing them later, could be hidden for another round, and maybe he could win another round.

Therefore, he had to hide them as much as possible.

Hide them by any means.

Even if it was just finding a blanket to cover himself.

And often the simplest methods had the most unexpected effects.

At least this blanket covered Mo Hua and confused everyone else.

In this way, Mo Hua covered himself with the blanket, secretly drew the formation, and lingered for a while, so that others couldn’t guess the real speed of his formation drawing. Then, he put away the blanket, carried the formation, and ran towards the “city” of the Qian Dao Sect.

Other sects were fine.

But he had a grudge against the Qian Dao Sect.

Back then, he wanted to join the Qian Dao Sect, but he couldn’t even enter the “mountain gate.”

Then today, in the Sword Debate, he would blow up the “city gate” of the Qian Dao Sect!

Mo Hua looked excited.

It wasn’t that he was petty, but he really had no choice due to the situation of the Sword Debate.