Immortality Through Array Formations

Chapter 359 - 357: Completion_1

Once the Formation Pivot was completed, it needed to serve as the core, extending its Patterns outward to every corner of the Large Formation, linking thousands of Single Formations.

These Single Formations were all of the Five-elements Formation Methods, with the lowest grade being the sixth-grade Formation Patterns and the highest being the first-grade nine Patterns.

Given the sheer number of Formations, even if Mo Hua painted Formation Methods very quickly, it would be impossible for him to finish so many Formations alone within two months.

Therefore, the assistance of other Formation Masters was indispensable.

As the main Formation Master, Mo Hua had two tasks. The first was the overall design and planning of the Single Formations, deciding which Formation Methods to use where, how many copies were needed, and how to control them centrally through the Formation Pivot.

The second task was the compatibility check of the Single Formations. Some Formation layouts might look flawless, but when Spiritual Power actually started to flow, they could easily conflict with each other.

In such cases, it was up to the main Formation Master to adjust and modify them.

Mo Hua handed over the tactical arrangement plans to Master Luo, asking for his help in distributing the tasks to specific Formation Masters.

Being young, Mo Hua giving direct orders might not sit well with the other Formation Masters. Even if they didn’t voice any objections, they would surely feel uncomfortable.

Master Luo was a bona fide first-grade Formation Master with an esteemed reputation; thus, delegating this task to him was for the best.

The tasks that Mo Hua had to personally take care of included filling the Single Formations, checking their compatibility, and adjusting the flow of Spiritual Power between the Single Formations and the Formation Pivot.

Another task was the Calculation of the Formation Pivot.

The Formation Pivot of the Great Formation was extremely complex, and he had to work quickly to thoroughly calculate it.

In case of an emergency, if the Five Elements Slaughter Demon Great Formation failed to suppress Feng Xi, he could attempt to use Great Formation Dissolution to eliminate the Big Demon and prevent future troubles.

This was an ultimate measure, not to be used unless absolutely necessary, but it was essential to prepare in advance.

Using the Great Formation to slay the demon was not a task for him alone. It concerned not just Tongxian City, but the entire Black Mountain State Boundary, and the stability for hundreds or even thousands of years to come.

Therefore, meticulous consideration was imperative.

Thus, by day, Mo Hua painted Formation Methods, checked the ones painted by other Formation Masters, and adjusted the whole Great Formation based on compatibility and the flow of Formation strength.

At night, when others rested, he sank his Divine Sense into the Sea of Consciousness, using the Taoist Stele to calculate the Spiritual Power trajectories of the Five Elements Slaughter Demon Great Formation’s Formation Pivot.

As he continued calculating the Formation Pivot, his understanding of the Great Formation became clearer, and his daytime adjustments became much more proficient.

In the past few days, Master Luo was also engrossed in painting Formations.

With a vast number of Single Formations included and time being of the essence, he, too, had to pour all his effort into completing the planned Formation tasks on time.

After he finished painting a Formation, Mo Hua would habitually "inspect" it.

During these times, Master Luo felt particularly anxious.

It seemed as if he were recalling the days when he was just learning Formations, a mere Formation apprentice, handing in his work and waiting for his mentor’s review with a sense of unease and apprehension.

To him, Mo Hua was like that mentor, and he had become an apprentice again, submitting work for Mo Hua to evaluate.

Mo Hua conducted his "reviews" swiftly.

If he went from start to finish in one go, it meant the Formation was painted correctly, and Master Luo would silently breathe a sigh of relief;

If Mo Hua paused at any point, it would make Master Luo tense;

And if Mo Hua suddenly frowned while reviewing, Master Luo’s heart would skip a beat, and he might even break out in a cold sweat.

Despite constantly reminding himself:

He was already a first-grade Formation Master; he was no longer the apprentice of the past.

And although Mo Hua was good at painting Formations, after all, he was just a young Junior Formation Master who had not undergone the Taoist Court’s assessment; there was no need for Master Luo to feel anxious or apprehensive...

Yet, he couldn’t help but feel a bit on edge, worried that Mo Hua might indeed spot a mistake.

He would dismiss the criticisms of other Formation Masters without a second thought.

Because if other Formation Masters were not his equal, even if they pointed out a mistake, it didn’t necessarily mean he was wrong.

But Mo Hua was different. If he pointed out an error, it invariably meant there was a genuine mistake...

Master Luo sighed and couldn’t help but lament to himself:

"We are both first-grade Formation Masters, so why is the gap so big..."

Before encountering Mo Hua, he had always thought that first-grade Formation Masters were more or less the same, their skill levels not varying widely.

Now he understood that discerning the level of Formation Masters was like looking at a pool of water.

Some were pond water, while others were ocean water—unfathomably deep and immeasurable sea water.

Master Luo’s evaluation of Mo Hua grew even higher.

Yet he vaguely felt something wasn’t quite right, as if he had still misjudged something.

So, he began to covertly observe Mo Hua.

Mo Hua would also pick up the brush to paint Formations. Some Single Formations were personally crafted by him.

His hands were as fair as an apprentice’s, but the Formations they painted were strict and masterful, exhibiting a master’s exquisite skill.

Furthermore, Mo Hua painted extremely fast. His strokes were fluid and agile as if empowered with a life of their own.

The lines, as if dancing off of Mo Hua’s brush, followed their own logic and naturally formed Patterns.

Master Luo watched in amazement.

This level of skill could not be achieved without extensive practice with Formation methods.

But it shouldn’t be so...

Mo Hua is so young, and even if he used all the time he had for sleeping, he couldn’t possibly have become so adept.

Master Luo was puzzled and continued to scrutinize Mo Hua.

He then discovered an astonishing fact:

All the adjustments to the Large Formation were being made by Mo Hua alone, and he controlled all the compatibility of the Single Formations by himself.

Even when there were errors on the Formation Pivot, it was Mo Hua himself who erased and re-drew them.

Thinking back to the scribble-like traces on the Formation Pivot, Master Luo suddenly realized:

There were no experts substituting for Mo Hua; he had drawn the entire Formation Pivot himself, and he was in control of the entire Formation!

Master Luo looked at the rosy-cheeked and pearly-toothed Mo Hua, feeling a coldness rushing to his crown.

What kind of evil prodigy was this, who could truly, by his own power, control the construction of an entire first-grade Large Formation!

Master Luo stood frozen on the spot, his face showing an expression of utter disbelief.

This was a real, thirteen-year-old chief Formation Master!

He had misjudged previously and guessed everything wrong...

With such an inconceivable level of Formation Method, who would need to be gilded?

In Master Luo’s eyes, Mo Hua was entirely made of pure gold at this moment, his entire body radiating dazzling golden light...

This was a bona fide first-grade Great Formation Master!

A storm of awe and amazement surged in Master Luo’s heart.

From then on, Master Luo’s demeanor towards Mo Hua became even more deferential, even bowing slightly when speaking to him.

Mo Hua found it very odd, even thinking that Master Luo had become muddled from tiredness...

And Master Luo became even more dedicated to the construction of the Formation.

Some older Formation Masters were slippery characters who didn’t take Drawing Formation to heart, repeatedly making mistakes, and before Mo Hua could say anything, Master Luo would already scold them furiously.

This surprised the other Formation Masters.

Usually, Master Luo wasn’t like this; he was always polite, adept at playing both sides, and even when angry, he would not lose composure and curse at people.

But now, he seemed like a changed person.

Master Luo knew that Mo Hua truly had the potential to complete the Formation!

And within this Formation, there were Diagrams that he had drawn.

Not only did he want to witness the completion of the Formation he had participated in, but he also wanted to witness the birth of Mo Hua, the thirteen-year-old chief Formation Master!

This might just be the most glorious achievement in his life as a Formation Master.

Not just for him, but for all the Formation Masters present, this was the honor of a lifetime.

Seeing Master Luo so earnest and serious, the other Formation Masters also straightened their thoughts and invested their whole heart into the construction of the Formation.

...

The Cultivators worked together with one heart and one mind, and the construction of the Large Formation gradually progressed amidst the busyness, monotony, and tiredness.

Despite Leader Yang bringing Taoist Soldiers repeatedly to interfere and delay Feng Xi’s refining process, the Blood Qi congealing on Big Black Mountain was still growing heavier.

At the same time, the outline of the Formation gradually emerged on the site of the old Black Mountain Stronghold, step by step solidifying into place.

The structure was round on the outside and square on the inside, in accordance with the heaven’s roundness and the earth’s squareness.

The interior was filled with channels and layers upon layers of Formations, forming a dense maze of Formation Patterns.

The entire Large Formation was grand and solemn.

All of the Cultivators who were part of the construction felt a chill in their hearts, their expressions momentarily dazed:

They were truly building a Large Formation, and perhaps they could really... complete the Large Formation!

Then came several more nights and days of strenuous construction.

Countless Cultivators poured out their sweat, contributing bricks and tiles to the best of their ability, until at last, the Large Formation was initially completed.

After the initial completion, what remained was the assessment of the Formation.

Mo Hua checked all the Formations again and began to channel Spiritual Power, testing the effects of the Spiritual Power flow within the Formation, as well as carefully investigating with Master Luo for several days, eliminating the many hidden dangers within the Formation...

Having done all this, Mo Hua finally nodded slightly.

His nod meant that the operation of the Large Formation had no issues.

All the Cultivators standing behind Mo Hua felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from their hearts and breathed a sigh of relief, as if relieved of a heavy burden.

Finally, the Large Formation was completed!

...

In the Taoist Calendar, the year 20,025, on the twenty-third day of the tenth month.

After marshaling the entire manpower and resources of Tongxian City for two months and five extra days.

Within the deep mountains of Big Black Mountain, the first-grade Five Elements Slaughter Demon Great Formation was officially completed!