Chapter 451: Grudges and Gratitude

Chapter 452: Grudges and Gratitude

“The waters of South Yue City are really deep…”

Mo Hua sighed again.

Who was behind the Walking Corpse Stronghold? Who supported Zhang Quan? Mo Hua still had no clue.

He could only rely on the Dao Court Division to see if they could get anything out of Zhang Quan.

Mo Hua didn’t go to ask himself.

Because Zhang Quan certainly wouldn’t tell him.

Zhang Quan hated Mo Hua to death.

He had almost been driven to madness by Mo Hua.

If Mo Hua asked him now, it would be a miracle if Zhang Quan didn’t burst a blood vessel from anger, and he certainly wouldn’t get any useful information.

Right now, all the clues about the Spirit-Pivot Formation and the Walking Corpse Stronghold lay with Zhang Quan.

Only by extracting information from Zhang Quan could Mo Hua continue his investigation.

Only by tracing the cultivators or factions behind Zhang Quan could he locate the higher-level Spirit-Pivot Formation patterns.

Only then could Mo Hua restore the complete Spirit-Pivot Formation.

And finally master the twelve-pattern Spirit-Pivot Formation.

For the rest of his time, Mo Hua focused on studying the incomplete Spirit-Pivot Formation.

The Spirit-Pivot Formation was the key to this matter.

A cultivator capable of controlling iron corpses with a Spirit-Pivot Formation was not to be underestimated.

The hidden conspiracy in South Yue City must be extraordinary.

Preparation was key; breaking formations with formations required understanding as much as possible.

The more he knew about formations, the better he could respond to danger in the future.

…

That day, after finishing his study of the formation, Mo Hua steamed some tea snacks and brought them to Mister Zhuang for tea, chatted briefly, and then took some to Instructor Yan.

Instructor Yan sat in the courtyard, lost in thought, worry etched on his face.

Mo Hua placed the tea snacks on the table and poured him a cup of tea, asking,

“Instructor, do you have something on your mind?”

Instructor Yan hesitated, then shook his head. “Nothing.”

Mo Hua’s eyes flickered. “Is it about the traitor from the Little Lingyin Sect?”

Instructor Yan froze, bitterness in his voice.

“You… you already know?”

“Yes,” Mo Hua nodded. “Manager Mo told me everything.”

Instructor Yan sighed helplessly.

“My junior disciple really can’t keep his mouth shut…”

Mo Hua asked, “Is the traitor in South Yue City now?”

Instructor Yan was reluctant to speak.

Mo Hua blinked his big eyes at him.

Instructor Yan hesitated, then said helplessly,

“I don’t want to drag you into sect grudges…”

Mo Hua shook his head. “It’s fine. Maybe I’m already involved.”

Instructor Yan paused, considering, and realized it was true.

Mo Hua had led the campaign against the Walking Corpse Stronghold—he was already deeply involved.

Yet Instructor Yan still hesitated.

Mo Hua lowered his voice, “I’m familiar with South Yue City. I have some connections with the Lu family, South Yue Sect, Dao Court Division, miners, and the Hundred Flowers Tower. I can help you gather information.”

Instructor Yan’s eyes widened at the last point.

“You know the Hundred Flowers Tower too?”

Although he had never been, the name told him it was a brothel.

This kid, so young, hanging around such places…

Mo Hua quickly waved his hand, “I’m not familiar personally, but I know Elder Su—he knows it well.”

“Elder Su?”

“A Foundation Establishment elder of South Yue Sect,” Mo Hua said.

Instructor Yan was slightly stunned.

He had been in South Yue City for years but barely knew any cultivators.

Mo Hua had only been here a few months, yet he already knew so many…

Instructor Yan recalled the elder from the Situ family mentioning that Mo Hua was already a first-rank formation master.

A first-rank formation master…

He never expected that in just a few years, the student who once needed guidance for formations with only three or four lines had now surpassed him, formally recognized as a first-rank master.

Such talent was terrifying.

Instructor Yan felt both admiration and melancholy.

He realized that although Mo Hua appeared young, he could no longer be treated as an ordinary child.

During the Walking Corpse Stronghold campaign, Mo Hua acted with courage and cunning, moving like a ghost.

Even the Foundation Establishment-level corpse cultivators were manipulated by him.

And Instructor Yan could escape only thanks to Mo Hua.

Thinking of this, Instructor Yan’s attitude toward Mo Hua naturally became more respectful.

After a pause, he sighed and said,

“That traitor is indeed in South Yue City…”

“How do you know?”

“I have seen his formations in South Yue City,” Instructor Yan said.

He sighed again.

“Although years have passed, his formation technique has improved and his style changed, but the subtle strokes are unmistakable to me!”

“I asked around, but I couldn’t find out who created these formations or where they came from…”

Instructor Yan’s expression darkened.

“What’s the traitor’s name?” Mo Hua asked.

Instructor Yan hesitated, recalling unpleasant memories, before slowly saying,

“His surname is Shen, given name Cai.”

“Shen Cai?”

Mo Hua frowned. “I haven’t heard of anyone by that name in South Yue City…”

A formation master capable of near first-rank or higher formations, entrenched in South Yue City for years, couldn’t be unknown.

Mo Hua had seen most of the well-known formation masters in the city.

Even if he hadn’t, he had heard of them.

But there was no one called “Shen Cai.”

Mo Hua asked, “Did he change his name?”

Instructor Yan nodded slightly. “Not just the name, probably also his appearance…”

“Change his face…”

Instructor Yan ground his teeth.

“He betrayed the sect and destroyed his ancestors; he must face universal scorn. He probably didn’t dare keep that face.”

“That makes things difficult…” Mo Hua murmured.

Changing his name, his face, his identity—only the formation style similarities remained. Finding him would be hard.

And if they probed too much, it could alert him.

The cultivation world was vast; if he escaped, finding him would be like searching for a needle in the sea.

“Do you seek him for revenge?” Mo Hua asked carefully.

Pain flashed in Instructor Yan’s eyes, turning into deep bitterness.

“After so many years, my desire for revenge has faded. I just want to find him and ask… he stole the Spirit-Pivot Formation, that’s one thing, but why kill my master? My master treated him so well…”

He sighed deeply.

“Also, the Spirit-Pivot Formation diagram… I wish, in my lifetime, to retrieve it and honor my master’s spirit.”

“The Little Lingyin Sect is gone, but I hope this formation can be passed on, not lost to the ages…”

Spirit-Pivot Formation diagram…

Mo Hua thought for a moment and took out a formation diagram, handing it to Instructor Yan.

“Instructor, is it this one?”

Instructor Yan froze, eyes widening at the diagram in Mo Hua’s hands.

His hands trembled as he took it, pupils dilating.

“Yes… yes…”

He stared in disbelief.

“How… how did you get this?”

Mo Hua briefly explained,

“I restored it from the patterns on the corpses and iron corpses using divine calculation…”

Divine calculation… restoration…

Instructor Yan was momentarily stunned.

He realized that although he had highly regarded Mo Hua, he had likely still underestimated his skill.

Divine calculation, even in the Little Lingyin Sect’s formation legacy, was barely mentioned.

Mo Hua added, “Unfortunately, this is only part of the formation, not complete.”

Instructor Yan looked down and noticed it was indeed incomplete, a little disappointed.

Then he thought of something and asked cautiously,

“Can you learn it?”

Mo Hua shook his head. “Not yet, I’ve only learned a little.”

Instructor Yan paused. “A little?”

“Yes,” Mo Hua nodded, then took a wooden tiger from his storage bag and placed it on the table.

Instructor Yan was surprised. “This is…”

“This tiger contains part of the Spirit-Pivot Formation.”

Mo Hua then used his divine sense to control the wooden tiger.

It moved as if alive, running, leaping, rolling, then stood upright, holding a teacup and presenting it to Instructor Yan with a bow.

Instructor Yan gaped, speechless.

As a formation master, he understood that the tiger’s actions under the formation contained profound and complex principles.

Mo Hua gave the wooden tiger to Instructor Yan.

Even after Mo Hua left, Instructor Yan stared at it, dazed.

After a long while, he recovered.

It was the Spirit-Pivot Formation…

Without any corruption, no shortcuts.

It was the first time in his life he had seen someone control it so precisely.

Instructor Yan was shocked.

At the same time, he felt a sense of relief.

Years of searching, blindly persisting, and pursuing revenge—all seemed to ease.

The gray, oppressive days now had a beam of light.

He could finally see a path forward.

Looking up at the sky, he murmured,

“Master… someone has finally learned our Little Lingyin Sect’s ultimate formation…”

“And truly, honorably mastered it…”

…

Mo Hua left, thinking of Instructor Yan’s words.

The traitor of the Little Lingyin Sect.

The grudge of betraying his master and sect.

Instructor Yan said his desire for revenge had faded, yet his eyes held deep obsession.

Not hatred, but heavy obsession.

He didn’t hate, but the traitor must die.

From Instructor Yan’s tone, he would willingly die alongside the traitor.

Mo Hua sighed.

Although he wouldn’t admit it, Instructor Yan’s Dao skill was weak.

All his effort went into formations.

Even if he sought revenge personally, it would be difficult.

If left to him, the danger would fall on Instructor Yan himself.

Mo Hua nodded.

If Instructor Yan couldn’t take revenge, he would help.

Return kindness with kindness, revenge with revenge.

He had received Instructor Yan’s favor; helping him take revenge was only fair.

And Mo Hua was curious whether the cultivator who helped Zhang Quan draw the Spirit-Pivot Evil Formation was this traitor of the Little Lingyin Sect.