Immortality Through Array Formations

Zhang Lan’s expression stiffened with helplessness, and he felt compelled to explain:

“The so-called ‘replenishing from others’ is actually a type of dual cultivation.”

After Zhang Lan finished speaking, he paused and added, “You should at least know what dual cultivation is, right?”

Mo Hua blushed slightly and said, “I know just a little bit.”

Zhang Lan was unsure whether Mo Hua really didn’t know or was just pretending, so he continued:

“It’s essentially the act between a man and a woman, plain and simple. However, dual cultivation can enhance one’s cultivation, and the process is quite enchanting, which is why many cultivators are so engrossed in studying the path of dual cultivation.”

Mo Hua had a question, “Can dual cultivation really enhance your cultivation?”

“It can improve it a bit, which is better than nothing. Rather than wasting time on these side tracks, it’d be better to spend more time meditating and cultivating,” Zhang Lan said.

“What’s the difference between dual cultivation and replenishing from others, then?”

“Dual cultivation is still considered normal, while replenishing from others is malicious. Evil cultivators use it to extract the Blood Qi, Essence Element, and Spiritual Power from others. Those who have been subjected to it might at the least regress in their cultivation, or at worst have their Taoist Foundation shattered and even die; such instances occur quite often.”

Mo Hua felt a chill in his heart.

“The rapist you all are pursuing, has he also depleted someone to death?”

“He has definitely done such things before, but not this time. The reason we are hunting him is that last month, he left a woman completely emaciated, destroyed her Qi Sea, and now she is perpetually dazed and anxious…”

Zhang Lan sighed deeply, grinding his teeth as he spoke.

Mo Hua, feeling sympathy, asked, “So if you catch him, will you sentence him to death?”

Zhang Lan nodded, “The Taoist Court is always strict with crimes related to replenishing from others, imposing sentences of more than a hundred years or even the death penalty. The one we’re after, death is inevitable.”

Mo Hua then felt relieved.

After thinking for a moment, Zhang Lan added:

“I forgot to tell you, dual cultivation is prohibited as well.”

Mo Hua looked confused.

I’m still a child, why are you telling me this?

Feeling a bit embarrassed by Mo Hua’s stare, Zhang Lan, having already started, pressed on with his explanation:

“Normal relations between a man and a woman, the Taoist Court doesn’t concern itself with. But dual cultivation is different; any dual cultivation techniques and secret techniques, once discovered, will be immediately destroyed…”

“If a cultivator engages in dual cultivation and is discovered by the Taoist Court, they will be held accountable. Although it’s not as severe a sentence as for replenishing from others, they will still be recorded in the Taoist Court’s files, which could affect one’s future when seeking masters, entering sects, and marriage arrangements…”

Mo Hua asked puzzledly, “Didn’t you say that dual cultivation isn’t harmful? Why is it banned then?”

“In principle that’s true, but in practice, it’s a different story,” Zhang Lan sighed.

“Although dual cultivation in itself isn’t harmful and doesn’t violate the ‘Taoist Law,’ if we don’t prohibit it, some will use the name of dual cultivation to carry out replenishing from others, which indirectly amounts to permitting it. Moreover, if dual cultivation isn’t banned, the Taoist Court will have a hard time investigating; if they start an inquiry, the suspected will claim they were engaged in dual cultivation, not replenishing, and then we can’t do anything about it…”

As Zhang Lan spoke, he became agitated, “The most infuriating thing is, some cultivators don’t even know they’ve been abused, they take pleasure in it and even defend the ones who are exploiting them; it’s simply stupid!”

“If they say it’s consensual, don’t you lose the ability to intervene?” Mo Hua asked.

Zhang Lan snorted coldly, “In front of Taoist Law, there is no such thing as consent. If the Taoist Law is violated, we will arrest anyone, none can escape.”

Mo Hua nodded.

Zhang Lan said, “That’s the first reason.”

Mo Hua was surprised, “There’s more?”

“Of course,” Zhang Lan continued, “there are billions of cultivators in the Tao Cultivation World across more than twenty thousand years; what kind of mess haven’t we seen?”

“Oh, I see.”

Zhang Lan went on, “The second reason is that even dual cultivation between Dao companions can turn into replenishing from others.”

Mo Hua’s mouth fell open, “Aren’t you supposed to become Dao companions because you get along well?”

“What do you know?”

Zhang Lan had the look of someone saying you’re too young, you wouldn’t understand.

“Among Dao companions, the closer they are, the more likely they are to develop resentments. Today they may love each other to death, and tomorrow they may wish nothing more than to kill each other. Once discord arises, it can easily turn into enmity, and then what was once dual cultivation becomes replenishing from others…”

Mo Hua’s eyes were wide with wonder, and he couldn’t help but say,

“Uncle Zhang, you know so much, haven’t you ever been harvested…”

Zhang Lan immediately pinched Mo Hua’s ear and said,

“Nonsense! I’m a serious cultivator!”

Mo Hua rubbed his ear and muttered softly,

“Who knows if you’re serious or not…”

Zhang Lan was helpless, and then examined Mo Hua, saying,

“You need to be careful in the future.”

“Careful of what? I’m not going to harvest from others…”

Zhang Lan cracked a wicked smile, “Although you won’t harvest from others, you could be harvested from.”

Mo Hua was stunned, “That can’t be…”

“Not only female cultivators can be harvested from by male cultivators, but male cultivators can also be harvested from by female cultivators,” Zhang Lan said with a smile that was not quite a smile, “Especially someone like you, who is handsome and cute.”

Mo Hua’s mouth hung open.

Zhang Lan patted Mo Hua on the shoulder, “In the future, when you see those coquettish and licentious female cultivators, you better stay alert, who knows if they’re thinking about harvesting from you.”

Mo Hua pondered for a long while, then nodded earnestly.

Then he encountered another blind spot and asked curiously,

“Female cultivators can be harvested from by male cultivators, and male cultivators can be harvested from by female cultivators, but can male cultivators be harvested from by other male cultivators, and female cultivators by other female cultivators?”

Zhang Lan was asked until he saw stars.

What a mess this all is!

What on earth is stuffed in that little brain of yours, to ask such things?!

Zhang Lan was silent for a long moment, finally letting out a tired sigh, “Let’s sleep, I’m exhausted.”

He said this and then closed his eyes, ignoring Mo Hua.

Mo Hua wanted to ask more, but seeing that Zhang Lan already looked somewhat haggard, he tactfully refrained from asking further.

The campsite’s lights flickered, settling down into tranquility.

Mo Hua read the Formation Books for a while, and at 1 a.m., he entered his Sea of Consciousness and practiced the Formation, then closed his eyes to rest for a bit.

The next day, at 6 A.M., as the sky turned light, Mo Hua woke up.

Mo Hua got up, and at the same time, Zhang Lan and the others also opened their eyes.

The three of them ate something simple and left the campsite, continuing their journey.

Once they reached Lonely Cloud Peak, Mo Hua looked at the terrain and circled several spots on the Map.

These places were relatively secluded, seldom visited by Monster Beasts, and not easily discovered by other cultivators.

Zhang Lan instructed, “Be very careful not to leave a trace, so as not to startle the snake by hitting the grass. If you encounter the thief, don’t act rashly; just keep an eye on him from a distance, and we’ll move in once everyone is here.”

Everyone nodded, then split up to search in the areas Mo Hua had circled.

Mo Hua followed Zhang Lan.

Zhang Lan had high cultivation, and it was safer for him to be with Zhang Lan.

After searching around, they all gathered in a forest not far from a campsite.

Mo Hua said, “There are traces around here, the thief must be hiding in that campsite.”

“Couldn’t it be other Monster Hunters?” Situ Fang asked.

Mo Hua said, “This campsite has been abandoned for a long time; Monster Hunters wouldn’t stay here.”

Zhang Lan nodded and said, “Let’s surround the campsite and move in together. Mo Hua, it could get dangerous here, you run far away.”

“Okay,”

Mo Hua nodded, then immediately ran off into the distance.