The carriage sped along, and the scenery outside the window was swallowed by darkness.
Mo Hua stared blankly out the window, his thoughts a tangled mess, yet he could vaguely sense that some crucial figures were gradually surfacing...
...
As Mo Hua passed through Qingzhou Cityās southern gate and left the cityā
The young lord named "Shen Linsu" and his entourage headed for the northern gate, boarding a carriage that looked plain on the outside but was extravagantly luxurious within, heading in the opposite direction to Mo Hua.
Inside the carriage, Shen Linsu, his face handsome as jade, lounged atop a soft pelt of an Exotic Beast, tapping lightly on the table with his finger in silence, his expression dark and sullen.
The atmosphere in the carriage was stifling.
Everyone more or less guessed the reason for the young lordās foul mood.
One of the noble-born Disciples tried to console him, "Mr. Shu, that man is too blind to see Mount Tai before himāthe chance for a meteoric rise is staring him in the face, and yet he fails to grasp it."
"These Formation Masters always have their heads buried in study and understand nothing about the world."
"They cram Formation knowledge until their brains turn to mush, donāt know how to scheme, and end up slaving away for others their entire lives."
"Indeed. Someone so blind to honor isnāt worth your time, young lord."
"I know." Shen Linsu spoke coolly, but his face only grew uglier.
From childhood to now, heād never spoken so courteously to anyone of his own generation.
Yet today, when he encountered this "Mo Hua," on some strange impulse heād deigned to invite him, even wanting him to join the Young Mastersā Pavilion tea gathering.
He didnāt even understand why heād done that.
Since "Young Mastersā Pavilion" holds the word "Master," itās not just about talent in Tao Cultivationāfamily, background, and bloodline are all indispensable.
This Mo HuaāFormation Leader or notāhis family, Spiritual Root, Bloodline are all too lowly. To join the Young Mastersā Pavilion, to mingle with them, heās nowhere near worthy.
Especially family and bloodlineāyou either have them or you donāt.
Itās like a giant Heavenly Chasm keeping the low-born, powerless, and insignificant forever outside the core circle.
This Mo Hua has no idea what an insanely precious invitation he was handed.
This was the real sky-ladder of the Cultivation World.
The true path of the privileged elite.
The people of the Young Mastersā Pavilionāhe could never hope to associate with them. Even to sit and have tea together, he ought to feel unspeakably honored.
Yet Mo Hua refused.
Whether itās "eyes and no pearls," or "not knowing whatās good for him," itās like a thorn stuck in the heart, making him unspeakably uneasy.
And besides, Shen Linsu felt there was something oddly familiar about Mo Hua.
Shen Linsuās brow furrowed.
Seeing that Shen Linsu was still troubled, another noble Disciple smiled and whispered,
"Thereās no need to care, Mr. Shu. The low-born are blind from birthāchances sit right before them and they never seize them. Thatās why theyāre fated to remain low-born."
"No matter whether heās truly āblind with eyes,ā he shouldnāt disrespect you. To disrespect you is to disrespect the Young Mastersā Pavilion. If everyone follows suit, where lies our authority?"
"How about..." The nobleās gaze flickered. "We get someone to snatch him, gouge out his eyes, break his limbs, and dump him in the Mistwater River to feed the Clam Demons?"
The others laughed in agreement, "Indeedāa fine idea."
"If heās blind, then those eyes are useless anyway."
The two Golden Core Guards remained silent, pretending not to have heard a thing.
The only Elder Feathered Immortal present, however, frowned deeply.
He knew these young lords were capable of anything.
Their backgrounds were simply too good. Since childhood, they get whatever they want, with too many people flattering them to no end. Some among those toadying up are even Taoist Court Supervisors and Court Leaders. So to these young masters, the very word "law" simply does not exist.
Whatever trouble they cause, the family always cleans up after them.
They even take pride in making messes, knowing nothing of fear.
But this "Mo Hua"āhe absolutely cannot be touched...
Heās Taixu Gateās Formation Leader, with Ancestor Xun backing him.
Low-born or not, heās not some pawn to be trifled with.
To move against him would mean endless trouble.
But such things canāt be spoken openly.
If these young lords get it into their heads to rebel, some hot-blooded impulse could actually get Mo Hua killed.
That would mean a mortal vendetta.
The Elder Feathered Immortal pondered a moment, then spoke:
"The path of Formations is, in the end, just a ācraft of skill.ā No matter how well you learn it, youāll only ever serve the nobility. Scholars hone their arts, but their wares are still traded to the great families. No matter how hard the low-born struggle, they can never escape this fate."
"This Mo Hua is the same. Formation skills or not, at best heās just a high-grade ox and horse. Young lord, you need not take it to heartādonāt cheapen your own standing."
Shen Linsu froze, nodding slightly.
The others, though a bit disappointed, did not contradict the Feathered Immortal in his presence.
Seeing this, the Elder Feathered Immortal added:
"Whatās more, soon the next Sword Discussion Conference will be held. That is the truly important matterābefore then, itās best to avoid distractions or unnecessary complications."
At this, the noble Disciples all grew much more serious.
One nodded in agreement, "True, the Sword Discussion Conference is what matters. Nine years in the Sect, and yet you only get this one chance. You could even say for a Sect Disciple, this is their only shot in life."
Another noble-born quickly flattered, "Mr. Shu, with your family and talents, if you add the glory of being Champion of the Conference, youāll soar directly to Tian Shu, and the path to immortality will be clear before you."