Chapter 305 - Strong Soldier

Chapter 305: Chapter 304 Strong Soldier

Although that was the case, the fact was right before his eyes, and Leader Yang ended up believing it, whether he wanted to or not.

Because Mo Hua had already begun explaining the Formation on the Black Mountain Stronghold map to him.

Where in the stronghold was which Formation drawn, what was the purpose of this Formation, what would happen if they forcefully broke the Formation, and what if they did not break it.

There were also the overall strategic thoughts behind the construction of the Formation in the entire Black Mountain Stronghold, where the Formations were strong, where they were weak, and if they were to attack, which route would be best to take.

Where there were hidden doors and escape routes that needed to be sealed in advance to prevent the Evil Cultivators from escaping…

Leader Yang listened with growing astonishment.

This level of expertise in Formation surpassed his understanding; many of the principles behind the Formations he could not grasp clearly, let alone understand the general idea—he found them quite challenging.

He had this feeling last time when he was at the clan school, scratching his head while learning Formation from a Formation Master.

Leader Yang sneaked a glance at Zhang Lan.

Zhang Lan appeared much calmer, with a very composed expression, but rather than saying he was composed, it would be more accurate to say he was somewhat numb…

It was like being in class where, no matter what the Instructor said, he could not understand, and over time, he had grown numb to it, as if everything went in one ear and out the other.

Leader Yang also felt much more at ease in his heart.

He thought so, Zhang Lan was only so-so, just like him.

His own level in Formation was not up to snuff; the little he learned could not even be considered superficial in front of a real Formation Master.

Even if Zhang Lan’s level was a bit higher than his own, it was only by a limited amount; with this level of Formation, it was impossible for him to understand as well.

Leader Yang silently scorned Zhang Lan, then focused intently, listening to Mo Hua explain the Formation in a clear and immature voice.

He needed to understand the terrain and Formation layout of the Black Mountain Stronghold to target his tactics precisely.

Some Formations he did not need to understand thoroughly, but he had to know their functions and what to watch out for when breaking them, to avoid falling into the traps of Evil Cultivators.

A first-rate Compound Formation was beyond his understanding of Formation, but luckily Mo Hua was logical, detailed, and easy to understand; Mo Hua explained the points he paid attention to, and for those he did not notice, Mo Hua would also clarify carefully.

Leader Yang listened more and more earnestly, even picking up a pen to jot down key points at times.

By the time Mo Hua had spent most of the day explaining the Formation of Black Mountain Stronghold on the map, Leader Yang was shocked and his emotions were complex.

He was shocked that Mo Hua, so young, actually possessed such profound knowledge in Formation.

What complicated his feelings was that, back in clan school, he had never listened to his Formation class so seriously; now, he was listening to a Junior Formation Master explaining Formation, concentrating so hard that he even took notes…

Leader Yang’s attitude towards Mo Hua became much more solemn unknowingly.

This was respect for a first-rate Formation Master.

Even compared to most of the first-rate Formation Masters he knew, Mo Hua’s level in Formation was clearly a cut above.

Leader Yang marveled in admiration, then ordered tea to be served, pastries to be brought out, and even had several plates of Spiritual Fruit and Spiritual Meat rich in Spiritual Energy delivered to entertain Mo Hua.

“Little Mo, please feel free to enjoy yourself, no need to be polite.”

Leader Yang’s tone was very courteous.

“Thank you, Leader Yang!”

Mo Hua, after speaking for half the day, was also a bit thirsty, so he did not stand on ceremony and comfortably settled down to drink the sweet tea and picked some Spiritual Fruit and Spiritual Meat he had never tried before to taste.

Leader Yang, holding the noted map, discussed something with Zhang Lan on the side.

They did not avoid Mo Hua, so Mo Hua listened openly from the side.

However, much of what the two men discussed was about the deployment of Taoist Soldiers, offense and defense transitions, and marching Formation strategies—he did not quite understand and only managed to take note of some details half-comprehendingly to see if they could be of use in the future.

Mo Hua listened with interest while enjoying his meal.

After the two men had finished discussing, and Mo Hua had eaten and drunk his fill, he asked the question he was most concerned about:

“Leader Yang, will we be able to eliminate Black Mountain Stronghold this time?”

Leader Yang thought for a moment, reviewing the plan they had just discussed, and after a short pause, he declared confidently:

“We can!”

Mo Hua’s eyes brightened, “Really?”

Leader Yang nodded and explained to Mo Hua:

“Taoist Soldiers can be said to be the most elite Cultivators of the Taoist Court. The strength of the Taoist Soldiers does not lie in the Cultivation level of individual Cultivators, but in the harmony between the Armor, Spiritual Artifacts, Formation, and the Taoist Soldiers’ Spiritual Roots, Cultivation Technique, and Taoist Skill.”

“A squad of Taoist Soldiers, usually consisting of ten individuals, is often selected based on having similar or compatible Spiritual Roots and complementary Cultivation Techniques. Equipped with fine Armor and wielding sharp weapons, with Armor and weapons inscribed with Patterns that resonate with morale and unity, they are nearly invincible against Cultivators of the same realm.”

“Even when facing Cultivators of a higher realm, they can hold their own in battle!”

“Can they win even with more Foundation Establishments?” Mo Hua inquired.

He knew that in Black Mountain Stronghold there were four Householders, which meant there were four Foundation Establishment stage Evil Cultivators.

And within Mo Hua’s perception, among the Taoist Soldiers, there was only one Foundation Building Cultivator, Leader Yang.

Leader Yang did not reply but instead asked Mo Hua,

“How does a Qi Refining Cultivator compare to a Foundation Building Cultivator?”

Mo Hua remembered what Elder Yu had said and responded, “Ten Qi Refining Ninth Level Cultivators can be exchanged for one at the Initial Stage of Foundation Establishment.”

“That is correct but not entirely so,” said Leader Yang. “It is not any ten Qi Refining Ninth Level cultivators that can contend with one at the Initial Stage of Foundation Establishment.”

“General Qi Refining Ninth Level cultivators, if lacking sufficient combat experience and unable to coordinate with each other, even with more than ten people, can be exploited for their weaknesses by a Foundation Building Cultivator and defeated one by one.”

“Only those Qi Refining Ninth Level cultivators who have been through many battles, have rich experience, a resolute will, and work seamlessly together are capable of fighting beyond their level.”

“Is that what the Taoist Soldiers are like?” asked Mo Hua.

Leader Yang nodded, “Not only that, but the Taoist Soldiers also have specialized armor and are empowered by formations. When a team forms a formation for direct combat, they can even slay Foundation Building Cultivators!”

Mo Hua was shocked.

It was no wonder that Black Mountain Stronghold had such a vast influence and yet operated so covertly; it was probably out of fear of being discovered and exterminated by the Taoist Court’s soldiers.

Even Qi Refining Ninth Level Taoist Soldiers, when forming a battle array, could match a Foundation Building Cultivator.

If one Qi Refining Ninth Level could not oppose a Foundation Building one, then ten would team up; if ten were not enough, then a hundred.

Once hundreds or thousands of Taoist Soldiers formed a battle formation and charged into the fray, just a few higher realm cultivators would not be able to withstand them.

Mo Hua suddenly realized,

“This is similar to Formation. If the Formation Patterns are not strong enough, accumulate them to form a Single Formation, if that is not strong enough, accumulate Single Formations to form a Compound Formation, if even the Compound Formation isn’t strong enough, then gather even more Single Formations to create an even more powerful Large Formation!”

“From sand a tower rises, from streams an ocean is made. Formations build from the few to the many, cultivators pool their weakness to overcome the strong, this too is a Law of the Heavenly Dao!”

The more Mo Hua talked, the brighter his eyes shone.

Although Leader Yang did not understand formations, he could not help but nod, feeling that it made sense. Having led troops in battle for years, he deeply understood this principle.

Mo Hua still had a doubt, “What formations do the Taoist Soldiers use?”

Leader Yang hesitated for a moment, looking apologetic, and said,

“That is a secret of the Taoist Court and should not be disclosed to outsiders.”

In fact, it was not that he couldn’t say, but rather he also did not know.

These formations were all centrally managed and directed by the Taoist Court before being distributed by the Taoist Soldiers Court. They were only responsible for using them, and they couldn’t even repair them, let alone understand the embedded formations.

But admitting he did not know would be too embarrassing, so he used an excuse to gloss over the matter.

Mo Hua did not doubt him and also apologized, “It was impertinent of me.”

Indeed, it was not his place to pry into the secret formations of the Taoist Soldiers; he had simply been curious to understand how these formations compared to those he studied daily.

“These are trivial matters, don’t worry about it,” said Leader Yang, a little sheepishly and waved his hand.

After a brief chat with Leader Yang, Mo Hua prepared to rise and take his leave.

Yet, Leader Yang looked hesitant, as if he wanted to say something but stopped himself.

Mo Hua couldn’t help but ask, “Is there something else, Leader Yang?”

Leader Yang glanced at Zhang Lan and sighed,

“There is another matter. The Fog Formation in the deep mountains has changed, and we cannot find where Black Mountain Stronghold is.”

He had asked Zhang Lan to invite a Formation Master to explain the formations on the map of Black Mountain and to enter the deep mountains to reassess the position of the Fog Formation, facilitating their assault on Black Mountain Stronghold.

However, when he sent scouts to investigate, they found that the positions of the Fog Formations within the Foggy Forest had changed. Not only that, but the fog in the forest had also become denser.

The map Mo Hua had previously drawn to navigate the Foggy Forest was now useless.

With the map no longer valid, they could not find the entrance to Black Mountain Stronghold, and thus the idea of eradicating it was out of the question.

Mo Hua hesitated, as he had promised Elder Yu not to enter the deep mountains.

Moreover, the Third Householder was likely still mindful of him.

But without a way through the Foggy Forest, there was no chance of taking down Black Mountain Stronghold.

Mo Hua looked at Leader Yang and Zhang Lan, then asked, “Will you be my bodyguards?”

Leader Yang nodded, “Zhang Lan and I will escort you there.”

“What if we encounter Foundation Building Evil Cultivators?”

Leader Yang sternly said, “I will call several more teams of Taoist Soldiers. If we encounter a Foundation Building Evil Cultivator, we will suppress them on the spot! We will keep you safe and not let a hair on your head be harmed.”

Zhang Lan added, “That’s what I told Elder Yu as well. With the protection of the Taoist Soldiers, even if Foundation Building Evil Cultivators wanted to kill you, they would likely not be able to do so. That’s why he agreed to ask for your help.”

Mo Hua nodded, “Alright, then let’s go take a look at the Foggy Forest.”