Chapter 102: Fifth Level of Qi Refinement (Part Five)
Chapter 102: Fifth Level of Qi Refinement (Part Five)
Elder Yu's expression was solemn as he entered, but by the time he left, his face looked much better, and Mo Shan could even see a hint of a smile on his face.
In all the time Mo Shan had known Elder Yu, he had always been a bit irritable, stern, and short-tempered. This was the first time he had seen him like this.
"Mo Shan, you've raised a fine son!"
Unprecedentedly, Elder Yu praised Mo Shan.
Mo Shan was startled and even a little flattered. Usually, no matter how well he studied the Daoist arts or how many demons he slew, Elder Yu never praised him. He had thought that Elder Yu was a strict man who never gave compliments.
This sudden praise caught him off guard, and for a moment, he didn't know what to say.
After speaking, Elder Yu ignored Mo Shan and nodded to Liu Ruhua before walking out the door.
Mo Shan and Liu Ruhua saw Elder Yu off respectfully.
The night was already dark, and the moon hung high in the sky. The streets were sparsely populated, but the houses on either side glowed with a warm yellow light. Occasionally, there were sounds of laughter, children shouting, and parents scolding.
After walking a few steps, Elder Yu turned back to look at the door of Mo's house, and he thought to himself, "Perhaps, among us loose cultivators, there will finally be a true formation master…"
In the cultivation world, formations are held in the highest regard. Whether in their daily lives or when fighting demons, cultivators cannot do without formations. But formations were not meant for loose cultivators like them; they were too poor and unworthy…
If Mo could truly master formations and remain true to his heart, helping fellow loose cultivators, even if he only reached the Qi Refinement Stage in his entire life, he would be far more useful to the loose cultivators of Tongxian City than Elder Yu, who was at the Foundation Establishment Stage but half-buried in the ground like a rotting log.
Elder Yu's eyes shone with hope at the thought of a formation master.
"I wonder if I'll live to see that day…"
The next day, Elder Yu sent someone to deliver twenty sets of vine armor, twenty bottles of Golden Spirit Ink, fifty spirit stones, and two bottles of Five Elements Spirit Ink of each type. He promised to send the rest of the vine armor once it was refined.
The fifty spirit stones were a deposit, and the rest would be paid after the job was completed. The Five Elements Spirit Ink was specially procured by Elder Yu for Mo, serving as additional compensation, and they were all of good quality. Mo was delighted.
These spirit stones and spirit inks would last Mo a long time.
Although the Demon Hunting Festival was still three months away, Mo didn't want to wait that long. He planned to finish the job in a month and a half, painting two or three sets per day during his free time, so as not to neglect his cultivation and the study of higher-level formations.
Mo was also looking forward to reaching the fifth level of Qi Refinement so that he could learn a new spell.
Half a month later, after Mo had painted the thirty-sixth set of Iron Armor Formation, he was about to continue when he suddenly felt something unusual in his Qi sea.
Mo's eyes lit up, and he quickly sat down to meditate, taking out a spirit stone to absorb spiritual energy.
After an unknown amount of time, Mo's Qi sea trembled, and his spiritual power, which had been in chaos, gradually stabilized and became slightly thicker.
He had reached the fifth level of Qi Refinement!
Mo was happy because one's cultivation realm was the foundation of a cultivator.
It seemed that besides the breakthroughs in the middle and higher realms, which required solving the mystery formation, the Tian Yan Technique did not pose significant obstacles in breaking through the minor realms, and it did not require any heavenly spiritual treasures.
At that moment, Mo's heart was filled with endless admiration for the predecessor who had created this cultivation technique!
"I wonder, if I continue cultivating like this, is it possible for me to truly become an immortal?"
Mo's thoughts began to wander.
But then he thought of the huge amount of spirit stones needed for cultivation, the incredibly complex combined formations he had seen in the formation books, and the unknown mysterious mystery formations.
Mo quickly put aside his wild thoughts.
"Cultivation must be approached with a down-to-earth attitude, without being overly ambitious! Cultivation must be approached with a down-to-earth attitude, without being overly ambitious!"
Mo silently repeated this reminder to himself twice before beginning to plan for his fifth level of Qi Refinement.
It would be fine if he were a body cultivator, but as a spiritual cultivator, it was imperative that he learned a few tricks. After all, how could he survive out there without any skills?
But who could teach him?
Mo Hua frowned slightly. Most of the demon hunters specialized in body cultivation, and spiritual cultivators were rare.
If those who focused on physical enhancement risked their lives hunting demons, then spiritual cultivators who primarily relied on spells would essentially be gambling with their lives.
There was a significant difference between the two when it came to demon hunting.
If a spiritual cultivator were attacked by a demon beast, a body cultivator might escape unscathed, while the spiritual cultivator would suffer a minor injury. If the body cultivator sustained minor injuries, the spiritual cultivator would be severely wounded, and if the body cultivator were severely injured, the spiritual cultivator would likely perish, leaving little more than scattered remains.
That was why spiritual cultivators were scarce among demon hunters. Not only were there fewer people who chose that path, but even fewer survived to tell the tale.
Unless one had no other choice, like Mo Hua.
If he had been robust and sturdy, he would have opted for body cultivation as well. He would have commissioned Master Chen to forge a crescent blade etched with a coiling azure dragon, and he would have charged into hordes of demons, slaying them left and right—the very thought sent a thrill of excitement through him.
However, the only downside to this idea was that it could only ever be a fantasy.
Perhaps he could ask Mister Zhuang for guidance? Mo Hua shook his head. He was already grateful that Mister Zhuang was teaching him formations; asking for spell instruction on top of that would be pushing his luck.
Moreover, Mister Zhuang's cultivation was enigmatic. He didn't seem to have robust qi and blood, nor did he exhibit any discernible spiritual power. His spiritual sense was similarly vague and indistinct, giving him the air of a profound and inscrutable master.
If Mo Hua were to make such a request and somehow displease Mister Zhuang, he might end up losing out on formation teachings as well. That would be like throwing away a watermelon for a sesame seed—a terrible loss.
Could he ask Aunt Xue, then? She had always been kind to him.
Oh, right. Aunt Xue specialized in illusions, and with his current aptitude, he wasn't qualified to learn that, nor would he be able to.
After much thought, there was only one person who could help Mo Hua...
Mo Hua found a book called Record of Qi Refining Spells, which recorded some basic spells for the Qi Refining stage. Of course, it only had a table of contents and no detailed cultivation methods.
Mo Hua deliberately outlined the characters for "spells" on the book cover to make them more prominent and easily noticeable at a glance.
Early one morning, Mo Hua sat in the eatery, holding the Record of Qi Refining Spells and waiting for his prey. As the sun climbed higher in the sky, the weather turned fine, and soon enough, his target appeared.
Zhang Lan strolled along the street, basking in the morning sun. He stretched leisurely before ambling toward the eatery.
Mo Hua ignored him, feigning absorption in his book.
Zhang Lan entered the eatery and took his usual seat. He ordered a jug of wine, a dish of meat, and a plate of fruits, then began to look around idly. His gaze soon landed on Mo Hua, and naturally, he noticed the book in Mo Hua's hands, as well as the enlarged characters for "spells" on the pages.
Zhang Lan scrutinized the book cover and confirmed that it read, Record of Qi Refining Spells.
He repeatedly verified the words "spells" and "Qi refining," feeling increasingly elated.
The last time Mo Hua had been reading Fundamentals of Formation Reconstruction, it had nearly caused Zhang Lan to stumble into a ditch. Even now, the memory made his heart pound. But as long as it wasn't about formations, and especially not formation reconstruction, Zhang Lan feared nothing.
Furthermore, this was about "Qi refining" and "spells"! Within these two domains, no one could stop him from showing off!
Zhang Lan cleared his throat and sauntered over to Mo Hua, feigning nonchalance. "Oh? What book are you reading? Is there anything you don't understand? Do you want me to teach you?"
(End of Chapter)
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