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Chapter 183: Progress
Chapter 183: Progress
Mo Hua followed the meticulously designed architectural array map, meticulously inscribing one array after another and stacking them in complex sequences. He worked diligently and systematically, taking breaks to meditate and restore his spiritual senses when they became exhausted. When fatigue set in, he would rest on the side, perusing a treatise on arrays to ease his tiredness before resuming his work.
These large-scale engineering arrays were intricate, and while they weren't particularly challenging, they were tedious and tested the inscriber's patience and focus.
Fortunately, Mo Hua was adept at inscribing arrays, having practiced tirelessly day and night. He was accustomed to the process, and his current task, while daunting, was manageable.
Moreover, he had stockpiled a thousand bottles of demon blood, all of which he had carefully transformed into spiritual ink. He knew that if he didn't use it now, the ink's potency would diminish over time, resulting in a wasteful loss.
Each bottle of spiritual ink represented Mo Hua's painstaking extraction from a demon beast.
Days passed, and Mo Hua continued to work alone, inscribing the arrays.
Master Ban finally understood. Elder Yu hadn't hired any other inscribers; Mo Hua was the sole artist behind this endeavor.
The enormity of the task—the vast forge, the numerous buildings, the myriad arrays, and the countless array patterns that needed to be inscribed by a single person—dawned on Master Ban, leaving him with a prickly scalp.
When will this ever be finished? he wondered anxiously.
Master Ban was growing increasingly concerned, but he hesitated to disturb Mo Hua directly. Firstly, Mo Hua was deeply focused on his work and should not be interrupted. Secondly, ever since Master Ban learned that Mo Hua was not only an inscriber but also capable of crafting first-rate arrays, a sense of reverence had taken root, making him somewhat reluctant to initiate a conversation.
Inscribers were revered figures, their status a far cry from that of ordinary vagrant cultivators like Master Ban.
As a craftsman who often interacted with inscribers, Master Ban knew that most of them were difficult to get along with. Some were arrogant or haughty, while others were motivated solely by greed. Even those who maintained a polite facade often looked down on craftsmen in their hearts.
After all, craftsmen were manual laborers, performing backbreaking work that couldn't compare to the esteemed art of array inscription.
As a result, Master Ban and his ilk dared not offend inscribers and often found themselves at their mercy. They might be asked to replace building materials that weren't suitable for array inscription or to demolish and rebuild structures that didn't conform to the array plans. In some cases, even when the inscriber made a mistake, it was the craftsmen who had to fix it.
For several days, Master Ban deliberated, unable to muster the courage to ask Mo Hua about his progress.
However, a few days later, he was astonished to discover that many of the foundations and interior walls of the buildings already had arrays inscribed on them.
Master Ban inspected them several times, comparing them to the architectural array map, and found that they matched the planned arrays perfectly, without the slightest deviation.
He was dumbfounded. This inscriber works incredibly fast! Is it really possible for a single inscriber to complete so many arrays in such a short time?
Master Ban quietly observed Mo Hua at work. He noticed that Mo Hua's brushstrokes were confident and fluid, as if he had committed the array patterns to memory, allowing him to inscribe them with graceful ease and remarkable speed.
In Master Ban's experience, inscribers typically had to refer to the array diagrams repeatedly, carefully considering each stroke of their brush. They would emerge pale-faced after completing an array, needing to rest and recuperate with a cup of tea before moving on to the next one, often taking half a day or more.
Mo Hua, on the other hand, displayed decisive brushwork, each stroke transforming into a completed array. As soon as he finished one array, he swiftly moved on to the next.
Even when he took a break, it was only to meditate and refocus, quickly regaining his vigor and continuing his work with renewed energy.
Master Ban calculated that four or five inscribers combined might not match the speed at which Mo Hua was working alone.
It was an eye-opening experience for him. In all his years, he had never seen anyone inscribe arrays with such effortless ease, as if it were as simple as drinking water.
Mo Hua worked with calm efficiency, meticulously inscribing the formations one by one. Meanwhile, the commotion caused by the construction of such a massive Forge had reached the ears of several influential families in Tongxian City.
Not far from the Forge, there was a street with a teahouse. On the second floor was a private room, adorned with a simple yet elegant decor. The air was filled with the fragrant aroma of tea.
In this room sat the elderly Master An and his son, An Yonglu, the current head of the An family.
An Yonglu poured tea for his father, a furrowed brow on his face as he said, "Elder Yu is certainly making a grand move by building such a large Forge..."
"After seizing the spirit mines and gaining the capital, it's only natural to aim for something big," Master An replied.
"The Qian family has truly lost a lot this time; they're in a real bind!" An Yonglu said, unable to hide his schadenfreude.
Master An glanced at his son, his expression resigned. "You don't think this is good news for us, do you?"
An Yonglu paused, "The Qian family losing out isn't beneficial for us?"
Master An sighed in exasperation, "Let me ask you this. With the construction of such a large Forge and the production of countless spiritual artifacts, not only the Qian family but even our An family will be affected in our businesses..."
"And looking at the layout, it's not just a Forge, but also an alchemy workshop. If Elder Yu succeeds, how can we possibly compete with him?"
"For now, it's the Qian family that has a headache. Our An family doesn't have much of a stake in the artifact and pill refining businesses anyway," An Yonglu argued.
Master An glared at him, "Are you content with running the cafeteria for the rest of your life? What kind of future is there in that?"
An Yonglu lowered his voice, "I know, but we're not as ruthless as the Qian family. When it comes to artifact refining and alchemy, we can't compete, so we can only stick to businesses like the cafeteria that bring in peaceful profits..."
Master An sighed, "I can't blame you, your father is also good-for-nothing."
An Yonglu was slightly displeased, "Father, Xiao Fu is far worse than me. If he had even half my capabilities, being the head of the family wouldn't be a problem."
Master An's tone turned cold, "You're truly admirable, comparing yourself to your own son."
An Yonglu fell silent.
Master An picked up his cup and sipped his tea, no longer speaking. However, his gaze still drifted towards the unfinished Forge in the distance.
Such a grand layout, such an ambitious framework... Elder Yu truly has a grand vision.
Master An sighed inwardly. He was aging, and even if he had the capital, he no longer had the drive or ambition.
An Yonglu thought for a moment and asked, "Father, do you think such a large Forge will be successfully completed?"
Master An glanced at him.
An Yonglu continued, "The Qian family won't let this go, will they? They won't just sit back and watch these vagrant cultivators prosper. After all, they need to shear the sheep to get their wool. If these vagrant cultivators become too powerful, the Qian family will have a hard time."
"You're right about that," Master An nodded slightly.
"So, what should we do?" An Yonglu asked.
Master An raised his eyebrows, "Let's wait and see."
An Yonglu nodded, waiting to see what move the Qian family would make.
While the An family was anxious about the situation, they didn't need to rush. After all, their main business was the cafeteria, and they had already been pushed out of the artifact and pill refining industries by the Qian family.
However, the situation was different for the Qian family, whose core businesses were artifact refining and alchemy. They were undoubtedly more anxious than anyone else.
(End of Chapter)
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