Chapter 21: The Spirit Pivot Array
Chapter 21: The Spirit Pivot Array
After that, Mo Hua continued to draw the Earth-Stabilizing Array, a task that took him two months to complete.
Whenever he encountered something unclear in his array studies, he would seek guidance from Yan Jiaoxi, whose demeanor was always solemn and expectations strict. However, when it came to his disciples' inquiries, he was invariably forthright and generous with his knowledge, offering thorough and earnest explanations.
Yan Jiaoxi naturally felt that Mo Hua's foundation was not yet solid enough, and delving into such advanced arrays was premature. Nonetheless, whenever Mo Hua asked, he patiently provided clarifications, for which Mo Hua was deeply grateful.
On occasions when Mo Hua skipped classes to secretly draw arrays for spirit stones, Yan Jiaoxi would not probe too deeply. He would merely remind Mo Hua, "Cultivators can have their specialties, but they should not be too one-sided. It is acceptable not to practice some techniques, but it is imperative to understand them. Otherwise, once you graduate and leave the sect to venture into the cultivation world, any blind spots in your understanding will easily lead to pitfalls and deception."
Mo Hua humbly accepted these teachings and benefited greatly from them.
However, with no resources to learn new techniques, he could only continue skipping classes and drawing arrays to earn spirit stones.
Each Earth-Solidifying Array consisted of four array patterns, earning him two spirit stones. Thanks to this, Mo Hua's spirit stone savings grew at a faster pace.
One day, two months later, Mo Hua went to the Stout Administrator's office as usual to deliver an order. Upon entering, he was surprised to find a middle-aged man in a blue daoist robe sitting and drinking tea in the usually quiet Hall of Serendipity.
The man had his back to Mo Hua, but even from the silhouette, Mo Hua felt a sense of familiarity. When the man turned around, Mo Hua was stunned.
The man in the blue daoist robe was none other than Yan Jiaoxi...
Mo Hua suddenly felt like he had been caught playing truant.
"Mo Hua?"
Yan Jiaoxi also noticed Mo Hua and looked surprised.
Stout Administrator, who was sitting across from Yan Jiaoxi, pouring him tea, raised his head at the mention of Mo Hua's name and exclaimed in surprise, "You know each other?"
"He is my disciple at Tongxian Gate," Yan Jiaoxi explained.
Mo Hua bowed and greeted, "Disciple pays respect to Teacher!"
Yan Jiaoxi nodded and asked, "What brings you here?"
Before Mo Hua could answer, Stout Administrator interjected, "He's running an errand for his brother. His brother paints arrays for our Array Pavilion, and he brings them here once they're completed."
Yan Jiaoxi nodded slightly, not pursuing the matter further.
Relieved, Mo Hua handed over the array to Stout Administrator, received the spirit stones, and hastily said, "Disciple takes his leave now. I won't disturb Teacher any further."
Yan Jiaoxi, who seemed to have some business with Stout Administrator, nodded in approval at Mo Hua's considerate behavior. "Return to the sect early and be careful on your way," he said.
Mo Hua respectfully acknowledged the instruction, bowed, and left the Array Pavilion.
Stout Administrator watched Mo Hua's retreating figure and remarked to Yan Jiaoxi, "This child is very polite and intelligent. You're lucky to have taught such a good disciple."
Yan Jiaoxi murmured an affirmative "hm," then asked, "You said his brother paints arrays for you?"
Stout Administrator took out the Earth-Solidifying Array that Mo Hua had delivered and handed it to Yan Jiaoxi to examine. "He's quite skilled," he commented.
Yan Jiaoxi was slightly taken aback to see that it was the Earth-Solidifying Array. "His brother painted this?" he asked.
"Who else could it be?" Stout Administrator replied. "At his age, even if he squeezed out all his spiritual sense, he wouldn't be able to produce a complete array, would he?"
Yan Jiaoxi nodded, recalling that Mo Hua had once asked him about the Earth-Solidifying Array. It seemed that Mo Hua had seen his brother painting it and that had sparked his curiosity, leading him to seek guidance from Yan Jiaoxi.
"It's a good thing to have a thirst for knowledge about arrays," Yan Jiaoxi thought to himself. "If he can maintain this mindset, he may truly achieve something remarkable in the field of arrays in the future."
"As for me," Stout Administrator took a sip of tea, "I'm content with a carefree life. I dabble in array formations but don't delve too deeply, and in cultivation, I can't stand being alone. I'm satisfied just getting by each day. Don't look down on me, though. Look at those loose cultivators rushing about on the streets. Even they yearn for this kind of leisurely life, but it's beyond their reach."
In response, Instructor Yan remained silent.
Stout Administrator sighed helplessly as he looked at Instructor Yan. "Fine, what do you want me to do?"
Instructor Yan spoke solemnly, "Help me find the Spirit Pivot Array."
Stout Administrator pinched his brow, "After all these years, you still haven't given up? I say, you're not getting any younger. It's time to find a Dao companion and settle down."
"Personal matters are insignificant compared to the legacy of array formations," Instructor Yan replied.
"And what if you do find it? Our Master couldn't learn it, nor could his Master before him. Do you think you can? It's a first-rate array with twelve layers! First-rate array masters only need to master nine layers. You haven't even reached that level yet. What's the point of obtaining the Spirit Pivot Array? By the time you pass away, you might not have even mastered it." Stout Administrator argued.
Again, Instructor Yan fell silent.
Stout Administrator advised earnestly, "Brother, forget about it. Besides, you won't even be able to find it. That person betrayed his master, stole the array, and disappeared years ago. Even the Dao Court investigators couldn't track him down. What can you, an array master with limited knowledge of Daoist arts, hope to accomplish?"
Unmoved, Instructor Yan said hoarsely, "My master's kindness weighs heavily upon me. Everything I know about array formations comes from him. Now that he's gone and our sect has fallen apart, with the array legacy lost, I can't find peace. As long as I can retrieve the array and pass on its legacy, fulfilling my master's dying wish, nothing else matters."
Instructor Yan continued, "I know you value your comfort, so I won't ask too much of you. Just tell me if you come across any clues about the Spirit Pivot Array in Tongxian City, and I'll take care of the rest."
"How do you know there will be clues about the Spirit Pivot Array in Tongxian City?" Stout Administrator frowned.
Instructor Yan chose not to answer.
Stout Administrator waved his hand, "Fine, fine. Knowing too much won't do me any good anyway. I'll help you with this matter, but let me give you a friendly warning. You're spending so much effort, but in the end, you might still come away with nothing."
Feeling troubled, Stout Administrator added, "Let me give you some advice. It's better to focus on finding a Dao companion and having a child. Even if you can't find the array, your child can continue the search in the future. At least you won't die alone and miserable. Hurry up and find a Dao companion while you're still young. Just find someone, so you won't end up..."
"My tea's gone cold. I'm leaving," Instructor Yan interrupted.
He rose from his seat, flicked his sleeves, and left without paying any further heed to the nagging Stout Administrator.
(End of Chapter)
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