Chapter 268: The Reverse Spirit Array
Chapter 268: The Reverse Spirit Array
"This is the diagram of the Concealment Array."
Mr. Zhuang passed a scroll to Mo Hua, "Take a look yourself and practice more. It shouldn't be too difficult for you."
Mo Hua respectfully accepted the scroll and glanced at it briefly.
The array core of the Concealment Array was somewhat unique, and the array patterns were rather obscure, differing slightly from the general five-element arrays. However, it wasn't overly challenging—at least not for Mo Hua.
For an array master studying array techniques, the most difficult aspect was actually their spiritual sense.
As long as one's spiritual sense was sufficient, the rest could be achieved with time and effort.
But if one's spiritual sense was lacking, they wouldn't even have the qualifications to study arrays.
"Thank you, Master!" Mo Hua said happily.
Mr. Zhuang nodded slightly, his gaze turning solemn as he took out another scroll and said,
"This is the complete diagram of the Ten-Pattern Reverse Spirit Array!"
Mo Hua's heart skipped a beat as he solemnly accepted the scroll and took a quick look, mentally tracing the patterns once more. He exclaimed in shock, "Master, this one seems much more difficult..."
"Ten patterns is the limit for refining one's spiritual sense," Mr. Zhuang explained slowly. "The closer one gets to this limit, the slower their spiritual sense grows, and naturally, it becomes more challenging."
Mo Hua sighed, "I wonder how long it will take to master this."
"Until you reach the Foundation Establishment stage," Mr. Zhuang replied.
Mo Hua paused, then realized that the ten-pattern arrays were indeed something that only Foundation Establishment cultivators could learn.
If he could draw out the Reverse Spirit Array, it would indeed mean that he had the spiritual sense of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
"Master," Mo Hua asked softly, "at our current pace, how long will it take for me to attain the spiritual sense of a Foundation Establishment cultivator?"
Mr. Zhuang didn't answer directly but countered with a question, "What if it takes ten years? Or a hundred years?"
Mo Hua's heart sank. "A hundred years?"
"It's just a hypothetical," Mr. Zhuang said.
Mo Hua thought about it and helplessly replied, "It seems there's no other way. I'll just have to cultivate and practice arrays as usual."
Mr. Zhuang nodded in approval, "That's the right attitude. No matter the outcome, what needs to be done remains unchanged. Don't let success or failure, or any expectations, affect your state of mind."
Mo Hua's eyes lit up as he understood, and he smiled, "Thank you for the guidance, Master!"
Mr. Zhuang also smiled faintly, "That said, don't worry too much. Perhaps you'll come across some opportunity that will allow you to leap over this hurdle in one go."
Mo Hua's eyes sparkled, "Really?"
"It's just a hypothetical," Mr. Zhuang repeated.
Then, he used his slender finger to tap Mo Hua's forehead gently, "Opportunities are external factors. Don't let them affect your state of mind in your path of cultivation."
Mo Hua's gaze turned resolute, "I understand, Master."
Seeing Mo Hua's clear eyes and thoughtful expression, Mr. Zhuang nodded in satisfaction and said softly, "Focus on studying arrays. Don't worry about anything else. If, by the time you reach the ninth layer of Qi Refining, your spiritual sense is still lacking, I'll have a way to help you."
Warmth filled Mo Hua's heart, and he smiled, "Thank you, Master!"
Mr. Zhuang waved his hand, "Go and practice your arrays now. I'm going to rest."
"Yes."
Mo Hua turned to leave but suddenly paused, as if he wanted to ask something but hesitated.
Mr. Zhuang noticed and said, "Ask whatever is on your mind."
"It's just..." Mo Hua hesitated, "Won't it disturb your rest?"
Mr. Zhuang leaned back casually in his bamboo chair, "I'm already resting. Chatting for a bit won't be a problem."
Mo Hua smiled, "Master, is the Reverse Spirit Array truly only used for dispelling arrays?"
Mr. Zhuang's half-closed eyes widened slightly in surprise, "Why do you ask that?"
"If it's truly just for dispelling arrays, it shouldn't be this difficult..."
Mo Hua pondered for a moment before continuing, "The Reverse Spirit Array can dispel arrays, but it's a first-grade ten-pattern array. Most Qi Refining cultivators can't learn it, and since they can't learn it, they naturally can't use it to dispel arrays.
"If the noble clans value it so highly, doesn't that suggest that this array, aside from unraveling arrays, also has other important applications?"
Mr. Zhuang's eyelids twitched slightly, and he shook his head with a chuckle. "You're quite the clever one, I wonder where you get all these ideas from."
Mo Hua smiled shyly.
"There's one thing you said that's not quite right," Mr. Zhuang said, looking at Mo Hua. "The Reverse Spirit Array isn't difficult and useless, but rather extremely useful."
"By using array patterns to unravel an array, you might have to unravel hundreds or even thousands of patterns when faced with a complex formation. However, with the Reverse Spirit Array, you directly unravel the array core, needing only to unravel a few of the core Spirit Gathering Arrays."
"As long as you can locate the array's core, using the Reverse Spirit Array will increase your unraveling speed severalfold, or even dozens of times faster."
Mo Hua listened intently, nodding repeatedly.
This would save him several times the amount of spirit ink, which was indeed very important. Mo Hua's supply of spirit ink had always been scarce, and conserving so much of it would be extremely beneficial.
"There's another thing you said that's correct," Mr. Zhuang acknowledged, nodding at Mo Hua. "The Reverse Spirit Array is indeed not just for unraveling arrays. Most importantly, it can cause an array to collapse!"
"Collapse?" Mo Hua's expression turned astonished. "Do you mean the array will break down or go out of control?"
"It will break down, but not go out of control. It's more like the array master intentionally causing the array to collapse."
"Controlling the collapse of an array?" Mo Hua scratched his head, not quite understanding. "What's the use of that?"
Mr. Zhuang remained silent for a long time, his expression shifting several times before he finally sighed and spoke. "Arrays adhere to the heavenly dao, encompassing the ultimate principles of heaven and earth, as well as the fundamental laws of spiritual energy flow."
"When an array collapses, the spiritual energy within the array framework, in the form of array patterns, becomes chaotic and conflicting, constantly generating and destroying itself, resulting in intense spiritual energy fluctuations and exhibiting unimaginable might."
"If the rank of the array is high enough, its collapsing power can be heaven-shattering!"
Mr. Zhuang's tone was more solemn than ever before.
Mo Hua's heart was filled with shock and excitement.
"So, if I learn the Reverse Spirit Array, can I also cause arrays to collapse?" Mo Hua asked.
Mr. Zhuang gave a half-smile. "By the time you learn the Reverse Spirit Array, you'll be close to the Foundation Establishment stage. The power of a first-grade Reverse Spirit Array, when collapsing an array, can surpass its rank, but it will probably be equivalent to the might of a Foundation Establishment spell. Why bother putting in so much effort for that?"
"Huh?" Mo Hua was taken aback. "Then what about a second-grade Reverse Spirit Array?"
"You'll have to wait until you become a late-stage second-grade array master before you can learn that."
A late-stage second-grade array master... that would take forever.
Mo Hua sighed. "Then this Reverse Spirit Array is still a bit of a scraped bone."
A first-grade Reverse Spirit Array couldn't be learned by a first-grade array master, and a second-grade one wouldn't be of much use to a first-grade master.
"This isn't a case of the array being useless," Mr. Zhuang said calmly. "It's just that the array master's abilities are limited, unable to comprehend and fully utilize the array's potential."
"Moreover, causing an array to collapse isn't that simple. Even an ordinary second-grade array master doesn't have the capability to make a first-grade array collapse."
"Or perhaps, there are actually very few array masters in this world who can truly master the Reverse Spirit Array and use it to collapse arrays."
Mo Hua frowned. "So, there are still many intricacies to the usage of the Reverse Spirit Array?"
Mr. Zhuang was about to say something more but suddenly looked weary and yawned. "If you truly manage to learn the Reverse Spirit Array, I'll teach you about it then. It's too early to worry about it now."
(End of Chapter)
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