Chapter 316: Sending Off
Chapter 316: Sending Off
But, was it really that simple?
Mo Hua went to ask Mister Zhuang again.
"Master, when calculating arrays, do you have to figure it all out at once?"
"No," Mister Zhuang replied.
"Is it okay to calculate a little each day?" Mo Hua inquired further.
Mister Zhuang nodded, "That's possible."
Just as he had thought.
Mo Hua sighed. He had jumped to conclusions earlier and misunderstood this aspect. If only he had asked Mister Zhuang about it sooner, he would have clarified this issue much earlier...
"In that case, breaking down arrays doesn't seem that difficult..." Mo Hua commented.
However, Mister Zhuang's expression became subtle, and he couldn't help but add, "You can say that to me, but don't say it outside. Otherwise, you'll get beaten up..."
Mo Hua was taken aback, "Why?"
Mister Zhuang sighed, "The biggest challenges in breaking down arrays lie in two aspects: reverse spirit arrays and divine sense calculations."
"A first-grade reverse spirit array has ten array lines, exceeding the standard array configuration. Second-grade and above are similar. There are only a handful of array masters in this world who can master this technique."
"Divine sense calculations also require a vast amount of divine sense as a foundation. Most array masters lack sufficient divine sense and don't even qualify to perform calculations. If they attempt to force a calculation, their sea of consciousness will instantly wither."
"Divine sense calculations don't need to be accomplished in a single thought. You can calculate bit by bit, but even doing so requires an enormous amount of divine sense and a significant amount of time."
"Therefore, for array masters, if they don't know how to create reverse spirit arrays, they won't be able to start breaking down arrays at all. Even if they learn reverse spirit arrays, they may not have the divine sense to perform calculations. And even if they have the divine sense, they may not have enough time to do the calculations. Without the ability to calculate, naturally, they won't be able to break down the arrays..."
"Is it that difficult?" Mo Hua was surprised. "I thought that since divine sense calculations didn't have to be accomplished in a single thought, breaking down arrays would be simpler..."
Mister Zhuang looked at Mo Hua and sighed, "You're starting to sound like someone who comments on things without considering the practical difficulties."
Not everyone has such strong divine sense.
Mo Hua smiled sheepishly.
Then he asked in a low voice, "Master, are there any dangers in breaking down a restored array?"
Mister Zhuang gave him a curious look, "Have you broken down an array before?"
Mo Hua knew he couldn't hide it from Mister Zhuang, so he admitted, "I've broken down a first-grade Earth Fire Array."
Mister Zhuang's eyelids twitched slightly.
He had guessed that Mo Hua would learn quickly, but he hadn't expected him to pick it up this fast.
He had only briefly mentioned the method for breaking down arrays, yet Mo Hua had figured out the rest on his own.
For a moment, Mister Zhuang hesitated, unsure if he should continue teaching him.
Divine sense calculations and breaking down arrays...
This was already way beyond the curriculum...
He never imagined that in his lifetime, he would be teaching these things to a disciple, and moreover, to an inscribed disciple still at the Qi Refining stage...
Mister Zhuang hesitated, his gaze fixed on Mo Hua, deep in thought. After a while, his eyes glinted, as if he had come to a decision.
"Master?" Mo Hua asked softly.
Mister Zhuang snapped out of his reverie and pondered for a moment before speaking, "The method for breaking down a restored array is the same. Just pay attention to one thing: don't kill yourself in the process."
"Don't kill myself?" Mo Hua was perplexed. "Would running far away work?"
"Either run far away or leave yourself an escape route," Mister Zhuang advised.
"Escape route... What does that mean?" Mo Hua didn't understand.
"Remember when I told you about the birth and death of the Dao?"
Mo Hua nodded.
"Where there is birth in the Dao, there is death, and where there is death, there is birth. Breaking down an array is death, and the escape route in calculations is birth. Array masters can use arrays to kill enemies, but if they don't leave an escape route, they're just asking to be killed by their own array, which would be foolish."
Mo Hua certainly didn't want to be that fool, so he asked humbly, "How do we leave an escape route?"
"During divine sense calculations, carefully sense the weakest point of the array's spiritual power. That's your escape route. Don't draw a reverse spirit array near that point."
Mo Hua nodded, then asked, "Does a single array also have an escape route?"
"A single array has a weak spiritual power structure, and the force used to break it is minimal. There is an escape route, but the range is so small that it might as well not exist. Only consider leaving an escape route when breaking down composite arrays and above."
"Yes, Master!"
Mo Hua had no further questions, so he bid Mister Zhuang farewell and left him to rest.
After Mo Hua left, Mister Zhuang sat silently in his bamboo chair for a long time.
Gui Lao silently appeared behind Mister Zhuang and said, "If you continue teaching him, you might not be able to leave."
Mister Zhuang smiled bitterly, "I didn't expect him to learn this fast."
"How much longer?" Gui Lao asked.
Mister Zhuang's expression turned solemn, "Probably... soon..."
"Won't you wait until Mo Hua learns how to break down composite arrays?"
Mister Zhuang shook his head, "This is already beyond the curriculum. It's not something he should be learning now. Whether he learns it or not doesn't matter."
"I'm just afraid that after I'm gone, no one will teach him these things, and it would be a waste. That's why I decided to teach him everything in advance."
"However, breaking down a restored array is different. It consumes an enormous amount of divine sense, and in a short period, Mo Hua probably won't be able to learn it."
"Really?" Gui Lao asked flatly.
Mister Zhuang nodded, but then hesitated before finishing his sentence.
"He really can't learn it?"
Mister Zhuang was somewhat doubtful. Thinking of Mo Hua's actions thus far, he suddenly felt unsure.
This inscribed disciple of his seemed to truly be beyond the scope of common sense...
After leaving Mister Zhuang, Mo Hua returned with renewed enthusiasm to try breaking down restored arrays and deriving the life gate.
The more difficult the array, the more interesting it became.
Moreover, breaking down restored arrays could injure Foundation Establishment cultivators!
However, after trying it out, Mo Hua realized that deriving restored arrays truly required an excessive amount of divine sense.
Even with the help of the Dao Stele, which allowed him to retrace his divine sense after calculating, it still consumed a massive amount of time and couldn't be done overnight.
Mo Hua felt a bit regretful, but soon calmed himself down.
If the power of breaking down restored arrays was truly that strong, then spending more divine sense and time was only to be expected.
Mo Hua patiently began to derive the restored array, line by line.
A few days later, Mo Hua was sitting in a restaurant, calculating an array, when a burly cultivator with a square face and brows walked in.
Mo Hua's divine sense stirred, and he looked up in surprise, "Commander Yang?"
Commander Yang revealed a kind smile, "Little Mo, are you drawing arrays?"
"Mhm." Mo Hua nodded, then invited, "Commander Yang, please take a seat."
Commander Yang sat down next to Mo Hua and pretended to be displeased, "I told you not to be so distant. Just call me Uncle Yang."
"Oh oh." Mo Hua then remembered and smiled as he called out, "Uncle Yang."
Commander Yang beamed and nodded.
Mo Hua asked, "Uncle Yang, what brings you here?"
"I'm about to leave, so I wanted to hold a banquet to send me off. I came to invite you specially." Commander Yang stated his purpose.
"Uncle Yang, you're too kind." Mo Hua said, then realized something was amiss, "Shouldn't we be the ones holding the banquet and inviting you instead?"
How did it become you holding the banquet and inviting me instead...
Commander Yang waved his hand, "It's a minor matter, don't mind it."
Mo Hua was slightly stunned and gave Commander Yang a suspicious glance, "Is there something you're not telling me?"
"It's a minor matter, we'll talk about it later."
Since Commander Yang didn't want to say, Mo Hua didn't press further.
He then remembered another matter and asked quietly, "What about the first and third heads of the Black Mountain Fortress?"
With the destruction of the Black Mountain Fortress, most of the evil cultivators were either killed or captured, and the remaining minor players wouldn't be able to cause much trouble even if they escaped.
However, the first and third heads were different.
One was the big boss of the Black Mountain Fortress, the original founder who had gathered evil cultivators and occupied the area, causing harm for hundreds of years.
The other was a genuine First-Rank evil array master, a Foundation Establishment cultivator who knew how to draw evil arrays, and might even have other unknown abilities.
Mo Hua wouldn't feel at ease until these two were captured.
Commander Yang's expression turned solemn, and he lowered his voice to address Mo Hua, "We searched the mountains for several days, and most of the evil cultivators were captured. There aren't many who slipped through the net, but the first and third heads have disappeared without a trace."
Mo Hua's eyes narrowed as he frowned, "Are they hiding in the depths of the mountains? Do they have a secret base?"
Commander Yang nodded, "That's what I suspect as well, but the mountains are vast, and there are second-rank demon beasts lurking within. We're unfamiliar with the terrain, so we dare not search too recklessly."
"Moreover, those two are both at the Foundation Establishment stage. Evading our search is too easy for them."
Commander Yang sighed, "The deployment of the Dao soldiers has a time limit, and that deadline is approaching. We can't continue the search indefinitely."
"The rest will have to be left to the Dao Court and Elder Yu."
Mo Hua nodded, "I understand. Thank you, Uncle Yang!"
"What are you thanking me for?"
Mo Hua expressed his gratitude, "If it weren't for Uncle Yang leading the Dao soldiers to help, the loose cultivators of Transcendent City would have suffered many casualties. Now that the Black Mountain Fortress has been smoothly conquered, I must thank Uncle Yang."
"It's my duty, there's no need for thanks!"
Commander Yang downplayed his role, but he was happy to receive Mo Hua's gratitude. A hint of pride showed in the corners of his eyes, and he couldn't hide his satisfaction.
The two chatted for a while longer before Commander Yang stood up to take his leave.
"Tomorrow noon, at Ling Shan Lou in the north of the city. Don't forget to come!"
Mo Hua nodded, "I definitely will!"
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
