Chapter 340: Checks and Balances
Chapter 340: Checks and Balances
Mr. Zhuang's expression turned reverent as he said, "This array contains the true laws of heaven. Under the array, all beings are equal. Anyone who violates the taboos of this array, regardless of status or cultivation level, will be treated equally and eradicated."
"Hence, this array is also known as the 'Heavenly Dao Grand Array'!"
"The Heavenly Dao Grand Array..." Mo Hua murmured, imprinting the name deeply into his mind while also feeling a surge of anticipation.
He couldn't help but ask, "Then, sir, who set up this array? Was it an immortal?"
Mr. Zhuang shook his head. "Since the founding of the Dao Court, this array has existed. No one knows its origin or who created it. The person who painted this array, even if they aren't an immortal, is definitely a powerful cultivator who has stepped into the path of immortality."
"That is why this array is also called the Primordial Grand Array, implying that it existed before heaven and earth."
"The Dao Court uses this Heavenly Dao Grand Array to determine the rank of each state's boundary. The higher the boundary of a state, the higher the rank it is assigned."
Mr. Zhuang sighed. "However, very few cultivators know about the Heavenly Dao Grand Array."
"In fact, many array masters don't even believe that the sky above us is actually a grand array."
Mo Hua asked, "Is it because there is no record of its heritage that people are unaware of it?"
Mr. Zhuang shook his head. "Even if there were records, they wouldn't believe it."
Mo Hua paused, perplexed. "Why?"
Mr. Zhuang pointed upwards with his finger and asked Mo Hua, "What do you see when you look up at the sky?"
Mo Hua tilted his small head back and gazed at the sky for a long time, until his neck started to ache. Only then did he hesitantly reply, "There are clouds..."
"And?" Mr. Zhuang prompted.
Mo Hua shook his head. "That's all."
Mr. Zhuang nodded. "Yes, that's all... There are no array patterns, no array hubs, no knowledge of the array medium, and no array eyes. So, how can it be an array?"
"Sir, you can't see them either?" Mo Hua asked.
Mr. Zhuang looked at Mo Hua and smiled gently. "I'm the same as you. I can't see anything either..."
"It's not just me. There are cultivators with deeper cultivation and more profound array mastery than me, and even they can't see anything."
"If we can't see anything and there's nothing there, how can it be an array?"
"But aren't there records in the cultivation manuals?" Mo Hua asked.
"The records of this world may contain errors," Mr. Zhuang explained, "and even cultivation manuals cannot be trusted completely."
"I see..."
Mo Hua nodded and then looked up at the sky again. He felt that the sky was boundless and infinite, and the clouds were ethereal and ever-changing, as if they held endless and wondrous secrets.
Mo Hua seemed to have a sudden realization, and his expression became determined. "Sir, this must be an array!"
Mr. Zhuang smiled faintly. "Why do you say that?"
Mo Hua shook his head. "I don't know, but I just feel that it is."
Mr. Zhuang was slightly taken aback, then reached out and ruffled Mo Hua's hair affectionately. "An array master's intuition is an understanding of the Heavenly Dao. Sometimes, it can be very important. I hope that one day, you'll truly be able to see the array in the sky..."
Mo Hua felt encouraged by Mr. Zhuang's expectation and nodded seriously.
Then, he asked with a puzzled expression, "Sir, if there really is a Heavenly Dao Grand Array in the sky, what is the purpose of this array? Or, what is the significance of this Heavenly Dao law?"
Mr. Zhuang's gaze turned slightly solemn as he replied with four words, "Checks and balances."
Mo Hua seemed to understand, but he still couldn't fully grasp the concept.
Mr. Zhuang raised his head to look at the desolate sky and slowly said, "Just like you, I also believe that the Heavenly Dao Grand Array exists. It's just that our cultivators' spiritual senses are not strong enough, and our array mastery is too shallow to perceive it."
"Let's assume that the Heavenly Dao Grand Array truly exists..."
Mr. Zhuang turned to look at Mo Hua and continued, "Then, if the states' boundaries were not ranked, if cultivation levels were not restricted, and if there were no checks and balances provided by the Heavenly Dao Grand Array, what do you think would happen to the cultivation world?"
Mo Hua thought for a while before carefully replying, "Wouldn't it be very chaotic?"
"And what would cause this chaos?" Mr. Zhuang asked further.
"Perhaps because cultivators' powers are not restricted?" Mo Hua ventured.
Mr. Zhuang nodded. "Never overestimate human nature. Humans are a race capable of killing for profit, for vengeance, or even for sheer pleasure."
"Without cultivation restrictions, high-level cultivators would massacre low-level cultivators without restraint."
"The human heart is rarely steadfast. It is often fickle, restless, and indulgent, like a floating leaf on turbulent waves, easily swayed. Even the most upright person can give in to malicious thoughts at times."
"Out of a hundred high-level cultivators, even if only one harbors malicious intentions, it would spell disaster for low-level cultivators."
"Without the checks and balances of the Heavenly Dao, high-level cultivators could easily slaughter low-level cultivators."
"In such a scenario, Qi Refiners might face slaughter at the hands of Golden Core, or even Cavern Illumination cultivators. The former would be utterly powerless to resist."
"Instances of Golden Core cultivators decimating an entire city, Cavern Illumination cultivators annihilating an entire realm, and Void Comprehension cultivators wiping out an entire state might occur frequently."
"Once the lower-level cultivators are slaughtered, and the number of cultivators dwindles, the cultivation world will inevitably decline."
"If this continues, the entire cultivation world could be destroyed by rampant slaughter."
"However, with the checks and balances of the Heavenly Dao Grand Array, high-level cultivators dare not act wantonly, and the low-level cultivators have a chance to survive. Cultivators can thrive and the cultivation world can prosper eternally..."
Mo Hua nodded, gradually understanding the significance of the Heavenly Dao's checks and balances.
Take Tongxian City, for example. It was a second-rate state boundary, and if a rogue Core Formation cultivator caused trouble, there would be other Core Formation cultivators to deal with them. If that failed, even Qi Refiners could band together and resist.
But without the Heavenly Dao's checks and balances, if they were invaded by high-level cultivators, they would have no means of defense.
Mo Hua then asked, "But if a 'path demon' is born, won't the cultivators within the same state boundary be powerless to resist as well?"
After all, the blood qi of a 'path demon' was too powerful, and since they could replenish their blood by killing, they were practically "everlasting" too.
"Yes." Mr. Zhuang nodded. "Everything has its pros and cons. With the Heavenly Dao Grand Array, we can keep high-level cultivators in check, but it also means that a 'path demon' can run rampant within a state boundary."
"Without the Array, we might have a way to slay the 'path demon', but we risk letting high-level cultivators run amok and create endless slaughter..."
"When faced with two evils, we choose the lesser one. A 'path demon' may bring ruin to a state boundary, but rampant cultivators could destroy the entire cultivation world."
Mr. Zhuang heaved a meaningful sigh. "After all, in this world, humans are the ones who kill the most, not demon beasts."
"Humans are the ones who kill the most, not demon beasts..."
Mo Hua's heart stirred with complex emotions at these words.
After a long silence, he hesitated before finally asking the question that concerned him the most: "Then, is there a way to deal with Feng Xi?"
Having grown up in Tongxian City, he couldn't bear to see its cultivators relocate to the wilderness and suffer through a life of displacement.
Nor could he bear to see the city destroyed because of Feng Xi's rampage.
Mr. Zhuang looked at Mo Hua, a hint of relief in his eyes. "You've made up your mind, haven't you?"
"Yes." Mo Hua nodded. "I've thought about it over and over, and the only way to deal with Feng Xi is through a grand array..."
From the records he had learned about from Zhang Lan, he knew that some clans or sects had relied on protective grand formations to slay powerful demons.
Mo Hua looked up at Mr. Zhuang with a glimmer of hope in his eyes. "Sir, can I learn about grand arrays?"
A fleeting look of emotion crossed Mr. Zhuang's face.
He had known that this day would come, but he hadn't expected it to arrive so soon...
Mo Hua, a Qi Refiner, wanted to learn about grand arrays from him.
That, in itself, was not unusual.
Grand arrays were the ultimate pursuit of array masters, and every array master in the world aspired to learn about them.
Even if they couldn't be the main array master of a grand array, just being able to participate and contribute a few array patterns would be a tremendous honor.
What set Mo Hua apart was that he truly had the qualifications to learn about grand arrays.
His spiritual sense strength, control, array knowledge, and proficiency were exceptional, even among first-rate array masters.
However, grand arrays were not that simple...
Mr. Zhuang sighed. "You need to think this through carefully."
"I have!" Mo Hua nodded firmly.
"No, you haven't." Mr. Zhuang shook his head, his expression turning solemn. "Grand arrays are the most complex, difficult, and massive construction projects among all types of arrays. It's not something you can learn just because you want to, nor is it something you can build on your own."
"Constructing a grand array requires a lot of manpower and resources..."
"The array medium of a grand array needs to be refined by an artificer and constructed by a craftsman. While you can draw the array hub yourself after learning, you can't possibly draw the countless individual arrays within the grand array alone. You'll need the help of other array masters."
"Additionally, there's the matter of resources. The materials needed to construct the array medium, the spiritual ink for drawing the arrays, and the spirit stones required to activate them—all of these are enormous quantities."
"Moreover, the array hub of a grand array is extremely challenging, requiring a high consumption of spiritual sense. It's not going to be easy to learn at all."
"Most importantly..." Mr. Zhuang's expression turned grave as he looked at Mo Hua. "What if, even with all your efforts, the grand array still fails to stop Feng Xi?"
"What if, after expending all those resources and manpower, and consuming countless spirit stones, you still can't slay Feng Xi? What will the cultivators of Tongxian City do then? In that situation, relocating the city would be out of the question. How will they survive?"
"Have you thought about all these things?"
With each sentence, Mr. Zhuang saw Mo Hua's enthusiasm dim a little more, until finally, the boy lowered his head in disappointment.
Mr. Zhuang gently ruffled Mo Hua's hair again. "Think these things through, and then decide whether or not you want to learn and build a grand array."
(End of Chapter)
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