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Chapter 346: Imparting Knowledge
Chapter 346: Imparting Knowledge
"Master, are there really array masters who can create first-rate grand formations while only at the first realm of cultivation?" Mo Hua couldn't help but ask.
Master Zhuang replied calmly, "Of course, there are. Otherwise, I wouldn't have allowed you to learn this art."
"Oh, right," Mo Hua nodded, realizing the implications.
Master Zhuang spoke with a solemn tone, "The cultivation world has flourished for over twenty thousand years, producing countless cultivators, including innumerable geniuses with various talents. There have been rare cases of cultivators who could lead the creation of first-rate grand formations while still in the Qi Refining realm, though they are few and far between."
Upon hearing this, Mo Hua reflected with a serious expression, "Master, I understand! There are always people more talented and accomplished than oneself; we must remain humble and respectful to continue improving in the way of arrays. I may have been fortunate to possess the spiritual sense of a Foundation Establishment cultivator at the Qi Refining stage, but even if I can create grand formations, I still have a long way to go compared to the truly gifted elites."
Master Zhuang's eyelids twitched at his words. No... having the spiritual sense of Foundation Establishment at the Qi Refining stage is already an exceptional talent. Being able to create first-rate grand formations is even more extraordinary than being a genius elite. If you can truly create grand formations, it's not that you lag far behind others, but that others lag far behind you...
After all, an array master capable of leading the creation of a first-rate grand formation and actually doing so is incredibly rare. They must possess not only the ability but also the financial resources, manpower, and the opportunity presented by a fortunate turn of events.
Master Zhuang had only read about such cases in the sect's ancient texts and heard of them in legends. In reality, he had never met an array master who had perfectly met all these conditions.
Master Zhuang's original intention was to encourage Mo Hua to remain humble and avoid arrogance. But now it seemed that Mo Hua had taken his words to heart and become a little too modest...
However, it was always good to be humble about the Dao and the mysteries of array formations. Thus, Master Zhuang pretended not to notice and calmly nodded in approval, "It's good that you think this way."
Encouraged by Master Zhuang, Mo Hua felt inspired. He thought to himself that the world of arrays was indeed boundless, and he needed to work even harder. Even if he couldn't compare with other array geniuses, he must not fall too far behind, or he would disgrace Master Zhuang's reputation as his named disciple. He was determined to master the grand formations.
Master Zhuang sensed Mo Hua's determination from his eyes, feeling both gratified and impressed. If Mo Hua could maintain this humble and diligent attitude in his pursuit of the Dao of arrays, his future achievements would likely be awe-inspiring...
"What kind of named disciple have I taken on...?" Master Zhuang's feelings were mixed, but he quickly composed himself and continued explaining grand formations to Mo Hua.
"For grand formations of the first-rate, the starting point is ten spiritual threads, which means you must have the spiritual sense of Foundation Establishment to learn them."
"However, having ten spiritual threads at the Foundation Establishment stage is a requirement for array masters. Ordinary cultivators who don't study arrays or master the techniques of spiritual sense manipulation will have spiritual sense ranging from nine to ten threads after breaking through to Foundation Establishment."
"It's much stronger than the nine threads of the Qi Refining stage, but it's still a bit short of ten threads."
"Ordinary array masters are the same. After reaching Foundation Establishment, they still need to spend time enhancing their spiritual sense and studying second-rate arrays."
"So, the usual saying is not that you need to be at the Foundation Establishment to learn first-rate grand formations, but that you need to truly attain the second realm of array mastery before you can learn first-rate grand formations."
Master Zhuang paused, his gaze sharpening slightly as he continued, "These types of arrays that transcend cultivation realms are generally called 'ultimate arrays' in the academic study of arrays."
"As the name suggests, they are either the ultimate techniques of a sect, extremely difficult to learn, or arrays with a legacy that is nearly extinct."
"The Reverse Spirit Array that you learned is one such ultimate array."
"Grand formations can also be considered ultimate arrays because they require spiritual sense and array knowledge beyond the standard, as well as immense scale."
"However, grand formations are distinct from other ultimate arrays because of their enormous size and longevity. Once established, they can benefit cultivators for hundreds, even thousands of years. Thus, to highlight their importance, they are given the unique name of 'grand formations' instead of being classified as ultimate arrays."
Mo Hua nodded, silently reciting the array concepts he knew:
Single arrays, compound arrays, grand formations, puzzle arrays, illusion arrays, ultimate arrays...
Those who studied array theory really liked coming up with all sorts of confusing names...
Although Mo Hua was proficient in arrays and could tell them apart, he still felt the urge to complain.
Master Zhuang gently tapped Mo Hua's head, "What are you thinking about now?"
With his eyes blinking rapidly, it was obvious that he was criticizing something in his mind.
Mo Hua quickly shook his head, "Nothing!" Then, he quickly changed the subject and asked, "Master, does that mean that second-rate array masters will find it easier to learn first-rate grand formations?"
Master Zhuang shook his head, "It's not that simple."
"Isn't the requirement for spiritual sense already met?" Mo Hua asked.
"Spiritual sense is just the threshold. Without sufficient spiritual sense, you don't even have the qualifications to step through that door." Master Zhuang explained, "But even with enough spiritual sense, you've only taken one step across the threshold. You're still far from truly mastering grand formations, constructing them, utilizing them, and attaining a profound understanding of them."
"Are there further requirements for spiritual sense manipulation?" Mo Hua asked again.
"It's not just about spiritual sense manipulation," Master Zhuang sighed softly, "Grand formations are too complex. They encompass numerous single arrays, requiring a delicate understanding of the interrelationships between arrays, such as their compatibility, opening and closing, and the subtle flow of spiritual power."
"You need to be adept at manipulating spiritual sense, have strong control over it, and ideally, possess some ability in spiritual sense calculation..."
"Grand formations of the same type usually represent the pinnacle of their respective array categories. In other words, an array master capable of constructing grand formations is also one who has thoroughly mastered and integrated an entire category of arrays!"
Master Zhuang looked at Mo Hua and said, "Now do you understand?
Master Zhuang was taken aback for a moment and couldn't help but chuckle as he ruffled Mo Hua's hair affectionately.
"Be a little more humble," he said with a smile.
"Oh," Mo Hua replied, feeling a bit embarrassed.
Master Zhuang sighed inwardly.
In fact, Mo Hua was right; he was indeed very suited to learning grand formations.
He had a solid foundation in spiritual sense, adept at manipulating it, and possessed keen control over it.
When it came to arrays, Mo Hua had practiced the Five Elements Array countless times, and it could be said that he had thoroughly mastered it.
He had also dabbled in architectural arrays in the pill and treasure refining paths, achieving a profound understanding of their intricacies.
Given all these factors, when Mo Hua approached Master Zhuang with the desire to learn grand formations, the latter did not refuse but instead pointed out the risks and asked him to consider his decision carefully.
Mo Hua truly had the potential to learn grand formations, and Master Zhuang would have found it a pity, even regrettable, if he didn't give it a try.
But grand formations were not that simple, and this was just the beginning.
Master Zhuang took out a set of ten jade slips and unfolded them one by one.
"This is the grand formation I want to teach you!" he declared.
"These ten jade slips encompass the array eye principles, the array pivot structure, the distribution of array patterns, the construction of array media, and the compatibility and cost estimation of single arrays within the grand formation."
"This array is a confinement and killing type grand formation. It utilizes the generative and destructive powers of the Five Elements to trap enemies and, through the offensive arrays within, annihilate powerful foes!"
"Among the Five Elements grand formations, this set of array techniques excels in offense and is sufficient to deal with Feng Chi."
Master Zhuang handed the jade slips to Mo Hua.
Mo Hua took them and immersed his spiritual sense into the first slip. The first thing that caught his eyes were several bold and powerful characters:
Five Elements Demon Slaughter Grand Formation!
The calligraphy was exquisite, and the killing intent of the formation seemed to leap off the slip.
Mo Hua's heart trembled, and he carefully stored the jade slips away, understanding their immense value.
Grand formations were extremely precious.
Although Master Zhuang had taken them out nonchalantly, in most clans or sects, they would be treated as closely guarded ultimate techniques.
Mo Hua bowed respectfully to Master Zhuang, expressing his gratitude for the teachings and his appreciation for what Master Zhuang was doing for the loose cultivators of Tongxian City.
Master Zhuang seemed to understand Mo Hua's thoughts and shook his head slightly.
"You don't have to think too much about it. Now that I'm here, and disaster has befallen this place, there is a cause and effect at play. Within my capacity, I will not stand idly by."
After saying this, Master Zhuang waved his hand. "You should head back and study diligently. If you have any questions, come to me."
"Yes, Master!" Mo Hua replied respectfully, bowing once more before taking his leave.
Master Zhuang's gaze followed Mo Hua's departing figure, extending into the distance.
Even after Mo Hua's silhouette had disappeared into the mountains, Master Zhuang remained lost in thought. After a long while, he furrowed his brows and asked:
"Do you think he can learn it?"
There was no response from within the room, and no one answered.
Master Zhuang sighed helplessly. "The Grand Elder has already seen through me, and you can't escape either. Hiding won't do you any good."
Kui Lao appeared, shaking his head. "You're going to get yourself killed sooner or later, and to avoid being implicated, I want to stay as far away from you as possible."
"Where else can you hide?" Master Zhuang asked rhetorically. "You're not even here to begin with. How much further do you plan to distance yourself?"
Kui Lao remained silent.
Master Zhuang then repeated his previous question. "What do you think? Can Mo Hua learn the grand formation?"
Kui Lao gave Master Zhuang a nonchalant glance and replied nonchalantly, "I can't tell since I'm not an array master, unlike you."
"Then what do you think of his array drawings?"
"They're very good."
Master Zhuang suggested, "I'm already a cripple. Why don't you take him back with you? Given time, he might be able to help you."
Kui Lao showed a hint of interest but quickly shook his head again. "His cultivation realm is too low, and it's been too long."
"We can teach him slowly."
"But I don't know anything about arrays. How am I supposed to teach him?"
"You can hire an array master to teach him."
Kui Lao replied calmly, "Don't push your problems onto me."
Master Zhuang fell silent, his thoughts laid bare.
After a moment, Kui Lao frowned and asked, "If you want to teach him the grand formation, why don't you just do it directly? Why waste time making him consider his decision?"
Master Zhuang remained silent for a long while, his gaze clouded with complexity. Then, he slowly spoke, his words seeming to be directed at Kui Lao and himself:
"Cultivators can only recognize their true hearts when faced with great disasters and trials."
"Only by making choices between right and wrong can they solidify their Daoist hearts."
"If one does not establish and solidify their Daoist heart from the beginning, they will gradually deviate from the path, even if they achieve fame and success. In the end, they will completely stray from the path to longevity."
A hint of self-mockery and disappointment flashed across Master Zhuang's face.
"I don't want him to make the same mistakes I did..."
(End of Chapter)
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