Chapter 41: A Visit
Chapter 41: A Visit
Luo Da Shi, a master of arrays, was a first-rate array master. He rejected Yan Jiaoxi's request.
Yan Jiaoxi could only settle for less and sought out some unranked array masters who had studied the art for many years, asking them to accept Mo Hua as their disciple.
Some refused outright, others made excuses, and some agreed but made outrageous demands. If he agreed to their terms, Mo Hua would be treated as nothing more than a tool or a puppet for life, with no freedom whatsoever. It would be no different from selling himself into servitude.
Yan Jiaoxi searched high and low for many days to no avail. He returned to his residence and sighed in solitude.
In a few days, he would be leaving, and time was running out. If he couldn't find a suitable teacher, it would hinder Mo Hua's progress in cultivating arrays.
Yan Jiaoxi pondered for a long time and finally seemed to make a decision. He sealed Mo Hua's test paper and placed it alone in his storage bag.
In the evening, Yan Jiaoxi left Tongxian City and headed directly southeast, outside the city.
Southeast of Tongxian City lies a picturesque and secluded mountain with stunning scenery. A mountain courtyard resides within, devoid of plaques or gates, accessible only by a small mountain path.
Yan Jiaoxi stood at the foot of the mountain for a long time before hearing a frail voice in his ear:
"Please come in."
The voice seemed to be in his ear, yet it echoed in his sea of consciousness.
Yan Jiaoxi's expression became even more humble. He straightened his robe and patted his waist storage bag, taking determined steps up the mountain.
As for Mo Hua, he intended to drop out of Tongxian Gate.
Mo Hua was already an outer disciple, and his relationship with the sect was merely a transactional one, exchanging spirit stones for the opportunity to cultivate. There was a slight emotional attachment, but it wasn't significant.
Especially now that Yan Jiaoxi was leaving, and with no one to teach arrays to the outer disciples, there was no point in Mo Hua staying.
His spirit root predetermined that his spiritual power would never be too strong, and his cultivation speed would be slow.
The other teachings of the sect, such as body refinement, pill refinement, artifact creation, and talisman making, were of little use to Mo Hua. Learning them would be pointless, yet abandoning them would be a waste.
The only thing Mo Hua wanted to learn, and which could offer him a future in cultivation, was arrays.
But aside from Yan Jiaoxi, Mo Hua didn't think anyone else in the outer sect could teach him.
Dahur and the other two intended to drop out as well.
However, their reason was not because of the instructor but simply because their families were poor and couldn't afford the sect's fees and the newly added expenses.
According to Mo Hua's understanding, the old headmaster would be stepping down in a few months and would no longer involve himself in the sect's affairs. As a result, the sect was now controlled by Qian Zhanglao, or in other words, the Qian family.
The Qian family intended to reform the sect, and while their methods were varied, the core principle was to collect more spirit stones.
Whether it was pill refinement, artifact creation, or talisman crafting, the sect used to only teach the basics. Now, they would offer advanced teachings, but at an additional cost of spirit stones.
Even the inheritance fee for the cultivation techniques was an extra charge imposed by Qian Zhanglao under the pretext of "sect inheritance is hard to come by and should be compensated accordingly."
After the Qian family's reforms, some family heirs and wealthy disciples could spend more spirit stones to gain access to better inheritances.
However, the bottom-tier disciples among the outer sect, especially the unaffiliated cultivators, could barely learn anything, and they had to pay even more spirit stones as tuition fees.
These unaffiliated disciples had no choice but to drop out.
Thus, through its reforms, the Tongxian Gate gradually weeded out the poor and destitute disciples from its ranks. These unaffiliated cultivators would no longer have access to the sect's resources for their cultivation, and their future progress would depend solely on their own efforts.
Mo Hua shared his decision to drop out with his parents. Mo Shan was somewhat disapproving but knew that there was no other option. It wasn't just about Mo Hua; it affected all the unaffiliated cultivators in Tongxian City.
Liu Ruhua, on the other hand, didn't mind. She knew how hard-working Mo Hua was, and she trusted his judgment. Since he had decided to drop out, she assumed that there was nothing worthwhile left for him to learn in the sect, so she didn't say anything to stop him.
With the restaurant doing well, she could easily support her son even if he did nothing at home.
And so, Mo Hua, at the third layer of refining qi, dropped out of Tongxian Gate.
Mo Hua went through the simple procedure to withdraw from the sect and even received a refund of half a year's tuition, amounting to about fifty or sixty spirit stones.
The biggest problem after dropping out was finding a suitable cultivation technique.
Without the guidance of a sect, Mo Hua could only rely on self-study or find a formation master to take as his master.
However, Mo Hua was aware that it was challenging for a solitary cultivator like himself to find a formation master willing to take him on as a disciple. Not all formation masters were as open-hearted and enthusiastic about imparting their knowledge as Yan Jiaoxi.
Mo Hua intended to pay a visit to Yan Jiaoxi to express his gratitude for the man's dedicated teaching over the past days. But before he could ask Mo Guan to inquire about Yan Jiaoxi's residence, the man found him.
Yan Jiaoxi hadn't been seen for several days, and now he looked somewhat weary, as if he had been busy with something.
Mo Hua respectfully bowed to Yan Jiaoxi, who nodded in return and asked, "Do you still want to learn formations?"
Mo Hua nodded.
Yan Jiaoxi gave him an approving glance and then said, "Follow me."
Mo Hua followed Yan Jiaoxi to the southeast of Tongxian City, to a mountain peak outside the city.
Mo Hua recalled Dahur and the others mentioning that this mountain range had been purchased by someone who wished to live in seclusion and avoid contact with other cultivators.
There were no demonic beasts or precious spirit herbs on this mountain, let alone spirit mines. Its sole advantage was its picturesque scenery and tranquil environment.
With many solitary cultivators constantly on the move, the allure of mountain landscapes was lost on most cultivators in Tongxian City, so this place was rarely visited.
Yan Jiaoxi led Mo Hua to the foot of the mountain and said, "A reclusive gentleman lives on this mountain. I happened to get to know him, and usually, I wouldn't disturb him. But I'll be leaving in a few days, so I want to bring you to meet him."
"Does this gentleman specialize in formations?" Mo Hua asked.
Yan Jiaoxi nodded. "Indeed, this gentleman has an extremely high attainment in formations."
"Is he a First-Rank Formation Master?" Mo Hua asked curiously.
"I'm not sure about his exact rank, but he's at least First-Rank," Yan Jiaoxi replied.
Mo Hua's respect grew.
A First-Rank Formation Master was already extraordinary, and Mo Hua dared not even imagine what a higher rank would be like.
Yet, he couldn't help but wonder what formations above the First-Rank were like...
Were they truly as rumored, possessing the power to steal from nature and alter the heavens?
"Why does this gentleman live in such a remote place? Is it because he dislikes noise?" Mo Hua asked.
"The gentleman has a detached nature and shuns worldly affairs, so he doesn't want to be disturbed," Yan Jiaoxi explained. "Not many people come to this mountain peak."
Yan Jiaoxi looked at Mo Hua and said, "You've probably guessed why I brought you here."
Mo Hua nodded and asked, "Is it so that this gentleman will accept me as his disciple?"
Yan Jiaoxi nodded. "Your guess is correct. There's not much more I can teach you, so I hope this gentleman can guide you."
"You've already taught me a lot," Mo Hua said gratefully.
"What I can teach you is far inferior to what this gentleman can offer," Yan Jiaoxi said.
"But..." Mo Hua started to say something but was interrupted by Yan Jiaoxi's headshake.
"You're still young and don't fully understand," Yan Jiaoxi said. "As you gain more experience, you'll realize how vast and profound formations are, far beyond the comprehension of mere Qi Refining or Foundation Establishment cultivators. You have exceptional spiritual sense, good insight, and diligence, making you a promising talent for learning formations. So, cherish this rare gift and don't squander your talent."
"I brought you here today, hoping that you would become this gentleman's disciple," Yan Jiaoxi continued. "He has a detached personality and isn't keen on taking disciples, so even if you become a registered disciple, it would be beneficial. Learning just a fraction of his knowledge will take you much further on the path of formations."
Yan Jiaoxi pointed forward, where a mountain path extended towards the mid-mountain area, shrouded in mist. Within the mist sat a simple yet mysterious courtyard gate.
Yan Jiaoxi instructed, "Go up the mountain by yourself. Maintain a respectful attitude. Answer truthfully any questions the gentleman asks. If he accepts you as his disciple, consider it your good fortune. If he doesn't, don't be discouraged; it just means your fortune hasn't arrived yet."
Mo Hua nodded seriously and then glanced at Yan Jiaoxi.
"Teacher..." he began.
"Go on," Yan Jiaoxi said, waving his hand without elaborating further.
After some hesitation, Mo Hua took small but determined steps towards the mountain.
(End of Chapter)
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