Chapter 521: Sishui
Chapter 521: Sishui
South of Nanyue City lies the second-ranked Sishui State, stretching all the way to the boundaries of the earth.
Sishui, from beginning to end, connects the earthly realm.
Winding its way through the riverbed, the flowing water meanders gently into the distance.
Mo Hua, exhausted from drawing array formations, pulls back the curtain and gazes out at the lush green mountains and the misty waters, feeling his spirits lift at the breathtaking scenery.
After a while, he withdraws his gaze and settles back into the carriage.
Outside, Old Gui cracks and eats pine nuts, listening to the sound as he drives the carriage.
Inside, Bai Zisheng meditates in cultivation, while Bai Zixi quietly reads a book.
Mr. Zhuang, leaning against a blanket, rests his eyes, his posture graceful and relaxed.
However, his aura has grown even fainter.
Mo Hua furrows his brows, his heart filled with worry.
Ever since they left Nanyue City, Mr. Zhuang's health seems to have deteriorated day by day. Although his gaze remains as gentle and carefree as ever, his complexion has noticeably paled, and he requires longer periods of rest each day.
Mo Hua has asked Mr. Zhuang if he is feeling unwell.
Mr. Zhuang merely patted Mo Hua's head, reassuring him with a smile that he was fine and that there was no need to worry.
But his weakening aura tells a different story.
Mo Hua could only sigh inwardly.
It is now the hour of the sheep, past noon, and the bright sunlight induces a sense of languor.
Mo Hua brews a pot of tea.
The tea leaves, a gift from Elder Su, yield a delicate and robust brew. Mo Hua adds some spiritual herbs, ginseng, and jade jujubes, infusing the tea with properties to regulate a cultivator's qi and blood, nourishing their meridians.
Although it may not have a significant effect on Mr. Zhuang, it is a thoughtful gesture.
As the tea steeps, its aroma fills the air, scenting the carriage.
Mo Hua first pours a cup for Mr. Zhuang, then for his senior martial brothers and sisters.
Finally, he pours himself a cup and sips it slowly.
Bai Zisheng, feeling thirsty and drowsy after the midday meal, gulps down the tea like a cow chewing on a peony.
Bai Zixi, like Mo Hua, sips gracefully, her red lips slightly parted, savoring the tea in small mouthfuls.
Mr. Zhuang, awakened by the fragrant tea, slowly opens his eyes and smiles gently. He takes a sip, his eyes brightening, and his spirit seeming to lift a little.
Mo Hua refills Mr. Zhuang's cup and turns to glance at the scenery outside. Suddenly, he asks, "Master, where exactly are we headed?"
Hearing this, Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi pause and turn their heads to look at Mr. Zhuang as well.
Mr. Zhuang, meeting their three expectant gazes, feels a sense of contentment wash over him. After a moment's thought, he replies, "South, to the Dali Mountain State boundary."
"Dali Mountain?" Mo Hua repeats softly, then asks, "Will I be able to build my foundation once we get there?"
Mr. Zhuang nods slightly. "When your cultivation reaches the ninth and final layer of Qi Refining, and your spiritual sense reaches fourteen strands, you will be able to begin foundation building."
"Cultivation progress will come in due course. There's no need to rush," Mr. Zhuang advises. "However, reaching fourteen strands of spiritual sense won't be easy..."
Mr. Zhuang heaves a soft sigh.
It was more than just difficult...
For a Qi Refining cultivator, it was a daunting challenge.
Even in the records of past cultivation manuals, there were scarcely any precedents of Qi Refining cultivators with fourteen strands of spiritual sense, even among the accounts of genius cultivators.
Mr. Zhuang looks at Mo Hua, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
Mo Hua, still preoccupied with foundation building, asks further, "Then, Master, will my spiritual sense be able to break through to fourteen strands once we reach the Dali Mountain State boundary?"
"We can say that there is an opportunity for that," Mr. Zhuang replies, keeping his answer somewhat vague.
Mo Hua's eyes glint with curiosity. "So, there is an Earth-shattering array there with thirteen strands?"
According to what Mr. Zhuang had said before, they could enhance their spiritual sense by comprehending and practicing extremely difficult arrays.
The more challenging the array, the stronger the spiritual sense required, and the deeper the tempering of the sea of consciousness, leading to faster growth in spiritual sense.
Currently, Mo Hua's spiritual sense has reached the peak of thirteen strands.
Although he practices the Thick Earth Array and the Spirit Pivot Array daily, as these arrays become more and more familiar, the growth of his spiritual sense has slowed...
It's time to find a thirteen-strand array to learn.
Mr. Zhuang nods in confirmation. "Indeed."
It seems Master has already made plans.
Mo Hua's eyes sparkle with curiosity. "Master, what kind of Earth-shattering array is there at Dali Mountain?"
Mr. Zhuang shakes his head. "Not just one..."
Mo Hua pauses, taken aback.
Mr. Zhuang pauses for a moment, a slight smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "There are five."
Mo Hua's heart skips a beat, and he exclaims, "Five!"
His eyes widen, and he turns to Mr. Zhuang, confusion furrowing his brows. "Five... won't that be too overwhelming?"
Since they are Earth-shattering arrays, they must be rare and extraordinary.
How could there be five of them all of a sudden?
Mr. Zhuang smiles gently. "Take a guess as to why."
Mo Hua blinks, resting his chin on his hand as he ponders for a moment before offering a hesitant reply. "Five... is it related to the five elements?"
Mr. Zhuang nods with satisfaction. "Exactly!"
His tone carries a hint of emotion. "It's a set of five Earth-shattering arrays, one for each of the five elements—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. While each array has its own unique principle, they share the same fundamental essence, so they are considered a set."
As Mo Hua listens, his heart tingles with anticipation, like a kitten's paw being gently scratched.
He is eager to know more—the specifics of the arrays, the patterns of their formations, the structure of their array cores, and what benefits he will gain from mastering them.
This was a realization that had only recently dawned on him. The further he progressed, the slower and more challenging it became to increase his spiritual sense.
Currently, he had peaked at thirteen strands, and the threshold to reaching fourteen strands seemed like an insurmountable chasm.
The spiritual sense he cultivated daily through drawing arrays was like a cup of water, and pouring it into this chasm would cause it to vanish instantly.
Who knew when he would be able to fill this chasm and break through the bottleneck...
The ultimate arrays, which enhanced spiritual sense, only did so to a limited extent.
So even if he learned a thirteen-strand array, it probably wouldn't make that much of a difference.
Mr. Zhuang's eyes narrowed slightly as he replied slowly, "Enhancing spiritual sense is only one aspect..."
"Even if your spiritual sense doesn't reach fourteen strands, establishing your foundation with thirteen strands of spiritual sense is something you must achieve with this set of arrays!"
Mr. Zhuang's tone was solemn, and his expression was grave.
A chill ran down Mo Hua's spine as he asked, "Master, is there something special about this set of arrays?"
Instead of answering directly, Mr. Zhuang countered with a question, "Mo Hua, do you think there's anything different about you compared to Zisheng and Zixi?"
Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi were taken aback, and they glanced at Mo Hua.
Mo Hua scratched his head. There were too many differences between him and his senior martial siblings.
Perhaps the only similarity was that they were all disciples of Mr. Zhuang.
"Senior Martial Brother and Sister come from noble families, have better talent, better spiritual roots, and better inheritance, right?" Mo Hua asked weakly.
Mr. Zhuang nodded and sighed, "You may not feel it yet, but when you venture into the broader cultivation world, you will understand. Background, spiritual roots, and inheritance are cold and cruel barriers that separate the upper noble families from the lower solitary cultivators."
"There are some things that children from noble families can do, but solitary cultivators cannot."
"There are paths that they can take that are closed off to you."
"They are born with superior spiritual roots, free from worries about food and clothing, abundant in spirit stones and spiritual objects, needing only to focus on cultivation. If they encounter any troubles, there will be people to smooth things over for them, and their future cultivation paths are planned out for them."
As Mr. Zhuang looked at Mo Hua, tenderness mingled with his gentle gaze, "But you can't rely on that. You must forge your own path, earn your own spirit stones, and resolve your own troubles. If you offend someone, there won't be anyone to back you up..."
"However, you have an exceptional talent for arrays, a high level of comprehension, and will undoubtedly come into contact with the numerous proud sons of heaven from the major noble families, great sects, and even the Central Dao Court, perhaps even clashing with them."
"In a contest between proud sons of heaven, not having a family or sect behind you is your biggest disadvantage."
"And since you can't refine your body, the dangers you will face in the future are immense..."
...
Mo Hua's expression turned solemn.
Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi exchanged worried glances as they looked at Mo Hua.
Bai Zisheng thought for a moment and silently made up his mind. "Master, rest assured. I am his senior martial brother, and I will definitely protect my junior martial brother! He is my junior martial brother and also a member of the Bai family. I won't let anyone bully him!"
Mr. Zhuang was taken aback by Bai Zisheng's words, feeling both surprised and comforted.
The Bai family... They had actually raised such a thoughtful child...
It was truly rare.
Mr. Zhuang patted Bai Zisheng's shoulder, "It's good that you have this intention..."
Mr. Zhuang's words were implicit, leaving some things unsaid.
Noble families were not known for their warmth.
The Bai family was no exception.
In the future, it was possible that Zisheng and Zixi might not even be able to protect themselves...
Mr. Zhuang's eyes shone with a mixture of emotions, and he sighed inwardly.
Of course, it was up to the children's mother to worry about such things. He couldn't concern himself with too much.
Mr. Zhuang turned his gaze back to Mo Hua.
Mo Hua frowned in thought, his clear eyes blinking as they suddenly lit up. He looked at Mr. Zhuang and asked, "Master, are you saying that what I will learn next is related to the arrays?"
Mr. Zhuang sighed with emotion.
What a clever child, understanding everything with just a hint.
He nodded, "Indeed."
Outside the carriage window, the rushing waters of the Si River flowed endlessly, winding its way into the distance.
Mr. Zhuang spoke, "In the Nine Provinces of the cultivation world, there are countless proud sons of heaven, like countless fish in the river..."
"But without exception, they all cultivate their own techniques and study their own Taoist methods, enhancing their own abilities for slaughter."
"When they clash, they all want to rely on their own power to suppress countless geniuses and become unrivaled."
"This is extremely difficult."
"It requires exceptional spiritual roots, a deep heritage, unique opportunities, a profound foundation, powerful Taoist methods, and top-quality spiritual artifacts to be able to suppress peers and become the proud sons of heaven..."
Mr. Zhuang paused briefly and looked at Mo Hua, "But this is something you cannot do."
Mr. Zhuang went on to list Mo Hua's shortcomings once more, "Your spiritual roots are inadequate, your background is lacking, your body is inherently weak, your spiritual artifacts are rudimentary, and while your technique is unique, it doesn't enhance your spiritual power. The only thing you have that is stronger than them is your arrays."
"So, you can't follow the same path as them. When seizing opportunities, you can't rely on your own offensive capabilities like they do."
"You must possess offensive means, but you can't make it your primary focus."
"You can't rely on your own strength to overpower the proud sons of heaven."
"Then, you must take a different approach and not focus on offense. Instead, you should assist in the offensive..."
"Assist in the offensive?"
Mo Hua was taken aback, not quite understanding.
Mr. Zhuang explained, "In simple terms, it means enhancing the power of others' Taoist methods."
Mo Hua sort of understood, but he still couldn't quite wrap his head around it.
What was the difference between focusing on offense and assisting in it?
Mr. Zhuang smiled faintly, his expression profound as he said, "When you focus on offense, you are directly competing against the various proud sons of heaven, becoming their enemy. They will not treat you kindly."
"But if you assist in the offensive, you can help them compete against other proud sons of heaven. Instead, they will have to heed your wishes."
"The stronger your means of assisting in the offensive are, the less they will dare to offend you."
"In this way, even without a noble family, any family can become your ally. Without a sect, any sect can become your backing."
"In the world of cultivation, where interests and cliques abound, and among the numerous proud sons of heaven with superior spiritual roots, exceptional techniques, and profound Taoist methods, you will also have a place!"
Mr. Zhuang sighed.
"The protruding beam is the first to rot."
"You need not and should not stand out."
"Learn to stay in the shadows and to ride the waves. Only then can you truly go far, gradually improving your cultivation, comprehending array formations, and seeking the true path..."
Mr. Zhuang's expression was somewhat pensive as he finished speaking.
When he was young, he hadn't understood this principle.
He had only known how to forcefully overpower his peers, proud of his talent and looking down on the world, but his inflexibility had led to his downfall...
Mo Hua finally understood.
Assist in the offensive, avoid confrontations, stay in the shadows, and learn to ride the waves.
Only then could he find a foothold among the various cultivation forces with their strict hierarchies, conflicting interests, and intense competition.
His master had planned so far ahead for him...
Mo Hua's heart was deeply moved, and he felt incredibly grateful.
However, all of this was probably still far off.
Forget about competing against the proud sons of heaven; he hadn't even built his foundation yet.
Mo Hua pondered for a moment before asking again, "Master, are the Five Elemental Ultimate Arrays in the Dali Mountain State boundary arrays that assist in the offensive?"
Mr. Zhuang nodded. "In essence, the Five Elemental Ultimate Arrays are a form of Five Elemental Spirit Power enhancement."
Five Elemental Spirit Power enhancement!
Mo Hua's eyes lit up, and he wanted to ask more specifics, but Mr. Zhuang smiled faintly and kept him in suspense.
"You'll know when the time comes."
Mo Hua pouted.
But he didn't dare to complain about Mr. Zhuang in his mind.
If he did, Mr. Zhuang would surely know, and he would also surely rap his little head.
Mo Hua could only ask about other things: "Master, what grade is Dali Mountain as a state boundary?"
"Third-grade."
Mo Hua was surprised. It was actually third-grade!
"Then, does that mean there will be Golden Core cultivators?"
Mr. Zhuang nodded. "There are, but not many. Dali Mountain is a relatively remote place within the third-grade state boundary, and it isn't abundant in cultivation resources. Although it's ranked as third-grade, it can't support too many Golden Cores..."
"Only some larger families and sects have Golden Cores presiding over them."
"Ordinary cultivators are still mostly at the Foundation Establishment and Qi Refining stages."
"Oh." Mo Hua nodded.
He wanted to ask more about the Five Elemental Ultimate Arrays and the Dali Mountain state boundary, but he noticed that Mr. Zhuang looked somewhat weary, as if he was a little tired, so he said with concern, "Master, why don't you rest for a while?"
Mr. Zhuang looked out the window and sighed softly.
"It's fine. We'll stop soon. There's a Dragon Spring Waterfall up ahead that I want to see."
"Have you been here before, Master?" Mo Hua asked involuntarily.
Mr. Zhuang nodded, his expression a mix of sadness and nostalgia. "Yes, but it was... a very long time ago..."
A very long time ago...
Just how long ago was it?
Master didn't seem that old...
Mo Hua wondered.
He looked up again and saw that Mr. Zhuang's spirit seemed to have waned, his gaze somewhat dim and his mind seemingly elsewhere.
"Master, how much longer until we reach Dragon Spring Waterfall?" Mo Hua asked softly.
Mr. Zhuang snapped out of his daze and thought for a moment. "I estimate about another hour..."
Mo Hua considered this and said, "Then, Master, why don't you take a nap first? I'll wake you up when we're close."
Mr. Zhuang paused for a moment, then nodded with a look of contentment. "Alright."
Mr. Zhuang closed his eyes peacefully and fell into a restful sleep.
Mo Hua sat upright, keeping track of the time while also looking out the window.
He wanted to see what the Dragon Spring Waterfall that Master had mentioned looked like.
Inside the carriage, it was quiet, but outside, the rushing waters of the Si River roared.
The horse-drawn carriage followed the turbulent waters as it continued southward, steadily making its way forward...
(End of Chapter)
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