Chapter 569: Second Rank
Chapter 569: Second Rank
The path of enlightenment through spiritual consciousness, with a foundation in spiritual awareness and a standing in the art of formations.
Learning Second Rank formations and becoming a Second Rank formation master is the only way to gain a foothold in the vast world of cultivation and the boundless Nine Provinces.
But at this moment, Mo Hua lacked the foundational teachings of Second Rank formations.
He thought for a moment before deciding to pay a visit to Yan Jiaoxi.
Yan Jiaoxi originated from the Little Lingyin Sect.
Even though the Little Lingyin Sect had declined, they had produced Second Rank formation masters in the past and should have some Second Rank formation charts and manuals passed down.
But Mo Hua's trip was in vain...
Yan Jiaoxi was not at home; only Mo Guanshi was there, leisurely sipping his tea.
"Where's Jiaoxi?" Mo Hua asked.
Mo Guanshi shook his head. "I don't know. These past few days, he seems to have something on his mind. He's been acting distracted and coming back late. I wonder what he's been up to..."
"When will he be back?"
"Later, I suppose..." Mo Guanshi replied, then looked at Mo Hua with a puzzled expression. "Are you looking for him for something?"
Mo Hua nodded. "I wanted to ask about Second Rank formations..."
"Second Rank formations..."
Mo Guanshi was both surprised and envious.
When he first met Mo Hua, the boy could only draw the three-stroke formation for the Bright Fire Formation, earning a meager living by drawing formations in his formation pavilion.
He had even lied about his identity due to his young age, fabricating a non-existent older brother.
But now, just a few years later, Mo Hua was already ready to learn Second Rank formations...
In these few years, Mo Guanshi's own formation mastery hadn't improved by even a single stroke.
Yet, Mo Hua had made astonishing progress, skipping an entire rank...
It was truly frustrating to compare oneself to others.
Mo Guanshi grumbled inwardly.
"Mo Guanshi, do you know how to draw Second Rank formations?" Mo Hua asked curiously.
Mo Hua was curious because Mo Guanshi was Yan Jiaoxi's junior disciple and also a disciple of the Little Lingyin Sect. Logically speaking, he should be a proper formation master from a sect.
Mo Guanshi quickly shook his head. "Don't put me on the same level as you. I struggle even with formations of seven or eight strokes..."
He was an ordinary cultivator and an ordinary formation master.
He couldn't compare himself to a "little monster" like Mo Hua...
"However..."
Mo Guanshi stroked his chin. "Now that you mention Second Rank formations, I do remember something. There was a formation master who wasn't very skilled. He ruined nine out of ten formation charts and couldn't afford to compensate with spirit stones, so he gave me an ancestral manual of Second Rank formation strokes instead..."
"A manual of Second Rank formation strokes?"
"Yes." Mo Guanshi nodded. "It contains some basic Second Rank formation strokes and the variations related to those strokes."
Mo Hua was taken aback. "Then isn't that quite precious?"
Mo Guanshi shook his head. "Not really. Any family with a formation legacy would have something like this. It's a kind of... relatively obscure formation knowledge."
"Can I take a look?" Mo Hua asked.
"Just wait a moment..."
Mo Guanshi put down his teacup and got up, his plump belly leading the way. "I'll go and look for it. It's been a while, so I'm not sure where I put it..."
Mo Guanshi hurried off, and it was about an hour before he returned, holding an old book in his hand.
"Here, take a look..."
Mo Guanshi handed the book to Mo Hua.
"Thank you, Guanshi!" Mo Hua said happily.
On the cover of the book were the words "Manual of Second Rank Formation Strokes," written neatly by hand.
Mo Hua opened the book and browsed through it.
Indeed, it contained some Second Rank formation strokes, mainly focusing on the Five Elements formations, along with other systems of formation strokes that Mo Hua had never encountered before.
In addition, it explained in detail the differences between First Rank and Second Rank formation strokes and the changes from First Rank to Second Rank formations.
The manual was illustrated with diagrams and text, and while it wasn't profound, it was very detailed.
The owner of this manual must have been a very meticulous and serious Second Rank formation master.
However, their ancestral foundation was probably shallow.
That was why they recorded every bit of formation knowledge carefully and cherished it enough to include it in their collection.
Starting from the basics and progressing to the advanced, the manual was both comprehensive and detailed.
This was a great help to Mo Hua.
Mo Hua thanked Mo Guanshi again.
Mo Guanshi waved his hands. "It's nothing, really!"
However, he was also happy to have helped Mo Hua.
After that, Mo Guanshi drank his tea while Mo Hua read the book.
After reading for a while, Yan Jiaoxi returned. He looked busy, and when he saw Mo Hua, he was a bit surprised.
Mo Hua stated his purpose for the visit.
Yan Jiaoxi pondered for a moment before nodding. "Yes, wait a moment..."
He went back to his room and searched for about the time it takes an incense stick to burn before finding two formation manuals.
One was called "Introduction to Second Rank Formations," and the other was "Illustrated Guide to Second Rank Formations."
"The 'Introduction' book talks about the fundamental knowledge of Second Rank formations and the principles behind them," Yan Jiaoxi explained. "The 'Illustrated Guide,' on the other hand, uses actual formation charts to explain how to draw the formation strokes and construct Second Rank formations..."
"These are the legacies of the Little Lingyin Sect—they are orthodox formation techniques," he continued. "Compared to the legacies of major families and sects, they might seem a bit sparse, but they are free of errors..."
"It's just a pity..."
Yan Jiaoxi sighed. "For so many years, no one from the Little Lingyin Sect has been able to make use of these legacies..."
Including himself.
Yan Jiaoxi handed over the two formation manuals, treating them with great care. He instructed Mo Hua:
"Study them well."
Giving these legacies to Mo Hua was also a way to repay him for helping the Little Lingyin Sect remove the traitor and retrieve the remains of their ancestors.
Yan Jiaoxi thought to himself.
"Yes!"
Mo Hua nodded seriously.
With the Manual of Formation Strokes, as well as the "Introduction" and "Illustrated Guide" to Second Rank formations, he should be able to gain a preliminary understanding of how to draw Second Rank formations.
However, before that, there was one thing that Mo Hua was very confused about...
"Jiaoxi, where did you go just now?" Mo Hua asked quietly.
The usually stern and rigid Yan Jiaoxi showed a moment of hesitation.
Looking at Mo Hua's curious eyes, sparkling with curiosity, Yan Jiaoxi coughed and averted his gaze. "I-it's nothing. Just taking a walk to clear my mind."
"Oh..."
Mo Hua was puzzled but didn't press the issue.
...
After returning, Mo Hua began to browse through the three formation manuals, studying the methods of drawing Second Rank formations.
Second Rank formations were composed of ten or more Second Rank formation strokes.
Second Rank formation strokes were similar to First Rank strokes in some ways but also different.
By looking through the "Manual of Second Rank Formation Strokes," Mo Hua discovered that Second Rank formation strokes seemed to be a combination of two First Rank formation strokes through a peculiar method akin to the Dao.
Second Rank formation strokes were more complex, profound, and intricate, with more lines and strokes, twice as difficult as First Rank formation strokes in terms of the intricacies of variations and the precision of positioning.
Mo Hua murmured to himself.
After reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, one's spiritual consciousness doubles.
In the world of formations, the amount of spiritual consciousness required to create a ten-seal Second Rank formation is also doubled compared to a nine-seal First Rank formation, and the power and effects of the formation are likewise doubled.
According to the standard norms of formation ranking, a formation with ten seals is automatically considered a Second Rank formation.
First Rank formations have a simplistic structure and cannot form complex arrays of ten seals or more.
Formations with more than ten seals must be built upon the foundation of Second Rank formation seals, which possess deeper spiritual consciousness, a sturdier structure, and more intricate seal paths.
The only exception is the Extermination Formation, which embodies the principles of the Great Dao and transcends the limitations of conventional formations...
Mo Hua frowned.
When calculating it this way, a First Rank Extermination Formation and a Second Rank formation have the same number of seals, but their seal ranks are vastly different.
For example, a First Rank Extermination Formation with ten seals and a Second Rank formation with ten seals; one is composed of First Rank formation seals, while the other is constructed from Second Rank formation seals.
Even though they both have ten seals, the Second Rank formation seals require twice the amount of spiritual consciousness compared to the First Rank seals.
However, since they both have the same number of seals, the amount of spiritual consciousness needed seems to be similar.
Mo Hua thought about it but couldn't quite figure it out, so he decided to put it aside for the time being.
He planned to compare the differences in spiritual consciousness between the First Rank Extermination Formation and the Second Rank formation after he had truly mastered the Second Rank formations.
Next up was the actual learning of the Second Rank formations.
When studying formations, one begins with understanding the formation seals.
Mo Hua flipped through the Diagram of Second Rank Formation Seals several times, committing a few basic Second Rank Five Elements formation seals to memory and practicing drawing them on paper a few times.
Then, he started attempting to draw his first Second Rank formation, the Second Rank Bright Fire Formation, with the help of the Illustrated Guide to Second Rank Formations.
The Bright Fire Formation was a fire-attribute formation used for warmth and illumination; it was one of the most fundamental formations in each rank.
The very first formal formation Mo Hua had drawn was also the Bright Fire Formation.
However, that Bright Fire Formation only had three formation seals and couldn't be considered a complete formation.
Now, the Bright Fire Formation was a Second Rank formation boasting a full ten formation seals.
Of course, drawing ten formation seals wasn't particularly challenging for Mo Hua, who now possessed fourteen transformed spiritual marks.
The difficult part lay in his unfamiliarity and lack of understanding of the Second Rank formation system.
Mo Hua focused his attention, memorizing the formation diagram of the Second Rank Bright Fire Formation.
At the hour of midnight, he practiced drawing the Bright Fire Formation on the stele in his sea of consciousness.
One person, one stele, one formation.
It was just like when he had first started learning formations.
Mo Hua felt a momentary daze.
It was as if he had already learned countless formations, yet at the same time, it felt like he hadn't learned much at all.
The more he learned, the more he realized how little he knew.
Now that he was approaching the Second Rank in formations, everything felt new again.
He had to learn brand-new formation seals, understand deeper principles, and ponder the more ancient Dao...
Mo Hua took a deep breath, calming his mind and maintaining a humble and peaceful state as he reminded himself of his initial aspirations. He then began drawing his first Second Rank formation, the Bright Fire Formation, on the stele.
Second Rank formation seals were more intricate, requiring more precise brushwork and consuming more spiritual consciousness.
The structure of the formation also allowed for many more variations.
Mo Hua initially struggled, making mistakes over and over again—sometimes misdrawing the formation seals, sometimes causing conflicts between the formation cores, and sometimes failing to control the layout properly...
Mo Hua had no choice but to erase the formation seals, retract his spiritual consciousness, and start over.
Again and again.
It was a tedious and mechanical process.
However, Mo Hua was already accustomed to it.
His brushwork gradually became more skilled, his understanding of the formation cores deepened, and his grasp of the composition of Second Rank formations improved bit by bit...
He didn't attempt to learn without practicing, nor did he try to master it without repetition.
'Practice makes perfect.'
Mo Hua kept drawing, again and again, until he had drawn the Bright Fire Formation dozens of times, encountering every possible mistake along the way. Finally, he felt a sense of enlightenment.
The formation seals and cores became second nature to him, and the intricacies of brushwork were committed to memory...
His brushstrokes became more confident and graceful, his control over the formation more nuanced.
Finally, after an unknown amount of time had passed, Mo Hua finished drawing the last stroke, completing the formation.
On the stele, the formation seals of the Second Rank Bright Fire Formation glowed brightly, shining with a radiant light.
This light was more refined and dazzling than before.
Just like before, it illuminated Mo Hua, marking his first step towards becoming a Second Rank formation master...
Mo Hua breathed a sigh of relief and couldn't help but smile broadly.
A Second Rank formation!
He had finally drawn one!
Mo Hua couldn't help but feel a sense of pride as he admired the Bright Fire Formation he had drawn on the stele for a while before reluctantly erasing it to retract his spiritual consciousness and start over.
Practice makes perfect.
The first time he drew it, he was still unfamiliar with it and made many mistakes.
Since the Second Rank formation was of a different rank and had different formation seals compared to the First Rank formation, it took him quite a bit of effort.
However, after drawing it once, his strong spiritual consciousness and innate talent for formations allowed him to draw it much faster.
From then on, drawing the Bright Fire Formation became second nature to Mo Hua, and he executed it with ease.
Second Rank formations had a cognitive barrier.
Mo Hua himself also lacked a full understanding of Second Rank formations.
Otherwise, the Bright Fire Formation, a Second Rank formation with ten seals, would actually be simpler to draw than the First Rank Extermination Formation with ten seals.
Mo Hua kept drawing, again and again, until he had completely memorized the Bright Fire Formation. Only then did he exit his sea of consciousness.
By then, the sky had already brightened, and the dawn lit up his face with a rosy glow.
Mo Hua was in a good mood, his face beaming with a smile.
Drawing the Second Rank Bright Fire Formation was like clearing a small hurdle.
The next step was to actually draw the Bright Fire Formation in the physical world.
Drawing it on the stele using his hand as the brush, his spiritual consciousness as the ink, and the stele as the medium couldn't be considered truly "drawing" it.
Naturally, he couldn't be said to have truly "mastered" it either.
Mo Hua got up, laid out a piece of paper on the table, took a brush, dipped it in ink, and prepared to try drawing the Second Rank Bright Fire Formation.
However, as soon as he started to move his brush, Mo Hua froze.
He suddenly realized a serious problem:
The Bright Fire Formation was a Second Rank formation...
But he didn't have any Second Rank spirit ink! Not just spirit ink, but he also lacked a Second Rank formation brush, paper, or any other medium!
One couldn't make a delicious meal without the right ingredients.
Without the brush, ink, and paper, how could he draw a formation...
Mo Hua sighed.
He had overlooked this...
It had been a long time since he had worried about such things, so he hadn't thought about them.
"But... where can I find Second Rank spirit ink?"
"At the trading houses?"
Mo Hua specially visited the various trading houses in Tongxian City and even browsed the markets, but his efforts were in vain.
Mo Hua was left with no choice but to seek out Master Luo.
Master Luo had been a first-rank formation master for a long time and had extensive connections due to his age and experience. In his many years of studying formations, he must have prepared some second-rank spirit ink in his pursuit of becoming a second-rank formation master.
When Mo Hua arrived at Master Luo's residence, he learned that the master was not at home.
Instead, he had gone out to drink tea with Master Qian...
Mo Hua had no choice but to change his course and head to Master Qian's residence.
The once prosperous Qian family had long fallen apart, and their clan had declined, with its members now scattered and fending for themselves.
The vast Qian mansion had been divided into separate independent courtyards.
Master Qian's current residence was located in the southwest corner of the Qian mansion, occupying the largest and most spacious area. However, the plaque in front of the gate had been changed to "Qian Clan Academy."
This place served not only as Master Qian's cave residence but also as a specialized academy for teaching formations to the children of solitary cultivators in Tongxian City.
Master Luo, whenever he had free time, would come to visit.
He would drink tea and chat with Master Qian, exchanging insights about formations, and occasionally offering guidance to the other disciples.
As Mo Hua entered, Masters Luo and Qian were sipping tea in the serene and picturesque courtyard, surrounded by lush greenery and fragrant flowers.
In the academy, the children were all concentrating on practicing basic formation patterns.
Upon seeing Mo Hua, both Masters Luo and Qian were surprised and delighted, rising to greet him warmly.
"Young Master Mo, what a pleasant surprise..."
Even before Mo Hua's breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment stage, his proficiency in formations had already surpassed theirs. Now, with his enhanced spiritual awareness and stronger spiritual consciousness, his understanding of formations had deepened even further, elevating his status in their eyes. Naturally, they dared not be negligent in the slightest.
Mo Hua also smiled and greeted them politely.
"Masters Luo and Qian, it's been a while."
Master Luo scrutinized Mo Hua, noting his profound gaze, enhanced spiritual consciousness, and deeper understanding of formations, yet his demeanor remained sincere and genuine, seemingly unchanged from before. He couldn't help but feel admiration.
Master Luo said humbly, "Young Master Mo, I am unworthy of the title 'Master' in your presence."
Mo Hua didn't mind at all.
After they were seated, Master Qian poured tea for Mo Hua and asked, "Young Master Mo, what brings you here today? Is there something important?"
Mo Hua nodded and asked, "Masters, do you have any second-rank spirit ink?"
"Second-rank spirit ink!"
Masters Luo and Qian exchanged glances, both looking surprised. "Young Master Mo, you can already create second-rank formations?"
Although Mo Hua felt that he had a good grasp of the second-rank Bright Fire Formation, he hadn't actually drawn it before and didn't want to boast, so he humbly replied, "I know a little. I want to try drawing it to see how it goes."
When Mo Hua said he knew "a little," Master Luo understood that it wasn't just a "little."
A bitter smile appeared on Master Luo's face as he remained silent for a moment, unsure of what to say.
He was already over a hundred years old, yet he was still only a first-rank formation master. Here was Mo Hua, much younger, and already on the path to learning second-rank formations...
While it was a good thing for Mo Hua to become a second-rank formation master, Master Luo couldn't help but feel a twinge of bitterness.
"Spirit ink..."
Master Luo thought for a moment before nodding. "I do have some second-rank spirit ink, but not much. Only two bottles..."
Master Qian also said, "I have some as well. They are from the Qian family's old stock, but there are only five bottles. Young Master Mo, if you don't mind, please take them and use them as you wish."
Mo Hua was overjoyed. "Thank you, Masters Luo and Qian!"
"Young Master Mo is too kind..."
Masters Luo and Qian retrieved the spirit ink and handed it to Mo Hua.
The spirit ink was also made from the five elements and stored in jade bottles. The bottles emanated a vibrant aura, containing astonishing elemental spiritual power.
Mo Hua couldn't help but ask, "Isn't this spirit ink quite expensive...?"
Master Qian nodded. "Generally, a bottle of first-rank spirit ink is worth around ten spirit stones. The price may vary depending on quality and rarity—cheaper ones could be two or three spirit stones per bottle, while rarer ones could be several dozen spirit stones."
"As for second-rank spirit ink, usually the cheaper ones are worth about a hundred spirit stones per bottle."
"The more expensive ones could be in the hundreds or even thousands..."
Mo Hua was shocked. "So expensive?!
A hundred spirit stones per bottle..."
The small collection of five bottles in his hands was worth at least five hundred spirit stones...
Master Qian sighed. "Indeed, learning formations is not easy, and it becomes more challenging as you progress."
"This small bottle of spirit ink is worth a hundred spirit stones. Even if you successfully draw a formation without any mistakes, you can only create two second-rank beginner-level formations..."
"And to truly master a formation, you need to practice it dozens or even hundreds of times..."
"The amount of spirit ink, brushes, and spirit stones consumed in the process of learning a single formation is no small sum..."
"For major aristocratic families and sects, it's not an issue. This amount is like small change to them; they spend more than that on their daily meals..."
"Even medium-sized families and sects can manage it."
"But for smaller families or sects, producing a second-rank formation master would be a significant strain on their resources..."
"As for solitary cultivators..."
Master Qian shook his head with a bitter smile.
Solitary cultivators struggled to support themselves, let alone afford to produce a second-rank formation master.
Mo Hua's eyes widened as he looked at the few bottles of spirit ink in his hands, his brow furrowing. "Isn't this spirit ink just made from demon beast blood? Why is it so expensive?"
Master Luo remained silent for a moment before slowly explaining, "Hunting and extracting blood from second-rank demon beasts is difficult."
"Of course, that's not the main reason..."
Master Luo's voice lowered slightly.
"Even though second-rank demon beasts are challenging to kill, creating spirit ink only requires their blood, not their inner cores, demon hearts, or other rare materials..."
"Logically, it shouldn't be this expensive."
"However, the formulas, techniques, and some rare herbs used in the creation of spirit ink are all controlled by the major aristocratic families and sects."
Master Luo pointed upward. "Since they have a monopoly, they can set the prices as they please."
"Whether it's ten, a hundred, a thousand, or even ten thousand spirit stones, it's not for us to decide."
"Those who actually hunt the demon beasts, extract the blood, and create the ink rarely profit from it. Most of the benefits are reaped by the aristocratic families, who exploit them..."
"They do this for profit, and also to..."
Master Luo paused, but seeing Mo Hua's background as a solitary cultivator, he decided to be more straightforward.
"...prevent the lower ranks from producing too many formation masters, thus safeguarding their own foundations."
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
