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Chapter 573: Killing Array
Chapter 573: Killing Array
A second-grade Earthfire Array!
And it was a thirteen-patterned array, surpassing expectations!
Mo Hua's eyes lit up.
As expected, luck tends to even out. No matter how unlucky one might be, there will always be moments when fortune turns around.
Although it wasn't a fourteen-pattern array, Mo Hua was already very satisfied.
Moreover, the Earthfire Array was related to the earth element and was also a killing array.
This aligned perfectly with Mo Hua's current needs for an array.
Without further ado, Mo Hua immediately made a copy of the second-grade Earthfire Array and studied it carefully, meticulously deriving its calculations and wholeheartedly contemplating its intricacies.
The basic framework of the second-grade Earthfire Array was similar to the first-grade version.
The array patterns were of the second-grade fire type.
The array's core structure was an optimized and expanded version of the first-grade Earthfire Array, designed to accommodate more intricate and powerful patterns.
Having mastered the first-grade Earthfire Array, Mo Hua now found learning the second-grade version much easier, and the process was twice as effective.
It didn't take long for Mo Hua to commit the array diagram of the second-grade Earthfire Array to memory.
That evening, Mo Hua began practicing on the Dao stele.
Everything is difficult in the beginning.
The transition from a first-grade to a second-grade array involves learning a significant amount of new knowledge, so progress tends to be slower.
However, having already learned two second-grade arrays, Mo Hua had already "gotten a foothold" and was gradually becoming familiar with the second-grade array system.
Moreover, the Earthfire Array was one of the Five Elements arrays, which Mo Hua had reverse-engineered from the "Five Elements Origin Patterns."
And Mo Hua was most proficient in the Five Elements arrays.
As a result, learning this array was much easier than the previous ones.
After only four or five attempts, Mo Hua successfully drew the thirteen-pattern second-grade Earthfire Array.
Upon activation, a flash of red light appeared, and the firelights within the Earthfire Array seemed to contain a powerful array power.
This was indeed a second-grade array!
And not just any ordinary second-grade array.
A thirteen-pattern array was considered one of the most powerful and challenging arrays that a beginner second-grade array master could handle.
If Mo Hua learned several more thirteen-pattern second-grade arrays, he could even be appraised and recognized as a beginner second-grade array master.
"I wonder if there's anyone in Tongxian City who can appraise second-grade array masters..."
Mo Hua practiced the second-grade Earthfire Array another ten times on the Dao stele, ensuring that every stroke and pattern was committed to memory and every pivot was clear and transparent before finally putting down his brush.
Mo Hua rested for a moment and then pondered, "I've learned the second-grade Earthfire Array, but without spirit ink, I can't draw it, nor can I test its power..."
As a cultivator, one must have a clear understanding of the strength of one's spells and arrays.
This way, one won't misjudge a situation.
When it's necessary to kill, one won't hesitate due to overestimating the opponent's strength, nor will one mistakenly believe one has the advantage and rashly engage a stronger foe, sealing one's own fate.
Neither of these options is acceptable.
Precise judgment and decisive action are the basics of a demon hunter.
Mo Hua nodded.
In the past, when his father, Mo Shan, took him demon hunting in the mountains, he had given this advice more than once.
When you have the upper hand, kill without mercy.
And when you are outmatched, flee without hesitation.
Therefore, Mo Hua needed to test the Earthfire Array to gauge its power so that he could make informed decisions when facing enemies in the future.
"Spirit ink..."
Mo Hua had already scoured Tongxian City for second-grade spirit ink.
Even if he had the means to buy it, he couldn't afford to do so frequently.
With the rate at which Mo Hua was learning and drawing arrays, his consumption of spirit ink was rapid, like water flowing through his hands...
It was like pouring resources into a bottomless pit, no matter how many spirit stones he used, it wouldn't be enough.
Since he couldn't buy it, he had no choice but to make it himself.
And to make spirit ink, he needed second-grade demon blood...
Mo Hua thought for a moment, and then, with his mother's help, he prepared several bags of dried fish, seasoned with various flavors like spicy, five-spice, and fresh aromatic flavors.
Early in the morning, Mo Hua, carrying the dried fish, arrived at Daheshan Mountain and found the big tiger.
The big tiger caught a whiff of the fishy scent and its big eyes lit up. It then pretended to be dignified and let out a "roar" to indicate that it was a tiger, not a fish-lover.
"I understand," Mo Hua nodded repeatedly.
After saying that, he secretly stuffed the dried fish to the big tiger.
The big tiger was very satisfied.
Mo Hua then asked, "Big Tiger, do you have any 'enemies' in these deep mountains?"
"Oh, not enemies, but... enemies among the demons?"
Although the big tiger couldn't speak, it was clever enough to seem to understand what Mo Hua was saying.
Upon hearing the word "enemy," the big tiger nodded and then looked at Mo Hua with a puzzled expression.
Mo Hua patted his chest and said, "I'll help you get your revenge!"
The big tiger was taken aback for a moment, then glanced at Mo Hua, who was but a "small fry" compared to it, clearly skeptical.
"Rest assured, I'm very strong..."
The big tiger ignored Mo Hua and went to sleep.
Mo Hua tried to persuade the big tiger with both soft and hard approaches, and finally, with the "dried fish" as bait, he managed to convince the big tiger.
In Daheshan Mountain, second-grade demons had almost no natural enemies.
And the only ones capable of dealing with second-grade demons were other second-grade demons.
Mo Hua decided to team up with the big tiger to hunt second-grade demons. The big tiger would eat the meat, and he would draw blood to use for his arrays.
And so, a little cultivator and a big tiger began their "dastardly collaboration"...
The big tiger's "enemy" was a second-grade demon wolf named Kuimu Wolf.
The big tiger led Mo Hua to the vicinity of the Kuimu Wolf's den, hiding in the grass with gleaming eyes filled with anger.
The den was spacious and damp but not very deep.
Inside were various demon remains and even the skeletons of cultivators.
The Kuimu Wolf was inside the den, devouring unknown flesh and blood.
This second-grade Kuimu Wolf had thick demonic energy and a massive physique.
Its fur was black-green, its claws and fangs sharp, and they carried a faint green demonic energy.
The Kuimu Wolf's demonic energy was of the wood attribute, and it was poisonous. Once injured by it, the demonic energy would invade the body, and the poison would spread and be challenging to eradicate.
Mo Hua didn't know what grudge the big tiger held against this Kuimu Wolf...
Perhaps it had been bullied when it was younger?
Generally, tiger demons were stronger than wolf demons.
But this second-grade Kuimu Wolf had clearly lived longer. Although it was only in the early second-grade, its aura was more terrifying, its gaze more cunning, and its fur darker.
The most critical feature was its teeth.
They were stained with human blood, blackened with the amount it had consumed, and the saliva dripping from its mouth exuded the stench of rotting flesh.
Mo Hua thought for a moment and felt that with his current early Foundation Establishment stage, imperfect arrays, and disorganized combat skills, he didn't have many options.
So, it would have to be a head-on confrontation.
Of course, he would mainly rely on the big tiger.
He could only use some minor tricks and seize opportunities to strike.
Mo Hua sprinkled herbal powder along the wolf's usual path, masking its scent, and then set up a concealment array for the big tiger to hide in.
As for himself, he ran far away and found a small pit with a boulder as cover. He used his spiritual sense to control his brush and first set up a concealment array, then drew a first-grade thirteen-patterned Fire Source Killing Array on the ground.
Then, the boy and the tiger patiently waited.
An hour later, the Kuimu Wolf finished its meal and left its lair for a post-meal stroll.
This was its territory.
All living things, be they magical beasts or humans, were its prey.
It walked along the silent mountain path as usual, with not a sound nor anything amiss.
Suddenly, a gust of wind stirred.
From an empty spot by the roadside, a huge tiger suddenly pounced out!
The tiger's mouth gaped wide, its attack treacherous and swift, and it bit at the Kuimu Wolf's throat from a tricky angle.
The Kuimu Wolf's vertical pupils widened in fear and ferocity as it hastily dodged, but it was a bit slow, and the tiger still managed to bite its forearm, tearing a large gash that left a bloody wound.
The Kuimu Wolf's eyes turned scarlet, its fur stood on end, and it bared its crimson fangs, but there was also a hint of suspicion in its gaze.
It couldn't understand how this second-grade tiger demon had suddenly appeared beside it.
The big tiger, however, took advantage of its injury and went for the kill, its eyes glinting with malice. It roared and lunged at the Kuimu Wolf again.
The two second-grade magical beasts fought fiercely, creating a shocking spectacle.
As their demonic powers clashed, their roars shook the mountains, and a terrifying aura spread out.
Nearby birds and beasts were terrified and fled in all directions.
Demon hunters in the distance also turned pale and sent messages to their companions, warning them that two second-grade magical beasts were fighting and that they should stay away.
As the tiger and the wolf fought, the big tiger soon began to lose ground.
Even though it had struck first and wounded the wolf, it was still inexperienced and no match for the older wolf demon.
Mo Hua, hiding in the distance, finally found his opportunity.
He closed his eyes and firmly locked onto the second-grade Kuimu Wolf with his fourteen-pattern spiritual sense.
Then he opened his eyes, condensed his qi, and pointed his finger, casting a second-grade Fireball Spell while simultaneously activating the Fire Source Killing Array beneath his feet.
On the Fire Source Killing Array, flames swirled and twisted.
Subtle and profound auras converged on the array and then flowed into Mo Hua's body, stimulating his meridians and causing his spiritual power to resonate and surge.
Five Element Amplification, boiling spiritual power! Mo Hua's finger tapped, and a second-grade fireball condensed, his spiritual power transforming into a quasi-liquid state, like flaming mercury.
Following Mo Hua's mental command, the Fireball Spell whistled out, flying towards the second-grade Kuimu Wolf, which his spiritual sense had firmly locked onto!
The Kuimu Wolf was locked in a fierce battle with the big tiger.
Suddenly, a surging flash of fire appeared, and a fast and fierce fireball struck its waist.
The second-grade Fireball Spell, enhanced by the Fire Source Killing Array, was exceptionally powerful.
The fireball exploded, tearing open the Kuimu Wolf's flesh, charring a small patch of its body, and causing a significant injury.
The Kuimu Wolf howled in fury.
The big tiger also paused in surprise, seemingly unaware that this small fireball could be so powerful.
In all of Tongxian City and even the entire Daheshan Mountain, there were very few cultivators who could cast such formidable spells.
After all, there weren't many Foundation Establishment cultivators in Tongxian City, and spiritual cultivators were even rarer.
The big tiger only hesitated for a moment before recovering and licking its lips excitedly. It lunged at the Kuimu Wolf again.
The tiger fought at close quarters, holding the wolf back.
Meanwhile, Mo Hua, from a distance, continuously cast Fireball Spells, one after another, to attack, weaken, and inflict further damage.
With his spiritual sense locking onto the target and the Fire Source Array amplifying his power, Mo Hua's fireballs were accurate and deadly.
He was also far away, had the cover of the boulder, and was concealed by his invisibility technique, so he didn't worry about being discovered or pursued by the Kuimu Wolf.
The Kuimu Wolf was enraged.
Caught between attacks from near and far, its injuries grew more severe.
It wanted to kill the big tiger, but the fireballs kept interfering, and when it tried to retreat, the tiger prevented its escape.
Even now, it had no idea what was casting these disgusting fireballs, whether it was a cultivator or another magical beast...
As time passed, the Kuimu Wolf was finally gravely wounded and fought with the desperation of a cornered beast.
The big tiger no longer pressed its advantage but focused on containing the wolf, occasionally trading injuries to prevent it from escaping.
Meanwhile, Mo Hua's Fireball Spells became faster, more precise, and more effortless...
The Kuimu Wolf wanted to flee, but it couldn't.
It tried to feign death, but neither the clever tiger nor the cunning Mo Hua were fooled by this ploy.
Thus, the second-grade Kuimu Wolf was slowly worn down and killed by the combined efforts of the boy and the tiger, one near and one far, like a slow slicing of its flesh...
And so, Mo Hua killed his first second-grade magical beast! Although he mostly relied on the big tiger to tank the damage, his contribution was undeniable!
After the Kuimu Wolf died, the boy and the tiger began to "divide the spoils."
Mo Hua first used his "Blood Absorption Technique" to draw out the second-grade Kuimu Wolf's demonic blood.
Now that he had reached the Foundation Establishment stage and could control objects and even his brush with his spiritual sense, Mo Hua's blood absorption technique was much faster.
The Kuimu Wolf's blood, red with a hint of green, was guided by Mo Hua's spiritual sense into the jade bottles he had prepared beforehand.
He filled a total of twenty bottles!
After that, the wolf's blood gradually became dull and coagulated, losing its potency, and it became more difficult to absorb.
Mo Hua carefully stored the twenty bottles of second-grade demon blood in his storage bag and couldn't help but smile happily.
Twenty bottles! When mixed into spirit ink, it would yield even more, enough for him to use for a while.
Mo Hua was very satisfied.
Next, it was time for the big tiger to feast.
The big tiger dragged the Kuimu Wolf's corpse into its cave to enjoy its meal.
Seeing that the tiger was also covered in wounds, Mo Hua took out some pills, ground them into powder, and treated the tiger's injuries.
The big tiger lay on the ground, eating the wolf's meat, while Mo Hua sat on its back, sprinkling cooling medicinal powder on its wounds to detoxify and stop the bleeding.
The Kuimu Wolf's demonic power was poisonous, which wasn't a problem for the equally second-grade big tiger, but if left untreated, it could still cause trouble later on.
As the tiger ate the wolf's flesh, it felt a cooling sensation on its wounds, and its injuries began to heal, causing it to blink its eyes drowsily and sway its massive head.
After applying the medicine, Mo Hua turned his head and noticed something strange in the tiger's mouth.
It was a blood-colored, red and green intertwined, round object, like a heart, that was still slightly pulsating.
This was the first time he had ever seen a beast's dan.
Beasts with rare bloodlines were born with a dan, but such beasts were extremely rare.
Typically, beasts only formed a rudimentary dan at the second-grade, and a true dan at the third-grade.
The dan served as the repository of a beast's power, akin to a cultivator's qi sea.
This particular dan belonged to a second-grade Kuimu Wolf, and while it possessed the shape of a dan, it had not yet fully matured, only qualifying as a dan embryo.
Mo Hua gazed at it curiously.
However, the big tiger suddenly swallowed the dan whole.
Immediately, its aura intensified, its demonic energy thickened, and even its fur seemed to darken several shades...
Mo Hua was astonished.
Was this big tiger cultivating by swallowing dans? Mo Hua frowned, perplexed by this development.
As far as he knew, beasts could swallow the dans of other beasts, but it was merely a simple act of consumption, and the effects were not usually this pronounced.
Mo Hua also recalled the second-in-command from Black Mountain Fortress, who drank the big tiger's blood when he couldn't get his hands on human blood, claiming that it was due to its "rare bloodline and extraordinary innate talent."
Swallowing dans, enhancing demonic power...
No wonder it had been advancing so quickly, and no wonder it had grown from a small cat demon into a massive tiger in such a short time...
Mo Hua quietly filed this information away in his mind.
In the future, when he had gained more knowledge and experience, he would definitely figure out what kind of beast this tiger truly was.
Swallowing dans, growing stronger with each one...
If it kept this up, there would be no stopping it! Mo Hua shook his head.
For now, Mo Hua set aside his thoughts about the tiger and turned his attention to preparing spirit ink, practicing spirit sense brush control, and learning to draw the second-grade Earthfire Array.
If the Earthfire Array was powerful enough, and he could draw it quickly enough, it would become a deadly move for him at the early Foundation Establishment stage.
After that, he would be able to more easily kill second-grade beasts and extract their blood.
He wouldn't have to rely on the big tiger to take damage while he slowly whittled the enemy down with Fireball Spells, like he had been doing up until now.
Mo Hua first attempted to mix the spirit ink.
He didn't have a formula for second-grade spirit ink.
He could only modify the formula for first-grade spirit ink that his little senior sister had given him, hoping that it would be good enough.
The formula was different, but the principles were the same.
Mo Hua didn't aim for perfection; he just needed it to work.
There was another issue.
The Kuimu Wolf was a second-grade wood-attribute beast, and its blood had a hint of the wood element, which wasn't ideal for drawing the Earthfire Array.
Fire-attribute beast blood would be best.
Fortunately, in the cycle of the Five Elements, wood gave birth to fire, so it wasn't too conflicting.
With limited options, Mo Hua didn't strive for perfection; he just needed something that would work.
And so, Mo Hua improvised and tinkered, spending two days to finally produce several bottles of second-grade spirit ink.
Mo Hua first tested the spirit ink by drawing a second-grade Thorn Array, and to his surprise, it worked, with effects that were only slightly inferior to what he had expected.
After that, Mo Hua began to draw the Earthfire Array in earnest.
He chose to draw the array in the deep mountains again, near the big tiger's cave, but a little farther away this time.
Then, Mo Hua took a deep breath and focused his mind, using his spirit sense as a brush and the earth as his canvas to draw this offensive second-grade array.
As a second-grade array, it was more complex, and Mo Hua drew it slowly and with some difficulty.
He failed several times along the way, wasting a couple of bottles of spirit ink.
Mo Hua was pained by the waste and could only meditate to calm his mind before trying again.
The red and green spirit ink floated in the air, responding to Mo Hua's spirit sense, before descending and forming the array on the ground.
The big tiger watched curiously as Mo Hua's face grew serious, working intently for a long time without any apparent results.
After an unknown amount of time and several failed attempts, Mo Hua finally succeeded in drawing the second-grade Earthfire Array.
His spirit sense was greatly depleted, leaving his face pale, but his eyes shone with excitement.
Now that it was drawn, it was time to activate the array and see its power.
The Earthfire Array was dangerous.
Mo Hua quickly ran to a safe distance and hid behind the big tiger, his eyes gleaming with anticipation as he used his spirit sense to ignite the array patterns, activating this second-grade thirteen-pattern array.
Three breaths passed, and nothing happened.
Mo Hua was perplexed. "Did I draw it wrong?"
That was impossible. He had checked the array several times.
If there was a mistake, he would have noticed it...
"Could it be a problem with the spirit ink?"
"After all, it's not fire-attribute spirit ink, and the ingredients and techniques used were inferior, so perhaps the spiritual energy isn't conducting properly?"
Just as Mo Hua was speculating, his spirit sense stirred, and his expression changed.
He noticed that the nearly hundred spirit stones he had placed on the array to stimulate the array eye had instantly evaporated, leaving no trace behind.
Then, the Earthfire Array blazed with a blinding scarlet light.
Spiritual energy flowed like molten copper.
In less than a breath's time, a shocking explosion occurred.
An incredibly violent and scorching surge of spiritual energy erupted, sending a heat wave rolling in all directions.
Nearby grass and trees were incinerated, and rocks melted.
At the center of the explosion, spiritual energy churned and surged like magma from the earth's veins, containing terrifying power...
The big tiger was startled and leaped away, landing at a safe distance with its claws digging into the ground and its fur standing on end.
Even after the Earthfire Array had finished detonating and the spiritual energy had dissipated, leaving the surrounding area charred and blackened, the big tiger still looked shaken.
It turned its head to look at the tiny Mo Hua, its large eyes filled with astonishment.
It couldn't comprehend how such a small cultivator could create such a fearsome explosion...
And Mo Hua himself was equally astonished, murmuring in a daze:
"So, this is... the power of a second-grade thirteen-pattern Earthfire Array..."
Arrays contained the principles of the Dao.
The higher the grade, the more powerful the array.
The might of this second-grade killing array far exceeded Mo Hua's expectations.
With thirteen patterns, this second-grade Earthfire Array was capable of severely injuring any early Foundation Establishment cultivator! Mo Hua frowned in thought.
Drawing an array on the ground was more potent than he had imagined...
Especially a killing array! Arrays were cumbersome to set up.
But if he could draw them without restriction, using his spirit sense to instantly create an array on the ground, then in reality, it would be like drawing an array in his spiritual sea.
Casting an array would be like casting a spell...
Even if his spiritual energy wasn't strong, by relying on his spirit sense to set up arrays, he would gain sufficient self-protection, intimidation, and lethal power in actual combat...
The prerequisite was that he had to be able to draw them quickly...
The faster he could draw, the stronger the array would be, and he might even be able to catch his enemies off guard, burying them in flames...
(End of Chapter)
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