Chapter 639: Reconstruction
Chapter 639: Reconstruction
"How do I 'reconstruct' the message token?"
After days of exploration, flipping through numerous array tomes, and combining it with his understanding of the Bonfire Primordial Magnetic Array, Mo Hua had finally gained some insight.
Reconstructing the message token relied on the principles of the Primordial Magnetic Messaging Array.
Ordinary jade slips used a single Primordial Magnetic Array.
However, the array within the message token was a composite Primordial Magnetic Array.
This composite array required a pivotal array core to control the transmission of magnetic lines and information between different arrays.
Through experimentation with the message token in his hand, Mo Hua discovered the process of sending a message to Uncle Gu. First, he had to use his spiritual sense to manipulate the magnetic ink, causing the characters to appear.
The appearance of the characters and the change in magnetic ink would trigger a change in the unstable magnetic lines.
This change in the unstable magnetic lines would be transmitted through subtle secondary lightning lines to the fixed magnetic lines.
The control and sensing of the pivotal array core within the fixed magnetic lines would then convey this change in the array lines to the underlying fixed magnetic lines in another message token—specifically, Uncle Gu's token.
Subsequently, Uncle Gu's message token would receive this transmission through its underlying fixed magnetic lines.
Then, through the process of secondary lightning lines, unstable magnetic lines, magnetic ink, and characters, this sensation would be manifested into characters.
In summary, the entire process involved transmitting the textual information from one message token to another by sequentially passing through magnetic ink, unstable magnetic lines, secondary lightning lines, fixed magnetic lines, and the pivotal array core.
The other message token would then reverse this process, going from the underlying fixed magnetic lines to the secondary lightning lines, unstable magnetic lines, and finally, the magnetic ink, ultimately manifesting the original text.
Connecting the two processes created a complete and intricate cycle of the composite Primordial Magnetic Array.
Mo Hua sighed.
However, this was not something he could learn at his current level.
With his current spiritual sense, he was not yet capable of mastering such a complex composite array.
He would need to reach the late Qi Refining stage with at least seventeen spiritual sense threads.
Fortunately, to "reconstruct" the text of the message token, he didn't need to master the entire composite array for Primordial Magnetic Messaging. He only needed to intercept and understand the final segment of the Primordial Magnetic transmission.
Once the text was transmitted, the entire process became predetermined.
Erasing the text merely involved erasing the final magnetic ink and altering the unstable magnetic lines; the rest of the process remained unchanged.
The fixed magnetic lines were constant and unchanging.
The magnetic flow was a secondary lightning flow, subtle and latent, and the secondary lightning lines left behind in the Primordial Magnetic flow were also fixed.
Therefore, all he needed to do was reconstruct the fixed magnetic lines within the message token and, at the same time, deduce, observe, and record the secondary lightning lines left behind by the magnetic flow.
With the fixed magnetic lines and the secondary lightning lines, he could simulate the unstable magnetic lines.
Once the unstable magnetic lines were determined, he could use the magnetic ink to "reconstruct" the text.
Mo Hua nodded.
He had figured out this entire array logic himself, and while there might be some flaws, the general idea should be sound.
Once a message token was used, it would inevitably generate a magnetic flow, leaving traces of secondary lightning lines.
These secondary lightning lines were faint and subtle, invisible to most cultivators.
However, Mo Hua, through the fusion and amplification of his spiritual sense with the Heavenly Algorithm, was able to observe these hidden traces.
Ironically, the only problem now was the fixed magnetic lines...
Mo Hua realized that the fixed magnetic lines within different message tokens were actually unique.
He hadn't paid attention to this detail before.
It was only after dismantling the message token that Uncle Gu had given him that Mo Hua fully understood this...
Mo Hua looked at the message token in his hand, now split into two pieces, exposing the underlying fixed array lines. However, due to his somewhat "brute force" approach, there were cracks on the jade token, and it was now a "battle-damaged" version. He sighed...
For the sake of studying arrays, Mo Hua "painstakingly" dismantled the message token that Uncle Gu had given him.
He had three tokens related to the Primordial Magnetic Messaging Array.
There was no way he could dismantle the Grand Void Token from the Grand Void Sect, nor did he have the ability to do so even if he wanted to.
As for the token from the Vulture, he couldn't afford to damage it yet, as it might contain secrets.
Thus, after much consideration, he could only resort to dismantling the message token that Uncle Gu had given him.
If he broke it, the worst that could happen would be apologizing to Uncle Gu, and there wouldn't be much of a loss.
Through this hands-on dismantling, Mo Hua gained a practical understanding of some of the array logic within.
He also realized that the biggest obstacle to reconstructing the text by restoring the magnetic lines was the fixed magnetic lines.
Mo Hua discovered that he couldn't understand the fixed magnetic lines within the message token.
He had mastered the fixed magnetic lines of the sixteen-thread second-grade Bonfire Primordial Magnetic Array, and it was etched deeply in his memory.
However, the fixed array lines within the message token left him completely baffled.
While the two sets of array lines were similar in structure, the details differed greatly.
It was evident that they belonged to the same category of array lines, but it was challenging to discern the specific meanings of the individual lines.
This was unlike the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams array lines.
Even with variations, the basic patterns of the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams array lines remained the same.
One could easily discern which array line corresponded to which attribute and trigram of the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams.
For example, the fire-system array lines naturally symbolized "fire."
The functions of the jade slips, message tokens, and even the Grand Void Tokens were all determined by these fixed magnetic patterns.
Without understanding the meaning behind these patterns, studying primordial magnetic arrays in the future would likely be a mere imitation without true comprehension.
Mo Hua sighed.
He had thought that by learning the Bonfire Primordial Magnetic Array, he would at least have a basic understanding, but now he felt that he might have only scratched the surface by following a template.
The deeper he delved, the more intricate and complex it became.
"The meaning of the fixed magnetic patterns..."
Mo Hua took out the Grand Void Token again and flipped through the Merit Record, but even after searching for a long time, he couldn't find any array diagrams, books, or explanations related to the fixed magnetic patterns.
"Does the Grand Void Sect not have any?"
"It's unlikely..."
Mo Hua thought for a moment and then, after class, he rushed to the Elder's Residence to find Elder Xun.
"Fixed magnetic patterns?"
Elder Xun was taken aback.
"Yes." Mo Hua nodded. "Sir, I want to know the meanings behind the fixed magnetic patterns..."
Elder Xun hesitated.
This was beyond the scope of the array legacy he had expected to teach...
And it was becoming increasingly detailed...
For the aspects that were within the scope of the legacy, Elder Xun could answer without hesitation and hold nothing back.
But this child always asked him questions beyond the curriculum...
If he didn't tell him and let him figure it out on his own, it might not be good if he ended up learning things that were baseless.
But if he did tell him, these things were not what someone his age and cultivation level should be learning.
Learning things too far ahead without a solid foundation, no one knew what he would end up becoming...
Elder Xun frowned in thought.
"Sir?" Mo Hua asked tentatively, "Is this something very confidential that you're not allowed to teach?"
Elder Xun snapped out of his thoughts and nodded slightly. "Usually, these things are not taught..."
It was highly unlikely for the sect's array masters to ever need to use them.
But since Mo Hua wanted to learn...
Elder Xun thought for a moment and then sighed.
Fine, he would teach him then...
This child was different from the others. His progress in arrays was already very fast, and his foundation was solid, so there was no need to restrict him further.
If he wanted to learn, then let him learn.
If he didn't teach him, after a while, Mo Hua might not come to him with questions in the future.
This child was intelligent, and if left to his own devices, he would definitely figure out some tricks.
But whether those tricks were good or bad, right or wrong, that was hard to say.
If he went down the wrong path and learned things that were detrimental, it would be too late to regret it.
If he taught him, and Mo Hua had questions, then he could help guide him and keep him from straying down the wrong path unknowingly.
It would also prevent this child from wasting his time and talent on useless detours.
However, no one else could know about this...
Otherwise, people might say that he was showing favoritism.
After considering this, Elder Xun said quietly, "I'll teach you secretly, and you must learn it secretly as well. Don't tell anyone else..."
Learn it secretly...
Mo Hua nodded repeatedly. "Sir, rest assured."
He was familiar with this!
Elder Xun then explained in a soft voice, "Fixed magnetic patterns are a unique type of array pattern. They are different from the Five Elements, Eight Trigrams, and even the Yin-Yang and Three Powers array patterns..."
"Other array patterns are derived from the heavens and earth and follow the laws of nature."
"But fixed magnetic patterns are a product of the development of array theory, and the traces of 'human design' are more prominent..."
"This implies that if you don't understand the array meanings that are 'man-made' within the fixed magnetic patterns, it will be challenging to comprehend them solely from the perspective of array patterns."
Mo Hua was stunned.
No wonder...
He was accustomed to using traditional array thinking to interpret fixed magnetic patterns, which was why he felt so incongruous.
Elder Xun continued, "You can simply understand fixed magnetic patterns as a unique type of 'text'."
Mo Hua was taken aback. "Text?"
"That's right." Elder Xun nodded. "Fixed magnetic patterns are actually a special set of array patterns that are derived from the basic Eight Trigrams patterns and are artificially designed to explain the functions of primordial magnetic arrays."
"This set of array patterns contains numerous variations and also has extremely rich expressions."
"That's why it's said that it's more like a unique type of 'text'."
Elder Xun took out a brush and wrote several array patterns on the blank space of an array diagram draft. Then he asked Mo Hua, "Do you know what these array patterns mean?"
Mo Hua looked at them carefully and shook his head.
He only knew that these were a type of primordial magnetic array pattern, but he had no idea what they meant.
Elder Xun picked up the brush again and added textual notes to the array patterns:
Mo Hua.
Age fifteen.
Outer disciple of the Grand Void Sect.
Place of origin: Lizhou, a second-rate state within the boundaries of Daheshan State, Tongxian City.
Permissions: Basic outer disciple of the Grand Void Sect;
Identity: Second-rate basic array master.
...
"This is..." Mo Hua's heart trembled, "The fixed magnetic patterns within the Grand Void Token?"
Elder Xun nodded. "That's right. The lowest layer of array patterns within your Grand Void Token is partially composed of these fixed magnetic patterns..."
"However, the Grand Void Token is sealed tightly, so you can't see these array patterns.
Mo Hua's eyes lit up as he suddenly realized the truth. He immediately asked, "Then, Sir, how do I learn this fixed magnetic pattern?"
Elder Xun's expression became complicated. "You want to learn it?"
Mo Hua nodded earnestly.
Elder Xun hesitated, "It's too intricate and time-consuming. You'd be better off spending your time drawing more iterations of the Eight Trigrams array..."
Mo Hua's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Then, please teach me a little..."
Elder Xun found it hard to refuse as he looked into Mo Hua's clear eyes, brimming with a thirst for knowledge.
After some contemplation, Elder Xun eventually relented with a sigh.
"Alright, I'll teach you a little..."
"Yes, Sir."
Elder Xun thought for a moment before asking, "If you wanted to learn the language of a foreign tribe, what would you need?"
Mo Hua pondered for a moment before replying, "A dictionary?"
Elder Xun nodded, "Indeed. You would need a dictionary."
He continued, "The same principle applies to fixed magnetic patterns... If you want to learn them, you need to find a 'magnetic array dictionary' to cross-reference and understand the meanings behind each magnetic pattern."
"And if you want to express your own intentions, you would need to know which magnetic patterns to draw..."
"So in the future..." Elder Xun's heart skipped a beat as he felt that he might have inadvertently said something "dangerous" again.
Elder Xun frowned, feeling annoyed.
Whenever he taught Mo Hua something, these "signs" would appear...
Sometimes, even when he hadn't taught anything significant, these "signs" would still manifest.
Damn it, whatever!
Elder Xun's expression turned stern as he steeled himself.
After all, he had, to some extent, mastered the Heavenly Algorithm, and his calculations had shown that these signs shouldn't bring much harm to the Grand Void Sect.
As long as it didn't harm the sect, it was none of his business what happened outside.
The purpose of a sect was to impart the Dao, receive disciples, and answer their doubts.
He couldn't possibly withhold his teachings from such a promising disciple just because of some vague "signs," could he?
With this thought, Elder Xun felt his mind clear and his determination firm.
He thought for a moment and took out a thin booklet.
"This contains annotations for some of the unstable magnetic patterns..."
"You can take a look in your free time, but remember not to spend too much time on it. This knowledge has a very limited scope of application, so don't get too fixated and end up wasting time on trivial details..."
"Yes, Sir!" Mo Hua eagerly replied, "Thank you, Sir!"
He carefully received the booklet, titled "Unstable Magnetic Pattern Annotations," and flipped through it. It was thin, and there wasn't much content, so he softly asked, "Is that all, Sir?"
This "dictionary" seemed a bit sparse...
Elder Xun shook his head. "That's all. If you can learn this much, it will be impressive."
"Then, what if I finish learning this?" Mo Hua asked.
Elder Xun cut him off, "Even if you finish, that's still not enough."
Mo Hua looked doubtful, "Don't you have more, Sir?"
Elder Xun sighed as he looked at Mo Hua, "Array techniques are profound and diverse. Even the most talented array master couldn't possibly master every aspect in their lifetime..."
"To be honest," Elder Xun admitted, "I've only dabbled in unstable magnetic patterns, and my research isn't very deep, so this annotation is all I have. I don't have anything more."
Mo Hua felt that Elder Xun was lying, but he had no proof.
Moreover, Elder Xun was a respected elder, so it didn't make sense for him to deceive Mo Hua.
Mo Hua asked, "Then where can I find more?"
"The Court of the Dao has more," Elder Xun replied.
Mo Hua was taken aback, "The Court of the Dao?"
Elder Xun nodded, "These magnetic patterns related to confidential transmissions are naturally most comprehensively documented by the Court of the Dao. However, only those within the Court would have access to them..."
Those within the Court...
Mo Hua maintained his composure and expressed his disappointment, "I see... Alright."
"Know your limits and don't be greedy," Elder Xun advised Mo Hua.
Mo Hua agreed repeatedly. After asking his questions, he stood up, bowed, and took his leave.
Elder Xun watched Mo Hua depart without any further thoughts.
...
Upon returning, Mo Hua began studying the "Fixed Magnetic Pattern Annotations."
His spiritual sense was currently bottlenecked, and he could only cultivate up to sixteen threads for his arrays. Thus, he couldn't learn any more advanced arrays.
At night, when practicing arrays on the Dao stele, he focused mainly on tempering his spiritual sense and consolidating his foundation.
Therefore, it didn't matter which array he practiced; they were all equally beneficial.
From then on, Mo Hua dedicated all his free time to studying the "Fixed Magnetic Pattern Annotations."
It just required a lot of time for memorization, practice, and integration.
For Mo Hua, who possessed the "Dao Stele," this was not a problem.
And so, Mo Hua spent about half a month, day and night, practicing until he could grasp the concept of fixed magnetic patterns.
He could also initially express his own array line intentions through the "fixed magnetic patterns."
The "Fixed Magnetic Pattern Annotations" that Elder Xun gave him was thin, but it was comprehensive and very practical.
After learning it, Mo Hua was finally able to "read" and understand the intended meaning of the fixed magnetic patterns on the message token.
As for more comprehensive and profound "magnetic pattern dictionaries," he would have to figure out a way to obtain them from the Court of the Dao in the future.
But for now, he was ready to attempt "reconstructing" the message token! Mo Hua's spirits lifted, and after some thought, he decided to practice on the message token that Uncle Gu had given him first.
If he broke it, he could still fix it.
It would also be convenient for him to verify if the "reconstructed" text was correct.
Mo Hua then sent a few pointless messages like "Uncle Gu, are you there?" and waited for Gu Changhuai's reply before erasing them.
Then, on another array plate, he began simulating and attempting to "reconstruct" the magnetic lines.
First, Mo Hua replicated a set of fixed magnetic patterns that were identical to the ones in the message token.
With the help of Elder Xun's "Fixed Magnetic Pattern Annotations," the fixed magnetic patterns no longer looked like a set of array lines to him.
Instead, they resembled a set of extremely straightforward "text."
It was as if a coded message had been decrypted, lifting the veil and revealing its original meaning: the various sequences, transmission directions, transmission methods, and presentation logic within the message token all became clear to Mo Hua.
After replicating the underlying fixed magnetic patterns, Mo Hua carefully recorded the traces of the secondary lightning lines that had been left behind during the previous magnetic transmission in the message token.
Then, on the array plate, he began simulating the operation of the Primordial Magnetic Array.
As Mo Hua had expected, the combination of the predetermined fixed magnetic patterns and the predetermined secondary lightning lines, through a series of primordial magnetic inductions, indeed derived a unique set of unstable magnetic lines.
And these unstable magnetic lines, through the magnetic ink, manifested as text on the array plate:
"Get to the point when you have something to say, don't ask if 'I'm there'!"
"Didn't I tell you not to chat with me if it's not important?"
"What's the matter?"
"Why aren't you replying?"
...
Indeed, these were the very messages that Uncle Gu had sent to him earlier, which Mo Hua had then erased.
Mo Hua was delighted.
Seeing Uncle Gu's messages, Mo Hua hadn't replied yet, so he sent another message:
"Any progress on the clues about Huo Fotuo?"
He had been shut in, studying array formations for the past half a month, and hadn't heard anything about Huo Fotuo.
There was a moment of silence on the other end, as if there was some hesitation or concern, before the reply came: "Come to the Gu residence during the bi-monthly break after tomorrow... I'll tell you about it then."
Mo Hua was taken aback.
What had happened?
Or was there some taboo that prevented them from discussing it through the message token? Mo Hua couldn't figure it out, so he simply replied:
"Alright."
And then Gu Changhuai didn't send any more messages.
Mo Hua shook his head, deciding not to dwell on it.
He would just ask Uncle Gu in person when he visited the Gu residence the day after tomorrow.
But he couldn't help but wonder, where was this Huo Fotuo hiding? How could he disappear without a trace after committing such a heinous crime of murdering an entire household and burning the bodies?
Mo Hua felt that something was amiss.
There was one more day until the bi-monthly break, and Mo Hua felt a bit anxious and distracted.
Suddenly, he remembered something.
The vulture's message token.
Now that he could reconstruct magnetic lines, could he not also decipher the content of the vulture's message token?
What was in the vulture's message token?
Although this matter might have nothing to do with Huo Fotuo, Mo Hua was still curious.
Since he had some time before visiting Uncle Gu, he might as well try to "reconstruct" the vulture's message token first...
Mo Hua's spirits lifted.
Without further ado, he followed the same process: he first dismantled the vulture's message token, replicated the underlying magnetic lines, and recorded the traces of the secondary lightning lines.
Then, on another array plate, he began the reconstruction...
After spending most of the day, words began to appear on the magnetic ink of the array plate:
...
"June 10th, Yun Cang City, sow, six..."
"12th, suburbs of Qing Yun City, duck, three..."
"July, Jin City, chicks, eight..."
"20th, Bai Hua, obtained a Heavenly Crane, gifted to young master..."
"October, Liu Shan City, cattle and horses, twenty..."
...
Mo Hua was perplexed.
"What is this..."
Was this vulture also in the business of trading spiritual beasts?
Mo Hua stared at these words for a while, and a chilling suspicion slowly crept into his mind.
"Could these spiritual beasts be..."
Mo Hua's eyes narrowed, and his expression turned solemn.
(End of Chapter)
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