Chapter 717: A Simple Calculation (An extra chapter for the Alliance Leader's cultivation journey)
Chapter 717: A Simple Calculation (An extra chapter for the Alliance Leader's cultivation journey)
After sending Mo Hua away, it was already past noon when Wen Renwan prepared to leave with Yu'er to return to the Shangguan family for the New Year's ancestral worship.
On the carriage, Yu'er read for a while but soon grew tired and rested.
Wen Renwan sat by his side, her beautiful eyes curved in a smile as she played with him.
Shangguan Yi watched the two of them, feeling relieved yet burdened at the same time.
If not for his unique position in the Shangguan family, with countless people vying for power, they could have been a happy family of three, cultivating and living peacefully together.
But now, he struggled to balance his duties to his family, his father, and his wife and child, finding himself in a difficult situation.
Wen Renwan understood his predicament and didn't say anything more.
As long as Yu'er was healthy and safe, that was all that mattered.
As the carriage traveled on, Shangguan Yi suddenly asked, "I wonder what that child, Mo Hua, likes..."
Wen Renwan was taken aback.
Shangguan Yi sighed, "This time, we owe him a great favor for the family banquet. We should definitely repay him properly."
"I've already returned the gift," Wen Renwan said.
Shangguan Yi shook his head. "The handwritten note from the old ancestor is a rare treasure that others would covet. Regardless, I still want to send some additional gifts to express our gratitude."
"Moreover..." Shangguan Yi glanced at Yu'er, his expression filled with relief. "Yu'er's mental state is improving day by day, and he rarely has nightmares now. We have Mo Hua to thank for his care at Tai Xu Men."
Wen Renwan nodded.
That was indeed true.
Although she had sent Yu'er to Tai Xu Men, her initial intention was for Mo Hua to help dispel Yu'er's nightmares.
She didn't expect a complete cure, but she hoped for some relief.
She didn't want Yu'er, at such a young age, to be tormented by nightmares day and night, afraid to fall asleep.
Wen Renwan had harbored a sliver of hope, and she was surprised that her wish had come true.
Now, Yu'er was lively and adorable, a far cry from his previous frail and pitiful state.
"What should we send as a gift..."
Wen Renwan pondered for a moment. "Mo Hua is young, but he has a noble character. I don't think he'd be interested in spirit stones..."
It seemed that Wen Renwan had a slight misunderstanding about Mo Hua when it came to spirit stones...
She continued, "As for sending a spiritual tool, well, it's not nice to say, but his talent is indeed...lacking. His blood energy and spiritual power are very weak, and he might not be able to use a high-quality spiritual tool..."
"And he might not be able to use good pills yet."
"Why don't we give him some more array formations?" Wen Renwan suggested.
Shangguan Yi nodded slightly.
Sending array formations was not only valuable but also free from vulgarity, and it would encourage him to cultivate and pursue the Dao. It was a perfect choice.
"What kind of array formation should we give him?" Shangguan Yi asked.
Wen Renwan thought for a moment. "Are there any precious array formations in the Shangguan family?"
Shangguan Yi hesitated silently.
You are now also a daughter-in-law of the Shangguan family...
But he didn't dare to say it out loud. Instead, he thought for a moment and slowly said, "There are some, but they are top secrets. I'm not sure if it's appropriate for me to give them to him without permission..."
"It's not that secret, is it?"
"There are, but they are too difficult. Even if I give them to him, he might not be able to learn them, and it might end up wasting his spiritual sense and time."
Wen Renwan considered this and said, "That's not a problem. With Teacher Xun's guidance, if there are any array formations that are not suitable for him to learn, Teacher Xun won't let him study them."
"That's true..." Shangguan Yi nodded. "Then I'll go back and choose a few."
"Mhm." Wen Renwan fell into a brief silence, her eyes suddenly lighting up as she whispered, "You can also bring a few of the Shangguan family's top-secret array formations..."
Shangguan Yi was taken aback, feeling hesitant. "I'm not sure if that's a good idea. What if the news gets out? Mo Hua might get into trouble as well."
"You're so silly..."
Wen Renwan frowned. "I'm not asking you to take the unique inheritance of the Shangguan family."
"You can choose some array formations that are extremely secret, but the Shangguan family is not the only one that possesses them. Other families have them too."
"Even if Mo Hua learns them, it won't be a problem. Who would know where he learned them from? Even if someone asks, he doesn't have to answer, and there's no way for anyone to verify it. As long as we keep quiet, it has nothing to do with the Shangguan family..."
Shangguan Yi nodded involuntarily, feeling that her words made sense.
Especially when he heard Wen Renwan say "our Shangguan family," it made him feel very comfortable.
"Then I'll go back and take a look," Shangguan Yi said.
The cultivation of disciples from prestigious families was strictly regulated, and they were expected to have a broad understanding of pills, array formations, talismans, and spiritual tools.
However, they were not required to be extremely proficient in all areas.
Although Shangguan Yi had studied array formations, he had only learned the more common ones.
The truly secret, complex, and profound array formations were extremely difficult to research, and learning them was inefficient. Unless a disciple intended to specialize in the path of array formations, they wouldn't devote significant effort to comprehending them.
Therefore, Shangguan Yi would have to return to the clan and visit the Array Pavilion to find out exactly which top-secret array formations the Shangguan family possessed.
"So, which grade should we give him?" Shangguan Yi asked Wen Renwan.
"Give him what he can use now..." Wen Renwan thought for a moment. "From the basic first-grade to the middle second-grade...and the high second-grade."
Shangguan Yi was surprised. "High second-grade? Isn't that too difficult for him right now? He's only at the early stage of foundation establishment."
Wen Renwan gave Shangguan Yi a displeased look. "What are you thinking? He's just at the early stage of foundation establishment. How could he possibly learn a high second-grade array formation?"
"This is called being prepared!" Wen Renwan continued.
"If you only give him a low second-grade array formation, what will he do when he reaches the middle and late stages of foundation establishment? Will he have to beg you for a medium or high-grade array formation?"
"So, for the second-grade ones, I might as well give them all to him at once."
"As for the third-grade array formations, he'll have to wait until after he forms his core. That's still a long way off."
Shangguan Yi smiled gently and said in a warm voice, "As always, you've thought of everything, Wan'er."
"Then it's decided," Wen Renwan said with a soft laugh. "You can look for some in the Shangguan family, and I'll ask someone to go back to the Wen Ren family and find a few good ones as well. We'll send them together as a token of our gratitude to Mo Hua."
"Mhm."
Upon reaching the grand entrance of the Shangguan family estate, they were greeted by a welcoming party.
Shangguan Ce led the way, with the elders following behind him.
Shangguan Yi and Wen Renwan, each holding Yu'er's hand, disembarked from the carriage and entered the grand and luxurious residence of the Shangguan family.
Shangguan Ce's gaze swept calmly over the crowd, briefly resting on Shangguan Yi, Wen Renwan, and then Yu'er, his expression unreadable.
Yu'er... Shangguan Yu.
A name chosen by Shangguan Ce himself, it reflected his hopes and aspirations. It meant 'jade', as in a pure and beautiful gem, and it was also a reference to a graceful and virtuous person.
However, this name was chosen before Yu'er's birth, before the elders of the Imperial Astronomy Bureau had foretold his doomed fate.
Shangguan Ce looked at Yu'er once more, his heart heavy with bitterness.
Was this grandchild, he wondered, the only one he would ever have?
On the other hand, Yu'er, after a brief conversation with his mother, looked cheerful and content, his small face lit up with happiness.
Shangguan Ce's heart twisted with a mix of emotions as he witnessed this.
"Fated to die young, a doomed destiny..."
Shangguan Ce sighed inwardly, his heart aching.
But he was a man of deep cunning, and his face remained impassive, his expression unreadable.
...
Back at the Shangguan family estate, Shangguan Ce retired to his study.
The room was elegant and luxurious, and at its center sat a Luo Pan, a divination tool used for feng shui and geomancy.
"If one cannot comprehend the mysteries of heaven and unravel the threads of cause and effect, even with a high cultivation realm, one will still end up as a plaything in the hands of others."
The older he grew, the more experiences he had, the stronger his cultivation, and the higher his status, the more Shangguan Ce felt the truth of these words.
Unfortunately, the art of divining heavenly secrets had long fallen into decline.
Despite his best efforts, Shangguan Ce had only managed to obtain a superficial understanding of this art.
The study of heavenly secrets and divination was an extremely profound pursuit, and one could not hope to master it overnight. It required a gradual process of understanding, from the surface to the depths, layer by layer.
Shangguan Ce was well aware of this.
He didn't seek to become an expert, but he wanted to gain some insight into its basics.
However, perhaps due to his own personal biases and desires, he found that no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't seem to grasp the concepts of heavenly secrets. It was as if his eyes were veiled, and all he could see was a reflection of his own desires, rather than the true threads of cause and effect.
Nevertheless, one should always be bold enough to try.
Shangguan Ce decided to start with something simpler, like...
The child named Mo Hua.
This thought had occurred to him back at the Gu family as well.
It wasn't the first time he had heard the name Mo Hua.
He had also heard whispers about Yu'er's situation.
But it was only at the Gu family that he had met Mo Hua in person, and he had felt a strange, indescribable sensation.
Innocent yet clever, pure yet cunning.
The child seemed to possess a maturity beyond his years, and despite his outward appearance and demeanor, there was something about him that reminded Shangguan Ce of Gu Shouyan, the family head of the Gu family, a man he had known for most of his life.
Both of them had a peculiar sense of stubbornness in the way they conducted themselves.
What was even more intriguing was that this Mo Hua, who seemed ordinary and came from a humble background, had somehow earned the favor of the esteemed Elder Xun of the Tai Xu Sect.
Shangguan Ce was perplexed by this.
He wanted to try and calculate...
Divining the fate of a Cave Void cultivator was beyond his abilities, and he couldn't even begin to fathom the fate of someone undergoing Transcendence. As for a Golden Core cultivator, it would be extremely challenging, but a mere early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator like Mo Hua should be simple enough to calculate.
It wouldn't be too deep, he just wanted to uncover the child's background...
Shangguan Ce began to manipulate the Luo Pan.
The Luo Pan spun, causing the laws of cause and effect to fluctuate and the vital energy of the heavens and earth to flow.
However, after turning only a single degree, the Luo Pan suddenly stopped as if it had malfunctioned, and then it violently trembled.
At the same time, Shangguan Ce felt a surge of bloody aura wash over him.
Shangguan Ce's hairs stood on end, and his heart trembled. He quickly abandoned the Luo Pan, sealing his heart and locking down his spiritual sense to prevent any further attempts at divining fate.
After a moment, everything dissipated.
Shangguan Ce looked down and saw that the Luo Pan had cracked, the lines spreading across its surface. His eyes widened slightly, and a hint of horror flashed in his gaze.
"Is the art of divining heavenly secrets so dangerous?"
He had only chosen the simplest subject to calculate, and yet he had still encountered such a dire situation?
Moreover, he hadn't even seen what this "dire situation" was...
His skills in the art of divining heavenly secrets were too shallow. Because of that, he had only brushed the surface, and instead of seeing the true dire situation, he had inadvertently avoided a calamity.
Even so, Shangguan Ce's heart remained unsettled for a long time afterward.
Mo Hua's face floated into his mind once more.
"Is this child's fate truly so ominous, or has someone intervened to protect his destiny?"
"A rogue cultivator by birth, it's impossible for him to naturally have such a fate."
"Then is it... Elder Xun's doing?"
Shangguan Ce frowned. "But when did the Tai Xu Sect gain such profound skills in the art of divining heavenly secrets?"
"And what is so special about this child that made Elder Xun go to such great lengths to protect him?"
Shangguan Ce pondered these questions, but he could find no answers. Finally, he sighed and looked at the Luo Pan on the table.
It was cracked.
This was the result of a backlash from the laws of cause and effect.
Shangguan Ce sighed inwardly.
Perhaps everyone had underestimated this Elder Xun.
Elder Xun was giving him a warning, or perhaps, he was warning anyone who dared to try and calculate that child's fate...
Some things were not meant to be seen or calculated.
Shangguan Ce's expression turned wooden, and finally, he shook his head, resigned.
Never mind.
If one's skills in the art of divining heavenly secrets were insufficient, one should not force the issue, or else one would suffer a backlash.
This time, he had been lucky, but next time, Elder Xun might not be so lenient.
Experience is the best teacher.
Behind this child stood Elder Xun, a revered and powerful Cave Void cultivator, and by extension, the entire Tai Xu Sect.
Unless one was willing to sever all ties, one should not offend them.
Mo Hua's proficiency in array formations was gradually improving.
Most of the second-grade seventeen-pattern array formations taught by Elder Xun were now familiar to him.
Soon, the holidays passed, and a new year began.
This marked his third year at Tai Xu Men.
Within this year, he had to solve the mystery of the array and break through his bottleneck to reach the middle stage of the Foundation Establishment. Afterward, he would prepare for the cultivation journey beyond the middle stage.
He also needed to learn more seventeen-pattern array formations.
In his sea of consciousness, the heavenly Dao laws, which seemed like a gaping hole constantly devouring his spiritual sense, needed to be addressed. He had to find a way to either fill it up or repair it.
Additionally, he wanted to see if he could improve the Gu family's industries.
The Gu family banquet during the holidays had made Mo Hua realize that despite their large family business, they were facing challenges and pressure from other families, making their lives less than comfortable.
Uncle Gu was a member of the Gu family and their cultivator, and they had treated Mo Hua well. He even possessed a secret token of the Gu family.
In other words, the Gu family was also one of his "backers."
If the Gu family prospered, he could continue to enjoy their hospitality.
And if he ever faced difficulties, a thriving Gu family would have the resources to lend him a helping hand.
If the Gu family fell into decline and could barely sustain themselves, they wouldn't be able to help him in times of crisis, let alone offer him a meal.
Therefore, Mo Hua secretly vowed, "The Gu family must not fall!"
However, this matter was complicated, and he needed to plan carefully and consider it further...
...
As Mo Hua cultivated and gradually broke through his bottlenecks, he also thought about the Gu family's cultivation industries.
But before he could come up with a solution, another matter came knocking on his door.
One midday, Mo Hua was having lunch with Yu'er in the disciples' dining hall.
Cheng Mo came running over, looking excited.
"Mo Hua."
Mo Hua glanced up at him, his expression indifferent.
Cheng Mo smiled and said, "Little Senior Brother."
Only then did Mo Hua nod, indicating that he could continue.
Cheng Mo said, "I have something I'd like to ask for your help with..."
Mo Hua was a little surprised but thought about it briefly before asking, "Is it about array formations?"
Cheng Mo seeking his help could only mean one thing—it was something that Mo Hua understood but Cheng Mo didn't.
As far as Mo Hua knew, the only thing that fit that description was array formations.
As soon as he mentioned array formations, Cheng Mo's head started to hurt. "Sort of, but not really..."
Mo Hua took a bite of his chicken leg.
Yu'er, sitting next to him, also took a bite of her chicken leg.
The two of them then quietly watched Cheng Mo, waiting for him to continue.
Cheng Mo sighed. "It's about a bounty offered by the Great Court Temple."
Mo Hua was taken aback and shook his head. "Elder Xun has forbidden me from going out. I can't join you on your bounty missions."
Cheng Mo's expression turned disappointed upon hearing this.
He had been hoping to rely on Mo Hua's help.
Mo Hua was smart, skilled in array formations, reconnaissance, and spells, and he had plenty of experience and connections...
No matter what bounty they pursued, having Mo Hua along would always be beneficial.
Cheng Mo had been planning to cling to his "Little Senior Brother" and ride on his coattails.
But he hadn't expected Elder Xun to issue a "house arrest" order to keep Mo Hua focused on studying array formations.
With Mo Hua unable to leave, their progress on the bounties had slowed down.
Seeing Cheng Mo's glum expression, Mo Hua said, "Tell me about the bounty. Maybe I can give you some suggestions."
Cheng Mo thought about it and nodded. "Alright."
Since they had nothing better to do, he also ordered some food and sat next to Mo Hua, chatting while they ate.
As usual, he ordered two chicken legs—a larger one, which he offered to Mo Hua, and a smaller one for Yu'er.
"I took on a bounty to capture a flying thief. This thief is at the middle stage of Foundation Establishment, with average strength, but his movement technique is exceptional. He's been spotted in the nearby second-grade state domains."
"I, along with Si Tu Jian and a few others, found some clues and have been staking out for a long time, but we still haven't caught him."
"Sometimes we don't encounter him at all. Other times, he's alert and escapes before we can catch him. And even when we do block his path, his movement technique is too good, and we can't capture him..."
Cheng Mo took a big bite of meat. "I've been running around like a headless chicken these days, losing sleep and appetite, and I've even lost weight..."
"It feels like a bad deal to spend so much time on a bounty with such little merit. But if I give up now, it would be too embarrassing. I just can't swallow my pride and accept defeat."
Cheng Mo looked at Mo Hua again, his expression filled with regret. "If only you were there. Even without using spells, you could set up an array formation to trap that flying thief."
Mo Hua asked curiously, "Don't you guys know how to set up array formations? We learned about them in class, didn't we?"
Cheng Mo waved his hand dismissively. "It won't work. That flying thief is experienced. He can tell what kind of array formation it is and where it's placed just by looking at it."
"And even if we set up an array formation, it might not be effective enough to trap him..."
Mo Hua nodded slightly, then paused as if he had just thought of something. He glanced at Cheng Mo, his expression turning strange.
Cheng Mo felt uncomfortable under Mo Hua's gaze and asked, "What's wrong...?"
Mo Hua thought for a moment before asking, "Are you well-off?"
Cheng Mo immediately looked dejected. "I have very little merit."
"Not merit," Mo Hua clarified. "I'm asking about your spirit stones."
"Spirit stones?"
"Yes, spirit stones."
At the mention of spirit stones, Cheng Mo's attitude changed, and he boasted, "I have more than enough spirit stones!"
Mo Hua nodded, his eyes narrowing as he studied Cheng Mo, a glint of excitement in his eyes as if he had just spotted a plump sheep.
(End of Chapter)
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