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Chapter 885: The Four Directions Tremble (Thanks to Jialing for the generous donation!)
Chapter 885: The Four Directions Tremble (Thanks to Jialing for the generous donation!)
Mo Hua put down his brush and ink, sitting solemnly as he gazed at the gold-inlaid jade slip containing the final array examination question. His expression was calm, and he remained motionless for a long while.
It seemed he was truly stumped.
The examiners, seeing this, all breathed a sigh of relief.
"Finally, he's been stumped..."
"He should have been stumped..."
"He can't keep drawing."
"If we don't stump him, it would be against the laws of nature."
"Really, anyone would be stumped by this."
"Even a regular Third Rank Golden Core Array Master would struggle to understand the essence of this Spirit Power Reversal Law, let alone draw it..."
"Most would just copy the form without grasping the essence."
"The principles of the Great Dao are indescribable and ineffable; they can only be understood through personal enlightenment. This can't be taught..."
"To be honest, I thought setting up a 'Seal' array was a bit excessive. But now, I see the wisdom of our ancestors. We younger generations just don't have enough experience to understand the depth of their intentions..."
"Indeed, if this 'Seal' were to be broken today, it would be a disgrace..."
"It would make us, the examiners, look incompetent; it would make the Array Conference seem easy; it would make our Qianxue Province's array skills seem shallow..."
"Exactly, exactly..."
"Our ancestors were wise."
The examiners all sighed in relief.
Master Wen also silently breathed a sigh of relief.
Being meticulous and serious in his work had its benefits.
This was his first time as the chief examiner, and he didn't want his first exam to be compromised by someone solving the final question.
It would be the first in Qianxue Province's history.
If word got out, it would be embarrassing.
People might even suspect him of favoritism, leaking the questions in secret.
Fortunately, the final challenge had finally stumped this "prodigy" from the Tai Xu Sect.
Master Wen moved his fingers, only to realize his palms were drenched in sweat.
In the past, he knew that students felt immense pressure during exams.
He never expected that one day, as an examiner, he would feel the same pressure...
Time slowly ticked by.
Mo Hua remained seated in the hall, staring at the array on the jade slip, completely still.
As time passed, the examiners grew increasingly relaxed.
"Once the time is up, if he can't draw the array, he will be considered defeated."
"Of course, even if he loses, he will still be the first, but he will only be the first."
"Wait, what do you mean by 'only the first'?" an elder protested.
"Is being first that easy?"
"Think about it, so many sects, so many years, and not a single first place."
"Forget first place, even second or third is a luxury."
"Are you mocking us?"
The elder who spoke quickly apologized, "My mistake, my mistake. The pressure is just too much, I was speaking out of turn..."
...
The array elders chatted idly.
But as time passed, Master Wen's frown deepened.
He silently watched Mo Hua, who was still seated in the hall. As he watched, a sudden unease crept into his heart.
"Something's not right!"
This young disciple from the Tai Xu Sect seemed stumped, unable to start drawing. But his expression was too calm, and there was a glimmer in his eyes, as if he was...
Calculating something?
"Calculating?!"
Master Wen inhaled a sharp breath.
He's calculating?!
He's figuring it out, he's learning!
Learning the profound Spirit Power Reversal Law of a peak Nineteen Traces array, right here at the Array Conference?
Learning on the spot?!
Master Wen's pupils dilated in shock.
Who taught him to calculate like this?
The Tai Xu Sect?
In such a setting, with such a complex array, he can still learn on the spot?
How is he doing it?
Master Wen's heart clenched again.
"It shouldn't be possible..."
...
In the main hall.
Mo Hua was indeed learning on the spot.
He had examined the array before him, a lesser-known array that contained the entry-level Spirit Power Reversal Law of a Second Rank array.
Spirit Power Reversal...
Reversal Spirit Array!
Mo Hua's heart skipped a beat.
The first advanced array he learned was the "Reversal Spirit Array," a First Rank Ten Traces array taught by his master.
Now, after reaching the Foundation Establishment realm with peak mental perception, he had mastered Second Rank arrays to perfection. He never expected that, through a stroke of luck, he would encounter this "Reversal Spirit" array again in the "Seal" question of the Array Conference.
The array before him, though only at the peak Nineteen Traces, was not an advanced array. However, the spirit power changes it contained were clearly similar to the principle of spirit power reversal in the First Rank Ten Traces Reversal Spirit Array, which caused the array to collapse.
Moreover, this spirit power reversal was at the Foundation Establishment level.
The First Rank Ten Traces Reversal Spirit Array reversed and collapsed the spirit power of the Qi Condensation realm.
The Second Rank Reversal Array, on the other hand, reversed the condensed, mercury-like spirit power of the Foundation Establishment realm, making it far more powerful.
Unfortunately, the "Spirit Power Reversal" law within this array was incomplete and somewhat rudimentary, so it didn't reach the advanced level.
But for Mo Hua, this was perfect.
He wasn't ready to learn a true Second Rank advanced array yet.
The peak Nineteen Traces "quasi-advanced" array was just right for him to start with, allowing him to initially understand the Second Rank Spirit Power Reversal Law.
When Mr. Zhuang taught him the Reversal Spirit Array, he had broken it down, starting from the Nine Traces half.
Now that Mr. Zhuang was gone, there was no one to teach him anymore.
But at this point, Mo Hua could learn on his own.
A master can lead you to the door, but the cultivation is up to you.
During his travels, Mr. Zhuang had imparted the "Dao" to him, not just the "tools." This was the heart of his quest for array formations, allowing him to observe, appreciate, and comprehend the most intricate and challenging arrays in the world—regardless of their rank.
Now, although Mo Hua hadn't inherited Mr. Zhuang's Heavenly Array lineage, he had inherited the initial passion for array formation and the experience and methods for comprehending supreme arrays.
He could now calculate and learn any array in the world on his own.
This was the most precious wealth that Mr. Zhuang had bestowed upon him.
Mo Hua's eyes sparkled with a brilliant light as the Heavenly Calculations, the Heavenly Deceptions, and the golden glow of divine consciousness intertwined.
The myriad phenomena of the world were dissected and deconstructed in his eyes.
The array patterns that caused spiritual energy to reverse were gradually revealed to him.
The trajectory of the spiritual energy changes was clear and precise.
The reverse transformation, though extremely complex, resonated with the essence of the Dao and was presented one by one in Mo Hua's calculations, intertwining and flickering in his mind...
To the outside world, Mo Hua appeared to be sitting there in a daze.
Only a few highly skilled array masters could see that Mo Hua was "calculating" and "comprehending."
He was learning this array on the spot, an array that was incredibly complex and obscure for a second-rank array master—a pinnacle nineteen-pattern array.
To others, this array might be a tricky and insurmountable "challenge."
But for Mo Hua, this "prodigy," it was a tremendous "opportunity."
An opportunity to comprehend the reversal of spiritual energy.
The Array Conference wasn't about being better than others.
It was about being better than oneself.
"Continuously learning more difficult arrays, continuously understanding deeper array principles, continuously surpassing oneself, and continuously seeking the path of array formations."
"Perhaps this is the greatest significance of the Array Conference..."
At this moment, Mo Hua had a sudden epiphany, his mind clear and enlightened.
The world around him faded from his perception.
In his eyes, there were only array patterns, only array principles, and only the residual reverse transformation laws left behind by the evolution of spiritual energy.
These laws were chaotic and mottled, like shattered voids, black and intertwined, coexisting with spiritual energy, constantly annihilating and fracturing, ultimately collapsing into nothingness...
A terrifying sense of "annihilation" was contained within them.
But Mo Hua felt a strange familiarity.
He had sensed these laws before.
What he saw now was merely an expansion of the scope and some variations based on the first-rank reverse spirit array.
And the first-rank reverse spirit array, he knew it intimately.
He had even used it to dismantle a grand array and kill a great demon.
This thread of law, he had deeply comprehended and practiced with his own hands.
A glimmer of enlightenment appeared in Mo Hua's eyes.
The law of dissolution was imprinted in his heart.
A faint, terrifying aura of "annihilation" also began to emanate from his body.
This was a subtle phenomenon that occurred after comprehending a certain law...
Not only did Master Wen notice something was amiss, but the other examiners did as well.
Their initially calm hearts now hung in suspense.
"Is something... not quite right?"
"This young man from the Void Sect seems a bit... eerie..."
"He seems to have... comprehended something?"
"Comprehended... what?"
They looked at each other, a bit of fear creeping into their minds.
"Surely he can't be... that much of a 'prodigy,' right?"
No one answered.
Just then, Mo Hua, who had been sitting silently, suddenly moved. He extended his tender hand and picked up the array brush.
The examiners' hearts clenched tightly.
Then they watched as Mo Hua, with a calm and expressionless face, began to draw on the array paper, calmly and confidently sketching the array.
It looked the same as before.
But the examiners knew it was completely different!
This was a nineteen-pattern pinnacle array, containing the law of spiritual energy reversal, an extremely profound array that was the pinnacle of array theory!
And it was an array he had never seen or known how to draw until just a short while ago.
The examiners were speechless.
Even Master Wen's pupils dilated.
All the cultivators outside the venue, whether they were skilled in array formations or not, whether they knew what Mo Hua was doing or just sensed that he was doing something significant, were silent, holding their breath.
On the array paper, Mo Hua drew one pattern after another.
A thread of meaning flowed through the patterns...
The process was difficult but unimpeded.
After an unknown amount of time, Mo Hua put down his brush.
Before him lay a complete, intricate, and profoundly challenging array diagram that was beyond the understanding of an ordinary second-rank array master.
Since it was his first time drawing it, his strokes were a bit clumsy, with some hesitation and caution, not as neat and powerful as before, perfect and flawless.
But overall, it was a cohesive whole, with a seamless flow from beginning to end.
An examiner came down and took a look at the array diagram, first in shock, then with a furrowed brow, unsure of what to make of it.
He carefully presented the array diagram to the chief examiner, Master Wen.
Master Wen's eyes widened in astonishment, and he whispered in disbelief:
"He actually... drew it..."
He then examined the array diagram from beginning to end, his disbelief growing with each passing moment.
"It’s a bit rough, but not a single stroke is off, and... the divine essence flows through it."
This wasn’t just a superficial imitation; it was a genuine understanding of a specific law within the array, which was then seamlessly integrated into the array pattern, giving it this divine essence.
This array contains a law, albeit a faint one, but it’s unmistakably there.
"Master Wen, this..."
The examiners, feeling uneasy, all turned to Master Wen without hesitation.
Master Wen took a deep breath, then shook his head and sighed, "Not a single stroke is off, he’s drawn it..."
With these words, the hearts of the examiners, which had been in suspense, finally sank.
"He drew it?!"
"How... How is this possible? This, this..." Some were incoherent, unable to believe their eyes.
Most of the examiners were too shocked to describe their feelings in words.
He had drawn through it! In their lifetimes, they had never thought they would see a disciple who could completely draw through the array questions used in the grand array discussion of the Qianxue State Boundary. And from start to finish, not a single array was missed, not a single stroke was off, not even once?!
Such a difficult peak array couldn’t even hold him back.
Moreover, he had learned it on the spot! Just a glance and a few cups of tea later, he had mastered both the array diagram and the law.
He knew all the array questions.
He learned the ones he didn’t know?!
How could such a genius be described merely as a "prodigy"? Could such a talent really exist in this world?
The examiners were left in a state of shock and disbelief.
They had studied arrays their entire lives, and now, at this moment, they realized not only how limited their knowledge had been but also how impoverished their imagination had become.
Even in their wildest dreams, they would never have imagined this...
Chaos erupted in the hall.
Finally, after all this, Mo Hua spoke his first words since the grand array discussion began:
"Is there more?"
His demeanor was calm.
This was already a peak nineteen-pattern array, and it even contained the law of spiritual energy inversion, making it extremely difficult.
If there was a harder one, he wouldn’t be able to draw it.
Moreover, he had been drawing from a sixteen-pattern array all the way to this one.
This last array had consumed a great deal of his divine consciousness. Even with his strong divine consciousness, it was now nearly depleted.
If there was another array, he wouldn’t draw it.
Knowing one’s limits was also a lesson taught by Old Master Xun.
But these simple three words left all the examiners in silence.
In his clear voice, there was a heavy pressure and an overwhelming destructive force, almost breaking through the defenses of these esteemed array elders from various sects, who were well-versed and respected.
Is there more?
Is there more?!
More...
A few elders’ necks turned red, and they were nearly driven to the point of spitting blood.
But no one dared to speak.
Because there was truly nothing left...
He had really drawn everything.
Even the peak array had been drawn through...
Not a single array remained...
They couldn’t possibly shamelessly create a third-tier array on the spot to test this little prodigy, could they?
Master Wen sighed.
As the chief examiner, despite his heavy heart, he had to speak, "You’ve drawn everything."
"Then..." Mo Hua said.
"You’ve won," Master Wen said.
Mo Hua’s face lit up with joy, but he suddenly remembered Old Master Xun’s advice to control his emotions and remain expressionless. He then composed himself, stood up calmly, and respectfully bowed to the examiners in the hall, saying:
"Thank you, esteemed masters and elders."
The examiners were somewhat surprised.
They had expected this prodigy, with his astonishing talent, to be cold, arrogant, and condescending.
But to their surprise, he was quite polite...
The examiners, who had been on the verge of frustration, felt inexplicably relieved by Mo Hua’s respectful bow.
Master Wen also felt a bit relieved. He then composed himself and, with a solemn expression, activated his cultivation, announcing loudly:
"The grand array discussion of the Qianxue State Boundary has come to an end."
"The first place in this grand array discussion, the array master..."
"Mo Hua of the Tai Xu Sect!"
Master Wen’s dignified and solemn voice, amplified by his Feathered Transformation Realm spiritual energy, resonated like a great bell, breaking through the air and echoing throughout the entire Discussion Mountain, lingering for a long time.
Mo Hua of the Tai Xu Sect!
First place in the grand array discussion, the array master!
The entire Discussion Mountain erupted in a cacophony of cheers and excitement.
The disciples of the Tai Xu Sect celebrated wildly.
Some were so moved that they shed tears, unable to express their joy.
Before this, almost no one could have imagined that the Tai Xu Sect, which was at the bottom of the eight major sects, nearly on the brink of extinction, and not particularly known for array mastery, could actually... win first place in the grand array discussion?!
Even now, they felt as if they were dreaming, unable to believe it.
Some usually stern and serious elders also joined in the celebration, their faces filled with shock.
In their excitement, some even pulled out their beards.
In the high tower of the Dao Court, the Feathered Transformation Realm inspector, Xia, was stunned.
He looked at Mo Hua several times, still unable to hide his astonishment.
"I actually... misjudged him..."
This unassuming young man, he actually, actually...
He didn’t know what to say.
Not far away, Xia Dian also sat in a daze.
She had only attended the grand array discussion as a routine duty, but she never expected to witness such a scene.
Before this, she knew Mo Hua was good at arrays, but she never imagined he could be this good.
On the training ground, the indifferent, condescending array master who had overshadowed all the prodigies—could this really be the same Mo Hua that he knew, the innocent, smiling, and kind-hearted Mo Hua?
Xia Diansi's thoughts were sluggish, and he couldn't shake off the shock.
Xia Jiancha glanced at Xia Diansi, sighing inwardly.
Truly, a person's fortune and opportunities are unpredictable...
...
On the high platform of the noble families.
Wenren Wan couldn't help but cover her mouth, her eyes wide with disbelief.
The array master champion was... Mo Hua?!
Expectation was one thing, but when the expected scene actually happened, it still left her in disbelief.
Yu'er, on the other hand, didn't care much about the implications.
Of course, he didn't understand what the Array Discussion Conference meant, but he was simply happy for Mo Hua, clapping his hands joyfully.
"Brother Mo won! Brother Mo is number one!"
"No one is as awesome as Brother Mo!"
The heads of the Shangguan, Wenren, and Gu families, along with all the senior elders, were stunned, their hearts pounding with shock.
"Actually... he really came in first..."
Even if they had been beaten to death, they wouldn't have imagined that the Array Discussion Conference would end with this result.
The Gu family was the first to recover and celebrate.
Many of the Gu family's elders knew Mo Hua.
Some had even invited Mo Hua to eat, given him small gifts, and chatted and had tea with him.
Now, these memories seemed to be gilded, shining brightly, and filled them with pride...
This was the champion of the Array Discussion Conference.
The top array master of Qianxue Province!
It was something they could brag about!
Gu Shouyan, who was usually silent and rigid and not very adept at array formation, couldn't help but feel a great sense of relief.
Their Gu family was the place where Mo Hua had eaten.
This was a great karmic connection.
Shangguan Ce also began to reflect on whether he had been too cold and disrespectful to Mo Hua in the past.
How should he subtly show his goodwill in the future...
Wenren Jingxuan was stunned for a moment, his expression strange as he looked at Shangguan Wang, unable to resist confirming:
"You mean... my daughter used her connections and spent a great deal of favor to force the top array master of Qianxue Province, the champion of the Array Discussion Conference, into the Tai Xu Sect?"
"You mean, the Tai Xu Sect would have to treat my daughter like a goddess after knowing this?"
Shangguan Wang's face turned a deep crimson, as unpleasant as a pig's kidney.
...
At the Hundred Flowers Valley's position in the Array Discussion Ground.
Hua Qianqian looked at Mo Hua, her hand covering her mouth, her beautiful eyes filled with shock.
Above her, the Hundred Flowers Valley's leader, dressed in a magnificent robe and with a cold, beautiful face, was also stunned, staring at Mo Hua's figure.
"This child... seems to be..."
After a moment, a strange expression appeared on her beautiful face.
On the other side, the elder of the Myriad Array Sect's eyes turned completely red.
Now, he was truly envious and resentful, muttering:
"Overwhelming the four great sects, winning the top spot in array formation, such a brilliantly talented array master, how could he end up in the Tai Xu Sect? Our Myriad Array Sect, except for the four great sects, should be the top in array formation. This should have been our disciple!"
The Myriad Array Sect's instructor remained silent for a moment before whispering, "It was originally supposed to be..."
The elder of the Myriad Array Sect was taken aback, "What?"
The instructor whispered, "Elder, you forgot. A few years ago, a young disciple from another place wanted to join our Myriad Array Sect. He had great array formation talent, but his spirit roots were a bit lacking."
"According to the sect's rules, we don't accept such disciples. But later, I thought it was a pity and confirmed with you."
Then, he was scolded by the elder as usual.
The instructor said, "You said, 'A two-legged toad is hard to find, but a two-legged array master is not rare. Rules are rules. Whether we have one more or one less array master of the first or second rank doesn't matter. It's not worth breaking the rules...'"
"That rejected young disciple..." The instructor quietly pointed, "is the one right in front of us, the Tai Xu Sect's youth who won the top spot in array formation..."
The elder of the Myriad Array Sect's expression changed drastically, as if struck by lightning.
"I... rejected him?"
A top array master of Qianxue Province, who had wanted to join his Myriad Array Sect, was rejected by him?
The elder's vision went black, his blood rushed to his head, and his intestines turned green with regret.
Even the bitter bile in his stomach rose up.
...
In the crowd, Elder Zheng was also stunned.
Others might not understand, and even ordinary array formation elders might not grasp the full extent of Mo Hua's abilities.
But he was different. He had been an elder of the Qian Dao Sect, one of the four great sects of Qianxue Province, and carried the ancient lightning array formation legacy of the Zheng family. He knew just how terrifying Mo Hua's strength was in this competition.
His divine consciousness was unfathomable.
His array formation knowledge was profound and extensive.
His mental perception was far beyond his level, exceeding it by three ranks!
At the mid-stage Foundation Establishment realm, he had overwhelmed the four great sects, and even mastered the art of derivation, able to understand the rules of spiritual energy in an incredibly short time...
If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he wouldn't have dared to imagine it.
And this prodigy was the same child he had seen before, a self-cultivated disciple with a firm Dao heart and a grand vision...
Elder Zheng stood there, dazed.
At the same time, a flicker of hope burned in his eyes, like a passionate bolt of lightning...
...
Amidst the clamor, the Array Discussion Conference came to a complete end.
All was settled.
Mid-stage Foundation Establishment, top in the array discussion.
Overwhelming the four great sects, winning the championship.
The name "Mo Hua" of the Tai Xu Sect resounded like the sound of a bell in the Dao discussion, shaking the entire Qianxue Province.
The winds of change swept through, and the four directions trembled.
(End of Chapter)
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