Chapter 89: Guidance (Part Two)
Chapter 89: Guidance (Part Two)
Mo Hua sighed, "I used to think that although Qian Xing was arrogant and domineering, he was at most a bully. I never expected that he would be capable of doing such despicable things behind everyone's back..."
Zhang Lan's eyes narrowed as he heard this, and he said seriously, "Mo Hua, you've often heard the saying, 'The depravity of human nature,' haven't you?"
Mo Hua nodded.
"Sometimes, the depravity of human nature is invisible. Evil people don't wear their wickedness on their faces. Many despicable individuals appear no different from ordinary people, or even seem more virtuous."
"What people reveal to others is often their most innocent and virtuous side. What secrets they hide in the shadows is anyone's guess."
Mo Hua was surprised to hear such profound words coming from the usually carefree Zhang Lan.
"So, in the case of someone like Qian Xing, if what we see is already despicable, then we can only imagine what darker deeds he might be capable of in secret."
Zhang Lan gave Mo Hua a curious look. "You're not wrong. That's a quick mind at work."
"It's a shame..." Zhang Lan noticed Mo Hua's hint of regret and asked, "What's a shame?"
"The power of the array was still a bit lacking..." Mo Hua replied.
Qian Xing hadn't been blown to bits.
Zhang Lan nodded in agreement. That was also his thought.
"Even though he wasn't killed, his injuries are severe. The Qian family is frantically searching for a first-grade or higher Alchemist to treat him, but it's uncertain if he can be saved. I say, don't bother wasting the Elixirs." Zhang Lan added, then suddenly asked, "If Qian Xing recovers, do you think he'll know it was you?"
"I splashed my spiritual ink on his eyes. He shouldn't be able to see," Mo Hua replied.
"Oh?" Zhang Lan thought to himself that Mo Hua had just admitted it.
Mo Hua looked up at the sky, pretending he hadn't said anything.
"What if he does find out somehow?" Zhang Lan asked.
Mo Hua thought for a moment. "If he does find out, given his pride, he definitely won't tell his family. Being injured by a cultivator at the Qi Refining Fourth Layer would be too embarrassing."
"But what if he seeks revenge against you in private?" Zhang Lan asked.
"Then I'd have even less to fear," Mo Hua said, sticking his tongue out. "If he could be ambushed once, why not a second time? He got lucky the first time, but he might not be so fortunate the next."
While he didn't go out of his way to cause trouble, he also didn't back down from it. The previous incident had caught him off guard, but if he were prepared, he wouldn't fear Qian Xing.
Zhang Lan paused, "How can you be sure his luck will run out the second time?"
Mo Hua pretended not to hear the question.
Zhang Lan lowered his voice. "Even if you use the Earthfire Array, you can only severely injure him, not kill him. You're only at the fourth layer of Qi Refining, and you don't have any other tricks up your sleeve, do you?"
At the fourth layer of Qi Refining, one wouldn't be proficient in spells, and even if they were, their power would be limited.
Mo Hua wasn't suited for physical training, so close-quarters combat would be suicidal.
As for arrays, the Earthfire Array, with its seven array patterns, was already pushing the limits of what a fourth-layer Qi Refining cultivator could manage. Even if there were more powerful arrays, they wouldn't be significantly stronger.
If such arrays existed, they would be closely guarded secrets of the great families, never to be shared with outsiders.
Zhang Lan couldn't think of any other tricks Mo Hua might have up his sleeve.
"You're not thinking of gathering those artifact apprentices to gang up on Qian Xing and beat him to death, are you...?" Zhang Lan asked suddenly.
Mo Hua gave Zhang Lan a look that carried a hint of disdain. He whispered, "One Earthfire Array can injure him. What do you think two arrays could do?"
Zhang Lan: "..."
He was accustomed to thinking like a cultivator, and he hadn't expected such a straightforward solution.
Mo Hua leaned closer to Zhang Lan and lowered his voice. "I've already thought it through. We'll do as you suggested. After the explosion, we'll wash away the ashes with water and then crush a spirit stone on the spot to confuse the spiritual energy, so they won't know I used an array..."
Zhang Lan nodded, then suddenly realized something amiss. "Wait, what do you mean 'as I suggested'? How is this my suggestion?"
Mo Hua smiled sheepishly. "Well, I got the idea from your guidance, didn't I?"
"What do you mean 'even if'? Not guiding is not guiding!" Mo Hua retorted.
"I'm just saying it casually. I'm just a little Qi Refining cultivator at the fourth layer. How could I possibly do something so dangerous?" Mo Hua said, trying to downplay the matter.
"Alright, let's drop this topic." Zhang Lan waved his hand. If they continued, he might end up being implicated as the mastermind.
He had initially been a little worried about Mo Hua, but now it seemed that he should be more concerned about Qian Xing.
The Qian family might not want to make a big deal out of this incident, as they were in the wrong first. They had tried to bully Mo Hua but ended up being blown to bits. If the full story got out, they would be the ones losing face.
If the matter was pursued further and Qian Xing's private misdeeds were exposed, the Court of Law would have enough evidence to punish them severely.
As long as the Qian family didn't take action, even if Qian Xing sought private revenge, Mo Hua should be fine as long as he stayed cautious.
Mo Hua was only worried about the Qian family, not Qian Xing himself. Qian Xing might call him a waste, but Mo Hua had always felt that he truly was a waste. As long as he wasn't caught off guard or ambushed, dealing with Qian Xing wouldn't be difficult if he was prepared.
"By the way, since you're learning formations, you must have a master, right?" Zhang Lan asked. This was a question he had been wanting to ask for a while.
Among the various cultivation paths, formations were the most difficult to learn. The examinations and grading for formation masters were also the strictest.
Most cultivators who studied formations had a master to guide them, and self-taught formation masters simply didn't exist.
Even the most talented formation masters needed guidance from others. Otherwise, aside from the vast ocean of formations, even grasping the basic formation patterns would take a significant amount of time to learn and understand.
Mo Hua was a rogue cultivator who didn't belong to any sect, yet his skill in formations was not low. Aside from his diligent self-study, Zhang Lan guessed that he must have had a master to guide him.
"He's not a master, just a teacher. I'm only his nominal disciple," Mo Hua admitted.
"Does this teacher have a name?" Zhang Lan asked.
Mo Hua shook his head. "My teacher is a recluse who values his peace and quiet. He doesn't like to reveal his name."
Zhang Lan nodded. There were quite a few cultivators like that in the cultivation world—eccentric in nature, disliking social interactions, and preferring to find a quiet place to do what they enjoyed.
It was a stroke of luck for Mo Hua to have encountered such a teacher.
Zhang Lan didn't pry further, knowing that there was a limit to such matters. Asking too much would be considered meddling. Some experts strongly disliked others prying into their business.
"But... this teacher of yours didn't accept you as a formal disciple?" Zhang Lan couldn't help but ask. He felt that Mo Hua was a good kid—diligent, hardworking, and intelligent, even if his words could be a bit irritating at times. If Zhang Lan himself had a better grasp of formations, he would have considered taking Mo Hua as his own disciple.
"My talent is very average. I'm already happy that my teacher is willing to teach me formations," Mo Hua said humbly.
Zhang Lan nodded and didn't press the issue further. After they finished their meal and drank their fill, Zhang Lan gave Mo Hua a few more words of advice before leaving the eatery.
As they stepped out onto the street, the gentle breeze blew away the slight intoxication, clearing their heads.
Suddenly, Zhang Lan thought of something. "The fourth layer of Qi Refining, drawing seven formation patterns, using the Earthfire Array... is that what you call average talent?"
"How many formation patterns can I draw at the fourth layer of Qi Refining? Four? No, even if I push myself, I should be able to manage five or six. But Mo Hua can already draw seven..."
"He aims to be a formation master, so drawing seven is normal. I'm not aiming to be a formation master, just dabbling in it. Drawing five or six shouldn't be considered excessive..." Zhang Lan nodded to himself.
"But how many formation patterns can a typical cultivator at the fourth layer of Qi Refining draw? Is it four?"
Zhang Lan thought for a moment, then shook his head, still unsure.
Back when he was studying in the clan school, he had disliked learning formations the most. It consumed his spiritual sense too quickly, and he would get a headache from drawing them. So, he never paid much attention to such things.
"When I have the time, I should write a letter back to the clan and ask how many formation patterns a cultivator at the fourth layer of Qi Refining can usually draw..."
Zhang Lan thought to himself.
(End of Chapter)
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