Spirit Pivot Formation

After that, Mo Hua continued drawing Earth Solidification Formations for two full months.

Whenever there was something he did not understand about array techniques, he would ask Instructor Yan for guidance. Instructor Yan was stern by nature and strict with others, but whenever his disciples had questions, he would answer all he knew and hold nothing back, explaining everything in thorough and earnest detail.

Instructor Yan naturally felt that Mo Hua had not yet laid a solid foundation and was delving into array techniques beyond his level far too early. Yet as long as Mo Hua asked, he would patiently explain without the slightest irritation, leaving Mo Hua deeply grateful.

Sometimes, Mo Hua skipped class because he was secretly drawing array techniques to earn Spirit Stones. Instructor Yan did not pursue the matter too harshly, merely reminding him:

"A cultivator may have their own specialty, but they must not become too lopsided. There are some methods you may not know, but you must understand them. Otherwise, when you graduate and leave the sect to make your way in the cultivation world, any blind spot in your understanding of cultivation can easily cause you to suffer losses and be deceived."

Mo Hua humbly accepted the instruction and benefited greatly from it.

But he did not even have enough Spirit Stones to study cultivation techniques now, so he could only keep skipping classes for the time being and draw array techniques to save up some Spirit Stones.

One Earth Solidification Formation contained four Array Patterns and could earn him two Spirit Stones. Thanks to this, Mo Hua's rate of saving Spirit Stones increased considerably.

One day, two months later, Mo Hua went to Fat Manager's as usual to deliver an order. But when he entered, he found a middle-aged man in a blue Daoist Robe drinking tea in the normally quiet Fate Pavilion.

The man had his back to Mo Hua, and his silhouette looked familiar. When he turned around, Mo Hua was dumbfounded.

The man in the blue Daoist Robe was Instructor Yan...

Mo Hua suddenly felt as though he had been caught red-handed for skipping class.

"Mo Hua?"

Instructor Yan spotted Mo Hua as well and looked somewhat surprised.

Fat Manager sat across from Instructor Yan, pouring him tea. Hearing this, he looked up in surprise too. "You know each other?"

"He is one of the disciples I teach at the Immortal Gate," Instructor Yan said.

Mo Hua bowed. "Greetings, Instructor!"

Instructor Yan nodded and asked, "What are you doing here?"

Before Mo Hua could answer, Fat Manager explained, "He runs errands for his elder brother. His brother draws array techniques for our Array Pavilion, and once they're finished, he has him deliver them."

Instructor Yan nodded and did not question him further.

Mo Hua let out a breath of relief. He handed the array technique over to Fat Manager, collected the Spirit Stones, and hurriedly said, "This disciple will take his leave first and shall not disturb Instructor any longer."

Instructor Yan seemed to have business with Fat Manager. Seeing how sensible Mo Hua was, he could not help nodding. "Return to the sect early. Watch your safety on the road."

Mo Hua respectfully acknowledged the instruction, performed another salute, and left the Array Pavilion.

Watching Mo Hua's retreating figure, Fat Manager said to Instructor Yan:

"That child is quite polite, and he's clever too. You're lucky to have taught such a good disciple."

Instructor Yan gave a soft "Mm," then asked, "You said his elder brother draws array techniques for you?"

Fat Manager took out the Earth Solidification Formation Mo Hua had delivered and handed it to Instructor Yan. "It's drawn rather well."

Seeing that it was actually an Earth Solidification Formation, Instructor Yan paused in surprise. "His elder brother drew this?"

"Who else would have?" Fat Manager said. "Don't tell me you think he drew it? At his age, even if you squeezed his Divine Consciousness dry, he couldn't draw a complete array technique."

Instructor Yan nodded. Recalling how Mo Hua had once come to ask him about an Earth Solidification Formation, he assumed Mo Hua must have seen his elder brother drawing one and developed questions in his heart, which was why he had come to ask him.

"It is a good thing to thirst for knowledge in array techniques," Instructor Yan thought to himself. "If he can maintain such a state of mind, perhaps he may truly achieve something in array techniques in the future."

With that thought, Instructor Yan stopped dwelling on the matter. He surveyed the remote, quiet shop, then looked at Fat Manager. "Do you intend to spend your whole life like this?"

"We cultivated in the same sect. You should know me well enough," Fat Manager said. "I'm not like you. You're now an instructor at the Immortal Gate, with no small attainment in array techniques. You're only one step away from the First-Grade realm. Once you cross it, you'll be a genuine First-Grade Array Master. By then, in this Immortal City, you'll have connections if you want connections, status if you want status, and naturally you won't lack Spirit Stones. The Immortal Gate will certainly give you an Elder's position as well."

"As for me," Fat Manager said, taking a sip of tea, "I'm just someone content to muddle through. I only dip my toes into array techniques, and I cannot endure the loneliness of cultivation. If I can coast through each day, I'm satisfied. Don't look down on me, either. Look at those Rogue Cultivators on the streets, rushing about and running themselves ragged just to survive. This kind of leisurely life is something they can only long for and never reach."

Instructor Yan remained silent.

Fat Manager looked at Instructor Yan and sighed helplessly. "Go on, then. What do you need me to do?"

Instructor Yan said solemnly, "Help me find the Spirit Pivot Formation Diagram."

Fat Manager pinched the bridge of his nose. "After all these years, you still haven't given up? If you ask me, you're not that young anymore. You should find a Dao companion and settle down properly."

"One's personal lifelong affairs are small. The inheritance of array techniques is great."

"And what if you find it? Grandmaster couldn't learn it, and Master couldn't learn it either. Do you think you can? A First-Grade array technique with twelve Array Patterns—this is so absurd it's off the charts! A First-Grade Array Master only needs to master nine Array Patterns. You haven't even become a First-Grade Array Master yet. What good would getting the Spirit Pivot Formation Diagram do you? By the time you're buried in the ground, you might still not have learned it!"

Instructor Yan remained silent.

Fat Manager tried to persuade him in earnest. "Senior Martial Brother, let it go. Besides, you can't find it at all. Back then, that man betrayed his master and left the sect, stealing the array technique. After all these years, there hasn't been a single trace of him. Even the Dao Court Office hasn't been able to track him down. You're an Array Master, not someone skilled in Dao Methods. What can you possibly do?"

Instructor Yan remained unmoved. In a hoarse voice, he said, "Master's kindness toward me was as weighty as a mountain. Every array technique I know was taught by Master. Now Master is dead, the sect has scattered and fallen apart, and the array technique has been lost. Whenever I think of it, I cannot eat or sleep in peace. As long as I can recover the array technique, pass down its inheritance, and fulfill Master's final wish, nothing else matters."

Instructor Yan looked at Fat Manager again. "I know you prefer peace and ease. I won't ask you to do much. As long as you learn of any clue concerning the Spirit Pivot Formation Diagram, tell me. You need not worry about anything else."

"How do you know there will be clues to the Spirit Pivot Formation Diagram in Immortal City?" Fat Manager frowned.

Instructor Yan said nothing.

Fat Manager waved his hand. "Fine. Knowing too much won't do me any good anyway. I'll agree to this. But let me give you a friendly warning: after spending all this effort, you may still end up scooping water with a bamboo basket, unable to catch even a shadow."

Feeling trouble looming over him, Fat Manager could not help adding:

"If you ask me, you should put your mind toward finding a Dao companion, having a child. Even if you can't find it, your child can keep looking in the future. At least you won't die alone and miserable. While you're not too old yet, hurry and find a Dao companion. Just find one, so that later you won't..."

"The tea has gone cold. I'm leaving."

Instructor Yan rose to his feet, flicked his sleeve, and left, no longer paying any heed to the chattering Fat Manager behind him.