Teaching

Mo Hua returned to the cultivation room and sat down. A group of disciples immediately craned their necks and gathered around him again.

"Mo Hua, Mo Hua, what did Instructor ask you for?"

"Did Instructor punish you?"

Mo Hua answered truthfully, "Instructor told me to go see him every day after class."

One disciple said, "It must be because you slacked off in array techniques, so Instructor got angry and told you to practice arrays with him every day, lest your skills decline."

Others were quite sympathetic. "Then you're really miserable. You have to draw arrays under Instructor's very nose every day."

"Yeah, utterly miserable. I get so nervous just from Instructor looking at me once, let alone having him watch me draw arrays..."

Mo Hua sighed as well.

Seeing this, the disciples all began comforting Mo Hua.

Mo Hua had not sighed because he would have to draw arrays under Instructor's watchful eye. It was because if he went to Instructor every day, he would have little time left to draw arrays for the Array Pavilion and earn Spirit Stones.

Still, since Instructor had asked whether Mo Hua wanted to become an Array Master, he would surely give Mo Hua some guidance. Looked at that way, it was a good thing.

After class the next day, Mo Hua arrived on time at Instructor Yan's residence on Clear-Connecting Peak.

Instructor Yan came straight to the point and placed a copy of Introduction to Array Theory before Mo Hua.

"If you wish to travel far on the path of array techniques, your foundation must be solid. This foundation includes not only mastery of basic array patterns, proficiency with the brush, and a firm spiritual sense, but also the theoretical scholarship of array research in the cultivation world."

"So-called Formation Canon is the collected insights and theoretical summaries of countless great array masters regarding the myriad arrays of the cultivation world. What it seeks is the unchanging truth within endlessly changing arrays."

"Some cultivators draw arrays quite well, yet know nothing at all of theory. Once they reach the deeper levels, they find themselves lost in a sea of fog, unable to advance another inch on the path of array techniques."

"I am still one step away from becoming a First-Grade Array Master, and much of the sect's inheritance has been scattered and lost. I cannot teach you overly profound array theory, and naturally cannot compare with the instruction offered by the Great Clans and great sects. But for your current level in array techniques, it should be enough."

Mo Hua straightened his back, his expression growing even more respectful. "Please instruct me, Instructor."

Instructor Yan nodded and opened Introduction to Array Theory.

"This introductory volume records several basic principles of arrays, such as heaven being round and earth square, the positions of the Eight Trigrams, the generation and restraint of the Five Elements, as well as the composition of single arrays, compound arrays, and grand arrays..."

"Arrays are manifestations of the laws of heaven and earth. Their round exterior and square interior symbolize heaven's roundness and earth's squareness. The arrangement of different array patterns follows the principles of the Eight Trigrams, array patterns of differing attributes generate and restrain one another, an individual array is a single array, multiple single arrays combined together form a compound array, and a grand array is formed by linking together vast numbers of single arrays and compound arrays..."

"Grand arrays possess immense power. The protective grand arrays commonly spoken of are this kind of array. A grand array contains hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of arrays, created through the collaboration of dozens or hundreds of Array Masters. Only Array Masters of extremely high attainment can serve as the Master Array Master, directing the design and inscription of a grand array..."

"To become a Master Array Master and design and construct a grand array is the lifelong hope of many Array Masters."

Instructor Yan grew somewhat wistful as he spoke, then changed the subject. "But that is too far away. Even becoming an ordinary First-Grade Array Master is already no easy task."

Mo Hua listened with yearning. Even a single array was already so mysterious. What kind of sight would it be when a grand array containing ten thousand arrays was activated?

Instructor Yan hesitated for a moment, then solemnly handed Introduction to Array Methods to Mo Hua.

"Take this introductory text on array methods first and study it carefully. Remember, you must not pass it on to others, nor may you tell anyone else about it."

Afterward, Instructor Yan explained some basic theories of array techniques, then sent Mo Hua back.

When Mo Hua returned to the Disciple Quarters, he held the thin volume of Introduction to Theory in his hand, yet it felt incomparably heavy. For the first time, he realized the importance of cultivation inheritances. Without anyone to teach him, these things alone would have taken him a lifetime to figure out.

He was merely an ordinary disciple, yet Instructor Yan was willing to put so much care into teaching him. Mo Hua felt ever more grateful.

Mo Hua calmed his mind and read through Introduction to Theory word by word. Whenever he encountered something he did not understand, he noted it down, intending to ask Instructor about it the next day.

Before sleeping, Mo Hua took out Metal-Stone Formation Diagram again. He memorized the array patterns within, then closed his eyes and entered his Sea of Consciousness, where he practiced the Metal-Stone Formation on the stone stele.

The Metal-Stone Formation had only four array patterns, so it was not overly difficult, but he needed time to familiarize himself with the patterns and practice them.

Thanks to Introduction to Array Methods, Mo Hua found that his thoughts had become much clearer when drawing the Metal-Stone Formation Diagram.

Why were the four array patterns positioned slightly westward? Because the west belonged to metal, which suited the attribute of the Metal-Stone Formation Diagram. The specific method of drawing it also contained many considerations related to the trigrams.

Before, Mo Hua had only known to draw according to the array diagram, without understanding why it had to be drawn that way. Now, he had gained a somewhat deeper understanding.

The next day, Mo Hua went to Clear-Connecting Peak.

Instructor Yan selected several questions from Formation Theory and asked Mo Hua about them. Mo Hua answered each one. Once he confirmed that Mo Hua had seriously finished reading Formation Canon, Instructor Yan could not help nodding.

Afterward, Mo Hua raised several questions he had noted down and sought Instructor Yan's guidance. Instructor Yan answered them one by one, his expression clearly growing more relieved.

When Mo Hua went again on the third day, Instructor Yan used specific arrays as examples, analyzing them for Mo Hua and helping him understand some fundamental theories of array techniques.

Instructor Yan began with several arrays containing one array pattern, including the Bright Fire Formation that Mo Hua had drawn before, along with several arrays Mo Hua had never learned. He then moved on to arrays containing two array patterns, all of which Mo Hua had never seen before. Mo Hua listened with great focus.

Among the arrays with four array patterns, Instructor first spoke of the Earth Solidification Formation. Mo Hua had asked Instructor about it before, and although he had already become fairly proficient at drawing it, only now, listening to Instructor's explanation, did he realize that he had previously known only that it was so, not why it was so. His understanding of arrays had been far lacking.

After explaining the Earth Solidification Formation, Instructor Yan mentioned the Metal-Stone Formation.

"The Metal-Stone Formation serves a purpose similar to the Earth Solidification Formation. Among the Five Elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, earth generates metal. Thus, when cultivators build Cave Abodes and residences, they use the Earth Solidification Formation to stabilize the foundation, while also using the Metal-Stone Formation to reinforce the structures. Because earth generates metal, the effects of the arrays are better. These two arrays can be understood by comparing them with each other..."

Mo Hua suddenly saw the light.

Instructor Yan explained for an hour, then assigned several tasks, telling Mo Hua to find examples of array generation and restraint on his own before sending him back.

After returning to the Disciple Quarters, Mo Hua thought it over and found it increasingly strange.

Quite a few of the arrays in Instructor Yan's examples were arrays Mo Hua had drawn for the Array Pavilion.

There was no need to mention the Bright Fire Formation and Earth Solidification Formation. Fat Manager had asked him to draw the Metal-Stone Formation. Today, Instructor had even specifically explained the Metal-Stone Formation Diagram to him. Though it had been to illustrate the relationship of generation and restraint among the Five Elements, it was still too much of a coincidence.

"Could Instructor and Fat Manager have some connection? Could it be that Instructor already knows the arrays at Fate Pavilion were all drawn by me?"

Mo Hua secretly pondered this in his heart.