Heart's Path

Clouds and mist drifted through the mountains. Amid the mist stood a courtyard, its bamboo gate opening onto a narrow path that wound its way to Mo Hua's feet.

Nothing about it seemed unusual.

Mo Hua stepped onto the path, and his divine sense immediately felt a ripple, as though something had been triggered.

Yet when he looked around, the mountains were still mountains, the trees still trees, the flowers and grass still flowers. Nothing had changed in the slightest.

Mo Hua stopped and looked around, but still could not make out anything unusual.

He had heard that some senior experts liked to set up Array Techniques or lay down tests to examine others. He wondered whether the gentleman on the mountain had the same habit.

Or perhaps this little path before him was already the test?

For no reason, Mo Hua felt a little nervous.

Since the man was an Array Master and there had been a fluctuation in divine sense, an Array Technique had most likely been set along this path.

But what Array Technique was it?

With Mo Hua's limited experience in Array Techniques, he had no clue at all. No matter how he looked, the surrounding scenery seemed no different.

Mo Hua pondered as he walked, but could not think of anything.

He could only remember Instructor Yan's instructions: keep his heart clear and let nature take its course, neither forcing matters nor losing heart.

Walking on like that, he soon arrived before the courtyard gate.

The courtyard's bamboo gate was simple, yet possessed a quiet charm.

Beyond the bamboo gate, his view suddenly opened up. Before him lay a beautiful courtyard, with several elegant and refined Bamboo Residences. Green grass carpeted the ground, mist curled above the pond, and Immortal Cranes drank dew. Merely looking at it made one feel refreshed and at ease.

A gaunt old man stood in the courtyard. Mo Hua hurriedly bowed. "Greetings, sir."

The old man's voice matched his appearance—hoarse and dry, like the sound of a rotting log weathering away.

"I am not Mr. Zhuang. Mr. Zhuang is inside. Follow me."

With that, he led Mo Hua into a Bamboo Residence. It was pure and elegant, with breezes flowing in from all four sides.

A middle-aged cultivator in white sat in the middle of the room. His features were extraordinarily handsome, and every movement carried an effortless grace. His glances revealed a hint of carefree freedom and unruliness, as though nothing beneath heaven and earth could weigh upon his heart.

He was the most immortal and Dao-Boned figure Mo Hua had ever seen.

When the middle-aged cultivator saw Mo Hua, he smiled amiably. "You are Mo Hua, correct? Mr. Yan told me about you. I will ask questions, and you need only answer. There is no need to be restrained—say whatever you think."

Mo Hua bowed. "Yes, sir."

The middle-aged cultivator said, "My surname is Zhuang. You may call me Mr. Zhuang."

Mo Hua bowed again. "Mr. Zhuang."

Mr. Zhuang gave a slight nod. "When you passed along that mountain path earlier, what did you see?"

Mo Hua thought for a moment. "Mountains and trees, flowers and grass, and a small path."

"And besides that?" Mr. Zhuang asked with interest. "Did you not see anything else? Perhaps some person, or some event?"

Mo Hua shook his head.

Mr. Zhuang said, "There is an Array Technique on that path. It was a gift from a fellow Daoist many years ago, called the Water-Mirror Array. The first time one walks upon it, it may reveal certain encounters in one's life, or foretell some part of one's future."

Mo Hua was shocked. There was actually an Array Technique like that? One that could reveal encounters and the future?

Then what did it mean that I saw nothing? Could it mean I have no future...?

Mo Hua felt uneasy for a moment, but recalling Instructor Yan's earlier instructions, he answered truthfully, "I did not see anything else..."

Mr. Zhuang was slightly surprised, then nodded. "I understand." He took out an Array Diagram and continued,

"There are ink and brushes here. Draw this Array Technique for me. Draw as much as you can."

Mo Hua glanced at the Array Diagram. It was the Water-Fixing Array, the same Array Technique Instructor Yan had used to test him before.

"Yes."

Mo Hua accepted the paper and brush. Referencing the Array Diagram, he began drawing the Array Technique.

An hour later, Mo Hua had exhausted his divine sense, yet he could still only draw five and a half Array Patterns.

Only a few days had passed since the last time he drew the Water-Fixing Array. His divine sense had not grown so quickly that he could already draw an Array Technique with six Array Patterns.

This time, he was only more proficient than before, and his strokes were neater as well.

Mr. Zhuang looked at the Array Technique Mo Hua had drawn, his brows lifting slightly. Then he said,

"Not bad. Would you be willing to become my registered disciple? I will not teach you the Array Techniques of my sect, but any Array Techniques commonly used in the cultivation world—I can teach you if you wish to learn."

Though he did not know why, it seemed Mo Hua had passed Mr. Zhuang's test.

Mo Hua was overjoyed. He respectfully bowed to Mr. Zhuang. "Thank you, sir. This disciple is willing!"

There were two kinds of master-disciple relationships in the cultivation world: registered disciples and personal disciples.

Personal disciples addressed their masters as "Master" and received their direct teachings. There was a saying: "A teacher for a day, a father for life." The bond between master and disciple was extremely deep.

Registered disciples were much more casual. The master taught whatever he wished; the disciple could not address him as "Master," only as "Mr." There was affection between teacher and disciple, but it was not as weighty as with a personal disciple.

Still, Mo Hua was already deeply grateful that Mr. Zhuang was willing to accept him as a registered disciple.

Mr. Zhuang nodded. "Go back today. Come tomorrow at the hour of the Dragon, and I will begin teaching you some Array Techniques."

"Yes, sir!"

Mo Hua bowed once more. This time, it was the bow of a disciple to his teacher. Then he bade Mr. Zhuang farewell and left Mr. Zhuang's courtyard with light steps.

When Mo Hua reached the foot of the mountain, he found Instructor Yan still waiting there. Upon learning that Mr. Zhuang had agreed to take Mo Hua as a student, he also breathed a sigh of relief and said approvingly,

"To earn Mr. Zhuang's regard is your good fortune. You must cherish this opportunity. Mr. Zhuang is an expert; you must show him the utmost respect."

"Yes, Instructor," Mo Hua replied.

The two walked down the mountain path for a while before Mo Hua suddenly asked curiously, "Instructor, have you been to Mr. Zhuang's courtyard? What did you see when you walked along that path?"

Instructor Yan turned his head and silently looked at Mo Hua. Only after a moment did he say,

"When I walked that path, I vaguely saw some scenes. Those fleeting scenes told me that Mr. Zhuang would be willing to take you as his disciple, and that you would become a remarkable Array Master in the future."

By the time Instructor Yan finished speaking, they had reached a fork in the road. Immortal City lay ahead.

Instructor Yan looked at Mo Hua, then suddenly said solemnly, "Mo Hua."

Mo Hua turned back. Instructor Yan paused for a moment before saying,

"Array Masters seek the Heavenly Dao. Yet the Heavenly Dao is boundless, while human lives have their limits. Only by passing Array Techniques down from generation to generation can cultivators have a chance to fathom the Heavenly Dao, and Array Techniques have a chance to benefit all living beings."

"One day, if you become a first-grade Array Master, or even one beyond the first grade, and encounter cultivators of good character and talent in Array Techniques, I hope you will not begrudge them your guidance. The Dao of Arrays is like water: only when passed onward can it flow on without end. Otherwise, it will become nothing more than a stagnant pool of dead water."

Mo Hua suddenly felt as though his shoulders had grown heavy. He bowed to Instructor Yan and said solemnly, "This disciple will remember!"

Instructor Yan looked relieved.

Mo Hua could not help asking, "Instructor, are you leaving Immortal City?"

Instructor Yan nodded. "I can no longer remain at Immortal Gate, and I have some personal matters to attend to as well. I will leave before long."

"Will I be able to see you again?"

Instructor Yan looked into Mo Hua's dark, clear eyes and smiled. "Let fate decide."

Instructor Yan reached out and patted Mo Hua's head. "Go home early, and tell your father and mother."

Mo Hua walked toward the city gate. After taking a few steps, he turned back and bowed to Instructor Yan.

Instructor Yan waved his hand and said warmly, "Go." He watched Mo Hua until his figure grew small in the distance, then finally turned and left.

At that moment, Mo Hua also turned back to look at Instructor Yan, then bowed deeply once again.

Instructor Yan's figure gradually receded, faintly vanishing amid the mist-shrouded mountains.