Inspiration

Origin of Array Formations could only be read at Mr. Zhuang's place and could not be taken outside.

For the next several days, Mo Hua arrived early at Mr. Zhuang's Zuowang Abode, found a quiet, comfortable spot, and read by himself.

Whenever he had questions, he silently noted them down. Once Mr. Zhuang had finished his nap, he would go ask for guidance. Mr. Zhuang answered every question, often resolving Mo Hua's doubts in just a few words, which filled Mo Hua with admiration.

In only a few days, Mo Hua's knowledge of array formations had grown considerably.

Mo Shan and Liu Ruhua wanted to visit and offer their thanks, but Mr. Zhuang declined. He said that he preferred peace and quiet and did not associate with others. He appreciated their goodwill, but there was no need for them to visit.

Though he said so, Mo Shan and Liu Ruhua still felt uneasy at having offered nothing in return.

Mo Shan went up the mountain and slaughtered a wild buffalo on the spot. After Liu Ruhua marinated the meat and stewed it until it was richly flavored, she made all kinds of pastries as well. She had Mo Hua bring them all to Mr. Zhuang, reminding him:

"Since Mr. Zhuang likes peace and quiet, we won't disturb him. But we still have to send some small gifts. He probably doesn't lack things like Spirit Stones. These foods may not be valuable, but they are at least a token of our feelings. Hua'er, give them to Mr. Zhuang, and I hope he won't find them beneath his notice."

"Mm-hm." Mo Hua nodded in agreement.

When Mo Hua delivered the food box to Mr. Zhuang, he felt somewhat uneasy.

Judging by Mr. Zhuang's bearing, he had likely eaten every delicacy under heaven. He might not necessarily like the ordinary food Rogue Cultivators ate.

Yet when Mr. Zhuang received the food box, he seemed quite intrigued. He sampled a few slices of beef and nodded slightly.

Though it came from a low-grade wild monster and contained no spiritual energy, the cooking method was unique. The fragrance of the wild beef mingled with pungent spices, carrying a rustic wildness he had never experienced before.

It was Mr. Zhuang's first time tasting beef prepared this way. He could not help eating several more slices, even saving some to drink with later.

Mo Hua also brought some pastries to Old Kui. Old Kui was somewhat surprised when he received them, but he did not stand on ceremony with Mo Hua. He took a few bites, neither saying they were good nor bad.

Seeing that both of them had accepted the gifts and personally tasted them without showing any dissatisfaction, Mo Hua was relieved.

Liu Ruhua was happy as well. Whenever she had time, she made more varieties of dishes and had Mo Hua bring them to Mr. Zhuang and Old Kui.

There were many kinds of monsters in the mountains, each with its own flavor. Liu Ruhua was usually busy with the eatery, but in her spare time she devoted herself to studying cooking. Using the meat Mo Shan obtained from monster hunting, she tried all kinds of preparations. Different meats paired with different seasonings and stewing methods produced different flavors.

Some tasted excellent, while others were not so easy to accept. Liu Ruhua would pick out the better-tasting ones and have Mo Hua bring them to Mr. Zhuang to try.

Old Kui, meanwhile, loved pastries. From Mo Hua's observations, Old Kui favored crisp pastries and especially liked eating them while playing chess. So Liu Ruhua made some crisp fruit pastries and had Mo Hua bring them to Old Kui every few days.

Over time, Mr. Zhuang grew accustomed to them and no longer cared much for the meals Old Kui made.

One day, Mo Hua again brought braised meat and pastries to Mr. Zhuang and Old Kui. After reading for the day and asking several questions, he took his leave and went home.

It was already late. Mr. Zhuang sat by the pond, watching the evening clouds at the horizon while eating beef and sipping wine, looking thoroughly at ease.

Old Kui sat nearby, eating pastries while playing chess against himself. After a while, he looked up at Mr. Zhuang and said:

"Your Qi Sea is shattered. You may eat other things, but don't indulge too much. And don't neglect the medicinal meals I make."

Mr. Zhuang looked utterly unconcerned. "A broken mirror cannot be made whole; spilled water cannot be gathered back. My Qi Sea is already shattered. Nothing I eat will help, so I might as well eat something that makes me happy."

Old Kui could not be bothered to manage him. After a moment, he suddenly asked, "Is it really that good?"

Mr. Zhuang picked up another piece of meat with his chopsticks and placed it in his mouth, savoring it carefully. "The flavor is quite special."

Old Kui frowned. "What delicacy haven't you eaten in your life? Why are you suddenly becoming such a glutton?"

"Indeed."

An interested expression appeared on Mr. Zhuang's face, though his eyes concealed the coldness of worldly affairs.

"I've grown tired of delicacies from mountains and seas. These things may be simple now, but the sentiments within them are simple too, and that is why they are the rarest."

"Oh." Old Kui seemed not to hear him. He remained focused on his game, picking up a crisp fruit pastry and putting it into his mouth.

Mr. Zhuang looked at him and suddenly asked, "You can't taste the flavor anyway, so why are you eating these?"

Old Kui stared intently at the chessboard. Only after a moment did he answer, "I chew them to hear the crunch."

With that, he picked up a crisp pastry and began chewing it loudly. Crunch, crunch.

Half a month later, Mo Hua had nearly finished reading Origin of Array Formations, and Mr. Zhuang began teaching him array theory.

The array theory Mr. Zhuang taught was broader and more obscure than what Instructor Yan had taught. It was filled with array formation terminology Mo Hua had never heard before, and he learned very slowly.

Mr. Zhuang was also content to let things take their course. Whether Mo Hua learned quickly or slowly, well or poorly, he never said an extra word.

But perhaps he had eaten too much beef and felt somewhat uneasy about it, so he asked Mo Hua:

"What kind of Array Master do you wish to become?"

Mo Hua wanted to say that he first wished to become a First-Grade Array Master, but that goal might seem too paltry in Mr. Zhuang's eyes. Besides, he had no idea what kinds of Array Masters there were. So he honestly said:

"This disciple does not know what kind of Array Master he can become."

Mr. Zhuang pondered for a moment. "Your spiritual roots are not particularly exceptional. Even if you lacked neither Spirit Stones nor cultivation methods, reaching the Golden Core stage would not be easy. Cultivation determines an Array Master's upper limit. No matter how high your comprehension, without sufficient cultivation, you cannot touch upon deeper array formations..."

"As for comprehension, yours is actually quite good. But it is a pity that you began too late, and your understanding of all kinds of array theories lacks a foundation. The children of aristocratic clans are steeped in these teachings from childhood. Some profound knowledge of array formations is already familiar to them from a young age. What you lack is precisely this accumulation. Even if you begin learning from scratch now, you will still be much slower."

"When I taught disciples before, I always began with array theory. I had them memorize the countless schools and theories of array formations in the cultivation world, laying down a foundation so that they could better draw connections and master them in the future, going farther along the path of array formations."

Mr. Zhuang looked at Mo Hua. There was a trace of apology in his expression, but he still spoke bluntly. "But you may not be able to go far at all. A Third-Grade Array Master may already be your limit. So teaching you according to my previous methods would only waste time and bring you no benefit."

Mo Hua's expression dimmed, and he felt somewhat disappointed.

But when he thought about it again, let alone becoming a Third-Grade Array Master—even becoming a Second-Grade Array Master would be enough to make him secretly rejoice. After all, throughout Immortal City, even First-Grade Array Masters could be counted on one's fingers.

He had nearly become inflated just because of Mr. Zhuang...

Mo Hua thought for a moment, then said solemnly, "All things between heaven and earth have their ordained fate. This disciple need only devote himself wholeheartedly to learning array formations. Whatever level I can reach is whatever level I can reach. If I dwell too much on gains and losses, I will instead lose my original heart. I ask only that you do not begrudge your guidance, Mr. Zhuang."

Mr. Zhuang looked mildly surprised. He silently regarded Mo Hua, then smiled faintly.

"What you say is right. Man proposes, Heaven disposes; one must not let anxious concern over gain and loss wear away the heart. Since that is so, tomorrow I shall teach you differently."