Astonishment

The next day, Mr. Zhuang changed his teaching method. He taught Mo Hua only Array Theory within the Qi Refining realm, pairing it with various Array Techniques so that Mo Hua could learn step by step.

This method resembled Instructor Yan's approach, but Mr. Zhuang's realm was clearly far higher. His perspective was broader, his details more complete, and his structure clearer.

Mo Hua secretly felt it was a pity for Instructor Yan. If not for the limits of his realm, Instructor Yan might have been far more than an ordinary instructor. At the very least, in terms of Array Technique inheritance and educational philosophy, Instructor Yan shared much in common with Mr. Zhuang, whose attainments in Array Techniques were profound.

The obscure Array Theory Mr. Zhuang had taught before gave Mo Hua headaches.

Some of those theories were things Mo Hua had never encountered, leaving him utterly at a loss. He could only memorize them by rote. Yet no matter how good his memory was, he could not retain such abstract and hollow doctrines. He would remember the latter parts only to forget the earlier ones; when he went back to review the earlier content, he would forget what came later. Thus, his progress was slow.

These things that Mo Hua found so difficult to learn were treated by the great clans as the foundation of Array Technique study. No wonder those Great Clans had been able to stand tall in the cultivation world for tens of thousands of years and never...

Ordinary Rogue Cultivators and aristocratic clans differed far too greatly in foundation and inheritance. As a result, Array Masters among ordinary Rogue Cultivators had practically vanished in a break in succession.

Mo Hua sighed. There was no point comparing himself to others; he could only do his best to become better. After warning himself thus, Mo Hua calmed his heart and began learning Array Techniques according to Mr. Zhuang's method.

Now that he was starting from the Qi Refining realm, focusing primarily on drawing arrays and supplementing that with Array Theory, Mo Hua learned much faster.

This was because Mo Hua had drawn a vast number of Array Techniques day and night. At night, he drew on the Dao Stele; during the day, he drew on paper. Whenever he had nothing to do, he would even snap off a blade of grass and draw on the ground.

In terms of sheer practice volume, even some Array Masters at the late Qi Refining stage might not have drawn more arrays than Mo Hua.

Thus, after Mr. Zhuang changed his teaching method, Mo Hua learned quickly. Once he had finished the theory and Mr. Zhuang had him draw Array Techniques with his own hands, his progress became even faster.

Mr. Zhuang first had Mo Hua relearn several Array Techniques containing five Array Patterns, including some Five Elements Array Techniques Mo Hua had never seen before. Old Kui even helped Mo Hua prepare the Array Diagrams, brushes, ink, and everything else.

Mo Hua studied with ravenous hunger and drew with unwavering persistence.

During the day, he drew Array Techniques at Mr. Zhuang's Qingxian Residence. At night, when he entered dreams, he continued practicing on the Dao Stele in his Sea of Consciousness. Array Techniques with five Array Patterns were not particularly difficult for Mo Hua. Usually, after familiarizing himself with one for a few days, he could learn it.

After that came the Water-Fixing Array with six Array Patterns. Previously, Mo Hua had been limited by his Divine Consciousness and had been unable to draw the complete Array Technique. Now, after more than half a month of daily practice, his Divine Consciousness had grown considerably. Though it was somewhat strenuous, he could still fully draw the Water-Fixing Array containing six Array Patterns.

After completing the Water-Fixing Array, Mr. Zhuang taught him several new Array Techniques, such as the Thousand-Jun Array, Quicksand Formation, and Small Cloud-Rain Array. With his Divine Consciousness to support him, coupled with day-and-night practice, Mo Hua mastered them all within half a month.

Mr. Zhuang was quite satisfied, both with Mo Hua's progress and with his temperament.

Not every child Mo Hua's age possessed the focus to sit day after day and painstakingly study Array Techniques.

Yet in private, Mr. Zhuang still felt a trace of regret. He said to Old Kui, "This child Mo Hua's comprehension is even better than I had imagined. It is only a pity that he was born a Rogue Cultivator, lacking Array Technique inheritance, with a foundation far poorer than it should be. Otherwise, he might not necessarily be much inferior to those favored sons of heaven from the great clans..."

"What is so good about favored sons of heaven?"

Mr. Zhuang fell silent for a moment.

Old Kui silently watched Mr. Zhuang. His voice was flat and indifferent, yet carried an indescribable mockery. "Weren't you a favored son of heaven back then? Of the disciples you took in before, which one was not a favored son of heaven? And what became of them? How far have you fallen now? Do I need to spell it out for you...?"

Mr. Zhuang sighed and said irritably, "If I die young, it will certainly be because you angered me to death!"

Old Kui remained unmoved. "Life and death are decreed by fate. The fact that you can say such a thing shows that your understanding of the Heavenly Dao has not even entered the gate."

Mr. Zhuang simply lay back in his reclining chair and said meaningfully, "Heaven and earth are heartless, treating all things as straw dogs. If a person could truly understand the Heavenly Dao, could he still be considered human?"

Old Kui continued playing chess alone, sitting upright and motionless like withered wood.

Mr. Zhuang taught relatively many Array Techniques containing six Array Patterns, because six Array Patterns were already fairly complete and involved the rudiments of many basic Array Techniques. They therefore required extensive study and comprehension.

Once Mo Hua had finished learning the Array Techniques with six Array Patterns, Mr. Zhuang was preparing to teach him Array Techniques with seven Array Patterns when he discovered something that surprised him greatly: Mo Hua's Divine Consciousness was growing a little too quickly.

When Mr. Zhuang first met Mo Hua, Mo Hua's Divine Consciousness had not been enough to draw six Array Patterns. Now, a month later, Mo Hua's Divine Consciousness could not only support him in drawing a complete Array Technique containing six Array Patterns—even with seven-pattern Array Techniques, he could draw six and a half Array Patterns.

In one month, Mo Hua's Lingli had improved only slightly, but his Divine Consciousness had grown rapidly.

Mr. Zhuang frowned slightly, feeling that something was amiss.

That day, as Mo Hua studied an Array Technique containing seven Array Patterns, Mr. Zhuang suddenly asked, "Mo Hua, do you know of the Visualization Method?"

Mo Hua looked utterly bewildered. "This disciple has never heard of it."

"I see." Mr. Zhuang tapped a finger against the table, pondered for a moment, then asked, "Then have you ever seen strange images or patterns that make one's Divine Consciousness involuntarily sink into them at a single glance?"

Mo Hua thought for a moment, then shook his head.

The strangest thing he had ever seen was the Dao Stele in his mind. But there were no images or obvious patterns on that Dao Stele, nor would staring at it for a long time cause him to lose himself in it.

Mr. Zhuang was silent for a moment, then said, "Your Divine Consciousness has grown faster than other people's. You should have noticed that, right?"

Mo Hua nodded. "This disciple draws Array Techniques during the day, and even practices Array Techniques in dreams at night. Moreover, drawing Array Techniques in dreams at night does not consume Divine Consciousness. By doing this day and night, Divine Consciousness gradually grows stronger."

He did not mention the Dao Stele, but everything else was true.

Mo Hua did not actually know whether the growth of his Divine Consciousness was due to the Dao Stele or simply because he kept drawing Array Techniques without stop.

So Mo Hua asked, "Sir, does that mean Divine Consciousness can grow stronger as long as one keeps drawing Array Techniques?"

Mr. Zhuang was stumped.

Drawing Array Techniques continuously consumed Divine Consciousness, while also constantly tempering the Sea of Consciousness. Over time, Divine Consciousness would naturally grow stronger.

But according to the usual practices of the cultivation world, cultivators always found ways to improve their Divine Consciousness first, then went on to study Array Techniques.

This was because relying on drawing Array Techniques to strengthen Divine Consciousness was an exceedingly slow process. Moreover, it could easily exhaust one's Divine Consciousness and damage the Sea of Consciousness, causing irreparable consequences.

Thus, few cultivators considered using this most simple, slow, and highly dangerous method of drawing Array Techniques to strengthen their Divine Consciousness.

Mr. Zhuang felt that things were not so simple. He looked at Mo Hua with some suspicion, but when his eyes met Mo Hua's gaze, he found those clear eyes unusually earnest and frank.

Mr. Zhuang had taught many disciples. He had seen admiring gazes, fearful ones, and eyes brimming with schemes, but never one so frank. He immediately laughed. "Very well."

"Do you know the Meditation Technique?" Mr. Zhuang asked again.

Mo Hua still shook his head.

"The Meditation Technique allows cultivators to enter a meditative state for a short time through meditation, restoring their Divine Consciousness more quickly. This is not something a cultivator at your level should be learning, but you're somewhat special, so you can learn it now."

Mo Hua did not know what Mr. Zhuang meant by "special," but he was happy to have something new to learn nonetheless. "Thank you, sir."

"But there is one thing you must remember."

Mr. Zhuang's expression gradually turned solemn. "If anyone asks why your Divine Consciousness grows so quickly, tell them it is because of the Meditation Technique I taught you. There is no need to say anything else."

Mo Hua was somewhat confused, but he vaguely felt that Mr. Zhuang was doing this for his sake. Silently, he committed Mr. Zhuang's words to heart.

Mr. Zhuang nodded and drew a thin booklet from his sleeve. Three words were written upon its cover:

Meditation Technique.