Chapter 167: The Earth-Wood Reassembly Array

A first-rank Earth-Wood Reassembly Array?

Mo Hua's eyes lit up, and he immediately flipped through it.

A first-rank Earth-Wood Reassembly Array consists of a first-rank Nine-Stripe Earth-Stone Array and a Five-Stripe Wood-Qi Array.

Since the strongest single array within the reassembly reaches first-rank, it is classified as a first-rank reassembly.

This Earth-Wood Reassembly Array contains only two single arrays, with no separate Spirit-Collecting Array as its core; instead, it relies on Spirit-Collecting Array Stripes within the single arrays to gather spiritual energy, so its power is somewhat weaker, yet still significantly stronger than a first-rank Earth-Stone Array.

After all, even if weak, it is still a reassembly.

Moreover, because its structure is relatively simple, it is not too difficult to learn.

If a reassembly contains three or more single arrays, it must use a Spirit-Collecting Array as its core, and its array pivot structure would be entirely different—something Mo Hua, at his current array knowledge, would find extremely taxing to master.

The two single arrays in this reassembly include a Wood-Qi Array with only five array stripes, which Mo Hua already knows, and the first-rank Earth-Stone Array, which Mo Hua had just learned.

To master this reassembly, he only needs to grasp its array pivot.

Mo Hua decided: he would practice this reassembly on the Dao Stele tonight!

At midnight, Mo Hua had memorized the array pivot of the Earth-Wood Reassembly Array, then closed his eyes and fell asleep, his spiritual sense sinking into his spiritual sea, where the Dao Stele emerged.

Mo Hua began practicing the array on the Dao Stele.

It did not start smoothly, but mastering arrays is inherently a process of repeated practice—fail once, try twice; fail twice, try thrice.

Mo Hua drew it again and again.

Yet he was only at Qi Condensation Sixth Layer; his spiritual sense could barely draw a first-rank Nine-Stripe Array, let alone a first-rank reassembly, which still strained him.

Mo Hua drew all night but still failed to master the first-rank Earth-Wood Reassembly Array.

The next day, Elder Yu stared expectantly at Mo Hua.

Though he said nothing, his eyes brimmed with anticipation.

Mo Hua thought for a moment.

To seal the cave entrance, a first-rank Earth-Stone Array should suffice, but using the Earth-Wood Reassembly Array would yield better results.

Since there was no rush in the next couple of days, Mo Hua told Elder Yu to wait a little longer.

Mo Hua practiced all day, exhausting his spiritual sense, then meditated to recover.

That night, he practiced on the Dao Stele again, and finally succeeded in drawing the first-rank Earth-Wood Reassembly Array.

Mo Hua informed Elder Yu, who was overjoyed, and immediately ordered the Hunter-Monks to begin sealing the cave.

But sealing this cave was no simple matter—such an open, direct effort would surely be noticed by the Qian Clan. If they harassed daily, the entrance could never be sealed.

Mo Hua asked Elder Yu for a solution.

Elder Yu chuckled, gave no answer, and simply told Mo Hua to watch closely.

Elder Yu began, as always, with insults.

He stood at the mine entrance, feigning furious rage, cursing the Qian Clan, cursing Qian Hong, cursing Qian Zhongxuan—his temper explosive, as if he could no longer bear his confinement.

Then Elder Yu ordered all the Hunter-Monks to charge out, their faces filled with grief and fury, displaying the resolve of warriors with no retreat, ready to die.

Qian Hong, unwilling to engage in direct combat, ordered a retreat.

At this point, in Qian Hong's eyes, these Hunter-Monks were nothing but trapped fish and lambs awaiting slaughter—not worth the cost of more lives in a desperate fight.

The Hunter-Monks were now cornered beasts; if pushed too hard, they might fight to the death, bringing mutual destruction and no gain.

The Qian Clan had already suffered heavy losses; this loss could not grow further—certainly not under his command.

So when the Hunter-Monks displayed their desperate, fight-to-the-death stance, the Qian Clan immediately withdrew.

For three consecutive days, the Hunter-Monks kept pouring out in full force, acting as if they would fight to the last breath.

Qian Hong became even more convinced that Elder Yu had exhausted all tricks, grew even more relaxed, and ordered Qian Clan cultivators to retreat far away, avoiding direct confrontation with the Hunter-Monks.

One surge of momentum, then it fades; a second, then it weakens; a third, then it is spent.

Qian Hong did not believe the Hunter-Monks could sustain their desperate fighting spirit for long.

Once their will to fight crumbled, that would be his moment to reap the benefits—so he was in no hurry.

This played perfectly into Elder Yu's hands. He silently cursed Qian Hong: "Old turtle, indeed," then ordered the cave entrance sealed.

The Hunter-Monks used mining debris to block the cave entrance, while Mo Hua painted the Earth-Wood Reassembly Array on both sides of the stone walls.

After painting, the Hunter-Monks piled another layer of debris; Mo Hua painted another Earth-Wood Reassembly Array, then another layer of debris was added, and Mo Hua painted yet another.

All other entrances were being sealed, except one at the highest point on the mountainside.

That entrance was reserved for Elder Yu's insults.

Elder Yu sat there daily, cursing: Qian Hong, cowardly turtle, lacking balls, too afraid to settle things in a fair fight.

In truth, it was to distract the Qian Clan's attention, preventing them from launching a rash attack.

The more furiously Elder Yu cursed, the more at ease Qian Hong felt.

But as time passed, Qian Hong began to sense something amiss.

He felt Elder Yu's curses lacked their former vigor, as if deliberately concealing something.

Qian Hong grew wary but dared not act rashly; instead, he dispatched a small group under cover of night to probe the mine entrance.

The moment the Qian Clan cultivators arrived at the mine entrance, they were ambushed by the Hunter-Monks.

Mo Shan, Yu Chengyi, and several Qi Condensation Ninth Layer Hunter-Monks had not been inside the mine—they had lain in wait outside, ready to strike the moment the Qian Clan cultivators came to probe.

Dressed in iron armor, wielding great blades, their spiritual energy surging, the Qian Clan cultivators were crushed instantly and fled in disarray.

Qian Hong, however, relaxed. He thought to himself:

"That old bastard Yu Chenglin—sealing the cave was a ruse, the ambush was the real plan. Good thing I anticipated this and sent only a few cultivators to test it—otherwise, I'd have suffered another heavy loss!"

Mo Shan and the others retreated back into the spirit mine through the mountainside entrance.

This ambush could only be used once, but it was meant to deceive—once was enough.

With Qian Hong now hesitant, the Hunter-Monks gained ample time to seal the cave and for Mo Hua to complete his array painting.

Qian Zhongxuan felt something was off about dragging things out, so he found Qian Hong and said:

"Yu Changlin seems to be trying to seal the cave entrance."

Qian Hong replied coolly, "I know."

Qian Zhongxuan frowned. "Are we just letting him seal it?"

Qian Hong looked unconcerned. "Sealing the entrance is a ruse—his real goal is an ambush."

"But what if he actually seals the entrance? What do we do then?" Qian Zhongxuan asked.

Qian Hong said, "It's just earth and rock. If he seals it, we break through."

"What if he digs another mining tunnel and escapes?" Qian Zhongxuan added.

"He won't get away." Qian Hong sneered. "We've dealt with Yu Changlin too long to not know his tricks. He'll only hold the entrance and dig a side tunnel to flee."

"If we break through the entrance, we trap them like fish in a barrel. If we find the side tunnel, we can ambush them mid-escape. All the spirit ore they've labored so hard to dig out will become ours."

Qian Hong's gaze turned icy as he sneered, "We kill them, seize the spirit stones, and do it without lifting a finger—two gains for one effort."

Qian Zhongxuan said aloud, "Lord of the family is wise."

But inside he cursed: You dog won't change your habit of eating shit—you always want to snatch a free advantage.

That old miser Yu Changlin would ever let you get away with it so easily?

And what about that array master among the beast hunters? He hasn't moved yet.

In a clash like this, arrays are deadly trouble—I've been burned by them before.

Qian Zhongxuan knew the danger well, but he wouldn't speak up!

He wanted to see whether Qian Hong's gamble would net him profit—or a nail in the forehead.

He'd already lost his family fortune and his standing; he might as well sit back and watch the show.

If disaster strikes, let everyone suffer—no one gets off easy!

Qian Zhongxuan thought bitterly to himself.