Chapter 177

After mapping out the construction array for the Alchemy Tool Workshop, Mo Hua inspected it himself and felt no major issues.

All basic functions were present; since each was still a standalone array, their interconnections were minimal, so drawing them wouldn't pose any problems.

But Mo Hua still felt a lingering unease.

The construction of the Alchemy Tool Workshop was of great importance, affecting the cultivation and daily lives of cultivators for ten, even dozens of years to come—no oversight could be allowed.

Since he wasn't certain, it would be better to consult Mr. Zhuang.

Mo Hua went to Zuowang Garden and showed Mr. Zhuang his architectural array blueprint.

Mr. Zhuang glanced at the densely packed array diagrams, his eyelid twitching—but seeing only simple arrangements of single and compound arrays, each independent, he finally exhaled.

"Master, is there something wrong?" Mo Hua asked.

Mr. Zhuang gave a slight shake of his head. "It's fine."

"Can it be used?"

"Sufficient," Mr. Zhuang said, then pulled out several diagrams and handed them to Mo Hua. "These are also simple architectural array blueprints—you can use them for reference."

Mo Hua took them and immediately flipped through them.

The arrays on the architectural blueprints matched his expectations: mostly earth and wood arrays, single arrays ranging from five to nine array lines, some first-rank compound arrays—but none were especially difficult, all within Mo Hua's grasp.

Yet although these architectural arrays were primarily earth and wood, they incorporated other elemental arrays, with many subtle differences.

For instance: how to use metal arrays to solidify soil and stone, how to use water arrays to nourish earth and wood, how to use fire arrays to ensure heating and lighting.

The frameworks looked similar, but the details held much to ponder.

As Mo Hua studied them, he became absorbed—only snapping back to reality when he noticed Mr. Zhuang had reclined in his chair, eyes closed, leisurely resting.

Mo Hua sheepishly scratched his head.

Mr. Zhuang opened his eyes and smiled. "How's the reading going?"

Mo Hua thought a moment. "These diagrams you gave me look simple, but the arrays interact through generation, restraint, and opposition—there's far more depth than I initially realized. I haven't fully grasped it yet."

Mr. Zhuang nodded. "Good. When any cultivation discipline involves many arrays, planning, coordination, and the relationships of generation, restraint, and repulsion require careful thought… You've already noticed these subtleties on your first try—that's impressive."

Mo Hua smiled happily, then frowned slightly and asked:

"Master, although these architectural arrays emphasize coordination and elemental interactions, they remain independent. If I linked them together, wouldn't the overall effect be stronger?"

Mr. Zhuang gave a knowing smile. "How would you link them?"

Mo Hua frowned, thinking hard. "... Use an array pivot?"

"And if you link them with an array pivot, what do you get?" Mr. Zhuang asked again.

Mo Hua imagined it: linking single arrays forms a compound array—linking so many single arrays together would be like…

"A large compound array?"

Mo Hua glanced at Mr. Zhuang.

"Say it more simply," Mr. Zhuang said, his gaze profound. "A large compound array is called a 'Great Array.'"

Great Array!

Mo Hua's heart leapt.

The very Great Array that countless array masters dreamt of, yearned to draw?

The most vast, the most intricate in array lines, the most powerful type of array in the cultivation world?

Mo Hua couldn't help asking: "Can I draw one?"

Mr. Zhuang extended his long, pale fingers and gently tapped Mo Hua's head.

"Don't reach too high. You haven't even mastered compound arrays—don't be thinking about Great Arrays yet."

Mo Hua rubbed his head and chuckled. "Yes, Master."

Still, he couldn't let it go and whispered: "Master, what makes Great Arrays so difficult?"

Mr. Zhuang shook his head slightly, a touch exasperated. "The array pivot."

"The array pivot?"

Mr. Zhuang asked: "Is the array pivot of a compound array hard?"

Mo Hua nodded. "Very hard."

Mr. Zhuang said coolly: "A compound array links only a few single arrays, yet its pivot is already difficult to master. A Great Array's pivot connects hundreds, even thousands of single arrays."

Mo Hua froze. Hundreds? Thousands?

Even all the spiritual sense in his dantian wouldn't be enough.

Even if he drained every last bit of spiritual sense, crushed his dantian into dust—he still couldn't squeeze out that much…

Mr. Zhuang said: "That's why a first-rank Great Array has never been drawn by a first-rank array master. Usually, only second-rank array masters can learn and serve as chief array master for a first-rank Great Array."

"Chief array master?" Mo Hua asked, puzzled.

Mr. Zhuang explained: "The array master who plans a first-rank Great Array and personally draws its pivot is called the chief array master."

"Why not draw it all yourself? Why divide roles?"

Mr. Zhuang smiled. "Great Arrays are enormous, their array lines overwhelming. If you tried to draw it alone, you'd die of exhaustion. So a Great Array is typically planned by one chief array master, who personally draws the pivot; other array masters then follow his blueprint to inscribe the individual arrays onto the pivot structure."

"Ohhh." Mo Hua understood.

One fence needs three stakes; one hero needs three helpers.

A Great Array is so vast—it simply cannot be drawn by one person. It requires many array masters working in concert to complete it.

Such a massive, intricate undertaking must be a matter of great importance—vital to a clan, a sect, even an entire city or continent.

No wonder so many array masters pursue Great Arrays as their lifelong goal.

Then Mo Hua thought of the most critical question: "Building a Great Array must cost a lot of Spirit Stones…"

Mr. Zhuang paused, then said: "Though called a Great Array, their scale varies. Smaller ones don't require too much."

Mo Hua asked timidly: "How many Spirit Stones does a smaller one need…?"

Mr. Zhuang wore an intrigued expression and smiled:

"You dug up a spirit mine, didn't you? Use all the spirit stones there, and you might just build a small great array—provided the array master, craftsman, and artifact master work for free, and you don't count the spirit stones needed to activate the array."

Mo Hua stared, dumbfounded.

A complete spirit mine, so many spirit stones—and it's barely enough for a small great array.

If you include labor costs and the spirit stones to activate the array, it's still far from enough…

An array master capable of planning and leading a Grade-One great array is usually a Grade-Two array master himself; such a person isn't easily persuaded to come.

Thinking of all those spirit stones, Mo Hua couldn't help but draw in a sharp breath.

How deep must one's wealth be to build a Grade-One great array? No wonder not a single great array has ever been seen in Xiancheng.

Mo Hua gave up. Even if he could draw great arrays, he didn't have nearly enough spirit stones to fund one.

Still, Mo Hua asked curiously: "Can't a Grade-One array master serve as the lead master of a Grade-One great array?"

"Generally speaking, no."

"What about exceptions?"

Mr. Zhuang looked at Mo Hua, his gaze sharpening slightly, then spoke slowly:

"For an exception, you simply need to break through the limits of your spiritual sense."