Chapter 227

Mo Hua was utterly stunned.

Only by becoming a Foundation Establishment cultivator can one possess Foundation Establishment spiritual sense, yet he must possess Foundation Establishment spiritual sense to become a Foundation Establishment cultivator…

It is commonly said that those who swim well drown, and those who ride well fall.

His strong spiritual sense, once an advantage, had now become an obstacle.

Mo Hua silently counted the ways to strengthen it:

First, his current realm is Qi Refinement Seventh Layer; advancing to Qi Refinement Eighth and Ninth Layers would both increase his spiritual sense.

Second, he could practice arrays on the Dao Stele.

Normally drawing arrays trains spiritual sense, causing gradual growth—that's why array masters have stronger spiritual sense than ordinary cultivators.

But drawing arrays on the Dao Stele brings clarity of mind, and faintly, a sense of awakening, making spiritual sense grow more noticeably.

Beyond this, Mo Hua could think of no other way to strengthen his spiritual sense.

Mo Hua could not help asking, "Mr., is it truly possible for me to possess Foundation Establishment spiritual sense before reaching Foundation Establishment?"

"How can you know unless you try?"

Mr. Zhuang's gaze flickered slightly. "With your current rate of spiritual sense growth, it's not impossible."

Mo Hua nodded, but still felt uncertain. "Mr., are there other ways to strengthen spiritual sense?"

Mo Hua thought for a moment, eyes brightening. "Like the visualization charts you mentioned."

"Visualization charts…?" Mr. Zhuang paused thoughtfully, his gaze sharpening. "Visualization charts are exceedingly rare, and conceal great danger. Do not touch them unless absolutely necessary, and never rely on them."

Mo Hua's heart tightened.

Mr. Zhuang added, "There are no other good methods—only through drawing arrays, learning and practicing more. But the things you practice can differ."

Mr. Zhuang pulled from his robe a booklet and an ancient array diagram. "This is 'Collection of Array Disassembly,' and a special array."

Mo Hua glanced at Mr. Zhuang. "Mr., did you already prepare these?"

Otherwise, how could you pull them out right after saying so…

Mr. Zhuang looked at Mo Hua helplessly—this child was too sharp.

"Plan ahead, and you succeed; fail to plan, and you fail. Studying and teaching are no different," Mr. Zhuang instructed.

Mo Hua nodded in agreement—hunting demons was the same; thorough preparation allowed one to act with composure in any situation.

Mr. Zhuang pointed to the 'Collection of Array Disassembly.' "This is a disassembly manual—it records complex principles, harder than the one I gave you before. Take it home, study carefully, and practice disassembling arrays."

"Drawing arrays trains spiritual sense; disassembling them does too—and even better."

Mo Hua turned to the other array. "What about this one?"

"This array is also for training your spiritual sense."

Mo Hua glanced at the array and asked doubtfully, "This array seems incomplete?"

Mr. Zhuang nodded. "Incomplete is enough—the complete one is beyond your ability to draw."

"Beyond my ability?" Mo Hua studied it again, startled. "Mr., is this a Rank One array? Why does it have nine and a half array lines?"

Isn't it said that a single Rank One array can contain at most nine array lines?

Mr. Zhuang's gaze darkened slightly, his expression solemn:

"Do you remember what I told you? The Dao Court's rankings follow their own rules, but the Dao itself operates with anomalies, beyond human definitions."

"Nine lines are Rank One, ten lines are Rank Two—but a Rank One array with ten lines? That is an anomaly of the Dao!"

"This Reverse Spirit array contains ten Rank One array lines—it is an anomaly of the Dao, outside the Dao Court's established transmission norms."

Mo Hua was deeply shocked—he had never encountered such profound array lore before.

Mo Hua's expression turned serious, his gaze solemn, and with reverence, he studied the Reverse Spirit array diagram once more.

The parchment was ancient, the array lines obscure, the array core obscure—just one glance filled him with ineffable mystery.

As Mr. Zhuang had said, it radiated the sense of Daoic anomalies.

And the diagram was missing a corner, adding to its deep, weighty origins.

Mo Hua asked cautiously, "Is this diagram incomplete because it was damaged during transmission?"

"No," Mr. Zhuang said casually. "I tore it just now."

"Ah…" Mo Hua's thoughts scattered.

"The complete Reverse Spirit array is too difficult—you can't learn it. So I tore off a corner, leaving nine and a half lines, to make it easier for you."

Mo Hua was at a loss for words.

He didn't know whether to call Mr. Zhuang thoughtful—or whether to say Mr. Zhuang always acted unpredictably.

"A Rank One array with ten lines should be extremely precious—how could you just tear it up…?" Mo Hua whispered.

"Ordinary cultivators can't learn it anyway. Keeping it would just let it gather dust at the bottom of a chest," Mr. Zhuang said. "Study well. If you master these nine and a half lines, I'll give you the complete one."

"Yes, Mr.!"

Then Mo Hua remembered—"Reverse Spirit Array" sounded familiar. After a moment's thought, his eyes lit up. "Is the Reverse Spirit Array used to dismantle array cores?"

Array cores are usually Spirit Gathering arrays; to dismantle them, you need the Reverse Spirit Array.

But Mo Hua had browsed through many array books and found no record of the Reverse Spirit Array.

It was only said that the Reverse Spirit Array was a high-level array line, passed down internally among elite families skilled in arrays, rarely shared outside.

Now Mo Hua understood—Rank One with ten lines, anomaly of the Dao, elite family transmission—no wonder ordinary array books didn't record it.

Mr. Zhuang nodded. "So these two things are actually one thing—array disassembly."

"Train spiritual sense through disassembly: one, learn to disassemble array lines; two, learn the Reverse Spirit Array to dismantle array cores. Different paths, same destination."

Mo Hua suddenly understood, inwardly marveling—no wonder Mr. Zhuang thought so far ahead.

From now on, he need only focus on practicing disassembly and refining his spiritual sense.

Next, he only needed to focus on practicing dismantling arrays and honing his spiritual awareness.

As long as one's spiritual sense is strong enough, Foundation Establishment becomes possible.

"By the way, Mr.," Mo Hua asked, still puzzled, "besides 'intellectual amusement' and training the spiritual sense, does solving arrays have any other practical uses?"

Mo Hua followed the principle of "applying what one learns," believing that whatever he studied should ideally be useful—otherwise, what was the point?

Mr. Zhuang's gaze turned wry. "Solving arrays is naturally for dismantling arrays."

"But isn't it possible to break an array with brute force or spiritual energy? What advantage does solving it offer?"

"Breaking an array is too crude and creates too much disturbance."

Mr. Zhuang sneered slightly, then added, "Solving an array is far more refined—its methods are extremely subtle. No one notices, no one suspects. You dismantle someone else's array, and they may never realize it's gone."

Mo Hua nodded, beginning to understand.

"There's another point," Mr. Zhuang continued, "solving an array doesn't just dismantle the array—it can shatter a person's Dao heart."

"Dao heart?"

"When you dismantle an array, line by line, stroke by stroke, the very array the other array master prides himself on—you unravel it all. For an array master, his Dao heart will waver. If his Dao heart is weak, it may collapse outright."

A faint smile curled at Mr. Zhuang's lips, a mischievous glint on his handsome face.

Mo Hua stared, puzzled. "Mr. … have you done this sort of thing often before…?"

Mr. Zhuang ran his long fingers through Mo Hua's hair. "Stop prying."

Mo Hua chuckled.

Mr. Zhuang waved him off. "Go study properly. A skilled array master must not only draw arrays—he must master solving them too."

"Yes, Mr.!"

Mo Hua carefully placed the "Treatise on Array Solving" and the incomplete Reverse Spirit Array into his storage pouch, then bowed to Mr. Zhuang and took his leave.

Mr. Zhuang watched Mo Hua walk away, unable to shake his head as he sighed, "This disciple… is not easy to teach."

The Puppet Elder materialized beside him, his expression calm. "You've chosen a fine cultivation art."

Mr. Zhuang sensed the sarcasm in his tone but paid it no mind. Instead, he said:

"If he aims to become an array master, his spiritual sense is paramount. Training the spiritual sense aids array study and also makes breaking through the realm easier—it's a two-fold benefit."

"Have you ever seen a cultivator who hasn't reached Foundation Establishment yet, but already possesses a Foundation Establishment-level spiritual sense?"

"Records mention it, but I've never seen it myself…"

Mr. Zhuang's gaze drifted down the corridor, across the courtyard, and landed with quiet anticipation on Mo Hua, who was speaking with the Bai siblings beneath the large locust tree.

"So I want to see it with my own eyes."

The Puppet Elder's eyes narrowed slightly. "That won't be easy."

Mr. Zhuang said, "I know that well. But I underestimated this art—the Great Expansion Scripture. If it can break through, no cost is too great."

The Puppet Elder was slightly startled by this.

Mr. Zhuang's gaze grew distant, fixed on Mo Hua far away, his eyes slowly deepening:

"Great Expansion… Great Expansion… the Dao's evolution…"

Thank you to Mo Ying Zhi Kong and Yao Yuan for your tips~