Chapter 228

After returning home, Mo Hua began studying array dismantling according to Mr. Xianshengde Sect's teachings.

He lay sprawled over his small desk, first flipping through the "Collected Treatises on Array Dismantling" roughly, then comparing it with his prior studies to identify gaps and fill in omissions.

He skipped over what he already understood, noting down the unfamiliar, confusing, and baffling array concepts, then returned to them slowly, pondering each one.

After spending an hour gaining a general impression, Mo Hua put away the "Collected Treatises on Array Dismantling."

That was enough for now—he had a framework in mind; he could return to the book whenever he encountered specific problems during dismantling.

Afterwards, Mo Hua carefully unrolled the ancient array diagram and began studying the Reverse Spirit Array.

The Reverse Spirit Array did not belong to the Five Elements array category; it was a unique type of array Mo Hua had never studied before.

The array patterns, array pivots, and brush techniques all followed different principles; though still an array, the feeling of drawing it was entirely different.

Mo Hua felt both nervous and intrigued.

He was nervous because the Reverse Spirit Array was indeed significantly harder—he didn't know if he could master it.

He found it intriguing because, though the Reverse Spirit Array was also an array like the Five Elements arrays, it was utterly different, even vastly distinct from ordinary first-grade arrays.

Nine patterns, a celestial anomaly, unbound by grade restrictions—this overturned Mo Hua's established understanding of arrays.

At the same time, Mo Hua felt anticipation.

There were still many array types he had never encountered, and many super-grade arrays worthy of being called "celestial anomalies."

These arrays were stored in families, sects, Dao Courts, or certain unknown factions.

Or they survived in ancient gate ruins, cave dwellings, ancient cultivator tombs, wild frontier lands, boundless seas, or some obscure corner of the vast Nine Continents.

He wondered whether he might one day travel the Nine Continents to seek out ancient arrays.

If he learned all these arrays, could he truly gain the power to alter heaven and earth?

Mo Hua daydreamed for a moment, then gathered his mind and warned himself twice: Don't reach too high, don't reach too high!

Then he began studying the Reverse Spirit Array earnestly.

Mo Hua first memorized the array patterns, then, after midnight, closed his eyes to rest.

His spiritual sense sank into his consciousness sea, practicing arrays on the Dao Stele.

The Reverse Spirit Array given to Mo Hua by Mr. Xianshengde Sect contained only nine and a half array patterns.

Mo Hua managed to draw just over nine patterns before his spiritual sense was exhausted and he could not draw any further.

Mo Hua erased the patterns, retraced his spiritual sense, and frowned in thought.

This Reverse Spirit Array, though only nine and a half patterns, consumed far more spiritual sense than an ordinary nine-pattern array.

Nine patterns was the limit; beyond that lay an unfathomable gap in spiritual sense.

Mo Hua sighed.

But this was exactly as he had expected—just as Mr. Xianshengde Sect said, his current spiritual sense was insufficient to draw the Reverse Spirit Array.

Mo Hua's goal was still to use practicing the Reverse Spirit Array to hone his consciousness sea and strengthen his spiritual sense.

Whether he could master the array itself was secondary.

As long as his spiritual sense was strong enough, Mo Hua would have the foundation to break through to Foundation Establishment; and as long as his spiritual sense was strong enough, with enough practice, no array would be unlearnable.

If he couldn't learn it, he'd practice more—do it dozens of times, hundreds of times, even thousands of times—he'd eventually master it.

Mo Hua practiced all night, becoming generally familiar with the Reverse Spirit Array and strengthening his spiritual sense, though not by much—he was already very satisfied.

Ordinary first-grade arrays were now easy for Mo Hua to learn, offering negligible spiritual sense training.

The Reverse Array required sufficient spiritual sense strength, but its pivot contained many low-grade patterns, making drawing time-consuming, inefficient, and insufficient for deep pattern comprehension.

In comparison, the Reverse Spirit Array provided far stronger spiritual sense training.

Now, one night's practice of the Reverse Spirit Array strengthened his spiritual sense more than two nights' practice of previous arrays.

After practicing arrays all night, his spiritual sense was still full, but his mind felt somewhat weary.

Mo Hua emptied his mind, rested briefly, and then it was the hour of Mao.

The morning sun rose, marking the start of a new day.

The day's plan begins at dawn; as usual, Mo Hua cultivated for a while, then watched the rising sun and the radiant clouds stretching across the horizon, his mood lifting.

From now on, as long as he pondered the Reverse Spirit Array, studied the Reverse Array, and practiced dismantling, his spiritual sense would gradually grow alongside his spiritual energy, and eventually, the day of Foundation Establishment would come.

Spiritual energy refined, spiritual sense doubled—forge the foundation of the Dao.

As long as he achieved Foundation Establishment, his cultivation path would have taken a major step forward.

To achieve Foundation Establishment, Mo Hua began honing his spiritual sense—but this was not something that could be accomplished overnight.

In addition, Mo Hua had another task: enter the Inner Mountain.

He knew the Outer Mountain well—he had drawn its maps, gathered herbs, minerals, and spices, and slain demonic beasts—though he had used arrays to do so.

Returning to the Outer Mountain was no longer meaningful.

At the same time, Mo Hua wanted demonic blood of mid-first-grade level.

Most demonic beasts in the Outer Mountain were mid-first-grade; using their blood to mix spiritual ink weakened the effectiveness of first-grade arrays.

The Inner Mountain was different—its demonic beasts were primarily late-first-grade, with thick, potent qi, yielding higher-quality demonic blood that produced stronger arrays.

The quality of spiritual ink directly affected array performance.

Though Mo Hua's grade was not yet determined, he was already a first-grade array master; in terms of array skill alone, he was nearing the peak of first-grade mastery.

In the short term, Mo Hua's array skill would not improve significantly—he could only enhance array power and effect by upgrading the quality of his spiritual ink.

Mo Hua went to find Seeing Mo Shan and said he wished to enter the Inner Mountain.

Mo Hua, at Qi Condensation Seventh Layer, was a late-stage Qi Condensation cultivator and had already met the basic qualifications to enter the Inner Mountain.

Seeing Mo Shan naturally refused.

The Inner Mountain was more perilous, its demonic beasts more ferocious, and it was not only filled with demonic beasts but also with other cultivators whose identities and moral alignments were unknown.

The terrain was treacherous, the demonic beasts cruel—but the most dangerous thing was still human nature.

"Father, my body movement has improved—I can protect myself now," Mo Hua said.

Since breaking through his realm, his spiritual sense and qi have grown, and the effects of the Great Expansion Technique have further strengthened.

Relying on spiritual sense to control qi, then using qi to guide the body, the Flowing Water Step naturally reached a higher level.

Mo Shan paused slightly, thought for a moment, and said, "Then let's spar again—I'll try to catch you, and you use your body movement to evade. If you can avoid me, I'll allow you into the Inner Mountain."

Mo Hua nodded. "Fine!"

In the afternoon, father and son sparred with body movement for an hour in the small courtyard.

Mo Shan was already at Qi Condensation Ninth Layer, and recently with abundant spirit stones, his diligent cultivation had brought him close to Qi Condensation Ninth Layer's peak.

His body movement was learned from years of hunting demons, forged in life-or-death battles—simple, practical, clean, and sharp.

Yet Mo Shan found he could no longer catch Mo Hua—even sensing Mo Hua's position had become difficult.

Mo Hua's spiritual sense was too strong; the stronger the spiritual sense, the more concealed one becomes, and the harder to perceive.

If one tried to track Mo Hua's form with the eyes, the Flowing Water Step, fluid and elusive, would easily deceive them.

The only method Mo Shan could think of was to outlast Mo Hua, waiting until his qi was exhausted and his circulation sluggish, then using his familiarity with his son's aura to grab him by instinct.

This was the only way Mo Shan could possibly find Mo Hua's opening.

It was less a method than "bloodline suppression"…

The father and son circled each other for an hour; Mo Shan could barely catch Mo Hua twice using this method, and for the rest of the time, he couldn't even brush against Mo Hua's sleeve.

Mo Shan finally confirmed: unless a Foundation Establishment cultivator intervened, no ordinary Qi Condensation Ninth Layer cultivator could possibly overcome Mo Hua.

Unless Mo Hua exhausted his qi and could no longer use his body movement.

But his son was too clever—he'd flee long before his qi ran low if things looked bad.

An invincible body movement below Foundation Establishment…

Mo Shan was both astonished and relieved; he sighed, then agreed to let Mo Hua enter the Inner Mountain.