Chapter 287: Spiritual Awareness Foundation Establishment

Mo Hua collapsed completely onto the ground.

Too exhausted.

That green-faced demon had consumed the spiritual awareness of countless people, forming such a vast spiritual thought.

Mo Hua had drawn countless arrays before finally exhausting that spiritual thought.

Over half of the Dao stele before him was covered in arrays drawn by Mo Hua, layered and interwoven, impossibly complex.

Mo Hua wanted to erase these arrays, but suddenly hesitated.

If he erased these arrays, would the spiritual thought consumed in drawing them retroactively return and refill his mind sea again?

Mo Hua hesitated, then decided to erase just one and see.

Mo Hua reached out and erased a Level-One Five-Element Single Array.

The spiritual awareness did not retroact.

The Eighth Boss was incredulous.

Mo Hua feigned panic, but his heart pounded wildly.

Those methods allowed one to live even after death, enabling survival even when nearing the end of one's lifespan.

Now was not the time to panic, to show weakness—his enemy moved, he moved; he could not let the Eighth Boss glimpse his true state.

I merely scanned with my spiritual awareness and did not detect Mo Hua's true nature; I dared not probe further.

Mo Hua exhaled deeply, unable to suppress a smile.

The complete Reverse Spirit Array had ancient, obscure beauty in its patterns; the light flowing over it was brilliant yet profound.

After a long while, it was the Eighth Boss who could no longer hold back.

By the time Mo Hua finished drawing the Reverse Spirit Array, his spiritual awareness was nearly depleted.

The Eighth Boss watched Mo Hua in silence, expressionless, yet inwardly filled with doubt and alarm.

The Eighth Boss broke into a cold sweat.

Again and again, Mo Hua drew with utmost seriousness.

Mo Hua rested his chin in thought for a moment, then understood.

An abnormal child, upon seeing me, could never think like this!

Thus, cultivators unable to attain immortality, to avoid death, researched and created numerous forbidden arts to deceive the Dao and prolong their lives.

That demon's aura seemed no higher than Qi Condensation Level One—how could it possess Foundation Establishment-level spiritual awareness?

That meant Mo Hua truly could draw the Reverse Spirit Array using only his own spiritual awareness!

But as soon as my spiritual awareness touched Mo Hua, it sank into a bottomless abyss, utterly unfathomable.

"I'm hungry. I want to eat people," Mo Hua said.

That demonic array master who possesses an observation diagram!

That also means the gate to Foundation Establishment has already opened; with further cultivation, once his cultivation reaches the peak of Qi Condensation, Mo Hua will truly become a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

The Dao operates with constancy; cultivators are bound by life and death.

This bottleneck now no longer exists.

Arrays are indeed vast and profound—I still have much to learn.

The bottleneck of the Heavenly Evolution Scripture lies in spiritual awareness.

Because this spiritual thought was never his own to begin with.

And that person was none other than the Eighth Boss of Great Heishan…

Unfortunately, I only managed to draw it by borrowing the spiritual thought from the observation diagram.

Dark Dao forbidden art: Soul Possession!

I noticed someone silently watching me.

But holding out like this won't work—I don't have that much time to waste here.

Such profound spiritual awareness—it rivals Foundation Establishment!

When had the Eighth Boss arrived? And how long had he been watching me?

So once the array is drawn and then erased, the spiritual awareness cannot retroact.

I felt my spiritual awareness retroacting!

Mo Hua's emotions surged, but after a moment, he forcibly suppressed the turmoil and resumed drawing the Reverse Spirit Array on the Dao stele.

A broken Reverse Spirit Array reappeared on the Dao stele.

A single word suddenly flashed into my mind.

No—it might not be merely Foundation Establishment spiritual awareness.

Mo Hua restrained his excitement and continued drawing.

From now on, as long as I follow the routine of cultivation, once I reach the peak of Qi Condensation Level Four, I can attempt Foundation Establishment.

Possession!

This was the array pattern containing Daoic anomalies, an array transcending Level-One rules, drawn by my own hand.

Mo Hua's expression remained calm, motionless, gazing indifferently at the Eighth Boss.

At the same time, a vast and boundless spiritual awareness surged back into my mind sea!

Where did that demon come from?

"Your spiritual awareness… rivals Foundation Establishment?"

That spiritual awareness was extremely strong—far deeper and more potent than Mo Hua's previous spiritual awareness.

Any cultivator who enters the Immortal Path cannot escape longevity; once nearing the end of their lifespan, even the most powerful will still die.

Mo Hua's thoughts were already settled.

I couldn't discern the big ghost's true nature, so I dared not act rashly.

Soul usurpation is among the most profound of forbidden arts; the Dao Court has explicitly banned it, and it is a closely guarded secret of the demonic path—only demonic ancestors who have lived for hundreds or even thousands of years can perform it.

How could he have slipped undetected into the deepest alchemy chamber?!

My gaze hardened, and I completely erased the Reverse Spirit Array.

Or rather, I now have one foot already stepping through the threshold of Foundation Establishment.

I merely went out for a while; after leaving, I even sealed the Blood Array and locked the Beast Gate—but when I returned, there sat a strange big ghost on my meditation cushion.

Upon hearing this, he was momentarily startled, but in a flash of insight, he let out a cackling laugh.

The Eighth Chief gritted his teeth and unleashed his spiritual sense, probing with all his might, trying to discern Mo Hua's true identity.

Mo Hua was stunned.

After a moment, Mo Hua suddenly slapped his own head.

Mo Hua had only erased one stroke, yet suddenly his heart jolted—he widened his eyes.

The Eighth Chief's conviction grew stronger; after much hesitation, he finally forced himself to speak:

Mo Hua's heart pounded thump-thump-thump.

Mo Hua felt a tinge of regret, and at the same time, a wave of emotion rose within him.

A bone-chilling cold spread over the Eighth Chief's body.

I, still at the Qi Refining stage, already possessed spiritual sense rivaling that of Foundation Establishment.

That threshold had trapped countless Qi Refining cultivators.

The big ghost's spiritual sense was hazy and indistinct, impossible to discern clearly—perhaps even beyond Foundation Establishment, but I simply couldn't perceive it.

Both men feigned calmness, yet inwardly feared each other deeply.

Mo Hua had no idea what the Eighth Chief was thinking; he pretended panic, unsure how to proceed.

We're done for!

I glanced again at Mo Hua; Mo Hua met my gaze with calm composure—neither composed nor terrified, his emotions utterly unreadable.

By the time he drew the fourth and a half array pattern, Mo Hua's spiritual sense was already exhausted.

The Dao Stele's surface returned to emptiness, leaving only the ten-stroke Reverse Spirit Array behind.

It's the demonic forbidden art of soul usurpation to defy heaven and extend life!

What is Great Heishan? I understand it better than anyone.

"That… elder, what brings you here?"

Mo Hua found it unbelievable.

Mo Hua admired it for a while longer, then reluctantly reached out and wiped away the Reverse Spirit Array.

The Eighth Chief was horrified.

"Almost forgot—I'm in Shanzhai now; this isn't the time to rejoice. I must first figure out how to escape."

The spiritual essence he expended drawing these arrays was not his own spiritual sense, but the Green-Faced Great Ghost's spiritual will.

What should I do?

Mo Hua and the Eighth Chief stared at each other, eyes locked, for a long time.

Mo Hua, emerging from his mind-sea, opened his eyes and looked around—then froze.

Mo Hua erased the Reverse Spirit Array; once his spiritual sense had replenished and filled his mind-sea again, he stepped out of it.

That smile was pure yet innocent, innocent yet sinister, sinister yet bizarre—like a great demon wearing human skin.

Is that big ghost a soul usurper, an ancient monster?

How could a big ghost suddenly appear?!

Becoming Foundation Establishment opens the first step toward the Dao of eternal life, laying the foundation of the Great Path!

That… is Foundation Establishment spiritual sense!

Does that mean this array was drawn using his own spiritual sense?

Now, I am only one step away from crossing that threshold.

Mo Hua couldn't help but stare, utterly entranced.

I was entangled with the Green-Faced Great Ghost in the visualization, and drawing the array consumed too much spiritual will—it's likely the Eighth Chief finished his business and has returned.

Mo Hua showed no sign, his mind racing, searching for a way to escape.

Mo Hua relaxed, then erased all other arrays.

When something defies normalcy, there must be a demon at work.