Chapter 298: Never Lose Your Original Heart

The soul's awareness proves the Dao, using supreme soul-awareness to glimpse the Great Dao…

Mo Hua listened, stunned.

He pondered carefully—it seemed that focusing on soul-awareness was indeed the most suitable path for him.

His entire cultivation and abilities relied on soul-awareness.

First, drawing arrays requires soul-awareness; without strong soul-awareness, one cannot comprehend arrays, let alone learn and apply them.

Arrays and soul-awareness are mutually reinforcing; constant practice of arrays also hones the mind-sea, strengthening soul-awareness.

Second, the bottleneck in Mo Hua's cultivation method lies in the illusion array, which exists within the mind-sea.

Without strong soul-awareness, one cannot unravel the illusion array, break through the bottleneck, and cultivation will remain permanently stagnant.

Lastly, the techniques Mo Hua cultivates—whether the fireball technique, which relies on soul-awareness locking and speed above all, or the Flowing Water Step, which requires manipulating qi to guide the body, or the Concealment Technique, which hides one's form from detection—all depend on soul-awareness.

The stronger the soul-awareness, the more potent the effect of these techniques.

And I wonder—what level will my soul-awareness reach before doubling, once I reach Foundation Establishment…

"Refine the heart with evil thoughts," said Sui Yanliang, his gaze sharpening as he spoke to Mo Hua:

"What use is it for?"

"Are you going to eat the contemplation map?" Mo Hua whispered.

According to my intuition and my understanding of Mr., Soul-Awareness Zhuang has not finished speaking.

"Not enough."

"Only the Reverse Spirit Array, with its first-rank ten-stripe pattern containing celestial anomalies, can enhance his soul-awareness," said Soul-Awareness Zhuang.

"Will cultivators lose their Dao heart?"

"In the small thousand worlds, appearances are myriad; endless time corrodes the Dao heart."

Soul-Awareness Zhuang laughed, "We'll speak of that later. First, learn the Reverse Spirit Array. Once you master it, I'll have other things to teach you. If you can fully grasp the Reverse Spirit Array, I'll find other celestial anomaly arrays for you to study."

Soul-Awareness Zhuang shook his head: "Qi Refinement merely consolidates the foundation, but it is not the same as Foundation Establishment."

Soul-awareness doubles!

Soul-Awareness Zhuang finished listing the Bai siblings' strengths and asked: "Do you know why we still haven't reached Foundation Establishment?"

Isn't it said that achieving Foundation Establishment-level soul-awareness in Qi Refinement is extremely difficult? Yet even under these conditions, soul-awareness still isn't enough…

Mo Hua felt deep gratitude and bowed respectfully: "Thank you, Mr.!"

Soul-Awareness Zhuang did not answer directly, but asked: "Zisheng and Zixi have lower talent, are younger, possess inferior inheritance, and have far less spirit stones than you…"

"Now that your soul-awareness has reached Foundation Establishment, drawing first-rank arrays brings negligible growth."

"Moreover, contemplation maps vary in strength—if the evil entity within is too weak, who eats whom is still uncertain…"

"It's not that simple…" Mo Hua asked loudly.

Soul-Awareness Zhuang couldn't help but tap Mo Hua's head, shaking his head:

"Correct," Soul-Awareness Zhuang nodded. "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Qi Refinement is the first realm, the starting point of the Dao—so one must consolidate the foundation, nurture the root, and not rush forward."

Mo Hua couldn't help but nod.

Mo Hua's eyes lit up: "Can we get one?"

Moreover, the bottleneck becomes easier to break, the fireball technique becomes faster, the Flowing Water Step becomes stronger, and the Concealment Technique becomes harder to detect.

He silently memorized Soul-Awareness Zhuang's words, especially the last two:

Mo Hua said: "Can I draw the Reverse Spirit Array?"

"Yes."

Mo Hua's mind-sea holds a stone tablet; though it won't necessarily be consumed, it's best not to invite trouble.

"Those who seek the Dao become ensnared by sensual pleasures; those who vow to slay demons fall into evil; those who care for all beings poison the heavens; those who harbor compassion grow numb and heartless…"

As a mere registered disciple, he felt like he was dragging Soul-Awareness Zhuang's registered disciples down—and not just the thighs, but the calves.

"The most resilient thing in the world is the human heart; the strongest thing is also the human heart."

Soul-Awareness Zhuang said: "Your current soul-awareness is roughly equivalent to late Foundation Establishment; after doubling, it will reach mid-Foundation Establishment soul-awareness."

Soul-Awareness Zhuang's expression turned solemn:

Soul-Awareness Zhuang paused, then added: "And if after Foundation Establishment you possess mid-Foundation Establishment soul-awareness, then before Golden Core, though you won't surpass Jin Dan, you'll likely reach the peak of early Foundation Establishment soul-awareness."

"Soul-awareness, when refined, can pierce through appearances; a clear mind can repel external evils. No matter what happens in the future, I hope your Dao heart remains unchanged—never lose your true self, never forget your original heart…"

"Even if you truly could eat it, contemplation maps are rare—where would you get the luck to find another?"

Comparing oneself to others kills one's spirit.

Mo Hua nodded, then suddenly remembered another question and asked Mr. Zhuang:

Mo Hua bowed respectfully, carefully and solemnly to Soul-Awareness Zhuang.

Mo Hua scratched his head.

Since contemplation maps cannot be eaten and first-rank arrays cannot be drawn, there is only one solution left.

Mo Hua was startled—he now remembered why, these past few days, drawing first-rank arrays had felt oddly interesting, yet meaningless.

"When a cultivator reaches Foundation Establishment, qi transforms into liquid; the body transforms, blood and qi become like mercury; simultaneously, the mind-sea expands and soul-awareness doubles!"

"Not to mention whether you can perceive the true nature of the contemplation map, or distinguish what you're consuming, and what consequences may follow."

"Just like before—draw arrays, practice unraveling them?"

"Cultivators' path is long; at the beginning, perhaps they are wholly devoted to the Dao, their Dao heart pure."

Soul-Awareness Zhuang nodded slightly, his gaze deep: "That means, no matter how weak or strong your Qi Refinement soul-awareness is, after Foundation Establishment, it may double directly!"

Mo Hua's heart stirred again.

"What special significance does Foundation Establishment hold?"

Other cultivators' Qi Refinement soul-awareness, after doubling, reaches Foundation Establishment soul-awareness.

Shen Shi Zhuang nodded, "No, but it's outside your hand."

"Cultivators seek the Dao and immortality; amidst countless obstacles and perils, the greatest danger within their cultivation realm is not external, but the Dao heart."

Mo Hua could not suppress his longing for a moment, but when he looked up, he found Shen Shi Zhuang watching him, a faint, elusive smile on his lips.

Shen Shi Zhuang smiled slightly and asked Mo Hua: "How do you plan to strengthen your spiritual sense?"

"I will." Shen Shi Zhuang nodded, his expression sorrowful, saying:

"The evil thoughts of the Green-Faced Great Demon?"

"That is precisely why I had you use your spiritual sense to certify the Dao."

Mo Hua could not imagine it, so he glanced at Sui Yanliang and asked:

Mo Hua opened his mouth in astonishment.

If this were truly the case, before Foundation Establishment, to possess such a powerful spiritual sense—wouldn't becoming a Seventh-Rank Array Master be as easy as flipping your hand?

Mo Hua's heart leapt, "Could it be..."

If a truly powerful evil entity truly penetrated his consciousness and saw the Dao Stele within, yet Mo Hua failed to stop it and let it escape, the trouble might become immense.

"Foundation Establishment is the first major breakthrough among all cultivation realms!"

Thus, using spiritual sense to certify the Dao is the most suitable path for Mo Hua—and perhaps his only one.

"But as years pass, worldly desires stain the heart, and gradually one forgets what one is cultivating for; the longer one lives, the more one forgets why one lives."

"But my spiritual sense has already achieved Foundation Establishment—what else is there to lay?"

"Why?"

Mo Hua prepared to rise and leave, not disturbing Shen Shi Zhuang's rest; he took a few steps, but Sui Yanliang called him back.

"Then your spiritual sense..."

"Isn't Foundation Established spiritual sense enough?" Mo Hua was startled, puzzled.

Shen Shi Zhuang counted carefully; Mo Hua could only sigh inwardly.

Sui Yanliang spoke many words, his face showing signs of fatigue.

Mr. Zhuang said: "It is enough for others, but not for you."

Mo Hua frowned, "Master, if that's the case, then Qi Refinement should be Foundation Establishment—shouldn't it be Qi Refinement that polishes the foundation and lays the groundwork for the Great Dao?"

After speaking with deep gravity, Shen Shi Zhuang's expression suddenly became utterly exhausted, and without warning, he closed his eyes and fell into quiet sleep.

Losing oneself to the Dao, forgetting one's original heart.

Mo Hua thought for a moment and answered truthfully:

"I forgot to tell you." Shen Shi Zhuang lay on the bamboo chair, gazing blankly at Mo Hua, "Those evil thoughts, after all, are not useless."

Mo Hua thought and replied: "Are we polishing our realm?"

"Are there other celestial Dao anomalies in array formations?"

Mo Hua's heart trembled, his expression one of disbelief.

It was because they were too complex—his spiritual sense had not yet been refined enough, nor had he comprehended the laws of the Celestial Dao.

Thank you to An Ye Xing Chen for the donation~