Chapter 330: Parting

Mo Hua calmed his mind and thought carefully again.

Great Dao Dissolution may not yet qualify, at best it's merely an embryonic form of Great Dao Dissolution.

After all, he is still at Qi Gathering, able to draw only a Rank One array, and capable only of deriving and triggering Rank One Qi Gathering Dissolution power.

But this is enough.

Mo Hua was already very satisfied with this power.

A Rank One late-stage peak Black Bear Pí was shattered by the array and died instantly—this exceeded the destructive power typical of Qi Gathering cultivators.

"If so, could Array Dissolution truly injure a Foundation Establishment cultivator?"

Mo Hua couldn't help but wonder.

Who should he test it on?

Given this power, even a Foundation Establishment early-stage cultivator might die just from trying it…

But the Qian family's ancestral elder is Foundation Establishment mid-stage, and shrewd to the core.

Because he frequently visited Bai Zisheng, Mo Hua had spent more time with the Bai siblings.

"Moreover, the Transferring Lifespan to Cultivation Pill requires a hundred years of nurturing the pill—its refining time is too long. Even demonic sects specializing in demonic pills might not succeed in refining it, let alone the Qian family's ancestral elder. You might just be worrying needlessly."

Previously, whenever he practiced less derivation, tried fewer dissolutions, and explored fewer Life Gates, his array skills improved daily.

But the result was nothing like I thought it would be.

Mo Hua felt Zhang Lan's words made no sense, and eased his worries somewhat.

Both of them froze slightly.

Then we can only find some evil Foundation Establishment cultivators to test on.

Demonic arrays use flesh and blood as array mediums…

I always feel I've forgotten something, yet I remember—I just can't recall what it is.

Jie Zhi's expression turned despondent. "Probably…"

Meeting is fate, gathering is fate, parting is also a kind of fate.

That Life Gate ahead still has use for me.

In the past, Mo Hua visited Bai Zisheng every day to ask questions.

It was basically a losing proposition.

Used against beasts, its destructive power was too weak—before dissolution, half the beast's body turned to white ash; the rest, even if sold, fetched no price.

Otherwise, the opponent might not fall for it.

"Mm." Mo Hua didn't hide it from him.

When his mother made good food, he took it to Bai Zisheng to taste;

Zhi Ruichang told him: the Great Dao turns life and death, transformation from destruction to birth—where there is dissolution, there is birth.

For some reason, Mo Hua's heart sank again; memories surged uncontrollably—Mr. Zhuang's words, that clear and melodious voice, rose one by one in his mind.

Thinking of it this way, the conditions for using Array Dissolution are indeed harsh.

Yet a faint, elusive doubt still lingered in his heart.

This pig, covered in bloodstains, is the demonic array's medium.

I know why I've always felt something was off.

When tired, he would lie on the large locust tree to rest.

But now Mo Hua's spiritual sense has reached Foundation Establishment; his Water-Flow Step, Concealment Technique, and Fireball Technique, all rooted in spiritual sense, have grown much stronger—he can now spar directly with Zhi Ruichang without needing to hold back.

Mo Hua sighed.

Moreover, current Array Dissolution can only be used like a Ground Fire Array—as a trap.

As his thoughts drifted, suddenly a phrase surfaced abruptly in Mo Hua's mind:

Mo Hua stared, lost in thought, and suddenly a sudden clarity arose within him.

Better to kill the wrong one than to let the right one go—eliminate the possibility of the Qian family's ancestral elder refining demonic pills at its root.

Moreover, Mo Hua hasn't yet used his Concealment Technique—if he were to conceal himself and ambush, he'd be even harder to deal with.

If only I had learned it sooner.

The one who guided me in arrays, taught me secret arts, and praised my mother's pastries…

"Demonic arrays and devilish arrays likely use flesh and blood as mediums, draw array patterns with malevolent intent, and invert the Great Dao as their core…"

Jie Zhi also lay panting on the ground.

Zhi Ruichang appeared haughty, but had a righteous heart and treated me well; Mr. Zhuang had helped me greatly, teaching me many Dao cultivation insights and experiences.

The atmosphere grew momentarily heavy.

White locust blossoms drifted down, dancing between the two of them.

Mo Hua murmured, then nodded:

The traces of Array Dissolution must be erased; the Bai Xiong must be skinned and boned, sold for spirit stones—though its pelt was damaged and half its blood qi gone, it still fetched some spirit stones; even a mosquito's leg is meat, and must not be wasted.

The demonic array was engraved beneath the alchemy furnace.

But Dao Ting Si might not agree.

But the good part is, my physical body and spiritual roots are too poor.

Mo Hua's Water-Flow Step was slippery and slippery—he couldn't find any openings; his Fireball Technique lacked power, was slow and inaccurate, and couldn't be ignored.

Jie Zhi nodded, though his expression remained listless; even the beef in his mouth tasted flavorless.

Like the great mist of Great Baishan—visible, untouchable, yet undeniably real.

And Mo Hua left that Life Gate's position to that large herb.

One must not be too greedy.

We visited Bai Zixi hoping he would take us as his direct disciples; once Bai Zixi leaves, no matter what, we must leave too.

Before cleaning up, Mo Hua summarized the usage of the Array Dissolution, yet felt regretful.

Don't end up stealing a chicken but losing rice, and get trapped by the Qian family's Ancestor.

Meeting is followed by parting; only after parting can we reunite.

Inside its body, it was refining the… Life-Transmutation Elixir, which could aid the Qian family's Ancestor in breaking through his cultivation!

I didn't just deduce the Array Dissolution's Bai Zixi; I also deduced the life gate within the Array Dissolution.

"Mm."

"All suspicious furnaces have been destroyed; even if the Qian family's Ancestor wants to refine, he has no furnace left."

To use against cultivators, the opponent must not be too foolish, nor too cautious; at best, they must not know you are an Array Master, so you can strike unexpectedly.

Mo Hua was lost in thought when he suddenly noticed Mr. Zhuang watching him silently.

The weak Jie Li also sensed something was off; he asked Mo Hua: "Is Bai Zixi leaving?"

"If Mr. Zhuang leaves, will we leave too?"

Using "flesh and blood" as the array medium…

Over these past days, Dao Ting Si and Dao Bing Si thoroughly searched Xiancheng and Shanzhai; any furnace differing in design or function was destroyed.

Jie Li's fighting spirit flared up.

Dissolution requires prior deduction; deduction consumes vast spiritual sense and takes considerable time.

Bai Xiong's body was almost entirely unharmed, not a single hair injured.

Decapitation is punishment under Dao law; using it to test an array is private torture, and likely against protocol.

The two lay on the tree, resting, gazing at the blue sky and white clouds, letting their thoughts go empty.

Mo Hua wanted to test the power of Array Dissolution, and also wanted to test preserving the life gate imbued with vitality.

That meant this pig was the true furnace!

Even if the restrictions are many, having a powerful force is still better than having none.

Mo Hua sighed.

Mo Hua couldn't help but feel gloomy.

The Array Dissolution can annihilate all things, yet within annihilation, a thread of vitality remains; this thread is the "life gate" left in spiritual sense deduction.

Zhang Lan also said to Mo Hua:

That requires setup, and it must not be detected.

Bai Zixi gently stroked his head, "Study hard; we'll meet again someday."

"Good thing you're an Array Master!"

The other half of its body vanished entirely, turning into white powder; the powder was pitch-black and odorless, devoid of any blood qi or spiritual energy, like the lifeless, useless remains after death and Dao's dissolution.

When free, I'll still play chess with Puppet Old Man.

Sometimes there were indeed doubts in the array, requiring Bai Zixi's guidance;

"Array Masters are terrifying…"

That proves Mo Hua's calculation was correct.

It seems I still need to work harder—I can't be outdone by Mo Hua, or I'll never be his big brother!

His Dao art, relying on powerful spiritual sense, actually surpasses Jie Li's.

Because I knew: perhaps in half a year, perhaps in a month, Bai Zixi would leave.

Mo Hua felt a bit regretful.

Mo Hua lay on the soft grass, drenched in sweat, breathing heavily in slow, deep gasps.

Jie Li was at Qi Condensation Fourth Layer, with deep cultivation and refined martial arts; previously, when sparring with Mo Hua, he always held back his cultivation, merely comparing agility or Dao art.

Whether Array Dissolution could kill him, Mo Hua had no great confidence; even if it could, he might not be able to calculate it precisely.

Time seemed to freeze.

Mo Hua rubbed his chin, pondering:

Mo Hua jumped in surprise, suddenly standing up.

Jie Li could only use "cheating tactics": drain Mo Hua's spiritual energy, wait until his strength gave out, then find a sliver of opportunity to close in and subdue him.

Only that one large herb remained, soft yet resilient, swaying in the wind, seemingly brimming with endless vitality.

Mo Hua turned to look; a pair of cloudy, watery eyes met a pair of clear, dewy pupils.

Mo Hua suddenly remembered the furnace again.

Later, among the white powder, he found a large herb.

Mo Hua nodded, packed everything, prepared to leave, and glanced once more at the large herb.

Even though everyone was only a registered disciple, they were still half-brothers in the sect; Mo Hua cherished that bond deeply.

Without sufficient preparation, you cannot use Array Dissolution against an enemy.

When truly idle, I'd visit Zhi Ruichang to chat, about Xiancheng's customs and folkways, or ask about regional traditions across the Dao cultivation provinces.

They stared at each other; neither knew how long it lasted, then both silently looked away.

The cultivation world is boundless; the path of Dao is long.

In the gentle mountain breeze, that resilient large herb swayed, even surrounded by the terrifying annihilation of Array Dissolution, remaining perfectly unharmed.

I forgot… that fat, huge pig in the blood-colored alchemy room!

Probably using flesh and blood as the array medium…

Mr. Zhuang said nothing, merely tasted a few pastries, and found them not so sweet.

Without needing to strain the mind, the simple yet intellectually stimulating seven-line chess game had them both enjoying themselves immensely.

Even if we wanted to stay there, Sister Xue would not refuse.

I indeed forgot one thing.

Either way, he's likely to be executed by the Dao Court; using him to test the array before death is still a form of waste utilization.

Mo Hua took out the wine, meat, and pastries made by his mother and said, "The Dao path is long; if we have no fate, we'll meet again someday."

Seven weeks' worth of earth, stone, grass, and trees were shattered by the array, leaving a barren wasteland.

Mo Hua released his spiritual sense, confirmed the surroundings were clear and that Bai Xiong was indeed dead, then ran down to inspect the details.

Years will pass, the Dao path stretches endlessly; perhaps we may never meet again.

The two exchanged techniques, back and forth, fighting without respite.

In that case, when attacking Great Heishan, we could find a way to secretly deploy it and test the array's destruction against Foundation Establishment cultivators.

I thought that if I gave my all, I could defeat Mo Hua.

Zhi Ruichang spoke correctly: all things under heaven and earth, all principles of the Dao, indeed have no birth without death, no death without birth.

Before the array's collapse, the Life Gate's range was larger, roughly one or two chi in space; a person could still live or not.

Mo Hua nodded seriously.

Mo Hua brooded for a while, then proceeded to clean up the traces.

"What if we sacrifice the Third Chief?"

Indeed, the more power you channel, the fewer restrictions there are.

Though I could win, it was indeed not a worthy victory.

Mo Hua felt a great sense of relief inside.

Calculation is simple, preparation time is long, the Life Gate is narrow; the opponent had best be an idiot—even if not an idiot, they must not be too foolish.

One day soon, my array skills will reach such depth that other array masters will fear to approach.

The only remaining Foundation Establishment cultivator left in Great Heishan is the Qian family's Ancestor.

Though the array's collapse is powerful, it is not generally easy to use.

Often after several exchanges, either their spiritual energy ran out or their limbs failed to move properly, and the Dispersal Force seized an opening, closing in instantly to subdue them.

That large plant was deliberately left by Mo Hua—it was his "Life Gate."

Sister Xue no longer assigns so many tasks; when not busy, the Dispersal Force spars with Mo Hua in Dao arts.

The bloodstains on its body were not bloodstains, but array patterns of a demonic array.

Mo Hua cherished this time.

That is the array master's understanding of arrays, the application of Daoic power.

Whenever he recalled that incident, Mo Hua's expression grew melancholy.

Mo Hua asked.

The Dispersal Force's expression grew simple; Zhi Ruichang's expression remained unchanged, though his gaze brightened slightly.