Chapter 354: The Array Master

The rogue cultivators had delayed them just long enough; Commander Yang had caught up, and golden light blazed along his spear as he thrust it through the Kong family patriarch's left shoulder.

The remaining rogues lunged at him as if intent on dying, slashing at him with knife after knife.

The Kong family patriarch, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, was brutally hacked to death.

With the death of the Kong family patriarch, the situation spiraled out of control.

Enraged rogues stormed into the Kong estate, killing anyone they saw.

Commander Yang led the Dao soldiers and spent a long time finally bringing the chaos under control.

But the Kong estate was now a ruin of broken walls and shattered beams.

Almost all the young and middle-aged Kong cultivators were dead or wounded; only the elderly, children, and women remained, protected by Dao soldiers, sparing them from death.

The rogues who slaughtered the Kong cultivators gradually calmed down, yet their faces showed no trace of vengeance's satisfaction—only numbness and tears of anguish.

Blood stained the white walls; corpses littered the ground.

Commander Yang stared at the scene, deeply shaken.

What sins had the Kong family committed…

…

Mo Hua listened to this, and his heart grew heavy.

"How will this be handled?"

Mo Hua worried for the rogues of Qingxuan City.

"What else can be done?" Commander Yang sighed. "The law cannot punish everyone. Besides, this situation is understandable. The Kong family's fate is well-deserved."

"Won't the Dao Ting Si punish them further?"

The Dao Ting Si of Qingxuan City had secretly colluded with the Kong family, working in tandem—only then could the Kong family act so recklessly.

Now that the Kong family is gone, the Dao Ting Si of Qingxuan City may not let this go so easily.

"Dao Ting Si?" Commander Yang sneered. "They're in trouble themselves."

Mo Hua's eyes lit up. "Will the Dao Court investigate?"

Commander Yang nodded. "The Kong family defied authority, the rogues revolted, and now we add the Kong family's collusion with Great Heishan… With so much chaos erupting under their jurisdiction, the Dao Ting Si of Qingxuan City won't escape punishment."

"What kind of punishment?" Mo Hua asked, curious and pressing.

Commander Yang said, "Typically, when higher authorities investigate, the position of Qingxuan City's Zhou Zhangsi is certainly lost. If they dig up old accounts of bribery, corruption, and abuse of power, his life may not be spared."

"The Gu Diansi or below, their hands are certainly not clean—they'll all end up in prison, one way or another."

Mo Hua nodded. He felt relieved now, and asked, "Were all the Kong family members killed?"

Commander Yang shook his head. "All the young and middle-aged cultivators, and those with higher cultivation, are dead. The rogues' rage was too great—the Dao soldiers couldn't hold them back. Only the elderly, children, and women remain."

"These people can't stay in Qingxuan City anymore. The Dao soldiers will arrange for them to relocate elsewhere to make a living, but they'll be stripped of the surname 'Kong'—the Kong family is utterly finished…"

Mo Hua listened, feeling a strange sense of sorrow, yet also finding it inevitable.

The heavier the oppression, the deeper the backlash.

A family that grew strong by draining the blood of rogues collapses in an instant.

…

The Dao soldiers seized the Kong estate; most of the Spirit Stones were transported to Xiancheng, to be used in building the great array.

The remaining Spirit Stones were distributed among Qingxuan City's rogues, easing their hardship.

Mo Hua thought the matter was finished, but two days later, Ji Qingbai returned with Ji Li and Fu Lan.

Ji Qingbai, upon seeing Mo Hua, expressed his gratitude:

"All the rogues of Qingxuan City have asked me to thank you."

Mo Hua quickly waved his hand. "I didn't do anything…"

Ji Qingbai shook his head, gesturing to Ji Li and Fu Lan, and together they bowed deeply to Mo Hua.

Fu Lan's eyes were red—her father had been killed by the Kong family when she was young; she and her mother survived together, and only after growing up did her mother also die under the Kong family's cruelty.

Now that the Kong family has fallen, she had finally avenged them—but sadly, she hadn't done it herself.

Mo Hua could only sigh inwardly.

He hoped that from now on, whether in Xiancheng or Qingxuan City, such hatred and suffering would never arise again.

The Spirit Stones were nearly gathered; only one final task remained: finding an array master to draw the array patterns.

Mo Hua could draw the array's core himself, but the numerous subordinate arrays under the core required other array masters' help.

Otherwise, it would be impossible to complete the great array within two months.

Thinking of this, Mo Hua sighed.

Building a great array was truly troublesome.

Gathering resources, recruiting manpower, coordinating every detail—it was exhausting, time-consuming, and mentally draining.

Yet even so, he must press forward step by step…

For the matter of the array masters, Mo Hua went to see Master Luo.

He was Xiancheng's most renowned first-rank array master, well-connected, adaptable, the most respected and influential among Xiancheng's array masters.

Mo Hua visited him and explained the matter briefly.

Master Luo hesitated, thought for a moment, then said:

"I will convey Master Xiao's request to all the array masters in Xiancheng—but whether they choose to help will be up to them."

Master Luo looked apologetic. "Array masters hold a unique status; they are not under anyone's control. Though I have some reputation, I cannot force them."

Mo Hua knew this well, and bowed respectfully. "Then thank you, Master Luo."

It was enough that Master Luo was willing to help.

Building the great array's core was the most critical part; the other subordinate arrays merely needed to be drawn to specification—the difficulty was not great, and the requirements for array masters were not especially high.

After the drawing is finished, the chief array master still needs to conduct a unified inspection and adjustment.

The most difficult parts will all be handled by Mo Hua.

For the rest of the array, as long as there are array masters to assist, it will suffice.

After Mo Hua left, Master Luo gathered the array masters of Xiancheng for tea and briefly explained the great array.

Most of the younger array masters looked excited and eagerly wanted to participate in constructing the great array.

For many array masters, participating in the construction of a great array is the pursuit of a lifetime.

The older array masters mostly remained silent, only sneering once after returning home and dismissing it with contempt.

"Unaware of the height of heaven and the depth of earth…"

"A group of itinerant cultivators and low-level array masters below first grade, daring to build a great array—what a ridiculous fantasy!"

These array masters, having lived long and accumulated much experience, naturally knew how difficult it was to construct a great array—not something an ordinary array master could learn, let alone a common faction build.

At the same time, they also felt envy toward Mo Hua.

These veteran array masters had struggled for so many years, yet failed to reach first grade, and even their current array skills were inferior to a young array master who had studied for less than ten years.

They knew Mo Hua's array drawing was excellent, but they did not believe he could truly draw a great array; inwardly, they waited to laugh:

"A child's ignorance, carried away by pride!"

"Take such huge steps—you're bound to fall flat!"

They dared not say these words aloud, but that didn't stop them from sneering inwardly.

In the end, about half of Xiancheng's array masters agreed to stay and help.

This proportion was slightly higher than Master Luo had expected.

With this many array masters, constructing the great array should be barely sufficient—if the great array could truly be built…

Master Luo then wrestled with another question: should he stay?

He had already secured an escape route.

The third-grade Lanling State's Lanshan Sect was willing to hire him as an outer gate elder, though only as a temporary title with teaching stipend—he would only receive full elder benefits after advancing to Foundation Establishment.

This, of course, paled beside Mo Hua's treatment.

After all, whether in array skill, array talent, or future array prospects, he was far behind Mo Hua.

But this path was already good enough.

Leaning on a big tree brings good shade; with Lanshan Sect as his backing, his later years would not be grand, but at least comfortable.

But was this truly enough?

Didn't he want to build a first-grade great array?

Master Luo asked himself, and the question left him stunned.

Before disaster, seeking benefit and avoiding harm is human nature; securing an escape route is perfectly understandable.

But this is a first-grade great array!

This might be the only chance in his lifetime to witness, even to personally participate in building, a great array.

Master Luo sighed.

Only array masters know how difficult it is to build a great array.

Those veteran array masters knew it—he had even more seniority than they did, and thus understood even better.

Not to mention the difficulty of drawing the great array or finding the chief array master.

The sheer scale of the great array's construction was also immense.

Such large-scale cultivation projects were typically either directly organized by the Dao Court or painstakingly built by sects with profound heritage.

In any case, they had nothing to do with an ordinary first-grade array master like him.

He couldn't even touch the edge of it.

Only because Mo Hua was organizing the great array did he call out to them.

If the Dao Court or a Shijia Sect were to build the great array, even if they offered spirit stones to beg for a role, they'd only be kissing cold buttocks—no one would even glance at them.

Not to mention helping draw the array—even drawing a single line would be beyond their capabilities.

Master Luo felt a pang of disappointment, then suddenly his heart leapt wildly.

A chance now lay before him…

A chance to personally participate in building a first-grade great array!

If he missed it, he might never have another hope in his lifetime.

The pure longing and passion he once felt as a youth when becoming an array master slowly revived within Master Luo's numb body.

Master Luo felt it was strange, yet he felt joy.

But he forced himself to calm down.

"Can this great array truly be built?"

Master Luo trusted Mo Hua's array skill, but he did not believe Mo Hua could draw the core array pivot.

After all, Mo Hua was simply too young.

Mo Hua could not draw a great array, yet he was trying to build one.

If so, then this great array might not be Mo Hua's work at all—but the handiwork of the mysterious Mr. behind him.

Master Luo exhaled in relief, gradually feeling at ease.

If that were the case, then this matter held great potential.

Master Luo thought for a while, and gradually understood.

That Mr., besides unwilling to show himself, might also wish to "gold-plate" his disciple.

To give Mo Hua, while still young, the brilliant array resume of having led the construction of a first-grade great array.

This is a common tactic used by great clans and noble families.

To elevate a certain clan's direct line and build momentum for them, others do the work, but the credit is given to them, shaping the image of a "heavenly favored son."

Noble families do indeed have quite a few heavenly favored sons, but among them there are also plenty of good-for-nothings who rely entirely on fabricated achievements, inflated reputations, and are far more name than substance.

Compared to them, Mo Hua is far stronger.

At least in Master Luo's understanding, Mo Hua's array formation skill has already reached the ceiling of a first-rank array master.

Given time, it is truly possible that, relying on his own ability, he could draw a first-rank grand array.

Adding a bit of "gilding" now is also normal.

After all, even good wine fears a deep alley; as an array master, without a bit of a resounding reputation, it's not easy to get out there and make a living.

Thinking of this, Master Luo secretly made up his mind.

He would stay and help build the grand array.

Mo Hua was very surprised upon learning this.

He had originally thought that Master Luo, who played both sides, now that he had a way out, should quietly slip away; he hadn't expected him to stay despite the risk.

"It seems I still underestimated Master Luo…"

Mo Hua nodded, looking at Master Luo with newfound respect.

And with Master Luo staying, some fence-sitting array masters also stayed; with this, there were plenty of array masters to help.

Mo Hua also breathed a sigh of relief.

With manpower and Xi Wuli in place, the spirit stones had been fully gathered.

Everything was ready, and the Five-Element Demon-Slaying Grand Array could officially begin construction!

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