Chapter 356: Completion

After the array pivot is drawn, it must be used as the core to extend its patterns outward to every corner of the grand array, connecting thousands upon thousands of individual arrays.

All these individual arrays are five-element-type arrays, with a minimum rank of six array lines and a maximum of nine lines, first-rank.

There are too many arrays; even if Mo Hua draws arrays at his fastest pace, it is impossible for him alone to complete so many within two months.

Therefore, other array masters must assist.

Mo Hua, as the chief array master, must first design and plan the overall layout of the individual arrays: which type of array to use where, how many are needed, and how to coordinate and control them all through the pivot.

The second task is verifying compatibility between individual arrays: some layouts may appear fine on paper, but when spiritual energy flows, they easily clash.

When such issues arise, the chief array master must adjust and revise them.

Mo Hua handed the coordinated array blueprint to Master Luo, asking him to assign tasks to specific array masters.

Mo Hua is young; if he issued orders directly, the subordinate array masters might not respect him—even if they said nothing aloud, they would surely feel resentful inside.

But Master Luo is a true first-rank array master, long respected; thus, entrusting him with this task is best.

Mo Hua's own duties are to fill in the individual arrays, verify their compatibility, and fine-tune the spiritual energy flow between the individual arrays and the pivot.

The other task is pivot computation.

The grand array's pivot is extremely complex; he must work swiftly to fully compute its workings.

Should an emergency arise and the first-rank Five Elements Demon-Slaying Array fail to subdue Feng Xi, he can still attempt to destroy the array itself to annihilate the great demon and eliminate future threats.

This is a last-resort measure, not to be used unless absolutely necessary, but it must be prepared in advance.

Using the grand array to slay demons is not his alone to bear—it concerns the entire Xiancheng, even the entire Heishan Prefecture, and the peace of the coming centuries, perhaps millennia.

Therefore, every consideration must be Zhou Mi.

Thus, Mo Hua spent his days drawing arrays, inspecting the arrays drawn by other masters, and adjusting and revising the entire grand array based on compatibility and spiritual energy flow.

At night, when others rested, he sank his spiritual sense into his mind sea, using the Dao Stele to compute the spiritual energy trajectories of the Five Elements Demon-Slaying Array's pivot.

As he computed the pivot, his understanding of the grand array grew clearer, and his daytime adjustments became far more effortless.

Master Luo had also been busy these days drawing arrays.

The grand array contained countless individual arrays, and time was urgent; he too must spare no effort to complete the planned array tasks on schedule.

When he finished drawing an array, Mo Hua would routinely "inspect" it.

Each time this happened, Master Luo grew intensely nervous.

In a daze, he seemed to recall his own early days as an array apprentice, after completing his array exercises and waiting anxiously for Mr.'s grading.

Mo Hua was now that Mr., and he, Master Luo, had become an apprentice again, awaiting Mo Hua's evaluation.

Mo Hua graded quickly.

If he read through an entire array without pause, it meant no flaws—Master Luo would breathe a quiet sigh of relief;

if Mo Hua paused anywhere, Master Luo's heart would tighten;

and if Mo Hua suddenly frowned while reading, Master Luo's heart would jolt, even breaking into a cold sweat.

Though he constantly reminded himself:

he was now a first-rank array master, no longer the apprentice of old.

And even if Mo Hua drew arrays well, he was still just a boy of ten or so, unranked by the Dao Court—he need not be nervous, let alone anxious…

Yet his heart still could not help trembling, fearing Mo Hua might truly find his mistakes.

He dismissed errors pointed out by other array masters.

Because they were inferior to him; even if they found faults, they were not necessarily right.

But Mo Hua was different—if he found a flaw, without exception, it was always his own true mistake…

Master Luo sighed, unable to help reflecting inwardly:

"We're all first-rank array masters—how could the gap be so vast…?"

Before meeting Mo Hua, he had always assumed first-rank array masters were roughly equal; even if skill varied, it couldn't differ that drastically.

Now he realized that on the surface, array masters all seemed like still water.

But some were pond water, while others were ocean water—deep, unfathomable, bottomless ocean water.

Master Luo's estimation of Mo Hua rose further.

Yet he faintly felt something was off—as if he had misjudged something.

So he began secretly observing Mo Hua.

Mo Hua also drew arrays himself; some of the individual arrays were painted by his own hand.

The small, white hand holding the brush produced array lines of strict, masterful precision, executed with effortless ease.

Moreover, Mo Hua drew with astonishing speed, his strokes flowing like clouds and water, swift as dragons and serpents.

Those lines seemed to emerge from his brush of their own accord, following inherent patterns, forming their own grain.

Master Luo watched, utterly astonished.

Such a realm could not be achieved without immense, prolonged array practice.

But that shouldn't be possible…

Mo Hua is so young—even if he slept not at all, he couldn't have practiced enough to reach such mastery.

Master Luo was baffled and continued observing Mo Hua.

Then he discovered a shocking fact:

All control of the grand array was handled by Mo Hua alone; all compatibility of the individual arrays was managed by him alone.

Even once, when an error appeared on the pivot, Mo Hua personally erased and redrew it.

Recalling the scribbled marks previously on the pivot, Master Luo suddenly realized:

No master had painted for Mo Hua—this entire pivot was drawn by Mo Hua himself; the entire grand array's arrays were entirely under his control!

Master Luo looked at Mo Hua's rosy lips and white teeth, and a chill shot straight to the crown of his head.

What kind of little demon is this, actually capable of controlling the construction of an entire Grade-One array by himself alone!

Master Luo stood frozen in place, his face filled with disbelief.

This is truly, genuinely a thirteen-year-old main array master!

He had misjudged him before, and guessed everything wrong…

With this unimaginable level of array skill, where is the need to gild anything?

At this moment, Mo Hua in Master Luo's eyes was entirely made of pure gold, radiating dazzling Jin Guang from every inch of his body…

This is a true, authentic Grade-One array master…

A storm of shock surged through Master Luo's heart.

From then on, Master Luo's attitude toward Mo Hua became even more humble; even when speaking to Mo Hua, he would slightly bow his body.

Mo Hua found it strange, thinking Master Luo must have been exhausted and confused…

And Master Luo became even more diligent in the array's construction.

Some veteran array masters were old hands who slacked off when drawing arrays, repeatedly making mistakes; before Mo Hua could say anything, Master Luo would already berate them until they were utterly humiliated.

This surprised the other array masters greatly.

Master Luo was never like this before—he was always polite, tactful, and even when angry, never lost his composure to curse.

Now he seemed like a different person.

But Master Luo knew: Mo Hua truly might complete this array!

And within this array were arrays he himself had drawn.

He not only wished to witness the completion of the array he had helped build, but also to witness the birth of Mo Hua, this thirteen-year-old main array master!

This might be the most glorious achievement of his life as an array master.

Not just for him, but for every array master present, this was a lifelong honor.

Seeing Master Luo so serious and earnest, the other array masters also straightened their minds and threw themselves fully into the array's construction.

…

Cultivators worked in unison; the array's construction advanced, bit by bit, amid busyness, monotony, and exhaustion.

Although Commander Yang repeatedly harassed with Dao soldiers, delaying the refinement of the Bianxi, the blood qi coalescing on Great Heishan gradually grew heavier.

Meanwhile, on the ruins of Shanzhai, the outline of the array gradually emerged and was steadily realized.

Its shape was circular outside and square within, conforming to Heaven's roundness and Earth's squareness.

Inside, deep ravines crisscrossed, layers of arrays stacked upon one another, forming a dense labyrinth of arrays.

The entire array was magnificent yet grimly deadly.

All cultivators involved in the construction felt a chill rise within them, their expressions momentarily dazed:

They were truly building an array—and perhaps, truly… would complete it!

Then came dozens more days and nights of grueling construction.

Countless cultivators poured sweat, contributing every ounce of strength they could, until the array was finally preliminarily completed.

After preliminary completion, only the array's verification remained.

Mo Hua inspected every array again, initiated spiritual power to test its flow, and spent several more days meticulously checking with Master Luo, eliminating countless hidden flaws…

After finishing this, Mo Hua gave a slight nod.

His nod meant the array operated without flaw.

All cultivators standing behind Mo Hua felt the heavy stone in their chests lift, exhaling in unison with profound relief.

Finally, the array was completed!

…

On the 23rd day of the tenth month, in the 20,025th year of the Dao Calendar.

With the full human and material resources of Xiancheng, it took two months and five days.

Deep within Shenshan, the Grade-One Five-Element Demon-Slaying Array was officially completed!