Chapter 371: Rank-Determination Assessment

After arranging accommodation, Mo Hua toured the outer mountains of Cangyun Sect with Mo Shan.

At first, he only felt Cangyun Sect was vast, filled with countless things; but after walking several loops, the novelty faded—he found every mountain, every stream, every building, every terrace to be much the same, and nothing worth seeing anymore.

Mo Hua then returned to his room to calmly review array techniques.

But ordinary first-rank arrays were too simple, offering little to review.

Mo Hua could only draw the Reverse Spirit Array a few times and reviewed the core of the Five Elements Annihilation Array.

At mealtime, he went to Cangyun Sect to eat for free.

The first-rank array assessment was overseen by the Dao Ting Si's Tian Shu Pavilion and administered by Cangyun Sect.

Cangyun Sect placed extraordinary importance on it, daring not to neglect even the slightest detail.

Otherwise, it would profane the Dao Ting Si, invite reprimand from the Dao Ting Si, offend the array masters participating in the assessment, and damage the sect's reputation among array masters.

Those participating in the rank-determination assessment were all "provisional first-rank" array masters—Cangyun Sect dared not treat them lightly.

It was a one-time array; before activation, the Jin Yu would detach, and the array could be restored, to prevent anyone from opening it prematurely and stealing the exam questions.

That would be too ostentatious, and a grave insult to the "First-Rank Array Xiong Yuan Yuan Assessment."

Mo Hua made up his mind.

But I never imagined the child was recommended by the Dao Ting Si itself!

And given how precious these spirit-meat delicacies were, he would eat more.

The examiner glanced at Mo Hua again, about to lose his temper, but seeing me sleeping soundly, my expression innocent, his heart softened again, and he sighed:

The protruding rafter rots first.

Mo Hua lived well, ate well, the disciples preparing for rank-determination treated him with respectful courtesy, and he encountered no trouble.

The procedure was meticulous and elaborate, designed to prevent array masters from cheating.

Naturally, it included Mo Hua's various behaviors.

Thus, during the first-rank array master rank-determination assessment, after Mo Hua finished his paper, he slumped onto the desk, calm and steady, sleeping from start to finish…

The Seven Elements Annihilation Array encompassed most of the seven-element trapping and killing techniques, as well as architectural arrays.

Even though Mo Hua had witnessed large-scale array collapses before, amid the astonished, envious, or suspicious gazes of others, he felt not the slightest unease or embarrassment.

He looked at the jade tablet, stared at Mo Hua for a long time, then nodded slowly and allowed Mo Hua to leave the examination hall.

Who among children as young as ten or so comes to participate in Cangyun Sect's?

Mo Hua pressed his big face against the desk, drawing and drawing, his eyelids fighting each other—soon he was snoring asleep…

These were not Mo Hua's strong suits, but that was only compared to Bai Zi Xi, who came from a family steeped in tradition; he had studied arrays under Master Zhuang, and through constant exposure, he was thoroughly familiar with these foundational first-rank array theories.

Mo Hua entered the Wen Xian Hall.

That meant he was a cultivator of the First Star Pavilion within the Dao Ting Si's central Tian Shu Pavilion.

Mo Hua looked at the jade slip.

Then he realized everyone seemed to be secretly glancing at him.

Should he delay submitting his paper?

Coming for rank-determination at this age, he had been too low-key already; now it was better to be a bit more conspicuous.

It's just a first-rank array—visible at a glance; what need is there to inspect?

The examiner moved several small array plates, causing the Jin Yu to interlock within the iron box; then a flash of light—the array dissolved, and all embedded Jin Yu detached.

The examiner's heart burned with anger.

This child probably wandered in half-asleep—he can't answer the questions, can't draw arrays, doesn't know what he's doing, and just lies down to sleep.

"Wait until everyone else submits their papers, then submit with them…"

Inside the iron box were dozens of jade slips; within each slip lay the questions for the rank-determination assessment.

The examiner sighed, silently thinking to himself:

I originally thought the child had been recommended by some family or sect.

How great a favor had he secured?

Therefore, every aspect of food and lodging was arranged with utmost care—his quarters were spacious, his meals abundant.

"From Xiancheng, Mo Hua!"

Can I really sit here idle all day?

First-rank Flame Melting Array, First-rank Jin Guang Array, First-rank Water Prison Array…

Mo Hua thought silently to himself:

The desk was made of redwood, narrow and broad, carved with cloud-beast patterns, heavy in texture, with a faint luster—clearly very valuable.

The examiner ordered the jade slips distributed, along with Dao Ting Si–mandated array brushes, array paper, spirit ink, and inkstones.

He wore a white Dao robe, with a one-star emblem embroidered on the chest.

His hair was half-white, his expression stern, his face rigid.

Mo Hua took a deep, calming breath.

"Let him sleep first; we'll deal with this later…"

The moment Mo Hua entered the door, I took notice.

Mo Hua was bored, but without ink or paper, he could only lie on the desk and trace array patterns on the smooth surface with his fingers, just to pass the time.

To bribe the Xiong Yuan Si would cost a great deal—is that really worth it?

But Mo Hua remembered his father's teaching: even a lion uses full strength against a rabbit.

The examination venue was set in the Wen Xian Hall on the main peak of the Rank-Determination Mountain.

After sitting upright for a while longer, he still found it dreadfully dull.

"You seem to have finished…"

The child finished writing the array theory and answered earnestly.

As he drew, he grew accustomed to it; his brush flew like a dragon in flight, swiftly scribbling "eight up, seven minus seven," and in mere moments, he completed the entire array diagram.

He glanced at the array diagram once, then discarded it entirely; his brush danced freely, sketching at random, as if doodling carelessly.

The flesh of the spirit beast was indeed more delicate, with not a trace of fishy or gamey odor, and its spiritual energy lingered; after consuming and refining it, a slight increase in spiritual power appeared in his qi sea.

All were seventh-rank array types, and all had been drawn to exhaustion by Mo Hua.

A First-Rank Array Master!

He was also the chief examiner for standard grading.

Should an array master make any improper move, the array's warning would activate, expelling him from the examination hall and revoking his grading eligibility.

He actually fell asleep!

The more complex it is, the more care must be taken.

The examiner's face was as cold as water; silently in his heart, he murmured the name on the jade tablet:

His voice was heavy, yet soft.

"A child? What could he possibly know?"

The examiner looked around and spoke solemnly:

The examiner's eyelids twitched violently; his face turned ashen.

The array master examination granted a full day; he had initially thought the time ample, even generous—but now he felt it was absurdly excessive…

This is outrageous!

He looked up at the surroundings; though array barriers blocked him, he could still see clearly.

But he was discovered soon after.

Soon after, everyone, openly or covertly, began watching him.

He suddenly realized—he had nothing to do…

When Mo Hua handed him the jade tablet, he could clearly see the shock on his face.

Mo Hua thought of drawing some other arrays to pass the time, but there was no extra array paper left.

Mo Hua thought for a moment, then shook his head.

Mo Hua glanced at the examination array and relaxed completely.

The grading of a First-Rank Array Master is an extremely serious matter—yet now these people treat it as a joke! This is outrageous!

Several sheets of array paper were used up quickly…

After two days passed, the official grading examination began.

Then Mo Hua froze:

But it was just too boring…

What!

The taste was merely average; due to the dense spiritual energy, it felt like "eating spirit stones," far inferior to his mother's cooking.

At that time, order the Dao Ting Si of the local region to revoke their recommendation privileges for seventy years.

Each one drew an array, and drew earnestly—each stroke, each line, meticulous and flawless.

Array barriers surrounded the desks, blocking spiritual sense, sound, and sight.

Mr. Zhuang was right; among those taking the exam with him, most were elderly array masters with white hair, and some middle-aged cultivators whose hair was also streaked with white.

The final examiner was at the entrance.

But faintly, he could still see that most array masters had just finished the array theory and now wore solemn expressions, as if facing a great enemy, beginning to truly draw the arrays.

Saying this, he raised a black iron box edged with Jin Yu and said solemnly:

The hall was vast and towering, solemn and magnificent, with dozens of desks arranged within.

This was the grading examination for a First-Rank Array Master…

At first, Mo Hua drew carefully, stroke by stroke.

"Now, in front of all of you, I shall unseal the examination problem's array."

Watching him enter, watching him walk down the aisle, watching him reach the desk, then watching him sit down neatly.

Moreover, he harbored a sliver of hope—that perhaps this child truly possessed some array talent, truly qualified for grading—so he deliberately, intentionally, watched Mo Hua's examination paper.

He glanced around and suddenly felt less tense.

Then his gaze grew hot.

"Dao Ting Tian Shu Pavilion, Seventh-Rank Great Baishan Province, Shi Dingpin Wenxian Hall, First-Rank Array Master Examination of Cangyun Sect, now officially begins!"

To let a child be graded—do you think everyone here is blind?

This is surely a scheme by the child's powerful cultivator family or Zuhuoshi Sect, bribing Dao Ting Si to let this array master with little array study participate in the First-Rank Array Master grading.

But don't go too far!

Secret deals in grading examinations are unavoidable; in most cases, Dao Ting turns a blind eye and lets it pass.

The examiner opened the iron box to show everyone.

But Mo Hua wasn't picky.

And just how much influence did he have?

The Wenxian Hall's supervisory position was a raised platform; standing atop it, one's view stretched unobstructed.

But as he drew, his true nature was revealed.

A collective gasp of shock rang out.

"These uncles and grandfathers studied their whole lives, took exams their whole lives—and still failed. I'm still young; even if I fail this time, it's nothing…"

Moments later, the sound of the Xiong Yuan Bell rang out.

Everyone fell silent.

Mo Hua ate many kinds of spirit meat he had never tried before.

But now that Mo Hua has finished drawing, I haven't even started yet…

Mo Hua constructed seven rows of demon-slaying minor arrays, even drew out the array pivots, let alone all those complex single arrays used to fill them.

The seventh section, with no array theory, tests actual array engraving.

Mo Hua first answered all the array theory questions, then began carefully drawing the arrays.

Disrespecting the Array Court, disrespecting array techniques, disrespecting the examination hall, and not even regarding me, the examiner, as worthy of notice!

One star forms the shape of a dipper; the other eight stars glow brightly, but only the first star of the Northern Dipper—the Tian Shu Star—shines, emitting a soft, shimmering starlight.

But after a while, whether he finished answering or didn't know how to write, he abandoned the array theory and began drawing arrays instead.

The jade slip's exam is divided into two parts: one part is array theory, testing array fundamentals—including array types, origins, history of the array path, and array rune interactions.

The crowd exchanged glances, unsure what to say.

Half an hour ago, everyone had already arrived; the exam was about to begin, and no one dared sneak glances at Mo Hua anymore.

He checked once more and found nothing worth checking.

With that thought, Mo Hua finally relaxed completely.

It seemed they had just realized: this child, barely ten years old, had truly come to be ranked—every array master's expression flickered with momentary disbelief.

Mo Hua showed his jade token to the examiner, entered Wen Xian Hall, found his desk, sat down quietly, felt the solemn atmosphere, and felt a sense of ease.

But even if he took it seriously, it was only a special first-rank, four-rune array—truly not difficult at all.

The ranking examination officially began.

He did not confront him on the spot, fearing it would disrupt the other array masters' exams.

Scratching and scraping, he suddenly…

He ruined the array paper, then grew bored, leaned his head on the desk, and his hand idly scratched at something.

Thank you to the readers' support~