Chapter 387

In the following days, Mo Hua buried himself in studying the field maps, researching the evolution of the spirit fields, and comparing them with the current field layout to deduce the array structure.

Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi were also helping.

Each of the three took a portion of the field maps and worked on reconstructing them individually.

After reconstruction, they compared their results, and finally Mo Hua calculated and verified the final version.

This saved a great deal of effort.

In the spacious main hall, the three set up a table, drawing and calculating as they went.

After five or six days of work, they finally preliminarily organized and deduced the array diagram of this technique.

And this array indeed contained eleven array runes.

It was a genuine, genuine Grade-One Eleven-Rune Ultimate Array!

The array runes were primarily earth-based, and their brushwork differed from standard formal array runes, exuding an ancient, mysterious quality.

The array core structure was also far more complex than that of ordinary Grade-One arrays.

Bai Zisheng stared in awe:

"This is an Ultimate Array…"

Bai Zixi also stared intently, unconsciously tracing a few lines with her pale fingers—but as she gazed longer, dizziness washed over her; her brow furrowed, and she slowly collapsed.

Mo Hua quickly caught her, concerned:

"Little sister, are you alright?"

Bai Zisheng also hurriedly asked:

"Zixi, what's wrong?"

Bai Zixi came back to herself, her cheeks slightly flushed, and said softly:

"My spiritual sense is overexerted…"

She had never seen an Ultimate Array before, and Master Zhuang had never taught her, so out of curiosity, she had mentally sketched it out.

But she hadn't expected an Ultimate Array to consume so much spiritual sense.

She had only comprehended the ninth rune, then half of the tenth, when her spiritual sense was nearly depleted.

Then Bai Zixi's beautiful eyes flickered toward Mo Hua, and she asked curiously:

"Can you learn this array?"

Mo Hua blinked. "I can't learn it either…"

Bai Zixi stared silently at Mo Hua. "Tell the truth."

Mo Hua then said, slightly embarrassed:

"I can barely learn a little of it…"

That meant he could learn it…

Bai Zixi sighed softly in her heart.

Her little brother's spiritual sense was already terrifyingly deep.

His array comprehension was also excellent—he could deduce an Ultimate Array from mere traces.

No wonder Master valued him so much.

Seeing Mo Hua's concerned gaze, warmth stirred in Bai Zixi's heart.

In all her life, besides her brother and Snow Aunt, this was the first time someone had looked at her with such clear, sincere concern.

Mo Hua was her only little brother.

He was also the first person to call her "sister."

She felt she must fulfill her duty as an elder sister.

Bai Zixi hesitated, then extended her delicate white hand and patted Mo Hua's shoulder, speaking earnestly:

"You must study arrays seriously."

Mo Hua had become her disciple alongside her, learning the same things, spending long hours together.

Bai Zixi knew Mo Hua well.

She knew that in other cultivation paths, even if he studied hard and devoted time to them, he would make little progress.

But arrays were different.

Perhaps Mo Hua could truly rely on arrays to carve out his own place in a cultivation world teeming with geniuses.

Even on his own, he could continue cultivating toward the Dao and eternal life.

Bai Zixi had disguised her appearance; though her face was no longer as exquisitely beautiful as before, her eyes remained just as lovely.

In her ethereal gaze, Mo Hua's figure was reflected, filled with concern and hope.

It was the look of an elder sister caring for her little brother.

Mo Hua didn't know what to say.

Bai Zisheng chimed in beside them, "Listen to your sister—she's right!"

Mo Hua rolled his eyes at him.

Bai Zisheng looked utterly unconcerned.

He glanced again at the array diagram—just one look made his head ache.

Eleven runes, with spiritual sense intensity rivaling a Grade-Two array—what on earth was the point of learning it?

Bai Zisheng frowned, realizing a problem, and asked Mo Hua:

"Isn't the Sun Clan's Ancestor a Grade-Two array master?"

"Yes," Mo Hua nodded.

"Then why doesn't he use a Grade-Two array in the spirit fields? A Grade-Two array should be more effective," Bai Zisheng asked.

Mo Hua thought for a moment and explained:

"A second-rank array has stronger effects, but requires more Qi to operate and consumes more Spirit Stones—it's simply beyond the means of an ordinary Qi Refinement cultivator."

"Moreover, this array has a unique effect; ordinary second-rank arrays don't possess such functionality."

"Even if they did, it would have to be a second-rank supreme array—and the difficulty of a second-rank supreme array is far greater…"

Bai Zisheng suddenly understood and nodded. "Then hurry and learn it—see if this array has any use."

"Mm."

In the following days, Mo Hua began studying this supreme array.

But this array seemed to have something unusual about it.

During the day, Mo Hua practiced several times but made little progress.

Only at night, when meditating on the Dao Stele, could he sense the flow of energy within the array and gain deeper insight.

After several days, Mo Hua could fully outline the array on the Dao Stele.

But during the day, whenever he drew it on paper, the entire array seemed to lose its resonance.

His spiritual sense had indeed been consumed, and the array lines were drawn correctly.

Yet the array on paper possessed only form and substance, lacking spiritual essence—and no Qi flow could be perceived.

All three were puzzled.

Bai Zisheng rested his chin on his hand. "Could the calculated array be wrong?"

Bai Zi Xi shook his head. "No."

"Then did you draw it incorrectly?" Bai Zisheng guessed again, then immediately dismissed it himself: "No, you didn't draw it wrong."

Mo Hua's array drawings were always precise—there could be no errors or omissions.

Besides, all three of them had checked it once and found no issues.

The three exchanged glances.

Mo Hua sighed. "It seems we can only ask the master."

…

Mr. Zhuang was sitting in the courtyard on a bamboo chair, basking in the sun.

The chair appeared to be the same bamboo chair Mr. Zhuang often sat on in the Hall of Forgetting, and he was sentimental—he had brought it along with him on the journey.

In the spacious courtyard, Mr. Zhuang sat with closed eyes, either resting or cultivating the Dao.

Mo Hua did not disturb him and stood quietly waiting.

In no time, Mr. Zhuang opened his eyes and gave Mo Hua a gentle wave.

Mo Hua's eyes brightened, and he stepped forward to hand Mr. Zhuang the supreme array he had drawn.

Mr. Zhuang took it, glanced at it, and his expression showed slight surprise, followed by approval:

"Good."

"Master, is this the array?"

"Yes." Mr. Zhuang nodded.

Mo Hua's expression brightened.

For Mr. Zhuang to say so meant he had not miscalculated.

"But why, even though I've drawn it correctly, does the array seem to have no effect?"

Mo Hua asked, puzzled.

"That's because…" Mr. Zhuang smiled faintly, "you don't yet know the name of this array."

Mo Hua paused slightly. "Name?"

The Sun family's heritage made no mention of it—or rather, the Sun family had no inheritance of this supreme array at all, so naturally they could not know its name.

There was not a single record of it anywhere in Qianjia Town.

"Master, what is the name of this array?" Mo Hua asked without hesitation.

Mr. Zhuang did not delay. He spoke slowly:

"This array is called… the Thick Earth Array."

"Thick Earth?"

Mr. Zhuang gave a slight nod.

Mo Hua was confused. "Why is it called that?"

Mr. Zhuang's gaze grew solemn, his tone profound:

"The array embodies the ultimate principles of Heaven and Earth."

"Heaven moves with vigor, never ceasing; Earth is receptive, bearing all things with great virtue."

"This array is named Thick Earth, taking the 'thick' from 'bearing all things with great virtue.'"

Mr. Zhuang gazed at the distant, rolling Spirit Fields and the ripening Spirit Rice, and sighed:

"Heaven gives birth to all things; Earth nurtures all things."

"Heaven is the Dao; Earth is also the Dao."

"This Thick Earth Array follows the Dao of Earth—nurturing all things—and can enrich the soil and nourish all life."

Mo Hua suddenly understood, then frowned:

"But how does that relate to the array having no effect?"

"Think again," Mr. Zhuang did not answer.

Mo Hua thought for a moment, then said slowly: "Thick Earth Array… that means it must use 'Earth' as its medium?"

Mr. Zhuang gave a slight nod.

More precisely, it uses "Earth" as the array medium.

In array techniques, the medium is the easiest thing for people to overlook, even among array masters, who often neglect it, assuming the medium is merely a passive vessel for the array…

But an array is an integrated whole; the medium is an inseparable part of it, inherently containing its own array principles.

Especially using "Earth" as the medium is itself an insight into the Great Dao—something not every array master can comprehend.

What covers is Heaven; what carries is Earth.

Cultivators born into this world all have Heaven above their heads and Earth beneath their feet.

If you can master the Thick Earth Array and thereby comprehend the principle of "Thick Virtue Carries All," and learn how to use "Earth" as the medium, then from now on, any array you draw will have a foundation to rest upon.

The array's medium will no longer limit you.

Mr. Zhuang gazed at him with hopeful expectation.

Mo Hua suddenly understood, his heart shaken.

He had originally thought the spirit field contained merely a supreme array for nourishing the soil, never imagining its underlying array principles ran so deep.

Within all things lie array techniques; within array techniques lies the Great Dao.

The Earth's nature is yielding, carrying all things with thick virtue.

The Earth carries all things, and can also carry arrays.

By comprehending the Thick Earth Array and thereby clarifying its principles, the boundless Earth itself becomes a medium.

Where Heaven covers, where Earth extends—everywhere can be arrayed!

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