Chapter 392

Mo Hua decided to use the Thick Earth Array to restructure the spirit fields of Qianjia Town.

But he couldn't make this decision on his own.

The spirit fields weren't his, and he wasn't even from Qianjia Town.

The elder of Dongshan Village, though low in cultivation, was old and experienced, and held considerable prestige.

He held little real power, but generally, any matter required his approval.

Mo Hua went to ask him:

"Elder, do you wish to redraw the array on the spirit fields?"

The elder of Dongshan Village had anticipated this, yet still found it unbelievable, his voice trembling:

"Redraw… the array?"

"Yes." Mo Hua nodded. "The same array drawn by the Sun Clan's Ancestor."

The elder's pupils dilated.

The Sun Clan's Ancestor was a second-rank array master, revered in Qianjia Town, a legendary cultivator.

To redraw the Sun Clan's Ancestor's array…

The elder's tone grew even more respectful:

"The Sun Clan's Ancestor's array… Young Master, have you learned it?"

"I've learned some of it. I can't claim to have mastered it fully, but seven or eight tenths, at least." Mo Hua replied humbly.

The elder fell into a daze, murmuring to himself:

"The Sun Clan's Ancestor was a second-rank array master…"

Mo Hua explained: "He was a second-rank array master, but the array he laid was actually first-rank—otherwise, Qi Condensation cultivators couldn't afford the spiritual stones to sustain a second-rank array."

The elder understood.

Mo Hua further clarified the stakes:

"To redraw the array, we must restructure some of the spirit fields and redraw the array along the Tian Geng."

"I've learned the Sun Clan's Ancestor's array, so I owe him a debt—I can draw the array for you without charging any spiritual stones."

"But the array itself requires vast amounts of spiritual ink and many spiritual stones, and also demands considerable manpower to reopen and reorganize the spirit fields."

"All this manpower and Xi Wuli must come from you."

The elder understood, and slowly nodded.

Mo Hua concluded: "I will draw the array, but whether or not to draw it ultimately rests with you."

The elder pondered long before bowing:

"Young Master, may I have some time to consult with the others?"

"Hmm." Mo Hua nodded.

Such a matter could not be decided by the elder alone—he must consult others.

Mo Hua did not press.

If they agreed, he would draw the array for them.

He could also apply what he'd learned, deepening his understanding of arrays.

It served both himself and the Dongshan Village cultivators, and this land of Qianjia Town.

If they refused, Mo Hua would not force them.

He could only wait for another chance to rebuild the Thick Earth Array and further refine his understanding…

…

After Mo Hua left, the elder summoned the Dongshan Village spirit farmers.

He conveyed Mo Hua's proposal.

The villagers exchanged glances.

Most still could not believe:

"Could this young master truly have learned the Sun Clan's Ancestor's array?"

"Impossible…"

"How old is he?"

"At Qi Condensation seventh layer, he could learn such an array? I've seen other array masters with full white beards."

"What do you know? Learning knows no order; mastery commands respect."

"Though young, I believe his array skill surpasses even the current head of the Sun Clan."

"Indeed, though I don't understand it, his array was drawn swiftly and flawlessly."

"Better than any Sun Clan member."

"Then why is he helping us?"

"True—he gains nothing, and won't even take our spiritual stones…"

"If he demanded spiritual stones, could you afford them?"

"We can barely afford to eat…"

"Is the Sun Clan's Ancestor's array an ordinary array? How many spiritual stones would drawing it cost?"

"Even if we emptied every household's savings, we might still not afford the fee…"

"I just find it suspicious—this young master is too kind."

"Are you just a spineless coward? If this young master treated us like the Sun Clan does, riding over our heads, would that be right?"

"Redrawing the array requires restructuring the spirit fields—but these fields are ancestral land; we can't touch them."

"Why can't we touch them?"

"It's ancestral—can't be touched..."

The crowd debated fiercely; some supported, some opposed, others worried deeply, hesitant and uncertain.

They were spirit farmers, living off spirit fields.

Matters concerning spirit fields touched upon their very foundation, so for now, they were weighed down by concerns and found it hard to decide.

The elder listened to their quarrels, pondered for a long while, then slowly spoke:

"We must build this array."

For a moment, the room fell silent.

One spirit farmer frowned and said, "But Elder, this carries great risk."

The elder shook his head. "I don't want the descendants of Dongshan Village to suffer hunger any longer."

"This endeavor certainly carries risk—but what doesn't? Can a risk-free good thing ever fall to us, poor cultivators?"

"If we don't take this risk, our descendants will have to."

"But our descendants may never get the chance at all."

In the elder's cloudy eyes, a sharp gleam appeared as he slowly gazed at them all, his tone solemn:

"This young sir, though young, is a master of arrays."

"He is willing to help us—that is our fortune."

"Once he leaves, who else could wield such profound array techniques? Even if someone could, who would be willing to draw them for us?"

"Don't cling to wishful thinking, assuming things will improve later."

"If we don't seize this chance now, things will only grow worse."

"This is our only hope."

"If we don't grasp this opportunity, our descendants will starve forever!"

The elder's voice was hoarse and heavy; after speaking, his old injury flared, and he winced, coughing violently.

Everyone fell silent.

Some still looked hesitant, but most now slowly hardened their gazes.

The next day, the elder found Mo Hua and told him the group's decision.

"Everyone has agreed: those with spirit stones will contribute spirit stones, those with strength will lend strength, to rebuild the array in the spirit fields."

Then the elder bowed deeply to Mo Hua:

"I beg the young sir to save the cultivators of Qianjia Town from famine!"

Mo Hua could not bear such a profound bow; he quickly helped the elder rise.

The elder's face showed expectation as he looked at Mo Hua.

But Mo Hua shook his head. "I cannot save you."

The elder's expression turned stunned.

Mo Hua sighed. "I can only draw the array for you—but if the array truly could save you, then Sun Family's ancestral array from generations past would have already done so."

"But it didn't..."

"For all these years, you've still lived on meager, irregular meals."

The elder was shaken, then fell into deep thought, his emotions churning.

Mo Hua continued:

"I can draw a proper array to enrich the soil, bring bountiful harvests to your spirit fields, and let everyone eat their fill."

"But then what?"

"The Sun Family still exists—and they will still oppress you."

"The rebuilt spirit fields will still be destroyed."

"The drawn arrays will still be erased."

"Without array knowledge, you remain under their control, exploited by the Sun Family."

"With the array built, the land will be fertile; for one or two years, perhaps even five or six, you may live better, eat more."

"But what of ten, twenty, or a hundred years from now?"

"Will it not return to how it was before?"

The elder's expression darkened with deep bitterness, then hardened into an unyielding sorrow.

He sighed helplessly. "But the Sun Family has a Foundation Establishment cultivator..."

Mo Hua shook his head. "Only Foundation Establishment early stage—and even then, he's only half an array master, rarely fights others, his Dao skills are rusty."

"Generally speaking, ten or so Cultivation Stage Nine cultivators, if truly willing to die, could make him hesitate."

Mo Hua added: "The Sun Family's tyranny relies not on strength, but on your passivity and resignation."

"If you truly unite as one, standing together against them, they won't dare act so recklessly."

The elder hesitated, sighing:

"But... if we do this, blood will be shed. People will die..."

Mo Hua's tone grew solemn. "If you shed blood, your descendants may eat. If you starve to death, your descendants will starve too."

The elder went suddenly blank.

Mo Hua added gently: "Actually, the Sun Family won't dare go too far."

After all, there is Dao Ting Si in Shangtai City.

After all, the Dao Ting Si of Shang Tai City is here.

This kind of place, the Dao Ting Si, though they don't directly manage matters outside Xiancheng, if the conflict grows too large, they have no choice but to step in.

The Dao Ting Si acts in accordance with the Dao Code.

At least, on the surface, that is the case.

Bound by the Dao Code and duty-bound, the Sun family also didn't dare to be too brazen.

After all, the Sun family is different from the Qian family — or rather, different from the Great Heishan of the Qian family's ancestor.

They are merely blood-sucking, pleasure-seeking parasites, not executioners who kill as casually as one might reap hemp.

"So I can only help you all, I cannot save you…"

Mo Hua's gaze was clear and candid as he said, "The ones who can save you can only be yourselves."

The elder's brows knit tightly. He pondered for a long while, then slowly let out a breath, bowed once more to Mo Hua, and said solemnly:

"Many thanks, young Mr. I understand now."

(End of chapter)