Chapter 45: Chapter Forty-Five: Surprise

The next day, Mr. Zhuang's teaching method changed: he taught Mo Hua only the theory of qi-refining stage formations, paired with various formations, allowing Mo Hua to learn step by step.

This method resembled Yan Jixi's teaching style, but Mr. Zhuang's realm was surely much higher, so his approach was broader, more detailed, and clearer in structure.

Mo Hua secretly felt sorry for Yan Jixi; had it not been for his realm's limitations, Yan Jixi might not have been merely an ordinary instructor—his philosophy of formation transmission and education shared common ground with Mr. Zhuang, whose formation mastery was exceptionally high.

The obscure formation theories Mr. Zhuang had taught before gave Mo Hua a headache.

Some theories Mo Hua had never encountered, leaving him utterly lost; he could only memorize them by rote. Even with his excellent memory, these abstract, hollow concepts were impossible to retain—he'd remember the later parts and forget the earlier ones, then revisit the earlier parts and forget the later ones, so his progress was painfully slow.

These were the very things that noble families treated as the foundation of formation study, which explained why those great clans had endured in the cultivation world for tens of thousands of years without decline.

Ordinary cultivators differed from noble families by too great a margin in depth and heritage, so among common cultivators, formation masters had nearly vanished.

Mo Hua sighed; comparing himself to others was meaningless—he could only strive harder. He warned himself, then calmed his mind and began learning formations according to Mr. Zhuang's method.

Now, starting from the qi-refining stage, with drawing formations as the focus and theory as the supplement, Mo Hua learned much faster.

Because Mo Hua had drawn countless formations day and night—drawing on the Dao Stele at night, on paper by day, and occasionally sketching with a grass root on the ground when idle.

In terms of sheer formation practice volume, even some late-stage qi-refining formation masters might not have drawn more than Mo Hua.

So after Mr. Zhuang changed his teaching method, Mo Hua learned quickly; by the time he finished the theoretical study and began drawing formations himself, his progress accelerated further.

Mr. Zhuang first had Mo Hua re-learn several formations containing five formation lines, including some five-element attribute formations Mo Hua had never seen before; Old Puppet had already prepared the formation diagrams and ink for him.

Mo Hua learned hungrily and drew persistently.

By day he drew formations in Mr. Zhuang's quiet residence; by night, in his dreams, he practiced on the Dao Stele in his mind—five-line formations posed little difficulty for Mo Hua; after familiarizing himself for a few days, he could master one.

Next came the Six-Line Formation: Fixed Water Formation. Previously, Mo Hua had been unable to complete it due to insufficient spiritual sense; now, after more than half a month of daily practice, his spiritual sense had grown considerably. Though somewhat strained, he could finally draw the complete Six-Line Fixed Water Formation.

After completing the Fixed Water Formation, Mr. Zhuang taught several new formations, such as the Thousand-Pound Formation, the Flowing Sand Formation, and the Small Cloud Rain Formation. With his spiritual sense now supporting him and his day-and-night practice, Mo Hua mastered them all within half a month.

Mr. Zhuang was quite satisfied—both with Mo Hua's progress and with his character.

Not many children Mo Hua's age had the discipline to sit still daily and study formations.

Yet privately, Mr. Zhuang still felt a slight regret, and he said to Old Puppet:

"This child Mo Hua's comprehension is even better than I thought—but it's a pity he's an orphaned cultivator, lacking formation heritage; his foundation is far weaker. Otherwise, he might not be far behind those noble family prodigies…"

"What's so great about prodigies?"

Mr. Zhuang fell silent for a moment.

Old Puppet watched him quietly, his voice flat and indifferent, yet laced with unmistakable sarcasm: "Weren't you once a prodigy yourself? And all the disciples you took before—weren't they all prodigies? What became of them? Do you really need me to recount how low you've sunk now?"

Mr. Zhuang sighed, displeased: "If I die young, it'll be from being infuriated by you!"

Old Puppet remained unmoved: "Life and death are fated. To speak such words shows you haven't even begun to understand the Dao."

Mr. Zhuang lay back on his reclining chair and said with deep meaning: "Heaven and earth have no mercy—they treat all things as straw dogs. If a human truly comprehends the Dao, can he still be called human?"

Old Puppet continued playing chess alone, seated motionless as a rotting log.

Mr. Zhuang taught many six-line formations, because six-line formations are already quite complete, containing the embryonic forms of many fundamental formations, requiring extensive study and insight.

When Mr. Zhuang prepared to teach seven-line formations after finishing the six-line ones, he noticed something surprising: Mo Hua's spiritual sense was growing too fast.

When Mr. Zhuang first met Mo Hua, his spiritual sense wasn't sufficient to draw a six-line formation. Now, a month later, Mo Hua's spiritual sense not only supported him in completing a full six-line formation, but he could even draw six and a half lines of a seven-line formation.

In one month, Mo Hua's qi had advanced barely at all, but his spiritual sense had grown rapidly.

Mr. Zhuang frowned slightly, sensing something was amiss.

One day, as Mo Hua studied a seven-line formation, Mr. Zhuang suddenly asked: "Mo Hua, have you heard of visualization techniques?"

Mo Hua looked bewildered: "Disciple has never heard of them."

"I see," Mr. Zhuang tapped his fingers on the desk, pondered a moment, then asked: "Have you ever seen strange images or patterns that, at a single glance, draw your spiritual sense into them involuntarily?"

Mo Hua thought, then shook his head.

The strangest thing he'd ever seen was the Dao Stele in his mind—but it bore no patterns or obvious lines, and staring at it for long didn't draw him in.

Mr. Zhuang fell silent, then said: "Your spiritual sense grows faster than others'—you must have noticed that."

Mo Hua nodded: "By day I draw formations; by night, in dreams, I practice them. And when I draw in dreams, I don't consume spiritual sense—so day and night, my spiritual sense gradually strengthens."

He didn't mention the Dao Stele, but everything else was true.

Mo Hua himself wasn't sure whether his spiritual sense grew because of the Dao Stele or simply from constantly drawing formations.

So Mo Hua asked: "Master, is it true that if one keeps drawing formations, spiritual sense will strengthen?"

Mr. Zhuang was speechless.

Drawing formations constantly consumes spiritual sense and continually trains the mind sea; over time, spiritual sense naturally grows.

But according to common practice in the cultivation world, one first finds ways to enhance spiritual sense, then learns formations.

Because relying on drawing formations to strengthen spiritual sense is extremely slow, and risks exhausting spiritual sense and damaging the mind sea, leading to irreversible consequences.

Hence, few cultivators consider this most basic, slowest, and riskiest method to enhance spiritual sense.

Mr. Zhuang felt this wasn't simple, and looked at Mo Hua with suspicion—but when he met Mo Hua's gaze, he saw eyes of unusual clarity, earnestness, and candor.

Mr. Zhuang had taught many disciples—he'd seen eyes full of admiration, fear, or hidden agendas—but never such open sincerity. He chuckled: "Very well."

"Have you heard of meditation techniques?" Mr. Zhuang asked again.

Mo Hua shook his head again.

"Meditation techniques allow cultivators to enter a meditative state quickly through focused contemplation, restoring spiritual sense faster. This isn't something a cultivator at your level should learn—but you're unusual, so you may begin now."

Mo Hua didn't understand what Mr. Zhuang meant by "unusual," but since he was about to learn something new, he smiled: "Thank you, Master."

"But one thing—you must remember."

Mr. Zhuang's expression grew serious: "If anyone asks why your spiritual sense has grown so fast, say it's because I taught you the Meditation Technique. Don't elaborate further."

Mo Hua was slightly confused, but he sensed Mr. Zhuang meant well, and silently memorized his words.

Mr. Zhuang nodded, then took from his sleeve a thin booklet, its cover bearing three characters:

The Meditation Technique.