Chapter 575

But the problem was, he still couldn't draw fast enough…

Using spiritual sense to control ink consumes high spiritual energy; drawing arrays on the ground is difficult, so drawing quickly is hard.

Mo Hua felt a hint of regret.

At present, he could still only prepare in advance, striking with foreknowledge, setting ambushes—he couldn't cast arrays on the spot like spells.

Unless the opponent was an idiot.

There was another problem: it was too expensive…

To activate the core of a second-rank array, at least seventy or eighty spirit stones were needed.

For an array like the Earth-Fire Array, a second-rank, thirteen-stripe, top-tier beginner array, at least a hundred spirit stones were required.

This was no small sum.

Each time he detonated an Earth-Fire Array, a hundred spirit stones burned away…

For disciples of the Shijia Sect, these spirit stones might mean little.

But for Mo Hua, they were very "luxurious."

Aside from spirit stones, there was also spirit ink.

A second-rank Earth-Fire Array required second-rank spirit ink.

Converted into spirit stones, it was still very expensive.

Mo Hua now used his own mixed, cheap, low-quality spirit ink to draw the Earth-Fire Array.

If he used higher-quality spirit ink, the Earth-Fire Array's power would be greater—but the cost would rise even further…

Cultivators pursuing the Dao need "Law, Wealth, Companion, and Ground"—indeed, all are indispensable.

Mo Hua sighed.

"Forget it, take it one step at a time…"

He'd figure out how to earn more spirit stones later.

The urgent task now was to put the second-rank Earth-Fire Array into practical use.

The power of the second-rank Earth-Fire Array far exceeded Mo Hua's expectations, which made him very pleased.

Similarly, his future plans would proceed more smoothly.

"Use the second-rank Earth-Fire Array to ambush and kill Great Heishan's second-rank beasts, then extract their blood to mix spirit ink, use that ink to lay another Earth-Fire Array, kill more second-rank beasts, extract more blood, mix more ink…"

Thus, a virtuous cycle formed.

Spirit ink produced, used, produced again—the more he accumulated, the more spirit ink he had.

Array practice, application, practice again—the more he used it, the more skilled he became.

The only cost was the hundred spirit stones needed to activate the array core.

Each detonation burned nearly a hundred spirit stones.

Mo Hua felt a pang of pain.

But cultivating the Dao always demands a price.

Compared to the gains in spirit ink and array proficiency, this cost was negligible.

In the days that followed, Mo Hua began hunting beasts again, just as he had when he first entered Great Heishan, using the Earth-Fire Array.

Mo Hua thought about it, and didn't call out Elder Yu and the others.

Hunting second-rank beasts was still very dangerous.

Even if Elder Yu was Foundation Establishment, facing a second-rank beast head-on could easily lead to mishaps.

But Dahei was different.

He was a second-rank beast, a tiger, with solid, tough flesh—strong in defense and offense.

Mo Hua first swept the mountain with powerful spiritual sense, located a second-rank beast, observed its habits, and chose an ideal ambush spot along its usual path.

Then, using spiritual sense to control ink, he drew the second-rank Earth-Fire Array on the ground.

Afterward, Mo Hua and Dahei hid somewhere, crouching with their two heads—one large, one small—staring at the trap on the ground, watching for movement all around.

Outside the Earth-Fire Array, Mo Hua also laid a second-rank Thorn Array.

Once a second-rank beast entered, the Thorn Array would entangle it; after a few breaths, it would be consumed by the Earth-Fire Array.

The second-rank Earth-Fire Array was extremely powerful.

Once triggered, it exploded with a roar, flames surging violently.

Within the array, flame spiritual energy churned like waves, crimson as magma.

Dahei still fluffed his fur at first, but after seeing it many times, he gradually grew accustomed to it.

After the Earth-Fire Array exploded, the second-rank beast inside was usually injured.

Beasts' bodies were far sturdier than cultivators', so even if swallowed by a second-rank Earth-Fire Array, they rarely died outright—only sustaining more or less serious wounds.

The severity of these wounds varied by beast type.

Beasts strong in defense, such as earth- or metal-type beasts, typically suffered light injuries, bordering on moderate.

Beasts with average defense usually suffered moderate injuries.

Only weak-bodied beasts suffered severe injuries.

Causing such damage to a second-rank beast was already formidable.

Then came Dahei's turn.

In beast combat, one beast ambushed and wounded, the other rested and full of blood qi—the outcome was never in doubt.

Especially with Mo Hua firing fireballs from the side to drain and finish it off.

The man and the tiger worked in perfect harmony.

Almost always, the battle ended within half an hour.

Then Mo Hua bled, and the great tiger ate the meat.

Afterward, they rested for several days, then repeated the same tactic.

No matter how strong a second-rank beast may be, it cannot withstand such a killing setup—cultivators and beasts working together, combining arrays and spells, traps and ambushes.

Mo Hua's spirit ink, bottle after bottle, accumulated more and more…

The great tiger ate the inner cores, one after another, consuming more and more…

Mo Hua's earth-fire array grew increasingly proficient, while the great tiger's strength also rose noticeably.

But Mo Hua's spirit stones were being consumed at a rapid pace.

Mo Hua was growing worried.

"I need to find a way to earn some spirit stones…"

The spirit ink he mixed himself was somewhat crude—fine for his own use, but unlikely to fetch a good price if sold.

Moreover, in Xiancheng—no, perhaps not just Xiancheng, but throughout the entire Heishan Prefecture—there might not be a single second-rank array master.

Probably no one would buy it.

Besides, he uses ink like water; these spirit inks, though plentiful now, might not last long under his usage…

Paint arrays for others to earn spirit stones…

He was already very busy and had no time for that.

He didn't want to ask his parents for spirit stones unless absolutely necessary.

He wanted his parents to keep as many spirit stones as possible, so they could both succeed in Foundation Establishment someday…

Mo Hua frowned in thought, then suddenly froze, staring at the scattered beast bones inside the great tiger's cave…

The great tiger had swallowed the inner cores and eaten the beast meat, but the bones of these second-rank beasts remained.

Not just bones—some claws, fangs, and pelts too.

Mo Hua pointed at these beast materials and asked the great tiger: "Do you still want these?"

The great tiger, full and lazy, lay on the ground, its round belly facing the sky, utterly content.

Hearing Mo Hua speak, the great tiger lifted its head, glanced at Mo Hua, then at the leftover bones, rose, picked up a large bone in its mouth, and placed it in Mo Hua's arms.

The meaning was clear: "I don't want them—take them all."

Mo Hua was overjoyed, then pulled out several storage bags and packed in all the small scraps, broken bones, claws, and fangs of second-rank beast materials.

But he kept a few large bones for the great tiger to gnaw on.

Afterward, Mo Hua, laden with bags, slung his storage bags over his shoulders and headed home.

……

At this time, the beast hunters of Great Heishan were growing uneasy.

Not just the hunters—even traveling merchants and wandering cultivators felt uneasy.

Lately, strange disturbances had been frequent in the deep mountains.

Shocking explosions echoed at intervals, along with powerful, scorching spiritual energy fluctuations.

The roars of second-rank beasts shook the forests.

Occasionally, surging beast energy and turbulent blood qi would surge and churn, only calming after a long time…

It was as if second-rank beasts were fighting to the death.

And not just once…

In Xiancheng, Elder Yu's expression was solemn.

Yu Chengyi, Yu Chengyong, and Mo Shan all frowned deeply.

"Second-rank beasts fighting to the death?"

"The beast energy is overwhelming—terrifying…"

"Could it be that a rare treasure has appeared?"

"Great Heishan is a barren, hostile land—what rare treasure could it have?"

"Why has such a change suddenly occurred?"

"Everything was fine before…"

Yu Chengyi mused: "It's not just the beasts—there are also extremely strong spiritual energy fluctuations. Could it be… that other Foundation Establishment elders have come to Great Heishan to hunt second-rank beasts?"

"To hunt second-rank beasts, you'd need at least seven or eight Foundation Establishment cultivators…"

Elder Yu shook his head: "So many Foundation Establishment cultivators, such a large-scale operation—we couldn't possibly have missed it…"

Mo Shan also nodded: "Correct. Besides, no foreign Foundation Establishment cultivators have arrived in Xiancheng recently…"

"Foreign Foundation Establishment cultivators…"

Yu Chengyong thought for a moment: "If you insist, there is one…"

Mo Shan blinked, frowning: "Who?"

Everyone froze, remembering—silently staring at Mo Shan:

"Your son…"

Mo Shan looked stunned.

Oh right—Hua had reached Foundation Establishment…

He had been delighted about it for a long time.

But since Mo Hua, though Foundation Establishment, still acted like a child—eating good food daily, learning arrays daily—he had unconsciously forgotten about it…

He had forgotten his son was now a "Foundation Establishment" cultivator.

And Mo Hua had indeed just returned from outside recently…

"What has Mo Hua been doing lately?" Elder Yu asked carefully.

Seeing Mo Shan shook his head.

He really wasn't clear on this one.

He only hoped that Mo Hua could do what he wanted—whether it was cultivation or drawing formations—as long as it didn't go against the righteous path, and Mo Hua liked it, he wouldn't interfere.

As long as he could be safe and sound, happy and joyful, that was enough.

And Mo Hua was a first-rank formation master…

He himself didn't understand formations at all; even if he went to ask, he'd be completely in the dark.

Moreover, his own Foundation Establishment was imminent, and he was busy with the demon-hunting business, so he was usually quite occupied.

Elder Yu thought for a moment; although he felt it was impossible, he still tried to ask:

"Then Mo Hua… these past days, has he gone to Shenshan?"

Seeing Mo Shan recalled for a moment, then nodded. "Occasionally. He brought a bunch of dried fish, saying he was going to feed the cats…"

"Feed the cats…"

Everyone was a bit dumbfounded.

Feed what cats?

What cats in Shenshan are there to feed?

The atmosphere grew a little subtle.

"The disturbance in Shenshan… couldn't have been caused by this kid Mo Hua, could it…" someone said weakly.

Seeing Mo Shan laughed despite himself. "How could that be…" Then he froze, and the smile vanished.

The other demon hunters also fell silent.

It seemed impossible…

But when it came to Mo Hua, it seemed… nothing was really impossible…

After all, the Shenshan of Great Heishan had once been blasted by Mo Hua with a grand formation, completely altering the entire mountain's terrain…

But this matter was hard to determine. Elder Yu only asked Seeing Mo Shan to go back and inquire with Mo Hua, and the group dispersed.

Seeing Mo Shan went home full of doubts. Liu Ruhua was cooking.

Mo Hua trailed behind his mother, saying, "Mom, I want to eat this…", "Beef is good…", "Make this one a bit spicier…"

Then, like a little greedy cat, he took a bite of this and a taste of that.

You couldn't tell at all that he was already a Foundation Establishment cultivator…

Seeing Mo Shan's eyes showed affection, but he also felt a bit helpless, not knowing how to bring it up.

At dinner, the table was laden with a very lavish spread of dishes.

Mo Hua ate with great gusto.

Suddenly he remembered something, pulled out a storage bag, and asked, "Dad, look at this—can it be sold for spirit stones?"

Seeing Mo Shan was startled, thinking it was a formation and about to say he couldn't read it. But once he took it and looked, he realized it was demon beast materials.

Demon beast materials—he was very familiar with those.

Seeing Mo Shan reached in, took out a few demon bones, looked at them for a moment, and frowned.

"Never seen them before…"

In Great Heishan, there were actually demon beast materials he hadn't seen before?

Seeing Mo Shan examined them for a while longer, then suddenly froze, opened his mouth wide, and wore an expression of utter disbelief.

"These are… bones of a second-rank demon beast?"

"Mm." Mo Hua gnawed on a chicken leg and nodded. "Dad, you have a great eye!"

Seeing Mo Shan didn't know what to say.

Was this a question of having a good eye or not…

Seeing Mo Shan thought of the disturbance in Shenshan and asked:

"You… these, where did they come from?"

Mo Hua thought for a moment and didn't hide it. "I needed spiritual ink for drawing formations, so I used dried fish to bribe a big tiger, and then we teamed up to kill a second-rank demon beast—it ate the meat, and I drained the blood…"

"These bones and teeth were all leftovers from the big tiger's meal…"

"I figured they could be sold for spirit stones, so I brought them back…"

Seeing Mo Shan listened as if hearing a tale from the heavens.

Bribe a tiger with dried fish?

Hunt and kill a second-rank demon beast?

This talk sounded like a story a child would make up—who would believe it if told…

Yet Seeing Mo Shan had no choice but to believe it…

Seeing Mo Shan was silent for a moment, then couldn't help asking: "You… how many… second-rank demon beasts did you kill?"

Mo Hua, afraid his parents would worry, said, "I didn't kill them—the big tiger did. I only helped a tiny bit…"

"I didn't count how many were killed either…"

"Seems like there were about eight or nine…"

"There are still a lot of bones; I left them in the courtyard…"

Seeing Mo Shan and Liu Ruhua exchanged glances, both momentarily speechless…

Second-rank demon beasts…

Once upon a time, second-rank demon beasts ran rampant and unchecked in Great Heishan.

A hundred or even two hundred years might pass without a single one dying…

Mo Hua came back, and in just a month or two, eight or nine had died…

Seeing Mo Shan couldn't help but sigh, looking at Mo Hua with some helplessness.

Forget it, going to Qianzhou to study isn't bad either...

He's only fifteen now. If he were a bit older, and his array formation skills a bit better, this Tongxian City, the entire Great Heishan, even the entire Heishan Prefecture, might not be able to withstand his havoc...

Afterwards, Seeing Mo Shan helped Mo Hua sell the materials from these second-grade demon beasts.

The fur had been clawed up by the big tiger, the bones had all been gnawed on, and the claws and fangs, after the fighting, were also somewhat damaged — all considered "defective goods."

But since they were materials from second-grade demon beasts, the price was still quite decent.

In Heishan Prefecture, there were no second-grade array masters.

But there were still a few second-grade weapon refiners.

These materials could be used to refine second-grade spirit artifacts.

Seeing Mo Shan had estimated: selling them all would fetch about five or six thousand spirit stones, but they'd have to be sold in batches — other trading pavilions, or passing merchants, couldn't swallow so much in one go.

Mo Hua was also overjoyed.

This way, the spirit stone problem for the second-grade Earth Fire Array was also solved.

Learning array formations, drawing array formations, using array formations...

Not only would he not lose out, he would also earn some spirit stones, and stockpile a large amount of spirit ink.

But Mo Hua hadn't been happy for a few days before he realized something was off again...

The second-grade demon beasts in Shenshan had suddenly become much fewer, as if they had all hidden themselves away, not daring to show their heads again...

In the past, second-grade demon beasts would swagger through Shenshan, fearless and undaunted.

But now, when they saw the big tiger, and Mo Hua, they ran off as if they'd seen a ghost, fleeing long before...

When they walked, they were also extremely cautious, afraid of stepping on an Earth Fire Array.

When hunting, they also emphasized quick, decisive strikes.

After eating until seven or eight tenths full, they would immediately return to their dens to huddle, hiding deep, afraid of being discovered by Mo Hua's divine sense...

Mo Hua was quite helpless, and also a bit annoyed.

"Such dignified second-grade demon beasts, with not a shred of backbone!"

But things had already come to this, and he could do nothing about it. He could only pack away the spirit ink he had already prepared and use it sparingly.

And the second-grade demon beasts being timid was also a good thing.

At least in the future, demon hunters going into the mountains to hunt would be much safer.

Elder Yu learned of Mo Hua hunting second-grade demon beasts in Shenshan. He was shocked, but after thinking about it, not so shocked.

Hunting second-grade demon beasts...

He wouldn't have dared to imagine such a thing in the past.

But over these past four or five years, things he wouldn't have dared imagine had all come true one by one...

Elder Yu felt a touch of melancholy, then his gaze grew firm again.

"The Dao is endless. I'm not old yet — I must keep cultivating. Jin Dan may be far, but there's nothing I don't dare to dream of..."

Shenshan grew quiet.

The demon hunters of Great Heishan also returned to their usual days.

Mo Hua crouched in Shenshan for several days without catching a glimpse of any second-grade demon beasts, so he had to give up for now and instead continue researching the Earth Fire Array...

He was about to leave Tongxian City, and his current speed of laying arrays with divine sense still wasn't fast enough...

He wanted to draw faster.

"But how can I draw faster?"

Mo Hua had already given it his all.

His divine sense was fourteen-pattern, inherently extremely profound, and after being restructured by the Heavenly Evolution Art, it was condensed like mercury. His control of divine sense was already very, very strong.

He had learned the Spirit Pivot Array, and his control of spiritual power through divine sense was also exquisitely meticulous.

Heavenly Mechanism Derivation deepened his understanding of array formations.

At his realm, there shouldn't be anyone who could draw faster than him...

But it still wasn't enough...

Grandpa Kui had said, "Of all the arts under heaven, only speed is unbreakable."

The same went for laying arrays with divine sense.

Mo Hua furrowed his delicate brows, his eyes thoughtful.

Every method he could use, he had already used, except for...

"Heavenly Mechanism Deception..."

Mo Hua had never seen his master draw arrays. To this day, the fastest array-layerer he had ever seen was his martial uncle — that is, the Daoist of Deception.

And the Daoist of Deception's array formations were based on "Heavenly Mechanism Deception."

If he learned it, would he be able to use divine sense to command ink and lay down Earth Fire Arrays faster?

Mo Hua always felt that his understanding of Heavenly Mechanism Deception wasn't deep enough.

The Heavenly Mechanism Deception he now mastered was still very, very far from his martial uncle's...

"Learn from martial uncle?"

Mo Hua's thoughts stirred slightly.

In his sea of consciousness, the scene of the Daoist of Deception using the "Deceptive Dao Sealing Yang Tianzhen" to seal the Ten Thousand Demon Hall and slaughter Liu Yuhua and the Jin Dan demonic cultivators resurfaced once more.

And the scene of the Daoist of Deception using "Heavenly Mechanism Deception" to crack the Heaven-Riddling Grand Array in a short time also replayed over and over.

"Heavenly Mechanism Deception..."

Heavenly Mechanism's Cunning Calculation, demonic thoughts split apart, can quickly break formations.

Naturally, one can also quickly lay down the Cunning Dao Heaven-Sealing Formation…

Mo Hua thought for a while, had no clue, then suddenly had a flash of inspiration.

Heavenly Mechanism's Cunning Calculation and Dao-Heart Planting Demons — one inner, one outer.

If his own comprehension of Heavenly Mechanism's Cunning Calculation isn't enough, then referencing "Dao-Heart Planting Demons" and thinking backward about the principles of Heavenly Mechanism's Cunning Calculation?

"Dao-Heart Planting Demons…"

The Dao-Heart Planting Demons based on Heavenly Mechanism's Cunning Calculation uses one's body to become a demon, splitting out one's own demonic thoughts to form a demon seed, planting it within another's Dao heart.

He himself is a proper cultivator, he cannot "plant demons in his Dao heart," splitting demonic thoughts…

Then, without splitting demonic thoughts, splitting his own divine thoughts — would that also work?

The method should be the same.

Not entering demonic cultivation, naturally it doesn't count as "Dao-Heart Planting Demons"…

"Splitting divine thoughts…"

"Let me try…"

Mo Hua began to close his eyes, imitating the Cunning Daoist, using the method of Heavenly Mechanism's Cunning Calculation, following the logic of the Cunning Dao, to split off part of his own divine thoughts.

This kind of splitting, based on cunning calculation, was complex and profound.

Mo Hua could only "draw a gourd after a gourd," repeatedly recalling the scenes of his martial uncle laying and breaking formations.

He didn't know how long passed before Mo Hua suddenly had an epiphany.

The Cunning Dao suddenly opened, and his divine thoughts began to split…

Within the Sea of Consciousness, atop Mo Hua's divine thought incarnation, suddenly appeared strands of pitch-black patterns.

These patterns were like divine thoughts peeled away from Mo Hua himself, yet also like Mo Hua's divine thoughts, based on certain great Dao laws, extending outward.

The Cunning Dao splitting of divine thoughts…

Similar to the earlier reconstruction of divine sense, but different.

This kind of splitting was more like using Heavenly Mechanism's Cunning Calculation to re-"compile" and "evolve" his own divine sense.

Mo Hua felt both pain and wonder.

In a hazy daze, he seemed to feel his divine thoughts aligning step by step with the Cunning Dao…

He didn't know how long passed before this splitting of cunning thoughts finally ended.

Mo Hua opened his eyes and discovered that on his body, faintly and hazily, a layer of dark-colored ink shadow had split off, and every movement produced afterimages.

This layer of ink shadow, draped over his body, was like a phantom image.

Yet also like a…

Pure, pitch-black, ink-wash Dao robe!

(End of this chapter)