Chapter 600: Great Array?

Returning to the disciples' quarters, locking the door, Mo Hua immediately used his spiritual sense to examine his Tai Xu Token, which had been granted Daoist access rights.

Inside the Tai Xu Token, a blank void, yet dense lines of text floated into view.

Some were cultivation courses, sect regulations, and so on.

These had been there originally.

But now, like ink brushwork and pastel hues, two new columns of text appeared in the token's empty spaces.

One column was the Bounty Register; the other was the Merit Register.

The Bounty Register recorded all sect missions.

Tasks were posted, rewarded with merit points.

It was densely packed with text, clearly stating each mission's objective, general content, location, level of danger, and the merit points awarded.

It also listed the requirements for accepting bounties.

For example, the cultivator's realm, cultivation technique, Dao art, whether they specialized in pill refining or array formation, and so on.

The Merit Register displayed the various rewards that could be exchanged for sect merit.

These included cultivation techniques, Dao arts, array diagrams, pill formulas, forging blueprints—Tai Xu Sect's secret transmission lineages.

Also rare Daoist resources: spirit weapons, pills, heavenly treasures, and earthly wonders.

For the disciples' convenience, some spirit swords and blades, miraculous pills, and certain lingzhi mushrooms, spirit herbs, Ji Furong, immortal ginseng, and other heavenly treasures even came with small watercolor illustrations—intuitive, beautiful, and thoughtful.

Mo Hua guessed this Merit Register must have been designed by some female elder in the sect.

At the same time, he was deeply puzzled.

How, exactly, had this been created inside the Tai Xu Token?

It contradicted his understanding of Dao cultivation.

He had never seen anything like this before.

This seemed like something accessible only after Foundation Establishment—not just any Foundation Establishment, but only disciples of a great lineage like the Tai Xu Sect, who would possess such a "sect token."

But what principle underlay this sect token?

"All things under heaven and earth are Dao; myriad phenomena, countless paths, complexity unified, manifesting as arrays…"

"So is this, then, also some kind of array?"

Mo Hua pondered for a long time, then shook his head.

He could not conceive how any array logic could construct such a strange yet wondrous Merit Register within a tiny token.

Text formed from ink and brush, transmitting information.

And images rendered in powdered pigments, vividly colored…

But according to Mo Hua's intuition, these were merely surface appearances.

This was most likely a type of array he had never seen or studied.

It required an extremely special array pattern, array pivot, and array core to form its foundational framework.

Mo Hua frowned, then suddenly had an idea.

"What if… I perform a celestial calculation?"

See if I can deduce anything from the Tai Xu Token…

When he first enrolled, Mo Hua had also peered into the Tai Xu Token.

But back then, his access rights were extremely low; his spiritual sense was blocked by the token, and his array knowledge was still shallow—he saw nothing.

Now, after nearly half a year of studying arrays under Mr. Xun,

his spiritual sense had grown stronger, his array mastery had deepened, and his array experience had broadened.

And now, Mr. Xun had just granted him "access rights."

Mo Hua's eyes brightened; he sat up straight, sank his spiritual sense into the Tai Xu Token, and scrutinized every change in text and ink.

Simultaneously, his spiritual thought raced, following the method of celestial calculation, peering beneath the text and images to their true nature…

The text in the Tai Xu Token gradually blurred; the colorful patterns developed afterimages.

The token's surface dissolved slightly, revealing a faint, elusive true form…

In the dimness, Mo Hua caught a glimpse of something.

The ink-and-water text and watercolor illustrations were indeed surface appearances.

The essence of these texts and images was array patterns.

All text and illustrations arose from simple, uniform, rigid yet orderly array patterns, arranged, ordered, and transformed.

And these array patterns were all controlled by a single array pivot.

All array pivots were neatly and tightly structured, like countless rivers flowing into the sea, converging into one grand, vast master pivot.

This master pivot was extremely complex, immensely vast.

It was wrapped in layers of profound, dense array patterns like an outer shell, forming an impregnable array barrier.

Mo Hua's spiritual sense appeared tiny and frail before this pivot.

As his mental sea began to dry, the celestial calculation halted—his spiritual sense was too limited to calculate any further…

But he was profoundly shaken.

"Could this… also be a great array?!"

A great array built from the Tai Xu Token!!

Every Tai Xu Sect disciple, every single Tai Xu Token, was an array "terminal," all unified and connected to a master pivot of the Tai Xu Sect, inscribed with a "core sequence."

Thus, all Tai Xu Sect disciples, through their Tai Xu Tokens, could achieve "information" sharing and spiritual sense text transmission.

This was another kind of great array, entirely different.

Unlike the Five Elements Demon-Slaying Array or the Five Elements Mountain-Protecting Array—external, powerful, majestic great arrays.

The grand array of the Grand Void Token constructs a vast, all-encompassing sea of information and a torrent of divine awareness within a space no larger than a thumb's breadth.

Is this… also one of the Great Dao of heaven and earth?

Mo Hua's horizons expanded dramatically; he was stunned, then silently pondered within his heart:

What if… I learned this grand array…

Broke through the array's core barrier, and seized control of the "core array pivot"…

Would it be…

Possible to eavesdrop on all transmissions between elders and disciples within the Grand Void Gate?

To spy on all of the Grand Void Gate's core secrets?

And if I controlled this grand array, would that also mean…

I could alter the Grand Void's "permissions"?

Grant myself "authorization"?

Even manually modify my own "merit points"?

Could I exchange any sect treasure, primordial spiritual object, or divine awareness sword art for whatever I desired?

Infinite merit points, enough to spend for a lifetime and never run out?!

…

Mo Hua opened his mouth wide.

Evil little thoughts sprouted like mushrooms after rain, one after another, endlessly emerging…

Then he shook his head, solemnly saying:

"No!"

"I am now a proper junior disciple of the Grand Void Gate—I have principles. I cannot do things that harm the sect's interests or steal its authority!"

"Greed is a grave taboo in the Dao!"

Yet his little heart still stirred restlessly.

I cannot steal from the Grand Void Gate, but…

Mo Hua's mind raced swiftly.

Since the Grand Void Gate uses this array system, it follows that other sects in Qianxue Province likely use it too.

Extending this logic…

Even sects with greater power, longer lineages, and deeper foundations probably all possess this grand array combining communication, rewards, punishments, and promotion.

Even if not a grand array, at least a compound array.

Their scales may differ, but their array type, structural logic, and underlying architecture must be identical.

I do not yet know this array system.

But the Grand Void Token lies right before me; once my array studies improve, my divine awareness strengthens, and my celestial calculations grow more refined, I will one day inevitably deduce this entire array system…

Mo Hua couldn't help feeling elated, then mused:

"I am a disciple of the Grand Void Gate—I must not do harm to the Grand Void Gate…"

"But other sects… I am not their disciple…"

"Some orthodox sects don't do good things either…"

"Besides, there are demonic and heretical forces—Xie Sect, Corpse Gate…"

"If one day I fully comprehend this grand array…"

Mo Hua's face wore a sly smile, like a little fox, and he softly hummed in his heart:

"You sects had better not offend me…"

"Otherwise, if I ever happen to pick up your sect's token, you'll be in for a 'great blessing'…"

…

Of course, it's still a bit early.

Mo Hua set aside his thoughts and began planning practically.

Eat your meal one bite at a time; walk your path one step at a time.

Study the Grand Void Token slowly.

For now, I must first accept sect bounty quests to earn merit points, exchange for array knowledge, and strengthen my divine awareness.

Once I've accumulated enough merit points and upgraded my permissions, I'll check the higher-tier merit scrolls to see if the Grand Void Divine Awareness Sword True Art is there.

And…

The array capable of "reversing life and death."

Mo Hua's gaze grew resolute.

Afterward, Mo Hua began accepting quests.

Remembering Mr. Xun's instructions, he did not reach too high at first, accepting only "entry-level" quests.

The so-called "accepting" a task is actually a two-way process.

It requires not only Watching Mo Hua's application, but also the other party's consent.

In the Taixu Token, one can use divine sense to manifest text.

On the bounty board, tasks are numerous and densely packed.

If one wishes to apply to accept a task, one uses divine sense to manifest beneath the task, leaving one's own name.

This name contains some basic information about the disciple.

This includes their cultivation realm, the techniques they practice, the Daoist arts they excel at, and the grades of their formations, pills, talismans, and artifacts, among other things.

Which specific information is displayed can be decided by the disciple themselves.

The cultivators posting the missions, upon seeing this information, would weigh the situation carefully and consider whether to agree to let you take on this mission.

Only when both parties agreed would it count as a contract formed.

Yet Mo Hua, who had been given backdoor access to the Grand Void permissions by Old Mr. Xun ahead of time, was still a "newcomer"—and when he took on missions in the Grand Void Token, even mere entry-level ones, he repeatedly hit setbacks.

Guarding the mountain gate…

Others didn't want him, saying he was too young, and his height and looks made him look even "smaller"—people would say the Grand Void Gate had hired a child apprentice, which would look bad…

Sweeping the training grounds…

Mo Hua had actually swept once.

The sect's steward found him too slow, and seeing his little arms and legs, couldn't bear to let him sweep—so after that, they simply stopped assigning him any…

Refining artifacts, refining pills, refining talismans—these Mo Hua didn't know how to do.

Other bounties, he couldn't take on at all.

So in the end, Mo Hua could only draw formations.

"Drawing formations it is, then…"

Mo Hua, who had originally wanted to try out other missions, had no choice but to set aside the thought and content himself with drawing formations.

But he was still thinking too simply.

The sect's missions were, in essence, a kind of "bounty."

These bounties were posted by other sects within the Grand Void Gate, nearby sects, or Dao Ting Si, and other affiliated powers and individual cultivators.

There had to be a need before a bounty was posted.

Only when others had a need for formations could you draw them.

It wasn't as though you could draw whatever you wanted.

That in itself was no big deal.

Mo Hua was extremely proficient in the universal Five Elements formations, and fairly skilled in the Eight Trigrams formations.

In the Grand Void Token, most second-grade low-tier, and even some low-tier-and-above formation "bounties," Mo Hua was capable of handling—more than capable, in fact…

But he simply couldn't take them on!

The cultivators posting the bounties wouldn't pick him at all!

Because formation-type bounty missions required formation skill as certified by the Dao Court's grading.

Those competing with Mo Hua were uniformly "second-grade low-tier" and "second-grade mid-tier" formation masters…

These formation masters were senior brothers and sisters several grades above him.

And Mo Hua himself had only passed the first-grade formation master certification, carrying the title of "first-grade formation master"—others wouldn't even look at him.

Even though Mo Hua had labeled himself as "skilled in formations," no one believed it.

With all his ability, he had no stage to use it.

Mo Hua sighed helplessly.

He could only turn back and take on some first-grade formation "small jobs"…

These small jobs were all first-grade formations, and basically no one took them on, because the merit points offered were too few—second-grade formation masters wouldn't bother.

Most first-grade formation masters were disciples who had just entered the sect, and most hadn't even had their Grand Void Token permissions opened yet.

So these kinds of jobs were only taken on by a very few senior brothers and sisters who had just begun learning second-grade formations, using them to practice.

Mo Hua's title of "first-grade formation master," certified by the Dao Court, made him look quite "weighty" when taking on first-grade formation bounties.

He didn't hold back either—his divine sense swept through swiftly, and any bounty with the words "first-grade formation," he tapped once, leaving behind his own great name:

"Mo Hua!"

After a while, the Grand Void Token trembled slightly, as if there was a notification.

Mo Hua's divine sense took a look—some bounty applications had indeed been accepted, and some "short-sighted" ones had still rejected him.

Mo Hua snorted.

Today you lot can't be bothered with me; tomorrow you won't be able to reach me even if you wanted to!

If it weren't for "a tiger fallen on the plains," who would take on these first-grade formation bounties?

Then Mo Hua scanned the "bounty register" once more, applied for a few more first-grade formation bounties, waited a while—and again, some agreed, some refused.

Mo Hua counted—there were six first-grade formation bounties in total.

He wanted to take on a few more, but when his divine sense stirred, no more text appeared.

Mo Hua thought it over for a moment and roughly understood.

This was the bounty cap.

A disciple could take on at most six bounties at a time.

Mo Hua felt a little regret.

"Well, finish drawing them first…"

Mo Hua tucked the Grand Void Token into his storage bag, then got up and left the disciples' quarters, and following the map of the Grand Void Gate in his mind, found the location of the "Merit Pavilion."

The Grand Void Gate's Merit Pavilion was the place that managed the merit system, used to uniformly handle matters related to posting bounties, taking on bounties, and claiming bounty rewards.

Sect bounties had to be taken on through the Grand Void Token.

But when it came to certain necessary procedures and claiming rewards, one had to come to the Merit Pavilion in person.

Drawing formations was the same.

Mo Hua needed to claim brushes and ink, paper, and basic formation diagrams at the Merit Pavilion.

Of course, for simple formations, or formations with special requirements, others would provide the formation diagram.

For slightly more difficult, or rarer formations, the person drawing the formation had to figure out how to obtain the formation diagram themselves.

In the Merit Pavilion, quite a few disciples were coming and going, busy with their tasks.

Mo Hua waited in line for a while; when it was his turn, he rushed to the stage, presented the Grand Void Token, and said:

"Elder, I claim the array reward."

The Merit Elder was also an old man, with white hair, but chubby.

He verified Mo Hua's Grand Void Token; though his expression showed some confusion, he still took out six storage bags and handed them to Mo Hua.

Inside the storage bags were the brushes, ink, and array diagrams required for the reward.

Mo Hua took the storage bags and turned to leave.

"Wait…"

The Merit Elder stared at Mo Hua for a moment, then couldn't help asking:

"How old are you?"

"Fifteen!"

"Fifteen…" The Merit Elder frowned. "You should have just entered the sect, less than a year ago—how can you use the Grand Void Token to claim tasks?"

Mo Hua blamed everything on Mr. Xun: "Mr. Xun told me to take tasks, earn merit, and learn arrays!"

The Merit Elder blinked. "Mr. Xun?"

Strange…

That old man was always rigid—why would he start breaking rules?

The Merit Elder glanced again at Mo Hua, seeing his small frame burdened with six storage bags, and asked:

"Can you finish six array diagrams?"

"Yes!" Mo Hua said. "I draw arrays quickly!"

Draw arrays quickly?

A tiny kid—how fast could he possibly draw?

The Merit Elder shook his head and stopped asking; he waved his hand. "Fine, go draw. Don't take too many—if you can't finish, your reputation will suffer…"

"Yes, Elder."

Mo Hua replied.

The Merit Elder watched Mo Hua leave and didn't think much of it.

But an hour later, Mo Hua returned and placed the six storage bags on the table.

"Elder, I've finished."

The Merit Elder blinked.

Finished?

He opened the storage bags; inside were all first-rank arrays, some on paper, others on array discs or spirit weapon embryos as mediums.

Each array was neat, precise, and perfectly compliant.

"Really finished this fast…"

The Merit Elder was surprised, but after thinking, he found nothing unusual.

After all, they were only first-rank arrays.

The Merit Elder swept his spiritual sense over them, nodded, and said: "All completed. Six first-rank arrays, total merit: nineteen points. Already added to your Grand Void Token."

Mo Hua's eyes lit up; he sent his spiritual sense into the Grand Void Token and indeed found a small number beneath his name:

Nineteen.

This meant he had earned nineteen merit points.

"Alright, you…" The Merit Elder was about to say, "You may go," but Mo Hua immediately spoke:

"Elder, wait a moment…"

Mo Hua sank his spiritual sense into the Grand Void Token, then raised his head and handed the token to the Merit Elder. "I've taken a few more…"

The Merit Elder's eyelid twitched.

This kid doesn't follow the rules…

Who does this kind of thing?

And you're so young—don't you fear overexerting your spiritual sense taking so many arrays?

The Merit Elder hesitated a moment, saw Mo Hua's bright energy, and saw no sign of fatigue; he said nothing, and handed Mo Hua several more storage bags.

Mo Hua left happily.

The Merit Elder watched him go, silently memorizing the name on his Grand Void Token.

…

In the days that followed, Mo Hua continued drawing arrays.

But first-rank arrays gave too little merit—mostly three or four points each; accumulating them was too slow.

What he wanted to exchange—fifteen-pattern and sixteen-pattern arrays—each array diagram required hundreds of merit points.

Fortunately, Mo Hua drew quickly, and his progress was good at first.

But gradually, his merit-accumulation plan stalled again.

First, he had to attend Dao cultivation classes—he couldn't draw every day.

Even when he did, at most one hour.

He also had to practice the Fifteen-Pattern Rain-Soak Array to strengthen his spiritual sense, so time was scarce.

Another reason: the first-rank array rewards in the Grand Void Token were growing fewer.

Grand Void Gate disciples were all Foundation Establishment or higher; demand for first-rank arrays was already low.

Mo Hua drew extremely fast—five or six at a time, taking many—and soon, nearly all first-rank array rewards were claimed by him.

Only scattered ones remained—perhaps one or two rewards per day.

Mo Hua might not even be able to take it.

Roughly two or three merit points a day.

Like a turtle crawling.

Even after saving for a year, you might not afford a fifteen-pattern array.

Mo Hua sighed, frowning as he pondered:

"No, this is too slow. I need to find other tasks, rack up merit faster, exchange for an array…"

"But how…?"

Mo Hua had no idea at first, so he sank his spiritual sense into the Grand Void Token and scrolled through the "Wanted List," studying for many days until he finally found a viable solution.

His realm was low, and his experience was shallow—he couldn't take on wanted tasks.

But he could "piggyback" on wanted tasks!

Some wanted tasks couldn't be completed by one person alone; after a senior disciple took the task, he'd recruit three or four others to assist.

After completion, merit points were distributed according to contribution.

There'd be disparities, but not by much.

Mo Hua checked: some harder tasks offered several hundred merit points; if he piggybacked, he'd get at least dozens.

That equaled a month's work drawing a grade-one array.

Mo Hua's eyes lit up—he decided to act immediately.

The Grand Void Token's Wanted List included recruitment notices.

These were posted by disciples who'd taken a task and needed others to join them.

Mo Hua flipped through them repeatedly, searching for a long time, his spiritual sense numb from staring, until finally he found a suitable task he could piggyback on:

"Fifth day of the fifth month, second-grade Diancang State border, pursuing a criminal cultivator…"

"This criminal cultivator excels in arrays and is skilled at setting them up—hard to handle."

"Requires a fellow sect array master to assist; second-grade beginner preferred, but if array mastery is exceptional and self-preservation is assured, even first-grade is acceptable…"

"Upon success, merit points will be distributed according to contribution, starting at one hundred points…"

…

Mo Hua studied it again carefully.

"Self-preservation assured," "first-grade acceptable…"

Wasn't that describing him?

And the starting reward was one hundred merit points!

Mo Hua felt joy surge within him, and he neatly wrote his name on the recruitment notice:

"Mo Hua."

After a moment's thought, he added beneath it:

"Skilled in concealment, possesses self-preservation capability…"

"Highly proficient in arrays!"

(End of Chapter)