Chapter 690: Spiritual Sense Transformation

Why does Guojialong know the Divine Path Array Technique?

Mo Hua furrowed his brows slightly.

Just now he had observed: when Guojialong drew the array, his brushwork was clumsy, his spiritual sense sluggish, his wrist stiff—clearly not someone who frequently drew arrays.

He is not a true array master; the "seal" array on Jingkou was probably memorized by rote, copied blindly like tracing a gourd.

If so, then this Divine Path Array Technique must have been taught to him by someone else.

Who taught him?

Mo Hua's spiritual sense whirred rapidly, systematically eliminating every cultivator connected to Guojialong and the human traffickers, until his gaze sharpened.

"... Mr. Tu?"

Human traffickers, criminal cultivators, evil cultivators, demonic cultivators...

Among all these cultivators, the only one who might possess this ancient, nearly lost, profound array technique was the mysterious, elusive figure—whom Mo Hua had only heard of, never even seen—

Mr. Tu.

"Is the inheritance of the Divine Path Array Technique in Mr. Tu's hands?"

Mo Hua was puzzled.

If his guess was correct, Mr. Tu was the mastermind behind it all, of high status, likely one of the Great Wilderness Demon God's "chief hounds."

Would the inheritance of a Divine Path Array Technique—designed to exhaust spiritual sense to suppress gods—be hidden in the hands of a demon god's hound?

Mo Hua's brows tightened further.

This seems... illogical?

Or perhaps there are other deeper connections?

As Mo Hua pondered, the well on the other side, as if its causal thread had been altered, suddenly changed its aura—it had become an entirely different well.

Crimson mist seeped up from the well's depths.

This well was no longer the village's water well; it resembled more...

An entrance to some forbidden place.

Guojialong prostrated himself fully at Jingkou, bowing reverently three times, then picked up the dead fish and leapt straight into the well.

Mo Hua was startled.

Guojialong... just jumped in directly...

Then he felt strange.

Guojialong had jumped into the well, yet no splash sounded—now the well seemed like a dry well.

Mo Hua waited a moment; seeing Guojialong not emerge, he crept quietly to the well's edge and peered down.

The well's bottom was entirely obscured by crimson mist, like a blood-colored forbidden zone.

It looked extremely dangerous.

Mo Hua glanced again at the surrounding arrays.

Only then did he realize: the pale white bricks around the well were not stone at all, but polished bone bricks.

These bone bricks were specifically used as array mediums for evil arrays.

Only covered in dust and embedded among ordinary stones, they were hard to detect at a glance.

Upon these bone bricks were the evil array patterns Guojialong had just drawn.

Mo Hua studied these patterns, then suddenly froze—he noticed the crimson array lines were slowly fading, the array traces gradually vanishing.

In an instant, Mo Hua understood.

This blood ink dissolves on its own, precisely to leave no trace.

Guojialong used blood ink to draw the array patterns, unsealing the well's "seal," then leapt into the well.

Afterwards, the blood ink evaporated automatically, the patterns vanished, the well re-sealed itself, and the crimson mist's entrance closed.

Thus, no one would know where he had gone.

No one would know what secrets lay within the well.

"His methods are indeed meticulous..."

Mo Hua sighed inwardly, then wasted no time—he immediately focused intently, recording the crimson array patterns beside the well.

After a while, the patterns faded, and the crimson mist reversed, surging back into the well.

The well became an ordinary water well again, its water dark and still.

Mo Hua exhaled in relief.

Fortunately, his spiritual sense was slightly stronger, his comprehension slightly higher, his memory slightly better, his array mastery slightly deeper.

If he had been even a little weaker, in this short time, he could never have memorized so many patterns...

Mo Hua took out paper and brush, and with ordinary spiritual ink, meticulously copied again the array patterns Guojialong had drawn beside the well to "unseal" it.

These patterns were likely part of the legendary "Divine Path Array Technique."

Mo Hua studied them for a long time, his brows gradually furrowing.

He could not understand these patterns.

Certain foundational structures seemed missing, so the patterns' meaning, the array's core structure, and the flow of internal power were all inscrutable.

This seemed deliberately designed for "array-blind" people—a purely formalized, ritualistic array.

No understanding needed; just memorize by rote.

This was good for those who didn't understand arrays.

But for Mo Hua, an array master who understood array principles, it felt strangely... incomprehensible.

Mo Hua could only first "memorize by rote" these patterns; later, if he found the complete, systematic inheritance of the Divine Path Array Technique, he could delve deeper.

Of course, assuming he hadn't guessed wrong.

The array patterns on this well are truly the "Divine Path Array Technique"…

Mo Hua stared again at the well with sharp eyes.

The demon god is indeed connected to the well.

My earlier prediction was correct.

On the surface, this is a single well, but in reality, it is two wells.

One connects to the well of a small fishing village that provides devotional power; the other connects to a dry well that receives the worship of the demon god.

This was Mo Hua's first time personally seeing and directly encountering the demon god's preaching.

Mo Hua couldn't help but sigh deeply.

My spiritual sense underwent a transformation, and from Huang Shanjun, I learned much about the ways of deities—only then could I catch the demon god's slip.

Otherwise, even as a Jin Dan, if I had rashly entered the small fishing village, I would have discovered nothing.

Even if my mind sea were polluted by the demon god, I would likely be trapped in demonic obstructions, breeding dark thoughts, yet utterly unaware of the truth…

Mo Hua glanced again at the well.

The entrance to the truth now lies before me.

The question now is: should I follow the outsider and descend into the well's depths, to see what lies hidden below?

What form does the demon god truly take?

And before that, I must first learn to open the "seal" at Jingkou.

Mo Hua wrestled with this for a long time, and ultimately decided: whether or not he entered the well's depths now, he must first attempt to learn how to break the well's seal.

That way, he could advance or retreat at will, keeping the initiative in his own hands.

Mo Hua mentally replayed the process by which the outsider drew the array patterns, then took out brush and ink and began to copy, tracing the seal-breaking array patterns onto the bone tiles surrounding the well.

Mo Hua drew quickly.

Soon, the array patterns were complete, yet the well remained utterly still, showing no sign of movement.

"As expected…"

Mo Hua felt disappointed.

Using bone as medium, blood as ink—that is the method of demonic arrays.

I foolishly tried to substitute ordinary "spirit ink" for "blood ink"—it cannot activate a demonic array…

But where could I obtain blood ink?

Blood ink must be mixed with human blood.

It's not merely a simple mixture—it requires certain herbs strictly forbidden by the Dao Court, along with cruel and demonic methods, to prepare…

To become a demonic array master, you begin by preparing blood ink…

One could say that once you begin mixing blood ink, you've already stepped one foot onto the path of a demonic array master.

Mo Hua would never do such a foolish thing.

But without blood ink, how can I draw a demonic array?

Demonic array…

Mo Hua began to deduce step by step, drawing on his extremely rich experience with first- and second-rank arrays…

A demonic array, in essence, is an array master using demonic methods to draw an array he could not otherwise create…

Or, using demonic methods to enhance an array's power.

The outsider is not an array master; his spiritual sense is limited—he could never draw the true Divine Path Array Technique, so he could only resort to heretical means to force the array into existence.

Therefore, the array patterns drawn by the outsider contain both a portion of "demonic" path and a portion of "divine" path.

Using the "demonic" path to approach the "divine" path.

That is why the outsider succeeded in drawing these arrays.

But I, now, understand neither the "Divine Path" nor can I borrow the "Demonic Path"—so these patterns, once drawn, are useless.

What exactly does "Divine Path Array Technique" mean?

Mo Hua pondered deeply, yet still could not grasp it.

"What if I think the opposite…"

What is the Divine Path Array Technique meant to accomplish?

To restrain or seal a deity?

If it is meant to restrain or seal a deity, then it must require spiritual power matching that of a deity?

After all, mortals and deities are fundamentally different.

The spiritual sense of a mortal and the divine will of a deity differ in "quality."

If that is so…

Mo Hua's eyes widened in sudden shock.

Is the "Divine Path Array Technique" a method of transforming a mortal's "spiritual sense" into a power comparable to a deity's divine will?

The more Mo Hua thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.

If that is true…

I already possess spiritual will nearly equal to that of a deity!

Then why bother transforming it?

Mo Hua's eyes brightened intensely as he continued to think…

Although my spiritual sense has transformed, when drawing arrays, I still habitually draw upon my former spiritual sense…

Then now—if I deliberately channel my "divinized" spiritual sense into the array, wouldn't that itself be equivalent to a "Divine Path" array?

Mo Hua's mind cleared instantly, and without delay, he immediately tried it.

He closed his eyes to cultivate stillness, drawing upon all the faint golden, vein-like spiritual perceptions generated in his mind sea by consuming the Divine Marrow.

Then Mo Hua began drawing the evil sigils left by Guo Jiang Long around the well using ordinary spirit ink.

The faint golden spiritual perceptions flowed with Mo Hua's brushstrokes, seeping into the array patterns.

The array patterns beneath Mo Hua's brush began to merge with a faint golden light—invisible to ordinary people, transcending the spiritual awareness of common cultivators, resembling the divine perception of a god.

Mo Hua painted with great seriousness and caution.

And after this time, the array truly activated.

Mo Hua faintly sensed that the array patterns he had drawn possessed a mysterious Divine Dao force, resonating with the bone bricks and drawing forth, bit by bit, some evil power originating from the evil god at the well's depths.

The well trembled, its aura sharply shifting as crimson blood mist surged up from its depths.

Mo Hua's expression brightened.

Success!

I've opened the door to the evil god's homeland!

That means the key to the evil god's front gate is in my hands!

"Should I go in?"

Mo Hua stared at the blood mist in the well's depths, decided it was too risky, and tossed a small tiger down to investigate.

The small tiger landed without a splash.

Mo Hua nodded slightly.

This meant the well was dry, its interior parched.

Mo Hua manipulated the small tiger with his spiritual perception, advancing further—path unobstructed, no cultivators, no other structures.

Mo Hua frowned.

"Could the bottom of this well be empty?"

After walking a while longer, suddenly—"plop"—the small tiger seemed to fall into water.

In the next instant, an immensely powerful force struck; in Mo Hua's perception, the scouting tiger was instantly crushed into dust.

Mo Hua's heart turned grim.

What exactly was that…

A cultivator? Or a beast?

Is this the true "guard dog" before the evil god's gate?

Mo Hua felt a headache coming on.

Too dangerous…

Mo Hua pondered for a moment more, helplessly sighing inwardly: "Enough. I'll reconsider later…"

A true evil god who has gained power and spreads his doctrine everywhere must be a hard nut to crack—not one I can handle alone.

Mo Hua still felt reluctant, but had no other option—he could only leave for now.

Before departing, he used Spirit-Eliminating Liquid to erase every single array pattern he had drawn beside the well.

Once the array patterns were erased, the well returned to its original state.

Mo Hua scanned the surroundings, confirmed no traces remained, then turned and left.

But he did not go far; instead, he found a hidden spot nearby, concealed his presence, and waited an entire night until dawn—when Guo Jiang Long still hadn't appeared, and fishermen had already come to draw water from the well—Mo Hua finally gave up in resignation.

He had little time left; he could no longer take leave—he could only return to Grand Void Gate.

…

Gu Changhuai had secured Mo Hua a day's leave, claiming he was drawing arrays for Dao Ting Si.

After Mo Hua returned to the sect, Gu Changhuai sent a message asking: "Where did you go?"

I went to capture the evil god…

Mo Hua wanted to answer that, but Gu Uncle would never believe it—unless he himself had been possessed by the evil god one day.

"I tracked Guo Jiang Long and found clues about the human traffickers."

Mo Hua gave a reason Gu Uncle would find more plausible.

Gu Changhuai immediately perked up and asked:

"Where? In the small fishing village?"

"Yes," Mo Hua nodded. "They must have a base there, but I haven't found the entrance yet…"

Gu Changhuai fell silent for a moment, then said, unusually: "You've worked hard…"

Without Mo Hua's acute spiritual perception, mastery of concealment, and meticulous attention to detail, Dao Ting Si could never have quietly tracked Guo Jiang Long and traced the human traffickers' lair.

Mo Hua was surprised.

Gu Uncle had actually said "you've worked hard" to him.

Now he began to suspect whether Gu Uncle had truly been possessed by the evil god…

Still, being thanked by Gu Uncle was a good thing—it would make future requests to Dao Ting Si easier.

Mo Hua said: "Next rest period, I'll go again and try to catch Guo Jiang Long."

"Good," Gu Changhuai replied via message. "I'll send more people to watch the small fishing village…"

"Mm." Mo Hua nodded.

Their conversation ended.

Afterward, Mo Hua attended classes normally, spending all his spare time pondering the Divine Dao arrays.

Arrays are vast, profound, and intricate.

Having a lineage is naturally beneficial.

But if there is no lineage, one must learn to find it oneself.

Leveraging his understanding of formation arts, his experience with arrays, and his foundational knowledge of formation studies, he pieced together clues, unraveled layers of deception, continuously pondered, filtered out falsehoods to seek the unknown Dao and master deeper levels of formation arts…

This was also what his master had taught him through words and example during his wandering days.

The Divine Path formation arts are profound and inscrutable, nearly lost to time.

Mo Hua had no lineage inheritance, but through this journey to the small fishing village, by studying the crude array markings of Guo Jiang Long—with its three scales and two claws—and by applying what he learned on the spot, he had opened the door to the demonic god's dry well…

Mo Hua had developed some clearer deductions:

The Divine Path formation arts are a method of transforming a cultivator's spiritual sense through arrays, achieving a certain "qualitative change," and thereby restraining gods.

Whether this "qualitative change" induced by the formation arts is the same as the qualitative change already occurring in his own spiritual sense, Mo Hua was still uncertain.

Because he had not yet studied true Divine Path formation arts.

But since the Divine Path formation arts can restrain gods,

it follows that the spiritual force transformed from a cultivator's spiritual sense—even if not as potent as true "qualitative change"—may not be vastly inferior.

In a sense, this is a true spiritual method capable of standing against gods.

Mo Hua sighed inwardly.

In ancient times, the ancient formation masters who could comprehend heaven and earth, perceive the principle of spiritual sense, and create the Divine Path formation arts were truly terrifying…

They had even managed to develop such arrays…

This was true cultivation: using flesh and blood to comprehend the Dao and stand against gods.

Mo Hua felt profound reverence.

But along with that, he also had another question…

If an ordinary cultivator's spiritual sense, through Divine Path formation arts, is transformed into spiritual force capable of countering gods…

Then what would become of my own spiritual sense—which has already undergone qualitative change and is nearing godhood—after being transformed by Divine Path formation arts?

Could it seal a demonic god stronger than myself?

Or perhaps…

Mo Hua tried to imagine it—and suddenly recoiled in shock, startled by his own thought.

Mo Hua shook his head repeatedly.

Don't reach too high…

These are still only deductions; they may not be true.

"First, find a way to obtain true Divine Path formation arts and study them, then consider other matters…"

"Formation masters must be grounded, pragmatic!"

Mo Hua nodded.

The only lead now was still Guo Jiang Long.

If they could capture Guo Jiang Long, they might obtain the complete Divine Path formation diagram.

Mo Hua's eyes sparkled with anticipation.

But… how could one possibly enter that well, thick with blood mist?

Thinking of this, Mo Hua grew troubled again.

He wasn't particularly afraid of demonic influences, but he had no way to deal with the lurking beast beasts or demonic cultivator gangs.

If he sought help…

Uncle Gu was a Jin Dan cultivator, but he didn't believe in demonic gods.

And even if he were a Jin Dan, if the demonic god invaded his mind, he'd likely be doomed.

That blood-mist-filled well bottom… seemed temporarily inaccessible…

Mo Hua sighed.

"I'll just have to think of another way…"

"Or perhaps, I should take the time to ask Huang Shanjun again?"

Mo Hua mused to himself.

In the days that followed, Mo Hua cultivated, pondered formation arts, and considered the matter of the demonic god's well in the small fishing village.

Several days later, he suddenly received a message from Gu Changhuai:

"Something happened in the small fishing village…"

Mo Hua froze. "What happened?"

Gu Changhuai: "Two children from the village were kidnapped by Guo Jiang Long; no one knows where he took them."

Mo Hua's heart lurched—he sensed something dire—but still confirmed:

"Whose children…?"

Gu Changhuai said: "They say… it's Lao Yu's two grandsons…"

(End of Chapter)