Chapter 719

After seeing Mo Hua off, past noon, Wen Renwan prepared to take Yu'er back to the Shangguan family for the New Year ancestral rites.

On the carriage, Yu'er read for a while, grew tired, and rested for a bit.

Wen Renwan sat beside him, smiling with beautiful eyes as she playfully teased him.

Shangguan Yi watched the two, feeling both comforted and deeply indebted.

Had he not held such a peculiar status within the Shangguan family, with so many eyes watching him, he ought to have lived just like this—three of them together, happily cultivating and enjoying life.

But now, he juggled between family, father, wife, and child, stretched thin and struggling immensely.

Wen Renwan understood his difficulties and said nothing.

As long as Yu'er remained healthy and safe, that was enough.

As the carriage rolled on, Shangguan Yi suddenly asked, "I wonder what that boy Mo Hua likes…"

Wen Renwan froze.

Shangguan Yi sighed, "At this family banquet, we owe him a great favor—we really ought to repay him properly."

Wen Renwan said, "I already returned his gift."

Shangguan Yi shook his head, "The elder ancestor's handwriting is a gift others would die for; no matter what, I must give him additional thanks."

"Besides…" Shangguan Yi glanced at Yu'er, his expression deeply pleased.

"Yu'er's spirit improves day by day, and he no longer has many nightmares—this is all thanks to Mo Hua's care at the Grand Void Gate."

Wen Renwan nodded.

That was true.

Although she sent Yu'er into the Grand Void Gate initially to have Mo Hua help dispel his nightmares,

she never expected a cure—only hoped for some relief.

She didn't want Yu'er, so young, tormented by nightmares, too afraid to sleep day or night.

She had merely entertained a faint hope, never imagining it would actually come true.

Now Yu'er was lively and adorable, vastly improved from his former gaunt, pitiful state.

"As for gifts…"

Wen Renwan pondered, "Mo Hua is young, but his character is pure—he'd probably look down on spirit stones…"

On the matter of spirit stones, Wen Renwan clearly misunderstood Mo Hua…

Then she continued:

"Spirit artifacts? This boy… though I hate to say it, his talent is indeed… poor; his blood qi and spiritual energy are extremely weak—some high-grade spirit artifacts may be beyond his use."

"Good pills—he likely can't use them yet either."

"Better to give him some arrays."

Wen Renwan listed them one by one.

Shangguan Yi nodded slightly.

Giving arrays was both valuable and refined, and would encourage his cultivation and study of the Dao—perfect.

"Which arrays should we give?" Shangguan Yi asked.

Wen Renwan thought a moment. "Does your Shangguan family have any treasured arrays?"

Shangguan Yi silently grumbled inside.

You're his daughter-in-law now…

But he dared not say it aloud; instead, he thought carefully and replied slowly, "There are some, but they're top-secret lineages—I can't just give them to him privately."

"What about ones that aren't that secret?"

"There are some, but they're too difficult—he likely couldn't learn them, and might only drain his spiritual sense and waste his time."

Wen Renwan thought, then said, "That's fine—Master Xun will guide him; if any array is unsuitable, he won't let Mo Hua study it."

"That's true…" Shangguan Yi nodded. "Then I'll pick some when I return to the clan."

"Mm." Wen Renwan paused, then her eyes brightened as she whispered, "Also bring a few of your Shangguan family's top-secret arrays…"

Shangguan Yi froze, looking uneasy.

"That… wouldn't be right. If word leaks, Mo Hua will be in trouble."

"You're so foolish…"

Wen Renwan frowned. "I'm not asking you to give him Shangguan-exclusive lineages."

"Pick some that are top-secret—but also held by other families."

"Even if Mo Hua learns them, it doesn't matter—who knows where he learned them? If anyone asks, he won't say, and they can't verify. We won't say anything—it has nothing to do with our Shangguan family."

Shangguan Yi couldn't help but nod, finding it perfectly reasonable.

Especially the phrase "our Shangguan family" from Wen Renwan's lips—made him feel deeply satisfied.

"I'll look for them when I return," Shangguan Yi said.

Cultivation for aristocratic disciples demands strict breadth—pills, arrays, talismans, artifacts—all must be touched upon.

But not necessarily mastered.

He had studied arrays, but only the basic ones.

Deeper, more complex, or truly top-secret arrays were too difficult to master—effort yielded little return; unless one intended to walk the path of arrays, no one would devote serious effort to them.

So he'd have to return to the clan and visit the Array Library to see what top-secret arrays the Shangguan family had collected.

"How many grades should we give?" Shangguan Yi asked Wen Renwan again.

"Give him what he can use now…" Wen Renwan thought, "From basic first-grade up to second-grade high-tier."

Shangguan Yi blinked. "Second-grade high-tier? Too hard—he can learn that now?"

Wen Renwan shot him an exasperated look. "What are you thinking? He's only Foundation Establishment early—how could he possibly learn second-grade high-tier arrays?"

"This is called preparing for rain before it falls!" Wen Renwan continued.

"You only give him a second-grade beginner array—what then when he reaches Foundation Establishment mid-stage and late-stage? Will he have to beg you again for intermediate and advanced arrays?"

"So I might as well give him all the second-grade ones at once."

"As for third-grade arrays, that won't be until after he forms a Jin Dan—still far off."

Shangguan Yi smiled faintly and said gently, "Wan'er thinks things through thoroughly."

"Then it's settled," Wen Renwan smiled sweetly. "You look among the Shangguan family; I'll ask someone back in the Wen family to find a few as well—find the better ones, and send them all to Mo Hua as a token of thanks."

"Mm." Shangguan Yi replied.

Afterward, the three of them shared a harmonious atmosphere.

The Shangguan family departed Qingzhou City in grand procession, lavish carriages and horses, arriving at their mansion in the fifth-grade Shanggan Province.

Before the Shangguan family's grand gate, a line of people stood waiting to greet them.

Shangguan Ce led the way, with a group of elders following behind.

Shangguan Yi and Wen Renwan each took one of Yu'er's hands, stepped down from the carriage, and entered the magnificent, opulent dwelling of the Shangguan family.

Shangguan Ce's gaze remained calm, sweeping subtly through the crowd—he glanced at Shangguan Yi and Wen Renwan, then at Yu'er, momentarily lost in thought.

Yu'er…

Shangguan Yu.

A graceful gentleman, like jade, like pearl.

This name, Shangguan Ce had painstakingly chosen himself, imbued with his hopes.

But this name was given before Yu'er was born, before the old ancestor of the Qin Tian Monitor had foreseen his destined death.

Shangguan Ce looked again at Yu'er.

This was his grandson.

Who knew if he would be the only grandson Shangguan Ce would ever have in his lifetime…

Shangguan Ce felt bitterness in his heart.

On the other side, Yu'er had said something to his mother; his small face glowed with joy and contentment.

Shangguan Ce watched, his heart even more filled with indescribable emotion.

"Destined to die young—a fate of certain death…"

Shangguan Ce sighed faintly, a sharp pain in his heart.

But his mind ran deep; his joy and anger never showed on his face—he remained solemn, majestic, expressionless.

…

After entering the Shangguan family, Shangguan Ce returned to his study.

His study was luxurious yet elegant, and in the center stood a compass.

"If you cannot comprehend the Heavenly Mechanism, cannot see through cause and effect, no matter how high your realm, you remain nothing but another's plaything."

The older he grew, the more he saw, the stronger his cultivation, the higher the circles he touched, the deeper Shangguan Ce felt the truth of this saying.

Unfortunately, the art of Heavenly Mechanism had long declined.

Though Shangguan Ce had tried every means, he had only acquired fragments of its legacy.

The art of Heavenly Mechanism calculation was an extremely profound Daoist discipline—it could not be mastered overnight, but required gradual insight, moving from surface to depth, step by step.

Shangguan Ce understood this well.

He did not seek mastery, only a basic understanding.

But whether due to his selfish desires, no matter how hard he studied, the Heavenly Mechanism remained incomprehensible to him—he saw only fog.

As if something had blinded his eyes.

What he saw were merely the surface illusions of his own selfish desires, not the true nature of Heavenly Mechanism and cause and effect.

Yet, one must always dare to try.

Shangguan Ce decided to start with something simpler—for example…

That child named Mo Hua.

He had entertained this thought since the Gu family.

The name "Mo Hua" was not the first time he had heard it.

He had long heard rumors about Yu'er.

But this time, at the Gu family, he had seen Mo Hua for the first time—and simultaneously felt a strange, indescribable sensation.

He appeared innocent, yet his mind was sharp.

He seemed simple, yet he harbored deep schemes.

Though his outward appearance and aura were entirely different, Shangguan Ce could not shake the feeling that this child bore a faint resemblance to Gu Shouyan, the head of the Gu family, whom he had dealt with his entire life.

Both displayed an almost eccentric stubbornness.

Even stranger—this child named Mo Hua, merely a lone cultivator with no remarkable background, how had he earned the favor of Grandmaster Xun of the Grand Void Gate?

Shangguan Ce was puzzled.

He wanted to calculate.

He was unworthy to calculate the Void-Perceiving realm, unable to calculate the Feather-Ascension realm, struggled to calculate the Jin Dan realm—but a mere Foundation Establishment beginner? A simple calculation should pose no great difficulty.

Not too deep—just his origins…

Shangguan Ce began turning the compass.

The compass's karmic threads rose and fell, its energy flowing.

But after turning only one mark, the compass suddenly froze—shuddering violently.

At the same time, Shangguan Ce felt a rush of blood-tinged air strike his face.

Shangguan Ce's hair stood on end, his heart trembling; he instantly discarded the compass, sealed his heart and locked his spirit, daring not to peer into any cause or effect again.

Moments later, everything vanished.

Shangguan Ce looked down and saw the compass already cracked with numerous fissures; his eyes widened slightly, his gaze now tinged with shock.

"Is the Heavenly Mechanism really this dangerous?"

I only chose the simplest child to calculate—could this be the kind of ominous fate I'd encounter?

Even…

He hadn't even seen what this "ominous fate" truly was…

His Heavenly Mechanism calculations were far too crude; he'd merely brushed against the edge, never glimpsing the true form of the ominous fate, yet that very lack of sight had saved him.

Even so, Shangguan Ce's mood remained unsettled for a long time.

Mo Hua's face reappeared in his mind.

"Is this child's fate inherently like this? Or has someone laid a scheme to protect his cause and effect?"

"A lone cultivator by birth—impossible to have such a fate."

"Then… is this the work of Old Master Xun?"

Shangguan Ce frowned. "But when did the Grand Void Gate acquire such a sophisticated Heavenly Mechanism technique?"

"And what is so special about this child that Old Master Xun would go to such lengths to protect him?"

Shangguan Ce pondered without solution, finally gazing silently at the compass on the table.

The compass was cracked.

This was karmic backlash.

Shangguan Ce sighed inwardly.

Perhaps everyone had underestimated Old Master Xun.

This was Old Master Xun warning him—no, perhaps warning everyone who dared to deduce the child's cause and effect…

Don't look where you shouldn't. Don't calculate what you shouldn't.

Shangguan Ce's expression turned blank; finally, he helplessly shook his head.

Enough.

If your Heavenly Mechanism calculations are insufficient, do not force deduction—otherwise, backlash is certain.

This time you were lucky; next time, Old Master Xun may not be so courteous.

Learn from your setbacks.

Behind this child stands Old Master Xun, a cultivation master of Void-Permeating realm, of high virtue and great prestige—in other words, the vast Grand Void Gate.

Unless you truly wish to tear the veil of peace, you must never offend again.

Shangguan Ce silently etched the name "Mo Hua" into his heart, and temporarily let it be.

…

Meanwhile, Mo Hua had long since returned to the sect.

After visiting the Gu family, having played and eaten his fill, he would go nowhere else for the holiday—steadily staying in the disciples' quarters to practice arrays.

Though quiet, it was fulfilling.

Mo Hua's array skills were slowly improving.

He had already memorized thoroughly most of the seventeen-line second-rank arrays taught by Old Master Xun.

The holiday soon passed.

In an instant, a new year arrived.

This was his third year in the Grand Void Gate.

Within this year, he must solve the mystery array, break through his bottleneck, ascend to Foundation Establishment mid-stage, and prepare for cultivation beyond that.

He must also learn more seventeen-line arrays.

The heavenly laws in his spirit sea, which had been leaking his spiritual awareness like a sieve, must be examined—could they be filled, or repaired?

Also, the Gu family's cultivation-related enterprises must be assessed for improvement.

The Gu family's New Year feast had shown Mo Hua that despite their apparent wealth and influence, the Gu family was being marginalized by other clans, and their days were far from easy.

Uncle Gu was of the Gu family, and the Gu family's cultivators had all treated him well—even holding in his possession a secret token from the Gu family.

In other words, the Gu family was also his "backing."

Only if the Gu family thrived could he keep sneaking over for meals.

Should he face hardship in the future, the Gu family would still have the strength to aid him.

If the Gu family truly fell into ruin, struggling to survive themselves, not only would they be unable to help him in crisis—even sneaking a meal would leave him without a table.

Therefore, the Gu family must not decline!

Mo Hua silently thought.

But such matters were complex and required careful, long-term planning…

…

Thereafter, Mo Hua cultivated, slowly breaking through his bottleneck, while also contemplating the Gu family's cultivation enterprises.

But before he could resolve the matter of the Gu family's cultivation enterprises, another matter came knocking.

One noon, Mo Hua brought Yu Er to the disciples' dining hall for lunch.

Cheng Mo hurried over, beaming.

"Mo Hua."

Mo Hua looked up at him, his expression indifferent.

Cheng Mo smiled. "Senior Brother."

Mo Hua only then nodded, gesturing for him to continue.

Cheng Mo then said, "I have something I want to ask you to help with…"

Mo Hua was a little surprised, thought briefly, then said, "Something about array formations?"

If Cheng Mo came to ask him, it had to be something he didn't understand but Mo Hua did.

No matter how Mo Hua thought it over, it could only be array formations.

The moment array formations were mentioned, Cheng Mo's head began to ache. "Sort of, but not really…"

Mo Hua took a bite of a chicken leg.

Yu'er beside him also took a bite of a chicken leg.

Then both of them silently stared at Cheng Mo.

Cheng Mo sighed and said, "It's a bounty posted by the Dao Ting Si."

Mo Hua was startled, shook his head and said, "Old Mr. Xun has me grounded, won't let me go out. I can't do the bounty with you."

Hearing this, Cheng Mo's face also showed disappointment.

He had actually been wanting to bring Mo Hua along.

Mo Hua was clever, knew array formations, knew how to scout, knew spells, had plenty of experience, and had wide connections…

In any case, no matter what bounty it was, bringing Mo Hua along was never wrong.

Cheng Mo had originally been planning to cling to that thigh and tag along with "Little Senior Brother."

But he hadn't expected that, to make Mo Hua focus on studying array formations, Old Mr. Xun had actually issued a "grounding order" directly.

With Mo Hua unable to go out, the speed of their bounties had slowed down again.

Seeing Cheng Mo looking all glum, Mo Hua said:

"Tell me the details of the bounty. Maybe I can give you some ideas."

Cheng Mo thought briefly, then nodded and said, "Alright."

Since he had nothing to do anyway, he also ordered some food, sat down beside Mo Hua, and they ate as they talked.

But as usual, he ordered two extra chicken legs, one big and one small—the big one "offered in filial respect" to Mo Hua, this Little Senior Brother, and the small one went to Yu'er beside him.

"I took a bounty to catch a flying thief. This flying thief is mid Foundation Establishment, average strength, but his movement art is extremely good. He's been appearing around the nearby second-grade prefecture."

"Sister Situ Jian and I found a lead, we've been staking out the place for a long time, but we haven't caught him."

"Either we didn't run into him; or we did, but he sensed it ahead of time and escaped; or we did run into him and cornered him, but his movement art was too good, we couldn't catch him…"

Cheng Mo took a big bite of meat. "These past days, I've been driven to distraction, lost my appetite, I've gotten thinner…"

"For this little bit of merit points, dragging it out is a bit of a loss, but giving up would be too embarrassing. I really can't swallow this anger."

Cheng Mo looked at Mo Hua again, regretfully saying, "If only you were there. Even without using spells, you could set up an array formation and trap that flying thief."

Mo Hua asked in confusion, "You guys know how to set up array formations too, right? Didn't we all learn them in class?"

Cheng Mo waved his hand, helplessly saying:

"No good, too conventional. That flying thief is experienced—he can tell at a glance what array media are placed where."

"And the array formation's effect isn't strong enough, so it might not be able to trap him either…"

Mo Hua nodded slightly, then suddenly froze as if remembering something. He glanced at Cheng Mo, his expression a little odd.

Being stared at by Mo Hua made Cheng Mo a bit uneasy. He asked, "What's wrong…"

Mo Hua thought for a moment, then asked:

"Are you well off financially?"

Cheng Mo immediately looked glum. "I have very few merit points."

"Not merit points," Mo Hua asked, "your spirit stones."

"Spirit stones?"

"Mm, spirit stones."

The moment spirit stones were mentioned, Cheng Mo immediately became flush with wealth again:

"I've got spirit stones coming out of my ears!"

Mo Hua nodded, gazing at Cheng Mo thoughtfully. His eyes brightened slightly, as if looking at a very, very fat fat sheep.

(End of chapter)