Chapter 727: Breakthrough

"Oh oh." Mo Hua nodded.

Cheng Mo glanced left and right, then asked Mo Hua and Situ Jian, "Are you still watching?"

Situ Jian looked at Mo Hua.

Mo Hua paused briefly, then shook his head. "Let's go back. Alchemy isn't worth watching—come again when we have time."

"Alright!"

Cheng Mo and Situ Jian nodded.

Thus the three returned to their sect, leaving Dao Discourse Mountain and heading back to the sect.

In simple terms, talisman crafting consumes Qi to condense a spell, then seals that spell into a jade talisman pre-forged in advance.

The exam starts at seventeen lines, then eighteen, finally nineteen.

In actual combat, the situation is complex and ever-changing.

It seemed as if the top spot in array discussion was already within Qiandao Sect's grasp.

Talismans have a minimum cultivation realm threshold, but users need not expend extra Qi.

After returning to the sect, Mo Hua trained as usual: breaking through bottlenecks, drawing arrays, forging armor.

Mo Hua couldn't help but sneer inwardly.

"Looking down on me…"

Qiandao Sect robes.

Alchemy fires ignited, flames rising.

Next came the Array Discussion Assembly.

But Mo Hua was exactly the opposite.

"It does look somewhat similar, but in truth, it's vastly different."

During the grand contest, let other sect members go first to wear down the opponent.

The Sword Discussion Assembly was held in a separately designated area within Dao Discourse Mountain.

The difficulty of the tested arrays wasn't entirely high-level nineteen-line arrays.

…

Around them, Qiandao Sect elders smiled faintly, their expressions composed yet haughty, exchanging pleasantries with others.

Because of their stance, expectation came naturally.

These tactics were even less sophisticated than the strategies used by the Hunter-Seekers of Tongxian City—when they hunted beasts together, they lured enemies deep, attacked from afar while closing in, and surrounded to capture and kill.

Mo Hua paid a bit more attention.

Mo Hua turned toward the sound and saw, within a space isolated and protected by arrays, two groups of disciples had already begun their duel.

Guided by the principle of knowing oneself and knowing the enemy, Mo Hua often came to watch the Sword Discussion Assembly.

The Qi cultivators retreated while releasing spells.

The decisive opportunity hung by a hair's breadth—fleeting and gone in an instant.

At the same time, Mo Hua was pondering inwardly.

Mo Hua unexpectedly thought of Feng Lao, the Grade-One Alchemist of Tongxian City.

Across the entire Qianzhou region, not a single disciple failed to yearn to join the Sword Discussion Assembly.

Mo Hua soon became fully absorbed.

Yet because the arrays held a uniquely significant status, the number of elders observing far exceeded those who attended the previous Alchemy, Artifact, and Talisman Assemblies.

Thus, among all Dao cultivation disciplines, Mo Hua's talisman crafting was the weakest.

No one wished for their own sect to lose.

So despite his actual artifact forging skill still being abysmal—he couldn't even wield a Grade-Two hammer.

"After all, those who join sects in Qianzhou either have exceptional talent, noble birth, or both. If anything bad happened, it would be hard to explain."

Besides watching the Sword Discussion Assembly, Mo Hua's cultivation never ceased.

Though it relied on sect-mate cooperation, many sects lacked such "synchrony" among their disciples.

The Sword Discussion Assembly, when truly fought, was extremely complex.

As he watched, Mo Hua began to notice something different.

This Sword Discussion Assembly was indeed addictive.

Hunter-Seekers hunted beasts in true life-or-death battles—only practicality mattered, no method was off-limits.

This five-versus-five duel was far more complex.

He didn't fully understand Grade-Five arrays, but Situ Jian was very familiar with facilities related to the Sword Discussion Assembly.

Mo Hua was puzzled. "How is safety ensured?"

In an instant, night had fallen.

As the Sword Discussion Assembly neared its end, Mo Hua's cultivation finally broke through.

The surrounding elders and high-level cultivators from other sects and clans rose to congratulate the victor.

He must not harbor such arrogant thoughts of looking down on heroes of the world!

Mo Hua slowly nodded, steadied his mindset, maintained a humble attitude, and continued watching.

The Shen family disciple who won first place bowed respectfully in return, yet still wore a hint of haughtiness.

Situ Jian pointed to the disciples participating in the Sword Discussion Assembly. "Before entering, each person receives a 'Life Talisman.'"

Talismans were what Mo Hua had least exposure to.

Artifact forging swung hammers, sparks flying everywhere.

Thus eliminating step by step.

But when he had free time, he still went to Lun Dao Mountain to watch the Lun Dao Assembly.

"The Life Talisman and fifth-grade array techniques are inseparable; they absorb damage on behalf of the disciple. Once the damage exceeds the limit, the Life Talisman shatters, and the disciple is deemed defeated."

At this time, Mo Hua observed others refining artifacts, studied closely, summarized frequently, and improved his own artifact array designs—gaining much benefit.

However, the champion of this Tai'e Gate's Lun Qi Assembly should be one cohort above Senior Brother Feng, making him Senior Brother Feng's senior.

He quickly shook his head.

"At this level…" Mo Hua couldn't help thinking inside, "…"

Especially recently, he had exchanged many insights on artifact refinement with Master Gu, a third-grade Jin Dan artifact refiner.

Refining pills to aid the world, to save the dying and heal the wounded.

"Qiandao Sect!"

But correspondingly, his vision and perspective on artifact refinement had risen significantly.

Moreover, the blank form of a "Jade Talisman" is very expensive.

Mo Hua softly hummed, silently memorizing it in his heart.

These array techniques are all true fifth-grade arrays, and not ordinary ones at that.

If you play like this, aren't you just giving them a chance to counterattack?

He didn't even glance at who ultimately won the championship.

Only after exhausting their opponents' spiritual energy and physical strength would these core disciples strike, accomplishing the "feat" of one against two, even three, claiming victory and earning admiration and worship from other disciples.

This is something ordinary artifact refiners—especially those meticulous disciples who strictly follow inherited systems and standardized refinement protocols—lack.

The Lun Dao Assembly was still proceeding as scheduled.

Mo Hua calculated: in six years, if his cultivation reached Foundation Establishment's late stage, he might have to compete against the prodigies of hundreds of sects.

Cheng Mo naturally didn't know, but Hao Xuan also shook his head.

Although he was proficient in spells, he followed the path of "all arts are interconnected," mastering only common, low-grade spells.

But if one day he encountered vicious evil cultivators or cruel demonic cultivators, would they play the same way?

Those evil and demonic cultivators are like centipedes—dead but not yet limp.

Among fellow disciples, not everyone is united; there is competition between them.

First place in the Array Assembly within Qianxue Province?

How is the sect's atmosphere?

Mo Hua considered himself no petty person, but even if he didn't get the steamed bun, he'd still fight for his pride.

And the artifact refinement method by which he won first place was a sword-forging technique.

Before he could think further, Cheng Mo shouted: "It's starting, it's starting, Mo Hua, Young Master, look quick!"

So this is how the fifth-grade Void Array is used.

Team coordination's main purpose is "many against few."

Sister Situ sighed.

The Sword Assembly is also held at Lun Dao Mountain.

Most disciples' expectations rested on the Sida Sect, Eight Great Gates, Twelve Schools, and the hundred sects of Qianxue, where prodigies gathered and myriad Dao paths clashed.

He was most interested in the Array Assembly.

Next came the Talisman Assembly.

Since childhood, his spiritual sense was strong but his body weak; he survived safely only thanks to Master Feng's treatments and care.

But no matter what, that's six years away—no need to rush now; first see how things develop.

He had watched nearly every important contest.

The entire Lun Dao Mountain was utterly packed, crowds like mountains and seas.

The Sword Assembly, fundamentally, is still a "combat."

Sister Situ's expression grew slightly solemn: "These Life Talismans, though involving fifth-grade Void power, cannot be compared to the Life-Extending Talisman."

It's a fifth-grade Void Array!

A fifth-grade Void Array imbued with spatial power!

If the disciple is an expert in arrays, fine; ordinary disciples who only learn basic array lineages simply cannot comprehend the mechanics.

One must not reach too high; one must keep one's feet on the ground!

Mo Hua, infected by the atmosphere, couldn't help feeling a surge of excitement within.

Most often, they fought individually.

Tactical objectives were mostly also "many against few."

Although he didn't participate, he still needed to understand somewhat.

That pride must be claimed someday.

But after watching the first three, the disciples' interest had largely faded.

A single oversight could trigger a chain of events—extremely perilous, stirring unpredictable emotions.

The Array Assembly drew fewer viewers.

Almost every disciple's face radiated excitement, anticipation, envy, longing, and other emotions.

The Array Assembly ended here.

Although in truth, his artifact refinement skill was slightly inferior to his pill refinement skill, he still possessed basic understanding.

Mo Hua didn't care much.

These were all his master's earnest teachings.

Uniformly late Foundation Establishment cultivation, and the vast majority possessed a nineteen-stripe spiritual sense.

Time passed swiftly.

The champion was a disciple of the surname "Shen," who looked distinguished but bore a haughty expression, even bordering on arrogance.

"Such disciples are mostly concentrated in the Sida Sect."

The protruding rafter rots first.

But this was because his spiritual sense was still insufficient, not because these arrays were particularly difficult.

Yet none of this concerned him.

The "jade talismans" used in talisman crafting can seal spells and are themselves made through alchemy and array techniques.

Mo Hua couldn't afford to buy them.

Naturally, he didn't care about the Array Discussion Assembly.

Sister Situ explained to Mo Hua: "These arrays are used to protect the disciples during the Sword Discussion."

But to be fair, it was indeed more visually impressive than the previous Alchemy, Artifact, or Talisman Discussions.

After observing many disciples' arrays, Mo Hua gained a rough estimate of the array proficiency of the prodigies participating in the assembly.

Whether disciples appeared harmonious on the surface while scheming against each other behind the scenes.

Sister Situ continued: "The Sword Discussion is merely a sparring match, not a fight to the death."

"At the same time, fifth-grade arrays will forcibly activate, drawing upon void power to instantly teleport the disciple out of the arena, ensuring their safety…"

Only when Mo Hua arrived at the Dao Mountain did he realize what "the greatest event among the greatest events" truly meant.

A tree that towers above the forest will be struck by the wind.

It is a kind of convenient supplementary offensive method.

Next came the Artifact Discussion.

That is, the "Qiandao Sect" written on his own Ru Sect token.

After another interval came the most important Sword Discussion.

He watched until the Sword Discussion ended.

This was essentially a tactic.

Generally speaking, this expression only appeared on every disciple's face during holiday breaks.

It emphasizes personal cultivation and Dao-art combat power, as well as cooperation, strategy, and tactics.

Mo Hua froze, then suddenly understood.

After relentless day-and-night effort, the mystery array in Mo Hua's spiritual sea was finally fully deciphered; the bottleneck shattered, and everything followed naturally.

Even the final, highly esoteric and profoundly complex nineteen-pattern array in the finals—the Posterior Heaven Bagua Guicang Array.

Mo Hua paused slightly.

He was merely an observer at this point.

But thinking that the event occurred only once every three years and was a rare opportunity, Mo Hua allowed himself a small indulgence, occasionally joining Cheng Mo to watch the Sword Dueling.

This was something entirely alien to Mo Hua.

Mo Hua frowned in thought, then slowly understood.

Thus, Mo Hua only glanced briefly at the Talisman Discussion.

He didn't know who ultimately won the championship.

It was that very Qiandao Sect—the one that had turned him away with hollow excuses when he presented his Ru Sect token, claiming his spiritual roots were too lowly to be admitted.

Or are these core disciples destined to enter the Dao Court or noble houses directly, never facing demons and evil forces on the front lines?

Mo Hua shook his head.

Yet among these six "B-class" disciplines, talisman crafting was the "B" of "B," barely avoiding relegation to the "C" tier.

To Mo Hua's surprise, the top three in the Array Discussion were all disciples of the Sida Sect.

"Throughout the entire Qianxue Province, only the most elite direct heirs of a handful of top clans have the privilege to have a Void-Exploration Ancestor expend their primordial essence to plant a Life-Long Talisman."

"Our Situ Clan has barely touched the threshold of fifth-grade, but we still lack the qualifications to plant such a 'Life-Long Talisman'…"

It shouldn't be this simple…

Talisman crafting itself is also a discipline blending cultivation and industry.

Mo Hua rubbed his chin, his expression thoughtful.

If he were to step onto the field, how should he proceed? What techniques could he use?

Mo Hua compiled all of this, thinking that if he ever got the chance, it might prove useful.

"But all are Foundation Establishment disciples, with equal cultivation; once they fight at full strength, none can truly hold back."

Danqing Gate is one of the Shierliu Sects of Qianxue Province, and most of its disciples dedicate their lives to alchemy.

He is a body cultivator and dreams of participating in the Sword Discussion.

Mo Hua was watching for the first time and didn't understand many of the rules.

The atmosphere of Danqing Gate reminded Mo Hua somewhat of Master Feng.

Mo Hua's spiritual sense swept lightly, his gaze trembled, and he grew momentarily dazed.

Mo Hua saw this and didn't find it particularly difficult.

Mo Hua frowned, puzzled, "Why is a fifth-grade array used here?"

Mo Hua slightly furrowed his brow.

Moreover, the Sword Discussion was coming next.

Then seize the opportunity to overwhelm the few with the many.

Mo Hua is a spiritual cultivator, but his spiritual roots are poor and his spiritual energy weak.

The Dao Discussion is at least a triennial grand event of Qianxue Province.

It was just a bunch of people tending furnaces, focusing on alchemical techniques, fire control, craftsmanship, and manipulation, with rankings determined by factors such as the time of pill completion, success rate, and appearance.

The senior brothers and sisters participating in the Array Discussion must certainly be stronger than me.

Above the arena, there were arrays.

Mo Hua sighed.

But the Eighteen-Stripe merely came along as a filler.

He only knew she was a senior sister two cohorts above him from Danqing Gate.

He wore a luxurious cloud-white robe edged with Jin Se.

"So some elder elders from the Qianxue Province jointly constructed these fifth-grade Void Arrays to ensure the disciples' safety."

Qiandao Sect, one of the Four Major Sects of Qianxue.

Mo Hua inexplicably felt a touch of fondness.

Moreover, not participating now doesn't mean I won't participate later.

But the champion of the Artifact Discussion surprised Mo Hua—it wasn't from the Twelve Streams or any of the Hundred Qianxue Sects specializing in artifact forging, but from Tai'o Sect, one of the Eight Great Sects with ties to Grand Void Gate.

"Is this 'Life Talisman' somewhat similar to the 'Essential Longevity Talisman'?" Mo Hua asked.

But such a thing would draw too much attention, inconsistent with my humble and reserved disposition.

Therefore, comparatively, the Array Discussion was the least crowded.

Yet…

Even fewer people watched the Array Discussion.

In the Dao Discussion, among the four Dao disciplines—Alchemy, Artifact, Talisman, Array—the Array came last as the finale.

He could only watch and take notes.

With his current understanding of array principles, he couldn't fathom how one could protect disciples' safety under the Sword Discussion system.

Passed the initial stage, entered the middle stage.

Occasionally, there were those at the peak of Eighteen-Stripe.

Making them sit aside, cluelessly watching a group of disciples below mindlessly drawing arrays for hours on end was indeed grueling.

Using the Sword Discussion to promote core disciples.

Although his rank was First Rank, Sixth Class, Third Grade.

The top rank in the Array Discussion came from Qiandao Sect…

"Fifth-grade…"

So whether Mo Hua should participate in the Dao Discussion in the future still troubled him.

Especially when it involved battles between Grand Void Gate's fellow senior brothers and sisters and disciples from other sects.

But the key is, the Sword Discussion is inherently a sparring match, so playing this way wasn't problematic.

Several days later, the Artifact Discussion also concluded.

Those who remained were all Foundation Establishment late-stage disciples with nineteen-stripe deep spiritual sense, and most had already passed the Second-Rank High-Level Array Master certification.

He felt a pang of regret buying array mediums and spirit ink.

Cheng Mo and Sister Situ were there, as well as Hao Xuan.

Observe what other sects cultivate, what Dao arts they excel in, and what methods they commonly use.

Only array masters truly drew arrays in plain, unremarkable fashion.

"Tai'o Sect, sword-forging discipline…"

Moreover, some major sects seemed deliberately letting one or two of their core disciples stand out.

These disciples' sects generally had weak array lineages, so finding even a few disciples with Eighteen-Stripe spiritual sense who specialized in arrays to participate in the Array Discussion was already quite rare.

Mo Hua looked down on them.

Essential Longevity Talisman…

The Alchemy Discussion wasn't worth watching.

Thus, the two teams crossed paths, paired off, and clashed—body cultivators with sharp blades and swords, bodies like tigers, advancing step by step toward spirit cultivators.

Mo Hua also led the design of artifact array diagrams, customized a large quantity of spirit artifacts, and conducted extensive research to ensure the artifact forms matched the array structures.

Sister Situ was no exception.

And for a talisman artist, the most important thing is spiritual power.

Talisman crafting and spell formation produced radiant, shimmering light.

The arena varied widely, with mountains and water, complex terrain, specially carved out for five-disciple teams to engage in Sword Discussion duels.

He remembered that Senior Ouyang Feng, with whom he had once been close, also came from Tai'o Sect.

On the mountain and below, densely packed were disciples from every sect.

When used, activating the jade talisman directly triggered the spell.

Mo Hua recognized this Dao robe.

Though visually impressive, it indeed lacked variation and had overly simplistic tactics.

Wan Zhen Gate, which specialized in arrays and bore "Array" in its name, only secured fourth place.

Moreover, he himself was a sword cultivator, and his name even contained the character "Sword."

The rules for this year's Dao Discussion were: first Alchemy, then Artifact, followed by Talisman, then Array, and finally Sword.

Mo Hua thought about it in his mind and found it hard to believe himself.

Outstanding talisman artists were invariably endowed with vast spiritual power and mastery over spells, especially rare or supreme spells.

If one could achieve a high ranking in the Sword Discussion, not only would elders in the sect favor them, but even returning to their family would bring honor and limitless future prospects.

Even now, recalling it, Mo Hua still felt a twinge of bitterness.

This bun, I'll eat it back someday.

Mo Hua would go take a look whenever he had time.

Especially Cheng Mo—he had also broken through to Foundation Establishment mid-stage, would be promoted next year, and for now had nothing urgent, so he ran to Lun Dao Mountain every day.

Among all Dao cultivation disciplines, formation art, though prestigious, was also the most tedious and the most boring to watch.

Mo Hua still could not master a nineteen-stripe formation.

"Tai'e Gate…"

Before he knew it, he had watched all day.

His Qi grew thicker, like mercury.

From then on, he became a young cultivator of Foundation Establishment mid-stage.

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