Chapter 74

Mo Hua found Mr. Zhuang, who was taking a leisurely nap.

Mo Hua opened the food box, inside which were beef prepared in various ways, some fresh vegetables, and fruits convenient for pairing with wine. The aroma of meat and wine slowly spread out.

Mr. Zhuang opened his eyes. "Fourth level of Qi Condensation. Not bad."

Mo Hua smiled. "Thanks to your teachings, sir."

Mr. Zhuang waved his hand, then slowly sat up, took a sip of wine, tasted a bit of meat, and lay back down just as leisurely.

"How are you progressing with array techniques?"

"I'm already trying to draw arrays with seven array lines. My spiritual sense should be sufficient, but I still need more practice with arrays."

Mr. Zhuang's expression didn't change, but his chewing slowed slightly as he murmured inwardly: "Fourth level of Qi Condensation, seven array lines…"

"Sir, should I continue studying arrays the same way as before?" Mo Hua asked after a moment's hesitation.

"Do you have any doubts?"

Mo Hua shook his head. "Applying what you've learned—drawing arrays on different array mediums while activating their effects—indeed deepens one's understanding of arrays…"

"Then keep doing it," Mr. Zhuang said. "Becoming a Grade-One or higher array master is hard, yet simple: just keep drawing arrays, keep drawing arrays… Few people can truly persist."

Mr. Zhuang's tone carried deep meaning.

Mo Hua relaxed and was about to take his leave when Mr. Zhuang suddenly asked:

"Has your Tianyan Jue changed at all?"

"Hmm, my spiritual energy has grown stronger."

"Spiritual energy naturally strengthens with realm breakthroughs—it has nothing to do with your cultivation technique," Mr. Zhuang said.

"Then… my spiritual sense has grown stronger too."

"Spiritual sense also strengthens with realm breakthroughs—it has nothing to do with your technique."

"I feel my spiritual sense now controls spiritual energy more sensitively…" Mo Hua began, then hesitated, "But is that also unrelated to the technique?"

For an instant, Mo Hua felt Mr. Zhuang's gaze had sharpened slightly; when he looked again, it seemed unchanged—perhaps it had been an illusion.

"Draw an array for me," Mr. Zhuang said calmly.

"Oh," Mo Hua laid out paper and picked up his brush. "Which array should I draw, sir?"

"Draw a Three Talents Array."

"Yes."

Mo Hua had drawn the Three Talents Array not long ago and remembered it well, so he completed it in one go. He felt reasonably satisfied, but when he looked at Mr. Zhuang, he noticed the man's attention wasn't on the array.

"Sir, is something wrong?"

Mr. Zhuang paused briefly, then said: "Your speed in drawing arrays has increased."

"Isn't that natural after a realm breakthrough?" Mo Hua asked.

"No!" Mr. Zhuang said firmly.

"The strength of your spiritual sense determines whether you're qualified to learn arrays; your understanding determines whether you can draw them correctly; your proficiency determines your drawing speed. Once proficiency reaches a certain level, the only thing that further affects drawing speed is your control over spiritual sense."

"Control over spiritual sense?"

"Precisely," Mr. Zhuang said. "In all cultivation methods—spellcasting, spirit-manipulation, array-drawing—control over spiritual sense is vital. You're still low in cultivation, so you haven't encountered it yet. You'll understand later."

Mo Hua's eyes sparkled with anticipation: "So my technique is… pretty powerful, then?"

Mr. Zhuang glanced at Mo Hua, hesitated, then said:

"The cultivation world is vast and full of wonders. Some techniques are so extraordinary they can reverse fate and defy imagination. Yours? It's just… decent. At least better than average techniques."

The puppet elder, who had stood silently in the corner with no presence at all, silently rolled his eyes at Mr. Zhuang.

But Mo Hua was already delighted. For Mr. Zhuang, who had seen so much, to say "decent" was already high praise.

Mr. Zhuang continued: "Still, you must understand the principle of guarding against others. Never speak of anything related to your own cultivation. If others discover the uniqueness of your technique, they will try to seize it—without caring whether you live or die."

"Yes, yes!" Mo Hua nodded vigorously.

Though he'd never personally encountered tales of murder for treasures or inheritance, he'd read them countless times—and understood deeply.

The nail that sticks out rots; the pig that grows fat is slaughtered.

"If someone asks why your spiritual sense is so sharp, how will you answer?" Mr. Zhuang tested Mo Hua.

"Hmm… should I still say I'm… naturally gifted?" Mo Hua hesitated.

Mr. Zhuang looked pleased, as if to say, "This child is teachable."

"Won't that get you beaten?" Mo Hua wasn't sure.

"When you say it, be humble in tone. Even if you get hit, it's better than being captured, tortured, and killed," Mr. Zhuang counseled gently.

Mo Hua thought this made perfect sense—indeed, Mr. Zhuang had seen far more than he had.

After discussing the technique, Mo Hua suddenly remembered something: "Sir, what exactly is a Fu Array?"

"You've seen a Fu Array?"

"Yes. In Master Feng's alchemy furnace at Xinglin Hall, they use a Wood-Fire Spirit-Control Array—it's a Fu Array."

"Fu Array? That's complicated to explain…"

Mr. Zhuang thought to himself, then gestured toward the corner.

Only then did Mo Hua realize the puppet elder had been standing in the corner all along—his presence utterly undetectable, so he'd never noticed.

The puppet elder stepped behind the bookshelf and returned shortly with a thick book, which he handed to Mo Hua.

Mo Hua took it and saw the title on the front page: "Initial Explanations of Fu Arrays."

"This book contains knowledge about Fu Arrays, including several basic Fu Array diagrams in the examples. You may read it to broaden your horizons, but don't spend too much effort—this is still too early for you."

Mo Hua was overjoyed. He had originally felt guilty for disturbing Mr. Zhuang's rest. Now he could study the book first, then ask Bai Zi Xi or Bai Zisheng for clarification, and return to Mr. Zhuang only with specific questions—saving time and avoiding excessive interruption. After all, Mr. Zhuang had few interests beyond eating and sleeping.

"Thank you, Mr. Zhuang!"

Mo Hua remembered the puppet elder again, glanced around, and found the elder gone. He looked again—and realized the puppet elder was right beside him.

It seemed that whenever Old Man Gui wanted you to see him, you could see him; when he didn't want you to see him, you couldn't.

It might have been an illusion, or of course it might simply be that Old Man Gui's aura was concealed too well.

Mo Hua handed a storage bag to Old Man Gui; the bag contained roughly seven or eight boxes of pine nuts, all specially roasted by Mo Hua's mother.

Old Man Gui took the storage bag, a trace of pleasure surfacing in his eyes…

Although on the surface Old Man Gui's expression showed not the slightest change, Mo Hua felt that his mood at this moment should count as pleased.

"Mr., I won't disturb your Dao comprehension any longer."

Mo Hua paid his respects, then happily withdrew.

Mr. Zhuang sighed, "What a good child, truly so easy on the mind!"

Then he took another bite of meat, another sip of wine, and leisurely lay back down.