Chapter 767: Regulation

The Yuan Ci Spirit Sight Array is a second-rank, seventeen-stroke array.

The Yuan Ci Spirit Sight Compound Array is a second-rank, eighteen-stroke compound array.

Mo Hua's spiritual sense is currently stuck at the peak of seventeen strokes, just a hair's breadth away from eighteen.

Logically speaking, even this tiny gap is still a gap.

Without spiritual sense reaching eighteen strokes, one cannot learn an eighteen-stroke compound array.

But Mo Hua is somewhat special.

His spiritual sense has undergone a qualitative transformation, with deep foundational roots; he draws arrays daily, refining his spiritual intent through countless hammerings, so now he occasionally can "slightly exceed the limit" and learn arrays that, by his spiritual sense realm, he should not be able to master.

Moreover, the Yuan Ci Compound Array in the Ten Thousand Demons Valley has a foundation.

They built it first, then destroyed it.

All one needs to do is rebuild upon the prior foundation and refine it according to one's own needs.

The first issue is the array pivot.

For large-scale integrated arrays like grand arrays and compound arrays, the core is the array pivot.

The array pivot determines the array's layout, structure, system, and qi flow, among other things.

To control the array pivot is to control the entire framework of the compound array.

"First, find where the central array pivot is…"

Mo Hua, based on several discarded Yuan Ci Spirit Sight Arrays, reverse-engineered them, deducing qi flow from the stroke patterns.

As the qi flow he deduced in his mind unfolded, his gaze swept across the stone wall, finally settling on a sealed opening in a corner.

Mo Hua tapped his finger; spiritual ink, controlled by his spiritual sense, condensed into threads that slithered up to the wall corner and formed the Stone-Dissolving Array.

The Stone-Dissolving Array is a Bagua Gen-system array capable of silently dissolving rock and stone.

The rock and stone crumbled into powder, softly falling away, revealing a passage within.

This passage was deliberately carved to construct the array pivot of the Yuan Ci Spirit Sight Compound Array, enabling it to connect in all directions and permeate every corner to monitor the entire Ten Thousand Demons Prison.

When the Yuan Ci Compound Array was abandoned, this passage was sealed over.

Ordinary cultivators unfamiliar with arrays, or array masters who lack expertise in Yuan Ci arrays and are unacquainted with Daoist architecture and compound array structures, would never detect these things.

But clearly, they could not hide from Mo Hua.

Mo Hua thought for a moment, then slowly crawled into the array pivot passage.

The Ten Thousand Demons Valley is vast.

Therefore, the Yuan Ci Compound Array built to monitor the entire valley would not be small, and its array pivot passage would be relatively spacious.

Demon cultivators certainly could not squeeze into this passage.

But Mo Hua could.

Though he had grown a bit, now a small boy, he remained frail and slender, making him perfectly suited to crawl through these array pivot passages.

The passage was narrow, gloomy, smelled unpleasant, and was thick with dust.

After crawling for only a short while, Mo Hua was covered head to toe in grime.

His fair face was also stained black.

But he did not care.

After crawling a while, Mo Hua pulled out paper and brush, recording the array pivot's direction and layout, and in his mind simulated the entire array structure around the Ten Thousand Demons Prison.

Then, based on the simulated structure in his mind, he continued exploring forward step by step.

Whenever he encountered passages blocked by earth and stone, he drew a Stone-Dissolving Array and slowly cleared them.

Mo Hua walked deeper and deeper…

Finally, after an unknown length of time, a spacious passage—wide enough to stand upright—appeared before him.

Its walls were densely carved with countless Yuan Ci array patterns.

This was nearly the central hub of all Yuan Ci qi flow.

Mo Hua's spirit lifted.

"Found it!"

The Array Pivot Chamber.

The core hub where all array pivots of the Yuan Ci Spirit Sight Compound Array converge and are controlled.

But this chamber had been completely sealed off.

Not only had it been poured over with earth and stone, but multiple layers of arrays had been reinforced inside.

Mo Hua let out a faint sigh.

"It'll take some effort…"

Yet he had seen it—the arrays were not difficult, and the earth and stone could be slowly ground away with the Stone-Dissolving Array.

It would just take time and patience.

Array masters never lack in meticulousness and patience.

Mo Hua pulled out the Grand Void Token and sent Elder Xun a Heavenly Stem and Earthly Branch code: "Ding Mao." After receiving a reply, he calmed his mind and began slowly unraveling the arrays, breaking through the walls…

In the pitch-black passage, Mo Hua's expression was focused, his eyes bright.

After more than an hour, the array before him flickered, stone dust flew, and the sealed stone wall shattered like paper.

Mo Hua covered his mouth and nose, now coated in another layer of dust.

When the dust settled, Mo Hua opened his eyes and saw a chamber filled with arrays—strange, yet somehow familiar.

Strange, because he had never been to this chamber before.

Familiar, because its layout was one he had seen before.

The array pivot chamber of the "Master Yuan" in the Bishan Demon Cave was nearly an exact replica of this one.

This should be the same handiwork.

At least, it's one type of system.

Now Mo Hua could fairly confirm: this Ten Thousand Demons Valley was one of the Evil God's lackeys' strongholds.

"But why, after setting up a full Yuan-Ci Repeating Array to monitor it, did they completely abandon it all…?"

Mo Hua shook his head and jumped into the array core chamber.

The chamber was pitch-black and gloomy, covered in dust.

Its core array node and all the arrays within had been deactivated.

The door leading from the chamber to the outer perimeter had been sealed even tighter, as if intending to permanently entomb this core chamber and keep anyone from entering again.

Mo Hua felt a flicker of relief.

Fortunately, he had come through the array passage—otherwise, he'd never have gotten in through the main gate.

Now everything was ready.

The basic Yuan-Ci array framework had already been built by others.

He only needed to slowly "rebuild" it.

Mo Hua took out several Spirit Stones, crushed them into powder, and infused pure Spirit Power into the array node, giving the node's circulation a slight jolt.

The node glowed briefly, then vanished again.

Mo Hua exhaled in relief, "Good—it still works…"

He sat where he was, pondered for a moment, then gradually formed a plan.

This array node was too large—bigger than the one at Bishan Demon Cave.

With only his own strength, he could never fully rebuild it under the eyes of all the demonic cultivators.

If so, he could only activate it piece by piece, one point at a time.

Mo Hua pulled out the diagram of the Yuan-Ci Spirit Vision Repeating Array from his storage pouch, reviewed it once more, then activated the master control node of the chamber's repeating array.

The master control node was built atop a large array platform.

Mo Hua infused Spirit Power and linked his Divine Sense; after six or seven attempts, the platform finally flashed blue, and the Yuan-Ci Spirit Power began to hum quietly.

"The master control node is activated…"

Mo Hua immediately returned the same way through the array passage, found a hidden spot, took out brush and ink, restored one nearby Yuan-Ci Spirit Vision Array, and connected it to the master control node.

Then Mo Hua climbed back and adjusted the master control node.

After several rounds of tuning, a sudden flash appeared before him—a pale blue Yuan-Ci current flowed past…

Mo Hua clearly perceived that his Divine Sense–controlled master node had extended a "Yuan-Ci tendril," spreading outward along the array structure until it connected to a terminal.

Then the magnetic flow flickered and dimmed.

Yuan-Ci currents sparkled like snowflakes, then gradually sharpened, forming a phantom image.

In the image, everything was blue.

Only the outlines of rock, walls, and prison bars, formed by condensed magnetic force, were visible.

Occasional faint shadows passed by.

These were the demonic cultivators on patrol.

"Success!"

On Mo Hua's filthy face appeared a brilliant smile.

This pale blue Yuan-Ci vision was similar to Divine Sense vision—it did not show the external appearance of things, but rather the inner states of various "energies."

For example: Spirit Power, demonic energy, and the vital breaths of all things in heaven and earth.

But unlike Divine Sense perception.

In Divine Sense vision, what was seen were direct, chaotic energy signatures.

The Yuan-Ci Spirit Vision Array, however, reprojected these energies using Yuan-Ci forces, constructing images and scenes.

Thus, everything in the Spirit Vision Array was a recreation of magnetic patterns, appearing pale blue.

Indeed, only by actually deploying the array could one truly see its effect and understand it more deeply…

Mo Hua thought silently.

"Good—this is the first one!"

Next, rebuild a few more Spirit Node Arrays.

Step by step, aim to bring most of the Ten Thousand Demons Prison under the surveillance of the Spirit Vision Repeating Array.

Then, even if he sat still, the array would serve as his eyes, tracking the movements of most demonic cultivators.

Estimating the time had come, Mo Hua sent a Heavenly Stem and Earthly Branch code to Elder Xun.

Then he began repairing the second Yuan-Ci Spirit Vision Array.

Then the third…

Time slipped away as Mo Hua crawled back and forth through the array passage.

Beneath the demonic cultivators' very eyes, he repaired one abandoned Spirit Vision Array after another and connected them to the node.

The demonic cultivators' abandoned surveillance system was being slowly restored—and repurposed—by Mo Hua.

The process was tedious, but Mo Hua was thoroughly delighted.

Especially since each time he activated a Spirit Vision Array, his "vision" expanded a little more, revealing a bit more enemy intelligence.

The surveillance over Ten Thousand Demons Valley grew that much more meticulous.

It felt like a "surveillance" game.

The more Mo Hua played, the more interesting it became, the more absorbed he grew.

For an instant, he nearly forgot he was in the bloody, perilous Ten Thousand Demons Valley, teeming with ferocious beasts and swarming demonic cultivators…

Until nearly twenty-plus Spirit Vision Arrays had been lit up.

Only when a small portion of the Myriad Demon Prison was covered under the array's surveillance did Mo Hua finally stop, still wanting more.

He had no choice but to stop — he was already exhausted.

His divine sense was completely drained, his stamina was flagging, and worst of all, his spiritual power had run nearly dry even before his divine sense did.

Drawing arrays mainly consumed divine sense, but also burned a small amount of spiritual power.

But as Mo Hua's divine sense grew stronger and recovered faster, the arrays he drew became harder and more numerous.

His spiritual power ended up being consumed faster than his divine sense, occasionally even leaving him "stretched thin."

"An array master who runs out of spiritual power before divine sense while drawing arrays — I'm probably the first one…"

Mo Hua muttered to himself.

Then he sent another Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches message to Elder Xun, and said:

"Elder, I'm a bit sleepy, going to sleep now — three hours, no, four hours… I'll message you afterward…"

Outside the Myriad Demon Valley.

Staring at a valley dyed in blood, on edge and uneasy, not daring to close his eyes even for a moment, Elder Xun Ziyou saw Mo Hua's message and couldn't help thinking:

"How does this child have no sense of danger at all?"

"That's the Myriad Demon Valley inside!"

"At your age, with your cultivation, in this situation, mixed in there — how can you possibly fall asleep!!"

Elder Xun Ziyou sighed deeply, utterly helpless.

Truly, when the Xiaozu Sect isn't worried, this "grandson" of his is the one worrying…

……

Inside the Myriad Demon Valley, Mo Hua slept soundly.

Because he was trapped in the valley with no way to tell the time, when he slept, Mo Hua had no way to sink into his Sea of Consciousness and practice arrays on the Dao Stele.

After waking, Mo Hua was full of energy.

His divine sense, spiritual power, and stamina had all fully recovered.

Mo Hua checked the Primordial Magnetic Restoration Array again, nodded, and was very satisfied.

Although this Primordial Magnetic Restoration Array had been "rebuilt" on top of an existing trajectory, in the process Mo Hua had still learned a great deal.

All in all, the gains were substantial.

With the Primordial Magnetic Restoration Array initially built, the next step of action could begin.

"But… what's the next step?"

Mo Hua suddenly froze.

There were still quite a few things he wanted to do, but given the current situation, none of them seemed possible.

Either he simply lacked the ability.

Or he was missing certain conditions.

Or he still wasn't familiar enough with the situation in the Myriad Demon Valley…

Mo Hua thought it over and said to himself:

"Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated in a hundred battles. First, observe — see what these demon cultivators do every day — then figure out what to do next…"

Afterward, Mo Hua first took out the Grand Void Token and greeted Elder Xun:

"Elder, I'm awake."

Then he pulled some jerky and melons and fruits from his storage bag and ate them.

After filling his stomach, he began to concentrate, connecting his divine sense to the Spirit Vision Array hub to observe the demon cultivators' movements.

The view in the Spirit Vision Array was entirely composed of pale-blue primordial magnetism.

At first, Mo Hua wasn't used to it.

But after watching more, he gradually got the hang of it.

With twenty-plus Primordial Magnetic Spirit Vision views, he only needed a quick glance to know what the actual scene in the corresponding view looked like, and exactly what was happening inside.

Just like that, Mo Hua "peeped" with great interest for most of the day, and finally noticed a rather unusual trace.

It was a demon cultivator.

In the Primordial Magnetic Spirit Vision Array, only his blurry primordial magnetic image could be seen, his face invisible, but one could faintly tell he was tall and different from the other demon cultivators.

The other demon cultivators — some patrolled around, some guarded the prison, some excavated the mountain caves, some fed the demon beasts… all had things to do.

Only this one demon cultivator did nothing — clearly a "leader."

And his aura felt very familiar to Mo Hua.

Mo Hua guessed he was the demon cultivator "steward" who had severed the little fingers of Little Wood and the other two, looking fierce and formidable.

Around here — at least around the area Mo Hua was monitoring — there seemed to be only this one "steward."

"Steward…"

Mo Hua's thoughts stirred, and he silently locked onto this steward.

He spent some time observing and summarizing the steward's daily route, and based on this route, refined the nearby Primordial Magnetic Spirit Vision Array.

This way, every move of this steward was entirely within his "surveillance."

But the Primordial Magnetic Spirit Vision Array could only see — it couldn't hear.

So Mo Hua selected the corresponding array hub nodes within the labyrinthine hub passages, squatted nearby in advance, and tried to eavesdrop on something.

But demon cultivators — these things that were neither human nor demon — were a bit unusual.

Because they cultivated demon arts, they had to face the problem of demonization at all times — not only active demonization, but passive demonization as well.

Their divine sense was also constantly being affected.

Their human nature was gradually being eroded by their demonic nature.

This resulted in them being largely unable to speak normally.

Sometimes, mid-sentence, they would start to cackle coldly, drool, tear at each other, or even fly into inexplicable fits of madness.

This demonic cultivator steward had a special status and considered himself a cut above the rest.

What he said was mostly commands, and he didn't like to explain himself.

Mo Hua eavesdropped from the side and managed to pick up some information, but not much, and nothing crucial — it wasn't much help.

But after observing for a long time, Mo Hua couldn't help but develop another doubt:

How exactly did this demonic cultivator steward "manage" things?

These demonic cultivators were mad and unruly.

When they weren't having a fit, they could at least behave themselves and follow orders.

But once an episode struck, their demonic nature surged, leaving them barely any reason — how could they possibly "follow orders"?

It would be good enough if they didn't cause trouble…

Mo Hua put himself in their shoes and thought: if he were a demonic cultivator, why would he swallow this kind of nonsense and willingly let someone else control him?

Once his wild nature flared, he'd kill who needed killing and eat who needed eating.

If he died, then he died.

"These demonic cultivators have clearly turned beastly and lost a lot of their humanity, yet their 'servility' is still this strong?"

"There must be something fishy…"

Mo Hua stared at the steward demonic cultivator for a moment.

The secret was probably hidden on this steward's person.

Since he was a steward, he must have some means of "controlling" the other demonic cultivators — otherwise, what gave him the right to be a "steward"?

After that, Mo Hua patiently watched for a long time more. He noticed that some Foundation Establishment peak, powerful demonic cultivators were also meek and obedient before this "steward," which further confirmed his guess.

There was definitely something fishy about this steward.

Finally, after watching for nearly a whole day, Mo Hua spotted the trick.

One demonic cultivator had an episode.

This demonic cultivator was on patrol when he suddenly convulsed all over, curled up on the ground, twisting nonstop, letting out incomprehensible, ferocious roars from his mouth.

Then he abruptly demonized, transforming into a "wolf-man" with crazed eyes and pus dripping from his mouth.

This wolf-man's demonic power was quite strong, and the pus on his body carried deadly poison. He lunged about attacking other demonic cultivators, causing a commotion.

The other demonic cultivators couldn't subdue him for the moment.

Just then, the steward arrived, took out a black banner, and channeled his demonic power into it — blood-colored patterns spread across the banner.

At the same time, red patterns also flickered to life on the wolf-man who was having his episode.

These patterns were like spider webs, dense and countless, crawling all over the wolf-man's back, then sinking deep into his flesh like branding irons, seared into his very body.

The "wolf-man" seemed to be enduring extreme agony, howling nonstop, as if his heart were being torn out.

The demonic power on his body also transformed into a cage, binding him in place.

The wolf-man collapsed on the ground, still struggling, his fingertips clawing at the floor and gouging out crack after crack.

After a while, the demonization receded, and he fainted on the spot.

The steward spat a curse and said coldly:

"Must be that he couldn't resist eating too much demon flesh, so his demonic power built up too much, surged to the top of his head, and he couldn't control it anymore…"

A demonic cultivator beside him said: "That's what happens when there's no human flesh to eat. If he ate a bit more human flesh to neutralize the demonic power, maybe it would be better…"

"Human flesh? I want some too…" The steward sneered, then ordered, "Lock him in the cell, brand him with a branding iron, let him suffer a bit and clear his head."

"Yes, Steward."

After giving the orders, the steward demonic cultivator left with his hands behind his back.

The remaining demonic cultivators dragged the "episodic" wolf-man off to the prison to be punished.

Mo Hua, however, gave a slight start.

"Black banner…"

So all these demonic cultivators in the Ten Thousand Demon Valley were controlled through that pitch-black demonic banner.

The demonic banner forcibly kept the demonic cultivators in check, to prevent them from losing control, rebelling, and disobeying orders.

And when the steward had just now activated the demonic banner, Mo Hua could clearly sense that a very familiar aura was wrapped around it.

"Four Symbols Array!"

Moreover, it was a Four Symbols Array far more advanced and complete than the demon patterns on those demonic cultivators from before!

Finally found it!

Mo Hua's heart leaped with joy, his eyes brightening slightly, and he said silently to himself:

He had to find a way to get his hands on the demonic banner and study it…

(End of this chapter)

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