Chapter 96: The Young Array Master

Ten days later, thanks to Master Feng's pills, Xiao Hu and Da Hu had fully recovered and returned to the mountains to hunt yao.

Hunters of yao inevitably suffer injuries and bleed; though Da Hu and the others were young and still novices, from the moment they wore their Yao Yao Ling and entered the mountains to hunt, they had to gradually adapt to this hunter's life.

Hunters in Xiancheng have always lived this way—every day, hunters enter the mountains; every month, hunters suffer injuries; every year, hunters die within the mountains.

Mo Hua could only silently wish Da Hu and the others good fortune in his heart.

But sadly, Mo Hua's prayers had no effect. Half a month later, Da Hu was carried out of the mountains, blood staining the ground everywhere.

Mo Hua was drawing arrays at home when he suddenly heard commotion; stepping outside to inquire, he learned Da Hu had suffered severe injury while hunting yao and his life was in peril.

Mo Hua felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over his head, his hands and feet turning cold.

He rushed to Xinglin Pavilion and found Master Feng looking solemn, treating Da Hu's wounds.

Da Hu lay on the bed, eyes tightly shut, face as white as paper, breath uncertain. A large pool of blood covered his chest, still flowing, staining his outer robe bright red.

Mo Hua watched, heart pounding with dread.

Master Feng spotted Mo Hua, picked up a vine armor, and looked solemnly at him: "Are these arrays drawn on this?"

The vine armor was also drenched in blood, with a hole on one side—as if pierced by a yao beast's fang or claw—its inner surface inscribed with array patterns.

Mo Hua nodded.

Master Feng fell silent for a moment, then let out a long breath: "Thank goodness for this vine armor—if not for it, the boy's life would've been lost…"

Mo Hua froze for a moment, then exhaled in relief, the stone in his chest finally settling.

If Master Feng said so, Da Hu's life was surely safe—so long as he lived, everything else could be mended.

This companion who had grown up with him since childhood, always standing before him, always fighting beside him—if he truly suffered harm, just thinking of it made Mo Hua's heart ache.

Shuang Hu and Xiao Hu arrived, weeping bitterly; upon hearing Da Hu was alive, they quietly wiped away their tears.

Uncle Meng had also been hunting in the mountains; upon hearing of Da Hu's plight, he hurried back. His expression remained calm, though his hands trembled slightly.

Aunt Meng had been helping out on the eastern street—family spirit stones were scarce, so she'd become busier than ever—and upon hearing Da Hu was hurt, she rushed over immediately.

Aunt Meng stood at the doorway, hesitating for a long while before finally clenching her teeth and stumbling inside; when she heard Da Hu was not in mortal danger, all strength drained from her body and she collapsed onto the floor, burying her face in her sleeve and weeping.

Master Feng said it was thanks to the vine armor Mo Hua had provided that Da Hu's life had been saved.

Today, when Da Hu and the others entered the mountains, they were hunting a Claw-Splitting Wolf Yao; as they struggled with it, another yao beast with a long tail suddenly emerged from the grass.

Da Hu shielded his two younger brothers behind him and faced the long-tailed yao beast head-on. But with his cultivation level, he was no match for the beast—the yao's tail, bristling with sharp spines, struck with brutal speed, piercing straight for Da Hu's heart meridian; Da Hu had no time to dodge and was struck directly in the chest.

Fortunately, the vine armor on Da Hu's chest bore the Iron Armor Array, tougher than ordinary vine armor, and held long enough to not be pierced through. Though Da Hu couldn't avoid the attack, he twisted slightly, causing the yao's tail tip to veer aside; when the spine finally pierced the armor and entered his chest, it missed his heart meridian entirely.

Though Da Hu's chest was pierced and bled profusely, his heart meridian remained unharmed, so his life was not in danger. And because Master Feng treated him promptly, even though he remained unconscious for now, he would gradually awaken in time.

Aunt Meng thanked Master Feng endlessly, then gripped Mo Hua's hand tightly, gratitude choking her so she could not utter a single word…

To live a lifetime is to inevitably endure suffering, and some people bear more suffering than others.

Mo Hua looked at the haggard Aunt Meng, his heart aching.

Fortunately, the Iron Armor Array Mo Hua had drawn had worked—Da Hu was not in mortal peril—and Mo Hua's heart felt a little lighter.

Ten days later, Da Hu's wounds had healed, and the three brothers prepared to enter the mountains again to hunt yao. Mo Hua went to see them off.

Da Hu's complexion was still poor, his recovery fresh, but his eyes burned with determination. Shuang Hu and Xiao Hu's expressions were solemn, yet showed no fear.

Even after losing so much blood, suffering such severe injury, and nearly losing their lives, the three had not hesitated, not flinched—and now that they were healed, they still planned to enter the mountains to hunt yao.

"Father and Mother paid for our healing, and we owe so many spirit stones—we must repay them soon."

"I don't want Mother to suffer anymore."

"Me too…"

They bid farewell to Mo Hua and walked along the path into the mountains.

Mo Hua watched their figures shrink until they vanished into the vast, boundless Great Heishan.

In the days that followed, Mo Hua lived in extreme frugality.

Except for nights, when he could draw arrays without restraint upon the Dao Stele in his dantian, every drop of spirit ink he used by day was counted with meticulous care.

Arrays he already knew—he absolutely refused to use spirit ink, for it would be wasteful; arrays he had not yet learned—he also refused to use spirit ink, for that too would be wasteful.

For arrays he half-knew, Mo Hua selected carefully—only if the array's nature was unusual or its core structure peculiar did he deem it worthy of opening his ink bottle, drawing a single drop of spirit ink, and painstakingly tracing and comprehending it.

After some time passed, one evening over dinner, Seeing Mo Shan suddenly said to Mo Hua:

"Hua, someone asked me to arrange for you to draw a few arrays…"

Mo Hua was startled; Seeing Mo Shan's expression was also peculiar.

Seeing Mo Shan had always avoided asking about Mo Hua's array work.

First, hunting yao was exhausting work—Seeing Mo Shan was captain of a hunting squad, leading a group of cultivators into the mountains to slay yao, ensuring their safety, and distributing the spoils according to custom—dangerous and busy. Previously, Mo Hua's household had relied entirely on Seeing Mo Shan's hunting income for spirit stones; even in his spare time, Seeing Mo Shan had no energy to spare for anything else.

Second, Seeing Mo Shan didn't understand arrays. His knowledge was limited to recognizing a few common arrays or sensing where a cultivator had set traps. He knew nothing of the inner workings of array masters, so he didn't know what to ask.

Third, Mo Hua was self-reliant—whether in cultivation or arrays, he did what needed doing without being told; Seeing Mo Shan didn't need to worry, nor did he wish to burden Mo Hua with pressure.

Mo Hua was still young, his cultivation low; even with talent, true mastery in arrays would take time—he couldn't achieve it quickly.

Cultivators found array study difficult; becoming an array master was even harder—Seeing Mo Shan knew this well.

Every array master in Xiancheng with even a modicum of reputation had a full head of gray or white hair; some were nearly bald.

Now, it seemed Mo Hua had talent—if he could become an ordinary array master by thirty, earning his living through arrays—even if he never reached the official ranks—Seeing Mo Shan would be content.

All he needed was to survive carefully, not die in a yao beast's belly before Mo Hua grew up.

Until yesterday, a hunter had come to Seeing Mo Shan, formally requesting Mo Hua to draw several arrays—and spoke with great courtesy, never doubting Mo Hua's ability to do so.

Seeing Mo Shan then realized something was wrong.

To be requested to draw arrays—that was the treatment reserved for array masters, wasn't it?

Could this child… already be an array master…?

Ten updates done.

My fingers are numb… Goodnight, everyone.