Chapter 130 - Si Nan (fourth update)

Chapter 130: Si Nan (fourth update)

Upon arriving home in the evening, Mo Hua laid prostrate on the small desk, lost in deep thought.

After the Monster Beasts died, Mo Hua needed to arrive at the scene at the earliest opportunity.

The best method would be to transmit his voice.

However, Mo Hua inquired about it and found out that methods like the voice transmission Formation, voice transmission talismans, or other related techniques were not accessible to Cultivators in the Qi Refinement Realm.

So, were there any scouting type Formations?

Mo Hua leaned over the desk, and flipping through the “Thousand Formation Catalog” several times by the lamplight, found no suitable Formations.

After looking for a long time, his neck started to ache. Mo Hua tilted his small head back, laying on the backrest of the wooden chair, contemplating.

If there truly existed such a Formation, there should be similar records in the “Thousand Formation Catalog.”

Scouting type Formations should not be so rare that Noble Clans or Sects would treasure and keep them secret.

If the “Catalog” did not contain them, then there was another possibility, these Formations were Compound Formations!

Scouting type Formations likely required the combination of different Single Formations to achieve the desired effect. Since the “Thousand Formation Catalog” collected only Single Formations, the absence of such Formation records was quite normal.

“Compound Formations…”

Mo Hua sighed. It seemed that he had to consult Mr. Zhuang again.

The next day, Mo Hua went to the Forgetful Residence and first sought out Bai Zisheng.

Bai Zisheng’s Formation knowledge was not extensive, so he looked to his younger sister, Bai Zixi, for help.

After thinking for a moment, Bai Zixi said, “None exist; scouting Formations are somewhat complex and might not be found among first-grade Formations, at least I have never seen one.”

“Are there similar ones?”

“Similar in what way?”

“I mean, something that would let me know where a Formation has been triggered, or if a Monster Beast has died…” Mo Hua pondered and said.

Bai Zixi fell silent.

“Compound Formations are also fine…” Mo Hua added.

Bai Zixi’s delicate eyebrows, resembling the crescent moon, furrowed slightly, and after a brief reflection, her long eyelashes fluttered as she replied:

“The Compass Parent-Child Formation.”

“The Compass… Parent-Child Formation?”

Mo Hua had never heard of it…

Bai Zixi nodded, “It’s a Compound Formation that can sense fluctuations in Spiritual Power.”

Seeing that Mo Hua still did not quite understand, she explained, “Any stimulation of a Formation, a battle between Cultivators, will generate fluctuations in Spiritual Power. Once there is a fluctuation, the Formation can perceive it.”

Mo Hua had an epiphany and asked, “Do you know how to set up this Formation?”

“I don’t, you’ll have to ask the Gentleman.”

“Okay, thank you!” said Mo Hua.

Getting an answer was already an unexpected joy; Bai Zixi’s knowledge of Formations was much more profound than Mo Hua had imagined.

Mo Hua looked at her with admiration and couldn’t help but praise:

“Zixi, you know so much!”

“It’s just average,” Bai Zixi responded indifferently, yet the delicate chin of her fair face couldn’t help but be lightly lifted a little.

Mo Hua then went to find Mr. Zhuang.

As expected, Mr. Zhuang was sleeping in the bamboo room, so Mo Hua sat on the threshold waiting for him.

While waiting, Mo Hua considered what he would ask later.

In a little while, a light breeze blew through the silent hall, brushing over Mo Hua’s shoulder.

Mo Hua knew then that the Gentleman was awake. He stood up, straightened his clothes, went inside to see Mr. Zhuang, and explained the purpose of his visit.

Mr. Zhuang’s eyebrows raised, his interest piqued:

“The Compass Parent-Child Formation?”

“Yes, Gentleman, can you teach me?”

Mo Hua looked at Mr. Zhuang with a pair of pitch-black, clear eyes.

Mr. Zhuang found it somewhat difficult to refuse but still said:

“This is a Compound Formation. It’s still a bit early for you to learn Compound Formations,” Mr. Zhuang said.

Mo Hua responded, “Gentleman, I can already draw Formation Diagrams with eight Formation Patterns, but the nine-pattern one seems far out of reach. It’s unlikely that I’ll manage it anytime soon…”

“But drawing eight patterns has become somewhat uninteresting to me, so I want to try learning Compound Formations.”

Mr. Zhuang’s expression remained unchanged, but there was a subtle shift in his eyes.

Drawing eight patterns has become uninteresting…

In the Qi Refinement Realm’s fifth level, to be able to draw eight Formation Patterns and still find it uninteresting?

Even he thought his young disciple’s words were gradually getting a bit outrageous.

Mr. Zhuang coughed and called out to Old Kui before beckoning him over.

Old Kui, seemingly aware of Mr. Zhuang’s intention, took a book from the back of the shelf and placed it in front of Mo Hua.

The cover of the book read: “Introduction to Compound Formation Compilation.”

“Previously, I gave you an ‘Initial Understanding of Compound Formation’ as it is fundamental. You should read it more,” Mr. Zhuang finished and, pointing to the book before Mo Hua, said, “This ‘Introduction to Compound Formation Compilation’ contains the Formation Diagrams of the Compass Parent-Child Formation. Read through ‘Initial Understanding of Compound Formation’ first before learning this, and come to me if there is anything you don’t understand.”

Mo Hua was overjoyed and then asked:

“Gentleman, can I also learn the other Compound Formations in this book?”

Mr. Zhuang looked meaningfully at Mo Hua. “Yes, as long as you’re able to learn, you can learn them all.”

“Thank you, Gentleman. I won’t disturb your rest any further!”

Mo Hua happily bowed and then, holding the book, left the bamboo room.

Mr. Zhuang lay back in his bamboo chair and closed his eyes to rest.

Old Kui spoke impassively, “Isn’t it a bit too early?”

“Don’t worry, it’s just a Compound Formation.”

Unable to restrain himself, Old Kui said, “What you gave him is the entire ‘Compound Formation Compilation.’”

“It’s just introductory.”

Old Kui rolled his eyes, “What ‘introductory’? Some of the formations in there aren’t even meant for someone in the Qi Refinement Realm to learn, right?”

Mr. Zhuang remained silent.

Frowning, Old Kui said, “Do you have some sort of plan?”

“Sort of,” Mr. Zhuang replied, lying on the bamboo chair, his eyes growing deeper, “I just want to see what he can accomplish if he tries to learn on his own…”

Mo Hua brought the “Introduction to Compound Formation Compilation” back home and couldn’t help but flip through it.

He had actually finished the ‘Initial Understanding of Compound Formation’ given by Mr. Zhuang a while ago and had even “consulted” Zhang Lan about some of the knowledge from the book.

However, he had rushed through the book, only gaining a superficial understanding and hadn’t personally tried drawing most of the Compound Formations. Thus, he only knew a smattering of the subject.

Since Compound Formations were considered “above-level” formations, and knowing he wasn’t at the required level yet, Mo Hua hadn’t invested too much effort in them.

But now that Mr. Zhuang had given him the “Compound Formation Compilation” and permitted him to learn Compound Formations, it indicated that in Mr. Zhuang’s eyes, his Divine Sense was ready to study Compound Formations.

Mo Hua had a great deal of respect for Mr. Zhuang.

With his broad knowledge and exceptional skill in formations, Mr. Zhuang’s assurance that he could learn meant that he should be able to learn all the Compound Formations in the book, which were no longer “above-level.”

Besides, the book’s title was “Introduction to Compound Formation Compilation;” since it was introductory, it should not be too difficult.

That’s what Mo Hua thought.

In the “Introduction to Compound Formation Compilation,” Mo Hua found the Formation Diagram of the Compass Parent-Child Formation.

The Compass Parent-Child Formation is a relatively simple Golden Series Compound Formation.

The formation consists of two Single Formations — one is the Compass Mother Formation, with eight Formation Patterns, and the other is the Compass Child Formation, which includes only three Formation Patterns.

The pivotal Formation Pivot of the Compass Parent-Child Formation is the widely used Five Elements Formation Pivot, which exploits the repulsion and attraction of Golden Series Spiritual Power to gauge whether there are strong fluctuations in Spiritual Power within a certain range.

Mo Hua briefly reviewed the overall formation and then noted down the Formation Diagram, planning to practice it a few times first.

As it was his first time formally attempting to draw a Compound Formation, by the time Mo Hua finished noting all the Formation Patterns and mechanisms of the Formation Pivot, it had already passed 1 p.m.

Mo Hua lay in bed, closed his eyes, and fell asleep.

In the expanse of his white Sea of Consciousness, an ancient Taoist Stele emerged.