Chapter 313 - Joyous Occasion

Chapter 313: Chapter 312 Joyous Occasion

Night had fallen, and after finishing his dinner, Mo Hua sat upright at his small desk.

On the desk lay a first-grade Earth Fire Formation.

Mo Hua began to utilize the Calculation Method of Divine Sense taught by Mr. Zhuang, starting to calculate the Formation Patterns of the Earth Fire Formation.

There are two ways of Divine Sense Calculation: one is direct and the other, inverse.

One method is to calculate the Formation Patterns into Spiritual Power.

Based on the Formation Patterns of the Formation, one would calculate bit by bit, simulating the complete trajectory of the Formation’s spiritual power flow within the Sea of Consciousness.

This method of calculation allows one to clearly recognize the metaphysical Formation Patterns and the relationship with the inherent spiritual power, thus deepening the understanding of the essence of the Formation.

After the calculation, one could even extrapolate from the Formation Patterns the cycle of birth and demise in the spiritual power flow of the Formation itself, much like capturing the essence of a painting or calligraphy, while ignoring its physical form.

The other method of calculation is to derive the Formation Patterns from Spiritual Power.

When encountering complex and tricky Formations, one could deduce the Formation Diagrams by sensing their spiritual power with Divine Sense.

Mo Hua couldn’t help thinking that if he had known the Calculation Method of Divine Sense earlier, when he first entered the Foggy Forest, he wouldn’t have needed to dig up tree roots to study the Formation, but he would have been able to deduce the complete Formation Diagram of the Fog Formation just by sensing the flow of its spiritual power.

However, at that time his Divine Sense had not yet established a foundation, and he could not have learned to calculate.

Divine Sense Calculation is an advanced method for utilizing Divine Sense and comprehending the Dao of Formations.

Mo Hua planned to start with first-grade Formations, recalculating all the Formations he had learned one by one.

This practice would not only exercise the method of calculation but also allow revisiting old knowledge to gain a deeper understanding of Formations.

And the first Formation to recalibrate was the Earth Fire Formation.

Mo Hua began to derive the trajectory of spiritual power of the Earth Fire Formation based on the Formation Patterns within his Sea of Consciousness.

In the pale white Sea of Consciousness, faint blue trajectories of spiritual power emerged like fine threads, slowly but surely appearing, intertwining strand by strand, gradually sketching out an interconnected, cyclical and unending fledgling outline of the Formation’s spiritual power trajectory.

At the same time, Mo Hua’s Divine Sense poured out like a flood.

The rate of consumption far exceeded Mo Hua’s expectations.

His Divine Sense seemed to be communicating with the profound and inscrutable Great Dao.

The Great Dao is chaotic and obscure, full of everything and yet seemingly nothing, and just by sensing its presence, Divine Sense continued to pour out ceaselessly.

Mo Hua was deeply shaken.

While drawing Formations, he occasionally had this sensation.

It seemed that he was not comprehending the Formation, but the embodiment of the Great Dao itself.

The Divine Sense expended in learning a Formation was, in fact, in contemplation of some profound and elusive Great Dao.

The more Mo Hua drew, the clearer this realization became.

But his previous experiences were nowhere near as vivid as this current session of Divine Sense Calculation.

And Mo Hua had never experienced such a rapid depletion of Divine Sense as now!

By the time he had spent two hours and finally completed the calculation of the first-grade Earth Fire Formation, Mo Hua was shocked to discover that his Divine Sense had been completely exhausted.

The Divine Sense of someone at the Foundation Establishment Stage was entirely spent on calculating a single Qi Refinement first-grade Formation…

Mo Hua found it hard to believe.

Mr. Zhuang had said that Divine Sense Calculation consumed a lot of Divine Sense, but Mo Hua had never imagined that it would consume so much!

No wonder no Formation Masters bothered to learn it…

Mo Hua felt somewhat contemplative, then a bit relieved.

He was naturally weak and his Spiritual Root was lacking. The only strength he had was his Divine Sense, which even seemed a bit excessive.

The method of calculating Formations consumed so much Divine Sense that others didn’t have enough to learn it, but to Mo Hua, it was inconsequential, as he had plenty of Divine Sense to spare.

This method of calculation was just right for him to learn.

Mo Hua meditated to restore his Divine Sense, then reviewed what he gained and lost mentally. Afterward, he drew a new Earth Fire Formation and began to calculate it again.

The structure of the Earth Fire Formation is uniform, with identical Formation Patterns, but the spiritual power flow of each actual drawing is different.

Just as people all have two eyes and a nose, with similar layouts and structures, their specific appearances vastly differ.

The same goes for Formations.

Therefore, each specific Formation has a different spiritual power operation, and needs to be recalculated.

However, although the operation of spiritual power varies, in essence, it is the same Formation.

Having successfully calculated one, the second one was much easier for Mo Hua to calculate.

After that, Mo Hua tried to calculate several more Formations. When it was 1 p.m., he submerged his Divine Sense into his Sea of Consciousness and continued to practice the Reversed Spirit Formation on the Taoist Stele.

He planned to practice calculations during the day and Formations at night.

This was how Mo Hua had arranged his routine, but as he practiced, he suddenly rested his chin on his hand and mused to himself,

“The Taoist Stele can be used for Drawing Formations, I wonder if it can also be used for calculating Formations…”

When calculating a Formation outside, the spiritual power trajectory materializes in the Sea of Consciousness.

So if one were to calculate a Formation within the Sea of Consciousness, where would the spiritual power trajectory appear?

Uncertain, Mo Hua decided to give it a try.

He first drew a first-grade Melting Fire Formation on the Taoist Stele.

The Melting Fire Formation was a new Formation that he had not yet calculated.

Then Mo Hua sat in meditation, restoring his Divine Sense to fullness, and started to look at the Formation Patterns of the Melting Fire Formation, calculating them with his Divine Sense.

Mo Hua was somewhat surprised to find that the Spirit Power Trajectory Diagram he had calculated appeared on the Taoist Stele!

After a moment of thought, Mo Hua roughly understood.

If this stele was called the “Taoist Stele,” then what it displayed should be the essence, or the Dao of things, or say, formations.

If the Formation Patterns could be displayed, then the essence of the spiritual power trajectories of the formations could naturally be displayed as well.

Mo Hua nodded to himself, then concentrated his mind and completed the calculation of the Melting Fire Formation.

A complete Spirit Power Trajectory Diagram emerged on the Taoist Stele.

Compared to the profound structures displayed by the Formation Patterns and Formation Pivot, the spiritual power trajectory was simpler, clearer, constantly flowing, endlessly cycling, with an indescribable charm of the Dao.

Mo Hua gazed at the Spirit Power Trajectory Diagram on the Taoist Stele, lost in thought, and suddenly had a realization.

Within the formation, the structural Formation Patterns and the essence of the spiritual power were an outer and inner layer, one complex, and one simple, one still and the other in motion, both complementing each other, like flesh and bone, constituting a complete formation.

Mo Hua nodded slightly, then hesitated before reaching out to erase the Spirit Power Trajectory Diagram.

The moment the spiritual power trajectory disappeared, his surging Divine Sense retraced its path.

Mo Hua’s eyes brightened.

His guess was indeed correct!

If drawing formations on the Taoist Stele and then erasing them allowed for the retrace of Divine Sense, then calculating formations on the Taoist Stele and erasing the Spiritual Power Trajectory should also allow for the retrace of Divine Sense!

If that was the case, then he could also go beyond the limitations of Divine Sense and tirelessly calculate more formations day and night!

By constantly calculating, his understanding of formations would deepen without cease!

Mo Hua was overjoyed.

Divine Sense Calculation was difficult, but no matter how tough it was, as long as one kept practicing tirelessly day and night, there would eventually come a day of mastery.

This was what Mr. Zhuang had taught him, and he must study well, so as not to disappoint Mr. Zhuang.

At this thought, Mo Hua felt a twinge of sadness.

Mr. Zhuang was leaving Tongxian City soon, and it was uncertain if they would ever meet again…

Mo Hua sighed, hoping to master Divine Sense Calculation before his mentor’s departure to surprise Mr. Zhuang.

In the following half-month, aside from his cultivation practice, Mo Hua spent most of his time learning Divine Sense Calculation.

There was one exception, however.

That day, Ji Li and Fu Lan became Daoist partners.

Everyone was happy, and after some hesitation, Mo Hua also happily gave himself a half-day off, following his parents to attend the Ji Family’s wedding.

With Black Mountain Stronghold destroyed and most Evil Cultivators executed, with any remaining ones being hunted, the turmoil seemed to be over, at least on the surface.

For the foreseeable future, it was unlikely that Evil Cultivators could gain any significant strength again, perhaps not for at least one or two hundred years.

Loose Cultivators in Tongxian City felt as if a burden had been lifted, and there were more caravans coming and going; the whole city became more bustling and prosperous.

Ji Qingbai wished for his son Ji Li and Fu Lan to be married, fulfilling one of his own desires.

For Cultivators to become Daoist partners was a significant event in their path of Tao Cultivation.

The wedding was both solemn and intricate, and even for Loose Cultivators with modest means, while the ceremonies could be simplified, they could not be omitted.

Moreover, the life of Loose Cultivators in Tongxian City had improved a lot.

Although the Ji Family was from out of town, Ji Qingbai was strong in his cultivation, Ji Li was diligent and steadfast, and Fu Lan had work at the Fulu Building. In their time in Tongxian City, they had also managed to save some resources.

As long as there was no oppression from Clans or exploitation from the Taoist Court, life would naturally get better and better.

Ji Qingbai spent all his savings and, with the support of brothers and friends like Mo Shan, threw a lively and festive wedding for Ji Li at the Fulu Building.

Mo Hua happily joined in the feast and festivities.

This was his first time attending a Cultivator’s wedding.

The customs of welcoming the bride and the wedding procession were all new and festive to him.

There were many customs Mo Hua didn’t understand, but he didn’t mind.

He was simply there to join in the fun, following the crowd wherever it went, checking out wherever the festivities were liveliest.

The small alley in front of the Ji Family’s house was adorned with lanterns and bunting, filled with the sounds of drums and gongs, draped in red attire, lined with hanging lanterns, resounding with laughter, filled with joyous voices.

Inside the Ji Family’s main hall, Mo Hua watched as the newlyweds, dressed in red, performed the ceremonial bows.

Ji Li was handsome and distinguished, while Fu Lan shone brightly.

The two bowed to each other and exchanged glances, both flushed with red, looking well-matched.

After bowing to heaven and earth, the banquet could begin.

Just as Mo Hua was about to enjoy the feast, Ji Qingbai called out to him.

Ji Qingbai told Mo Hua to sit properly and then called over Ji Li and Fu Lan, asking them to offer Mo Hua a cup of tea.

Mo Hua was startled, about to get up, but Ji Qingbai held him down.

“Uncle Ji, how can I accept this?” Mo Hua said, troubled.

Mo Shan also said, “Brother Ji, Huar cannot accept such a tribute…”

Ji Qingbai, however, shook his head, “If he cannot accept it, then no one can.”