Chapter 45 - Surprise

Chapter 45: Chapter 45: Surprise

Translator: 549690339

The next day, Mr. Zhuang’s teaching method changed. He only taught Formation theory suitable for those within the Qi Refinement Realm and combined it with various Formations, allowing Mo Hua to learn in an orderly and progressive manner.

This method was much like Instructor Yan’s approach, but considering Mr. Zhuang’s likely much higher level, he presented a grander scope, more comprehensive details, and clearer connections.

Mo Hua also felt a pang of regret for Instructor Yan, who might have been more than just an ordinary instructor if not for his limited cultivation level. At least in the legacy and pedagogical philosophy of Formations, Instructor Yan and the highly accomplished Mr. Zhuang had something in common.

The abstruse Formation theories that Mr. Zhuang previously taught had given Mo Hua a headache.

Some theories were new to Mo Hua, so he was completely clueless and could only memorize them by rote, but even with a good memory, he couldn’t retain these abstract concepts. More often than not, after memorizing the latter, he would forget the former, and when he revisited the former, he would forget the latter, resulting in slow learning.

These challenging concepts for Mo Hua were considered foundational by the Noble Clans, which explained why such Great Clans could remain unshaken in the Tao Cultivation World for tens of thousands of years.

There was too great a disparity in heritage and legacy between ordinary Loose Cultivators and Noble Clans, leading to an almost complete lack of Formation Masters among the former.

Mo Hua sighed. There was no point in comparing himself to others; he could only do his best to improve. He admonished himself and then calmed his mind to study Formations in the way Mr. Zhuang recommended.

Now starting from the Qi Refinement Realm, with an emphasis on Drawing Formation and supplementary Formation Theory, Mo Hua was learning much faster.

Because Mo Hua had been drawing a large number of Formations day and night, on the Taoist Stele by night and on paper by day, even occasionally using a grass stick to draw on the ground when idle.

When it came to the volume of practice in Formation alone, some late-stage Qi Refinement Formation Masters might not have practiced as much as Mo Hua did.

Therefore, after Mr. Zhuang changed the teaching method, Mo Hua learned much faster. When he finished the theoretical part and began to draw Formations by hand, his progress accelerated even more.

Mr. Zhuang had Mo Hua relearn several five-line Formation Patterns, including some Five Elements based Formations he hadn’t seen before. Old Kui even prepared all the Formation Diagrams and ink for Mo Hua.

Mo Hua studied eagerly and persisted in his drawing.

In the daytime, he drew Formations at Mr. Zhuang’s tranquil abode, and at night in his dreams, he continued to practice on the Taoist Steles in his Sea of Consciousness. The five-pattern Formations were not too difficult for Mo Hua; generally, after a few days of practice, he could master one.

Then came the six-pattern Water Controlling Formation. Previously, Mo Hua’s limited Divine Sense had prevented him from drawing a complete Formation, but now, after more than half a month of daily practice and increased Divine Sense, he could, albeit with some difficulty, complete the Formation encompassing six patterns.

After completing the Water Controlling Formation, Mr. Zhuang taught several new Formations such as the Thousand Jun Formation, the Quicksand Formation, and the Little Cloud Rain Formation. With the support of his Divine Sense and continuous daily practice, Mo Hua mastered them all in half a month.

Mr. Zhuang was quite satisfied, both with Mo Hua’s progress and his temperament.

Not every child of Mo Hua’s age had the discipline to sit down and study Formations every day.

In private, however, Mr. Zhuang still felt a tinge of regret and said to Old Kui,

“The child Mo Hua has better comprehension than I previously thought. It’s a pity he comes from a Loose Cultivator background and lacks Formation legacy. His foundations are much weaker; otherwise, he might not be much inferior to those favored sons of Great Clans…”

“What’s so good about the favored sons?”

Mr. Zhuang fell silent for a moment.

Old Kui watched him quietly, his voice calm and indifferent, yet it carried an indescribable mockery, “Weren’t you one of the favored sons back in the day? And the disciples you took on before, weren’t they all favored sons? What became of them? How down and out have you become today, or do I need to spell it out for you…”

Mr. Zhuang sighed and said unhappily, “If I die young, it will surely be because you irritated me to death!”

Old Kui remained unmoved, “Life and death are predestined. Saying such things shows that you have yet to understand the first thing about the Heavenly Dao.”

Mr. Zhuang simply lay down on the recliner, speaking with profound meaning, “Heaven and Earth are heartless, treating all beings as straw dogs. If one truly understood the Heavenly Dao, would they still be considered human?”

Old Kui continued to play chess by himself, sitting still like a withered tree.

Mr. Zhuang taught many Formations that contained six patterns, because six-pattern Formations were fairly complete and involved many fundamental Formation seeds, thus necessitating substantial study and insight.

Once Mo Hua had mastered the six-pattern Formations, as Mr. Zhuang prepared to teach the seven-pattern Formations, he discovered something surprising: Mo Hua’s Divine Sense was growing a bit too fast.When Mr. Zhuang first saw Mo Hua, Mo Hua’s Divine Sense was insufficient to draw six Formation Patterns, yet a month had passed, and not only could Mo Hua’s Divine Sense sustain him in completing an entire Formation containing six Formation Patterns, but he could now also draw six and a half Formation Patterns of those in a seven-patterned Formation.

In the span of a month, Mo Hua’s Spiritual Power had made scant progress, but his Divine Sense grew rapidly.

Mr. Zhuang slightly furrowed his brow, feeling that something was amiss.

One day, as Mo Hua was learning a Formation that contained seven Formation Patterns, Mr. Zhuang suddenly asked, “Mo Hua, are you familiar with the visualization law?”

Mo Hua looked puzzled and said, “Disciple has never heard of it.”

“Is that so,” Mr. Zhuang tapped his fingers on the desk, lost in thought for a moment, then asked, “Then have you ever seen some strange images or patterns that, upon a single glance, ensnare the Divine Sense, causing one to immerse involuntarily?”

After thinking for a while, Mo Hua shook his head.

The strangest thing he had ever seen was the Taoist Stele in his mind, but there were no patterns or conspicuous lines on that stele, and looking at it for a long time didn’t cause one to immerse in it.

Mr. Zhuang was silent for a moment, then said, “Your Divine Sense is growing faster than others; you must have realized this.”

Mo Hua nodded and replied, “Disciple draws Formations during the day, and at night, I dream of practicing them. Plus, drawing Formations in dreams doesn’t consume Divine Sense. Thus, night and day, my Divine Sense gradually strengthens.”

He didn’t mention the Taoist Stele, but everything else was true.

Mo Hua wasn’t quite sure whether the enhancement of his Divine Sense was due to the Taoist Stele or simply because he was continuously Drawing Formations.

So Mo Hua asked, “Gentleman, is it true that as long as one keeps drawing Formations, one’s Divine Sense can be strengthened?”

Mr. Zhuang was left speechless.

Drawing Formations continuously consumes Divine Sense, and it also constantly tempers the Sea of Consciousness. Over time, naturally, the Divine Sense will also be strengthened.

But according to the usual practices of the Tao Cultivation World, one should first seek to improve Divine Sense and then learn Formations.

Because relying on Drawing Formations to enhance Divine Sense is an exceedingly slow process, and it risks exhausting the Divine Sense and damaging the Sea of Consciousness, leading to irreparable consequences.

Therefore, few Cultivators think of enhancing Divine Sense through Drawing Formations—this most unsophisticated and slowest method, which also carries great risks.

Mr. Zhuang felt that there was more to it than that and looked at Mo Hua with a touch of perplexity. However, when he caught Mo Hua’s gaze, he discovered an unusual earnestness and candor in Mo Hua’s clear eyes.

Mr. Zhuang had taught many disciples, seen respect in their eyes, fear, and also calculating thoughts, but he had never seen such honest eyes. He chuckled and said, “Very well.”

“Do you know of the Meditation Technique?” Mr. Zhuang asked again.

Mo Hua still shook his head.

“Meditation Technique can help a Cultivator, through meditation, to enter a state of Mental Concentration in a short time, and thus, recover Divine Sense more quickly. Normally, this is not something a Cultivator of your Cultivation should learn. However, you are a bit special, and you can start learning it now.”

Mo Hua didn’t understand where the ‘special’ part was to which Mr. Zhuang referred, but he was happy to learn something new, replying, “Thank you, Gentleman.”

“But remember one thing,” Mr. Zhuang’s expression grew serious, “If someone asks you why your Divine Sense is growing quickly, you must say it is because of the Meditation Technique I taught you, and there is no need to say more than that.”

Mo Hua was a bit confused, but he sensed that Mr. Zhuang meant well and silently committed his words to heart.

Mr. Zhuang nodded, pulled out a thin booklet from his sleeve, on which were written three characters:

“Meditation Technique”.