The Quest for Immortality

”This is the array diagram for the Concealment Array.”

Mr. Zhuang handed over an array diagram to Mo Hua, ”Take a look at it yourself and practice more. It shouldn’t be too difficult for you.”

Mo Hua respectfully accepted it, glancing briefly at the diagram.

The array hub of the Concealment Array was somewhat special, the array patterns were somewhat obscure and differed from the general Five Elements Arrays, but it was indeed not too difficult—at least not for Mo Hua.

For an array master, learning arrays, the most challenging aspect was actually the spiritual sense.

As long as one’s spiritual sense was sufficient, the rest could be solved with some time and effort.

But if the spiritual sense was insufficient, one wouldn’t even have the qualification to learn arrays.

”Thank you, sir!” Mo Hua said happily.

Mr. Zhuang nodded slightly, his gaze deepening as he took out another array diagram and said:

”This is the complete Ten-Pattern Reverse Spirit Array!”

Mo Hua’s heart tightened. He received it solemnly, glanced at it, and mentally sketched it, exclaiming:

”Sir, this one seems much more difficult...”

”Ten patterns is the limit for the spiritual sense of Qi Refining. The closer you get to this limit, the slower the growth of spiritual sense, and naturally, the harder it becomes.” Mr. Zhuang said slowly.

Mo Hua sighed, ”I wonder when I will be able to learn it.”

”Learn until you reach Foundation Building.”

Mo Hua was stunned for a moment, then realized that only Foundation Building cultivators could learn the Ten-Pattern Arrays.

If he could draw the Reverse Spirit Array, it would indeed mean he had the spiritual sense of a Foundation Building cultivator.

”Sir, based on my current progress, how long will it take for me to have the spiritual sense of Foundation Building?” Mo Hua asked weakly.

Mr. Zhuang did not answer but instead asked:

”What if it takes ten years, or a hundred years?”

Mo Hua’s heart sank, ”Will it take a hundred years?”

”Just hypothetically,” Mr. Zhuang said.

Mo Hua thought for a moment and said helplessly, ”It seems there’s no other way. I should continue to practice and draw arrays as I should.”

Mr. Zhuang nodded approvingly:

”That’s right. No matter the outcome, what needs to be done won’t change. Don’t let success or failure, or certain expectations, affect your state of mind.”

Mo Hua suddenly understood and smiled, ”Thank you for your guidance, sir!”

Mr. Zhuang also smiled slightly, ”That being said, don’t worry too much. You might encounter some opportunity that allows you to leap over this gap.”

Mo Hua’s eyes lit up, ”Really?”

Mr. Zhuang added, ”Just hypothetically.”

After saying this, Mr. Zhuang used his long fingers to tap Mo Hua’s forehead, ”Opportunities are external things. Don’t let them affect your state of mind in pursuing the Dao.”

Mo Hua’s eyes sharpened, ”Disciple understands.”

Seeing Mo Hua’s clear eyes and bright thoughts, Mr. Zhuang nodded and said softly:

”Just focus on learning arrays. Don’t worry about other things. If you reach the ninth layer of Qi Refining and your spiritual sense is still insufficient, I have my ways.”

Mo Hua felt warmth in his heart and smiled, ”Thank you, sir!”

Mr. Zhuang waved his hand, ”Go and study the arrays. I’ll rest for a while.”

”Okay.”

Mo Hua turned to leave but suddenly remembered something and hesitated.

Mr. Zhuang noticed and said, ”If you have a question, just ask.”

”But...” Mo Hua hesitated, ”Won’t it disturb your rest?”

Mr. Zhuang relaxed into a bamboo chair, ”I’m already resting. Talking for a bit doesn’t matter.”

Mo Hua smiled and asked, ”Sir, is the Reverse Spirit Array really just for breaking arrays?”

Mr. Zhuang’s half-closed eyes opened slightly, surprised, ”Why do you ask?”

”If it were just for breaking arrays, it wouldn’t be this difficult...” Mo Hua pondered, ”The Reverse Spirit Array can break arrays, but it’s a First Grade Ten-Pattern array. Most Qi Refining cultivators can’t learn it, and since they can’t learn it, they can’t use the Reverse Spirit Array to break arrays.”

”Moreover, there are many ways to break arrays. It doesn’t have to be with the Reverse Spirit Array, which makes this array difficult and useless, a bit redundant.”

”A redundant array, even if it were an anomaly of the Dao, wouldn’t be treasured by families and clans, right?”

”If families and clans value it so much, does it mean this array has other important uses besides breaking arrays?”

Mr. Zhuang’s eyelids twitched. He then shook his head and laughed:

”You child, you have a perceptive mind. I don’t know where you get all these ideas.”

Mo Hua smiled shyly.

Mr. Zhuang said, ”You got one thing wrong. The Reverse Spirit Array is not difficult and useless but very useful.”

”Using array patterns to break arrays, you might need to break hundreds or even thousands of patterns. But with the Reverse Spirit Array, you can directly break the array hub, only needing to break a few core Spirit Gathering Arrays.”

”As long as you find the array hub, using the Reverse Spirit Array, the speed of breaking arrays is several times or even dozens of times faster.”

Mo Hua nodded frequently.

In this way, the saved spirit ink would also be several times or even dozens of times.

Mo Hua’s spirit ink had always been insufficient. Saving this much spirit ink was indeed very important.

”There’s another thing you got right.”

Mr. Zhuang looked at Mo Hua and nodded approvingly, ”The Reverse Spirit Array is indeed not just for breaking arrays. Most importantly, it can make arrays collapse!”

”Collapse?” Mo Hua was shocked, ”Do you mean the array collapses or goes out of control?”

”It means collapse, but not out of control. It’s more like the array collapses under the will of the array master.”

”Control the array collapse?” Mo Hua scratched his head, not understanding, ”What use does that have?”

Mr. Zhuang was silent for a long time, his expression changing several times. Finally, he sighed and said:

”Arrays adhere to the Dao of Heaven, containing the principles of heaven and earth and the operation of spiritual power.”

”When an array collapses, spiritual power reverses and conflicts within the framework of the array in the form of array patterns, continuously creating and destroying, generating extremely strong spiritual power fluctuations with extraordinary and unbelievable power.”

”If the array’s grade is high enough, its collapsing power can be earth-shattering!”

Mr. Zhuang’s tone was unprecedentedly serious.

Mo Hua was even more shocked and deeply moved.

”If I learn the Reverse Spirit Array, can I also make arrays collapse?”

Mr. Zhuang said with a half-smile, ”If you learn the Reverse Spirit Array, you will almost be at the Foundation Building stage. The power of a First Grade Reverse Spirit Array can transcend its level, but it would be roughly equivalent to the power of Foundation Building spells. Why go through all that trouble?”

”Huh?” Mo Hua was stunned, ”What about a Second Grade Reverse Spirit Array?”

”That would be something you could only learn if you become a late Second Grade array master.”

Second Grade array master, and late stage at that...

When would that be possible?

Mo Hua sighed, ”Then this Reverse Spirit Array is still somewhat redundant.”

A First Grade Reverse Spirit Array can’t be learned by a First Grade array master, and a Second Grade array master can’t use it.

”It’s not that the array is redundant, just that the array master’s abilities are limited and can’t comprehend the array, unable to bring out its effects.”

Mr. Zhuang said indifferently, ”Moreover, array collapse isn’t easy. Even ordinary Second Grade array masters don’t have the ability to make a First Grade array collapse.”

”Or rather, there are very few array masters in this world who can fully master the Reverse Spirit Array and use it to collapse arrays.”

Mo Hua frowned, ”Is there a lot of intricate usage for the Reverse Spirit Array?”

Mr. Zhuang wanted to say more but suddenly looked tired, yawned, and said:

”If you really can learn the Reverse Spirit Array, I’ll teach you then. For now, it’s still early.”