Chapter 23: Talent

Yan Jiaoxi asked, "In this world, are there cultivators at Qi Refining layer three who can draw array formations?"

"This, well, naturally there should be," Fat Manager pondered and said, "The cultivation world is vast, and there are who knows how many heaven-bestowed talents. If you said someone was born able to draw array formations, I would also believe it, but after all, they are rumors; I haven't seen it with my own eyes."

"Even that exceptionally talented one, who disregarded ancestors and betrayed master and sect... cough, born in an array formation family, learning array formations from childhood, when they reached Qi Refining layer three, they could also draw simple array formations containing three array patterns."

"And those big families and sects, whose inheritances are unknown how many times deeper, among their disciples, there are certainly no lack of geniuses in array formations, but they are always not revealed."

Yan Jiaoxi said, "Since that is the case, it is also not impossible for Mo Hua to draw array formations at Qi Refining layer three."

Fat Manager didn't really want to admit it, but at this moment, he had to admit it.

Although this Yan senior brother was stubborn, his thoughts were always meticulous, and his eyesight was also very accurate.

"If that's really the case, then it's extraordinary. Do you want to accept a disciple?"

Fat Manager thought and continued, "To be honest, this child is indeed a good seedling. Why don't you formally accept him as a disciple? It would also be good to pass down the array formations that Master passed to you."

Yan Jiaoxi hadn't thought about this matter. Hearing this, he was obviously somewhat moved, but after deep thought, he still shook his head.

"The sect is in ruins. The remaining array formations are some incomplete patterns and fragments. What is there worth passing down? Accepting him as a disciple would only mislead the child. Moreover, Master's last wish has not been fulfilled, and that person is still without a clue. I also have no mind to ask about others."

Fat Manager still wanted to persuade him, but Yan Jiaoxi just waved his hand.

Fat Manager sighed, "Alright, I won't persuade you either. Anyway, persuading you won't make you listen. That child, Mo Hua..."

"Temporarily, don't tell anyone. The wood that shows in the forest will be destroyed by the wind. This is the eternal truth. Moreover, he is still young now and cannot be allowed to become arrogant, otherwise, he is bound to go astray in the future."

Fat Manager agreed, "This is so."

Yan Jiaoxi continued, "Don't let him take the list of array formations here either. Just find some poorly managed excuse."

Although it was indeed poorly managed, being told so still made Fat Manager feel like he had lost face. He corrected him, "This isn't called poorly managed; this is called Buddhist system operating, business all follows fate!"

"Moreover, this child draws array formations well, earning spirit stones to subsidize his family. Why not let him continue drawing?"

Yan Jiaoxi frowned, "Qi Refining layer three, even if he can draw array formations, how much divine sense can he have? Drawing too many will consume excessive divine sense, bound to leave hidden troubles and damage the foundation of the sea of consciousness."

"And he is still young, exactly the time to solidify his cultivation foundation. Not only array formations, but all the hundred paths of cultivation need to be understood, especially cultivation itself. One cannot be greedy for small profits and waste it..."

Fat Manager said, "Loose cultivators' family circumstances are not that affluent. Spirit stones are not enough to use."

"Even if the family is poor, they cannot disregard the future..."

"Then do you know how poor ordinary loose cultivators are?"

Fat Manager's expression rarely became serious.

Yan Jiaoxi saw Fat Manager's expression, and his eyebrows also slightly furrowed.

Fat Manager seriously said, "I know that your circumstances in childhood were not good. Although you had family, you were only illegitimate and not valued by your family. Later, you joined the sect and, under Master's careful guidance, you were diligent and made progress in array formations, and then things were slightly better. But even if your circumstances were not good, you had family support, at least you had food and clothing, and life was without worry, at most you lived unsatisfactorily."

"People often say cultivation is arduous," Fat Manager sighed. "I came out of the sect and have been in this Tongxian City for more than ten years, interacting with many loose cultivators. Only then do I know that even if people often say cultivation is arduous, the degree of this arduousness also has a heaven and earth difference."

"Ordinary loose cultivators find it difficult to make a living. Their income is meager. It's good if they can support their family. Refiners get half their bodies burned by furnace fire, demon hunters get an arm eaten by demonic beasts, they sell spiritual power to help people with odd jobs, and their body meridians are more or less damaged. Once they are sick or injured, they also have no spirit stones to cure themselves. Whether they can pull through depends entirely on heaven's face."

"It's best if they can pull through. If they can't pull through, they die. The worst is hanging onto half a life and still having to spend spirit stones, emptying the entire family. What can they do? They also just want to live."

"Cultivators indeed cannot disregard the future, but these bottom-level loose cultivators can't even manage the present. Where can they manage the future?"

Fat Manager finished in one breath, poured a cup of tea, and gulped it down.

Yan Jiaoxi was silent for a time. After a moment, he sighed and said apologetically,

"I was inconsiderate."

Fat Manager rolled his eyes at him.

Yan Jiaoxi thought slightly, then said to Fat Manager, "Bring me your catalog of array formations here."

"What do you want the catalog for?" Fat Manager was puzzled but still honestly got up and took a book from behind the counter and handed it to Yan Jiaoxi.

Yan Jiaoxi took the array formations catalog, first read through it all once, then picked up the pen on the table, hooked out several array formations, and marked numbers behind the array formations according to order.

"You are doing this..."

Yan Jiaoxi said, "Next time Mo Hua comes again, according to the array formations I marked in the catalog, let him draw them in sequence. Like this, step by step, his learning will also be more solid. Then I can guide him a bit more in the sect; it's also better than him learning randomly with his eyes closed."

"Doing so, he can both rely on drawing array formations to earn some spirit stones and subsidize his family, and he can also learn array formations with some system."

Yan Jiaoxi finished and again instructed, "And one point, don't let him draw too many of these array formations. Receiving three or four sheets every half a month is enough. Otherwise, if his divine sense is consumed excessively and injures the sea of consciousness, it will just leave a big problem."

Fat Manager looked at the catalog in his hand, then looked at Yan Jiaoxi, and said with a complex expression, "Are you really not planning to accept him as a disciple?"

Yan Jiaoxi just shook his head, then got up. Before leaving, he repeated once again, "Certainly don't forget, let him draw according to the order I marked."

Having finished, he left without looking back.

Fat Manager gazed at his back, speechless for a long time, only sighing helplessly.

Suddenly, Fat Manager thought of something and called Yan Jiaoxi again.

Yan Jiaoxi turned back and looked at him.

Fat Manager thought, still said, "There is one point, you might have said it wrong..."

Yan Jiaoxi frowned, "Where wrong?"

"Ink Painting this child, when he took the Fire Array, was only at Qi Refining layer two. If these array formations were really drawn by him, then that means..."

Fat Manager paused, and said deliberately,

"He possibly at Qi Refining layer two... could draw array formations!"

Yan Jiaoxi's pupils slightly shrunk, revealing a look of incredulity.