Chapter 26: Progressing

Every day after class, Mo Hua went to the Strict Instructor's place to study array theory and ask questions about array methods. With the Strict Instructor's explanations, Mo Hua learned the Gold Stone Array very quickly. Furthermore, he could practice repeatedly on the stone tablet in his sea of consciousness. In just over ten days, Mo Hua had finished drawing five sets of the Gold Stone Array.

Because he had plenty of time, Mo Hua drew carefully, so he only failed one set. Deducting material costs, he earned approximately twelve spirit stones.

On the rest day, Mo Hua handed the array methods to Manager Mo. Manager Mo looked at them and seemed quite satisfied, nodding and saying, "You... your elder brother's array methods are becoming more and more refined."

Mo Hua looked at Manager Mo suspiciously.

Manager Mo didn't know why he felt a little guilty. He coughed once, waved his hand, and said, "Nothing. Just go back to the sect. I'm very busy here."

Mo Hua looked at the Fateful Teahouse, which had no customers, and curiously said, "There isn't a single customer here, Manager. What are you busy with?"

Manager Mo felt that his management style was akin to a "Buddha-system," which was not purely bad business; it was essentially different from bad business.

But the lack of customers was indeed obvious at a glance.

Manager Mo got a little angry. "What do you kids understand? I do big business here. I'm busy whether there are customers or not! I say I'm busy, so I'm busy!"

"Then, Manager, since you're busy, I'll leave first."

Mo Hua said goodbye and walked a few steps before suddenly turning back to ask:

"Right, Manager, are you very familiar with the Strict Instructor?"

Manager Mo said a little guiltily, "Not very familiar. Just some fellow sect friendship. His temper is smelly and stubborn. Normal people can't stand him much. We haven't been in contact for many years. We just happened to meet a few days ago, then had a cup of tea together and chatted about old times."

"Oh..."

Mo Hua meaningfully "oh-ed" once.

He said not familiar, but his tone was very familiar. That meant they were very familiar, at least their friendship wasn't shallow.

Manager Mo hastily waved his hand. "Go quickly, go quickly. Don't disturb me from doing business."

Mo Hua left the Fateful Teahouse, thinking to himself:

"It seems Manager Mo and the Strict Instructor really do have something fishy going on privately..."

After that, Mo Hua's life in the sect was dull and ordinary. He attended class every day, consulted the Strict Instructor about array methods after class, drew array methods after returning to his disciple residence, and entered his sea of consciousness after midnight to practice array methods on the remnant stele.

Simple yet substantial.

Mo Hua's array method level refined daily, and his divine sense deepened daily. At least, drawing the Gold Stone Array with four array patterns was very abundant, and he became increasingly at ease, no longer feeling a lack of divine sense.

Manager Mo's array method orders also changed several times. Each time the excuse was "the market has changed, the previous array methods are not selling, we need to draw new ones," and then he would give Mo Hua a new array diagram.

When the Strict Instructor guided Mo Hua on array theory, he would coincidentally explain the array methods that Manager Mo had given to Mo Hua a little. For Mo Hua, it was basically like having food fed to his mouth.

This also basically verified Mo Hua's guess: Manager Mo and the Strict Instructor must have a private friendship, and the matter of drawing array methods for the Fateful Teahouse was probably also known to both the Manager and the Instructor.

But everyone had a tacit understanding, and Mo Hua also pretended not to know.

What puzzled Mo Hua was why the Instructor was so attentive to him, knowing everything and holding back nothing in array methods, and Manager Mo also provided many conveniences.

Could it really just be because he had good talent in array methods?

Later, Mo Hua thought about it and felt he was overthinking.

The Strict Instructor, as a strict and serious person, was meticulous in both teaching and array methods, and never hid anything when imparting to disciples. His care for him should stem from cherishing talent, not wanting to let his talent go to waste, and truly hoping that he could refine himself in array methods.

Manager Mo having a friendship with the Strict Instructor should be because he received the Strict Instructor's entrustment, and then step by step arranged array methods for him to draw.

Mo Hua silently remembered the kindness of the two in his heart.

Although he was still just a small cultivator at the third level of Qi Refining, he couldn't do anything yet, and even if he wanted to repay this kindness, he would have to wait until later.

Another two months passed. Besides the Gold Stone Array, Mo Hua also learned the Mud Sand Array, Flowing Sand Array, and Ventilation Array. Including the spirit stones saved from drawing array methods before, he had a total of over one hundred eighty pieces.

Mo Hua planned to save enough two hundred spirit stones, then select a middle-grade low-tier cultivation method. This way, he could save his parents a lot of burden.

When he had enough spirit stones and had selected a good cultivation method, he would tell his parents, and they should also be happier.

But before Mo Hua could save enough spirit stones, something happened at home.

One day during Refining Pill class, the Strict Instructor suddenly called Mo Hua out. His expression was a little grave, and he told Mo Hua that his mother was seriously ill and asked Mo Hua to go back quickly and see.

Mo Hua was stunned for a moment, then felt a basin of cold water pour down his head. His heart felt cold.

Mo Hua asked the Instructor for a few days off, then hurried home.

But the door at home was closed. Mo Hua knocked several times, but no one answered. Just as he was anxious, a neighbor's aunt heard the sound and walked out, saying:

"Is that Mo Hua!"

"Aunt Yang, my mother..."

"I was just about to tell you. Your mother is seriously ill. She went to Apricot Forest Hall to ask Old Mister Feng to treat her. Go quickly and see!"

Mo Hua thanked her repeatedly, then rushed towards Apricot Forest Hall.

Apricot Forest Hall was the only pill medicine hall nearby.

Pill medicine halls had pill masters sitting in them. Generally, when cultivators were injured or sick, they would all go to the pill medicine shop, ask the pill master for a diagnosis, and refine pill medicine to treat injuries and cure diseases.

Old Mister Feng at Apricot Forest Hall was a widely acclaimed old pill master in Tongxian City. He had researched the pill dao for half his life. In his later years, he passed the fixed-grade examination and became a true first-grade pill master, one of the few fixed-grade pill masters in Tongxian City.

At the same time, Old Mister Feng was also the only pill master in Tongxian City who, after becoming a first-grade pill master, was still willing to open a shop and sit for diagnoses in the bottom-level loose cultivator market.

When Mo Hua arrived at Apricot Forest Hall, Old Mister Feng was just sitting for a diagnosis, treating people.

Old Mister Feng wore a clean but somewhat old and faded white dao robe with black trim. His beard and hair were all white, and his expression was kind. Seeing Mo Hua, and after giving the patient in front of him a few instructions, he waved his hand at Mo Hua.

Mo Hua quickly stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Hello, Grandpa Feng! My mother, she..."

Old Mister Feng nodded and said, "Good child, I have examined your mother's condition. Although it is a bit serious, her life is not in danger. You can relax your heart first."

Mo Hua then relaxed his breath, came back to his senses, yet felt his mouth and tongue dry, his throat like it was on fire.

Mo Hua had a weak constitution since he was young. He was anxious just now and ran too fast. At this moment, he suddenly stopped and felt his whole body sweating.

Old Mister Feng lightly pressed his right hand on Mo Hua's back. A faint green light flashed between his hands, transmitting some spirit power. Mo Hua only felt a spring breeze brushing over his limbs and bones, and his breathing instantly became much smoother.

Old Mister Feng then poured a shallow cup of tea and instructed, "Drink a little at a time, and drink slowly."

Following Old Mister Feng's instructions, Mo Hua slowly drank some steaming tea, and his breathing smoothed out.