Chapter 57: Technique

Mo Hua involuntarily touched his face, then lowered his head to examine under his clothes. Only then did he say doubtfully, "What are you all looking at?"

Bai Zisheng still couldn't help but ask, "What you just painted... is the San Cai Array?"

Mo Hua nodded.

"What kind of San Cai Array?"

"Are there many kinds of San Cai Arrays?"

"I mean... is it the kind of San Cai Array that contains six paths of array patterns?"

"Yes, is something wrong with me?"

Bai Zisheng's gaze slightly narrowed. "Your cultivation is only Refining Qi third level, isn't it..."

"So what?"

Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi exchanged glances.

After pondering for a moment, Mo Hua suddenly realized, "Being able to paint an array that contains six paths of array patterns at the Refining Qi third level is considered remarkable?"

He originally thought that with geniuses everywhere in the clan, painting a few more array patterns shouldn't be a difficult matter.

Bai Zisheng wasn't too convinced. "It's not that uncommon."

"Then when you were at the Refining Qi third level, could you paint the San Cai Array?"

Bai Zisheng didn't want to answer and only stammered after a while, "This, that... although I couldn't paint it, it's because the master in the clan didn't allow it. Refining Qi cultivators have weak divine sense, and forcibly painting complex array methods might injure the Sea of Consciousness due to excessive divine sense consumption. Then they won't be able to become array masters in the future. We can't damage our foundation for the sake of seeking quick success and adventure."

"Oh," Mo Hua half-believed, half-doubted.

"However," Bai Zisheng added, "some cultivators in our clan with exceptional talent could paint seven or eight paths of array patterns at the Refining Qi third level. This wasn't considered a rare matter originally."

Mo Hua nodded. He knew that although his talent wasn't bad, in a cultivation world filled with heavenly talents, it might not be considered much.

He understood the principle of "there are always people outside of people, and skies outside of skies."

Bai Zisheng immediately patted Mo Hua's shoulder again and comforted him, "Although being able to paint six paths of array patterns at the Refining Qi third level isn't rare, it's already very good. This kind of array method talent, even within our clan, can be rated as medium. As long as you work hard, you can definitely achieve something in array methods in the future."

When Bai Zisheng said this, Mo Hua felt relieved.

His goal wasn't that grand. Being able to become a first-grade array master and have a livelihood in the cultivation world, which could also let his dad and mom live a little happier, was enough for now. As for future matters, he would think about them later.

Only Bai Zixi was silently watching Bai Zisheng from the side.

Bai Zisheng felt inexplicably guilty, then his eyes looked at his nose, his nose looked at his mouth, and he pretended to cultivate.

Among Mister Zhuang's three registered disciples, the Bai siblings were twins. Bai Zisheng was the elder brother, and Bai Zixi was the younger sister. They were two or three years older than Mo Hua, and their cultivation was at the Refining Qi seventh level, four levels higher than Mo Hua.

This was also because aristocratic family disciples emphasized the cultivation foundation, paid attention to accumulating strength before making progress, and did not blindly pursue speed.

They had to steadily lay a solid foundation step by step before attempting to break through realms. Otherwise, the cultivation of the two would be quite a bit higher than it was now.

In terms of array methods, Mo Hua felt he could still catch up to the Bai siblings. In terms of cultivation, he might never be able to catch up in his lifetime.

So Mo Hua cultivated every morning as a routine, probably spending an hour absorbing one spiritual stone, cultivating slowly but surely through persistent effort.

With only a middle-lower grade spiritual root, Mo Hua could only cultivate like this, accumulating bit by bit, tediously.

Mo Hua wasn't anxious, and he couldn't be anxious at all, because being anxious was useless. Cultivation progress was mostly determined by the spiritual root, and there was no shortcut.

Just as Mo Hua was cultivating this day, he suddenly felt a slightly numb and swollen feeling in his Qi Sea. He knew his Qi Sea was already full and he could consider breaking through the realm to become a Refining Qi fourth-level cultivator.

Besides being surprised, Mo Hua suddenly realized he had forgotten an important matter:

He still hadn't chosen a cultivation technique!

Before, he planned to save enough spiritual stones and then choose a small, elemental attribute, economical, practical, and not overly demanding cultivation technique from Tong Xian Gate.

But later, after the sect master of Tong Xian Gate was replaced and Yan Shi resigned from the sect, the outer gate no longer taught array methods, so Mo Hua simply dropped out.

After being accepted as a registered disciple by Mister Zhuang, Mo Hua was completely focused on learning array methods and then delayed the matter of cultivation techniques.

Mo Hua's dad and mom both cultivated cultivation techniques, but their cultivated techniques had some differences in attributes from Mo Hua's and were more biased towards body cultivation, so they weren't too suitable for Mo Hua to learn. Outside Tong Xian Gate, there were no suitable channels for learning cultivation techniques.

It was best to start cultivating cultivation techniques in the early stage of Refining Qi. Mo Hua saw that he was about to reach the Refining Qi fourth level, so the matter of cultivation techniques could not be delayed any further.

"Zisheng, when did you learn your cultivation technique?"

During leisure time, Mo Hua asked Bai Zisheng doubtfully.

Bai Zisheng said discontentedly, "I'm older than you. You should call me Big Brother Bai, or Senior Brother Bai. You can't just call my name directly. It makes me seem like I have no seniority."

"In a few days, when my dad and the others return from hunting demons, I can take you to see what the demon beasts they hunt look like."

"Really?" Bai Zisheng's eyes lit up.

"Really!"

Bai Zisheng immediately said, "Zi Xi and I learned cultivation techniques as soon as we started cultivating. Cultivation techniques are naturally better learned earlier. Moreover, it's best if it's a single lineage technique. Otherwise, if the cultivation techniques learned at different realms are significantly different, it's easier to go astray and fall into evil."

Mo Hua nodded.

Bai Zisheng suddenly thought of something and said in surprise, "You haven't learned a cultivation technique yet, have you?"

Mo Hua shook his head and said, "No, it might not be easy for a loose cultivator to choose a cultivation technique."

"No matter how difficult it is, it's not to the extent of not having a cultivation technique at all..."

Mo Hua rolled his eyes at him. "What do you mean by 'not eating meat congee'?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means talking big without having experienced it yourself."

Bai Zisheng scratched his head and said, "It's a pity that the clan's cultivation techniques are not allowed to be spread. Otherwise, I would secretly give you a few rare and good ones."

Mo Hua said doubtfully, "Isn't the grade of a cultivation technique decided by the cultivator's spiritual root? With a middle-lower grade spiritual root, you can only learn a middle-lower grade cultivation technique. Since it's middle-lower grade, what kind of good or bad difference can there be? It can't possibly be better than a top-grade cultivation technique."

"That's where you're mistaken. Some special cultivation techniques will have some special effects. Some cultivate faster, some focus on body refining, and some are suitable for refining pills..."

"Of course, the grade of the cultivation technique is still the most important. After all, a cultivator's strength mainly depends on the amount of spiritual power. However, the spiritual root is destined and cannot be changed, so there's nothing to say about that."

Rare cultivation techniques with special effects...

Mo Hua pondered for a moment, but still shook his head. "Even if there are rare cultivation techniques, I have no way to cultivate them. If a cultivation technique is rare, the required spiritual objects are naturally also rare. If I can't collect these spiritual objects in my lifetime, then I won't be able to make any progress in my cultivation..."

"That's true. I forgot you come from a loose cultivator background and can't collect those rare heaven and earth spiritual objects..." Bai Zisheng furrowed his brow and then said, "Or, why don't you ask Mister Zhuang?"

Mo Hua thought for a bit and shook his head. "Being able to receive Mister Zhuang's guidance in array methods is already a great favor. How can I be so greedy and ask Mister to impart cultivation techniques as well?"

Bai Zisheng nodded. "Good, that's backbone! This way you're qualified to be my little brother, Bai Zisheng's."

Mo Hua corrected him, "I'm not your little brother."

Bai Zisheng said, "Why not? I'm older than you, you should call me big brother. Zi Xi, isn't that right?"

Bai Zisheng said this while looking at Bai Zixi. Bai Zixi lowered her head and focused on reading, not paying attention to him.

"Zi Xi is also older than you. You should also call Zi Xi elder sister," Bai Zisheng added.

Bai Zixi was slightly startled, her black eyelashes gently lifted, and her eyes slightly brightened.

Mo Hua snorted coldly, "You wish."

"So many people want to be my little brother, and I'm still not willing," Bai Zisheng said, lifting his head.

"Who cares? I won't take you to see the demon beast."

"Fine," Bai Zisheng said angrily, "You don't keep your word. You promised, how can you go back on your word?"

The two argued for a while. Bai Zisheng promised not to make Mo Hua call him big brother anymore, and Mo Hua also promised to take him to see the demon beast at the end of the month. Only then did the two stop.

Several people cultivated and read until evening. When it was time to part, Bai Zisheng asked again, "Then what are you going to do about the cultivation technique?"

"Hmm..." Mo Hua pondered and said, "I'll go back and ask my dad and mom. Anyway, I want to be an array master, and array masters rely on divine sense, not too much on spiritual power. A mediocre cultivation technique will do."

"How can a mediocre one do? We are all Mister Zhuang's apprentices. If your cultivation is too poor, won't I look bad?"

Bai Zisheng puffed up his cheeks and said, "I'll go back and search. See if there are any cultivation techniques suitable for you and not strictly managed in the clan. You can secretly learn them then."

After finishing, he and Bai Zixi went back together.

Mo Hua shook his head helplessly, but he felt Bai Zisheng's good intentions and his heart felt warm. He packed his things and also went home.

At this time, Mister Zhuang, who was resting in the bamboo room, opened his eyes. His fair and slender fingers lightly tapped the armrest of the bamboo chair, and he muttered, "Cultivation techniques, huh..."