Chapter 63: The Mysterious Maze

"Array method spirit veil?" Mr. Zhuang's expression also showed a slight astonishment.

Mo Hua recalled the spirit veil in his mind and described it in detail:

"Pale blue spiritual power, like spiritual ink, crisscrossing to form patterns like array patterns, woven into a spirit veil. It's just like a complete array method, only the spiritual power is flowing, and the array patterns change accordingly. Different array methods are displayed on the spirit veil."

"Interesting." Mr. Zhuang's eyes brightened slightly. Then he took out paper and pen and spread them on the table in front of him.

"Do you still remember those array patterns? Draw a few for me to see."

"I remember some of the array patterns, but those array patterns are constantly changing..." Mo Hua said honestly.

"No harm," Mr. Zhuang said. "Just draw what it looked like when you saw it."

Mo Hua's small hand held the pen dipped in ink, and the pen tip wandered on the paper. Before long, a few array patterns appeared on the paper.

Mr. Zhuang glanced at them. "They all look like ordinary array patterns, nothing special."

Mo Hua asked, "Did the predecessors who cultivated this technique not encounter this situation?"

Mr. Zhuang thought for a moment and said, "No, at least I've never heard of it."

Mr. Zhuang explained again, "Even with the same technique, different cultivators may encounter different problems during cultivation. Especially this kind of unpopular ancient technique, the inheritance is scarce, and there are even fewer people cultivating it. Once a problem is encountered, it's very difficult to find good precedents for reference."

Mr. Zhuang pondered, "The technique mentions a bottleneck in divine sense. Previous cultivators should also have had problems with their divine sense level, but the problems that appeared should be different from yours. Otherwise, it would be impossible for the jade slip not to mention it. Matters concerning the sect's internal technique inheritance, the seniors within the sect would not be selfish or withhold information."

Mo Hua wrinkled his small face. "Then, sir, what should I do? It seems I can't cultivate now."

Mr. Zhuang smiled nonchalantly. "As long as it's about array methods, it's not a big deal," then instructed, "Go back and record all the array patterns and array methods appearing on the spirit veil, and bring them to me tomorrow."

"Okay, sir!"

Mo Hua breathed a sigh of relief, then thought of what Mr. Zhuang had just said.

As long as it's about array methods, it's not a big deal?

Just what level of attainment had Mr. Zhuang reached in array methods?

He wouldn't already be a third-grade array master, would he?

What kind of array methods could a third-grade array master draw?

Mo Hua felt a bit of longing in his heart, then reconsidered and said:

"Forget it, don't aim too high for now. Even becoming a first-grade array master is still far away..."

Mo Hua tidied his thoughts, remembered Mr. Zhuang's instructions, and after returning home, he submerged his divine sense into his sea of consciousness to observe the array patterns and array methods on the spirit veil within his sea of consciousness.

Mo Hua recognized many of the array patterns on the spirit veil, but most of the array methods he didn't recognize. There were also some obscure and unfamiliar array patterns that Mo Hua couldn't remember all at once. He could only observe them while practicing on the stone tablet. After practicing until he was familiar with them and had remembered them, he would exit his sea of consciousness and then record the array patterns on array paper.

He continued like this until midnight, when Mo Hua suddenly felt a wave of dizziness, knowing that his divine sense had been used excessively, so he prepared to rest for a while.

As soon as his mind relaxed, Mo Hua felt his stomach rumbling with hunger. Only then did he realize that he had been so absorbed in recording the array patterns that he had missed dinner.

"Father and mother should both be asleep by now."

Mo Hua was a little troubled. "I don't know if there's anything left to eat at home."

Mo Hua stood up, intending to open the door, but he discovered a small table placed beside the door. On the table were several bowls and dishes, covered with a large bowl.

Mo Hua lifted the cover and saw a small pot of white porridge, a plate of mixed small vegetables, two steamed buns, and a small dish of braised beef.

The small vegetables and meat were cold, the steamed buns were warm, but the porridge was still hot.

"Mother must have been worried that I didn't eat, and was afraid of disturbing me while I was studying array methods, so she specifically put it outside the door. And she must have reheated it before going to bed, otherwise the porridge would have been cold long ago."

Mo Hua felt happy, took a mouthful of porridge, and felt warm all over.

After quickly finishing the other food, the fatigue from before was swept away, and his whole person felt refreshed.

Mo Hua re-entered his sea of consciousness, continued to copy the array patterns on the spirit veil, and then copied the remembered array patterns onto array paper one by one.

He continued until Yin Shi (3-5 AM), when his divine sense was exhausted for the second time. Only then did he put away the copied array paper and sleep soundly.

The next day, Mr. Zhuang looked at the array paper Mo Hua had copied down, his gaze slightly condensed, and said:

"It's actually a riddle array."

"Riddle array?"

Mo Hua had never heard of it before.

Mr. Zhuang patiently said, "You know lantern riddles, right?"

Mo Hua nodded.

"This riddle array is similar to lantern riddles, only it uses array patterns as words, and array methods as the riddle itself, forming a riddle array. If you don't have the method, you naturally can't see through to the truth inside," Mr. Zhuang explained.

"Oh." Mo Hua nodded.

"This was originally something used by some long-standing sects and families to benefit the intelligence and amusement of their disciples, but it's no longer very common now."

Mo Hua thought of those intricate and complex array patterns that made his head ache just by looking at them, and his expression also became complex.

This was used to benefit intelligence and amusement?

"Then if I can't solve it, does that mean I'm quite stupid?" Mo Hua asked tactfully.

Mr. Zhuang saw through Mo Hua's thoughts at a glance, and said with a smile that wasn't quite a smile, "Not necessarily. Yours is slightly difficult, and not everyone can solve it."

Mo Hua felt that Mr. Zhuang was comforting him, but not quite.

Not everyone can solve it, which probably means quite a few people can solve it, and not many cannot.

And he just couldn't solve it...

Since it was something to benefit intelligence and amusement, he still wanted to solve it. He had to fight for this face!

Mo Hua involuntarily asked, "Then how do I solve this riddle array?"

Mr. Zhuang habitually tapped the bamboo chair with his finger. "Your situation is different from others. If others can't solve it, it's fine, nothing more than a bit of low spirits. Your riddle array involves cultivation. If you can't solve it, your cultivation will stagnate, and that's big trouble."

"There are two methods: one is for you to learn to solve it yourself, and the other is for you to record all the array patterns, copy them out, and I will help you solve it."

"The second method is the fastest and most direct. After all, cultivation is the foundation for cultivators. Without cultivation, everything is empty talk, let alone becoming an array master. The first method requires you to learn it yourself. Although it has benefits for your learning of array methods, it takes a long time and delays cultivation for a long time. How to choose is up to you."

After Mr. Zhuang finished speaking, he looked at Mo Hua with interest.

Mo Hua was a bit conflicted.

For cultivators, the consequences of cultivation stagnation are too serious. His cultivation compared to the Bai family siblings, and even those disciples from big clans, was naturally not as good, but among the loose cultivators of the same age in Tongxian City, he could barely be considered "elite"—although it was an elite picked from the thin ones.

If he spent too much time because of a technique bottleneck, his cultivation would probably be at the tail end.

Mo Hua thought for a moment, and still decided: "Sir, I choose the first one."

If he could solve problems on his own, it was best to do so.

Falling behind a bit in cultivation was fine. His spirit root and technique were already a section worse than others. The later it got, the more this would be the case. Falling behind early was falling behind, and falling behind late was also falling behind, there was no difference.

One should not be greedy for a temporary feeling of superiority.

Moreover, if he asked Mr. Zhuang to help solve the bottleneck in the initial stage of Qi Refining, then what about the middle stage of Qi Refining and even the late stage of Qi Refining?

Mr. Zhuang couldn't always be by his side, and he was only Mr. Zhuang's nominal disciple. He couldn't trouble Mr. Zhuang with everything.

The last reason was that the four words "benefit intelligence and amusement" made Mo Hua very unwilling.

"Oh? Have you thought it through?"

Mr. Zhuang asked somewhat meaningfully.

Mo Hua nodded. "Disciple has thought it through."

Mr. Zhuang nodded. "I have some basic books and jade slips on elaborate riddle arrays here. Take them and look at them first. After you've finished reading them, come find me, and I will teach you how to solve array riddles."

Mo Hua solemnly accepted them and said, "Disciple takes leave."

Mr. Zhuang watched Mo Hua leave, his leisurely expression fading away, his expression slightly grave.