Chapter 73: Reaching the Fourth Layer of Qi Refining

After these days, Mo Hua continued to practice array methods on the ground, just as Mister Zhuang had instructed.

Master Chen's refining furnace and Old Mister Feng's pill refining furnace had both been examined by Mo Hua. The nearby streets no longer held anything that would allow Mo Hua to "showcase his skills."

Mo Hua could only make do, finding some low-level array methods to practice, such as the Double Lock Array on doors, the Earth Stone Array on walls, and the Bright Fire Array on lamps.

Array methods in the cultivation world are extremely widespread, used in everything from spirit tools for killing and fighting, to defensive shield armor, as well as daily life in clothing, food, housing, and transportation – all involving array methods.

However, among the lower-level loose cultivators, the use of array methods was quite rough and superficial. Some were just simple array patterns, not even counting as proper array methods.

In comparison, Master Chen's refining furnace and Old Mister Feng's pill refining furnace were already considered "high-end goods." Especially Old Mister Feng's pill furnace, which even used a complex array compounded of three arrays to achieve harmony between wood and fire spirit power. In the entire Tongxian City, there shouldn't be many array masters capable of drawing such complex arrays.

Mo Hua helped several neighbors on the street repair doors, walls, and lamps. These were basically odd jobs that didn't reflect much of his array method attainment, but the neighboring cultivators were still very grateful to Mo Hua.

They didn't have much spirit stones, so they all gave Mo Hua some melons, fruits, and spirit vegetables they had grown themselves as a thank you. Although the gifts were light, the sentiment was heavy.

Mo Hua's family wasn't considered wealthy, and there were even more loose cultivators in Tongxian City who were poorer than Mo Hua's family. General loose cultivators would save wherever they could. If something was broken, they would continue to use it. If an array method wore out, they would never hire an array master to repair it.

Sometimes, the spirit stones spent on hiring an array master to repair an array method could even be more expensive than buying a new one.

Array masters were rare. Most array masters, after mastering their craft, would only serve families, sects, or some major cultivation powers. This was both to earn more spirit stones and to further advance in the field of array methods.

"Once you learn literature and martial arts, you can sell your skills to the imperial family." This was a saying from Mo Hua's memory of another world.

Once you step into the threshold of upper-class families and sects, you naturally wouldn't look towards those poor households anymore. This is both a common human emotion and the coldness of the human heart.

Thinking this way, Old Mister Feng, who could still refine pills and cure diseases for poor loose cultivators after becoming a first-grade pill refining master, was all the more worthy of respect.

Mo Hua spent about a month helping people repair and supplement array methods. Most of the repairs were low-level array methods, only containing two or three array patterns, but it also counted as a review and refresh. His memory was much more profound than before.

When drawing array methods on paper before, paper was the array medium. But when using array methods in actual situations, every brick, every stone, every piece of wood could serve as the array medium.

Array methods drawn on paper, although they could also operate, were more or less just "talking on paper." Moreover, array methods on paper would generally become invalid after one use and couldn't be used long-term.

Only by truly drawing array methods onto everything in the world, earth, wood, bricks, stones, and various spirit tools, and letting them operate continuously, could one be considered to have truly comprehended the heavenly way and followed it.

Drawing array methods on different array media consumed more divine sense and spirit power, required higher penmanship, and was more difficult to draw. But as long as one practiced diligently, their comprehension of array methods would also become more thorough.

After practicing for a period of time, when Mo Hua looked at array methods again, he would have a sudden feeling of enlightenment. It was as if those array patterns were no longer obscure and abstract designs, but rather vivid and lively lines, the tracks of the operation of heaven and earth's spirit power.

When Mo Hua sank his divine sense into his sea of consciousness and looked at the puzzle array woven by spirit power within his sea of consciousness, he no longer felt the confusion he had before. The flow of spirit power on the puzzle array, every thread and every wisp, became much clearer.

One day, Mo Hua solved the array according to the rules of spirit power generation and overcoming taught by Mister Zhuang. As Mo Hua's tender white little hands outlined, one array pattern after another condensed, followed by one array pattern after another dissipating, like pulled silk slowly stretching, then dissipating and melting into the sea of consciousness.

Mo Hua faintly detected that with each array pattern solved, the connection between his divine sense and spirit power became closer. When Mo Hua solved the last array pattern, he discovered that the entire puzzle array in his sea of consciousness had dissipated. His sea of consciousness returned to its original state, as if nothing had happened. Only the dao stele in the center of his sea of consciousness, although abrupt, still existed as before.

"Is this considered solved?" Mo Hua scratched his head. He then tried to mobilize his spirit power and discovered that his sea of consciousness suddenly trembled, like a stomach that hadn't had water for several days, suddenly hungry and burning.

Mo Hua was shocked and quickly took out spirit stones, absorbing the spirit qi within them. After refining ten more spirit stones, his sea of consciousness gradually calmed down. Mo Hua looked within and found that his spirit power was much more abundant, and his divine sense was also stronger.

"Fourth layer of Qi Refining!" Mo Hua was extremely happy. He couldn't sleep lying on the bed, so he got up, lit a lamp, spread paper, dipped ink, and drew a San Cai Array.

The San Cai Array contained six first-grade array patterns. Before, Mo Hua was limited by his divine sense. Although he could draw it, it was still a bit strenuous. Now that his cultivation had broken through and his divine sense had grown, drawing the San Cai Array again was effortless.

After finishing, Mo Hua realized that it was already past Zi Shi, and he could draw array methods on the dao stele in his sea of consciousness. He had wasted paper and ink. Even a tiny mosquito is still meat. Mo Hua felt a slight heartache, then resank his divine sense into his sea of consciousness and drew array methods on the dao stele without restraint.

The array methods that he found strenuous before became much easier because his cultivation had broken through and his divine sense had grown. No wonder people often say that realm is the foundation of a cultivator.

Mo Hua continued to draw array methods until dawn, then eagerly told his father and mother the good news. Mo Shan had just returned from the mountain, having hunted and killed several wild ox demons with his companions, and was resting at home for a few days. The husband and wife were extremely pleased after hearing the news and then busily prepared a banquet to invite nearby neighbors and familiar friends.

Moving from the third layer of Qi Refining to the fourth layer is stepping from the initial stage to the mid-stage of Qi Refining, considered a breakthrough of a middle realm. According to custom, a banquet should be held. Big Tiger and his two companions also invited people when they broke through to the fourth layer of Qi Refining, but the Meng family's financial situation wasn't good, so the three children pooled their money and only held one banquet.

The food shop closed for a day. Mo Shan entrusted someone to carry a whole wild ox demon he had hunted a few days earlier back home. He skinned it and took the meat. Liu Ru Hua added spices and stewed it well, then directly set up tables inside the food shop.

Master Chen and Da Zhu, and several of Master Chen's other disciples all came. Big Tiger and his two companions were a given. Some loose cultivators who were not too familiar but had received Mo Hua's help before specially sent some light gifts but did not stay to eat. Liu Ru Hua then packed some beef as a return gift.

Although it was called a banquet, the food was just better than usual. There was no spirit meat because it was too expensive. However, there was enough wild ox meat, and Liu Ru Hua's cooking was highly praised, so although the ingredients were cheap, the taste was good. Everyone ate meat and drank alcohol, and they were very happy.

Mister Zhuang didn't like noise, and the Bai family siblings had special identities, so Mo Hua didn't invite them. He just made some more good food and sent it to Mister Zhuang the next day.

Bai Zi Xi thanked him, eating the crispy pastries and drinking the clear, sweet wine brew, her expression quite satisfied. Bai Zi Sheng, however, was very regretful. He also wanted to join in the fun, and he also wanted to follow others and drink alcohol and eat meat heartily. But he also knew he could only think about it. Although Snow Aunt's temper was mild, she was strict with them and would absolutely not agree.

Mo Hua originally felt a little sympathetic towards him, but Bai Zi Sheng doubtfully asked a question: "It's only the fourth layer of Qi Refining, is it worth celebrating like this?"

The little bit of sympathy in Mo Hua's heart instantly vanished into thin air. For general loose cultivators, the Qi Refining period might just be the endpoint of cultivation, so every step forward is not easy.