Chapter 924: The Path and Quality

Elder Zheng patiently explained to Mo Hua.

Mo Hua nodded slowly, as if contemplating. "So, you're saying a second-grade array master could potentially activate a third-grade array?"

"Theoretically, yes, but the conditions would be much stricter," Elder Zheng said. "Firstly, this kind of array must be designed and constructed from the outset to reduce cost and increase efficiency through 'reduced patterns'."

"Secondly, a second-grade array master can't draw this kind of array; they can, at most, only use it once."

"Because it's a third-grade array after all, the realm isn't sufficient. Even if you can use it, the effect will be greatly diminished."

"Furthermore, the required condition for using the array is divine sense."

"Your divine sense realm determines which grade of array you can use. A third-grade array, even with reduced patterns, still requires at least peak Foundation Building divine sense. For a typical cultivator, that's still too difficult."

"Without learning array law or tempering their divine sense, most cultivators, even with peak Foundation Building cultivation, won't have peak Foundation Building divine sense."

"Therefore, wanting to use a little bit of a third-grade array while still in the Foundation Building realm is almost impossible. Even if you can use it, the array's effect will be very weak, with not much meaning."

"But..."

Elder Zheng looked at Mo Hua, thought for a moment, then understood Mo Hua's intention. His eyes lit up as he asked, "You want to try activating the set of thunder magnetic array disks you 'killed someone and seized their treasure' to get?"

"I didn't kill anyone!" Mo Hua emphasized again. "Moreover, it wasn't killing someone to seize their treasure."

He was a proper cultivator and generally didn't do such improper things.

Unless there was no other choice.

Elder Zheng obviously didn't find it important. He pondered for a moment, "The conditions for using a reduced pattern array are indeed strict, but your talent is too good; unexpectedly, you meet all of them..."

Especially his divine sense being superb and exceeding three grades, it was truly unbelievable.

Elder Zheng still felt very shocked whenever he thought about it.

Sometimes he even had the urge to pry open Mo Hua's head to see exactly how his brain was constructed, and why he had peak Foundation Building divine sense while only in the mid Foundation Building stage.

"Thunder magnetic array law acts on micro thunder magnetic. Unlike general array law, it doesn't rely on power or the scale of spiritual power. The effect of using 'reduced patterns' isn't significant."

"However, you're only second grade after all. Even if you can activate the thunder magnetic array disk, you can only activate a little bit. The true thunder magnetic effect won't even be one-tenth or two-tenths of its potential..."

Mo Hua nodded, "A little bit is also enough."

He didn't entirely rely on the thunder magnetic array disk either.

The thunder magnetic array disk was just a "stepping stone." What he truly relied on was the secondary thunder source pattern derived from the source – that is, the "thunder magnetic little person."

"It's good that you have a grasp of the situation," Elder Zheng said.

A smart child doesn't need too much restraint. Let him explore and learn things on his own. This way, there will be surprises.

Of course, it would be even better if these "surprises" didn't turn into "shocks"...

Elder Zheng quietly looked at Mo Hua for a moment, then pondered and took out a jade slip. With a slight movement of his divine sense, he recorded some text inside, then handed the jade slip to Mo Hua.

"I've recorded some insights on 'reduced patterns' into this jade slip. Take a look when you have time. I won't say anything else."

Mo Hua was overjoyed. He received the jade slip and said thankfully, "Thank you, Senior!"

The discussion about array law was finished, the jade slip was in hand, and the tea was also finished. Elder Zheng wanted to go back, so Mo Hua stood up to leave.

"Mo Hua."

Elder Zheng suddenly called out to him, his eyes revealing contemplation, as if he had something to say but was hesitant.

"Senior, is there anything else?" Mo Hua asked doubtfully.

Elder Zheng pondered for a moment, sighed, and slowly spoke:

"'Reduced patterns' are not recognized by orthodox array masters. Most array masters in the world pursue more profound array ways, not lowering their own grade to mix and use low-grade array law."

"But you need to know that 'reduced patterns' itself is not taking a shortcut, nor is it lowering one's status. It is also a 'Way' in itself."

"This world is a mix of low grade and high grade. Array law is also like this, especially large patterns, large volumes of large arrays."

"First grade, second grade, third grade, and even arrays above third grade are coordinated together to act on a large array."

"Just like this world, cultivators from Qi Refining, Foundation Building, Gold Core, and even Feathering and Cave Void, regardless of their realm, all live together in this same heaven and earth."

"The principles of heaven and earth encompass all things, accommodate all things, and benefit all sentient beings."

"True major matters of the world necessarily concern all sentient beings in the world and deeply affect all cultivators in this world, from Qi Refining to Cave Void, from low grade to high grade."

"Feathering and Cave Void, although their realm is high and their cultivation is strong, relying on one person's power, they are still powerless in too many ways."

"Array law is the same as people. Sometimes, purely high-grade array law doesn't necessarily truly benefit all sentient beings in the world."

"If you want to become a great array, you must encompass myriad array laws, without distinguishing between high and low."

"If you want to achieve great things, you must also concentrate all power, from Qi Refining to Cave Void; none can be neglected."

Elder Zheng looked deeply at Mo Hua, "This was originally just idle talk, but..."

"Your talent is too strong, your array law learning... is too fast. I fear you will always learn upwards, learn too fast, rise too high, and instead ignore some basic problems..."

Mo Hua was stunned, looking lost in thought.

He couldn't help but think of a very long time ago, when he first started learning array law and casting a stove for his mother. His mother said to him:

"It's not just array masters; all cultivators are the same. When a person walks towards a higher place, they don't look down..."

When he first heard these words, he only felt complex emotions.

Recalling them again now, a hint of vigilance actually arose in his heart.

"Am I, while walking towards a higher place, also unconsciously forgetting to look down?"

Mo Hua furrowed his brows.

Elder Zheng saw Mo Hua in a daze, as if he was thinking, and felt both unexpected and gratified.

Indeed, something like dao heart, if you don't have it, you won't understand anything no matter what is said, but if you do, a single point can lead to thorough understanding.

After saying goodbye to Elder Zheng, Mo Hua returned to his disciple residence and sat on his meditation mat, deep in thought.

Elder Zheng's advice might have been a spontaneous, kind gesture, but his words had a profound impact on him.

Cultivators cultivate the dao, one grade, one realm.

Cultivation, array law, alchemy, artifact refining, talismans, etc., all have "grades." Cultivators follow this set of "grades," ascending step by step.

Every step they cross, every grade they surpass, they are one grade higher than others.

Although realms have high and low, and cultivation has strong and weak, "grade" seems to be something people have forcibly divided according to certain rules.

His master had mentioned this point before.

Grade is a man-made "rule," a human limitation to the dao, not the dao itself.

A cultivator's entire life is spent pursuing "grade."

Cultivating diligently, after surpassing a grade, their cultivation increases, their skills improve, but... has the essence of the person changed?

Are high-grade cultivators human, while low-grade cultivators are not?

If your realm improves, you are one grade higher than others. Can you rely on the advantage of cultivation to ignore, despise, and even arbitrarily exploit, oppress, and slaughter low-grade cultivators?

More importantly, grade is a man-made rule.

Following this rule, will the end of "grade" really be the "dao"? Can one truly become an "immortal"?

Doubt arose in Mo Hua's heart.

The concept of "grade" was, for the first time in his heart, showing signs of preliminary dissolution.

At the same time, he also had a glimmer of enlightenment.

What a cultivator seeks should be the "dao," not "grade."

The second grade is condensed from the first grade.

Foundation Building is cultivated from Qi Refining.

The Great Dao encompasses all things, so there is no need to see grades as clearly divided.

You cannot only learn high-grade array law and ignore the application of low-grade array law.

Even less should you only pursue a high realm and ignore the common people below the high grade.

Mo Hua's thoughts turned again: "But the problem is, this realm 'grade' also seems impossible not to cultivate..."

Although the rules are man-made, they have been inherited for tens of thousands of years and are already a fixed cultivation system.

If you want to cultivate step by step and gain more powerful strength step by step, you must follow this framework.

With his current cultivation and understanding, he couldn't break free from it.

He still had to follow the order, step by step towards a higher place.

Array law from first grade to second grade, from second grade to third grade... cultivation is also like this, from Qi Refining to Foundation Building, from Foundation Building to Gold Core, and then to Feathering...

But...

"If I always walk upwards, always follow this framework, will I not one day become like other high-grade cultivators, relying on powerful cultivation, residing high and looking down, seeing no one?"

"In this way, wouldn't I be seeking 'grade' again, not 'dao'?"

This was not impossible.

Mo Hua knew deeply that the environment would change a person.

Suppose one day, he truly held a high position for a long time. What would he think in his heart at that time, whether he would deviate from his original intention, whether he would forget his current enlightenment, was really hard to say.

"When a person walks towards a higher place, they don't look down..."

His mother's words echoed in Mo Hua's ears again.

He pondered for a moment and said in his heart:

"As long as I remember these words, no matter how high my realm is, how strong my cultivation is, I will always remember to look down often. That should be fine..."

"Wait until my cultivation is high enough, high enough to reach the sky, and I can still remember to look down. Then maybe I can truly know what 'dao' is and what 'immortal' is."

Cultivating the dao is one step at a time. These thoughts and insights might seem useless, but they will all precipitate at the bottom of his heart, laying the foundation for his future pursuit of the dao and longevity.

Mo Hua nodded, his gaze bright.

When he came back to his senses, he realized he still had things to do.

"Thunder magnetic array disk!"

This was the proper matter at hand.

Mo Hua began to focus and continue researching the thunder magnetic array disk.

He first carefully read through the array law insights Elder Zheng gave him from beginning to end, then simulated them in his mind before starting to personally manipulate the thunder magnetic array disk in front of him.

The thunder magnetic array disk was based on jade, inlaid with red gold edges and carved with silver wire patterns. The magnetic patterns on it were dense and constructed with great precision.

This should be a set of third-grade array disks.

However, because the deceased "Mister Yuan"'s array law attainments were limited and he performed a "reduced pattern" process on the array disk, the true grade of the array disk was actually between second and third grade, considered "quasi-third grade."

This reflected Mister Yuan's limited ability and also provided convenience for Mo Hua.

Mo Hua began to forcefully activate this quasi-third-grade array disk according to Elder Zheng's instructions, using the second-grade array eyes within the disk.

As Elder Zheng said, this was a kind of "breaking grade" usage.

Even with Mo Hua's divine sense reaching the limit of nineteen patterns, activating it was still very strenuous.

Moreover, the consumption of spiritual stones was huge. In just the blink of an eye, hundreds of spiritual stones flowed away like water into the thunder magnetic array disk and continued to be consumed...

Mo Hua felt a bit of heartache.

If he failed, all these spiritual stones would be wasted.

However, in order to research the thunder magnetic array law and for his life treasure, these spiritual stones had to be spent.

Fortunately, the array law itself was designed properly by others according to standards. He only needed to simply activate it once, so the difficulty was not high.

And the thunder magnetic array disk did not disappoint Mo Hua's spiritual stones.

After the time it takes for one stick of incense to burn, it trembled slightly, flashing a light blue thunder magnetic light. A wisp of secondary thunder flow, carrying a clear "instruction," followed the array disk, seeped into the guest elder token, and connected to a small piece of fixed magnetic pattern.

With Mo Hua's strength, he was still unable to completely activate this thunder magnetic array disk. This array disk could only function to this extent.

But this was enough.

The bottom layer of the sect order token, concerning the "merit library," was constructed with the strictest standards. Dense magnetic patterns, like "bricks and stones," built a city, protecting the inherent secrets.

This was a firm yuan magnetic city.

Mo Hua did not want to break through this "city."

Of course, with his ability, he couldn't break through it either.

His thunder magnetic little person could only "tamper"; it had no "attack and defense" ability itself.

Therefore, he needed to borrow the "quasi-third grade" thunder magnetic array disk to produce a thunder magnetic flow carrying a "dissolve" instruction, opening a small gap in this "city."

This way, the thunder magnetic little person could pass through this "mouth," bypass the magnetic pattern defense, and penetrate into the core of the demonic sect's "merit library."

The thunder magnetic array law provided attack and defense, and the thunder magnetic little person provided penetration. This combination was perfect.

Under Mo Hua's manipulation, the thunder magnetic array disk produced a fine secondary thunder flow, like an arrow, which whistled out along the established yuan magnetic pattern path and collided with the "city wall" formed by the magnetic patterns at the bottom layer of the demonic sect.

For a moment, electric light and yuan magnetic stirred.

But the entire process occurred within the micro thunder magnetic, and except for Mo Hua, who was silently manipulating everything, no one could notice this miraculous and subtle scene.

Soon, a small gap was "boomed" open in the solid-as-a-fortress magnetic pattern city wall by the arrow-like secondary thunder flow produced by the thunder magnetic array disk.

The thunder magnetic little person immediately followed this gap and "zipped" through, penetrating into the demonic sect's merit yuan magnetic library, leaving only a small trail of electric light patterns.

"Success!"

Mo Hua's eyes lit up.

This was the first time he had successfully activated a thunder magnetic array disk, considered the first step on the path of an "orthodox" thunder magnetic array master.

This attempt also helped him lay down the preliminary concept of combining thunder magnetic array law and the thunder magnetic little person, complementing each other to carry out thunder magnetic attack, defense, and penetration.

With the thunder magnetic little person successfully penetrating into the "magnetic pattern city," Mo Hua began to formally get to work.

Generally speaking, this kind of obvious attack and penetration would be detected by other thunder magnetic array masters.

But Mister Yuan was already dead, and the demonic sect's thunder magnetic array was unmaintained. Even the "guest elder token," which served as the interface for the yuan magnetic complex array, was in Mo Hua's hands.

Mo Hua was both the thief and the guard, naturally unrestrained.

The thunder magnetic little person penetrated into the "merit library." Mo Hua, through the thunder magnetic little person, could perceive the dense and neat magnetic patterns in front of him, like "blocks of tofu."

Mo Hua was now quite proficient in reading magnetic patterns.

These dense fixed magnetic patterns, seen in his eyes, were converted into text by him in just a few breaths:

"Blood Lotus Merit, third layer, introductory merit law, absorbs others' blood, merges with one's own blood energy, can operate up to twelve weekly cycles... Required demonic merit points: one hundred."

"Blood Lotus Fruit, evil object needed for cultivating Blood Lotus Merit, quenched with human blood, matures every three years. Demonic merit points: twenty..."

"Ten-Year Blood Lotus Fruit, nourished with human blood, grows ten-year Blood Lotus Fruit... Demonic merit points: two hundred."

"Blood Sucking Knife, second-grade evil tool, kills people and absorbs blood, becomes stronger with more absorption. This is a standard evil tool, simplified from the supreme treasure of the demonic path, the Heaven Swallowing Blood Blade... Demonic merit points: four hundred."

Down below, it was dense with various demonic sect cultivation merit laws and items.

"As expected, it's the demonic sect's merit library."

"Could the Four Symbols Green Dragon Array Map be hidden inside?"

Mo Hua thought to himself.

If the top array law of the Four Symbols with the power of a divine beast—the Green Dragon Array Map—was really hidden inside this demonic sect treasure library, that would save him too much trouble.

His life treasure also had a sign.

Mo Hua silently chanted in his heart:

"Four Symbols Green Dragon Array Map, Four Symbols Green Dragon Array Map... It must be in here, it must be in here..."

After silently chanting several times, Mo Hua began to "retrieve" the magnetic patterns one by one.

The magnetic patterns were "decoded" into text by Mo Hua and then recorded on a jade slip.

Throughout the demonic sect, no one knew that their most precious "merit library" was being "peeped" at point by point by Mo Hua.

And this blood-sucking demonic sect, it wasn't known which inheritance it followed, but there were quite a lot of merit items inside. Mo Hua had to "peep" and find them one by one, "decode" them one by one. He couldn't read ten lines at a glance, so it was quite time-consuming.

Just like this, he spent a full half a month, finally "decoding" the demonic sect's "merit library" for the most part. Many names were copied down by him.

Most of the inheritance or items among them were related to demonic cultivation, which Mo Hua could not use.

A very small part was righteous path inheritance, perhaps robbed from killings. Their grade was not high, and they were not considered rare. Compared with the deep merit records of the Fifth Grade Tai Void Sect, they were truly inferior, and Mo Hua couldn't even look at them.

And among them, there was no trace of the Four Symbols Green Dragon Array Map.

Seeing fewer and fewer things remaining, Mo Hua couldn't help but feel a little nervous.

If he couldn't find the Green Dragon Array Map in this merit library, the matter of his life treasure might become extremely troublesome.

He would only have to find a way to kill the late-stage Gold Core leader of the demonic sect, who carried the Green Dragon Array Law and was immeasurably powerful.

This way, the difficulty would be several times higher.

In the third-grade state, killing such a big demonic head in the Gold Core realm, Mo Hua, with only late Foundation Building cultivation, really had no idea how to do it.

"Let me be a little lazy... Let me save some trouble..."

"Give the Four Symbols Green Dragon Array Map to me..."

Mo Hua said longingly in his heart.

But in the demonic sect's merit library, the Four Symbols Green Dragon Array Map never appeared.

Mo Hua could only endure his temper and continue searching and decoding.

Just like this, he continued to decode until the last item.

This item had the highest encryption level, and from its appearance, it was a vice "array law." Mo Hua's heart skipped a beat, and he couldn't help but feel some anticipation.

"Green Dragon Array Map, Green Dragon Array Map..."

Mo Hua silently chanted two more times in his heart, then began to "decode."

Decoding took a bit of time.

What finally appeared before Mo Hua was a three-character item name.

As expected, it was not the Four Symbols Green Dragon Array Map.

Mo Hua's hanging heart finally died.

"Sure enough, there's no such thing as a free lunch..."

Since the Four Symbols Green Dragon Array Map was so precious, researched by Mister Tu using the lives of so many demonic cultivators from the Ten Thousand Demon Valley, it couldn't possibly fall into his hands so easily...

Mo Hua sighed and disappointed decoded the last three words, then took a look and was suddenly stunned.

At that instant, he still thought he had seen it wrong.

This is...

"Reverse Spirit Array?!"

Below the array law name, there was another line of notes:

"Second-grade twenty patterns, another kind of array map, contains a certain spiritual power and law power, extremely difficult to comprehend, effect unknown, usage unknown. Demonic merit points: three thousand..."

Mo Hua slowly took a deep breath of cold air.

He never expected that the last thing hidden in the demonic sect's merit library would be...

The second-grade twenty-pattern Reverse Spirit Absolute Array?!