Chapter 25: Instruction
Mo Hua returned to the cultivation room and sat down. Immediately, a group of disciples craned their necks and gathered around him.
"Mo Hua, Mo Hua! What did the instructor want you for?"
"Did he punish you?"
Mo Hua answered honestly, "The instructor told me to go find him after class every day."
One disciple speculated, "It must be because you've been slacking in array studies, so he's mad and wants you to draw formations daily to keep you from falling behind."
Another chimed in sympathetically, "Oof, that's rough—having to draw arrays under Instructor Yan's watch every single day?"
"Yeah, seriously. I get nervous just being looked at by him, let alone being stared at while drawing!"
Mo Hua sighed as well.
The other disciples, seeing this, all started trying to comfort him.
But in truth, Mo Hua wasn't sighing because he had to draw formations under the instructor's eye—it was because now he'd have less time to draw for the Array Pavilion and earn spirit stones.
Still, considering Instructor Yan had asked him if he wanted to become a formation master, Mo Hua figured there'd likely be some guidance involved. Thinking that way, it didn't seem like a bad thing after all.
The next day after class, Mo Hua arrived punctually at Instructor Yan's residence on Tongming Peak.
Without preamble, Instructor Yan placed a scroll titled Introductory Treatise on Array Theory in front of him.
"The path of array formations, if you want to walk it far, must be built on a solid foundation. That foundation includes more than just a grasp of basic formation patterns, skillful brushwork, and stable divine sense—it also includes the theoretical treatises on formations passed down in the cultivation world."
"These treatises are the collective insights and theoretical distillations from countless masters of formations, seeking the unchanging truths hidden within formations that constantly change."
"Some cultivators can draw arrays decently, but are clueless when it comes to theory. Once they reach advanced levels, they hit a wall of confusion and can no longer make progress."
"I'm only one step away from becoming a Grade-One Formation Master. Most of the sect's legacy has been lost, and I can't teach you the highest levels of theory—unlike the great clans and sects with deep inheritances—but for your current level, this is more than sufficient."
Mo Hua straightened up, his expression growing more respectful. "Instructor, please guide me."
Instructor Yan nodded and opened Introductory Treatise on Array Theory.
"This treatise covers the basic principles of array formations, such as Heaven is round and Earth is square, the directions of the Eight Trigrams, the generating and overcoming relationships of the Five Elements, and the construction of single formations, compound formations, and grand formations..."
"Formations are manifestations of the laws of Heaven and Earth. The outer round and inner square symbolize heaven and earth. The placement of formation patterns follows trigram theory, and the elemental properties determine how patterns generate or counter one another. A standalone formation is a single array. A combination of several single arrays makes a compound array, and a vast linkage of both becomes a grand formation…"
"Grand formations are immensely powerful. The so-called sect-protecting arrays fall into this category. These often contain hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of individual formations, built collaboratively by dozens or hundreds of formation masters. Only those with the highest attainments can serve as chief array masters, leading the design and carving of such arrays."
"To become a chief array master, to design and construct a grand formation—that is the lifelong dream of many formation cultivators."
Instructor Yan's tone held a touch of emotion before he reined it back in. "But that's too far off for now. Even becoming a regular Grade-One Formation Master is already quite difficult."
Mo Hua listened with fascination. Even a single formation was already complex and profound—what kind of magnificent scene would it be when a grand formation was activated?
Instructor Yan hesitated slightly, then solemnly handed the thin scroll to Mo Hua.
"Take this treatise and study it well. Do not copy it. Do not share it with anyone. Do not speak of it to anyone."
He then spent some time explaining a few foundational theories in the book before letting Mo Hua return.
Back at the disciples' quarters, Mo Hua held the slim scroll Introductory Treatise on Array Theory, and yet it felt heavy in his hands. For the first time, he truly grasped the importance of cultivation legacies—without guidance, a cultivator could spend a lifetime groping in the dark.
He was merely an ordinary outer disciple, and yet Instructor Yan had taken such care with him. Mo Hua felt a growing sense of gratitude.
He calmed himself and read the scroll word by word, taking notes on anything he didn't understand to ask about the next day.
Before bed, he took out the Goldstone Formation Diagram again and reviewed the array patterns. Then, closing his eyes, he entered his sea of consciousness and began practicing the formation on the stone stele.
The Goldstone Array had only four array patterns—not too difficult—but it still required time to memorize and practice.
Thanks to the insights from the treatise, Mo Hua found that drawing the Goldstone Array felt clearer now.
Why were the four patterns placed slightly toward the west? Because west corresponds to the element of metal, which matched the nature of the Goldstone Array. Even the specific brushstrokes had links to the trigrams and elemental cycles.
Previously, he had simply copied what he saw in the diagrams. But now, he was beginning to understand why they were drawn that way.
On the second day, Mo Hua returned to Tongming Peak.
Instructor Yan tested him with a few questions from the treatise. Mo Hua answered each one clearly, proving he had studied seriously. Instructor Yan couldn't help but nod with approval.
Mo Hua also brought up several questions he had noted while reading. Instructor Yan explained them one by one, visibly more pleased.
On the third day, Instructor Yan began using specific formations as examples to help Mo Hua understand foundational principles more deeply.
He started with several single-pattern formations, including the Flame Array that Mo Hua had already drawn, and a few others Mo Hua had never seen before.
Then came dual-pattern formations, all unfamiliar to Mo Hua, and he listened with intense focus.
When they reached four-pattern formations, Instructor Yan started with the Solid Earth Array. Mo Hua had asked about it before, and though he could now draw it quite smoothly, this time he realized just how little he had truly understood.
He had known how to draw it—but not why.
Next, Instructor Yan brought up the Goldstone Array.
"The Goldstone Array and the Solid Earth Array serve similar functions. In the Five Elements, Earth generates Metal. So when cultivators construct their residences or caves, they often use the Solid Earth Array to reinforce the foundation, and the Goldstone Array to reinforce the structure itself. Due to the Earth-generating-Metal relationship, the two arrays enhance each other's effectiveness. Understanding one helps you understand the other."
Suddenly, everything clicked for Mo Hua.
Instructor Yan continued lecturing for another hour, then gave Mo Hua some homework—find a few examples of formations that reflect elemental generation or restriction—and sent him off.
Back in his room, the more Mo Hua thought about it, the more curious he became.
A lot of the formations Instructor Yan used as examples were ones he'd drawn for the Array Pavilion.
The Flame Array and the Solid Earth Array were obvious. The Goldstone Array had been requested by Manager Mo. And today, Instructor Yan had even specially explained it to him.
While it could be a coincidence—after all, the Goldstone Array did fit the topic of the day—Mo Hua couldn't help but feel it was a little too coincidental.
"Could Instructor Yan and Manager Mo be acquainted? Has the instructor already figured out that the arrays from Youyuan Studio were all drawn by me?"
Mo Hua pondered in silence.
(End of Chapter)