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The Quest for Immortality - Chapter 345
🕑 Added 2024-07-05 11:05:00 +0000 UTCChapter 345: The Grand Arra
Mo Hua made a decision; he would construct a grand array to kill Feng Xi!
He had his own way out, but he also wanted to provide a path for all the independent cultivators, so they wouldn't have to abandon their homes and wander aimlessly.
With his mind made up, Mo Hua began to consider how to proceed.
A grand array was a colossal engineering feat in the realm of cultivation.
It was difficult to learn and even more challenging to build.
Mr. Zhuang had told him about the many difficulties of constructing an array, not to discourage him, but to make him think more carefully and plan more thoroughly.
A grand array required manpower and material resources, but before anything else, it needed time.
Building the grand array required time, and learning about grand arrays also required time.
Without time, nothing could be accomplished.
Mo Hua first went to find Commander Yang and asked:
"Uncle Yang, how long will it take for that pig to refine its blood qi?"
Commander Yang, who led the Dao soldiers stationed at the edge of the deep mountains, always kept an eye on the movements of the great demon. After thinking for a moment, he replied slowly:
"About one to two months."
One to two months...
Mo Hua frowned.
Learning and building the grand array would take more time than that.
However, Mo Hua was also a bit puzzled and couldn't help but ask:
"Does it usually take that long for a great demon to refine blood qi?"
The old patriarch of the Qian family had taken the Life-Transforming Elixir, and his cultivation began to rise within half an hour.
Could it be that this pig had digestive issues?
Commander Yang pondered, "Generally speaking, it doesn't take that long. But this Feng Xi is somewhat special. It didn't become a great demon by itself but was forcibly fed by someone."
"The blood qi within it is extremely mixed; it doesn't belong to it and hasn't been refined by it. Therefore, the refining process takes longer."
"Moreover, this Feng Xi has died once before, so it needs to refine the blood qi to maintain its vitality."
Commander Yang glanced at the deep mountain's blood qi with a solemn expression:
"But once it finishes refining, restores its vitality, and starts feeding again, there will be big trouble."
Mo Hua frowned and asked, "Is there a way to delay it?"
Commander Yang nodded, "In a while, the Dao soldiers will send some Foundation Building stage leaders over. We will jointly harass Feng Xi and delay its refining progress to buy time for the cultivators of Tongxian City to relocate."
"How long can you delay it?"
"About a month, I estimate."
So, there were still two to three months of time, which should be barely enough.
Mo Hua nodded slightly, "That's good."
Commander Yang was taken aback, "What's good?"
"Nothing, Uncle Yang, you go ahead."
Mo Hua waved his hand upon receiving the news and then dashed off.
Commander Yang watched Mo Hua's back and couldn't help but mutter, "This child, I don't know what he's up to again..."
But whatever it was, it wouldn't make much difference...
Commander Yang turned his head to look at the deep red blood qi in the mountains. Within the blood qi, a great demon lurked, hiding a chilling aura.
This aura was growing stronger bit by bit.
This pig demon, clearly dead, had come back to life...
A Dao calamity that had come back from the dead. It was the first time he had seen or heard of such a thing.
Commander Yang sighed, his expression growing even graver.
Mo Hua, however, breathed a sigh of relief.
Two to three months was extremely tight, but it was enough to give it a try.
First, he had to learn the grand array.
This was the prerequisite; otherwise, everything else was just empty talk.
Mo Hua immediately ran to find Mr. Zhuang, his face solemn:
"Sir, I want to learn the grand array!"
Mr. Zhuang was somewhat surprised, not by Mo Hua's desire to learn the grand array, but by how quickly he had made up his mind.
"Have you thought it through?"
Mo Hua nodded, "I've thought it through."
A grand array was the ultimate pursuit of an array master.
An array master who didn't want to build a grand array wasn't a good array master.
Since he wanted to be an array master, sooner or later, he would have to understand and construct a grand array.
Moreover, he wanted to be the chief array master of the grand array.
The one who led the design and construction of the grand array, the core array master, rather than just a regular array master participating in its construction.
But building a grand array was difficult and required vast amounts of manpower and resources.
Typically, the selection of the chief array master was meticulous and cautious.
The candidate had to be highly respected, have a strong family background, be academically outstanding, or have a stellar reputation.
At the same time, they had to have experience in leading the construction of a grand array.
Mo Hua met none of these criteria.
Outside Tongxian City, no force would be willing to take the immense risk of inviting him, an array master of independent origins, to lead the construction of a grand and massive array.
This was his first opportunity, not just theoretical but a chance to personally learn and try to construct a grand array.
If he missed this first opportunity, it might be his only chance in this lifetime.
The beginning is always the hardest.
As long as he gained experience in leading the construction of a First Grade grand array, he could gradually understand and lead the construction of higher-grade grand arrays.
But if he didn't take the first step and gain experience in leading the construction of a grand array, he might never have the chance to work with grand arrays in his lifetime.
So, for both his pursuit in array studies and for the independent cultivators of Tongxian City, he had to take this step.
Even if he didn't succeed, he had to do his best.
Mo Hua's expression was firm, and Mr. Zhuang felt a bit gratified, but he still reminded:
"Grand arrays are very difficult to learn."
"Difficult or not, I must learn!" Mo Hua insisted.
"Are you really sure you want to learn?" Mr. Zhuang's expression was somewhat profound.
"I do!"
"What if you can't learn it?"
Mo Hua said calmly, "If I can't learn it, it means I lack the ability; there's nothing more to say. But if I don't try to learn, it shows fear of the array, a cowardly heart, and I'll struggle to go far in array studies."
Mr. Zhuang nodded slightly, showing approval.
Seeing Mr. Zhuang's expression, Mo Hua slightly relaxed and then whispered:
"Sir, I can learn the grand array, right?"
Mr. Zhuang was slightly taken aback, "How do you know?"
Mo Hua explained, "If I really couldn't learn it, you would have refused me from the start instead of asking me to think it over."
"Since you asked me to think it over, it means it's within my capability."
Mr. Zhuang shook his head helplessly, then took out a set of ten jade slips and placed them on the table, saying solemnly:
"These are the jade slips of the grand array!"
Mo Hua's eyes lit up. He had guessed right; Mr. Zhuang had already prepared them.
"Before learning the grand array, there are some things I need to make clear to you," Mr. Zhuang said.
Mo Hua sat up straight, listening attentively.
Mr. Zhuang first asked, "What is a grand array?"
"It is a more complex and extensive composite array."
This was something Mr. Zhuang had taught him, and Mo Hua remembered it clearly.
"And what is a composite array?"
"An array that integrates single arrays through an array hub, forming a composite array."
"What is the fundamental difference between a composite array and a single array?"
"The array hub."
Mr. Zhuang nodded slightly, "The array hub of a single array is simple, while that of a composite array is complex. The array hub of a grand array is even more complex."
"What exactly makes it complex?" Mo Hua couldn't help but ask.
"The array hub of a single array connects array patterns; the array hub of a composite array connects single arrays; and the array hub of a grand array connects a vast number of single arrays."
"This means the array hub of a grand array requires stronger spiritual sense, connects more single arrays, has more complex spiritual power trajectories, and must consider the compatibility between the array hub and single arrays."
Mo Hua carefully pondered this and then said:
"So the core of the grand array is still the array hub. As long as we can master the array hub, ensure smooth spiritual power flow, and single array compatibility, we can master the grand array, right?"
Mr. Zhuang nodded. "That's correct."
"What makes it difficult?"
"Spiritual sense."
"Still the spiritual sense..."
Mr. Zhuang nodded, "All the problems of an array master ultimately come down to insufficient spiritual sense."
Mo Hua felt somewhat relieved, grateful that his spiritual sense was decent.
Although spiritual sense was his only strength...
Then Mo Hua weakly asked, "Is the spiritual sense of the Foundation Building stage enough?"
"The spiritual sense of the Foundation Building stage is enough, but just barely."
Mr. Zhuang explained, "Spiritual sense is intangible and cannot be precisely quantified, only roughly estimated."
"The most objective criterion is to measure the strength of spiritual sense by the number of array patterns an array master can draw before exhausting their spiritual sense."
"But even so, this criterion is difficult to accurately define."
"This means that on the surface, two arrays may require the spiritual sense of ten patterns. However, some arrays are simple, and the actual spiritual sense required is less than ten patterns. Others are extremely complex, and the spiritual
sense consumed far exceeds ten patterns, but not to the extent of eleven patterns."
"The grand array is one of those arrays that require the spiritual sense of ten patterns but due to its complexity, demands even more spiritual sense."
"Starting with the spiritual sense of ten patterns..." Mo Hua murmured.
And it sounded so complicated...
Mo Hua felt a headache coming on.
"So as I said," Mr. Zhuang looked at Mo Hua and said slowly:
"A First Grade grand array is actually not meant for First Grade array masters to learn."
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