Fourteen years old, Qi Refinement stage level nine, divine sense thirteen patterns.

From Qi Refinement stage level eight to level nine, the breakthrough in cultivation level also brought some increase in divine sense.

However, this increase was, after all, only within the Qi Refinement stage. Compared to the divine sense of the Foundation Establishment stage, it seemed somewhat limited.

It was tasteless to eat, yet a pity to discard.

It was even less sufficient to allow the divine sense to break through its bottleneck and reach fourteen patterns of the Foundation Establishment stage.

Mo Hua’s divine sense was still at the peak of thirteen patterns.

It was not much stronger than his previous peak of thirteen patterns.

Inside the carriage, Mo Hua sighed.

It seemed this bottleneck was another significant hurdle.

Similar to the threshold from Qi Refinement to Foundation Establishment, the transition from thirteen patterns to fourteen patterns, which marks the threshold from the early to middle stages of Foundation Establishment, seemed to differ by only one pattern, but the chasm between them was equally deep and immeasurable.

Mo Hua could see no bottom to it.

Foundation Establishment is already like this, what about Golden Core?

Mo Hua stuck his head out and looked at the sky.

He was now within the borders of the third-grade Dali Mountain Prefecture.

In a third-grade prefecture, the upper limit of cultivation for cultivators is the Golden Core stage!

“Third-grade prefecture, huh…”

Mo Hua murmured in his heart.

This was his first time coming to a prefecture above the second grade.

Mo Hua took a breath and felt the surrounding aura was different, the land more vast, and the sky higher and farther.

Of course, it was possible that the third-grade prefecture was indeed larger.

It was also possible that it was just his imagination…

Mo Hua looked up at the sky again.

Although he couldn’t see it now, there was a great array in the sky.

When wiping out Feng Xi, he had personally witnessed the blood-red tribulation lightning descend, terrifying beyond belief, patrolling above his head, and then gradually dissipating.

When the tribulation lightning dissipated, within the cloud layer, there were incredible array patterns.

He had recorded one of these strokes on the dao stele.

This stroke of array pattern was an immortal pattern.

It was far beyond Mo Hua’s current level of comprehension.

Mo Hua still dared not look at it. He was afraid that if he glanced at it, his divine sense would be drained, his sea of consciousness would crack, and there would be endless trouble.

Moreover, this was the immortal pattern of tribulation lightning, containing the law of annihilation.

Laws are all unreasonable.

If he looked too much and triggered the immortal pattern, he would be directly annihilated. At that time, even if Master’s divine ability was vast, he probably wouldn’t be able to save him…

It was better to keep it for now. When his cultivation level was higher and his divine sense stronger, he could then carefully comprehend it.

Mo Hua lowered his head again and looked at his small hand.

Inside his body now flowed the spiritual power of Qi Refinement stage level nine!

At Qi Refinement stage level nine, the spiritual power was more profound.

At the same time, his spell power was also a little stronger.

Even if he only relied on the “divine sense compression” and “only fast is unbreakable” fireball technique, below the Foundation Establishment stage, general Qi Refinement stage level nine cultivators were not his opponents.

Of course, excluding people like his junior and senior sisters.

They could all fight against Foundation Establishment cultivators.

He was still not an opponent for a Foundation Establishment cultivator now.

Unless he used array collapse…

Otherwise, at most it would be a fifty-fifty split.

It would still be that “undefeated” fifty-fifty.

He couldn’t kill them, and they couldn’t chase, catch, or even see him…

“I just don’t know if, after he reaches Foundation Establishment and his divine sense improves further and his spells become stronger, he can directly fight against other Foundation Establishment cultivators…”

Mo Hua couldn’t help but ponder in his heart.

The expression on his small face changed from happy to expectant, then worried, and then furrowed in thought…

Mr. Zhuang found it amusing and smiled slightly:

“Thinking about Foundation Establishment again?”

Mo Hua came back to his senses and nodded with a smile.

“No need to rush,” Mr. Zhuang nodded slightly, “Cultivate a bit more profoundly, reach the pinnacle of level nine, and then you can try Foundation Establishment. As for divine sense, no need to force it, just let nature take its course…”

It seemed now that it was indeed too difficult for a Qi Refinement stage cultivator to cultivate fourteen patterns of divine sense.

Even for Mo Hua, it seemed somewhat impossible…

Mr. Zhuang thought for a moment, then said, “If it truly doesn’t work, cultivating Foundation Establishment at the peak of thirteen patterns is also acceptable.”

Mo Hua felt a bit regretful and also a bit worried:

“Then won’t it be too weak like this?”

Mr. Zhuang paused and looked at Mo Hua with a complex gaze:

“You are now at Qi Refinement stage level nine with a divine sense at the peak of thirteen patterns. You are already very… powerful…”

Which family’s Qi Refinement stage cultivator could have the divine sense of a Foundation Establishment early stage peak?

This was divine sense, which was illusory, difficult to cultivate, difficult to practice, and difficult to enhance…

It couldn’t be fed with spirit stones like spiritual power.

Divine sense crossing a major realm was already unbelievable.

“Oh.” Mo Hua scratched his head.

If Master said he was powerful, then he should be fine.

Subsequently, he thought of another question:

“Master, do I not need to temper my cultivation level?”

Mo Hua looked at Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi, “Just like my junior and senior sisters…”

He had heard Zhang Lan say that disciples of aristocratic families in the world all needed to build a good foundation before cultivating Foundation Establishment, so that their cultivation would be solid and they could go further later.

Zhang Lan had also been in the Qi Refinement stage and had tempered his foundation for a long time.

He was clearly from an aristocratic family, but at such an age, he was still only at Qi Refinement stage level nine. Later, in order to fight a great demon and prevent any mishaps, he then broke through to Foundation Establishment.

Of course, he probably had a conflict with his clan and was somewhat rebellious, so he deliberately slacked off; otherwise, he wouldn’t have cultivated Foundation Establishment so late.

But his junior and senior sisters were different again.

The three of them were together day and night.

Mo Hua saw them cultivating every day. Each time they cultivated, their spiritual power would condense a bit, their cultivation would become a bit more profound, and their aura would become a bit more powerful.

Over time, although their cultivation level did not increase, their cultivation was exceptionally solid.

It was even enough to compare with Foundation Establishment…

Mo Hua recalled again.

When they first met, he was only at Qi Refinement stage level three, and they were already at the late stage of Qi Refinement. Now he was at Qi Refinement stage level nine, and they were still at Qi Refinement stage level nine.

His senior and junior sisters’ talents were so good, yet they had suppressed their cultivation levels for so long.

His spiritual root was so poor, he didn’t suppress it at all, wasn’t that not good enough…

Mo Hua looked at Mr. Zhuang with some confusion.

Mr. Zhuang’s expression became subtle.

He thought for a moment and decided to tell the truth:

“This… you just don’t need to suppress…”

“Your senior and junior sisters, their spiritual roots are heaven… top grade, their cultivated techniques are all top-grade full-cycle techniques, and the dao methods they learn are all superior absolute arts of their family and sect…

“For the Bai family, a worldly family, there isn’t much difference between Foundation Establishment and Qi Refinement…”

“Their family’s expectations for them are not just to reach Foundation Establishment, but to hope they build a good foundation to break through to higher cultivation.”

“The family’s foundation is enough to support their cultivation.”

“And once they reach Qi Refinement perfection and build a good foundation, after cultivating Foundation Establishment, their full-cycle spiritual power will undergo a qualitative change, thus laying the foundation for the great dao.”

“In the future, they will have enough spiritual power to cast powerful superior dao methods, and also have enough foundation to seek higher realms…”

“This is the path of the worldly family’s prodigies, they need to temper their cultivation level…”

Mr. Zhuang looked at Mo Hua, “You can just do whatever…”

Mr. Zhuang tried to be tactful, but it still sounded a bit disheartening:

“Your spiritual root is a bit poor, your physique is a bit weak, and your inheritance is not comparable to theirs, so don’t worry too much about it. Whether you temper it or not, it actually doesn’t have a big impact…”

“Just keep cultivating. If you can break through, then break through. Although your spiritual power is a bit less and your blood energy is a bit weak, at least your divine sense is strong enough…”

“One strong point covers a hundred weaknesses…”

“As long as your divine sense is strong, you can just make do with the rest…”

Mo Hua’s expression was complex.

For a moment, he didn’t know if Master was praising him or criticizing him…

Mo Hua sighed, then thought that this was actually good too. There was no need to bother with tempering his cultivation, which saved him worry, effort, and spirit stones.

Anyway, his spiritual root was this spiritual root, and his situation was this situation. He couldn’t change it, so he would just make do. As long as he could reach Foundation Establishment, it was fine…

Mo Hua leveled his mindset.

No matter how good others were, that was others’ business.

It had nothing to do with him.

It was enough for him to cultivate his own dao.

Mo Hua’s gaze was peaceful, and he nodded slightly.

Mr. Zhuang saw Mo Hua’s expression, and was slightly taken aback, then gently nodded, sighing in his heart:

“This child, his nature is truly good…”

The carriage traveled all the way, trekking for more than ten days, finally passing through the mountain roads of Dali Mountain Prefecture and arriving at Lishan City.

Lishan City is a third-grade immortal city, with beautiful scenery, magnificent city walls, and splendid cave mansions within the city, quite imposing.

The cultivators in the city were mostly at the Qi Refinement and Foundation Establishment stages, with some at the Golden Core stage, but not many.

And the destination of this trip was the largest and only third-grade sect in the entire Lishan City:

The Five Elements Sect.

Before going to the Five Elements Sect, Mo Hua and the others found an inn and rested slightly.

Mo Hua first settled Big White, asking the waiter to feed it with top-grade fodder. Seeing it eating sweetly, he then stroked Big White’s mane before leaving.

Afterward, he ordered some dried fruits, food, and tea and sent them to Mr. Zhuang’s room.

Puppet Elder didn’t know where he had gone.

Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi sat respectfully, listening to Mr. Zhuang saying something.

Mo Hua placed the food on the table.

These foods were all personally ordered by Mo Hua.

How to make them, what flavor to make them, Mo Hua had instructed it all.

Master, senior and junior sisters, and Puppet Elder, each person’s favorite was included.

After traveling for a day, the hungry Bai Zisheng smelled the fragrance and couldn’t help but glance, then immediately sat upright, listening to Mr. Zhuang’s teachings.

Mr. Zhuang was a bit amused and then said:

“Let’s eat some food first.”

Bai Zisheng’s eyes lit up, and he respectfully and joyfully said:

“Yes, Master!”

During the meal, Mo Hua then whispered with his senior and junior sisters, chatting about the sights in the city.

Various shapes of cultivators, different behaviors and customs, and in the market, there were some dazzling spiritual tools, pills, and array books.

Mo Hua sighed in his heart.

A third-grade immortal city was indeed different.

On the street, he could see quite a few Foundation Establishment cultivators.

The spiritual tools and pills placed in the market were also quite a few of second grade. Mo Hua even saw a second-grade array book.

He wanted to flip through it, but the stall owner didn’t allow it.

He even said things like “What are you, a little child, looking at array books for? This book is not something you can look at, don’t let your divine sense dry up and so on…”

Mo Hua was magnanimous and didn’t argue with him.

His cultivation was not enough now, and he indeed still couldn’t learn second-grade arrays. Looking at it would also be in vain.

The key point was that this second-grade array book was quite expensive, and the arrays recorded inside, just by their names, were all some common arrays, not worth wasting spirit stones.

He was about to reach Foundation Establishment, and he needed to save his spirit stones…

But Mo Hua also discovered a strange place.

In the entire Lishan City, it seemed that most of the cultivators were those who opened shops, opened markets, or set up stalls to sell various cultivation items.

The rogue cultivators were also mostly merchants.

There were no spirit farmers, mine cultivators, demon hunters, craftsmen, and so on, rogue cultivators who engaged in labor to earn spirit stones.

Mo Hua felt some doubts and then asked Mr. Zhuang.

Mr. Zhuang said: “An array sect is like this…”

“The Five Elements Sect?”

“Correct,” Mr. Zhuang nodded, “The Five Elements Sect is an orthodox sect that was established based on arrays. The cultivators within the sect are mostly array masters.”

“The cultivation world promotes arrays.”

“Cultivation emphasizes killing, only the power of one’s self, but arrays can influence ten thousand cultivators.”

“Especially for some large forces, cultivation families with many cultivators, it is even more so.”

“The Five Elements Sect is proficient in arrays and is located here. Many cultivators, families, and sects will come here to seek arrays. Some cultivators will even specially settle here.”

“Some cultivation forces, in order to get along with the Five Elements Sect, will also specially send an elder to be stationed here, and send gifts and move around every year during festivals.”

“One trip, two trips, the cave mansions here are very expensive.”

Mr. Zhuang sighed a bit: “Don’t look at how remote it is here, but the cave mansions in this city are truly not something general cultivators can afford.”

“Cave mansions are too expensive, prices are rising with the tide.”

“The rogue cultivators in Lishan City also rely on their ancestors’ blessings and are only left with a roof tile to live under. Only then can they barely get by; otherwise, they all can’t live here.”

“In the long run, the number of cultivators in the entire Lishan City is also decreasing…”

Mo Hua doubted: “I see the street is still quite prosperous.”

Mr. Zhuang shook his head, “Cultivators have long lifespans, so you can’t just look at one moment. You need to look at the long term.”

“Hundreds of years ago, I came here, and the number of cultivators at that time was much more than now.”

“The number of cultivators now is already considered less…”

“The prosperity of pavilions and towers is only an appearance. Without the prosperity of people, it is ultimately just the moon in the water and a flower in the mirror.”

Mo Hua nodded thoughtfully.

Subsequently, he asked again: “Then these have nothing to do with the Five Elements Sect, right? Others buy cave mansions at high prices, and they can’t control it either…”

Mr. Zhuang shook his head, “The Five Elements Sect is fanning the flames…”

“Fanning the flames?” Mo Hua didn’t understand.

Mr. Zhuang said: “Hundreds of years ago, the Five Elements Sect was already in decline. At that time, the old ancestor of the Five Elements Sect, in order to revive the sect, moved the sect to this remote Lishan City.”

“Lishan City is remote and free from disturbances.”

“The old ancestor of the Five Elements Sect wanted to let the disciples within the sect study arrays with a single mind, and at the same time attract other array masters to learn from and verify each other, exchange arrays, and make Lishan City a place for array masters to learn and become a true city of array learning.”

“This move was indeed effective.”

“The Five Elements Sect gradually prospered, the atmosphere of array learning was strong, Lishan City prospered for a while, and became a paradise for array masters.”

Mr. Zhuang sighed: “Later, it didn’t work…”

“Array masters gathered, the value of cave mansions multiplied, and Lishan City became an inch of land worth an inch of gold.”

“Their old ancestor’s painstaking efforts were ultimately not as real as spirit stones…”

“The later disciples of the Five Elements Sect then had ideas. They demolished the residences, houses, and halls that were originally for array masters to seek learning and discuss the dao, built prosperous cave mansions, and sold and rented them at high prices to make huge spirit stones.”

“They didn’t need to do anything and would have spirit stone income just by lying down.”

“This amount of spirit stones came too easily and was too abundant. The disciples within the sect then became lazy and indulgent, no longer bitterly studying arrays and no longer seeking the dao of heaven.”

“It’s just that the Five Elements Sect seemed to have made a huge profit from this move, but this profit was exchanged for the hardships of their ancestors and their future prospects.”

“Their old ancestor’s blood and sweat were also all in vain.”

“Cave mansions were too expensive for ordinary cultivators to afford, so they gradually left.”

“And some array masters, although talented but of ordinary origin, also couldn’t afford such expensive cave mansions and could only seek elsewhere.”

“The disciples of the Five Elements Sect gained spirit stones too easily and were greedy for enjoyment, and they no longer bothered to bitterly study arrays.”

“The entire atmosphere of array learning in Lishan City also faded.”

“The level of arrays in the Five Elements Sect also dropped again and again, and some arrays were also lost in transmission…”

Mr. Zhuang’s expression was somewhat serious, and he sighed: “Whether it’s an array master or an array dao sect, ultimately, they still need to have arrays as their root. They should not seek profit and be short-sighted, otherwise, the end of prosperity is a land of desolation.”

Mo Hua was also in awe in his heart.

A learning paradise where array masters gathered… what kind of scene must that have been…

Mo Hua both yearned and regretted it, and couldn’t help but ask:

“Master, didn’t the Five Elements Sect think of changing?”

Such a large sect, so many array masters, even if some were profit-seeking, there were always some who could see clearly, right?

Mr. Zhuang sighed: “Accumulated problems are hard to reverse…”

“The entire sect is used to the days of lying down and earning spirit stones. From top to bottom, interests are deeply rooted. Whoever wants to move it is to be an enemy of the entire sect.”

“They neither have this courage nor this ability.”

“Even if there is truly someone who has the ability to change, he may not necessarily want to change, because those who have the ability to change are mostly also those who benefit most from it…”

To scrape the bone and heal the wound, this knife must first start with oneself.

Mo Hua couldn’t help but sigh.

The matters of this world are truly complex.

But there was still one thing that made him very concerned.

Mo Hua asked: “Master, you said that after the Five Elements Sect declined, that year’s old ancestor only moved the sect gate to this Lishan City…”

“Then before the Five Elements Sect declined, what was it like?”

Mr. Zhuang’s expression was solemn, and he sighed: “That was a matter of thousands of years ago…”

“The Five Elements Sect of that year, even if it wasn’t a top-tier sect, was at least one of the few first-rate array sects in the entire cultivation world.”

Mo Hua’s mouth widened.

He never expected that the ancestors of the Five Elements Sect were actually so grand!

A first-rate array sect in the entire cultivation world.

That had to be several grades higher…

“Is their inheritance this powerful?” Mo Hua asked in surprise.

“Correct.” Mr. Zhuang nodded: “The Five Elements Sect relied on and was most famous for a complete array, from low grade to high grade, which could amplify the spiritual power of the five elements!”

Mr. Zhuang looked at Mo Hua and said with a serious expression: “This is also why you are going to learn, and you must learn that set of one-grade thirteen-pattern Five Elements Absolute Array!”

(End of the chapter)