The ink painting idea was decided, and the next day, classes continued as usual.

After finishing the Dao cultivation course, I attended a session of alchemy class, a session of artifact refining class, and finally mixed in a session of sword cultivation class.

Originally, I didn’t need to attend the sword cultivation class. I was a spirit cultivator, specializing in spells. Moreover, sword weapons were very expensive, and I couldn’t afford them. But adhering to the principle of “know yourself and your enemy, and you will never be defeated,” it was still necessary to understand a little.

More importantly, I always kept in mind that the technique I had somewhat vaguely “deduced” from obscure causality had only one name: “Taixu Divine Thought Transform Sword True Art.” The true sword art could not be cultivated. But “Divine Thought Transform Sword,” perhaps could be cultivated a little.

Divine Thought Transform Sword, as the name suggested, contained both “Divine Thought” and “Sword method,” so it should be related to both. Therefore, as long as it was a “sword cultivation” class, I would attend and audit whenever I had time.

On one hand, I could learn some basics of sword cultivation. On the other hand, I could pay attention to whether there were any clues about the “Taixu Divine Thought Transform Sword True Art.” On yet another hand, I could research the pros and cons of sword cultivation and ponder silently in my heart how I should deal with sword cultivators in the future.

However, perhaps it was just the beginning, as all the sword cultivation courses were very basic. I had listened for several months and only learned a little superficial knowledge. I couldn’t even condense sword qi, let alone truly wield a sword…

At the same time, I also heard many renowned sword arts of the Taixu Sect from the mouth of the sword cultivation elder: such as “Taixu Departing Fire Sword Art,” “Taixu Two Yi Sword Method,” “Taixu Return to One Sword Style”… etc. But no one had ever mentioned the eight characters “Taixu Divine Thought Transform Sword True Art”…

I didn’t know if this Divine Thought Transform Sword method was too obscure for anyone to learn, too difficult for anyone to master, or too ancient and already lost… I sighed and could only endure patiently, searching slowly. The future was long, as long as I always “kept it in mind,” I would always find some clues about this sword art one day.

What’s more, there was that dilapidated mountain temple and the fallen mountain god inside. Huang Shan Jun… I nodded. One day when I was doing a task and passing by that barren mountain, I could conveniently go find him and ask again. Right now, I needed to attend class and had no time to find him…

The last session in the afternoon was the array law class, and Old Mister Xun was lazy again. As the “Little Senior Brother,” I dutifully filled in for Old Mister Xun to teach the class. After class, the day’s courses were over. I returned to the disciple residence and, having free time, began to research the somewhat demonic Four Symbols array law that I had copied down from the bald head of the sin cultivator “Bald Eagle.”

Four Symbols array law!

“Another new array law to learn…” My spirit was greatly invigorated, my eyes bright and crystalline. Moreover, this array law was not a “new” array law in the general sense. The Four Symbols array law was a type of array law that was detached from the categories of the five elements and eight trigrams, truly a completely new type of array law. Although, it might bring a bit of a demonic and dangerous aspect.

Inside the disciple residence, the bright fire lamp illuminated the room, making it bright and warm. The room was simple but clean and tidy. I lay on the table, spread out the array paper, prepared my pen and ink, took out the Four Symbols demonic pattern array law I had copied, and began to research it…

This array law’s pattern was strange. The array hub structure was simple, but the array patterns were very complex. And unlike the array patterns of the five elements and eight trigrams, which were restrained in shape, upright and profound, the array patterns of this array law seemed to be copied from demonic beast forms, with pictorial brushstrokes, like eagles and falcons, their claws and teeth exposed, wild and rampant. It was both novel and demonic.

However, as long as it was an array law, after being disassembled, it was just patterns. As long as the Dao heart was pure, there was nothing to fear.

I began to deconstruct the array law, disassembling the array hub, analyzing the array patterns, like Cook Ding dissecting an ox, stripping bones and removing meat, his eyes seeing no whole ox. My heavenly mechanism deduction became more and more proficient, and my analysis of this class of array law became more thorough.

Soon, I finished disassembling it. One Four Symbols array law was disassembled by me into more than ten independent Four Symbols-class array patterns. I looked at the array patterns and couldn’t help but scratch my head: “This isn’t right…”

Looking carefully at these array patterns, they fundamentally did not resemble Four Symbols array patterns. They were completely different from what Old Mister Xun had taught me before. Or perhaps, they only looked like Four Symbols array patterns… But when truly “researched,” or “learned,” they had great differences from general Four Symbols array patterns.

“Array pattern variation?” I frowned. I could only think of this principle. Old Mister Xun had taught me basic, shallow, entry-level Four Symbols array patterns, just like for enlightenment. But the Four Symbols array on Bald Eagle’s head was more like an advanced form of array pattern, containing complex changes, and obviously specially used to fuse demonic power and strengthen killing array laws.

Beast patterns, close to demonic, easy to lose humanity… I was a little wary, but I thought about it and decided to spend some time learning a bit first. Without learning a bit and drawing a few times myself, I couldn’t experience the mystery of the array law itself. If I discovered any “demonic” or deviating signs, I would stop.

While copying and deducing, I spent an hour simply grasping the general idea of the Four Symbols eagle pattern array law. The Four Symbols eagle pattern array law had only fourteen patterns. I drew it on paper once and then frowned again.

“Useless…” The array patterns were clearly drawn on the paper, exactly the same as on Bald Eagle’s head. Even some extremely fine strokes on the array patterns, similar to feathers, claws, and teeth, were perfectly replicated. But after injecting spiritual power, this array law had no reaction at all. In my divine sense vision, this array law was only a form, without spirit, and even less had the trajectory of flowing array power.

“Still missing something…” But what was it missing? Demonic power? Where could I get demonic power? It wasn’t possible not to be “human,” to go learn those demonic path demonic cultivators’ bloody demonic methods, to cultivate by eating people like demonic beasts, and nurture demonic power… I shook my head. This array law was temporarily useless…

But immediately, I became a little curious again. I remembered that Bald Eagle hadn’t cultivated demonic methods either, and his spiritual power was normal. Why could he draw this kind of demonic Four Symbols array law? Or, in essence, what was the Four Symbols array exactly used for?

I touched my chin and pondered carefully… The five elements and eight trigrams had a clear system, manipulating the natural power of the myriad phenomena of heaven and earth, such as metal, wood, water, fire, earth, wind, thunder, and lightning. What about the Four Symbols? It wouldn’t just be for manipulating demonic power, would it… If I manipulated demonic power, wouldn’t I be easily eroded by demonic power and “deviate” if I wasn’t careful?

I always felt that I was still ignoring something… I compared the Four Symbols eagle falcon demonic patterns with the basic, regular Four Symbols array patterns that Old Mister Xun had taught me. I used heavenly mechanism deduction to spy on the origin of the array patterns and deduce their various changes. Suddenly, I was startled, and my gaze sharpened.

In the trajectory of array pattern deduction in my sea of consciousness, these two types of array patterns, after several evolutions and comparisons, suddenly overlapped. The overlapping part revealed some more fundamental patterns! In a flash, I suddenly realized. The Four Symbols array patterns that Old Mister Xun had taught me were “beast patterns.” While the Four Symbols array patterns on Bald Eagle’s head were “demonic patterns.” Demonic and beast were not completely the same category, but they had the same source. Similarly, demonic patterns and beast patterns differed in form, but their fundamental array patterns were common. That is, both Four Symbols demonic patterns and Four Symbols beast patterns were based on a set of more underlying and basic Four Symbols array patterns. Below the basic, there was still the basic. Demonic patterns and beast patterns were both basic variations of the underlying “Four Symbols array patterns.” So, they were both Four Symbols array laws, but completely different.

“So that’s how it is…” My spirit was invigorated, and I began to carefully compare and cautiously deduce in my divine sense the overlapping trajectories of the array patterns to parse out these shared, basic Four Symbols array patterns. Array pattern by array pattern, I re-deduced, compared, parsed out, and drew them on paper…

After more than half an hour, I finally finished calculating. I arranged these more basic, universal Four Symbols array patterns together and looked at them carefully. These array patterns were more abstract than “eagle patterns” or “beast patterns.” More like… Chains, or cages…

Looking and looking, I suddenly opened my eyes wide, my heart and spirit shocked. These array patterns… I had seen them! I hurriedly opened my storage bag and flipped out several wooden boards from the bottom. These wooden boards were engraved with extremely similar patterns. Although the strokes were slightly different and the patterns also had many differences, my experience was rich, and I could tell at a glance that these two types of array patterns indeed came from the same vein of array law inheritance.

These wooden boards were… My gaze slightly condensed, and I murmured, “Yu Er…” At that eatery, when I rescued Yu Er from the human trafficker, Yu Er was locked in a box, and there was an array law drawn on the box. These wooden boards were from the wooden box that locked Yu Er. The array law on the wooden board was also that strange “lock” class array law that trapped Yu Er and isolated breath and perception.

Regarding that set of “lock class” array patterns, I had thoroughly understood some of their mysteries through strange calculation and heavenly mechanism deduction, mastering some of their “mutual generation and restraint” relationships, thereby unlocking the array lock. But because it was a blind guess, I knew how but not why, and I was completely ignorant of the fundamental array principles. Later, after joining the sect, I had many assignments and couldn’t be distracted, so I gradually forgot about these array patterns. I didn’t expect that by chance, I would actually see this set of “lock array” array patterns again…

But my understanding of these array patterns could only stop here. Because I didn’t have a complete inheritance, I could only grope to this extent. I had to find a way to get more Four Symbols array laws or array patterns of the same type… I frowned, my thoughts racing.

Four Symbols beast patterns… Four Symbols demonic patterns, the sin cultivator Bald Eagle… Four Symbols underlying array patterns, unknown lock array, Yu Er… Human trafficker, Old Big Jiang… I still remembered the crimes of Bald Eagle recorded in the wanted order issued by the Dao Court Division: “Forcibly dual cultivating female disciples, killing people, also acting as a human trafficker, selling young cultivators as ‘food’ for demonic cultivators…”

Acted as a “human trafficker”… My thoughts slightly moved. Old Big Jiang was a human trafficker, and Bald Eagle also acted as a human trafficker, selling cultivators… This didn’t mean that Bald Eagle and Old Big Jiang’s group possibly had an intersection, or colluded, did bad things together, or were even exactly one group. Old Big Jiang’s wooden box had a lock class Four Symbols array law on it, and Bald Eagle’s bald head had a demonic patterns Four Symbols array law on it… Therefore, the array laws they used should also be from the same source?

In my heart, a name suddenly popped up: Mister Tu… This Mister Tu was mentioned by Old Big Jiang and sounded very mysterious. In Old Big Jiang’s words, he was extremely respectful of him, even a little fearful.

“With Old Big Jiang’s group, it’s highly likely they are not good people…” “Called ‘Mister,’ they shouldn’t be brutes, not body cultivators, not personally wielding knives as executioners…” “Either they can deduce, or they can use array law, or both?” “Then this set of Four Symbols arrays, perhaps it’s exactly from the hand of ‘Mister Tu’?”

I nodded, and my mind gradually had a clear goal: Catch this mysterious “Mister Tu.” His body definitely had the Four Symbols array inheritance, and it was absolutely not an ordinary Four Symbols inheritance. This kind of “lock class” array pattern gave me the feeling that it was quite obscure and profound, approaching the deepest secrets of Four Symbols array law, even having a bit of the meaning of “five elements source patterns”…

I couldn’t help but lick my lips. This Mister Tu… Was a big fat sheep! If I truly caught him, not only could I shear his wool, but I could even eat his meat, roast his ribs, and even use his bones to stew soup! And also Yu Er… They had designs on Yu Er, and it was definitely with bad intentions. I absolutely could not let them go.

However, this “Mister Tu” might have a very high cultivation and not low attainment in array law. Even if he could deduce, he would probably also be very proficient… Moreover, he was still hiding in the dark, probably not so easy to drag out…

“Need to find clues, plan slowly…” “If it really doesn’t work, just report it to the Dao Court Division. There’s also the Taixu Sect, the Shangguan family and the Wen family, and Uncle Shangguan and Aunt Wan…” I counted in a circle and then discovered that I didn’t actually need to act personally. There were many “hands” to use. I only needed to see an opportunity and follow along to “pick up leaks.”

I nodded, feeling that this method was more stable. “But how to find this ‘Mister Tu’?” I went through the events after entering Qian State from beginning to end in my mind and found that the clues about this Mister Tu were pitifully few. The most obvious was just “human trafficker.”

I thought silently in my heart: “It seems that in the future sect tasks, I need to specifically look for some human trafficker bounties to do…” “And Old Big Jiang, as well as Bald Eagle…” “Although they are dead, their interpersonal relationships definitely still exist, and birds of a feather flock together. Those who are with them are necessarily not good people, and there’s a high probability they are also sin cultivators wanted by the Dao Court Division.” “Find these people, strictly torture… No, use the fireball technique to ‘enlighten’ them a bit. Their conscience will be discovered, and they should tell me some truth…”

“And also…” I again flipped out a jade token from my storage bag. It was the transmission token in Bald Eagle’s hand. I checked, and the transmission token was indeed clean, a blank piece. But I was an array master and knew the principle of “existence and non-existence mutually become.” “Existence” could become “non-existence,” and “non-existence” could turn into “existence.”

Moreover, Uncle Zhang Lan had also warned me, “Rain passes and leaves traces, geese pass and leave sounds. Cultivators doing any matter will leave traces…” Invisible did not mean non-existent.

I planned to research it and see if I could find clues about “Bald Eagle” from the transmission token. See who he communicated with, what messages they exchanged, and what they said.

After two days, I spent all my time researching the transmission token, but after researching for a long time, I made no progress. I was still completely ignorant of the mysteries within the transmission token. I sighed. Indeed, trying to build a car behind closed doors still wouldn’t work… My current attainment in array law, especially my experience in array law, was still not enough to support me in quickly seeing through the mysteries of a strange array law. Even with strange calculation and deduction.

But I was now in the sect, a disciple of the Taixu Sect. Why not just learn and ask questions when I didn’t understand… So I ran off to ask Old Mister Xun. Some things I couldn’t ask. For example, the Taixu Divine Thought Transform Sword True Art, or matters involving heavenly mechanism strange calculation and heavenly mechanism deduction. But the “transmission token” thing had no great causality, so asking about it should do no harm.

Old Mister Xun was a little surprised and asked: “Why are you suddenly asking about ‘transmission token’ matters?” I said shyly: “I came from a small immortal city in Li State and haven’t seen a transmission token before, so I’m temporarily a little curious…” “I think the transmission token definitely contains some array law principles, but I’ve pondered for several days with no clue, so I’ve come to ask for your guidance, Old Mister…”

Old Mister Xun nodded slightly. He had the desire to seek knowledge and a heart for seeking the Dao. When he encountered something curious, he knew to think for himself. When he couldn’t figure it out, he could humbly seek advice. Not bad… Old Mister Xun was very satisfied. As for the “transmission token” matter, although it was still a bit early to teach now, pointing it out in advance would let him know, and future learning would be twice the result with half the effort… Old Mister Xun thought silently, then opened his mouth and said:

“This type of array law is relatively complex and not suitable for you to learn now, but since you are curious, I will tell you some basic array principles, just so you have an idea…” “But don’t aim too high, don’t waste too much effort on this. You still need to be steady, step by step, and learn the regular array laws solid first…”

“Um um!” I kept nodding.

Old Mister Xun then said: “Transmission tokens are used for transmission, and the array law involved is the eight trigrams system ‘Zhen’ array law, which is commonly known as the ‘thunder pattern’ array law…” This was within my expectations. I thought and asked: “Old Mister, is the thunder pattern related to ‘Yuan magnetic’?”

Old Mister Xun nodded slightly, “That’s right, but the so-called ‘Yuan magnetic’ is different from the normal ‘thunder pattern’…” “The category of array patterns involved in the transmission token is not ‘thunder,’ but ‘electric,’ or more precisely, ‘magnetic’…” “Electric patterns, or magnetic patterns, are generally also classified into the eight trigrams Zhen system, but are uniformly called ‘secondary thunder patterns,’ meaning they are derived from the eight trigrams, have a thunder nature, but their power is weak, ‘secondary’ to true thunder, and are secondary array patterns of the thunder pattern…”

I suddenly realized. Secondary thunder patterns, secondary array patterns, also count as a type of array pattern variation. Similar to the array pattern changes based on Four Symbols demonic patterns and Four Symbols beast patterns.

Old Mister Xun said: “Secondary thunder patterns transform electric to produce magnetic, and are similar to the array laws of the five elements metal system that have magnetism and the function of Si Nan. They can be used for detection, induction, indication, and transmission.” “They are a secret class of array patterns.”

I nodded and couldn’t help but ask again: “Then… what about true thunder patterns?” Old Mister Xun’s gaze was slightly stern, and his expression also involuntarily solemn: “True thunder patterns are simply too complex and too powerful. This type of array law is extremely difficult to control…” “It is not only ‘Zhen trigram,’ but also contains many changes from ‘Qian trigram,’ ‘Kan trigram,’ and ‘Xun trigram’…” “Therefore, it is difficult to comprehend, difficult to control, and difficult to set up arrays.” “True thunder arrays have terrifying power, capable of wiping out all things.” “That is true heavenly thunder ah…”

Old Mister Xun sighed, his eyes showing awe: “Nine heavens thunder symbolizes majestic heavenly might, exterminates evil and punishes demons, connects heaven and penetrates earth, and is a derivation of the ‘kill’ path.” “Although ‘thunder patterns’ are considered eight trigrams, they contain the principles of many trigrams and are completely different from other eight trigrams array laws.” “To wield thunder patterns, one’s Dao heart must be upright.” “With the slightest evil or selfish thoughts, it is easy to suffer the backlash of heavenly thunder and receive ‘heavenly punishment,’ being buried under one’s own thunder array.” “Therefore, the inheritance of thunder arrays is extremely strict.” “In this world, there are few families that have true ‘thunder pattern’ inheritance.”

My heart was shocked. I thought of the “thunder pattern” that wiped out everything that I had left on the Dao stele, and I had some thoughts. But I also noticed another piece of information in Old Mister Xun’s words: “Few in number…” My eyes turned, “Meaning is… there are still families that inherit thunder patterns?”

Old Mister Xun nodded, “Yes, but most of these families have been struck by thunder, so they have either abandoned their inheritance and sought other development, or they have retreated to the hidden world and do not ask about mundane affairs, strictly guarding their own hearts.” “The only one that will pass down the thunder pattern generation after generation, and whose power is not small, is the Zheng family in Zhen State.”

“The Zheng family?” I was startled, “The Zheng Fang family?” Zheng Fang… I still remembered that among my fellow disciples, there was a disciple named Zheng Xuan with a square face, who was somewhat straightforward and occasionally silly. The first time Old Mister Xun let me substitute teach, Zheng Fang also used a family secret array law to “test” me a bit, and also let me stealthily learn an array law. Could that array law be a thunder array?

Old Mister Xun seemed to guess my thoughts and shook his head slightly, “Thunder arrays are not lightly passed on, even for direct descendants of the Zheng family, it’s the same way…” “Zheng Fang is still young, and he is not yet qualified to learn the thunder pattern inheritance. What he has learned is at most some basic secondary thunder array variations only…” “Not only Zheng Fang, but among all the Zheng family disciples who have joined various sects within the borders of Qian Xue State, no one is qualified to learn thunder arrays.”

I was a little regretful. Although when I thought about it, the thunder pattern was of great importance. Even if Zheng Fang was again “silly,” it would be impossible for him to use this array law to “test” me… Unless he was “possessed by a demon in his Dao heart” and lost his mind. Moreover, being possessed by a demon in my Dao heart, I also wouldn’t…

“Within the borders of Qian Xue State, no one has a thunder array?” I asked curiously again. “Yes.” Old Mister Xun said. I was slightly startled.

“Within the borders of this Qian Xue State, the only one who has the ‘thunder array’ inheritance…” Old Mister Xun frowned, recalled for a moment, then slowly said, “It should be… Zheng Wan Jun…”

“Zheng Wan Jun?” I was a little puzzled. I had never heard this name. Old Mister Xun nodded slightly, “He is one of the four great sects, one of the Qian Dao Sect’s, a featherized elder…”

Originally intended to write 4k and take a break, but unknowingly wrote 6k again…

(End of this chapter)