Chapter 73: Qi-Refining Fourth Layer
From then on, Mo Hua continued to practice formations as Mister Zhuang had instructed—learning through application.
Both Master Chen's refining furnace and Elder Feng's pill furnace had already suffered under Mo Hua's "experiments."
In fact, within the whole neighborhood, there was hardly anything left for him to "unleash his grand talents" upon.
So Mo Hua had to settle for second-best—practicing on simpler formations, such as the Double-Lock Formation on doors, the Earth-Stone Formation on walls, or the Bright Flame Array on lamps.
In the cultivation world, formations were used everywhere—from offensive spirit tools to defensive armor, even to everyday necessities of food, clothing, shelter, and transport.
Yet among low-tier rogue cultivators, formation use was crude and shallow—many barely consisted of one or two runes, hardly qualifying as true formations.
By comparison, Master Chen's refining furnace and Elder Feng's pill furnace were already considered "high-end goods."
Elder Feng's pill furnace, especially, even employed a triple-layered composite formation to harmonize Wood and Fire spiritual forces—a feat few formation masters in all of Tōngxiān City could accomplish.
For about a month, Mo Hua went around helping neighbors—repairing doors, mending walls, fixing lamps. These were menial tasks that hardly showcased formation skill, but the local cultivators were deeply grateful nonetheless.
Since spirit stones were scarce, they'd usually thank him with spirit melons or vegetables they grew themselves. The gifts were light, but the sentiment was heavy.
Mo Hua's family wasn't wealthy, and there were countless rogue cultivators in Tōngxiān City even poorer than they. Ordinary cultivators scrimped and saved—using worn-out tools and letting damaged formations deteriorate.
After all, hiring a formation master could cost more than buying something new.
Formation masters were rare. Once trained, most served noble clans, sects, or major cultivation powers—where they could earn more spirit stones and, more importantly, further their craft.
"One learns martial and literary arts to serve the royal house."
That line from Mo Hua's past-life memories rang in his mind. Those who stepped into the gates of high families or great sects naturally looked down on the poor and lowly.
Such was human nature—the coldness of the world's heart.
Thinking of this made Elder Feng all the more admirable—a first-grade alchemist who still refined pills to heal the poor.
And so Mo Hua spent his days repairing formations—mostly low-tier ones containing two or three runes. Still, the repetition helped him deepen his understanding and strengthen his memory.
Formations drawn on paper used the paper itself as the medium, but real formations could be drawn on stone, wood, or metal—anything could serve as an array medium.
Paper-drawn formations could function, but they were transient—one-use only, never enduring.
Only by engraving formations into the world itself—into earth, wood, stone, and spirit tools—could one truly comprehend the Dao of Formations and follow the laws of heaven.
Drawing on different mediums consumed more Divine-Sense and spiritual power, demanding finer precision and greater control.
But with persistent practice came deeper insight.
After some time, whenever Mo Hua studied formations again, a new clarity dawned upon him.
The runes no longer looked obscure or abstract—they seemed alive, like vivid traces of heaven and earth's spiritual flow.
When he sank his Divine-Sense into his Sea of Consciousness, gazing at that intricate web of spiritual power—the mystery puzzle array—it no longer felt so impenetrable.
The currents of power within it now flowed clearer and smoother.
That day, Mo Hua began unraveling the mystery puzzle array by following the principles of elemental generation and restraint that Mister Zhuang had taught him.
With each stroke of his pale, slender fingers, one rune after another appeared—then faded—like threads of silk being drawn apart, until the entire weave loosened and dissolved into his Sea of Consciousness.
He faintly sensed that with each rune he dispelled, the connection between his Divine-Sense and spiritual power grew stronger.
Finally, when the last rune vanished, the whole mystery puzzle array dispersed. His Sea of Consciousness returned to normal, as if nothing had happened—save for that solitary Dao Stele still standing quietly at its center.
"Did I... actually solve it?"
Mo Hua scratched his head. Then, as he tried to circulate his spiritual power, his Sea of Consciousness suddenly trembled—like a stomach that hadn't eaten for days, now burning with sudden hunger.
Startled, Mo Hua quickly pulled out a handful of spirit stones, absorbing the spiritual energy within.
Only after refining more than ten stones did the turbulence gradually calm.
Looking inward, Mo Hua saw that his spiritual power was far denser, his Divine-Sense stronger.
"Qi-Refining... Fourth Layer!"
Overjoyed, he couldn't sleep a wink.
He lit a lamp, spread fresh paper, and began drawing a Three Talents Formation.
That formation contained six first-grade runes.
Before, his Divine-Sense had been too weak—he could draw it, but barely. Now, with his cultivation breakthrough, his strokes flowed effortlessly.
When he finished, he suddenly remembered, it was already past midnight. He could've drawn it on the Dao Stele instead. What a waste of paper and ink!
Still... waste or not, "even a mosquito's meat is meat."
Feeling slightly heartbroken, he once again sank his Divine-Sense into his Sea of Consciousness and freely drew formations upon the Dao Stele.
Formations that once strained him now felt light as air. No wonder people always said—cultivation realm is the foundation of all.
Mo Hua drew until dawn, then rushed to tell his parents the good news.
Mo Shan had just returned from the mountains, having hunted a few wild bull demons, and was resting at home. Upon hearing it, he and Liu Ruhua were both overjoyed, immediately preparing a small banquet for family and friends.
Breaking through from Qi-Refining Third to Fourth Layer marked one's step from the early to the mid stage of Qi-Refining—a milestone worth celebrating.
When Dà Hu, Shuāng Hu, and Xiao Hu broke through the same stage, they'd hosted one too, though the Meng family was poor—so the three boys had pooled their savings for a single joint feast.
That day, the family tavern closed for business. Mo Shan had a whole bull demon hauled back from the hunt, its meat seasoned and stewed by Liu Ruhua's skilled hands, and tables were set right there in the eatery.
Master Chen and Dazhu came, along with the rest of Chen's apprentices. Dà Hu and his brothers, of course, too. Some lesser-known rogue cultivators whom Mo Hua had helped brought small gifts in thanks but didn't stay; Liu Ruhua sent them off with parcels of beef as return gifts.
Though modest, the feast brimmed with warmth. There was no spirit beast meat—it was too costly—but the wild beef was plentiful, and Liu Ruhua's cooking was famous for its flavor. Everyone ate and drank heartily.
Mister Zhuang disliked crowds, and the Bai siblings' status was special, so Mo Hua hadn't invited them. Instead, he'd set aside extra dishes and pastries to send to them the next day.
Bai Zixi thanked him, tasting the crisp pastries and sweet wine with evident satisfaction.
Bai Zisheng, however, looked regretful—he'd wanted to join the noise and laughter, to drink and feast like the others. But he knew it was impossible. Aunt Xue might be gentle, yet her discipline was absolute.
Mo Hua had been feeling a little sympathetic—until Bai Zisheng asked curiously:
"Is it really worth celebrating just for reaching the Fourth Layer of Qi-Refining?"
In that instant, all Mo Hua's sympathy evaporated without a trace.
For ordinary rogue cultivators, the Qi-Refining stage was often the end of the road.
So every single step forward... was worth celebrating.
(End of Chapter)