Chapter 132: Formation Core
Mo Hua began drawing the Compass Mother-and-Child Composite Formation upon the Dao Stele.
A single formation starts with the formation runes, connecting each independent rune through the formation core.
A composite formation, however, begins from the formation core itself, using it as the central contract to coordinate multiple single formations.
When drawing a single formation, the brush may pause, but the Divine-Sense must never break.
Once the Divine-Sense severs, one can no longer link to the Dao mysteries within the formation, resulting in failure and invalidation of the runes drawn.
According to Mister Zhuang, formation masters call this "completed in a single thought."
That is, one's divine-sense intent remains unbroken, drawing the formation in one continuous breath.
A single formation must be completed in one thought.
But a composite formation is different, it doesn't require the entire thing to be done in a single thought.
Otherwise, a composite formation—containing multiple single formations and dozens of runes—would be impossible for a Qi-Refining cultivator to complete in one go.
Composite formations were conceived by ancient cultivators who studied the workings of creation, designed to bypass the limit of a cultivator's Divine-Sense while enhancing formation efficacy.
When a cultivator's Divine-Sense cannot expand or comprehend more runes, they can interlink multiple single formations to achieve greater power.
That is the composite formation.
Hence, composite formations are relatively divisible and combinable. Within a composite formation, only the cores and their corresponding single formations need continuous divine-sense intent, there's no need for the whole thing to be completed in one breath.
Mo Hua's Divine-Sense projection stood before the Dao Stele, finger serving as the brush, as he began to draw the formation core of the Compass Mother-and-Child Formation.
The strokes of a formation core differ from those of formation runes.
Since it must channel spiritual power and command the formation as a whole, the strokes are bolder, the structure more stable, and the Divine-Sense required significantly greater.
The Compass Mother-and-Child Composite Formation 's strongest single formation contains eight runes.
Thus, its formation core must require Divine-Sense not less than that level, roughly equivalent to eight formation runes.
Although not reaching the ninth-rune threshold, it consumed noticeably more Divine-Sense than a standard eight-rune formation.
Mo Hua's Divine-Sense was just enough to complete this core, though it was quite taxing.
After the core was finished, there were still follow-up formations to draw. It couldn't be erased or redone; Divine-Sense couldn't be retrieved.
Hence, Mo Hua could only sit down and meditate, letting his Divine-Sense slowly recover.
This was Mo Hua's first time practicing the Meditation Art within his Sea of Consciousness.
Entering stillness and calming the mind here was far easier than outside, and faintly, he seemed to resonate with the Dao Stele.
Within his Divine-Sense, he could perceive a faint aura of an ancient, primordial Dao.
Yet when he tried to probe deeper, there was nothing at all.
Mo Hua frowned, unable to make sense of it.
After a while, he stopped overthinking and calmly meditated, restoring his Divine-Sense.
Before long, his Divine-Sense brimmed full once again, recovering far faster than it ever did outside.
He wasn't sure whether it was due to the Sea of Consciousness or the Dao Stele.
With his mind replenished, Mo Hua continued drawing.
After completing the formation core, the next step was to follow its framework and draw the Compass mother and child formations at specific positions.
The mother formation of the Compass contains eight runes, it's of the Metal Element, built upon the structure of common Five-Element formations, not particularly difficult.
After observing it several times, Mo Hua could already replicate it.
The child formation was simpler, as it had only three runes. Mo Hua needed only a glance to know how to draw it.
His hand moved smoothly and boldly; within half an hour, the entire Compass Mother-and-Child Composite Formation was complete.
The whole array was far more intricate than any he had drawn before, yet carried a profound, intricate beauty.
So this is a composite formation…
Mo Hua stood dazed, admiring it for a while, filled with wonder.
As expected, only the difficult formations are truly satisfying to draw.
The principle of the Compass Mother-and-Child Formation lies in the linkage between the two.
When the child formation senses spiritual fluctuation, the mother formation responds.
Mo Hua's Divine-Sense stirred slightly, lighting the child formation, and in the next instant, a point on the mother formation began to glow as well.
The shining point corresponded exactly to the activated child formation.
Success!
Mo Hua's spirit lifted, joy spreading across his face, but then he frowned.
Though the formation succeeded, many crucial points remained unclear.
For instance, what exactly is a formation core?
What role does it truly play?
Why does lighting the child formation cause the mother formation to resonate?
And within other composite formations, how would the linked single arrays interact…?
"It seems I'll have to ask Mister Zhuang."
Mo Hua thought to himself, then—since dawn had yet to break—he stayed before the Dao Stele and practiced drawing the Compass Composite Formation several more times.
...
At daybreak, Mo Hua brought some pastries, wild fruits, wine, and pine nuts, and went to visit Mister Zhuang.
Recently, Mister Zhuang's palate had turned toward lighter fare, he said he wished to "purify heart and diminish desire."
But isn't the desire to eat plain food still… a kind of desire?
Mo Hua didn't quite understand, but wisely refrained from asking.
"Learned it already?"
Mister Zhuang sipped his wine, looking relaxed.
Mo Hua nodded. "Yes!"
Mister Zhuang's eyelid twitched slightly.
That fast?
It had only been one night…
"I still have some doubts, and would like to ask, sir."
Mo Hua spoke respectfully, voice obedient and polite.
Mister Zhuang raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "What would you like to ask?"
Mo Hua explained his confusions from drawing the Compass Composite Formation , highlighting several important ones.
Mister Zhuang tapped the arm of his bamboo chair thoughtfully and asked in return:
"What do you think a formation core is?"
Mo Hua thought for a moment. "A kind of formation structure?"
"Yes… but also no."
Mo Hua blinked, puzzled.
Mister Zhuang continued, "The core of a single formation is a structural component, but the core of a composite formation is more akin to an entire formation in itself."
"A formation… itself?"
"Indeed. You may regard it as a special formation—one with specific position and function that governs others."
Mo Hua pondered carefully, then nodded slowly.
He asked, "I understand the positional part, but what exactly do you mean by the core's 'function'?"
"The formation core is the hub of a composite formation, it controls the flow of spiritual power, harmonizes the various single formations, and coordinates all runes.
Its specific function varies, but the most common involve regulating the flow of power, its opening and closing, sequencing, repulsion, suppression, gathering, and dispersal…"
Mo Hua's head spun; his brows knitted tightly together.
Mister Zhuang chuckled. "Simply put, it controls the rhythm of spiritual flow in the composite formation: when it activates or rests, how forces repel or align, how strength is boosted or restrained, and how energy concentrates or spreads."
Mo Hua began to grasp it and said,
"So, like the Compass Mother-and-Child Formation, it uses the metallic energy's magnetic repulsion and attraction. When the child formation moves, the mother formation reacts accordingly…"
His eyes lit up as he continued,
"I once repaired Elder Feng's alchemy furnace, the formation inside was a Wood-Fire Control Composite Formation . Wood generates Fire; the Wood-type formation amplifies the Fire-type one. Would that be considered the 'strength' part of the core's 'suppression and enhancement' function?"
Mister Zhuang nodded approvingly.
Mo Hua thought again, but no further examples came to mind, he hadn't yet encountered other composite formations.
He frowned slightly, then another question struck him.
"Sir, what about Grand formations?"
Mister Zhuang's gaze sharpened, expression turning solemn as he spoke slowly:
"You wish to learn grand formations…?"
Mo Hua looked puzzled. "Can't I learn them?"
Mister Zhuang paused, then his brow relaxed into a smile.
"Of course you can. They're all formations, why wouldn't you be able to learn them?"
Mo Hua's eyes brightened with anticipation.
But Mister Zhuang lightly flicked Mo Hua's forehead.
"Don't reach too high too soon. Master what's before you first, Grand formations can wait."
"Oh…" Mo Hua rubbed his forehead softly.
"Go on, keep studying well." Mister Zhuang's tone grew gentle as he waved his sleeve.
"Mm! Please rest well, sir. Your disciple takes his leave."
Mo Hua bowed respectfully and departed, while Mister Zhuang watched him go from his bamboo hut.
(End of Chapter)