Chapter 190: Completion of the Diagrams
Master Ban felt inexplicably reassured when he saw the calm confidence on Mo Hua's face.
Though he had always shown great respect toward formation masters, deep down he held a measure of resentment. It was not out of choice; under another's roof, one must bow their head.
Formation masters were formation masters, while they were merely craftsmen.
Formation masters could live in grand, lofty caves, while craftsmen like them were only fit to build those caves.
Most of the architecture in the cultivation world had been erected brick by brick by craftsmen like them, yet not a single brick ever belonged to them.
However, Mo Hua was unlike any formation master he had ever met, neither aloof nor arrogant, but with eyes as clear as a mountain spring.
Master Ban looked at Mo Hua and could not help but smile.
Seeing that Master Ban's frown had finally lifted, Mo Hua smiled as well. "Leave the formations to me. You can rest easy."
Master Ban nodded firmly. "I will."
He raised his cup with a grin. "Let me toast to you."
Mo Hua had neither a cup nor wine, and besides, the liquor was too strong for his liking. He instead held up the chicken leg in his hand and clinked it against the cup. "Cheers!"
Master Ban burst into laughter, the last of his worries melting away. He drained his cup in one gulp, savoring the flavor. "Good wine!"
...
Over the next few days, Mo Hua began accelerating the formation-drawing process.
The deeper his cultivation of the Celestial Evolution Art, the stronger his control over his Divine-Sense became, and the faster his formation drawing progressed.
Moreover, every formation used here was one Mo Hua had practiced many times before, whether on Dao Stele or formation papers, each formation rune already etched deeply into his memory.
His wrist moved like flowing water, his brush dancing through the air. Lines of formation runes appeared one after another, each diagram forming seamlessly.
Master Ban was left utterly speechless, while even Elder Yu, who had long since grown used to Mo Hua's skill, found himself secretly astonished.
Such mastery, so natural and unerring, was something only a formation master who had immersed themselves for centuries could possess.
Every stroke carried certainty. He hardly needed to look; the formations seemed to flow forth naturally from his brush.
...
After another ten days or so, Mo Hua completed all the formations required for the Artifact Refining Workshop's architecture.
The progress had been delayed by five or six days, mostly because of the repeated disruptions from the Qian family. The foundation had been damaged and rebuilt multiple times; wooden beams had collapsed and been re-erected; formation lines had been smeared and had to be redrawn. Otherwise, construction would have been completed even earlier.
Master Ban stared at the intricate web of formations spread across the walls and structures of the Artifact Refining Workshop, eyes wide with disbelief.
So many formations... had Mo Hua truly drawn them all by himself?
Even though he had seen Mo Hua's astonishing speed before and had mentally prepared himself, witnessing it after completion was still shocking beyond words.
This was the largest Artifact Refining Workshop in Tōngxiān City, yet all of its formations had been drawn by a single person!
Master Ban pinched his thigh hard. The sharp pain made him sigh in relief, it was not a dream.
With the formation work complete, Mo Hua's responsibilities were, for the moment, fulfilled. The rest would be handled by the craftsmen, sealing the formations and refining the architectural finish.
Those matters were now Master Ban's concern.
Mo Hua rubbed his wrist and rotated his shoulder joints.
After days of constant work, the major task was now done. He could finally take a brief rest and review his gains and shortcomings in formation technique.
The architectural formations he had drawn were primarily of the Earth and Wood attributes, supplemented by Metal, Water, and Fire, essentially covering the full Five Elements.
The Five-Element formations were the most widely applied in the cultivation world. Through this opportunity, Mo Hua had broadened his understanding of basic formation systems, strengthened his grasp of elemental applications, and gained deeper insight into how formations interacted with one another.
Furthermore, after this period of ceaseless formation drawing, his Divine-Sense had clearly grown stronger, and his control more refined. His foundational understanding of formations had also deepened considerably.
Satisfied, Mo Hua nodded slightly and began preparing for the next stage of his formation studies.
Master Ban busied himself with completing the final construction of the Artifact Refining Workshop. With the formation problem resolved, the project could proceed smoothly, and the completion deadline would be met. A weight lifted from his shoulders, and his whole body felt lighter.
Once the Artifact Refining Workshop was finished, the spirit stones would be paid out. He would be able to settle accounts with his craftsmen and disciples, and everyone could return home to celebrate the new year.
Thinking of this, Master Ban felt relaxed from head to toe. After months of toil, he would finally sleep soundly that night.
...
Meanwhile, Qian Hong's brow was furrowed.
According to the Qian family disciples' reports, those craftsmen had already begun the final stage of construction.
To him, that was utterly impossible.
The finishing stage meant that all the formations had already been drawn.
Even if only basic formations were used, it was inconceivable that they could be completed so quickly, especially since he had repeatedly sent people to interfere and delay progress.
In his estimation, even under ideal circumstances, the Artifact Refining Workshop could not be finished for another month. Yet they were already completing it?
"Could it be another trick from Yu Changlin?" Qian Hong muttered. "Trying to make me believe the Workshop is done so that the Qian family gives up?"
Yu Changlin was thick-skinned and cunning enough for such schemes.
Qian Hong's eyes narrowed slightly. He summoned Master Qian, and together they went to a teahouse near the Artifact Refining Workshop, taking a private room with a clear view. Extending their Divine-Sense outward, they scanned the site.
Master Qian withdrew his Divine-Sense after a single sweep and spoke gravely. "The formations are complete."
Qian Hong's eyes widened in shock. "What level of formations are we talking about?"
Master Qian hesitated briefly, then said slowly, "In comparison to the formations of our Qian family estate, they are nearly on par."
Qian Hong could hardly believe his ears. "Impossible!"
The formations of their family estate had been personally designed by a First-grade Formation Master, with several formation masters working together to draw them, a project that had taken considerable time and resources.
How could Yu Changlin, with his limited means, construct a mere Artifact Refining Workshop whose formations could rival theirs?
Master Qian himself looked doubtful. Frowning in thought, he said, "I only swept through with Divine-Sense and did not examine closely, but the strength of the outer wall formations is indeed extraordinary."
"You mean…" Qian Hong prompted.
"Perhaps they focused only on the outer wall formations," Master Qian suggested. "The interior formations may be quite crude... or possibly, there are hardly any inside at all."
Qian Hong nodded. That explanation sounded entirely reasonable.
Otherwise, it made no sense that such an enormous structure could have its formations completed in so short a time by a handful of craftsmen.
"There is one more point," Master Qian added. "Even if we only consider the outer wall formations, judging by their density and strength, it would be impossible for one or two Formation Masters to have completed them alone."
Qian Hong's brow furrowed deeply. The same question surfaced in both their minds:
Just how many formation masters were hidden among those Demon Hunters?
(End of Chapter)