Chapter 196: The Great Furnace
After mastering the First-grade Molten Fire Array, the next step was to inscribe it onto a refining furnace.
The following day, Elder Yu informed Mo Hua that the furnace had arrived.
A massive refining furnace, several zhang high, stood imposingly in the courtyard.
Its design was simple and classical: three-legged, with a lid like an eave, a belly as large as a basin, all covered in cloud patterns. Cast entirely from refined iron, it radiated a deep black-gray luster.
Mo Hua looked up at the furnace, unable to hide his astonishment.
At barely over ten years old, he appeared even smaller standing before it.
It wasn't just Mo Hua who was amazed; Master Chen was equally stunned.
He paced around the furnace, glancing left and right, wanting to touch it but hesitant, as if it were a mirage that would vanish if touched.
He had never seen a furnace of this size in his life.
In his youth, he had always borrowed others' furnaces for study, small, simple, weak in firepower, taking forever to heat even a single iron rod. It was exhausting and rarely produced quality artifacts.
Later, working as a refiner's assistant, he labored day and night, saving spirit stones until he could purchase his own furnace. With that furnace, he finally qualified to open his own refining shop.
His furnace and shop were modest, but he was satisfied.
So many refiners might spend their whole lives without owning a furnace, let alone opening a shop.
He had seen First-grade furnaces at large shops before, and the sight of the massive furnaces with roaring fires always filled him with envy.
But those were others' furnaces; they had nothing to do with him. He might never use a First-grade furnace to forge a spiritual artifact in his life.
Yet now, a brand-new, fully intact furnace stood right before him.
This was a true First-grade refining furnace, larger than any he had seen before.
And he could use it to forge spiritual artifacts!
Master Chen could hardly believe it, feeling as though he were dreaming.
Elder Yu said proudly, "So, what do you think? Big enough?"
Mo Hua nodded slowly. "It's… really big."
"Didn't you ask for the largest furnace possible?"
"I did, but this… might be a little too big," Mo Hua said, astonished. Then he asked, "Are all First-grade furnaces this large?"
"No," Elder Yu replied. "This one is exceptionally large, which is why it couldn't be sold."
Mo Hua froze. "Couldn't be sold?"
"Yes. Too big to be practical, no one wanted it," Elder Yu said, examining the furnace. "Most small shops use smaller furnaces. Even medium or large shops don't need one this huge."
"A larger furnace is harder to inscribe, uses more materials, costs more, and sells for more. If we hadn't mined a spirit ore and had ample funds, we couldn't even afford it."
Mo Hua asked curiously, "If no one wanted it, why make such a big furnace?"
"How else would they know it wouldn't sell?" Elder Yu patted the furnace. "Besides, it has been sold now, we bought it!"
Mo Hua had no argument.
Elder Yu chuckled. "We even got a bargain. This furnace sat for years with no buyers. It gave me an excuse to drive the price down hard."
Mo Hua thought silently: if Elder Yu calls it "hard," the price must have been slashed fiercely…
"All right, the furnace is ready. Now it's up to you," Elder Yu said, patting Mo Hua's shoulder.
"Don't worry!" Mo Hua said confidently.
Mo Hua had the furnace unpacked and measured, recording its dimensions and specifications on paper. Then he began designing the formation.
Such a large furnace was perfect for Mo Hua to attempt a First-grade Molten Fire Composite Formation.
There were many types of Composite formations that included a First-grade Molten Fire Array, and furnaces came in various sizes and shapes. Choosing the right formation, designing the composite layout, and inscribing it onto the furnace required careful thought.
After deliberation, Mo Hua selected a formation called the First-grade Molten Fire Spiritual-Control Composite Formation for this large First-grade furnace.
The formation consisted of a basic Five-Element array structure, maintaining two First-grade Molten Fire Arrays, one Spirit-Gathering Formation, one Cold Energy Formation, and one Golden-Stone Formation, five formations in total, including two First-grade formations!
This was the most difficult formation Mo Hua had ever drawn. The spiritual power consumption was enormous, and the required intensity of Divine-Sense was astonishing.
Mo Hua decided that if he could master it, he would inscribe the entire Composite formation. If not, he could compromise by omitting one of the First-grade Molten Fire Arrays, which would significantly reduce the difficulty.
This compromise would serve as a safety measure, though his goal was to complete the full composite formation if possible.
After all, opportunities like this—practicing formations on such a massive First-grade furnace—were rare. Who knew if anyone would buy another furnace this large for him to practice on?
Mo Hua carefully designed the formation diagram based on the furnace's size, interior layout, and the basic formations required for the First-grade Molten Fire Spiritual-Control Composite formation.
After reviewing it, he felt he had considered everything, or at least everything he could.
He then showed the diagram to Mister Zhuang.
Mister Zhuang couldn't help raising an eyebrow, thinking his disciple's requests were getting increasingly audacious.
Mo Hua was only a Sixth-Level Qi Refining cultivator, yet he brought a Composite formation containing two First-grade formations, adapted to a furnace, for consultation.
While not perfect, the basic elements were in place and usable.
Mister Zhuang glanced over it and casually pointed out a few areas. "Consider these carefully. With your current design, the spiritual energy flow will be obstructed, and more spirit stones will be consumed during refining."
Mo Hua nodded quickly. Spirit stones were precious and could not be wasted.
"Also, the Formation core here does more than link formations into a composite structure. It controls the flow of spiritual energy, regulating the furnace's heat. Pay close attention when you draw it," Mister Zhuang instructed.
"Yes, sir," Mo Hua replied.
He asked several more questions, and Mister Zhuang answered them all.
When Mo Hua finished and was about to leave, he hesitated and asked humbly, "Sir, do I now have the strength of a First-grade formation master?"
Mister Zhuang silently looked at him. "You do."
'You're already drawing a Composite Formation with two First-grade formations; if you weren't First-grade, there wouldn't be many such masters in the cultivation world,' he thought silently.
Mo Hua asked again, "Should I go take the Dao Court grading test?"
Mister Zhuang remained silent, thinking deeply before saying, "No rush. Early fame isn't always good. You still have much to learn. Focus on consolidating your skills first."
(End of Chapter)