The Quest for Immortality Chapter 2: The Dao Stele

From the earliest memories of Mo Hua, a Dao Stele had materialized within his sea of consciousness, along with fragments of elusive recollections.

Those recollections depicted a short existence in a different realm, one barren of spiritual energy.

During that existence, Mo Hua's household was commonplace, yet he devoted himself to studies, excelled in academics, and secured entry into university, specializing in fine arts while harboring a deep interest in traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy.

Upon completing his studies, he joined a prominent firm as a graphic designer, frequently enduring overtime. In his twenties, exhaustion from labor claimed his life.

His student years were devoted to learning, and post-graduation, they were dominated by labor, all under relentless pressure and worry.

Upon awakening to reality, he understood that his existence had been foggy and ended abruptly.

In his last instants, scenes from his life unspooled before him like a cinematic sequence.

He comprehended that he had accomplished nothing of true worth: no devotion to his parents, no chase after aspirations, no romance, and no exploration of the world's grand vistas...

These recollections remained hazy, and at times, Mo Hua struggled to discern their authenticity.

Resembling Zhuangzi's dream of transforming into a butterfly, it remained ambiguous if it was Zhuangzi envisioning himself as a butterfly, or the butterfly imagining it was Zhuangzi.

With the passage of time, Mo Hua ceased to fret over it.

What had transpired was history, and presently, at ten years old, he inhabited a realm of cultivation.

Moreover, he was a cultivator.

A cultivator capable of grasping the heavenly Dao completely, roaming the nine provinces, seizing the sun and moon in one grasp, and interring the stars in the other!

Alternatively, he might end up as a cultivator dedicating his days to cultivating Qi, incapable of flight, combat, or numerous spells, leading a modest existence...

Absent the Dao Stele, Mo Hua suspected he would likely fall into the latter, unassuming category.

The Dao Stele hovered within Mo Hua's sea of consciousness.

It appeared broad, archaic, and peculiar in form, seeming intangible, yet emanating waves of deep and enigmatic energy. Occasionally, it looked completely tranquil, as though devoid of all presence...

Upon this ethereal surface of the stele, array formations could be inscribed, and with every inscription of an array, Mo Hua's spiritual sense grew stronger.

In the cultivation world, array formations commanded immense respect!

Mastering array formations stood as the toughest among all cultivation disciplines, where spiritual sense played the pivotal role!

Array formations comprised designs that represented the laborious renderings of the heavenly Dao by cultivators of antiquity.

The designs within arrays evoked ancient scripts or basic sketches, each harboring boundless enigmas.

Inscribing an array formation linked one's sea of consciousness to the heavenly Dao's hidden truths, demanding a substantial portion of spiritual sense.

Should a cultivator's spiritual sense prove inadequate, the act of inscribing an array might deplete it entirely, potentially fracturing the sea of consciousness and causing demise. To emerge as an array master, persistent study of diverse array designs and repeated practice of formations were essential.

Hence, acquiring and rehearsing array formations proved arduous, with many array masters perishing from spiritual sense depletion after compelling themselves to inscribe arrays.

Mo Hua inscribed array formations onto the Dao Stele, expending his spiritual sense, but upon erasing the inscriptions, his spiritual sense replenished immediately, rendering it plentiful.

From being to nothingness, then reverting from nothingness to being, it mirrored the grand Dao, deeply arcane.

Moreover, each inscription of an array formation slightly bolstered Mo Hua's spiritual sense. Though the gain was subtle, it was undeniably present.

To Mo Hua's knowledge, no dedicated cultivation methods existed in the cultivation realm for augmenting spiritual sense; such enhancements typically arose from advances in cultivation realms.

Thus, even a modest boost in spiritual sense held immense value.

By persistently inscribing array formations on the Dao Stele, Mo Hua could refine his array formation prowess, and through ongoing inscriptions, his spiritual sense would steadily fortify.

Possessing robust spiritual sense, Mo Hua could tackle more sophisticated and potent array formations.

Eventually, he could rise as a formidable array master via this method.

Array masters enjoyed exalted positions. Even commonplace array masters who inscribed arrays for others reaped substantial earnings in spirit stones.

Upon attaining array master status and mastering diverse profound arrays, one gained resources to sustain cultivation, avoiding a lifetime confined to merely cultivating Qi.

Mo Hua pondered silently to himself.

Nevertheless, ascending to array master status brimmed with obstacles.

Acquiring arrays and becoming an array master was demanding.

Within the cultivation classifications established by the Dao Court, the validation for array masters was the most rigorous and exacting.

Array formations consisted of patterns, where the most basic ones featured a single pattern. Every added pattern elevated the array's tier, amplifying its potency and necessitating more spiritual sense.

Inscribing one to five patterns marked one as an array apprentice.

Inscribing six to eight patterns could designate one as an array master, though such a status was merely average and unrecognized in the Dao Court's rankings.

Only by inscribing nine patterns and succeeding in the Dao Court's ranking trial could one attain the rank of a genuine first-class array master.

Achieving first-class array master status was nearly akin to reaching the heavens for a Qi-cultivating cultivator.

A first-class array master essentially became a distinguished guest among prominent families and sects. Even foundation-building cultivators hesitated to provoke them. Without effort, they received a steady supply of spirit stones monthly from the Dao Court's Tian Shu Pavilion, and hordes of young, alluring female cultivators clamored at their doors, competing to serve as their Dao companions.

Beyond the assessment's sheer difficulty, each state imposed a limit on first-class array master slots. Attaining this rank hinged on both diligence and fortune.

With misfortune, if a state's allocation was exhausted, even possessing first-class array master abilities wouldn't secure a slot in that trial, forcing a wait for the subsequent one.

Some array masters devoted their lifetimes to the trials, squandering their years in vain.

Myriad low-level cultivators drained their intellect and aged without fulfilling their dream of advancing to first-class array master.

The Dao Court's so-called quota constraints often served as pretexts orchestrated by major families and sects. They reserved the first-class array master title to glorify their heirs or prized disciples, highlighting them as prodigies.

Those low-level cultivators striving for first-class array master status were mere specks, overlooked entirely.

Night had fallen, and Mo Hua reclined in his quarters within the disciple's dwelling, his spiritual sense delving into the sea of consciousness, ceaselessly inscribing array formations on the Dao Stele.

The array formation Mo Hua inscribed was known as the Dual Element Array, comprising two patterns and ranking among the foundational array formations.

Yet, this particular array formation had eluded Mo Hua's successful inscription until now.

Disciples in the early Qi-cultivating phase, such as those in Tongxian Sect's outer sect, typically possessed inadequate spiritual sense and seldom mastered even a single-pattern array completely.

However, Mo Hua had already conquered the single pattern, inscribing it with ease.

Yearning to master more demanding array formations, Mo Hua rehearsed the two-pattern Dual Element Array on the Dao Stele each night.

After scores of nights filled with relentless practice and unwavering resolve, Mo Hua at last triumphed.

For an array master studying array formations, every pattern represented a barrier, and adding one was like ascending a rung.

Mastering two patterns signified that Mo Hua's spiritual sense and array expertise surpassed far beyond his fellow early Qi-cultivating outer sect disciples at Tongxian Sect.

His array expertise likely stood unparalleled among them.

Mo Hua exhaled in relief. As the hour of Mao dawned and light pierced the sky, his spiritual sense withdrew from the sea of consciousness, and Mo Hua's eyes fluttered open.

Having inscribed arrays throughout the night, Mo Hua's spiritual sense stayed sharp, free of weariness, as if he had enjoyed a deep slumber.

He parted the window, allowing morning rays to illuminate his pale, refined features.

Beyond the window, the ascending sun bathed the heavens in pinkish glows.

The ten-year-old Mo Hua inhaled deeply, fixing a resolute gaze upon the distant skyline.

Provided he persisted in practicing array formations and refining his spiritual sense without cease, one day, he would undoubtedly emerge as a first-class array master.

In that instant, akin to the ascending sun, he would stride forward markedly on his pursuit of the immortal path.

And he would transcend being merely a Qi cultivator.