Chapter 57 Cultivation Technique_1
Translator: 549690339
Mo Hua couldn’t help but touch his face, then looked down at his clothes before asking in confusion, “What are you looking at?”
Bai Zisheng still couldn’t restrain himself and asked, “The formation you just drew… was it the Three Talents Formation?”
“Which kind of Three Talents Formation?”
“Are there many kinds of the Three Talents Formation?”
“What I mean is… was it the kind of Three Talents Formation that includes six formation patterns?”
“Yes, is there something wrong with that?”
Bai Zisheng’s gaze became slightly focused, “Your cultivation level… it’s only at the third layer of Qi Refinement, right?”
Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi looked at each other.
After pondering for a moment, Mo Hua suddenly realized:
“Drawing a formation with six formation patterns at the third layer of Qi Refinement, is that considered an impressive feat?”
He had assumed that in a major clan teeming with geniuses, the ability to draw a few extra patterns shouldn’t be too difficult.
Bai Zisheng was somewhat unconvinced, “It’s not that unusual.”
“Then could you draw the Three Talents Formation when you were at the third layer of Qi Refinement?”
Bai Zisheng didn’t want to answer and only after a long while did he hesitantly say:
“Well, about that… Although I couldn’t draw it, that’s because the teacher in our clan wouldn’t allow it. A Qi Refinement cultivator’s divine sense is weak. Forcing oneself to draw complex formations could lead to excessive divine sense consumption, and damage the Sea of Consciousness, making it impossible to become a Formation Master in the future. It’s best not to be overly eager for quick success and damage the foundation.”
“Oh,” Mo Hua half-believed.
“However,” Bai Zisheng added, “there are some cultivators in our clan with exceptional talents who could draw seven or eight patterns at the third level of Qi Refinement. That’s also not considered very rare.”
Mo Hua nodded, knowing that while his talent was not poor, it might not amount to much in the Tao Cultivation World filled with Heaven’s proud sons.
He understood the principle that there’s always someone better.
Bai Zisheng then patted Mo Hua on the shoulder, consoling him:
“Although it’s not rare for someone at the third layer of Qi Refinement to be able to draw six patterns, it’s still quite good. With such a talent for formations, even in our clan, you would be considered as having average talent. As long as you work hard, you will definitely achieve something in the area of formations in the future.”
After Bai Zisheng said this, Mo Hua actually felt more at ease.
His ambitions were not that grand; being able to become a rank-one Formation Master, to have a means of making a living in the Tao Cultivation World, and to bring happiness to his parents would be enough for now. Everything else could wait until later.
Only Bai Zixi silently watched Bai Zisheng from the side.
Bai Zisheng inexplicably felt a bit guilty, then he pretended to focus on his cultivation, observing his breath in a show of earnest practice.
Among Mr. Zhuang’s three nominal disciples, the siblings from the Bai family were twins: Bai Zisheng was the elder brother and Bai Zixi was the younger sister, both of whom were two or three years older than Mo Hua, with a cultivation level at the seventh layer of Qi Refinement, four levels above Mo Hua.
This was because the descendants of noble clans placed emphasis on a solid cultivation foundation and preferred steady progress rather than greedy advancement.
They had to take it step by step to build a solid foundation before attempting to break through to the next realm, otherwise, their cultivation would have been even higher than it was now.
In terms of proficiency with formations, Mo Hua felt that he might still catch up with the Bai siblings, but in terms of cultivation, he feared he might never be able to catch up.
Thus, Mo Hua dutifully cultivated each morning for about two hours, absorbing a spirit stone, slowly and steadily enhancing his cultivation with persistent effort.
Mo Hua, with only a mid-lower grade spiritual root, had no choice but to practice in this boring and mundane way, day after day.
Mo Hua was not in a hurry and couldn’t afford to be, because there was no use in hurrying; the progress of cultivation was mostly determined by the quality of the spiritual root, without any shortcuts.
One day, while Mo Hua was cultivating, he suddenly felt a tingling and slight swelling in his Qi Sea and knew that it had become full. It was time to consider breaking through to become a fourth-layer Qi Refinement cultivator.
In his surprise, Mo Hua suddenly realized he had forgotten something important:
He hadn’t chosen a cultivation technique!
Previously, he had planned to save enough spirit stones to choose an economical Small Five Elements cultivation technique at Tongxian Gate that wouldn’t consume too many Heaven and Earth spiritual items.
But then, there was a change in the Sect Leader of Tongxian Gate. Instructor Yan left the Sect, and the Outer Gate ceased teaching about formations. Mo Hua simply dropped out as well.
After being accepted as a nominal disciple by Mr. Zhuang, Mo Hua devoted all his attention to studying formations and thus neglected the selection of a cultivation technique.
Mo Hua’s parents both practiced cultivation techniques, but the techniques they cultivated were slightly different in attribute from Mo Hua’s and leaned more towards body cultivation, hence not quite suitable for Mo Hua to learn. Outside of Tongxian Gate, he had no way to learn a suitable technique either.
It’s best to start practicing a cultivation technique in the early stages of Qi Refinement. With Mo Hua about to reach the fourth layer, he couldn’t put off finding a cultivation technique any longer.
“Zisheng, when did you learn your cultivation technique?”
During their free time, Mo Hua curiously asked Bai Zisheng.
Bai Zisheng, discontented, said, “I’m older than you, so you should call me Brother Bai, or Senior Brother Bai, not by my name directly. It makes me seem like I have no seniority.”
“In a few days, when my father and the others return from monster hunting, I can take you to see what the monster beasts they hunt look like.”
“Really?” Bai Zisheng’s eyes lit up.
Bai Zisheng immediately said, “When Zixi and I first began our cultivation, we already started learning cultivation techniques. It’s naturally best to learn them as early as possible and, moreover, from a continuous line of transmission. Otherwise, the greater the differences in the techniques learned at different stages, the easier it is to suffer from cultivation deviation.”
Mo Hua nodded in agreement.
Bai Zisheng suddenly thought of something and exclaimed in surprise, “Don’t tell me you haven’t learned a cultivation technique yet.”
Mo Hua shook his head and said, “No, it’s not easy for a loose cultivator to choose a cultivation technique.”
“As difficult as it may be, it’s not to the extent that you don’t even have a cultivation technique…”
Mo Hua gave him a sidelong glance and said, “That’s being oblivious to other people’s situations.”
“It means you’re speaking without understanding the struggle.”
Bai Zisheng scratched his head and said, “It’s a pity that the techniques from our clan can’t be shared externally, otherwise, I’d secretly give you a few scarce and high-quality techniques.”
Mo Hua asked in confusion, “But isn’t the grade of a cultivation technique determined by a cultivator’s spiritual root? With a mid-lower grade spiritual root, one can only learn mid-lower grade techniques. If it’s mid-lower grade, can there be much difference in quality? Surely they can’t be better than high-grade techniques, right?”
“That’s where you’re wrong. Some special techniques have unique effects. Some are cultivated faster, some focus on body refinement, and others are suitable for alchemy…”
“Of course, the grade of the technique is still the most important, as the strength of a cultivator is mainly judged by the abundance of spiritual power. However, since one’s spiritual root is predetermined and cannot be changed, there’s not much to discuss there.”
Scarce cultivation techniques with unique effects…
Lost in thought for a moment, Mo Hua shook his head and said, “Even if there are scarce techniques, I wouldn’t be able to cultivate them. If a technique is scarce, then naturally, the spiritual objects required are also rare. If I can’t gather these objects for the rest of my life, won’t my cultivation remain stagnant forever…”
“That’s true, I forgot you’re from a loose cultivator background and can’t gather those rare heaven and earth spiritual objects…” Bai Zisheng frowned and then said, “How about you go ask Mr. Zhuang?”
After pondering for a moment, Mo Hua shook his head, “I’m already gratefully indebted to Mr. Zhuang for teaching me formation techniques. How could I be so greedy as to ask him to teach me cultivation techniques as well?”
Bai Zisheng nodded and said, “Good, that’s the spirit! Only someone like you deserves to be my little brother.”
Mo Hua corrected him, “I’m not your little brother.”
Bai Zisheng said, “How come you’re not? I’m older than you, so you have to call me big brother. Zixi, isn’t that right?”
As Bai Zisheng spoke, he turned to look at Bai Zixi, who kept her head down, engrossed in her book, and ignored him.
“Zixi is older than you too, so you should also call her Sister Zixi,” Bai Zisheng added.
Bai Zixi gave a slight start, and her dark eyelashes gently lifted as her eyes sparkled.
Mo Hua snorted coldly, “Keep dreaming.”
“So many people want to be my little brother, and I’m not even interested,” Bai Zisheng said, puffing up his chest.
“Who’s keen on that? I’m not taking you to see the monster beasts anymore,” Mo Hua retorted.
“Alright then,” Bai Zisheng said indignantly, “you’re not keeping your word. If we agreed on something, how can you go back on it?”
After a bout of bickering, Bai Zisheng agreed not to make Mo Hua call him big brother, and Mo Hua agreed to take him to see the monster beasts at the end of the month, bringing their disagreement to an end.
As everyone continued with their cultivation and reading until the evening, it was time to part. Bai Zisheng then asked, “So what are you going to do about your cultivation technique?”
“Hmm…” Mo Hua pondered and said, “I’ll go back and ask my parents. I intend to become a Formation Master anyway, and a Formation Master relies on Divine Sense rather than spiritual power, so having an adequate technique will suffice.”
“How can it just ‘suffice’? We’re all Mr. Zhuang’s apprentices. If your cultivation is lacking, wouldn’t that make me lose face?” Bai Zisheng said huffily, “I’ll look for a suitable technique for you when I get back, one that isn’t closely guarded by the clan. You can secretly learn it.”
Having said that, he then went back with Bai Zixi.
Mo Hua shook his head helplessly, but feeling the warmth from Bai Zisheng’s good intentions, he picked up his things and went home as well.
Meanwhile, Mr. Zhuang, resting in the bamboo room, opened his eyes. His pale, slender fingers tapped the armrest of the bamboo chair as he muttered to himself:
“A cultivation technique, huh…”