Since Mo Hua began studying the Magma Array, sixteen days have passed.
On this day, Mo Hua got up early. The morning sunlight bathed the table in a fresh and bright light, devoid of the oppressive heat of midday.
Mo Hua laid out paper on the table and adjusted the red ink before he began to draw the Magma Array.
This had been Mo Hua’s daily routine for over ten days.
But today was different; Mo Hua was set to draw a complete Magma Array for the first time.
The previous night, in his sea of consciousness, Mo Hua was able to draw the Magma Array on the remnants of a stele, indicating his spiritual sense was now strong enough to support drawing five array patterns.
After repeated practice and a repair session on the artifact crafting furnace at Chen's Artifact Crafting Shop, Mo Hua had mastered the array patterns.
Mo Hua drew carefully and cautiously. An hour later, as he felt a prickling sensation in his spiritual sense growing towards exhaustion, he completed the final stroke of the Magma Array.
Mo Hua infused a bit of spiritual power into it. The spiritual power slowly flowed along the red array patterns, starting from the first stroke of the first pattern, gradually moving to the last stroke of the fifth pattern, seamlessly connecting the whole array without any obstructions.
Mo Hua exhaled deeply, feeling the fulfillment of gradual progress reaching fruition.
"A five-pattern array!"
At the third level of Qi-cultivation, he was able to draw an array with five patterns.
Mo Hua knew that a normal third-level Qi-cultivator could at most draw three patterns. Disciples from large families and sects, with higher talents and better legacies, might perform better in the same realm, but not by much.
With a nod, Mo Hua acknowledged this.
Moreover, the more he drew, the stronger his spiritual sense would become, making it easier to learn arrays and eventually become a first-rank Array Master.
Even if he were just an ordinary Array Master, not officially certified, he would earn a considerable amount of spirit stones, easing his parents' hardships.
Thinking this, Mo Hua couldn't help but feel happy.
Then, the fatigue from practicing the array over the past few days hit him, and he fell asleep on his bed.
Liu Ruhua entered the room carrying freshly washed wild fruits. Seeing the freshly drawn array on the table and Mo Hua sleeping soundly on the bed, she tidied up the table. She then covered Mo Hua's belly with a fur blanket and watched him for a long time.
Seeing Mo Hua sleeping sweetly, dreaming of unknown delights as saliva glistened at the corner of his mouth, Liu Ruhua couldn't help but laugh. She wiped his mouth with her sleeve before leaving the room.
A few days later, Da Zhu came to inform Mo Hua that the furnace had been completed.
Da Zhu, Master Chen's eldest disciple, was tall and robust, with a simple and honest smile.
Following Da Zhu to Chen's Artifact Crafting Shop, Mo Hua saw a man-height furnace, its design ancient yet robust, with three legs and a rounded belly, the lid open, waiting for an array to be drawn inside before sealing.
"The furnace is forged, young brother, take a look, are you satisfied?"
Mo Hua circled the furnace, inspecting it from all angles and touching it to feel its solid craftsmanship, indicative of high-quality materials and meticulous attention to detail.
"Not bad at all, Master Chen! This is the best spiritual tool I've seen," Mo Hua said, although he hadn't seen many spiritual tools.
Master Chen stroked his beard, "Of course, young brother, you asked for the best, and I provided."
"Thank you, Master Chen!" Mo Hua was pleased and took out a storage bag, "Here are sixty spirit stones as your fee."
The job had taken about twenty days, warranting a payment of over a hundred spirit stones, but Mo Hua had offered half that amount, plus a little extra.
Master Chen initially wanted to refuse, considering his shop had been struggling for months and his disciples were often hungry. Still, he accepted the payment and said to Mo Hua:
"Next time you need artifact crafting, come to me, and I'll give you the lowest price in Tongxian City."
"Thank you, Master Chen!" Mo Hua responded enthusiastically.
"But," Master Chen hesitated, "the furnace still needs an array drawn on it to function. Who will do that?"
"I'll draw it myself!" Mo Hua patted his chest confidently.
Master Chen was surprised, yet not completely. The array on the artifact furnace had been repaired by Mo Hua, and since the furnace, pill furnace, and stove shared similar processes and core arrays, it wasn't strange for Mo Hua to attempt it himself.
However, Master Chen
kindly advised, "Repairing an array and drawing one are different tasks. Drawing an array consumes more spiritual sense, and with your current cultivation level, your spiritual sense might not be sufficient. Don't force yourself to draw the array and risk harming your sea of consciousness."
"Don't worry," Mo Hua replied, "I know what I'm doing."
Master Chen didn't press further. He wasn't more knowledgeable than the young cultivator before him when it came to arrays.
Mo Hua, with his short stature, then dismantled the prepared furnace and laid it out on the ground, ready to draw the array.
Da Zhu and the other disciples stood by, watching with curiosity as Mo Hua began to draw the array on the furnace's inner wall. They didn't understand the array, but they were mesmerized by the mysterious patterns flowing from Mo Hua's brush, even though he was much younger than them.
Mo Hua first dipped his brush in water to familiarize himself with it and get a feel for drawing on the artifact. He also anticipated the challenges he might face when actually drawing the array.
He believed in the importance of preparation; being ready for anything could significantly increase the success rate of the array.
After preparing, Mo Hua laid out the Magma Array diagram for reference and took out his brush and a small bottle of ink.
The ink was a bright red color, thick and said to be made from the blood of fire-type demonic beasts. While it was only of medium quality, it was the best ink Mo Hua could afford within his budget, costing ten spirit stones per bottle. It was enough to draw two Magma Arrays, so he had to make sure he got it right to avoid wasting it.
Mo Hua focused his mind and began to draw the array. The innocent and tender expression on his face gradually became serious. His black-and-white eyes shone brightly, as if containing starlight.
Master Chen and the disciples watched in silence, not daring to disturb him, their expressions more nervous than Mo Hua's.
Mo Hua, with his delicate hand, moved the brush with agility, guiding it along the furnace's inner wall to create lively array patterns, with a rhythm that was both swift and steady, demonstrating impeccable technique.
Though they couldn't understand the array or the patterns, they were captivated by the mesmerizing flow of the patterns from Mo Hua's brush.
After what seemed like an eternity, Mo Hua finally stopped, exhaling deeply.
Seeing this, the others inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief.
Master Chen hesitated, whispering, "Young brother, did you...succeed in drawing the array?"
A bright smile lit up Mo Hua's serious face once more.
"Yes, I did!