Chapter 35: All Set
It had been sixteen days since Mo Hua began studying the Melting Fire Array.
That morning, Mo Hua got up early. The sunlight streaming in through the window was bright and refreshing, not yet carrying the midday heat.
He spread out a sheet of paper on the table, prepared the red ink, and began to draw the Melting Fire Array.
This had become part of his daily routine for the past couple of weeks.
But today was different—today, Mo Hua was going to draw a complete, official version of the Melting Fire Array.
Last night, within his sea of consciousness, Mo Hua had been able to reproduce the array on the fragmentary stele. That meant his spiritual sense had reached the level where it could support the full five-rune structure of the array.
After days of practice and even hands-on experience repairing the array on the forge at the smithy, Mo Hua had long since mastered every stroke and pattern.
He drew carefully, with precision. An hour passed. Just as his spiritual sense began to sting and feel depleted, he finished the final stroke of the array.
Mo Hua channeled a small amount of spiritual power into it. The red runes began to glow faintly as the energy flowed from the first stroke of the first rune to the final stroke of the fifth, connecting the entire array seamlessly—without any resistance.
Success!
Mo Hua let out a long breath, feeling the satisfaction that comes with slow, steady effort bearing fruit.
"A five-rune array!"
At the third layer of Qi Refining, one was considered capable of drawing a five-rune array.
Mo Hua knew that typically, cultivators at the third Qi Refining layer could only manage three runes. The disciples of major sects and noble families, with their superior talent and guidance, were probably more skilled at the same realm.
But even so, they couldn't be that far ahead.
Mo Hua nodded in quiet affirmation.
What's more, the more he practiced, the stronger his spiritual sense would become. His array studies would get easier and easier. Becoming a First-Grade Array Master was just a matter of time.
Even if he wasn't officially certified and remained a common freelance array master, it would still be enough to earn a solid income. Then, his parents wouldn't have to work so hard anymore.
Thinking of that, Mo Hua couldn't help but smile.
Then, the exhaustion from days of practice hit him all at once. He flopped onto the bed and fell asleep almost instantly.
A little later, Liu Ruhua walked in carrying a few freshly washed wild fruits. She saw the newly drawn array on the desk and Mo Hua sleeping soundly on the bed.
She tidied up the desk for him and gently laid a soft fur blanket over his little belly. Then she sat down and quietly stared at him for a while.
Mo Hua was sleeping deeply, drooling from the corner of his mouth like he was dreaming of delicious food. Liu Ruhua couldn't help but chuckle, wiping the drool from his face with her sleeve before quietly leaving the room.
A few days later, Dazhu came to deliver the news that the stove had been completed.
Dazhu, Master Chen's eldest apprentice, was tall, burly, and had a simple, honest smile.
Mo Hua followed him to the Chen's Smithy and saw the stove standing in the shop—about as tall as a person. It had a simple, robust design with three sturdy legs and a wide, round belly.
The lid was left open so that the array could be drawn inside before sealing it.
"The stove's ready, little brother. Take a look—see if you're satisfied."
Mo Hua circled it, inspecting it closely. He reached out to touch the surface—it felt solid and heavy. It was clear that the materials used were high-quality, and every detail had been carefully finished.
Mo Hua nodded in admiration. "As expected of Master Chen. This is the finest spiritual tool I've ever seen!"
(Granted, he hadn't actually seen that many spiritual tools.)
Master Chen stroked his beard and said proudly, "Of course. Since it's for you, I naturally gave it my best."
"Thank you, Master Chen!"
Mo Hua cheerfully pulled out a storage pouch. "Here are sixty spirit stones for your hard work."
The stove took over twenty days to forge. It should've cost over a hundred spirit stones, but Mo Hua had negotiated a 50% discount—and even added a little extra out of goodwill.
Master Chen initially wanted to refuse, but business at the smithy had been slow for months. His apprentices, like Dazhu, were barely getting enough to eat. So he accepted the payment and told Mo Hua:
"From now on, if you need anything forged, come to me. I'll give you the lowest price in all of Tongxian City."
"Mm! Thanks, Master Chen!" Mo Hua grinned.
"But," Master Chen hesitated, "this stove still needs an array. Who are you going to hire to draw it?"
Mo Hua patted his chest. "I'll draw it myself!"
Master Chen was surprised—but not entirely.
After all, Mo Hua had successfully repaired the array on the smithy's own furnace. The process of forging furnaces, alchemy cauldrons, and stoves was similar, and their core arrays were closely related. So it wasn't unreasonable for Mo Hua to draw it himself.
Still…
Master Chen offered a gentle reminder. "Repairing and drawing arrays aren't quite the same. I heard that drawing arrays consumes a lot more spiritual sense. You're still young, and your cultivation isn't very high. Don't overdo it—you could damage your sea of consciousness."
"Don't worry," Mo Hua said. "I know my limits."
Master Chen didn't press the matter. In the end, he wasn't more knowledgeable about arrays than this little cultivator.
Mo Hua was still quite short, so Master Chen helped him take the assembled stove apart again and laid the pieces flat on the floor for easier access.
Dazhu and the other apprentices lent a hand, then stood back, stretching their necks to watch Mo Hua draw the array. It wasn't every day they got to see a cultivator drawing a formation, especially someone even younger than them.
Mo Hua dipped his brush in water and practiced drawing trial runes on the inner wall of the stove—getting a feel for the brush, the surface, and the spatial layout of drawing inside a spiritual artifact.
He also mentally prepared for any problems he might encounter during the actual drawing.
As the saying goes: Those who prepare prosper, those who don't prepare fail. The better the preparation, the higher the success rate.
Once everything was ready, Mo Hua unrolled the Melting Fire Array scroll and set it to the side for reference. Then he brought out his brush and a small bottle of ink.
The ink was thick and bright red, supposedly blended with the blood of a fire-element tiger-type demon beast. Its quality was mid-grade—far better than the bargain stuff Mo Hua had used before—and the best he could afford.
The small bottle had cost him ten spirit stones, and it was only enough to draw two Melting Fire Arrays. There was no room for failure.
Wasting a drop would hurt his heart and his wallet.
Mo Hua steadied his breathing, calmed his mind, and began.
The naive innocence in his face melted away. His expression grew serious, and his clear, black-and-white eyes gleamed—like they held the light of distant stars.
Master Chen and the apprentices stood quietly to the side, watching his serious face. No one dared breathe loudly, afraid of disturbing him. Their expressions were more nervous than Mo Hua's.
Mo Hua's delicate hand moved with practiced grace, his fingers and wrist guiding the brush across the stove wall. The runes bloomed from the tip like flowing ink, precise and rhythmic, each line layered in a harmonious structure.
Even though they didn't understand arrays or rune patterns, the onlookers were transfixed by the beautiful movements and the aura of focused intent.
No one knew how much time passed.
At last, Mo Hua put the brush down and let out a long breath.
The others followed suit unconsciously.
Master Chen hesitated for a moment, then whispered, "Little brother… is it… done?"
A cheerful smile returned to Mo Hua's previously stern face.
"Yep. It's done!"
(End of Chapter)