Chapter 713 – Grounded
Thus, in name, Mo Hua officially became the "Senior Brother" of all disciples in his generation within the Great Void Sect.
The disciples' expressions were varied, their emotions conflicted.
As someone who usually preferred to keep a low profile, Mo Hua now felt like he was being roasted over a fire. He was anxious—and confused.
For a brief moment, he even began to wonder:
Could my father… or maybe my mother… actually be Elder Xun's long-lost kin?
Am I his descendant from who-knows-how-many generations ago?
Otherwise, why would Elder Xun treat him so well?
Mo Hua felt very confused.
After class ended, Elder Xun called out:
"Mo Hua, stay behind."
And just like that, more than a thousand eyes, like a volley of arrows, all turned toward him again.
Mo Hua sighed.
Elder Xun said seriously:
"Your formation skills are already quite good, but still not enough. You must study and practice more—the more you learn, the better. The more solid your foundation, the stronger you'll be."
Mo Hua mumbled quietly, "Elder, me being the 'Senior Brother'… doesn't feel right…"
He was clearly lacking confidence.
Elder Xun seemed to see through his hesitation and spoke firmly:
"The urgent task is still to improve your cultivation and study more formations."
Then, not allowing any objections, Elder Xun said:
"Don't worry. In other areas, maybe you're mediocre—but when it comes to formations, you're miles ahead of everyone else!"
Seeing Mo Hua starting to understand, Elder Xun softened his tone:
He deliberately emphasized the words "Senior Brother" to reinforce the idea in Mo Hua's mind.
Then, his face grew stern:
"What do you mean 'not right'? There is no fixed order in the pursuit of the Dao—those with true skill deserve respect. The role of 'Senior Brother' belongs to the capable. And with your formation skills, you absolutely deserve it!"
Mo Hua was stunned.
"But…" he murmured, "I was trying to earn contribution points…"
Elder Xun glanced at him and sighed.
"Only the mediocre avoid envy. Hiding your talent can be wise, but when it's time to step forward, you must not shy away."
In a flash of clarity, Mo Hua finally understood why Elder Xun had been so angry the other day—looking like he wanted to give him a hard time.
Elder Xun's eyes grew cold:
"I checked the records at the Contribution Hall. Most of your contribution points came from drawing formation diagrams."
"Besides, I didn't ask them to call you 'Eldest Senior Brother,' just 'Senior Brother.' What's the issue?"
Then his tone changed again:
"And another thing… I know about the Fire Buddha incident."
"Your cultivation is still too low… at least reach the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment first."
"Don't keep running around outside—it's distracting."
Mo Hua's eyes widened slightly, lost in thought.
The disciples had all left. In the huge Preaching Pavilion, only Elder Xun and Mo Hua remained.
"Upholding justice and vanquishing evil is noble," Elder Xun said, "but you're still young. There's no need to rush into dangerous things."
Mo Hua hesitated. "But…"
A Foundation Establishment early-stage cultivator… with late-stage Divine Sense and the ability to learn Grade-2 high-tier formations—this kind of absurd talent made him more than qualified to be a formation "Senior Brother."
Mo Hua thought for a moment, then slowly nodded.
Then he froze, mouth agape.
Seeing the clarity in Mo Hua's eyes, Elder Xun knew his words had taken root. He nodded slightly and declared:
"So from now on, focus on your cultivation and formation studies. You're not allowed to leave the Qianxue Province."
"...Being modest and easygoing is good, but you must also possess the boldness to stand above the crowd, the bearing of one who stands out, and the mindset worthy of a 'Senior Brother.'"
Once again, Elder Xun heavily emphasized the title.
"Since you have this ability, why should you be suppressed by those less capable?"
"Like the Kunpeng awaiting the right time to soar, only by preparing yourself can you rise with the wind and break through the heavens!"
"Your speed at drawing formations means going out for bounty missions won't earn you more than just drawing a few extra arrays here in the sect…"
"The higher your cultivation, the more refined your formations, the stronger your abilities—only then can you accomplish greater things."
Elder Xun's gaze sharpened.
There were dangerous matters at play…
"To alter the fate of the world, to challenge the will of the heavens—it's more than just slaying a few demonic cultivators or criminals…"
"You must remember, you are a disciple of the Great Void Sect—one of the Eight Great Sects of Qianxue Province. And now, you are also the 'Senior Brother' of your entire generation."
As expected, Mo Hua stood tall, puffed out his chest, and his confidence soared.
Elder Xun silently thought:
It's over. He's figured everything out…
Seeing that Mo Hua was still hesitating, Elder Xun realized that simply grounding him wasn't enough—he needed a little incentive too, so he added:
"Alright, how about this—you stay in the sect and focus on learning formations. I'll give you all the formation diagrams you need. You don't have to spend any more contribution points."
Mo Hua was stunned. "Grade-2 high-tier formation diagrams?"
Elder Xun nodded. "Yes."
Mo Hua was completely shocked.
I don't have to spend contribution points… and I get to learn more formations?!
It's like a meat pie just fell out of the sky and landed in my lap!
Afraid Elder Xun would change his mind, Mo Hua quickly nodded and promised:
"Okay okay! I'll stay in the sect and study formations! I won't go anywhere!"
Seeing Mo Hua's serious little face and eager reply, Elder Xun finally relaxed and smiled, nodding in satisfaction.
From that point on, Mo Hua was officially "grounded" by Elder Xun.
His range of activity was restricted to within the borders of Qianxue Province.
The main base was the Great Void Sect, and at most, he could go as far as Qingzhou City, on the provincial edge.
Going out for bounty work? Totally off the table.
Mo Hua now spent his days practicing formations, and the rest of his time on cultivation.
After this period of dedicated effort, he could already feel his cultivation steadily rising.
The bottleneck to mid-stage Foundation Establishment was now clearly within reach.
True to his word, Elder Xun gave Mo Hua ten formation diagrams, all Grade-2, Seventeen-Rune, of the Five Elements Eight Trigrams variety.
The value, if converted to contribution points, would be around four to five thousand!
Mo Hua was overjoyed—and deeply grateful to Elder Xun.
Knowing how rare this opportunity was, he studied even harder.
Whenever Elder Xun had time, he would summon Mo Hua to his side to quiz him on formation principles related to the Five Elements and Eight Trigrams, or to check his progress.
With total focus, Mo Hua's learning speed was astonishing, and his execution was incredibly solid.
Though Elder Xun said nothing aloud, inwardly he was astounded again and again.
So young, with such sharp perception, incredible talent, and unmatched diligence.
Each formation—though he had only learned it for a day and practiced a few times—by the next morning, it felt like he had practiced it for ten days. His brush flowed like water, and the runes were engraved into his bones.
His comprehension was fast, and his foundation was rock solid.
If he continued at this rate for decades—or even a hundred years…
Once Mo Hua grows up, with a higher cultivation… just how terrifying would his formation mastery become?
Elder Xun honestly didn't dare imagine it.
This… is a disciple of my Great Void Sect…!
This is a disciple of my Great Void Sect…
Elder Xun, a man who had weathered centuries of ups and downs, whose heart was once as calm as an ancient well, now felt a wave of emotion surge through him—a passionate hope rising from deep within.
To Elder Xun, the diligent Mo Hua was like a rare and priceless treasure. From head to toe, even his very pores seemed to sparkle with light.
As for Mo Hua himself? He had no grand thoughts—just single-minded focus on learning formations.
Each day he cultivated, attended lessons, and in his spare time, studied formation diagrams and practiced formations.
Once he finished learning one, he'd immediately go back to Elder Xun to ask for more.
Though the days were a bit monotonous, the constant access to new formations made Mo Hua genuinely enjoy the process.
He couldn't leave Qianxue Province, and he couldn't take on bounty missions.
So in the peaceful life of the sect, the only bit of non-boring excitement came from fellow disciples in his generation who were unhappy about this new "Senior Brother" and deliberately came looking for trouble.
Most of the time, Mo Hua simply couldn't be bothered.
Some would suddenly block his path, trying to provoke him with taunts, demanding a duel or comparison—claiming that if he lost, he didn't deserve the title of Senior Brother.
Mo Hua found it utterly childish.
He didn't even spare them a glance.
His time was precious. He needed to devote it to the endless journey of understanding formations.
Besides, win or lose, he was the Senior Brother. No point in competing—it would only drain him for nothing.
This, he reminded himself, was exactly what Elder Xun meant when he said a Senior Brother should have the bearing and magnanimity to "tower above all."
And since Mo Hua was impervious to provocation—words in one ear and out the other—this group of disciples didn't know what to do.
They didn't dare go too far with their words either. Open insults toward a fellow sect member could get them punished.
And absolutely no one dared to lay a hand on him within the sect.
Sect rules strictly forbade disciples from fighting among themselves or engaging in unsanctioned duels.
If they dared touch him, Mo Hua could report them immediately.
And with Elder Xun backing him, every last one of them would be in serious trouble.
That left them with just one option: picking on him during formation class.
When Elder Xun was present, they didn't dare.
When the instructors were around, still no.
Only when both were absent—and Mo Hua was helping teach or explain beginner Grade-2 formations—did they try to stir up trouble.
But they had clearly forgotten Elder Xun's earlier declaration:
"When I or the instructors are not around, Mo Hua's word is law in this teaching hall."
If anyone dared to act out?
Mo Hua would righteously abuse his power, assigning them double the formation homework on the spot.
Double didn't work? Make it triple.
If they couldn't finish the homework, they'd naturally get poor marks on their formation evaluations, which would impact their year-end assessments—and that, in turn, would lower their status in their respective families.
The disciples were shocked.
Mo Hua was clearly abusing his power—treating a chicken feather like an imperial decree!
You're just a "Senior Brother," not an instructor, much less an elder! Where do you get off pulling rank like this?!
So someone took the matter to Elder Xun.
And then came the next shock:
Elder Xun actually approved of Mo Hua's actions.
Using authority for personal vendettas? Mo Hua really dared to do it.
The craziest part? Elder Xun even backed him up.
Unbelievable.
Forget being from a rogue cultivator background—even if he were the actual grandson of some ancient ancestor, he probably wouldn't get this much preferential treatment.
With Elder Xun's iron support, all they could do was plug their noses and swallow it.
And yes—Mo Hua could be a little petty.
Anyone who had ever challenged, mocked, or provoked him?
He didn't act on it immediately. But he quietly added their names to a little mental notebook.
And he noticed a pattern: the ones giving him trouble were always the ones bad at formations.
The ones who were good at it? The moment Mo Hua opened his mouth and casually dropped a few formation insights, they immediately recognized his mastery and wouldn't dare mess with him.
It was always the ones with poor skill who made the most noise.
Because they were bad, they didn't recognize the gap. They couldn't even see how far behind they were.
They assumed: we're all about the same age—even if Mo Hua is a little younger, how good could he really be at formations? And so they didn't take him seriously.
But as the saying goes: "Jade must be polished to shine, and formations must be studied to understand."
Mo Hua, fulfilling his role as Senior Brother, gave them extra "care"—stricter assignments and harder formation problems.
They were left utterly confused, stumbling through the homework, their formation drawings a total mess.
After a while of this educational torture, they began to wise up.
The Dao of Formations was vast and profound.
Even among fellow students, the surface might look similar—but in reality, the skill gap could be astronomical.
And some people—not only couldn't catch up—they couldn't even see how far behind they were.
So gradually, these disciples grew a lot more humble.
They also learned another lesson:
This Senior Brother Mo Hua, with his soft-spoken voice, delicate face, and seemingly innocent appearance… was actually a hidden snake in white robes.
He never fought back directly—but once you got on his bad side, you'd suffer.
And so, they started behaving.
The atmosphere between Mo Hua and his fellow "junior brothers" and "junior sisters" noticeably improved. In class or after, few dared to challenge him.
They all maintained a kind of truce—"you stay out of my water, I stay out of yours."
They might not truly accept Mo Hua as their Senior Brother in their hearts, but at least on the surface, they were polite and respectful enough.
And that was fine. Mo Hua was satisfied with that.
He was busy learning Grade-2 high-tier formations, after all. He didn't have the time or energy to babysit a bunch of juniors.
...
And just like that, Mo Hua's formation skills advanced by leaps and bounds—quietly, but with unstoppable momentum.
He never forgot his master's teaching: "Learning must be applied."
So during his ten-day rest periods, Mo Hua would make trips to Qingzhou City to greet Aunt Wan. And if the opportunity arose, he'd try to meet with Master Gu to discuss the topic of formation mediums.
If Master Gu had time, he'd travel back from Lone Mountain City to visit the Gu family in Qingzhou.
Whenever Mo Hua asked about formation mediums, Master Gu always answered in full detail, and any requests Mo Hua made were granted without hesitation.
However, formation mediums were fundamentally a craft—a practical one.
Now that Mo Hua was stuck in the sect and couldn't use many formations, most of his ideas remained just that: ideas. He had no way to test them.
Still, the discussions with Master Gu were quite fruitful. But through these talks, Mo Hua developed a new curiosity.
"Master Gu, in a sense, formation mediums are refined using artifact-crafting methods. So in essence, aren't they a type of spiritual artifact? And spiritual artifacts need formations inscribed on them, which also makes them, in a way… formation mediums?"
"So does that mean formation mediums are spiritual artifacts, and spiritual artifacts are formation mediums?"
Master Gu chuckled and gave Mo Hua a customary (and clearly practiced) compliment:
"Young Master Mo, your thinking is sharp and precise, as always…"
Then he continued,
"Whether formation mediums or spiritual artifacts, they're both classifications created by cultivators for the convenience of the various Daoist paths."
Mo Hua suddenly understood, "So essentially, both are just objects that serve as carriers for formations—but humans categorized them differently for convenience?"
Master Gu paused, clearly impressed this time, and said sincerely:
"Young Master Mo is truly gifted."
Then he elaborated,
"Formation mediums and spiritual artifacts are very similar. But when you break it down, the differences are rooted in the structure of the cultivation industry."
"Industry?" Mo Hua echoed.
"Yes," Master Gu nodded. "Most spiritual artifacts in the cultivation world are standardized. Their materials, dimensions, crafting process, and matching formations are all fixed—there are established templates."
"This is to improve crafting efficiency, scale up production, and increase output."
"In these cases, the formation serves the spiritual artifact—the artifact takes the lead role, and the formation supports it."
"But formation mediums are different. They serve the formation. A single medium can carry many kinds of formations, so the formation takes the lead, and the medium supports it."
Mo Hua's eyes lit up in realization. He then asked:
"So are there spiritual artifacts that are specifically designed to serve formations?"
"Absolutely," Master Gu nodded. "Although formation mediums are versatile, they aren't always a perfect match for every formation. They often can't bring out a formation's full power."
"That's where specific materials, dimensions, shapes, and crafting processes are required to create perfect compatibility with certain formations."
"Those are what we call custom spiritual artifacts."
"The most iconic example," Master Gu said with emphasis, "is the spirit sword."
"Spirit sword?" Mo Hua's eyes lit up again.
Master Gu nodded.
"We're not talking about low-end mass-produced swords. The truly high-quality ones—or even some natal treasures—are passed down through secret techniques from generation to generation."
"The materials and design of a spirit sword must perfectly match its internal sword formation to unleash its full power."
Sword formation!
Mo Hua's heart skipped a beat. He blurted out,
"Master Gu, have you seen a sword formation before?"
Master Gu gave a bitter smile.
"Sword formations are extremely specialized and typically the core inheritance of sword cultivator clans. I'm just a humble artifact refiner—how could I possibly have access to such things?"
Mo Hua sighed, visibly disappointed.
Master Gu added,
"Besides swords, there are other custom spiritual artifacts that also need to match high-level formations."
Mo Hua suddenly realized a problem:
"But wait—if custom spiritual artifacts are made in batches, wouldn't they become standardized ones?"
Master Gu looked a little surprised, then nodded:
"That's correct. But the reason we call them custom is precisely because they can't be mass-produced. That's what distinguishes them from standard artifacts."
Mo Hua frowned slightly. "Because of issues with the cultivation industry?"
"Exactly," Master Gu nodded, then explained further:
"Mass-produced spiritual artifacts must be generalized in function. Their materials need to be common and cheap. The formations used must also be simple and easy to apply."
"General-purpose artifacts are easier to sell. Common materials reduce sourcing limitations. Cheap materials lower costs. Simple formations can be inscribed by almost any formation master—or even a beginner with ten or fifteen days of training."
"That's what makes large-scale production possible."
"But custom spiritual artifacts are another story. Their costs are high, their designs are unique, and their functions are specialized. The formations used are usually far too difficult for the average formation master."
"Especially the formations," Master Gu sighed, shaking his head.
"Think about it: if only a handful—or just one or two—formation masters can inscribe the formation on a custom artifact, how can it ever be mass-produced?"
"A single formation master can only draw so many formations a day."
"And if they stop? Good luck finding someone to replace them. It's next to impossible."
"So while technically, custom artifacts could become standard ones if produced in bulk… in reality, the obstacles—especially cost, design, and formation complexity—make it nearly impossible."
Master Gu sighed again, clearly feeling the weight of experience.
"Oh…" Mo Hua didn't say much else, only nodded thoughtfully.
(End of Chapter)