Chapter 1110: Dispelling Evil

The primary goal was Core Formation. To achieve Core Formation, one must first cultivate their spiritual power to the peak of the Foundation Establishment late stage, refining it to an extreme, mercury-like density, reaching the precursor state of crystallization and transformation. Second, the nascent Natal Artifact must be nurtured until its spirit is deeply connected and attuned to the cultivator's mind. Only then, during Core Formation, can a secret technique be used to merge the artifact embryo with the cultivator's very being, fully refining it into a more powerful Natal Artifact of the Golden Core stage.

Mo Hua's Natal Artifact, however, was different from others'. He had carefully considered that to forge his Natal Artifact, he first needed to refine his spiritual sense to the level of second-grade twenty-four patterns. With a second-grade twenty-four pattern spiritual sense, he could then comprehend the Ancient Barbaric Grand Array, the Twelve Meridians Gluttonous Spirit Skeleton Formation. Once he learned this formation, he could inscribe this ultimate array into his body. After it was inscribed, making it one with his life force, he could then refine it into his Natal Array during the formation of his Golden Core.

Enhancing spiritual sense, comprehending the array, inscribing the array, and refining the array—Mo Hua frowned. These four steps were all indispensable, and none of them were simple.

First was the issue of spiritual sense. For ordinary cultivators, cultivating spiritual sense to twenty-four patterns at the Foundation Establishment stage was utterly fantastical and impossible to achieve. However, he was on the path of proving the Dao through spiritual sense. Spiritual perception was his fundamental Dao. Even if he didn't learn the Twelve Meridians Gluttonous Spirit Skeleton Formation, he would still need to continuously refine and strengthen his spiritual sense to near its limit before Core Formation. Only then could his spiritual sense surge further and achieve a stronger qualitative change upon forming his Golden Core. Therefore, a second-grade twenty-four pattern spiritual sense was already a prerequisite for Core Formation.

What was truly troublesome, however, were the subsequent three steps: comprehending the array, inscribing the array, and refining the array. The Twelve Meridians Gluttonous Array was an ancient formation, part of the barbaric array system, and an ultimate fierce beast array. Comprehending it would undoubtedly be extremely arduous, involving many unknown domains of array formations. Whether he could learn it, or how long it would take, was hard to say. This was the difficulty of "comprehending the array."

Even if he comprehended it, "inscribing the array" would also be fraught with difficulties. After inscription, how to smoothly "refine the array" so that the array became one with his body, the diagrams resonated with his bones, and both merged and were refined into his Natal Array, thus ensuring a smooth Core Formation — just thinking about these problems gave him a headache.

Mo Hua frowned, muttering to himself: "Why am I always cultivating such strange, obscure, and unconventional things? Isn't there any conventional, step-by-step tradition that I can just 'copy' to cultivate, saving myself some trouble?"

Mo Hua sighed deeply. His cultivation path was full of variables; he essentially had to feel his way forward, crossing the river by touching stones. Moreover, while cultivating, if he wasn't careful, he'd go off track. He wasn't even sure where he had veered off.

"Forget it," he comforted himself silently. "Cultivation is never smooth sailing. To forge a unique path and establish an extraordinary Dao foundation, one must inevitably exhaust their thoughts and expend an unusual amount of effort. It's impossible to achieve the Grand Dao without great hardship." Mo Hua silently comforted himself, then considered another matter.

Besides Core Formation, another important matter was "dissolving malice." Core Formation was for becoming stronger. Dissolving malice, on the other hand, was to "avert disaster." Ever since leaving the Qianxue Province, without the blessing of the Qian Dao's karmic merit, Mo Hua felt his destiny becoming increasingly unbalanced, and the malice in his heart growing heavier. Even though he had exhausted all means to suppress the urge to kill within him, the malevolent energy in his destiny was still stirring.

In this situation, it was fine as long as he harbored no killing intent and did not act. But once he made a move, it would inevitably disrupt the karmic balance and trigger a backlash from the malevolent energy. If he didn't find a way to dissolve this malevolent energy, his temperament would inevitably be corroded over time. Furthermore, in extreme circumstances, if he encountered an accident or a major upheaval, receiving intense stimulation, the malevolent energy could surge inversely, causing his killing intent to explode, leading him to commit terrible atrocities and completely devolve into a bloodthirsty demon. This was a huge hidden danger. Mo Hua could not ignore it.

The problem was that the karmic sin he had inadvertently created by dismantling the blood sacrifice array in Qianxue Province was too great. The malevolent energy that rebounded from karma was as boundless and deep as the ocean. Such a massive amount of malevolent energy was simply more than he alone could bear. To completely dissolve it would be extremely difficult.

As for the specific methods of "dissolving malice," Mo Hua's gaze sharpened slightly. The Water Prison Gate's ocular techniques seemed to use "rectified malice" to enhance power, but this method of "nurturing malice" should still be somewhat different from true "malice dissolution." And then there was...

Mo Hua pondered for a moment, then suddenly realized something, recalling an item. He rummaged through his Storage Ring for a long time before finally finding a cultivation scripture he had almost forgotten. On the scripture, a few characters were written: "Demonic Malice Transmutation True Art."

This was a demonic secret manual Mo Hua had confiscated long ago from the great demon, Fire Buddha, in the Qianxue region. It was also once an extremely superior inheritance of the Demonic Malice Sect. Fire Buddha had followed this method, indiscriminately slaughtering innocents to create karmic sin, then cultivating and nurturing malice, using the malevolent energy in his eyes to enhance the power of his Falling Fire Art. Mo Hua had obtained this "Transmutation True Art" long ago, but as it was a demonic inheritance, he had kept it at the bottom of his chest, never taking it out. Unexpectedly, it might now prove somewhat useful.

However, since this was a demonic method of malice transmutation, he couldn't simply "follow the script" and learn it. If he learned it incorrectly and suffered qi deviation, it would backfire. Moreover, transmutation and dissolution of malice seemed to be somewhat different.

Mo Hua pondered for a long time, then sighed softly. No matter how he thought about it, dissolving this monstrous "karmic sin" and malevolent energy was an extremely arduous and difficult task. It would probably be difficult to make much progress in a short period of time. At this thought, Mo Hua couldn't help but feel a bit restless. As his mind became restless and his thoughts chaotic, the malevolent energy surged slightly, and his eyes began to darken again.

Mo Hua shivered, shook his head, cast everything out of his mind, then calmed himself and simply lay down on the bed. "Things have come to this," he thought. "Might as well sleep first—Overthinking some matters was useless; the more he thought, the more his mind would be exhausted."

Mo Hua closed his eyes and lay on the bed. This was the bed he slept on as a child; it felt a bit small now, but a familiar and peaceful aura gradually returned, enveloping his entire body. As time slowly flowed, all distracting thoughts seemed to be cleared away. Mo Hua's mind also settled down remarkably. He even had a fleeting illusion that he was vaguely transported back to his childhood, still the carefree "Little Mo Hua" who devoted himself to learning array formations.

When he was tired from studying, he would just lie down on the bed. He would open his eyes, and it would be a new day. His parents would call him for breakfast. His master would be waiting on the mountain to teach him array formations. Grandpa Gui would be waiting to play chess with him. His junior and senior fellow disciples would also be waiting under the big locust tree to cultivate, read, play, and spar with him.

Innocent memories welled up in his heart. Everything about Qianxue Province gradually faded away; all worries dissipated. There was no karmic destiny, no malevolent energy in his fate, no exhaustion from traveling, no blood sacrifices, no grand arrays, no evil gods—nothing but a childlike, pristine, unblemished heart. Mo Hua's face gradually became as serene as an infant's; his breathing soft, he slowly drifted to sleep. The complex, profound aura around him gradually settled, revealing a trace of purity tempered by experience. The pure person was neutralizing the majestic god within him. At the same time, he was suppressing the ruthless demon, dissolving a portion of the defiled and fierce malevolent energy. His body lay on his childhood bed, and his heart too had returned "home." He had a dreamless night.

The next morning, the bright and brilliant sunlight streamed through the window. Mo Hua opened his eyes and was momentarily dazed before gradually recalling who he was and where he was. A feeling of comfort and warmth spread from the bottom of his heart. Mo Hua couldn't help but smile, feeling refreshed and invigorated.

"Forget it," he thought. "After ten years of wandering for my studies, it's rare to be home, so I should rest well. Whether it's Core Formation or dissolving malice, all these difficulties and worries should be handled naturally; there's no need to dwell on them too much and deplete my thoughts." Mo Hua felt relieved, and his entire aura became increasingly ethereal and gentle.

He got up, pushed open the door, and saw his mother, Liu Ruhua, who had already prepared his meal, and his father, Mo Shan, who was waiting for him to wake up. This scene was exactly like his childhood. Mo Hua's heart felt warm. Liu Ruhua looked at Mo Hua and was momentarily dazed, as if only now did she truly confirm that her child had indeed come home. Everything from the previous day wasn't a dream. Liu Ruhua also revealed a gentle smile.

After the family finished breakfast, Mo Shan went to Dahei Mountain. Liu Ruhua, meanwhile, was thinking about what delicious dishes to make for Mo Hua for lunch. Mo Hua had some time and thought of taking a stroll around Tongxian City. He wanted to walk around, look about, and clear his head, then consider Core Formation matters after his mind was empty.

Tongxian City was not what it used to be; too many changes had occurred. The streets were bustling with people coming and going. Because there were so many foreign cultivators, many faces were unfamiliar. Mo Hua didn't overly conceal his presence and simply walked along the street, observing his surroundings with interest.

After walking for only half an hour, before he had even finished exploring one street, a burly demon hunter suddenly rushed out from the roadside, grabbed Mo Hua's arm with a shocked expression, and said in disbelief: "Mo Hua? You are—Mo Hua?!" After scrutinizing Mo Hua's face up close, he excitedly exclaimed, "So handsome! You really are Mo Hua!" Before Mo Hua could say anything, the big man immediately held onto him and shouted loudly to the surroundings, "It's Mo Hua! Mo Hua is back! Everyone, quickly! Don't let him get away!"

Mo Hua's expression was subtle. And a single stone stirred a thousand waves. That shout of "Mo Hua" was like cold water poured into a boiling oil pot, instantly causing a huge commotion. The surrounding cultivators were shocked. "Mo Hua!" "Is it really Mo Hua?!" "Mo Hua is back?!" "Mo Hua—which Mo Hua?" "The young array master, a celestial child descended to the mortal world?" "The Mo Hua with innate divine power, who could cover the sky with one hand and sink the earth with the other, who deformed Dahei Mountain and summoned heavenly thunder to suppress and kill the great demon, the Mountain God of Dahei Mountain?" Everyone was both curious and excited for a moment.

Mo Hua sighed helplessly. He just wanted to stroll around, but he hadn't expected his reputation to be so immense now. Indeed, his master was right: people fear fame like pigs fear fattening. Seeing more and more people gathering and the discussions growing louder, Mo Hua could only give a respectful salute to the demon hunter uncle who recognized him, then his figure gradually faded, directly disappearing before everyone's eyes. Someone who witnessed this exclaimed in shock, "Indeed, he's a celestial child descended to the mortal world; he just vanished in broad daylight—" Someone next to them couldn't bear it, "That's an invisibility spell, you fool. You're a cultivator yourself, don't you have even that much knowledge?" That person insisted, "No, this must be a celestial art. Invisibility spells are definitely not that powerful—"

While the crowd was arguing noisily, Mo Hua could only head home first, but he knew that his peaceful days might be over for now.

Sure enough, in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Elder Yu arrived, along with Yu Chengyi, Yu Chenwu, Ji Qingbai, and his son Ji Li, and a host of other demon hunters who had ties with Mo Hua or had received his favors. Then came the old director of the Daoist Court Bureau; Old Master An, the head of the An family, and An Xiaofu, who was still chubby after more than ten years; Master Chen from the artifact refining shop; Instructor Yan and his wife, Steward Mo; Grandmaster Luo, Grandmaster Qian, and other array masters. The small courtyard was instantly packed with people; by reckoning, all of them were prominent "big figures" from various forces in Tongxian City. All these people were Mo Hua's acquaintances.

When they saw Mo Hua, everyone was visibly moved and filled with joy, saying, "It's really Mo Hua. He truly returned—" "His studies bore fruit, excellent—" "Time flies like a shuttle; only ten years, yet it feels like so long ago—" Mo Hua looked at the familiar faces, feeling quite touched. Everyone greeted him one by one.

It was inconvenient to talk in the small courtyard, so Elder Yu arranged a banquet at the An family's restaurant, both for everyone to chat and to "wash away the dust" for Mo Hua upon his return. Mo Hua, who had originally wanted to keep a low profile and enjoy some peace, had no choice but to be high-profile this time.

At the An Family Restaurant, guests filled the seats; it was exceptionally lively. To welcome Mo Hua home, An Xiaofu, who was now the "little boss" of the An family, arranged a grand banquet. He even instructed all Fulou Restaurants in Tongxian City to offer an all-day buffet. Whether local cultivators of Tongxian City or passing rogue cultivators, if they were destined and happened to be there, they could enjoy a full, fragrant meal at An Xiaofu's Fulou Restaurant. Mo Hua initially wanted to advise him not to be so extravagant, but then he reconsidered. Although such an act was somewhat extravagant, it wasn't wasteful. Not only was it not wasteful, it was an act of kindness. After all, for rogue cultivators, getting a full and satisfying meal was indeed very difficult. Although conditions in Tongxian City were better now, most passing rogue cultivators still struggled financially. A good meal could be considered a comfort. This act also aligned with An Xiaofu's childhood wish. An Xiaofu was generous and stout, with a simple mind. Because he loved to eat and eat well, he also wished that all cultivators in the world could eat their fill and eat well, neither going hungry nor missing out on delicious food. Mo Hua praised An Xiaofu a few times. An Xiaofu, praised by Mo Hua, was instantly overjoyed and beside himself with happiness.

Inside Fulou Restaurant, the atmosphere was harmonious and joyful. They toasted each other, glasses clinking, drinking and chatting about interesting things. As they chatted, the topic inevitably returned to Mo Hua. After all, Mo Hua had studied alone for ten years. No one wasn't curious about what had happened during those ten years, what dangers he had encountered, and what events he had experienced. Similarly, Ruzhou was tens of thousands of miles away from Lizhou, with mountains high and rivers long. Qianxue Province, moreover, was a fifth-grade major province, where aristocratic families and sects were all massive entities. To everyone present, it seemed like a distant, almost alien world. Thus, everyone's gaze unanimously turned towards Mo Hua.

Mo Hua began to tell them stories. Of course, he omitted all crucial details. Mo Hua didn't mention anything too perilous, too thrilling, or too bizarre, fearing it would worry everyone, especially his parents. He only chose to talk about things that were relatively ordinary and "common knowledge" in Qianxue Province. Even so, everyone remained inwardly stunned. Especially when they heard that Foundation Establishment cultivators, who were considered top-tier in Tongxian City, were as numerous as "ants" in Qianxue Province. Even the unattainable Golden Core cultivators were merely ordinary elders there. Above Golden Core, there were the legendary Ascension cultivators, who could truly walk on air into the clouds, fly through the sky and burrow through the earth, appearing ethereal and immortal. And even above Ascension, there was the more terrifying "Void Shattering" realm, where one could shatter space, instantly teleport, comprehend laws, and suppress an entire realm.

All these incredible things truly overturned everyone's understanding. It even sounded less like Mo Hua had gone to cultivate and study, and more like he had "ascended" once and then returned to the mortal realm. A fifth-grade province, where cultivators could ascend to the heavens. Didn't that sound just like the legendary "Immortal Realm"? Everyone was momentarily dazed, silently digesting it for a long time before gradually accepting these seemingly preposterous realities.

Elder Yu quietly asked Mo Hua, "So you really—joined a major fifth-grade sect?" Mo Hua nodded, "Yes." Elder Yu's voice trembled, "Then in that fifth-grade major sect—are there Void Shattering cultivators?" Mo Hua nodded again, "A Void Shattering cultivator is a sect patriarch, and he personally taught me array formations."

At these words, the entire hall was shaken. A Void Shattering Patriarch personally taught Mo Hua array formations! What a terrifying honor! Roughly speaking, Mo Hua could already be considered a "disciple" of a Void Shattering Patriarch?! Void Shattering—this was an existence several dimensions beyond everyone's understanding of cultivation. That was truly someone standing at the edge of heaven, someone they could never hope to see in their lifetime. Let alone Void Shattering, or even Ascension, most rogue cultivators in Tongxian City would never even encounter a Golden Core cultivator in their entire lives.

Grandmaster Luo, filled with respect, quietly asked, "Then—Young Master Mo… aren't your array formations—even more formidable?" Mo Hua nodded, "Yes, they are more formidable." Grandmaster Luo was astonished and asked curiously: "I heard that Qianxue Province has a multitude of prodigies, and competition in major sects is extremely fierce. I wonder how Young Master Mo fares among his fellow disciples..." Mo Hua truthfully replied, "Among my fellow disciples, my array formations are also the most formidable." Grandmaster Luo was deeply shocked. Mo Hua continued, "Looking across the fifth-grade Qianxue Province, among all the geniuses of my generation in the major aristocratic families and sects, my array formations are still the most formidable." Grandmaster Luo, however, was stunned, unsure how to react. To be honest, this was a bit—beyond his comprehension. Mo Hua added, "I was the champion of the Qianxue Prodigy Array Debate Competition, twice." Grandmaster Luo furrowed his brow, momentarily bewildered, completely unable to gauge the significance of "champion." Twice? Wasn't Qianxue Province a fifth-grade province? Didn't it have a multitude of geniuses? Was champion so easy to get? And he got it twice? Not just Grandmaster Luo, but Grandmaster Qian, Old Master An, Elder Yu, and others also exchanged glances, their expressions blank, unsure whether they should praise Mo Hua. But how to praise him? With what words? With what emotion? They had no idea exactly how impressive what Mo Hua was saying was; their minds were completely blank on the matter.

Afterward, Mo Hua recounted more "glorious" deeds: for example, how he was a junior senior disciple in the Taixu Sect, how he led his fellow disciples to win first place in the Sword Debate Competition, how the prodigies of the four major sects were no match for him, and how his sect was now the foremost major sect in Qianxue, and that both the Void Shattering Patriarch and the Ascension Sect Master treated him very well. The entire table grew quiet, their expressions increasingly bewildered, clearly unsure how to react. It wasn't until Mo Hua finally mentioned, "I'm already in the late stage of Foundation Establishment, and I'm preparing for Core Formation next—" Now everyone understood. In an instant, everyone at the banquet was shaken, and the hall erupted in an uproar.

"Late Foundation Establishment!" "Ten years of cultivation, and late Foundation Establishment! Unbelievable—" "Truly worthy of a disciple from a major fifth-grade sect!" "Amazing!" "He has the potential to become an immortal—" "Our Tongxian City has produced an astonishing genius!" Mo Hua sighed, feeling a bit helpless.