Chapter 56 Attitude Change _1
Translator: 549690339
After the Lotus Flower Festival, Mo Hua continued to learn about Formations from Mr. Zhuang, and Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi joined as well.
Although the three of them were all apprentices, they were learning different things. Mo Hua was mainly studying Formations and could only study Formations.
Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi, on the other hand, learned everything, including cultivation, Formations, alchemy, Runes, and Artifact Refining.
The questions they asked Mr. Zhuang each day were also very broad, ranging from problems with Formations to all aspects of cultivation.
Among these questions, Mo Hua could only understand the ones related to Formations; for the rest, he was largely clueless.
The foundation of a Loose Cultivator was inherently weak. He was able to study Formations because he had lived two lives with exceptional Divine Sense and had a Taoist Stele in his mind, which allowed him to practice Formations without spending Spirit Stones. As for the other various aspects of Tao Cultivation, he would like to learn, but simply had no way to start.
Although Mo Hua did not understand these questions, he silently took note of them in his heart. Even if he didn’t understand them at the moment, it left him with some impression and prevented him from being totally confused when encountering them later.
The Tao Cultivation World is tumultuous and enigmatic; who knows what situations one might encounter in the future? It is always better to know more.
Mo Hua learned a lot from the Bai siblings and had to admit that in terms of talent and comprehension, they were much higher than himself. Whether it was the foundation of their cultivation or the level of their Formation skills, as well as many other aspects, Mo Hua was far inferior.
So-called “chosen children of heaven” from Noble Clans must be like this.
Mo Hua greatly admired Bai Zixi.
Toward Bai Zisheng, alongside admiration, there was a smidgeon of disdain.
The three had not been too familiar with each other before and were somewhat reserved in their interactions.
But since they went shopping together during the Lotus Flower Festival, the relationship between Bai Zisheng and Mo Hua had become more casual; Bai Zisheng would find Mo Hua to chat when he was free and occasionally argue.
In front of strangers, Bai Zisheng was a Cultivator with extraordinary talent, handsome looks, and composed manners, the pride of a Noble Clan.
Once familiar, Bai Zisheng was more like a competitive child, somewhat talkative. Although diligent in his daily training and studies, he liked to chat with Mo Hua whenever he had free time.
“Mo Hua, when can we see that Monster Hunting play again?”
“During festivals.”
“Mo Hua, when your Monster Hunter hunts Monster Beasts, which Taoist Skill do they generally use?”
“Use whatever is available.”
“Mo Hua, when you hunt Monster Beasts, can I join you…”
“I’m not a Monster Hunter yet, I don’t hunt monsters.”
“Mo Hua…”
Sometimes Mo Hua would respond a time or two. Other times, when Bai Zisheng asked too many questions, Mo Hua couldn’t be bothered to engage with him.
Seeing that Mo Hua was ignoring him, Bai Zisheng sneakily glanced at the Formation Books Mo Hua was reading. When they weren’t familiar with each other before, Bai Zisheng was very reserved, but now it was different.
“Six Harmonies Formation Pivot Discuss? Not bad, not bad, you’re learning quite fast. Don’t you understand the meaning of Formation Pivot?”
Mo Hua actually didn’t understand and honestly nodded his head.
Bai Zisheng said with pride, “Do you want to know?”
Mo Hua silently watched him, genuinely wanting to know but also slightly disdainful of Bai Zisheng’s prideful expression.
“There will be a Monster Hunting play on the seventh day of the next month,” Mo Hua slowly said.
Bai Zisheng looked delighted.
“But I won’t take you there,” Mo Hua added.
Bai Zisheng choked for a moment, “Then I won’t tell you what Formation Pivot means.”
“I can ask the gentleman.”
Bai Zisheng had nothing to say, after an internal struggle, he compromised, “I’ll explain what the Formation Pivot means to you, and in return, you take me to watch the Monster Hunting play!”
“No need, I’ll just ask Mr. Zhuang.” Mo Hua declined.
Bai Zisheng, scratching his head in anxiousness, said, “Mr. Zhuang is very busy, there’s no need to bother him with such a trivial question. Moreover, his explanations are profound, you might not understand since you have just started learning.”
Although Mo Hua was somewhat displeased by the words “just started learning”, what Bai Zisheng said was indeed the truth.
Mr. Zhuang’s understanding of formations is profound; what is simple for him might take Mo Hua, who had never approached the subject, a long time to comprehend.
Mo Hua agreed reluctantly, “Fine then, I promise you, but if you can’t explain it clearly, I won’t take you either.”
Bai Zisheng was thrilled and quickly replied, “Don’t worry, apart from Zixi, no one in the clan has studied formations better than me.”
Then Bai Zisheng eagerly began to explain:
“The Formation Pivot is the nerve center of a formation, used to connect Formation Patterns, conducting Spiritual Power…”
“If we compare it to a cultivator, the Formation eye is like the Qi Sea, the Formation Pivot like the meridians, the Formation Patterns like the network of vessels, and the Formation media is like the flesh that carries these channels. A cultivator’s Spiritual Power comes from the Qi Sea, travels through the main meridians, fills the vessels, and crystallizes into Taoist Skill, while in a formation, Spiritual Power emerges from the Formation eye, passes through the Formation Pivot, stimulates the Formation Patterns, and that’s how a formation produces effects…”
After Bai Zisheng finished, Mo Hua understood and couldn’t help but give Bai Zisheng a look.
Without a sufficient understanding, it would be impossible to explain things in such an easy-to-understand manner, which goes to show that Bai Zisheng’s foundational knowledge of formations was indeed very solid, even if he was a bit too talkative at times…
Mo Hua couldn’t help but ask, “Do you always talk to others this way?”
“Talk to whom?”
After thinking for a moment, Mo Hua said, “Hmm… the disciples in your Clan?”
Bai Zisheng said with a look of disdain, “I can’t be bothered with them.”
Curious, Mo Hua asked, “Why?”
“I don’t like the way they look at me.”
Bai Zisheng’s expression cooled, “It’s either sycophantic, jealous, contemptuous, or indifferent. I can’t stand it, so I don’t bother with them.”
Mo Hua was taken aback; he hadn’t expected Bai Zisheng, who seemed somewhat rough around the edges, to be so sensitive.
After saying this, Bai Zisheng quickly returned to his usual demeanor, “I have clarified the meaning of the Formation Pivot for you, now you have to take me to the Monster Hunting play on the seventh day.”
“Alright, alright,” Mo Hua said helplessly, and then added:
“I’m going to practice formations now; don’t talk to me for the next two hours.”
“Go ahead, go ahead, nobody’s stopping you,” Bai Zisheng waved him off.
Mo Hua then took out the “Three Talents Formation” and began to draw.
This was the formation that Mr. Zhuang had previously tasked Mo Hua with drawing. After several days of practice, Mo Hua could barely manage it, but he was prone to mistakes and his technique was not yet skilled.
Bai Zixi elegantly read her book while Mo Hua concentrated on drawing formations, and the bamboo pavilion became quiet in an instant.
After meditating for a while, Bai Zisheng glanced at Bai Zixi, then at Mo Hua, held his composure to meditate for a bit longer, but eventually couldn’t resist and sneakily peeped at Mo Hua’s Formation Drawing.
As he watched, Bai Zisheng’s expression grew serious, and several times he seemed to want to say something, but he restrained himself in the end.
He lost interest in cultivating too, fixating on the formations under Mo Hua’s brush, not even blinking.
Bai Zixi, who was originally reading, noticed Bai Zisheng’s odd behavior, and gently tugged at his sleeve, trying to get him to concentrate on his cultivation, but Bai Zisheng was oblivious.
Bai Zixi’s expression showed slight annoyance, and following Bai Zisheng’s gaze, she too saw the formation that Mo Hua was drawing, and suddenly couldn’t look away anymore.
Mo Hua, deeply engrossed in his work, did not notice and continued drawing the formation on his own.
When he finished the Three Talents Formation and finally looked up, he saw Bai Zisheng’s wide eyes; turning his head, he then saw Bai Zixi’s eyes, as lively as autumn waters.