Chapter 2: Chapter 2 Taoist Stele_1 ``` Ever since Mo Hua gained the ability to record events, a Taoist Stele appeared in his Sea of Consciousness, along with some vague and nearly intangible memories. In those memories, Mo Hua lived a short life in another world devoid of Spiritual Energy. In that life, Mo Hua's family was ordinary, but he was diligent in his studies and performed well, eventually attending university with a major in fine arts, where he enjoyed researching traditional Chinese painting and calligraphy. After graduating, he joined a big company as a graphic designer, worked overtime, and died of overwork in his twenties. As a student, he studied, and after graduation, he worked, living a life filled with tension and anxiety. When he came to his senses, he found that he had lived a muddled life and died suddenly and unexpectedly. In the moments before his death, his life's experiences flashed before his eyes like a revolving lantern. In his life, he had not done a single thing of real value: he had not shown filial piety to his parents, pursued his ideals, had no dreams, no love, nor had he seen the great world's landscapes... These memories were blurry, and sometimes Mo Hua couldn't tell what was real. Like Zhuangzi dreaming of being a butterfly, it's uncertain whether Zhuangzi dreamt of the butterfly or the butterfly dreamt of Zhuangzi. As time passed, Mo Hua stopped worrying about it. The past was the past, and now, he was only ten years old, living in the Tao Cultivation World. And he was a cultivator. A cultivator who could fully understand the Heavenly Dao, soar across the Nine State, pluck the sun and the moon with a wave of his hand, and bury the stars with a clasp... Of course, he could also be a cultivator who spent a lifetime refining Qi, never flying or mastering martial arts, barely able to use a few spells, leading a humble existence... Without the Taoist Stele, Mo Hua guessed he would most likely be the latter. The Taoist Stele hovered in the midst of Mo Hua's Sea of Consciousness. Broad and rustic, curiously shaped and incomplete, the body of the stele seemed to be nothing, yet it appeared to have a vast and enigmatic aura drifting about. In a trance, it seemed silent as the void, empty of everything... On the ephemeral surface of the stele, one could paint Formation Diagrams, and each time one was drawn, Mo Hua's Divine Sense would grow stronger. In the path of Tao cultivation, Formation Diagrams are held in the highest regard! Formation is the most difficult discipline to learn in all branches of the Tao cultivation industry, and the most important thing for learning Formation Diagrams is the Divine Sense! Formations are made up of Formation Patterns, the patterns painstakingly understood by Ancient Cultivators who sought to comprehend the mysteries of the Heavenly Dao. The lines of a Formation are like ancient, simple characters as well as minimalist paintings, each containing endless mysteries. And when painting a Formation, connecting with the Mystery of Heavenly Dao in the Sea of Consciousness will consume a vast amount of Divine Sense. If a cultivator's Divine Sense is insufficient, they will not be able to paint Formations, which could lead to exhaustion of the Divine Sense, and even the shattering of the Sea of Consciousness, resulting in death. To become a Formation Master, one must constantly learn various Formation Diagrams and continually practice countless Formations. Therefore, studying Formations is difficult; practice is arduous, and Formation Masters often risk death by collapsing their Sea of Consciousness while forcibly drawing Formations with insufficient Divine Sense. When Mo Hua paints Formations on the Taoist Stele, it will consume his Divine Sense. But when he erases the Formation he's drawn, the Divine Sense is instantly returned, replenishing Mo Hua's Divine Sense. From existence to nonexistence, and then from nonexistence back to existence, like the Great Dao, is profoundly mysterious. At the same time, each time Mo Hua paints a Formation, his Divine Sense grows slightly, albeit minutely, but indeed, it increases. According to what Mo Hua knows, in the Cultivation World, there is no specific Cultivation Technique to train Divine Sense; its growth mostly relies on breakthroughs in realms. Therefore, even a small increase in Divine Sense is extremely valuable. Just by continuously painting Formations on the Taoist Stele, Mo Hua could improve his Formation skills and, as long as he keeps painting, his Divine Sense will keep increasing. And with a strong Divine Sense, Mo Hua could learn more, higher-order, and more powerful Formations. One day, Mo Hua could become a powerful Formation Master because of this. The status of a Formation Master is revered; even an ordinary one who has not entered the first rank would earn a considerable amount of Spirit Stones by painting Formations for others. ``` Once Mo Hua became a Formation Master and drew all sorts of profound Formations, he would have a foundation to stand on and could continue his cultivation instead of being relegated to a mere Qi Refinement Cultivator for the rest of his life. Mo Hua silently thought to himself. But becoming a Formation Master was also fraught with difficulties. Formations were hard to learn, and becoming a Formation Master was even harder. The Taoist Court set the most stringent—indeed, the most exacting—standards for the recognition of Formation Masters among the categories of Tao Cultivation. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎 A Formation is composed of Formation Patterns; the most basic Formations contain only a single Formation Pattern. With each additional Formation Pattern, the rank of the Formation would rise, its effect would be enhanced, and the Divine Sense required would greatly increase. Drawing one to five Formation Patterns qualifies one as a Formation apprentice. Drawing six to eight Formation Patterns entitles one to be called a Formation Master, but such a Formation Master is just ordinary and not included in the ranks recognized by the Taoist Court. Only by drawing nine Formation Patterns and passing the Taoist Court's assessment can one become a true first-rank Formation Master. For a Cultivator in the Qi Refinement Realm, becoming a first-rank Formation Master is almost akin to ascending to the heavens in a single step. First-rank Formation Masters are generally guests of honor in both major Clans and Sects, even Cultivators in the Foundation Establishment Realm would not dare to offend them lightly. Even if they did nothing, the monthly stipend of Spirit Stones from the Taoist Court's Heaven Shu Pavilion would come, and countless young and beautiful female Cultivators would break down doors, vying to become their Daoist companions. Beyond the extremely difficult assessment, each state boundary also has a quota for first-rank Formation Masters. Wanting to become one depends not only on effort but also on destiny. If one is unlucky and the quota in one's state boundary is limited, even if they have the accomplishments of a first-rank Formation Master, they won't obtain the assessment slot and can only wait for the next one. Some Formation Masters try and try, only to have their lives pass by in vain. Countless low-born Cultivators exhaust their minds and bodies, grow old with a white head, yet never fulfill their longstanding wish to become first-rank Formation Masters. And the so-called quota restrictions by the Taoist Court are generally just pretextual excuses set by the major Clans and Great Sects. They need the title of a first-rank Formation Master to add luster to their legitimate heirs or disciples, making them the focus of everyone's attention as geniuses. The low-born Cultivators who exhaust their hearts and souls to become first-rank Formation Masters are mere dust underfoot, unworthy even of a glance. It was already night; Mo Hua lay in bed in the Disciple's Residence room, yet his Divine Sense sank into his Sea of Consciousness, ceaselessly Drawing Formations on the Taoist Stele. The Formation that Mo Hua was drawing was called the Twin Yuan Formation, consisting of two Formation Patterns, considered as one of the basic Formations. But Mo Hua had never successfully drawn this Formation before. Due to insufficient Divine Sense, early-stage Qi Refinement disciples generally can only learn Formations containing a single Formation Pattern. Among the initial-stage Qi Refinement disciples of the Outer Gate at Tongxian Gate, very few managed to fully master even a single Formation Pattern. But Mo Hua had long since become extremely familiar with single Formation Patterns, able to draw them with ease and proficiency. Desiring to learn more difficult Formations, Mo Hua practiced Drawing the Twin Yuan Formation, which included two Formation Patterns, every night on the Taoist Stele. After dozens of nights of repetitive practice and incessant effort, Mo Hua finally succeeded. A Formation Master learning Formations, each Formation Pattern is a threshold, and with each additional Formation Pattern drawn, one climbs another rung on the ladder. Since Mo Hua could draw two Formation Patterns, it meant his Divine Sense and level of Formation were far above those of his peers. Among the outer gate early-stage Qi Refinement disciples at Tongxian Gate, his level in Formations should be considered second to none. Mo Hua released a breath of relief; once it was 6 A.M. and daylight, his Divine Sense left the Sea of Consciousness, and he opened his eyes. Though he had been Drawing Formations all night, Mo Hua's Divine Sense was still clear, and he didn't feel tired. It was as if he had just had a good night's sleep. He opened the window, and the morning sunlight shone on his fair and handsome face. The rising sun outside the window was suffused with rosy clouds, spreading across thousands of miles. The ten-year-old Mo Hua took a deep breath, gazing at the horizon with a resolute look in his eyes. As long as he kept practicing the Formations, constantly honing his Divine Sense, one day he would undoubtedly become a first-rank Formation Master. And when that day came, he would take a great stride in seeking the Tao and asking about the Great Dao. He would not spend his whole life simply engaging in Qi Refinement!