Chapter 3: Array Master
Mo Hua woke up at dawn and began his routine Cultivation.
An hour later, he finished Cultivating and went to the lecture hall to wait for Instructor Yan.
Instructor Yan is a general term for teachers within the Sect, who teach Outer Sect Disciples specific subjects such as Cultivation, Formation, Alchemy, and Artifact Refining. He is also responsible for supervising and guiding Outer Sect Disciples in their Cultivation.
Like other Sects in the Cultivation World, Tongxian Sect also divides Disciples into three categories: direct lineage, Inner Sect, and Outer Sect.
The Outer Sect of the Sect is open to the public, primarily focusing on teaching the Dao and Cultivation. It earns revenue by collecting tuition fees from Disciples. Outer Sect Disciples learn a portion of the Sect's Legacy that is open to the public. After graduation or withdrawal, these Disciples maintain a connection with the Sect but have no actual ties.
The Inner Sect is the main body of the Sect. Inner Sect Disciples are affiliated with the Sect and, in addition to Cultivation, manage various Sect industries, such as Ling Mines, spiritual lands, Immortal Caves, and trading houses.
Inner Sect Disciples can learn Cultivation Techniques and Spells that the Sect generally does not transmit externally. Bound by a master-Disciple relationship, they are inextricably linked to the Sect. If Inner Sect Disciples commit offenses outside, the Sect can be held accountable. If Inner Sect Disciples betray their master, it is often considered a great rebellion, with severe consequences.
The Sect's direct lineage Disciples are the direct descendants among Inner Sect Disciples. These Disciples either have blood relations with the Sect Leader or an Elder, or they have a very deep master-Disciple bond. Direct lineage Disciples are the core of the Sect and often succeed to extremely important positions such as Sect Leader or Elder in the future.
Direct lineage Disciples learn the Sect's most core Cultivation Techniques, as well as other secret arts forbidden from external transmission. If a direct lineage Disciple betrays the Sect, he will surely be hunted down to death.
The dao law prohibits private executions and indiscriminate killings by Cultivators. Hunting down direct lineage Disciples who betray the Sect violates the dao law and will be held accountable by the Dao Court. However, most cases of betrayal fall under the jurisdiction of local Daoting Divisions. While the Dao Court has the greatest power, its subordinate departments, the Daoting Divisions, which manage various states, realms, and even cities, do not all have powerful Cultivators in charge.
When a direct lineage Disciple betrays the Sect, it concerns the core Legacy of the Sect and is of great importance. Generally, the Daoting Division will not interfere. Especially for large Sects that are regional magnates, local Daoting Divisions dare not interfere.
However, these matters have little to do with Mo Hua.
He is merely an Outer Sect Disciple of the First Grade Tongxian Sect, neither Inner Sect, let alone direct lineage. Even if he wanted to be hunted down, others wouldn't bother with him…
Mo Hua wants to enter the Inner Sect, but he has neither Spirit Stones nor connections. It's probably impossible in this life, let alone becoming a direct lineage Disciple of the Sect.
Mo Hua calmed his mind and sat on the seat for a while, then saw Instructor Yan walk in with a serious expression.
Instructor Yan is probably forty or fifty years old, serious by nature, and already at Cultivation Level Nine of Qi Refining.
Within Tongxian Sect, Instructor Yan holds a rather high position because among all Instructors, only Instructor Yan knows Formation, and it is said that he might become a First Grade Array Master in a few years after being assessed.
All Qi Refining Stage Disciples' Formation in Tongxian Sect are taught by Instructor Yan. Regardless of whether they are Family Disciples or ordinary Loose Cultivators, Instructor Yan treats everyone equally. If someone makes a mistake, he gives no one Face; he scolds when he should scold and punishes when he should punish.
Therefore, Tongxian Sect Disciples both respect and fear Instructor Yan.
The Sect's tuition fee is paid once a year, so classes are also held annually.
Today is the last day of the Tongxian Sect's annual Cultivation period. After today, there will be a half-month long annual break. The assessment results for the Sect Disciples' various subjects will also be released today.
Instructor Yan held a stack of report cards in his hand.
The Disciples felt uneasy. Mo Hua was originally fine, but seeing the Disciples around him looking as if they were facing a great enemy, he also became nervous.
Before long, Mo Hua received his Sect assessment results.
The Formation assessment was, as usual, 'Excellent', which is Mo Hua's strongest subject. In Tongxian Sect, not many Disciples can get an 'Excellent' in Formation, and Mo Hua is one of them.
Mo Hua's Cultivation was only rated 'Good', not because he didn't Cultivate diligently, but because his innate talent was limited. With a Medium Grade, lower-tier Five Elements Spiritual Root, no matter how he Cultivates, it's always the same, not as good as the best, but not much better than the worst either.
For other subjects that can be learned well with time, such as Dao History and an introduction to Qi Refining, he generally received 'Excellent'. However, for subjects that require Spirit Stones to buy Materials to learn well, such as Alchemy and talisman crafting, he received 'Good' or 'Pass'.
Mo Hua's Family was poor, and he couldn't even afford to borrow an Alchemy Furnace, so naturally, he didn't learn well. During the assessment, he could only rely on his intuition to refine, whether it succeeded or not depended entirely on luck. His grades not only depended on luck but were also erratic and unstable.
However, overall, his grades were still good. As the saying goes, one strength covers a hundred weaknesses. After all, Formation is difficult to learn, and getting an 'Excellent' in Formation is already quite impressive.
Instructor Yan said a few words and then temporarily left. The Disciples in the room then started looking at each other's grades and whispering.
"Mo Hua, you got 'Excellent' in Formation again!" A Disciple secretly glanced at Mo Hua's report card and then exclaimed.
"Another 'Excellent'…"
"I've always been 'Good'…"
"I'm still 'Pass'."
"Formation is so hard to learn, my head aches just thinking about it…"
"…"
The Disciples gathered around Mo Hua.
"Hmph!" A Qian family Disciple wearing a silver-white daoist robe, seeing this, snorted in displeasure and said,
"What's so great? He only gets an 'Excellent' by drawing these simple Sect Formations."
"Then what did you get?" A Disciple retorted, unconvinced.
"Why should I tell you?" The Qian family Disciple scoffed.
Another Disciple secretly peeked at his report card and then burst out laughing: "He got a 'Pass'!"
The Disciples were all stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter.
"You got a 'Pass' and you're still laughing at others who got 'Excellent'? You have thick Face!"
"Thicker than an Artifact Refining Furnace!"
"And he's a Qian family Disciple? So stupid, even worse than me, I got a 'Good'."
The Qian family Disciple became furious from embarrassment. "So what if it's 'Excellent'? Loose Cultivators have no Array Masters, do you understand?"
He pointed at Mo Hua and the others, "You group of Loose Cultivators, frogs at the bottom of a well, without Legacy, for your entire lives, listen carefully, your entire lives, you will never produce an Array Master. Bah, 'Excellent'! Remember, among Loose Cultivators, a true Array Master can never emerge! If you don't understand, I can repeat it."
"Loose Cultivators are never worthy of being Array Masters!"
The surrounding Disciples remained silent.
Mo Hua looked at him as if he were an idiot, then stood up, bowed to the Qian family Disciple's back, and said,
"Greetings, Instructor Yan!"
The Qian family Disciple felt as if struck by lightning, his head stiffly turned around, and indeed, he found Instructor Yan standing behind him, his Face ashen.
"The Sect is for transmitting the Dao and Cultivating, not for you to compare and slander fellow Disciples!"
"Your own Formation is so terrible, yet you still have the Face to mock a fellow Disciple?"
"Now go stand outside as punishment until dark."
"And draw the basic Five Elements Array Runes one hundred times. Show them to me when you enroll next year. If you can't draw them, you don't need to come…"
The Qian family Disciple's Face was ashen, but he dared not refute a single word.
Instructor Yan's status was high; he could even reprimand a direct lineage Disciple of the Qian family, let alone a distant branch like him.
The Qian family Disciple dejectedly went to stand as punishment.
Instructor Yan stood in front of Mo Hua, silent for a moment, then reached out and patted Mo Hua's small shoulders, sighing, "Don't mind what others say, study hard."
Mo Hua's expression was normal, and he respectfully bowed to Instructor Yan, "This Disciple will remember."
Instructor Yan nodded, then walked to the Instructor's seat, gave a few more instructions to the Disciples, and then announced the Sect's annual break, allowing them to go home.
The Disciples suppressed their excitement, bowed to Instructor Yan, thanked him for his guidance in Cultivation throughout the year, and then scattered like birds and beasts.
During the Sect's annual break, the Disciples were joyful and excited.
Mo Hua, however, felt a complex mix of emotions.
Most of these Qi Refining Stage Disciples were still young, carefree, and far from knowing the hardships of Cultivating.
Thinking of his father's scars after hunting demons and his mother's haggard Face, Mo Hua felt a pang in his heart and couldn't help but sigh.
Becoming a First Grade Array Master was still a long way off, but within his capabilities, he wanted to make his parents' lives better.
Mo Hua put away his report card, tucked twelve Spirit Stones into his Pregnant, and after leaving Tongxian Sect, he didn't go home but walked towards the market.
Regarding the protagonist's Transmigration setting:
He Awakenes memories, it's not a traditional soul Transmigration. His Physical Body is his own, and he has a blood relationship with his parents.
The protagonist is set as a ten-year-old child in the Cultivation World, but he has some modern thinking and cognition.
