Chapter 34: Array Cultivation

“It’s actually the Molten Fire Array...” Mo Hua said.

“Indeed,” Master Chen nodded. Seeing that Mo Hua had recognized the formation at a single glance, he felt a measure of respect for the boy, and his tone became more solemn

“Little Brother Mo, take a look and see if there is a problem with this array. I know nothing about this; I can't see a thing.”

Master Chen had someone wipe away the black ash from the refining furnace, and Mo Hua leaned over the mouth of the furnace, carefully examining the Molten Fire Array patterns on the inner walls.

Although he could not yet draw them completely from memory, his day-and-night practice had made the methods of drawing the patterns second nature. After a moment, he pointed to several spots and said to Master Chen

“It is indeed a problem with the array. These few patterns are worn down, preventing the spiritual power from conducting, which causes the array to fail.”

Seeing that Mo Hua spoke with such logic and reason, Master Chen couldn't help but look at him with new eyes, though he then furrowed his brows

“Then we’ll have to ask an Array Master to help repair it. Sigh, business hasn't been great lately, and I don't know how many more spirit stones this is going to cost us...”

Mo Hua asked, “Is it very expensive to hire an Array Master to repair an array?”

“Naturally,” Master Chen replied. “Array Masters are rare to begin with. For situations requiring specialized repairs like this, one has to pay extra spirit stones, otherwise, others won't be willing to come.”

Mo Hua weighed his words and said, “How about... I give it a try?”

“You?” Master Chen was greatly shocked. “You are already an Array Master?”

Mo Hua waved his hands modestly. “Not quite. I am just learning arrays from the masters at my sect, and I just happened to have studied this particular array.”

Looking at the half-height, youthful-faced Mo Hua, Master Chen said very tactfully, “Better not. You're just a child; don't overexert yourself.”

Mo Hua knew Master Chen still had reservations, so his eyes shifted as he asked, “Grandpa Chen, the people you hire aren't necessarily true Array Masters, are they?”

“That...” Master Chen said, “That is true. Some are actually just apprentices and not yet Array Masters. But when asking for a favor, one naturally has to say some nice things. Whether they are Array Masters or not, calling them such is always better; it makes them happy and ensures things go smoothly. As for the rest, we don't know much and it's not our place to ask; we just need the array repaired.”

“Then do they always manage to fix it?”

Master Chen thought for a moment and said, “There were a few times it went smoothly and was finished quickly, but sometimes they would tinker and revise for half a day and still fail, only for it to be fixed after bringing someone else in.”

“Then that's it. Most of those people coming here are likely just apprentices. Even if their array skills are higher than mine, they won't be much higher,” Mo Hua said confidently.

Of course, a proper apprentice's level should be higher than Mo Hua's, but the level of some apprentices indeed might not be able to match his.

Mo Hua continued, “Whether they fix it or I fix it, it's still a repair. At most, if I can't fix it, you can just hire them again.”

This sounded... somewhat reasonable...

Master Chen was somewhat swayed, but he was still hesitant. Seeing this, Mo Hua continued

“Even if you hire an Array Master, they won't arrive immediately; you have to see if they are free. Every day delayed is a day of lost income for the refining shop. Over time, expenses will exceed income.”

The refining shop's business was decent, but the profit margins were low. Master Chen was unwilling to cut corners, so he earned his money through hard work. Moreover, he had to provide food and drink for several apprentices; if work stopped for a long time, cash flow would indeed become difficult.

Master Chen felt a headache coming on. Finally, he gritted his teeth and said, “Fine, little brother, give it a try.”

After saying this, he added a cautious warning, “But just try it. Don't force it, and don't break the array...”

Mo Hua promised, “Don't worry. At most, I just won't be able to fix it.”

Master Chen felt somewhat comforted, yet somehow not comforted at all.

Mo Hua asked Master Chen to wait while he went home to fetch his brush and fire-element ink, and he also brought the Molten Fire Array diagram. Upon returning to the shop, he first showed the diagram to Master Chen.

Seeing that the array on the diagram indeed resembled the one on the furnace, Master Chen felt somewhat relieved; at least the boy wasn't completely unreliable.

This was his first time drawing an array on a spiritual tool, so Mo Hua was somewhat nervous. Fortunately, he had practiced the Molten Fire Array so many times that once he started drawing, his mindset became calm.

Repairing an array was different from drawing one; it did not require much consumption of divine sense. Since the array itself was complete, he only needed to use ink to reconnect the damaged parts of the patterns.

It tested an Array Master's eyesight, meticulousness, and familiarity with the array.

Mo Hua leaned over the side of the furnace, drawing with total concentration.

In less than half an hour, Mo Hua finished the repairs. He then spent the time it takes to drink a cup of tea checking it once more. Only after confirming there were no issues did he breathe a sigh of relief.

Master Chen had been watching anxiously from the side, fearing Mo Hua would break the array. Seeing this, he hurriedly asked, “Is it... fixed?”

Mo Hua's clothes were dirty, and there were several streaks of ash on his face. He said uncertainly, “It should be fine. Why don't we try lighting it?”

Master Chen's expression was complicated, but he still worked with the apprentices to reseal the array, reassemble the furnace, embed the spirit stones, and channel spiritual power to ignite it.

But the fire did not light.

Mo Hua froze. He rubbed his chin, and his already ash-streaked face became even dirtier.

“Why is there no fire? The array should have been repaired.”

Master Chen asked, “Little brother, are you sure there's nothing wrong with the array?”

Mo Hua pulled out the Molten Fire Array diagram, compared it carefully once more, and then nodded. “The array is fine.”

Master Chen felt the furnace with his hand to sense the temperature and said to the apprentices, “There isn't enough spiritual power. Put in a few more spirit stones and throw in a heated iron rod.”

The disciples followed his instructions, and indeed, the temperature of the furnace gradually rose.

A moment later, a flame suddenly "whooshed" upward.

Master Chen was overjoyed. “It's working!”

The disciples also became happy. If the furnace worked, they would have work to do and could learn from their master. Consequently, they all looked at Mo Hua with admiration.

Mo Hua was also very happy and said, “Let's try refining a spiritual tool to see if there are any problems.”

Master Chen tossed in a random knife. After refining it for a while, he said with slight regret, “There are no major issues with its use, but the fire is a bit weaker than before. Refining tools might take a bit longer.”

Mo Hua was puzzled. “It's the same array, so why is the fire weaker? Does the effectiveness decrease after an array is repaired?”

Master Chen shook his head. “We've had it repaired a few times before, but the fire didn't drop much.”

“Then why is that?”

Mo Hua frowned, wondering if he had drawn something poorly.

Master Chen thought for a moment and pointed to the ink in Mo Hua's inkstone

“Perhaps it's the ink? When we hired people before, the ink they used was clearly a darker color—a bright red, looking as if fire were burning within it.”

Mo Hua realized then. In his pursuit of convenience and saving money, he had bought the cheapest fire-element ink. It was fine for daily practice, but when actually drawn on a spiritual tool, the effect was bound to be inferior.

“For better array effects, one needs higher-grade spiritual ink.”

Mo Hua silently noted this, then said somewhat sheepishly, “Then it must be the ink. I bought the cheap stuff; the spiritual power activation might not be very good.”

Master Chen said, “Why say such things? Even if the fire is a bit small, it's good enough to use. In the end, this old man should be thanking you.”

Master Chen thought for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said, “As for that furnace you wanted, you don't need to pay the refining fee. I'll refine the furnace for you for free. Of course, I won't refund the material costs—after all, I have a whole group of young men here to feed.”

Mo Hua looked at the spacious but simple refining shop, then at the soot-covered Master Chen and the sweating, ash-stained disciples. Knowing that earning spirit stones was not easy for them, he said

“Grandpa Chen, just give me a fifty percent discount on the refining fee.”

Master Chen shook his head. “No, that won't do. Even this is me taking the better end of the deal. Hiring someone else to repair this array would cost at least one or two hundred spirit stones.”

“You don't have to pay that much.”

Master Chen's temper became stubborn. “Being a cultivator is about integrity. A man's word is his bond. Once I've said it, how can I easily take it back? Since I said I won't take your spirit stones, then I won't!”

This temperament was far too upright...

Mo Hua had no choice. His mind shifted, and he said with a smile, “How about this: I won't pay the refining fee, but once the furnace is finished, I'll give you some spirit stones as a 'hardship fee' for you and everyone else.”

“This...”

Master Chen was momentarily confused. A refining fee and a hardship fee seemed the same, yet felt somewhat different.

“Even when asking a friend for help, sometimes one still gives a hardship fee,” Mo Hua added.

“Then... alright.”

Master Chen felt that those words indeed made sense.

The disciples also looked at Mo Hua with gratitude.

Their families were not wealthy, and working as apprentice helpers allowed them to earn some money to support their households. If they couldn't earn spirit stones, their already difficult lives would become even harder.

And being able to earn spirit stones, even just one extra, made life a little easier.

“Then it's a deal! It's getting late, I have to go home for dinner!”

Mo Hua waved his small hand in farewell.

Master Chen reminded Mo Hua to be careful on the road and added, “If you ever need refining in the future, come find me. I'll give you a discount!”