Formation Core

Mo Hua began drawing the Mother-Child Complex Formation on the ancient stone stele.

Drawing a single formation starts from the runes, with the formation core linking independent runes. Complex formations, however, start from the formation core to harmonize different single formations.

When drawing a single formation, the pen can pause momentarily, but the spiritual awareness must not waver.

If the spiritual awareness falters, it cannot grasp the profound mysteries of the Dao contained within the formation method, leading to failure in drawing the formation and rendering the runes invalid.

According to Master Zhuang, formation masters call this "forming with a single thought."

It means continuously maintaining the spiritual intent to draw out the formation method in one go.

A single formation must be formed with a single thought, but complex formations are different; they do not require all parts to be formed with a single thought.

Otherwise, a complex formation, comprising several single formations with dozens of runes, would be impossible for a Qi Refinement stage cultivator to draw all at once.

Complex formations were conceived by ancient cultivators to circumvent the limit of spiritual awareness, enhancing the effectiveness of formations by interconnecting individual formation methods.

When a cultivator cannot increase their spiritual awareness or comprehend more runes, they connect single formations together to achieve a stronger formation effect.

This is what a complex formation entails.

Therefore, within a complex formation, only continuous spiritual intent is required for the formation core and each single formation, not the entire complex formation to be formed with a single thought.

Mo Hua's spiritual shadow stood before the stone stele, using his fingertip as a proxy for the pen, starting to draw the formation core of the Mother-Child Formation.

The strokes for the formation core differ from those for runes; they need to guide spiritual energy and oversee the formation, hence they are bolder in stroke and more structurally stable, requiring more spiritual awareness.

The highest single formation within the Mother-Child Complex Formation consists of eight runes. Therefore, the amount of spiritual awareness required for the formation core of this complex formation should not be less than that needed for eight runes.

Although it doesn't reach nine runes, it still requires more spiritual awareness than usual eight-rune formations.

Mo Hua's spiritual awareness was just enough to draw this formation core, but it was somewhat taxing.

After completing the formation core, he still needed to draw the subsequent formations, unable to erase mistakes, and his spiritual awareness couldn't backtrack. Thus, Mo Hua could only meditate and wait for his spiritual awareness to slowly recover.

This was Mo Hua's first time using meditation techniques in his sea of consciousness.

It was easier to concentrate and meditate here than outside, and vaguely, there seemed to be some resonance with the stone stele.

Within his spiritual intent, he could sense a breath of ancient and primordial Dao.

However, upon deeper exploration, he found nothing.

Mo Hua furrowed his brow, unable to fully comprehend.

After a moment, he stopped pondering further, settled into meditation, and allowed his spiritual awareness to recover.

Before long, his spiritual awareness was replenished, much faster than when meditating outside.

Whether it was due to issues within his sea of consciousness or the stone stele's influence, Mo Hua, with his abundant spiritual intent, continued to draw the formation.

After completing the formation core, the next step was to draw the Mother and Child Formations in specific positions based on the framework of the formation core.

The Mother Formation, containing eight runes, was a Metal-type formation and a common structure among Five Elements formations. Mo Hua could easily draw it after a few glances.

The Child Formation, with three runes, was even simpler; Mo Hua only needed a glance to know how to draw it.

With practiced ease, Mo Hua began drawing, and half an hour later, the Mother-Child Complex Formation was completely drawn.

This entire formation was more complex than any Mo Hua had drawn before, yet it possessed a sense of intricate and profound beauty.

So, this is a complex formation...

Mo Hua was stunned, unable to help but stare at it a few more times, feeling deeply moved.

Indeed, complex formations are only interesting when successfully drawn.

The principle of the Mother-Child Formation involved the interaction between the Mother and Child Formations: when the Child Formation sensed spiritual energy fluctuations, the Mother Formation would react.

Mo Hua's spiritual intent gently moved, lighting up the Child Formation. After a moment, the Mother Formation also began to emit light. The points of light corresponded exactly to the illuminated runes of the Child Formation.

Success!

Mo Hua's spirits lifted, a smile appearing on his face. However, shortly after, he furrowed his brow again.

Although the formation was successful, there were still many key points he didn't fully understand.

For example, what exactly was the formation core? What role did it play? Why did lighting up the Child Formation resonate with the Mother Formation? What other changes might occur in other single formations within complex formations...

"It looks like I'll have to ask Master Zhuang."

Mo Hua thought to himself and, while it was still early in the morning, practiced the Complex Formation several more times on the stone stele.

Early the next morning, Mo Hua brought some pastries, wild fruit, wine, and pine nuts, and went to find Master Zhuang.

Master Zhuang recently adjusted his diet preferences, preferring vegetarian meals, saying he wanted to "purify his heart and reduce desires."

'But isn't wanting to eat vegetarian also a kind of desire?' Mo Hua didn't quite understand, but wisely didn't ask.

"Have you learned it?" Master Zhuang asked leisurely, sipping his wine.

Mo Hua nodded, "Yes!"

Master Zhuang's eyelids twitched slightly. "You learned quite fast..."

"Just overnight."

"I still have some doubts, and I'd like to ask Master for guidance." Mo Hua asked respectfully and obediently.

Curious, Master Zhuang asked, "What do you want to ask?"

Mo Hua summarized some of the key doubts he had from drawing the Complex Formation the previous night.

Master Zhuang rested his slender fingers on the bamboo chair, lightly tapping a few times, and after a moment of thought, he asked back, "What do you think the formation core is?"

Mo Hua thought for a moment and replied, "Is it a kind of formation structure?"

"Yes, but not quite." Mo Hua didn't fully understand.

Master Zhuang explained, "The formation core of a single formation is indeed a formation structure, but the formation core of a complex formation is more like a type of formation itself."

"A formation?"

"Yes, you can see it as a special type of formation with directional and functional structures."

Mo Hua pondered carefully, nodded slowly, and asked again, "I understand the directional part, but specifically, what functions does the formation core refer to?"

"The formation core is the hub of a complex formation, controlling the spiritual energy of the formation, coordinating all the runes. Its specific functions vary, but most commonly, it controls the sequencing, opening and closing of spiritual energies, mutual attraction and repulsion, strengthening suppression, concentration, dispersion, etc..."

Mo Hua felt dizzy listening, furrowing his small eyebrows together.

Seeing this, Master Zhuang chuckled and simplified, "Simply put, it controls the sequence of spiritual energy operations within the complex formation: opening and stopping, mutual attraction and repulsion, enhanced suppression, concentration, and dispersion."

Mo Hua grasped some understanding and brightened up, saying, "Like in the Mother-Child Formation, using the magnetic attraction and repulsion of Metal-type spiritual energies, when the Child Formation moves, the Mother Formation reacts accordingly..."

Mo Hua's eyes lit up again, and he continued, "I once repaired an alchemy furnace for Elder Feng, and the formation inside the furnace was a Wood-Fire Control Formation, with Wood nurturing Fire by enhancing the Wood-type single formation and amplifying the Fire-type single formation. Could this be considered as the 'strengthening' aspect of the formation core's 'suppression'?"

Master Zhuang nodded approvingly.

Mo Hua thought for a moment but couldn't think of any other complex formations he had encountered.

Furrowing his brow, Mo Hua remembered another question after a moment, "Master, what about the Grand Formation?"

Master Zhuang's gaze sharpened, his expression serious as he slowly said, "Are you interested in learning about the Grand Formations?"

Mo Hua was puzzled, "Can't we learn Grand Formations?"

Master Zhuang paused briefly, then raised his eyebrows and chuckled, "Of course, it's all formations. What can't be learned?"

Mo Hua looked expectant.

Master Zhuang lightly tapped Mo Hua's forehead, "Don't aim too high. First, master what you're learning now. Grand Formations can wait!"

"Oh." Mo Hua rubbed his head.

"Go on, study well." Master Zhuang's gaze softened, gently waving his sleeve.

"Yes! Master, rest well. I'll take my leave." Mo Hua nodded respectfully, bowing, then left the bamboo room under Master Zhuang's gaze.

(End of the chapter)