Chapter 3: The Array Master

After waking up at dawn, Mo Hua began his usual cultivation routine. An hour later, he concluded his training and made his way to the lecture hall to await his instructor.

In the Tongxian Sect, all instructors who teach classes are generally referred to as "Jiaoxi." They are responsible for instructing Outer Sect disciples on specific practices, such as cultivation techniques, array formations, alchemy, and artifact refining. These instructors also oversee and guide disciples in their cultivation journeys.

Much like other sects in the cultivation world, the Tongxian Sect categorizes disciples into three types: the Core Disciples, Inner Sect Disciples, and Outer Sect Disciples.

The Outer Sect is open to the public, offering teachings mainly on cultivation and the Dao. The sect's revenue comes from the fees, known as "annual tuition," paid by disciples who join. Outer Sect disciples study the publicly available teachings of the sect. After they graduate or withdraw, they retain ties of affection with the sect, but there are no binding commitments.

The Inner Sect, forming the main body of the sect, consists of disciples who are closely tied to the sect. Beyond their cultivation practices, they also manage various sect enterprises, such as spirit mines, spirit lands, personal dwellings, and commercial ventures.

Inner Sect disciples can access techniques and spells that are generally not available to the public, and they share a mentor-student bond with the sect that is inseparable. If an Inner Sect disciple commits a crime outside the sect, the sect itself could be held accountable. Those who betray the Inner Sect are seen as grave offenders and suffer serious consequences.

Core Disciples are a special lineage within the Inner Sect. These disciples either have blood ties to the Sect Master or Elders or share profound mentor-student relationships with them. Core Disciples represent the core of the sect, often destined to assume crucial roles like Sect Master or Elder in the future.

Core Disciples are taught the most secret techniques of the sect, as well as other invaluable skills that are forbidden from being passed outside the sect. Should a Core Disciple defect, they will be hunted down without mercy.

Though the "Dao Law" prohibits cultivators from exercising vigilante justice and reckless killings, pursuing a defected Core Disciple is considered a violation of these laws, with repercussions enforced by the Dao Court. However, the management of such incidents generally falls under the jurisdiction of local Dao Court Offices. Despite the Dao Court's vast influence, these local offices, which oversee different regions, don't always have powerful cultivators among their ranks.

Due to the importance of sect heritage, the Dao Court usually refrains from interfering when a Core Disciple betrays a major sect, especially in cases involving influential sects that dominate entire regions.

However, these matters have little to do with Mo Hua.

He is merely a First Grade Outer Sect disciple of the Tongxian Sect, neither an Inner Sect member nor, by any stretch, a Core Disciple. Even if he wanted to be pursued, he probably wouldn't even be deemed worthy of it.

Mo Hua dreams of joining the Inner Sect, but he lacks both the spirit stones and connections. At this point, it seems unlikely he'll ever make it, much less become a Core Disciple.

Calming his mind, Mo Hua sat quietly at his desk until Yan Jiaoxi entered the room with a stern expression.

Yan Jiaoxi appeared to be in his forties or fifties, exuding a serious demeanor. He had reached the Ninth Level of Qi Refining.

Yan Jiaoxi held a high position in the Tongxian Sect since he was the only instructor proficient in array formations. In fact, it was rumored that he might become a First Grade Array Master in a few years.

Yan Jiaoxi taught array formations to all Qi Refining disciples, regardless of whether they were family disciples or independent cultivators. He treated everyone equally, showing no favoritism. If someone made a mistake, he would reprimand and punish them, regardless of who they were.

For this reason, disciples in the Tongxian Sect both respected and feared Yan Jiaoxi.

The sect's annual tuition is paid once a year, and thus, instruction sessions are also conducted once a year.

Today marked the final day of the annual training period at the Tongxian Sect. After today, disciples would enjoy a year-end break that would last over half a month. The results of each disciple's progress assessments would also be announced today.

Yan Jiaoxi held a stack of report cards.

Although Mo Hua had been calm at first, seeing his fellow disciples acting as if they were about to face a formidable enemy made him start to feel nervous as well.

Soon enough, Mo Hua received his assessment results from the sect.

As expected, his Array Formation exam was rated "A," his strongest subject. There weren't many disciples who could score an "A" in Array Formations within the Tongxian Sect, and Mo Hua was among this small group.

His cultivation level, however, was only rated "B." This wasn't due to a lack of effort on his part, but rather because his spiritual aptitude was limited. Possessing only a Minor Five-Element Spiritual Root of mid-tier quality, his progress was adequate but nothing extraordinary.

In other subjects that could be improved with effort, such as Daoist History and Introduction to Qi Refining, he also achieved mostly "A" grades. However, subjects that required spirit stones to buy materials, like alchemy and talisman crafting, were either rated "B" or "C."

Mo Hua's impoverished background prevented him from even affording an alchemy furnace, so his learning was naturally subpar. During exams, he often had to rely on luck, fumbling his way through, with grades that were highly inconsistent.

Overall, though, his results weren't bad. As the saying goes, "One talent covers a hundred flaws." After all, array formations are notoriously difficult, and being able to score an "A" was quite impressive.

After a few words, Yan Jiaoxi left the room. The disciples immediately began discussing their results in hushed voices.

"Mo Hua, you got an 'A' in Array Formations again!" One disciple, sneaking a glance at Mo Hua's report card, expressed admiration.

"An 'A' again…"

"I'm always a 'B'…"

"I'm still a 'C.'"

"Array formations are so hard. Just thinking about them gives me a headache…"

The disciples gathered around Mo Hua.

"Hmph!" A disciple from the Qian family, dressed in a silver-white Dao robe, sneered and remarked, "What's the big deal? You're just drawing simple array formations. That's the only way you could get an 'A'."

"So, what did you get?" another disciple retorted, unwilling to back down.

"Why should I tell you?" the Qian family disciple scoffed.

Another disciple stole a glance at his report card and burst into laughter. "He got a 'C'!"

The disciples paused for a moment, then roared with laughter.

"You got a 'C' and you're mocking someone who got an 'A'? That's thick-skinned!"

"Thicker than an alchemy furnace!"

"And you're from the Qian family, no less. Pretty stupid if you ask me. Even I got a 'B.'"

The Qian family disciple, angered and humiliated, spat, "So what if he's an 'A'? Rogues will never become Array Masters, got it?"

He pointed at Mo Hua and the others. "You rogue cultivators, you're like frogs in a well, ignorant of the world. You'll never, ever produce an Array Master. Got it? Do I need to spell it out for you?"

"Rogue cultivators will never be worthy of becoming Array Masters!"

The disciples around him fell silent.

Mo Hua looked at him with an expression akin to watching a fool, then stood up, bowed behind the Qian family disciple, and said, "Greetings, Yan Jiaoxi!"

The Qian family disciple froze, slowly turning around to find Yan Jiaoxi standing right behind him, his face dark with anger.

"The sect is a place for pursuing the Dao and cultivation, not a place for comparing and disparaging fellow disciples!"

"You have the nerve to mock others when your array skills are pitiful?"

"Stand outside until dusk as punishment. Then, copy the basic Five-Element Array Patterns a hundred times. Show them to me next term. If you can't, don't bother coming back…"

The Qian family disciple's face turned ashen, but he dared not argue. Yan Jiaoxi held a high position, capable of reprimanding even the direct descendants of the Qian family.

With his head bowed, the Qian family disciple left to serve his punishment.

Yan Jiaoxi stood in front of Mo Hua, silent for a moment. He placed a hand on Mo Hua's small shoulder, sighing, "Don't mind what others say. Just focus on your studies."

Mo Hua nodded respectfully and replied, "I will, Jiaoxi."

Yan Jiaoxi nodded, then returned to his seat and gave the disciples a few more instructions before announcing the start of the year-end break.

The disciples, suppressing their excitement, bowed and thanked him for his year of guidance before scattering like birds released from a cage.

The disciples were elated with the start of the sect's year-end break.

However, Mo Hua felt mixed emotions as he watched them leave.

These disciples, still young and carefree, were far from understanding the harsh realities of a cultivator's life.

Thinking of his father's wounds from hunting demons and his mother's weary face, Mo Hua felt a pang of sadness and sighed.

The road to becoming a First Grade Array Master was long and uncertain, but within his ability, he hoped to make life a little easier for his parents.

Mo Hua tucked away his report card and, with twelve spirit stones in his pouch, left the Tongxian Sect. Instead of going home, he headed toward the marketplace.