Chapter 517: Unable to Calculate
Chapter 519: Unable to Calculate
“Foundation Establishment!”
Mo Hua’s eyes shone brightly.
He had been waiting for this day for so long!
The thought that he was about to reach Foundation Establishment made him squint in a smile, his little face looking adorably innocent, like a cat leisurely basking in the sun.
Bai Zixi watched him with gentle eyes and a faint smile tugging at her lips.
Bai Zisheng, however, curled his mouth in disdain:
“Pathetic. Just Foundation Establishment, and you’re this happy…”
“You’re my junior brother; your ambitions should be long-term. At least aim for Golden Core, or Nascent Soul…”
Mo Hua didn’t bother replying.
He was in a good mood and didn’t want to argue with his little senior brother.
Mister Zhuang looked at Mo Hua gently, smiled faintly, and then, after a pause, said slowly:
“Don’t be too happy too soon. Your Foundation Establishment is different from ordinary people’s. It probably won’t be that easy…”
Mo Hua paused, speaking softly:
“Is it because of the Divine-Sense bottleneck?”
Mister Zhuang nodded slightly.
Mo Hua furrowed his brows, calculating carefully.
According to Mister Zhuang’s previous explanation, his cultivation path was first to raise his Divine-Sense to mid-Foundation Establishment level, around fourteen marks.
Then, by using a breakthrough in cultivation, the Divine-Sense could double, leaping across an entire stage, suddenly reaching the late Foundation Establishment level.
Whether that meant seventeen, eighteen, or nineteen marks was uncertain.
But even just seventeen marks would be extraordinary.
Early Foundation Establishment with late Foundation Establishment-level Divine-Sense.
This meant that in the Dao of Formations, as soon as Mo Hua entered second-grade formations, he would already have enough Divine-Sense to learn higher-level second-grade formations!
All of Mo Hua’s skills depended on Divine-Sense.
A strong Divine-Sense benefited not only formations but also body techniques and spells.
But this was just Mo Hua’s speculation.
Whether it would actually work was uncertain.
As Mister Zhuang had said, cultivators proving the Dao through Divine-Sense were rare. There weren’t enough precedents to reference, so it was impossible to know what changes might occur further along this path.
Moreover, the bottleneck from thirteen to fourteen marks was much harder than Mo Hua imagined.
It seemed like just a single mark difference.
But it was the barrier from early to mid-Foundation Establishment.
And Mo Hua was still in Qi-Refining.
He practiced formations every day, slowly increasing his Divine-Sense, but no matter what, he remained at the peak of thirteen marks.
The gap from thirteen to fourteen marks felt like a chasm.
No matter how much he enhanced his Divine-Sense, it seemed only a drop in the ocean.
He couldn’t break through the bottleneck to reach fourteen marks.
He didn’t know how long he would need to draw formations to reach fourteen marks. Even if he practiced absolute formations for thirteen marks, the progress would likely be extremely slow…
Mo Hua sighed.
Mister Zhuang looked at him, smiling gently, and said calmly:
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
“Do not become discouraged by hardships or the length of the road ahead.”
“As long as this is the path you are meant to take, there is no need to hesitate. What you must do is focus your heart and take each step deliberately…”
“Many things become clear as you go along.”
“And many opportunities and turning points can only be discovered on the road.”
Mo Hua’s eyes brightened slightly as he nodded.
Mister Zhuang looked at Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi, speaking warmly:
“The Bai family’s situation is complicated, so I won’t say much. But these words apply to you as well.”
Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi cupped their hands: “Yes, Master.”
Bai Zixi seemed thoughtful, while Bai Zisheng still didn’t quite understand.
…
In the days that followed, Mo Hua continued drawing formations.
Monotonous, mechanical, repetitive.
Seemingly dull.
But each repetition made the formation patterns more familiar, and his understanding deeper.
Opportunities came naturally and couldn’t be forced.
But practicing formations was something he could control.
Gradually, Mo Hua settled his mind.
He had spent countless days and nights drawing like this.
And he would continue for a long time…
He remembered Mister Zhuang’s words.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Focus, take one step at a time, and draw again and again…
…
After Mo Hua left, Nanyue City gradually returned to calm.
The Dao Court cultivators sent to suppress the Corpse Mines dispersed.
Only a few remained: the gaunt old man, middle-aged cultivators, and Young Master Yun.
Their purpose had never really been the Corpse Mines.
The gaunt old man sighed:
“Now it’s clear. It wasn’t that we tracked that person down, but that he deliberately revealed causality to lure us here.”
“Lure, you say? It’s more like he summoned us…”
Some cultivators frowned: “You think we’re spirit pets? Summoned at will?”
“It’s the truth.”
“What truth? Sounds like nonsense to me.”
“The point is, he summoned us, and we did the hard work…”
“What do you mean ‘hard work’? The Corpse King, the Dao-Sin… what kind of causal consequences are these? If left unresolved, how much calamity could follow?”
“Exactly. In my opinion, it’s a good thing…”
“Maybe, but are you willing to be played like this?”
“What choice do we have?”
…
The hall grew noisy.
The venerable white-haired elder gestured for silence, then said hoarsely:
“No matter what, that person led us here, suppressed the Corpse Mines, resolved the Dao-Sin chaos, and prevented the people from suffering. He acted according to Heaven’s Dao, doing a good deed.”
“This battle, everyone contributed.”
“As for that person, though proud and disdainful of all beings, he still maintains a sense of justice.”
Some agreed, others scoffed.
Young Master Yun nodded seriously.
The elder continued: “The question now is, where did that person go?”
Everyone exchanged glances, frowning in thought.
Someone asked: “Any trace of him in Nanyue City?”
“No… at least, I haven’t found any.”
“We didn’t find any clues either…”
“Not a single trace…”
“The whole city seems as if no cultivator has seen him or knows his whereabouts…”
“Then did he even come here?”
“Apparently, he didn’t.”
“If he didn’t, how did he know about the Corpse Mines?”
“You don’t think he had to be here in person, do you? You’re underestimating him…”
Many cultivators nodded in silent agreement.
One said: “I wonder if all of this was part of his plan?”
“Including the Corpse King’s rebellion, the suppression of the Corpse Mines, Lu Chengyun’s schemes, and even that little formation master who subdued the Corpse King—was every move calculated by him?”
“If that’s true… it’s terrifying.”
“If so, we may never see him in our lifetime.”
“Be grateful. The Tianxu Pavilion searched for hundreds of years without a trace. We are here experiencing this—it’s the closest we’ve ever been to him.”
“His schemes are deep…”
“Indeed…”
“Speaking of which, that little formation master isn’t simple either.”
“Yes…”
“Where did such a powerful little formation master come from?”
Everyone marveled.
“Speaking of the little formation master…” someone frowned thoughtfully. “…Isn’t there also a little formation master in Tongxian City, who supposedly laid a great formation and killed the great demon Feng Xi…”
The crowd grew silent.
Someone said seriously: “You’d believe this, but not that I’m the reincarnation of a Dao Lord?”
“Reincarnation my foot. You don’t deserve it.”
“You dare insult me?”
“So, the little formation master laid a great formation… what do you think that entails?”
“Exactly. A great formation is no child’s play.”
One cultivator frowned: “But… I heard from a Tianxu Pavilion elder that in second-grade Black Mountain Prefecture, Tongxian City, a great demon did appear, and someone indeed laid a formation to subdue it…”
“That’s obvious. That person’s causality appeared in Tongxian City. It wasn’t that the little formation master laid a formation independently; someone was behind it…”
He paused mid-sentence.
Everyone sensed something wrong, thought for a moment, and their faces paled.
Someone was behind the scenes in Tongxian City…
And behind Nanyue City’s events as well…
Tongxian had a little formation master, Nanyue had a little formation master…
A shocking hypothesis arose in their minds:
Could this little formation master be… that little formation master?
If so, the person behind him is… the one they are looking for?!
What is their relationship?
A middle-aged cultivator swallowed nervously:
“Does this mean… this little formation master has a master?”
Everyone’s hearts jumped.
Master?!
This little formation master is a disciple of that person?!
No clues? No trace?
That person’s disciple appeared openly before them, suppressed the Corpse King, resolved the disaster, even talked and ate with them.
And they had bid him farewell before he left…
The cultivators couldn’t accept it.
After a moment, someone asked:
“Could Mister Zhuang have been in the city all along?”
“You must call him ‘that person,’ not Mister Zhuang, or he’ll know.”
“If I call him that, he won’t know?”
Everyone fell silent and sighed.
Fine, Mister Zhuang it is.
Calling him “that person” was like covering your ears while stealing a bell—only fooling themselves…
“Do you think that day when the little master left Nanyue City in the carriage pulled by that big white horse, could Mister Zhuang have been in the carriage…”
Just saying it caused more frustration.
The person they sought was right in front of them, leaving in a carriage, and they had seen nothing.
Some cultivators refused to believe it: “Impossible… it couldn’t be so coincidental.”
The gaunt old man shook his head: “With Qi-Refining cultivation, able to lay a first-grade absolute formation, only Mister Zhuang could produce such a disciple.”
Young Master Yun also looked impressed.
“And,” the gaunt old man continued, “this little master has a pair of Bai surname senior disciples.”
“These two young cultivators are extraordinarily talented, but unfathomable.”
“That girl, calm and unassuming, yet not simple. As for the boy…”
The gaunt old man’s gaze revealed deep caution, “He uses the Dao Art… Dragon-Returning Spear!”
“The Dragon-Returning Dao, and the Bai family—you all understand what this means…”
Everyone’s hearts sank.
The Bai family of Qianzhou is truly a giant…
“What does the Bai family have to do with that person?” asked a cultivator.
The gaunt old man sighed: “The Bai family indeed has some connection to Mister Zhuang, but it’s best not to inquire. They’re not someone we can provoke.”
“So this little master really is Mister Zhuang’s disciple?”
The gaunt old man looked shocked, incredulous, and sighed:
“Most likely…”
The hall fell silent.
They had orders to find Mister Zhuang and uncover his secrets.
But after witnessing the Corpse Mines, they truly did not want to oppose this little master.
Suddenly, someone asked:
“What is this little master’s origin? Where is he from? Does he have a family or sect? How could he be accepted by Mister Zhuang? If I remember correctly, Mister Zhuang hasn’t taken a disciple in a long time…”
Everyone frowned.
“This little master…”
Someone hesitated mid-sentence: “…What was his name again?”
“You’re stupid? His surname is…”
Another person froze.
What was his surname again?
“Bai?”
“That’s his senior disciples’ surname.”
“Strange. I remember the senior disciples, but why can’t I recall him?”
“Don’t know his name, can’t remember his face…”
Someone suddenly asked: “What did this little master do again?”
Everyone froze.
Their Seas of Consciousness revealed a scene:
Blood-red skies, corpses everywhere, the Corpse King confronting the little master.
They remembered their fear, shock, and disbelief, but what exactly he did, and what happened afterward, was blurred.
The white-haired elder pondered, sighing:
“Mister Zhuang laid a mist within causality. Our Divine-Sense isn’t enough to perceive it…”
Everyone was shocked.
“Such a method exists?”
“Does that mean there’s no clue at all?”
“Senior, is there any way?”
The elder frowned, thinking, then said slowly:
“Heavenly Secret Derivative Algorithm might work, glimpsing a part, seeing a hint…”
“Then, senior, could you—”
The elder shook his head helplessly:
“I’m old. My Divine-Sense has weakened. I can’t calculate it…”
Everyone looked at each other.
Someone turned to the gaunt old man: “Master Wen, could you try?”
The gaunt old man was startled: “Me?”
The person nodded: “You are the most skilled in derivative calculations here.”
“But…” the gaunt old man hesitated.
The person continued: “With your Three Talents coin support, you might not calculate Mister Zhuang, but calculating his little disciple should be no problem.”
Others echoed: “Please, Master Wen.”
The gaunt old man felt troubled.
The first to stick out the head gets chopped off.
Why did this unlucky task fall on him?
He wanted to refuse, but so many respected cultivators were present; refusing might incur resentment.
“Fine, I’ll calculate.”
He wanted to know as well: who is this little master, to be accepted by Mister Zhuang and hidden behind a mist of causality?
He picked up a coin, poured out his Divine-Sense, muttering incantations. The coin spun chaotically, then fell still.
He placed the coin on his forehead, closed his eyes to sense it.
But his Divine-Sense vision was a foggy void.
After half a day, still nothing.
The gaunt old man opened his eyes, sighed helplessly: “The Heavenly Secret is indeed obscured, shrouded in mist. Nothing can be calculated. This is truly Mister Zhuang’s handiwork…”
Everyone was disappointed.
Perhaps the little master carried a clue about Mister Zhuang.
And an important one.
But if it can’t be calculated, there’s nothing they can do.
A middle-aged cultivator frowned: “Not being able to calculate Mister Zhuang is one thing, but even his disciple—there’s no way to trace him?”
“Master Wen, why don’t you try a different approach and calculate again?”
“Exactly. Don’t calculate him—calculate his parents, his friends, those around him. Or trace his past: where he lived, where he went.”
“Any small trace will do.”
The gaunt old man mentally cursed them up one side and down the other.
All this bad luck—why did it fall on him alone?
He wasn’t without temper.
The gaunt old man said, “My ability is limited. If you want me to continue, I’ll need to borrow your Zhou-Tian calculating devices.”
Hearing this, some hesitated.
Spirit tools imbued with the principles of the Zhou-Tian, which aid in derivative calculations, were precious—they weren’t lent out lightly.
Seeing their expressions, the gaunt old man sneered inwardly.
Easy to ask others for help, but unwilling to pay the price himself.
At that moment, the white-haired elder spoke:
“I’m willing to lend my Meditation Viewing Cushion to you, Brother Wen…”
The gaunt old man was momentarily stunned.
The white-haired elder then addressed the others:
“Mister Zhuang carries great secrets of immense importance. Surely, you won’t be so petty as to let minor possessions outweigh the greater matter.”
The others fell silent, contemplating briefly. Then, one by one, they made their offerings:
“I have a second-grade Heavenly Secret Plate…”
“I have a Spirit-Nurturing Incense…”
“This wooden hairpin is a Deadwood Pin, it can speed up mental calculations…”
…
Soon, the gaunt old man found himself surrounded by a pile of spirit tools.
He was surprised at first, then excited.
These were all top-grade tools for calculation.
Many were secret family or sect heirlooms, rarely lent to outsiders.
The gaunt old man felt invigorated.
In his life, he had never performed such a “wealthy” Heavenly Secret Derivative Calculation.
With these tools enhancing him, he might truly contend with Mister Zhuang for a moment.
To pierce through the fog laid by Mister Zhuang and glimpse the hidden thread of fate.
His spirit lifted.
After a brief rest, letting his Divine-Sense fill him, he solemnly lit the Spirit-Nurturing Incense, donned the Deadwood Pin, sat on the Meditation Viewing Cushion, and began arranging Three Talents Change Numerals coins on the Heavenly Secret Plate…
With so many spirit tools enhancing him, his Divine-Sense was unusually full, his thoughts unusually clear, and his eyes glimmered as if piercing the past and deducing the future.
The gaunt old man sat upright, beginning his calculations.
Though fully “armed,” he remained cautious.
He wasn’t greedy—he only calculated a little, just enough to glimpse the past of that young array master shrouded in mist, to see fleeting experiences, find small traces, and probe the interplay of cause and effect.
No matter how profound the fog laid by Mister Zhuang, it would never be without blind spots.
The gaunt old man sat patiently, calculating meticulously.
After an unknown amount of time, he finally pierced a layer of the fog!
He rejoiced, about to observe, when suddenly his heart thumped violently—a warning surged.
As if something terrifying lay hidden beneath the fog.
Just a touch sent his heart racing, cold sweat pouring.
Even within the mist, a trace of a fetid, brutal, icy aura lingered.
Though subtle, it radiated a chilling deathly presence.
Like a bucket of cold water thrown over his head.
The gaunt old man instantly realized:
What am I doing?
Who gave me the courage to peek into the fog laid by Mister Zhuang?
Am I worthy?
What ability do I even have?
And Mister Zhuang’s realm—what is it?
His hands trembled, his heart quivered.
“Damn, that was close!”
“Almost fooled by the tools, letting pride inflate my confidence, overestimating myself, forgetting my place.”
One must act within one’s bounds—so must calculations.
Calculate according to one’s ability.
If you cannot, it means your power is insufficient.
Forcing calculations beyond your ability invites karmic backlash; even death would not be surprising.
The gaunt old man exhaled deeply.
Yet his heart still pounded wildly, the shock of the warning lingering.
He felt both fear and a post-disaster relief.
Luckily, he was self-aware enough to recognize his limits—otherwise, he would have courted disaster.
The other cultivators, seeing a sudden enlightenment on his face, asked:
“Master Wen, how is it?”
“Have you calculated it?”
I’ve calculated your mother’s big ghost!!
The gaunt old man cursed in his heart.
Calculated? Nonsense—he almost lost his life.
But he couldn’t say that aloud; it would offend everyone and make him lose face.
He sighed instead. “Mister Zhuang truly has world-shaking talent. His methods, I cannot fathom…”
The others sighed in disappointment.
The clue was lost again.
Some even doubted, “With so many tools, it shouldn’t be impossible. Senior Wen, you aren’t trying to keep this secret for yourself, are you?”
The gaunt old man coldly glared at him: “Should I give you the tools, and you calculate?”
The man fell silent.
He could talk, but if it came to action, he’d be helpless.
The gaunt old man returned the tools, clasping his hands:
“My abilities are insufficient. I’ve failed to live up to your generosity.”
The white-haired elder understood the difficulty and danger, nodding in empathy:
“Thank you for your effort, Brother Wen.”
The other cultivators expressed their regret:
“Thank you, Senior Wen.”
“Senior Wen, much appreciated.”
…
They were only trying, with no expectation—failure was anticipated. After all, few in the world were more skilled at Heavenly Secret Calculations than Mister Zhuang.
This matter would require long-term consideration.
Everyone went back to rest.
The gaunt old man also put away his Three Talents Change Numerals coins.
But as he picked up a coin, he noticed a tiny crack along its edge…
He froze, focusing.
Then an overwhelming fear consumed him.
He realized it wasn’t his self-awareness that saved him.
The coin had, at a critical moment, blocked a deadly danger, saving his life!
That was why he felt the warning!
That was why he hesitated, and thus survived!
He truly was a survivor!
His hands and feet went limp; he collapsed into the chair. His heart, just calmed, immediately raced again, his back soaked with cold sweat.
Terror still lingered in his eyes.
What lies beneath the fog?
How terrifying is this young master’s karmic fate?
He only glimpsed a corner, or rather, barely glimpsed, and almost died?!
What resides within his destiny…