Chapter 541: Bottleneck
Chapter 543: Bottleneck
The Grand Elder summoned Sect Leader Liao.
Sect Leader Liao stared at the shrine for a long while, then asked in puzzlement,
“It seems… there really is a missing door…”
Both men frowned, confused.
This shrine had been passed down from the ancestors of the Five Elements Sect. It was a divine-sense dojo containing the inheritance of the Five Elements Spirit Array.
The shrine, crafted by the ancestors of the Five Elements Sect, was full of mysteries.
Who could have the ability to forcibly break open its doors?
And how was it done?
Was it Mr. Zhuang’s three disciples, or the little spirit inside?
Sect Leader Liao was also aware of the matter of the little spirit.
It was one of the secrets of the Five Elements Sect.
Centuries ago, to prevent the formation arts from being lost, the old sect master of the Five Elements Sect had deliberately captured a little spirit and placed it inside the shrine for upkeep. Its purpose was to create an aura of mystique, to confuse outsiders, and prevent the core inheritance of the sect from being revealed…
But now, the shrine’s door had been broken, and the little spirit had disappeared…
Sect Leader Liao asked in astonishment, “Then the inheritance of the Five Elements Spirit Array…”
The Grand Elder shook his head, sighing,
“I don’t know either…”
He raised his eyes again, scrutinized the shrine, and frowned,
“For hundreds of years, I’ve always felt that this shrine holds a special subtlety… it seems there’s even some particularly unique inheritance hidden within…”
“But now, with a door missing, that subtlety has suddenly vanished…”
“It’s as if the things inside have been emptied out by some unknown person…”
The shrine now was merely an empty shell, like an abandoned palace—vast and desolate.
Sect Leader Liao asked in surprise, “Grand Elder, does the Five Elements Sect still have any inheritance?”
The Grand Elder remained silent.
Because he didn’t know either.
Sect Leader Liao shook his head, a cold smile in his heart.
Praising themselves all along—what inheritance does the Five Elements Sect have besides the Five Elements Spirit Array?
Even the Spirit Array itself was largely useless; no one could truly learn it…
Of course, he didn’t say any of this aloud.
A glint of sharpness flashed in Sect Leader Liao’s eyes as he quietly said,
“Grand Elder, could it be that Mr. Zhuang and his disciples have stolen the inheritance of our Five Elements Sect?”
The Grand Elder’s heart skipped a beat, his brows tightening.
This was exactly what he feared…
The Zhuang family was unfathomably deep; his disciples were exceptionally talented. If the master and his disciples were orchestrating this to steal the sect’s inheritance, the consequences could be endless.
The key question was: what exactly was this inheritance?
The Five Elements Spirit Array?
If it was just the Spirit Array, there’d be no dispute—they were supposed to learn it anyway, and legitimately at that.
But what if it wasn’t just the Spirit Array?
If it wasn’t just the Spirit Array…
Then what could it be?
What had the ancestors of the Five Elements Sect truly left behind?
The Grand Elder was utterly confused.
Sect Leader Liao, thinking along different lines, asked,
“What do you plan to do?”
“Do?” The Grand Elder’s gaze darkened. “You mean…”
“If there is truly other inheritance within this shrine, it must be extraordinary. We must find out!”
“Find out…”
Sect Leader Liao raised an eyebrow. “You know who the main suspects are.”
The Grand Elder hesitated.
Sect Leader Liao continued,
“The shrine was broken, the inheritance lost. Mr. Zhuang’s disciples are the most suspicious, so…”
He leaned closer, lowering his voice:
“We must find a way to keep them here!”
“Keep them…”
The Grand Elder pondered.
Sect Leader Liao nodded and suggested,
“Start with the Five Elements Sect, then investigate the missing little spirit, and then Mr. Zhuang and his disciples…”
“Until we figure it out, we must keep them here!”
“If the inheritance is with them, we’ll find a way to take it back; if it’s not, we apologize, make amends, and that’s that…”
The Grand Elder sneered, “It’s not that simple…”
Who do you think you’re dealing with?
The Zhuang family is not someone to be trifled with.
Moreover, the wooden-like elder with him had an unfathomable cultivation level.
Sect Leader Liao saw what concerned the Grand Elder and spoke calmly:
“We start with courtesy, then move to force. First, we invite them to stay at the Five Elements Sect, let them linger a while.”
“If the ancestors had some goodwill, this request to visit, discuss formation arts, is reasonable…”
“They might just stay.”
“This is the first ‘courtesy’. If they refuse, then comes the ‘force’…”
“Mr. Zhuang and the elder may have impressive cultivation, but his disciples are only at Qi Refining. Recently, they’ve sparred with our sect disciples. Stronger than Qi Refining, perhaps comparable to early Foundation Establishment, but still, they cannot surpass our sect…”
“The Zhuang family may appear indifferent, but he clearly values these disciples, especially the little Mo. He dotes on that one.”
“As long as we control that little disciple—or even any one of them—we can use it to pressure Mr. Zhuang. He won’t resist.”
“If that doesn’t work…”
Sect Leader Liao pointed to the sky, voice firm: “We still have… the Five Elements Mountain-Protecting Formation!”
The Grand Elder was shocked, “Activate the formation?!”
Sect Leader Liao nodded, “Once the formation is activated, they cannot leave!”
“No matter how strong they are, they cannot break the limits of the heavenly dao. They will be trapped inside the formation!”
The Grand Elder frowned in thought. Sect Leader Liao’s plan made sense, but he still lacked confidence.
He didn’t dare oppose Mr. Zhuang directly. Especially not in the Five Elements Sect’s mountain gate, within the mountain-protecting formation.
“Ripping off the mask… isn’t that unwise?”
The Grand Elder voiced his concern.
Sect Leader Liao stepped back slightly and said softly,
“Grand Elder, we don’t have to completely clash with Mr. Zhuang…”
“We treat him hospitably; if he stays, all the better.”
“Even if we must activate the formation and face conflict, it doesn’t have to be fatal. We just need him to hand over the inheritance. Even half is better than losing it all…”
“For the sake of our ancestors, we can at least account for it…”
“Grand Elder…”
Sect Leader Liao looked at him earnestly, “The inheritance is paramount!”
The Grand Elder’s heart trembled.
“Yes, all of this is for the inheritance of the Five Elements Sect!”
Even if risky, it must be done.
The Grand Elder looked at Sect Leader Liao again, secretly nodding.
This sect leader, though somewhat limited in cultivation and vision, had a sense of measure and some ability.
“All right!” The Grand Elder nodded. “You start preparing. Make sure they stay in our Five Elements Sect!”
Sect Leader Liao’s expression brightened as he cupped his hands, acknowledging.
After their discussion, the Grand Elder lingered before the shrine, deep in thought and worry.
Sect Leader Liao exited the Hidden Formation Pavilion alone.
Night had fallen. Outside the pavilion, the architecture gleamed in gold and jade.
Sect Leader Liao stepped out, glanced back, and coldly chuckled:
“Inheritance, huh?”
“Inheritance my foot!”
“At this point, what inheritance does the Five Elements Sect even have?”
The formation arts had declined, formation masters lost.
The current Five Elements Sect was all show—just like the shrine, an empty shell of gold and jade.
No people, no formations, only an empty shell. What use is that?
Reviving the sect would be a joke.
Sect Leader Liao sneered, spinning his jade finger ring.
Not a bad haul, though…
Over the years, he had reaped many benefits, extracted all he could from these rotten timbers, earning a fortune. Now, he could leave…
The mess would be others’ problem.
The spirit stones were his!
As for the Five Elements Sect…
Sect Leader Liao snorted coldly.
Though he belonged to the sect, it was just a title; switching allegiances was no big deal.
But before he left, the sect had one last use…
He surveyed the entire sect’s mountain gate, a cold light in his eyes.
…
Two days later, Sect Leader Liao visited Mr. Zhuang.
He maintained a calm, sincere appearance, saying,
“I have long admired you, Senior. Previously, I may have caused difficulties; I beg your forgiveness…”
Mr. Zhuang gave no response.
Sect Leader Liao continued,
“…Now that the inheritance issue has arisen, I respectfully invite you to stay at the Five Elements Sect for a time, so I may offer some hospitality.”
He spoke earnestly, though inwardly nervous.
He couldn’t gauge Mr. Zhuang’s intentions. Being met by Mr. Zhuang’s piercing gaze made him feel a prickling unease.
Sect Leader Liao waited anxiously for a reply.
After a moment’s thought, Mr. Zhuang said,
“Very well.”
That simple “very well” lifted a weight from Sect Leader Liao, and he smiled,
“I am grateful for your generosity, Senior.”
Mr. Zhuang nodded slightly, said nothing more, and sipped his tea.
Sect Leader Liao, sensing the cue, bowed,
“I shall not disturb your cultivation, Senior. Farewell.”
After Sect Leader Liao left, Mr. Zhuang summoned Mo Hua and said,
“Over the next few days, train diligently. You will establish Foundation here in the Five Elements Sect.”
Mo Hua was startled, “Here?”
The Five Elements Sect was hardly a friendly place.
From top to bottom, they were jealous and resentful of him. At best, they were unfriendly.
Yet Mr. Zhuang said firmly,
“No matter. Establish your Foundation here.”
Mo Hua hesitated, “Isn’t it a bit soon…”
His cultivation had just reached the ninth layer of Qi Refining. His qi sea was unstable, his foundation weak, and his power shaky. Establishing Foundation now felt premature.
Mr. Zhuang said gently,
“Your spiritual root… isn’t great. No matter how much you cultivate, it won’t change much. So there’s no need to refine your realm or strengthen your root. Just break through and establish Foundation…”
Though his tone was gentle, the words were blunt.
“Very well…”
Mo Hua nodded, then asked, “Master, is my divine-sense sufficient?”
“Will drawing the Five Elements Spirit Array enhance your consciousness?” Mr. Zhuang asked.
“Yes, but not much…” Mo Hua replied truthfully.
“Can you break through to the Fourteenth Pattern?”
Mo Hua shook his head, “Seems difficult…”
He had spent these days repeatedly drawing the Five Elements Spirit Array—metal, wood, water, fire, earth—day and night, even on the Dao Monument.
His divine-sense was slowly growing at a decent pace, much more than when he drew the Spiritual-Pivot Array.
Although the Five Elements Spirit Array required thirteen patterns, because of “divine-sense Dao transformation,” part of his consciousness was integrated into the formation with his spiritual power.
So the actual consumption of consciousness was greater than the thirteen patterns.
The Spiritual-Pivot Array only had twelve patterns.
If enhancing consciousness with the Spiritual-Pivot Array was a stream,
then the Five Elements Spirit Array was a river.
But whether stream or river, before reaching the threshold from thirteen to fourteen patterns, it was still insufficient.
It was like pouring water into a ravine—the water itself wasn’t small, but the ravine was unfathomably deep, impossible to fill…
Mister Zhuang pondered for a moment and said, “Forget it. Just use your peak thirteen-patterns Divine-Sense to establish your Foundation…”
“Not reaching fourteen patterns?” Mo Hua asked weakly.
Mister Zhuang shook his head with a sigh: “No need to force it. Fourteen patterns would be ideal, but it’s simply too difficult…”
Besides, plans couldn’t keep up with changes—there wasn’t much time left…
A hint of melancholy flashed in Mister Zhuang’s eyes, then he instructed:
“You’ll establish your Foundation with your peak thirteen-pattern Divine-Sense. It may not be the absolute pinnacle, but it’s already very good…”
He had wanted to say “very strong,” but hesitated, not wanting Mo Hua to become proud.
To be fair, having peak thirteen-pattern Divine-Sense at the Qi-Refining stage was extremely rare, even in his experience—it was practically the limit…
Going beyond that would truly be too difficult.
Mister Zhuang said gravely: “By establishing your Foundation with peak thirteen-patterns Divine-Sense, theoretically, you will overcome the obstruction, your Divine-Sense will multiply, and you will reach mid-Foundation stage, somewhere between fourteen and sixteen patterns.”
“As for the exact number… that depends on fate and circumstance…”
Mo Hua asked curiously, “Master, if the Divine-Sense multiplies, why doesn’t it become twenty-six patterns?”
Mister Zhuang paused, then lightly tapped Mo Hua’s forehead:
“What are you thinking? Divine-Sense growth isn’t simple addition or subtraction.”
“Patterns are just a measure.”
“The quantity of Divine-Sense between two measures can differ vastly.”
“Nine-pattern Qi-Refining versus ten-pattern Foundation establishment is already double in magnitude.”
“Twenty-six patterns —that would be Golden Core level…”
“No such luck…”
Mo Hua smiled awkwardly, then asked curiously: “Master, does the Divine-Sense differ by a full double between early and mid-Foundation stages as well?”
Mister Zhuang said, “Not necessarily. There is a significant difference between early and mid-Foundation, but not a full double.”
Mo Hua, sharp-minded, spotted another question:
“Then why, when I breakthrough to Foundation Establishment, multiplying my Divine-Sense, does it only reach mid-Foundation Establishment?”
Mister Zhuang sipped his tea and continued to explain:
“The closer Divine-Sense approaches the higher stages, the slower and harder it grows.”
“Moreover, your case is special. Your Divine-Sense is already very strong. So breaking through a stage will greatly increase it, but not necessarily double it.”
“The Heavenly Dao has balance, always with limits and constraints…”
Without limits, your Divine-Sense, would truly become lawless…
Mister Zhuang glanced at Mo Hua and sighed inwardly.
Mo Hua nodded, half understanding.
“All right, focus on cultivation…”
Mister Zhuang looked at him again and smiled gently:
“In less than a month, your cultivation should be ready. Try to breakthrough your current stage, see what the bottleneck of the Celestial-Evolution Art is, then figure out how to surpass it and establish your Dao Foundation!”
“Yes!”
Mo Hua nodded, his eyes sparkling.
Though he couldn’t reach fourteen patterns—a bit of regret lingered—he was still happy that Foundation establishment was imminent.
No fourteen patterns , well… it couldn’t be helped.
Man follows Earth, Earth follows Heaven, Heaven follows Dao, Dao follows Nature.
Cultivation is about going with the flow, not forcing it.
One cannot let greed exceed limits.
For the next month, Mo Hua devoted himself entirely to cultivation, continuously absorbing spirit stones.
Even when studying formations, it was only on the Dao Monument during the midnight hours. During the day, he spent most of his time meditating and refining spirit stones.
Ordinary cultivation emphasized patience and persistence, like water wearing through stone.
Daily consistency led to mastery.
But now, as Foundation establishment approached, more time and spirit stones were needed—every moment and resource had to be focused on the “cutting edge.”
Mo Hua cultivated with full focus, preparing for Foundation establishment.
Bai Zixi and Bai Zisheng knew he was about to establish Foundation, so they did not disturb him, silently guarding their junior brother to prevent mishaps or interruptions.
Mo Hua’s cultivation proceeded smoothly.
Spirit stones were consumed one by one, and his spiritual power increased steadily.
Finally, a month later,
Mo Hua’s cultivation reached the peak of Qi-Refining nine.
At the same time, he touched the bottleneck of Foundation establishment…