Chapter 42: Heart Journey

There are clouds and mists in the mountains, and in the clouds and mists there is a courtyard, and in the courtyard there is a bamboo gate, and there is a path at the entrance, winding to Mo Hua's feet.

It doesn't look unusual.

Mo Hua took a step and stepped onto the path, and then his consciousness felt a fluctuation, as if something was triggered.

But looking around, the surrounding mountains are still mountains, trees are still trees, and flowers and plants are still flowers and plants, without any change.

Mo Hua stopped and looked around, but still didn't see anything.

Mo Hua heard that some senior masters like to set up some formations or situations to test others. I wonder if the gentleman on the mountain also has this habit.

Or, in other words, this path in front of him is actually a test?

Mo Hua was a little nervous for some reason.

Since he is a formation master and there are fluctuations in his consciousness, there should be a formation on this path.

But what kind of formation is it?

With Mo Hua's limited experience in formations, he has no clue at all. At the same time, no matter how he looks, he doesn't think the surrounding scenery is any different.

Mo Hua walked and thought, but he couldn't think of anything.

He had to remember the teacher's instructions, with a clear mind, letting things take their own course, neither forcing nor discouraged.

As he walked, he had already reached the door of the courtyard.

The bamboo door of the courtyard was simple but quite interesting.

After passing the bamboo door, the view suddenly opened up, and he saw a beautiful courtyard with several unique and elegant bamboo houses. The courtyard was covered with green grass, the pool was misty, and the cranes drank dew. Just looking at it made people feel relaxed and happy.

There was a skinny old man standing in the courtyard. Mo Hua hurriedly saluted and said, "Hello, sir."

The old man's voice was like his person, hoarse and dry, like the sound of a piece of rotten wood weathering:

"I am not the sir, the sir is inside, please follow me."

After that, he led Mo Hua into a bamboo house, which was elegant and windy.

In the middle of the room sat a middle-aged monk in white. He had a very handsome face and a graceful manner. He looked around with a sense of freedom and uninhibitedness, as if nothing in the world had ever lingered in his mind.

This was the most immortal figure Mo Hua had ever seen.

The middle-aged monk saw Mo Hua and smiled casually, "You are Mo Hua, right? Mr. Yan told me. I ask you, just answer, don't be restrained, just say what you think."

Mo Hua bowed and said, "Okay, sir."

The middle-aged monk said, "My last name is Zhuang, you can just call me Mr. Zhuang."

Mo Hua bowed again, "Mr. Zhuang."

Mr. Zhuang nodded slightly and said, "Just now I passed by the path on the mountain, what did you see?"

Mo Hua thought for a while and said, "There are mountains, trees, flowers, grass, and a path."

"Besides that?" Mr. Zhuang said with interest, "Didn't you see anything else? Like someone or something?"

Mo Hua shook his head.

Mr. Zhuang said, "There is a formation on that path, which was given to me by a Taoist friend in the past. The formation is called the Water Mirror Formation. The first time you walk on it, you can see some of your own encounters, or predict some of your future."

Mo Hua was shocked. There is such a formation? It can show encounters and the future?

Then I didn't see anything, what does it mean? It doesn't mean that I have no future...

Mo Hua was nervous for a moment, but thinking of the instructions of Teacher Yan before, he still said truthfully: "I didn't see anything else..."

Mr. Zhuang was slightly surprised, then nodded and said, "I know." Then he took out a formation diagram and continued:

"Here are pens and ink. You draw this formation, as much as you can."

Mo Hua took a look at the formation diagram. It was the Dingshui Formation, which was also the formation that Teacher Yan used for the assessment before.

"Yes."

Mo Hua took the paper and pen, compared it with the formation diagram, and began to draw the formation.

After an hour, Mo Hua's spiritual consciousness was exhausted, and he could only draw five and a half formation patterns.

It had only been a few days since the last time he drew the Dingshui Formation, and Mo Hua's spiritual awareness had not yet grown fast enough to draw a six-line formation in such a short time.

This time, the formation was more skillful than the last time, and the handwriting was more neat.

Mr. Zhuang looked at the formation drawn by Mo Hua, raised his eyebrows slightly, and then said:

"Not bad, are you willing to be my registered disciple? I won't teach you some of the sect's formations, but if you want to learn the formations commonly used in the cultivation world, I can teach you."

Although I don't know why, Mo Hua seems to have passed Mr. Zhuang's test.

Mo Hua was overjoyed, and then respectfully saluted Mr. Zhuang and said: "Thank you, sir, I am willing!"

There are two types of master-disciple relationships in the cultivation world, one is a registered disciple, and the other is a direct disciple.

Direct disciples are called "masters" and are taught by their masters. They emphasize "once a master, a father for life", and the relationship between masters and disciples is very deep.

The registered disciples are much more casual, they can teach whatever they want, and the disciples cannot call "Master", they can only call "Mr.", there is friendship between the master and the apprentice, but it is not as deep as the personal teaching.

However, Mr. Zhuang is very grateful that he can accept Mo Hua as a registered disciple.

Mr. Zhuang nodded, "You go back today, come at noon tomorrow, and I will start to teach you some formations."

"Okay, sir!"

Mo Hua bowed again, this time as a disciple bows to a master, then said goodbye to Mr. Zhuang and left Mr. Zhuang's courtyard with brisk steps.

Mo Hua walked down the mountain and found that Yan Jiaoshi was still waiting at the foot of the mountain. When he learned that Mr. Zhuang agreed to accept Mo Hua as an apprentice, he was relieved and said with satisfaction:

"It is your blessing that you can be valued by Mr. Zhuang. You must cherish this opportunity. Mr. Zhuang is a master, you must respect him more."

"Yes, teacher." Mo Hua agreed.

The two walked along the mountain road for a while, and Mo Hua suddenly asked curiously: "Teacher, have you been to Mr. Zhuang's courtyard? What did you see when you passed by that path?"

Teacher Yan turned his head and looked at Mo Hua silently. After a moment, he said:

"When I walked along that path, I vaguely saw some pictures. These fleeting pictures told me that Mr. Zhuang is willing to accept you as his apprentice, and you will become an outstanding array master in the future."

After Teacher Yan finished speaking, the two had reached a fork in the road, and Tongxian City was in front of them.

Teacher Yan looked at Mo Hua and suddenly said solemnly: "Mo Hua."

Mo Hua turned around, and Teacher Yan paused for a moment and said:

"Array masters seek the way of heaven, but the way of heaven is infinite, and human life is limited. Only by passing down the array from generation to generation can cultivators have the possibility of understanding the way of heaven and the array can benefit all living beings."

"One day in the future, if you become a first-class or even higher-class array master, and meet a cultivator with a good character and a talent for array, I hope you can also give guidance. The way of array is like water, it will last for a long time if it is passed down, otherwise it will only be a pool of stagnant water."

Mo Hua suddenly felt a little heavy on his shoulders. He saluted Teacher Yan and said solemnly: "Disciple remembers!"

Teacher Yan looked relieved.

Mo Hua couldn't help asking, "Teacher, are you leaving Tongxian City?"

Teacher Yan nodded, "I can't stay in Tongxian Gate anymore, and I have some personal matters to attend to, so I will leave soon."

"Will I see you again?"

Teacher Yan looked at Mo Hua's dark and clear eyes and smiled, "Let it be."

Teacher Yan reached out and touched Mo Hua's head, "Go back early and talk to your parents."

Mo Hua walked towards the city gate, and after a few steps, he turned back and saluted Teacher Yan.

Teacher Yan waved his hand and said softly, "Go." Then he kept looking at Mo Hua until Mo Hua's back became smaller, and then he turned around and left.

At this time, Mo Hua also turned back, looked at Teacher Yan, and saluted deeply again.

Teacher Yan's figure gradually went away, and disappeared vaguely in the misty mountains.