Mo Hua kept painting and solving by himself. When he grew tired of it, he would practice the Reversed Spirit Formation of the nine-and-a-half Formation Patterns.
His progress in solving Formations was very smooth. With each Compound Formation he solved, Mo Hua’s ability to do so improved.
But the progress on the Reversed Spirit Formation was slow.
A complete Reversed Spirit Formation, consisting of ten Formation Patterns, needed a Divine Sense as strong as one at the Foundation Establishment Stage. Mo Hua’s Divine Sense was still far from enough to paint a complete Reversed Spirit Formation.
Even the incomplete nine-and-a-half Patterns were becoming increasingly difficult for Mo Hua to draw.
With each additional line and stroke of the tenth Pattern above the nine, the Divine Sense expended was almost equivalent to the amount needed to paint a whole previous Pattern.
Mo Hua also had his doubts.
At this rate, could he really possess a Divine Sense strong enough for the Foundation Establishment Stage before actually reaching it…
Even if he could develop such a Divine Sense before Foundation Establishment, how many years would he need to practice Formations?
It couldn’t possibly take decades…
Mo Hua felt a hint of worry, but then he thought:
“Is there any other way to strengthen the Divine Sense…?”
After pondering for a bit, Mo Hua felt it unlikely. Among the Cultivators around him, his Divine Sense was already growing the fastest.
Even Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi, though they had better Spiritual Roots and higher Cultivation levels, had Divine Senses inferior to his.
Coming from a great Clan like the Bai Family, Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi were among the best, which showed that Mo Hua’s Divine Sense, even among the great Clans or Great Sects, was unique or at least very rare.
It seemed there was no better method available at the moment.
Mo Hua sighed and calmed his mind, no longer letting his thoughts wander.
If currently relying on Formations was the only option, then he would persist in painting them.
One day, as long as his Divine Sense kept growing, he would have one comparable to the Foundation Establishment Stage. It was only a question of time.
After ten or so days, Mo Hua encountered Yu Chengyi, who appeared very solemn. Mo Hua couldn’t help but ask, “Uncle Yu, has something happened?”
Yu Chengyi, deep in thought, looked up at the sound of his voice. Realizing it was Mo Hua and acknowledging that Mo Hua would eventually find out, he chose not to hide anything and said:
“There has been an incident. Those Sin Cultivators have made another move.”
“The bald one?”
Yu Chengyi nodded. “Exactly.”
Mo Hua exclaimed, “Did he rob and murder again?”
“This time he plundered a merchant convoy. A group of more than twenty Cultivators has disappeared without a trace, no bodies to be seen, just some bloodstains at the scene.”
Mo Hua’s heart skipped a beat, feeling some distress, then he grew puzzled, “Weren’t there previous merchant convoys that were robbed? What’s different this time?”
Yu Chengyi’s expression was very serious, an unusual sight.
“It is different,” Yu Chengyi sighed and continued, “First, there was a relatively large number of Cultivators robbed this time, and it seems none survived. Second, there was a Cultivator among the convoy with a special identity.”
“Some sort of important person?” Mo Hua asked curiously.
“Not exactly an important person,” Yu Chengyi said, asking Mo Hua, “Do you remember the Kong Family?”
“The Kong Family from Qingxuan City?”
“Right.”
Mo Hua certainly remembered the Kong Family, which had forced Uncle Ji and his son into exile, led to the ruin of Fu Lan’s family, and was known for bribing the Taoist Court in Qingxuan City to exploit the townspeople and oppress Loose Cultivators.
“That convoy included a legitimate young master of the Kong Family, Kong Sheng.”