Mo Hua pondered again:
"My divine sense is unique, perhaps I don’t need exactly twenty patterns, maybe once nineteen patterns grow a bit stronger, I can try again?"
Yet this provoked another question.
How to break through beyond nineteen patterns?
The fact that he attained nineteen patterns might largely be due to his good luck.
Mr. Tu, in the Valley of Ten Thousand Demons, unbeknownst how long he reared a large wave of demon wraiths, was ultimately to Mo Hua’s benefit, as he devoured them in one swift breath.
Refining so many evil spirits, only then he fed the Heavenly Dao Seal, allowing his divine sense to break through eighteen patterns, then together breaking through to nineteen patterns.
But there is only one Valley of Ten Thousand Demons.
Even if Mr. Tu’s divine skills were extensive, it would be impossible within the Qianxue State Boundary, to cultivate a second "land of demon wraiths".
If so, he could only leave the state boundary.
Yet he still was under house arrest...
Mo Hua was stirred, "Perhaps, when I have the chance, I should ask Elder Master Xun, if he can lift my house arrest?"
"But what excuse should I give?"
Mo Hua was somewhat perplexed.
As he hesitated, unsure of what "legitimate reason" to use to persuade Elder Master Xun, Elder Master Xun unexpectedly sought him out first.
"This is Formation Diagram with eighteen patterns."
Elder Master Xun handed over a thick stack of formation diagrams incorporating some Five Elements and Eight Trigrams formations to Mo Hua, and reminded:
"Though your divine sense is nineteen patterns now, formations should be learned step by step, start with eighteen patterns, master them steadily, then learn nineteen patterns, do not aim too high and far."
"Yes, Elder Master." Mo Hua respectfully replied.
Elder Master Xun glanced at Mo Hua and suddenly asked, "Can your divine sense... become stronger?"
Mo Hua was stunned.
Nineteen patterns, still not strong enough?
"Are you saying... twenty patterns?" Mo Hua asked softly.
Elder Master Xun replied irately:
"How can it be twenty patterns? Even if your opportunity is good and talent extraordinary, Foundation Establishment Realm won’t reach twenty patterns!"
There is a vast gulf between possessing Foundation Establishment Middle Stage divine sense and holding Golden Core Realm divine sense.
The gap between Foundation Establishment and Golden Core is significant.
Both in cultivation and divine sense.
"Oh, oh." Mo Hua nodded.
Elder Master Xun, observing Mo Hua, showed a hint of discreet desire in his eyes, "Just stronger than now will be enough."
Stronger, to ensure greater security.
The sect’s future is at stake, the more secure the better.
"Stronger?" Mo Hua’s eyes lit up, and he nodded, "I can do that!"
Mo Hua then deliberately appeared troubled, whispered, "But within Qianxue State Boundary, it’s unlikely, I need to go out, find some opportunities, undergo some ’tempering’..."
He didn’t specify what this "opportunity" was, nor what this "tempering" entailed.
Elder Master Xun didn’t ask; he merely gave Mo Hua a look filled with intriguing meaning, nodded, said:
"Very well, I won’t restrain you; after the new year, you may roam freely."
He wanted to see, once left to his devices, to what extent Mo Hua could "temper" his divine sense...