Mr. Zhuang smiled faintly, his words carrying profound meaning:
"If you mainly cultivate in slaughter, you are competing with the Proud Sons of Heaven. You become their enemy, and they won't treat you kindly."
"But if you assist in slaughter, you can help them compete with other Proud Sons of Heaven, and then they will have to regard your opinion."
"The stronger your methods in assisting slaughter, the more they will hesitate to offend you."
"In this way, even though you lack a Noble Clan for support, any Noble Clan can become your assistance; and without a Sect for backing, any Sect can become your background."
"Among the utilitarian and power-driven forces of Tao Cultivation, and amidst the many exceptional cultivators with outstanding Spiritual Roots, Cultivation Techniques, and Taoist Skills, you too will have a place!"
"The first beam exposed to the weather rots first."
"You can't stand out, nor do you need to."
"Learn to hide in the shadows, learn to ride the currents of power. Only by navigating smoothly through the forces of Cultivation, where barriers are strict, interests clash, and competition is fierce, can you truly go far, progressively refining your Cultivation, mastering Formations, and seeking the true Great Dao..."
Having finished, Mr. Zhuang looked somewhat emotional.
When he was young, he simply hadn't grasped this concept.
Always striving to suppress his peers, arrogant and disdainful of the world, he was too rigid and eventually suffered a great loss...
Mo Hua suddenly saw the light.
Assisting in slaughter, avoiding the limelight, hiding in the shadows, learning to leverage.
Only by doing so could one secure a foothold in the closely guarded, interest-conflicted, fiercely competitive world of Cultivation forces.
His master had truly considered his future so far ahead...
Moved in his heart, Mo Hua was extremely grateful.
But all these seemed premature for him.
He hadn't even begun to establish his Foundation, let alone compete with the Proud Sons of Heaven.
Mulling things over, Mo Hua asked:
"Master, is the Five Element Ultimate Formation at the Li Mountain State Boundary an auxiliary formation for slaughter?"
Mr. Zhuang nodded, "At its core, the Five Element Ultimate Formation is a means to intensify the Five Elements Spiritual Power."
Five Elements Spiritual Power Intensification!
Mo Hua's eyes lit up, eager to ask more specifics, but Mr. Zhuang just smiled faintly, playing coy:
"You'll know when the time comes."
But he didn't dare to reproach Mr. Zhuang in his heart.
If he did, Mr. Zhuang would know for certain and would knock on his little head.
Mo Hua could only ask other things:
"Master, what grade is the Dali Mountain State Boundary?"
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Mo Hua was astonished, it was actually Third-Grade!
"Doesn't that mean there will be Golden Core Cultivators?"
Mr. Zhuang nodded, "There are some, but not many. Dali Mountain is a rather remote area within the Third-Grade State Boundaries. The resources for Tao Cultivation are not abundant, and although it is ranked as Third-Grade, it cannot sustain many Golden Cores..."
"Only some larger Clans and Sects have Golden Core Cultivators at their helm."
"For ordinary cultivators, Foundation Establishment and Qi Refinement are still the main focus."
"Oh," Mo Hua nodded in understanding.
He wanted to ask more about the Five Element Ultimate Formation and the Dali Mountain State Boundary, but noticed Mr. Zhuang's weary expression, seemingly tired, so he said with concern:
"Master, you should rest for a while."
Looking outside, Mr. Zhuang appeared reflective:
"It's alright, maybe later, there's a Dragon Spring Waterfall up ahead that I want to see."
"Master, have you been here before?" Mo Hua couldn't help but ask.
Mr. Zhuang nodded, his expression turning somewhat wistful and nostalgic: "I have, but it was... a very long time ago..."
Just how long ago was that?
His master didn't seem that old...
Mo Hua thought to himself.
Looking up again, he saw Mr. Zhuang appeared fatigued, his gaze somewhat forlorn, lost in thought.
"Master, how much longer until we reach the Dragon Spring Waterfall?"
Mr. Zhuang came back to his senses and contemplated:
"I estimate, another two hours or so..."
After considering for a moment, Mo Hua suggested: "Then Master, you should sleep for a bit. When it's time, I'll wake you."
Mr. Zhuang looked surprised, then his expression softened with reassurance, and he acquiesced:
Mr. Zhuang closed his eyes peacefully and fell into a steady sleep.
Mo Hua sat upright, calculating the time while looking out the window.
He too wanted to see what Mr. Zhuang's described Dragon Spring Waterfall was like.
The carriage was quiet inside, while outside the Si Water was bustling.
The horse-drawn carriage followed the rushing water, heading south along the road, moving ever forward…