What do you mean I'm a cultivator?-Chapter 45

The following weeks were spent in a relentless pursuit of knowledge. Not like Cheng hadn't buried his nose in books before, but this time, it was on a specific topic. Not on knowledge as a whole.

Cheng scoured the Tower of Records, searching for anything remotely related to array crafting and sigilmaking.

Both arts seemed to be linked to crafting things, such as the special ink that was described to be inscribed on the bandages.

If he wanted to have a good foundation, he would need to have such things in his possession.

Time and time again, he hit dead ends. The information was either frustratingly vague, referencing concepts without many details, or completely missing.

At first, he thought it was a coincidence. Maybe he simply wasn’t looking in the right places. But as the days passed, he began to notice a pattern. It wasn’t just hard to find, it was deliberately absent.

There were countless books on arrays and talismans, the product of sigilmaking. How to use them, how to recognize them, and their historical significance. But nothing on how to actually create them.

It was as if someone had ripped out the crucial sections, leaving only a surface level understanding.

Cheng leaned back against the shelves, rubbing his forehead.

“So array masters hoard their knowledge. Not surprised.” Cheng muttered under his breath.

It was either that, or the sect did not want such money making methods out in the open.

If even basic sigilmaking was hidden, then creating something like the Qi sealing inscriptions found on the bandages was far beyond his reach.

That left him with only one option.

Asking Master Liu.

That evening, as the forge fires crackled and the scent of burning wood filled the air, Cheng approached Master Liu once more.

The old craftsman was seated near the anvil, carving intricate patterns into a wooden hilt. His movements were slow but deliberate, each stroke precise.

“Master.” Cheng began, keeping his tone respectful but casual.

Master Liu didn’t look up.

“I need books on array crafting and sigilmaking.”

The old man paused for a fraction of a second before continuing his work.

“Should’ve figured. You’ve been asking too many damn questions lately.” he grumbled, setting the carving knife down. His clouded eyes finally met Cheng’s. “Let me guess. You ran around that dusty old library and found nothing.”

Cheng nodded.

Master Liu sighed, rubbing his temple. “Of course you didn’t. That kind of knowledge isn’t just lying around for any fool to pick up.”

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“Yes, but also because it’s dangerous. Arrays and sigils shape Qi, mold it, and force it into doing things it normally wouldn’t. You think the sect would just hand that kind of power to a bunch of outer disciples who can barely swing a sword straight, and to those who even end up leaving it, to create villages?”

Still, that didn’t mean he was giving up.

“Then where do I find it?”

Master Liu gave him a long, measuring look before scoffing. “Persistent boy. Fine. I’ll get you something.”

Cheng felt the flicker of excitement but kept his expression neutral. “Thank you, Master.”

“Yeah, yeah. Just don’t bother me about this again. Or do. I don't really have anything to do nowadays.” the old man waved him off.

“I’m a craftsman, not some damned array grandmaster.”

Cheng wisely didn’t point out that array and sigilmaking weren’t so different. Instead, he simply bowed and left.

True to his word, Master Liu came through.

The next morning, Cheng arrived at the workshop to find a stack of seven books waiting for him on a nearby table. Some were old, their pages yellowed with time, while others looked relatively new.

Master Liu stood beside them, arms crossed.

“There. Read these and stop bothering me.”

Cheng raised an eyebrow.

“You brought all these just for me? I’m touched, Master.”

The old man scowled. “Don’t flatter yourself boy. I just had these lying around.”

Cheng allowed a small smile to creep up on his face, but didn’t push further. After all, he was master Liu's disciple, so he couldn't really speak like that to him, lest one accuse him of disrespecting his elders.

Instead, he reached for the topmost book, and he hid it in his robes, moving the rest on an unused desk. He wasn't dumb enough to take all of them and lose one. That would probably be a royal fuck up.

The next day, Cheng settled into his usual corner of the Tower of Records, other, random books stacked beside him as he prepared to dive into the mysteries of inscription theory. The old, musty scent of parchment filled the air, and the quiet rustling of pages being turned created a peaceful atmosphere.

Just as he cracked open the first book, a familiar, annoying presence made itself known.

Liu Wei.

The other boy strode in, his robes immaculate as ever, his posture still carrying traces of arrogance. But it was different now. Less self assured, more hesitant. Ever since that sect assessment, where he’d been harshly reminded that his talent wasn’t enough, something in him had changed.

Seems like his snarky attitude hadn't gone anywhere, as he sat across Cheng.

Cheng didn’t even have to look up to know what was happening. He could feel Liu Wei’s gaze flicking toward him every now and then, glaring as if Cheng had personally wronged him by simply existing.

Or maybe that was his way of being friendly? Cheng thought with amusement.

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Then came the most predictable part. One that Liu Wei had done the last time he caught him being in here. Pretending to read.

Copying him. Again.

Cheng resisted the urge to sigh. What is with this guy?

He glanced up briefly, catching the other boy awkwardly flipping a page far too quickly to actually be reading. Their eyes met.

Liu Wei’s expression immediately hardened into a scowl.

"What? Can't a man read, prodigy?"

Cheng, utterly unimpressed, simply stared at him blankly, silver eyes meeting black ones.

Liu Wei huffed, turning his attention back to his book.

Cheng’s lips twitched in amusement before returning to his own reading. If the guy wanted to pretend he was here for academic purposes, then fine.

So long as he didn’t get in Cheng’s way, he could glare all he wanted.

Ignoring the increasingly frequent glares Liu Wei shot his way, his focus remained on the text before him.

The guy was stubborn, Cheng would give him that. But if he thought a few angry looks would somehow rattle him, he clearly hadn’t been paying attention.

Turning another page, Cheng’s mind drifted for a brief moment.

Liu Wei. Now, where had he heard that before?

He almost laughed out loud as it clicked. His master and this brat shared the same name.

Of course, it wasn’t exactly uncommon for people to share names, but the contrast between them made it almost funny. One was a sharp tongued old man who scolded him for the smallest mistake while handing him invaluable knowledge. The other was a sharp tongued brat who glared at him for existing.

Either way, Cheng doubted they were related. One was worth listening to. The other was...well, currently pretending to read while glaring at him.

Perhaps if he stared hard enough, the guy would fall into enlightenment. Cheng thought with amusement.

Shaking his head slightly, he dismissed the thought and refocused.

There were more important things to worry about than whatever grudge Liu Wei was nursing.

As Cheng read, he realized something. Arrays and his master’s technique, the one he had been taught in crafting, worked within the material itself. It reshaped the structure of metal or wood, altering it from the inside.

Arrays, however, functioned on the surface.

They were external, drawing in Qi and influencing the world around them. Where forging and crafting changed the object permanently, arrays acted as conduits, directing Qi in specific patterns.

As such, arrays could be permanent or temporary.

It was a fascinating realization.

No wonder Master Liu had scoffed at the distinction. The principles were practically the same. It was just that Cheng had no idea how they were linked.

Then, to his delight, the book provided a practical example.

The Warmth Array.

The book called it the easiest and most fundamental array, as it gathered and retained ambient heat, commonly used in clothing, buildings, and even storage containers to prevent perishable goods from freezing in winter, with the aid of Ambient Qi.

It was basic, but that made it perfect as a starting point.

The book described how to carve the necessary lines, where to place the Characters, and how to activate the formation.

That was another difference. Arrays and most likely, talismans by extension, had their own language. It wasn't a true language, as the book explained, but rather the intent of the word mattered.

In this example, the heat array used the character for Warmth and heat, smashed side to side into a New character that had more meaning than actual writing significance.

That was how the Qi was changed and transformed. Typically, Qi of no affinity and temperature were not linked. But arrays gave meaning to Qi. It added another dimension to what he thought was Qi.

He thought it was a source of power. But it was also a Language. A language to shape the world.

It made one wonder. Just what kind of heaven defying genius was able to create such things all on their own?

The key in arrays was precision and intent. Too shallow, and the energy wouldn’t flow properly. Too deep, and the structure would break apart under its own instability.

A thought struck him.

Could he apply this to his own crafting?

A sword that retained heat, burning with every strike. A tool that absorbs cold, useful for handling delicate materials.

Even a simple Warmth Array had so many applications. And if he mastered it, then perhaps he could begin experimenting with more complex formations.

Cheng rubbed his chin thoughtfully. This was something he could actually test.

But something told him that it might cause problems.

Unlike grand theories of Foundation Establishment or the mysteries of other things, the Warmth Array was within reach.

Perhaps this was what his master meant.

Start small. Understand the basics. Then, build upon them.

His fingers traced the rough parchment, memorizing the patterns. How each line originated from the character used in what seemed to be the center of the array.

He would have to try it later. Maybe on a scrap of wood first before attempting it on metal. But that posed another Question.

Would the wood burn, fit eh warmth array was strong enough? Could one change its properties to make a Scorching array, for example?

It was fascinating to learn about.

A sharp sound of a page flipping too aggressively broke his focus.

Cheng glanced up.

Liu Wei was still staring.

The other boy quickly averted his gaze, pretending to be immersed in his book.

Cheng sighed through his nose. This guy.

It was kind of like training if he thought about it. To keep focus even with distractions. So he let the guy sulk and frown as he stared at him.

That night, in the solitude of his cabin, Cheng sat cross legged on his straw mat, before a small wooden chunk in his hands.

The candlelight flickered, casting jagged shadows along the walls as he carefully etched the lines of the Warmth Array into the wood.

His left hand, holding a carving knife, moved, cutting the wood in the specific motions the array demanded.

His strokes were precise, slow, and controlled. Each groove had to be deep enough to guide the Qi but not so deep that it disrupted the flow.

His first attempt failed.

The moment he tried to channel his Qi into the array, the energy scattered. The wood remained unchanged, the warmth he expected never arriving.

He exhaled through his nose and started over.

The second attempt? Another failure.

The third? Same result.

Each time, the Qi simply dispersed into the surroundings like water slipping through cracks. But to his relief, the wood itself remained undamaged. He suspected that stronger arrays might cause backlash, perhaps even destroying the material outright.

By the fourth failure, frustration gnawed at him. What was he missing?

He carved the array correctly. He let a minute part of his Qi in the array. So what was he missing?

It wasn’t the lines. He had followed the book’s instructions exactly.

Then he realized. Intent. In his attempt at carving the wood, he had momentarily forgotten that arrays needed intent. Not just some carving.

The book emphasized that arrays were a language. Not just drawings or carvings, but expressions of Qi and intent.

It wasn’t enough to carve the symbol of warmth. He had to mean it. To shape his Qi with the intention of gathering heat and stabilizing it within the array.

Cheng inhaled deeply, steadying his mind. He placed a hand over the newly carved symbols, closed his eyes, and carefully guided his Qi into them.

Again. Nothing, for the most part. Undeterred, he moved closer to the candlelight and hovered one of his hands over it. He felt its warmth. How the heat warmed up his hand, but did not burn him. It was gentle. Like a soft caress. This was warmth.

It held.

He felt it instantly. A faint resonance in the wood, a subtle shift in the air. The array didn’t activate immediately, just as the book had described. But it had stabilised. Proof that his intent was within the wood. Within the array.

But it didn't start working immediately. It needed a jolt of his own Qi. Like priming a machine before it could function.

His subconscious compared it to a light bulb. What was that now?

He dived into his mind, trying to feel that thought. He didn't get much, other than somehow, lightning could be contained by something as brittle as glass. Well, not glass exactly, but the thought wasn't that cohesive.

Cheng pressed his fingers against the central character and sent a controlled pulse of Qi.

The effect was slow. Infuriatingly slow. But it was there.

The air around him wavered, barely perceptible. His senses, honed through crafting and working with metals, picked up the change. The wooden plank was drawing in heat. not much, but enough.

More interestingly, it wasn’t just pulling in warmth from the room. It was drawing from him. From the candle, softly burning next to him. It drew in the ambient Qi in a slow manner, and with it, it contained the heat, stopping it from dissipating outwards. It kept it closer, with the wood slowly getting warmer.

Cheng raised an eyebrow, watching as the center of the array absorbed the heat from his fingertips, ever so subtly warming up.

If he strengthened the array, would it start pulling heat from everything? Would it leech warmth from his surroundings until the air grew cold?

Would it start burning the surroundings as it overworked, going far beyond its intended use?

Perhaps a scorching array existed. A byproduct of the warmth array. Both could serve different purposes. One would warm the surroundings. And one would set the world aflame.

He tapped the wood lightly, letting out a low hum of approval.

It worked.

A small step, but an important one.

He had successfully created his first functioning array.

But it was a subpar result. And Cheng attributed it to two things. There was simply nothing producing a lot of heat close to the array. And that the array was etched on wood. Sure, wood could burn and hold heat, but most likely, stone was a much better candidate.