The farm and the mine needed people and tools to help but the array formation of the island prevented others from entering.
'It's time I find the controls for this array and learn how to use it, ' Mo Hu decided, 'I also need to arrange my schedule to learn artifact refinement so that I can at least mine some while I'm working on solutions.'
A familiar voice appeared in his mind, 'If I might be of assistance, the array you seek is on the walls of the cave. The array disk uses to control it is most likely in your ring.'
Mo Hu stopped and checked his ring and an hour later, he pulled an artifact out that shared the same runes and the array in the main room. He laughed, 'Thank you Senior, you were indeed correct.'
'I think before you get started on your next tasks, I should introduce myself. Hearing you constantly call me Senior is so informal. Please call my Quanliyan, I am not in fact human, but what is known as an artifact spirit by you cultivators.' Quanliyan explained.
Mo Hu mind reeled, 'Artifact spirit, what's that? Is it like A.I.?'
'I don't know what A.I. is but I don't think so? Anyways you will read more about this when you study artifact refinement. My purpose was to detect, analyze, test, store, and simulate everything around the cultivator who imprints their blood on my artifact. The last cultivator I attuned to died and I was damaged, to preserve the previous record, all knowledge was sealed away until the appropriate level of repair is accomplished. Your breakthrough to the Qi gathering stage has assisted me in releasing the first seal and I will share my experience with though when it comes to apprentice level knowledge of runes and array formations, I believe you know more than I, ' Quanliyan explained.
'Reason would dictate that as I breakthrough major and minor stages in the future, then more seals will open, ' Mo Hu predicted.
'That is correct, but it's not the only way,' Quanliyan replied,'I believe that a spirit vein is present on this island and you're mining towards it. The closer you are to the vein, the Qi will be of a higher quality and quantity. The longer I can stay close to the vein, the faster I can repair but you have to be cautious. Imagine your body is a bubble being formed and is growing larger, if the bubble absorbs too much it will pop and so will you,' Quanliyan warned.
'Understood Quanliyan, is it ok for you to be active fore so long?' Mo Hu inquired.
'Thanks to your extended stay on the island, this amount of activity will not limit me and even though I still place priority on healing myself, regular discussions, sharing of my limited knowledge, and the continued use of my simulation skill won't affect me. That being said, understanding gained by one own's ability is best. So even thought I will answer questions occasionally, you should strive to do your best.' Quanliyan advised.
'Quanliyan, since we both have tasks to accomplish, let's finish our discussion for now and await the next opportunity to continue.' Mo Hu proposed.
'Agreed, let me transfer what knowledge I have first and return to my recovery.' Quanliyan said.
Mo Hu calmed his mind and began to meditate when suddenly a rush of images and descriptions for materials, ingredients, recipes, methods, and techniques entered his mind. He methodically went through all the information gained, classified it, organized it, and stored it into the appropriate collection. He retrieved all the artifact refinement records from the ring for the apprentice refiner and began to memorize and study its contents. His mornings would be reserved for artifact refinement and in the afternoons he would analyze the grand protection array from the island. The rest of day was spent eating, sleeping, cultivating, and overseeing the farm.
Artifact refinement was such as broad profession as it involved the creation of weapons, armor, tools, and equipment that didn't fit into other categories. The process of creating a sword was more complex than one would expect. The refiner who wanted to create a flame sword could accomplish it in many ways. He or she could make a sword that channeled the natural fire Qi of the cultivator or they could also make a sword that accepted all Qi and converted to it to flames. The runes and arrays would be different in each case. The materials must also have the ability to channel Qi and the refiner would have to be able to identify and manipulate it to produce the desired effect. All but the few genius refiners would wait years to produce their first artifact as they had to study runes and materials for years. Then they had to practice over and over again until they broke through and succeeded, signifying their rank as an apprentice refiner. Mo Hu felt fortunate that he mitigate the use of wasting resources by practicing in a simulated environment.
That afternoon, Mo Hu approached the grand array in his cave and began to study it. Previously when he observed the array, he only wanted to memorize the runes and wasn't trying to analyze the different combinations of runes and how they synergized. Using his knowledge in array formations, he began to identify different functions in the grand array. Similar to computer programming, array formations had commands and variables, and just like the computer's electrical system , the array had ways to supply and distribute power to required components, detect input, and output a desired result. When Mo Hu used this frame of mind observing the array, he could identify how the array was powered and how it took that Qi and used in and variety of arrays: illusion, defense, detection, killing, suppressing, and teleportation. Most of the arrays were still more advanced than his current level of understanding but he could recognize the basic structure. He also borrowed Quanliyan's analytical abilities to view the array control disk without disassembling it.
The next three months consisted of Mo Hu mining closer to the spirit vein, studying and simulating the creation of artifacts and furthering his understanding of the grand array.