Chapter 50: Brother and Sister
From then on, the three of them would come every morning to pay respects to Mister Zhuang—bowing from afar outside the door.
They would wait for the time it takes half a cup of tea to cool; if the door remained tightly shut, they would descend the mountain again.
Mo Hua actually wanted to tell them that Mister Zhuang usually slept in, not waking up until the afternoon—their timing couldn't be worse.
But then he thought again: at least for now, it was clear that Mister Zhuang had no intention of seeing them.
Whether they came early or late, they wouldn't see him anyway.
Since they weren't going to see him either way, the timing of their visit didn't really matter.
At least, by coming early, they could still catch the mountains wrapped in the glow of dawn—not a total loss.
Sometimes, when Mo Hua went up the mountain, he would run into them.
They'd exchange greetings; if time permitted, they'd chat a little.
The two, though born of noble families and possessing a proud air, were actually quite easy to talk to.
From these small conversations, Mo Hua learned that their surname was Bai.
They were both a little older than him—the dignified boy was Bai Zisheng, and the girl, delicate as a porcelain doll, was Bai Zixi.
They were siblings who had come from afar, under orders from their elders, to seek Mister Zhuang as their teacher in the art of formations.
Bai Zisheng talked a lot; Bai Zixi spoke little.
Their faces bore some resemblance, though Bai Zixi was unmistakably the more beautiful of the two.
And not just beautiful—absurdly beautiful.
From afar, she seemed only dainty and refined.
But up close, Mo Hua realized that though she was still young, her skin was flawless, her face exquisite beyond compare—truly breathtaking.
Is this even a face a human can have? Mo Hua thought, utterly dumbfounded.
It was said that the goddess Nüwa molded mankind from clay.
Well, clearly some people were made of clay—but Bai Zixi was not.
When Nüwa made her, she must have molded her from moonlight and frost, shaping her from snow and starlight itself.
Mo Hua stole another glance at her and thought silently:
"They say beauty brings calamity… Nüwa wasn't creating humanity here—she was creating trouble."
The veiled woman who accompanied the Bai siblings was called Aunt Xue.
She must have been sent by their clan as a protector.
Mo Hua couldn't tell her cultivation level, but it was definitely high—there was a faint pressure around her, one he had never felt from any other cultivator.
The highest-level cultivator Mo Hua had ever met was the old headmaster of the Tongxian Sect, who had reached the mid Foundation Establishment stage.
Yet, though powerful, the old man had been kind and aged, his spiritual power waning—his presence never carried the oppressive weight Aunt Xue did.
"At least Foundation Establishment… maybe higher," Mo Hua guessed.
To have a Foundation Establishment expert as their bodyguard—these siblings clearly weren't ordinary.
The Bai Clan must be one of those great clans from beyond Dao Province.
Exactly what kind, Mo Hua didn't ask—he was sensible enough to know where not to pry.
Such grand lineages were far removed from someone like him.
For a rogue cultivator, reaching Foundation Establishment was almost impossible.
And those who did stood at the very peak of prestige in a small city like Tongxian.
Mo Hua doubted his entire life's cultivation would ever surpass that of someone else's bodyguard.
He reminded himself of his original intention—to focus on the Dao of Formations.
If he could one day become a First-Rank Formation Master, then perhaps he could stand firm in the cultivation world.
The Bai siblings continued their daily morning visits.
Mister Zhuang made no comment on their routine, which meant he tacitly permitted it—yet he still never saw them.
Still, he seemed at peace with it, and his daily schedule returned to normal.
He would sleep until afternoon, then sit in the courtyard—drinking wine with beef or enjoying pastries with tea—watching the mountain scenery in quiet thought.
Mo Hua continued his training: studying formations, drawing them, meditating, redrawing, and consulting Mister Zhuang whenever doubts arose.
...
One day, Mister Zhuang suddenly asked Mo Hua to draw a formation called the "Three Talents Formation."
This array contained six formation lines—far beyond what Mo Hua's current Divine-Sense could complete.
Its structure was also unusual, differing greatly from the Five Elements Formations he had learned before.
Mister Zhuang gave him just one day to study it.
By the next day, Mo Hua was to draw it for him—however much he could manage.
Mo Hua spent the entire day poring over the formation diagram, trying it several times.
That night, he returned home and continued to practice on the broken Dao stele within his Sea of Consciousness.
The next day, before Mister Zhuang, he managed—haltingly and with great effort—to draw the formation.
But due to his insufficient Divine-Sense, several strokes came out incomplete, rendering parts of the array ineffective.
Mister Zhuang said nothing.
Seeing Mo Hua's weary look and pale face, he knew it was from overtaxing his spirit. He lit a stick of pale incense—its cool fragrance drifted gently, calming the mind.
"This is Tranquil Spirit Incense," Mister Zhuang said. "It nourishes the mind. Meditate here until it burns out, then go home and rest. Don't draw any more formations today."
"Thank you, sir," Mo Hua said.
He meditated quietly, feeling his divine-sense recover faster. After about two cups of tea's time, the incense burned away, and he bowed before leaving.
After Mo Hua was gone, Mister Zhuang stared long at the Three Talents Formation he had drawn.
He frowned, silent for a long while.
Old Kui entered and asked, "Did he draw it badly?"
Mister Zhuang shook his head.
(TN: This novel was translated by "Aberto D. Tempest". Read latest chapters at "AbertoVerse.com")
"That's not the issue… His Divine-Sense is too weak, and time was short. This array couldn't possibly be perfect—mistakes were inevitable. It's just…"
He frowned deeper. "That child learns too quickly."
"What's wrong with learning fast?" Old Kui asked.
"It's not fast—it's too fast," Mister Zhuang replied.
He unrolled the formation.
"This array uses completely different cores and lines from the Five Elements Formations. I gave him the diagram only yesterday, and in one day, he grasped seventy to eighty percent of it. If his divine-sense were stronger, he might've finished the whole thing—though clumsily."
His gaze sharpened.
"The strangest part is this—given his current level of Divine-Sense, he could've practiced this array three or four times at most. But look at these strokes—they're already practiced and smooth, as if he's drawn it ten times or more."
Old Kui's expression stayed calm, but his tone sank.
"You mean to say… that boy's hiding something from you?"
Mister Zhuang shook his head.
"I never asked—so there's nothing to hide. But it seems likely that Mo Hua has… some other opportunity."
Old Kui rolled his eyes.
"Every cultivator has their own chance. You've had yours too. Every living being born into this world already carries heaven's own fortune within them."
Mister Zhuang fell silent, thoughtful.
Old Kui continued, "If it bothers you that much, just ask him."
"Ask him?" Mister Zhuang blinked.
Old Kui sighed.
"You people—you think you're perceptive, but you're just overthinking. Always assuming others hide secrets like you do. That boy, Mo Hua, seems open and honest—not like you, with your eighteen hidden schemes, doing everything half in shadow."
Mister Zhuang reclined in his chair, tone calm.
"If I truly had that many schemes, I wouldn't have ended up where I am today."
"Like attracts like," Old Kui muttered.
"You thought yourself clever, so you mingled with clever men—men whose hearts were darker than yours. Naturally, you were the one they plotted against. Cause and effect, all your own doing."
Mister Zhuang gave a wry smile.
"Indeed. And that's why now I only keep company with heartless folk like you—it's quieter that way."
Old Kui's face stayed wooden. He said no more.
(End of Chapter)