Chapter 53: Disciples
Bai Zisheng felt a pang of guilt, then grew annoyed with himself for losing his momentum. Straightening his back, he glared at Mo Hua.
"They probably have ulterior motives for becoming disciples..."
Mo Hua silently muttered to himself but ignored Bai Zisheng, lowering his head again to continue reading Introduction to the Five-Element Formations, the beginner's guide.
Today he intended to finish it. There were still a few questions he wanted to ask Mister Zhuang about before evening. If he wasted time chatting, he wouldn't make it.
Finding himself unwelcome, Bai Zisheng quickly grew bored. Having just arrived, he didn't know what else to do, so he and Bai Zixi sat cross-legged nearby, each holding a spirit stone as they began to meditate.
As they cultivated, faint blue spiritual light shimmered around their bodies. Judging from the density of their aura, both had already reached the late stage of Qi Refining.
Mo Hua was secretly amazed.
So this was the heritage of great cultivation clans—utterly unlike that of common rogue cultivators. Though only two or three years older than him, their cultivation was already four or five minor realms higher.
And judging from Bai Zisheng's earlier words, their understanding of formations was also advanced.
Mo Hua thought to himself,
"There are always people beyond people, heavens beyond heavens. I must not grow proud, but neither should I lose heart. I'll just keep cultivating steadily and study my formations well."
He soon quieted his thoughts and refocused on his book.
A cool mountain breeze stirred, rustling the trees and rippling the pond before everything returned to stillness.
Within Mister Zhuang's courtyard, there had once been only one disciple... now there were three.
And among the three registered disciples, Mo Hua had become, at least on the surface, the weakest, the least gifted, and the most inconspicuous.
After finishing Introduction to the Five-Element Formations and asking Mister Zhuang his questions, dusk had already settled over the mountain, the sunset draping it in crimson. It was time to go home.
Mo Hua bid Mister Zhuang farewell, then parted ways with the Bai siblings at the mountain path, slinging his storage pouch over his shoulder as he descended the mountain bathed in evening light.
The Bai siblings took another route. Halfway down, Bai Zisheng couldn't resist asking,
"Aunt Xue, can you tell what kind of spiritual root Mo Hua has?"
Aunt Xue hesitated before replying,
"Judging from the fluctuation of his aura, he likely has a Minor Five-Element spiritual root—weak in power, of r intermediate-grade. And from the looks of it, he hasn't even started cultivating a proper cultivation method."
"A common Minor-Five-Element root, Intermediate-grade quality, reading a beginner's book…"
Bai Zisheng muttered, then said in frustration,
"Even with my and my sister's aptitude, Mister Zhuang only accepted us as registered disciples—and that's mostly for Mother's sake. What virtue or talent does that Mo Hua have, that Mister Zhuang would also take him as a registered disciple?"
Aunt Xue frowned slightly, recalling Mo Hua's behavior.
"Mister Zhuang acts beyond convention, when it comes to taking disciples, he may not judge by talent alone…"
She then added,
"Besides, the path of cultivation is long. One cannot judge by who's fast or slow at the start. Mo Hua seems to be a wandering rogue cultivator's child. Unlike those from noble clans, he has no lineage, no heritage. In cultivation or formations, he likely started late and progresses slowly, he simply can't compare with clan heirs like you."
"Is the gap between rogue cultivators and the great clans really that big?" Bai Zisheng asked.
"Bigger than you think. Calling it a gulf between heaven and earth wouldn't be an exaggeration."
Aunt Xue sighed softly.
"Even a random cultivation method or formation manual discarded by a great clan would be considered a priceless heirloom by a rogue cultivator. The primers our Bai Clan uses to teach its children are texts that most rogue cultivators could never even glimpse in their lifetime."
Bai Zisheng clicked his tongue in amazement.
Aunt Xue continued to remind him,
"Whatever Mo Hua's background, he is now your half–fellow disciple. Do not treat him lightly, nor quarrel or speak rudely with him—else you'll earn Mister Zhuang's displeasure."
"I understand, Aunt Xue," Bai Zisheng answered vaguely, half understanding.
...
The next morning, the Bai siblings went up the mountain at the chén hour (07:00–09:00 AM) to study alongside Mo Hua at Mister Zhuang's abode.
Old Kui set out two more stone tables under the great locust tree, right beside Mo Hua's small table.
Thus, the three children each practiced and studied through the day, then gathered in the evening to ask Mister Zhuang their questions.
In both cultivation and formation knowledge, the Bai siblings were far ahead of Mo Hua. Many of their questions he couldn't even understand, yet Mister Zhuang often answered them with just a few casual words, always striking to the heart of the matter.
Though Mo Hua didn't fully grasp everything, he still gained much from listening.
He soon realized that Mister Zhuang taking the Bai siblings as registered disciples was actually a blessing—otherwise, there were many topics he'd never encountered, questions he'd never even think to ask.
Now, others posed the questions, Mister Zhuang gave the answers, and Mo Hua only needed to listen attentively and absorb what he could.
And so, the three of them together became Mister Zhuang's registered disciples. Their daily routine became simple—each cultivated, drew formation diagrams, consulted Mister Zhuang in the evening, and then went home.
They rarely spoke much.
Mo Hua was utterly focused on his books and had little time for idle chatter.
Bai Zisheng, proud by nature, never sought Mo Hua out, and Mo Hua didn't bother him either.
Bai Zixi, quiet and reserved, seldom spoke as well.
Thus the days flowed peacefully for a month—until one evening, Da Hu and his two friends came to find Mo Hua.
"It's the Lotus Festival! Come with us to see the festivities!"
The Lotus Festival was a small holiday, but a lively one.
It was said to commemorate a meritorious cultivator of Tongxian City, and each year, people lit incense and the nine-petaled lotus lanterns to honor his memory.
Mo Hua had spent the whole day drawing formations. His divine-sense was exhausted; even after using Meditation Technique twice, he couldn't use it again. Since he had nothing else to do, he agreed to go out with his friends for some fun.
As they walked through the marketplace, they noticed a newly built cave dwelling on the far left side of the street.
It stood in a secluded spot, occupying a wide area, clearly rebuilt by merging several neighboring houses.
The cave residence had no name plaque; its walls were of gray-blue stone, modest in appearance, yet compared to the low, simple homes of other rogue cultivators, it stood out like a crane among chickens.
"When did this cave dwelling appear?" Mo Hua asked, puzzled.
"You haven't come to this side in ages," Xiao Hu replied. "It's been under construction for about a month."
Staring up at its towering walls, Xiao Hu sighed,
"How many spirit stones must it take to build something like this?"
"At least—" Da Hu counted on his fingers, gave up, and scratched his head. "Hundred… maybe tens of hundreds of spirit stones?"
"I'd say tens of thousands."
"Tens of thousands of spirit stones… I'll never save that much in my life…"
"Have some ambition, will you?"
"You have ambition, can you save that much?"
Shuang Hu chimed in,
"I said to have ambition, not that you can actually save that many spirit stones. Most of those who vow to become immortals never reach immortality anyway—they just die trying…"
Da Hu and Xiao Hu both nodded solemnly.
"Makes sense."
Shuang Hu looked at the massive residence again, puzzled.
"This place is so out of the way, far from the market, surrounded by rogue cultivators. Who'd build such a grand cave dwelling here? Do they just have too many spirit stones to spend?"
"Exactly! If I had that many spirit stones, I'd build one too."
"Then who do you think the owner is?" Shuang Hu turned to Mo Hua. "Mo Hua, do you know?"
Mo Hua shook his head.
"How would I know?"
Before they could finish talking, the cave's main gate opened.
Out stepped a handsome young boy, a delicate little girl, and a graceful female cultivator wearing a veil.
Mo Hua recognized them instantly—the Bai siblings and Aunt Xue.
They too noticed Mo Hua and his companions. Bai Zisheng froze in surprise.
"Mo Hua?"
All three of Mo Hua's friends turned to stare at him, and Mo Hua himself was stunned. He hadn't expected the grand new cave dwelling to belong to the Bai siblings.
"Why are you here?" Bai Zisheng asked.
"I'm… out walking," Mo Hua replied.
"Walking?"
It seemed to be a new word for Bai Zisheng. His eyes lit up with interest, and he turned an eager look toward Aunt Xue.
Beside him, Bai Zixi's eyes also brightened—her gaze like clear autumn water as she, too, looked expectantly at Aunt Xue.
(End of Chapter)