Chapter 76: Zhang Lan
As long as Mo Hua didn't start asking questions, there was nothing to be afraid of.
The man in blue regained his composure and silently swore to himself that next time, he would never show off for no reason again.
Especially not in front of a cute, obedient-looking little cultivator holding a book—at least, not without checking what kind of book that was first.
"Uncle, are you a formation master?" Mo Hua asked curiously.
"No, why would I be a formation master?" The man shook his head.
"You're not a formation master, but you still know so much. That's amazing." Mo Hua praised sincerely.
"It's… alright, really. Those things are simple. Nothing special," the man in blue replied guiltily.
"Then can I ask you questions again later?" Mo Hua asked.
"No!"
The man panicked and blurted out his refusal, but realizing how harsh that sounded, he quickly softened his tone and explained earnestly:
"Uncle is quite busy, you see. I might not have time. Besides, cultivation always values inheritance—one mustn't carelessly spread the Dao. You and I aren't related, so I can't just go teaching you about formation theory…"
'…And besides, I might not even be able to answer next time…' he added silently in his heart.
Mo Hua looked a little disappointed, but since he could still ask the Bai siblings or Mister Zhuang, he didn't mind much.
He opened Introduction to Compound Formations and continued reading.
The man in blue, worried Mo Hua might hit another difficult passage and start asking again, tried to change the subject.
"Where's your father?"
"He went up the mountain to hunt demons."
"Hunt demons? Are there many cultivators around here who make a living that way?"
"Yeah," Mo Hua replied. "The land here isn't fertile, and there aren't many resources. Only demonic beasts roam freely, so most cultivators survive by hunting them." Then he asked curiously, "Uncle, what do you do?"
"I work for the Dao Court Division," the man replied.
Mo Hua's mouth dropped open—he actually worked for the Dao Court Division…
The Dao Court ruled all Nine Provinces. It was the greatest power in the cultivation realm, much like the imperial court in mortal dynasties, holding the highest authority and gathering the most powerful cultivators.
The Dao Court was based in Dao Province at the center of the Nine Provinces, while each provincial region had its own Dao Court Division to manage affairs—such as spirit stone taxes, construction and irrigation, cultivation trades, and even law and punishment.
In simpler words—it was a guaranteed lifetime job and paid with spirit stones by the heavens themselves!
The status of Dao Court cultivators went without saying. Even being employed in one of its subordinate divisions was a lifelong dream for many cultivators.
Seeing Mo Hua's amazed expression, the man felt quite pleased, as if he had regained a bit of lost dignity.
"So, are you drinking here to slack off?" Mo Hua asked curiously.
The man in blue corrected him, "This is called observing the local customs and the spiritual culture of this province."
"Oh." Mo Hua looked unconvinced. "Aren't you afraid your supervisor will scold you?"
The man chuckled. "No worries. Even if he does, I'll just pretend I didn't hear."
Mo Hua nodded. "I see."
"What do you see?" the man asked curiously.
Mo Hua thought for a moment. "If I'm not mistaken… you're from a cultivation family, right?"
The man raised an eyebrow. Mo Hua continued, "And not a small one either. You came to Tōngxiān City probably because you either made some mistake and got sent away, or were dispatched here to gain experience for a while before returning."
The man stared, astonished. "You figured all that out?"
Mo Hua pouted and pointed around at the nearby diners. "Travelers from everywhere pass through here. When people eat together, gossip is endless. The ones from cultivation families who end up here—it's always for a few common reasons."
The man looked at Mo Hua. "You look so well-behaved, but you're actually quite sharp."
Mo Hua grinned and then asked in a small voice, "So, what did you do wrong to get kicked out?"
"What nonsense!"
The man looked a little annoyed.
"Then why are you here?" Mo Hua pressed.
The man sighed, adopting a rather self-satisfied tone.
"Fine, I won't hide it. It's just that my family background is a bit higher, my talent a bit greater, and my looks a bit too handsome. Some noble ladies took a liking to me at first sight and insisted on marrying me as their Dao companion. I got tired of all that and came out here to hide for some peace and quiet…"
Mo Hua gave him a very skeptical look.
"You don't believe me?"
"Nope," Mo Hua nodded.
"Why not?"
"Because stories like 'she fell in love at first sight'—even street storytellers don't use that cliché anymore. It's too fake. Er Hu's dad was fooled by a woman who said that. He abandoned his wife and son, got his kidneys cut out, and no one even knows where he's buried now."
The man in blue: "..."
"So if any woman tells you she fell in love at first sight, she's definitely lying. You better be careful."
The man stared blankly at him.
"But there's another possibility," Mo Hua added.
"What possibility?" the man couldn't help but ask.
"You started something with her, played with her feelings, and then ran away because you didn't want to take responsibility."
The man nearly spat out his drink. "What started something!? What played with feelings!? How old are you—what kind of things are in that little head of yours!?"
"I may not have much experience," Mo Hua said confidently, "but I've read a lot of stories. The cultivation world is dangerous—it's better to know these things early, so you don't get tricked later."
The man couldn't decide whether to laugh or sigh. "You're quite something, kid. You really have a way with words."
Mo Hua replied earnestly, "Uncle, I'm just doing this for your own good. As they say, good advice fills your belly!"
Zhang Lan's feelings were all over the place; he didn't even know what to say anymore. After a while, he suddenly remembered something. "Right, what's your name?"
"Mo Hua (Ink Painting)."
"Mo Hua?" The man looked at his fair face and delicate brows, indeed, a fitting name.
"Uncle, what's your name?" Mo Hua asked back.
"Zhang Lan."
"Zha Nan?" (which sounds like "scumbag" in Chinese.)
Zhang Lan choked on his wine and coughed for a long time before gritting his teeth and clarifying,
"Zhang! Lan! Zhang, as in 'to change for the better'; Lan, as in 'to turn the tide'—not Zha Nan!"
"It's not? No need to shout so loud then," Mo Hua muttered.
Zhang Lan realized he was being ridiculous, arguing with a child! He took out a jade pendant from his storage bag and tossed it to Mo Hua. "Here, a gift."
Mo Hua shook his head. "No merit, no reward—I can't take it."
"You treated me to wine, I'm giving you the pendant. Keep it. I'll come find you next time."
Zhang Lan waved his hand and turned to leave. But before going, he looked back and asked, "Just to confirm, what's your cultivation level?"
"Qi-Refining, fourth layer!" Mo Hua said proudly.
"Only the fourth layer, huh…"
Zhang Lan sighed.
Thinking back to that earlier Compound Formation… just the thought made his head ache. He waved dismissively and left in a hurry, almost fleeing.
(End of Chapter)