Chapter 101: The Transaction
Elder Yu had spent a hundred and fifty years cultivating to the Foundation Establishment stage.
During those hundred-plus years, he had dealt with all kinds of cultivators, naturally including many formation masters.
Elder Yu generally had little fondness for formation masters.
Formation masters from prestigious families or sects looked down on rogue cultivators. Some formation masters from humble origins, having risen to prominence, looked down on rogue cultivators even more than those from families or sects.
Array formations were difficult to learn, and formation masters were rare, so they were always proud and arrogant, looking down on everyone else.
Out of respect for a Foundation Establishment cultivator, some formation masters would appear polite on the surface, but as soon as you asked them to draw a formation, they'd demand an exorbitant price.
If you tried to bargain, they'd think you were insulting them, questioning whether you believed their formation wasn't worth that many spirit stones. If you didn't bargain, the price would still be too high for ordinary rogue cultivators.
Yet formation masters were rare, and many cultivators needed formations. Sometimes, even when they demanded a fortune, you had no choice but to pay.
Because of this, Elder Yu treated formation masters respectfully on the surface, but inwardly felt no fondness for them.
Mo Hua frowned slightly, and Elder Yu guessed that this transaction probably wouldn't go through. Eight spirit stones were the most he could offer; he couldn't give more.
Although he was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, without relying on a sect or a family, he had to earn spirit stones himself and manage the mundane affairs of the beast hunters. He wasn't much better off than a Qi-Refining stage cultivator.
Elder Yu felt a bit dissatisfied with Mo Hua. Though the boy was young and seemingly obedient, when it came to spirit stones, he probably had the same greed as other formation masters.
Indeed, all formation masters in the world seemed to be the same; none were trustworthy.
"How many do you want?" Elder Yu asked with a slightly harsh tone, curious to see how many Mo Hua would demand.
Mo Hua considered for a moment and said, "Three."
Elder Yu snorted coldly.
The room fell silent for a moment. Elder Yu hesitated, unable to believe it, and asked again, "How many?"
"Three…"
"Three?!"
Elder Yu raised an eyebrow. In that instant, Mo Hua looked utterly adorable in his eyes.
Then he doubted, this kid couldn't be serious. Who bargains by asking for less?
"Are you sure you only want three?"
"Yes, three spirit stones will do, but I have a small condition," Mo Hua said.
"A condition?" Elder Yu was momentarily surprised. "Go on."
"I'd like some Spiritual Ink, all five elemental types: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth. I'll use them for practicing formations. It doesn't need to be much, you can decide. Consider it extra compensation."
"That's all?"
"That's all." Mo Hua nodded.
"That's easy," Elder Yu said immediately.
Spiritual Ink wasn't much of an expense, especially compared to the price of a hundred Iron Armor formations. As a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he had contacts and could easily acquire decent Spiritual Ink without spending much. That saved him a lot of spirit stones.
Looking at Mo Hua, Elder Yu thought the boy was remarkably impressive.
He wanted the Spiritual Ink for practicing formations?
"Diligent and eager to learn. No wonder at such a young age, he can draw formations so well!" Elder Yu silently praised.
Then he worried about Mo Hua being shortchanged. "You really only want three spirit stones? Will that be enough?"
"It's fine. Three spirit stones are already plenty. Besides, we're all rogue cultivators; we should help each other. My father often tells me this," Mo Hua said in his childlike voice.
Elder Yu's heart warmed at this.
He, too, was a wandering rogue cultivator. Having finally reached the Foundation Establishment stage, he had hoped to move to a higher prefecture and seek greater opportunities, perhaps advancing further in cultivation.
But looking back, the uncles, aunts, and friends who had cared for him had lived hard lives. Without a Foundation Establishment cultivator to protect them, they would constantly be bullied by family sect cultivators, barely scraping by.
After much thought, he decided to stay.
The outside cultivation world was vast. Even if he went out, he would be just one lowly cultivator among many. But in Tōngxiān City, he was a powerful Foundation Establishment cultivator, able to protect many people and ease the hardships of rogue cultivators.
Hearing such words from a child like Mo Hua brought Elder Yu great satisfaction.
Elder Yu stared at Mo Hua from all angles, liking him more and more.
Look at how well Mo Shan raised this son!
Mo Hua, feeling a little uneasy under Elder Yu's gaze, asked, "Elder Yu, is something wrong?"
"No, no, everything is right! Perfectly right!" Elder Yu said. "Tomorrow I'll have someone bring the vine armor over, and I'll help you get the Spiritual Ink, all five elemental types. Once you have them, you can start. Don't worry, this time you're helping me greatly, I won't let you lose out. And in the future, if you need anything, you can come to me."
Mo Hua's eyes lit up. "Thank you, Elder!"
"It's nothing, it's nothing!" Elder Yu waved his hand, then added with concern, "Now go rest. You're still young; don't stay up too late."
"Okay." Mo Hua nodded.
Elder Yu walked a few steps away but then seemed to remember something, stopping in his tracks. After hesitating for a moment, he came back.
Mo Hua looked puzzled. "Elder Yu, is something wrong?"
Elder Yu cleared his throat and quietly pulled out a storage pouch. "I… cough, I have two grandsons. Their… formations will need your help as well."
"Is it urgent?" Mo Hua asked.
"Well… somewhat urgent, but not extremely so. Just draw them when you have time."
Elder Yu's two grandsons were part of the same batch of beast hunters as Da Hu and had already begun mountain hunts.
As the saying goes, affection skips a generation. Elder Yu paid little attention to his own son but was extremely concerned about these grandsons. Whenever they returned from hunts with injuries, his heart ached.
As a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he could not casually enter the mountains.
If a Foundation Establishment cultivator frequently entered the mountains, beasts would see it as provocation, drawing second-grade demons. In Tōngxiān City, second-grade demons were essentially without natural enemies.
Foundation Establishment cultivators were already rare. Getting them to hunt together was difficult, and even together, they could hardly contend with second-grade demons.
If they failed and a second-grade demon killed one or two Foundation Establishment cultivators, it would be disastrous.
Thus, Elder Yu generally avoided entering the Great Black Mountain, only venturing into the outer mountain at most, and then discreetly.
Because he could not freely enter the mountains, he constantly worried about his grandsons' safety. Drawing an Iron Armor formation on their vine armor was a defensive measure, giving him some peace of mind.
"Alright, I'll help you draw them when I have time!" Mo Hua promised.
Elder Yu nodded. Seeing Mo Hua about to return to his room, he gently reminded him, "Take your time with the formations. A little more or less doesn't matter. Don't overwork yourself."
The usually stern Elder Yu's voice was unexpectedly warm and kind.
(End of Chapter)