Chapter 212: The Meeting
Talisman Seals?
Mo Hua glanced down and saw that he was holding three talisman seals, all made of jade. Two of them were inlaid with crimson runes that read "Blazing Flame Talisman", and the remaining one bore golden runes spelling out "Golden Sword Talisman."
"These talismans must be expensive, right?" Mo Hua asked.
Old Zhao nodded. "Quite expensive, and difficult to obtain. These talismans likely possess the power equivalent to a Qi-Refining Ninth Layer spell. Their destructive capacity is considerable, so they fall under the Dao Court Division's regulations. You can't buy them through ordinary channels."
"That's far too valuable. I can't possibly accept them."
"Take them. Keep them for self-defense, it'll put our minds at ease." Old Zhao refused to let him decline, patting Mo Hua's shoulder. "All right, head home early. I'll deal with these scoundrels first."
"Mm, thank you, Uncle Zhao."
Mo Hua did not insist further, put the talismans away, and walked home.
Behind him came the miserable wails of the Qian Family cultivators, but Mo Hua ignored them.
They had brought this upon themselves, they deserved it.
...
Once home, Mo Hua examined the three talismans in detail.
He understood the basics of talisman use; he simply had never used one before because he was too poor to afford any.
Talisman activation was simple: one merely needed to infuse it with spiritual power, and the talisman would automatically activate, releasing the spell stored within.
Most talismans were single-use, but their power was substantial.
Moreover, talismans had very few restrictions. So long as one was within the same cultivation realm, regardless of spiritual root attribute, cultivation method, or spiritual power level, anyone could activate a talisman.
Few limitations and high power, precisely why the Dao Court Division strictly regulated lethal talismans.
If such items were left unchecked, and cultivators began hoarding them, the resulting imbalance could endanger the entire cultivation world's stability.
Thus, obtaining high-quality talismans was no simple matter for ordinary cultivators.
Mo Hua wondered to himself where the Qian Family had acquired these. They're really willing to spend that much just to deal with me?
He frowned slightly. All I did was draw a few formation diagrams, why do they hate me this much? Instead of targeting Elder Yu, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, they pick on me? Truly bullying the weak and fearing the strong…
...
Meanwhile, Qian Shunzhi and her accomplices were beaten black and blue and thrown into the Dao Court Division's custody.
Qian Hong spent a large number of spirit stones to bail them out.
This time, Elder Yu did not extort them further; instead, he deliberately let the Dao Court Division know about the Qian Family's misconduct. He intended to warn Qian Hong not to cross the Dao Court's bottom line.
Hidden conflict was permissible. Open defiance was not.
On the surface, Tōngxiān City had to appear lawful.
Its citizens followed the Dao's Law, and upheld the Dao Court's Order.
Yet Qian Hong refused to give up. He began bribing and hiring outland cultivators to make another move in secret.
However, Elder Yu guarded Mo Hua meticulously.
Any unfamiliar cultivator appearing in the southern district was quickly noticed. If they attempted to act, they were promptly subdued.
Then, as before, they were beaten soundly and dumped at the Dao Court Division's gates.
The greater Qian Hong's desire to kill Mo Hua, the more determined Elder Yu became to protect him, he would not allow Mo Hua to lose even a single strand of hair.
Qian Hong was left helpless. Every plan failed.
The demon hunters of Great Black Mountain had long hunted demonic beasts in the wilderness; they were more vigilant, better coordinated, and far deadlier than ordinary cultivators.
Especially on their own turf. If the demon hunters were alert, even a fly entering their domain would not go unnoticed, let alone a living cultivator at the Qi-Refining Ninth Layer.
"Should we use Foundation Establishment cultivators instead?"
Qian Hong frowned.
One would not suffice, at least two would be needed.
One to restrain Yu Changlin, the other to break through the hunters' defenses and kill the young formation master.
Yet who in the Qian Family would take such a risk?
Every clan member schemed for personal gain, and Qian Hong himself preferred not to dirty his hands.
Attempted murder of another cultivator was a grave offense under Dao Law.
The punishment could be light or severe. If none pursued the matter, it would vanish unrecorded. But if anyone reported it to the Dao Court, the outcome could be fatal.
Qian Hong sighed heavily.
For now, it was better to keep hiring Qi-Refining cultivators.
If it succeeded, all problems would vanish. If it failed, he would lose only a few spirit stones.
Should even that fail, then Foundation Establishment cultivators would have to intervene eventually.
After all, in the long term, a genius formation master posed too great a threat to ignore.
Naturally, since the Qian Family knew about the "little formation master," so too did Master Luo.
At first, Master Luo had only suspected, but now that he knew, his feelings grew even more complex.
How could such coincidence exist?
Yet doubt soon followed. Could a ten-year-old truly reach the level of a first-grade formation master?
Master Luo wanted to see it for himself.
He went to find Elder Feng.
Elder Feng had spent more than a century in Tōngxiān City refining pills and saving lives. From rogue cultivators to noble clans, he had dealings with nearly everyone, Master Luo included.
Years ago, it had been Elder Feng who saved Master Luo's gravely ill grandson.
To repay that kindness, Master Luo had personally drawn a formation diagram for the furnace in Elder Feng's Apricot Medicinal Hall, an intricate composite formation, though not quite of first grade.
When Master Luo arrived, Elder Feng was discussing pill recipes with several alchemists at the Alchemy Workshop, but upon hearing of Master Luo's visit, he paused to consider and then instructed his disciples to invite him to the reception hall.
The Alchemy Workshop's reception hall was built specifically for receiving guests. From the main gate to the hall were several walls that obscured all view of the inner chambers.
On those walls were drawn faint formation patterns, meant to blur Divine-Sense perception. Though not absolute barriers, unless one's Divine-Sense was extremely powerful, nothing within could be discerned.
Walking along the corridor, Master Luo admired the design and sighed inwardly:
"These are indeed the works of a first-grade formation master."
Inside the reception hall, after some polite greetings, Elder Feng asked, "What brings Master Luo here today?"
Master Luo hesitated for a long moment before replying, "I wish to meet that 'little formation master.'"
"Mo Hua?"
Luo nodded. "Yes, that is the name."
Elder Feng frowned slightly. "You only wish to meet him?"
"To be frank, I have studied formations for many years and never encountered such prodigious talent. I am both astonished and curious, and therefore wish to see him in person," Luo replied.
"This has nothing to do with the Qian Family?"
"It has nothing to do with them."
Elder Feng fell silent, thinking.
Master Luo spoke sincerely. "I ask only for an introduction."
After some hesitation, Elder Feng said, "Very well. Mo Hua will come to the Alchemy Workshop later. You may meet him then. Please wait here a while."
Luo's face brightened. "Many thanks, Elder Feng."
The two sat and drank tea, conversing idly about the past.
After two cups, Master Luo began to feel slightly impatient. Then he heard light footsteps approach. Looking toward the doorway, he saw a young boy entering, plainly dressed, with a bright and charming face.
His fair features were animated with spirit, his eyes gleaming like starlight.
Master Luo's eyes widened slightly, surprise flashing through them.
There was a faint radiance above the boy's Divine acupoint, and the fullness of his Sea of Consciousness was unmistakable, his Divine-Sense was extraordinary indeed.
In that instant, Luo felt seventy to eighty percent certain.
This child truly was that mysterious prodigy.
(End of this Chapter)