Chapter 215: The Division Chief
Recently, Mo Hua's life had become much more exciting.
The Qian Family's cultivators—or those they hired—kept trying to cause him trouble. Yet every one of their movements fell neatly within Mo Hua's Divine-Sense.
Most of the time, they barely had a chance to act before the Demon Hunters discovered them and delivered a fierce beating.
On rare occasions, some managed to hide themselves well enough to avoid nearby Demon Hunters. Unfortunately for them, they could never hide from Mo Hua's Divine-Sense.
Mo Hua would simply call over a few hunter uncles, point them out one by one with his small hand, and each of those Qian Family cultivators would be dragged out and pummeled without mercy.
Mo Hua watched the show from the sidelines, utterly entertained.
As a result, his days of cultivation and studying formation arts became far less dull.
...
That day, he sat in a restaurant, munching on some wild fruits Aunt Jiang had given him, chatting idly with An Xiaofu.
Ever since Mo Hua had treated him to a meal that day, An Xiaofu had begun visiting every few days.
Mo Hua found it strange. "Doesn't your family have its own dining hall?"
"I've grown tired of that food. The dishes here taste better, and it's lively," An Xiaofu replied.
At first, he had been rather reserved when he came.
The other cultivators noticed his fine clothes and didn't speak to him much.
But as he came more often, they grew familiar with him, especially since he was Mo Hua's friend. Eventually, they began to chat freely.
An Xiaofu could talk endlessly about food, and he listened with fascination when others spoke of Great Black Mountain or local gossip.
Gradually, he became far less restrained.
Sometimes he even brought some An Family wine to share, and in return, the others would offer him wild fruits, pastries, and other homemade treats.
The flavors were not necessarily exquisite, but they were distinct, and heartfelt.
That made An Xiaofu even more fond of visiting.
He always felt somewhat stifled when staying at home.
It was far better to sit in a busy restaurant, drinking and chatting with ordinary cultivators, feeling at ease and free.
Seeing him so relaxed, Mo Hua was relieved as well.
An Xiaofu often shared strange or amusing stories he had heard—sometimes trimmed, sometimes exaggerated—and whether they were true or not, Mo Hua always listened with interest.
As dusk fell, An Xiaofu reluctantly left for home.
Mo Hua saw him off, then turned, and spotted Uncle Zhang Lan walking toward him from the bluestone path.
"Uncle Zhang? What brings you here this late?"
Zhang Lan sighed. "Busy. This is the first time I've had a moment to spare."
Mo Hua clearly didn't believe him.
Zhang Lan chuckled helplessly. "Go order us something to eat. I'll join you in a bit. There's something I need to discuss."
"Shall I order the expensive dishes?"
"Yes. Whatever you like."
Mo Hua didn't actually order anything extravagant, just slightly pricier than usual. They were dishes he liked but rarely had.
One was a kind of lamb, slightly gamey but very fragrant.
Another was goat meat, spicy, tender, and delicious.
Both came from herbivorous beasts that, while occasionally violent, did not eat humans, so their spiritual energy was considered relatively pure.
There were also a few seasonal vegetables and some sliced fruit.
Four or five dishes in total, a good mix of meat and vegetables, pleasing to both eye and appetite.
Zhang Lan picked up a pair of chopsticks and handed another to Mo Hua. "Sit and eat with me."
Mo Hua didn't stand on ceremony and began eating immediately.
The food was delicious, not only because his mother had cooked it, but also because he had chosen the dishes himself.
After a few bites, Mo Hua squinted with satisfaction, then thought of the bill and declared magnanimously, "I'll give you a twenty percent discount!"
Zhang Lan laughed heartily. "Good! Eighty percent it is. Many thanks, Little Shopkeeper."
"You're welcome," Mo Hua said with a grin, popping another piece of lamb into his mouth. "So, what was it you wanted to tell me?"
Zhang Lan got straight to the point. "The Division Chief wants to meet you."
Mo Hua blinked. "The Division Chief? You mean the Dao Court Division Chief?"
"Exactly." Zhang Lan nodded, sampling a bit of meat before continuing. "He heard that your formations are exceptional and wishes to meet you."
"Just for that?"
Zhang Lan sighed.
It wasn't simply that Mo Hua drew good formations, it was that he drew them too well.
Even Zhang Lan himself had been shocked when the Division Chief mentioned that Mo Hua could now produce first-grade formations.
"A gifted formation master naturally commands respect, especially one so young," Zhang Lan said. "Of course he wants to meet you. Though there's another reason as well."
"What reason?"
"It's because you helped design and construct the Refining Workshop and the Alchemy Workshop in the southern part of the city. Those are the largest cultivation enterprises in Tōngxiān City."
Mo Hua frowned. "What does that have to do with the Division Chief?"
"The Dao Court Division measures merit," Zhang Lan explained patiently. "Peace within the jurisdiction, spirit stone taxation, infrastructure, all count toward merit. Since those two massive workshops were established under his administration, their success contributes directly to his record."
Understanding dawned on Mo Hua's face.
Zhang Lan took a sip of wine and went on. "When the old Division Chief was young, he worked hard but achieved little. Now that he's older, he'd been planning to retire quietly, until this unexpected accomplishment fell right into his lap."
Shaking his head with a small smile, Zhang Lan added, "Call it karmic reward if you like. Either way, he's extremely grateful to you."
Mo Hua smiled awkwardly. "I didn't really do much. Just drew a few formations."
Zhang Lan rolled his eyes. "Enough modesty. Excess humility becomes arrogance."
Was that "a few" formations?
From the buildings themselves to the refining and alchemy furnaces, every array had been drawn by Mo Hua.
Thinking of that, Zhang Lan could not help but sigh again.
He truly wondered what sort of mind the boy possessed, to have such powerful Divine-Sense at his age.
The entire Refining and Pill Workshops—so many formations—and Mo Hua had completed them alone…
Mo Hua, however, looked slightly uneasy. "When I meet the Division Chief, is there anything I should watch out for? Any taboos?"
Zhang Lan shook his head.
"Oh, and his surname isn't Fu, right?" Mo Hua asked.
Zhang Lan froze. "What's wrong with the surname Fu?"
"If he's surnamed 'Fu' and holds the position of Division Chief, that would make him 'Fu Division Chief,' which sounds like 'Deputy Division Chief.' So if his surname is Fu, you can only call him Division Chief, not Fu Division Chief."
Zhang Lan nearly choked on his drink. "Where do you even hear things like that?"
Mo Hua replied solemnly, "That's part of my cultivation experience. Don't worry about where I heard it."
Zhang Lan sighed. "His surname is Zhou. He's a good man, not easily offended. You're still young, so even if you say something inappropriate, he won't hold it against you. Don't worry."
"Alright." Mo Hua nodded seriously.
...
Two days later, Mo Hua followed Zhang Lan into the Dao Court Division to meet Division Chief Zhou.
The Dao Court Division looked rather grand but was clearly old. Some rooms were sealed, their contents unknown.
The accessible offices were tidy but simple, rows of scrolls, spiritual records, and jade slips of various shapes filled the shelves.
It was all quite serious and somewhat dull, nothing like what Mo Hua had imagined.
This was the upper structure. Below, it was said, lay the Dao Prison, cells for cultivators who had violated the Dao Laws.
Mo Hua was very curious and wanted to see it for himself, but Zhang Lan refused to let him.
(End of Chapter)