Chapter 236: Oppression
"Can't make a living anymore?" Mo Hua was taken aback.
Ji Qingbai nodded. He hadn't planned to go into detail, but seeing how, despite his young age, Mo Hua moved through the Inner Mountain with such calm ease—his ability and composure both far beyond ordinary cultivators—he realized this child could no longer be treated as a child.
Besides, if they were to make a living in Tōngxiān City later, they would inevitably have to trouble his father, Mo Shan. So Ji Qingbai spoke honestly:
"Qingxuan City isn't like Tōngxiān City. There, we rogue cultivators no longer have any Foundation Establishment seniors to protect us."
"The last Foundation Establishment rogue cultivator in Qingxuan City, Elder Zheng, passed away a year ago. Since then, no one among us rogue cultivators has reached that stage. Without a Foundation Establishment cultivator to hold the line, we've fallen under the heel of the major clans, living at their mercy, our days growing harsher by the day."
"Even before, life was tough, but we could scrape by. Now, spirit stones get scarcer each day. Forget cultivation, even food, clothing, and shelter are becoming luxuries."
"Worse still, the young heirs of those families stir up trouble every day, bullying rogue cultivators. If we grit our teeth and endure, we might get away with it—but the moment we show even the slightest resistance, they retaliate even harder, with crueler oppression."
"If things escalate into open conflict, we rogue cultivators are finished. Without a Foundation Establishment expert to command us, we can't match the clan cultivators. We collapse every time."
As Ji Qingbai spoke, his anger flared, tugging at his wounds and making them throb faintly.
Mo Hua handed him another few healing pills.
Ji Qingbai accepted them, swallowed them down, and nodded his thanks. Then he glanced at the unconscious female cultivator beside him.
"This girl's name is Fu Lan. Her father was a fellow Demon Hunter—my senior brother in the trade. Years ago, he was devoured by a demon beast during a hunt. Her mother raised her alone, working herself half to death to keep her alive."
"Last month, the young master of the Kong Clan in Qingxuan City wanted to take her as his concubine. He called it 'taking a concubine,' but in truth, such women are treated worse than servants. Her mother refused, and was beaten nearly to death by the Kong family. Her injuries festered and she passed within half a month."
"After that, the Kong family's young master still wouldn't let it go. I couldn't stand it, nor could Ji Li, so we taught that spoiled brat a lesson. That, of course, caused a disaster, we made an enemy of the Kong family. With nowhere to go, I could only take these two children and flee Qingxuan City."
"The surrounding immortal cities aren't much better off for rogue cultivators. After thinking it over, only Tōngxiān City seemed even somewhat safe, and with Elder Yu of the Foundation Establishment realm watching over it, there's at least some measure of protection."
Ji Qingbai sighed. "But the journey here was no easy one. The Kong family sent people to hunt us down. We barely escaped, then ran into those unidentified cultivators in Great Black Mountain who tried to rob and kill us. We nearly lost our lives."
Gratitude flickered across his face as he turned to Mo Hua. "If not for you, I doubt we'd have survived."
Mo Hua waved it off. "I just bluffed with borrowed power. Nothing impressive."
To know how to 'borrow a tiger's might' at such a young age, and to do it so cleanly, that takes both wit and skill, Ji Qingbai thought silently, admiration rising in his heart.
Mo Hua, meanwhile, was frowning slightly, a mix of anger and confusion stirring in him.
"The Kong family commits such atrocities, and the Dao Court Division does nothing?"
Bitterness shadowed Ji Qingbai's expression. "The Dao Court Division in Qingxuan City was long ago bought off by the Kong family and several others. When a rogue cultivator breaks the law, they enforce every punishment to the letter. But when a clan scion commits crimes, they turn a blind eye and brush it off. The Dao Court Division opens one eye, closes the other, and the matter simply vanishes."
Mo Hua frowned deeply. "Then… there's truly no way to resist them?"
Ji Qingbai shook his head. "If there were any other way to survive, who would choose exile?"
Mo Hua fell silent, his chest tightening with quiet sorrow.
If not for Elder Yu at Foundation Establishment, Tōngxiān City today might already have become another Qingxuan City.
Seeing Ji Qingbai's desolate expression, Mo Hua offered comfort.
"Don't worry. Tōngxiān City is doing well now. No one will dare bully you here."
Hearing that, Ji Qingbai's eyes brightened slightly.
His hopes weren't lofty, just a place to stay, a few spirit stones to earn, and enough to feed his family. To simply live.
The group then rested to heal. Mo Hua, with nothing else to do, found his eyes drifting toward the burly man nearby, something about him felt odd.
All this time, that man hadn't spoken a word.
Considering how ferociously he'd cursed earlier, Mo Hua had assumed he was a loudmouth.
Now, the silence seemed strange.
Mo Hua squinted at him a few times, then suddenly blinked in surprise.
"You… wouldn't happen to be Elder Yu's son, would you?"
The burly man froze, frowning. "You know my father?"
Of course.
Mo Hua looked him over again, there was indeed a resemblance to Elder Yu, though this man was far sturdier, while Elder Yu was thin as a reed.
And his temper—quick to anger, sharp-tongued—well, that clearly ran in the family.
"I know Elder Yu quite well," Mo Hua said casually.
The man snorted softly, saying nothing.
Inwardly, he assumed Mo Hua was bluffing.
My father's a Foundation Establishment elder, and this brat's just a seventh-layer Qi-Refining kid. How 'well-acquainted' could they possibly be?
Mo Hua asked, "What's your name?"
The man ignored him again.
Ji Qingbai stepped in. "His name's Yu Chengwu."
"Ohh," Mo Hua said, realization dawning. "So Yu Chengyi is the elder brother?"
Yu Chengwu blinked, surprised. "You know my brother too?"
Mo Hua nodded. "Then I should be calling you… Second Uncle Yu?"
"No need," Yu Chengwu replied coolly.
Mo Hua tilted his head, puzzled, and leaned toward Ji Qingbai to whisper, "Is he always like this? Must be terrible at making friends."
The man's icy attitude really didn't help his image.
Ji Qingbai's expression turned slightly awkward. "He's usually quite talkative, actually. It's just… he and your father have a bit of history. So I imagine he's not in the mood to chat with you."
"My father? Has history with him?"
That caught Mo Hua off guard.
His father, Mo Shan, was known for his sense of honor and righteousness, he got along with nearly everyone among the Demon Hunters. It was rare for him to have disputes.
Mo Hua's mind raced through the possibilities—five or six scenarios of enmity flashed by—before he asked, "What kind of 'history'?"
"Nothing serious," Ji Qingbai said with a sigh. "He's actually a decent person, but… he's competitive. Couldn't beat your father, so he's been holding a grudge ever since."
"That's it?" Mo Hua found it rather dull.
Yu Chengwu frowned. "What would a child know?"
Mo Hua didn't argue. Instead, he asked, "Then you already knew who I was?"
Yu Chengwu gave him a side glance. "You're Mo Shan's son. Of course I know you."
Judging by his tone, he must have known for a long time.
Mo Hua thought for a moment, then said, "When Qian Xing came looking for trouble that time, and Dazhu fought on my behalf, were you watching from the sidelines?"
Yu Chengwu raised an eyebrow, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. "That's right."
"Then why didn't you stop it sooner?" Mo Hua asked, genuinely puzzled.
"Children's scuffles don't need me to step in," Yu Chengwu said flatly. "And besides, since your father's Mo Shan, I couldn't be bothered."
"Then why did you intervene later?"
"Your fighting, I don't care. But when the Qian family's higher-level cultivators joined in—when they started bullying rogue cultivators—I couldn't just ignore it."
Mo Hua nodded, secretly impressed. Despite the man's perpetually sour face, he clearly had a sense of justice.
"You use a spiked club, right?" Mo Hua asked suddenly.
Yu Chengwu sighed, helpless. "Didn't you just hear? I have issues with your father."
Why's this kid so nosy?
"That's between you adults," Mo Hua said earnestly. "What's it got to do with me?"
Besides, he thought privately, that kind of petty grudge is so childish, even I'm embarrassed on your behalf.
(End of Chapter)