Chapter 1404: Raising a Monster
https://c10.patreonusercontent.com/4/patreon-media/p/post/153522958/f0c44bf3b25e441fbb5733d5052c761e/eyJ3Ijo2MjB9/1.png?token-hash=38kP0RmDZcbXdBLLI8swuazUMjZ_wey8Ib9G0He7U%3D&token-time=1787356800
Chapter 1402: Raising a Monster
Xiao Ju’s fledgling understanding of money was utterly shattered, leaving her feeling that this was absurdly outrageous.
She also couldn’t help but think that this Manager Zhao must have a few screws loose.
Five hundred thousand spirit stones… just handed over like that? Wasn’t he afraid Mo Hua might be a big scammer?
But Xiao Ju couldn’t really say anything, because she and Mo Hua were on the same side.
If someone was willingly acting as a sucker for Mo Hua, even if she didn’t help, she certainly couldn’t undermine him.
Before long, a steward came up carrying five bulging storage bags brimming with spiritual energy, each one plump and full.
These were specially made spirit stones storage bags, woven with blue spirit patterns, designed specifically for storing spirit stones.
Because they could only store spirit stones, their capacity was much larger, each bag held a full hundred thousand spirit stones.
In total, five hundred thousand.
Mo Hua’s heart stirred, but he maintained a calm expression as he accepted them, saying, “Many thanks.”
Manager Zhao smiled warmly. “It is my honor to be of service to you, young master.”
With the spirit stones in hand, Mo Hua weighed them briefly, then asked, “Manager Zhao, does your establishment have any Third-Grade Earth-attribute Formation Diagrams?”
Manager Zhao was taken aback. “Young Master means…?”
Mo Hua explained, “My… senior sister wants to grow something, so we need earth-attribute formations to accelerate the growth of spiritual plants.”
Xiao Ju immediately perked up her ears, realizing that Mo Hua was thinking about her orange tree.
Manager Zhao asked, “Does the young master wish to purchase one?”
Mo Hua nodded.
Manager Zhao looked troubled. “Since you are a formation master, you should know that formations are extremely taxing on the mind, difficult to learn and even harder to master.”
“Especially beyond the third grade, where formation power can manifest as tangible effects. Formation masters of that level are extremely rare, and such diagrams seldom circulate.”
“To be frank, if it were any other third-grade formation diagrams, I might be able to find some for you. But Earth-attribute formations of third-grade and above…”
Manager Zhao shook his head, his expression turning inscrutable. “They simply cannot be obtained.”
Mo Hua’s thoughts stirred, and he said slowly, “Could it be… the Earth Sect?”
Manager Zhao’s brow twitched, and he smiled faintly. “It seems you are well-informed, young master. Indeed, the Earth Sect specializes in Earth attribute formations. Throughout Houtu City, most formations related to ‘earth’ are controlled by the Earth Sect.”
“The Earth Sect relies on these formations for their livelihood, so they hold a near-monopoly over earth formations.”
“Other cultivators using them privately, as long as the impact is minor, the Earth Sect may not interfere.”
“But they absolutely can not be circulated, traded, or spread. Otherwise, it would be like offending the Earth Sect at its most sensitive point.”
Mo Hua was surprised. “So strict?”
Manager Zhao sighed. “This concerns the Earth Sect’s core interests, even its reverse scale. Since our Fortune Pavilion makes a living in Kun Province, we naturally must respect this rule. Therefore, we neither acquire nor sell any earth formations…”
Manager Zhao cupped his hands. “I hope Young Master can understand.”
Mo Hua nodded. “I was merely asking out of curiosity. Since it’s inconvenient, then forget it.”
Mo Hua stood to take his leave. “Manager Zhao, thank you for your care. Farewell.”
Manager Zhao quickly rose as well. “Take care, Young Master.”
Then he added a kind reminder, “This order has a one-month deadline. If it is delayed, according to Fortune Pavilion’s usual practice, it will be reported to the Dao Court Bureau, which may affect the credit of your Heavenly Pivot Ring.”
“Business is not easy these days, and I have no choice. I hope Young Master won’t take offense…” Manager Zhao said with an apologetic expression.
This was both a reminder and a warning—telling Mo Hua not to mess around, not to tarnish the credit of his Heavenly Pivot Ring for the sake of a few hundred thousand spirit stones.
Mo Hua smiled. “I understand. Don’t worry, Manager Zhao.”
With that, he wasted no more time and left the Fortune Pavilion with Xiao Ju.
Manager Zhao personally escorted Mo Hua to the door, watching him leave. After returning to the counter, he frowned in thought.
The steward who had delivered the spirit stones approached and whispered, “Manager… this young master seems a bit off, doesn’t he…?”
Manager Zhao nodded slightly. “He does seem off.”
His aura was too concealed… despite being an experienced manager, he hadn’t realized at first glance that the youth was a Golden Core cultivator…
“What about his Heavenly Pivot Ring…?”
“The ring is genuine. I couldn’t have mistaken it,” Manager Zhao said.
The steward frowned. “Even so, he’s an unfamiliar face. Giving him five hundred thousand spirit stones all at once… isn’t that… a bit reckless?”
Five hundred thousand was no small sum.
“You don’t understand…” Manager Zhao shook his head. “Have you ever seen a formation master lacking spirit stones?”
“If he lacked millions, that would be one thing. But just a few hundred thousand—would he really need to come to us for an advance?”
The steward was taken aback.
Manager Zhao mused. “The fact that he came to us for this amount suggests he likely just encountered some urgent matter and temporarily needs spirit stones.”
“When he is short on spirit stones, giving him five hundred thousand counts as a favor.”
“If one day, when he no longer lacks spirit stones, how much would you have to spend to curry favor with such a young and promising formation master, wouldn’t it cost you dearly?”
“Moreover, a Second-Grade High tier formation master is no ordinary figure. If he crosses that threshold one day and enters the Third Grade, transforming like a carp into a dragon, you might not even get the chance to meet him.”
The steward nodded and sighed. “Manager, your foresight is indeed far-reaching.”
But deep down he still felt uneasy about the spirit stones and added, “But what if this young master really is a scammer? What if he runs off with the five hundred thousand?”
Manager Zhao replied, “If we lose the bet, we accept it. Though a few hundred thousand Spirit stones is no small amount, I can still afford the loss…”
Yet after saying this, his heart skipped a beat.
Though he trusted his judgment, people’s hearts were unpredictable.
This Young Master Mo seemed calm and gentle, yet carried an inscrutable air, he might not be as harmless as he appeared.
The steward quietly suggested, “How about I send someone to tail him? At least we can find out where he went and learn his background.”
This was standard practice. They had done it before.
But Manager Zhao shook his head. “What, are you thinking of killing and robbing him?”
The steward gave an awkward smile.
Manager Zhao said, “No need. Most Formation masters are often physically weak and not skilled in combat, but their Divine Sense perception is sharp. If you follow him and expose yourself, it may instead create enmity.”
“Besides, even if you uncover his background, there are only two possible outcomes…”
“First, this Young Master Mo has a powerful background that we cannot afford to provoke, so we must treat him with courtesy.”
“In Kun Province, the relationships among great clans are equally intricate. One wrong move and you could easily step on a landmine.”
“Second, he has no prominent background and is just a ‘free’ formation master…”
“In that case… we should offend him even less…”
Manager Zhao’s gaze darkened slightly, his heart trembling involuntarily.
A young, unfamiliar, background-less, yet capable Formation Master—one not deeply involved in worldly affairs—could accomplish many things others could not…
If so, this person might very well be a “treasure” that brings him wealth.
Taking some risk would be worth it.
…
Outside Fortune Pavilion.
Mo Hua and Xiao Ju walked along the bustling street.
Xiao Ju kept sneaking glances at Mo Hua, even poking his arm with her finger.
Mo Hua asked, “What’s wrong?”
Xiao Ju frowned. “I’m checking if you’re made of gold.”
Otherwise, how could you be so valuable…
Mo Hua smiled. “What do you want to eat? I’ll buy it for you.”
Xiao Ju shook her head. “I’m not a child. Why would I care about something trivial like food? The important thing is to make the orange tree grow quickly.”
Mo Hua chuckled. “Alright.”
But despite saying that, along the way, Mo Hua stuffed all kinds of pastries, sugar sticks, candied hawthorn, and more into Xiao Ju’s hands.
In the end, she couldn’t resist and started eating anyway.
Afterward, the two went to the market again.
It seemed that earth-type formations of the third grade and above were controlled by the Earth Sect. For now, Mo Hua couldn’t buy any, so he could only try purchasing some books on spiritual plants and some cultivation spirit liquids to see if they might help the growth of the spiritual orange tree.
These items weren’t particularly expensive and could be bought in an ordinary market.
Mo Hua took Xiao Ju around the market for a few rounds, picking and choosing before buying several books and about a dozen bottles of spiritual liquid. Seeing that the sun was about to set, they headed back.
Along the way, Xiao Ju skipped happily.
Once again, Mo Hua walked through the long streets that shimmered like flowing gold and jade. Just as he was about to leave the city, he instinctively glanced back.
At that moment, the setting sun dipped low, and brilliant evening glow spread across the land, casting a golden glow over everything. The already magnificent buildings of gold and jade became even more dazzling—carriages flowed like rivers, horses moved like dragons, men were as refined as jade, women as radiant as peach blossoms—a flourishing scene of worldly prosperity.
Yet not long ago, he had still been in the Great Wilderness…
He had seen with his own eyes the famine-stricken lands, where corpses lay for thousands of miles and the living feed on one another.
He had experienced the wars of the Dao Court, standing on frontlines like a meat grinder, watching corpses pile into mountains and blood flow like rivers.
He had witnessed entire clans in the Great Wilderness being wiped out, resentment soaring to the heavens, Dao-Sin Calamity rising.
He had ventured deep into the Endless Abyss Marsh, and seen the true, world-devouring catastrophe.
And now… it all felt like yesterday, half real, half illusion.
Thinking of those in the Great Wilderness—hungry, poorly clothed, even reduced to slaves, dying miserably in disasters…
Then looking at this city, overflowing with wealth and luxury, gold and jade paving the ground, spirit stones flowing like oil, where even a bowl of noodles cost a hundred spirit stones…
Mo Hua felt a profound sense of dissonance.
The extreme poverty and suffering of the Great Wilderness, and the extreme luxury and prosperity of Kun Province—two entirely opposite worlds, yet existing within the same world.
And with just a single step, he had crossed from a hellish wilderness into a heavenly blessed land.
Mo Hua’s heart ached with bitterness, though he didn’t quite understand why.
Seeing Mo Hua spacing out again, Xiao Ju couldn’t help but pat his arm worriedly. “Are you having another episode?”
She thought his Divine-Sense injury hadn’t healed yet.
Mo Hua snapped back to his senses. Looking at Xiao Ju’s innocent face, he shook his head without saying anything. Instead, he took out a candied hawthorn skewer, stuffed it into her mouth, and said softly:
“Let’s go home.”
Xiao Ju didn’t think anything was strange about that and nodded. “Mm.”
…
By the time the two returned to the small blessed land, it was already quite late. As they opened the formation gate, they saw True-Person Rong standing there with a cold expression.
The candied hawthorn in Xiao Ju’s hand nearly fell to the ground in fright, and she instinctively hid behind Mo Hua.
Mo Hua calmly bowed to True Person Rong, “True Person.”
True Person Rong gave a slight nod, not daring to reprimand Mo Hua. Instead, her gaze shifted to Xiao Ju hiding behind him and asked:
“Were you out fooling around?”
Xiao Ju stammered, “No…”
Mo Hua covered for her. “I went to the Formation Pavilion and got delayed. Xiao Ju was very well-behaved.”
With Mo Hua saying this, True-Person Rong couldn’t say much. She only said, “Come back earlier next time. Houtu City… is full of all sorts of people…”
Mo Hua understood her meaning and replied gently, “Rest assured, True-Person. I will keep any external karmic ties isolated and won’t bring them back into the small blessed land.”
True-Person Rong looked at him deeply, then nodded. “That’s good.”
With that, she said nothing more and turned to leave.
Watching her go so easily, Xiao Ju was a bit surprised. She turned to look at Mo Hua, thinking to herself:
This valuable guy has quite the status… even True-Person Rong can’t control him?
“Let’s go,” Mo Hua said.
“Oh.” Xiao Ju nodded.
The two walked into the the courtyard, Bai Zixi happened to be there, perhaps waiting for Xiao Ju… or for Mo Hua, was unclear.
Mo Hua took out another candied hawthorn skewer and handed it to her. “Little Senior Sister, this is for you.”
Bai Zixi was momentarily stunned. Seeing that both Mo Hua and Xiao Ju each held a skewer, she subconsciously accepted it.
Mo Hua continued looking at her.
After a moment of hesitation, Bai Zixi parted her red lips slightly and took a bite of the bright red candied hawthorn, momentarily lost in thought.
Mo Hua smiled. “Is it sweet?”
Bai Zixi’s gaze was complicated as she softly responded, “Mm.”
Only Xiao Ju, standing to the side, looked at Mo Hua and then at Zixi, muttering to herself in confusion:
“Sister Zixi… never eats sweets…”
…
After returning to his room, Mo Hua spent the entire night reading books on spiritual plants.
Early the next morning, as the sun rose, Xiao Ju hurried him to check on her orange tree.
Mo Hua followed her to the spiritual field at the back of the small blessed land.
The fields were still barren. The spiritual orange seeds planted earlier had yet to sprout, and Xiao Ju frowned, deeply worried.
Based on what he had learned the previous night, Mo Hua loosened the soil, sprinkled an appropriate proportion of spiritual liquid, and set up some formations to nurture the soil and moisture.
“I only have second-grade earth formations on hand. I do have one Third-grade soil-nurturing formation, but it can only nurture, not accelerate growth, so spiritual plants grow relatively slowly.”
“The Earth Sect strictly controls these types of formations. If I want to get them, I’ll have to think of another way…”
Mo Hua explained to Xiao Ju.
After listening, Xiao Ju nodded. Though still anxious, she understood that rushing wouldn’t make sweet oranges grow any faster.
Mo Hua had already helped her a lot.
But Mo Hua’s eyes flickered with thought, still feeling puzzled.
Logically speaking, since the Earth Sect was located in Kun Province, it wasn’t unreasonable for them to control land-type formations.
Controlling Kun formations and earth formations made sense… but why strictly seal off even the regular Five Elements earth formations?
There was likely some hidden secret behind this… something worth investigating when the opportunity arose.
Suppressing his thoughts, Mo Hua looked at Xiao Ju and said:
“I’ll leave this spiritual field to you. Water it with the plant spiritual liquid on time. If there’s any issue with the formations, come find me. I have other matters to attend to and won’t have time to check on it.”
Xiao Ju nodded repeatedly. “Mm-hmm!”
…
After entrusting the spiritual field to Xiao Ju, Mo Hua returned to his room and took out the five hundred thousand spirit stones advanced to him by Manager Zhao.
Of those five hundred thousand, a little over twenty thousand had been spent on spiritual liquids and books on spiritual plant , leaving more than four hundred seventy thousand.
Mo Hua set aside seventy thousand for backup. The remaining four hundred thousand spirit stones, he planned to feed into his Taotie Twelve-Meridian-Spiritual-Skeleton Formation.
The bottleneck of the Celestial Evolution Art lay mainly in Divine-Sense.
Now, his Divine-Sense had already touched the bottleneck of Feathered Ascension.
As for his cultivation, the process from early Golden Core to late-stage Golden Core, was quite plainly, a process of “eating” spirit stones.
As long as he continuously refined spirit stones and accumulated spiritual power, that would suffice.
Of course, his own Golden Core was of Inferior grade, so the amount of spiritual power he needed wasn’t that great. The truly terrifying part was his Life-Bound formation…
That Twelve Meridians spiritual skeleton infused with the Taotie’s devouring power.
Even now, Mo Hua had no idea how many spirit stones it would take to fully “feed” this spiritual skeleton.
Therefore, he could only proceed step by step, feeding it gradually to see.
Kun Province was one of the wealthiest regions among the Nine Provinces. Prices here were high, but conversely, that also meant more spirit stones were in circulation.
For Mo Hua, who urgently needed spirit stones, this was actually a good thing.
Especially for a formation master as capable as him…
The vast world is great, but cultivation came first.
Mo Hua then cast aside all distracting thoughts and began refining spirit stones, drawing in vast amounts of spiritual energy through his skin, guiding it along his meridians, and injecting it into his Taotie spiritual skeleton.
As the spiritual energy poured into the skeleton, the Taotie patterns on his bones seemed like ferocious beasts that had smelled blood, gradually awakening.
And his Life-Bound formation, nourished by the influx of spiritual power, was steadily strengthening.
The Taotie aura around Mo Hua also grew increasingly intense.
To maintain secrecy, and to avoid disturbing others during his cultivation, Mo Hua had already set up an aura isolation formation in advance.
But his Taotie aura was too intense, too savage.
Especially since it also contained the Laws of an Absolute Formation and the ferocious beast. Ordinary isolation formations simply couldn’t contain it completely. Inevitably, a trace of violent aura leaked through the formation and drifted outward…
In the distance of the small blessed land.
Sensing another spiritual aura, one similar in origin to Mo Hua’s yet entirely different in form from before, True-Person Rong frowned deeply.
She could guess that Mo Hua was cultivating something again.
Judging purely from the strength of the spiritual power, this aura was still weak—after all, it was only Golden Core-level power, not particularly strong to True Person Rong.
But True-Person Rong could perceive that within this thread of spiritual power lurked that same brutal and violent aura.
As if an extremely weakened spiritual beast was “nourishing” itself.
At this moment, it was likely the weakest this beast would ever be.
True-Person Rong remained silent for a long time, and finally let out a deep sigh.
She formed hand seals and activated the formations of the small blessed land, using the inherited formation power to firmly lock down all spiritual energies within, preventing any leakage that outsiders might detect.
True-Person Rong felt as though she were “aiding and abetting a tyranical evil.”
She was reluctant to do this, but she had no choice.
In a daze, she even had the illusion that her small blessed land had become a pool for raising monsters.
Zixi, in a sense, was already a “monster.”
And this Mo Hua… was the same.