Chapter 1419: The White-Robed Cultivator
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Chapter 1417: The White-Robed Cultivator
“That’s all of it,” Mo Hua said, pointing at the two large storage bags. Then he asked Manager Zhao, “Is there anything else?”
Mo Hua wasn’t sure whether there were any other procedures left to complete for this tomb-raiding trip.
Manager Zhao quickly replied, “No, nothing at all.”
The Heavenly Crystal had already been handed over—what else could there be?
After a moment of contemplation, Manager Zhao added, “There are indeed some matters that need to be wrapped up, but they’re all minor. I won’t trouble you with them, Young Master Mo. I’ll handle them myself. You’ve worked hard on this journey, Young Master. I’d like to host a banquet to welcome you back and wash away the dust of your travels…”
Mo Hua shook his head. “No need. I have to head back.”
He had been away for some time and needed to return to let his Little Senior Sister know he was safe.
Only then did Manager Zhao remember that this Young Master Mo was living under someone else’s roof, with a domineering senior sister from a prestigious sect. He sighed regretfully, and said:
“In that case, I won’t keep you. Please, go ahead, Young Master.”
After speaking, Manager Zhao glanced again at the Heavenly Crystal in his hand and said somewhat sheepishly, “Then… I’ll temporarily keep this Heavenly Crystal?”
“Mm, it’s fine. You can keep it,” Mo Hua nodded.
I still have three more anyway.
Manager Zhao sighed in admiration, then carefully and solemnly stored the warm, lustrous Heavenly Crystal into his storage bag.
Seeing that Manager Zhao had accepted it, Mo Hua added, “Oh right, Manager Zhao, I have one more matter.”
Manager Zhao: “Please go ahead, Young Master.”
Mo Hua didn’t stand on ceremony and without hesitation said. “I’ve run out of spirit stones again. Can you advance me some more?”
The “goods” from underground would take some time to sell, and Mo Hua’s spirit stones had already been running low.
Manager Zhao had been worried about not having a chance to show his goodwill, so he immediately replied, “No problem! How much would you like to advance, Young Master??”
Mo Hua asked, “How much can you advance?”
Manager Zhao pondered for a moment. “How about… one million for now?”
Mo Hua said nothing and simply looked at Manager Zhao.
Manager Zhao sighed and said. “One and a half million spirit stones, then.”
Fearing Mo Hua might be displeased, he hurriedly explained:
“It’s not that I’m stingy, but most of the funds on the books are tied up in fixed accounts. The liquid assets aren’t very flexible, and I need to keep some Spirit stones in reserve for operational expenses…”
Seeing that Manager Zhao didn’t seem to be lying, Mo Hua nodded. “That’s fine too.”
Manager Zhao was delighted. “Thank you for your understanding, Young Master.” After thinking for a moment, he added, “In a few days, once I’ve sold off the underground goods and converted them into spirit stones, I’ll make up the difference for you.”
Things were different now.
Previously, the spirit stones Mo Hua advanced had to be repaid through work.
But now, this advance was essentially an early withdrawal of his earnings. Not only that, Manager Zhao would still owe him quite a bit more afterward.
Not to mention, that single Heavenly Crystal alone was worth far more than a million spirit stones.
The miscellaneous items from the tomb were also worth quite a sum.
As for how much exactly, Manager Zhao would still need to assess market conditions, pull some connections, and only after selling everything could he determine the final split.
Mo Hua nodded. “Alright.”
Manager Zhao then rang a small bell, summoning a steward, and instructed him to go to the counter and withdraw one and a half million spirit stones.
Upon hearing “one and a half million,” the steward froze for a moment but still followed the instructions and went to do as told.
Manager Zhao then said to Mo Hua, “One and a half million isn’t a small sum, so it may take some time to gather. While we wait, Young Master, how about you bathe and purify yourself here before heading back?”
After entering the tomb, one inevitably carries some of the gloomy yin aura of the dead.
Mo Hua also knew that he was tainted with the underground’s aura and was troubled by not having a place to cleanse himself, so he nodded and said:
“Alright, thank you for the trouble, Manager Zhao.”
Manager Zhao arranged an elegant room in the Fortune Pavilion suitable for bathing and purification, and even selected two clean and beautiful maidservants to attend to Mo Hua.
But Mo Hua declined.
Manager Zhao didn’t insist.
After a while, Mo Hua finished bathing and burning incense for purification. He changed into clean clothes and stepped out, his hair slightly damp, his complexion fair and rosy, his eyes bright like stars.
Seeing him, Manager Zhao felt even more amazed, and increasingly thought that this Young Master Mo’s senior sister truly had good judgment.
Meanwhile, the steward had prepared the spirit stones: fifteen large high-value spirit bags in total.
Mo Hua couldn’t even fit them all in his arms and had to hang them around his waist in a full circle, looking like a nouveau riche.
“In half a month, Young Master Mo can come again,” Manager Zhao said, while cupping his hands in a respectful gesture. “I’ll inform you of the progress of the sales so you can have a clear understanding.”
Young Master Mo had treated him with sincerity; he couldn’t betray that trust.
Having obtained the spirit stones, Mo Hua was in a good mood. He nodded. “Alright. Thank you for your trouble, Manager.”
Afterward, to show respect, Manager Zhao personally escorted Mo Hua to the entrance of the Fortune Pavilion.
Only after watching Mo Hua’s figure disappear into the distance did Manager Zhao turn back, sit at the table, and let the smile on his face gradually fade.
Taking a sip of tea, he frowned and pondered:
“What kind of person’s tomb would contain Heavenly Crystals?”
“Old Mo has been doing business with me for so many years—shrewd as a ghost. Could he really have died underground so easily?”
“Did he perhaps encounter some great calamity?”
“Old Mo was a grave robber, Da Shan a mountain-moving warrior, the scholar a mechanism master… all of them died underground. Only Young Master Mo, a ‘newcomer,’ came back alive… and even brought out the Heavenly Crystal from the tomb…”
“Is that really possible? Could Young Master Mo be lying to me?”
Unable to resist, Manager Zhao touched the Heavenly Crystal in his sleeve again, feeling its extraordinary pure spiritual energy. Then he immediately reproached himself:
“After doing business for so long, this is the problem—bring too suspicious, always doubting others…”
“Young Master Mo even handed me the Heavenly Crystal. What ill intentions could he possibly have?”
“Everyone else died, only he survived. Surely he must have great fortune and a strong fate.”
“It couldn’t possibly be that Young Master Mo brought them misfortune and got them killed, right…”
Manager Zhao shook his head.
At this moment, it was just a passing thought…
…
On the other side, Mo Hua left Fortune Pavilion, carrying the “vast sum” of one and a half million Spirit stones, feeling deeply moved.
Sure enough—wealth is sought amidst danger.
A few days underground, and he earned this many spirit stones. No wonder some people would risk their lives for money.
Of course, only success brings spirit stones. Failure costs you your life—let alone obtaining spirit stones.
Mo Hua buried this reflection deep within his heart, then went to the marketplace, planning to buy some things to bring back for Xiao Ju and his Little Senior Sister.
Something sweet for his senior sister.
Some snacks for Xiao Ju.
The marketplace was bustling with crowds and noisy chatter, full of the vitality—completely different from the dead silent and lifeless underground.
As Mo Hua was browsing stalls and selecting items, a voice suddenly reached his ears amidst the clamor:
“What do you people even know…”
“The title of Kun Province’s number one beauty has nothing to do with just the appearance—it’s about identity, status and position… This isn’t something that can be ranked arbitrarily…”
“Sword techniques can be ranked, but not in isolation… it depends greatly on the person wielding the sword…”
“It’s the same for everything else—alchemy, formations, talismans, artifacts… only with exceptional people can there be exceptional techniques…”
“If the person isn’t capable, the technique will be lost. No matter how powerful, it’s useless…”
“There’s nothing in this world I don’t understand… of course, formations are an exception. Ordinary people can spend a lifetime and only play around within the ‘framework.’”
“Those who truly master it, who reach the pinnacle… each and every single one of them is hardly human…”
…
The marketplace was noisy and chaotic. Normally, such words would be drowned out in the crowd, hard to distinguish… yet Mo Hua happened to hear them with perfect clarity.
He couldn’t help but look up and saw a group of people gathered in front of a teahouse across the way.
They were surrounding a white-robed cultivator, listening to him boast.
(TN: Is this the same person who was denouncing Mo Hua during Qianxue sword debate tournament)
This white-robed cultivator had a fair, clean face and didn’t seem very old in terms of cultivation age. He was quite handsome, and carried a scholarly air. Yet, as he mingled with the crowd, chatting and boasting about everything under the sun, he also seemed like a streetwise rogue—without the slightest sense of incongruity.
As Mo Hua looked at him, the white-robed cultivator, who was speaking animatedly, seemed to sense something and turned his head to look at Mo Hua.
Their eyes met.
Mo Hua’s expression remained calm.
But the white-robed cultivator suddenly froze, and a look of shock and surprise clearly appeared on his face.
Mo Hua felt puzzled.
He was certain he didn’t know this white-robed cultivator.
Yet judging by his expression… it seemed the man recognized him?
Sure enough, after the initial shock and surprise, the white-robed cultivator’s expression changed, and his gaze turned somewhat serious.
Mo Hua could sense a trace of hostility in that gaze.
It seemed this person not only held no goodwill toward him, but even bore some “grudge.”
Mo Hua grew even more confused.
He didn’t recall ever having any conflict or grudge with this white-robed cultivator before him…
But upon second thought, he had unknowingly made quite a few enemies. Though he himself was magnanimous and didn’t take it to heart, others might be petty and could hold grudges.
Considering that this white-robed cultivator was at the peak of the Golden Core realm, Mo Hua felt it was better to avoid unnecessary trouble and chose to let it go.
He calmly shifted his gaze away, no longer looking at the white-robbed cultivator, and continued strolling the streets as if nothing had happened.
…
On the other side, the white-robed cultivator continued staring at Mo Hua, his expression constantly shifting, filled with both confusion and disbelief.
“Mo Hua… the ‘Crown Prince’ of the Great Void Sect… Why is he here?”
Seeing him suddenly stop mid-speech, someone in the crowd urged, “Keep going! Where were you just now…?”
The white-robed cultivator glanced at them and said, “Next time… we’ll talk next time…”
“Finish what you were saying first! Especially about the Top Ten Great Beauties of Kun Province—you only named five! How can you stop there…”
One listener, curious, tried to grab his sleeve to stop him from leaving… but his hand met only empty air. When he blinked again, the white-robed cultivator had already vanished.
The crowd exchanged glances, every one of them felt a chill in their hearts, realizing they had encountered an “expert.”
…
Back in the bustling marketplace, Mo Hua, carrying a small fortune, continued strolling leisurely.
Along the way, whenever he saw something he thought his Little Senior Sister might like, he casually bought a few.
Passing by a stall, he suddenly noticed oranges being sold. He decided to buy some to bring back for Xiao Ju.
These oranges looked decent—though not as good as the “spirit oranges” from the small blessed land that Xiao Ju longed for—but they would at least satisfy her cravings for now.
Moreover, after looking around, Mo Hua realized these were already the best-looking oranges among nearby stalls.
So he asked, “How much for the oranges?”
The vendor smiled. “Young master has a good eye! These are rare goods, a specialty from the Great Spirit Field Realm. They are scarce and have limited supply. Five hundred spirit stones each.”
Mo Hua had no idea what the Great Spirit Field Realm was, nor what it’s specialties were.
Five hundred spirit stones per orange was indeed expensive, but he was now “rich and flushing with cash.”
Glancing over the stall, he saw there were only about twenty oranges left, “Ten thousand spirit stones. I’ll take them all.”
The vendor was overjoyed. “Excellent! Many thanks, young master!”
“May you have great fortune and prosperity, and soon be blessed with an offspring …”
The vendor, having picked up flattery from who knows where, kept chattering away. Just as he was about to pack up all the oranges, a voice suddenly interrupted:
“Twenty thousand. I’ll take these oranges.”
The vendor froze.
Mo Hua’s expression turned slightly cold. The voice sounded familiar. He turned his head and saw that same white-robed cultivator standing beside him, looking calm.
Mo Hua said, “Twenty thousand one hundred.”
The white-robed cultivator was momentarily stunned, thinking: You, the dignified Crown Prince of the Great Void Sect, raising bids by a mere hundred—who are you trying to embarrass?
“Thirty thousand,” the white-robbed cultivator said.
“Thirty thousand one hundred,” Mo Hua replied.
“Forty thousand,” the white-robed cultivator said again.
Mo Hua’s expression darkened. “What exactly do you mean by this?”
“Nothing in particular…” The white-robed cultivator smiled faintly. “I just have nothing to do today and feel like eating some oranges.”
Mo Hua knew that he likely didn’t want oranges at all—he just wanted to make things difficult for him.
The problem was that this person was strong, at the peak of the Golden Core realm, with unknown background, and seemingly holding some grudge against him.
If such a cultivator truly set his sights on him and kept causing trouble…
Mo Hua rubbed his thumb.
On his thumb was an invisible Storage Ring, inside which were two straw dogs.
Each straw dog meant one life.
Perhaps because he had just emerged from underground and was tainted by yin qi and death aura… Mo Hua’s temperament was somewhat unstable. At the slightest provocation, a trace of killing intent naturally arose.
A faint, obscure darkness flickered in his eyes.
The white-robed cultivator, who had been smiling at Mo Hua moments ago, suddenly felt his storage bag tremble… and could no longer maintain his smile.
He looked at Mo Hua—especially catching a glimpse of his eyes—and felt as if he had seen a “living ghost.” A chill ran through his entire body, and he immediately said:
“I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want oranges anymore.”
With that, he turned and fled in a flash, moving swiftly and decisively.
Mo Hua was also momentarily stunned. He clearly hadn’t expected a Golden Core cultivator to act so erratically—appearing and disappearing as he pleased, without rhyme or reason.
But since the man knew when to back off, Mo Hua couldn’t be bothered to pursue the matter further for now. Instead, he turned to look at the vendor.
The vendor, understanding the situation well, knew this was just a clash of egos between young masters. As a mere fruit seller, how could he dare get involved? He smiled and said:
“The original price still stands. Young master, since you’re kind enough to patronize my business and are willing to buy my oranges, I wouldn’t dare act ungratefully…”
Mo Hua found this somewhat surprising and felt the vendor was rather interesting. He spent ten thousand spirit stones to buy the oranges, and then gave him an extra thousand on top.
The vendor was naturally overjoyed and thanked him profusely.
Having been disturbed by the white-robed cultivator, Mo Hua no longer had the mood to continue strolling the market, so he headed straight back home.
Along the way, he extended his Divine-Sense but didn’t detect any sign of the white-robed cultivator following him. He nodded slightly in approval.
Clearly, that person still knew some limits.
But at the same time, Mo Hua felt puzzled.
“Who exactly is that white-robed cultivator…?”
Mo Hua pinched his fingers in calculation, only able to vaguely sense that this person likely had quite a significant background.
He also felt that his relationship with this person wouldn’t be shallow. Yet he was certain he truly didn’t know him.
Strange…
Where did this karma come from again?