Chapter 405: The Journey

Xiao Huang Prefecture, South Yue City, Instructor Yan, the traitor, the Spirit-Pivot Formation…

Mo Hua quickly sorted through everything in his mind, then glanced at Mister Zhuang and quietly asked,

“Master, is South Yue City on the way?”

He had been meaning to ask.

Instructor Yan had enlightened him, taught him, and introduced him to opportunities.

A drop of water in need should be repaid with a spring.

Mo Hua wanted to go find Instructor Yan, to see if there was any way he could help him.

At the same time, he had a bit of selfish curiosity—he wanted to see what a first-rank Twelve-Rune Spirit-Pivot Formation really looked like.

Could he learn it? Could he master it? Could he eventually use it to refine his Divine-Sense and reach the level of the Thirteenth Rune?

But he didn’t know which sect Mister Zhuang was heading to, or if it was along the way.

If it wasn’t on the route, he couldn’t just take the initiative and alter Mister Zhuang’s plan.

Mister Zhuang shook his head. “Not on the way.”

“I see…” Mo Hua felt a little disappointed.

“But we can take a detour,” Mister Zhuang added.

Mo Hua blinked in surprise. “Won’t that delay our journey?”

“No,” Mister Zhuang said with a smile. “As long as you can learn formations along the way, it’s not a delay.”

Mo Hua felt a warmth in his heart.

After speaking, Mister Zhuang murmured thoughtfully,

“Also, I want to see what was so special about the Spirit-Pivot Formation passed down by the Great Lingyin Sect.”

“Mm.” Mo Hua nodded.

Now he felt relieved, though a bit puzzled as well.

He always had the sense that Mister Zhuang’s travels weren’t just for the sects themselves… but to teach him formation techniques.

Mo Hua frowned.

This doubt had lingered for some time.

Throughout the journey, Mister Zhuang never rushed. He said they were heading to a sect, yet there was no pressing urgency.

Instead, he spent the journey teaching Mo Hua how to calculate derivatives, how to deduce, how to locate absolute formations, and how to comprehend them.

Even upon reaching the destination, it was ultimately so Mo Hua could study formations.

But what about Master himself? What exactly did he want to do?

Mo Hua sneaked a glance at Mister Zhuang.

Mister Zhuang’s expression was calm and serene, unfathomable, giving nothing away.

“I wonder what Master is thinking…” Mo Hua murmured to himself.

If Master had some wish, maybe, when his cultivation was higher in the future, he could help fulfill it.

He just didn’t know when that day would come…

After all, he was only a Qi-Refining disciple right now.

Mo Hua let out a small sigh.

Mister Zhuang, unaware of Mo Hua’s thoughts, simply instructed the coachman, Old Kui,

“Take a detour to South Yue City.”

Old Kui tugged the reins. Dà Bái neighed, stomped, turned, and headed down another road toward Xiao Huang Prefecture…

Xiao Huang Prefecture was a second-rank prefecture within Li Prefecture.

Under the Heavenly Dao Grand Array, the highest allowed cultivation level was Foundation Establishment.

Li Prefecture was Fire-affiliated, with strong fire energy.

Tongxian City in the north had slightly better climate, with mountains, rivers, and abundant vegetation, though it was hot for most of the year, especially in spring and summer.

Xiao Huang Prefecture, east of Li Prefecture and slightly south, had an even drier climate.

There was still some vegetation along the way, but less, mostly brown, and not dense.

Cultivators relied on the land and water for survival.

The few immortal cities along the route mostly survived by hunting demons, with mining as the next most common occupation.

Mining cultivators were those who mined resources.

Locally, they had other names like “stonemason,” “stoneworker,” “miner,” or “mining laborer.”

Customs varied, so the names differed slightly in each region.

Among these mining cultivators, a few mined spiritual ore, but very few.

In Xiao Huang Prefecture, spiritual ore either belonged to the Dao Court or was controlled by large families and sects.

Spiritual ore was extremely important, usually mined by disciples of the owning faction rather than independent laborers.

They mined copper and iron, which were naturally tough. Cultivators needed great effort to extract them.

Copper and iron were used for crafting, construction, alchemy, and occasionally mixed into formation pens or spiritual ink.

Other resources were scarce, but there were many mines, so local independent cultivators survived by selling labor, mining rocks.

Though unspoken, mining was considered a lowly trade, reserved for poor, wandering disciples.

Mining wasn’t simple; there were special techniques involved, which Mo Hua had only glimpsed from afar.

In general, Xiao Huang Prefecture was suitably desolate, living up to its name.

The desolation meant more bandits along the roads.

Caravans were often stopped by robbers not long after setting out.

These bandits didn’t spout grandiose lines like, “This mountain is mine, that tree is mine; pay the toll to pass.”

The mountains were dug by miners, and there weren’t even trees to claim.

They made practical demands, like:

“Hand over the spirit stones,”

“Leave the horses and carts,”

“Or we can spare your lives.”

Mo Hua treated them differently depending on the circumstances.

Some were simply poor, unable to feed their families, forced to cover their faces and carry knives to block the road.

Mo Hua felt this was wrong but did not harshly blame them.

And these people understood limits.

Though their words sounded harsh, a few spirit stones usually sufficed.

Some were extremely desperate, having not earned spirit stones for a long time, kneeling in gratitude:

“Thank you, thank you, young brother!”

A few spirit stones could feed a family for half a month.

They weren’t greedy; they returned relieved after receiving a few stones.

Mo Hua felt both amused and a bit sad watching this.

Some, however, were lazy and greedy, seeking to rob for quick gains.

If Mo Hua gave them a few spirit stones, they still weren’t satisfied.

Then he showed no mercy.

A fireball at a time, he knocked them all down, letting them lie and “reflect.”

Laziness was paired with cultivation sloth.

These bandits generally weren’t strong, and skilled in neither martial arts nor magic.

They were no match for Mo Hua.

Some were tougher, local “habitual bandits,” organized but not formidable, disciplined but not strict.

They had numbers and greed, and seeing Mo Hua was a young disciple, they made excessive demands.

They demanded spirit stones, the horses, and carts.

Even more outrageous, they saw Bai Zixi and said,

“This little girl stays!”

Other bandits leered, “She’s pretty; selling her in town would fetch a lot of spirit stones.”

“Maybe a few hundred…”

“Worth over a thousand for such a useless brat!”

Mo Hua was furious.

How dare they sell his junior sister?

Bai Zisheng was even angrier.

He didn’t waste words, drew his spear, his golden spiritual energy surging, and moved like a phantom. He pierced each bandit’s thigh, forcing them to kneel.

Then he sheathed the spear and pummeled them with his fists.

From spear to fist, it was all in an instant.

The bandits were stunned, then enraged:

“What a arrogant brat!”

“Everyone, attack!”

“Cripple them!”

“Sell them to traffickers!”

…

Other bandits joined in.

Some attacked Bai Zisheng, some Mo Hua.

Bai Zisheng remained fearless, his spiritual energy surging, fists unstoppable, fighting all directions.

As a scion of a noble family, Qi-Refining peak of the ninth layer, with top-tier techniques, he had often sparred with Mo Hua. Dealing with these bandits was effortless.

The bandits, though numerous, fought individually, uncoordinated, and were gradually defeated one by one.

Some charged at Mo Hua.

Mounted on Dà Bái, he flicked his fingers, casting fireball spells, knocking all the charging bandits down.

No bandit could survive a single fireball.

If needed, he would cast another.

Only one slipped through, closing to within three meters.

Before he could act, Dà Bái kicked him flying.

The bandit was hurled into a cliff, bones shattered.

Dà Bái rubbed against Mo Hua, seemingly asking for praise.

Mo Hua hugged Dà Bái’s neck and said with a smile,

“Eat some extra grass today, consider it a treat!”

Dà Bái neighed contentedly.

Within the time of a tea break, the bandits were utterly defeated, lying on the ground wailing.

Some tried to flee, but Mo Hua immobilized them with Water Prison Technique, and Bai Zisheng struck each one with his spear.

Still unsatisfied, Bai Zisheng pummeled the ringleaders again.

Mo Hua decided to exercise his own muscles, drew his Thousand-Catapult Staff, and joined in.

He didn’t kill them, but struck hard.

Afterward, Bai Zisheng, seeing their miserable state, hesitated:

“Did we go too far?”

Mo Hua shook his head.

“They’re no good; we weren’t excessive.”

Bai Zisheng nodded. “True.”

Mo Hua raised his little finger and summarized:

“In small terms, this is punishing evil and supporting justice; in large terms, contributing to the stability of Xiao Huang Prefecture…”

Bai Zisheng was shocked:

“Mo Hua, you can really talk. With that tongue of yours, if you joined the Dao Court Division, you’d do well.”

Because he could justify thrashing bandits so eloquently.

Mo Hua frowned. “I’m honest; I always speak the truth…”

“We’re all fellow disciples, who are you fooling?”

…

Bai Zixi watched the two bicker, a faint smile shimmering in her autumn-water eyes.