Chapter 414: Tangyuan

Bargain the price down by half, then negotiate slowly.

This was what Mo Hua had learned in the marketplace of Tōngxiān City.

The dealer’s expression was bitter. “It’s not… not like anyone’s ever haggled like this…”

“Is there something wrong with this formation?”

“Yes…” the dealer said helplessly, then suddenly hesitated. “No, I don’t know…”

“Stubbornness won’t help!”

Mo Hua looked confident. “Write down what I just said and have other formation masters look at it—it will be exactly right.”

The dealer was speechless. “Then…”

“Is there a problem with the formation?” Mo Hua asked again.

“Well… sort of… maybe…”

“Is it a serious problem?”

“Yes… I guess.”

“Then why are you selling this grotto so expensive if it has serious issues?” Mo Hua asked, full of righteous indignation.

The dealer replied bitterly, “But I can’t lower it by that much.”

“I never said you couldn’t bargain. How much can you lower it?”

The dealer braved Mo Hua’s piercing gaze and tentatively said, “Thirty thousand… seven thousand?”

Mo Hua shook his head. “Twenty thousand five hundred.”

“Thirty-six thousand?”

“Twenty-one thousand…”

…

After a round of back-and-forth offers, Mo Hua only agreed to pay twenty-nine thousand in the end.

The dealer gritted his teeth. “I’ll ask my master; please wait a moment.”

“Go ahead.”

Mo Hua waved him off.

Bai Zisheng looked at Mo Hua in surprise. “You’re really good at bargaining…”

“Of course,” Mo Hua replied with a nod.

For wandering cultivators, every spirit stone counts. When it comes to bargaining, there’s no need to be polite.

Having spirit stones is one thing. Not wasting them unnecessarily is another.

After a while, the dealer returned with a spiritual contract, smiling apologetically.

“I reported back to my master. He didn’t know this grotto’s formation had so many issues, and feels deeply sorry. So he’s willing to sell it at a low price to you three young friends.”

The dealer handed Mo Hua the contract with both hands.

“The price is further discounted: twenty-eight thousand eight hundred eighty-eight, for good luck…”

Mo Hua checked the spirit energy—it really was twenty-eight thousand, with a string of eights at the end.

“Your master is really easy to deal with?”

Mo Hua was a little puzzled.

Nearly ten thousand spirit stones off…

The dealer smiled. “First, this grotto really has flaws, and you noticed them, which embarrassed us. Second, our master wants to establish a connection with you. If you buy our grotto, it’s also a matter of face for us.”

Mo Hua raised an eyebrow. “Your master knows me?”

“My master hasn’t met you yet.”

Mo Hua’s eyes flickered, then asked, “Behind your trading house, is it the Lu family, or the Nanyue Sect?”

The dealer was startled, then said:

“Not hiding it from you, both the Lu family and Nanyue Sect are involved…”

Mo Hua was surprised. “Your trading house has that much backing?”

The dealer chuckled awkwardly. “Not that much… The Lu family provides funds in the background. The person in charge is an inner disciple of Nanyue Sect. Though both sides have influence, neither compares to elders or the sect leaders, so it’s just a small trading house…”

Lu family, Dao Court Division, Nanyue Sect…

Seems they’re all in the same pants.

Mo Hua sighed.

But as an outsider, he didn’t ask too many questions and cupped his hands respectfully. “Please thank your master on my behalf.”

The dealer bowed politely. “I dare not.”

Then came the exchange of spirit stones, signing the contract, handing over the grotto’s formation diagrams, and the formation keys.

When signing the contract, Bai Zixi said to Mo Hua, “You sign it.”

Mo Hua was startled. “Why me?”

Bai Zixi replied, “You chose it.”

“But it’s you who provided the spirit stones…”

“I cannot sign it,” Bai Zixi said.

Bai Zisheng nodded too. “Aunt Xue doesn’t allow us to sign contracts with others.”

Mo Hua paused, then understood.

Probably, some young heirs in prominent families had superstitions; signing could make them vulnerable to deception or traps.

“Alright then.”

Mo Hua signed the contract and handed it to Bai Zixi. “Take care of it, Senior Sister.”

Bai Zixi had wanted to refuse, but thought better of it and accepted.

After buying the grotto, they had to tidy it up.

Mainly, the formations.

The previous formations were shabby, and Mo Hua couldn’t stand them.

Besides, since it was his place, he wanted to draw the formations himself for peace of mind.

Mo Hua spent some time reconstructing the grotto’s formation diagrams.

Most of the formations were first-rank, even incorporating the Profound-Earth Array.

Together with his senior brother and senior sister, Mo Hua renewed all the formations in the grotto according to the diagrams.

Then they had the dealer bring someone to clean it thoroughly.

The grotto was now clean and tidy—doors, windows, corridors, flowers, and courtyards—all corners had formations. The formations connected, forming a complex first-rank composite formation.

Only then was Mo Hua satisfied.

After finishing, the three returned to the inn and brought Mister Zhuang to the grotto.

Mister Zhuang saw the serene courtyard, the tranquil bamboo room, and the quiet pond.

Although complex, the formations integrated naturally with each room, courtyard, and garden, forming a cohesive whole. He nodded appreciatively.

Dinner was under the big tree in the courtyard.

Mo Hua set up a low table, and everyone sat on the grass.

The table was laid with various dishes.

After visiting the mines, smelling the pits, and seeing the tragic deaths of miners, their appetites hadn’t been great these days.

Mo Hua was fine; Bai Zixi’s eyes were covered, so she didn’t mind.

But Bai Zisheng couldn’t tolerate any meat or strong flavors.

Mo Hua prepared some light vegetarian dishes and snacks.

That day’s main dish was sesame-filled tangyuan.

A breeze rustled the leaves.

As Mo Hua ate tangyuan, he asked Mister Zhuang, “Master, is the flow of spiritual energy important?”

He had been wondering.

What did the flow of spiritual energy in a grotto signify?

He guessed it had to do with wind directions or energy currents, but it was just a guess; he wasn’t sure of the deeper reason.

Mister Zhuang said concisely:

“The flow of spiritual energy is related to spiritual veins.”

“Spiritual veins?”

Mo Hua was slightly surprised.

Mister Zhuang nodded. “Spiritual veins refer to the channels formed by massive spiritual energy circulating in the world.”

“Massive spiritual energy…” Mo Hua asked, “Does that mean there are no spiritual veins left now?”

Because today, spiritual energy in the world was extremely thin.

“There are still some,” said Mister Zhuang calmly. “Ordinary cultivators simply cannot see them…”

He paused, ate a bite of tangyuan, nodded, then continued:

“The existing spiritual veins are either in the Dao Court, or in ancient families or sects whose legacies have survived without fading.”

“Some medium-sized powers, if ambitious, may try to artificially create spiritual veins using formations…”

Mo Hua was startled. “Artificial spiritual veins?”

“Yes,” Mister Zhuang said with a sigh. “By spending vast amounts of spirit stones and using special formations, they can create a massive spiritual flow, forming a continuous and inexhaustible spiritual vein.”

“The spiritual energy in the vein can then be used for descendants’ cultivation.”

“However, this is extremely difficult and costly…”

“And what ordinary cultivators see as spiritual veins is actually another form.”

Mister Zhuang looked at Mo Hua and slowly said, “You have seen it too.”

Mo Hua frowned, thought for a moment, and then his eyes lit up:

“Spiritual ore?”

Mister Zhuang nodded. “The spiritual energy in veins, influenced by the terrain, becomes embedded underground, integrating with mountains, rocks, and plants over time, forming spiritual ore.”

“So spiritual ore is like a non-flowing spiritual vein, a one-time spiritual vein, a solidified vein…”

Mo Hua nodded, thinking further, then his heart skipped a beat and he asked:

“Master, if I could observe the flow of spiritual energy in the mountains and discern the past direction of veins, could I then deduce… where spiritual ore exists?”

Mister Zhuang smiled with satisfaction:

“The principle is correct…”

“Divine-Sense derivation, spiritual perception, formation energy traces, and the flow of spiritual energy in the world—they are interconnected and form a system.”

“But in practice, it’s still very complicated.”

“Study and practice more. Start with the flow of spiritual energy, from simple to complex, from shallow to deep. In the future, you might really be able to derive spiritual veins from the flow, and thereby locate spiritual ore…”

Spiritual ore!

Mo Hua nodded eagerly, eyes shining.

If he really found spiritual ore, wouldn’t that make him rich?

He could extract so many spirit stones!

Mo Hua looked like a little money-grubber.

Mister Zhuang shook his head and smiled.

It’s not that simple.

After over twenty thousand years of Dao Court development, undiscovered spiritual ore is extremely rare.

Even if found, such a large chunk would attract everyone, often leading to bloodshed…

Mister Zhuang’s eyes flickered, and he sighed slightly.

He glanced at Mo Hua and hesitated for a moment, then a playful expression appeared.

This disciple seemed obedient, but was clever and mischievous.

He had helped wandering cultivators snatch a spiritual ore from the Qian family.

In the future, if he discovered spiritual ore, he might be able to cleverly profit…

After that, no more words were spoken. Mo Hua focused on eating.

His cheeks were full.

The tangyuan were fragrant and sweet.

Mo Hua couldn’t help eating more. He turned to see Bai Zixi staring blankly at her bowl of tangyuan.

Curious, he asked, “Not tasty?”

Sweet things—he remembered Senior Sister liked them.

Bai Zixi shook her head.

Mo Hua looked puzzled.

Bai Zixi glanced at him and then pointed at the tangyuan. “A bit like you.”

Mo Hua was startled and frowned.

He looked at the tangyuan in the bowl.

White, round, and crystal-clear.

He thought for a moment. “Senior Sister, do you mean I look white?”

Bai Zixi shook her head again.

Mo Hua was even more confused.

Bai Zixi scooped a white tangyuan with her spoon and bit it gently; black sesame filling flowed out…

Mo Hua froze. After thinking, he finally understood.

Senior Sister was saying he was mischievous.

A sweet face, but a little schemer at heart.

Mo Hua muttered discontentedly, “I’m not scheming…”

Bai Zixi nodded. “You are!”

In the mine, there was intimidation, framing, deception, threats—he was skilled.

Bai Zisheng nodded beside her.

“Yes, yes. Harmless on the surface, but clever tricks inside…”

Mo Hua glared at Bai Zisheng. “Being scheming is better than being stupid!”

Bai Zisheng scowled. “How dare you call your senior brother stupid!”

“I didn’t, you admitted it yourself…”

…

Under the big tree, Mo Hua and Bai Zisheng argued, lively and boisterous.

Mister Zhuang remained calm, a smile at the corner of his mouth.

Bai Zixi took another bite of tangyuan, her eyes slightly narrowed, gaze sparkling.