Chapter 462: Shui-Shēng

Chapter 463: Shui-Shēng

Elder Su hurriedly glanced around.

Mo Hua said, “Don’t worry, Elder. There’s no one around, and Shui-Shēng (Water-born) isn’t here either…”

Elder Su finally exhaled, looking at Mo Hua with a mixture of curiosity and hesitation. He couldn’t figure out how Mo Hua knew about Shui Xian.

Mo Hua didn’t mention Qing Lan directly, instead vaguely said, “I overheard it at the Hundred Flowers Pavilion.”

Elder Su was momentarily taken aback, then helplessly nodded. He then fell into a daze.

The name Shui Xian seemed to prick at his heart. His previous easygoing expression vanished, leaving him stunned and lost in thought, immersed in memories, filled with emotions he couldn’t shake.

“Elder Su?”

Mo Hua called out to him.

Elder Su didn’t respond.

“Elder Su!”

Mo Hua raised his voice slightly. Elder Su finally came back to his senses, a look of apology on his face. “Sorry… I got lost in my memories.”

Mo Hua hesitated for a moment before carefully asking, “Could you tell me about those past events?”

Elder Su looked at Mo Hua in puzzlement. “You… want to hear this for what purpose?”

Mo Hua said, “Curiosity.”

Elder Su immediately shook his head.

His own love life, filled with heartbreak and regrets, how could he possibly tell a child?

Mo Hua added, “It’ll be useful.”

“Useful?”

“I can’t say yet.”

Elder Su waved it off, “It’s all trivial past matters, not something appropriate to talk about.”

Mo Hua thought for a moment and said, “How about this: you tell me, and I’ll owe you a favor.”

Elder Su chuckled, “You, a child, owe me a favor? That’s…”

Before he could finish, he froze.

This favor could be invaluable!

A promise from a thirteen- or fourteen-year-old first-rank formation master!

And Mo Hua looked serious, not joking at all.

Even though they were all first-rank formation masters, Mo Hua was only at the Qi-Refining stage, while Elder Su had reached Foundation Establishment.

But precisely because he was still at Qi-Refining, this favor was even more precious.

A first-rank Qi-Refining master—twenty years later, he might become second-rank.

A second-rank formation master in a second-rank territory is exceedingly rare.

Even in a third-rank territory, he wouldn’t be a small figure.

Elder Su pondered for a moment, hesitant.

Mo Hua said, “I really mean it. I keep my word.”

Elder Su felt moved, but feigned restraint a while longer before nodding.

“Alright.”

Though it was a painful, romantic past, it wasn’t some untellable secret.

Elder Su sipped his tea, then slowly began, recounting everything about Shui Xian.

How he met her, fell in love, intended to redeem her, and finally how she died, leaving behind a child whom he took in and named “Shui-Shēng”…

Of course, he omitted details unsuitable for children.

After finishing, Elder Su, feeling thirsty, took another sip of tea.

Mo Hua, astonished, asked, “You went to the brothel with Master Lu?”

“Shh!” Elder Su glanced around and whispered, “Yes, but that was long ago. He’s the head of the Lu family now. Don’t spread this, or it’ll ruin his reputation.”

“Oh.” Mo Hua nodded, secretly amused: no wonder Elder Su and Master Lu got along so well—young men, exploring the pleasure quarters together.

Mo Hua paused, then asked sympathetically, “How did Sister Shui Xian die?”

Elder Su’s expression darkened, shaking his head. “Beauty and misfortune, I suppose. She was always frail, suffered at the Hundred Flowers Pavilion, which left her with a chronic illness. Later, she followed me. I asked alchemists to treat her, but it was only temporary relief…”

“That period… I blame myself.”

“I said I wanted to redeem her, but hesitated.”

“I… after all, I was a South Yue Sect elder, a formation master. Not the highest status, but respectable in South Yue City.”

“Families and sects even came to propose marriages for me.”

“The prospective brides were all talented and proper, with excellent spiritual roots, and the children would have been gifted.”

“In comparison… Shui Xian…”

Elder Su bitterly smiled, “Perhaps she sensed my thoughts and deliberately distanced herself, not wanting to burden me.”

“But in her heart, she must have resented me—whether she hated me, I don’t know…”

Elder Su sighed.

“Under sorrow, her old illness returned… and she was gone.”

“I was furious back then, thinking she was murdered, investigated for a long time, but found nothing.”

“Later, I realized… Shui Xian actually died by my hand.”

“I feared self-reproach, regret, guilt… so I shifted the blame.”

“I wished someone else had killed her, so I could hate them, avenge her, and relieve my guilt…”

“But there was no one.”

“Her life was like drifting duckweed, wanting to rest on me.”

“But I was unfaithful, so she scattered with the wind…”

Elder Su’s face was filled with bitter sorrow.

Mo Hua felt a pang of sadness, then asked, “You never remarried all these years?”

He had visited the estate many times; aside from a few maidservants, no other female cultivators were around.

Elder Su shook his head helplessly. “I wanted to marry again, to forget Shui Xian.”

“But one just can’t forget…”

“No matter what, my heart is always filled with Shui Xian.”

“Eventually, I realized it doesn’t matter. My heart belongs to her, as my debt to her. She died, and that heart went with her…”

Mo Hua didn’t expect that once a pleasure-seeking youth, Elder Su had such a sorrowful, wistful past.

He didn’t expect that Elder Su was, in fact, a deeply devoted man.

Truly… you can’t judge a book by its cover.

Mo Hua patted Elder Su on the shoulder, offering silent comfort.

Elder Su flinched.

Not right!

Had he really told everything?

Though he wanted to share his past, he hadn’t intended to spill all his grief and regrets.

These feelings were meant to rot in his heart.

Elder Su glanced at Mo Hua again, a chill in his heart.

This child is too deceptive.

A face of innocence and kindness, making people want to tell the truth.

Unknowingly, one opens their heart…

But now that it’s out, what can be done?

Elder Su thickened his skin, pretending nothing had happened.

Seeing Elder Su’s mood recover, Mo Hua asked, “So Shui-Shēng is the child of you and Shui Xian?”

Elder Su paused, then helplessly nodded. “Yes.”

“After Shui Xian died, I took this child in as my personal disciple. I thought that under my care, he’d be safe, learn formations, and when successful, his mother’s spirit would be comforted…”

“When she was pregnant, she hoped he would become a formation master like me…”

Elder Su, now a little angry, continued, “But this child, aside from looking a bit like me, is nothing like her. Poor formation talent, unwilling to work hard, clumsy, and temperament unlike his mother’s gentle nature…”

Elder Su listed many faults, then fell silent, sighing after a long while: “But his eyes and expression… resemble his mother very much…”

Mo Hua also sighed.

One only learns to cherish after losing, especially in matters of the heart.

For a moment, both were melancholy.

Elder Su for past regrets, Mo Hua, young and inexperienced, merely sympathizing…

Shui-Shēng entered, sensing the somber mood, unsure what to say.

After a while, he quietly said, “Master, Head of the Lu family is here.”

“Head of the Lu family?”

Elder Su, startled, quickly whispered to Mo Hua, “Don’t mention what I just told you.”

Mo Hua blinked. “What is it?”

Elder Su gestured vaguely at himself and then outside, indicating the Lu family head.

Mo Hua understood—they had visited the brothel together.

“Don’t worry, I won’t tell!” Mo Hua assured.

Elder Su relaxed.

Soon, Lu Chengyun entered, greeted Elder Su, and politely acknowledged Mo Hua.

Mo Hua wasn’t surprised by Lu Chengyun’s visit.

Occasionally, when Elder Su served tea, Lu Chengyun would drop by.

They had met a few times, so they weren’t strangers.

The group drank tea, discussed formations, then talked about South Yue Sect and the Lu family’s affairs.

Tea and formations were fine, but sect and family internal matters weren’t for Mo Hua to hear.

Though curious—perhaps clues about the Little Lingyin Sect traitor lay within—he respected basic propriety.

Mo Hua rose. “Head of the Lu family, Elder Su, you continue. I’ll walk in the garden.”

Elder Su said, “Feel free, young sir.”

Mo Hua, though familiar with the estate, wasn’t strolling for leisure.

Seeing Elder Su engrossed in conversation, he quietly found Elder Su and Shui Xian’s illegitimate son—his disciple “Shui-Shēng.”

Shui-Shēng was reading at a small table by a garden bridge.

He was older and taller than Mo Hua.

Mo Hua quietly approached. “What are you reading?”

Shui-Shēng was startled, quickly closing the book. Seeing Mo Hua, he respectfully bowed, “Young sir.”

Though young, Mo Hua was Elder Su’s honored guest, equal in status with him.

Shui-Shēng dared not offend.

Mo Hua sat beside him, patting the bench. “Sit.”

Shui-Shēng hesitated, then awkwardly sat down.

Mo Hua glanced at the book—an introductory text on Five Elements formations.

He was surprised; Elder Su had said Shui-Shēng was lazy and weak in formations.

Yet now, it seemed different.

Mo Hua asked, “Anything unclear in this book?”

Shui-Shēng hesitated, stammering, “I… don’t really know how to draw…”

He pointed at some basic gold-element formation diagrams.

Mo Hua looked—they were simple.

He began explaining how to draw them, use the brush and ink, layout, how to mobilize Divine Sense, and what to do if it was insufficient…

Shui-Shēng listened, eyes widening, looking at Mo Hua with admiration.

Problems that had long troubled him suddenly became clear.

Mo Hua remained calm.

These were foundational Five Elements formations—very simple.

Mo Hua wondered, “You…”

He almost said “your father,” but changed it: “…Master never told you?”

Shui-Shēng shook his head. “Master didn’t say. He thought these were too simple. When I asked, he looked disappointed, as if I had let him down…”

“Over time, I stopped asking. I read and learned on my own, whatever I could, I did. If not, so be it…”

Mo Hua shook his head.

This is not how formations should be learned.

Elder Su’s expectations for his only son were too high.

If unmet, disappointment followed.

But people differ.

Everyone learns formations at their own pace. One should not impose harshness due to personal expectations or frustrations.

Formations are already difficult; too-high expectations only confuse Shui-Shēng.

Mo Hua sighed. Having already drunk Elder Su’s tea—a favor—he taught Shui-Shēng a while longer.

Soon, Shui-Shēng admired and was grateful to Mo Hua.

Young, talented in formations, sincere, humble, willing to teach—far better than his own master, he silently thought.

The two grew familiar.

Mo Hua asked suddenly, “Shui-Shēng, do you know your mother?”

Shui-Shēng paused, lowered his head, and nodded.

“And your father?”

Shui-Shēng looked surprised, then nodded slowly.

Mo Hua’s heart stirred.

It seemed Shui-Shēng knew everything…