Chapter 129: Double Gain (Part Two)
Chapter 129: Double Gain (Part Two)
The next day, Yu Chengyi specifically went to the diner to look for Mo Hua, who was in the midst of drawing an array.
"Mo Hua, you're drawing arrays again?"
Yu Chengyi greeted her somewhat stiffly.
"Uncle Yu?" Mo Hua was a little surprised. "What brings you here?"
"I came to check on you," Yu Chengyi smiled.
Mo Hua smiled back, "Thank you, Uncle Yu, for yesterday."
Yu Chengyi waved his hand dismissively, "It was nothing."
Mo Hua looked at Yu Chengyi again and asked, "Uncle Yu, is there something you need?"
The demon-hunting squad was usually busy, so it was unusual for him to pay her a visit without a reason.
Yu Chengyi hesitated for a moment before asking, "Mo Hua, what array did you use yesterday?"
"Yesterday?" Mo Hua thought for a moment, "It was the Earth Fire Array, I believe."
The Earth Fire Array... just the name implied immense power.
Yu Chengyi nodded, then asked expectantly, "Can this Earth Fire Array injure a mid-rank first-grade demon beast?"
"Yes," Mo Hua replied, "However, one array isn't enough. Using four or five arrays together can severely injure a mid-rank first-grade demon beast, and then it's just a matter of finishing it off."
Just as he thought!
Yu Chengyi was thrilled, "In that case, can you draw a few more for your Uncle Yu when you have time?"
"Of course, Uncle Yu," Mo Hua replied, "But this array might not be of much use to you, is it?"
Yu Chengyi had already cultivated to the ninth layer of Qi Refining. Hunting mid-rank first-grade demon beasts should not require the use of arrays.
The power of the Earth Fire Array would be more limited against late-rank first-grade demon beasts.
"I won't be using it myself," Yu Chengyi explained, "I want to give it to the newcomers."
Yu Chengyi sighed, "Their cultivation is lacking, and when they follow us on hunts, they sometimes even miss out on the soup. It'll take too long for them to become competent on their own. With this array, they can at least earn some Spirit Stones."
Mo Hua thought of Dahou and the others.
Being new demon hunters was challenging—it was dangerous, and they barely earned any Spirit Stones. It was indeed the most difficult period to endure.
Mo Hua agreed, "Sure."
Yu Chengyi breathed a sigh of relief, but then his expression became hesitant again. He took a deep breath and asked, "How many Spirit Stones would it cost to draw this array..."
This array was probably not simple; it was likely more complex than the Iron Armor Array, so the reward should be higher. However, he could not actually afford to pay a large sum of Spirit Stones.
Finally, Yu Chengyi understood the dilemma his father often faced.
Knowing that he was imposing, he still had to muster up the courage to open his mouth. Even though he couldn't offer many Spirit Stones, he still wanted to ask for a favor.
And the person he was asking was just a child, no older than ten years old.
The usually generous Yu Chengyi lowered his gaze, feeling embarrassed to look Mo Hua in the eye.
Mo Hua sighed inwardly.
Whether it was Elder Yu or Uncle Yu, they were both proud men, yet they were willing to set aside their pride and dignity for the sake of other demon hunters.
Mo Hua felt a sense of respect, and her black eyes sparkled as she smiled and said, "Uncle Yu, let's make a business deal."
Yu Chengyi was taken aback, "A business deal?"
"Yes, a business deal!"
Mo Hua said, "You only need to provide me with Spirit Ink. I'll draw the arrays, and then you can have someone else use them for demon hunting. We'll split the earned Spirit Stones, and my share will be my payment for drawing the arrays."
Yu Chengyi's eyes lit up, and he exclaimed, "That's a great idea!"
"However, I have one more request," Mo Hua added.
"Feel free to ask for anything!" Yu Chengyi said generously. He didn't want Mo Hua to be at a disadvantage either.
"I want the demon beast's blood after it's killed," Mo Hua said.
"Demon beast's blood?" Yu Chengyi's expression turned puzzled, "What do you need the blood for?"
"To make Spirit Ink, for drawing arrays," Mo Hua replied.
Upon hearing that it was for arrays, Yu Chengyi immediately nodded, "That's not a problem. The blood is of no use to anyone else, so it's all yours."
"I see..."
Yu Chengyi felt a bit disappointed. He didn't want Mo Hua to take risks, but he knew that she had to be the one to go.
"Then you must be extra careful." Yu Chengyi instructed.
"Yes, Uncle Yu, don't worry. I know my limits."
After discussing a few more minor details, Yu Chengyi said, "Well, I should be going now. I won't disturb you any longer from drawing your arrays."
Before leaving, he also bought a few pounds of beef.
Mo Hua waved goodbye to him.
Yu Chengyi left the diner with the beef in hand, feeling relieved and refreshed.
"What a wonderful child..."
He was not only smart and sensible but also considerate and talented in array formation.
Indeed, his father had a good eye for people.
Initially, he had been reluctant when his father asked him to get to know Mo Hua and become familiar with her, but now he wished he could move next door to the Mo family.
Out of sight, out of mind didn't apply here. Only by seeing each other frequently could they truly become close.
"I'll have to instruct Old Zhao and the others to keep an eye on Mo Hua when they're in the mountains. We can't let anything happen to her!"
Yu Chengyi thought to himself.
After Yu Chengyi left, Mo Hua also breathed a sigh of relief.
She had been wondering how she could stockpile more demon beast blood for creating Spirit Ink.
Relying solely on Dahou and the others wasn't enough, and she couldn't keep asking Uncle Yu for help.
Now, everything fell into place. All she needed to do was draw the arrays and use her blood-drawing technique to extract the demon beast's blood. Meanwhile, the new demon hunters could gain experience and earn some Spirit Stones.
After all, demon hunters weren't usually well-off.
With this arrangement, she was helping Yu Chengyi, and he was helping her in return—a win-win situation.
Mo Hua quickly drew several Earth Fire Arrays and handed them over to Yu Chengyi.
Yu Chengyi had someone test out the arrays on a demon beast, but they failed.
The problem lay in the traps.
While other demon hunters could set up traps, their placements were often inadequate, and their techniques were too crude, easily noticed by the demon beasts.
If the demon beast didn't fall into the trap, it wouldn't be trapped, and naturally, the Earth Fire Array couldn't be triggered.
Yu Chengyi came to ask Mo Hua for advice. After some thought, she recommended Chu Guangshan, or Old Chu, as he was commonly known.
Mo Hua had learned how to set up traps from Old Chu in the first place, so he was naturally the best person for the job.
And so, Old Chu, who had been severely injured and unable to hunt demons, joined the demon-hunting squad and ventured into the Great Black Mountain.
He was in charge of observing the demon beasts' tracks, setting up traps, and then laying out Mo Hua's Earth Fire Array. Afterward, he would use a flint arrow to ignite the array.
Once the array exploded, he didn't need to fight the demon beast himself; the other demon hunters would take care of it.
Even though he was badly injured and couldn't engage in direct combat, he could still contribute to the demon-hunting efforts and receive a substantial amount of Spirit Stones in return.
With the earned Spirit Stones, Old Chu bought many things and, together with his wife, Jiang Yun, visited Mo Hua to express their gratitude.
However, the couple wasn't very eloquent with their words.
Jiang Yun's face turned red, and Old Chu stumbled over his words, not knowing what to say.
Seeing their awkward yet heartfelt attempt, Mo Hua felt touched and couldn't help but find the situation a little amusing.
The old saying proved to be true: Birds of a feather flock together.
(End of Chapter)
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