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Chapter 130: Spices (Three More)
Chapter 130: Spices (Three More)
The Earthfire Array proved to be even more effective than expected.
As Yu Chengyi had anticipated, it only took a few Qi Refining cultivators at the sixth layer to hunt and kill a mid-first-grade demonic beast with the array. And as long as they were careful, there wouldn't be any significant casualties.
Previously, the demon-hunting teams had consisted of experienced hunters mentoring newcomers. This arrangement served to protect the newcomers while familiarizing them with the environment, enhancing their experience, and refining their Daoist techniques. It also allowed them to earn a portion of spirit stones to support their families.
However, this team composition compromised the hunting efficiency of the more seasoned demon hunters.
Now, with the array, as long as the newcomers were taught some basic techniques, they could hunt on their own.
Since the Earthfire Array would directly blast the demonic beasts, severely wounding them and impeding their flow of demonic energy, many of the thornier techniques the beasts possessed couldn't be deployed, making it relatively safer for the newcomers as well.
Thanks to the Earthfire Array, not only did the newcomers earn spirit stones, but the veteran hunters also had an easier time, and the lives of all demon hunters became more comfortable.
However, there was only one Mo Hua, and despite his speed in drawing the arrays, the number he could produce in a day was limited.
Yu Chengyi thought about it and decided to save a few Earthfire Arrays and deploy more people instead.
Five Earthfire Arrays required three or four demon hunters to deliver the finishing blow.
Now, with three arrays, they had six or seven demon hunters for the same task.
The results were more or less the same.
Mo Hua had long memorized the Earthfire Array, and the more he drew, the faster and more numerous they became. More and more demon hunters began to use the arrays Mo Hua drew for their hunts.
Over time, most of the demon hunters at the mid-Qi Refining stage became acquainted with Mo Hua.
Some wore the iron armor array, which Mo Hua had drawn on Wisteria Armor; some used the Earthfire Array for hunting, and some demon hunters even had their homes' doors and windows arrayed by Mo Hua.
Even demon hunters at the late Qi Refining stage were mostly familiar with Mo Hua.
Some had a life-and-death friendship with Mo Shan, so they naturally knew Mo Hua well. Some had asked Mo Shan for favors, requesting Mo Hua to draw arrays for them. And some, even without any direct connection to Mo Hua, had still heard of the little array master from their relatives and friends.
There were also those whom Yu Chengyi had personally instructed to look after Mo Hua in the Great Black Mountain.
Thus, after spending over a month in the mountains, Mo Hua found that almost everyone in the outer mountain was an acquaintance.
Often, as he walked, familiar cultivators would greet him.
Some cultivators even offered him wild fruits picked from the mountains.
They were sour and sweet, crisp and delicious.
In addition to wild fruits, there were also offers of dry food, jerky, pine nuts, rice wine, and other such treats.
Mo Hua went up the mountain empty-handed, but he always returned home with a full stomach...
It is impolite to receive without giving in return.
So, from then on, whenever Mo Hua went up the mountain, he asked his mother to put a few pounds of sliced beef, with various flavors, into his storage bag.
When others offered him food, he reciprocated by offering them beef.
After a while, some people looked forward to encountering Mo Hua in the mountains.
Especially the older demon hunters, who liked their liquor but had no meat to accompany it.
In the past, when they weren't hunting, they wouldn't want to spend a second longer in the mountains.
Now, in their free time, they would even specifically wait on the mountain roads of the outer mountains, eagerly awaiting Mo Hua. They would offer him snacks and wild fruits, and he would provide them with meat to go with their drinks.
These demon hunters had all been entrusted by Yu Chengyi to look after Mo Hua, and sometimes, when Mo Hua encountered difficulties in the mountains, they would lend a helping hand.
Mo Hua remembered their kindness.
So, occasionally, when he had nothing better to do, he would bring some meat up the mountain and sit with them on large stones, enjoying the mountain scenery while eating meat and listening to their stories of demon hunting.
Occasionally, they would also give suggestions about the beef.
For example, it wasn't spicy enough, it was overcooked and lacked a good chew, or the gaminess was too mild, affecting the flavor...
As they critiqued, they ate with more relish than anyone.
"There are plenty in the mountains. You'll have to find them yourself," the beast tamer replied, pulling out a thin booklet. The booklet was illustrated with various flowers, grasses, trees, and other plants, along with annotations indicating which parts of each plant could be used as spices.
Some were flowers, others leaves or twigs, and still, others were dew-drenched grasses, flower pastes, or resins.
There were dozens of different kinds.
The beast tamer gifted the booklet to Mo Hua with only one request—that Mo Hua share some of the delicious meat he made using the spices.
Mo Hua eagerly nodded, thrilled with his newfound treasure.
From then on, as Mo Hua traveled through the mountains, he kept an eye out for the spices depicted in the booklet. Whenever he found some, he would collect them and bring them home to his mother.
Liu Ruhua was equally delighted by this discovery. As someone who dedicated herself to studying and preparing cultivation meals, she was excited to see how these spices could enhance her culinary creations.
Liu Ruhua experimented with the spices, adding them to some of the meat dishes she prepared. Mo Hua tasted them, and indeed, the flavors were enhanced, and the aftertaste was even richer.
True to his word, Mo Hua shared this spiced meat with the beast tamer who had given him the booklet.
After tasting the meat, the beast tamer's expression was one of serene contentment, as if he had just fulfilled a lifelong dream and could now die without regrets.
His expression was so exaggerated that Mo Hua didn't know how to respond.
Mo Hua also sent some of the spiced meat to Zuo Wang Ju.
Bai Zisheng took a bite and immediately noticed the improved flavor. He couldn't help but exclaim, "Mo Hua, your mother is amazing!"
Before Mo Hua could react, Bai Zisheng had another idea. "Why don't you ask your mother if she'd be willing to adopt me as her godson?"
Mo Hua rolled his eyes at the suggestion.
Bai Zixi couldn't contain himself and threw a wadded-up piece of paper at Bai Zisheng's forehead.
The best beef Mo Hua delivered was to Mr. Zhuang, carefully presented with five or six dishes, each adorned with either a vibrant green onion or a spicy red chili pepper, creating a unique flavor for each dish.
Mr. Zhuang took a bite and furrowed his brow. After a moment, he sighed, "Indulging in earthly desires can truly cloud one's judgment."
Despite his words, he couldn't help but take another bite.
The addition of spices not only improved the flavor of the meat but also brought more business to the restaurant.
Mo Hua was delighted by this turn of events. As he continued to gather spices, he thought it might be a good idea to collect some medicinal herbs and other useful items while he was at it.
After all, he wasn't really needed for setting up the arrays or hunting the demonic beasts. His main tasks were to draw the arrays and collect the beast's blood afterward.
Most of his free time was spent wandering the outer mountains.
If he was going to collect spices, he might as well collect herbs and minerals too.
Mo Hua sought out Old Man Feng and borrowed a copy of the "Immortal's Herbal Manual." He also approached Chen, the craftsman, and borrowed the "Immortal's Mineral Record."
Using these books as guides, Mo Hua began to search for the medicinal herbs and minerals described within their pages.
Not only would this broaden his knowledge of cultivation, but it would also allow him to gather useful resources. It was a win-win situation, and he had plenty of free time on his hands anyway.
Mo Hua delivered the herbs he collected to Old Man Feng and the minerals to Chen.
They didn't stand on ceremony with him but instead told him to come to them if he ever needed any pills or spiritual artifacts.
And so, Mo Hua spent his days in the outer reaches of the Great Black Mountain, drawing maps, searching for spices, collecting herbs, mining for minerals, and waiting for the beast tamers to slay their prey so he could collect the beast's blood for his spirit ink concoctions.
However, as the number of beast tamers using the Earthfire Array increased, Mo Hua found himself rushing from one end of the mountain to the other. Often, by the time he finished collecting blood from a slain beast in the south, another beast would be killed in the north, sometimes cooling beyond the point where its blood could be used.
This resulted in several wasted bottles of beast blood.
After a few such incidents, Mo Hua furrowed his brow, thinking, "I need to come up with a solution, or else this is going to be too wasteful..."
(End of Chapter)
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