Chapter 14: Ji Qingbai
Chapter 14: Ji Qingbai
Mo Shan didn't know why Ji Qingbai suddenly asked this question, but he nodded and said, "Brother Ji is right, Hua'er is cultivating at Tongxian Gate, and now she has reached the second layer of Qi Refining."
Ji Qingbai was a little incredulous. "Second layer of Qi Refining, and she can already draw array patterns?"
Mo Shan said, "It shouldn't be that advanced. She has only learned the basics at the sect and is merely copying what she sees."
"Brother Mo is too humble," Ji Qingbai said. "Even that is already remarkable. Those few strokes earlier showed promise and talent."
Mo Shan smiled. "If that's the case, then I'll take your compliment."
Ji Qingbai sighed and said, "Among the younger generation of demon hunters in our family, forget about array masters, but even those with a basic understanding of arrays who can draw a few array lines are rare. Last year, I asked an array master to help me draw some arrays, and I had to endure all kinds of indignities and keep smiling so as not to offend him."
Ji Qingbai became more and more agitated as he thought about it. "It was just a small array, yet he asked for two hundred spirit stones and also wanted my niece to accompany him during meals and serve him wine. If we were in Daheishan, I would have loved to chop him up!"
Mo Shan's face also turned solemn. "He was being so unreasonable?"
"Yes," Ji Qingbai sighed. "But what could I do? When it comes to arrays, we don't know much, and the younger generation isn't learning. When something happens, we have no choice but to swallow our pride and beg those array masters from the families for help. They act so arrogantly, and we have to keep smiling and groveling."
Ji Qingbai looked at Mo Shan earnestly and said, "Brother Mo, if Hua'er truly wants to learn arrays, you must let her continue her studies. If there's anything I can help with, please don't hesitate to ask. As long as it's within my ability, I'll definitely do my best!"
"Brother Ji, you flatter me!" Mo Shan said with a serious expression. "If Hua'er truly wants to learn, I will definitely let her continue her studies."
Ji Qingbai nodded.
The two men chatted a while longer, discussing some matters related to demon hunting, before Ji Qingbai took his leave.
Mo Shan saw Ji Qingbai and his son out.
After Ji Qingbai left, he took his son, Ji Li, to stay with a senior on the west side of South Street.
Along the way, Ji Qingbai instructed his son, "In Qingxuan City, it's becoming more and more difficult to hunt demons. That's why I came to find your Uncle Mo this time, to go together to the inner mountains of Daheishan. You have good talent and have reached the seventh layer of Qi Refining, so come along and broaden your horizons. But leave the demon hunting to me and your Uncle Mo. Unless it's absolutely necessary, don't get involved."
"I understand, Father," said Ji Li.
"I know you understand," said Ji Qingbai, "but you're still young and may not fully grasp the situation. Demon beasts are extremely fierce and cunning. Since you have the lowest cultivation level, it's better if you don't take action. Once you do, and they spot your weakness, you'll be in great danger."
Ji Li nodded, then asked curiously, "Father, how strong is Uncle Mo's cultivation?"
"Of course, he's strong," said Ji Qingbai. "Your Uncle Mo is the most talented demon hunter I've seen in all these years. He has good talent, quick reactions, and rich experience in demon hunting. It's just a pity that, as loose cultivators, once we start a family and have children, the spirit stones we earn go towards their cultivation, and we have less for ourselves..."
Ji Qingbai sighed. "Otherwise, with his aptitude, if he had continued cultivating, he might have even become a Foundation Establishment cultivator."
Ji Li remained silent for a moment. His father's cultivation could have progressed further, but the spirit stones he earned had been used to support his cultivation instead.
Speaking of Foundation Establishment cultivators, Ji Li asked softly, "How is Grandpa Zheng doing?"
"He's not doing well," said Ji Qingbai, his expression somber. "Uncle Zheng is the only Foundation Establishment elder in our demon hunting guild in Qingxuan City. If something happens to him, we loose cultivators at the Qi Refining stage will likely be bullied by those families again, and life will become even more difficult..."
"Are there Foundation Establishment elders in Tongxian City?" asked Ji Li.
"Yes, there is one with the surname Yu," replied Ji Qingbai. "He has a bit of a temper, but he also stands up for his people. The demon hunting guild in Tongxian City relies on him to maintain their status, so those families don't dare to go too far.
"Who knows?" Ji Qingbai frowned. "Being an array master is no easy task. One must start as an apprentice, then progress to become an ungraded array master before finally attaining the rank of a first-grade array master."
"First, it's not easy to become an apprentice. As loose cultivators, we lack a proper heritage. If one wishes to learn array formations, they must find a specialized array master to teach them." Ji Qingbai explained.
"Don't the sects also teach array formations?" Ji Li asked.
"Not even close," Ji Qingbai replied. "The sects only teach the basics, just enough for you to be aware of the existence of array formations, not to become array masters."
Ji Li's jaw dropped. He had found the array formations he learned in the sect incredibly difficult, and now he realized that was just the tip of the iceberg.
"Finding an array master to take you on as an apprentice is no simple task. Those array masters, every one of them has their nose in the air, setting impossibly high standards. Begging them to take you on as an apprentice might cost you your family fortune, and even then it might not be enough."
Ji Qingbai couldn't help but get worked up when talking about this. "Array formations are so difficult, and without a heritage or a teacher to guide you, how can one possibly hope to master them?"
Ji Qingbai shook his head.
"So, if you become an apprentice, you can become an array master?" Ji Li asked.
"Being an apprentice is just the beginning," Ji Qingbai said. "You have to endure many years of hard work, constantly learning and practicing to gradually improve your skills. Only then can you become an ungraded array master, and even that is just the start. You must continue to persevere, to study, and once you've gained some recognition, only then will you be qualified to undergo the grading process. Grading is done by the Dao Court themselves, and that's another huge hurdle... Some array masters never make it past that point."
Ji Li's head was spinning from all this information, and he couldn't help but ask, "So, does Mo Hua really have a chance to become an array master?"
"I hope so," Ji Qingbai sighed. "Even if it's just my wild imagination, at least it gives me something to look forward to."
Mo Hua returned to continue working on the Bright Fire Formation, and after a few days, he had completed it. This time, he was much more proficient, successfully drawing nine out of ten copies, earning him eight spirit stones.
On the last day of the year, Mo Hua went back to Youyuan Pavilion to exchange his spirit stones with the plump manager.
The plump manager was quite satisfied with the array formations Mo Hua had submitted.
"Now that's more like it! Since you've found a teacher and become an apprentice, your work should be of this standard!"
During the settlement, the plump manager gave Mo Hua ten spirit stones, with an additional two as a gift. "These are for the New Year celebration. It's not much, but it's for good luck!"
While it wasn't much to the plump manager, it was a significant amount to Mo Hua.
Mo Hua was delighted and couldn't help but flatter the manager with auspicious wishes for his business to prosper and reach new heights.
The plump manager happily nodded along.
The next day was Chinese New Year's Eve, and Mo Hua's family of three celebrated the occasion joyfully.
There were many similarities between the New Year customs in the cultivation world and Mo Hua's previous life, but there were also some intriguing differences.
For example, while they both had the tradition of pasting spring couplets, the characters on the couplets in the cultivation world would glow, and the cloud patterns on the character "fu" (meaning good fortune)
would float. The kirin auspicious beasts on the New Year paintings would stare at you with wide eyes and sometimes even snort derisively at you, which was a novel experience.
The New Year's Eve dinner was also the most sumptuous meal of the year, with a small amount of meat and delicious foods that they usually couldn't afford.
Mo Hua had a wonderful New Year celebration, and after playing with his friends for a few days afterward, he resumed drawing array formations for Youyuan Pavilion.
With his relentless efforts, Mo Hua could now draw the Bright Fire Formation with his eyes closed. It only took him three days to draw ten copies, and his success rate remained above ninety percent.
This continued until the fifteenth day of the first month, the day before the Tongxian Gate enrollment, and Mo Hua had earned nearly fifty spirit stones.
After dinner that evening, Mo Hua packed his belongings for tomorrow's journey to the sect, while Mo Shan and Liu Ruhua discussed the matter of the entrance gift.
(End of Chapter)
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