Chapter 180: The Artisan
Chapter 180: The Artisan
The young monk looked about ten years old, with delicate features and a cute, obedient appearance. However, as he knelt on the ground, dirtied with soil, he looked rather messy.
"Whose child is this, and what is he doing here?"
Master Ban was taken aback and quietly walked over, following the young monk's gaze. He noticed that he was looking at the foundation stone below, which seemed to be reserved for drawing formations.
What would a child want with that?
Master Ban was perplexed. He also leaned over to examine it but saw nothing more than dirt and stone. As he pondered, he heard the child ask:
"Is that Master Ban?"
Master Ban was surprised, "Do you know me?"
"Yes, my name is Mo Hua, and Elder Yu asked me to come here."
Mo Hua stood up and dusted off the dirt from his clothes.
However, he only cleaned the front, and there were still some stains on his back that he couldn't reach with his small arms.
Master Ban walked over and gently patted his back to remove the dirt. Curious, he asked, "What did Elder Yu ask you to do here?"
"Elder Yu asked me to take a look around."
"At what?"
Mo Hua giggled but didn't answer.
He had come to observe where the formation should be drawn, as the planned formation chart didn't seem to follow the standard, and he wanted to ensure that the buildings constructed by the artisans wouldn't interfere with the formation's layout.
However, Elder Yu had instructed him to keep his ability to draw formations a secret, to prevent those with malicious intentions from causing him harm, especially the Qian family, who might seek revenge if they found out.
Master Ban had a guess about Mo Hua's presence, figuring that the child was curious about the bustling construction site and had sneaked over to play, using Elder Yu as an excuse to avoid getting scolded.
It made sense; what could Elder Yu possibly ask of a child? However, from Mo Hua's tone, it seemed like he was quite close to Elder Yu, perhaps a relative or the child of another demon hunter.
As long as he wasn't from the Qian family, it was fine.
Master Ban's worries subsided, but he kindly reminded Mo Hua, "You should go back after playing for a bit. There's nothing interesting here, and it might be dangerous for a child like you."
Mo Hua nodded. "I'll just take a look and then leave soon."
Master Ban left Mo Hua to his own devices, as he had many tasks to attend to and couldn't spare the attention to supervise the child. With so many artisans and demon hunters around, surely someone would keep an eye on him and ensure his safety.
Master Ban focused on his work, but after a while, he looked up and noticed that Mo Hua was still there.
On a half-built wall, Mo Hua walked with his hands behind his back, casually strolling along the wall while examining the surroundings. He muttered something about patterns and the elements of wood and stone.
Several demon hunters were nearby, neither stopping him nor paying him much attention, as if they were accustomed to the child's behavior.
Master Ban was baffled. What is this child doing, and why isn't anyone stopping him?
Could he be Elder Yu's grandson, which is why the demon hunters dare not interfere? Master Ban wondered silently.
"Mo... Hua?" Master Ban called out, remembering the child's name.
Only after he called out did he realize that since the child's surname was Mo, he was probably not Elder Yu's grandson.
Hearing his name, Mo Hua waved at Master Ban and then lightly leaped off the wall, floating down gently like a falling leaf.
Master Ban was secretly astonished by the extraordinary lightness of his movement.
"Aren't you going home yet?" Master Ban asked.
"I'll be leaving soon," Mo Hua replied.
"Mm-hmm," Master Ban nodded. He casually picked up a few bricks and stacked them on the ground before sitting down without ceremony.
After working for so long, it was a good time to take a break.
Mo Hua imitated him, holding a brick and sitting down beside Master Ban.
"Master Ban, would you like some wine?"
"My family runs an eatery, and we have plenty of wine, all homemade. Won't you give it a try?" Mo Hua offered.
Intrigued, Master Ban took the bottle and took a sip, nodding in appreciation. "The fruit fragrance is rich, and it's refreshingly crisp. It's perfect for quenching one's thirst!"
"I'm glad you like it," Mo Hua said happily.
The wine had been brewed by his mother, so of course, it tasted wonderful. Mo Hua felt that Master Ban must also have a refined palate.
Elder Yu's taste in wine wasn't as refined; he preferred strong liquor and couldn't appreciate the subtle sweetness of this fruit wine.
Mo Hua asked, "Master Ban, are all artisans Earth-Wood elemental spirit roots?"
Mo Hua was curious. He had secretly scanned the artisans and craftsmen with his spiritual sense and found that their spiritual power was mostly a brownish color with hints of bluish-green.
This was due to their spirit roots being a combination of Earth and Wood elements, as well as their cultivation of Earth-Wood elemental techniques.
Having tasted Mo Hua's wine and now with some free time, Master Ban explained, "Generally, for artisans, an Earth-Wood elemental spirit root is ideal. Additionally, Water-Earth, Metal-Earth, and Metal-Wood spirit roots are also suitable. In the world of construction, we mostly work with earth, wood, bricks, and stones, so we need corresponding spiritual power for shaping, carving, and sculpting. Having the right spirit root makes our work much more efficient."
Mo Hua nodded eagerly as he listened.
Master Ban took another sip of wine, moistening his throat, and continued, "It's not just artisans; the same is true for other cultivation paths. For example, in pill refining and artifact forging, a Fire elemental spirit root is a must. The same goes for culinary arts; while a high-quality Fire spirit root isn't necessary, it is essential to have some Fire affinity..."
"As for other paths, those in transportation need a Water elemental spirit root, those cultivating spiritual plants need Wood or Water, those constructing yin houses need Metal or Earth, and escorts are best suited with a Wind elemental spirit root. It all comes back to one's spirit root..."
After this enlightening conversation, Mo Hua had gained a lot of knowledge about the various cultivation paths.
The Cultivation World was vast and infinite, with countless cultivators pursuing a myriad of paths. Their lives were rich and colorful, each with their own unique customs and personalities...
Mo Hua wondered if he would ever get the chance to travel across the Nine Provinces, experiencing the diverse cultivation customs and meeting cultivators from all walks of life.
As these thoughts filled his head, Master Ban finished his wine and said, "It's getting late, and I still have work to do. You should head back too, or your parents will worry."
Mo Hua had seen what he needed to see and had a good idea of the situation, so he waved goodbye.
Master Ban returned his attention to the construction progress, focusing intently on the task at hand and soon forgetting about Mo Hua.
A few days later, he met with Elder Yu to discuss the plans for the artifact shop. As he was about to take his leave, he suddenly remembered something and asked, "By the way, I met a child named Mo Hua the other day. Do you know him?"
"Mo Hua?" Elder Yu nodded. "I asked him to take a look around."
"What did you want him to see?" Master Ban frowned.
Elder Yu was about to answer but paused and smiled instead. "It's nothing, just a casual look around."
Master Ban was a bit displeased and asked suspiciously, "Is he your relative?"
If only he were my relative... Elder Yu thought to himself, shaking his head. "No, he's just an ordinary child. I let him do as he pleases. You don't need to worry about it."
Master Ban couldn't help but feel a bit annoyed by the response.
Do as he pleases? How can an ordinary child be allowed such freedom? You probably wouldn't even be this indulgent with your own grandchildren...
Master Ban shook his head but knew that Elder Yu didn't want to elaborate, so he let the matter drop and turned the conversation back to the artifact shop.
(End of Chapter)
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