Chapter 198: Injustice
Chapter 198: Injustice
Mo Hua was still in the process of comprehending the First-Rank Molten Fire Control Spirit Restoration Formation, but his progress was a tad slow.
Whenever he felt exhausted from studying, he would take a break and observe the large alchemy furnace, comparing it to the formation blueprints he had designed. He would then simulate in his mind the problems he might encounter when drawing the formations, which helped to clear his thoughts.
Mo Hua was so focused on observing the alchemy furnace and thinking about formation drawing that when he looked up, he was surprised to see Elder Yu standing by his side.
It seemed that Elder Yu had been watching him quietly for who knows how long as he studied the alchemy furnace.
Noticing that Mo Hua had snapped out of his trance, Elder Yu asked gently, "How's your progress with formation techniques?"
"I've learned about half of it, but it might take some more time before I can fully understand it," Mo Hua replied.
Elder Yu nodded, "It's important to find a balance between work and rest. Don't push yourself too hard."
"Thank you, Elder Yu," Mo Hua smiled, then asked, "Aren't you anxious to get the alchemy business started?"
After all, the sooner the formation was completed, the sooner the alchemy business could start, and everyone could begin earning spirit stones.
Given the situation with the Qian family, they wouldn't let the matter rest. If the alchemy business started too late, they might be at a disadvantage.
Elder Yu's expression was calm as he said, "I've been anxious for over a hundred years. A few more days won't make a difference."
Mo Hua was perplexed.
Elder Yu brushed off some dust from the ground and sat down next to Mo Hua. "Ever since I started cultivating, I've never had it easy. The same goes for the other loose cultivators. We toil day after day but hardly earn any spirit stones. I often wondered where all the spirit stones were going."
"Then I saw the Qian family—their mansions, their lavish lifestyles, their alchemy and pill refining businesses..."
"In the Qian family's alchemy business, loose cultivators do all the hard work—forging, tempering, and providing labor. Meanwhile, the Qian family's cultivators just sit on the sidelines, drinking tea and issuing orders. They do nothing yet reap all the benefits."
Elder Yu sighed, "I often thought about how we loose cultivators endure all the hardships, living a frugal life, while the Qian family, a bunch of good-for-nothings, do nothing and enjoy all the luxuries."
"Later, when I reached the Foundation Establishment stage, I openly clashed with the Qian family. Through fierce competition and my thick-skinned, venomous, and relentless attitude, I managed to avoid being taken advantage of too much, and I gradually understood some truths..."
"I wanted to improve the lives of loose cultivators, and I thought about opening several alchemy and pill refining businesses. But I lacked spirit stones, and I didn't know formation techniques, so it was incredibly challenging to accomplish anything."
"I endured this kind of life for over a hundred years, tolerating it and feeling anxious for over a hundred years. Now that this massive alchemy business is almost complete, and the pill refining business is halfway there, I'm no longer in a rush."
"In these past few months, we've accomplished more than I did in over a hundred years. Why should I be anxious now?" Elder Yu's expression was one of contentment.
Mo Hua looked at the elderly Elder Yu, his hair white, his body frail, but his eyes sharp and spirited, and he couldn't help but feel a sense of respect.
"But what if we can't compete with the Qian family even after the alchemy business is established?" Mo Hua asked worriedly.
"Then we'll sell it," Elder Yu said decisively.
Mo Hua was taken aback, "Sell it?"
"Yes!" Elder Yu nodded, "It would be best if we could outcompete the Qian family. But if we can't, we'll sell this alchemy business and the pill refining business together. We'll get a huge sum of spirit stones, and even if we distribute it among everyone, it will still be a significant amount. We won't lose out."
"Would it be easy to sell..." Mo Hua said, a bit uncertain.
Elder Yu raised an eyebrow, "How could such a large alchemy and pill refining business not be sought after? Others might want to build something similar, but they may not have the time or ability to make it happen."
Elder Yu then pointed to the formations inside and outside the building, "And what about the formations you've drawn? Could an average formation master create something like this? Even if they could, how many formation masters would they need to hire, and how long would it take?"
"Rest assured," Elder Yu patted Mo Hua's shoulder, "Just based on the formations you've drawn, these two businesses—alchemy and pill refining—will fetch a sky-high price!"
"Sky-high price?"
"Then who would buy it?" Mo Hua asked quietly.
"There are plenty of potential buyers." Elder Yu replied, "Ideally, we'd sell it to the An family, stirring up competition between them and the Qian family. We beast tamers can then sit back, watch the show, and profit from it. The next best option is to sell it to another family in Xian City, pitting them against the Qian family. If all else fails, we could even sell it to the Qian family."
"The Qian family?" Mo Hua exclaimed in surprise.
"In this bustling world, people come and go for profit. As long as they can pay the spirit stones, selling it to them is not out of the question. I've done business with the Qian family before..."
You were just extorting them with their hostage. I'm not sure that counts as doing business...
Mo Hua thought to himself.
"Of course, these are all last resorts, as they might create future troubles. The best-case scenario is for us to handle it ourselves and provide a long-term livelihood for the loose cultivators of Tongxian City."
Mo Hua nodded and then asked, "Elder Yu, did you consider all this from the beginning?"
"Of course." Elder Yu looked at Mo Hua and patiently explained, "When dealing with something this big, putting all your eggs in one basket is a gamble, and that's not a wise move. You must always consider things thoroughly and have a plan. That way, you know how to move forward, and you also have an exit strategy. Most importantly, always leave yourself a way out."
Mo Hua found this extremely enlightening and nodded in agreement. "I'll remember that!"
Elder Yu looked at Mo Hua with satisfaction, sighed, and stood up. "Then I'll leave you to it. Don't let me disturb you any further."
"Alright, take care, Elder."
After Elder Yu left, Mo Hua continued to think about the array.
In his heart, he still wanted to master the array as soon as possible so that the alchemy furnace could be completed, and the alchemy business could start sooner.
However, learning the array was indeed a gradual process, and he could only follow the steps patiently, chipping away at it little by little until he eventually succeeded.
Mo Hua couldn't rush it.
About half a month passed, and Mo Hua finally mastered the core of the Molten Fire Restoration Array. He then spent a few more days practicing how to add the first-grade Molten Fire Array and other arrays within the framework of the core.
After that, he took some time to re-validate the compatibility between the restoration array and the alchemy furnace's structure.
When Mo Hua felt fully prepared and ready, he finally began to draw the First-Grade Molten Fire Control Spirit Restoration Array on the large first-grade alchemy furnace.
Elder Yu stood by and watched.
Before Mo Hua started drawing, Elder Yu was calm and relaxed, but now that Mo Hua had picked up his brush, he suddenly felt nervous.
Perhaps it was because a long-cherished wish that had been building up for many years was about to come true...
Elder Yu sighed inwardly.
The large alchemy furnace in the courtyard had been disassembled, and its components were neatly arranged on the ground. The huge fireplace stood open in the middle of the courtyard.
Mo Hua's first step was to draw the core of the restoration array and then draw a First-Grade Molten Fire Array on it. After that, he would infuse spiritual energy to see if the array would activate.
If the array didn't work, it would mean that there was a problem with the core, and he would need to inspect, troubleshoot, and redraw it.
If the array activated successfully, it would indicate that the core was fine, and he could proceed with his plan, adding another First-Grade Molten Fire Array and other related arrays.
Mo Hua prepared the spirit ink and set out the large-bristled array brush. Taking a deep breath, he began to draw the array with a steady hand.
The brush, laden with spirit ink, landed on the inner wall of the alchemy furnace, and with a smooth stroke, the first array pattern was etched.
First-Grade Molten Fire Control Spirit Restoration Array.
This was an array that surpassed the capabilities of an ordinary first-grade array master, and it was also the most challenging array Mo Hua had ever attempted!
I guess it's not that easy after all.
This kind of plot still needs some key setups, and it's actually quite tiring to write.
There will be five chapters today, but I'll slow down a bit after a while.
(End of Chapter)
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