Chapter 236: Bullying
Chapter 236: Bullying
"Can't make a living?" Mo Hua was taken aback.
Ji Qingbai nodded. He didn't want to go into details, but seeing Mo Hua's young age yet confident demeanor within the Inner Mountains, he knew that both his abilities and temperament were not to be underestimated. He couldn't be treated as a child anymore.
Furthermore, if they were to seek a livelihood in Tongxian City from now on, they would inevitably have to rely on his father, Mo Shan, so he decided to speak honestly:
"Qingxuan City is unlike Tongxian City. The loose cultivators there no longer have the protection of a Core Formation cultivator."
"The last Core Formation loose cultivator, Elder Zheng, passed away a year ago. Without a Core Formation cultivator among us for the past year, the loose cultivators have been oppressed by the clans. We have to kowtow to them just to survive, and our lives get harder by the day."
"Although it was difficult before, we could still barely get by. But now, we earn fewer and fewer spirit stones each day. Forget about cultivation; even our basic needs for food and clothing are becoming harder to meet."
"On top of that, the clan disciples bully the loose cultivators constantly. If we endure it silently, it's fine, but if we show the slightest resistance, they become even more ruthless in their oppression."
"If things get out of hand and a fight breaks out, the loose cultivators have no Core Formation cultivator to lead them, so they stand no chance against the clan cultivators and can only suffer a crushing defeat."
The more Ji Qingbai spoke, the more agitated he became, and the wounds on his body throbbed with pain.
Mo Hua handed him some more pills.
Ji Qingbai took the pills and swallowed them, expressing his gratitude. Then he glanced at the unconscious female cultivator and said, "This child's name is Fu Lan. Her father was a fellow demon hunter with me. He was devoured by a demon beast during a hunt years ago, and her mother worked hard to raise her alone."
"Last month, the young master of the Kong family in Qingxuan City wanted to take her as a concubine. But being a concubine is no different from being treated as less than human. Her mother disagreed, so the Kong family beat her severely. Her injuries never healed, and she passed away within half a month."
"After that, the young master of the Kong family still wouldn't leave them alone. I and Ji Li couldn't bear to see their plight, so we taught the young master a lesson, but we also incurred a great disaster by offending the Kong family. I had no choice but to flee Qingxuan City with these two children."
"The lives of loose cultivators in the nearby immortal cities are difficult as well. After much thought, I figured that Tongxian City would be the best option, especially with the protection of Core Formation Elder Yu, making it safer."
Ji Qingbai sighed, "But even on this journey, we've encountered countless hardships. First, we were pursued by the Kong family. After barely escaping them, we entered the Great Black Mountain, only to be ambushed by unidentified cultivators. My father and I nearly lost our lives."
Ji Qingbai felt grateful once again, and he said to Mo Hua, "If it weren't for you, I'm afraid we wouldn't have made it out alive."
Mo Hua waved it off. "I was just borrowing the tiger's might. It's not a big deal."
At such a young age, to know the idiom of 'borrowing the tiger's might' and to be able to escape unscathed showed both intelligence and capability.
Ji Qingbai silently admired him in his heart.
Mo Hua, on the other hand, felt angry and puzzled as he thought about what Ji Qingbai had just said. He asked, "Does the Kong family act with such impunity, and the Dao Court does nothing about it?"
Ji Qingbai's expression turned bitter. "The Dao Court in Qingxuan City has been bought by the Kong family and several other clans. When loose cultivators break the law, they are punished according to the rules, but when clan disciples commit offenses, the Dao Court turns a blind eye and lets them off easily. They simply ignore the issue and let it pass."
Mo Hua frowned. "So, there's no solution to this at all..."
Ji Qingbai shook his head. "If there was even the slightest chance of survival, who would want to leave their hometown and become a refugee?"
Mo Hua's heart sank as he listened.
If it weren't for the presence of Core Formation Elder Yu, Tongxian City might have ended up just like Qingxuan City today.
Seeing Ji Qingbai's dejected expression, Mo Hua tried to comfort him. "Don't worry. Tongxian City is doing well now, and no one will bully you here."
Hearing this, Ji Qingbai's spirits lifted slightly.
His demands were not high. All he wanted was a place to stay, earn some spirit stones, and provide for his family so they could survive.
Mo Hua had expected him to be chatty, given how fiercely he cursed at people.
Mo Hua stared at the big man for a few moments and then asked in surprise, "You're Elder Yu's son, aren't you?"
The big man paused, furrowing his brows. "You know my father?"
Indeed, he was.
Mo Hua felt that his features resembled Elder Yu's, although he was more robust in build, while Elder Yu was much thinner.
Moreover, this big man had a foul temper and a talent for cursing, a trait that seemed to run in the family.
"I'm quite familiar with Elder Yu," Mo Hua said.
Yu Chenwu hummed noncommittally, not wanting to engage further.
However, he thought Mo Hua was boasting. After all, his father was a Core Formation Elder, and Mo Hua was only at the seventh layer of Qi Refining, with a significant age gap between them. How close could they really be?
Mo Hua asked, "What's your name?"
Yu Chenwu still didn't feel like answering.
Ji Qingbai, noticing the situation, spoke up, "His name is Yu Chenwu."
"Oh, I see," Mo Hua exclaimed, "So, Yu Dacheng is your older brother?"
Yu Chenwu's expression turned to one of surprise. "You know my older brother as well?"
Mo Hua nodded and asked, "Should I call you Second Uncle Yu then?"
"No need," Yu Chenwu replied flatly.
Mo Hua found this strange and quietly asked Ji Qingbai, "Is he usually like this? He probably doesn't get along well with others."
The man barely responded when others tried to talk to him.
Ji Qingbai's expression became complicated as he explained, "He usually talks a lot, but he has some issues with your father, so he probably doesn't want to talk to you."
"Issues with my father?" Mo Hua asked, surprised.
This was unexpected, as his father, Mo Shan, was well-known for his sense of justice and got along well with most people. It was unusual for him to have a dispute with someone.
Mo Hua's mind raced with the complex relationships and rivalries common among cultivators, and he quickly came up with five or six possible reasons. He then asked Ji Qingbai for confirmation, "What kind of issue was it?"
Ji Qingbai sighed softly, "It's not a major issue, really. He's a good person overall, but he has a strong competitive streak. Since he can't beat your father, he dislikes him."
"That's it?" Mo Hua found the reason underwhelming.
Yu Chenwu, slightly annoyed, said, "What do kids know?"
Mo Hua didn't argue and instead asked, "Do you know me?"
Yu Chenwu glanced at him, "You're Mo Shan's son, of course I know who you are."
From his tone, it seemed like he had known Mo Hua for a long time.
Mo Hua racked his brains and then asked, "Back when Qian Xing was picking a fight, and Dazhu helped me, weren't you already watching from the sidelines?"
Yu Chenwu's eyebrows rose, and he seemed surprised that Mo Hua knew, "Yes."
"Then why didn't you stop them earlier?" Mo Hua wondered aloud.
"Why would I get involved in a kids' fight?" Yu Chenwu replied indifferently, "Besides, your father is Mo Shan. I didn't feel like getting involved."
"Then why did you eventually step in?" Mo Hua probed further.
"I don't care about your fights, but when the Qian Family's late-stage cultivators got involved and started bullying the loose cultivators, I had to intervene," Yu Chenwu explained.
Mo Hua nodded, feeling that despite Yu Chenwu's foul temper, he had a sense of justice.
"Don't you have a wolf-tooth club?" Mo Hua asked again.
Yu Chenwu sighed, feeling a bit helpless, "Didn't you just figure out that I have issues with your father?"
Why was he still asking so many questions?
"Your issues with my father are between the two of you adults. What does it have to do with me?" Mo Hua argued reasonably.
Besides, their dispute seemed rather childish from a kid's perspective...
(End of Chapter)
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