Chapter 238: Settling In
Chapter 238: Settling In
Mo Hua asked Ji Qingbai, "Uncle Ji, do you have a place to stay?"
Ji Qingbai came back to his senses, but his heart still couldn't calm down.
He had only heard that Tongxian City was different from the past and was flourishing day by day, but he never expected that it would prosper to such an extent.
His heart was filled with both shock and envy.
Upon hearing Mo Hua's question, Ji Qingbai paused for a moment before replying, "I have an elderly senior who is a close family friend of my father. I can stay with him temporarily."
Mo Hua nodded, "If you encounter any difficulties, you can find my father."
Ji Qingbai's eyes showed gratitude, "Thank you for taking care of me along the way."
"It's nothing," Mo Hua said.
He had only scared them and showed them the way, it was a simple task and didn't take much effort.
As long as everyone was safe, that was all that mattered.
The young female cultivator named Fu Lan, after taking the pill, showed some improvement in her injuries. Although her face was still pale and she moved with difficulty, she still managed to thank Mo Hua sincerely, "Thank you, young brother."
Seeing her determination despite being alone and injured, Mo Hua was secretly impressed. "Sister, do you know how to cook?"
Mo Hua's question was peculiar, and Fu Lan was stunned for a moment before she replied, "My mother owns a tofu shop, and I also know how to prepare some meals."
Tofu!
Mo Hua's eyes lit up, "Then, after your injuries heal and if you have nothing to do, you can go to the Fu Shan Lou on the south side of the street and make some tofu to earn some spirit stones."
Fu Lan paused, her heart warming at the suggestion, and she replied softly, "Thank you, but Fu Shan Lou is a rather large establishment. They might not be willing to take me in."
"Don't worry," Mo Hua said confidently, "Just mention my name."
After all, half of Fu Shan Lou belonged to him.
Mo Hua's tone was bold, and Fu Lan was once again left speechless.
Mo Hua didn't say anything further and bid them farewell with a wave.
They had been through a lot and their injuries were not fully healed yet, so the most urgent task was to find a place to settle down.
After bidding farewell, Mo Hua walked side by side with Yu Chengwu towards the city.
After a while, Yu Chengwu frowned and asked, "Why are you following me?"
"I'm not following you, I'm just going to find Elder Yu," Mo Hua replied.
Yu Chengwu was taken aback, thinking that it couldn't be true.
It was one thing for Mo Hua to be familiar with the hunters, but he couldn't believe that he was also acquainted with his father.
However, Mo Hua indeed walked with him all the way to Elder Yu's home.
Yu Chengwu pushed open the door, and Mo Hua followed him in as if it were his own courtyard, appearing very familiar with the place and showing no signs of restraint.
Elder Yu was drinking tea in the living room and his eyes lit up when he saw the two of them. He greeted them warmly.
It had been over a year, and Yu Chengwu's emotions stirred as he saw his father. He was about to step forward when he saw his father, Elder Yu, walk right past him and start chatting with Mo Hua.
"Mo Hua, is there something the matter?" Elder Yu asked.
Mo Hua nodded, "Yes, there is something..."
Mo Hua then proceeded to tell him about the incident they encountered on the way.
With the increasing number of outsiders, their identities were unclear, and it was difficult to impose restrictions on them. This made it more dangerous for the hunters to hunt demons.
Fortunately, for now, they dared not target the local hunters.
However, if this situation continued, conflicts and troubles would be inevitable.
Robberies, murders, and other crimes would likely increase in the future.
The more conflicts there were, the more it would affect Mo Hua's collection of demon blood and spirit ink.
With less spirit ink, he would be able to draw fewer formations, which would slow down the growth of his spiritual sense and delay his progress in building a foundation.
Elder Yu nodded, "I've heard about this matter before, and I've discussed it with the head of the Dao Court. In a while, we should be able to come up with a solution..."
Mo Hua chatted with Elder Yu for a while and after getting his response, he took his leave.
Elder Yu saw Mo Hua out personally and even reminded him to "be careful on the way."
Yu Chengwu, who had been standing by for a long time, finally couldn't help but say, "Dad, I'm back!"
Elder Yu glanced at him and frowned, "You're back, so what? I can see that with my own eyes."
Yu Chengwu was left speechless.
After a moment, he asked softly, "Dad, am I really your son?"
Elder Yu glared at him and scolded, "What nonsense are you spouting? If you're not my son, then who are you? Someone I picked up off the street?"
Yu Chengwu thought of how his father had just been kind and amiable to Mo Hua, and the contrast in his attitude made him feel a little tired.
However, he also felt relieved.
This irritable temper and scolding tone were familiar and affectionate. It was indeed his father, and he wasn't dreaming.
"Finally, I'm home.
"Have you decided on what type of spiritual weapon you want?" Chen asked, setting down his hammer.
"Yes," Mo Hua replied.
Chen handed the half-forged blade he was working on to his assistant, Da Zhu, and stepped aside to take a drink of water. "What would you like me to forge?" he asked.
Mo Hua gestured with his hands, explaining, "I want a club this long!"
Chen nearly choked on his water and asked in surprise, "What do you need a club for?"
"Clubs are versatile," Mo Hua replied. "They can be used to strike an opponent without causing self-injury since they have no sharp edges."
Mo Hua had given it a lot of thought. He knew that if he chose a sword or a knife, his lack of strength would make it difficult to wield, and he might end up hurting himself. A club, on the other hand, would be more forgiving, and even if he hit himself, it wouldn't be too serious.
"Also, I don't want any spikes on the club," Mo Hua added.
Spikes could be dangerous and were quite sharp.
"Without the spikes, can it still be called a wolf-tooth club?" Chen asked, puzzled.
"Then let's give it a new name," Mo Hua suggested.
"Fine, it's up to you since you'll be the one using it. Whatever you say it is, it is," Chen agreed, though he couldn't help but worry, "Won't the wolf-tooth club be too heavy for you to handle?"
"I don't want it to be too heavy, just sturdy and durable," Mo Hua clarified.
"Then what's the use of this wolf... this club without the weight and spikes? Won't it just tickle your opponent when you hit them with it?" Chen asked, perplexed.
"I'll draw an array on it, and that will make all the difference," Mo Hua explained.
An array?
Chen understood. An ordinary club might not be very effective, but with an array engraved on it, it would become a powerful weapon.
"As long as you have a plan, I'll make it work," Chen assured him.
He nodded, not inquiring further about the specifics of the array, as it wasn't his area of expertise. "I have some blueprints for club-type spiritual weapons here. Take a look and see if any of them suit your needs. Choose one as a base model, and I can modify it according to your ideas."
"Thank you, Master Chen!" Mo Hua exclaimed.
He eagerly took the blueprints and began flipping through them, soon finding one that matched his vision—a spiritual weapon about four to five feet long, crafted from refined iron, with a moderate length and weight.
"This is the one," he said, pointing it out to Master Chen. "But I want the nails removed."
He then took out a piece of paper and sketched a rough diagram, indicating several positions on the club. "I plan to draw the array in these spots."
Chen glanced at the sketch and nodded. "No problem. Come back in five or six days to pick it up."
"Great!" Mo Hua said happily.
Upon returning home, Mo Hua shared the story of Ji Qingbai with Mo Shan.
Mo Shan sighed and shook his head upon hearing the tale. "I had no idea the situation for rogue cultivators in Qingxuan City had deteriorated to such an extent."
"Are rogue cultivators everywhere oppressed by families?" Mo Hua asked.
"Even if they're not oppressed by families, there are still sects and the Dao Court to contend with," Mo Shan replied.
"Is it because rogue cultivators are too weak?" Mo Hua inquired.
Mo Shan nodded. "Indeed. The strong oppressing the weak is human nature. Moreover, some families or sects are in direct competition with rogue cultivators for resources. They oppress and exploit rogue cultivators to further their own interests and gain power."
"Many of the world's interests aren't created out of thin air," Mo Shan continued. "They're simply transferred from the hands of one cultivator to another."
Mo Hua nodded, feeling like he had gained a deeper understanding of the world.
(End of Chapter)
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