Chapter 463: Shui Sheng
Chapter 463: Shui Sheng
Elder Su hurriedly looked around.
Mo Hua reassured him, "Don't worry, Elder. There's no one around, not even Shui Sheng..."
Only then did Elder Su breathe a sigh of relief. He gazed at Mo Hua, hesitating as he tried to understand how Mo Hua knew about Shui Xian.
Mo Hua didn't mention Qing Lan and instead vaguely explained, "I overheard it by chance at the Hundred Flowers Tower."
Elder Su was taken aback and reluctantly nodded. Then, he became lost in thought once more.
The name 'Shui Xian' seemed to pierce Elder Su's heart, and his previously amiable expression faded as he fell into a daze, seemingly immersed in his memories and unable to snap out of his reverie.
"Elder Su?" Mo Hua called out to him.
Elder Su didn't react.
"Elder Su!" Mo Hua raised his voice slightly, and only then did Elder Su come back to his senses. A look of apology appeared on his face as he said, "Sorry, I was reminiscing about the past and got a little carried away."
Mo Hua hesitated for a moment before cautiously asking, "Can you tell me about those past events?"
Elder Su looked at him with confusion. "Why do you want to hear about that?"
"Just curious," Mo Hua replied.
Elder Su shook his head immediately. "Those are old and painful memories. How could I tell a child about them...?"
"I have my uses," Mo Hua said.
"What use?"
"I can't tell you that yet."
Elder Su casually responded, "They're just old stories, and it's not convenient for me to talk about them either."
Mo Hua thought for a moment and then suggested, "How about this: you tell me, and I'll owe you a favor."
Elder Su couldn't help but smile bitterly. "What use could I have for a favor from a child like you...?"
Before he could finish his sentence, Elder Su suddenly froze.
This favor could be very useful! A promise made by a thirteen or fourteen-year-old first-rate array master! And Mo Hua's expression was serious; he wasn't joking.
Although they were both first-rate array masters, Mo Hua was only at the Qi Refining stage, while he himself had already reached the Foundation Establishment stage.
But precisely because Mo Hua was at the Qi Refining stage, this favor was even more precious.
A first-rate array master at the Qi Refining stage might become a second-rate master in a decade or two.
A second-rate array master was a rare talent even in a second-rate state.
And even if they reached a third-rate state, they would still be a notable figure.
Elder Su pondered for a moment, looking hesitant.
Mo Hua quickly added, "It's a real favor, and I always keep my word!"
Elder Su's heart was moved, and he pretended to be reserved for a while longer before finally nodding in agreement.
"Alright."
Although it was a painful memory, it was still a story of romance. It wasn't some secret that couldn't be told.
Elder Su took a sip of tea and slowly began to recount the story of Shui Xian, including how they had met, fallen in love, and how he had wanted to buy her freedom. He also told Mo Hua about how Shui Xian had eventually passed away, leaving behind a child whom he had taken in and named 'Shui Sheng'...
Of course, he left out some details that were not suitable for a child to hear.
After finishing his story, Elder Su felt a bit thirsty and took another sip of tea.
Mo Hua listened intently, and upon hearing the conclusion, he exclaimed in surprise, "You went to the brothel with the head of the Lu family?"
"Shh!" Elder Su glanced around again and whispered, "Yes, but that was a long time ago. Now that he's the head of the family, you mustn't spread this story around and ruin his reputation."
"Oh." Mo Hua nodded, but his heart was filled with disdain.
No wonder Elder Su and the head of the Lu family were so close.
Turns out they used to frequent brothels together in their youth.
Mo Hua paused for a moment and then asked sympathetically, "How did Sister Shui Xian die?"
Elder Su's expression became desolate, and he shook his head. "Such is the fate of a courtesan. Her health was never good, and her time at the Hundred Flowers Tower only made it worse. She fell ill, and even though I asked an Alchemist to treat her, it was only a temporary solution..."
"I blamed myself for that period of time as well..."
"I said I wanted to buy her freedom, but I hesitated."
"I... after all, I am an elder of the South Peak Sect and an array master. My status may not be considered exceptionally high, but here in South Peak City, I am someone of influence and reputation."
"Even families or sects from other states have proposed marriage alliances with me."
"The prospective brides were all talented and beautiful, from respectable backgrounds, and with excellent spiritual roots, ensuring that any future children would have exceptional talent as well."
"Compared to them, Shui Xian..."
Elder Su smiled bitterly. "Shui Xian must have guessed my thoughts, so she deliberately distanced herself from me. She didn't want to burden me."
"But in her heart, she must have resented me. Whether she hated me or not, I don't know..."
Elder Su sighed.
"In her grief and with her old illness flaring up, she passed away..."
"Back then, I was very angry and believed that Shui Xian must have been murdered. So, I investigated for a long time, but in the end, I found nothing."
"Later, I came to realize that Shui Xian... actually died because of me."
"I was afraid to blame myself, afraid to regret, afraid to feel guilty, so I shifted the responsibility away from myself."
"I wanted to believe that someone had killed Shui Xian so that I could hate them, take revenge for Shui Xian, and ease my own guilt..."
"But there wasn't anyone..."
"Her life was like a floating duckweed, seeking to rely on me."
"But I betrayed her, and so she drifted away with the wind..."
Elder Su's face was filled with bitterness.
Mo Hua also felt sad as he listened, and he asked, "In all these years, haven't you considered taking a Dao companion?"
He had visited this cave abode several times, and apart from one or two maidservants who boiled water and made tea, there were no other female cultivators present.
Elder Su shook his head. "These years, I've also thought about taking a Dao companion to forget about Shui Xian."
"But people are just like that... I just can't forget her."
"Not thinking about a Dao companion is fine, but whenever I do, my mind is filled with Shui Xian's image."
"Later, I just stopped caring. This life's affections were given to her. It's my debt to her, and now that she's gone, those feelings have gone with her..."
Mo Hua never expected that the once indulgent Elder Su would have such a heartbreaking and melancholy past.
He also never imagined that Elder Su was such a sentimental person.
Truly... you can't judge a book by its cover.
Mo Hua patted Elder Su on the shoulder, offering silent comfort without saying a word.
Elder Su was startled by Mo Hua's touch on his shoulder.
Something was wrong!
Why had he spilled out everything?
Although he had intended to tell Mo Hua about the past, he hadn't planned on revealing all these sorrowful thoughts.
These feelings were something he intended to bury deep within his heart.
Elder Su looked at Mo Hua once more, and his heart sank.
This child had an incredibly deceptive appearance.
With an innocent and guileless face, he was endearing and lovable, making it impossible to resist telling him the truth.
Elder Su could only put on a brave face and pretend as if nothing had happened.
Seeing that Elder Su's mood had improved, Mo Hua asked, "So, Shui Sheng is your and Shui Xian's child?"
Elder Su paused, then reluctantly nodded. "Yes."
"After Shui Xian passed away, I took this child under my wing as my personal disciple. I thought that with me watching over him, he would be safe and sound. I wanted him to learn formations and make something of himself, so that his mother's spirit could rest in peace..."
"When she was pregnant with him, she used to hope that he would become a formation master like me and make a name for himself..."
Elder Su trailed off, a hint of anger in his voice.
"But this child, aside from looking a bit like me, has none of my talent for formations. He's lazy, clumsy, and his temperament isn't as gentle as his mother's..."
Elder Su rattled off a list of complaints, then fell silent again, a melancholy expression on his face. "But his facial features, they resemble his mother's..."
Mo Hua sighed at his words.
It was often the case that people only realized the value of something after they had lost it, especially when it came to love.
For a moment, both Elder Su and Mo Hua wore somber expressions.
Elder Su was sighing over his past, while Mo Hua, being young and without such experiences, could only commiserate in silence.
Shui Sheng entered the room, sensing the somber atmosphere. He hesitated, unsure of what to say.
After a moment, he spoke up in a soft voice, "Master, Master Lu is here."
"Master Lu?"
Elder Su was taken aback and quickly turned to Mo Hua, speaking in a hushed tone. "Don't tell anyone about what I just told you."
Mo Hua was puzzled, "What are you referring to?"
Elder Su made a vague gesture, indicating himself and then pointing outside, all the while keeping his voice low. "You know, about me and Master Lu..."
Mo Hua understood that he was referring to their visits to the brothel together. "Don't worry, I won't say a word!"
Only then did Elder Su relax.
Soon after, Lu Chengyun entered and greeted Elder Su, before turning to Mo Hua with a polite greeting.
Mo Hua was not surprised by Lu Chengyun's visit, as he often accompanied Elder Su for tea when he came calling.
They had met a few times and were somewhat familiar with each other.
The four of them drank tea and chatted about formations, as well as the affairs of the South Peak Sect and the Lu family.
While tea and formations were fine topics, Mo Hua felt it inappropriate to listen in on the internal matters of the sect and the family.
Though he was curious and hoped to gain some clues about the traitor from the Little Spirit Seclusion Sect, basic etiquette had to be observed.
So, Mo Hua stood up and said, "Master Lu, Elder Su, please continue your chat. I'll take a stroll in the garden."
"As you wish, young master," Elder Su replied.
Mo Hua was a frequent visitor, so Elder Su didn't stand on ceremony.
However, Mo Hua's intentions were not purely recreational.
As he saw Elder Su and Lu Chengyun deep in conversation, he quietly slipped away to find Shui Sheng, Elder Su's private disciple and the son he had with Shui Xian.
Shui Sheng was sitting by a small table near a bridge in the garden, reading a book.
He was older and taller than Mo Hua.
Mo Hua approached him quietly and asked, "What are you reading?"
Startled, Shui Sheng quickly closed the book and was about to get angry, but upon recognizing Mo Hua, he bowed respectfully. "Young master."
Despite his young age, Mo Hua was treated as an equal by Elder Su, so Shui Sheng dared not be impolite.
Mo Hua sat down next to him and patted the seat, inviting him to sit as well.
Shui Sheng hesitated but eventually sat down.
As he did so, Mo Hua caught a glimpse of the book in his hands.
It was a book on basic five-element formation patterns.
Mo Hua was surprised, as according to Elder Su, his disciple was not particularly diligent and lacked talent in formations.
But now, it seemed there was more to the story.
"Is there anything you don't understand in this book?" Mo Hua asked.
Shui Sheng paused, then mumbled, "I'm not very good at drawing..."
He opened the book to show Mo Hua several gold-based formation patterns that he was struggling with.
Mo Hua glanced at them and saw that they were quite basic.
He proceeded to explain how to draw the patterns, the use of brush and ink, the layout, and how to manipulate spiritual sense. He even offered tips for when one's spiritual sense was insufficient.
As Shui Sheng listened, his eyes widened in awe, and his admiration for Mo Hua grew.
These were issues that had plagued him for a long time, and he had never been able to figure them out on his own. Yet, Mo Hua's explanations were so clear and insightful, providing him with a sudden moment of clarity.
However, Mo Hua's heart remained unmoved.
These were merely basic five-element formation patterns, simple and fundamental.
Mo Hua was perplexed, "With these basics... did your..."
He had intended to say "father," but changed his mind mid-sentence.
"...master not teach you?"
Shui Sheng shook his head. "My master thought these were too simple and that I should be able to figure them out on my own. When I asked him, he would just look at me with disappointment, as if I had let him down..."
"So, after a while, I stopped asking him and tried to learn on my own. I figured I'd learn what I could and leave the rest..."
Mo Hua shook his head, knowing that this was not the right way to learn formations.
Elder Su, driven by his love for his only son, had placed too much expectation on him.
Whenever Shui Sheng failed to meet those expectations, Elder Su would be disappointed.
However, people were different, and their learning curves varied.
Everyone needed to progress step by step, and it was unfair to burden others with one's own hopes or disappointments.
Formations were inherently challenging, and Elder Su's excessive expectations only made it harder for Shui Sheng to find his footing.
Mo Hua sighed, feeling a sense of obligation to help after having accepted Elder Su's hospitality. So, he continued to teach Shui Sheng.
Before long, Shui Sheng was filled with admiration and gratitude for Mo Hua.
He was young, exceptionally talented in formations, humble, and willing to teach.
In Shui Sheng's eyes, Mo Hua was far superior to his own master...
Shui Sheng thought to himself.
The two of them quickly grew more comfortable with each other.
After a moment's thought, Mo Hua asked, "Shui Sheng, do you know who your mother is?"
Shui Sheng paused, then nodded slightly, his head still lowered.
"And your father?"
Shui Sheng glanced at Mo Hua with a hint of surprise, then slowly nodded again.
Mo Hua's heart stirred.
It seemed that Shui Sheng knew everything...
(End of Chapter)
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