Chapter 48: Visitors
Chapter 48: Visitors
At the foot of the mountain trail leading to Zuo Wang Ju, three cultivators stood.
Among the three, two children stood at the forefront, with a veiled woman standing behind them.
The two children, a boy and a girl, appeared slightly older than Mo Hua, and their attire was exquisite and luxurious, suggesting they were no ordinary beings. At that moment, the pair were standing respectfully on the steps before the door, bowing towards the mountain.
The boy had a handsome countenance, and his eyes shone with an intense light.
The girl was exceptionally beautiful; her skin, bathed in sunlight, seemed even fairer and more translucent than ice and snow.
From a distance, the two children resembled celestial beings, like a golden boy and jade girl attending an immortal.
Behind the two children stood a tall, veiled woman. Her face was obscured, but she seemed to be a housekeeper or bodyguard of some sort. There were no fluctuations in spiritual power around her, but Mo Hua felt a sense of oppression that he had never experienced before.
"They seem to be scions of a prominent family, seeking to study under Mr. Zhuang..."
Mo Hua speculated to himself. However, such matters were ultimately up to Mr. Zhuang to decide, and had nothing to do with him.
Mo Hua's only concern was to learn as much as he could about formations from Mr. Zhuang. After all, he was merely a nominal disciple, and he didn't know how long Mr. Zhuang would be willing to teach him.
Mo Hua continued up the mountain, and the trio at the door naturally noticed him. They saw that he was simply dressed, with meager spiritual power, and gave him only a cursory glance, not paying him much mind.
It wasn't until Mo Hua strode past them and began ascending the distant mountain trail, disappearing into the mist-shrouded courtyard, that their expressions became complicated.
The boy and girl couldn't help but glance at the woman behind them, who subtly shook her head, signaling for them to be patient. Only then did the two children calm down and continue waiting respectfully.
Mo Hua entered the courtyard and set down the bamboo basket he was carrying. He took out a plate of braised meat and several dishes of snacks from the basket and placed them on the small table in the courtyard, so that Mr. Zhuang could enjoy the scenery while drinking or having tea when he woke up.
Mo Hua secretly glanced into the room and saw that Mr. Zhuang was still sleeping in.
Mo Hua then brought two boxes of stir-fried pine nuts to Kui Lao, who had woken up early and was playing a game of Five Elements Chess by himself, his face expressionless, making it hard to tell if he was enjoying himself or simply passing time.
Mo Hua placed the pine nuts to the side, and Kui Lao tasted one, his expression shifting slightly, "The flavor is different."
"These are made with two different flavors," Mo Hua explained. "One batch was fried with licorice for a sweet fragrance, and the other with spicy spices. My mother asked me to bring them for you to try, to change up your palate."
Kui Lao tasted one from each box and nodded, "Go study formations first. When you're tired, come and play chess with me."
Mo Hua ran to the study and grabbed several formation books that he hadn't finished reading yet. Then, he ran to the courtyard and sat on a small wooden stool under the ancient Locust tree. He leaned on a small stone table and began delving into the world of formations.
The little table and stool were specially made by Kui Lao for Mo Hua and placed in Mo Hua's favorite spot. The height of the table and stool was just right for him.
Mr. Zhuang was lenient and didn't make excessive demands on Mo Hua, but Mo Hua knew that this opportunity was precious, and he might not have a chance to learn from such a master again in the future.
So, he studied diligently.
Even being a nominal disciple was a great opportunity for a loose cultivator like Mo Hua.
Filled with gratitude, he applied himself without any slacking off.
Studying formation books and copying formations consumed spiritual sense, and when Mo Hua's spiritual sense was depleted, he would use meditation techniques to restore it and then continue reading and drawing formations until he was exhausted again. After repeating this cycle a few times, he would then refrain from further meditation.
The Five Elements Chess game was simple and easy to understand, so it didn't require much mental effort to play.
After a few games with Kui Lao, the sun began to set, and Mo Hua bid farewell to Mr. Zhuang for the day, taking the empty plates and containers with him as he left.
As Mo Hua departed from Mr. Zhuang's courtyard, the setting sun painted the evening sky with a brilliant hue, and he noticed that the three visitors from earlier were still standing outside. Their postures remained respectful, but a hint of fatigue had crept into their expressions.
Even for cultivators, standing for an entire day without food or water would take its toll, especially on the two children who were around the same age as Mo Hua.
However, Mo Hua didn't want to involve himself in their matters.
Mr. Zhuang was surely aware of their presence, and by now, it was evident that he had no intention of meeting them. Whether to see them or not was Mr. Zhuang's decision, and Mo Hua saw no reason to meddle.
So, Mo Hua merely offered a simple courtesy gesture to the trio and left without a word, carrying his small basket down the mountain.
The next day, to Mo Hua's surprise, the three of them were still standing outside when he arrived.
In the mountains, the days were scorching, but the nights brought a chill along with the dew.
The three had endured a full day and night, and while the veiled woman seemed unaffected due to her profound cultivation, the two children looked worn out. The boy's expression was one of sheer determination as he gritted his teeth, and his eyes reflected a stubborn refusal to give up. The girl's face had grown even paler, like a delicate flower kissed by dew, yet her clear eyes shone with unwavering resolve.
Mo Hua couldn't help but sneak another glance, marveling at how good-looking people always managed to remain so, no matter the circumstances.
Nonetheless, Mo Hua's heart remained unmoved.
In this world, the most beautiful women were often the ones who had nothing to do with you.
Just like the day before, Mo Hua nonchalantly pushed open the bamboo door and walked into Mr. Zhuang's courtyard, ignoring the trio's complex gazes, which now carried a hint of resentment. With his small basket in hand, he continued on his way.
Mo Hua assumed that the three visitors would leave within three or four days, but they persisted for a full seven days. The two children's faces were as white as paper, yet they showed no signs of backing down, and Mo Hua couldn't help but admire their tenacity.
Moreover, he felt a twinge of guilt when he recalled that he hadn't faced any obstacles when meeting Mr. Zhuang, while these three had stood outside for seven days without food or drink and still hadn't been granted entry.
The following day, Mo Hua prepared a few questions about formations and sought out Mr. Zhuang to clarify them.
Mr. Zhuang's expression was as calm as ever, and he patiently answered Mo Hua's queries. However, his eyes occasionally drifted towards the door, a deep and unreadable look in their depths.
Mo Hua asked, "Mr. Zhuang, don't you want to meet the people outside?"
Mr. Zhuang snapped back to attention. He hadn't intended to say anything about the matter, but seeing Mo Hua's curious expression, he replied, "It's a complicated situation involving an old acquaintance. I'd rather not get involved, so it's best if I don't see them."
"Then I'll ask them to leave," Mo Hua offered.
Mr. Zhuang's expression shifted slightly. "They've stood there for seven days. If they were going to leave, they would have done so by now. At this point, do you think they'll listen to you?"
"How will we know if we don't try?" Mo Hua smiled. "They've been disturbing your peace for seven days, and you haven't been able to sleep well."
Indeed, Mr. Zhuang used to sleep late into the afternoons, but now he was waking up at noon...
Finding the situation amusing, Mr. Zhuang said, "Alright, go ahead and try. Ask them to leave and restore the tranquility of these mountains."
(End of Chapter)
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