Chapter 5: Mo Shan
Chapter 5: Mo Shan
Mo Shan was an eighth-layer Qi Refinement beast hunter who made a living by hunting magical beasts, skinning them, and selling their materials. This sounded rather impressive, but it was actually a difficult and risky way to make a living.
In the cultivation world, most magical beasts were far stronger than human cultivators, making them extremely challenging to hunt.
Usually, a team of five to ten cultivators of the same realm was required to hunt a magical beast of their level, and success was not guaranteed. Even if they managed to kill the beast, its most valuable parts often sustained damage during the battle, reducing their selling price. The meager profits were then divided among the team members based on their contributions, resulting in a scant sum for each hunter.
If one was unlucky enough to be injured during a hunt, the cost of healing pills could be substantial, sometimes exceeding their earnings. And in the event of serious injuries, it would be difficult to continue earning a living as a beast hunter.
Mo Shan had a sturdy build and was a solo cultivator. His features were handsome and angular, and though he had not yet reached middle age in terms of cultivator years, his face bore the marks of hardship from years of hunting magical beasts and sleeping outdoors.
Mo Shan entered the house and set down his sword and the fur of an unidentified magical beast that he had been carrying on his shoulder, finally letting out a sigh of relief.
His outer garment was torn and stained with blood—some fresh and some dried—most of which likely belonged to magical beasts, but some could have been his own or that of his companions.
It seemed that this beast hunt hadn't gone very smoothly, Mo Hua speculated silently.
Mo Shan's brows were furrowed, and his expression was grave, making him appear somewhat cold and forbidding, especially with the bloodstains on his clothes.
However, as he stepped into the house and saw his wife, the coldness in his eyes softened, much like a weary warrior returning home and shedding his heavy, scarred armor.
Mo Shan's voice was hoarse from fatigue, but he spoke gently, asking, "Is everything alright at home?"
Liu Ruhua helped him unpack his luggage and then handed him a clean cloth to wipe his face. "Everything is fine at home. You don't need to worry," she assured him.
Seeing his travel-worn appearance, she couldn't help but admonish him, "You must take care of yourself when you're out there."
Mo Shan smiled faintly and then glanced around the room. "Is Hua'er back?"
"He returned yesterday. The sect is on holiday, so he's probably still sleeping soundly. I'll go wake him up. He'll be so happy to know you're back."
Mo Shan looked down at the bloodstains on his clothes and the wounds on his body and stopped his wife, saying, "Let him sleep a little longer. Cultivation at the sect isn't easy either. I'll take a bath, apply some medicinal herbs, and change my clothes first."
Liu Ruhua nodded. "Alright, but eat something first."
Mo Shan had rushed through the night and was famished.
Liu Ruhua was an excellent cook, and even though the meal was simple, Mo Shan devoured it eagerly.
During beast hunts, he often had to endure rough conditions and make do with cold, hard rations. He couldn't afford to use Hunger Suppressing Pills to sustain himself. Now, as he sat at home eating his wife's cooking, he felt all the exhaustion and hardship melt away.
Mo Shan ate heartily and then drank a large mouthful of the fragrant, porridge. Liu Ruhua, seeing the bloodstains on his clothes, asked worriedly, "Were there any injuries this time?"
Mo Shan sighed. "Three people were injured, and Old Chu is severely wounded."
He then proceeded to recount the beast hunt: "We had a team of eight people tracking a wolf demon that was over a zhang tall. We had it cornered, planning to slowly deplete its demonic energy before making the kill. But then another beast hunter team passed by—most of them newcomers who had never shed blood before. They tried to take advantage of the situation, but their recklessness cost them two lives as the demon devoured them..."
"That vile creature regained its strength after consuming those people, and it went berserk. Old Chu and I had to expend all our spiritual power to slay it, but we suffered heavy losses. Old Chu lost an arm, bled profusely, and his foundation was severely damaged. I fear he won't be able to continue as a beast hunter..."
Mo Shan's voice turned bitter. "Old Chu's child is only two years old, and his wife only earns a meager income by growing vegetables. Now, with his severe injury, they'll have to spend a large sum of spirit stones on healing. Even if he recovers, I don't know how the family of three will make a living."
Liu Ruhua sighed as well. "Old Chu borrowed us spirit stones when we were in need, even though he wasn't well off himself. We still have some spirit stones saved up. Let's give them to Old Chu first so he can heal his injuries."
Mo Shan nodded. "That wolf demon should fetch around three hundred spirit stones. We'll give him a larger share, and we can also lend him some spirit stones. Hopefully, he can get through this difficult time, but..."
Mo Shan felt guilty. "I was planning to use the earnings from this hunt for Hua'er's tuition for entering the sect next year. Now, with this incident..."
Liu Ruhua held Mo Shan's hand and said, "As long as our family is safe, there are always ways to earn spirit stones. I've saved up some from working at the restaurant, and we can borrow from others. We won't let this affect Hua'er's enrollment next year."
Mo Shan silently gazed at his wife, seeing the traces of fatigue on her once-youthful and beautiful face, and his heart filled with self-reproach.
"You should stop working at the kitchen. The fire qi affects your heart, lungs, and meridians. Next year, I'll find a few more people to hunt with, venture deeper into the mountains, kill more beasts, and earn more spirit stones so that you won't have to work so hard."
Liu Ruhua smiled softly, a hint of pride in her eyes as she pointed to the hairpin on her head. "Look at this."
Mo Shan hadn't noticed it when he entered, but now he saw that the hairpin was different from the one his wife usually wore.
"What kind of hairpin is that?" he asked.
"It's a gift from Hua'er. He said it's called a Fire-Repelling Hairpin, and it can ward off the fire qi from the stove. It makes my heart, lungs, and meridians feel much more comfortable."
"Hua'er is so thoughtful."
Mo Shan felt both comforted and ashamed. "I, as his father, haven't given you a gift in many years..."
Liu Ruhua laughed. "Hua'er is your son. His gift is as good as yours."
Mo Shan couldn't help but chuckle, and then he sighed. "Cultivators often talk about fortune. My fortune in this life must be having a wife like you and a thoughtful son like Hua'er!"
Liu Ruhua gave her husband a playful glare, but she couldn't help smiling as well.
Seeing his wife's smile, Mo Shan silently resolved to find a few higher-level beast hunters after the new year and venture deeper into the mountains to hunt more beasts and earn more spirit stones. He was determined not to let his wife endure such hardships anymore, and he also wanted to ensure a bright future for his son.
Mo Hua, listening from inside the house, sighed to himself. His parents had been enduring the hardships of the cultivation life without him knowing. Perhaps, in any world, the burdens parents carried were far greater than their children could imagine.
Even cultivators had to worry about spirit stones and livelihood, just like ordinary people.
Cultivators seemed different from ordinary people, yet also not so different after all.
Mo Hua sighed again, then pondered silently, "Is there a way for me to earn spirit stones as well?"
(End of Chapter)
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