Chapter 53: Disciples
Chapter 53: Disciples
Bai Zisheng felt a twinge of guilt, followed by annoyance at himself for letting his guard down. He straightened his posture and glared at Mo Hua, feeling the need to assert his dominance.
"They probably have ulterior motives for wanting to become his disciples," Mo Hua thought to himself, ignoring Bai Zisheng as he continued reading the introductory book, The Basics of the Five Elements Array.
He intended to finish the book today and then ask Mr. Zhuang some questions later in the evening. He couldn't afford to waste any more time chatting idly.
Feeling ignored, Bai Zisheng and his sister, Bai Zixi, who were new to the place, didn't know what else to do, so they took out their spirit stones and began cultivating beside each other.
As they cultivated, a faint blue aura surrounded them, indicating that they were already at the later stages of the Qi Refining realm. Their aura's thickness suggested that they were more advanced in their cultivation than Mo Hua by four to five minor realms.
Mo Hua was secretly amazed. Indeed, the foundation of a prestigious family was different from that of an ordinary cultivator. Even though the siblings were only two or three years older than him, their cultivation bases were far superior.
Moreover, judging from Bai Zisheng's earlier words, their talent and understanding of arrays were also exceptional.
Mo Hua thought to himself, "There's always someone better out there. I must not be arrogant, but neither should I be discouraged. I'll just focus on cultivating and studying arrays diligently."
Soon, Mo Hua calmed his mind and resumed reading the array manual intently.
A cool breeze blew through the mountains, rustling the leaves and rippling the pond's surface before everything returned to tranquility.
Mr. Zhuang's small courtyard, which initially had only one disciple, now had three.
Among the three named disciples, Mo Hua was the one with the lowest apparent cultivation base, the poorest talent, and the least remarkable background.
After Mo Hua finished reading The Basics of the Five Elements Array and clarified his doubts with Mr. Zhuang, the sun had set, and it was time to return home as the evening glow bathed the mountains.
Mo Hua bade farewell to Mr. Zhuang and then parted ways with the Bai siblings at the intersection, heading downhill with his storage bag slung over his shoulder, illuminated by the fading light.
Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi took a different mountain path, and along the way, Bai Zisheng couldn't help but ask, "Snow Aunt, can you tell what kind of spirit root Mo Hua has?"
Snow Aunt hesitated for a moment before replying, "Based on the fluctuations of his spiritual power, he should have a minor Five Elements spirit root. His spiritual power is thin, and its quality is mediocre at best. Moreover, it seems like he hasn't even started cultivating a proper cultivation technique yet."
"A minor Five Elements spirit root of mediocre quality, and he's reading an introductory array book..." Bai Zisheng mumbled, then continued, "Sister and I have much better talent, and Mr. Zhuang was willing to accept us as named disciples because of our mother's relationship. But what makes that Mo Hua kid so special that Mr. Zhuang would take him in as well?"
Snow Aunt furrowed her brows as she recalled Mo Hua's behavior and said, "Mr. Zhuang has an unconventional way of doing things. When it comes to accepting disciples, he doesn't solely focus on talent..."
She further explained, "Moreover, the path of cultivation is a long one, and it's not just about speed. Mo Hua seems to be from a loose cultivator background. Loose cultivators don't have the same heritage and foundation as those from prestigious families. They start much later in both cultivation and array studies, and their progress is generally slower. It's not fair to compare them with disciples from influential families."
"Is the gap between loose cultivators and those from prestigious families really that significant?" Bai Zisheng asked.
"The gap is not just significant; it's like the difference between heaven and earth," Snow Aunt sighed. "A trivial cultivation technique or array legacy from a prestigious family, when in the hands of a loose cultivator, could be considered a family heirloom. The introductory manuals we use in the Bai family are something that ordinary loose cultivator disciples may never have the chance to lay their eyes on in their entire lives."
Bai Zisheng was secretly astonished.
Snow Aunt then admonished, "Regardless of Mo Hua's background, you two are now considered half-fellow disciples. You must not treat him lightly or hold a grudge against him. Be mindful of your words and behavior, or you might end up displeasing Mr. Zhuang."
"I understand, Snow Aunt," Bai Zisheng replied, though he didn't seem to fully grasp the extent of her words.
The next day, the Bai siblings arrived at Mr. Zhuang's residence at the hour of the dragon (7-9 am)
. Together with Mo Hua, they began their studies under Mr. Zhuang's guidance.
Old Gui had placed two more stone tables under the big elm tree, next to the small table that Mo Hua usually used.
The three children practiced their cultivation and studied arrays independently, then sought Mr. Zhuang's guidance together in the evening.
Whether it was cultivation base or array knowledge, the Bai siblings were a step ahead of Mo Hua. Many of their questions were beyond Mo Hua's understanding, but Mr. Zhuang would often provide concise and insightful answers that clarified their doubts.
Now that someone was asking on his behalf, and Mr. Zhuang was providing answers, Mo Hua only needed to listen attentively.
And so, the three of them became Mr. Zhuang's named disciples, spending their days cultivating, practicing array formations, seeking guidance from Mr. Zhuang, and then returning to their respective homes.
The three of them didn't talk much during the day. Mo Hua was always focused when reading, leaving little time for idle chatter.
Bai Zisheng carried himself with a hint of arrogance, and since Mo Hua didn't initiate conversations with him, he naturally didn't reach out either. Bai Zixi, on the other hand, had a rather cold demeanor and wasn't much of a talker.
This routine continued for a month until one evening when Da Hu and the others found Mo Hua and invited him to join them in experiencing the lively atmosphere of the Lotus Festival.
The Lotus Festival was a minor festival, but it was always a bustling affair.
It was said to commemorate a highly accomplished cultivator from Tongxian City, and every year, people would burn incense and light the precious Nine Curve Lotus Lamps to express their remembrance.
Mo Hua had spent the entire day painting array formations and had exhausted his spiritual sense, even using the Meditation Technique twice. With no other plans, he decided to join his three friends to enjoy the festival.
As they passed by the farthest left street in the neighborhood, they noticed a newly constructed cave mansion. It was located in a rather secluded area and occupied a large space, seemingly built by purchasing and demolishing several adjacent houses.
The mansion's entrance was devoid of any plaque, featuring only plain bluish-gray bricks and stones, giving it an understated appearance. Yet, amidst the surrounding humble abodes of solitary cultivators, it stood out prominently.
Mo Hua asked curiously, "When did this cave mansion appear here?"
Little Tiger replied, "You haven't been to this side of town in a while, so you didn't know. This cave mansion has been here for about a month now."
Gazing up at the towering walls of the mansion, Little Tiger couldn't help but marvel, "I wonder how many spirit stones it took to build this place."
"It must be..." Da Hu began counting on his fingers, unable to come up with a clear answer, and finally scratched his head, "...thousands upon thousands of spirit stones!"
"Probably several tens of thousands..."
"Tens of thousands of spirit stones... I doubt I'll be able to save up that much in my lifetime..."
"Don't be so lacking in ambition!"
"What about you? Do you think you can save up that much?"
The Shuanghu brothers chimed in, "We're talking about having ambition, not necessarily achieving it. Most people who aspire to become immortals don't succeed, but that doesn't stop them from trying, does it?"
Da Hu and Little Tiger nodded in agreement, finding their logic reasonable.
The Shuanghu brothers continued curiously, "This place is so remote and far from the market district. Why would someone build such a large cave mansion here, and who would live in it, given that it's surrounded by ordinary solitary cultivators?"
"Well, they must have an abundance of spirit stones," Little Tiger replied. "If I had that many spirit stones, I'd build a mansion like this too."
"Then, who do you think owns this mansion?" The Shuanghu brothers turned to Mo Hua and asked, "Mo Hua, do you have any idea?"
Mo Hua shook his head. "How would I know?"
Just as they were speaking, the door of the cave mansion opened, and three people walked out. They were a handsome young man, a delicate and exquisite young girl, and a veiled woman with a slender figure.
Mo Hua immediately recognized them as the Bai siblings and Snow Aunt.
The Bai siblings also spotted Mo Hua and his friends, and Bai Zisheng paused for a moment, looking surprised. "Mo Hua?"
Da Hu and the others turned to Mo Hua simultaneously, and he, too, was taken aback. He hadn't expected that the owners of this grand mansion were none other than the Bai siblings.
Bai Zisheng asked, "What are you doing here?"
"I'm out sightseeing," Mo Hua replied.
"Sightseeing?"
Bai Zisheng seemed to be hearing the word for the first time, and his eyes lit up with excitement. He turned to Snow Aunt, his gaze full of anticipation.
Beside him, Bai Zixi's eyes sparkled with interest, her gaze fixed on Snow Aunt.
(End of Chapter)
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