Chapter 99: Thanks (Second Update)
Chapter 99: Thanks (Second Update)
Upon hearing Mo Shan's request for only five spirit stones, Zhou Cheng couldn't help but hesitate before sincerely saying, "Brother Mo, this won't do. How about I give you five more?"
He wanted to offer more, but he truly didn't have any spirit stones left.
He had discreetly inquired in Tongxian City and learned that the going rate for painting an Iron Armor Array was usually around fifty spirit stones. Some up-and-coming array masters who lacked confidence in their skills would charge thirty, which was already considered the lowest price.
Last night, he had felt anxious, wondering how much Mo Shan would charge him. But when he asked today, Mo Shan only requested five spirit stones, leaving him feeling indebted.
Mo Shan patted his shoulder. "Use the extra spirit stones to buy some fine spirit ink. It's all for the sake of your child, so don't refuse."
Zhou Cheng was grateful and didn't say anything more.
In the afternoon, he took the time to buy the goldstone spirit ink and personally delivered it to Mo Hua, along with the vine armor. It took Mo Hua less than an hour to finish painting the Iron Armor Array, after which he gave the vine armor back to Mo Shan.
This transaction had earned him five spirit stones and half a bottle of unused goldstone spirit ink.
Mo Hua felt that this deal was quite satisfactory.
"Should I let others know that I'm already an array master and have them come to me for painting arrays?" Mo Hua thought about it but ultimately shook his head.
He was still young, and doing so would be too ostentatious. He remembered Mr. Zhuang's words—cultivators should keep a low profile. Exposed rafters are the first to rot, and fattened pigs are the first to be slaughtered. There were too many dangers in the cultivation world, and with Mo Hua's current cultivation level and experience, he wouldn't be able to protect himself.
Moreover, his array skills were far from sufficient, and he still had much to learn. He must not be greedy for temporary gains and lose sight of his original aspiration for the Dao.
And so, the matter was left at that. However, the next day, the beast hunter who had commissioned Mo Hua to paint the array suddenly showed up at their door, followed by a honest-looking young man.
"Daping, quickly thank Uncle Mo and Brother Mo!" The young man didn't hesitate and bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Uncle Mo and Brother Mo!"
Mo Shan then introduced them to Mo Hua, "This is your Uncle Zhou, with the single name Cheng. And this is his younger son, Zhou Daping. It was your Uncle Zhou who asked me to have the array painted for him."
"Hello, Uncle Zhou, Brother Daping!"
"Good, good," Zhou Cheng laughed, "No need to be so polite. Just call him Daping."
Zhou Daping scratched his head, "Just call me Daping."
Zhou Cheng handed over a bunch of items—some wine, food, vegetables, and fruits. But the most valuable gift was a bottle of spirit ink.
Mo Hua had only charged five spirit stones to paint the array for him, and when Zhou Cheng saw the array's intricate patterns, elegant brushstrokes, and faint golden glow, he felt even more indebted.
Although he didn't understand arrays, he could tell that the brushwork in this array was extremely skilled and could only be achieved through diligent practice.
Zhou Cheng had initially thought that Mo Hua, being so young, would only be able to paint a passable array. But now, he realized that Mo Hua's work was no less impressive than that of array masters in Tongxian City who had been painting arrays for two or three decades.
Zhou Cheng tested the vine armor's effects, and it far exceeded his expectations. In a dangerous situation, it might very well save his son's life.
Feeling even more grateful, Zhou Cheng gathered some more spirit stones and specially bought gifts to express his thanks in person.
However, Mo Shan refused to accept them. "Keep these things for yourself. It's not easy to earn spirit stones."
But no matter what Mo Shan said, Zhou Cheng was determined to give away the gifts.
Zhou Cheng's face lit up with joy, and he eagerly said, "Mo Hua is right, brother. Don't refuse anymore."
Mo Shan reluctantly accepted, feeling helpless.
From then on, whenever Zhou Daping went hunting in the mountains, he wore the vine armor that Mo Hua had inscribed with an array. On several occasions, he sustained injuries, but thanks to the sturdy vine armor, he always escaped unharmed.
Upon learning of this, Zhou Cheng finally breathed a sigh of relief. He felt that all his efforts hadn't been in vain. Just the amount of spirit stones he saved on healing alone was considerable, not to mention that the array on the vine armor could truly save his son's life in case of danger.
As a struggling cultivator, life was difficult, and raising a son was no easy task. If his son lost his life while hunting beasts, it would be truly heartbreaking.
Every year, there were young cultivators who perished while hunting beasts, even among the experienced hunters like Zhou Cheng.
These veterans could easily meet their end in the belly of a beast, let alone the newcomers who were just starting out. Every time Zhou Cheng thought about this, he felt immensely grateful to Mo Hua. However, he was poor and couldn't afford spirit stones, so he could only express his gratitude through kind words.
From then on, Zhou Cheng praised Mo Hua to everyone he met. He boasted that although Mo Hua was young, he was exceptionally skilled at painting arrays. He claimed that after inscribing an array on the vine armor, it became impenetrable, and his son no longer feared hunting in the mountains.
His words were a bit exaggerated and not entirely true, but the curious onlookers loved to listen.
Some people doubted that a ten-year-old array master existed, while others believed it wholeheartedly.
Every now and then, someone would invite Mo Shan out for a meal or a drink and then subtly inquire about whether his son truly knew how to paint arrays and if the vine armor with the array was truly impervious to weapons.
Mo Shan could only helplessly explain, "It's true that my son knows how to paint arrays, but even with an array, the vine armor can't possibly be completely impervious to weapons. It's just a bit more durable than before."
"I thought so," someone would chime in. "If it were truly impervious, that would be too much."
"I've seen that vine armor," another person added. "After the array was painted on it, it definitely became tougher, but it's still not perfect. It's usable for a cultivator in the middle stage of Qi Refinement, but not for the late stage. It won't withstand a claw strike from a late-stage first-grade magical beast."
"Is it usable for someone in the middle stage of Qi Refinement?" someone asked.
"Yes, it is quite effective for them. It can at least protect their vital areas," Mo Shan replied.
"In that case, I should get one for my son," a man said. "Every time he goes into the mountains, I worry myself sick. When I was his age and ventured into the mountains, I wasn't nearly as nervous. I'm tough, so I'm not afraid of being bitten by magical beasts, but I worry about those beasts harming my son. If something happens to him, I might end up mourning for him before he gets a chance to mourn for me..." A burly man bitterly smiled as he spoke.
"In the end, it's still only useful for the middle stage of Qi Refinement, not much use beyond that..." someone else scoffed.
"Of course it's not of much use to you since you don't have a son," another man retorted. "But I have three sons! Mo Shan, we've known each other for so many years. You should at least have your son paint a few sets for me. Paint... not three, but six sets so I can keep some as spares..."
"Oh, and I want one too," someone else chimed in.
"I should get one for my son as well..."
"What would you do with one? You don't even have a son," a voice piped up.
"Just because I don't have one now doesn't mean I won't have one in the future," the man argued.
"That's not necessarily true," another voice disagreed.
"Stop blabbering," someone else interrupted. "If he wants it, let him have it. Who knows, he might have a few illegitimate children out there."
"You asshole, watch your mouth!" came the angry reply.
The alcohol fueled the disagreement, and soon, a scuffle broke out among the men.
Mo Shan could only laugh and shake his head at the situation.
(End of Chapter)
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