Chapter 1
Chapter 1: Mo Hua
Chapter 1: Mo Hua
In the 22nd year of the Taoist calendar, on the 10th day of September, in Tongxian City, outside the Tongxian Gate.
Ten-year-old Mo Hua, clad in a simple outer disciple's robe, sat boredly crouched behind a large stone at the foot of the mountain. Holding some grass roots, he was drawing intricate patterns on the ground, his head bowed.
As the hour of the rabbit approached, disciples studying at the sect began their ascent up the mountain, chatting and laughing in pairs or threes.
A young, chubby boy with a round face and narrow eyes, dressed in a standard outer robe and adorned with expensive jade ornaments, arrived with two or three attendants in tow. They found Mo Hua, engrossed in his drawing behind the rocks.
The chubby boy, after ensuring no instructors were nearby, called out, "Mo Hua!"
Mo Hua lifted his head, revealing a delicate and handsome face with eyes as clear as a pool of spring water.
The chubby boy lowered his voice and asked, "Is it done?"
The ten-year-old Mo Hua, mature beyond his years, patted his chest and assured, "Leave it to me. Don't worry." He then took out several formation scrolls from his storage bag and handed them over. The scrolls were white with red ink, a stark contrast.
"Take a look and tell me if there are any issues."
The chubby boy solemnly accepted the scrolls, flipped open the copybook, and carefully examined it before frowning and confessing, "I can't understand it..."
Mo Hua patiently explained, "The instructor assigned the homework on the basic formation patterns of the Five Elements Formation. I've drawn them for you and intentionally made six mistakes to prevent the instructor from realizing these patterns weren't drawn by you..."
"Six mistakes... isn't that a bit too much?" The chubby boy asked, hesitant.
Mo Hua silently regarded him.
Realizing his mistake, the chubby boy reflected, "Greed is not good. It's already more than enough for me to submit the instructor's assigned homework. Doing it too well will only arouse suspicion. If the instructor finds out and my father learns of it, I'll be in big trouble. It won't be worth it."
Mo Hua nodded in agreement, "As expected of Young Master An. You're quick to understand."
The chubby boy slipped two spirit stones into Mo Hua's hand and said, "Mo Ge, you truly have an eye for talent. You know I'm smart! Here are your spirit stones. Next time the instructor assigns formation homework, I'll come to you again!"
After pocketing the formation scrolls, he scampered up the mountain.
Mo Hua carefully put away the spirit stones and resumed his drawing on the ground, using another piece of grass root.
Soon, a thin young master appeared, fanning himself with a golden paper fan. His face was sharp, and he wore even more jade pendants than the previous boy.
Mo Hua also handed him a set of formation charts. The thin young master glanced at the charts and signaled to his attendant, who stepped forward and gave Mo Hua two spirit stones.
However, instead of leaving, the thin young master continued to stand there, suddenly closing his fan and arrogantly saying, "Although I am extremely talented in formations, I simply don't have the time to deal with such basic formations, which is why I asked you to fill in for me."
Mo Hua didn't bother to respond and continued drawing on the ground with the grass root.
The thin young master, slightly annoyed, coldly smiled and said, "I've heard that among the early-stage Qi refiners in Tongxian Gate, you are the best at drawing formations. I wonder how you compare to me. We should have a competition sometime."
Mo Hua thought to himself, "How could you say you're skilled when you're having me do your formation homework for you?"
However, adhering to the principle of maintaining harmony for the sake of profit, Mo Hua raised his head and flattered, "Of course, Young Master's proficiency in formations is far superior. The Qian family is the number one clan in Tongxian City, and their formation lineage is unmatched by other cultivators."
The thin young master's expression softened slightly, and he asked, "Then tell me, among the early-stage Qi refiners in Tongxian Gate, who else do you think could surpass me in formations?"
"There are some..." Mo Hua replied vaguely.
The thin young master frowned, "Who are they?"
"Well..." Mo Hua thought to himself, "I'm certainly not going to say something stupid like it's me." Aloud, he said, "There are quite a few, actually. I can't count them all at once."
The thin young master was clearly displeased.
"That's a good thing!" Mo Hua blurted out, his eyes wide with false enthusiasm.
The thin young master coldly smiled and said, "Their family backgrounds are not as good as mine, they don't have as many spirit stones as I do, yet they are better than me at formations. There are many such people. Are you trying to say that I'm dull and can't compare to others? What's so good about that?"
Mo Hua calmly replied, "Even the most talented cultivators in Tongxian City, those who learn the fastest—in the end, don't they all end up working for the Qian family's Wanbao Building, refining tools, concocting pills, and drawing formations for your family?"
"Think about it. Even though you're just at the Qi refining stage, you already have foundation-building cultivators working for you. And as a first-grade formation master, you have second-grade formation masters at your beck and call. Isn't that impressive? The stronger the cultivators under your command, the more it showcases your own abilities!"
The thin young master paused, then suddenly exclaimed, "That makes sense!"
"Now you understand."
After sending off the young master, Mo Hua continued practicing his formation techniques on the ground with a grass root.
Soon, several more wealthy cultivators approached, exchanging spirit stones for the formation charts that Mo Hua handed over. By the time he finished these transactions, he had accumulated twelve spirit stones.
Twelve spirit stones were already a considerable sum for a solitary cultivator, but it was still far from sufficient for one's cultivation journey.
Mo Hua sighed, a hint of helplessness creeping onto his youthful face.
For cultivators at the bottom, the path to immortality seemed hopeless...
In the first year of the Taoist calendar, over twenty thousand years ago, the largest power in the cultivation world, the Taoist Court, unified the nine provinces of cultivation. They bestowed titles upon noble families and established sects, creating a unified ranking system and regulating the various cultivation disciplines.
The Taoist Court also promulgated the "Taoist Laws," which constrained cultivators, prohibiting them from indiscriminate killing, plunder, and the consumption of rare herbs.
Under these laws, the cultivation world thrived for over twenty thousand years, reaching unprecedented prosperity and expanse, with cultivators numbering beyond count.
However, while the Taoist Court flourished, noble families lived in opulence, and sects dominated the land.
Only the solitary cultivators at the bottom, with no affiliations to rely on, faced a life of hardship and little hope for advancement in their cultivation.
Over the course of twenty thousand years, the mortal population without spiritual roots gradually diminished, leaving behind only those with spiritual roots who could embark on the path of cultivation. Yet, as the number of cultivators grew, so did their consumption of spiritual energy, gradually depleting the world's supply.
Nowadays, cultivators seeking the path of immortality require not only a suitable heritage but also spirit stones.
However, with large families controlling the spirit mines and monopolizing the heritage, solitary cultivators at the bottom are left bereft of both resources and opportunities.
In Tongxian City, the vast majority of solitary cultivators lack both heritage and spirit stones. Throughout their lives, they can only aspire to reach the Qi Refining realm, remaining as insignificant ants beneath the vast heavens.
The Qi Refining realm is but a humble speck in the grand scheme of the celestial path.
And Mo Hua was one of those countless insignificant ants.
And he might very well remain so for his entire life... A hint of bitterness touched Mo Hua's youthful face.
While the celestial path may be equal for all, the journey of cultivation was anything but fair.
Mo Hua was a second-layer Qi Refiner who came from a family of Qi Refining cultivators. Both his father, Mo Shan, and his mother were Qi Refiners.
His father made a living by hunting demons, constantly battling demonic beasts, his body bearing the scars of countless battles. His mother worked as a kitchen aide in a cafeteria, inhaling the fumes from the stoves, which often left her with a painful, hacking cough.
Despite their meager earnings, Mo Hua's parents scrimped and saved every spirit stone they could to ensure that Mo Hua would have the opportunity to join the outer sect of the Tongxian Gate and begin his cultivation journey.
However, no matter how hard Mo Hua trained, his middling spiritual root, though slightly better than that of an ordinary person, destined him to be merely average in a world filled with prodigies.
No matter how diligently he cultivated, he might only ever achieve the Qi Refining realm.
Due to their humble background, Mo Hua, like most disciples, would have to leave the sect after reaching the sixth layer of Qi Refining. Then, he would need to find a way to learn a skill or trade to make a living.
But Mo Hua was also born with a frail body!
Professions like artifact refining and demon hunting, which were common means of livelihood for Qi Refining cultivators, usually favored those with robust physiques. With his weak constitution, Mo Hua might not even be able to find a menial job to get by.
If he were to marry and start a family one day, his burdens would only increase, and any spirit stones he acquired would be spent on supporting his family.
Without spirit stones for cultivation, Mo Hua's progress would stagnate, and he would forever remain a Qi Refining cultivator.
Just like all the other impoverished cultivators in Tongxian City.
Just like the countless cultivators at the bottom of the cultivation world.
Forever stuck at the Qi Refining realm...
With a sigh, ten-year-old Mo Hua gathered his resolve and headed into the sect for his lessons. After a day of cultivation, he returned to his dwelling and spent some time studying cultivation manuals. As the hour of the rat approached, he lay down on his bed.
As Mo Hua closed his eyes, a fragmented stele appeared in his sea of consciousness.
There were no words inscribed on the stele, but from the moment Mo Hua laid eyes on it, he knew its name:
The Stele of the Dao!
(End of Chapter)
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