To be prepared is to be in a position to act; to be unprepared is to invite failure.
Since entering Big Black Mountain was the plan, ample preparation was necessary.
The environment within Big Black Mountain was treacherous, with poison everywhere, miasma spreading, and Monster Beasts lurking.
Monster Beasts did not reason with you; they typically saw humans as food to be eaten, and even those that did not eat people killed them just the same, leaving Cultivators disemboweled before moving on.
Mo Hua grew up in Tongxian City, and his father was a Monster Hunter. From a young age, he was steeped in knowledge of the dangers of Big Black Mountain.
Entering the mountain rashly could mean losing one’s life in an instant, likely leaving no trace behind.
Therefore, if one were to enter the mountain, every aspect had to be fully considered in advance. One needed a plan to avoid being caught off guard by danger and teetering on the brink of life and death.
“After all, my parents have only me as their son,” Mo Hua silently thought to himself.
One day, Liu Ruhua brought some beef and vegetables to Jiang Yun, asking her to take them back and cook them for her child.
Jiang Yun demurred, saying she couldn’t carry so much.
The storage bags used by Cultivators in the Qi Refinement Realm were fairly cheap and had limited space, indeed not allowing for much to be carried.
“Aunt Jiang, I’ll help you carry them back,” Mo Hua volunteered confidently.
“How could I let you do that?”
“It’s fine, I was about to go see Uncle Chu anyway.”
“Really?” Jiang Yun asked doubtfully.
“Mhm,” Mo Hua nodded.
Jiang Yun, no longer objecting, carried the storage bag and led the way, while Mo Hua followed behind her, holding two big cabbages in his arms.
Along the way, Jiang Yun would occasionally look back and check on Mo Hua, advising him to be careful and asking if he was tired or needed to rest.
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, they arrived at Jiang Yun’s home.
Jiang Yun’s home was quite simple: two or three rooms with patchy walls and some old and broken tables and chairs.
Fortunately, the kitchen showed signs of regular use, ensuring at least that hunger was not an issue.
Jiang Yun was a little embarrassed, “My home is a bit shabby…”
“It’s okay, Aunt Jiang,” Mo Hua smiled.
The homes of Loose Cultivators in Tongxian City were mostly , plain and modest.
Mo Hua’s own family had slightly better circumstances before, but that was because Liu Ruhua was thrifty in her housekeeping, and Mo Shan was good at Monster Hunting and robust in health. Their family hadn’t faced great upheaval, so although they were poor, they managed to get by.
But all of this depended on the absence of misfortune.
The family of a Loose Cultivator, once struck by calamity, could quickly fall into disrepair. Making a living could become a problem, not to mention seeking immortality through Tao Cultivation.
Aunt Jiang’s husband was seriously injured while Monster Hunting. With depleted savings and no income, and with a child crying for food at home, tears were her daily company, yet they solved nothing.
Later, after finding work at a food shop and receiving some Spirit Stones, and with her husband’s condition improving, they were able to supplement their household needs, making life a bit better.
The life of a Loose Cultivator was far more fragile than one could imagine, yet despite this, everyone still strove to live on.
Aunt Jiang’s mother-in-law was soothing the child, and upon seeing Mo Hua, she greeted him warmly.
The child too peeked out, his bright eyes curiously studying Mo Hua.
Mo Hua gave him a small, cloth-made Little Tiger, and the child said in a gratifyingly husky voice, “Thank you, Brother~,” then clung to the Little Tiger, shouting excitedly without letting go.
Mo Hua smiled briefly and then went to find Jiang Yun’s husband, Chu Guangshan.
Chu Guangshan was surprised to see Mo Hua, but upon learning Mo Hua had come to him with a request, he was quite happy.
“Go ahead, tell me what you need. If it’s within my power, consider it done!”
“Uncle Chu, I’d like to learn how traps are used,” Mo Hua asked.
The Little Demon Cat that accompanied Mo Hua in practicing the Water Passing Step had been caught by Chu Guangshan using a trap.
Young Monster Beasts weren’t very strong but were highly alert and sensitive, familiar with the environment’s scents, and usually didn’t fall for the traps set by Cultivators.
Chu Guangshan was able to trap Monster Beasts, even catching them alive, which was quite remarkable.
Part of the reason was that Mo Hua had drawn a Wood Binding Formation on the trap, making it harder for the monster to escape.
However, it also indicated that Chu Guangshan had a lot of experience and insight into setting traps.
There were many Monster Hunters, but not everyone had the patience and attention to study traps.
Chu Guangshan hesitated for a moment.
“If it’s inconvenient, then never mind,” Mo Hua quickly added.
The craft I rely on for a living, asking about it is indeed somewhat abrupt.
Chu Guangshan was stunned for a moment, then smiled and said:
“There’s nothing inconvenient about it; I’m happy you asked, but…”
Chu Guangshan paused, then added:
“These are small tricks, you shouldn’t put too much thought into them. You should devote more time to cultivation and learning formations, that’s where the real future lies…”
“As for me, I’m half-crippled, unable to hunt monsters, so I can only focus a bit on these minor skills to earn some money. Otherwise, your Aunt Jiang… would suffer too much…”
Chu Guangshan sighed, his expression self-mocking.
Mo Hua was moved and after thinking for a moment, said: “Understanding the ways of the world is all learning, Tao cultivation is profound and vast, encompassing all things. The Great Dao is a way, and so is the smaller path.”
Chu Guangshan was slightly taken aback, then laughed: “I don’t know where you learned these things, but they make sense. Since you don’t disdain them, I will teach you everything. But I still say, these things are minor skills, not worth putting too much thought into.”
“Mmhmm, don’t worry, I won’t neglect cultivation or formations.”
Only then did Chu Guangshan nod.
“Trapping is actually quite simple, but requires patience and attention to detail.”
“When setting traps, observe the terrain and environment, guess from where the monster beasts might come, and where they will go. Place the traps on their inevitable path…”
“After setting up the trap, you need to remove traces. Grass, trees, and stones should appear the same before and after. You also need to erase scents. If some scents can’t be completely removed, you have to learn to mask them…”
“How do you mask them?” Mo Hua asked.
“Monster beasts are fond of rancid and rotten smells, so you can use monster blood or spoiled meat to mask scents, or you could use Bloody Herbs and other such herbs with a natural stench.”
“I’ll draw a few diagrams for trap making later, it’s quite simple. You can add some formations on your own, the effect should be better.”
“Finally, be careful of monster beasts feigning death. Monster beasts are cunning; occasionally when they fall into a trap, they might play dead. When you get close to check, they might suddenly attack. Nine times out of ten, you won’t be able to guard against it.”
Chu Guangshan explained everything in great detail.
Mo Hua nodded repeatedly as he listened.
When Mo Hua was about to take his leave, Chu Guangshan hesitated, as if there was something he wanted to say but stopped short.
“Uncle Chu, is there something else?”
Chu Guangshan hastily waved his hand, but his expression clearly showed there was something on his mind, yet it was difficult for him to speak.
Mo Hua said softly: “Aunt Jiang has been very kind to me, and you’ve taught me how to use traps, just say whatever it is.”
Chu Guangshan’s face turned bright red, and he hesitated for a long time before he finally said:
“I was thinking, when Zhouer gets a bit older, could you… teach him a bit about formations…”
Zhouer was Chu Guangshan and Jiang Yun’s son, the child Mo Hua had just met.
Injured by monster beasts, Chu Guangshan himself had survived but was left unable to hunt monsters for a lifetime. It was hard enough just to make a living.
He didn’t want his son to follow in his footsteps, living on the edge of danger and in constant fear, where a single misstep could be fatal. Hence, he wished for his son to learn a bit about formations, to secure a livelihood in the future.
To learn formations, one must take a master, something he couldn’t afford with spirit stones.
So he could only turn to Mo Hua, but he couldn’t afford to pay Mo Hua’s fee either. It was with both shame and reluctance that he made his request.
But he had no other options, and despite how difficult it was to ask, he did so for his son’s sake.
Mo Hua was taken aback, and after a moment’s thought.
Chu Guangshan hurriedly said: “Of course, if Zhouer is dull and lacks the talent, then forget it…”
Chu Guangshan said this, but hope and a trace of subservience lingered in his eyes.
Mo Hua felt a pang of sadness…
Pretending not to notice, he simply smiled and said:
“Sure, but Zhouer needs to grow a bit bigger. Even if he’s not very talented, as long as he can master a few formations, he can trade with merchants and earn some spirit stones. In the future, he may not be wealthy, but he should have enough for food and clothing.”
A weight lifted from Chu Guangshan’s heart, and he let out a long sigh of relief.
He looked at Mo Hua, his emotions fluctuating, his eyes brimming with gratitude. The words of thanks felt too feeble on his tongue, and he did not know how to express them properly.
Mo Hua smiled and took his leave.
Chu Guangshan escorted Mo Hua out of the house and to the street. Seeing the sign for “Liu’s Food Shop” up ahead, he finally stopped, but his gaze followed Mo Hua all the way home.