Chapter 206: Speculation (5th Update)_1
The Formation on the Alchemy Furnace was complete, and Mo Hua finally breathed a sigh of relief.
He had finished all the Formations that needed to be drawn. From now on, he wouldn’t have to worry about anything.
Master Chen was in charge of the Refinery Shop, Old Mr. Feng managed the Alchemist’s Business, and the final completion of the work was overseen by Master Ban. The overall situation was Elder Yu’s concern.
The only minor places where a Formation might be needed, Mo Hua could easily touch up on his own.
What was left for him was to wait for his share of Spirit Stones.
Elder Yu said that once the Refinery Shop and Alchemist’s Business began making a profit, all Cultivators who had contributed effort, be they Monster Hunters, Artifact Refiners, Alchemists, or even Loose Cultivators, would get quite a few Spirit Stones.
Since Mo Hua had taken on all the Formation work, Elder Yu said he would receive the most Spirit Stones.
As for the exact amount, Mo Hua didn’t bother to ask. He had enough Spirit Stones for now. All he needed to do was focus on Formation.
Mo Hua took a moment to reflect: he had drawn a vast number of Formations this time.
The Architectural Formation Maps for the Refinery Shop and Alchemist’s Business included a broad range, mainly focused on Earth and Wood, supplemented by Gold, Water, and Fire, involving the application of various Five Elements Formations.
Mo Hua planned and supervised the drawing of the Formation Maps, then went through them again from start to finish, reinforcing his foundation in Formation.
The Formations used on the Artifact Furnace and Alchemy Furnace were first-grade Compound Formations, which were very challenging, but Mo Hua managed to complete them after much fuss and correction.
His Divine Sense had strengthened some; his understanding of Formations had deepened. He had also gained a fundamental grasp of the principles and applications of Compound Formations.
Thanks to his understanding of the Formation Pivot in Compound Formations, he could now draw ordinary Formations in one go by relying on his mastery of the Formation Pivot structure, which greatly increased his speed, though it did use a bit more Divine Sense.
But for someone like Mo Hua, the consumption of Divine Sense at this level was not really a problem.
All in all, these days had been tiring, but enriching as well.
Mo Hua felt that he gained a lot.
The thousand-plus bottles of Monster Blood he had amassed had also been consumed by a large margin. Now, he could finally take a little rest.
Mo Hua touched his own small face, feeling that he had gotten somewhat gaunt from working on Formations every day. When he got back, he would have to ask his mother to make some delicious food to treat himself.
As Mo Hua pondered this, he cheerfully made his way home.
In the Qian Family’s grand hall.
A dark carpet with cauldron patterns spread across the floor, a screen depicting serene landscapes, desks lacquered in deep red, an incense burner fashioned with auspicious mythical beasts, and spiraling incense smoke—all exuding opulence.
Qian Hong sat before the hall, with Master Qian seated beside him.
The two of them were drinking tea amidst the thick fragrance of the incense.
But even with the soothing fragrance that had been burning for a while, both of them were far from calm.
Qian Shunzhi entered the room, bowed respectfully, and reported,
“Reporting to the Family Head, no other Formation Master’s clues have been found among the Monster Hunters. We have only heard of a child within the Monster Hunters who is skilled in Formation, whom people call ‘Junior Formation Master.’”
“Junior Formation Master?” Master Qian frowned. “How old?”
“Not very old, appears to be only about ten years old, with the surname Mo. As for the specific name, what he looks like, where he lives… the Monster Hunters are tight-lipped, and we have been unable to find out.”
Qian Hong’s expression turned displeased.
Qian Shunzhi bowed his head, not daring to breathe too heavily.
Master Qian pondered for a moment before speaking, “It’s definitely not this child, but there must be some connection to him.”
Qian Hong considered and said, “You mean, the Formation Master who is opposing us might be this child’s master, or perhaps they share some master-apprentice relationship…”
“Exactly.” Master Qian nodded. “Formations cannot be mastered without a teacher. Being so young yet able to distinguish himself in Formation, being called ‘Junior Formation Master,’ he must have a highly skilled gentleman or an actual master who has taught him personally.”
Qian Hong instructed Qian Shunzhi, “Continue the investigation.”
Qian Shunzhi stammered, “But… how should we continue our inquiry…”
He had checked everything he could and asked all the questions he could.
Previously, he had sent Qian Family descendants disguised as traveling merchants, who chatted over drinks with Monster Hunters at a bustling eatery, and from there, they gathered bits and pieces of information.
But within two days, the Monster Hunters had found them out.
When they tried to inquire further, as soon as the word “Formation Master” was mentioned, the Monster Hunters grew conspicuously more guarded, and the Loose Cultivators all kept tight-lipped.
If they asked too many questions, they would be faced with unfriendly Monster Hunters who would turn the tables and begin interrogating them.
If their responses were unconvincing, they would likely end up taking a beating.
Qian Hong frowned and said, “Then we won’t ask about the Formation Master. We can ask if there’s been any unfamiliar Cultivator or unpredictable expert around. With roundabout probing, we should be able to find some leads.”
Qian Shunzhi received the order and was about to leave when Master Qian called him back.
“There’s one more thing,” Master Qian instructed, “that Junior Formation Master, whatever Formations he’s painted, find a way to get some and let me take a close look.”
“Yes,” Qian Shunzhi said respectfully.
The Southern City Refinery Shop was completed, and the Alchemist’s Business was also nearing completion.
The Qian Family felt the pressure doubling, and the An Family was equally anxious.
Old Master An had gone to the private room of a teahouse just outside the southern city, where he and the Family Head An Yonglu were scrutinizing the Refinery Shop in the distance.
What was once a field of ruins, chaotic and desolate, now proudly stood a vast Refinery Shop.
Adjacent to it, an Alchemist’s Business of similar scale was on the verge of completion.
Old Master An was filled with emotion, “Elder Yu really did build it after all!”
An Yonglu was somewhat worried, “Going on , I’m afraid we’ll have even less standing than before.”
“Artifact Refining and Alchemy, I estimate for the next hundred years, our An Family won’t be able to achieve much. We won’t only miss out on the meat, we might not even get to sip the soup at the edges,” Old Master An said, feeling disheartened.
The Qian Family had already been a heavy burden, and now with two more substantial-scale Refinery Shop and Alchemist’s Business set up in Southern City, the An Family could forget about any prospects.
“It’s just as well,” An Yonglu somewhat relieved, “since we can’t compete anyway, we might as well focus on running the Spiritual Meal Building’s business.”
Old Master An, frustrated by his son’s lack of ambition, looked at him, “Can you really be content running a Food Building for a lifetime, at the mercy of others, with no prospects at all?”
“At least it’s enough to scrape by…” An Yonglu muttered under his breath.
His demeanor almost screamed ‘no ambition.’
Old Master An felt weary.
His son seemed decent enough on the surface and had the air of a Householder, yet faced with problems, he only thought about getting by without a trace of ambition.
No wonder his pupil Xiaofu didn’t have any lofty aspirations either.
Old Master An couldn’t be bothered to lecture him any longer.
An Yonglu himself just quietly continued to sip his tea, but he suddenly caught a glimpse of the Refinery Shop’s outer wall and exclaimed,
“Father, the Formation used on this outer wall seems incredibly sophisticated…”
Old Master An glanced at him, “Can you make out what Formation it is?”
“I can’t tell,” An Yonglu shook his head, “but it feels extraordinary, at least much better than the Formations used in our An Family estate.”
“Where do you think Elder Yu found that Formation Master?” An Yonglu asked curiously.
Old Master An didn’t speak, his heart skipping a beat. He had a hunch, but still dared not believe it.
Seeing his father’s reaction, An Yonglu asked, “Father, do you know something?”
Old Master An, with furrowed brows, was silent for a while before he slowly said, “Do you remember the kid who saw through our family’s Formation…”
An Yonglu was stunned for a long time before his mouth fell open in disbelief, “No way…”