Chapter 50: Siblings_1
Translator: 549690339
After that, the three of them would visit Mr. Zhuang every morning, paying their respects from a distance outside his door, and waiting for the time it took to finish half a cup of tea. If the door still remained tightly closed, they would then head down the mountain.
Mo Hua actually wanted to tell them, Mr. Zhuang liked to sleep in until the afternoon. You’re visiting at the wrong time.
However, upon further thought, it seemed that at least for the time being, Mr. Zhuang wasn’t too keen on seeing them.
They could come early and not see Mr. Zhuang, come late and still not see him. Since they were destined not to meet regardless, the timing of their visits hardly mattered.
Their morning trips up the mountain allowed them to witness the mountain hues drenched in the glow of dawn, so it wasn’t a complete loss.
Mo Hua would occasionally bump into them on his way up the mountain. If he had time, he would greet them and engage in casual conversation.
Although the two were descendants of noble families and looked somewhat haughty, they were quite easy to talk to.
In his idle chats with them, Mo Hua learned that their surname was Bai. They were both older than Mo Hua, the handsome boy named Bai Zisheng and the girl, delicate as a porcelain doll, named Bai Zixi.
The two were siblings who had come from afar, ordered by the elders of their family, to pay respects to Mr. Zhuang and learn about formations.
Bai Zisheng was talkative, Bai Zixi less so.
The siblings bore some resemblance to each other, but Bai Zixi was clearly more beautiful.
And her beauty was almost… excessive…
From a distance, Mo Hua thought she was merely dainty and exquisite, but up close, one would find her porcelain features breathtakingly beautiful and flawless, despite her young age.
Could this really be the face of a human… Mo Hua was astounded.
Common sayings told of Nuwa molding humans from clay. Clearly, some were made from earth, but others, like Bai Zixi before him, obviously were not.
When Nuwa created her, she probably used the splendor of the moon and snow, crafting bones of jade and a complexion of ice.
Mo Hua stole another glance at Bai Zixi and thought silently to himself,
“They say a beauty can be a source of trouble. Mother Nuwa wasn’t creating a person; she was creating calamity…”
The woman with a veil covering her face, following the Bai siblings, was called Aunt Xue, likely dispatched by the family to protect them on their journey.
Mo Hua was unsure of Aunt Xue’s realm but certain her cultivation was not low, as she exuded a subtle oppressive aura he had never felt from other cultivators.
The highest realm cultivator Mo Hua had seen before was the old Sect Leader of Tongxian Gate, who was at the Qi Foundation Middle Stage. However, due to the Sect Leader’s amiable nature and diminished spiritual power with age, the oppressive feeling wasn’t as strong as that from Aunt Xue.
“At least it should be the cultivation of the Foundation Establishment Stage…”
Mo Hua speculated silently.
Having a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator as a bodyguard indicated the siblings’ extraordinary status. The Bai family was probably a distinguished Great Clan outside Li State. As for the specifics of such a Great Clan, Mo Hua very tactfully did not inquire.
Aristocratic families and clans were far removed from him.
For a loose cultivator, breaking through to become a Foundation Building Cultivator was exceptionally difficult. And a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Stage could claim a rather distinguished status in the modest Tongxian City.
In his lifetime, his cultivation might not even surpass that of someone else’s bodyguard.
Mo Hua remembered his initial resolve, focused on studying formations, aspiring to become a top-tier Formation Master, so that he could establish a foothold in the Tao Cultivation World one day.
Mr. Zhuang didn’t comment on the siblings’ daily morning visits, seemingly accepting this matter by default, yet he still showed no intention of meeting them.
Nevertheless, it appeared Mr. Zhuang had also relaxed, and his daily routines normalized.
He still rose in the afternoon, then sat in the courtyard with beef to accompany his wine, or pastries with his tea, staring into the mountainous vista, lost in contemplation.
Mo Hua continued to learn Formation Art, Drawing Formation, meditation, then Drawing Formation again, and whenever he had doubts, he would consult Mr. Zhuang.
One day, Mr. Zhuang suddenly asked Mo Hua to draw a Formation Diagram named “Three Talents Formation.”
This Formation consisted of six Formation Patterns. With Mo Hua’s current Divine Sense, it was impossible to complete, and its structure seemed very peculiar as well, different from the Five Elements Formation he had encountered before.
Mr. Zhuang only gave Mo Hua one day’s time. The next day, he wanted to see how much of the Formation Mo Hua could draw, regardless of how much that was.
Dedicated, Mo Hua spent the whole day studying the Formation Diagram of the “Three Talents Formation” and tried his hand at drawing it several times. In the evening, he went back and practiced on the remnant stele in his Sea of Consciousness all night.
The next day, in front of Mr. Zhuang, he managed to draw the Formation in a disjointed and forced manner. However, due to insufficient Divine Sense, some of the Formation Patterns he drew were ineffectual.
Mr. Zhuang didn’t say much. Seeing Mo Hua’s fatigued expression and somewhat pale complexion, he knew that this was the result of overusing Divine Sense. He therefore lit a stick of incense. The pale smoke curled up, carrying a crisp fragrance that was refreshing to the senses.
Mr. Zhuang said, “This is Calming Incense. It nourishes Divine Sense. Meditate here until the incense burns out, then go back and rest early. Don’t draw any more Formations today.”
“Thank you, Gentleman.”
After expressing his gratitude, Mo Hua sat down to meditate and indeed found his Divine Sense recovering more quickly. After about the time it takes to drink two cups of tea, the Calming Incense burned out, and Mo Hua respectfully took his leave.
After Mo Hua left, Mr. Zhuang looked at the “Three Talents Formation” that Mo Hua had drawn, frowning in contemplation and saying nothing for a long time.
Old Kui entered the room and, noticing this, asked, “Was the drawing not good?”
Mr. Zhuang shook his head. “It’s not about being good or bad… with insufficient Divine Sense and limited time, this Formation could not possibly be drawn well. There will inevitably be errors, but…”
Mr. Zhuang furrowed his brow, “This child Mo Hua, he learns too quickly.”
“What’s wrong with learning quickly?”
“Not just quickly, but too quickly…”
Mr. Zhuang unfolded the “Three Talents Formation” and said:
“This ‘Three Talents Formation’ uses a completely different Formation Pivot from the Five Elements Formation, and the Formation Patterns are dissimilar. I only gave him the Formation Diagram yesterday, and he’s learned it almost entirely within one day. If it weren’t for his lacking Divine Sense, he might actually have managed to draw out this Formation by stumbling through it…”
Mr. Zhuang’s gaze sharpened, “The strangest thing is, with one day’s time and Mo Hua’s Divine Sense, he could at most practice it three or four times. But looking at the “Three Talents Formation” he drew, the execution is quite skilled, indicating he’s practiced it around ten times.”
Old Kui’s expression remained unchanged, but his tone dipped, “Are you suggesting… that this child Mo Hua is hiding something from you?”
Mr. Zhuang shook his head, “I’ve never asked him, so there’s no question of hiding or not. However, it seems that this child must have some other fortuitous opportunity.”
Old Kui rolled his eyes slightly, “Who among those in Tao Cultivation doesn’t have their own opportunities? Haven’t you had your share as well? In this world, all sentient beings fortunate enough to be born are already taking part in a great opportunity.”
At these words, Mr. Zhuang fell into thought.
Old Kui said, “If you really care, just ask him.”
Mr. Zhuang started, “Ask him?”
Old Kui spoke impatiently, “People like you claim to have clear minds, but in reality, you’re just overthinkers. You always assume others are like you, hiding and hoarding secrets. I’ve observed this Mo Hua kid, and he seems fine. Unlike you, full of scheming, dealing with things in such a twisted way.”
Mr. Zhuang, lying back in his chair, spoke calmly, “If I truly were such a schemer, then I wouldn’t have ended up in my current predicament.”
“Birds of a feather flock together, people are sorted by group. You think you’re clever, preferring to deal with cunning people; but your heart isn’t as filthy as theirs, and so you naturally end up being outmaneuvered. This reaping what you sow is of your own making, you can’t blame others.”
Mr. Zhuang smiled bitterly, “That’s right, which is why now I can only keep company with someone like you, who is devoid of heart, to have a bit of peace.”
Old Kui’s face remained expressionless, and he said no more.