Ji Qingbai

Mo Shan had no idea why Ji Sihai had suddenly asked that. He nodded. "What you said is right, Brother Ji. Hua'er is cultivating at the Immortal Gate. He's now at the second level of Qi Refining."

Ji Qingbai found it somewhat unbelievable. "At the second level of Qi Refining, he can already draw Array Techniques?"

Mo Shan said, "Probably not. He's only learned a few superficial bits in the sect, merely copying the gourd as he draws a ladle—just making a few strokes by imitation."

"Brother Mo, you're too modest. Even that is already remarkable. Those few strokes just now had shape and style to them. It shows that child Mo Hua has talent."

Mo Shan smiled. "If that's truly the case, then I'll borrow your auspicious words, Brother."

Ji Qingbai sighed. "Among the younger generation of us Monster Hunters, let alone Array Masters, there are barely any who even have a rough grasp of Array Techniques and can draw a few Array Patterns. Before the new year, I went to ask an Array Master to help draw some Array Techniques. I swallowed a bellyful of humiliation and still had to smile apologetically, terrified of offending him."

The more Ji Qingbai thought about it, the angrier he became. "It was nothing more than a small Array Technique, yet he opened his mouth like a lion and demanded two hundred Spirit Stones. He even wanted one of my nieces to dine with him and toast him. If we'd been in Great Black Mountain, I'd have dearly loved to split him in two with one slash!"

Mo Shan's expression darkened as well. "How could he be so unreasonably overbearing?"

"Exactly! But what could I do?" Ji Qingbai sighed. "We don't know Array Techniques, and the younger generation doesn't study them either. Whenever something comes up, we can only swallow our pride and beg the Array Masters of those families. They hold their heads high in arrogance, while we still have to smile and placate them."

"Brother Mo." Ji Qingbai looked at Mo Shan solemnly. "If that child Mo Hua truly wishes to study Array Techniques, you must let him keep studying. If you run into any difficulties, come find me. So long as it's within my power, I absolutely won't refuse!"

"Brother Ji, you're overstating it! If Mo Hua truly wants to learn, I'll certainly let him continue." Mo Shan's expression was grave.

Ji Qingbai nodded.

The two talked for a while longer, discussing some matters concerning monster hunting, before Ji Qingbai took his leave.

Mo Shan saw Ji Qingbai and his son out the door.

After leaving, Ji Qingbai took his son to stay at an elder's home on the western side of South Street.

Along the way, Ji Qingbai instructed his son, Ji Li:

"Monster hunting has been getting harder and harder over in Qingxuan City. That's why I came to find your Uncle Mo this time, so we could take a look at the Inner Mountain of Great Black Mountain together. You have good talent and are already at the seventh level of Qi Refining, so come along and broaden your horizons. But leave monster hunting to me, your Uncle Mo, and the others. Unless it's absolutely necessary, don't interfere lightly."

Ji Li said, "Father, I understand."

"I know you understand, but you're still young, and you don't understand enough yet. Demonic beasts are most vicious and cunning. Your cultivation is the lowest. It's fine if you don't act, but once you do, if they spot a flaw, you'll suffer a loss beyond measure."

Ji Li nodded, then asked curiously, "Father, is Uncle Mo's cultivation powerful?"

"Of course. Your Uncle Mo is the most gifted Monster Hunter I've seen in all my years. He has great talent, quick reflexes, and abundant experience hunting monsters. It's just a pity. Rogue Cultivators like us settle down, build families, and have children. The Spirit Stones we save all go toward our children's cultivation, leaving little for our own..."

Ji Qingbai sighed, then continued, "Otherwise, with his aptitude, if he kept cultivating, he might even have become a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator."

Ji Li fell silent for a moment. His father's cultivation could have continued improving as well, but the Spirit Stones he earned later had all gone toward Ji Li's cultivation.

At the mention of Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators, Ji Li asked softly, "Elder Zheng's health..."

"He's nearly gone," Ji Qingbai said, looking despondent. "Uncle Zheng is the only Foundation Establishment Elder of Qingxuan City's Monster Hunting Guild. If the old man is no longer with us, Rogue Cultivators at the Qi Refining stage like us will probably be bullied by those few families again. Life will only get harder and harder from then on..."

"Does Immortal City have a Foundation Establishment Elder?"

"Yes. His surname is Yu. His temper isn't very good, but he protects his own. Immortal City's Monster Hunting Guild relies entirely on him to hold up its banner, so those few families don't dare go too far. If things truly don't work out in the future, come to Immortal City, find a Dao companion, and settle down here. That would put my mind more at ease."

Ji Li was young, and his face reddened a little. "Father, it's still too early to talk about that."

Ji Qingbai smiled. "It's not early. These things need to be planned for ahead of time."

Wanting to change the subject, Ji Li asked, "That little brother from Uncle Mo's family, Mo Hua—can he really become an Array Master?"

"I don't know." Ji Qingbai frowned. "It's not easy to become an Array Master. First, you go from apprentice to an ungraded Array Master, and only then can you be assessed and become a First-Grade Array Master."

"To begin with, becoming an apprentice isn't easy. Rogue Cultivators like us have no inheritance. To study Array Techniques, you have to find a dedicated Array Master to take as your teacher," Ji Qingbai said.

"Doesn't the sect teach Array Techniques too?" Ji Li asked.

"It's worlds apart," Ji Qingbai said. "What the sect teaches is only the surface. It's meant to let you know that Array Techniques exist, not to make you into an Array Master."

Ji Li clicked his tongue. When he had studied Array Techniques in the sect, he'd found them difficult enough to kill him. Yet that had only been the surface.

"Finding an Array Master as your teacher—how could that be easy? Which of those Array Masters isn't lofty and arrogant, with thresholds higher than the heavens? Begging them to accept an apprentice, even giving away your entire family fortune wouldn't be enough."

The moment Ji Qingbai mentioned it, he grew angry. "Array Techniques are so difficult. Without an inheritance and without a teacher to instruct you, how could anyone possibly learn them?"

Ji Qingbai could not help shaking his head.

Ji Li asked, "Then once you become an apprentice, can you become an Array Master?"

"An apprentice is only the beginning. You still have to endure for many years, learning without pause and practicing without pause, before you can slowly raise your skill. Only then can you become an Array Master—and even then, only an ungraded one. You have to endure longer and learn more. Only after gaining a little reputation will you be qualified to undergo assessment. The Dao Court personally conducts the assessment, and that's another enormous hurdle... Some Array Masters can keep trying for assessment until the day they die."

Ji Li's scalp had already gone numb from listening. He could not help asking, "Then can little brother Mo really become an Array Master?"

"I hope so." Ji Qingbai sighed. "Even if it's only my foolish wishful thinking, at least it gives me something to hope for."

Mo Hua went back and continued drawing Bright Fire Formations. A few days later, he had finished drawing all of them. This time, he was much more practiced: nine out of ten were successful, earning him eight Spirit Stones.

On the last day before the new year, Mo Hua went to Fate Pavilion again and exchanged the Array Techniques for Spirit Stones with Fat Manager.

Fat Manager was quite satisfied after inspecting the Array Techniques Mo Hua had delivered.

"Now that's more like it! Since you've taken a teacher and become an apprentice, this is the standard you should be drawing at!"

When settling the payment, Fat Manager gave Mo Hua ten Spirit Stones. Two of them were a gift. "These are a New Year's gift. It may not be much, but it adds a bit of festive cheer!"

It was not much to Fat Manager, but it was quite a lot to Mo Hua.

Mo Hua was delighted and chose a number of auspicious phrases to say, such as, "May Manager's business grow bigger and stronger, and may you create new glories!"

Fat Manager was so pleased that he nodded again and again.

The next day was New Year's Eve, and Mo Hua's family of three celebrated the New Year amid lively warmth.

The customs of celebrating the New Year in the cultivation world were much like those in Mo Hua's memories of his other life, yet somewhat different as well.

For instance, although they also put up Spring Festival couplets, the characters on them glowed, the cloud patterns on the character for fortune drifted, and the qilin and other auspicious beasts in the New Year paintings would widen their eyes and stare at you. Sometimes, they would even snort at you in disdain. It was exceedingly novel.

The New Year's Eve dinner was also the most lavish meal of the year. There would be a little meat, and delicacies one could not normally eat could be enjoyed to one's heart's content.

Mo Hua had a very happy New Year. After playing with his little companions for several days after the holiday, he resumed drawing Array Techniques for Fate Pavilion.

With tireless effort day and night, Mo Hua could draw the Array Diagram of the Bright Fire Formation even with his eyes closed. It took only three days to draw ten Array Diagrams, and his success rate remained above ninety percent.

By the fifteenth day of the first lunar month—one day before Immortal Gate began admissions—Mo Hua had already earned nearly fifty Spirit Stones.

After dinner, Mo Hua packed his luggage in his room for entering the sect tomorrow to cultivate, while Mo Shan and Liu Ruhua discussed the matter of his tuition.