The Beginning of Fate

A few days later, Mo Hua had become fairly proficient in the Meditation Method. After entering meditation, his divine sense recovered more than twice as fast as before. Originally, after drawing one array technique, he needed to rest for half an hour; now, two or three cups of tea's time was enough.

But when he continued to comprehend the Meditation Method, he could barely feel any further improvement.

This was probably what Mr. Zhuang had meant: entering meditation required one's temperament and state of mind. Within a certain period, if there was no major change in one's disposition, the effects of meditation would not improve either. Only through years upon years of persistence would its effects gradually grow.

This was the sort of work that ground water through stone; it could not be rushed in a short time.

Thanks to the Meditation Method, Mo Hua could draw more array techniques each day, and the growth of his divine sense had also quickened somewhat.

For nearly the next month, Mo Hua spent most of his time studying array techniques under Mr. Zhuang.

Sometimes, when Mr. Zhuang became indolent, he would give Mo Hua a few days off.

Mo Hua found time to visit Fate Pavilion and spoke with Manager Mo, telling him that he would be studying array techniques with his teacher and would no longer have time to draw array techniques for Fate Pavilion.

Manager Mo was not surprised. He merely glanced at Mo Hua. "Weren't those array techniques drawn by your elder brother?"

Mo Hua scratched his head and gave a sheepish chuckle.

Manager Mo sighed and looked at Mo Hua.

"I've lived this long, yet I've never seen a child as gifted as you. No matter what, study hard."

"Got it, Manager Mo!"

Manager Mo paused. He seemed a little embarrassed, but still lowered his voice and said:

"Later, if by any chance—cough, cough... I mean, if by any chance I have something to ask of you, and it's convenient for you, you'll have to help me out..."

"Rest assured, Manager. With the friendship between us, anything can be discussed." Mo Hua patted his chest.

Manager Mo laughed despite himself. Though he said, "You certainly talk big," he was clearly much happier.

After thinking for a moment, Mo Hua asked again, "Where did Instructor Yan go? Do you know, Manager Mo?"

Manager Mo fell silent, then sighed. "That is his private matter, and it concerns the sect. It wouldn't be convenient for me to tell you. When you grow up, if you still want to know, I'll tell you then."

Mo Hua nodded silently.

After Da Hu and the other two withdrew from the sect school, they had much more free time as well.

Whenever they had nothing to do, they came to play with Mo Hua. Occasionally, when the eatery was too busy, they would help out too. Then they would eat a steaming bowl of beef noodles, and Liu Ruhua would have them take some other food home as well.

Whenever Mo Shan happened to be home, he would give them pointers on martial Dao Methods.

Cultivators' Dao Methods were broadly divided into two categories: spells and martial arts.

Spirit Cultivators practiced spells, while Body Cultivators practiced martial arts.

Martial Dao Methods used Lingli to awaken the body's potential, allowing it to erupt with powerful force while carrying the properties of Lingli itself, fighting enemies at close quarters.

For instance, Mo Shan excelled at the Blazing Flame Fist. When he struck, his fists flew with savage force, crimson fire-aspect Lingli winding around them, their power quite formidable.

Da Hu and the other two trained their bodies under Mo Shan, their fists whistling through the air like tigers riding the wind. Mo Hua watched with endless envy.

Unfortunately, Mo Hua had no talent for body refinement. He could not learn any of those martial Dao Methods. Even if he wanted to learn some offensive Dao Methods in the future, he would likely follow the path of a Spirit Cultivator and learn spells.

Spells used divine sense to control Lingli and condense it into techniques for long-range attacks, without the need to close in.

Da Hu and the other two studied with great seriousness. They were all nearing Sixth-Layer Qi Refining, and upon reaching Sixth-Layer Qi Refining, they would have to enter Great Black Mountain and become Monster Hunters.

Great Black Mountain was perilous, and its demon beasts were brutal. If their skills were lacking, entering the mountains to hunt demons could mean nine deaths and one life. Thus, they did not dare slack off in the slightest.

The eatery's business also grew better by the day. After being open for a long time, it had built a reputation. Even some well-off cultivators from North Street would deliberately travel from north to south, crossing all of Immortal City, just to eat a plate of beef and drink a pot of fermented rice wine.

In all of Immortal City, this was the only place where two Spirit Stones could buy meat.

And throughout the entire Great Black Mountain Province, this was the only eatery where one could taste such delicious demon-beast beef.

As the eatery's business flourished, Liu Ruhua could no longer manage alone, so she hired two aunties to help. Both came from poor families, and their husbands had been crippled while hunting demons, unable to earn a living.

Low-level cultivators were all diligent workers. The two aunties and Jiang Yun kept the eatery in immaculate order.

Jiang Yun worked diligently at the eatery. Her life gradually became more comfortable, and her husband's health steadily improved until he could already do some simple manual labor. She was no longer as shy and reserved as before.

To thank Mo Shan and his wife, Jiang Yun spent time making all kinds of pastries as gifts. She had heard that she had learned them all from her mother.

When Jiang Yun was young, her family had once run a pastry shop. Later, calamities struck one after another, and they lost their property, so the shop could no longer stay open. Still, the craft had been passed down.

The ingredients Jiang Yun used for her pastries were all simple, but they tasted delicious. Liu Ruhua had her make more to sell at the eatery, so she could earn extra Spirit Stones to support her household.

During her free time, Liu Ruhua also learned to make pastries from her. Some of the pastries Mo Hua brought to Old Kui had been learned by Liu Ruhua from Jiang Yun.

Besides that, Jiang Yun could also roast Pine Nuts.

There were all kinds of pine trees in Immortal City's Outer Mountain, and pine nuts were plentiful. But they could not fill one's stomach, so nobody wanted them.

When Jiang Yun occasionally went up the mountain to gather wild vegetables, she would bring back some pine nuts and roast them in a pan. The roasted pine nuts came out fragrant and crisp. Set out in the eatery, customers either ate them while drinking or had them with tea; both were excellent.

Yet the one who loved pine nuts most was unexpectedly Old Kui.

Once, Mo Hua brought Old Kui some pastries, and also handed him a fistful of pine nuts.

Old Kui cracked pine nuts as he played Five Elements Chess with Mo Hua. Listening to the crisp crack of the shells and smelling their distinctive fragrance, Old Kui appeared very relaxed.

Before long, the game was unfinished, but Old Kui's pine nuts were gone.

Old Kui's already unimpressive chess skills clearly declined even further. Though his face remained expressionless, Mo Hua could still sense a trace of disappointment in it.

As Mo Hua was leaving, he said to Old Kui, "Grandpa Kui, next time I come, I'll bring you more pine nuts."

Old Kui nodded.

When Mo Hua left, Old Kui, who had always been sparing with words, even reminded him, "Be careful on the road."

It was hard to say whether he was concerned for Mo Hua or for the pine nuts.

After that, Mo Hua's life gradually settled into a steady rhythm.

Amid the myriad lights of Immortal City's households, there were joys and sorrows, meetings and partings, bitterness, sweetness, hardship, and spice. The cultivators all struggled to live on. Mo Hua was also one tiny light among those myriad household lamps, striving to cultivate and draw array techniques.

More than a month passed like this.

As always, Mo Hua studied array techniques with Mr. Zhuang, researching array diagrams each day, practicing array drawing, and meditating to restore his divine sense. His days were tranquil as a still pool, without a single ripple.

Yet the foundation of Mo Hua's divine sense and array techniques steadily grew firmer, and his understanding of array principles deepened. For array techniques with six Array Patterns or fewer, he could generally master them after looking them over a few times and practicing them a few times more.

One morning, the sunlight was bright and the mountain wind crisp.

As usual, Mo Hua went to Mr. Zhuang's place to seek instruction in array techniques, only to find several unfamiliar cultivators standing before the door.