Chapter 211: Meeting

Talismans?

Mo Hua glanced at them and saw three talismans in his hand, all made of jade; two had red patterns inscribed with "Flame Talisman," and one had golden patterns inscribed with "Golden Sword Talisman."

"Are these talismans very expensive?" Mo Hua asked.

Old Zhao nodded. "They're quite expensive, and hard to buy. These talismans should have the power of a Cultivation Stage Nine spell—high destructive potential—and are regulated by the Dao Ting Si. You can't get them through normal channels."

"Then they're too valuable—I can't accept them."

"Take them. Keep them for self-defense—it'll put our minds at ease." Old Zhao wouldn't let Mo Hua refuse, patting his shoulder. "Alright, head home early. I'll go beat up these scoundrels first."

"Yes, yes, Uncle Zhao, you've worked hard."

Mo Hua no longer refused, took the talismans, and walked home.

Behind him, the Qian family cultivators groaned in pain—he paid no mind.

They brought it on themselves. They deserved it.

After returning home, Mo Hua studied the three talismans briefly.

He knew the basic usage of talismans, but because he was poor, he could never afford them, so he'd never used one.

Using a talisman was simple: just channel spiritual energy into it, activate it, and it would automatically trigger, forming a spell.

Most talismans could only be used once, but their power was immense.

The restrictions on using talismans were minimal—anyone within the same realm, regardless of spiritual root affinity, cultivation technique, or amount of spiritual energy, could activate them.

Because restrictions were few and power was great, the Dao Ting Si regulated high-damage talismans.

If unregulated, cultivators could abuse talismans; if stockpiled in large numbers, they would pose a grave threat to the entire cultivation world's security.

Thus, ordinary cultivators found it very difficult to obtain high-quality talismans.

He wondered where the Qian family had gotten these talismans—they really were willing to spend big.

Mo Hua silently thought, then felt puzzled:

I haven't done much—just drawn a few arrays. Why do they hate me so much?

They don't go after Elder Yu, who's Foundation Establishment, but come after me—isn't that bullying the weak and fearing the strong…?

Qian Shunzhi and the others, beaten black and blue, were dumped at the Dao Ting Si.

Qian Hong spent some spiritual stones to bribe officials and get them released.

This time, Elder Yu didn't extort them because he wanted to expose the Qian family's scheming to the Dao Ting Si—to make the Dao Ting Si aware of their treacherous intentions, and to make Qian Hong cautious, lest he cross the Dao Ting Si's bottom line.

Covert struggle was fine, but open conflict was not.

In Xiancheng, law and order must be upheld.

The "law" meant the Dao's statutes; the "order" meant the Dao Ting Si's regulations.

Afterward, Qian Hong wouldn't give up—he bribed or hired outside cultivators to strike again secretly.

But Elder Yu protected Mo Hua very well.

Any such cultivators who appeared in Chengnan were quickly detected; the moment they tried to act, they were swiftly subdued.

Then, just as before, they were beaten severely and dumped at the Dao Ting Si.

The more Qian Hong wanted to kill Mo Hua, the more methods Elder Yu had to protect him.

He didn't even want a single hair of Mo Hua's to fall out.

Qian Hong, helpless, planned repeatedly—all to no avail.

Hunter-killers, who hunted demons on Great Heishan year-round, were more alert than ordinary cultivators, more sensitive to killing intent, and coordinated better with each other; when they fought, they struck faster and hit harder.

Especially on their own turf—if hunters were vigilant, even a foreign fly could be spotted, let alone a Cultivation Stage Nine human.

"What if we get a Foundation Establishment cultivator to act?"

Qian Hong frowned.

One definitely wouldn't do—need at least two.

One to hold off Yu Changlin, the other to strike secretly, break through the hunters' blockade, and kill that little array master.

But the key question was—who in the Qian family would risk it?

Everyone schemed against each other, chasing their own interests, and as patriarch, he himself didn't want to get his hands dirty.

Violating Dao law—murdering a cultivator.

This crime could be minor or major—if no one pursued it, it could be treated as if nothing happened.

But if someone did pursue it, things would get ugly—strictly enforced under Dao law, it could lead to execution…

Qian Hong sighed.

For now, hiring Cultivation Stage cultivators was still better.

Success meant a permanent solution; failure meant only losing some spiritual stones.

If all else failed, then a Foundation Establishment cultivator would have to act.

After all, from a long-term view, the threat of a genius array master was not to be underestimated.

The Qian family had learned Mo Hua was the little array master—and so had Master Luo.

He had merely suspected before, but now that he knew, his feelings grew more complicated.

How could it be such a coincidence?

Then he wondered: could a ten-year-old First-Rank array master really possess such extraordinary talent?

Master Luo wanted to see for himself.

He sought out Mr. Feng.

Mr. Feng had practiced alchemy and saved lives in Xiancheng for over a hundred years—he had dealt with nearly every cultivator, from hermits to clan members, rich or poor, high or low; Master Luo was no exception.

Master Luo's grandson had once been gravely ill, and it was Mr. Feng who cured him.

And the recovery array inside Mr. Feng's alchemy furnace had been drawn by Master Luo himself, as repayment for that debt of gratitude.

It's just that although that array was exquisite, it wasn't quite first-grade.

Mr. Feng was in the Alchemist Hall discussing pill formulas with other alchemists when he heard that Grand Master Luo had come to visit.

Mr. Feng deliberated for a moment, then had someone invite Grand Master Luo to the guest hall and serve him tea.

The Alchemist Hall's guest hall was used specifically for receiving guests. From the main gate to the guest hall, high walls ran along the way, blocking any view of what was inside the Alchemist Hall.

Some formations were painted on the walls that could blur the perception of divine sense. Though they couldn't completely block it, unless one's divine sense was extremely powerful, nothing of importance could be probed.

Grand Master Luo walked the whole way, looked the whole way, and sighed in his heart:

"This is indeed the handiwork of a first-grade array master."

Once in the guest hall, the two met, exchanged a few pleasantries, and Mr. Feng asked:

"Grand Master Luo, what brings you here?"

Grand Master Luo hesitated for a long time, then said, "I wish to meet that 'little array master.'"

"Mo Hua?"

Grand Master Luo nodded. "That is the name."

Mr. Feng frowned. "Just to meet him?"

"I won't hide it from you, Mr. Feng — I have studied arrays for many years and have never seen an array master with such extraordinary talent. I am both astonished and curious, and so I wish to meet him," Grand Master Luo said.

"Nothing to do with the Qian family?"

"Nothing to do with the Qian family!"

Mr. Feng deliberated in silence.

Grand Master Luo said earnestly, "I hope you will introduce us, Mr. Feng."

Mr. Feng hesitated for a moment, then said, "Very well. When Mo Hua comes to the Alchemist Hall later, you may meet him. Please wait a little, Grand Master Luo."

Grand Master Luo was overjoyed and said, "Many thanks, Mr. Feng."

The two then sat in the guest hall, sipping tea and chatting — idle talk, old stories.

After two cups of tea, Grand Master Luo grew slightly anxious, when he heard the sound of light footsteps. He looked up and saw a child in plain clothes with a cute appearance walk in through the door.

On a Bai Xi little face, the brows and eyes were lively, the pupils bright as starlight.

Grand Master Luo's eyes widened slightly, and he was secretly startled.

A faint glow shone above the spirit court, indicating a full sea of consciousness — his divine sense was surely extraordinary.

Grand Master Luo was now seventy or eighty percent certain in his heart.

End of the fifth watch~