Chapter 238

"Are there any families or sects that don't oppress lone cultivators?"

"Of course there are," Mo Shan explained. "Some families uphold strict moral codes; some sects enforce rigid rules and never overstep bounds. Or their cultivation enterprises don't compete with lone cultivators for profit, so there's no need to mistreat lower-level cultivators."

"But these are still few. As long as you're weak, you'll be oppressed—it's only a matter of time."

Mo Shan sighed again and continued:

"We in Tongxian City are lucky. In some places, lone cultivators live in utter misery. Not to mention the higher-grade prefectures—families and sects that have thrived for ten thousand years, dominating entire regions like colossal beasts. Those lone cultivators oppressed by them truly have no hope of ever rising again…"

Mo Hua listened, feeling a heaviness in his heart.

Seeing Mo Hua's gloomy expression, Mo Shan patted his head and smiled to comfort him:

"Just focus on our own duties. We can't control these things. If you ever truly gain the power to move heaven and earth, then you can worry about them later."

"Mm!" Mo Hua nodded.

"And your Uncle Ji—he's new here. If you can help him, do so. Brother Ji is righteous and generous; when our family was in dire straits, he helped us a great deal."

"I understand, Father."

Afterward, Mo Shan was busy hunting demons, and only a few days later did he find time to prepare gifts—some wine and meat, pills, and daily necessities—and pay a visit to Ji Qingbai.

Mo Shan and Ji Qingbai caught up on old times; before leaving, Mo Shan slipped him a pouch of spirit stones and said, "Brother Ji, keep these for emergencies."

Ji Qingbai refused.

Mo Shan said, "We're brothers—we should support each other. When my family was struggling, you helped us. Don't refuse now."

Ji Qingbai finally accepted reluctantly.

He had traveled far from Qingxuan City, spending nearly all his savings.

Upon arriving in Tongxian City, he couldn't overstay at his family's old connections, so he rented a small courtyard—not large, not expensive, but enough to shelter him.

Later, he gradually bought small items, and his already meager supply of spirit stones quickly ran out.

Mo Shan's gift of spirit stones was like coal sent in snow.

In the past, he wouldn't have taken them—but now, with an empty purse, he could only accept them with heartfelt gratitude.

Once his wounds healed and he could join Ji Li in hunting demons to earn spirit stones, he'd repay Mo Shan.

In the evening, Ji Qingbai and Ji Li discussed entering the mountains to hunt demons, when Fu Lan came in from outside.

Her injuries had improved greatly these past few days; though not fully healed, she could now move about freely.

Fu Lan was a lone cultivator herself, raised in hardship, so she wondered if she could earn some spirit stones to ease their immediate plight and not burden Uncle Ji and Brother Ji too much.

Remembering Mo Hua's mention of Fushan Restaurant, which wasn't far, she went to inquire—and had just returned.

"Your wounds aren't healed yet—rest more," Ji Qingbai said, concerned by her pale face.

Ji Li helped her sit and poured her a cup of tea.

A faint blush spread across Fu Lan's pale cheeks.

Ji Qingbai showed no change in expression, but inside, he felt deeply satisfied.

After a while, he remembered to ask: "Have you been to Fushan Restaurant?"

Fu Lan nodded. "They accepted me. The monthly spirit stones they pay aren't small."

Ji Qingbai exhaled in relief. "That's good."

"But…" Fu Lan looked puzzled.

"But what?"

"They didn't want to take me at first, since I'm an outsider. But when I mentioned that young brother's name, they immediately accepted me without a word," Fu Lan said.

Ji Qingbai blinked. "Mo Hua?"

Fu Lan nodded.

Ji Qingbai was surprised. "This child Mo Hua… has that much influence…"

Even such a large restaurant respected his word.

He'd also learned by chance that day: Mo Hua was a minor array master, and many array diagrams used by lone cultivators originated from him.

This stunned Ji Qingbai.

Before arriving, he had assumed Mo Hua had abandoned array studies, and felt regret.

He never imagined Mo Hua had become a genuine array master.

Ji Qingbai said solemnly: "Regardless, we owe this family a great debt. We must find a way to repay them properly. Especially this child Mo Hua—we must ensure he suffers no harm."

An array master among lone cultivators, with such a kind heart—cannot afford even the slightest mishap.

Ji Li and Fu Lan both nodded seriously.

Ji Qingbai relaxed, then sighed: "These past few days, I've walked around, observed—Tongxian City is truly different. If we can settle here, it's a good life indeed."

He had labored his whole life, seeking only to live in peace. After all these trials, he'd finally found a place to rest.

Ji Qingbai glanced at Ji Li and Fu Lan, his heart warmed, and smiled gently:

"If you don't mind, settle down here. In time, I'll arrange your wedding—make you true cultivation partners."

Both froze, their faces instantly flushed, stole a glance at each other, then lowered their heads.

Night was deep; in the small courtyard, the light was faint, yet gradually grew warm.

Two days later, Mo Hua was practicing array dismantling at the eatery.

He first drew a complex array, then dismantled it himself.

One sheet of paper counted as two practice sessions—drawing and dismantling himself—but it wasted a lot of spirit ink.

As Mo Hua drew, Chen Dazhu ran over and said his wolf-toothless wolf-tooth club was finished.

Mo Hua perked up, abandoned the half-dismantled array, and followed Chen Dazhu to the weapon forge.

Master Chen handed Mo Hua an iron rod:

"As you requested—it's forged. No wolf teeth. The array positions are reserved. The outside is wrapped in iron plating, very sturdy; the inside is made of hard wood, so it's not too heavy."

"Thank you, Master Chen!"

Mo Hua took the iron rod happily and examined it carefully several times.

The iron rod was silver-white, its outer skin tough and resilient, thicker than Mo Hua's two arms put together, and heavy in the hand.

Mo Hua tried it and it was still a bit heavy, but that was his own problem, not the iron rod's.

Mo Hua was very satisfied with the iron rod and praised, "Very good, worthy of Master Chen!"

Master Chen was so pleased he kept stroking his beard.

Mo Hua found time to paint a first-grade array on the iron rod, named the Thousand-Jun Array.

The Thousand-Jun Array was a first-grade array of the Earth element among the Five Elements; once spiritual power was infused to activate it, the spiritual instrument inscribed with the array would instantly weigh as much as a thousand jun.

Of course, saying "a thousand jun" was definitely an exaggeration.

Mo Hua himself didn't believe it.

Many cultivators gave their arts and arrays names that couldn't be taken entirely at face value—just get the gist and that was enough.

Exactly how heavy this array was, Mo Hua didn't know, and depending on the amount of spiritual power used to drive the array, the weight would also vary.

But no matter what, it was definitely very heavy, and using it to smash people would absolutely be enough.

In Mo Hua's plan, he would first raise the iron rod, then activate the array; bolstered by the array, the iron rod would instantly weigh as much as a thousand jun and come crashing down heavily.

That way, even though he wasn't a body cultivator and his physical body wasn't strong, this iron rod would still have enough force.

Using it to pick off stragglers, finish off enemies, and land a few blunt blows should be sufficient.

The Thousand-Jun Array wasn't difficult; Mo Hua learned it in two evenings.

The array wasn't hard to paint either; Mo Hua finished drawing it in half a shichen.

Mo Hua went to Great Heishan and found a large rock to test it on.

He first raised the iron rod high, then infused spiritual power; the gray-brown array patterns on the iron rod flashed for an instant, and it came crashing down heavily.

The rock was smashed to pieces, and Mo Hua's hands were left numb from the shock.

Although his hands were numb, Mo Hua was still very satisfied.

He gave the iron rod a name he had long since thought of:

The Thousand-Jun Rod!