Chapter 53: Chapter Fifty-Three: Disciple

Bai Zisheng felt a twinge of guilt, then grew annoyed with himself for appearing weak, so he puffed out his chest, lifted his head, and glared at Mo Hua.

"They probably have some other motive for becoming disciples…"

Mo Hua silently thought to himself, then ignored Bai Zisheng and turned his attention to the beginner's text, *Basic Explanations of the Five Elements Array*.

Today he intended to finish this book, then raise some questions at dusk to consult Mr. Zhuang—if he kept chatting, he wouldn't finish it.

Bai Zisheng, finding himself unwelcome and unsure what to do as a newcomer, sat beside Bai Zi Xi, holding Spirit Stones and meditating to cultivate.

As they cultivated, their spiritual energy glowed a faint blue; judging by its depth, both had already reached the late Stage of Qi Refinement.

Mo Hua inwardly marveled: truly, the foundations of great clans differed from those of ordinary cultivators—though only two or three years older than him, their cultivation was already four or five minor realms higher.

Moreover, from Bai Zisheng's earlier words, their talent and skill in array techniques were also high.

Mo Hua thought to himself: "Beyond the mountains rise higher mountains; beyond the heavens stretch vaster heavens. I must not be arrogant, but neither must I be discouraged—just cultivate steadily and learn array techniques."

Mo Hua quickly calmed his mind and resumed focusing on the array text.

A cool breeze rose in the mountains, scattering leaves, ruffling the pond's surface into ripples, then all returned to stillness.

Master Zhuang's courtyard had once held only one disciple; now it had three.

And Mo Hua had become the one among the three provisional disciples who, on the surface, had the lowest cultivation, the worst talent, and was the most unremarkable.

After finishing *Basic Explanations of the Five Elements Array* and consulting Mr. Zhuang with his questions, the sky neared dusk, the afterglow cloaked the mountains—it was time to return home.

Mo Hua bid farewell to Master Zhuang, then parted ways with the Bai siblings at the crossroads, slung his storage bag over his shoulder, and descended the mountain path beneath the crimson glow of the sunset.

Bai Zisheng and Bai Zi Xi took another mountain path; halfway, Bai Zisheng couldn't help asking:

"Auntie Xue, can you tell what kind of spiritual root Mo Hua has?"

Auntie Xue hesitated a moment, then said: "From the fluctuation of his spiritual energy, he likely has a Minor Five Elements root—thin energy, mediocre to low quality, and he doesn't even seem to have formally learned a cultivation technique yet."

"A common Minor Five Elements root, mediocre to low quality, studying only a beginner's array text…"

Bai Zisheng muttered, then added: "Master Zhuang only accepted my sister and me as provisional disciples because of Mother's influence—what merit does that Mo Hua kid have to be accepted as a provisional disciple?"

Auntie Xue frowned slightly, recalling Mo Hua's words and actions, and said:

"Master Zhuang doesn't follow conventional rules; he doesn't necessarily take disciples solely based on talent…"

Auntie Xue further explained: "Moreover, the Dao is long—don't judge only by short-term progress. Mo Hua is likely a lone cultivator. Lone cultivators differ from clan members: they have no lineage, no deep foundations, start late in both cultivation and array techniques, and advance slowly—they simply cannot match the pace of clan disciples."

Bai Zisheng asked: "Is the gap between lone cultivators and clans really that great?"

"The gap isn't just great—it's heaven and earth apart."

Auntie Xue sighed and said:

"Any trivial technique or array passed down from a clan, if placed in the hands of a lone cultivator, becomes a family treasure. The beginner texts our Bai Clan gives its disciples—ordinary lone cultivators may never even lay eyes on them in their entire lives."

Bai Zisheng inwardly gasped.

Auntie Xue then added: "No matter Mo Hua's background, you two are now half-fellow disciples—don't look down on him, don't quarrel with him, and be careful in your speech, or you may offend Master Zhuang."

"I understand, Auntie Xue," Bai Zisheng replied, half-understanding.

The next day, the Bai siblings arrived at dawn and studied together with Mo Hua under Master Zhuang.

Old Kui placed two more stone tables beneath the big locust tree, next to Mo Hua's small table.

The three children cultivated and studied separately, then gathered at dusk to ask Master Zhuang for answers.

The Bai siblings' cultivation and array knowledge far surpassed Mo Hua's; many of their questions were beyond Mo Hua's comprehension, yet Master Zhuang would often offer just a few casual remarks that struck straight to the heart of the matter.

Though Mo Hua didn't fully grasp everything, he benefited greatly through subtle, gradual influence.

Mo Hua thought: if Master Zhuang accepted the Bai siblings as provisional disciples, it was a good thing—otherwise, many questions I've never encountered wouldn't even occur to me to ask.

Now someone else asks the questions, and Master Zhuang answers them—I only need to listen carefully.

Thus, the three became Master Zhuang's provisional disciples, their daily routine: cultivate individually, draw arrays, then seek answers from Master Zhuang, and return home.

The three didn't talk much daily; Mo Hua focused intently on his books and had little time for idle chatter.

Bai Zisheng was somewhat haughty; since Mo Hua didn't initiate conversation, he naturally didn't speak to Mo Hua either. Bai Zi Xi was quiet and reserved, rarely speaking.

This routine lasted a month, until one evening Brother Da Hu and the others found Mo Hua and said the Lotus Festival had arrived, inviting him to stroll the streets and enjoy the festivities.

The Lotus Festival was a minor holiday, but quite lively.

It was said to commemorate a distinguished cultivator of Xiancheng, and each year at this time, incense was burned and nine-curved lotus lanterns lit to send distant thoughts of remembrance.

Mo Hua had spent the day drawing arrays, exhausting his spiritual perception and using the meditation technique twice—he couldn't use it again, and since he had no other plans, he joined the three companions to enjoy the festivities.

Passing the leftmost alley, he noticed a newly built cave dwelling—remote in location, large in area, evidently constructed by purchasing and demolishing several adjacent houses.

The cave's gate bore no plaque and was built of grayish stone, modest in appearance, yet still stood out among the low, humble dwellings of lone cultivators.

Mo Hua asked in confusion: "When did this cave dwelling appear here?"

Xiao Hu said: "You haven't come this way in a long time, so you don't know—it's been built for a month."

Xiao Hu gazed at the towering courtyard walls and sighed: "How many Spirit Stones must it have taken to build this?"

"At least," Da Hu counted on his fingers, failed to calculate clearly, then scratched his head, "a few thousand Spirit Stones, maybe…"

"Probably tens of thousands…"

"Tens of thousands of Spirit Stones… I'd never save that much in my whole life…"

"Can't you have a little ambition?"

"You have ambition—can you save that much?"

Shuang Hu said: "I said to have ambition, not that you must actually save Spirit Stones—most who vow to become immortals still die without achieving it…"

Da Hu and Xiao Hu both nodded, finding this reasonable.

Shuang Hu added curiously: "This place is so remote, far from the market, and inhabited only by ordinary lone cultivators—who would build such a huge cave dwelling here? Do they have too many Spirit Stones?"

"Exactly—they have too many Spirit Stones! If I had that many, I'd build a cave this big too."

"Then who do you think owns this cave?" Shuang Hu turned to Mo Hua: "Mo Hua, do you know?"

Mo Hua shook his head: "How would I know?"

Before the three finished speaking, the cave's gate opened.

Out stepped a boy with sharp brows and starlike eyes, a girl as finely carved as porcelain, and a female cultivator with a veil over her face and a slender figure.

Mo Hua recognized them at once: it was the Bai siblings and Snow Aunt.

The Bai siblings also saw Mo Hua and the others; Bai Zisheng paused: "Mo Hua?"

Brother Da Hu and the other two turned to look at Mo Hua; Mo Hua was stunned—he had never expected the cave's owner to be the Bai siblings.

Bai Zisheng asked: "Why are you here?"

Mo Hua said: "I was shopping."

"Shopping?"

Bai Zisheng looked as if he'd heard the word for the first time; his expression brightened with delight, then he gazed hopefully at Snow Aunt.

Beside him, Bai Zi Xi's eyes also glimmered slightly, her autumn-water gaze fixed on Snow Aunt.