Chapter 568: Original Intent

Mo Hua returned home, and he had established his Foundation.

This news quickly spread throughout Xiancheng.

All cultivators in Xiancheng, whether they had heard the rumor first or learned of it later, were both astonished and delighted.

They had never expected that during his brief few years of travel, Mo Hua would have established his Foundation.

And since Mo Hua had mastered array techniques so well, after establishing his Foundation, given time, he might even become a second-grade array master.

A second-grade array master—Xiancheng might not produce one in hundreds of years.

Elder Yu was so delighted he couldn't stop smiling.

He had long known that this child, Mo Hua, possessed extraordinary talent and insight, a kind heart, and an inevitable bright future—but he never expected that "future" would arrive so soon.

In just a few years, it felt as if he had blinked once, opened his eyes again, and Mo Hua had already established his Foundation.

Now that Mo Hua had returned home, Elder Yu, who had always been somewhat stingy, specially took out the spirit stones he had saved for a long time to host a "welcoming feast" for Mo Hua.

Mo Shan knew that although Elder Yu was a Foundation Establishment elder, over the years he had supported most of the lone cultivators, leaving himself barely enough to get by, with few spirit stones saved.

But now, Xiancheng was no longer what it once was; lone cultivators had grown somewhat prosperous, so they couldn't let him spend his own.

Mo Shan therefore said this should count as Mo Hua's "Foundation Establishment feast," and Elder Yu need not contribute any spirit stones.

In Xiancheng, a Foundation Establishment feast was essentially the most grand of all banquets.

For lone cultivators, establishing the Foundation was fraught with difficulties.

Successfully establishing the Foundation was the greatest event of all, typically marked by a lavish banquet and wide invitations.

Mo Shan and Liu Ruhua had once dreamed of hosting a "Foundation Establishment feast" for Mo Hua, for their own son.

But before, this had been nothing more than a fantasy.

For lone cultivators, establishing the Foundation was not easy…

Mo Hua had been weak from birth, his spiritual roots neither good nor bad, so his cultivation path was bound to be arduous.

Even if Mo Hua truly reached the day of Foundation Establishment, the two of them might not live to see it, might never witness Mo Hua's Foundation Establishment with their own eyes…

Yet they never imagined that Mo Hua, at only fifteen, had already succeeded in establishing his Foundation.

Mo Shan and his wife, stunned and overjoyed, still found it hard to believe.

Even now, with Mo Hua, already established in Foundation, standing right before them, they felt as if it were a dream…

Then came the preparations for the "Foundation Establishment feast."

Liu Ruhua took out a considerable amount of spirit stones and hosted a banquet at Fushan Restaurant.

These spirit stones were what she had saved over the years for Mo Hua, originally intended for his future bride.

But now that Mo Hua had established his Foundation, Liu Ruhua was overjoyed and wanted to spend some of it to celebrate.

After all, Mo Hua was still young; marriage was far off. She could save more later.

Besides, Fushan Restaurant was half Mo Hua's.

While Mo Hua was away, that half belonged entirely to Liu Ruhua.

The Shopkeeper of Fushan Restaurant, An Xiaofu, even called Liu Ruhua "Master."

An Xiaofu was also very close to Mo Hua.

So hosting it at Fushan Restaurant was nearly the same as hosting it at home, and wouldn't cost too many spirit stones.

On the day of the Foundation Establishment feast, the place was packed, with nearly the entire city's lone cultivators in attendance.

These lone cultivators had either watched Mo Hua grow up since childhood, or had deep friendships with Mo Shan, or had received favors from Mo Hua…

Many prominent cultivators from the city also came: the An family, Master Luo, Master Qian, and several minor clans…

There were too many people; Fushan Restaurant couldn't hold them all.

An Xiaofu therefore temporarily rented out every shopfront along the entire street.

Everyone feasted merrily, eating meat and drinking wine.

Xiancheng felt as if it were celebrating the New Year.

Traveling cultivators who had come to trade didn't understand why and thought Xiancheng was celebrating some festival.

After asking around, they learned it was a "Foundation Establishment feast," and that the cultivator who had established his Foundation was a first-grade array master certified by the Dao Court—they were utterly astonished.

A Foundation Establishment cultivator. A first-grade array master.

In a second-grade Xiancheng like this, he was truly a towering figure, renowned throughout the region.

These traveling merchants all understood the principle: when arriving in a region, pay respects to its temple.

They quickly prepared modest gifts, personally delivered them, asked for a cup of wine to share in the joy, and hoped to become familiar faces.

Some merchants even paid a price to approach Mo Hua personally, to toast and offer congratulations.

Since it was a joyous occasion, everyone overlooked these small calculations.

Elder Zheng, through connections, raised a cup of wine, heart trembling, and went to toast Mo Hua.

But when he looked up, he discovered that this "first-grade array master," this "Foundation Establishment dignitary," was none other than the young cultivator who had walked beside him for miles and chatted with him all along—his mouth opened wide enough to swallow a duck egg…

At the Foundation Establishment feast, cups clinked and laughter rang out.

Elder Yu was delighted, his face creased with smiles, yet in his gaze there seemed to be a trace of melancholy.

Time hastens aging.

Previously, Xiancheng had only him as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and he had to bear the pressure of standing against the mighty Qian family—he could not afford to fall.

So he had a hard temper, cursed fiercely, and used ruthless tactics.

But now, lone cultivators' lives had improved; Elder Yu had finally breathed a sigh of relief—and suddenly felt himself growing old.

That inner fire, no matter how hard he tried, could no longer be reignited.

Looking at Mo Hua, who had established his Foundation at fifteen, Elder Yu felt comforted, yet also strangely disoriented, though outwardly he showed no sign.

Mo Hua's spiritual sense was now strong, his perception sharper—he sensed Elder Yu's inner thoughts.

He went to drink with Elder Yu.

Mo Hua drank fruit wine, brewed personally by his mother—smooth on the tongue, sweet, with a hint of alcohol but no sharpness.

Elder Yu still drank strong liquor.

After drinking for a while, Mo Hua whispered secretly:

"Elder, how come you're still at Foundation Establishment Early Stage…?"

Elder Yu froze, unable to help but glare at Mo Hua. "Foundation Establishment—each step is like climbing a mountain. Do you think it's that easy to cultivate?"

"Oh." Mo Hua nodded.

Elder Yu suddenly sighed, smiling bitterly. "I'm old. I can't cultivate anymore…"

Mo Hua shook his head. "How can you call it old? Think: if you break through to Foundation Establishment Mid-Stage, you gain another hundred years of life. Break through to Late Stage, you gain another hundred… keep breaking through, and you won't grow old at all…"

Elder Yu laughed. "It's not that easy…"

"Then what is easy?" Mo Hua asked. "Going against the Qian family isn't easy. Survival as a lone cultivator isn't easy either. But even if it's hard, you still have to do it."

"If something needs doing, then do it."

"It has nothing to do with whether it's easy or hard, or whether you succeed or fail…"

Elder Yu fell into a daze, then murmured after a moment: "Who told you all this?"

Mo Hua patted his chest. "Myself!"

Elder Yu clearly didn't believe him.

Mo Hua's small face turned serious. "Elder, I've already traveled outside. I'm a Foundation Establishment cultivator who's seen the world."

Elder Yu saw that although Mo Hua had reached Foundation Establishment, his expression and tone remained unchanged—partly sensible, partly adorable—and couldn't help shaking his head with a smile.

Then he pondered inwardly: "Indeed, what does age matter…"

"Before, I was too tired, had no time to cultivate. Now I can catch my breath, have free time—wouldn't this be the perfect chance to focus on seeking my realm and advancing my cultivation?"

"A cultivator cultivates, to establish life."

"If you don't refine your body through cultivation, what kind of cultivator are you?"

"So what if I'm old?"

"So what if I'm old?"

"A person lives but one life. As long as you're not dead, you must hold firm to your Dao heart and seek the Dao with single-minded devotion…"

Elder Yu's heart suddenly cleared. Slowly, his gaze regained its sharpness, carrying a hint of edge and stubbornness.

Mo Hua nodded "reassuredly," then said: "Elder, this time you pigged out on my meal. Next time, it's my turn to pig out on yours."

"Pig out on your meal?"

Elder Yu blinked, then realized Mo Hua meant the "Foundation Establishment Banquet."

"What meal are you going to pig out on from me?"

Mo Hua's small face turned solemn. "I'm going to pig out on your 'Jin Dan Banquet!'"

Elder Yu spat out his wine.

I'm this old and still at Foundation Establishment Early Stage, and you're already thinking of pigging out on my Jin Dan Banquet?

You kid, you're even bolder than I am.

But he froze, then thought again: why not dare to think? Why shouldn't I dare?

Whether I succeed in becoming a Jin Dan is another matter—but if I lack even this spirit, what's the point of cultivating the Dao?

Elder Yu gritted his teeth and cursed:

"Fine! To hell with it—Jin Dan, then!"

Elder Yu's voice was loud, and he'd used the phrase "to hell with it." Everyone nearby heard it, their expressions startled, all turning to look at him.

Only then did Elder Yu realize he'd spoken out of turn.

But he had thick skin, so he pretended he'd said nothing, raising his cup to toast Mo Hua and drinking again.

Everyone else wisely turned away, pretending nothing had happened.

Farther off, Yu Chengyi was lost in thought.

His father… hadn't cursed in a long time…

Since life in Xiancheng had improved, his father's temper had grown increasingly "gentle." These days, he rarely cursed like he used to.

So gentle, it had made him feel almost unfamiliar.

But now, Yu Chengyi heard his father curse again…

Though plain and unadorned—just a simple "to hell with it"—full of feeling, no technique.

Yet his heart felt strangely at ease.

This… was truly the father he knew.

Yu Chengyi thought silently.

Mo Hua also wanted to curse aloud, but the words were already on his lips when he looked up and saw his mother, Liu Ruhua, watching him—he swallowed them back down.

I'm a good child. I don't curse.

Mo Hua thought silently.

…

After the Foundation Establishment Banquet, Mo Hua stayed busy for a while.

Mainly because in Xiancheng, he was too popular, knew too many people—everywhere he wandered, days slipped by without notice.

He met Instructor Yan.

Instructor Yan and Manager Mo were busy rebuilding Li Sect.

Building a sect from nothing, starting from scratch, was extremely difficult—but Instructor Yan's resolve was firm, and he would not give up.

The remains of past elders and abbots of the Lesser Ye Lingyin Sect were forged into iron corpses by the traitor Lu Chengyun, aiding the wicked.

Later, after the zombie plague was quelled, these "zombified" remains were cremated and brought back by Instructor Yan to be buried on a hill near Tongxian City.

Green mountains and clear waters bury the bones of the Lesser Ye Lingyin Sect's ancestors.

Mo Hua offered incense and paid his respects.

He had learned the Lesser Ye Lingyin Sect's Spirit Pivot Ultimate Array; thus, he had received its lineage and its grace, and naturally must pay tribute to show respect.

Instructor Yan looked at Mo Hua now and felt great satisfaction, but he was always rigid and said nothing more.

The two drank tea and spoke for a while about arrays, when Mo Hua was quietly pulled aside by Manager Mo.

Manager Mo pulled out a stack of drawings and gave them to Mo Hua, his face troubled.

"I've been tormented by this matter these past days—help me think it through…"

Mo Hua looked at the drawings and found they were all portraits of female cultivators.

They were familiar, yet unfamiliar.

Familiar, because before, sects and clans had often tried to lure him into marriage by secretly sending him these "beauty portraits."

Even Lu Chengyun had done this in Nanyue City.

But unfamiliar, because the women in these portraits clearly looked more "mature," utterly mismatched with his age.

"What is this…?"

Manager Mo whispered like a thief: "I'm helping my senior brother find a dao companion…"

Mo Hua thought as expected, and whispered back:

"This kind of thing… shouldn't you let Instructor Yan choose for himself?"

Manager Mo sneered, "He's as wooden as a tree, as stubborn as iron—asking him is pointless…"

He flipped through several portraits and laid them before Mo Hua: "Help me take a look…"

"What about this one? Middle-aged but still graceful, charming, reportedly single and rich in spirit stones…"

Mo Hua spotted the blind spot:

"Where did her spirit stones come from?"

Manager Mo froze, then slapped his forehead: "Right, right—this one won't do…"

"Close call—I almost got fooled by appearances."

"If I showed this to my senior brother, he'd scold me to death…"

Manager Mo pointed to another: "This one's looks are slightly inferior, but her family background is good—she's the daughter of the Song family, a hundred li away… though reportedly, she has a terrible temper, so she's remained unmarried for a hundred years…"

"A bad temper… won't suit Instructor Yan…"

Manager Mo nodded: "True—if my senior brother married her, their personalities would clash, and trouble would only multiply…"

He shook his head and kept muttering:

"This one is the daughter of a sect elder—if my senior brother wants to rebuild the sect, she could help him…"

"This one… no, too tainted by worldly ways…"

"This one… the portrait's fake—probably paid the artist plenty in 'ink fees'…"

"This one wears too much powder—her face is painted deathly pale…"

…

Manager Mo went through several more and found none suitable, until suddenly his eyes lit up:

"This one's perfect! Her looks are ordinary, but her aura is excellent—and she's devoted to arrays, unmarried for over a hundred years, just like my senior brother…"

Mo Hua leaned in and glanced: a woman with her hair tied simply, no makeup, unremarkable features, yet possessing an intellectual aura—indeed, she suited Instructor Yan well.

Manager Mo grew more convinced, but after a moment, muttered again:

"But my senior brother's wooden head and stubborn nature—she might not even notice him…"

"What's wrong with my wooden head?"

A cold voice suddenly rang out.

Manager Mo looked up and saw Instructor Yan watching him with a cold expression.

Damn it…

Manager Mo's heart turned cold.

He now realized that while he and Mo Hua had been huddled together, secretly picking "dao companions" for Instructor Yan, the instructor had been standing behind them, silently watching…

He must have heard every bad thing he said…

Mo Hua sat beside him, eyes downcast, silent.

His spiritual sense was strong—he had known Instructor Yan had arrived long ago—but seeing Manager Mo so absorbed, utterly distracted, he hadn't dared interrupt…

Instructor Yan's face was grim.

Manager Mo sensed trouble and stammered:

"I just remembered… I… I have some business in the Array Pavilion—I'll go back now…"

He spoke and vanished like the wind, sprinting off.

Mo Hua hadn't known fat Manager Mo could move so swiftly…

With Manager Mo gone, Mo Hua had no reason to stay—he rose and bowed:

"Instructor, I'll take my leave. I'll come see you again soon."

Instructor Yan nodded, looked at Mo Hua with hopeful eyes, then warned: "Don't pick up bad habits from that fat man…"

The "fat man" Instructor Yan meant was, of course, Manager Mo.

"Yes, Instructor!"

Mo Hua promised eagerly, then slipped away too.

After Mo Hua left, Teacher Yan sighed helplessly, bent down, and picked up the scattered drawings one by one.

But when he picked up one particular sheet, Teacher Yan suddenly froze.

The figure on it was a woman with her hair tied up and no makeup, her gaze focused, her mind unclouded by distractions—a female array master who devoted herself entirely to array studies and could draw the Nine-Stripe Array…

Teacher Yan was momentarily stunned…

…

After bidding farewell to Teacher Yan, Mo Hua went to visit Mr. Feng.

Mr. Feng had once saved Mo Hua's life.

When Mo Hua was a child, he was frail and lacked vital energy; it was Mr. Feng who nourished him with pills.

Later, when his mother became gravely ill, it was thanks to Mr. Feng's help that she suffered no serious harm.

Mr. Feng did not attend the Foundation Establishment banquet.

Mr. Feng was a pill master, stationed at Xinglin Hall, healing the sick and saving lives, too occupied to leave, and too old to enjoy noise.

Liu Ruhua had prepared some refined yet light wines and dishes, asking Mo Hua to deliver them to Mr. Feng as a taste.

Mo Hua also gave Mr. Feng some pill texts and formulas he had collected during his travels, as a gift for their reunion after long separation.

Mr. Feng was overjoyed, stroking his beard and nodding repeatedly.

He looked at Mo Hua and could not help but feel a flood of emotion.

Mo Hua was truly someone he had watched grow from a tiny child, slowly maturing into what he was now—though only fifteen, still young, yet already a renowned first-rank array master and a Foundation Establishment cultivator…

And he had used arrays to aid countless cultivators in Xiancheng.

"Such a good child…"

Mr. Feng's eyes filled with satisfaction.

Xinglin Hall was bustling with visitors; Mr. Feng was busy.

Mo Hua did not wish to disturb him; after chatting a while and confirming Mr. Feng was in good health, he rose to take his leave.

Just before departing, Mr. Feng suddenly remembered something, hesitated a moment, then spoke solemnly:

"Mo Hua…"

"At your young age, such cultivation and array mastery is rare; your future is boundless…"

"But even if, in the future, your cultivation rises so high that the countless cultivators of this world, the masses of all beings, are but humble ants, mere dust beneath your feet…"

"Never forget your original heart. Do not become aloof, numb, and indifferent."

"Do not forget that even the most humble person is still a person—alive, with birth and death, joy and sorrow…"

Mo Hua was stunned, then his eyes gleamed, his Dao heart clear, and he smiled brightly:

"Yes, Grandpa Feng, I've remembered it in my heart!"

The outline isn't finished yet; I'll only post one chapter per day for now~

I'll add more once things are straightened out.

(End of Chapter)