Chapter 678: The Benefactor

In Qianxue Zhou, the great families lived in luxury, their halls filled with music and feasts, yet the small Xiancheng on the frontier still struggled through lives of constant want.

Like the Qian family, minor clans could bully others in Tongxian City, but near Qianxue Zhou, they suffered constant oppression and were no different from ordinary cultivators.

Mo Hua suddenly recalled how, back on Great Heishan, while hiding in the cave where the Evil Elixir was forged, he had overheard the Qian family Laozu speaking to the deceased Qian family patriarch, Qian Hong:

"... In this world, the strong devour the weak; big fish eat small fish, and small fish eat shrimp."

"The cultivation world is no different: cultivators without clans are exploited by minor families, minor families are oppressed by mid-tier families, and mid-tier families are suppressed by the great clans."

"In other words, cultivators without clans sustain the minor families, minor families sustain the mid-tier families, and mid-tier families sustain the great clans..."

"At its root, all of them are draining the blood of the lower-tier cultivators..."

The Qian family Laozu was a wicked man—he built the Heishan Evil Camp, raised evil cultivators, murdered people to forge elixirs, and amassed countless sins in pursuit of his own immortality.

Yet some of the things he said seemed undeniably true...

Mo Hua's emotions were complicated, his expression faintly desolate.

Master Gu, watching him closely, saw the young boy's eyes filled with compassion, and his pupils contracted slightly; he personally poured Mo Hua another cup of fruit wine.

Mo Hua then recalled another question:

"Master Gu, the great families pursue profit... logically, the cultivators of Gushan City once made their living crafting 'array mediums,' and could have lived comfortably."

"This proves that crafting array mediums is also profitable."

"Then why do they deliberately exhaust the mines, depleting them to forge luxurious spiritual artifacts instead?"

"Why not craft more array mediums? That way, they could earn more spirit stones and spread array techniques—wouldn't that be better?"

"Is it because luxurious spiritual artifacts bring in far more profit?"

Master Gu nodded and sighed, "Naturally..."

"Ordinary array mediums are used by impoverished lower-tier cultivators; luxurious spiritual artifacts are used by the lavish upper-tier cultivators."

"Even among Qi Condensation cultivators, a thousand lower-tier cultivators combined cannot match the spending of a single scion of a great clan."

"Our Gu family does have businesses, but profits are meager; our wealth is among the smallest of the great clans, and our ancestors have always imposed strict restraints on family members, forbidding extravagance."

"But other families—especially the great clans that control 'spirit mines' and possess countless assets with immense wealth—are entirely different..."

"A single noble Dao robe worn by their direct heirs might cover the annual food, clothing, and living expenses of a thousand Qi Condensation cultivators..."

Master Gu's expression grew wistful as he spoke.

Mo Hua frowned. "Are luxurious spiritual artifacts hard to forge?"

Master Gu shook his head. "To be honest, these luxurious spiritual artifacts are technically quite ordinary—their offensive and defensive effects are weak, and they often sacrifice practicality for beauty."

Mo Hua was puzzled. "Then why are they so expensive?"

Master Gu sighed. "They're expensive because of the two words: 'status.'"

"Status?"

Master Gu said, "A spiritual artifact's value depends on the rarity and prestige of its materials, the renown of its forger, the lineage of its crafting techniques, how long it's been passed down, whether it's limited edition... all these matter."

"Without these 'refinements,' even if you forged an identical luxurious spiritual artifact with the same skill and materials, it would be dismissed as a 'fake,' an inferior counterfeit."

"Thus, such luxurious spiritual artifacts cannot be forged by ordinary forgers."

"Moreover, the great clans have no real interest in promoting array mediums or spreading array techniques..."

Mo Hua froze, surprised.

Master Gu said, "What the great clans want is monopoly: monopoly over array lineages, monopoly over forging resources."

"If array techniques were widespread, a single array flag with a sixteen-pattern array could sell for only three hundred spirit stones;"

"But if they monopolize the array lineages, a single array flag with only an eleven-pattern array can still sell for three hundred."

"Lower forging cost, higher spirit stone profit."

"As long as they hold the monopoly on array techniques, they can set any price they wish."

"Why bother studying array medium applications, optimizing array techniques, or promoting array studies—when you can simply lie back and earn spirit stones?"

"These things take time and effort, and bring no profit to the great clans—so this is how things stand now..."

"Array techniques are hoarded by the great clans: either kept as secret arts, locked away on high shelves, or left to gather dust in corners."

"Ordinary cultivators, unable to use arrays, are helpless and dependent on the great clans; ordinary array masters, lacking array lineages, must rely on the great clans for survival..."

Master Gu's tone turned solemn, his expression filled with sorrow.

Mo Hua frowned in silence, lost in thought.

Master Gu glanced sideways at Mo Hua's expression, then smiled apologetically:

"Let's not speak of these matters anymore. I meant to entertain the young master, not bring up such dreary topics—please forgive me."

Master Gu poured Mo Hua another cup of wine.

Mo Hua drank silently, saying nothing more until the banquet ended.

At parting, Master Gu said only:

"Next time I'm on leave, I'll send someone to deliver the forged array mediums to the Gu family's main estate in Qingzhou City—you may collect them whenever you have time."

Mo Hua bowed respectfully. "Thank you, Master Gu."

"The young master is too kind."

Master Gu waved his hand, watched Mo Hua depart from the entrance of Xianhe Pavilion, sighed softly, then turned away.

After leaving, Master Gu purchased some materials for forging array mediums in Qingzhou City, then returned to Gushan City by carriage.

On the carriage, his disciple Ding Da Chuan was also present.

Ding Da Chuan was a native cultivator of Gushan City, having studied forging since childhood and rarely left the city; this trip to Qingzhou City, seeing the sights of a fifth-rank Xiancheng, had opened his eyes wide.

Inside the carriage, Ding Da Chuan said with envy:

"Master, Qingzhou City is far more prosperous than our Gushan City..."

Master Gu let out a soft "hmm," but some words he did not speak aloud.

In the past, Gushan City was also prosperous, though not as grand as Qingzhou City, it bustled with people, filled with laughter and chatter, quite lively.

Now, Qingzhou City is even more prosperous than before.

But Gushan City has only grown steadily desolate…

This cultivation world has more than just Qingzhou City—it holds countless Gushan Cities.

These words, Ding Da Chuan, still unworldly, did not understand, so Master Gu did not say them.

After the cart traveled a while, Ding Da Chuan suddenly remembered something, glanced at Master Gu, and whispered:

"Master, why are you so courteous to that Young Master Mo?"

Master is a Jin Dan, a third-grade Artificer.

Yet that Young Master Mo possesses only Foundation Establishment early-stage cultivation, looks small and frail.

Ding Da Chuan felt it was right to respect that Young Master Mo, but Master had lowered himself too much—he went all the way to Qingzhou City, endured the trouble, lingered long at the Gu household, just to spend spirit stones inviting that Young Master Mo to eat fish.

Ding Da Chuan was deeply puzzled.

Master Gu only said: "You don't understand…"

Ding Da Chuan whispered: "Is that Young Master Mo of very noble status?"

Master Gu thought for a moment, then shook his head, frowning: "I'm not sure…"

Ding Da Chuan froze.

Master Gu's gaze grew thoughtful. "I asked a cousin of mine to inquire within the clan—this Young Master Mo, though often coming and going at the Gu household, seems to have no blood ties to the Gu family at all…"

"Though favored by Lady Shangguan, he does not appear to be kin to the Shangguan or Wen families either."

"He entered the Grand Void Gate, and publicly claims to be a 'solitary cultivator'…"

"Solitary cultivator?" Ding Da Chuan blinked.

Master Gu gave a slight nod.

"But…" Ding Da Chuan hesitated, "if he truly is a solitary cultivator, aren't we just wasting our goodwill?"

"No…" Master Gu's gaze sharpened. "How could an ordinary solitary cultivator receive such favor from the Gu and Shangguan families? How could he even be accepted into the Grand Void Gate?"

"What if… he really is a solitary cultivator?" Ding Da Chuan murmured weakly.

"If he truly is a solitary cultivator…" Master Gu's expression turned solemn, "then that is all the better…"

Ding Da Chuan was stunned, his face filled with confusion.

Master Gu took a long breath and sighed deeply:

"There are sorrows in this world that scions of noble houses will never understand…"

"Without experiencing it firsthand, without seeing it with your own eyes, without having lived below, you will never truly comprehend…"

Ding Da Chuan looked stunned, nodding slowly, half-understanding.

Master Gu's gaze sharpened again; in his mind, Mo Hua's clear, compassionate gaze reappeared, and he murmured softly:

"This Young Master may truly be our 'benefactor'…"

…

After returning to the sect, Mo Hua was burdened with worries.

He realized he had overlooked one issue.

He had always been considering the sect, noble houses, lineages, heretical cultivators, demon cultivators, human traffickers, and evil gods.

But he had never realized how cultivators in the small surrounding states and minor Xianchengs near Qianxue Province lived.

His mother's words to him surfaced again in his ears.

"Not just array masters—all cultivators are the same. When people climb upward, they never look down."

Cultivators seek the Dao, seeking the truth of this world.

If you cannot see the truth of this world, the myriad faces of sentient beings, how can you seek the true Heavenly Dao?

If you keep your eyes fixed on the heavens, how can you know the ground beneath your feet is truly the earth?

Mo Hua walked through the Grand Void Gate, looked up at the vast sky, then down at the ground beneath him, and even stomped a few times, nodding slightly.

…

Seven days later—less than a fortnight.

While cultivating within the sect, Mo Hua unexpectedly received a storage bag.

Inside the bag were twenty each of array plates, array flags, and array bases—crafted by Master Gu, delivered to the Gu household, then specially sent to the Grand Void Gate by Wen Ren Wan.

Mo Hua was pleasantly surprised.

He had not expected Master Gu to finish the array media so quickly, and to send them all the way—clearly, he took this matter very seriously.

Mo Hua felt deep gratitude, thinking that if he ever had the chance, he would help Master Gu and the others.

After his cultivation, Mo Hua began studying these array media.

The array media looked intricate, but their structures were simple.

Mo Hua was an array master, and these array media were copied—"borrowed"—from the Artificer's Manual, so he understood them at a glance.

Drawing arrays on them was not difficult.

After all, they were basic array media; Mo Hua tried drawing a few, tested them out, and soon became familiar.

Using spiritual sense to wield ink and draw arrays on the ground may look elegant and free of array media constraints, but it is too showy—use it too often, and many will grow wary, leaving you at a disadvantage.

Therefore, Mo Hua planned to use ordinary "array media" from now on to cast arrays, thereby concealing his array "talent."

He intended to blend into the identity of an ordinary array master and interact with his sectmates.

To avoid their constant astonishment, which would make explanations tedious.

The array media had been crafted and inscribed with arrays—time to try them out.

Mo Hua secretly contacted Gu Changhuai:

"Uncle Gu, I've found a lead on a vile, murderous, fugitive cultivator—could you post a bounty for me?"

Gu Changhuai remained silent for a long time before replying:

"Where did you get this lead?"

Mo Hua: "I heard it from a fellow cultivator—he happened to stumble upon information about the fugitive…"

Gu Changhuai: "That 'fellow cultivator' you mentioned—wouldn't that be you?"

Mo Hua denied: "How could that be?"

Gu Changhuai knew that when Mo Hua wanted to deceive, not a single word out of his mouth was true; he was too lazy to press further and said directly:

"What realm? What name? What crimes did he commit?"

Mo Hua said: "Foundation Establishment mid-stage, nickname 'River Dragon.' I only know he definitely killed someone—I don't know anything else…"

"Why not, Uncle Gu, check the case files in Dao Ting Si and see what other crimes he's committed?"

Gu Changhuai fell silent.

At that moment, he felt Mo Hua was the "Diansi," while he himself was just a hired "Zhisi" working for Mo Hua…

But Gu Changhuai had no choice—he had to check the Juan Sect files himself.

Mo Hua waited patiently.

After a while, Gu Changhuai replied:

"He's committed plenty of crimes—killed people on the mountain, robbed at the ferry, trafficked prohibited pills…"

"Did he ever traffic cultivators?" Mo Hua asked.

Gu Changhuai said: "No evidence of such crimes found…"

Mo Hua erupted in righteous fury: "This man is utterly evil!"

Then he added: "I think he's worth at least a thousand merit points!"

Gu Changhuai heard this and flew into a rage.

This brat Mo Hua was calculating so loudly that even the Dao Ting Si of Qian Xue Province could hear him.

"You want to set your own price?" Gu Changhuai said irritably.

Mo Hua spoke with solemn righteousness: "It's not setting a price—it's punishing evil and promoting good!"

"If I take the bounty and work with my sectmates to punish this villain, shouldn't Dao Ting Si reward this 'good deed' with extra merit points?"

"Punishing evil and promoting good!"

Gu Changhuai was speechless.

Is that "a little"?

You're asking for a thousand points outright!

Gu Changhuai said: "Five hundred."

Mo Hua was shocked: "Uncle Gu, how can you haggle like this? One slash cuts it in half?"

Though he himself did the same thing…

"Nine hundred!"

Mo Hua gave a little ground.

"Five hundred!"

Gu Changhuai didn't follow Mo Hua's script—he held firm on the price, not budging an inch.

"Eight hundred!"

"Five hundred ten."

Mo Hua sighed helplessly: "Uncle Gu, you're being too stingy…"

The Diansi of the grand Dao Ting Si haggled ten points at a time and didn't even feel ashamed.

Gu Changhuai remained unmoved: "This is to teach you that merit points are hard-won—every single point is precious."

Mo Hua snorted: "I've posted bounties before—I know exactly what a Foundation Establishment mid-stage fugitive is worth!"

"At least seven hundred fifty!"

"Five hundred twenty…"

…

After much haggling, Mo Hua finally set the bounty at "six hundred points."

Additional rewards would be offered for any other fugitive cultivators or key related leads.

Mo Hua nodded, reluctantly agreeing.

Six hundred points, split among five people—twenty-four points each.

Barely acceptable.

A hundred points isn't much, but he'd done his best.

Afterwards, Mo Hua and Gu Changhuai began "plotting" how to post the bounty and ensure it reached Mo Hua's hands.

"At exactly midnight tomorrow, Dao Ting Si will post the bounty—add these conditions: Foundation Establishment early-stage, Rank-Two Array Master, Water Prison Technique, Concealment Technique."

"Move fast—if someone else takes it, don't blame me."

Gu Changhuai sent Mo Hua a message.

Then he added:

"Also, remember—erase this message completely. Leave no trace."

Mo Hua nodded vigorously and replied to Gu Changhuai:

"Don't worry, Uncle Gu—I know this routine. I won't leave any 'evidence' for you!"

Gu Changhuai: "……"

This kid talks like I'm covering up his crimes…

Gu Changhuai sighed, then ignored Mo Hua.

Mo Hua recorded Gu Changhuai's information, then promptly erased it.

Not only were the magnetic ink and irregular magnetic patterns removed, but the secondary lightning patterns were erased as well.

This kind of thing, Mo Hua did with great "professionalism."

The next day, the moment Zi Shi arrived, Mo Hua did not practice the formation array; instead, he held the Grand Void Token tightly, fully focused, watching the Bounty Register for tasks.

The Bounty Register contained countless magnetic diagram and text bounty entries.

At the precise moment of Zi Shi's first quarter, one entry suddenly flashed with light and appeared.

Mo Hua's spiritual sense was extremely sharp; in an instant, he spotted the words "Water Prison Technique," "Concealment Technique," "Formation Master," and others within the entry.

His spiritual sense skimmed lightly over it, and he also spotted the three characters "Overriver Dragon."

That's right!

After confirming it, Mo Hua acted with lightning speed and tapped the application in an instant; on the other side, Gu Changhuai, seeing the name "Mo Hua," also approved it instantly.

The bounty entry, the moment it appeared, vanished again.

At that moment, many Foundation Establishment mid- to late-stage disciples of the Grand Void Gate were staring hungrily at the bounties in their Grand Void Tokens; they happened to catch this entry, but before they could even read it, it was gone, leaving them all bewildered.

"What happened? Wasn't this a new bounty?"

"I didn't even read it—how did it disappear?"

"Damn it, who was it? So fast… no, so sharp with their spiritual sense… I just blinked, and it was snatched away…"

(End of Chapter)