Chapter 52: Meeting Guests

The scenery in the courtyard differed from what the three had imagined; it was quiet and secluded, yet appeared quite casual.

The single pond and its surrounding landscape were merely ordinarily exquisite, devoid of any fluctuations of spiritual energy, making it look nothing like the residence of a great cultivator.

Mr. Zhuang was also different from what they had envisioned. Although he possessed a handsome and elegant appearance and the weathered look of one who had seen much of the world, he seemed to lack the temperament they had imagined.

Auntie Xue maintained a respectful expression, her mind secretly pondering.

Before her departure, the Madam had shown her a portrait. The man in the painting stood with his hands behind his back atop a mountain peak, looking like a celestial sword that had shed all its sharp edges. That aura of arrogance, looking down upon the world and asserting supreme dominance, was almost too much to gaze upon directly.

Now, Mr. Zhuang lay on a bamboo chair, rocking leisurely back and forth, looking quite... indolent.

Had she not seen the portrait, she almost wouldn't have believed they were the same person.

Despite this, Auntie Xue did not dare to show the slightest contempt. She respectfully handed a token and a jade slip to Mr. Zhuang.

"Before leaving, Madam asked me to deliver this token and this letter to you, saying that you would understand upon seeing them."

Mr. Zhuang looked at the token, then at the jade slip, and let out a light chuckle.

"What a wonderful junior sister of mine. Even after all this, she still thinks of me, never forgetting to bring me trouble."

Mr. Zhuang turned to look at Auntie Xue. "When you have the chance, give your Madam a message: women who scheme too much tend to age quickly."

Auntie Xue lowered her head, not daring to respond.

Mr. Zhuang then looked at Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi, nodding. "Their aptitudes are indeed excellent, worthy of being..." Mr. Zhuang stopped halfway through his sentence.

Auntie Xue did not know what he intended to say, but seeing his appreciation for their talent, she could not help but show joy. "Then, sir..."

"I do not take direct disciples; at most, I can make them registered disciples." Mr. Zhuang set down the jade slip. "If they are willing, they may stay; if not, they may go back."

This was within the Madam's expectations. Auntie Xue remembered the Madam's words before she left

"This senior brother of mine is stubborn by nature. If he promises something, he will certainly do it; if he does not agree, no amount of pleading will work. But he can also be soft-hearted. As long as he gives in, you can slowly wear him down. If they cannot be direct disciples, let them be registered; if they cannot be registered, even staying to serve tea and water is fine. As long as he remembers the sentiment, he will eventually accept Zixi and Zisheng sooner or later."

Auntie Xue hurriedly said, "To be accepted as registered disciples by you is already a godsend. How could they not be willing?"

"Mhm," Mr. Zhuang nodded. "Then we shall dispense with the formal formalities. Just call me 'Sir'."

Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi performed the ritual of kneeling and bowing to Mr. Zhuang, saying, "Greetings, Sir."

Mr. Zhuang looked at the two children, his expression momentarily dazed.

For a fleeting moment, he saw two children—a handsome boy and a beautiful girl—performing the ritual of apprenticeship to a white-haired old man, while the tender voices of children echoed in his ears: "Greetings, Master."

Coming back to his senses, a trace of self-mockery flashed across Mr. Zhuang's face. He continued

"I don't have many rules here. Your mother's mastery of formations is not low; she should have taught you what needed to be taught. You are past the age of formation enlightenment and likely have some foundation. Just study on your own. If you have questions, come ask me, but one thing: do not disturb me when I am closing my eyes to meditate on the Dao."

"I have another registered disciple here named Mo Hua. You should have met him. Get along well with each other."

Having said that, Mr. Zhuang waved his hand. "You may go. Ascend the mountain daily at the Hour of the Dragon (7–9 AM) and descend at the Hour of the Rooster (5–7 PM). The rest of the time is at your leisure. If there is anything you don't understand, find Mo Hua."

Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi bowed and took their leave. The three of them left the bamboo house and entered the courtyard.

Auntie Xue felt that things had gone more smoothly than she had expected—so smoothly that it felt somewhat casual.

Furthermore, she did not know why Mr. Zhuang had refused to see them before, yet after this period of time, he was willing to see them and had so easily accepted Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi as apprentices.

Auntie Xue frowned in confusion.

"Could it be truly as that child Mo Hua said? That Mr. Zhuang acts according to destiny? He did not see us because the destiny had not arrived, and now that he sees us, the destiny has arrived?"

As Auntie Xue walked, she saw Mo Hua under the large locust tree, leaning over a small table and reading a formation book intently.

Auntie Xue felt that for Mo Hua to be accepted as an apprentice by Mr. Zhuang, he must possess something extraordinary, and Bai Zixi and Bai Zisheng also wanted to know what Mr. Zhuang taught.

The three walked up to Mo Hua and found him staring fixedly at a formation book.

Mo Hua had been focused on his reading, but hearing the movement, he looked up and saw the Bai siblings. He asked, "You've met Mr. Zhuang?"

Auntie Xue said, "Indeed. We must thank the young master's words from before, otherwise, we might have waited in vain for a long time."

"I am not a 'young master.' Just call me Mo Hua," Mo Hua said, waving his hand. "And if you want to thank someone, thank the Sir. It has nothing to do with me."

At this moment, Bai Zisheng finally couldn't help but ask, "The book you are reading... is it *The Basic Understanding of Five Elements Formations*?"

Mo Hua nodded.

Bai Zisheng asked in confusion, "You are following Mr. Zhuang, yet you have only reached this level? This is a book used for formation enlightenment for children aged three or four in our clan..."

Mo Hua felt a bit displeased.

It was fine to doubt him, but it was not fine to doubt Mr. Zhuang.

Mo Hua retorted, "Was this book written by three or four-year-old children?"

Bai Zisheng was stunned for a moment. "That's not it. Although these basic formation books seem simple, because they involve critical matters, most are compiled by great cultivators with significant expertise in formations."

"Since they were compiled by those great cultivators, why shouldn't I read them? The simpler a thing is, the deeper the principles it contains. The Great Dao is simple; it returns to its essence. Even high-level grand formations are composed of the most basic formation patterns."

Mo Hua imitated Mr. Zhuang, putting on an air of profound mystery.

However, since his experience was still shallow, he only managed to capture about thirty or forty percent of the demeanor, but it was enough to bluff Bai Zisheng.

Bai Zisheng had an epiphany, and the way he looked at Mo Hua changed.

A moment later, he asked suspiciously again, "Your cultivation is so low. You look only two or three years younger than Zixi and me, but how are you only at the third level of Qi Refinement? Normally, you should be at least at the fifth or sixth level..."

Mo Hua felt this person was a bit annoying; he had too much nonsense to say when he was full. He looked much more pleasant when he was hungry and lacked the energy to speak.

Mo Hua didn't want to deal with him, so Auntie Xue, standing to the side, said apologetically

"Forgive him, Zisheng's words were a bit blunt. I wonder, what must one do to be an apprentice of Mr. Zhuang?"

Bai Zisheng wanted to argue, but Bai Zixi gave him a cold look, so he swallowed his words.

Mo Hua didn't mind and said, "You don't need to do much. Just cultivate and study on your own every day. When the Sir is free, you may go to him for guidance. Just don't disturb him while he is sleeping."

Bai Zisheng couldn't help but ask, "Is Mr. Zhuang's mastery of formations truly that high? I see this courtyard is very ordinary and doesn't use any special formations. Shouldn't the residence of a typical formation master be covered in formations?"

Mo Hua countered, "If Mr. Zhuang's mastery of formations wasn't high, why would you go through all this trouble to take him as your master?"

Bai Zisheng said, "That is, of course, because..."

"Young Master!"

Auntie Xue called out to Bai Zisheng. Realizing his slip of the tongue, Bai Zisheng replied perfunctorily, "Because I had only heard of it before and hadn't seen it with my own eyes, that's why I asked."

"Oh~"

Mo Hua gave him a suspicious look but said nothing more.