Chapter 7: Youyuan Zhai

A plaque hung in front of the shop, with the three characters "Youyuan Zhai" written upon it.

The interior was small and somewhat crude. The walls were covered in arrays of various patterns; some of them had clearly been hanging for a long time, as the ink had already begun to fade.

Behind a high counter sat a middle-aged, stout cultivator. He was fair-skinned and clean-shaven, appearing to be the shop’s manager.

A bell hung from the doorframe, and as Mo Hua stepped inside, it let out a crisp chime.

The fat manager had been dozing off, his eyes half-closed. Hearing the bell, he looked up and scanned the room. Seeing no one, he was just about to lose his temper when he looked down and spotted a small head peeking over the counter.

The fat manager was stunned for a moment. Seeing that Mo Hua was alone, he asked, "Little brother, where are your parents?"

Mo Hua shook his head. "My parents aren't looking for you; I am."

The fat manager was stunned again. "You're looking for me? What for?"

"Do you need anyone to help draw arrays here?"

The fat manager found this amusing and teased, "What? A little shrimp like you knows how to draw arrays?"

Mo Hua replied modestly, "I know a little."

The fat manager laughed. "Knowing a little won't cut it. You need to be at least at the sixth level of Qi Refining, have a study jade slip from a sect, be an array apprentice, have an array master as a teacher, and pay a deposit before you can draw arrays for us."

Mo Hua gasped inwardly. He hadn't known there were so many requirements; he didn't seem to meet a single one of them.

A bright idea struck Mo Hua. "Alright, I lied. I don't really know how. I'm here on behalf of my brother."

The fat manager didn't mind and asked, "What does your brother do?"

"My brother is an array apprentice. He studies under an array master and usually helps shops draw basic arrays to earn money for ink and paper. He's too busy with his studies to come, so I'm running the errand for him."

Mo Hua simply repurposed the identity of his distant uncle from the Meng family.

The fat manager stroked his chin, pondered for a moment, and refused. "No, talk is cheap. If your brother wants to draw arrays for our shop, he has to come himself."

Mo Hua’s eyes darted around, and he added, "Don't you collect a deposit?"

The fat manager nodded. "That's right."

"Doesn't the deposit cover the array diagrams and the ink, paper, and brushes? In that case, if I pay the deposit, even if I'm lying to you, it's just the same as you selling a set of materials and a diagram at market price. You wouldn't be making a profit, but you wouldn't be losing anything either."

In reality, they would still make a small profit, as the deposit was higher than the cost of the materials. As for the array diagrams, they were the simplest, most common goods that cost almost nothing in spirit stones.

Thinking about it, the fat manager hesitated.

"Is business not very good in your shop?" Mo Hua asked again.

It was indeed not very good. There were few customers, few arrays sold, and very few array masters—or even apprentices—willing to draw for them. Otherwise, the shop wouldn't be so desolate.

However, the fat manager wouldn't admit it. He kept his head held high, though he looked a bit guilty.

Seeing this, Mo Hua seized the opportunity. "My brother is very good at drawing arrays. Everyone says that in a few more years, he'll definitely be an array master. Once he becomes an array master and studies for another ten or twenty years, he might even become a first-grade array master. By then, he'll naturally draw more advanced arrays for you, and you'll make a profit, won't you?"

*Grade certification?* That was easier said than done.

The fat manager snorted inwardly, but as the saying goes, "Do not bully a youth for being poor." Who could say what the future held? If the boy really did become a first-grade array master, it would be a good connection to have, making it easier to ask for favors later.

Rules were, after all, just for show. As long as the arrays could be drawn, it didn't really matter.

"What you say makes sense," the fat manager said. "However, you claim your brother is good at drawing arrays, but empty words aren't proof. You're just a child and don't understand arrays, so how would you know if they're good or bad? How about this: bring me one of the arrays your brother has drawn. If it's truly decent, I'll agree to this deal."

Mo Hua didn't have a brother, so where was he supposed to find an array he had drawn?

He didn't have his brother's work, but he had his own.

Mo Hua had a few arrays he had drawn in his storage bag, but those were sect assignments—either disassembled basic array patterns or combinations of patterns—which differed from complete arrays.

Anyone with a discerning eye would see through it immediately. If he gave those, he would be exposed.

Mo Hua thought for a moment, his eyes lighting up. "I didn't bring the arrays my brother drew, but he once taught me a little bit. I'll draw one for you, and you'll know whether my brother's arrays are good or not."

"You can draw arrays too?"

The manager was stunned. He thought for a moment and said, "That works too."

Curious to see how the child would perform, he pulled a diagram from under the counter, took out some ink, paper, and a brush, and handed them to Mo Hua.

The diagram was labeled "Bright Fire Array." It was a complete array that the sect instructors hadn't taught yet, containing three array patterns. It looked quite difficult.

Mo Hua certainly couldn't draw a complete array. The arrays taught by the sect, while called arrays, only contained one or at most two basic patterns. These were entry-level exercises and didn't deserve to be called true arrays in the outside world.

A real array required at least three patterns with interconnected structures, like the "Bright Fire Array" before him.

Mo Hua glanced at the manager and said righteously, "This is too hard. If I could draw this, I'd just draw arrays myself to earn spirit stones; why would I need my brother?"

The manager patted his head, realizing his mistake. It was impossible for a ten-year-old child to draw a complete array; he had been asking too much. He had never dealt with children in the shop before, which was why he had been so careless.

The manager pointed to the top-left corner of the diagram. "If you can draw this small section of the array pattern, I'll agree to let your brother draw for us."

Mo Hua looked at the pattern in the top-left corner and breathed a sigh of relief. It was a type of basic fire-element pattern he had learned in the sect, just with a few added details and connections—well within his capabilities.

Mo Hua picked up the brush, dipped it in ink, and began to trace the pattern. A moment later, it was finished.

The fat manager had nodded slightly as he watched Mo Hua hold the brush. His technique was skilled, his strokes natural and fluid, and he showed no signs of nervousness. Clearly, his foundation was solid. The pattern he had drawn was also up to standard, with no errors. If he hadn't learned it from family, his brother must have taught him well.

The fat manager leaned toward the latter. Looking at Mo Hua's clothes—clean and tidy but very plain—it was clearly not a wealthy family. A cultivator with a family tradition of array study would never be so destitute.

The fat manager looked at the pattern again, quite satisfied. "The deposit is ten spirit stones. Once paid, I'll give you the necessary diagrams and materials."

"Ten!"

Mo Hua was stunned.

He only had three spirit stones on him. He had earned twelve by helping fellow disciples copy their assignments, spent ten on a fire-repelling hairpin, and saved one from his meager daily allowance. And that was it—that was all of Mo Hua's assets.

He would have to wait until the next array assessment to earn that many spirit stones by drawing for his peers.

Who knew how long that would take!

The manager saw Mo Hua's expression and realized the boy didn't have the spirit stones. He didn't say anything; it was normal for a child not to have that much.

The path of cultivation was not easy. Even managers like him had times when their pockets were empty, let alone a rogue cultivator from a poor background.

The manager kindly reminded him, "Without the deposit, you cannot take this job."

Seeing Mo Hua look dejected, he couldn't help but add, "I'll save this order for your brother. Come back and take it whenever you have the spirit stones."

Mo Hua nodded immediately. "Yes, yes! Once I go back and scrape together... ask my brother for the spirit stones, I'll come back to take the order!"

The fat manager waved his hand. "Go play for now. It's still early, I'm going to close my eyes and rest for a bit..." With that, he slowly squinted his eyes and began to doze off.

Mo Hua left the shop and squatted on the steps, resting his chin in his hands, feeling troubled.

"Seven spirit stones..."

Mo Hua wanted to earn spirit stones by drawing arrays, but to draw arrays, he needed spirit stones first. Without spirit stones, he couldn't draw arrays to earn spirit stones...

Mo Hua felt dizzy.

Ask his parents?

Mo Hua shook his head. The family needed spirit stones for food and clothing. He had heard his parents talking that morning—Uncle Chu from the hunting team had lost an arm, and they needed to lend him spirit stones for his recovery. Plus, there was Mo Hua's tuition for the next semester. The family likely didn't have any extra.

Borrow from someone?

All of Mo Hua's friends were even poorer than he was; they had no spirit stones to lend him.

Just as Mo Hua was deep in thought, he suddenly heard someone shout

"Mo Hua, you're actually here!"

Mo Hua looked up and saw a gorgeously dressed little fatty, surrounded by servants, glaring at him with fury.

Thanks to fellow Daoist Gui Youbai for the tip~

(End of chapter)