Chapter 50: Siblings

From then on, the three of them would visit Mr. Zhuang every morning. They would bow from a distance outside his gate, and if the door remained tightly shut after the time it took to drink half a cup of tea, they would descend the mountain.

Mo Hua actually wanted to tell them that Mr. Zhuang was a late sleeper in the mornings and would sleep until the afternoon; they were coming at the wrong time.

However, on second thought, it seemed that for the time being, Mr. Zhuang had little desire to see them.

If they came early and failed to see him, or came late and still failed to see him, since they were going to fail regardless, the timing of their visits was ultimately inconsequential.

By entering the mountain in the early morning, they could at least witness the mountain scenery bathed in the glow of the dawn, so it wasn't a total loss.

Mo Hua would occasionally run into them while heading up the mountain. Sometimes they would exchange greetings, and if time permitted, they would chat casually.

Though the two were scions of noble families and appeared somewhat aloof, they were both quite easy to talk to.

Through casual conversation, Mo Hua learned that their surnames were Bai and they were both slightly older than him. The handsome boy was named Bai Zisheng, and the girl, who looked as exquisite as a porcelain doll, was named Bai Zixi.

The two were siblings who had traveled from afar on the orders of their family elders to study formations under Mr. Zhuang.

Bai Zisheng was talkative, while Bai Zixi was quiet.

Their features were somewhat similar, but Bai Zixi was clearly more beautiful.

And her beauty was somewhat absurd...

When Mo Hua saw her from a distance, he merely thought she was charming and delicate, but upon closer inspection, he realized that although Bai Zixi was young, her face—as smooth as fine silk—possessed a peerless and flawless beauty.

*Is this really a face a human being can grow...* Mo Hua was utterly shocked.

As the saying goes, Nüwa fashioned humans from clay. Some people in this world were clearly made of clay, but others clearly were not; at least, the Bai Zixi before him was not.

When Nüwa created her, she must have kneaded together the elegance of the moon and the splendor of the wind, crafting skin of ice and bones of jade.

Mo Hua stole another glance at Bai Zixi and thought silently

"They say beautiful women are the seeds of calamity. Was the Goddess Nüwa creating a person, or was she creating a sin...?"

The veiled woman following the Bai siblings was called Auntie Xue, likely sent by the family to act as a protector.

Mo Hua was unsure of Auntie Xue's realm, but her cultivation was definitely not low. She possessed a subtle sense of pressure that Mo Hua had never felt from other cultivators.

The highest-level cultivator Mo Hua had met previously was the former Sect Leader of the Tongxian Sect, who possessed mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation. However, the old Sect Leader was kind-natured and, due to his advanced age, his spiritual power had declined, so his sense of pressure was not as strong as Auntie Xue's.

"At least she should be at the Foundation Establishment stage..." Mo Hua guessed privately.

To have a Foundation Establishment cultivator as a guard meant the siblings' status was certainly extraordinary. The Bai family was likely a prominent great clan from outside Lizhou. As for exactly what kind of great clan they were, Mo Hua was tactful enough not to ask.

Matters of noble clans and lineages were far removed from his own life.

For a cultivator of rogue origin, breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage was extremely difficult. And in this small Tongxian City, a Foundation Establishment cultivator could be considered quite prominent in status.

Even in his entire lifetime, his cultivation might not surpass the guards surrounding others.

Mo Hua kept his original intention firmly in mind, focusing on studying formations to become a First-Grade Formation Master, for only then would he have a chance to establish a foothold in the cultivation world.

Mr. Zhuang said nothing regarding the Bai siblings' daily morning visits; he seemed to tacitly accept it, yet he still showed no intention of meeting them.

However, Mr. Zhuang seemed to have put his mind at ease, as his daily routine had returned to normal.

He still slept until the afternoon, then sat in the courtyard, drinking wine with beef or enjoying tea with pastries, lost in thought while gazing at the mountain scenery.

Mo Hua continued to study formations, draw formations, meditate, and draw formations again, seeking Mr. Zhuang's guidance whenever he encountered doubts.

One day, Mr. Zhuang suddenly asked Mo Hua to draw a formation called the "Three Talents Formation."

This formation contained six lines of formation runes. With Mo Hua's current divine sense, he could not complete it, and its structure appeared very peculiar, differing from the Five Elements formations he had encountered before.

Mr. Zhuang gave Mo Hua only one day, requiring him to show him the formation the next day—however much he could draw would suffice.

During the day, Mo Hua devoted his entire mind to studying the diagram of the Three Talents Formation, attempting to draw it several times. At night, he returned and practiced all night long upon the remnant monument within his sea of consciousness.

The next day, in front of Mr. Zhuang, he managed to draw the formation in a fragmented and somewhat strained manner. However, due to insufficient divine sense, some of the drawn runes were ineffective.

Mr. Zhuang said nothing. Seeing Mo Hua's exhausted expression and slightly pale complexion, he knew it was the result of overusing his divine sense. He lit an incense stick, and a pale white smoke drifted up, carrying a crisp fragrance that was refreshing to the soul.

Mr. Zhuang said, "This is Soothing Spirit Incense; it can nourish the divine sense. Sit here and meditate. Once the incense has burned out, go back and rest early. Do not draw any more formations today."

"Thank you, Teacher," Mo Hua said. He thanked him and then sat in meditation. As expected, his divine sense recovered more quickly. After about the time it took to drink two cups of tea, the incense burned out, and Mo Hua bowed to take his leave.

After Mo Hua left, Mr. Zhuang stared at the Three Talents Formation Mo Hua had drawn, frowning in thought, remaining silent for a long time.

Old Man Kui entered the room and, seeing the situation, asked, "Did he draw it poorly?"

Mr. Zhuang shook his head. "It is not a question of being good or bad... His divine sense was insufficient and time was rushed; it would be impossible to draw this formation perfectly. There would be errors regardless, but..."

Mr. Zhuang frowned. "That child, Mo Hua, learns too fast."

"What is wrong with learning fast?"

"It is not just fast; it is too fast..."

Mr. Zhuang spread out the Three Talents Formation and said

"This Three Talents Formation uses completely different formation hubs and different runes compared to the Five Elements formation. I only gave him the diagram yesterday, yet in just one day, he has mastered most of it. If not for his insufficient divine sense, he truly might have managed to draw this formation, albeit with some stumbles..."

Mr. Zhuang's gaze tightened slightly. "What is most strange is that in one day, with Mo Hua's divine sense, he could have practiced this formation at most three or four times. But looking at the brushwork of this Three Talents Formation, it is already quite proficient. I fear he has practiced it over ten times."

Old Man Kui's expression remained unchanged, but his voice grew low. "Are you saying... that child Mo Hua is hiding something from you?"

Mr. Zhuang shook his head. "I have never asked, so it is not a matter of hiding or not. But looking at it this way, I suspect Mo Hua has encountered some other fortuitous opportunity."

Old Man Kui rolled his eyes. "In the path of cultivation, who doesn't have a fortuitous opportunity? Do you lack them? Among the myriad living beings in heaven and earth, the mere fact that one can be born into this world is itself a massive stroke of fortune."

Mr. Zhuang fell into thought upon hearing this.

Old Man Kui said, "If you truly care, just ask him."

Mr. Zhuang was slightly stunned. "Ask him?"

Old Man Kui said impatiently, "People like you claim to be transparent-minded, but in reality, you are just calculating. You always think others are just like you, hiding things as if they are unspeakable secrets. I think Mo Hua is a good kid; he isn't like you, hiding eighteen different schemes in his heart and acting all hesitant and indirect."

Mr. Zhuang leaned back in his chair and said calmly, "If I were truly calculating, I wouldn't have ended up in my current state."

"Birds of a feather flock together. You think yourself clever and like dealing with calculating people, but since your heart isn't as dirty as theirs, you naturally end up being schemed against. This cycle of cause and effect is of your own making; you cannot blame others."

Mr. Zhuang gave a bitter smile. "Indeed. That is why I can only stay with heartless people like you now; it is much more peaceful."

Old Man Kui's face turned wooden, and he spoke no more.