The market is a place for low-level Cultivators to trade cultivation items; it’s diverse and varied, with Medicinal Pills, Formations, and Spiritual Artifacts readily available, though their grades are generally not high, and their quality varies.
As the end of the year approached, the market was bustling with many Cultivators, people coming and going, noisy and chaotic.
Mo Hua walked straight to a small stall at the end of the street. The stall owner was an old man named Sun, whom acquaintances called Old Man Sun. His son worked as a junior manager at the Myriad Treasure Pavilion, and occasionally, his son would acquire defective goods that the Myriad Treasure Pavilion didn't want at a low price, giving them to him to sell at a street stall.
Old Man Sun was calling out when he looked up and saw Mo Hua running over, panting, his fair little face flushed. He couldn't help but tease him:
"Xiao Xiongdi, what kind of Spiritual Artifact are you looking at today? You're not just going to look and not buy, like the other day, are you...?"
Mo Hua waved his small hand, "I'm buying!"
Old Man Sun asked curiously, "There are still a few days until the new year, did your family give you your New Year's money so early?"
Mo Hua said displeased, "What New Year's money? This is what I earned myself!" He then patted the pocket at his waist.
Listening to the crisp sound of Spirit Stones clinking in his pocket, Old Man Sun's spirits lifted, and he quickly said:
"Medicinal Pills, Formations, Talismans, and Artifacts, I have everything here. They are good quality and inexpensive, and I don't cheat anyone. Plus, they are all from the Myriad Treasure Pavilion, so their quality is excellent. What would you like to buy, little friend?"
If they were truly of excellent quality, the Myriad Treasure Pavilion would have sold them themselves; they wouldn't have ended up in the market. However, Mo Hua didn't care; he couldn't afford things from the Myriad Treasure Pavilion anyway.
"Do you have any Fire Aversion Spiritual Artifacts?"
Old Man Sun showed an 'as expected' expression, pulled out a linen bag, and spread it open in front of Mo Hua.
"Little friend mentioned it a few days ago, so I paid attention. I went back and specifically found a few more. They are all excellent Fire Aversion Spiritual Artifacts, and they are convenient to carry and exquisitely styled. What do you think, little friend?"
Mo Hua looked at Old Man Sun in surprise, thinking, 'As expected of someone who has been setting up a stall in the market for decades; he prepares so thoroughly for even a small business opportunity.'
The Spiritual Artifacts displayed in front of Mo Hua were of various kinds: rings, jade pendants, lampstands, and even a 罩子 and a silk scarf... Just by looking at the styles, they were already the most complete collection in this market.
Mo Hua carefully examined them, then picked up a hairpin that was simple yet exquisite in design, and asked, "What kind of hairpin is this?"
Old Man Sun said, "This is called a Fire Aversion Hairpin. It's a standardized Spiritual Artifact, with unified standards for Materials and craftsmanship. It has an Elementary Fire Aversion Formation carved on it and needs to be charged with Spirit Stones. When used, activating the Formation can block fire Qi, making one feel cool and refreshed. Although it consumes Spirit Stones, one Spirit Stone can last for three months, so it's quite economical and practical..."
Mo Hua suspiciously said, "A standardized Spiritual Artifact from the Myriad Treasure Pavilion, being sold here by you, must have a flaw, right...?"
Old Man Sun smiled and said, "That's right, you know quite a lot. I won't hide it from you, old man. If it had no flaws, it would be at least twice as expensive at the Myriad Treasure Pavilion than here. But to say it has flaws is not entirely accurate..."
Old Man Sun pointed to the peony pattern on the hairpin, "When the Artifact Refiner carved this peony, they added a few extra strokes, which didn't meet the specifications. So, this hairpin was classified as a defective product, but the Formation inside is perfectly intact, and its function is still the same."
Mo Hua nodded, feeling that this hairpin was indeed the most suitable, and asked, "How many Spirit Stones?"
Old Man Sun stroked his beard, "One price, fifteen Spirit Stones!"
Mo Hua shook his head, "Five!"
Old Man Sun widened his eyes, "Who taught you to bargain like that?"
Mo Hua was a little embarrassed, "I heard it at other stalls; they all bargain like that..."
Old Man Sun said with a pained expression, "Truly, the world is going downhill; even good children are being led astray!" He then added, "Fourteen Spirit Stones, no less!"
Mo Hua also tentatively added a bit, "Six?"
...
After some haggling, the price was finally set at ten Spirit Stones.
Old Man Sun felt he couldn't go any lower, not a single Spirit Stone less, and Mo Hua had also inquired about the prices of Spiritual Artifacts at other stalls before, and there were basically no cheaper ones, so he agreed.
Old Man Sun took the Spirit Stones from Mo Hua's hand, wrapped the hairpin in a cheap but exquisite paper box, and handed it to Mo Hua, muttering incessantly:
"If my grandson were half as clever as you, I'd let him help me with the stall. Alas, my grandson is very clumsy; he doesn't even dare to speak when he sees strangers."
Mo Hua took the hairpin, feeling satisfied, waved goodbye to Old Man Sun, and then walked away with light steps.
The stall owner next to him smiled and said, "Old Man Sun, you lost money this time!"
Old Man Sun stroked his beard, "I didn't lose money, just earned a little less."
The stall owner then asked curiously, "Ten Spirit Stones is not a small sum. I wonder who this child bought the hairpin for."
"The Fire Aversion Hairpin is for avoiding fire. It avoids the heat from the stove. Who else could it be for?"
Watching Mo Hua's receding figure, Old Man Sun sighed slightly, "He's a good child!"
Mo Hua's home was on a secluded street on the outskirts of Tongxian City. The house was old and not very big, just enough for a family of three. The neighbors were all Loose Cultivators at the bottom of the Qi Refinement Stage, making a living doing odd jobs and short-term labor. Although not wealthy, the area was full of life.
In the evening, smoke drifted from every home, and yellowing lights flickered on.
Mo Hua ran through the door, shouting, "Mom, I'm home!"
From the inner room came a woman dressed in simple cloth, with a beautiful face. Seeing Mo Hua, her eyes were filled with joy. She couldn't help but pull Mo Hua in front of her, stroking his head and pinching his face. After a moment, she said, "Is your Cultivation too hard? You've lost a lot of weight."
Mo Hua said, "I haven't lost weight," then pulled out the box, "Mom, this is for you!"
The woman was stunned for a moment, took the box, and opened it, finding a hairpin.
"This is a Fire Aversion Hairpin. Mom, you work in the restaurant kitchen and are exposed to fire Qi for a long time, which is not good for your health. This hairpin can ward off fire Qi, and you'll feel much cooler."
The woman's surname was Liu, and her given name was Ruhua. She was Mo Hua's mother, a Loose Cultivator at the Qi Refinement Stage in Tongxian City.
The life of a Loose Cultivator is inherently difficult; there aren't many good jobs to earn Spirit Stones. If they have children, raising them is even harder. Food, clothing, daily expenses, especially the tuition fees for entering a Sect, and various Materials for Cultivation, are all significant expenses for ordinary Cultivators.
Liu Ruhua was good at cooking and worked as a kitchen helper in a small restaurant in the city.
Large restaurants generally use stoves refined by Artifact Refiners, which have Formations on them that consume Spirit Stones to convert Spiritual Qi into heat.
Small restaurants, to save costs, do not use Spirit Stones for heat. Instead, they have Cultivators with fire Spiritual Roots consume their spiritual power to condense the heat for cooking. Over time, the body inevitably suffers from the invasion of fire Qi, leading to withered Meridians and symptoms such as lung pain and dry cough.
When Liu Ruhua worked as a kitchen helper in the restaurant, she had to constantly consume spiritual power to provide heat. She earned about thirty Spirit Stones per month. Although it was harmful to her body, this was already considered a good job that a Loose Cultivator could find, and many Qi Refinement Cultivators wanted the opportunity but couldn't get it.
Looking at the hairpin in her hand, Liu Ruhua pursed her lips and remained silent.
Mo Hua quickly said, "The Spirit Stones for the hairpin were earned by helping fellow disciples; I didn't cheat, lie, steal, or rob anyone!"
Liu Ruhua couldn't help but laugh, feeling warm and a little bittersweet inside. "Mom can't take this hairpin. You're still young, and you'll need a lot of Spirit Stones for your future Cultivation. Save what you can. Mom can take care of herself; you don't need to worry about me..."
Mo Hua confidently said, "Let's talk about the future when it comes. Maybe I'll become a great Cultivator of the Golden Core or Nascent Soul stage in the future, and I'll have as many Spirit Stones as I want."
Liu Ruhua burst out laughing, poking Mo Hua's forehead with her finger, "At such a young age, you've already learned to boast."
"Mom, just take it. I haggled with someone for a long time to buy it. If you don't want it, wouldn't I have wasted half a day's effort?"
After speaking, Mo Hua took the hairpin and put it in Liu Ruhua's hair bun, then ran into the room to get a mirror.
"Look, isn't it beautiful!"
Liu Ruhua saw the woman in the mirror with the elegant hairpin, looking dignified and beautiful, and then saw her son's sparkling big eyes. Her heart softened, and she said softly, "I'll take this hairpin, but I won't accept any more gifts next time."
"Okay, okay," Mo Hua quickly agreed, "Mom, is dinner ready? I'm hungry."
"It's ready, and it's all your favorites, eat more!"
Liu Ruhua was an excellent cook. Although the dishes were simple vegetarian ones and contained no Spiritual Qi, they were exquisitely prepared and delicious. After Mo Hua finished eating and chatted with his mother for a while, he went back to his room to read.
After midnight, Mo Hua entered his Sea of Consciousness again and practiced Formations on the stone tablet all night. When he woke up, it was already 卯時 .
Mo Hua sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, holding a Spirit Stone in his hand, performing his routine Cultivation.
When he opened his eyes again, the sky was already faintly lit, and bright sunlight streamed into the room. Mo Hua stretched lazily on the bed, preparing to get up, and then heard heavy footsteps outside the room.
Mo Hua rolled over and lay on his stomach on the bed, peeking through the door crack. He saw a man covered in bloodstains and looking weary walking into the house. This man was Mo Hua's father—Mo Shan.