Immortality Through Array Formations Chapter 4
Previously on Immortality Through Array Formations...
Chapter 4: – Fire-Resistant Hairpin_1
The marketplace served as a hub where low-level cultivators exchanged mission rewards for resources. A vast array of goods including pills, formations, and spiritual artifacts could be found there, though the quality was often mediocre and the standards inconsistent.
With the end of the year approaching, the market was teeming with activity. Cultivators hurried to and fro, creating a loud and bustling atmosphere.
Mo Hua headed straight for a modest stall situated at the street's end. The proprietor was an elderly man named Sun. Locals referred to him as Old Sun, and his son held a position as a minor manager at the Myriad Treasure Building. From time to time, his son would collect defective items discarded by the Myriad Treasure Building and pass them to Old Sun to sell at a discount in the market.
Old Sun was calling out to potential customers when he noticed Mo Hua running toward him, breathless and with a flushed face. He couldn't resist teasing the boy,
“Little brother, are you back to browse spiritual artifacts again? I hope it won't be like last time where you just looked around without buying anything...?”
Mo Hua dismissed the comment with a wave of his small hand and declared, “I'm buying!”
Old Sun looked surprised and asked, “Isn’t the New Year still a few days away? Did your parents give you your New Year’s money early?”
Looking slightly annoyed, Mo Hua replied, “What New Year’s money? I earned this myself!” He then gave the pouch at his waist a firm pat.
The distinct clinking of spirit stones within the pouch immediately brightened Old Sun’s mood. He quickly responded,
“Pills, formations, artifacts—I have it all. High quality at low prices, fair deals for everyone. Everything comes from the Myriad Treasure Building’s inventory, so the quality is top-tier. What exactly is my young friend looking for?”
If the quality were truly top-tier, the Myriad Treasure Building would have sold the items themselves instead of letting them end up in a street market. However, Mo Hua wasn't bothered; he couldn't afford anything from the Myriad Treasure Building anyway.
“Do you have any fire-resistant spiritual artifacts?”
Old Sun gave a knowing look and produced a burlap sack, spreading its contents out for Mo Hua to see.
“You mentioned it before, little friend, so I made sure to look out for you. I specifically tracked down a few items—all of them are excellent fire-resistant spiritual artifacts. They are easy to carry and stylishly designed. What do you think?”
Mo Hua was impressed by Old Sun’s foresight, thinking that his decades of trading experience had made him incredibly sharp at spotting business opportunities.
The array of spiritual artifacts before Mo Hua was diverse, featuring rings, jade pendants, lanterns, and even a net and a scarf. It was easily the most comprehensive collection in the entire market town.
After a careful inspection, Mo Hua picked up a simple yet elegantly designed hairpin. “What kind of hairpin is this?”
Old Sun explained, “That is a Fire-Resistant Hairpin, a standard-grade spiritual weapon. Both the materials and the build follow a strict template, and it’s inscribed with a primary fire-resistant formation. It needs a spirit stone to function. Once it's active, the formation creates a barrier against heat, keeping the wearer cool. Even though it uses spirit stones, one stone can power it for three months, making it very cost-effective...”
Mo Hua voiced his suspicion, “Since these are standard spiritual weapons from the Myriad Treasure Building being sold here, they must have some defects, right...?”
Old Sun chuckled, “You’re sharp; you certainly know your stuff. I won’t deceive you—if it were perfect, it would sell for double the price at the Myriad Treasure Building. But a defect doesn't mean it's broken...”
Old Sun pointed to the peony engraving on the hairpin. “When the craftsman was carving this peony, he added a few extra lines that didn't fit the design. Because of that, it was labeled as a defect, but the internal formation is perfectly intact and works just fine.”
Mo Hua nodded, decided that this was the most appropriate choice. “How many spirit stones?”
Old Sun stroked his beard and said, “A flat rate of fifteen spirit stones!”
Mo Hua shook his head. “Five!”
Old Sun’s eyes went wide. “Who taught you to bargain like that?”
Mo Hua felt a bit sheepish. “I heard people haggling like that at another stall...”
Old Sun sighed dramatically, “Morality is truly in decline when even good kids are being influenced like this!” He then countered, “Fourteen stones, I can't go lower!”
Mo Hua cautiously increased his offer. “Six?”
...
After a long period of negotiation, they settled on a price of ten stones.
Old Sun felt he had reached his absolute limit, while Mo Hua knew from checking other stalls that he couldn't find a better price elsewhere, so he agreed to the deal.
Old Sun took the spirit stones and placed the hairpin into a simple but attractive paper box. As he handed it over, he grumbled,
“If my grandson were even half as smart as you, I’d have him helping me run this stall. Sadly, he’s a bit slow and too shy to speak to strangers.”
Happy with his purchase, Mo Hua waved goodbye and walked away with a cheerful stride.
A neighboring vendor laughed and said, “Old Sun, it looks like you took a hit on that deal!”
Old Sun stroked his beard. “It wasn't a loss, I just didn't make as much profit as usual.”
The vendor was curious. “Ten spirit stones isn't a small amount. I wonder who that kid is buying a hairpin for.”
“A Fire-Resistant Hairpin is meant for someone working near a hot stove. Who else could it be for?”
Watching Mo Hua’s receding figure, Old Sun whispered to himself, “He’s a good lad!”
Mo Hua lived on a quiet street on the outskirts of Tongxian City. Their old house was small, just big enough for a family of three. The neighbors were all Loose Cultivators in the Qi Refinement Realm who survived by doing manual labor. Despite their lack of wealth, the neighborhood was filled with a sense of community and warmth.
As dusk fell, smoke began to rise from the chimneys and soft yellow lights flickered on inside the homes.
Mo Hua burst into the house, shouting, “Mom, I’m home!”
A woman dressed in simple clothes and possessing a gentle face emerged from the back room. Her eyes brightened when she saw Mo Hua. She pulled him close, patting his head and pinching his cheeks as she asked, “Have you gotten thinner from practicing your cultivation so hard?”
“I haven’t lost any weight,” Mo Hua replied, then held out the box. “Mom, this is for you!”
The woman was surprised as she took the box and opened it to reveal the hairpin.
“This is a Fire-Resistant Hairpin. You spend so much time in the restaurant kitchen, and that heat isn't good for you. This will block the heat and keep you much cooler.”
The woman was Liu Ruhua, Mo Hua’s mother and a Loose Cultivator at the Qi Refinement Realm in Tongxian City.
The life of a Loose Cultivator was arduous, as high-paying jobs were scarce. Raising a child added to the burden, with the costs of daily necessities, Sect fees, and cultivation resources being a massive financial strain for a common family.
Liu Ruhua was a talented cook and worked in the kitchen of a local restaurant.
Wealthier establishments used high-end stoves crafted by Artifact Refiners that utilized Formations and spirit stones to generate heat. However, smaller restaurants saved money by having cultivators with Fire Spiritual Roots use their own spiritual power to fuel the cooking fires. Over time, this exposure to heat would damage their health, drying out their Meridians and causing chronic lung pain and coughing.
In her kitchen job, Liu Ruhua frequently had to use her spiritual power to manage the fires. Though it was physically damaging, her monthly salary of thirty spirit stones made it a coveted position that many Qi Refinement cultivators wanted but couldn't get.
Liu Ruhua looked at the hairpin, her lips trembling slightly in silence.
Mo Hua quickly added, “I earned the spirit stones for this by helping a fellow disciple at the sect. I didn't do anything dishonest!”
Liu Ruhua smiled, her heart feeling a mix of warmth and bittersweet emotion. “I can’t take this. You’re still young, and your future cultivation will require many spirit stones. We should be saving. I can manage on my own; you shouldn't worry about me...”
Mo Hua spoke with confidence, “Don't worry about the future yet. Who knows, I might become a powerful Great Cultivator at the Golden Core or Nascent Soul stage one day, with more spirit stones than I can count.”
Liu Ruhua laughed and tapped his forehead. “Listen to you, so young and already bragging.”
“Mom, please keep it. I spent a long time bargaining for this. If you don't use it, then all my effort was for nothing.”
Mo Hua took the hairpin and tucked it into her hair before running to get a mirror.
“See? Doesn't it look beautiful?”
Looking at her reflection, seeing how the elegant hairpin added a touch of grace to her appearance, and then seeing her son’s hopeful eyes, Liu Ruhua’s heart melted. She said softly, “I’ll keep it, but no more gifts like this, okay?”
“Yes, yes,” Mo Hua agreed quickly. “Mom, is dinner ready? I’m starving.”
“It’s all ready, and I made your favorites. Go eat!”
Liu Ruhua was a master in the kitchen. Even though the meal consisted of simple vegetarian dishes without spiritual energy, they were delicious. After finishing his meal and talking with his mother, Mo Hua retired to his room to study.
Late into the night, Mo Hua entered his Sea of Consciousness to practice Formations on the stone stele. When he finally woke up, it was six in the morning.
He closed his eyes to meditate, clutching a spirit stone for his daily cultivation session.
By the time he finished, the morning sun was streaming through the window. Mo Hua was stretching and preparing to start his day when he heard heavy, dragging footsteps outside.
He rolled over and looked through the gap in the door, seeing a man who looked exhausted and covered in bloodstains entering the house. It was Mo Hua’s father—Mo Shan.