Chapter 49: Chapter 49 Evening Glow_1
Translator: 549690339
At twilight, Mo Hua first returned home and had his mother cook some food: two bowls of hot noodles, some soy-braised beef, refreshing pickles, a few plates of snacks, and several pots of osmanthus-flavored wine.
He then packed the food into a food box, stowed it in his storage bag, and took it up the mountain.
Midway up the mountain, there stood a man, a woman—two children—and the veiled woman, all standing as straight as before.
Mo Hua, carrying his storage bag, approached them and got straight to the point.
“You’ve disturbed Mr. Zhuang’s peace,” he said. “It’s best you go back. Mr. Zhuang does not wish to see you.”
Upon hearing this, both children appeared somewhat disheartened, while the veiled woman spoke up.
“Please pass on a message. Just say that an old acquaintance has come to visit, with urgent matters to discuss, and we must have an audience with Mr. Zhuang,” she said.
“Mr. Zhuang is aware of your reasons for coming and has chosen not to see you. No matter how much longer you wait, it will be in vain,” Mo Hua replied.
The boy, with a resolute expression, said, “As long as I can meet Mr. Zhuang, I’ll wait however long it takes.”
The girl on the side didn’t say anything, but her eyes showed no sign of backing down either.
“If Mr. Zhuang keeps refusing to meet with you, will you really continue to wait? For ten years, a hundred years?” Mo Hua asked curiously.
The boy, with his neck stiffened, remained silent.
He seemed quite handsome and intelligent, just a bit too stubborn. Mo Hua inwardly sneered at the boy’s obstinacy.
“Then what will you eat?” he asked.
“I have Fasting Pills,” the boy replied.
“Consuming too many Fasting Pills can harm your body,” Mo Hua said.
Fasting Pills are one of the elixirs concocted by alchemists, combining everyday food ingredients with preservative agents. They are transformed into pills that are easy to carry, can relieve hunger, and replenish Blood Qi. They are an essential type of pill for cultivators who travel long distances or engage in extended periods of secluded cultivation. However, consuming them for extended periods can be harmful to a cultivator’s Blood Qi.
Of course, another reason why Loose Cultivators don’t eat Fasting Pills is that they are not cheap. Using them to stave off hunger is not cost-effective.
“Hmph,” the boy snorted, “That’s none of your concern.”
Yet, he couldn’t help but stealthily glance at the veiled woman.
“We appreciate your kindness, young friend, but we must meet Mr. Zhuang on this trip, and we will not leave until we do,” said the woman behind the veil.
“Staying here to meet Mr. Zhuang is your desire, but no matter how long you wait, you won’t see him. Knowing Mr. Zhuang’s nature, the longer you wait, the more he will want to avoid you,” Mo Hua said.
The veiled woman hesitated for a moment. She had never seen Mr. Zhuang but was somewhat aware of his ways, knowing that what the young boy said was likely true.
If Mr. Zhuang didn’t want to see them, they could turn to bones waiting and still never meet him.
Seeing her waver, Mo Hua continued, “For those in Tao Cultivation, everything is about fate. If Mr. Zhuang does not want to meet you, it’s because the right moment has not come. If the moment has not come, no matter how staunchly you wait, it will be contrary to your wishes.”
Meanwhile, the girl eyed the pastries in Mo Hua’s food box, “These pastries...”
“My mother made them herself. They’re delicious!” Mo Hua said proudly.
“Your mother... does she make pastries for you to eat?”
“Not only pastries, but a lot of delicious foods.” Mo Hua nodded.
A hint of envy appeared in the young girl’s cool eyes before she picked up a pastry from the plate and took a light bite.
Crispy and pleasantly sweet.
The little girl lowered her eyelashes, covering her eyes and concealing her thoughts. After a while, she raised her head and looking at Mo Hua, she praised, “It’s very delicious.”
Her voice was clear and melodious, as if the sounds produced by celestial beings playing their heavenly instruments couldn’t be any more exquisite.
Mo Hua was also very pleased and smiled with his eyes narrowed,
“Mhm, the food my mother makes is the best!”
After finishing their meal, just before departing, Aunt Xue took out a radiant Jade Pendant and handed it to Mo Hua:
“This is a Clear Heart Pendant of the finest quality. Wearing it can help one stay focused during cultivation. It’s not very precious, but please accept it as a token of our gratitude.”
Although Aunt Xue said it wasn’t very valuable, the flickering light on it clearly showed it wasn’t ordinary, and for a Loose Cultivator like Mo Hua, it seemed all the more precious.
Mo Hua was somewhat tempted, but he also knew he shouldn’t accept it.
They were treating him so courteously solely because of Mr. Zhuang; without that connection, considering the disparity in their status, they probably wouldn’t even speak a word to him.
Since he was studying formations with Mr. Zhuang, he already owed a debt of gratitude to Mr. Zhuang, and couldn’t exchange Mr. Zhuang’s face for personal benefits.
Mo Hua politely declined, but Aunt Xue insisted on giving, so Mo Hua said,
“If you really wish to give something, just provide some money for the meal, five Spirit Stones would suffice.”
Aunt Xue was stunned for a moment, as if she had never heard such a request before. Yet, she still took out a storage bag with forty or fifty Spirit Stones inside.
Mo Hua only took five and returned the bag to Aunt Xue. Without waiting for Aunt Xue to say anything, he waved his small hand and, slinging his own storage bag, headed down the mountain on his own.
Aunt Xue watched Mo Hua in a daze, and as he was about to disappear into the distance, the young girl suddenly spoke, her voice clear and melodious,
“What is your name?”
Though the voice was soft, Mo Hua still heard it.
Mo Hua turned around and smilingly said, “I am called Mo Hua.”
At that moment, the sunset was like a splash of ink, turning the mountain scenery into a painting.
With the brilliant colors of the sunset, Mo Hua standing amidst the mountains seemed as if he was positioned within a splendid tapestry.
The name Mo Hua, along with the evening’s colorful clouds, stayed in her Sea of Consciousness.