Mo Shan was an eighth level Qi Refinement Monster Hunter who made his living by hunting Monster Beasts and stripping their materials. It sounded impressive, but it was in fact quite arduous, and the risks were high.
Most Monster Beasts in the Cultivation World were far stronger than human Cultivators, making them exceedingly difficult to hunt.
Typically, it took a team of five to ten Cultivators of the same realm to hunt a Monster Beast, and even then, success wasn't guaranteed. Even if they did manage to kill the beast, some of its more valuable parts were often damaged in the battle, reducing their sale price in terms of Spirit Stones. Afterward, the profits were divided according to each team member's contribution, leaving each with a modest share of the Spirit Stones.
If one were to get injured, the cost of the Pills for treatment could be considerable, possibly resulting in a deficit. And if one were seriously injured, it often became difficult to make a living through Monster Hunting again.
With a tall and sturdy build, Mo Shan practiced Body Cultivation. He had a heroic appearance with sharp, distinctive features. Although young by a Cultivator's standards, not yet middle-aged, his face showed signs of hardship from his years of hunting Monster Beasts and living in the harsh elements.
After entering his home, Mo Shan set down his knife and the hide of some unknown Monster Beast he had been carrying on his shoulder, finally letting out a breath of relief.
His outer garment was worn and torn, stained with blood—some fresh and some darkened. It was likely the blood of Monster Beasts, but also his own or that of his companions.
The Monster Hunt must not have gone smoothly, Mo Hua silently surmised.
Mo Shan's eyebrows were unconsciously furrowed, his expression grave. Coupled with the bloodstains on his clothes, he looked somewhat forbidding.
However, this hostility faded away when he entered his home and saw his wife, as if a war-weary general had returned home and shed his heavy, scarred armor.
Mo Shan's voice was hoarse from fatigue, but he still asked in a gentle tone, "Is everything alright at home?"
Liu Ruhua began to tidy up his luggage while reaching for a clean towel to wipe his face. "Everything is fine at home, don't worry about it."
Seeing the dust and weariness on his face, she couldn't help but say, "You need to take care of yourself when you're out."
Mo Shan smiled and then looked around the room, "Is Huar back yet?"
"He returned just yesterday. The Sect has started the new year's break, he must still be sleeping soundly. I'll go call him; he'd be so happy to know you're back."
Mo Shan glanced at the blood on his clothes and his wounds, stopping his wife, "Let him sleep a bit longer. Cultivation at the Sect isn't easy either. I'll take a bath first, apply some herbal medicine, and change out of these clothes."
Liu Ruhua nodded, "Alright, then you should eat something first."
Mo Shan, having traveled the entire night, was ravenously hungry.
Liu Ruhua was an excellent cook, and though the food was simple, Mo Shan devoured it hungrily.
During Monster Hunts, he often slept outdoors and went hungry, resorting to cold, hard rations, sparingly using Fasting Pills. Now, eating his wife's cooking at home, he instantly felt all the hardships and fatigue wash away.
Mo Shan ate heartily and took a large swallow of congee, boiled till it was fragrant and sticky, and then he sighed deeply. Seeing the bloodstains on his clothes, Liu Ruhua expressed her concern, "Did someone get hurt again this time?"
Mo Shan sighed, "Three were injured, and Old Chu was critically wounded."
Mo Shan then began to recount the Monster Hunting incident:
"Our group of eight was chasing a wolf Demon over three feet tall. We had cornered it, planning to slowly deplete its demonic power before delivering the killing blow. Unexpectedly, another Monster Hunting Team passed by, mostly greenhorns who hadn't bled much before. They audaciously followed suit in trying to take advantage, but when they rashly joined in, two of them were eaten alive by the Monster Beast..."
"After that fiend replenished its blood qi by consuming humans, it went berserk. Old Chu and I exhausted our spiritual power to finally slay the wolf demon, but at a great loss. Old Chu lost an arm, bled a lot, his vital energy severely damaged, I'm afraid he can no longer make a living from monster hunting…"
Mo Shan added with a bitter tone, "Old Chu has a two-year-old child, and his wife just grows some vegetables and fruits to supplement the household. Now that he's badly injured, he'll need a large amount of spirit stones for treatment. Even if he heals, it's uncertain what the three of them will live on."
Liu Ruhua also sighed and said, "Our family faced hardships before, and even though Old Chu wasn't wealthy, he still lent us spirit stones. We still have some saved up, why don't we give them to Old Chu for now, at least to get his injuries treated."
Mo Shan nodded, "The wolf demon's corpse hasn't been sold yet. It should fetch around three hundred spirit stones. When the time comes, we'll give a larger share to Old Chu, and we'll also lend him some more, just to get through this. It's just that…"
Mo Shan felt somewhat guilty, "For Huar's entry into the Sect for cultivation next year, I had hoped that after slaying the wolf demon, we would almost have enough. Now with this turn of events…"
Liu Ruhua held Mo Shan's hand and said, "As long as the family is safe, that's what matters. We will always find a way to earn spirit stones. I've saved some from helping in the tavern's kitchen, and we can borrow some more. It won't hinder Huar's beginning of cultivation studies next year."
Mo Shan silently looked at his wife. The once young and charming face now bore a trace of exhaustion, and he felt increasingly remorseful.
"Maybe you shouldn't work in the kitchen anymore. The heat harms the heart and lungs and can damage the meridians. Next year, I'll look for more people, kill more monster beasts, earn more spirit stones, so you won't have to suffer so much."
Liu Ruhua pursed her lips, smiling with a hint of pride, and pointed to the hairpin on her head, "What do you think this is?"
Mo Shan didn't notice it when he entered the door, but taking a closer look now, he realized the hairpin was different from the ones his wife usually wore.
"This hairpin is?"
"Huar gave it to me. He said it's called a fire-resistant hairpin, and it can ward off the heat from the stove. Wearing it, my heart and lungs, and my meridians feel much cooler."
"Huar is really thoughtful."
Mo Shan felt both relieved and ashamed, "As a husband, it's been so many years since I've given you a gift…"
Liu Ruhua said with a smile, "Huar is your son, so his gift is as good as yours."
Mo Shan laughed ruefully, then said with a wry smile, "People in the path of cultivation often talk about fate. Perhaps my life's fortune is marrying a wife like you, and having Huar, such a sensible son!"
Liu Ruhua gave her husband a playful look, unable to suppress her laughter.
Looking at his wife's smile, Mo Shan silently made up his mind to find some more skilled monster hunters next year, and find a way to enter the Inner Mountain. He would slay more monster beasts, earn more spirit stones, and make sure his wife would not have to work so hard anymore. He also vowed to secure a better future for his son.
Mo Hua, in the house, had heard all that his parents said. The young boy sighed.
Without his knowledge, his parents had always endured the hardship of the cultivation life. Perhaps, in any world, the burdens parents bear are always much heavier than children can imagine.
Even cultivators have to toil for spirit stones and struggle for a living.
Cultivators and mortals, they seem different, yet perhaps not so different after all.
Mo Hua pondered with a sigh, then silently thought to himself, "Is there a way for me to earn spirit stones too?"