Da Zhu delivered the water caltrop to Mo's house while Mo Hua was enjoying a delicious bowl of beef noodles at the restaurant, just like the other diners.
Li Ruhua opened the box and saw the sparkling blue water caltrop. She politely declined, saying, "This is too precious; I can't accept it."
"Auntie Li, please take it. Mo Hua has helped my master a lot, so my master specially sent it."
Li Ruhua smiled and said, "He's just a kid. What big help could he provide?"
Seeing Da Zhu, Mo Hua set down his bowl and went to the door to ask, "What's this?"
Da Zhu proudly said, "This is water caltrop. It can clear heat, calm the mind, and soothe the heart. Someone asked my master to refine a spiritual tool but couldn't pay with spirit stones, so they used this instead. Since Auntie Li isn't well, it's perfect for her."
Mo Hua's eyes lit up, and he accepted it directly. "Please thank Master Chen for me!"
"No problem, no problem!" Da Zhu waved his hand.
Seeing this, Li Ruhua could only relent. She asked Da Zhu, "Haven't eaten yet? Come in and have a bowl of noodles."
Da Zhu half-heartedly replied, "I'm not hungry."
Mo Hua pulled Da Zhu inside and made him sit down. "Finish eating before you leave."
Li Ruhua served Da Zhu a big bowl of noodles with beef, steaming hot and fragrant.
Da Zhu ate heartily, sweating profusely.
Knowing these kids often did physical work and had a hard time getting a full meal, Li Ruhua brought out another bowl of noodles.
Da Zhu grinned broadly.
Looking at the box of water caltrop, Li Ruhua said to Mo Hua, "This water caltrop is very precious. When you have time, thank Master Chen. If it really helps, ask him for more assistance."
"It's okay, Mom. From now on, any formation my master needs, I'll take care of it," Mo Hua assured her, then added thoughtfully, "Anything below Grade A is fine."
Mo Hua couldn't yet draw formations containing nine formation patterns.
"Be humble in your deeds; don't make empty promises." Li Ruhua patted Mo Hua's head.
"Little Mo is amazing. He draws formations so well! My master praises him, saying he might become a Grade A Formation Master in the future," Da Zhu said naively.
"You can't predict the future, especially in cultivation."
Li Ruhua said this, but inwardly, she was pleased that her child was being praised. She prepared a plate of beef and rice wine for Da Zhu to take back to Master Chen, along with some snacks for his fellow apprentices to enjoy.
Da Zhu happily returned home with several food containers.
That night, under Mo Hua's "supervision," Li Ruhua brewed the water caltrop into a medicinal soup. It noticeably cooled her meridians, though she still lamented the cost in spirit stones.
She wouldn't have used such fine medicinal herbs if Mo Hua hadn't insisted.
Seeing his mother drink the soup, Mo Hua returned to his room to continue studying formations.
"The quality of spirit ink affects the efficacy of the formation..."
"The attachment of formations and the transmission of spiritual power vary on different formation mediums..."
"The spiritual power at the third level of Qi Refinement is too weak..."
"Actual application can indeed enhance memory and comprehension of formations. The Meltfire Array, containing six formation patterns, was somewhat unfamiliar before, but now it feels engraved in my mind, almost instinctive..."
Mr. Zhuang was right about learning by doing!
It wasn't easy to find opportunities for practical application. Others wouldn't ask a third-level Qi Refinement cultivator to draw formations, and the formations used by lower-level wandering cultivators were too basic, mostly containing only two or three formation patterns. What to do?
He needed formations with at least five patterns and preferred refined iron as the formation medium. Plus, it had to be someone familiar; otherwise, explaining mistakes in formations would be tricky.
After thinking it over, Master Chen and his furnace seemed the most suitable.
But the furnace had just been dismantled; it wouldn't be right to take it apart again and redraw the formations.
Were there any other furnaces?
Mo Hua glanced secretly at his family's stove; it seemed a bit small.
The next day, Mo Hua tentatively mentioned his idea to his mother, but she flatly rejected it.
"This stove is not only for business but also for cooking for you and your father. The fire is sufficient. Unless it breaks, don't even think about tampering with it."
Li Ruhua had watched Mo Hua grow up and could see through his every thought.
Mo Hua could only drop the idea.
A few days later, Li Ruhua went to Wondrous Hall to have Master Feng re-examine her condition. Mo Hua accompanied her.
Master Feng felt her pulse and nodded, saying:
"Not bad, your heart and lungs are well nurtured, and you can occasionally try to use spiritual power to let your meridians adapt, but don't use it for extended periods, as it can still harm your body. As for the residual fire toxins, they have been mostly cleared."
"I'll prescribe a few herbs for you to fetch. I'll refine them into pills later, and you can take them home to consume."
Master Feng wrote down the names of several herbs on paper, and Li Ruhua took it to the pharmacy. She instructed Mo Hua not to wander around and to keep Master Feng company.
After Li Ruhua left, Master Feng sipped his tea and looked up to see Mo Hua staring at the alchemy furnace inside the room.
"Hua'er, what are you looking at that alchemy furnace for?"
Mo Hua asked, "Master Feng, do you think this alchemy furnace could break?"
"As long as it's a spiritual tool, it's possible." Master Feng stroked his beard.
"Has it broken before?"
Master Feng nodded, "Indeed, it has broken a few times."
"If it breaks next time, could you let me repair it?" Mo Hua whispered.
Master Feng was slightly surprised. "Are you studying artifact refining?"
"No," Mo Hua waved his small hand, "the furnace outside is broken, and I have no way to repair it. I mean the formations inside. If they break, could you let me repair them?"
Master Feng smiled and looked at Mo Hua, "Alright, if the formations inside the alchemy furnace break, I'll let you repair them!"
Mo Hua grinned, his eyes squinting, "It's a deal then!"
"It's a deal!" Master Feng chuckled.
As Li Ruhua returned with several packets of medicine, she saw Mo Hua and Master Feng chatting happily. She couldn't help but smile gently and asked, "What are you talking about?"
"Just a small deal with Master Feng," Mo Hua replied with a grin.
"Are you trying to earn spiritual stones from Master Feng?"
"It's about friendship, not about spiritual stones," Mo Hua replied.
Li Ruhua shook her head with a smile, handed the medicine packets to Master Feng, and said kindly, "Thank you for your trouble, Master Feng."
Master Feng accepted with a smile, then stood up and walked to the alchemy room. He placed the herbs into the alchemy furnace, preparing to ignite it. However, he suddenly paused, looking at the furnace with a complex expression.
"Master Feng, what's wrong?" Mo Hua couldn't help asking.
Master Feng wiped the side of the furnace with his hand, checked the spirit stones, and sighed somewhat helplessly, "The alchemy furnace is broken."
Mo Hua was stunned. After a moment, he whispered, "Could it be... it didn't break just because of what I said, did it..."
(End of the Chapter)