As long as Mo Hua didn't ask any more questions, there was nothing to fear.
The man in green regained his composure and secretly vowed never to show off unnecessarily again.
Especially in front of young cultivators who looked cute and obedient, holding books. Before showing off, at least he should check what book they were holding.
"Uncle, are you a formation master?" Mo Hua couldn't help but ask.
"No, why would I be a formation master?" The man shook his head.
"You're not a formation master and still know so much. You're really impressive." Mo Hua sincerely praised him.
"Not really, these things are quite simple, nothing much." The man felt a bit guilty.
"Can I ask you questions again in the future?" Mo Hua asked.
"No!"
The man panicked and blurted out his refusal. Realizing it might be too harsh, he explained more earnestly:
"Uncle is also very busy and may not always have time. Moreover, in the cultivation world, knowledge is usually passed down formally. Since we're not related, it's not appropriate for me to teach you more about formations..."
"Besides, I might not be able to answer them anyway..." the man silently added.
Mo Hua felt a bit disappointed, but since he could still ask the Bai siblings and Mr. Zhuang, he wasn't too bothered.
Mo Hua opened "Introduction to Composite Formations" and continued reading.
The man in green feared Mo Hua would ask him questions he couldn't answer, so he made small talk. "Where's your father?"
"He went up the mountain to hunt monsters."
"Hunt monsters? Are there many cultivators around here who live by hunting monsters?"
"Yes, the land here isn't fertile, and there aren't many resources. The area is overrun with monsters, so most cultivators make a living by hunting them," Mo Hua replied. Curious, he then asked, "Uncle, what do you do?"
"I work at the Dao Court Office," the man replied.
Mo Hua's mouth dropped open in surprise. The Dao Court Office...
The Dao Court unified the Nine Provinces and was the largest power in the cultivation world, similar to an imperial court in feudal times, with the greatest authority. It gathered the most powerful cultivators of the Nine Provinces.
The Dao Court was located in Daozhou, the central province of the Nine Provinces and the hub of the cultivation world. The other provinces had Dao Court Offices to manage various affairs, including spiritual stone taxes, infrastructure, cultivation industries, and legal matters.
In other words, it was a stable, prestigious government job.
The status of Dao Court cultivators was naturally high. Even serving in a local Dao Court Office was a dream come true for many cultivators.
Seeing Mo Hua's astonished expression, the man felt somewhat redeemed.
"So, are you slacking off by coming here to drink?" Mo Hua asked curiously.
The man in green corrected him, "This is called understanding the local culture and customs of the cultivators."
"Oh," Mo Hua responded somewhat dismissively, clearly not believing him. "Aren't you afraid the head of your office will scold you?"
The man chuckled, "No worries. Even if he does, I'll just ignore him."
Mo Hua nodded, "I see."
"What do you see?" the man asked, intrigued.
Mo Hua thought for a moment and said, "If I'm not mistaken, you're from a prominent family."
The man raised an eyebrow, and Mo Hua continued, "Your family must be significant. Coming to a place like Tongxian City, you're either being punished or gaining experience in a small place before going back."
The man was taken aback. "You figured all that out?"
Mo Hua smirked, pointing at the nearby diners. "This place sees people from all over. When they gather to eat and chat, they talk about all sorts of things. For a family member to come here, there are only a few possibilities."
The man in green looked at Mo Hua, "You look so obedient, I didn't expect you to be quite sharp."
Mo Hua chuckled, then whispered, "What mistake did you make to get kicked out of your family?"
"Nonsense!"
The man was slightly annoyed.
"Then why did you leave?" Mo Hua asked.
The man sighed, then spoke with a self-satisfied air:
"Not to hide anything, it's just that I have a good family background, a bit more talent, and I'm quite handsome. Some noble young ladies fell for me at first sight and insisted on marrying me as a Dao companion. I got annoyed and came out to avoid them for some peace and quiet…"
Mo Hua looked at him skeptically.
"You don't believe me?"
"No," Mo Hua nodded.
"Why not?"
"No one tells stories like that anymore, not even the storytellers on the streets. It wouldn't fool anyone. My friend's father got tricked by a woman like that. He abandoned his wife and child, got his kidney cut out, and no one knows where he's buried now."
Man in green: "…"
"So if a woman says she fell for you at first sight, she's definitely lying. You should be careful."
The man was speechless.
"But there's another possibility," Mo Hua said.
"What possibility?" The man couldn't help but ask.
"You played with someone's feelings and didn't want to take responsibility, so you ran away to avoid marrying her…"
The man almost spat out blood. "What playing with feelings? What shirking responsibility? How old are you, and what kind of ideas are in your head?"
"I might not have much experience, but I've read a lot of stories," Mo Hua said righteously. "The cultivation world is dangerous. Knowing more can help avoid being deceived in the future."
The man felt both amused and exasperated. "You're quite a character, little one."
Mo Hua replied seriously, "Uncle, I'm saying this for your own good. As the saying goes, 'Good advice is hard to take but good for you.'"
Zhang Lan felt a mix of emotions and didn't know what to say. After a moment, he remembered something and asked, "By the way, what's your name?"
"Mo Hua."
"Mo Hua?" He looked at Mo Hua's fair face and delicate features, thinking the name suited him perfectly.
"What's your name, Uncle?" Mo Hua asked.
"Zhang Lan."
"Scumbag?" Mo Hua repeated.
Zhang Lan choked on his drink, coughing for a while before correcting through gritted teeth:
"Zhang! Lan! 'Zhang' as in 'change' and 'Lan' as in 'wave.' Not scumbag!"
"If it's not, it's not. Why are you shouting?" Mo Hua muttered.
Zhang Lan realized he was being foolish, arguing with a child. He took a jade pendant from his storage pouch and tossed it to Mo Hua. "This is for you."
Mo Hua shook his head, "I can't take your gift without earning it."
"You treated me to wine, so I'm giving you a jade pendant. Keep it. I'll come find you to play next time."
Zhang Lan waved and was about to leave when he suddenly turned back and asked, "Just to confirm, what's your cultivation level?"
"Fourth level of Qi Refining!" Mo Hua said proudly.
Only the fourth level of Qi Refining…
Zhang Lan sighed.
Thinking of the earlier Composite formation, he decided to drop it, feeling a headache coming on. He waved and left in a hurry.
(End of the chapter)