Mo Shan

Mo Shan was an eighth-layer Qi Refining cultivator specializing in hunting demonic beasts, extracting materials from them to make a living. It sounded impressive, but in reality, it was very hard and came with significant risks.

Most demonic beasts in the cultivation world were much stronger than human cultivators, making hunting them exceptionally difficult.

Typically, a small team of five to ten cultivators of the same realm was needed to hunt down a demonic beast, and even then, success was not guaranteed. Even if they succeeded, some of the more valuable parts of the demonic beast could easily be damaged during the battle, fetching only a few spiritual stones when sold. After dividing the earnings among the team, the share of spiritual stones each person received was quite meager.

If one accidentally got injured, the cost of healing pills was also a significant expense, often making ends difficult to meet. Moreover, once seriously injured, it was often difficult to rely on hunting demonic beasts for a living.

Mo Shan was robustly built, a wandering cultivator. His face was ruggedly handsome and sharply defined. By cultivator standards, he wasn't yet middle-aged, but due to years of hunting demonic beasts, enduring harsh conditions, and exposure to the elements, his face bore the weathered look of one who had seen many hardships.

Upon entering the house, Mo Shan set down his knife and the hide of some unknown demonic beast slung over his shoulder, finally letting out a sigh of relief.

His outer robe was tattered and stained with blood—some fresh, some darkened—mostly from the demonic beast's blood, but possibly also his own or his companions'.

This hunt hadn't gone smoothly, Mo Hua speculated silently.

Mo Shan unconsciously furrowed his brow, his expression heavy. Coupled with the blood on his clothes, he looked forbidding and unapproachable.

Yet, as soon as he stepped into the house and saw his wife, any trace of hostility dissipated, as if a battle-weary soldier had returned home, shedding the heavy and scarred armor from his body.

Mo Shan's voice was hoarse from fatigue, but he still asked in a gentle tone, "Is everything alright at home?"

Liu Ruhua helped him with his belongings while taking out a clean cloth to wipe his face. "Everything's fine at home. You don't need to worry."

Seeing his dust-covered face, she couldn't help but add, "You take care of yourself when you're out there."

Mo Shan smiled faintly, then glanced around the house. "Has Hua returned?"

"He just came back yesterday. The sect also granted him a vacation, so he's probably still fast asleep. Let me call him. Knowing you're back, he'll be thrilled."

Mo Shan looked at the bloodstains on his clothes and the wounds on his body, stopping his wife, "Let him sleep a bit longer. Cultivating in the sect isn't easy either. I'll take a bath first, apply some herbs, and change into clean clothes."

Liu Ruhua nodded, "Alright, then you should eat something first."

Mo Shan had been on the road all night and was famished.

Liu Ruhua was skilled in cooking. Although it was just some simple dishes, Mo Shan wolfed them down eagerly.

During demonic beast hunts, he often endured exposure to the elements and went hungry, eating only hard, dry rations and hesitating to use fasting pills. Now, returning home and eating his wife's cooking, he suddenly felt all the hardships and fatigue melt away.

Mo Shan ate a lot, washed it down with a bowl of fragrant and sticky porridge, and let out a long sigh of relief. Liu Ruhua, seeing the bloodstains on his clothes, couldn't help but worry, "Did someone get injured again this time?"

Mo Shan sighed, "Three injured, and Lao Chu is seriously hurt."

He continued, recounting the hunting incident, "Our group of eight was chasing a demonic wolf over twelve feet tall. We had it trapped and were gradually exhausting its demonic energy to kill it. Unexpectedly, another hunting team passed by, mostly newcomers, who hadn't shed much blood yet. They were reckless, trying to steal the kill, and the demon beast ended up devouring two of them alive..."

"That beast replenished its strength with human blood and went berserk. Lao Chu and I exhausted our spiritual energy to finally kill it, but the losses were heavy. Lao Chu lost an arm, bled heavily, and suffered severe vitality damage. He may not be able to continue hunting demons..."

Mo Shan grimaced, "Lao Chu's child is only two years old, and his wife only supplements their income with a small garden. Now with this serious injury, they'll need a large amount of spiritual stones for treatment. Even if he recovers, they won't know how to support themselves."

Liu Ruhua sighed too, saying, "When we were in difficulties before, Lao Chu, though not wealthy himself, lent us spiritual stones. We still have some saved up. Why don't we use them for Lao Chu first, at least to treat his injuries?"

Mo Shan nodded, "That wolf hasn't been sold yet. It should fetch around three hundred spiritual stones. We'll give Lao Chu a larger share, and we can borrow more spiritual stones to help him get through this. It's just..."

Mo Shan felt guilty, "Hua will be entering the sect for cultivation next year... We had hoped to make enough from killing the wolf demon to cover his expenses. Now, with this..."

Liu Ruhua grasped Mo Shan's hand, "As long as our family is safe, we'll find ways to earn more spiritual stones. I've saved some from my work at the tavern kitchen. We can borrow from others if needed. It won't delay Hua's enrollment next year."

Mo Shan silently watched his wife. Her once youthful and graceful face now showed signs of fatigue, intensifying his self-blame.

"You shouldn't continue working in the kitchen. The heat can harm your lungs and meridians. Next year, I'll hire more people and kill more demons to earn more spiritual stones. I won't let you suffer like this."

Liu Ruhua smiled, a hint of pride in her expression as she pointed to a hairpin on her head. "Do you know what this is?"

Mo Shan hadn't noticed when he came in, but looking closely now, he saw that the hairpin was different from the one his wife usually wore.

"What is this hairpin?"

"Hua gave it to me. He said it's called a Fire-Repelling Hairpin, it can dispel the heat from the kitchen. Wearing it makes my lungs and meridians much more comfortable."

"He is really understanding."

Mo Shan felt relieved and ashamed, "As a husband, I haven't given you a gift in many years..."

Liu Ruhua laughed, "Hua is your gift. His thoughtful gestures are your gestures."

Mo Shan chuckled, then sighed, "In cultivation, they often talk about fortune. Perhaps the luck of my life is having a wife like you and a son as thoughtful as Hua!"

Liu Ruhua playfully glared at her husband, but couldn't help but laugh.

Mo Shan looked at his wife's smile and silently resolved in his heart. After the New Year, he would hire more experienced demon hunters, find a way into the inner mountains, kill more demons, earn more spiritual stones, and ensure his wife wouldn't have to toil so hard. He also wanted to secure a bright future for his son.

Mo Hua, inside the house, heard his parents' words and sighed softly.

Unaware, his parents had always borne the hardships of cultivation life. Perhaps in any world, parents carried a much heavier burden than their children could imagine.

Even cultivators had to work tirelessly for spiritual stones and livelihood.

Cultivators and ordinary people seemed different, yet also not so different.

Mo Hua sighed, then quietly pondered to himself, "Is there a way for me to earn spiritual stones too?"

(End of the Chapter)