Thousand Jin Staff

"Are there any clans or sects that don't oppress independent cultivators?"

"Naturally, there are," Mo Shan explained. "Some clans have strict rules, and some sects have strict regulations. They wouldn't do anything out of line. Or perhaps their cultivation industries don't compete with independent cultivators for profit, so there's no need to mistreat lower-level cultivators."

"But these are few in number. As long as you're weak, you'll inevitably be oppressed, sooner or later," Mo Shan sighed again, then continued, "We're lucky in Qingxuan City, but in some places, the lives of independent cultivators are much harder. Not to mention in some high-quality states where ancient families and sects have been entrenched for thousands of years, dominating a region like giants. Those oppressed independent cultivators have no hope of turning things around..."

Mo Hua listened, feeling somewhat heavy-hearted.

Seeing Mo Hua's downcast expression, Mo Shan patted his head and comforted him with a smile, "Let's focus on our own affairs; we can't control these things. If you really have extraordinary abilities in the future, you can consider these matters then."

"Okay!" Mo Hua nodded.

"And as for your Uncle Ji, since he's new here, if there's anything you can help him with, try to assist him. Uncle Ji is righteous and willing to help others. Back when our family was in difficulty, he also helped us a lot."

"I understand, Dad."

Afterward, Mo Shan was busy with monster hunting. A few days later, when he had some free time, he prepared some gifts—some food and wine, medicinal pills, and some daily necessities—and visited Ji Qingbai.

Mo Shan and Ji Qingbai reminisced, and before leaving, Mo Shan handed him a bag of spiritual stones, saying, "Brother Ji, keep these for emergencies."

Ji Qingbai declined politely.

Mo Shan insisted, "We're like brothers, so we should support each other. Back when my family was struggling, I also received help from you. There's no need to refuse."

Only then did Ji Qingbai reluctantly accept.

After leaving Qingxuan City and traveling all the way, the savings he had accumulated were almost depleted. Upon arriving in Tongxian City, he didn't want to trouble his acquaintances for too long, so he rented a small courtyard. It wasn't large or expensive, but it was enough for him to stay.

Afterward, he bought some odds and ends, and his already limited spiritual stones quickly ran out.

Mo Shan sending him spiritual stones was like a timely rain during a drought.

In the past, he wouldn't have accepted, but now he was financially embarrassed, so he could only accept with gratitude.

When he recovered from his injuries, he could join Ji Li in hunting monsters in the mountains, earn some spiritual stones, and then repay Mo Shan.

In the evening, as Ji Qingbai and Ji Li discussed going into the mountains to hunt monsters, Fu Lan came in from outside.

In the past few days, her injuries had improved a lot. Although she hadn't fully recovered, she could already move around.

Fu Lan was also an independent cultivator and had experienced difficult days since childhood. So she thought about whether she could earn some spiritual stones to ease her urgent situation without burdening Uncle Ji and Big Brother Ji too much.

Thinking of the Fu Dining Hall mentioned by Mo Hua, which wasn't far away, she went to inquire and had just returned.

"You haven't fully recovered from your injuries, so rest more," Ji Qingbai said with concern when he saw her still looking a bit pale.

Ji Li helped her sit down and poured her a cup of tea.

Fu Lan's pale face blushed slightly.

Ji Qingbai saw the two of them like this, his expression unchanged, but he felt secretly comforted.

After a while, he remembered to ask, "Have you been to Fu Dining Hall?"

Fu Lan nodded, "They accepted me, and the monthly pay of spiritual stones is quite good."

Ji Qingbai sighed in relief. "That's good."

"However..." Fu Lan looked puzzled.

"What is it?"

"It's just that they didn't want to accept me at first when they heard I was from out of town. But later, when I mentioned that little brother's name, they didn't say anything and just kept me." Fu Lan explained.

"Mo Hua?" Ji Qingbai was surprised.

Fu Lan nodded.

Ji Qingbai was somewhat astonished. "Mo Hua, this kid, has quite the face..."

A big restaurant like that also valued his opinion.

Moreover, he unexpectedly learned during the day that Mo Hua was also a junior array master. Many of the array formations among independent cultivators were created by Mo Hua.

This revelation left Ji Qingbai amazed.

Before he came, he thought Mo Hua had given up on learning array formations, so he felt a bit regretful.

But he didn't expect Mo Hua to have become a genuine array master.

Ji Qingbai said solemnly, "In any case, we owe him a great favor. We must find a way to repay it properly in the future. Especially for Mo Hua, we must ensure nothing happens to him."

An array master among independent cultivators, with such a good heart, must not encounter any mishaps.

Both Ji Li and Fu Lan nodded earnestly.

Ji Qingbai felt relieved and sighed, "In the past few days, I walked around and took a look. Tongxian City is really different now. If we can settle down here, it would be considered living a good life."

He had been busy all his life, only seeking to live in peace. Now, after experiencing some twists and turns, he had finally found a place to settle down.

Ji Qingbai looked at Ji Li and Fu Lan again, feeling comforted in his heart. He smiled slightly and said, "If you don't mind, you can start a family here. In a while, I'll arrange a marriage for you and become Dao companions."

Both of them were stunned for a moment, their faces turning red. They exchanged a glance quietly, then lowered their heads.

In the pitch-black night, in the small courtyard, although the light was dim, it gradually became warm and cozy.

---

Two days later, Mo Hua was practicing array breaking in a restaurant.

He first drew a Compound Array and then proceeded to break it himself.

This way, he practiced the array formation twice, once drawing it and once breaking it, which consumed some of his spiritual ink.

As Mo Hua was drawing, Da Zhu ran over and said that the wolf-tooth staff without wolf teeth was ready.

Mo Hua's spirituals lifted, and he dropped the incomplete array, following Da Zhu to the forge.

Master Chen handed Mo Hua an iron rod, saying, "It's as you requested. There are no wolf teeth, and the positions for the array formation are marked. It's wrapped in iron skin, very sturdy, and inside, it's made of hard wood, so it won't be too heavy."

"Thank you, Master Chen!"

Mo Hua happily took the iron rod and examined it carefully.

The iron rod was silver-white, tough on the outside, thicker than both of Mo Hua's arms, and heavy to hold.

Mo Hua tried it, and it was still a bit heavy, but that was his own issue, not a problem with the iron rod.

Mo Hua was very satisfied with this iron rod and praised, "Excellent, Master Chen, as expected!"

Master Chen beamed with joy.

Mo Hua took some time to draw a top-grade array formation on the iron rod. The formation was named "Thousand Jin Formation."

The Thousand Jin Formation was a top-grade earth-based array formation. When infused with spiritual energy, the engraved spiritual tool would instantly become as heavy as a thousand jin.

Of course, claiming it weighed a thousand jin was definitely an exaggeration.

Mo Hua didn't believe it himself.

Many cultivators' names for their martial arts and array formations couldn't be fully trusted; getting a general idea was enough.

Mo Hua didn't know the exact weight of this formation. Moreover, the weight would also vary depending on the amount of spiritual energy used to activate the formation.

But in any case, it would definitely be heavy enough to be used for smashing.

Mo Hua envisioned raising the iron rod and then activating the formation, making the iron rod instantly weigh a thousand jin before heavily smashing down.

Even if he wasn't a body cultivator and didn't have a strong physique, this iron rod would have enough force.

Used for finishing off, patching up, and knocking people out, it should be sufficient.

The Thousand Jin Formation wasn't difficult, and Mo Hua learned it in two nights.

Drawing the formation wasn't difficult either, and Mo Hua finished it in half an hour.

Mo Hua went to a large black mountain and found a big rock to test it on.

He raised the iron rod high, infused it with spiritual energy, and a gray-brown array pattern flashed on the iron rod before it fell heavily.

The rock was smashed to pieces, and Mo Hua's hand was numb from the impact.

Although his hand was numb, Mo Hua was still very satisfied.

He gave the iron rod a name he had long thought of:

Thousand Jin Staff!

(End of the Chapter)