Chapter 4: Fire-Repelling Hairpin

The marketplace was a place where low-level cultivators traded cultivation items. The variety of goods was vast, ranging from pills, arrays, and spiritual tools, though their grades were usually not high, and their quality varied significantly.

As the end of the year approached, the marketplace was bustling with cultivators. The place was crowded and noisy with people coming and going.

Mo Hua walked straight to a small stall at the end of the street. The stall owner, an elderly man named Sun, was known by locals as Old Sun. His son worked as a minor steward at the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, and occasionally, when there were defective items that the pavilion didn't want, his son would buy them at a low price and give them to Old Sun to sell at the stall.

Old Sun was currently shouting out his wares, but when he looked up, he saw Mo Hua running over, slightly out of breath, with rosy cheeks on his fair face. He couldn't help but tease him, "Young man, here to look at spiritual tools again? You're not just window shopping like last time, are you?"

Mo Hua waved his small hand, "I'm buying!"

Old Sun raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Still a few days left until the end of the year, huh? Did you get your New Year's money early?"

Mo Hua replied with some irritation, "It's not New Year's money. I earned this myself!" He gave a pat to the pouch hanging from his waist.

Hearing the crisp clink of spirit stones from the pouch, Old Sun's eyes lit up. He quickly said, "Pills, arrays, talismans, spiritual tools—I have it all! Excellent quality and fair prices; you can trust me. Plus, everything here is from the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, so you know it's top-grade. What would you like to buy?"

If the quality were really top-grade, the Myriad Treasures Pavilion would have sold it themselves; it wouldn't have ended up in the marketplace. But Mo Hua didn't care; he couldn't afford Myriad Treasures Pavilion goods anyway.

"Do you have any spiritual tools for resisting fire?"

Old Sun's expression brightened, as if he had expected this. He took out a burlap pouch, spread it open, and displayed its contents before Mo Hua.

"A few days ago, you mentioned needing fire-Repelling tools, so I kept an eye out. I went back and found several items for you. All of them are top-quality fire-Repelling spiritual tools, easy to carry and with beautiful designs. What do you think?"

Mo Hua gave Old Sun a surprised glance, thinking to himself that the old man's decades of experience in the marketplace really showed—he was prepared for any business opportunity.

Before Mo Hua were various spiritual tools: rings, jade pendants, a lantern, a cover, and a silk scarf… just by appearance, it was already the most comprehensive selection available in the marketplace.

After examining them carefully, Mo Hua picked up a simple yet finely crafted hairpin and asked, "What kind of hairpin is this?"

Old Sun replied, "This is called a Fire-Repelling Hairpin. It's a standard spiritual tool with uniform standards for materials and craftsmanship. There's a basic fire-Repelling array carved on it, which requires spirit stones for energy. Once activated, the array can block fire, keeping you cool. Though it consumes spirit stones, a single stone lasts for three months, so it's quite economical and practical…"

Mo Hua eyed him skeptically, "If it's a standard spiritual tool from the Myriad Treasures Pavilion, there must be a flaw if you're selling it here, right?"

Old Sun chuckled, "You know quite a bit. I won't hide it from you. If it didn't have flaws, it'd be sold at the pavilion for at least twice my price. But while it does have flaws, it's nothing major…"

He pointed to the peony pattern on the hairpin, "The craftsman carved a few extra strokes on this peony here, which isn't up to standard, so it was classified as defective. But the array is intact, and its effects are just the same."

Mo Hua nodded, feeling that this hairpin was indeed suitable. He then asked, "How many spirit stones?"

Old Sun stroked his beard, "Fifteen spirit stones. Non-negotiable!"

Mo Hua shook his head, "Five!"

Old Sun's eyes widened, "Who taught you to haggle like that?"

Mo Hua hesitated, "I overheard at other stalls. That's how they bargain…"

Old Sun clutched his chest in mock pain, "The world is going downhill! Even good kids are being led astray!" Then he added, "Fourteen, no less!"

Mo Hua tentatively raised his offer, "Six?"

...

After some back-and-forth haggling, they settled on a price of ten spirit stones.

Old Sun felt he couldn't go any lower, while Mo Hua, having checked prices at other stalls earlier, knew this was already quite reasonable, so he agreed.

Old Sun took the spirit stones from Mo Hua and wrapped the hairpin in a simple yet exquisite paper box, then handed it over while muttering, "If my grandson were half as clever as you, I'd have him help me here. Sadly, my grandson's so timid he won't even speak to strangers."

Satisfied, Mo Hua took the hairpin, waved goodbye to Old Sun, and walked away with a spring in his step.

The neighboring stall owner chuckled, "Old Sun, took a loss this time, eh?"

Old Sun stroked his beard, "Not a loss, just a little less profit."

The stall owner, still curious, added, "Ten spirit stones is no small amount. I wonder who the kid is buying the hairpin for?"

"Well, the Fire-Repelling Hairpin blocks the heat from a stove. Who else could it be for?" Watching Mo Hua's receding figure, Old Sun sighed lightly, "He's a good kid!"

Mo Hua's home was on a secluded street at the edge of Tongxian City. The house was old and small, just enough for three people. The neighbors were mostly independent cultivators in the Qi Refining stage, making a living through odd jobs and manual labor. It wasn't a rich area, but it had a strong community spirit.

As evening approached, smoke rose from the chimneys, and the warm glow of lanterns filled the homes.

Mo Hua ran inside and called out, "Mother, I'm back!"

A gentle woman dressed in simple clothes emerged from the inner room. Her face was soft and beautiful, and upon seeing Mo Hua, her eyes lit up with joy. She couldn't help pulling him close, touching his head and pinching his cheeks, saying after a moment, "Is cultivation too hard on you? You look so thin."

Mo Hua replied, "I haven't lost weight." Then, he pulled out the box, "Mother, this is for you!"

The woman, Liu Ruhua, was momentarily stunned. She opened the box to find a hairpin.

"This is a Fire-Repelling Hairpin. You work in the kitchen at the inn, and the constant exposure to heat isn't good for you. This hairpin will block the heat, and you'll feel much cooler."

Liu Ruhua, Mo Hua's mother, was an independent cultivator at the Qi Refining stage in Tongxian City. Life as an independent cultivator was tough, and finding decent work to earn spirit stones was challenging. Having children only made things harder, with all the expenses for food, clothing, and especially cultivation supplies, which were costly.

Liu Ruhua had good cooking skills and worked in the kitchen of a small inn. While large inns would use fire arrays powered by spirit stones, smaller ones relied on cultivators with fire spiritual roots to produce fire using their own spiritual power. Over time, the heat took its toll on the body, drying out meridians and causing symptoms like coughing and chest pain.

Holding the hairpin, Liu Ruhua's lips trembled slightly.

Mo Hua quickly assured her, "I earned the spirit stones for this by helping my fellow disciples. No trickery or thievery involved!"

Liu Ruhua smiled, feeling both warmth and a tinge of sadness in her heart, "I can't accept this hairpin, Mo Hua. You're still young, and you'll need all the spirit stones you can get for your own cultivation. I can take care of myself; don't worry about me…"

Mo Hua replied confidently, "We'll see about that. I might end up as a Golden Core or Nascent Soul cultivator someday. I'll have all the spirit stones I could ever need."

Liu Ruhua laughed, tapping Mo Hua's forehead with her finger, "So young, and already talking big."

"Mother, just keep it. I haggled for half a day to get this, and if you don't accept it, all that effort would've been for nothing."

With that, Mo Hua took the hairpin and carefully placed it in her hair, then ran to fetch a mirror.

"Look! Isn't it beautiful?"

In the mirror, Liu Ruhua saw her reflection with the elegant hairpin, looking graceful and serene. She also noticed Mo Hua's bright, twinkling eyes, and her heart softened. She spoke gently, "Alright, I'll keep it this time. But next time, no more gifts, okay?"

"Got it!" Mo Hua nodded eagerly, "Mother, is dinner ready? I'm starving."

"Yes, it's all your favorites. Eat up!"

Liu Ruhua was an excellent cook. Though the dishes were simple vegetarian fare with no spiritual energy, they were beautifully prepared and delicious. After finishing the meal, Mo Hua chatted with his mother for a while before heading to his room to read.

Around midnight, Mo Hua entered his Sea of Consciousness to practice arrays by a stone tablet. He trained for the entire night, and by the time he opened his eyes, it was early morning.

Mo Hua sat in meditation, holding a spirit stone in his hand, as part of his daily cultivation routine.

When he opened his eyes again, the sun was rising, and warm light filled the room. Just as he stretched and was about to get up, he heard heavy footsteps outside.

Peering through the crack in the door, Mo Hua saw a man covered in wounds and dust walking into the house. This man was Mo Hua's father—Mo Shan.