Chapter 7: Destiny's Shop

A signboard hung over the storefront, with the characters for "Destiny's Shop" written on it.

The interior wasn't large and looked somewhat simple, with various array patterns adorning the walls. Some of the arrays seemed to have been there for quite some time, as the ink had already faded in places.

The counter was relatively high, and behind it sat a middle-aged, plump cultivator with a pale, beardless face. Judging by his appearance, he seemed to be the shop's steward.

A bell hung from the eaves of the door, and as Mo Hua entered, it let out a crisp ringing sound.

The plump steward had been dozing, his eyes half-open and half-closed. Hearing the bell, he raised his head and glanced around. Not seeing anyone, he was about to get angry when he looked down and saw a small head peeking over the counter.

The steward paused, a bit surprised, before noticing that Mo Hua was alone. He then spoke, "Little brother, where are your parents?"

Mo Hua shook his head, replying, "My parents aren't looking for you; I am."

The steward was taken aback again. "You're looking for me? What do you need?"

"Do you need someone to help draw arrays here?"

The steward found this amusing and teased, "What? You, a little kid, know how to draw arrays?"

Mo Hua replied humbly, "A little."

The steward chuckled, "A little isn't enough. To be qualified, one must be at the sixth level of Qi Refining and have a jade slip from a sect's studies. You'd need to be an array apprentice with an array master as a mentor, and even then, you'd have to provide a deposit before being allowed to draw arrays here."

Mo Hua was taken aback. He hadn't known there were so many requirements, and it seemed he didn't meet a single one of them.

Thinking quickly, Mo Hua said, "Alright, I lied. I'm not very skilled. I'm just here on behalf of my brother."

The steward wasn't too concerned and asked, "And what does your brother do?"

"My brother is an array apprentice studying under an array master. He often helps this shop with drawing basic arrays to earn some ink and paper fees. He's too busy with his studies to come here himself, so I'm running this errand for him."

Mo Hua adjusted the details a bit, borrowing the identity of his distant uncle from the Meng family.

The steward stroked his chin, pondering for a moment before refusing, "No, verbal claims alone don't count. If your brother wishes to draw arrays for this shop, he'll have to come here himself."

Mo Hua's eyes darted as he added, "Don't you require a deposit as well?"

The steward nodded, "Correct."

"And this deposit includes the cost for array diagrams and the ink and paper needed for drawing, right? If that's the case, even if I were lying, you'd essentially just be selling an array and materials at regular price. While there might not be a profit, there's no loss either."

In truth, they'd still make a small profit since the deposit was slightly higher than the cost of array materials. Moreover, the array diagrams were the most basic ones, barely worth any spirit stones.

The steward hesitated as he considered this.

"Is business here not going well?" Mo Hua asked.

In truth, it wasn't. They had only a few customers each day, and with few customers, they sold fewer arrays. This resulted in fewer array masters or even apprentices willing to work for them, making the shop quite desolate.

The steward, though, would never admit this and held his head high, albeit with a hint of unease.

Mo Hua noticed this and seized the moment, saying, "My brother is quite skilled at drawing arrays. People say that in a few years, he'll definitely become an array master. Once he's an array master, he might even reach the rank of a First-Grade Array Master after another ten or twenty years. When that happens, he could help you draw more advanced arrays, and wouldn't that be profitable for you?"

A First-Grade Array Master? That wasn't easy.

The steward scoffed inwardly but couldn't deny the wisdom in the old saying: never underestimate the potential of youth. Who knew what the future might hold? If he could become a First-Grade Array Master, it would indeed be good to have a favorable connection. It might even be beneficial to ask for help in the future.

Rules, after all, were for outsiders. As long as one could draw arrays, the details hardly mattered.

"You make a fair point," the steward conceded, "but just saying that your brother is skilled at drawing arrays isn't enough proof. You're just a kid and wouldn't know the quality. How about this—bring me an array your brother has drawn. If it's decent, I'll consider doing business with you."

Mo Hua didn't actually have a brother, so where could he find a sample array drawn by him?

He didn't have his brother's array, but he did have his own work.

Mo Hua had a few array diagrams he had drawn himself stored in his bag, though they were for sect coursework. These diagrams were incomplete, or were just combinations of basic array patterns, differing from a complete array.

Anyone with a discerning eye would quickly notice the difference, and it would immediately give him away.

After some thought, Mo Hua's eyes brightened, and he said, "I don't have one of my brother's arrays with me, but he did teach me a little. If I draw one for you, you'll see the quality of his arrays."

The steward was surprised. "You can draw arrays too?"

After a moment of hesitation, he agreed, "Alright then."

Curious to see what the kid could do, he pulled out an array diagram from beneath the counter, along with some ink and paper, and handed them to Mo Hua.

The diagram bore the words "Bright Flame Array," a complete array that contained three array patterns. It looked quite difficult, as this type wasn't taught by sects.

A complete array, naturally, was beyond Mo Hua's skill level. The sect taught arrays, but they mostly included one or two basic array patterns. Those were entry-level formations, and they weren't even considered true arrays outside.

A genuine array had to contain at least three interconnected patterns, like this "Bright Flame Array."

Mo Hua glanced at the steward and said matter-of-factly, "This is too hard. If I could draw this, I'd be earning spirit stones myself instead of relying on my brother."

The steward slapped his forehead, realizing his oversight. A child of about ten couldn't possibly complete a whole array. He hadn't dealt with children in the shop before and had momentarily forgotten.

He pointed to a small section in the upper left corner of the array and said, "If you can draw just this small part of the pattern, I'll consider hiring your brother."

Mo Hua looked at the segment and breathed a sigh of relief. It was a fire-based foundational array pattern with some added detail and connections, still within his skill range.

Dipping his brush in ink, Mo Hua carefully outlined the array pattern. In a short time, he finished.

The steward, watching as Mo Hua wielded the brush, nodded slightly. The boy's technique was practiced, his movements natural and fluid, without a hint of nervousness—indicating a solid foundation. The drawn pattern was also up to standard, without any errors or omissions. It was either family training or his brother's good teaching.

The steward suspected the latter. Mo Hua's clothing, though clean, was rather plain, suggesting he wasn't from a wealthy family. Those with array training at home wouldn't be so strapped for resources.

Satisfied with Mo Hua's work, the steward finally said, "Ten spirit stones for the deposit, and I'll provide the array diagram and materials."

"Ten spirit stones?"

Mo Hua was stunned.

He only had three spirit stones left. He'd earned twelve spirit stones by helping fellow disciples with their array assignments but spent ten on a Fire-Repelling Hairpin. Now he was down to just one—his entire fortune.

He'd have to wait until the array coursework assessments to earn enough stones by helping others. But who knew when that would be?

The steward noticed his expression and realized the boy didn't have enough spirit stones. He didn't comment further, understanding that a child wouldn't have that many stones. Even he, a steward, occasionally felt the pinch, so how could a cultivator from a poor family be any better off?

He kindly reminded, "Without the spirit stones for the deposit, you can't take the job."

He paused, then added, seeing Mo Hua's disheartened look, "I'll hold the job for your brother. Come back when you've got the stones."

Mo Hua immediately nodded. "Alright, I'll go back to… ask my brother for the stones and come back for the job!"

The steward waved him off, "Go on now. It's still early. I'll just take a little nap…"

Mo Hua stepped out of the shop and sat on the stairs, resting his chin on his hand, feeling troubled.

"Seven spirit stones…"

He wanted to earn spirit stones by drawing arrays, but to do that, he needed spirit stones to start. Without them, he couldn't draw arrays to earn more.

He felt dizzy with frustration.

Ask his parents for help?

Mo Hua shook his head. Their family needed spirit stones for daily expenses. Earlier that morning, he'd heard his parents discussing Uncle Chu from the demon-hunting team, who had injured his arm and needed stones for his recovery. They'd also have to pay Mo Hua's tuition for the next semester. There likely wasn't anything extra left.

Borrow from someone?

His friends were even poorer than he was; they wouldn't have spirit stones to lend.

As Mo Hua pondered deeply, he suddenly heard someone shout:

"Mo Hua! You're actually here!"

Looking up, Mo Hua saw a well-dressed chubby boy, looking furious, surrounded by several attendants.