Chapter 55: Strolling the Streets
After setting the Lotus Lanterns afloat, it wasn't too late yet, so the group continued to stroll down the streets.
Perhaps because they had bickered a few times, Bai Zisheng had grown familiar with Mo Hua and became more talkative, no longer standing on ceremony.
"Mo Hua, what are those cultivators doing?"
Bai Zisheng pointed toward a platform, curiosity lighting his eyes.
Mo Hua looked in that direction and saw several cultivators dressed as demon hunters fighting against a bull-shaped "demonic beast" atop a simple wooden stage.
That "beast" had a bronze head and patterned hide, its fur gleaming as if alive—but it was actually a cultivator in a beast costume.
"Oh, that's the Demon Play."
"Demon Play? As in fighting demonic beasts?" Bai Zisheng's interest spiked immediately.
"In Tōngxiān City, most cultivators make a living by hunting demons. Fighting beasts is part of their daily lives, so during festivals, demon hunters perform these Demon Plays for entertainment—it's both lively and a traditional custom."
As he finished speaking, the play reached its climax.
One hunter shouted and swung his blade—flames wrapped around it instantly; another threw a punch that roared through the air; a third stood afar forming hand seals, several fireballs blooming before him and crashing into the "beast." Spiritual light flared everywhere, dazzling and fierce.
"Wow! Flame Blade! Whirling Fist! Fireball Technique!"
A child nearby shouted excitedly, clapping his tiny hands.
Bai Zisheng wasn't much better—his face flushed red with excitement.
Mo Hua couldn't help but ask, "You're already at late-stage Qi Refining, right? You should've learned such basic techniques by now…"
Why does he look like he's never seen magic before…
Bai Zisheng shot him a look. "Of course I know them. But my mother forbids me from using any. She says cultivators in the Qi Refining Realm must focus on laying a solid foundation. Using lowly tricks and brawling is something only brutes do. If you get hurt and damage your foundation, your future cultivation will be ruined."
"Oh." Mo Hua nodded slightly.
For the noble clans, the Qi Refining Realm was merely a stage to build foundations—learning spells wasn't necessary.
But for ordinary rogue cultivators, Qi Refining was often the peak of their lives. They had no choice but to master every kind of spell to fight demonic beasts and survive on the edge of life and death.
"If only those at the bottom didn't have to live such bitter lives…"
Mo Hua sighed softly, emotions swirling within him.
Aside from the Demon Play, there were other street shows—spell juggling, amusing shadow plays, wooden puppet dogs that ran around when you fed them bits of Spirit Stone, and all sorts of fragrant, enticing snacks…
The group wandered around for a long while. Bai Zisheng was still brimming with excitement, Bai Zixi's cheeks glowed pink, her smile brighter than the lanterns above.
Even as night deepened, they were reluctant to part but eventually had to head home.
"Thank you for showing us the sights of Tōngxiān City."
Aunt Xue thanked Mo Hua and took out a small box from somewhere, handing it to him.
"These are some pastries I bought along the way, a small token of thanks. They didn't cost many Spirit Stones. You won't refuse, will you?"
Mo Hua didn't decline further. He accepted the box gracefully, smiling. "Thank you, Aunt Xue."
Aunt Xue returned his smile with a nod.
Bai Zisheng then said, "Next time, come to Qian Province. I'll show you the Grand Heaven-Worship Ceremony. It's not as festive as this, but it's much grander—with spirit beasts, flying boats, and celestial carriages everywhere. You'll be amazed."
"Mm!"
Mo Hua's eyes sparkled with longing. He wondered what kind of magnificence those ancient families and sects in Qian Province must possess.
Though… he wasn't sure he'd ever get the chance to see it.
The cultivation world was vast beyond measure. Even within Li Province, there were countless Immortal Cities—and Tōngxiān City was but a small, unremarkable one among them. With his current cultivation, it was difficult enough just to leave Tōngxiān City, let alone Li Province… much less reach the distant Qian Province.
After bidding farewell to the Bai siblings, Mo Hua went to find Dà Hu and the others.
The three kids had also played to their hearts' content. When they saw Mo Hua, they stuffed his arms full of strange trinkets, little toys and even a sugar figurine shaped like a white tiger.
"You have to eat the sugar figurine quickly, or it'll melt."
Xiao Hu reminded him earnestly, then began enthusiastically explaining how to play with the various toys.
They were all cheap things, each costing only a few fragments of Spirit Stones, but clever and full of charm. Even Mo Hua found some of them novel.
He shared the pastries Aunt Xue had given him with the three little companions, then licked his sugar tiger while tinkering with the toys.
As they walked home together, munching sweets, Xiao Hu suddenly asked,
"Mo Hua, you're not gonna be hanging around that young master and lady from the Bai family all the time, are you?"
"Why?" Mo Hua blinked.
Xiao Hu shook his head without answering right away. After a while, he muttered hesitantly, "That Bai girl… she's too pretty."
Mo Hua froze. "And what's wrong with being pretty?"
Xiao Hu replied solemnly, "You can't play with pretty girls."
Dà Hu and Shuāng Hu nodded vigorously in agreement.
"Why not…"
Shuāng Hu said seriously, "My mom told me, pretty women make men stupid. The prettier they are, the stupider men become."
"That's right! My dad ran off because of a pretty woman, got tricked out of his money, and died broke!"
"Same here! I heard lots of cultivators with good spiritual roots ruined their cultivation after marrying pretty Dao companions. In the end, they achieved nothing."
"Exactly! I just glanced at that Bai girl once, and my brain froze! If I looked a few more times, I might've turned into a complete idiot. Terrifying…"
"Yeah, truly terrifying…"
Shuāng Hu patted Mo Hua's shoulder gravely. "Mo Hua, you're the smartest among us. You might even become a Formation Master someday. If you turn stupid, that'd be a disaster."
Dà Hu and Xiao Hu nodded with grave faces.
Mo Hua couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time. But after thinking for a bit… he found their reasoning oddly sound.
"Well, can't be helped. We all study formations together with Mister Zhuang, hard not to see each other."
"Then you're doomed," the three children said solemnly in unison.
Mo Hua chuckled. "Drawing formations makes one smarter. If I keep drawing more, I probably won't turn that dumb."
"Really? Drawing formations makes you smarter?" Xiao Hu asked, eyes wide.
"Of course," Shuāng Hu replied. "Mo Hua's good at formations, that's why he's smarter than us!"
Mo Hua grinned. "Then do you want to learn formations too? I can teach you."
The three had good physical aptitude but zero talent for formations, just looking at the dense runic patterns gave them headaches.
Xiao Hu hesitated for a long time, then finally gritted his teeth and declared,
"Forget it. If drawing formations is the only way to get smart… then I'd rather stay a happy idiot forever!"
(End of Chapter)