Chapter 4: The Fire-Repelling Hairpin

The marketplace was a hub for low-level cultivators to trade cultivation items. It offered a wide variety of goods, including pills, formations, and spiritual artifacts, although most items were of mediocre grade, with quality ranging from good to bad. As the New Year approached, the marketplace was crowded with cultivators. The place was noisy, bustling with activity. Mo Hua headed straight to a small stall at the end of the street. The stall owner was an old man named Sun, commonly known as "Old Man Sun" among familiar faces. His son worked as a minor manager at the Wanbao Pavilion, and occasionally, he would acquire defective items that the pavilion didn’t want. He’d then pass them to his father, who sold them cheaply at this street stall. Old Man Sun was shouting out to attract customers when he saw Mo Hua running over, slightly out of breath. Mo Hua’s pale, delicate face was flushed from running, and Old Man Sun couldn’t help but tease him: “Little brother, back again to look at some spiritual artifacts? Don’t tell me it’s like last time, where you just looked and didn’t buy anything…” Mo Hua waved his small hand confidently. “I’m buying this time!” Old Man Sun looked surprised. “Isn’t it a few days before the New Year? Did your family give you your New Year’s money early?” Mo Hua replied, a little annoyed, “It’s not New Year’s money; I earned it myself!” He then patted the pouch at his waist. Hearing the crisp sound of spirit stones clinking together, Old Man Sun’s spirits lifted, and he quickly said: “I’ve got everything here—pills, formations, talismans, and spiritual artifacts. All top quality at fair prices, no trickery involved. Plus, they’re all from Wanbao Pavilion, so you can trust the quality. What would you like to buy?” If the quality were truly top-notch, Wanbao Pavilion would have sold it themselves, thought Mo Hua. These goods would never have made their way to the marketplace. But Mo Hua didn’t care about that since he couldn’t afford Wanbao Pavilion’s prices anyway. “Do you have any fire-repelling artifacts?” Mo Hua asked. Old Man Sun’s expression showed he had expected this. He pulled out a burlap bundle and spread it open in front of Mo Hua. “You mentioned fire-repelling spiritual artifacts a few days ago, so I kept that in mind and brought a few items for you. All of them are top-quality fire-repelling artifacts, easy to carry, and finely crafted. Take a look.” Mo Hua gave Old Man Sun a curious glance, impressed at how thorough his preparation was. No wonder he’s been in the market for decades—he’s always prepared when there’s even a hint of a sale. Displayed before Mo Hua were various spiritual artifacts, including rings, jade pendants, a small lampstand, a protective cover, and even a silk scarf. Just by appearance, this was already the most comprehensive selection in the entire marketplace. Mo Hua carefully examined the items, then picked up an intricately designed yet simple hairpin and asked, “What kind of hairpin is this?” Old Man Sun replied, “That’s called a Fire-Repelling Hairpin. It’s a standard-grade spiritual artifact with a uniform material and craftsmanship. It’s engraved with a basic fire-repelling formation, which requires spirit stones for energy. When activated, the formation isolates fire energy, keeping the user cool and comfortable. Although it consumes spirit stones, a single stone lasts for three months, making it quite economical.” Mo Hua was skeptical. “If it’s a standard artifact from Wanbao Pavilion, why are you selling it here? There must be some flaw.” Old Man Sun chuckled. “You’re sharper than I thought. I won’t lie to you. If it were flawless, it would have sold at Wanbao Pavilion for at least double what I’m asking. But calling it defective might be too harsh.” He pointed to the peony pattern on the hairpin. “The artifact craftsman made a few extra strokes when engraving this flower, so it doesn’t meet the exact standards. That’s why it was classified as a second-rate product, but the formation inside is intact, and the effect is the same.” Mo Hua nodded, thinking that the hairpin seemed the best option. He then asked, “How much for it?” Old Man Sun stroked his beard and replied, “Fifteen spirit stones—fixed price!” Mo Hua shook his head. “Five stones!” Old Man Sun’s eyes widened in shock. “Who taught you to bargain like this?” Mo Hua, a little embarrassed, said, “I overheard other people bargaining at other stalls—they all haggle like this…” Old Man Sun clutched his chest dramatically. “The world’s gone bad! Even the good kids are being led astray!” Then he said, “Fourteen stones, not a single one less!” Mo Hua hesitantly raised his offer. “Six stones?” After some back-and-forth, they settled on ten spirit stones. Old Man Sun felt he couldn’t go any lower, and Mo Hua had already checked out other stalls—no other place offered a cheaper deal for similar quality, so he agreed. Old Man Sun took the spirit stones from Mo Hua and wrapped the hairpin in a simple but elegant paper box before handing it to him. All the while, he grumbled: “If my grandson were half as clever as you, I’d have him helping me here. But alas, that boy’s so shy he can’t even speak in front of strangers.” Satisfied with his purchase, Mo Hua waved goodbye to Old Man Sun and walked off with a spring in his step. A nearby stall owner laughed, “Old Sun, you took a loss this time!” Old Man Sun stroked his beard. “It’s not a loss—just a smaller profit than usual.” The other stall owner, curious, asked, “Ten spirit stones isn’t a small amount. I wonder who that kid is going to give the hairpin to?” Old Man Sun sighed softly as he watched Mo Hua’s figure disappear into the distance. “The hairpin repels fire from kitchen stoves—who else would he give it to?” Mo Hua’s home was on a quiet street at the edge of Tongxian City. The house was old and modest, just enough for a family of three. The area was populated by low-level loose cultivators who made a living doing odd jobs or short-term labor. Though not wealthy, the area had a strong sense of community and everyday life. As evening approached, cooking smoke rose from every house, and the warm, yellow glow of lamps began to fill the streets. Mo Hua ran into his house and called out, “Mother, I’m home!” A woman in plain clothes with a gentle and elegant face came out from the inner room. Her eyes lit up with joy when she saw Mo Hua, and she couldn’t help but pull him over, touching his head and pinching his cheeks. After a moment, she said, “You’ve been working too hard in your cultivation—you’ve gotten so thin.” Mo Hua smiled, “I haven’t lost weight.” Then he pulled out the box. “Mother, this is for you!” The woman, whose name was Liu Ruhua, was Mo Hua’s mother, a loose cultivator at the Qi Refining stage living in Tongxian City. Surprised, she opened the box and found a hairpin inside. “This is a Fire-Repelling Hairpin,” Mo Hua explained. “You’ve been working in the kitchen at the restaurant for a long time, and the heat isn’t good for your health. This hairpin can help repel the fire energy and keep you cool.” Liu Ruhua lived the typical hard life of a loose cultivator. There weren’t many decent jobs that paid in spirit stones, and raising a child only added to the burden. The cost of food, clothing, and especially the entrance fees for sects and cultivation materials, were significant expenses for an ordinary cultivator. Liu Ruhua had good cooking skills and worked as a kitchen assistant at a small restaurant in the city. Large restaurants typically used stoves crafted by artifact masters, powered by formations that converted spirit stones into fire energy. Smaller establishments, however, would save costs by having cultivators with fire spiritual roots provide the necessary fire energy using their spiritual power. Over time, this would dry out their meridians, leading to symptoms like lung pain and dry coughing. Liu Ruhua had to use her spiritual power for the restaurant’s stove, earning around thirty spirit stones a month. Despite the toll on her body, it was considered a decent job for a loose cultivator, and many Qi Refining cultivators would jump at the chance. Liu Ruhua held the hairpin in her hand, her lips pressed together, saying nothing. Seeing this, Mo Hua quickly added, “The spirit stones for the hairpin were earned by helping my fellow disciples. I didn’t cheat, steal, or do anything dishonest!” Liu Ruhua couldn’t help but smile, her heart warmed, but also a little sad. “I can’t accept this hairpin. You’re still young, and you’ll need a lot of spirit stones for your future cultivation. You should save wherever you can. I can take care of myself—no need to worry about me.” Mo Hua, full of confidence, replied, “That’s a problem for the future. Who knows? Maybe I’ll become a powerful cultivator in the future, a Golden Core or Nascent Soul master, and I’ll have all the spirit stones I could ever need!” Liu Ruhua laughed and gently tapped Mo Hua’s forehead with her finger. “So young, and already learning to brag!” “Mother, just take it. I spent a long time bargaining for it. If you don’t accept it, all my effort will have been for nothing.” Without waiting for her to refuse, Mo Hua took the hairpin and placed it in her hair. Then he ran to get a mirror. “Look! Isn’t it pretty?” Liu Ruhua saw the woman in the mirror, her elegant appearance now complemented by the simple yet refined hairpin. She looked dignified and graceful. Seeing her son’s eager eyes, her heart softened, and she said gently, “Alright, I’ll accept it. But no more gifts after this, okay?” “Okay!” Mo Hua agreed quickly. “Mother, is dinner ready? I’m starving.” “It’s ready—everything you like. Eat as much as you want!” Liu Ruhua was an excellent cook. Even though the meal was simple vegetarian fare without much spiritual energy, it was beautifully prepared and delicious. After finishing dinner and chatting with his mother for a while, Mo Hua went back to his room to read. After midnight, Mo Hua entered his sea of consciousness again, practicing formations on the Dao Monument throughout the night. When he awoke, it was already the hour of Mao. Mo Hua sat in meditation, holding a spirit stone in his hand, and began his daily cultivation. When he opened his eyes again, the sky was beginning to brighten, and sunlight streamed into the room. Stretching lazily, Mo Hua prepared to get out of bed, but then he heard heavy footsteps outside. Turning over, Mo Hua peered through a crack in the door and saw a man covered.d