Chapter 5: Mo Shan

Mo Shan was a Qi Refining stage level 8 demon hunter, making a living by hunting demon beasts and selling their materials. It sounded impressive, but in reality, it was a grueling and dangerous profession. Most demon beasts in the cultivation world were far stronger than human cultivators, making them incredibly difficult to kill. A demon beast of the same cultivation level typically required a team of at least five to ten cultivators to bring down, and even then, success wasn’t guaranteed. Even if the beast was killed, many of its valuable parts could be damaged during the battle, reducing the profit. The remaining spirit stones would be divided based on each teammate’s contribution, leaving everyone with only a small share. If someone got injured, the cost of healing pills could be considerable, often making the hunt unprofitable. A severe injury could mean the end of a demon hunter’s career. Mo Shan was a burly man, a body cultivator with a tough physique. His face was sharp and rugged, giving him a heroic look. By a cultivator's standards, he wasn’t yet middle-aged, but years of demon hunting, living out in the wild, and battling dangerous creatures had etched signs of hardship and weariness into his features. When Mo Shan entered the house, he set down his sword and the demon beast pelt slung over his shoulder, finally allowing himself to relax a bit. His outer robe was tattered, stained with both fresh and dried blood. Most of it was from demon beasts, though some could have been his or his comrades’. This hunt must not have gone well, Mo Hua thought to himself. Mo Shan’s brow was furrowed, his expression heavy. Combined with the bloodstains on his clothing, he exuded an aura of coldness that warned people to stay away. But the tension on his face disappeared the moment he stepped inside and saw his wife, like a battle-worn soldier laying down his armor after returning home from a brutal fight. His voice, rough from exhaustion, softened as he asked, "Is everything alright at home?" Liu Ruhua, his wife, helped him unpack, then pulled out a clean cloth to wipe his face. “Everything’s fine here. You don’t need to worry.” Seeing the weariness on his face, she couldn’t help but say, “You need to take better care of yourself when you’re out there.” Mo Shan smiled faintly and glanced around the room. “Has Hua’er returned yet?” “He came back yesterday. The sect is on break for the New Year, so he should still be asleep. I’ll go wake him up. He’ll be so happy to know you’re home!” Mo Shan looked down at his bloodstained clothes and the wounds on his body, stopping his wife. “Let him sleep a bit longer. Cultivating at the sect is hard work. I’ll take a bath, apply some herbs, and change out of these clothes first.” Liu Ruhua nodded, “Alright, but at least have something to eat first.” Mo Shan had been traveling all night and was already starving. Liu Ruhua’s cooking was excellent, and although it was just a simple meal, Mo Shan devoured it hungrily. While hunting demon beasts, meals were often eaten on the go, with only cold, hard rations. He couldn’t even bear to use spirit stones for pigu (fasting) pills. Now, as he sat at home, eating the food his wife had prepared, the exhaustion and hardship of the hunt seemed to fade away. He ate a lot, finishing with a large bowl of warm porridge, and let out a long sigh of contentment. Seeing the bloodstains on his clothes, Liu Ruhua asked with concern, “Were there injuries again this time?” Mo Shan sighed, “Three of us were hurt, and Old Chu was severely injured.” He continued recounting the events of the hunt: “We were an eight-man team tracking a wolf demon, about ten feet tall. We had already trapped it, and if we’d slowly drained its demonic energy, we could have killed it. But another hunting team passed by. Most of them were rookies, barely experienced, and they recklessly tried to steal the kill. Two of them got eaten alive by the demon beast…” “That cursed creature replenished its strength by consuming them and went into a frenzy. Old Chu and I had to push ourselves to the limit to finally kill the wolf demon, but the cost was high. Old Chu lost an arm, bled a lot, and his vitality is severely damaged. I’m afraid he won’t be able to continue as a demon hunter anymore…” Mo Shan spoke bitterly, “Old Chu’s child is only two years old, and his wife barely makes ends meet by growing vegetables. Now, with his injury, they’ll need a lot of spirit stones for healing. Even after he recovers, I don’t know how their family will survive.” Liu Ruhua sighed as well. “Back when we were struggling, Old Chu helped us out, even though he didn’t have much himself. We still have some spirit stones saved up—why don’t we give them to Old Chu so he can at least get proper treatment?” Mo Shan nodded, “We should. I’ll also give him a bigger share when we sell the wolf demon’s pelt—it should fetch about three hundred spirit stones. After that, we’ll lend him some to help them get through this. But…” Mo Shan looked apologetic. “I was hoping to save up for Hua’er’s sect tuition next year. If we sell the wolf demon, I would’ve had enough, but now…” Liu Ruhua took his hand and reassured him, “As long as our family is safe, we’ll find a way to earn more spirit stones. I’ve saved a little from working at the restaurant, and we can borrow some more if we have to. Don’t worry, we won’t let Hua’er’s cultivation be delayed.” Mo Shan silently gazed at his wife, noticing the weariness in her once youthful and gentle face, which had grown more haggard over time. His heart ached with guilt. “You should stop working in the restaurant’s kitchen. The fire energy is damaging your meridians and lungs. Next year, I’ll gather a few more hunters, kill a few more beasts, and make sure you don’t have to work so hard anymore.” Liu Ruhua smiled and, with a hint of pride, pointed to the hairpin in her hair. “Take a look at this.” Mo Shan hadn’t noticed when he first came in, but now he saw that the hairpin she was wearing was different from the one she usually wore. “What’s this hairpin?” “Hua’er gave it to me. It’s called a Fire-Repelling Hairpin. He said it will block the fire energy from the stove, and wearing it will protect my meridians and lungs from the heat.” Mo Shan felt both touched and proud. “Hua’er is such a thoughtful boy.” But he also felt ashamed. “I haven’t given you a gift in so many years…” Liu Ruhua laughed. “Hua’er is your son. His gift is as good as one from you!” Mo Shan chuckled but then sighed. “Cultivation often talks about fate. Maybe my fortune in life is having a wife like you and a son like Hua’er.” Liu Ruhua playfully glared at her husband, then laughed along with him. Seeing his wife’s smile, Mo Shan made a silent vow to himself: Next year, I’ll find more capable demon hunters, head deeper into the mountains, kill more beasts, and earn more spirit stones. I won’t let her suffer like this anymore, and I’ll make sure Hua’er has a bright future. Mo Hua, lying in his room, overheard his parents' conversation and sighed. All this time, without him realizing it, his parents had been silently enduring the hardships of their cultivation lives. Perhaps, in every world, parents always bear far more burdens than their children could ever imagine. Even in the world of cultivators, they still had to struggle for spirit stones, still had to work tirelessly just to survive. Cultivators and mortals—on the surface, they seemed so different, yet in many ways, they were the same. As Mo Hua reflected on this, he began to think, Is there any way I can start earning some spirit stones myself?