Asking About Longevity

Chapter 7 Youyuanzhai

There is a plaque hanging in front of the business house with the words "Youyuanzhai" written on it.

 The interior is not big and a bit simple. It is surrounded by formations with different patterns. Some formations must have been hung for a long time, and the ink has faded.

The counter was high, and sitting on it was a middle-aged and fat monk with a fair face and no beard. He seemed to be the manager of a business.

There is a bell hanging on the eaves of the door. When Mo Hua enters the door, the bell makes a clear sound.

The fat steward was dozing off, with his eyes half-closed. Hearing the ringing of the bell, he raised his head and looked around, but saw no one. He was about to get angry when he lowered his head and found a small head protruding from the counter.

The fat steward was stunned for a moment. Seeing that Mo Hua was alone, he said, "Little brother, where are your parents?"

Mo Hua shook his head, "If my parents don't look for you, I will look for you."

 The fat steward was stunned again, "You're looking for me? Why are you looking for me?"

 “Do you need help drawing the formation here?”

The fat steward found it interesting and joked: "What? You're such a little kid, you can still draw formations?"

Mo Hua said modestly: "I know a little bit."

The fat steward smiled and said: "It's not enough to know just a little bit. You need to refine the Qi to the sixth level anyway. You have the sect's academic jade slips. You have to be a formation apprentice. You have to have an formation master as your teacher and pay a deposit before you can draw the formation for us." Law."

Mo Hua was stunned. He didn't know there were so many requirements before. He seemed to be unable to meet any of these conditions.

Mo Hua had an idea and said, "Okay, I lied. I'm not very good at it. I got it for my brother."

The fat steward didn’t care and asked, “What does your brother do?”

"My brother is a formation apprentice. He learns formations from a formation master. On weekdays, he also helps the trading company draw some basic formations to earn some pen and ink fees. He is too busy learning formations and has no time, so I help him run errands. "

Mo Hua directly changed the identity of the distant uncle of the Meng family and used it.

The fat steward touched his chin, thought for a moment and still refused: "No, it's not true. If your brother wants to draw the formation for our company, he has to do it himself."

Mo Hua rolled his eyes and said, "Do you still need to collect a deposit?"

 The fat steward nodded, "Not bad."

"Does the deposit include the formation diagrams and the pen and ink paper used to draw the formation? In this case, I gave you a deposit, even if I lied to you, it is just equivalent to you selling a formation and materials at a fair price. Although It’s not a profit but it’s not a loss either.”

  In fact, I still made a little money. The deposit was higher than the formation materials. As for the formation patterns, they were the simplest stuff from the street and didn't require many spiritual stones at all.

Thinking about this, the fat steward felt a little hesitant.

“Is the business in your store not very good?” Mo Hua asked again.

It's really not good. There are not many customers in a day. There are no customers. The formations are sold infrequently. There are also very few formation masters and even apprentices who are willing to draw formations for them. Otherwise, this shop would not be so deserted.

However, the fat steward would not admit it in his heart. He still held his head high, but he was a little guilty.

Seeing this, Mo Hua took the opportunity and said: "My brother is very good at drawing formations. Others say that he will definitely be able to become a formation master in a few years. He becomes a formation master and will study for another ten or twenty years before passing the set method." If you are a first-level formation master, you might even be able to become a first-level formation master. Then I will naturally help you draw some more advanced formations, and won't you make a profit?"

 Definitely finished? It's not that easy.

The fat steward snorted in his heart, but as the saying goes, don't bully young people into poverty, as no one can predict what will happen in the future. If you can become a first-level formation master, you really need to form a good relationship so that you can ask for help in the future.

 The rules are actually for outsiders to see. As long as you can draw the formation, it doesn't matter.

"What you said makes sense," the fat steward said, "but, you said your brother's formations are good, but you are just saying that, and you can't take it seriously. You are a kid who doesn't understand formations, so how can you know whether it's good or bad. Let's do that. , show me one of the formations your brother has drawn, and if it is really good, I will agree to do this business with you."

Mo Hua doesn’t have an elder brother at all, so where can he find the formations drawn by his elder brother?

His brother's formation didn't exist, but the one he drew himself did.

The ink painting storage bag contains several formations that I have drawn, but they are all sect homework. They are disassembled basic formations, or combinations of formations, which are somewhat different from the complete formations.

A discerning person can see it at a glance, and the secret will be exposed if exposed.

Mo Hua thought for a moment, his eyes lit up, and he said: "I didn't bring the formations that my brother drew, but he taught me a little bit. If I draw them for you, you will know whether my brother's formations are good or not. ."     "Can you also draw formations?"

The steward was stunned for a moment, thought about it, and said, "That's okay."

He was also curious about how the child in front of him drew, so he casually pulled out a formation diagram from under the counter, took out the pen and ink paper, and handed it to Mo Hua.

The three words "Open Fire Formation" are written on the diagram, which has never been taught by sect teachers. It is a complete formation, including three formation patterns, which is difficult to look at.

 The complete formation cannot be drawn in ink painting. Although the formations taught by the sect are called formations, they only include one or at most two basic formations. This is an entry-level formation and is not worthy of being called a formation outside.

 A true formation must contain at least three formations with interrelated formation structures, such as the "Open Fire Formation" in front of you.

Mo Hua glanced at the steward and said confidently: "This is too difficult. If I could draw, I would help you draw formations to earn spiritual stones. What else do you need from my brother?"

The steward patted his head and forgot that it was impossible for a teenage boy to draw a complete formation. This was too difficult, and it was also because he had never dealt with children in a business. , this is what was neglected.

The steward then pointed to the upper left corner of the formation and said, "If you can draw this small part of the formation, I will promise you to ask your brother to draw the formation."

Mo Hua looked at the formation pattern in the upper left corner and let out a sigh of relief in his heart. It was one of the basic fire element formation patterns learned in the sect. He just added some details and connections, and it was still within the scope of his control. .

Ink painting: Dip a pen in ink and outline the pattern on the paper. After a while, the pattern is completed.

The fat steward nodded slightly when he was writing in Mo Hua. The technique of Mo Hua's writing was very skillful, and the brush strokes were natural and smooth, without any nervousness. It was obvious that his foundation was not bad. The outline of the formation pattern also conforms to the specifications, and there are no mistakes or omissions. If he wasn't educated at home, his elder brother taught him well.

The fat steward prefers the latter, because the clothes in the ink painting, although clean and tidy, are too simple. It is obvious that they are not from a wealthy family, and monks who have learned martial arts will definitely not be so poor.

The fat steward took another look at the formation pattern drawn in the ink painting. He was quite satisfied and said: "Deposit ten spirit stones, and I will give you the formation diagram and materials you need."

 “Ten!”

Mo Hua was stunned.

He only had three spirit stones on him. He had earned twelve by helping his fellow disciples to copy the formations. He spent ten on buying the fire hairpin. He saved one by frugally and then... nothing happened. This is All the assets of ink painting are gone.

 He had to wait until the day when the formation coursework assessment was held and he would draw formations for his fellow disciples before he could earn so many spiritual stones.

Then I don’t know how long I have to wait!

The steward looked at Mo Hua's expression and realized that Mo Hua didn't have any spiritual stones, but he didn't say anything. It was normal for a child not to have so many spiritual stones.

Monastic life is not easy. Managers like them are often short of money, let alone casual cultivators from poor families.

The steward just reminded me kindly: "If you don't pay the deposit with the spirit stone, you can't take on this job."

 After finishing looking at the ink painting, he seemed a little listless, and couldn't help but add: "I'll keep this list for your brother. When you get the spiritual stone, just come over and pick it up."

Mo Hua nodded immediately and said: "Yeah, wait until I go back to collect...ask my brother for the spirit stone, and then come and take the order!"

The fat steward waved his hand and said, "Let's go play first. It's still early. I'll close my eyes for a while to collect my thoughts..." After saying that, he slowly narrowed his eyes and dozed off.

 Mo Hua showed up at the business office and squatted on the steps, holding his chin in a dilemma.

 “Seven spiritual stones…”

 Mo Hua wants to earn spiritual stones by drawing formations, but in order to earn spiritual stones by drawing formations, he must first have spiritual stones. Without spiritual stones, he cannot earn spiritual stones by drawing formations...

Mo Hua felt dizzy.

 Looking for it from your parents?

Mo Hua shook his head. He used spirit stones for food and clothing at home. He listened to his parents chatting in the morning. Uncle Chu from the demon hunting team broke his arm and wanted to lend him spirit stones to recuperate. There was also Mo Hua's sect cultivator for the next semester. , there shouldn’t be any extra spiritual stones at home.

 Looking for someone to borrow?

  Mo Hua’s friends are all poorer than Mo Hua, so there are no spiritual stones to lend to Mo Hua.

Mo Hua was thinking hard when he suddenly heard someone shouting:

 “Mo Hua, you are here!”

Mo Hua looked up and saw a fat man in gorgeous clothes, surrounded by servants, looking at him angrily.

　　Thanks to fellow Taoist Gui Youbai for the reward~

 (End of this chapter)