Master Luo looked Mo Hua over and saw that despite having achieved Foundation Establishment, with his profound gaze and stronger Divine Sense, and his deeper understanding of Formation Methods, he was still kind and genuine, seemingly unchanged from before, which inspired admiration.
Master Luo said with embarrassment, “Gentleman, I dare not accept the title of ‘master’ in your presence.”
Mo Hua didn’t seem to mind it much.
After they were seated, Master Qian poured tea for Mo Hua and asked, “Youthful Gentleman, do you have any important matters for coming here?”
Mo Hua nodded and said, “Masters, do you have any Second-Grade Spiritual Ink?”
“Second-Grade Spiritual Ink!”
Master Luo and his companion exchanged glances, both somewhat surprised, “Youthful Gentleman, you can do Second-Grade Formations now?”
Though Mo Hua felt he was very familiar with the Second-Order Bright Fire Formation, he had never actually drawn it, so he did not want to boast and modestly said:
“A little, I want to try my hand at drawing.”
When Mo Hua said he knew a little, naturally Master Luo did not think it was just a “little.”
A bitter smile crossed Master Luo’s face, and he didn’t quite know what to say for a moment.
He was now over a hundred years old and still only a First-Grade Formation Master, but Mo Hua, so young, was already going to learn Second-Grade Formation Methods…
Although Mo Hua becoming a second-grade formation artist was good news for him, he still couldn’t help but feel a sourness in his heart.
“Spiritual Ink, eh…”
Master Luo pondered for a moment and nodded, “I do have some Second-Grade Spiritual Ink, but not much, only two bottles…”
Master Qian also said, “I also have some, from the Qian Family’s old reserves, but only five bottles. If the Youthful Gentleman does not mind, please feel free to take them for your use.”
Mo Hua was overjoyed, “Thank you, Master Luo, thank you, Master Qian!”
“The Youthful Gentleman is too polite…”
Master Luo and Master Qian took out the Spiritual Ink and handed it to Mo Hua.
This Spiritual Ink, also comprised of the Five Elements, was contained in jade bottles, with a stirring aura, containing astonishing Five Elements Spiritual Power.
Mo Hua couldn’t help but say, “This Spiritual Ink, it’s quite expensive, isn’t it…”
Master Qian nodded, “Ordinary First-Grade Spiritual Ink, around ten Spirit Stones per bottle, depending on its quality or scarcity, there may be some variation, the cheaper ones, about two or three Spirit Stones per bottle, and the more expensive ones, dozens of Spirit Stones per bottle…”
“Second-Grade Spiritual Ink typically, even for the cheaper ones, would be about a hundred Spirit Stones per bottle.”
“And for the more expensive ones, several hundred to a thousand…”
Mo Hua was startled, “That expensive?!”
A hundred Spirit Stones per bottle…
In his hands, these small five bottles were worth at least five hundred Spirit Stones…
Master Qian sighed, “Yes, that’s why learning formations is not easy, and the higher you go, the more so…”
“With this small bottle of Spiritual Ink, a hundred Spirit Stones, even if you successfully draw a formation with absolute certainty and no mishaps, you can only draw two sets of Second-Grade Initial Stage formations…”
“And to truly master a formation, at the least it takes dozens of attempts, and at most hundreds of attempts…”
“To learn a single Second-Grade Formation, just the consumption of pen and ink Spirit Stones is not a small amount…”
“For the Great Clans and Great Sects, it doesn’t matter, this amount of Spirit Stones is a drop in the bucket, what they eat for three meals a day is more than this…”
“For the mid-level Family Sects and Clans, it’s not a big deal either.”
“But for small families and minor sects, it will be much harder to support a Second-Rank Formation Master…”
“As for the Loose Cultivators…”
Master Qian gave a bitter smile.
Loose Cultivators could hardly support themselves, let alone afford a Formation Master of the Second Grade or higher.
Mo Hua’s mouth fell open, and he looked again at the few bottles of Spiritual Ink in his hands, frowning and asking:
“Isn’t this Spiritual Ink just mixed with Monster Blood? Why is it so expensive?”
Master Luo was silent for a moment and then said slowly:
“It’s difficult to hunt Second-Grade Monster Beasts, and Blood Drawing is also hard.”
“Of course, that’s not the main reason…”
Master Luo’s voice dropped a few notches.
“Even though Second-Grade Monster Beasts are hard to kill, for making Spiritual Ink, only the blood is used, not the scarce items like the inner core, heart, or Monster Marrow…”
“In theory, it should not be so costly.”
“But, the formulas for making Spiritual Ink, the techniques, along with some rare Spirit Grass, are all in the hands of the Great Clans and Great Sects.”
Master Luo pointed upwards, “Since they have the monopoly, they naturally get to dictate the terms.”
“Whether it’s ten Spirit Stones, a hundred, or a thousand, or ten thousand… it’s not something we can decide.”
“Those who actually hunt monsters, draw the blood, and mix the ink, they actually don’t earn Spirit Stones at all; most of the profits are skimmed off by the noble clans and families…”
“With their actions, one reason is to make a profit, and another is…”
Master Luo paused for a moment but then decided to clarify a bit more, considering Mo Hua’s background as a Loose Cultivator.
“…to prevent too many Formation Masters from rising from the lower ranks, thereby shaking their… foundations.”