“These are small tricks, you shouldn’t put too much thought into them. You should devote more time to cultivation and learning formations, that’s where the real future lies…”
“As for me, I’m half-crippled, unable to hunt monsters, so I can only focus a bit on these minor skills to earn some money. Otherwise, your Aunt Jiang… would suffer too much…”
Chu Guangshan sighed, his expression self-mocking.
Mo Hua was moved and after thinking for a moment, said: “Understanding the ways of the world is all learning, Tao cultivation is profound and vast, encompassing all things. The Great Dao is a way, and so is the smaller path.”
Chu Guangshan was slightly taken aback, then laughed: “I don’t know where you learned these things, but they make sense. Since you don’t disdain them, I will teach you everything. But I still say, these things are minor skills, not worth putting too much thought into.”
“Mmhmm, don’t worry, I won’t neglect cultivation or formations.”
Only then did Chu Guangshan nod.
“Trapping is actually quite simple, but requires patience and attention to detail.”
“When setting traps, observe the terrain and environment, guess from where the monster beasts might come, and where they will go. Place the traps on their inevitable path…”
“After setting up the trap, you need to remove traces. Grass, trees, and stones should appear the same before and after. You also need to erase scents. If some scents can’t be completely removed, you have to learn to mask them…”
“How do you mask them?” Mo Hua asked.
“Monster beasts are fond of rancid and rotten smells, so you can use monster blood or spoiled meat to mask scents, or you could use Bloody Herbs and other such herbs with a natural stench.”
“I’ll draw a few diagrams for trap making later, it’s quite simple. You can add some formations on your own, the effect should be better.”
“Finally, be careful of monster beasts feigning death. Monster beasts are cunning; occasionally when they fall into a trap, they might play dead. When you get close to check, they might suddenly attack. Nine times out of ten, you won’t be able to guard against it.”
Chu Guangshan explained everything in great detail.
Mo Hua nodded repeatedly as he listened.
When Mo Hua was about to take his leave, Chu Guangshan hesitated, as if there was something he wanted to say but stopped short.
“Uncle Chu, is there something else?”
“Nothing, nothing.”
Chu Guangshan hastily waved his hand, but his expression clearly showed there was something on his mind, yet it was difficult for him to speak.
Mo Hua said softly: “Aunt Jiang has been very kind to me, and you’ve taught me how to use traps, just say whatever it is.”
Chu Guangshan’s face turned bright red, and he hesitated for a long time before he finally said:
“I was thinking, when Zhouer gets a bit older, could you… teach him a bit about formations…”
Zhouer was Chu Guangshan and Jiang Yun’s son, the child Mo Hua had just met.
Injured by monster beasts, Chu Guangshan himself had survived but was left unable to hunt monsters for a lifetime. It was hard enough just to make a living.
He didn’t want his son to follow in his footsteps, living on the edge of danger and in constant fear, where a single misstep could be fatal. Hence, he wished for his son to learn a bit about formations, to secure a livelihood in the future.
To learn formations, one must take a master, something he couldn’t afford with spirit stones.
So he could only turn to Mo Hua, but he couldn’t afford to pay Mo Hua’s fee either. It was with both shame and reluctance that he made his request.
But he had no other options, and despite how difficult it was to ask, he did so for his son’s sake.
Mo Hua was taken aback, and after a moment’s thought.
Chu Guangshan hurriedly said: “Of course, if Zhouer is dull and lacks the talent, then forget it…”
Chu Guangshan said this, but hope and a trace of subservience lingered in his eyes.
Mo Hua felt a pang of sadness…
Pretending not to notice, he simply smiled and said:
“Sure, but Zhouer needs to grow a bit bigger. Even if he’s not very talented, as long as he can master a few formations, he can trade with merchants and earn some spirit stones. In the future, he may not be wealthy, but he should have enough for food and clothing.”
A weight lifted from Chu Guangshan’s heart, and he let out a long sigh of relief.
He looked at Mo Hua, his emotions fluctuating, his eyes brimming with gratitude. The words of thanks felt too feeble on his tongue, and he did not know how to express them properly.
Mo Hua smiled and took his leave.
Chu Guangshan escorted Mo Hua out of the house and to the street. Seeing the sign for “Liu’s Food Shop” up ahead, he finally stopped, but his gaze followed Mo Hua all the way home.