“If you donate spirit stones, once the grand formation is built and Feng Xi is suppressed and killed, we will then erect a massive monster-suppressing stele…”

Mo Hua gestured with his hand to show just how big this piece of stele would be, emphasizing that it was not a small matter. Then, he said to Old Master An:

“At that time, your name will be engraved in the first position, engraved larger and outlined in gold, so that everyone can see it at a glance!”

Erecting monster-suppressing steles is a tradition among demon hunters. Once a powerful demon beast that has brought disaster to an area is suppressed and killed, the demon hunters will cast a monster-suppressing stele and engrave the names of the cultivators who participated in the hunt on it, to commemorate their achievements in hunting demons. However, no one had ever killed a Great Demon before, so naturally, no one had ever erected a monster-suppressing stele for suppressing and killing a Great Demon.

Old Master An calmly asked, “Then what if we can’t kill it?”

Mo Hua also frankly admitted, “Even businesses have losses, and demon hunting also has times of failure. Moreover, the risk of hunting and killing a Great Demon like this is extremely high.”

“If we can’t kill it, then we can’t kill it. We can only find another way, and your spirit stones will naturally have been donated in vain.”

Old Master An frowned, “So, I’m donating my family fortune just for a possibly unobtainable virtual reputation?”

“This is a real, tangible reputation, not a virtual one,” Mo Hua corrected.

“How is it not virtual?”

Mo Hua then explained, “Once the Great Demon is killed and the monster-suppressing stele is completed, this stele will be the most important monument of merit in the history of Tongxian City.”

“As long as Tongxian City exists, the monster-suppressing stele exists, your name exists, and the An family will always be remembered by the cultivators of Tongxian City.”

“This kind of honor is rare in a thousand years. If you miss this opportunity, you won’t be able to buy it later, no matter how many spirit stones you spend.”

Old Master An was somewhat moved and involuntarily frowned in thought.

Seeing his reaction, Mo Hua quietly added, “Old Master, allow me to say something unpleasant…”

Old Master An was slightly startled and nodded, “Go ahead.”

Mo Hua blinked, lowering his voice:

“The An family is still considered prosperous now. Everyone knows you are the second-largest family in Tongxian City. But what if later, your An family declines, and all your family property is gone? Who will still remember who you are?”

“At that time, the An family will be like all the other small families in this world, vanishing into the crowd, no longer mentioned by anyone, no longer thought of by anyone. Even your descendants may not take pride in their family anymore.”

Old Master An’s expression was calm, but his gaze dropped. He knew in his heart that Mo Hua was telling the truth. This was the fate of most small families in the cultivation world. Prosperity must be followed by decline. Small families have a thin foundation. Once they decline, their clan members scatter, and it is difficult for them to rise again. Not to mention small families like theirs, even large clans, once they fall, may gradually degenerate and eventually disappear into the river of the cultivation world’s history.

Mo Hua saw that Old Master An was contemplating, his gaze brightening slightly. He seized the opportunity and added:

“But if your name is engraved on the largest monster-suppressing stele in Tongxian City, that’s different. All the cultivators in Tongxian City will remember your name, remember the history of the An family, even if the An family is gone several hundred years from now…”

Old Master An’s heart trembled, and he looked at Mo Hua with resentment. What did he mean, the An family is gone…

Mo Hua smiled awkwardly and rephrased it more gently, “Even if the An family’s fortune declines several hundred years from now, and they are not so wealthy, the common people of Tongxian City will still remember your good deeds…”

“At a time like this, spirit stones are virtual, but this reputation is real and tangible.”

Mo Hua was eloquent, persuading him step by step.

Old Master An’s brows gradually tightened. He pondered in his heart, unable to make up his mind for a long time. Finally, he involuntarily sighed and slowly said:

“Let me think about it.”

Mo Hua had only been soliciting Old Master An’s opinion and did not intend to force him. He actually had other ways to raise spirit stones. However, the An family’s current situation was indeed difficult, caught between a rock and a hard place. Donating or not donating, neither was a good option. So he just suggested that Old Master An donate some spirit stones in exchange for a good reputation for the An family’s descendants. But ultimately, the choice was up to Old Master An.

“Then take your time to think. I’ll take my leave first.”

Mo Hua bowed politely and then walked out of the An family’s residence with small steps.

Old Master An watched Mo Hua’s retreating figure in a daze.

After a while, the screen slightly moved, and the An family’s head, An Yonglu, came out from behind it. He walked lightly and carefully to Old Master An’s front, respectfully and reverently poured a cup of tea for Old Master An, and cautiously asked:

“Dad, how did it go?”

Old Master An thought of the composed Mo Hua from earlier and then looked at his son’s meek voice and appearance. His anger flared up.

“Look at you! You’re the head of the family, for better or worse. You can’t handle such a big matter!”

“Mo Hua, a child in his teens, can come find me openly and honestly, negotiating with me with reason and evidence.”

“You, the head of the family, can’t even help a little bit, can’t say a word. You just know how to hide behind and eavesdrop!”

“The An family is truly finished sooner or later if it’s handed over to you!”

An Yonglu was scolded bloody, feeling wronged in his heart: I did want to come forward, but weren’t you uneasy about it…

But he dared not retort.

Old Master An finished scolding, and his anger dissipated. He sighed a long breath and said:

“Donate it.”

An Yonglu said, “Don’t listen to that child Mo Hua bluffing…”

Old Master An sighed, “Mo Hua has his own motives, but what he said is also true. A great disaster is imminent, and we, the An family, cannot protect these family assets. We might as well use them to exchange for a good reputation.”

An Yonglu was unconvinced, “Why can’t we protect them?”

Old Master An said coldly, “With what can we protect them?”

An Yonglu wanted to say he could protect them, but the words reached his mouth, and he timidly dared not speak.

Old Master An saw him like this, his expression somewhat weary. He slowly said:

“These past few days, I’ve thought for a long time and still have no good way.”

“The path before our An family is only two: either leave or stay.”

“If we leave, we can move the whole family to other immortal cities, but other immortal cities are all entrenched with forces, and they may not accommodate the An family, much less allow us to get a share of their benefits.”

“And our An family’s restaurant has been open for a long time, always emphasizing harmony brings wealth. Among our descendants, there are no ruthless people. If we move to other places, we will surely decline within three generations.”

“If we follow the scattered cultivators to move cities, then our An family is a piece of fat meat that anyone will bite into.”

Speaking of this, Old Master An thought of past events again. That year, the branch of the An family’s direct disciples escorting a merchant team in the Great Black Mountain was secretly instigated by the Qian family’s ancestor and swallowed clean by evil cultivators, not a single one surviving. Thinking about this now, Old Master An still had lingering fears. Moving to another city, who knew how many Great Black Mountains they would pass through and how many Black Mountain villages they would encounter. They were afraid that their bones would be chewed clean during their arduous journey.

“If we don’t leave, then we can only stay and build the grand formation.”

“Since we’re staying and building the grand formation, we have to unite our efforts. Those poor scattered cultivators will still donate their spirit stones. How can we, the An family, be selfish and let others look down on us?”

Old Master An had one more point he didn’t say. He actually had his own private motives. His lifespan was not long, his cultivation could not advance, and he was approaching the end of his life. Although he was a Foundation Establishment period family head, prominent in front of people, he had no great achievements. Old Master An was not willing to be so wasteful in his old age. He wanted to leave a name for himself and also leave a good name for the An family. With a firm resolve, Old Master An felt much more relaxed, “Donate it.”

An Yonglu was stunned, “Donate it all?”

Old Master An heard this and his anger surged again, “Are you a pig head? If we donate it all, will such a large family like ours drink northwest wind? Can’t you use your brain to think before you speak?”

An Yonglu weakly said, “Then how much should we donate…”

Old Master An only felt a headache. Enduring his temper, he said, “Seven or eight tenths.”

“Oh.” An Yonglu tentatively asked again, “Then I’ll tally it up and hand it over to Zhou Zhangsi?”

Old Master An nodded, then suddenly thought for a moment and shook his head, “No, you tally it up, make a list, and personally hand it over to Mo Hua.”

An Yonglu was slightly startled, somewhat unwilling, “Isn’t that giving him too much importance…” Even if he could draw the grand formation, he was just a child in his teens. An Yonglu still wanted to say something, but he saw Old Master An’s eyelids twitching, suppressing his anger, which meant he couldn’t help but want to hit him… An Yonglu immediately closed his mouth sensibly.

Old Master An said helplessly:

“When you find Mo Hua, remember to bring little Fu along. Apart from necessary matters, you just say less and be more respectful in your attitude.”

An Yonglu had to lower his head and agree, but he still looked somewhat confused about why.

Old Master An drank a mouthful of tea, thought for a moment, and then earnestly said:

“These spirit stones are used to exchange for reputation.”

“If the Great Demon is successfully killed, our An family’s descendants will have a good name for generations to come.”

“If the kill is unsuccessful, the scattered cultivators will also remember our kindness, especially Elder Yu. If we have a good relationship with him, the demon hunters will also help if the An family encounters difficulties.”

“But the most important thing is that these spirit stones are to exchange for Mo Hua’s favor.”

“Mo Hua is a child who values human feelings.” Old Master An lightly sighed with relief, then added with a sigh:

“Assuming the grand formation is truly built, then Mo Hua is a thirteen-year-old master of a first-grade grand formation. No matter what kind of reputation, it’s far less important than Mo Hua’s favor.”

An Yonglu was stunned, “Is it really that important?”

Old Master An shook his head and murmured, “You don’t understand the weight of these three words, ‘main array master.’ Especially when this main array master is only thirteen years old, that’s even more terrifying…”

An Yonglu felt a chill in his heart and also nodded solemnly. Since Old Master An said so, then the main array master was definitely more powerful. But whether it was a first-grade array master or a main array master, he actually felt there wasn’t much difference… Old Master An saw his expression, knew he completely didn’t understand, and couldn’t help but sigh deeply again.

Two days later, An Yonglu tallied up the spirit stones and some array materials, made a list, and then brought An Xiao Fu to personally deliver them to Mo Hua.

Mo Hua was overjoyed, “Thank you, Uncle An, and please convey my thanks to Old Master An. Mo Hua will remember this favor!”

An Yonglu nodded, feeling that his task was complete. He also remembered Old Master An’s instructions and didn’t say any extra words. He only exchanged a few polite remarks and then left.

On the contrary, An Xiao Fu stayed behind. He had no schemes. He fundamentally didn’t care whether the spirit stones were donated or not. He just heard that there was something to do and that he was going to find Mo Hua, so he happily followed. Then, as a matter of course, he would eat a meal before going back. After all, in his heart, the meals at Mo Hua’s home were the most delicious.

Thank you, Xingye Zhilian, for the reward. Thank you also for everyone’s support. Currently writing quite slowly, only two updates a day, about 5-6k words like this. Later, I will slowly adjust and strive to update more.