"If you donate Spirit Stones, once the Large Formation is completed and Feng Xi is slain, we will erect a grand Demon Suppression Monument..." Mo Hua gestured with his hands to show just how big this pie...no, this stele would be and then said to Old Master An: "At that time, we will carve your name in the first place, make it bigger, trace it in gold so that people can see it at a glance!" Erecting a Demon Suppression Monument is a tradition among Monster Hunters. Once they have slain a powerful Monster Beast that has been plaguing an area, the Monster Hunters would forge a Demon Suppression Monument and engrave the names of the Cultivators who participated in the monster hunting on it, to highlight their merits in monster hunting. It’s just that no one had ever slain a Big Demon before, so naturally, no one had ever erected a Demon Suppression Monument for slaying a Big Demon. Old Master An calmly asked, "What if it can’t be killed?" Mo Hua candidly replied, "Even business ventures can suffer losses, and monster hunting can fail sometimes, especially when it comes to slaying such a Big Demon, the risk is indeed enormous." "If it can’t be killed, then it just can’t be killed. We’ll have to find another way, and naturally, your Spirit Stones would have been donated in vain." Old Master An frowned, "So, I’m donating family wealth for a fame that may not come to fruition?" "This is real reputation, not just empty fame," Mo Hua corrected. "How is it not empty?" Mo Hua explained, "Once the Big Demon is killed and the Demon Suppression Monument is erected, it would be the most important monument of merit in the history of Tongxian City." "As long as Tongxian City exists, so does the Demon Suppression Monument, and so does your name. The An Family will always be remembered by the Cultivators of Tongxian City." "This honor is a rare opportunity that comes once in a thousand years. If you miss this chance, no amount of Spirit Stones spent later could buy it." Old Master An was visibly moved and began to frown thoughtfully. Seeing his chance, Mo Hua whispered softly, "Old Master, may I speak bluntly...?" Old Master An was slightly startled, then nodded, "Go ahead." Mo Hua blinked and said in a low voice: "The An Family is still considered prosperous now, and everyone knows you are the second biggest clan in Tongxian City, but what if someday, the An Family declines, and the family wealth is gone—who will remember who you were?" "At that time, the An Family will be just like any other small clan in this world, lost in the crowd, no longer mentioned, no longer thought of, and even the descendants of the An Family may no longer take pride in the clan." Old Master An’s face stayed calm, but his gaze fell, knowing in his heart that what Mo Hua was saying was the truth. This is the fate of many small clans in the Cultivation World. What rises must fall. Small clans, with their shallow foundations, once in decline and their people scattered, find it very difficult to rise again. It’s not just the small clans; even the big Noble Clans could gradually decline and eventually disappear from the history of the Cultivation World once they fall on hard times. Seeing Old Master An waver, Mo Hua’s eyes shone, and he took the opportunity to say: "But if your name is carved on the largest Demon Suppression Monument in Tongxian City, it becomes a different story. All the Cultivators in Tongxian City will remember your name, remember the history of the An Family, even if hundreds of years later, when the An Family is no more..." Old Master An’s heart quivered, and he looked at Mo Hua with a deep and resentful gaze. What do you mean ’the An Family is no more’?... Embarrassed, Mo Hua laughed sheepishly and rephrased his words tactfully, "Even if hundreds of years later, if the fortune of the An Family declines and is no longer as affluent, the common people of Tongxian City will still remember your good deeds..." "At such times, Spirit Stones are but fleeting; this reputation is what truly endures." Mo Hua, with his articulate speech, gently persuaded him. Old Master An’s brow gradually creased as he pondered deeply, and after a long hesitation, he let out a sigh and said slowly: "Let me think about it." Mo Hua was merely seeking Old Master An’s opinion and did not want to force anything; he had other methods to gather Spirit Stones. It’s just that the current situation of the An Family was indeed a dilemma. To donate or not to donate was a tough choice. That’s why he had approached Old Master An, to suggest donating some Spirit Stones to secure a good name for the family’s descendants. But the final decision was up to Old Master An. "Then take your time to think about it. I will take my leave now," Mo Hua said. With a courteous bow, Mo Hua then took small steps out of the An Family residence. Old Master An gazed after Mo Hua’s departing figure, lost in thought. After a while, the screen stirred slightly and An Yonglu, the Family Head of the An Family came out from behind it. He approached Old Master An with light steps, respectfully poured a cup of tea for him, and asked cautiously: "Father, what’s the decision?" Old Master An, thinking of Mo Hua’s confident demeanor during their exchange and seeing his son’s timid appearance, bristled with anger. "What’s the matter with you? You’re a Family Head after all—and can’t even handle a matter of this importance!" "A child barely in his teens like Mo Hua could come to me openly and negotiate with sound reasoning." 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚 "As for you, the Family Head, you can’t offer any help, can’t say a word, only know how to hide behind and eavesdrop!" "If the An Family truly falls into your hands, it’s bound to be ruined!" ... An Yonglu was scolded till he was downhearted, feeling wronged inside: I wish I could step forward, but you were the one who didn’t trust me... Yet he dared not talk back. After Old Master An had scolded him, he felt a little better. He sighed deeply and said: "Donate it." An Yonglu said, "Don’t be fooled by that kid Mo Hua..." Old Master An sighed, "Mo Hua does have his own motives, but what he said is the truth. When disaster strikes, our An Family’s wealth will be unsustainable... It’s better to exchange it for a good reputation." An Yonglu was unconvinced, "How can it be unsustainble?" Old Master An said coldly, "With what will you defend it?" An Yonglu wanted to say he could defend it, but when the words reached his lips, he cowardly dared not to speak. Seeing him like this, Old Master An appeared somewhat weary and slowly said: "I have thought for a long time these days, yet I still haven’t found a good solution." "There are only two paths before our An Family: to leave or to stay." "If we leave, we could move the whole family to another Immortal City, but the other cities all have powers entrenched, and it’s not likely they would make room for the An Family, let alone let us share in their spoils." "Besides, our An Family’s Food Building has been established for a long time, and we’ve always aimed for peaceful wealth. Among the younger generations, there are none ruthless and vicious enough. If we relocate, within three generations, we will inevitably decline." "If we move as Loose Cultivators, then our An Family will be like a piece of fat meat, and everyone would take a bite." At this point, Old Master An was reminded of the past. Back then, a caravan guarded by direct disciples of the An Family was completely devoured by Evil Cultivators secretly instigated by the Patriarch of the Qian Family within Big Black Mountain, leaving none alive. Thinking about it now, Old Master An still felt a shiver down his spine. Upon moving, who knows how many Black Mountains one would pass, how many Black Mountain Strongholds one would encounter. Their An Family would trek all the way, only for their bones to be gnawed clean by others. "If we don’t leave, then the only option is to stay and build a Large Formation." "Since we’re staying to build the Large Formation, we must join forces. Even those poor Loose Cultivators have donated their Spirit Stones. How could our An Family selfishly keep our own interests, inviting contempt from others?" Old Master An had another unspoken thought. He, too, had his own private desire. His life was nearing its end, and his cultivation could no longer advance. His days were coming to a close, and although he held the impressive title of a Foundation Establishment Family Head in public, he hadn’t accomplished much. Old Master An wasn’t content either, unwilling to end his days in obscurity. He wanted to leave a name for himself and leave a good name for the An Family. Once his mind was made up, Old Master An felt much more at ease, "Donate it." An Yonglu was startled, "All of it?" On hearing this, Old Master An’s temper flared up again, "Are you an idiot? If we donate everything, what is our big family going to do, survive on northwest wind? Can’t you think before you speak?" An Yonglu meekly asked, "Then how much should we donate..." Old Master An felt a headache brewing, but patiently said, "Seven or eight parts out of ten, perhaps." "Oh," An Yonglu then ventured to ask, "Should I tally it up properly and deliver it to Court Leader Zhou?" Old Master An nodded, then after a moment’s thought, shook his head, "No, you tally it up, draw up a list, and personally hand it to Mo Hua." An Yonglu was slightly startled and somewhat reluctant, "That’s giving him too much credit..." After all, even if he could draw a Large Formation, he was just a kid in his early teens. An Yonglu wanted to say more, but seeing Old Master An’s eyelids twitch with suppressed anger, the message was clear—he could hardly restrain himself from hitting An Yonglu... So, An Yonglu promptly shut his mouth, recognizing the situation. Old Master An spoke helplessly: "When you go to find Mo Hua, remember to bring Xiaofu along. Aside from necessary matters, speak less, and be more respectful in your demeanor." An Yonglu could only bow and agree, although he still seemed somewhat puzzled. Old Master An took a sip of tea, pondered for a moment, and then spoke earnestly: "These Spirit Stones are being used to trade for reputation." "If we successfully kill the Big Demon, all descendants of the An Family will have a good name." "If we fail to kill it, the Loose Cultivators will also remember our kindness, especially with Elder Yu. Getting on good terms with him means that if the An Family ever falls into difficulty, Monster Hunters will also extend their aid." "But most importantly, these Spirit Stones are to exchange for a favor from Mo Hua." "That kid Mo Hua still values favor," Old Master An eased up, then added thoughtfully: "If the Large Formation truly gets built, Mo Hua will be the Primary Formation Master of a first-class Formation at just thirteen years of age. No matter what reputation, it is far less important than owing Mo Hua a favor." An Yonglu was taken aback, "Is it really that important?" Old Master An shook his head and muttered, "You don’t understand the weight of the three words ’Primary Formation Master’. Especially when this Primary Formation Master is only thirteen, it’s even more frightening..." An Yonglu’s heart chilled, and he solemnly nodded. If Old Master said so, then being the Primary Formation Master must be even more formidable. But whether a first-class Formation Master or a Primary Formation Master, he felt it didn’t make much difference... Seeing his expression, Old Master An knew he hadn’t understood at all and sighed deeply once more. Two days later, An Yonglu finished tallying the Spirit Stones and some Formation materials, drafted a list, and personally delivered them to Mo Hua, along with An Xiaofu. Mo Hua was delighted, "Thank you, Uncle An, and please tell Old Master An that Mo Hua remembers this favor!" An Yonglu nodded, considering his mission accomplished. He remembered Old Master An’s instructions and refrained from any excess conversation, exchanging only a few pleasantries before leaving. On the other hand, Xiaofu stayed behind. He was simple-minded, not caring about the donation of Spirit Stones. He just heard there was something going on and that it involved Mo Hua, so he eagerly followed along, and not until after he had managed to get a free meal under the pretense of business did he return. After all, in his heart, the food at Mo Hua’s house was the best.