Chapter 1311: Huá Pīng

Chapter 1310: Huá Pīng

The door was kicked open. Miss Huá—dressed in luxurious robes, her features strikingly beautiful—strode in with her head held high.

Mo Hua was startled. “What are you doing?”

Miss Huá snorted coldly. “Who told you not to open the door?”

Mo Hua was speechless. “It’s the dead of night. You’re barging into a boy’s room—do you have any sense of propriety or moral conduct at all?”

Miss Huá stared at Mo Hua’s face, confirmed something, then nodded.

“That’s right, it’s you. Back then, when you disguised yourself as a servant and served me tea…”

Mo Hua hurriedly said, “Shh…”

Seeing Mo Hua look guilty, Miss Huá became a little smug.

Mo Hua sighed helplessly. “Alright, what do you want with me?”

Miss Huá had just opened her mouth when Mo Hua shook his head again. “Don’t forget, everything you do and say right now is being seen and heard by True-Persons.”

Knocking on doors at midnight, kicking open someone’s room, others might not know, or might not dare to know, but it definitely couldn’t escape the perception of those two True-Persons.

Miss Huá froze, thought it over, and realized he was right. “Then come with me.”

Mo Hua shook his head. “Not going.”

Miss Huá’s delicate brows shot up. “Don’t force me to use violence on you.”

Mo Hua sighed again. “Fine. Where to?”

Miss Huá curled her fair finger at him. “Follow me.”

In that pose, she looked exactly like a gorgeous female ghost luring souls in the middle of the night.

With no other choice, Mo Hua followed her.

They didn’t go far. Miss Huá led Mo Hua to another secluded room, shut the door, sealed the windows, and even activated the screen’s formation. The room was tightly closed, faint fragrance drifting in the air.

Mo Hua was startled again and instinctively guarded himself. “What are you doing?”

Miss Huá glanced at him and sneered. “I’m not even afraid, what are you afraid of? You—”

She was about to say something, but before she could, she seemed to feel it was inappropriate. She took out a jade pendant and activated it with spiritual power, forming a barrier that enveloped the room.

At a glance, Mo Hua could tell that this barrier also isolated sight and sound, and that it used an even more sophisticated formation.

Mo Hua said, “This still won’t block a True-Person’s perception.”

Miss Huá nodded. “I know. But if they forcibly eavesdrop, I’ll be able to sense it.”

Mo Hua nodded in response.

Miss Huá found a chair and sat down, legs crossed, looking at Mo Hua. “Your name is Mo Hua?”

Mo Hua nodded.

Miss Huá didn’t speak.

Mo Hua understood and politely asked, “And your name?”

Only then did Miss Huá say, “My surname is Huá. My given name is ‘Pīng.’”

“Huá Pīng…” Mo Hua muttered, his heart stirring, his bad habit instantly flaring up again. “…Decorative Vase?”

He loved giving people random little nicknames.

Huá Pīng’s pretty face turned icy.

Mo Hua immediately shut up.

This was the Huá Clan’s territory, and she was the Huá Clan’s eldest young lady. When under another’s roof, one has no choice but to lower one’s head.

Moreover, his other identity as a Divine-Shaman had a “blood-deep enmity” with the Huá Clan. Even though it was hidden for now, it was best to stay low-key.

“You’re a disciple of the Great Void Sect?”

“You’re the top formation disciple of Qiánxue?”

“And the number one of the Qián Academy Sword Debate?”

Huá Pīng stared at Mo Hua as if she were looking at a “rare animal,” puzzled. “Fake, right? You? Seriously?”

“What’s wrong with me?” Mo Hua asked.

Huá Pīng curled her lips. “You don’t look like it at all.”

Mo Hua nodded and sighed. “That’s right. I came in through the back door. I got the title of Qián Academy’s top formation cultivator through connections. As for being first in the Sword Debate—I exploited loopholes, cheated, and ambushed my way to victory.”

He was too lazy to explain anymore.

Prejudice in people’s hearts was like a mountain.

Huá Pīng frowned. “Isn’t Qián Academy supposed to be a holy land of cultivation? They can mess around like this too?”

Mo Hua said, “Under great reputation, the reality rarely matches. The entire cultivation world is just like an amateur troupe, and everyone’s just a pretender.”

Mo Hua’s blunt honesty surprised Huá Pīng instead.

Other young prodigies, in front of her, always boasted themselves to the skies, praising themselves as peerless under heaven.

Only Mo Hua, before her, spoke plainly and told nothing but hard truths.

Huá Pīng nodded, the hairpin in her hair swaying gently.

Mo Hua asked, “What about you? You’re the Huá Clan’s eldest young lady?”

Huá Pīng said, “Naturally.”

“Which branch?” Mo Hua asked.

Huá Pīng said, “Even if I told you, would you know?”

Mo Hua thought about it and shook his head. “No. I know nothing about the Huá Clan. The only person I know is True-Person Huá.”

“That’s exactly it,” Huá Pīng said. “The Huá Clan is huge, with complicated bloodlines. Even if I told you, you wouldn’t be able to sort it out.”

“Then…” Mo Hua asked again, “why did you come to see me?”

Huá Pīng thought for a moment, lowered her voice, and said, “I’m here to warn you. What happened back then in Desert City, don’t tell anyone. Especially my uncle.”

Mo Hua was slightly stunned.

Just for that?

But then his thoughts shifted, and he understood.

The Huá Clan was enormous, with tangled bloodlines—which meant many factions, each with its own plans and schemes.

Although Huá Pīng called True-Person Huá “uncle,” the things she did seemed to be beyond True-Person Huá’s control.

At present, it appeared that Elder Yóu was a “businessman,” making war profits in the Desolate Wilderness.

As for this Miss Huá Pīng, she had connections not only with the Great Wilderness Sect… no, not just the Great Wilderness Sect, but also that Young Master Shī from Yin Corpse Valley.

And what about True-Person Huá?

What he was responsible for was controlling the overall situation in the Great Wilderness? And also… managing those bandaged people, conducting “slice” research on human bodies?

The three of them were connected, yet they did not seem to be entirely on the same side.

Mo Hua frowned in thought.

Huá Pīng asked, “Hey, what are you thinking about?”

Mo Hua came back to his senses, shook his head, and said, “Nothing.”

Huá Pīng stared at him for a moment and said, “You know, when you’re thinking hard like just now, with your eyes flickering, you actually look pretty handsome.”

Mo Hua’s face darkened.

Huá Pīng asked again, “Well?”

Mo Hua was puzzled. “What?”

Huá Pīng said, “What I just told you about the Great Wilderness… about Desert City, you’d better keep your mouth shut.”

Mo Hua nodded. “Don’t worry. As long as you don’t say anything, I won’t either.”

Huá Pīng looked into Mo Hua’s clear eyes, confirmed that he was an “honest person,” and only then felt reassured.

After that, other curiosities bubbled up, and she clung to Mo Hua, peppering him with questions:

“I heard you’re the illegitimate son of some old ancestor? Which ancestor?”

“You’re so young, whose ancestor was it? An old tree blooming late?”

“That Formation Dao Champion title of yours, how did you win it? Who pulled strings for you behind the scenes?”

“And you—”

The usually arrogant Huá Pīng was now chattering nonstop at Mo Hua.

Mo Hua truly did not want to answer at all.

Just then, he heard a cough at his ear.

A powerful divine-sense was piercing through the barrier.

Huá Pīng’s expression cooled as well. She muttered, “I haven’t finished asking yet…”

But she also knew someone was reminding her to stop while she could.

Though annoyed, she did not dare disobey, and said to Mo Hua, “Next time I knock, remember to open the door.”

After saying that, she ignored Mo Hua, withdrew the jade-talisman barrier, dispelled the folding-screen formation, pushed the door open, and walked out again with her head held high.

Mo Hua let out a sigh and thought to himself:

“Women really are troublesome…”

He shook his head, left the room still scented with faint fragrance, and headed toward his own guest room.

Just as he reached his door, a faint voice sounded from behind him:

“A lone man and a lone woman, late at night, what exactly are you two up to?”

Mo Hua jumped in fright. Turning around, he saw True-Person Zhuge standing in the night, looking at him with a strange expression.

Helpless, Mo Hua opened the door that had been kicked half-broken and said to True-Person Zhuge, “Come in and talk…”

True-Person Zhuge clasped his fan behind his back and strolled into the room at ease.

Mo Hua closed the door and looked at him. “You already know?”

True-Person Zhuge poured himself a cup of tea. “The door was kicked open, how could I not know?”

He raised his eyes and glanced at Mo Hua. “You’re lucky it was her kicking your door. If you dared to kick her door in the middle of the night, you’d probably have already been dragged off by the Huá Clan for ‘death by a thousand cuts.’”

“Exactly,” Mo Hua nodded and sighed. “We’re all human—why is the treatment for men and women so different?” A pure and self-disciplined good youth like him, getting his door kicked in the middle of the night by a bad woman, and no one even cares.

“Alright, enough jokes.” True-Person Zhuge took a sip of tea and looked at Mo Hua, puzzled. “You have some kind of relationship with that young lady of the Huá Clan?”

“No relationship,” Mo Hua denied, then glanced around as if about to say something.

True-Person Zhuge said, “Relax. No one else can hear.”

Only then did Mo Hua want to tell him what Huá Pīng had just said, including how she had previously gone to the Great Wilderness Sect and met Young Master Tuòbá. But just as he was about to speak, he realized he had already promised Huá Pīng not to tell anyone.

He could only sigh. “I promised her—I can’t say.”

True-Person Zhuge was surprised. “You two are that close already? Sharing little secrets?”

“No,” Mo Hua denied.

True-Person Zhuge did not press further. After thinking for a moment, he earnestly advised Mo Hua:

“I’ll just remind you, the Huá Clan’s waters run too deep. It’s too dangerous. Huá Clan women, absolutely do not provoke them.”

Mo Hua knew this as well.

But then he could not help muttering inwardly:

“The Huá Clan is dangerous, Huá Clan women can’t be provoked… then what if I… provoke a woman from the Bai Clan?”

True-Person Zhuge looked at Mo Hua warily. “Are you muttering something in your head?”

Mo Hua hurriedly shook his head.

True-Person Zhuge had no idea that Mo Hua was thinking about provoking an even more terrifying woman.

He simply gave his usual warning:

“As long as you’re clear about it yourself, that’s fine. I can’t manage everything. I can only tell you—this world isn’t full of good people. Especially some women; they’re disasters incarnate, stealing your qi and ruining your fortune. Cultivating the Dao is cultivating the heart, don’t let these disasters entangle you…”

“You’re young, full of vigor—I’m afraid you won’t be able to hold yourself back and end up straying onto the wrong path…”

Mo Hua nodded. “True-Person, don’t worry. I won’t stray onto the wrong path.”

Even if he did stray, it would be with Little Senior Sister.

True-Person Zhuge slowly let out a breath.

What he was really worried about wasn’t Mo Hua’s lack of willpower, but the “Heart-Tugging, Emotion-Arousing, Desire-Falling Golden Needle” in Mo Hua’s Sea of Consciousness acting up.

If that golden needle were to lose control and cause some unforeseen change, things would get very troublesome.

Especially late at night—young man and young woman, one handsome, one beautiful—if heart-desire were stirred, it would be a disaster.

He even began to suspect this was the Huá Clan “setting a trap” for Mo Hua, if not for the fact that Miss Huá’s status was far too high to be used as bait.

Presumably, even that True-Person Huá wouldn’t dare use this young lady as bait.

“You be careful yourself. When you’re out and about, protect yourself well.” Thinking this, True-Person Zhuge said no more and turned to leave.

But Mo Hua suddenly called out, “True-Person…”

True-Person Zhuge turned back, and Mo Hua asked softly, “Why does the Huá Clan want to capture Little… that kid Bai Zisheng?”

“True-Person Huá said the Dao Court issued the order,” True-Person Zhuge replied.

Mo Hua shook his head. “Even if the Dao Court issued an order, judging by the Huá Clan’s nature, they wouldn’t necessarily follow it.”

True-Person Zhuge was somewhat surprised. “You know the Huá Clan that well?”

Mo Hua could only say, “I… just have a feeling…”

True-Person Zhuge pondered for a moment, then asked, “Does that Bai Zisheng have anything to do with you?”

Mo Hua shook his head. “No relation.”

True-Person Zhuge said, “Then don’t concern yourself with it. This matter has nothing to do with you or me. And absolutely don’t interfere—don’t act on a moment of impulse. Remember: when traveling outside, it’s better to have fewer troubles than more. If something goes wrong with this matter, the Huá Clan will surely hold a grudge against you again.”

“Alright…” Mo Hua nodded.

“Stay alert. I’m heading back.” After saying this, True-Person Zhuge stood up and was about to leave. But as he turned, he caught a glimpse of the formation diagram on Mo Hua’s desk and suddenly stopped.

He picked up one of the formation diagrams on the table, glanced at it a few times, his pupils shrinking, then looked at Mo Hua again.

“You drew this just now?”

Mo Hua replied slowly, “Yes… when I was reading a formation manual just now, I casually sketched a few strokes.”

The lazy air around True-Person Zhuge vanished instantly, his gaze sharpening. “You… casually sketched it?”

Mo Hua slowly nodded.

“You…” True-Person Zhuge seemed unable to believe it, carefully choosing his words. “You… Foundation Establishment? Who… taught you the laws?”

“No one really taught me…” Mo Hua scratched his head and said modestly, “When drawing formations, I just happened to gain a little insight, incidentally…”

Drawing formations, incidentally, casually, gaining a little insight…

True-Person Zhuge silently repeated it in his heart, as if hearing someone talk nonsense in broad daylight.

Mo Hua didn’t quite understand and asked in confusion, “Isn’t it normal to casually comprehend a bit of the laws?”

At that instant, True-Person Zhuge felt as though he were being mocked and humiliated by a Foundation Establishment cultivator. For a fleeting moment, he even felt a tiny spark of killing intent. Chatting with Mo Hua—sometimes not feeling at least a little murderous—was indeed rather difficult.

True-Person Zhuge took two deep breaths before suppressing this “improper thought.”

With a stiff face, he stuffed the formation Mo Hua had drawn into his sleeve, gritted his teeth, said, “I’m leaving,” and then walked straight out. Mo Hua had no idea why True-Person Zhuge had suddenly become unhappy.

But he didn’t dwell on it too much.

True-Person were Feather Ascension experts, lofty figures. Sometimes their temperaments were like women’s—more or less unstable in yin and yang, moody and unpredictable.

One should be tolerant of other people’s flaws in character.

Mo Hua felt that he himself was quite broad-minded in this regard.

He used formations to reinforce the door that had been kicked broken, then returned to his seat and continued studying formation laws by candlelight.

…

After resting for a night, everyone set off the next day.

This time, however, there was one more person in the group.

The Huá Clan’s eldest young lady, Huá Pīng, also followed along, saying she wanted to go capture Bai Zisheng together.

Mo Hua didn’t know whether this “Decorative Vase” young lady was purely tagging along for fun, or whether she had some designs on his Little Senior Brother. He couldn’t be bothered to ask. For some reason, Huá Pīng had also become much quieter, along the way she would occasionally glance at Mo Hua, but she didn’t harass him again.

After another seven days, they entered the depths of a second-rank Royal Court mountain realm, and at last there was news of Bai Zisheng.

Dao soldiers came one after another to report that they had found clues related to Bai Zisheng.

A few days earlier, some aristocratic clan prodigies had even crossed blows with Bai Zisheng, but failed to capture him.

Hearing this, Mo Hua’s heart trembled slightly.

He could feel that the distance between himself and his Little Senior Brother was growing ever shorter.

After many years apart, he wondered what his Little Senior Brother looked like now.

Two days later, the group arrived at a military camp on the edge of the mountain realm.

It was a large encampment, garrisoned by many cultivators, both disciples of aristocratic clans and quite a few Dao soldiers.

True-Person Huá led Mo Hua and the others toward a main command tent in the center.

As they drew near the main tent, they could hear noisy sounds—inside the tent, it seemed that many young people were arguing.

The argument was so loud it could be heard even outside the tent.

Mo Hua’s expression froze slightly.

From within the tent, he could sense some familiar auras, and even from the arguing voices alone, he could distinguish several familiar voices…