Chapter 1320: Saving Someone
Chapter 1319: Saving Someone
The next day, Mo Hua went to find True-Person Zhuge, saying he wanted to see Bai Zisheng.
Bai Zisheng was being held in the Imperial Celestial Bureau’s prison, sealed personally by True-Person Zhuge.
True-Person Zhuge refused. “No.”
Mo Hua didn’t understand. “Why?”
Because you brat are an uncontrollable spark, touch anything and it explodes. One moment of inattention and you’ll definitely stir up trouble.
Just thinking about it now made True-Person Zhuge ache with regret.
He cultivated the Dao of tranquility and non-action. The myriad disputes of the mortal world were, to him, like passing clouds—nothing worth taxing the mind or worrying over.
Yet after enshrining this little ancestor, he’d been dragged straight into the mud pit, covered head to toe in karmic filth—the more he wiped, the dirtier it got. Now, under pressure from True-Person Huá, he worried every day. This morning, he’d even noticed he was starting to lose hair.
How could True-Person Zhuge not be angry?
With a cold face, he asked, “You want to see Bai Zisheng, what do you intend to say?”
Mo Hua replied, “I’m going to check whether he’s dead yet.”
True-Person Zhuge sighed. “You’re really not afraid that he isn’t dead, and instead turns around and runs you through with a spear?”
Mo Hua looked proud. “Didn’t you see my Flying Dragon Soaring to the Heavens that day? Bai Zisheng is nothing but a defeated opponent. How could I be afraid of him?”
True-Person Zhuge was helpless, but still insisted, “No.”
After saying that, he ignored Mo Hua.
Mo Hua didn’t give up. Every few days, he came to pester True-Person Zhuge, saying that just one look at Bai Zisheng would do, so Bai Zisheng would know the might of the Great Void Sect and help spread its prestige.
True-Person Zhuge knew very well that this kid was far too sharp, truth and falsehood mingled in his words. But he really couldn’t stand Mo Hua’s harassment.
After all, he couldn’t hit him, couldn’t scold him. If he truly offended him and Mo Hua went to complain to Old Master Xun, his own face would be hard to keep. He might not even be able to step through the gates of the Great Void Sect again.
True-Person Zhuge could only reluctantly relent. “Just one look. A quarter of an hour.”
Mo Hua nodded repeatedly.
Thus, True-Person Zhuge took Mo Hua to see Bai Zisheng once more.
Mo Hua also learned the location of the Imperial Celestial Bureau’s prison.
This was a temporary prison set up by the Imperial Celestial Bureau, guarded by members of the Dao Court itself.
What formations were used inside, what mechanisms were laid, what chains, what guards—Mo Hua only needed a single glance to memorize most of it.
True-Person Zhuge shot Mo Hua a sidelong look, realizing something. His heart chilled, but regret came too late. He could only sigh inwardly:
“Sure enough, anyone raised by the Ancestor is no harmless sort…”
At the final prison door, True-Person Zhuge hesitated for a moment.
But having already agreed to Mo Hua, he couldn’t go back on it. He took out a jade brush, traced lines with starlight, and unraveled the formation on the door.
It was a Seven-Star Formation, personally laid by True-Person Zhuge. But since this was a Second-Grade Mountain Realm, the formation itself was also second-grade.
Seven-Star Formation?!
Mo Hua was delighted. At once, he firmly etched True-Person Zhuge’s method of breaking the formation into his memory, his gaze blazing like a torch.
As True-Person Zhuge dismantled the formation, he suddenly felt a faint sensation of “a thorn at his back.” He glanced sideways, and his sense of the Dao screamed danger.
This kid?!
No way… is he stealing my stuff?!
If True-Person Zhuge were dismantling a third- or fourth-grade formation, it would be fine—high-grade formations were beyond Mo Hua’s current reach.
But this was a Second-Grade Mountain Realm. The formations usable here were all second-grade.
And in the domain of second-grade formations, Mo Hua possessed an almost freakish level of “absolute dominance.”
Using formations in front of Mo Hua was bad enough; once you did, they could only be seen through by his Heavenly Secret Eye and turned into something he could use himself.
True-Person Zhuge still didn’t fully understand Mo Hua, unaware of how deep these waters ran.
But he was, after all, at the Feathered Ascension realm—how could he fail to notice? Coupled with the faint law-level changes he had seen in Mo Hua’s formations before, True-Person Zhuge couldn’t help but sigh again:
“The ‘gold content’ of being the top figure in Qianxue’s formation Dao is this absurd now…?”
“What kind of monster is this kid…”
In the end, True-Person Zhuge still dismantled the Seven-Star Formation in front of Mo Hua and opened the prison door.
The door opened, and Mo Hua finally saw Bai Zisheng.
Bai Zisheng’s face was pale, his aura restrained. He was resting with eyes closed. Sensing movement, he slowly opened them.
The instant he saw Mo Hua, a glimmer of light appeared in his eyes.
But when he saw True-Person Zhuge, that light vanished again.
Bai Zisheng’s expression turned cold.
Mo Hua sneered. “Just a defeated opponent, and you’re still acting all high and mighty…”
Bai Zisheng cast him an equally cold glance.
True-Person Zhuge sighed helplessly. “Enough. Stop talking.”
He was truly afraid of Mo Hua’s mouth, it was like it had been dipped in poison.
True-Person Zhuge continued, “Didn’t you want to see Bai Zisheng? You’ve seen him now. Ask whatever you want.”
Mo Hua nodded. Just as he was about to speak, he stopped.
Before, he had been single-mindedly focused on seeing his Little Senior Brother—checking his injuries, asking about his condition, and asking after Master and Senior Sister.
But now, standing before his Little Senior Brother with True-Person Zhuge present, he suddenly realized that some things could not be let True-Person Zhuge know.
It wasn’t that he distrusted True-Person Zhuge.
True-Person Zhuge had taken great care of him, and Mo Hua was grateful. But many matters absolutely could not be known by others.
He had already caused True-Person Zhuge plenty of trouble.
If matters of his lineage were to further entangle True-Person Zhuge, it wouldn’t just be trouble—it would be danger.
“I… don’t really have anything,” Mo Hua said. “I just came to see whether this Bai Zisheng has truly been beaten into submission by me.”
True-Person Zhuge frowned slightly.
This kid… why does he sound so inconsistent?
But Mo Hua’s words and actions couldn’t be judged by common sense anyway, so True-Person Zhuge didn’t say much.
“Oh, right,” Mo Hua asked again, “True-Person, are the locks on Bai Zisheng really something only the Huá Clan can open?”
True-Person Zhuge glanced at him. “What, you want to open them?”
Mo Hua lowered his voice. “I’m just asking.”
True-Person Zhuge thought for a moment. “These are the Nine-layers of Dragon-Confining Heavy Shackles. Formations are carved inside them, they’re completely sealed spiritual artifacts. Without the Huá Clan’s key, they can’t be opened at all.”
He looked at Mo Hua and added pointedly, “No matter how good your formations are.”
Mo Hua nodded, meaning: I understand.
True-Person Zhuge asked, “So, are you still looking?”
Mo Hua cast another reluctant glance at his Little Senior Brother. He actually wanted to look a bit longer, but the situation was what it was, and the conditions didn’t allow it.
Being able to see his Little Senior Brother once, confirm his injuries, and know where he was imprisoned and what restraints were used—that was enough.
Mo Hua shook his head. “No need. Just Bai Zisheng, nothing worth looking at.”
True-Person Zhuge didn’t know whether he meant it or not, but fewer troubles were better than more. “Very well.”
True-Person Zhuge then led Mo Hua away.
Mo Hua glanced once more at Bai Zisheng, then withdrew his gaze and left the Imperial Celestial Bureau’s prison with True-Person Zhuge.
After Mo Hua left…
Bai Zisheng remained standing there, staring blankly at Mo Hua’s departing figure. The icy coldness in his eyes gradually softened.
“Little Junior Brother…”
…
On the way back, Mo Hua memorized the route once again.
True-Person Zhuge knew exactly what he was doing. But since he had already let the mouse into the rice jar, he resigned himself to fate and turned a blind eye.
However, just as they exited the prison gate, True-Person Zhuge’s expression sank.
Opposite him, a lofty, unfathomable figure slowly appeared.
“Brother Huá?”
“Brother Zhuge.” True-Person Huá returned the greeting politely.
True-Person Zhuge asked in puzzlement, “Why are you here?”
True-Person Huá said calmly, “The matter of Bai Zisheng ultimately falls under my Huá Clan’s responsibility. I came to take a look, surely that’s not unreasonable.”
True-Person Zhuge’s gaze narrowed slightly as he shook his head. “That’s just polite talk.”
True-Person Huá said, “Brother Zhuge means… you won’t let me see him?”
True-Person Zhuge sighed. “The Dao I cultivate values clarity and nonaction, seeking true authenticity. I don’t like lying, so I’ll only speak the truth… If you go see him, I may not be able to keep Bai Zisheng alive. Mo Hua’s troubles will grow, and things will become very difficult for me as well…”
True-Person Huá frowned slightly.
True-Person Zhuge said, “From the Taiji arise the Two Principles; troubles, too, give rise to one another. If you don’t bring me trouble, I won’t bring trouble to you.”
True-Person Huá fell silent. After a moment, he nodded. “I understand.”
True-Person Zhuge gave True-Person Huá a long, deep look, then inclined his head slightly and turned to leave.
Mo Hua politely saluted True-Person Huá, then closely followed behind True-Person Zhuge as he departed.
True-Person Huá first watched True-Person Zhuge, then glanced at Mo Hua behind him. His gaze gradually turned cold, a trace of irritation welling up in his heart.
A miscalculation…
Ever since they captured that kid called “Mo Hua” from the Desolate Wilderness, everything seemed to have slowly slipped out of control.
Whether it was the matter of the Divine-Shaman, or this matter of Bai Zisheng.
Even “True-Person Zhuge” himself seemed to be slipping beyond control…
Here in the Great Wilderness, the reason True-Person Huá had been willing to travel together with True-Person Zhuge was precisely because True-Person Zhuge had a “lazy” temperament and merely held the title of a Honorary Consecrator of the Imperial Celestial Bureau.
Most of the time, True-Person Zhuge himself was a natural deterrent.
At the same time, True-Person Zhuge did not meddle in others’ affairs.
So within the grand framework of karmic cause and effect, as long as one found ways to avoid True-Person Zhuge and not entangle him, he would naturally stay aloof and leave everything alone.
In the Great Wilderness, he was the most perfect Feathered Ascension candidate.
But things had suddenly changed. Ever since that mysteriously strange kid called Mo Hua appeared, the situation began to veer off course.
Even True-Person Zhuge had been dragged by that kid into this vortex.
What puzzled True-Person Huá even more was that such a carefree True-Person Zhuge—a dignified Feathered Ascension cultivator of the Zhuge clan—would actually violate the principles of his cultivation to help a mere Foundation Establishment junior.
From beginning to end, this whole matter reeked of something strange…
Just what identity did this Mo Hua have?
And what secrets were hidden behind him?
True-Person Huá’s brows knit tightly, his expression growing colder and colder.
“There isn’t much time left…”
…
Inside a temporarily arranged True-Person cave-dwelling.
True-Person Zhuge’s expression suddenly turned grave.
Mo Hua asked, “True-Person, could it be that the Huá Clan is…”
True-Person Zhuge nodded. “True-Person Huá won’t let this go. They might even… directly make a move to seize him.”
Mo Hua was startled. “The Huá Clan would really dare to do that?”
True-Person Zhuge said, “Normally, they wouldn’t. But the problem is…”
Bai Zisheng is no ordinary person.
Azure Dragon bloodline—and one whose awakening has deepened to the level of ‘Mysterious Yellow Dragon-Blood’—this is practically… the standard of a Dao Child.
If he weren’t surnamed Bai…
“If he weren’t surnamed Bai…”
The moment this thought surfaced in True-Person Zhuge’s mind, his pupils constricted, his heart and liver trembling.
Seeing True-Person Zhuge’s shaken, abnormal expression, Mo Hua asked, “True-Person, what happened?”
True-Person Zhuge looked deeply at Mo Hua. “Did you… know this Bai Zisheng before?”
Mo Hua naturally shook his head. “How could I possibly know him?”
True-Person Zhuge nodded, neither confirming nor denying, and instead said:
“I’ll pay closer attention to this matter. As for you, go back and cultivate when you should, draw formations when you should… Above all, absolutely, do not interfere in this matter again.”
His tone was heavy, his expression solemn.
Mo Hua nodded. “I understand, True-Person…”
But though he agreed verbally, how could he really stay out of it?
After all, this was his Little Senior Brother.
That night after returning, Mo Hua kept pondering how he could rescue his Little Senior Brother.
How he could remove the Nine-layers of Dragon-Confining Heavy Shackles from him.
And… even if he did rescue him, would it really be of any use?
In the Royal court domain, it was either Dao soldiers, aristocratic clan disciples, or territory under the Huá Clan’s control.
Little Senior Brother wouldn’t be able to escape the Huá Clan’s grasp.
Staying in the Imperial Celestial Bureau’s prison, relying on his limited connections and with True-Person Zhuge watching over him, Little Senior Brother could at least be considered relatively safe.
Once he left the prison, his life would truly hang by a thread.
But now the question was, was Little Senior Brother really safe inside the prison?
What if the Huá Clan went mad and came to “tear up the ticket”?
“Troublesome…”
With his Little Senior Brother involved, Mo Hua frowned deeply. No matter how he thought about it, he couldn’t feel at ease.
Over the next few days, Mo Hua kept thinking about how to rescue his Little Senior Brother—and after rescuing him, how to keep him safe.
And the thing he worried about most was still the Huá Clan.
By True-Person Zhuge’s estimation, the Huá Clan truly might make a secret move against his Little Senior Brother.
After all, the prison was right there, and Little Senior Brother was plainly in the open—like a bright lamp. Once those hungry wolves of the Huá Clan couldn’t hold back, they would definitely pounce.
True-Person Zhuge might not be able to hold True-Person Huá in check for very long either.
Mo Hua wanted to calculate his Little Senior Brother’s causality.
But this was the Great Wilderness, right under the noses of True-Person Huá and True-Person Zhuge—and he himself had just been “ambushed” by a group of big shots.
He hadn’t even finished forming a single straw dog yet.
Trying to divine Little Senior Brother’s causality now would probably be dangerous.
Because of this, Mo Hua worried day after day.
That night, Mo Hua was in his room, forming straw dogs while thinking about Little Senior Brother’s situation.
Suddenly, a wave of bone-chilling cold swept over his entire body.
By instinct alone, Mo Hua sensed that something major had happened.
“Little Senior Brother is in danger?”
His heart instantly leapt into his throat. He immediately left the military tent. Outside, the night was pitch-black, moonless overhead, and wherever the cold wind passed, killing intent filled the air.
Mo Hua was just about to run toward the prison when, not far ahead in the darkness, he saw a lone figure.
True-Person Zhuge.
At this moment, True-Person Zhuge stood in the night, his eyes shining like the Seven Stars, his presence terrifyingly imposing.
And his gaze—like starlight—pierced through the darkness, fixed on a distant mountain peak.
Mo Hua followed True-Person Zhuge’s line of sight, and his pupils trembled violently.
On the distant mountaintop, shadows clustered densely, ferocious and horrifying.
They were the demon cavalry of the Great Wilderness!
And at the very front of the demon cavalry stood their leader, a figure whose body was as massive as a small mountain, his aura incomparably majestic. With every breath, dragon qi surged.
Cultivators of the Great Wilderness focused on body refinement and were generally far larger than ordinary cultivators.
The two great generals Mo Hua had seen before—Shi-Gu and Lu-Gu—were already enormous, yet the figure before him was even a full size larger than both of them.
He looked like a humanoid little giant.
A Feathered Ascension cultivator of the Great Wilderness!
Mo Hua’s pupils contracted sharply.