Chapter 1345: Da Hu

Chapter 1344: Da Hu

This was the second time Mo Hua had seen Da Hu in the Great Wilderness, his childhood friend.

The first time had been during the Great Wilderness Sect rebellion, at the mutiny in Wind-Crossing Ridge.

Back then, while Mo Hua was fleeing with the Big Tiger, they were blocked by a prodigy of the Great Wilderness Sect. Da Hu had defied sect orders. Not only did he not stop Mo Hua, he even let him pass.

At the time, war and chaos raged everywhere. The two had only exchanged a hurried glance and didn’t get the chance to speak.

And now, they met again.

In Mo Hua’s memories, the Da Hu of childhood had been tall, simple, and kind-hearted.

The first time he saw Da Hu in the Great Wilderness, Mo Hua still remembered how, under the moonlight, Da Hu’s tall frame looked like a fierce tiger. A long scar ran from his left cheek down to his right. His whole body radiated a savage brutality and ferocity.

But now, inside the Golden Si Tower, Da Hu’s tall body was slightly hunched as he endured Young Master Tuoba’s scolding and insults, giving off an indescribable sense of lowliness.

Mo Hua’s feelings were complicated.

After Mo Hua saw Da Hu, it took only a moment for Da Hu to recognize Mo Hua as well, to recognize this little brother from childhood, branded into his memory like white moonlight, someone whose kindness had been as deep as that between siblings.

Fragments of the past rippled through his heart.

Shock, nostalgia, regret, pain—contradictory emotions flickered through Da Hu’s eyes. In the end, all of it turned into cold indifference.

He stood beside Young Master Tuoba with a frigid gaze, like a vicious hyena.

Young Master Tuoba, however, didn’t notice Mo Hua. The first person he saw was Dan Ling.

Dan Ling was the Divine Maiden of the Great Wilderness Royal Court. Her status was noble, her aura pure and sacred. Together with her bright red robes and jade-like beauty, she captured Young Master Tuoba’s entire attention in a single instant.

Upon seeing Dan Ling, there was no one else in his eyes. Smiling, he bowed in greeting.

“Divine Maiden…”

Dan Ling gave a slight nod. “Young Master Tuoba.”

With a refined smile, Tuoba said, “Divine Maiden, what brings you away from the Divine Maiden Hall to the Golden Si Tower?”

Dan Ling replied calmly, “I have some matters and wish to see Prince Ao.”

Tuoba said, “The Dao Court’s army is pressing close. The situation is dire. As a member of the Royal clan, Prince Ao is stationed in the Great Wilderness Palace, stabilizing the fate of the realm. I’m afraid he won’t be easy to meet for now…”

Dan Ling gave a soft “Mm.”

Tuoba wanted to keep the conversation going, to speak with her a little longer, but Dan Ling had already stepped forward. With a dignified expression and a tall, graceful posture, she walked past him.

“Divine Maiden—” Tuoba hurriedly called.

Dan Ling turned her head and gave him a cool, indifferent glance.

That noble and distant demeanor stirred something restless in Tuoba’s heart. An itch he couldn’t scratch, his throat even felt dry. He wanted to say something, yet his mind felt muddled and he couldn’t form a single sentence.

Dan Ling ignored him and continued walking.

Tuoba felt both regretful and annoyed at himself. With the Divine Maiden right before him, he had failed to display his elegance and heroic bearing. He hadn’t even managed to exchange a few more words.

After that brief encounter, all he could do was watch Dan Ling’s noble and graceful figure recede, anxiety gnawing at him.

Just as he was wallowing in disappointment and frustration, Tuoba suddenly caught sight of a figure beside Dan Ling. He froze, as if unable to believe his eyes. A moment later, his eyes widened and he shouted,

“Stop!”

Dan Ling halted and turned to look at Tuoba, frowning slightly.

Tuoba felt a chill in his heart and quickly said, “Divine Maiden, forgive me…”

He pointed at the servant beside Dan Ling, the one with his head lowered under a hood, face half-hidden, with a slender build.

“This servant of yours… looks somewhat familiar to me.”

Da Hu, standing beside Tuoba, had a subtle change in his gaze.

Bai Zisheng sneered.

Mo Hua, the one being pointed at, remained calm and expressionless.

Dan Ling asked, “So?”

Tuoba’s eyes narrowed slightly. “I want to take a closer look at him, to see whether he’s the person I’m looking for.”

Dan Ling asked, “And then?”

Tuoba said, “I respectfully ask the Divine Maiden to hand this servant over to me… temporarily.”

Dan Ling refused. “No.”

Tuoba frowned. “Divine Maiden… could it be that you are unwilling to give the Great Wilderness Sect this bit of face?”

Dan Ling’s expression turned cold. “I am the Divine Maiden of the Royal Court, one who serves the gods. You think the Great Wilderness Sect can touch my people?”

Tuoba hadn’t expected her attitude to be so firm. His expression stiffened, and his voice weakened slightly.

“He… is just a servant…”

“Even if he’s just a servant,” Dan Ling said sharply, “he’s still my person. Not someone outsiders can demand and expect me to hand over.”

Tuoba’s face darkened.

Dan Ling said nothing more and didn’t spare him another glance. Turning her tall, slender waist, chin slightly raised, she walked away.

Mo Hua, disguised as a “servant,” followed closely behind Dan Ling.

They were only a step apart. The hem of Dan Ling’s skirt could almost brush against Mo Hua.

Tuoba watched silently until their figures disappeared. Only then did he clench his fists, eyes reddening, teeth grinding.

“Acting all high and mighty… The Divine Maiden of the Great Wilderness, do you really think you’re that noble, that pure?”

“One day, when you fall into my hands, I’ll torment you however I please… I’ll see how you keep that noble act then…”

His voice was low and filled with anger. Only Da Hu beside him heard it.

But Da Hu pretended he hadn’t heard a thing, keeping his head lowered, looking humble and submissive.

…

A maid led Dan Ling into a luxurious guest room inside the Golden Si Tower.

This was a main suite reserved for distinguished guests to cultivate and rest temporarily.

Dan Ling was the Divine Maiden—a distinguished guest—so she was arranged to stay in the main suite.

Mo Hua and Bai Zisheng, being treated as menial attendants, were assigned to side rooms nearby.

“Divine Maiden, if you need anything, please give your instructions,” the maid said respectfully.

Dan Ling nodded.

The maid secretly stole another glance at Dan Ling, then bowed again before turning to leave.

After the maid left and there was no one else around, Dan Ling finally asked Mo Hua, “You know that Young Master Tuoba?”

Mo Hua nodded. “You could say that.”

Dan Ling asked, “There’s a grudge between you?”

Mo Hua nodded again. “Mm.”

Dan Ling said, “A big one?”

Mo Hua replied, “Not really. I just took a few things from him. I’m magnanimous, so I don’t really mind. But that stingy Mop Young Master seems like he really wants to kill me…”

Dan Ling: “…”

Even Bai Zisheng couldn’t help asking, “Just how many enemies do you have?”

Mo Hua answered honestly, “I’ve always tried to be friendly with others. I feel like I shouldn’t have many enemies. As for whether other people want to kill me… that I don’t know.”

Bai Zisheng didn’t know what to say.

Dan Ling sighed softly. “Young Master Tuoba holds a high position within the Great Wilderness Sect. His mother is from a branch of the Royal clan, so his bloodline is superior from birth. If you can avoid provoking him, it’s best to avoid it.”

Mo Hua nodded. “Got it.”

Dan Ling said in a low voice, “These days, try to keep a low profile. Don’t cause any trouble. I’ll go seek out some members of the Royal clan and senior figures, see if I can learn about the recent situation in the imperial court and try to meet Prince Ao. As for entering the Dragon Pool…”

She frowned. “I don’t know why the Divine Official told me to bring you there, but that place is a forbidden zone to begin with. Don’t get your hopes up too much.”

Mo Hua nodded. “Alright. Thanks for the trouble, Sister Dan Ling.”

Dan Ling gave a light nod, yet felt an indescribable emotion in her heart.

Her temperament was naturally cold, and she never cared much for others’ gratitude. Flattering words to her were nothing more than passing clouds.

Only this strange young man named Mo Hua gave her an instinctive sense of closeness.

Whenever Mo Hua praised her, it even made her feel a warm glow in her heart, as if…

…a god were praising and blessing her.

A god…

Dan Ling glanced at Mo Hua’s clear and handsome face, shook her head, and said nothing more.

Afterward, Dan Ling began moving about in secret, seeking a way for Mo Hua to enter the Dragon Pool. As a Divine Maiden of the Great Wilderness, she knew quite a few nobles in the Royal Court and had some connections.

Meanwhile, Mo Hua and Bai Zisheng stayed in the guest rooms and went nowhere.

Their appearances were quite different from cultivators of the Great Wilderness. Wearing long robes to hide it was fine for a short while, but if they wandered outside too often, it would be easy for people to question them.

Moreover, their identities couldn’t stand up to scrutiny. They couldn’t possibly rely on Dan Ling, a Divine Maiden, to shield them forever.

So, until there was concrete news about the Dragon Pool, Mo Hua and Bai Zisheng remained in a side chamber, meditating and cultivating, conserving their strength for the fierce battle that might come.

…

That night, as darkness fell, Golden Si Tower was utterly silent.

Mo Hua was meditating in his room, contemplating the possibility of forming his Core right under Martial Uncle’s watchful eyes.

Suddenly, killing intent surfaced outside the doors and windows.

A blood-colored dart shot through the door and window, flying straight toward Mo Hua’s face.

Mo Hua remained seated in meditation, completely still.

Just as the dart was about to strike his face, Bai Zisheng’s figure flashed past. He grabbed the blood-colored dart with his bare hand.

A sharp light appeared in his eyes as he looked out the window.

But outside was empty, no one in sight, only lingering killing intent.

Bai Zisheng sneered and was about to chase after the attacker when Mo Hua called out, “Little Senior Brother.”

Bai Zisheng glanced at him.

Mo Hua said, “Let me see the dart.”

Bai Zisheng handed it over.

Mo Hua took the dart, examined it, and sighed inwardly. “Just a greeting… I’ll go take a look. Little Senior Brother, stay here and don’t act rashly.”

Bai Zisheng frowned slightly but nodded.

Mo Hua’s gaze sharpened. His figure dimmed like rippling waterlight, gradually fading until he vanished from the room without a trace.

…

Not far away, outside the tower in a secluded courtyard, the moonlight was dim.

A large man stood in the darkness, his aura fierce, like a savage tiger.

A moment later, waterlight shimmered in the darkness, and a thin, lean figure appeared.

Seeing this familiar concealment technique, the big man’s expression turned complicated. After a moment, he murmured, “Mo Hua…”

Mo Hua nodded naturally. “Da Hu. Long time no see.”

Pain surfaced briefly on Da Hu’s face. After a moment, he shook his head. “I didn’t want to see you again.”

Mo Hua was startled.

Da Hu’s gaze turned cold. “Back at Wind-Crossing Ridge, I already let you go once. You should’ve left the Great Wilderness then and stayed out of this mess. But this time, you came right to the door yourself. I… can’t do anything about it anymore…”

Mo Hua thought for a moment, then understood. He asked,

“Was it that ‘Mop’ Young Master? He sent you to kill me?”

Da Hu gave a bitter smile and shook his head. “You’re still as smart as ever. No matter what it is, just a small hint and you understand everything instantly. Mo Hua, you’re the smartest person I’ve ever met in my life. But…”

Da Hu sighed, his gaze turning cold and indifferent. “You never should have… never should have offended Young Master Tuoba.”

A sinister, dark force surged within Da Hu’s body, filling his limbs and bones with violent power.

He looked at Mo Hua, eyes brimming with killing intent.

Mo Hua looked at Da Hu like this, feeling a mix of unfamiliarity, nostalgia, and sorrow at the changes of the world and the human heart.

Mo Hua sighed. “Ever since we were kids, every time there was a fight, you stood in front of me.”

“Whenever I got bullied, you’d drag Shuang-Hu and San-Hu along to help me get even and beat people up for me.”

“Now… you want to kill me too?”

Da Hu felt a sudden stab of pain in his heart.

Fragments of the past surged back into his mind.

They had once been warm, nostalgic memories. But now, flowing through his cold and numb heart, they felt especially piercing.

Da Hu murmured, “It’s not the same anymore. We’ve all grown up. We’re not kids anymore. We can only… live humbly now…”

“The cultivation world is dangerous. In this world, if you don’t dirty your hands, don’t kneel to others, don’t act like someone’s dog, how could you possibly survive…”

“Not to mention someone like me… a lowborn rogue cultivator…”

A trace of sympathy and emotion appeared in Mo Hua’s eyes.

The sinister force around Da Hu gradually subsided. His whole person seemed indescribably cold and numb.

He didn’t want to kill Mo Hua.

Or rather, from the very beginning, he had never intended to kill Mo Hua. He only wanted to force Mo Hua to withdraw from the situation as soon as possible.

That was the only kindness he had left.

“You should leave soon. Stop getting involved with the Great Wilderness Sect—no… stop getting tangled up with the Great Wilderness at all.”

Mo Hua asked, “What about you?”

Da Hu said, “I’ll go to the Young Master and accept punishment.”

Mo Hua asked, “Are you really that afraid of that Young Master Tuoba?”

Da Hu’s expression turned solemn. “You don’t understand. You don’t know Young Master Tuoba’s true identity. In the end, we’re just rogue cultivators. We can never be compared with true royals and noble heirs like them…”

Mo Hua neither agreed nor disagreed. His gaze sharpened slightly as he only asked, “Where are Shuang Hu and San Hu?”

Da Hu fell silent.

Mo Hua’s expression shifted. “They… died?”

Da Hu shook his head. “No… we’re just… not brothers anymore.”

Mo Hua frowned. “What do you mean?”

But Da Hu didn’t answer. The coldness in his eyes deepened. “That’s all I can say. For old times’ sake, I can’t bring myself to attack you. But Young Master Tuoba definitely won’t let this go. Take care of yourself.”

Da Hu hesitated, then said gravely, “A lot of things are far more complicated than you think. Whether it’s noble clans, royal families, or sects… many things at the upper levels are filthy, disgraceful. You…”

Da Hu looked at Mo Hua’s clear and pure eyes, as if seeing his own childhood, and gave a bitter smile. “Don’t let them fool you…”

After saying this, Da Hu ignored Mo Hua and turned to leave.

But Mo Hua called out, “Meng Da-Hu.”

Da Hu froze.

It had been a long time since anyone had called him by that name. In the Great Wilderness Sect, his name was “Meng Bohu,” a name bestowed by the Young Master. Among fellow disciples, though, more people called him lackey, vicious tiger, beast.

Da Hu turned back to look at Mo Hua.

Mo Hua asked, “Do you want to form your Golden Core at the Dragon Pool?”

Da Hu shook his head. “I’m the Young Master’s servant. I’m not qualified.”

Mo Hua said, “Then come with me instead. I’ll take you to the Dragon Pool to form your Golden Core.”

Da Hu was stunned.

Mo Hua nodded. “When we were kids and got into fights, you always had my back. But now I’m strong enough. It’s my turn to look out for you. Stick with me and no one will dare bully you.”

Da Hu’s body trembled.

Tall and powerfully built, with a fierce presence like a “vicious tiger,” Da Hu looked at the frail, refined, and gentle-looking Mo Hua before him. A bittersweet warmth flowed through his heart, he couldn’t tell whether it was gratitude or sorrow.

“You should… focus on staying alive yourself…”

Da Hu’s voice was bitter. He shook his head, said nothing more, and turned to leave. His tall, menacing figure disappeared into the night.

Mo Hua watched Da Hu’s departing back, lost in thought.