Chapter 1433: Temp - Chapter 1431: Stirring Hearts
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Chapter 1431: Stirring Hearts
Lu Clan.
After the banquet had dispersed, Lu Chonglou sat alone on the high seat, gazing into the distance.
In the night, the resplendent opulence of the Lu Clan’s grand mansion was reflected in his slightly weathered eyes, shimmering with a mesmerizing luster.
Wealth dazzles the eye.
Yet, no matter how many more years he looked upon such scenes of wealth, it would never feel quite enough.
Just then, the voice of a Lu Clan elder spoke: “Has the Lu Clan’s posture been set a bit too low?”
This Lu Clan elder was clad in a magnificent golden robe. If Mo Hua were present, he would recognize this person as the very same golden-robed elder of the Lu Clan he had encountered earlier at the Fortune Pavilion.
And this golden-robed elder seemed to hold a significant position within the Lu Clan.
Without shifting his gaze, Lu Chonglou continued to stare at the distant, magnificent towers and pavilions, shaking his head:
“It’s fine. This Young Master Mo’s background is unclear, but his reputation is considerable. It is better for our Lu Clan to adopt a lower, more humble posture than to put on airs, lest we offend him and cause displeasure.”
Lu Chonglou sighed again. “A young man of such promise deserves respect.”
The golden-robed elder asked, “Have you decided whom to marry off to him?”
Lu Chonglou replied, “I haven’t thought it through clearly yet. I also don’t know this Young Master Mo’s preferences… what he likes…”
“Zhenlong’s marriage…” the golden-robed elder interjected, “…surely you aren’t considering that, are you?”
Lu Chonglou sighed. “The disparity in status is too great. Our Lu Clan is far too wealthy, and Zhenlong is my Direct Line Daughter. There are rumors that this Young Master Mo is a rogue cultivator by origin.”
“Even if he weren’t a rogue cultivator, but the illegitimate son of some great power… that status still wouldn’t be enough.”
“Legitimate, direct line, secondary line, collateral branches… and illegitimate offspring are at the very bottom.”
Lu Chonglou shook his head.
The golden-robed elder said, “What about having him marry into the wife’s family?”
Lu Chonglou smiled faintly. “This Young Master Mo appears calm and gentle, yet he carries the bearing of a wandering dragon, with a proud spirit held within. He likely isn’t the type to marry into a family.”
“If it were for Zhenlong, he might not be unwilling,” the golden-robed elder suggested.
Lu Chonglou still shook his head. “That won’t do either. Zhenlong is also the apple of my eye, with peerless beauty and talent, and a reputation that precedes her.”
“The Earth Sect, the Jin Clan, the Wu Clan, the Zhu Clan… even from Qianzhou and Daozhou, there have been matchmakers. The candidates sent are all outstanding talents from direct lines with top-grade Spiritual roots… Why would we need to seek a son-in-law?”
“Furthermore, this Young Master Mo has mid-to-low-grade Spiritual roots and an Inferior-Grade Golden Core… This is simply not good bone structure; he couldn’t produce top-grade offspring.”
The golden-robed elder’s gaze darkened slightly. “That is true.”
A clan needs inheritance, and procreation is more important than anything. Those who carry on the legacy of a great clan must not have poor Spiritual roots.
If the Spiritual roots are not good, it essentially severs the possibility of union with superior bloodlines.
“This topic isn’t even worth discussing.”
Lu Chonglou sighed. “Zhenlong’s marriage is not something she can decide herself, nor can I, as her father and clan head, truly decide it… It concerns the clan’s interests too greatly, the stakes are too high. Our words don’t count.”
The golden-robed elder nodded slightly, pondered for a moment, and spoke frankly: “Then… with the current chips, you might not be able to hook this fish.”
“We’ll see,” Lu Chonglou said calmly. “One step at a time, no rush. Besides…”
Lu Chonglou pondered for a moment and said, “Young Master Mo’s current level is still somewhat lacking. Even if he has touched the threshold of Third-Grade, a Second-Grade High-Tier Formation Master is, at most, a Third-Grade low-tier Formation Master.”
“In my Lu Clan, a Formation Master of this level, while not abundant, is not particularly scarce either.”
“What I truly value is Young Master Mo’s future.”
Lu Chonglou’s eyes gleamed slightly. “Although his Spiritual roots and Golden Core quality are inferior, I have learned that his talent in formations is truly… visibly astonishing, breathtaking to behold.”
“It’s just a pity that the world is unpredictable, and not all talents can be fully realized.”
“Some waste their years in mediocrity, others face hardships due to misfortune, and still others squander their gifts in pursuit of pleasure.”
“In these times, there are too many people with talent who fail to put in the effort to fulfill it.”
“If he cannot realize his potential, he will merely be… an Inferior-Grade Golden Core cultivator. My Lu Clan need not waste too much effort on him.”
“Even if he does realize his potential…” The golden-robed elder’s gaze sharpened. “Wouldn’t that be like distant water unable to quench a nearby fire?”
Lu Chonglou nodded. “That is precisely why I said I value his future, not his present.”
“As he is now… he cannot yet take the stage. For the grand scheme of Kun Province, he offers no immediate aid.”
The golden-robed elder fell silent, lost in thought.
Lu Chonglou suddenly asked him, “How are things with the Earth Sect?”
The golden-robed elder replied, “Still pushing forward, but the resistance seems significant.”
“Such matters cannot possibly lack resistance,” Lu Chonglou said. “But the opportunity is also once in a millennium.”
The golden-robed elder nodded in agreement.
Lu Chonglou spoke slowly, “When mortals first glimpse Qi-Refining in their cultivation, their lifespan is only a hundred years. Upon reaching Foundation Establishment, it ranges from two hundred to three hundred years. As for Golden Core, lifespans extend to five hundred, even up to eight hundred years.”
“These several hundred years may seem long, yet they can also pass in the blink of an eye.”
“And the shifts of the world often begin with millennia before major upheavals occur.”
“The Dao Court has enjoyed peace for twenty thousand years. The present era marks the first millennium after Dao Calendar twenty thousand.”
“This first millennium is a time when heaven and earth change color, and winds rise and clouds surge.”
Lu Chonglou’s gaze intensified. “We must achieve great merit in this first millennium, allowing my Lu Clan to soar to even greater heights of prosperity and prestige. Only then will we have the opportunity to pursue higher Dao.”
“The transformation of this millennium waits for no one. If we do not succeed, given our lifespans, we will approach our limits with no further merit to be earned.”
“Being born into a prestigious clan is our honor; achieving nothing would be our disgrace.”
Hearing this, the golden-robed elder’s eyes also shone with determination.
The two stood on the high platform, gazing into the distance together. In the night, the resplendent lights of the gilded pavilions seemed to stretch toward the heavens.
The Lu Clan’s carriage escorted Mo Hua all the way back to the entrance of the minor blessed land.
The Lu Clan’s female elder smiled at Mo Hua and said, “Take care, Young Master Mo. You are also welcome to visit the Lu Clan often, so we may properly fulfill our duties as hosts.”
Mo Hua smiled and replied, “Thank you for your trouble.”
The female elder smiled, then departed by carriage.
Mo Hua stood at the entrance of the minor blessed land, letting the night breeze disperse the scent of wine and the faint trace of cosmetics that lingered on him. Only then did he open the door and step inside the minor blessed land.
Within the minor blessed land, the mountains and waters were tranquil, and the Immortal Cranes and Luan Birds were also nesting in pairs, their heads resting together, quiet and still.
Mo Hua walked all the way into the courtyard, thinking that everyone would have retired by this time, only to find a figure in white sitting in the yard, drinking tea.
Under the moonlight, this person seemed enveloped in a delicate glow, like white jade, both real and illusory.
Mo Hua stared for a moment, somewhat dazed. It wasn’t until Bai Zixi turned her head and glanced at him lightly, saying, “You’re back?” that he snapped out of it and nodded.
“Have some light tea to sober up.” Bai Zixi’s voice was gentle, flowing into Mo Hua’s heart like moonlight.
Mo Hua sat down beside Bai Zixi, poured himself a cup of tea, and took a sip.
The taste was fresh and sweet, carrying a fragrance and a faint medicinal aroma.
Mo Hua could tell that the tea had been brewed by Xiao Ju, but his senior sister had added a spirit herb to clear the mind and relieve intoxication.
That hint of sweetness seeped into his heart and lungs.
Mo Hua slowly let out a sigh, feeling his mind settle.
Bai Zixi glanced at Mo Hua and said calmly, “Did the Lu Clan have business with you?”
Mo Hua nodded. “The Lu Clan wants me to become a Guest Elder, and also…”
Mo Hua thought for a moment but didn’t finish.
Bai Zixi asked, “Will you go?”
Mo Hua shook his head. “It’s hard to say, but…” He sighed and remarked, “The Lu Clan is just too wealthy—a land of flowing gold and cascading jade, intoxicating to the mind.”
Bai Zixi said calmly, “Oh, so you went to that land of wealth?”
Mo Hua felt a slight chill in the night air and whispered, “No, I just took a distant glance.”
Bai Zixi remained silent.
Mo Hua looked at Bai Zixi and suddenly said, “Little Senior Sister.”
Bai Zixi glanced at him.
Mo Hua corrected himself, “Senior Sister.”
Bai Zixi nodded.
Mo Hua said, “Senior Sister, you… practice cultivation every day. Don’t you find it monotonous?”
The Lu Clan was a great clan, a land of wealth. Lu Zhenlong, as a Direct Line Daughter of the Lu Clan, carried herself with grandeur, her carriages, horses, and attire exuding indescribable opulence.
But his senior sister was the complete opposite. Despite being a Direct Line Daughter of the Bai Clan, she spent her days cultivating within the minor blessed land.
Her daily habits, though elegant, seemed too simple compared to those of a true great clan.
Moreover, his senior sister rarely ventured out, just like when she was young. Apart from cultivation, she studied various arts of alchemy, formations, talismans, and artifacts, day after day, without interruption.
Such a life could already be described as “austere.”
Before, Mo Hua hadn’t thought much of it, but after visiting the Lu Clan, he found it increasingly peculiar.
Bai Zixi didn’t answer but instead asked Mo Hua, “What about you? You study formations every day. Don’t you find it hard?”
Mo Hua was taken aback and shook his head. “It is tiring…”
Especially the feeling of frequently depleting his Divine-Sense, with his Sea of Consciousness on the verge of exhaustion—it was truly unpleasant.
“But I love formations. Formations can change my fate and help many people, so I don’t find it too hard.”
Bai Zixi nodded.
The two senior sister and junior brother had both been diligent in their cultivation since childhood.
Yet each thought the other was more diligent, so neither felt their own cultivation was particularly austere.
Bai Zixi said to Mo Hua, “On the path of cultivation, simplicity clarifies one’s aspirations, and tranquility leads to far-reaching goals. Wealth and glory are but fleeting illusions. If one becomes too attached to such transient vanities, it is difficult to achieve greatness.”
Bai Zixi rarely spoke so much, and seldom used her senior sister status to offer Mo Hua such earnest advice.
Mo Hua was momentarily taken aback, then nodded with a smile, “Mm, I’ll remember that, Senior Sister.”
After speaking, Mo Hua couldn’t help but stare at Bai Zixi.
Little Senior Sister was beautiful, so lovely she seemed both real and illusory.
When Mo Hua first looked at Little Senior Sister, his mind would often become restless.
Now, after spending more time together, his heart no longer stirred restlessly, but for some reason, looking at Little Senior Sister instead gave him a sense of inner peace.
Mo Hua silently gazed at Bai Zixi like this, momentarily lost in thought, and his gaze lingered a bit too long.
Bai Zixi frowned slightly, “What are you looking at?”
“Nothing, it’s just that…” Mo Hua blurted out without thinking, “Senior Sister, you’re really beautiful.”
Bai Zixi’s heartstrings trembled faintly, followed by a trace of panic. She extended her fair, jade-like finger and tapped Mo Hua’s forehead: “Such smooth talk, who did you learn that from?”
After saying this, both of them froze.
In the tranquil blessed land, under the bright moonlight, Bai Zixi reached out to tap Mo Hua’s forehead, their postures intimate.
Their eyes met—one pair clear as water, the other beautiful as ice and snow—and in each other’s gaze, they could see their own reflection.
For a moment, time seemed to stand still.
After an unknown length of time, Bai Zixi finally snapped back to reality, averted her gaze, and said: “It’s getting late, you should head back and rest early.”
Mo Hua fell silent for a moment, then softly replied with a barely audible “Mm.”
Afterward, the two returned to their respective rooms, their minds somewhat blank, neither daring to look at the other.
For a long time after this incident, Mo Hua felt that the atmosphere between him and Little Senior Sister had become somewhat strange.
On the surface, things seemed the same as usual—they cultivated together, drank tea, and studied formations—but occasionally, when their eyes met, they would both pause for a moment before avoiding each other’s gaze.
Even though he liked looking at Little Senior Sister, he suddenly felt too shy to do so now.
To calm his emotions and ease his muddled feelings, Mo Hua could only go chat with Manager Zhao.
But Manager Zhao was also very busy, and for some reason, Fortune Pavilion had recently received an unusually high number of orders, all of them Third-Grade or above—the kind Mo Hua could see but not touch.
The matter of Entering the Earth would also have to wait for Manager Zhao.
At the very least, they had to wait for the rumor that “Zhao Dongming colluded with black-hearted villains, set up a trap in Entering the Earth, and plotted to kill for profit” to die down.
Mo Hua could only go to the Eastern District training ground to spar with others.
But no matter who he fought, it was always the same group of people.
Especially Wu Gui, Jin An, and Zhu Xian.
Mo Hua had won over a million Spirit stones from them, to the point where he was starting to feel guilty.
Sometimes, Mo Hua even felt like he was a bully who targeted young masters from prominent families, extorting “protection fees” from them under the guise of sparring.
Mo Hua’s conscience was starting to trouble him.
And his “bullying” of these young masters finally caught someone’s attention.
The person who came looking for him was actually an “acquaintance.”
At first glance, this person also had the appearance of a prodigy, with colorful gold threads woven into his clothes that glittered brightly in the sunlight, looking quite flamboyant.
A group of elders from prominent families surrounded him, suggesting his status was likely not low.
But no matter how long Mo Hua thought about it, he only felt that the person looked familiar—he should know him—yet he couldn’t recall who this person was.
Although his Divine-Sense was strong, his Sea of Consciousness often suffered—first from Baleful Fate Suppressing Fate Palace, then from Divinity Suppressing Humanity, along with the Heavenly Demon Severing-Emotion Dao and the Heart-Tugging Emotion-Inducing Needle, occasionally even losing a bit of his humanity.
As a result, his memories were often jumbled, and he had forgotten quite a few unimportant figures.
Mo Hua stared at the flamboyantly dressed man standing before Wu Gui, racking his brain for a long time before finally giving up and asking honestly: “Who are you?”
The man opposite him took a deep breath, feeling deeply insulted. “Mo Hua, have you forgotten what you did to me at the Grand Sword Debate Assembly back then?”
Mo Hua replied, “I haven’t forgotten.”
The man said, “If you haven’t forgotten, why ask who I am?”
Mo Hua explained, “You have to tell me who you are first, so I can remember what I did to you. You didn’t even introduce yourself—how am I supposed to remember who you are?”
The man sighed deeply again and said, “I am Wu Ming.”
Nameless?
Mo Hua was stunned.
Seeing Mo Hua’s reaction, Wu Ming grew even more furious. “I’ve told you my name, and you still can’t remember? You’re utterly arrogant, unreasonable, and downright insulting!”
Mo Hua sighed helplessly. “I asked for your name, and you told me you’re ‘Nameless.’ If you’re nameless, how am I supposed to remember what your name is? You’re just making things difficult for me.”
Wu Ming was so angry he rolled his eyes and gritted his teeth. “Not ‘nameless’ as in having no name—it’s Wu as in the Wu family, Ming as in the sun and moon.”
“Oh, Wu Ming…” Mo Hua muttered, falling silent.
Seeing this, Wu Ming erupted in anger. “You still haven’t remembered?!”
Mo Hua finally resigned himself and said frankly: “Don’t get angry, anger won’t solve anything. Why don’t you first tell me what exactly I did to you back then? That way, I can try to recall who you are…”