Chapter 1441: Dead?
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Chapter 1439: Dead?
Elder Tian is dead?!
Mo Hua’s gaze trembled. “How is that possible… How could he suddenly die when he was perfectly fine?”
Just a short while ago, he had been drinking tea and discussing array formations with Elder Tian, enjoying each other’s company immensely.
How could it be… that after just half a month apart, he had suddenly died?
As his emotions churned, Mo Hua’s expression shifted uncertainly.
Manager Zhao sighed. “People… are just like that. It’s not that you only die when you’re old; you can die at any time.”
Mo Hua frowned. “But… isn’t it strange to die so suddenly?”
“It is strange,” Manager Zhao nodded, glancing at Mo Hua with a complicated expression. “But, young master, you should be used to such things by now.”
Mo Hua was a bit confused.
Manager Zhao then reminded him, “Didn’t the people who entered the earth with you before also die… just as suddenly?”
Those tomb raiders had also been drinking tea and eating meals together just days before.
After entering the earth with Young Master Mo, they suddenly all vanished.
How could those tomb raiders be compared to the Earth Sect’s Elder Tian?
Tomb raiders make their living by entering the earth, their heads hanging by a thread, their lives on the line—if they die, they die.
But Elder Tian was a Formation Master, a genuine Earth Sect elder, a man of status… How could he just die like that?
Moreover, there hadn’t been the slightest sign beforehand.
Perplexed, Mo Hua asked, “How did he die?”
Manager Zhao said, “According to the Earth Sect’s account… he encountered a deviation in his cultivation and succumbed to a sudden, severe illness.”
Mo Hua’s expression turned complicated. “Can that even count as a reason?”
Manager Zhao replied, “At least it’s a way to die, and it’s not without precedent.”
Cultivators practice cultivation, which goes against the natural order, so deviations are common. Once a deviation occurs, the consequences range from damaged meridians to qi deviation and demonic possession, naturally leading to “sudden, severe illness” and sudden death.
As for what caused the deviation, that’s complicated and not something outsiders should inquire about.
But Mo Hua shook his head, pondering, “That can’t be right. There must be something wrong here… When I last saw Elder Tian, he was perfectly fine. How could he… suddenly die?”
“There is something wrong,” Manager Zhao nodded.
“Where exactly is the problem…” Mo Hua mused.
Manager Zhao glanced at Mo Hua, hesitated for a long time, and finally couldn’t hold back, whispering: “Young Master Mo, do you think… the problem might lie with you?”
Mo Hua was taken aback. “Me? What problem could I have?”
“Look,” Manager Zhao said, seeing that Mo Hua couldn’t figure it out, and began counting on his fingers:
“Old Mo was cunning and experienced, perfectly fine before, but after meeting you, he died.”
“Scholar used to frequent brothels often and was never drained, but after meeting you, he died.”
“Da Shan was very steady, but after meeting you, he died.”
“Qian Jin goes without saying—he was prone to dying anyway, so dead is dead.”
“Huang Pizi had a legacy, his underground skills were extraordinary… and then he died too.”
Manager Zhao counted them all, then said: “Now… Elder Tian was perfectly fine too, but after meeting you, sharing a meal and a few cups of tea… he suddenly died as well.”
Mo Hua was stunned.
He was about to say Manager Zhao was “talking nonsense,” but upon reflection, from Manager Zhao’s perspective, it really did seem that way.
It was true: people who were perfectly fine ended up dying after encountering him.
Mo Hua found himself at a loss for words, feeling deeply wronged.
Although all these people had died, their deaths truly had little to do with him.
The tomb robbers died for wealth, from internal strife, or at the hands of tomb corpses.
As for Elder Tian’s death, he knew even less about it.
Mo Hua emphasized, “I didn’t cause their deaths.”
Manager Zhao quickly clarified, “Young Master Mo, don’t misunderstand. Zhao isn’t saying you caused their deaths… You understand, it’s just that perhaps you’re a bit… unlucky to be around.”
The implication was that his fate was too harsh, and he had inadvertently brought misfortune upon them all.
Mo Hua was somewhat speechless. “We are cultivators, harnessing the great power of heaven and earth, emphasizing the principles of karma and cause and effect. We shouldn’t indulge in such baseless superstitions.”
Manager Zhao awkwardly smiled, unsure what profound nonsense this Young Master Mo was spouting.
Mo Hua thought for a moment, then pondered deeply for a long while before asking, “Manager Zhao, how exactly did Elder Tian… die?”
“I told you, a sudden illness,” Manager Zhao replied.
Mo Hua’s gaze turned profound as he shook his head. “Tell me the truth.”
Seeing this, Manager Zhao’s expression grew more serious. He sighed, “Young Master Mo, don’t make things difficult for me. How could someone like me inquire into such secretive matters of the Earth Sect?”
“Young Master Mo, it’s best you stop asking about this. Although you had some connection with Elder Tian…”
Manager Zhao’s expression turned fearful as he lowered his voice: “A Third-Grade Formation Master and a powerful elder at the Late Golden Core Stage could die just like that. Who would dare to meddle in such taboos of the Earth Sect?”
Hearing this, Mo Hua’s eyes darkened. “I understand.”
Manager Zhao didn’t know whether Mo Hua truly understood or not, but he had said all he could.
Mo Hua still had matters to attend to, so he stood up to leave.
Manager Zhao didn’t press him to stay, simply cupping his hands in farewell.
After seeing Mo Hua off, Manager Zhao sat at his desk, frowning and thinking for a long time before muttering to himself: “I hope I don’t get ‘unluckied’ to death either.”
Unable to shake his unease, Manager Zhao rang a bell and summoned his steward, saying: “Go fetch a few consecrated talismans, Body-Protecting Talismans, Ksitigarbha scrolls, and jade statues of immortals and buddhas.”
The steward was taken aback. “Manager, what do you need these for?”
Manager Zhao shot him a cold glance. “I have my reasons. Do I need to explain myself to you?”
The steward quickly replied, “Yes, I spoke out of turn.”
With that, the steward went to fetch the items Manager Zhao had requested.
Manager Zhao sat at his desk, unable to resist clasping his hands together and silently praying in his heart:
“Ksitigarbha above, gods and buddhas protect me. Don’t let Young Master Mo bring misfortune upon me, please don’t let him bring misfortune upon me…”
Meanwhile, after returning to the minor blessed land.
Mo Hua’s mood was complicated.
Thinking of Elder Tian’s death, he felt an indescribable sadness.
Although their interactions had been brief, with only a few meetings, Elder Tian was truly someone worth befriending—deeply knowledgeable about Spiritual Plants and passionately devoted to Array Formations.
Mo Hua frowned.
Just then, cheerful footsteps sounded as Xiao Ju ran in, her shoes still muddy. She excitedly said to Mo Hua: “It sprouted! The orange tree sprouted!”
Xiao Ju ran to Mo Hua’s side, sat on the table, poured herself a cup of tea, gulped it down, and then looked at Mo Hua with some confusion. “Why aren’t you happy?”
Mo Hua softly replied, “Hmm.”
Xiao Ju frowned, then her eyes lit up. “Right, who taught you those Spiritual Plant methods? He must be a really good person. When the oranges grow, I’ll definitely treat him to some.”
Mo Hua’s expression turned complicated. “He won’t be able to eat them.”
Xiao Ju was taken aback. “What happened?”
Mo Hua said, “He’s dead.”
Xiao Ju was stunned for a long moment, her mouth agape. “Dead?”
Mo Hua briefly explained the matter of Elder Tian.
For the first time experiencing the reality of how easily people could die, Xiao Ju’s face also fell. She sighed: “How could such a good person die so suddenly…”
In Xiao Ju’s heart, anyone who helped her grow oranges was a good person.
“How did he die?” Xiao Ju asked Mo Hua.
Mo Hua shook his head. “Probably… died of illness.”
Xiao Ju frowned. “What kind of illness kills so quickly?”
Mo Hua said, “Don’t worry about it. Birth, aging, sickness, and death are the normal course of life.”
Xiao Ju nodded, then let out another long sigh, somewhat melancholically saying, “Life is so unpredictable. Why do good people always die young?”
Mo Hua felt helpless. This little girl, so young, what did she know about the unpredictability of life?
To keep her from overthinking, Mo Hua said, “Senior Sister is almost done refining pills. Hurry and go make tea.”
Xiao Ju snapped to attention and immediately nodded. “Okay!”
She was extremely attentive when it came to matters concerning Sister Zixi.
Xiao Ju ran off to make tea.
Mo Hua remained seated, still troubled by his thoughts.
This matter, though Xiao Ju didn’t concern herself with it, he couldn’t quite let it go.
After pondering for a moment, Mo Hua went to find True Person Rong.
True Person Rong was in the study, still reading the Book of Causality. On the paper before her were written unsightly deduction processes.
Just looking at it made Mo Hua feel mentally exhausted. He could only endure silently, pretending not to see it, and then asked about Elder Tian’s matter.
True Person Rong, however, shook her head. “The Earth Sect’s affairs are tangled with complex interests. Don’t get involved. I’m not too clear about it either.”
Mo Hua knew True Person Rong was unwilling to speak.
Given True Person Rong’s position, she definitely wouldn’t leak the Earth Sect’s secrets.
Moreover, Mo Hua was well aware that he had already caused True Person Rong enough trouble and felt too embarrassed to trouble her further.
Mo Hua nodded. “Then I won’t disturb you, True Person.”
After speaking, Mo Hua bowed and took his leave.
True Person Rong continued deducing causality. After a long time, she was still tangled in confusion and couldn’t help but frown, muttering in a low, puzzled voice: “How on earth do people who study causality think…”
After saying this, True Person Rong looked up, watching Mo Hua’s departing back, and softly sighed.
Mo Hua was still thinking about Elder Tian’s matter.
Elder Tian’s death was full of suspicious points.
Mo Hua wanted to try calculating it through causality.
But that rotting eye from last time made him deeply wary.
He only had one straw-dog left.
Without clear circumstances, he couldn’t casually pry into more causality; otherwise, even this last straw-dog might not be safe.
Since he couldn’t calculate it, he had to use a clumsy method—asking around for clues.
But he wasn’t familiar with the Earth Sect’s affairs. Manager Zhao didn’t dare inquire about this matter, and True Person Rong remained tight-lipped.
It was indeed a bit difficult.
After thinking for a long time, the next day, Mo Hua went to the Eastern District’s market.
Inside the market, people came and went. In front of some bustling commercial stalls, crowds were packed.
Mo Hua searched for a long time before finally spotting that figure dressed in white, dashing and debonair yet somewhat unreliable, tucked away in a corner of a teahouse: Bai XiaoSheng.
At that moment, Bai XiaoSheng was hunched over a small table, spreading out a sheet of paper and drawing something unknown.
Curious, Mo Hua made no sound as he lightly stepped behind Bai XiaoSheng and peered over his shoulder.
He discovered that what Bai XiaoSheng was drawing was actually a portrait of a beautiful woman, with exquisite features and captivating eyes.
“What are you drawing?” Mo Hua asked.
The sudden voice startled Bai XiaoSheng, causing his brush to slip and giving the beauty in the drawing a “mustache.”
Bai XiaoSheng was furious. He turned around, saw it was Mo Hua, and gritted his teeth: “Next time you speak, remember to give a heads-up. Don’t sneak up behind me like a ghost without making a sound.”
It was truly baffling.
A cultivator at the early Golden Core stage could silently walk up behind him, a cultivator at the peak of the Golden Core stage.
Who knew what kind of cultivation education he had received.
Mo Hua nodded perfunctorily, “I’ll remember next time.”
Then he glanced at the drawing in Bai XiaoSheng’s hand and asked again, “What are you drawing?”
“Nothing,” Bai XiaoSheng hurriedly tucked away the portrait of the beauty.
But Mo Hua had sharp eyes and still caught the words on the drawing, softly reading them aloud: “Top Ten Beauties of Kun Province.”
Bai XiaoSheng was startled. Seeing many curious eyes turning toward him, he said, “This isn’t the place to talk. Let’s go somewhere else.”
Mo Hua nodded.
Afterward, the two of them booked a private room in the teahouse.
Bai XiaoSheng then asked, “What brings you here?”
Mo Hua replied, “Don’t change the subject. What is this ‘Top Ten Beauties’ thing?”
Bai XiaoSheng sighed helplessly. It was truly difficult to fool a clever Formation Master.
“The Top Ten Beauties list is a ranking of the ten most beautiful women…” Bai XiaoSheng explained.
Mo Hua looked indifferent. “Do you really need to state the obvious? Can you be any more redundant?”
Bai XiaoSheng sighed again and could only say, “This is… some of my side work. I compile various rankings—all kinds of them: Cultivation Method rankings, Dao Arts rankings, pill rankings, swordsman rankings, wanted lists… and naturally, beauty rankings as well.”
“This beauty ranking selects the most beautiful and talented female cultivators from Houtu City, the prosperous and dazzling central hub of Kun Province, and ranks the top ten among them.”
“Oh…” Mo Hua suddenly understood. “The woman you were drawing just now—is she one of the beauties on the list?”
Bai XiaoSheng nodded. “Exactly. Her name is Yu Nujiao, a woman of peerless beauty whose smile captivates all. She is indeed one of the Top Ten Beauties of Kun Province.”
“A courtesan? Famous far and wide?” Mo Hua looked puzzled. “Really? How come I’ve never heard of her?”
Bai XiaoSheng rolled his eyes at Mo Hua. “You never visit the pleasure quarters or frequent the brothels. How would you know?”
You, a “formation nerd” who stays cooped up in your minor blessed land all day, never stepping outside, with the farthest you go being Fortune Pavilion, spending all your time either cultivating or drawing arrays—isn’t it perfectly normal that you wouldn’t know the name of a famous courtesan?
If you did know, that would be strange!
“Oh.” Mo Hua pondered. “I don’t go, so I don’t know. But you do know, so you’ve been to the brothels?”
Bai XiaoSheng suddenly fell silent.
Mo Hua added, “You can draw this courtesan’s likeness, which means you’ve seen her in person.”
Bai XiaoSheng’s gaze drifted, growing a bit nervous.
“Being able to see the courtesan in person means you’re no ordinary guest—you must be a regular at the very least.”
“First the gambling den, now the brothel…” Mo Hua looked at Bai XiaoSheng. “Tell me honestly, you haven’t gotten into all of it—gambling, prostitution, and drugs, have you?”
Bai XiaoSheng angrily retorted, “Nonsense! That’s not true at all.”
Mo Hua’s gaze turned dangerous. “Confess honestly, or I’ll go back and tell your Great-Aunt that you’re into drinking, whoring, and gambling—all of it.”
Bai XiaoSheng was left speechless and frustrated.
He was truly unlucky—how did he end up getting tangled with a jinx like Mo Hua?