Chapter 1493: A Dangerous Man

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Chapter 1491: A Dangerous Man

Jade Fragrance Pavilion.

In the highest boudoir of the Spring tower, the foremost among the four towers named Spring, Flower, Snow, and Moon.

Warm jade paved the floor, glass served as windows, cloud-like gauze curtains hung, a jade bed was draped with mermaid silk, a golden censer burned sandalwood incense, and night pearls embedded in the four walls illuminated the room—an endless display of extravagant allure.

At the center of this opulent boudoir, a woman as radiant as snow, dressed in a bright red robe embroidered with pearls and crabapple blossoms, sat before a mirror, applying her makeup.

Reflected in the mirror was a face of peerless beauty, capable of shifting between innocence and allure, sometimes pure, sometimes enchanting.

Most cultivators in Houtu City could only glimpse this face, which countless men dreamed of, through the brushstrokes of paintings.

Those who could ascend to the pinnacle of Jade Fragrance Pavilion and see this visage in person were few and far between across all of Kun Province.

This woman was Yu Nujiao, the most renowned courtesan of Houtu City.

Before the Jade Water Mirror, Yu Nujiao meticulously applied rouge to her lips, traced her eyebrows, adorned her face with floral designs, and powdered her skin, enhancing her already stunning features to even greater allure.

Just then, the sound of a screen rustled, and the jade bead curtain lifted as a voluptuous and beautiful woman, draped in a semi-transparent red veil, entered.

Yu Nujiao glanced over and immediately smiled, saying, “Lady Rui.”

Lady Rui looked at the radiant, pure beauty before her, her heart easing slightly as the earlier shock faded, her eyes filled with affection as she said: “You’re back?”

Yu Nujiao nodded.

Lady Rui asked, “How did you handle the Earth Sect’s eldest young master and those other noble young men?”

Yu Nujiao chuckled softly, “Men driven by lust are simple. Raise your brow slightly, and they rush to flatter you; offer a hint of a smile, and they’re overjoyed; praise them a few words, and they’re overwhelmed with delight, forgetting everything else.”

Lady Rui gazed at Yu Nujiao and sighed softly: “That’s because you’re too beautiful and unattainable. Men always desire what they cannot have, the more unattainable, the more they crave it, the more impatient they become. A beauty like you, capable of making fish sink and geese alight, would move even me to pity, let alone those vigorous young men brimming with Blood Qi.”

Lady Rui added, “But don’t be deceived by men, and don’t let them taint your body.”

“Men are fickle. They only want what they cannot have. Once they obtain it, all their vows and promises are forgotten, and they’ll no longer pursue you.”

Yu Nujiao smiled, “Lady Rui, I understand this well.”

When it came to the study and practice of matters between men and women and their desires, no sect could rival the Joyous-Union Sect.

Having grown up immersed in such teachings, Yu Nujiao naturally saw things with clarity.

Seeing that Yu Nujiao, though outwardly pure and innocent like a blank sheet of paper, had clear and discerning eyes, Lady Rui nodded inwardly.

In the game of union between men and women, alluring yet perilous, those who succumb to desire fall to the lower ranks.

Only those who remain clear-headed can gain the upper hand, using desire to manipulate others.

The room fell silent for a moment.

Yu Nujiao’s gaze shifted slightly, and she suddenly said, “Lady Rui, did you… encounter that person last night?”

Lady Rui was taken aback, “Who?”

“It’s…” Yu Nujiao’s red lips parted, “Back then, at Dragon Pool…”

Lady Rui’s expression changed, “Who told you?”

Yu Nujiao remained silent.

Lady Rui’s face darkened, “Well, you little minx, daring to pry into matters around me.”

Yu Nujiao quickly rose, wrapped her arms around Lady Rui’s waist, nestled into her embrace, and said in a coquettish tone: “Lady Rui, isn’t Lian’er worried about you?”

Lady Rui cursed inwardly, this wretched girl had grown up and become wild-hearted, no longer easy to control. Yet, unable to resist Yu Nujiao’s soft, coquettish tone, she sighed: “Yes… it’s that Young Master Mo, the prodigy from back then.”

Yu Nujiao’s expression shifted slightly, murmuring to herself, “So it really is him.” Then she asked, “Why would he come to Kun Province?”

Lady Rui frowned and shook her head. “I don’t know… This Young Master Mo, his identity is unclear, his origins mysterious, his cultivation strange. For him to appear in Kun Province at this time, I fear he harbors unknown schemes.”

“Such a prodigious figure, though young, is unfathomable. I cannot guess his intentions.”

Yu Nujiao nodded slowly, lost in thought, her eyes growing brighter and brighter.

Lady Rui seemed to sense her thoughts and immediately grew alarmed, saying: “Don’t you dare act recklessly.”

Yu Nujiao pouted, “Lady Rui.”

Lady Rui said sternly, “Even though you are the Demonic Dao Holy Maiden, you must not get involved with such a dangerous man.”

Yu Nujiao wanted to say more.

Lady Rui added gravely, “Remember, never get involved with dangerous men.”

Yu Nujiao finally sighed, lowering her head meekly. “Yes, Lady Rui.”

Yet, in her pure yet alluring eyes, there still flickered a trace of craving for excitement and cunning.

…

At that very moment, the “dangerous man” Lady Rui spoke of was in the market near the Dao Court Division, eating a bowl of noodles costing one hundred spirit stones, just like any ordinary cultivator.

Not only did he eat the noodles, but he also finished the broth—truly a dangerous act.

Perhaps because it was close to the Dao Court Division and served ‘official personnel,’ the noodles tasted excellent and were not skimped on at all, with a full seven slices of meat.

After finishing the noodles, Mo Hua felt somewhat more comfortable and finally looked up.

After a night had passed, it was now the morning market. Shops in the market were gradually opening, and some vendors were setting up their stalls.

Before, Mo Hua might have thought that prices in Houtu City were high and that these vendors were unscrupulous.

But now, having learned more, he understood that it might not be the vendors’ greed but rather the high costs. If they didn’t charge more, they wouldn’t even recoup their expenses, let alone make a living.

This was one aspect of Houtu City beneath its prosperous facade.

Ordinary people under this prosperity lived lives of high prices and low quality.

It seemed affluent, a bowl of noodles cost one hundred spirit stones.

But after spending one hundred spirit stones, all you got was a bowl of noodles.

Mo Hua shook his head, paid for the noodles, and wandered around the nearby market. Only then did he manage to buy a few relatively good-looking oranges. He then hired a carriage and traveled along the streets and alleys back to the Little Luan Mountain Blessed Land.

By the time he reached the Little Luan Mountain Blessed Land, it was already morning.

As soon as Mo Hua entered the courtyard gate, he saw Xiao Ju, arms crossed, sitting angrily at a small table in the bamboo courtyard, seemingly waiting for him, ready to demand an explanation.

Sure enough, the moment she caught sight of Mo Hua, Xiao Ju jumped up and said: “You’re finally back!”

Mo Hua asked, “What’s wrong?”

Xiao Ju demanded, “Did you lure Zixi sister out last night?”

“How can you call it ‘luring’?” Mo Hua said helplessly. “We just went out together.”

Xiao Ju was both shocked and furious.

This Mo Hua… how could he have lured Zixi sister out?

“Where did you lure her to?” Xiao Ju pressed.

“I didn’t go anywhere special, just strolled around the streets,” Mo Hua said.

“Why didn’t you take me?!” Xiao Ju demanded again.

“Well…” Mo Hua hesitated. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to bring her, but places like brothels weren’t suitable for children, he really couldn’t take a child there.

Xiao Ju angrily slapped the table. “You all left! Did any of you consider how I felt?”

Yesterday evening, she had been happily watering the orange tree. After finishing, she carried her little basket back to the courtyard, only to find that Sister Zixi had disappeared.

Not only Sister Zixi, but Mo Hua was gone too, and True Person Rong was nowhere to be seen.

The entire minor blessed land felt empty and desolate, suddenly leaving her all alone.

Xiao Ju was completely bewildered.

She thought Sister Zixi must have had some urgent matter and would return soon. But she waited and waited in the small courtyard, squatting there alone until midnight. The surroundings were pitch black and chillingly cold, and she was still the only one there.

At that moment, Xiao Ju nearly believed she had been abandoned, that no one wanted her anymore. It felt as if the sky had fallen.

Fortunately, after a few more hours, Sister Zixi and True Person Rong returned, and Xiao Ju finally let out a long sigh of relief.

But then came the anger.

Xiao Ju wouldn’t get angry at Sister Zixi, nor did she dare direct her anger at True Person Rong.

After thinking it over, she could only come and question Mo Hua.

She had sat in the courtyard waiting for a long time, just to ‘demand an explanation’ from Mo Hua.

She wanted to ask Mo Hua what he was up to, daring to whisk Sister Zixi away!

Without even letting her know.

Seeing Xiao Ju’s expression, Mo Hua guessed what she had gone through and felt a pang of guilt.

He had only thought about not taking Xiao Ju to an unclean place like the Jade Fragrance Pavilion, but he hadn’t anticipated that the empty minor blessed land would also make Xiao Ju feel uneasy.

That sense of being neglected truly wasn’t pleasant.

Mo Hua sighed. “It was my fault. Next time I go out, I’ll tell you.”

Xiao Ju was still upset. She hadn’t endured a whole night of cold for nothing.

Mo Hua took out the oranges he had just bought and handed them to Xiao Ju. “Here, have some oranges.”

Xiao Ju sneered. “A few oranges, and you think you can bribe me again?”

“It’s not a bribe,” Mo Hua said. “I just want you to taste them and see how they are. After all, when it comes to eating oranges, you’re the expert.”

Xiao Ju felt slightly better after receiving this acknowledgment.

Mo Hua was right—she was indeed very knowledgeable about eating oranges.

Mo Hua peeled half an orange and handed it to Xiao Ju. “Try it. I’m not sure if this orange tastes authentic or not.”

Hearing this, Xiao Ju felt it necessary to prove her expertise in tasting oranges.

Besides, Mo Hua had already brought the orange to her lips. Xiao Ju reluctantly ate one segment.

The sweet, refreshing aroma of the fruit lingered on her tongue.

Mo Hua asked, “Is it good?”

Xiao Ju kept a straight face and said weakly, “It’s just okay.”

Mo Hua added, “These oranges all seem to taste different.”

Xiao Ju didn’t believe him. “Really?”

Mo Hua said, “That’s what the orange vendor told me. He said these oranges have different flavors depending on how much sunlight they received. Why don’t you try another one?”

Half-convinced, Xiao Ju peeled an orange herself and ate it. To her surprise, she said, “It does seem… a little different.”

Mo Hua said, “Try some others.”

Xiao Ju peeled a few more oranges and tasted them one by one.

As she ate, she soon became completely absorbed in eating.

Children are like this, when there’s something tasty in their mouths, everything else in their minds is forgotten, even the reason they were angry.

Mo Hua coaxed Xiao Ju to eat one orange after another until her belly was round and full, and her anger had completely dissipated.

However, Xiao Ju still felt a little embarrassed about losing face.

Mo Hua then spoke softly, “It was my fault this time. Next time, I’ll definitely tell you in advance where I’m going.”

Only then did Xiao Ju nod in satisfaction.

Mo Hua asked again, “How is your orange tree growing?”

As expected, Xiao Ju’s attention shifted entirely. She said proudly, “It has already sprouted and grown branches, and it’s thriving.”

Mo Hua nodded.

It seemed Xiao Ju truly had a talent for growing oranges.

Mo Hua asked further, “What about the formations I taught you?”

Xiao Ju replied, “I can draw them all.”

With that, she handed Mo Hua the ‘homework notebook’ he had assigned.

Mo Hua flipped through it and found that any formation patterns unrelated to planting were drawn as messily as a puppy digging in the dirt, utterly chaotic.

But when it came to earth and water element formations related to spiritual plants, Xiao Ju drew them flawlessly, even near-perfectly.

Mo Hua was somewhat astonished.

This might be the self-cultivation of a ‘foodie.’

This little girl’s talent in formations could be described as oddly specialized.

What she didn’t want to learn, she truly couldn’t grasp at all, but what she wanted to learn, she mastered exceptionally well.

Mo Hua looked at Xiao Ju and couldn’t help but say: “You’re quite skilled at learning formations.”

Xiao Ju, praised by Mo Hua, a master of formations, tried hard to suppress the corners of her mouth, afraid she might laugh out loud. “Just passable, nothing special,” she said.

Mo Hua shook his head with a smile.

In the guest room of the minor blessed land.

After placating Xiao Ju, Mo Hua returned to his own room. After burning incense and bathing, he lay down on the bed to rest for a while.

As he lay there, the events of the previous night flashed through his mind like a revolving lantern.

Especially the memory of holding Little Senior Sister’s hand while strolling through the pleasure house, and the feeling of crouching on the beam with her, their foreheads touching, their lips almost brushing.

Just recalling it made Mo Hua feel a surge of desire in his heart.

At the same time, his Sea of Consciousness tingled slightly. The golden needle opened a gap, and the desires in his heart surged like a flood.

The Heart-Tugging, Emotion-Arousing Golden Needle!

Mo Hua’s heart tightened. He immediately gathered his thoughts, meditated quietly, and dared not entertain any further thoughts about Little Senior Sister.

After a long while, the desires in his heart gradually subsided.

Mo Hua let out a long sigh, thinking to himself that this was becoming troublesome.

The golden needle left in his mind by the Huà Clan Ancestor was more profound and troublesome than he had anticipated.

Previously, as he hadn’t stirred any desires, the needle had remained dormant.

But now, the situation had subtly changed.

Mo Hua frowned, pondering, “This can’t go on… I must find an opportunity to learn the origins of this Heart-Tugging, Emotion-Arousing Golden Needle from the Joyous-Union Sect.”

Otherwise, having a Demonic Path golden needle lodged in his mind would remain a hidden danger.

And also…

“Bloody Flood Dragon Mountain Lord, Lady Rui, Kugu Sanren, Green Corpse Master, Huā Yīnkè… these Demonic Path giants…”

With the Demonic Path Ancestors not leaving their seclusion and those who have achieved Feathered Ascension overseeing the overall situation, great demons like Huā Yīnkè, who are at the Peak Golden Core stage and seeking Feathered Ascension soaring to the heavens, are already among the most prominent figures in the Demon Sect.

And now, these great demonic heads have simultaneously appeared in Houtu City—this is likely no coincidence.

These Demonic Path practitioners must have many hidden schemes yet unknown to the world.

Mo Hua inwardly sighed with regret.

He had no more Straw-Dogs left to shield himself from the Fate Bane.

Otherwise, last night, with a surge of determination, he could have killed one person with a single glance, slaughtering all these heinous great demonic heads.

No matter what schemes the Demonic Path had, killing them all would settle everything once and for all—any grand plans would be rendered meaningless.

These great demonic heads were indeed worth a dog’s life.

Moreover, it would be best to kill them all at once. Killing them one by one would only alert the enemy and expose his own trump cards.

Given the cunning and treacherous nature of these demonic leaders, once they grew vigilant and took precautions, it would become much harder to act later.

What a pity… Such a perfect opportunity to wipe them all out in one go might not come again.

And the condition restraining him from taking their lives was… the straw-dogs.

Mo Hua recalled the words once spoken by the Great Shaman Priest about the Wu grass.

According to Mo Hua’s speculation, the entire Houtu City likely only had the nearby Great Spirit Field Realm where he could find the Wu Grass he needed.

Moreover, many clues to the events in Houtu City now pointed one after another to the Great Spirit Field Realm.

Mo Hua increasingly felt an urgent need to visit the Great Spirit Field Realm—this thought grew ever more pressing.

Yet, frustratingly, he still had many of his own matters left unfinished.

The matter of the Formation Master’s grading assessment still showed no progress.

He hadn’t earned enough Spirit stones yet, and he didn’t know how much of the four million Spirit stones promised by Uncle Gù would actually materialize.

Even if they did, there would still be a significant gap from the eight million Spirit stones he needed.

Only by earning enough Spirit stones to satiate the Taotie Spiritual Meridian could he possibly break through to the Golden Core middle stage.

After all, cultivation was the foundation—with stronger cultivation, he would have more confidence in handling matters.

With so many tasks weighing on him, Mo Hua truly felt stretched thin.

He could only plan to first earn enough Spirit stones, cultivate to the Golden Core middle stage, and then visit the Great Spirit Field Realm.

This was Mo Hua’s original plan.

But unexpectedly, the plan still underwent some changes.

…

Two days later, while Mo Hua was at the Fortune Pavilion discussing Spirit stone-earning matters with Manager Zhao, he ran into his Little Junior Brother Zhū Mùchén again.

Zhū Mùchén was overjoyed to see Mo Hua.

And from Zhū Mùchén’s words, Mo Hua heard unexpected news:

“You’re saying… you’re going to the Great Spirit Field Realm?”