Chapter 424: Revealing the Dust

Bai Zixi spoke directly, “You’re not going.”

Mo Hua muttered softly: “I never said I wanted to go…”

Bai Zisheng frowned. “But if we don’t go, how are we supposed to check on that gray-robed cultivator?”

“That’s true…”

Mo Hua looked at Bai Zixi, and Bai Zisheng also looked at her.

Bai Zixi’s autumn-water-like eyes flickered slightly. “Fine, we can go, but I’m coming too.”

Bai Zisheng shook his head hurriedly.

Mo Hua also said: “Junior Sister, it might not be appropriate for you to go.”

Bai Zixi said, “If you guys can go, then so can I. Besides, we’ll be sneaking in.”

“This…”

Mo Hua hesitated. Just as she was about to say something, she met Bai Zixi’s crystalline gaze and could only sigh:

“Fine…”

That night, at the Hour of the Pig, when darkness fell and lanterns were lit, Jinhua Street was bustling with carriages and pedestrians, lively and noisy.

The three of them, cloaked, climbed across from the Hundred Flowers Tower.

The Hundred Flowers Tower was a brothel, and according to Wang Lai’s confession, it was the place where murders and corpse dealings were followed by meetings with the gray-robed cultivator.

The tower was decorated extravagantly.

Flowers and decorations bloomed before its gates, yet no one outside solicited customers.

Anyone who came here already knew their purpose.

Bai Zisheng whispered to Mo Hua, “How do we get in?”

Mo Hua extended her Divine Sense, peered for a moment, and frowned.

“A brothel… and they’ve set up a Revealing Dust Formation…”

“A Revealing Image Formation?” Bai Zisheng was slightly taken aback.

“Revealing Dust Formation,” Mo Hua corrected.

Bai Zisheng was puzzled. “Is there a difference?”

“The principles of the formations are different.”

Bai Zisheng looked confused.

Mo Hua explained: “A Revealing Image Formation makes things appear, negating concealment formations and invisibility techniques within its range.”

“The Revealing Image Formation is more effective, but it’s a top-rank formation with nine inscriptions, requiring advanced Divine Sense, hard to learn, expensive to deploy, and uses special ink.”

“The Revealing Dust Formation is an earth-type formation, first-rank with seven inscriptions, easy to deploy, and relatively cheap.”

“Unlike the Revealing Image Formation, the Revealing Dust Formation doesn’t negate concealment. Instead, it generates fine dust within the formation. If a hidden cultivator passes through it, the dust clings to them, revealing their traces.”

“The Revealing Image Formation nullifies concealment by principle;”

“The Revealing Dust Formation, however, indirectly reveals a cultivator’s presence through external matter.”

Bai Zisheng was a bit stunned. “You’ve studied this so thoroughly?”

“Yes,” Mo Hua nodded proudly. “The Way of Formations is vast and profound; naturally, it must be studied carefully.”

Bai Zisheng opened his mouth and asked,

“If a brothel uses a Revealing Dust Formation on customers, making dust stick to them, isn’t that… inappropriate?”

“Hmm…” Mo Hua studied the formation carefully and said,

“This dust is a cheap kind of fragrance. Most cultivators, unaware of formations, would just think they’ve got powder on them and wouldn’t realize it’s a formation.”

“Also, the Revealing Dust Formation has limited efficacy. This dust only lasts about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea before gradually disappearing…”

“One cup of tea…” Bai Zisheng frowned. “So it’s to prevent someone from sneaking in invisibly to spy?”

“Probably…” Mo Hua said, then hesitated. “Who would just randomly sneak into a brothel to peek…”

Bai Zisheng looked at Mo Hua, then at Bai Zixi, then down at himself and weakly said,

“So the three of us… we’re basically sneaking in to peek…”

Mo Hua paused, frowned, then said seriously,

“We’re here to gather clues. It’s official business, not spying.”

Bai Zisheng nodded. “Makes sense!”

Bai Zixi looked at the two of them, somewhat helpless.

“Since there’s a Revealing Dust Formation, how do we get in?”

Bai Zisheng asked again.

Mo Hua was a little troubled. “I can dispel the formation, but doing it without attracting attention… that’s difficult…”

“Then for now, shall we go back?”

Mo Hua thought for a moment, then nodded.

“Let’s go back first. There’s also a Foundation Establishment cultivator inside the brothel. If we linger too long, he’ll probably notice us.”

Mo Hua wasn’t worried about that.

A Foundation Establishment cultivator generally couldn’t see through her concealment.

But for the Junior Brother and Junior Sister, it might be different.

The three of them quietly left again.

On the way, Bai Zisheng muttered, “A brothel with a Foundation Establishment cultivator stationed inside…”

If not for that, things would have been much easier.

A typical Qi-Refining cultivator, he wouldn’t even consider a threat.

Mo Hua said, “This means the brothel has a lot of business, earning a lot of spirit stones.”

Bai Zisheng thought for a moment and nodded.

Mo Hua remembered the miners in the mountain earning a single spirit stone a day, and sighed slightly.

The less reputable the profession, the more spirit stones it earned…

…

The gray-robed cultivator appeared at the Hundred Flowers Tower.

Mo Hua wanted to enter to have a look, but time was tight, and she couldn’t think of a good way.

The brothel was crowded, making it hard to sneak in.

The main problem remained the Revealing Dust Formation.

It was easy to handle, but hard to do so unnoticed.

Moreover, apart from the formation at the entrance, there were likely small Revealing Dust Formations throughout the brothel—on doors, windows, corridors, beams—preventing spying.

Mo Hua was a little annoyed.

Some cultivator must be using concealment for mischief.

Now, even when she tried to use concealment for good—to catch a culprit—she was thoroughly watched.

In guarding against scoundrels, even gentlemen were being guarded against…

A few days passed with no progress.

Mo Hua then thought of trying to indirectly gather clues from other cultivators.

The best candidate was Elder Su.

He was a first-rank formation master and a Foundation Establishment elder of the Southern Yue Sect, with a wide network and reliable information.

But Mo Hua wasn’t sure if Elder Su was connected to this matter, so she asked discreetly and spoke cautiously.

“Elder Su, what’s fun on Jinhua Street?”

Elder Su wasn’t surprised.

Although Mo Hua was a first-rank formation master, she was still young and playful; it was natural to be curious in new places.

Elder Su recounted in detail:

Jinhua Street was the busiest area in Southern Yue City.

What festivals there were, what sights, which places served which dishes…

Which restaurant made which dish best, which tavern had the best wine, which teahouse served the richest tea…

After chatting for a while, Elder Su would sometimes digress, even mentioning which gambling table was easier to win at, or which female cultivator in a particular building was…

Elder Su stopped there.

“Most… what?” Mo Hua asked.

Elder Su wiped his sweat, embarrassed: “Not suitable for children, not suitable for children…”

Mo Hua frowned. “Elder Su, are you very familiar with these things…”

Elder Su panicked. “No, no, I’m not… don’t slander me!”

“Oh…” Mo Hua clearly didn’t believe him.

Elder Su smiled awkwardly.

Mo Hua wanted to inquire further, but a disciple came over and whispered something to Elder Su.

Elder Su’s expression darkened.

Mo Hua politely said, “Elder Su, you’re busy. I’ll take my leave.”

Elder Su quickly rose to bow. “A guest has arrived; I apologize. Another day, I will prepare a banquet to make it up to you, young sir.”

Mo Hua waved. “No need, Elder.”

She was also curious about what banquet Elder Su might prepare and whether there would be good food.

Elder Su escorted Mo Hua outside. Just at the courtyard, a well-dressed, middle-aged, handsome, and refined cultivator approached.

Mo Hua was slightly surprised. “Master of the Lu family?”

It was the head of the Lu family, whom Mo Hua had met once before.

And the guest Elder Su was entertaining must be this Lu family head.

Mo Hua had learned from Elder Su that his name was Lu Chengyun.

Lu Chengyun was not surprised to see Mo Hua. Smiling, he spoke gently:

“Mr. Mo.”

They exchanged greetings.

Mo Hua made small talk and prepared to leave, but Lu Chengyun stopped her.

“Young sir, care to join me for tea?”

Mo Hua was puzzled. “Aren’t you supposed to discuss something with Elder Su?”

Lu Chengyun said, “Nothing important, just exchanging formation insights. You’re also a formation master with skill—why not chat together?”

Mo Hua thought for a moment and agreed.

The Lu family’s mines surely had issues.

But she wasn’t familiar with the Lu family.

Meeting the head might reveal some clues.

However, as the family head, Lu Chengyun was naturally calculating. After half a chat, he didn’t mention the mines or miners at all; they only discussed formations.

Lu Chengyun’s mastery of formations also surprised Mo Hua.

A family head, busy with affairs, might not have time to delve into formations, yet Lu Chengyun’s knowledge surpassed even Elder Su’s.

No wonder he was close with Elder Su.

After discussing formations for a while, Lu Chengyun grew even kinder toward Mo Hua, his eyes revealing unmistakable admiration.

He paused, then suddenly asked:

“Mr. Mo, are you married?”

Mo Hua choked on her tea. “N-not yet…”

Lu Chengyun’s eyes brightened further. “I see…”

Mo Hua coughed, embarrassed:

“I’m still young; not considering it yet.”

Lu Chengyun showed no displeasure, instead subtly handing Mo Hua a booklet.

“This is part of the Lu family genealogy.”

He said no more, only giving Mo Hua a meaningful glance.

Mo Hua flipped through it and saw it contained the main Lu family lineage, all eligible young women.

At the back were portraits of beautiful female cultivators.

Mo Hua was a bit helpless.

Lu Chengyun smiled lightly, and Elder Su quietly sipped his tea, pretending not to notice.

After finishing tea and talking formations, Lu Chengyun stood to leave.

Before leaving, he patted Mo Hua gently and said,

“No rush. Take your time.”

Mo Hua didn’t know how to respond.

Lu Chengyun turned to leave but seemed to suddenly remember something. He faced Mo Hua again:

“I have a question, hope I may ask?”

Mo Hua was slightly surprised and nodded. “Please, go ahead.”

“It may seem rash.”

“That’s fine.”

Lu Chengyun nodded and asked:

“Your aura is subtle and cannot be sensed with Divine Sense. Could it be… a spiritual artifact masking your aura?”

Mo Hua’s eyes flickered, then she replied sincerely:

“That’s right. You have sharp eyes, Master!”

Lu Chengyun exhaled in relief, then cupped his hands:

“Farewell. Another day, we shall discuss formations again.”

Mo Hua also cupped her hands: “Safe travels, Master of the Lu family.”

After Lu Chengyun left, Elder Su slowly exhaled and said to Mo Hua:

“He is the family head. What he did is within reason… but…”

“But what?” Mo Hua asked curiously.

Elder Su hesitated, then sighed:

“The Lu family has many disputes. If it can be avoided, it’s better not to get involved.”

Mo Hua nodded.

Elder Su glanced at her, eyes slightly narrowing, expression complex. He slowly asked:

“Mr. Mo, you came to me with a purpose, didn’t you?”

Mo Hua was slightly startled. “How did you know?”

Elder Su’s face was expressionless:

“These past few days, your indirect questions suggest you wanted to ask something…”

“But this matter is sensitive, not easily spoken of. So you didn’t ask directly. You found excuses, chatted around, hoping to glean information from me.”

Mo Hua fell silent.

Elder Su’s gaze turned slightly cold.

He knew this young formation master had intentions.

He picked up his teacup, flicked aside the tea froth, his gaze floating like the surface of the tea:

“Mr. Mo, what exactly do you intend to do?”

At this point, Mo Hua no longer needed to hide.

She said seriously: “Elder Su, I want to go to the brothel!”

Elder Su spit out his tea.