Chapter 426: Female Cultivators

Elder Su was so practiced that even the way he said, “Not familiar,” looked familiar.

Mo Hua nodded in understanding:

“Don’t worry, Elder Su. I understand.”

Elder Su sighed helplessly, feeling completely at a loss for words.

Fortunately, it was only a short while before a group of lively young female cultivators walked in.

Elder Su breathed a sigh of relief.

It was good to have young girls here.

With young girls present, Mo Hua wouldn’t be staring at him anymore.

Elder Su smiled and asked Mo Hua, “What do you think?”

Mo Hua began to examine the group of female cultivators.

Indeed, following Elder Su’s instructions, they were all quite young, with very light makeup, no pretentious posturing or coquettish gestures—they simply stood in a neat line.

As Mo Hua observed them, the young girls were also scrutinizing the three little cultivators.

Elder Su was a familiar face, nothing surprising there.

What caught their attention were the three little cultivators:

Their eyes sparkled as they looked at Mo Hua and the others.

Mo Hua had delicate, picture-like features; Bai Zisheng had a handsome face with sharp brows and bright eyes; Bai Zixi’s phoenix-like brows were stunningly beautiful.

The female cultivators looked at Mo Hua with affection, at Bai Zisheng with admiration,

but when looking at Bai Zixi, they blushed, lowered their eyes, and dared not meet her gaze directly, only stealing glances with shimmering eyes.

Mo Hua found this puzzling.

He quietly glanced at Bai Zixi as well.

Bai Zixi noticed and turned to him, asking curiously:

“What’s wrong?”

Mo Hua frowned, muttering:

“That’s not right…”

Though dressed in male clothing with a stern, androgynous charm, her features still revealed she was a woman.

Why were these female cultivators staring at the little senior sister?

And blushing at that.

Mo Hua didn’t understand.

Seeing Mo Hua frown, Bai Zixi thought he felt unwell and moved closer, walking side by side with him. She extended her slender hand to touch Mo Hua’s forehead. After a moment, she said with mild surprise:

“Your forehead is a bit hot.”

Looking down, she frowned again: “Why is your face red too?”

Mo Hua’s fair cheeks were flushed.

“I… I feel a bit stuffy,” he stammered.

Bai Zixi looked around at the colorful surroundings, thinking perhaps the scent of makeup had affected him, and said:

“Don’t come to a place like this next time.”

“Mm,” Mo Hua nodded lightly.

Elder Su noticed Mo Hua’s flushed face and nodded happily.

That’s more like it.

This is how a young boy should look.

This young master Mo Hua was usually very clever, spoke without gaps, and had lively, deep eyes that were hard to read.

Even Elder Su felt a bit uneasy under his gaze.

Now, seeing him so shy and obedient, it was much more comfortable.

Come to think of it, when he first came here himself, he had been awkward, even redder in the face than Mo Hua.

Elder Su reminisced, feeling sentimental, and suddenly remembered something, asking:

“Young master, weren’t you going to ask something?”

Mo Hua remembered, secretly took a sip of tea to calm himself, and said:

“Elders, I want to ask about someone.”

The female cultivators exchanged glances.

All of them here were guests, and according to the rules of the brothel, a guest’s identity couldn’t be revealed.

Elder Su said, “He asks, you just answer. Nothing will happen.”

Then he placed a jade bracelet on the table, saying, “Whoever answers correctly can have this jade bracelet.”

The bracelet was exquisite, smooth and warm, radiating spiritual energy—clearly a valuable item.

The female cultivators’ eyes lit up, nodding eagerly.

“Young master, if we know, we will tell you.”

Mo Hua asked: “When you were at the Hundred Flowers House, did you see a gentleman, perhaps a formation master?”

The girls were slightly startled, then silently looked at Elder Su.

Elder Su snapped, “It wasn’t me!”

The girls reluctantly looked away.

After thinking carefully, one girl in blue said:

“There aren’t many cultivators like that, but there are a few. Young master, do you have any other clues?”

Mo Hua briefly described Instructor Yan’s appearance and demeanor:

“…serious expression, somewhat rigid, but responsible and diligent.”

The female cultivators all shook their heads.

Mo Hua frowned, glanced at Elder Su apologetically, and said:

“Elder Su, may I ask them some questions privately?”

Elder Su paused, realizing there might be some sensitive matters requiring his absence, and nodded:

“Alright, I’ll go next door and listen to some music. Take your time.”

Mo Hua smiled: “Thank you, Elder Su.”

Elder Su got up and left.

Mo Hua then began to inquire about the gray-clad cultivator:

“You…”

Halfway through, he sensed something, stopped suddenly, and got up to peek at the next room behind the screen:

“Elder Su, don’t eavesdrop.”

Elder Su was shocked: “You can tell?”

He had intended to eavesdrop, but after only two words, Mo Hua caught him.

He was a Foundation Establishment cultivator! Even with his divine sense, he was detected so easily?

Or did Mo Hua have other methods?

In any case, being caught eavesdropping was awkward.

Elder Su’s face reddened; embarrassed, he cleared his throat and said sheepishly:

“Go ahead, I won’t listen.”

Mo Hua nodded in satisfaction.

Once he confirmed Elder Su wasn’t eavesdropping and no other cultivators were around, he asked:

“Have you seen any strange cultivators at the Hundred Flowers House?”

The girls were taken aback.

“What do you mean by strange?”

Cultivators visiting the brothel came in all sorts. Some were unusual compared to ordinary cultivators, but inside the brothel, nothing seemed strange.

After thinking, Mo Hua said:

“They had a strange smell.”

“What kind of smell?”

Mo Hua’s gaze sharpened:

“Cold… faintly decayed, like… the smell of a corpse.”

The female cultivators were startled.

They hadn’t expected someone so young to ask such eerie questions.

A cold, decayed smell… the scent of the dead…

What kind of cultivator was this?

They frowned, shaking their heads.

Mo Hua looked a bit disappointed and said:

“Thank you, sisters. You may go now.”

He added: “But don’t tell anyone I asked, it could be dangerous.”

The girls nodded solemnly.

Mo Hua handed each of them a spirit stone.

They smiled and said: “Thank you, young master,” then left in single file.

As they left, Mo Hua called back the girl in blue.

“Sister, help me brew some tea.”

He smiled.

The girl in blue was surprised, then smiled:

“Of course, young master.”

She sat at the table, lit the stove, poured water, and brewed the tea over a gentle flame.

Mo Hua whispered:

“You know that cultivator, right?”

The girl in blue’s expression faltered, then she regained composure and said with a smile:

“You must be joking, young master.”

Mo Hua whispered:

“It’s just the two of us here. No one is eavesdropping. Your sisters don’t know what you say. Just tell me secretly.”

The girl hesitated.

Mo Hua pressed Elder Su’s jade bracelet into her hand: “This is for you.”

Her eyes widened in delight. After a moment of struggle, she nodded firmly:

“Alright.”

“What’s your name, sister?”

“Qinglan.”

Mo Hua asked: “Sister Qinglan, have you seen that cold cultivator with the decayed smell?”

Qinglan’s expression turned serious as she nodded.

Mo Hua waited for her to continue.

Qinglan said: “He was a frequent guest at the Hundred Flowers House, wore gray clothes, and usually covered his face, so I couldn’t see him clearly…”

“He often stayed overnight here but appeared and disappeared mysteriously. I didn’t know when he came or left.”

“That cultivator had a strange smell. At first, I thought it was odd but couldn’t describe it. After you mentioned it, young master, I realized it did smell like… a corpse…”

Qinglan looked frightened and uneasy.

Mo Hua poured her a cup of hot tea.

After drinking, she calmed down a bit.

Mo Hua asked again: “How do you know him?”

Qinglan stammered: “I’m close with Sister Yulan. He stayed with her, so I saw him a few times.”

“But he was a bit eerie. I was scared, so I didn’t interact much.”

Mo Hua asked: “Did he always stay with Yulan?”

Qinglan nodded: “Before, yes.”

“Before?”

She lowered her head, gripping her clothes tightly, fingers white: “Yes.”

Mo Hua frowned: “Did something happen?”

Qinglan bit her lip, trying to hold back tears, but they fell anyway: “Sister Yulan… she… died…”

Mo Hua was stunned: “Died?”

Qinglan’s face was pale: “Not only Sister Yulan, but all the sisters who served him before, in the end, died mysteriously…”

“Sister Yulan died…”

“And next, it would have been me…”