Chapter 428: Taking Action

The next day, Mo Hua went to the Dao Court Division to report.

He found Situ Fang and told her about the gray-robed cultivator hiring assassins to kill, hiding in the brothel, and even causing the deaths of the brothel’s female cultivators.

Situ Fang stared at Mo Hua in astonishment. “How do you know so much?”

The Dao Court Division hadn’t discovered any of this yet.

Mo Hua said, “I went to the brothel once… by chance, unintentionally, I happened to overhear…”

Situ Fang widened her eyes. “You went to a brothel?!”

“I just listened to some music, watched some dancing, and went home after a night…” Mo Hua said sheepishly.

Situ Fang’s expression turned serious. “You can’t go there again!”

He was still learning to walk along the riverbank; getting wet shoes was one thing, but she worried he might pick up bad habits.

Mo Hua nodded repeatedly. “Don’t worry. I only went for something important. Who goes to a brothel for fun? I’m very busy.”

He had cultivation to do, array formations to study, meals to prepare for his master and senior disciples, pine nuts to fry for Old Kui, and, oh yes, feed Da Bai some grass.

He really was busy.

Situ Fang sighed. “Alright, as long as you know your limits.”

Mo Hua asked, “Have you figured out how to catch that gray-robed cultivator yet?”

Situ Fang frowned. “The Dao Court Division will handle that. You don’t need to…”

“Are you sure the Dao Court Division is trustworthy?”

Mo Hua’s eyes held a meaningful glint.

Situ Fang hesitated, thinking carefully. She wasn’t entirely sure. The gray-robed cultivator had been hiring killers and trafficking corpses for decades. His identity and background were unknown. Did he have connections with the Dao Court Division? She didn’t know.

If there were internal collusion, reporting it to the chief would be like alerting the snake—no matter how carefully they acted, it could all be for nothing.

After a moment’s thought, Situ Fang said, “I’ll bring someone from my family.”

“Family?”

Situ Fang nodded. “The Situ family has a Foundation Establishment cultivator in Nanyue City. I’ll ask him to act first, then report to the Dao Court Division afterward—strike first, report later.”

Mo Hua relaxed.

He had some distrust of the Dao Court Division in Nanyue City, but he trusted Situ Fang.

He then told her everything he knew about Qinglan in meticulous detail and discussed the time, place, and method for apprehending the culprit.

After finalizing the plan, Situ Fang said, “On the fourth day of the month, you shouldn’t go.”

Mo Hua shook his head. “I have to go. If I don’t, how would you meet Sister Qinglan?”

Situ Fang hesitated. “But the other side is a Foundation Establishment cultivator…”

“Don’t worry,” Mo Hua said calmly. “Even a Foundation Establishment cultivator might not notice me. If I want to run, I can run, especially with my senior disciples helping.”

“Your senior disciples are only Qi-Refiners…”

“True, but they’re very powerful.”

Thinking of Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi’s strong spiritual power, Situ Fang sighed. “Alright.”

She could only advise him; the child’s abilities now seemed greater than hers, at least in array formations.

Since he wanted to go, he must have a plan. She would just remind the Situ family elder to keep an eye on Mo Hua to prevent him from getting hurt.

Even if a Foundation Establishment cultivator got involved, as long as Mo Hua stayed at a distance, he’d likely be safe.

And Mo Hua was excellent at evasion, as she remembered from their encounter at Da Hei Mountain.

…

After planning, Situ Fang began deploying personnel and arranged some Dao Court Division officers to scout the Hundred Flowers Pavilion in advance.

These cultivators were trustworthy, some even members of the Situ family.

She also visited Nanyue Sect to summon a Situ family elder who was staying there.

Meanwhile, Mo Hua cultivated and practiced array formations, specifically preparing a special Compass Mother-and-Child Array, which would serve an important purpose.

On the fourth night, Mo Hua met Situ Fang, and together they entered the Hundred Flowers Pavilion.

Dao Court Division officers were already inside, and the Situ family elder was drinking in the pavilion.

Upon entering, Situ Fang was stopped by a heavily made-up, brightly dressed, smiling yet sharp-eyed middle-aged female cultivator, likely over a hundred years old.

This woman was the madam of the Hundred Flowers Pavilion.

She blocked Situ Fang politely but sarcastically: “Oh, isn’t this the Dao Court Division’s Officer Situ? What, you’ve come to enjoy our pavilion too?”

Feigning surprise, she continued: “But… aren’t you female? Oh, I see… you must be…”

She dragged out the last syllables, covering her face with a mandarin duck fan, laughing unpleasantly.

Situ Fang maintained a serious expression. “I’m here on official business.”

The madam’s laughter stopped. Her gaze turned sharp. “Official business?”

Situ Fang glanced at Mo Hua.

Mo Hua stepped forward, projecting arrogance and authority. “Someone in your pavilion stole from me!”

“Stolen…”

The madam exhaled slightly in relief, her smile forced. “Our pavilion conducts legitimate business. The girls are all honest. How could anyone steal? Does the young master have proof?”

Situ Fang’s brow twitched. Legitimate business? Honest girls? She wanted to tear the madam’s lying mouth apart.

Mo Hua snorted coldly. “Is there a girl here named Qinglan?”

The madam blinked, smiling. “Yes, there is such a girl.”

“Then it’s her,” Mo Hua raised an eyebrow. “She stole my jade bracelet, a gift from Elder Su!”

“Elder Su…”

The madam froze. She recalled that a few days ago, Elder Su from Nanyue Sect had indeed come, with this young master at his side.

The madam frowned, believing Mo Hua’s words mostly. The poor girl might have taken something by mistake.

She grumbled inwardly: “This brat really causes trouble!”

However…

The madam hesitated. “Qinglan is serving a guest now, not convenient. Later, I’ll question her. If she really took the young master’s item, I’ll make her return it…”

“This little brat doesn’t know her place. I’ll punish her properly to set rules…”

She gritted her teeth, her expression ugly.

Mo Hua’s gaze was cold, his tone relentless: “No. How do I know you won’t cover for her? Call her over now and confront her face-to-face.”

The madam hesitated.

Mo Hua sneered. “That jade bracelet is very valuable. If it’s lost, you’ll be responsible!”

He added: “I invited Officer Situ as a witness. If your pavilion covers for Qinglan and keeps my jade bracelet, I’ll have to report to the Dao Court Division for an explanation.”

“…This…”

The madam felt trapped. She didn’t want to offend Elder Su, didn’t want to offend this young master, and didn’t want to provoke the Dao Court Division.

Although the Hundred Flowers Pavilion had long bribed local Dao Court officers, the higher-ups were insatiable wolves. Alerting them could cost a fortune and trouble her girls, with no profit.

She gritted her teeth. “Fine, young master, wait here. I’ll call that Qinglan brat and get to the bottom of this!”

She twisted her waist and strode off with authority.

After a tea break, the trembling Qinglan was brought in.

Mo Hua noticed she had washed up, hair slightly damp, face pale, fingers trembling, with faint whip marks on her neck.

He sneered, pointing at her: “Come here. I have a question.”

Qinglan’s pained eyes revealed a glimmer of hope. She slowly approached Mo Hua.

Mo Hua’s eyes narrowed, his voice calm and firm: “Tell me, is the ‘jade bracelet’ with you?”

Qinglan pressed her pale lips tightly and nodded solemnly: “It is!”

Mo Hua relaxed slightly, glancing at Situ Fang.

Situ Fang understood and grabbed a wine pot from the table, smashing it on the ground in anger. “This is outrageous!”

The pot shattered, the sound carrying upstairs.

The madam frowned, sensing something off about their exchange, but couldn’t immediately pinpoint it.

Before she could react, a powerful spiritual energy wave suddenly erupted from the upper rear building.

Her face changed drastically.

Guests rose in shock and alarm.

“A Foundation Establishment cultivator?!”

A Foundation Establishment cultivator was making a move in the Hundred Flowers Pavilion!

Chaos erupted instantly in the hall.

Amidst the confusion, Mo Hua gently pulled the trembling Qinglan behind him, while Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi flanked her protectively.

Situ Fang’s eyes gleamed coldly as she drew her sword: “Someone’s causing trouble in the Hundred Flowers Pavilion? Follow me to suppress them!”

Among the guests, hidden Dao Court officers revealed their blades and leapt upstairs.

The madam’s mouth dropped in horror.

It was over—they’d been outsmarted!