Chapter 251

I just don't know what kind of wool I've sheared this time.

Mo Hua was still curious, but since Zhang Lan had made up his mind not to speak, he doubted he'd get anything out of him.

Mo Hua asked again: "Is that bald guy really strong?"

Zhang Lan shook his head. "The Bald Monk has done plenty of evil, but his cultivation isn't that high—barely stronger than an average criminal cultivator."

"So he can be a big brother just for that?"

"He's fast on his feet, runs quick, and lives long."

Mo Hua understood—he'd climbed up through seniority.

He then asked: "What kind of body technique does the bald guy practice?"

Earlier, when surrounded, the Bald Monk had escaped from a hundred or two hunter-cultivators—his body technique must indeed be exceptional.

Zhang Lan said: "He has a Wind elemental root and learned a body technique called Rapid Wind Art. It's not good for actual combat or maneuvering, but its speed is extraordinary—perfect for escaping."

Mo Hua immediately wanted it too, but he wasn't a Wind elemental root—he couldn't learn it, which was a pity.

The Five Elements include Water, but not Wind, so he could learn Concealment Art, though its effect was poor; as for Wind body techniques, he couldn't learn a single one.

Rapid Wind Art—just from the name, you know it's fast.

I wonder if my Water Prison Art could trap that bald guy.

Mo Hua silently pondered, then said: "Alright, tell me how I can help."

"Aren't you the one who set up that… South-Pointing Mother-Son Repeating Array in the Inner Mountain…?"

Zhang Lan spoke, silently complaining how awkward the array's name was—it sounded impossibly complex, and it was a miracle Mo Hua could even draw it…

He continued: "When the time comes, use the array to assist Dao Ting Si in hunting down the Bald Monk."

"No problem." Mo Hua nodded, then asked: "And then?"

"That's it."

"That's all?"

"That's all." Zhang Lan sipped his wine leisurely. "If this were complicated or truly dangerous, I wouldn't have sent you."

Among the criminal cultivators, there are no Foundation Establishment cultivators—the big brother is that bald guy, plus a few others. Mo Hua can't beat them, but he can definitely run away.

Besides, you're only using the array to locate them—it's practically a trivial task, just a matter of time.

Mo Hua frowned again: "Why not just ask Elder Yu? Logically, hunter-cultivator matters should fall under Elder Yu's jurisdiction. Besides, I've already given a copy of this array to both my father and Uncle Yu."

"Zhou Zhangsi went to see Elder Yu," Zhang Lan said. "Elder Yu told him to come to you."

"Elder Yu said that?" Mo Hua was surprised.

Zhang Lan raised an eyebrow. "Elder Yu wants you to owe Dao Ting Si a favor. That way, if anything happens in the future—even if it's not too big—Dao Ting Si will protect you."

"Besides, this isn't dangerous at all. Otherwise, Elder Yu wouldn't have agreed to let you take the risk."

Zhang Lan thought for a moment, then couldn't help saying: "Elder Yu really treats you well."

"Of course he does!" Mo Hua laughed.

Zhang Lan shook his head, then warned: "In a few days, Dao Ting Si from Qingxuan City will arrive. We'll enter the mountains together."

"Wait a few more days? If we wait any longer, even if Kong Sheng wasn't dead before, he'll be finished by then," Mo Hua said.

"Isn't that perfect?" Zhang Lan grinned.

Mo Hua paused, then smiled too: "True."

Let it be a few days—wait until Kong Sheng is dead, then rescue him, then capture the Bald Monk. Two less nuisances, and Great Heishan will be quieter.

Zhang Lan chatted with Mo Hua about trivial matters, finished the meat, drained his wine, and got up to leave.

After taking a few steps, Zhang Lan suddenly turned back and whispered to Mo Hua:

"Don't tell anyone about that matter."

Mo Hua blinked. "What matter? Which one?"

"The Flowing Water Step."

"Oh." Mo Hua remembered. "Relax. If you don't say anything, I almost forgot. Whoever asks, I'll say I didn't learn Flowing Water Step from you."

"Good."

Zhang Lan nodded, but a strange feeling stirred inside him. "Just keep it to yourself and don't tell anyone—but don't actually forget it."

After all, Flowing Water Step is a secret art of the Zhang family—this one you absolutely can't forget…

A few days later, as Zhang Lan had predicted, Dao Ting Si from Qingxuan City arrived.

Mo Hua accompanied Zhang Lan and met the Qingxuan City cultivators.

The leader of this group was a thin, gloomy middle-aged cultivator with a greedy look in his eyes—Cultivation Level 9, named Lu Hui, the Gu Diansi of Qingxuan City's Dao Ting Si, holding the same rank as Zhang Lan.

The other three were all late-stage Qi Refining cultivators—one at Level 7, two at Level 8—lower-ranking Zhishi of Qingxuan City.

Zhang Lan and Lu Hui exchanged insincere pleasantries. Mo Hua had no interest in dealing with such people, so he remained silent beside them.

Lu Hui wore a false smile, complimented Zhang Lan a few times, then said he wished to meet Ji Qingbai.

Zhang Lan didn't refuse—he was curious what Lu Hui was up to.

Zhang Lan sent someone to summon Ji Qingbai to Dao Ting Si. Lu Hui got straight to the point: he demanded Ji Qingbai accompany him into the mountains to rescue Young Master Kong Sheng of the Kong family.

Ji Qingbai frowned. "Gu Diansi Lu, what do you mean?"

What did Kong Sheng's life or death have to do with him?

Lu Hui put on a concerned expression. "Brother Ji, you're implicated in Young Master Kong's disappearance…"

Ji Qingbai's gaze grew cold.

Lu Hui continued: "Previously in Qingxuan City, you and your son unjustly injured Young Master Kong, then fled to avoid punishment. Young Master Kong, young and impulsive, sought justice—and accidentally wandered into Great Heishan, where he met misfortune and is now missing, his life or death unknown."

"If you don't go rescue him, it makes no sense morally or emotionally."

Ji Qingbai grew angry. "Lu Hui, don't slander me—it was Kong Sheng who bullied us beyond reason!"

Lu Hui sighed, "This matter has witnesses—neighbors who are cultivators and Kong family's attendants all testify that you attacked Young Master Kong without cause. Now you speak without proof; how can you prove your innocence?"

This was clearly a frame-up.

Zhang Lan frowned upon hearing this, and Mo Hua grew somewhat angry.

Ji Qingbai sneered, "Is your Qingxuan City Dao Ting Si now nothing but Kong family's lapdogs?"

Lu Hui's expression slowly darkened. "Brother Ji, you are slandering Qingxuan City's Dao Ting Si."

Ji Qingbai snorted and said nothing.

Lu Hui then hardened his face and said, "I've also heard that Young Master Kong's disappearance was orchestrated by you, Brother Ji, in collusion with local cultivators. Judging from this, it's not impossible…"

"You!" Ji Qingbai flew into a rage.

Zhang Lan frowned and said, "Are you implying, Master Lu, that Xiancheng's laws are lax, that cultivators conspire, and that someone deliberately murdered Young Master Kong?"

Lu Hui bowed his hands. "Master Zhang, forgive me—it's only rumor."

Zhang Lan's gaze turned icy. "Even rumors must be spoken with caution, Master Lu, when there is no evidence!"

Lu Hui smiled, unconcerned, and continued:

"Whether this is true or false depends on what Brother Ji chooses to do…"

"If Brother Ji lends a hand and successfully rescues Young Master Kong, these rumors will vanish on their own. The Kong family may even forgive your father and you for your offenses. But if you refuse, the Kong family will not let you two off so easily."

Lu Hui stared at Ji Qingbai, a shadow of malice flickering in his eyes: "What do you think, Brother Ji?"

Ji Qingbai's expression shifted uncertainly.

He had fled all the way to Xiancheng, yet the Kong family and these lapdogs still wouldn't leave him alone—he only wanted a quiet place to live in peace.

Ji Qingbai, helpless, sighed: "Very well. I'll follow Master Lu's advice."

"Good! Then we enter the mountains tomorrow."

Lu Hui nodded, a cold gleam flashing in his eyes.

After Lu Hui left, Ji Qingbai looked solemn.

Mo Hua asked Ji Qingbai: "Uncle Ji, isn't Lu Hui some kind of bad person?"

Ji Qingbai gave a bitter smile. "You noticed?"

Mo Hua nodded. "He's like a snake—gloomy, silent, speaking with a tongue that flicks like a venomous spit."

Ji Qingbai sighed. "Lu Hui is greedy, obsessed with wealth, cruel at heart, and the most vicious in his methods. He works hardest for the Kong family."

"Has he done many evil deeds?"

"Whenever the Kong family commits atrocities and someone reports them to the Dao Ting Si, it's Lu Hui who covers it up—threatening, bribing, or forcing silence."

Ji Qingbai's expression grew somber as he spoke slowly:

"Two years ago, Kong Sheng ruined a girl of fourteen or fifteen. She was left unrecognizable, and finally, in shame and despair, took her own life."

"Her father went to the Dao Ting Si to file a complaint—but Lu Hui threw him into the Dao Prison, tortured him for days, then released him. He dared not speak again, overwhelmed by guilt toward his daughter and with no will to live, he ended his own life…"

"That incident stirred up a great uproar at the time, but eventually faded into nothing."

Mo Hua felt a chill run through him. He turned to Zhang Lan and asked:

"When things reach this point, no one intervenes?"

Zhang Lan, though furious, could only sigh: "We can't intervene. These local powers are deeply entangled in mutual interests—it's nearly impossible to uproot."

Mo Hua said: "Shouldn't the Dao Ting have a surveillance agency?"

Zhang Lan was slightly startled. "How do you know that?"

"I guessed," Mo Hua said.

The Dao Ting could never delegate power to local Dao Ting Si without oversight—otherwise, if local Dao Ting Si turned corrupt, no one could control them.

Zhang Lan nodded. "The Dao Ting does have a Surveillance Office to monitor whether local Dao Ting Si violates Dao Law. But the Surveillance Office operates secretly and has limited personnel—it can't cover everything."

Mo Hua's eyes lit up. "Uncle Zhang, you're from a clan, aren't you?"

Zhang Lan felt unease stir. "What are you planning?"

"Can you file a complaint with the Surveillance Office?"

Zhang Lan sighed helplessly. "It's not that simple. The Nine Provinces are vast; my Zhang family's influence isn't everywhere, and the Surveillance Office can't possibly handle every case."

"Just try."

Zhang Lan sighed. "Fine. I'll send word home to ask. But don't hold too high expectations. A strong dragon can't suppress a local snake—especially in a small place like this, where all factions are in cahoots. Pulling weeds won't remove the roots."

"Even pulling weeds is fine," Mo Hua smiled. "Thank you, Uncle Zhang."

Ji Qingbai also looked moved and bowed his hands. "Thank you, Master Zhang!"

Zhang Lan waved his hand. "This is my duty. For now, there won't be any news soon. First, we must find those criminal cultivators and locate Kong Sheng—alive or dead, we need a result…"

"And Lu Hui—he's cunning. Be wary of him."

Mo Hua nodded. "Don't worry."

Lu Hui, is it…

Mo Hua silently memorized his name.

How dare he come to Xiancheng and act like this? He won't leave alive.