Chapter 426

Elder Su's look of "I don't know him" was already practiced to perfection.

Mo Hua nodded in understanding and said:

"Relax, Elder Su, I understand."

Elder Su sighed helplessly, feeling he had no way to defend himself.

Fortunately, after only a moment, a group of fluttering female cultivators entered.

Elder Su exhaled in relief.

As long as there were young ladies, it was fine.

With young ladies here, Mo Hua wouldn't keep staring at him.

Elder Su smiled and asked Mo Hua: "What do you think?"

Mo Hua began to observe the group of female cultivators.

Indeed, as Elder Su had instructed, none were old; their makeup was light, no pretense or coquettish posturing—just standing neatly in a row, modest and proper.

As Mo Hua studied them, the young ladies were also studying Mo Hua and the others.

Elder Su was a regular; nothing remarkable about him.

What startled them were the three young male cultivators: Mo Hua.

Their beautiful eyes shimmered as they gazed at Mo Hua and the others.

Mo Hua's features were like a painted scroll, Bai Zisheng had sharp brows and starlit eyes, Bai Zixi's phoenix-like brows were exquisitely beautiful.

The female cultivators' gazes at Mo Hua carried affection; at Bai Zisheng, admiration;

but when they looked at Bai Zixi, they blushed, even lowered their eyes, daring not to meet her gaze directly—only stealing furtive, shimmering glances.

This puzzled Mo Hua deeply.

Mo Hua stole a glance at Bai Zixi.

Bai Zixi sensed it, turned her head, and asked, puzzled:

"What's wrong?"

Mo Hua frowned and muttered:

"That's odd…"

Though dressed in male attire and radiating a stern, androgynous beauty, her facial features still clearly revealed she was a woman.

Why were these female cultivators staring so intently at Little Sister?

And why were they blushing?

Mo Hua didn't understand.

Seeing Mo Hua frown, Bai Zixi thought he was unwell, leaned closer, standing shoulder to shoulder, and extended her slender hand to touch his forehead; after a moment, she murmured in slight surprise:

"Your forehead is a bit warm."

She looked down and asked again, puzzled: "Why is your face red too?"

Mo Hua's fair cheeks were flushed.

"I… it's a bit stuffy," Mo Hua stammered.

Bai Zixi glanced around at the ornate surroundings, assuming Mo Hua had been overwhelmed by the scent of cosmetics, and said:

"Next time, don't come to places like this."

"Mm," Mo Hua nodded lightly.

Elder Su noticed Mo Hua's flushed face.

Elder Su nodded happily.

That's more like it.

That's how a young lad ought to look.

This young Mr. Mo Hua was usually too clever, his words flawless, his eyes lively and deep, utterly inscrutable.

When he stared at you, Elder Su even felt a twinge of guilt.

Now, this blushing, well-behaved look was far more pleasant to behold.

Come to think of it, when I first came here, I was just as flustered—my face was even redder than Mo Hua's.

Recalling the past, Elder Su felt a wave of nostalgia, then suddenly remembered something and asked:

"Young Mr., weren't you going to ask something?"

Mo Hua then remembered, took a quiet sip of tea to calm himself, and spoke:

"Sisters, I'd like to inquire about someone."

The female cultivators exchanged glances.

Everyone here was a guest; according to the establishment's rules, they couldn't reveal a guest's identity.

Elder Su said: "If he asks, you may answer—no trouble will come of it."

Then he placed a jade bracelet on the table: "Whoever gives the correct answer gets this bracelet."

The bracelet was luxurious, smooth and refined, with swirling spiritual energy—clearly a valuable item.

The female cultivators' eyes lit up, and they all nodded eagerly.

"Young Master, please ask—if we know, we'll tell you."

Mo Hua asked: "Have any of you, while working at the Hundred Flowers Pavilion, seen a male cultivator who looked like a formation master?"

The female cultivators paused, then all silently looked at Elder Su.

Elder Su snapped: "It's not me!"

The female cultivators looked disappointed and turned their gazes away.

They all thought carefully, and then a green-robed female cultivator said:

"Such cultivators aren't many, but they're not rare either. Does the young master have any other leads?"

Mo Hua briefly described the stern instructor's appearance and bearing.

"…A solemn expression, rather stiff, but earnest and responsible."

The female cultivators all shook their heads.

Mo Hua frowned, glanced at Elder Su again, and said with an apologetic look:

"Elder Su, may I ask them some questions alone?"

Elder Su was slightly startled, realized there might be some hidden circumstances requiring him to step away, and nodded:

"Alright, I'll go next door and listen to some music. Take your time asking."

Mo Hua smiled. "Thank you, Elder Su."

Elder Su rose and left.

Mo Hua then wanted to inquire about the grey-robed cultivator from them and began:

"You all…"

Halfway through his question, Mo Hua sensed something and suddenly stopped. He stood up again, ran to the screen, poked his little head out, and called toward the next room:

"Elder Su, don't eavesdrop."

Elder Su was shocked. "You could even tell that?"

He had been preparing to eavesdrop, but had only caught two words before Mo Hua noticed.

He was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, with divine sense at Foundation Establishment—how could he be caught eavesdropping on something so minor?

Your divine sense is a bit outrageous…

Or did Mo Hua have some other method?

Regardless, getting caught eavesdropping was still very awkward.

Elder Su's old face flushed red. Too embarrassed to deny it, he merely coughed once and said sheepishly:

"Go ahead, ask away. I won't listen."

Mo Hua nodded in satisfaction.

After returning to his seat and confirming Elder Su wasn't eavesdropping, nor was any other cultivator, Mo Hua finally asked:

"Have you seen any strange cultivators at Hundred Flowers Tower?"

The female cultivators all looked somewhat taken aback.

"What counts as strange?"

Cultivators who came to the pleasure house were all kinds—some, compared to ordinary cultivators, might be considered strange, but once inside the pleasure house, it was nothing unusual.

After all, such a place harbored all manner of filth; cultivators of bizarre appearances were nothing rare.

Mo Hua thought for a moment, then said:

"Someone with a strange smell on them."

"What kind of strange smell?"

Mo Hua's gaze sharpened slightly. "Cold, faint, the stench of decay—like… the smell of a corpse."

The female cultivators all jumped in fright at his words.

They hadn't expected that someone so young would ask such an eerie question.

But a cold stench of decay, the smell of a corpse…

What kind of cultivator was that?

The female cultivators all frowned, then shook their heads one after another.

Mo Hua was a little disappointed and said:

"Thank you, sisters. You may go first."

Then he cautioned them: "But don't tell anyone else what I asked you, or it could be very dangerous."

The female cultivators' hearts chilled, and they all nodded.

Mo Hua gave each of them one spirit stone.

They couldn't help but smile and said in unison, "Thank you, young master." Then they filed out one after another.

As the female cultivators were leaving, Mo Hua called out to the blue-robed female cultivator to stay.

"Sister, please brew me a pot of tea."

Mo Hua said with a smile.

The blue-robed female cultivator was startled, then also smiled:

"I don't deserve such courtesy. Just give your orders, young master."

The blue-robed female cultivator sat at the table, lit the fire, set up the stove, poured the water, steeped the tea, and simmered it over a gentle flame.

Mo Hua then asked her in a low voice:

"You know about that cultivator, don't you."

The blue-robed female cultivator's expression turned flustered, then she steadied herself and said with a smile:

"The young master must be joking."

Mo Hua whispered, "It's just the few of us here, no one else is eavesdropping. Your sisters don't know what you said either—just tell me secretly."

The blue-robed female cultivator hesitated.

Mo Hua then pressed Elder Su's jade bracelet into her hand. "This is for you."

The blue-robed female cultivator was stunned, her face showed delight, then her expression struggled. After a moment's hesitation, her gaze firmed and she nodded:

"Alright."

"Sister, what's your name?"

"Sister Qinglan."

Mo Hua asked, "Sister Sister Qinglan, have you ever seen that cold cultivator who smells of rot?"

Sister Qinglan's expression grew solemn, and she nodded.

Mo Hua waited for her to continue.

Sister Qinglan then said, "That man was a regular at the Hundred Flowers House. He wore grey clothes, kept his face covered, so you couldn't make out his features…"

"He often stayed the night here, but he came and went like a ghost. I never knew when he entered, nor when he left."

"That man had a strange smell on him. At first I just thought it was odd, couldn't say what it was. But after Young Master mentioned it just now, I realized—that smell really did seem like… the smell of a dead person…"

Sister Qinglan's expression was somewhat shaken, somewhat flustered.

Mo Hua poured her a cup of hot tea.

Sister Qinglan drank the tea, and only then did she feel a little better.

Mo Hua asked again, "How did you come to know him?"

Sister Qinglan faltered, "I'm close with Sister Sister Yulan. When he stayed at Sister Sister Yulan's place, I saw him a few times."

"But he was a bit eerie, I was afraid, so I never really had much to do with him."

Mo Hua asked again, "Did he always stay at Sister Yulan's place?"

Sister Qinglan nodded. "Before, yes."

"Before?"

Sister Qinglan lowered her head, gripping the hem of her clothes, her fingers going white. "Yes."

Mo Hua frowned. "Did something happen?"

Sister Qinglan pressed her lips together, holding back, but tears still streamed down her face. "Sister Sister Yulan, she… died…"

Mo Hua Sun Yi Leng. "Died?"

Sister Qinglan's face went deathly pale. "Not just Sister Sister Yulan—it's said that every sister who served him before ended up dying under unclear circumstances…"

"Sister Sister Yulan is dead…"

"And the next one… will be me…"

Thanks to reader Waiguoren, for the tip~

(End of this chapter)