Chapter 460

The Lu family's mine is a corpse mine, filled with zombies.

The five mining cultivators who previously went missing, their bodies torn apart in gruesome ways, were eaten by the zombies in the mine.

Zhang Quan killed people, bought corpses, forged them into zombies, and delivered the finished zombies to the Lu family.

And the Lu family hid these zombies within the mine.

They also set up a tight array to seal the zombies, keeping them hidden from detection.

Mo Hua frowned.

What exactly do the Lu family intend to do?

What role does that traitor hold within the Lu family?

Mo Hua glanced at the heavily guarded mine.

To mobilize so much manpower and resources, to set up arrays and guard the mine—that traitor must be at least a powerful elder with real authority, or a highly revered guest elder.

If we can uncover this traitor, everything will fall into place.

"But who exactly could this traitor be…"

Mo Hua had no clear leads for the moment, and kept thinking about it even after returning.

Even during meals, he was distracted, eating absentmindedly, his mind drifting off.

Bai Zi Xi nudged him with his elbow and whispered:

"Eat properly."

"Oh." Mo Hua snapped back to himself and nodded.

Bai Zisheng leaned over and asked quietly:

"What are you thinking about?"

Mo Hua looked up at Mr. Zhuang, saw that Mr. Zhuang was drinking alone and ignoring their hushed conversation, then whispered back:

"I'm thinking about the Lu family."

"What about them?" Bai Zisheng's eyes lit up.

Mo Hua hesitated a moment, then decided there was no need to hide it—he told Bai Zisheng about the traitor from the Xiao Lingyin Sect, the Lu family's mine, and their breeding of zombies.

Bai Zisheng clicked his tongue. "I knew the Lu family wasn't anything good."

Then he furrowed his brow, doubting himself:

"Could our Bai family also be…"

Bai Zi Xi sighed. "Our Bai family rose on battlefield merits."

Bai Zisheng froze, then exhaled in relief.

Battlefield merits are fine…

Those are earned through open combat, blade to blade.

Bai Zisheng asked Mo Hua again: "So what are you planning to do?"

"I intend to find the Xiao Lingyin Sect traitor hiding within the Lu family."

Mo Hua pondered: "The complete Ling Shu Array must be on him; the one who bought zombies from Zhang Quan is probably him; the one who orchestrated the Lu family's stockpiling of zombies and the creation of the corpse mine is surely him too…"

"Need help?"

Bai Zisheng was eager to join.

Bai Zi Xi also looked at Mo Hua, his meaning clear.

Mo Hua hesitated briefly, then nodded:

"Alright."

A fence needs three stakes; a hero needs three helpers.

He truly couldn't manage this alone—having his senior brother and senior sister assist would make things much smoother.

Mr. Zhuang drank his wine, catching sight of his three young disciples huddled together, whispering and plotting, his expression softening with quiet satisfaction.

Then, suddenly, a wave of nostalgia washed over him.

In a haze, he saw his three young disciples of long ago, gathered together, cultivating and playing.

But in the blink of an eye, it all vanished like smoke.

Time flies like a white horse passing a crevice; things change, people change too.

Mr. Zhuang's expression grew sorrowful; he let out a faint sigh…

…

After dinner, Mo Hua and the other two split up to gather information on the Lu family.

Mo Hua first went to find the broker.

The same broker—the sharp-tongued, shrewd-looking man who had sold him the dwelling.

The broker saw Mo Hua and bowed respectfully, his respect tinged with fear.

When Mo Hua called his name, the broker looked uneasy:

"Young Master, could you perhaps choose someone else?"

Mo Hua frowned. "Why?"

The broker smiled awkwardly.

Last time he took Mo Hua to view dwellings, Mo Hua's eye was ruthless—he found over a dozen flaws, declared the array worthless, and slashed the price by nearly half.

Now, seeing Mo Hua's clear yet strangely deep gaze, he felt a chill.

Although Young Master Zheng never blamed him, the incident left him humiliated among his peers.

Now others call him "Half-Cut."

Meaning: when bargaining with him, start by cutting the price in half.

The middleman politely declined: "I'm not capable enough, not…"

Mo Hua slipped two Spirit Stones into his hand and comforted him:

"I'm just looking, not buying."

These two Spirit Stones warmed the middleman's heart.

The middleman hesitated a moment, hopeful: "Really just looking, not buying?"

"Mm-hmm."

Mo Hua's expression was sincere, his gaze pure.

The middleman couldn't refuse Mo Hua—and of course, couldn't refuse the Spirit Stones in his hand.

Besides, Mo Hua had said he wasn't buying.

Not buying was good.

Not buying means no haggling…

"Alright."

The middleman readily agreed.

He led the way, taking Mo Hua through some cave dwellings along Beidajie in Nan Yue City.

These cave dwellings were all property of the Lu family.

Mo Hua also casually asked about the Lu family.

As he asked, the middleman began to sense something was off.

But he dared not ask outright, so he hinted:

"Young Master, are you… at odds with the Lu family?"

"There's no real grudge…"

Mo Hua feigned embarrassment: "It's just… the Lu family head wants me to marry a Lu daughter. I… I'm a stranger here, so I wanted to quietly ask about the Lu family's situation…"

Marry a Lu daughter?

Become a son-in-law?

The middleman's expression held both admiration and regret.

For the Lu family head to personally propose a son-in-law union—this young master was truly remarkable.

But sadly, he was only becoming a son-in-law.

In this age, who with real talent would become a son-in-law?

The middleman still held a certain fondness for Mo Hua.

Even though Mo Hua's haggling had deeply wounded him.

The middleman wrestled briefly, then advised:

"Young Master, this may sound unkind, but the Lu family… isn't a good place. If you're entering the Lu family, be cautious."

Mo Hua's gaze flickered, then he sighed: "I don't want to either, but…"

Mo Hua's face flushed slightly: "The Lu family's young lady… is truly… beautiful."

The middleman blinked, frowned, then nodded.

"Indeed."

Beauty was a perfectly valid reason.

For a beautiful, beloved girl, becoming a son-in-law was acceptable.

Mo Hua looked innocent and pure.

The middleman had no suspicion.

His attitude even grew warmer; now, even without Mo Hua asking, he spilled everything he knew about the Lu family.

"The most powerful figure in the Lu family is the head, said to have reached Foundation Establishment mid-stage…"

"Below the head are several powerful elders, one or two at Foundation Establishment mid-stage, the rest mostly Foundation Establishment early-stage—all trusted confidants, considered Lu family bloodline…"

"If you're entering as a son-in-law, choose among these branches…"

"Best to be related by blood to the Lu family head—then you'll gain his favor and have a brighter future."

"Besides these, there are guest elders."

"They hold elevated status, varying degrees of power, mostly connected by kinship to other families or sects."

"Of course, some guest elders are low-key, unassuming."

"If you have good eyesight and can marry into their line, becoming a son-in-law under them, you might gain unexpected rewards—secret transmissions."

"Below the powerful elders are ordinary elders."

"Ordinary elders without power; collateral branches with distant blood ties; peripheral guest elders; ineffectual patrons, and so on."

"There's no need to cling to these…"

"Especially for a young master like you, an Array Master."

"Of course," the middleman paused, then added, "unless their female descendants are stunningly beautiful, peerless in charm—then it's another matter."

The middleman thought a moment, then advised again:

"Even so, in my view, you still shouldn't become a son-in-law for such a one."

"Beauty can't feed you; don't let it derail your Dao path…"

"When becoming a son-in-law, you marry for power and profit—not for fleeting passion based on looks…"

The middleman spoke with perfect logic.

Suddenly he glanced at Mo Hua, felt regret, and asked:

"Young Master, have you considered your little senior sister?"

Mo Hua blinked in surprise. "Consider what?"

"Marriage?"

Mo Hua's face turned truly red; his expression grew slightly annoyed, and he puffed out his cheeks.

"She's my junior sister!"

The go-between muttered to himself: "So what if she's a junior sister? Isn't that perfect…?"

They were from the same sect, raised together since childhood.

And she was truly beautiful.

Elegant and ethereally lovely.

When they stood together, one with clear, refined features, the other with bright eyes and white teeth—like a celestial pair, they looked perfectly matched.

But he dared only think these words in his heart.

Afterwards, Mo Hua asked more about the Lu family, even writing down every elder, guest master, and patron he'd heard of.

He planned to return and investigate thoroughly, to find who was most likely the traitor of the Little Spirit Hidden Sect.

The go-between still thought Mo Hua was considering becoming a son-in-law, and felt deeply regretful.

Afterwards, Mo Hua went to the Nan Yue Inn and found Sister Qinglan.

After the Hua Bai Tower incident, Sister Situ asked the madam for Sister Qinglan's indenture papers and took her out, settling her in the inn.

Sister Qinglan cleaned the inn, helped in the kitchen, and supported herself.

She came from a poor background as a mining cultivator—down-to-earth and hardworking; after leaving the Hua Bai Tower, she no longer bowed to others or relied on her beauty to survive, and her spirit had improved greatly.

When she saw Mo Hua, Sister Qinglan was both grateful and delighted.

She brewed tea herself and brought him pastries to eat.

Mo Hua then asked: "Sister Qinglan sister, may I ask you some questions? About the Lu family."

Sister Qinglan paused slightly, then nodded.

"Of course, ask away. Anything I know, I'll tell you."

Mo Hua thought for a moment, then began by asking about Jin Hua Street.

Sister Qinglan had spent a long time on Jin Hua Street and had met many cultivators; she must have heard plenty.

Sister Qinglan thought for a moment, then spoke slowly:

"The story of Jin Hua Street begins with the late Lu family patriarch…"

(End of Chapter)