Chapter 483

Lu Ming began with the Lu family's ancestral elder.

Though he was a Lu family disciple, he was relatively peripheral, young, and lacking in seniority; he hadn't inquired about these secrets, nor did he know them, and now speaking of them, he found it hard to utter:

"This may sound disrespectful, but… the ancestral elder is extravagant and lavish, and also somewhat… lustful…"

Mo Hua knew this.

Many brothels on Jin Hua Street were built by "Lu the Scalper" for his indulgence and pleasure.

But there were others Mo Hua didn't know about…

Lu Ming whispered: "It's said… the ancestral elder doesn't even spare the family's women…"

Mo Hua stared in shock, "Family women? The Lu family?"

Lu Ming nodded, ashamed.

"And then?"

Lu Ming struggled to speak, hesitating long before lowering his voice again:

"It's said that among all female disciples of the Lu family, no matter if they're direct or collateral line, whether maidens or married women, if they're beautiful, they're all… touched by the ancestral elder…"

Mo Hua's eyelids twitched.

Could he really do such a thing?

He shouldn't be called "Lu the Scalper"—he should be called "Lu the Beast"…

"Of course, these are just rumors… not necessarily true."

Lu Ming sounded uncertain, yet still tried to salvage his ancestral elder's dignity:

"The ancestral elder is harsh; others resent him, spreading rumors and slandering him with filthy tales—this could easily happen…"

But Mo Hua believed it was nine out of ten times true.

No smoke without fire.

Flies don't buzz around eggs without cracks.

The Lu family's ancestral elder was clearly that stinking egg the flies had landed on.

"And then?"

Mo Hua asked again.

He wanted to know what connection existed between the Lu family's ancestral elder and Lu Chengyun—why he would defy all opposition and elevate Lu Chengyun, a mere son-in-law, to the position of family head.

Lu Ming said: "This matter begins with Young Lady Zhu."

"Young Lady Zhu?"

"Lu Zhu is the ancestral elder's direct great-granddaughter," Lu Ming explained. "The ancestral elder dotes on this great-granddaughter."

Lu Ming whispered again:

"It's said… Young Lady Zhu isn't actually the ancestral elder's great-granddaughter—she's his own biological daughter…"

Mo Hua's face twisted into an expression of utter revulsion.

This was too beastly…

Lu Ming also felt utterly humiliated, and reluctantly tried to save face by saying:

"Of course, this is still just a rumor…"

"And then?" Mo Hua asked again, suddenly thinking: "Could Young Lady Zhu be Lu Chengyun's cultivation partner…?"

Lu Ming nodded. "Yes."

"Moreover," Lu Ming whispered, stunned, "the family head… is a son-in-law."

The mighty Lu family, entrenched in Nan Yue City with such power—and yet their family head was a son-in-law.

Even now, Lu Ming found it hard to believe.

If he hadn't entered the Corpse Mine and associated with shadowy figures, learning shadowy secrets, he still wouldn't know this.

Mo Hua gave a slight nod, his expression unshocked.

Lu Ming exclaimed in surprise: "Young Master Mo, you already knew?"

Mo Hua's face remained calm, noncommittal, only saying:

"Continue."

Lu Ming looked at Mo Hua and grew even more convinced Mo Hua was "profoundly inscrutable."

How could he possibly know such hidden secrets…?

Lu Ming paused, then resumed with "It's said":

"It's said… Young Lady Zhu once encountered the family head outside Nan Yue City and fell instantly in love."

"The two wandered together, conversed delightfully, and afterward, Young Lady Zhu went to great lengths to make the family head become her husband…"

Mo Hua shook his head.

This story was clichéd and melodramatic.

He'd heard it countless times in Xiancheng, listening to storytellers.

Flower-plucking villains used this trick to deceive women.

Rogues luring virtuous maidens used this same method.

Yet it worked remarkably well—often fooling them every time.

Lu Chengyun, who appeared so refined and detached, was in truth just a "pretty boy" who climbed power through women.

He must have spent considerable effort to seduce the Lu family's daughter.

The time, the place, the words spoken—even his every gesture—were meticulously planned and rehearsed…

Lu Chengyun's image in Mo Hua's mind plummeted.

Lu Ming continued: "Young Lady Zhu told the ancestral elder of her feelings."

"The Ancestor disagreed; he thought the Master was handsome but had a corrupt heart, not a suitable son-in-law."

"Young Lady Zhu, doted on by the Ancestor, was spoiled and demanded everything she wanted; she schemed endlessly to persuade the Ancestor to allow the Master to become a son-in-law."

"She starved herself, swallowed poison pills, severed her meridians... she used every disgraceful method imaginable..."

"The Ancestor, helpless and unable to resist Young Lady Zhu, finally gave in."

"After becoming a son-in-law, the Master took the surname Lu, and the Ancestor bestowed upon him the name Lu Chengyun."

Lu Chengyun...

Mo Hua stroked his small chin in thought.

Is the Lu family Ancestor mocking him?

This name, on the surface, carries a fine meaning—riding the clouds, ascending gracefully to immortality—something a cultivator strives for and hopes for.

But applied to Lu Chengyun, it feels strangely off.

Lu Chengyun is a son-in-law; using the words 'riding the clouds'—does it imply he clings to the Lu family, riding their power to rise?

Deep down, the Lu family Ancestor probably still looks down on Lu Chengyun, using this name to remind him, to make him never forget that he became a son-in-law, dependent on the Lu family...

One has ill intentions; the other speaks with hidden barbs.

These two are truly cut from the same cloth.

Mo Hua asked again: "How many people in the Lu family know about this?"

Lu Ming shook his head. "Very few know. Before I entered the Corpse Mine, I stayed in the Lu family for so long and never heard a whisper..."

Mo Hua mused: "It seems they tried to silence everyone..."

"Yes." Lu Ming nodded. "It was Young Lady Zhu..."

"Young Lady Zhu forbids anyone from mentioning the Master's son-in-law status."

"Everyone who knew was silenced, forbidden from speaking of it abroad; even her personal maids and attendants were all replaced."

"To the outside, they claim the Master is a collateral branch of the Lu family, his parents dead long ago, but with exceptional talent—hence the Ancestor arranged for him to marry Young Lady Zhu."

Mo Hua asked in confusion: "Can members of the same clan marry?"

Lu Ming nodded. "Within the same clan, different branches, beyond three generations, the bloodline is thin enough; after checking the genealogy, marriage is permitted."

Mo Hua slowly nodded, then asked:

"Lu Chengyun is a son-in-law—how did he become the Master?"

"Because of the mines."

Mo Hua's gaze sharpened. "Mines..."

Lu Ming said: "Young Lady Zhu was utterly devoted to the Master; with her support, the Master quickly gained some real authority and began managing certain mines..."

"At first, nothing stood out, but after a while, the mines under the Master's control yielded nearly one-tenth more than other Lu family mines..."

One-tenth more...

Mo Hua's gaze grew cold.

Without cause, how could he produce one-tenth more than others?

Mo Hua thought of the zombies in the mine shafts.

He had only suspected before; now he could nearly be certain.

Lu Chengyun was indeed cultivating zombies—to mine!

He probably began secretly cultivating zombies and using them to mine as soon as he took charge of the mines...

Others used living people to mine.

Lu Chengyun used living people during the day, and 'dead people' at night—naturally, mine yields soared.

He used this to gradually gain real power within the family.

For the family, profit was the most tangible thing.

Lu Chengyun could use zombies to mine, doubling mine profits; even the Lu family Ancestor would surely take notice.

As for the methods Lu Chengyun used...

Given the Lu family Ancestor's nature, even if he knew, he likely wouldn't care.

"Because the mine yields were high, Lu Chengyun became the Master?"

Lu Ming nodded. "Probably."

"Probably?"

Mo Hua's gaze shifted slightly; he noticed Lu Ming hesitating, then said:

"Don't you have something else you want to say?"

Lu Ming hesitated, frowning, then spoke slowly:

"I also heard a rumor..."

Mo Hua nodded, urging him to continue.

Lu Ming said: "It's said the Ancestor... indulged in excess, depleted his body, damaged his foundation, was ambushed by enemies, and suffered fatal injuries."

"Before dying, he wanted to name his successor."

"At first, the family proposed, and the Ancestor had decided—the next Master wouldn't be Lu..."

Lu Ming felt it disrespectful to speak the Master's name directly, but seeing Mo Hua showed little respect toward Lu Chengyun, he braved it:

"... not Lu Chengyun, but... Elder An of the clan."

"Elder An was at the early Foundation Establishment stage, only one hundred and fifty years old, vigorous and strong, experienced enough, steady in conduct, and highly respected—everyone assumed Elder An would become the Master."

"But unexpectedly, for some reason, the Ancestor changed his mind just before death."

"He stubbornly insisted Lu Chengyun become Master; no one's objections mattered."

Mo Hua frowned.

Did Lu Ming make some kind of deal with the Lu family's Ancestor?

What kind of deal could you make right before death?

Given Lu Bopi's selfish nature, this deal likely had nothing to do with the Lu family's interests—only his own.

Mo Hua's gaze turned cold.

He thought of the strange thing on the Jin Se Altar, covered by yellow cloth, offered flesh and spirit by the Jade Candle Incense Burner—something between human, demon, and corpse…

A chill slowly formed in Mo Hua's heart.

"Where is Elder An?" Mo Hua asked again.

"He vanished…"

"Dead or vanished?"

Lu Ming shook his head. "I only heard he vanished. Rumor says Lu Chengyun became patriarch, and Elder An, oppressed by him, grew discontent. After leaving on an errand, he never returned."

"Some suspect the patriarch killed Elder An."

"But there was no proof, so it was eventually dropped…"

Mo Hua nodded.

Elder An must be dead.

Lu Chengyun appears gentle, but he holds grudges and would surely eliminate rivals—killing Elder An.

He didn't just kill him—he likely used his corpse to forge a corpse.

Among the iron coffins of the Ten Thousand Corpses Array, one must contain Elder An's remains.

After that, there was nothing more.

Lu Ming had gathered no more than this.

The rest were trivial, irrelevant details.

Mo Hua took out a blanket and handed it to Lu Ming:

"I keep my promise—I saved your life."

"But for now, don't even think of escaping. You can't run away, so just stay here quietly for a while."

"This blanket has a formation that hides your form."

"If something changes in this corpse mine, find a corner, cover yourself with the blanket, and stay still."

"Once the storm passes, find your chance to slip out."

"Whether you survive depends on your own fate."

"I can only help you this far."

Lu Ming clutched the blanket, nervous, and asked: "W…what kind of change?"

"Don't ask. If you know, you're dead."

Lu Ming shuddered in fear, then worriedly added:

"But… is this blanket really effective?"

"The formation on it was drawn by me—of course it works."

Mo Hua said with confidence.

Looking at Mo Hua's small face, Lu Ming inexplicably felt a little reassured.

Mo Hua warned him again:

"Don't learn corpse forging, don't try it. If you kill someone and forge a corpse, fall into demonic path, I can't save you—maybe one day, I'll be forced to kill you myself…"

Lu Ming nodded frantically.

After leaving Lu Ming, Mo Hua went again to the Ten Thousand Corpses Altar.

It was deep night; no one was there.

Mo Hua still controlled the great tiger to open the hall's door, then used a small zombie to open the mural's door, arriving before the Jin Guang Altar.

The altar glowed with Jin Guang, extravagantly lavish.

Mo Hua had paid no attention to it before.

Now he realized—these things perfectly matched the Lu family Ancestor's tastes.

So was the thing offered on this altar… the Lu family Ancestor?

And the face on the mural—harsh, grotesque, half-human half-corpse—was that also him, "Lu Bopi"?

Good thing I didn't lift the yellow cloth.

Otherwise, I might have been in real danger.

But if I don't lift it, how can I verify my guess?

Mo Hua was troubled.

At that moment, the mural by the door suddenly stirred.

Mo Hua's heart tightened. "Someone's coming?"

Who would come to the altar at this hour?

Zhang Quan? Or Lu Chengyun?

Mo Hua made the small zombie lie still in the coffin, then scanned the surroundings with his spiritual sense, found no traces, and concealed his form, suppressing his aura to the extreme, quietly hiding behind the altar.

Soon after, ink rippled on the mural, forming an entrance.

A cultivator in brocade robes and a gentle face walked in.

It was Lu Chengyun.

(End of Chapter)