Chapter 605: Nightmare

"Here, play with it…"

Murong Caiyun, hearing this childish remark, couldn't help but smile wryly.

The message token isn't a toy.

But since Mo Hua asked for it, she didn't refuse.

The contents of these storage pouches were meant for everyone to take what they needed.

A blank message token was useless to her.

"Fine."

Murong Caiyun handed Mo Hua the blank message token, made of Bai Yu, its contents already erased.

"Thank you, Senior Sister!"

Mo Hua happily took it and stored it away like a "treasure."

Murong Caiyun chuckled softly and shook her head slightly.

The remaining items were divided up simply.

Since they were what Dao Ting Si had left behind, and not valuable, whoever asked for something, Murong Caiyun simply gave it.

Once the final spoils were distributed, the group turned back toward their sect.

The journey there had been rushed; returning, their mood was leisurely.

Murong Caiyun hired a carriage—spacious and luxurious, burning Yuwu incense, lined with marten fur blankets, soft and comfortable to sit on.

Mo Hua, gazing at the opulent carriage, guessed that Murong Senior Sister's family must be very wealthy.

He looked ahead again.

The carriage was pulled by four tall, majestic spirit horses.

These were second-rank spirit horses, specially bred by cultivators for pulling carriages.

The four spirit horses stood imposing and majestic.

Mo Hua couldn't help but think of "Da Bai."

Back then, when he traveled with his master, accompanied by Gui Lao, Senior Brother, and Senior Sister, they crossed mountains and rivers, and the white horse pulling the carriage was "Da Bai."

He himself had named it "Da Bai."

Mo Hua guessed it must have loved the name.

Whenever he called out "Da Bai," it would nuzzle him affectionately with its head.

As for its original name—something like Yun or Longji—it was too awkward, so he never remembered it well.

"I wonder, how does Da Bai's breed compare to these big horses?"

Mo Hua murmured silently to himself.

White clouds drifted; hooves moved slowly.

Memories rose like mountain hues—each fragment, fleeting and shimmering, passing before his eyes.

As they traveled, a sudden sense of loss and bitterness welled in Mo Hua's heart.

Those who had long accompanied him were suddenly no longer by his side.

And yet he still had to walk forward, alone.

He must keep walking forward…

In Mo Hua's eyes, a trace of loneliness mingled with a thread of determination.

"Younger Brother…"

A gentle, clear voice called him back to the present.

Murong Caiyun said softly: "Are you troubled?"

"No…"

Mo Hua shook his head.

Beside him, Hua Qianqian suddenly covered her mouth and teased:

"You're probably thinking of someone special—wondering which handsome little Senior Sister, aren't you?"

Mo Hua's cheeks flushed slightly as he denied it:

"No!"

The others paused in surprise.

They recalled how Mo Hua had excelled in stealth, mastered arrays, trapped enemies in water prisons, and used fireballs to "whip corpses" during the battle with the vulture.

And how, at the last moment, he had struck with a hidden arrow, using the water prison technique to "bury" the cruel and cunning vulture…

Not only was his mind meticulous and calm,

but he also displayed a kind of innocent ruthlessness.

Though he appeared approachable and adorable, there was an unsettling sense of profound, unfathomable depth to his spiritual awareness.

So throughout the journey, though their expressions remained normal, they had all harbored quiet wariness.

But now, with talk of "a sweetheart" and "little Senior Sister"…

Mo Hua's Bai Xi face suddenly flushed red, the blush softening his lips and teeth, making his features look like a painted scroll.

He looked shy and flustered.

He seemed nothing but a pure, timid little Younger Brother.

Instantly, the others' reservations vanished, and they couldn't help smiling.

Seeing everyone laugh at him, Mo Hua's face turned even redder as he protested:

"Really not!"

"Alright, alright…"

"You don't believe me?"

"We believe, we believe…"

"Then why are you still laughing?"

……

The atmosphere inside the carriage became much more cheerful…

……

On the great road of Gan Province.

The carriage traveled nonstop, comfortable to ride in; though it felt a bit slow, the four large horses moved with swift, powerful strides, and their actual speed was by no means slow.

Near evening, the carriage entered the territory of Ganxue Province.

Ouyang Feng was a disciple of Tai'e Sect, Hua Qianqian was a disciple of Hundred Flowers Valley; they would disembark midway.

"Elder Murong, Qianqian, Shangguan Xu, Little Mo…"

Ouyang Feng recited each name formally and courteously, then bowed and said:

"I'll take my leave now; if we meet again on another mission, perhaps we'll see each other next time…"

Everyone also bowed in farewell.

Ouyang Feng cast one last glance at Mo Hua, hesitated a moment, then spoke up:

"Little Mo, if you have time, come visit my Tai'e Sect—admire the mountains, enjoy the scenery, exchange insights on the Dao; I'll gladly play host."

"Thank you, Brother Feng!" Mo Hua beamed, nodding vigorously:

"Definitely, definitely!"

Next was Hua Qianqian.

She wore a brocade Hundred Flowers Dao robe, her features lovely; though she seemed quiet and reserved, that was only because she wasn't familiar with them.

Once familiar, she was unexpectedly lively.

After bidding everyone farewell, she specifically turned to Mo Hua and said: "Little Brother, come visit our Hundred Flowers Valley sometime…"

Mo Hua blinked, "The Hundred Flowers Valley… it's all female cultivators, isn't it? Men can't enter, right…"

Hua Qianqian smirked mischievously, "I'll find you a female disciple's dress, dab on some rouge and powder, turn you into a 'little beauty,' and then you can walk right in."

Mo Hua grew angry and declared firmly:

"I won't!"

He was a proper man—how could he wear women's clothing?!

Absurd!

Seeing Mo Hua's furious expression, Hua Qianqian laughed even harder.

After laughing a while, she fixed her gaze on Mo Hua, imagining how elegant he'd look in the brocade Hundred Flowers Dao robe—her eyes shimmered with anticipation, full of longing.

Mo Hua felt a chill run down his spine and immediately moved far away, hiding beside Murong Caiyun.

Murong Caiyun sighed helplessly.

……

After Hua Qianqian disembarked, she waved to them from afar, then turned and walked toward the Hundred Flowers Valley, where flowers bloomed in endless splendor, spring eternal.

After traveling further, the carriage returned to Grand Void Gate.

Murong Caiyun was one year ahead of Mo Hua and lived in the female disciples' quarters, so she said farewell first:

"Shangguan Xu, Little Mo, I'm off first—I'll transfer my merit points to your Grand Void Tokens after settling accounts at Dao Ting Si."

Mo Hua and Shangguan Xu bowed in thanks.

Mo Hua thought for a moment, then whispered: "Sister Murong…"

Murong Caiyun paused slightly. "Something wrong?"

Mo Hua revealed his carefully planned scheme, developed over the entire journey:

"Sister, next time you take a mission requiring stealth, reconnaissance, array setup or dismantling, spell-based containment, or elemental enhancement…"

"Can you take me along?"

Grand Void Gate's reward missions had many restrictions.

Especially for newcomers like Mo Hua, who had low cultivation and little experience—requirements were even stricter.

If he couldn't take missions, he couldn't earn merit points.

So Mo Hua had no choice but to find a way to "tag along" with Murong Caiyun's missions.

Murong Caiyun blinked. "You… really need merit points?"

Mo Hua nodded. "I need merit points to exchange for arrays."

"But…" Murong Caiyun frowned. "Mr. Xun has many arrays, doesn't he?"

"Mr. Xun said I mustn't break the sect's rules—I must earn merit points myself and exchange for arrays myself…" Mo Hua said.

He didn't mention that Mr. Xun had only assigned him "entry-level" missions.

He never imagined Mo Hua would take on dangerous missions like pursuit or assassination—or that he could complete them…

Murong Caiyun nodded slightly.

Indeed, without rules, nothing could be accomplished; even if one favored a disciple, one couldn't break the sect's regulations.

That was exactly Mr. Xun's way.

"But these missions are very…"

Murong Caiyun had intended to say "very dangerous," but then she recalled the dead vulture—and suddenly realized…

Yes, they were indeed dangerous.

But who exactly was in danger? That was far from certain…

At least for now, Mo Hua was unharmed, while the Vulture was thoroughly dead…

Murong Caiyun's eyes flickered slightly as her thoughts turned.

This mission was indeed very dangerous.

The Vulture's strength could not be underestimated.

Especially with the strange Four Symbols array tattooed on his head—once unsealed, his flesh fused with demonic power, his strength surged, nearly rivaling a Foundation Establishment late-stage cultivator.

Among the cultivators and demonic cultivators she had pursued over the years, few possessed strength comparable to the Vulture's.

Moreover, the Vulture was proficient in arrays.

Without Mo Hua, they might not have escaped unscathed.

On the contrary, Mo Hua was clever and nimble, skilled in concealment, adept at arrays, and possessed strong spiritual sense.

Alone, Mo Hua could not possibly kill the Vulture.

But escaping from the Vulture's grasp? He would have ample room to maneuver.

So, if we speak of danger…

The most dangerous was the "Vulture" who was targeted by Mo Hua—and died.

Second was the group of us here.

Only lastly would it be Mo Hua…

Murong Caiyun nodded and said, "Good!"

Mo Hua was overjoyed, "Thank you, Sister Murong!"

He hadn't expected Sister Murong to agree so readily.

Shangguan Xu, beside him, was also somewhat surprised.

He had assumed Sister Murong would refuse such a dangerous task—even if she agreed, she'd surely hesitate or decline a few times first.

Murong Caiyun looked at Mo Hua and smiled gently.

There was one more crucial reason she kept hidden in her heart.

The Absolute Array…

An Absolute Array that amplifies the Five Elements' spiritual power!

Such an Absolute Array was extremely rare, exceedingly uncommon.

And she had barely heard of any Foundation Establishment disciple across the entire Qianxue Zhou realm capable of mastering an array with such potent effects.

This array approached the origin of the Five Elements.

The sensation of spiritual power surging, spells ascending, power transforming, and suppressing demonic evils while dominating the battlefield—once experienced, one could never refuse it.

The dazzling, beautiful, yet lethally perilous Five Elements auroras filling the sky.

Even now, recalling it, Murong Caiyun's heart still stirred with excitement.

Murong Caiyun couldn't help but look at Mo Hua, her eyes gleaming as if he were a rare, precious, spell-amplifying "Primordial Spiritual Treasure."

"Pity… I can't carry him around…"

Murong Caiyun thought with regret.

Mo Hua felt Sister Murong's gaze was strange, and couldn't help but frown in suspicion…

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Murong Caiyun departed.

Mo Hua and Shangguan Xu walked toward the disciples' quarters, chatting aimlessly—like which elder had the worst temper, or which dining hall served the best food…

There were also some "wild delicacies" in the mountains—golden-feathered chickens raised by elders in the back mountain, delicious roasted, but don't leave behind any limbs…

Because elders are forbidden from privately calculating disciples' karmic threads.

So sometimes, you steal a chicken, roast it, and eat it.

They can't calculate, so they won't know who the "culprit" is…

But if you leave evidence and the elder traces it step by step, deduces it plainly, then you're in deep trouble…

Shangguan Xu told many such things, and Mo Hua's horizons expanded.

These were all the accumulated experiences of senior disciples!

Mo Hua memorized them firmly.

At parting, Shangguan Xu remembered something and said:

"If you have time, come visit the Shangguan household—Auntie's at home, always talking about you, worrying whether you're… in the sect… "

Shangguan Xu's expression was subtle, "... whether you've been 'bullied'… and she keeps reminding me to look out for you…"

Mo Hua smiled and nodded, "Auntie Xu is truly kind!"

Then he hesitated, asking:

"Where is the Shangguan household…?"

He had never seen the Shangguan family's estate.

It didn't seem to exist in the Qianxue Zhou realm.

In Qingzhou City, Auntie Xu had taken him only to Gu family residences.

Shangguan Xu slapped his forehead, apologetic:

"I forgot to tell you—the Shangguan ancestral home lies far from the Qianxue Zhou realm; when Shangguan family members come to Qianxue Zhou, they usually stay at the Gu family's residence…"

"The Gu family is a great clan, with deep ancestral ties to the Shangguan family through generations of intermarriage, and their relations are extremely close—almost like one branch of the same tree…"

"Auntie is staying temporarily at the Gu family's residence in Qingzhou City with Yu'er—you should visit when you have time…"

Mo Hua nodded, then suddenly froze, "Staying… to recuperate?"

Shangguan Xu's gaze darkened slightly; he paused, then sighed:

"Yu'er… isn't feeling well…"

"Unwell?"

Shangguan Xu nodded, hesitated for a moment, as if reluctant to speak, but remembering Mo Hua was Yu'er's "savior," he thought again and finally spoke:

"Yu'er… sometimes has nightmares…"

Mo Hua blinked, frowning: "Nightmares?"

"Mm," Shangguan Xu sighed. "I don't know the details. Uncle Yi and Xu Wanyi had someone calculate the karmic cause, and they even consulted a Pill Master—but none of them found anything…"

"And Yu'er cannot leave Qingzhou City…"

"Once he leaves Qingzhou City, the nightmares worsen. Sometimes, even a brief nap during the day brings on a nightmare—he trembles all over, drenched in cold sweat…"

Shangguan Xu frowned, his heart aching.

Mo Hua also felt a pang of pity, and asked:

"Has Yu'er been like this since childhood?"

Shangguan Xu thought back, then shook his head. "I'm not sure. Yu'er's status is unusual; as a member of the direct line, we avoided asking about his childhood to avoid suspicion…"

Avoiding suspicion…

Mo Hua thought for a moment, and understood roughly.

In noble families, interests are immense, so sometimes familial affection grows cold.

Even kindness can easily be twisted…

Shangguan Xu sighed, then continued: "I don't know much about Yu'er's childhood, but since that time…"

Shangguan Xu paused, looked around to confirm no one was nearby, then lowered his voice and sighed:

"After he was 'taken,' no one knows what he endured—the nightmares worsened, and… they've grown worse and worse…"

"His aunt is heartbroken, so worried she's lost her appetite."

"And sometimes, when Yu'er has nightmares, half-asleep and half-awake, he keeps muttering your name…"

"Perhaps after you saved him, in the aftermath, he feels close to you and keeps thinking of you…"

"His aunt also hopes you can find time to visit Yu'er…"

"But you've just joined the sect, your foundation is still unstable—she feared it would hinder your cultivation, so she didn't mention it to you…"

…

Shangguan Xu's expression was helpless.

Mo Hua's gaze sharpened slightly, and he nodded:

"Alright, I'll go see Yu'er when I have time!"

Shangguan Xu exhaled in relief. "Then I'm in your debt."

Mo Hua smiled, then added:

"Senior Brother Xu, you must also take good care of your injuries."

Shangguan Xu was slightly startled, warmth stirring in his chest—he nodded. "Thank you, Junior Brother."

After parting, Mo Hua returned to the disciples' quarters, leaned on the table, and pondered silently.

"Yu'er… nightmares…"

"Cannot leave Qingzhou City…"

"Kidnapped…"

Mo Hua frowned, sensing something odd.

But for now, he couldn't figure out what.

Mo Hua sighed.

He still liked Yu'er—the pure, kind child—and Xu Wanyi had always been good to him. Now that Yu'er was plagued by nightmares, Mo Hua felt uneasy.

But this month's break had already been used up.

Mo Hua thought for a moment, and decided to visit the Gu family in Qingzhou City during the next break.

A bit tired—will rest for a few days with over 4,000 words written, stockpiling drafts for the New Year, hoping not to take leave during the holiday~

Don't roast me (,,.,,)

(End of Chapter)