Chapter 802

Mo Hua asked softly, "What exactly does 'carousing in debauchery' mean?"

The shopkeeper was about to speak, but looked up at Mo Hua's pale, delicate face and shook his head.

"It's no good thing—unsuitable for children. You're a good boy; don't get involved in that kind of filth."

"Oh." Mo Hua looked slightly displeased. "Then… how did this Young Master Ye die?"

"How else?" The shopkeeper sneered. "Heard he drowned in a shipwreck—six men on board, all drowned, devoured by water spirits till their faces were unrecognizable…"

Mo Hua's gaze sharpened. He'd suspected as much.

"Why would a ship suddenly sink?" Mo Hua asked, puzzled.

The shopkeeper's aunt hesitated, glanced left and right, then lowered her voice.

"It's never that simple. The circles these aristocratic young masters run in are chaotic…"

"Young Master Ye was a wastrel, always behaving improperly—extravagant, lustful. This time, word is he got into a rivalry over a woman with another young master, earned someone's grudge, and someone secretly hired people to sink his ship and drown everyone aboard."

The shopkeeper's aunt went on chattering.

"Who did he offend?" Mo Hua asked.

The shopkeeper's aunt shook her head. "Who knows?"

"Didn't the Ye family pursue it?"

"They dared not," the shopkeeper said. "The Ye family has some standing in Smoke Water City, but in the entire Qian Xue region, they're nothing. That Ye young master might pass for a 'young master' around Smoke Water City, but compared to the elusive, godlike young masters of the great clans, he's not even fit to be a servant…"

Hearing this, Mo Hua felt a quiet pang.

The world divides into high and low, noble and base, crushing one another.

Those who trample others will eventually be trampled by those above them.

The Ye family was exactly that.

Unconsciously, Mo Hua finished his noodles and learned no more. He paid, then slipped in two extra spirit stones.

The shopkeeper's aunt, unable to refuse, warmly saw Mo Hua off, showering him with praise.

After leaving, Mo Hua wandered nearby, then found an inn for the night.

He inquired about a few rumors, but they were useless—most clearly false.

The next morning, after eating several large buns, Mo Hua hired a cart and left Smoke Water City.

He had only two days of leave; time was limited, and he couldn't afford delays—he had to return to his sect first.

But before returning, Mo Hua thought he might as well stop by Little Fishing Village on the way.

Since the Bloodied Fishing Village incident—after dismantling the River God temple, killing the corrupted River God, and devouring one of the demon god's incarnations—he had never returned to Little Fishing Village, and didn't know how the village fared now.

It was morning, sunlight bright.

The Smoke Water River shimmered, grass lush green, water murmuring onward like a ribbon of jade silk.

The scenery was beautiful, yet for some reason, Mo Hua felt unease.

As if invisible filth lurked within this exquisite river.

After a little over an hour, Mo Hua arrived at Little Fishing Village.

At the village entrance, several fishing cultivators greeted him. "Young Master, hello!"

"Young Master's here!"

"Long time no see…"

Mo Hua smiled and returned their greetings.

Soon, Old Yu came over. Seeing Mo Hua, he bowed repeatedly, calling him "Savior," and said:

"It's almost noon—if you don't mind, come have some fish soup at our place."

Fish soup…

Mo Hua's emotions were complicated.

But he didn't refuse. This visit to Little Fishing Village was precisely to ask Old Yu something.

At Old Yu's home, the courtyard was still dilapidated, but the family was together, lively and warm, full of homey charm.

Upon entering, Old Yu called his two grandsons. "Xiao Shunzi, Xiao Shuizi, come—kowtow to your Savior."

Xiao Shunzi and Xiao Shuizi didn't hesitate—they dropped to their knees and banged their heads twice.

Mo Hua couldn't stop them.

"No need to be so formal…"

Mo Hua said helplessly.

But Old Yu was stubborn. "You saved these two children's lives. They're low in cultivation, powerless—what can they repay you with? Two kowtows are nothing."

After kowtowing, the two boys stood, their bright eyes fixed on Mo Hua.

Mo Hua studied them.

He'd first seen these two boys by the Smoke Water River, when he and Cheng Mo and others had been lying in wait to catch the River Dragon.

Poor children grow up fast.

Back then, though young and only at Qi Refinement stage, they were already sensible, helping adults with chores.

During the ruined temple incident, they'd been chosen as sacrifices to the demon god.

After being rescued, their breaths were faint, faces pale.

Over a year later, their vitality had clearly recovered. Their faces were a bit darker from sun exposure, but they looked more spirited. They'd cultivated the White Wave Scripture Mo Hua had given them—their bodies now pulsed with water qi, their spiritual energy condensed, their cultivation advanced significantly.

Their progress was faster than Mo Hua had imagined.

Mo Hua felt joy, and took two small gifts from his storage pouch to give them.

A pair of water-repelling jade pendants.

They'd been festival gifts from some Gu family elder during his stay at the Gu household for the New Year.

Old Yu saw the two precious jade pendants and was startled, quickly refusing: "This is utterly inappropriate—how could we possibly accept such a gift from our benefactor?"

"It's fine, take them…" Mo Hua said.

He rarely needed them anyway.

Xiao Shunzi and Xiao Shuizi scratched their heads and also declined: "Benefactor, we're good swimmers—we don't need them…"

But Mo Hua warned them: "Precisely because you're good swimmers, you must carry a water-repelling jade pendant—to guard against unforeseen dangers…"

"There's a saying: those who can swim drown. The better you are, the more arrogance creeps in, and the less reverence you hold for water."

"Water and fire show no mercy."

"A lifetime spent in wind and water—any slip, any mistake, and your life is gone, with no chance to recover…"

Mo Hua spoke plainly.

The two children heard him and felt a chill.

Old Yu glanced at his two precious grandsons, finally unable to refuse, and said: "Come, bow twice more to our benefactor."

Xiao Shunzi and Xiao Shuizi moved to kneel again, but Mo Hua quickly held them back: "Enough, enough—that's plenty…"

Old Yu no longer insisted, and began preparing lunch.

They lived off the water.

The fisher-cultivators' lunch was still mostly fish.

"The other day I caught a jade-flowered scale fish—tender meat, exquisite broth, extremely rare. I only catch a few each year. Because they're scarce, others don't recognize their value, so they fetch little price."

Old Yu beamed: "I was wondering why my luck suddenly turned so good—turns out today's noble guest has come. The River God sent me this fish to properly host our benefactor."

He'd made his living on the water his whole life, and no matter what happened, he still liked to tie events to the "River God."

After a while, Ding Da Chuan returned from fishing, saw Mo Hua, and again offered profuse thanks.

Then everyone gathered around the table to eat, and Mo Hua was seated at the head.

A bowl of jade-flowered scale fish soup was served—tender meat, rich broth, fragrant and inviting.

Mo Hua stared at the soup for a long time, confirmed there were no red little fish or similar malevolent spirits inside, then relaxed.

After eating some meat and drinking some soup, Old Yu's family took turns toasting Mo Hua.

The wine wasn't good.

Fisher-cultivators couldn't afford good wine.

But Old Yu's family offered it with such warmth that Mo Hua found it pleasant enough—though the liquor was strong and burned his throat slightly.

After eating and drinking their fill, Ding Da Chuan prepared to return to the river.

Xiao Shunzi and Xiao Shuizi lay sprawled under the eaves, fast asleep for their midday nap.

Old Yu brewed a pot of tea and chatted with Mo Hua inside.

After a while, Mo Hua casually asked:

"Old Yu, do you remember the 'Young Master' who drowned in the Yan Shui River?"

"Which Young Master?" Old Yu couldn't recall at first.

"The one I mentioned when we first met—I said I was fishing, and you told me to hurry away, saying someone had just died by the river a few days ago, their body gnawed beyond recognition by water spirits…"

"Oh…" Old Yu remembered, nodding. "That did happen."

Mo Hua asked: "Do you know who that Young Master was?"

Old Yu shook his head. "I don't know. I only heard he was from Yan Shui City, a third-grade family's Young Master—I don't know his name."

"Such things are embarrassing to publicize—his family probably didn't make much noise about it…"

Mo Hua nodded, his gaze shifting, and whispered: "Old Yu, didn't you mention something earlier… the Rouge Boat?"

Old Yu froze, his gaze toward Mo Hua turning subtle.

With a solemn expression, he hesitated long before speaking earnestly:

"Benefactor, I know you're young and easily drawn to such matters, but your blood is hot—beware lust. Those places of pleasure must never be touched, or they'll ruin your Dao foundation…"

"Wait until you're older, settle down properly with a wife, then consider such matters…"

Old Yu spoke like a man who'd been there.

Mo Hua's expression stalled—he didn't know what to say.

He could only sigh: "Old Yu, you've misunderstood me. I have serious business."

"Serious business?" Old Yu blinked.

Mo Hua lowered his voice: "It's a Dao Ting Si murder case."

Old Yu's expression instantly tensed.

Mo Hua said: "I'm telling you in secret—don't tell anyone else."

Old Yu had a natural reverence for the words "Dao Ting Si." Though he often cursed them behind their backs for corruption, laziness, and incompetence, when actually facing Dao Ting Si, he bowed low and never dared to be careless.

"Of course, of course!" Old Yu nodded like a drum.

Mo Hua asked: "What exactly is the Rouge Boat?"

Old Yu glanced left and right—saw the adults had gone downriver, the two grandsons asleep soundly, and no one else nearby—then whispered:

"It's a flower boat."

"Flower boat?"

"This 'flower' doesn't mean flower—it means people. It refers to young, beautiful female cultivators. A flower boat is a pleasure vessel carrying such women—engaged in… flesh trade." Old Yu whispered.

Mo Hua understood: "So it's a brothel on water?"

"Yes." Old Yu nodded.

Mo Hua frowned: "But Qian Xue Prefecture is filled with sects, their disciples countless, all dedicated to teaching and learning, with strict prohibitions against any brothels or pleasure houses, right?"

Not just within Qian Xue Prefecture—even surrounding regions forbade such businesses by regulation.

Lao Yutou sighed: "Human nature is like this—how could it possibly withstand…?"

"That flower boat," Mo Hua asked, "have you ever boarded it, Elder Yu?"

Lao Yutou quickly waved his hands. "Such a place—how could someone like me ever set foot on it?"

"Then how do you know what goes on inside is flesh trade?" Mo Hua said.

Lao Yutou smiled. "Though I'm dull-witted and slow in cultivation, I've lived long enough to see much—many things become clear at a glance."

"They put up a boat, hang some flowers, draw a curtain—and think they can hide it. But it's only making the truth more obvious. Such debauchery, like a cat stealing fish, can't hide its stink…"

Hearing this, Mo Hua regarded Lao Yutou with new respect.

People live their lives, each on their own Dao.

Even the most obscure little folk have their own unique experiences or insights.

Mo Hua asked again: "Elder Yu, have you ever seen the Rouge Boat with your own eyes?"

Lao Yutou nodded solemnly. "I've seen it a few times…"

"Each time, I was fishing downstream, working too late—just finished hauling my net, hadn't rested yet, and checked the time—it was past Zi Shi…"

"Then suddenly, thick fog would rise on the river, blurring everything. After a while, red and green lights would glow—row upon row of flower boats drifting down from upstream, draped in silk curtains, lit with colorful lanterns, dazzling beyond words, with laughter of men and women echoing, stirring the soul…"

"Even across the riverbank, you could smell the heavy scent of rouge—that's why they call it the 'Rouge Boat.'"

"These boats never stop—they keep sailing far away, no one knows where they'll finally dock…"

Mo Hua was surprised. "More than one?"

Lao Yutou nodded. "Yes, many. When I saw them, usually seven or eight, all shrouded in fog, lined up like a procession drifting forward."

Mo Hua frowned.

What Lao Yutou described seemed slightly off from what he had seen…

That night, on the Yan Shui River, he too had seen a flower boat.

The night was thick, the river dark—but on that boat, lanterns blazed brilliantly, wisps of smoke curled romantically, and languid music swirled.

But that flower boat was alone.

And on it, there were shadows of "Young Masters."

He had even, across the black mist, locked eyes for a moment with one "Young Master," surrounded by others like stars around the moon, yet with eyes as crimson as a demon's…

The scene of that night rose again in Mo Hua's mind—he grew momentarily dazed.

"Savior, Savior…"

Lao Yutou called out several times before Mo Hua snapped back to awareness.

Seeing Mo Hua's solemn expression, Lao Yutou grew tense and whispered: "Does the Rouge Boat involve some murder case? Is it that serious?"

Mo Hua had no idea.

He'd just said it offhand.

"It's hard to say…" Mo Hua, seeing Lao Yutou's unease, added, "But this case has little to do with you. I'm just asking out of curiosity."

Lao Yutou finally relaxed.

Mo Hua was about to ask more, when he noticed Xiao Shunzi and Xiao Shuizi stirring under the eaves, rubbing their eyes—they seemed awake. He held his tongue.

Some things really aren't fit for children to hear.

It was past noon; the heat had faded, the sun beginning to slant.

Mo Hua took his leave.

Lao Yutou urged him to stay overnight. "No need to prepare much for lunch—I've already told Ding Da Chuan to catch a big fish from the river tonight, and make a whole-fish banquet for you, Savior…"

Whole-fish banquet…

Mo Hua was indeed hungry.

But he truly had no time.

His ten-day leave was over—he needed to return to his sect early, or he'd have to travel by night.

"Elder Yu, I appreciate your kindness—but next time," Mo Hua declined gently.

Lao Yutou pressed again and again, but seeing he couldn't persuade him, he filled a fish basket with several silver fish and made Mo Hua take them home, then personally escorted him to the gate.

Before leaving, Mo Hua extended his spiritual sense to scan the small fishing village, confirming no trace of demonic energy—only then did he feel truly at ease.

Yet as he retracted his spiritual sense, turned to go, he suddenly noticed something—his expression changed slightly, and he turned back to ask:

"Is there incense worship in the village?"

"Yes," Lao Yutou nodded, face full of reverence. "A few days ago, we enshrined a little Immortal Child to protect us all."

"Little Immortal Child?"

Mo Hua froze.

Who?

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