Chapter 804

Baihua Valley strictly forbids all male cultivators from entering.

Even the Dao Ting Si's Gu Diansi aren't allowed in, let alone me, a lowly disciple of the Grand Void Gate.

"Can't get in, can't get in…"

Mo Hua shook his head repeatedly and abandoned the idea.

Fortunately, two days later, Gu Changhuai finally sent word.

"Interrogated…" Gu Changhuai said.

Mo Hua: "Didn't the River Dragon die?"

Gu Changhuai was speechless: "Why do you always hope he's dead?"

Mo Hua said: "Not exactly—I just get the feeling he's about to die at any moment, so I asked again."

These demonic gods' lackeys all drop dead at the slightest provocation.

Mo Hua has plenty of experience.

Gu Changhuai: "Relax…"

"Did you find out anything?" Mo Hua asked.

"Mm." Gu Changhuai sent a message, "We found out, but it contradicts what you said."

Mo Hua: "What contradiction?"

Gu Changhuai: "The dead Young Master wasn't surnamed Ye—he was surnamed Lin."

"Surnamed Lin?" Mo Hua froze.

"Yes."

How could he be surnamed Lin?

Mo Hua frowned.

He had studied the Heavenly Mechanism Divination, and his heart held a strong premonition: the Ye Young Master was the one killed on the Yan Shui River, his throat slit by the River Dragon.

But the River Dragon claimed the man he killed was surnamed "Lin," not Ye…

Was the River Dragon lying?

Mo Hua shook his head.

At this point, given the River Dragon's crimes, he'd either face the executioner's axe or spend his life in the Dao Prison—he had no reason to lie about such a trivial detail.

"Lin… Ye…"

Mo Hua's mind stirred: "Could the Ye Young Master have been using a false name? He went to indulge in wine and women, feared discovery, so pretended to be 'Lin Young Master'?"

Gu Changhuai: "That's possible."

Mo Hua asked again: "Did the River Dragon say anything else?"

Gu Changhuai: "He did, but little of value. He only said he was ordered to kill a Lin Young Master, eliminate all witnesses, kill everyone on the boat, and leave no trace."

"Killing was routine for the River Dragon. As for other matters, he didn't ask—and dared not ask."

Then there were no leads…

Mo Hua frowned, hesitated a moment, then asked: "Uncle Gu, have you heard of the 'Yanzhi Boat'?"

On the other end, Gu Changhuai, reviewing Juan Sect documents in the Dao Ting Si, froze when he saw Mo Hua's message—especially the three characters "Yanzhi Boat."

He couldn't help asking: "How much do you know?"

Mo Hua suddenly understood.

So Uncle Gu knew too.

Mo Hua said: "Not much—just heard about it recently…"

Gu Changhuai didn't believe him for a second, but he couldn't force Mo Hua to speak.

If Mo Hua wouldn't say, he couldn't pry the truth out of him.

Gu Changhuai could only warn: "Be careful. Don't be too curious—that place is dangerous…"

The Smoke Willow District hides filth and corruption.

Its people are dubious, with all manner of perverse tastes.

To Mo Hua, it's dangerous in every sense.

The pure-hearted Mo Hua clearly didn't grasp what Gu Changhuai meant—he thought "dangerous" meant only ordinary peril.

"Don't worry, Uncle Gu, I know what I'm doing," Mo Hua said.

No, you have no idea…

Gu Changhuai opened his mouth to speak, then stopped himself.

Mo Hua added: "The River Dragon must know about the Yanzhi Boat—did you ask him?"

Gu Changhuai: "I did. The moment I said those three words, the River Dragon turned pale and shook his head frantically."

"He's afraid to speak?"

"Yes. He's probably been subjected to some kind of 'silencing' technique. If he stays quiet, he's fine—but if he speaks of anything related to the Yanzhi Boat, he'll die instantly," Gu Changhuai said.

Mo Hua then remembered Gu Changhuai had mentioned something similar before.

"A silencing curse?"

"Hard to say. There are many silencing methods; the Dao Ting Si hasn't been able to determine which one yet," Gu Changhuai said. "I feared I'd kill him outright, so I stopped asking."

Mo Hua frowned.

The River Dragon knew about the Yanzhi Boat—but he couldn't speak. If he did, he'd die.

No wonder those Young Masters used the River Dragon to kill.

Because his mouth was sewn shut.

Then the trail had ended…

"Does this Young Master Lin have a confirmed identity?"

"No, Dao Ting Si couldn't find anything," Gu Changhuai said.

Mo Hua felt a hint of disappointment.

Gu Changhuai hesitated a moment, sighed, and sent Mo Hua a message:

"We couldn't trace this dead 'Young Master Lin,' but on the Ye family's side, I found a dead 'Young Master Ye.'"

Mo Hua froze.

Gu Changhuai: "I had someone retrieve a Fenjuan Sect record from Dao Ting Si in Yan Shui City. According to the record, over a year ago, the Ye family petitioned Dao Ting Si to erase a cultivation identity—the cultivator whose identity was erased was a direct descendant of the Ye family, named 'Ye Xiu.'"

"Ye Xiu?" Mo Hua's gaze sharpened. "Ye Jin, Ye Xiu… Jinxiu… could he be…"

"Yes," Gu Changhuai said. "The man whose identity was erased was Ye Jin's older brother."

As he spoke, Gu Changhuai flipped open a nearby Juan Sect record and sent another message:

"Ye Xiu, disciple of the Yan Shui City Ye family, direct descendant, age twenty-eight, Foundation Establishment mid-stage. While traveling by boat, he was attacked by a water demon, poisoned by water toxin—its potency was fierce. He died upon returning home."

"At the request of his father, Ye Yun, Dao Ting Si approved the erasure of his identity."

Mo Hua understood.

It was clear now.

This Ye Xiu, whose identity the Ye family erased, was the older brother of the deceased Ye Jin.

He had gone to the Yan Zhi Boat, indulging in revelry, not using his real name, but posing as 'Young Master Lin.'

Something happened on the Yan Zhi Boat.

Afterwards, this Ye Xiu was murdered and silenced by the River Dragon.

But Ye Xiu had used the alias 'Young Master Lin,' so the River Dragon didn't know his true identity—he believed he had killed only a 'Young Master Lin.'

Meanwhile, the Ye family, upon discovering Ye Xiu's death, likely investigated slightly, then realized the waters ran too deep. They dared not press further, choosing only to hush it up, fabricating an excuse: that Ye Xiu had succumbed to water toxin and died. They then went to Dao Ting Si to erase his identity.

Thus, the 'Young Master Lin' who died on the Yan Shui River never truly existed—Dao Ting Si naturally could not trace him.

The Ye family's 'Young Master Ye' was dead, but no one knew how—he could only be quietly erased from the records.

Both sides kept their accounts muddy, so they could never match.

Had Mo Hua not now investigated Ye Jin's death and dug up the old records, carefully tracing them, he would never have realized the 'Young Master Lin' murdered on the Yan Shui River and the Ye family's 'Young Master Ye' who died of poison were one and the same.

Mo Hua sighed inwardly, yet felt a flicker of relief.

Thank goodness Uncle Gu was helping.

Uncle Gu is a Diansi—he can access Dao Ting Si's records. Otherwise, Dao Ting Si might as well be a mountain apart; I'd never have unraveled these tangled threads.

"This is basically confirmed…"

"The Bai Hua Valley's Sister Ye Jin committed suicide."

"And her older brother, Ye Xiu, was killed over a year ago on the Yan Shui River by the River Dragon."

Ye Xiu's death must be tied to the Yan Zhi Boat.

Then Sister Ye Jin's reason for suicide likely also has something to do with the 'Yan Zhi Boat'…

Mo Hua's gaze grew dark.

Gu Changhuai's expression was also grim.

The involvement in this matter ran deeper than he'd thought…

"Are there any other clues?" Mo Hua asked again.

"None," Gu Changhuai said.

"Really?"

Gu Changhuai ignored Mo Hua.

Mo Hua didn't press further.

From his experience, if Uncle Gu refused to answer after being pressed, it meant there truly were no more clues.

Gu Changhuai sent one final message:

"If you learn anything about the Yan Zhi Boat, remember to tell me—don't take risks yourself."

"Yes, I promise," Mo Hua assured him.

Gu Changhuai didn't know whether Mo Hua's "promise" was genuine or hollow.

This boy's actions had always been 'unpredictable.'

At this moment, Gu Changhuai finally understood, a little, how the Zhou Zhangsi of Dao Ting Si must feel.

The Zhou Zhangsi's view of him was probably the same as his view of Mo Hua…

Gu Changhuai silently sighed.

He flipped open the page on Ye Xiu again, staring at the bright red seal of the Dao Ting Si's Xiao family printed upon it—his expression grew increasingly solemn.

…

In Tai Xu Men, Mo Hua continued to ponder silently.

The identities of the dead were now roughly clear.

But Ye Jin was dead, and Ye Xiu was dead too.

As for Ye Xiu, Uncle Gu had already investigated—he doubted any further progress could be made anytime soon.

This lead was temporarily broken.

So he could only turn to the suicide of Sister Ye Jin, and see if he could find other clues.

But Sister Ye Jin was a disciple of Bai Hua Valley.

He couldn't enter Bai Hua Valley—he could only ask someone else to inquire.

The person he knew best in Bai Hua Valley was Sister Qianqian…

Mo Hua had formulated a plan in his heart.

He wanted to find a moment to ask Senior Sister Qianqian.

But he couldn't act like Hao Se and wait outside the Hundred Flowers Valley's gate—otherwise, he might end up like Hao Se, labeled a "suspicious cultivator" and beaten senseless.

If he couldn't wait outside the Hundred Flowers Valley, he could only wait outside the Grand Void Gate.

Senior Sister Qianqian and Elder Murong were close, often coming to the Grand Void Gate to train with Elder Murong, take on bounty quests, or hunt demonic beasts.

After that, whenever Mo Hua had free time, he would go to see Murong Caiyun under the pretense of seeking advice on arrays.

But after several days of asking, he never encountered Hua Qianqian.

Then, one day after class, when Mo Hua went to the Grand Void Gate's main entrance to collect the array diagrams and pastries that Xu Wanyi had sent for him and Yu'er, he saw Hua Qianqian pacing at the foot of the mountain.

Mo Hua's eyes lit up, and he immediately ran over to greet her:

"Senior Sister Qianqian."

Hua Qianqian froze, looked up, saw it was Mo Hua, and offered a faint smile. "Junior Brother Mo…"

She seemed burdened by some inner trouble, her spirits low, so the smile felt forced.

Mo Hua asked, "Senior Sister Qianqian, are you here to find Elder Murong?"

Hua Qianqian nodded.

Mo Hua said, "Then let me go call her for you."

But Hua Qianqian suddenly grabbed his sleeve, hesitated several times, and sighed, "No… never mind. There's nothing really…"

Mo Hua's gaze flickered slightly.

He could guess—Senior Sister Qianqian had something on her mind, wanted to speak to Elder Murong, but was uncertain whether she should, which was why she was pacing at the mountain's foot.

Mo Hua's thoughts shifted, and he asked gently:

"Senior Sister, do you have something troubling you?"

His voice was clear and pure, like a spring stream, and carried a thread of tranquil spiritual energy.

Hearing it, Hua Qianqian's anxious heart calmed.

She looked up at Mo Hua, met his clear eyes, and felt a measure of peace settle over her.

"I…"

Hua Qianqian hesitated, words caught in her throat.

Mo Hua said, "Senior Sister, if you're in trouble, tell me. Maybe I can help."

Hua Qianqian blinked. "You… help me?"

"Yes," Mo Hua nodded. "When I first joined, you and Elder Murong took care of me. Between senior and junior siblings, we should look out for each other. Now that you're in trouble, I naturally should help."

Hua Qianqian looked at Mo Hua's sincere face, her heart warmed—but she still shook her head.

"You're at a crucial stage in your cultivation. Focus on your practice. Don't get tangled up in unnecessary troubles…"

"Alright," Mo Hua sighed, then his eyes brightened as he stepped back. "Senior Sister, at least tell me what happened? Maybe I can offer some advice."

"Senior Sister, why don't you first tell me what happened? Maybe I can give you some advice."

Hua Qianqian thought for a moment, then finally nodded.

She was lively by nature, simple-minded, and never good at hiding things.

Keeping this inside made her restless, unable to eat or sleep—she desperately wanted to confide in someone.

But she couldn't speak to her fellow disciples in the Hundred Flowers Valley.

And though she wanted to find Elder Murong, she hesitated.

Now that Mo Hua had pressed so far, she could no longer hold back.

Besides, she knew Mo Hua well—he might be young, but he was always sharp, calm under pressure, and resourceful; sometimes more reliable than she was.

Hua Qianqian took a deep breath and asked, "Do you remember… that Senior Sister Ye?"

"Senior Sister Ye?" Mo Hua feigned ignorance, thought for a moment, then nodded. "The one with the oval face, fair and beautiful, with a refined aura? I remember… what happened to Senior Sister Ye?"

Hua Qianqian's expression twisted in pain. "She…"

Her voice choked, lips bitten, then she whispered: "She's dead."

Mo Hua's eyes showed a faint sorrow.

"How did Senior Sister Ye die?" Mo Hua asked softly.

"She killed herself…"

Mo Hua feigned shock. "Why would she do that? She seemed perfectly fine."

Hua Qianqian's heart ached.

Some things, if kept inside, never leave the lips.

But once spoken, not a single word can be held back.

Hua Qianqian said: "The elders all say Jin'er sister killed herself, but I don't believe it—not that simple…"

"Jin'er sister… was quiet, came from a humble background, but she was kind. Though she seemed cold, she always looked after others. She loved magnolia flowers, and when she had free time, she'd make pastries just to share with us."

"Jin'er sister… she's very shy, and her background isn't great, but she's a wonderful person—though she seems cold, she's very caring. She loves magnolia flowers, and when she has free time, she'll specially make pastries to share with us."

"How could someone like Jin'er sister kill herself for no reason?"

"I want to find out exactly how Jin'er sister died…"

"But everyone is silent. The elders insist she committed suicide. I asked fellow sisters to help investigate, but some didn't care, others were dismissive, and some even told me not to meddle."

"But everyone remains tight-lipped; the elders insist Jin'er committed suicide. I asked my fellow sisters to help investigate, but some were indifferent, others gave half-hearted responses, and some even urged me not to meddle in matters that weren't my concern…"

"So you came to find Elder Murong to help you investigate?" Mo Hua asked.

Hua Qianqian nodded. "I wanted to ask Elder Murong for help, but…"

Hua Qianqian nodded. "I wanted to ask Elder Sister Murong for help, but…"

Hua Qianqian sighed, "... I'm afraid of disturbing her. Next year is the Dao Discourse Assembly, and Sister Murong isn't like me—she has great talent and high expectations; she's meant to place in the Dao Discourse Assembly. I don't want my own matters to distract her..."

Dao Discourse Assembly?

Mo Hua froze, then remembered: Sister Murong was one year ahead of him; next year was indeed when they would both participate in the Dao Discourse Assembly.

Hua Qianqian's expression was gloomy.

Mo Hua thought for a moment, then said, "Sister Qianqian, how about... I help you look into it?"

Hua Qianqian was startled, "You... how would you look into it?"

Mo Hua said, "Tell me any clues you have, tell me what you want to find out. To be honest..."

Mo Hua leaned close to Hua Qianqian and lowered his voice:

"... I have connections inside Dao Ting Si. Sister, if you want to know anything, as long as it doesn't violate Dao Law, I can mostly find it out for you."

Hua Qianqian was stunned.

Connections inside Dao Ting Si?

You, a junior brother with only Foundation Establishment mid-stage cultivation, have connections inside Dao Ting Si of the Fifth-Rank Qianxue Province?

"Really!"

Mo Hua feared she wouldn't believe him, so secretly pulled out his Dao Ting Si waist token for Xiancheng, using it to "pretend to be qualified," and also showed her the Dao Ting Si's exclusive message token given to him by Gu Changhuai.

Hua Qianqian nodded dazedly.

But she still felt uneasy, "This matter might involve some trouble. You..."

"It's fine," Mo Hua said. "My connections are 'solid.' Elder Xun Ziyou said that as long as I act uprightly and don't do anything wrong, if anyone bullies me, he'll stand by me."

Moreover, after the Ten Thousand Demons Valley incident, he had become quite familiar with Elders Xun Ziyou and Xun Zixian.

For small matters, he didn't even need to disturb Elder Xun Ziyou.

Hua Qianqian had heard Sister Murong Caiyun mention Elder Xun of Grand Void Gate; her heart jolted, and her gaze toward Mo Hua changed instantly.

She had never imagined that Mo Junior Brother, who seemed so harmless, had such power and such deep connections.

Hua Qianqian's expression turned solemn. She nodded seriously, "Very well, then I rely on you, Brother Mo!"

"No need to thank me. It's what I should do," Mo Hua waved his hand, then laid out the plan he had long prepared:

"Sister, when you return to Hundred Flowers Valley, quietly investigate without revealing your intent."

"Write down everything related to Sister Ye Jin—every person she interacted with daily, every place she went, every word she spoke."

"Whether she had any grudges, whether she had feuds with anyone..."

"And..."

Mo Hua spoke fluently, listing a long string of instructions.

Hua Qianqian looked dazed.

How come Brother Mo is so experienced at this...?

But considering his ties to Dao Ting Si, it makes sense that he'd be familiar with investigations?

Hua Qianqian nodded. "All right, Brother Mo, I've remembered."

Mo Hua agreed, "If you find anything, we'll meet here again. If I uncover anything, I'll tell you too."

"Good!" Hua Qianqian's gaze was resolute.

She would find out the true cause of Jin'er's death!

Afterwards, Hua Qianqian returned to Hundred Flowers Valley, and Mo Hua returned to Grand Void Gate.

And Mo Hua now had a "spy" inside Hundred Flowers Valley.

Several days later, the two met as agreed at the foot of Grand Void Gate's mountain.

Hua Qianqian quietly told Mo Hua what she had learned:

"Like the other sisters, Jin'er's daily contacts were all elders, instructors, or fellow disciples—nothing unusual..."

"No one is known to have held a grudge against her."

"Her words and actions were all ordinary, but one thing was strange..."

Hua Qianqian looked puzzled. "According to one of my senior sisters, Jin'er once asked her a very strange question."

"A strange question?"

"Yes," Hua Qianqian said slowly. "She asked... can a person become a ghost after death?"

Mo Hua's pupils shrank involuntarily.

Ghost?!

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