Chapter 809: Red Thread

After some time, Mo Hua learned through his "informant" in the Gu family, Xu Wanyi, that Uncle Gu had likely gone on a blind date, so he chose a moment to secretly send a message to Gu Changhuai:

"Uncle Gu, how did the blind date go?"

This question was probably annoying.

Gu Changhuai didn't want to answer, so he remained silent for a long time.

But this matter concerned Ye Jin's death, so after about an hour, Gu Changhuai finally endured his discomfort and replied:

"It failed."

"What kind of failure?" Mo Hua asked, puzzled. "Did the blind date fail, or did the 'interrogation' fail?"

A blind date failing was perfectly normal.

An interrogation failing—failing to extract any leads—was the real issue.

Gu Changhuai: "Both failed."

Mo Hua sighed: "Uncle Gu, you're a senior Diansi—how can you mess up something so simple? Didn't you get anything out of her…?"

This tone, so old and authoritative, was exactly like how a senior Zhangsi would reprimand someone.

Gu Changhuai, on the other end of the message, grimaced.

This kid Mo Hua was truly skilled at irritating people.

Mo Hua asked curiously again:

"What did you talk about during the blind date? Did you discuss family background? Spirit stones and salary? Your cultivation plans? What do you think of that Hua Jiaoxi?"

Gu Changhuai could no longer bear it—he shut off the message device outright, choosing ignorance, and ignored Mo Hua.

Mo Hua was helpless.

Uncle Gu's temper still needed improvement.

He couldn't even handle a few words—so lacking in magnanimity.

Since Uncle Gu wouldn't speak, he'd have to find another way to gather information.

Two days later, it was the ten-day rest period.

Mo Hua went personally to the Gu residence, inquired around, and found Gu Hong, the elder, sipping tea in the parlor.

Seeing Mo Hua, Gu Hong's eyes lit up, and she immediately beckoned:

"Mo Hua, come here—I have some pastries."

Mo Hua muttered to himself:

I'm not a child anymore…

But he still sat beside Gu Hong, sipping tea and eating the pastries she gave him.

The tea was sweet and fragrant with a faint bitterness; the pastry was crisp and slightly sweet—the combination had a unique flavor.

As he ate, Mo Hua asked softly:

"Elder Gu Hong, how did Uncle Gu's blind date go?"

At the mention of this, Gu Hong's face darkened; she seemed angry and complained to Mo Hua:

"That Changhuai—he's as stubborn as a mule, as foolish as an idiot, and all he's got going for him is a handsome face."

"At first, the girl stared at him for a long time, captivated by his looks, her cheeks flushed—but he just sat there like a wooden statue, not saying a word."

"That wasn't the worst part. The worst was, as soon as they sat down and she'd barely sipped her tea, he pulled out his Dao Ting Si demeanor and started interrogating her like a criminal…"

"He asked: Where's your native place? Where do you live? Where have you been?"

Gu Hong pressed her hand to her forehead, head throbbing, and said to Mo Hua:

"How could any blind date possibly succeed like that?"

"I just smiled and apologized, saying he was used to Dao Ting Si duties and would change after marriage."

"That barely saved the situation—but you could clearly see the girl's face turning pale with anger…"

"Ah…"

Gu Hong let out a long sigh, teeth clenched in frustration.

"If he weren't my own nephew, I'd rather sit outside drinking cold wind than even look at him."

Mo Hua nodded.

Indeed, even a handsome, cold Diansi in the Dao Ting Si couldn't escape being scolded by elders at home.

"Then… Elder Hong," Mo Hua asked quietly, "what do you think of that 'Hua Jiaoxi'?"

Gu Hong paused. "What do you mean, 'what do you think'?"

"Yes," Mo Hua nodded. "I'm just curious, so I asked."

Curious?

Gu Hong thought for a moment, frowning. "To be honest, something felt off…"

"What felt off?"

"Her makeup was too heavy, her expression unnatural. When she looked at Changhuai, there was this look of lustful desire—it seemed…."

Gu Hong lowered her voice and whispered to Mo Hua: "A bit promiscuous."

Mo Hua fell into thought.

Gu Hong paused, then added strangely: "Her mannerisms don't seem like those of a sect Jiaoxi—they're more like…"

She suddenly realized she was speaking to Mo Hua, not among her "old sisters," and fell silent, slightly embarrassed.

"More like what?" Mo Hua asked, puzzled.

"Nothing," Gu Hong said. "Never mind."

Mo Hua grumbled inwardly.

Why do people always like to leave half their words unsaid when speaking to me?

Elder Gu Hong saw Mo Hua still wanted to ask, and quickly pushed the pastry toward him. "Eat the pastry—you're still growing; you need to eat more…"

Mentioning this, Mo Hua grew worried.

"Elder Gu Hong, will I never grow taller?"

Elder Gu Hong spoke solemnly:

"Where did you get such nonsense? You're just born frail, with depleted blood and qi—your growth is merely slow. That's unavoidable. When your cultivation advances, you'll shed your old form and become a tall, elegant beauty—like Chang Huai… no, even more handsome than Chang Huai."

"You're gentle and radiant as Hua Ruyu, unlike Chang Huai—his temper is like a rotten stone, utterly hopeless."

Every time Elder Gu Hong brought this up, she still grew angry.

"Think about it—his looks alone? If he had even a shred of sense, countless beauties would swarm around him. Why would I have to go through all this trouble?"

"Good-for-nothing mud!"

Mo Hua asked, "Then what should we do about Uncle Gu's matchmaking?"

"What can we do?" Elder Gu Hong said. "For now, that's all we can manage. Where else could I find another match for him in the short term? If he keeps this awful temper, I find one, he offends one—where's my face left?"

"For now, just force Chang Huai to meet this Miss again and see if they can get along."

Mo Hua frowned. "But didn't you say this teacher seems… fickle and promiscuous?"

"That's what I said," Elder Gu Hong mused, "but appearances can be deceiving—especially on first meeting. To judge someone solely by first impressions is too hasty. Let's wait and see…"

Mo Hua nodded. "That makes sense."

He also wanted Uncle Gu to sacrifice his "looks" and meet this Hua Ruyu again—perhaps it might uncover other clues.

Elder Gu Hong glanced at Mo Hua, her eyes filled with approval.

"Chang Huai is beyond saving. When you're older, I'll arrange a good match for you."

Mo Hua's expression froze.

He hadn't expected that, while watching others' drama, he'd become the subject himself.

Mo Hua whispered, "Elder, I'm not in a hurry…"

Elder Gu Hong shook her head. "You should be. Matters like this must be planned early."

She spoke sincerely: "You're not like other children. Even with Master Xun backing you, you have no great family background, and your spiritual root isn't strong…"

"Of course, in my eyes, you're perfect in every way—but when it comes to matchmaking, the great clans and sects are brutally practical. Family background and spiritual root are fatal flaws."

"From my experience, you absolutely cannot seek a daughter from a great clan."

"These girls are mostly haughty, spoiled, arrogant, and unsuited to you."

"Moreover, the greater the clan, the more rigid their rules—and the more ruthless their marriage arrangements. Even if you two are mutually fond, their elders and ancestors will never approve."

"Your strength won't matter."

"After all, how can one person compare to a clan's accumulation of thousands—even ten thousand—years?"

"You can't bend a thigh. Much less push Dashan."

Elder Gu Hong sighed, pondering:

"Best would be a girl from a mid-tier clan—third grade is a bit low; fourth grade is ideal."

"Gentle, considerate, caring—preferably an Array Master."

"A bit higher—roughly fifth rank—is acceptable too…"

Here, Elder Gu Hong's eyes suddenly lit up. "If you're willing, I can pick one for you from the Gu family!"

Of course—why hadn't she thought of this before?

The Gu family is roughly fifth rank.

She was a powerful elder in the family, with real influence.

She knew most of the Gu family's girls intimately.

She had seen Mo Hua's character and talent with her own eyes.

If he married a Gu family girl, perhaps she could keep Mo Hua within the Gu family.

Elder Gu Hong brightened and hurriedly asked Mo Hua:

"What do you say?"

Mo Hua felt dizzy. "No, Elder Hong—this is still too early."

"Not too early. You don't need to worry—I'll keep an eye out for you."

Elder Gu Hong stared intently at Mo Hua.

Mo Hua couldn't hold out. "I'll go check on Uncle Gu."

Saying that, he bolted away.

Elder Gu Hong chuckled and shook her head, letting him go—but quietly tucked the matter into her heart.

She pondered a moment longer, murmuring:

"I should tie a red thread for him…"

She was impulsive by nature—once she thought of it, she immediately returned to her elder's quarters and took out the Gu family genealogy from a box.

On a separate page of the genealogy were listed the names and birth dates of the Gu family's daughters.

This was a family secret—only elders of her unique status could view it; no one else was permitted.

Elder Gu Hong took a red thread, her eyes glowing crimson, and drew the thread over each girl's name on the genealogy.

"I wonder which Gu girl might be fated to Mo Hua…"

Elder Gu Hong thought silently.

But after pulling for a long time, the red thread showed no reaction.

Elder Gu Hong frowned, her crimson gaze intensifying—then, in the next instant, a sudden anomaly erupted.

The red thread in her hand suddenly snapped.

Elder Gu Hong looked stunned.

If it won't connect, then it won't connect—why did it break again?

He had no choice but to take out another red thread, then silently recited the heart incantation, his gaze shifting as he continued tying the red thread for Mo Hua.

But after trying just a few names, the red thread snapped again.

Elder Gu Hong refused to believe it, tried several more times—and each time, the thread snapped again.

Her expression then became solemn.

"Not a coincidence? Could it be…?"

Elder Gu Hong's gaze sharpened; she took out another red thread, thicker, woven with gold thread and inlaid with red jade, symbolizing the 'Jin Yu Match'.

"Today, I refuse to accept defeat…"

Elder Gu Hong continued tying the red thread for Mo Hua.

The Jin Yu Match's red thread was indeed extraordinary; she tried over ten times, though with no effect, yet the cord remained intact.

Even when she tried connecting it to the name of a direct descendant of the Gu family, the cord faintly responded.

Elder Gu Hong's expression brightened slightly—then, at that very moment, a sudden pang struck her heart.

She looked down and saw that in the space of an instant, a phantom crimson flame had erupted, burning the entire red cord to ash…

Not only the cord, but the gold thread within it shattered strand by strand, and the embedded red jade turned to dust.

Elder Gu Hong stood frozen in place.

The red threads… all broken…

The Jin Yu Match… was burned too.

It seemed Mo Hua's red thread refused her to tie.

This fate would not tolerate anyone's interference.

Elder Gu Hong slowly formed a suspicion, her face turning pale, and she muttered involuntarily:

"What terrifying person will this child Mo Hua eventually marry…?"

…

On another side, Mo Hua—who had no idea how many red threads Elder Gu Hong had broken—wandered through the Gu estate until he finally found Gu Changhuai in a secluded study.

"Uncle Gu, I've spoken with Elder Gu Hong. She's decided to temporarily stop arranging your matchmaking."

Mo Hua spoke bluntly.

Gu Changhuai looked skeptical. "Auntie won't give up so easily…"

In the past, Aunt Gu Hong always said, "I'll never meddle in your affairs again," but after ten days, half a month, or at most a couple months, she'd return with, "I've picked another Miss—you'll love her, go meet her sometime."

"It's true!" Mo Hua nodded. "But there's a small condition."

Gu Changhuai wore an expression of "I knew it," and asked: "What condition?"

"You must arrange another meeting with the flower instructor from Baihua Valley, and chat with her, look for clues," Mo Hua said.

Gu Changhuai frowned. "Is that Auntie's condition?"

"The first part was Elder Gu Hong's suggestion. The second part is mine," Mo Hua admitted frankly.

Gu Changhuai fell silent.

He had no desire to deal with boring people, especially boring women.

Mo Hua then said solemnly: "This is the only lead left in this case so far. I'm too young to arrange your matchmaking. Uncle Gu, if you don't investigate, another innocent soul will die, and Sister Ye Jin will never rest in peace!"

Gu Changhuai, seasoned and experienced, was not easily swayed by Mo Hua's few words.

But Mo Hua was, in fact, right.

Matchmaking didn't matter—but the case had to be investigated.

"Fine," Gu Changhuai sighed. "I'll go see her when I have time."

Mo Hua warned: "Be gentle. Don't act like a Dao Ting Si Diansi. Even if you have to fake it, put on the demeanor of a refined Young Master."

Gu Changhuai glanced at Mo Hua coolly. "Why don't you go?"

Mo Hua chuckled awkwardly. "This kind of 'my lord' business is better suited to Uncle Gu."

After all, you're over two hundred years old…

Gu Changhuai frowned, looking troubled.

…

After the ten-day break ended, Mo Hua returned to the sect.

According to his estimate, Uncle Gu would need one or two days to mentally prepare, then visit the Baihua Valley flower instructor on the third day.

They would likely meet on the fourth day.

If Uncle Gu actually uncovered anything, it wouldn't happen until five or six days from now.

During this time, Mo Hua mostly loafed around the Lianyao Mountains.

The Taixu Sect had newly introduced a course called "Hunting Demons," formally teaching disciples how to hunt demonic beasts in the Lianyao Mountains.

This course was opened as per tradition.

In past generations, Taixu Sect disciples only entered the Lianyao Mountains en masse for demon hunting during their fifth year after joining the sect.

Not just Taixu Sect—all other sects followed the same pattern.

At mid-Foundation Establishment, the first year was for consolidating cultivation, with occasional disciples venturing into the Lianyao Mountains to test themselves.

In the second year, after cultivation was stabilized, the sect taught the Hunting Demons course, allowing disciples to enter the mountains widely for hunting.

But this generation of disciples was unusual.

With Mo Hua, the expert in arrays and self-proclaimed "senior brother," leading them, the disciples had already begun "militarized" hunting in the Lianyao Mountains far earlier.

The sect's original plan had failed to keep up with the change.

The elder who taught hunting demons had barely started his job when he found himself unemployed.

Because there was nothing left to teach…

The students had long since mastered everything he could offer—even growing weary from slaying demons.

With no other option, he reported to the Sect Master.

"It's that boy Mo Hua again…"

The Grand Void Sect Master sighed.

He heard that name all too often.

After deliberation by the Elder Council and special approval from the Sect Master, the demon-hunting class was accelerated: students would immediately shift from theory to practice, entering Demon Refining Mountain to hunt demons directly.

Demon-hunting classes typically lasted a full day.

As a result, Grand Void Sect disciples now had extra time each ten-day cycle to hunt in Demon Refining Mountain, beyond their regular rest days.

Mo Hua, now in Demon Refining Mountain, was like a fish in water.

Besides, he encountered Ouyang Mu and Linghu Xiao.

Disciples from Tai'e Sect and Chongxu Sect hadn't advanced as quickly in demon hunting, but upon learning that Grand Void Sect had already sent its students deep into the mountains, they too hurried to relax their restrictions.

This was the first time the three had met since the Ten Thousand Demons Valley incident.

Ouyang Mu and Linghu Xiao were deeply grateful to Mo Hua.

After all, in the Ten Thousand Demons Valley, they had shared life and death together, and it was Mo Hua who saved them, forging a bond of life-and-death loyalty.

"Senior Mo, if you ever need anything, just tell me—I'll do it!"

Ouyang Mu spoke with solemn seriousness.

Linghu Xiao also said: "Same here."

Mo Hua waved his hand and said generously: "It was nothing. Don't mention it."

Since they were currently in class time, the three could only meet occasionally to chat briefly, nothing more.

Yet their bond had grown much closer.

Mo Hua secretly gave Ouyang Mu some forging insights he had "extorted" from the Sword Bone, urging him to study them in secret and improve his forging skills.

Ouyang Mu now looked at Mo Hua as if he were his own elder brother.

As for Linghu Xiao, Mo Hua openly called him "Xiao Xiao."

He had long wanted to call him that, but previously they weren't close enough, so he felt awkward.

Linghu Xiao was annoyed.

Perhaps because the name clashed with his solitary, aloof personality.

It didn't suit the demeanor of a great sword cultivator destined to reach the pinnacle of the Sword Dao.

But owing to Mo Hua's life-saving deed, he had no room to resist, so he gritted his teeth and accepted it.

Besides, after Mo Hua kept calling him that, he grew used to it.

Of course, so far, only Mo Hua dared to call him "Xiao Xiao" to his face.

He only permitted Mo Hua to use those two words—no one else.

After all, Mo Hua had saved his life—he was different from others.

This was the limit of tolerance for a proud sword prodigy, his final act of stubbornness.

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