Chapter 142: Treating (Five More)
Chapter 142: Treating (Five More)
After parting ways, Mo Hua returned home and found Elder Yu the next day to tell him about what had happened.
Elder Yu flew into a rage as soon as he heard the words "silver-white Daoist robe."
"It must be those despicable good-for-nothings from the Qian family!"
Elder Yu stood in the room with his hands on his hips, cursing the Qian family, young and old, from top to bottom, with foul language that was impressively varied, leaving Mo Hua both astonished and amused...
After venting his anger, Elder Yu suddenly realized that Mo Hua was still there, his large, dark eyes staring at him.
Elder Yu felt a bit embarrassed and thought to himself:
"In my anger, I forgot that Mo Hua was still here. I must be more careful next time and not let my foul language corrupt such a good child..."
Elder Yu coughed and said, "Pretend you didn't hear what I said just now."
"Oh," Mo Hua nodded, but silently memorized the elder's colorful curses for future reference.
Cursing wasn't necessarily good, but if one had to do it, they shouldn't hold back.
"Elder, has the Qian family done a lot of bad things?" Mo Hua asked again.
Elder Yu was about to answer but stopped himself. "This is an adult's matter. You don't need to worry about it."
Then he muttered under his breath, "...A fish rots from the head down. That old fool from the Qian family is despicable, and there aren't many decent people beneath him either... They're like a nest of rats in a sewer..."
As he spoke, Elder Yu gradually worked himself into another cursing frenzy.
Mo Hua couldn't help but find the situation both laughable and embarrassing.
While it was true that the people of the Qian family wore silver-white Daoist robes, it didn't necessarily mean that anyone wearing such a robe was from the Qian family.
It was up to Elder Yu to investigate this matter, so Mo Hua decided not to concern himself with it further.
Two days later, Zhang Lan, having dealt with the evil cultivator, treated Mo Hua and Si Tu Fang to a meal at Ling Shan Lou on North Street, paying from his own pocket.
Ling Shan Lou was owned by the An family. Mo Hua was somewhat acquainted with the young master of the An family, An Xiao Pang, having helped him with his formation homework before. He had visited the restaurant before to inquire about the stove's design but had never actually eaten there.
After all, the food at Ling Shan Lou was infused with spiritual energy and was quite expensive.
However, Zhang Lan had no shortage of spirit stones, and Mo Hua didn't want to be impolite.
"You worked hard to catch that evil cultivator. Help yourself to more food," Zhang Lan said, gesturing at the table full of dishes.
Si Tu Fang nodded vigorously from the side, "Eat more, and if it's not enough, we can order more."
Mo Hua's cheeks were stuffed full, and he asked, "Where's that Big Brother Si Tu Xiu?"
"He went back to report."
"Oh." Mo Hua replied casually, as he wasn't particularly concerned and had just asked out of courtesy.
Mo Hua ate ravenously while Zhang Lan leisurely sipped his wine, rarely touching the food.
Having grown up with spiritual cuisine, he found it rather bland and uninteresting, despite its abundant spiritual energy.
He much preferred Mo Hua's homemade wild bull demon meat, spicy and full of flavor.
Si Tu Fang, on the other hand, found Mo Hua's chubby cheeks and the way he ate to be absolutely adorable, so she simply propped up her chin and watched him eat.
Amidst a table full of exotic spiritual beast dishes, only Mo Hua was actually eating.
Truth be told, Mo Hua didn't find the food as delicious as his mother's cooking, but it was too expensive to leave untouched.
However, even after Mo Hua had stuffed himself full, there was still a lot of food left on the table.
Zhang Lan said, "Later, I'll ask the manager to pack it up for you to take home."
Then he took out a storage bag and handed it to Mo Hua. "There are a hundred spirit stones in here for you."
Mo Hua was delighted and reached out to take it, but then he frowned and whispered, "You're giving me food and money. Are you trying to bribe me because you need something from me...?"
"What are you thinking about?
Zhang Lan continued, "I spoke with the chief judge, and initially, the Daotinsi intended to bestow additional honors upon you. However, those honors are often more for show and can cause more trouble than they're worth."
Intrigued, Mo Hua asked, "What kind of trouble could they bring?"
"These evil cultivators may not always act alone," Zhang Lan explained. "Some have accomplices, sect members, or even entire sects backing them. If the Daotinsi publicly honors you, their associates might seek revenge on you."
Zhang Lan took a sip from his cup before adding, "That's why it's better to keep the credit for this deed with the Daotinsi. I asked them to give you more spirit stones instead. After all, spirit stones are more practical for you."
Mo Hua nodded in agreement. "Absolutely. Getting rich quietly is the best way to go!"
After a moment's thought, Zhang Lan brought up another matter. "There's also something else. The elder of the An family would like to meet with you."
"The elder of the An family?" Mo Hua asked, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion. Then, a moment later, his eyes lit up as he understood, and he whispered to Zhang Lan, "That evil cultivator... Was he stealing supplements meant for a young lady of the An family?"
Zhang Lan sucked in a breath of cold air. "How did you know that?!"
"Didn't you let it slip the other day when you said you didn't know how to explain it to the An family?" Mo Hua countered.
Zhang Lan interrupted him. "I didn't say anything!"
Mo Hua gave him a meaningful look, and Zhang Lan felt a headache coming on.
This was the kind of secret that couldn't be leaked...
Si Tu Fang, noticing that the two were whispering, frowned and asked, "What are you two whispering about?"
Zhang Lan quickly replied, "Nothing, nothing at all." Then, he signaled to Mo Hua and added quietly, "I'll treat you to another meal next time."
Mo Hua played along. "Uncle Zhang didn't say anything."
Si Tu Fang glanced at Mo Hua and then gave Zhang Lan a suspicious look.
Feeling uncomfortable under her gaze, Zhang Lan stood up and began packing leftovers for Mo Hua.
Soon after, the two of them escorted Mo Hua to the An family residence.
The An family specialized in spiritual cuisine, focusing on creating dishes that were not only delicious but also aesthetically pleasing, ensuring their guests felt right at home.
Unlike the Qian family, the An family didn't flaunt their wealth excessively. Their pavilions and towers were elegant and comfortable, exuding a subtle luxury without being overly ostentatious.
Along the way, Mo Hua's eyes darted around, taking in his surroundings.
He wasn't interested in the An family's decorations, but their array formations caught his attention.
From the moment he stepped through the door, he was studying the various formations embedded in the walls, floors, and even the ground.
Some of the formations were more obvious and easily discernible, while others were more subtle or complex, requiring him to deduce their nature based on the array patterns or spiritual energy characteristics.
Mo Hua examined them with great interest, but the escorting An family guards felt tense.
They felt that Mo Hua didn't seem like a guest but rather someone casing the place.
They feared that he was scouting during the day so he could come back and rob them at night.
What worried them even more was that, despite his young age, Mo Hua had a clear and profound gaze, as if he could see right through the walls, wood, and stone to the underlying formations within.
He even muttered things like "Earth-stabilizing Formation," "Metal and Stone Formation," and "Blazing Fire Formation"...
He seemed to know exactly which formations the An family had used in their walls, floors, and roof...
What kind of guest was this?!
The An family guards felt distressed, but they couldn't say anything since the guest had been invited by Zhang Lan.
Fortunately, it wasn't long before they arrived at the living room.
The guards bowed to the elder in the room and then retreated respectfully.
In the elegant and refined living room, an elder sat with a dignified air.
Mo Hua secretly sized him up, noticing his white hair and beard, his face radiant with good health and a hint of sternness. However, his expression was kind, and Mo Hua guessed that this must be the head of the An family, the one who held the real power.
(End of Chapter)
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