Chapter 252: Lu Hui
Chapter 252: Lu Hui
It was unclear what their next move would be, but Mo Hua was curious to find out. However, since Zhang Lan seemed determined to keep it a secret, Mo Hua doubted he would get an answer.
Mo Hua asked, "Is that bald guy very powerful?"
Zhang Lan shook his head. "Although Guangtou Tu has committed countless evil deeds, his cultivation is not particularly high. At most, he's only slightly stronger than the average guilty cultivator."
"Can he still be considered the big brother?" Mo Hua inquired.
"He's fast and agile, which has kept him alive all these years," Zhang Lan explained.
Mo Hua understood that the bald man's position was likely due to his longevity and experience.
Then he asked, "What kind of movement technique does that bald guy cultivate?"
The fact that the bald monk, Guangtou Tu, had managed to escape from a group of over a hundred demon hunters indicated that his movement technique was indeed extraordinary.
Zhang Lan replied, "He has a wind-type spirit root and cultivates a technique called Quick Wind Art. While this technique isn't great for prolonged battles, its incredible speed makes it ideal for escaping."
Mo Hua wanted to learn it too, but as he didn't have a wind-type spirit root, he couldn't cultivate it. It was a bit of a pity.
Although he had a water-type spirit root, he couldn't cultivate wind-type movement techniques at all, which was a shame because they seemed very powerful. All he could do was cultivate the Concealment Technique, which wasn't very effective.
The Quick Wind Art certainly lived up to its name, suggesting incredible speed.
Mo Hua wondered silently if his Water Prison Technique could trap the bald monk.
After a moment of contemplation, Mo Hua asked, "So, how can I help?"
"Didn't you set up that... Sinan Maternal and Child Restoration Array in the inner mountains?" Zhang Lan asked, cringing a little at the complicated name of the array. It was a wonder that Mo Hua could even create such a complex formation.
"Then, with the help of the array, you will assist the Daotinsi in capturing Guangtou Tu," Zhang Lan continued.
"No problem," Mo Hua nodded, then asked, "And after that?"
"That's it," Zhang Lan replied casually.
"Is that all?" Mo Hua was surprised at the simplicity of the task.
"Yes, it's that simple," Zhang Lan assured him, taking a sip of his wine. "If there were any complications or real dangers, I wouldn't let you go. This is just a walk in the park."
There were no Foundation Establishment cultivators among the guilty cultivators, and their leader was the bald monk. Along with a few other guilty cultivators, they might pose a challenge, but Mo Hua was confident he could escape if needed.
Besides, they would only be using the array to locate the guilty cultivators, which was a relatively effortless task that would mostly consume time.
Mo Hua still had his doubts. "Why don't you just ask Elder Yu to handle this? Technically, matters concerning demon hunters should be under his jurisdiction. Plus, I've already given a copy of the array to my father and Uncle Yu."
"The Chief went to find Elder Yu, and the Elder suggested that we come to you," Zhang Lan explained.
"Is that what Elder said?" Mo Hua was taken aback.
Zhang Lan raised an eyebrow. "Elder Yu wants you to do him a favor so that the Daotinsi will owe you one. That way, if anything happens in the future, as long as it's not too big of a deal, the Daotinsi will protect you."
"And since this matter isn't particularly dangerous, Elder Yu wouldn't agree to put you in harm's way," Zhang Lan added.
After a moment of reflection, Zhang Lan couldn't help but express his envy. "Your Elder Yu really treats you well."
"Of course!" Mo Hua smiled proudly.
Zhang Lan shook his head and then cautioned, "In a few days, the Daotinsi from Qingxuan City will arrive, and we will head into the mountains together."
"Do we have to wait a few more days? By then, even if Kong Sheng isn't dead, he'll probably be close to it," Mo Hua pointed out.
"That's precisely the point," Zhang Lan chuckled.
Mo Hua paused for a moment before laughing in realization. "You're right."
A few more days wouldn't hurt. They could wait for Kong Sheng to weaken further before rescuing him, and then they would capture Guangtou Tu. With these two troublemakers out of the way, Daheshan would finally be at peace.
Zhang Lan chatted with Mo Hua about some trivial matters, finished their meal, and then bid farewell.
However, after taking a few steps, Zhang Lan suddenly turned back and whispered to Mo Hua, "Whatever happens, don't tell anyone about that matter."
Mo Hua was taken aback. "What matter? What are you talking about?"
"The Flowing Water Step," Zhang Lan clarified.
"Oh, right," Mo Hua recalled. "Don't worry, if you hadn't mentioned it, I would have forgotten about it. I'll keep my mouth shut. No matter who asks, I'll say that you didn't teach me the Flowing Water Step."
"Good," Zhang Lan nodded, but he still felt a bit uneasy. "Keep it to yourself, but don't actually forget about it. After all, it's one of the Zhang family's secret techniques."
As expected, a few days later, the Daotinsi from Qingxuan City arrived, just as Zhang Lan had predicted.
Mo Hua accompanied Zhang Lan and met with the Qingxuan City cultivators.
Their leader was a slim middle-aged cultivator named Lu Hui. He had a gloomy face, greedy eyes, and was at the ninth layer of Qi Refinement. He held the position of Chief Clerk in the Qingxuan City Daotinsi, equivalent to Zhang Lan's position.
The other three were also at the late Qi Refinement stage: one at the seventh layer and two at the eighth layer. They held the position of Executors and were one rank lower than Lu Hui.
Zhang Lan and Lu Hui exchanged insincere pleasantries, but Mo Hua remained silent, having no interest in socializing with such people.
Lu Hui wore a fake smile and flattered Zhang Lan for a while before expressing his desire to meet with Ji Qingbai.
Zhang Lan didn't refuse, curious to know Lu Hui's intentions. He instructed someone to invite Ji Qingbai to the Daotinsi.
Once Ji Qingbai arrived, Lu Hui got straight to the point and requested that Ji Qingbai accompany him into the mountains to rescue the young master of the Kong family, Kong Sheng.
Ji Qingbai frowned, confused. "What do you mean, Lu Chief Clerk? What does Kong Sheng's disappearance have to do with me?"
Lu Hui put on an act, pretending to be concerned for Ji Qingbai. "Brother Ji, Kong Young Master's disappearance involves you. After all, you can't just wash your hands of this matter..."
Ji Qingbai's eyes turned cold.
Ji Qingbai's anger began to surface, and he retorted, "Lu Hui, you're falsely accusing us! It was clearly Kong Sheng who went too far and crossed the line!"
Lu Hui sighed, "The truth of the matter will come to light. The wandering cultivators in the neighborhood and Kong's entourage can testify that it was you who struck Young Master Kong without provocation. Now, your words alone are not enough to prove your innocence. How do you plan to clear your name?"
It was obvious that they were trying to frame him.
Zhang Lan frowned as he listened, and Mo Hua also grew angry.
Ji Qingbai let out a cold laugh. "So, the Qingxuan City Daotinsi has become the Kong family's lapdog?"
Lu Hui's expression gradually turned solemn. "Brother Ji, you're slandering the Qingxuan City Daotinsi."
Ji Qingbai scoffed but remained silent.
Lu Hui's face turned stern as he said, "I've also heard that Young Master Kong's disappearance is somehow connected to you, Brother Ji. You colluded with local cultivators and orchestrated the whole thing. Now it seems that this accusation may not be entirely unfounded..."
"You!" Ji Qingbai exploded in fury.
Zhang Lan interjected, his eyebrows furrowed, "Are you implying, Lu Hui, that our Tongxian City has lax laws, and our cultivators collude and conspire to murder Young Master Kong?"
Lu Hui cupped his hands in a placating gesture. "Please don't take offense, Zhang Lan. These are merely rumors."
Zhang Lan's eyes turned icy. "Baseless accusations should not be spread recklessly, Lu Hui."
Lu Hui smiled dismissively, unperturbed by the rebuke. He then shifted the topic, "Whether these rumors are true or not depends on how Brother Ji handles this matter..."
"If Brother Ji lends a hand and successfully rescues Young Master Kong, these rumors will naturally be dispelled, and the Kong family will let bygones be bygones regarding your offenses. However, if you fail to do so, the Kong family will not let you and your son off the hook."
Lu Hui's gaze fixed on Ji Qingbai, a hint of darkness flashing in his eyes. "What do you think, Brother Ji?"
Ji Qingbai's expression flickered with uncertainty.
He had fled to Tongxian City to seek refuge, yet the Kong family and their lackeys were still relentless in their pursuit. All he wanted was to find a place where he could live in peace.
Ji Qingbai, helpless, could only sigh in resignation. "Very well, I shall do as you say, Lu Hui."
"Good! Then we shall venture into the mountains tomorrow."
Lu Hui nodded, a fleeting glint of maliciousness in his eyes.
After Lu Hui left, Ji Qingbai's face grew solemn.
Mo Hua asked, "Uncle Ji, that Lu Hui guy... he's not a good person, is he?"
Ji Qingbai smiled bitterly. "You've seen through him?"
Mo Hua nodded. "He's like a snake, always scheming and speaking with a forked tongue."
Ji Qingbai sighed. "Lu Hui is greedy and covetous, with a heart as ruthless as his methods are poisonous. He's the most devoted when it comes to serving the Kong family's interests."
"Has he committed many wrongdoings?"
"Whenever the Kong family commits an atrocity and someone files a complaint with the Daotinsi, Lu Hui is the one who covers it up. He uses threats, bribes, or coercion to get his way."
Ji Qingbai's expression turned somber as he continued, "Two years ago, Kong Sheng ruined a 14 or 15-year-old girl. She was so traumatized that she took her own life in shame."
"Her father went to the Daotinsi to file a complaint, but Lu Hui had him locked up in the daoist prison and tortured for several days before releasing him. The father, feeling ashamed that he couldn't protect his daughter and having lost the will to live, also ended his own life..."
"The incident caused quite a stir at the time, but in the end, nothing came of it."
Mo Hua listened, his heart turning cold. He turned to Zhang Lan and asked, "With things having come to this point, is there really no one who can do anything about it?"
Zhang Lan, equally indignant, could only sigh in frustration. "We are powerless in this matter. Local influences are deeply intertwined, and it's challenging to eradicate them."
Mo Hua suggested, "Shouldn't the Dao Court have an oversight body?"
Zhang Lan was taken aback. "How did you know that?"
"Just a guess," Mo Hua replied.
It was inconceivable that the Dao Court would delegate authority to local Daotinsi without establishing a mechanism for oversight. Otherwise, there would be no one to hold the local Daotinsi accountable if they acted lawlessly.
Zhang Lan nodded. "Indeed, the Dao Court does have an Oversight Department to monitor the conduct of local Daotinsi and ensure they abide by daoist laws. However, the Oversight Department operates discreetly and has limited resources, so they can't be everywhere at once."
Mo Hua's eyes lit up. "Uncle Zhang, you're a scion of the Zhang family, right?"
Zhang Lan had a bad feeling about where this was going. "What are you up to now?"
"Can you file a complaint with the Oversight Department?"
Zhang Lan sighed in resignation. "It's not that easy to file a complaint. Our Zhang family's influence doesn't extend everywhere in the Nine Provinces. Even the Oversight Department might not be able to handle this situation effectively."
"Let's give it a try," Mo Hua urged.
Zhang Lan sighed again. "Alright, I'll send a message back and ask about it. But don't get your hopes up. A dragon may be powerful, but it can't suppress a snake in its lair, especially in a small place like this where various forces are colluding. We may be able to trim some weeds, but we won't be able to uproot them."
"Trimming the weeds is good enough," Mo Hua said with a smile. "Thank you, Uncle Zhang."
Ji Qingbai also expressed his gratitude, bowing respectfully. "Thank you, Zhang Lan!"
Zhang Lan waved his hand dismissively. "It's the least I can do. We won't hear anything about this matter for a while, so let's focus on capturing those guilty cultivators and finding Kong Sheng first. We need to know if he's alive or dead..."
"Also, be wary of Lu Hui. He's cunning and treacherous."
Mo Hua nodded. "Don't worry."
Lu Hui...
Mo Hua silently committed the name to memory.
He had the audacity to come to Tongxian City and act so arrogantly. Well, he wouldn't be leaving anytime soon.
(End of Chapter)
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