Chapter 460: The Lu Family
Chapter 460: The Lu Family
The Lu family's mine was a zombie mine, housing zombies within.
The five missing miners who met gruesome ends were devoured by the zombies lurking within the mine.
Zhang Quan killed, bought corpses, and refined them into zombies, sending the finished products to the Lu family.
The Lu family then hid these zombies within their mine, setting up intricate arrays to seal them away from prying eyes.
Mo Hua furrowed his brows.
What exactly was the Lu family planning?
And what position did this traitor from Little Spirit Seclusion Sect hold in the Lu family?
Mo Hua glanced at the heavily guarded mine.
To be able to mobilize so many people and resources, set up arrays, and guard the mine, this traitor must hold a position of significant power within the Lu family, perhaps an elder with real authority or a highly respected guest advisor.
As long as they could uncover the identity of this traitor, everything would fall into place.
"But who could this traitor be…?"
Mo Hua was stumped for the time being, and he continued to ponder this even after returning.
Even during meals, his mind would wander, and he would often zone out in the middle of eating.
Bai Zixi nudged him with her elbow and whispered, "Focus on your meal."
"Oh," Mo Hua snapped out of his reverie and nodded.
Bai Zisheng leaned in and asked softly, "What are you thinking about?"
Mo Hua glanced at Mr. Zhuang and seeing that he was preoccupied with his drink and paying no attention to their quiet conversation, he replied in a low voice, "I'm thinking about the Lu family's matter."
"What about them?" Bai Zisheng's eyes lit up.
Mo Hua hesitated for a moment, then decided there was no need to hide it from his senior martial brother and sister. So, he told them about the traitor from Little Spirit Seclusion Sect, the Lu family's mine, and their involvement with zombies.
Bai Zisheng smacked his lips, "I knew the Lu family was up to no good."
Then, he furrowed his brows, a look of self-doubt crossing his face, "Do you think the Bai family might also be…?"
Bai Zixi sighed, "The Bai family rose to prominence through military achievements."
Bai Zisheng paused, then relaxed, "That's right… those were earned on the battlefield, through open and honest means."
Bai Zisheng then asked Mo Hua, "So, what do you plan to do now?"
"I want to find the traitor from Little Spirit Seclusion Sect who's hiding within the Lu family."
Mo Hua thought aloud, "The complete Ling Shu Array is definitely with him; he's probably the one who bought the zombies from Zhang Quan; and he's likely the one orchestrating the Lu family's hoarding of zombies and the establishment of the zombie mine…"
"Do you need our help?"
Bai Zisheng was eager to lend a hand.
Bai Zixi also looked at Mo Hua, her meaning clear.
Mo Hua hesitated for a moment, then nodded, "Okay."
Many hands make light work, and with the help of his senior martial siblings, things should go much more smoothly.
Mr. Zhuang took a sip of his drink and glanced at his three junior disciples huddled together, whispering and planning. A look of satisfaction crossed his face.
Suddenly, a wave of nostalgia washed over him.
In his mind's eye, he saw his three junior disciples from years ago, practicing cultivation and playing together.
But in the blink of an eye, everything had changed.
Time flies, and nothing stays the same.
Mr. Zhuang's expression turned pensive, and he let out a soft sigh…
…
After the meal, Mo Hua and his senior martial siblings went their separate ways to gather information about the Lu family.
Mo Hua sought out Ya Ren first.
The same quick-witted and eloquent Ya Ren who had sold him the cave abode.
When Ya Ren saw Mo Hua, his expression was respectful, and beneath that respect was a hint of wariness.
Mo Hua addressed him by name, and Ya Ren looked hesitant, "Young Master, would you perhaps consider choosing someone else?"
"Why?" Mo Hua asked, puzzled.
Ya Ren forced a smile.
The last time he had brought Mo Hua to view a cave abode, Mo Hua's sharp eyes had picked out over a dozen flaws, pointing out all the shortcomings of the array. He had then slashed the price by almost half.
Now, as he looked into Mo Hua's clear yet profound eyes, he felt a sense of trepidation.
While Zheng Gongzi hadn't blamed him for that incident, Ya Ren still couldn't hold his head high in front of his peers.
His peers had even given him the nickname "Half-Price."
It implied that when negotiating with him, one should start by halving the asking price.
Ya Ren tried to decline politely, "I'm afraid my abilities are insufficient, so I…"
Mo Hua slipped two spirit stones into his hand and reassured him, "I just want to look, I'm not buying."
The warmth of the spirit stones seemed to spread through Ya Ren's heart.
Ya Ren hesitated for a moment, then asked hopefully, "You really just want to look and not buy?"
"Mhm."
Mo Hua's expression was sincere, and his eyes held an air of innocence.
Ya Ren couldn't bring himself to refuse Mo Hua, and of course, he couldn't refuse the spirit stones in his hand.
Moreover, Mo Hua had said he wasn't buying.
If he wasn't buying, there would be no haggling…
"Alright."
Ya Ren readily agreed.
And so, he led the way, guiding Mo Hua through the northern street of Nanyue City, where they visited several cave abodes that belonged to the Lu family.
Mo Hua also took the opportunity to ask about the Lu family.
As they talked, Ya Ren began to sense that something was amiss.
However, he didn't dare ask directly and could only hint at it, "Young Master, do you have some sort of grudge against the Lu family?"
"It's not really a grudge…"
Mo Hua feigned embarrassment, "It's just… the head of the Lu family wants me to marry a woman from their family, and since I'm new here, I thought I'd quietly ask around about the Lu family…"
Marry into the Lu family?
In this day and age, who among those with true talent would willingly become a son-in-law?
Ya Ren still held favorable impressions of Mo Hua. Even though Mo Hua had deeply hurt him during the negotiation, Ya Ren still felt conflicted as he advised, "Young Master, what I'm about to say may not be pleasant, but the Lu family... they're not really a good bunch. If you're considering joining them, it's best to be cautious..."
Mo Hua's eyes flickered, and he sighed, "I don't want to, but..."
Mo Hua's face reddened slightly, "The Lu family's young lady is indeed... very beautiful."
Ya Ren was taken aback, furrowing his brows before nodding in agreement. "Indeed."
This reason of good looks was indeed indisputable.
For the sake of a beautiful and beloved woman, he would marry into her family.
Mo Hua's expression was innocent and sincere.
Ya Ren had no doubts about his intentions.
He even became more enthusiastic, and without Mo Hua needing to ask, he poured out everything he knew about the Lu family.
"The one with the most power in the Lu family is the family head, who is rumored to have reached the mid-stage of foundation establishment..."
"Below the family head are some powerful elders, one or two of them at the mid-stage of foundation establishment, while most of the others are at the early-stage. They are all confidants of the family head and are considered the core members of the Lu family..."
"If you're considering becoming a son-in-law, you'll want to choose from among these branches..."
"It's best if you can find someone related to the family head, that way you'll gain his favor, and your future prospects will be brighter."
"In addition, there are also some guest advisors."
"Their status is lofty, and their power varies. Most of them have connections with other families or sects."
"Of course, among these guests, there are also some low-key and mysterious ones who keep a low profile."
"If you have good judgment and manage to marry into one of their families, you might gain access to some secret inheritances that could bring unexpected surprises."
"Below the powerful elders are the regular elders."
"They are ordinary, without much power; some are from collateral branches with distant blood relations, and some are marginal guest advisors or incompetent attendants."
"There's no need to associate with them..."
"Especially for someone like you, a formation master."
"Of course." Ya Ren paused before continuing, "Unless their younger generation female cultivators are exceptionally beautiful, captivating nations and cities. In that case, it's a different story."
Ya Ren thought for a moment and then advised, "But even so, in my opinion, it's still best not to marry into that family."
"Looks can't fill your stomach, and you shouldn't let your emotions cloud your judgment and path in life..."
"When considering marriage, you should focus on power and interests, not impulsive decisions based on momentary attraction to beauty..."
Ya Ren's words were reasonable and persuasive.
Suddenly, he glanced at Mo Hua again, feeling a sense of pity, and asked, "Young Master, have you considered that little senior martial sister of yours?"
Mo Hua was taken aback, "Consider what?"
"Marriage?"
This time, Mo Hua's face truly reddened, and he replied with a hint of annoyance, "She's my senior martial sister!"
Ya Ren thought to himself, "So what if she's your senior martial sister? She's a perfect match for you..."
They were from the same sect and had grown up together.
Moreover, she was truly beautiful.
Elegant and pure, she had a noble aura about her.
Standing together, they looked like a perfect couple—a golden boy and jade girl.
However, these were just thoughts that Ya Ren dared not voice aloud.
After that, Mo Hua asked more questions about the Lu family, even noting down the names of the elders, guest advisors, and attendants he heard about.
He planned to investigate them thoroughly when he returned to identify the most likely traitor from the Little Spirit Seclusion Sect.
Ya Ren mistakenly believed that Mo Hua was considering the marriage proposal, and he felt a sense of regret.
After that, Mo Hua went to the South Joy Inn and looked for Qing Lan.
After the incident at the Hundred Flowers Tower, Situ Fang had asked the madam for Qing Lan's contract and brought her out, arranging for her to stay at the inn.
Qing Lan helped with the cleaning and cooking, supporting herself.
Having come from a poor miner family, she was hardworking and diligent. After leaving the Hundred Flowers Tower, she no longer compromised her principles to please others, and her entire demeanor improved.
Seeing Mo Hua, Qing Lan felt both grateful and happy.
She personally brewed tea and served pastries for Mo Hua.
Mo Hua asked, "Sister Qing Lan, may I ask you some questions about the Lu family?"
Qing Lan was slightly taken aback but quickly nodded, "Of course, ask away. I'll tell you everything I know."
Mo Hua thought for a moment and then started his questions from Jin Hua Street.
Qing Lan had stayed on Jin Hua Street for a long time and had interacted with many cultivators, so she should have heard quite a few rumors.
Qing Lan pondered for a moment before slowly speaking, "The matters on Jin Hua Street started with the now-deceased old ancestor of the Lu family..."
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
