Chapter 638: A Messenger
Chapter 638: A Messenger
At the Xie family mansion, everything that needed to be seen had been seen, and everything that needed to be found had been discovered.
With their business concluded, there was no reason to linger at the Xie residence any longer.
Mo Hua followed Gu Changhuai out, and as they reached the doorway, Mo Hua suddenly remembered something. He rummaged through his storage bag and pulled out a flask of wine.
However, the wine he had was a fruity variety, not quite suitable for the occasion.
Mo Hua looked up and asked Gu Changhuai, "Uncle Gu, do you have any strong liquor?"
Gu Changhuai was taken aback but nodded. "I do."
Without further question, he retrieved a delicate jade flask from his own storage bag and handed it to Mo Hua.
A potent aroma of alcohol wafted through the air.
Mo Hua poured the strong liquor onto the ground in front of the Xie family's door.
Images of the Xie family members, slaughtered like livestock, their twisted and mutated remains after their cruel deaths, flashed through Mo Hua's mind one by one...
Mo Hua's heart stirred, and he silently vowed,
"May you all rest in peace...
I will make sure that Hu Fotuo joins you in death..."
...
On their journey back, Mo Hua sat silently in the carriage, his brow furrowed in thought:
Why did Hu Fotuo slaughter the entire Xie family?
What did he do after that?
What was that black residue?
Why did it carry the scent of the Great Desolation's evil god?
How was this incident related to the so-called "Lord of the Great Desolation"?
Was it a sacrifice?
Were the Xie family cultivators offered as sacrifices?
Were Hu Fotuo's sinful cultivators servants of the Lord of the Great Desolation?
But what was the ritual?
And what about the fleeting vision he had witnessed—the black-purple poppy-like, ugly yet decadently alluring, heavenly cause and effect permeated with fallen desires?
Was that connected to this as well?
The strangest thing, however, was the Dao sin...
Mo Hua had always thought that Dao sins only manifested in impoverished lands where desperate and persecuted lower-class cultivators incubated their sins, giving birth to these aberrations.
But he never expected to find signs of Dao sins so close to Qian Xue Province, a thriving center of cultivation and learning, where prosperity and peace reigned.
And it seemed that...
No one else had noticed.
Was it because the art of heavenly algorithms had declined in this land of abundant learning, and no cultivator could calculate it?
Or were they all so consumed by greed and obsessed with fame and fortune that no cultivator could see it?
Or perhaps... had the heavenly secrets been obscured?
Just as the sea of flames had concealed some of Hu Fotuo's tracks, could it be that someone had covered up the matter of the Dao sins as well?
Mo Hua's brows knitted tighter as the more he thought about it, the more perplexing it became. The number of riddles in his mind only increased, and his thoughts became a tangled mess.
After thinking about it for a long time, he began to feel a headache coming on.
This time, his spiritual sense had truly been overtaxed...
Mo Hua decided to clear his mind and lie down on the soft blanket in the carriage, gazing at the passing scenery outside without a single thought in his head.
The answers would come in time, one step at a time.
First, he had to capture "Hu Fotuo"...
He had promised the deceased Xie family cultivators that he would send Hu Fotuo down to join them in death.
Even though the Xie family cultivators were already dead, their physical bodies and lingering souls extinguished, never to know anything again, Mo Hua intended to keep his word.
Mo Hua nodded to himself, his gaze resolute.
On the other hand, Gu Changhuai quietly observed Mo Hua.
Bringing Mo Hua along had been a decision born of necessity, but he had not expected the boy to surpass his expectations and uncover clues that even Gu Changhuai, as the Path Court's Master of Law, had failed to notice.
This child...
Was it because of his young age and his childlike innocence that his thinking differed from that of ordinary people?
Or was he inherently intelligent, with a keen mind and sharp spiritual sense?
Or perhaps...
There was another reason...
Gu Changhuai's heart was filled with doubts.
He realized that he could no longer view Mo Hua as a mere child of ten or so years old.
The same was true for the incident with Yu'er.
Although he was reluctant to admit it, this child might very well be able to perceive some unknown secrets that ordinary cultivators could not.
If that was the case...
Gu Changhuai's long fingers tapped lightly on the table, and after a moment of contemplation, a plan began to form in his mind...
...
As the day grew late, the sun sank in the west.
With the coming of dusk, the setting sun spilled ink across the sky, painting the evening clouds with a dazzling display of colors.
Finally, Mo Hua and his companion returned to the Gu residence.
Wen Renwan awaited them at the door, her worries easing when she saw that Mo Hua, though weary, was unharmed and whole.
She then turned her reprimands toward Gu Changhuai, "Why are you so late?
Mo Hua only has two days for his break, and he needs to resume his lessons and cultivation tomorrow. How will he catch up if he misses his lessons?"
"You're already so old, yet you still don't have a sense of propriety when it comes to doing things..."
Gu Changhuai wore an expression of helplessness as he sighed.
Ever since he was young and living with his older cousin, he had often been chastised in this manner.
Now, even at over a hundred years old and a Golden Core grand cultivator, the Master of Law of the Path Court, he couldn't escape it...
Mo Hua spoke up in Gu Changhuai's defense, "Aunt Wen, it's my fault. I was having too much fun, and that's why we're late..."
Mo Hua's face was filled with apology.
Wen Renwan patted Mo Hua's shoulder, "It's not your fault..."
Then she glared at Gu Changhuai, "Look, even Mo Hua, a child, is more sensible than you..."
Gu Changhuai's face twisted in bitterness.
Mo Hua could only give him a helpless look, unable to offer any assistance in the face of Aunt Wen's scolding.
When they finished eating, the sky had darkened, so Wen Renwan decided to send the two children back to Tai Xu Men personally.
"Sister, I'll send them off," Gu Changhuai offered.
Wen Renwan glanced at him and said gently, "You go and rest. The affairs of the Daoting Si are busy, don't overwork yourself."
Gu Changhuai was taken aback, a warm feeling spreading through him, though it didn't show on his face.
Without another word, Wen Renwan hugged Yu'er and boarded the carriage.
Mo Hua, his belly full, followed happily behind and climbed into the carriage as well.
"Mo Hua."
Gu Changhuai suddenly called out.
Mo Hua turned around, a hint of confusion on his face.
Gu Changhuai hesitated for a moment before taking out a token and handing it to him.
The token was made of white jade, smooth and lustrous, but it had no inscriptions, leaving Mo Hua unsure of its purpose.
He took the token doubtfully, examining it briefly before his heart skipped a beat. "Uncle Gu, this is..."
"A transmission token," Gu Changhuai replied, his expression somewhat reluctant. "From now on, if there's anything, use this jade token to send me a message..."
"But there are restrictions on this token. If we're not in the same province, I won't receive your messages..."
"Sometimes when I'm on official business, I can't carry the transmission token, so I won't receive your messages then either..."
"Be careful when using it, don't lose it or break it..."
"Although it's only a second-grade transmission token, it's not easy to come by, especially this Daoting Si custom-made one with good confidentiality. You won't be able to buy it anywhere, even with spirit stones..."
Despite his stern expression, Gu Changhuai went into great detail, "considerately" explaining the precautions to Mo Hua.
"Yes, yes!"
Mo Hua took the jade token happily.
A transmission token! A complete and intact one with all its functions intact! Mo Hua's eyes sparkled with excitement.
As Gu Changhuai saw the look in Mo Hua's eyes, he felt a twinge of unease.
Suddenly, he felt that he perhaps... shouldn't have given this transmission token to Mo Hua.
And this feeling was very strong.
It was like...
Feeding a wolf while holding a rabbit...
This was his intuition as the Master of Law of the Daoting Si.
But since he had already given it away, he couldn't very well take it back, could he?
That would seem... impolite? Gu Changhuai frowned.
In that instant, Mo Hua seemed to sense Gu Changhuai's thoughts. His small hand moved swiftly, leaving behind an afterimage as he swiftly stored the transmission token away.
He didn't give Gu Changhuai any time to react or change his mind; the token was safely tucked into Mo Hua's storage bag!
"Thank you, Uncle Gu!" Mo Hua said cheerfully.
Gu Changhuai was taken aback but could only grit his teeth and "make the best of a bad situation." "You're welcome..." he said stiffly.
Wen Renwan, inside the carriage, witnessed this exchange and was surprised.
She had watched this cousin of hers grow up since he was a child. He had always been somewhat reclusive and proud, rarely speaking more than a few words to people.
But now, he was getting along so "well" with Mo Hua.
He had even taken the initiative to give Mo Hua a gift.
It was like the sun rising in the west.
Her decision seemed to be the right one...
Wen Renwan felt relieved.
Mo Hua, with the transmission token safely tucked away, bade Gu Changhuai farewell and boarded the Gu family carriage with Wen Renwan. They set off back to Tai Xu Men, with Yu'er by his side.
The sky grew darker as night fell.
The carriage traveled along the road, flanked by long stretches of pitch-black night on either side, dotted with faint yellow lights.
It was quiet and serene.
The clopping of horse hooves accompanied the carriage on its journey.
Mo Hua had been running around all day and night, from Luan City's Dao Prison to the ruins of the Xie family, without much rest.
Now that he had relaxed, and with Aunt Wen by his side, drowsiness washed over him.
His eyelids grew heavy, and soon, he slowly closed his eyes and fell into a peaceful sleep.
His breathing was even, and his dark eyelashes, against his pale cheeks, gave him a pure and adorable look. In the glow of the lights, he looked like a stunning painting.
Wen Renwan glanced at him and was amazed.
This child, Mo Hua, was so handsome.
His aura was upright, his eyebrows soft, and he naturally exuded two contrasting qualities—a clear and jade-like beauty.
He was still young, with a hint of childishness that made him all the more adorable.
When he grew up, he would undoubtedly be extremely handsome.
It was just a matter of which lucky girl would end up with him...
A smile played at the corners of Wen Renwan's mouth as she indulged in these thoughts. She then gently covered Mo Hua with a blanket.
When Mo Hua woke up, they had arrived at Tai Xu Men.
After bidding farewell to Wen Renwan, he held Yu'er's hand and walked through the mountain gate of Tai Xu Men.
Yu'er was reluctant to leave her mother, turning back repeatedly with moist eyes.
Wen Renwan also found it hard to let go but gently waved goodbye.
At the foot of Tai Xu Mountain, the cold night wind blew.
Wen Renwan stood alone in the night, watching as Yu'er, led by Mo Hua, walked into the brightly lit Tai Xu Men.
His understanding of array formations also deepened with each passing moment he spent studying them.
Whenever he had free time, he would tinker with the transmission token that Uncle Gu had given him.
This was his first time using such a token.
Although the Tai Xu Token could also transmit messages, its functions were too diverse, and the internal array formations were far too complex for him to comprehend.
Unlike the token in his hand, whose function was simple and structure singular.
Whenever Mo Hua sent a message, he could sense the manifestation of magnetic ink, the changes in the unstable magnetic patterns, and even the faint response of secondary thunder patterns.
The array logic of the transmission token was based on a standard beacon fire primal magnetic array but with added complexity.
To understand this application of array formations, and also to inquire about Hu Fotuo, Mo Hua would send messages to Gu Changhuai whenever he had free time:
"Uncle Gu?"
Gu Changhuai did not reply.
After a while, Mo Hua sent another message, "Uncle Gu..."
Still, Gu Changhuai remained silent.
"Is the transmission token broken?"
"Didn't you receive it?"
Mo Hua muttered to himself, then continued, "Uncle Gu?"
"Uncle Gu?"
"Are you there?"
Perhaps exasperated by the constant interruptions, the other party finally responded:
"I'm not here."
Mo Hua: "If you're not there, then who's replying to me?"
Gu Changhuai seemed to be irritated beyond measure, but after a while, he calmed down and asked, "What's the matter?"
Mo Hua: "Have you found out anything about that black residue?"
"Not yet, it takes time..."
"What about the transmission token from Flower Young Master? Was there any information on it?"
"No..."
Gu Changhuai had only typed halfway when he paused, "How did you know that was a transmission token?"
Mo Hua: "I could tell at a glance!"
That day, after Flower Young Master died in the Dao Prison, Uncle Gu searched through his storage bag.
Mo Hua kept a close eye on him and noticed that his expression changed when he pulled out a jade slip. Thus, Mo Hua guessed that the jade slip must be something important.
Mo Hua suspected it was a transmission token.
Initially, he wasn't sure, but judging from Uncle Gu's tone, it was now evident that it was.
Gu Changhuai was a little frustrated:
"Can't you come up with a better excuse?"
"You figured it out at a glance..."
Do you have three eyes or something?
Mo Hua sent a message, "These are trivial matters, no need to worry about them."
Then, he quickly changed the subject, "Uncle Gu, is there any clue from the transmission token?"
"I can't tell you that."
"Nothing, huh..."
Gu Changhuai was helpless, "How can you be so sure there's nothing?"
"I'm just guessing, but I'm certain there's nothing. The information on it must have been erased..."
Mo Hua had experience with this.
If Flower Young Master hadn't erased the information himself, then it was likely that a "mole" within the Path Court had done so.
But it had definitely been wiped clean.
He had a similar token, which had been erased, taken from that "Bald Eagle," who, despite his name, wore a wig, and had the four symbols and eagle claw formation tattooed on his head.
Mo Hua had always wanted to restore the erased writing on that transmission token.
However, his understanding of primal magnetic arrays was limited, and his skills were not yet sufficient to "decrypt" or "unlock" them.
He couldn't "restore" the magnetic patterns and text yet.
The principle of "restoration" was far more complex.
Mo Hua hadn't figured it out yet.
Gu Changhuai, who was working at the Path Court, sighed.
He looked around, feeling as if Mo Hua had set up some kind of surveillance array on him, watching his every move...
Or perhaps this kid was just incredibly perceptive and could predict his every action...
Gu Changhuai shook his head, "Yes, it was erased..."
Mo Hua immediately asked, "Can it be restored?"
"It's hard to say."
"Hard to say" meant it was possible to restore, not that it couldn't be done...
In other words, the Path Court had a way to restore transmission tokens? Or at least a method to do so?
Mo Hua asked curiously, "How would one go about restoring it?"
Gu Changhuai was cautious, "Why do you ask?"
Mo Hua used magnetic ink to manifest a "smiley face" and replied, "Just curious..."
Gu Changhuai, "I'm not an array master."
In other words, he didn't know the specifics of how to "restore" it.
Mo Hua felt a bit disappointed but asked, "Then who do you get to restore transmission tokens?"
Before Gu Changhuai could answer, Mo Hua suddenly remembered, "The Celestial Pivot Cabinet?"
Gu Changhuai was taken aback.
Mo Hua, "Is that right?"
Gu Changhuai, "How do you know about that?"
Mo Hua thought for a moment, "I inquired about it within the sect. Primal magnetic arrays are confidential, and most array masters don't learn them."
"Even if the Path Court's externally hired array masters know the basics, they still wouldn't be able to decipher the magnetic patterns."
"Because 'restoring' a transmission token involves complex array principles..."
I haven't learned that yet...
Mo Hua pondered, then continued sending messages, "If the externally hired array masters of the Celestial Pivot Cabinet can't do it, then we can only turn to the central Path Court's Celestial Pivot Cabinet."
"The Celestial Pivot Cabinet is under the Central Path Court, and they are responsible for the appraisal of array masters. With their vast knowledge of arrays and countless grandmasters, they must be able to 'restore' transmission tokens..."
Mo Hua laid out his reasoning logically.
But the fact was, Mo Hua's guesses were spot on, and he was right about everything.
He was just like a "little charlatan"...
"Gu Changhuai: "I guess so..."
Mo Hua asked curiously, "Can it really be 'restored'?"
Gu Changhuai: "It's hard to say."
Mo Hua drew a "speechless" face.
Gu Changhuai sighed helplessly and explained, "Restoring a transmission token is very troublesome. Indeed, it must be entrusted to the Celestial Pivot Cabinet..."
"I have an old friend in the Celestial Pivot Cabinet of the Central Path Court, so I entrusted the transmission token to him..."
Mo Hua exclaimed, "Uncle Gu, you actually have an old friend?"
With such a bad temper and poor interpersonal skills, he actually had a friend...
Gu Changhuai was speechless, and he sent an emoji: ":Are you done yet?"
"Oh oh."
Mo Hua immediately behaved.
Gu Changhuai organized his thoughts and continued, "I entrusted the Flower Young Master's transmission token to the Celestial Pivot Cabinet, asking them to 'restore' it..."
"But this process is time-consuming, costly, and the application procedure is cumbersome..."
"Primordial magnetic arrays are quite specialized, and not all formation masters can master them."
"And those who can truly 'restore' transmission tokens are undoubtedly eminent grand formation masters with lofty statuses and limited time. They might not even have the time to 'restore' such a small transmission token for a second-rate Path Court like us..."
"Moreover, the Path Court is subordinate to the Central Path Court. In terms of status and authority, even a fifth-rate Path Court is far inferior to the Celestial Pivot Cabinet, one of the Seven Star Pavilions..."
"Whether they are willing to help depends on their time, mood, and even their whims..."
Gu Changhuai added with displeasure, "Formation masters sure have huge egos..."
Mo Hua said, "I'm a formation master too, but I don't have a big ego!"
Gu Changhuai looked disdainful, "Are you even a second-rate formation master?"
"I have the strength of a second-rate master, I just haven't been officially ranked yet."
"Oh." Gu Changhuai was noncommittal, "That's what every unranked formation master says."
Mo Hua huffed coldly, deciding not to explain himself to Gu Changhuai, this "formation illiterate."
Mo Hua said, "What if... the Celestial Pivot Cabinet refuses to 'restore' this transmission token? Can you let me give it a try?"
Gu Changhuai was silent for a long time without a reply.
After an unknown period, he finally responded with a single character:
"You?"
Mo Hua sensed strong skepticism.
He was a little displeased.
Don't underestimate the youth.
Although he didn't know how to do it yet, he already knew how to unseal and decrypt. The next step of "restoring" the magnetic patterns was only a matter of time.
He just needed to do more research.
Mo Hua huffed coldly.
Once he learned how to "restore" the magnetic patterns, Uncle Gu would have to depend on him.
As an investigator, he would surely encounter situations where he needed to restore transmission tokens. When that time came, he would definitely come begging for his help...
Mo Hua felt a sense of satisfaction thinking about Gu Changhuai's future pleading.
However, since he didn't know how to do it yet, he decided to remain low-key for now.
Mo Hua: "I'm learning..."
Gu Changhuai didn't know what to say, so he replied perfunctorily, "Alright, we'll talk about it after you've learned how to do it..."
"I have other things to do, so don't bother me."
Gu Changhuai added, "Only contact me if it's important!"
"This transmission token is not for you to chat idly!"
After that, Gu Changhuai didn't respond anymore.
Mo Hua was perplexed.
He had been discussing serious matters...
At most, he had just been a little talkative...
Was there anything more important than discussing clues about capturing Hu Fotuo?
If not this, then what else could they talk about? Mo Hua shook his head.
Uncle Gu really didn't know how to communicate. No wonder he had such poor relationships, and people didn't want to associate with him.
It was only because of his good nature that he didn't hold Gu Changhuai's bad temper against him...
However, even though he didn't hold it against him, he still shouldn't be looked down upon.
Mo Hua decided to set everything else aside and first learn how to "restore" transmission tokens to show Gu Changhuai.
He wanted to prove himself.
In the future, when Gu Changhuai needed his help, he would show him some "colors."
Moreover, Gu Changhuai had said that only grand formation masters of the Celestial Pivot Cabinet could restore magnetic patterns.
Grand formation masters! Then he must also learn how to do it and become a grand formation master in the future! Mo Hua nodded, then began to search through his merit manuals and some primordial magnetic formation books to study the principles of restoring magnetic patterns in the transmission token.
He wanted to deepen his understanding of primordial magnetic formations, building upon his knowledge of unsealing and decryption, to achieve a more advanced level of formation application...
(End of Chapter)
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