Chapter 797: Suicide
Chapter 797: Suicide
This piece of news came from Hao Xu, or more specifically, his cousin Hao Se.
Hao Xu had performed poorly in his year-end assessment, especially in swordsmanship. Ever since he got addicted to using the staff, he rarely practiced with his sword, and over time, his swordsmanship skills deteriorated.
In a sect filled with prodigies, stagnation in skill improvement meant falling behind.
As a result, Hao Xu only managed to achieve a "C" grade in swordsmanship. Although he was slightly better than Mo Hua in reality, their grades were more or less the same.
However, Mo Hua's exceptional talent in formations overshadowed his weaknesses, and his limited aptitude in other areas was not scrutinized. Moreover, without a family background and his parents by his side, he was left to his own devices in his cultivation, with no one to supervise him.
Even if his parents had been around, upon learning that Mo Hua had achieved a "First Rank Sixth Place" ranking within the Qing Xue state, a region filled with formidable sects, and among the countless talented disciples of Tai Xu Men, they would have only felt proud of him.
After all, he had started from a very low base, and any achievement would have been hard-earned.
The same could not be said for Hao Xu.
He came from a family with intense competition and strict expectations. His parents attached great importance to his academic performance in the sect.
For a cultivator of his age, their "academic performance" in the sect often represented their entire sense of worth.
Thus, Hao Xu's "C" grade felt like the sky was falling.
His parents and elders of the same lineage all wore disapproving expressions.
Hao Xu lived in constant fear throughout the year.
He became even more reluctant to stay in his family, so he took refuge in Tai Xu Men as a second-best option.
His excuse to his parents was:
"I am ashamed of my poor performance, and I want to work hard and strive for improvement. Therefore, I will stay in the sect to focus on my cultivation and make up for my shortcomings. I won't be returning home for the holidays."
This excuse was something he had learned from his "senior brother" Mo Hua.
Hao Xu's parents did not object.
Not only did they not object, but they also felt that Hao Xu was courageous in the face of shame and was determined to improve.
Although he had performed poorly this time, as long as he was willing to put in effort, it was not too late.
His parents were comforted by this thought.
And so, Hao Xu stayed in Tai Xu Men to spend the holidays with Mo Hua.
He did indeed dedicate himself to cultivation, practicing swordsmanship or staff techniques, or consulting Mo Hua about formations. He was not slacking off, so he wasn't lying to his parents.
As the holidays drew near, his parents' concern for their "hard-working" son prompted them to send his cousin, Hao Se, back to the sect to bring him some delicious food.
At that moment, Hao Xu was in the disciples' residence, studying formations with Mo Hua.
Hao Se placed seven or eight food boxes of various sizes, with jujube-colored borders, on the table and said, "Hao Xu, I brought you some food."
After finishing speaking, he bowed to Mo Hua and said, "Junior Brother, happy holidays."
"Happy holidays..."
Mo Hua returned the greeting, but his expression was somewhat dazed.
He was not very familiar with Hao Se, and he only vaguely remembered that there seemed to be such a disciple in the same cohort as him in Tai Xu Men. However, he didn't have a deep impression of him.
Whether it was undertaking sect missions or hunting demons in Refining Demon Mountain, they seemed to have never crossed paths.
He couldn't even remember his name.
Hao Xu introduced him, "This is my cousin, Hao Se. He's one year older than me, but we started our cultivation journey together. Since we are of similar age and cultivation level, we both entered Tai Xu Men at the same time."
"Oh." Mo Hua nodded.
"Hao Se..."
No matter how he listened to it, the name sounded strange.
Hao Se had a lively personality and was quite outgoing.
Although Mo Hua didn't know him well, Hao Se seemed to know him.
After all, in the entire Tai Xu Men, among the thousand-plus disciples of their cohort, there was only one "senior brother."
During the holidays, the noble clans were bustling with people and overly noisy, with too many rituals to observe.
Hao Se, who rarely had the chance to get out, didn't want to go back just yet, so he joined Hao Xu and Mo Hua in the disciples' residence, eating spiritual meals, drinking spiritual wine, and chatting.
In the midst of their conversation, Hao Se's expression suddenly turned somber, and he sighed, "A senior sister from Hundred Flowers Valley has passed away."
This statement came out of the blue.
Mo Hua, who was happily munching on a chicken leg, paused for a moment as his brain froze, "What?"
Hao Se repeated, "A senior sister from Hundred Flowers Valley has passed away..."
Mo Hua was stunned for a moment, looking at Hao Se, his mind filled with a thousand thoughts, unsure where to begin asking.
How could a senior sister from Hundred Flowers Valley have died?
You're not a disciple of Hundred Flowers Valley... How would you know about this?
Moreover, what does the death of a senior sister from Hundred Flowers Valley have to do with you?
Hao Xu sighed, somewhat reluctant to speak, but since there were no outsiders in the disciples' residence, he said, "My cousin here... his lifelong wish is to become a disciple of Hundred Flowers Valley..."
Mo Hua was taken aback, "Does Hundred Flowers Valley accept male disciples?"
Hao Se shook his head, his disappointment evident, "They don't."
Intrigued, Mo Hua asked, "Then how do you plan to become a disciple of Hundred Flowers Valley?"
Hao Se replied solemnly, "Precisely because Hundred Flowers Valley does not accept male disciples, my life's ambition is to push for reforms in the valley, so that they will also accept male cultivators. Failing that, I would be content with them accepting male cultivators as elder guests. That way, even if I can't become a disciple after graduating from Tai Xu Men, I can still strive to become an elder of Hundred Flowers Valley in my lifetime..."
Mo Hua's mouth hung open, at a loss for words.
Indeed, there were all sorts of people in the world.
"But such reforms are unlikely to succeed, aren't they? I can't imagine Hundred Flowers Valley ever accepting male cultivators, even as guest elders," Mo Hua added.
"Yes, the prospects are bleak..."
Hao Se's expression turned gloomy, and he finally clenched his teeth, "If all else fails, I've heard that the Union Sect has a technique that can reverse yin and yang. I..."
Hao Xu immediately covered his mouth, "Stop right there, cousin! Don't say another word! If Uncle or Aunt hears about this, they will definitely break your legs."
Mo Hua was also shocked, feeling a sense of admiration for this brother in a strange way.
In a sense, this guy was a tough one.
However, he was also puzzled and asked, "Why do you want to join Hundred Flowers Valley so badly?"
Hao Se replied earnestly:
"There's no particular reason. It's just an ordinary 'life dream,' and if it's a life dream, does it need a reason?
Hao Se repeated, "A senior sister from the Hundred Flowers Valley has taken her own life..."
Mo Hua was stunned for a moment, his eyes fixed on Hao Se as his mind raced with questions.
How could a senior sister from the Hundred Flowers Valley have died, and why?
You don't belong to the Hundred Flowers Valley... How did you come to know about this?
Moreover, why does the death of a senior sister from another sect affect you so much?
Hao Xu sighed, reluctant to speak further, but since there were no outsiders present, he said, "My cousin here... his lifelong wish is to become a disciple of the Hundred Flowers Valley. That's why he's so affected by this news."
Mo Hua was taken aback, "Does the Hundred Flowers Valley accept male disciples?"
Hao Se shook his head, his disappointment evident, "No, they don't."
Intrigued, Mo Hua asked, "Then how do you plan to fulfill this dream of yours?"
Hao Se replied solemnly, "Precisely because the Hundred Flowers Valley does not accept male cultivators, my ambition is to push for reforms within the valley, so they will also open their doors to male cultivators. If that fails, I would be content if they accepted male cultivators as elder guests. That way, even if I can't become a disciple after graduating from Tai Xu Men, I can still strive to become an elder of the Hundred Flowers Valley in my lifetime..."
Mo Hua was left speechless, his mouth hanging open in surprise.
Indeed, there were all sorts of dreams and aspirations in the world.
"But such reforms are unlikely to succeed, aren't they? I can't imagine the Hundred Flowers Valley ever accepting male cultivators, even as guest elders," Mo Hua added, curious about Hao Se's response.
"Yes, the prospects are bleak..." Hao Se's expression turned gloomy, and he finally clenched his teeth, revealing a desperate plan, "If all else fails, I've heard that the Union Sect possesses a technique that can reverse yin and yang. I..."
Hao Xu immediately interrupted, covering Hao Se's mouth, "Stop right there, cousin! Don't say another word! If Uncle or Aunt hears about this, they will definitely break your legs."
Mo Hua was shocked and couldn't help but feel a strange sense of admiration for Hao Se's determination.
In a sense, this guy had an unwavering will.
However, he was also puzzled and asked, "Why do you want to join the Hundred Flowers Valley so badly? Is there a particular reason?"
Hao Se replied earnestly:
"There's no specific reason. It's just an ordinary 'life dream.' And if it's a life dream, does it need a reason?"
Hao Xu remained silent, his eyes downcast as he played with his chicken leg. Suddenly, he looked up and asked, "Hao Se, you said a senior sister from the Hundred Flowers Valley committed suicide. What exactly happened?"
Hao Se's expression turned sorrowful as he replied, "I often wander near the Hundred Flowers Valley, so I've gotten to know a few of the senior sisters there..."
"How did you get to know them?" Mo Hua asked, curious about the details.
"By getting beaten up a few times," Hao Se answered nonchalantly.
Mo Hua was speechless.
Hao Xuan felt embarrassed but explained, "My cousin here... whenever he had free time, he would wander around the Hundred Flowers Valley. The disciples there mistook his intentions and taught him a lesson. After the misunderstanding was cleared up, they got to know each other."
This was true; they became acquainted through a "beating"...
Hao Se waved his hand dismissively, "That's a minor detail. Everyone faces some small setbacks in life. Let's get back to the main story..."
Hao Se took a sip of wine and continued, "During the holidays, I sent some gifts to the senior sisters of the Hundred Flowers Valley, but I noticed they seemed troubled. I asked them if something had happened, but they were reluctant to speak. After assuring them that I wouldn't tell anyone, they finally confided in me..."
At this point, Hao Se looked at Mo Hua and Hao Xu, "You two must also promise not to tell anyone else, or I won't be able to continue."
Both Mo Hua and Hao Xu silently nodded their agreement.
Satisfied, Hao Se continued, "The senior sisters told me that during the holidays, most of the disciples returned to their families to celebrate, but there were also some who stayed back at the valley due to various reasons, such as living far away, needing to retake exams, or having other commitments."
"On the day of the festival, everything seemed normal, but then a fire suddenly broke out in one of the disciple residences."
"The fire wasn't too large, and the elders who were on duty quickly put it out. The fire didn't spread, and there wasn't much damage."
"Initially, the elders were angry, thinking that one of the disciples had been negligent and left their dan furnace unattended, causing the fire."
"However, when one of the elders entered the burnt residence to investigate, their expression changed drastically."
"Inside the residence, they found a charred body. A female disciple had burned to death during the holiday celebrations..."
Mo Hua's eyes narrowed, and he asked, "Was it a suicide?"
Hao Se shook his head, "I don't know. The Hundred Flowers Valley investigated, but they found no signs of anyone else being involved. There were no traces of anyone else in the room, only that senior sister."
"This incident even caught the attention of the Valley Master."
"But even the Valley Master and the elders couldn't find any other clues, and they finally concluded that it was a case of suicide..."
Hao Se relayed all the information he had gathered.
Mo Hua furrowed his brows, a sense of unease growing within him.
He felt that there was something amiss with this incident, but it was a matter concerning the Hundred Flowers Valley.
Mo Hua had his hands full with his own cultivation, classes, studying formations, and investigating the Water Yanluo, so he didn't have the time to delve into this matter.
Moreover, the Hundred Flowers Valley not only didn't accept male disciples but also prohibited any male cultivators from entering.
Even if he wanted to look into it, he wouldn't be able to.
As for the senior sister who had ended her life during her youth, Mo Hua could only sigh and feel sorry for her in his heart.
Hao Se also wore a sorrowful expression, his eyes downcast.
Seeing the somber atmosphere, Hao Xu spoke up, "Let's not dwell on this topic anymore. The Hundred Flowers Valley will handle this matter, and we have our own concerns. Let's talk about something else."
Hao Se nodded in agreement.
He had wanted to share his feelings with someone, and now that he had, he felt a little better.
Additionally, it wasn't uncommon for sect disciples to commit suicide or meet with unfortunate accidents in the Qian Xue State.
There had even been cases of male and female disciples from noble families taking their own lives together due to arranged marriages they disagreed with.
With so many people, all sorts of things could happen.
Hao Xu steered the conversation toward a different topic, leaving the previous subject behind.
The three of them continued to eat, drink, and chat for a while longer before Hao Se had to leave to return to his clan.
Just as he was about to depart, Mo Hua suddenly asked, as if compelled by some unknown force, "Hao Se, do you know the name of the senior sister who committed suicide?"
Hao Se thought for a moment and shook his head, "I don't know. I've never met her, but I believe her surname was 'Ye'..."
'Ye'?
Mo Hua's pupils contracted, and an image flashed in his mind.
A face shaped like a goose egg, delicate features, skin as smooth as jade, and a hint of melancholy in her brows and eyes, she looked both introverted and somewhat aloof.
Senior Sister Ye?!
Mo Hua had met this Senior Sister Ye just a few days ago. She had been dressed like a walking garden of flowers, and her beauty had exceeded that of the flowers themselves. And now, just a few days later, she had suddenly died?
Mo Hua frowned, unsure if he had guessed correctly, "Could it be that I'm mistaken... Maybe it wasn't that Senior Sister Ye?"
There could be other disciples with the surname 'Ye' in the Hundred Flowers Valley, and the suicide could have been someone else.
However, despite his attempt to reassure himself, Mo Hua couldn't shake off the unsettling feeling in his heart.
Murong Siyuan's expression turned to one of surprise as she asked, "Who told you about this?"
"A friend I happened to meet, someone with a slight connection to the Hundred Flowers Valley," Mo Hua replied.
He did not mention Hao Se's name.
Murong Siyuan's expression became pensive, and she let out a soft sigh. "Yes, it was Jin'er..."
"Jin'er?"
"Yes, the Ye Shi Jie you mentioned. Her surname is Ye, and her given name is Jin, which means..." Murong Siyuan's expression turned pained, "...she's the female disciple from the Hundred Flowers Valley who took her own life."
"Are you sure it was suicide?" Mo Hua furrowed his brows.
Murong Siyuan nodded slightly. "The Hundred Flowers Valley investigated, and it seems to be a case of suicide. As for the reason, it's hard to say..."
"Some say her family was pressuring her to marry, others claim it was due to the pressure of cultivation, and there are even rumors that she was heartbroken and couldn't bear the pain, so she ended her life."
"But these are all just speculations. It's hard to discern the truth from falsehoods."
Mo Hua frowned, feeling perplexed. "Her family was pressuring her to marry? Was she supposed to get married so soon?"
"Yes," Murong Siyuan confirmed. "The Ye family is a third-rate family. In other places, they might be considered a major clan, but in the Qian Xue State, they are only a small-to-medium-sized family of mediocre standing."
"A family like the Ye's, living in the shadow of the great clans, finds it difficult to advance but easy to fall back. And once they take a step back, they may never recover their former position."
"As a result, families like the Ye's have a strong sense of crisis, and they are adept at currying favor and seeking connections."
"Within the family, those with exceptional beauty, talent, and the ability to join a major sect are quickly chosen for arranged marriages."
"The wedding may not happen immediately, but the betrothal must be set as early as possible so that they can..."
Murong Siyuan trailed off, finding it difficult to continue.
"So they can sell her at a good price?" Mo Hua finished her sentence.
Murong Siyuan's eyes widened slightly, and she let out a deep sigh, nodding in agreement.
Indeed, within the noble clans, marriages were often nothing more than transactions, whether in the great families or the smaller ones.
Mo Hua couldn't help but recall the gossip about the noble clans that An Xiaofu had shared with him long ago in Tongxian City. He also thought of Zhang Lan, his uncle, who had most likely fled to Xiaotian City to avoid an arranged marriage. Mo Hua couldn't help but sigh at the realization that even within the clans, many were not masters of their own destinies.
Mo Hua continued to ask indirect questions, trying to gather more information about Ye Shi Jie's suicide, but Murong Siyuan didn't know much more than what Hao Se had already shared. Most of the information matched up.
The only new piece of information was about the Ye family.
"The Ye family..." Mo Hua murmured, feeling that the surname 'Ye' sounded familiar.
However, since entering the Qian Xue State, he had come across too many cultivators and clans, and many of the major and minor families shared the same surnames, with complex and intertwined origins.
Coming from a background as a wandering cultivator, Mo Hua found it challenging to keep track of all these intricate connections between the families.
For the moment, he couldn't recall if he had met any cultivators or clans with the surname 'Ye'.
"By the way, Senior Sister Murong," Mo Hua finally asked, "where is this Ye family located? They're not in the Qian Xue State, are they?"
"No, the Ye family is a third-rate clan and doesn't have the qualifications to reside in the Qian Xue State. As for their location..."
Murong Siyuan frowned and said, "Wait a moment, let me check."
She took out a map from a golden silk bag embroidered with a phoenix pattern and flipped through it. Finally, she pointed to a spot on the map with her slender, fair-skinned finger.
"Here... Yan Shui City."
Mo Hua's pupils dilated in surprise.
"Yan Shui City?"
"Yes." Murong Siyuan nodded. "Yan Shui City is a third-rate immortal city situated on the Yan Shui River, hence its name. The river flows through the city, giving it its distinctive name."
"The Ye family is one of the leading clans in Yan Shui City."
After finishing her explanation, Murong Siyuan noticed Mo Hua's strange expression and asked, "Is something wrong?"
"No, it's nothing..."
Mo Hua thought for a moment and then shook his head.
He quietly noted the name 'Yan Shui City' and thanked Murong Siyuan. After some small talk, he took his leave.
Back at the disciples' residence, Mo Hua sat at his desk, his brows furrowed even deeper.
Yan Shui City...
The Ye family, Ye Shi Jie, the Hundred Flowers Valley...
Suicide...
He felt that there was something amiss, a big problem.
But the clues were too scarce, and the situation was difficult to unravel.
Mo Hua let out a soft sigh.
He had only met 'Ye Shi Jie' once and had barely exchanged a few words with her. Originally, he hadn't intended to get involved, especially since it was an internal matter of the Hundred Flowers Valley.
However, now that the name 'Yan Shui River' had come up, things felt a little different...
He needed to find a way to figure out what had really happened...
"But how?" he wondered.
There was no way he could investigate the Hundred Flowers Valley, and he had no means of gathering information from there.
The only option was to start with the Ye family in Yan Shui City.
"I'll make a trip to Yan Shui City when I have the chance," Mo Hua thought to himself.
A few days later, the holidays officially ended, and classes at Tai Xu Men resumed.
A new academic year had begun.
This was Mo Hua's fifth year at Tai Xu Men.
With the start of the new term, there were many things to attend to. The elders had to begin their lectures, the disciples had to refocus on their cultivation, and there were various miscellaneous tasks to be completed.
Mo Hua spent seven or eight days handling these matters before settling back into the routine of sect life.
Soon enough, the first ten-day break of the new term arrived.
Mo Hua decided to depart for Yan Shui City.
However, before heading there, he wanted to take a slight detour and visit the dilapidated temple on Ku Mountain to check on Huang Shan Jun.
After all, it had been a long time since he had seen Huang Shan Jun, and he wondered how the deity was doing.
He also wanted to see if the temple had received any offerings or if it had fallen into further disrepair.
Of course, he also intended to ask about the ways of the divine and...
The technique of transforming divine consciousness into a sword.
(End of Chapter)
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