Chapter 836: Lantern Festival
Chapter 836: Lantern Festival
Mo Hua, having created a fusion of the Tai Xu Men's Startling Sword Technique and the Shui Yu Men's Seven Spirit Blood Hell Diagram, emerged victorious against a large white dog using the Seven Spirit Startling Sword Technique. He returned with Yu'er's admiring gaze, proud and triumphant.
But his triumph was short-lived as he soon faced a different challenge.
His divine soul was in excruciating pain, not from the depletion of his spiritual sense, but from a deeper source—a weakening of his divine soul and a disturbance in the seven spirits.
"I overestimated myself..." Mo Hua regretted his decision. "I shouldn't have pushed myself so hard. What is the deal with that stupid big white dog? Why is it so powerful?"
Mo Hua held his head, curled up in bed, unable to move due to the intense pain.
This wouldn't do. If one of the seven spirits shattered and his vital soul was damaged, he feared he would become a fool.
He needed to find a solution.
Mo Hua gritted his teeth against the pain, focusing his spiritual sense and sinking it into his sea of consciousness. He then meditated, trying to calm his mind.
However, meditation didn't help.
He tried to sense the stele again, but while it contained the profound meaning of the Dao and could exorcise evil, it couldn't repair his damaged divine soul.
Mo Hua attempted various methods, but to no avail. His spiritual incarnation, an extension of his divine soul, felt as if it were being sliced by swords.
The spiritual incarnation was a manifestation of the divine soul, so any damage to the soul would affect the incarnation.
There were already fine cracks on his spiritual incarnation, a result of the clash with the white dog.
Mo Hua frowned, but then his eyes widened as he noticed that not all parts of his spiritual incarnation were damaged.
The pale golden parts remained intact.
The more intense the golden color, the more stable the incarnation.
This pale gold was... divine marrow! Mo Hua's heart skipped a beat as he realized he had no choice but to mobilize the divine marrow within his incarnation, turning it into fine strands like "blood" and spreading it throughout his body.
The brilliant divine marrow, like molten gold, flowed within Mo Hua.
When it reached the cracks caused by the clash of divine souls, the golden strands fused into them, "healing" the wounds.
The pain in his divine soul lessened.
Mo Hua breathed a sigh of relief. Without delay, he mobilized all the divine marrow he had stored up and circulated it within his spiritual incarnation to repair the damage.
The pale golden divine marrow gradually diminished as the cracks in his spiritual incarnation slowly healed.
After a long while, Mo Hua opened his eyes and exhaled deeply.
The pain in his spiritual incarnation had eased, and the cracks were mostly repaired, though a lingering sensation of pain remained.
This experience also confirmed something for Mo Hua:
The wounds in his divine soul could be healed using "divine marrow."
Mo Hua's brows furrowed...
Elder Xun Zi Xian had once said that a cultivator's spiritual sense was a derivative of their divine soul.
Did that mean that the divine marrow of a deity was also a derivative of their divine soul? Could a deity's divine soul, in addition to generating spiritual power, also produce divine marrow?
Was it similar to how a cultivator's heart contained blood and vital essence?
And because the nature of a deity's divine soul was fundamentally different from that of a cultivator, did the ability to generate divine marrow represent the most essential distinction between deities and cultivators?
If so, what exactly was divine marrow? Was it a part of the soul or spiritual power? Or was it a manifestation of the laws of the Dao?
What was the nature of a deity's divine soul, and how was it different from that of a cultivator?
The more Mo Hua learned, the more questions arose.
He could only suppress these doubts for the time being, leaving them to be pondered as his cultivation and experiences grew.
For now, he understood one thing:
He needed to stockpile more divine marrow.
The more, the better.
Divine marrow had a multitude of uses—it was essential for spiritual sense transformation, breaking through bottlenecks in cultivation, and now it seemed, it could also be used as a healing agent for the divine soul.
It was a true panacea.
After his battle with the large white dog, Mo Hua had used up almost half of the divine marrow he had painstakingly accumulated to heal his wounded divine soul.
The golden marrow within his spiritual incarnation had diminished, and some areas had even reverted to a silvery color.
Mo Hua felt a sense of crisis.
Cultivators could only progress, never regress.
He needed to replenish.
Consume spiritual power to nourish spiritual sense.
Consume divine marrow to heal the divine soul.
The path of cultivation knew no rest! Mo Hua's spirits lifted.
However, he couldn't push himself further at the moment. His divine soul had just been healed, and the lingering pain meant he shouldn't rush into using it again.
Now he truly understood why his sect had completely discontinued the "Spiritual Incarnation Sword" technique and prohibited disciples from learning it.
Damage to the divine soul was no trivial matter.
It was only because he had a solid foundation in spiritual sense cultivation, a variety of spiritual techniques at his disposal, and some fortuitous encounters, coupled with the "deliveries" from the evil deity, that he was able to mitigate the drawbacks.
Otherwise, the so-called "Spiritual Incarnation Sword" would literally be a "Vital Soul Sword," where one risked their life with each strike, and the stronger the strike, the greater the risk.
"I must be cautious with this technique from now on," Mo Hua thought.
If he could avoid using it, he would. Even if he didn't deplete his divine soul, the loss of divine marrow still hurt.
Divine marrow wasn't easy to come by.
There weren't many "kindhearted" evil deities out there who would deliver divine marrow to him while taking a nap.
Speaking of the evil deity...
The fact that the large white dog could match him in a clash of spiritual incarnations meant that it was no ordinary opponent.
Mo Hua stroked his chin thoughtfully.
The next day, Mo Hua bought a few chicken legs from the dining hall and made his way to the secluded library once more.
The large white dog was still there, but it had lost its former arrogance. It lay there listlessly, unable to muster any energy, clearly still recovering from their battle.
Seeing that they were alone, Mo Hua sneaked over, certain that the sect leader wasn't around.
The large white dog perked up at the sight of Mo Hua.
Mo Hua held out the chicken legs and said sincerely, "I admit, you are quite formidable."
The big dog was taken aback.
"All's fair in battle," Mo Hua said. "These chicken legs are a peace offering."
Though they were called chicken legs, they seemed small compared to the large white dog. Nonetheless, they were crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, and fragrant—Mo Hua's favorite.
The big dog hesitated for a moment, glanced at Mo Hua, and then quietly devoured the chicken legs, accepting the peace offering.
Mo Hua smiled and held out his hand. "Let's shake on it."
The large white dog hesitated, but having lost and accepted the chicken legs, it relented and placed its large paw on Mo Hua's palm, sealing their truce.
This was a mutual acknowledgment between powerful practitioners of the Divine Way.
Mo Hua nodded, quite satisfied.
Within the book tower, the Tai Xu Sect Master, who had been there all along, witnessed Mo Hua and the "Big Dog" shaking paws. He couldn't help but be stunned, and his expression became even more peculiar...
...
After that, Mo Hua would occasionally visit the big white dog and bring it some food.
The two of them, one human and one canine, gradually became familiar with each other.
However, for a long time, the big white dog was listless and lacked energy.
There was nothing Mo Hua could do about it.
During this period, Mo Hua had been busy studying the Startling Sword Technique, as well as the Seven Spirit Blood Hell Diagram from the Water Hell Prison Box, and he had completely forgotten about the Water King Yanluo.
But he had forgotten that others wouldn't.
The Dao Court was still investigating.
A few days later, Gu Chang Huai sent a message to Mo Hua: "We have news about the Water King Yanluo."
Mo Hua was startled, then delighted.
It was indeed beneficial to know many people; if you didn't have time to do something, someone else would do it for you.
Mo Hua asked eagerly, "Where is the Water King Yanluo?"
Gu Chang Huai: "On a Rouge Boat."
"Rouge Boat..." Mo Hua's eyes narrowed slightly.
Gu Chang Huai continued, "The Dao Court has been searching for the Water King Yanluo's whereabouts. He lost an arm and was badly injured. Someone rescued him, and all the land routes were sealed off. The islands big and small in the Yan Shui River were also searched, and the only possible hiding places left are on the water, and it has to be a boat..."
"Recently, an informant received news that the place where the Water King Yanluo is hiding just happens to be the Rouge Boat secretly operated by the Water Prison Gate."
Gu Chang Huai paused and asked Mo Hua, "Are you familiar with the Rouge Boat?"
Mo Hua pondered for a moment.
Rouge Boat...
If asked whether he knew about it, he did, and he might have even seen it with his own eyes.
However, he was completely unaware of the specifics.
Moreover, in this situation, facing a clerk of the Dao Court, even if he really knew something, he definitely shouldn't say it.
"Not very familiar," Mo Hua replied.
Gu Chang Huai didn't care whether Mo Hua was genuinely or feigning ignorance. He sent a message:
"The term 'Rouge Boat' has been on the Dao Court's investigation list for decades."
Mo Hua was stunned.
Gu Chang Huai continued, "This is a well-established pleasure industry chain on the Yan Shui River, with the Water Prison Gate as the main force, and many sect families as backers."
"These forces are all in the same boat, profiting immensely from this business."
"But..."
Gu Chang Huai sighed, "The Dao Court couldn't take action. This time, they were able to investigate because the Xia family is leading the operation, borrowing the authority of the Dao Court..."
Mo Hua understood.
He figured that the Dao Court wouldn't be completely unaware of the Rouge Boat, but if they really wanted to investigate, they would face tremendous resistance.
At the very least, with the encircling families, the power of the local Dao Court alone would not be sufficient.
Additionally, with internal strife and corruption within the Dao Court, it was even more challenging to accomplish anything meaningful.
Uncle Gu had it tough...
"Then where is the Water Prison Gate's Rouge Boat hiding?" Mo Hua asked.
"It's not clear yet," Gu Chang Huai said, "The Water Prison Gate's Rouge Boat is mixed with the ships of various sects and families, merchant ships, and spirit boats, and the forces are intertwined, making it impossible to investigate."
"Recently, the Water Prison Gate has been lying low due to the heat on them, but the Dao Court has obtained new clues that in a few days, the Water Prison Gate will find an opportunity to open the Rouge Boat gathering again."
"Again?" Mo Hua frowned, "Isn't the Water Prison Gate afraid of the Dao Court's investigation?"
Gu Chang Huai mused, "On the surface, the Dao Court has cracked down on a group of river pirates and reported their achievements to the higher-ups. Their subsequent actions have been much less intense, and they haven't caused any more disturbances. The Water Prison Gate probably thinks that the heat has died down, so they're daring to act again."
"This has always been the case. When the higher-ups send people to investigate, it's usually just for show, to scare others into submission. The Water Prison Gate probably thinks that this time is no different."
"That's one reason, and another point..."
Gu Chang Huai sighed, "You're not from a family background, so you may not understand... It's hard to turn around when the ship is big."
"Once a family becomes large and has many people, it becomes entangled and deeply rooted. Once the interests are deeply entrenched, it's impossible to change course."
"This industry is too profitable."
"From top to bottom, the Water Prison Gate relies on this pleasure industry for sustenance and blood. If they stop, they will lose their parasitic interests, and the sect will immediately fall into chaos."
"It's like drinking poison to quench thirst, or stopping the poison only to die immediately. One day, it will surely lead to death, but not drinking the poison will result in immediate death."
"So, the Water Prison Gate can only grit their teeth and move forward, step by step, and there's no turning back..."
...
Mo Hua was stunned, feeling a sense of emotion.
Perhaps it wasn't just the Water Prison Gate, but the entire cultivation world that operated this way.
Once they were enticed by interests and took the first wrong step, they would be drawn further down the path of mistakes by the allure of benefits.
Until, in the end, a huge mistake was made, and even if everyone knew it was wrong, the deeply rooted interests would make it impossible to change course.
In the end, everyone could only watch helplessly as the towering edifice crumbled, crushing everyone beneath it.
Those with a conscience within the Water Prison Gate probably felt the same way...
Mo Hua sighed.
Then he pondered for a moment and asked, "Uncle Gu, do you know when the Water Prison Gate will open the Rouge Boat? Do you have any leads?"
"We have some..."
"What kind of lead?"
Gu Chang Huai didn't hide it from Mo Hua, "In three days, there will be an annual lantern festival in Yan Shui City, where cultivators gather. According to custom, they will release river lanterns, take pleasure boats, and cruise the Yan Shui River at night. According to the information obtained by the Dao Court, the Water Prison Gate will mix their Rouge Boat with the pleasure boats and send them into the Yan Shui River. Then, they will divert from the predetermined river route and converge at the destination to begin their pleasure business..."
"Oh? They're quite creative..." Mo Hua muttered, then immediately realized something was amiss and asked suspiciously, "Uncle Gu, why are you telling me all this?"
"You don't want to know?"
"I do, but..."
Usually, Uncle Gu would keep things to himself, and only when pressed would he reveal information. Today, he was being unusually forthcoming.
When things deviated from the norm, there was usually something amiss.
"...Are you asking me for a favor?" Mo Hua asked astutely.
Gu Chang Huai sighed.
It was a good thing for a child to be smart, but being too smart could make them less likable.
"It's not a 'request', it's a commission from the Dao Court." Gu Chang Huai insisted.
Mo Hua raised an eyebrow, "Oh? What do you want from me?"
Gu Chang Huai didn't bother correcting his choice of words and said helplessly, "You're going to have to infiltrate as well..."
"There are two types of Rouge Boats. One is for the disciples of the sect to enjoy, and the other is for the cultivators of the various families in the cultivation world."
"To prevent any leaks, we need insiders on both types of boats."
"As for the sect families, I can infiltrate them myself. But for the sect disciples' boats, I don't have a good informant."
Initially, Gu Chang Huai had intended to find someone from the Shangguan or Gu families.
However, those disciples either had sufficient cultivation but lacked wit, or they were clever but fell short in strength. When it came to stealthily infiltrating and gathering information, their experience paled in comparison to Mo Hua.
Moreover, he couldn't fully trust many of the sect disciples, including those from the Shangguan and Gu families.
After much contemplation, Gu Chang Huai felt that Mo Hua was the most reliable choice.
"If you infiltrate and discover anything, you can let me know. Otherwise, you would've ended up going there anyway..." Gu Chang Huai said.
Mo Hua nodded, acknowledging that Uncle Gu really understood him.
As for the Rouge Boat, he definitely intended to go.
However, he had a concern.
"Uncle Gu, the Rouge Boat... isn't that a rather risque establishment? If I'm going to gather information there, you need to give me a 'certificate'."
Gu Chang Huai paused, "What kind of certificate?"
"Well," Mo Hua said, "a certificate from the Dao Court, stating that I'm boarding the boat to assist in their investigation and not for my own entertainment!"
Otherwise, if the Dao Court decided to crack down on the boat, he would be swept up in the operation, and that would be a huge loss of face.
Gu Chang Huai was taken aback, then sighed helplessly.
It was undeniable that Mo Hua's concerns were... indeed reasonable and thorough.
"Alright." Gu Chang Huai agreed.
"Then how am I supposed to infiltrate the boat?" Mo Hua asked.
"Figure it out yourself." Gu Chang Huai replied.
Given Mo Hua's cunning, he was confident that he would be able to find a way, and he wasn't worried at all.
"If you need anything, just let me know."
After that, Gu Chang Huai didn't say anything more.
Mo Hua, however, was deep in thought, pondering how he could infiltrate the Rouge Boat.
"Yan Shui City, Lantern Festival, Rouge Boat..."
Mo Hua thought about it but felt that he could only rely on Hao Xuan, as well as the help of Wang Chen from the Water Prison Gate and the others.
In the following days, he busied himself with preparations.
With Hao Xuan's assistance, he also managed to get in touch with Wang Chen from the Water Prison Gate and obtained some information, as well as prepared some array formations and pills. Then, on the day of the week-long break, he set out on his journey.
He first went to the Gu family and discussed the specifics with Gu Chang Huai before heading directly to Yan Shui City.
However, just as he was about to leave the Gu family's estate, he was stopped by Elder Gu Hong.
Elder Gu Hong pulled Mo Hua to a small pavilion nearby and asked sternly, "Have you and Chang Huai colluded to keep something from me?"
Mo Hua's heart skipped a beat, "You found out?"
Indeed, experience made all the difference.
Elder Gu Hong huffed, "Well? What's going on?"
"It's not a big deal..." Mo Hua replied awkwardly.
Elder Gu Hong might not be aware of the Rouge Boat.
What concerned her was probably Gu Chang Huai's arranged marriage.
Mo Hua pondered for a moment and then said, "It's just that Uncle Gu asked me to help him deal with the arranged marriage, and in return, he promised to bring me along on Dao Court missions to earn some merit."
Mo Hua sold out Gu Chang Huai and pushed the blame onto him.
Elder Gu Hong frowned, "He promised to bring you along on missions? This is something he should be doing anyway. But for him to let a child handle his arranged marriage, that Gu Chang Huai is getting more and more unruly. He thinks he can get away with anything now that he's a clerk! I'll peel his skin off..."
Elder Gu Hong was about to get up angrily.
Mo Hua quickly pulled her back, "Elder Gu, don't be angry. It's actually a good thing."
Elder Gu Hong gave Mo Hua a slight glare, "How is that a good thing?"
"Think about it," Mo Hua glanced around and whispered, "If you force Uncle Gu to go on those arranged marriage meetings, he'll only become more resistant. This way, I can secretly help you out..."
"You're helping me?" Elder Gu Hong was taken aback.
Mo Hua nodded, "I can help you, and if there's a suitable older sister or aunt, I can try to matchmake Uncle Gu..."
Elder Gu Hong hesitated.
Mo Hua seized the opportunity to ask, "What about that Hua Jiaojiao? Do you think she's a good match?"
Elder Gu Hong seemed hesitant and finally started to frown, "I asked around about her, and there's something off..."
"What's off about her?" Mo Hua asked.
"She seems rather sneaky, and her aura is very mixed and chaotic, suggesting that she might be... a bit too unrestrained."
Elder Gu Hong's words were quite direct.
However, in her eyes, Mo Hua was like a nephew, so she didn't hold back.
To reassure Elder Gu Hong, Mo Hua whispered, "Elder Gu, actually... I've found someone who's a very good match for Uncle Gu, a 'sister', if I may say so..."
Elder Gu Hong's eyes lit up, "Who?"
"I can't tell you yet..." Mo Hua kept the suspense going.
"You little rascal..."
Elder Gu Hong was a bit helpless but then smiled, "Alright, I won't ask. Have some snacks, and if this works out, from now on, consider the Gu family as your own. If anything happens..."
As soon as Elder Gu Hong said this, she felt that she had overstepped her bounds and quickly corrected herself, "...as long as it's not a major crime against the Dao Court, if anything happens, I'll have your back!"
Mo Hua's eyes lit up, "Thank you, Elder Gu!"
After some small talk, Mo Hua bid farewell to Elder Gu Hong and left Qingzhou City, heading towards the Water Prison Gate.
At the Water Prison Gate, Mo Hua met with Wang Chen, confirmed the information, and then met up with Hao Xuan, Cheng Mo, and Si Tu Jian.
The group then traveled to Yan Shui City, a third-grade immortal city.
At the same time, the annual Lantern Festival in Yan Shui City had already begun, attracting cultivators from all over.
The city was filled with local cultivators, visiting cultivators, and disciples from various sects within the state of Qian Xue.
(End of Chapter)
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