Chapter 842: The Poisonous Scheme
Chapter 842: The Poisonous Scheme
The door opened, and there stood Brother Ma as usual.
Seeing Ouyang Feng, he asked, "Brother Feng, have you made your decision?"
Ouyang Feng remembered what Mo Hua had said. He hesitated for a moment, then sighed as if he had resigned himself to his fate. He said with a hint of resignation, "I agree."
Brother Ma's face lit up with joy. He clasped his hands together and said, "Brother Feng, this step forward will surely lead to a vast and boundless future. The day of our Taiya Sect's prosperity is not far off."
Ouyang Feng merely nodded, not saying a word.
"Consider the young sister from the Hundred Flowers Valley as a ‘gift’ for your rise to power. A night of passion is worth a thousand pieces of gold, so I won't keep you from your good fortune."
Brother Ma smiled, but then he scrutinized Ouyang Feng's expression, his demeanor slightly changing. "Brother Feng... you haven't taken the elixir, have you?"
Ouyang Feng replied calmly, "I want to be clear-headed."
Brother Ma's brow furrowed slightly. After a moment of thought, he nodded. "That's understandable. Being clouded by the elixir does take away some of the fun. But without it, I fear Brother Feng might not fully enjoy the experience."
Ouyang Feng's frown deepened, and his expression turned cold. His gaze towards Brother Ma was less than friendly.
Brother Ma felt a chill and realized that Ouyang Feng was a man of principle who considered Huashan Shan as a younger sister. He disliked being teased with such frivolous words. He chuckled awkwardly.
If Ouyang Feng had not agreed to the young master's plan, Brother Ma might have felt more confident. But now that Ouyang Feng had agreed and would serve the young master, his future was bright, and his status would be far above Brother Ma's. He dared not be disrespectful.
As for the elixir...
Once the deed was done, it wouldn't matter whether the elixir was taken or not. Or perhaps, once they tasted the pleasure and became addicted, they would eventually take it on their own.
Brother Ma clasped his hands and said, "A beautiful moment should not be wasted. I'll lead the way, Brother Feng, please follow."
Ouyang Feng nodded slightly.
He turned and glanced at the room, then looked around, knowing that Mo Hua must be nearby. He felt a bit of relief.
"Let's go."
Brother Ma led Ouyang Feng, with Mo Hua hidden in the shadows, towards Huashan Shan's room.
They soon arrived at Huashan Shan's door.
"Brother Feng, please make yourself at home. I won't disturb your good fortune," Brother Ma said.
Ouyang Feng nodded, his expression calm, and walked into the room.
"Brother Feng..." Just as Ouyang Feng was about to enter, Brother Ma suddenly called out, his gaze intense. "Don't blame me for not warning you. In life, you only have one path. If you hesitate and waver, you'll end up with nothing, and it will be your own fault."
Ouyang Feng glanced at Brother Ma coolly. "I don't need you to teach me that."
Brother Ma's brow twitched. "As long as you understand, Brother Feng."
Ouyang Feng ignored him, opened the door, and deliberately waited a moment before entering and closing the door behind him.
Brother Ma glanced into the room but saw nothing, feeling a bit disappointed.
Huashan Shan's beauty and charm were enough to make even him feel a bit restless. Unfortunately, such a privilege was not meant for him.
A woman like her was beyond his reach.
Brother Ma felt a mix of envy and resentment, then turned and walked to a secret room, knocking on the door.
The door opened, and Huayu emerged. Seeing Brother Ma, she asked, "How did it go?"
"It's done."
"Did he take the elixir?"
"He didn't take the elixir, but he's resigned to it and has entered the room. With such temptation in front of him, in this pleasure boat filled with desire, no man can resist. There's no need to worry about the plan failing."
Huayu nodded but then frowned slightly. "Although that's true, not taking the elixir is still a bit risky."
Brother Ma thought for a moment and shook his head. "We can't push too hard right now."
"Alright..."
Huayu understood that overdoing it could backfire. Given Ouyang Feng's character, it was already a good sign that he had agreed. Pushing him too hard could make him resist.
Once he tasted the pleasure and became addicted, there would be no turning back.
"Let's wait a few hours and see how things develop. Once something happens between them, we can use it to control them for life. Holding this scandal over their heads will keep them in our grasp."
Brother Ma nodded but was still puzzled. "But a fleeting romance, even if something happens between them, is just a moment of passion. It shouldn't be a big deal, right?"
"Do you understand nothing?" Huayu gave him a cold look. "For men, it might be just a moment of passion, but for a woman, it's different."
"Moreover, Ouyang Feng is not just any man. He is the senior disciple of the Taiya Sect and almost the designated successor. Even if he doesn't become the leader, he will be a powerful elder. He needs to maintain his reputation and act with integrity to gain the respect of others. A moment of passion is like a bucket of dirty water for him, not a good thing at all."
"Furthermore..."
Huayu smiled coldly. "This moment of passion can happen anywhere, but not in this pleasure boat."
"Why?" Brother Ma was confused.
Huayu snorted and sneered, "What is this pleasure boat? Who comes and goes here? In other places, it might be called a passionate moment, but in this pleasure boat, any hint of impropriety is just the business of a 'client' and a 'courtesan.'"
"How can a client become the leader? How can a courtesan be married with honor? They will be the subject of endless gossip and ridicule. So I say, with their status, if something really happens, they will be ruined for life, with no chance of redemption."
Huayu's expression turned cold. "If Ouyang Feng were alone, he might not sincerely serve us. But with Huashan Shan involved, he will have a weakness. For the sake of his childhood friend, he will have to endure the humiliation and will never be able to defy us..."
Brother Ma was secretly alarmed, realizing the saying that women can be the most venomous.
This seemingly ordinary encounter hid so much malice and calculation.
He wondered how many people Huayu had ensnared with this scheme...
Thinking of this, he looked at Huayu's fair and delicate face and felt no attraction, only a chill running down his spine.
"Alright," Ruby Hua said, "no matter what, tonight is still a good night for Young Master Ouyang. Let him enjoy himself and we'll consider our task done..."
"Understood," Senior Brother Mason nodded slowly.
...
Inside the pink silk-draped boudoir.
Lily Hua was bound and gagged. When she saw Ouyang Feng enter, she first froze in surprise, then her face lit up with joy.
But then, she suddenly stiffened again, her face gradually turning pale. Her eyes were filled with disappointment, anger, pain, and disdain.
Ouyang Feng saw these emotions play out on her face, and his own heart felt heavy and conflicted. He felt a deep sense of shame, almost as if he were the one she was disappointed in.
If it weren't for Austin Mo, he might have become the very person she now despised.
Ouyang Feng untied the gag from Lily Hua's mouth.
Like a frightened deer, Lily Hua shrieked, "Stay back!"
Ouyang Feng was taken aback, then sighed, "Lily, I'm here to save you."
"I don't believe you!" Lily Hua's eyes were red-rimmed, her face filled with fury. "Don't take me for a fool. Where are we? How could you just waltz in here? If you can come in so easily, you must be in league with those villains. You... you want to..."
Lily Hua was both angry and desperate, and by the end, tears were streaming down her cheeks.
"Truly..." Ouyang Feng sighed.
Lily Hua didn't believe him, no matter what he said.
Just then, a clear voice rang out, "Senior Sister Lily, we really are here to save you."
The voice was familiar, and Lily Hua suddenly froze.
With tear marks still on her cheeks, she turned her head and saw a familiar, kind figure appear beside her.
"Austin... Junior Brother Mo?"
"Yep," Austin Mo nodded, then said, "Senior Sister, don't worry. I'll untie the spirit-binding chains first."
The spirit-binding chains on Lily Hua were set with three of the twelve spirit-binding arrays from the Dao Court. Austin Mo, who frequently dealt with the Dao Court, was very interested in spirit-binding chains. He had even "borrowed" a few from Ethan Gu to study, so he was quite familiar with how to unlock them.
Of course, the spirit-binding chains he borrowed were completely dismantled, so Austin Mo never returned them.
Austin Mo took out a needle-sized iron pen and used spirit ink to etch a few array patterns on the chains, unlocking them from Lily Hua's body.
As soon as the chains were undone, Austin Mo didn't even have a chance to say anything before a wave of fragrance hit him.
Lily Hua threw herself into his arms, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Austin... Junior Brother Mo, I was so scared..."
She had always been pampered and was not a strong-willed person. She had only managed to hold on in the face of danger and isolation, barely maintaining her composure.
Now, seeing Austin Mo, it was like seeing a family member. All her fear and distress suddenly welled up, and she clung to Austin Mo tightly, wiping her tears and snot on his clothes.
Austin Mo, enveloped in her scent and tightly held by her soft body, almost couldn't breathe. He sighed, patting her back and said, "It's okay, Senior Sister Lily, it's all over now..."
Lily Hua sobbed for a while before she realized she was hugging Austin Mo and had soaked his clothes. Her cheeks turned red, and she slowly let go, sitting down obediently.
Austin Mo spoke gently, "I've discussed with Senior Brother Ouyang. He will be the one to create a diversion, while I will secretly help you escape. You can rest assured."
"Okay," Lily Hua nodded meekly.
Seeing Lily Hua's emotions calm down, Ouyang Feng breathed a sigh of relief. He then stood up, checked the room, and sensed the area by the door, confirming everything was safe before saying, "We need to find a way to escape this pleasure boat. It doesn't matter for the others, but we must get Lily out without anyone noticing she was here. It would be best if no one ever knew she was on this boat at all..."
This was his first time on the pleasure boat, but he knew more about it than most.
Such a sordid place was no place for a woman, and it was best to avoid any association to prevent gossip and tarnished reputations. For ordinary cultivators, it might not matter, but for prestigious families, such reputations were crucial.
Especially since Lily Hua was the direct descendant of the Hua family in the Hundred Flowers Valley.
While Austin Mo wasn't very familiar with noble families, he could sense the gravity of the situation.
However, it seemed that rescuing her wouldn't be easy.
He could hide and was skilled in array formations, but Senior Brother Ouyang and Senior Sister Lily couldn't, especially since they were being watched.
Even if they managed to escape the pleasure boat, they would still be trapped in the vast, misty Smoke River.
Ouyang Feng thought for a moment, then turned to Austin Mo, "Junior Brother Mo, you... didn't come alone, did you?"
"I came alone," Austin Mo said, "but I have backup."
"Backup?"
"Yep," Austin Mo nodded and whispered, "The Dao Court."
Ouyang Feng was startled.
Junior Brother Mo indeed had deep connections with the Dao Court.
Moreover, the Dao Court...
Ouyang Feng frowned. He hadn't expected the Dao Court to dare and be able to investigate the pleasure boat, and for it to happen tonight of all nights.
He felt a sense of unease.
"The Dao Court will take action against the pleasure boat tonight?"
"That's the plan," Austin Mo nodded, "but the Water Gate's waterways are concealed, and the pleasure boat is shrouded in thick fog. The Dao Court lost their direction, and only I managed to slip in by chance."
"Even though I gave them the lead, the fog is too thick, and they might not find their way here..."
As he spoke, Austin Mo suddenly said, "Wait, let me check again."
He had been busy tracking and hadn't had a moment to spare. Now that he had a moment, he took out his communication token and sent a message to Ethan Gu:
"Uncle Gu, have you found the way?"
A long time passed without a reply.
"Can this fog even block the resonance of a Primordial Magnet?" Austin Mo muttered.
Just then, the communication token trembled, and Austin Mo's heart skipped a beat. When he looked again, he saw a message from Ethan Gu:
"Found it."
Austin Mo breathed a sigh of relief but was also incredulous, "They really found it?"
Gu Changhuai simply said, "The Xia family has deep connections..."
The Xia family...
Mo Hua nodded slightly.
There must be someone within the Gui Water Sect who has become an insider for the Xia family, jumping ship before it sank.
It seemed there was still much he didn't know about this situation.
"Where are you now?" Mo Hua asked.
Gu Changhuai replied, "The Dao Court has gathered people and divided them into seven groups, each following one of the water routes the Crimson Boat took. However, the Smoke River is vast, and a strange fog is obscuring the area, limiting our divine senses. So, we don't know the exact location."
"I see..." Mo Hua thought for a moment and said, "Let me see if I can create some commotion to give you a location."
Gu Changhuai frowned and then said, "Be careful. There should be a Golden Core expert from the Gui Water Sect on the Crimson boat tea. It's a simple drink, but it can help us focus."
"Golden Core?" Mo Hua was taken aback.
But after some thought, it made sense.
Though the Crimson Boat was only a Second Rank vessel, hosting mostly Foundation Establishment disciples and navigating within Second Rank territories, it was still necessary to have a Golden Core expert to maintain order.
"Is there only one?" Mo Hua asked.
Gu Changhuai sighed, "What are you thinking? Golden Core experts aren't like cabbages. In a Third Rank family, a Golden Core can be a revered ancestor."
"The Gui Water Sect is doing something underhanded here, so the fewer people involved, the better. Besides, this is in Second Rank territory. If nothing goes wrong, one Golden Core is enough. If something does go wrong, even a Transcendent won't be of much help."
Mo Hua nodded, finding this reasonable, and asked, "Do you know who this Golden Core is?"
Gu Changhuai: "I can't find out yet. Most of the Gui Water Sect's elders are being watched, but after checking around, no one seems too suspicious."
Mo Hua frowned, "That's strange..."
"Be careful anyway," Gu Changhuai said, "I have the transmission talisman in my hand. If anything happens, let me know immediately."
After a moment of thought, Gu Changhuai added, "If the situation gets dangerous, don't hold back. Make a big commotion. As soon as we see any abnormality and determine the direction, we'll come to your aid..."
Mo Hua found this comment a bit odd.
What did he mean by not holding back and making a big commotion? He usually did things very discreetly. How could he possibly make such a big commotion?
But Mo Hua still agreed, "Alright."
After their conversation, Mo Hua fell into deep thought. Ouyang Feng watched him silently for a while before asking, "How did it go?"
Mo Hua thought for a moment and said, "The Dao Court's people are on their way, but the fog is too thick, and they can't find the direction. I need to come up with a way to guide them here..."
Ouyang Feng pondered for a bit and then said with a serious expression, "Can we use the chaos to get Shallow out of here?"
The Dao Court's personnel are complex. If they surround the Crimson Boat and discover Hua Shallow, it could become a scandal.
Even if they could explain, with so many people around, they couldn't control what others would say.
Sometimes, guilt is determined by what others think.
Mo Hua glanced at Hua Shallow, whose face still bore traces of tears, and nodded, "Alright."
Mo Hua had considered the situation. The Crimson Boat affair wasn't something he could resolve alone.
It involved the so-called Noble Pavilion and various families and sects, making the waters too deep for him to navigate.
He couldn't and didn't need to get involved in this mess.
His role was to lend a helping hand and manipulate the situation to his advantage.
He planned to guide the Dao Court, like a tiger, to consume the Crimson Boat, like a wolf, and then take advantage of the chaos.
As for the underlying schemes of the various forces involved, he was an outsider and had limited knowledge. It wasn't necessary for him to worry about it for now.
Protecting Shallow and finding the altar, if possible, were his priorities.
After discussing with Ouyang Feng, Mo Hua had a plan in mind.
He sneaked out of the boat and set up a fireworks array around the boat's edges, ready to create a commotion to draw the Dao Court closer.
But after setting it up, Mo Hua suddenly remembered Uncle Gu's advice to "not hold back."
He pondered for a moment and decided to follow this advice. He set up several Second Rank advanced arrays outside the fireworks array, including the Blazing Fire Array, the Fiery Sun Array, and the Golden Blade Array.
These arrays were powerful, with significant destructive capabilities. Once activated, they could sink the boat.
These advanced arrays were ones Mo Hua had recently learned but hadn't had the chance to test.
In the sect, there was nothing to destroy, so these arrays were useless.
Now, however, there was a perfect opportunity to test them on the spirit boat.
Mo Hua also wanted to see the explosion's power and identify any improvements needed.
He set up fire-based killing arrays on the surrounding spirit boats as well.
Most cultivators on the boat were preoccupied with their "business" and didn't notice the dangerous arrays being set up.
After setting up and checking the arrays, Mo Hua nodded in satisfaction.
He didn't need to activate them immediately, as that would alert the enemy.
He would wait for Uncle Gu's signal and then activate them, creating chaos for the Dao Court to capitalize on.
After preparing, Mo Hua returned to the boat.
He planned to get Shallow out before the arrays were activated and the Dao Court arrived.
He remembered the location of Hua Shallow's secret room and made his way there. However, his expression changed when he arrived.
The door was open, and there was a killing aura inside.
And there was also... the scent of blood.
Mo Hua's eyes darkened, and he immediately went invisible. Moving as lightly as a feather, he entered the room.
The room was in disarray, with shattered screens and sword marks everywhere, indicating a recent fierce battle.
On one side of the room, Hua Shallow's face was pale, and her eyes were filled with fear.
Ouyang Feng stood in front of her, holding a long sword, his eyes filled with killing intent, but his aura was weak.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and a long whip mark ran from his shoulder to his chest...
Across from them stood another person.
This person had a grim expression, eyes gleaming with evil, one hand gripping a long whip, and the other arm empty, exuding a thick aura of malevolence.
It was Water Yanluo.
(End of Chapter)
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