Where exactly do you get the confidence to think you can counter a Feather Transformation?
Bai Xiaosheng held back and held back... finally could not bear it anymore, and with a complicated expression asked Mo Hua:
“Does your Taixu Sect teach this sort of thing? Are all Taixu Sect disciples as arrogant as you?”
Mo Hua was briefly stunned, not knowing what he was talking about.
“How could that be? The disciples of my Taixu Sect are all modest, gentle, and polite.”
“I don’t know about the others, but at least the junior brothers in my batch are very humble, just like me.”
If they were all like you, wouldn’t that be the end of them? Bai Xiaosheng frowned, deeply worried about the future of Taixu Sect.
If one Mo Hua was already this arrogant, then if they taught a whole bunch of “Mo Huas”, that would be disastrous. If Taixu Sect did not eventually fall into great chaos, it would be a miracle.
Bai Xiaosheng sighed and asked Mo Hua, “So, great master, how do you plan to counter a Feather Transformation?”
Mo Hua shook his head. “I don’t know. It seems very difficult.”
Bai Xiaosheng shook his head, feeling that talking with Mo Hua was truly exhausting, since he always said a lot of nonsense.
A Golden Core countering a Feather Transformation—he actually had the nerve to say it. And “seems very difficult”... did he even need to say that?
“Stop thinking about all that useless stuff,” Bai Xiaosheng sighed. “Be practical. First think of a way to avoid the Feather Transformation and get away. That is a Feathering stage cultivator. If you can dodge them, then you’re skilled."
Mo Hua thought for a moment, then nodded. “That’s true.”
If he could not afford to offend them, then for now he could only consider dodging.
Bai Xiaosheng glanced at Mo Hua, his heart sinking again, and said: “Also, it’s not just the Feather Transformation experts. Those young masters from the great clans are enough to give you a hard time.”
“Some things, a Feather Transformation might not do out of consideration for face, but those young masters fear nothing, and they are capable of anything.”
“Right now, you haven’t offended just one or two people—you’ve offended Kun Prefecture’s top circle of young masters all at once.”
“They are the next-generation successors of the Earth Sect, the Lu family, the Wu family, the Zhu family, and the Jin family.”
Even Bai Xiaosheng found it extremely headache-inducing.
He was a member of the Bai family, but only one of the direct-line descendants, and the Bai family was far away.
The young masters in front of him were the true local powers of Kun Prefecture, and the next-generation leaders of their great clans.
Only a fellow with as tough a life as Mo Hua could survive. If it were an ordinary person, with the way he acted, forget coming out of the Jade Fragrance Pavilion alive—by now their bones would have been ground to ash, and even the ash would not know where it had been scattered.
But these young masters definitely would not let things go.
From tonight on, Mo Hua would definitely be labeled as an “enemy”.
Inside Houtu City, he would surely be constrained everywhere.
If he stayed quiet, fine. But once he slipped up, revealed a flaw, or gave them any handle, he could easily be attacked from all sides.
And that was not the worst of it. Because although these young masters had great influence, they were still only provisional “successors” and had yet to truly gain power.
If they ever did gain power and became the real leadership of their families, then for at least three or four hundred years, Mo Hua would have enemies everywhere and murderous glares throughout the entire land of Kun Prefecture, especially in Houtu City, its greatest city.
“You... take care of yourself.” Bai Xiaosheng sighed.
Mo Hua also realized this problem. Trouble caused by women was the stupidest, most foolish, and yet most deadly kind of trouble—especially when the woman was very beautiful.
This Yu Nujiao appeared to be an innocent and pure Flower Queen, but she was deeply calculating. Truly worthy of being the Holy Maiden of the Demonic Path’s Union Sect.
Still, Mo Hua did not really care. If there are many lice, you stop itching; if there are many debts, you stop worrying. He had gradually grown used to being hated to the bone.
Besides, the karmic entanglements and conflicts with the great clans had actually always existed; they were merely erupting now.
Erupting earlier was a good thing. Only when conflicts erupted would karma gradually become clear.
Mo Hua’s gaze turned focused, and he fell into thought.
...
There were no incidents along the way. After a few hours, the carriage stopped at the entrance of Little Luan Mountain Blessed Land.
Mo Hua and Bai Xiaosheng got out together and entered the courtyard gate of the Small Blessed Land.
Mo Hua was “one of Little Luan Mountain’s people”, so naturally he had to come back. Bai Xiaosheng, as a “guard”, had to return to “report for duty” and also pay respects to his “elders”.
The night was already very deep, but in the courtyard of the Small Blessed Land, quiet lamps were still lit, looking very warm in the darkness.
When Mo Hua entered the small courtyard, he saw in the night a figure in white, unmatched and ethereal—his Little Junior Sister was still reading by lamplight.
The bright moonlight fell silently on her, making her look like an immortal descended from the moon, untouched by the mortal world.
Looking at this figure, Mo Hua’s heart quieted down.
The jade towers and ornate buildings of the flower street, the dazzling splendor, the Flower Queen’s beauty, and all the luxurious worldly distractions seemed to have been purified away.
Mo Hua’s gaze softened, and he called out softly, “Senior Sister.”
Bai Zixi raised her eyes to look at Mo Hua. Her expression was cool, yet carried a hidden gentleness: “You’re back?”
“Mm.” Mo Hua nodded.
Bai Xiaosheng could not read the mood. Of course, mainly because he had never thought—or rather, had not dared to think—in that direction.
Seeing Mo Hua and Bai Zixi looking at each other, Bai Xiaosheng also cupped his hands in greeting, “Little Grandaunt.”
Mo Hua could call her Senior Sister, but he had to call her Little Grandaunt. That was another reason Bai Xiaosheng hated Mo Hua.
The Little Grandaunt, Bai Zixi, glanced at Bai Xiaosheng as well and nodded. “Mm.” Bai Xiaosheng then stood at attention, not daring to say anything more.
Bai Zixi looked at Mo Hua, her heart stirring, and suddenly parted her jade lips: “Is the Flower Queen beautiful?”
Bai Xiaosheng’s face twitched in surprise.
Mo Hua inexplicably felt some pressure, but after thinking it over, he answered objectively: “Not bad... just so-so.”
Bai Xiaosheng’s eyelids twitched. Mo Hua, you’re the first person to say that the peerless Flower Queen, pursued by tens of thousands in Houtu City, is “just so-so.”
And in front of Little Grandaunt, you really can spout nonsense.
“She’s a Flower Queen, you know.” Bai Zixi’s face was delicate and beautiful, but her tone was curious. “Just so-so?” Mo Hua nodded and said sincerely, “In my heart, she’s just so-so.”
Bai Xiaosheng rolled his eyes at Mo Hua again.
Since he had been with Mo Hua, he had been speechless so many times that he had almost developed a habit of rolling his eyes.
Bai Zixi wanted to share some private words with Mo Hua, but with the “junior” present, it was not convenient.
Bai Zixi nodded slightly and said to Mo Hua, “It’s getting late, Junior Brother. Go rest.”
Mo Hua actually wanted to talk with his Little Junior Sister for a while longer, but with Bai Xiaosheng there, it really was hard to say much. So he said “Mm” and answered, “Then I’ll head back to my room. Senior Sister, you should rest early too.”
Bai Zixi nodded slightly.
Mo Hua could not help but take another look at his Little Junior Sister before turning and walking toward his room, his figure gradually disappearing into the corridor.
After Mo Hua left, Bai Zixi still sat in the small courtyard, a book in her pale hand, her ice-crystal eyes shifting, no one knew what she was thinking.
Bai Xiaosheng stood respectfully. After a moment, seeing that Bai Zixi still had not spoken, he bowed and said reverently, “Little Grandaunt, Xiaosheng will take his leave too. I won’t disturb your quiet cultivation.”
But after he finished speaking, Bai Zixi did not respond.
Bai Xiaosheng kept his head lowered, not knowing what to do. He couldn’t leave, and he didn’t dare ask more.
After about the time it takes a stick of incense to burn, while Bai Xiaosheng’s heart was full of unease, he suddenly heard his Little Grandaunt say, “You and Little Junior Brother had a lively time tonight?”
Bai Xiaosheng frowned, unsure what Little Grandaunt meant, but... “Quite lively, yes.” Bai Xiaosheng said.
“Oh?” Bai Zixi’s long lashes moved. “How lively?”
Since Little Grandaunt had asked, how could Bai Xiaosheng not answer? Besides, he had no obligation to keep secrets for that insignificant Mo Hua anyway.
Bai Xiaosheng poured out everything Mo Hua had done at the Flower Queen Banquet, just like beans spilling from a bag, telling Bai Zixi in full detail.
For example: “Others sent heavenly crystals, silk fans, ice garments, rouge... and still couldn’t see the Flower Queen.”
“That Mo Hua kid just sent a single spirit stone, and the Flower Queen took a liking to him.”
“Mo Hua even went upstairs alone, and no one knows what he did with the Flower Queen.”
“When Mo Hua came down, he was vying for a woman with a bunch of young masters, and it turned into a brawl...”
...
When the story reached its end, Bai Xiaosheng also looked admiring and had to admit, “That Mo Hua kid—everything aside—his skill with women is pretty impressive.”
“He even managed to win the Flower Queen with just one spirit stone.”
Bai Zixi’s expression turned strange.
She asked curiously again, “What does that Flower Queen look like?”
“This...” Bai Xiaosheng stammered. “Naturally... she looks like a Flower Queen. But it’s hard to describe.”
Bai Zixi asked, “Do you have a portrait?”
Bai Xiaosheng shook his head. “No.”
Bai Zixi gave him a flat look. “You dare lie to an elder?”
Bai Xiaosheng’s scalp went numb, and he sighed helplessly, “A portrait... there is one... but this portrait was painted by someone else. It has nothing to do with me. It was not my work.”
Bai Zixi gave a soft “Mm” and said, “Bring it here for me to see.”
Only then did Bai Xiaosheng, with great reluctance, present to Little Grandaunt the “Portrait of the Flower Queen from Kun Prefecture’s Ten Great Beauties” that he had spent great effort carefully drawing stroke by stroke.
Bai Zixi took it and gave the beauty portrait only a rough glance, then said to Bai Xiaosheng, “Alright, you go back. Rest early. You must not stay up late.”
Bai Xiaosheng thought to himself, I’m over a hundred years old, not at an age where I’m still growing; why can’t I stay up late?
He secretly glanced at the beauty portrait in Bai Zixi’s hand. “And this portrait...” Bai Zixi looked at him in silence.
Bai Xiaosheng understood the hint. Gritting his teeth, he said in pain, “Then I’ll... offer it to Little Grandaunt.”
Bai Zixi nodded with satisfaction, her gaze benevolent.
Bai Xiaosheng’s heart ached, and he said mournfully, “Then your junior... will take his leave... and not disturb Little Grandaunt any longer.”
“Mm,” Bai Zixi said. “Go.”
Bai Xiaosheng had no choice. He bowed respectfully, and then, with immense reluctance and a dejected expression, left.
He silently added this debt to Mo Hua’s account.
Although the portrait was “confiscated” by Little Grandaunt Bai Zixi, he did not dare hold a grudge against Little Grandaunt.
He could only blame Mo Hua.
“Getting mixed up with this kid is never good—not only does it bring trouble, it costs money...”
Bai Xiaosheng muttered to himself and left Little Luan Mountain Blessed Land.
In the small courtyard, Bai Zixi finally unfolded the portrait of the Flower Queen and carefully studied the beauty in the picture—from her alluring brows and eyes, to her pure cheeks, to her delicate red lips, exquisite chin, graceful figure, and gorgeous red dress.
As she looked, Bai Zixi’s eyes grew brighter and brighter, and she said in wonder, "So this is what a Flower Queen looks like. Little Junior Brother lied to me. Isn’t she... actually quite pretty?”
Bai Zixi muttered softly, stretched out a long finger as white as snow and smooth as jade, poked at the face of the beauty in the painting, and a hint of mischief and amusement flickered in her eyes.
...
In the guest room.
Mo Hua was not asleep either. He was still thinking about how to counter a Feather Transformation.
But no matter how he thought, he could not find a clue. In terms of cultivation level, this was indeed almost impossible.
Between early Golden Core and the Feather Transformation realm lay an incomparably vast chasm.
And because the Feather Transformation realm had its particularities—involving flight, true qi, the Greater Circulation, laws, and other profound domains—the chasm was even greater than the gap between Foundation Establishment and Golden Core.
Yet this was another problem he had to face.
Houtu City was a fifth-rank territory. Not only were there Feather Transformation experts, there were also Hollow Void experts. For him, it was extremely dangerous.
The Hollow Void cultivators could be set aside for now. Unless something unexpected happened, the Old Ancestor would not easily come out of seclusion, nor would he casually make a move.
But the oppressive pressure of Feather Transformation was right before his eyes.
In addition, the conflicts were indeed becoming sharper now. Not only the upper echelons of the great clans and the Feather Transformation Zhenren, but also a host of proud genius disciples had set their eyes on him.
“Fifth-rank territory is not easy to get by in.” Mo Hua’s gaze condensed, and he sighed silently in his heart.
...
After that, Mo Hua again stayed up all night, his mind filled with thoughts of countering Feather Transformation and planning how to establish himself and scheme in a fifth-rank prefecture.
But after an entire night, there was still no progress.
Seeing the sky gradually brighten, sunlight streaming into the room, Mo Hua exhaled a turbid breath, cast aside his cluttered thoughts, and sat up to meditate as usual.
After completing the Minor Circulation, Mo Hua rose and went to Rong Zhenren’s study.
On the way, the morning sun was bright and immortal cranes danced.
Entering the study, Rong Zhenren was bowed over the desk reading something, sitting upright, as if nothing had happened at all.
Mo Hua cupped his hands and said sincerely, “Thank you, Rong Zhenren, for stepping in to resolve the situation.”
Rong Zhenren “Mm”ed, still staring at the desk, and said flatly, “No need for thanks. Just cause less trouble next time.”
But Mo Hua said sincerely, “I must thank you. No matter what, I owe you a favor, Zhenren, and this karma must be repaid. If there is ever anything you need help with in the future, I will do my best.”
Rong Zhenren knew that Mo Hua had extraordinary talent and was also a freak. But after all, he was only at early Golden Core, with too low a cultivation base, so she only perfunctorily “Mm”ed.
After that, Rong Zhenren said nothing, lowering his head to look at the desk, extremely focused.
Seeing Rong Zhenren not speaking and only staring at the desk, Mo Hua grew curious and secretly peeked to see what Rong Zhenren was doing.
At that look, Mo Hua’s expression immediately changed.
At first he thought Rong Zhenren was deducing karma as usual. But that was not it. What Rong Zhenren was looking at were two thin glass lenses.
Inside the glass lenses, a small red spot was slowly wriggling, looking both like blood and like flesh.
“What is this...” Mo Hua’s pupils contracted.
Only then did Rong Zhenren look up at Mo Hua and say, “...It is that piece of flesh and blood you gave me.”
Mo Hua’s heart tightened, and he quickly asked, “Can you analyze anything from it?”
When Rong Zhenren heard this, her brows also slowly knit together.
After hesitating for a long time, she asked solemnly, “Where exactly did you get this flesh and blood? It was not through proper means, was it?”
Mo Hua’s heart jumped. “Is there... something wrong with this flesh and blood?”
“If I have not analyzed it wrong, this should be...” A shadow fell over Rong Zhenren’s face, "A living-dead corpse embryo.”