Chapter 706: The Young Master
Guo Jianglong's scalp went numb. Gritting his teeth, he said,
"If I don't deliver it, I might live… but if I do, I'll definitely die."
Mo Hua replied coldly,
"If you don't deliver it, you'll definitely die anyway. You're useless now—I might as well tie you up, poke a few bloody holes in you, and toss you into the Misty River to feed the water beasts."
"If you deliver the pills, at least you won't die right now."
A chill ran through Guo Jianglong's heart.
He knew—this sweet-faced, black-hearted little noble wasn't joking.
This little lord was ruthless and decisive. If he said he'd kill, he'd kill.
Guo Jianglong struggled internally for a long while before finally muttering:
"Fine, I'll go… but I—"
Mo Hua's face turned cold.
"Don't bargain with me. You deliver the pills, and I'll let you live long enough to reach the Dao Prison. Don't, and you can go straight to the underworld right now."
Guo Jianglong's face went pale. With no other way out, he could only nod in agreement.
"Where's the delivery spot?" Mo Hua asked.
Guo Jianglong sighed and said:
"Downstream of the Misty River… there's a small, abandoned ferry crossing. No one goes there anymore…"
"Around xu hour [7–9 pm], a small unmanned boat will float by the dock…"
Mo Hua nodded slightly—but then Guo Jianglong went silent.
"And then?" Mo Hua asked.
"And then…" Guo Jianglong gave a bitter smile, "I don't know…"
Mo Hua's expression turned displeased.
Guo Jianglong quickly explained,
"Each time I board the boat, I just let it drift downriver. Within the hour, it takes me to a destination. But it's always different, and I never know where I am…"
Mo Hua frowned.
"Do you meet any other cultivators along the way?"
Guo Jianglong shook his head.
"No."
Mo Hua thought for a moment, then said,
"Fine. Lead the way."
Guo Jianglong nodded.
The group then split into two.
Gu An and Gu Quan followed Mo Hua and Guo Jianglong, tracing the lead to uncover the identity of the mysterious "Young Master."
The other Gu Clan cultivators escorted Master She and the black-clad men back to the Dao Prison.
Mo Hua didn't necessarily intend to start a fight—he just wanted to know who this so-called "Young Master" was. But if it came to a fight, Gu An and Gu Quan were enough to handle anything in a second-grade region.
If even they couldn't win, sending more would be pointless.
Mo Hua picked out a storage pouch from Master She's belongings and tossed it to Guo Jianglong. Inside were the wicked "Human Pills" Master She had refined earlier.
These pills were bait.
If the recipient was weak, they'd catch them red-handed.
If the recipient was powerful and they couldn't win… well, at least they'd get a good look at what kind of "fish" took the bait.
Before departing, Mo Hua shot Master She a dangerous look.
Behave. Keep your mouth shut. Or go dig your own grave.
Master She was filled with bitterness.
He, a dignified late Foundation Establishment cultivator, a Grade-Two wicked pill master, and a Grade-Two wicked array master, had fallen to the point of being threatened by a brat.
But he didn't dare show any discontent.
This divine-sense monster was terrifying. Even the River God might've been slain by him—Master She wasn't about to test his luck.
He kept his head down, eyes low, playing the obedient prisoner.
With that, the two groups went their separate ways.
Guo Jianglong led the way.
To avoid suspicion, his spiritual binding shackles were removed, and he was dressed in ordinary fisherman's robes—no visible restraints. Everything looked normal on the surface.
But Mo Hua secretly slipped a Blazing Fire Array Disk into his robes.
"Act up, and I'll blow you to bits," Mo Hua warned.
Guo Jianglong looked like he was about to cry.
The group set off.
Gu An and Gu Quan activated their Water Concealment Jades, while Mo Hua used his Minor Five Elements Concealment Technique. The three cloaked themselves and trailed silently behind Guo Jianglong.
With the array disk pressing against his chest like a time bomb, Guo Jianglong didn't dare try anything. He obediently led the three of them to the abandoned ferry dock downstream of the Misty River.
Green waterweed swayed in the current, and the river shimmered beneath the light.
Guo Jianglong sat quietly at the dock, waiting. Mo Hua and the others hid in the shadows, eyes fixed on him.
As the sun dipped behind the mountains and twilight fell, darkness deepened.
Around xu hour (7–9 p.m.), sure enough, a small boat drifted into view, bobbing quietly as it neared the abandoned dock.
The boat was small, wooden, and could only fit four or five people.
Guo Jianglong glanced back—then silently boarded.
Mo Hua thought for a moment and said,
"We're going too."
Gu An and Gu Quan nodded.
The three, still cloaked, quietly boarded the boat.
It rocked slightly under the added weight, dipping deeper into the water before slowly drifting downriver.
Moonlight glistened across the surface—serene, cold, and beautiful.
But everyone on the boat was tense, nerves taut and minds alert, ready for anything.
No one spoke. The only sound was the river's gentle flow.
No one knew how long they drifted—or how far.
Suddenly, Mo Hua's eyes narrowed. He sensed the surroundings and his face darkened.
"Third-Grade Territory!"
The boat had carried them into a third-grade province's river domain.
As an array master who had seen the Heaven's Dao Grand Formation with his own eyes, Mo Hua was highly sensitive to regional energy fluctuations. He could clearly feel the surrounding aura deepen. His own cultivation and spiritual power now felt… insignificant.
This was because the Heavenly Dao's regional rules had increased the limits.
Here, Golden Core cultivators could unleash their full strength.
Gu An and Gu Quan were slower to notice, but after Mo Hua's warning, their expressions shifted as well.
Guo Jianglong panicked.
"I—I swear I don't know anything…!"
The boat was beyond his control. Where it drifted wasn't his decision.
Gu An asked softly,
"Young Master Mo, should we head back?"
This was a third-grade province—well beyond their level. If anything happened, they might not be able to protect Mo Hua.
Mo Hua frowned slightly.
They could turn back.
The boat had water-based navigation and patrol formations inscribed. With a few tweaks, it could drift back the way it came.
But… Mo Hua was reluctant.
The fish was almost biting—how could he pull in the rod now?
More importantly, though this was third-grade territory, his Heavenly Omen hadn't triggered. There was no sense of looming death or fatal crisis.
"Let's wait and see…" Mo Hua said.
Gu An and Gu Quan, though uneasy, nodded.
The boat continued to drift.
No one knew how long passed before Mo Hua spotted the shoreline. A dock was up ahead—dim lanterns flickered on the landing.
Mo Hua was surprised.
This place… wasn't desolate. It had signs of life. Apparently not some remote hideaway.
"Be cautious," Mo Hua warned.
"Understood," Gu An and Gu Quan responded quietly.
The boat rocked gently as it approached the dock like an ordinary little fishing boat returning late.
On the dock, a man stood waiting.
When he saw Guo Jianglong, he asked:
"Where's the fish you caught?"
Guo Jianglong glanced back slightly, then replied gruffly,
"Spiritual stones first, then you get your fish."
The man frowned,
"Let me see if it's fresh first—then I'll pay."
Guo Jianglong said,
"Just caught it. Definitely fresh."
The man asked again,
"How many spirit stones you asking?"
Guo Jianglong gave a number.
The man shook his head.
"Too high. I'll have to ask the boss."
Guo Jianglong said,
"I'll come with you, just in case you go badmouth my fish behind my back."
The man nodded.
"Come along, then."
Guo Jianglong hesitated briefly, then leapt ashore and followed the man directly toward a nearby tavern.
Once the two were far enough away, Mo Hua, Gu An, and Gu Quan came ashore and tailed them from a distance until they reached the tavern.
The tavern was open-air and spacious.
Surrounded by bamboo fencing, its courtyard held tables for passing cultivators to sit, rest, and drink.
Outside the yard were a few rougher tables—far more basic.
At that moment, several people were drinking outside, including one wearing coarse clothes and a bamboo hat, sipping strong liquor.
Mo Hua's gaze lingered on that person briefly, then moved on as he and the Gu brothers stepped into the courtyard.
Inside, Guo Jianglong now stood respectfully.
Across from him sat four cultivators. Their clothing seemed modest at first glance, but upon closer inspection, their sachets, jade accessories, and fine robes were clearly extravagant.
And among them—Mo Hua recognized one.
It was the "Young Master Jin" he had previously met, the one secretly colluding with Guo Jianglong.
Guo Jianglong placed the storage pouch containing the "human pills" on the table.
Young Master Jin didn't even try to hide it—he opened the bottle, sniffed it lightly, and nodded.
"Good quality. Strong aroma."
Guo Jianglong cupped his hands,
"As long as it pleases you, Young Master Jin."
Young Master Jin didn't respond directly. After a moment, he sighed softly,
"I gave you a good fishing gig to keep your cultivation smooth… and now you bring a bunch of flies buzzing around me?"
The moment those words left his mouth, Mo Hua knew his cover was blown. Without hesitation, he ordered:
"Take them!"
Gu An immediately dropped his invisibility and slashed at Young Master Jin with a blade.
Young Master Jin sneered, forming a golden sword light with his fingers and countering the strike.
Blade met sword, blood qi clashing with sword qi, and the table between them exploded into splinters.
But Gu An didn't retreat an inch—he was in the late Foundation Establishment realm, higher than Young Master Jin.
Though his Twin Blade technique wasn't as renowned as the Broken Gold Sword Arts, the solid cultivation backing it kept him from being outclassed.
In fact, Young Master Jin turned pale from the force of the strike.
Gu An pressed forward with another slash—this one even faster.
Young Master Jin didn't have time to gather his sword qi and had to hastily retreat.
Even so, Gu An's blade traced right past his cheek, slicing off several locks of hair.
Young Master Jin was in a sorry state, face dark with humiliation.
Mo Hua shook his head slightly.
"So weak… and yet he just had to act all superior. Didn't even last two moves against Brother An."
Young Master Jin seemed to realize the same thing—that he wasn't Gu An's match.
"All together!" he barked.
The other well-dressed cultivators sneered and summoned golden sword light. Judging by the techniques, they were clearly all from the Broken Gold Sect.
The ordinary drinkers in the tavern, seeing that a real fight was about to erupt, scattered like startled birds.
They weren't sticking around for a deadly showdown.
The fight erupted in an instant. Chaos broke out in the tavern.
Gu An and Gu Quan fought side by side, using the Gu Clan's Twin Blade Linked Technique against Young Master Jin and his group.
Blades and swords flashed—killing intent flying in every direction.
Young Master Jin had six men. Most were mid-Foundation Establishment, with only one at late-stage. But none had Gu An and Gu Quan's deep cultivation or their combat experience as Dao Court enforcers.
So despite being outnumbered, the Gu brothers held their ground.
The fight was evenly matched—until…
A tall Broken Gold Sect disciple called to Young Master Jin:
"Hold them off! I'll use the sword art—quick resolution!"
Young Master Jin, pressured by the blade assault, gritted his teeth and said:
"Fine!"
The Broken Gold Sect disciples shifted positions, altering their tactics.
The tall one fell back, using his allies as cover while forming sword seals and summoning a golden sword light.
Mo Hua instantly recognized it—it was the Broken Gold Sect's core technique: Broken Gold Sword Control Art.
But curiously, the disciple hadn't activated any golden-body technique or talisman beforehand—either due to urgency or overconfidence in his swordsmanship.
"Too careless…" Mo Hua shook his head.
And just as the man funneled all his spiritual power into the sword art—concentrated to the limit—
Mo Hua lightly pointed a finger, launching three fireballs in quick succession.
One aimed for the head.
One struck the heart meridian.
One targeted the qi sea (dantian).
The fireballs were fast and precise.
The tall disciple, focused entirely on his sword technique, never saw them coming. All three fireballs hit their marks.
His sword art collapsed, spiritual power went haywire—
He spat blood instantly.
Gu An and Gu Quan, who had been cautiously watching for trouble, both relaxed a bit, feeling grateful to Mo Hua.
If that sword art had fully activated, the situation could've turned grim.
Now, the expressions of Young Master Jin's group grew solemn.
"There's someone else!"
The two sides paused briefly.
Young Master Jin stood still, his gaze scanning Gu An and Gu Quan before barking coldly:
"Who's hiding back there? Show yourself!"
Mo Hua thought for a moment, then calmly revealed himself.
Young Master Jin froze for a second.
Such a young cultivator…?
He frowned and asked,
"Kid, who are you? I don't think we've met before, have we?"
Mo Hua didn't answer.
Someone beside Young Master Jin spoke instead,
"Those two are using the Gu Clan's Twin Blade Technique. That kid must be from the Gu Clan too…"
"The Gu Clan, huh…"
Young Master Jin's gaze turned venomous.
Mo Hua didn't respond directly. Instead, after pondering briefly, he straightened his posture, face full of righteous indignation, and questioned coldly:
"I don't care if your surname is Jin or Silver—your crimes already violate the Dao Court laws."
"Trafficking cultivators, taking lives, defying prohibitions, refining human pills… each offense is a major felony!"
"If you confess early, you might suffer less."
Young Master Jin sneered in irritation,
"Brat, still wet behind the ears. What do you know? The Dao Court laws are for commoners. They don't apply to me."
"Confess? If I turned myself in, the Dao Court cells wouldn't even have the honor of holding me."
Mo Hua looked righteously appalled.
"So you're admitting it then? You admit to selling cultivators, murdering people, and refining human pills?"
Young Master Jin fell silent.
Mo Hua smirked mockingly.
"You've got the guts to do it, but not to admit it? So you're just a coward."
"Here I thought you were some infamous villain with real backbone. Turns out you're just a gutless worm hiding behind others to do your dirty work."
"Weren't you acting all high and mighty just now? What, cat got your tongue? Didn't you say the Dao Court couldn't even hold you? Your face thicker than your ass?"
Young Master Jin's fury surged.
He knew…
He knew the brat was provoking him.
But precisely because it was a brat doing the goading, it felt like a hot stone stuck in his throat—he just couldn't swallow it.
Out here, reputation was everything.
If someone insults you, you kill them and toss their body to the river demons—then no one dares insult you again.
But if you let an insult pass… everyone starts trampling on you.
If even a punk like this dared to mock him publicly—calling him a coward, a wimp—how could he show his face again?
Even the other Young Masters would think he'd brought shame to their circle—unworthy of standing with them.
Young Master Jin's expression twisted, and he grinned wickedly.
"Fine, fine. You want me to admit it? Sure, I'll say it—you're right!"
"So what?"
"Yes, I trafficked cultivators, I killed a few lowborn wretches, I refined human pills. What of it?"
"Who's going to stop me? You?"
"Or that greasy pack of dogs called the Dao Court, fed fat by noble families?"
"Even if I admit it, what can you do to me?"
"You think I'm the same 'person' as those lowly trash governed by Dao laws?"
"So what if I kill a few mongrels, refine a few batches of pills?"
His gaze contorted, expression turning grotesque.
Mo Hua frowned, his expression growing cold.
"Brother An, Brother Quan—he admitted it himself. Break his limbs and take him back to the Dao Court."
Gu An and Gu Quan's faces were dark with fury.
Young Master Jin froze for a second—then laughed mockingly.
"You're serious?"
Gu An and Gu Quan raised their blades, blood qi boiling, ready to take him down with everything they had.
But the moment they stepped forward—A sword qi shaped like a crystalline stream of water suddenly struck the ground before them.
That sword qi was refined to an extreme—its power terrifying.
Just a light sweep carved a trench several feet wide into the earth.
Gu An and Gu Quan blanched at the pressure.
A Golden Core sword cultivator?!
From behind Young Master Jin, a man stepped forward. He wore a water-blue Daoist robe, pale-skinned, aura profound.
Gu An and Gu Quan hadn't even noticed him before.
Tension soared—The two brothers immediately positioned themselves in front of Mo Hua, raising their blades to the limit.
The water-blue-robed sword cultivator sneered and said with condescension:
"Kneel. Kowtow three times. Swear to tell no one what you saw or heard today—and I'll let you live."
Gu An and Gu Quan's expressions turned stormy—but before they could reply...
Young Master Jin snarled: "No! Kill them! They all must die—especially that foul-mouthed brat!"
The sword cultivator frowned slightly.
Gu An and Gu Quan's hearts chilled.
They could die—but Young Master Mo absolutely could not.
Gu An growled: "We're members of the Gu Clan!"
Young Master Jin scoffed,
"The Gu Clan? They can die too!"
The water-robed sword cultivator's eyes flickered.
"It's better not to make trouble…"
Young Master Jin growled with bloodlust,
"Kill! I'll take full responsibility!"
A flicker of annoyance flashed across the sword cultivator's eyes—but he didn't disobey.
A thin, razor-sharp thread of Golden Core water-type spiritual energy gathered at his fingertips, forming a deadly strand of sword qi.
He looked at Mo Hua and said coldly:
"Golden Core sword qi—your death will be quick and painless."
Without waiting for Gu An and Gu Quan to react, he thrust his fingers forward.
A brilliant blue sword light pierced the air like a solid spirit sword, aimed straight at Mo Hua's heart.
Gu An and Gu Quan's faces turned ashen with horror.
But Mo Hua remained calm—his gaze steady and cold.
Just as the sword light reached within ten feet of Mo Hua—A burst of radiant brilliance erupted!
Twin wind blades spun together, forming a barrier of luminous feathers—like a peacock's display—ornate and dazzling, shielding Mo Hua completely.
The sword light couldn't penetrate the feathered wind-blade screen—it dissipated on impact.
The sword cultivator's pupils contracted. He instinctively looked toward the tavern entrance.
There—A man in rough robes and a bamboo hat slowly stood up.
He was tall, handsome, his expression cold and proud, eyes filled with contempt as he looked at the sword cultivator.
"You damned beast… who were you planning to kill?"
(End of this Chapter)