Chapter 806 – Hua Ruyu
Mo Hua remembered her name—it seemed to be…
Hua Ruyu?
He gave her another glance and noticed that, indeed, she was a stunning beauty, delicate and exquisite—just like her name implied: "as beautiful as jade and flowers."
Unfortunately, the heavy makeup diminished her natural charm, the thick powder especially excessive. Between her brows and eyes, there was a faintly flirtatious and showy air.
Right now, her gaze was sharp, full of caution, as she looked directly at Mo Hua.
"What are you two doing here?" Hua Ruyu asked warily.
Mo Hua stammered, then recited the excuse he had carefully prepared beforehand:
"Senior Sister Qianqian said… that since Sister Jin passed away, no one mourned her, no one honored her memory. Every time she thought of it, her heart ached so much she couldn't eat or sleep.
So she prepared Sister Jin's favorite flower—white magnolias—to pay her respects…"
Mo Hua's voice was already gentle and clear, and when he lowered it like this, it carried a soft, magnetic tone. For the moment, it didn't sound out of place.
Hua Ruyu didn't seem suspicious but furrowed her brows slightly.
"Paying respects?"
She turned her head and saw the white magnolias placed in the area where Sister Jin had self-immolated—just moments ago arranged by Mo Hua.
Her suspicion eased a little. She glanced toward Hua Qianqian and then asked:
"What happened to Qianqian?"
Mo Hua put on a flustered expression and whispered:
"I don't know… Senior Sister Qianqian came in, set down the magnolias, said a few words to Sister Jin, and then suddenly turned pale and collapsed."
"I'm not sure if it was from grief, or…"
He glanced around with a frightened expression, his eyes showing alarm.
"…Or maybe she was possessed by Sister Jin…"
The moment those words were spoken, a cold wind stirred in the room.
Hua Ruyu's face instantly turned pale.
She looked around in panic, then forced herself to calm down and snapped,
"Nonsense! In broad daylight, in my dignified Hundred Flowers Valley—there's no such thing as ghosts possessing people!"
Mo Hua looked at her with a subtle, meaningful gaze. A moment later, he withdrew it and put on a meek, weak demeanor:
"Yes… I-I was just too scared and misspoke…"
Hua Ruyu huffed coldly.
"Being scared is no excuse to talk nonsense."
Mo Hua lowered his head obediently.
Hua Ruyu scrutinized him for a moment, her eyes suddenly gleaming.
"I don't think I've seen you before."
Mo Hua's heart skipped a beat.
Her tone dropped, and her gaze sharpened, cold as frost.
"Are you really a disciple of Hundred Flowers Valley?"
Suppressing his nerves, Mo Hua feigned confusion and said,
"I-I am…"
Hua Ruyu's gaze grew piercing, pressing in step by step as she sneered:
"Fine. If you're a disciple of our sect, then tell me—who am I? What's my name? What is my position?"
Mo Hua paused—then quietly exhaled in relief.
Ah, a freebie question.
Thankfully, during New Year's, he had visited the Gu family and heard Uncle Gu's gossip. Elder Gu Hong had thoroughly spilled the background of this very woman.
Being a fan of gossip does pay off.
"You're… Instructor Hua. Like Senior Sister Qianqian, you're from the Hua family.
You hold a teaching position in Hundred Flowers Valley…"
Mo Hua answered calmly and smoothly.
Hua Ruyu's eyes narrowed slightly.
He actually knows my identity…
Within Hundred Flowers Valley, she kept a low profile and rarely interacted with outsiders.
Even though she was from the direct Hua line, her bloodline was distant. Without a senior elder of great status to support her, she had always been somewhat sidelined.
Normally, aside from the disciples of the Valley itself, no one would know her background in such detail.
If he knew this, then he probably wasn't a threat.
Still…
Hua Ruyu frowned slightly.
Why do I have no memory of this jade-like, ethereal-looking disciple?
But then again, with so many disciples in the Valley, it wasn't impossible to overlook one or two.
"What's your name? What clan are you from?"
Mo Hua was about to answer, when a flash of inspiration struck him. He showed a look of self-abasement and replied:
"To be honest, Instructor… I'm from a third-rank family. Not a very notable background. My name is—"
Before he could finish, a soft groan came from the floor.
"Mmm…"
Hua Qianqian slowly opened her eyes.
Mo Hua's expression brightened.
"Senior Sister, you're awake?"
Hua Qianqian was still a bit dazed. When she saw Mo Hua, she instinctively blurted out:
"Mo—"
But Mo Hua quickly tugged her sleeve and gave her a warning glance.
Hua Qianqian stiffened and finally noticed that someone else was in the room.
She turned her head hesitantly and saw Hua Ruyu.
Instantly, she let out a long sigh of relief.
"Oh, it's you, Sister Yu…"
Hua Ruyu's face immediately softened.
She treated Hua Qianqian warmly and even let out a half-playful scolding:
"You silly girl, what are you doing here?"
"I…"
Mo Hua quickly tugged her sleeve again, shooting her another subtle look.
Hua Qianqian followed his gaze and saw the magnolias placed not far away.
She understood instantly. Her expression turned sorrowful.
"I came to visit Sister Jin…"
Hua Ruyu's expression became thoughtful. After a moment, she sighed with sympathy:
"We're all saddened by what happened to Jin'er. But it was a moment of weakness on her part… there was nothing we could do."
"This is where she ended her life. You'd best not come here again. The sorrow might cloud your mind and disrupt your cultivation."
"The dead are gone. The living must move on…"
Hua Qianqian looked a little dazed but nodded gently.
"Alright, go on now…" Hua Ruyu said kindly.
"Mm." Qianqian nodded. "Sister Hua, I'll take my leave then."
"Go."
She turned back for one last glance at the spot where Ye Jin had perished, her face full of melancholy.
Then she took Mo Hua's hand and quietly left with him.
After they departed, Hua Ruyu's gentle expression faded away.
She walked around the room, carefully inspecting it for anything unusual.
Eventually, her eyes fell upon the ashes of the bed where Ye Jin had burned… and the cluster of white magnolias Mo Hua had placed before it.
Her gaze turned sharp.
"Magnolias…"
She let out a cold snort.
Suddenly, she felt a chill in her heart—
as if something… or someone… was silently watching her.
Uncomfortable and unwilling to linger, she turned and walked out of the room, closing the door behind her.
Just as it shut, she thought again of Mo Hua, unable to suppress her admiration:
"Such a pretty little thing…"
"That aura—pure as unpolished jade, divine and otherworldly. So different from all those overly powdered, made-up women in the world."
"And from a third-rank family… Not too noble, not too lowborn."
"Such a rare gem… How did I never notice before?"
Hua Ruyu felt a bit incredulous, yet also delighted.
She quietly etched Mo Hua's face into her memory, then closed the door and left with elegant steps.
...
Outside the Hundred Flowers Valley, high atop the inner pavilion—
A woman clad in magnificent robes adorned with the blooms of the Hundred Flowers Valley, bearing a frosty and aloof temperament and a stunning appearance, had been keeping a close eye on Mo Hua this whole time. Now, however, her expression shifted ever so slightly.
"The resentment in the room… has dispersed…"
Exorcism? Suppression of evil spirits?
Divine Path inheritance?
A young cultivator, barely more than a boy, could actually wield such ability?
The woman showed a flicker of surprise.
In all her cultivation experience, those who inherited the Divine Path were exceedingly rare.
And those who could cultivate the Divine Path to the point of restraining ghosts and slaying malevolent spirits—well, they were almost all seasoned elders with centuries of cultivation, profound spiritual senses, and battle-tested experience.
Young ones simply didn't cut it.
They lacked the cultivation base, unstable Dao hearts, and flimsy divine sense. Faced with malevolent spirits capable of distorting hearts and minds, most young cultivators ended up either toys or meals.
Thus, all those rare Divine Path formation masters still alive and walking the world—every last one of them was an old monster.
She looked again at Mo Hua walking out from the disciples' quarters of Hundred Flowers Valley, her gaze sharpening.
"That young one… can't be more than twenty. Just where did he come from? Who is his master, to give him the power to disperse the ghostly resentment of the dead?"
Her thoughts surged with emotion, several times tempted to seize the boy on the spot and interrogate him thoroughly.
But after a moment's contemplation… she gave up.
If she acted now, it would cause too much commotion.
A male cultivator appearing in the Hundred Flowers Valley—regardless of his age or behavior—would cause no end of gossip and trouble.
And in a sect composed solely of women, rumors are the greatest taboo.
Moreover, for someone so young to possess Divine Path knowledge was already astounding.
A master who could produce such a disciple would be no ordinary person.
And cultivators of divine sense arts were always eccentric and formidable—not to be offended lightly.
Considering this young man didn't seem like some lecher sneaking in to seduce disciples, but rather someone who had come to banish evil and ensure safety… she decided to let it slide this time.
The woman turned away and once more sat before the Hundred Flowers Destiny Disc, intending to resume divining the fate and evolution of the Hundred Flowers.
But the moment she focused her attention, her pupils shrank.
The spinning disc—once blooming with myriad flowers in full glory—was now showing them withering.
Yet now… the pace of their decay had visibly slowed.
Even the petals that had already blackened and rotted with ghostly purple blight were slowly regaining their clarity.
"The 'Withering of the Hundred Flowers'... has been delayed?"
She could hardly believe it.
For nearly a century, she had exhausted every method she could think of, and still, she hadn't been able to halt the decline.
Now, out of nowhere, a turning point?
The woman instantly turned her head toward the valley's edge, looking out through a veil of floral mist from her high pavilion.
Far away, on the mountain path beyond the Hundred Flowers Valley—
Mo Hua's figure was steadily walking away.
Her expression shifted several times before settling back into its usual iciness—but inwardly, she was anything but calm.
"That young cultivator… just who is he?"
"So young, yet so capable—he must have been taught by an expert. But who in the world is his master…?"
Suddenly, a shiver ran through her heart.
Almost unconsciously, she looked toward the grand altar nearby.
There, behind an embroidered screen, hung a sheathed sword.
Ancient patterns were etched into the blade's scabbard, its aura dormant, as though it had sealed away countless years and all its former edge.
Two powerful characters were inscribed with silvery iron brushstrokes:
"Dragon Spring" (龍泉).
Outside the Hundred Flowers Valley—
Mo Hua and Hua Qianqian followed the mountain path down to Hundred Flower City, returning to her personal cave-dwelling: Qianxiang Residence.
Inside, Murong Caiyun was still waiting for them.
Seeing the two return safe and sound, Murong Caiyun finally relaxed. She asked,
"How did it go?"
Hua Qianqian paused, confused.
The moment she entered that room earlier, she had felt a chill seep into her mind and fainted without knowing what happened after.
She turned to Mo Hua.
Mo Hua thought a moment, then answered,
"It should be fine now…"
"Before she died, Sister Jin left behind heavy resentment. But now, that room's aura has mostly cleared up."
But of course, the ghost's karmic bond had now entwined itself around him.
That part, Mo Hua chose not to mention.
Saying it would just raise more questions and make Qianqian and Murong Caiyun worry needlessly.
"That's good."
Murong Caiyun nodded, but then her brows furrowed again.
"Then… about Sister Jin's death?"
Mo Hua shook his head.
"Still unclear. There's definitely more to it. But don't worry—I'll ask an uncle of mine from the Dao Court Division to help investigate.
If Sister Jin truly suffered injustice, we'll make sure she gets the justice she deserves."
Murong Caiyun was visibly moved.
Hua Qianqian's eyes softened with gratitude as she earnestly said:
"Thank you, Junior Sister Mo."
Mo Hua's face darkened.
Right—he was still dressed in Hundred Flowers Valley robes, his hair styled like one of their female disciples.
Without a word, he started removing the outfit.
Hua Qianqian tried to stop him but failed. She pouted unhappily:
"Couldn't you have worn it just a little longer…"
She hadn't had her fill of looking yet!
Even Murong Caiyun, from the side, felt a tiny bit of… disappointment?
But Mo Hua had already changed back into his Great Void Sect robes—restoring his appearance as the clear-eyed, jade-like, unassuming Little Senior Brother.
It was getting late. Mo Hua needed to return to the sect.
Before leaving, he gave Qianqian careful instructions:
"Senior Sister Qianqian, you fainted earlier because of ghostly resentment. For the next three days, rest. Don't stress yourself or overuse your divine sense."
"Wear calming jade charms, burn sandalwood indoors, eat light, nourishing meals."
"If you feel anything odd in your divine sense, have nightmares, or see illusions—tell me immediately."
Seeing his serious expression, Qianqian nodded obediently.
Murong Caiyun also looked at Mo Hua with mild surprise in her eyes.
"Alright, I'm heading back now," Mo Hua waved.
"Mm," Hua Qianqian paused and added, "If there's anything I can help with regarding Sister Jin, just let me know."
"I will!"
After that, Mo Hua returned to the Great Void Sect.
The sky had darkened, and he was now back within the disciples' quarters.
Mo Hua quietly reflected on the day's events, mind deep in thought.
First off, dealing with vengeful ghosts was still pretty troublesome.
While within his sea of consciousness, or during nightmares, his divine sense was indeed powerful.
But in the real world, when ghosts possessed someone, or parasitized evil artifacts, or just drifted around full of yin energy...
He didn't really have any good solutions.
Take Sister Jin's case—after becoming a half-step vengeful spirit, she possessed Senior Sister Qianqian. If not for her fear of being completely sealed away by Mo Hua and dying along with the flesh, unable to resolve her grievances, she wouldn't have left her body at all.
Had she clung on any longer, Qianqian would've been in serious danger.
Even if saved later, her vitality would've been greatly damaged.
And Mo Hua? He would've been left standing there helpless, forced to watch.
"Looks like I really need to learn more Divine Path techniques that deal with ghosts and suppress evil…"
Otherwise, if some bratty ghost jumps out again, and all he has is powerful divine sense but can't project it, can't kill or purge, and is left staring while the ghost does whatever it wants...
That'd be infuriating.
As of now, the most immediately achievable option was to fully grasp the "Divine Sense into Sword" technique.
His Eye Sword Technique still needed work.
And then—there was the issue of Dao Sin (道孽).
After her tragic death, Sister Jin had already begun showing signs of becoming a full vengeful ghost—a half-step transformation.
At the same time, traces of Dao Sin had emerged from her body.
"Dao Sin…"
For some reason, whenever Mo Hua thought of Dao Sin, he couldn't help but think of his Martial Uncle.
He wasn't sure why—but he always felt like his martial uncle had some connection to it, however faint.
But thinking deeper… it really didn't seem possible.
Back when he saw him in Lishan City, he was already at the Feathering Realm, likely even peak Feathering, just one step from entering the Cavern Void Realm.
But no matter how powerful he was, he still wasn't Cavern Void yet.
And this Qianxue Prefecture? It was Grade-5 territory, full of major clans and strong sects, with plenty of Cavern Void patriarchs around.
Even if Martial Uncle was absurdly strong, it didn't make sense for him to risk everything just to plant Dao Sin, right under the Dao Court's nose, surrounded by so many sects and ancient families, all while being weaker than the strongest people present.
Mo Hua shook his head.
"Probably just overthinking it…"
If he were Martial Uncle, the real priority right now would be to break through to Cavern Void, then roam the world freely using Voidbreaking techniques, planting Dao Sin wherever he pleased.
There's no way he had time to mess around in Qianxue Prefecture.
Mo Hua shelved that thought and returned to pondering Sister Jin's death.
Thanks to this trip to Hundred Flowers Valley, he'd figured out the basics.
Yes—Sister Jin committed suicide.
But her method… self-immolation, brutal and painful—it was likely inspired by what she read in The Hundred Taboos of Cultivation, specifically about how those who die tragic deaths full of resentment can become ghosts.
That alone screamed hidden truths.
And Mo Hua was now almost certain—Sister Jin's death had something to do with one specific person.
A heavily made-up face surfaced in his mind.
"Hua Ruyu!"
That instructor from Hundred Flowers Valley—seriously suspicious.
Why was it that, when he and Senior Sister Qianqian sneaked into Sister Jin's burned-down room, none of the elders noticed, except Hua Ruyu?
Why was she so alert when she saw him?
Why did she look guilty in Sister Jin's room?
And then there were those strange little expressions when she spoke—cold toward Mo Hua, overly warm toward Qianqian…
He needed to investigate.
Mo Hua immediately pulled out a messaging talisman and sent a voice transmission to Gu Changhuai:
"Uncle Gu, go on a blind date!"
…
No reply for a while.
Clearly, he'd seen it—but chose to ignore him.
Mo Hua followed up with:
"It's serious business!"
Then paused, realizing—
"Wait… every person who forces someone to go on a blind date says it's serious business…"
So he added:
"It's related to Sister Jin's death."
That did the trick.
Gu Changhuai replied:
"Really?"
"Really!"
"What's the connection?" Gu asked.
"Still unclear," Mo Hua admitted. "That's why you need to go on this blind date. See her with your own eyes. Ask about her background. With your years of experience as a Dao Court Investigator, you'll know if Instructor Hua is hiding something."
Gu frowned.
"Sounds to me… like you're just tricking me into a date."
Mo Hua deadpanned:
"Would I joke about something as serious as a murder case?"
That was fair.
As unreliable as Mo Hua sometimes acted, when it came to real business, he was usually dependable.
Still, Gu Changhuai replied:
"Not going."
"Why not?"
"I'll question her, but I'm not going on a date."
Mo Hua grumbled:
"If you go in your official capacity, that'll spook her! But a blind date? Perfect cover. Natural, no suspicion. Even if you ask something rude, they'll just think you have no emotional intelligence, not that you're investigating them…"
Gu: "…"
Mo Hua pressed on:
"Uncle Gu, this is your duty as an officer of the Dao Court—it's a matter of principle!"
Gu fell silent.
Mo Hua added with a grin:
"Just this once. In return, I'll deal with Elder Gu Hong for you from now on."
Gu mulled it over, then sighed and gave in:
"Fine…"
Mo Hua's eyes lit up:
"I'll send you a list of suspicious points. When you're there, ask subtle questions. Probe her. And go ASAP—the sooner, the better!"
He typed up a long message and sent it.
No reply.
But Mo Hua knew his uncle—once he agreed to something, he would never go back on his word.
For the next few days, Mo Hua remained in the sect, cultivating diligently—
—and waiting for news from Uncle Gu's "blind date."