Chapter 809 – Rouge
That shouldn't be possible… right?
Mo Hua thought back to Song Jian during their time trapped in the Ten Thousand Demons Valley—either dazed or anxious, lacking any initiative, living day by day munching on the dried meat Mo Hua had given him.
He shook his head quietly.
The Broken Gold Sect was full of cunning individuals. With Song Jian's limited cunning and mental fortitude, how could he possibly rise through the ranks?
If he managed to become an elder, that would already be a miracle.
Mo Hua tossed the thought aside.
After returning to the sect, he spent some time teaching Yu'er formations, then returned to his room to review his studies. When midnight arrived, he resumed practicing formations at the Dao Stele.
He had more or less mastered the 18-pattern second-rank formations Elder Xun had given him.
Now, he was practicing 19-pattern formations.
Nineteen-pattern arrays were considered high-tier second-rank formations.
They were also the upper limit for most second-rank formation masters.
For the average array master, learning 19-pattern formations required extended contemplation, repeated practice, and constant refinement.
But for Mo Hua, there was practically no difference between 19-pattern and 18-pattern formations.
Thanks to the Dao Stele in his Sea of Consciousness, his powerful divine sense foundation, and his rapid recovery through meditation techniques, the amount of practice he could handle was ten—no, dozens of times more than the average formation master.
Practice makes perfect.
And Mo Hua was innately gifted.
After his divine sense merged with the Dao, he'd grown more attuned to the greater path—his comprehension of formations became even more profound.
Not to mention, he also had Elder Xun's personal guidance.
So as long as his divine sense was strong enough, even these high-tier second-rank formations—like the 19-pattern ones—were quickly mastered.
Practicing these formations also notably enhanced his divine sense.
But it still wasn't enough.
Because beyond the 19-patterns lay the threshold of the 20-pattern formation, a chasm as wide as the heavens.
Beyond that, every step forward would demand an astronomical amount of divine sense.
Mo Hua sighed softly.
"Still too slow. At this rate, I won't be able to give Elder Xun any surprises…"
He needed another way.
After thinking for a moment, Mo Hua quickly sent a message to Gu Changhuai:
"Uncle Gu, how's that blind—uh, I mean, investigation—date going?"
Soon, Gu Changhuai responded with a sour tone:
"It's not a date. It's a case."
"Right, right, a case."
"We've got a lead."
Mo Hua's eyes lit up.
"What kind of lead?"
Gu Changhuai didn't answer right away. He paused, then said with a frown:
"It's about my aunt…"
"Don't worry. Leave it to me!" Mo Hua declared heroically.
Gu Changhuai sighed, then said:
"That woman named Hua—I arranged to meet her. She didn't refuse…"
"Mhm mhm." Mo Hua nodded.
Uncle Gu was finally making progress.
Still… Mo Hua found it a little suspicious that the instructor named Hua agreed so easily.
Then again, maybe she was swayed by Uncle Gu's face. After all, regardless of gender, good looks could feed you in this world.
Gu Changhuai continued:
"I invited her to a private room in a restaurant in Hundred Flowers City. We chatted for a bit, but it was mostly small talk. Nothing substantial."
"She had a fake smile the whole time, her words were airtight, and she was clearly on guard. Whenever I brought up anything sensitive, she'd either act shy and remain silent or play coy and flirt—truly infuriating…"
Mo Hua: "…"
He imagined the scene for a moment and thought to himself:
Playing coy, smiling silently, batting her lashes… isn't she flirting with you?
Sigh… Uncle Gu's spent so long working as a Dao Court enforcer, his brain's clearly been rewired.
That instructor Hua was basically casting charm spells on a blind man.
"Then what?" Mo Hua asked.
"Then I walked her back to the sect…" said Gu Changhuai.
Mo Hua couldn't help but say,
"That's it?"
"What else were you expecting?"
"Fine," Mo Hua sighed. "And the clue? That wasn't the whole lead, right?"
"Mhm," Gu Changhuai said. "During dinner, she said something in passing…"
"What was it?"
"I asked what she usually did when she wasn't teaching at the sect. She said cultivation, lesson prep, sometimes shopping for flowers with her sisters, making flower elixirs, or visiting the Rouge Pavilion to buy some makeup…"
Mo Hua mulled that over, frowning.
"That all sounds pretty normal."
"It is normal," Gu Changhuai replied, "but when she said it, her tone shifted slightly. She looked nervous and avoided eye contact. It was like she suddenly realized she'd said something she shouldn't have."
"Her words were fine. Her expression was the problem."
"And that moment of unease vanished instantly. She smiled even more, got a bit flirty, poured me a drink—clearly trying to distract me with charm so I'd forget what she said."
Mo Hua paused.
For a moment, he was genuinely impressed.
Uncle Gu… was actually pretty sharp.
Keen eyes, clear mind, immune to seduction.
"Do you know which part of what she said was the issue?" Mo Hua asked.
Gu Changhuai nodded.
"The Rouge Pavilion."
"Rouge Pavilion?"
Gu thought for a moment, then said:
"When she said those three words, her tone was normal. But the moment the words left her mouth, she froze. She realized she'd said something wrong—and then quickly tried to cover it up."
"Is there a Rouge Pavilion in Hundred Flowers City?" Mo Hua asked.
"Yes," Gu replied. "I had Gu An and Gu Quan investigate. There are four Rouge Pavilions in the city. But the one she goes to is always the same: a place called Fragrant Pavilion."
"Fragrant Pavilion…" Mo Hua murmured. Then asked,
"Is there something off about it?"
"Not on the surface," said Gu Changhuai.
"But I used that as a lead and dug a little deeper into the woman. After some investigation…"
Gu frowned slightly.
"…I found that every ten days or so, she visits Fragrant Pavilion to buy makeup. But afterward, instead of returning to the sect, she takes a carriage from Hundred Flowers Valley and leaves the city. She passes several nearby immortal cities and travels far outside Qianxue Prefecture…"
"Then, she circles back through a few smaller cities, passes through Qingzhou City, then reenters Qianxue Prefecture—going right past the Dao Court headquarters—before returning to Hundred Flowers Valley."
Mo Hua was getting dizzy.
"She makes a huge loop just to… do what?"
"Buy makeup."
Mo Hua stared in disbelief.
"Just for makeup?"
Gu Changhuai:
"Yes. I double-checked. In every city she passes through, she really does buy various kinds of rouge and powder."
Mo Hua frowned.
"That… sounds suspicious."
Gu sighed.
"I thought so too. But then I asked my cousin, and she said it's perfectly normal. She told me women just… do that. They buy a lot of makeup."
Mo Hua: "..."
"So? Any other leads?" he asked.
There had to be more than just the fact that the instructor liked shopping for rouge.
Gu Changhuai frowned.
"There's not much else—time's short, and this is already decent progress. But…"
He hesitated, then added via message:
"There's one last thing that's suspicious… On her roundabout return to Hundred Flowers Valley, she passes through a small immortal city—Yanshui City!"
Mo Hua's eyebrows shot up.
"Yanshui City!"
The Yanshui City that the Ye family resided in—it was the very same city through which the Yanshui River flowed.
This clue… finally began to piece things together.
But that was all Gu Changhuai had for now.
After all, he had only invited Hua Ruyu for a single meal and didn't talk much with her. Even being able to glean this much was already impressive.
"Uncle Gu, just ask her out a few more times—maybe you'll get even more out of her." Mo Hua egged him on.
Gu Changhuai frowned. "Not happening."
"Why not?" Mo Hua was confused. "You get a meal, a date, and intel—three birds with one stone! Isn't that perfect?"
"If you want to go, go yourself. I don't have time right now," Gu Changhuai said. "In a few days, I'm making a trip to Yanshui City."
Mo Hua immediately chimed in, "I'm going too, Uncle Gu! Take me with you!"
"What for?" Gu asked.
"To uncover the real cause of Senior Sister Ye Jin's death and give her the justice she deserves!" Mo Hua replied with unwavering resolve.
Hearing this, Gu Changhuai—relying on the instincts honed from his years in the Dao Court—couldn't help but feel something was off.
Very off.
Mo Hua was a decent kid, sure, but he was far from a bleeding-heart saint.
So why was he suddenly so invested in the death of a disciple from Hundred Flowers Valley?
What did it have to do with a Great Void Sect disciple like him?
Suspicious. Very suspicious…
Gu Changhuai sent a message:
"Are you hiding something from me? Come clean—why are you really investigating this?"
Mo Hua felt a little guilty, but outwardly kept a straight face:
"It really is just to get justice for Senior Sister Ye Jin!"
The altar, the demons, the evil spirits—those were just incidental, really.
And besides, he'd made a promise in the Hundred Flowers Valley to the half-step ghost soul of Senior Sister Ye Jin—to avenge her.
Some things, once spoken, became karmic entanglements. You couldn't just say it and go back on it.
So saying he was doing it for justice… wasn't exactly wrong either.
Seeing that he couldn't pry the truth out of Mo Hua, Gu Changhuai gave up.
Even if he could get something out of him, who's to say that this scheming kid with eight minds working at once would actually tell the truth?
Whatever. Let him be.
"When your ten-day break starts, come find me—not at the Dao Court, but at the Gu residence. I'll take you to Yanshui City," Gu Changhuai said.
Mo Hua was overjoyed and nodded enthusiastically.
"Mhm! Thank you, Uncle Gu!"
"And remember… about my aunt…"
Gu Changhuai really couldn't handle Elder Gu Hong, so he reminded him again.
"Don't worry. I've got a way," Mo Hua promised confidently.
Only then did Gu Changhuai relax.
Afterward, Mo Hua spent a few more days in the sect—attending lessons, hunting demons, sketching formation diagrams—and soon, the break began.
Once everything was ready, he set out early in the morning for the Gu residence.
Upon arrival, he greeted Aunt Wan, had a few pastries, then went straight to the study to find Gu Changhuai.
Gu Changhuai wasn't alone—two others were with him.
Mo Hua's eyes lit up when he saw them. He smiled and called out,
"Brother An, Brother Quan—long time no see!"
Gu An and Gu Quan returned the greeting with a respectful cupped-hand salute, smiling.
"Young Master Mo."
"You're coming too?" Mo Hua asked curiously.
"Yes," Gu An nodded. "Since this is an investigation, the more people we have, the more leads we can track. Besides, we can run errands for you, Young Master."
"Makes sense."
Gu Changhuai saw that Mo Hua had arrived, so he said directly:
"Let's move. The earlier we go, the sooner we return. No delays."
"Alright." Mo Hua nodded.
And so, the group boarded the Gu clan's carriage and set off.
Leaving the Gu estate, the carriage sped along—cutting straight through Qingzhou City, following the flow of the Yanshui River, all the way toward Yanshui City.
The Gu family's carriage was swift, barely slowing down even as they passed through several small immortal cities. After just over an hour, they reached their destination.
Within Yanshui City, there was a shop called Shuixiang Pavilion, a place that sold rouge and powders.
It was the very same place that Instructor Hua Ruyu from Hundred Flowers Valley visited when passing through Yanshui City to buy cosmetics.
Most of the customers were women.
And even if men entered, it was usually to accompany female cultivators. Very few male cultivators entered these kinds of shops alone.
Mo Hua glanced at Gu Changhuai, then at Gu An and Gu Quan, and asked,
"So… how are we doing this?"
Four people—three grown men and one teenage boy—walking into a makeup store and asking questions left and right… wasn't that a little too suspicious?
Gu An replied,
"I know a few female enforcers. They come from clean backgrounds and are trustworthy. I've already arranged with them to drop by the shop and help us ask around. They should be here soon."
Mo Hua blinked, staring at Gu An in shock.
Truly, people shouldn't be judged by appearances.
This calm and dependable Brother An… actually had such a solid network?
He turned his head toward Gu Changhuai and shook it slightly—just enough to imply:
"Look at Brother An. He's just an enforcer, yet he knows a bunch of female colleagues. And you, Uncle Gu, a full-on chief officer, still single, don't even know a single female cultivator."
Mo Hua didn't say it aloud. But the look said it all.
Mo Hua didn't say anything out loud.
But Gu Changhuai could more or less tell what he was thinking just from his expression—and immediately, his face darkened.
Still, with Gu An and Gu Quan present, he couldn't be bothered to stoop to Mo Hua's level.
Not long after, two women arrived.
Both were Foundation Establishment cultivators. They weren't wearing Dao Court uniforms but instead dressed in stylish clothing, appearing just like fashionable young noble ladies.
They respectfully greeted Gu Changhuai first, then exchanged smiles and greetings with Gu An.
Gu An responded with a polite smile, "I'll be counting on you two, then."
The two female enforcers returned the courtesy with a chuckle. "It's our duty."
Then, hand in hand, they entered the Shuixiang Pavilion, while Gu An and Gu Quan stayed outside to quietly ask around the surrounding shops.
Mo Hua and Gu Changhuai, meanwhile, found a nearby teahouse, where they sipped tea, nibbled on pine nuts, and dug up some gossip while waiting.
About an hour later, everyone regrouped at the teahouse, booked a private room, and compiled all the information they had gathered.
"The boss of Shuixiang Pavilion is a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator," one of the women reported. "He's slightly chubby and a local of Yanshui City."
"We asked him if his rouge and powder were any good, and he proudly claimed that his products are the most popular in Yanshui City. Not only do the local noble ladies come here, but even women from major clans and sects throughout Qianxue Prefecture frequently visit to buy from him…"
"I told him I didn't believe it, so he started name-dropping. Among them was a female elder from Hundred Flowers Valley."
"An elder?" Mo Hua raised an eyebrow.
"He was probably exaggerating—turning an instructor into an 'elder' for bragging rights."
Mo Hua nodded.
The female enforcer continued,
"We took the opportunity to ask more about this 'female elder' from Hundred Flowers Valley. According to the shop owner, she does visit regularly to buy rouge and powder."
"But it's not just about shopping. When she sees pretty and elegant girls, she'll approach them to chat. With her beautiful looks, deep knowledge of cosmetics, refined makeup, and her status as a 'Hundred Flowers Valley Elder,' she can easily strike up conversations with these young ladies."
"And if they really hit it off, she'll even offer to recommend them for entry into Hundred Flowers Valley—one of the twelve minor branches of cultivation in Qianxue."
"Recommend them… to Hundred Flowers Valley?"
Mo Hua's eyes narrowed slightly.
Gu Changhuai's expression darkened as well.
This Instructor Hua, lingering around cosmetic shops in every city… clearly had an ulterior motive.
"That's all we were able to gather," said the female enforcers.
Gu Quan added,
"I spoke with some of the nearby shopkeepers. Apparently, every so often, a lavishly decorated carriage embroidered with blooming flowers will stop outside Shuixiang Pavilion."
"That carriage most likely belongs to Hundred Flowers Valley."
"But it's completely enclosed, so no one can see what's going on inside."
"It stays there for about half an hour each time, then leaves Yanshui City and travels upstream along the Yanshui River…"
"Based on their description, I sketched a rough image of the carriage…"
——
After that, everyone shared some other miscellaneous pieces of intel—fragments of rumors or oddities. They might not be useful, but just in case, nothing was ignored.
Once all the information was on the table, Gu Changhuai nodded.
"Good work."
He then glanced at Gu An.
Gu An stood up and smiled.
"I'll walk the two ladies out—and while I'm at it, I'll buy them some cosmetics as a thank-you gift."
The two female enforcers smiled gratefully and looked clearly pleased.
Gu An escorted them out of the teahouse.
Gu Quan, meanwhile, pulled out a jade slip and began carefully recording all the intel in great detail—so that not even a seemingly trivial clue would be lost.
When Gu An returned, Gu Changhuai's eyes were full of thought.
"Chief Officer," Gu An said with a frown, "this Instructor Hua is almost certainly suspicious."
Gu Changhuai gave a slight nod.
"She's clearly up to something… but we don't have any solid evidence yet—not even a truly concrete lead," Gu Quan said.
"Exactly. She's extremely cautious in everything she does. No obvious mistakes. It's hard to tell what her end goal is."
Gu An frowned in silence for a while, unable to figure it out. He finally asked,
"Where do we go from here?"
Gu Changhuai paused to think, then replied,
"Let's follow the path of her carriage. Along the Yanshui River, we'll retrace her route. A serpent that slithers through the dirt always leaves some kind of trail."
As he finished speaking, he looked over at Mo Hua.
Mo Hua nodded in agreement.
"Yes, that's what I was thinking too."
The group left Yanshui City and boarded the carriage again, traveling down the main road toward the next location, all the while keeping their eyes peeled for any signs or clues along the way.
But they looked… and looked… and even when they reached the next city, Yunshui City, they found nothing suspicious.
Gu Changhuai frowned and finally said,
"Let's keep going…"
"Wait a moment," Mo Hua interrupted.
Gu Changhuai paused in confusion.
Mo Hua was quietly fingering the copper coin his master had left him. He closed his eyes slightly, silently channeling his spiritual sense to begin divination.
A moment later, his eyes suddenly opened, glowing with clarity. He turned his head to look back, eyes sharp.
"We're not going forward. We're going back."
"Back?" Gu Changhuai asked.
"Mm." Mo Hua nodded. "There's something wrong with the road we came from…"
The thread of cause and effect—had been severed, ever so slightly…
(End of this Chapter)