Chapter 823: Magistrate Xia
Gu Changhuai wore a look of utter speechlessness.
What on earth was this brat talking about now?
Go interact with that Xia woman?
Was he kidding?
Women were walking trouble—best to stay far away. Why would he ever go out of his way to approach one? Unless his brain had been scrambled…
Gu Changhuai grumbled silently in his heart.
Mo Hua, of course, pulled out his trusty old excuse:
"It's all for the case! For the truth!"
Gu Changhuai: "Say something practical, will you?"
After spending so much time with Mo Hua, he'd long since developed immunity to these "righteous and selfless" declarations.
"Fine," Mo Hua sighed. "I've realized that we might not be able to catch Water Yama on our own."
"This is a second-grade prefecture. Water Yama is powerful, slippery, and more annoyingly—he's a master of water."
Gu Changhuai frowned.
As much as he didn't want to admit it, he knew deep down that Water Yama might actually be more troublesome than Fire Buddha.
Water Yama's raw power was weaker than Fire Buddha's. In a head-on clash, he wouldn't stand a chance.
But capturing Water Yama—or even killing him—was a much harder task than dealing with Fire Buddha.
Fire Buddha's strength lay in his boundless, beast-like spiritual power and in his unbeatable fire-type forbidden arts.
In the same realm, Fire Buddha feared almost no one in direct combat.
But Water Yama walked the path of the unorthodox—his techniques were vicious, his movements ghostly, and his eye arts disturbingly strange.
Worst of all, he was born in water.
On land, things might be manageable.
But the moment Water Yama slipped into the Mistwater River, his abilities—enhanced by water affinity—would skyrocket.
He could stir up storms, come and go freely, and no one would be able to touch him.
Finding someone who matched Water Yama's water-based cultivation and strength was practically impossible.
Gu Changhuai let out a long sigh.
Such was the life of a cultivator.
Cultivation level was the foundation—but it wasn't everything.
Even with powerful cultivation, without experience, cunning, deep knowledge of spellcraft, and mastery across disciplines, a cultivator would still be stuck—bound at every turn and helpless in the face of challenges.
"So… you want Magistrate Xia to help?" Gu Changhuai asked.
Mo Hua nodded. "Yes."
"But she's from the Dao Tribunal. Who knows what she's really after?" Gu Changhuai was hesitant.
Mo Hua replied,
"Uncle Gu, didn't you say it yourself? That Tribunal cultivators should act in accordance with Dao law, uphold justice, arrest the guilty and eliminate evil?"
"If that's the case, then as long as we act according to Dao law and can capture Water Yama together, remove that threat—why worry about what Magistrate Xia's identity or motives are?"
Gu Changhuai paused, giving it some thought… and realized, that actually made sense.
The Dao Tribunal Division was part of the Dao Tribunal.
The Gu family, while a noble clan, came from a line of government service—very different from the profit-driven noble houses.
The Gu clan's ancestral teachings always emphasized adherence to Dao law and impartiality in action.
In that case, whatever the Dao Tribunal's goals might be, he only needed to act in line with his family's teachings.
A sudden clarity dawned in Gu Changhuai.
Perhaps this was the "pure stream" path the Gu family walked.
Follow the Dao law. Act with principle.
In doing so, they neither wallowed with corrupt clans nor flattered the Dao Tribunal.
Because even the Dao Tribunal itself… didn't always follow the Dao law.
Gu Changhuai frowned.
Such "pure stream" integrity would surely draw jealousy—and even make them enemies on all sides. That possibility wasn't far-fetched.
But this was the Gu family's chosen path.
Stick to it, and the road might be hard, full of obstacles and dangers.
But abandon it, lose that backbone—and the entire clan might face destruction before they knew it.
He had occasionally thought the clan head was too rigid.
But now, reflecting deeper… he began to understand.
Gu Changhuai pondered for a moment, then said:
"Alright!"
Mo Hua blinked in surprise.
He hadn't expected Uncle Gu to agree so quickly.
He hadn't even used half the persuasive arguments he'd prepared.
But hey, if Uncle Gu figured it out on his own, all the better.
Even if Mo Hua didn't know what, exactly, he'd figured out…
"Then, Uncle Gu," Mo Hua struck while the iron was hot, "find time to arrange a meeting with Magistrate Xia."
Gu Changhuai didn't reply immediately. He still felt reluctant deep down.
"Don't worry," Mo Hua said. "I'll come too."
Gu Changhuai frowned. "Why are you coming?"
Because if I don't, the two of you will just sit there stone-faced, staring coldly at each other like two statues…
Mo Hua grumbled silently to himself.
"I have something important to discuss with Magistrate Xia as well," he said aloud.
Gu Changhuai was quiet for a moment. "…Fine."
It was better with Mo Hua there anyway. If he had to go alone, he honestly didn't want to see that Xia woman.
Women were trouble.
"But even if I ask her, she might not agree to meet," Gu Changhuai said.
"That's okay—just try," Mo Hua replied.
He'd already thought this through. There was a high chance she'd say yes.
In terms of status, both were Diansi (Magistrate).
Uncle Gu had served as Diansi (Magistrate) in Qianxue Prefecture for over two hundred years, and he came from the Gu clan. He'd handled who-knows-how-many cases and interrogated countless demonic cultivators.
As for Magistrate Xia, while she had the Xia clan and the Dao Tribunal at her back, she was new here and unfamiliar with local affairs.
Under these circumstances, she'd definitely be interested in talking to Gu Changhuai for information.
And another thing—if nothing else, Uncle Gu was still very handsome.
Men liked beautiful women. And there wasn't a woman alive who didn't appreciate a handsome man.
So that face of his shouldn't go to waste—it needed to be properly leveraged.
Gu Changhuai, unaware of all the little schemes swirling through Mo Hua's mind, simply said:
"Alright, I'll give it a try…"
And so, Gu Changhuai gave it a shot.
A few days later, he sent Mo Hua a message:
"Magistrate Xia agreed. You free tomorrow evening?"
Tomorrow evening?
Mo Hua thought about it. After classes, he was supposed to tutor Yu'er on formations, but that could wait.
"I'm free," he replied.
"There's a Gu Family restaurant in Great Void City. Come around the hour of You (5–7 p.m.)," Gu Changhuai said.
"Gu Family restaurant? That your family's business?"
"Yes."
"Alright," Mo Hua agreed.
The next day, after class, Mo Hua assigned some formation homework to Yu'er and left the sect for the city.
The Gu Family restaurant had an antique charm to it—elegant but not gaudy, luxurious but restrained.
One look, and Mo Hua could tell—this place was probably run by Aunt Wan.
Just as he entered, a server came up to greet him, but before they could speak much, a surprised voice called out:
"Young Master Mo?"
Mo Hua looked up and saw a smiling, slightly chubby shopkeeper—clearly a Foundation Establishment cultivator—cupping his hands respectfully.
The face looked familiar, but Mo Hua couldn't place him.
The shopkeeper said:
"I'm a steward of the Gu family—and the manager here. I saw you once during a family banquet."
Mo Hua politely responded:
"Greetings, Steward Gu."
The steward smiled.
"So, are you here for a meal, or a private gathering?"
"Uncle Gu invited me," Mo Hua said.
The steward paused briefly, then nodded slightly. So it's true—Young Master Mo even got an invitation from the usually cold and aloof Young Lord Gu.
"Young Lord Changhuai gave instructions. The room's ready. Please, follow me."
"Much obliged," Mo Hua replied with a bow.
Mo Hua cupped his hands and said, "Many thanks."
Manager Gu led him to a quiet and elegantly decorated private room on the second floor.
Mo Hua lightly swept the area with his divine sense and immediately noticed that the room was surrounded by array formations to prevent eavesdropping and interruptions.
At the moment, the room was still empty—neither Gu Changhuai nor Magistrate Xia had arrived, and no dishes had been served yet. The table was bare, except for a pot of tea.
Manager Gu said, "Young Master, please take a seat for now."
"Alright!"
Mo Hua nodded and picked a spot that looked pleasing to the eye, felt cool, and had good "feng shui" to sit down.
Manager Gu glanced at Mo Hua, then at the rather empty table, and quietly asked, "Shall I bring you a few dishes first?"
"Let's wait for Uncle Gu," Mo Hua replied.
"No trouble," Manager Gu said with a smile. "Consider it a little welcoming gift from me. No need to stand on ceremony, Young Master."
Since the offer was insistent and Mo Hua's stomach was indeed grumbling, he accepted graciously:
"Then I'll take you up on that, Manager Gu."
Manager Gu smiled. "Please wait a moment, Young Master."
He withdrew, and soon, servers began bringing in the dishes.
Though he'd called it a "little gift," every dish that arrived was a lavish, fragrant, mouthwatering delicacy.
When the ever-stoic Gu Changhuai walked in, followed by an equally frosty-faced Magistrate Xia, the first thing they saw was Mo Hua sitting in front of a mountain of food, happily chomping away.
Gu Changhuai couldn't help asking, "Why'd you start eating already?"
"I was hungry," Mo Hua replied righteously. "Besides, these were courtesy of Manager Gu."
Gu Changhuai sighed.
This brat could make himself at home anywhere.
Even at a Gu Family restaurant, the manager was sneaking him extra dishes.
Shaking his head, Gu Changhuai picked a seat and poured himself some tea.
Magistrate Xia also sat down.
She was here for official business, and wasn't about to fuss over food and drink.
However…
She glanced at Mo Hua, then at Gu Changhuai, and doubt began to creep into her heart.
Over the past few days, she'd gotten a rough sense of who Gu Changhuai was:
A cold, aloof, inflexible man. Unyielding, low EQ, poor people skills, terrible temper, hard to talk to—he treated everyone with the same frosty demeanor…
His only redeeming quality was a barely acceptable face.
Other than that, he was cold, hard, and as personable as a rock.
And yet, the only one who could visibly get under his skin—or even make him lose composure—was this teenage brat gnawing on a chicken leg.
What's more, Gu Changhuai's attitude toward the boy was… odd.
It was obvious he wasn't exactly fond of the boy. Sometimes he even looked irritated and wasn't particularly polite in his words.
But even when angry, Gu Changhuai kept himself in check.
No matter how annoyed, he couldn't do anything about the kid.
There was even a hint of… wariness?
Magistrate Xia furrowed her brow slightly, deep in thought.
"Big Sis Xia, this chicken leg is delicious—you should try it," Mo Hua said, holding one out to her.
One chicken. Two legs.
Mo Hua had eaten one and saved the other for her.
Gu Changhuai watched silently from the side.
Magistrate Xia appreciated the gesture, but she was also a Diansi (Magistrate), and her nature was cold. She simply said, "Thank you."
Then she corrected, "Call me Magistrate Xia."
"Mhm, Magistrate Xia," Mo Hua nodded.
Once everyone was seated, Manager Gu began serving the proper dishes.
These ones had been arranged by Gu Changhuai.
As a noble young master, he was meticulous about food and presentation, so the dishes were elegant and refined.
Of course, in Mo Hua's eyes, it was all a bit… extravagant.
Still, food was innocent, so Mo Hua didn't hold it against them—and continued eating.
Magistrate Xia only took a few small bites before putting down her chopsticks and asking Gu Changhuai, "Diansi (Magistrate) Gu, what was it you wanted to discuss?"
Gu Changhuai said nothing and sipped his wine in silence.
Magistrate Xia's expression gradually darkened.
Mo Hua sighed, a little helplessly, and said:
"Magistrate Xia, have you heard of Water Yama?"
Her expression flickered—just for a moment—then returned to normal.
"What about Water Yama?"
Mo Hua studied her face. He suspected she knew something—but wasn't sure how much.
He got straight to the point: "Uncle Gu also wants to catch Water Yama. He's hoping to work with you."
Magistrate Xia thought for a moment before answering:
"While Water Yama is indeed a threat, and his crimes merit death, the Dao Tribunal Division's current priorities do not revolve around him."
"Aren't you investigating the Yin Water Sect? Water Yama has close ties to them," Mo Hua said.
Magistrate Xia froze, her gaze suddenly sharp as she turned to Gu Changhuai and sneered coldly:
"Diansi (Magistrate) Gu, since when do you go around leaking Dao Tribunal matters?"
Gu Changhuai took a sip of wine and snorted. "I said nothing."
"If you didn't say anything, how would he know?" Magistrate Xia's gaze turned piercing.
Gu Changhuai replied blandly, "Even if I didn't say a word, he'd still know. When it comes to Qianxue Prefecture's affairs, he probably knows more than you do."
Magistrate Xia gave a cold chuckle at first—but seeing that Gu Changhuai had no intention of elaborating, she turned her gaze to Mo Hua, a bit stunned.
She couldn't help asking, "You…"
"I'm Mo Hua, surname Mo," he said. "A mid-stage Foundation Establishment disciple of the Great Void Sect."
"Your surname is Mo?" Magistrate Xia was surprised. "You're not a Gu?"
Mo Hua shook his head.
"Mo…" she murmured, puzzled. "There's no major clan near Qianxue Prefecture with the surname Mo…"
"I'm not from a noble family. I'm a rogue cultivator," Mo Hua replied honestly.
"A rogue cultivator!?"
Even someone as icy as Magistrate Xia showed a clear reaction.
He was actually a rogue cultivator?
She came from a prestigious noble family in Dao Prefecture. Though she knew most cultivators were rogues in the broader world, in her own social circle—well, practically everyone she'd ever interacted with had been from noble families or elite sects.
Rogue cultivators certainly existed.
But those who could, by their own strength alone, without marrying into a sect or clinging to a powerful backer, manage to break into the central ranks of the Dao Tribunal—those were as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns.
At least, she had only heard of such people—never actually met one.
Not to mention Dao Prefecture—even within Qianxue Prefecture, there were only a handful of rogue cultivators who had even managed to step through a sect's threshold.
Magistrate Xia examined Mo Hua more carefully. Though he looked a bit naïve and innocent, his temperament and presence were anything but ordinary. Her surprise only deepened.
"You're a rogue cultivator—so how did you get accepted into the Great Void Sect?"
She recalled that the Great Void Sect was, at the very least, one of the eight great sects of Qianxue Prefecture.
"That's a long story…" Mo Hua sighed.
To tell it properly, he'd have to start with Yuer's situation—so he chose not to go into it.
Instead, he jumped straight to the important part: "I have—well, Uncle Gu and I both have—clues on Water Yama. But he's at peak Foundation Establishment, highly skilled in water techniques, and he's been slipping around in the Yan Shui River. Elusive and ghost-like—capturing him is incredibly difficult."
Magistrate Xia frowned. "Why would you have leads on Water Yama?"
Mo Hua put on a modest expression, though his tone had a trace of pride as he said,
"Sister Xia, not to brag, but in the area around Qianxue Prefecture, I'm kind of a 'local expert.' I know a bit about most things going on."
Magistrate Xia stared at him in disbelief.
When she'd first met Mo Hua at the Dao Tribunal, she'd thought he was just a pampered, innocent little young master from the Gu family.
How had he suddenly become a local powerhouse?
She glanced at Gu Changhuai and noticed his indifferent expression—clearly, even he didn't object to Mo Hua's words, which made it even harder for her to believe.
Still skeptical, she asked, "Just how much do you know about Water Yama?"
Mo Hua understood—this was a test. She wanted to see if he truly knew anything substantial.
After thinking for a moment, Mo Hua replied:
"Water Yama—peak Foundation Establishment. Practices the techniques of the Water Prison Sect. Wields the Water Punishment Whip, excels in the Water Shadow Step, and his eyes can gather baleful qi to cast strange ocular arts."
"The Dao Tribunal has little on him officially, but this man has committed countless murders. No doubt he's been racking up sins long before now."
"About a year ago, the Yu family water stronghold in the lower reaches of the Yan Shui River was annihilated. That was also his doing…"
…
Mo Hua shared a portion of what he knew.
The more Magistrate Xia listened, the more shocked she became.
Some of it she had already been informed of—but there were other details she had never heard from any source until now.
She looked at Mo Hua, shaken. "How do you know all this?"
Mo Hua just gave her a bright, cheeky smile—and said nothing.
After a pause, Magistrate Xia didn't press the matter.
Instead, her expression grew serious as she asked, "Then let me ask you one final question—do you have any personal grudge against Water Yama? Why are you so determined to capture him?"
Mo Hua's eyes flickered.
"No grudge" wasn't quite true.
Water Yama had probably already taken a deep dislike to him. In fact, the guy most likely believed Mo Hua was a remnant of the Water Prison Sect, and would love nothing more than to kill him on the spot.
But that wasn't the core reason.
Some truths weren't convenient to share.
So Mo Hua replied, face solemn and voice righteous:
"I'm a disciple of the Great Void Sect. As such, I follow the sect's teachings—uphold my true heart, seek the Dao with sincerity, and take the eradication of evil and the protection of the innocent as my sacred duty. Water Yama has committed countless atrocities—his death is not only deserved but necessary. If he isn't stopped, more innocent cultivators will fall to him."
"Therefore, capturing Water Yama and casting him into the Dao Tribunal's prison to face justice—this is the duty of any cultivator who walks the righteous path!"
He declared this with great passion and conviction.
Gu Changhuai facepalmed.
Here he goes again…
Magistrate Xia, on the other hand, was visibly moved by his earnestness.
After thinking it over, she nodded. "Very well. We'll work together to bring Water Yama down!"
Mo Hua was overjoyed. He immediately poured a cup of wine for her and raised his own in a toast:
"It's a deal!"
Seeing his enthusiasm, Magistrate Xia couldn't help but smile a little. "It's a deal."
After their glasses were raised, both of them looked over at Gu Changhuai.
He looked exasperated.
Mo Hua tugged on his sleeve. "Uncle Gu, you're the only one left."
Gu Changhuai hesitated for a moment… then slowly raised his cup and clinked glasses with Mo Hua and Magistrate Xia.
The three of them had officially formed an alliance.
However, after the meal—when they left the Gu family's restaurant—Gu Changhuai didn't forget to rain on Mo Hua's parade a little.
"She's with the Dao Tribunal. She's also from the Xia clan."
"The Tribunal is strict, and noble clans are cold-hearted. Everyone's playing their own games. Just because she agreed doesn't mean she's doing it with good intentions."
Mo Hua nodded. "I understand, Uncle Gu. Don't worry."
Gu Changhuai gave him a long look, then didn't say anything more.
Later, for the sake of convenient communication, Magistrate Xia also gave Mo Hua a message talisman.
Thus, Mo Hua now had two Dao Tribunal Diansi (Magistrate) message talismans—one from Gu Changhuai, and one from Magistrate Xia.
Mo Hua used them to send Magistrate Xia some clues.
With the strength and influence of both the Dao Tribunal and the Xia clan behind her, it didn't take long before she dug up another lead on Water Yama.
She didn't hide her findings—she told Mo Hua everything.
Mo Hua stared at the river map of the Yan Shui River, eyes flashing as he looked at the circled locations.
The hunt for Water Yama… could now begin.
(End of this Chapter)