Chapter 840 – Lady Miao
Thank the heavens Uncle Gu is emotionally dense and has a heart like stone—he didn't fall for Hua Ruyu. Otherwise, he'd be wearing a bright green hat right now.
Blind dates… they're dangerous, man.
Mo Hua couldn't help but sigh internally.
That said, the way those two filthy lovebirds addressed each other caught his attention.
Water Yama called Hua Ruyu "Miao'er."
Miao'er…
Back at the ferry crossing, Water Yama also referred to the carriage as belonging to "Miao'er."
Could that be Hua Ruyu's courtesy name?
Mo Hua shook his head slightly.
"Can't be that simple… and somehow… that name sounds familiar."
He frowned, digging through his memory—and suddenly his heart skipped a beat.
Back when he killed Boss Jiang, he'd seized a wanted list filled with notorious criminal cultivators. Many had aliases:
"Poison Rakshasa, Fire Foreman, Golden Arhat, Flower Gentleman, Butcher, Bloodwood Cutter, Yin Thunder Child, Lady Miao, Ghostface Fiend, River-Crossing Dragon…"
He'd already cleansed most of them through bounty hunts and missions.
Now, only a few were left.
Among the last slippery fish… was one named Lady Miao.
Lady Miao… Miao'er…
Mo Hua's thoughts suddenly cleared.
No wonder he hadn't run into this "Lady Miao" all this time—she was hiding inside a sect, putting on the act of a well-mannered teaching instructor.
And as for how Hua Ruyu called Water Yama "Xie Lang" (Darling Xie)...
That "Xie"… could it be from the Xie Clan of the Yin Water Sect?
Mo Hua remembered: one of Uncle Gu's past opponents had been a Jindan sword cultivator from the Yin Water Sect, surnamed Xie.
So that means—Water Yama could be a member of the Xie Clan, and simply never revealed it publicly?
As Mo Hua silently pondered, the two in the room had already begun whispering intimately, their cheeks rubbing close together.
After a while, Water Yama said:
"You say you miss me, but I hear you've found yourself another sweetheart lately. Don't tell me you've grown tired of me already?"
Hua Ruyu's gaze rippled with sultry charm. She shot him a teasing glare.
"Just a performance, nothing more. He's a fool—good-looking but dull, as dense as a rock. Nothing like you, Xie Lang—so attentive and considerate, always lingering on my mind…"
Water Yama was clearly moved. He pulled her into his arms again and caressed her gently—but he still couldn't let it go:
"Who is that man? What's his background?"
Hua Ruyu replied, "He's a Registrar (Diansi) from the Dao Judiciary Office. A Jindan cultivator."
Water Yama's expression slowly shifted. "A Diansi? Jindan? What's his name?"
Hua Ruyu, unaware of Water Yama's inner thoughts, just teased:
"What, are you jealous?"
Water Yama shook his head. "Just tell me."
Hua Ruyu said casually, "Surname Gu. His name is Gu Changhuai."
The moment she said those three characters, Water Yama's eyes widened in fury.
"Gu. Chang. Huai!"
He growled each syllable through clenched teeth.
Hua Ruyu, surprised by his reaction, asked, "What's wrong?"
Water Yama's face twitched as he snarled, "He's the one who chopped off my arm!"
Hua Ruyu was startled. She muttered, "How… how could that be?"
"He approached you—could it be part of a setup?" Water Yama narrowed his eyes sharply.
Hua Ruyu frowned, thinking for a moment, then shook her head.
"I had that suspicion before, but… it doesn't add up. He was introduced to me a long time ago, by an aunt from our clan. He kept putting off the meeting, saying he was too busy with official duties at the Dao Judiciary."
"It wasn't until recently—likely because of pressure from his clan—that we actually started meeting a few times."
"If this was a trap, it wouldn't have been plotted this far in advance. And it dragged on too long. Besides… he doesn't seem like the cunning type. He's stiff, boring, not good with words. Cold and aloof. The only redeeming features are his face, background, and cultivation. If not for that, I wouldn't bother."
Water Yama relaxed slightly.
But hearing her praise Gu Changhuai's looks again and again… left a sour taste in his heart.
"If he's so boring, why'd you keep seeing him?"
Hua Ruyu sighed softly.
"What could I do? Our relationship can't be out in the open. Everyone in my sect thinks I'm alone—there's been whispers. When they arranged those blind dates, I couldn't refuse. I just went through the motions. But in my heart, there's only you."
She leaned in close and whispered:
"My body and heart—they're yours."
Soft jade in his arms, Water Yama's heart melted. He stopped asking questions and smiled.
"Then if I reach Jindan one day and kill Gu Changhuai—you better not grieve for him."
Hua Ruyu pouted flirtatiously.
"Hmph. If he dies, it'll save me the trouble of dealing with him."
Then she looked at his empty sleeve, eyes filled with worry.
"Will your arm… ever grow back?"
Water Yama's gaze turned dark.
"That bastard Gu—he's an idiot, yes, but Jindan is still Jindan. I was only in the third realm. He chopped it off in one stroke. His wind-elemental spiritual power lingers in the wound like blades—scraping my bones. I've tried everything, but results have been minimal."
Hua Ruyu's voice was filled with pity:
"So you'll only have one arm for life?"
Water Yama's hatred for Gu Changhuai deepened—but when he saw Hua Ruyu's concerned face, he pulled her close with a grin.
"Even with one arm, I'll hold onto you forever. Never letting go."
Hua Ruyu gave him a playful twist.
"Such a smooth talker."
"You don't like it?"
"What do you think?"
Their gazes met—lips followed. Another round of affection.
Mo Hua watched with a pained expression.
"Ugh, these two again… Like a pair of heat-struck dogs in spring. Could they be any more nauseating?"
"Before I leave this boat, maybe I should just bury these two alive…"
This Water Yama? His crimes were too many to count. He'd long earned his death sentence.
And Hua Ruyu? On the surface a refined instructor—secretly a shameless brothel madam.
Neither was any good.
She almost put a green hat on Uncle Gu too!
Let them both rot here on the Rouge Boat. Spare the world from their filth.
Mo Hua held back his disgust and continued watching—just in case they let something important slip.
But a few moments later, things seemed to be heading in… a different direction.
Water Yama undid his belt. His one remaining hand began slipping under Hua Ruyu's robes.
"Nope. Nope nope nope."
Mo Hua had seen enough.
Any more of this and he'd need spiritual eyedrops.
This filth? Would corrupt his pure, righteous Dao heart.
He snorted in disdain and was just about to leave when—
"No…"
Hua Ruyu's clothes were already half removed when she suddenly pressed down on Water Yama's roaming hand. Her face flushed red as she said,
"Xie Lang, not now."
Water Yama was clearly impatient.
"It's been so long… I've been holding back for too long…"
Hua Ruyu shook her head.
"The Rouge Boat event is a major operation. We can't afford the slightest slip."
Water Yama still wasn't giving up.
So Hua Ruyu softened her voice and said:
"Once the plan is done…"
Water Yama looked at her beautiful face, his voice husky with longing:
"Really?"
Hua Ruyu's face turned redder. She murmured:
"Afterwards, you can do as you wish."
Only then did Water Yama relent, choosing not to press further.
The two of them then lowered their voices and resumed talking about the matter at hand.
Mo Hua, hearing that they were finally discussing business, nodded slightly with satisfaction and continued eavesdropping.
"Has everyone arrived?"
"All present."
"Following Young Lord's instructions, we invited all the important disciples from the sects that need to be specially entertained."
"Except the Great Void Sect. Young Lord said there's something off about them, so we're to avoid provoking them—don't want to bring disaster on ourselves…"
"Aside from them, the other eight major sects and twelve lesser factions all have core disciples aboard. Especially Tai'a Sect and Chongxu Sect, they are to be treated with special care."
"Young Lord said…" Hua Ruyu lowered her voice, "Let them take the drug, indulge themselves, let their souls melt… Once they get a taste, they'll never forget. They'll never be able to leave the Rouge Boat."
Mo Hua's expression gradually grew grim.
Inside, the two kept talking, until finally Hua Ruyu gently pushed Water Yama and said:
"You should go back. Tonight's important—don't be careless. And you're still injured. Don't exhaust yourself and ruin your recovery."
Water Yama didn't move. He sighed.
"It's been so long… and now you just want me gone?"
Hua Ruyu's cheeks flushed deeper.
"I'm afraid… if you don't go now, I won't be able to hold back either."
Water Yama froze, then kissed her on the cheek.
"Alright. I'll finish what needs to be done and come back to serve you."
They exchanged more sweet nothings before Water Yama finally got up to leave. But as he reached the door, he suddenly paused—eyes flickering—and asked:
"Oh, by the way. I heard… you brought a little 'virgin' onto the ship?"
Outside the window, Mo Hua blinked.
"A 'virgin'?"
Inside, Hua Ruyu paused for a moment, her romantic glow dimming into cold wariness.
"How do you know that?"
"Just heard it somewhere."
Hua Ruyu's tone turned cold. "You've got sharp ears… so what?"
Water Yama only smiled.
Hua Ruyu sneered,
"Don't say I didn't warn you. That girl's for Young Lord. You're not to lay a finger on her."
Water Yama tried to coax her.
"Miao'er, you've misunderstood—"
"Cut the crap," she snapped, expression hardening. "Let me tell you straight: that girl's a true-blooded disciple from a sect. Her identity isn't ordinary. We shouldn't have touched her at all."
"But she just had to be nosy. She was snooping around behind our backs… and she actually found out some things she shouldn't have."
Her voice turned even colder.
"So now? No choice. We'll have to drag her into the mud, stain her reputation. Let her learn a hard lesson about how cruel the world is…"
A true-blooded disciple, special background, still a virgin—and drop-dead gorgeous.
Water Yama was clearly tempted. But under Hua Ruyu's cold glare, he only smiled and said:
"You've got it all wrong. I told you—my heart belongs only to you. Even if another woman looked like a fairy, I wouldn't spare her a glance."
Then he started swearing oaths and spouting more sweet talk until Hua Ruyu's expression finally softened.
After a bit more snuggling, Water Yama finally left.
Once he was gone, Hua Ruyu turned back into the room and sat down—but immediately frowned.
Something still felt off.
"Men. Filthy creatures, all the same."
"They say they only love you… but turn around and fall for the next thing in a skirt."
"There are rats that deserve to die, but no cats that don't steal fish."
The more she thought, the more uneasy she felt.
"No. I can't let that bastard ruin things. If he touches her and offends Young Lord…"
Hua Ruyu clenched her brows, then rose to her feet and left the room.
Mo Hua's eyes flickered and he silently crept away from the window, climbing back into the ship through a nearby ventilation shaft.
But the delay meant Hua Ruyu was already gone.
Luckily, she wore heavy makeup and perfume—her fragrance still lingered in the air.
Mo Hua sniffed lightly and followed the scent, turning a few corners until he spotted Hua Ruyu's graceful figure ahead.
She walked on confidently, unaware that Mo Hua was quietly trailing her.
At first, Mo Hua worried he'd been spotted—but after some thought, he realized Hua Ruyu wasn't circling to lose him.
She was trying to shake off Water Yama.
Worried he might sneak back to taste the forbidden fish.
Mo Hua shook his head.
"These people really are filthy inside and out."
After a few loops to make sure she wasn't being followed, Hua Ruyu finally relaxed and changed course. She walked to a secret room, pulled out a command token, dispelled the formation, and opened the door. After checking both sides of the hallway, she slipped inside and sealed it shut again.
Mo Hua raised a brow and memorized the room's location.
Then, using the same method, he found a nearby window, climbed out to the outer hull, located the waterside window to the secret room, broke the formation, made a tiny hole, inserted a silver needle—and peered inside.
The room was another refined boudoir, similar in layout to Hua Ruyu's own.
This one had more lotus and hibiscus carvings—more elegant in style.
But one thing stood out.
On the bed, bound with Spirit-Binding Chains, was a young woman.
She was in her prime, wearing a fine embroidered dress. Her face was stunning—like a painting come to life.
At the moment, she was tied down, her face pale and full of indignation. Her delicate features carried a tragic beauty.
Mo Hua sighed softly.
He was surprised—but not really.
"It's Senior Sister Qianqian…"
A direct-line disciple of the sect, with an extraordinary background—and someone familiar with Hua Ruyu. The one secretly investigating the Rouge Boat…
Thinking it through, it could only be Hua Qianqian, who had never been able to let go of Senior Sister Ye Jin's death.
She had likely been following the trail, investigating Ye Jin's death, and unknowingly uncovered clues pointing to Hua Ruyu—only to be discovered by her.
Inside the room, Hua Qianqian was tightly bound, her mouth gagged with cloth so she couldn't speak, glaring at Hua Ruyu with eyes full of hatred.
Hua Ruyu looked at her in this tragic yet beautiful state—truly pitiful to behold—and sighed softly. She stepped forward gracefully and gently stroked Hua Qianqian's pale cheek, her tone full of feigned compassion:
"You poor girl… why must you be like this?"
Hua Qianqian's eyes flared with fury. She had so much to say, but couldn't utter a word.
After a moment of thought, Hua Ruyu removed the cloth gag from her mouth.
Hua Qianqian immediately spat at her with a sharp "Peh!"
Hua Ruyu didn't dodge. She just softly replied:
"I know you're angry. You feel betrayed. But did you ever stop to think—if you hadn't been so nosy, kept digging, and traced everything back to me, forcing my hand—would you be in this situation now?"
Hua Qianqian's beautiful face flushed with rage.
"Don't twist things! You're the one doing unspeakable evil! I always treated you like my own sister—respected and trusted you. I never imagined you'd stoop so low, pushing your own sect sisters into the fire pit! Do you even have a conscience?"
Hua Ruyu shook her head.
"You don't understand. How could this be a 'fire pit'?"
Looking at Hua Qianqian's innocence and purity, a flicker of envy—and something darker—appeared in her eyes.
"You're the direct bloodline of the Hua family. Beautiful. Gifted. You've been pampered since childhood. Elders from both the sect and the clan adore you. Your peers all give way to you. You've never known what it's like for girls from lesser backgrounds—to be pushed aside, ignored, bullied…"
She sighed again.
"Take Jin'er, for example…"
"Her spiritual root was perfect—an upper-grade, pure water root. Beautiful, too. That soft elegance, with a hint of seductive charm. In a great noble family, she'd have been a prized jewel."
"But she was born to a third-tier clan. Just a lowly daughter of a minor family."
"No matter her talent, her looks, her heart—her background held her back. It was a wall she could never climb over. In her whole life, she could never enter the doors of a truly prestigious house."
"In the world of aristocracy, each rank is a world apart. A single tier difference is like heaven and earth."
"She'd either marry into some fourth-tier side branch, just to bear incense for the family—or marry another third-tier heir as an equal. Nothing better."
"And those average men… how could they ever deserve her?"
"That's why I helped her. Connected her to true nobles—peerless prodigies. If she could gain their affection in bed, she might have had a chance to soar—become a phoenix among hens."
"Even without a name or status, even just one night with a true scion is better than being the 'legitimate wife' of some boring, mediocre man."
Hua Ruyu spoke with emotion, as if she genuinely believed her twisted logic.
Hua Qianqian, outraged, still refrained from vulgar words and only snapped,
"Shameless!"
But Hua Ruyu wasn't offended in the slightest. She smiled softly.
"You still don't understand, do you?"
She gently stroked Hua Qianqian's cheek again.
Qianqian tried to pull away, but bound as she was, she couldn't move. All she could do was endure the touch of this woman she once saw as a "sister," who now felt more like a poisonous viper.
"Such soft, tender skin…"
Hua Ruyu sighed and whispered,
"But still too young. You know nothing. Haven't experienced anything. Once you've tasted the pleasures of man and woman, you'll understand—I never lied to you. Everything I've done… is for your own good. People must grow up."
Hua Qianqian was filled with shame and fury. Fear and panic crept into her expression.
Hua Ruyu, seeing her like this, grew even more "tender" in tone.
"The first time is always scary. That's why I found you a gentle, handsome man—someone you already know. Just relax."
"You could say I'm playing matchmaker for you. Once you've experienced true bliss, once you become a real woman, you'll understand my well-meaning efforts."
With that, Hua Ruyu resealed her mouth with the cloth.
"Tonight is your wedding night. Be good. I'll go fetch your charming groom now."
She smiled sweetly, then turned and left.
Inside the room, only Hua Qianqian remained.
Tied helplessly to the bed, surrounded by oppressive silence, her fear began to overwhelm her. Her face turned ghostly pale, and silent tears rolled from the corners of her eyes.
Watching from outside, Mo Hua sighed heavily.
Once again, he confirmed to himself:
"That Hua Ruyu… I must find a way to kill her."
Mo Hua considered for a moment, then climbed back into the ship, hoping to keep following Hua Ruyu.
But as soon as he entered, he heard voices.
She hadn't gone far—and she was talking with someone.
"Everything ready?"
"Yeah. All set."
"Good. Then let's not delay…"
…?
Who was she talking to?
Mo Hua frowned and crept closer, stealing a glance—and his heart instantly jumped.
The man speaking with Hua Ruyu—he recognized him.
Tall and thin, with a long face.
A disciple from Tai'a Sect.
And one he'd previously sensed… carried the taint of a dark god.
Senior Brother Ma.
(End of this Chapter)