Chapter 841: A Choice
This Senior Brother Ma really was a problem.
So the aura of the Evil God on him had come from the Rouge Boat.
The "Young Master" Hua Ruyu referred to—could it be him?
Mo Hua thought for a moment and shook his head.
This Senior Brother Ma… didn't seem to be qualified.
Given his standing, he likely didn't have the rank to be called "Young Master."
Meanwhile, Hua Ruyu whispered something else to Senior Brother Ma. He nodded, then turned and left.
Hua Ruyu paused for a moment in thought, then glanced around cautiously before heading in the opposite direction.
One went left, one went right—opposite paths.
Mo Hua considered for a bit, but chose not to follow Hua Ruyu. Instead, he quietly tailed Senior Brother Ma.
Ma was tall and lanky, his steps light and fast, but his awareness wasn't sharp. He didn't notice someone was shadowing him.
He probably never imagined that someone else had infiltrated the mist-covered, tightly controlled Rouge Boat.
After walking for a bit, Ma arrived in front of a sealed chamber.
He hesitated briefly, then knocked.
A while later, the door opened. Ma entered and closed the door behind him.
Mo Hua hadn't been close enough to see who was inside.
But that wouldn't be a problem for him.
Window-scaling, formation-breaking, hole-digging, and eavesdropping—he'd done it twice already. A third time was just muscle memory.
With practiced ease, Mo Hua climbed up to a window, repeated his technique, and soon had a clear view and sound access to the interior.
This chamber was different from the others.
The rooms where Hua Ruyu and Senior Sister Qianqian were held had clearly been boudoirs—pink, ornate, feminine.
But this one was elegant and clean—more like a scholar's study.
Ink-painted landscapes adorned the screens. Blue-and-white porcelain lined the shelves. Freehand brush paintings and plain-colored carpets set the tone. In the center, a tea table stood calmly.
A man sat beside it.
Dressed in a graceful yellow robe, tall and upright, with sword-like brows and starry eyes, his temperament steady and composed.
Mo Hua immediately sighed in his heart.
He knew this man, too.
A direct-line descendant of the Tai'a Sect, a standout among his peers, well-respected—and more importantly, the blood brother of that "little blockhead"...
Ouyang Feng.
Mo Hua had always gotten along well with him. Back when he first joined the Great Void Sect, it was Ouyang Feng—deeply cultivated and capable—who brought him along to do bounty missions and earn merit points.
His emotions now were complex. His gaze sharpened.
"Senior Brother Feng… you're on this boat too?"
Senior Brother Ma entered and walked directly to Ouyang Feng, sitting down without waiting for acknowledgment.
Ouyang Feng didn't look at him.
Ma didn't mind.
A silence fell between them. After a moment, Ma spoke:
"Everything is arranged."
He placed a jade token on the table, slowly sliding it across.
"The person is in the room. This is the token to open the door."
Ouyang Feng didn't take it. He didn't even look up. He merely sipped his tea, expression flat and unreadable.
Ma sighed.
"Brother Feng, this is a good thing. We're fellow disciples, not strangers. I'd never harm you."
Ouyang Feng suddenly looked up, eyes sharp as blades, sneering coldly.
"So you do remember we're fellow disciples?"
Ma replied calmly:
"I'm doing this for your sake. Others would give anything to step aboard this ship, to enter this circle, to be part of that Pavilion. But they're not even worthy of a glance."
"You're different. The Young Masters appreciate you. They've invited you again and again, giving you this chance—to join them, to step into their halls. If all goes well, you may even become a member of the 'Young Masters' Pavilion.'"
Ouyang Feng's eyes flashed with contempt.
Ma continued, sighing.
"I know you're proud, but what good is pride? Will it earn spirit stones? Will it revive your sect?"
"Others may not know, but you certainly do—the Young Masters' Pavilion isn't some casual boys' club for noble disciples and sect scions."
"It's ancient. It's existed since long ago. In every generation across Qianxue State, many top geniuses have joined. And those 'Young Masters' of yesterday—today, they're part of powerful clans, elite sects, and even the upper echelons of the Dao Court."
"Their cultivation? Most are at least in the Golden Core stage. There are even some who've reached Ascension… perhaps even the Void Piercing Realm isn't out of reach."
"That's a terrifying power."
"Brother Feng, once you step into this circle, you open the path to the true upper crust of the cultivation world. Tai'a Sect will be seen as one of their own—receiving all kinds of support. You and the sect will rise together."
"With your current status, if you one day become the Sect Master of Tai'a and seize the right opportunities, you could elevate the sect to become one of the Four Great Sects. It's not impossible."
"Your personal success, your sect's future—it all hinges on this one decision."
Ma's voice was impassioned and solemn.
Ouyang Feng remained unmoved.
Ma sighed again, this time with a colder edge:
"On the other hand, if you refuse—if you reject this circle—you'll be treated as an outsider. Tai'a Sect will be marginalized. Even if you become its leader, you'll face endless obstacles, unable to achieve anything."
"And not just you. If you stubbornly go against the tide, your friends and family may also meet with unfortunate 'accidents'…"
Ouyang Feng's gaze turned icy.
"Are you threatening me?"
"No," Ma shook his head. "Just stating facts. Take your little brother—the naive one who trusts others so easily…"
Ouyang Feng's stare turned razor-sharp, laced with killing intent.
"It was you? You're the one who sent Little Blockhead into the Ten Thousand Demons Valley?!"
Ma smiled faintly, not denying it.
"Brother Feng, I knew you'd see through it. But you must also realize—if it hadn't been me, at least I remembered our bond. Had it been someone else, your brother might not have made it out alive."
Ouyang Feng didn't speak, only glared coldly at Ma.
After a pause, Ma urged sincerely:
"The Pavilion is too vast, too deep. Even you don't know who's really in it. Any elder, inspector, judge, or lawmaster you meet in the future may secretly belong to the Pavilion."
"If they ever target you, you wouldn't even know where the knife's coming from."
Ouyang Feng's expression grew darker.
"So even someone like her—a true-lineage disciple of Baihua Valley—you dared to target?"
Ma sighed, helplessly.
"Her case is… special. Originally we didn't dare touch her. But she just had to be difficult—sticking her nose where it didn't belong. She brought this on herself."
"Besides, isn't this fate?"
He glanced at Ouyang Feng.
"You two know each other. You're well-matched in family, status, looks—an ideal couple. This Rouge Boat just happens to be the perfect 'wedding suite' to make it official."
"As for betrothals and family approval… that can come later."
"After tonight, once your hearts and bodies align, the Ouyang and Hua families will surely be thrilled."
Ouyang Feng's face turned expressionless.
"Qianqian and I grew up together. I've always seen her as a younger sister. I don't want to hurt her."
"How is this 'hurting' her?" Ma frowned. "With you as her partner, she should be grateful. How do you know she isn't willing deep down?"
"A wise man submits to circumstances—why be so stubborn, Brother Feng…"
No matter how he tried to persuade him, Ouyang Feng's expression remained firm, unmoved like a mountain.
Seeing that words had no effect, Senior Brother Ma sighed helplessly.
"Enough…"
He shook his head, then placed a pill on the table.
"I know you have reservations, so I specially prepared this pill for you."
"Take it, and you'll forget everything—no burdens, no guilt. Just follow your instincts and enjoy a night of pleasure."
"When you wake tomorrow, you'll have a golden match, a boundless future, and countless like-minded Dao companions…"
"Like-minded?" Ouyang Feng sneered coldly. "You mean a pack of degenerates?"
"That's just semantics," Ma said blandly. "Where in this world is there true justice or fairness? Whenever people gather, it's for self-interest. 'Like-minded' is just another name for 'corrupt together.'"
Ouyang Feng's anger flared.
Seeing this, Ma finally lost patience. His tone grew colder.
"Don't blame me for not reminding you, Brother Feng. The Young Masters think highly of you—but you're not irreplaceable."
"Same goes for Junior Sister Hua. If you won't be the groom tonight, someone else will."
"A high-born sect lady, beautiful, talented, pure as jade…"
"Who knows how many men are drooling over her? How many Young Masters are fighting to get their hands on her?"
"Trust me—take the pill. Do what you need to do. That way, everyone wins. Otherwise…"
Senior Brother Ma chuckled darkly.
"This delicate flower? No telling who'll pluck her. And tonight, no telling how many humiliations she'll suffer."
Ouyang Feng's face went pale.
"You have half an hour to decide. Swallow the pill, and everything falls into place. Or refuse—and regret it for the rest of your life."
With that, Ma turned and left.
Leaving Ouyang Feng alone in the room.
He sat before the tea table like a man drained of soul, staring at the pill.
He knew.
This pill wasn't just a drug—it was a pledge of allegiance.
Swallow it, and from that moment on, he would walk a different path.
A path of wealth, power, prestige… and rot.
A path where he'd lose his moral compass, abandon his conscience, and become a pawn in the hands of others, doing foul deeds in exchange for favors.
And once the Dao heart is lost… how can one ever hope to walk the Great Dao?
Ouyang Feng's heart grew heavier and heavier.
But if he didn't take it…
The monstrous power of the Young Masters' Pavilion, the threats lurking in the dark, his sect's future, the safety of his family—and Qianqian herself…
Each worry pressed down like a boulder.
His face grew paler, and even his proud back, once so straight, now began to stoop.
He was a chosen son of heaven, burdened with the hopes of his sect and parents. On the outside, he always played the part of the perfect "Senior Brother"—caring, dutiful, dependable.
He had vowed since childhood to carry the burden of revitalizing the Tai'a Sect.
But in the end… he was only a twenty-five-year-old young man.
So many expectations. So many burdens. And nowhere to share them.
Now this—this poison called the "Young Masters' Pavilion"—had crushed him even further. He couldn't fight back. He couldn't even speak out.
It was the final straw that broke his spirit.
His heart, once so strong, was beginning to collapse.
And at the same time, the faint presence of the Evil God lingering in the surroundings began to take advantage of the cracks, slipping into his mind, corroding his will, clouding his Dao heart.
His eyes began to flush red.
His face was numb, but tears quietly slid from the corners of his eyes.
"Forget it… I can't run…"
"Maybe this… was fate all along…"
He gave a bitter smile, then closed his eyes tight, despair in every line of his face.
Then, trembling slightly, he reached for the pill and slowly brought it toward his lips.
The red in his eyes deepened.
His Dao heart blurred.
His spiritual foundation cracked.
Desire—fueled by the Evil God—began to take root.
And just then—
A crisp, clear voice echoed out.
"Senior Brother Feng…"
The sound was like a cool spring, splashing across his soul, giving him a moment of clarity.
Ouyang Feng froze.
His hand, which had been lifting the pill to his lips, stopped mid-air.
He blinked slowly, dazed, and looked around.
No one.
His brows furrowed.
"I… thought I heard something…"
"Someone… called me 'Senior Brother Feng'?"
The voice was so familiar. So pleasant. It sounded like…
Junior Brother Mo?
He gave a bitter chuckle, shaking his head.
"At a time like this, I'm hearing Mo-shidi calling out to me…"
"But someone like me… fallen so far, unworthy of that title any longer."
His expression grew increasingly bitter.
And then, he began to raise the pill once more.
"Senior Brother Feng!"
Mo Hua called out again.
But this time, his voice seemed to be blocked by layers of thick mist, unable to reach Ouyang Feng's ears at all.
Around Ouyang Feng, there appeared to be a wall of evil thoughts from the Evil God, cutting him off. The red in his eyes deepened.
Just then, a flash of sword light glinted in Mo Hua's eyes.
A pure, golden glow shot through the fog, pierced the evil thoughts, and entered Ouyang Feng's gaze.
Ouyang Feng felt as if his soul had been gently pricked by a sword—his scalp tingled with pain, but what followed was a newfound clarity, piercing and refreshing.
It was like waking from a heavy, suffocating sleep.
The shadows in his eyes vanished. The fog in his ears cleared.
And then— A crisp voice became clearer.
"Senior Brother Feng, it's me!"
Ouyang Feng trembled at the sound, suddenly standing up. He looked around, then toward the window.
There was a small hole in the window, now cut slightly wider.
Outside the hole—an eye, shining brightly.
Ouyang Feng's heart shuddered—it really was…
"Junior Brother Mo?!"
Mo Hua quickly shushed him, then whispered,
"Open the door a crack—let me in."
Ouyang Feng froze for a moment, then dazedly nodded.
He approached the door. Seeing no one outside, he quietly opened it just a sliver.
Moments later, the crack widened, as if an invisible figure had slipped into the room.
Ouyang Feng shut the door and turned around—only to see Mo Hua already sitting at the tea table, pouring himself a cup of tea with a clean cup like he owned the place.
Ouyang Feng was briefly overwhelmed. He stood dumbfounded, unable to make sense of things. Finally, he asked in confusion:
"Junior Brother Mo, how are you even here? Did those Young Masters… invite you too?"
Mo Hua sipped his tea slowly and sighed.
"I wish they invited me. But no—they didn't. Even when I tried to pay my way onboard, they still wouldn't let me on. I had to find… alternative methods to sneak aboard."
"Then you…"
"Long story," Mo Hua waved him off. "No time to explain right now."
Ouyang Feng blinked, then nodded.
He soon realized—since Mo Hua had already been on the ship, he had likely seen everything that happened in this room.
A wave of shame welled up in his heart.
"I…"
"Senior Brother Feng," Mo Hua cut him off calmly, "there's only so much a person can do. Some things are simply beyond your power."
Ouyang Feng was taken aback.
"Which is why," Mo Hua continued, "when something's beyond your control, let it go for now. Focus on your cultivation. When you're strong enough, then deal with it. Otherwise…"
His eyes darkened slightly.
"You'll be crushed beneath a burden you were never meant to carry."
This wasn't just about Feng. Mo Hua felt it too.
There were many things he wanted to do—but with his meager cultivation, he couldn't do any of them.
All he could do was set them down, cultivate diligently, and wait for the day he had the power to change fate and overturn the heavens.
Ouyang Feng began to understand. His expression turned thoughtful, though some confusion still lingered in his heart.
"I just don't know…"
"Senior Brother Feng," Mo Hua said firmly, his eyes clear and resolute, "If you choose the right path, no matter how hard it gets, you just need to keep pushing forward."
"But if you choose the wrong path, no matter how smooth it seems, it means nothing."
Ouyang Feng was rocked to the core. These few words pierced through all his confusion.
He was both shocked and helpless, and couldn't help but murmur in awe:
"Junior Brother, you truly have… an innate Dao heart. Though I'm older than you by years, I see far less clearly."
Superior spiritual roots are easy to find—but a superior Dao heart is rare and untraceable.
No wonder the Great Void Sect's ancestors valued Mo Hua so highly…
Mo Hua answered humbly,
"The person inside the storm is always the most confused. It's easier to see from the outside. That horse-faced senior didn't try to tempt me with benefits—otherwise I might not have stood firm either."
Ouyang Feng chuckled.
"Junior Brother Mo, you always know what to say."
Mo Hua squinted and smiled slyly.
Ouyang Feng, who had moments ago felt utterly alone and on the verge of collapse, now felt suddenly enlightened.
He let out a long breath. The haze in his heart cleared.
He glanced at Mo Hua, eyes full of gratitude.
Then he remembered something and frowned.
"Qianqian… might be in danger."
"Yeah," Mo Hua nodded simply. "Let's rescue Senior Sister Qianqian first. Then we'll plan our next move."
"Alright." Ouyang Feng nodded.
The two of them discussed quietly for a bit.
Then came footsteps outside.
They exchanged a glance.
Mo Hua nodded, then once more activated his stealth technique and vanished without a trace—as if he had never even been there.
Ouyang Feng sighed to himself, then composed his expression and went to open the door.
(End of Chapter)