Chapter 864 – Evil Deeds Invite Retribution
As soon as Mo Hua spoke, everyone's expressions changed drastically.
Ye Hong's grief-stricken face twisted with disbelief.
Xiao Tianquan's complexion turned pale, forcing a smile as he said, "Little brother, I don't know what you're talking about…"
But Mo Hua remembered clearly—the way Xiao Tianquan had coldly and gleefully crushed the narcissus flower into the dirt. That expression… that aura. Now, sensing the fear trembling within his soul, Mo Hua grew more certain with every breath.
"You are Water Yama!"
Xiao Tianquan scoffed, "Baseless accusations—you…"
Mo Hua shook his head.
"You knew that dead 'Water Yama' long before. Back at the bandit stronghold, on the Rouge Boat, in the Dragon King Temple—you tried multiple times to kill him."
"In the White Bone Labyrinth, when things were at their most dangerous, you were the one who gave the final blow—no hesitation."
"Because once he was dead, no one would know you were the true Water Yama."
Xiao Tianquan sneered, "Do you even hear yourself?"
But Mo Hua's eyes gleamed with clarity. The pieces were falling into place.
"Back in the Bì Mountain Devil's Den, when Uncle Gu and I, along with Dao Court cultivators, were surrounding the Fire Buddha, you pretended to block his path. But when the fight began, you deliberately let him go."
"And when you passed him, your eyes met—just for a moment. But that glance… it spoke volumes. Familiarity. Recognition."
"That look… was one of inherited status."
"And in the Dragon King Temple, I overheard your conversation with Magistrate Xiao behind a soundproof array."
"Magistrate Xiao said he used all his influence to pave the way for you—he even personally brought you onto the Rouge Boat."
"If you were on the Rouge Boat, there's no way you weren't involved in its horrors."
"And another thing—the massacre at the Yu Family's water village. Water Yama used brutal tortures… even methods known only to Dao Court interrogators."
"Water Yama was a vicious, heartless man—but so are you."
"I've seen it many times—your brutal killings, your twisted delight in mutilation."
Mo Hua's voice was calm and cold, laying it all out.
Xiao Tianquan's face grew deathly pale, his mouth twitching as he tried to smile. "You say I'm Water Yama… then who was the one that died?"
Mo Hua replied,
"'Water Yama'… was just a name. A name shared between two people—one in the open, a murderous river bandit on the Smokespring River; the other hidden, a rising star within the Dao Court Division."
"The one who died… was the false one. The real Water Yama…"—Mo Hua's gaze pierced straight into Xiao Tianquan—"was you."
Or rather, the one who had signed a soul pact with the evil god, and carved the name Water Yama into the altar—that person… was Xiao Tianquan.
That's why, though the fake Water Yama died, the name on the list remained.
Because the true Water Yama—the one who sold his soul—was still alive…
"Utter nonsense!" Xiao Tianquan roared.
But his voice lacked strength, and there was fear behind the rage.
Mo Hua didn't let up. His voice dropped low.
"The one who truly caused Senior Sister Ye Jin's death… was you, wasn't it?"
He had long suspected something.
On the Rouge Boat, Mo Hua had confronted the fake Water Yama, asking if he had driven Ye Jin to her death.
He still remembered the man's reaction.
At first, stunned—then he laughed and said, "Women I've played with? Too many to count. Got bored of some, killed them off. How am I supposed to know which one you mean?"
At the time, Mo Hua thought it was just cruelty—that he killed so many, he didn't even remember names.
But later, he realized something was off.
Ye Jin was no ordinary woman.
Her beauty, talent, aura, and status—all more than enough to captivate a man like Water Yama.
If he had truly touched her, there's no way she wouldn't have left a mark on him. Even a heart of stone would've flinched at her name.
And Hua Ruyu—jealous by nature—was involved with the fake Water Yama. She would never have willingly offered Ye Jin up to him.
The only possibility: the fake Water Yama had never even heard of Ye Jin.
He was merely a stand-in… the real culprit was Xiao Tianquan.
Xiao Tianquan stood there with an ugly expression. He wanted to argue, but found no defense.
Gu Changhuai and Magistrate Xia were both visibly furious.
At first, they were shocked. But with all this evidence, the truth was becoming clear…
And from Xiao Tianquan's reaction, to Gu Changhuai's experienced eyes—it was as good as a confession.
Ye Hong was stunned, muttering, "Why? Young Master Xiao… Why would you… after all the kindness I showed you…"
That seemed to touch a nerve.
Xiao Tianquan's face twitched. He gritted his teeth and snapped:
"No! I don't know what you're talking about! This Water Yama has nothing to do with me!"
As he shouted, he began to back away—trying to escape.
Gu Changhuai's expression went cold. He reached out to grab Xiao Tianquan's shoulder.
Xiao Tianquan drew his sword in a panic, slashing at Gu Changhuai's hand.
But Magistrate Xia's face turned icy. A sharp, frigid sword beam shot out—cutting through Xiao Tianquan's arm. His sword clattered to the ground.
Gu Changhuai seized the moment and closed in.
Xiao Tianquan had always hated Gu Changhuai. Now, overwhelmed and panicked, he instinctively activated a foul power—his eyes turned blood-red, laced with filthy black-grey qi—and stared straight at Gu Changhuai.
Mo Hua cried out,
"He's using Demonic Qi!"
That sinister, vile kind of Tuqi.
But Gu Changhuai had experience—he had suffered from this before. He quickly averted his gaze.
Now truly enraged, Gu Changhuai no longer held back. He slammed a palm into Xiao Tianquan's shoulder.
Magistrate Xia's face was frosty. Her sword pierced Xiao Tianquan's right leg—icy energy flooding his flesh.
Xiao Tianquan staggered and fell—hair a mess, bloodied and disheveled.
To be so humiliated by Gu Changhuai—and in front of Magistrate Xia—and to be beaten by both… Xiao Tianquan's heart burned with rage and shame.
Ye Hong stood nearby, dazed and broken.
"…Why?" he asked again.
A question… directed at Xiao Tianquan.
Xiao Tianquan's face twisted with hate.
"Why?" he snarled.
"Because that precious daughter of yours didn't know what was good for her!"
"She was just the daughter of a third-rate family. I wanted to sleep with her—that was a gift! But she kept rejecting me."
"So I had to ask Lady Miao to help. We tricked her onto the boat."
"Once she was on the Rouge Boat, surrounded by the mist of desire and dosed with pills—she gave in, and let me do whatever I wanted."
He glanced at Ye Hong, sneering:
"Your daughter really was a gem. Beautiful face, supple body. I'd taken a liking to her back when I was visiting your house. On the Rouge Boat, you wouldn't believe how much I 'cherished' her."
"Her pale skin… I don't even know what it looked like after I was done with her."
"Shame though. She was too stubborn. Otherwise, I'd have kept her as a concubine. Visited her now and then. Better than turning to ashes in a fire."
Every word was a dagger.
For Ye Hong, a father—each one was a knife carving through his heart.
Not just him—Gu Changhuai and Magistrate Xia were trembling with fury.
"I'll kill you, you beast!"
Ye Hong roared, eyes bloodshot, lunging at Xiao Tianquan in blind rage—ready to rip him apart.
But he was no match.
Xiao Tianquan dodged and struck back, palm slamming into Ye Hong's chest. Ye Hong stumbled, coughing blood.
And Xiao Tianquan—eyes still cold—reached into his sleeve, trying to pull out a hidden weapon to silence Ye Hong for good.
Gu Changhuai had had enough.
With a furious roar, he kicked and snapped Xiao Tianquan's arm, then unleashed a palm full of violent wind force directly toward Xiao Tianquan's skull.
Xiao Tianquan screamed:
"Gu Changhuai!"
"Gu Changhuai! You can't kill me!"
Gu Changhuai's palm strike came to a sudden halt.
Xiao Tianquan screamed shrilly, "Don't forget—I am a member of the Xiao Clan! A direct descendant! The clan elder dotes on me! I'm also a certified executive officer of the Dao Court Division! Even if I've committed crimes—even if I deserve death—it must be the Dao Court who judges me, the Dao Law that convicts me, and the executioner who carries it out! You have no right to kill me!"
Gu Changhuai's face was cold. "Your crimes are monstrous. Dying sooner or later makes no difference."
Xiao Tianquan sneered, "Do you want to turn the Xiao Clan and the Gu Clan into mortal enemies? Do you want to lose your position as Inspector? And what about Magistrate Xia—how will you explain this to him?"
Magistrate Xia's face turned to ice. "You still have the nerve to mention the Magistrate?"
At this point, Xiao Tianquan dropped all pretense, ripping off the mask and shamelessly saying:
"I haven't committed any crime. Why shouldn't I bring him up?"
Magistrate Xia frowned, "You just confessed out loud—"
Xiao Tianquan chuckled, blood on his teeth. "Proof? I just said some things. I'm a Dao Court executive. How could I possibly do something like that?"
"Besides, the Magistrate values me. He's entrusted me with great responsibilities. He won't let me die."
"You all know how the system works—punishment doesn't reach noble clans. I'm from an aristocratic family. I'm a direct heir. I'm not the same as those low-born wretches."
Gu Changhuai nodded slightly, voice chilling.
"Very well. Then I'll cripple you first—leave you half-alive. That way, once you're thrown into Dao Prison, whether or not you're tortured won't matter."
"Gu Changhuai!" Xiao Tianquan turned pale.
Just then, a deep, thunderous voice rang out:
"Stop!"
Gu Changhuai's gaze tightened, and he lowered his hand. He turned to see a towering figure—like a mountain of calm pressure—Magistrate Xia had silently arrived.
He was in the Feathering Realm, his divine sense vast. Nothing that happened here would have escaped him.
But even he hadn't expected things to escalate like this.
"Uncle…" Magistrate Xia's niece said softly.
The Magistrate shook his head. "This isn't the place to talk. Back to the ship."
He turned to leave. But after a few steps, Gu Changhuai called out behind him:
"Magistrate Xia—"
The Magistrate turned, meeting Gu Changhuai's steely gaze—sharp as a drawn sword.
Gu Changhuai asked, "Magistrate, will you act according to Dao Law?"
The Magistrate paused slightly, then his face turned calm—neither anger nor joy in his expression.
"The Dao Court has its own rules."
With that, he walked away.
Several Xia family cultivators came to Gu Changhuai, bowed, and took the seriously injured Xiao Tianquan onto the ship.
Gu Changhuai didn't stop them.
Mo Hua and Ye Hong stood still, watching.
Magistrate Xia's niece gave everyone a tight-lipped look, then followed him back to the Xia family's spirit vessel.
Once inside a secluded cabin, she spoke directly:
"Uncle, Xiao Tianquan's crimes are despicable beyond measure. Killing him ten times wouldn't be too much."
"On the Rouge Boat alone, countless women fell victim to him…"
The Magistrate replied mildly, "I know."
She frowned. "Uncle!"
He looked at her calmly, "And what do you want to do?"
She hesitated, then said firmly:
"Convict him. Execute him."
The Magistrate let out a deep sigh.
He turned his gaze away, looking out the window at the vast, rolling Smokespring River. His eyes darkened.
"There's no one else here. So let me tell you plainly…"
"Xiao Tianquan… cannot die."
She bit her lip hard, her fingers clenched until white. Her voice was hoarse with disappointment.
"He's committed such unforgivable crimes… and he still can't die?"
The Magistrate said, "His crimes deserve a thousand deaths. But look at his identity."
"If he dies, the Xiao Clan will never, in reason or in emotion, stand with our Xia Clan again. They won't serve us—they'll turn on us."
"In the Qianxue Region, we are the foreign power. If we want to suppress the local snakes, we need at least one snake willing to serve us. The Xiao Clan is that snake. Without them, our future plans will grind to a halt."
"This is the big picture. Xiao Tianquan's life or death may seem insignificant—but the political capital involved cannot be discarded so easily."
"And what about Hua Ruyu?" she asked coldly.
The Magistrate's eyes narrowed. He was displeased but still answered:
"That woman has powerful backing. Someone high up gave an order—I have to show them respect."
She gave a bitter laugh. "So us nobles… do we even pretend to respect Dao Law anymore?"
Seeing that she still didn't understand, the Magistrate sighed:
"You've worked in the Dao Court too long. You only see the surface. You don't understand that power itself… is a game. And 'Dao Law' is just one of the rules."
"And if it's a rule—then it's meant to be used. In this game of fame and profit, the first thing you must learn is compromise… and trade."
"…Then…" her voice grew colder, more heartbroken, "…was my engagement also a matter of compromise? A convenient trade for the clan?"
The Magistrate paused. He had no reply.
She pressed further:
"Uncle. Even now… do you still expect me to marry Xiao Tianquan?"
The Magistrate said nothing. He merely stared at her silently.
Her face turned paler by the moment—her disappointment growing deeper.
He finally looked away, speaking softly:
"Life is sin-stained from the start. Human hearts… are filthy. It's only that you're too innocent—your sense of good and evil too clear."
"You don't know… that Xiao Tianquan's behavior is not unusual among noble heirs."
"In Dao Prefecture, those dazzling, charming young nobles that the world fawns over—many of them are even worse behind the scenes."
"Not just the men—even those girls who are hailed as 'immortal fairies,' 'goddesses,' adored by countless suitors—many are just as rotten in private."
"Judging people by appearances… is humanity's eternal folly."
"The social world of aristocrats is a filthy dye vat. Very few come out clean."
"But because most noble heirs are born with beautiful faces, outsiders assume they're as flawless inside."
"You, with your pure heart and dedication to the Dao Court's duties—you never stepped into this dye vat. So your ideas remain naïve."
"Among aristocrats… those who truly stay clean are vanishingly rare."
"Therefore…"
Magistrate Xia looked at Xia Diansi. "If you understand this, you'll realize—Xiao Tianquan's behavior, while vile, is still tolerable."
"All his filth and depravity—you at least know about it in advance. That's better than marrying one of those nobles who looks radiant on the surface, but is even more depraved behind the scenes."
"Besides, I've told you before—don't let emotions rule you. Learn to calculate, learn to control."
"Now that you know his filth, if you can still marry him, he'll be utterly grateful to you. For the rest of his life, he'll never go against your will."
"Once I pull a few strings and secure him as the next patriarch of the Xiao Clan, then in time, the entire Xiao Clan will be under your command."
But no matter how he explained, Xia Diansi remained silent, her expression growing colder by the second—her heart turning to ashes.
She'd often heard people say that noble clans were heartless, but never thought much of it.
Now, she finally understood what that bone-deep coldness felt like.
Children of noble clans… were not people.
They were tools. Chess pieces.
Xia Diansi stared blankly at Magistrate Xia. Her gaze, initially dazed, slowly became resolute.
"Uncle, I will not marry that beast Xiao Tianquan. Even if I'm cast out by the family, I will not agree to this union."
"If you really try to force me… I'll kill him first, then end my own life."
Her tone was bleak and bitter.
Magistrate Xia was momentarily stunned.
He knew her character—cold on the outside, kind at heart, with a strong sense of duty.
She had always respected him, never once defied his wishes.
He hadn't expected that now… she would say something so irrevocable.
His feelings were complex, and in the end, he could only let out a long sigh.
"…I won't force you. Do as you will."
"As for Xiao Tianquan, I'll keep him. But from now on, stay out of the Xia Clan's affairs."
Xia Diansi left the spirit ship alone.
Outside the vessel, Gu Changhuai, Mo Hua, and Ye Hong were still waiting.
Gu Changhuai saw her pale face and broken expression. He'd wanted to ask something sternly, but the sight of her shook him. His anger dimmed, and the words died in his throat.
"Big Sister Xia…" Mo Hua said softly, his voice filled with sympathy.
Xia Diansi gave a bitter smile and shook her head.
Everyone understood.
Not only would Hua Ruyu live—Xiao Tianquan would too.
Later, the Xia Clan's spirit vessel carried Xiao Tianquan away from the pier.
He might not even enter the Dao Court, let alone Dao Prison.
Mo Hua and the others could only return in silence to the Qianxue Region. As they passed through Smokespring City, Ye Hong forced himself to smile through the pain and said:
"Though things didn't go as we hoped, I, Ye Hong, am still deeply grateful to you all. Since we're here in Smokespring City, allow me to fulfill a host's duty and treat you."
Mo Hua and the others were going to refuse, but seeing how pale and lifeless Ye Hong looked, they nodded in agreement.
Ye Hong booked a private room at a restaurant and ordered a modest spread to host Mo Hua, Gu Changhuai, and Xia Diansi.
But the banquet was grim and heavy. No one had the appetite to speak.
Ye Hong had wanted to offer his thanks, but after a few sips of wine—which tasted like nothing—he could only choke on the bitterness in his chest. Tears fell from his eyes as he muttered:
"…Even after committing such crimes, he still won't die?"
"Is it that once someone reaches a high enough position, once they have power and status… their lives are just different from ours? We low-born are just 'meat'—we die, and that's it. But them? Even when they break the Dao Laws, someone will shield them. Even after earning a death sentence, they still walk free…"
"In this life of mine… will I never be able to take revenge?"
Gu Changhuai was filled with shame. He had no words.
Xia Diansi's face was equally pale.
After a moment, Mo Hua—who had been silent the whole time—spoke:
"…It's alright."
Ye Hong blinked in surprise. Xia Diansi also looked at him.
Mo Hua said calmly, "Those who deserve to die… will die."
Gu Changhuai frowned. "You…"
Mo Hua shook his head. "I'm just a Foundation Establishment cultivator—low-level, powerless. I probably can't do anything. But…"
He pointed seriously toward the heavens.
"Man acts… and Heaven watches. Even a rabid dog like that can't keep doing evil forever. Sooner or later, Heaven will punish him. Maybe he'll just drop dead out of nowhere."
The words sounded naive—wishful thinking, even.
Gu Changhuai, Xia Diansi, and Ye Hong all heard them… but none of them took it to heart.
(End of this Chapter)