Jade Fragrance Pavilion.
Inside the boudoir at the highest point of the "Spring" building—first among the four pavilions of Spring, Flower, Snow, and Moon.
Warm jade paved the floor, colored glass formed the windows, cloud-silk curtains hung, a jade bed was draped with mermaid silk, a gold burner held immortal incense of sandalwood, and night pearls were set into the walls, their glow illuminating every corner—an extravagance beyond words.
At the center of this luxurious boudoir, a woman in a bright red robe embroidered with pearls and crabapple blossoms, as radiant as snow, was applying makeup before a mirror.
Reflected in the mirror was a face that could be playful or smiling, now pure, now seductive—a countenance of national beauty that captivated the realm.
Most cultivators in Houtu City could only see this face, coveted by countless men, through the strokes of a brush in paintings.
And those who could ascend to the pinnacle of Jade Fragrance Pavilion and behold this face in person were few and far between, even across all of Kun Prefecture.
This woman was Yu Nujiao, the most renowned courtesan of Houtu City.
Yu Nujiao gazed at her reflection in the jade water mirror, applying lip color, shaping her brows, affixing floral patches, and dusting powder, adding layer after layer to her already stunning beauty.
Just then, a screen rustled, a jade curtain was lifted, and a voluptuous, striking woman draped in a half-concealing red gauze walked in.
Yu Nujiao turned her head and smiled. "Madam Rui."
Madam Rui looked at the pure, radiant beauty before her, sighed in slight relief as the earlier fright receded, and said with affectionate concern, "You're back?"
Yu Nujiao nodded.
Madam Rui asked, "How did you handle the Earth Sect's Great Young Master and those noble young masters?"
Yu Nujiao giggled. "Men who lust are simple. If you slightly furrow your brow, they rush to fawn over you; if you show a hint of a smile, they become overjoyed; if you praise them a few words, they are flattered and so delighted they forget heaven and earth..."
Madam Rui looked at Yu Nujiao and sighed softly, "That's because you are too beautiful and unattainable. Men always crave what they cannot obtain. The harder to get, the more they desire, the more frantic they become. A beauty like you, enough to make fish sink and geese fall, moves even me to pity, let alone those hot-blooded young masters..."
Madam Rui added, "But don't be fooled by men, and never let them defile your body."
"Men are cheap. When they can't have you, they want you. Once they get you, vows of eternal love are fed to wolves and dogs, and they won't beg for you anymore..."
Yu Nujiao smiled. "Madam Rui, I know this much."
When it came to the study and practice of matters between men and women and the desires of the sexes, no sect could match the Union Sect.
Yu Nujiao had been immersed in it since childhood, so her heart was like a clear mirror.
Madam Rui noted that although Yu Nujiao's appearance seemed pure, innocent, and blank as paper, her eyes were clear and sharp. She nodded inwardly.
The game of male-female union was both alluring and perilous. Whoever indulged in desire fell to a lower level.
Only the one who remained clear-headed could gain the upper hand and use desire to toy with others.
The room fell silent for a moment.
Yu Nujiao's gaze shifted, and she suddenly said, "Madam Rui, did you... encounter that person last night?"
Madam Rui was taken aback. "Who?"
"The one..." Yu Nujiao parted her red lips. "Back then, at the Dragon Pool..."
Madam Rui's expression changed. "Who told you?"
Yu Nujiao said nothing.
Madam Rui's face darkened. "Well, well, you little wench, you dare to pry into my affairs..."
Yu Nujiao quickly rose, wrapped her arms around Madam Rui's waist, nestled into her embrace, and said coquettishly, "Madam Rui, I was just worried about you..."
Madam Rui cursed inwardly—this dead girl had grown up, her heart was wild and uncontrollable. But she couldn't resist Yu Nujiao's sweet, soft words, and sighed, "Yes... it's that young prodigy master surnamed Mo from back then..."
Yu Nujiao's expression flickered. "It really is him..." she murmured to herself. Then she asked, "How did he end up in Kun Prefecture?"
Madam Rui frowned and shook her head. "I don't know either. This Master Mo—his identity unclear, his origin mysterious, his cultivation strange—appearing in Kun Prefecture at this juncture... perhaps he has some unknown scheme..."
"A prodigy like him, though young, is unfathomable. I can't guess his intentions."
Yu Nujiao nodded slowly, thoughts churning, her eyes growing brighter.
Madam Rui seemed to sense her intention and was startled. "Don't do anything rash."
Yu Nujiao pouted. "Madam Rui..."
Madam Rui said sternly, "You may be the Saintess of the Demon Path, but you must never get involved with a dangerous man like him..."
Yu Nujiao started to protest.
Madam Rui repeated firmly, "Remember, never touch dangerous men."
Yu Nujiao finally sighed, lowered her eyes obediently, and said, "Yes, Madam Rui..."
Yet in her pure, alluring gaze, a hint of craving for excitement and slyness still surfaced.
...
At that very moment, the "dangerous man" Madam Rui had spoken of was in a market near the Dao Court Department, eating a bowl of noodles that cost a hundred spirit stones, just like any ordinary cultivator.
He not only ate the noodles but also finished the broth—truly a dangerous act.
Perhaps because it was adjacent to the Dao Court Department, catering to "government officials," the noodles tasted excellent and were not skimped on—there were even seven slices of meat.
After finishing the noodles, Mo Hua felt a bit better and looked up.
It was now morning following the night. Shops in the market were opening one after another, and some street vendors had begun setting up stalls.
If it had been before, Mo Hua might have thought the prices in Houtu City were high and these vendors were unscrupulous.
But now, with more understanding, he realized it might not be that the vendors were greedy, but that costs were too high; they had to sell at high prices just to recoup their capital, let alone make a living.
This was another side beneath Houtu City's prosperous surface.
Ordinary people beneath the prosperity lived a life of high prices and low quality.
Seemingly wealthy—a bowl of noodles cost a hundred spirit stones.
But after spending a hundred spirit stones, all they got was just a bowl of noodles.
Mo Hua shook his head, paid for the noodles, wandered through the nearby market for a long time, and finally bought a few oranges with decent appearances. Then he hired a carriage and traveled along the streets back to Little Luan Mountain Blessed Land.
By the time he arrived at Little Luan Mountain Blessed Land, it was already late morning.
As soon as Mo Hua entered the courtyard, he saw Xiao Ju sitting cross-armed at a small bamboo table in the bamboo yard, fuming, apparently waiting to interrogate him.
Sure enough, the moment she spotted Mo Hua, Xiao Ju jumped up and said, "You're finally back!"
Mo Hua asked, "What's wrong?"
Xiao Ju demanded, "Did you take Sister Zixi out last night?"
"How is that 'taking'?" Mo Hua said helplessly. "We just went out together..."
Xiao Ju was both shocked and angry.
This Mo Hua! He actually managed to take Sister Zixi out?
"Where did you go?" Xiao Ju pressed.
"Nowhere special, just strolled around," Mo Hua said.
"Why didn't you take me?!" Xiao Ju challenged.
"Well..." Mo Hua was at a loss. It wasn't that he didn't want to, but a brothel was no place for children.
Xiao Ju slapped the table in anger. "You all left. Did you consider my feelings?"
Last evening, she had happily watered the orange tree, then grabbed her little basket and returned to the yard—only to find Sister Zixi gone.
Not only Sister Zixi, but also Mo Hua and Rong Zhenren.
The entire Small Blessed Land suddenly felt empty, leaving only her alone.
Xiao Ju was stunned.
She thought Sister Zixi must have had something urgent and would return soon. But she waited alone in the small yard, waited until midnight—surroundings dark and chilly—still only her.
At that moment, Xiao Ju almost thought she had been "abandoned," that no one wanted her. It felt like the sky was falling.
Fortunately, a few hours later, Sister Zixi and Rong Zhenren both returned, and Xiao Ju finally breathed a long sigh of relief.
But then came anger.
Xiao Ju couldn't be angry at Sister Zixi, nor did she dare to be angry at Rong Zhenren. After thinking it over, she could only blame Mo Hua.
She had sat in the yard waiting all morning just to "interrogate" Mo Hua.
To ask what on earth he was up to, daring to take Sister Zixi away!
Without even telling her.
Seeing Xiao Ju like this, Mo Hua guessed what she had gone through and felt a pang of guilt.
He had only thought about not taking Xiao Ju to an unclean place like Jade Fragrance Pavilion, but hadn't considered that the empty Small Blessed Land might make her feel uneasy.
That feeling of being left out was indeed unpleasant.
So Mo Hua sighed and said, "It was my fault. Next time I go out, I'll let you know."
Xiao Ju was still angry. She had endured a whole night of cold.
Mo Hua took out the oranges he had just bought and handed them to Xiao Ju. "Here, have some oranges."
Xiao Ju sneered. "A few oranges, trying to bribe me again?"
Mo Hua said, "Not a bribe. I want you to taste them and see how they are. After all, when it comes to oranges, you're the expert."
Xiao Ju's mood improved slightly at the compliment.
Mo Hua was right—she was indeed an expert on oranges.
Mo Hua broke an orange in half and handed it to Xiao Ju. "Try it. I don't know if these oranges taste authentic."
Hearing this, Xiao Ju felt she needed to prove her tasting skills.
Besides, Mo Hua had practically put the orange to her lips. So she reluctantly ate a segment.
The sweet, fresh fragrance of the fruit lingered in her mouth.
Mo Hua asked, "Are they good?"
Xiao Ju kept a straight face and said weakly, "Just so-so..."
Mo Hua said, "These oranges all seem to taste different."
Xiao Ju didn't believe it. "Really?"
Mo Hua said, "The vendor told me that these oranges get different sunlight, so they taste different. Try another one?"
Xiao Ju was dubious, but she helped herself, broke off another orange, and ate it. Surprised, she said, "They do... seem a bit different."
Mo Hua said, "Try another."
Xiao Ju broke off several more oranges and tasted them one by one.
As she ate... she just kept eating.
That's how children are—with delicious food in their mouths, everything else is forgotten, even why they were angry.
And so Mo Hua coaxed Xiao Ju into eating oranges, one after another, until her belly was full, and her anger dissipated.
Only, Xiao Ju still felt a bit embarrassed.
Mo Hua said gently, "It was my fault this time. Wherever I go next time, I'll tell you in advance."
Xiao Ju nodded with satisfaction.
Mo Hua then asked, "How is your orange tree growing?"
Xiao Ju's attention was indeed diverted, and she said proudly, "It's already sprouted and grown branches. It's doing very well."
Mo Hua nodded.
Xiao Ju really seemed to have a talent for growing oranges.
Mo Hua asked again, "What about the formations I taught you?"
Xiao Ju said, "I can draw them all now."
Then she handed Mo Hua her "homework" assignment.
Mo Hua opened it and saw that any formation patterns unrelated to planting were drawn like a dog scratching the ground—a complete mess.
But any earth- or water-element formations related to spirit plants were drawn flawlessly, nearly perfect.
Mo Hua was a bit shocked.
Perhaps this was the "foodie's" self-discipline.
This little girl's talent in formations was strangely one-sided.
What she didn't want to learn, she truly couldn't learn at all; but what she wanted to learn, she learned exceptionally well.
Mo Hua looked at Xiao Ju and couldn't help saying, "You're actually pretty good at formations..."
Hearing the compliment from Mo Hua, a formation expert, Xiao Ju tried hard to suppress her smile. "It's okay, just so-so..."
Mo Hua shook his head with a smile.
...
In the guest room of the Small Blessed Land.
After appeasing Xiao Ju, Mo Hua returned to his own room, burned incense, bathed, then lay down on the bed to rest for a while.
As he lay there, the events of last night replayed in his mind like a lantern show—especially the feeling of holding Little Junior Sister's hand while visiting the brothel, crouching on the beam with her, foreheads touching, lips nearly brushing...
The mere memory stirred his heart like fire.
At the same time, his sea of consciousness stung slightly, as a golden needle opened a gap, and the desires in people's hearts surged like a flood.
Heart Tugging Golden Needle!
Mo Hua jolted alert, immediately gathered his mind, and meditated quietly, daring not to think of Little Junior Sister anymore.
It took a long time for the lust in his heart to settle.
Mo Hua let out a long sigh, realizing trouble was brewing.
That golden needle left in his mind by the Hua Family Ancestor contained profound mysteries, more troublesome than he had anticipated.
Before, since he didn't stir his heart, the needle had lain dormant.
But now, things had subtly changed...
Mo Hua frowned thoughtfully. "This won't do... I need to find a chance to learn the origin of this Heart Tugging Golden Needle from the Union Sect..."
Otherwise, having a demonic golden needle stuck in his mind was a安全隐患.
And also...
"Blood Dragon Mountain Lord, Madam Rui, Withered Bone Loose Cultivator, Green Corpse Master, Hua Yinke... these demon lords..."
With the demonic ancestors not coming out, Feather Transformation held the big picture.
Figures like Hua Yinke, a Nascent Soul peak expert seeking Feather Transformation and ascension, were already first-rate big shots in the demonic sects.
Yet all these great demon lords had simultaneously appeared in Houtu City—that was hardly a coincidence.
They likely had unknown schemes.
Mo Hua also felt a pang of regret.
He had no extra straw dogs to substitute for his fate.
Otherwise, last night he could have gone all out—killing one with a glare—and slaughtered all these great demon lords guilty of countless crimes.
No matter what schemes the demonic path had, killing them all would end everything, rendering any grand plot futile.
These great demon lords were worth a dog's life.
And it was best to kill them all at once. Killing them one by one would both alert the enemy and expose his own trump card.
Given the cunning and treachery of these demonic overlords, once they became vigilant and guarded, it would be hard to strike later.
What a pity... Such a perfect chance to "take them all out in one pot" might not come again.
And the factor restraining him from killing was...
Straw grass...
According to Mo Hua's speculation, only the Great Spiritual Field Realm nearby might have the straw grass he needed.
Moreover, many clues about events in Houtu City were now all pointing to the Great Spiritual Field Realm.
More and more, Mo Hua felt he had to go to the Great Spiritual Field Realm—and urgently.
But he still had his own affairs to finish.
He had made little progress on his Formation Master rank assessment.
He hadn't earned enough spirit stones yet. He didn't know how much of the four million spirit stones from Uncle Gu could be realized.
Even if realized, it would still fall far short of eight million.
Only by earning enough spirit stones to feed the Taotie spirit remains could he possibly break through to the middle stage of Golden Core.
Cultivation was the foundation; stronger cultivation meant more confidence in doing things.
With so many things weighing on him, Mo Hua was stretched thin.
He could only plan to first earn enough spirit stones, cultivate to mid-Golden Core, and then go to the Great Spiritual Field Realm.
That was Mo Hua's original plan.
But unexpectedly, the plan had changed.
Two days later, Mo Hua was at the Fuguilou discussing spirit stone earnings with Shopkeeper Zhao when he ran into his little junior brother Zhu Muchen again.
Zhu Muchen was overjoyed to see Mo Hua.
And from Zhu Muchen, Mo Hua heard an unexpected piece of news:
"You mean... you're going to the Great Spiritual Field Realm?"