The Quest for Immortality

Gu Changhuai’s expression was solemn. ”The problem lies right here...”

”Fire Buddha wiped out the Xie family, as if ’evaporated from the human world,’ and then disappeared within the Trapping Formation. In Bishan City, there was no trace of Fire Buddha.”

”Not just Fire Buddha, but also the dozens of Sin Cultivators who committed the crime with him, all of them disappeared.”

”During this period, the Taoist Court has searched throughout Bishan City and all the Immortal Cities nearby, without finding a shred of evidence...”

”So far, the clues have been pitifully few...”

Gu Changhuai’s face was stern, his mood somewhat irritable.

Mo Hua thought for a moment, then asked, ”Uncle Gu, has the Taoist Court hired someone to carry out a Calculation of cause and effect?”

Gu Changhuai looked at Mo Hua with surprise. ”You understand cause and effect?”

Mo Hua replied with restraint, ”A little.”

Gu Changhuai didn’t pay much attention; he just shook his head. ”Yes, they have, but they couldn’t calculate it, saying the traces were covered up...”

Then Gu Changhuai expressed some displeasure. ”In my opinion, they’re just not skilled enough and found an excuse to shirk their responsibilities...”

”What’s more, in this day and age, who still talks about the Heavenly secret Calculation, predicting cause and effect? It’s nothing but mystifying nonsense, a way to fool people...”

Hearing this, Mo Hua realized that the Gu family probably didn’t have the heritage of the ”Heavenly secret Calculation.”

Their family, was the ”fool” in the ”Heavenly secret cause and effect.”

Mo Hua couldn’t be bothered to explain.

The Heavenly secret is unpredictable, cause and effect are obscure; it would be very troublesome to explain.

Mo Hua simply agreed with him, saying, ”Yes, yes.”

Although Gu Changhuai didn’t understand Heavenly secret Calculation, he had a keen intuition.

He always felt that when Mo Hua looked at him, there was a hint of sympathy, like he was viewing a ”fool”...

Seeing that Gu Changhuai looked a bit displeased, Mo Hua quickly changed the subject:

”Uncle Gu, are there any other clues?”

Gu Changhuai, distracted by the interruption, really did forget about being seen as a Heavenly secret ”fool” by Mo Hua...

”There are no more, that’s all the clues we have,” said Gu Changhuai, ”so stop pestering me. Go back to the Sect and cultivate properly...”

Gu Changhuai wanted to shake off Mo Hua, the ”little troublemaker.”

Seeing this, Mo Hua said, ”I have a clue!”

Gu Changhuai didn’t believe him, snorted, ”What clue could you possibly have?”

”If you don’t believe me, then I won’t say.”

Mo Hua bowed his head and started dealing with the chicken leg in his bowl.

This chicken leg, which seemed to come from a Colorful Chicken, was both big and tender, with a delicious taste.

Left hanging by Mo Hua, Gu Changhuai’s feelings were complex.

To ask would seem to hurt his own pride.

To not ask, what if it really was an important clue?

Although this kid was prone to ”brag,” it seemed that he wouldn’t tell lies about such critical matters.

Gu Changhuai pondered for a moment and could only sigh helplessly.

The Fire Buddha case was more important.

”I believe you, go ahead and tell me...” Gu Changhuai sighed.

Mo Hua didn’t play coy and said directly:

”Flower Gentleman!”

”Flower Gentleman?” Gu Changhuai frowned.

”That rapist,” explained Mo Hua, ”I caught him before my encounter with Fire Buddha...”

”I heard Fire Buddha and his people calling the Flower Gentleman ’Hua Liulang.’ Presumably, they knew each other, and the reason why Flower Gentleman appeared in Luan Mountain City might have been to join Fire Buddha in annihilating a family...”

”But before going, because he cultivated a Replenishing Technique and was overcome by evil desire, burning with lust, he could not make a move in Bishan City as it would scare off the target, so he picked women in Luan Mountain City, near Bishan City, to act upon...”

Gu Changhuai frowned, ”Why didn’t you say so earlier?”

Mo Hua indignantly replied, ”You never asked me before...”

Moreover, when the report was made, Flower Gentleman had already been arrested and was sent to the Taoist Prison, effectively ”capitulated.”

Mo Hua subconsciously neglected him.

Now that there were no clues, Mo Hua thought it over for a while and only then pulled the memory of ”Flower Gentleman” back from oblivion...

Gu Changhuai nodded, ”No delay then, I will go to Luan Mountain City immediately.”

”Isn’t he in the Taoist Prison within the Qianxue State Boundary?”

Gu Changhuai shook his head, ”Local cases aren’t usually transferred until all procedures are completed...”

Mo Hua thought for a moment and then said, ”I’ll go too!”

”No way.”

Gu Changhuai rejected the idea without a second thought.

”Alright, then,” Mo Hua didn’t press further, just said casually, ”then when you question him, if there’s anything you don’t understand, come back and ask me...”

Gu Changhuai frowned, ”What does it have to do with you?”

”Because Flower Gentleman was ’captured by me’!”

Mo Hua emphasized once again.

Gu Changhuai was stopped short, unable to help but say, ”Fine, you come along too.”

Mo Hua’s eyes brightened, ”Mhm, mhm.”

So Gu Changhuai told Wenren Wan that he would take Mo Hua out for a bit.

Wenren Wan was somewhat surprised, unsure of what business Gu Changhuai could have taking Mo Hua out.

But seeing Gu Changhuai reluctant and Mo Hua looking excited, it must not be bad for Mo Hua, so she nodded her head and admonished:

”Be careful on the road.”

”Take good care of Mo Hua...”

Wenren Wan admonished again.

”Yes.”

Gu Changhuai sighed.

Afterward, Mo Hua accompanied Gu Changhuai in the Gu Family’s carriage, speeding through the night and arriving at Luan Mountain City.

Entering Luan Mountain City, they proceeded to the Taoist Court.

Gu Changhuai showed the Supervisor’s badge and passed unobstructed all the way into the Taoist Prison beneath Luan Mountain City.

However, when they found Flower Gentleman, Gu Changhuai’s complexion turned cold, and Mo Hua’s gaze sharpened.

Flower Gentleman...

Lying in his cell, breath still.

He was already a dead man.

Death silent and unnoticed.

Mo Hua looked up, surveying the oppressively damp and dark Taoist Prison, lowered his voice, and whispered to Gu Changhuai:

”Uncle Gu, do we, I mean, does our Taoist Court, possibly have an ’internal traitor’?”

Gu Changhuai’s face was as cold as ice, wordless.