Chapter 797: Hundred Flowers

Gu Changhuai immediately glanced at Mo Hua disdainfully and said unpleasantly, "Aren't you leaving? Hurry up and leave!"

"I'm tired from walking and want to rest for a while," Mo Hua said with an innocent look.

"Go rest somewhere else," Gu Changhuai frowned.

"I can't move..."

Mo Hua's clear, limpid eyes turned towards Elder Gu Hong who was standing nearby.

Elder Gu Hong's heart immediately softened. She scolded Gu Changhuai, "This child is just resting for a while, what does it matter to you? You're driving him away? Your heart is so small, your temper is so bad, no wonder you're so old and still haven't found a Dao companion."

After scolding, Elder Gu Hong smiled at Mo Hua again and said, "Don't mind your Uncle Gu, he's just like this. You stay here, stay wherever you want. Let's see who dares to drive you away?"

Mo Hua smiled with narrowed eyes and said, "Thank you, Elder Gu Hong."

Gu Changhuai couldn't stand it and stood up, saying, "Fine, I'll leave then."

But as soon as he stood up, he was pressed down by a slap from Elder Gu Hong. "Where are you running off to? I'm not finished talking."

Gu Changhuai couldn't move.

Mo Hua watched with a look of schadenfreude.

Elder Gu Hong said, "I urged you before, but you always said the Dao Court Division was busy, and I didn't want to nag too much. But now I heard from your Chief Si of the Dao Court Division..."

Gu Changhuai frowned, "Aunt, you even know our Chief Si?"

"Nonsense," Elder Gu Hong said, "His younger son's Dao companion was introduced by me. After the matter was done, he even personally came to thank me. How could I not know?"

Gu Changhuai didn't know what to say.

"Don't interrupt," Elder Gu Hong said again, "Where was I?"

Mo Hua softly reminded, "Chief Si of the Dao Court Division said..."

Elder Gu Hong remembered, "Right, your Chief Si of the Dao Court Division secretly told me that you do things somewhat without distinguishing priorities. You don't know who you've offended. Some people seem to be secretly plotting against you. He couldn't figure out the situation, so he suppressed you for a while and won't let you handle cases..."

Speaking up to this point, Elder Gu Hong sighed, "Working in the Dao Court Division is never smooth sailing. Ups and downs are common. There's no need to dwell on a temporary setback."

"Furthermore, this is also a good thing..."

Elder Gu Hong's eyes brightened as she stared at Gu Changhuai, "Take advantage of the free time you have now and quickly go on a blind date!"

Gu Changhuai's head ached endlessly, and he remained silent.

"Why are you so unenlightened?"

Elder Gu Hong shook her head and took out a painting, shoving it in front of Gu Changhuai.

Gu Changhuai looked indifferent and didn't even glance at it.

"Look at it," Elder Gu Hong glared and said.

Gu Changhuai then reluctantly took a look, but only one glance, and then turned his head away disdainfully.

Mo Hua was curious and also poked his head over for a look.

Seeing Gu Changhuai being so unreasonable, Elder Gu Hong was a little angry. She turned her head and asked Mo Hua, "How is it? Does she look good?"

Mo Hua examined it carefully for a bit.

In the painting, there was indeed an extremely beautiful woman with a flower-like and jade-like appearance, a face like a peach blossom, and curved willow eyebrows.

Purely in terms of appearance, she could indeed be considered a stunning beauty.

But her heavy makeup made her look a little demonic.

And in Mo Hua's eyes, she was not as good-looking as his little senior sister.

Mo Hua nodded, "Good-looking."

Elder Gu Hong smiled happily, her face like a blooming flower. "You are a child with good taste, unlike your Uncle Gu, who is like a stone."

Mo Hua pondered for a moment, suddenly remembering something, and asked:

"Elder, isn't this the inner sect instructor from Hundred Flowers Valley whom you introduced to Uncle Gu before, the one who is like a flower and jade, and like a fairy?"

Elder Gu Hong was a little surprised and nodded, "You still remember? Not bad, that's exactly that girl..."

"I later inquired carefully. This woman is named Hua Ruyu, a direct descendant of the Hua family in Hundred Flowers Valley. Although this branch is a little biased, she is indeed a direct descendant, so her bloodline is fine..."

After finishing, she added with some frustration, "Changhuai, this Chief Si, fights and kills all day, plus his bad temper. Those direct daughters from aristocratic families with too orthodox bloodlines and high status are naturally impossible to marry him."

"This is already the best option I can find. She doesn't need to marry far, just within the borders of Qian Xue State, and still one of the twelve sects, Hundred Flowers Valley. A Chief Si of the Dao Court Division and an inner sect instructor. Maybe in the future, she can even become an inner sect Elder. How well-matched..."

"Indeed..." Mo Hua nodded.

"And she has a good appearance..." Elder Gu Hong emphasized again.

Gu Changhuai, however, said faintly, "Aunt, don't judge people by their appearance. You know a person, you know their face, but you don't know their heart. Good-looking people are not necessarily good."

Elder Gu Hong was choked and immediately said, "Then look in the mirror. Look at your own appearance. You're not a good person either."

Gu Changhuai was stunned by the question.

Elder Gu Hong pointed at Mo Hua again, "Look at Mo Hua again. What a handsome and clever child. Is he also not a good person?"

Gu Changhuai muttered, "He's not a 'good person' to begin with..."

Elder Gu Hong wished she could pull his ear. "Such a big person, still saying bad things about a little child."

Mo Hua then softly reminded from the side, "Elder, the main business is important, my matters don't matter."

"Look, how magnanimous Mo Hua is!"

Elder Gu Hong said another sentence to Gu Changhuai, then looked at Mo Hua with a gentle expression, and couldn't help but sigh, "Alas, if only Changhuai could be half as sensible as you, I would be satisfied."

"He's more than ten times older than you, yet not one-tenth as worry-free as you."

Mo Hua involuntarily nodded.

Gu Changhuai's expression was numb, his face expressing utter despair.

"Alright, it's getting late, I still have things to do," Elder Gu Hong glanced at Gu Changhuai, her tone carrying some warning.

"This time you're not allowed to brush me off again. Anyway, the Dao Court Division side, you're already 'idle'. You have a lot of time now. After the New Year, you'll go with me to see that girl. Get along properly. If it's suitable, just get married. It would be good for me to... have something to report..."

Elder Gu Hong's expression suddenly became a little desolate. Without waiting for Gu Changhuai to say anything, she said again:

"Also, you're not allowed to 'bully' Mo Hua again. You can put on a grumpy face to others, I won't say anything. But you also have no good face for this child Mo Hua. Does that make sense? If I find out, I will absolutely not spare you."

"Exactly!" Mo Hua echoed.

Elder Gu Hong spoke clearly and quickly. After finishing a pile of words, she took out a box of pastries and gave them to Mo Hua. She said they were wedding pastries from a big family's wedding, made with exquisite materials and very rare. She told Mo Hua to taste them, treating them as a New Year's gift.

"Thank you, Elder Hong!"

Mo Hua thanked her very politely.

Elder Gu Hong smiled at Mo Hua, then glared at Gu Changhuai again, probably meaning "remember what I said, don't forget," and so on, then turned and left.

On the steps, there was only Mo Hua holding pastries with a joyful expression, and Gu Changhuai with a gloomy face, looking unlucky.

Mo Hua tasted the pastries.

They were very fragrant, very glutinous, very soft, and also chewy. The fresh sweetness and fragrance mixed in his mouth. Although not as delicious as the pastries his mother made, they were still very delicious.

After eating, Mo Hua sighed, looked at Gu Changhuai, and said with full expectation:

"Uncle Gu, when can I eat your wedding pastries?"

Gu Changhuai's face immediately turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

Mo Hua, this little brat, sometimes could really infuriate people to death. Being a few years older now, he was even more infuriating!

"I'm leaving, you play by yourself," Gu Changhuai said with a straight face.

Mo Hua said, "Uncle Gu, don't hurry..."

His eyes lit up, "Let's make a deal."

"What deal?" Gu Changhuai frowned.

Mo Hua said softly, "You secretly investigate 'Shui Yanluo' for me, and I'll handle Elder Hong. Of course, you still have to go on a few blind dates. I'm still young, and I can't go on blind dates for you..."

Gu Changhuai's brows furrowed even tighter, "You?"

Mo Hua nodded, "At Elder Gu Hong's place, I speak more effectively than you! We can help each other."

Gu Changhuai's face was ashen, but he had to admit that Mo Hua was telling the truth.

He really had no way with his aunt.

And this child Mo Hua was very skilled at flattery, always full of tricks...

Gu Changhuai sighed, "Alright."

Mo Hua extended his hand.

Gu Changhuai was stunned for a moment. After understanding, although a little unwilling, he still extended his hand and shook Mo Hua's hand once.

Mo Hua smiled with narrowed eyes and said:

"Deal!"

Having Gu Changhuai, the Chief Si of the Dao Court Division, to investigate Shui Yanluo for him was better than a sect disciple like himself investigating, so Mo Hua was relieved.

As for how to handle Elder Gu Hong, he had already planned it out.

He played happily in the Gu family for another day.

Afterwards, Aunt Wan wanted to take Yu'er back to the Shangguan family to pay respects to their ancestors. Uncle Gu was nowhere to be seen, probably busy investigating Shui Yanluo or avoiding blind dates.

Mo Hua was a little bored, so he returned to Tai Xu Sect.

Upon returning to Tai Xu Sect, he cultivated and learned array like usual.

Although refining evil spirits to enhance divine sense was faster, tempering and enhancing divine consciousness through arrays was more solid.

Therefore, neither could be abandoned.

In the absence of evil spirits to eat, Mo Hua could only continue to temper his sea of consciousness and advance his divine sense through the "stupid method" of drawing arrays.

Moreover, he still had eighteen-pattern arrays to learn.

Mo Hua learned arrays for two days, preliminarily learned an eighteen-pattern Bagua array, and took the time to visit the Alchemy Room to find Elder Murong.

This was Elder Murong's instruction.

Elder Murong was afraid that Mo Hua's body was not well after his trip to Ten Thousand Demons Valley and had not fully healed, so she instructed Mo Hua to visit her for a recheck every so often.

After checking Mo Hua's entire body's meridian operation, spiritual power operation, and "weak" blood energy state, Elder Murong nodded.

"Nothing major. You can stop taking the pills... Also, don't eat too much during the New Year. Your blood energy is weak, and your digestion is not good. Eating and drinking randomly can easily injure your spleen and stomach."

Mo Hua was slightly embarrassed.

Elder Murong took out another bottle of pills and handed it to Mo Hua. "These are for digestion, take them after meals."

After receiving them, Mo Hua curiously opened the jade bottle and saw that the pills inside were green and fresh like drops, emanating the fragrance of grass and wood. He couldn't help but ask:

"Can I eat them now?"

Elder Murong was startled, then laughed and said:

"Yes."

Mo Hua took one out and put it in his mouth, tasting it for a bit.

It had a bitter taste, but it was very faint. More prominent was the sweet fragrance of grass and wood, and a unique medicinal taste. After eating it, he felt that his blood energy circulation was a little faster.

Mo Hua laughed, "Thank you, Elder Murong!"

Elder Murong's expression was gentle, and she nodded slightly.

Just at this time, her eyes shifted slightly, and she saw a jade pendant on Mo Hua's neck.

This was a light white jade pendant, simple in shape, and the carving was also ordinary. Inside, faint green jade-colored spirit patterns could be seen. He didn't know what type of jade it was.

Mo Hua always wore this jade pendant around his neck.

Elder Murong had seen it before but hadn't paid attention, but at this time, her heart suddenly stirred.

"This jade pendant is..."

"Jade pendant?"

Mo Hua was startled, lowered his head to look, and then suddenly realized.

"This is..." Elder Murong's gaze narrowed, her voice a little strange, "Dan Yu?"

"Um." Mo Hua nodded and asked, "Elder Murong, you also know Dan Yu?"

After saying it, Mo Hua realized that this Dan Yu was given to him by Feng grandpa, a first-rank alchemist.

And Elder Murong was a third-rank alchemist, so it was normal for her to know about Dan Yu.

Mo Hua asked again, "Is there a problem with this jade?"

Elder Murong's eyes flowed, and she shook her head, "Nothing..."

But she hesitated for a moment and still asked, "You're not an alchemist, and you're not very skilled in alchemy. How do you have Dan Yu on your body?"

"Someone gave it to me."

"Gave it?"

Elder Murong's eyes showed obvious surprise.

"Um," Mo Hua thought for a moment and didn't hide it, but said:

"When I was in Tongxian City, an old grandpa who watched me grow up from a young age, who was virtuous and respected, and saved countless people, gave it to me."

"This old grandpa, although only a first-rank alchemist, saved and cured people throughout his life and was very respected."

"This Dan Yu was also carried by him when he was curing and saving people. Later, when I was learning arrays, he gave it to me..."

Mo Hua spoke up to this point, and recalled a little more.

He remembered that at that time, Feng grandpa also said that this Dan Yu was given to him by his master.

Among alchemists, there was a saying that saving and curing people could accumulate merit.

Carrying Dan Yu was equivalent to bearing the merit of an alchemist.

Feng grandpa gave Dan Yu to him hoping it could protect him, turn misfortune into blessing, and help him grow up safely.

"Alchemists save people, but they can't save too many people; Array masters don't save people, but they can save many people..."

Feng grandpa said so.

And wearing this Dan Yu indeed made people feel peaceful.

However, Mo Hua had worn it for too long, and now there was nothing that could make him feel uneasy, so over time, he didn't feel it so obviously. He just treated this Dan Yu as a "gift" from an elder and wore it around his neck as a memory.

Of course, he didn't tell Elder Murong these things.

It wasn't that he didn't trust Elder Murong, but many things involved cause and effect. When speaking, he naturally had to leave some leeway and couldn't say everything.

Elder Murong didn't ask any more questions but instructed:

"It's fine within the sect, but outside, especially in front of some alchemists, don't show this Dan Yu..."

Mo Hua wanted to ask why, but Elder Murong already had a gentle and beautiful expression and didn't speak again. Mo Hua then sensibly didn't ask and just nodded:

"Um, I remember."

After Elder Murong gave Mo Hua a few more bottles of common pills, Mo Hua said goodbye and left.

After Mo Hua left, Elder Murong was in a daze for a moment, her expression a mixture of envy and sigh:

"Indeed... a child with deep fortune..."

Leaving the Alchemy Room, Mo Hua walked alone on the road back to the disciple residence.

Elder Murong's words lingered in his heart.

"Dan Yu..."

Is Dan Yu a good thing?

Or is it that the "Dan Yu" that Feng grandpa gave him is relatively rare?

Otherwise, Elder Murong, a third-rank alchemist Elder of Tai Xu Sect, wouldn't specifically ask about the jade pendant on his body...

Mo Hua lowered his head, thinking about the Dan Yu matter as he walked. Halfway there, a clear and melodious voice suddenly called out to him:

"Junior Brother Mo..."

Mo Hua was a little distracted thinking about the Dan Yu and didn't hear. After walking for a while, the voice became a little reproachful:

"Junior Brother Mo!"

Mo Hua was startled, looked up, and said with a surprised expression:

"Senior Sister Murong?"

In front of him was a woman wearing the Tai Xu Sect robe, with a gentle demeanor, dignified and beautiful. It was Murong Caiyun.

Murong Caiyun's beautiful eyes gently glanced at Mo Hua, "What are you thinking about? I called you several times, but you didn't hear."

Mo Hua smiled awkwardly and was about to say something when he turned his head and found several female disciples following behind Senior Sister Murong.

And they were not from Tai Xu Sect.

They wore colorful skirts, like clusters of flowers, very bright, and they were wearing the robes of Hundred Flowers Valley.

And he knew Hua Qianqian was also among them.

Mo Hua was a little surprised, "Senior Sister Qianqian is here too?"

Hua Qianqian then looked at Mo Hua with a smiling face, "Junior Brother Mo, long time no see."

Her gaze lingered on Mo Hua for a moment, and she said very satisfied, "You've gotten a little taller, you'll definitely look better in clothes..."

Mo Hua's expression was vigilant.

Murong Caiyun sighed, really having no way with her.

Mo Hua then turned his head and asked Murong Caiyun, "Senior Sister Murong, are you going..."

"I'm going to see my little aunt," Murong Caiyun said.

"Little aunt?" Mo Hua was slightly startled, then thought of something, "Elder Murong?"

"Yes," Murong Caiyun nodded, "My little aunt is an alchemy Elder, proficient in various pills. Qianqian and the others want to consult some alchemy knowledge, so I brought them here to ask my little aunt for guidance."

"Oh," Mo Hua suddenly understood.

After Murong Caiyun finished speaking, she introduced the other several female disciples of Hundred Flowers Valley:

"This is Junior Brother Mo Hua. As I mentioned to you, Junior Brother Mo's array drawing is extremely good. If you have any needs, you can find him to help draw arrays."

Afterward, she introduced them to Mo Hua:

"These are disciples from Hundred Flowers Valley. They are in the same batch as Qianqian. Counting up, they should all be your senior sisters. This is Senior Sister Hua, Senior Sister Ye, Senior Sister Mu..."

Murong Caiyun introduced them one by one.

Mo Hua then shyly saluted and said:

"Hello, various Senior Sisters."

Several female disciples of Hundred Flowers Valley saw Mo Hua, and their eyes lit up with different expressions.

"What a handsome and lovely Junior Brother!"

"He's actually proficient in arrays, arrays are so difficult to learn..."

"Truly, you can't judge a book by its cover..."

Mo Hua: "..."

"Alright, alright," Murong Caiyun said, "It's getting late. If we go too late, my little aunt will blame us."

Several Senior Sisters from Hundred Flowers Valley then reluctantly said goodbye to Mo Hua.

Mo Hua slightly looked at the appearances of these several Senior Sisters. Each had fair and beautiful skin, and wearing the robes of Hundred Flowers Valley, they stood together like a cluster of flowers and brocade.

Mo Hua was a little face-blind for a moment.

But there was one Senior Sister who was obviously better looking.

Mo Hua remembered that her surname seemed to be "Ye".

This Senior Sister Ye had an oval face, exquisite features, skin like solidified fat, eyebrows with a hint of sorrow, and a more introverted personality, not very talkative, which added a kind of cold temperament.

Mo Hua probably looked at them a few times, then waved goodbye to the Senior Sisters.

He didn't take this matter to heart at first.

However, a few days later, the New Year's festival was not yet over, and Mo Hua was still drawing arrays, when he heard a bad news:

This Senior Sister Ye from Hundred Flowers Valley...

Committed suicide.