Chapter 823: Dao Court

Central Dao Court!

Mo Painting condensed his gaze and asked, "Why would the Dao Court come to investigate? What are they investigating? How will they investigate?"

Wan Chen's face was full of bitterness. "This... you think too highly of me. How could I possibly know..."

Mo Painting thought for a moment and felt that he was right.

The Dao Court's intervention at this time surely had deeper intentions. Wan Chen, an ordinary disciple of the Gui Water Gate, was unlikely to know.

"Then I'll ask you again," Mo Painting pondered for a moment and said, "You said 'good-looking, good-fun'. What exactly is that? Where is it? What benefit do you get from taking us there?"

Wan Chen said helplessly, "I... I just found an errand to earn some merit points."

"My senior brothers said that if I get disciples from the Eight Great Gates and the Twelve Streams onto the boat, I'll get two hundred merit points per person."

"The place we're going is just a flower boat. There's eating, drinking, and playing on the boat. It's not a bad thing. Going there to have some fun, maybe we can make some friends among fellow Daoists..."

Mo Painting sneered, "Deceive others if you must, but don't deceive yourself."

Wan Chen didn't speak.

But after thinking for a moment, his expression also turned cold. "You all captured me... Is there some other scheme? You all don't really want to go on the boat."

Mo Painting was a little surprised.

This Wan Chen was indeed not stupid.

Mo Painting then said lightly, "I dare tell you, do you dare listen?"

Wan Chen was taken aback.

Mo Painting said in a low voice, "This matter, if you don't know, it's fine. If you do know, I fear that not long after, you will invite disaster upon yourself and die without knowing how you died."

Mo Painting wasn't deceiving him.

Generally, people like Wan Chen, once they know some secret, won't live for more than a few days.

It was always depicted that way in dramatic stories.

Wan Chen didn't dare to ask again.

He was from the Wan family and was a childhood friend of Hao Xuan.

The Wan family was not as powerful as the Hao family, and his status within his family was far less than Hao Xuan's, so he always acted cautiously.

He also had some awareness of taboo matters in his heart.

But although he didn't ask, he obviously didn't want to say anything more.

Mo Painting looked at him and said lightly,

"To tell you the truth, originally we wanted to torture you severely, then quietly kill you and throw you into the river to feed the water demons, so that no one would know. But Hao Xuan persuaded us to stop..."

Hao Xuan beside him was a little stunned.

I persuaded? How did I not know?

Mo Painting didn't blink and continued,

"Hao Xuan said that he was your childhood friend and couldn't bear to see you die miserably and be buried in a demon's belly. He advised us to give you a chance, so we only knocked you out and asked you some questions. Otherwise, you would have already been sunk in the river..."

"Xuan-ge..."

Wan Chen looked at Hao Xuan with a hint of emotion.

Hao Xuan was at a loss for a while as to what expression he should make.

"But..." Mo Painting's face sank slightly, "You yourself should know what you are doing."

"If you continue like this, not only will you not have a good end, but you will also surely implicate the Wan family and make your parents ashamed. You won't even have a glorious death..."

Wan Chen's face turned pale. "But, but..."

He raised his head, looked at Mo Painting, and smiled bitterly. "The sect's atmosphere is like this, what can I do?"

Mo Painting shook his head. "Fire cannot be contained in paper. The Gui Water Gate is such a mess, it will fall sooner or later. You should think carefully..."

Mo Painting silently looked at Wan Chen. "Once the Gui Water Gate falls, a batch of disciples will surely be purged. At that time, do you think you can escape?"

"This..."

Wan Chen raised his head, looked at Mo Painting, and recognized his voice and figure.

He then suddenly realized that the person in front of him was the same good-looking and tender-faced disciple of the Tai Xu Gate from during the day. He was both surprised and confused.

"But... can you all help me?"

Mo Painting said proudly, "My true identity cannot be revealed to you for the time being. I can only tell you that behind me stands an old ancestor; among my fellow disciples, I have absolute authority; with a crowd of elders, I have very deep friendships; and in the Dao Court Department, I also have connections..."

Mo Painting began to inflate his own importance.

But Hao Xuan and the others knew that everything he said was the truth.

Wan Chen was also somewhat dazed by Mo Painting's coaxing.

"If you do some things for me, when the matter of the Gui Water Gate is exposed, I can protect you from the Dao Court Department," Mo Painting said affirmatively.

Wan Chen stammered, "Really?"

"Don't you believe me, or don't you believe Hao Xuan?" Mo Painting said.

Hao Xuan then came back to his senses, nodded, and sighed. "We are trying to save you, otherwise, once you get too deep, you won't be able to turn back."

Wan Chen was a little shaken. "But, I'm just an ordinary disciple, I can't do anything..."

"It doesn't matter," Mo Painting said. "Just some small things, it won't be difficult for you."

Wan Chen was still hesitant. "Can I... go back and think about it?"

"Yes," Mo Painting said. "But it's best not to tell anyone about today's matter, otherwise, if the news leaks out, no one can save you."

Wan Chen nodded.

Mo Painting gave Cheng Mo a look, and Cheng Mo released Wan Chen.

Wan Chen was a little surprised to see Cheng Mo actually release him. He silently looked at the group again, and after some unease, he left, not knowing what he was thinking.

Watching Wan Chen's retreating figure, Si Tu Jian frowned and said, "Little senior brother, do you think he will really do things for us?"

"It doesn't matter," Mo Painting said.

Si Tu Jian was startled.

Mo Painting said, "If he agrees, the Gui Water Gate side will be a little easier. If he doesn't agree, I can also think of other methods. At most, it will just take a little more effort."

"However, if he doesn't agree, then once the matter is exposed, he can only fend for himself."

Cheng Mo and Si Tu Jian nodded.

On the other hand, Hao Xuan's expression was somewhat uneasy.

From the bottom of his heart, he still hoped that his childhood friend would not go astray.

After that, the few of them returned to the Tai Xu Gate.

In the disciple's residence, Mo Painting lay on the bed, still thinking about the events of the day.

Dao Court...

Although the Dao Court and the Dao Court Department differed by only one word, their meanings were worlds apart.

The Dao Court had unified the cultivation world for over twenty thousand years, and its foundation was fearfully deep.

Who knew how many cultivation resources had been accumulated, how many cultivation inheritances had been monopolized, and behind the Dao Court, who knew how many unfathomable old monsters were lurking.

In the Qian Xue State boundary, there was indeed a Dao Court Department.

However, although this Dao Court Department was supervised by the Central Dao Court, its internal affairs had already been infiltrated by various great families.

The Dao Court had previously also turned a blind eye.

Perhaps it was a kind of compromise.

Or perhaps, the various great families in the Qian Xue State boundary had people within the Dao Court who could collude with each other and blind sight and hearing.

But the current situation seemed to be a little different...

The Dao Court's investigation into the Gui Water Gate might seem like a small matter, but it was very possibly a fuse.

Just...

What exactly did the Dao Court want to investigate about the Gui Water Gate?

Why did they start with the Gui Water Gate?

How much did the Dao Court actually know?

Mo Painting thought for a long time, but found no clues.

After all, he had more or less dealt with the Dao Court Department, knew some of its ways, and had some acquaintances.

But the Dao Court, like a colossus, was high above and fundamentally beyond his reach.

"Need to find someone who knows the inside story and ask..."

Mo Painting took out his transmission order again, thought for a while, felt that it was better to ask directly, and then sent a message to Gu Chang Huai:

"Uncle Gu, has the Dao Court sent people?"

He waited for a long time, but Gu Chang Huai didn't reply.

He didn't know if he was too busy to see the message, or if he fundamentally didn't want to talk about Dao Court matters.

But this matter was quite crucial.

Mo Painting considered it for a bit and decided to go and ask in person.

Early the next morning, he left the Tai Xu Gate and went to the Dao Court Department in the Qian Xue State boundary.

When he arrived at the Dao Court Department, no one stopped him.

Gu Chang Huai had served as the Dian Si in the Dao Court Department for many years, and his prestige was quite high.

Ordinary executive Si, who were involved in many affairs and judged people by their looks, might make things difficult for newly arrived cultivators, but Mo Painting was a familiar face and had a good relationship with Gu Chang Huai, so naturally, no one dared to make things difficult for him.

There were even executive Si from the Gu family who poured Mo Painting a cup of tea and said politely,

"Dian Si is entangled in affairs, young master, please wait a moment."

Mo Painting thanked them politely, then quietly sat and drank tea, secretly observing the cultivators who came and went in the Dao Court Department.

After drinking about four or five cups of tea, Mo Painting saw Gu Chang Huai come out and quickly greeted him,

"Uncle Gu."

As soon as Gu Chang Huai saw Mo Painting's handsome face, his head subconsciously started to hurt.

If this wasn't the Dao Court Department and he didn't have to maintain his image, he would have probably turned around and left.

"What's the matter?" Gu Chang Huai said indifferently.

"I sent you a message with the transmission order, but you didn't respond, so I came to find you," Mo Painting said righteously.

Gu Chang Huai sighed and was about to say something when a cold but clear voice suddenly rang out beside him:

"Gu Dian Si, you're quite leisurely, still having time to chat here..."

Mo Painting was a little surprised to hear this and looked up, only to find that the speaker was a female wearing a Dian Si Dao robe.

This female was tall and beautiful, with an icy expression and a slightly raised chin, revealing an arrogant temperament.

Gu Chang Huai's expression was indifferent, obviously in a very bad mood:

"What, I'm talking to someone, and Xia Dian Si wants to control that too? Don't forget, you are a Dian Si, and so am I. You can't control me."

The female's expression became even colder.

After that, the two of them didn't speak, looking at each other with equally cold gazes and indifferent expressions. The atmosphere was somewhat stiff for a while.

Mo Painting sat between the two of them, looking innocent.

A moment later, he leaned towards Gu Chang Huai and asked in a low voice, "Uncle Gu, who is this good-looking sister?"

Gu Chang Huai's eyelid twitched.

This stinky boy was talking nonsense with his eyes open. His flattery skills, he didn't know who he learned them from.

On the surface, he deliberately lowered his voice, but in front of Jin Dan, who could he hide this sentence from?

The female opposite obviously also heard Mo Painting's words. Her expression was still icy, but her gaze towards Mo Painting softened a little.

No female didn't like being praised for her beauty.

What's more, it was a pure-tempered, clear-eyed young man who said it, like a spring breeze, making people feel happy and at ease.

Her voice unconsciously became gentler. "Little brother, you can't call me 'sister'. I'm quite a bit older than you..."

Mo Painting asked curiously, "Then what should I call you?"

Gu Chang Huai beside him snorted coldly, "What can you call her? Naturally, 'aunt'."

The female's gaze towards Gu Chang Huai was already tinged with some killing intent within the ice. "Gu Dian Si, if you can't speak, you can shut up."

After she finished, she said to Mo Painting, "My surname is Xia. You can just call me Xia Dian Si."

Mo Painting nodded and said, "Hello, Xia Dian Si."

Xia Dian Si nodded slightly and asked, "What matter do you have by coming to the Dao Court Department?"

Mo Painting looked at Gu Chang Huai and began to make up nonsense. "Elder Gu Hong asked me to come and call Uncle Gu back to the Gu family. There's something going on at home."

Xia Dian Si was a little surprised. "What matter?"

Mo Painting looked at Gu Chang Huai, then at Xia Dian Si, his expression hesitant, not knowing whether he should say it.

A moment later, he waved to Xia Dian Si.

Xia Dian Si was slightly stunned, but then understood Mo Painting's meaning and subconsciously leaned her ear over, and then heard Mo Painting quietly say in her ear,

"Calling Uncle Gu back for a matchmaking..."

Similarly, Mo Painting kept his voice very low, but it still couldn't be hidden from Gu Chang Huai.

Before Mo Painting could finish, Gu Chang Huai's face turned angry. Unable to bear it, he grabbed Mo Painting by the collar and walked out of the Dao Court Department without looking back.

His retreating figure was somewhat flustered and embarrassed.

Xia Dian Si looked at Gu Chang Huai's retreating figure, her eyes moving slightly, and her expression also became somewhat subtle.

Mo Painting had grown quite tall, but he was still far from Gu Chang Huai's height.

What's more, Gu Chang Huai was a Jin Dan, and his physical body was quite strong. Carrying a thin Mo Painting was indeed effortless.

When they reached a quiet place, Gu Chang Huai put Mo Painting down and said with an unbearable cold face,

"Next time you talk nonsense, be careful, I won't be polite to you."

Mo Painting said "oh".

Gu Chang Huai saw his appearance of having something to rely on and really had no way.

He could only say these words.

If he were really "not polite" to Mo Painting, Mo Painting would directly "report to his parents" and complain to Wen Ren Wan or Elder Gu Hong, and Gu Chang Huai would truly have a headache.

Although he only had the surname Gu, and Mo Painting's surname was Mo.

But in the Gu family, especially in front of Elder Gu Hong and Wen Ren Wan, Mo Painting was the one whose words counted.

Gu Chang Huai sighed. "Tell me, what matter do you need from me?"

Mo Painting said, "I told you before."

Gu Chang Huai then remembered the matter of the transmission order and said, "I can't tell you about the Dao Court matter?"

"Why?"

"Because it's a secret, and the Dao Court is not a general force. If you truly commit a Dao Court taboo, let alone you, even my Gu family, I fear, will turn to ashes."

Mo Painting's expression became a little stern.

Although he was just asking questions, where would he commit any taboo, let alone turn to ashes?

Mo Painting thought for a moment, his eyes lit up, and he asked,

"Was that Xia Dian Si just now from the Dao Court?"

Gu Chang Huai didn't speak.

Mo Painting looked at Gu Chang Huai's face and nodded, "It seems so..."

"Uncle Gu, you said before that a new Dian Si from the Dao Court Department was very tricky and difficult to deal with. Wasn't that Xia Dian Si you were talking about?"

After he finished, Mo Painting observed Gu Chang Huai's expression again and got an affirmative answer.

"Xia Dian Si, Xia... This Xia, isn't it one of the great families on the Dao Court side?"

Gu Chang Huai was helpless and sighed. "Yes."

He discovered that this boy, Mo Painting, as long as he was curious, would definitely break the pot and ask to the end. Rather than hiding it, it was better to tell him directly to save trouble.

Gu Chang Huai said, "The Xia family is an ancient family from the time when the Dao Court was first established. In the center of the Dao Court, in the Seven Pavilions, and even in the Qin Tian Jian, successive pavilion elders, supervisor generals, and many other important positions have all been held by cultivators from the Xia family."

"The Xia family is a genuine giant among the world families."

Mo Painting's expression was solemn.

The Xia family was actually so formidable.

"Then this time, what is the purpose of the Dao Court sending the Xia family over? To investigate the Gui Water Gate?" Mo Painting asked.

Gu Chang Huai frowned. "You know about the Dao Court investigating the Gui Water Gate?"

Mo Painting nodded. "I just found out."

Gu Chang Huai didn't know what to say.

The Dao Court hadn't been investigating for long.

This boy's news was actually so well-informed.

"Why is the Dao Court investigating the Gui Water Gate?" Mo Painting asked.

Gu Chang Huai was silent for a moment, then shook his head. "It's hard to say..."

"Hard to say?"

Gu Chang Huai pondered for a moment and finally slowly opened his mouth.

"In the Qian Xue State boundary, sects are numerous, and the world families have extremely large forces. The old ancestors of each family may have their own calculations and usually engage in overt and covert struggles, but their attitude towards the Dao Court is consistent: within the Qian Xue State boundary, the Dao Court Department can exist to maintain Dao laws, but the Dao Court cannot directly intervene in internal affairs."

"Unless there is a matter where a world family truly disobeys and plots rebellion, touching the Dao Court's bottom line, the Dao Court also indeed turns a blind eye."

"Occasionally, serious accidents occur, and the Dao Court at most just questions responsibility a bit and then scrapes a layer of oil from each world family. That's all."

"But, recently, things are a little different..."

Gu Chang Huai frowned. "The Dao Court seems to no longer want to indulge the Qian Xue State boundary."

"Or perhaps, they have long coveted the Qian Xue State boundary and just haven't had a good opportunity to extend their hand in."

"But, not long ago, there was an 'opportunity'."

Mo Painting's gaze condensed. "What opportunity?"

Gu Chang Huai looked at Mo Painting and asked, "You are a sect disciple, you should go to Refine Demon Mountain to hunt demon beasts. You should be familiar with Ten Thousand Demon Valley, right?"

Mo Painting was stunned. "Ten Thousand Demon Valley?!"

Gu Chang Huai nodded, tangled for a moment, just thinking of telling Mo Painting this secret, yet suddenly he was stunned. "You wouldn't... already know, would you?"

Mo Painting was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded.

"How much do you know?" Gu Chang Huai asked.

"Should... almost, know everything..." Mo Painting said in a low voice.

In the entire Qian Xue State boundary, except for Mr. Tu and that mysterious young master, no one should understand Ten Thousand Demon Valley better than him.

Perhaps those demon cultivator managers also understood, but they were all dead.

Gu Chang Huai's eyelids twitched.

He had only heard about the "Ten Thousand Demon Valley" matter from the head of the Gu family.

This matter was covered up extremely tightly, with only some minor details leaking out from the cracks.

But now, Mo Painting said he knew everything, which meant...

"You... wouldn't have entered Ten Thousand Demon Valley, would you..."

Mo Painting nodded. "Sort of..."

It wasn't as simple as just entering.

He had strolled in Ten Thousand Demon Valley for who knows how long.

More than half of the demon cultivator managers had their divine souls erased by him.

The thousands upon thousands of demons in Ten Thousand Demon Valley were also completely devoured by him.

Of course, these things couldn't be said.

Gu Chang Huai also didn't think of these things.

Even so, he still silently took a deep breath of cold air, feeling somewhat disbelieving.

This boy, how was he involved in everything...

It was evil.

"What about the Ten Thousand Demon Valley matter?" Mo Painting asked.

Gu Chang Huai calmed his mood and sighed. "The Ten Thousand Demon Valley matter is just this opportunity..."

"This matter has a bad influence and very serious consequences. Although it was finally covered up, the Dao Court also had an excuse to directly send people to be stationed in the Dao Court Department to carry out supervision..."

Gu Chang Huai's face was somewhat ugly. "...That Xia Dian Si from the Xia family."

Mo Painting slowly nodded.

In the world, everything was interconnected.

He originally thought that the Ten Thousand Demon Valley matter was all in the past, but he didn't expect that it would trigger this series of changes in the dark.

Not only did it make the Dao Court's hand extend into the Qian Xue State boundary.

It also recruited this "Xia Dian Si".

Mo Painting again asked doubtfully, "What influence will the Dao Court's intervention have on the Qian Xue State boundary?"

Gu Chang Huai's expression was somewhat grave. "This is the 'hard to say' part. It's possible they are just going through the motions and will supervise for a period of time and then leave; it's also possible they are secretly investigating some truth; or perhaps, they want to take this opportunity to penetrate their power into the Qian Xue State boundary..."

"In any case, this is all just the beginning."

"This means that the Central Dao Court also wants to enter the game..."

After Mo Painting left the Dao Court Department and returned to his disciple residence, Gu Chang Huai's words still lingered in his mind.

The Dao Court entering the game.

He didn't know if it was good or bad...

Mo Painting frowned.

Although the plot of this colossus, the Dao Court, shouldn't have much to do with him, at least it wasn't his turn to worry.

Mo Painting came back to his senses and pondered for a bit about the matter of Water Yan Luo.

Currently, the most important thing was still to catch Water Yan Luo early.

By catching Water Yan Luo and asking about the extermination of the Yu family's water stronghold, especially matters related to "sacrifice," he could find the altar and then further his divine sense.

But Mo Painting soon discovered that with the clues he currently controlled, it was very difficult to find Water Yan Luo, let alone catch him.

Mainly, his time was limited, and he also had to take periodic breaks. Many matters simply couldn't be investigated personally.

At this rate, unraveling things bit by bit, even if he could catch Water Yan Luo, he didn't know when it would happen.

Too slow.

Even if he himself could wait, Mr. Xun on the other side was concerned about the rise and fall of the sects, a matter of life and death, and perhaps couldn't wait.

Mo Painting thought silently for a moment, and an idea gradually formed in his heart.

People should have self-knowledge.

Matters that he couldn't do himself should be honestly done by borrowing external force.

A gentleman's nature is not different; he is good at borrowing from things.

"The people who can help with this matter, Uncle Gu, Yu Cang Hai, Hundred Flowers Valley's Senior Sister Shallow Shallow, and that Wan Chen from Gui Water Gate, are all already in the plan..."

"But it's still not enough..."

"Still need a stronger helper."

"This helper is..."

Mo Painting's eyes lit up. "Dao Court!"

"The Dao Court's strength is unfathomable, it is a true colossus."

"Within the Qian Xue State boundary, if the Dao Court truly wants to do something, it doesn't need to fear any force's obstruction, nor is it afraid of anyone's obstruction and revenge."

"Now that the Dao Court wants to make a move and investigate the Gui Water Gate, I can just hitch a ride and take advantage to lure Water Yan Luo into the Dao Court Department's net, and then fish in troubled waters."

"Moreover, I can also take the opportunity to build good relationships with some of the forces within the Dao Court."

"Any force, including not only the world families and sects, but of course also the Dao Court, is internally very complex."

"There are different interests, different entanglements, and also different intentions internally. It's not an absolute monolithic entity."

"And by building good relationships with some forces within the Dao Court, if I truly touch some great taboo in the future and suffer the iron-blooded suppression of the Dao Court's upper echelons, I won't be completely helpless and fall into a desperate situation of isolation."

"But..."

Mo Painting pondered and said, "How can I connect with the Dao Court?"

Mo Painting thought and thought, and could only think of one person.

He took out his transmission order and sent a message to Gu Chang Huai:

"Uncle Gu, you don't need to worry about Instructor Hua. There won't be any results. Take some time to contact Xia Dian Si more..."

Gu Chang Huai had been in contact with Mo Painting for a long time and had been influenced by him. Occasionally, he would also use magnetic ink to manifest some strange symbols to express his mood.