Chapter 934: Summer Supervision

As he let go of the knots in his heart, his worries vanished, and Yuer's smile became purer and purer. He could truly play happily now.

With a candied haw in his mouth, Yuer ran around the big streets and small alleys of Qingzhou City. One moment he looked at lanterns, the next he watched street performances, then he stared at the several animalistic spirit beasts, his eyes unblinking.

Mo Hua followed by Yuer's side, his expression pleased. But Yuer's words still lingered in his heart.

"Three 'Yuers', one in the mountains, one in the water, and one is himself, silently watching him..."

Mo Hua couldn't help but recall the nightmare Yuer had told him about a long time ago:

"There are many mountains in the dream, many monsters, bloody..."

"What rabbit, what cried, what one mountain, one water, one person..."

"Many people will die, blood will flow into rivers, bones will pave into high buildings, human flesh will build city walls, all connected together..."

"Because of Yuer, everyone will die..."

His expression unchanged, he pondered silently.

His entry into Qianxue State and his ability to join Taixu Gate were opportunities brought about by "Yuer".

Mister Tu wanted to catch Yuer, demons from the Great Wilderness invaded Yuer's nightmares, the authority of the Great Wilderness evil god was above him, and Yuer's imprint was clearly visible...

All of this indicated that Yuer and the Great Wilderness evil god must have some kind of relationship.

"Rabbit cried..."

Mo Hua pondered deeply for a long time, then turned his head to look at the innocent Yuer, and suddenly startled, "This child, he can't be talking about... the cunning rabbit has three burrows, can he..."

Cunning rabbit has three burrows, one mountain, one water, one person?

And...

"Many people will die, blood will flow into rivers, bones will pave into high buildings, human flesh will build city walls..."

This sentence made Mo Hua involuntarily think of the demonic sect scattered throughout the blood swamp in Yanluo Mountain, which devoured flesh and blood life force, converted it into dead evil power transmitted into the earth veins, and the numerous white bone evil arrays.

The various scenes he had witnessed seemed to secretly align with Yuer's nightmare.

Mo Hua's pupils slightly contracted.

He felt as if he had vaguely grasped something...

After wandering the streets, the sky gradually darkened, lanterns hung high, and fireworks filled the sky.

Mo Hua then led Yuer by the hand, bathed in the colorful light of the fireworks, and returned to the Gu family.

Half an hour later, the Gu family's annual banquet also began.

The scale this year was larger than last year, and there were more guests than last year. The entire great hall looked more lively than in previous years.

The seating arrangement for all the guests was based on their relationship, cultivation level, status, and rank, arranged successively from the high platform downwards.

Mo Hua was seated on the high platform, only one seat lower than the family head.

Unbeknownst to him, he had already gone from a "regular guest" at the Gu family annual banquet to an "honored guest".

This was partly due to Elder Xun's reputation, but also because he held the identity of "array path leader" in Qianxue State, which surpassed thousands of sects.

Wenren Wan and Yuer were seated elsewhere. Although their seating wasn't low, they weren't at the same table with him like in previous years.

Mo Hua was a bit puzzled.

It wasn't until the banquet began, and unfamiliar family elders or sect cultivators constantly came to his table with wine cups to toast him, that Mo Hua understood why.

This meal was meant for him to "socialize", and he couldn't just indulge in eating and drinking as usual.

He couldn't just eat his fill and ignore everyone else.

Because people frequently came to toast him, it wasn't convenient for Yuer and Wenren Wan to be at the same table with him.

Mo Hua sighed.

Indeed, people fear fame, and pigs fear strength.

He actually had a day when he was burdened by reputation.

Of course, this kind of good thing, if it were on others, they would seek it but not find it. Mo Hua also didn't pretend about it.

Although he was a bit uncomfortable, he welcomed everyone.

The reason why these aristocratic families and sect cultivators flocked to participate in the Gu family's annual banquet was largely to build connections with the "array path leader" of Qianxue State.

But since these people could participate in the Gu family annual banquet, it meant that their relationship with the Gu family was generally good.

Mo Hua had received much care from the Gu family. Now that he had a little fame, it was only right for him to stand up for the Gu family and support their facade.

Anyway, it was just drinking a cup of wine and saying some polite words. It wasn't difficult at all. On the contrary, he could make connections with more cultivators.

Getting acquainted with a "cup of wine" also counted as a connection.

Gu Shouyan, who was seated at the head table, was originally worried that Mo Hua would resent this kind of aristocratic family socializing.

He himself didn't want to engage in these worldly matters either.

But he was the family head, and interactions between aristocratic families were inevitable.

Even the most upright aristocratic family couldn't have truly plain "gentleman's friendship"; more or less, they had to pay attention to connections and benefits.

Fortunately, Mo Hua was young, open-minded, and didn't care too much about such things.

Gu Shouyan was secretly grateful in his heart.

Just like that, cups and dishes were intertwined, people came and went. Mo Hua also didn't know exactly who he had clinked cups with and drunk wine with.

Fortunately, the Gu family knew his "taste" and prepared fruit wine for him. Although his cheeks were red and puffy from drinking, his drunkness wasn't obvious.

Gu Shouyan was afraid that he would truly get him drunk, so he then stopped people from coming to toast him.

Mo Hua then became free to deal with the delicacies on the table.

He ate for a while, and suddenly a noisy sound arose. Mo Hua looked up and saw a group of people surrounding a man wearing a white dao robe with gold and jade patterns walk over.

This man was tall and straight, with a stern face. His entire body's aura was as deep as an abyss and as steady as a mountain, extremely profound.

It was precisely Inspector Xia, who had met Mo Hua several times, the inspector from the Dao Court in the Feathering Realm, who hailed from the Xia family.

Gu Shouyan, the Gu family head, rose to welcome him.

"Inspector Xia, we have been remiss in not welcoming you."

Inspector Xia also didn't put on airs, his tone quite amiable, "Affairs kept me busy, I'm late, family head please don't blame me."

"Inspector, please take a seat." Gu Shouyan cupped his hands and said.

Inspector Xia walked to the upper seat on the high platform, on equal footing with the Gu family head, and sat exactly beside Mo Hua.

Mo Hua then knew who the empty seat to his left was prepared for.

"It's actually Inspector Xia..."

Mo Hua muttered a sentence in his heart.

But he was indifferent. Seating arrangements had nothing to do with him. He had already "socialized" once; now he only needed to be responsible for eating and filling his own stomach.

Furthermore, he wasn't familiar with Inspector Xia and didn't need to pay attention to him.

There was no way Inspector Xia would personally come to toast him in this hall, right?

Mo Hua began to bury his head and deal with a very large crab on the table with meat in its pincers as abundant as steamed buns.

But before he even finished eating one crab, a strange but familiar voice sounded by his ear:

"Little brother."

Mo Hua turned his head and saw Inspector Xia holding a cup, his gaze stern but with some goodwill, looking at him.

Mo Hua was slightly startled.

Inspector Xia remained seated, holding the cup, with no other actions.

After a moment, Mo Hua understood. He picked up his cup and said to Inspector Xia: "Inspector Xia, I toast you a cup."

Inspector Xia was a Feathering Realm cultivator and a Dao Court inspector after all.

Even if he held the cup first, he couldn't let him toast first.

Mo Hua still understood this point.

Mo Hua's quick wit made Inspector Xia quite satisfied. He emptied the wine in his cup in one gulp and slowly said:

"Truth be told, little brother and I also have some fate."

"Yes."

"I wonder, little brother, what are your plans next?"

Mo Hua didn't quite understand, "Inspector's meaning is..."

Inspector Xia put down his wine cup, his lips didn't move, but his voice transmitted out:

"The cultivation path of Qianxue sect is a nine-year period. Two years later, you will graduate, right? After that, are you planning to stay in Taixu Gate, enter the inner gate as an elder, or think about the outside world and venture a bit more?"

Mo Hua was a bit astonished to hear this.

Would Inspector Xia ask him about such a thing at the annual banquet, in front of so many people?

He looked around a bit and was surprised to find that the many people beside him seemed to see and hear nothing, completely oblivious.

Only the Gu family head, in the Feathering Realm, seemed to know something, but he also indulged in drinking wine without showing any expression.

Inspector Xia's voice transmitted into Mo Hua's ears, "This matter is known only to heaven, earth, you, and me."

Mo Hua suddenly understood, and quickly caught on, asking: "Inspector, you want to recruit me into the Xia family, right?"

Inspector Xia was slightly startled, thinking to himself that this child was indeed direct and spoke his mind.

But this was also good; talking to intelligent people saved effort.

"Little brother, what do you think?"

"Are there benefits?" Mo Hua was quite practical.

Inspector Xia silently looked at Mo Hua, "The Xia family is an ancient aristocratic family, ranked six grades, located in Dao State, the central region of the Nine Provinces, subordinate to the central Dao Court. Successive generations have produced several cabinet elders, our influence spans the world, and our foundation is immeasurably deep..."

Inspector Xia only stated some facts.

Any cultivator with some knowledge would understand the weight of these words.

Any single sentence, whether it was "ancient aristocratic family," "six grades," "located in Dao State," "subordinate to the Dao Court," or "produced several cabinet elders"... all were things that ordinary cultivators, families, and sects might hope for their entire lives but couldn't achieve.

Even the five-grade great aristocratic families in Qianxue State were completely incomparable.

Mo Hua, however, shook his head and said: "This is a matter of the Xia family, it has nothing to do with me."

"If you take refuge in the Xia family..."

"My surname is Mo." Mo Hua said lightly.

Inspector Xia's expression was slightly astonished, and he immediately understood Mo Hua's meaning.

No matter how strong the Xia family was, it was still just the "Xia" family.

Even if Mo Hua joined the Xia family, he would still be an outsider in the end. He was unwilling to marry in, unwilling to change his surname, unwilling to abandon his origins, and unwilling to cling to powerful clans.

Inspector Xia's expression became a little indifferent.

But in his heart, he looked highly at Mo Hua.

There were many geniuses in this world, many talented and arrogant people, but those who could clearly see the situation and recognize their own class were as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.

Humble origins, but possessing oneself, not blindly climbing for power, that was true humility and lack of arrogance.

"You know the three talents array, right?" Inspector Xia said.

Mo Hua's eyes suddenly lit up.

"My Xia family has the inheritance of the three talents array." Inspector Xia saw Mo Hua's expression and said indifferently.

Mo Hua envied this.

Elder Xun said that the true three talents array involved the three talents of heaven, earth, and human. It coordinated the infinite principles of Qian Dao, the thick virtue of Kun Dao, and the strange changes of human Dao. Its scope was extremely vast, and its derivations were extremely broad.

This was the knowledge with which the Dao Court governed the world.

The core inheritance of the three talents was strictly controlled by the Dao Court and never spread outside. Unless one went to Dao State, entered the Dao Court, and contacted the high-level officials of the Dao Court, it was impossible to learn the essence of the three talents array...

Mo Hua felt a bit itchy in his heart, and his attitude towards Inspector Xia became much more familiar.

He quietly asked: "If I follow the Xia family, can I learn the three talents array?"

Inspector Xia shook his head, "Not possible."

Mo Hua was greatly disappointed, muttering, "Then what are we talking about..." He turned his head and gnawed at his big crab.

Inspector Xia could only say: "Your cultivation is still not enough."

Mo Hua gnawed on a mouthful of crab meat, "And if my cultivation is enough?"

"You must enter the high ranks of the Xia family to have the opportunity to learn the three talents array law." Inspector Xia's gaze slightly condensed.

Through the few words just now, Inspector Xia understood that this "array path leader", despite his young age and pure appearance, was actually clear-minded.

Speak different words to different people.

Inspector Xia also spoke the truth:

"To enter the high ranks of the Xia family, the best way is to 'marry in', change your name and surname, and marry a true direct daughter of a certain branch of the Xia family. From then on, you will enter the core of the Xia family's power."

"If you don't marry in, but just have an ordinary marriage, with your family background and qualifications, you won't be able to marry a direct daughter of the main branch of the Xia family, and naturally, you won't be able to enter the high ranks of the Xia family."

"The importance of the three talents array, as an array master, you should be even clearer about it. If you don't enter the core of the Xia family and don't hold a high position in the Xia family, it's naturally impossible to learn it."

Inspector Xia spoke the truth and didn't hide anything from Mo Hua.

But Mo Hua naturally couldn't marry in, he couldn't even marry a woman from the Xia family.

However, facing Inspector Xia directly, he didn't feel good about saying it directly, but asked curiously: "What is a direct daughter of the main branch? Are direct daughters also divided into three, six, nine grades?"

Inspector Xia looked at Mo Hua, not knowing whether he should answer.

Mo Hua, however, had already turned his head and continued to gnaw on his crab, looking indifferent.

Inspector Xia sighed slightly, and then said: "Direct daughters and direct daughters are not the same. The most important thing is bloodline."

"Bloodline?"

Mo Hua frowned, involuntarily thinking of his little senior sister again.

"Bloodline... what exactly is it? Are there that many particulars?" Mo Hua asked Inspector Xia.

Inspector Xia was silent for a moment.

This was not a secret in truly top aristocratic families, but ordinary cultivators knew very little.

Because cultivators with "bloodline" were often concentrated in long-inherited, deeply rooted six-grade ancient aristocratic families, and some influential five-grade peak aristocratic families.

Other aristocratic families, and even ordinary scattered cultivators, had an extremely small probability of having "bloodline".

But this bloodline must be extremely thin.

Moreover, very few cultivators knew about bloodline. Without guidance and awakening, even if they carried bloodline power, there was a high probability that they would be pearls covered in dust, living their lives in confusion.

Inspector Xia hesitated for a moment, and then simply told Mo Hua all this:

"Bloodline, at its root, is a power hidden within the inheritance of cultivators' flesh and blood. The source of this power is roughly divided into two types: one comes from powerful cultivators, and one comes from powerful divine beasts."

"Powerful cultivators, who cultivate specific merit laws or dao methods, cultivate special spiritual power or blood energy, can pass it down through bloodline."

"And divine beasts are innate beasts that embody the essence of heaven and earth and possess supreme power. Their bloodline can also fuse with cultivators and then be inherited generation by generation."

"How is it transmitted specifically?" Mo Hua's eyes shone with curiosity as he asked Inspector Xia.

"These are all ancient clan secrets, inconvenient to say more." Inspector Xia said.

Mo Hua was a little regretful and asked again: "In great aristocratic families, or rather ancient aristocratic families, do true direct descendants all have bloodline?"

"Not necessarily," Inspector Xia said, "Even in great aristocratic families, only a minority can awaken bloodline."

Mo Hua nodded.

If one possessed bloodline, even in a truly top family like the Xia family, they would be above others.

This indicated that his little senior sister was indeed special.

He just didn't know what bloodline his little senior brother had.

But his little senior brother was stupid and didn't seem like he would hide things. If he truly had bloodline, he would probably show off to him early...

Mo Hua furrowed his brows, pondered for a moment, and suddenly asked with a serious expression:

"Inspector Xia, do I look... like I have a hidden bloodline?"

Inspector Xia silently sized up Mo Hua.

He actually didn't want to discourage Mo Hua too much, but it wasn't convenient to say directly. He then asked: "Your bloodline... is it special in any way?"

Mo Hua nodded and said: "Yes, I'm inherently weak, and particularly weak..."

Inspector Xia: "..."

How could this person so righteously turn his "disadvantage" into a "specialty"?

He could only be a bit more tactful: "Among scattered cultivators, those who can awaken bloodline are extremely few, less than one in a million."

The implied meaning was, unless your family grave emitted green smoke, and this green smoke rolled up to cover the sky, then just don't think about it.

Mo Hua thought about it and felt it made sense.

In this world, not all good things could fall on his head.

Whether he had bloodline power or not, he himself could not be clear about it, right? But if he had even a tiny bit of bloodline power, he wouldn't be so inherently weak.

But speaking of bloodline, Mo Hua again thought of a key problem:

"Inspector Xia, do cultivators have 'dragon' bloodline?"

If he asked others this kind of question, he would probably get nowhere. But Inspector Xia, who came from a six-grade ancient aristocratic family and lived in Dao State, should know something.

Wherever three people walk, there must be a teacher among them. Even if he wasn't familiar with Inspector Xia, asking some questions should be fine.

Moreover, Inspector Xia had taken the initiative to chat with him and possibly wanted to recruit him. Since he had this opportunity, it was not in vain to ask.

Inspector Xia didn't answer but asked back: "Do you think so?"

Mo Hua thought for a moment and said: "The emperor of the Dao Court?"

Inspector Xia nodded, "The emperor's lineage of the Dao Court, from the Dao Monarch to the Dao Child, all have dragon bloodline flowing within them."

Mo Hua asked: "So, having 'dragon' bloodline is related to the emperor?"

"Not entirely," Inspector Xia said, "Dragons are also divided into three, six, nine grades. The emperor's lineage flows with true dragon blood. Below true dragons, there are also industry dragons and flood dragons."

"Industry dragons and flood dragons?"

"Jiao snakes and strange beasts that transform after undergoing tribulations become flood dragons. Below true dragons, in the four directions of heaven and earth, there are dragons with innate variations or acquired dragon blood inheritance, which are then called industry dragons."

"Oh..." Mo Hua nodded, then lowered his voice and asked the question he most wanted to ask:

"Then... is there anything... that can 'eat' dragons?"

As soon as these words came out, Inspector Xia felt his heart pound and his scalp tingle.

Eat dragons?!

This child was truly bold enough to ask...

Inspector Xia's expression was calm, but his hand holding the wine cup trembled slightly. He said in a deep voice: "Dragons are divine beasts, residing above all spirits. There is nothing in this world that can take a dragon as food."

"Oh..." Mo Hua also realized that he had asked something he shouldn't have. He smiled foolishly, turned his head, and continued to gnaw on his crab.

Inspector Xia looked at Mo Hua, saw him gnawing on the crab with his usual expression, and guessed that he was ignorant and fearless and had casually asked this sentence. He then slowly relaxed.

A child spoke without taboo, he didn't take it to heart.

Afterwards, Mo Hua ate while diverging the topic and asked Inspector Xia some trivial matters about the Xia family and Dao State.

Because they were trivial matters and not that "shocking", Inspector Xia was not impatient and answered them one by one.

As Mo Hua chatted, he unexpectedly discovered that Inspector Xia didn't seem to be purely utilitarian, selfish, or a "corrupt" inspector as he had thought before.

Mo Hua thought for a moment and couldn't help but ask softly: "Inspector, there is a question that might be slightly offensive..."

Inspector Xia glanced at Mo Hua lightly, thinking to himself, what question could be more offensive than "eating dragons"?

"Ask away."

Mo Hua said: "You knew about the Xiao Tianquan matter early on, right? Why did you protect him so much?"

These words were indeed a bit sharp.

Inspector Xia's gaze paused slightly, and he only said lightly: "This is a matter of the Xia family, inconvenient to say more."

Mo Hua nodded and didn't ask anymore.

Inspector Xia looked at Mo Hua, and suddenly felt a cause and effect move in his heart. He then slowly opened his mouth and said: "Aristocratic families are like this. If you are willing to do things, you will be taken care of by the family."

"But there are many people in aristocratic families, and easy things, good things with both fame and fortune, will fundamentally not be your turn."

"You can only do things that others disdain to do, are unwilling to do, even if such things are dirty things or stupid things, then you won't be lost in the crowd..."

Inspector Xia's expression was indifferent, and he spoke meaningfully.

Mo Hua was startled and nodded, seeming to understand but not fully.

Seeing that the conversation was almost over, Inspector Xia then said:

"Consider what I said, but your cultivation is still too low. Even if you want to enter the Xia family, it's still early, so no need to rush, consider it slowly."

"Okay." Mo Hua nodded and said.

Inspector Xia gently brushed his sleeve, seemingly canceling some spell. The spiritual barrier disappeared, and the surrounding noisy sounds increased slightly.

Mo Hua then knew that this public "secret talk" was over.

Afterwards, Inspector Xia indeed didn't look at him again, nor did he say another word to him, as if he didn't know him at all.

Mo Hua sighed in his heart.

He was indeed a Dao Court inspector, doing things impeccably.

The secret talk ended, and the annual banquet continued.

Mo Hua ate the delicacies while pondering the conversation he had just had with Inspector Xia.

Including his future path, bloodline, dragons, and so on...

As he was thinking, the crowd suddenly stirred again. Mo Hua looked up and discovered that not far away, amidst the surrounding crowd, another person had walked over.

The person who came was a dignified and graceful woman with a cold expression and extremely beautiful appearance. She wore a hundred flowers dao robe embroidered with over a hundred kinds of flowers, colorful and splendid, yet dignified and elegant.

This woman was shockingly beautiful and had a stern temperament. As she walked through the crowd, people involuntarily felt a sense of inferiority.

The originally noisy banquet instantly became a little quieter.

Gu Shouyan's expression was astonished, and he dared not neglect. He immediately rose to welcome her and said: "We didn't know the Flower Valley Master was coming, we have been remiss in not welcoming you."

Among the Gu family, there were also female disciples who had joined Hundred Flowers Valley. At this time, they all rose and came before this extremely beautiful woman, respectfully saluting and saying: "We pay respects to the Valley Master."

The Flower Valley Master nodded slightly.

Gu Shouyan was a bit puzzled and asked: "Valley Master, why are you here?"

The Flower Valley Master's gaze was like that of a startled swan, sweeping through the female disciples of the Gu family. As if intentionally or not, it drifted to the high platform and landed on Mo Hua. The corners of her mouth outlined a shallow smile:

"I have come to see... my disciple from Hundred Flowers Valley..."