Chapter 434 - Taking Action

Chapter 434: Chapter 428: Taking Action

The next day, Mo Hua went to the Taoist Court to make an accusation.

He found Situ Fang and recounted how the grey-clothed cultivator hired an assassin to commit murder, hid in the brothel, and even caused the death of a female cultivator from the brothel.

Situ Fang stared at Mo Hua in shock, “How do you know so much?”

The Taoist Court hadn’t uncovered anything yet.

Mo Hua said, “I went to the brothel, and by chance, I accidentally happened to overhear…”

Situ Fang’s eyes widened, “You went to the brothel?!”

“Just to listen to the music, watch the dancing. It got late, so I went home…” Mo Hua said, a bit guiltily.

Situ Fang’s gaze grew stern, “You can’t go there again!”

Walking by the river often leads to wet shoes. Situ Fang feared Mo Hua would pick up bad habits.

Mo Hua nodded repeatedly, “Don’t worry, I was there on serious business. Who would go to the brothel for no reason? I am very busy.”

He had to cultivate, learn formations, cook for his master and fellow disciples, fry pine nuts for Old Kui, and indeed, he also had to feed grass to Big White.

He was indeed very busy.

Situ Fang sighed, “Fine, as long as you are aware of what you’re doing.”

Mo Hua then asked, “Have you thought about how to capture that grey-clothed cultivator?”

Situ Fang frowned, “The Taoist Court will figure out a way to handle this, you don’t need to…”

“Is the Taoist Court really up to the task?”

Mo Hua’s gaze was somewhat profound.

Situ Fang paused, thought it over with patience, and seemed unsure.

The grey-clothed cultivator had been hiring murderers and trafficking in bodies for decades. What was his identity, what background did he have, and what was his connection to the Taoist Court? She was not certain either.

If there were any collusion with the internal members of the Taoist Court, reporting to the Court Leader would be like startling the snake in the grass. Even if they acted meticulously, it would likely be a case of wasted effort, bringing no fruitful result.

After pondering for a moment, Situ Fang said, “I will call over some people from my clan.”

“From the clan?”

Situ Fang nodded, “The Situ Family has a Foundation Building Cultivator in South Yue City. I’ll ask him to make a move, and then report to the Taoist Court afterwards, to take action first and report later.”

Mo Hua then felt at ease.

He was a bit skeptical of the Taoist Court in South Yue City, but he trusted Situ Fang.

Mo Hua relayed all the information about Qinglan to Situ Fang without missing a single detail and then discussed the timing, location, and method of the capture.

After everything was agreed upon, Situ Fang thought for a moment and said to Mo Hua:

“On the fourth day of the month, you’d better not go.”

Mo Hua shook his head, “I need to be there, and besides, how would you contact Sister Qinglan without me?”

Situ Fang hesitated, “But the other party is after all at Foundation Establishment…”

“Don’t worry,” said Mo Hua confidently, “Even if he is at Foundation Establishment, he might not discover me. I could still escape if I wanted to, and besides, I have my fellow disciples.”

“Your fellow disciples are also just Qi Refinement, aren’t they…”

“Although they are at Qi Refinement, they are very powerful.”

Thinking of the profound spiritual power within Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi, Situ Fang let out a sigh and conceded:

“Alright then.”

When Mo Hua made up his mind, all she could do is offer advice.

The child’s capabilities now seemed to surpass her own, at least in terms of formations.

If he wanted to go, he must have a plan in mind.

When the time came, she would just need to remind the Elder of the Situ Family to keep an eye on Mo Hua and prevent him from getting hurt.

Even if there was a battle at Foundation Establishment, as long as Mo Hua kept his distance, he should be safe.

And Mo Hua was very good at keeping out of harm’s way.

She had a profound memory of this from their time in Big Black Mountain.

After finalizing the plan, Situ Fang began to deploy her people and arranged some Enforcement Leaders to scout out the Hundred Flower Tower in advance.

These cultivators were all trusted by her, and some were even from the Situ Family.

At the same time, she also paid a visit to South Yue Sect and called out the Elder from the Situ Family who was a guest there.

Meanwhile, Mo Hua continued cultivating and practicing formations.

And he specifically prepared a set of the unique Compass Parent-Child Formation.

This formation would serve a great purpose for him.

When the fourth day arrived and night fell, Mo Hua met with Situ Fang and they entered the Hundred Flower Tower together.

The Enforcement Leaders of the Taoist Court had already infiltrated the place.

The Elder from the Situ Family was already there, drinking wine inside the brothel.

No sooner had Situ Fang entered than she was stopped.

The one who stopped her was a middle-aged to elderly female cultivator, heavily made up, dressed in bold reds and greens, with a smiling face but sharp eyes, possibly over a hundred years old.

This female cultivator was the female brothel keeper of the Hundred Flower Tower.

The brothel keeper detained Situ Fang with polite manners, yet there was a sarcastic tone in her voice:

“Oh, isn’t this the Supervisor from the Taoist Court, Situ Fang? What brings you to our Hundred Flower Tower?”

The brothel keeper then pretended to be surprised:

“But… aren’t you a maiden? Oh, now I see, perhaps you are… that kind…”

She drew out the last word, then covered her face with a lover’s fan and let out a few unkind laughs.

Situ Fang’s expression was stern, “I am here on official business.”

The laughter from the brothel keeper ceased, and her gaze turned hostile as she said:

“What official business?”

Situ Fang glanced at Mo Hua.

Mo Hua then stepped forward, acting arrogantly and imposingly, “Someone from your Hundred Flower Tower has stolen my belongings!”

Theft…

The female brothel keeper breathed a slight sigh of relief and said with a forced smile:

“Our Hundred Flower Tower conducts legitimate business, and the girls are all very proper. How could they steal anything? Does the Young Master have any evidence for such an accusation?”

Situ Fang, standing to one side, felt her eyebrows twitching with irritation.

Legitimate business? Proper girls?

She wanted to tear the female brothel keeper’s nonsense-spouting mouth to shreds.

Mo Hua let out a cold huff, “Isn’t there a girl named Qinglan in your establishment?”

The female brothel keeper was slightly taken aback but smiled:

“Yes, there is such a girl.”

“That’s right,” Mo Hua raised his eyebrows, “She stole my jade bracelet, which was a gift from Elder Su!”

“Elder Su…”

The female brothel keeper paused for a moment.

She remembered that Elder Su from the South Yue Sect had indeed visited a few days ago, and this Young Master seemed to have been accompanying Elder Su at that time.

And indeed, Elder Su had chosen Qinglan.

The female brothel keeper frowned slightly, beginning to believe the accusation to some extent.

These girls, accustomed to poverty and unfit for the public eye, might indeed take things that weren’t theirs when they saw something valuable.

The female brothel keeper cursed inwardly: “This wretched girl has really caused me trouble!”

However…

The female brothel keeper was somewhat troubled, “Qinglan is currently attending to a client and it is not convenient. I will interrogate her later; if she really took the Young Master’s belongings, I will make sure she returns them…”

“This little wretch, ignorant of her place, will be severely reprimanded and taught a lesson…”

The female brothel keeper gritted her teeth, her expression turning rather ugly.

Mo Hua listened with a chill in his gaze, but his tone only grew more unyielding:

“That’s unacceptable. How do I know you won’t protect her? Call her over right now for an on-the-spot confrontation.”

The female brothel keeper hesitated.

Mo Hua sneered, “That jade bracelet is extremely valuable. If it goes missing, you won’t be able to bear the responsibility!”

Having said that, Mo Hua added:

“I have asked Supervisor Situ to come as a witness. If your Hundred Flower Tower is protecting Qinglan and has embezzled my jade bracelet, then I will have no choice but to report to the Daoist Court and seek justice.”

“This…”

The female brothel keeper felt cornered.

She did not wish to offend Elder Su, and with this Young Master’s connection to Elder Su, she couldn’t afford to offend him either.

And the Daoist Court was something she wanted to provoke even less.

Though the Hundred Flower Tower had been able to operate for so long by bribing the Daoist Court in South Yue City.

But the higher-ups in the Daoist Court were a pack of insatiable wolves.

Once alarmed, they would surely demand a hefty bribe. It would cost her not only Spirit Stones, but her girls would also be wearied for no gain.

The female brothel keeper bit her lip, “Fine, Young Master, wait a moment, and I will bring that wretched Qinglan here to find out the truth!”

The female brothel keeper stomped off, swaying with feigned indignation.

A short while later, a trembling Qinglan was brought before them.

Mo Hua looked at Qinglan and noticed she had been freshly groomed, with damp hair, a pale complexion, trembling fingers, and faint whip marks on her neck.

Mo Hua let out a cold laugh, pointing at Qinglan:

“You, come here. I have a question for you.”

Hope flickered in Qinglan’s pained eyes as she slowly made her way to Mo Hua.

Mo Hua’s gaze sharpened, and he spoke gravely:

“I ask you, is that ‘jade bracelet’ with you?”

Qinglan pursed her pale lips and nodded earnestly:

“It is!”

Mo Hua breathed a small sigh of relief and glanced at Situ Fang.

Situ Fang caught the signal and picked up a wine pot from the table, throwing it to the ground in anger:

“This is outrageous!”

The shattering of the wine pot echoed up to the floors above.

The female brothel keeper frowned slightly, sensing something off in their conversation but, at that moment, couldn’t pinpoint what it was.

While she was pondering, a powerful wave of Spiritual Power suddenly erupted from the back courtyard’s upper floor.

The female brothel keeper’s face turned pale.

Guests all stirred, rising in alarm and confusion.

“A Foundation Building Cultivator?!”

A Foundation Building Cultivator was making a move in Hundred Flower Tower!

The hall instantly fell into a clamor and chaos.

In the midst of the chaos, Mo Hua gently pulled the shivering Qinglan behind him, while Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi stood on either side to shield her.

Situ Fang’s eyes glinted coldly as she drew her sword and said:

“Someone dares to cause trouble in Hundred Flower Tower? Follow me to quell this disturbance!”

Hidden among the guests, the enforcement leaders of the Daoist Court stood up one after another, brandishing their gleaming blades and leaping toward the upstairs.

The female brothel keeper’s jaw dropped at the sight, a chill running through her.

It was over; she had been outmaneuvered!