The next day, Mo Hua departed. Before leaving, he bid farewell to Steward Huangfu and Steward Shangguan.

“Senior Brother Huangfu, Senior Brother Shangguan, please take care.”

As stewards, Huangfu and Shangguan were busy with many affairs and could not leave their posts to accompany Mo Hua in apprehending his junior senior brother.

However, Perfected Ge could.

Because he was an offering of the Qin Tian Jian, which, to put it nicely, meant he was free from worldly concerns and bureaucratic toils. To put it less nicely, it meant he had nothing to do.

“You take care too.” Steward Huangfu smiled at Mo Hua, glanced at Perfected Ge, and then said to Mo Hua, “It’s good for him to take you out, so he won’t bother us for tea every day when he has nothing to do. You know, we are very busy people, not like him, a Perfected, who is noble and idle.”

Mo Hua nodded, indicating his understanding. Putting himself in their shoes, when he was busy, he also disliked seeing idle people like Perfected Ge hovering around him.

“Then I’ll take my leave. I’ll come back for tea with you two senior brothers if I have a chance,” Mo Hua said.

Steward Huangfu and Steward Shangguan both nodded with pleasure. “Good, good. We would be absolutely delighted if Junior Brother Mo came for tea.”

Other words were fine; Perfected Ge could pretend not to hear them. But as soon as this sentence was uttered, he couldn’t stand it. So, when I ask you for tea, you find it annoying? But when this kid Mo Hua asks you for tea, you’re absolutely delighted? This is too “double-standard,” too fawning!

Perfected Ge looked at his two fellow disciples with disdain and leisurely said, “Cultivation requires truth and consistency. Being so hypocritical and fawning will prevent you from breaking through to Yu Hua and becoming a ‘perfected’ one…”

Steward Huangfu and Steward Shangguan frowned. “You jinx.”

Steward Shangguan also said to Mo Hua, “Quickly take him away. We have many things to do and still need to get busy.”

Mo Hua smiled and cupped his hands. “Two senior brothers, farewell.”

“Be careful and take care,” said Stewards Huangfu and Shangguan.

“Brother Ge, you take care too.” Steward Huangfu sighed, then his gaze deepened slightly. “The Hua family’s side…”

Perfected Ge nodded faintly. “I understand.”

Everyone said nothing more, exchanged a few pleasantries, and then departed.

Perfected Ge and Mo Hua, under the slightly worried gaze of Stewards Huangfu and Shangguan, left the temporary Shu Mi Dian and headed to the Hua family’s station.

At the Hua family’s side, everything was ready. After the two parties met and briefly exchanged a few words, they set off.

The Hua family’s party included Perfected Hua, five other Jin Dan cultivators, over ten Zhuji prodigies, and some other elite Daoist soldiers from the Dao Ting, totaling about fifty people. They set off together to apprehend the Bai family’s prodigy, Bai Zisheng.

Among this group, Mo Hua was the most unconventional one. At the same time, he was the most “at home” of them all. Once he blended into the Hua family’s team, he didn’t treat himself as an outsider at all, asking for whatever he wanted to eat or drink.

The Hua family, out of respect for Perfected Ge, dared not neglect him.

The group traveled in the large carriages of aristocratic families. The two Perfected ones rode in one carriage, and the others shared three carriages. Mo Hua was with Perfected Ge, riding in a “Perfected”-level carriage, which was “first class.”

After setting off, inside the spacious carriage, Mo Hua sat by the window, eating spirit fruits and looking at the scenery outside. Behind a screen partition in the carriage, Perfected Hua was chatting with Perfected Ge.

Perfected Hua glanced at Mo Hua and slowly said, “…Brother Ge, this doesn’t quite seem like something you would do…”

Perfected Ge reclined, fanning himself, and sighed lightly, “There’s no other way. I’ve become entangled with a ‘troublemaker,’ can’t shake him off, and can’t just ignore him.”

Perfected Hua didn’t quite believe him. “Is there anyone Brother Ge can’t shake off? This young brother… is he related to your Tai Xu Men ancestor? Or to the Ge family…”

Perfected Ge waved his hand. “Don’t try to pump me for information.”

Perfected Hua then did not press further. Perfected Ge thought for a moment and then asked in return, “Brother Hua, this also… doesn’t quite seem like something you would do?”

Perfected Hua was slightly startled. “What?”

Perfected Ge said, “The Bai family, that prodigy.”

Perfected Hua did not answer. Perfected Ge’s eyes were clear, staring at Perfected Hua. “Although my nature is lazy, this is due to the Dao I cultivate—not to worry or exert myself, to be indifferent to external things.”

“But you, Brother Hua, are actually the same. For matters that bring no benefit, you are equally ‘lazy’ and uninterested.”

“This matter with the Bai family is not a good assignment to begin with. You didn’t really need to get involved.”

“But now, you…”

Perfected Hua shook his head and sighed. “The Dao Ting has ordered it; I can’t shake it off.”

Perfected Ge shook his head. “Is there anything Brother Hua can’t shake off?”

Perfected Hua was startled, looked at Perfected Ge, then pointed at Mo Hua, who was gnawing on fruits by the window, and said helplessly, “Brother Ge, have you shaken him off yourself?”

Perfected Ge’s expression was complex, and he sighed, unable to continue the conversation.

The two Perfected ones seemed to be chatting idly, but each had their own thoughts. Others might not hear their conversation. But Mo Hua could hear a little. His spiritual sense was incredibly strong. However, in terms of spiritual sense cultivation, he was still far from a Yu Hua cultivator. He couldn’t hear everything, only vaguely catching snippets of words, discerning that Perfected Ge seemed to dislike him, calling him a “troublemaker,” and wanted to shake him off.

Mo Hua, with a “prime minister’s mind that can float a boat,” didn’t mind. When that day truly came, it was still uncertain who would shake off whom. Mo Hua’s thoughts weren’t on this matter, but rather focused on the scenery outside the window.

He had been confined for a long time, cut off from sights and sounds, lacking understanding of the current situation in the Great Wilderness. This trip out was, firstly, to capture his junior senior brother, and secondly, to understand the current situation in the Great Wilderness. When a person arrives anywhere, they must first familiarize themselves with the environment. Only after becoming familiar with the environment can they act effectively. This was an instinct he had developed since childhood as a demon hunter.

However, what he saw outside the window at this moment was very chaotic. This place was close to the front lines where the Dao Ting and the Great Wilderness Royal Court were fighting, and it was also a “subordinate” territory outside the Great Wilderness Royal Court. At this time, there were both barbarian people and Daoist soldiers, and small-scale battles often occurred along the way. The Great Wilderness tribes conquered by the Dao Ting had their people reduced to prisoners, bound by shackles, driven like pigs and sheep. The victorious aristocratic families divided the land and wealth of these tribes. Mo Hua even saw a few well-dressed aristocratic young masters arguing over a few barbarian women to be their concubines, even coming to blows and looking ferocious.

Mo Hua was somewhat dazed. He suddenly couldn’t tell who exactly were the barbarian cultivators. The Great Wilderness keeping barbarian slaves was considered barbaric and backward. But these people from the Jiu Zhou, who were supposedly enlightened and had cultivated the Dao, were also seizing territory, killing people, fighting over women, and abusing barbarian slaves in the Great Wilderness. It seemed that everyone, though dressed in fine clothes, was fundamentally no different from the savage barbarians of the Great Wilderness.

Mo Hua looked at everything before him, his mind heavy. However, he couldn’t control these matters now, and fortunately, not all aristocratic families were like this. Some families strictly disciplined their children and were not so harsh on barbarian slaves. One kind of grain feeds a hundred kinds of people. Similarly, aristocratic families varied greatly.

And so, the group continued their journey. However, Bai Zisheng was powerful and was fleeing alone in the Great Wilderness, so catching him would not be a matter of a day or two. Therefore, two days later, they stopped at a temporary manor built by the Hua family in a Grade Two mountain range, used to house family nobles, to rest.

Mo Hua jumped off the carriage and turned to look at the manor. The entire manor was very large, outwardly restrained, but extremely luxurious inside, consistent with the usual style of a major aristocratic family like the Hua family. Mo Hua was not unfamiliar with the layout of such a manor. Because in the barbaric lands, some of the strongholds built by Elder You had a similar layout to this manor. Mo Hua had raided Elder You’s home too many times, so at first glance, he felt a strange sense of familiarity.

At this time, dusk was falling. After entering the Hua family manor, it was naturally time for a banquet. The banquet was very rich, better than what Mo Hua had eaten when he was a Shen Zhu. Perfected Ge and Perfected Hua sat at the highest seats. Many Hua family cultivators and other high-ranking officials from aristocratic families came to pay their respects to Perfected Hua. Perfected Hua was the Yu Hua cultivator responsible for the Great Wilderness war efforts of the Hua family and held great power. Therefore, these people were all in awe of Perfected Hua, answering whatever he asked with trepidation.

Mo Hua, however, paid no attention to others and simply indulged himself. He had seen this kind of occasion many times. Moreover, what did the comings and goings of the Hua family have to do with him? The banquet continued. Mo Hua continued to eat by himself. After the family elders, soon many young family geniuses, dignified in appearance, came to pay their respects to Perfected Hua. Among these geniuses were those from the Hua family and those related to them, all exceptionally talented and distinguished. Perfected Hua met them one by one, gently yet with authority, offering words of encouragement for their cultivation.

These disciples expressed their gratitude and took their leave. But before departing, they would all glance at Mo Hua. This was because Mo Hua’s “seating position” was simply too high, too conspicuous. In the entire banquet, his seat was second only to Perfected Hua and Perfected Ge, higher than many Hua family elders at the peak of Jin Dan, and even several ranks higher than many direct descendants of the Hua family. This was truly difficult to understand in the eyes of aristocratic families who valued seniority and experience. From his physical appearance, Mo Hua was just an ordinary Zhuji cultivator. Although his features were picturesque and his demeanor natural, he lacked the “nobility” of an aristocratic family and did not seem like a direct descendant. Moreover, his eating habits were too unsightly; which aristocratic young master ate chicken legs with his hands? Many people cast sidelong glances at Mo Hua, whispering and pointing.

Mo Hua didn’t care at all. Let alone pointing fingers, in the barbaric lands, there were countless people wanting to kill him, all over the mountains. Mo Hua just focused on eating. But somehow, at some point, the noisy banquet suddenly fell silent. Interspersed were the clinking of jade ornaments and soft footsteps. Mo Hua, engrossed in his meal, felt a little strange. He looked up and was momentarily stunned.

In the hall, a woman walked in, surrounded by a group of maids. This woman was very beautiful, dressed in gold silk and jade threads, with a snowy moon-like gauze gown. A golden phoenix red jade hairpin highlighted her thick black hair and fair forehead. She held her head high, her eyes cold, carrying a hint of arrogance. She walked through the hall of talented young men, her gaze not shifting an inch. All the young geniuses in the hall seemed to be captivated by her, some showing admiration, others feeling inferior, wanting to look but not daring to. The woman’s gaze did not linger at all, going straight to Perfected Hua, where she gracefully bowed. “Uncle.”

Perfected Hua nodded. The woman also bowed to Perfected Ge. “Greetings, Perfected.” Perfected Ge also nodded faintly. Perfected Hua said, “Care for a bite?” The woman seemed to find the banquet noisy and shook her head. “No, I just came to pay my respects to Uncle. After that, I’ll go back.” Perfected Hua indulged her, saying, “Alright.” The woman did not delay, performing another bow to Perfected Hua and Perfected Ge with extremely standard and elegant posture, then said, “Ping’er takes her leave.”

As she spoke, she turned to leave, but as she turned, the corner of her eye caught Mo Hua, who had been gnawing on a chicken leg with his head down, silently. This woman was arrogant and did not pay attention to ordinary people, so she would normally just glance and move on. But after a glance, she suddenly froze, and couldn’t help but turn back to look at Mo Hua. Mo Hua lowered his head even further. Perfected Hua and Perfected Ge couldn’t help but exchange glances.

The woman did not leave. She also lowered her head, scrutinizing Mo Hua’s face, and suddenly pointed at Mo Hua with her jade-like finger. “It’s you!”

Mo Hua sighed inwardly, but on his face, he still looked puzzled. “What?”

The woman snorted coldly. “Don’t pretend. I have a good memory; I remember you.”

Perfected Ge looked at the woman, then at Mo Hua, and asked with a strange expression, “You two… know each other?”

Mo Hua shook his head firmly. “No, we don’t.”

Perfected Hua was also somewhat astonished.

The woman looked at Mo Hua and sneered, “In Da Mo Cheng, you were that…” Halfway through her sentence, she suddenly remembered something and stopped speaking.

Mo Hua knew he had been recognized. This beautiful, elegantly dressed woman was none other than Miss Hua, whom Young Master Tuoba had grandly welcomed in Da Mo Cheng. But Mo Hua certainly couldn’t admit it, stubbornly saying, “You’ve got the wrong person. I don’t know you at all.”

Miss Hua seemed to recall something and no longer pressed Mo Hua. There were some things she couldn’t tell others. “Alright, consider it my mistake in recognition,” Miss Hua said, turning to Perfected Hua. “Uncle, I’m hungry. I’ll just eat something too.”

Perfected Hua called out, “Someone, set a seat and banquet for the Young Miss.”

“No need,” Miss Hua said crisply. Then she sat down next to Mo Hua. “I’ll just sit here.”

She sat quite close. Mo Hua felt his body stiffen and couldn’t help but move away, as if avoiding a “plague god.” Seeing Mo Hua avoid her, Miss Hua seemed a little annoyed and also moved closer to Mo Hua. Mo Hua dared not move any further; any more and he would have to move into Perfected Ge’s arms.

The banquet continued, with Miss Hua constantly whispering to Mo Hua: “What’s your name?” “Who are you?” “Why… were you there?” Mo Hua held his breath, not responding a word, just lowering his head and contentedly gnawing on his chicken leg.

But a tree wants to be still, yet the wind won’t cease. Mo Hua wanted to keep a low profile, but he couldn’t. Miss Hua, who was the center of attention, sat beside him, chattering non-stop. During the banquet, countless young prodigies, with gazes of jealousy, malice, or anger, were all focused on him. Mo Hua felt as if he was being pricked by needles, and the chicken leg in his hand no longer tasted good.

Thus, after an unknown amount of time, Mo Hua finally made it to the end of the banquet. As soon as the banquet concluded, Mo Hua hurried back to his guest room and shut himself in to rest. As night fell, all was silent. Mo Hua was engrossed in a formation book at his desk when suddenly, there was a “bang bang” knocking at the door. Mo Hua didn’t even need to think to know who was knocking. When a young man is out and about, and a woman knocks on his door in the middle of the night, don’t overthink it—she’s definitely there to harm you. Mo Hua ignored it completely, continuing to read his book.

But the knocking continued. After half a day of continuous banging, Mo Hua still paid no attention. The person outside the door seemed to get angry, and with a “thump,” kicked the door open and entered Mo Hua’s room.