“Are you… really a Divine Priest of the Great Wilderness?” Zhuge Zhenren looked at Mo Hua, his gaze serious.

Both Manager Huangfu and Manager Shangguan also turned to look at Mo Hua.

Mo Hua denied, “I am not.”

Zhuge Zhenren’s gaze was scrutinizing, “The ‘Heart-Entangling, Emotion-Inducing, Lust-Falling Golden Needle’ is not an ordinary treasure. The entire Hua family might not even possess a few of them. Without the approval of an Old Ancestor-level figure, even Hua Zhenren might not be able to use it easily.”

“But Hua Zhenren used this needle on you, a Foundation Establishment cultivator…”

“This indicates that he must have been very confident that you possess extraordinary divinity, or rather… a ‘god’ is parasitic within you. Hua Zhenren couldn’t contend with this god and feared an accident, which is why he used this needle to incite lust and sever your divinity…”

“He wouldn’t target you for no reason. Since he went to such lengths with you, even if you aren’t a Divine Priest, you must be closely related to that Divine Priest…”

Zhuge Zhenren’s expression grew more serious as he spoke.

From these words, Mo Hua could also discern that Zhuge Zhenren’s family lineage must include studies of the Divine Dao.

Moreover, Zhuge Zhenren himself had some attainment in this field, and his assessment of the situation was largely correct.

Indeed, if you want no one to know, it’s best not to do it.

Some things might fool ordinary people, but they can never fool intelligent ones.

Mo Hua sighed, “Yes, I am the Divine Priest of the Great Wilderness. After I ended up in the Great Wilderness, I used the Divine Dao to unify the beliefs of the barbarians, initiated divine wars, conquered various mountain realms, and became the foremost person under the Divine Lord. I commanded dozens of third-rank great tribes, could lead Great Chieftains at the late Golden Core stage, chief generals, and a million barbarian soldiers, controlling the lives and deaths of hundreds of millions of barbarian cultivators…”

The air instantly fell silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Zhuge Zhenren, Manager Huangfu, and Manager Shangguan all drew a slight gasp.

After a moment, Manager Huangfu sighed, “That’s right, a Foundation Establishment cultivator like you couldn’t possibly do such a thing…”

Manager Shangguan was visibly relieved, “I almost thought we had a great traitor in our TaiXu Sect.”

Zhuge Zhenren also let out a breath.

In this situation, anyone who still believed Mo Hua was a Divine Priest would truly need their head examined.

Mo Hua had a helpless expression.

Sometimes, compelled by circumstances, he had to lie.

But lying would invite suspicion.

Yet, if he didn’t lie and told them the truth, they wouldn’t believe him at all.

He found himself in a difficult position.

“What should we do about this golden needle then?” Mo Hua changed the subject and then asked with some confusion:

“Ultimately, why would the Hua family have such an ‘improper’ item? ‘Heart-entangling, emotion-inducing, lust-falling’ – this doesn’t seem like a righteous technique…”

Zhuge Zhenren said, “Strictly speaking, this is actually something from the HeHuan Sect.”

“HeHuan Sect?” Mo Hua was overjoyed, “Did the Hua family betray the Dao and the righteous path?”

Zhuge Zhenren sighed, “Lower your voice, don’t talk nonsense.”

“Oh,” Mo Hua whispered, “then what happened?”

Zhuge Zhenren explained, “The HeHuan Sect is a demonic path, but not all items from the ‘HeHuan Sect’ are tainted with evil.”

“Food and sex are great human desires. Lust is an inherent human desire and a form of ‘humanity’.”

“Based on lust, there were originally many legitimate cultivation methods.”

“In ancient times, most cultivators of the HeHuan Sect focused on cultivating ‘qing’ (emotion) without succumbing to ‘yu’ (desire). They contemplated the myriad changes of ‘qing’ with their hearts, adhering more strictly to the boundaries between men and women than others. They only moved their hearts and emotions, aligning with the Dao through ‘qing’, without engaging in carnal pleasure.”

Mo Hua was stunned; this was the first time he had heard such cultivation knowledge.

“Then what happened?” Mo Hua asked again.

Zhuge Zhenren shook his head, “Qing and Yu are only separated by a thin line, and the boundary is blurred. Cultivating ‘qing’ is arduous, while cultivating ‘yu’ is pleasurable…”

“Cultivating ‘qing’ is too conservative and slow, requiring years of nurturing emotions.”

“Whereas cultivating ‘yu’ is convenient and enjoyable; just take off your clothes.”

“Over time, fewer and fewer cultivated ‘qing’, and more and more cultivated ‘yu’.”

“Those who cultivated ‘yu’ would even tempt those who cultivated ‘qing’, ruining their cultivation and destroying their foundations.”

“Once the character ‘se’ (lust/sex) proliferated, it became like a flood or a monstrous beast. Before long, desire, like ‘poison,’ spread throughout the HeHuan Sect.”

“The HeHuan Sect completely degenerated, becoming a demonic sect that disregarded shame, relied on carnal beauty, incited human desires, extracted vital essence, and absorbed human Yang qi.”

“As a result, today, the HeHuan Sect has become a demonic sect, and the words ‘HeHuan’ have become synonymous with carnal vulgarity…”

As Zhuge Zhenren spoke, he suddenly felt that it was inappropriate; he shouldn’t be discussing these things with a young boy like Mo Hua.

After all, he was still very young.

But then he turned and saw that Mo Hua had grown quite a bit, looking like a handsome, clear-eyed youth. He thought it seemed about right; he was at an age to understand such matters.

Mo Hua, however, didn’t think too much, only felt a sense of lament for the ancient HeHuan Sect, which had strayed from its original intention, lost its ‘qing’, and succumbed to ‘yu’.

The reason humans are human is because they have a heart for seeking the Dao and human emotions.

Although human desires are inherent and unavoidable, if one truly indulges in material desires, with lust obscuring the heart and affections extinguished, ‘demons’ will inevitably arise from within the human heart.

That would likely not only doom individuals, sects, and families, but probably the entire cultivation world as well…

Mo Hua nodded slowly, feeling vaguely that he had understood another principle.

His understanding of the entire cultivation world had gained another piece of the puzzle.

Zhuge Zhenren, however, stared at Mo Hua.

Mo Hua came back to his senses, looked at Zhuge Zhenren, and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Zhuge Zhenren asked, “Do you feel… alright?”

“Feel?” Mo Hua didn’t quite understand.

Zhuge Zhenren said, “The ‘Heart-Entangling, Emotion-Inducing, Lust-Falling Needle’, as its name suggests, stirs your mind, excites your emotions, and stimulates your desires… it’s a HeHuan treasure that incites lust and disrupts people’s minds. You have this needle stuck in your head; don’t you feel anything?”

Mo Hua observed himself, then nodded, “I feel something, but it’s fine.”

Zhuge Zhenren was startled, “Fine?”

Mo Hua nodded, “It’s just that my appetite is better, and I always feel like eating something, otherwise I’m uncomfortable. Occasionally, I also like to reminisce about the past.”

Zhuge Zhenren frowned, “You don’t feel confused and infatuated?”

Mo Hua shook his head, “No.”

He thought seriously for a moment and said,

“Before… because I studied array formations every day, I was too rational, frighteningly clear-headed. Now, with my mind a little disordered, a little confused, it’s just right. I feel very human, and very energetic…”

Zhuge Zhenren suddenly began to doubt Mo Hua’s mental state.

Is this child a little abnormal?

Has his head been jabbed foolish by the golden needle?

What nonsense is he talking about?

Zhuge Zhenren meticulously examined Mo Hua’s eyes again and found that although Mo Hua’s speech was somewhat muddled, his eyes were clear and bright, unstained.

Zhuge Zhenren was inwardly astonished.

This child, no matter what he cultivated, his Dao heart was too pure, his innocent heart too clean, and he was too ignorant of emotions and desires.

Thus, the ‘Heart-Entangling’ couldn’t entangle, the ‘Emotion-Inducing’ couldn’t induce, let alone the ‘Lust-Falling’.

This “Heart-Entangling, Emotion-Inducing, Lust-Falling Golden Needle,” which could disrupt others’ minds and ruin their desires, only made Mo Hua occasionally a little muddled.

Zhuge Zhenren didn’t know whether to admire or envy him.

But regardless, this golden needle was ultimately a hidden danger.

Mo Hua also understood this. He asked, “Zhenren, is there a way to remove it?”

He didn’t want to have a “lust needle” from the HeHuan Sect stuck in his head every day.

Although this needle could suppress divinity, his divinity had already shattered once due to his failed Golden Core formation. Even if it recovered, it shouldn’t become uncontrolled as before.

Comparatively, the threat of this needle was even greater.

Zhuge Zhenren said, “There is a way, but I can’t use it on you.”

Mo Hua asked, puzzled, “Why?”

Zhuge Zhenren sighed softly:

“All cultivation methods, whether they are cultivation techniques, spells, or treasures, are composed of four elements: Dao, Fa, Shu, and Qi. ‘Dao’ is profound and mystical, not to be lightly discussed, so let’s set it aside for now. Below Dao is Fa, which refers to laws. Laws are also abstruse and difficult to understand… but one thing is certain: any law requires Shu (techniques) and Qi (artifacts) as intermediaries.”

Mo Hua listened and nodded repeatedly.

These were all questions of the Ascension Realm. Zhuge Zhenren didn’t know if Mo Hua genuinely understood or was merely pretending, so he continued:

“Therefore, to break this golden needle, we can only approach it from the ‘Shu’ and ‘Qi’ levels.”

“The method of implanting the needle is ‘Shu’, rooted in divine sense, acting on the sea of consciousness, formless and intangible.”

“And this golden needle is ‘Qi’, it has entered your head and vanished without a trace. To remove it, we would likely need to perform a craniotomy.”

“To break the Shu, we would have to operate on your sea of consciousness.”

“To remove the needle, we would have to open your skull.”

“If it were anyone else, I could try, but you…”

Zhuge Zhenren sighed.

Old Mister Xun had said he was a “little ancestor,” not even a single strand of hair could be harmed. If he dared to perform a craniotomy on Mo Hua, wouldn’t Old Mister Xun scold him to death?

Mo Hua was also stunned.

“Open my head?”

The Hua family wanted to ‘slice’ him, and now Zhuge Zhenren wanted to save him by opening his head?

“Opening my head, will I really not die?” Mo Hua asked.

Zhuge Zhenren mused, “Not necessarily. The knowledge of cultivation is vast and profound. If we follow the body’s meridians and the surgery is performed correctly, even opening the skull won’t lead to death. Afterwards, stitched up, you’ll still be lively and bouncing around…”

Zhuge Zhenren looked at Mo Hua, “You… want to try?”

“No, no, no…” Mo Hua shook his head repeatedly.

He dared not joke with his own head.

He cultivated through divine consciousness, his divine sense was his foundation, and his sea of consciousness was his origin. His sea of consciousness resided in his brain. If his skull were opened and his sea of consciousness damaged, his foundation might be ruined.

Moreover, he had too many “secrets” in his head.

The Dao Stele, tribulation lightning, the Maze Heaven Array…

If his brain were really opened, he didn’t know what terrifying commotion might occur.

“Absolutely not trying,” Mo Hua firmly refused.

Zhuge Zhenren was only saying it. He would rather crack open his own head than touch Mo Hua’s.

Manager Huangfu frowned, “Are there any other methods?”

Zhuge Zhenren pondered for a moment, “At this point, we can only go and ask the Hua family again.”

“Go to the Hua family?”

“Mhm.”

“But…” Mo Hua frowned, “The Hua family wouldn’t agree, would they?”

Zhuge Zhenren nodded slightly: “They probably won’t agree… It seems that the reason Hua Zhenren was so quick to hand you over to me was probably because he had planted this needle in your head. As long as this needle is there, he has a means to control you. You will always be unable to leave the Hua family…”

Mo Hua’s brows furrowed.

Manager Huangfu and Manager Shangguan also looked solemn.

Those who could cultivate to the Ascension Realm and hold power in large aristocratic families were indeed not easy to deal with.

This Hua Zhenren was also not simple.

“If they won’t agree, should I still go and ask?” Mo Hua said.

“Yes, you must ask,” Zhuge Zhenren said, “Anyway, there are no other options. Regardless of whether it works, let’s try. What if Hua Zhenren actually agrees?”

“Even if he doesn’t agree, we might still glean some other information.”

Mo Hua said, “Alright…”

So the next day, Mo Hua, who had just escaped danger not long ago, once again returned to danger.

He and Zhuge Zhenren drank tea with Hua Zhenren.

Some time ago, he was a “prisoner,” but now he had become a “guest of honor.”

Mo Hua’s mood was still a bit subtle.

Hua Zhenren’s mood was even more subtle.

He hadn’t expected that this young man named “Mo Hua” would actually dare to return, and even dare to sit next to him and drink tea?

This gave him the illusion of a lamb sitting next to him, a tiger, eating grass.

Although it was relying on TaiXu Sect and Zhuge Zhenren’s prestige, this young man indeed had considerable guts.

But Hua Zhenren didn’t say anything.

Zhuge Zhenren was even more casual, sitting down to drink tea as soon as they met, chatting about the golden needle in Mo Hua’s head as if it were everyday gossip.

“Your Hua family is really something, to put such a golden needle into a child’s head?”

“If you have too many treasures, you can donate some to the QinTian監…”

Zhuge Zhenren’s tone was amiable, as if he and Hua Zhenren were old friends.

His relationship with Hua Zhenren was actually not bad to begin with.

Zhuge Zhenren was inherently lazy and contended with no one, but consequently, he had almost no conflicts or entanglements with the various aristocratic families and sects.

Furthermore, he was an Ascension Realm Zhenren from the Zhuge aristocratic family, so his status was actually very high.

Hua Zhenren could only sigh, “It was all a misunderstanding…”

He glanced at Mo Hua, his attitude still quite calm:

“If I had known earlier that this young friend Mo was not a Divine Priest of the Great Wilderness, I wouldn’t have gone to such great lengths and wasted a Heart-Entangling, Emotion-Inducing Needle…”

Mo Hua didn’t know if his words were true or false; he just listened casually.

People of such high cultivation, great power, and involved in conspiracies rarely spoke many truths.

He had seen it often enough when he was a Divine Priest.

“Can it be removed then?” Zhuge Zhenren asked naturally, as if asking what kind of tea they were drinking today.

Hua Zhenren seemed troubled, “It’s not that I’m unwilling to remove it… but rather that I truly cannot.”

Zhuge Zhenren poured him a cup of tea—this tea was purely for Mo Hua’s sake.

Normally, he found it troublesome to pour tea even for himself, let alone for others.

Zhuge Zhenren said gently, “There are no outsiders. Tell me frankly, what’s the situation.”

Hua Zhenren glanced at Mo Hua.

Mo Hua pretended to be an “outsider,” keeping his eyes on his nose and his nose on his mouth.

Hua Zhenren drank the tea Zhuge Zhenren poured for him, sighed secretly, and said,

“Brother Zhuge, to be honest… this golden needle was given to me by the Old Ancestor, and it’s not my own technique. After the Old Ancestor personally refined it, he taught me the method of planting the needle. There is only one needle, and it is only planted once. After it is planted, it seals the divinity, and there’s no need to manage it further.”

Hua Zhenren sounded somewhat helpless, “I never expected that the Old Ancestor’s needle refining, or rather… the Old Ancestor’s message, would lead to this needle being planted on the wrong person under these circumstances, nor did I ever think about removing it.”

Zhuge Zhenren frowned, “So, there’s no way?”

Hua Zhenren said, “It’s not that there’s no way…”

Zhuge Zhenren glanced at him, “Go find your Old Ancestor?”

“Yes,” Hua Zhenren said, “One day, let this young friend Mo meet my Hua family’s Old Ancestor. If the Old Ancestor is willing, he will naturally remove the needle for him…”

Zhuge Zhenren’s gaze darkened slightly.

So Hua Zhenren’s original intention was… this…

This young man Mo Hua is only at Foundation Establishment. If he goes to meet the Hua family’s Old Ancestor, wouldn’t that be like a meat bun hitting a dog? Could he ever return?

It seems the Hua family had a plan targeting him from the start, and had already prepared a fallback.

This way, young Mo Hua would be like a fish with a hook in its mouth, always being “fished” by the Hua family. He might seem free, but ultimately he couldn’t escape the Hua family’s grasp.

Mo Hua also frowned tightly.

Zhuge Zhenren asked, “The Hua family’s Old Ancestors should all be in DaoZhou, right?”

“Yes.”

“Will they… come to the Great Wilderness?”

Hua Zhenren shook his head, “Naturally not.”

Enlightened Ancestors not appearing in the world is a tacit rule of the cultivation world, let alone the Hua family’s Old Ancestors being far away in DaoZhou, countless miles from the Great Wilderness.

Zhuge Zhenren knew this, so he merely asked casually.

But in this case, the golden needle in Mo Hua’s mind would likely not be eradicated in the short term—no, perhaps not even in the long term.

Troublesome…

Zhuge Zhenren frowned.

“If this golden needle remains buried in the sea of consciousness for a long time, will it cause any problems?” Zhuge Zhenren asked Hua Zhenren again.

Hua Zhenren said, “That’s unclear. After all, the ‘Heart-Entangling, Emotion-Inducing’ method is an ancient cultivation technique that directly affects one’s mind. It’s hard to say whether it will damage one’s temperament if implanted in the brain for an extended period…”

This was a subtle threat.

Hua Zhenren didn’t say it explicitly, but everyone understood.

Zhuge Zhenren waved his hand, “Never mind.”

The Hua family’s “fishhook” was firmly embedded in Mo Hua. Whether he could get rid of it, they would have to find a way later.

Zhuge Zhenren was no longer willing to idle chat with Hua Zhenren. He casually bid farewell and was about to leave when he suddenly remembered something and turned to ask Hua Zhenren:

“Where is your Hua family going next?”

Hua Zhenren didn’t understand, “Brother Zhuge means…”

Zhuge Zhenren said, “Brother Hua, will you stay in this outpost? If something goes wrong with the needle in this boy’s head, I’ll know where to find you.”

Hua Zhenren thought for a moment and said, “Not necessarily.”

Zhuge Zhenren said, “Are you leaving?”

Hua Zhenren nodded, “The Dao Court has given me a task. I might have to go apprehend someone next.”

“Apprehend someone?” Zhuge Zhenren was puzzled, “You have to personally make a move? Who?”

Hua Zhenren said, “It seems to be a young master from a great aristocratic family, named… Bai ZiSheng.”

Mo Hua, who was silently walking with his head down, suddenly froze and abruptly looked up:

“Who?!”