After leaving Lord Yellow Mountain, Mo Hua encountered signs of a blood sacrifice calamity, with many villages and even a city left abandoned and in ruins. Reflecting on his own insufficient strength to prevent such devastation, Mo Hua continued his journey. He then visited Gui Water Sect, where he met with Yu Canghai, who had become an Elder there. Mo Hua revealed that he now possessed the Water Prison Forbidden Box.
"Water, Water Prison..."Mo Hua gave a slight nod.Yu Canghai was taken aback.He had harbored a faint hope earlier, speculating that this box might be in Mo Hua's possession. However, it was merely a guess; he hadn't truly dared to entertain such a thought. Yet, unexpectedly, this treasured forbidden item, a legacy passed down through countless generations of the Water Prison Sect, had landed in Mo Hua's hands. And in the brief span of a single cup of tea, Mo Hua had casually and directly brought it up in front of him.A surge of emotion coursed through Yu Canghai's heart. He clenched his fists, his gaze filled with eagerness, and trembled as he asked, "Then..."Mo Hua shook his head. "I cannot give it to you at this moment."A wave of deep disappointment washed over Yu Canghai's face, etched with undeniable reluctance and a hint of anger in his eyes. But as he looked up and met Mo Hua's unfathomably calm gaze, all his anger vanished instantly.Yu Canghai let out a long sigh, his face paling significantly.Mo Hua spoke with composure, "In your heart, you must know that even if I were to give this to you, you wouldn't be able to keep it safe. If even the slightest whisper of its existence were to leak out, it could bring about your demise, or perhaps the doom of Little Shunzi, Little Shuizi, and the entire fishing village. You must have already experienced the pain of 'treasuring a jade ring only to invite disaster.'""However, this item originally belongs to the Water Prison Sect," Mo Hua continued, "I can give it to you, but not yet."Yu Canghai paused, a spark of hope igniting in his gloomy eyes.Mo Hua stated, "The day you achieve Feather Transformation and are deemed capable of protecting this box, I shall hand it over to you."Yu Canghai offered a bitter smile. "My aptitude is merely mediocre, and my foundation was damaged while I was being pursued. I fear I shall never reach the threshold of Feather Transformation in this lifetime. How could I possibly harbor such an extravagant hope?""That is your own concern," Mo Hua replied.Yu Canghai appeared both bitter and helpless.Mo Hua considered this for a moment, realizing his demand might be too steep. He then added, "It would also be acceptable if Little Shunzi and Little Shuizi reach the Golden Core stage. By that time, I will entrust the box to you."Yu Canghai nodded solemnly. "Very well."Although attaining the Golden Core was a formidable challenge, it was undeniably far more achievable than Feather Transformation. Moreover, nurturing Little Shunzi and Little Shuizi into talented cultivators was also his long-held desire, perfectly aligning with Mo Hua's condition. The only lingering doubt was whether Mo Hua would honor his word.Yu Canghai glanced at Mo Hua, contemplating for a moment before sighing inwardly. Regardless, for the present moment, this Young Master Mo's character certainly seemed trustworthy. He owed a great debt of gratitude to himself, his family, and the Water Prison Sect. Even if Mo Hua were to covet the Water Prison Forbidden Box, he had no obligation to even mention it. If he had chosen not to return it, there would have been nothing to say. Given his current reputation and esteemed position within the Taixu Gate, forcibly taking it or secretly plotting to have him, a Golden Core Elder, eliminated without a trace would not have been difficult at all.Yet, he had not resorted to such treachery. Instead, he had been forthright enough to discuss the matter face-to-face, even promising its eventual return. This already demonstrated considerable respect toward him, an elder of a declining sect. Furthermore, it constituted a form of 'favor' and an 'expectation.'Having grasped this, Yu Canghai sighed deeply, his heart finding a measure of peace and a renewed sense of gratitude.He rose, bowed profoundly, and declared with solemnity, "Thank you, Young Master, for your immense kindness and virtue in safeguarding the Taoist inheritance of the Water Prison Sect."Mo Hua perceived the sincerity in Elder Yu's eyes and gave a slight nod. Both logically and emotionally, he did not wish for the Water Prison Sect's Taoist inheritance to be extinguished. Despite their poverty, people invariably require some form of hope, whether it be for their sect's legacy, their personal cultivation journey, or the education of their disciples.After parting ways with Elder Yu, as he was already visiting the Gui Water Sect, Mo Hua decided to take the opportunity to see Wang Chen.Wang Chen was faring quite well these days. Among the current cohort of Gui Water Sect disciples, Qin Cangliu possessed the highest talent and boasted the strongest cultivation. However, the one who had achieved the greatest success in terms of connections and social standing was the seemingly unremarkable disciple, Wang Chen.This observation filled Mo Hua with a sense of wonder. Truly, one cannot judge a book by its cover. An individual who appears ordinary might reveal unexpected capabilities when presented with the right opportunities.Recalling the incident where he and Hao Xuan had bundled Wang Chen into a sack and beaten him by the roadside... Mo Hua felt an even deeper sense of emotion.Fortunately, Wang Chen did not harbor any resentment over those minor transgressions.
Little did he know, if not for Mo Hua and the others subduing him, he might have been 'purged' alongside the other deceitful Gui Water Sect disciples during the incident with the Rouge Boat.
As it stood, his current position would have been utterly unattainable.
Truly, the twists and turns of fate are unfathomable.
"Junior Brother..."
In private conversations, much like Hao Xuan, Wang Chen also addressed Mo Hua as "Junior Brother."
"My path within the Gui Water Sect was that of a Senior Brother. Upon graduation, I'm slated for assignment to a minor post as a Taoist Court official for several years of practical experience. Should I succeed in forming a core, my transfer back to the vicinity of the Qian Learning State Boundary will be facilitated, opening doors for gradual advancement from a Supervisor role... Whether our paths will cross again in the future, I cannot say..."
Wang Chen clasped his hands in a gesture of genuine respect, "Junior Brother, take care."
Mo Hua responded with a smile, also cupping his hands, "I wish you a prosperous journey, until we meet again."
After bidding farewell to Wang Chen, Mo Hua headed back to Taixu Gate, encountering Song Jian, one of the notorious "traitor duo," along the way.
Within a secluded grove on Refining Demon Mountain.
Song Jian, adopting the guise of a wary rogue, clad in dark attire and a headscarf, moved stealthily to rendezvous with Mo Hua.
Mo Hua expressed a hint of exasperation, "Is such extreme caution truly warranted?"
"You wouldn't understand," Song Jian explained, his voice low. "Given my current predicament, standing on the precipice of becoming the 'Senior Brother' amongst my cohort, any association with you, the notorious 'blood enemy' of the Sever Gold Sect, would spell my utter ruin. I'd be beyond redemption..."
Mo Hua found himself at a loss for words.
A 'traitor' such as yourself, how could redemption ever be possible?
