Chapter 1151: Miss Hua

Mo Hua was a principled person. Debts must be paid; it's a matter of course.

Although he had initially taken on the identity of "Mr. Yuan" to do business with Elder You, ultimately leading to Elder You's downfall and the complete destruction of the Qianxue Demonic Sect, that was a separate matter. Regardless of the outcome, the spirit stones were indeed owed by Elder You. If Elder You had died, the debt would naturally have been written off. Mo Hua would have felt regret but couldn't have said anything.

However, now Elder You was not only alive but stood directly before him. In that case, this old debt had to be brought up. After all, 1.8 million was no small sum.

Mo Hua, being from a poor family, was always frugal and intended to recover any debts owed to him.

Yet, Mo Hua still harbored some doubts. How had Elder You survived? He had not died when the Demonic Sect was destroyed. He had even managed to escape the turmoil of the Blood Trace Grand Array. How could he have remained unharmed amidst such a massive catastrophe in the Qianxue State? Who exactly was this "Elder You"?

Furthermore, why was Li San associated with Elder You? It seemed he was quite loyal to him.

Mo Hua's mind was clouded with questions, and the more he thought, the more confused he became.

A moment later, his gaze sharpened, and he thought, "Never mind that for now. I'll find Elder You when I have the chance and press him for the debt."

Currently, Elder You was a walking "1.8 million."

"And Li San... Is it truly Elder You he's loyal to?" Mo Hua's gaze became slightly subtle.

Just then, Elder You cupped his hands and said to Young Master Tuoba, "The young lady will arrive shortly. Please wait a moment, Young Master Tuoba." Young Master Tuoba, usually so proud and stubborn, actually revealed a hint of a smile. He waved his hand and said, "Very well, Elder You, please take a seat. Someone, serve tea."

Mo Hua went over and poured tea for Elder You, who owed him 1.8 million. As Mo Hua poured the tea, Elder You felt a chill in his heart.

However, the chill lasted only a moment before vanishing without a trace.

Elder You's eyes narrowed slightly as he looked around, noticing that besides Young Master Tuoba and a few servants, there were no other significant figures in the hall. He frowned but didn't pay it much mind.

Li San, being only at the Foundation Establishment stage, held a low status and was not qualified to sit. He simply stood silently behind Elder You, his expression one of fanatical devotion.

The great hall fell silent for a moment. Young Master Tuoba and a few others seemed to be waiting for someone.

Mo Hua thought, *Young Master Tuoba is arrogant and has a terrible temper. How could he possibly be waiting for someone? Who was he waiting for? Who had the standing to make him wait so patiently? Was it the "young lady" Elder You mentioned?*

Mo Hua remained silent, waiting patiently himself.

Less than half an hour later, numerous footsteps suddenly sounded from outside the door. Amidst a misty haze and the jingling of jade ornaments, a woman, adorned in splendid brocade and extremely luxurious attire, entered with her head held high, surrounded by a group of guards.

Elder You immediately rose and bowed respectfully. Upon seeing the woman's appearance, Young Master Tuoba was momentarily captivated. A moment later, he rose, bowed, and said with a smile, cupping his hands, "Young Lady Hua, you truly possess a beauty that could topple cities and overshadow moons and flowers. To meet you today is a fortune of three lifetimes."

Young Lady Hua seemed accustomed to such lavish praise and merely responded with a faint "Hmm." Young Master Tuoba courteously said, "Please take the seat of honor, Young Lady Hua."

A subtle fragrance permeated the air as Young Lady Hua moved with light, graceful steps, her jade ornaments chiming softly. She took the highest seat at the banquet, even a half-step higher than Young Master Tuoba, the host.

Mo Hua was curious but dared not look directly, fearing it would arouse suspicion. Only when everyone had taken their seats, and the banquet had begun with cups clinking, did he subtly raise his head to look at the woman in the seat of honor.

She was a woman of extremely noble demeanor and exquisitely lavish attire. One could tell at a glance that her status was exalted, and she had been pampered since childhood. Her clothes were woven with gold thread and jade, her veil was as beautiful as snow and moonlight, and a dazzling golden phoenix and red jade hairpin adorned her thick black hair, complementing her fair skin.

Her face was naturally also exceptionally beautiful, like a delicate, finely carved piece of jade. However, her eyes revealed a hint of contemptuous willfulness, making her appear arrogant and condescending.

Mo Hua's expression shifted slightly. He then silently compared her and shook his head slightly. This "Young Lady Hua," though outwardly beautiful, had shallow insight and an ordinary temperament, appearing somewhat superficial.

Compared to his gentle, kind, and caring senior sister, she was far inferior. Mo Hua felt somewhat uninterested, but he couldn't deny that "Young Lady Hua" possessed an exceedingly beautiful appearance.

Throughout the banquet, Young Master Tuoba's proud, arrogant, and almost aggressive gaze was fixed almost entirely on the beautiful Young Lady Hua. Accompanying Young Lady Hua were elders, guards, and several young masters from prominent families, whose talents were extraordinary and whose statuses were clearly not low. They all seemed to be her "suitors."

Young Lady Hua, seated in the place of honor, was like the moon surrounded by stars. Her every smile and gesture dictated the atmosphere of the banquet, drawing everyone's attention.

Young Lady Hua, full of vanity, seemed to thoroughly enjoy all of it.

Mo Hua pondered: "Is Young Lady Hua from the 'Hua' family? Where is this great Hua clan from? Qianzhou? Kunzhou? Or Lizhou? It shouldn't be the Great Wilderness... That place, the Great Wilderness, shouldn't be able to produce such a noble woman. And what exactly is she doing here in the Great Wilderness? Also, Elder You acts as if he takes his lead entirely from Young Lady Hua. Is he also part of the Hua family? If so, why did he become an elder of the Demonic Sect?"

Mo Hua felt the relationships here were becoming increasingly tangled the more he tried to understand them. No wonder Uncle Gu often told him in Qianxue State that the waters of noble families run deep, their connections as intricate as vines, making it impossible to know who is related to whom or what schemes are being plotted behind the scenes.

This welcoming banquet in the underground beast-fighting arena of Damocheng only revealed the tip of the iceberg.

As Mo Hua pondered, his peripheral vision suddenly alerted him, and his heart skipped a beat. Among Young Lady Hua's "suitors," he actually found an acquaintance. This acquaintance was none other than Young Master Shi from Yinhu Valley, whom he had just encountered and fought in Xiaoyi City.

Young Master Shi, bearing the Undying Talisman, must be a "Saint Son" or "Quasi-Saint Son" level figure of Yinyu Valley. In Xiaoyi City, he participated in the slaughter and corpse transformation of the city, using it as the starting point for Yinyu Valley to emerge, establish Yuhucheng, and expand its influence. It was clear that Young Master Shi was highly valued by Yinyu Valley.

However, Mo Hua had never imagined that after a few months, he would actually encounter Young Master Shi again in Damocheng. But at this moment, Young Master Shi was dressed in silk and satin, with a handsome and fair complexion, and his every movement was refined and elegant, completely the image of a noble young master from an aristocratic family, without the slightest hint of the sinister aura of a Corpse Dao demonic cultivator.

Moreover, during the banquet, Young Master Shi frequently poured wine for Young Lady Hua. His gaze was entirely fixed on Young Lady Hua's beautiful face, and he spoke solicitous and considerate words to her, appearing like a gentle, infatuated "bootlicker."

Mo Hua was quite perplexed. *What exactly was Young Master Shi doing? You are a direct descendant and a prodigy of the Demonic Corpse Valley! You are a "Quasi-Saint Son" implanted with the Demonic Undying Talisman! And now you're acting as a "bootlicker" for a woman? Do you even know what you're doing? Have you gone mad from corpse refining, or has your brain been eaten by a zombie?*

Mo Hua was bewildered.

Yet, Young Master Shi appeared utterly absorbed, with a doting gaze and enjoying himself immensely.

Mo Hua shook his head, then his heart tightened. He realized that Young Master Shi had seen him before.

Although he was now the "bronze-skinned" body cultivator Mo Hua, and his appearance had changed significantly, if Young Master Shi were to clearly see his face and become suspicious, it would be extremely troublesome.

He would likely find it difficult to remain in the beast-fighting arena. The big tiger also couldn't be rescued. Mo Hua immediately lowered his head, let his hands fall, and restrained his aura, silently thinking, *Just keep being your "bootlicker." Don't recognize me, that's all.*

What he feared most, however, was precisely what happened. From Young Master Shi's sleeve, a faint, clear sound of a copper bell suddenly emanated.

The bell sound was extremely subtle. Most cultivators at the banquet didn't hear it. A few who did hear it, despite its clear tone, couldn't identify what kind of bell it was.

They couldn't recognize it, but how could Mo Hua, a righteous cultivator with considerable knowledge of corpse refining, fail to identify it as the "copper bell" sound of the Corpse Dao?

A zombie was transmitting a message to Young Master Shi.

Sure enough, in the next instant, Young Master Shi's expression faltered, then his eyes immediately became sharp, looking in Mo Hua's direction. Mo Hua merely had a faint aura and low presence, but his figure was still there. Cultivators at the banquet, when unconscious, would not notice Mo Hua.

But if one intentionally looked, they could see him clearly.

At this moment, Young Master Shi saw Mo Hua, dressed as a servant, with slightly yellowish skin, bright eyes, and a docile expression. His mind was in turmoil for a moment.

His first reaction was that he looked very similar. Just based on the facial contours, this servant resembled the "thief" who had escaped from his grasp, ruined Yinyu Valley's grand plan, and indirectly caused Elder Xu's inexplicable death—the one who deserved to be cut into a thousand pieces. But at a second glance, he felt it was completely different. Only the facial features bore some resemblance. This was clearly a body cultivator at the Qi Refinement stage, of humble origins and low cultivation.

He was entirely unlike the unfathomable, sinister, and enigmatic young man. Moreover, how could a young man of that stature lower himself to become a lowly "servant"?

But the warning from the copper-plated gold corpse should not have appeared out of nowhere.

Young Master Shi frowned slightly.

Young Lady Hua seemed to notice Young Master Shi's abnormality, and her beautiful eyes stared at him strangely. Young Master Tuoba, feeling a touch of jealousy and rivalry, also looked at Young Master Shi and asked in a deep voice, "Young Master Shi, is there anything amiss with tonight's banquet?"

Young Master Shi recovered and gave a faint smile, saying, "Nothing at all." He subtly withdrew his gaze from Mo Hua.

Young Master Tuoba's brows furrowed slightly, but he said nothing. Mo Hua also let out a small sigh of relief.

No matter what Young Master Shi had discerned, as long as he didn't cause trouble on the spot, it would be fine. Once the banquet concluded, he could blend into the beast-fighting arena, and Young Master Shi presumably wouldn't be able to act as he pleased on Young Master Tuoba's territory.

Not long after, Mo Hua heard Young Master Shi say to Young Master Tuoba, "Young Master Tuoba, I have a presumptuous request." Young Master Tuoba's eyes narrowed slightly, and he nodded, "Speak freely."

Young Master Shi extended his hand and pointed at Mo Hua, "May I have this servant as a gift?" Young Master Tuoba frowned.

He thought, *It's just a servant; they're expendable and not worth much. Giving him away is no big deal.* *But I don't understand why Young Master Shi would suddenly ask for a male servant at the Qi Refinement stage, especially at such an important banquet. What could his intentions be?*

Young Master Tuoba looked at Mo Hua. As he looked, he suddenly paused, thinking for a moment, and inexplicably recalled the day when the black-and-white monstrous tiger he had meticulously trained for a long time but never tamed suddenly behaved unusually. At that time, the direction the tiger looked in, besides the other young masters and Great Wilderness cultivators, seemed to include a servant? And that servant...

Young Master Tuoba's eyes narrowed, and he thought with all his might, suddenly realizing that the servant from that day seemed to be the same servant Young Master Shi was asking for today. Young Master Tuoba's heart tightened, and he immediately said, "No!"

Young Master Shi was stunned. He hadn't expected that his request for this servant, who bore some resemblance to that enigmatic young man, was merely a precaution. Yet, Young Master Tuoba had sternly refused, giving him no face at all.

Young Master Shi's expression darkened. Young Master Tuoba also realized that his sharp refusal just now was somewhat inappropriate, but given his arrogant nature, he naturally wouldn't explain further. He merely asked, "Why are you so concerned about a mere servant, Young Master Shi?"

Young Master Shi coldly replied, "This servant looks somewhat familiar to me, resembling an enemy of mine. Therefore, I wish to capture him, refine him into a zombie, and make him my servant to command day and night." Young Master Tuoba's expression remained indifferent.

Young Master Shi's gaze sharpened, and he retorted, "You won't even give me a mere servant, Young Master Tuoba?" Young Master Tuoba's mind raced.

He guessed there was a slight possibility that this servant had some unknown connection to the black-and-white fierce tiger he had captured. If that were true, using the servant's life as leverage might enable him to tame that untamed tiger demon king beast. That way, he would possess a unique and magnificent king-level demonic mount, far surpassing anyone else.

Although this probability was actually small. What connection could a minor Qi Refinement body cultivator have with a peak second-grade king-level tiger demon?

But even if there was only a slim chance, he absolutely could not miss it.

This black-and-white king tiger had to be tamed by him.

So Young Master Tuoba said, "Servants are lowly and not worthy of being given as gifts. To offer him to Young Master Shi would go against the principles of hospitality."

Young Master Shi, however, said, "No matter. I very much like this servant. If Young Master Tuoba grants him to me, it would be no different than giving me a thousand gold pieces—" The two were at a stalemate.

Mo Hua was speechless.

And just at that moment, something even more exasperating happened. Young Lady Hua suddenly glanced at Mo Hua, pointed at him, and said, "This servant, I want him too."

This was her character since childhood. Things others didn't want, she didn't want either. But if others desired something, she insisted on joining the scramble for it, even if she discarded it like trash after obtaining it. It didn't matter to her.

Young Master Tuoba and Young Master Shi's expressions both changed. Neither of them had expected Young Lady Hua to suddenly intervene and join the fray.

Between themselves, they could contend and be at loggerheads, but facing Young Lady Hua was entirely different.

Young Master Tuoba cupped his hands and said, "He's just a lowly servant." Young Lady Hua replied, "I don't care. What I want, I get."

Young Master Tuoba remained silent. Young Master Shi also secretly frowned.

The atmosphere was tense for a moment. Just then, Elder You stepped out from the crowd, cupped his hands, and said to Young Lady Hua, "Young lady, the main business is important. A mere servant is not worth discussing openly."

Young Lady Hua seemed to take Elder You's words somewhat to heart. She thought for a moment, then nodded and said, "Fine. After the banquet, send this servant to my residence."

Young Master Tuoba gave no clear answer. He simply pointed at Mo Hua and ordered, "Take this servant away for now." How to deal with him would be decided later. He couldn't remain at the banquet, lest he cause further disputes.

Soon after, a steward walked over and led Mo Hua away. Mo Hua kept his head bowed the entire time, appearing timid, as if startled and too frightened to speak.

The steward led Mo Hua out of the hall. Mo Hua followed obediently. Halfway there, the steward glanced back at Mo Hua with a warning in his eyes, then sneered inwardly. *What a lucky boy.*

Of course, in other words, he could also be considered extremely unlucky. As a servant or slave, one could only live long by remaining silent and inconspicuous.

Once one stood out and caught the attention of the "nobles"—the young masters and ladies—they wouldn't even know how they died. Having been a steward for so many years, he had seen far too much.

Countless servants, longing for advancement and trying to impress the nobles, had been toyed with and disfigured by these young masters and ladies. Slaves were slaves. Nobles were masters. They were fundamentally people of different strata, and crossing that line would never lead to a good outcome.

As the steward thought this, he led Mo Hua towards a dark corner. "Don't say I didn't warn you. For a servant, being a slave is the best outcome, the best fate. Once you break free from your fate, you can only pray for good fortune. You—"

The steward stopped mid-sentence, startled. He turned around and found nothing behind him; Mo Hua's figure had long vanished. The steward was momentarily stunned, his pupils gradually contracting.

After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, in the banquet hall, a young attendant walked up to Young Master Tuoba and whispered something into his ear. Young Master Tuoba's face darkened slightly, then gradually became covered with a layer of frost.

"Something fishy has happened." Young Master Tuoba's voice was cold and grim as he ordered, "Lock down the beast-fighting arena and apprehend him. Don't let him escape, or I will hold you all accountable."

The attendant stammered, "Yes—" Young Master Shi also seemed to have realized something, his face gradually turning terrifyingly grim.

Young Lady Hua, however, looked unconcerned, merely thinking, *As expected, what others vie for must be something good. This boy, next time don't let me catch you, or I'll make sure you learn the consequences of a 'toy' running away...* A hint of malicious amusement gleamed in Young Lady Hua's eyes.

Outside the beast-fighting arena, in a small alley, Mo Hua gradually reappeared.

With the cultivators in the beast-fighting arena, it was naturally impossible for them to detect his concealment or capture him. The situation had changed, and it was clear he could no longer remain hidden in the arena.

However, now that he was forced to leave, the big tiger couldn't be rescued for the time being. If he left first, the big tiger would be safe for now.

But if he tried to force the big tiger to leave with him, even if he could escape, the tiger wouldn't, and might even die during the escape.

Mo Hua sighed, a slight ache in his heart. Young Master Shi, Young Master Tuoba, and that inexplicable Young Lady Hua—those three fools—had ruined his plan.

If it weren't for their excessive suspicion, he could have continued to blend in for a while longer.

Mo Hua genuinely wished he could kill all three of them with a single sword stroke.

Now, rescuing his big tiger had become problematic again.

Mo Hua's brows were tightly furrowed in thought when he suddenly heard a disturbance. Looking up, he saw an extremely strong aura of blood essence in the distance, accompanied by the uniform clash of metal, shaking heaven and earth.

"This is—" Mo Hua's gaze sharpened. "Dao soldiers?!"