Chapter 1527: Who Are You Talking About?

Chapter 1527: Who Are You Talking About?

Bai Qingcheng remained silent, offering no answer.

Seeing her like this, True Person Rong gradually understood, and couldn't help but sigh inwardly:

"So it really is..."

No wonder...

No wonder that boy Mo Hua, who seemed so ordinary—good for nothing except his looks—was nevertheless like a monster...

How could the disciple of that person be simple?

But then True Person Rong frowned and said, "Zhuang Dao... didn't your Senior Brother swear long ago that he would never take another disciple in this lifetime? That his lineage would end with him, with no successor..."

Bai Qingcheng let out a soft sigh and said, “The world is ever-changing... who could have foreseen..."

True Person Rong asked, "Then Mo Hua... is he a direct disciple?"

Bai Qingcheng's expression remained unchanged, but her heart trembled.

She shook her head and said, "How could that be? Taking a disciple at all was already breaking his vow, how could he possibly be a direct disciple?"

"Mo Hua..." Bai Qingcheng paused briefly. "He's merely an ordinary registered disciple, taken in by chance during Senior Brother's final days... I imagine it was an act of compassion, a spur-of-the-moment decision..."

True Person Rong's gaze sharpened slightly, uncertain whether to believe this.

But upon further reflection, if Mo Hua truly were the direct disciple of that Mister Zhuang, his circumstances would certainly not be what they were now.

Either he would have accomplished something earth-shattering.

Or he would have been hidden away, living in fear, unable to see the light of day.

Or he would have long since died in the vortex of cause and effect, his bones ground to dust.

Many times, so-called opportunities also invite calamities that overturn one's fate...

The cause and effect of that Mister Zhuang was not something to be trifled with.

True Person Rong let out a soft sigh, then, as if thinking of something, her gaze turned cold. She activated a spell, turning a mechanism plate, and condensed a layer of Feathered Ascension Barrier, completely enveloping the small study. Only then did she look at Bai Qingcheng and ask in a low voice:

"Qingcheng, your Senior Brother... is he truly dead?"

Bai Qingcheng slowly nodded. "Naturally."

True Person Rong frowned. "Cause and effect severed, not a shred of vitality left?"

"Yes..." Bai Qingcheng's gaze sharpened. "Sister Rong, why do you ask?"

"Nothing..." True Person Rong's gaze shifted. After pondering for a moment, she sighed and said with a somber expression:

"I just never imagined... that someone like him could die."

These plain words were like a needle piercing Bai Qingcheng's heart. Bai Qingcheng smiled bitterly and murmured:

"Yes..."

It wasn't just others who hadn't imagined it—she, his junior sister, hadn't either.

From childhood to adulthood, she had always believed that Senior Brother Zhuang was incredibly powerful, able to perceive the Heavenly Secrets, calculate without error, and handle everything with effortless ease.

No matter how she schemed, Senior Brother Zhuang would always find a way to resolve it.

Even if she made mistakes, Senior Brother Zhuang would always cover for her.

But she had never considered that the more one could perceive the Heavenly Secrets, the stronger the Heavenly Secrets Backlash one would suffer.

The pressure Senior Brother Zhuang bore was far beyond what ordinary people could imagine.

And human strength always has its limits; the Heavenly Secrets eventually reaches the end of what can be calculated.

Once the Heavenly Secrets are fully calculated, even the most extraordinary person would face a dead end, powerless to turn the tide...

Bai Qingcheng's eyelids trembled, and that bitter, sour feeling surged up in her heart once more.

Seeing Bai Qingcheng like this, True Person Rong felt a pang of melancholy and said in a low voice:

"I always thought that someone as brilliantly talented as your Senior Brother was the true embodiment of Immortal Root and Dao Bone..."

"If there were truly anyone in this world who was cut out to be an immortal, anyone who could actually ascend, then it would probably be someone like your Senior Brother."

"But... I truly never expected that he would die like this..."

True Person Rong's expression was incomparably bitter. "Someone so brilliantly talented, so proud and peerless, not only did he fail to become an immortal, he didn't even cultivate to Profound-Hollow-Void, and yet he died."

"Instead, mediocre people like me are still alive..."

"The Heavenly Dao is truly cruel and merciless. And human fate is truly... difficult to fathom..." True Person Rong's expression was indescribably complex.

Bai Qingcheng's gaze dimmed as well, and she said, "Sister Rong, your talent is also exceptional. You shouldn't sell yourself short."

True Person Rong shook her head.

Her talent was good, but that depended on who she was being compared to...

Bai Qingcheng was silent for a moment, then sighed again, "Senior Brother Zhuang... he couldn't escape..."

"He offended too many people. Not only did the Ancestors of various factions have their eyes on him, enemies wanted to kill him, peers of his generation envied him, and even his own people were scheming against him..."

"And on top of that... there was that most terrifying Daoist."

"They were fellow disciples under the same master, knowing each other best. Their Heavenly Secret Algorithms countered one another, that was the most fatal thing..."

Bai Qingcheng's gaze turned icy.

True Person Rong naturally knew who that Daoist referred to.

When one hadn't studied the Heavenly Secrets, things were fine, ignorance breeds fearlessness.

Yet she had studied the Heavenly Secrets, and even if she was not truly proficient in it, she knew how terrifying that Daoist was.

Once targeted by that Daoist, even Zhuang Daoling—a fellow disciple with unmatched calculation skills and extraordinary talent—could not escape the calamity of the Strange Dao...

In this world, there was probably no one who could walk out of that Daoist's trap alive.

True Person Rong sighed, deeply afraid, and dared not say anything more.

The atmosphere in the study grew heavy and stifling.

Bai Qingcheng changed the subject: "Enough, let's not talk about this..."

She looked at True Person Rong and said solemnly, "Sister Rong, you must keep the matter of Mo Hua's apprenticeship a secret. Do not let anyone know, or else... I fear... it could bring death upon you."

True Person Rong nodded. "Don't worry, I understand." Then she asked, "But what do you plan to do about him and Zixi?"

Bai Qingcheng sighed. "I've already spoken to Zixi. She dotes on her Little Junior Brother, so she should understand the boundaries."

"As for Mo Hua... I can't bear to... I can only find a way to arrange another marriage for him."

"Find a gentle, beautiful woman from a respectable family, so Mo Hua's heart will wander. Once he has a new love, over time, his feelings for Zixi will fade..."

True Person Rong frowned. "Will that work?"

Mo Hua was a little monster, what woman could possibly match him?

Bai Qingcheng said, "It's the only way, and besides..."

She sighed softly. "This is also good for Mo Hua. I will personally find him a fine match, so he can live a life free of worries, food and drink without care, cultivation without trouble, beauty by his side, and wealth and honor for the rest of his days. This will also keep him from getting entangled in dangerous cause and effect..."

For Mo Hua to be with Zixi was extremely dangerous.

For Mo Hua to keep dwelling on his master's matter was even more dangerous.

Bai Qingcheng had seen Mo Hua not long ago, and she could see the deep obsession hidden behind his calm eyes.

With Mo Hua's will, he would certainly try every means to revive his master.

But Bai Qingcheng also knew well that this obsession would be the death of Mo Hua.

The cause and effect of Senior Brother Zhuang was something even she, a Feather Ascension True Person, dared not touch lightly.

Therefore, the only way was to keep Mo Hua away from such dangers, let him take a Dao Companion, settle down, build a family, and have a prosperous future.

True Person Rong asked, "Then which family's daughter do you have in mind?"

Bai Qingcheng slowly shook her head. "I'm still considering..."

True Person Rong mused, "Why not pick a girl from the upper ranks of your Bai Clan to marry Mo Hua?"

Bai Qingcheng was momentarily taken aback.

True Person Rong said, "You are his master's junior sister, and the Bai Clan is a sixth-rank great family with deep foundations and formidable power, more than enough to protect Mo Hua."

"You yourself are a True Person of the Bai Clan with a voice in its affairs, and you know the girls of the Bai Clan well. It would be convenient for you to choose a good match for Mo Hua."

"Why not let Mo Hua go to your Bai Clan..."

Bai Qingcheng thought it over and found it reasonable, but then she reconsidered, her expression turning slightly stern as she shook her head. "No."

True Person Rong asked, "Why not?"

"If Mo Hua goes to the Bai Clan, he'll still be too close to Zixi," Bai Qingcheng said. "I'm afraid the two of them will remain entangled."

True Person Rong frowned. "Once they're married, how could they still be entangled?"

Bai Qingcheng sighed. "That's exactly what worries me..."

"They're young and don't yet know the taste of love, so they can still restrain themselves. But once both of them are married, the true feelings they couldn't have in youth become moonlight, coated in poison, alluring and deadly..."

"If Mo Hua marries a girl from the Bai Clan and stays there, he and Zixi will still occasionally meet. Over the long years, if they can't resist and old feelings reignite, doing something thrilling and forbidden... then there would truly be no way to explain it..."

"Not only would Zixi be unable to face herself, Mo Hua might also lose his life..."

Bai Qingcheng was deeply troubled.

True Person Rong looked at her with a complicated expression. "Aren't you... overthinking this a bit..."

This was all so improper and absurd.

Bai Qingcheng shook her head. "Sister Rong, you don't understand. Human desire is like this, no matter how rational a person is, once love takes root in their heart, a single misstep becomes a regret for eternity."

True Person Rong sighed. "Fine, whatever you say. So what do you plan to do? Send Mo Hua to Dao Province?"

Bai Qingcheng shook her head. "Dao Province is even worse."

True Person Rong thought for a moment and nodded. "That's true."

Sending Mo Hua to Dao Province might actually bring them closer, making the improper scenario even more likely.

"Then what about Kan Province? Gen Province, Xun Province, Dui Province, or Zhen Province?" True Person Rong counted them off one by one.

But Bai Qingcheng was uncertain. After a moment of thought, she suddenly said:

"Perhaps we should keep Mo Hua in Kun Province? Kun Province's wealth is unmatched across the Nine Provinces, second only to Dao Province. The aristocratic clans live in luxury, their riches flowing like dragons. If Mo Hua marries a woman from a Kun Province aristocratic clan, he'll enjoy a lifetime of wealth and honor, with blessings that never end..."

True Person Rong's expression was subtle.

Bai Qingcheng sensed something amiss and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Mo Hua..." True Person Rong hesitated for a moment, then said helplessly, "He's had some friction with the Earth Sect, the Lu Clan, the Wú Clan, the Zhū Clan, the Jìn Clan, and several other families... They've issued a Wealth Prohibition Order against him, cutting off his avenues of wealth..."

Bai Qingcheng was briefly stunned. "Mo Hua? What... did he do to offend so many aristocratic clans?"

He went to brothel and courted the flower queen...

True Person Rong ultimately spared Mo Hua some face, only saying tactfully, "Through a twist of fate, some disputes arose."

Bai Qingcheng asked, "Did anyone die?"

True Person Rong: "No..."

Bai Qingcheng said calmly, "No deaths, then it's no big deal."

"What's all this about prohibiting wealth? Just children's squabbles. Why make such a fuss over it? When I have the time, I'll pay a visit and have the Earth Sect rescind it."

True Person Rong knew that this Great-Aunt of the Bai Clan had always acted domineeringly, protective of her own, and without restraint.

Of course, she also had the capital to be domineering, so True Person Rong said no more.

Bai Qingcheng thought for a moment, then suddenly felt something was off:

"Mo Hua is such an innocent child, no power, no influence, no background to speak of. For the Earth Sect and the four great clans, with all their might, to specifically issue a Wealth Prohibition Order targeting Mo Hua? Are they that idle? Do they enjoy stirring up trouble over nothing?"

True Person Rong truly didn't know how Bai Qingcheng, as his martial aunt, could utter the word "innocent" so easily.

Could the word "innocent" have even the slightest connection to Mo Hua?

True Person Rong sighed. "It's not entirely the Earth Sect and aristocratic clans stirring up trouble for nothing... After all, the Little Senior Brother of Great Void Sect, the Crown Prince of Great Void Sect, Two-Time Formation Dao Champion of Qianxue, Qianxue Sword Debate Champion... he's certainly worthy of being sanctioned."

Bai Qingcheng frowned. "Who are you talking about?"

True Person Rong said flatly, "Who else could it be? Your good ol' young master, of course..."

Bai Qingcheng was stunned, then said slowly, "What is this... the Crown Prince, Little Senior Brother of Great Void Sect, Sword Debate Champion, Two-Time Formation Dao Champion... you're talking about Mo Hua?"

True Person Rong hummed in affirmation.

Bai Qingcheng still couldn't believe it. "What do these titles... have to do with Mo Hua?"

For a True Person, cultivation knows no years, a decade or two passes in the blink of an eye.

In her impression, Mo Hua was still that child of rogue cultivator origins, with an Intermediate-Lower grade spiritual root, poor but obedient and hardworking, valuing love and loyalty above all.

She still remembered how Mo Hua had silently wept before Senior Brother Zhuang's remains—lonely, pitiful, and heartbreaking to behold.

What Little Senior Brother of Great Void Sect, the Crown Prince of Great Void Sect, Formation Dao Champion, Sword Debate Champion...

How had these intimidating titles become connected to this child, Mo Hua?

Bai Qingcheng was stunned, feeling that the reality was too abstract to comprehend.

True Person Rong sighed. "So you really know nothing at all..."

Bai Qingcheng nodded, looking slightly dazed.

True Person Rong said, "You are, after all, his martial aunt..."

At this point, True Person Rong suddenly realized something and said:

"Right, you're Zixi's mother, and there's much about Zixi you don't even know. Let alone this martial nephew, Mo Hua..."

Bai Qingcheng was momentarily speechless, unable to find words to refute.

Then a chill ran through her heart as she realized she had misjudged things.

She had assumed that a child like Mo Hua, going alone to the great Qianxue prefecture and entering a major sect, would surely face exclusion, grievances, and all kinds of hardship and suffering...

But she never expected he would have such ability, carving out such a grand reputation...

Senior Brother Zhuang's judgment of people—at least in terms of talent—had truly never been wrong...

Bai Qingcheng's thoughts turned, and she pondered each of Mo Hua's 'titles' one by one.

Instead, she felt gratified and said:

"Since this child is so accomplished, the marriage matter becomes even easier to arrange..."

True Person Rong reminded her, "Actually, previously, the Earth Sect and the various aristocratic clans of Kun Province all, without prior consultation, extended goodwill to Mo Hua, hoping to recruit him through marriage and prospects. But your martial nephew refused them all..."

Bai Qingcheng shook her head. "That's different. Do I not know the ways of aristocratic clans?"

"Truly good girls are barely enough for the clans to keep among themselves. How could they possibly be offered in marriage to 'outsiders'?"

"If I make a move, I'll surely find the very best for Mo Hua. Only then would it match my martial nephew's character and talent..."

And only then could Mo Hua's lingering thoughts be completely severed.

At the same time, giving Mo Hua a good marriage and a bright future would serve as some form of closure for Senior Brother Zhuang, whose fate remained unknown.

Bai Qingcheng thought silently to herself.

True Person Rong was curious and asked, "Who do you have in mind?"

Bai Qingcheng's beautiful eyes shifted, a decision already forming in her heart, but she only said, "I'll need to think it over more. It's too early to say for now."

True Person Rong gave an "mm" in acknowledgment and did not press further.

The study fell silent once more.

After a moment, True Person Rong suddenly looked at Bai Qingcheng and asked, "Qingcheng, what exactly brings you to Kun Province?"

Bai Qingcheng replied, "Didn't I already say? It's for Zixi..."

True Person Rong shook her head. "You're not that idle..."

Bai Qingcheng paused slightly, lifting her head to meet True Person Rong's gaze. Their eyes locked for a moment.

Unable to hold the stare, Bai Qingcheng lowered her eyes and sighed helplessly. "As expected, I can't hide anything from you, Sister Rong..."

True Person Rong asked in a low voice, "What exactly is it?"

Bai Qingcheng was silent for a moment, her gaze turning slightly sharp. "I... want to go... to that place..."

(End of Chapter)