Chapter 1531: Confidential Matters

Chapter 1531: Confidential Matters

In the Lu Clan's pavilion garden, Lu Zhenlong was carefully putting away the chessboard.

This chessboard was the testament to her victory over that great scourge Mo Hua, it had to be properly preserved so she could show it off in the future.

Madam Lu watched her daughter's figure with a strange, unreadable look in her eyes.

After a moment, she finally spoke: "Zhenlong..."

Lu Zhenlong turned around and asked, "Mother, what's wrong?"

Madam Lu hesitated briefly before asking, "You and that Young Master Mo... aren't you enemies?"

Lu Zhenlong nodded. "We are."

Then why were you chatting with him so happily just now, holding Young Master Mo's hand and writing secret messages on his palm?

Does that look like the behavior of someone who's enemies with him?

Madam Lu hesitated a moment longer, then asked again, "Then what do you think of Young Master Mo as a person?"

"As a person?" Lu Zhenlong was taken aback. "He's just... like that."

Cunning, scheming, vicious, terrifying—invincible, yet defeated by me on the chessboard... What else could he be?

Madam Lu sighed inwardly.

This daughter of hers was sometimes very clever, and other times so dense it was exasperating.

Madam Lu shook her head, said nothing more, and turned to leave.

But Lu Zhenlong suddenly spoke up: "Mother..."

Madam Lu stopped in her tracks and turned back to look at her daughter.

Lu Zhenlong thought for a moment, then asked in a low voice, "Mother, what kind of person is... the Eldest Young Master of the Earth Sect?"

Madam Lu was surprised. "Why do you ask?"

Lu Zhenlong said, "I'm just curious."

Madam Lu's gaze flickered, and she seemed unsettled at heart. After a moment, she let out a soft sigh.

"Hasn't the Ancestor already told you? The Eldest Young Master of the Earth Sect has extraordinary talent and exemplary character, a rare and worthy match..."

Lu Zhenlong gave a faint, indifferent "Oh."

Madam Lu stepped forward, gently stroked Lu Zhenlong's delicate and beautiful face, and said with affection, "Don't overthink things. Focus on your cultivation."

Lu Zhenlong nodded. "Mm."

Having said that, Madam Lu didn't linger and turned to leave.

She left Lu Zhenlong standing alone in place, her expression complicated. The garden that was usually filled with the sounds of birds and the fragrance of flowers now felt inexplicably cold.

...

Madam Lu left Lu Zhenlong and returned to the main hall, sitting alone with her brows furrowed deeply.

Before long, a young man dressed in luxurious gold-and-jade attire walked in and said, "Mother."

This young man was none other than Lu Zhenming.

Madam Lu looked up at him but said nothing, then lowered her head again to continue her contemplation.

The rules of a great clan were strict, and as a son, Lu Zhenming dared not disturb his mother.

But after hesitating for a moment, he couldn't help but ask:

"Mother, you're not thinking of... letting Zhenlong marry that Mo fellow, are you?"

Hearing this, Madam Lu looked up and asked in return, "Is there a problem with that?"

"Mother!" Lu Zhenming said with suppressed anger, lowering his voice. "That Mo fellow, how could he be a good man?"

Madam Lu asked, "How is he not a good man?"

Lu Zhenming's face darkened. "He frequents brothels and is entangled with the courtesan Yu Nujiao, the two of them are anything but proper..."

Madam Lu paused slightly, then looked at Lu Zhenming and asked:

"Ming'er, how do you know he goes to brothels and is entangled with a courtesan?"

Lu Zhenming froze, his face turning pale. "I... heard it from others..."

Madam Lu's gentle gaze carried a hint of sternness as she looked at her son.

Lu Zhenming lowered his eyes, not daring to meet his mother's gaze.

In the end, Madam Lu said nothing more, only letting out a helpless sigh.

When boys of great clans grew up, their Blood Qi was hot and vigorous, and having been raised in wealth and luxury since childhood, they often couldn't restrain themselves when it came to matters of men and women, picking up bad habits along the way—that was the most troublesome thing.

And as a mother, she could neither beat them, nor scold them, nor easily offer advice.

But that Young Master Mo... although the outside world said he was arrogant, a wastrel, and had all sorts of improper behavior...

From what she had just witnessed, Madam Lu had discovered that this Young Master Mo had a clear and pure temperament, with eyes as calm as still water.

He clearly had never been tainted by women, he was a man of spotless virtue. Add to that a face that lived up to his name, and he became all the more rare and precious.

The way he and Zhenlong had played chess together in the pavilion was also quite harmonious.

Zhenlong was always saying she wanted to teach this Mo Hua a lesson.

But when they actually met, she was as docile as a cat.

Madam Lu couldn't help but feel her heart skip a beat as she sank into thought.

Seeing this, Lu Zhenming grew alarmed and quickly said:

"Mother, you're not really thinking of pushing your own daughter into a pit of fire, are you...? This Mo Hua is a black-hearted, venomous..."

Madam Lu cut him off. "Then what do you think of marrying Zhenlong to the Eldest Young Master? You and the Eldest Young Master are on good terms, aren't you?"

Lu Zhenming's expression darkened. "The Eldest Young Master... is not a good match either."

Madam Lu sighed, as if unwilling to continue this topic, and only said:

"Zhenlong's marriage is for the Ancestor to decide. Don't meddle in it. And also..."

Madam Lu paused in thought, her expression turning more serious. "Pay more attention to the Lu Clan's estate affairs, and spend less time carousing with those young masters."

"The Old Patriarch values you, your father nurtures you, and the elders of the clan hold expectations for you as well, but do not truly believe that the next generation of the Lu Clan is entirely yours to command."

"From here on, you must produce some achievements, do some real work, and show the Lu Clan Old Patriarch and your father what you are capable of."

"Opportunities do not come often. Cherish them, and do not make any major mistakes..."

Chastised by Madam Lu, Lu Zhenming's heart tightened. He clasped his hands and nodded. "Yes."

Madam Lu waved a hand. "You may go."

Lu Zhenming's gaze was grave as he bowed and said, "Your son takes his leave."

After Lu Zhenming withdrew respectfully, Madam Lu remained seated in the parlor.

Her face—gorgeous and warm, smooth as a jade plate—shifted through several expressions.

"Ming'er is a man. He can rely on his own efforts to carve out a future and seize power."

"But Zhenlong is different. With her willful nature, if she does not secure a good marriage and gain some backing, then once the winds rise and the clouds churn, when the greater situation grows turbulent, fortune and misfortune will be impossible to predict..."

"Though the Eldest Young Master is somewhat lacking in character, with the Earth Sect backing him, he remains the top choice."

"As for Mo Hua... he truly is a good child. But those spiritual roots and core grades simply cannot be justified. Though his talent in formations is excellent, it takes far too long to bear fruit..."

"Only his appearance is truly handsome—one look and he is likable. But..."

Madam Lu sighed softly.

"Great noble houses have never been places where one survives on looks alone..."

...

Little Luan Mountain Blessed Land.

After Bai Qingcheng brought Mo Hua back, she had him go rest, while she herself went to find True Person Rong to speak in private.

The two chatted for a while about matters concerning Fāngcùn Mountain.

But Fāngcùn Mountain was cut off from the world, and many matters required careful planning and long-term deliberation. Naturally, no progress could be made within just a few days.

After a while, True Person Rong asked how things stood between Mo Hua and the Lu Clan.

Bai Qingcheng's expression turned rather strange.

"I truly never expected that this child Mo Hua would be so skilled at charming young ladies..."

"That pampered girl Zhenlong had only spent a short while with Mo Hua before she was laughing and chatting with him, even taking the initiative to hold his hand and write secret messages in his palm..."

"Tell me, could Mo Hua be a fox spirit in disguise..."

A natural talent for allure?

True Person Rong was speechless. After a moment's thought, she said, "With a face like that, it is only natural that young ladies would take a liking to him."

But Bai Qingcheng shook her head. "It is not merely a matter of his face..."

A face was ultimately just a vessel, only a visible exterior.

Instinctively, she still felt it more plausible that Mo Hua carried the bloodline of a 'fox spirit'...

True Person Rong, however, remained indifferent and asked, "So, did the Lu Clan agree?"

Bai Qingcheng paused slightly, pondered for a moment, then let out a soft sigh.

"That girl Yao'er has become the matriarch of the Lu Clan now, and her schemes have multiplied."

"On the surface, she remains very cordial, calling me 'Sister Bai' at every turn, but what she truly thinks is hard to say."

"As for Mo Hua's marriage, if I were to apply forceful pressure and make Yao'er nod her head, the Lu Clan would naturally have no choice but to agree. Even the Lu Clan Old Patriarch would defer to my face."

"At worst, I could prepare a more lavish betrothal gift for Mo Hua and offer the Lu Clan more benefits."

"But that is precisely where the problem lies..."

Bai Qingcheng shook her head. "Marriage ties two families together in goodwill. If I am too overbearing, it would spoil the harmony. A melon forced from the vine is never sweet."

"If I were to bully them with my power, and the Lu Clan's upper echelons harbored resentment, that would be bad."

"The Lu Clan's upper echelons would not dare voice complaints against me. But if they vented that resentment onto Mo Hua, making things difficult for him openly or covertly, it would end up harming him instead..."

True Person Rong remained objective and calm, saying, "It is not unreasonable for the Lu Clan to refuse... At the root of it, Mo Hua's spiritual roots and core grade are fatal flaws."

"In the genetics of spiritual roots, Intermediate-lower grade roots and Inferior-grade core quality almost entirely rule out the possibility of producing Supreme-Grade Spiritual Roots, and there is almost no chance of any bloodline awakening."

"In marriages between great clans, the inheritance of spiritual roots and bloodlines is actually the most important factor."

"No matter how capable Mo Hua himself is, when it comes to marriage alliances, he ultimately cannot overcome this hurdle."

"In truly great clans, direct-line daughters with Superior-Grade Spiritual Roots or above would generally be unwilling to formally become Mo Hua's Dao Companion and bear his children..."

In matters of marriage, the great clans were so cold-blooded and cruel as to be almost inhuman.

In extreme cases, they would completely erase human emotion and arrange marriages according to the genetic logic of mating between species, in order to achieve the optimization of the "bloodline."

True Person Rong's research was precisely in the Dao of Alchemy, in bloodlines—professionally slicing and analyzing flesh and blood. She had the deepest insight into this.

"Of course," True Person Rong added, "a formal Dao Companion union is out of the question, but as a 'lover,' he would be the top choice..."

After all, Mo Hua possessed a heavenly appearance, his features too exquisite, his spirit clear and bones elegant, handsome and transcendent, with an aura of pure, icy refinement.

A youth like this, how many direct-line daughters of great clans would want to keep him as their "little lover."

If it were as a lover, then a weak family background would actually be an advantage—easily manipulated at will.

Spiritual roots being slightly inferior wouldn't matter either, since they would only serve as a bed-warmer for secret pleasures, not a Dao Companion displayed in the open.

The affairs behind this were utterly debauched.

True Person Rong could only hint at it, not elaborate further.

Bai Qingcheng naturally understood this all too well, it was precisely what she feared.

"Lover," "paramour," "toy boy," "kept man," "concubine," "honored guest"...

With Mo Hua's looks and talent, he was practically the ultimate candidate for such roles.

In this world, it wasn't just men who were lustful—women were too.

The outwardly resplendent great clans often harbored inner depravity beyond imagination. It wasn't only the men who were wanton; some noble Direct Line Daughters of prestigious families, holding status and power, surpassed them in their pursuit of carnal pleasures.

In every sense, Mo Hua was in danger.

Bai Qingcheng was fully aware of all this, but...

"That may be so..." Bai Qingcheng sighed. "Still, I must find Mo Hua a proper match, so he has a great tree to lean on."

"Marriage arrangements have always been fraught with difficulties."

"Now that Senior Brother is gone, and his parents are merely Rogue Cultivators, if I, as his Martial Aunt, don't look after him, who else will..."

Moreover, Bai Qingcheng knew she had been the one to "split apart the mandarin ducks," and felt a measure of guilt. Thus, she was all the more determined to arrange a good marriage for her young martial nephew.

True Person Rong understood Bai Qingcheng's intentions and didn't see fit to say much, but she found it somewhat strange and asked:

"You say... Mo Hua's parents are Rogue Cultivators?"

Bai Qingcheng's gaze flickered, and she nodded, but to protect Mo Hua's secret, she didn't elaborate.

True Person Rong, however, furrowed her brows slightly, finding it hard to comprehend, and murmured inwardly:

"How could that be... rogue cultivators..."

"How could rogue cultivators produce such a 'monster'..."

...

In the guest room of Little Luan Mountain.

While Bai Qingcheng and True Person Rong were still fretting over his marriage, Spiritual Root inheritance, and bloodline matters, Mo Hua was in his room, activating a Formation to seal off sound, and also using a secret art of the Great Wilderness to block cause and effect.

After doing all this, Mo Hua spread out a blank sheet of paper and wrote two archaic characters upon it:

"Xīrǎng (息=Xi; 壤=Rang)."

Mo Hua stared at these two characters, furrowing his brow, lost in thought.

These were the two characters that Lu Zhenlong, for the sake of secrecy, had written on his palm with wine.

And these two characters were not unfamiliar to Mo Hua.

He pondered for a moment, then took out the Tian Clan Formation Collection gifted to him by Elder Tian of the Earth Sect.

At the very end of the Formation Collection Jade Slip, amidst a pile of nameless, incomplete Formation drafts, were written two plain, bold characters:

Xīrǎng.

Mo Hua's brow furrowed slightly tighter.

What Lu Zhenlong had told him—or rather, the word "Xīrǎng" that Lu Chonglou, the Lu Clan Patriarch, and the Feather Ascension True Person of the Earth Sect frequently mentioned in their conversations...

Could it be the same concept as the "Xīrǎng" in the Tian Clan Formation drafts treasured by Elder Tian?

Mo Hua had previously done some cursory research in cultivation texts.

According to the records, "Xīrǎng" was said to be a divine relic of antiquity, rumored to possess endless regenerative power, a "divine soil" that never diminished and never perished.

But that was merely legend. In the real Cultivation World, did such a divine relic as Xīrǎng truly exist?

Why would the Lu Clan Patriarch and the Earth Sect's Feather Ascension True Person frequently mention this divine relic?

And what connection did the incomplete Formation manuscripts in Elder Tian's Tian Clan Formation Collection have to "Xīrǎng"?

If the grand scheme the Earth Sect and the great clans were pursuing through deep marital alliances and interest-binding was related to 'Xīrǎng'...

Then what exactly was this Xīrǎng?

What cause and effect would it entangle?

And within that cause and effect, what terrifying, unknown secrets would be involved?

Mo Hua sat alone in place, his expression shifting rapidly, his Sea of Consciousness spinning at lightning speed, black and white unconsciously surfacing in the depths of his eyes...

The people, affairs, and cause and effect of Kun Province flashed through Mo Hua's Sea of Consciousness in rapid succession.

"Elder Tian was persecuted..."

"And in Elder Tian's Formation Collection, there are incomplete Formation manuscripts named 'Xīrǎng,' this suggests the term Xīrǎng is very likely related to Formations..."

"Lu Chonglou and the Earth Sect's Feather Ascension True Person frequently discuss Xīrǎng, indicating this matter involves enormous stakes, enormous benefits, and enormous scale..."

"Xīrǎng is a legendary divine relic of antiquity, related to 'earth,' endlessly regenerative..."

"Related to Formations, with enormous benefits, enormous scale, and related to earth..."

The answer was on the verge of emerging.

As cause and effect surged and sank, a flash of insight struck Mo Hua's mind, and his heart jolted involuntarily:

"The Earth Sect and the Four Great Clans... could they be planning to jointly construct a grand Formation connected to that ancient divine relic..."

"The Earth-Soil Element Xīrǎng Grand Formation!!"

...

Translator Note:

息壤 (Xī Rang) - Self-Growing Soil (Mythical endlessly proliferating soil):

The mythical "Self-Growing Soil" from Chinese mythology, earth that endlessly proliferates and grows, used by Gun to try to control the Great Flood. In Xianxia, it is an incredibly rare and powerful earth-element treasure.

(End of Chapter)