The Quest for Immortality-Chapter 938: Tea House (3)
Some women, however, were forced.
Their personal belongings were stolen or snatched by Flower Gentleman afterward, to be used for extortion and threats.
Such items weren't quite appropriate to hand over to the Taoist Court.
Thoughtfully considering the plights of these women, Murong Caiyun and Hua Qianqian returned these personal belongings privately to those oppressed, pitiful women.
Whether it was escorting them or returning their belongings, both tasks required a bit of time.
Everyone split up to handle their responsibilities and decided to reconvene outside Luan Mountain City before heading back to their Sect.
These affairs didn't require Mo Hua's involvement.
With nothing to do, Mo Hua looked at the scenery outside of Luan Mountain City, waiting for his senior brothers and sisters.
As he waited, Mo Hua grew hungry. He released his Divine Sense and spotted a teahouse not far away, nestled between the green hills and clear waters.
Mo Hua's eyes lit up and he sent a message to Murong Caiyun,
"Sister, I'll be at the teahouse outside the city waiting for you!"
He then used the Water Passing Step, nimbly leaping down mountain paths, and happily arrived at the teahouse.
The teahouse wasn't large, but they had erected a canopy and set up quite a few tables outside.
A few scattered Cultivators were there, nibbling on dry fruits and sipping cold tea, chatting sporadically.
The owner, an elderly man hunchbacked with age, asked with a warm smile,
"Young master, would you like some tea?"
Mo Hua, mainly hungry, inquired,
"Elder, do you have anything to eat?"
The old man regretfully replied, "I only have some dry fruits for tea, and some pastries, but not many order them. I'm afraid they might not suit the young master's taste..."
"No matter, give me a large bowl of noodles!"
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"Very well," the elder replied with a smile, "Just a moment, young master."
Mo Hua chose a table with a pleasant view of the wind and water, and that looked clean to sit at.
Soon, the noodles were brought to him.
They looked decent enough. Mo Hua gave them a taste. While not exactly delicious, they weren't bad either. He wasn't particularly picky, so he focused and slurped up the noodles with gusto.
As he ate, Mo Hua's thoughts returned to the mission at hand.
Flower Gentleman...
If he remembered correctly, the name "Flower Gentleman" was also on Boss Jiang's "list."
So was Flower Gentleman a renegade disciple from a Sect in the Qianxue State Boundary?
Why had he suddenly appeared in Luan Mountain City?
Previously at the Taoist Court, Mo Hua had perused the dossier on Flower Gentleman.
Flower Gentleman was very cautious; he frequented Cities of Immortals outside the Qianxue State Boundary, in more remote areas.
The management from the Taoist Court in those cities was lax, the morals loose, with plenty of red-light districts.
A perfect hideout for rapists.
But why would he suddenly come to a place like Luan Mountain City to prey on female practitioners from minor families?
Was he overrun by his Evil Skills during Cultivation?
Had his cravings overwhelmed him?
Surely he didn't really believe that in a Second Grade State Border, no one would be able to catch him...
Mo Hua held the large bowl, slurping noodles thoughtfully.
Suddenly, voices arose. Mo Hua looked up and saw a group of Cultivators arriving.
The leader was tall with a kindly face, followed by two stout men and a skinny one.
"Two pots of tea, two plates of dried meat, and four plates of candied fruits..."
They ordered their refreshments and settled in a corner to talk quietly among themselves.
Mo Hua initially paid them no mind, focusing on his noodles, but his keen Divine Sense and hearing picked up, faintly hearing the words "Hua Liulang."
"Hua Liulang?"
Mo Hua paused, thinking he might have misheard, so he slowed his eating and perked his ears to listen more carefully.
After a while, the group mentioned again,
"Hua Liulang..."
"... why hasn't he arrived yet?"
"We agreed on..."
Something in Mo Hua's mind felt amiss.
This Hua Liulang...
Could he actually be Flower Gentleman?
Were they part of the same group?
Mo Hua did not show any change in expression, continuing to eat his noodles with his head down, but his Divine Sense had already extended to the extreme, eavesdropping on their every word.
"...missed the hour... can you afford such a delay?"
"Troublesome thing..."
"As much piss and shit as a lazy donkey grinding grain..."
"Practicing such useless Cultivation Technique, can't control his lower half, truly a waste..."
"Who knows... which whore's bed he's lying in now..."
"Wouldn't die on... some belly, would he..."
"He'd deserve it anyway..."
...
Mo Hua frowned as he listened, finding the more he heard, the more likely it seemed.
He always felt that the "Flower Gentleman" they mentioned was the same rapist he and his brothers and sisters had just captured—Hua Liulang.
What to do?
Find a way to capture them?
Set up the Earth Fire Formation and take them all out at once?
...
Mo Hua shook his head.
Uncertain of the full situation, not knowing the foundation, it would be bad if he hastily made a move and caused a misunderstanding.
Moreover, he had not been able to see their cultivation levels in his haste.
If these several people were all at the Foundation Establishment Initial Stage, it would be fine, but if they were at the Middle Stage, it would be more troublesome.
The Earth Fire Formation was only a Thirteen Patterns formation.
It could hurt those at the Foundation Building Middle Stage but might not be able to kill them.
Above the Thirteen Patterns, following Elder Master Xun's guidance, he had learned mostly production-oriented formations or Trapping Formations, and few Killing Formations.
Furthermore, with his current level of Divine Sense, he was not yet able to instantly form a Killing Formation above Thirteen Patterns.
Acting in a dozen breaths' time was a bit too slow.
It was broad daylight, and the Formation Patterns were too conspicuous and easy to be discovered by others.
He needed to be more prudent.
Mo Hua silently said to himself.
"Finish eating the noodles first, and then..."
"Wait for the brothers and sisters to arrive, get some assistance before figuring out how to capture these cultivators, and ask them clearly..."
Otherwise, it would be too reckless to act alone, and the risk was somewhat high.
Mo Hua made up his mind and continued to eat his noodles in peace.
But knowing oneself and the enemy, one could fight without danger.
Mo Hua still took the time to observe these several people out of the corner of his eye, seeing if he could discern their cultivation level and the details of their Taoist Skills.
This group of cultivators was four in total.
Two brawny men who seemed to follow the Body Refinement path had strong Blood Qi that was well-contained.
Mo Hua was too close, and not knowing the details, he dared not use his Divine Sense to probe too deeply, to avoid alerting them.
Additionally, there was a thin man, looking sullen.
He appeared to be a Spiritual Cultivator, but it was unclear what Spell path he practiced.
Among the four, the leader was a tall cultivator with a benign face.
While the few cultivators at the same table chatted and cursed "Flower Gentleman," he remained silent, just drinking tea and eating candied fruit.
He didn't touch the dried meat on the table at all.
Mo Hua found this very strange and slightly shifted his gaze to take another look at this cultivator.
But with just one look, Mo Hua felt a shock in his heart, an unfamiliar sense of familiarity washing over him as if this person was the one he was looking for.
But he didn't recognize him at all...
Mo Hua frowned, taking another glance at this leading cultivator, his pupils slightly contracted.
Tall stature, benevolent brows and kind eyes...
His robe was the usual attire of a cultivator, but just beneath the sleeve, a small strip of red garment with gold Patterns peeked out.
His head had thick hair tied into a bun, but hidden deeply within the bun were a few fiery red spots...
A red Kasaya, fiery dots as scars...
He was...
Mo Hua's pupils shocked.
The Fire Buddha?!
