The Xiao family over there, the people he remembers, apart from the Smiling Tiger, are the Howling Celestial Dog.
The Smiling Tiger is the Supervisor in the Taoist Court at Qian Learning State Boundary, whose face carries a smile, but it’s a mere facade without true emotion.
The Howling Celestial Dog is Xiao Tianquan of the Xiao family, who just joined the Taoist Court and has a legion of people striving to earn merit points for him, a distinguished Heavenly Pride of the direct lineage with promising prospects.
The Smiling Tiger is a Supervisor, not something he can personally attend to on all occasions.
Besides him, it could only be the Howling Celestial Dog...
Gu Changhuai, resignedly, "I told you, don’t randomly give people nicknames."
"It’s not my fault; it’s because he chose a bad name..." Mo Hua argued confidently.
Xiao Tianquan, Howling Celestial Dog, almost sounds the same.
Gu Changhuai couldn’t argue with Mo Hua, so he silently acquiesced and continued, "Not only the Ye family’s matters, but over at the Gui Water Sect, the Xiao family indeed maintains close ties with them. In fact, many disciples of the Xiao family originally hail from the Gui Water Sect, having learned its traditions."
"Not only that, I perused through the records of Qian Learning State Boundary over the past two hundred years and discovered many cases involving Sin Cultivators, with traces of the Xiao family’s involvement."
"Some Sin Cultivators were caught, but insufficient evidence led to their release; some received death sentences, only to mysteriously die in the Taoist Prison before the execution; even some Sin Cultivators had questionable identities, one person having two names, or two people sharing one name, with the Xiao family handling the aftermath in the records..."
Mo Hua frowned, "No one investigates the Xiao family for doing these things?"
Gu Changhuai replied indifferently, "No one would investigate."
Mo Hua paused, pondering for a moment, and somewhat understood.
The Taoist Court’s bureaucratic structure is cumbersome, with many idle staff, so tasks lacking tangible benefits naturally get brushed off, bypassed if possible.
As long as the Xiao family maintains discretion and outwardly appears acceptable, no one would voluntarily trouble themselves by going through these old accounts.
Moreover, delving into these old accounts would offend the leading figures of the Taoist Court—the Xiao family.
Anyone with even a bit of insight wouldn’t go stirring up this trouble.
"What about the dead Enforcement Leader?"
"Which one?"
"The one I blew up..." Mo Hua quietly said.
Someone died, and the Xiao family should have reacted somehow.
Gu Changhuai’s expression grew complex, transmitted in a letter, saying:
"The Xiao family came to handle the cancellation of the roster, claiming that one of their Xiao family members fought fiercely against bandits at the Mistwater River, endeavoring with full effort but unfortunately dying at the hands of a ’vicious and fierce’ water bandit."
Mo Hua: "This ’vicious and fierce’ water bandit wouldn’t be me, would it..."
Gu Changhuai: "As long as you know it yourself."
Mo Hua: "..."
Gu Changhuai: "Thus, the matter is officially put to rest, but secretly, the Xiao family won’t let it go so easily. Be careful, and don’t inadvertently let slip anything that could cause trouble for yourself."
Mo Hua: "I understand, thank you, Uncle Gu."
Having said everything necessary, Gu Changhuai added:
"I have other matters to attend to, so no more chatting. The Taoist Court sent a Supervisor down here, and they’re quite difficult, with an abominable temper. These days, I’ll be quite busy too, take care of yourself."
A Supervisor sent down by the Taoist Court?
Mo Hua wanted to ask who this Supervisor was, but Gu Changhuai’s side had already fallen silent.
Mo Hua shook his head.
Uncle Gu is really not transparent at all.
He decided that from now on, any intel would be temporarily withheld from Uncle Gu.
Only when he needed Uncle Gu’s help, would he use these intel for "blackmail"... no, to engage in "equivalent exchange" with Uncle Gu.
Knowledge is valuable, and shouldn’t be disclosed carelessly.
Putting away the Letter Token, Mo Hua sat in the Disciple’s Residence at the table, silently contemplating.
This way, he also has a vague understanding of the situation at Mistwater River.
The Xiao family in the Taoist Court is the "protector".
Gui Water Sect is the apparent master.
Water Yama and the others are the covert henchmen.
Hundred Flower Valley...
Mo Hua was unsure how deeply Hundred Flower Valley was involved, but at least the Instructor Hua over there was responsible for "supplying goods," possibly even "shipping goods."
All these forces together weave a net, covering Mistwater River.
And the center of this net is likely...
Rouge Boat.
Yet, knowing this net, Mo Hua hesitated to take action.
No progress had been made on the Hundred Flower Valley side.
According to Uncle Gu, Hua Ruyu has been overly cautious recently, staying in the Hundred Flower Valley, with hardly any contact with the outside world.
As for the Gui Water Sect, he was utterly unfamiliar with them, nor did he know anyone from the Gui Water Sect, nor had he placed any spies within it.
Water Yama was also hard to catch, not to mention that they couldn’t be apprehended arbitrarily.
Given Water Yama’s alertness and impressive water skills, capturing him next time would require utmost preparedness, meticulous planning, making him escape-proof.
Otherwise, if failed again, exposing his trump card, alerting him, it would be nearly impossible to capture him again.
As for the Xiao family, no need to mention.
Having blown up one of the Xiao family’s Enforcement Leaders, he’s tangled in cause and effect, better stay away from the Xiao family for now.
"It seems like there are clues everywhere, but when actually investigating, it’s hard to find a point of entry..."
Mo Hua sighed.
"What’s the best point of entry?"
In the days that followed, Mo Hua kept pondering this issue, but remained in a stalemate.
Until one day, while having lunch in the Disciple’s Residence cafeteria, Hao Xuan suddenly came looking for him.
"Junior Brother, there’s a situation!"
"A situation?" Mo Hua was startled.
"Yes!" Hao Xuan nodded, his expression earnest, "Someone tried to seduce me!"
At the side, Cheng Mo, who had been drinking, was choked directly. He coughed several times, his face reddening, unable to resist asking:
"Seduce you?"
"Yes!" Hao Xuan looked serious.
"A woman?"
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