Chapter 251: Kong Sheng
"Kong Sheng?" Mo Hua frowned in confusion. "Was this a Kong family caravan?"
Yu Chengyi shook his head. "Just an ordinary caravan, carrying pills. They were passing through Qingxuan City, on their way to Tongxian City to do business."
Mo Hua didn't quite understand. "Then why was the young master of the Kong family in this caravan?"
Yu Chengyi's expression grew hard to read. "Apparently, he wanted to come personally, kill Ji Qingbai and his son, and take Fu Lan back…"
Mo Hua fell silent for a moment and asked, "Is he a Foundation Establishment cultivator…"
Yu Chengyi sighed. "Same as you—Qi Refining, seventh layer…"
Mo Hua's expression mirrored his exasperation. He muttered, "Has this guy's brain been eaten by pigs?"
Going out alone with a caravan, even venturing into the inner mountains of the Great Black Mountain—does he even know how to spell 'death'?
Yu Chengyi continued, "They say Kong Sheng was spoiled from childhood, selfish and extreme in temperament. Growing up, he got whatever he wanted and did whatever he pleased, and no one dared oppose him. He had a history of beating fellow cultivators and forcibly taking female disciples, yet no one dared intervene…"
"Later, on the streets, he saw Fu Lan's beauty and developed wicked intentions, wanting her as his concubine. Fu Lan refused, and he pushed her to the limit, causing the death of her mother. Finally, Ji Qingbai and his son, enraged, beat him up—but still didn't dare kill him."
"Kong Sheng was furious and had the Kong family's cultivators pursue the Ji father and son. Later, he even bribed criminal cultivators to vent his anger."
"But the criminal cultivators failed, and in a fit of rage, Kong Sheng tried to come personally. The Kong family opposed it, so he disguised himself and secretly followed the caravan toward Tongxian City."
Yu Chengyi recounted everything in detail.
Mo Hua listened in disbelief. This Kong Sheng was even more foolish than Qian Xing.
At least Qian Xing knew to bring a group of underlings as his lackeys and rarely left the city.
This Kong Sheng, without a single companion, dared to venture out alone, and even thought he could kill people himself.
Does he think no one dares to kill him?
"So he spent spirit stones hiring criminal cultivators to kill people, then disguised himself and went out of the city, only to be killed by the same criminal cultivators?" Mo Hua said slowly.
"In short, yes…" Yu Chengyi's expression was complicated. "But whether he was actually killed isn't certain, he may have just been kidnapped."
Mo Hua felt a sense of satisfaction and laughed. "Serves him right. If he was killed, all the better. If he's alive, he's just a waste of spirit stones."
Yu Chengyi couldn't help but laugh as well, then sighed after a moment. "But this situation does complicate things."
"Why would it matter to us whether he lives or dies?" Mo Hua asked.
"Kong Sheng has a grudge against the Ji father and son, and since he disappeared in the Great Black Mountain, the Kong family suspects the Ji Family and wants us to hand him over."
Mo Hua raised an eyebrow. "They're dreaming. Who do they think they are?"
Yu Chengyi nodded. "They've really overstepped."
Mo Hua asked worriedly, "Can we take on the Kong family?"
Yu Chengyi smiled. "Relax. Even the Qian family can't touch us now, let alone an outside family like the Kongs. If they dare to make trouble, the blades in our hands aren't for show."
Mo Hua nodded in relief. "If they dare come, we'll just cut them all down—none of them are good people anyway!"
Yu Chengyi continued, "Though they may not dare come, they will likely apply pressure through the Qingxuan City Dao Court."
"The Qingxuan City Dao Court can intervene in Tongxian City affairs?"
"That's a matter for their Dao Court. I'm not clear on the specifics. We'll just handle it step by step."
"Mm," Mo Hua nodded.
After that, Yu Chengyi parted ways with Mo Hua to meet Elder Yu.
...
Mo Hua was curious, and when Zhang Lan came to the restaurant for a drink, he asked, "What happened with the Kong family young master?"
Zhang Lan had just sat down, barely sipping his drink, and sighed.
He had only recently heard the matter from the master of the Dao Court, and Mo Hua was already interrogating him.
"How do you know everything?" Zhang Lan asked.
"That's not important," Mo Hua waved him off, eyes sharp. "Will the Qingxuan City Dao Court intervene?"
Zhang Lan sighed.
Well, he hadn't even answered yet, and Mo Hua was already moving on to a second question.
In Tongxian City, Mo Hua knew far too many people—from the Dao Court Division Chief to Demon hunters all over the mountains, even the kids running errands on the streets. He probably knew everyone by name.
Knowing about Kong Sheng was normal, and likely, they would need Mo Hua's help.
Zhang Lan explained, "The current conclusion from the Dao Court is that the Kong family young master was kidnapped by criminal cultivators. We need to enter the mountains to catch them and rescue him."
"He's not dead?"
Mo Hua felt a twinge of regret.
Zhang Lan winked. "Do you wish he were dead?"
Mo Hua nodded honestly. "A miserable death is fine too."
Zhang Lan paused, then thought Mo Hua had a point. If Kong Sheng died, Qingxuan City would lose a troublemaker.
"Even so, we still need to find him. Qingxuan City Dao Court Division will also send people to assist us."
"How many will they send?"
"Not many, at most three or four. Fewer and it won't help; more and it may seem like interference in our Dao Court's work—bad for etiquette."
"Three or four is fine." Mo Hua nodded, then asked, "Will the Kong family send anyone?"
Zhang Lan drank and looked at Mo Hua knowingly. "The Qingxuan City Dao Court is essentially Kong family people, isn't it?"
"Oh~" Mo Hua understood.
Everyone in Qingxuan City knew how things worked. The Kongs acted through the Dao Court—legitimate and efficient.
"The matter will probably require your help," Zhang Lan said.
"I won't go," Mo Hua rejected outright.
For other things, he would help out of respect for Zhang Lan, but not this.
People like Kong Sheng—he'd be lucky to get a trip to the afterlife via a Groundfire Formation. No way was he wasting time rescuing him.
"Don't refuse yet," Zhang Lan smiled. "It's not about saving Kong Sheng—it's about those criminal cultivators. Don't you want to catch them?"
"That bald one?"
"Yes," Zhang Lan nodded. "Leaving him in the mountains is a hazard. If he gathers other criminals and becomes a force, hunting demons in the mountains would be much more dangerous."
Mo Hua still hesitated.
Zhang Lan added, "After it's done, the Dao Court Division will give you a reward."
"A reward?" Mo Hua's eyes lit up. "What reward?"
"You'll see later, you won't lose out," Zhang Lan said with a smile.
"Tell me now," Mo Hua pressed, curious about the Dao Court's reward.
Zhang Lan just teased, "Catch the Bald Monk, and you'll naturally know the reward."
Mo Hua blinked and grinned. "If you don't tell me, I won't help."
Zhang Lan didn't budge. "Then don't. But don't regret it later."
Zhang Lan was clever… he didn't give up the hare before releasing the hawk.
Mo Hua sighed. "Fine."
He wanted to catch that bald Monk anyway. It was a perfect opportunity, and he could also snag some benefit from the Dao Court Division.
(End of Chapter)