Moyan Peak.
The moment he saw Mo Yue Zūnzhǔ, Hua Lei immediately stood and bowed respectfully. The person behind him looked a little excited and also followed suit. "Greetings, Mo Yue Zūnzhǔ!"
Jian Dan smiled, nodded, and sat down, motioning for Hua Lei to speak after taking his seat.
"It's been over a month since we last met. You came to see me today, did you find something?"
"Yes. With your reminder, we sent people to re-investigate the site of Du Yanran's fall. We narrowed down the households within a ten-mile radius. After cross-checking, we believe Du Yanran's body has been seized, and she's already entered a sect to cultivate."
Hua Lei's expression was serious as he reported the Hua family's findings.
"And then?"
Jian Dan gestured for him to continue.
"The Hua family's network compiled records of every sect that accepted disciples in the last six months. We filtered through their new disciples and came up with thirteen suspects. But we can't confirm which one it is."
He pulled out a jade slip from his storage ring and respectfully presented it to Jian Dan.
She hadn't expected the Hua family to move so quickly. They'd already narrowed it down to thirteen, while the Heavenly Sword Sect had recently sent her a list of twenty-five through Wei Zhengrong's jade token.
After sweeping her divine sense through the jade slip, Jian Dan imprinted all thirteen names in her mind and compared them to the Heavenly Sword Sect's list. To her surprise, several overlapped.
That meant both investigations were on the right track, and among the overlapping names, the chance of Du Yanran's possession was high.
She focused on the overlapping section and her gaze fell on a young girl newly accepted into the Flowing Flame Sect. Originally called Tu Ya, she'd renamed herself Du Yunfei. She had a single fire spiritual root, perfect for the Pill Sect, yet chose to enter a second-rate sect like the Flowing Flame Sect.
For a six-year-old with such a strong talent, why would she choose a second-rate sect instead of the prestigious Pill Sect? Even if her elders had opinions, they'd never advise her otherwise. Jian Dan immediately noticed something was off.
"Has this Du Yunfei taken a master in the Flowing Flame Sect?"
At her question, Hua Lei recalled the girl's file and quickly replied, "Du Yunfei has a single fire spiritual root and has already drawn in qi. She hasn't formally taken a master, but she's under the sect's key cultivation program."
He then asked carefully, "Zūnshàng, are you suspecting Du Yunfei's the one possessed by Du Yanran?"
"Yes, the possibility is very high."
Jian Dan set the jade slip down on the blood jade table. "So, you came to have me confirm it?"
"Forgive me, I could only filter it down this far. After reporting to you, we plan to plant flower seals on all thirteen suspects to track them. The Hua family couldn't confirm her because we didn't find traces of possession, so…"
Jian Dan smiled knowingly. Du Yanran was still capable, hiding the signs of possession so well. That must've been part of her preparations before taking a body, a calculated effort.
"You've already gone to great lengths. Since that's the case, let's go meet these thirteen children."
Hua Lei's respect for Mo Yue Zūnshàng deepened again. She never demanded too much, always handled things with balance. She made the Hua family feel indebted without ever inspiring resentment.
"Hua Lei and Hua Man will follow your orders at any time."
Both Hua Lei and the man behind him, Hua Man, answered in unison.
Jian Dan acted decisively. She sent messages to Mo Zhang and Mo Su, telling them she was leaving the sect on private business and would return within three days. Then she beckoned Chun Yu, who was waiting at a distance.
"Zūnshàng, your command?"
"I'll be gone for two days. Guard the sect."
"Yes!"
"Let's go."
Jian Dan tore open the void and stepped into it with Hua Lei and Hua Man. Their first stop was the Pill Sect.
The Pill Sect had a Mahayana Zhēnzūn guarding it, so Jian Dan didn't want to cause unnecessary conflict. She took the two straight to the marketplace outside the sect.
"Zūnshàng, this way. The Hua family has an information hall and shops in this marketplace. Please wait while I have the steward summon those five disciples."
Clearly prepared, Hua Lei entered a modest storefront marked "General Store."
Inside, the space was expanded with formations, around a hundred square meters. The steward was sorting accounts, but when he saw the Hua family's future head, he rushed forward and bowed. "Greetings, Young Master Hua Lei."
"Good. Do what I told you before. I'll wait in the inner hall."
Hua Lei handed him his double-lotus identity token. After checking it, the steward respectfully returned it and guided them inside.
The inner hall was only thirty square meters, furnished with agarwood chairs and tables, a four-panel double-sided screen painted with twin lotuses, perfectly matching the Hua family's style. Two pots of lush green vines stood at the entrance.
Jian Dan only glanced at them and the vines trembled uncontrollably. She found it amusing and used her fan to hide her smile.
Embarrassed, Hua Lei whispered to Hua Man, "Move those eyesores outside."
Hua Man agreed it was disrespectful to let them stay and quickly swept them away to the front hall. Soon, he returned with spirit tea and dried fruits.
Hua Lei nodded in satisfaction, thinking it was wise to bring Hua Man along this time.
"Zūnshàng, please wait a bit. The five from the Pill Sect already have ties with the Hua family. We promised them rare herbs, pills, and information, so they should arrive soon."
Jian Dan nodded, her eyes shifting to Hua Man. "So, Hua Shisan, you finally got your wish and joined the Hua family's main branch?"
Excited, Hua Man bowed and answered loudly, "Yes! Zūnshàng, you still remember me?"
His eyes widened in joy.
"Of course. I still owe you a question, don't I? All these years and you never sent me a message."
"Hua Shisan has been focused on cultivating in the clan. I didn't dare waste the chance I earned, so I kept your transmission talisman safe, using it to motivate myself."
"You've got solid foundations. Already in Nascent Soul, that's not bad at all."
Jian Dan lightly waved her fan as she chatted casually with the Hua family's future heir.
She'd recognized him back at Mo Flame Peak. Hua Shisan had changed in appearance, stature, and cultivation, but she could still see traces of the boy from back then.
What confirmed it for her was his plant beast, a descendant of Liu Chuan's line. Even before she landed, Liu Chuan had already warned her.
Hua Lei wasn't surprised by their exchange. He'd deliberately invited someone Mo Yue Zūnshàng had ties with.
Hua Shisan had a clean record, was loyal to the Hua family, and had bonded with a companion plant beast back in his Foundation Establishment stage. That bond had propelled his cultivation forward until he entered the main branch.
It had taken him a hundred years to reach Nascent Soul, and the family was now grooming him as a key figure. That's why Hua Lei had brought him along to help handle the Du Yanran matter.
"They're here!"