Human Skin Lantern 4

After entering the city, Xiao Congzhi and Mo Huan did not return to Yuelai Inn, but went directly to the Martial Alliance.

When Mo Huan returned Xu Shuyan, Xu Tan, who had been worried all night, agreed to let Mo Huan stay at the Martial Alliance after Xu Shuyan insisted on staying there.

"You'd better be careful not to let Xu Tan take it seriously, or you'll have a hard time getting away." Xiao Congzhi glanced at the accommodations the Martial Alliance had arranged for Mo Huan and said with a hint of sarcasm.

Mo Huan asked slyly, "Congzhi, are you jealous?"

"..."

"Don't call me that! And won't you return the favor?" You see, all the way here, Xiao Congzhi, who was filled with regret for revealing his courtesy name due to lust, had been asking Mo Huan's real name.

But Mo Huan just wouldn't say!

"You'll know when the time is right. Don't rush it."

"..." Xiao Congzhi was at a disadvantage, his tone unpleasant, "Are you going to the front hall right now?"

"Yes, the leaders of Shaolin, Wudang and Xueshan Sect have arrived. Xu Tan will be hosting a banquet in the front hall tonight."

"Why would Xu Tan summon the leaders of the nine major sects?" This was something Xiao Congzhi hadn't been able to figure out these past few days, so he wanted to hear Mo Huan's thoughts.

To everyone's surprise, Mo Huan's expression turned slightly strange, and he stammered, "How would I know?"

"You know that?!"

"Cough cough..."

"I suddenly felt a little jealous. To prevent you from flirting with a beautiful woman in the front hall, I plan to go with you."

"..."

On the way to the front hall, Mo Huan couldn't help but expose her, saying, "Xu Shuyan will never go to the front hall."

"That's hard to say; people from the martial arts world don't care about trivial matters."

"..."

When Xiao Congzhi and Mo Huan arrived at the front hall, the banquet had not yet started, but most of the guests had already arrived, all with smiles on their faces, chatting and exchanging pleasantries.

Mo Huan straightened his clothes and walked gracefully through the bustling crowd to Xu Tan.

"Alliance Leader Xu, I was delayed by some matters, but fortunately I made it in time."

Xu Tan was chatting with someone when he saw Mo Huan arrive. He smiled and said loudly, "Not late, you've come at the right time. This is Ji Buyu, the leader of the Snow Mountain Sect."

"This junior has met you."

Xu Tan was somewhat satisfied with the impolite manners and introduced Mo Huan to Ji Buyu: "This is the chivalrous swordsman who saved my daughter last night."

Ji Buyu was actually about the same age as Mo Huan, but he had a full head of white hair and looked like a wise and venerable man. He was also a kind and easy-going person. Upon hearing this, he praised, "Young and promising, with extraordinary bearing, a truly formidable young man."

Xiao Congzhi followed behind Mo Huan, silently observing Xu Tan. Although the man was middle-aged, he appeared young due to his martial arts skills, with an upright posture and an air of authority befitting a high position. Xiao Congzhi was unaware of the real reason Xu Tan had concealed the disappearance case and remained highly suspicious of him.

"And who is this?" Xu Tan was a martial arts expert after all, and he was quite sensitive to the gazes directed at him, so it was not difficult for him to notice Xiao Congzhi.

"This is my friend," Mo Huan said, seizing the opportunity to introduce him. "Xiao Congzhi also fought off that villain last night."

Xiao Cong stepped forward, concealing the suspicion and probing in his eyes, and put on a humble and approachable smile, giving a junior's bow: "Greetings, Alliance Leader Xu."

This gentlemanly demeanor, with impeccable manners and neither servile nor arrogant, immediately eased Xu Tan's guard. He smiled and accepted the greeting, then invited Xiao Congzhi to take his seat.

Under the hazy moonlight and as the lanterns were lit, amidst the music of strings and bamboo instruments, and with wine, songs, and dances, the banquet of Alliance Leader Xu, whose meaning was unclear, officially began.

Xiao Congzhi and Mo Huan, being juniors and unaffiliated with any sect or faction, were seated in the outer corner.

Xiao Congzhi held his wine cup but didn't drink. He glanced at the group of martial arts figures sitting at the head of the table, seemingly casually.

"The Qingcheng Sect leader and Xu Tan have a very good relationship."

Mo Huan glanced over and echoed, "Xu Tan intends to betroth his only daughter to Jiang Xu, the son of the Qingcheng Sect leader. The two families must have a good relationship."

Xiao Congzhi tapped Mo Huan's wine glass and teased, "You even flirt with the person you're engaged to?"

When Mo Huan saw Xiao Congzhi's expression that said "I misjudged you," he cried out that he was wronged: "Xu Shuyan did not agree, which is why she left the mansion last night. However, Xu Tan seemed to be insisting on getting engaged when Xu Shuyan came of age. He also asked the prefect to cover up the disappearance case for this reason."

Xiao Congzhi had long suspected that Mo Huan had planted people in the Martial Alliance, so upon hearing this, he understood why Xu Tan had suppressed the disappearance case. However, he still didn't understand and asked, "Xu Shuyan is so beautiful that she could be described as stunningly beautiful. Why is Xu Tan in such a hurry?"

“Hmm…” Mo Huan hesitated for a moment, then felt there was nothing wrong with saying it, and replied, “I heard it’s a curse.”

"curse?"

"I don't know much about it. I heard that when Madam Xu was pregnant, she was cursed and could not give birth smoothly. Xu Tan and Madam Xu went to great lengths to find a Taoist priest to break the curse, but the Taoist priest could only break half of it. Madam Xu's life was exchanged for the child's fifteen years of life. After that, the child would have to be betrothed to someone else and take another family name in order to completely escape the cursed fate."

"Such an absurd thing?"

"Because Madam Xu did indeed die in childbirth, Xu Tan had no choice but to believe it and kept looking for a suitable marriage for Xu Shuyan." After a pause, Mo Huan continued, "To be honest, after learning about the existence of the Qilin blood, these things didn't seem so absurd."

These words touched on something that Xiao Congzhi was concerned about. Speaking of Qilin blood, there was a question he had always forgotten to ask: "How do you know how to use Qilin blood?"

"Young Master Mo! What are you doing sitting here?"

Before Mo Huan could answer, a woman's clear voice rang in his ears. This person was none other than Xu Shuyan.

Knowing that a banquet was being held in the front hall and that Mo Huan was among the invitees, Xu Shuyan, whose heart was fluttering with romantic feelings, naturally couldn't resist coming out. She dressed up carefully, picked out a newly tailored dress, and rushed to the front hall.

Xu Shuyan was not disappointed. Although he was sitting in the corner, Mo Huan's brilliance could not be ignored. His dark blue robe with gold trim and intricate patterns shone brightly in the moonlight. His long hair, like a waterfall, fell over his shoulders and was only half tied up with a hair tie.

Xu Shuyan approached with a flushed face and saw Mo Huan's well-defined hands holding a white jade wine cup, bringing it to his lips. Mo Huan's lips were very prominent and beautiful, and when moistened with wine, they were especially captivating.

Hearing the noise, Mo Huan turned his head, somewhat surprised, and asked politely, "What brings Miss Xu here?"

"I…"

"Shuyan! What are you doing here? What kind of behavior is this!" Xu Tan, sitting in the main seat, naturally noticed his daughter. His face darkened, and he was very displeased. Before Xu Shuyan could explain, Xu Tan continued, "Come here. Don't run around!"

Seeing her father's serious expression, Xu Shuyan didn't dare to lose face for the leader of the martial arts alliance in front of so many people. She apologized to Mo Huan and then walked to stand beside Xu Tan.

Xiao Congzhi glanced at Xu Shuyan's shy expression, then at Mo Huan sitting to the side, and cursed inwardly for being such a troublemaker.

"Huh? Didn't you say Xu Shuyan wouldn't come?"

Mo Huan blinked, remaining calm: "You didn't come here for this at all."

"Who said that? How could I not care if the person I admire has a close female friend?"

This was the first time they had openly laid their unspoken feelings to the surface. Mo Huan couldn't help but be moved, and the tips of his ears secretly turned red. He was unusually candid: "Even if she isn't my confidante, I won't let down the person I admire." As he spoke, Mo Huan quietly reached out and placed his hand on Xiao Congzhi's hand, which was hanging by his side.

Xiao Congzhi felt his face burning, but he could still manage to cope. He pulled his hand back and said sarcastically, "Your words sound nice, but you didn't even reveal your name. Who knows if it's true or not? You're probably thinking of enjoying the blessings of having two wives."

Mo Huan gripped the hand that was trying to escape tightly and hissed, "Xiao Congzhi, you!"

Xiao Congzhi said calmly, "Congzhi is my courtesy name, but unfortunately, my surname is not Xiao. Your full name is not very intimidating."

"..." Of course, Mo Huan would not fall for the trick and be provoked into revealing his name. He simply held Xiao Congzhi's hand tightly and said nothing more.

"What does Young Master Mo think?"

"???" Mo Huan's mind was completely focused on Xiao Congzhi, and he hadn't paid any attention to what was happening with Xu Tan. He was puzzled as to how the topic had turned to him.

Xiao Congzhi had been keeping a close eye on Xu Tan. Seeing Mo Huan's bewildered expression, he kindly went over and, not wanting to miss out on the fun, offered his explanation: "Xu Tan is asking if you'd like to spar with Hua Nanzhou, the eldest disciple of the Diancang Sect."

"???"

Xiao Congzhi looked at Mo Huan with a smile, his eyebrows curving upwards.

"Young Master Mo, are you afraid?" Hua Nanzhou, sitting not far away, couldn't contain his impatience and urged him in an unpleasant tone.

Mo Huan quickly racked his brains, and based on his knowledge of the relationships between these people, he could roughly piece together a possibility.

Now that Xu Shuyan was by Xu Tan's side, Xu Tan would inevitably take advantage of the presence of the Qingcheng Sect leader to bring up the matter of marriage. Given Xu Shuyan's personality, she would probably bluntly say on the spot that she was unwilling and then casually mention that she already had someone she loved. In this way, Hua Nanzhou, who had been fawning over Xu Shuyan, would then suggest exchanging a few blows.

In fact, Mo Huan's guess was largely correct. Xu Shuyan hadn't explicitly stated that she had someone she loved, but her behavior of heading straight for Mo Huan just now said a lot. The Qingcheng Sect leader was a carefree person, and his son Jiang Xu was a martial arts fanatic. He was originally indifferent to this marriage, so he went along with it when he heard about it.

However, Hua Nanzhou was not so happy. If Jiang Xu withdrew, then it would be his turn. So he took the initiative to challenge Mo Huan to a duel. In Hua Nanzhou's view, how could he, as the direct disciple of the Diancang Sect, one of the nine major sects of the martial arts world, possibly lose to a young man who was completely unknown in the martial arts world? He not only wanted to defeat Mo Huan, but also to make Mo Huan look foolish in front of Xu Shuyan.

"Of course not," Mo Huan replied. "It's just that I didn't bring a suitable weapon today. Are we going to fight bare-handed?"

The Diancang Sect excels in swordsmanship, and if they fight bare-handed, it will limit the strength of Hua Nan Prefecture. As soon as Mo Huan said this, he became timid and had already lost half a point before the match even started.

Hua Nanzhou laughed heartily, placed his sword on the low table, stood up, and said, "Of course!"

Hua Nanzhou was extremely tall, estimated to be a head taller than Mo Huan, nearly two meters. Xiao Congzhi glanced at him casually and understood why Xu Shuyan disliked him; Hua Nanzhou was muscular, dark-skinned, and his features were not particularly handsome.

Mo Huan was annoyed and didn't want to make a move here, not to mention Xiao Congzhi was teasing him in the background: "Is this what they call a romantic debt?"

Mo Huan turned his head away and looked at Huanan Prefecture. "Alright, then I'll ask for your guidance."

After speaking, Mo Huan stood up and walked towards the center of the stage.

When Hua Nanzhou and Mo Huan stood facing each other, the difference in their height and build became even more apparent. After a moment of eye contact, Hua Nanzhou struck out with a palm, which Mo Huan dodged to the side.

Immediately afterwards, Hua Nanzhou launched another side kick, aiming straight for Mo Huan's knee. Mo Huan dodged twice and avoided it again.

Thus, Mo Huan mainly focused on defense and rarely made any moves, while Huananzhou launched a fierce offensive with extremely fast and heavy movements.

"Mo Huan is mainly hiding."

"His two attacks just now were not only neutralized by Hua Shaoxia, but he was also pushed back and injured. He probably doesn't dare to attack again."

"The internal energy cultivation method of the Diancang Sect is not outstanding. The one that Miss Xu has taken a liking to is not very good."

As Mo Huan and Hua Nanzhou sparred on the field, the people off the field were also discussing it. Although no one present thought that Mo Huan, who had no legitimate reason to fight, could defeat Hua Nanzhou, they had not expected to be suppressed like this.

These words also made Xu Shuyan feel uneasy. Thinking back to the previous night, it was actually Mo Huan's friend who had attacked him, not Mo Huan himself...

Seeing that his goal had been achieved, Hua Nanzhou was overjoyed. He circulated his inner energy, gathering it in his palm, intending to end this uninteresting duel with a single palm strike.

Mo Huan understood this perfectly. He also redirected his inner strength to protect his heart, intending to send this place to the control of Huanan Prefecture, so as to cut off Xu Shuyan's thoughts and prevent Xiao Congzhi from having anything to say.

"Smack!"

With a single palm strike, Mo Huan was sent flying. Hua Nanzhou stared blankly at his own hand. He hadn't intended to attack the heart; his strike had been too powerful, and he was worried about losing control...

"Huananzhou, you've gone too far!" Xu Shuyan saw Mo Huan fly away and, disregarding everything else, immediately cursed Huananzhou before running towards Mo Huan.

After being knocked away, Mo Huan didn't fall to the ground in a sorry state; he was caught by a man who rushed over.

Yun Shaocheng, who had come to attend the banquet, was also stunned when he caught Mo Huan flying towards him from the side.

Mo Huan coughed up a mouthful of blood. Before pretending to faint, he mustered his strength to say to the person who had caught him, "Thank you."

Yun Shaocheng was still out of the loop and hadn't had time to do anything when Mo Huan was picked up by Xiao Congzhi, who arrived immediately.

Xiao Congzhi coldly swept his gaze across the entire room, then said to Xu Tan, who was sitting in the main seat, "Alliance Leader Xu, we thought this was just a friendly sparring match that ended there."

Xu Tan also felt somewhat apologetic, but he was pleased that Mo Huan had been defeated by Huanan. He simply said politely, "There are always unexpected events in martial arts competitions. I will arrange for someone to treat Young Hero Mo. Rest assured, the Martial Alliance will not stand idly by."

At this point, Mo Huan coughed up another mouthful of blood, his eyes half-open, looking very weak.

"Then please, Alliance Leader, hurry and fetch a doctor." After saying that, Xiao Congzhi turned and left with Mo Huan in his arms, not giving Xu Shuyan, who was a step behind him, any chance to speak.

After Xiao Congzhi and Mo Huan left, some people criticized Xiao Congzhi for his rudeness, but the topic quickly faded away. They were just unknown figures in the martial arts world; no one would even mention that Xiao Congzhi had acted inappropriately.

"Can you open your eyes now?"

Mo Huan nestled in Xiao Congzhi's arms with her eyes closed, saying, "What if there are Xu Tan's spies here..."

With their internal strength, it was impossible for them not to notice that there was no one around. Besides, why would Xu Tan inexplicably arrange for spies to watch over two wandering swordsmen?

Xiao Congzhi didn't know how to refute this for a moment, so he changed the subject: "Is your kung fu so shameful?"

"Didn't you already guess most of it?" Mo Huan paused for a moment and then said, "The leaders of the nine major sects will be in Xiacheng soon, and I don't want to take any risks."

So what are your plans now?

"Pretend to be seriously injured, so that Xu Tan won't kick us out."

“…”

"Ten days from now is Xu Shuyan's coming-of-age ceremony. I guess Xu Tan will make a move after that."

Xiao Congzhi thought to himself, "Is this what you're going to do next?" But he said aloud, "Alright, I'll investigate the missing persons case again in the next few days."

The two of them had been in Haining for a few days and had uncovered the truth about the Guo Shaoyu case, but made no progress on the missing persons case.

"Shouldn't you stay and take care of me?"

"..." After a long pause, Xiao Congzhi finally managed to say, "If you were using internal energy to force the blood out, I could understand that you were suffering from internal injuries. But you bit your tongue and spat out the blood!"

"..." Mo Huan silently tightened his arms around Xiao Congzhi's waist.

"..." Never mind.