Chapter 1207: Chapter 714 Bottleneck_3 "Elder Master..." Mo Hua felt somewhat embarrassed to accept it. "No worries," Elder Master Xun’s expression was reassuring, even accompanied by a gentle smile, as he looked at Mo Hua and hinted, "Speaking of which, Taixu Gate truly owes them a huge favor." A huge favor... Mo Hua nodded. So that was the reason... There was such a connection involved. It is said that the two great families of Shangguan Wenren, along with Taia Chongxu and Taixu Gate, had some old ties. It was quite normal for them to have some exchanges of favors. It was just unknown what kind of matter could make Taixu Gate owe a favor... Mo Hua was very curious in his heart. But such exchanges of favors at the level of sects and great families were not something he could investigate. Mo Hua respectfully accepted the calligraphy and said with a smile: "Thank you, Elder Master!" Elder Master Xun stroked his beard, nodding with satisfaction. Afterward, Mo Hua took a ride, left Taixu Gate, and went to the Gu Family. The Gu Family house was adorned with lights and colors, festive but not ostentatious, lively and celebratory. Gu Changhuai was still busy with the affairs of the Taoist Court and seemed only able to return in the evening. With the year-end approaching, Wenren Wan was also occupied with many matters, and Mo Hua did not get to see her. Instead, it was Yu Er who, upon seeing Mo Hua, cheered joyfully and threw himself into Mo Hua’s embrace. Wenren Wei then said: "Miss Wan is held up by some matters and will only be free during the evening banquet. Young Master Mo, why not take Master Yu Er around for a stroll? Qingzhou City is quite lively during the festive season." Yu Er looked at Mo Hua cheerfully. Mo Hua also smiled and nodded. With New Year’s just a few days away, Qingzhou City was indeed bustling with festive spirit. Always occupied with formation painting, Mo Hua, who hadn’t had a break for a long time, also felt playful. He took Yu Er and strolled through the bustling Qingzhou City for the entire day. Along the way, there were streams of carriages and horses, people flowed like water, market towns were compact and closely stacked, and red lanterns hung from the street heads to the corners. Occasionally, there were eye-catching fireworks, a myriad of toys, and snacks with various flavors. As Mo Hua browsed, seeing the lively scenes all around, his mood momentarily dipped. Amid the noisy crowd, he was reminded of his days in Tongxian City. He thought of his parents, his little friends, the irrepressible Uncle Zhang. And of his caring master, the mysterious Grandpa Gui, his silly Junior Brother, and his beautiful Junior Sister... Cultivation is long and arduous, as life’s fortunes rise and fall. He didn’t know when he could see everyone again. Mo Hua couldn’t help but sigh, and amidst a forlorn expression, suddenly found a string of candied hawthorns in front of him. Turning his head, Mo Hua saw Yu Er, one small hand clutching a long string of candied hawthorns, nibbling on them, and with his other small hand, he presented another string of crystal-clear, sweet-and-sour candied hawthorns in front of Mo Hua, offering it like treasuring it, and said in a milky voice: "Brother Mo, candied hawthorns!" Yu Er had taken two strings, ate one himself, and shared one with Mo Hua. Mo Hua laughed, patted Yu Er’s little head, and then took the candied hawthorns, took a bite, indeed both sour and sweet, very delicious. After eating the candied hawthorns, Mo Hua’s mood inexplicably improved a lot. "Let’s go, I’ll take you out to play." Mo Hua then held Yu Er’s small hand, strolling along the streets for the entire day. Not until night fell, the lamps lit up, and the family banquet was about to start did Mo Hua lead Yu Er back to the Gu Family. The journey was crowded, delaying us slightly. Upon arrival at the Gu Family, Mo Hua suddenly realized something was amiss in the atmosphere. 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖 What was filled with laughter and joy during the day had become much more solemn by night. The cultivators coming and going were also much more restrained, daring not to speak loudly. Mo Hua found it strange, and upon spotting Gu An passing by, his eyes lit up and he hurriedly waved, "Little Brother An." Gu An was startled, but upon seeing Mo Hua, he came over and greeted him. Mo Hua asked in a low voice, "Has something happened?" "Not exactly," Gu An glanced around and also lowered his voice, "A visitor from the Shangguan Family has arrived." "The Shangguan Family?" Mo Hua was stunned, looked down at the confused Yu Er, and asked Gu An puzzledly, "So what if the Shangguan Family has arrived? Aren’t the relations between the Gu Family and the Shangguan Family quite good..." Why is the atmosphere so tense. Gu An shook his head, "I’m not sure either, but the person from the Shangguan Family this time seems to be of high status and must not be offended, so the Family Head has requested the family disciples to be cautious in their speech and conduct." "Oh." Mo Hua nodded. But it seemed like it had nothing to do with him. He was just there for a meal. Besides, being just a little Foundation Establishment cultivator, the Shangguan Family might not even take him into consideration. Soon, the family banquet began. Most of the attendees were from the Gu Family, whether they were Elders, Supervisors, Enforcement Leaders, or just ordinary disciples. Mo Hua often visited the Gu Family, and most of them were quite familiar to him. Some Elders, like Aunt Gu Hong, Elder Gu, would chat with Mo Hua as they found him adorable and courteous. Other Elders also mostly knew Mo Hua. Ordinary disciples, many of them were quite familiar with Mo Hua as well. Most of them held positions at the Taoist Court, and some had even "fought side by side" with Mo Hua. Along the way, many people greeted him, whether by saying hello, exchanging pleasantries, or having a casual chat. Mo Hua felt as though he had come back to his own home... Gu Changhuai, who had just finished his official duties and hurried back home, sat beside and watched with a complex expression. Even he almost forgot that this child, Mo Hua, bears the surname "Mo" and not "Gu"... From a distance, Wenren Wan smiled and waved at Mo Hua. Mo Hua, along with Yu Er, walked over to Wenren Wan. Yu Er then threw herself into Wenren Wan’s embrace, affectionately calling out, "Mom." Wenren Wan’s face was full of smiles as she pinched Yu Er’s cheek, then turned her head and warmly said to Mo Hua: "You sit here later, there’s good food." "Mhm, mhm!" Mo Hua nodded repeatedly. Wenren Wan looked at Mo Hua’s face again and softly said: "You seem thinner than before, probably due to rigorous cultivation. Later, I’ll ask them to stew some soup to nourish you." Mo Hua smiled and said, "Thank you, Aunt Wan." Wenren Wan smiled gently, pulled Mo Hua to sit down, and offered him some fresh Spirit Melons and Spirit Fruits. Mo Hua comfortably sat down, took a bite of the melon, and looked up at the high platform not far away, where two people were seated. One was the Master of the Gu Family. Mo Hua had seen him but had never spoken to him. The other, radiant in appearance, full of dignity, still strikingly handsome despite his age and slightly graying temples, was seated with a subtle sign of wrinkles at the corner of his eyes. Mo Hua guessed that this person was Yu Er’s grandfather. That is, the current head of the Shangguan Family, Shang Che.