Chapter 41: Lost Opportunity
Translator: Sparrow Translations Editor:
Both Mo Wuji and Yuan Zhenyi went back to the tent to rest without worrying about anything. Even if Tuo Baqi knew that they were the culprits, he could not do anything about it without any evidence.
By the time Mo Wuji woke up, it was already early in the afternoon. Just as Mo Wuji wanted to ask Ding Bu'Er about Tuo Baqi's movements, he saw Ding Bu'Er walking from the direction of Yue Hai Inn.
"Wuji, the little miss wants to talk to you about something," Ding Bu'Er shouted to Mo Wuji from far away.
It was just the right timing that Han Ning wanted to talk to him as he wanted to find out more about Tuo Baqi at the inn as well.
"Hold up..." Ding Bu'Er spoke in a low voice as he approached Mo Wuji, "Wuji, please be careful. I doubt it is good news. Peng Maohua was stuttering when he told me about this."
Mo Wuji gave Ding Bu'Er a pat, "What can happen to me here? Don’t worry, I was just about to inquire about something.”
The first person Mo Wuji saw when he entered Yue Hai Inn was Tuo Baqi. Tuo Baqi was busy interrogating the inn's doorman to find out if anyone suspicious had entered the inn the previous day. Since the doorman had accepted Mo Wuji's gold coin yesterday and he had no idea what Tuo Baqi was trying to do, he did not tell Tuo Baqi anything.
"Heh," Tuo Baqi grunted as he turned around. He was about to go back up when he saw Mo Wuji enter the inn. He turned back after a few steps to scan Mo Wuji with his eyes. He tried to see if there were any similarities between the Mo Wuji and the man who attacked him yesterday.
Mo Wuji took a glance at Tuo Baqi and was about to tell the doorman he was going to find Han Ning when Peng Maohua shouted, "Wuji, little miss wants me to tell you that..."
Mo Wuji did not have a good feeling about this as Peng Maohua continued, "...Wuji, little miss is unable to bring you to Chang Luo..."
Even Peng Maohua found it difficult to bring this across to Mo Wuji as he was still grateful for Mo Wuji. If not for Mo Wuji, he would have needed to spend more time near the Thunder Fog Forest finding the Two-leaved Fire Grass. Moreover, Mo Wuji was very easy to work with as he did not cause any unnecessary trouble. In fact, he was sometimes of good help too.
"Why?" Mo Wuji voice became very cold as he knew his slot to go to Chang Luo was exchanged with the Two-leaved Fire Grass and not out of Han Ning's kindness. It was like the man who exchanged the spiritual fruit for a chance to be a service disciple.
"It is because..." Peng Maohua hesitated and then finally decided to tell him, "It is because little miss was entrusted by someone to bring a very important person over so..."
Mo Wuji calmed down and thought it through. Even if Han Ning decided not to bring him to Chang Luo, he had to find a way to go over. He would simply be awaiting death if he did not.
"Brother Peng, I want to meet little miss. I want to hear it from her." Mo Wuji said it word by word very audibly. If a lover could stab him from behind, Han Ning, who was not even considered to be his friend, could obviously go back on her word and gratitude for the Two-leaved Fire Grass.
"There is no reason why. It is simply because someone from my clan suddenly wants to go towards Chang Luo. There is no other choice but to take your slot. Of course, if you really wish to go, you can crawl under my leg now and I might consider pleading for you," Cao Hao said sarcastically as he widened his legs.
It was indeed this brat. Mo Wuji clenched his fist and tried his best to said in a calm manner, "Wherever you go, you give off an unbearable stink. That is how I know you have not met the dung beetle [1]. Go back and ask your father and mother why you stink."
"I will murder you," Cao Hao was a classy young man and would not mind if someone of the same stature criticised or mocked him. However, how could he not mind a house attendant like Mo Wuji being this rude to him?
The guard beside Cao Hao hurried to hold the furious Cao Hao back, "My Lord, do not do it now. There will be more opportunities when we board the ship."
Mo Wuji did not bother about Cao Hao after he scolded him. Instead, he looked at Han Ning who was standing behind Cao Hao, "Little miss, I want to know if this was your intention?"
Even if he knew it was her intention, he just needed Han Ning to say it out because he earned this opportunity with his own merit, not by begging her.
Han Ning looked guilty for a split second before saying, "Mo Wuji, I am sorry. I did consider the bigger picture previously...How about you just greet Lord Cao respectfully..."
Mo Wuji said coldly, "What is a puny Wu Xue State prince to me? You are nowhere near the level I would greet respectfully to. Your father passed me this jade hairpin. You can use it in times of trouble to find Yue Qiongyin in Chang Luo. Just to make things clear, I earned my own opportunity to go with you to Chang Luo, and it was not because of your kindness. I will not ask for the Two-leaved Fire Grass back so we will no longer be related in the future."
Mo Wuji took out the jade hairpin which he had kept neatly in a pouch and passed it to Han Ning before laughing, "It is your choice not to keep me, goodbye."
Mo Wuji turned away after he finished and as he exited the inn, he thought of something. He recalled that the one who killed Jing Lengbei's clan, Hei Weifeng, was from Wu Xue State too. If Cao Hao is the Lord of Wu Xue State, he might be related to Hei Weifeng. After he promised to repay Jing's clan’s kindness for taking care of Mo Xiangtong, he had to take this matter seriously.
Han Ning held the jade hairpin tightly as she watched Mo Wuji make his way out. She could not figure out why her father passed him the jade hairpin.
"This is the first time I’ve seen a house attendant who was so arrogant. If he was under me, I would have skinned him alive a long time ago," Cao Hao said as he saw Mo Wuji's backview gradually disappearing.
Tuo Baqi, who wanted to ask Mo Wuji a few things, witnessed how Mo Wuji did not even put Cao Hao in his eyes and hence he did not dare to follow him out. He was all alone now so he could not afford to lose his pride to Mo Wuji outside.
...
"Wuji, what happened? You look really unhappy," Yuan Zhengyi asked as he saw Mo Wuji returning to the tent. It seemed like Ding Bu'Er had guessed what happened and hence called Yuan Zhenyi over.
"I lost my opportunity to go to Chang Luo because I offended Wu Xue State's Cao Hao. That brat must have had something to use against Han Ning," Mo Wuji said in a disappointed tone.
Yuan Zhengyi laughed out loud, "I was still wondering what was so serious. This is nothing. Now that Aunt Eleven has left, you can follow me over to Chang Luo. Aunt Eleven and I followed Chang Yan State's Wei Yuanhou's grandson here. Our duty is to protect him till he reaches Chang Luo. Once he has found a sect, we are free to go. I can bring you along, this is not a problem at all."
Mo Wuji became ecstatic to hear this. This was indeed like a light at the end of the tunnel. His sole purpose here was not to please Han Ning but to go to Chang Luo.
After solving this issue, Mo Wuji, Yuan Zhengyi and Ding Bu'Er went off to drink and celebrate.
[1]: Dung beetles are beetles that feed partly or exclusively on dung. Therefore, Mo Wuji is implying that Cao Hao is a form of dung.