"So, I do have a personal interest in this matter..."
Mo Hua nodded in understanding, but did not mind. Instead, she said confidently:
"As long as we can eliminate the Corpse Walking Stronghold, we are doing a good deed. It's only right to benefit from a good deed."
"Uncle Zhang Lan once told me that in this world, some people do bad things and reap benefits, only to be admired; while some who do good, and receive some benefits in return, end up criticized..."
"That's definitely not right."
"Humans have selfish desires, so Sister Situ, you don't need to take this matter to heart."
Situ Fang was taken aback by the words and felt somewhat relieved; she then said in surprise:
"Zhang Lan has said that to you?"
Mo Hua nodded vigorously, trying to salvage Zhang Lan's image:
"Uncle Zhang isn't always lazy and frivolous, sometimes he makes a lot of sense..."
Situ Fang hesitated.
Are you actually praising him, or putting him down...
Afterward, Situ Fang thought of something and frowned:
"It's just that I don't know how strong the Corpse Walking Stronghold really is... Whether these two hundred cultivators from the Situ Family can eradicate it or not."
Mo Hua thought for a moment and said, "It's a bit of a stretch."
Situ Fang quickly asked, "How do you know?"
"I went in and saw it for myself; I even counted how many coffins were inside," Mo Hua said matter-of-factly.
Situ Fang was taken aback and then sighed helplessly after a long pause:
"You're really bold."
And quite capable, too.
Being able to infiltrate a mountain stronghold of corpse cultivators and gather detailed intelligence.
Situ Fang looked at the young Mo Hua with increasing disbelief.
Mo Hua, unaware of Situ Fang's thoughts, counted on her fingers as she listed the strength of the Corpse Walking Stronghold:
"I've got everything figured out..."
"In Corpse Walking Stronghold, there's only one Foundation Establishment cultivator, Zhang Quan."
"But there are four or five Iron Corpses."
"These Iron Corpses are slightly less powerful than Foundation Establishment cultivators, but with skin as hard as iron, they won't be at a disadvantage in a real fight."
"Besides, there are not too many living beings in the stronghold, just over two hundred."
"Some of these are bandits, who bully the weak and fear the strong, and are easy to deal with."
"The rest are corpse cultivators..."
"Corpse cultivators who refine corpses are average in both their cultivation and Taoist skills, just like Zhang Quan, but the tricky part is that they can control corpses..."
"Once corpse cultivators control the corpses, even if one person only controls two or three walking corpses, the stronghold's power can double or even triple, which poses a significant problem."
"In addition, there are formations in the stronghold—although..."
Mo Hua was about to say "not very clever," but then remembered that these formations were created by Instructor Yan.
Instructor Yan had the capabilities of a First-Grade Formation Master, and in a usual Second-Grade Prefecture, such mastery of formations would be considered quite exceptional.
So Mo Hua modified her statement, "Although... the formations are quite troublesome. With the formations' enhancement, the entire stronghold is easy to defend and difficult to attack. A direct assault will definitely lead to many casualties..."
...
Mo Hua laid bare the entire foundations of the Corpse Walking Stronghold.
Situ Fang's mouth hung open, unsure of what to say.
If she didn't know Mo Hua, she might have suspected that Mo Hua was the "Camp Leader" of the Corpse Walking Stronghold.
What has this child Mo Hua done?
How could she have such clear intelligence on the Corpse Walking Stronghold?
But certainly, this must relate to Mo Hua's cultivation technique or Taoist skills, and Situ Fang felt it would be better not to inquire.
For Mo Hua's sake, it was safer the less people knew, including herself.
Immediately after, Situ Fang furrowed her brows again.
Calculating this way, to eradicate the Corpse Walking Stronghold was not just "a bit of a stretch"—the chances of victory were very slim.
Even with the addition of the Taoist Court officials from South Yue City, it still wouldn't suffice.
And even if they were to win, it would likely be a Pyrrhic victory, with an unknown number of Situ Family cultivators dead or wounded.
Situ Fang felt distressed.
These cultivators had been mobilized through her father's connections.
Even though they were all in the Qi Refinement Realm, the life of a Qi Refinement cultivator is still a life.
One day, they too might reach Foundation Establishment, or even cultivate into a Golden Core, and become a valuable asset to the clan.
If they were all to be lost in the Corpse Walking Stronghold...
Situ Fang's brow remained furrowed, but then, seeing the relaxed look on Mo Hua's face, she asked with curiosity:
"Do you have another plan?"
Mo Hua's eyes brightened as she nodded with a radiant smile and said, "Yes, I do!"