"He dared not speak?"
"Yes, likely subjected to some kind of ’silence curse.’ If he speaks about Rouge Boat, he might die instantly." Gu Changhuai said.
Only then did Mo Hua remember that Gu Changhuai had mentioned similar matters before.
"Is it a silence curse?"
"Hard to say, there are many methods to silence someone, it’s difficult for the Taoist Court here to judge quickly." Gu Changhuai said, "I feared for his life, so I didn’t press further."
Mo Hua frowned.
Crossing River Dragon knows about Rouge Boat, but he dares not speak; once he does, he’ll lose his life.
That explains why those young masters employ Crossing River Dragon for murder.
Because his mouth is sealed.
Which means the clues are severed...
"This Young Master Lin, does he have a confirmed identity?"
"No, the Taoist Court couldn’t find it." Gu Changhuai said.
Mo Hua felt a bit disappointed.
Gu Changhuai hesitated for a moment, sighed, and transmitted to Mo Hua:
"The deceased ’Young Master Lin’ is untraceable, but I found that on the Ye family’s side, there is a deceased ’Young Master Ye.’"
Mo Hua was taken aback.
Gu Changhuai: "I had someone retrieve a dossier from the Taoist Court in Mistwater City. According to the records, over a year ago, the Ye family went to the Taoist Court to deregister a lineage, the deregistered cultivator being a direct lineage of the Ye family, named ’Ye Xiu.’"
"Ye Xiu?" Mo Hua’s eyes narrowed, "Ye Jin, Ye Xiu, Jinxiu... Is it possible he’s..."
"Yes." Gu Changhuai said, "The one whose lineage was deregistered is Ye Jin’s elder brother."
As Gu Changhuai spoke, he opened a dossier beside him and transmitted:
"Ye Xiu, a direct lineage of the Ye family in Mistwater City, age twenty-eight, Mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation, died from a violent water poison after a water demon attack while traveling by boat."
"His father, Ye Yun, applied, and the Taoist Court approved the deregistration."
Mo Hua suddenly realized.
Now it’s clear.
The Ye Xiu deregistered by the Ye family is the elder brother of the deceased Ye Jin’s master sister.
He went to Rouge Boat to indulge and didn’t use his real name, instead going under the alias "Young Master Lin."
Something unknown happened on Rouge Boat.
After that, Ye Xiu was eliminated by Crossing River Dragon.
But Ye Xiu used the name "Young Master Lin," so the Crossing River Dragon didn’t know his true identity, thinking he killed a "Young Master Lin."