Someone was holding a paper box that looked like a charity box, and another person handed over a flyer, asking He Kao to support the cause they were advocating for, for the rights of a certain group... basically asking him to donate.

He Kao did not deliberately pretend not to understand, but the other party genuinely did not understand because He Kao was speaking in the language of the Eastern Country.

A few girls started speaking in English, then some switched to Spanish, but none could speak fluent Eastern Country language, nor did they think to use translation software.

After a few sentences, the other party obviously became impatient, showing an angry expression. Someone pointed a finger at He Kao and started questioning loudly, while another person even stepped forward, puffing up their chest as if intending to cause a confrontation.

Not far away, a policeman on duty noticed the commotion and turned to look over.

He Kao took a step back with his hands behind him, avoiding any form of physical contact... Lan Jiwan had already picked up her phone, activating the camera feature at the sight.

At this point, someone finally noticed He Kao's companion, Lan Jiwan, and approached to pull at her, asking her to help with translation.

Lan Jiwan glared over, and inexplicably, three of the girls on the opposite side fainted, causing a small chaos which allowed the two to quickly slip away.

...

By evening, the two reached the outskirts of the city, ahead was the most upscale community seen today. It was built on a gradually ascending hillside, with a view of the sea.

The luxurious houses, built along the mountain, were distributed in a scattered fashion. No longer using the locally common wooden structures, they employed various strong and advanced materials and techniques, showcasing the designers' craftsmanship.

It was almost impossible to walk into this community without a car. He Kao and Lan Jiwan were stopped by security personnel at a distant intersection.

Were they deliberately being stopped, just to see if they would be?

The security personnel inquired about their identities, why they wanted to enter this community, and what their purpose was. If they were visiting someone, did they have an appointment or were they invited, and so on...

He Kao had no choice but to use a small Technique to solve the trouble, sneaking into this large yet sparsely populated community with Lan Jiwan.

There were many surveillance and automatic alarm devices here, which they carefully avoided.

In some of the mansions, parties or gatherings were underway, some buzzing with guests, while others resembled chaotic revelries. Some mansion owners were not currently residing there, but there were personnel tasked with daily management, keeping the lights on inside and outside the houses throughout the night.

When they finally reached the top of the hill, Lan Jiwan looked at the path they came from, "Are these mansions home to the top people of this area?"

He Kao shook his head, "Top? Hardly. Most are just what they call 'the top stream.' These mansions are meant to be shown off to everyone—a model of success in the United States' sense."

In his context, 'top stream' and 'top tier' have different meanings. As he spoke, He Kao gazed into the distance where Arthur's private estate was located.

Arthur is the "First Elder" of the Xiao Alliance's Supreme Council, and it's also where Arthur convenes meetings with Supreme Council members. According to the Ancestral Hall's intelligence, hundreds of thousands of acres of land around the estate are also owned by a family under Arthur's control.

Reportedly, Arthur does not regard people like Hu Weidong and Fabre as qualified to stand on equal terms with himself but had to grudgingly accept their status as council elders due to their Cultivation.

Arthur had told those around him more than once that they were just lucky enough to receive the Technique granted by the Xiao Alliance, reaching High Tier Cultivation.

Fabre deeply desires recognition from Arthur and the entire upper echelons of the Xiao Alliance, feeling honored by it; as for Hu Weidong, he has never expressed an attitude, perhaps his lack of one is an attitude in itself.

However, today, He Kao does not plan to investigate there, as he is uncertain he won't be discovered given his Cultivation level, and it could be dangerous to escape, especially with Lan Jiwan accompanying him.

He Kao turned to look at the coastline, where a major wildfire had occurred earlier in the year. Half a year later, patches of charred marks remained, and the ruins along the roadside had not been cleared yet.

After standing silently for a while, He Kao finally spoke, "I am the Hidden Moth, my footprints have reached many places in the world, but most of the time it was just to light up the map, leaving behind anchor points for traversing space.

Within the reach of my Divine Sense, one teleportation can cover several kilometers, usually choosing late-night hours to avoid humanity, even less than a hurried tour.

It is only when you slow down and observe a place carefully that greater genuine discoveries can be made... Jiwan, what are your impressions today?"

Lan Jiwan: "I don't know how to describe it, I just want to ask why?"

He Kao: "No one has a perfect answer, but as far as I see it, the principles some people take for granted might have never been heard of by others.

They would feel that something is off, but that's just an instinctive puzzlement, representative of pure emotions.

Where does people's conscience come from, what should be done, and what should not be done? There are two roots from a cognitive perspective, stemming from the self-reflection of human nature, or from an innate moral imperative?"

As he spoke, He Kao raised his hand and pointed at Lan Jiwan's brow, leaving her with a Divine Thought Heart Seal. Lan Jiwan did not dodge, instead, she leaned in with her forehead to touch his fingertip.

The content of the Divine Thought Heart Seal begins with the "Three Discourses of the Sages."

It was the content of a lecture He Kao attended by Elder Zongzheng last time, which He Kao retold exactly as he heard.