Chapter 1011: Unseen
Chapter 1011: Unseen
The Swordsman Competition Congress between Tai Xu Gate and Jin Gang Sect had concluded.
Every move, every spell, and every retreat of Mo Hua during the competition had been meticulously recorded using "Mo Ying Tu" and distributed to various sects, reaching the hands of the Dao Fa elders in charge of the Swordsman Competition Congress.
In Qian Xue Prefecture, from the Four Great Sects, the Eight Great Gates, to the Twelve Lesser Sects, many elders were closely observing Mo Hua's Mo Ying Tu, analyzing his every action.
Some sects even held joint meetings to discuss this matter.
In a grand hall, a Mo Ying Tu was hung high.
On the Mo Ying Tu, Mo Hua appeared and disappeared intermittently.
The elders from various sects gathered in the hall, exchanging their opinions:
"So that's how it is..."
"I knew it. As a magic cultivator, if he didn't learn some life-saving techniques, how could he possibly survive? With his cunning and shrewdness, it's impossible that he didn't have a secret... It turns out to be a Hidden Art."
"His body technique is not particularly remarkable, but this Hidden Art is truly exquisite. It's evident that he has put in a lot of hard work."
"Didn't anyone gather this intelligence before?"
"Tai Xu Gate treats him like a 'little ancestor,' keeping his information tightly guarded."
"It seems that the Dao Ting Si has intervened, sealing all of Mo Hua's files."
"Someone mentioned his Hidden Art before, but it was just a passing comment and wasn't taken seriously."
"The most important question is, who would have thought that his Hidden Art would be this powerful?"
"Why?"
"Because... his divine perception is strong?"
"Indeed, the essence of the Hidden Art lies not in the art itself but in the divine perception."
"Don't forget, this Mo Hua, when he was at the mid-Zhu Ji stage, he already had nineteen divine perception patterns..."
"Nineteen patterns at the peak," someone added, "there's a significant difference between nineteen patterns and nineteen patterns at the peak."
An elder who was a cultivation expert, not well-versed in divine perception matters, asked, "But isn't it still nineteen patterns? What's the difference?"
"Well..."
An elder with extensive knowledge explained, "The difference here is enormous..."
"Divine perception is unlike Essence, it's ethereal and formless, with a completely different cultivation quantification system."
"From the late Zhu Ji stage to the peak, it's still the Zhu Ji stage, and the difference won't exceed a minor realm."
"But the gap between nineteen and twenty divine perception patterns is like a vast chasm."
"This chasm is the peak of nineteen patterns."
"The disparity in divine perception between the peak of nineteen patterns is like night and day, no less than the difference between ten and nineteen patterns."
"This chasm is the restriction of Tao, and also its gift."
"With this vast chasm, Zhu Ji cultivators cannot surpass the 'Tian Qian' of the peak of nineteen patterns, let alone greedily covet the Golden Elixir state of twenty patterns. This is the restriction of Tao."
"Once a Zhu Ji cultivator breaks through to the Golden Elixir, their divine perception naturally enters the realm of twenty patterns."
"This divine perception at the peak of nineteen patterns is a gift from Tao, doubling in strength upon breaking through the Golden Elixir. Thus, it is also a gift from Tao..."
Some elders understood the scholarly cultivation theory, while others remained slightly confused.
Someone asked, "Then, what level is Mo Hua's divine perception at now? Which step of the nineteen-pattern peak has he reached?"
The elderly elder shook his head, "Who can be sure? The peak of nineteen patterns is the 'Chasm Zone' of Tao, and there's no quantifiable standard."
"Moreover, divine perception cannot be cultivated, and very few cultivators can reach the boundary of the peak of nineteen patterns. With a lack of reference cases, it's impossible to set a scale."
"However, regardless, Mo Hua's divine perception, although still at the peak of nineteen patterns, is undoubtedly stronger than before."
"As for how much stronger... it's hard to say."
The scholarly-looking elder frowned.
The crowd furrowed their brows, their expressions becoming solemn.
Someone else asked, "Could his divine perception have reached twenty patterns?"
The hall fell silent.
The elders felt a tightness in their chests.
The scholarly-looking elder furrowed his brows, slightly annoyed, and said, "Did you not understand a single word I just said?"
"What's a 'Tian Qian'? What's a 'Chasm'? What's a 'Tao restriction'?"
"If he surpasses this Tian Qian, crosses this chasm, and breaks through this Tao restriction, won't the heavens and earth change drastically, and strange phenomena appear in the sky?"
"That's unimaginable!"
"As elders, think carefully before you speak..."
The speaking elder felt embarrassed by the rebuke.
"Doesn't his strong divine perception mean... no one can see through his Hidden Art? Doesn't that make him invincible in the Swordsman Competition Congress?"
"Shi Tiangang is a physical cultivator with weak divine perception, that's why he couldn't recognize it."
"What does being a physical cultivator have to do with it? If you send a formation master, will their divine perception be stronger than his?"
"Don't forget, he was the top disciple in the last Formation Way Congress. In the entire Qian Xue Prefecture, none of the talented formation masters could surpass him, and that was three years ago..."
The crowd fell silent.
But soon, someone's eyes lit up, and they suggested, "Then... what about spiritual equipment?"
"Cultivators' divine perception has a hierarchy of strength. Weaker divine perception can't see through the details of stronger ones and are easily manipulated. But spiritual equipment is different; it's an inanimate object and won't be affected much."
"That's a good idea."
"Not just spiritual equipment, but also revealing dust."
"Cultivators can borrow the power of objects..."
"In that case... it's also a feasible idea..."
After discussing, the elders came up with a plan.
In the next Swordsman Competition Congress, Tai Xu Gate would face Long Ding Sect.
Long Ding Sect, one of the Four Great Sects, inherited the ancient and supreme Long Ding Body Cultivation Method.
It was said that the founder of Long Ding Sect had the 'Dragon's Skill' and was closely connected to Dao Ting. Thus, he passed down the 'Long Ding Skill Manual,' using the blood of the dragon to wash bones and marrow and refine the physical body with the image of the green tripod.
The Long Ding Body Cultivation Method was an ancient and supreme cultivation method.
Of course, these traditions, passed down to the present, would have very few actual connections to dragons.
Even Mo Hua, without using his brain, could guess that.
Long Ding Sect had been around for so many years, with countless disciples. If they all used the blood of dragons to wash bones and marrow, they would have gone bankrupt long ago.
Dragons are beings of such prestige that even a lesser dragon is held in the utmost respect.
Where would one find enough blood to allow a disciple to temper their body?
If there were so much "Lesser Dragon Blood" to be found, the Dao Ting would surely be the first to shut down your sect and demand you hand over the "Dragon Blood" as a public offering.
If you dare to disagree, they would find an excuse to exterminate your entire clan.
As far as Mo Hua knew, the so-called "Lesser Dragon Blood for Washing Bones and Marrow" was most likely a spiritual item containing the essence of a lesser dragon, such as the "Dragon Blood Fruit" or "Dragon Blood Grass," which were heavenly treasures used to temper the body.
Of course, these heavenly treasures containing the word "Dragon" were also incredibly precious and not something an ordinary cultivator could afford.
Tempering the body with these treasures would undoubtedly result in formidable cultivation methods.
This was why Longding Gate was one of the Four Great Sects.
Those who joined Longding Gate as disciples came from wealthy or noble families.
The opponent Mo Hua faced this time was a top disciple of Longding Gate, equally renowned for his profound cultivation, robust physical body, and impressive Daoist arts.
Although the strongest among them couldn't compare to the first disciple of Jin Gang Sect, Shi Tiangang, their average strength was slightly superior to that of Jin Gang Sect's team in the previous match.
Each of the five Longding Gate disciples was equipped with a "Kui Yin Jing" (Concealment-Breaking Mirror) and carried Yin Ying Chen (Illusion-Revealing Dust).
The Kui Yin Jing could see through concealment, and the Yin Ying Chen could reveal hidden traces.
Their strategy was straightforward and extreme: all five of them aimed to kill Mo Hua.
If any one of them could kill Mo Hua, they would win.
This was a decapitation match.
Mo Hua was still the leader of Tai Xu Gate's team.
Five Longding Gate experts were going to kill a Spirit Cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage.
This Spirit Cultivator had a fragile body, and a single punch could end his life. Moreover, Mo Hua's inferior movement technique was not a significant concern, and his only formidable ability, the concealment technique, was now targeted by all five opponents.
Not only were the five Longding Gate disciples confident, but even the elders of various sects, the high-ranking members of noble families, and the countless spectators outside the arena couldn't imagine how Mo Hua could possibly survive.
This was almost certainly a death sentence.
Furthermore, this was a decapitation match.
If they gave it their all and killed Mo Hua, they would win.
If they eliminated Mo Hua, they wouldn't even need to worry about the most formidable opponent, the swordsman extraordinaire Ling Hu Xiao, and Longding Gate would emerge victorious.
"The heavens do not favor Tai Xu Gate. Mo Hua deserves to die in this match!"
This thought seemed to echo in everyone's minds.
As the swordsmanship competition began, the five Longding Gate disciples shouted in unison, "Kill!"
Their voices resonated like dragon roars and tiger growls, their blood surging with power. The five of them simultaneously launched their attack, charging towards Mo Hua.
Without a word, Mo Hua turned and ran towards the small grove.
Ling Hu Xiao and his three teammates took action to stop the five Longding Gate disciples.
However, these five cultivators had trained in the Longding Body Cultivation Method, possessing strength like dragons and tigers and bodies as sturdy as copper cauldrons. They excelled in offense and defense, and their movement techniques were exceptionally fast.
Following the strategy of "No need to engage in prolonged combat, just kill Mo Hua," it took only a few rounds for the five of them to break through Ling Hu Xiao's team's defense from various angles and charge into the small grove.
The grove was serene, with layers of tree shadows and sunlight filtering through, creating a peaceful and harmonious atmosphere. However, there was no sign of Mo Hua.
The five Longding Gate disciples wore cold smiles on their faces.
They had seen through the trickery of the concealment technique; one display was enough.
This was a swordsmanship competition, and relying on such petty tricks instead of raw power and cultivation was laughable.
The five of them held up their Kui Yin Jing, each with a golden and jade frame, emitting a serene glow like a lake. From five different angles, they shone the mirrors into the grove.
The cold smiles on their faces froze.
"Shine it again!"
They shone the mirrors once more.
A white light swept across, and the Kui Yin Jing clearly revealed every blade of grass, every insect, and every stone within the grove.
But there was no sign of Mo Hua.
Not only were the five Longding Gate disciples stunned, but even the elders of various sects outside the arena exchanged puzzled glances.
The spectators were abuzz with discussion, clearly witnessing the scene:
"Isn't Mo Hua standing right in front of them? What are those five doing, holding spiritual mirrors and looking dazed?"
"Can't the Kui Yin Jing see through concealment? Is it broken?"
"Isn't Longding Gate one of the Four Great Sects? They shouldn't be short of money, so why are they using such 'expired spiritual equipment'?"
"This is a swordsmanship competition. If the Kui Yin Jing can't see through concealment, aren't they just showing off their treasures?"
"After all, they are one of the Four Great Sects; it shouldn't be the case..."
"So, what's happening now...?"
...
Inside the arena, the five Longding Gate disciples were equally perplexed.
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They never imagined that there could be a situation where the Kui Yin Jing couldn't see through concealment.
With this development, the situation had completely changed.
"Scatter the Yin Ying Chen..."
Longding Gate disciples began to recite incantations and manipulate their divine sense to control a box of dust, scattering it towards the grove.
These dust particles floated in the air, sticking to anything they touched and couldn't be easily removed.
If Mo Hua were caught in this dust, his silhouette would be revealed, and he couldn't hide his body anymore.
However, as the Yin Ying Chen spread through the grove, a sudden gust of wind blew, swirling the dust and carrying it away from the grove.
"Kuang Feng Zhen (Wild Wind Formation)!"
A Longding Gate disciple gritted his teeth.
The grove was surrounded by the Kuang Feng Zhen, and once activated, it would create a powerful wind, dispersing the Yin Ying Chen.
"This damn kid is truly cunning!"
With the Kui Yin Jing ineffective and the Yin Ying Chen blown away, their strategy to target Mo Hua was completely foiled.
Longding Gate had thought they had shown enough "respect" for Mo Hua.
They had brought spiritual equipment and used the Yin Ying Chen.
But now, it seemed that this "respect" was too superficial and not sincere enough.
During this time, Ling Hu Xiao and his three teammates also rushed over to engage in combat.
Unable to find Mo Hua, the five Longding Gate disciples had no choice but to fight against Ling Hu Xiao and his team.
Fortunately, their strength was still formidable, and they didn't fall behind Tai Xu Gate in direct confrontation, especially with a five-on-four advantage.
However, as the fight continued, fireballs started flying out from the grove.
Mo Hua also appeared, using spells to support his teammates.
"Kill him!"
The leader of the Longding Gate disciples pointed at Mo Hua and shouted coldly.
Two Longding Gate disciples immediately flashed their bodies, roaring like tigers and dragons, and charged into the grove with their swift movement techniques.
Looking around, the woods were deep and dark, and there was no trace of Mo Hua's shadow.
They had no choice but to retreat again.
But as soon as they retreated, Mo Hua reappeared, his fingers flickering as he launched fireballs, water prisons, and other spells at them.
The two Long Ding Sect disciples were furious and rushed towards the woods, enduring the spells.
As soon as they entered, Mo Hua disappeared again.
They retreated once more, and Mo Hua reappeared, casting more spells at them.
The five Long Ding Sect disciples were infuriated, their lungs about to burst.
The spectators outside the arena felt their blood boil and their heads buzz with excitement.
How despicable! Truly despicable!
After so many years and so many Swordsman Competition Congresses, they had never seen such shameless and stubborn disciples.
This was, after all, the Swordsman Competition Congress, and so many people were watching.
How could you be so shameless? Could your sect behind you also be so shameless?
Using low-level spells to disgust others, was it really that fun?
But Mo Hua truly thought it was... always fun.
When enemies approached, he would run; when they caught up, he would hide; and when they retreated, he would cast spells from a distance.
This back and forth had entangled two Long Ding Sect disciples.
The remaining three were suppressed by Ling Hu Xiao's group and had already suffered numerous Chong Xu Jian Qi.
The Long Ding Sect's formation was also disrupted by him.
The Long Ding Sect disciples realized that this approach wouldn't work:
"Forget about Mo Hua, let's kill Ling Hu Xiao first."
This was a desperate measure.
The other two Long Ding Sect disciples, upon receiving the order, left Mo Hua and returned to support their comrades, and the five of them joined forces to besiege Ling Hu Xiao's group.
Dragon roars filled the air, swords clashed, and the battle raged, cutting through gold and jade.
No one paid attention to Mo Hua anymore, and he was delighted.
Standing at the edge of the woods, he unleashed his divine perception, orchestrating the entire battlefield without restraint and casting spells freely.
He primarily used fireballs, mixed with golden resonance and flash techniques, water prisons, wood bindings, flowing sand spells, and other low-level Five Elements spells that were not powerful but incredibly annoying.
The Long Ding Sect disciples were miserable.
In the past, as the pride of the heavens, they wouldn't even spare a glance for such low-level Five Elements spells.
In their eyes, only powerful superior Dao Arts mattered.
Using these inferior spells would only invite ridicule.
But now, they were tormented and humiliated by these low-level spells, appearing ridiculous and disheveled.
At the prestigious Swordsman Competition Congress, under the watchful eyes of various sects, noble families, and countless cultivators from the Nine Prefectures, they were being "humiliated" by these inferior Five Elements spells...
At this moment, the Long Ding Sect disciples finally understood why so many sects and disciples despised Mo Hua, hating him to the core.
The competition continued, and the cultivators from both sides clashed fiercely.
Sword energies, spells, and physical attacks flew everywhere, creating an intense battle.
However, the battle situation, with Mo Hua running rampant, was bound to have a bad outcome. Gradually, the Long Ding Sect began to struggle.
Although their average strength was formidable, the problem was that they lacked a true "Tianjiao" like Ling Hu Xiao.
In many situations, when the battle reached a stalemate, a "Tianjiao" was needed to break the deadlock and turn the tide.
This was why Tianjiao received praise and the expectations of the masses.
Without a Tianjiao to break the stalemate, the situation would only deteriorate.
Moreover, after the battle with Shi Tiangang from the Jin Gang Sect, Ling Hu Xiao had gained more experience and his sword energy had become even stronger.
Mo Hua's spells had also become more proficient, cunning, and treacherous.
As a result, the Long Ding Sect could only retreat step by step.
But what was even more infuriating was that the Long Ding Sect gradually realized that from the beginning of this competition, they had never had a chance to win.
Because this was a 'decapitation' match.
Mo Hua was the 'leader'.
This leader could turn invisible', and no one could see through his invisibility.
In other words, he naturally stood on invincible ground.
Even if they could kill all four of Ling Hu Xiao's group, it would be useless.
As long as Mo Hua found a place to hide and activated his invisibility, no one could find him.
If they couldn't find him, they couldn't kill him, and they couldn't 'decapitate' him.
This match was a 'dead end' from the start, and they couldn't possibly win!
With this realization, the hearts of the Long Ding Sect disciples sank.
How could they continue a match they were destined to lose? Even if they gave it their all, they could only hope for a draw, but Tai Xu Gate would never agree.
Moreover, the 'leader', Mo Hua, could turn invisible and avoid all harm when the situation turned unfavorable.
But the Long Ding Sect couldn't do the same.
Their leader couldn't 'hide'.
Not only could he not hide, but he would always be exposed to Tai Xu Gate's attacks and Ling Hu Xiao's relentless sword energy.
A sense of despair spread and deepened in their hearts.
However, this was the Swordsman Competition Congress, and they were disciples of the Four Great Sects. Despite the dire situation, they refused to give up.
In the ensuing battle, the Long Ding Sect disciples sought other means to break free from this predicament.
The main goal was to lure Mo Hua out and kill him.
Mo Hua was too fragile, with a low tolerance for mistakes.
If he showed the slightest carelessness or exposed any weakness, any one of the Long Ding Sect's five disciples could easily finish him with a single punch.
But Mo Hua's divine perception was too strong, and he was too clever. At the slightest hint of danger, he would turn invisible and hide in the woods.
No one knew where he was hiding.
The spectators outside the arena knew, however.
They wished they could break through the Five Elements Great Array and fly into the competition arena to tell the Long Ding Sect disciples Mo Hua's location.
To tell them that Mo Hua hadn't gone far! He was right there, invisible, perched on a tree, watching their struggles with a carefree smile.
But unfortunately, they couldn't do it.
The situation worsened step by step.
In the end, the once-proud disciples of the Long Ding Sect, one of the Four Great Sects, were truly humiliated by Mo Hua's invisibility technique and suffered defeat.
Everyone felt something was amiss.
They realized that Mo Hua's invisibility technique seemed a bit off...
It was an 'unbreakable' invisibility.
This also meant that Mo Hua would become an 'invisible' magic cultivator...
How could they kill an invisible magic cultivator?
(End of Chapter)
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