Chapter 1012: The Visitor
Chapter 1012: The Visitor
In the dead of night, the Dao Fa elders of various sects gathered once again.
The same grand hall.
The same elders.
On the Mo Ying Tu, the Mo Hua was still depicted.
However, this time, the competition had taken a different turn.
The "victim" had changed as well.
The Mo Ying Tu displayed a scene of Mo Hua hiding in a small grove, teasing five disciples of the Long Ding Gate.
Each of the five Long Ding Gate disciples held a Kui Yin Jing in their hands.
But in the mirrors, there was nothing to be seen.
The five disciples stared at each other, looking like five "big fools"...
"It's not that Shi Tiangang is all brawn and no brain, unable to see through the concealment. It's that Mo Hua's concealment technique is truly peculiar..."
"The fact that even the Kui Yin Jing couldn't reveal anything means that the principles of this concealment technique are different from ordinary legacies."
"Then, what kind of concealment is it? Light concealment, spiritual concealment, eye concealment, five-color concealment, five elements concealment, or the eight trigrams concealment technique?"
"It's hard to tell from here, with the Fangtian Huayin and the Mo Ying Tu..."
"One would have to be in the midst of it, sensing the Qi or using divine perception to discern the truth..."
"Lundao Mountain has a five-element grand array that blocks all external spiritual interference and divine perception. We can't interfere, so we can't figure it out either..."
The five-element grand array isolated everything outside.
This type of grand array isolation was meant to protect the sect's disciples, ensuring that when they used their sect's cultivation techniques, superior Dao arts, and other rare legacies during the Qianxue Lun Dao, they wouldn't be stolen by other cunning and skilled cultivators through methods like divine perception, rule derivation, or cause-and-effect reversal.
After all, the Qianxue Lun Dao was a gathering of Tianjiao, and their cultivation methods were all superior Dao arts.
If their techniques were stolen through perception, reversal, or derivation, it would lead to endless troubles.
However, this also meant that the Dao Fa elders couldn't immediately figure out the details of Mo Hua's concealment technique.
"Does Tai Xu Gate have a unique concealment legacy?"
"As far as I know, they don't..."
"Then there must be a source for his concealment technique, right?"
"Is there any sect in the Qianxue Prefecture that specializes in concealment?"
"There used to be some, but most have gone into hiding, and now there's no sect that specifically cultivates this concealment technique. It's too impractical..."
"Then the only way is to try different Po Yin Spirit Artifacts?"
In the cultivation world, the art of crafting artifacts had advanced, and there were various types of spiritual equipment.
Po Yin Spirit Artifacts were also diverse, categorized based on the differences in concealment principles and methods.
There were artifacts to break spiritual concealment, water concealment, color concealment, light concealment, and so on.
Alternative, niche, and rare concealment techniques had few legacies and were difficult to learn, so cultivators who mastered them were rare.
Therefore, the commonly used Po Yin Spirit Artifacts in the cultivation world were still the "general" type.
For example, the Kui Yin Jing used by the Long Ding Gate disciples was a high-grade general Po Yin Spirit Artifact, and it should have been effective even against rare concealment techniques.
It was unlikely that it wouldn't reveal any trace of Mo Hua's unique Five Elements Concealment technique, after years of tempering and rich concealment experience, had already reached a high level of mastery.
Especially now that his divine sense had formed a Nascent Soul, his Five Elements Concealment technique had undergone a qualitative change, and using it had a hint of reaching the state of perfection.
Therefore, unless it was a high-grade Po Yin Spirit Artifact precisely directed at the Five Elements, it couldn't break his concealment.
"But to try them one by one..." One elder frowned, "How long will this take?"
"A team of five, each with a different Po Yin Spirit Artifact, can try them in a few rounds..."
"What if he doesn't conceal himself?"
"This kid is clever. If he senses something amiss, he'll definitely 'hide his weakness' and might not use this concealment technique again..."
"If he doesn't conceal himself, what's the point of us trying to reveal him?"
"Then we'll devise a strategy, surround and suppress him, force him to conceal himself, and then find a way to break his concealment with spiritual equipment..."
"Is it necessary to go to such lengths just to deal with one disciple's technique?"
"With this strategy and spiritual equipment, how can we win with such limitations?"
"I said, this isn't about winning. It's about figuring out which lineage this kid's concealment technique belongs to."
"So, we have to... strategically sacrifice a few Xuan Character Lunjian, and give points to Tai Xu Gate?"
"We have no choice."
"Is it worth wasting a Xuan Character Lunjian like this?"
"You can't have your cake and eat it too."
"The question is, whose cake are we eating and whose wolf are we trapping?"
"Who are Tai Xu Gate's opponents in the upcoming Lunjian?"
"Xuanqi Gate, Duanshen Gate, and Lingxiao Gate..."
"Xuanqi Gate and Duanshen Gate are fine, but Lingxiao Gate might be difficult to deal with..."
"There's nothing difficult, just offer them some benefits. It's just a matter of all sects contributing..."
The elders fell silent, obviously hesitant.
"You may not realize the seriousness of the problem..."
The presiding elder spoke solemnly, "Don't underestimate this concealment technique. It might be more troublesome than you think..."
"This unique concealment, combined with his extraordinary divine perception and profound Five Elements cultivation, can, to some extent, truly make him 'invincible'."
"Especially in the head-to-head rounds, it's almost impossible to counter."
"If we can't see through his concealment, it's an absolute deadlock."
"If we don't figure it out now, the trouble will only grow bigger in the later rounds, including the final rounds."
"Every victory in the later rounds is invaluable."
"Especially in the head-to-head rounds, if Mo Hua can hide, he's invincible. Whoever encounters him is out of luck."
"Regardless of whether he wins or not, he won't let you win."
"Even if he faces the top Tianjiao of the four great sects and can't beat them, as long as he hides, no one can do anything. If he manages a draw, Tai Xu Gate can accept it, but can you?"
A draw meant no victory points, essentially a loss for both sides.
The four great sects also competed with each other.
If anyone drew with Mo Hua, it was like losing a round, putting them at a disadvantage in the competition among the four sects.
If it came to this, they could only pray for good luck and hope not to encounter this "plague god" Mo Hua.
With this thought, everyone felt a headache coming on.
They never imagined that one day, the Dao Fa elders of their great sects would be so flustered by a single concealment technique.
Within the hall, a brief moment of silence ensued before a venerated elder with high moral standing spoke:
"So be it..."
"We'll sacrifice some Xuan Character Bureau, break through Mo Hua's concealment, and the four great sects will compensate for it."
"The breaking of the shadows' spiritual equipment will also be arranged by us."
"We can't let Tai Xu Gate continue to develop like this."
"And this fellow called Mo Hua, the Qianxue Zhen Dao Champion, must not be left unchecked. We must uncover all his abilities early on and find a way to counter him..."
Upon hearing this, the elders from the other sects nodded in agreement.
The plan was thus decided.
The four great sects temporarily joined forces, sharing resources and information, with the primary tactical focus of the subsequent Xuan Character Discussion being to break through Mo Hua's concealment art.
In the first match, Xuanqi Gate faced off against Mo Hua.
Each disciple of Xuanqi Gate held a different type of spiritual mirror, designed to reveal concealment based on various principles.
Additionally, they were equipped with special breaking concealment formations.
All their tactics revolved around countering Mo Hua.
This strategy, however, had significant drawbacks.
By solely targeting Mo Hua and neglecting Ling Hu Xiao, whose strength was already not considered exceptional, Xuanqi Gate had no chance of winning.
This wasn't a decapitation match; defeating Mo Hua alone wouldn't guarantee victory.
Mo Hua, too, was perplexed by Xuanqi Gate's intentions.
Was this... a gift of points?
It wasn't until the time of the discussion that Mo Hua, surrounded and forced to use his concealment art, revealed the truth.
Without hesitation, the five disciples of Xuanqi Gate activated their spiritual equipment.
Five different mirrors, each following distinct principles of breaking concealment, emitted various colors of light, all aimed at Mo Hua.
Gu Shan Refining Equipment Workshop had been revitalized by Mo Hua's own hands.
He had participated in the design of numerous refining equipment blueprints.
Thus, although his practical refining skills were relatively low, his theoretical understanding of refining equipment was actually quite impressive.
After just a glance at these spiritual mirrors, Mo Hua instantly understood.
"Xuanqi Gate never intended to win; their goal in this match was to use different spiritual equipment to break my concealment..."
Mo Hua's mind raced, and he immediately canceled his concealment, standing openly as the five mirrors' light shone upon him.
Breaking concealment equipment was meant to counter concealment.
Without concealment, there was nothing to break.
The disciples of Xuanqi Gate grew angry and attempted to kill Mo Hua.
With a Flowing Water Step, Mo Hua distanced himself and called out to Ling Hu Xiao and his team:
"Xiao Xiao, come and protect me."
Ling Hu Xiao and his three companions wasted no time in gathering around Mo Hua, their tactical focus now shifting to his protection.
This increased the pressure on the Xuanqi Gate disciples.
Their strength was already relatively weak, and their physical defense was far inferior to that of the disciples of Jin Gang Sect and Longding Gate. They dared not confront Ling Hu Xiao's sword energy to forcefully kill Mo Hua.
Mo Hua, however, continued to alternate between concealment and revealing himself.
When the Xuanqi Gate disciples used their mirrors, he would appear, and when they didn't, he would conceal himself.
What was most infuriating was that Mo Hua's transition between concealment and revealing himself was quicker than the time it took for the Xuanqi Gate disciples to retrieve and activate their spiritual mirrors.
The Xuanqi Gate disciples were left exasperated.
Outside the arena, the elders of various sects silently cursed Mo Hua as a "little slippery fellow," calling him despicable, shameless, and cunning like a ghost.
And so, Xuanqi Gate lost.
Next up was Duanshen Gate.
Duanshen Gate's strength was superior to that of Xuanqi Gate, and they had learned from Xuanqi Gate's mistakes, optimizing their tactics against Mo Hua.
The Duanjin Sword Scripture was an advanced sword technique with powerful offensive capabilities.
Although Mo Hua had designed a "Duanjin Armor" based on his understanding of Duanshen Gate's core legacy, using their shield to defend against their spear, he could still be significantly immune to the damage of the Duanjin Sword Qi.
However, Mo Hua couldn't wear this armor.
His physical body was too weak.
Even with the armor's reduction, the remaining Duanjin Sword Qi could still take his life.
Moreover, with new and old grudges, the disciples of Duanshen Gate truly wished to kill Mo Hua.
Thus, in this discussion, fueled by their hatred, they fought with all their might.
The sky was filled with flying Duanjin Sword Qi, creating sword flowers that resembled snowflakes, all heading towards Mo Hua.
Mo Hua couldn't withstand the onslaught and had to rely on his concealment art to survive.
Moreover, he had to remain fully concealed and couldn't play hide-and-seek like he did with me, appearing and disappearing at will."
Because once he appeared, even for a moment, the five disciples would slash with their swords.
This gave Duanshen Gate enough time to use different breaking concealment spiritual mirrors to analyze Mo Hua's concealment art.
But even with this analysis, there were still issues.
The five disciples of Duanshen Gate soon discovered that the spiritual mirrors they held were intermittently effective.
Sometimes they could reveal Mo Hua.
But after a while, the figure in the mirror would disappear, and suddenly they couldn't reveal him anymore.
Then, after some time, they could reveal him again.
The five disciples of Duanshen Gate were perplexed.
The elders of various sects outside the arena also frowned.
"What's going on here?"
"Is it a problem with the spiritual mirrors, or is there an issue with Mo Hua's concealment art?"
This question left them deeply troubled.
Even after Duanshen Gate's defeat, the elders couldn't understand what had happened, and they couldn't sleep, pondering the mystery.
Late at night.
The main hall of the sect.
A group of elders gathered in the hall, staying up late to examine Mo Hua's Mo Ying Tu, frame by frame, scrutinizing every detail until one of them finally understood.
A thin, sharp-eyed elder slapped the table, suddenly realizing, "Damn..."
He had spoken without thinking, only then realizing his slip of the tongue.
The other elders didn't mind, for they also wanted to curse.
"Quick, explain!"
The elder gritted his teeth and explained,
"This stinky kid, he's using two concealment arts! One low-end and one high-end."
"He's mixing the low-end and high-end concealment arts..."
"That's why, when using the breaking concealment spiritual mirrors, he appears and disappears, sometimes revealing himself and sometimes not..."
A chorus of exclamations filled the hall.
"It's so simple... I can't believe it..."
"I'm impressed by this stinky kid."
"How does this little brat's brain work?"
"How can he come up with such ideas..."
"This isn't a ghostly idea; it's the essence of Dao, where all methods are equal, and the key to success lies in the heart..."
"It's a ghostly idea..."
...
Having uncovered Mo Hua's trick, the solution became apparent.
They began to study Mo Hua frame by frame, analyzing each image to determine which concealment art he was using at that moment.
Unfortunately, they only played one game, and the "sample" was still insufficient.
The Daoist elders were still unable to make a definitive judgment at this time.
"Let's wait until Lingxiao Gate's match is over, and then we'll see..."
"That's all we can do."
So, in the next game, Mo Hua and his team faced off against disciples from Lingxiao Gate.
Lingxiao Gate was one of the Eight Great Gates, and its disciples specialized in spellcasting. It was said that they had the same roots as one of the Four Great Sects, Wanxiao Gate, but due to some disagreements, they eventually split into separate factions.
Lingxiao Gate's tactics were simple and brutal.
All five of their members launched a large-scale "spell bombardment" on Mo Hua.
Golden light, fire, stones, hail, and water arrows rained down from above, covering the entire area.
Mo Hua had nowhere to hide and had to use his concealment art to evade the attack.
The battle with Lingxiao Gate lasted for quite some time, and Mo Hua's concealment art was almost completely exposed.
After the Swordsman Competition, Mo Hua's every move was once again captured on the Mo Ying Tu and studied by the Daoist elders of various sects.
After a thorough examination and comparison, several elders with sharp eyes and rich experience finally sighed and declared:
"It's a Five Elements-type concealment art."
"Five Elements?"
"Blending into the Five Elements and hiding within heaven and earth... That's why he specifically chose the small grove to hide, to take advantage of the wood, earth, and water attributes of the trees and plants, making it easier to use his concealment art."
"As I suspected, this is indeed a Five Elements-type concealment art."
"Why didn't you say so earlier?"
"Without evidence, it's not right to make assumptions. Now that we have the evidence, I can make a definitive statement..."
"..."
"But there are many Five Elements concealment arts. Which one is this kid using?"
The Daoist elders had their own opinions, and some even guessed correctly:
"From my observation, it seems similar to the Five Hidden Sect's Five Elements Concealment Art."
"Didn't the Five Hidden Sect disappear?"
"The legacy must have been lost. This kid is probably just lucky to have obtained it..."
"Regardless, knowing the principle is good enough."
"We'll prepare some Five Elements-breaking spiritual equipment and make this kid reveal his true form in the next Swordsman Competition!"
"Excellent!"
The elders all agreed.
Someone else asked, "Who will they be up against in the next Swordsman Competition?"
"Xiao Yao Gate... There's a disciple from the Feng Family."
Everyone applauded, "A disciple from the Xun Zhou Feng Family! This is perfect! Now, Mo Hua won't be able to escape. Once his concealment is broken, he'll have nowhere to turn, neither in heaven nor on earth, and he'll have no place to be buried."
"It's time for Mo Hua to die."
"He's been making us elders stay up all night for meetings. If he doesn't die, we'll lose face."
"The Feng Family... Good! This kid is destined to die."
"Let him know the dangers of the Swordsman Competition..."
The elders finalized their plan, feeling relieved.
...
At this moment, it was late at night.
In Qianxue Prefecture, at the Feng Family's cave abode.
A Feng Family elder with a thin and refined appearance stood in the moonlit night breeze, waiting outside the cave abode as if expecting someone.
Half an hour later, the sound of horse hooves could be heard from a distance.
The Feng Family elder's expression brightened, and he focused his gaze on the approaching carriage in the hazy night.
The carriage was unassuming, low-key yet luxurious, carrying a hint of dust from a long journey, as if it had traveled from afar to attend a gathering.
Upon seeing this, the Feng Family elder immediately hurried forward with a smile.
The carriage slowly came to a stop, and several cultivators with exceptional cultivation levels alighted from it.
The leader had a youthful face and white hair, exuding an extraordinary aura.
The Feng Family elder quickly cupped his hands and said with a smile, "Elder Zhang, it's been a long time."
The cultivator addressed as Elder Zhang also smiled and said, "Brother Feng, we've been fellow cultivators for many years. There's no need to be so formal."
The Feng Family elder shook his head, "Nonsense. Friendship is friendship, and etiquette is etiquette."
He glanced at Elder Zhang and then at the several talented young cultivators behind him. He quickly extended his hand and invited them in, "It's getting late. You must be tired from your journey. Please come into my humble abode and rest for a while."
Elder Zhang cupped his hands, "Then we won't disturb you for too long..."
"Nonsense. It's an honor to have Elder Zhang here. Please come in."
"Please."
After some polite exchanges, they put away the carriage and entered the Feng Family's cave abode.
The Feng Family was a prominent family in Xun Zhou, and this cave abode was unassuming from the outside, but inside, it was a hidden paradise with elegant pavilions, lush flowers and plants, and a unique atmosphere for cultivation.
Elder Zhang of the Zhang Family and the Feng Family elder walked and chatted as they went.
"Things have been unsettled in Kan Zhou recently..."
"We were delayed on the way, which is why we arrived late."
"By my calculations, the Swordsman Competition should have already started."
"Yes, it has."
"What a pity..."
"It's fine. This is just the beginning. The real excitement is yet to come..."
The group entered the hall and took their seats. Soon, a servant boy came to serve tea.
After taking a sip of tea, Elder Zhang nodded slowly and asked the Feng Family elder, "With all the unrest in Kan Zhou, it's been nearly three hundred years since I last visited Qianxue Prefecture to observe the Swordsman Competition. I wonder who the outstanding talents are in this session?"
The Feng Family elder cupped his hands and said proudly, "Qianxue Prefecture is a place of thriving Daoist cultivation, gathering the elite talents from the nine regions and the best of the best. There are countless Tianjiao."
"If we're talking about the most outstanding, it's still the Four Great Sects."
"In this session of the Swordsman Competition, Shi Tiangang from Qian Dao Zong, Xiao Wuchen from Tianjian Gate, Ao Zhan from Longding Gate, and Du Mu Qing from Wanxiao Zong are all top-tier Tianjiao. They have been dominating the competition so far, having such exceptional talents as these Tianjiao, and having such a close connection with the Four Great Sects, it's no wonder they are so strong."
"Below the Four Great Sects, there are also many Tianjiao among the Eight Great Gates, such as Ling Hu Xiao, Shi Tiangang, and Qin Cangliu, who are all quite impressive..."
The Feng Family elder continued counting, then paused for a moment before saying, "There's also one person who, if we consider his talent, should be a rare genius. However, he has talent but lacks virtue, and his reputation is not good."
Elder Zhang was a bit surprised, "Who is this person?"
The Feng Family elder spoke solemnly, "This person, even at the middle stage of Foundation Establishment, has nineteen patterns of apex divine perception, surpassing the Four Great Sects and becoming the champion of the Formation Competition. His talent and cultivation are average, but his Five Elements spells are extraordinary, and his concealment art leaves no trace..."
"There's such a talented genius?"
Everyone was shocked by this revelation.
Elder Zhang was also moved and asked, "What's his name?"
"Mo Hua!"
Among the Zhang Family cultivators, a cultivator in a blue robe immediately spat out a mouthful of tea.
(End of Chapter)
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