Chapter 1055: Mr. Tu (Thanks to Yeeeeea for the Support)
Chapter 1055: Mr. Tu (Thanks to Yeeeeea for the Support)
Outside Yanluo Mountain.
A group of Tianjiao disciples, survivors of the ordeal, were preparing to evacuate.
Cheng Mo looked around and suddenly asked, "Where’s Senior Brother?"
Situ Jian replied, "Senior Brother told me to leave first and that he would catch up later."
Linghu Xiao frowned, "Is Senior Brother okay?"
Situ Jian said, "Senior Brother told us not to worry; he’ll be fine."
Linghu Xiao nodded, "Then let’s wait for Senior Brother for a bit."
"Alright."
"Once Senior Brother comes out, we’ll head back to the sect together."
A group of Taixu Sect disciples gathered outside the camp where Dao Ting Si was stationed, waiting for Mo Hua to join them. But they waited and waited, and still, there was no sign of that familiar figure.
Just then, a loud rumble echoed from the distance. The mountain peak collapsed, and evil energy spread. The entrance to the Evil Array on Yanluo Mountain was sealed once again.
And they still hadn’t seen their Senior Brother.
Everyone’s faces changed drastically.
"Senior Brother hasn’t come out!"
"He’s still in that evil mountain?"
They exchanged glances, their expressions heavy with concern.
Situ Jian furrowed his brow in deep thought. As he looked up, he saw Gu Changhuai standing nearby with a solemn expression. He immediately approached and asked:
"Gu Diansi, where’s our Senior Brother?"
Linghu Xiao, Cheng Mo, and the other Taixu Sect disciples all looked at Gu Changhuai, their eyes shining with hope.
Gu Changhuai suddenly felt the profound place Mo Hua held in the hearts of the Taixu Sect disciples. He sighed, "Mo Hua... he stayed behind in the array."
Everyone’s faces turned pale, "Gu Diansi..."
"Mo Hua... he’s trying to save someone."
"Save who?"
Gu Changhuai shook his head.
Situ Jian and the others roughly guessed that this was a secret of Dao Ting Si, not to be disclosed. They didn’t press further.
But their Senior Brother was missing...
"Should we... go back to help Senior Brother?"
Situ Jian shook his head, calm and collected, "The entrance has collapsed, and the array is sealed. We can’t go back."
"There are still so many demons..."
"Besides, even if we go back, we won’t be able to help Senior Brother. We don’t understand the array and would only become a burden..."
The Taixu Sect disciples all looked downcast.
Gu Changhuai said, "You... should go back to the sect first. We at Dao Ting Si will ensure Mo Hua’s safety."
It had been a struggle to save these Tianjiao disciples, and he couldn’t let them be in danger again.
But Linghu Xiao shook his head firmly, "I’ll wait here. When Mo Hua comes out, we’ll go back to the sect together."
The other Taixu Sect disciples also looked serious, nodding in agreement:
"Until Senior Brother comes out, we won’t leave!"
"If we’re going back to the sect, we’ll go together!"
Gu Changhuai was touched and didn’t insist further.
On the other side, disciples from the other major sects were beginning to leave. But halfway through, someone suddenly asked:
"Why isn’t Taixu Sect leaving?"
"They seem to be waiting for Mo Hua..."
"Mo Hua?"
"Seems like he’s still in the array?"
Everyone’s expressions changed, "Still in the array?"
"I overheard their conversation with Gu Diansi. Mo Hua is trying to save someone, so he hasn’t come out yet..."
All the Tianjiao from the various sects stopped in their tracks.
Mo Hua had already saved them.
Now that they were all out, Mo Hua was still inside that eerie and terrifying Evil Array, trying to save more people...
Mo Hua’s image in their minds suddenly became a bit hazy.
Though he was often cruel in his words, arrogant in his attitude, and cunning in his methods, he had indeed united the disciples of various sects and successfully led them out of the demon lair. Now, he was even staying behind, risking his life to save more people...
Maybe Mo Hua wasn’t a “villain” after all?
Perhaps, quite the opposite?
Everyone’s expressions were somber.
Residual anger, resentment, gratitude, admiration, and shame mingled in their hearts, making it hard to describe the taste.
Ao Zheng from Longding Sect was the first to stop, his voice grave, "I’ll stay too."
Shen Cangfeng frowned but didn’t say anything.
Xiao Ruohan stood still, her expression cold, clearly unwilling to leave alone.
As the Tianjiao of the four major sects, their pride was even stronger.
Mo Hua, whom they had resented, had helped them, but if they left him behind, they would despise themselves from the bottom of their hearts.
Therefore, they stayed, not for Mo Hua, but for their own “Dao heart,” for their belief in cultivation, for the integrity and righteousness of their hearts.
They didn’t want to be cowards who fled in the face of danger.
Among the eight major sects, Shi Tiangang from the Golden Fist Sect spoke up slowly:
"Mo Hua has done us a favor. We’ll wait too."
The other Tianjiao from the Golden Fist Sect nodded in agreement.
From the other sects, Qin Cangliu from Duanjin Sect, Lu Zhenlong from Zixia Sect, and Feng Zichen from Xiaoyao Sect also stayed behind.
Song Jian from Duanjin Sect was genuinely a bit worried about Mo Hua, but he wore a cold smile, pretending to be reluctantly following the crowd.
Ye Zhiyuan from the Dalu Sect, who had been sulking ever since Mo Hua mocked him for his “short-flying sword,” also didn’t want to leave.
Mo Hua was the rival he had chosen, and sooner or later, he would personally ride the Grand Lu Flying Sword to slay Mo Hua, avenging his past humiliation.
Before that, he did not wish for Mo Hua to die first.
As the leader, Tianjiao did not leave, so the other disciples of the various sects naturally stayed as well.
At this moment, the prodigies from the four major sects, eight major sects, and twelve major streams, after escaping the Blood Sacrifice Array, gathered outside Yanluo Mountain, silently waiting.
Their thoughts varied: some for deep bonds with their fellow disciples, some for the pride of being prodigies, some out of gratitude, some out of resentment, and some just following the crowd...
But no matter the reason, the prodigies of Qianxue Prefecture all looked toward Yanluo Mountain, silently awaiting that one figure...
...
Inside Yanluo Mountain.
The Blood Sacrifice Array was still active, the air thick with evil energy and blood-red hues. In this demonic den, Mo Hua was curiously "touring" everywhere.
All the demon cultivators inside Yanluo Mountain had been killed by Dao Ting Si, leaving no one to disturb his study of the Vast Heaven Blood Sacrifice Array.
The flesh demon army required the nourishment of blood veins and could not stray too far from the valley. As long as he did not approach the valley entrance, the danger was minimal.
The wandering evil spirits in the air were even less of a concern.
Thus, Mo Hua felt quite "at ease" within the array, able to dismantle and examine whatever he wanted without interference from anyone or any demons.
After wandering around the outer perimeter again, Mo Hua broadened his understanding of array formations through practical examples and the intricate details of their construction, greatly enriching his practical experience with large-scale arrays.
Once he felt he had gained enough, Mo Hua turned and headed toward the secret Array Hub Chamber.
Inside the secret Array Hub Chamber, there were four Golden Core Evil Array Masters.
Now, these four Golden Core Evil Array Masters were all dead, their bodies still at the scene, limbs broken and heads severed.
This was something Mo Hua had specifically instructed Uncle Gu to do.
Upon first entering Yanluo Mountain, they were to find as many Golden Core Diansi as possible, infiltrate this Array Hub Chamber, and kill these Golden Core Array Masters, ensuring their heads were removed, and not to look into their eyes.
Killing the array masters first in a battle was a lesson Mo Hua, as a seasoned array master, had learned over the years.
Uncle Gu had implemented this very well.
Mo Hua nodded and then looked at the table.
A wine cup still sat on the table, the eyes in the cup slowly turning, blood seeping out and mixing with the wine, turning the liquid a deep red.
Mo Hua considered it for a moment but ultimately resisted the urge to drink.
This thing was too sinister; it was best not to taste it.
Based on Mo Hua's speculation, this was likely a means for the Evil Array Masters to enhance their array skills by using sinister external objects to supplement their divine perception.
But in this world, there were rarely such easy ways out; everything came at a price.
The Evil Array Masters used sinister objects to supplement their divine perception, enhancing their mental seas and understanding of array formations.
Or they engaged in wanton slaughter, using human flesh, bones, and skin to lower the threshold of array formations, allowing them to draw more powerful arrays. All of these actions came with a price.
They would gradually sink deeper into the path of evil, step by step, until they became dependent on it, forever unable to touch the true essence of array formations.
Array formations still had to be learned through one's own efforts, practiced repeatedly, and studied with a single-minded focus. Only then could the knowledge truly be one's own, allowing for a deep and comprehensive understanding.
Sometimes, shortcuts were actually detours.
The true "shortcut" was to stay on the right path and persistently walk it...
Mo Hua paused in deep thought, his gaze gradually becoming clear as he gradually rejected the "temptation" of the evil array, reinforcing his resolve. Only then did he continue to study the central Array Hub Disk before him.
This was the Array Hub Disk of the "core" array hub.
And it was a third-rank array.
Mo Hua tried to intervene with his divine perception, but after several attempts, he failed every time.
His divine perception, though at the Golden Core stage with twenty patterns, seemed not yet capable of controlling a large-scale array hub.
The large-scale array hub resisted his divine perception.
Undeterred, Mo Hua calmed down and continued to try, using his extremely resilient pure gold divine perception to withstand the immense load that would normally be unbearable for most array masters, forcefully penetrating the core of the large array and seizing control of the array hub.
Finally, after dozens of attempts where sheer force led to miracles, the large-scale array hub finally recognized Mo Hua's divine perception level and granted him partial access.
Mo Hua's divine perception finally interfaced with the Vast Heaven Blood Sacrifice Array's hub.
A rumbling echoed in his mental sea.
Mo Hua endured the intense pain and slowly opened his eyes.
Before him lay an endless sea of blood.
Countless array patterns, like blood vessels, extended in all directions, weaving and spreading outward.
Evil energy flowed through these "vessels", connecting every aspect of the large array, making the Vast Heaven Blood Sacrifice Array resemble a colossal, terrifying "monster" slowly awakening...
As Mo Hua's divine perception communicated with the Vast Heaven Blood Sacrifice Array, his first reaction was a profound sense of his own insignificance.
The array's blood-red expanse was vast like an ocean, boundless and endless.
He was just a speck in this blood-red sea.
Mo Hua was deeply moved, suddenly realizing that his previous assessment of the scale of this array was "misjudged."
This Blood Sacrifice Array was truly immense, far beyond his ability to "control."
"This is the scope of a quasi-third-rank array..."
Mo Hua was somewhat dazed, and at the same time, a sense of suffocating powerlessness arose in his heart.
His previous understanding was too "narrow", and he had been "sitting at the bottom of a well, looking at the sky", thinking himself more capable than he truly was.
Mo Hua had thought that through the array hub, he could to some extent manipulate the Blood Sacrifice Array. However, now it was clear that the array was so massive and complex that even understanding it was a daunting task.
Mo Hua felt a bit defeated, but after a brief moment of disappointment, he gradually regained his composure.
The size was indeed immense.
The array's complexity and difficulty were also justified.
Only such an array could be called a grand array.
An array of this caliber was worthy of being the lifelong pursuit of countless array masters.
Even his own shallowness and misjudgments were justified.
Recognizing one's own insignificance was the path to becoming stronger.
Knowing one's flaws and shortcomings provided a clear direction for improvement, enabling one to grow stronger step by step.
"The art of arrays is vast and profound; there is still so much for me to learn..."
"In other words, I can still become much, much stronger..."
Mo Hua gazed at the vast, magnificent array before him, and his fighting spirit gradually rose again.
He no longer hesitated and began with the easiest part of the array, the second-rank array hub, dissecting and analyzing it from the internal core, studying the quasi-third-rank Blood Sacrifice Array...
Mo Hua couldn't understand the third-rank sections.
But he could grasp about seventy to eighty percent of the second-rank array hub and use its principles to deduce the structure and functions of the third-rank array hub.
From the perspective of a master array designer, he aimed to grasp the overall construction ideas of the entire complex array.
Soon, Mo Hua was fully immersed in the array.
The more he learned, the more he realized how little he knew.
The deeper his insights, the more he felt the shallowness of his understanding.
This was precisely what Mo Hua needed.
Praise from others and the title of "Array Master of the True Dao" would only make him arrogant, content with past achievements, and stagnant.
These things had no meaning for him.
What he truly needed was a consistent dedication to the study of arrays and an insatiable thirst for the principles of the grand path.
Always knowing his ignorance and shallowness, he could always grow stronger and forever pursue his own "path"...
Time passed slowly.
Mo Hua was so engrossed in his study of the array that he lost track of himself.
After an unknown duration, he suddenly felt a chill on his back, and the temperature in the room dropped significantly.
He withdrew his divine perception from the array hub and turned to see a tall, thin, and chilling figure standing behind him, exuding a terrifying aura and deep cultivation, with a strong presence of an evil deity.
Mr. Tu...
The air seemed to freeze.
Mo Hua tilted his head back to look at Mr. Tu.
Mr. Tu lowered his head to look at Mo Hua.
They stared at each other for a long time before Mr. Tu slowly spoke, his voice like that of a night owl:
"Can you understand it?"
Mo Hua shook his head and said honestly:
"It's too difficult; I can't really understand it..."
Mr. Tu's pale eyes narrowed.
He then turned to look at the decapitated bodies in the room, released his chilling divine perception, and swept his gaze around Yanluo Mountain. His expression turned cold as he asked Mo Hua:
"What happened to the evil array masters I raised?"
Mo Hua whispered, "They seem... to have all died..."
Mr. Tu's eyes bloodshot, the veins pulsating like parasites.
Mo Hua's heart skipped a beat and he quickly waved his hands:
"It's not my fault; it was Dao Ting Si who killed them!"
"Uncle Gu led Dao Ting Si to breach Yanluo Mountain and kill all the evil array masters!"
Mo Hua shifted all the blame to Gu Changhuai.
Mr. Tu's blood aura surged, his voice deep and growling like a beast.
"Gu Changhuai—"
The decapitated Jin Dan evil array masters in the room had indeed been killed by Gu Changhuai, their limbs severed by wind blades.
As for the other evil array masters, it was even more certain.
Even if Gu Changhuai hadn't killed them personally, they had died at the hands of Dao Ting Si.
"This Gu Changhuai has repeatedly thwarted my plans. If I had known this, I shouldn't have held back and would have done everything to eliminate him..."
Mr. Tu thought to himself.
Though he didn't know how Gu Changhuai managed to break through the array's defenses, enter the valley, and kill the evil array masters he had painstakingly trained, nor how he rescued the sacrificial offerings, Mr. Tu gradually understood when he considered that Gu Changhuai was a chosen servant of the "Taixu Malevolent Deity."
To be selected by a malevolent deity and serve a god, one must have extraordinary abilities and strategic acumen far beyond the norm.
It wasn't surprising that he could accomplish what others could not.
Moreover, Gu Changhuai had consistently opposed the deity from the very beginning, never being an easy opponent.
But the thought of his trained array masters being completely wiped out and the sacrificial offerings mostly escaping made Mr. Tu's face darken and his features twist. His bloodshot eyes turned to Mo Hua.
After all, if anyone was to blame, the Zhen Dao Kui Shou of the Taixu Sect was no less culpable.
If not for him, the Blood Sacrifice Array wouldn't have been activated in such a hasty manner.
Even before that, many events had the shadow of this young man named "Mo Hua"...
The physical and mental scars left by the deity's punishment for his failed schemes began to ache again.
Mr. Tu's eyes glinted with uncontrollable killing intent.
Mo Hua, sensing this murderous aura, immediately said with a serious face:
"To achieve great things, one must remain calm. One must learn to control their emotions and never let anger cloud their judgment, or it will lead to disaster."
Mr. Tu's chest tightened, his face contorted.
A moment later, he scrutinized Mo Hua with a sharp gaze and asked, "Do you know who I am?"
Mo Hua shook his head. "You're just another evil outsider. I don't care who you are."
Mr. Tu sneered. "Aren't you afraid I might kill you?"
Mo Hua looked resolute. "You wouldn't dare!"
"Why not?"
Mo Hua snorted. "I am the Chief Array Master of Taixu Sect, protected by our Patriarch. Dao Ting Si's people are nearby too. If you don't provoke me, I'll pretend I never saw you and won't make things difficult for you. But if you hurt me, the Patriarch of Taixu Sect will make sure you're obliterated."
His words were arrogant and boastful, but Mr. Tu didn't doubt them.
This young man named Mo Hua indeed had significant standing within Taixu Sect.
But then...
Mr. Tu asked Mo Hua, "Are you aware that you're alone in this mountain, with neither Dao Ting Si nor your Patriarch around?"
"My Patriarch is protecting me... How could you possibly know?"
Mo Hua's expression remained calm, but his divine perception was subtly making his legs tremble.
This "forced composure" didn't escape the notice of Mr. Tu, an experienced and shrewd old monster.
For someone his age, Mo Hua's composure was impressive. But he was still too young, able to control his expression but not his body, revealing his inner fear...
Mr. Tu sneered and said slowly, "Let me guess..."
"Dao Ting Si did come to rescue you... but you're an array master, and a very confident one at that. You believe there's no array in the world you can't master, even a grand array. So you sneaked here on your own to study the Heavenly Blood Sacrifice Array in secret..."
"After all, it's a grand array, and you couldn't resist. But it's also an evil array, and you couldn't let others know."
"But the problem is, this valley is teeming with flesh demons. Dao Ting Si didn't dare stay long."
"By the time you realized it, everyone had already left, leaving you alone in this valley..."
"Now, no one is coming to save you..."
Mr. Tu's tone was icy, and with each word, Mo Hua's face grew paler, as if all his plans were being exposed.
"You... you're lying... These are just your wild guesses, and they're all wrong..."
Mo Hua's voice was frantic.
He was telling the truth; Mr. Tu was indeed just guessing, and not a single guess was right.
Unfortunately, Mr. Tu didn't care about the truth. He only saw Mo Hua's panic and incoherence.
Words can lie, but instincts cannot.
Mr. Tu sneered but had no intention of really killing Mo Hua.
Mo Hua was a valuable "bargaining chip" with great potential.
Moreover, he had his reservations and truly didn't dare kill Mo Hua, at least not yet...
Mr. Tu looked at Mo Hua with a grim expression, his voice hoarse and low.
"You can't fool me with these petty tricks. Follow me obediently, and do as I say, and I won't kill you."
"Otherwise, I'll gut you, tear out your heart, and turn you into a demonic puppet, forever trapped in the cycle of life and death."
Mo Hua's face was filled with fear, but he reluctantly nodded.
"As long as you don't kill me, I'll do as you say..."
Mr. Tu nodded slightly and turned to leave, but suddenly his heart skipped a beat, and he couldn't help but wonder:
"Is this kid lying to me?"
Mr. Tu's cold eyes turned back to Mo Hua.
His expression wasn't fake; he was indeed "forcing his composure." There was a hint of arrogance and some doubt. If this was an act, the kid's depth and acting skills were far too impressive.
As the saying goes, a man of great wealth doesn't take unnecessary risks.
Given this kid's status, he had no need to take such risks and end up in Mr. Tu's hands.
But everything seemed too coincidental.
Why did everyone leave, leaving only this kid in this demon lair?
Why?
Could it be... the Divine Lord?!
Mr. Tu suddenly understood, and everything fell into place.
The Divine Lord was manipulating the cause and effect from behind the scenes.
The Divine Lord knew this kid had significant karma and was the key to His resurrection. But the kid had always been protected in Taixu Sect, making it impossible to act.
Now, trapped in the Blood Sacrifice Array and influenced by its evil energy, the kid's destiny was in chaos, and no one was protecting him.
Thus, the Divine Lord's power could intervene, using the kid's fascination and delusions with the evil array to trap both his destiny and his person.
Everything was the Divine Lord's guidance!
The Divine Lord was controlling everything from the shadows!
Mr. Tu took a deep breath, his faith in the Divine Lord growing stronger, and he felt the divine's profound and unfathomable nature even more.
As for the threat this kid posed...
In the Blood Sacrifice Array, everything was under the Divine Lord's protection.
And the kid was just a Zhu Ji cultivator, a low-ranking one at that, right under Mr. Tu's watch.
"Could I, Yu Hua, really die at the hands of a mere Zhu Ji?"
Mr. Tu sneered at the thought.
After considering everything, he extended his pale hand, and blood threads emerged from his fingertips, merging with the array hub. The array hub transformed, and the blood threads seeped into the stone wall, turning it into flesh.
The entire array hub wall opened like a demonic mouth, revealing a dark, deep passage.
"Follow me."
Mr. Tu commanded, stepping into the bloody passage.
Mo Hua nodded, his face filled with despair, but he obediently followed Mr. Tu into the demonic maw.
(End of Chapter)
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