Chapter 125: Entering the Mountain (Part Three)
Chapter 125: Entering the Mountain (Part Three)
"Hunting demons is a dangerous task, and I never wanted you to be involved in it. But now that you've learned a body-art and can protect yourself, I'll teach you everything I know about demon hunting."
Mo Shan looked at Mo Hua and said, "These are lessons learned over tens of thousands of years by demon hunters, at the cost of their lives and blood. Remember them well. Even if you don't become a demon hunter, this knowledge will surely be useful someday."
Mo Hua's little face was solemn as he nodded seriously.
"The first rule of demon hunting is not to hunt and kill demons, but to familiarize yourself with the terrain of the mountains."
"Da Hei Mountain has complex and intricate terrain. You must first get to know the mountain paths, know where the peaks are, where the cliffs are, where the caves are, where the demons lurk, where the miasma is thickest, and which spirit herbs are poisonous..."
"If you are well-versed in these things, even if your cultivation is not enough, you will know how to avoid danger and protect your life when faced with peril."
"On the contrary, if you are ignorant of the mountains and geography, you will either inhale the miasma or consume poisonous herbs, or stumble into a demon's lair. No matter how high your cultivation is, it will be difficult to leave Da Hei Mountain alive in such a case."
"I will take you through the outer reaches of the mountain, and you must commit to memory the terrain, the location of streams, miasmic areas, poisonous swamps, and dense forests..."
Mo Shan led the way along the mountain path as he spoke.
Mo Hua followed closely behind, committing the path and the surrounding landmarks to memory.
Whenever they came across a dangerous area, Mo Shan would stop and explain the situation in detail to Mo Hua.
For example, he pointed out where the miasma was thin and where it was thick, warning that one should not stay in areas of thick miasma for more than half an hour, or the miasma would enter the body, causing dizziness and confusion.
He also cautioned about certain dense forests that would be enveloped in thick fog, causing anyone unfortunate enough to wander in to lose their sense of direction. One could only escape after the sun had passed its zenith and the mountain fog had dispersed, or they would be forever lost.
He described the poisonous swamps that were home to extremely venomous demons whose skin color changed with their surroundings, requiring one to be vigilant.
He also pointed out the peaks where powerful demons lurked and the signs that foretold their appearances...
...
They walked from morning till night, yet they had only covered a small portion of the outer reaches of Da Hei Mountain.
As dusk fell, Mo Shan led Mo Hua to a small campsite on a mountainside.
The campsite was a small cave, its entrance concealed by vegetation and sealed with an iron door. A simple array was painted on the iron door to prevent demon attacks.
The campsite was modest, containing only some dried food, herbs, and a few simple stone beds.
"This is a temporary resting place for demon hunters. It's rudimentary, but it provides adequate shelter," Mo Shan explained.
He then pointed to the iron door and added, "There's an array on the door. It's not the best, but it works. If you're ever pursued by demons and have nowhere else to hide, you can take refuge here and activate the array. Most demons won't be able to get in."
Mo Hua nodded.
The father and son spent the night at the campsite.
The next day, they woke up at dawn and continued their journey along the mountain path.
Mo Shan lectured as they walked.
In this manner, they spent their days traveling through Da Hei Mountain and their nights resting within it. After a full seven days, Mo Shan finally led Mo Hua through the entirety of the mountain's outer reaches.
Upon returning home, Mo Hua's body was sore all over, his calves were swollen, and his head ached from inhaling too much miasma. Even after taking the Detoxifying Pill, he still had a lingering pain in his forehead.
Liu Ruhua asked Feng Laoxi for a Clear Spirit Soup, which she gave to Mo Hua to drink. She also applied medicinal herbs to reduce the swelling on his body. Seeing that Mo Hua's face was still pale, she couldn't help but feel distressed and blamed Mo Shan, "You could have taught him slowly. There was no need to spend seven days in the mountains and endure so much hardship."
Seeing his wife's anger, Mo Shan explained in a low voice, "These hardships are inevitable. It's better to face them now and have an easier time later."
Liu Ruhua understood this logic, but she was still upset. That evening, she only gave Mo Shan a meal of plain porridge, steamed buns, and not even a dish of pickled vegetables.
Mo Shan found the situation both amusing and frustrating.
Two days later, Mo Hua had recovered, and his body was mostly back to normal.
Mo Hua also brought some crispy snacks and pine nuts for Kui Lao, and some food and fruit wine for the Bai siblings.
Bai Zi Sheng was extremely envious when he heard that Mo Hua could now hunt demons in Da Hei Mountain.
Being strictly watched over by Xue Yi, it was difficult for him to even roam around, let alone hunt demons.
Mo Hua patted him on the shoulder sympathetically, wishing he could help.
A few days later, Mo Shan took Mo Hua into Da Hei Mountain again.
This time, they didn't have to go into every detail, just familiarize themselves with the mountain's terrain, so it only took three to four days to cover the outer areas.
From then on, whenever Mo Shan had free time, he would take Mo Hua into the mountain for another walk.
Mo Hua gradually became more and more familiar with the outer regions of Da Hei Mountain.
When Mo Shan felt that Mo Hua had a good grasp of the terrain, he brought him to a cliff in the outer reaches of the mountain.
The cliff was steep and rugged, with strange rocks jutting out, offering an unobstructed view of the scenery at the mountain's waist.
After confirming that the area was safe, Mo Shan said to Mo Hua, "You're now quite familiar with the outer mountain. I'll teach you what to pay attention to when facing off against demon beasts."
Mo Hua sat cross-legged on a boulder, listening intently.
"A demon hunter's code of conduct is to know yourself and your enemy, and to be prepared," Mo Shan began.
"Knowing yourself and your enemy means recognizing your own strength. Assess your cultivation depth, and the spells, martial arts, and spirit tools at your disposal. At the same time, you must understand the demon beasts, including their realm, blood essence, demonic power, and habits. Know their strengths and weaknesses, whether they are insidious or prone to feigning death."
"Then, gauge each other's strength. If you can kill it, then do so, but if you can't, don't act rashly."
"If, during the fight, you realize that circumstances have changed and what was once a killable demon beast is now beyond your capabilities, make your escape early. Otherwise, when your spiritual power is exhausted, you will be the one who perishes."
...
"Being prepared means planning ahead and foreseeing potential issues. Especially when facing powerful demon beasts, consider beforehand whether you can kill it, what you'll use to kill it, how you'll do it, and what you'll do if something unexpected happens."
"If you don't plan ahead and act rashly, any mistake will undoubtedly lead to injury or death."
...
Mo Shan went into great detail, explaining everything meticulously.
Mo Hua listened attentively, absorbing every word.
"For now, just listen," Mo Shan said. "As you gain more experience in fighting demon beasts, you'll naturally understand."
Mo Hua nodded.
"There's one more thing you must remember," Mo Shan added. "No matter what happens, it's best not to take action, but once you do, be ruthless!"
"Ruthless?" Mo Hua was taken aback.
"As a demon hunter, your enemy is the demon beast. If you're not ruthless, they will be. If you don't kill them, they will kill you."
"How exactly do I be ruthless?"
Mo Shan raised an eyebrow and said, "When you're not taking action, don't reveal any killing intent. But when it's time to act, don't hesitate at all."
"As soon as your opponent shows an opening, strike first and aim to take their life in one blow. Don't give them a chance to fight back."
"The best opponent is one you don't have to fight!"
Mo Hua was still a little surprised to hear such words from his father, who had a prominent brow and large eyes.
After hesitating for a moment, Mo Hua asked, "Isn't that a bit...unscrupulous?"
Mo Shan's expression turned solemn as he replied, "There is no victory or defeat for demon hunters, only life and death. Even if you win unscrupulously, you live. If you lose gloriously, you still die."
Mo Shan patted Mo Hua's head and added, "It's not easy for a rogue cultivator to survive. If there's a chance to live, you must take it."
(End of Chapter)
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