Chapter 147: The Wolf Spirit (Part Five)
Chapter 147: The Wolf Spirit (Part Five)
Now that he had mastered the Golden Armor Array and crossed the threshold of the First-Rank Nine-Pattern, all he needed to do was continue studying and practicing formations, just as he had been doing.
With Mr. Zhuang's knowledge and endorsement, Mo Hua's confidence soared, believing that achieving the rank of a Second-Rank formation master wouldn't be difficult.
However, his thoughts took a somber turn as he considered the challenges ahead. Becoming a Second-Rank formation master might be achievable, but advancing to the Foundation Establishment stage as a cultivator... that was a different matter altogether.
The path of an independent cultivator was fraught with obstacles.
Mo Hua sighed.
"Oh well, one step at a time," he said to himself.
Mo Hua took the opportunity to visit the Refiner's Workshop and requested Master Chen to forge a new set of Vine Armor.
There were two types of armor commonly used by Demon Refiners: Vine Armor and Iron Armor.
Vine Armor was crafted by refiners from dried vines soaked in water, offering mediocre defense. It could barely withstand the attacks of mid-First Rank demonic beasts, and without the Iron Armor Array, one was likely to sustain injuries while hunting demons.
Iron Armor, on the other hand, was refined from fine iron and could defend against assaults from late-First Rank demonic beasts. However, its production required a substantial amount of fine iron, making it expensive, and thus unaffordable for most demon hunters.
Typically, demon hunters at the later stages of Qi Refining would request refiners to incorporate fine iron into the Vine Armor, blending the vine and iron together to enhance its defensive capabilities without making it overly costly.
The set of Vine Armor that Mo Hua requested from Master Chen was intended for the latter stages of Qi Refining.
Previously, Mo Shan had ventured into the inner mountains to hunt demons and encountered a formidable beast that left his Vine Armor with a tear during their protracted battle.
Unwilling to part with his damaged armor, Mo Shan continued wearing it.
Upon seeing this, Mo Hua decided to request a new set of Vine Armor for his father.
Out of respect for Mo Hua's request, Master Chen was highly attentive to the task, refusing any assistance from Da Zhu and the others. He personally undertook every step of the process, from swinging the hammer to tempering and soaking the vines in water.
Moreover, he added a generous amount of fine iron to the mix.
Mo Hua offered to pay Master Chen in spirit stones, but the latter refused.
When Mo Hua insisted, Master Chen's already dark face grew even darker as he asked, "Do you look down on me?"
Mo Hua had occasionally provided him with spirit stones, drawn arrays for him, and even mined some ores for him. Though the refiner didn't say it aloud, he kept a mental note of these favors.
Mo Hua had no choice but to bring him several pounds of beef, which Master Chen happily accepted without hesitation.
After retrieving the Vine Armor, Mo Hua drew the First-Rank Golden Armor Array on it!
The First-Rank Golden Armor Array was a true nine-patterned formation, usable even by cultivators at the ninth layer of Qi Refining.
With the addition of this array, the defensive capabilities of the Vine Armor should have increased significantly.
Mo Hua didn't want his demon hunter father to return with more scars.
A few days later, Mo Shan was preparing to venture into the inner mountains once more to hunt demons. Liu Ruhua packed his bags and prepared dried meat and rations for him.
Mo Hua presented the new set of Vine Armor to his father.
Mo Shan stared at the pristine and finely crafted Vine Armor, momentarily stunned.
"This is..."
"It's from Master Chen at the Refiner's Workshop," Mo Hua explained with a smile. "I helped him out, and he didn't even ask for spirit stones in return."
Mo Shan's eyes remained fixed on the Vine Armor, reluctant to look away. "It's a bit too valuable," he said, trying to decline. "My old one is still usable."
"That old one is torn, it's dangerous," Mo Hua pointed out.
Liu Ruhua joined in with a smile, "Just accept it as Ruhua's well-wishes."
Only then did Mo Shan accept the Vine Armor. He could feel its weight in his hands, and his heart warmed at the thoughtfulness of his son.
Mo Shan tried it on, and though it felt a little heavy, it fit him perfectly. However, he then made a move to take it off.
Liu Ruhua frowned, "Aren't you going to wear it?"
Mo Shan ran his hand over the Vine Armor, thinking that it was a gift from his son, and he couldn't bring himself to risk damaging it. "I'll keep it safe for now," he said. "I don't want to ruin something new."
Liu Ruhua huffed in annoyance, "If the Vine Armor isn't damaged, the one who gets hurt will be you, won't it?"
Mo Shan paused for a moment, then chuckled sheepishly, "You're right."
After making sure everything was in order, Mo Shan donned the Vine Armor that Mo Hua had given him and set off into the mountains.
The mountain path was treacherous, and the demonic beasts were fierce.
As Mo Shan ventured into the depths of Da Hei Mountain, he felt a surge of vigor while wearing the Vine Armor. No matter how arduous the journey ahead, he felt unafraid.
Mo Hua watched his father depart, a tinge of regret lingering in his heart.
If his father asked about it, he could even brag a little.
But Mo Shan didn't ask, and Mo Hua didn't feel comfortable bragging about his own accomplishments.
Nevertheless, with the new Vine Armor and the Golden Armor Array, Mo Hua felt more at ease as Mo Shan ventured into the mountains to hunt demons.
Mo Hua continued to study other formations.
Meanwhile, deep within the Da Hei Mountains, Mo Shan gathered with his fellow demon hunters.
Their target this time was a late first-rank Gui Mu Wolf Demon.
The Gui Mu Wolf Demon stood over two zhang tall, its hair a mix of black and green. Its claws and fangs were sharp, and its demonic power was a faint green.
The demonic power of the Gui Mu Wolf Demon was poisonous, and as it was wood-attributed, any injury inflicted by it would cause the poison to spread and fester, making it difficult to eradicate.
The group of demon hunters discussed their strategy and set off to search for the Gui Mu Wolf Demon's traces.
Ever since his family opened the eatery, Mo Shan had an abundance of spirit stones for cultivation, and with some good luck, he had now reached the ninth layer of Qi Refining.
Mo Shan and several other Qi Refining ninth-layer demon hunters took the lead, walking through the mountains and forests while searching for the aura of the Gui Mu Wolf.
One of the burly demon hunters glanced at Mo Shan and exclaimed in surprise, "Old Mo, you finally changed your Vine Armor?"
"My son gave it to me," Mo Shan replied nonchalantly, but his expression couldn't hide a hint of pride.
The demon hunters beside them looked on with a mix of envy and frustration.
"That's enough out of you," one of them said.
"Go ahead and laugh if you want... We won't hit you."
"You'd have to be able to beat him first."
The group bantered for a while.
Suddenly, Mo Shan's expression turned serious. "We're close."
The other demon hunters immediately straightened their faces and focused, their smiles vanishing as they became fully alert.
They crouched low, using the cover of the dense shrubs in the forest to carefully make their way forward. Finally, by a gurgling stream in the forest, they spotted the Gui Mu Wolf Demon.
The Gui Mu Wolf Demon was drinking from the stream, its cruel eyes scanning the surroundings.
Mo Shan lowered his voice and instructed, "The usual plan. I'll make the first move, and you all be careful not to get scratched by its claws!"
Everyone nodded.
Taking advantage of the Gui Mu Wolf Demon's momentary distraction, Mo Shan, with his quick movement technique, darted out. His fist blazed with fiery wind, and he struck at the wolf demon's ribs.
Midway through his punch, the Gui Mu Wolf Demon became alert and twisted its body, causing Mo Shan's punch to land only on its back.
The wolf demon staggered from the force of the blow, taking a few steps back. Its black eyes narrowed, and a deep green glint appeared, making its cruel gaze even more intense.
The other demon hunters emerged from different directions, surrounding the wolf demon.
The encirclement and kill had officially begun.
Hunting a demon beast was a time-consuming, exhausting, and mentally draining task.
The demon hunters had to stay vigilant, engaging in close-quarters combat with the beast, never letting their guard down for a moment. Otherwise, it would be easy for the demon beast to exploit an opening and turn the tables on them.
The physical body of the demon beast was robust, and its vital energy was much more robust than that of a cultivator. Therefore, it would take time to gradually wear it down.
This process was lengthy and tested one's cultivation, techniques, patience, and experience.
Only veteran demon hunters dared to hunt within the inner mountains.
Mo Shan's team was no exception.
They worked together seamlessly, acting decisively and never hesitating to retreat if the situation turned unfavorable. However, when an opportunity presented itself, they also never held back.
Time passed slowly.
During the hunt, Mo Hua was even more cautious than usual, pushing his movement technique to its limit. He weaved through the air, leaving afterimages as he tried to avoid each of the demon beast's attacks, determined not to leave a single scratch on his Vine Armor.
After about an hour, the Gui Mu Wolf Demon's aura weakened, and it finally collapsed to the ground.
The group maintained their distance and remained on guard.
One of the burly demon hunters cautiously approached the wolf demon and inspected it before letting out a sigh of relief. "It's dead."
As the hunter turned around to face Mo Shan, Mo Shan's peripheral vision caught a glimpse of the demon beast, and a sense of foreboding filled him. He shouted urgently, "It's not dead yet!"
Before his words had even landed, the Gui Mu Wolf Demon on the ground opened its eyes.
(End of Chapter)
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