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Chapter 163: Concealment (Part One)
Chapter 163: Concealment (Part One)
Mo Hua asked Elder Yu, "Elder, how much longer must we guard the spirit mine?"
Elder Yu took a sip of wine, pondered for a moment, and replied, "It's hard to say."
Mo Hua didn't quite understand.
Elder Yu explained, "As things stand, the Qian family will undoubtedly lose. That old fox, Qian Zhongxuan, won't be able to turn the tables. But this is a spirit mine, and the Qians probably won't give up. They'll likely come up with another plan."
Mo Hua nodded.
For the next few days, the Qians remained quiet and made no major moves.
Then, one morning before dawn, a large group of varied cultivators entered the Great Black Mountain when the mist was still thick. They made their way to the foot of Unnamed Peak and paid their respects to the Qian Elder.
Only then did Qian Zhuang understand what Elder Qian meant by "even if it costs a fortune."
He had indeed spent a fortune, hiring a large group of late-stage Qi Refining cultivators from outside Tongxian City.
"How many spirit stones did that cost...?" Qian Zhuang winced at the thought.
When Elder Yu received the news, his eyes widened in surprise. "Qian Zhongxuan, that rascal, he really went all out."
"Where did these cultivators come from?" Mo Hua asked.
"Hired from outside the city with spirit stones," Elder Yu explained. "These cultivators usually roam around, selling their services to the highest bidder. They only recognize spirit stones, not people. But hiring them doesn't come cheap; Qian Zhongxuan must be bleeding spirit stones."
"Can we beat them?" Mo Hua asked, concerned.
Elder Yu sighed. "We'll see."
The two sides lined up once again, but this time, the uniform silver-white robes of the Qian family cultivators were interspersed with numerous other cultivators of different appearances and attire, making the formation look somewhat motley.
Elder Yu spoke up immediately. "Qian Zhongxuan, what's with this mixed breed team of yours?"
Qian Zhongxuan's eyelid twitched. "You old coot, watch your mouth!"
"Must've cost you a pretty penny..." Elder Yu clicked his tongue. "Cutting into your own flesh to invite wolves and drive away tigers. You've got guts, I'll give you that."
Qian Zhongxuan didn't want to talk about it. The mere mention of it made his heart bleed, as he had indeed spent a fortune.
"We agreed beforehand that this was between the Qian family and us hunters vying for the spirit mine," Elder Yu said loudly. "Can these cultivators you hired with money really be considered members of the Qian family?"
Qian Zhongxuan coldly hmphed. "I gave them spirit stones, so they are now part of the Qian family."
Elder Yu scoffed. "Then if I sleep with your mother and give her spirit stones, would she also be considered mine?"
"You—" Qian Zhongxuan was so angry he couldn't speak.
Elder Yu didn't let up. "In that case, wouldn't I be your cheap father? You unfilial brat, come and kowtow to your father! Hahaha!"
The hunters all burst out laughing.
Qian Zhongxuan's defenses were completely shattered, and he trembled with rage as he pointed forward. "Kill them!"
Elder Yu's smile faded, and his voice turned low and solemn. "Kill!"
In an instant, both sides surged with momentum, and a fierce battle was about to unfold.
After a brief engagement, Elder Yu observed the situation with a slight frown.
The Qian family cultivators were still nothing to worry about, but these hired cultivators were a thorn in their side.
The hunters were veterans of countless battles, but their experience was mostly against demon beasts. On the other hand, the cultivators hired by the Qians were used to selling their services for spirit stones, and they specialized in fighting other cultivators.
While they lacked the hunters' teamwork, they more than made up for it with their treacherous and bizarre methods, as well as a wide array of cultivation techniques. For the moment, they proved to be a tricky opponent.
"Elder Yu, can we beat them?" Mo Hua asked worriedly.
Elder Yu pondered for a moment before replying, "We should be able to."
He then explained, "These hired cultivators may seem formidable, but that's only because we're unfamiliar with them. Once we engage in prolonged combat and get a grasp of their methods, it'll be much easier to deal with them."
"Hunters have years of experience fighting together, side by side, so we have an advantage in this group battle," he continued. "Not to mention we have our iron armor. As long as they can't break through our defense, we'll eventually gain the upper hand."
Mo Hua nodded and relaxed a little.
While the hunters were initially thrown off by the hired cultivators' attacks, they soon adapted, and the battle stabilized.
Qian Zhongxuan, however, remained calm, a slight smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
At that moment, Mo Hua's spiritual sense detected something amiss, and his eyebrows furrowed as he focused his gaze on the battlefield.
He saw one of the iron-clad Demon Hunters suddenly have their throat slashed by an invisible attacker, blood gushing from the wound. The Demon Hunter clutched their throat and fell to their knees, while the surrounding hired cultivators pounced like hungry wolves.
Yu Chengyi, who was nearby, immediately sprang into action, creating an opening in the crowd and rescuing the injured Demon Hunter. Mo Shan also rushed to their aid, and together, they managed to pull the wounded hunter to safety.
Mo Hua breathed a sigh of relief, but his momentary relief was replaced by a growing sense of unease.
What just happened? He hadn't seen anything, yet the Demon Hunter's throat had been cut in an instant.
Although the iron armor was sturdy, it couldn't cover the entire body, leaving vulnerable spots like the neck, eyes, and joints exposed. In a direct confrontation, one could be prepared, but this attack had come without any warning.
Mo Hua's spiritual sense had only detected a slight anomaly, and to the naked eye, there was nothing to be seen.
Mo Hua turned to Elder Yu, seeing the elder's furrowed brows and muttering to himself.
"It's an invisibility technique," Elder Yu said, his eyes narrowed in concentration.
"Invisibility?" Mo Hua exclaimed, surprised. "Can someone really turn invisible?"
Elder Yu nodded gravely. "Indeed. The Invisibility Technique, as the name suggests, is a spell that allows one to turn invisible. The caster's physical form disappears, rendering them completely unseen by the naked eye."
Mo Hua was astonished, his heart racing at the implications. "Can I learn this technique?"
If he could master invisibility, it would make his travels in the cultivation world so much easier!
"It requires a water-attribute spirit root to learn," Elder Yu replied, tempering his enthusiasm slightly. "You have a minor five-element spirit root, which includes the water attribute, but the mixture of elements may make it difficult for you to learn."
Mo Hua's face fell at the news, but he quickly asked, "Then how do we counter this technique?"
Elder Yu sighed. "It requires spiritual sense. Invisibility techniques can conceal one's physical form and, to some extent, hide their aura. However, the presence of spiritual power cannot be hidden. If your spiritual sense is stronger than theirs, you can detect and counter the technique."
"That's troublesome," Mo Hua said, his expression turning grim.
Demon Hunters were not known for their strong spiritual sense, and if they couldn't counter the invisibility technique, they would be at the mercy of these invisible attackers.
As the battle wore on, more and more Demon Hunters fell victim to these stealthy assaults, their blood staining the battlefield.
Mo Hua's eyes narrowed as he observed the invisible attacker's movements in the chaos. Their calm and calculated actions amidst the chaos suggested a highly skilled and experienced cultivator, one who was also agile and possessed keen spiritual sense.
What should we do? Mo Hua felt a growing sense of urgency.
Just then, Mo Hua's spiritual sense picked up on a subtle disturbance near Mo Shan, who was fighting fiercely in the thick of battle.
"Be careful!" Mo Hua called out in warning.
However, his voice was drowned out by the chaos, and the distance was too great for his words to carry.
Mo Shan, engaged in close combat, left an opening, and the invisible cultivator seized the opportunity to strike.
In a split second, Mo Shan's rich experience kicked in, and he instinctively tilted his neck, causing the attacker's dagger to graze his throat. A thin line of blood appeared, but the wound was not deep.
Mo Shan's eyes turned cold, and he struck back, but there was no one in sight.
They disappeared? Mo Shan's eyebrows furrowed as he realized the gravity of the situation.
He wiped the blood from his neck, grateful that he had sensed the killing intent and dodged in time.
Watching from a distance, Mo Hua felt a mix of relief and determination.
"You dared to attack my father. I won't forget you!"
(End of Chapter)
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