Chapter 224: Fireworks of the Wan Family
Chapter 224: Fireworks of the Wan Family
Mo Shan nodded with a smile, "Correct."
"Are demonic beasts difficult to deal with?"
"They are indeed tricky. Demonic beasts have thick blood and rugged bodies. It would typically take five or six cultivators of the same realm to hunt one down, and for safety's sake, it's best to have eight or nine."
Bai Zisheng thought for a moment and asked, "Then, in your opinion, would I be able to kill a demonic beast by myself?"
"By yourself...you wouldn't be able to kill a demonic beast, but you might be able to get killed by one." Mo Hua said quietly as he chewed on a chicken leg.
Bai Zisheng glared at him, unconvinced.
Mo Shan chuckled, "Not now, but in the future, when your cultivation base is higher, you'll have a lot of potential."
Bai Zisheng was greatly encouraged by his words.
"Dad, lying is wrong." Mo Hua remarked.
Bai Zisheng disagreed, "Uncle Mo is a demon hunter, he definitely knows better than you."
He had asked Mo Hua before if he could hunt demonic beasts alone.
Mo Hua had said it wasn't possible, and although Bai Zisheng was a little unconvinced, Mo Hua had actually fought with demonic beasts, whereas he hadn't, so Mo Hua's words carried some weight.
But now that Uncle Mo said he had potential, maybe he really could hunt demonic beasts by himself in the future.
After all, Uncle Mo was a genuine demon hunter, whereas Mo Hua was just a small array master who relied on tricks and arrays to outsmart the beasts.
Mo Shan added, "Even if you truly could kill a demonic beast by yourself, it's still best to find some companions. That way, you can look out for each other because demonic beasts are extremely cunning."
Bai Zisheng nodded, "Uncle Mo, don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
He would often listen to Mo Hua's stories about demon hunting, some of which were Mo Hua's personal experiences, while others were tales he had heard from others.
There were quite a few stories about demon hunters who had lost their lives due to momentary carelessness, being ambushed, trapped, or deceived by the beasts, so it was a constant reminder to stay vigilant.
Then, Bai Zisheng asked curiously, "Is the inner mountain of Da Hei Mountain much more dangerous than the outer mountain?"
Mo Hua's cultivation was not high enough; he had only reached the sixth layer of Qi Refining, so he could only stay in the outer mountain. His knowledge of Da Hei Mountain was limited to the outer regions.
Bai Zisheng had heard thrilling stories about the demonic beasts, miasma, mountain fog, and treacherous terrain, and he wondered what the inner mountain would be like if the outer mountain was already so formidable.
As Mo Hua ate his meat, puffing his cheeks, he listened intently. He hadn't been to the inner mountain yet, but he knew he would have to go there eventually.
His understanding of the inner mountain was limited to snippets of information he had heard from other demon hunters.
Seeing the two pairs of dark eyes fixed on him, Mo Shan sat down and patiently explained, "The miasma, fog forests, and toxic swamps that you find in the outer mountain are also present in the inner mountain, but the miasma is denser, the fog is thicker, and the poisons are more potent."
"Most of the demonic beasts in the inner mountain are at the late First Rank, and they are extremely powerful. If you're unlucky, you might even encounter a Second Rank demonic beast, and that would truly be a life-threatening situation."
Mo Hua asked, "Dad, have you ever come across a Second Rank demonic beast?"
Mo Shan nodded, "I've only seen one from a distance. Its blood aura was so intense that it stained the entire forest red. We were lucky to spot it early and hide in time. The beast seemed to be full and was taking a nap, so it didn't bother with us."
Mo Hua breathed a sigh of relief.
Bai Zisheng then asked, "Can't we kill a Second Rank demonic beast?"
Mo Shan sighed, "It's very difficult. You would need at least five or six, or even seven or eight Foundation Establishment cultivators, and it's not easy to gather that many."
Mo Hua frowned with concern, "Dad, does that mean you might encounter a Second Rank demonic beast in the future?"
Mo Shan's heart warmed at the worried look in Mo Hua's eyes, and he smiled, "The inner mountain is vast, and encounters are rare. Second Rank demonic beasts are not common, and they inhabit such a large area that the chances of meeting one are slim."
"Also, the blood aura of a Second Rank demonic beast is extremely strong, and you can sense it from a great distance. As long as you stay alert and avoid them in advance, there's usually no danger to your life."
Mo Hua nodded in understanding.
Mo Shan continued, "Aside from the environment and the beasts, the most dangerous thing in the inner mountain is actually other people."
Mo Hua and Bai Zisheng exchanged a surprised glance.
"Are they demon hunters or other cultivators?" Mo Hua asked.
"There are both," Mo Shan replied. "There are demon hunters from other places who will deliberately steal your prey, and there are also cultivators who come through other means, all sorts of people with unreadable intentions."
Mo Hua asked curiously, "Why haven't I met any of these cultivators in the outer mountain?"
Mo Shan smiled and explained, "Da Hei Mountain is enormous, with towering peaks that stretch far and wide, and it also connects to other realms. Tongxian City is just a small part of Da Hei Mountain..."
"The outer mountain of Da Hei Mountain connects to Tongxian City and doesn't link to other regions, but the inner mountain is different.
Mo Hua listened, his heart turning cold.
While demonic beasts were dangerous, humans could be even more so.
The true monsters in this world might not be demons, but people.
Seeing the tense expressions on Mo Hua and Bai Zisheng's faces, Mo Shan realized that perhaps discussing such topics on a festive occasion like the New Year was not very appropriate. So, he quickly changed the subject and began to share some interesting stories about demon hunting.
This was the first time Bai Zisheng had heard such tales, and he listened with great interest.
Mo Hua, on the other hand, had heard some of these stories before, often from Bai Zisheng himself.
But now that he had ventured into Da Hei Mountain, he had a better understanding of what demon hunting entailed.
These stories, which once seemed merely entertaining, now took on a new light, revealing their underlying dangers and unpredictability.
Unconsciously, the day turned to dusk, and Liu Ruhua invited them to stay for dinner.
Bai Zisheng was excited at the prospect, but Xue Yi politely declined.
"Thank you, Sister Liu, for your hospitality. We've already imposed on you for so long, and it's time we returned home."
Liu Ruhua couldn't insist further and saw them out along with Mo Hua.
Bai Zisheng was reluctant to leave, having enjoyed the food, stories, and company.
Back at home, there would only be cultivation and dull lessons to look forward to.
While Bai Zixii's expression remained neutral, a hint of disappointment flickered in her eyes.
Mo Hua, free from such constraints, could play whenever he wanted, even though he had to cultivate and practice array formations daily. Unlike the Bai siblings, he didn't have to follow a strict schedule.
Noticing their glum expressions, Mo Hua's eyes lit up as he invited them, "Snow Auntie, there will be lanterns and fireworks on the 15th. Why don't you come and watch them with us?"
Snow Auntie smiled gently at Mo Hua but politely declined, "We appreciate your invitation, but we'll have to pass on the fireworks."
"The fireworks are activated by an array formation, and I designed the array myself. It's going to be quite a spectacle!" Mo Hua boasted.
Snow Auntie was taken aback, "You designed it?"
"Mm-hmm," Mo Hua nodded confidently. "It took me a lot of effort to get it just right!"
In reality, it hadn't taken him that long, as these were just simple arrays for fireworks and weren't particularly challenging.
Seeing Mo Hua's proud expression, Snow Auntie couldn't help but laugh. After a moment's thought, she nodded in agreement, "Alright, we'll come to watch when you set off the fireworks."
Bai Zisheng was overjoyed and shot Mo Hua a grateful look. Even Bai Zixii's eyes lit up at the prospect.
On the 15th day of the new year, night had fallen, and the streets were adorned with colorful lanterns.
Mo Hua gave the fireworks array one final check to ensure everything was in order before nodding in satisfaction.
The fireworks array was a composite array formed by combining multiple ordinary fireworks arrays. It wasn't a high-grade array, and the number of array patterns was also limited, making it relatively simple for Mo Hua to set up.
The fireworks array was set up on both sides of the river embankment, using the riverbed stones as the array medium. By crushing spirit stones and infusing them with spiritual energy, the array would be activated, launching the fireworks into the sky.
Mo Hua chose not to use paper as the array medium because it was a single-use item. Once the array was activated, the paper would be destroyed, unable to withstand the powerful spiritual energy flowing through the array.
Using stones as the medium, on the other hand, allowed the array to be activated multiple times.
This way, not only could the fireworks be enjoyed on the 15th, but they could also be set off during future festivals, adding to the celebrations.
Mo Hua went to find Elder Yu to get reimbursement for the spirit stones he had used for the fireworks array.
Since the array wasn't complicated and didn't consume a large number of spirit stones, Elder Yu readily agreed.
As the hour of the dog approached, Mo Hua activated the array.
He then joined his father, mother, Bai Zisheng, Bai Zixii, and Snow Auntie on the stone bridge to watch the fireworks together.
After the array was activated, it took about fifteen breaths for the array patterns to spring to life.
The colorful array patterns on both sides of the river embankment lit up one after another, merging into a dazzling display of light. The lights rose swiftly, soaring into the dark night sky and blossoming into breathtaking fireworks. Layer upon layer, the fireworks bloomed, filling the sky with a dazzling display of colors and lights—a celestial garden of a thousand trees and a million flowers, with sparkling stars raining down.
The dark night sky served as the perfect backdrop, accentuating the brilliance of the fireworks. It was like a magnificent embroidery, stitching vibrant colors and patterns across the canvas of the night.
The spectacular display lit up the entire sky, captivating all who witnessed it.
In that moment, countless cultivators looked up, their eyes glued to the dazzling fireworks that illuminated the streets and alleys of Tongxian City.
(End of Chapter)
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