Chapter 230: Into the Inner Mountains
Chapter 230: Into the Inner Mountains
Before Mo Hua entered the Inner Mountains, Elder Yu secretly gave him a Beast Hunting Warrant.
"Here, take this, and you'll officially be a Beast Hunter."
Mo Hua was taken aback. "Can I become a Beast Hunter without undergoing the Beast Hunting Ritual?"
First, he had been guarding the Spirit Mine, then he helped establish the Artifact and Elixir Shops, and with his busy schedule of cultivation and studying formations, he had missed the Beast Hunting Ritual this year.
Moreover, as a spiritual cultivator and a formation master, he rarely engaged in close combat with beasts, so technically, he wasn't the most suitable candidate for a Beast Hunter.
"Those are mere formalities. It doesn't matter. I have the authority to decide who becomes a Beast Hunter, and I say you are one!" Elder Yu declared confidently.
Being the only Foundation Establishment cultivator in the Beast Hunting Guild, he indeed had the final say.
Elder Yu personally hung the Beast Hunting Warrant around Mo Hua's neck. "This warrant is the most crucial part. With it, you're an authentic Beast Hunter."
"Drip a drop of your blood onto it," Elder Yu instructed.
Mo Hua hesitated.
Noticing Mo Hua's delicate skin, Elder Yu considered for a moment before saying, "Never mind, let me help you."
Elder Yu took Mo Hua's fair hand and condensed his spiritual power into a fine needle, pricking the boy's finger. A drop of blood fell onto the warrant.
Mo Hua sucked on his finger, and the bleeding soon stopped.
At that moment, his spiritual sense trembled slightly, as if resonating with the warrant, creating a sense of familiarity. It was as if the bone warrant was no longer an inanimate object but a part of his spiritual connection.
"Is this a blood recognition ritual?" Mo Hua asked.
"Sort of, but this warrant isn't a spirit artifact or a magical treasure with sentience, so calling it a blood recognition ritual is a bit of a stretch. It's more like… sealing the deal with a stamp of ownership," Elder Yu explained.
"Oh," Mo Hua nodded.
He then touched the warrant curiously and asked, "Elder Yu, how are these warrants made?"
Elder Yu found a chair to sit down and poured himself a cup of tea before answering, "It's passed down from the ancient ancestors of Beast Hunters. It is said that there are many Bone Trees in this world, and these trees carry the bloodline of ancient great beasts. They can be considered both beasts and trees. They resemble trees, but their trunks, branches, and even leaves are made of bone."
"The Beast Hunting Warrants are crafted from the bone-wood of these trees. Once a beast is slain, the bone warrant senses it and forms bloodstains, recognizing the Beast Hunter's achievement."
"The more dense the bloodstains, the higher the merit. It's also more impressive when bragging to others," Elder Yu added with a chuckle.
Mo Hua's expression turned complex. "So, it's for bragging rights…"
"Well, mainly it's to display one's experience. The warrants of veterans and newcomers are starkly different. Of course, it also comes in handy when you want to boast," Elder Yu said, raising an eyebrow.
"If you go around bragging about how many beasts you've slain in your life without any proof, who would believe you? This warrant is your proof. When you show it to others and it's covered in bloodstains, you'll have more credibility," Elder Yu explained.
From his demeanor, it seemed Elder Yu had done his fair share of bragging.
Mo Hua asked, "Can we make these warrants ourselves?"
Elder Yu shook his head. "No, these are made by the Court and distributed centrally. Don't be fooled by their similar appearances; each warrant is actually recorded by the Court, so they can't be faked."
Mo Hua examined the warrant from various angles but couldn't find any distinctive marks. He wondered what method the Court used for their records. Perhaps it was some kind of special formation?
Elder Yu whispered to Mo Hua, "Yours is rather special. It's made from the bone-wood found at the center of a Bone Tree's annual rings. I've kept it for several decades and never found a worthy recipient until now."
Mo Hua suddenly felt the weight of the warrant. "Why not give it to Uncle Yu or your other disciples?"
Elder Yu snorted. "My foolish son? I'd never waste it on him."
Mo Hua felt a bit guilty for receiving such a precious item.
"It's not a big deal," Elder Yu waved his hand. "Whether it's from the branches or leaves of a Bone Tree, they all serve the same purpose. This one is just a bit more exquisite, that's all. Don't overthink it."
"Yes!"
Now, in addition to the smooth and warm dan jade given to him by Old Master Feng, Mo Hua had a Beast Hunting Warrant made from beast bone hanging around his neck.
The next day, after Mo Hua had packed everything, he and Mo Shan ventured into the inner mountains.
The inner mountains were filled with miasma and poisonous swamps, far more toxic than the outer mountains.
In the outer mountains, one just needed to be a little careful, and they would be fine even without any detoxification pills. But in the inner mountains, such pills were essential.
Mo Hua's storage bag was filled with various bottles of medicine, including miasma dispelling pills, detox pills, calming pills, and hemostatic pills.
This large supply of pills had been prepared for him by Old Master Feng.
There were also some dried meat, rice wine, and pastries that his mother had prepared for him.
So, at the break of dawn, Mo Hua set out, had a quick bite to eat, and entered the Great Black Mountain with Mo Shan.
They traveled through the outer mountains and soon reached the inner mountains.
After taking a miasma dispelling pill, Mo Hua surveyed the environment of the inner mountains.
The terrain was more complex, the trees denser, the mountain paths more rugged, and it was harder to discern directions.
The miasma was thick, and the mist varied from dense to sparse.
When the mist was heavy, one could barely see their hand in front of their face. After a few steps, it might all dissipate, and then a few steps later, they might be enveloped in thick fog again.
It was quite eerie.
Mo Shan said, "When you see dense fog in the distance, try to avoid it if possible. If you can't avoid it, be extra careful. Don't take unfamiliar paths; it's better to wait in place for a while than to act rashly..."
"Otherwise, it's easy to lose your sense of direction and stray deep into the mountains, encountering unknown dangers."
Mo Hua nodded.
The inner mountains were much larger than the outer mountains. Even Mo Shan, who had been hunting beasts in these mountains for many years, had not explored every corner.
So he could only guide Mo Hua along the main mountain path, helping him get familiar with the inner mountains' environment.
Once they encountered danger, they would know which way to run. If they got lost, they would at least know how to get out of the mountains and find their way home.
With the complex terrain and rugged landscape, they would walk for a while and then take a break.
During these breaks, Mo Hua would take out his map and make some annotations.
He had obtained this map from Elder Yu, and it was originally quite rudimentary, only marking the terrain and the general mountain paths, with nothing else indicated.
So Mo Hua wanted to improve this inner mountain map.
He had done this in the outer mountains as well. It not only helped him become familiar with the environment but also made it easier to collect herbs, spices, and minerals. In case of emergencies in the mountains, having a map to refer to would be extremely helpful.
It took about half a month, and after traversing the main mountain path several times, Mo Hua had a general understanding of the inner mountains.
His inner mountain map was now filled with annotations and additions.
The next task for Mo Hua was to set up the Parent-Child Compass Array.
Being a formation master, Mo Hua felt uneasy about not setting up any formations in the inner mountains.
With the Parent-Child Compass Array, he could sense spiritual power fluctuations, making it convenient for him to both observe and be forewarned, allowing him to escape in advance if needed.
It would also be easier for him to weaken the beasts by draining their blood.
Mo Hua couldn't do this alone, so he sought help from some of the Beast Hunter uncles.
Yu Chenyi called for about ten Beast Hunters at the ninth layer of Qi Refinement to help Mo Hua place the stone needles inscribed with the Parent-Child Compass Array.
Because the inner mountains were so vast, a single Parent Compass Array couldn't cover the entire area. Thus, Mo Hua drew two sets of arrays, dividing them into two compasses, A and B.
Compass A observed the southern area, while Compass B observed the northern area.
He also made a set for Mo Shan and Yu Chenyi, making it easier for the Beast Hunters to operate within the inner mountains.
Yu Chenyi was overjoyed. With this set of array compasses, their actions in the inner mountains would be much safer.
Whether it was chasing beasts, predicting dangers, or lending each other a hand, it would all be much more convenient than solely relying on the Beast Hunters' experience and instincts.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
