Chapter 241: Peril
Chapter 241: Peril
Yu Chengwu brought the two black-robed cultivators before Elder Yu and imprisoned them in a sealed room for interrogation, hoping to extract some information.
Mo Hua was also curious and decided to tag along to observe.
While Yu Chengwu conducted the interrogation inside, Mo Hua sat outside with Elder Yu, sipping tea.
Before long, the screams from within ceased, and Yu Chengwu emerged with traces of blood on his clothes, though it wasn't his own. He wore a pensive expression.
Mo Hua's eyes lit up. "Did they reveal anything?"
Yu Chengwu glanced at Mo Hua, reluctant to answer.
Elder Yu prompted gently, "Speak."
Yu Chengwu hesitated before replying, "Those two confessed that they are fugitive cultivators."
"Fugitive cultivators?" Mo Hua was taken aback.
Elder Yu explained, "They are cultivators who have broken the laws of the Daoting Court and committed heinous crimes, and are now wanted by the Daoting Court."
"What crimes did they commit?" Mo Hua asked, intrigued.
Yu Chengwu shook his head. "They didn't say, but their crimes must be grave. Even if they confessed, they would still face death. I didn't press further since we are not the Daoting Court, and this isn't our jurisdiction."
"Is there anything else?" Elder Yu inquired as he set down his tea cup.
"Yes," Yu Chengwu nodded. "According to them, their group consists of over twenty people, mostly fugitive cultivators wanted by the Daoting Court. With nowhere else to turn, they banded together, killing and plundering to earn spirit stones."
Elder Yu snorted coldly. "A pack of beasts."
"What should we do now?" asked Mo Hua.
Elder Yu replied, "First, we send these two scumbags to the Daoting Court. If they are truly wanted, we might even receive a reward. As for the rest..." He paused, deep in thought. "We'll wait and see how the Daoting Court handles this. It's their duty to capture fugitive cultivators, and we shouldn't interfere unless they request our help."
"However, if we encounter them in the mountains, we won't hold back. If we can capture them alive, we'll turn them in for the reward. If not, we'll dispose of them and feed them to the demons."
"A bunch of worthless scum, they don't deserve to live and waste our spirit stones!" Elder Yu added angrily.
Yu Chengwu nodded, his brow still furrowed. "I suspect those two weren't entirely truthful."
Elder Yu's eyebrows rose. "How so?"
"Cultivators who have survived in the cultivation world are usually cunning. They tend to mix truth with lies in their statements. He said there were over twenty of them, but there might be more. And their motives might not be as simple as mere plunder and murder."
Elder Yu nodded in agreement. "Pass this information along. From now on, all demon hunters entering the mountains should be extra cautious and vigilant, acting according to the situation."
"Yes," Yu Chengwu replied with a respectful bow.
Elder Yu turned to Mo Hua and cautioned, "You must be especially careful. If it's not necessary, avoid venturing into the inner mountains. And if you must go, stay alert at all times."
"Don't worry," Mo Hua assured him with a nod.
He knew that he still needed to enter the inner mountains, but he would be more cautious from now on.
Otherwise, at the rate he was consuming spirit ink to draw arrays, his supply would soon run out.
Late-stage top-grade spirit ink was too expensive to purchase with spirit stones.
While Mo Hua had a substantial amount of spirit stones now, it was only relative to the amount needed for the Qi Refining stage. If he wanted to progress to the Foundation Establishment stage, he would require a substantial sum, so he needed to start saving.
From then on, the demon hunters who ventured into the mountains were more cautious.
And whenever a demon hunter entered the mountains, Yu Chengyi or Moshan would accompany them with a compass and scout the nearby areas.
They would immediately respond and provide support if any danger arose during the hunt.
This routine continued for seven to eight days without incident.
While they encountered a few suspicious cultivators, those individuals only dared to observe from a distance before quietly retreating.
A chill ran down Mo Hua's spine as he sensed impending danger.
He released his spiritual sense, perceiving faint traces of pale blue spiritual energy within the fog, intermixed with potent miasma and heavy mist.
This chaotic blend hindered his spiritual sense, clouding his perception.
Mo Hua recalled Mo Shan's instructions to not move recklessly in case of fog, lest he stray deeper into the mountains and risk his life.
However, staying put also posed a danger.
Mo Hua retrieved his brush and ink, swiftly drawing several arrays nearby. He then covered his handiwork with soil and stones to conceal any traces, only then did he feel reassured. Sitting cross-legged in the center, he patiently awaited the fog's dissipation.
Half a mark later, the thick fog suddenly lifted.
The fog in the inner mountains came and went swiftly.
As Mo Hua packed up his belongings, ready to depart, he suddenly spotted a bloodied cultivator running towards him in the distance.
The cultivator, upon seeing Mo Hua, wore an expression of shock and cried out, "Run!"
It was only then that Mo Hua recognized the bloodied cultivator as Ji Li!
Ji Li's face was pale, his body covered in wounds, and his breath weak. After taking a few steps, he stumbled, and a black-robed man swiftly caught up, slashing a blade across his back.
Blood gushed forth, and Ji Li slowly crumpled to the ground, yet his eyes remained fixed on Mo Hua, whispering, "Run..."
The black-robed man glanced disdainfully at Ji Li before turning to Mo Hua, his voice hoarse as he asked, "You know each other?"
Mo Hua nodded.
The man sneered, "Good, then you can keep him company on the path to death."
With that, he strode towards Mo Hua.
After taking a few steps, the man suddenly frowned and looked down, noticing Ji Li's bloodied hand clutching tightly onto his pants, preventing him from moving forward.
Ji Li tried to speak, but only coughed up a mouthful of blood.
The black-robed man smiled contemptuously, crushing Ji Li's hand under his foot as he continued towards Mo Hua.
Mo Hua, however, remained frozen in place, unmoving.
"Scared stiff, are you?" the black-robed man sneered inwardly.
It was understandable; such a young child, facing imminent death, would naturally be terrified and dazed.
The man's eyes gleamed with cruelty as he continued to advance.
Just as he was about to step within three feet of Mo Hua, a seed of doubt suddenly sprouted in his mind:
How had this older child survived in the inner mountains? The inner mountains were fraught with demon beasts, miasma, thick fog, poisonous marshes, and sinful cultivators like himself.
This child, alone and unprotected, should have perished long ago.
The man's heart was filled with suspicion, but his feet had already carried him forward, stepping firmly onto the ground.
Immediately, he furrowed his brow, sensing something amiss.
It felt as if something beneath his foot had shattered, emitting a crisp, delicate sound reminiscent of a spirit stone, accompanied by a flow of spiritual energy.
From the corner of his eye, he noticed the stone under his foot glowing faintly red.
Looking up, he saw that Mo Hua had already floated backwards, his previous daze replaced by a calm expression. The young boy's clear eyes even held a hint of mockery.
The man was initially confused, but suddenly, realization dawned on him. "Not good!"
(End of Chapter)
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