Chapter 245: Turning Back
Chapter 245: Turning Back
The one-eyed rogue cultivator wore an expression of disbelief. Unless Zhao Hu was severely injured or dead, there was no way his storage bag would fall into someone else's hands.
The one-eyed man had been thinking that after Zhao Hu killed that brat with the surname Ji, he could help out and kill all these cultivators.
Now, not only had Zhao Hu failed to kill his target, but he might have also been killed himself.
The one-eyed rogue cultivator cursed under his breath. Given the current situation, he didn't have time to ponder who had bested Zhao Hu.
If they delayed any further, the demon hunters would arrive, and they would be the ones facing death.
The one-eyed rogue cultivator hesitated for a moment before finally gritting his teeth and saying, "Let's retreat for now!"
The other rogue cultivators were also reluctant, but they knew that the current situation was beyond their control. They could only glare at their enemies with venomous eyes as they prepared to withdraw.
Mo Hua saw their intention to leave and his eyes flickered slightly. Suddenly, he asked, "You there, shorty. Are you called Diao Laosan?"
The short and stealthy cultivator stopped in his tracks, his eyes cold. In his hundred years of roaming the cultivation world, when had he ever been addressed so casually by a young brat?
Mo Hua pretended to advise him, "Your stealth technique is not up to par. I saw through it at a glance. Next time you see me, just turn around and run. Otherwise, if I expose you again, you'll just end up embarrassing yourself."
Diao Laosan couldn't help but feel his anger surge.
Mo Hua continued in a mocking tone, "Or maybe you should change your name. Drop the 'Laosan' and go by 'Diao Wei' instead. That way, whenever you see me, you can just tuck your tail between your legs and scurry away."
Diao Laosan was so angry that he nearly bit his tongue, feeling the surge of qi in his throat.
The one-eyed rogue cultivator coldly added, "Don't let him goad you. We'll settle the score with him later!"
Diao Laosan glared at Mo Hua with resentment, seemingly committing Mo Hua's appearance to memory.
The other rogue cultivators remained silent and gradually backed away until their figures disappeared into the depths of the forest.
Ji Qingbai and his companions heaved a sigh of relief.
However, Mo Hua felt a bit disappointed that he couldn't keep the stealthy cultivator, Diao Laosan, behind.
Through his spiritual sense, he had already perceived the approaching figures of the demon hunters. Soon, reinforcements would arrive.
Uncle Ji and the others were all injured, so they couldn't give chase recklessly, and Mo Hua alone couldn't stop the rogue cultivators.
Fortunately, everyone was safe, which brought Mo Hua some peace of mind.
Mo Hua distributed the pills refined by Old Man Feng to the three of them.
The two demon hunters expressed their gratitude, took the pills, and began to meditate to heal their wounds.
Ji Qingbai, however, looked worried as he hesitated to speak to Mo Hua.
Mo Hua reassured him, "Your brother is indeed still alive, but his injuries are severe. You should heal yourself first so you can go see him sooner."
Ji Qingbai nodded hastily, swallowed the pill, and began to regulate his breath to recover.
Soon, some demon hunters arrived.
Earlier, when the thick fog had suddenly engulfed the area, they had lost their sense of direction and ended up scattered.
Now that the fog had dissipated, the demon hunters who had seen the signal fires could rush over to provide support.
At the same time, the one-eyed rogue cultivator, Diao Laosan, and the others fled along the rugged mountain path until they reached a grove of trees.
As the one-eyed cultivator walked, he suddenly looked up and saw someone ahead. He instructed the group to disperse and hide in the bushes on both sides.
After a while, more than a dozen cultivators dressed in black approached. Their appearances suggested they were not kind-hearted people.
The one-eyed rogue cultivator breathed a sigh of relief and stepped forward, bowing as he greeted, "Big Brother!"
The bald cultivator addressed as "Big Brother" had a sharp gaze like an eagle's, and his ears were pointed and slender. He asked with a furrowed brow, "How did things turn out?"
The one-eyed rogue cultivator's eyes showed shame as he replied, "We failed."
"How did you fail? Where's Zhao Hu?"
The one-eyed rogue cultivator couldn't bring himself to answer.
How could he explain his failure? Could he really tell them that he had been toyed with by a young brat's movement technique, wasting time and failing to kill Ji Qingbai?
And what about Zhao Hu? Could he admit that he didn't know whether Zhao Hu was alive or dead?
He couldn't bear to lose face in front of so many people.
The one-eyed rogue cultivator could only grit his teeth and say, "The demon hunters arrived too quickly. As for Zhao Hu, his fate is unknown."
The bald cultivator's eyes turned cold.
Diao Laosan quickly assessed the number of rogue cultivators present and shifted his gaze, cupping his hands as he suggested, "Big Brother, now that we have more people, why don't we turn back and catch them off guard?"
Diao Laosan's voice carried a hint of hatred.
He wanted to kill that young cultivator who used the Fireball Technique! He had suffered numerous losses at the hands of that brat.
As they were leaving, that brat had even mocked and ridiculed him relentlessly. Diao Laosan still felt furious and aggrieved when he recalled those words.
When had he ever endured such humiliation? What was even more crucial was that his stealth technique and all his skills seemed to be completely countered by that brat.
"They can't have gone far. If we turn back now, that brat with the surname Ji will undoubtedly die, and we can take out the other demon hunters too!" Diao Laosan proposed, his eyes gleaming with malicious intent.
The short cultivator's words struck a chord with the one-eyed rogue cultivator, who chimed in, "Big Brother, that's a great plan! With our numbers, we can take them by surprise and finish this quickly."
The bald cultivator, addressed as "Big Brother," pondered for a moment before slowly speaking, "Killing the one with the surname Ji will ensure we get the rest of the spirit stones from the Kong family. Let's go together, act fast, and retreat as soon as we're done!"
The group of rogue cultivators unanimously agreed and quickly made their way toward the small hill.
To Mo Hua's surprise, not only was Diao Laosan still there, but more and more demon hunters were arriving, swelling their numbers.
This was unexpected, as Mo Hua had assumed that in such a vast inner mountain, the few signal fires he had set off wouldn't attract so many demon hunters.
After learning what had happened, Mo Hua was both touched and amused.
Due to the thick fog, many demon hunters had gotten separated.
Usually, in such conditions, it was best to stay put, but they were in the dangerous inner mountains, where anything could happen—encountering beasts, poison marshes, or being attacked by cultivators. As a result, the demon hunters had no choice but to continue navigating through the fog, inevitably leading to them getting scattered.
Now that the fog had lifted, the demon hunters were regrouping, two or three at a time.
Those who had seen the signal fires rushed over to provide support, and word spread among them.
A few demon hunters who knew Mo Hua personally spread the word, "Someone is injured, and Mo Hua is there too."
This message was passed from one hunter to another, and soon, it morphed into, "Mo Hua is injured."
Upon hearing this, the demon hunters were outraged.
The idea of Mo Hua being hurt was unacceptable to them. Regardless of how far away they were, all the demon hunters who had heard the news rushed over.
Some were still chasing wounded beasts, some were butchering their kills, and others were packing up their storage bags, ready to descend the mountain. But they all dropped what they were doing and hurried over as soon as they got word.
As a result, the number of demon hunters gathering on the small hill swelled to almost a hundred...
After learning what had happened, Mo Hua was both touched and a little exasperated.
After a while, Yu Chengyi arrived as well. He had been hunting beasts on the other side of the mountain and was out of breath when he reached them. His first question was, "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Mo Hua replied, a response he had given countless times already.
Only then did Yu Chengyi relax, nodding in relief. "That's good."
But then he frowned, confused. "I heard someone say you were injured?"
Mo Hua sighed. "Someone is injured, but it's not me."
"That's good, then," Yu Chengyi said, nodding. He then grew a little angry and instructed, "Tell everyone that Mo Hua is fine, and stop spreading misinformation."
If this continued, even his father, Elder Yu, might come up the mountain personally.
Yu Chengyi surveyed their surroundings before asking, "What happened here?"
Mo Hua briefly explained how Ji Li had been pursued and how Ji Qingbai and the two demon hunters had been besieged.
Yu Chengyi's anger surged. "Those bastards! They're a menace in these mountains, and they'll pay for what they've done!"
Mo Hua, too, regretted that they hadn't been able to capture all the rogue cultivators.
If the inner mountains weren't so vast, or if the demon hunters had arrived earlier, or if the rogue cultivators had been provoked into staying longer, they might have been able to capture them all.
Mo Hua released his spiritual sense once more, scanning the area, but he couldn't detect any trace of the stealthy cultivator, which disappointed him.
"That short cultivator with the stealth technique sure knows how to hold a grudge. I insulted him so much, and he still hasn't come back to seek revenge?" Mo Hua wondered aloud.
"Maybe he's like Qian Hong, a turtle," Mo Hua added silently to himself.
After a while, Ji Qingbai finished healing his injuries and was eager to check on Ji Li's condition. The group prepared to descend the mountain.
Suddenly, Mo Hua's spiritual sense stirred, and his eyes lit up. "Wait," he said hastily.
The demon hunters stopped in their tracks, looking at him curiously.
Mo Hua focused, pushing his spiritual sense to its limits, before opening his eyes and smiling. "The big fish has taken the bait."
(End of Chapter)
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