Chapter 266: The Deep Mountains
Chapter 266: The Deep Mountains
Mo Hua felt a slight chill in his heart and silently committed the sixteen characters to memory.
This map seemed to be more than meets the eye. If he didn't figure out its secrets, it could pose a significant hidden danger.
Cultivators relied on their surroundings for resources, adapting their practices to the local conditions.
Near Tongxian City, there were no abundant spirit fields, no surging rivers or seas, and no spiritual beasts to rear.
The nearby loose cultivators had to make their living in the vast Dahai Mountain.
Even the artifact and pill refineries, and the Fushuan Tower in the south of the city, depended on hunters to procure beast cores and materials for crafting, pill concoction, and cooking.
Mo Hua, who studied array formations, also needed to collect large amounts of demon blood and refine spirit ink.
The cultivators of Tongxian City, whether in their cultivation, production, or daily lives, were all intricately tied to Dahai Mountain.
If this mountain harbored some hidden peril, the consequences could be dire.
From then on, as Mo Hua studied the Reverse Spirit Formation, he would venture into Dahai Mountain in his free time. Whenever he encountered a secluded or unfamiliar area, he would unfold the map given to him by the rogue cultivator and compare it with his surroundings, hoping to find the location marked on the map.
However, after searching for several days, he still had no leads.
Mo Hua felt dejected. As he lifted his head, he suddenly noticed the distant mountains veiled in thick fog, obscuring the towering peaks and blocking out the sunlight. The landscape was shrouded in mist, making it difficult to discern where the mountains ended and the cliffs began.
That was the deep region of Dahai Mountain, the most perilous area of the mountain range.
Rumors spoke of the unpredictability of these depths, where cultivators ventured but never returned.
As Mo Hua gazed upon the misty mountains, he was suddenly startled, inhaling a sharp breath of cold air:
"The black mountain's fog veils the depths..."
Could the location marked on this map be the deep reaches of Dahai Mountain?! Mo Hua's eyelids twitched, and the more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed.
He knew the outer regions of the mountain like the back of his hand, and while he couldn't claim the same familiarity with the inner regions, he was still quite acquainted with them.
If the location indicated on the map was indeed within the inner or outer regions, he would surely have some impression of it.
If it wasn't in the outer or inner regions, then it must be in the depths.
The place where the rogue cultivator had disappeared, where hunters ventured but never returned.
A chilling guess formed in Mo Hua's mind, sending a shiver down his spine.
He quickly employed his movement technique and rushed back to Tongxian City. Panting, he sought out Elder Yu and asked anxiously:
"Elder Yu, has anyone ever ventured into the deep mountains?"
Elder Yu was startled by the question, "Why do you ask about this? The deep mountains are dangerous; you must not go there."
He thought Mo Hua was merely curious and wanted to explore the deep mountains out of boredom.
"I won't go," Mo Hua caught his breath, "I'm just asking. Is it true that hunters who enter the deep mountains never return?"
Seeing Mo Hua's solemn expression and hearing the seriousness in his tone, Elder Yu realized that this might not be a trivial matter. He nodded, "Yes, that is true."
"Since when has this been happening?" Mo Hua inquired.
Elder Yu furrowed his brows in thought, then replied after a moment, "Perhaps two hundred, or maybe three hundred years ago..."
"You're not sure either?" Mo Hua asked.
"I've only lived for a little over two hundred years myself," Elder Yu explained, "I can only tell you what I've heard of events that occurred before my time."
Elder Yu stroked his beard, recalling the past. "As far as I know, over three hundred years ago, the deep mountains were dangerous, but they were still accessible."
"Accessible?" Mo Hua was surprised.
Elder Yu nodded, "Yes, accessible, but the fog was heavy, the miasma was toxic, and the demonic beasts were stronger. There were also more second-grade beasts."
Elder Yu paused, then continued, "Back then, although it was called the deep mountains, it was still considered part of the inner mountains—the most treacherous part, to be precise. But after numerous hunters entered and never returned, people gradually became too afraid to venture there. Thus, the deep reaches of Dahai Mountain became a forbidden place."
"So even Foundation Establishment cultivators wouldn't dare enter?" Mo Hua asked.
Elder Yu's eyelids twitched, "Not even Foundation Establishment cultivators dare. There have been casualties among cultivators of that level."
Mo Hua's eyes widened, "Foundation Establishment cultivators have died in there?"
Elder Yu nodded.
"They didn't just go missing?" Mo Hua asked, perplexed. "They actually died in the deep mountains?"
Logically, just because someone disappeared, it didn't necessarily mean they were dead. How could they be certain that these cultivators had perished within the deep mountains?
"Because the corpses were found on the outer fringes of the deep mountains," Elder Yu explained.
"The Qian family?" Mo Hua asked, incredulous.
Elder Yu nodded slightly. "Back when I was just a Qi Refining cultivator, I heard that the Grand Elder of the Qian family ventured into the deep mountains and disappeared without a trace. After half a month, the Qian family's old ancestor led a group to search for him, determined to find him alive or retrieve his body."
"A Grand Elder of a prominent family, holding a high position of power... How could he just die without any explanation? By then, the Qian family had already gained significant influence, and with their numbers, they dared to enter the deep mountains. Even so, they still didn't dare to be careless."
"Almost all the cultivators in the Qian family, from Core Formation to Qi Refining, mobilized for the search. They formed a human net, advancing inward from the outer reaches of the mountains. Eventually, under a tree on the outskirts, they found the body of the Grand Elder."
"It was said that his death was very suspicious. He was missing an arm, apparently bitten off by a demonic beast. But this is all just rumor, as the Qian family has never disclosed the cause of death to the outside world."
"What happened after that?" Mo Hua asked.
"After that, it was left unresolved. The Qian family didn't dare to venture further. With the death of their Grand Elder, a Core Formation cultivator, and the recovery of his body, they at least had some closure. To go deeper into the mountains would be too risky; they feared that they might face some great danger and their entire family could be wiped out."
Elder Yu couldn't help but feel a mix of schadenfreude and regret. He was likely glad about the misfortune of the Qian family's Grand Elder but regretted that the rest of the family hadn't perished in the deep mountains.
"So, since then, no cultivator has dared to enter the deep mountains?" Mo Hua asked.
Elder Yu corrected him. "Some dared, but none returned."
"There are plenty of fearless and reckless people in this world, or those who are ignorant of their own limitations. Some are highly skilled and courageous, while others are just foolish and oblivious to danger. Nonetheless, regardless of their reasons, those who entered the deep mountains never came out."
Mo Hua's eyes held a complex emotion as he slowly asked, "Did they go in of their own volition?"
Elder Yu smiled, as if about to say something more, but then he paused, his smile fading as his expression turned solemn. "You... Do you know something?"
Mo Hua took out the map and handed it to Elder Yu. He then proceeded to tell him about the bald monk, the group of rogue cultivators, and the sixteen characters.
"'The black mountain's fog veils the depths; at midnight, throw a stone to ask for directions,'" Elder Yu muttered, his heart pounding with each word.
"You mean to say that the depths of this Great Black Mountain may be a huge den of thieves, housing vicious rogue cultivators who have been hiding there for the past two to three hundred years?" Mo Hua slowly nodded.
Elder Yu stood up, unable to remain seated, his brow furrowed as he paced back and forth in the hall.
After a few laps, he calmed his thoughts and sat down again. He took a sip of tea to soothe his nerves and said in a low voice, "It's indeed possible..."
"Over the past two hundred years, not only foreign cultivators but also quite a few demon hunters have gone missing in the deep mountains."
"The elders of the demon hunter guild, including myself, have always emphasized the importance of staying away from the deep mountains, warning that the risks far outweigh the potential gains."
"But there were always some demon hunters who ignored our advice and ventured in, never to be heard from again."
"I used to think they were just stupid and reckless, but now I realize there's something very strange going on."
"Those who become demon hunters or survive in the inner mountains are well aware of the dangers of the Great Black Mountain. How could they suddenly ignore the risks and venture into the deep mountains on a whim?"
"Even if they don't value their own lives, they have families who depend on their earnings from demon hunting. How could they put their loved ones at risk?"
"If they die, they leave behind widows and orphans to suffer. How could they not understand this?"
"Now it seems that they didn't enter the deep mountains voluntarily; they were either captured or killed and then brought into the mountains by someone!"
(End of Chapter)
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