Chapter 274: Inside the Fortress
Chapter 274: Inside the Fortress
Mo Hua secretly dug a hole in the wall and sneaked into Heishan Fortress without anyone noticing.
As soon as he entered, a putrid and bloody stench assaulted his senses.
It was a melange of aged decay and fresh sanguinity.
An eerie chill permeated the air, causing Mo Hua to shiver involuntarily. As he scanned his surroundings, his eyes widened in astonishment.
What a massive stronghold! Nestled between the embracing mountains, Heishan Fortress stood formidable and imposing.
The section of the wall that Mo Hua had dug through was merely a small portion of the entire structure. As far as the eye could see, there were more towering walls, creating an impenetrable barrier.
In addition to the lofty walls, the encircling mountains served as a natural bulwark for the fortress.
Heishan Fortress loomed under the cloak of night, resembling an indomitable bastion and, at the same time, a monstrous creature ready to devour any who dared enter.
Mo Hua's heart pounded with a mix of awe and trepidation.
This was probably the largest den of criminal cultivators in Tongxian City, no, perhaps even in all of Heishan State.
Without prior reconnaissance, any rash attempt to bring others here would undoubtedly result in heavy casualties if a battle ensued.
Mo Hua proceeded with utmost caution, carefully examining the layout of Heishan Fortress.
The stronghold was expansive, with numerous buildings and rooms—hundreds of them, in fact—crowded together in the valley embraced by the mountains.
An aura of sinister strangeness permeated the entire place.
Flickering torchlight revealed splattered blood almost everywhere—on the roads, walls, and pillars—testament to the horrors that had transpired.
In some corners lay discarded limbs and remains of unknown cultivators, a grim reminder of the fate that befell those who ventured here.
Some of the rooms were occupied by the criminal cultivators, while others served as prisons for captured cultivators, most likely abducted for nefarious purposes.
These innocent cultivators were locked in iron cages, their bodies emaciated to the point of being little more than skin and bones, their humanity all but gone.
Mo Hua furrowed his brows.
"Why are these criminal cultivators keeping these captives alive? Usually, they would just kill them, wouldn't they?"
Even the bald monk, with his penchant for slaughter, had simply killed his victims. Yet, here in Heishan Fortress, it seemed that the criminal cultivators had more sinister intentions. Mo Hua's confusion grew as he observed the surroundings for a while longer.
Soon enough, a malevolent-looking criminal cultivator approached. He inspected the captives, choosing one who appeared to be in slightly better shape than the others. With a swift motion, he slashed the cultivator's wrist and collected the blood that dripped into a bowl.
The captive's face contorted in agony, but he was too weak to struggle. Drop by drop, his blood filled the bowl to the brim.
The criminal cultivator lifted the bowl and gulped down the fresh blood, his face contorting in pleasure as he savored the essence of his victim.
He licked his lips, seemingly relishing the taste even after the bowl was empty.
Not long after, another criminal cultivator arrived.
This one placed his large hand on the forehead of a young cultivator, causing him to let out a heart-wrenching scream.
Using his spiritual sense, Mo Hua witnessed the young cultivator's spiritual power flowing in reverse from his dantian, through his meridians, and converging at the point of contact with the criminal cultivator's palm, only to be siphoned away.
The reverse flow of spiritual power caused excruciating pain, explaining the young cultivator's agonized cries that echoed through the fortress.
Annoyed by the noise, the criminal cultivator continued to drain the young cultivator's spiritual power with his right hand while using his left hand to choke the victim, silencing his screams.
Once the young cultivator's spiritual power was completely depleted, he slowly collapsed, his body going limp, and his voice falling silent. Whether he was dead or alive remained unknown.
More criminal cultivators arrived, each performing similar heinous acts—either draining blood or spiritual power, or employing even more terrifying methods.
Mo Hua felt as if he had stepped into an ice cave.
It was then that he realized Heishan Fortress was not merely a hideout for criminal cultivators, but a lair for demonic cultivators!
Within this massive stronghold dwelled hundreds of demonic cultivators, each more depraved than the last. Mo Hua couldn't help but draw in a sharp breath, his eyes widening in disbelief.
Criminal cultivators kill for wealth and resources.
But demonic cultivators? They treat people as mere tools for their cultivation, devoid of any semblance of humanity.
These innocent cultivators locked in iron cages resembled nothing so much as livestock, being fattened for slaughter.
Mo Hua felt a mix of shock and anger. He knew that there was nothing he could do to save these cultivators.
In fact, he would be hard-pressed to ensure his own safety in this den of depravity.
He knew that his infiltration this time was partly due to luck, and he might not be so fortunate on his next attempt.
Moreover, while demonic cultivators were notoriously dangerous, as long as they were still in the Qi Refining stage and their spiritual sense hadn't surpassed his own, they wouldn't be able to see through his concealment technique.
As long as his concealment held, he would be safe.
Demonic cultivators were known for their vicious methods.
However, Mo Hua had no intention of confronting them directly, so their sinister and cruel tricks held little significance for him.
Mo Hua breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Based on what he had seen so far, the presence of demonic cultivators in Heishan Fortress posed a grave threat to all beast tamers and even the safety of all of Tongxian City.
If they were allowed to continue growing and expanding for another two to three hundred years, the number of demonic cultivators would likely reach the thousands.
By then, all the loose cultivators in Tongxian City would likely become their captive livestock.
A chill ran down Mo Hua's spine at the thought.
Taking advantage of the fact that they were unaware of his concealment technique and that he had already sneaked in, he decided it would be best to gather as much information as possible about these demonic cultivators.
Then he could call for reinforcements, devise a meticulous plan, and wipe them all out in one fell swoop, thus preventing future calamities.
Mo Hua had made up his mind and began contemplating his next steps.
"First and foremost, it's crucial to determine whether there are any Foundation Establishment demonic cultivators inside!"
Only a demonic cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage would be capable of seeing through his concealment technique.
In other words, as long as he didn't encounter a Foundation Establishment demonic cultivator, even in the heart of Heishan Fortress, teeming with demonic cultivators, the risk wouldn't be too high.
So, where might these Foundation Establishment demonic cultivators be?
Mo Hua pondered for a moment, then, utilizing his understanding of formations, he began to deduce the layout of Heishan Fortress.
He had seen through the formation layout of the An family's residence.
The Pill Refining Shop and the Artifact Forging Shop in the south of the city were also designed and constructed by Mo Hua himself, incorporating formations.
Therefore, he was quite adept at this task.
After some calculations, Mo Hua had a general idea.
Heishan Fortress was divided into two sections: the front fortress and the rear fortress.
The front fortress, which Mo Hua had stealthily explored while concealed, was primarily inhabited by Qi Refining demonic cultivators. While their cultivation levels were mostly at the eighth or ninth layer of Qi Refining, none of them had reached the Foundation Establishment stage.
The formations in the front fortress were relatively simple, mainly consisting of single first-grade formations, with many of them even falling below first-grade.
Basic structures such as dining halls, prisons, and living quarters were all located in the front fortress.
In contrast, the formations in the rear fortress were far more intricate.
They primarily consisted of first-grade compound formations, complemented by first-grade single formations, and they were separated from the front fortress by an additional wall, indicating their significantly higher importance.
Mo Hua managed to unravel a small portion of the formation and stealthily made his way into the rear fortress.
Using his concealment technique and the Flowing Water Step, Mo Hua navigated across rooftops and rafters while keeping a watchful eye on his surroundings.
Compared to the front fortress, the rear fortress was noticeably quieter and more solemn.
While the stench of blood wasn't as strong, the atmosphere felt more oppressive.
The buildings were larger and more exquisite, but this beauty was tinged with a hint of sinister energy.
As Mo Hua continued his exploration, he suddenly heard voices and quickly found a rafter to hide on.
There seemed to be two people conversing inside the room, but their interaction lacked warmth, their words cold and distant.
Mo Hua cautiously peeked downward.
He could only see the table below and the food and wine placed upon it.
Mo Hua guessed that the two individuals must hold significant positions, as their side dishes were the finest he had seen among the demonic cultivators.
They were of better quality than anything he had seen the other cultivators eat.
Satisfied that they hadn't detected him, Mo Hua, thinking they were merely Qi Refining cultivators, tilted his head slightly to get a better look at them.
One of them was a middle-aged cultivator with a cold and stern demeanor.
The other was a burly man with broad shoulders and a robust build. His eyes were slightly red, with visible bloodshot veins.
Mo Hua only glanced at them briefly, his gaze skimming over them like a stone skipping over water.
However, the burly man suddenly widened his eyes, the veins in his eyes darkening as a fierce aura surged from within him. "Who's there?" he demanded.
(End of Chapter)
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