Chapter 289: Leaving the Lair
Chapter 289: Leaving the Lair
Mo Hua licked her lips after speaking, her lips a rosy red under the crimson light of the room, giving her an eerie appearance.
The third master's heart skipped a beat. Indeed, she was an ancient demon! They, as evil cultivators, would at most absorb supplements, absorb spiritual energy, or drink blood, but never actually resort to cannibalism as a means of cultivation.
In other words, any cultivation technique that relied on consuming humans was not a simple one but a genuine demonic path technique, not something that these half-baked evil cultivators could learn.
Then, the third master thought of another problem. This old demon wanted to eat people, but there was only him in the room. If she wanted to eat, she would have to eat him...
The third master broke into a cold sweat and quickly turned his thoughts elsewhere, plotting his next move. He couldn't just sit and wait for death, but if he made a move, he didn't know what tricks this bizarre old demon had up her sleeve.
Even if their cultivation was low, the means of an old demon who had mastered the art of body snatching from the demonic path were not to be underestimated.
The third master was filled with trepidation, but he gritted his teeth and asked, "May I ask what kind of person the senior is craving?"
Mo Hua licked her lips again. "Anyone will do. I'm too hungry to be picky."
The third master quietly breathed a sigh of relief. As long as she didn't eat him, he would be fine.
"Is there anything this junior can do to be of service?" he asked, cupping his hands respectfully.
Mo Hua's eyebrows rose, and she nodded slightly. "Then, you can pick a few for me."
Pick a few for what? Mo Hua didn't elaborate, but the third master understood that she wanted him to select a few people for her to eat.
Besides him, there were other evil cultivators and captured cultivators in the Black Mountain Lair.
The captured cultivators had either been drained of their spiritual energy or had their foundations severely damaged, leaving them weak and frail.
To offer these people to the old demon would be a great disrespect. If it angered her, their lair would be in deep trouble.
That left the evil cultivators in the lair as the only suitable option.
After considering his options, the third master cupped his hands and said, "I wonder what the senior's preference is and what type of person you enjoy eating. Perhaps I can guide you, and you can choose for yourself."
The third master wanted to lead her out of the lair, hoping that after she had eaten her fill, he could send her on her way.
Losing a few evil cultivators to buy the favor of this old demon was a worthwhile trade. He didn't expect this ancient demon from the demonic path to offer any guidance or help.
This old demon, who had lived for so long and mastered the forbidden technique of body snatching, had unpredictable thoughts and temperaments. If she wanted to toy with them, it would be effortless.
They were no match for her. He only hoped that she would remember this favor and not cause them any trouble. As long as she left satisfied and calm, that would be enough.
Guide?
Mo Hua's heart skipped a beat, but she feigned hesitation and, after a moment's thought, nodded slightly. "That sounds like a plan."
"Please."
Thus, with the third master leading the way, he personally unlocked the blood formation and opened the beast gate, escorting Mo Hua out.
Mo Hua followed the third master out of the crimson elixir room without any hesitation.
The night was pitch-black, and dawn was yet to break.
The two walked along the path in the Black Mountain Lair, both silent.
The third master wanted to see her off.
Mo Hua also wanted to leave the Black Mountain Lair.
Their goals aligned, and they tacitly understood each other.
However, an excuse was still needed, and the people to be "eaten" had to be chosen.
Mo Hua followed calmly behind the third master. Along the way, whenever she spotted a familiar face—an evil cultivator who had committed many atrocities—she would extend her finger and point, selecting them.
Having secretly gathered intelligence and witnessed many evil deeds, she had come across many evil cultivators she wanted to kill but couldn't due to her insufficient cultivation.
Now that fate had brought them together, Mo Hua didn't mind "eating" them.
The third master summoned each of the evil cultivators that Mo Hua had indicated.
Although they didn't understand what was happening, they dared not disobey the third master's orders. Moreover, since he didn't explain, they didn't dare to ask and could only follow quietly.
As they approached the main gate of the Black Mountain Lair, Mo Hua had already selected four evil cultivators.
Picking too few wouldn't be enough for a meal, but choosing too many might arouse the third master's suspicion.
Soon, they reached the bonfire in front of the lair's main gate, and Mo Hua's eyes flickered as she spotted "Scarface," the one who guarded the night.
He was the evil cultivator who practiced the art of absorbing supplements and had killed countless people. Mo Hua had wanted to kill him but hadn't succeeded.
Mo Hua extended her small hand and pointed at Scarface from a distance.
The third master nodded slightly and called Scarface over. Seeing the vicious scars on his face and his ugly appearance, he inwardly cursed, "This old senior sure has a strong appetite. To be able to eat this guy without being picky is truly impressive..."
The third master instructed Scarface, "Come with me. I have a task for you."
"Yes," Scarface replied respectfully, his heart stirring with excitement.
Moreover, as long as he performed well and caught the third master's eye, he would surely be favored and heavily relied on by the third master in the future.
A fiery determination ignited within Scarface.
Then, his eyes landed on Mo Hua, and his expression froze in surprise.
What's this kid doing here? he wondered.
He sized Mo Hua up, and despite the third master walking ahead, it seemed like he was the one being guided by this child.
Scarface's heart trembled.
Who is this kid? he wondered. What kind of background does he have to make the third master act as his guide?
Scarface couldn't wrap his head around it, and he dared not voice his questions aloud.
In Black Mountain Lair, speaking out of turn might not get you killed, but it would definitely shorten your lifespan.
"Open the door," the third master ordered.
"Eating people" was not something to be done lightly, and it required a quiet and secluded location, preferably deep within the Great Black Mountain, outside the lair.
The third master naturally led Mo Hua, the "old demon," out, and Mo Hua was secretly pleased. He followed the third master's intentions without showing any signs of his true emotions.
Once they left Black Mountain Lair and were out of the third master's sight, these evil cultivators wouldn't dare to do anything to him, especially now that his concealment art had reached such a high level that no cultivator in the depths of the Great Black Mountain could see through it.
Scarface activated the mechanism, and the gate of the Black Mountain Lair appeared, creaking open.
The third master led the way, with the other evil cultivators following behind and Mo Hua in the middle.
The group walked through the gates of the Black Mountain Lair.
Mo Hua, who had sneaked into the lair, now left with the evil cultivators surrounding him, bold and unrestrained.
As soon as they exited the lair, the mist suddenly became heavier, but the bloody smell lessened, and the oppressive atmosphere eased.
The third master led the group, choosing secluded paths and turning left and right until they reached a quiet, secluded spot deep in the mountains.
The surroundings were desolate, shrouded in mist, with bushes and rugged rocks everywhere.
The third master glanced at Mo Hua, seeking his opinion on the location.
Mo Hua nodded slightly, indicating that this place would do.
"Are there any other instructions?" the third master asked.
The evil cultivators exchanged bewildered looks, shocked by the third master's question.
Was he asking this kid for instructions? they wondered. What was this kid's background, and could his status be even higher than the third master's?
"How do you eat them alive?" Mo Hua asked calmly.
The third master understood.
The evil cultivators looked at each other, perplexed.
What did he mean by "how do you eat them alive"? They didn't understand, but soon, they would.
The third master suddenly attacked, his hands like sharp claws, and his spiritual power, refined like mercury. He killed them one after the other, tearing out their hearts and bursting their bodies.
Scarface, the most vigilant among them, had already thought about running away when Mo Hua mentioned "eating them alive."
However, with only the ninth layer of Qi Refining, he couldn't escape the third master, who was at the Foundation Establishment stage.
The third master's sharp claws pierced Scarface's chest from behind.
Scarface spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed to the ground, his life ending in confusion.
"Is it to your satisfaction, Senior?"
Mo Hua nodded in satisfaction as he watched the evil cultivators die.
"Would you like to join me for the meal?" Mo Hua asked kindly.
The third master hesitated.
Although he was an evil cultivator, practicing evil arts and setting up evil arrays, he had never actually "eaten" anyone before, and he couldn't bring himself to do it.
"Senior, your kindness is appreciated, but I shall decline. Please, enjoy your meal," the third master replied.
Mo Hua smiled without really smiling and asked, "Then, are you going to watch me eat?"
The third master's heart skipped a beat as he finally understood.
Eating cultivators must be a special kind of demonic cultivation technique.
And since it was a demonic technique, it was something that couldn't be witnessed by outsiders during practice.
By staying here, he was violating this old demon's taboo.
The third master quickly cupped his hands and said, "Senior, please enjoy your meal. I shall take my leave."
As he hurried away, he felt a subtle spiritual sense following him, as if the old demon was keeping an eye on him.
The third master's heart lurched, knowing that the old demon was wary of him spying and was giving him a warning.
It was both a precaution and a threat.
The third master quickened his pace until he reached the edge of the forest, where he could no longer sense Mo Hua's spiritual sense, and only then did he relax.
Once Mo Hua saw that the third master had walked far away, he took out the Thousand-Catty Stick from his storage bag and walked to Scarface's side. With a swing of the stick, he smashed it down on Scarface's head.
"How dare you pretend to be dead in front of me?" Mo Hua asked.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
