Chapter 566: Returning Home
Chapter 566: Returning Home
A hundred miles outside Tongxian City, the mountains were lush and the streams murmured gently.
On the mountain path, a caravan of over ten people pulled several carts filled with storage trunks, making their way slowly.
Mo Hua sat atop one of the cargo carts, his legs swinging leisurely as he gazed upon the familiar yet slightly foreign mountain scenery. His heart was filled with anticipation as he thought of his parents, as well as the familiar faces and friends in Tongxian City. Yet, there was also a hint of apprehension as he neared his hometown.
From Sanpin Dali Shan's provincial border to Tongxian City, it had been a long and winding journey. Mo Hua had traveled at a leisurely pace, visiting array masters along the way and seeking out array formations. It had taken him almost half a year.
Now, he was fifteen years old.
A first-grade array master, he possessed the cultivation base of the early Qi Refining stage, fourteen spirit sense threads, and a qualitative transformation of divine thought, as fine as quicksilver.
Compared to when he had left home, Mo Hua had grown a little taller. His brows and eyes had also matured, exuding a hint of heroic spirit.
However, at the age of fifteen, he was still very young by a cultivator's standards.
Having reached the Qi Refining stage early, Mo Hua looked like an uncut jade, pure and innocent, despite his experiences.
"Little Mo, your parents really let you travel alone?" An elderly man from the caravan couldn't help but ask.
This was at least the seventh or eighth time he had posed this question during their journey.
The old man, surnamed Zheng, was the leader of the caravan. He had traveled far and wide, trading in spirit stones and elixirs to make a living. Sharp-eyed, others addressed him as Old Zheng.
With Tongxian City's growing prosperity, there had been an increase in the number of cultivators and traders passing through. Old Zheng's caravan had specifically prepared some cultivation goods to sell in the city.
However, along the way, they had encountered demon beast attacks, and the array formations on their carts had been damaged.
Mo Hua had happened upon them and helped repair the arrays, which were quite simple—first-grade arrays with around four or five threads—requiring minimal effort.
But Old Zheng was still astonished.
This young cultivator, despite his tender age, was already capable of repairing array formations with five threads...
His future achievements would surely be limitless!
Out of gratitude, Old Zheng had treated Mo Hua to a hearty meal. Upon learning that Mo Hua was also headed to Tongxian City, he offered him a ride.
Mo Hua, tired from his journey, gladly accepted the offer, enjoying the free ride, food, and company.
With Tongxian City so close, it wouldn't delay their journey by much.
However, each time Old Zheng looked at Mo Hua, his expression held a hint of disbelief.
Such a young age, and with such an exceptional talent for arrays, his parents had actually allowed him to travel alone...
If it were his child, he wouldn't have been able to let go so easily.
Mo Hua softly replied, "I wasn't alone during my travels, but now, on my way back, I am..."
As he spoke, a hint of loneliness crept into his eyes.
Old Zheng nodded, not prying further.
The caravan made its way through the majestic mountains, winding along the hilly path step by step, drawing closer to Tongxian City.
Mo Hua lifted his head, gazing at the undulating Dahai Mountain Range before him and the faint silhouette of Tongxian City hidden within the mountains and clouds. He breathed a silent sigh of relief.
"At last, I'm almost home..."
It had only been a few years since he had left home.
For cultivators with their long lifespans, a few years were but a fleeting moment. Yet, for Mo Hua, it felt like a lifetime had passed...
Now, he was finally returning home.
Mo Hua's heart twinged with a hint of sourness.
Several days later, after traveling another ten miles or so, Mo Hua encountered some familiar faces—a few of the demon hunter uncles.
They wore iron armor and held simple broadswords, their faces stern as they pursued a demon beast, coincidentally running into the caravan Mo Hua was with.
They were in the midst of a demon hunt, their armor and blades stained with blood, their auras fierce and murderous.
Upon seeing this, the other cultivators in the caravan grew tense and cautious.
Old Zheng's heart also sank a little.
This was their first time trading in Tongxian City, and they were strangers to the area. Encountering these bloodied and fierce-looking demon hunters in the desolate Dahai Mountains made him feel uneasy.
He feared that a slight misstep might cause these demon hunters to turn violent and rob them...
During their travels, they had often encountered or heard of such incidents.
What made it more challenging was that these demon hunters were clearly very powerful.
While the caravan had hired escorts, they were only at the late Qi Refining stage, not yet reaching the ninth layer.
They might be able to handle ordinary bandits, but against these demon hunters with their profound cultivation, exquisite spiritual weapons, and ample battle experience, they were clearly outmatched.
Old Zheng's heart raced with anxiety, but he forced a smile and said, "Fellow Daoists, I am Old Zheng, heading to Tongxian City for some small-scale trading. I hope you can show some leniency..."
In his mind, he was already calculating how much toll he would need to pay to pass by safely and minimize his losses.
The demon hunters remained silent.
Engaged in a demon hunt, they were taciturn, as per their custom.
Seeing their silence, Old Zheng's smile became increasingly stiff.
Just then, one of the demon hunters happened to glance at the cart where Mo Hua sat. He noticed the strikingly handsome child with a familiar smile beaming at him.
His expression shook, and his eyes widened in disbelief as he exclaimed, "Mo... Mo Hua?!?"
The other demon hunters glared at him angrily.
"What's wrong with you? Stop making a fuss!"
"Keep your voice down! What if you alert the Wind-Listening Wolf?"
"You're an experienced demon hunter, and you don't know this basic rule?"
"But... it's Mo Hua!"
"What about Mo Hua?"
"Little brother, you know these demon hunters?"
"Mm." Mo Hua nodded. "They're all my uncles. They took care of me when I ventured into the Great Black Mountain before. We're quite close..."
Old Zheng looked at Mo Hua's slender arms and legs, unsure of what to say. After all, Mo Hua was just a child.
But it was good to be close... It made things easier.
Old Zheng felt relieved. He was glad that luck had brought them together. Without a familiar cultivator by their side, encountering these bloodthirsty demon hunters in this desolate area could have spelled disaster.
Old Zheng became even more polite toward Mo Hua.
However, as they continued on their journey, he soon realized something was amiss.
The closer they got to Tongxian City, the more demon hunters they encountered. And without fail, each and every one of them reacted the same way upon seeing Mo Hua—first with shock and then with unbridled joy.
One moment they were grim and battle-hardened, and the next, they were beaming with happiness as if it were a festival...
Old Zheng stared at Mo Hua, his mouth agape. "You... know all these demon hunters too?"
He was baffled that Mo Hua seemed to know every demon hunter in the mountain.
Mo Hua nodded.
Old Zheng still found it hard to believe. "You're... that well-acquainted with them all?"
"I'm just well-liked!" Mo Hua replied with a mischievous smile.
Old Zheng was half-convinced and half-skeptical as he silently pondered.
This young cultivator's identity might not be ordinary. Perhaps he's the child of a high-ranking elder in the demon-hunting guild, or maybe even a young master from one of the prominent families of Tongxian City? Old Zheng speculated.
As they continued their journey, the day gradually turned to dusk.
With the sun setting, the evening glow bathed the mountains in a warm light.
Old Zheng studied the map, estimating their journey, and furrowed his brows. "We're running out of time. If we don't hurry, we'll have to spend the night in these deep mountains..."
Spending the night in the mountains was dangerous.
The newly constructed road through the Great Black Mountain stretched from its depths, through the inner mountains, and finally to Tongxian City.
The inner mountains were known for their vicious beasts.
Deeper within, the beasts were even more bloodthirsty, and occasionally, one might even stumble upon a second-grade demon beast.
While the daytime was manageable, staying the night was a different story. With darkness falling, the treacherous terrain, and the threat of demon beasts, everyone in the caravan would be at risk.
"Let's take a shortcut while there's still some light left?" someone suggested.
At the very least, they would be out of the deep mountains.
Old Zheng pondered for a moment before nodding in agreement. "We must hurry and reach Tongxian City before nightfall to avoid any unnecessary troubles."
Mo Hua looked around, realizing that they were deep within the Great Black Mountain. The mountain road had been renovated, and the terrain had changed slightly, making him feel a little disoriented.
The changes in the terrain...
It seemed that when he had destroyed the Five Elements Demon Beast Slaughtering Grand Array, the explosion had flattened almost half of the deep mountains, altering the entire landscape.
The mountain was still there, but the shape of the land had changed, and the path they were on was not the same as before.
Mo Hua couldn't pinpoint their exact location at the moment.
One of the merchants in the caravan spoke up, "I've been to Tongxian City a few times, and I know a shortcut. But it's getting late, and we might encounter some demon beasts along the way..."
Old Zheng thought about it for a moment and then sighed. "That's still better than spending the night here. Please lead the way, and let's all be careful."
"Alright, Old Zheng."
The merchant took the lead, guiding the caravan onto a lesser-known path.
It was an old mountain road that Mo Hua vaguely remembered from his previous trip to Tongxian City from the outer reaches of the Great Black Mountain.
As fewer people used this path, it had gradually fallen into disrepair.
Indeed, their journey along this route was not without challenges.
Some of the mountain rocks had collapsed due to the grand array's explosion a few years ago, making it difficult for the vehicles and goods to pass through.
There were also demon beasts lurking in the area, mostly in the latter stages of the first grade.
The escorts in the caravan could handle them, and Mo Hua simply gave them a heads-up without needing to intervene personally.
"Wait!" His voice, though soft, carried an air of command that demanded attention.
Old Zheng was taken aback, as were the other cultivators in the caravan, unsure of what had prompted this sudden halt.
As the light was fading, they could already make out the silhouette of Tongxian City in the distance, and stopping now seemed unnecessary.
However, there was an underlying force in Mo Hua's tone that made it hard to ignore, especially considering the friendly treatment he had received from all the demon hunters they had encountered.
"Little brother..." Old Zheng hesitated, unsure of the reason for this sudden interruption.
Mo Hua raised a finger to his lips, signaling for silence as he extended his spiritual sense to scan their surroundings. A frown creased his brow as he muttered, "It's... a second-grade demon beast..."
At the mention of a second-grade demon beast, Old Zheng's legs nearly gave out from under him. "Se... second-grade?" he stammered.
The other cultivators in the caravan exchanged alarmed glances, their faces draining of color as they shook their heads in disbelief.
"Impossible..."
"A second-grade demon beast would have an overwhelming presence, and we would have sensed it from a distance..."
"We didn't detect anything..."
Before they could finish their thoughts, a chilling, suppressed roar echoed from the sinister shadows of the forest on their right.
The roar was laden with killing intent and a bloodthirsty aura that sent shivers down their spines.
The faces of the caravan members turned ashen.
A second-grade demon beast! Stronger than a Foundation Establishment cultivator!
Such a beast could easily make a meal of them all, and with its speed, they had no chance of escape.
In a desperate attempt at self-defense, they drew their swords, but their hands trembled uncontrollably, and despair clouded their faces.
Just then, Mo Hua spoke up, his voice calm and steady. "Don't move!"
Old Zheng, snapping out of his shock, quickly whispered, "Sheathe your swords and hide your killing intent. Don't look directly into its eyes."
At this point, he could only pray that the demon beast was already full and wouldn't find them appetizing. As long as they didn't provoke it, there might be a slim chance of survival.
Otherwise, this day would undoubtedly be their last.
As fear gripped their hearts, the shadows of the trees swayed, and from the depths of the forest emerged a tiger demon beast, standing at about human height. Its irises were a deep brown, its body marked with intersecting lines of black and white, and on its head was the character for "king," exuding an air of dominance.
"A second-grade tiger demon..." Old Zheng's heart sank.
It was over...
Of all the demon beasts, they had to encounter a tiger, known for their savage nature and bloodlust.
And the appetite of a tiger was insatiable.
The faces of the cultivators went deathly pale.
But Mo Hua's reaction was quite different.
A tiger?
Why did it seem so familiar?
As he studied the tiger, recognition dawned on him, and he exclaimed, "It's... the tiger from Black Mountain Fort! The one that the second-in-command raised for bloodletting! It's the little cat demon I fed dried fish to!"
It was an acquaintance! No, a familiar demon beast!
The tiger's gaze swept over the group, and when it landed on Mo Hua, its eyes widened in surprise, then confusion, as if recognizing him. Its large eyes blinked, and the malevolence in its gaze softened.
It seemed that the tiger hadn't come in search of prey but had merely sensed a familiar presence and wanted to investigate.
Mo Hua's eyes lit up, and he quickly said, "Old Zheng, give me the demon beast meat we have."
Old Zheng was taken aback. "Demon beast meat?"
"From the two we killed earlier," Mo Hua clarified.
Indeed, along their journey, they had slain a Starlight Wolf and a Red-Eyed Goat Demon, and while some parts had been used, they still had some meat left over.
"Oh, oh... right!" Old Zheng nodded repeatedly.
Mo Hua took the meat and said, "You all go on ahead. I'll feed it."
Old Zheng's expression froze as he stammered, "Feed...?"
"Yes," Mo Hua nodded. "I'm familiar with this demon beast..."
Old Zheng's mouth hung open as he glanced at Mo Hua, then at the formidable second-grade king-marked tiger demon before them. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.
You say you get along with people, but this... I don't think this can be considered getting along with 'people'...
A second-grade tiger demon...
How did you manage this...
Old Zheng's thoughts were a jumble of confusion and awe.
Mo Hua waved at him reassuringly. "Go on, or it'll be dark soon..."
Old Zheng was eager to leave, but he hesitated, his eyes flicking to Mo Hua. "What about you, little brother?"
"Don't worry," Mo Hua assured him.
This Black Mountain was like his backyard.
It might have been renovated, but he would find his way around eventually, even if he felt a bit disoriented at the moment.
Old Zheng glanced at the darkening sky and grit his teeth. "Little brother, we owe you a great debt. I will definitely repay this kindness!"
"We'll be staying at the Lanzhi Inn, across from the Fushen Tower," he added. "Please come find me there if you enter the city!"
The Lanzhi Inn?
Is that a new establishment?
I don't recall seeing it before arriving at Tongxian City...
Mo Hua nodded. "Alright, I'll remember."
Old Zheng bowed deeply to Mo Hua, and the other cultivators expressed their gratitude as well, bowing respectfully before they cautiously continued their journey toward Tongxian City.
Remarkably, the second-grade tiger demon made no move to stop them and let them depart without incident.
A second-grade demon beast...
Old Zheng found it hard to believe their luck.
As the caravan disappeared from view, he turned back one last time, his eyes falling on Mo Hua, and he whispered, "Just who is this young cultivator...?"
...
With the caravan gone, Mo Hua was alone with the tiger demon. The tiger circled him a few times, letting out a loud "roar."
Now that Black Ink had reached the Foundation Establishment stage, its divine sense had undergone a qualitative transformation, making it more perceptive to murderous intent. Since he didn't sense any murderous aura from the big tiger, he figured it wasn't dangerous. So, he followed the tiger, moving with agility through the gloomy mountains.
The tiger would walk a few steps, then turn back to check if Mo Hua was still following, before continuing on its way.
In this manner, the tiger led Mo Hua to a cavern.
The cave was spacious and somewhat damp, appearing more like a temporary residence than a long-term home.
Mo Hua was surprised.
Even a big tiger like this had multiple lairs.
Could it be that it had truly become a spirit tiger?
The tiger glanced at Mo Hua, indicating for him to wait there, before turning and disappearing into the depths of the cave. After a while, it returned, its mouth carrying over ten storage bags.
These bags varied in appearance, some new and some old, and some were even intricately designed.
Mo Hua wondered if the tiger had picked them up or taken them from those it had killed.
The tiger placed the bags in front of Mo Hua.
Mo Hua stood there in a daze for a long time before finally understanding.
This big tiger... was it repaying his kindness? Because he had saved it twice, it had kept these storage bags, intending to give them to him as gifts when they met again?
Mo Hua was deeply touched.
He stared at the bags for a while, noticing that most of them were not ordinary storage bags, and their designs were different from those used by demon hunters. This eased his concerns.
Mo Hua took out the demon beast meat from the Starlight Wolf and handed it to the tiger.
The tiger sniffed it and, finding it fresh, sat down with its paws covering the meat, devouring it with gusto.
Mo Hua stared at the tiger, feeling a sense of novelty.
The black and white patterns, and the character for "king" on its head, were quite distinctive.
He had asked his father, Mo Shan, Elder Yu, and some of the older demon hunters, but none of them had ever heard of a tiger-type demon beast with such characteristics.
Mo Hua had also asked Mr. Zhuang, who had paused thoughtfully before replying vaguely, "It's a bit rare and not commonly seen..."
To this day, Mo Hua still didn't know the exact species of this demon beast.
Moreover, it seemed that it truly didn't eat people...
And it was incredibly intelligent...
Mo Hua stared at the tiger for a long time, shaking his head, perplexed.
He glanced at the sky and then said to the tiger, "I have to go now. I'll come back to visit you in a few days and bring you some dried fish..."
The tiger clearly showed a disdainful expression, as if it felt that its dignity as a second-grade tiger had been disrespected by Mo Hua.
However, it didn't refuse.
Mo Hua put away the storage bags, keeping them on his person.
After all, it was a gift from the tiger, and he didn't want to be impolite.
Moreover, Mo Hua was curious about what these bags contained and who they had belonged to.
Mo Hua waved goodbye to the tiger and set off on his own, following the mountain path toward Tongxian City.
After leaving the deep mountains and reaching the inner mountains, Mo Hua felt much more familiar with his surroundings.
Memories of the past began to resurface.
The spirit mine, the Qian family, the great demon... and the times when he had followed his father, running through these mountains, drawing maps, and setting up arrays...
Mo Hua couldn't help but feel a sense of emotion.
It felt like these events had happened a long time ago, yet it also felt like they were just yesterday.
The sky had completely darkened, and Mo Hua quickened his pace, relying on his mastery of the Flowing Water Steps to take only the shortest routes. Soon, he passed through the inner mountains and reached the outer mountains.
Along the way, he avoided encounters with demon beasts, poisonous miasma, and toxic swamps.
After traveling for several more hours, he finally arrived at Tongxian City, where the night was already deep.
The stars twinkled in the sky, and the city lights flickered in the distance.
Mo Hua slowed his steps, and as he drew closer to the city gates, he suddenly paused, spotting a familiar figure standing there.
Gentle and graceful.
Ever since receiving news about the demon hunter, she had been waiting at the city gates, gazing longingly at the distant mountain road, anticipating the appearance of that small figure she had thought about day and night.
Even as the sun set and the night enveloped her, she continued to wait silently.
Waiting for her child to come home.
Mo Hua saw her, but she hadn't noticed him yet. Her face was filled with anticipation, mixed with a hint of anxiety as she anxiously scanned the horizon.
Mo Hua's heart trembled, and his eyes grew moist.
Like the wind, he ran towards the city gates.
"Mother!"
At the sound of his voice, Liu Ruhua's body stiffened, and she turned to see Mo Hua running towards her. For a moment, she felt as if she were in a dream.
When Mo Hua reached her, she gazed at his face, which seemed a little unfamiliar, but it was the face she had yearned for day and night. Tears flowed uncontrollably as she held him tightly in her embrace, as if holding the most precious treasure in the world.
"You're safe, you've returned..."
Liu Ruhua's voice trembled slightly, but it was gentle and soothing, like a warm spring breeze.
"Mhm."
Mo Hua's eyes were wet as he nodded, nestled in his mother's embrace.
"Mother, I'm home."
(End of Chapter)
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