Chapter 642: Secret Chamber
Chapter 642: Secret Chamber
Mo Hua was a little surprised. "You still remember me?"
Jia Ren's eyes blazed with fury, and he gritted his teeth, "You little brat, even if you turned to ashes, I'd still recognize you..."
Gu Changhuai, standing by, was also taken aback and asked Mo Hua, "What did you do to him? Why does he hate you so much?"
This Jia Ren, who had initially seemed resigned to his fate, now looked like he had been thrown into a vat of boiling oil. He was seething with rage at the sight of Mo Hua.
Mo Hua frowned, perplexed. "I don't know either..."
He recalled, "During that mission, it was Murong Jie and Feng who captured him. I just followed along and helped a little—'insignificantly,' I might add. I don't understand why he hates me so much..."
"He probably preys on the weak and fears the strong. Since he can't beat your senior siblings, he's taking it out on you because of your age and lower cultivation."
Gu Changhuai wore a look of disbelief.
Hearing this, Jia Ren spat out a mouthful of blood. "You... you..." But seeing his "enemy," he was so enraged that he couldn't get the words out.
Mo Hua, however, was unfazed and callously threw the "iron plate" onto the ground, ordering, "Kneel on it."
As soon as he said this, Mo Hua paused, suddenly remembering something.
The first "victim" of this iron plate was none other than Jia Ren.
Back then, he had been a burly man.
Unfortunately, Mo Hua's craftsmanship had been lacking, and the iron plate was crudely made.
So, even as Jia Ren knelt on the iron plate, he gritted his teeth and remained silent, refusing to utter a word.
Mo Hua remembered it vividly—the way Jia Ren had glared at him with eyes that seemed to be spitting fire, yet he hadn't given in.
From that moment on, Mo Hua had vowed to improve the iron plate, refining and optimizing it with each iteration.
He wanted to ensure that every guilty cultivator who knelt on it would "confess and be treated leniently," speaking only the truth.
And now, the opportunity had presented itself again, and fate had brought them together once more...
Mo Hua's eyes lit up as he said to Jia Ren, "Go on, kneel again... Since you knelt on it last time, I've modified the array several times and made a lot of improvements."
"Kneel on it again and see if you feel any difference from the first time."
"How does it feel specifically?"
"Do you feel an urge to tell the truth?"
There was a mixture of curiosity, innocence, and sincerity in Mo Hua's tone, devoid of any hint of mockery.
But Jia Ren's eyes were already starting to bleed.
Gu Changhuai sighed, now understanding why Jia Ren hated Mo Hua so intensely.
It was as if Mo Hua had killed his father, and he wanted to tear Mo Hua limb from limb.
He could even empathize with him to some extent.
This little brat could really push people to their limits.
However, Gu Changhuai was also curious about the effects of the "iron plate."
So, he grabbed Jia Ren by the shoulder, ignoring his struggles, and forced him to kneel on Mo Hua's "iron plate."
As soon as Jia Ren knelt, the array on the iron plate activated.
Mo Hua's latest refinement of the array was a return to basics, abandoning the Eight Trigrams Formation and relying solely on the Five Elements Formation. He created a complex formation by cycling through the Five Elements' generative and overcoming relationships.
It was similar in principle to the basic "killing formation" within the Five Elements Demon-Slaying Grand Formation, but on a much smaller scale.
Moreover, its purpose was not to kill but to utilize the Five Elements to inflict varying degrees of spiritual power-induced pain: metal needles, wood poison, water torture, fire scorching, and earth suffocation.
The Five Elements intensified the pain, creating a cycle of agony.
To prevent the drawbacks of excessive harshness or pain causing unconsciousness, this Five Elements torture formation was designed to be more gentle.
It focused on the slow, relentless buildup of pain, like cutting flesh with a dull knife.
It would start with a few cuts, gradually intensifying the pain to erode the willpower of the guilty cultivators, causing them to let down their guard and confess...
At this thought, Mo Hua sighed.
He was, at heart, a kind and virtuous cultivator.
But these guilty cultivators were incorrigibly evil and stubbornly refused to admit their crimes.
They had left him no choice but to resort to such interrogation techniques.
It wasn't his fault, he thought to himself.
Mo Hua's eyes narrowed as he intently observed Jia Ren's reaction.
When Jia Ren first knelt, his face was contorted with anger, but his complexion remained normal, and he even wore a hint of disdain. He let out a cold huff, as if to say, "Is that all? Your improvements have only made it worse."
But soon, his expression changed.
As the pain gradually intensified and the cyclic nature of the Five Elements formation subjected him to a myriad of intricate agonies, his physical body was tortured, and his willpower slowly eroded.
After a while, Jia Ren's face turned deathly pale.
It was like drinking aged wine—smooth at first, but with a powerful kick afterward.
A piercing pain surged to his head.
Jia Ren's features twisted in agony, and his entire body shook like a sieve.
The pain lingered at the threshold of his endurance, preventing him from losing consciousness. He was trapped in an ocean of agony, desperately struggling...
Gu Changhuai, standing by, watched with his eyelids twitching.
The Path Tribunal was not without its interrogation methods.
He had used various torture devices before, but he had never seen one as creative, cruel, and seemingly gentle as this iron plate.
Mo Hua may have looked innocent, but his mind was a cesspool of sinister ideas.
"How does it feel?" Mo Hua asked crisply, as if he were a chef inquiring about the taste of his dish.
"You little brat, one day I will kill..." Jia Ren couldn't hold back and let out a hoarse cry of anguish.
Mo Hua's face softened with sympathy. "If you don't speak, the pain will only get worse..."
Then, he silently increased the spiritual power supplied to the iron plate's array.
Jia Ren's facial features were contorting in pain.
After an unknown amount of time, under the dual torture of the iron plate's physical pain and Mo Hua's psychological torment, Jia Ren's Dao heart finally shattered.
His voice trembled as he resigned himself to his fate. "I... I'll talk! I'll talk..."
He could die, but he couldn't bear the combination of anger and agony.
Mo Hua's expression brightened.
The fact that Jia Ren was willing to speak meant that his efforts to optimize and improve the iron plate over this period had been highly effective.
And now, he had received recognition from the first tester!
Gu Changhuai pulled Jia Ren up, and Mo Hua proceeded to ask the questions he had posed earlier once more.
Jia Ren's face was drenched in cold sweat as he gritted his teeth and replied, "I... I can't tell you that."
Mo Hua's expression turned stern. "Are you playing games with me?"
Jia Ren felt a chill down his spine, and his knees began to ache. He quickly added, "No, I wouldn't dare..."
He swallowed hard and said, "I... I can't bring myself to say it."
"What do you mean?" Mo Hua frowned.
"'A Silencing Curse...' Gu Changhuai interjected, his eyes narrowing."
"A silencing curse?" Mo Hua looked puzzled.
Gu Changhuai explained, "It's a sinister technique that uses spiritual power and incantations to prevent cultivators from speaking certain words. If they do, the curse backfires, injuring their throat and even their sea of consciousness."
"There's actually such a technique..." Mo Hua was taken aback but quickly snapped back to attention. "What if he writes it down?"
After all, the curse only prohibited speech, not writing.
However, Gu Changhuai shook his head. "Writing it down won't work either."
"If it could be bypassed that easily, this technique would be pointless."
"The purpose of the 'Silent Oath' technique is to ensure that cultivators keep secrets and don't divulge them, whether verbally or in writing."
Mo Hua nodded in understanding. "Makes sense."
With direct questions off the table, they would have to take an indirect approach and ask about other matters.
They couldn't inquire about Huo Fotuo, the Xie family, or the destruction of the clan.
Mo Hua thought for a moment before asking, "Where is your real storage bag hidden?"
Jia Ren's eyes widened in surprise.
Even Gu Changhuai looked a little taken aback.
Seeing Jia Ren's reluctance to answer, Mo Hua's gaze turned dangerous.
With a gloomy expression, Jia Ren eventually sighed. "In Bishan City, behind a screen in the Rouge Shop, there's a secret chamber. It's in the third hidden compartment..."
"Rouge Shop, secret chamber, hidden compartment..." Mo Hua quietly memorized the details, then turned his head slightly, catching a fleeting cold glance from Jia Ren.
That glance vanished as quickly as it had appeared, and Jia Ren resumed his fearful demeanor.
Mo Hua's heart stirred with a cold snort.
"Playing these little tricks in front of me..."
Soon, several more Path Tribunal executives arrived on the scene.
They weren't from Bishan City but from the Qianxue Province.
And they weren't ordinary executives—they all shared the surname Gu.
Although the Gu family was only a fourth-rate aristocratic family, their standing in Qianxue Province was quite high because many of their disciples served in the Path Tribunal.
Their connections and influence spread across the entire Qian Province.
While Gu Changhuai had a temper, he had grown up in a Path Tribunal aristocratic family and naturally excelled in criminal investigation. With his family's support and his own abilities, he held a high position in the Path Tribunal.
The matter of Huo Fotuo was highly confidential.
Gu Changhuai didn't want to involve other executives yet, trusting only his own Gu family members.
The newly arrived executives bowed to Gu Changhuai. "Young Master Gu."
Gu Changhuai nodded slightly and instructed them, pointing at Jia Ren, "Watch him. Don't let him escape, and don't let him die."
"Yes!" The Gu family executives acknowledged the order.
Gu Changhuai nodded in satisfaction and, along with Mo Hua, returned to the Rouge Shop in Bishan City.
Both of them released their spiritual senses to ensure that no one was monitoring the surroundings before stepping inside.
The Rouge Shop was neatly arranged but somewhat shabby.
The air was filled with the scent of rouge, but over time, it had taken on a strange odor.
Behind the counter was a screen, and behind that screen was a secret chamber.
Although it was well-hidden, it couldn't escape the notice of Gu Changhuai and Mo Hua.
Gu Changhuai, a Golden Core cultivator and an executive of the Path Tribunal, possessed profound cultivation and extensive experience.
Mo Hua, on the other hand, had a powerful spiritual sense and was well-versed in formation techniques, making him particularly adept at locating secret chambers.
However, there was a formation guarding the entrance to the secret chamber.
It appeared to be a second-rate formation used to seal the hidden door.
While the formation itself wasn't sophisticated, there was likely more to it than met the eye.
Gu Changhuai, skilled in criminal investigation but not formations, hesitated for a moment, considering whether to call for formation masters from the Path Tribunal to inspect the formation for any hidden mechanisms.
But before he could make a decision, Mo Hua had already taken out a brush, dipped it in ink, and started drawing intricate formation patterns outside the secret chamber.
The five-colored lines on the hidden door suddenly lit up before fading away one by one, indicating that the sealing formation had been deactivated.
The door to the secret chamber swung open.
Mo Hua's movements were too swift and skillful...
Gu Changhuai was taken aback, watching Mo Hua with a bewildered expression. "You can undo formations too?"
Mo Hua nodded. "This is simple."
He had started learning how to undo formations since the Qi Refining Stage and had practiced it frequently, becoming highly proficient.
To maintain a low profile, he hadn't used his spiritual sense to control the brush but had manually undone the formation with the brush and ink, demonstrating his mastery.
Otherwise, a mere flick of his finger would have been enough to dismantle the formation.
Doing so in front of Uncle Gu would have been too flashy.
After undoing the formation, the door to the secret chamber stood open, revealing a dark interior.
Mo Hua suggested, "Uncle Gu, why don't you go in first?"
Although it was a secret chamber, it was unlikely to pose any danger within Bishan City.
Huo Fotuo's group wouldn't be hiding there.
Nonetheless, Mo Hua remained cautious and refrained from entering hastily.
If anything went wrong, Uncle Gu, the "big guy," would be there to handle it, and it wouldn't be his turn to take risks.
Gu Changhuai nodded and stepped into the secret chamber.
Mo Hua waited for about the time it takes to breathe ten times, ensuring that there were no abnormalities, before following him inside.
As soon as he entered, Mo Hua looked around and saw Gu Changhuai standing in the center of the chamber with a solemn expression.
The chamber was spacious, but it was in disarray, filled with numerous storage bags scattered about.
Some of the storage bags were already open.
Others were piled up in the corner.
Bloodstained spiritual tools and various items apparently taken from the Xie family were strewn about.
It seemed that they had been searching through the items, packing the "useless" ones into storage bags to be discarded.
Jia Ren had been tasked with this "clean-up" job.
His skill in disguise made him ideal for covering their tracks.
Indeed, there was a hidden compartment in the secret chamber.
There was nothing unusual about the area surrounding the compartment, but it was undoubtedly guarded by a formation.
Gu Changhuai hesitated, considering once again whether to call for formation masters from the Path Tribunal.
However, as he glanced at the composed Mo Hua standing beside him, he gradually abandoned the idea.
Mo Hua was a little surprised. This was the first time Gu Changhuai had ever asked him a question about formations.
Mo Hua released his spiritual sense, examining the intricate structure of the hidden compartment several times before carefully responding, "It's a second-rate Earth Seal Formation, used to conceal items within, merging their aura with that of the earth, making it difficult for cultivators to detect..."
"The Earth Seal Formation is quite common."
"What's unusual is that there's also an underlying Yuan Magnetism Formation embedded within it..."
"These hidden compartments serve as the formation mediums for the Yuan Magnetism Formation, a type of formation 'mechanism'..."
"If activated improperly, it would trigger the Yuan Magnetism Formation, which would then transmit information through subtle magnetic currents..."
"This message is probably meant to..."
Mo Hua paused, then continued, "...warn certain individuals that the hidden compartment has been discovered by 'outsiders,' prompting them to be more vigilant."
This was the little scheme that Jia Ren had in mind, even at the brink of death.
Hearing this, Gu Changhuai's expression remained calm, but his heart stirred with surprise.
Just by looking at these ordinary-seeming compartments with his naked eye, Mo Hua was able to deduce so much.
So, this was the true capability of a formation master...
Seeing the minutiae and understanding the whole.
Observing a single leaf, one could discern the seasons.
After Mo Hua finished explaining, he turned to Gu Changhuai and asked, "Uncle Gu, did I get that right?"
Gu Changhuai mumbled, "Uh..."
He felt a strange sense of inadequacy.
Next was the task of retrieving the items from the hidden compartment.
Seeing that Gu Changhuai had no objections, Mo Hua took the initiative.
He followed the usual procedure, first using a formation brush with great precision to draw out the intricate patterns of the second-rate formation. With that, the Earth Seal Formation was undone.
Then, he carefully avoided all the Yuan Magnetism Formation's "mechanisms" and retrieved a storage bag from one of the compartments.
He was like a little mouse, silently stealing the "juicy meat" from under the very nose of a mouse trap.
Mo Hua handed the storage bag to Gu Changhuai.
Gu Changhuai hadn't expected it to be this straightforward and sigantly. He opened the storage bag and inspected its contents one by one.
There were quite a few spirit stones inside.
There was also a scroll containing a cultivation technique called the Flesh Transformation Art.
This was an evil technique that caused practitioners to abandon their original appearance, transforming their entire body into flesh that could be reshaped and disguised at will.
However, during this process, the practitioner's self-perception would gradually become confused.
They would eventually lose their sense of self, unsure if they were male or female, tall or short, fat or thin, and even forgetting if they were human.
Their flesh, once uncontrolled, would twist and deform.
To maintain a human form, they would need to drink human blood.
Mo Hua glanced at the scroll a few times, clicking his tongue in disapproval.
He had originally intended to learn this "disguise technique," but now that he saw how sinister it was, he knew he couldn't practice it.
What if he learned it and his parents, master, or senior martial brothers and sisters no longer recognized him in the future?
Moreover, he would have to drink human blood...
He refused to even consider that.
Aside from the Flesh Transformation Art, there were a few other evil techniques, which were unusual but not particularly remarkable.
Lastly, there was a jade slip.
Mo Hua recognized it at a glance.
"It's a messaging talisman!"
Gu Changhuai's eyes narrowed sharply.
This messaging talisman hadn't been on Jia Ren's person, and since he hadn't known he was being watched, the contents were likely still intact.
And this talisman might just hold the clue to finding Huo Fotuo's hideout!
Gu Changhuai's eyes sharpened as he focused on the talisman, only to furrow his brows in confusion.
The talisman was blank, devoid of any writing.
"This is..." Gu Changhuai muttered, puzzled.
"It's sealed," Mo Hua said from beside him.
Gu Changhuai turned to Mo Hua, feeling a bit dazed as he asked, "You... you can unseal it, right?"
"Of course," Mo Hua nodded. "It's simple."
He had started learning how to unseal talismans since the Qi Refining Stage and had practiced it frequently, becoming highly skilled.
To maintain a low profile, he hadn't used his spiritual sense to directly unseal it but was preparing to manually undo the seal with a brush and ink, showcasing his mastery.
Otherwise, a mere flick of his finger would have been enough.
Doing so flamboyantly in front of Uncle Gu would have been too showy.
After undoing the formation, the door to the secret chamber stood open, revealing a dark interior.
Mo Hua suggested, "Uncle Gu, why don't you go in first?"
Although it was a secret chamber, it was unlikely to pose any danger within Bishan City.
Huo Fotuo's group wouldn't be hiding there.
Nonetheless, Mo Hua remained cautious and refrained from entering hastily.
If anything went wrong, Uncle Gu, the "big guy," would be there to handle it, and it wouldn't be his turn to take risks.
Gu Changhuai nodded and stepped into the secret chamber.
Mo Hua waited for about ten breaths, ensuring that there were no abnormalities, before following him inside.
As soon as he entered, Mo Hua looked around and saw Gu Changhuai standing in the center of the chamber with a solemn expression.
The chamber was spacious but in disarray, filled with numerous storage bags scattered about.
Some of the storage bags were already open.
Others were piled up in the corner.
Bloodstained spiritual tools and various items apparently taken from the Xie family were strewn about.
It seemed that they had been searching through the items, packing the "useless" ones into storage bags to be discarded.
Jia Ren had been tasked with this "clean-up" job.
His skill in disguise made him ideal for covering their tracks.
Indeed, there was a hidden compartment in the secret chamber.
There was nothing unusual about the area surrounding the compartment, but it was undoubtedly guarded by a formation.
Gu Changhuai hesitated, considering once again whether to call for formation masters from the Path Tribunal.
However, as he glanced at the composed Mo Hua standing beside him, he gradually abandoned the idea.
"What's the principle behind the sealing?" Mo Hua asked, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Gu Changhuai felt a bit overwhelmed.
Each word Mo Hua spoke made sense to him, but when strung together, they became a confusing mess.
Terms like "magnetism" and "currents" swirled in his head like a blizzard, leaving him bewildered.
He couldn't remember a thing, his mind as blank as a snow-covered field.
"The principle is roughly like that..." Mo Hua concluded, then asked, "Uncle Gu, did you understand?"
Gu Changhuai paused, then forced a nod. "Yeah, I get it..."
He couldn't very well admit his confusion in front of Mo Hua.
In truth, he hadn't understood a single thing...
Not wanting Mo Hua to continue, Gu Changhuai quickly interjected, "We mustn't delay. Let's unseal the jade slip first and focus on capturing Huo Fotuo."
"Yes, we must hurry," Mo Hua agreed.
Gu Changhuai breathed a silent sigh of relief for some unknown reason.
Then, he watched as Mo Hua focused intently, his eyes shining with a brilliant light as he studied the jade slip, occasionally making strange patterns on a piece of paper and muttering to himself.
"That's not it..."
"Nope..."
"It's a bit similar..."
"No..."
...
Mo Hua was completely engrossed, his eyes sparkling like stars.
Gu Changhuai's gaze flickered, and he unconsciously slowed his breathing, not wanting to disturb Mo Hua.
After an indeterminate amount of time, a glint flashed in Mo Hua's eyes.
"I've unsealed it!"
Gu Changhuai was secretly astonished and a little incredulous.
"What's written on it?"
Mo Hua immersed his spiritual sense into the jade slip.
The slip contained only eight words: "Bishan Magic Grotto, Celestial Cave Beyond the Skies."
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
