https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-645-Deciphering-the-Spirit-Array/12542837/
Chapter 644: The Water-Concealing Jade
Chapter 644: The Water-Concealing Jade
The next day, Mo Hua requested leave from Tai Xu Men and departed for the Dao Court in Qian Xue Province, as he had arranged with Gu Chang Huai.
They were to meet at the Dao Court before setting off for Bi Sha City.
Within the Dao Court, Gu Chang Huai made a special trip to receive Mo Hua and handed him a storage bag.
"What is this?" Mo Hua asked.
"It's provisions distributed by the Dao Court for our mission." Gu Chang Huai replied nonchalantly.
Mo Hua opened the storage bag and found it containing some pills, spiritual stones, talismans, and a set of standard Daoist robes.
"Don't wear the Tai Xu Men clothes; they're too conspicuous. Put on this robe instead..."
"Oh."
Mo Hua changed into the Dao Court's robe, looking adorable and dignified. However, the robe was a bit loose, and the sleeves were slightly too long, obviously one size too big.
"Uncle Gu, the clothes are too big..."
"Just make do with it. This is the smallest size we have..."
"Can't we get it tailored?"
Gu Chang Huai was a little helpless, "You're just an external collaborator, so it's fine as long as it's wearable. How can we get it tailored for you?"
Mo Hua muttered softly, "So stingy..."
The prestigious fifth-rank Dao Court of Qian Xue Province was indeed quite frugal.
However, the matter concerning Huo Fo Tu was pressing.
Mo Hua had no choice but to tighten his belt, roll up his sleeves, and eagerly said:
"Let's go."
With only seven days to capture Huo Fo Tu and obtain the Fallen Fire Art, there was no time to waste.
"Mhm." Gu Chang Huai nodded.
Gu Chang Huai then led Mo Hua out of the Dao Court.
As they walked, they encountered a middle-aged man clad in a black Dian Si robe. His eyes were narrow, his complexion slightly pale, but he wore a constant smile.
"Gu Dian Si."
The man greeted with a smile.
Gu Chang Huai's eyes turned slightly cold, and he reluctantly replied,
"Director Xiao."
Mo Hua, standing beside him, secretly sized up Gu Chang Huai and noticed his indifferent expression. Apparently, he did not hold friendly feelings towards this 'Director Xiao'.
It seemed that the relationship between the two was not amicable.
Director Xiao was about to say something more when he noticed Mo Hua, and his expression turned slightly surprised.
"This young cultivator..."
He wore the Dao Court's robe, but it clearly didn't fit him well, as if he had randomly picked it up and put it on.
Wearing the robe indicated that he was a member of the Dao Court.
However, judging from his youthful appearance and inexperience, it was unlikely that he could have gained entry into the Dao Court.
Moreover, the fact that he was following the 'Cold-Faced Judge', Gu Chang Huai, made the situation even more intriguing...
"May I ask who this young fellow is?"
Director Xiao's face was warm and friendly, but his eyes held a hint of sharpness, making people feel uncomfortable.
Mo Hua immediately gave him the nickname 'Smiling Tiger' in his heart.
Just as he was pondering how to come up with an excuse to deal with this Smiling Tiger, Gu Chang Huai coldly interrupted,
"Director Xiao, we have official business to attend to."
Director Xiao was interrupted and had no choice but to turn to Gu Chang Huai. His eyes narrowed slightly, but his smile remained unchanged as he asked,
"Gu Dian Si, are you still busy with the Huo Fo Tu case?"
"Yes."
"It's been dragged out for quite some time, hasn't it..."
Gu Chang Huai remained silent.
Director Xiao sighed, "The Huo Fo Tu extermination was extremely vicious, causing great panic among the people. The higher-ups are paying close attention, and the pressure on the Dao Court is immense..."
"However... no matter how difficult this case is, it's not good to let it drag on for so long. It will be hard to explain to the higher-ups."
"It's not the fault of the higher-ups, but rather Gu Dian Si's incompetence..."
"Why don't we..." Director Xiao's eyes narrowed, and he lowered his voice, "...arrest a few people first and close the case. That way, we can at least report something to the higher-ups..."
Gu Chang Huai's eyes turned profound, "Is this the will of the Dao Court, or is it your personal suggestion, Director Xiao?"
Director Xiao's expression froze, and he forced a smile,
"Gu Dian Si, how could I dare to joke about such matters..."
"You and I are both directors. When we receive orders from above, we simply carry them out. Remember not to..."
Director Xiao's smile faded, and he said meaningfully, "...take it upon yourself."
Gu Chang Huai grew impatient and immediately sank his face, not bothering to be polite,
"Mind your own business and don't tell me how to do mine."
Director Xiao was taken aback.
Gu Chang Huai coldly huffed and turned to leave.
Mo Hua pretended not to have heard anything, watching his nose and mouth, and followed Gu Chang Huai closely.
Only Director Xiao was left standing there.
The smile on his face gradually faded, and he softly scoffed,
"People from the Gu family are always so straightforward. They'll end up dying early..."
...
Seated in the carriage heading towards Bi Shan City, Mo Hua asked in a low voice,
"Uncle Gu, does Director Xiao hold a grudge against you?"
Gu Chang Huai, who had been deep in thought, did not respond.
Mo Hua asked again, "Could he be the inside man in the Dao Court?"
Upon hearing this, Gu Chang Huai was slightly startled, "How did you figure that out?"
"I just felt that it seemed like it..."
Gu Chang Huai sighed, "The Dao Court can't operate based on feelings..."
"Director Xiao..."
Mo Hua mumbled, then pondered, "To become a director, one must also be a descendant of a prominent family, right? The Xiao family... is this 'Xiao' family also a prominent family with close ties to the Dao Court, just like the Gu family?"
Gu Chang Huai was a little surprised but nodded, "Yes, the Xiao family's influence within the Dao Court is even greater than that of the Gu family. The current fifth-rank Dao Court Director of Qian Xue Province is from the Xiao family..."
"Oh..."
Mo Hua nodded, then asked curiously,
"Then, what about this Director Xiao..."
"Don't ask." Gu Chang Huai interrupted Mo Hua, "Stay away from the Xiao family and don't pry into their affairs. It's for your own good."
"Otherwise, you might find yourself framed for a groundless crime, and I won't be able to save you from the Dao Prison."
"Alright..."
Mo Hua agreed.
Listening to others' advice was also a good habit.
He decided not to inquire further into the Xiao family's matters, as they had nothing to do with him anyway.
The carriage sped on, and the journey was bumpy.
They still had some distance to cover before reaching Bi Shan City, and Mo Hua took this opportunity to ask about the Huo Fo Tu case.
"Uncle Gu, can't we enter the Demon's Lair?"
Gu Chang Huai gazed out the window and sighed, "There's an array..."
"What kind of array?"
Gu Chang Huai glanced at Mo Hua.
Mo Hua suddenly understood.
Uncle Gu was 'array blind', so if he knew about the array, he wouldn't have brought him along.
However, it was fortunate that Uncle Gu was 'array blind', or else he wouldn't have had the chance to get involved in the Huo Fo Tu matter...
Gu Chang Huai looked at Mo Hua with suspicion, his intuition telling him that Mo Hua must be thinking something negative about him.
"Are you badmouthing me in your heart?"
Mo Hua asked, "There should be other formation masters at the Dao Court, right?"
A complex expression appeared on Gu Chang Huai's face.
With no one else around and matters yet to be discussed, Gu Chang Huai decided to be frank, "The best formation masters in the cultivation world mostly belong to the Celestial Pivot Pavilion."
"The formation masters of the Celestial Pivot Pavilion are prestigious, and even the Dao Court can't usually afford to invite them..."
"...and the formation masters that the Dao Court can invite are usually not up to par."
"As for the Huo Fo Tu incident, it happened in Bi Shan City, a second-rate city, and the culprits are all second-rate cultivators. So, despite the heinous nature of their crimes, it's still only considered a second-rate case."
"For a second-rate case, a third-rate formation master wouldn't be interested."
"And this group of culprits is extremely vicious. A second-rate formation master wouldn't dare to come either, as they lack the means to ensure their safety."
"Generally, examining the scene and unraveling the formation is manageable, but for a battle like this, an ordinary formation master without self-preservation skills would be in grave danger."
"Despite all this, I still used the Gu family's connections in the Dao Court to summon a few second-rate formation masters, but..."
Gu Chang Huai frowned and sighed, "The mountain roads are hidden, and the formation is abstruse."
"They couldn't discern anything either, let alone be of any help..."
Mo Hua now understood the situation.
No wonder Uncle Gu, who always valued his reputation, would relent and ask for his help.
"Rest assured, Uncle Gu," Mo Hua said confidently. "As long as it's a second-rate formation, I can handle it!"
Then, realizing he might have boasted too much, he added, "Second-rate mid-tier and below, anything below high-tier, is manageable."
Based on the current situation, there was definitely a formation master among Huo Fo Tu's group of culprits.
Huo Fo Tu was at the late Foundation Establishment stage and their leader, so the formation master under him was likely not above the Foundation Establishment stage either.
Usually, the level of a formation master lagged behind their cultivation stage.
For example, a cultivator at the mid Foundation Establishment stage would become a second-rate initial-tier formation master.
A cultivator at the late Foundation Establishment stage would be a second-rate mid-tier formation master.
Only at the peak of the late Foundation Establishment stage or at the Golden Core stage would one become a second-rate high-tier formation master.
These were the normal standards.
The tier of formation masters was usually aligned with their cultivation stage, and those who matched their tier with their cultivation stage were already considered exceptional among formation masters.
Such formation masters were regarded as formation geniuses and were unlikely to fall to the level of associating with criminal cultivators or heretics.
Therefore, the formation in the Demon's Lair in Bishan City was probably a second-rate mid-tier formation, which Mo Hua could definitely handle.
Mo Hua exuded an air of confidence.
For the first time, Gu Chang Huai felt that Mo Hua's confident and self-satisfied appearance was a little pleasing to the eye...
...
The two of them traveled in silence and soon arrived at Bi Shan City.
After entering the city and traversing its streets, they reached the foot of a mountain in the north. Before them loomed a treacherous mountain with majestic peaks, overlapping ranges, and rugged terrain.
Gu Chang Huai led Mo Hua to a cave.
The cave entrance was covered by green vines, but the inside was spacious and served as the Dao Court's temporary base. Several dozen executors were whispering among themselves within.
Gu Chang Huai and Mo Hua entered the cave.
The executors immediately stood up and respectfully greeted Gu Chang Huai, but they couldn't help but look at Mo Hua with confused expressions.
Gu Chang Huai, the director, had brought along a young cultivator. What did that mean?
Gu Chang Huai didn't bother to explain and instead pointed at two people, "Gu Quan, Gu An, follow me."
From the crowd, two cultivators wearing executor robes and bearing similar appearances stepped forward.
They bowed and said, "Yes, young master."
"They're from the Gu family..." Mo Hua thought to himself, realizing that the two must be twins.
Gu Chang Huai then led Mo Hua, Gu Quan, and Gu An out of the cave and walked for a while in the mountains before stopping at a huge rock.
Mo Hua looked up and saw a mountain ridge stretching across the mountain peak.
In the middle was a natural fissure, obscured by the surrounding landscape, resembling a heavenly divide.
"A fissure in the heavens..." Mo Hua murmured, then looked at Gu Chang Huai. "A heavenly cave beyond, and the Demon's Lair is behind this fissure?"
Gu Chang Huai nodded.
The fissure was narrow, allowing only one person to pass at a time.
Gu Chang Huai took the lead, with Mo Hua following behind and Gu Quan and Gu An bringing up the rear.
After passing through the fissure, their field of vision suddenly opened up.
The sky was high and the clouds vast, with some floating in the distance and others drifting by their sides. Below their feet was a cliff, and there seemed to be no other path forward.
Gu Chang Huai pointed into the distance, and Mo Hua followed his gaze to see a solitary peak looming in the mist.
"That's the Demon's Lair," Gu Chang Huai said, then paused before continuing. "You were right. There's a stone bridge under our feet, engraved with a concealment formation, hiding its traces. That's why no one could discover the Demon's Lair across from us..."
As Mo Hua looked at the distant cliff, he felt a sense of dizziness.
He seemed to see the hidden stone road on the cliff behind Dahei Mountain once again.
Concealment formation...
Mo Hua sighed.
Noble families used formations to exploit and profit.
Criminal cultivators and heretics also used formations to hide their traces and commit evil deeds.
On the other hand, the lowest-level loose cultivators struggled to make a living and couldn't even afford the most basic formations.
This was the case in Tongxian City in Lizhou, as well as in Nan Yue City, and now it seemed that Xiancheng in Qianzhou exhibited similar tendencies...
When would the time come when formations, which embodied the grand dao of the heavens and earth, truly benefit the masses? Mo Hua couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
But now was not the time for such musings...
Mo Hua released his spiritual sense, scanning the empty clouds and mist below the cliff.
In his spiritual sense, a stone bridge clearly appeared.
On the stone bridge, various formations were engraved.
There were earth and stone reinforcement formations, surveillance mini magnetic formations, and concealment formations.
As Mo Hua examined them, he suddenly paused.
"Concealment formation..."
This concealment formation seemed to be...
Mo Hua focused his senses and was surprised by what he felt.
A second-rate nineteen-pattern formation! The concealment formation Mo Hua had learned before was a first-rate nine-pattern formation, and he hadn't learned the second-rate one yet.
Mo Hua immediately realized that he had overlooked something.
Concealment formations were the most difficult to learn among ordinary formations.
A first-rate concealment formation had nine formation patterns.
So, it was very likely that a second-rate concealment formation would be a top-tier formation with nineteen patterns...
He had misjudged.
There was a second-rate high-tier formation master among Huo Fo Tu's group of culprits!
"I've been careless..." Mo Hua sighed inwardly.
A concealment formation that could hide from Foundation Establishment cultivators was most likely a second-rate one.
And it wouldn't be unusual for a second-rate concealment formation to have nineteen patterns.
Mo Hua frowned and shook his head.
Probably not.
A Golden Core cultivator who was also a high-tier second-rate formation master would not lower himself to serve Huo Fo Tu; Huo Fo Tu was not worthy of such a master's service.
Most likely, he was still at the late Foundation Establishment stage, or perhaps even at the peak.
Late Foundation Establishment, high-tier second-rate formation master...
Mo Hua's eyes narrowed.
This person was a formation expert!
And it was highly likely that he also possessed exceptional talent in formations...
Mo Hua furrowed his brows.
A high-tier second-rate formation master would be very troublesome...
But they couldn't avoid going to the Demon's Lair, and they had to capture Huo Fo Tu...
Mo Hua pondered silently.
Well, a high-tier second-rate formation master it was.
Since arriving in Qian Xue Province, he had never truly faced off against a second-rate formation master.
This would be a good opportunity for him to gain some experience.
Moreover, a clash between formation masters didn't necessarily have to be a life-or-death battle.
While it would be challenging, it wouldn't be as dangerous.
Therefore, they still had to go to the Demon's Lair, but he couldn't go alone this time.
Mo Hua recalled his previous adventure.
Back then, he had gone to Black Mountain Fortress alone, but in hindsight, that had been too risky, and it had caused his parents a lot of worry.
Now that he was older, he had to be more prudent in his actions.
He could still go, but he would need a bodyguard.
A "Golden Core" bodyguard.
Mo Hua stole a glance at Gu Chang Huai.
Gu Chang Huai noticed Mo Hua's strange expression and asked, "Have you figured something out?"
Mo Hua thought for a moment before honestly replying, "Huo Fo Tu probably has a high-tier second-rate formation master working for him..."
Upon hearing this, Gu Chang Huai's eyebrows furrowed deeply.
A high-tier second-rate formation master... that would be very troublesome.
"What should we do now?" Mo Hua asked.
Gu Chang Huai fell silent for a moment before slowly saying, "Regardless, we must not let Huo Fo Tu escape. As for the high-tier second-rate formation master, we'll find an opportunity to kill him as well..."
"But..." Mo Hua was puzzled, "How will you get there without being detected?"
Gu Chang Huai said, "I brought a few precious spiritual artifacts from the Gu family for concealment. We'll use their own methods against them and sneak in as well."
Mo Hua's eyes lit up.
As expected of Uncle Gu, he really had the self-cultivation of a "bodyguard"!
He had even thought about how to get there himself.
"I want to go too!" Mo Hua exclaimed.
Gu Chang Huai was taken aback.
Gu An and Gu Quan also exchanged glances, surprised by the boy's boldness.
"You can't go," Gu Chang Huai refused.
If something happened to Mo Hua, he wouldn't be able to explain it to his cousin.
"If I don't go, you'll still be discovered even if you conceal yourselves..." Mo Hua argued.
Gu Chang Huai frowned.
Mo Hua pointed to the cliff in front of them, "On the stone bridge below, in addition to the concealment formation, there's also a small yuan magnetic formation..."
"This small yuan magnetic formation is used for early warning..."
"Once you trigger the formation, Huo Fo Tu will be alerted through yuan magnetic induction that someone is walking on the stone bridge..."
"They can block the entrance, attack you by surprise, or even destroy the stone bridge from afar, leaving you in a perilous situation..."
"However..." Mo Hua's eyes narrowed, "If you take me with you, there won't be any problems!"
"I can see through these small yuan magnetic formations."
Gu Chang Huai's expression turned grim.
This was also the reason why he hadn't rushed across the bridge despite having the means to conceal himself.
He had been afraid that there might be some unknown tricks on the bridge.
But now that they were facing the Demon's Lair, Gu Chang Huai still didn't feel at ease about bringing Mo Hua along.
"It's just a small yuan magnetic formation. I can send someone to the Gu family to retrieve some yuan magnetic compasses, and we can slowly test it out..." Gu Chang Huai suggested.
Mo Hua shook his head, "That would take too much time, and what if there are other early warning formations?"
"If we miss or misjudge something, Huo Fo Tu will discover you."
"If he has time to prepare and escapes from the Demon's Lair, this operation will be in vain."
"I won't be able to learn the Fallen Fire Art..."
Mo Hua thought to himself.
As expected, Gu Chang Huai was wavering.
Mo Hua, who was good at reading people, continued, "And this is just the stone bridge. There are probably even more formations inside Huo Fo Tu's 'Demon's Lair'..."
"In this situation, don't you need someone clever and wise, with exceptional formation skills, to help you resolve these troubles?"
Mo Hua blinked.
Although Gu Chang Huai was unwilling to admit the titles Mo Hua had given himself, he couldn't deny them.
If he really had a way with formations, he wouldn't have invited Mo Hua.
Gu Chang Huai remained silent for a moment before finally sighing, "Alright, you can come with us to take a look at the situation. Remember the 'three rules'."
"Yes, yes," Mo Hua quickly agreed, "I'll follow you and won't take any action, just being a bystander."
He remembered those rules.
Gu Chang Huai sighed, his expression resigned.
Gu An and Gu Quan, who were standing by, maintained their composure, but they were astonished in their hearts.
They rarely returned to the Gu family and had never met Mo Hua before.
This was also the first time they had seen someone negotiate with the young master to this extent.
It was even the first time they had seen such a headache and helpless expression on the usually arrogant young master's face...
In that instant, they couldn't help but feel a deep respect for Mo Hua.
Then, Gu Chang Huai took out several jade pendants and gave one to each of them.
"This is the Water-Concealing Jade, a second-rate concealment spiritual artifact. When worn, it will cover your body with water light, hiding your presence..." Gu Chang Huai explained.
Gu An and Gu Quan respectfully received the jade pendants.
Mo Hua thought for a moment and also accepted one, going along with their plan.
Although he knew the high-level Five Element Concealment Technique, having an extra layer of protection was always a good idea.
Moreover, this jade pendant looked very valuable and was probably worth a lot of spirit stones.
He couldn't let Uncle Gu's good intentions go to waste.
Mo Hua quietly tucked the Water-Concealing Jade into his pocket.
Before they set off, Gu Chang Huai reminded Mo Hua, "If something happens, don't worry about us. Just run and save yourself."
Mo Hua nodded, "I will!"
Thus, the four of them set out on their journey.
There were four of them in total: Gu Chang Huai, a Golden Core cultivator, Gu An and Gu Quan, who were at the late Foundation Establishment stage, and Mo Hua, who was at the early Foundation Establishment stage.
All four of them concealed their presence and stepped onto the invisible stone bridge leading to the Demon's Lair.
(End of Chapter)
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