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Chapter 645: Deciphering the Spirit Array
Chapter 645: Deciphering the Spirit Array
Suspended in the sky, a solitary peak rises above the clouds.
Above the sea of clouds, an invisible stone bridge hangs in mid-air.
Three elders and a young boy, their bodies concealed, take cautious steps across the bridge as if strolling through the heavens. Below their feet lies an abyss of infinite depth.
Their hearts couldn't help but tremble at the sight.
Mo Hua was accustomed to this, having crossed such bridges before.
Although the cliffs were higher, the path longer, and the dangers on the other side greater, he now had three "bodyguards" accompanying him.
One of them was even Uncle Gu, a Jin Dan realm cultivator.
So, all in all, he felt relatively safe.
The stone bridge was deserted, devoid of any other travelers.
The four continued their cautious advance.
Mo Hua released his spiritual sense, observing and sensing as they went, occasionally calling out warnings:
"There's a small yuan magnetic array here, a tu burst array there, a warning array ahead, and a raging wind array beyond that..."
Indeed, the criminal cultivators had laid numerous arrays on the stone bridge.
These arrays served as either warnings or traps, cunningly concealed from view.
However, they were no match for Mo Hua's spiritual sense, which easily penetrated their veils.
One by one, Mo Hua deciphered the arrays they encountered.
Gu Chang Huai glanced at him, his expression calm and relaxed, feeling fortunate to have brought this young man along.
Otherwise, their journey across this trap-laden bridge would have been akin to walking on thin ice, with no guarantee of reaching the opposite shore safely.
Mo Hua took the lead, guiding them with his knowledge, and Gu Chang Huai followed obediently, along with the other two.
After traversing half the distance, the sky above the stone bridge suddenly darkened.
Mo Hua paused, standing firmly on the bridge.
The path behind them was clear and bright, with the sky and sun shining overhead.
But the way forward was shrouded in evil energy, the solitary peak resembling a ghostly cave, oppressive and foreboding.
The four exchanged determined glances and continued their journey.
After an indeterminate amount of time shrouded in that gloomy, sinister atmosphere, they finally reached the edge of the cliff.
After another hour of stealthy travel, they silently ascended the stone steps of the opposite cliff, reaching the other side undetected.
Before them stood a solitary peak, surrounded by emptiness and shrouded in dark clouds.
It resembled an isolated island in the sea of clouds, devoid of any signs of human habitation.
At the peak's center yawned a massive, narrow cave entrance.
The cave mouth was closed, resembling the tightly shut eyes of an evil beast.
The surrounding rocks were grotesque, with protruding stones interlocking like the eyelashes of a beast, obscuring the blood-red hue within.
Mo Hua's eyes narrowed slightly as he sensed the evil array before them.
"The array master under Huo Fo Tu is a high-level second-grade evil array master..." Gu Chang Huai remarked, his expression indifferent. However, Gu An and Gu Quan were visibly tense.
"Young Master, can we open this door?" One of them, either Gu An or Gu Quan, asked.
Mo Hua shook his head after a moment's thought. "This is an evil array, and the array is closed, obscuring the internal array patterns. Additionally, it's a high-level second-grade evil array, so there's no way to dismantle it..."
"At least, not by me, not yet..." he added.
"If we can't dismantle the array, we'll have to force our way through with brute strength and break the array," Gu An suggested.
"But that will create a lot of noise and surely alert Huo Fo Tu and his people," Gu Quan countered.
...
Gu An and Gu Quan furrowed their brows, deep in thought.
Gu Chang Huai's handsome eyes remained fixed on Mo Hua, silently asking for his input.
Mo Hua understood their unspoken question—how should they deal with these arrays?
However, his innate pride made it difficult for him to ask for help directly, especially in front of Gu An and Gu Quan.
After all, he was a Dian Shi and also a young master of the Gu family; he had his reputation to consider.
Mo Hua thought for a moment, then, without waiting for Gu Chang Huai to voice his question, said, "Although the Demon's Lair sounds eerie and terrifying, it's still, at its core, a type of cultivation architecture that utilizes architectural arrays."
"So, there must be various arrays constructed within this solitary peak."
"I need to examine the structure of the entire peak from the outside and speculate about the arrays within before deciding how to proceed."
"Alright," Gu Chang Huai nodded.
And so, Mo Hua strolled around the solitary peak with his hands behind his back and his head held high, inspecting it like a surveyor. Gu Chang Huai and the others followed quietly, their expressions vigilant as they scanned their surroundings, looking like his entourage.
After completing a circuit, Mo Hua found a quiet spot, used a stone as a table, laid out some array paper, and began to reconstruct the outermost array structure of the Demon's Lair based on his initial observations.
He recalled the array patterns he had sensed on the mountain rocks and carefully drew them on the paper, occasionally lifting his head to take in the entirety of the solitary peak to ensure the accuracy of his array connections.
Soon, the outline of the outermost array of the Demon's Lair gradually took shape on the paper, composed entirely of array patterns.
Gu Chang Huai's pupils contracted as he watched Mo Hua, and he couldn't help but exclaim, "Deciphering the Spirit Array..."
"Deciphering the Spirit Array?" Mo Hua was taken aback by the term and asked, "What is Deciphering the Spirit Array?"
Gu Chang Huai hesitated, "It's what you're doing right now..."
Mo Hua paused, then understood.
To identify the spiritual energy of an array from the outside and reconstruct its internal structure was called "Deciphering the Spirit Array."
He had always thought of it as basic array calculation, unaware of the more flowery name it was given.
"Uncle Gu, you know so much!" Mo Hua exclaimed in admiration.
Gu Chang Huai: "..."
If it weren't for Mo Hua's serious expression and clear eyes, he would have thought the young man was mocking him.
After another half an hour or so, Mo Hua had successfully reconstructed the outer array diagram of the "Demon's Lair."
On the paper was a depiction of the Demon's Lair, but it looked as if it had been seen through by spiritual sense, revealing not the external landscape of mountains, rocks, and trees, but the internal "skeleton" of various array patterns and pivots.
Could this really be something accomplished by a Qi Refining cultivator in the early stages? This was completely beyond the level of any array master he had ever known...
Gu An and Gu Quan, standing beside him, were equally perplexed and increasingly aware that Mo Hua was extraordinary and not to be judged by his appearance.
This young array master was truly exceptional.
No wonder he could bargain with the stubborn and uncompromising young master.
Oblivious to their thoughts, Mo Hua continued, "The Demon's Lair array is extremely intricate. However, since it's a cultivation architectural array, there had to be some 'compromises' made to conserve resources..."
"The main structure uses a second-grade array with nineteen lines, but in some peripheral areas, the grade of the array is lowered, and the number of array lines decreases..."
"There are eighteen lines, seventeen lines, and even sixteen lines in the second grade of the first tier..."
"...and some sections even use first-grade arrays to make up the numbers."
"These weaker sections of the array are where the vulnerabilities lie."
"The larger the scale of a cultivation architectural array, the more majestic it appears from the outside, but to an expert, the more flaws become apparent..."
"...to an expert's eye."
Gu Chang Huai and his brothers nodded in agreement as they listened to Mo Hua, understanding his perspective.
Mo Hua examined the "Demon's Lair" array from beginning to end once more, then led the three men to a small hill behind the solitary peak.
Below the hill was a solid expanse of rugged rocks.
"This area of rock is sturdy and difficult to excavate, making it challenging to construct arrays, so the array master who built the Demon's Lair took a shortcut and cut corners here..." Mo Hua explained.
He released his spiritual sense once more, his eyes deep and piercing as he examined the area. He pointed to an ordinary-looking slope and said, "The biggest vulnerability is right here."
Gu Chang Huai stared at the slope, unable to discern why this particular spot was the biggest weakness.
However, whenever it came to arrays, he couldn't help but feel that Mo Hua's words were unquestionable.
"So, we... dig through the rocks and sneak in?" suggested one of the Gu brothers, either Gu An or Gu Quan.
Mo Hua guessed it was probably Gu An.
Although the two brothers looked identical and had similar voices, their circulating spiritual power was different. One favored the left meridians, while the other favored the right.
It was like one was left-handed, and the other was right-handed.
The left-handed one was Gu An, and the right-handed one was Gu Quan.
Mo Hua shook his head. "That would still create too much noise. We can use an array to dig a hole instead..."
This was something he had recently learned—the Kai Shan Array, a variation of the Bagua Gen Array.
The second-grade fourteen-line Kai Shan Array could turn rocks into powder. It wasn't very powerful, and it made little noise, making it ideal for digging hidden pits.
Mo Hua took out his brush and ink and began drawing the Kai Shan Array on the stone.
He worked swiftly, and in no time, he had completed the array.
The array lines glowed gray, activating the array, and the rocks began to dissolve, turning into fine powder that scattered in the wind.
Gu Chang Huai watched from the side, feeling something was amiss.
After a while, he realized what it was.
It was too fast...
He had seen Mo Hua draw arrays before, but he hadn't paid much attention then.
Now, as he watched Mo Hua's brush move with lightning speed, he was astonished.
It was as if time had been 'fast-forwarded,' and Mo Hua's small hand had created an afterimage.
His hand speed was several times faster than any array master Gu Chang Huai had seen before.
Gu Chang Huai frowned.
"How is it that Mo Hua has no weaknesses at all, just like a 'hexagonal' array master?" he wondered.
"Could he have been possessed by some old freak of an array master?"
......
As Gu Chang Huai puzzled over this, Mo Hua continued to draw one Kai Shan Array after another, dissolving the rocks layer by layer.
Finally, the last bit of rock disappeared, revealing a dark cave entrance.
A chill wind blew from the cave, carrying a faint, putrid smell.
Mo Hua glanced at Gu Chang Huai.
Understanding his unspoken consent, Gu Chang Huai nodded slightly and stepped into the cave, with Gu An and Gu Quan close behind.
After a few breaths, Gu Chang Huai's voice echoed from within the cave.
"Come in..."
Mo Hua nodded and stepped inside.
At first, it was pitch-black, but gradually, light emerged, and Mo Hua saw that he was standing on a protruding stone pillar.
He looked down and narrowed his eyes.
Below him was a massive cave.
The stone pillars were rugged and eerie.
The peak had been hollowed out, and beneath it was a vast, solemn demonic hall.
Suspended corridors crisscrossed, with white bone lanterns hanging along them, emitting an eerie green light that illuminated the strange halls.
In the center of the hall was a huge stone skull.
The skull's eyes were hollow, burning with green fire.
Its fangs protruded outward, its giant mouth seemingly ready to devour anyone who came near.
However, the skull was only half-complete, and it was impossible to discern if it belonged to a human or some beast.
Above the skull hung a sinister demonic aura.
Gu Chang Huai's expression turned cold, and he said incredulously, "A stronghold of the Demon Sect..."
"How audacious!"
Mo Hua was taken aback. "A Demon Sect stronghold..."
He looked at Gu Chang Huai and asked softly, "What's different about a Demon Sect stronghold compared to a regular heretic cultivator's base?"
Gu Chang Huai's expression turned solemn as he slowly explained, "A heretic cultivator's base is only temporary, but a Demon Sect stronghold is meant for long-term habitation..."
"Heretic cultivators are like poisonous fruit, capable of poisoning one or two people. In contrast, the Demon Sect is like the root that spreads the poison..."
"The presence of a Demon Sect stronghold indicates that the Demon Sect has taken root here or is preparing to do so..."
"Once a Demon Sect stronghold is established and takes root, it becomes a cancerous tumor of the demonic path, spreading demonic cultivation techniques and causing endless harm."
He had previously thought that Huo Fo Tu's 'Demon's Lair' was just an exaggerated term.
But now it seemed that this lair was indeed a large-scale den of the Demon Sect.
Mo Hua frowned and asked, "So, it seems that Huo Fo Tu is not only a criminal cultivator and a heretic cultivator, but he also has some sort of 'inheritance' from the Demon Sect?"
Gu Chang Huai's eyes turned cold as he nodded slightly. "Most likely..."
"I didn't even realize it..." Mo Hua furrowed his brows, feeling a bit ashamed.
Gu Chang Huai's gaze carried a profound meaning as he said, "The true Demon Sect is one that can hide from your perception."
"Those heretic cultivators who act outrageously and arrogantly are quickly eliminated by the Daoting Si..."
"...the remaining heretic cultivators can sometimes appear more righteous than the orthodox cultivators."
Mo Hua was taken aback, suddenly remembering Lu Chengyun.
Killing people to refine corpses, using zombies to mine, working the zombies day and night to earn spirit stones.
Then using those spirit stones to bribe the Daoting Si officials and buy off local powers, further oppressing the mine cultivators, refining more zombies, and expanding his influence.
On the surface, he was the elegant master of the Lu family.
But in reality, he was a true heretic cultivator, a master of corpse refinement.
If he succeeded in refining a Zombie King, all the cultivators in Nan Yue City, both living and dead, would likely become his "zombies."
Perhaps the same was true here.
Huo Fo Tu and his group might just be a "front."
This "Bijinshan Demon's Lair" might have hidden backers and could be the work of someone else entirely...
"Uncle Gu, what should we do now? Should we go back and get more people?" Mo Hua asked in a low voice.
Now that they had discovered the Demon Sect's base, the best course of action would be to return to the Daoting Si and gather more enforcers to wipe out this base.
Gu Chang Huai frowned and shook his head after some thought. "Let's investigate first. If we can find Huo Fo Tu, it would be best to kill him directly..."
"Going back for reinforcements and surrounding the lair would create too many variables in the ensuing chaos. If Huo Fo Tu escapes, all our efforts would be for naught..."
"And..."
Gu Chang Huai's eyes darkened, leaving the rest unsaid.
But he knew that the establishment of the Demon's Lair in Bijin City meant that the Daoting Si was likely compromised as well...
If he returned for reinforcements, it might give the traitors an opportunity to make their move...
A rusty sword in a life-or-death battle could mean one's own demise.
This was also in line with Mo Hua's thoughts.
Fewer people meant fewer complications.
With a larger group, there would be more eyes and ears, making it harder for Mo Hua to carry out his plans.
Mo Hua looked up at the formidable Demon's Lair.
Regardless of whose doing this lair was, Huo Fo Tu had to die first.
He also needed to get his hands on Huo Fo Tu's Inferno Art.
"Let's go..." Gu Chang Huai said.
"Mmhmm." Mo Hua nodded.
So the group of four continued, hiding their presence as they made their way down along the surrounding stone walls and entered the Demon Hall.
Inside the Demon Hall, the terrain became more complex, differing greatly from what they had observed from the outside.
Many of the structures were enclosed, making it impossible to travel together.
Formation arrays were everywhere, further restricting their movements.
Additionally, there were patrols of strange-looking heretic cultivators with magical beasts that resembled demonic hounds.
If they were discovered by these patrols, they would surely alert the entire lair, bringing more heretic cultivators upon them.
Being surrounded within the lair would be dangerous, and while Gu Chang Huai, a Jin Dan realm cultivator, might be able to escape, the odds of survival for Gu An and Gu Quan would be slim.
Mo Hua might be able to flee, but assassinating Huo Fo Tu would become impossible.
So the four of them proceeded with utmost caution.
To avoid detection, they didn't even dare to kill a dog.
After wandering around the lair for most of the day, they still hadn't caught a glimpse of Huo Fo Tu.
The heretic cultivators were tight-lipped, leading the hounds like "mindless puppets" as they patrolled, rarely speaking a word.
Mo Hua couldn't even eavesdrop on their conversations to gather any clues.
Searching like this was like trying to find a needle in a haystack.
Forget about seven days; even in seventeen days, they might not be able to capture Huo Fo Tu.
"What should we do now...?" Mo Hua frowned.
Gu Chang Huai also felt that this search was futile, so he suggested in a low voice, "Let's head towards the inner hall..."
Mo Hua and the others were currently in the outer hall of the Demon Hall.
If Huo Fo Tu wasn't in the outer hall, he was most likely in the inner hall.
However, the deeper they went, the stricter the defenses would be, and there would be more patrols and magical beasts, increasing the risk of discovery.
If they were found, their chances of escape would be slim.
Gu An and Gu Quan had looks of determination, ready to face death.
Mo Hua nodded as well.
As they tried to make their way towards the inner hall, they encountered three people. The one in front was leading a green-eyed, black-haired magical beast with a foul-smelling drool.
The four of them quickly hid to the side, hanging onto the stone wall of the suspended corridor.
The magical beast walked nearby and suddenly bared its teeth, letting out a vicious growl before lowering its head to sniff the area.
Though one didn't need to use much of the powder, Mo Hua still carried some with him, as it was better to be safe than sorry.
The magic hounds couldn't sniff out their scent and just barked wildly in place for a while.
A Magus Demon cultivator growled, "What's going on?"
"Did the hound sense something?"
A cold spiritual sense spread out, sweeping over Mo Hua and the others before retreating.
"Nothing..."
"Is this dog in heat? Why is it still barking wildly?"
"Who fed it pills that it shouldn't have?"
Then came the sound of the magic hound howling, apparently having been kicked.
"Damn beast, if you have nothing better to do, don't randomly bark..."
"Wasting my time..."
A hoarse voice said, "Alright, let's continue patrolling..."
"How could there be anyone here..."
"Damn it..."
Then, the three Magus Demon cultivators and their hound left once more.
After confirming they were gone, Gu Chang Huai frowned. "It's not going to be easy to get in..."
The patrols in the Demon Hall were too tight.
And those damn dogs had higher alertness than humans.
They had lookouts every few steps, making it impossible to get close without being noticed.
Gu Quan—Mo Hua guessed it was Gu An—said in a low voice, "Then should we kill these patrols?"
Gu Chang Huai's eyes narrowed slightly as he shook his head.
"We can't kill them..."
"...we can't kill the people, nor can we kill that dog..."
If they made a move, they might create a spiritual energy fluctuation that would be noticed by the Magus Demon cultivators.
Or, if they didn't finish off their targets cleanly, their cries might alert the other Magus Demon cultivators.
Or, if they didn't hide the bodies well enough and left evidence, they might be discovered by the other Magus Demon cultivators.
Their presence here would be exposed...
The four of them frowned.
Gu Chang Huai silently sighed, "Let's search the outer hall some more and see if we can find any clues or secret passages leading to the inner hall..."
"Mmhmm." Mo Hua and the others nodded slightly.
Then, the four of them climbed up from below the corridor.
But after taking only a few steps forward, Mo Hua's expression changed, "Someone's coming..."
Gu Chang Huai also noticed and his face sank.
The four of them had no choice but to return to their original position and hang below the corridor to hide.
The three Magus Demon cultivators and their hound had turned back.
"There's movement here..."
"Quick, search the area..."
This time, they searched more thoroughly.
Several spiritual senses swept back and forth repeatedly.
The hound sniffed the ground vigorously as if it wanted to rub its nose against every inch.
Mo Hua felt a bit tense.
After an indeterminate amount of time, the three Magus Demon cultivators finally gave up.
"Still nothing..."
"Did I see wrong?"
"Is he messing with us? Is he treating us like dogs, ordering us around as he pleases to amuse himself?"
"Damn him..."
"If it weren't for the fact that he is... I would have..."
"Shut up!"
A hoarse voice snapped, "Are you tired of living?"
The other two fell silent, not daring to speak.
"Focus on your duties!"
The Magus Demon cultivator warned sternly, then his tone softened slightly, "This hall is sealed, damp, and gloomy. You cultivate demonic powers, so your mental state is easily affected..."
"You'll feel better after some time."
"You can go out and vent later..."
A gloomy laughter echoed.
Then, the three of them slowly left with the hound.
Gu Chang Huai and the others didn't rush out. They remained hanging in place.
When everything was quiet again, Gu An couldn't help but whisper, "Demonic path heretics, if it weren't for not wanting to alert the snake by beating the grass, I would have really killed them..."
Gu Chang Huai calmly said, "Focus on the task at hand."
"Yes, Young Master."
After confirming that the three Magus Demon cultivators and their hound had left, the four of them emerged from their hiding spot and were about to continue searching when Mo Hua suddenly stopped.
"What's wrong?" Gu Chang Huai asked.
Mo Hua frowned, "Something's not right..."
Gu Chang Huai paused, deep in thought.
Mo Hua turned back and said, "This place, something about it is off..."
"Those three Magus Demon cultivators and their hound had clearly left, so why did they suddenly turn back?"
"And from what they said, it seems that there is a 'person' who told them that there was movement here, so they turned back..."
"How did this 'person' know that there was movement here?"
"How was he able to sense the movement?"
As Mo Hua spoke, he released his spiritual sense to carefully search the surroundings. Suddenly, his eyes lit up as he walked to a corner of the corridor.
In this corner was a very hidden formation.
Mo Hua didn't recognize this formation, but based on his perception, he could tell that it was a Yuan Magnetic Formation that he had never seen before...
"Yuan Magnetic Formation..."
Mo Hua murmured.
Then, he paused again, closing his eyes to sense something. In his perception, he seemed to detect a "magnetic flow."
This magnetic flow was extremely weak.
If not for his sharp spiritual sense and his daily dealings with the "magnetic flow" derived from the secondary thunder patterns, he wouldn't have been able to sense it at all.
"Yuan Magnetic Perception..."
Mo Hua suddenly realized something and looked at the entire Demon Hall, a guess forming in his mind: "This tightly guarded Demon Hall seems to be 'monitored' by a Yuan Magnetic Formation..."
...
(End of Chapter)
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