https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-656-The-Fireball-Forbidden-Technique/12542857/
Chapter 655: The Fiery Doom
Chapter 655: The Fiery Doom
On top of the altar, the vibrations were intensifying, and pebbles were already falling to the ground.
Gu Changhuai frowned.
Mo Hua's eyes narrowed as he immediately said, "Uncle Gu, the formation is self-destructing! The Demon Temple is about to collapse!"
"How much time do we have left?" Gu Changhuai asked.
Mo Hua extended his spiritual sense to gauge the amount of spiritual power left in the collapsing formation. "Less than an incense stick's worth of time..."
Gu Changhuai grit his teeth.
He really wanted to trap Huo Fotuo on the altar at this very moment and slaughter him to eliminate future troubles.
But Huo Fotuo, though seemingly cornered, moved slowly due to the water poison in his body, and his breath was weak, but he was not truly at the end of his rope.
It was already exceptionally difficult to kill a demonic cultivator like him...
There wasn't enough time to finish him off in just one incense stick's time.
Moreover, Mo Hua was still in the altar...
Even if he wanted to take a risk and forcefully kill Huo Fotuo, he had to consider Mo Hua's safety.
With Mo Hua's talent in formations, his future was limitless. He couldn't let him be buried here with a vile creature like Huo Fotuo!
They had to get out first!
Gu Changhuai gave Huo Fotuo a cold glance and immediately said to Mo Hua, "Let's go!"
"Okay." Mo Hua didn't hesitate.
Although this altar seemed to have been built just for him, and it was very comfortable to sit on, it was a pity to see it destroyed.
But he didn't want to be buried in this eerie Demon Cave along with the altar.
His life was more important.
So, Mo Hua and Gu Changhuai immediately urged their bodies into motion. One's figure was like the wind, while the other's body transformed into flowing water, and they fled with all their might toward the exit of the altar.
Huo Fotuo deliberately lingered for a while, waiting for Gu Changhuai and Mo Hua to get farther away before taking out a Blood Devil Dan and consuming it.
Wave after wave of demonic energy and evil force surged into his meridians.
"If you want to kill me... it won't be that easy..." Huo Fotuo coldly smiled, his expression carrying a deeper meaning.
Then, with the help of the dan, he suppressed the water poison and urged his body into motion. Fire enveloped his body as he escaped toward the exit of the altar.
Mo Hua and Gu Changhuai left the altar and arrived in the main hall.
The hall was also in ruins, with scattered figures of people.
Some Daotingsi cultivators were still fighting with the remaining demonic cultivators.
Some executives were chasing after and killing the demonic cultivators.
Others were at a loss, not knowing what to do as the Demon Temple shook.
Gu Changhuai frowned and coldly ordered, "Everyone, evacuate the Demon Temple!"
Then he grabbed Mo Hua and ran out.
Gu Changhuai was a Golden Core cultivator, and he had also learned the Wind Escape Technique.
Mo Hua's movement technique was far inferior to his.
Moreover, the Demon Temple was on the verge of collapse, and chaos reigned. There were stray demonic cultivators and panicked executives, and occasionally, there were huge stones falling from above in the main hall.
Gu Changhuai felt more at ease holding Mo Hua in his hand.
Mo Hua could only feel helpless as he was held by the tall and slender Gu Changhuai, the scenery before his eyes changing rapidly.
Shouts, howls, the sound of falling rocks, and occasionally the clanging of swords and blades as cultivators clashed filled the air with noise.
The altar sank, the main hall collapsed, then the labyrinth caved in, and from the inside out, from the inner hall to the outer hall, the formations self-destructed one by one, and the Demon Temple collapsed layer by layer...
After an unknown amount of time, Mo Hua's vision blurred, and he found that he had already arrived outside the Demon Cave.
The sky was high and the clouds were vast, and the mountain mist was lingering.
All around were the majestic mountains of Bishan City.
Mo Hua turned his head and saw the solitary peak that housed the Demon Cave collapsing inward like snow melting under a hot soup, accompanied by a deafening roar.
And at the entrance of the Demon Cave, many cultivators were fleeing.
Most of them were Daotingsi cultivators, with a small number of demonic cultivators.
As soon as the two sides escaped from the Demon Temple, they began to fight each other again.
There were also demonic cultivators who tried to escape in the chaos, but Gu Changhuai blocked them at the stone bridge, killing each one that came his way.
Mo Hua hid by his side and secretly used his techniques to control the demonic cultivators.
If there were any that Gu Changhuai couldn't handle for the time being, Mo Hua would use the Water Prison Technique or the Gen Mountain Formation to trap them.
Then Gu Changhuai would finish them off.
After killing another dozen or so demonic cultivators in this manner, a blood-red figure suddenly appeared at the entrance of the Demon Temple.
It was Huo Fotuo.
He had also escaped.
After Huo Fotuo escaped, the entire mountain peak collapsed with a "rumble," burying the entire Demon Temple and its strange altar.
The cultivators who didn't escape in time were also buried.
Gu Changhuai's heart was filled with hatred, and he glared at Huo Fotuo, his killing intent clear as he ordered, "All executives, guard the stone bridge and don't let that demonic beast Huo Fotuo escape!"
Then, with raging winds swirling around him, he took the lead and charged at Huo Fotuo.
Huo Fotuo coldly smiled and once again displayed the Meteor Fire Technique, condensing a dense rain of fire that clashed with Gu Changhuai's wind blades.
Some of the Daotingsi cultivators guarded the stone bridge, some fought with the remaining demonic cultivators, and some provided support from the periphery for Gu Changhuai.
Mo Hua watched for a while, his brow furrowed.
This Huo Fotuo...
In such a short time, he seemed to have suppressed the water poison, and his injuries had recovered by more than half, and his demonic energy had also become much more robust...
He was like a cockroach, so hard to kill...
The situation was turning sour.
On the other side, in the midst of the battle, Huo Fotuo suddenly bypassed Gu Changhuai and, with flames swirling around him, slapped a nearby executive, intending to kill him.
Gu Changhuai reached out to save him, causing his offense to pause for a moment.
Huo Fotuo took the opportunity to catch his breath, a cold smile appearing on his lips.
"On the altar, you didn't kill me. Now, it's too late..." Huo Fotuo said.
Upon hearing this, Gu Changhuai's expression changed, and he turned his head.
He saw Huo Fotuo crush a luxurious talisman made of gold and jade.
In an instant, violent winds and raging fires enveloped Huo Fotuo, and his speed increased drastically.
Gu Changhuai's pupils contracted.
"Top-grade talisman... the Ten Thousand Miles Swift Travel Talisman?!"
In just a moment, Huo Fotuo's speed increased exponentially, and he darted past Gu Changhuai, creating a distance of several dozen feet between them.
At his command, all the executives' faces turned solemn as they brandished their swords and closed in, forming an impenetrable wall at the mouth of the stone bridge, blocking Huo Fotuo's escape route.
Huo Fotuo's eyes narrowed slightly as the falling stars around him intensified, preparing to launch a fierce assault.
As long as he could break through this formation and cross the stone bridge, he would be like a dragon entering the sea, free to roam the vast skies.
Huo Fotuo clashed violently with the executives.
His eyes had been damaged, so he couldn't unleash his full murderous aura, but he could still instill a sense of dread in the Daotingsi cultivators.
However, with his surging demonic power and formidable forbidden technique, he gradually began to break through the encirclement.
On the other side, Gu Changhuai was rushing over with all his might.
Just as Gu Changhuai was about to arrive, Huo Fotuo also approached the entrance of the stone bridge.
There were only a handful of executives left, and with the boost of the divine movement talisman and his blazing speed, he could escape to freedom.
A cold smile played on Huo Fotuo's face.
Just then, the ground beneath his feet trembled once more, and a familiar aura approached.
Without even looking, Huo Fotuo knew what it was.
Those damnable formations again!
With a sideways glance, he saw the gray formation patterns at his feet, forming a mountain-like cage that briefly trapped him.
This formation was both precise and swift.
Huo Fotuo's anger surged.
It must be that damned little ghost, hiding somewhere and pulling another sneaky move.
In the brief moment that he was trapped by the formation, several Daotingsi executives seized the opportunity to swarm and attack him.
Among them, one young man with exceptional talent shouted, "Huo Fotuo, accept your death!"
He was none other than Xiao Tianquan, the proud genius of the Xiao family, dressed in a brand-new Daotingsi robe. Up until now, he had not directly engaged Huo Fotuo in battle.
In this final moment, he emerged to deliver a decisive blow.
His sword strike was powerful, overflowing with spiritual energy, and it landed squarely on Huo Fotuo's left shoulder.
But Huo Fotuo was no ordinary foe. With a wave of his right hand, demonic fire spread, burning Xiao Tianquan's left arm and forcing him to retreat, exposing half of his body.
Just then, Gu Changhuai arrived, brandishing his folding fan. Several sharp wind blades sliced through the air, hitting Huo Fotuo's back and shredding his cassock to pieces.
Huo Fotuo stubbornly endured Gu Changhuai's attack, spitting out a mouthful of blood, but a cold smile still played on his lips.
Then, he activated the Ten Thousand Miles Swift Travel Talisman, taking advantage of Xiao Tianquan's exposed position to escape with blazing speed.
Mo Hua added another Water Prison Technique, but it was futile.
As they watched Huo Fotuo flee, Mo Hua felt a surge of anger.
That useless Xiao Tianquan!
If he wanted to stay safe, he should have kept hiding and reaped the benefits without taking any risks.
If he wanted to come out at the last moment to claim the credit, then he should have at least made sure to finish off Huo Fotuo.
Or, at the very least, he could have tried to hold Huo Fotuo back.
Now, by merely exchanging a few injuries with Huo Fotuo and letting him escape, Xiao Tianquan had only made matters worse.
As Mo Hua grumbled to himself, his eyes widened in surprise.
With his keen spiritual sense and sharp eyes, he had noticed something amidst the chaos...
Just as Huo Fotuo was escaping, he and Xiao Tianquan had brushed past each other.
For a fleeting moment, it seemed like...
They had exchanged a glance? Xiao Tianquan's hand was covering his arm, and his eyes held a strange glint.
And Huo Fotuo, looking at Xiao Tianquan, had an unusually calm expression.
Neither of them said a word, but in that split second, their eyes had met.
It was as if...
They knew each other?
Mo Hua's heart trembled at the thought, and when he looked again, Xiao Tianquan wore a solemn expression, seemingly disappointed that Huo Fotuo had escaped.
But Huo Fotuo had already transformed into a streak of fire and vanished into the distance with the help of the talisman.
Filled with rage, Gu Changhuai shouted, "Chase him!"
Then, he too transformed into a whirlwind and pursued Huo Fotuo, with several Daotingsi cultivators following close behind.
Mo Hua quietly glanced at Xiao Tianquan, his mind stirring with suspicions.
It seemed...
There was more to this than met the eye...
...
Mo Hua did not join Gu Changhuai in the pursuit of Huo Fotuo.
Huo Fotuo was too fast, and even if he went, he wouldn't be able to keep up. Besides, he didn't have enough spiritual energy left to maintain his movement technique for such a long-distance chase.
So, he decided to stay put in Bishan City and await news from Uncle Gu, taking the opportunity to rest.
The next morning, a weary Gu Changhuai returned, his face covered in dust.
"Huo Fotuo got away..."
Gu Changhuai sighed deeply, his voice bitter.
Mo Hua felt a sense of loss but wasn't surprised.
It was difficult to kill a demonic cultivator like Huo Fotuo, with his surging demonic power, unless they had completely surrounded and exhausted him. Out in the open, there were too many variables, and it was hard to finish him off.
"Uncle Gu," Mo Hua asked quietly, "what is the Ten Thousand Miles Swift Travel Talisman?"
Gu Changhuai's eyes widened in surprise, and he sighed, "It's an extremely rare talisman, a top-tier item for Golden Core cultivators and below to use when traveling or fleeing."
"Such talismans are usually only possessed by influential families," Mo Hua remarked.
"So, did Huo Fotuo steal that talisman, or did someone give it to him?" Mo Hua inquired, his eyes darting around cautiously.
Someone had given it to him? Mo Hua didn't say it outright, but Gu Changhuai understood, and his expression turned grave.
Mo Hua looked around discreetly and continued, "Uncle Gu, that Xiao Tianquan... I think he knows Huo Fotuo."
Gu Changhuai's eyes narrowed. "How do you know?"
"I saw it," Mo Hua replied. "When Huo Fotuo was escaping, he and Xiao Tianquan exchanged a glance. It was like they knew each other."
Gu Changhuai frowned, trying to recall the previous day's events, but he didn't remember seeing such a moment.
"It was just a fleeting moment, a blink of an eye, but I caught it with my sharp eyes!" Mo Hua explained.
Huo Fotuo and Xiao Tianquan were winking at each other! Gu Changhuai's brows furrowed even deeper as he pondered this new information, but ultimately, he shook his head.
"It's improbable that they would have any sort of connection..."
"Given Huo Fotuo's temperament, he might not even think highly of Xiao Tianquan..."
Mo Hua lowered his voice and said, "Could it be the Xiao family...?"
Gu Changhuai pondered for a moment, then shook his head. "The Xiao family lost quite a few members in the siege of the Demon Temple. Those were their foundation in the Daotingsi..."
"It's unlikely that they would self-destruct their foundation like this, even if Xiao Tianquan wanted to do it. The elders of the Xiao family wouldn't agree to it..."
Mo Hua nodded, but still felt that something was amiss.
Seeing Mo Hua's puzzled expression, Gu Changhuai sighed and said, "I'll keep an eye on this matter. You don't need to worry about it..."
"Also, don't mention this to anyone else. If the Xiao family hears about it and accuses you of 'slander and defamation', it will cause you trouble..."
"The Xiao family wields considerable influence in the Daotingsi. If they target you, it will hinder your actions and make your life difficult..."
"Yes, yes!" Mo Hua nodded repeatedly.
Indeed, this matter needed to be kept low-key.
Mo Hua asked, "Uncle Gu, where did Huo Fotuo escape to?"
A grave expression appeared on Gu Changhuai's face as he replied, "Outside the boundaries of Qianxue State. We're not sure of his exact location yet, but I've already notified the Daotingsi in various immortal cities along the way to issue a wanted order and block his escape routes..."
"Hopefully, we can stop Huo Fotuo..."
Gu Changhuai sighed.
Once Huo Fotuo escaped and hid outside the boundaries of Qianxue State, it would be difficult to predict when he would strike again, causing bloodshed and chaos.
Countless cultivators would likely suffer and perish.
If he successfully advanced to the Golden Core stage, the consequences would be even more disastrous...
Mo Hua also sighed, feeling heavy-hearted.
"Then I..."
Before Mo Hua could finish his sentence, Gu Changhuai interrupted, "Don't worry about it. You should head back to your sect and focus on your cultivation."
"The pursuit of Huo Fotuo will be dangerous and protracted, and you only have a few days left of your vacation. It's not worth spending all that time chasing him across Qianzhou."
"I still have two days left!" Mo Hua said.
"Is that a lot of time?" Gu Changhuai asked coldly. "Qianzhou is vast, and even if you went after Huo Fotuo, you wouldn't have enough time for the round trip..."
"But..." Mo Hua tried to persist.
However, Gu Changhuai refused to budge. "Tomorrow, I'll arrange for someone to escort you back to your sect. Focus on your cultivation there."
Mo Hua didn't want to listen to him.
But Gu Changhuai continued, "Be obedient and go back. I'll think of a way to award you some sect merits for your contribution in destroying the Demon Temple. After all, it was quite an accomplishment..."
"If you don't go back, then forget about the merits."
Mo Hua immediately agreed, "Alright, Uncle Gu. I'll listen to you!"
...
The next morning, Gu Changhuai hired a horse-drawn carriage to send Mo Hua back to his sect.
Initially, Gu Changhuai had intended to assign two executives to escort Mo Hua.
However, Mo Hua declined the offer.
Firstly, if they encountered any danger, he had his concealment technique, which would be sufficient for him to escape.
If the situation was truly inescapable, these two executives wouldn't be able to save him, and they might even end up sacrificing their lives in vain.
Secondly, he wanted to use the travel time to study Huo Fotuo's "Meteor Fire Technique" and another book he had taken from Huo Fotuo.
The other book was...
The Devil's Way of Turning Sha Energy! When Mo Hua had stolen Huo Fotuo's secret manual, he had grabbed two books at once without looking closely and stored them in his storage ring.
Later, when he returned and secretly flipped through them, he discovered that one was indeed Huo Fotuo's Meteor Fire Technique, but the other was surprisingly The Devil's Way of Turning Sha Energy!
This was the so-called "Devil Sect's Supreme Inheritance" that Uncle Gu had mentioned.
It was also Huo Fotuo's method of "infusing sha energy into his soul" to strike fear into others.
Mo Hua decided to "critique" it.
If there were any useful techniques, he would "take the essence and discard the dregs," studying and adapting them for his own use.
If it was too evil to practice, he would at least try to find Huo Fotuo's vulnerabilities related to sha energy.
If the book was too sinister, he would burn it to prevent it from harming others.
However, he would have to read such a book in secret, without letting the Daotingsi or Uncle Gu know, lest they think he was a "bad person."
...
Amidst the lush green mountains and flowing waters, a horse-drawn carriage traveled at a leisurely pace.
These spirit horses used for pulling carriages were adept at finding their way.
Mo Hua sat inside the carriage, quietly flipping through the two secret manuals that had belonged to Huo Fotuo.
He started with The Devil's Way of Turning Sha Energy.
As he read, Mo Hua's eyes narrowed.
True to its name, the book was a bloody and cruel manual of the Devil Sect.
According to the book, sha energy was a type of power that existed between spiritual energy and divine consciousness, possessing both form and formlessness.
In simple terms, the process of cultivating sha energy revolved around the act of "killing."
One had to kill countless beings, creating carnage and accumulating resentment, and then use the techniques described in the manual to transform this "carnage" into sha energy.
The more one killed, the deeper the sha energy became.
The stronger the beings one killed, the heavier the sha energy.
When facing enemies, the sheer weight of the oppressive sha energy alone could strike fear into their hearts, causing their livers and gallbladders to split and rendering them unable to resist.
In battles against powerful opponents, sha energy could even erode their minds, causing them to become insane.
During the confrontation in the great hall, Huo Fotuo had used sha energy to instill fear in several executives before slaying them with a fire knife.
Whether in group battles or single combat, the Devil Sect's sha energy was extremely formidable.
"One must kill countless beings..."
Mo Hua frowned and shook his head.
The accumulation of carnage was too heavy for him to consider cultivating such a technique.
However, what caught his interest was the process of "turning sha energy."
According to the book, Sha Energy existed between spiritual energy and divine consciousness, possessing both form and formlessness.
In simple terms, the cultivation of Sha Energy revolved around the act of "killing."
One had to take countless lives, creating carnage and accumulating resentment, and then use the techniques described to transform this "carnage" into Sha Energy.
The more one killed, the deeper the Sha Energy became.
The stronger the beings one killed, the heavier the Sha Energy.
When facing enemies, the oppressive weight of the Sha Energy alone could strike fear into their hearts, causing their livers and gallbladders to split and rendering them unable to resist.
In battles against powerful foes, Sha Energy could even erode their minds, driving them to insanity.
During the confrontation in the great hall, Huo Fotuo had used Sha Energy to instill fear in several executives before slaying them with his fire knife.
Whether in group battles or single combat, the Devil Sect's Sha Energy was incredibly formidable.
"One must kill countless beings..."
Mo Hua frowned and shook his head.
The accumulation of carnage was too heavy for him to consider cultivating such a technique.
However, what caught his interest was the process of "turning Sha Energy."
(End of Chapter)
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