Chapter 667: The Ambush
Chapter 667: The Ambush
Mo Hua's expression changed abruptly, and he transformed into a streak of water light, quickly retreating.
Simultaneously, the leader of the black-robed men narrowed his eyes, drawing his spiritual sword and slashing forth with a blade of light toward Mo Hua, who was shrouded in watery shadows.
Mo Hua quickened his escape technique, retreating yet another step.
The sword light was a step too slow, slicing through the air just in front of Mo Hua and shattering the bricks on the floor.
The spiritual power disturbance within the hall caught the attention of Cheng Mo and the others outside.
They recalled Mo Hua's instructions:
"As soon as there's any noise, make your move immediately."
Hao Xuan displayed his wind-based movement technique, his footsteps as swift as the wind, instantly appearing behind one of the early Qi Refinement black-robed men. He raised the Thousand Jun Staff and brought it down with force.
Caught off guard, the black-robed man's head took a heavy blow, blood gushing down as his head spun from the impact.
With a branch still in his mouth, Cheng Mo pounced silently like a tiger, his two axes raised high, and chopped down on the black-robed man's forehead.
The black-robed man died instantly.
Another black-robed man nearby sensed the disturbance and attempted to come to his companion's aid. However, Yang Qianjun, who had been lying in wait, thrust his spear forward like a striking dragon, piercing the man's shoulder.
Si Tu Jian brandished his Li Huo Sword, stabbing through the man's lower abdomen.
The two then joined forces to continue their assault.
The black-robed man struggled, but after three exchanges, he was killed by the combined efforts of Yang Qianjun and Si Tu Jian.
Now, only one black-robed man remained outside the hall.
He had been farther away and had rushed over upon sensing the spiritual power fluctuations, only to find that his other two companions were already dead.
The lone black-robed man's face changed drastically, and he turned to flee.
Yi Li took a moment to gather his qi, raising his palm to form an Earth Prison Technique, trapping the escaping man.
Cheng Mo's group immediately pounced, their axes, swords, spears, and staffs working in unison to finish off the last black-robed man.
By the time Mo Hua exited the hall, the area outside had been completely cleared.
All of the black-robed men, except for the middle Qi Refinement stage leader, had been annihilated.
At the same time, the black-robed leader also rushed out in pursuit.
As soon as he stepped out, he saw his last black-robed companion brutally slain under the onslaught of Cheng Mo's group.
Looking around, he noticed several other bodies lying haphazardly, well-hidden and difficult to spot.
With a sweep of his spiritual sense, he realized that the large, abandoned weapon refinery was eerily quiet and devoid of life.
The black-robed leader's expression shook with disbelief.
How could all of his subordinates, all of his brothers, have been silently and unknowingly... wiped out?!
Rage surged within him, and he glared at Cheng Mo's group, shouting sternly:
"You bunch of little brats! Who sent you here?!"
He refused to believe that these mere early Qi Refinement sect disciples could have slaughtered his group of over a dozen men so thoroughly.
In that moment, he recalled the invisible cultivator who had been spying on him in the hall earlier.
Concealment technique?
The black-robed leader frowned.
He looked around but couldn't spot the hidden cultivator.
It seemed that person had taken advantage of the disturbance to escape using a water-based movement technique and then concealed himself again.
The black-robed leader's eyes narrowed.
In that brief glance earlier, he had only seen a flash of water light and hadn't caught a clear view of the hidden person's true appearance.
However, anyone skilled enough to use a concealment technique and do so effectively was undoubtedly a cunning and experienced cultivator.
They had to be at least a hundred years old, if not two hundred.
"A sneaky old cultivator and five newly initiated sect brats dared to kill over a dozen of my brothers..."
The black-robed leader drew a standard spiritual sword, his aura surging as his voice turned icy.
"I'll make you pay with your lives!"
With his middle Qi Refinement stage cultivation, the black-robed leader's aura was robust and oppressive.
Cheng Mo's group wore grave expressions, but as the pride of their sects, they refused to back down.
Cheng Mo spat out the branch that Mo Hua had told him to hold in his mouth and roared, "Evil creature, die!" He then charged forward, swinging his axes furiously.
The other four joined the assault.
Yang Qianjun's spear techniques were sharp and precise as he engaged Cheng Mo in a head-on assault.
Si Tu Jian supported them with his Li Huo Sword.
Yi Li and Hao Xuan provided assistance from the periphery.
The five worked together in a coordinated attack, each bringing their own expertise—close combat, ranged attacks, physical cultivation, and spiritual cultivation.
Axe lights, sword lights, and long spears crisscrossed.
Spells danced through the air.
For a moment, the black-robed leader found himself suppressed.
His face remained cold, but his heart stirred with surprise.
"These kids do have some skills and a ruthless streak..."
"Killing them won't be as easy as I thought."
"Moreover, there's that cunning, hidden cultivator lurking in the shadows, biding his time..."
The black-robed leader paused in thought before his eyes turned cold. He deflected Cheng Mo's massive axe with his sword and forced Yang Qianjun back with a palm strike. Then, he turned and strode back into the hall.
Murderous intent flashed in his eyes.
Si Tu Jian immediately understood and exclaimed in shock:
"He's going to kill the abducted cultivators to silence them!"
Cheng Mo's group also changed their expressions, and they tried to stop the black-robed leader, but they were a step too slow.
The black-robed leader sneered, looking down at them with contempt.
With his higher cultivation and faster movement technique, he was a step ahead, already stepping into the hall.
But as soon as his foot touched the ground, the floor lit up, triggering the array. Crimson light outlined a profound and intricate array diagram.
As crimson light filled his vision, spiritual energy coursed through the intricate design.
In a split second, the black-robed leader hastily retracted his step, activating a protective talisman and turning his back to the formation.
Fire erupted, and a loud rumble echoed through the air.
A surge of fiery spiritual power exploded, sending shockwaves rippling through the air.
The leader was blasted several feet back, his knees buckling as he knelt on the ground, a trail of blood marking his path.
The protective talisman he had been relying on was shattered, and the fiery spiritual power seared his meridians, leaving charred marks on his body.
Cheng Mo and the others were stunned by this turn of events.
The black-robed leader spat out a mouthful of blood, his eyes filled with disbelief.
How could there be a formation here?
He had just passed by the hall not long ago...
Who could have secretly set up such a powerful formation without him noticing, and in such a short time? And how did they know that he would inevitably return to silence them?
Was it...
That hidden cultivator?
The black-robed leader's face paled as the pressure weighed heavily on him.
Cheng Mo's group was also taken aback by the explosion, but their spirits lifted when they saw that the leader had been injured by the formation.
Without hesitation, Cheng Mo brandished his twin axes and charged at the black-robed leader.
Yang Qianjun and Si Tu Jian followed closely behind.
The leader snarled and cursed under his breath.
"Damn it, I was too careless... outplayed..."
He raised his longsword to meet Cheng Mo's mighty axes, then glanced back at the hall, his expression darkening as he realized that the explosion had sealed the entrance with falling debris, making it inaccessible for the time being.
"I can't silence them now..."
"Since that's the case..."
The black-robed leader let out a cold laugh. "Then I'll kill all of you!"
Before he even finished speaking, his eyes took on a murky, turbid appearance.
A wave of filthy, black demonic energy materialized from an unknown source and enveloped his body before settling onto the standard spiritual sword in his hand.
The leader's entire being transformed into something sinister and demonic, heavy with malevolent energy.
"Demonic possession?"
Cheng Mo's group exchanged worried glances.
Mo Hua, who had been hiding in the shadows, plotting their every move, furrowed his brows, finding the situation rather peculiar.
It was indeed demonic, but there was a difference between righteous and demonic spiritual energy.
The other black-robed men had only consumed evil pills or had their bodies corrupted by demonic energy after death, resulting in a faint trace of demonic aura.
But this leader was different.
When he had attacked earlier, his spiritual energy had been pure, without a hint of demonic influence.
Yet now, with a shift in his spiritual power, he had suddenly become "demonically possessed"?
"This is rather odd..."
"And what about that blood-colored demonic shadow earlier? What was that?"
"How was it able to see through my concealment technique?"
Mo Hua's eyes narrowed in thought.
On the other side, the "demonically possessed" black-robed leader had already engaged Cheng Mo's group in battle.
His spiritual power had become tainted, but it had also grown stronger.
The sinister demonic energy that coiled around his standard spiritual sword was like a virulent poison, carrying a corrosive black force.
Cheng Mo's group felt the pressure intensify.
Direct confrontation became exceedingly difficult, as each clash with the sword, infused with demonic energy, caused their blood energy to churn violently, whether it was Cheng Mo or Yang Qianjun.
And if they were cut by the leader's sword energy, the demonic energy would enter their bodies, slowly eroding their meridians and corrupting their blood energy.
Thus, they had to be extremely cautious during the fight.
Fortunately, the black-robed leader had been injured by Mo Hua's formation, diminishing his strength, or the situation would have been even more dire.
Mo Hua observed the battle from the sidelines, shaking his head and sighing softly.
"This won't be easy..."
With the chaos of battle, it was challenging to set up a formation without risking harm to their allies.
A misstep could result in injuring Cheng Mo, Si Tu Jian, and the others with the explosion.
Moreover, the black-robed leader had already been caught off guard once and was now wary of their tactics, making it difficult to trap him with another formation.
Mo Hua pondered their options:
The Five Elements Source Array...
Cheng Mo and Yang Qianjun were body cultivators, and their battle with the leader involved constant movement, making it impossible for them to stand still.
As for Hao Xuan, just ensuring his escape was enough.
Yi Li and Si Tu Jian could attempt it, but it was uncertain if Cheng Mo could restrain the black-robed leader.
If Yi Li and Si Tu Jian were to be amplified by the Five Elements and channel their spiritual power, only to be ambushed by the leader, they would suffer severe injuries, if not death.
As for using spells...
The Water Imprisonment Technique could be useful, but it would only buy them a moment, which wasn't very meaningful.
Cheng Mo's group had limited cultivation and couldn't end the fight quickly.
The Minor Meteor Seal required proximity to be effective.
Getting close in this situation was too dangerous.
Mo Hua wasn't willing to take that risk.
Furthermore, the more pressing issue was that Mo Hua couldn't afford to drag out the fight...
While Cheng Mo and the others had exceptional talent and decent inheritances, they were still newly initiated disciples with limited experience and cultivation at the early Foundation Establishment stage.
If the black-robed leader were to pull out some trump card and suddenly turn the tables, all five of them could be in mortal peril.
Even if they continued to wear him down, under the threat of the insidious demonic energy, Cheng Mo's group wouldn't be able to hold out for long.
During previous missions, it had always been Feng Shi and Shangguan taking the lead, bearing the brunt of the pressure. Meanwhile, Murong and Qian Qian, with their formidable cultivation and offensive abilities, complemented the team.
In such evenly matched fights, Mo Hua's role was to manipulate the situation with subtle techniques and control spells, ultimately tipping the scales in their favor.
The same strategy had been employed during their encounter with Huo Fotuo.
Gu Shishu, a powerful Jin Dan stage master, had stood at the forefront, withstanding the full force of Huo Fotuo's fiery restriction arts. This had allowed Mo Hua to work his array magic from behind the scenes.
One could say that the 'damage dealers' had always been his senior martial brothers and sisters, along with Gu Shishu. Mo Hua's role was to control and manipulate, only stepping in to claim the final blow when absolutely necessary.
But now, things were different.
Cheng Mo and his group simply couldn't hold the line. They were young, their cultivation shallow, and their experience lacking. They weren't ready to bear the risks of such life-or-death struggles.
"This isn't going to work. We need to retreat and rethink our strategy, or perhaps force that black-robed leader to flee and rescue the abducted cultivators first." Mo Hua furrowed his brows, deep in thought.
Suddenly, he paused, his eyes widening as he looked around. "Someone's here!"
Mo Hua extended his spiritual sense, his eyes sparkling with realization. "It's the people from the Daoting Court!"
Among the incoming group, there were a few familiar auras—they seemed to be members of the Gu family!
"They're allies!" Mo Hua's spirits lifted.
It seemed that his earlier message had reached Gu Shishu after all, and he had sent reinforcements. With the help of the Daoting Court, this black-robed leader, even if he had 'demonized', would have no chance of escape.
After a few breaths, the black-robed leader's expression shifted. He, too, had sensed the approaching group.
However, these newcomers were clearly not of the same sect as him. Their auras carried the rigid and dogmatic traits of the Daoting Court's lackeys.
"So, there's backup..." The black-robed leader's eyes narrowed, a hint of anger flashing across his face.
He hadn't anticipated that a simple business transaction—buying and selling 'livestock'—would be fraught with so many unexpected twists. First, they had been discovered, and the assassin he had sent to eliminate witnesses had yet to return.
Now, all of his brothers had been wiped out in the blink of an eye.
"Damn it! You bunch of useless fools!" The black-robed leader cursed angrily.
But his anger was futile.
Now, he was locked in a stalemate with these young cultivators, and the Daoting Court's hounds were approaching. If he didn't leave immediately, he would be surrounded.
Even if he broke the seal and entered the demonic path, gaining immense power, facing so many cultivators alone would still put him at a severe disadvantage.
Hesitation breeds disaster.
His brothers were dead, but he would survive.
However, before he left...
The black-robed leader's eyes widened slightly, taking on a sinister crimson hue.
First, he would slaughter these annoying brats standing in his way!
"Do you really think that by joining forces, a bunch of newly initiated sect disciples can stand against me?" The black-robed leader sneered.
As he spoke, demonic energy surged within him. At the same time, his forehead split open, flesh tearing to reveal a third eye—an eerie and twisted pupil filled with malevolence.
A blood-colored demonic shadow emerged from his body, and a wave of sinister divine will spread throughout the area.
In an instant, Cheng Mo, Yang Qianjun, and the others were enveloped by the blood-colored divine will. Their spiritual senses dulled, and their faces contorted in pain as a compelling urge to submit to the world's evil desires and bow before the divine lord took hold of them. Their bodies froze, unable to move.
The black-robed leader raised his sword, infused with demonic energy, intending to behead Cheng Mo and the others. But suddenly, he paused, his eyes shifting to the side.
Mo Hua, who had been hidden in the shadows, was also affected by the blood-colored aura, his concealed presence now revealed.
However, unlike Cheng Mo and the others, Mo Hua's spiritual sense seemed unaffected. His clear, watery eyes locked with those of the black-robed leader.
The black-robed leader's pupils contracted, and his expression turned to one of shock.
The covert cultivator lurking in the shadows, plotting their every move, was just a child?!
And...
Under the overwhelming divine might of the divine lord, this child... showed no reaction at all?!
The black-robed leader's heart trembled.
The third eye on his forehead twisted with rage, veins of blood spreading across it. The blood-colored divine will intensified, pressing down on Mo Hua.
Yet, Mo Hua's spiritual sense remained unyielding, uncorrupted by the blood-colored aura.
The black-robed leader couldn't believe what he was witnessing.
Mo Hua was equally stunned, but his surprise quickly turned to shock.
As the blood-colored aura intensified, he felt a strange pull on his soul, as if something was drawing him in.
Suddenly, he found himself back on that solemn altar. Ancient power enveloped him, and countless demons and monsters bowed before him while all living beings in the world paid homage.
In the depths of his consciousness, a voice seemed to whisper:
Your sacrifice...
Has arrived!
(End of Chapter)
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