Chapter 678: The Misty River
Chapter 678: The Misty River
The reward was snatched up instantly, leaving the group of disciples feeling dejected.
Mo Hua, on the other hand, felt pleased with himself for colluding with Uncle Gu to successfully claim the bounty. He smiled contentedly, his eyes curving into happy crescents.
He took another careful look at the mission details.
Wanted: Long the River Dragon.
A mid-Qi Refining criminal cultivator who cultivates the Water Art, "White Wave Technique." Proficient in aquatic abilities, often lurking in rivers and lakes, sinking ships and killing their passengers, resembling a "water ghost."
Uses hook-like spiritual artifacts of unknown origin, suspected to be the Three Shark Claws, a standard water-type artifact imbued with water poison.
Caution: This person's cultivation art strengthens in water. If not necessary, avoid engaging in battle with him in the water to prevent unforeseen dangers.
Below was an additional line in small print:
"Trap with an array, capture and bring to shore, ensuring no contact with water, before making the arrest."
This line was an extra precaution, and Mo Hua guessed that Uncle Gu had added it specifically for him.
After all, he was from Lizhou Tongxian City, adjacent to Daheishan Mountain, where people relied on the mountain for their livelihood.
Upon reaching Qianxuezhou, most of his travels had been in the mountains, rarely encountering river systems or cultivators specializing in water arts.
"Uncle Gu may always look cold and distant, as if someone owes him spirit stones, but he can be thoughtful at times."
Mo Hua nodded to himself.
In addition to the bounty, there was also an attached dossier:
On the third day of March, at Misty River.
Six merchants were traveling by boat when it capsized in the lower reaches of the river. The merchants fell into the water.
One of them was strangled and had his throat torn out by an underwater cultivator.
The bloody water attracted several aquatic demon beasts, which proceeded to bite and devour the remaining few.
None of the six survived.
Based on the perpetrator's cultivation, art, and weapon, the Daotinsi determined that it was most likely the work of a criminal cultivator with a heinous track record—
"Long the River Dragon."
Mo Hua jotted down the key points from the dossier and prepared several water-based arrays before finding Cheng Mo the next day and getting straight to the point:
"There's a bounty offering six hundred merit points, one hundred and twenty each if we split it five ways."
Out of camaraderie, Mo Hua didn't take any extra for himself.
Cheng Mo and the others usually struggled to earn even a dozen or so merit points, so this was a significant opportunity for them.
Mo Hua felt that as the "senior apprentice brother," he should look out for these "junior apprentice brothers."
"One hundred and twenty points?!"
Cheng Mo's jaw dropped, finding it hard to believe.
It had been a while since he had come across a bounty offering more than fifty points.
Yet Mo Hua had managed to secure one worth a hundred and twenty!
Cheng Mo was shocked and extremely curious. "Mo Hua, how did you get your hands on this bounty?"
"Don't ask questions. I have my ways," Mo Hua replied, lifting his head slightly with an air of composure and indifference.
This demeanor made him appear even more unflappable and enigmatic to Cheng Mo.
"Mo Hua, you've got some serious backers!" Cheng Mo exclaimed.
Mo Hua frowned, unhappy with the implication. "What nonsense are you spouting now?"
"Oh, right. My apologies," Cheng Mo immediately realized his mistake. This had nothing to do with having "backers."
"It's your skills and connections, Senior Apprentice Brother Mo Hua," he praised.
Having scoured the streets, taken on various bounties, and interacted with many senior apprentice brothers and sisters, Cheng Mo knew how difficult it was to obtain high-merit bounties.
With limited bounties and many competitors, not to mention more senior and experienced cultivators vying for the same rewards, the odds were often stacked against them.
However, the sect's merit system was designed to be fair and independent, free from external influences. The Daotinsi handled matters impartially, and any means of acquiring bounties had to be legitimate and compliant with the rules, leaving no room for favoritism or corruption.
Yet, Mo Hua! A newly initiated cultivator with only a Qi Refining cultivation base had managed to bypass his senior brothers and sisters to claim a six-hundred-point bounty!
One could only imagine the number of strings that had been pulled behind the scenes and the extent of his connections with the Daotinsi...
Cheng Mo dared not even contemplate it.
At that moment, he felt that Mo Hua exuded an awe-inspiring aura.
"Senior Apprentice Brother, have some chicken leg," Cheng Mo offered, presenting the "tribute"—a crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside, fatty, and fragrant chicken leg from a prized golden pheasant.
Mo Hua accepted the offering without hesitation and took a bite, savoring the lingering flavor. He was quite satisfied.
However, he reminded Cheng Mo, "This bounty is quite dangerous. Make sure you're prepared."
A mid-Qi Refining criminal cultivator with expertise in water-based abilities and cunning methods would not be an easy opponent for Cheng Mo and the others.
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing," Cheng Mo assured him.
One hundred and twenty merit points!
This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Others might want to take such a risk, but they may never get the chance.
"Alright," Mo Hua nodded. "Then you, Si Tu, and the others should get ready. We'll set off after the weekend."
"No problem!" Cheng Mo readily agreed.
...
The weekend arrived, and after their classes, Mo Hua met up with Cheng Mo and the others at the disciples' residence.
There were five of them in total: Mo Hua, Cheng Mo, Si Tu Jian, Hao Xuan, and Yang Qianjun.
Cheng Mo, Si Tu Jian, and Hao Xuan were also disciples of "Taiyi Residence" like Mo Hua, living in the same building and attending the same classes.
As they had all attended Mo Hua's array classes, they addressed him as "Senior Apprentice Brother."
Yang Qianjun was the exception, as he was from "Taijia Residence" and hadn't taken Mo Hua's classes, so he didn't call him "Senior Apprentice Brother."
However, he had a good relationship with Cheng Mo, and their shared experience of fighting the human traffickers had forged a deeper bond between them.
Yang Qianjun himself was from the Daobing Si family and was known for his upright character and impressive cultivation in the Daoist arts.
Mo Hua also had some connection with the Yang family, which was why he included him in this mission.
As for Yi Li...
He was a pure spiritual cultivator. While he could be useful in a group battle, his inability to defend himself in close-quarters combat meant he would be the first to fall if they were outnumbered.
So, following Mo Hua's advice, Yi Li was currently learning self-defense spells and was not part of this mission.
With their preparations complete, the five of them set off for Misty River, led by Mo Hua.
But Long the River Dragon was different. He was a veteran in the cultivation world, having cultivated for many years and possessing a solid foundation. His techniques were unique, and his methods were vicious. Whether it was killing or escaping, he had extensive experience, far surpassing any cultivator they had faced before.
The only one who could rival him was perhaps the leader of the black-robed human traffickers they had encountered previously. That black-robed figure was also at the mid-Qi Refining stage and had effortlessly withstood their five-person assault. Even when they had exerted all their strength, they couldn't capture him. If not for Mo Hua luring him away, they might have perished at his hands.
Until the very end, they never learned where he had gone. Recalling this, Cheng Mo and the others couldn't help but feel a lingering fear. Thinking about the equally cruel Long the River Dragon they were about to face, they couldn't help but feel anxious.
However, Mo Hua remained calm and composed. To him, capturing a mid-Qi Refining criminal cultivator like Long the River Dragon was a minor matter. In the past year or so, nearly a hundred criminal cultivators had fallen into his grasp, with only a handful being insignificant. As for those with reputations, like Long the River Dragon, there had only been a few dozen.
Most of the names on Elder Jiang's list had already been crossed off, thanks to his efforts. And Long the River Dragon was also on that list. This thought caused Mo Hua to frown slightly. He always felt that there was something amiss with that list.
The cultivators on the list were all highly skilled, with exceptional cultivation levels. Among them was even a powerful demonic cultivator known as Fire Buddha, who practiced forbidden techniques and was virtually invincible in a second-rate state realm. How could a mere early Qi Refining cultivator like Elder Jiang, despite his hidden ace of the Golden Sword Control Technique and his small band of human traffickers, possess such a list of infamously evil cultivators? It defied logic...
Mo Hua had a hunch that the list might not have belonged to Elder Jiang at all. But if not his, then whose was it? What connection did the cultivators on the list have with each other? And why were their names recorded so secretly on that jade slip?
Mo Hua took out the list and examined it once more. Fire Buddha, the most powerful cultivator on the list, was dead. Most of the others were either dead or captured. A small portion had gone missing or were in hiding, never to be seen again. Only a handful remained at large, and the only one who had recently shown himself, only to be quickly apprehended by Mo Hua, was Long the River Dragon...
"We'll capture Long the River Dragon and see if we can find any clues..."
"It'll be a good opportunity to test Cheng Mo and the others..."
"I can also try out the new array mediums..."
"And then..."
Mo Hua lifted his head slightly, his gaze drifting out the carriage window, taking in the scenery of Qianzhou as they passed by. In his heart, he silently added: "I'll also take a look at the lower realm of Qianxuezhou, a place where influential families and sects are gathered, prosperous and flourishing. What is it really like?"
"The superior man sets his goals in the stars and strives to be the best he can be; the inferior man crawls in the mud and settles for mediocrity."
"A cultivator seeking the Dao should not only look up at the heavens but also bow his head to observe the earth."
...
The carriage continued its journey, the scenery outside the window changing with the wind. After an unknown period, the lush mountains gave way to a vast river, its waters shimmering like a flat mirror, misty and blending seamlessly with the sky.
Misty River.
This was a river that spanned several small state realms near Qianxuezhou, its waters abundant and flowing endlessly. The gentle breeze carried a refreshing ripple across the river, bringing with it a crisp aquatic fragrance.
Mo Hua took a deep breath, feeling the cool wind on his face and a sense of tranquility in his heart.
After traveling for several more miles, they arrived at a ferry terminal. It wasn't very large, with only a few spiritual boats docked, and cultivators coming and going, disembarking and embarking on their journeys.
The Misty River was wide, and the upstream and downstream journeys were long. Although cultivators could learn water-crossing movement techniques to cover their feet with spiritual power and walk across the river as if on solid ground, these techniques were quite exhausting and could lead to drowning if one's spiritual power was depleted midway.
The most dangerous aspect, however, was the variety of water-dwelling demonic beasts that inhabited the riverbed. These beasts varied in rank, thrived in the water, and possessed formidable strength, with a particular taste for human flesh. If a cultivator encountered these beasts while crossing the river or after falling into the water, they would become easy prey if they couldn't defend themselves.
Therefore, most cultivators preferred to cross the river by riding in "spiritual boats," which provided protection from the beasts. The larger the boat, the safer the journey.
The six merchants who had perished in the river had been traveling in a "small boat," likely made of inferior materials and with insufficiently sturdy formations. That was why Long the River Dragon had been able to pierce through it. The sinking of the spiritual boat had led to the deaths of all six individuals.
As for Long the River Dragon, he could probably move freely underwater, avoiding the beasts, thanks to his own unique abilities.
Based on the Daotinsi's dossier, Mo Hua was able to pinpoint the approximate location of the six merchants' demise: a 20-mile stretch of the river downstream from the ferry terminal.
The group rode in the carriage for another 20 miles until they reached the vicinity of that river segment. On both sides of the river, lush grass flourished, dotted with yellow flowers, resembling a verdant carpet laid out on either bank. In between, the jade-like river waters flowed gently.
The scenery was beautiful and serene, belying the fact that people had lost their lives here.
Cheng Mo glanced at Mo Hua and asked in a low voice, "Mo Hua, do you know exactly where those six people died?"
Mo Hua's eyes narrowed as he scanned the area, finally pointing to a section of the river where the reeds were particularly dense. "There."
The aquatic plants swayed gently in the current, and even if they had been stained with blood, any trace of it would have long since been washed away.
However, Mo Hua's eyes, trained in the art of observation, noticed faint traces of blood-colored chains of cause and effect on the water's surface.
It was clear that someone had met a gruesome end here not too long ago.
"What now, Mo Hua?" Cheng Mo asked.
Si Tu Jian and the others also looked to Mo Hua, awaiting his instructions.
Their previous tasks had provided clearer clues, and the targets had been easier to locate, unlike the present situation, where they had scarce information and were searching in the open wilderness, leaving them clueless.
Mo Hua pondered for a moment before speaking. "There are Dao Court disciples guarding both the upstream and downstream sections of the river, so 'Long the River Dragon' probably hasn't escaped this stretch of the river..."
"Long the River Dragon cultivates the White Wave Technique, which grants him great proficiency in water. This has its advantages and disadvantages."
"The advantage is that he's like a fish in water when in it, but the disadvantage is that once he leaves the water, his strength is greatly diminished."
"So, he probably won't dare to stray too far from the water and is likely hiding in a section of the river nearby..."
Mo Hua took out several array plates that he had prepared earlier. "I've drawn a water pattern array on these plates, which can monitor the flow of spiritual energy in the water..."
Fearing that they might not understand, he added, "It's similar to a compass array or a small magnetic array used in water."
"This array plate comes in two parts: one for setting up the array and the other for monitoring..."
"You can throw the array plates for setting up the array into the water, spacing them out as you go."
"Then we'll 'wait for the rabbit', as the saying goes, and catch 'Long the River Dragon'..."
Cheng Mo and the others, intrigued by the plan, nodded in agreement.
Thus, they split up and began searching for suitable locations to throw the water pattern array plates into the river, sending them far out into the water.
However, this stretch of the river was vast, and the water pattern array could only cover a small section of the river near the shore.
Mo Hua was merely taking a chance.
Capturing a cultivator skilled in water manipulation was already a challenging task, and this was currently the best option they had.
The group then separated and stationed themselves along the shoreline, holding the array plates for monitoring the water pattern array, keeping a close eye on any movements.
Mo Hua also reminded them, "If there's any movement, don't rush into action. Use the Grand Void Token to call for help first, and we'll gather before deciding on our next move."
"Mm."
Cheng Mo and the others nodded in agreement.
And so, they began the tedious process of waiting for their target to appear.
This task tested their patience.
Mo Hua sat on a branch of a large tree by the shore, a blade of grass in his mouth, his legs casually propped up as he kept an eye on the monitoring array plate while admiring the distant scenery.
An entire hour passed without any signs of activity.
There were no messages on the Grand Void Token either.
Just as Mo Hua was starting to feel bored, he noticed a small boat sailing downstream with three to five cultivators on board. They were pulling a fishing net that seemed to be filled with quite a few fish.
Mo Hua was taken aback for a moment.
"Could it be... Long the River Dragon?"
He released his spiritual sense and took a closer look, only to realize that they were ordinary cultivators—two at the Foundation Establishment stage and three at the Qi Refining stage. They were dressed simply, and although they carried a heavy water aura, they lacked the aura of having taken lives.
They were likely just ordinary "fisher cultivators" from the area.
"Fisher cultivators" were those who made their living by raising and catching spiritual fish.
Mo Hua thought for a moment before jumping down from the tree and walking towards the group of cultivators.
As he drew closer, he noticed that their faces carried a hint of worry, and their feet were caked with mud. They also carried a strong fishy smell.
They emptied the spiritual fish from their net into another basket.
These spiritual fish were of first-rate and second-rate quality.
Since they were fed with low-grade spiritual objects, they possessed spiritual energy but lacked demonic energy, making them harmless to humans and lacking the ferocity of demonic beasts.
The fisher cultivators became alert when they noticed someone approaching, but upon seeing that it was just a cute young cultivator, they relaxed.
One of the kinder fisher cultivators asked, "Little brother, where are you from?"
"I'm from the Qian Xue Province," Mo Hua replied.
Hearing this, the fisher cultivators' eyes lit up with a hint of respect. "Are you from a sect?"
Mo Hua nodded.
"Impressive!" exclaimed one of the older fisher cultivators. "To be accepted into a sect in the Qian Xue Province, one must have top-notch talent."
"Little brother, you must have an upper-grade spirit root, am I right?"
Mo Hua couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed, and his cheeks turned slightly red. "I... fell just a bit short of that..."
The fisher cultivator exclaimed, "Even so, that's still amazing!"
Mo Hua didn't want to continue the conversation about spirit roots, so he steered the topic in a different direction. "Sir, are you fishing?"
"Yes," the older fisher cultivator nodded, but then furrowed his brow in confusion. "Little brother, you're here alone. What are you doing in this Yin-Water River?"
"I'm here to 'fish'!" Mo Hua nodded.
"Fishing?" The older fisher cultivator was perplexed.
This kid didn't have a fishing rod or bait. What was he planning to fish with?
Another fisher cultivator quickly waved his hand and said to Mo Hua, "Kid, forget about fishing and get out of here. It's dangerous."
Mo Hua asked, "Why?"
The fisher cultivator pointed downstream. "Some time ago, someone died here. Their body was torn apart by a water demon, and now it's said that the demon is still lurking in the area."
"Oh." Mo Hua nodded.
The Dao Court hadn't disclosed the truth, so these fisher cultivators could only rely on rumors and speculation.
They believed that the cultivators had been dragged into the water and devoured by a water demon.
The fisher cultivator sighed. "Six people died, including a young master from a prominent family."
"A young master?" Mo Hua asked, confused. "I thought they were merchants?"
The fisher cultivator shook his head. "He was a young master, supposedly from a noble family."
"A noble family?" Mo Hua asked, intrigued. "Which one?"
Another fisher cultivator spoke up to the older one. "Dad, what noble family? It's just a third-rate clan, neither here nor there. They don't qualify as a 'noble family'."
The older fisher cultivator became annoyed. "What's wrong with a third-rate clan? If you can establish a third-rate clan before I die, I'll die without regrets..."
(End of Chapter)
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