Chapter 691: Leech
Chapter 691: Leech
Mo Hua descended lightly with the Flowing Water Step, his figure graceful, yet his feet felt slightly numb upon landing.
Once he had landed, Mo Hua looked up and noticed that while the mist at the bottom of the well wasn't thick, the bloody color was evenly distributed and slowly flowing.
Something seemed to be incubating within the blood mist.
Mo Hua's heart stirred slightly.
He felt as if he was closer to some sort of origin.
"Young Master?"
Gu An and the others asked in low voices.
After entering the bottom of the well, they inexplicably felt a bit breathless and anxious, so they looked to Mo Hua.
Mo Hua examined his surroundings and saw that the bottom of the dry well was a stone-paved passage that extended in all directions, leading to unknown places.
Since Gu An and the others couldn't see the bloody color, they didn't know which way to go.
Mo Hua nodded and said, "Follow me."
Mo Hua chose a path and walked straight ahead.
Gu An walked beside Mo Hua, with Yu Dahe behind him, and Gu Quan bringing up the rear.
The three of them subtly protected Mo Hua.
Gu An and Gu Quan had received Gu Changhuai's instructions to protect Mo Hua at all costs.
As for Yu Dahe, he knew that the lives of his two young sons depended entirely on this young master, so Mo Hua must not suffer any mishaps.
The passage was dry, dark, and oppressively dull.
After walking for some time, they suddenly came upon a stagnant pool of water. It seemed to be a large pit dug out by someone, now filled with water.
Mo Hua's gaze sharpened.
He recalled his little tiger cub, who had apparently fallen into the water and was instantly torn to pieces by an attack.
Mo Hua released his spiritual sense, scanning the area for a moment before his gaze darkened.
"There's a demon beast in the water."
The aura of this demon beast was subtle yet powerful, and because it was hidden underwater, it was difficult to detect.
The mastermind behind the small fishing village seemed to have intentionally raised this demon beast and placed it in the water to block their path.
Gu An and Gu Quan exchanged glances, a hint of surprise in their eyes.
With their spiritual senses, they hadn't been able to detect the presence of the demon beast in the water.
Although they were formation masters, was Young Master Mo's spiritual sense a bit too sharp? He was only at the early Qi Refining stage...
Yu Dahe asked weakly, "Young Master, can you tell what kind of water demon it is?"
Mo Hua shook his head.
Gu An frowned and said, "Should I go back and call for more people to come down and join forces to kill this demon beast?"
"No," Mo Hua shook his head. "This demon beast is likely a late second-grade water demon, extremely powerful in water. I estimate that it would take at least seven or eight Qi Refining cultivators proficient in water-attribute techniques and skilled in aquatic combat to have a chance at hunting it down."
Mo Hua deduced based on his experience as a demon hunter.
Gu An and Gu Quan furrowed their brows.
While the Gu family could gather seven or eight Qi Refining cultivators, finding those proficient in water-attribute techniques and skilled in aquatic combat was too demanding.
The fishing cultivators from the small fishing village were skilled in water-attribute techniques, but they weren't adept at combat, and none of them had reached the late Qi Refining stage.
"Also," Mo Hua continued, "if we were to make a move here and forcefully kill this water demon, we would undoubtedly create a huge disturbance. There's a high chance of alerting the enemy and causing them to flee."
"In that case, the two children might not be saved..."
"Young Master, what should we do then?" Yu Dahe looked at Mo Hua with a painful expression, his eyes filled with hope.
Mo Hua sighed softly, "Let me think..."
He gazed at the perilous pool before him, his eyes contemplative, and suddenly recalled a question.
How did the man who called himself 'Jiang Long' cross this water body? Although he was skilled in water-attribute techniques, he was only at the mid Qi Refining stage and couldn't possibly be a match for this water demon.
Moreover, the water demon was a demon beast and wouldn't discriminate when it came to devouring humans.
Mo Hua replayed the encounter with 'Jiang Long' in his mind and naturally thought of the dead fish.
According to Yu Dahe, those fish were called "Death-spotted Fish."
Mo Hua asked, "What are Death-spotted Fish used for?"
Yu Dahe explained, "These fish are poisonous, and after they die, they develop gray spots on their bodies, resembling the 'death spots' on a corpse, hence the name. If consumed, they cause blood stasis and paralysis, rendering the victim immobile, like a 'dead person.'"
Mo Hua understood.
"So that's how it is."
'Jiang Long' and his companions must have fed the "Death-spotted Fish" to the water demon, paralyzing it temporarily so they could cross the river safely.
After some thought, Mo Hua instructed Gu An to throw one of the Death-spotted Fish into the water.
As soon as the fish hit the water, the surface churned, revealing a massive and ugly head of a water demon. It swallowed the fish in one gulp.
Mo Hua's pupils constricted slightly.
Gu An and the others also wore shocked expressions.
They couldn't identify the species of the water demon, but its body was enormous, about five or six people long. Its head was misshapen, with a gaping mouth like a blood basin. Its demonic blood was thick, its body covered in scales, making it impenetrable.
Its bulging eyes had black-yellow irises, cold and cruel.
This was a second-grade peak water demon, one that had lived for an unknown number of years.
After swallowing the Death-spotted Fish, the water demon's pupils became hazy, and its body involuntarily became paralyzed for a moment. However, within ten breaths, it recovered to its original state.
Mo Hua was taken aback, then inhaled softly.
Feeding the fish to paralyze the water demon wasn't enough to guarantee a safe passage.
The blood energy of this water demon was simply too thick.
Feeding it the Death-spotted Fish could only paralyze it for ten breaths, and to cross the river safely, one had to reach the other side within that time frame, or the awakened water demon would devour them.
Gu An and the others seemed to understand as well, their faces turning pale.
Mo Hua glanced at them but remained silent, his eyes conveying a silent inquiry.
Yu Dahe's face was resolute as he grit his teeth and said, "I'm going to save my sons. Even if I die, I won't have any regrets."
Upon hearing this, Gu An and Gu Quan nodded slightly.
Gu An added, "Young Master, don't worry about us."
On the other hand, Gu Quan looked at Mo Hua with concern and said, "Young Master, you shouldn't take this risk."
"It's fine," Mo Hua assured them. "I can swim quite fast."
Before this incident, he had casually learned the White Wave Body Technique used by 'Jiang Long,' and while he wasn't extremely proficient, it would suffice for this situation.
"We won't need to worry about it then," Mo Hua replied casually.
Once they returned, they could easily deal with the water demon trapped in the stagnant water; there were a hundred ways he could make it 'ascend to heaven.'
Gu An and Gu Quan didn't know Mo Hua's plan, but after their trip to the Magical Cave of Bi Mountain, they had gradually become accustomed to following his instructions.
After consuming a fish, the water demon slowly sank back into the water.
It seemed oblivious to what was happening on the shore, but its senses were keenly attuned to prey in the water.
The three of them decided to cross the river. Gu An, Gu Quan, and Yu Dahe each held a fish and threw them simultaneously into the distant water.
As soon as the Death-spotted Fish hit the water, the water demon emerged, swallowing two of them in one gulp. Just like before, its pupils became glazed, and it seemed to be paralyzed.
"Go!" Mo Hua shouted decisively as the water demon swallowed the fish.
The four of them jumped into the water and swam towards the opposite shore with all their might.
Yu Dahe, being a fishing cultivator, had exceptional swimming skills and moved swiftly through the water.
Although Mo Hua was not a fishing cultivator, his Flowing Water Step was a water-based movement technique, and he had also cultivated the White Wave Body Technique. He moved gracefully in the water, like a flexible little fish, and his speed was not slow.
Gu An and Gu Quan's movement techniques were slightly inferior, but their cultivation was profound, so they could keep up.
However, they intentionally slowed down a bit, protecting Mo Hua from behind.
The peak second-grade fish demon, after swallowing two Death-spotted Fish, was paralyzed for only about fifteen breaths before its black-yellow, ferocious-looking pupils began to blink.
Sensing the danger, Mo Hua immediately urged, "Faster!" He pushed his movement technique to the limit, using his hands and feet to frantically paddle through the water.
The shore was almost within reach.
Gu An, Gu Quan, and Yu Dahe also started to swim with all their might, closing in on the shore.
By now, the fish demon had completely awakened from its paralyzed state. Its protruding eyes shifted, and its ugly snout sniffed the air, detecting the scent of living humans.
It ignored the remaining Death-spotted Fish and slowly sank back into the water.
As the fish demon's body submerged, a ripple of dark currents appeared on the water's surface, rushing towards Mo Hua and the others at an incredible speed.
The group was startled, and they swam even faster.
Finally, Yu Dahe, with his exceptional water skills, reached the shore first. He immediately turned around and pulled Mo Hua, who was closest to him, out of the water.
Gu An and Gu Quan also made it to the shore.
Before they could climb out, however, there was a loud 'hong long' sound, and the ugly head of the water demon emerged. It opened its massive mouth, intending to swallow Gu An and Gu Quan.
Caught in the water, the two men couldn't dodge in time.
Mo Hua, quick as lightning, pointed his fingers and condensed several fireballs, which struck the water demon's protruding eyes, momentarily distracting it.
Seizing this brief moment, Gu An and Gu Quan drew their swords and unleashed their sword qi, slashing at the water demon's lower jaw.
Unfortunately, the water demon's skin was thick and tough, and their swords only managed to pierce shallowly, barely breaking the skin.
Without hesitation, Yu Dahe took out a fish spear from his storage bag—a weapon soaked in toxic algae juice—and threw it with all his might, aiming for the demon's throat.
This was a common method fishing cultivators used to deal with aquatic demon beasts.
The fish spear pierced the water demon's mouth, injecting the algae toxin into its throat. The demon writhed in intense pain and sank back into the water.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Gu An and Gu Quan climbed onto the shore.
The group immediately moved away from the shore.
However, after only a moment, the water demon resurfaced.
It had swallowed the fish spear in anger, but the humans in the water were gone, leaving it to roar furiously at the shore.
The roar was deep and accompanied by a gust of putrid wind.
Mo Hua was caught off guard by the foul wind, stumbling a few steps before falling to the ground in a somewhat disheveled state.
Gu An quickly helped Mo Hua up. "Young Master, are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Mo Hua replied, rubbing his forehead. He turned and glared at the water demon, silently vowing, "Ugly beast, just you wait. I'll deal with you when I come back."
The water demon's ugly and ferocious eyes continued to stare at Mo Hua, unaware that it had just been added to his 'blacklist.'
Now that they were on shore and away from the water, the group was temporarily safe. They continued forward.
After walking for an unknown duration, they discovered a cave entrance up ahead, with a faint glow emanating from within.
Beyond the entrance, the space opened up, no longer the narrow bottom of the well, but a grayish world.
There was a light drizzle in the sky, and beneath their feet was a stone-paved muddy path.
A pale, yellowish mist hung in the air.
To Gu An and the others, the color of the mist appeared yellowish.
But to Mo Hua, the mist was a deeper shade of blood red.
Not far away, the outline of a fishing village could be vaguely seen, blending with the blood-red mist, exuding an air of death and strangeness.
Gu An cursed under his breath, "Those human traffickers from Over-the-River Dragon have no idea how to choose a place to hide. How did they end up in such a creepy place?"
Yu Dahe nodded in agreement, his expression confused. "I've never heard of a place like this nearby... Is this a fishing village? Why does it look so deserted?"
"Let's go take a look," Mo Hua sighed.
He knew that this fishing village was not as simple as just being a hideout for human traffickers.
The group followed the muddy path, heading towards the distant fishing village.
However, after taking only a few steps, Mo Hua suddenly grabbed Gu An and exclaimed, "Stop!"
Gu An was taken aback and looked around, not understanding what was happening since there was nothing around them.
Yet, Mo Hua's pupils trembled slightly.
He had noticed a clump of blood mist floating in front of Gu An, and within the mist was a wriggling, leech-like demonic creature, red and filthy.
This blood leech drifted through the air right in front of Gu An, but he couldn't see it at all.
But based on his experience, he guessed that these blood leeches were most likely evil creatures split from the evil god. Once they came into contact with a living person with spiritual sense, they would likely drill into their sea of consciousness and pollute them through parasitism.
"It's dangerous," Mo Hua said in a low voice.
Gu An and the others looked around at the thick mist, their hearts filling with a sense of dread.
"Follow me and don't move around randomly!" Mo Hua instructed solemnly.
Since he had brought the three of them to the bottom of the well, he had to do his best to ensure their safety.
Yu Dahe was a fisherman cultivator who had endured many hardships.
Gu An and Gu Quan were also acquaintances sent by Gu Shushu to protect him, so he couldn't let anything happen to them.
Gu An, Yu Dahe, and Gu Quan all nodded in agreement.
Mo Hua took the lead, guiding the three of them while carefully avoiding the blood leeches. They proceeded with caution, taking careful steps forward.
After walking for a while, the blood mist ahead became denser, and the blood leeches more numerous.
While Mo Hua could avoid them, it would be challenging for Gu An, Yu Dahe, and Gu Quan to do so, even if they followed his footsteps. They might still be parasitized by the blood leeches that drifted along.
Mo Hua frowned, unsure of what to do, and then suddenly paused as a realization struck him.
"I can see the blood leeches, so I can recognize the path," he thought to himself. "But how did 'Jiang Long' find his way here without being able to see them? There must be something strange going on."
Mo Hua released his spiritual sense, scanning the surroundings for a moment before his eyes lit up. He crouched down and began scraping at the ground with his hands.
Gu An and the others looked on, perplexed, but they were considerate enough not to disturb Mo Hua.
After a while, Mo Hua finally unearthed something from the ground—a slab of stone!
On the stone slab were intricate and profound array patterns, unfamiliar to Mo Hua, yet strikingly similar to the ones 'Jiang Long' had drawn at the well entrance.
"Shen Dao array!" Mo Hua exclaimed inwardly, his heart filled with joy.
He quickly memorized each of the array patterns on the stone slab.
However, the Shen Dao array on the slab was incomplete. The few array patterns alone could not form a coherent structure, nor could they reveal their true purpose.
Mo Hua walked a few steps forward and crouched down again to scrape at the ground.
After a while, he indeed found another stone slab, this one also bearing an incomplete Shen Dao array, with some patterns newer than others.
Mo Hua compared the new patterns with the previous ones and memorized them. He continued searching and found several more slabs, ultimately memorizing five new and unique Shen Dao array patterns.
Then, Mo Hua took out a piece of paper and began simulating, combining, and rearranging the five array patterns on it.
After numerous attempts, he finally succeeded in merging the five array patterns into a simple yet functional Shen Dao array prototype!
This prototype was still rudimentary, resembling the basic five-element arrays Mo Hua had learned when he first started studying arrays.
Nonetheless, it was undeniably a complete and foundational Shen Dao array.
Mo Hua compared this array with the 'unlocking' array patterns 'Jiang Long' had drawn at the well entrance and discovered some underlying principles.
Strictly speaking, the array patterns 'Jiang Long' had drawn were not Shen Dao arrays.
His patterns were a clever means of temporarily blocking the flow of array power through the use of obstructing array patterns, achieving a temporary 'unlocking' effect to open the sealed well bottom.
In other words, 'Jiang Long's' 'unlocking' array patterns were based on a complete set of Shen Dao arrays.
This complete set of Shen Dao arrays was drawn within the blood-colored dry well.
Or perhaps...
Mo Hua's gaze shifted to the distant fishing village, shrouded in eerie blood mist.
This entire village, corrupted by the evil god and vanished from sight, was built upon the foundation of this 'Shen Dao array.'
Both the array patterns at the well entrance and on the stone slabs were just small extensions of this vast array.
Mo Hua was astonished, but at the same time, more questions arose in his mind.
Where did this Shen Dao array come from?
Who set up this array in the fishing village?
What was its purpose?
What was the specific application of the Shen Dao array?
Mo Hua furrowed his brows, deep in thought.
"It seems we'll have to go deeper into the fishing village to find out. The core of the Shen Dao array is probably hidden there..." he mused.
There were likely more stone slabs buried beneath their feet, but time was limited, and Mo Hua couldn't afford to dig up and examine each one.
He would come back later, after dealing with the evil god, and thoroughly search the area.
Mo Hua nodded, having made up his mind.
At that moment, he also understood the purpose of the array patterns on the stone slabs.
These arrays were meant to repel the blood mist and, more importantly, drive away the 'blood leeches,' those evil creatures within the mist.
When connected in sequence, these arrays created a safe passage through the blood mist.
'Jiang Long' must have used this path to avoid the evil god's corruption and the blood leeches' parasitism, allowing him to enter the fishing village unharmed.
Mo Hua had gained a preliminary understanding of the Shen Dao array.
Now, the winding and twisting 'Shen Dao' path lay clearly before his eyes.
With a path to follow, their journey would be safer.
Mo Hua could see the blood leeches, so he didn't need to rely on the path, but Gu An, Yu Dahe, and Gu Quan were different.
They couldn't see the hidden dangers, and even if they followed him closely, their journey would be perilous.
"Follow me, step in my footprints, and don't take a single wrong step or look around randomly," Mo Hua instructed.
Gu An, Yu Dahe, and Gu Quan understood the gravity of the situation and nodded in agreement.
Mo Hua took the lead, with the three of them closely following his instructions, matching his steps exactly, not daring to make a single mistake.
Step by step, they made their way forward, and after an unknown amount of time, the four of them finally passed through the area infested with blood leeches and set foot on the land of the vanished fishing village.
This was a land soaked in blood.
(End of Chapter)
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