Chapter 730: Full Steam Ahead
Chapter 730: Full Steam Ahead
At the entrance of Refining Beast Mountain, Elder Xuanyu You was sipping tea with another elder clad in a maple-hued robe.
The elder took a sip of his tea, then furrowed his brows, puzzled. "It seems like the number of Azurewood Wolves in the mountain has decreased significantly since the last time I was on duty..."
A spurt of tea caused Xuanyu You to cough.
The maple-robed elder glanced at him inquisitively. "Elder Xu, do you know something about this?"
Xuanyu You's expression was complex as he coughed again and mumbled, "I-I don't know... Disciples of the sect hunt all sorts of beasts. It doesn't matter if there are a few more or less."
"True..." The elder murmured in agreement.
Xuanyu You shot him a glance and silently poured him another cup of tea. He whispered, "We elders are here to maintain order. With so many disciples from various sects, how can we keep track of them all? Let them be as long as they don't cause any major trouble..."
"Besides, with the war in the Southern Wasteland intensifying, who knows when we'll have to embark on a arduous journey. We might not have the luxury of sitting here, sipping tea, and enjoying the peaceful days anymore," Xuanyu You added.
The maple-robed elder nodded in agreement. "You're right, Elder Xu."
The two elders then picked up their tea cups and leisurely savored their tea.
However, Xuanyu You's mind was not as calm as he appeared.
That troublesome kid, Mo Hua, better not drive the Azurewood Wolves in Refining Beast Mountain to extinction...
Fortunately, it seemed like Mo Hua had heard his silent plea, as he stopped targeting only the Azurewood Wolves.
He was preparing to set his sights on other beasts.
There were only so many Azurewood Wolves in the mountain.
With his team of five, specifically hunting Azurewood Wolves was manageable.
But now, with the increasing number of junior disciples under his "command," all donning yimu armor and wielding ruijin spiritual artifacts, the wolves didn't stand a chance.
The population of Azurewood Wolves began to noticeably decline.
As the number of hunters increased, the wolves dwindled.
Some disciples would spend an entire day in Refining Beast Mountain only to return empty-handed, wasting the merit points they had spent on entry tickets.
To maintain the balance of beasts and to ensure the disciples didn't leave disappointed, Mo Hua took it upon himself to hunt and devise strategies. Thus, he created another "guide," this time for a beast known as the Sky-Blue Snake.
The Sky-Blue Snake was a wood-attribute snake demon, similar to the Azurewood Wolf, but it possessed natural poison.
The armor and artifacts used for hunting Azurewood Wolves were equally effective against the Sky-Blue Snakes.
However, the snakes were more venomous and cunning. They hid among the bushes, blending with the foliage, and their demonic energy was intertwined with the essence of plants, making them hard to detect.
To counter this, Mo Hua crafted a Muling Spirit-Discerning Array.
This array could identify the composition of wood-attribute spiritual power within a ten-zhang radius, differentiating between natural plant energy, cultivator's spiritual power, and wood-poison demonic energy.
While not entirely precise, it was more than sufficient for detecting demons.
Aside from their venomous nature and elusiveness, the Sky-Blue Snakes weren't exceptionally strong.
Moreover, their snake gallbladders fetched a higher price, earning the hunters more merit points.
Soon, the Sky-Blue Snakes shared the unfortunate fate of the Azurewood Wolves.
The wolves were no longer the only victims of Mo Hua and his band of junior disciples.
After the Sky-Blue Snakes, Mo Hua created hunting guides for several other types of beasts.
These guides encompassed an even wider range of creatures.
In addition to wood-attribute beasts, they included the Jinwen Leopard of the gold attribute, the Gray-Speckled Python of the earth attribute, and the Crimson Flame Mastiff of the fire attribute, to name a few.
These beasts were added to Mo Hua's "Hunting Guide List."
To complement the guides, Mo Hua also designed artifact refining array diagrams, which he entrusted to Master Gu to forge. These artifacts were then sold in the Gu family's commercial pavilion.
The number of artifacts was staggering.
Hunting artifacts were already in higher demand compared to those used for capturing wanted cultivators.
The efficiency of hunting beasts was also much higher than capturing fugitives, as the latter could be hiding anywhere, making the search time-consuming. Beasts, on the other hand, were mostly found within Refining Beast Mountain, easily accessible to those who entered.
Master Gu's Solitary Mountain Artifact Refinery was bustling with activity, its furnaces blazing as they churned out artifacts.
The array diagrams for custom artifacts had been standardized by Master Gu and taught to his numerous disciples, enabling them to produce larger quantities.
With Mo Hua's hunting guides and the standardized artifact sets, the production of custom artifacts could now be appropriately scaled up.
Meanwhile, business at the commercial pavilion flourished...
But Mo Hua didn't concern himself with these matters.
During his breaks, he still frequented Refining Beast Mountain, though he no longer needed to hunt personally.
He had created the hunting guides and spread their use.
After some time, more and more disciples of the Tai Xu Sect began to pay their respects, acknowledge him as their junior master, acquire the guides, and venture into Refining Beast Mountain.
While most of his over thousand sect mates had addressed him as "Junior Master" at some point,
Some of them, blessed with exceptional talent and a lofty disposition, would only exchange nods with Mo Hua when they passed by, and they wouldn't call out to him as "Junior Master."
This was understandable, and Mo Hua didn't mind it at all.
However, things were different now.
These hunting guides were not to be distributed without Mo Hua's permission.
And those who wanted the guides had to come to him.
Hunting demons in the mountain was a challenging task for newcomers.
Initially, everyone struggled and stumbled along the way.
But now, with Mo Hua's comprehensive guides and the Yimu armor, some disciples were effortlessly slaughtering demons and reaping a bountiful harvest of merit points.
Even the most arrogant disciples began to feel restless as they watched their peers succeed.
There was competition among the sect members, and they were all gifted cultivation geniuses.
They had to gain combat experience and cultivation resources on their own, and falling behind even by a single step could mean lagging far behind.
With Mo Hua's help, some disciples were progressing at an astonishing pace.
The others naturally wanted to keep up.
Moreover, there were abundant hunting merits to be earned.
Merits were more important than saving face.
Soon, those proud and arrogant geniuses of the Tai Xu Sect, who had vowed never to associate with Mo Hua, blushed and called out to him shyly:
"Junior Master..."
Mo Hua's face was as warm and welcoming as a spring breeze, and he treated everyone equally, never holding back his knowledge.
He provided the guides and also offered helpful tips.
Following Mo Hua's instructions, these proud geniuses ventured into Refining Beast Mountain and successfully hunted demons, finding it surprisingly smooth and easy. They were almost incredulous.
Was hunting demons supposed to be this easy?
And when they received their merits, any lingering resentment or doubt in their hearts vanished.
The title "Junior Master" rolled off their tongues more and more smoothly.
Gradually, they "self-guided" themselves to accept Mo Hua as their junior master...
After all, Mo Hua was such a kind and helpful person. Why not call him Junior Master? He was even appointed by Elder Xuanyu.
Even if one didn't want to give Mo Hua face, they should at least respect Elder Xuanyu.
Besides, if others could call him Junior Master, why shouldn't they?
Hence, as Mo Hua walked within the sect, he would often be greeted by unfamiliar disciples who would call out to him as "Junior Master."
This was especially true in Refining Beast Mountain, where the title "Junior Master" rang out frequently.
At their current cultivation level, those who could survive in Refining Beast Mountain were mostly those who had obtained Mo Hua's hunting guides and received his guidance.
On this day, as Mo Hua entered Refining Beast Mountain, a fellow disciple spotted him and greeted him enthusiastically:
"Junior Master, we killed an Azurewood Wolf and obtained a demonic core. Please take it!"
This disciple had a kind face and lively eyes, giving off a clever and quick-witted impression.
Mo Hua vaguely remembered his name—Dong Shi, a single character name. However, he couldn't recall which state he was from.
Mo Hua shook his head and declined, "Demon Pills are precious. You should keep it and exchange it for merits."
Dong Shi expressed his gratitude, "If not for your guidance, we wouldn't have obtained this demonic elixir."
The other disciples chimed in, "Yes, yes!"
"Junior Master, please take it. Otherwise, we won't feel good about it."
Although he had guided them, Mo Hua still felt a bit awkward about taking the Demon Pill, which they had worked hard to obtain.
He glanced at the freshly killed Azurewood Wolf on the ground, and his eyes lit up slightly as he said, "I don't need the demon core, but I'll take its blood."
The few Tai Xu disciples were taken aback, "The demon's blood?"
"Yes," Mo Hua nodded, "I have an important use for it."
They pondered for a moment and then understood.
Junior Master wanted to stockpile demon blood to concoct Spirit Ink and study formations.
Truly admirable!
He neither coveted the demon elixir nor took advantage of his fellow disciples' gratitude. Instead, he only took the demon blood to concoct Spirit Ink, fully dedicating himself to the study of formations.
Such a considerate and benevolent gesture toward his fellow disciples would surely make them more receptive to learning about formations.
The few Tai Xu disciples quickly replied, "Junior Master, please go ahead. Take as much blood as you need."
Mo Hua smiled and said, "Thank you."
After draining the Azurewood Wolf's blood, Mo Hua bade them farewell.
As Dong Shi saw Mo Hua off, he turned to the other disciples and said, "Spread the word that Junior Master needs demon blood."
"Will do!"
The message spread like wildfire.
Soon, the Tai Xu disciples in Refining Beast Mountain all knew that "Junior Master needed demon blood."
They had been looking for an opportunity to express their gratitude to Mo Hua, and this was a small matter.
After that, whenever Mo Hua entered Refining Beast Mountain, disciples would approach him from time to time, saying, "Junior Master, we just killed a demon and haven't drained its blood yet. Do you want it?"
Some disciples even waited for Mo Hua to arrive after killing a demon, specifically so he could draw the blood first.
This arrangement suited Mo Hua perfectly.
Demon blood was difficult to obtain, and it didn't fetch many merit points, so most disciples had no use for it.
Mo Hua, however, could take it without any guilt.
And so, Mo Hua continued to create hunting guides.
The disciples who ventured into Refining Beast Mountain followed his guides and advice, and after hunting demons, they would always let Mo Hua draw the blood first, adhering to this unspoken rule.
A hint of disbelief crept into the elder's eyes. He suddenly realized that Mo Hua, despite his young cultivation age and mediocre spiritual root talent, seemed to have inadvertently gained a certain degree of "prestige" among his peers from prestigious families and those with exceptional talent and top-grade spiritual roots.
Furthermore, this prestige wasn't one that placed him above his peers. Instead, it seemed to foster harmony, mutual respect, and equality among them.
Xun Elder had rarely encountered such a situation before. He even found it a bit baffling...
...
As Mo Hua's hunting guides grew in number, disciples from the Tai Xu Sect occupied a large area in the lower-grade demon beast zone outside Refining Beast Mountain.
Occasionally, disciples from other sects would pick fights, but these were minor scuffles that caused little fuss.
With his junior disciples everywhere, Mo Hua occasionally hunted demons, drew their blood, and strolled through the mountains, leading a rather leisurely life.
Whenever he had free time, he would consult with Master Gu about custom spiritual artifacts.
During this short recess, Master Gu made a special trip to Great Void City to meet with Mo Hua.
"Young Master, the set of armor you requested has been refined..." Master Gu said as he handed Mo Hua a storage bag.
"There are two sets of armor inside. I've modified them over a dozen times. Now, they can not only accommodate arrays to function as spiritual artifacts but also be controlled by divine sense, making them a special type of artifact that straddles the line between 'array mediums' and 'spiritual artifacts'," Master Gu explained.
Mo Hua's face lit up with joy as he took out the two sets of armor and examined them carefully.
From the outside, they appeared to be ordinary suits of armor. However, their internal structure held hidden intricacies, just as Master Gu had described, requiring much thought and effort.
"Thank you, Master Gu!" Mo Hua said with a smile.
"You're too kind, Young Master," Master Gu replied with a smile. "In fact, it's I who should be thanking you. If it weren't for your wisdom, exceptional array skills, and help, Solitary Mountain Artifact Refinery would still be struggling to make ends meet..."
Master Gu's words were filled with gratitude, and he continued sincerely, "I don't know when you'll have the time, but I'd like to invite you to Solitary City again so that I can properly express my appreciation and treat you to the best of my ability."
"Solitary City may be poor," Master Gu added with a smile, "but we have some local game that is delicious and can't be found anywhere else."
Mo Hua's eyes lit up, and he nodded eagerly, "That sounds wonderful!"
However, he then expressed his regret, "But Elder Xuanyu won't let me wander around freely these days. I promise to visit when I have the chance."
Master Gu's face beamed with joy, and he bowed, "Then it's a promise!"
"A promise!" Mo Hua agreed.
After bidding Master Gu farewell and returning to the sect, Mo Hua began inscribing the Five Elements Supreme Array, a first-grade array with thirteen lines, onto the Five Elements Source Armor.
Once he finished, Mo Hua went to the Dao Method Room to test it out.
As expected, the power of his Fireball Technique had increased significantly.
However, it was difficult to quantify the exact enhancement.
Moreover, since the Fireball Technique was a low-level spell that didn't require much spiritual power, the improvement wasn't as noticeable.
Mo Hua wanted to test it with his forbidden technique, the Small Meteor Technique.
But he felt that it might be too dangerous.
After all, it was a forbidden technique.
If his spiritual power spiraled out of control due to the amplification of the Five Elements, it could harm him, which would be troublesome.
Even if it didn't injure him, damaging the puppets and arrays in the Dao Method Room wouldn't be good either.
Before entering the sect, he had promised Elder Yi that he wouldn't experiment recklessly or use spells carelessly, and that he would not damage the puppets.
"I should probably test it with Cheng Mo and the others..."
After all, these sets of Five Elements Source Armor were meant for them.
Moreover, Cheng Mo was a body cultivator with robust vital energy. Even if his spiritual power spiraled out of control and backlashed, injuring himself, he would likely recover after resting for ten to fifteen days.
Both the Five Elements Source Array and the Five Elements Source Armor had stable structures, so there was no risk of life-threatening situations.
Especially with Cheng Mo, who had thick skin and a sturdy body, there was little chance of serious injury, making him the perfect "guinea pig."
Mo Hua called Cheng Mo, Si Tu Jian, and a few others, his eyes sparkling with anticipation. "Let's go to Refining Beast Mountain. I want to test something..."
Cheng Mo was puzzled. "What are we testing?"
"You'll see when we get there," Mo Hua said with a mysterious smile.
Cheng Mo looked confused, but he felt that his junior martial brother might be up to something mischievous.
Upon arriving at Refining Beast Mountain, Mo Hua took out two sets of Five Elements Source Armor and, after a moment's thought, handed one set to Cheng Mo and another to Yang Qian Jun.
Being body cultivators, they were the best candidates for testing the armor.
Cheng Mo examined the armor, noting that it was a style he had never seen before, and asked, "Are we hunting a new type of demon beast?"
Mo Hua shook his head. "We're still hunting Azurewood Wolves."
Yang Qian Jun was also puzzled. "But this isn't a jimu armor, is it...?"
Moreover, he had never seen such armor before. Being a dao artifact cultivator, he had some knowledge about armor.
This set of armor, despite its ordinary appearance, had a unique internal structure that differed significantly from any armor he had encountered.
"Jimu armor is meant for defense. This set of armor isn't for that purpose..."
Mo Hua didn't elaborate further but said, "If this armor works as intended, there's no need for defense. We can end the battle in a single round.
Just what was the purpose of this armor...
On the other hand, Xun Ziyou saw Mo Hua and his companions huddled together, whispering and gesturing just like before. Assuming they were discussing their plans for hunting demonic beasts, he didn't pay them much attention.
Soon after, Mo Hua and his group entered Refining Beast Mountain.
Mo Hua spent some time searching for a Azurewood Wolf. Once he found one, he followed his usual routine: tracking, setting traps, and casting formation spells.
The Azurewood Wolf fell into the formation and was severely injured.
As expected, Cheng Mo and the others rushed forward to finish it off.
However, this time, they were not wearing the defensive Yimu armor. Instead, Mo Hua had inscribed the Five Elements Supreme Array, the sect's ultimate formation, onto their armor, now known as the "Five Elements Source Armor."
As Cheng Mo and the others charged towards the wolf, Mo Hua activated his divine sense, instantly communicating with the Five Elements Source Armor and unleashing the power of the Five Elements Source Formation within.
His spiritual consciousness merged with the formation's mystical energy, causing intricate and unusual formation patterns to light up on the armor.
Cheng Mo and Yang Qianjun could vaguely sense that their auras were undergoing some changes as well. Their spiritual power seemed to be stirring restlessly.
But suddenly, everything stopped.
The glow on the armor faded, and the spiritual energy ceased its erratic movements.
"Stop!" Mo Hua shouted crisply.
Cheng Mo and Yang Qianjun, who were in the midst of their charge, were taken aback and turned to look at Mo Hua in confusion.
Frowning, Mo Hua quickly said, "Let's retreat for now."
The others didn't understand.
Mo Hua explained, "There's a big guy coming our way."
Hearing this, the group's hearts skipped a beat, and they immediately extended their spiritual sense, but they couldn't perceive anything.
However, they knew Mo Hua wouldn't be wrong about this.
So, they left the badly wounded Azurewood Wolf and climbed up a nearby tree, scanning their surroundings.
As expected, the demonic energy in the area suddenly intensified.
A huge Boar Demon with a hideous pig head emerged from the bushes. Its eyes glowed crimson, its tusks were menacing, and its saliva dripped with a putrid stench as it fixed its gaze on the Azurewood Wolf.
The expressions of Cheng Mo and the others changed.
Mo Hua also frowned slightly.
"A mid-tier second-grade demonic beast..." he murmured.
Demonic beasts were significantly stronger than cultivators of the same realm. Their vital energy was also several times denser.
Moreover, the demonic beasts in Refining Beast Mountain, due to their unique and rare bloodlines, were generally stronger than those in Great Black Mountain.
The sect's disciples were not proficient in demon hunting.
Therefore, they usually hunted in groups of five, targeting demonic beasts one realm lower than their own.
For example, Mo Hua and his four companions, who were at the mid-stage of the Foundation Establishment, hunted the Azurewood Wolf, a low-tier second-grade demonic beast.
This approach ensured both safety and success.
Furthermore, without Mo Hua's detailed "guide," it would have been extremely difficult for these five mid-stage Foundation Establishment disciples, lacking in experience, to successfully hunt a low-tier second-grade demonic beast, let alone a mid-tier one.
The risk was simply too high.
So, Mo Hua had initially planned to test the Five Elements Source Armor on a low-tier second-grade Azurewood Wolf. This way, even if the armor failed to enhance their power, they wouldn't be in mortal danger.
But a mid-tier second-grade demonic beast was an entirely different story.
Even though it was only one level higher, its strength was on a whole different level.
Mo Hua's expression turned solemn.
Si Tu Jian lowered his voice and asked, "Little Martial Brother, what should we do now?"
Mo Hua glanced at the Boar Demon, its demonic energy surging and its appearance repulsive. He shook his head and whispered, "Let's retreat for now."
Engaging this mid-tier second-grade Boar Demon would be too risky.
The Boar Demon seemed to have been attracted by the Azurewood Wolf's blood and wanted to devour it. As a result, it hadn't noticed Mo Hua and his companions.
At that moment, it was locked in a vicious battle with the Azurewood Wolf, which was already no match for the demon and was further weakened by Mo Hua's formation.
The Boar Demon bit and tore at the Azurewood Wolf, sucking its blood and chewing its flesh.
Seizing the opportunity, Mo Hua made a swift decision.
"Let's go!" he urged.
Cheng Mo and the others nodded and quietly followed Mo Hua, retreating from their perch in the tree.
Seeing that Mo Hua's group intended to leave, Elder Xun, who had been secretly observing from a distance, nodded slightly in approval.
"Knowing when to advance and when to retreat, not taking unnecessary risks... Good," he thought to himself.
Mo Hua's judgment and decisiveness ensured a swift withdrawal from the area.
The massive Boar Demon was left alone, greedily devouring the Azurewood Wolf, flesh and bone, until nothing remained.
Greedy by nature, the Boar Demon ate quickly.
Even after finishing its meal, it still seemed unsatisfied.
Its ugly pig snout sniffed the air, and its crimson pupils narrowed.
It had caught the scent of fresh human flesh.
The Boar Demon's eyes turned cold and cruel, and it licked its lips with its pig-like tongue. Slowly rising to its feet, it let out a piercing shrill cry. Demonic energy surged around it, entwined with black and red filthy aura, as it charged in the direction Mo Hua and his companions had fled, lured by the tantalizing scent of their fresh blood...
(End of Chapter)
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