Inquiries About Longevity Chapter 755: The Divine Dao Forest - Novel Cool

Chapter 755: The Divine Dao Forest

Chapter 755: The Divine Dao Forest

(Thank you to Alliance Leader, Heaven's Blundering Cat!)

In the vast and ancient sect of Tai Xu Men, Mo Hua quietly awaited Elder Xu while tending to his cultivation and lessons. It was only reasonable for Elder Xu, the duty elder of Lian Yao Mountain, to seek him out regarding the matter of the demon cultivator. After all, Elder Song, to whom Mo Hua had reported the issue, would have informed Elder Xu.

Given the circumstances and logic, Elder Xu should have come to question him about the specifics of the situation. The matter of the demon cultivator was no small issue, especially within Lian Yao Mountain. Yet, Mo Hua waited for a long time without any sign of the elder. It seemed like the entire sect was treating the matter nonchalantly, and Elder Xu hadn't approached him at all.

Mo Hua stroked his chin thoughtfully. The elder's inaction suggested two possibilities. The first was that Elder Xu was a slacker, negligent in his duties, and indifferent to the affairs of Lian Yao Mountain, merely going through the motions. However, this seemed unlikely.

The matter of the demon cultivator was grave, and even if Elder Xu was neglectful, he wouldn't be unaware of the severity of the problem. Moreover, he shared the surname 'Xu' and was a junior of the esteemed Elder Xu. Given Elder Xu's strict character, if this Elder Xu was truly so lackadaisical, he wouldn't even qualify to be a sect elder.

That left the second possibility: Elder Xu already knew about the demon cultivator. Perhaps he had been watching from the sidelines all along. Since he was already informed, there was no need for him to question Mo Hua further. To some extent, this validated Mo Hua's suspicions.

Mo Hua's eyes flickered with a gleam, and his thoughts began to wander...

...

At the mountain gate hall of Lian Yao Mountain, it was once again the time for the periodic break, when disciples from various peaks would enter the mountain to hunt demons. Xu Ziyu had also arrived early for his duty shift.

According to custom, after an hour, Mo Hua would arrive at the mountain gate, either alone or in a group, and leisurely enter the mountain. Once inside, they would hunt demons, practice their sword skills, or dabble in some peculiar endeavors.

Before that, Xu Ziyu had some time to brew a pot of tea, admire the mountain scenery, and read the gazette issued by the Dao Court, catching up on the latest news from the barbaric frontier wars.

As Xu Ziyu entered the mountain gate, he prepared a cup of tea and sat down. But as he glanced out the window, his hand trembled, and the tea spilled all over the floor. There was a handsome head hanging outside the window, and Mo Hua was perched on the windowsill, his eyes fixed intently on Xu Ziyu.

Xu Ziyu took a deep breath and felt his eyelids twitching. "What are you doing here so early in the morning, child?" he asked, slightly annoyed.

He had been in a relaxed mood, brewing tea, and hadn't expected to find Mo Hua lurking at the window.

Mo Hua propped his hands on the windowsill and said earnestly, "Elder Xu, I have something very important to tell you!"

Xu Ziyu was taken aback for a moment before he sighed softly and waved his hand. "Come in."

Mo Hua jumped down from the windowsill and entered the room. "Would you like some tea?" Xu Ziyu asked.

Mo Hua nodded.

"Have a seat then," Xu Ziyu said as he personally poured a cup of tea for Mo Hua. "Now, what's this important matter?"

Mo Hua took a sip of the tea, finding it delicious but a bit too hot, so he put down the cup and said solemnly, "Elder Xu, there's a dangerous demon cultivator in Lian Yao Mountain!"

Xu Ziyu was stunned. So, that was what all the fuss was about.

"Oh," he replied lightly.

"Elder, do you already know about this?" Mo Hua asked, his eyes shining with a piercing gaze as he studied Xu Ziyu's expression.

For some reason, Xu Ziyu felt a tinge of unease under Mo Hua's intense stare, and he subconsciously replied, "Not yet..."

"But," Mo Hua's eyes lit up, "didn't Elder Song tell you about it?"

Xu Ziyu was caught off guard for a moment. Oh no, he had forgotten about this...

Elder Song had indeed mentioned it to him. However, he had already been well aware of the situation, so he had merely brushed it off and hadn't paid much attention to it. But now, his responses were contradictory.

He couldn't reveal that he had been tailing Mo Hua, so he shouldn't have known about the demon cultivator. Yet, Elder Song had briefly brought it up, implying that he "should" have been informed.

Xu Ziyu felt a headache coming on. He was trapped in a bind of his own making. "Elder Song did mention it," he said, his expression turning solemn, "but this matter is rather dangerous, and it's not something you disciples should be concerned about, so we didn't inform you."

Xu Ziyu glanced up at the sky, "The time is getting late. You should head into the mountain soon and return early..."

He wanted to send Mo Hua on his way as soon as possible.

"Mhm," Mo Hua nodded, finishing the tea in his cup before getting up to leave.

Xu Ziyu breathed a sigh of relief. This child was like a little "old fox." Talking to him always made him feel like he had to walk on eggshells.

However, he had managed to muddle through this encounter. Xu Ziyu thought to himself.

But just as Mo Hua had walked halfway out, he turned back, his eyes deep in thought, and looked at Xu Ziyu contemplatively.

Xu Ziyu's heart tightened, "What now?"

Mo Hua paused for a moment, then asked, "Elder Xu, that demon cultivator has hidden itself in a forest. I'm going to take a look later. Would you like to come with me?"

Xu Ziyu's eyelids twitched, and after a moment of hesitation, he finally sighed. "Alright."

This kid was full of tricks, and if he really wanted to go, Xu Ziyu wouldn't be able to stop him. It was better to accompany him and ensure his safety.

Moreover, Mo Hua had formally invited him. Xu Ziyu's presence on this trip was in his capacity as "Elder Xu," investigating the matter of the demon cultivator, rather than as a secret "bodyguard." Therefore, it didn't count as a breach of secrecy and wasn't against the ancestor's instructions.

Xu Ziyu justified his decision to himself.

"Elder Xu, let's go then," Mo Hua said, striding forward confidently.

Xu Ziyu followed behind, his eyes fixed on Mo Hua's carefree figure, and his heart was filled with confusion once more. Could this child have guessed his identity?

No, that couldn't be... Xu Ziyu furrowed his brows in contemplation.

...

Deep within Lian Yao Mountain, Mo Hua led the way, and after about half an hour, they arrived at the dense forest. With his "bodyguard" by his side, Mo Hua felt more confident.

Xu Ziyu pretended to be concerned and asked, "Did that demon cultivator really hide in this forest?"

Mo Hua silently watched him.

Xu Ziyu felt awkward under Mo Hua's gaze and sighed inwardly. Forget it...

"Can you find that demon cultivator?" Xu Ziyu asked.

Mo Hua shook his head, "Not yet."

His eyes scanned the dense forest, taking in the lush greenery, "There's an array in this forest. We need to restore the array and study it first before we can find a way into the depths of the forest and locate that demon cultivator."

Xu Ziyu asked, "Do you know what kind of array is laid out in these woods?"

Mo Hua nodded, "It's a special type of Divine Dao Array that transforms divine sense through the underlying array patterns, aiming to restrain, seal, and suppress the power of divine consciousness..."

Xu Ziyu's face was filled with confusion.

Divine Dao Array?

In the existing Yin-Yang, Three Talents, Four Symbols, Five Elements, Six Yao, Seven Stars, and Eight Trigrams array system, where was there room for a "Divine Dao" array? While he wasn't an expert in arrays, that didn't mean he was completely ignorant on the subject.

Furthermore, his grandmaster was one of the top-notch Five-Star Array Masters in Tai Xu Men, a rarity even in the entire Qian Xuezhou realm.

Growing up under his grandmaster's wing, even if he hadn't eaten pork, he had at least seen pigs running.

Even if he couldn't draw arrays himself, he still had some knowledge about their origins.

But in his cultivation journey so far, he had never heard of the term "Divine Dao Array."

Not even his grandmaster had ever mentioned it.

Xu Ziyu looked at Mo Hua, who was explaining things earnestly, and he almost believed that this little disciple at the Foundation Establishment stage was pulling his leg...

As Mo Hua spoke, he looked up at Xu Ziyu and noticed the strange expression on his face. Realizing something, he asked, "Elder Xu, do you know about the Divine Dao Array?"

Xu Ziyu was stumped.

He hesitated inwardly for a moment, then coughed lightly and nodded casually, "I've heard a little about it..."

Mo Hua nodded, impressed, "As expected of Elder Xu, your knowledge is vast."

Xu Ziyu couldn't feel happy about it at all.

Here he was, a late Golden Core stage elder, and he had to resort to telling a little white lie to save face in front of his disciple.

Mo Hua, unaware of Xu Ziyu's thoughts, continued, "I don't know the specifics of this Divine Dao Array yet. We'll have to find the location where the array was set up within these woods, transcribe the array patterns, and then study them..."

Xu Ziyu's heart stirred as he listened.

This was probably what a "professional" array master would do...

Xu Ziyu nodded, "Alright, I'll accompany you inside. You just focus on finding the array, and don't worry about anything else."

Mo Hua smiled brightly, "Thank you, Elder Xu!"

Having a late Golden Core stage elder as his "bodyguard" made him feel much safer, and he could now openly "harvest" his spoils!

Mo Hua took a step forward and entered the woods.

Xu Ziyu followed behind.

The two of them wandered around for about half an hour, but Mo Hua's brows gradually furrowed.

"I can't find it..."

According to his perception, the Divine Dao Array was everywhere in these woods, yet after searching for so long, he couldn't find a single array medium.

Not only Mo Hua, but Xu Ziyu was also puzzled.

There was supposed to be an array, but where was it?

The entire woods seemed empty, and his divine sense detected nothing.

Xu Ziyu turned his gaze to Mo Hua, about to say something, when he saw Mo Hua pause and turn toward a large tree, deep in thought.

Xu Ziyu also walked closer to examine the tree.

It was a second-grade ancient tree, with a lifespan of several hundred years. Its bark was mottled, its branches reaching high into the sky, and its trunk was so thick that it would take five people to encircle it with their arms outstretched.

"Is there something wrong with this tree?"

"Yes." Mo Hua nodded, his expression determined, "If I'm not mistaken, the array is hidden within this tree, and it's not hidden in an ordinary way."

If it were an ordinary concealment, with his experience, he would have discovered it by now.

Mo Hua pondered, "It's possible... that these arrays were inscribed on the tree when it was still young. As time passed and the tree grew, the array merged with the tree, and their auras became one, making it impossible for others to detect."

Xu Ziyu was secretly astonished.

Could there be such a meticulous method of array deployment?

For it to reach this level, how could Mo Hua, this young child, possibly see through it?

And...

Xu Ziyu's gaze sharpened.

If what Mo Hua said was true, it meant that someone had started setting up these arrays in this Refining Demon Mountain hundreds of years ago.

Mo Hua seemed to have thought of this as well, and he asked, "Elder Xu, can you tell how old these trees are?"

He himself had never planted trees, so he wasn't sure.

But Elder Xu was an elder of Refining Demon Mountain, so he should know more about it.

Xu Ziyu looked at the towering tree in front of him and thought for a moment, "It seems to be about four to five hundred years old..."

"Four to five hundred years..." Mo Hua frowned.

That was quite a long time.

Seeing Mo Hua's knitted brows, Xu Ziyu asked, "Is there something you want to say?"

Mo Hua thought for a moment and nodded, "Four to five hundred years ago, someone must have started planning and laying out the Divine Dao Arrays in this mountain forest, providing a hiding place for demon cultivators while concealing their tracks."

"But I don't understand why they went through all this trouble..."

Xu Ziyu's expression turned solemn as he sank into his thoughts.

Mo Hua glanced at Xu Ziyu, knowing that he could only hint at this point.

There were some things that he couldn't say explicitly.

Xu Ziyu also silently noted this matter in his heart, intending to investigate it thoroughly after returning.

However, the immediate priority was the so-called "Divine Dao Array" that Mo Hua had mentioned.

Xu Ziyu asked Mo Hua, "Do you want me to chop down the tree so you can examine the array inside?"

"No need," Mo Hua replied, "That would create too much noise, and this mountain forest's array might use divine sense as its eyes and the trees as its pivot, with each part responding to the others. Cutting down the tree might affect the flow of divine sense and alert the array's core, scaring away the snake while trying to hit its grass."

"There's also a possibility that the trees, as array media, have fused with the array, becoming one entity. If the tree is cut, the array inside might become ineffective as well..."

Xu Ziyu nodded slightly, only partially understanding.

Mo Hua's explanation was a bit profound, and he couldn't quite grasp all of it.

In any case, the tree couldn't be cut down.

"So, what will you do now?" Xu Ziyu asked.

If they couldn't cut down the tree to see the array patterns, how could they learn the array?

"I just need to take a look," Mo Hua replied.

"Take a look?"

Xu Ziyu was taken aback.

How could one just "take a look"? As Xu Ziyu was perplexed, he saw Mo Hua sit cross-legged, take out paper and brush, and stare intently at the large tree.

At the same time, Mo Hua's body exuded an aura that was both bizarre and profound.

It was completely different from the impression he had given before.

Xu Ziyu's pupils contracted slightly.

This aura...

Elder Xu was also considered an "insider," so Mo Hua didn't hold back on displaying some of his abilities.

Of course, Elder Xu wasn't an array master, nor did he cultivate the path of divine sense, so even if Mo Hua used some divine sense techniques, Elder Xu probably wouldn't be able to see through them.

Layer upon layer of barriers obscured them.

Mo Hua gradually deduced and probed, his divine sense seeping in layer by layer.

Finally, after an unknown amount of time, Mo Hua perceived some faint white auras.

These auras were not the spiritual energy of plants and trees, nor the spiritual power of arrays, but the auras of divine consciousness.

However, these divine consciousness auras were a faint white, mist-like form, indicating they belonged to ordinary cultivators and had not undergone a qualitative change.

Moreover, although these divine consciousness auras appeared white, they emanated a cold and eerie aura.

It was clear that the cultivators who had drawn these arrays were not ordinary people.

Furthermore, there was even a faint trace of the aura of the Great Desolate Demon God within them.

This trace was extremely subtle, almost imperceptible.

If not for Mo Hua's extensive encounters with the Great Desolate Demon God, consuming its essence, devouring its divine remains, consuming its incarnations, and swallowing a significant amount of its marrow, he would not have been able to detect it.

"As expected... On the surface, there is no trace of the Great Desolate Demon God, but in the shadows, its presence is everywhere..."

Mo Hua sighed softly in his heart.

Then, he calmed his mind, beginning to deduce and record the array patterns simultaneously.

Xun Zi You stood silently behind him, keeping a vigilant eye on the surrounding mountains and forests, watching for any signs of demonic cultivators or dangerous beasts that might threaten Mo Hua's safety.

At the same time, he also stole glances with his peripheral vision, curious about what Mo Hua was recording.

However, it didn't take long for him to realize that he couldn't understand what was being written...

This was an extremely unconventional set of array patterns, unlike anything he had ever seen before in any known array system.

Each stroke and line formed a coherent and complete array logic.

Yet, looking at them, he was completely baffled.

Xun Zi You felt a sense of relief in his heart.

It was fortunate that he hadn't stubbornly pursued the path of an array master at the beginning of his cultivation journey, heeding the instructions of his ancestor to become an array master.

Otherwise, if he had studied arrays all this time only to discover that he couldn't understand the array drawn by a second-rate little array master, his confidence would have surely crumbled.

Xun Zi You sighed and glanced deeply at Mo Hua before putting aside his curiosity and focusing solely on maintaining vigilance against potential dangers in the surroundings.

Previously, he had thought that his ancestor was overreacting by asking him, a late Golden Core stage cultivator, to secretly watch over a mere Foundation Establishment stage junior.

Now, witnessing Mo Hua's extraordinary talent in arrays, he realized that it was already considerate of his ancestor not to send a Nascent Soul stage cultivator for protection...

After an incense stick's worth of time had passed, Mo Hua finished recording the divine consciousness array on one tree and stood up, saying, "Let's go further ahead."

Xun Zi You scanned the surroundings and nodded in agreement.

Mo Hua walked ahead, looking left and right before finding another large tree. He sat down and began to deduce and record the array patterns once more.

Xun Zi You remained by his side, ever vigilant.

They continued like this for an entire day, and Mo Hua filled stack after stack of papers with array patterns.

Throughout this process, the area remained calm, with no demonic cultivators or other dangers appearing.

As the sun set and night approached, Xun Zi You suggested, "Let's head back."

"Alright," Mo Hua agreed.

Before fully unraveling the secrets of this dense forest, it was best not to stay overnight within its confines.

The two of them began their journey back.

Xun Zi You accompanied Mo Hua all the way to the mountain gate, bidding him farewell, "I'll remain in the mountains for a while longer. You should return to the sect on your own, and be careful on the way."

"Mhm," Mo Hua nodded.

Xun Zi You paused for a moment, then added, "Tomorrow is still a periodic break. If you want to come back to the mountains to copy the array patterns, remember to find me, and I'll bring you in."

Mo Hua's eyes lit up, and he smiled, "Thank you, Elder Xun!"

Elder Xun nodded slightly.

After that, Mo Hua left Refining Demon Mountain and made his way back to Tai Xu Men.

As he walked, Mo Hua's heart was filled with anticipation.

He looked forward to returning to the sect and categorizing and studying the thick stack of divine consciousness array patterns he had transcribed, hoping to reconstruct the complete divine consciousness array hidden within the depths of the forest.

Moreover, this divine consciousness array was clearly far more advanced than the one he had obtained in the small fishing village.

If his speculation was correct, this divine consciousness array would be of great use to him!

A smile played at the corners of Mo Hua's mouth, and his steps were light and brisk. However, before he even reached Tai Xu Men, he ran into a familiar face on the road.

It was Ouyang Mu.

Accompanying Ouyang Mu was another disciple of Tai Ah Men, a senior disciple with a tall and slender build and a long face.

Mo Hua greeted them, "Little Wood."

Upon hearing his voice, Ouyang Mu turned around and, seeing Mo Hua, his face lit up, and he quickly returned the greeting, "Brother Mo."

The tall and slender disciple from Tai Ah Men, standing beside Ouyang Mu, looked at them with a curious expression.

Mo Hua walked closer, and Ouyang Mu introduced him, "This is our Tai Ah Men's Ma Shi Xiang. He's a senior disciple, from the same batch as my brother."

Only then did Mo Hua recall that he had met this "Ma Shi Xiang" from Tai Ah Men when he had first entered Refining Demon Mountain and encountered Feng Shi Xiong.

Mo Hua greeted him with the usual courtesy, and Ma Shi Xiang returned the greeting.

"Brother Ma brought me some cultivation resources, spiritual artifacts, and jade slips on behalf of my brother..." Ouyang Mu explained with a smile.

Despite having such an outstanding brother, Ouyang Mu constantly lived in his shadow, facing immense pressure and receiving cold treatment from others.

However, he still held great respect and admiration for his brother.

Ouyang Mu had also just returned from Refining Demon Mountain and was on his way back to the sect, so their paths coincided.

Mo Hua walked with them for a while, chatting about trivial matters regarding Refining Demon Mountain.

Ma Shi Xiang, on the other hand, remained mostly silent, his eyes holding a hint of wariness.

When they reached a crossroads, Mo Hua bade them farewell.

Ouyang Mu and Ma Shi Xiang continued on their way back to Tai Ah Men.

Mo Hua, on the other hand, entered Tai Xu Men.

However, as soon as he stepped through the mountain gate, Mo Hua's expression gradually turned solemn, and his eyes carried a hint of gravity.

He had just sensed a faint trace of...

the aura of the Demon God on that "Ma Shi Xiang."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end

Report