Chapter 763: Imprisoned
Chapter 763: Imprisoned
Yuan Magnet "signals" improved slightly, and Mo Hua received Elder Xun's message.
However, due to the enclosed valley, the magnetic ink was a bit distorted.
Xun Ziyou: "The numerous inner sect elders of my Tai Xu Gate and Chong Xu Gate have already taken up positions in the dense forest..."
The latter part of the message was a bit faint, but the words were still discernible.
"Once something unexpected happens, we will all take action together, launch a fierce attack on the Many Demons Valley, and rescue you."
If the situation becomes dire, the ancestor will also intervene...
Of course, Xun Ziyou did not voice this thought.
Unless absolutely necessary, it was best not to trouble the ancestor.
The Void Sword Token should be used sparingly.
The old ancestor's intervention in the fifth-grade Qian Xue Province, with his cultivation at the peak of Dong Xu, would be a major event and would cause a stir among the various sects.
Moreover, this was at Mount Lian Yao, where ascension was forbidden.
If the Dong Xu ancestor forcibly entered, he would undoubtedly destroy the mountain-sealing formation and violate the prohibition of the Qian Xue Province. The ensuing trouble would be overwhelming, and the aftermath would be difficult to manage.
Mo Hua was unaware that Elder Xun had given the Void Sword Token. He only knew that there were a bunch of inner sect elders outside, and this knowledge alone brought him great peace of mind.
To be an elder in the inner sect of Tai Xu Gate, one of the Eight Great Gates, was an impressive feat.
Such a Golden Core cultivator would be revered as a venerable ancestor in any third-grade family.
However, even so, they couldn't afford to let them attack recklessly...
Some things were unrelated to cultivation.
Mo Hua cautioned:
"Unless the Many Demons Valley opens and the White Bone Dao appears, do not approach it lightly..."
"Especially near the Blood Creek outside and on the White Bone Beach."
"There are evil formations inside, nurturing all kinds of demons, which can pollute one's divine sense and drive people insane."
Mo Hua had witnessed this firsthand.
On their way here, he had tampered with the chains binding the Black Bear Demon in order to sneak into the coffin.
Freed from its restraints, the Black Bear Demon went berserk and, in its frenzied charge, knocked a demon cultivator down into the Blood Creek below the White Bone passage.
Mo Hua had seen with his own eyes how numerous deformed demons had emerged from the creek, extending their white bone demon hands to scoop out the cultivator's brains.
That demon cultivator had gone insane and was subsequently killed by the others.
This White Bone Beach was somewhat reminiscent of the "Blood Leech Road" in the fishing village, both relying on "demons" for defense against outsiders and guarding their secrets.
Unfortunately, he hadn't had the chance to study it before entering the Many Demons Valley.
Otherwise, with so many demons, he might have been able to feast on them first.
Mo Hua thought to himself.
Xun Ziyou found Mo Hua's words a bit mysterious.
Especially the mention of "demons," which he had heard of but never seen with his own eyes, leaving him somewhat skeptical.
However, Mo Hua didn't seem to be lying.
And in this situation, it was indeed unwise to approach the Many Demons Valley rashly.
Xun Ziyou inquired about the situation of Ling Huxiao and Xiao Mutou, learning that they were locked in a cage and temporarily safe, which eased his tension a little.
The elder of the Chong Xu Gate, Shangguan Xuan, standing by his side, also breathed a sigh of relief.
Xun Ziyou thought for a moment, his expression solemn, and then sent a message:
"Mo Hua, from now on, except when you're sleeping, send me a heavenly stem-earthly branch count every hour."
"If there's an hour when I don't receive your heavenly stem-earthly branch count..."
Xun Ziyou's eyes turned cold, "No matter what, we will storm in!"
Whether it was demons or evil spirits, they couldn't be bothered with at that point.
Even if it meant incinerating Blood Creek and crushing the white bones to dust, they would charge in and raze the Many Demons Valley to the ground!
Mo Hua was deeply touched.
Elder Xun and the sect truly cared for him.
At the same time, he silently prayed:
"It's best if the 'yuan magnetic signal' in the Many Demons Valley behaves. If the yuan magnetism weakens and the signal is poor, and my count isn't sent out, the entire valley will be in big trouble."
"Mmhmm."
Mo Hua nodded and immediately sent a "Ji Zi" count.
From then on, every hour, except when he was sleeping, he would send a heavenly stem-earthly branch count to Elder Xun.
After sending the count, Mo Hua suddenly had another doubt and asked Xun Ziyou:
"Elder Xun, how were Ling Huxiao and Xiao Mutou captured?"
At this time, it wasn't a 'xun xiu' period, so they should have been cultivating properly in the sect. How did they end up captured and brought to Mount Lian Yao?
Xun Ziyou replied:
"Regarding Ouyang Mu's matter, which involves the Tai He Gate, the details are not yet clear."
"But for Ling Huxiao... the Chong Xu Gate investigated and found that someone delivered a letter to her. After reading it, she became anxious and came to Mount Lian Yao alone..."
"After Elder Shangguan from the Chong Xu Gate found out..."
"Elder Shangguan?" Mo Hua was taken aback, "From the Shangguan family?"
"Yes," Xun Ziyou said, "His name is Shangguan Xuan Jian, a direct descendant of the Shangguan family, now serving as an elder in the Chong Xu Gate."
Shangguan Xuan Jian...
Mo Hua nodded slowly, committing the name to memory.
Xun Ziyou continued: "...After Elder Shangguan learned of this, it was already too late. He rushed to Mount Lian Yao immediately, but as soon as he entered, he was ambushed by a Golden Core Demon Cultivator."
"Elder Shangguan unleashed the Chong Xu Sword Qi and sliced off one of the demon cultivator's arms, causing them to flee."
"Elder Shangguan didn't have time to pursue and continued his rescue mission, but not long after, he was besieged by two Golden Core Demon Cultivators..."
Mo Hua asked, "Were they the two demon cultivator elders who escaped from the Many Demons Valley?"
"Yes," Xun Ziyou sighed.
Elder Shangguan had defeated one Golden Core Demon Cultivator and was then besieged by the other two. If the reinforcements hadn't arrived in time, the outcome might have been tragic.
Perhaps their plot was of utmost importance, and they believed that even killing an elder of the Chong Xu Gate would not matter.
Xun Ziyou frowned, deep in thought.
Mo Hua nodded slightly, but his mind stirred with a sudden realization.
Within the Many Demons Valley, there were a total of three Golden Core demon cultivator elders.
One of them had his arm severed by Elder Shangguan of the Chong Xu Gate.
The other two were also held back by Elder Xun and dared not return to the valley.
Could it be that at this moment, inside the entire Many Demons Valley... there wasn't a single Golden Core cultivator left?
Mo Hua was shocked by this thought.
No wonder, when he used the heavenly mechanism to calculate their fortunes with copper coins, the result was "great fortune."
Turns out, this Many Demons Valley was all show and no substance.
Mo Hua narrowed his eyes slightly.
In this vast valley filled with countless demon cultivators, with the absence of any Golden Core cultivators, he could do as he pleased without fear of repercussions... right?
Then he paused and shook his head.
He must not let this newfound knowledge inflate his ego. Caution was still necessary.
Even in the face of such a large number of demon cultivators in the valley, he should still show them the respect they believed they deserved.
However, now that he knew there were no Golden Core cultivators present, he could afford to be just a little bolder.
Mo Hua had a general idea of what to do next.
He nodded and sent a message to Elder Xun:
"Elder Xun, rest assured."
"I'll quietly scout the situation first..."
Although Xun Ziyou was reluctant to let Mo Hua act recklessly, the situation had already reached this point, and Mo Hua was the only "inside man" they had in the Many Demons Valley. If Mo Hua did nothing, the stalemate would continue.
"Be careful, and remember to send me the heavenly stem-earthly branch count on time," Xun Ziyou repeated solemnly.
"Yes, yes," Mo Hua nodded in agreement.
After their conversation ended, Mo Hua put away the Void Token and began to contemplate the current situation.
First, he had to rescue Xiao Mutou and Ling Huxiao.
After all, in a sense, these two were his "partners in crime"!
Of course, Ling Huxiao didn't quite count yet.
He was rather proud and aloof.
But Xiao Mutou sincerely addressed him as "Brother Mo" and even forged a sword for him. He had to rescue Xiao Mutou no matter what.
As for Song Jian, well, good luck to him...
"But how do I rescue them?"
Mo Hua looked down.
They were in a spacious prison carved out of bloodstone, with several separate cells.
Xiao Mutou and the other two were each locked in their own cell.
Apart from them, there were no other prisoners or demon cultivators in the prison.
"They must be given special treatment and kept in solitary confinement because of their unique identities," Mo Hua mused.
The prison was made of a special kind of refined iron engraved with intricate arrays, and there were demon cultivators guarding the outside, making it highly secure.
However, intricate arrays were nothing new to Mo Hua.
As for the demon cultivator guards, there were ways to deal with them as well.
Even if he broke the arrays and unlocked the doors, finding a way to kill the guards outside, it would still be impossible to rescue Xiao Mutou and the others.
The interior of the Many Demons Valley was complex and strictly guarded.
Outside the prison, there were countless more demon cultivators.
Not to mention himself and the others, who were only at the mid-foundation stage, even a Golden Core cultivator would find it difficult to charge out of here.
Moreover, the main gate of the Many Demons Valley was closed.
From the current situation, not even a mosquito could fly out, let alone several humans.
Mo Hua sighed softly.
It seemed that they would have to bide their time and plan carefully.
Inside the cells, Xiao Mutou and the other two were still unconscious.
The idiot Song Jian was even drooling, completely oblivious to his predicament.
Mo Hua shook his head.
He decided to go outside and scout the situation first.
Although the prison seemed tightly secured, it was ultimately carved out of a cave, with rugged stone pillars and uneven walls.
Mo Hua, invisible, climbed along the walls like a large cat, using his hands and feet to navigate the rocky surface.
Soon, he reached the roof and continued crawling outside.
But this "cat" was invisible.
Whenever he encountered an array, Mo Hua casually dismantled it.
The Many Demons Valley was vast, so the arrays in this remote area were not of a high grade or overly complex; otherwise, the cost would be too high.
After dismantling the arrays and reaching the outside, Mo Hua narrowed his eyes.
On his way here, he had hidden inside the coffin and couldn't see anything. Now, he realized that he was in a massive demon beast prison.
The prison that held Xiao Mutou and the others was just one section of this larger prison.
This prison was carved from the mountain itself, with jagged stones, thick demonic energy, and a pervasive blood-red hue. Countless demon beasts were imprisoned here, bound by chains and sealed by arrays, each confined to their own cell.
In addition to the demon beasts, there were also demon cultivators incarcerated within the prison.
From time to time, painful groans could be heard coming from the cells, indicating the presence of punished demon cultivators. Some had poison needles embedded in their bodies, others were branded with hot irons, and some endured the torture of knives and axes.
The variety of torture devices was astonishing.
"I wonder which is more painful, these torture devices or my 'array punishment board'..." Mo Hua thought to himself.
Then, he recalled a message he had reconstructed from the transmission token:
"...If you dare to escape, you will be sacrificed to the Refining Demon Chart, suffering the agony of being devoured by countless demons, your soul and body annihilated..."
Was this Refining Demon Chart also considered a form of punishment? Mo Hua was curious.
"I wonder where this Refining Demon Chart is..."
He had been hungry for a long time and was quite interested in experiencing the "agony of being devoured by countless demons." He wanted to see what kind of demons were sealed within the chart.
The entire Demon Beast Prison was enormous, with demon cultivators patrolling occasionally.
The entire Many Demons Valley was guarded by intricate arrays, but the Great Prison here was separated into multiple smaller jails, each with its own independent formations.
In a short period, Mo Hua couldn't easily deduce the layout of the valley's formations from this isolated section.
"This is troublesome..." Mo Hua sighed inwardly.
He had no choice but to retrace his steps and return to the original prison.
Inside the jail, Xiao Mutou and Ling Huxiao had regained consciousness.
However, they looked dazed, evidently unsure of what had happened or their current location.
Xiao Mutou looked at Ling Huxiao and asked, his face pale, "Ling Hu Xiao, where are we?"
Ling Huxiao shook his head, "I don't know either."
His expression remained cold, but there was a hint of panic in his eyes, which he tried to conceal.
He asked, "Xiao Mu Tou, do you remember anything?"
Ouyang Mu honestly shook his head, "I don't remember anything. I only recall cultivating in the sect, forging a sword, eating a meal, and then taking a nap in my quarters. When I woke up, I found myself here..."
Ling Huxiao frowned.
"Ling Hu Xiao, how did you end up here?" Ouyang Mu asked.
Ling Huxiao pondered for a moment and sighed softly, "Someone gave me a letter saying that you had gone into Lian Yao Mountain alone to forge a spare spirit sword for me, and then you went missing..."
"I was suspicious, but I wanted to verify it, so I went into Lian Yao Mountain to take a look. But as soon as I entered, I encountered several demon cultivators..."
"I... couldn't defeat them."
Ling Huxiao's voice held a hint of bitterness as he continued, "In the end, they captured me, and when I woke up, I was here."
"I'm sorry... It's my fault that you were deceived, Ling Hu Xiao," Ouyang Mu said.
Ling Huxiao shook his head, "It's my own fault for being foolish. It has nothing to do with you."
"But I wonder..." Ling Huxiao furrowed his brows, "Why did these demon cultivators capture the two of us?"
He had thought that his capture was due to bad luck. Now, he suspected that someone had plotted to capture him and Mu Tou as "hostages."
"It's not just the two of us," Ouyang Mu said.
Ling Huxiao was taken aback.
Ouyang Mu pointed to the neighboring cell, "It seems like there's one more person."
That was when Song Jian finally woke up.
As he opened his eyes and looked around, he angrily demanded, "Who dares to ambush me? How dare you bring me to this shabby and smelly place?"
"Don't you know who I am?"
"I am the illustrious Song of Duan Jin Gate..."
Before he could finish, he noticed Ouyang Mu and Ling Huxiao beside him.
Song Jian frowned, "Who are you two?"
As he spent most of his time with his lackeys in the Duan Jin Gate, he neither remembered nor cared about disciples from other sects.
Therefore, he did not recognize Ouyang Mu and Ling Huxiao.
However, there was one disciple from another sect whom he would never forget—the one with whom he had a grudge over a sword, a deep hatred that would never be resolved—Mo Hua.
Even if Mo Hua turned to ash, Song Jian would recognize him.
"I, I am..." Ouyang Mu started to explain.
Before he could finish, Ling Huxiao interrupted, his eyes turning cold as he glared at Song Jian, "You're the scum from Duan Jin Gate?"
Ling Huxiao had encountered cultivators from Duan Jin Gate in Lian Yao Mountain, who had taken away many of the demon beasts he had captured. Thus, he held a grudge against them.
Upon hearing the word "scum," Song Jian's anger flared:
"Who are you, daring to look down on my Duan Jin Gate?!"
Ling Huxiao coldly huffed, "From top to bottom, there isn't a single decent person in your Duan Jin Gate. Calling you scum is giving you too much credit!"
Song Jian gritted his teeth, "Fine, fine. If I had my sword with me..."
As soon as he mentioned his sword, his heart ached again.
It wasn't that he didn't have his sword with him; it had been taken and destroyed by that despicable villain!
Song Jian took a deep breath, suppressing his anger as he continued, "If I had my sword, I would surely let you taste the power of my Duan Jin Sword Manual!"
"Duan Jin Sword Manual?" Ling Huxiao let out a cold laugh, his expression filled with disdain, "It's just a mediocre sword technique. There have been at least eighteen cultivators from your Duan Jin Gate who have fallen to my blade."
Song Jian was taken aback.
This young man was so strong? Who was he? Was he bluffing...?
Anyone could make empty boasts.
In his youthful arrogance, Song Jian refused to admit defeat and retorted boastfully, "Bold words! I alone could take on ten of you!"
Instead of getting angry, Ling Huxiao's expression turned calm, and he said with a cold smile, "Very well, if we get out of here, let's see how many moves you can withstand against me..."
As the two continued their argument, heavy footsteps could be heard approaching from outside.
The three of them fell silent, holding their breath and remaining still.
After a while, the sound of iron chains rattling and the faint glow of the formation accompanied the opening of the door. A tall demon cultivator clad in a black robe stepped into the room.
He shot them a malicious glance, baring his fangs in a sinister smile.
Ling Huxiao's eyes narrowed.
Song Jian's heart trembled.
"Is... is that a demon cultivator?!"
His already pale face turned even whiter.
(End of Chapter)
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