Chapter 920: A Smooth Deal
Chapter 920: A Smooth Deal
Eight hundred thousand spirit stones!
Even for a Golden Core cultivator, this was no small sum.
Golden Core cultivators had various means to earn spirit stones, but their expenses were equally significant. Many Golden Core cultivators had a net worth of several million, or even tens of millions.
However, this included all their cultivation assets, such as caves, artifacts, spirit tools, and pills. Having eight hundred thousand spirit stones readily available for immediate use was not something they could easily produce.
Moreover, Mo Hua was merely at the Foundation Establishment stage.
From childhood to adulthood, he had never "earned" such a large sum of spirit stones, let alone seen them.
Technically, this reward should have belonged to "Mr. Yuan."
But Mr. Yuan was no longer around, and the subsequent "tasks" were now his responsibility. It was only reasonable for him to claim this reward.
There was no response from the Guest Scholar Token.
Elder You fell silent.
Mo Hua waited patiently, maintaining his composure, but he couldn't help feeling a bit anxious.
Would Elder You renege on the payment?
A prestigious Demon Sect like this wouldn't be so petty as to withhold his hard-earned eight hundred thousand spirit stones...
Just as Mo Hua was feeling anxious, Elder You promptly sent a message: "No problem. This is the rightful reward that Mr. Yuan should receive."
Mo Hua heaved a sigh of relief.
Elder You asked, "How should I deliver these spirit stones to you?"
Mo Hua thought for a moment, "With the current situation, other methods are inconvenient. I'd appreciate it if you could place the spirit stones in a storage box and bury it fifty miles south of Solitary Northern Mountain, on a hillside. Then, erect a wordless monument on top of it. I'll figure out a way to retrieve it..."
Elder You remained silent for a moment, then said, "Mr. Yuan's arrangements are indeed thorough."
Mo Hua sent a message, "Please do not go back on your word, Elder You."
Elder You replied, "Of course not."
"Then, let's consider it a promise."
"Agreed."
After finalizing the agreement, the conversation ended, and Mo Hua put away the Guest Scholar Token, feeling elated.
Eight hundred thousand spirit stones were about to enter his pocket!
He had struck it rich!
Although there was an element of deception, it wasn't excessive. He had only deceived a little, and this was a righteous act of robbing demons to aid the Dao.
Mo Hua's joy was short-lived as a doubt arose in his mind:
"Is it this easy to earn the spirit stones of a demon cultivator who kills without hesitation?"
"Would Elder You betray me?"
He put himself in Elder You's shoes and thought, if he were Elder You, he would undoubtedly betray himself and would never hand over eight hundred thousand spirit stones so easily.
This transaction wasn't as simple as it seemed.
But with such a juicy opportunity right in front of him, he couldn't resist taking a bite. Even if it was a trap, he had to test it. Eight hundred thousand spirit stones were a massive sum, and even if it was bait, it was worth taking a chance.
"The question is, how do I get it?"
If Elder You had indeed set up an ambush to trap him, he would be in danger as soon as he showed up.
Mo Hua pondered for a while and came up with a plan.
He approached Xun Zi You and whispered, "Elder, could you do me a favor?"
"Sure," Xun Zi You readily agreed. "What is it?"
"Help me retrieve something," Mo Hua said. "Fifty miles south of Solitary Northern Mountain, there's a hillside with an empty tomb. On top of the tomb is a wordless monument. Dig up the monument, and there's a box buried underneath. Elder Xun, please bring me that box."
Xun Zi You was silent for a while, "An empty tomb, a wordless monument, and a box?"
What did all these things have to do with each other?
Xun Zi You looked at Mo Hua with suspicion, "What are you up to now?"
Mo Hua replied, "I'm making some extra money."
"Extra money?" Xun Zi You became interested. "How much can you earn?"
"It's hard to say. It depends on whether the other party is trying to deceive me," Mo Hua lowered his voice and said to Xun Zi You, "If I succeed, I'll give you a share."
Xun Zi You found it slightly amusing.
He was still talking about sharing.
As a Foundation Establishment disciple, how much could he possibly earn? At most, a couple of thousand spirit stones, and after sharing, there might not be much left.
"Keep it all," Xun Zi You said casually. "How could an elder like me ask for your spirit stones?"
If the Elder found out, he would surely skin him alive.
"I'll go and get it for you in a couple of days," Xun Zi You said.
"Yes, thank you, Elder Xun!" Mo Hua smiled.
Then, he added a reminder, "But be cautious. There might be an ambush or someone following you with ill intentions."
Xun Zi You raised an eyebrow, "An ambush?"
Mo Hua nodded and sighed, "These days, it's not easy to earn spirit stones. Any profitable venture comes with risks."
That was why he had asked Elder Xun, a late-stage Golden Core cultivator, to do this favor for him.
In a Third Rank State Border, even if a Golden Core demon lord set up an ambush, with Elder Xun's cultivation base, he should be able to handle it without much trouble.
As the saying goes, it's always pleasant to relax under a big tree.
With the backing of the Great Void Sect, he didn't have to worry about some risks.
"Will there be a need to kill anyone?" Xun Zi You asked. "If there are any troublemakers, I can easily eliminate them with my sword."
"No, no," Mo Hua shook his head repeatedly.
If he killed someone and exposed Elder Xun's sword techniques, it might arouse the Demon Sect's suspicions, making things difficult for him in the future.
"Just discreetly retrieve the box for me. Try not to reveal your identity, and avoid fighting. Be as stealthy as..."
Mo Hua pondered for a moment, "Just like how you secretly followed me before."
Xun Zi You: "..."
He didn't want to bring up that embarrassing "bodyguard" incident.
Afterward, Mo Hua gave some additional instructions, and the matter was left in Elder Xun Zi You's hands.
A few days later, Xun Zi You, looking a bit disheveled, handed Mo Hua a redwood box.
"There was an ambush. Two Golden Core cultivators in black robes with their faces covered, emitting demonic blood Qi. They seemed to be demon cultivators, and they followed me all the way."
"I wanted to get rid of them, but I held back. I just circled around the mountain a few times and shook them off."
"This is the box you wanted. I dug it up from the empty tomb and brought it back for you."
Mo Hua examined the box and noticed that the seal was intact, indicating it hadn't been opened. He checked it again to ensure there were no other issues, then proceeded to open it.
Elder Xun Zi You stayed to watch Mo Hua open the box.
He wasn't interested in knowing what was inside, but he was concerned about hidden traps or mechanisms that might harm Mo Hua.
After all, he had brought the box into the Great Void Sect, and if there was any trickery, he would be held responsible for any harm that came to Mo Hua.
Mo Hua didn't hide anything from Elder Xun.
One should always uphold righteousness in their actions.
Since Elder Xun had taken the risk to retrieve the box, it was only right not to let him suffer any losses.
Benefits should be shared with others, and mutual benefit is key. That way, people will be willing to help you in the future, and your path will become smoother.
Black Mo Hua, in front of Elder Xun, dismantled the sealing array on the box and opened the rosewood box to reveal a pile of pitch-black, rotten stones inside.
Elder Xun picked up a stone and examined it before turning to Black Mo Hua, "Your business is quite... unique. I wonder if these worthless stones can earn you ten Spirit Stones."
Black Mo Hua's face darkened instantly.
That Elder You!
This damn old man, instead of giving Spirit Stones, he's trying to fool me with a pile of junk!
Black Mo Hua sighed, "I miscalculated. People's hearts are truly treacherous, and they can't bear the slightest trust."
Elder Xun's expression was subtle, thinking to himself, 'You kid, you've got some mischief in that belly of yours.'
"What was supposed to be in this box?" Elder Xun asked curiously.
"Spirit Stones," Black Mo Hua replied.
"Spirit Stones?"
"Yes, eight hundred thousand Spirit Stones."
Elder Xun was stunned, "How much? Eight hundred thousand?"
Black Mo Hua nodded.
"Did you rob someone?" Elder Xun couldn't help but ask.
"No, I earned this money through my own array skills. It was hard-earned," Black Mo Hua said earnestly.
Elder Xun's mouth twitched.
What hard-earned money could make eight hundred thousand in one go?
"Can you get them back now?" Elder Xun asked.
Black Mo Hua sighed, "I'll think of something..."
"If you need anything, don't take risks yourself," Elder Xun said.
"Yes, yes," Black Mo Hua readily agreed.
After seeing Elder Xun off, Black Mo Hua returned to the disciples' residence and sent a message to Elder You with a cold smile:
"Elder You, you're quite the schemer."
This old man, as expected, was trying to play him.
Elder You feigned ignorance, "Mr. Yuan, what do you mean by that?"
Black Mo Hua scoffed, "It's clear as day. If Elder You doesn't want to give Spirit Stones, why send someone to spy on me? Do you really think I'm that easy to bully?"
Elder You's tone softened, "Please forgive me, Mr. Yuan. I did this to invite you for a chat and discuss a grand plan. In pursuing great endeavors, one must not be overly cautious. If I have offended you, I ask for your understanding."
Black Mo Hua coldly smiled, "Do you not know the rules of our trade, Elder You?"
Elder You fell silent for a moment, then asked Black Mo Hua, "Mr. Yuan, do those who strive for greatness value their lives?"
"What do you mean?"
"Seekers of the Dao have grand ambitions. Why would they care about their personal safety? Those with grand visions have a broad perspective. Why would they be concerned about temporary gains and losses? Mr. Yuan, if you have the ambition of a great bird, why bother with momentary grudges?"
"Do you think I'm new to this?"
"Mr. Yuan..."
"Are you giving me the Spirit Stones or not?"
"Mr. Yuan, I don't believe your vision is so limited. These mere eight hundred thousand Spirit Stones, I'm sure, are not worth your attention." Elder You said, "As long as you join us, you'll have not only Spirit Stones but anything you desire."
Black Mo Hua was skeptical, "Elder You, it's not that I look down on you, but in the end, aren't you just a Golden Core Elder in the Demon Sect? Can you make such a heavy promise?"
Elder You chuckled, "What's the Demon Sect? Mr. Yuan, if you join us in this grand plan, your future will be limitless. Our grand plan needs top-notch array masters like you."
Black Mo Hua furrowed his brows.
What's the Demon Sect?
Why is Elder You talking so big?
And it seems he often acts as a 'negotiator'? His words are so smooth...
"What can you offer me?" Black Mo Hua asked.
"What do you want?"
"I want women," Black Mo Hua joked.
"Any spirit root, any aptitude, any age of furnace, you can choose as you wish, even some family bloodline women, you can enjoy as you please..."
Black Mo Hua cursed inwardly.
They won't even give eight hundred thousand Spirit Stones, but they sure can paint a pretty picture...
But he had to consider the matter of Core Formation, and he didn't have the time to waste on idle chatter with Elder You. He wanted Spirit Stones to cash out in the end, and he wasn't going to believe their promises anymore.
"I don't believe you," Black Mo Hua said, "Unless you show me your sincerity."
"What sincerity do you want, Mr. Yuan?"
"Give me my eight hundred thousand Spirit Stones."
Elder You's forehead twitched. No matter how they talked, the conversation always circled back to the Spirit Stones.
Once these eight hundred thousand Spirit Stones were given, the debt would be settled, and Mr. Yuan would likely disappear, making it as difficult as ascending to heaven to find him again.
They would also lose a rare Lightning-Magnetic Array Master.
"Mr. Yuan, why not broaden your horizons a little..."
Black Mo Hua ignored him.
In these times, those who talk about grand visions without offering Spirit Stones are all frauds.
But Elder You didn't want to let Black Mo Hua go. After a moment of thought, he said, "How about this: we'll extend the contract. Please continue working for the Demon Sect for three years. After the task is completed, I'll give you a total of one million eight hundred thousand Spirit Stones as compensation. What do you think?"
Black Mo Hua was stunned. After a moment, he mentally cursed.
One million eight hundred thousand...
They won't even give eight hundred thousand, and now they're offering one million eight hundred thousand.
"Is this for real?"
Elder You spoke solemnly, "Absolutely, I won't go back on my word!"
Black Mo Hua hesitated for a moment, then finally seemed to reluctantly agree, "Alright, this is my last show of trust. Please, Elder You, don't break your promise again."
Elder You said, "Of course, I will keep my word."
The conversation ended, and both parties reached an agreement.
Black Mo Hua cut off the Primordial Magnetic connection and put down the Guest Scholar Token, feeling angry, "You dare to withhold even my Spirit Stones, you lousy advisor."
One million eight hundred thousand Spirit Stones, he wouldn't believe it even if he wanted to.
"Dare to owe me, and you'll see..." Black Mo Hua thought to himself.
He had initially planned to quit while he was ahead and not get entangled with the Demon Sect, but now, for no reason, he had been left with a debt of eight hundred thousand... No, now it was one million eight hundred thousand, and it was a bad debt. How could he possibly swallow this?
Even his esteemed master uncle had never owed him a bowl of noodles.
The Demon Sect dared to owe him one million eight hundred thousand Spirit Stones?
Black Mo Hua took some time to plan in his mind. That night, in the disciples' residence, he took out the Origin Return Slip, connected it to the Guest Scholar Token, and used the Lightning Magnetic Puppet to infiltrate the Demon Sect's lower-level Primordial Magnetic Compound Array.
He planned to dig deeper and gain more access.
The Guest Scholar Token's access was at the level of a 'quasi-elder,' above all disciples and just below the authority of a legitimate elder.
Because of this, the access restrictions were more stringent.
Additionally, this Guest Scholar Token had been 'cracked' by the deceased Mr. Yuan using his unique Lightning-Magnetic inheritance, covering the original Magnetic Patterns and involving a mix of Second and Third Rank arrays, similar to the principle of 'frequency reduction.'
Mo Hua had initially set aside the Guest Scholar Token, unable to decipher it within a short time.
But now, the Demon Sect's strategist had dared to withhold his spirit stones. In his anger, Mo Hua picked up the token again, intending to spend more time on it and uncover something significant.
First, he needed to find a way to infiltrate.
Mo Hua released his divine perception, sensing the Primordial Magnetic structure at the base of the token.
The Primordial Magnetic Array of a "Junior Elder" level was a mixture of second and third-rank Magnetic Patterns, fused together like bricks of gold and iron, forming a wall that enclosed all the basic permissions within.
These Magnetic Pattern walls were as solid as gold and iron, impenetrable.
Especially the third-rank Magnetic Patterns inside, which were far beyond Mo Hua's second-rank Lightning-Magnetic expertise to conquer.
However, Mo Hua's Lightning-Magnetic lineage was unique.
His "Lightning-Magnetic Puppet" was a prototype of the Lightning-Magnetic Array, and although it was still in its infancy, it was not limited by the Array's format. It could freely roam the Magnetic Sea, tampering with the Magnetic Patterns, making it far more advanced than the average Lightning-Magnetic Array Master's methods.
Mo Hua controlled the Lightning-Magnetic Puppet to manipulate the Magnetic Patterns on the "walls" of the higher-ranked Elders, attempting to infiltrate them one by one.
The fusion of third and second-rank Magnetic Patterns, no matter how perfect, would always have gaps.
As long as he found these gaps, he could attempt to "dig into the walls" and gradually infiltrate the deeper Primordial Magnetic layers, stealing more profound secrets.
This was essentially cheating.
Other Array Masters could only influence Magnetic Patterns through fixed Array Formations, generating Lightning-Magnetic energy.
But Mo Hua had, in a sense, "humanized" the Lightning-Magnetic energy, allowing it to move freely and tamper with the Magnetic Patterns.
However, this was also a rather tedious method.
It would take a considerable amount of time to attempt each Magnetic Pattern.
Mo Hua's time was precious, and he had not wanted to waste it like this before, but now that Elder You had cheated him, he decided to dig deeper into the Demon Sect's secrets.
Over the next few days, Mo Hua spent all his free time on this task.
His control over the Lightning-Magnetic Puppet became increasingly effortless, and his understanding of Lightning-Magnetic deepened.
After relentless effort, Mo Hua finally pried open a few cracks in the seemingly impenetrable Magnetic Pattern walls.
These cracks represented loopholes in permissions.
Mo Hua tried to use the Lightning-Magnetic Puppet to crawl deeper into the Primordial Magnetic through these cracks, but he failed.
The Primordial Magnetic was sealed and exclusive.
The rank of the Lightning-Magnetic Puppet was too low, and its Origin Return level was not deep enough, causing it to be repelled by the Primordial Magnetic and unable to infiltrate.
Mo Hua had no choice but to settle for capturing Magnetic Patterns from the cracks.
After capturing the Magnetic Patterns, Mo Hua recorded them and then proceeded to "decrypt" them one by one, referring to annotations.
These Magnetic Patterns were more complex and highly encrypted.
Mo Hua's expertise in Primordial Magnetic was profound, unlike Elder You's half-baked skills, so decryption was not difficult.
Complex and cryptic Magnetic Patterns were deciphered by Mo Hua and transcribed onto paper.
This seemed to be an "encrypted" conversation between a few unknown Elders within the Demon Sect, as the captured Magnetic Pattern fragments resulted in disjointed text with some temporal disorder:
"We're being held back, the progress is too slow... Who knows when this will end..."
"Soon..."
"I don't understand why we're creating this 'Demon Sect'? It's like drawing a snake with legs..."
"Without this Demon Sect, how can we develop our followers? Do we have to personally spread these teachings?"
"Spreading the teachings requires a legacy, and the Blood Lotus Technique is most suitable for inheritance and easy dissemination."
"Mr. Tu actually found this legacy..."
"This is the legacy of the Blood Refinement Sect; don't ever mention it outside, or we might easily attract cause and effect."
"Blood Refinement Sect..."
"If I remember correctly, the origin of the Blood Refinement Sect can be traced back to that 'Daoist'?"
At this point, Mo Hua's heart chilled.
Daoist?
Again, a Daoist... Could it be Master Uncle?
Mo Hua pondered for a moment, then shook his head, "No, Master Uncle's Daoist name is 'Gu,' unrelated to blood, and he wouldn't teach such a path. In other words, if Master Uncle were to come and impart his teachings, few in the current Demon Sect would be able to remain rational."
"Then could it be..."
Three words floated into Mo Hua's mind, but he did not speak them aloud.
At the same time, the Third Rank Divine Remains of the Blood-Eyed one who walked the path of blood and coagulated blood, which he had killed, also appeared in his mind.
And the Blood Refinement Sect—these three words also seemed familiar, as if he had encountered them before.
In the depths of his mind, something seemed to connect these dots...
Mo Hua frowned and continued to decipher the Magnetic Patterns:
"If it's that Daoist, isn't this a bit suspicious?"
"The Daoist's schemes are absolutely not to be taken lightly."
"Stop chatting, don't forget that the Daoist's path is not one to be trifled with. Once we're involved, neither of us should expect a good end..."
"Isn't he in a deep slumber?"
"After so many years, he's still alive?"
"Erase what you just said; if you want to die, don't drag me into it."
"To speak of the Daoist's life and death is truly the ignorance of the fearless..."
...
Mo Hua suddenly realized that this Demon Sect might not be as simple as it seemed.
He wanted to learn more about the "Daoist," but the conversation abruptly ended.
The vast Magnetic Sea was before him, and with his limited permissions, he couldn't find any related content for the time being.
Mo Hua had no choice but to be patient and continue stealing Magnetic Patterns, but the subsequent captured Patterns were discussing something else:
"Let's rebel."
After deciphering this simple line, Mo Hua was stunned.
So there were indeed traitors within the Demon Sect.
He continued reading:
"Mr. Tu lied; he must have deceived us. He definitely has other motives."
"We can't keep working like this. Qianxue State is not a place to stay for long, and a great disaster may befall us soon..."
"We can't escape; don't forget that our legacy is suppressed by Big Brother..."
"Then... let's get rid of Big Brother!"
Mo Hua: "..."
The development of events seemed to be getting interesting...
Mo Hua continued reading with great interest.
"You dare to be disrespectful to Big Brother? Have you eaten a bear's heart and leopard's courage?"
"Times change..."
"Don't be delusional."
"Don't forget that Big Brother has a dragon tattooed on his body..."
...
Mo Hua, who had been enjoying the show, suddenly froze.
Dragon? In a flash, a thought seemed to pass through his mind.
A dragon tattooed on Big Brother's body?
A dragon tattoo on his body?
Mo Hua's heart skipped a beat.
(End of Chapter)
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