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Chapter 93: Intimidation (Six Parts)
Chapter 93: Intimidation (Six Parts)
The next morning, at the Bai residence.
The sky was just beginning to brighten when Bai Zixi rose to begin her daily cultivation routine. Her schedule was packed, as she had to practice her martial arts, study array formations and talismans, and learn pill and treasure refining.
The Bai residence had been specially constructed by Xue Yi, specifically for the Bai siblings. It included a pill refining room, a treasure refining room, a library, and a cultivation chamber, all modeled after the layout of their original home. While the rooms were slightly smaller, they lacked nothing in terms of functionality.
This had been Madam Bai's request.
Even though the Bai siblings were away from home, they were expected to keep up with their cultivation practices without slacking off. Xue Yi was following Madam Bai's orders to take care of the siblings' daily needs and assist them in their cultivation endeavors.
Madam Bai had high hopes for her children, so she was especially strict with them.
While Bai Zisheng could be a bit mischievous and playful, he was generally obedient. In comparison, Bai Zixi was exceptionally well-behaved and diligent. She completed her daily tasks without fail and was nearly flawless in terms of her spiritual root talent and dedication to the Dao. She required no reminders or supervision.
Bai Zixi woke up at dawn and sat in the bamboo pavilion in the courtyard to cultivate for an hour.
Xue Yi, who had just returned, stood quietly in the nearby bamboo grove, waiting.
The early morning mist was faint, and the greenery was vibrant with dew. The spiritual flowers were lush and ready to bloom.
Seated amidst this beauty, Bai Zixi wore a snow-white dress, her skin translucent and her features flawless and exquisite.
The morning sun shone through the mist, casting its light on the plants and petals, and also on Bai Zixi, enveloping her in a soft, golden glow.
Xue Yi sighed. She would gladly sit here and admire this scene all day.
Bai Zixi's long eyelashes fluttered, and she opened her eyes.
Xue Yi approached and shared with her the news she had gathered. She told Bai Zixi about how Qian Xing had stopped Mo Hua and their ensuing conflict, as well as what Qian Xing had said. She also mentioned that after Qian Xing was healed, he harbored resentment toward Mo Hua and sought him out to issue a threat.
This was the scene Bai Zixi had witnessed the day before.
Bai Zixi furrowed her brows slightly and said softly, "We are here to learn from Master Zhuang, and we do not wish to be disturbed."
Xue Yi nodded and then withdrew.
However, as she left, she couldn't help but wonder who Bai Zixi was referring to when she said "we." Was it just the two siblings, or did it also include Mo Hua?
Mo Hua had sought guidance from Master Zhuang and, as usual, paid a visit to the Bai siblings. He brought them some beef, osmanthus cakes, and sweet rice wine. He also took the opportunity to ask a few more questions about array formations.
As they chatted, Mo Hua felt that Bai Zixi was looking at his neck.
Curious, he turned to look at her.
Their eyes met, and Bai Zixi asked, "Have you injured your neck?"
"Yes," Mo Hua nodded, "It's a minor injury, and it's already healed."
Mo Hua left it at that and didn't elaborate further.
Bai Zixi didn't inquire any further either, and she took small sips of the sweet rice wine.
After returning from Master Zhuang's place, Mo Hua went back to his little cottage and began studying array books.
Ever since Qian Xing had confronted him, and he realized that the matter was unlikely to end peacefully, Mo Hua had started preparing countermeasures. He couldn't learn spells yet, nor was he skilled in other areas, so he primarily relied on array formations.
Mo Hua selected a few array formations and dedicated himself to mastering them.
One was the Wood Binding Array, which, when activated, would bind an opponent with pale green wood-based spiritual energy that resembled vines. It could be used to restrain enemies.
Another was the Fireworks Array, similar to the Illumination Array he had drawn before. While the Illumination Array was used for lighting, the Fireworks Array, when activated, would shoot a dazzling red firework into the sky.
The Fireworks Array was typically used for celebrations, as cultivators would set off colorful fireworks during festivals. Mo Hua, however, intended to use it as a distress signal in case he found himself in unexpected danger, to attract attention and avoid being left alone and vulnerable.
There was also the Ironclad Array, which Mo Hua inscribed on a lightweight rattan armor. When activated, the array would make the rattan armor as sturdy as iron, potentially saving his life in a critical moment.
The Ironclad Array was originally used to reinforce metal armor. When combined with armor forged from fine iron, it became nigh impenetrable.
However, it was expensive, requiring a substantial amount of refined iron and effort, something Mo Hua couldn't afford. Among the demon hunters in Tongxian City, only a handful possessed armor, with most relying on cheaper rattan armor.
Mo Hua's rattan armor was custom-made by Master Chen, small and exquisite, tailored to his petite frame. It required minimal materials, and Master Chen didn't even charge him for it.
Mo Hua, feeling grateful, praised Master Chen with kind words, which pleased the craftsman immensely.
Upon trying on the rattan armor, Mo Hua found that it could withstand most swords and blades, but not the force behind the strikes. Even if he avoided external injuries, internal damage was inevitable.
There was no helping it; rattan armor was designed for body cultivators, who had thick skin and sturdy bodies. As long as it could deflect blades, the force didn't matter. But Mo Hua was different; he was vulnerable.
So, Mo Hua drew an ironclad array on the rattan armor, knowing it wouldn't negate the force, but it would provide significantly better protection than before. Moreover, the rattan armor itself became sturdier after the addition of the array. Previously, blades would leave marks on the armor, but now, not even a scratch remained.
Rattan armor was uncomfortable to wear, so Mo Hua kept it in his storage bag, intending to use it only in emergencies.
For offensive arrays, he currently had only the Earthfire Array, which, in terms of sheer power, was already quite impressive. Other arrays might not offer much more in terms of strength. More importantly, the Earthfire Array had a three-breath delay before detonation, whereas most other arrays activated instantly, and the spiritual energy explosion would undoubtedly affect Mo Hua as well.
Such powerful arrays could blow Qian Xing to bits, and if they detonated on Mo Hua, death was certain.
Additionally, Mo Hua prepared several minor arrays for various situations.
However, two days later, Zhang Lan sought out Mo Hua and delivered unexpected news: "Qian Xing has gone mad. He won't be causing you any more trouble."
Mo Hua's eyes widened in shock.
Seeing Mo Hua's expression, Zhang Lan realized he genuinely hadn't known, and he breathed a sigh of relief. "Qian Xing was soaked in fresh demon blood and bloody internal organs while he slept. He lay in that gruesome bath all night and woke up the next day, completely insane."
Mo Hua was stunned. "Was he scared out of his wits?"
Zhang Lan shook his head. "It's not that simple. The blood and organs might have been shocking, but at most, he'd need to burn some calming incense and rest for a while to recover. It's not enough to drive someone insane."
"Then what happened?" Mo Hua asked.
"I suspect someone used illusion techniques in addition to the blood and organs," Zhang Lan replied.
"Illusion techniques?"
"Yes," Zhang Lan continued, "apparently, when Qian Xing woke up, he was in a panic, screaming hysterically, begging not to be eaten. If I'm right, someone used illusion techniques to make him dream that he was being devoured by a demon beast, bit by bit. When he woke up and saw the blood and organs, he believed he was still inside the beast's stomach, and the combination of that belief with the horror of the experience drove him mad."
Mo Hua was shocked by the power of such magic. It sounded incredibly formidable, and he couldn't help but ask, "Illusion techniques... Can I learn them?"
Zhang Lan gave him a sidelong glance and said, "You can't." Thus, he crushed Mo Hua's budding hopes.
"Illusion techniques are a very special kind of magic," Zhang Lan explained. "Learning them requires not only special meridians and physical attributes but also a deep family background in the art. Regular cultivators can't learn them; there's nowhere to study them, and even if there were, they wouldn't be able to master them."
Mo Hua felt a twinge of disappointment but quickly asked, "Uncle Zhang, can you learn them?"
Zhang Lan choked, "I... can't either."
Mo Hua took solace in the fact that even Zhang Lan couldn't learn them, and he felt slightly better.
(End of Chapter)
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