Chapter 944: The Elder in Plain Clothes
Chapter 944: The Elder in Plain Clothes
On Lone Mountain, abandoned wells were scattered everywhere, leaving the place desolate.
In the city, a frail orphan carried a bamboo basket on his back, bent over, and with dirty hands, he dug through the rough ore on the dark ground.
Only by doing this could they survive.
Beside them, Mo Hua, hidden from sight, walked quietly with a somber expression.
Fortunately, Master Gu had followed his instructions and painted a First Rank Wind Pattern on each of the orphans' bamboo baskets, slightly reducing their burden and preventing them from being overwhelmed by the heavy ore, leaving bruises all over their bodies.
Currently, this was all he could do.
Mo Hua sighed, walked through the orphans collecting ore, and headed straight for Shen Family's mountain territory.
He had basically explored all other parts of Lone Mountain, except for the Shen Family's mountain territory, which he had yet to visit.
That mountain territory must have something strange about it.
Mo Hua wanted to go and take a look while remaining hidden.
After walking for a while, the view suddenly opened up, and the vast and magnificent Shen Family mines came into sight.
These mines were large and grand, occupying almost half of Lone Mountain, with relatively neat planning and wide mine shafts.
This was the mark left by large-scale spirit mechanism excavation.
Around the periphery of the Shen Family mines, a full circle of second-rank formation was set up for warning purposes, and inside the mines, some Shen Family cultivators were stationed to patrol the area.
The formation was of the second rank, and the Shen Family cultivators were only at the Foundation Establishment stage.
These were abandoned mines, no longer profitable as they could no longer yield ore, so it was natural that Golden Core elders would not be stationed there.
Even having Foundation Establishment cultivators stationed there was already considered extravagant.
But Foundation Establishment cultivators couldn't stop Mo Hua, let alone those second-rank formations.
Mo Hua's fingers flicked, and a flash of ink-colored light appeared, breaking the formation at the mine's boundary, creating a gap.
Mo Hua walked through the gap and approached the Shen Family mines.
As soon as he stepped onto the mine's land, Mo Hua's vision suddenly darkened, as if countless desperate wails echoed, but in the blink of an eye, they all disappeared. Mo Hua looked around, and everything seemed ordinary, with no abnormalities.
The sunlight above was still bright.
But Mo Hua felt that the sunlight on his body was a bit chilly.
Mo Hua's expression turned slightly somber as he stepped on the mountain rocks, avoiding the patrolling Shen Family cultivators and the scattered traps and formations nearby. He wandered around the Shen Family mines.
He had stepped on most of the mountain peaks.
The mine shafts in the mountains were deep, and most of them were sealed, making it impossible to explore further. He could only take a quick glance.
But after looking for a long time, he still found nothing.
With his divine sense and karmic perception, he still couldn't find any clues.
"How is it that there's not a single clue..."
Mo Hua furrowed his brows.
As the sky darkened and the sun began to set, he decided to leave the Shen Family mines.
At the edge of the mines, Mo Hua pointed his finger, and the ink pattern reappeared, repairing the broken formation and covering his tracks.
Then he went to a nearby peak, climbed up, and looked out, taking in the entire Shen Family mines.
As he gazed, Mo Hua suddenly remembered what Xie Ling had told him:
"Cultivate Geomancy, perceive the heavenly and earthly energy, discern the mountain river formation, and determine life and death burial sites..."
"Heavenly and earthly energy, mountain river formation... What exactly are they?"
Mo Hua slowly closed his eyes, released his divine sense, calmed his mind, let go of his ego, and with the belief of "unity with heaven and earth," he began to perceive the heavens and earth, searching for the so-called heavenly and earthly energy and mountain river formation.
All things in the world faded away.
The vast sky looked down upon the mortals, and the earth was boundless.
A sense of mystery arose.
Between heaven and earth, there was indeed a strand of white energy.
Mo Hua vaguely felt that he seemed to have realized something, but he wasn't sure if his realization was correct.
With a glimmer of hope, Mo Hua followed this strand of energy and walked forward.
The energy flowed along the undulating mountains, ethereal and elusive.
Mo Hua followed the energy, wandering through the mountains.
After walking for a full circle, the energy disappeared, and Mo Hua looked intently, seeing that the surrounding mountain scenery was somewhat unfamiliar, but it was still desolate and ordinary.
This strand of energy had led him to a dead end.
Mo Hua shook his head.
"Indeed, where is there such an easy thing? What can be learned without studying it..."
Mo Hua turned to leave, but just as he turned his head, his peripheral vision caught sight of a figure sitting at the foot of a distant slope.
This person was an elder, dressed in plain clothes, and didn't seem to be a mine cultivator.
Mo Hua pondered for a moment, removed his concealment technique, and walked towards the elder in plain clothes.
As he approached, Mo Hua saw that the elder was thin and dark-skinned, with a sharp gaze, and his cultivation was likely at the peak of Foundation Establishment.
The elder sat cross-legged on a mountain rock, gazing at the distant mountains, deep in thought.
When he saw someone approaching, he frowned, turned to look, and saw the talented Mo Hua. After a moment of surprise, his eyes lit up, and he said,
"In this remote area, devoid of human presence, I never expected to meet a young friend like you. It's truly fate."
His voice was hoarse but amiable.
Mo Hua seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and asked, "Senior, what are you doing here?"
"I'm looking at the mountains," the elder replied.
"Looking at the mountains?" Mo Hua looked around, puzzled. "These barren mountains and dry rivers are just barren, with nothing interesting to see."
The elder shook his head. "All things in the world have an outer appearance and an inner essence. The towering mountains, dangerous rivers, and barren lands are just the outer appearance, the shape of the mountains. But beneath the mountain shape, there is still mountain energy, and beneath the mountain energy, there are earth meridians."
Earth meridians...
Mo Hua felt a chill and praised, "Senior, you know so much."
"You flatter me," the elder said indifferently. After a moment of thought, he continued, "I don't know, young friend, where are you from? Why did you come to this remote mountain range alone?"
Mo Hua cupped his hands and said, "I'm a disciple from a small sect nearby. I'm here with my teacher to study, and as we passed by Lone Mountain, I decided to explore it."
Unbeknownst to him, a momentary lapse in attention led him astray on the mountain path, bringing him to this place and encountering the elder.
The elder's face, full of wrinkles, revealed a faint smile, "In that case, it seems young friend, we are indeed fated."
"Indeed, we are fated," Mo Hua nodded, and sat cross-legged, imitating the elder's gaze into the distance. However, all he could see was the desolate mountain, with nothing else in sight.
Mo Hua retracted his gaze, turned his head, and leaned forward to look at the elder's front.
In front of the elder was a pile of mud and sand, and on it were several intricate patterns.
Mo Hua exclaimed in surprise, "Senior, are you an Array Master?"
The elder's eyebrows rose, "Little brother, do you understand arrays?"
Mo Hua blushed, "I know a little."
The elder became interested, "Little brother, where did you learn from?"
"I dare not say 'learned from a master,'" Mo Hua replied humbly, "I only picked up some basic knowledge from the sect's instructors, bits and pieces here and there."
The elder nodded in praise, "Nowadays, people are boastful and crave fame. They learn a little but exaggerate it tenfold. It's truly rare for someone from a sect to be so modest."
Mo Hua felt a bit embarrassed, "Senior, you flatter me."
Then he glanced at the array patterns on the sand in front of the elder, and asked more humbly:
"Senior, these array patterns, I don't think I've ever seen them before, and my sect didn't teach them either. They seem quite profound, is there any special significance to them?"
The elder looked deeply into Mo Hua's eyes.
Mo Hua also gazed at the elder, his eyes clear and transparent.
Perhaps influenced by this "clarity," the elder's love for talent arose, and he stroked his beard, saying:
"Meeting is fate. Today, I will teach you something that even the four great sects and eight major schools may not have access to—the secret array formation heritage."
Mo Hua opened his mouth, his innocent face filled with shock.
The elder pointed to the patterns on the ground and asked Mo Hua, "Can you tell what these array patterns are?"
Mo Hua pondered for a moment, "It's a bit like the Five Elements Earth Array Pattern... but not exactly."
The elder nodded, "Indeed, this is an Earth Array."
Earth Array...
Mo Hua's expression changed, and he was genuinely surprised.
"Senior, what is this Earth Array used for?" Mo Hua asked earnestly.
"There are many types of Earth Arrays, and they have various uses," the elder explained, "but the most common is their connection to the earth."
The elder pointed to the abandoned mine ahead, "For example, the mountains ahead are filled with many Earth Arrays."
Mo Hua's heart stirred, and he pretended not to know, asking, "Do you mean that mining requires the use of Earth Arrays?"
"No," the elder shook his head.
"Then is it... for detecting earth meridians?"
"Not that either."
"Then..." Mo Hua frowned.
The elder's expression turned solemn, and he said sternly, "It's for burials."
Mo Hua muttered, "Burials..."
"Indeed," the elder gazed at the distant mountains, his voice filled with emotion, "The earth embraces all things, not only the living but also the dead."
"When people are alive, they live on the earth, and when they die, they return to the earth."
"But the living do not allow the dead to rest in peace."
"If the dead seek peace, they must build burials, create arrays. Through the power of arrays, the burial is hidden within the earth's meridians, merging with the earth, harmonizing with the Dao's essence, gaining the protection of heaven and earth, and thus escaping the karmic entanglements of the living."
"These arrays are Earth Arrays."
"Earth Arrays..." Mo Hua stared blankly, then suddenly realized, surprised, "You mean the mountains ahead contain Earth Arrays, implying that the mines ahead also have burials?"
The elder nodded, "Exactly."
"But..." Mo Hua frowned, "Aren't those mines ahead? They're filled with mine shafts. How could there be burials?"
"Moreover, those mountains are ordinary, without any distinctive features. If there were burials, how could they remain unnoticed?"
The elder smiled, "Outsiders see the spectacle, insiders see the essence. Beneath the superficial chaos lies a profound essence, unknown to outsiders, hence their ignorance."
"Insiders..." Mo Hua muttered, and asked in a low voice, "Senior, what exactly do you do?"
The elder chuckled softly, not answering.
Mo Hua's expression became anxious, and he wanted to leave quietly, but as he turned, he saw three people approaching in the distance.
The three individuals were not tall, dressed in plain clothes, and their garments carried a hint of earthy smell.
They deliberately restrained their auras, but Mo Hua could sense that all three were Golden Core cultivators, and their spiritual energy felt peculiar.
Mo Hua stood up and cupped his hands, "Listening to your words, I've gained much insight. The day is getting late, and my instructor will be looking for me. I should take my leave."
However, the elder shook his head, "You can't leave."
Mo Hua's face changed slightly, "Senior, what do you mean?"
"Out of the blue, can you guess why I shared so much with you?"
"Isn't it because we're fated?"
The elder in plain clothes laughed, "Little brother, you're young. Let me teach you something: In the cultivation world, don't talk to strangers."
"The cultivation world is treacherous, and you never know who you're talking to."
"You also don't know their intentions."
"Just like now, you have no idea who I am..."
The elder's aura changed, losing all kindness, and a vulture-like sinister smile appeared on his face.
Mo Hua wanted to run, but in an instant, the three Golden Core cultivators surrounded him, blocking his escape.
"Some people walk right into the trap."
"We've been searching outside for a long time, but couldn't find any good goods. Who would've thought someone would deliver themselves to our door, a stupid fool..."
"Mr. Pi is so lucky..."
"Soft and tender, with decent cultivation, a real gem..."
Mo Hua panicked, "I... I'm a sect disciple, and my elder is in the city. Are you not afraid of offending the elder if you harm me?"
The group remained unmoved.
One of them scoffed, "What decent sect could there be near Lonely Mountain City? And with your level of spiritual power, at best you'd have a mid-tier spiritual root. With such mediocre talent, what good sect could you possibly join?"
Mo Hua's heart sank a little.
However, with three Golden Core cultivators and one at the peak of Foundation Establishment, if it came to a fight, he knew he wouldn't stand a chance.
"Let's get out of here first, then call for help. We'll capture these thieves and throw them into the Dao Prison, torturing them slowly to find out their intentions..."
Mo Hua's heart gradually settled, but on the surface, he maintained a panicked expression.
"I... I'm just a Foundation Establishment disciple. There's no use in capturing me."
Mo Hua released his divine sense, searching for the group's weaknesses, considering using Water Shadow Illusion Body to escape.
"How could you be useless? You're very useful. Without you, we..."
"Shut up! Stop blabbering!" One of them interrupted. "Let's capture him first."
Just as they were about to make a move, the old man stopped them, "Hold on. This young lad has delicate skin and tender flesh. If we hurt him or accidentally kill him, he'll be of no use..."
"I'll be careful."
"Being careful won't help... You lot are too rough."
"What a nuisance."
"Of course it's a nuisance. Keeping it alive is complicated. We need its essence, blood, flesh, and bones intact. Not a single strand can be damaged, or we might not be able to open it..."
"In this remote mountain, it's hard to find another. If we accidentally kill him, where will we find a second one?"
"That's true..."
Mo Hua paused, his eyebrows furrowing slightly.
The old man in plain clothes turned to Mo Hua, his tone softening, "Young friend, we won't make things difficult for you. Listen, we'll let you go if you help us with something. After it's done, we'll release you and even give you a generous gift. I guarantee you a life of ease, abundant Spirit Stones, and success in your cultivation."
Mo Hua shook his head, "I don't believe you."
"Kid, do you understand the situation...?" One of them coldly laughed, ready to make a move on Mo Hua.
The old man stopped him with a stern gaze and then turned to Mo Hua, speaking slowly, "Little brother, I'll be honest with you. In this situation, you have no other choice..."
"Either we kill you now and throw your bones into the mine, letting the mountain demons devour you clean. Your parents and sect elders will never find you."
"Or you come with us, help us with a small task. After it's done, I'll ensure your survival and even reward you."
Mo Hua's face paled when he heard about his bones being thrown into the mine. After a moment of fear, he seemed to accept his fate and asked, "You... won't deceive me, right?"
"I won't deceive you."
"After it's done, will you really give me a reward?"
The old man turned to one of the burly men, "Take out something."
The man was slightly taken aback, "What?"
"Just take out something from below." The old man instructed.
Reluctantly, the man reached into his sleeve, pulled out a small jade pendant, and tossed it to Mo Hua.
Mo Hua took it and found that the pendant was ink-colored jade, cold to the touch, and exuded a damp, chilly Yin energy and deathly aura.
"This is just a token. If you listen and cooperate, there will be more rewards later." The old man said.
Mo Hua believed him and took the jade pendant, nodding, "Okay."
The old man was satisfied and nodded, then turned to the burly man, "Take out a set of shackles and put them on him."
Mo Hua was startled, "Why do you want to shackle me?"
"Don't worry, it's just a precaution," the old man said, "If you truly cooperate, we'll remove them later."
"Oh..."
The burly man took out a heavy set of shackles and tried to put them on Mo Hua.
Mo Hua's eyelids twitched.
Third-Rank Iron Shackles?! He thought, "If I'm shackled, my life and death will be in their hands... I need to escape first and then decide my next move."
But before he could make a move, the old man in plain clothes frowned, "Why are you using Third-Rank Iron Shackles? Do you want to exhaust him to death?"
"I said we need his essence, blood, flesh, and bones intact. He's only at the Foundation Establishment stage, so use Second-Rank shackles."
"Alright," the burly man agreed and replaced them with a Second-Rank set.
After a moment of silence, Mo Hua extended his hand, allowing the group to shackle him.
"Let's go," the old man said, leading the way.
The group of five headed towards an abandoned mine not far away, surrounded by half-new, half-old stone chips and narrow, crane-beak-shaped chisel marks.
Mo Hua's heart stirred.
These marks were almost identical to the ones he had seen on Lonely Mountain, confirming that this group was indeed the tomb-robbing gang.
"Did they really find a burial site in the mine?"
"Are they taking me to the tomb?"
"But why do they need me? And why do they require my essence, blood, flesh, and bones intact? Could it be..."
Mo Hua's gaze intensified.
As they approached the mine entrance, the group took out spirit tools, preparing to excavate something. But before they could start, one of the Golden Core cultivators spoke up, "Wait, someone's coming!"
The group's hearts skipped a beat, and they turned to see a group of people approaching in the distance.
Leading them was a young master, dressed in luxurious clothing, with an arrogant and angry expression.
Mo Hua recognized him; it was Shen Qingsheng.
Behind Shen Qingsheng were five or six Shen family cultivators.
From a distance, Shen Qingsheng spotted Mo Hua and pointed at him, shouting, "Mo Hua! I've finally caught you! Today is your end!"
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
