The mountain forest was silent, with lush trees. Sunlight streamed in, broken into mottled fragments, layer upon layer beneath, yet there was no sign of anyone.

Qiao Laowu frowned, “Where is that little brat?”

Yin Leizi’s face was also very grim, “Hiding in the forest?”

“Where did he hide?”

“Did he burrow into the ground?”

“There’s no trace on the ground, how could he burrow in?”

“Then…”

The four people looked at each other, their pupils slightly contracting.

Hidden?!

This little brat had actually also cultivated a hiding technique?

Qiao Laowu cursed loudly, “Damn it, like a loach, slippery and hard to catch. He can actually also hide, what the hell!”

“How in the hell do we catch him?”

This matter was beyond the expectation of Huo Fo and the others.

They saw that this little brat was young and his movement technique was outstanding, clearly having put in a lot of effort. How could they have thought that he had also learned to hide?

He didn’t cultivate proper techniques, but instead devoted himself to cultivating these disgusting, unconventional side doors.

Truly a sinister little thing!

“Something’s not right…”

Yin Leizi thought of something and frowned, “This little brat is only in the early stage of Foundation Establishment cultivation. Even if he learned a hiding technique, how could he possibly hide from our divine senses, we who are in the late stage of Foundation Establishment?”

“This hiding technique of his is very strange…”

“Divine sense too strong? Shielded perception…” Qiao Laowu doubted.

Yin Leizi sneered, “What nonsense are you talking about? Early stage of Foundation Establishment, a little brat, how strong can his divine sense be?”

“At most twelve or thirteen patterns, it can’t possibly be so strong as to reach the heavens…”

Qiao Laowu retorted, “Then why in the hell do you say that?”

Yin Leizi’s gaze narrowed, “His hiding technique must be too exquisite.”

“Bullshit!” Qiao Laowu cursed, “Hidden Old Two lived for over two hundred years and only then cultivated his hiding technique to perfection. How old is this little brat? How many dark paths has he walked? Can he learn a hiding technique so exquisitely?”

Yin Leizi’s face turned red, but he couldn’t reply.

The usually silent Gui Mian Xie suddenly frowned, “This hiding technique of his, I always feel somewhat familiar. Could it be…”

Gui Mian Xie’s face muscles sagged, “Hidden Old Two’s… Little Five Elements Hidden Trace Technique?”

The three people were all startled.

Huo Fo’s gaze also slightly sank.

“Impossible…” Yin Leizi shook his head, “That is Hidden Old Two’s signature skill. He’s not good at anything else, he just relies on this Hidden Trace Technique to make a living. He guards this technique very tightly, no one would dare tell…”

“Hidden Old Two went to prison, right?”

“The prison doors are deep like the sea, he probably can’t get out, his life will stay inside.”

“Having entered the Daoting prison, with death imminent, Hidden Old Two would even less likely say it out. After all, he’s going to die anyway…”

“Before being caught?”

“Before being caught… what does that have to do with this little brat? Is it possible that Hidden Old Two was caught inside this little brat?”

“Furthermore, Hidden Old Two was a tough nut to crack…”

“Before he was caught, he suffered severe torture, his teeth were broken and swallowed into his stomach, and he still didn’t utter a sound, nor did he hand over the method of this Hidden Trace Technique…”

“Trying to pry open his mouth might not be that easy…”

“Moreover…”

Yin Leizi again looked at the surrounding mountain forest, his eyes showing fear.

“This kind of silent, traceless hiding, both eliminating traces and hiding divine sense, with not a single trace…”

“Hidden Old Two couldn’t reach this degree either.”

Qiao Laowu was annoyed, “Then what? Go search everywhere?”

“The mountain forest is so big, how can we search…”

“Set fire and burn the mountain?”

“Do you want to die? We’ve just attracted the hounds of the Daoting. How are we going to do anything else?”

Qiao Laowu was greatly angry, “Then what?”

Yin Leizi frowned, looking towards the leader, Huo Fo.

Huo Fo’s eyes showed malice, but in a flash, they calmed down again, his face compassionate, his voice gentle, “Forget it, heaven has the virtue of giving life. Spare him a life. Time is not early, we still have proper matters to do…”

Qiao Laowu was dissatisfied.

He had suffered the teasing of Mo Ting and now hated to the point of wanting to kill Mo Ting immediately.

But he dared not disobey Huo Fo, so he could only bury this hatred in his heart, thinking that next time he met him, he must use his Bloodwood Saber to chop this little brat into ten thousand pieces.

The crowd turned to leave.

After walking dozens of steps, Huo Fo suddenly stopped.

Qiao Laowu and the other three were slightly startled and looked at Huo Fo, only to see that he seemed to have thought of something, his expression puzzled.

“Big Brother, what’s wrong?”

Huo Fo thought for a moment, puzzled, “How exactly did that little cultivator recognize us?”

Recognizing one person was understandable, but how could he instantly recognize all four of them?

Yin Leizi and the other three also frowned.

“Could this little brat be a little hound of the Daoting?”

“That group of fools in the Daoting can’t raise such a cunning hound…”

“Could it be…”

Yin Leizi’s expression was grave, “That copy… the Blood Oath Roster fell into his hands?”

Huo Fo’s eyes showed killing intent, but he ultimately shook his head, “It shouldn’t be that coincidental…”

That thing was extremely confidential. How could it just happen to fall into the hands of this never-before-met little brat?

Moreover, there were still seal patterns and secret patterns added.

The secrets within were even less likely for a little cultivator to pry into…

“Then this…”

Yin Leizi and the others were even more confused.

Huo Fo restrained all his emotions, changed back to a compassionate face, turned to look at the mountain forest where Mo Ting had disappeared, his voice hollow and gentle, “Proper matters are important. As for this little cultivator…”

“We will meet again…”

Huo Fo’s gaze was burning, like karma fire, revealing a chilling killing intent.

“Next time we meet, I will then teach you how fire system techniques are used exactly…”

Then he solemnly turned back and headed west.

Qiao Laowu and the others, like fierce gods and evil spirits, stared at the mountain forest for a moment, then each indignantly turned and followed Huo Fo.

And in the middle of the mountain forest, there was already no trace of Mo Ting.

Mo Ting had long ago borrowed the cover of the five elements wood energy in the mountain forest, displayed the Little Five Elements Hidden Trace Technique, and secretly slipped away.

Huo Fo was dangerous.

The other three were not good people either.

Since he couldn’t force the enemy, he naturally wanted to run early to avoid unnecessary complications.

Mo Ting displayed his hiding technique, entered the depths of the mountain forest, and then circled around the mountain path, confirming that he had shaken off Huo Fo and the other four. Then he circled a large circle and returned to the city gate of Luanshan City, waiting for his senior brothers and sisters.

For insurance, he was even still displaying his hiding technique.

Probably about one incense stick time later, among the people coming and going at the city gate, two graceful figures appeared.

It was exactly Murong Caiyun in her colorful clothes and beautiful appearance, and Hua Qianqian in her hundred flowers dress and pretty face.

And Ouyang Feng and Shangguan Xu were just following behind them.

Mo Ting breathed a sigh of relief, then withdrew his hiding technique, waved, and greeted, “Senior brothers and sisters!”

Murong Caiyun saw Mo Ting, somewhat surprised, walked forward, and asked:

“Junior brother, how are you here? Weren’t you drinking tea at the tea house?”

“I met bad people!” Mo Ting’s face was serious.

Bad people?

Murong Caiyun and the other four looked at each other, then looked at Mo Ting worriedly, “Are you okay?”

“Um.” Mo Ting nodded, “They wanted to kill me, I ran away.”

Wanted to kill Junior Brother Mo?

Ouyang Feng’s gaze was cold, and Murong Caiyun and the others also had angry faces, “Where are those people?”

Mo Ting’s heart was warm, but he still shook his head, “That group, there were four people in total, at least two were in the late stage of Foundation Establishment, and the leader had learned a forbidden technique, very dangerous…”

Late stage of Foundation Establishment? Forbidden technique?!

Murong Caiyun’s expression changed slightly. She again carefully sized up Mo Ting and saw that although his clothes were a bit dirty, he was indeed intact. This reassured her.

But at the same time, she was also somewhat surprised, “You could even run away from that?”

Mo Ting then said, “I was lucky, luckily I ran away…”

“Okay…”

Murong Caiyun didn’t delve deeper.

Apart from other things, this little junior brother of hers had quite a few strange and odd life-saving methods.

Just being able to run away alone from the blockade of the late stage of Foundation Establishment was still a bit ridiculous…

Ouyang Feng’s face was also somewhat severe. He thought, “Four people, at least two in the late stage of Foundation Establishment, that can only be reported to the Daoting. The Daoting in Luanshan City is probably not enough…”

“For safety, it’s better to report to the Daoting in the Qianxue state boundary.”

The others all slightly nodded.

Mo Ting also repeatedly nodded.

He thought the same way.

If Uncle Gu hadn’t said anything wrong, then this Huo Fo’s techniques were extremely strong, and it was difficult to find an opponent under the second rank.

Then the second-rank Daoting in Luanshan City, even if they sent people to chase, they would probably be burned clean under his fire techniques.

The best thing was to return to the Qianxue state boundary and report to the fifth-rank Daoting.

Without delaying, several people then hired a carriage and immediately set off. Half a day later, they returned to the Qianxue state boundary, entered the gate of the Daoting, found the main executive in charge, and said they wanted to report a case.

But the procedures for “reporting a case” were also quite troublesome, and the process was slow.

Mo Ting simply told the beginning and end and also reported a long string of names of criminal cultivators:

“Bloodwoodcutter, Yin Leizi, Gui Mian Xie, Huo Fo.”

The executive still thought Mo Ting was joking, was stunned for a while, and didn’t understand, “How do you know that those four people are called by these titles?”

In a fifth-rank state boundary, with vast territory and a mix of people, there were not a few criminal cultivators and evil cultivators. Some of these titles he had also heard were quite strange.

How could a little cultivator recognize them?

“They were chatting, and I heard them.” Mo Ting casually found an excuse.

The executive was half-believing, half-doubting.

It wasn’t that he didn’t believe, but he found it hard to believe, so for a time he was somewhat hesitant and couldn’t make a decision.

Mo Ting disliked his procrastination, so he said, “Where is your Executive Gu? I’ll talk to him.”

“You know Executive Gu?”

“Yes.” Mo Ting nodded, “My relationship with Uncle Gu is very good!”

The executive’s face was disbelieving.

That Gu Changhuai, who was like the “cold-faced judge” and looked down on everyone, could have a good relationship with you, a little cultivator?

“Executive Gu is busy with official business…”

“This is a big matter.” Mo Ting said seriously, then looked at the executive and lowered his voice, “Uncle Gu is careful. If you report this matter late, watch out for him giving you a hard time…”

The executive’s expression shook upon hearing this.

He wasn’t sure if the matter of these several criminal cultivators was true or false, but one thing this little cultivator said was not wrong.

Executive Gu was indeed careful!

And for a cultivator who dared to say that the careful Executive Gu was careful, putting aside everything else, at least their courage was different from ordinary people!

“Okay, I’ll take you to find Executive Gu.”

That executive was straightforward, then turned his head and admonished him again, “But… don’t say that I took you there.”

“Um!”

So Murong Caiyun waited in the hall, and the executive then took Mo Ting, turning left and right in the grand and majestic, pavilion-filled Daoting, and came to an executive room.

This seemed to be Gu Changhuai’s inner office place in the Daoting.

Mo Ting had not come here before, so he silently remembered this route in his heart. Next time he had something, he could directly come and knock on Uncle Gu’s door.

The executive only dared to put Mo Ting at the door and then slipped away.

Mo Ting shook his head. It seemed that Uncle Gu was not popular in the Daoting.

Everyone else feared him.

Unlike himself, who was so likable.

There was a doorbell outside the executive room, in an ancient style. Mo Ting shook it, and a crisp sound came out.

Then from indoors, a cold and arrogant voice also came, “Come in.”

The door opened, and Mo Ting walked in.

The room was simple and neat, the furnishings exquisite and elegant. Gu Changhuai was sitting in front of his desk, concentrating on writing something.

After Mo Ting entered, Gu Changhuai raised his head and looked, was stunned for a moment, then frowned.

“How is it you again?”

He looked around, seeing only Mo Ting, and asked:

“How did you find this place?”

The internal executive rooms of the Daoting were where the executives worked. Although they were not important forbidden areas, outsiders were also prohibited from moving around.

Mo Ting said, “A passing, kind-hearted executive brought me.”

He was very loyal and did not reveal the executive’s appearance to Gu Changhuai.

Gu Changhuai sighed, somewhat helpless, continued to bow his head and write things, and said lightly, “Tell me, what is it this time?”

“I met Huo Fo!”

Gu Changhuai’s hand shook, drawing a long ink mark on the file. He raised his head and looked at Mo Ting in disbelief.

“Huo… Fo?”

“Um!”

“How did you meet?”

“I was drinking tea at the tea house, and I just met him.”

Gu Changhuai was stunned speechless.

Huo Fo wasn’t a vendor rushing to do business with you. You were drinking tea at a tea house and could meet him…

Or rather, you this boy truly “speak it and the law follows,” said you would meet Huo Fo, and you went out and met him…

Mo Ting saw that Gu Changhuai didn’t believe him, so he said seriously, “Really!”

It wasn’t that Gu Changhuai didn’t believe him, he just felt it was too ridiculous.

A criminal cultivator whom the Daoting had pursued for so long without any whereabouts, you, a small disciple of a sect, went to drink tea and said you could meet him?

Are you a little god stick or something?

Moreover…

Their Daoting also needed evidence. Even if Mo Ting was a disciple of one of the eight great sects, Tai Xu Sect, it was impossible for him to say something and have it be true.

The Daoting also didn’t have that much manpower to waste.

Gu Changhuai sighed, “How do you know that the person you met is Huo Fo?”

Mo Ting said in a condensed voice:

“He is tall and big, with a kind face, doesn’t talk much, under his ordinary clothes, he wears a kasaya, the hair tied on his head is fake, inside it covers several fire light scars…”

“He was accompanied by three people, one big man, good at using a blood-colored wood knife, called ‘Qiao Laowu’, possibly the criminal cultivator nicknamed ‘Bloodwoodcutter’…”

“Another thin man, gloomy-faced, should be ‘Yin Leizi’, another big man, full of flesh on his face, fierce expression, estimated to be ‘Gui Mian Xie’…”

Gu Changhuai put away his careless face, and the more he listened, the more serious his expression became.

What Mo Ting said didn’t seem like a fake at all.

These people were indeed the titles of the criminal cultivators who were full of evil within the second-rank state boundary.

Just…

Gu Changhuai’s gaze looked at Mo Ting seriously, “Where did you know the names of so many criminal cultivators?”

What “Bloodwoodcutter”, “Yin Leizi”, “Gui Mian Xie”, he said them as soon as he opened his mouth, “like family treasures” in general.

As if these criminal cultivators were all “dishes” on his menu…

Mo Ting was serious and indignant, “Although my cultivation is not high, I remember the sect’s teachings, uphold justice, cut down demons and eliminate evil, hate evil like an enemy, hate criminal cultivators, and have long wanted to catch them all in one fell swoop!”

“So I usually like to collect information on criminal cultivators, and I just know a little more…”

Gu Changhuai had a headache listening to this.

What are you, this little brat, talking nonsense about?

What uphold justice, hate evil like an enemy…

Are you saying that’s you?

At least make up a lie.

But in his heart, he also vaguely felt that the matter of Huo Fo was very likely true.

But the evidence was still insufficient…

Body shape, appearance, kasaya, scars…

It only proved that this person was somewhat similar to Huo Fo. It was not impossible in this world to have other cultivators who believed in Buddha, burned scars, and wore kasayas.

Gu Changhuai frowned, “Are there any other clues to prove he is Huo Fo?”

Mo Ting thought for a moment, “He is proficient in fire system techniques. When he displays techniques, two groups of fierce fire burn inside his body, like two hearts…”

Gu Changhuai’s heart trembled, surprised, “He made a move?”

“He made a move.”

Gu Changhuai’s gaze narrowed, looking at Mo Ting, “You ran away?”

“Um.” Mo Ting nodded, “As soon as he made a move, I ran.”

“How did you run?”

Mo Ting felt that this question was a bit redundant, “Of course I ran with my legs…”

Gu Changhuai was a bit choked.

“I’m asking you…”

Gu Changhuai calmed his emotions. When he said halfway, he was suddenly startled, his gaze sank, and he no longer asked.

Some words were indeed not suitable to ask more.

Especially cultivators’ life-saving means…

Just Mo Ting in his eyes was also becoming more and more unfathomable…

“Do you know where Huo Fo went?” Gu Changhuai said in a deep voice.

Mo Ting shook his head, “It was already good that I could run away, how would I dare to track them…”

“Where did you meet them?”

“Outside Luanshan City…”

Mo Ting thought for a moment, then said more specifically, “Outside Luanshan City and Bi Mountain City, at the connecting point of the mountain path, there is a piece of mountain forest, and a small tea house…”

“The mountain path connecting Luanshan City and Bi Mountain City…”

Gu Changhuai nodded, “Okay, I know. I will personally bring people to investigate. If the situation is true…”

Gu Changhuai looked at Mo Ting, “I will convert it into merit points for you.”

Mo Ting’s heart rejoiced, “Thank you, Uncle Gu.”

Gu Changhuai nodded, frowning and thinking about something.

“Uncle Gu, you say…” Mo Ting asked in a low voice, “Why did Huo Fo suddenly appear?”

Gu Changhuai shook his head, “I don’t know. You don’t manage it, and you don’t intervene.”

After Gu Changhuai finished this sentence, he tidied up the files in his hand, then hurried out.

He also summoned several teams of executives and divided them into groups to act, seeming to go and investigate Huo Fo’s whereabouts.

Mo Ting really wanted to follow along, but he knew without thinking that Uncle Gu would definitely not agree, so he could only follow his senior brothers and sisters back to the sect.

After returning to the sect, Mo Ting’s heart was still concerned about this matter.

How to catch Huo Fo?

How to obtain the cultivation method of the forbidden technique “Falling Fire Technique” from Huo Fo?

And Huo Fo, with a compassionate face, who killed people like mowing hemp…

Why did he suddenly appear?

There were too few related clues, and Mo Ting couldn’t figure it out no matter how he thought.

Mo Ting then entrusted Senior Sister Murong to help inquire about some news.

He vaguely felt that since Huo Fo had appeared, he definitely wanted to do something…

Several days later, Murong Caiyun found Mo Ting. After a moment’s pause, she said with a grave expression, “The Xie family in Bi Mountain City was exterminated by Huo Fo.”

“The Xie family became a sea of fire, men, women, old and young, all burned to charcoal, leaving no one alive…”

(End of this chapter)