This is Mo Hua’s fourth year at Tai Xu Gate. It’s also his academic year in the middle stage of Foundation Establishment. Starting this year, Mo Hua has to learn the cultivation courses for the middle stage of Foundation Establishment, getting in touch with refining tools, pills, and talisman arts at the second-grade middle level. Also, he needs to delve deeper into second-grade high-level formations step by step.

He strives to elevate his divine sense to nineteen patterns within three years. This is the small goal Mo Hua set for himself. He originally wanted to aim for twenty patterns, but in his heart, he also knows this is fundamentally impossible. Twenty patterns is the divine sense of the Golden Core realm, and with his current cultivation and the speed of his divine sense growth, he fundamentally cannot reach it in the short term.

After everything was as usual. Although the cultivation courses changed, the overall framework of the inheritance did not. The teaching elders and instructors also did not change. So, Mo Hua quickly adapted to the academic year of the middle stage of Foundation Establishment. And after two months, once the cultivation of the group of disciples stabilized and everything was on the right track, the sect informed Mo Hua and the others: Refining Demon Mountain is open.

The cultivation elder stood in front of the lecture hall and said to the group of disciples: “Refining Demon Mountain, as the name suggests, is a place for disciples to hunt demon beasts, temper their Dao methods, and experience themselves.”

“This is also your most important source of merit in the middle stage of Foundation Establishment, apart from undertaking bounties.”

“Even some bounties themselves are for you to go and hunt demon beasts.”

“The demon beasts in Refining Demon Mountain are of numerous varieties, with special bloodlines and powerful strength. Materials from many rare demon beasts are things you cannot buy even with spirit stones.”

“Therefore, as long as you are sword cultivators, tool refiners, alchemists, or disciples who need to refine high-grade spirit tools, Refining Demon Mountain is a must-go.”

“However, demon beasts are different from cultivators…”

The cultivation elder paused slightly, his eyes lifted slightly, looking at the group of disciples, and said: “You are from aristocratic families, raised in luxury since childhood. What you have seen are mostly docile spirit beasts. You know about demon beasts, but there are not many disciples who have personally seen demon beasts.”

“Demon beasts have thick blood energy and surging demonic power. They are very difficult to deal with, and their nature is ferocious, mostly taking humans as food.”

“Even demon beasts that eat spirit grass and drink sweet dew, if they don’t eat people, they will still kill people.”

“Therefore, hunting demon beasts should involve at least five people, and more than ten. And you must be extremely careful and cautious to avoid being careless and falling into the jaws of demons.”

“When you go out on bounties, evil cultivators and demonic cultivators, although they won’t reason with you, these evil demons fear the sect and dread the aristocratic families behind you. They may not dare to strike a deadly blow.”

“But once you enter Refining Demon Mountain, demon beasts are ferocious and lack humanity; there is truly no reason to speak.”

“If you are careless or negligent for a moment, it is extremely possible to be buried in the bellies of demons.”

“Moreover, the demon beasts that can be captured by old ancestors of various sects and specially thrown into Refining Demon Mountain are originally not ordinary demon beasts, and are also more troublesome to deal with…”

The cultivation elder pondered slightly and slowly said, “Although Refining Demon Mountain is now open, according to the general convention, it will be at least half a year later, or even next year…”

“Wait until your cultivation is more solid, and your spirit tools and Dao methods are also almost matched with your cultivation, then it will not be too late to consider entering Refining Demon Mountain to hunt demon beasts, peel off materials, and earn merit.”

“Sharpening the knife doesn’t delay chopping wood. Don’t be greedy for merit and rush ahead, otherwise it is very likely to invite disaster.”

“I have already spoken my words. As for when to enter Refining Demon Mountain, you can all consider it yourselves…”

The cultivation elder’s gaze slightly sank, and he swept a glance at the seated disciples, “Finally, I will tell you one more sentence…”

“If you are harmed by disciples of the same sect or other sects after entering Refining Demon Mountain, even if the other party is one of the four great sects, our sect will also go and demand an explanation.”

“But, suppose you die purely because of stupidity and recklessness at the mouths of demon beasts, the sect will not be responsible.”

“Not only Tai Xu Gate, this is also the convention of the entire Qian Xue State boundary.”

If disciples of aristocratic families want to indulge, they can live in fine clothes and luxury, being extravagant and wasteful. But if they truly want to advance, the pressure is also great, and the competition is even more intense. But even so, growing up in deep homes and great clans, where wind cannot blow in and rain cannot beat in, some overt and covert struggles are only around clan interests and personal prospects, not involving life and death, and they have not come into contact with the true dangers of the cultivation world.

Therefore, after entering the sect, they have to start changing appropriately. Bounties are one point, to let disciples learn to deal with evil cultivators and know the evil of human hearts. Refining Demon Mountain is the second point, to let disciples know the ferocity of demon beasts. So that year, an old ancestor in the Qian Xue State boundary, against all opinions, set this rule: dying at the mouths of demon beasts in Refining Demon Mountain is a death in vain.

This rule is just to let sect disciples have some sense of risk, know that life is not easy, and experience the terror of death.

Upon hearing this, the seated disciples all had solemn expressions and were filled with awe in their hearts. Mo Hua was also a little nervous. But his nervousness was due to anticipation. Hunting demons! He only felt the “bloodline” of a hunter on his body, restless.

Mountains are high, forests are deep, and demon beasts are gathered in Refining Demon Mountain. There are many things that can be done. But he just doesn’t know if Old Mister Xun will agree to let him enter the mountain. Mo Hua pondered silently. On the surface, Old Mister Xun keeping him under house arrest is not to let him leave the Qian Xue State boundary. Refining Demon Mountain is within the Qian Xue State boundary, within a limited range, so there should be no problem.

But Mo Hua knows that Old Mister Xun’s purpose is not to let him take risks, but to let him steadily learn formations. Refining Demon Mountain is dangerous, and Old Mister Xun might not agree to let him enter the mountain. Mo Hua thought for a while and decided to ask Old Mister Xun first.

Mo Hua went to find Old Mister Xun, and indeed, as soon as he opened his mouth, he was rejected by Old Mister Xun. Old Mister Xun had a stern face and a severe tone, but it revealed concern. “You child, what fun are you going to join?”

“You fundamentally don’t know how dangerous the demon beasts in Refining Demon Mountain are.”

“Furthermore, you are not a body cultivator, your physical body is weak; your spiritual power is low, and your techniques are not superior either; you don’t refine spirit tools, so you can’t use the materials from demon beasts; you draw formations every day, and you don’t lack merit either…”

“What are you going to do in Refining Demon Mountain?”

Old Mister Xun asked Mo Hua to be speechless. Although Old Mister Xun’s words had some discrepancies with the actual situation. Although his physical body is weak, his body techniques are good; although his spiritual power is low, his techniques are fast; although he doesn’t refine spirit tools, he has Master Gu to help him refine them. It is true that he draws formations every day, but how can he not lack merit?

Merit is something that the more the better. He may not use it, but he cannot not save it. Money makes the hero bold. With more merit, Mo Hua feels more at ease in his heart. He wishes to save up one or two ten thousand merit points. Even if he does nothing and just flips through the Tai Xu Order, it is pleasing to the eye.

But Old Mister Xun’s words also have reason. These things he counted up now are not necessary. It’s just that Mo Hua is a little unwilling. Old Mister Xun saw through it, slightly shook his head, thinking that Mo Hua, this child, although his temperament is good, his disposition is also steady, and he looks a little grown up, in the blink of an eye he is already a clear and lovely little youth. But after all, he still has a bit of childish nature and likes to join in the fun.

And in Refining Demon Mountain, disciples from a hundred sects gather, hunting demons in teams, which is indeed extraordinarily lively. But is this fun something you child can join?

“Your talent in formations is outstanding, covering a hundred flaws. Play your talent to the extreme, and in the future, you can also walk your own path, no need to learn from others…”

“Some paths you cannot walk, and you fundamentally don’t need to walk them. Formations themselves are a broad road!” Old Mister Xun said earnestly.

“Oh…” Mo Hua nodded slightly.

Old Mister Xun saw that Mo Hua was still a little unhappy, pondered slightly, and flipped his wrist, taking out a thick stack of formation diagrams. “You have almost learned the seventeen-pattern Five Elements Eight Trigrams formation inheritance of Tai Xu Gate. Now learn this set of mine…”

Mo Hua was slightly startled. “Old mister, aren’t yours the same as Tai Xu Gate’s?”

“Some are not the same…” Old Mister Xun said, “Tai Xu Gate’s formation inheritance emphasizes ‘inheritance,’ which is used for preaching and teaching…”

“What I am giving you now is true formation ‘research.'”

“These formation diagrams, although also Five Elements Eight Trigrams formations, are much more difficult compared to the previous ones…”

Mo Hua’s eyes brightened. “Much more difficult?” He hurriedly respectfully took these formation diagrams and roughly scanned them. His eyes looked brighter and brighter. These formation diagrams, unexpectedly, have similar but different merits compared to the formation inheritance of the Shangguan family and the Wenren family. And they seem to be even more profound.

“Thank you, old mister!” Mo Hua said with a smile.

Old Mister Xun saw Mo Hua was happy, then he slightly relaxed a breath, waved his hand and said: “Go, go and learn formations.”

“Um um.” Mo Hua immediately put the formation diagrams in his embrace and trotted away all the way. Old Mister Xun looked somewhat amused and slightly shook his head.

After some time, in order not to disappoint Old Mister Xun’s good intentions, Mo Hua temporarily forgot about Refining Demon Mountain and wholeheartedly learned the new formations. But new formations always have a day when they are learned completely. After Mo Hua finished learning them, he ran to find Old Mister Xun, saying that he wanted to enter Refining Demon Mountain. Old Mister Xun, in order to appease Mo Hua, had no choice but to give him more formation diagrams, giving him something to do to pacify his restless heart.

Just like this, nearly half a year passed. Mo Hua used Refining Demon Mountain as an excuse to “blackmail” Old Mister Xun into giving him quite a few formation diagrams that he shouldn’t have been taught at this time. And Cheng Mo and the others, whose cultivation foundation had stabilized and who had also adapted to the battles in the middle stage of Foundation Establishment, had already started forming teams of five and entering Refining Demon Mountain. Mo Hua, this orthodox hunter, could only watch eagerly.

During meal time, Cheng Mo and several people gathered together, chattering about matters in Refining Demon Mountain.

“There are disciples and demon beasts all over the mountains…”

“Tigers with claws longer than their necks, bears that stand up like small mountains, wolf demons with green hair all over their heads, and luan birds with fiery red bodies…”

“Fighting with demon beasts allows you to exert your full strength. You don’t need to hold back your martial arts techniques. You can fight heartily.”

“A second-grade initial demon core alone is worth three hundred merit points.”

“And some furs, bones, essence blood, liver, and gallbladder are all valuable.”

Cheng Mo said vividly, with his eyebrows flying and dancing. But after ten or so days, Cheng Mo went to Refining Demon Mountain several more times, but he was a little dejected. Mo Hua said puzzledly: “How?”

Cheng Mo sighed, “In Hunter Mountain, most of the senior brothers and sisters are in the late stage of Foundation Establishment. They are rich in experience, their methods are seasoned, their cultivation is profound, and their spirit tools are also high-grade.”

“Our teams fundamentally can’t blend in…”

“The five of us also formed a team and wanted to kill a second-grade initial wolf demon to practice our hands, but that wolf demon was truly cunning. We spent half a day’s effort and finally found it with difficulty…”

“Then what?”

“We didn’t win…”

Cheng Mo’s expression was very depressed. Mo Hua nodded, not surprised. Demon beasts are very strong. Especially for disciples like Cheng Mo, who have never actually hunted demon beasts and have almost zero experience, eating some losses is inevitable in the first confrontation. Hunter this line, newcomers are very hard to blend in.

Mo Hua can only say some precautions for hunting demons and give them a warning. He cannot give excessive suggestions now. Because specific problems require specific analysis. Mo Hua’s experience in hunting demons mostly comes from Great Black Mountain. Great Black Mountain is a second-grade mountain range in Li State. Mo Hua was born and grew up there and is very familiar with the environment and demon beasts there.

But now he is in Refining Demon Mountain in Qian State. Mo Hua has never personally been to Refining Demon Mountain and is completely unaware of the situation there. Naturally, it is not good to stick to the old ways and use the methods of Great Black Mountain to hunt the demons of Refining Demon Mountain. He can only pick some universal means of hunting demons and simply say them.

Such as the habits of demon beasts like eating, hibernating, ambushing, residing, and feigning death, and the common means of hunters setting ambushes, surrounding and killing, and slaying demons. Cheng Mo and several people continuously nodded as they listened. Hao Xuan’s eyes shone even brighter. “Little senior brother, you know so much…”

“Just so-so.” Mo Hua said modestly.

Mo Hua’s suggestions were all listened to by Cheng Mo and the others. But listening is one thing, actually going to hunt demons is another matter entirely. Cheng Mo and their process of hunting demons was still bumpy. However, after a period of time, they also gradually persisted. After all, being able to study in the Qian Xue State boundary and worship at Tai Xu Gate, one of the eight great gates, they were also favored sons of heaven in their respective families and naturally had their own temperament and pride.

So another few days passed. Everything was originally considered smooth, until Mo Hua saw Cheng Mo, wrapped in bandages, with a hanging arm and a bruised face, unable to move…

“He was slapped by a bear.” Si Tu Jian said.

Mo Hua’s expression was complex, not knowing whether to laugh or sympathize for a moment. Cheng Mo was very stubborn, “This time I was careless, just a mere second-grade initial bear. When I recover, I must fight this evil beast for three hundred rounds, chop off its bear paw, and wash away this shame!”

Si Tu Jian said silently: “If your bones were half as hard as your mouth, you wouldn’t have broken eight roots…”

As soon as Si Tu Jian said this, Cheng Mo indeed winced in pain. “Si Tu, you must have learned badly from little senior brother! You weren’t so annoying before!”

Si Tu Jian no longer wanted to reason with him. Mo Hua then asked: “How long does he have to recuperate?”

Si Tu Jian shook his head: “Elder Murong saw him and said that the bear’s power was too great. This big fool injured his muscles and bones. He will have to recuperate for at least half a month, and then we’ll see how it is.”

“Then you are short one person for hunting demons?” Mo Hua said. Being short one ordinary person is still okay. But Cheng Mo’s blood energy is thick, his mountain-opening axe has strong momentum, and he is a body cultivator who can resist and fight. Now that he is injured, it is not easy to find a substitute.

Si Tu Jian sighed, “Let’s take it slow first. Our cultivation is not enough now. Going to Refining Demon Mountain might indeed be a bit early. We haven’t earned much merit these days, it’s a bit not worth the cost…”

“Let’s make some more preparations and wait until next year when our cultivation is more solid, then go to Refining Demon Mountain and try again.”

Mo Hua asked again: “What about other disciples from the same sect?”

Si Tu Jian shook his head, “They are all about the same. Anyway, Refining Demon Mountain is very difficult to blend into. Eating this meal as a hunter is really not easy.” Si Tu Jian sighed again. Mo Hua secretly shook his head. No way, it seems like this “little senior brother” has to lead them to play.

Mo Hua pondered for a bit and then went to find Old Mister Xun again. “You want to enter the mountain again?” Old Mister Xun frowned.

Mo Hua then brought out his prepared words: “I have learned quite a few formations and want to learn and apply them, drawing them on spirit tools and testing their effects. Refining Demon Mountain is the most suitable place.”

“Where are you going to get spirit tools?”

“The Gu family has a third-grade tool refining master, Master Gu. He will help me refine them.”

The Gu family? Old Mister Xun was a little surprised. His eyes showed contemplation, but he did not speak. Mo Hua then said: “I will only draw formations, improve spirit tools, and hide behind the crowd. I will not do it myself.”

Old Mister Xun still had concerns. “Inside Refining Demon Mountain, the demon beasts are ferocious…”

“It doesn’t matter,” Mo Hua lifted his head and puffed out his chest, proudly saying: “Old mister, in truth, I am actually of hunter origin. From childhood, I have been dealing with demon beasts. My experience in hunting demons is ancestral!”

Old Mister Xun was stunned by what Mo Hua said. What thing… Hunter? He looked at the fair and tender, thin-armed and thin-legged Mo Hua, and couldn’t quite see where he looked like a “hunter.” Perhaps a “fed hunter” was closer. Feeding himself to demon beasts…

Mo Hua saw that Old Mister Xun didn’t believe him, and he swore and emphasized: “Really!” Old Mister Xun looked at Mo Hua silently. Although he still didn’t believe him, he thought that with Mo Hua’s character, he wouldn’t tell such a nonsensical lie to his face. A bit absurd, but it shouldn’t be false.

“Okay then.” Old Mister Xun sighed. Mainly, he had no other formations to appease Mo Hua with. The seventeen-pattern formations he could give were all given, and Mo Hua had learned all he could. The others either required high divine sense, which Mo Hua still couldn’t learn. Or… those were formations that fundamentally couldn’t be transmitted. He had to find something for him to do. Moreover, formations indeed need to be “learned and applied.” If they are learned but not used, they are just like those old pedants and old antiques.

Old Mister Xun suddenly recalled that year, that person, also discussed array Dao with him and said similar words: Formations are about learning, thinking, and using, and “learning and applying” is even the key to array Dao. “Learning” is the threshold to enter the Dao, and “using” is the foundation to walk the Dao. Learn and apply, apply to promote learning. Learning and using aid each other, knowledge and action unite. So one can not deviate, persist, and glimpse the most essential Great Dao of arrays… These words are still in his ears, but that exceptionally talented person who made people envy is no longer here…

Old Mister Xun was inexplicably a little melancholy. When he turned his head to look at Mo Hua again, he was suddenly startled. He felt inexplicably emotional: “He’s really a bit similar…”

Mo Hua didn’t think that much, but his eyes flashed brightly, and he said: “Thank you, old mister!”

Old Mister Xun nodded slightly, but still admonished: “Be careful, remember to follow behind others, only research formations, don’t do it yourself.”

“Um um!” Mo Hua promised readily, then respectfully bowed, and then got up and left.

After Mo Hua left, Old Mister Xun’s gaze sank slightly. He pondered for a moment, then called a servant boy and instructed: “Call Zi You over.”

The servant boy took his orders and went down. Not long after, a man wearing the Tai Xu Gate inner sect Daoist robe, with a handsome appearance and some leisure, walked over and bowed to Old Mister Xun: “Old ancestor.”

Old Mister Xun nodded slightly and asked: “You know Mo Hua, right?”

The man said respectfully: “I know.” Mo Hua might not know him, but he knows Mo Hua. With this layer of relationship with Old Mister Xun, which elder or instructor in Tai Xu Gate doesn’t know Mo Hua, who is even closer than Old Mister Xun’s own great-grandsons.

Old Mister Xun nodded, “Mo Hua wants to enter Refining Demon Mountain. That is your area of responsibility. Take good care of him…” After speaking, Old Mister Xun glanced at the man, “If he loses even a single hair, you can go kneel at the ancestral hall for me.”

The man was startled and immediately felt his scalp go numb. He only felt a big trouble falling from the sky and landing on his head. And this big trouble was still likely to become a “big black pot.” The man saw that there was no one around, so he lowered his voice and softly asked a question that he had wanted to ask for a long time but had never dared to ask: “Old ancestor, this child Mo Hua… won’t he be the same as me and also be surnamed ‘Xun’?”

Old Mister Xun lifted his head, looked at him coldly, and said indifferently: “I see you are quite idle. After this matter is done, I will assign you some more tasks and give you more ‘tempering’…”

The word “tempering” was said meaningfully by Old Mister Xun. The man immediately felt as if he had eaten Coptis, his face bitter. He regretted not having kept his mouth shut and asking this extra question. Can the tasks assigned by the old ancestor be easy to do? He was afraid that even if he didn’t die, he would be stripped of a layer of skin…

Old Mister Xun saw him being honest, then brushed his sleeves, “Go then, remember what I said. It doesn’t matter if you break an arm, but that child cannot lose a single hair.”

The man deeply sighed and said helplessly: “Yes…” He was now certain that child was definitely not surnamed “Xun.” Because those surnamed “Xun” fundamentally did not receive this kind of treatment.

After the man retreated, Old Mister Xun thought of another matter and couldn’t help but ponder in his heart: Hunter origins? How could he be of hunter origins? A scattered cultivator hunter, where did he learn formations? Old Mister Xun’s brows slightly furrowed. Li State is far from Qian State, the road is long. Mo Hua is just a scattered cultivator.

Old Mister Xun had never specifically thought to check Mo Hua’s background before, and he fundamentally didn’t care. Heroes do not ask about their origins. Being able to enter the Qian Xue State boundary and worship at Tai Xu Gate is considered a destined opportunity. As long as Mo Hua has a good temperament and talent and can learn formations well, that’s fine. Old Mister Xun does not have clan views and does not judge by background. Moreover, as an old ancestor, he is busy with affairs and will not inquire about a disciple’s origins.

But now, he is suddenly very curious. How exactly did this child grow up? And what exactly did he do to become an array master and have such a deep foundation in Five Elements formations?

Old Mister Xun pondered for a moment, then called the servant boy again, and said deeply: “From the inner sect, call over a disciple who knows the Wind Travel Thousand Miles body technique.”

“Yes, old ancestor.” The servant boy retreated. Not long after, a disciple wearing an inner sect Daoist robe, with a figure like the wind and agile steps, came over. “Old ancestor!” That disciple cupped his hands and bowed.

Old Mister Xun nodded and instructed: “Pack up a bit and set off as soon as possible. Hurry to Cloud Ferry City, then take the Cloud Ferry to Li State, to a second-grade state boundary called Great Black Mountain State boundary, and inquire about some matters for me…”

(This chapter is complete)