Mo Hua’s mind was shaken.

Elder Zhao continued, “Young Master Mo, as a disciple of a fifth-rank major sect, you should strive to uphold righteousness and eliminate evil for the good of the people. Do you truly wish to aid the wicked, ensuring the impoverished cultivators of Canglang City never rise again, and plunging the cultivators of Tongxian City into dire straits?”

Mo Hua’s expression was conflicted. “But your formations can’t kill the Sect Master; he’s a Golden Core cultivator—”

Elder Zhao shook his head. “I have my own plans for that, Young Master Mo need not trouble yourself. All I ask is that you don’t reveal this matter.”

Mo Hua frowned in thought. A moment later, he slowly nodded. “Alright—”

Elder Zhao observed Mo Hua’s expression and, seeing signs that he was being persuaded, pressed further: “Beyond that, I, Zhao, have one more reluctant request that I hope Young Master Mo will grant.”

Mo Hua paused slightly. “What is it?”

Elder Zhao said, “I hope Young Master Mo can lure the Sect Master into this formation.”

Mo Hua was startled and immediately shook his head. “No, I can’t. Not leaking the secret is already a betrayal to the Sect Master; how could I turn around and harm him? Although the Sect Master used me, he has ultimately treated me well. I cannot repay kindness with malice.”

Elder Zhao said sorrowfully, “Then, Young Master Mo, can you really bear to watch the rogue cultivators of Canglang City be oppressed to death, and Tongxian City also face imminent disaster?”

“This—” Mo Hua frowned.

Elder Zhao gazed at Mo Hua and sighed softly: “This is originally my, Zhao’s, responsibility, and I shouldn’t trouble Young Master Mo, but alas, I am incapable. That Duan fellow is very suspicious of me; if I were to invite him, he would surely grow suspicious. If he doesn’t enter the trap, I have no confidence in killing him—”

“However, that Duan fellow highly values Young Master Mo and trusts your formations. Looking across the entire Canglang Sect, only Young Master Mo can lure that Duan fellow into the trap.”

Mo Hua’s expression was hesitant.

Elder Zhao gritted his teeth and actually knelt before Mo Hua.

Mo Hua was startled and quickly helped him up. “Elder Zhao, what are you doing?”

The others also looked shocked. “Elder Zhao!”

“Brother Zhao!”

“You’re—”

Elder Zhao remained kneeling, his face solemn, and said: “I implore Young Master Mo, for the sake of Canglang City, for the Canglang Sect, and for all the suffering cultivators in this city, please lend me your aid!”

Seeing this, the other elders and disciples, who had previously drawn their weapons against Mo Hua, also put away their weapons and knelt before him. “We beg Young Master Mo, please help us!”

Mo Hua sighed softly to himself, thinking that Elder Zhao was indeed a master of theatrics. This tactic of reasoning, appealing to emotion, humbling oneself, and kneeling was played too skillfully. The Canglang Sect truly had no ordinary individuals. Some cultivators, though not having high cultivation, were seasoned in the lower ranks and were incredibly adept at manipulating people. True wisdom comes from understanding the world, and mastery lies in navigating human emotions and interactions. He himself should learn from them.

Mo Hua immediately showed a moved expression, looking at Elder Zhao with eyes full of admiration and gratitude. He nodded solemnly. “Alright, I’ll find a way to handle this!”

After returning, Mo Hua found the Canglang Sect Master and spoke directly: “The formations for the forging hall are inadequate. At this rate, let alone building a large forging hall above the second rank, even completing it within the deadline will be a problem.”

The Canglang Sect Master frowned. “Young Master Mo, why do you say that?”

Mo Hua stated bluntly, “Elder Zhao isn’t capable; his formation skills are too poor.” Mo Hua paused, then continued, “Of course, I admit that as the chief formation elder of the Canglang Sect, Elder Zhao’s formation skills do have commendable aspects. However, in practical application, they are too broad and filled with loopholes, and simply too unrealistic…”

Mo Hua critiqued Elder Zhao’s formations at length, then said, “Let me plan these formations; I can certainly do a better job.”

Mo Hua’s expression was defiant and proud.

The Canglang Sect Master felt pleased at heart, but on the surface, he advised, “Young Master Mo, although you have great talent and a high starting point, your experience is still shallow. Why not work with Elder Zhao to complete the forging hall’s formations and gain some experience—”

“No need!” Mo Hua sneered. “I have more than enough formation experience; I don’t care about one or two forging halls. Besides, Sect Master, you specifically invited me here; surely it wasn’t to have me assist Elder Zhao, was it?”

The Canglang Sect Master appreciated Mo Hua’s ambition, but still hesitated, “I’m afraid Elder Zhao might have complaints about this.”

Mo Hua said, “You are the Sect Master. Would you care about one elder?”

“Elder Zhao is no ordinary elder. How about this—” The Canglang Sect Master glanced at Mo Hua. “You can present your proposed formation diagrams and compare them with Elder Zhao’s. If your diagrams are indeed superior, then everything will proceed as you say. From then on, all formations in the Canglang Sect will be decided by you. You will be the Canglang Sect’s first formation elder!”

Mo Hua’s eyes gleamed with excitement. “Good!”

The Canglang Sect Master also smiled lightly.

Mo Hua’s gaze flickered slightly, then he added, “In that case, three days from now, at the forging hall, Elder Zhao and I will have a contest. I’d trouble the Sect Master to attend and personally bear witness.”

The Canglang Sect Master paused, and a hint of suspicion involuntarily appeared in his eyes. Mo Hua, however, looked at the Sect Master with a profound gaze. The Canglang Sect Master pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded. “Very well, I will be the witness.”

The matter was thus settled. Afterwards, the Canglang Sect Master summoned Elder Zhao and, in Mo Hua’s presence, informed him about the formation contest.

Elder Zhao’s expression was indifferent.

Mo Hua said indifferently, “Elder Zhao, just wait and see. Formations do not lie.”

Elder Zhao gave Mo Hua a deep, sharp look. “Very well.”

For the next three days, Mo Hua primarily spent his time experimenting with his newly developed “Deviant Dao Technique, Karma Demonic Seeding” on his “toys.” During the remaining time, he casually sketched some formation planning diagrams to fulfill his obligation.

Soon, three days passed.

Inside Canglang City’s unfinished forging hall, Mo Hua’s contest with Elder Zhao began. As it concerned the core formation diagrams of the Canglang Sect’s forging hall, this contest was relatively secretive. There were few cultivators watching, only the Canglang Sect Master’s confidantes and about a dozen other high-ranking elders.

The contest itself was relatively simple. Both sides presented their formation diagrams, debated and critiqued each other’s. Ultimately, during the debate, whoever’s diagram had more flaws would naturally lose.

Elder Zhao’s diagrams were the ones originally planned. Mo Hua’s diagrams were just casually drawn by him; even so, they were considerably better than Elder Zhao’s, though they naturally also had many deficiencies.

Mo Hua and Elder Zhao argued ceaselessly. Halfway through their debate, when a particular nodal point of a formation array was discussed, both sides were in a deadlock, refusing to yield. In the end, only the Canglang Sect Master could make the final decision.

The Canglang Sect Master, without suspicion, stepped forward, walking between Mo Hua and Elder Zhao, and lowered his head to examine both their formation diagrams.

It was at this moment that Mo Hua and Elder Zhao exchanged a glance. Mo Hua activated his movement technique and quietly retreated. Almost simultaneously, Elder Zhao drew a long sword with a wolf pattern and abruptly thrust it towards the Canglang Sect Master.

The Canglang Sect Master, inherently suspicious and possessing keen senses, detected the killing intent, his face instantly changed, and he took a step back. At the same time, his right hand conjured a wolf claw magical artifact, and with a backhand sweep, it tore out a golden light, directly colliding with Elder Zhao’s wolf-patterned long sword. To his surprise, his wolf claw artifact did not block the long sword. Instead, it was swept aside by the sword, leaving a long bleeding gash on his arm.

The Canglang Sect Master looked at Elder Zhao, his eyes glinting with ferocity: “Spiritual energy crystallization, you’re actually a Golden Core?”

Elder Zhao sneered, “I am a formation master; my spiritual sense is stronger than yours. I’ve hidden this for so long, all for today.”

The Canglang Sect Master gave a sinister smile. “What? You want to kill me? You think you can kill me?”

Elder Zhao crushed a jade talisman. Instantly, the ground trembled, and formation patterns on the ground lit up, layer upon layer, completely sealing off the surroundings and trapping the Canglang Sect Master and himself within a confined space. Elder Zhao pointed his long sword at the Canglang Sect Master. “Today, only one of us will walk out of here alive.”

The Canglang Sect Master looked at the surrounding formations, his expression quite surprised. “A high-tier second-rank formation?” He turned his head and looked at Elder Zhao, sighing softly, “Though it only has seventeen patterns, it’s still something to be proud of. What a pity…”

Elder Zhao sneered, “Prepare to die.” He pointed his long sword, and Golden Core stage sword energy crisscrossed, carrying the might of the Cangwolf, directly piercing towards the Canglang Sect Master’s throat. This was a secret sword art of the Canglang Sect. This Elder Zhao, a Golden Core cultivator, was not only proficient in formations but also quite skilled in swordsmanship. However, he was not as ruthless as the Canglang Sect Master, and thus was always suppressed. Now, with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, he naturally wanted to achieve his goal in one strike, killing the Sect Master and taking his place. Thus, all his moves were lethal.

The Canglang Sect Master naturally wouldn’t sit idly by and wait for death. He immediately unleashed the Seven Profound Wolf Claws and engaged Elder Zhao in a fierce battle.

Within the trapping formation, two Golden Core cultivators were locked in a deadly struggle. Their Golden Core stage spiritual energy, like crystals, clashed, its immense power spilling outwards, carving deep marks into the ground. A high-tier second-rank trapping formation could not fully contain Golden Core cultivators. However, for a Golden Core cultivator to break through the formation would take time, and forcibly breaking it would inevitably expose weaknesses to their opponent. Therefore, if Elder Zhao insisted on a fight to the death, the Canglang Sect Master would have no choice but to engage him fully.

Outside the trapping formation, Foundation Establishment elders were also locked in battle. Elder Zhao’s allies and the Canglang Sect Master’s elders were fighting in pairs, in a desperate struggle. The entire forging hall instantly descended into chaos. The light of the formations flickered erratically. Waves of killing intent surged one after another. Mo Hua, however, remained aloof, quietly observing everything.

The struggle continued for nearly half an hour, with neither side gaining the upper hand. At this point, Elder Zhao also noticed something amiss.

“Something’s wrong,” Elder Zhao said, sweeping the Canglang Sect Master away with a sword strike, then questioned, “I laid so many killing formations on the ground, why haven’t you triggered even one?” In terms of cultivation, he was evenly matched with the Canglang Sect Master. Neither could kill the other in a short period. These formations were the chips to break the stalemate. While a high-tier second-rank formation couldn’t kill a Golden Core cultivator, it could restrict and ambush them, inflicting a certain degree of injury. In such a life-and-death struggle, the accumulation of these injuries could be decisive. But what puzzled Elder Zhao was why that Duan fellow hadn’t once triggered any of the killing formations, despite them being laid by him.

The Canglang Sect Master chuckled sinisterly. “That’s naturally because Young Master Mo has already told me everything! Your schemes, your intentions, and—your formation diagrams, as well as the weaknesses in the killing formations you laid out. Young Master Mo had secretly informed me of everything, in full detail!”

Elder Zhao’s face turned pale. He immediately turned his head and looked at Mo Hua with fury. “You—”

Mo Hua’s expression was indifferent. “Your formations couldn’t kill the Sect Master. If the plan failed, I would be in trouble.”

Elder Zhao said with hatred, “That Duan fellow has ill intentions. Even if you don’t care about yourself, don’t you care about Tongxian City?”

Mo Hua said coldly, “Tongxian City cannot help me form my Golden Core. Why should I care about them?”

Elder Zhao felt extreme hatred in his heart. This selfish, ungrateful brat! All his grand plans were ruined by him! He had an upright and benevolent face, yet he committed treacherous and malicious acts.

“Sect Master Duan,” Mo Hua said calmly, “The rest is up to you.”

The Canglang Sect Master smiled slightly. “Young Master Mo, rest assured.” He took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled a wolf’s howl. His meridians and bones crackled, his entire body swelled by a circle, and he hunched over with a bowed back, resembling a werewolf, his eyes gleaming with crimson light. And with his roar, the other elders of the Canglang Sect also showed signs of “wolf transformation,” becoming bloodthirsty, and their strength increased significantly.

Elder Zhao’s face changed drastically in alarm. Mo Hua’s gaze also subtly shifted. The two sides re-engaged, and the situation rapidly deteriorated. Elder Zhao’s side suffered a terrible blow. They were simply no match for the bloodthirsty “wolf-transformed” Canglang Sect Master and his trusted elders. After merely a few dozen exchanges, Elder Zhao was already covered in wounds. He had entered the Golden Core stage more recently, lacked experience, and was less ruthless in combat. Earlier, he could still maneuver, but now that the Canglang Sect Master was serious, he was no match at all.

Elder Zhao could only detonate some killing formations to buy time. But the situation became increasingly unfavorable. Before long, Elder Zhao was forced into a corner, trapped in a desperate situation.

“The tide has turned—” Elder Zhao slumped in despair, a bitter smile on his face.

A sinister smile appeared on the Canglang Sect Master’s face. His body transformed into a wolf-like state, savage and ferocious. The wolf claw artifact had almost merged with his palm. He lunged downwards, fiercely tearing at Elder Zhao’s throat.

But precisely at this moment, Mo Hua’s expression changed, and he exclaimed in alarm, “Sect Master! Bad! Quickly, hide in the blind spot three zhang to your right!”

The Canglang Sect Master paused. He didn’t understand why he needed to hide, but subconsciously, he already trusted Mo Hua. Especially regarding formations, Mo Hua possessed an undeniable “authority.” And hearing Mo Hua’s tone, the situation seemed extremely urgent. Sect Master Duan almost instinctively took a sidestep, moving into the blind spot three zhang to his right, as instructed by Mo Hua.

As he stood in that corner, a black light flashed directly past. The sounds around them fell silent for a moment. Then, above the formation, a black disintegrating force spread, and a terrifying reversal occurred. In that moment of life and death, Sect Master Duan’s expression was horrified. He swiftly fled to the side, but was still a fraction of a second too slow. A portion of his right arm, along with his right leg, was completely annihilated.

In just an instant, the Canglang Sect Master, now missing an arm and a leg, fell to the ground like a crippled wolf-dog, his expression a mixture of rage and terror: “What in the hell was that?! A formation?!”

With the sudden, shocking development, everyone was stunned, looking at the scene before them with horrified eyes. “The Sect Master—crippled?”

Elder Zhao, a second-rank formation master who was closest and had personally witnessed the formation’s “disintegration,” felt immense waves of shock in his heart.

Just then, a calm young voice rang out: “Elder Zhao, kill the Sect Master.”

Elder Zhao was startled. He turned to look at Mo Hua. “Young Master Mo, you—”

Mo Hua said calmly, “I told you, your formations couldn’t kill the Sect Master. So—we needed to use my formation.”

Elder Zhao’s breath caught in his throat, his eyes wide with disbelief.

The Canglang Sect Master’s eyes were practically splitting with rage as he glared venomously at Mo Hua. “You little bastard—”

Mo Hua softly said, “Kill him.”

Elder Zhao’s gaze turned cold. Although he didn’t know what strange methods or advanced formations Mo Hua, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, had used to severely injure a Golden Core cultivator, there was no time to ponder such things. The Sect Master needed to be killed, and now was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Elder Zhao’s gaze turned cold. Taking a breath, he drew his sword, intent on severing Sect Master Duan’s head.

The Canglang Sect Master’s expression was terrified. He cried out urgently, “Mister Wu, save me!”

No sooner had he spoken than a figure in the crowd suddenly tore off his wolf robe, revealing black clothes underneath. His face was blurred, and he began to play a musical instrument made from a wolf’s skull. In an instant, an even more violent wolf’s howl echoed throughout the hall, shaking everyone to their core. And all the Canglang Sect elders, regardless of their allegiance, lost their minds upon hearing this wolf’s howl. Long fur grew on their bodies, their hands and feet turned into sharp claws, and bloody wolf patterns appeared on their backs.

Mister Wu pointed at Elder Zhao. These “wolf-transformed” cultivators, like tamed “Dao soldiers,” charged uniformly towards Elder Zhao, aiming to kill him. Elder Zhao’s expression changed. He could only parry with a backhand move to defend against the onslaught of these berserk, wolf-transformed elders. He was already wounded from his previous desperate fight, and his spiritual energy was almost depleted. Now, being attacked at close quarters by a group of fearless “werewolves,” he was struggling to parry attacks from all sides, enduring extreme hardship. Elder Zhao wanted to kill Mister Wu, but he had no opportunity whatsoever.

Just then, the severely wounded Canglang Sect Master finally caught his breath. He crawled away, using both his hands and feet, and consumed a few pills to regenerate blood and flesh. But the dark formation power, an unknown and strange force, had disintegrated his flesh and blood in a way that prevented regeneration. The more the Canglang Sect Master thought about it, the angrier he became. His face was malicious as he glared fiercely at Mo Hua and roared: “Mister Wu, seize this two-faced little beast! I want to grind him to dust and scatter his ashes, to appease my burning hatred!”

Mister Wu’s cold eyes fixed on Mo Hua, and he blew into the wolf’s head instrument. Killing intent locked onto Mo Hua. Several “werewolves” nearby, with crimson eyes, used both hands and feet to attack Mo Hua from four directions simultaneously. These “werewolves” were previously late-stage Foundation Establishment elders. After their wolf transformation, their strength had further increased. Anyone below the Golden Core stage caught in such an encirclement would almost certainly die. Elder Zhao wanted to help Mo Hua, but he was embroiled in a fierce battle and couldn’t spare a hand. He could only watch helplessly.

Just as the four wolf-transformed cultivators, positioned at the four corners, closed in on Mo Hua for a lethal assault, in the blink of an eye, Mo Hua’s figure simply vanished. Everyone’s expression was astonished. Mister Wu immediately released his spiritual sense, a faint reddish spiritual sense that quickly enveloped the surroundings, but there was no one there.

Suddenly, a chill ran down his spine. A bizarre figure seemed to be standing right behind him. Mister Wu’s pupils dilated. He looked back and saw Mo Hua, his face showing a look of “boredom,” speaking in a detached and eerie voice: “You are worthless—go die—”

This voice, like a “key,” opened the door to sinister thoughts within Mister Wu’s mind. An indescribable wave of negativity, like a surging tide, instantly engulfed Mister Wu. Despair, dejection, inferiority, pain, suppression—these emotions filled Mister Wu’s heart, igniting his will to die. This familiar feeling horrified Mister Wu. “You, it’s you—you—” But he could no longer speak.

He pulled out a dagger and slit his own throat. But his dagger had no blade. He drew a sword and stabbed towards his heart meridian, but his sword was made of wood. He wanted to take poison, but all his poisons had been secretly replaced. Even wolf patterns flickered on his forehead, stimulating his ferocity and suppressing his desire to die.

Mister Wu had indeed devised too many methods to prevent himself from committing suicide. But that was when he hadn’t directly faced Mo Hua. Now, with the true form of the ominous thought right before him, Mister Wu was powerless to resist. He exhausted all means yet couldn’t “commit suicide.” Finally, in desperation, he ripped out his own heart with his bare hands, then, bloody and kneeling before Mo Hua, he breathed his last.

This scene was truly horrifying. The Canglang Sect Master, known for his treachery and ruthlessness, was now deathly pale, completely drained of color. Just one sentence had caused Mister Wu, a master of eccentric and profound arts, to tear out his own heart and die?

What kind of demon was this Young Master Mo?