Mo Hua was slightly startled, silently writing down these sixteen characters.

It seemed this map was not ordinary; if left unclear, it was certainly a great hidden danger.

Cultivators rely on the mountains for sustenance and adapt to local conditions.

Near Tongxian City, there were no fertile spirit fields, no surging rivers and seas, and no places where spirit beasts could be raised.

The scattered cultivators nearby all made a living within Big Black Mountain.

And the refining tools shop, pill refining shop, and even Fushan Lou to the south of the city all relied on hunters who hunted demon beasts, stripping them of bones and flesh for materials to supply the refining tools, pill refining, and cooking industries.

Mo Hua, who learned array methods, also needed to draw a large amount of demon blood and mix it with spirit ink.

The cultivators of the entire Tongxian City, whether for cultivation production or daily life, were all closely related to Big Black Mountain.

If Big Black Mountain had deep hidden dangers, then the trouble would be immense.

Thereafter, while Mo Hua learned the reverse spirit array, he would go into Big Black Mountain during his free time. Whenever he encountered remote or unfamiliar places, he would open the criminal cultivator’s map and compare it, to see if he could find the locations marked on the map.

But after searching for several days, he still gained nothing.

Mo Hua felt disheartened. He looked up and suddenly saw a vast expanse of fog diffusing in the distance, covering the overlapping mountains, blocking the sunlight, hazy and indistinct, making it impossible to tell where the mountains were or where the cliffs were.

That was the deep part of Big Black Mountain, and also the most dangerous place in Big Black Mountain.

Legend had it that the dangers in the deep mountains were unpredictable, and cultivators who went in never returned.

As Mo Hua looked, he was suddenly startled and took a deep breath:

“Black Mountain’s vast fog, can cover abysses and thickets…”

Could the location marked on this map be the deep part of Big Black Mountain?!

Mo Hua’s eyelids twitched. The more he thought about it, the more he felt it was possible.

He was as familiar with the outer mountains as the back of his hand. The inner mountains were too large, but he was still very familiar with them.

If the location recorded on the map was truly in the inner or outer mountains, then he would definitely have an impression of it.

If it wasn’t in the outer mountains and not in the inner mountains, then it must be in the deep mountains.

The criminal cultivators who disappeared went into the deep mountains and never returned.

Mo Hua had a guess in his heart, and a wave of coldness surged up.

He quickly used his movement techniques, running all the way back to Tongxian City, and panting, he found Elder Yu and hurriedly asked:

“Elder Yu, has anyone gone to the deep mountains?”

Elder Yu was startled upon hearing this. “Why do you ask this? The deep mountains are dangerous; you cannot go.”

He still thought Mo Hua was curious and wanted to go to the deep mountains to play.

“I’m not going, I’m just asking.” Mo Hua took a breath, “Is it true that as long as hunters enter the deep mountains, they never return?”

Elder Yu saw Mo Hua’s serious expression and solemn tone, knowing that it was probably not a small matter, so he nodded and said:

“Indeed, there is this matter.”

“Since when did it start?”

Elder Yu frowned and thought for a moment, then said: “Probably two hundred, perhaps three hundred years ago…”

“You’re not sure either?”

“I’ve only lived for over two hundred years myself. I’m not clear about matters before that; I’ve only heard about them.”

Elder Yu stroked his beard, recalled for a bit, and then said:

“It seems that over three hundred years ago, although the deep mountains were dangerous, they could still be entered.”

“Could be entered?” Mo Hua was somewhat surprised.

Elder Yu nodded, “They could be entered, but the fog was heavy, the miasma poisonous, and the demon beasts were strong, with many second-grade demon beasts.”

Elder Yu thought for a bit, and then said again: “At that time, although it was called the deep mountains, it was actually still considered the inner mountains, just the most dangerous part of the inner mountains. But later, too many hunters who entered the deep mountains never returned, so gradually no one dared to go, and the deep mountains of Big Black Mountain also became a taboo.”

“Even Foundation Building period cultivators didn’t dare to enter?”

Elder Yu’s eyelids jumped, “Even Foundation Building cultivators didn’t dare, because there were Foundation Building cultivators who died inside before.”

Mo Hua’s eyes widened, “Foundation Building cultivators also died inside?”

Elder Yu nodded.

“Not missing? But died inside?” Mo Hua said doubtfully.

By all accounts, missing didn’t necessarily mean dead. How could they be sure they died inside the deep mountains?

“Because the body was found on the outer edge of the deep mountains.”

The more Mo Hua listened, the stranger he felt. “Who died?”

Elder Yu’s expression was somewhat complex, “The former great elder of the Qian family.”

“The Qian family?” Mo Hua found it hard to believe.

Elder Yu nodded slightly and said to Mo Hua:

“That year, I was still a little Qi Refining realm cultivator. I heard that the Qian family’s great elder entered the deep mountains and there was no news. After half a month, the Qian family’s old ancestor brought people, wanting to enter the deep mountains to search. If he was alive, they wanted to see him; if he was dead, they wanted to see his body.”

“A great elder of a family! His position was high and powerful. How could he have died so unclear? At that time, the Qian family’s power was already very great, with many strong people, so they dared to enter the deep mountains, but even so, they didn’t dare to be careless in the slightest.”

“The Qian family, from Foundation Building to Qi Refining, almost all members went out, cultivators were close together, forming a human net, advancing from the outside towards the inside of the deep mountains. Finally, under a tree on the outer edge, they found the already dead Qian family great elder.”

“They said the death was very strange, missing one arm, as if it was bitten off by demon beasts, but this matter was after all a rumor, the Qian family has not revealed the cause of death to the outside world until now.”

“After that?” Mo Hua asked.

“After that, they just left it at that. The Qian family didn’t dare to go deeper. A Foundation Building period great elder died, and the body was also found, so it was considered accounted for. If they entered the deep mountains again and truly encountered some great dangers, it’s estimated the Qian family would be exterminated.”

Elder Yu had some schadenfreude, and some pity.

It was estimated that he had schadenfreude because the Qian family great elder died, and some pity because the Qian family didn’t all fall inside the deep mountains.

Mo Hua said: “From then on, no cultivators dared to enter the deep mountains?”

Elder Yu corrected him, “Some dared, but no one could come out.”

“There are many bold and reckless people in this world, or rather, people who are ignorant of heaven and earth. There are those who are bold due to their high skills, and those who are stupid and fearless, but no matter what, those who entered the deep mountains all did not come out.”

Mo Hua’s gaze was complex, and he slowly said: “Did they enter voluntarily?”

Elder Yu smiled, still wanting to say something, suddenly started, the smile on his face gradually faded, and he said solemnly:

“You… do you know something?”

Mo Hua took out the map, handed it to Elder Yu, and told him about the bald monk and the criminal cultivators, including those sixteen characters.

“Black Mountain’s vast fog, can cover abysses and thickets; midnight three more, throw a stone to ask the road.”

Elder Yu chanted, and the more he chanted, the more alarmed he became.

His thoughts raced, and his voice trembled slightly as he said:

“Your meaning is, the deep mountains of this Big Black Mountain are very possibly a huge den of thieves, and for the past two or three hundred years, there have always been extremely vicious criminal cultivators lurking inside?”

Mo Hua slowly nodded.

Elder Yu couldn’t help but stand up, frowning, pacing back and forth in the hall.

After walking back and forth for several circles, Elder Yu organized his thoughts, then sat down, drank a cup of tea, calmed his mood, and said in a deep voice:

“Indeed, there is this possibility…”

“In the past two hundred years, not to mention outer cultivators, even hunters, many have gone missing in the deep mountains.”

“The initial elders of the Hunters’ Guild, including myself, all warned them countless times, absolutely not to enter the deep mountains, otherwise misfortune outweighs fortune.”

“But there were just some hunters who didn’t listen to advice, entered the deep mountains, and there was no news.”

“Before, I only resented their foolishness, not knowing life and death. Now that I think about it, I only realize that there is something very fishy inside.”

“As hunters, they can make a living in the inner mountains. Which one doesn’t know the dangers of Big Black Mountain? And which ones don’t cherish their lives? How could they just rush towards the deep mountains with a heated head?”

“Even if they don’t cherish their own lives, their wives and children all rely on them to hunt demons and earn spirit stones to live. With a family, how dare they easily risk their lives?”

“Once they die, they leave behind orphans and widows to live miserably. How could they not be clear about this?”

“Now it seems, they didn’t voluntarily enter the deep mountains, but were caught, or killed, and then brought into the deep mountains!”