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The next day, Mo Hua requested leave and departed Tai Xu Men, first heading to the Dao Ting Si in Qian Xue State.

This was what he and Gu Changhuai had agreed upon.

They would first meet at the Dao Ting Si and then set off for Bi Shan City.

At the Dao Ting Si, Gu Changhuai specifically returned to receive Mo Hua and simultaneously handed him a storage bag.

“What is this?” Mo Hua asked.

“Consider it supplies distributed for a mission from the Dao Ting Si,” Gu Changhuai said lightly.

Mo Hua opened the storage bag and saw some pills, spirit stones, talismans, and a standard Daoist robe.

“Don’t wear your Tai Xu Men clothes; they’re too conspicuous. Put on this standard robe…”

“Oh.”

Mo Hua changed into the Dao Ting Si’s standard Daoist robe, appearing both adorable and dignified.

However, the robe was loose and the sleeves were too long, clearly one size too big.

“Uncle Gu, the clothes are too big…”

“Make do with it. This is already the smallest size…”

“Can’t you get it custom-made?”

Gu Changhuai was somewhat helpless. “You’re an external member; making do is fine. How can we get it custom-made for you?”

Mo Hua muttered softly, “Really stingy…”

For the magnificent fifth-grade Qian Xue State Dao Ting Si to be so stingy was surprising.

There was no other way; Huo Fotuo’s matter was important.

Mo Hua could only tighten his belt and roll up his sleeves, saying eagerly:

“Let’s set off.”

They had seven days to catch Huo Fotuo and obtain the *Luo Huo Jue*. There wasn’t much time to waste.

“Mm.” Gu Changhuai nodded.

Afterward, Gu Changhuai led Mo Hua towards the exit of the Dao Ting Si.

They had only walked halfway when they encountered a middle-aged man with narrow, long eyes and a slightly pale face, wearing a black standard Si robe. He had a smiling face.

“Gu Dian Si.”

The man greeted him with a smile.

Gu Changhuai’s gaze turned slightly cold, and he reluctantly said:

“Xiao Dian Si.”

Mo Hua, beside him, secretly observed Gu Changhuai, noticing his cold and indifferent expression. It seemed he was not friendly with this ‘Xiao’ Dian Si.

He estimated that the relationship between the two was not good.

Xiao Dian Si still wanted to say something when he suddenly saw Mo Hua, his expression showing a slight surprise.

“This little cultivator…”

He wore a standard Dao Ting Si robe, but it clearly didn’t fit, as if it had been found temporarily and casually put on.

Wearing a standard robe meant he was a member of the Dao Ting Si.

But looking at his height and appearance, he was just an inexperienced little cultivator from the mundane world; it was impossible for him to enter the Dao Ting Si.

Furthermore, he was following behind the ‘cold-faced judge’ Gu Changhuai, who was known for being unapproachable to strangers.

This was even stranger…

“Who is this little brother…?”

Xiao Dian Si had a face like he was basking in a spring breeze, but his gaze was slightly sinister, making people uncomfortable.

Mo Hua immediately silently gave him the nickname ‘smiling tiger’ in his heart.

Just as he was pondering how to come up with a reason to fool this smiling tiger, Gu Changhuai said coldly:

“Xiao Dian Si, we still have official business.”

Xiao Dian Si was interrupted and had to turn to Gu Changhuai, his gaze slightly strange, but his smile unchanged, and asked:

“Gu Dian Si, still busy with Huo Fotuo’s case?”

“Yes.”

“It’s been dragging on for a long time, hasn’t it…?”

Gu Changhuai remained silent.

Xiao Dian Si sighed. “Huo Fotuo’s clan extermination was too vicious, causing panic among the people. The higher-ups are paying close attention, and the presión on the Palm Si is also great…”

“It’s just… although this case is tricky, no matter what, dragging on for so long is indeed hard to explain.”

“It’s not the higher-ups’ fault; it’s Gu Dian Si’s incompetence…”

“How about…” Xiao Dian Si’s gaze slightly narrowed, and he said in a low voice: “First catch a few people, conclude the case, and give the higher-ups an explanation…”

Gu Changhuai’s gaze was profound. “Is this the Palm Si’s meaning, or Xiao Dian Si’s meaning?”

Xiao Dian Si’s expression froze, and he said with a strained smile:

“Gu Dian Si, I wouldn’t dare to make this kind of joke…”

“You and I are both Dian Si. The higher-ups have orders; we just follow orders. Remember not to…”

Xiao Dian Si’s smile slightly lessened, and he said meaningfully: “Act on your own…”

Gu Changhuai was impatient and immediately his face sank, saying impolitely:

“Do your job as a Dian Si well and don’t think of teaching me how to do things.”

Xiao Dian Si was stunned.

Gu Changhuai coldly snorted, flicked his sleeve, and walked away.

Mo Hua kept his eyes on his nose and his nose on his mouth, pretending he heard nothing, and followed closely behind Gu Changhuai.

Only Xiao Dian Si remained standing where he was.

The smile on his face gradually faded, and he sneered lightly:

“The Gu family people are still so upright. Sooner or later, they’ll all die clean…”

Sitting in the carriage heading to Bi Shan City, Mo Hua softly asked:

“Uncle Gu, is that Xiao Dian Si an enemy of yours?”

Gu Changhuai, deep in thought, did not answer.

Mo Hua asked again: “Could he be an internal spy in the Dao Ting Si…?”

Gu Changhuai was startled upon hearing this. “How did you figure that out?”

“Just a feeling…”

Gu Changhuai was helpless. “The Dao Ting Si can’t just rely on feelings when doing things…”

“Xiao Dian Si…”

Mo Hua muttered the name and pondered: “To be a Dian Si, he must be a descendant of a family, surnamed Xiao, the Xiao family… Is this ‘Xiao’ family, like the Gu family, also a family closely related to the Dao Ting Si?”

Gu Changhuai was somewhat surprised but still nodded, saying:

“Yes, the Xiao family’s influence in the Dao Ting Si is greater than the Gu family’s. The current Palm Si of the fifth-grade Dao Ting Si in Qian Xue State is surnamed Xiao…”

“Oh…”

Mo Hua nodded and then immediately said curiously:

“Then this Xiao Dian Si…”

“Don’t ask,” Gu Changhuai interrupted Mo Hua. “Don’t inquire randomly about the Xiao family. It’s best to stay away from them to avoid bringing disaster upon yourself…”

“Don’t be framed for a groundless crime for no reason. At that time, I may not be able to bail you out of the Dao Prison…”

“Okay…”

Mo Hua agreed.

Listening to others’ suggestions was also a good habit.

He wouldn’t ask about the Xiao family. After all, it had nothing to do with him.

The carriage and horses were fast, and the journey was bumpy.

However, there was still some distance to Bi Shan City. Mo Hua took this time to ask about Huo Fotuo’s matter.

“Uncle Gu, can’t you enter the demon cave?”

Gu Changhuai looked out the window and sighed. “There’s an array…”

“What array?”

Gu Changhuai looked at Mo Hua silently.

Mo Hua suddenly realized.

Uncle Gu was “array-blind.” If he knew, he wouldn’t have asked him to come over.

However, it was also fortunate that Uncle Gu was “array-blind,” otherwise he wouldn’t have had the opportunity to intervene in Huo Fotuo’s matter…

Gu Changhuai looked at Mo Hua suspiciously, his intuition telling him that Mo Hua was definitely not thinking good things in his heart.

“Are you saying bad things about me in your heart?”

Mo Hua denied: “No!”

Gu Changhuai lightly snorted.

Mo Hua asked again: “Shouldn’t there be other array masters in the Dao Ting Si?”

Gu Changhuai’s expression became complex.

There were no others around, and there were still things to trouble Mo Hua with later, so Gu Changhuai didn’t care and told him the truth:

“The best array masters in the cultivation world are mostly in the Tian Shu Ge.”

“The array masters of the Tian Shu Ge are noble; even the Dao Ting Si generally can’t invite them…”

“The array masters that the Dao Ting Si can invite are generally of a lower standard…”

“And this matter with Huo Fotuo happened in the second-grade Bi Shan City, and the criminal cultivators are all second-grade. So, despite the vicious nature, it is still only considered a second-grade case…”

“Third-grade array masters look down on second-grade cases.”

“And this group of criminal cultivators is extremely ferocious; second-grade array masters don’t dare to come.”

“Generally, investigating the scene and breaking arrays is okay, but in this kind of encirclement and kill battle, ordinary array masters have no means of self-preservation and are very dangerous.”

“Although that’s the case, I still used the Gu family’s connections in the Dao Ting Si to transfer a few second-grade array masters over, but…”

Gu Changhuai’s brows were tightly furrowed, and he sighed:

“The mountain roads are hidden, and the arrays are obscure.”

“They also can’t see any way out, let alone what help they can provide…”

Mo Hua roughly understood in his heart.

No wonder Uncle Gu, who always cared about appearances, actually softened his stance and let him come to help.

Mo Hua said: “Don’t worry, Uncle Gu, as long as it’s a second-grade array, it’s no problem!”

Subsequently, Mo Hua felt he was boasting a bit, so he added:

“Below the middle tier of the second grade, not the high tier, is all fine.”

Based on the current situation, there must be an array master among Huo Fotuo’s group of criminal cultivators.

Huo Fotuo was in the late stage of Foundation Establishment; he was the boss, so the array master under him should not exceed Foundation Establishment.

And generally, the standard of array masters lags behind their realm.

For example, a middle-stage Foundation Establishment can become a first-tier second-grade array master.

A late-stage Foundation Establishment can become a middle-tier second-grade array master.

A peak late-stage Foundation Establishment or Gold Core can become a high-tier second-grade array master.

These are normal situations.

Array masters whose grades match their cultivation realm are already considered outstanding among array masters.

This kind of array master is considered an array law genius, and geniuses generally won’t associate with criminal cultivators and evil cultivators.

So, the arrays in the Bi Shan demon cave should only be middle-tier second-grade, which he could completely handle.

Mo Hua had a confident expression.

For the first time, Gu Changhuai found Mo Hua’s confident and smug look a bit pleasing to the eye…

Afterward, the two remained silent all the way to Bi Shan City.

Upon entering Bi Shan City, they passed through the city’s streets and walked all the way to the foot of the mountain north of the city. What came into view was a dangerous mountain, with strange peaks competing for attention, overlapping ridges, and rugged mountain terrain.

Gu Changhuai led Mo Hua to a mountain cave.

Green vines covered the entrance, but the cave was spacious inside. It was the temporary base of the Dao Ting Si, with dozens of Zhi Si discussing something in low voices.

Gu Changhuai and Mo Hua walked into the mountain cave.

All the Zhi Si hurriedly stood up and respectfully saluted Gu Changhuai, but when they looked at Mo Hua, their expressions were inevitably doubtful.

What was the meaning of Gu Dian Si bringing a little cultivator over?

Gu Changhuai didn’t explain to them but pointed to two people, “Gu Quan, Gu An, come with me.”

Among the crowd, two cultivators wearing Zhi Si Daoist robes and looking generally identical in build and appearance stepped out.

They bowed and saluted, saying: “Yes, Young Master.”

“Surnamed Gu…”

Mo Hua didn’t need to guess to know that these two people were definitely from the Gu family, and since they looked very similar, they should be a pair of twins.

Gu Changhuai then led Mo Hua, as well as Gu Quan and Gu An, out of the mountain cave. They walked among the mountains for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea before stopping at a large rock.

Mo Hua looked up and saw the mountain rock horizontally across the mountaintop.

There was a natural crack in the middle, with two sides covering it, appearing like a line between heaven and earth.

“Yi Xian Tian…”

Mo Hua murmured and then looked at Gu Changhuai again. “If the cave is outside the Yi Xian Tian, then the demon cave is just after this Yi Xian Tian?”

Gu Changhuai nodded.

The Yi Xian Tian was narrow, allowing only one person to pass.

Gu Changhuai led the way in front, Mo Hua followed behind him, and Gu An and Gu Quan were at the rear.

After passing through the Yi Xian Tian, the view suddenly opened up.

The sky was high and the clouds were vast. White clouds floated outside the sky and also drifted by the side. Below their feet was a cliff, and besides this, there were no other paths.

Gu Changhuai pointed to a point in the distance. Mo Hua followed his gaze and saw in the distance, in a hazy area, what appeared to be a suspended, towering solitary peak.

“That one is the demon cave.”

Gu Changhuai paused for a moment and then said:

“You were right. There’s a stone bridge below, inscribed with a hidden array, concealing its trace. So the demon cave opposite is fundamentally undiscoverable…”

Mo Hua looked at the cliff on the horizon and was in a trance.

He seemed to see again the hidden stone road on the cliff in the back mountain of Da Hei Shan.

Hidden array…

Mo Hua sighed.

Family clans used arrays to exploit and profit.

Criminal cultivators and evil cultivators would also use arrays to hide their traces and commit evil.

On the contrary, the lowest-level scattered cultivators lived in hardship and couldn’t even use the lowest-level arrays.

It was like this in Tong Xian City in Li State, in Nan Yue City, and now this immortal city in Qian State also seemed to have this characteristic…

When would the arrays that upheld the great Dao of heaven and earth truly benefit the common people?

An emotion arose in Mo Hua’s heart.

But now was not the time for emotions…

Mo Hua released his divine sense and scanned below the cliff, where there were only empty clouds.

In Mo Hua’s divine sense, a stone bridge clearly appeared.

On the stone bridge, path after path of arrays were engraved.

There was a reinforced earth and stone array, a small Yuanci array for monitoring, and a hidden array for concealment.

Mo Hua looked and looked, and suddenly he was startled.

“Hidden array…”

This hidden array seemed to be…

Mo Hua concentrated on perceiving, and his heart was involuntarily shocked.

A two-grade nineteen-pattern array!

The hidden array Mo Hua had learned before was a one-grade nine-pattern array. He still hadn’t learned a two-grade hidden array.

Mo Hua immediately realized that he had overlooked something.

Hidden arrays were among the most difficult types of ordinary arrays to learn.

A one-grade hidden array had a total of nine array patterns.

Then this two-grade hidden array was very likely a top-level two-grade array, possessing nineteen array patterns…

He had misjudged.

Among Huo Fotuo’s group of criminal cultivators, there was a high-tier second-grade array master!

“Careless…”

Mo Hua sighed in his heart.

A hidden array that could conceal from Foundation Establishment cultivators was highly likely to be second-grade.

And it was not strange for a two-grade hidden array to have nineteen array patterns.

An array master who could draw nineteen array patterns must be a high-tier second-grade array master.

Then his cultivation… Gold Core?

Mo Hua frowned and thought for a moment, then shook his head.

It shouldn’t be Gold Core.

A Gold Core realm, high-tier second-grade array master… this kind of person couldn’t possibly work for Huo Fotuo. Huo Fotuo wasn’t worthy of him.

It was highly likely that he was still in the late stage of Foundation Establishment, or even the peak of Foundation Establishment cultivation.

Late stage Foundation Establishment, high-tier second-grade array master…

Mo Hua’s gaze narrowed.

This person was an expert in array law!

Moreover, it was very likely that he still had very high array law talent…

Mo Hua wrinkled his brows slightly.

A high-tier second-grade array master was indeed very troublesome…

But they couldn’t not go to the demon cave, and they couldn’t not catch Huo Fotuo…

Mo Hua silently pondered in his heart.

A high-tier second-grade is just a high-tier second-grade.

Since he had arrived at Qian Xue State, he still hadn’t truly exchanged blows with a second-grade array master.

This could also be considered a kind of experience exchange.

Moreover, array masters confronting each other wasn’t like fighting and killing; they didn’t necessarily have to determine life and death.

Although the difficulty was high, the danger wasn’t that great.

So, they still had to go to this demon cave, but they couldn’t go alone.

Mo Hua thought back for a moment.

Originally, in Hei Shan Village, he went alone, but afterward, he thought it was indeed too risky and also made his parents worry.

Now he had grown up a lot, and he naturally wanted to be more stable in what he did.

He could go, but he had to find a bodyguard.

A “Gold Core” bodyguard.

Mo Hua secretly glanced at Gu Changhuai.

Gu Changhuai saw Mo Hua’s strange expression and didn’t know what he was thinking, so he asked:

“Did you find anything?”

Mo Hua thought for a moment and then truthfully said: “Under Huo Fotuo, there should be a high-tier second-grade array master…”

Upon hearing this, Gu Changhuai’s brows furrowed tightly.

A high-tier second-grade array master… this was indeed very troublesome.

“What do we do now?” Mo Hua asked.

Gu Changhuai pondered for a moment and slowly said:

“No matter what, we can’t let Huo Fotuo escape. A high-tier second-grade array master is also no matter; we’ll find an opportunity and kill him together…”

“But… how will you all get there?” Mo Hua was somewhat doubtful. “If you pass openly, you’ll be discovered…”

Gu Changhuai said: “I brought several valuable spirit tools for concealment from the Gu family. We’ll use his method against him. We’ll also hide ourselves and pass.”

Mo Hua’s eyes lit up.

Uncle Gu didn’t disappoint; he had very good “bodyguard” self-cultivation!

He had even considered how to pass.

Mo Hua said: “I’ll go too!”

Gu Changhuai was startled.

Gu An and Gu Quan also exchanged glances.

This child was too courageous.

Gu Changhuai refused: “You can’t go.”

If he died inside, he wouldn’t be able to explain to his cousin.

Mo Hua said: “If I don’t go, even if you all hide yourselves, you’ll still be discovered…”

Gu Changhuai frowned.

Mo Hua pointed to the cliff in front. “On the stone bridge below, besides the hidden array, there’s also a small Yuanci array…”

“This kind of small Yuanci array is used for warning…”

“Once you all touch the array, under the Yuanci induction, Huo Fotuo will know that someone is walking on the stone bridge…”

“They can block the entrance, or attack you by surprise, intercept you halfway, or be even more ruthless and directly destroy the stone bridge. You all would be in great danger…”

“But…” Mo Hua’s brows raised, “If you all bring me, there’ll be no problem!”

“These small Yuanci arrays can’t escape me.”

Gu Changhuai’s face didn’t look good.

This was also the reason why he hadn’t rashly crossed the bridge before, even though he had prepared the hidden spirit tools.

He was afraid that there were some unknown tricks on the bridge.

But the opposite was a demon cave, and letting Mo Hua go with him, Gu Changhuai was still not at ease.

“It’s just a small Yuanci array. I’ll send people back to the Gu family to get some Yuanci Si Nan and probe bit by bit…”

Mo Hua shook his head. “That’s too much of a waste of time, and what if there are other warning arrays?”

“Once you misread or miss one, you’ll be discovered by Huo Fotuo.”

“If he has prepared beforehand and escapes from the demon cave, this action will fail at the last step.”

His *Luo Huo Jue* also wouldn’t be learned…

Mo Hua muttered in his heart.

Gu Changhuai was indeed somewhat shaken.

Mo Hua observed his expression and continued:

“This is still just the stone bridge. There are likely more arrays inside Huo Fotuo’s ‘demon cave’…”

“Under this kind of situation, you tell me, don’t you need a clever, witty, and extraordinarily skilled ‘little array master’ to help you resolve your worries?”

Mo Hua blinked his eyes.

Gu Changhuai was unwilling to admit Mo Hua’s ‘self-proclaimed’ titles, but he couldn’t deny it.

If he truly had these array methods, he wouldn’t have invited Mo Hua to come.

Gu Changhuai remained silent, and finally, he sighed:

“Alright, you follow us first and see the situation, but remember the ‘agreement of three chapters’.”

“Mm-hmm,” Mo Hua hurriedly said, “I’ll follow you, not make a move, and be an idler.”

He still remembered this point.

Gu Changhuai sighed, his expression helpless.

Beside him, Gu An and Gu Quan’s expressions were as usual, but they were exceptionally shocked in their hearts.

They served in the Dao Ting Si and seldom returned to the Gu family. This was the first time they had seen Mo Hua.

It was also the first time they had seen someone who could ‘haggle’ with the young master to this extent.

He could even make the young master ‘concede’ to this degree.

It was even more their first time seeing a headache, trouble, and helpless expression on the face of the always arrogant young master…

At this moment, they involuntarily held Mo Hua in awe.

Then, Gu Changhuai took out several jade pendants and gave one to each person.

“This is the Shui Yin Jade, a two-grade hidden spirit tool. After wearing it, the body is covered in a watery light, which can conceal one’s figure…”

Gu An and Gu Quan respectfully received the jade pendants.

Mo Hua thought for a moment and also “followed suit” and received it.

Although he knew the art of concealment, and it was the high-level Wu Xing Yin Zong Shu, having an extra layer of protection was always good.

Moreover, this jade pendant looked so precious, it was definitely worth many spirit stones.

He couldn’t disappoint Uncle Gu’s good intentions.

Mo Hua silently put the Shui Yin Jade into his embrace.

Before setting off, Gu Changhuai again admonished Mo Hua:

“If something happens, don’t worry about us. Run if you can. Just protect your own life.”

Mo Hua nodded. “I will!”

Thus, everyone set off.

There were a total of four people: Gold Core stage Gu Changhuai, late Foundation Establishment stage Gu An and Gu Quan, and early Foundation Establishment stage Mo Hua.

All four concealed their figures and successively stepped onto the invisible stone bridge leading to the demon cave.

(End of this chapter)