A white bone dan furnace, a gloomy furnace fire, an evil and strange dan master.

This scene felt somehow familiar.

Mo Painting frowned, involuntarily recalling the bloody dan furnace, the strange herbs, and the cultivators who had died unjustly in the hall of the Black Mountain Stronghold in Great Black Mountain.

“These human traffickers abduct and sell cultivators to refine human dan…” Mo Painting’s gaze grew slightly cold.

The evil dan master in the room was concentrating, controlling the gloomy green furnace fire, refining evil path dan medicine.

Around the dan furnace, it was very bloody. There were human bones and even living hearts. These seemed to be the “medicine materials” or “medicine guides” for refining dan. Judging from the signs, it was clear that an unknown number of cultivators had suffered at the hands of these human traffickers and this evil dan master.

Mo Painting’s heart sank.

“Those two children…”

He quickly swept his gaze around the dan room and finally discovered an old offering table in the center of the room. On the offering table was a statue of a river god with a human body and a fish face. Kneeling below were two children, tied with ropes, their foreheads touching the ground, not moving, kowtowing to the river god’s statue like sculptures. These were exactly the two young grandsons Old Yu Head had been searching for.

Mo Painting exhaled slightly, then frowned again. These two children were still alive, but their condition was very poor, their breath weak, their divine sense also if it existed or not. It was unclear if they had been eaten by the river god…

“Must save the two children as soon as possible…”

He sized up the dan room again, then memorized everything in the surroundings, and quietly retreated. After retreating, Mo Painting strolled around the area again. He memorized the number and positions of the black-clothed cultivators, their approximate cultivation levels, and the layout of the fishing house. Only then did he return to the village entrance and find Gu An and the other two.

“I found Little Shunzi and Little Shuizi,” Mo Painting said in a low voice.

Gu An and Gu Quan’s eyes lit up, and Yu Da Jiang’s expression became even more excited.

“But, there are quite a few human traffickers…”

Mo Painting took out a piece of paper and drew a simple map, marking the structure of the fishing house and the positions of the black-clothed people.

“There are a total of nine people. The leading black-clothed person and an evil dan master are at the late stage of Foundation Building.”

“That Jiang Long, I know, is at the mid stage of Foundation Building.”

“The others, I don’t know, but they are basically all at the mid stage of Foundation Building cultivation.”

Nine people, two at the late stage of Foundation Building, seven at the mid stage of Foundation Building. Gu An and Gu Quan frowned. The number was a bit large, and the situation was tricky. Gu An thought for a moment and said, “We can save them, but after saving them, we may not be able to retreat completely.”

Mo Painting said, “Let’s call for people. Let’s also call in the manpower from the outside and catch this group of human traffickers in one fell swoop.”

Gu Quan said in a low voice, “Even so, it’s probably impossible to capture this entire group of human traffickers. Some will always escape…”

“It doesn’t matter,” Mo Painting said. “I have a way.”

Gu An and Gu Quan exchanged glances but still followed Mo Painting’s instructions. Gu An began to use a transmission order to issue orders. In the small fishing village, there were still more than ten Gu family cultivators stationed. Gu An, according to Mo Painting’s instructions, transferred ten cultivators with deep cultivation, good movement techniques, and who could enter the water. He told them about entering the well, feeding the water demons, and other related matters.

After that, there was a long wait. Yu Da Jiang’s heart was anxious like a burning fire. Mo Painting was also a bit anxious, but there was no way. If they acted rashly, even if they saved the two children, they would alert the enemy and cause themselves to be surrounded. Acting anxiously like this would ruin things. Since that was the case, it was better to gather manpower, prepare meticulously, and finish it in one go. Moreover, although the black-clothed leader said they would sacrifice the two children to the river god to “eat,” Mo Painting had seen earlier that this sacrifice was not a simple “eating.” There were definitely other secrets inside, and this sacrifice would certainly continue for a period of time. Currently, there was still enough time.

After some time, Gu An’s expression changed, he looked at the transmission order, and then said to Mo Painting, “They’re here.”

Mo Painting nodded and said in a low voice, “Let them wait at the village entrance. I’ll go receive them.”

Outside the village was a patch of blood mist, and inside the blood mist were blood leeches. If he didn’t go lead the way, those ten Gu family cultivators would probably all die there.

Gu An nodded, “Okay.”

Mo Painting then got up and went through the blood mist alone, avoiding the blood leeches, and came to the outside of the village. Ten Gu family cultivators were stationed outside the village. Seeing Mo Painting, they all bowed and said, “Little Mo young master is well!”

Mo Painting saw that their bodies were wet, and they were holding dead speckled fish, obviously having just swum over from the water demon area. Only one person’s right leg was spotted with blood, and the flesh on it seemed to have been bitten off, exposing dense white bones.

“I was a step slow when crossing the river and was bitten by that evil beast. I’ve already taken dan medicine, it’s not a big problem.” That Gu family cultivator’s face was pale, enduring the pain, but his expression was firm.

Mo Painting admired them in his heart, then instructed, “Follow me carefully later. Remember, you can’t take a single wrong step!”

The Gu family cultivators looked a little confused. Evil things, they didn’t understand much about them. Mo Painting then said, “A very dangerous array has been set up outside the village.”

They then suddenly realized and all bowed their hands, saying, “We will strictly follow Little Mo young master’s instructions!”

Mo Painting nodded, then took the lead, bringing these ten people through the blood mist, avoiding the evil blood leeches, along the path paved by the divine path array, straight into the village, and met with Gu An and the others.

At this time, their side had fourteen people. With more against fewer, the advantage was theirs! Mo Painting circled several positions on the map.

“Frontal combat is still relatively risky, so we’ll ambush…”

“You just hide in ambush according to the positions I’ve drawn.”

“Then I’ll set up an array first and explode them once. That should be enough to severely injure them, at least lightly injure them…”

“Split into two people to save those two children.”

“The others will then take the opportunity to surround and attack and take down this group of human traffickers.”

“Disable their limbs, shatter their qi sea, and then lock them with spirit binding locks.”

“If there are resisters, kill them without mercy, no need to hold back!” Mo Painting said decisively.

The Gu family cultivators suddenly realized. This Little Mo young master acted meticulously and killed decisively, very much in the style of the Dao Court司. At that moment, they even felt as if it was Young Master Chang Huai who had become smaller and was giving them orders. Of course, there was one difference. Young Master Chang Huai was not very good at using arrays.

Speaking of arrays… Gu Quan said doubtfully, “Little young master, an array needs to be set up in advance, right? It doesn’t seem like there’s an opportunity to set up an array now…”

Mo Painting said confidently, “Don’t worry, I have my own way!”

Gu Quan was startled, then involuntarily nodded. Professional matters should be left to professionals. In terms of arrays, it was impossible for him to understand them better than Little Mo young master. If Little Mo young master said it could be done, then it certainly could.

“You wait, I’ll go set up the array first…”

Mo Painting had just gotten up and hadn’t walked a few steps before coming back.

“Little Mo young master, what’s wrong?” Gu An asked doubtfully.

“Wait, I’m thinking about what array to use…” Mo Painting said thoughtfully.

His previous idea was to still use earth fire type arrays, but this fishing village was too dark, and fire element spirit ink array patterns were too conspicuous. Moreover, this action was to save people, and they should try to avoid any mishaps. At least reduce the risk to the lowest.

“Need to find a powerful, low-key, obscure killing array that isn’t conspicuous when drawn on the ground…” Mo Painting said to himself.

Then he took out the Taixu Order and flipped through it for a while, finally finding a satisfactory array. Four hundred and seventy merit points, a second-grade sixteen-pattern array, the Earth Kill Array! Although it hurt a bit, Mo Painting still bought it without hesitation. Arrays were meant to be used, and merit points were meant to be spent.

After Mo Painting bought the Earth Kill Array, the Taixu Order was delayed for a while. Although this place was not within the border of Qian Xue State, it was not too far, and the Yuan Magnetic force was a bit weak, but not completely isolated. After a few breaths, the complete second-grade sixteen-pattern Earth Kill Array diagram appeared in the Taixu Order. Mo Painting’s spirit vibrated, and he immediately began to study it.

Gu An couldn’t help but ask softly, “Little Mo young master, this is…”

Mo Painting’s divine sense sank into the Taixu Order, while he gestured on the ground with his hand, casually saying, “Wait, I’m learning an array.”

Gu An opened his mouth, “You… learning on the spot?”

Mo Painting said as a matter of course, “If I didn’t know it, of course I’d have to learn it on the spot!”

Gu An’s expression was complex. That wasn’t the problem, right… But he didn’t dare to disturb Mo Painting again. A group of people just quietly watched Mo Painting concentrate on drawing some patterns on the ground that they completely didn’t understand.

Mo Painting learned this Earth Kill Array very quickly. The name of the array, although containing the word “Earth,” was not a pure Bagua “Kun” array. Instead, it leaned more towards the orthodox Five Elements earth system array. It also incorporated some principles of the Bagua array and was related to the earth. Mo Painting was proficient in Five Elements arrays and could communicate with the earth Dao essence, so his comprehension was twice as effective with half the effort. And not only that. Ever since he swallowed the divine marrow, Mo Painting felt that his comprehension of arrays seemed to be faster and more profound than before. Some arrays seemed to be instinctively engraved in his mind.

The divine marrow contained divine essence. Divine essence was born from inheriting the Great Dao. Arrays were also a manifestation of the Great Dao. So, swallowing divine marrow, refining divine essence, could lead to affinity with the Great Dao, thereby comprehending arrays more profoundly? Mo Painting silently guessed in his heart. But no matter what, he was now learning arrays faster and faster. This Earth Kill Array was the same. Mo Painting quickly copied the array patterns several times, and then roughly understood the array in his mind.

“Learned!” After a while, Mo Painting nodded and said.

Gu An and the others were startled. Just learned? Are arrays that easy to learn? If they didn’t know Mo Painting’s character, Gu An would even suspect that Little Mo young master was teasing them… Didn’t they say that arrays were difficult to learn and master, and comprehension was slow? Was this sentence wrong? Gu An and several people involuntarily fell into self-doubt.

Mo Painting didn’t know what they were thinking, but said, “I’ll go set up the array. You ambush according to the plan. As soon as the array explodes, immediately act!”

The crowd came back to their senses, all with solemn gazes, and said, “Yes!”

Mo Painting nodded slightly, then hid his body again and quietly climbed onto the roof of the large fishing house. He first walked along the roof to the top of the dan room to check on the situation of the two children. The two children were still kneeling in front of the offering platform, like sacrificial animals, but they were still breathing. Mo Painting breathed a sigh of relief. Besides that, the evil dan master was still refining dan, and the black-clothed people and Jiang Long were still drinking, some dozing off. These people were completely unguarded.

Mo Painting then began to act. He took out several bottles of earth element spirit ink from his storage bag, then took out a large pile of spirit stones, ground the spirit stones into powder, melted them into the spirit ink, to provide spirit power for the array. Then he controlled the ink with his divine sense, manipulating the spirit ink to move on the ground. In the pitch-black night, the spirit ink adhered to the ground, quietly winding and flowing like lurking killing intent snakes, forming an array, wrapping the entire fishing house inside.

Time passed little by little, the spirit ink extended little by little, and the array also became perfect little by little. Mo Painting lay on the roof, concentrating on outlining the array, when suddenly his ear moved, and he heard a slight sound.

“She master…” She master? Mo Painting was startled, dividing his mind into two uses, while drawing the array, he used his peripheral vision to glance at the fishing house.

A person walked into the fishing house. Disheveled hair, wearing a dan robe, face painted red and green, eyes mad, it was exactly that evil dan master. “This evil dan master, surname She?” Mo Painting muttered to himself.

In the fishing house, all the black-clothed people stood up and bowed to the evil dan master, “We greet She master.” She master nodded proudly. The leading black-clothed person respectfully asked, “Master, is the dan ready?”

“Almost…” She master walked straight to the head seat. A black-clothed person immediately stood up and yielded the seat to She master. She master sat down calmly, “I’m bored with refining, I’ve come for some wine.” Someone next to him immediately poured wine for She master. She master picked up the wine cup, drank it in one gulp, then smacked his lips and shook his head, saying, “It’s light… lacks some taste without mixing some human blood.”

The leading black-clothed person said, “Today the wind is tight and goods are scarce, there’s only some plain wine. I apologize to She master.” She master didn’t mind, only warned, “You must be extremely vigilant in this fishing village. Act carefully and absolutely do not disturb the river god. Otherwise, I won’t be able to save you either.”

The crowd heard his words and their expressions became solemn, all bowing their heads and saying yes. She master nodded, his tone softened a little, “In another half a day, this furnace of dan will be ready. You can take it to the young master, and I’ll have completed my task. As for the next furnace… after I cut open the heart脉 of the two children and use them as medicine guides, strip their bones and flesh as the dan skin, and then refine for seven days, it will be ready. You can come get it after seven days.”

Mo Painting heard his words, and his eyes showed intolerance. The leading black-clothed person’s expression was overjoyed, and he quickly bowed and said, “Many thanks, She master!”

“Hmm.” She master nodded.

The black-clothed person beside him was very perceptive and immediately poured another cup of wine for She master. She master finished it in one gulp, his face was a little red, and the irritation in his heart slightly subsided, then he said in a rough voice, “I’m going to refine dan. Remember my words.” A crowd of black-clothed people again bowed and said, “Yes.” She master finished speaking, then got up and walked towards the dan room inside.

Mo Painting then patiently continued drawing the array. The spirit ink outlined bit by bit… She master walked to the door, his foot just stepped on the ground, and suddenly he was startled, his expression momentarily doubtful. He lowered his head to look at the ground, his pupils instantly changed drastically, and he immediately exclaimed, “Enemy attack!” After finishing, he immediately leaped towards the outside of the array.

Mo Painting “tsk”ed, feeling a little annoyed. This She master was clearly a dan master, yet he could detect his array? There was a problem… But it didn’t matter, it was only a little bit off. The cultivators in the fishing house heard She master’s warning and were involuntarily startled. By the time they reacted, their faces had all changed drastically, and they all rushed outwards.

Mo Painting’s gaze turned cold, and he no longer concealed anything. He urged his divine sense to the extreme, and the spirit ink on the ground also transformed like snakes into dragons, suddenly accelerating, surrounding and closing, thoroughly condensing into a large-scale, second-grade sixteen-pattern Earth Kill Array. The black-clothed people in the house were about to rush out of the house when Mo Painting said clearly, “Explode!”

The Five Elements earth qi shook, and the earth surged with killing intent. In an instant, the earth sank, the quicksand turned into blades, crossing and stirring. The entire fishing house was blown to pieces in a flash. At the same time, two Gu family cultivators not far away immediately broke into the dan room from the roof and saved the two children who were kneeling in front of the offering table with their foreheads touching the ground.

The Gu family cultivators ambushing around the fishing house were slightly stunned by the killing power of the powerful Earth Kill Array. But in a moment, the smoke and dust dissipated, and they remembered Mo Painting’s instructions, immediately drawing out their knives and swords and rushing up. In the deathly silent fishing village, killing intent instantly surged.

The Gu family cultivators were well-trained and cooperated with each other to suppress and kill the black-clothed human traffickers. The black-clothed human traffickers were heavily injured by the second-grade sixteen-pattern Earth Kill Array. Most of them suffered heavy injuries. Only the leading black-clothed cultivator at the late stage of Foundation Building was less injured. But even so, he felt his qi and blood surging. His legs were twisted and killed by the earth element spirit power of the Earth Kill Array, full of bloodstains, and he was inconvenient to move.

Originally outnumbered, and also subjected to Mo Painting’s first strike, being injured all over by the array, these human traffickers fell into a disadvantage in an instant. Mo Painting took advantage of the gap to supplement with water prison technique control or interfere with fireball technique. In less than half an hour, the dust settled. Three Gu family cultivators suffered light injuries. Two of the human traffickers died, their flesh corroded and turned into a pool of black water. The remaining seven people were all captured and had their legs and feet broken simultaneously, locked with spirit binding locks, including Jiang Long, the leading black-clothed person, and that “She master.”

This She master, although highly cultivated, seemed to refine dan all year round, and his fighting strength was average. His strength was probably in the middle and lower reaches of Foundation Building late stage cultivators. Although he was alert and avoided the Earth Kill Array, he still didn’t escape. The two children were also saved, but they were unconscious. Yu Da Jiang hugged the two children tightly in his arms, his eyes red, looking at Mo Painting with great gratitude.

“Many thanks, little young master, many thanks…”

Mo Painting’s expression was somewhat complex, and he wasn’t optimistic in his heart. He knew that the state of these two children was a bit strange. On the surface, the two children were frightened and temporarily fainted, but Mo Painting knew in his heart that their divine sense had been swallowed a lot. Mo Painting looked at the two children carefully again, somewhat puzzled. It didn’t seem like their divine sense had been swallowed a lot, but more like their entire divine sense had been “drawn out” from the sea of consciousness by someone using a special method…

“Drawn out?” Mo Painting furrowed his brows, somewhat confused. But he wasn’t sure about these words, so it was not good to tell Yu Da Jiang yet.

Just at this moment, a low laugh sounded in the room. Mo Painting followed the sound and saw that She master, who was tied up with spirit binding locks and lying on the ground, was laughing gloomily.

“What are you laughing at?” Mo Painting asked.

“I’m laughing at you,” She master said with blood in his mouth, smiling strangely, “…you’ve saved two corpses.”

The crowd’s expressions changed slightly. Mo Painting’s gaze was deep, as if thinking.

(End of this chapter)