In the evening, the sun was setting in the west.
This was Sānjí bàn fēngchéng, a residential area for cultivators.
The Dàotíng Division cultivators had already set up formations, laid traps, and were ambushed in the surroundings.
Gǔ Chánghuái sat on a nearby high pavilion, his gaze sharp like a torch, observing every movement of all the cultivators on the entire street.
Beside him, Xià Diàn Sī also wore a vigilant expression.
Furthermore, there was a Golden Core Diàn Sī who had been transferred from the vicinity of Qián Xuě State, from a Sānjí Xiān City.
This Diàn Sī was named Fàn Jìn, a tall and large man with a full beard. He was skilled in using a pair of refined iron hammers and was a body cultivator with abundant vital energy.
He was also the Golden Core Diàn Sī who, along with Gǔ Chánghuái, had previously fallen into a Demon Sect ambush, but had narrowly escaped thanks to Mò Huā’s interference.
The view from the high pavilion was open. The three people watched for a long time, but saw no one arrive.
Fàn Jìn then lowered his voice and asked, “Is the message reliable?”
Gǔ Chánghuái touched the transmission book order in his hand.
On the transmission book order was detailed intelligence given to him by Mò Huā.
Gǔ Chánghuái nodded and said, “Probably around the first quarter of Xū hour, Hè Lǎo Qī will disguise himself as a physician and walk along South Street to the end of the street, then circle around. By the third quarter of Xū hour, he will arrive at the northernmost side, at the third house from right to left, the one with a red banner hanging in front of the door.”
“After Hè Lǎo Qī enters the house, he will first gather vital essence, then suck blood, and finally transmit merit…”
This was confidential information provided by Mò Huā, which previously only Gǔ Chánghuái and Xià Diàn Sī knew and had not revealed to the outside.
Fàn Jìn was a transferred Diàn Sī, and he had only just learned about it.
He was momentarily stunned and said doubtfully,
“This intelligence is so detailed? Is it real or fake? Even the exact times are precise. Could it have been calculated by a fortune teller?”
Gǔ Chánghuái remained silent.
He also felt that Mò Huā was now not much different from a “fortune teller.”
“Right,” Gǔ Chánghuái recalled Mò Huā’s instructions, and then said, “That Hè Lǎo Qī has demonic merit all over his body, which is somewhat difficult to deal with, and there’s also some evil strangeness in his body. We cannot not kill him, but we also cannot casually kill him. At that time, I’ll have to trouble Diàn Sī Fàn to suppress him in close combat and cripple his four limbs.”
Among the three of them, only Fàn Jìn was a pure body cultivator, so this kind of matter could only be entrusted to him.
Fàn Jìn said, “Don’t worry, I understand. I will definitely do my best with this kind of matter.”
Gǔ Chánghuái nodded.
Fàn Jìn looked at Gǔ Chánghuái, looking as if he wanted to speak but hesitated.
Gǔ Chánghuái had a sharp mind and sensed that he had something to say, so he said, “Diàn Sī Fàn, don’t hesitate to speak your mind.”
Fàn Jìn looked at Xià Diàn Sī again, hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he couldn’t hold back and lowered his voice, saying,
“Diàn Sī Gǔ, I just want to ask, if I earn some merit by eliminating the Demon Sect this time, can I be transferred from the Dàotíng Division in Gūshān City to Qián Xuě State?”
Gǔ Chánghuái was startled, then slightly frowned.
“Even if not Qián Xuě State, another Sānjí State would also be acceptable…” Fàn Jìn continued.
Gǔ Chánghuái asked, “You don’t want to stay in Gūshān City?”
Nonsense, who wants to stay in that godforsaken place…
Fàn Jìn thought to himself, then sighed,
“Logically speaking, as a Diàn Sī of the Dàotíng Division, it’s the same wherever I serve the Dàotíng, but my situation… is special after all.”
“Gūshān City is desolate, and there are few people. I truly have a body of ambition, yet nowhere to display it. I can’t even think about working hard to advance further.”
“Now that we are eliminating the Demon Sect, Qián Xuě State is short of manpower. It would be just right to transfer me there. It can also be considered giving me an opportunity, and I should dedicate my heart and effort to it.”
“It’s just… I have no family background, no connections, and no one in the Dàotíng Division who can speak for me. I don’t fully understand the internal rules either, and I don’t know exactly what kind of merit I need to achieve to be promoted… no, not promoted, even just a transfer would be fine.”
Fàn Jìn smiled bitterly.
His words were somewhat utilitarian, but still considered honest.
Gǔ Chánghuái also didn’t mind.
Although he was somewhat arrogant and cold to others, he was not an unreasonable person and knew how difficult it was for Diàn Sī without power or influence to get promoted.
Within the rules, planning for one’s future was also a common human emotion.
Gǔ Chánghuái pondered and said, “The Dàotíng Division indeed has such precedents, but this kind of promotion requires maneuvering from all sides, and it also involves some interpersonal relationships, so it’s not a good reference.”
“But promotion is not easy. If you just want a transfer, it shouldn’t be difficult. If you earn merit this time, you can apply for it. The Vice Head and Head can discuss it…”
“It’s just that the Dàotíng Division is after all a redundant institution with complex personnel. Whether it will ultimately happen is uncertain, but generally speaking, this is indeed a path…”
“Having an opportunity is good, having an opportunity is good…” Fàn Jìn nodded repeatedly, cupped his hands, and said, “Thank you, Diàn Sī Gǔ, for pointing it out.”
Gǔ Chánghuái also cupped his hands and said, “Diàn Sī Fàn, you are too polite.”
Fàn Jìn felt slightly relieved, his heart feeling somewhat lighter.
Xià Diàn Sī acted as if he hadn’t heard their conversation. He didn’t say a word from beginning to end, his gaze always fixed on the street.
Fàn Jìn was also very sensible and didn’t speak further, enduring patiently and watching the movement at the street corner below with him. However, his heart was turbulent and uncertain.
“It would be great if I could be transferred away from Gūshān City…”
“I can’t stay in Gūshān City anymore…”
Fàn Jìn’s gaze faintly contained a trace of fear.
After that, the group was silent and focused on watching.
As the sun gradually set and Xū hour arrived, a cultivator dressed as a “physician” indeed appeared at the street corner.
He was tall and slender, with a head of white hair, wearing a bamboo hat that covered his face, and carrying several gourds containing pills.
Then, just as Mò Huā had said, he walked along South Street, circled around, and at the third quarter of Xū hour, arrived at the northern side and entered the house with the red banner hanging…
It was exactly the same as what Gǔ Chánghuái had said, without any difference in timing.
Fàn Jìn looked at Hè Lǎo Qī, then turned his head to look at Gǔ Chánghuái, and couldn’t help but say,
“Exactly what level of inside spy did you plant in the Demon Sect? It couldn’t be a Demon Sect Elder, could it? This intelligence is simply divine…”
Even Gǔ Chánghuái and Xià Diàn Sī were somewhat stunned at this point.
It really didn’t differ in the slightest…
At the same time, they were also puzzled in their hearts as to how Mò Huā had obtained this intelligence…
If they didn’t know Mò Huā’s background, they would even suspect that Mò Huā was the Elder inside this Demon Sect.
But at this time, there was no time to think about these things.
Gǔ Chánghuái saw Hè Lǎo Qī enter the house with the red banner, his face solemn, and said in a low voice, “Begin the net closing.”
Fàn Jìn also put away his thoughts, his gaze becoming sharp.
Opportunities were rare, and he had to perform well.
The surrounding executive officers began to stand guard with their knives, quietly closing in on the house with the red banner from all directions.
They were not opponents of Golden Core Demon cultivators, but they formed formations with each other to seal the paths and prevent this demon head from escaping.
The formations also began to activate one by one, and the traps were already prepared.
Gǔ Chánghuái and the other two formed a corner shape, surrounding the house where the demon head was located, but they were not in a hurry to act.
Because Mò Huā had said that this demon cultivator’s merit had a drawback. When operating the merit, the vital energy would reverse to the Qūchí and Nèiguān acupoints, causing the Qì Sea to swell and ache. It required gathering female vital essence and the intersection of Yin and Yang to relieve the pain.
At this time, his vital energy was reversed, and his strength was greatly reduced.
Gǔ Chánghuái silently counted the time in his heart. When he estimated that Hè Lǎo Qī was just gathering vital essence, his desire was burning, and he couldn’t control himself, he suddenly acted, breaking the door and entering.
Inside the house were three people in total.
One male, one female, and Hè Lǎo Qī.
The male and female were husband and wife, and moreover, they were this Hè Lǎo Qī’s disciples.
Now the male was guarding the door outside, and the female and Hè Lǎo Qī were enjoying themselves in the house.
This male used his own wife as a bargaining chip to flatter Hè Lǎo Qī, this Golden Core, in order to offer less essence blood and leave more for himself to cultivate.
The female also hoped to climb up to Hè Lǎo Qī, this Demon Sect Golden Core Elder, and was therefore willing to use her flesh to repay him.
Once one cultivates demons, human nature will gradually be extinguished, and propriety, justice, shame, and integrity will also be lost. Doing anything is not strange.
Gǔ Chánghuái and the others had seen strange things, but they still felt nauseous.
Hè Lǎo Qī was naked and wriggling like a grub. When he saw Gǔ Chánghuái and the others, he was greatly shocked and quickly pulled over an outer robe, wrapped his body, and tried to run.
But it was too late.
Gǔ Chánghuái had already drawn out his feather fan and condensed a green wind blade, which turned into a streamer and rushed straight towards Hè Lǎo Qī’s neck.
Hè Lǎo Qī could not avoid it and could only pull the female in his embrace to block in front of him.
The female was hanging on Hè Lǎo Qī’s body, her desire not yet faded, and she hadn’t realized what had happened. She was then beheaded by Gǔ Chánghuái’s wind blade.
For a moment, blood poured down like rain, splashing all over the house.
The wind blade cut off the female’s head and continued forward, cutting towards Hè Lǎo Qī’s neck. However, after all, it was obstructed by flesh for a moment, slowing down for a breath.
Hè Lǎo Qī had a moment to spare and tilted his body slightly. The wind blade then stuck to his throat, cutting towards his shoulder, gouging out a large piece of flesh.
Hè Lǎo Qī was in pain and cursed, “You motherfucker…”
Before he could finish cursing, a cold light arrived again.
Xià Diàn Sī held a short sword in his hand, and ice energy condensed. When he looked at Hè Lǎo Qī’s eyes, it was as if he were looking at a pile of rotten meat, so he did not hold back at all.
The ice-cold short sword went straight for Hè Lǎo Qī’s heart pulse.
Hè Lǎo Qī was greatly shocked and operated his vital energy, but he had not yet finished gathering vital essence, and the merit drawback had not yet dissipated, so his protective blood-colored Qi was fundamentally unable to condense. Even if he exerted all his strength, he could only condense a thin layer of blood cover at his heart pulse.
The ice-blue sword light instantly pierced through the blood cover, and the sword energy penetrated his heart and spleen, freezing his blood.
Fortunately, Hè Lǎo Qī’s life was great. The sword energy slanted a little and didn’t really cripple his heart pulse, but it was enough to make his flesh stiff with ice, making him unable to move for a while.
This series of changes was a contest at the Golden Core realm, lightning fast.
By the time the Foundation Establishment realm male in the house reacted, he found that his Golden Core realm “Master” was already heavily injured, the house was covered in bloodstains, and his wife, naked, had also been beheaded.
“Swallow!”
The male’s heart was broken, his eyes were bloodshot, and he said in a hoarse voice, “You killed my Dao companion, I want you to pay with your blood…”
Before he could finish speaking, he was kicked away by Fàn Jìn, hitting the wall, breaking several bones, and falling to the ground limp and unconscious.
Fàn Jìn kicked the male away without any hesitation, carrying two large hammers, and smashed them towards Hè Lǎo Qī’s head.
Hè Lǎo Qī’s life was hanging by a thread, and he immediately dared not hold back anymore. Demonic patterns appeared on his body, which were blood-colored immortal cranes.
The demonic patterns appeared, the blood cranes cried, and demonic energy surged.
Hè Lǎo Qī borrowed the power of the demonic patterns and finally suppressed the ice-cold energy inside his body. Then, a white crane brightened its wings, leaped up, broke through the roof, and jumped out of the three people’s encirclement.
The crane pattern was light-bodied and could step on grass like flying, leaving no trace on snow.
Golden Cores could not fly and escape, but with this blood crane demonic pattern adding to his body, Hè Lǎo Qī’s figure could leap several feet in the air, far exceeding ordinary Golden Cores.
But as soon as he leaped out of the roof, the surrounding formation patterns flashed, and a golden light net fell down, completely covering him.
Hè Lǎo Qī’s sharp claws turned into blood blades and tore the large net. But while he was delayed, Gǔ Chánghuái and the other two had already surrounded him again, not giving him any time to breathe. They used various means to besiege Hè Lǎo Qī.
Fàn Jìn took the lead, swinging a pair of refined iron hammers with a whooshing sound. Because he had the mindset of earning merit, he went all out, not slackening at all.
Gǔ Chánghuái condensed wind blades to suppress, and Xià Diàn Sī used his ice sword to feint attacks and wait for opportunities to sneak attack.
Hè Lǎo Qī used all his trump cards, evil talismans, and magic treasures, not holding back at all.
But with Gǔ Chánghuái’s three Golden Cores joining forces, and the ambush set up beforehand, attacking when he was unprepared, Hè Lǎo Qī was calculated to death and was fundamentally unable to parry.
At this point, he finally understood and said in a hateful voice,
“Who leaked the secret to you?”
His whereabouts, merit, and various means were all thoroughly exposed and targeted.
Today, even if he used all his schemes, there was only one word: “die”.
“Tell me, let me die with my eyes closed.” Hè Lǎo Qī said.
At this kind of time, there was naturally no need to waste words.
Gǔ Chánghuái and the others paid no attention, but acted even more ruthlessly. For a time, the hammer momentum was heavy, the wind blades were heavy, and the cold light was gloomy.
Within thirty rounds, Hè Lǎo Qī was heavily injured and could not support himself.
He knew he was at the end of his rope and had no chance of survival. His expression was violent, and he bit his tongue with his teeth, containing a mouthful of blood, urging the great god’s evil thoughts. He wanted to abandon his life and use his body as a puppet to perish together with Gǔ Chánghuái and the others.
But his behavior was also calculated by Mò Huā.
Gǔ Chánghuái took out a gold bell talisman. After pinching it and breaking it, he urged a gold stone sound, shocking people’s ears and eyes.
Hè Lǎo Qī lost his spirit for an instant.
Fàn Jìn seized the opportunity, flashed, approached Hè Lǎo Qī, and with a move of separating muscle and bone, swung one hammer from below upwards, throwing him into the air. Then another hammer from above downwards, smashing him onto the ground.
Hè Lǎo Qī’s entire body was fractured, his internal organs ruptured, and he vomited blood.
His eyes were split with rage, and he shouted angrily, “You… deserve to die!”
But his throat was sealed by Xià Diàn Sī’s sword, and ice energy locked his throat, making him unable to make a sound.
“Cripple his four limbs!” Gǔ Chánghuái said.
Fàn Jìn did not hesitate and swung a pair of large hammers, smashing Hè Lǎo Qī’s four limbs, making him unable to move.
Gǔ Chánghuái took the opportunity to take out the treasure picture that Mò Huā had given him, and with lightning speed, quickly unfolded it and covered it on Hè Lǎo Qī’s head.
Then he urged his spiritual power, which turned into a blade, and twisted Hè Lǎo Qī’s heart pulse into a mess.
Hè Lǎo Qī died immediately.
After his body died, his vitality gradually faded, but the evil energy on his body gradually intensified.
The dead Hè Lǎo Qī also struggled continuously like a walking corpse. But his four limbs were crippled, and only his head twitched non-stop.
It was as if some terrible thing was gradually awakening inside his already dead flesh body, leaving the flesh orifices, and seeking other parasitic objects.
Gǔ Chánghuái’s brows furrowed tightly, his expression grave.
Xià Diàn Sī and Fàn Jìn also had tense expressions.
Fortunately, after a moment, Hè Lǎo Qī completely quieted down and no longer made any movement.
The strange evil fluctuation on his body that made people’s hearts palpitate also only lasted for a while, and then completely disappeared into the treasure picture that Mò Huā had given him.
The group breathed a sigh of relief.
Fàn Jìn looked at the dead Hè Lǎo Qī, then at the picture, and thought about the strange anomaly from just now. With lingering fear, he asked,
“Diàn Sī Gǔ, this picture…”
Gǔ Chánghuái was silent for a moment and slowly said, “This is a… treasure picture gifted by a ‘high person’. It is used to seal evil spirits.”
High person…
When Fàn Jìn heard this, he immediately felt admiration in his heart.
He was somewhat in a fog about this matter, but Gǔ Chánghuái was from an aristocratic family and was a Diàn Sī of the Dàotíng Division in Qián Xuě State. His vision was high and he had seen a lot. If he said it was a “high person”, it must be true.
“Qián Xuě State is indeed full of talented people…”
Fàn Jìn sighed in his heart.
Gǔ Chánghuái waited for a while longer, confirming that Hè Lǎo Qī was completely cold and there were no more anomalies. Then he carefully resealed the treasure picture.
He collected the picture very quickly and remembered Mò Huā’s instructions not to look at the picture from beginning to end, and not to let others see it, to avoid inviting disaster.
Hè Lǎo Qī was killed, and the picture was also properly collected.
This mission was then declared completed.
Although the method was somewhat troublesome, because the intelligence was precise to a frightening degree, the process was much smoother than expected, and some backup plans were not even used.
The Dàotíng Division crowd felt as if a burden had been lifted.
After that, there were some aftermath matters.
The next day, Gǔ Chánghuái specially made a trip to Tàixū Gate to return the picture for sealing evil spirits to Mò Huā.
“Everything went smoothly.” Gǔ Chánghuái said.
“That’s good.” Mò Huā nodded.
Gǔ Chánghuái hesitated for a moment, hesitated again and again, and in the end, still lowered his voice and said,
“Thank you.”
He wanted to thank him, but because of his temperament, he couldn’t say it out. The awkwardness of forcing himself to say it out in the end, Mò Huā saw it and still found it quite interesting.
Mò Huā smiled and narrowed his eyes, saying, “No need to thank me!”
The Dàotíng Division still had matters to attend to, and Gǔ Chánghuái also had no time to stay. After handing the picture to Mò Huā, he left.
Mò Huā held the Wǔxíng Picture and couldn’t help but lick his lips.
He thought for a moment and didn’t return to the mountain gate, but went to a small hill near Tàixū Mountain.
The hill was remote, surrounded by clouds and mist, and no one would disturb him.
Mò Huā simply set up some formations and then opened the Wǔxíng Picture.
As soon as the Wǔxíng Picture was opened, a gloomy evil energy seemed to have fear in its heart and escaped in a panic. In just an instant, it locked onto the sea of consciousness of the only living person around and drilled in without thinking.
Mò Huā was “hit by evil”.
Among the cloud-shrouded mountain peaks, Mò Huā’s face was slightly pale, and then he closed his eyes.
Inside his sea of consciousness, Mò Huā’s divine sense incarnation opened its double pupils.
As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw the “uninvited guest” inside his sea of consciousness.
It had sheep horns, an ox body, an ugly face, stood on two feet, and was terrifying in figure with surging evil energy all over its body.
A second-grade peak divine skeleton.
This divine skeleton, appearing like an “ox demon”, also saw Mò Huā at this time and couldn’t help but frown, saying in a hoarse voice, “How is it a small kid…”
Just now inside that strange picture, an ancient monster was being raised. It had fear in its heart and was only busy escaping from the picture in a panic with nowhere to go. It didn’t expect to actually drill into a small kid’s sea of consciousness.
It was a second-grade peak and a remnant soul of a great evil god. The vital energy and divine thoughts of ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators could not support it at all.
What’s more, it was a Foundation Establishment small child, which was fundamentally not enough for it to “eat”.
However, since it had come, it would settle down.
The current situation was special. It would first reside in this flesh body for a period of time, eat it dry and wipe it clean, and then choose another flesh to parasitize.
Moreover…
The sheep-horned ox demon looked around and sniffed. Its eyes immediately revealed excitement.
This small kid’s divine sense was actually this dense…
It was so dense that it didn’t look like a Foundation Establishment realm’s divine sense at all, and even didn’t look like a human’s divine sense at all…
When the sheep-horned ox demon thought of this, it was suddenly stunned for a moment.
Doesn’t look like… human’s divine sense?
It slowly turned its head, stared at Mò Huā blankly, and then its dark brown ferocious pupils suddenly shrank slightly.
Mò Huā was also looking at this sheep-horned ox demon and asked curiously,
“I’ll ask you a question… are all of you divine skeletons only second grade?”
You, these “divine skeletons”, are only “second grade”…
The ox demon was startled, then anger rose in its heart:
“What an arrogant small kid, what a big tone! Little ghost, do you know what existence this venerable is?”
Mò Huā said impatiently, “I’m asking you, just answer.”
The sheep-horned ox demon laughed coldly, “Deserves to die, small kid, just relying on you, you dare to ask me questions? Truly ignorant of death…”
Before it finished speaking, it suddenly felt a burst of dizziness.
When it came back to its senses, it found that its perspective was slanted, its face was stuck to the ground, and in front of it stood a familiar ox-bodied evil demon, completely pitch black, ferocious and terrifying, but headless.
The sheep-horned evil demon’s pupils trembled violently.
This headless evil demon… is me?
At the same time, it felt someone stepping on its head.
“If you don’t answer my words, then you’re useless.”
Mò Huā stepped on the ox head with one foot, his voice clear, holding a broken gold sword in his hand. The sword edge was sharp, capable of decapitating without staining blood.
The sheep-horned evil demon’s expression was horrified.
At this moment, it finally understood that the ancient existence inside the picture was a monster.
The small kid in front of it was similarly a “monster”.
It had escaped from the wolf’s den and entered the tiger’s mouth again.
“Little ghost, you dare…”
“I just dare!”
Mò Huā was impatient and smashed its head with one foot, stepping it into a pool of black water, filling the air with evil fog.
Then he chopped out several gold-colored sword lights with a backhand, cutting the headless corpse of the sheep-horned ox demon into pieces. Then he manifested a Lìhuǒ formation and burned it together, refining out the evil thoughts, and swallowed them all into his mouth.
At this time, it was still early, and the Dào Stele was still resting, with no thunder tribulation to “disinfect”. The evil thoughts could not be killed thoroughly.
Therefore, he could only simply incinerate them a bit first and store all the evil thoughts.
When Zǐ hour arrived, he could borrow the thunder tribulation, wipe out the evil god’s will, and then leave pure divine thoughts and even purer divine marrow.
Like this, he would have divine marrow to eat again.
Mò Huā was in a very good mood. He carefully collected the Wǔxíng Picture and then walked along the mountain path with light footsteps towards the Tàixū Mountain gate.
When Zǐ hour arrived, he could have another good meal.
And his cultivation, and the Zhǎnshén sword, could all be further…
(End of this chapter)