Chapter 137: The Pursuit
Mo Hua led Zhang Lan and the other two as they set out toward Lone Cloud Peak.
He was so familiar with the mountain paths that Zhang Lan found it downright uncanny.
He knew exactly where there were paths, where there was water, where the miasma gathered, and where poisonous swamps or fog lay.
Sometimes the road would seem to end, but after Mo Hua took a few twists and turns through the forest, a hidden trail would appear beneath their feet again.
Whenever they approached a demon beast, he would detour them away long before the creature even noticed.
Along the way, he even had time to pick some wild fruit and dig up a few herbs...
The leisurely pace made it feel less like a manhunt and more like a spring outing in the mountains.
Zhang Lan found it all rather unbelievable.
How could the outer region of Black Mountain feel like this boy's own backyard?
This wasn't the Black Mountain he remembered.
Even a late-stage Qi-Refining cultivator would tread carefully here, yet this kid strolled like he was walking home.
While Zhang Lan was inwardly shaken, Situ Fang didn't know enough to be impressed, only that the journey was going far smoother than she'd expected.
Situ Xiu, however, sneered at Zhang Lan and said,
"Didn't you say Black Mountain was dangerous? Why's it been so peaceful all along?"
Zhang Lan looked at him as if he were a complete idiot.
This fool had no idea at all. Someone was guiding them the whole way, and he didn't even notice! Was his head filled entirely with water...?
After a while, Mo Hua suddenly stopped.
"There's a demon beast ahead. We'll need to take a detour."
The road had been quiet so far, and Situ Xiu was getting bored.
"We're in a hurry," he said impatiently. "Why waste time? It's just a demon beast, let's kill it."
His voice was loud, and he hadn't suppressed his aura at all. The moment he finished speaking, a pair of blood-red eyes glinted at them from the distance.
They'd been spotted.
Zhang Lan frowned, muttering another curse at the idiot.
The demon beast resembled a ram, crimson eyes, curled horns, white fur, sharp fangs. When it stood, it was as tall as a man, and blood-colored demonic qi coiled around it, exuding a faint, oppressive aura.
Upon seeing them, bloodlust flashed in its eyes, and it charged forward.
Zhang Lan and the others could only grit their teeth and face it head-on.
Fortunately, all three were late-stage Qi-Refining cultivators; handling a single red-eyed ram demon wasn't too difficult.
Situ Xiu wasn't particularly strong, but he grew fiercer the longer he fought. With a roar, he shouted, "Just a measly beast! Nothing to fear!"
No sooner had the words left his mouth than another demon beast emerged from the brush, its fur crimson, its breath foul, it was a Crimson-Clawed Wolf Demon.
Zhang Lan felt a stab of despair. He wanted nothing more than to slap that brat's mouth crooked.
One demon beast they could handle. Two? Now it was turning into a nightmare.
Situ Xiu took a hit and was left bleeding, pain burning through his wound, his arrogance instantly deflated.
...
After a long and bitter fight.
An hour later, the wolf was dead, and the ram demon had fled with heavy wounds.
Only then could the three finally catch their breath.
Zhang Lan's back was soaked with sweat. As he panted, he realized... Mo Hua was gone.
He looked around in alarm, just about to call out when Mo Hua's calm voice sounded right beside him:
"Uncle Zhang, are you all okay?"
Mo Hua had appeared out of nowhere. Not only that, he was holding a small vial and running excitedly toward the slain beast, doing something mysterious with it.
During the fight, Mo Hua hadn't revealed a trace of aura. When the battle ended, he reappeared silently as if from thin air.
Zhang Lan thought grimly that his suspicions were right, if they got lost here and died, this kid would probably walk out without a scratch.
Situ Fang watched Mo Hua curiously. "What are you doing?"
"I'm collecting demon blood," Mo Hua replied.
"Demon blood? For what?"
"To mix spiritual ink, for drawing formation arrays."
Situ Fang blinked in surprise. "You know formations too?"
Mo Hua looked a bit embarrassed. "Just a little."
"Oh," she nodded simply.
Zhang Lan stared up at the sky, utterly speechless.
He says 'a little,' and you actually believe him…
After bottling the blood, Mo Hua said, "We'd better hurry, or we won't reach before dark."
Then he added reproachfully, "You fighting those beasts wasted a lot of time."
Situ Fang blushed, then asked, "You wanted us to take the detour because you knew those beasts were troublesome, didn't you?"
Mo Hua nodded.
Situ Xiu muttered, "That was just bad luck, we happened to meet two beasts…"
Mo Hua replied, "If there was only one, would I have told you to detour?"
Situ Xiu fell silent.
Situ Fang, too, felt a chill of realization.
Mo Hua had known there were two demon beasts long before they ever appeared.
After collecting the demon blood and seeing that everyone had recovered, Mo Hua said, "Let's keep moving."
The three nodded.
Mo Hua walked a few steps, then turned back and reminded them,
"You must listen to me, or it'll be very dangerous."
Situ Fang flushed slightly, and even the battered Situ Xiu lowered his head, chastened.
After that, they all quietly followed Mo Hua. The journey went smoothly again, though by the time night fell, they would clearly have to camp in the mountains.
Mo Hua spotted a passing demon-hunter and called out,
"Uncle Zhou, when you go back, please tell my mother I won't be home for dinner. I'll return tomorrow."
The hunter replied, "You'll be fine alone?"
Mo Hua nodded. "Mm-hmm! I've got uncles from the Dao Court Division with me."
"Good then, be careful," the hunter said.
Mo Hua waved him off, then turned back to his group.
"Let's find a place to rest for the night. We can head to Lone Cloud Peak tomorrow."
Zhang Lan frowned. "We can't go at night?"
"You're trying to catch someone, aren't you? It's harder at night, and there are more demon beasts around."
Zhang Lan nodded. "Then we'll wait till morning."
Mo Hua found a small camp nearby, lit a lantern, and took out some meat from his storage pouch, offering it to the others.
Situ Fang took a bite and her eyes brightened. "This is delicious! Did you make it yourself?"
Mo Hua said proudly, "My mother made it!"
Situ Fang smiled. "It's a pity this meat has no spiritual energy."
"Rogue cultivators can't afford spirit meat," Mo Hua said matter-of-factly.
Situ Fang looked apologetic. "I didn't mean it like that."
To make amends, she took out some pastries from her storage pouch and offered them to him.
Situ Xiu stayed quiet but poured Mo Hua a cup of wine.
The liquor was too strong, though. After one sip that burned his throat, Mo Hua didn't drink any more.
Zhang Lan, on the other hand, wasn't picky. He ate whatever was there and drank whatever was poured.
After the meal, they all lay down to rest without bedding.
Mo Hua couldn't sleep, he still needed to enter his Sea of Consciousness at midnight to draw formation arrays.
Seeing Zhang Lan lying with his eyes open as well, he crept over and whispered,
"Uncle Zhang, tell me about the Flower-Picking Thief."
Zhang Lan raised an eyebrow. "What, planning to become one?"
Mo Hua rolled his eyes at him.
Zhang Lan chuckled. "All right then, what do you want to know?"
Mo Hua thought for a moment. "The Dao Court's Dao Laws prohibit wanton killing, robbery, and... dual-cultivation harvesting. They mention 'harvesting' alongside killing and robbery, does that make it a serious crime?"
Zhang Lan's expression turned grave as he asked in return, "Do you know what 'harvesting' truly means?"
(End of Chapter)