Chapter 152: Picking up the Spoils
Mo Shan's expression turned grave as he brought Mo Hua along to find Elder Yu.
Mo Hua pointed to a spot on the map and said, "Someone fought here."
It could not be the demon hunters, since they had agreed that if anyone engaged in battle, they would immediately set off signal fireworks to alert the others.
Other than that, it might be a small chance that demonic beasts fought each other, causing a fluctuation in demonic energy.
More likely, it was the Qian Family cultivators who had encountered demonic beasts and engaged them.
In any case, they needed to investigate.
Elder Yu said curtly, "Gather everyone. We're moving out."
Although the demon hunters were dispersed, the distances between them were short, and their information network was efficient. Within moments, several hundred late-stage Qi-Refining demon hunters had assembled.
Elder Yu briefly explained the situation, then waved his hand. "Let's go!"
All the demon hunters crouched low, concealing their presence. Without another word, they moved silently toward the mountain that Mo Hua had marked.
Half an hour later, they arrived.
It was a desolate, remote hilltop, rarely visited. Because no one came here, the demon hunters had never bothered naming it, they simply called it "Nameless Peak."
Among the trees, on a patch of rocky ground, they found beast remains and traces of blood.
Mo Shan stepped forward, wiped some of the blood with his fingers, and said, "A cultivator killed it, but the technique was rough. Not a demon hunter."
Elder Yu's gaze sharpened as he released his Divine-Sense.
Mo Hua only sensed a faint ripple before feeling nothing at all.
Those with strong Divine-Sense were difficult to perceive.
When one was spied upon by someone with stronger Divine-Sense, it was nearly impossible to detect.
Mo Hua's heart tightened. The Divine-Sense of a Foundation Establishment cultivator truly was extraordinary.
He imitated Elder Yu, spreading his own Divine-Sense to search for traces within the mountain.
After a while, Elder Yu withdrew his Divine-Sense and looked at Mo Hua with mild surprise.
A little later, Mo Hua also retracted his Divine-Sense.
"See anything?" Elder Yu asked.
Mo Hua nodded. "There's a mine tunnel in the mountain, hidden with wood and stone."
Elder Yu's eyes brightened. "Mark it for me."
Mo Hua pulled out the map and circled several spots near Nameless Peak, each a location where his Divine-Sense had detected hidden tunnels.
Elder Yu nodded, then marked several more.
Mo Hua glanced at them and suddenly understood.
These were the spots he had missed.
Some were too far, beyond his range; some were concealed too deeply for his Divine-Sense to penetrate; others he had simply overlooked through inexperience.
Mo Hua silently reflected and summarized his shortcomings in using Divine-Sense.
Elder Yu, pleased, patted his shoulder. "Not bad."
Then his expression hardened. His eyes gleamed like blades as he commanded,
"All demon hunters, remember these locations!"
"Split into teams and enter through these tunnels. Don't alert the enemy."
"If you encounter Qian Family cultivators, cripple them. If that's not possible, kill them outright. The Dao Court Division will answer to me."
The demon hunters obeyed, their eyes igniting with battle fervor.
Dark figures vaulted upward, surging toward the mine entrances halfway up the mountain.
Mo Shan cautioned Mo Hua, "Stay hidden nearby. Don't go in. If any cultivators come out, ignore them. Just protect yourself."
Mo Hua nodded. "Father, wear the vine armor."
That vine armor was inscribed with a First-Grade Golden Armor Array drawn by Mo Hua himself.
Warmth stirred in Mo Shan's heart. He rubbed Mo Hua's head, then flashed away toward the mine.
Mo Hua swept his Divine-Sense around, found a safe, deep pit suitable for concealment, and hid himself.
Soon, sounds echoed from the mountain... signs of battle.
Even from outside, Mo Hua could hear booming explosions, the shouts and curses of cultivators, and the colorful flashes of spiritual power clashing.
Then came a thunderous roar.
The pressure of spiritual energy intensified.
That must be Elder Yu clashing with a Qian Family Foundation Establishment cultivator.
The violent fluctuations lasted for a while. Then, from one of the mine tunnels, a figure burst out.
The man fled downhill without looking back, leaving a blur behind him.
Judging by that speed, he was definitely a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Mo Hua exhaled in relief.
If the Foundation Establishment cultivator had fled, the rest of the Qian Family's forces would crumble soon enough.
Sure enough, within the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Qian Family cultivators began stumbling out of the tunnels in panic.
Most were bloodied and battered, some clutching broken arms, some limping, all fleeing downhill in disarray.
Mo Hua did not act rashly. He was alone and preferred caution.
He stayed obediently in his pit.
After a while, footsteps approached. Mo Hua looked up and saw two Qian Family cultivators running his way.
They were clearly battle-worn and exhausted, their spiritual power weak and chaotic.
Instead of escaping with their group, they had strayed alone. Of all directions, they just had to limp past the bush right in front of him.
Mo Hua felt it would almost be rude not to do something.
One of the Qian cultivators cursed as he ran,
"Those bastards, how did they get the news…"
"When we report back to the Patriarch, they'll pay for this!"
"Damn it!"
As he ranted, a Fireball Technique suddenly exploded in his face.
Agonizing heat engulfed him. The fiery blast left his head ringing, his face burning painfully.
"Wh—"
Before he could react, another fireball hit him squarely, and he collapsed.
"Ambush?!"
The other Qian cultivator turned pale. Abandoning his comrade, he tried to flee, but before he had gone far, a fireball struck the back of his head.
He fell face-first into a rock and lost consciousness.
Mo Hua did not emerge immediately.
He used his Divine-Sense to scan them. The spiritual power in their bodies flowed chaotically and without control.
That meant they were unconscious.
Still cautious, he launched another fireball at each of them for good measure. When neither reacted, he finally climbed out of his pit.
Now what?
After thinking for a moment, Mo Hua rummaged through their robes and took their storage pouches.
According to the Dao Laws, robbery was forbidden.
Mo Hua had wanted to be a law-abiding cultivator. Yet since the Qian Family had provoked him, he could hardly just stand there and take it.
"Cultivators really can't control their fate…"
He sighed softly, looking a little wistful as he tucked the pouches into his robe.
Then he returned to his pit, waiting to see if more Qian Family cultivators would come by and force him to act "against his will."
Sure enough, more stragglers appeared.
If there were many, Mo Hua let them go.
If only a few, he did the same as before.
By the time dawn broke and the fighting in the tunnels died down, Mo Hua's robes were already stuffed to the brim.
(End of Chapter)