Chapter 243: Familiar
Mo Hua drew several formations around the area, then stayed close to Ji Li, keeping watch for other beasts and cultivators.
After a while, his Divine-Sense stirred, he sensed a cultivator approaching.
Releasing his Divine-Sense to investigate, he relaxed slightly when he confirmed who it was and called out, "Uncle Zhou, over here!"
Not far away were three demon hunters, led by Zhou Cheng, father of Zhou Daping.
They had followed the traces of smoke and fire to provide support. Hearing Mo Hua's shout, they hurried over and found Ji Li collapsed on the ground, covered in blood.
Zhou Cheng was startled and asked anxiously, "How are his injuries?"
"Temporarily stabilized, but we need to get him down the mountain quickly so Grandpa Feng can treat him," Mo Hua replied.
Zhou Cheng nodded, then asked Mo Hua, "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Mo Hua shook his head.
Relieved, Zhou Cheng said, "Good."
Rescue came first. Without further words, Zhou Cheng and his companions lifted Ji Li onto a stretcher and began heading down the mountain.
Mo Hua waved them goodbye, silently thinking, I hope it's not too late.
After all, Uncle Ji only had this one son: Ji Li.
Mo Hua did not go down with them; he still had other matters to attend to.
The black-clad brute still lay nearby, his figure pitiful, unconscious but seemingly not dead.
Mo Hua had no time for him now. When more demon hunters arrived, they could take the brute back and interrogate him to find out his origin.
"Right, the storage bag."
Mo Hua suddenly remembered and ran to the brute, retrieving the storage bag that had been half-destroyed.
There was no time to examine it closely, so he secured it, then took out his compass and began analyzing while observing:
"Brother Ji must have entered the mountain with Uncle Ji. If Brother Ji is being hunted, Uncle Ji must also be in danger.
"And this brute cultivator is highly skilled, clearly ruthless. His criminal cultivator allies are probably not easy to deal with either."
Using the compass, Mo Hua located himself and saw a bright spot not far to the south.
The battle was still ongoing.
His eyes cold, Mo Hua put away the compass and hurried south.
The bright spot marked a small hillside.
Bushes grew thick around it, fallen leaves covered the ground, and scattered large trees spread their branches, blocking sunlight, making the place dim and secluded.
Upon arrival, Mo Hua saw Ji Qingbai and two other demon hunters engaged in combat.
Their opponents were three black-clad criminal cultivators.
Amid the interplay of light and shadow, blades flashed, spiritual energy surged, and both sides fought in close quarters, locked in a fierce struggle.
The black-clad criminals had the upper hand. Ji Qingbai and the others were stretched thin, gradually nearing collapse.
Mo Hua frowned. Something was wrong.
The gap in cultivation and technique was not obvious, and two of the demon hunters wore iron armor.
In theory, three against three—even if disadvantaged—they shouldn't look this desperate.
At that moment, Mo Hua noticed a shadow suddenly appear beside Ji Qingbai, a flash of light from a blade.
Just in time, Ji Qingbai sensed it and barely avoided it, though his arm was slashed, blood flowing freely.
The shadow struck once, then quickly retreated, gradually disappearing.
Ji Qingbai's brow furrowed even tighter, his expression grim.
Mo Hua was slightly stunned.
Even though it was only a moment, he had seen it.
The ambusher wore black, was small in stature, with a vicious gaze.
And skilled in concealment…
Mo Hua formed a guess, expanding his Divine-Sense. Amid a pale void, the residual spiritual energy of all things appeared.
Behind a tree, a faint blue figure emerged.
The figure was extremely familiar.
Mo Hua thought briefly, eyes lighting up. "So it's you!"
Earlier, when the demon hunters guarded the spirit mine, a hired cultivator from the Qian family caused major trouble—one skilled in concealment. They had suffered great losses.
And now, unexpectedly, he appeared here again.
Mo Hua was surprised. "He's not dead?"
He had assumed the concealed cultivator had been cut down by the demon hunters.
Even if alive, his injuries must be severe.
Now his attacks were not as decisive as before, his movements sluggish.
His concealment relied heavily on shadows and the cover of trees.
Ji Qingbai and the two demon hunters—three against three—shouldn't have been at such a disadvantage.
But with this concealed cultivator lurking nearby, the situation was completely different.
They had to focus on the opponents while also guarding against ambush. Any injury would worsen their position.
A Ninth-Level Qi-Refining cultivator could not detect concealment, so they could not counter this ambusher.
But for Mo Hua, this was nothing.
In his Divine-Sense, the concealed cultivator was as clear as day, completely unhidden.
Previously, he had escaped the demon hunters' chaos by luck. Now, with Mo Hua's stronger Divine-Sense, his concealment was meaningless.
Before, surviving the demon hunters' attacks had been sheer fortune.
This time, Mo Hua would not let him go.
But first priority: rescue Uncle Ji and the others.
Hiding out of the enemies' Divine-Sense range, Mo Hua took a bamboo tube and ignited fireworks.
He then moved twice, placing fireworks in different locations.
Using the same trick, he aimed to make the criminals retreat.
The fireworks rose, drawing their attention. Both sides paused.
But these criminals weren't fooled.
One said, "Those demon hunters fired fireworks earlier for help. If anyone were coming, they'd have arrived by now. Whoever's hiding is bluffing. Let's finish them quickly."
The others nodded.
Ji Qingbai gritted his teeth despite his injuries and asked. "We've never had grudges. Why must you kill us?"
The criminals replied, "The Kong family paid spirit stones for your heads. Your son's head is probably already claimed. Yours is next."
Hearing this, Ji Qingbai's expression turned mournful.
"Enough talk! Kill them now!" the one-eyed leader snapped.
The battle resumed—blades flashing, punches landing, attacks more violent than before.
Mo Hua sighed. These criminals wouldn't take the bait.
He would have to act himself to buy time.
Nearby demon hunters would likely come once they saw the fireworks.
Mo Hua just needed to hold them off until then.
On the tree-covered hillside, Ji Qingbai and the two demon hunters struggled to hold their ground.
Meanwhile, the black-clad concealed cultivator sought another chance to strike.
Using the trees for cover, he approached Ji Qingbai silently.
Ji Qingbai, worried for his son, fought desperately, revealing multiple openings.
The concealed cultivator's eyes gleamed with malice. He seized a flaw and thrust his dagger.
The dagger flashed coldly. But just as it was about to strike, a Fireball Technique appeared.
Before the dagger could reach Ji Qingbai, the fireball hit the ambusher's arm, interrupting the attack.
The fireball exploded, spiritual energy igniting into scorching flames, burning his arm. Pain spread rapidly.
The concealed cultivator winced, suddenly stunned.
Why does this feel so... familiar?
(End of chapter)