Chapter 548: Leaving the City

Refining Soul Blood Banner seals the city, a towering demon sword sweeps down.

Li Shan City had already become ruins.

Yesterday, carved beams and painted rafters; today, a stretch of broken walls and ruins. What was once golden and magnificent is now just a ground of mess.

Big White pulls the cart, walking in front.

Mo Hua, his little senior brother, little senior sister, and Aunt Xue follow behind, along with the large group of cultivators from Five Elements Sect. Together, they left Five Elements Sect, walked out of the mountain-protecting great array, and walked into the desolate Li Shan City.

Mo Hua saw the surrounding scenes, only then realizing that the entire Li Shan City had long ago been an empty shell. Many of the merchants living inside were hidden demon cultivators.

There weren't many proper cultivators.

And when great disaster came, most of these cultivators were either dead, injured, or had fled.

The merchants' cultivators were not local cultivators.

They came for profit and left when profit was exhausted.

No one was willing to coexist with Li Shan City, and no one cared about Li Shan City's survival.

Flowers without soil flourish for a time, then wither in a flash.

Li Shan City, where every inch of soil was once worth an inch of gold, saw its prosperity fall, revealing its desolate true appearance of soil, stone, and mud sculptures.

But Mo Hua didn't care about any of this.

As he walked, he would occasionally turn back, hoping that one day, turning back, he could see Master again.

But in the end, he saw nothing.

Mo Hua lowered his head sadly.

Bai Zisheng was also very sad and patted Mo Hua's shoulder.

Bai Zixi then held Mo Hua's hand.

Aunt Xue's gaze was surprised, but her expression was complex. She sighed slightly and didn't say anything.

Everyone walked together towards the outside of Li Shan City.

The Great Elder and the elders of Five Elements Sect led the way in front.

Although there was a sea of blood above their heads and sword energy pervaded the air.

Inside Li Shan City, it was all blood red, and demon energy overflowed.

But this road was yet windless and waveless.

No demon cultivators, no killing intent, no danger.

It was truly as Mister Zhuang said, a path of life.

The Great Elder was somewhat disbelieving, and similarly as if relieved of a burden, he sighed in his heart:

"Mister Zhuang is indeed a high person, and has great kindness to my Five Elements Sect ah..."

The group of people kept walking, and in no time, the gate of Li Shan City was in front of them.

Walking out of the gate meant leaving Li Shan City.

It also meant leaving this place of right and wrong, this place of purgatory.

The Great Elder let out a breath.

But when he raised his head to look, this breath he just let out was suddenly held back again.

A dense chill emerged in his heart.

In front of them, the city gate was suddenly wrapped by a sea of blood, blocking the road ahead.

And above the city gate, at this moment, stood a group of strangely shaped cultivators.

The one in the middle, wearing a black robe, with white hair and a childlike face, had profound and sinister eyes.

It was precisely Xuanmo Old Ancestor!

On his two sides, there was a weathered old man with an evil and strange sword box on his back, a young man with a white face and no mustache, as if wearing an exquisite dead person's skin mask, and a large man with fangs and blood-red eyes.

And behind these few people, there was still a group of demon cultivators with dense evil energy, at least at the Foundation Building stage or above.

The Great Elder's gaze was terrified, and his heart and courage were split.

The crowd of Five Elements Sect cultivators also all had bloodless faces.

Xuan Sanren smiled effeminately, "Under the Blood Banner, wronged souls and fierce ghosts cannot be reborn, not even a remnant soul will be left. How could I possibly let you go?"

"The Dao Court manages strictly, I haven't slaughtered a city for several hundred years..."

"Today the opportunity is rare, allow me to have a feast..."

The Great Elder felt desolate in his heart.

An old demon of the Feathering Realm!

Five Elements Sect was finished!

He had a bitter expression, just about to say something, yet he saw the effeminate smile on Xuan Sanren's face gradually recede, as if he had seen something, and his expression became solemn.

The Great Elder looked along Xuan Sanren's gaze, then saw an old man sitting on a roof not far to the west. His face was weathered, and his body was like dead wood.

It was precisely that profound and immeasurable old man beside Mister Zhuang, called "Old Kui".

In the Great Elder's heart, a thread of hope rose again.

Xuan Sanren looked at Old Kui, his face sinking like water. He cupped his hands and said:

"Which side's high person?"

Old Kui glanced at him faintly, "You are still not qualified to know. I spare you from death, scram."

Xuan Sanren was extremely angry, laughed coldly, then was about to make a move, when he suddenly started, as if recalling something, his expression greatly changed, and he lost his voice:

"You are..."

Old Kui's gaze was cold and severe.

Xuan Sanren hurriedly closed his mouth, shocked and not daring to speak.

He strongly suppressed the shock in his heart, his face trembled. He cupped his hands towards Old Kui, and his figure gradually faded from above the city gate, then disappeared.

The crowd of demon cultivators behind Xuan Sanren also all had bewildered expressions, shocked in their hearts:

"What exactly is the identity of this old man?"

"Even Xuan Sanren has to show courtesy?"

But they did not dare to ask out loud.

They were both afraid of speaking improperly and offending this mysterious old man, and afraid of improper words touching Xuan Sanren's taboo.

Xuan Sanren dared not block, they even more dared not, so the crowd of demon cultivators also all had to retreat.

The demon cultivators retreated one after another.

The Great Elder let out a breath, looked at Old Kui, and bowed remotely.

All the cultivators of Five Elements Sect also had solemn expressions and bowed towards Old Kui.

Old Kui pointed his fingers lightly, and a black fireball flew out.

Li Shan City's gate shattered, the demon energy was completely burned, the Blood Banner was burned with a large gap, and the sea of blood was also torn, revealing a hole.

"Walk."

Old Kui only said this one word, then continued to close his eyes and nurture his spirit.

Gratitude arose in the Great Elder's heart. He bowed remotely again, after which he looked back, waved his hand, then led the crowd of Five Elements Sect, along the hole Old Kui opened, towards the outside of Li Shan City...

Mo Hua also looked at Old Kui, and his mouth couldn't help but mutter:

"Grandpa Kui..."

Old Kui seemed to hear Mo Hua's voice, slowly opened his eyes, looked at Mo Hua, and the corners of his mouth curled up, revealing a hint of a smile.

This was the first time Mo Hua had seen Old Kui smile.

A smile like a puppet's.

Although stiff, although somewhat awkward, but very gentle.

In Mo Hua's ear, Old Kui's hoarse and kind voice also rang out:

"I've come to send you off..."

Mo Hua's nose felt sour, he waved his hand forcefully, and bid farewell to Old Kui.

Old Kui again "smiled" and "smiled", then lightly said: "Go on..."

"Okay!"

Mo Hua nodded, looked at Old Kui again, then reluctantly shifted his gaze and walked towards outside the city.

Old Kui looked at Mo Hua's small back, a little regretful.

Pity...

He couldn't eat the pine nuts this child fried anymore...

There was also no opportunity to point him in magic again, to play chess together again...

Afterwards, he said self-mockingly:

"My Dao heart is also shaken ah..."

Old Kui shook his head, closed his eyes again, and sat dryly.

And Mo Hua just kept walking, walked over the city gate, left Li Shan City, left the Li Shan City that was covered by a sea of blood, full of demon energy, danger, and killing intent.

Also left the Li Shan City where Master was located...

When Mo Hua looked back again.

The Refining Soul Blood Banner had finished refining and already completely covered the entire Li Shan City.

In his eyes, there was a towering sea of blood, a ferocious demon sword, and bloody sword energy all over the sky.

Mo Hua took all of this into his heart, his gaze slightly cold.

"Dare to scheme against Master..."

One day, I will slaughter all you evil demons and monsters, tear this soul banner to pieces, smash this demon sword, and grind all the demonic path's heavenly mechanisms and causes to dust...

What Xuanmo Old Ancestor, what Gold Core demon cultivators, what demonic path supreme treasures...

You all wait for me...

At this time, Xuan Sanren, who was in Li Shan City, had just recovered from Old Kui's deterrence, and suddenly felt a palpitation again.

He immediately took out a white bone compass from his bosom.

Inside the compass, a lock was sealed. The lock was soaked with black blood and engraved with ancient and clumsy array patterns. In the center, a demon eye was embedded. The demon eye was ferocious and blinked non-stop.

This was the demonic path's cause and effect supreme treasure: Nether Path Heavenly Mechanism Lock.

Xuan Sanren frowned:

"Just now this Heavenly Mechanism Lock... trembled?"

"What does that mean?"

"What is it afraid of?"

"What is worthy of it being afraid of?"

Xuan Sanren bit his finger, wiped it on his forehead, leaving a blood mark. The blood mark moved on its own, and Xuan Sanren's divine sense also became sharper.

He used a hand seal, carefully deduced, and after a while, he was still perplexed.

He couldn't figure anything out...

A complete mystery.

But vaguely, it seemed like there was a thread of ominous sign.

Just like he unintentionally put a pile of fish fry into a river.

But among these fish fry, there seemed to be a small and ferocious "crocodile".

But looking carefully again, the river was vast, the waves sparkled, it was a vast expanse, and he couldn't see anything.

Xuan Sanren was stunned, immediately shook his head, "Illusion ba..."

How could it be so coincidental...

Dozens of Li outside Li Shan City, there was a fork in the road.

Mo Hua and the people from Five Elements Sect were about to part ways here.

The Great Elder looked at Mo Hua, his expression complex.

The true inheritance of Five Elements Sect was on this child.

And the future fortune of Five Elements Sect was also possibly on this child.

Although he didn't know what the true inheritance of Five Elements Sect was, and didn't know what the future fortune of Five Elements Sect was, this is what Mister Zhuang told him, and he could only believe it.

Only...

Whether Five Elements Sect could still have this fortune in the future was hard to say...

The sect had encountered this calamity, and people's hearts were scattered.

Afterwards, they would have to live depending on others, which must not be comfortable.

These disciples would probably also leave one by one.

How many people could finally stay was even harder to say.

If he was alive, perhaps it would be better, after all he was a Gold Core cultivator, but a hundred years, two hundred years later, if he died, Five Elements Sect would have no successor, and whether it would thus be buried in the history of the cultivation world...

The Great Elder sighed, his worries endless.

He looked at Mo Hua, cupped his hands, and bid farewell: "Little Mister, take care!"

Mo Hua also bowed: "Great Elder, take care!"

"Hope there can be a day of meeting again ba..."

The Great Elder sighed with emotion in his heart, then bowed to Mo Hua again, then led the crowd of Five Elements Sect, mighty and vast, onto the unknown road ahead...

And Mo Hua walked towards another road.

This was a wide mountain road.

Big White pulled the cart and saw that Mo Hua seemed to be in a bad mood. It affectionately rubbed its head against Mo Hua, seeming to want to comfort Mo Hua.

Mo Hua also hugged Big White, but his expression was still a little low.

Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi were also a little sad.

As they walked, Bai Zisheng suddenly asked Aunt Xue: "Aunt Xue, can you find Mother and ask her to save Master?"

Aunt Xue said bitterly: "A person of Mister Zhuang's realm, the matters involved are fundamentally not something we can interfere with..."

"Even if it's Madam, many things, she is also powerless to change."

What's more, Madam... she herself was also scheming against Mister Zhuang...

Snow Aunt did not explicitly say this sentence.

Bai Zisheng was a little dispirited.

Bai Zixi said: "Aunt Xue, where do we go now?"

Aunt Xue pondered: "Let's see Madam first, Madam is also worried about your safety. Afterwards, we should go back to the Bai family ba..."

"Back to the Bai family..."

Bai Zixi muttered, and couldn't help but look at Mo Hua.

Bai Zisheng also suddenly thought of something, his feeling of loneliness slightly disappeared, he looked at Mo Hua, and asked:

"Junior brother, do you want to follow us back to the Bai family?"

"Bai family?" Mo Hua was startled.

"Um." Bai Zisheng nodded, "You follow me to the Bai family, with me covering you, you don't need to worry about cultivation or anything. Inheritances, arrays, are all available..."

"Although it's far from comparable to Master, it's also very good."

Mo Hua was silent.

He turned back again and looked at Li Shan City.

He still wanted to see Master.

But he couldn't see...

Gold Core, Feathering...

This kind of level of cultivation was fundamentally not something he could participate in.

He was only at the Refining Qi stage...

Mo Hua sighed lostly, hesitated for a moment, and still said: "I want to go back to Tongxian City and see Dad and Mom..."

He had been away from home for a long time and wanted to go back and see.

"No matter," Bai Zisheng nodded, "I also want to go back once, see Uncle Mo and Aunt Liu, then, you follow me to the Bai family ba..."

"Your comprehension is so high, you learn arrays so well, even in the Bai family, no one dares to look down on you..."

Mo Hua was a little hesitant, "But, this is not too good ba..."

He was not a Bai family person...

Bai Zisheng put on a small face, "What's not good, you are my junior brother, following me is just one family. As a senior brother, I should naturally take care of you!"

"When you arrive at the Bai family, whoever looks down on you is looking down on me! Whoever bullies you is bullying me! I will knock out their front teeth!"

Mo Hua was moved in his heart, but still shook his head.

Bai Zisheng then said: "No rush, you can think about it slowly."

Bai Zixi also glanced at Mo Hua, her voice clear but decisive:

"When you arrive at the Bai family, no one dares to bully you!"

Mo Hua was slightly startled, smiled: "Thank you senior sister..."

Mo Hua's smile was like a pool of clear spring, clean and clear, flowing warmly through his heart.

Bai Zixi slightly shifted her gaze.

Aunt Xue saw all of this. In her gaze, there was both gratification and gentleness, and also a hint of intolerance.

Some things are beautiful, pure, and clean.

But this cultivation world is yet again ice-cold and cruel...

Mo Hua still shook his head, "I'll go back and see Dad and Mom first, and then we'll talk..."

He hadn't thought about what would happen afterwards.

He wanted to reach Foundation Building, he had to unravel the Xuanyuan Great Array.

This great array was very difficult to unravel.

Perhaps one or two years, or perhaps, ten or twenty years...

But no matter what, he must unravel the great array, then step by step, according to what Master said, cultivate divine sense to the extreme, and attain the great Dao with supreme divine sense!

This process was definitely very difficult, and definitely very laborious.

There were still many secrets in his body...

Although he was reluctant to part with his little senior brother and little senior sister, the Bai family... wasn't necessarily a good place...

The territory of Dali State was very large.

Outside of Li Shan City, there were continuous ups and downs of the Dali Mountains, layers of peaks, and winding mountain paths.

Mo Hua and his group walked on the mountain path, and the distance to Li Shan City also became increasingly far.

The mountains were like emerald, and clouds steamed and rosy clouds surged.

The magnificent mountain scenery diluted the sorrow of parting, but left behind endless melancholy.

The hearts of Mo Hua and the three others were all a little empty and lost.

After walking for several days, Aunt Xue frowned.

Bai Zisheng then asked: "Aunt Xue, what's wrong?"

Aunt Xue thought for a moment and shook her head: "Nothing?"

After walking for five or six more days, Aunt Xue's expression became increasingly grave.

This time, several people all detected something was wrong.

Bai Zixi said: "Aunt Xue, what happened?"

Aunt Xue hesitated for a moment, then truthfully said:

"Ten days ago, I sent a message to Madam through a jade slip, explaining the situation, but so many days have passed, and the message has always not been transmitted out. It seems that not only Li Shan City, but the entire Dali Mountains are blocked by heavenly mechanism and isolated from messages..."

The expressions of several people were all a little grave.

Mo Hua raised his head to look, and indeed felt that the sky was hazy and indistinct. He could see the sky, but he couldn't "see" the original sky.

As if something was sealing it.

"Aunt Xue, what is blocking the sky?" Mo Hua asked.

Aunt Xue frowned: "Possibly... Nether Path Heavenly Mechanism Lock..."

"Heavenly Mechanism Lock?"

"Um." Aunt Xue nodded, "Heavenly Mechanism Lock is a type of heavenly mechanism treasure, it can cover heavenly mechanism, lock cause and effect, and even isolate messages, so that other cultivators cannot see, detect, or calculate..."

"The righteous path has Heavenly Mechanism Lock type treasures, and the demonic path also has them."

"However, a treasure that can block heavenly mechanism and isolate the entire Dali Mountains on such a large scale is necessarily extraordinary. It is very possibly one of the demonic path's supreme treasures, the Nether Path Heavenly Mechanism Lock..."

"Demonic path supreme treasure, Nether Path Heavenly Mechanism Lock..."

Mo Hua nodded, and silently remembered this name.

"What do we do now?" Bai Zisheng asked.

"Let's walk outwards first ba, leave the Dali Mountains..."

Aunt Xue frowned, but her expression was still very grave.

After walking for several more days, just as several people were about to leave the Dali Mountains, a group of cultivators suddenly appeared in front of them.

This group of cultivators appeared without any sign, but it was as if they had been waiting here for a long time.

Some wore black clothes, some wore blood clothes, their appearances varied.

There was a gaunt Daoist with half of his face burned, a fat-headed monk whose smiling eyes were not open, an enchanting female cultivator with lips like blood and fangs exposed, and a corpse driver carrying a corpse...

These ten or so people had evil and thick breaths, yet they were restrained.

Horrifically, they were all demon cultivators in the Gold Core stage!

And among the crowd, Mo Hua only recognized one Foundation Building late-stage cultivator with a gold crown on his head and a five-colored Dao robe on his body.

It was precisely the original sect master of Five Elements Sect — Liao Tiande.

He who was once the sect master now humbly bowed and scraped, his face full of a fawning smile.

Liao Tiande pointed at Mo Hua and the others, and said to a youth wearing blood-colored splendid clothes, with an extremely handsome appearance, and a strange blood mark between his eyebrows:

"Holy Son, these several people are the direct disciples of that Mister Zhuang..."

(End of this chapter)