Chapter 579: Human Trafficker

Mo Hua said excitedly, "Divine thought into sword? How do you turn it into a sword? What kind of sword is it? How do you use divine thought to control it?"

Huang Shan Jun had a complex expression. "How would I know..." I was the one who got killed by 'divine thought into sword', not the one using it to chop people...

Mo Hua asked again, "Is that divine thought into sword very powerful?"

Huang Shan Jun nodded. "Look at me after being killed, this pathetic state now. I only just found out..."

Mo Hua looked at Huang Shan Jun with a hint of doubt. "You're not very powerful, though..." How can that explain 'divine thought into sword' being powerful?

Huang Shan Jun was ashamed and annoyed. "That was then, this is now!" "In the past! I was the Mountain Lord! This entire mountaintop was mine to rule!" "Only because of a mistaken act, evil arose in my heart, my Dao conduct was destroyed in an instant, thus I'm so unbearable, defeated at your hands, a tiger fallen in the plains being..."

Mo Hua's eyebrows furrowed, his gaze dangerous.

Huang Shan Jun immediately swallowed the three words "being bullied by a 'dog'". He also couldn't say a tiger fallen in the plains being "bullied by a dog"... This little cultivator isn't bad in skill, at least he's a "little tiger", and a "fierce little tiger"... A "man-eating" fierce little tiger... Can't provoke him, still can't provoke him...

Mo Hua still wasn't quite convinced. "Were you really powerful before?"

"Naturally..."

Mo Hua pondered, "This is the second-grade minor state boundary of Qian State. No matter how powerful you were, you were just a second-grade mountain god. How powerful could you be?"

"You wouldn't understand. Before, I..." Huang Shan Jun's face was long and thin, full of conceit, but he stopped abruptly mid-sentence and smiled awkwardly. "...Indeed, I was just a second-grade minor mountain god..."

Mo Hua looked at him suspiciously.

Huang Shan Jun was stared at by Mo Hua until he felt guilty. He looked up at the sky, pretending nothing happened.

Mo Hua felt that the problem was significant, but he had softened now, so it wasn't appropriate to be heavy-handed. Moreover, he was a mountain god after all, so he couldn't be too rude.

Mo Hua was still more concerned about the 'divine thought into sword' matter... "What does the sword cultivator who can perform divine thought into sword look like? Do you know his surname and name?"

Huang Shan Jun shook his head. "I don't know. I only remember he wore white clothes, floated like an immortal, and that terrifying sword intent. As for what he looked like, I didn't dare to look closely. His surname and name, I even less dared to ask..."

"Then which sect, which school?"

Huang Shan Jun still shook his head.

Mo Hua was helpless and looked at Huang Shan Jun with disdain. "How can you not know anything?"

Huang Shan Jun was very helpless. What could I do? I was chopped by a sword. I avoided that person as if avoiding the plague. How would I dare ask about this and that?

"White-clothed sword cultivator, killed evil mountain god..." Mo Hua could only jot down this clue. After entering the sect, he would find a way to investigate. See if he could find out about the person who performed ' divine thought into sword', find the method of 'divine thought into sword', and master the method of externalizing divine sense and manifesting it into a sword... That way, if he encountered some evil or a divine thought like Huang Shan Jun's outside his consciousness sea, he could also use divine sense to form a sword and chop it down... Mo Hua muttered in his heart.

Huang Shan Jun immediately shivered. It didn't know what Mo Hua's little head was plotting, but it didn't need to think to know it definitely wasn't anything good, possibly something very terrifying... Otherwise, it wouldn't feel a whoosh of cold air on its neck...

"Little mister..." Huang Shan Jun put on an extremely kind, even somewhat flattering smile. "The wind on the mountain is cool. You should rest early. Tomorrow morning, it'll be good to hit the road..." It wanted to send this little ancestor away early...

"I'm not sleepy!" Mo Hua said. He had a Dao stele in his consciousness sea. Even if he didn't sleep, he wouldn't feel sleepy.

Huang Shan Jun felt bitter in his heart. Little ancestor, please be a little sleepy. If you're not sleepy, this long night is endless, and I'll be miserable...

Mo Hua still wanted to ask many things. For example, how to become a mountain god, what is good karma? If a mountain god develops evil, will it become an evil god? Why do they want to eat incense smoke? Why do they want to receive worship? And so on...

It was still early before dawn. Mo Hua still wanted to grab Huang Shan Jun and ask clearly one by one. But just as he was about to open his mouth, he was suddenly startled and looked towards the temple door.

Huang Shan Jun saw Mo Hua's unusual reaction and was a little surprised. A moment later, he was also startled.

"Someone's coming from outside..."

Mo Hua nodded.

Huang Shan Jun's expression was astonished. He now understood that this little cultivator's divine sense must be extraordinary. Within his own mountain domain, he actually perceived the rustling wind and grass earlier than himself.

"I want to hide a bit..." Huang Shan Jun looked weakly at Mo Hua, asking for his opinion.

Mo Hua nodded. He then breathed a sigh of relief, turned into a wisp of white smoke, and the smoke curled up and integrated into the mountain god statue.

Mo Hua wiped away the residual warmth of the fire array on the ground. He also used the Passing Water Step, climbed along the wall, vertically "walked" up to the beam, and hid behind a large but half-broken beam. He used a concealment technique and hid properly.

Not long after, faint footsteps sounded outside the temple. Although the footsteps were muffled, in the quiet mountain night, especially within Mo Hua's perception, they were still clearly audible.

Two unfamiliar cultivators hid outside the temple door, low to the ground, peeking inside the temple. At the same time, they released their divine sense and swept a circle. Then they lowered their guard and said to those behind them, "Big brother, there's no one inside the temple..."

People spoke successively from behind. "It's too late. This wretched road is too difficult to walk..." "We've been tired for several days..." "Let's rest in the temple for a while..." "Mountain Lord bless..." "Our heads are on our own shoulders, our lives in our own hands. What's the use of the Mountain Lord's blessing!"

A group of people chattered and walked into the broken temple.

Mo Hua peeked through a gap in the beam, borrowing the moonlight. He then saw the broken temple bustling with over ten people. Most were Foundation Building early stage cultivators. Some carried knives, some swords, and several pushed a mountain cart. The cart carried several storage boxes, and he didn't know what was inside the boxes.

The cultivator at the front wore green clothes, carried a sword, and was middle-aged, looking gentle and refined. He seemed to be the leader of this group. Although his cultivation was also at the Foundation Building early stage, he was clearly more profound than the others, and his steps were very steady. Mo Hua heard others call him "Jiang old big".

Jiang old big entered the temple, looked around, and nodded. "We've been rushing day and night, brothers are all tired. Let's just rest in the temple for a bit. Tomorrow morning, we'll rush to deliver the goods, and everyone can save some spirit stones and live easier..." His voice was gentle and elegant.

The other cultivators also nodded, put down their luggage, found a clean spot in the temple, and sat cross-legged. Some took out dry rations to eat, some drank alcohol to relieve fatigue, some perhaps were extremely tired and lay down to sleep. There were also several people talking in low voices. Mo Hua then perked up his ears to listen.

"Old big, how many more days..."

"Three or four days' journey..."

"How much can we earn?"

"Don't think too much. We'll talk about it when we get it..."

"Other people..."

"Just us..."

Several people chatted for a long time. Mo Hua listened with some doubts, not knowing what they were talking about. Just as he wanted to listen more, that Jiang old big's expression suddenly changed.

"Something's wrong!"

The other cultivators heard him, and their faces showed astonishment. "Old big, what is it?" "What happened?"

Jiang old big stood up, slowly looked around, his gaze sharp. "There are people here!"

Mo Hua was a little surprised. The crowd inside the broken temple was even more shocked. They all stood up, released their divine sense crisscross, swept carefully, and then all frowned. "Old big, no one..."

Jiang old big wiped the ground with his hand, his gaze alert. "The ground still has residual warmth. Obviously, a cultivator has been here, and it's not long ago that they took warmth here..." He looked around again and found the mountain potato peels Mo Hua had eaten. He pinched the mountain potato peels, his expression puzzled.

Suddenly, someone exclaimed, "Old big, look!"

Jiang old big heard the sound and immediately walked over. Following that person's pointing, he saw crisscrossing lines on the ground, as if they had just been drawn... Jiang old big's heart trembled. "This is... an array?!" Then his gentle gaze suddenly became sharp, and he sternly said, "Everyone be on guard!"

All the cultivators in the area, their sleepiness suddenly gone, drew their knives and swords, circulated their spirit power, their expressions extremely solemn. But after a moment, there was still no sound inside the broken temple. Whether looking with their eyes or perceiving with their divine sense, they found no trace.

Someone hesitated, "Old big, maybe you're mistaken..."

Jiang old big frowned, thought for a moment, and shook his head. "Impossible. The array was just wiped away, and there's still residual warmth, indicating that someone was staying in this broken temple not long ago..." "This barren mountain wilderness, the mountain is desolate and the road is far. This is the only broken temple. That person must not have left. Most likely they saw so many of us, so they hid..." "Or... they're ambushing us..."

The other cultivators all had sharp expressions. "Old big, what should we do?"

Jiang old big thought for a moment, then looked at the broken temple and said loudly, "Which fellow Daoist, why not show yourself and meet?" "Meeting is fate..." "You and I have no grievances or enmity, and we won't act against you. Meeting in this barren mountain, let's make a friend..."

Jiang old big's words were polite, but Mo Hua remained unmoved. The human heart is separated by the belly. How would he know if this group of people was good or bad?

Jiang old big talked himself hoarse, seeing no movement around. His gaze turned cold, and he said in a deep voice, "This fellow Daoist, if you don't know what's good for you, then don't blame me for being impolite..." "Wait until I tear down this broken temple, smash this god statue, and level this place to the ground. I'll see where you can still hide..."

Tear down the temple? Mo Hua was startled. He looked down and saw Huang Shan Jun, parasitic inside the god statue, looking angry but helpless. He was now in a fallen state and simply couldn't deal with this group of Foundation Building cultivators. If his courtyard were torn down and the living mud sculpture destroyed, he feared his foundation would truly be cut off.

Mo Hua actually didn't care. The mountain was so big, the night so deep. Even if they tore down the temple, he could still run. But Huang Shan Jun, a mountain god who had run away, couldn't run away from his temple... He still had a pile of questions he wanted to ask this fallen mountain god.

Mo Hua thought, then withdrew his concealment technique, and said clearly, "I'm coming out!"

Jiang old big was startled to hear the voice. He still thought that in the dark mountains and deep night, someone who dared to stay here must be a cultivator accustomed to traveling at night and experienced on the Dao. But why did this voice sound so childish? Before he could recover, he saw a small cultivator jump down from the beam above, with a small body, a handsome face, and an innocent expression.

Jiang old big was stunned, then felt a chill in his heart. He couldn't help but ask, "Are you a person or a ghost?"

Mo Hua rolled his eyes at him. "Are you a ghost?"

Jiang old big saw Mo Hua's appearance and voice, lively and vivid, indeed not like a ghost, but a living little cultivator, and he felt slightly relieved. But immediately, he frowned again. "Are you alone?"

Mo Hua naturally wouldn't say he was alone. He only said, "My Master, senior brother, and senior sister got separated. I'm temporarily resting in the broken temple. Tomorrow I'll go find them."

He has a master and a sect... Jiang old big frowned slightly, but he didn't take it to heart. However, one point greatly puzzled him. He then said in a deep voice, "When we entered, why couldn't we find you?"

Mo Hua said righteously, "How would I know?" "If you couldn't find me, shouldn't you find the reason in yourselves?" "Is your cultivation not high enough, your divine sense not strong enough, or your alertness insufficient?" "What does that have to do with me, a child?"

A group of people were so speechless by Mo Hua that their faces turned red with shame and anger. But they seemed unable to refute. They seemed... to only be able to blame themselves for being incompetent...

Mo Hua saw that they were so "self-aware" and nodded slightly.

A big man close to Jiang old big moved his lips slightly and said in an extremely low voice, "What should we do?" "Should we or not..." The big man's gaze was slightly cold, his hand like a knife. His movements were very small, his voice very light, but Mo Hua's divine sense was strong, and he still heard it. But he pretended not to have heard.

Jiang old big said in a deep voice, "Don't rush yet. Let's see the situation..." He couldn't quite figure out the background of this small cultivator, couldn't clarify the identity of this little ghost.

Jiang old big frowned and thought. Suddenly his gaze flashed, and he asked, "Little brother, was the array in this temple drawn by you?"

The warm fire array, ah... Mo Hua thought and nodded. "I drew it!"

Jiang old big was a little surprised, and even more joyful. "You can actually draw arrays?!"

"Um..."

Jiang old big's expression immediately became gentle, and he also showed a kind smile. A small cultivator... can draw arrays... That price is simply not ordinary...

"Everyone put away your knives and swords, don't alarm the little brother..." Jiang old big instructed, then looked at Mo Hua, his voice as gentle as a spring breeze turning into rain. "We are proper merchants passing by here, afraid of being robbed and losing both people and wealth. Thus we were a little overly alert, little brother don't blame us..."

Mo Hua nodded, indicating that he didn't mind. But he curled his lips in his heart. Proper merchants? I haven't seen them before. Who are you trying to fool...

Jiang old big invited Mo Hua to sit down and also took out some dry rations and wild fruits to entertain Mo Hua. Mo Hua didn't eat.

Jiang old big didn't mind either, and asked gently, "Little brother, you are so young, yet you can actually draw an array of this level. Truly extraordinary!" This level? The level of the warm fire array? His flattery didn't hit Mo Hua's heart. Mo Hua only said perfunctorily, "It's average..."

Jiang old big probed further, "Then little brother, can you draw first-grade arrays?"

Mo Hua nodded. "Roughly..."

Jiang old big was overjoyed to hear this. "Little brother's future is bound to be promising!" Then he raised his wine cup and said sincerely, "I'll punish myself with one cup, to apologize for the abruptness and rudeness just now!" Jiang old big gulped down the wine.

Mo Hua also said very generously, "No harm done, I didn't take it to heart."

Jiang old big said some more flattering words, his gaze shifted slightly, and he softly asked, "May I ask, little brother, where is your master from..."

"My Master doesn't allow me to say..." Mo Hua said, "However, my Master is very powerful, he can draw third-grade arrays casually..." "My Master uncle is even more powerful, but I'm not convenient to tell you..."

Jiang old big smiled and pondered slightly in his heart. A Golden Core stage master and sect, ah... A bit low. Has array talent, from a mid-lower tier master and sect... Can't extort him, so we can only change the way we sell...

Jiang old big made up his mind, suddenly patted his head, and said in surprise, "Your Master..." "When I was on the road, I seemed to have encountered a high person who said he was looking for his disciple. He said his disciple was extraordinarily talented and profound in arrays. Looking at this, it's very similar to little brother..." "This high person, perhaps is exactly little brother's master!"

Mo Hua silently watched him perform, and said expressionlessly, "Are my senior brother and senior sister also there?"

Jiang old big said, "That's right. Beside that high person, there are also two disciples, one male and one female. They are extraordinary in their skills, truly dragons and phoenixes among people..."

Mo Hua pretended to be "surprised" and said in a flat tone, "Ah, that's great. They are indeed my Master, my senior sister, and my senior brother!"

Although Jiang old big felt Mo Hua's tone was strange, he had something to hide, so he didn't notice it for a while. He just sighed, "It's just a pity, they took the wrong road..."

"Took the wrong road?" Mo Hua said in "surprise".

"Um," Jiang old big said regretfully, "They went towards Qing State City, taking a detour. You're in this mountain, I fear you won't be able to wait for them."

Mo Hua looked disheartened.

Jiang old big looked at Mo Hua and made a judgment in his heart. This child looks clever and cautious enough, but after all, he is a child. His experience is still shallow, and it involves his Master, so he's anxious and confused. It's not hard to control him by using some false words to deceive him...

Jiang old big said, "Your Master is a high person, and we've also formed a good karma. How about this, we'll take you to find your Master? Going to Qing State City is also on the way..."

"Really?" Mo Hua said expectantly.

"Naturally." Jiang old big's smile was kind and amiable.

Mo Hua's eyes showed joy. "That's really great. Thank you, big brothers!" Mo Hua's gaze was clear and clean, and he was lively like a little deer again.

Jiang old big relaxed and said, "It's late. Let's rest for a bit first. Tomorrow morning, we'll take you to find your Master."

"Okay!" Mo Hua nodded expectantly.

The crowd packed their luggage and prepared to set out. Just then, Huang Shan Jun's low whisper came from inside the mud sculpture: "Little mister, be careful. They are all not good people..." It was divine thought, and only Mo Hua could hear the words.

"I know..." Mo Hua nodded, then waved towards the mud sculpture in the main hall of the broken temple. "I'm leaving first. I'll come back to see you when I have time later..."

The other cultivators saw this and were all a little puzzled. But they thought Mo Hua was a child and had some childish nature, which was normal, so they didn't take it to heart.

On the mud sculpture, white smoke turned into Huang Shan Jun's face. He smiled awkwardly at Mo Hua. In his heart, however, there was an unspeakable bitterness: "Don't... don't come back to see me. I don't want to see you again..."

After packing properly, Mo Hua followed Jiang old big and the others, leaving the broken temple. Wearing the morning glow, they headed towards the distant Qing State City. This was also the road that must be taken to go to the Qian Study State boundary. Mo Hua was just going along the way.

Huang Shan Jun silently watched them leave, feeling a little worried. "These more than ten cultivators carry evil karma on their bodies. They may all be bad characters..." "This little cultivator, nothing will happen to him, right..."

Huang Shan Jun frowned, then was startled again. These cultivators were bad characters, but this little cultivator, seemed... to be an even worse character? Which family's little cultivator would think of "eating" a mountain god?!

Huang Shan Jun's expression was silent. He looked at Mo Hua swaggering in the middle of the "human traffickers" in the distance. For a moment, he didn't know who he should be worried about...

(End of this chapter)