Chapter 646: Discern Spirit Painting Array

Hanging sky cliff, isolated peak cloud ridge.

Breaking through the sea of clouds horizontally above, there was an invisible stone bridge.

Three large and one small cultivator, their bodies concealed, were walking step by step on the bridge, as if strolling through separated air, walking at the edge of the sky, with only an endless deep abyss beneath their feet.

Several people were inevitably shocked in their hearts.

Mo Hua, however, was still alright; it wasn't the first time he had walked there.

Although this time the cliff was higher, the road longer, and the opposite side more dangerous, he had three "bodyguards" following him.

One of them was even Uncle Gu, who was at the Golden Core stage.

Actually, it was still considered safe.

The stone bridge was empty, without a single human figure.

Several people walked forward step by step.

Mo Hua released his divine sense, observing and perceiving all the way, and occasionally he would remind them:

Where there was a small Yuan Magnetic array, where there was an Earth Explosion array, where there was an Early Warning array, where there was a Mad Wind array...

The rogue cultivators on the stone bridge had indeed set up many arrays.

These arrays, whether for early warning or traps, were all set up in very hidden locations.

However, they naturally couldn't escape Mo Hua's divine sense.

All the arrays along the way were identified by Mo Hua one by one.

Gu Changhuai looked at Mo Hua, whose expression was composed, as he passed through a myriad of "arrays" without a single blemish on his body. A sense of good fortune arose in his heart.

It was good to bring this child...

Otherwise, if they had walked on this stone bridge, which was dense with arrays, it would have been like treading on thin ice, and they really weren't sure if they could reach the opposite shore.

Mo Hua pointed the way, and Gu Changhuai and the other two followed Mo Hua honestly.

After walking for half the distance, above the stone bridge, the color of the sky suddenly turned dark.

Mo Hua stopped on the stone bridge.

The road behind them was as if in the clouds, the sky clear and bright.

The road ahead was filled with evil energy, and the isolated peak was like a ghost cave, gloomy and oppressive.

Several people looked at each other, their gazes firm, and continued to walk forward.

In the midst of the gloomy evil energy, they didn't know how long they had walked until they finally saw the broken cliff face.

After walking for another cup of tea's time, the several people whose bodies were concealed, then unknowingly and silently, stepped onto the stone stairs of the opposite cliff, and arrived at the opposite shore.

In front of them was an isolated peak, empty all around, with dark clouds winding around it.

It was like an isolated island in the sea of clouds, with no sign of human habitation.

At the center of the isolated peak was a huge and narrow long cave entrance.

The cave entrance was closed, like the tightly shut eye pupil of an evil beast.

The mountain stones on both sides were ferocious, with protruding stones embedded in each other, like the eyelashes of an evil beast, covering the fresh red blood color in the middle of the pupil.

Mo Hua's gaze condensed slightly, "Evil array..."

The array master under Huo Fo's command was a high-grade second-rank evil array master...

Gu Changhuai's expression was indifferent, but Gu An and Gu Quan were a little nervous.

"Little Young Master, can this door be opened?"

It was unclear whether it was Gu An or Gu Quan who spoke and asked.

Mo Hua thought for a moment, then shook his head:

"This is an evil array, and the array is closed, so I can't see through the array patterns inside. Moreover, it is a high-grade second-rank evil array, so I can't solve it..."

"At least, I can't solve it temporarily..."

"If I can't solve the array, then I can only use brute force to forcibly break it..."

"But this will cause a lot of commotion, and it will definitely alert Huo Fo and the others..."

Gu An and Gu Quan frowned tightly.

Gu Changhuai's handsome eyes silently looked at Mo Hua.

Mo Hua understood.

This was Uncle Gu asking him what to do about these arrays.

It was just that he was a bit proud, and for a while, he couldn't bring himself to speak, especially in front of Gu An and Gu Quan.

He was Dian Si, and also the young master of the Gu family; he always wanted face.

Mo Hua thought for a moment, and without waiting for Gu Changhuai to ask, he said:

"Although the demon cave sounds gloomy and terrifying, at its root, it is also a cultivation building and needs to use building-class arrays..."

"Then inside this isolated peak, there must also be various arrays built."

"I want to first look at the entire structure of the isolated peak from the outside, then speculate on the arrays inside, and then consider how to get in..."

"Good." Gu Changhuai nodded.

So Mo Hua put his hands behind his back, raised his head, and walked around the isolated peak as if "inspecting" it, while also perceiving the arrays inside.

Gu Changhuai and the other two followed silently behind him, their expressions alert, looking around, like three "followers."

After walking a circle, Mo Hua found a quiet place, used a stone as a table, spread out the array paper, and began to preliminarily restore the array structure of the outermost layer of the demon cave.

While recalling the traces of array spirits he had just perceived from the mountain stones, he drew the array patterns one by one on the paper.

Occasionally, he would still raise his head, take in the entire isolated peak, and correct the array connections...

A moment later, an outline of the demon cave's outer layer array, formed by array patterns, gradually emerged on the paper...

Gu Changhuai's pupils shrank, and he looked at Mo Hua, murmuring in a low voice:

"Discern Spirit Draw Array..."

"Discern Spirit Draw Array?" Mo Hua was a little astonished and asked Gu Changhuai, "What is Discern Spirit Draw Array?"

Gu Changhuai was startled, "It's what you're doing right now..."

Mo Hua was stunned for a moment, then understood.

Perceiving array spiritual power from the outside and restoring the array structure inside was called "Discern Spirit Draw Array."

He had always thought that this was just basic array deduction and calculation, and he didn't expect it to have so many fancy names...

Mo Hua praised: "Uncle Gu, you know so much..."

Gu Changhuai: "..."

If it weren't for Mo Hua's serious and clear gaze, he would have almost suspected that this kid was "satirizing" him...

After spending another half an hour, Mo Hua finally finished restoring the preliminary array map of the "demon cave" outer layer.

On the paper was a demon cave.

But this "demon cave" was like being "X-rayed" by divine sense; it had no outer appearance of mountain stones or plants, but revealed its inherent "bones" of various array patterns and array hubs.

Although it was just the array structure of the outer surface layer, Gu Changhuai was still extremely shocked.

He was a little dazed.

Was this really something that a Foundation Establishment stage array master could do?

This was completely on a different level from all the array masters he had known in the past...

On the other side, Gu An and Gu Quan also looked at it without understanding, and at the same time, they felt more that Mo Hua was not to be judged by appearances.

This little array master was truly extraordinary...

He was indeed worthy of being someone who could bargain with the young master, and even make the always stubborn young master yield.

Mo Hua didn't know their thoughts, but continued to say:

"The demon cave arrays are very tight, but since they are cultivation building arrays, in order to save costs, they have to 'compromise'..."

"The main part uses second-rank nineteen-pattern arrays, but in some edge corners, the array grade will be lower, and the number of array patterns will also decrease..."

"Eighteen patterns, seventeen patterns, and even second-rank middle-grade sixteen patterns will be used..."

"Some parts will even use first-rank arrays to make up for it..."

"These weak points in the arrays are the flaws."

"Cultivation building arrays are larger in scale and look grander from the outside, but in the eyes of insiders, there are also more flaws..."

Insiders' eyes...

Gu Changhuai and the other two looked at Mo Hua and nodded in agreement.

Mo Hua looked at the "demon cave" array map from beginning to end again, and then led the three people to a small hillside at the back of the isolated peak.

Beneath the hillside, there was a sturdy rock with rugged broken stones.

"The rock here is sturdy, not easy to dig, and not easy to build arrays, so the array master who built the demon cave was lazy and cut corners..."

Mo Hua released his divine sense again, his pupils deep, looked for a while, and pointed at a place on the ordinary stone slope and said:

"The flaws here are the biggest."

Gu Changhuai stared at the stone slope for a while, unable to judge at all how the flaws here were the biggest.

But once it involved arrays, Mo Hua's words always gave him a feeling of unquestionable certainty.

"Then... we... dig through the mountain stones and sneak in secretly?"

One of the Gu family brothers suggested.

Mo Hua guessed that he should be "Gu An."

These two brothers looked the same and had similar voices, but the flow of their spiritual power was different, one biased towards the left meridians and one biased towards the right meridians.

Just like one was left-handed and the other was right-handed.

The left-handed one was Gu An, and the right-handed one was Gu Quan.

Mo Hua shook his head, "The commotion is still too big. Digging a hole is best done with arrays..."

This was also something he had just learned, a type of the Bagua Gen array, called the Open Mountain Array.

A second-rank fourteen-pattern Open Mountain Array could turn mountain stones into dust. Its power was not great, and the commotion was small, making it best used for digging this kind of secret hole.

Mo Hua took out his pen and ink and began to draw the Open Mountain Array on the stone.

He drew extremely fast, finishing one in a moment.

After the array was drawn, a gray light shone on it, and the array patterns took effect. The mountain stones then rustled and dissolved, turning into fine powder, which scattered with the wind.

Gu Changhuai watched from the side, always feeling that something was very incongruous.

After watching for a while, he suddenly understood.

Too fast...

He had also watched Mo Hua draw arrays before, but he hadn't paid much attention at the time.

Now, right before his eyes, Mo Hua's pen moved like a dragon and a snake, completing the entire drawing of a second-rank fourteen-pattern Open Mountain Array.

Gu Changhuai was then shocked to realize that this pen technique was really too fast.

It was like time was on 'fast forward,' and his small hand even waved out afterimages.

This hand speed was several times faster than those array masters he had seen before.

Gu Changhuai frowned.

"This child Mo Hua, why is he like a 'hexagonal' array master, without any shortcomings..."

"He couldn't have been taken over by some array 'old monster,' could he..."

While he was puzzled during this time, Mo Hua continued to draw the Open Mountain Array one after another, dissolving the mountain stones layer by layer.

Finally, the last bit of mountain stones disappeared, and a black dark cave entrance appeared in front of them.

In the middle of the cave entrance, Yin wind swept in, and there was a faint fishy rotten smell.

Mo Hua looked at Gu Changhuai.

Gu Changhuai understood, nodded slightly, and went straight into the cave entrance. Gu An and Gu Quan followed closely behind.

A few breaths later, Gu Changhuai's voice came from the cave.

"Come in..."

Mo Hua nodded, then also walked in.

His vision was a sudden darkness, and then slowly there was a bright light. Mo Hua fixed his eyes and found that he was standing on a section of a protruding stone pillar.

Mo Hua lowered his head and looked down, his pupils suddenly shrinking.

This was a huge cave.

Stone pillars were rugged, and it was evil and strange.

The mountain peak had been hollowed out, and below was a huge and solemn demon hall.

Suspended corridors crisscrossed, and between the corridors were white bone lamps with eerie green light, reflecting the strange halls around them.

In the middle of the halls was a huge stone skull.

The skull's eyes were empty, burning with green fire.

Ferocious fangs protruded, and its mouth was wide open, as if it was choosing people to devour.

But half of this skull was missing, and it seemed not yet finished. It was impossible to discern whether it was the bones of a person or some kind of beast.

Above the skull, a gloomy demon energy emanated.

Gu Changhuai's expression was cold and solemn, and he said in disbelief:

"Demon Cult stronghold..."

"How audacious!"

Mo Hua was startled, "Demon Cult stronghold..."

He looked at Gu Changhuai and asked in a low voice: "What is the difference between a Demon Cult stronghold and a general rogue cultivator stronghold?"

Gu Changhuai's expression was solemn, and he slowly said:

"A rogue cultivator stronghold is just a temporary place to hide. A Demon Cult stronghold, however, is a long-term 'perch'..."

"Rogue cultivators are just poisonous fruits; the poison only poisons one or two people. A Demon Cult, however, is the 'root' that spreads the source of the poison..."

"The appearance of a Demon Cult stronghold means that the Demon Cult has 'taken root' here, or is preparing to take root..."

"Once the Demon Cult stronghold is built and takes root and sprouts, it will become a poisonous tumor of the demonic path, spreading demonic path cultivation techniques and harming countless people."

"And wanting to pull it out is also extremely difficult, and the price to pay is very high..."

Gu Changhuai's gaze was heavy.

He had thought before that Huo Fo's 'demon cave' was just an exaggerated way of saying things.

But now, looking at it, this demon cave was actually a large-scale Demon Cult nest.

Mo Hua said: "So, it seems that Huo Fo is not only a rogue cultivator, but an evil cultivator. He also has an 'inherited' demonic cultivator?"

Gu Changhuai's gaze was cold and sharp, and he nodded slightly and said:

"Should be..."

Mo Hua frowned, "I didn't see it at all..."

Gu Changhuai's gaze was somewhat meaningful, and he said:

"What you can't see is the true Demon Cult."

"Those evil, arrogant and overbearing demonic cultivators were long ago slaughtered by the Dao Court Si."

"The remaining demonic cultivators are sometimes even more hypocritical than righteous cultivators..."

Mo Hua was startled and inexplicably thought of Lu Chengyun.

Killing people and refining corpses, using zombies to dig mines, earning spirit stones day and night.

Then using spirit stones to bribe the Dao Court Si, buy local forces, further exploit mine cultivators, refine zombies, and develop and expand his own forces.

On the surface, he was the gentle and elegant master of the Lu family.

But behind the scenes, he was a true demonic path great corpse cultivator.

Once he refined the corpse king, all the cultivators in Nan Yue City, whether living or dead, would probably become his "zombies."

And it was possible that the situation before them was similar.

Huo Fo and the others were very likely just "decoys."

Behind this "Bi Shan demon cave," who knows what is hidden, and who knows exactly whose handiwork it is...

"Uncle Gu, what should we do now? Do we need to go back and call for reinforcements?"

Mo Hua asked in a low voice.

Since they discovered a Demon Cult stronghold, according to reason, the best way is to go back and "call for reinforcements," gather more Dao Court Si executives, and come to "extinguish" this stronghold.

Gu Changhuai frowned and thought, slowly shaking his head.

"Let's scout a bit first. If we can find Huo Fo, it's best to kill him directly..."

"Going back to call for reinforcements and surrounding the demon cave will lead to too many variables in a chaotic fight. If Huo Fo escapes, it will be a failure at the last step..."

"And..."

Gu Changhuai's gaze sank, and he didn't say much more.

But he understood in his heart that the fact that a demon cave could be built in Bi Shan City meant that the Dao Court Si inside was definitely not clean...

If he went back to call for reinforcements, it would probably also give some people an opportunity...

If the knife for killing people was rusty, then in a life-and-death battle, the one who died would likely be himself.

This also coincided with Mo Hua's idea.

It was better to handle affairs with fewer people.

If there were too many people, with mixed ears and eyes, it would be difficult for him to make small moves.

Mo Hua raised his head and looked at the solemn demon cave again.

No matter whose handiwork this demon cave was, Huo Fo must die first.

He also wanted to get his hands on his Falling Fire Technique.

"Let's go..." Gu Changhuai said.

"Okay." Mo Hua nodded.

So the four people, their bodies concealed again, quietly descended along the stone walls on the sides and entered the demon hall.

After entering the demon hall, the terrain became more complex. It was very different from the structure seen from the outside.

Many buildings were inherently closed and impossible to pass through.

The surrounding arrays were dense, and there were more restrictions on movement.

Moreover, there were also demonic cultivators wearing strange clothes, leading several demonic dogs on patrol.

If they were discovered by the patrolling demonic cultivators and demonic dogs, it would likely alert others and attract more cultivators from the demon cave.

If they were surrounded and killed in the demon cave, the Golden Core stage Gu Changhuai might escape, but Gu An and Gu Quan would probably be out of luck.

Mo Hua might also escape, but assassinating Huo Fo would be out of the question.

So the four people were extremely cautious as they walked.

In order not to be discovered, they didn't even dare to kill a single dog.

So they wandered in the demon hall for a long time, but didn't even find a trace of Huo Fo.

These demonic cultivators, however, were tight-lipped, leading their dogs like "walking corpses" or puppets, detecting everywhere, but speaking very little.

Mo Hua couldn't even eavesdrop on any clues from their mouths.

Searching like this was like a headless fly.

Not to mention seven days, even seventeen days, they probably wouldn't be able to catch Huo Fo.

"What to do..."

Mo Hua frowned.

Gu Changhuai also felt that searching like this was not effective, so he said in a low voice: "Let's go to the inner hall and see..."

The place where Mo Hua and the others were now was the outer hall of the demon hall.

If Huo Fo was not in the outer hall, then he was probably in the inner hall.

However, the further they went into the inner hall, the tighter the defenses would be, the more patrolling people and dogs there would be, and the greater the risk.

The probability of escaping after being discovered would also be lower.

Gu An and Gu Quan had an expression as if they were seeing death as going home.

Mo Hua also nodded.

Several people then tried to walk towards the inner hall, but before they had walked a few steps, they met three people head-on. The person in front was leading a demonic dog with green eyes and black hair, its mouth dripping with stinky saliva.

The four people hurriedly hid to the side, their hands grasping the stone wall behind them, hanging on the suspended corridor.

When the demonic dog walked nearby, it suddenly bared its teeth and snarled viciously, lowering its head to sniff the air nearby.

Mo Hua sprinkled odorless powder on everyone's bodies.

This powder was a medicinal powder often prepared by demon hunters. When hunting demons in the Great Black Mountain, if they encountered danger, they would sprinkle some on their bodies to avoid being smelled by demonic beasts.

This medicinal powder was not used often, but Mo Hua still carried some, in case of emergency.

The demonic dog couldn't sniff out any smell, and barked several times angrily in its original place.

A demonic cultivator said in a low voice: "What's wrong?"

"Did the sniffing dog find something?"

A cold divine sense scattered around, sweeping over Mo Hua and the others, then retracted.

"No..."

"Is this dog in heat? Why is it still barking randomly?"

"Who fed it the wrong pills?"

Then there was a series of demonic dog howls, and it seemed that someone kicked it.

"This damn beast, stop barking randomly if you don't have anything to report..."

"Wasting old man's time..."

A hoarse voice said: "Okay, keep patrolling..."

"How could anyone possibly get in here..."

"Damn it..."

Then the three demonic cultivators led their dogs away gradually.

Confirming that they had left, Gu Changhuai frowned: "It's not good to go in..."

The patrols in the demon hall were too close.

And these damn dogs were even more vigilant than people.

With sentries every few steps, it was impossible to walk in.

Gu Quan — Mo Hua guessed he was Gu An — said in a low voice: "Then let's kill these patrols?"

Gu Changhuai's gaze condensed slightly, but he still shook his head.

"Cannot kill..."

"You can't kill the people, not even that dog..."

When they strike, if they produce spiritual power fluctuations, they will be detected by the demonic cultivators;

Or when killing people, if they are not clean enough and let them shout out, it will alarm other demonic cultivators;

Or after striking, if the corpses are not hidden well and leave traces, they will be discovered by other demonic cultivators.

Then their whereabouts will be exposed...

All four of them frowned.

Gu Changhuai sighed silently, "Let's search again in the outer hall and try our luck, see if we can find any clues, or a mechanism or secret passage leading to the inner hall..."

"Okay." Mo Hua and the others nodded slightly.

Then the four people flipped up from under the corridor.

Before they had walked a few steps forward, Mo Hua's expression changed, "Someone is coming..."

Gu Changhuai also noticed it, and his face also sank.

Several people had no choice but to return to their original position, hanging under the corridor to hide.

The three demonic cultivators, along with a demonic dog, returned.

"There was movement here..."

"Quick, search it..."

Their search this time was tighter.

Several divine senses swept back and forth non-stop.

The dog's nose sniffed desperately, as if it wanted to wipe the ground clean.

Mo Hua was a little nervous in his heart.

After who knows how long, the three demonic cultivators finally gave up.

"There's still nothing..."

"Did I see it wrong?"

"Is he messing with us? Treating us like dogs and driving us around for fun?"

"Damn it..."

"If it weren't for him being... old man would sooner or later..."

"Shut up!"

A hoarse voice said sternly, "Are you tired of living?"

The other two stammered and dared not make a sound.

"Do your duty well!"

The demonic cultivator warned sternly, and then his tone softened slightly, "This hall is closed, damp and gloomy. The demonic cultivation you practice makes your heart unstable naturally..."

"It will be better after a while."

"You can go out and vent..."

A sinister laugh rang out.

Then the three people led their dogs away slowly again.

Gu Changhuai and the others did not come out rashly, still hanging in their original place.

It was quiet all around. Gu An couldn't help but say in a low voice: "Demonic path evil beasts, aren't they afraid of alerting others? We should kill them."

Gu Changhuai said calmly: "The main task is important."

"Yes, Young Master."

After confirming that the three people and the dog had gone far, the four people came out and were about to continue searching for a place, when Mo Hua suddenly stopped.

"What's wrong?" Gu Changhuai asked.

Mo Hua frowned, "Something's not right..."

Gu Changhuai was slightly startled, thinking he understood something.

Mo Hua turned his head and looked, "This place, something's not right..."

"Clearly, those three people and the dog have already gone far, so why did they suddenly return?"

"Moreover, listening to what they said, it seems that there was a 'person' who told them that there was movement here, so they turned back..."

"How did this 'person' know that there was movement here?"

"Based on what did he detect the movement?"

As Mo Hua spoke, he thought, and at the same time, he released his divine sense and carefully searched around. Suddenly, his eyes lit up, and he ran to a corner of the corridor.

In the corner, there was a set of extremely hidden arrays carved.

Mo Hua didn't recognize what kind of arrays these were, but he could tell by his perception that these were Yuan Magnetic arrays he had never seen before...

"Yuan Magnetic arrays..."

Mo Hua murmured.

Suddenly, he was startled again, closed his eyes and perceived. In the darkness, he seemed to perceive an array of "magnetic flow."

This array of magnetic flow was extremely weak.

If it weren't for his keen divine sense and his daily dealings with "magnetic flow" to deduce secondary thunder patterns, he wouldn't have been able to perceive it at all.

"Yuan Magnetic induction..."

Mo Hua suddenly understood. He raised his head again, took in the entire demon hall, and gradually had a guess in his heart:

"This solemn demon hall seems to be tightly 'monitored' by a set of Yuan Magnetic arrays..."

(End of this chapter)