Chapter 695: Blood Bridge

Hearing this, Yu Dahe’s eyes turned red with fury, and he stammered, "What did you say?"

Master She smiled sinisterly, "You can't save these two children. Their souls have been offered to the Divine Lord!"

Mo Hua pretended not to understand, looking puzzled, "What in the world is a Divine Lord?"

Master She was slightly annoyed and cursed inwardly.

Ignorant child, speaking without proper manners, daring to profane the Divine Lord. You will definitely suffer divine punishment later, leaving you unable to live or die!

But he still suppressed his anger, his voice indifferent, and his expression respectful:

"The Divine Lord is the lord of all gods, the supreme ruler who presides over all life!"

Mo Hua understood then that this Master She was also a half-baked expert.

He had no idea what the Divine Lord, or the Lord of the Great Wilderness, was, only treating him as a lofty deity to whom he offered his faith.

Mo Hua said with a disdainful look, "Old man, what nonsense are you talking about? Where is there any lord of gods, any supreme ruler?"

"Humans are the leaders of all spirits. Where are there any gods in this world? Why haven't I seen any?"

Master She glanced at Mo Hua contemptuously and sneered:

"Those with mortal eyes cannot see the truth of the world, nor can they understand the grandeur of the divine path."

Mo Hua snorted, "Just trying to be mysterious."

Master She disdained to argue with such a young child, but he stared at Mo Hua for a moment, a trace of shrewdness and confusion revealing itself in his crazed eyes.

He had found it strange before.

Who exactly was this little brat?

If he wasn't mistaken, this group of people in front of him should be the hounds of the Daoting Division.

As for how these lackeys of the Daoting Division managed to sniff out the scent and break through numerous obstacles to set up an ambush and capture his group...

Master She still couldn't figure it out.

But since things had come to this, there was no point in dwelling on it now.

The most urgent matter was to escape.

Master She surveyed the cultivators in front of him.

What surprised him most was this boy.

Why was there such a weakling, with only early Foundation Establishment cultivation, mixed among the cultivators of the Daoting Division?

This was very strange.

And from the looks of it, this little brat was fair-skinned and tender, arrogant and overbearing, clearly a picture of someone who had lived a pampered life and never suffered hardship.

The other Daoting Division cultivators were also quite tolerant of him.

Could it be the son of some great noble family, entering the Daoting Division early to gain merit, so as to "gild" himself and pave the way for a bright future?

The more Master She thought about it, the more likely it seemed, and he couldn't help but sneer inwardly.

Truly seeking death!

To gain merit, he even came to this human purgatory.

He probably doesn't know how many ways there are to write the word "death"...

Master She quietly watched Mo Hua, a trace of陰惻 (yīn cè - sinister) intent flashing in his eyes.

Mo Hua's divine sense stirred slightly, and he detected this chilling hint of hatred from Master She. His eyebrows twitched slightly, but his face remained impassive, still maintaining an arrogant and overbearing appearance.

On the other side, hearing that the two children were beyond saving, Yu Dahe's face turned pale, and his hands, holding the two children, trembled uncontrollably.

Seeing this, Gu An kicked Master She and drew his saber to his neck, saying coldly:

"Old man, speak! How exactly can we save these two children?"

Master She emitted a repulsive laugh but did not speak.

Mo Hua was annoyed by his sarcastic manner and threatened viciously:

"Old mutt, if you don't speak, I'll burn off all your stray hairs and peel off your skin, turning you into a bald 'beggar's chicken'."

Master She said sinisterly, "Brat, take my advice, you're young, don't be too arrogant."

Without a word, Mo Hua conjured a fireball and was about to burn Master She's hair, demonstrating a live performance of burning stray hairs chicken.

Master She's eyes were full of disbelief, and his voice turned sharp:

"Stop!"

What kind of upbringing did this brat have? How could he act like this?

Mo Hua held the blazing fireball in his small hand, placed it next to his hair, and questioned:

"Speak or not?"

Master She was furious, but he immediately calmed down and said calmly:

"I can tell you, but you might not believe it."

Mo Hua said, "You speak first."

Master She glared at Mo Hua with hatred in his eyes, then said helplessly:

"It's actually quite simple..."

"The River God needs offerings."

"I have already offered the souls of these two little beasts... two children, to the River God."

"Although these two children are offerings, the offerings don't necessarily have to be these two children."

"As long as you choose two living people, make them offerings again, and personally send them to the 'altar' to exchange for the souls of these two children, they will naturally come back to life..."

Mo Hua's heart stirred.

Sent to... the altar?

The altar!

Not the incomplete altar in the Bishan Demonic Hall, but an altar that had already been built and had been operating for hundreds of years!

Mo Hua's heart trembled, but he remained calm on the surface, instead questioning:

"Old mutt, you're lying to me!"

"I'll tentatively believe you that there really are gods in this world. But you said it was the Divine Lord before, and now you say it's the River God. You're contradicting yourself. Which one is your old dog's master?"

Master She was enraged, wishing he could cut Mo Hua into a thousand pieces, but he ultimately endured it and said indifferently:

"The River God is a divine manifestation of my Divine Lord."

"The River God is also equivalent to the Divine Lord's personal presence."

Mo Hua instantly understood, and combining this with some theological knowledge and what he had seen in the fishing village, he roughly understood.

The River God is the River God, and the Great Wilderness Evil God is the Great Wilderness Evil God; the two are completely different.

However, the Great Wilderness Evil God had contaminated the former River God.

Therefore, the current River God had become a manifestation of the Great Wilderness Evil God.

Of course, the specific process of contamination must be more complex.

He was currently just making a simple inference.

As for how the Great Wilderness Evil God contaminates, parasitizes, and degenerates a deity, these should be in the realm of "Evil Godology," which he currently couldn't figure out.

"Still not right!" Mo Hua thought for a moment and said again, "You offered the sacrifice in the pill room. Why do we have to go to that bird's nest altar to exchange the offerings?"

Master She wanted to kill Mo Hua.

Where did this little brat get so many picky questions from?!

However, being under someone's roof, he had to bow his head. Master She still patiently said:

"Because offering a sacrifice is simple, but exchanging offerings requires the consent of the River God."

"What if it doesn't consent?" Mo Hua asked.

Master She sneered, "Then there's nothing I can do. This is the only way to save these two children."

Mo Hua frowned, then quietly suppressed the excitement in his heart, and asked casually:

"Where exactly is the altar you mentioned?"

A faint smile appeared at the corner of Master She's mouth.

This little fool had finally taken the bait.

"In the back village," said Master She.

"Back village?" Mo Hua was slightly startled.

Master She's eyes were gloomy: "In the back village of the fishing village, there is a specially built dojo dedicated to the River God."

"Really?" Mo Hua confirmed again.

Master She sneered and remained silent.

Gu An said in a low voice, "Young Master, this evil alchemist is cunning. Be careful of a trap."

Mo Hua also frowned and pondered.

Seeing this, Master She showed a sarcastic expression, "The back village is very dangerous, and it's not a place where ordinary cultivators can go. If you don't have some guts and only rely on your family, I advise you not to take risks."

Mo Hua was indeed "provoked", "Old mutt, you look down on me? I'm going to break in today!"

"What River God, what Divine Pig, they're all nonsense!"

"I'd like to see, in this Second-Grade prefecture, with over a dozen battle-hardened Foundation Establishment cultivators accompanying me, what can possibly harm me in the back village?"

Mo Hua looked arrogant.

Master She's eyes darkened slightly.

Just a hot-headed brat, unable to keep calm.

Over a dozen Foundation Establishment?

What's over a dozen Foundation Establishment? Not even an appetizer.

Ignorant and foolish people, they don't know the true horror of this world.

They have fallen into this old man's trap, yet they are still unaware.

Master She was secretly pleased.

Gu An and Gu Quan, who were nearby, knew Mo Hua's disposition. Their expressions were somewhat subtle, and the way they looked at Master She was tinged with sympathy.

Mo Hua then arrogantly ordered, "Old mutt, take me to the back village."

Gu An and Gu Quan remained silent. Instead, the other Gu family cultivators whispered, "Young Master, please think twice. The words of this villain may not be credible."

They didn't want Mo Hua to take risks.

Mo Hua naturally showed a hint of hesitation.

Master She was a little anxious, but he still pretended to be calm and sneered:

"It's up to you whether to save them or not, but don't blame me for not telling you, there is not much time left..."

"If the River God starts to enjoy the offerings and eats the souls of these two children..."

Master She's eyes were cruel, "In four or five days, you will see the bodies of these two children rot little by little..."

Yu Dahe's face turned deathly pale.

A hint of coldness appeared in Mo Hua's eyes.

Gu An and the others sighed slightly, knowing that they probably had to go on this trip. They drew their sabers and held them to Master She's neck, "Lead the way."

Master She said expressionlessly, "I have conditions."

Mo Hua was displeased, "You still want to negotiate conditions?"

Master She sneered, "Without conditions, who is willing to do anything?"

Mo Hua thought for a moment and felt that he was right, so he asked, "What conditions?"

Master She grinned, "What other conditions could there be? Naturally, after it's done, spare my life."

Mo Hua didn't even think and said, "I agree!"

Master She nodded, "Then it's a deal."

Mo Hua looked at him suspiciously, "Aren't you afraid that after it's done, I'll suddenly go back on my word and kill you?"

Master She said calmly, "It's fine. Since I dare to negotiate conditions, I'm not worried about you changing your mind."

Mo Hua frowned.

This old mutt must still have some tricks up his sleeve.

He looked back at the two unconscious children lying in Yu Dahe's arms and sighed slightly.

He hoped that this old mutt was telling the truth.

These two children were truly still salvageable...

And the back village of this fishing village hid many secrets, and he had to go there no matter what.

After a brief contemplation, Mo Hua instructed:

"Everyone, get ready. We'll leave shortly."

Gu An and Gu Quan were a little stunned.

What was there to prepare?

Then they saw Mo Hua run out of the big fishing house alone, avoiding everyone, and constantly digging up the ground around him.

Gu An and Gu Quan found it strange and walked over, asking in a low voice:

"Young Master, what are you looking for?"

Mo Hua glanced in the direction of Master She, then showed the stone slab in his hand to Gu An and Gu Quan, and whispered:

"Help me find similar stone slabs, or stones with formation patterns drawn on them, any formation patterns will do..."

"Also, help me see if there are any traces of sword energy around..."

Gu An and Gu Quan were confused.

"I have a big use for them," Mo Hua said.

Gu An and Gu Quan nodded and did as Mo Hua said.

Mo Hua also squatted on the ground, like a little squirrel digging, searching diligently for formations and sword energy everywhere.

He estimated that this old mutt, Master She, must have malicious intentions, and the back village was also very dangerous.

So, even if he was just cramming at the last minute, he had to find more divine formation patterns or traces of divine sense transforming into swords. Maybe they would come in handy later.

The few of them searched around and indeed found some things.

Mo Hua obtained three more divine formation patterns.

There were also two traces of sword energy, but these traces were old, and the sword intent had almost dissipated, so they did not give him any inspiration for his "divine sense transforming into sword" technique.

Mo Hua felt a little regretful.

It seemed he could only go to the back village and see.

Mo Hua wrote down these new divine formation patterns and then prepared to leave.

First, he had to arrange the personnel.

There were nine people in the black-clothed group, two had died, leaving seven.

Among these seven, Mo Hua chose two black-clothed individuals in the middle stage of Foundation Establishment as the "offerings" to replace Yu Dahe's two sons.

Master She was to lead the way.

That left four people, including Guo Jianglong and the chief black-clothed individual. Some manpower was needed to keep an eye on them.

Their Qi Seas had been destroyed, so they couldn't cause much trouble.

However, to be on the safe side, Mo Hua still left six people behind.

The remaining four Gu family cultivators would go to the back village with Mo Hua.

Since they were "exchanging" offerings, the two unconscious children also had to be taken, so Yu Dahe also came along.

Mo Hua instructed Yu Dahe, "You don't need to worry about anything, just protect your two sons."

Yu Dahe was grateful.

He didn't expect that this young master, whom he had only met a few times by chance, would be so dedicated to saving his two children.

"Young Master, don't worry, I will listen to you," Yu Dahe said solemnly.

Mo Hua nodded.

After the personnel were arranged, the group set off.

Gu Quan escorted Master She, Gu An protected Mo Hua, the tall Yu Dahe held the two children, and the remaining four Gu family cultivators escorted the two black-clothed human traffickers who were acting as "offerings". They embarked on the road to the back village.

Along the way, the sky was overcast, and the desolate fishing houses were everywhere, exuding a sense of death and oppression.

After walking for the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, the surroundings gradually became barren, with no fishing houses, only a stone arch bridge in front.

The arch bridge was simple and ancient in style.

Across the arch bridge, there was a thicker blood mist.

Master She said to Mo Hua, "I need to unseal it to cross the bridge."

Mo Hua remembered the formation pattern that Guo Jianglong had drawn on the wellhead and nodded, "Okay."

Gu An unbound Master She's Spirit-Binding Lock.

Master She moved his wrists, walked to the bridge, and felt his waist, realizing that it was empty. Only then did he remember that his storage bag had been confiscated, so he said:

"I need human blood."

Master She's storage bag was in Gu An's hands. Because it contained some medicinal materials and pill formulas for practicing evil alchemy, it did not go through Mo Hua's hands.

Gu An rummaged through Master She's storage bag, took out a white bottle, and threw it to Master She.

Master She took it, dipped his finger in the blood, and began to draw the unsealing formation pattern on the stone bricks in front of the bridge.

Mo Hua leaned his head over and watched from the side.

Halfway through his drawing, Master She looked up and saw Mo Hua looking focused and serious. He said sarcastically:

"What? Does the Young Master also understand formations?"

Mo Hua snorted, "Naturally. Among my fellow disciples, if I claim to be second in formations, no one would dare to claim first."

Master She didn't avoid Mo Hua but generously showed him the formation pattern he had drawn and smiled:

"Then does the Young Master know what kind of formation this is?"

Mo Hua looked for a while and stuttered:

"What kind of formation could it be? It's just... a formation used for unsealing in... the Five Elements and Bagua."

Master She thus knew that this Young Master was a blockhead.

He pretended to understand what he didn't, and he liked to boast.

Master She sneered inwardly and then drew the complete formation pattern without any scruples.

While he was drawing, Mo Hua was silently memorizing it in his mind.

When he finished drawing, Mo Hua added appropriately:

"I thought it was some profound formation, but it's nothing special. To be honest, I've also learned this formation, but it's not as good as my family's inherited formations, so I'm not interested in learning it..."

Master She cursed inwardly:

Stinky brat, ignorant and arrogant, narrow-minded, and has no idea how clever this formation is...

Master She snorted coldly.

Mo Hua secretly glanced at Master She, his thoughts stirring.

He could see that this Master She was not only an evil alchemist but also an evil formation master!

When he was drawing the formation just now, his brushwork was like a god, much more skilled than Guo Jianglong's. He was clearly proficient in this path and had drawn many formations.

Mo Hua could tell at a glance that his foundation as a formation master was not shallow.

"Good, this old mutt is hiding quite a bit..."

Mo Hua remained calm and muttered to himself.

However, thanks to this, he had memorized a more complete unsealing formation pattern.

This Master She was still quite useful.

Master She dipped his finger in human blood and finished drawing the formation pattern. The formation pattern seemed to blend like blood and seep into the bridge deck.

Then Master She stood up and said, "The door to the back village is open."

Everyone frowned.

They hadn't noticed anything different.

Only Mo Hua's eyes narrowed slightly.

He could clearly see a faint light curtain on the bridge deck, which had split open in the middle, forming an entrance.

The entrance trembled slightly, like an evil eye.

The entire stone bridge also turned into a blood bridge.

However, Gu An and the others couldn't see it.

Gu An glanced at Mo Hua, who nodded, "Let's go."

Only then did Gu An re-shackle Master She's hands and escort him, leading the way to the arch bridge.

The others followed closely.

In this way, the group stepped on the pale stone bricks, walked across the bloody arch bridge, and entered the forbidden back village.

As soon as they entered the back village, the atmosphere changed drastically.

Mo Hua could see that the blood mist in the air was so thick that it could almost drip blood.

And even Gu An and the others felt that the atmosphere here was extremely oppressive, their divine senses were slightly weary, and a shadow seemed to cover their eyes.

The soil beneath their feet had a腥味 (xīng wèi - fishy smell) and was soft like human flesh.

Yu Dahe's eyes showed horror, and he murmured in a low voice, "This is indeed... that fishing village..."

Gu Quan was startled and couldn't help but ask, "Which fishing village?"

Yu Dahe's voice trembled, "It's... the one rumored among some old fishing cultivators nearby, the fishing village that offended the River God, was struck by divine punishment, and was completely wiped out..."

Everyone's expressions were somewhat solemn.

In their understanding, they had only come to capture these human traffickers and rescue the two children.

But the current situation was becoming increasingly bizarre.

Gu An's eyes suddenly turned cold as he looked at Master She, "The people in this fishing village weren't also massacred by you human traffickers, were they?"

"How is that possible?" Master She sneered, "That happened hundreds of years ago, what does it have to do with me?"

However, his smile was a little forced, hiding a hint of something unfathomable.

Mo Hua also showed a meaningful look.

This Master She probably had quite a few secrets...

After that, Master She continued to lead the way.

They stepped on the bloody ground and continued forward, but as they walked, Mo Hua suddenly looked up at the depths of the fishing village.

At the same time, a longing arose in his heart.

As if something in the depths of the fishing village was "luring" him.

Mo Hua frowned slightly.

Longing?

What exactly was he longing for?

Mo Hua pondered for a moment, but couldn't figure it out. Then his mind stirred, and he did a divination.

Causality surged in his heart, indistinctly, a blurred impression appeared.

Mo Hua was not proficient in the Art of Heavenly Secrets Calculation and couldn't figure out what it was, but his eyes gradually filled with anticipation...

(End of this chapter)