Chapter 814: Eye Kill

On the other side, Shui Yanluo’s expression also darkened.

“Not only good footwork, this little brat’s perception is also very sharp. The Water Shadow Clone Technique makes my form ghostly, yet he can actually tell from which water shadow I launched the killing intent…”

Why?

What did a Foundation Establishment mid-stage little brat rely on to distinguish that?

Shui Yanluo was puzzled in his heart.

The two chased for a while, and not far away, Gu Changhuai's breathing gradually became somewhat strained, as if he was waking up from the "shock."

Shui Yanluo's expression hardened.

“As expected of a Golden Core cultivator, he was only shocked for this short amount of time…”

He said silently in his heart, then turned his head to look at Mo Hua.

“Cannot delay…”

Must catch this little brat as soon as possible!

Like this, that Golden Core cultivator will be cautious and dare not act rashly.

The other two Foundation Establishment late-stage cultivators are not worth fearing.

And this little brat with a special identity will also become a hostage. After catching him back, he can be brutally tortured to interrogate his origin and purpose!

Shui Yanluo's figure flickered, his body merged into the water, and he transformed into numerous ghostly shadows again, approaching Mo Hua.

Mo Hua's pupils slightly constricted, his divine sense released, penetrating through external objects, and he could see seven or eight water-colored ghostly shadows suddenly appearing around him.

And this Shui Yanluo, his figure was treacherous, constantly shuttling back and forth between these water shadows.

Using water shadows to confuse the enemy and conceal killing intent.

Once you can't distinguish which ghost shadow is real and which is fake, you will easily fall into a passive state.

If you don't make a move, you're just waiting for death.

And once you make a move, if you are slightly careless, you will expose a fatal flaw and receive a fatal blow.

Mo Hua sighed with admiration in his heart:

What a strong footwork!

It can both evade the enemy and confuse the enemy, and it can also lurk in the dark to kill the enemy.

This footwork, if we talk about turning and moving within a small space, exquisite steps, advancing and retreating freely, might not be as good as the Ling Bo Wei Bu.

But if we talk about treacherous killing, it is obviously superior.

However, no matter how treacherous his footwork is, it is far less treacherous than Mo Hua's divine sense.

In Mo Hua's divine sense vision, he could eliminate interference and clearly distinguish Shui Yanluo's figure.

After a moment, behind Mo Hua, a ghostly shadow flickered, then solidified.

A figure with an icy cold face and deathly pale skin, Shui Yanluo, appeared out of nowhere.

He waved his hand, and a water whip imbued with water poison, like a venomous water snake, suddenly lashed towards Mo Hua.

With the sinister poison of this water whip, not to mention being struck, even if it just brushed against him once, Mo Hua would be half-dead even if he didn't die.

But without any surprise, this whip struck empty again.

Mo Hua's figure flickered, water light entwined his body, and with a light and agile retreating step, he retreated from under Shui Yanluo's fatal water whip.

Shui Yanluo's expression was ugly.

“Indeed, this little brat is not quite right…”

Since that's the case, he must be kept even more.

Catch him, torture him slowly, and squeeze out all the secrets of his body, his origin, his footwork, his perception, etc., little by little.

Shui Yanluo's eyes revealed a murderous glint.

Seeing that Mo Hua was about to go far, Shui Yanluo was silent for a moment, then suddenly his voice became hoarse, and he shouted:

“Little brat, you are dead for sure…”

Mo Hua's heart chilled upon hearing these words, and he couldn't help but turn his head and glance at Shui Yanluo.

Just one glance, and his expression changed.

Shui Yanluo's eyes suddenly turned crimson, as if soaked in blood.

And in this blood water, countless strangely shaped figures condensed, some like humans, some like demons, they seemed to be in purgatory, suffering eighteen kinds of cruel tortures, struggling non-stop, in pain, screaming.

A dense wave of dead fiend energy surged from his eyes.

The moment Mo Hua's gaze met his, this wave of fiend energy also surged into his Sea of Consciousness through Mo Hua's eyes.

Mo Hua felt a wave of deathly fear, a wave of bone-chilling cold, and the anger and pain like the ferocious screams of ten thousand wronged souls.

These emotions shocked his mind.

Then…

Then there was no "then".

All the resentment, upon touching Mo Hua's divine thoughts, instantly melted away.

All the fiend energy completely dissipated without a trace.

Mo Hua couldn't help but blink.

His pair of pupils were as clear as water.

And Shui Yanluo, who had cast the evil technique and just met Mo Hua's gaze, the smile that had floated on the corner of his mouth hadn't even fully formed before it stiffened.

Then his heart sank, and his expression immediately changed drastically.

Ineffective?!

The pupil technique didn't work?!

How is this possible?!

Shui Yanluo's gaze was somewhat disbelieving.

Even an initial stage Golden Core cultivator, caught off guard, could be shocked for several breaths by the fiend energy he condensed and attacked their eyes with.

But this little brat…

Just a Foundation Establishment mid-stage cultivator, how could he be completely unguarded, look at his eyes, get hit by the Fiend Transformation Pupil Technique, and still be perfectly fine?

Not only that, after being hit by the pupil technique, that little brat's eyes became even brighter, and even showed excitement, just like…

A hunter who saw prey?

“What an arrogant little brat!”

Shui Yanluo's face revealed killing intent, and he was about to make a move against Mo Hua again, when a sudden warning sign arose in his heart. He cast his footwork and retreated a step.

Then a sword light, sweeping along his head, slashed down fiercely.

Shui Yanluo retreated, so he wasn't completely hit.

But the sword light still swept across his face.

His face was marked with a bloody scratch, his hair bun was scattered, his hair was disheveled and his face was dirty, looking very pathetic.

Gu Changhuai, whose face was ashen, held a long sword in his hand and appeared in front of him, also blocking in front of Mo Hua.

“Damn it!”

Shui Yanluo cursed in his heart and his thoughts raced.

“Miscalculated, I didn't expect this little brat to be so strange, with so many tricks up his sleeve, to the extent that my previous plans were all wrong…”

He also didn't think that he, a peak Foundation Establishment demonic cultivator leader who killed without batting an eye, couldn't even catch a Foundation Establishment mid-stage little brat!

And now, with this Golden Core blocking in front, he wouldn't even think about catching that little brat.

He had already used the Fiend Transformation Pupil Technique several times, and at this time, his divine thoughts couldn't support it, and he couldn't use it again for a short period of time.

Especially against a Golden Core cultivator, the pupil technique consumed a huge amount of energy.

Shui Yanluo's figure immediately flickered, transforming into more water shadows.

Seeing this, Mo Hua immediately shouted: “Uncle Gu, he wants to run!”

Gu Changhuai's divine sense swept through, and after several breaths, he could only vaguely distinguish Shui Yanluo's true body from the many ghostly shadows. He immediately waved his long sword, and a sword light slashed past.

The sword light broke through the air, but it landed in an empty space.

Shui Yanluo's figure flickered, narrowly avoiding it, but his heart tightened, and he couldn't help but curse.

Then he no longer hesitated, fully urged his footwork, and accelerated towards the shore to escape.

Just at this moment, a strange sense of crisis arose spontaneously.

Who's divine sense… locked onto me?

Shui Yanluo's expression changed.

Though it was only for a moment, a water light descended, turning into chains that formed a prison, instantly tying him up securely.

But again, it was only for a moment, Shui Yanluo's body flickered, as if plated with a layer of water light, water energy flowed, and he easily broke free from Mo Hua's previously invincible Water Prison Technique.

After breaking free, Shui Yanluo had already fled to the water's edge.

But he didn't escape, instead he turned his head, looking at Mo Hua with disbelief and sudden realization.

“Orthodox Water Prison Technique! You are actually… a remnant of the Water Prison Gate?! No wonder, no wonder…”

Shui Yanluo murmured.

Mo Hua was stunned.

Water Prison Gate?

This Shui Yanluo mistook him for a person from the Water Prison Gate?

Gu Changhuai, however, was unwilling to talk nonsense with him. He held his long sword horizontally, and in a few steps, he was close to Shui Yanluo again, wanting to completely take him down.

Shui Yanluo took a final silent look at Mo Hua, his eyes revealing ice cold killing intent.

“People of the Water Prison Gate must die!”

Then he hardily took another sword strike from Gu Changhuai. His Qi and blood surged, his face turned pale, and he knew that at this time, the matter could not be accomplished. He then no longer hesitated and leaped into the Yan Shui River.

Once he entered the river, he was like a flood dragon entering the sea.

Shui Yanluo's aura merged with the entire river water, his footwork became faster, like a water monster, transforming into a rapid current, swimming into the depths of the Yan Shui River.

Gu Changhuai stepped onto the riverbank, chased a few steps, then looked out, but there was already no trace of Shui Yanluo. His face couldn't help but sink.

This Shui Yanluo came and went freely in the water.

As if the Yan Shui River was his domain.

This kind of cultivator who was proficient in the nature of water, once they leaped into the water, they were like a fierce tiger returning to the mountain. Wanting to catch him again would probably be as difficult as ascending to heaven.

Even if they could catch him, wanting to find him again would likely be very difficult…

Gu Changhuai looked again at the undulating waves of the deep and unfathomable Yan Shui River, his expression hardening even more.

Then he could only put away his long sword and turn his head to check on the situation of Gu An and Gu Quan.

Gu An and Gu Quan had already woken up, but their lips were pale, as if they had been disturbed by the fiend energy. Their bodies were still slightly trembling for a while.

Mo Hua stared at their eyes for a moment, let out a breath, and said:

“It’s still alright, it’s just that the fiend energy entered their bodies. Burn some incense, sit quietly, calm your hearts, and rest for a while, and you'll be fine.”

Shui Yanluo used fiend energy, not evil spirits.

If it were evil spirits, then it would be more troublesome.

In his own Sea of Consciousness, even if they were demons and ghosts, Mo Hua was not afraid.

But in others' Sea of Consciousness, he currently didn't have too many methods.

Seeing Mo Hua say so, Gu Changhuai also felt relieved.

These strange things, Mo Hua still understood them more.

“Let's go back first, the matter of Shui Yanluo, we can plan it later…” Gu Changhuai said in a deep voice.

“Okay.”

Mo Hua said, then also turned his head, looked at the vast Yan Shui River, his expression complex.

After Gu An and Gu Quan adjusted their breathing for a moment and their bodies were roughly fine, the group returned by the original route and arrived at the previous relay station.

At the relay station, the several tied-up bandit cultivators were still there.

“Do you want to escort these several bandit cultivators back to the Dao Court Office?” Mo Hua asked.

“Yes,” Gu Changhuai nodded, then his gaze flickered, and he said, “Escort them to the Dao Court Office in Qingzhou City.”

Mo Hua understood.

The Gu family was in Qingzhou City, and the Dao Court Office in Qingzhou City mostly consisted of people from the Gu family, so escorting people there would generally not be a big problem.

But the fifth-rank Dao Court Office in Qianxue Prefecture was different, with mixed families and numerous eyes and ears inside, which was less safe.

Gu Changhuai used a transmission token to call for people.

After a while, some people from the Gu family, obeying Gu Changhuai's command, hired two carriages from a nearby immortal city and rushed over.

One carriage was used to detain these bandit cultivators.

Gu Changhuai and Mo Hua and the others then sat in another carriage.

The group set off to return home, heading towards Qingzhou City.

On the road, Gu An and Gu Quan were meditating. They had been hit by Shui Yanluo's sinister fiend energy pupil technique and hadn't fully recovered, so they needed to adjust their breathing.

Gu Changhuai sat quietly drinking tea, not knowing what he was thinking.

Mo Hua thought for a while, then quietly asked him:

“Uncle Gu, do you know about the Water Prison Gate?”

Gu Changhuai thought for a moment and shook his head, “Never heard of it before.”

Mo Hua frowned.

Uncle Gu hadn't heard of it? That shouldn't be right…

He did have a slight impression. It seemed that when he learned the Water Prison Technique, there was a related record in the technique's secret book.

But exactly what was recorded, he couldn't remember clearly for a while.

Gu Changhuai also had some doubts and asked Mo Hua:

“Why did that Shui Yanluo call you a ‘remnant of the Water Prison Gate’? Do you have a connection with this Water Prison Gate behind the scenes? Or did you secretly learn the Water Prison Gate's techniques?”

“How could I steal them!” Mo Hua said with a righteous face: “Uncle Gu, don’t fabricate rumors and slander my innocence! All my techniques are properly learned from the sect!”

Of course, except for the Small Meteorite Technique.

This was learned from the Fire Buddha.

And Ling Bo Wei Bu was also an exception.

This was taught to me by Uncle Zhang Lan.

Oh right, and the Break Gold Imperial Sword Art was also an exception.

This was something I captured from the human trafficker Old Jiang…

Mo Hua thought for a moment and felt a little guilty.

Many of the good Daoist techniques he had in his body didn't seem to be entirely taught by the sect.

Fortunately, Gu Changhuai didn't dwell on it, but asked: “You mean, within the Taixu Gate, they collected the inheritance of the Water Prison Gate?”

“Yes.” Mo Hua nodded, “Just the Water Prison Technique that I commonly use.”

Gu Changhuai frowned slightly, “That's strange…”

“Where is it strange?” Mo Hua asked curiously.

But Gu Changhuai didn't say anything, but shook his head and said faintly:

“Nothing.”

This Uncle Gu was good in every way, except he was not sociable and sometimes liked to keep people in suspense.

Mo Hua shook his head silently.

However, upon careful reflection, he also felt that this matter was a little fishy.

He wanted to properly investigate it later…

Gu Changhuai said: “It’s not early, you still have to return to the sect to cultivate. I will keep an eye on the matter of Shui Yanluo and bring him to justice as soon as possible…”

But he also knew that this matter was probably not so simple.

Judging from this confrontation, Shui Yanluo was definitely not a simple person.

Mo Hua asked again: “What about the instructor from Bai Hua Valley?”

Gu Changhuai said with an unhappy face: “I also found people to keep an eye on her.”

“Finding people to watch is not enough,” Mo Hua said, “You must watch her yourself. It's best to invite her out for meals and tea several more times. This is to dispel her suspicion and also to be able to hear more news…”

Gu Changhuai was stared at intently by Mo Hua. He thought for a moment, then said helplessly:

“Alright…”

Mo Hua nodded in satisfaction.

Afterward, he rode the carriage like this and returned to Qingzhou City with Gu Changhuai.

Upon arriving at the Gu family in Qingzhou City, he had a meal with Aunt Wan and Yu'er, then rode in the Gu family's carriage and safely returned to the Taixu Gate.

After the events, including the aftermath at the relay station, the handling of the bandit cultivators, the appeasement of Hua Ruyu, and the investigation of Shui Yanluo, Mo Hua didn't ask about them for the time being.

Even if he wanted to ask, he couldn't.

Being in the sect, he was out of reach and truly couldn't intervene.

He could only leave these matters to Uncle Gu, and occasionally use the transmission token to inquire about the progress later.

Moreover, he had his own matters to investigate.

After returning to the sect, Mo Hua settled Yu'er down and then returned to his disciple residence.

Everything was quiet.

Mo Hua immediately took out the Taixu Order and flipped through the pages in the “Merit Record”. In less than a cup of tea's time, he found the record related to the Water Prison Technique:

“Water Prison Technique, a rare technique…”

“Once the absolute art of the Water Prison Gate, generally not transmitted outside.”

“In the winter of Dao Calendar nineteen thousand and eighty, the entire Water Prison Gate entered demonhood and was suppressed by the Dao Court. After being exterminated, the Water Prison Technique flowed out and spread throughout the world, but many techniques were missing…”

“In Dao Calendar nineteen thousand nine hundred, this technique was compiled into a book by True Person Yi and collected in the Taixu Gate…”

“The function of the Water Prison Technique is obscure, easy to learn but hard to master, choose carefully.”

Mo Hua stroked his chin and pondered silently.

The winter of Dao Calendar nineteen thousand and eighty…

Calculating it, it's probably nearly a thousand years from now.

This is already quite an ancient matter.

Uncle Gu is only a little over two hundred years old. Before he was born, the Water Prison Gate was already exterminated, so it seems normal that he didn't know about it.

But the question still remains.

The entire sect entered demonhood…

The inheritance of the Water Prison Gate, as the name suggests, should all be some standard water-element techniques and Daoist techniques.

If that's the case, how could the entire sect suddenly enter demonhood?

“It's understandable for one or two to enter demonhood, and even if most disciples enter demonhood, it's not impossible, but for the ‘entire sect’ to enter demonhood is a bit strange.”

A few bad apples can spoil the bunch.

But in a pot of soup, they can't all be bad apples, right…

For the entire sect to enter demonhood, and then to be suppressed and exterminated, done so absolutely, there must be something shady going on.

Another strange point is the time when the Water Prison Technique was collected.

“In Dao Calendar nineteen thousand nine hundred, True Person Yi compiled the Water Prison Technique and collected it in the Taixu Gate.”

This point in time is just over a hundred years from now.

The Water Prison Gate was exterminated over a thousand years ago, while the Water Prison Technique was only collected into the Taixu Gate over a hundred years ago.

There is a separation of nearly nine hundred years in between.

No matter how you think about it, it seems somewhat discordant.

“Water Prison Gate, Shui Yanluo…”

In Mo Hua's mind, Shui Yanluo's shocked expression when he saw the Water Prison Technique emerged again, and he couldn't help but wrinkle his eyebrows.

The Water Prison Technique seemed ineffective against Shui Yanluo?

This esoteric, difficult-to-master, yet unusually useful control technique seemed to be restrained by the water energy cultivated by Shui Yanluo's set of techniques.

This shouldn't be a coincidence.

“Perhaps Shui Yanluo's whole set of skills… is related to the exterminated Water Prison Gate?”

Besides ignoring the control of the Water Prison Technique, two other techniques of Shui Yanluo also made Mo Hua very interested.

One was Shui Yanluo's footwork.

This footwork, like Ling Bo Wei Bu, was also a water-element footwork, but when displayed, the trails were more treacherous, and the water shadows concealed killing intent.

Mo Hua couldn't help but think, if he could get this footwork and try to fuse it with Ling Bo Wei Bu, wouldn't his own footwork go up another level?

At that time, his footwork could not only be used to hide, but also in frontal combat, it could be used to confuse the enemy and launch sneak attacks.

Another, and the most important one…

Was the pupil technique!

Shui Yanluo's eyes could condense fiend energy and release it through his eyes to shock others' minds!

This pupil technique was very powerful and difficult to guard against.

Even Uncle Gu, who was in the Golden Core realm, was caught off guard and fell for it momentarily.

Eyes containing fiend energy!

This Daoist technique, in its form, actually had something in common with the method of “eyes containing sword light” that Huang Shan Jun mentioned, displayed by that legendary senior sword cultivator of the Taixu Gate.

If he could also get this method and comprehend and refer to it…

Couldn't he also use his eyes as the key point, transform his divine thoughts into outward sword releases, and carry out killing?

Mo Hua's gaze gradually became excited.

This Shui Yanluo was a walking treasure.

Not at all inferior to the Fire Buddha.