Chapter 829: Pulling a Tooth from the Tiger's Mouth

Mo Hua was not worried about the situation inside the island.

Firstly, his actions this time were originally about "borrowing strength." He was borrowing the strength of the Dao Court to surround these water bandits. The Xia family still didn't need him to worry.

Secondly, it was because of the array formation.

The array formation on the island used the principles of the Eight Trigrams and Eight Gates, and its conception was exquisite.

However, the array master who set up the array was, after all, not highly skilled. On this remote isolated island, conditions were also limited. Therefore, the array formation that was set up was relatively crude.

The layout used the Eight Gates as the framework, but the inherent Eight Trigrams array formation was cut corners.

Although there were Eight Gates, there were no Eight Trigrams.

It was difficult to gather all eight types of Eight Trigrams array formations.

Li Fire, Kan Water, Gen Mountain were still better, having common points with the common Five Elements array, and were easier to learn.

But other Eight Trigrams, such as the Zhen trigram symbolizing thunder, the Xun trigram symbolizing wind, the Kun trigram symbolizing earth, and the Qian trigram symbolizing heaven.

These several types of Eight Trigrams array formations were vastly different from the Five Elements patterns. Their array principles were profound and unfathomable, array diagrams were also very rare, and corresponding inheritances were very few.

Except for a few simple Xun arrays, like the Zhen array, Qian array, and Kun array, even Elder Xun Zixian there had never imparted a single page of array diagrams.

Since Mo Hua was like this, not to mention other disciples in the Tai Xu Gate.

Similarly, among this group of water bandits, even within the Gui Shui Gate, there was no second-grade array master who could truly master all Eight Trigrams array formations.

And this Eight Gates Eight Trigrams array on the water island was originally incomplete.

Because they could not gather the Eight Trigrams, most of the array formations inside actually used other Five Elements array formations to make up the numbers.

In some areas, there weren't even makeshift array formations.

This was a conclusion Mo Hua verified after pondering it himself and then asking Elder Xun Zixian for advice.

According to Elder Xun Zixian, a true "Eight Gates Eight Trigrams" array was easy to learn but difficult to master. The pattern was not difficult, but the changes were myriad. It was an array formation that only an "expert" could truly master.

Mo Hua wanted to become an array formation expert.

Therefore, he wanted to properly study and improve this array formation.

The array formation on the small island was relatively crude and not perfect.

But on this basis, he could gradually improve and perfect the Eight Trigrams, while also appropriately adding multiple changes to the circulation of the Eight Gates, especially the Birth Gate and Death Gate, thereby gradually excavating the power of the array formation.

This array formation, set on this small island, was somewhat wasteful. In his hands, it could be fully utilized.

Mo Hua nodded.

Time passed little by little, and the night deepened.

In the thick night, sticky blood energy permeated.

The array formation on the small island circulated according to the trajectory Mo Hua had deduced. The Eight Gates also changed non-stop as he predicted.

The executive officers of the Dao Court Division surrounded and killed the water bandits according to the plan.

Soon, signs of defeat appeared on the water bandits' side.

Some water bandits escaped from the island, fleeing outwards along the Birth Gate.

But just as they exited the gate and their feet landed, a place that was originally empty suddenly produced muddy water and turned into a mud marsh, sinking the water bandits into it.

At the same time, the mud marsh turned into a vortex, as if pairs of hands were dragging the water bandits towards the muddy depths.

"Damn it, who set a trap..."

The water bandits' words were not finished, their mouths and tongues were sealed by the mud marsh, making it impossible to exert force. They struggled desperately, but it was all in vain.

The cultivators of the Dao Court Division caught up and ended their lives one by one.

Eight Trigrams Exchange System array formation—

Mud marsh array.

This was the array formation Mo Hua felt was most suitable for use on the small island after thinking about it.

The island had soil, and the edge of the soil had water. When water and soil fused, it turned into a marsh.

Most of the water bandits were trapped by the mud marsh array. They struggled fruitlessly, and were then beheaded one by one by the executive officers of the Dao Court Division.

The water bandits who escaped from the mud marsh array, just jumped into the river, and were again bound by fishing nets.

The fishing nets had array formations blessed on them, making them very sturdy and difficult to shake off. And there were barbs on the nets, quenched with poison. Once caught by the nets, they were just like fish to be slaughtered.

If they were unfortunate enough to walk into the "Death Gate" Mo Hua had set up, they would be gnawed to death by numerous water demons.

Under Mo Hua's meticulous preparation, the water bandits had almost no possibility of escape.

The killing was still ongoing.

The corpses of water bandits on the island were increasing.

Mo Hua estimated the time and felt that most of the water bandits were dead. The scale of the melee was small, and the threat on the island should not be significant. He then moved, quietly arriving on the island.

The soil on the island was soaked with blood water, and the blood stench was sticky when stepped on.

Everywhere were the corpses of water bandits.

Mo Hua cast a small Five Elements Concealment Technique, released his divine sense, crossed the Kan Gate, and went towards the depths of the bandits' camp.

If he found any water bandits lying on the ground pretending to be dead along the way, he would conveniently add a Fire Ball technique to send them off to the west, like a "little Yan King" harvesting lives.

He entered the bandits' camp, and it was a mess inside.

The killing was still ongoing.

Firelight, bloodlight, mud, scattered corpses, and dense footprints were intertwined together.

Mo Hua calculated slightly and could probably figure out the locations of Gu Changhuai, Xia Dian Si, and a large number of executive officers.

After all, the route they took to break the array was originally planned by Mo Hua.

But he himself did not need to follow that route.

By now, no one understood the array formation inside the bandits' camp better than him, not even Water Yan Luo, the leader of these water bandits.

Within his divine sense, the changes in the array formation were clearly discernible.

Mo Hua's gaze was profound. He perceived the flow direction of the array formation, then found an accurate direction and went towards the core of the array formation.

Along the way, there were also some miscellaneous trapped arrays and kill arrays.

But in Mo Hua's eyes, these small trapped and kill arrays were extremely shallow. They couldn't trap him at all, let alone kill him.

Mo Hua easily crossed these arrays, walked hidden for a while, avoided some scattered water bandits, conveniently ended several heavily injured bandits, and then came to the center of the bandits' camp.

Because everything was currently proceeding according to plan.

So this time point was just right, enough for him to do some small things.

If Mo Hua was not wrong, Water Yan Luo was just in the center of the small island's array formation.

Even if Water Yan Luo was not here, this was the central hub for controlling the array formation, and also the key to the entire bandits' camp. There must be secrets hidden inside.

He could first slip in and see if he could "fish in troubled waters" and gain some benefits.

This Water Yan Luo, who carried the inheritance of the Water Prison Gate, was a walking treasure trove. He absolutely could not be let go.

But this encirclement of water bandits was led by Xia Dian Si, and the Xiao family intervened. Uncle Gu could not make decisions, and he himself could not get in through the back door.

If Water Yan Luo was really caught and fell into the hands of the Xia family, then he would not get a share of all the good things on him.

At most, he would be given some spirit stones and merits after the matter was concluded.

Although spirit stones were good things, he was not lacking them now.

As for merits, there was even less need to say.

Mo Hua had plenty of merits now.

However, the things on Water Yan Luo's body might be things that could not be exchanged for spirit stones and merits.

Therefore, to have "meat" to eat, one had to learn to seize opportunities.

If there were no opportunities, one had to create them.

This time point was an "opportunity" he carefully created by utilizing the principles of the Eight Gates Eight Trigrams array and his suggestions for Xia Dian Si's encirclement plan.

At this time, most of the water bandits were dead.

The array formation could not stop him.

Water Yan Luo, being surrounded by the Dao Court Division, must be busy fleeing for his life.

He was just right to be hidden and fish in troubled waters.

And probably half an hour later, Uncle Gu and Xia Dian Si would lead the Dao Court Division cultivators to attack here.

This was the retreat route.

If there were changes, he only needed to find ways to delay for half an hour and wait for Uncle Gu and the others to come and save him.

As for whether he could get some meat to eat, it depended on this half an hour.

Mo Hua's pupils slightly narrowed, flashing light in the dark night, revealing a hunter's meaning.

He hid his body and approached the center of the bandits' camp.

The center of the bandits' camp was a large stone camp surrounded by wooden fences.

This seemed to be the leader's residence, also the place where the water bandits gathered to discuss matters, and even more so, the center protected by the Eight Gates Eight Trigrams array.

Around the stone camp, there were many water bandits defending, and some arrays were also set up.

But these arrays were not high level.

Most importantly, they were not deliberately set up to reveal shadows or dust, specifically to restrain hidden arrays.

Generally speaking, they indeed didn't need to.

But the current situation was somewhat unusual.

Mo Hua relied on his exquisite small Five Elements Concealment Technique, like a ghost, quietly walking into the stone camp.

No one discovered him.

After entering the stone camp, Mo Hua looked up and saw Water Yan Luo in the hall.

At this time, Water Yan Luo was with several people who looked like small leaders among the water bandits, gathered around a table in the center of the hall, discussing something.

Saying they were discussing was not as accurate as saying they were "quarreling."

"...Who brought this group of dog-raising mothers from the Dao Court Division?!"

"How the hell would I know?!"

"Someone must have leaked the wind..."

"We have a traitor inside!"

"The river surrounding the camp is dangerous, I can't even recognize the road."

"If there wasn't an insider guiding this group of running dogs, I absolutely wouldn't believe they could sneak into the camp."

"And the array formation..."

"Didn't they say this array formation was as solid as gold soup, that others couldn't break it? Why is it like paper paste?!"

"Every step forward and backward is within others' calculations."

"Saying all this now, what's the use? The urgent matter is to find ways to resist the enemy!"

"To resist foreign aggression, we must first settle internal affairs, understand?!"

A group of people were noisy, each holding their own views, discussing heatedly.

"Alright!"

From the high seat above, the pale-skinned, domineering-browed Water Yan Luo, his face full of solemn killing intent.

It seemed Water Yan Luo had a lot of prestige. The water bandits below the seat all quieted down and no longer dared to speak more.

After a moment, someone finally said in a low voice:

"Big brother, the Dao Court Division is quickly killing their way in. What should we do now?"

Someone then shouted: "Big brother, let's kill this group of dog-raising mothers!"

"How do you kill? The other side has a Golden Core." The water bandit beside him sneered.

"So what if they have a Golden Core? This is the second-grade territory. If we truly fight to the death, it's not certain who will die..."

"Saying such big words?! Foundation Establishment kills Golden Core? You kill one for me to see?!"

"You motherfucker, you look down on me..."

A group of fierce bandits, while talking, started quarreling again.

Water Yan Luo's face was like frost, cursing in his heart, a group of idiots, only knowing how to fight and kill, not having a bit of brain.

"Alright!" Water Yan Luo said impatiently, "Keep the green mountains, and you won't fear having no firewood to burn. I've left a backup plan, we'll leave through a secret passage."

"Big brother, how can we do this? We've lost so many brothers, just escaping like this is too..."

Water Yan Luo flicked his hand, and a sinister water punishment whip lashed out.

The face of the speaking water bandit small leader had an extra blood mark, and he involuntarily felt unbearable pain.

Water Yan Luo's gaze was ice-cold: "You didn't hear what I said?"

That small leader immediately looked uneasy, not daring to speak further. The other people also all shut their mouths.

Water Yan Luo nodded slightly, his eyes revealing cold intent, "Brothers' enmity will be avenged sooner or later, no need to rush for a while. The urgent matter is to avoid their edge first. We'll settle these accounts later."

"Yes!"

"Big brother is right!"

"Everything listens to Big brother's instructions!"

A group of water bandits all echoed.

Water Yan Luo said: "You all withdraw first. I'll give you one stick of incense's time. After packing properly, we'll set off and leave..."

"Yes!"

A group of water bandits rose to bid farewell and successively left the hall.

Within the hall, only Water Yan Luo was left.

Water Yan Luo's face was still ashen. After a moment, he spat a curse and muttered: "Actually, there really are running dogs from the Dao Court Division coming..."

Although these words were very light, they still reached Mo Hua's ears.

Mo Hua, hidden in the corner, heard the words and frowned.

What did these words mean?

Did Water Yan Luo hear the wind beforehand? But he didn't believe it too much in his heart, so he didn't add more guards?

Who told him?

Just as Mo Hua was thinking, Water Yan Luo had already risen and headed towards the stone room inside the hall.

Mo Hua thought for a bit and also quietly followed.

Based on his experience, Water Yan Luo was probably packing his things and preparing to run.

Now that the Dao Court Division was at his doorstep and disaster was imminent, the things he packed must all be life-critical treasures.

Mo Hua followed Water Yan Luo into the stone room.

Inside the stone room, there was still a secret room.

Water Yan Luo opened the door to the secret room in front of Mo Hua and walked in.

Perhaps it was because a great enemy was present, and Water Yan Luo was somewhat troubled in his heart, so he didn't detect Mo Hua quietly following behind him.

And after entering the secret room, Mo Hua was also a bit unexpected.

This secret room was completely different from what he had imagined.

In his mind, there should be an altar in this secret room. As long as he could find a way to get rid of Water Yan Luo and then sit on the altar, he could "order dishes" for himself.

After that, he just had to wait until he returned to the sect to have a full meal.

His nineteen patterns of divine sense could also be further enhanced.

But in the secret room before his eyes, there was fundamentally no such altar as he wanted.

Not to mention an altar, there wasn't even a statue of some evil god.

This was just a simple secret room used to store various spirit stones, pills, and plundered spoils.

Mo Hua was greatly disappointed.

Although this secret room, which Water Yan Luo had plundered over many years, was not low in value, compared to a true altar, it was still quite inferior.

Just as Mo Hua was disappointed, his pupils suddenly shrank.

He saw that Water Yan Luo ignored all the dazzling treasures in the entire secret room and went straight to the deepest part of the secret room, turned a candlestick, and took out a box from a dark compartment in the wall.

The box was wrapped in black cloth.

A chilling and sinister aura, full of killing intent, instantly scattered out.

"Box..."

Mo Hua's heart skipped a beat.

The always serious and cold Water Yan Luo, at this time seeing this box, his expression suddenly became very excited, his eyes flashed with excited light, and even the hands holding the box trembled slightly.

It seemed this box was as heavy as his life to him.

Water Yan Luo treasured the box and carefully lifted the black cloth.

Under the black cloth was a water-blue jade box.

On the jade box, a solemn and ice-cold Dao Prison diagram was engraved.

On the diagram, a prison was drawn. In the prison, there were various torture tools, and on each torture tool, there were prisoners suffering punishments, enduring torment and pain, wailing, struggling, and despairing calls for help.

The jade box was water-blue, but this diagram was dripping with blood, seemingly containing ferocious intent and ice-cold killing qi.

Water Yan Luo looked at it with an infatuated expression.

As if the prisoners enduring all torments and dying in despair in the Dao Prison were the most beautiful scenery in this world.

He couldn't help but caress the jade box, loving it and reluctant to let go. After a moment, he finally remembered that at this time of crisis, escaping with his life was still more important.

Water Yan Luo carefully checked the jade box again, confirming that there was no damage or abnormality to the jade box, before finally being relieved.

He covered the jade box with the black cloth again, and then wanted to put the jade box into his storage bag...

Just at this moment, a chill rushed straight to his heavenly spirit.

A sinister to the extreme, but ferocious to the extreme killing intent, rose from behind him.

Water Yan Luo only felt his mind tremble.

"Someone... wants to kill me?!"

The omen of death descended. At this critical moment, he bit his teeth until they bled, urged his entire body's spiritual power to the extreme, tried his best to avoid the killing intent from behind, and at the same time, regardless of everything, swung his long whip towards the back to kill.

His efforts were effective.

The killing intent behind him was extinguished.

Water Yan Luo's reaction was extremely fast, coupled with the sinister and swift action of his long whip. It forced the sneaking cultivator behind him to retreat and dodge without even having a chance to condense his technique.

Water Yan Luo glanced out of the corner of his eye and only saw a few wisps of extinguished flames.

Although only some aura remained, it still brought him extremely strong oppression.

It seemed that as long as this technique was successfully condensed, and if he didn't dodge in time, then his life would have to fall on the spot.

"What kind of technique is this exactly...?"

Water Yan Luo's gaze was shocked.

And, who is sneaking up on me?!

Water Yan Luo's heart was filled with fear and retreat, and then extreme anger.

Just a little bit, only a little bit, and he would have capsized in the gutter!

Water Yan Luo released his aura to the extreme, his entire body's muscles tensed, sinister water energy circulated in his meridians, and his eyes contained killing qi.

But before he could even spy out the enemy's traces, another killing intent was transmitted from his back.

Distorted firelight lit up.

A slight scorching pain made people's hearts cold.

Water Yan Luo was greatly shocked, and immediately dodged again with extremely fast speed, striking backward with his whip towards the back.

The firelight was extinguished again.

The technique was interrupted again.

That terrifying technique did not condense.

Water Yan Luo breathed a sigh of relief.

While that despicable small person in the shadow, having failed in two sneak attacks, seemed somewhat unwilling and anxious.

Water Yan Luo's heart moved, and he angrily said:

"Good despicable animal, actually daring to pull teeth from a tiger's mouth, truly has big guts! Even if a great enemy is present today, I still have to catch you and torture you to death with ten thousand kinds of cruel punishments!"

Water Yan Luo's eyes were full of killing intent.

This person only knew how to hide and sneak attack, not enough to be feared head-on.

As long as he was careful and caught his flaw, he would undoubtedly die.

But before he could think further, in the dark secret room, a thread of red light lit up again.

"Behind again!"

Water Yan Luo sneered.

Having experienced two sneak attacks, he thought he already knew the means of this sneak attacker like the back of his hand. He immediately channeled his sinister spiritual power and killed towards the back.

But this move was slightly different again.

The firelight condensed extremely fast, the technique formed in the blink of an eye, and his back was already oppressed by flames, with a trace of scorching pain.

Water Yan Luo was greatly shocked, but then calmed down again.

There was only a scorching pain in his back, and the injury was minimal. It seemed to be just an ordinary Fire Ball technique, not that terrifying fire-attribute technique that made his heart palpitate.

"What does this mean?"

This bit of Fire Ball technique could only scratch an itch.

Just at this time, another Fire Ball technique hit his arm.

His arm felt some scorching pain and was a bit numb, but that was all.

Water Yan Luo was even too lazy to look at the injury, but he mocked himself with a cold laugh and said disdainfully: "Just relying on this bit of technique, you want to kill me?"

But there was fundamentally no one around to respond.

Water Yan Luo frowned.

"Escaped?"

So easily, just giving up?

Truly a coward...

Water Yan Luo's mouth curled up, bringing a trace of sarcasm.

But in the next instant, he just discovered that something was not right...

The Fire Ball technique hitting his arm brought a slight scorching pain and numbed his perception. But at this time, his water spiritual power circulated several times, the scorching pain receded, and his perception gradually returned. Water Yan Luo suddenly discovered that the weight in his hand was not right...

It seemed much lighter?

Water Yan Luo's pupils shrank, and he immediately lowered his head to look, his mind completely shocked.

The black cloth was held in his hand, and there was a jade box inside the cloth. Even in a life-and-death battle, he had never let go.

But at this time, the black cloth above was cut by someone unknown, and the jade box inside...

Had disappeared?!

Water Yan Luo's lips turned white, and he trembled all over with anger.

He instantly understood everything!

First, use a terrifying technique to make himself produce an extremely strong sense of crisis, so he couldn't be distracted.

Then, use ordinary techniques to make himself relax his vigilance.

Finally, use an extremely swift Fire Ball technique to hit his left arm.

Take advantage of the few breaths of time when his arm was scorching and his perception was dull, cut the black cloth, and steal the jade box!

Water Yan Luo instantly lost his reason, his eyes blood red.

"Damn thief!!"

"I will dismember you into ten thousand pieces, grind your bones, and scatter your ashes!!"

Meanwhile, outside the stone camp.

Having successfully collected the goods, Mo Hua urged his Flowing Water Step to the extreme, hugging the jade box, running madly all the way, his eyes flashing with light.

Good stuff!

Big gain!

Run quickly!

Subsequently, he released a fireworks signal and shouted towards the distance: "Uncle Gu, save me!"