Chapter 247

Water Prison Technique? Mo Hua had never heard of this spell.

He once owned a book called Collection of Qi-Condensation Spells, which recorded common spells of the Qi-Condensation stage, but it did not contain the Water Prison Technique.

This spell was deeply hidden by Diao Laosan; it was likely as rare as the Concealment Technique.

Mo Hua asked Diao Laosan: "What is this Water Prison Technique?"

Diao Laosan said: "I don't know."

Mo Hua regarded him coolly, his gaze carrying ill intent.

Seeing this, Diao Laosan's heart turned cold; he feared Mo Hua might suddenly decide to torment him again, so he hurriedly said: "I truly don't know."

"Then how did this spell come into your hands?"

Diao Laosan said: "Years ago, I accidentally killed a severely wounded cultivator from the Water Sect. I searched his storage bag and found these two spells—one was the Concealment Technique, the other was this Water Prison Technique."

"Water Sect?"

"It's a relatively low-key sect within Heishan Prefecture—small in numbers, but with an ancient lineage."

Mo Hua nodded. "And then?"

Diao Laosan said: "I'm a pure Water Spirit Root, perfect for learning the Concealment Technique. I felt this was my fortune, so I learned the Concealment Technique, moved to another place, took up some trade, and carved out a living…"

Yu Chengyi kicked him, spat, "What trade? Human life trade, isn't it!"

Diao Laosan dared not speak out in anger.

Mo Hua asked again: "So you learned the Concealment Technique—didn't you learn the Water Prison Technique?"

"I couldn't learn it." Diao Laosan sighed. "The Water Prison Technique is extremely difficult. Controlling spiritual energy during casting is hard, it's hard to hit the target afterward, and it only traps people—it has no offensive power. I thought it was useless, so I never bothered to study it."

"Besides, I'm a body cultivator—I don't rely on spells. Though this spell is rare, it's useless to me, so I just kept it temporarily, hoping to trade it later for other martial arts or Dao techniques."

"But this spell is too obscure—I still haven't traded it…"

Diao Laosan spilled everything, detail by detail.

After the interrogation, Mo Hua asked Diao Laosan: "The two escaped cultivators—one with one eye, one bald—who is your boss?"

Diao Laosan didn't want to say, but had to: "The bald one…"

"What's his name?"

Diao Laosan shook his head. "I don't know his real name. We call him 'Boss' to his face. Other cultivators call him 'Bald Monk'."

"Bald Monk?"

Mo Hua nodded. The name was fitting—and easy to remember.

"How many bosses do you have?" Mo Hua asked again.

"Right now, just him…"

"Right now?"

"The boss rotates. When the previous boss dies or is captured, the next one takes over. If you stay long enough, anyone might become boss…" Diao Laosan murmured.

"Water's shallow, Wang Ba abound—everywhere you look, there's a boss…" Mo Hua muttered.

After the interrogation ended, Mo Hua put away the two spell books and returned the storage bag to Yu Chengyi.

Yu Chengyi tacitly accepted that the two spell books now belonged to Mo Hua; after all, among hunters, there were few spiritual cultivators. Even if Mo Hua hadn't asked, he would have given them to him anyway.

Afterwards, the hunters escorted all the criminal cultivators down the mountain and delivered them to Elder Yu.

Each criminal cultivator was interrogated again, endured some punishment, provided information, and was then sent to Dao Ting Si.

Yu Chengyi personally escorted them, explained the circumstances, completed the handover procedures, and locked them in the Dao Prison.

An hour later, Yu Chengyi returned and found Mo Hua sitting in the parlor chair, drinking tea with Elder Yu.

Elder Yu looked up at Yu Chengyi and asked:

"Everything taken care of?"

Yu Chengyi nodded. "All handled. I told Old Zhou Zhangsi everything—he was very pleased."

Elder Yu laughed. "That old man got credit for free—how could he not be pleased?"

"Will those criminal cultivators be sentenced to death?" Mo Hua asked, holding his teacup curiously.

"Murder and robbery, and most have prior records. By law, they all deserve death. Even if they're not executed, they'll die in the pitch-black Dao Prison—no different from death," Yu Chengyi said.

"Good. At least they won't come out to harm others again," Mo Hua said, greatly relieved.

Yu Chengyi sat beside Mo Hua. Mo Hua poured him tea, then remembered something and asked:

"Earlier, that blind cultivator said they were paid with spiritual stones by the Kong family to kill Uncle Ji and Brother Ji. Can Dao Ting Si handle this?"

Yu Chengyi shook his head. "Oral testimony alone isn't enough for Dao Ting Si to convict. Besides, the Kong family is from Qingxuan City—Dao Ting Si of Tongxian City can only reprimand them, not directly intervene."

The Qingxuan City Dao Ting Si has been bought off by the family—they won't investigate the Kong family.

Even if evidence existed, it would likely end in nothing.

Mo Hua felt disappointed.

Yu Chengyi then explained the origins and background of this gang of criminals.

Most of these criminals were cultivators from Heishan Prefecture, with varied backgrounds—some from clans, some from sects, others were lone cultivators.

Most had blood on their hands, were wanted by Dao Ting Si, and had been fleeing across the lands.

As Tongxian City grew, more cultivators traveled north and south, so they gathered on Sun Dahei Mountain, murdering, robbing, and stealing spiritual stones.

Sometimes they kidnapped cultivators for ransom; other times they simply killed and dumped bodies in the wild, letting beasts devour them.

Ji Qingbai and his son fled Qingxuan City. The Kong family's cultivators failed to kill them, but on the road they encountered this gang of criminals and directly paid them spiritual stones to continue the pursuit.

According to the Kong family's young master, Ji Qingbai and his son had struck him—he wanted them dead.

Fu Lan had defied him—he wanted her as a slave.

Upon completion, he would pay the criminals a thousand spiritual stones.

Elder Yu couldn't help cursing: "That little monster—may he die a wretched death!"

Yu Chengyi grew indignant as he spoke, then continued:

"We've had some clashes with these criminal cultivators before — they've had their eyes on us for a long time. It just so happened that a thick fog rolled in today and the demon hunters got separated. They saw their chance and struck."

"Too bad we didn't catch them all — two got away." Mo Hua frowned.

Yu Chengyi said, "It's already not bad. With so few of them, they won't amount to much. In the short term, they probably won't be able to stir up any trouble."

"Can we catch them?"

"I've already told the demon hunters to keep an eye out, but the inner mountain is huge — catching them anytime soon probably won't be easy."

"Alright then." Mo Hua nodded.

Still, Mo Hua memorized that bald man's face — next time they met, there'd be no escape.

"Oh right," Yu Chengyi said to Mo Hua again, "the Dao Ting Si has a bounty for catching criminal cultivators. It'll be issued in a few days — I'll bring it over to you."

"Does everyone get one?" Mo Hua asked.

Yu Chengyi nodded and said, "Everyone does."

Mo Hua smiled and said, "Thank you, Uncle Yu!"

After chatting a while longer and having some tea, Mo Hua got up and took his leave.

Then Mo Hua went to Old Mr. Feng's place to check on Ji Li.

Ji Li had been brought back safely. Old Mr. Feng applied acupuncture, fed him pills, and used wood-attribute spiritual energy to clear his meridians — his life was no longer in danger.

He was still unconscious for the time being, but after some proper rest and recuperation in the days ahead, he'd be fine.

Fu Lan's eyes were red as she kept watch at Ji Li's bedside.

Ji Qingbai wore a solemn expression, but in his heart he finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Being alive is better than anything…

Seeing that Ji Li was out of danger, Mo Hua felt reassured.

Old Mr. Feng was very gratified to see Mo Hua and praised him:

"The pills I gave you were put to good use — otherwise saving this child Ji Li's life wouldn't have been so easy."

Fu Lan rose and sincerely bowed to Mo Hua.

Ji Qingbai also looked at Mo Hua, cupped his fists, and said, "A great kindness needs no words of thanks!"

They were being far too solemn, which made Mo Hua a bit embarrassed, so he scratched his head and said with a smile:

"Then you have to invite me to the wedding banquet!"

Ji Qingbai was slightly taken aback, then felt comforted in his heart, and laughed: "Deal!"