Chapter 302: Dao Soldiers

Mo Hua felt a hint of disappointment and asked, "Why?"

Zhang Lan explained, "The deployment of Dao Soldiers is a secret of the Dao Court; their operations are generally covert, emphasizing stillness like a mountain, speed like the wind, and striking like Lei Ting—either remaining unknown entirely, or once discovered, resolving matters swiftly with Lei Ting force."

"So," Zhang Lan smiled, "how Dao Soldiers operate is impossible for you to know."

"What if I'm needed to help?" Mo Hua asked.

Zhang Lan smiled slightly, "How could you possibly be needed to help…"

Zhang Lan fell silent halfway through.

He suddenly realized—whether Mo Hua's help was needed for this mission to exterminate Great Heishan Shanzhai was truly uncertain, especially since he was a Array Master.

Open combat might not require Mo Hua, but if arrays are involved, there are probably no other Array Masters in the entire Tongxian City more reliable than Mo Hua…

There's a first-rank evil Array Master at Great Heishan Shanzhai with Foundation Establishment cultivation.

But Zhang Lan didn't want Mo Hua to take risks, so he said:

Yu Changlao, however, looked at Mo Hua with grave seriousness.

Because array arts can be learned by anyone, and Mo Hua, at around ten years old, clearly did look like an Array Master.

Mo Hua's expression brightened, but he frowned and asked, "Has he spoken to Yu Changlao? I've been telling you to leave the mountain."

Even now, I still find it hard to believe.

"He and Yu Changlao both wanted you to leave Great Baishan, but now they say nothing, bring you to Lishan, and Dao Soldiers operate in secrecy…"

Qi Condensation cultivation, spiritual sense Foundation Establishment!

"No." Mo Hua answered bluntly, his eyes glinting slightly, then asked, "But is there any benefit?"

I also enjoy stillness, and I'm not the kind who always seeks action.

At such times, not causing them trouble might already count as helping.

Now things are different—Mo Hua's spiritual sense has reached Foundation Establishment; his concealment technique probably can't even be pierced by Foundation Establishment evil cultivators.

Great Baishan Shanzhai has seven Foundation Establishment evil cultivators; if they learn of Mo Hua's identity and array talent, they will spare no effort to kill him.

"Why?"

Zhang Lan stole a glance at Mo Hua and saw him humming some tuneless melody, walking heavily yet cheerfully, his gaze filled with anticipation, so he asked:

On the table sat a plate of pastries, crisp and flaky, newly tried by Liu Ruhua.

Mo Hua paused slightly, then understood inside, but pretended not to notice.

After all, those things were all done by me…

I ate the great ghost from the contemplation diagram, tricked the Eighth Chief, and never showed my face—the Eighth Chief must be deeply suspicious and unlikely to guess my true identity.

Mo Hua raised one finger, "Just one look!"

Yu Changlao comforted him:

After Zhang Lan finished speaking, he felt a pang of emotion inside.

"That's right," Mo Hua said slowly and softly.

Zhang Lan hesitated a while, then stepped closer to Mo Hua, cleared his throat, and asked, "Reading?"

Zhang Lan steeled himself, unsure how to begin.

Zhang Lan opened his mouth and couldn't help asking, "How do you know?"

On the way, Zhang Lan said nothing, and Mo Hua asked nothing.

Mo Hua scratched his head.

Mo Hua thought for a moment, then listed the reasons one by one to Zhang Lan:

Dealing with enemies requires stealth—make them hate without knowing who to hate.

"You didn't want me to leave the mountain originally, but matters have urgency and priority—now there truly is a need for your help. And as long as you enter Great Baishan Shanzhai without encountering those chiefs, your concealment technique and Shi Shui Step make you far safer than most cultivators—even more dangerous than most."

So no matter what, Mo Hua must not be exposed to even a sliver of risk.

"Don't worry—I won't need you to fight. Just stay quietly in the city and don't go wandering off again."

Although Mo Hua still couldn't stop thinking about what Dao Soldiers were truly like, he couldn't ignore Yu Changlao and Zhang Lan's words.

After a while, Zhang Lan arrived, saw Mo Hua, and opened his mouth but held back.

"Mo Hua, can you help with something?"

"I asked Zhou Zhangsi; You Rong approved it—the Dao Soldiers will be dispatched soon, entering Shenshan to exterminate Great Baishan Shanzhai. I feared you'd follow and sneak into Shenshan too."

The two ate some pastries, and only then did Zhang Lan speak hesitantly:

Mo Hua read while eating the pastries.

Yu Changlao said, "You showed your face to the Eighth Chief—be more careful, lest they harbor resentment."

"He seems… rather gloomy?"

Mo Hua nodded, chewing the pastry, saying nothing.

"After thinking it over, it can only be Dao Court–dispatched Dao Soldiers who arrived in Tongxian City and secretly stationed themselves outside Great Baishan, but encountered some difficulty and came to ask you for advice."

Mo Hua thought for a moment and nodded, finding it plausible.

Zhang Lan glanced at Mo Hua and continued:

Yu Changlao looked around and, seeing no one nearby, lowered his voice:

But if I reveal myself and the Eighth Chief realizes I'm not just a cultivator but an Array Master and a Monster Hunter, then every single debt will be settled on my head.

Zhang Lan had no appetite, but still tasted a piece—his eyes lit up; it truly was delicious.

"Yu Changlao actually agreed?" Mo Hua was surprised.

I previously worried about Mo Hua, didn't want him to leave the mountain, didn't want him taking risks—but now, looking back, our worries have already become outdated.

A few days later, Mo Hua met Yu Changlao, who immediately warned him:

The moment Mo Hua was most at risk was when he sneaked into Great Baishan alone, quietly, avoiding major actions, even when directly confronting the Eighth Chief.

"Is he really taking you to see the Dao Soldiers?" Mo Hua replied.

With Mo Hua's dull-witted understanding of Great Baishan, plus that imperfect concealment technique, he really couldn't be said to be in his element at Great Baishan; our worry now is actually not at all unnecessary.

But it's better not to cause trouble, still better not to cause trouble; he really doesn't want to be remembered too much by the Third Master.

Elder Yu, just like Zhang Lan, refused outright: "No."

Even if the Third Master discovered that the Shanzhai's formations had been nibbled at like by a mouse and quietly dismantled quite a bit, he still might not necessarily trace it back to Mo Hua.

Mo Hua pushed the pastries in front of Zhang Lan, unhurriedly: "Uncle Zhang, want to try some? My mother just made them, they're really good."

Mo Hua, however, said happily: "Really going to see the Dao Soldiers?"

For the next few days, Mo Hua still persisted in his cultivation and in practicing formations.

"Elder, rest assured, I won't rashly enter Shenshan again."

Zhang Lan nodded: "Yes, I'll count it under your merits at Dao Ting Si."

That day, Mo Hua grew tired of drawing formations, so he sat at a four-immortal table in a restaurant, flipping through a formation book to rest a while.

"I asked you whether there was any benefit, and you said it would be counted under your merits at Dao Ting Si — that's then a matter for the Yourong Si."

Zhang Lan said helplessly: "Yes."

"Deal!"

Mo Hua asked Yourong Le again: "The Dao Soldiers are here, can I go take a look?"

Mo Hua was a little disappointed.

"Dao Soldiers are mainly for killing; it's still better for ordinary cultivators not to come into contact with them, and besides, Dao Soldiers' affairs are kept secret, and one generally isn't allowed to inquire."

Zhang Lan's expression shifted — that little head of his turns far too fast…

Zhang Lan sighed again, "Yourong Le, however, refused to come no matter what; I had no choice but to bring out Dao Ting Si, and even bring out the Dao Soldier Commander, and even guaranteed to him that no matter what, I would protect his safety. Elder Yu had no way out, and only then nodded in agreement."

"You were at the door wanting to speak but hesitating, which means there's something — you didn't agree before, but now you've changed your mind."

Although those debts, originally, should indeed be counted on my head.

"Alright then." Mo Hua nodded.

"Why are you suddenly reminding me of this matter again?"

"Fine…"

Mo Hua promised, but then immediately grew a little puzzled:

Zhang Lan sighed: "Already said."

Although Elder Yu didn't understand formations, he also knew that divine sense was the foundation of a formation master; with such profound divine sense, Mo Hua's future achievements in formations would absolutely be immeasurable.

"Elder Yu told you, Dao Ting has already dispatched Dao Soldiers."

Mo Hua said a word to his mother, then left the restaurant with Zhang Lan, walked into Xiancheng, and entered the outer mountain of Great Baishan.

"Don't enter Shenshan, and especially don't enter Great Heishan."