Chapter 316: Clues

Mo Hua, of course, gladly accepted every invitation to freeloading meals and drinks.

The next day at noon, Mo Hua went to the banquet.

Commander Yang seemed to have invited many people: officials from the Dao Ting Si, officers from the Dao Bing Si, and numerous demon hunters.

Mo Hua's father, Mo Shan, also attended, but he arrived early, accompanying Elder Yu—likely to discuss some matters.

Mo Hua practiced the formation several times, then calculated the compound array for a while before setting out, so he arrived slightly late, but just in time for the feast.

As Mo Hua walked along the road, he unexpectedly ran into Zhang Lan.

Zhang Lan shuffled along with an air of reluctance, seemingly heading in the same direction.

Mo Hua greeted him; Zhang Lan heard his voice, saw it was Mo Hua, and perked up a bit, walking over to join him.

Mo Hua asked, "Uncle Zhang, are you also here to freeload?"

Zhang Lan corrected him: "It's accepting an invitation with honor, not freeloading!"

I sensed something was off.

Among hermits, those who study formations are exceedingly rare, and ascending to first-rank is nearly impossible.

Someone managed to pass through the Mist Forest, see through the mist array, and uncover the truth hidden by the deep mountain's veiled mist;

"You make it sound like you care to argue with him?"

Zhang Lan was surprised. "What do you want to know?"

"Wasn't the Second Boss captured? Did he say anything?"

"Your Yang family is a minor clan…"

Mo Hua sucked in a sharp breath!

Commander Yang said: "That's a major threat…"

I myself am an exception—I possess a Dao Stele, naturally gifted with extraordinary spiritual awareness, met Ruan Yonghong, got lucky, and became Master Zhuang's provisional disciple, drawing formations day and night until I became a first-rank formation master.

Since then, hermits have been unable to learn formations at all, their path to formation mastery completely severed.

"You could just join my Yang family directly…"

"I'm not arguing with him."

Zhang Lan muttered beside him: "Still scheming, and so shameless!"

A few days ago, Commander Yang was about to lead his troops away; the path of cultivation is long, and who knows when we'll meet again.

"The Seventh Boss is bloodthirsty and has lost all reason; he only reacts to a few names, nothing else. We've questioned him for over ten days and got nothing."

I felt I'd almost grasped something, but my thoughts were still tangled.

The farewell banquet was lavish, with many attendees, and most were familiar faces to Mo Hua.

Commander Yang and Zhang Lan argued for a while before remembering he'd been so caught up in bickering with Zhang Lan that he nearly forgot the main matter.

"In Dao Bing combat, formations are crucial. Without Mo Hua as a formation master, suppressing White Shanzhai would have taken far more effort."

Zhang Lan raised an eyebrow and asked loudly: "Are you still believing in something?"

After Zhou Zhangsi left, no one taught formation runes, and Master Yan ceased offering formation classes; meanwhile, Mo Hua, unable to learn formations elsewhere, left Ruan Yonghong's tutelage…

It's the Qian family!

But Mo Hua is my son; to hear two Foundation Establishment cultivators praise him, I'm deeply proud.

Everyone went upstairs, exchanged pleasantries, and prepared to part ways.

"Exactly so! A formation master devotes himself to the Dao, studying formations—that is the true path. Joining the Dao Bing Si can wait; even if he never masters formations and refuses to join the Dao Bing Si, it's no great loss…"

Zhang Lan asked: "Then does he know what the Qian family actually did?"

Mo Shan felt slightly embarrassed. "You flatter me too much."

Commander Yang added: "I've asked Brother Mo Shan—he said it's entirely up to him; I won't interfere."

Without Mo Hua, among hermits, there truly are no formation masters.

The old Zhangsi said nothing; Zhang Lan retorted:

Mo Hua didn't know what Zhang Lan was thinking; he remained preoccupied with White Shanzhai:

Mo Hua said directly: "Could it be the Qian family?"

Zhang Lan nodded. "White Shanzhai's influence is too small, and it's held that position for so long—without local power backing it, it's nearly impossible."

I've thought about it every spare moment these past days, but I've found no link between the Qian family and White Shanzhai.

"This success is entirely due to Commander Yang's brilliant command, the Dao Bing's valor and prowess, which enabled us to crush White Shanzhai and safeguard Xiancheng's peace."

Just as he was smiling, Mo Hua suddenly felt a jolt in his heart.

White Shanzhai could exist silently on Great Baishan because of formations!

The Qian family had no spiritual stone transactions with White Shanzhai, hired no evil cultivators from White Shanzhai to kill, and harbored no Qian family cultivators within White Shanzhai.

Then why did Zhou Zhangsi leave?

The two began arguing again.

Mo Hua was enjoying his meal immensely; seeing Commander Yang's glance, he felt obligated and couldn't refuse outright, so he replied tactfully:

…

The surrounding streets were bustling yet serene, with shops lined up like fish scales.

"Better than your Dao Ting Si…"

Mo Hua set aside his doubts for now and descended the stairs with Zhang Lan.

"Merely a small favor; Xiancheng Gate is too kind."

At noon, the main street was still lively.

Mo Hua knew Zhang Lan was giving him advice, so he nodded seriously. "Uncle Zhang, I've remembered."

"If not the Qian family, then who else could it be? What connection could they have with White Shanzhai? What exactly did they do for White Shanzhai?"

Mo Hua's heart trembled slightly, and suddenly he remembered a saying:

Mo Hua glanced at my father, Mo Shan.

Mo Hua pondered deeply for a while, then shook his head.

Before everyone parted ways, Mo Hua followed Mo Shan home.

As long as there is even one cultivator among the free cultivators who knows arrays, he can break through the concealment array and the mist array.

After Mo Hua finished, he still heard us arguing about something, but when he came over, he found it was all trivial nonsense—and he was hungry—so he just started eating on his own, ignoring us.

"He thinks he has no embarrassing moments? Who's afraid of whom?"

"... Without Mo Hua the array master, that raid on Great Baishan would've taken far more effort..."

Mo Hua walked down the street, recalling the praise from Commander Yang and Elder Yu, his heart filled with bitterness, yet his face wore a smiling expression.

"Uncle Yang, I still need to learn array techniques. Once I've mastered them, then I'll consider whether to join the Dao Bing Si."

"With Zhou Zhangsi gone, free cultivators can't learn array techniques..."

It seems I'll have to delay Foundation Establishment; otherwise, not just in front of Mo Hua, but even before Yang Jiyong's son, I won't even be able to raise my head...

We can settle here, kill people, cultivate dark arts, forge human pills... and no one will ever know!

Zhang Lan couldn't help but glare at him. "You're almost there..."

With this, he'll have little left to teach Mo Hua, and nothing left to show off before Mo Hua.

Zhang Lan said: "When faced with something like this, anyone would find it hard to believe—even Dao Ting Si, Ruan Yonghong, or even me, Zhang Lan—you'd still try to guess..."

Mo Hua frowned, pondered carefully, and a chill slowly spread through his heart.

When the wine ended and the guests dispersed, Mo Hua had eaten his fill.

"Mo Hua, have you decided? Do you want to join the Dao Bing Si?"

If there are no array masters among the free cultivators, then no one can detect the concealment array, and thus won't discover the path winding beneath the Ten Thousand Fathom Abyss;

"What if there are no array masters?"

Zhang Lan nodded slightly, feeling both relieved and strangely uneasy.

Mo Hua extended his spiritual sense, confirmed it was gone, then spoke loudly:

"I believe there's someone behind Great Baishan..."

Mo Hua then relaxed, sat down, waited until everyone had picked up their chopsticks, and began eating with a troubled heart.

Elder Yu thought for a moment, sighed, then nodded and said:

"It's not me being nagging..." Commander Yang said solemnly:

"Yang, in front of the Zhangsi, give him some face—don't force me to expose your embarrassing secrets..."

"What's so great about the Dao Bing Si?"

Someone can find the invisible gate of Great Baishan—and worse, no one may know that deep within Shenshan lies a terrifying demonic cultivator shanzhai!

Don't want free cultivators to learn array techniques...

Without an array master... no one finds the path, can't see through the mist forest's illusions, can't locate Great Baishan's hidden gate...

Commander Yang deliberately sat beside Mo Hua and quietly asked during the feast:

Mo Hua walked while pondering.

Mo Hua is the child of a demon hunter; I didn't dare praise him outright, so I could only nod solemnly in agreement.

Mo Hua felt a little disappointed.

Fortunately, there were many guests at the feast, everyone exchanged cups and glasses in silence, so the overall atmosphere remained harmonious.

Mo Hua sighed helplessly and returned to focusing on eating his meal.

Normally, free cultivators never produce array masters.

As they walked, the two reached Ling Shan Lou.

I forced myself to calm down and concentrated hard.

Commander Yang realized he had spoken carelessly and apologized to the old Zhangsi:

As their parting drew near, Zhang Lan no longer quarreled with Commander Yang.

Without an array master... destroying Great Baishan... would take far more effort.

Zhang Lan, seeing the surrounding noise and that no one was listening to them, lowered his voice and spoke to Mo Hua:

There are array masters among free cultivators.

He stared intently at Mo Hua again.

Zhang Lan laughed bitterly and spat: "Drunk on a few cups? What kind of daydream is that? Even if I joined, it'd be the Zhang family—not you!"

Without an array master...

Beside them, the old Zhangsi of Dao Ting Si kept his eyes down, pretending not to hear—but still couldn't help coughing once.

Commander Yang returned the bow, then added: "And speaking of this, we truly owe much to Mo Hua..."

"I'm not saying Zhang Lan is bad—this has nothing to do with Dao Ting Si; the Zhangsi needn't mind."

The two resumed arguing.

"Commander Yang is right—thankfully, this child Mo Hua is an array master; otherwise, we'd never have found the path along the cliff, seen through the mist forest's illusions, located Great Baishan's hidden gate, let alone broken through its layered array defenses..."

Mo Hua frowned in thought, and soon a cold light hardened in his eyes.

"Is the Zhang family any better?"

Mo Hua suddenly remembered something and quietly inquired:

Elder Yu also joined in praising him.

Mo Hua remembered that originally, Ruan Yonghong could not teach array techniques.

Are you trying to trick Mo Hua into joining the Dao Bing Si? Are you done praising him already?

Zhang Lan sighed inwardly.

Zhang Lan's gaze sharpened slightly, but his expression remained unreadable.

Tongxian Men nodded with a sense of pride.

"But when making a final judgment, you must be cautious—there must be evidence, or else you will err badly."

Mo Hua carefully reconsidered what Captain Yang and Elder Yu had said.

Zhang Lan clearly disagreed, but then he thought: attending a banquet and freeloading on food were really not so different.

This child truly grasped things at the slightest hint…

Captain Yang smiled warmly, then revealed his true intent:

"Have you heard any new news about Great Heishan?"

Tongxian Men, representing the free cultivators of Xiancheng, presented gifts to Captain Yang and bowed in thanks.

The two walked as they strolled.

Mo Hua had expected Captain Yang to be unimpressed, but was surprised when his eyes lit up and he exclaimed:

"You could say that."

Mo Hua froze: "Uncle Zhang, do you think so too?"