Chapter 580: Sending Big Brother on His Way

Beyond Shenshan, there were still hundreds of li to Qingzhou City.

Reaching Qingzhou City meant half a foot had already stepped into the Qiandao Prefecture realm.

The Qiandao Prefecture realm was steeped in scholarly atmosphere, and also safer.

Afterwards, according to the map, we'd find Qiandao Sect, obtain the Chiru Sect token, and join the sect.

"Joining the sect…"

Mo Hua's face was filled with anticipation.

Along this journey, he felt light-hearted, walked briskly, and followed Jiang Laoda and the others without a single guard.

He also tagged along for free meals and drinks.

At night, they stayed in ruined temples and abandoned huts in the wilderness; Mo Hua ate his fill and slept, wrapped in his small blanket, peacefully.

Jiang Laoda and the others warmed themselves by the fire.

One man glanced at Mo Hua and sneered, "This kid's got a big heart—like an idiot, knows nothing at all…"

Jiang Laoda shot him a stern look. "Watch your mouth!"

The man, reprimanded, lowered his head, but still muttered, "This little fool can't hear anyway…"

Someone else shook his head. "This kid looks sharp enough, but has no guile at all…"

"What guile? You're this old, and you're the same—maybe even worse than him…"

"If he really had guile, would that be a good thing?"

"Enough!" Jiang Laoda frowned.

Everyone fell silent.

The surroundings grew still; the bonfire crackled.

The night mountain wind was cold and bleak; the men sat silently around the fire, drinking to ward off the chill.

At the perimeter, someone kept watch, periodically sweeping his spiritual sense, alert to any rustle or movement.

By midnight, it grew even quieter.

Mo Hua slept deeper, occasionally smacking his lips, dreaming of some food.

A large man glanced at Mo Hua and said to Jiang Laoda:

"This kid being dumb's actually good—bringing him along won't draw suspicion."

Jiang Laoda gave a slight nod.

The large man hesitated, then a look of concern crossed his face. "Boss, can we really pull this off?"

Jiang Laoda frowned, lowering his voice. "Only we're left now—we have to make it, no matter what."

The large man said, "But we're just…"

Jiang Laoda's peripheral vision flicked to Mo Hua; seeing him sleeping soundly, he said:

"The darkest spot is under the lamp…"

"Of all our teams, the strongest—one with eight late Foundation Establishment cultivators, armed with evil artifacts and demonic cultivation techniques—was spotted by Dao Ting Si and wiped out completely, not one survived."

"The rest of the teams? Either captured by the Gu family, or hunted down and wanted by Dao Ting Si…"

"Now Dao Ting Si is chasing too hard—we could all end up dead."

The large man cursed, "Damn Dao Ting Si!"

Then he frowned, "Dao Ting Si's a bunch of drunkards and useless men—how come they're so tough this time?"

Jiang Laoda glanced at him. "Anyone who slips into Dao Ting Si isn't truly a 'drunkard'—they just won't move unless there's profit."

"Once their own interests are at stake, once there's gold to be had, they become real 'hounds and falcons'…"

"This job is of great consequence, and Dao Ting Si stands to gain heavily—of course they'll give it their all."

The large man whispered, "We're all early Foundation Establishment—can we really stand against Dao Ting Si and the Gu family?"

Jiang Laoda stared coldly at him. "Even if you were early Jin Dan, you wouldn't be their match."

The large man fell silent.

Jiang Laoda sighed. "That's why we chose a second-grade prefecture and took this route…"

"Good thing we're only early Foundation Establishment—if we were any stronger, we'd stand out too much, and we'd be exposed halfway and killed by Dao Ting Si or the Gu family…"

The large man shuddered with lingering fear.

Dao cultivation truly depends on fate.

Sometimes, higher cultivation isn't better—the higher your realm, the faster you might die…

"Boss, can we really… deliver him this time?"

Jiang Laoda said gravely, "Mr. Tu has already calculated everything—if we follow his instructions, this journey will have shocks, but no real danger…"

The three words "Mr. Tu" carried great weight.

The large man felt slightly reassured.

Jiang Laoda added, "After this job, we'll make a fortune in spirit stones—then each brother can buy pills and spiritual items, lock themselves in seclusion, and rise at least one or two realms."

"Once the heat dies down, we'll return to our old trade…"

The large man's eyes lit up, but he grinned sheepishly:

"All those spirit stones? Locking yourself away to cultivate? That's too bitter..."

Jiang Laoda saw right through him, kicked him, and cursed, "Spend less time in brothels, you good-for-nothing."

The large man grinned apologetically, unconvinced, then glanced at Mo Hua and asked:

"What about this kid? Sell him too?"

Jiang Laoda nodded. "I've decided—outside Qingzhou City, there are a few drop-off points. We'll sell him there along with the rest—whatever we get, we get."

…

The two of them chatted until the night grew deep, their fatigue mounting, until they both closed their eyes to rest.

In his consciousness, Mo Hua practiced the formation array while eavesdropping on the "story," yet he frowned.

"Several groups…"

"Mr. Tu…"

"Trafficking…"

It seemed these human traffickers weren't just one group—they were likely a large syndicate.

Even demonic cultivators were among them…

He just didn't know whether the demonic cultivators he'd encountered on the road were also involved in "kidnapping cultivators."

And then there was "Mr. Tu…"

Who was this Mr. Tu?

"Calculated" to be dangerous but ultimately safe?

How did he calculate it?

Did he possess a technique of celestial fate divination? Or some artifact like a Celestial Fate Lock?

Mo Hua hesitated again:

"What should I do next?"

"Take down this entire gang of cultivator traffickers?"

Mo Hua shook his head.

He was only at the early Foundation Establishment stage—how could he possibly manage that?

Besides, this was Qianzhou, not the Second-Rank Great Heishan Prefecture, where high-level cultivators abounded.

He had no power, no background, no acquaintances—no one would back him up.

He had no right to meddle in such matters.

"Forget it—focus on self-preservation first…"

When they neared Qingzhou City, find an opportunity to slip away quietly.

The urgent priority was to join a sect.

That was the real matter—no time to waste on other things.

At most, after reaching Qingzhou City, report it to Dao Ting Si—let Dao Ting Si handle the rest; he was just a lowly Foundation Establishment cultivator, unable to manage more…

But that divining "Mr. Tu"—keep an eye on him later…

Mo Hua memorized the three characters "Mr. Tu," then continued practicing formations on the Dao Stele.

The next morning, Mo Hua joined the others and continued traveling.

After several more days, they were less than a hundred li from Qingzhou City.

Mo Hua felt it was time—he should slip away.

The world was vast, but joining a sect was paramount.

He had no time to play along with them.

But as they paused for rest in a mountain forest, Jiang Laoda suddenly pulled out an iron bracelet and thrust it before Mo Hua, coldly saying:

"Put this on."

Mo Hua blinked. "What's this?"

"Don't ask—just wear it."

Jiang Laoda's tone was indifferent.

The other cultivators all stared at Mo Hua, smiling sinisterly.

Mo Hua feigned fear: "I… I won't wear it…"

A burly man sneered: "You don't get to choose…"

"But… aren't you supposed to take me to find my master?"

Mo Hua stammered, while secretly releasing his spiritual sense, preparing to slip into a corner, use Shi Shui Step to flee unnoticed, then activate his concealment technique and blend into the grass.

The First-Rank concealment technique was slightly weaker.

But his small frame, aided by the grass, would be enough to confuse their vision and escape them.

The traffickers had no idea of Mo Hua's intentions.

Jiang Laoda smiled gently—though it looked false, his lips curled without warmth:

"Wear this bracelet, and we'll take you to find your master…"

"Really?"

Mo Hua wore a naive expression, but had already subtly gathered his Qi, his heels slightly lifting.

Jiang Laoda was about to speak again when suddenly a burly man in the crowd snorted:

"Find your master?"

"You little fool!"

"Who the hell would waste time taking you to find your master—who knows where he's dead?"

The crowd fell silent for a moment.

Mo Hua's expression slowly faded; his gaze grew cold, faint dark, eerie shadows rising in his eyes.

But these changes lasted only an instant, vanishing before anyone noticed.

Jiang Laoda's gaze sharpened like a blade, suddenly locking onto the burly man.

The burly man shut his mouth, sullen.

Jiang Laoda turned to Mo Hua and said gently:

"Young brother, they speak without restraint—don't take it to heart…"

"We're taking you to meet your master."

"This bracelet is a spirit artifact—it protects you and prevents you from getting lost. If we can't find you, wear it well… It's for your own good…"

Jiang Laoda's tone was gentle, but his gaze was cold, leaving no room for refusal.

Mo Hua thought for a moment, then nodded. "Alright!"

Mo Hua took the bracelet and slipped it onto his pale wrist.

Jiang Laoda relaxed, looking at Mo Hua as if he were a lamb.

"Let's go…"

Jiang Laoda led the way; the others sneered and followed him forward.

Mo Hua walked behind, silently watching them as if they were already dead men.

…

Afterward, Mo Hua remained quiet and obedient the entire journey.

Jiang Laoda found it strange, but thought that with the iron bracelet on, this young cultivator couldn't possibly cause trouble, so he paid it no further mind.

After traveling another hundred li, they arrived at a roadside eatery at dusk.

This place was no more than a few dozen li from Qingzhou City.

The eatery stood in the wilderness, with a thatched roof and wooden eaves—spacious enough, yet with no customers dining.

The eatery had a fat owner and a thin waiter; upon seeing Jiang Laoda and the others, their gazes sharpened, and they smiled to ask:

"Gentlemen, what will you have?"

Jiang Laoda said gravely, "Nothing to eat."

The owner asked, "Then lodging?"

Jiang Laoda said, "Can you accommodate people here?"

The owner exhaled slightly in relief and smiled:

"My lord cannot stay. I can."

Jiang Laoda nodded. "Then we won't stay. Bring us wine and meat."

The owner said, "Alright!"

The exchange between them was odd.

Mo Hua thought for a moment and understood—they were all in cahoots.

The owner was also a human trafficker, disguised and lying in wait here to rendezvous with Jiang Laoda and these cultivators, trafficking young cultivators like himself.

The group sat down at the eatery.

The owner brought wine and dishes, then raised a cup to Jiang Laoda and asked in a low voice:

"Did it go well?"

Jiang Laoda nodded.

The owner glanced at Mo Hua and frowned:

"Him? The age doesn't match…"

Jiang Laoda shook his head. "No, this is just a lucky find. The real 'merchandise'—how could we let him tag along…"

"... Rest assured, everything is in order…"

The owner finally relaxed. "Good…"

Jiang Laoda asked again: "When will the buyers arrive?"

"An hour from now…"

"What about the Gu family?"

"They've left the city…"

"Dao Ting Si…"

"Someone's watching—within twenty li, there are none of those dogs…"

Jiang Laoda sighed in relief and nodded. "Good!"

The others also grew noticeably more at ease.

After traveling exposed to wind and dew, constantly on edge, this deal was finally about to close—they'd earn enough spirit stones to live well for years, even decades.

The owner brought more wine and meat.

The group, hungry from the journey, devoured the food eagerly, though they drank sparingly.

At the final moment, they clearly didn't want to risk anything.

Mo Hua received a small bowl of spirit meat; as he ate, he pondered.

"An hour…"

"Who's coming?"

"If it's a Jin Dan, I won't escape. If it's Foundation Establishment, things get messy once there are too many…"

"I'll need to make plans soon…"

Mo Hua took a bite of meat, then slammed the bowl down and frowned. "This is disgusting."

The other cultivators turned to look at him, their gazes hostile.

"Brat, what are you yelling about?"

Mo Hua said, "The meat's terrible. Cooked badly—it's worse than what I make."

The fat owner roared, "What nonsense! This is my ancestral recipe!"

Mo Hua sneered. "Then your ancestors weren't much either."

"You..."

The fat shopkeeper's face flushed slightly with anger, but Jiang Laoda pressed him down, signaling him to calm down, "What's the point of arguing with a child..."

At a time like this, it's better to avoid trouble.

Jiang Laoda looked at Mo Hua. "If it doesn't suit your taste, go make your own."

It's the last meal anyway. Let the child eat what he wants—no harm in that.

Jiang Laoda thought silently to himself.

Mo Hua grinned. "Fine!" Then he stood up and went to the back kitchen.

Jiang Laoda watched Mo Hua in silence.

The back kitchen was inside the eatery, fully enclosed. Mo Hua still wore the iron shackles—he couldn't possibly escape, especially with over a dozen men watching.

Still, to avoid any mishaps, Jiang Laoda kept eating meat and drinking wine while releasing a thread of divine sense to monitor the back kitchen.

Mo Hua was truly stewing meat.

The ingredients in this eatery were all spiritual meat—fewer varieties, but the quality was good.

Clearly, this group engaged in wicked, immoral deeds, yet lived in luxury.

Spiritual meat was expensive. Mo Hua rarely ate it in daily life and never dared to waste it—but now, he had no need to be polite...

So he selected the best cuts, tossed them into the pot, then, following the recipe his mother taught him, controlled the heat himself, added spices, and slowly drew out the meat's flavor, blending it with the spices...

Mo Hua sensed Jiang Laoda's divine sense spying on him.

But that level of divine sense? It couldn't possibly catch him.

After adjusting the seasoning, Mo Hua lowered the flame and let the stew simmer slowly.

Then he took out several vials of spiritual ink from his "Nazi Ring."

His storage pouch had been "confiscated" by Jiang Laoda, who claimed he was holding it temporarily for him.

Mo Hua didn't care.

The crucial items were all stored in the "Nazi Ring" his master gave him—this Nazi Ring was invisible to others, perfectly safe.

Now, he needed to remove the iron shackles on his wrists.

Mo Hua took out the spiritual ink, then with a fingertip, used his divine sense to command the ink and Shen Ninghua array patterns onto the shackle, unlocking the iron band binding his hand.

This iron shackle had the effects of suppressing Qi and tracking.

Dao Ting Si also had similar spiritual artifacts, used to restrain criminal cultivators.

The trouble with this shackle was that it bore an array.

But the good part was also that it bore an array.

For Mo Hua, if it was an array problem, it wasn't a problem at all.

That's why he had willingly put on the shackle in the first place.

"Trying to trap me with an array like this? That's like showing off swordplay before Guan Yu..."

Mo Hua softly snorted in his mind.

Once the array on the shackle was undone, its effects vanished.

Now came the real business...

Mo Hua's eyes glinted faintly; a phantom shadow formed, his pupils pitch-black. On his divine consciousness avatar within his soul sea, a strange "Dao robe" draped over it.

His divine sense surged like a tide.

The spiritual ink rose from the vials, coalescing into threads, sinking into the ground, merging with the soil—like fine silk, like blood snakes—stealthily, winding outward in layer upon layer...

Night fell; dusk grew dark.

None of them knew that something terrifying was creeping across the ground, weaving like a spider's web, layer upon layer, gradually taking shape...

Spiritual meat was tender and required little cooking time.

Soon, Mo Hua finished cooking the meat.

He served it in a bowl as large as his face, carried it outside, and ate the meat and drank the broth himself, thoroughly enjoying it.

The others watched him in silence.

They were surprised that the brat could actually cook—and even more astonished that the dish smelled delicious.

But none of them disturbed Mo Hua.

As if his hearty meal were merely a "death row meal."

The children sold off—no one knew who bought them, or why...

Perhaps to be raised, enslaved, or used for pill refinement, talisman crafting, or artifact forging...

Whether they lived or died—no one could say.

So calling it a "death row meal" wasn't inaccurate.

Mo Hua finished the entire bowl of meat, his belly swollen full. He drank the broth, and his body warmed pleasantly.

Then he poured himself a cup of wine from the table, cupped it with both hands, and walked to Jiang Laoda's side to offer him a toast.

Jiang Laoda was taken aback.

Mo Hua held the wine bowl seriously and said:

"Along the way, thank you all, brothers, for your care. I toast you all—may you have a safe journey!"

Mo Hua lifted the bowl and drained it in one gulp.

Jiang Laoda chuckled, but inwardly sneered. Still, he raised his bowl—yet halfway through drinking, he suddenly realized Mo Hua's words were off...

"May you have a safe journey?"

What journey?

Jiang Laoda froze in surprise.

But Mo Hua, while raising his cup in toast to draw everyone's attention, quietly shattered a bag of spirit stones and activated the array with his spiritual sense.

A ripple of spiritual energy spread out.

Jiang Laoda sensed something was wrong; his gaze turned sharp, and he snapped his head toward Mo Hua.

He thrust out his hand to seize Mo Hua, but suddenly, Mo Hua was enveloped in a cloud of mist—formless, intangible, elusive.

Jiang Laoda's grasp closed only on mist—hazy, empty, nothing at all.

When he looked again, Mo Hua had already drifted far away, standing in the corner.

Light as a startled swan, body like flowing water, real yet illusory.

"What kind of body technique is this?!"

Jiang Laoda's heart lurched; he moved to chase after him, but then his peripheral vision caught something—his eye twitched.

On the ground, dense, intricate, vivid red patterns had suddenly appeared—under the twilight, they glowed blindingly red, spiritual energy swirling through them like molten lava, enclosing them all!

"A killing array?!!"

Jiang Laoda's heart trembled violently, his eyes filled with horror.

Regarding the update issue…

Although it's one chapter per day, the word count is nearly the same as two chapters per day.

Because I don't want to break chapters arbitrarily, I don't split them.

As a long novel progresses, I grow increasingly weary and anxious, so I can only adjust slowly—I can't write too hard and burn myself out.

The premise for adjusting my update pace is that I can still finish this book according to the outline.

My energy is limited; I can't overdraw it.

When my mindset and condition improve, I'll write more.

Some readers feel I write too slowly, and I'm saddened by it—but I truly can't write faster…

If you really find it too slow, I can only, with tears and pain, urge you to wait and collect it for now~

Very sorry (ashamed. jpg).

(End of Chapter)