Chapter 619: The Eagle Grabs the Bird

Half a day later.

Canglang Mountain, Luo Pan Mountain Path.

Mo Hua and the others arrived at a jagged rock formation beside the path.

The three family disciples died right here.

The bodies had been buried, but scattered stones and plants still bore faint traces of blood.

These bloodstains were concentrated, clearly indicating the victims showed no panic, no struggle—they were killed instantly, their blood spilling out as they collapsed straight down.

Moreover, according to Dao Ting Si's people, the dead disciples had been mysteriously disemboweled after death, their corpses in a gruesome state.

Of course, to Mo Hua's eyes, this wasn't anything remarkable.

He was a demon hunter, having witnessed countless bloody scenes since childhood.

Mo Hua stared intently at the stones on the ground, examining them repeatedly, his expression puzzled.

Murong Caiyun asked curiously:

"Younger brother, what are you looking at?"

Mo Hua mused: "Based on my experience, Yin Laoer didn't act on a sudden impulse to kill these disciples…"

"He had been shadowing them for a long time, waiting until they reached this secluded spot before striking suddenly and killing them in one blow…"

"After killing them, he disemboweled them…"

"This was either Yin Laoer's habit…"

"Or he was trying to conceal something…"

Mo Hua rested his chin on his hand, looking distinctly "professional."

Murong Caiyun and the others exchanged subtle glances.

"Your experience…"

"Younger brother, do you often do this sort of thing?"

Mo Hua nodded, then suddenly froze and shook his head vigorously: "I'm a proper cultivator! I'd never do things like 'murder and plunder'!"

Don't slander me!

"Alright…"

Murong Caiyun didn't press further; she knew her younger brother was eccentric and cunning, sometimes full of mischief—asking would be pointless.

"Can you tell where Yin Laoer went?"

Murong Caiyun asked the others again.

Ouyang Feng scanned the area with his spiritual sense, then shook his head slightly. "Several days have passed; the residual spiritual energy is too faint to discern anything…"

Shangguan Xu added: "This is still the mountains—mountain winds, mist, miasma, and demonic qi are all mixed together; a cultivator's spiritual traces become even harder to distinguish…"

"Perhaps Yin Laoer knew this, which is why he chose to strike here."

Murong Caiyun frowned.

With no leads, it would be difficult to pursue further.

Mo Hua also furrowed his brow.

His spiritual sense perceived the same as everyone else: the bloodstains carried faint, mixed spiritual energy, entangled with mountain miasma and demonic qi, chaotic and indistinct.

Mo Hua's spiritual sense was sharp—he could clearly distinguish these energies—but it was useless.

The spiritual traces left by Yin Laoer were indeed far too faint.

If things continued like this, they'd never know where Yin Laoer had fled.

"The traces are too faint…"

Suddenly, Mo Hua's heart leapt—he unconsciously thought of the Secondary Thunder Pattern.

In heaven and earth, some things truly exist, but cultivators with weak spiritual senses simply cannot perceive them.

Just like the Secondary Thunder Pattern.

The Secondary Thunder Pattern, embedded within magnetic flows, has delicate, extremely subtle patterns.

Ordinary cultivators cannot detect them at all—but that doesn't mean the Secondary Thunder Pattern doesn't exist.

Similarly, faint traces don't mean there are no clues…

All things under heaven and earth arise from a single qi.

Spiritual energy is one of these things.

Arrays embody the principles of heaven and earth.

If arrays can be calculated, then all things under heaven and earth—including a cultivator's spiritual trajectory—could they also be "calculated"?

Mo Hua's thoughts stirred; he quietly began using Heaven's Mechanism Calculations to sense the faint trace of spiritual energy.

But after a few moments, he perceived nothing…

The spiritual energy remained merely spiritual energy.

No change at all.

Mo Hua refused to believe it.

He felt spiritual energy must contain hidden secrets; his inability to perceive them didn't mean they didn't exist—only that his spiritual computational power was insufficient…

Mo Hua's pupils darkened slightly as he activated Heaven's Mechanism Deception, forcibly amplifying his Heaven's Mechanism Calculations.

After a dozen or so breaths, Mo Hua's expression jolted.

He noticed the faint spiritual trace left by Yin Laoer had begun to change strangely.

The concrete spiritual energy began to sprout mysterious, illusory patterns…

These patterns interlocked, like chains of cause and effect…

Extremely similar to the chains of cause and effect that had emerged when the monstrous nightmares—those twisted, deformed demons and devils—climbed from the void, coveting Yu'er.

Unlike them, the karmic chains of demons and monsters were gray-black, sinister and putrid.

The karmic traces Mo Hua now saw were pale blue, their patterns fine and densely interwoven, looping and interlocking…

Mo Hua was stunned within.

Could this be…

True Heavenly Mechanism Calculation?

Heavenly Mechanism Calculation calculates all things under heaven, piercing through the ultimate truths of heaven and earth…

Starting from the arrays manifested by the Dao, then to the spiritual energy at the core of the arrays;

Across all heaven and earth, the spiritual energy signatures of all things;

Even the karmic fates of every person and thing in the world—ultimately calculating Heavenly Mechanism, comprehending the Dao?

This is… Heavenly Mechanism Calculation?!

Mo Hua felt his spirit suddenly clear, his thoughts expanding instantly—he gained a flicker of insight into Heavenly Mechanism.

But it lasted only an instant; as his spiritual awareness drained, that flicker of insight faded, and the Heavenly Mechanism patterns, the karmic traces in his spiritual vision, gradually vanished.

"Trouble…"

Mo Hua's heart tightened; he hurriedly seized the moment and continued deducing Yin Laoer's residual spiritual energy.

Yin Laoer's residual spiritual energy gradually shed its karmic bonds, its patterns overlapping and interlocking, coalescing into a faint aura that rose gently from the energy, then extended like a guiding path toward the distance…

Mo Hua's spirit lifted; he pointed westward toward Canglang Mountain and declared firmly:

"He fled into the mountains!"

Everyone froze.

Murong Caiyun looked at Mo Hua with confusion and asked, "How do you know?"

Mo Hua thought for a moment, concocted an excuse, and said seriously:

"If I were the killer, I'd run that way too!"

"…"

Everyone fell silent.

Ouyang Feng chuckled softly and said gently:

"Alright then, we'll follow our little killer's lead and go take a look…"

Murong Caiyun sighed helplessly:

"There's no other choice."

Since there were no other leads, they might as well follow Mo Hua's advice and head to Canglang Mountain in the west.

Besides, she felt her junior brother always had uncanny intuition about these "bizarre" matters…

Murong Caiyun and the others set off, walking westward toward Canglang Mountain.

Mo Hua walked at the rear, turning back to glance once more at the bloodstains on the ground, and the lingering traces of spiritual energy above them.

These traces were deduced through Heavenly Mechanism Calculation—a faint aura of spiritual karmic connection—not true "Heavenly Mechanism."

But this faint "aura" must be a sign of "Heavenly Mechanism."

His spiritual awareness was limited; he could only perceive the "aura."

But if he kept pushing forward, continued the calculation, one day he would perfect it, his spiritual awareness would ascend, and he would pierce through the spiritual energy aura to deduce the true, grand, all-encompassing karmic patterns and the cosmic destinies of all beings—the true "Heavenly Mechanism."

Mo Hua's eyes gleamed brightly, faint Heavenly Mechanism patterns forming, brilliant as stars.

As he turned to leave, the light in his eyes retreated entirely, sinking deep into their depths.

His gaze grew clearer by a fraction, and deeper by a touch.

…

West of Luo Pan Mountain Road lay the depths of Canglang Mountain.

The terrain here was complex: besides jagged rocks, there were streams, swamps, thick soil mixed with fallen leaves, and deep forests shrouded in mist and miasma.

After walking dozens of li, the group finally discovered unusual traces.

A snake, as thick as a forearm, had been cut cleanly in half; the wound was smooth, revealing the weapon used was extremely sharp.

Likely a dagger.

This snake was a second-rank realm beast—though only early stage—and yet it died cleanly, without a single sign of struggle, clearly unaware of its death until the moment it came…

"Yin Laoer…"

Everyone's gazes sharpened, turning involuntarily to Mo Hua.

Mo Hua nodded:

"I guessed right!"

Murong Caiyun smiled faintly and praised with deep meaning:

"Good. You guessed very well…"

Then her expression grew solemn; she glanced at the snake's corpse and said softly:

"The snake's blood is half-dried—it didn't die long ago. Yin Laoer is likely still in the mountains."

"As Gu Diansi said, this man excels at concealment, is cunning and ruthless. Everyone must be extra cautious."

All of them nodded solemnly.

Then the group began searching the deep mountains to capture Yin Laoer.

Capture if possible; kill if not.

This was the standard they had agreed upon beforehand, applicable to all criminal cultivators.

The specific method of capture, under Mo Hua's suggestion, had already been laid out…

Mo Hua had prepared many small Yuan Ci Arrays, laying them down as they searched the mountain.

Canglang Mountain is large, and here in Shenshan, the terrain is even more treacherous and complex.

These small Yuan-Ci arrays may not fully control every breeze and rustle in the mountains, but they at least provide positioning.

They're very useful for determining direction, locating people, chasing targets, or mutual rescue.

The only problem is, they're a bit expensive.

A single small Yuan-Ci array isn't costly, but when used in large numbers, the cost adds up.

Fortunately, Elder Murong said she could "reimburse" us.

She will convert these arrays into Spirit Stones and pay Mo Hua.

For aristocratic disciples, Spirit Stones aren't scarce; as long as they earn merit, it's worth it.

With Elder Murong's "reimbursement," Mo Hua became even more "reckless," scattering small Yuan-Ci arrays along the way, weaving nearly half of Canglang Mountain into a "Ciyi Net."

If Yin Laoer, that "moth," stays out of the net, fine—but once he steps in, he'll be "trapped, wings and all…"

Hua Qianqian watched Mo Hua scatter arrays all along the path, holding several compasses in her hands, walking while watching, unable to help asking anxiously:

"Brother Mo, with so many arrays deployed, can your spiritual sense handle them all?"

The more small Yuan-Ci arrays you lay out and the wider their coverage, the more your spiritual sense is strained…

"It's fine."

Mo Hua replied humbly, "My spiritual sense is decent—not weak…"

Hua Qianqian still felt worried.

Moments later, Mo Hua suddenly froze, pointing at a floating dot on one of the compasses:

"Someone's here!"

Everyone paused, then their faces lit up with delight.

The deep mountains of Canglang Mountain were uninhabited; someone appearing now was almost certainly Yin Laoer.

"Go check!" said Murong Caiyun.

"Yes." Mo Hua nodded.

Soon after, Mo Hua and the others arrived at the location indicated by the compass.

It was a small grove; beneath a large tree, Mo Hua had buried a small Yuan-Ci array.

Now, beside the array, lay the corpse of a beast.

It was a monkey demon, fallen on the ground, throat slit, belly ripped open, its inner core stolen, blood soaking into rotting mud and fallen leaves.

Monkey demons resemble humans.

The way it died… was nearly identical to the three disciples.

It really is Yin Laoer!

Murong Caiyun released her spiritual sense, found no trace of any cultivator nearby, and asked Mo Hua: "Do you know where he is?"

Mo Hua glanced at the Ciyi compass, pointed right, "Over there."

"Good."

Murong Caiyun nodded.

Then the group continued chasing, reaching a small stream—but Yin Laoer's trail vanished again; Mo Hua checked the compass and pointed once more…

Thus, though they hadn't caught Yin Laoer, they steadily kept him pinned down.

And all of them could feel: they were growing closer to Yin Laoer.

Keep chasing, and they would surely catch him.

Thinking of this, Murong Caiyun's gaze toward Mo Hua grew more serious.

Mo Hua's ability to deploy arrays, search the mountains, and track targets was simply too strong…

This was only because Yin Laoer excelled at concealment and was naturally cautious, which is why they'd chased so long.

If it were a regular Foundation Establishment cultivator, he'd already have been "caught" by Mo Hua.

In their hearts, the others silently regarded Mo Hua with renewed respect.

Mo Hua, however, remained utterly focused, watching the compass while recalling Canglang Mountain's topography in his mind, guessing where Yin Laoer might be hiding.

He felt they would meet soon.

The pursuit continued…

Indeed, over an hour later, they caught up to Yin Laoer.

The short, gaunt, grim-faced Yin Laoer sat before a rock, roasting some unknown meat.

The instant Mo Hua and the others arrived, he sensed them.

But he didn't flee or vanish; instead, he slowly rose, staring at Murong Caiyun and the others, his gaze cold, voice hoarse and puzzled:

"How did you know I was here?"

Murong Caiyun naturally wouldn't tell him; she replied sternly:

"Yin Laoer, you've slaughtered cultivators and amassed countless crimes. If you don't surrender, don't blame us for being ruthless…"

Yin Laoer sneered, "Ruthless? Just the four of you?"

Murong Caiyun froze.

Four?

She glanced around and realized Mo Hua had, at some point, activated his concealment technique and vanished without a trace…

So Yin Laoer had seen only the four of them.

"So clever…"

Murong Caiyun mused inwardly, then her gaze turned icy as she declared clearly:

"Four of us is enough!"

Yin Laoer sneered, cut off a piece of roasted meat, shoved it into his mouth, and chewed loudly before scoffing:

"Overreaching. You think you can catch me? Try in your next life…"

As he spoke, right before everyone's eyes, his figure gradually faded until he vanished entirely.

In the instant his form dimmed, Elder Murong had already formed a spell—five-colored spiritual light pierced the air toward him, but the light struck the ground, shattering rocks, yet revealed no trace of Yin Laoer.

Ouyang Feng and Shangguan Xu also rushed in, but likewise found nothing.

Yin Laoer had already used the Lesser Five Elements Concealment Technique and slipped away unnoticed.

Elder Murong frowned.

At that moment, a soft, clear voice sounded at her ear: "Senior Sister, to the right—the stream…"

Elder Murong turned toward the sound and indeed saw a faint footprint in the gently flowing stream; she immediately pointed her slender finger, and a beam of spiritual light shot forth.

Yin Laoer blocked the spiritual light with his dagger, but his form was revealed, his face filled with confusion.

Elder Murong's gaze sharpened and she said:

"Chase him!"

Ouyang Feng and the others nodded, activated their movement techniques, and pursued Yin Laoer.

Seeing this, Yin Laoer sneered again—and vanished once more.

Elder Murong chased halfway, lost sight of Yin Laoer, and halted; just then, she heard Mo Hua say:

"He's slipped into the grass…"

Ouyang Feng and the others heard this too.

They exchanged glances, expressions startled, then nodded to each other and continued chasing Yin Laoer…

Yin Laoer plunged into the grass, crossed the stream, scaled the cliff, and arrived at a desolate forest.

He concealed his form, climbed a large tree, and peered cautiously back along the path he'd come, his brow tightly furrowed.

Can't shake them?

What's going on…

These sect disciples are barely twenty years into their cultivation—they clearly can't see through my concealment, so why do they keep finding me?

They have no means to break my concealment.

I've carefully checked every stitch of my clothing and my storage pouch along the way—no tracking spiritual item lingers on me.

How are they tracking me?

And there was one more crucial question Yin Laoer couldn't fathom.

How did they know I was hiding in this Shenshan, west of Canglang Mountain?

I left no trace at all…

Could it be…

Yin Laoer's heart trembled: "Could some great master skilled in Heavenly Mechanism and Ghost Calculation have divined my karmic thread, locked onto my destiny, and pinpointed my location…"

A chill ran through Yin Laoer's heart; he pondered a moment, then shook his head.

Impossible…

"What would such a great master care to calculate the fate of a minor like me?"

Yin Laoer racked his brain but found no answer; finally, he snorted:

"Fine. Let me play along with these brats…"

But as he played, he soon sensed something was wrong.

He spotted the Small Elemental Magnet Array.

These Small Elemental Magnet Arrays were exquisitely arranged, stealthily deployed—the work of an expert second-rank Array Master.

And throughout Shenshan, such Small Elemental Magnet Arrays seemed to be everywhere…

In a daze, Yin Laoer felt like a small bird—and Canglang Mountain, like a vast net.

Behind the scenes, an invisible, intangible, yet meticulous and malicious hand was slowly tightening the net, aiming to trap him like a bird!

It wasn't him playing with these brats.

It was him being played by them.

Yin Laoer's expression darkened; a hidden anger stirred within him.

How audacious!

Do they really think I'm a soft peach, to be squeezed at will?!

Yin Laoer's face twitched; murderous intent rose in his heart.

But he held it back.

Now was not the time to invite more trouble.

These sect cultivators were likely of high status—if he truly killed them, he'd invite serious consequences.

And if he made one misstep and was captured, delivered to Dao Ting Si, the trouble would be far greater…

Not to mention the hidden "mastermind" watching from the shadows.

Yin Laoer suppressed his rage and continued fleeing through Canglang Mountain.

But he soon realized: no matter how he ran, he could not escape these sect disciples' pursuit.

For half a day straight, he'd crawled through grass, waded through streams, sunk into swamps, even smeared himself in demonic feces—yet still failed to shake them; Yin Laoer finally snapped.

A fierce wave of murderous intent surged within him.

"Fine! You little brats!"

"You really think I won't kill you?!"

Just a few Foundation Establishment mid-stage cultivators, still in training, never tasted blood on their blades, and yet dare to hunt me down with such arrogance…

Yin Laoer's eyes flashed red.

"I'll let you all die a quick death…"

"As for those two female disciples, the mountains are dull — I'll kill them first, then use them to pass the time…"

Concealing his form, sneaking closer, one slash per kill.

No matter how many there were, it was useless.

It wasn't as if he hadn't killed before…

Seeing the few of them closing in again, Yin Laoer let out an evil laugh, then pushed the Lesser Five-Element Concealment Art to its extreme, completely erasing his figure — even his spiritual power was barely perceptible.

For an instant, even Mo Hua, who had been staring at Yin Laoer the whole time, could no longer "see" his silhouette.

Yin Laoer… had vanished completely…

Mo Hua's heart chilled slightly.

So this was… the Lesser Five-Element Concealment Art?

It could actually erase one's own spiritual presence?

Mo Hua extended his divine sense to the utmost, then his pupils deepened.

He could see faint, thread-like shadows, but this perception came and went, hard to pin down.

Form dispersed, spiritual power faint, blurry and indistinct…

Yet Mo Hua suddenly sensed a piercing killing intent.

His heart jolted, and he immediately shouted:

"Elder Sister Murong, behind you!"

Murong Caiyun, who had been tiptoeing through the mountain forest searching for Yin Laoer, turned pale at the words. Her heart chilled, and in the nick of time she crushed the talisman she had already been gripping in her hand.

Golden Bell Talisman!

A layer of faint golden light condensed into a golden bell, shielding her whole body.

At the same moment, a sharp dagger coated in water poison suddenly appeared, slashing toward the back of Murong Caiyun's neck.

But it struck the golden bell radiating with golden light.

The golden light peeled away layer by layer, the dagger pressing forward inch by inch.

The Golden Bell Shield couldn't hold, but it did buy one or two breaths of time. Murong Caiyun activated her movement art and pulled back.

Ouyang Feng's figure flashed as he blocked in front of Murong Caiyun, then thrust his sword toward the dagger.

Shangguan Xu also slashed out a sword, attacking from behind to encircle and kill.

Hua Qianqian likewise scattered trails of Hundred Flowers Spirit Needles, sealing off the gaps.

Yin Laoer spat a curse, his form twisting as he escaped between the two sword qi — only to have a spirit needle pierce his shoulder.

The fleeing Yin Laoer once again activated the Concealment Art and vanished completely.

Utterly silent, not even the sound of footsteps.

Ouyang Feng and the others looked solemn, fully on guard, wary of Yin Laoer's sneak attack.

But the mountain forest was deathly still, layers of dead leaves piled up, not a single stir.

Just then, Murong Caiyun suddenly looked into the distance, her face draining of color, and shouted urgently: "Mo Hua!"

Beneath a large tree in the distance.

Where there had been nothing at all, a swift and vicious dagger materialized out of thin air, wrapped in icy spiritual power, and stabbed out viciously.

Beneath the dagger, there had likewise been nothing.

But as the dagger thrust out, a pale blue water-shadow surfaced from thin air.

The water-flow was formless, shadows upon shadows.

A lithe figure emerged from beneath the dagger, like a river's ebbing tide, flowing water for a body, retreating with unhurried poise.

Second-grade Flowing Water Step!

Mo Hua activated the Flowing Water Step, dodging the strike, but his figure was now revealed.

And on the other side, Yin Laoer, gripping his dagger after a missed strike, also revealed his face.

He looked at Mo Hua, his expression faltering, his eyes full of disbelief…

The one hidden in the shadows, who had laid down the magnetite net on Canglang Mountain, watching him like an eagle catching a chick, driving him to flee this way and that — the "mastermind behind the scenes"…

How could he be such a childish little brat?!

(End of chapter)