Chapter 644: The Line of Death

Bishan Demon Cavern, a celestial cave beyond the heavens?

Mo Hua and Gu Changhuai looked at each other in silence.

"Bishan Demon Cavern—does that mean there's a demon lair in Bishan City where criminal cultivators and evil cultivators take refuge?"

"Celestial cave beyond the heavens—does that mean this demon lair is located in some distant, hidden realm beyond the heavens?"

Mo Hua pondered silently.

"Bishan Demon Cavern…"

Gu Changhuai's gaze gradually sharpened.

Mo Hua murmured the name again, slightly puzzled.

Bishan City is an immortal city, teeming with cultivators, bustling with traffic, and housing a Dao Ting Si outpost—where could a "demon lair" possibly exist?

Is this demon lair a major stronghold of the Mo Sect?

Or merely a temporary refuge for criminal and evil cultivators?

What exactly is hidden inside?

Is Huo Fotuo currently hiding in this demon lair?

Mo Hua, unable to figure it out, leaned closer to Gu Changhuai and asked in a low voice:

"Uncle Gu, have you ever heard of this 'Bishan Demon Cavern'?"

Gu Changhuai looked solemn and shook his head.

Dao Ting Si has never received any clues regarding this so-called "Bishan Demon Cavern."

And beneath Dao Ting Si's very eyes in Bishan City, how could any "demon lair" possibly be built?

But Jia Ren was caught by accident; his storage bag was secretly hidden, and the letter was still sealed.

The text inside should not be false.

Mo Hua frowned in thought, then his eyes suddenly brightened.

Gu Changhuai was surprised, "Have you thought of something again?"

Mo Hua nodded, mentally organizing his thoughts before asking:

"Uncle Gu, after the Xie family was wiped out, Huo Fotuo and the others vanished right before the eyes of all cultivators in Bishan City, directly within the flames…"

"How exactly did they vanish?"

"Could it be…"

Mo Hua proposed a bold hypothesis: "... teleportation?"

Gu Changhuai froze, then shook his head.

"No. Teleportation involves spatial power—a fifth-grade Void Realm ability. This is a second-grade prefecture; the Dao's laws restrict it—teleportation is impossible…"

Mo Hua had guessed as much.

But his cultivation knowledge was limited; he didn't fully understand such "unattainable" fifth-grade abilities, so he wanted to confirm with Uncle Gu.

At least eliminate the possibility of "spatial teleportation" first.

Yet Mo Hua had one point of confusion.

Spatial power is the ability of Void Realm elders; the Dao's restriction applies to fifth-grade.

But storage bags contain a pocket dimension—don't they also contain spatial power?

Then why can storage bags be used in first- and second-grade prefectures?

Mo Hua asked Gu Changhuai about it.

Gu Changhuai was taken aback.

This knowledge isn't even a secret among great clans.

Yet Mo Hua looked utterly confused—he truly didn't know.

Gu Changhuai's heart inexplicably felt more balanced.

So you, kid, have things you don't understand too…

Gu Changhuai's eyebrows lifted slightly, and for the first time, he patiently explained:

"Storage bags are inanimate objects; their spatial power is objective, capable only of holding lifeless things."

"Fifth-grade spatial power, however, can be subjectively controlled by cultivators, and can also contain living 'beings' for instantaneous teleportation or translocation…"

Mo Hua suddenly understood, then asked:

"Then how are storage bags made? Do they involve arrays?"

Gu Changhuai shook his head, "Storage bags don't involve arrays…"

"Or more accurately, they don't involve fifth-grade spatial arrays; any arrays on them are merely ordinary ones used for reinforcement, decoration, dust removal, or concealing qi…"

"These arrays are common, and involve no spatial power."

"The spatial power of storage bags comes from 'silk'…"

Mo Hua blinked, "Silk?"

Gu Changhuai casually picked up a storage bag from the ground, tore open the seam, revealing the fine threads along the edge.

"Storage bags are woven from silk."

"This silk is from the 'Qingkong Silkworm'—a creature that inherently contains spatial power, and whose silk is born with extra dimensional space."

"Through special alchemical techniques, this silk is woven into storage bags, naturally granting them additional space."

"That's why I said the space in storage bags is dead, objectively existing…"

"I see…"

Mo Hua nodded slowly, then added, "Then these 'Qingkong Silkworms'—since they contain spatial power, they must be very expensive…"

"Not expensive…"

Mo Hua was surprised. "It contains the power of space, yet it's not expensive…"

Gu Changhuai said, "Mm, the expensive ones are the 'Golden Space Silkworms.' The 'Star Sky Silkworm' is an ancient spatial silkworm breed."

"Golden Space Silkworm? Star Sky Silkworm?"

Mo Hua had never even heard of them, his expression somewhat blank.

Gu Changhuai felt much more at ease inside, and continued:

"In ancient times, spirit artifacts and magic treasures that could store items were extremely few in number."

"Because the silkworm breeds used to refine these spirit artifacts and magic treasures were born containing powerful spatial force—hard to capture, hard to raise—and the silk they produced was also very scarce."

"Ancient silkworm breeds were few, so the spatial spirit artifacts and magic treasures refined from them were naturally few as well."

"But these spatial 'ancient treasures,' though few in number, were of extremely high quality."

"Without exception, they were refined from silk, silkworm exuviae, or silkworm chrysalises produced by top-grade, extremely precious spatial silkworm breeds, so they were all supreme Dao treasures, and the spaces within them were naturally enormous."

"Truly, a pouch containing heaven and earth, a ring holding the universe…"

"But as the cultivation world developed and cultivators multiplied beyond counting, the demand for spatial spirit artifacts grew day by day."

"Generation after generation of beast tamers could only do their utmost to artificially cultivate breeds that were easier to reproduce, easier to raise, and at the same time cheaper spatial silkworm breeds."

"At the same time, some extraordinarily gifted refiners kept improving the methods of refining storage pouches, hoping to let the vast majority of cultivators in the entire cultivation world be able to afford storage pouches."

"The Azure Sky Silkworm is, to date, the most suitable spatial silkworm breed cultivators have cultivated."

"Azure Sky Silkworm silk is cheap and very durable—it's just that the space is a bit small."

"Today in the cultivation world, over eighty percent of storage pouches are woven from Azure Sky Silkworm silk."

"There are also some silkworm breeds more precious than the Azure Sky Silkworm."

"But these silkworm breeds spin silk that, when made into storage pouches, costs far more—ones ordinary cultivators can't afford."

"As for the more precious, ancient Golden Space Silkworms and Star Sky Silkworms…"

Gu Changhuai sighed, feeling it was a pity.

"…These silkworm breeds were already scarce to begin with, and over tens of thousands of years, cultivators have frantically seized and hunted them. Most are now on the brink of extinction, or even completely extinct…"

"The few that survived either became the 'private property' of the Central Dao Court, or of great local clans and great sects."

"Or they took refuge in hidden spaces within certain ancient Dao grounds, abyssal forbidden lands, or heaven-and-earth dead ends, unknown to anyone…"

……

Gu Changhuai had explained the origins of storage spirit artifacts in full.

Mo Hua couldn't help but feel his horizons greatly broadened.

He hadn't expected that the storage pouch he took for granted in daily life actually contained so many secrets.

What seemed like an ordinary storage pouch was also the crystallization of the cultivation world's tens of thousands of years of history, the blood and sweat of countless cultivators, and the development and evolution of various Dao arts.

What seemed ordinary contained vast principles.

Mo Hua stared blankly in a daze, his heart full of emotion.

The Dongxu realm, the power of space.

A fifth-grade spatial formation…

He wondered when he would be able to cultivate to Dongxu, when he would be able to learn fifth-grade formations…

Mo Hua sighed wistfully. After a moment of absent-mindedness, he then remembered that the matter of Huo Fotuo was still the priority.

Since it wasn't teleportation… then it was easy to handle.

Under the restrictions of second-grade rules, the cultivator abilities one could employ were only so many.

Mo Hua was a formation master, and a learned one at that—he was very clear on all the various second-grade cultivator abilities and Dao rules.

Mo Hua pondered and said:

"It didn't truly vanish, and it wasn't teleportation, so what it means is… it can't be seen…"

"If it can't be seen, that means they've hidden themselves."

"It may not be a concealment technique—it's very likely a concealment spirit artifact, and most likely a concealment formation…"

"Huo Fotuo and his people slaughtered the entire Xie family, then used a concealment formation to vanish from the sea of fire—no one knows where they hid…"

"And those eight characters on the transmission talisman, 'Bishan Demon Lair, Heaven-Beyond Cave Heaven,' are very likely the location and code phrase where this group of criminal cultivators is hiding…"

"Bishan City is Xiancheng, crowded and full of ears—logically speaking, demonic cultivators couldn't hide there."

"But if there really is a demon lair, then this demon lair is very likely covered up by a concealment formation…"

"Bishan City has interlocking peaks and complex mountain terrain…"

"Build a demon lair, hide it with a concealment formation, and ordinary cultivators really might not be able to discover it…"

"There's also one phrase: Heaven-Beyond Cave Heaven…"

"That means those cliffs, steep precipices, and remote rugged places in the city are very likely where the demon lair is."

"'Heaven' might mean 'a slit of sky'…"

"In places with a slit of sky, there are some passages hidden by concealment formations, like a 'heavenly road'—beyond the heavenly road lies another cave heaven…"

……

Mo Hua's thoughts were clear, his speech articulate, and he explained everything in an unhurried manner.

Gu Changhuai was somewhat taken aback.

This child was indeed too clever.

Not only was his thinking agile, his knowledge of formations was vast—even these strange and unusual 'experiences' of his seemed very rich…

It was as if he dealt with criminal cultivators and evil cultivators all year round…

Knowing how they acted, how they hid themselves.

That wasn't quite right.

Gu Changhuai hesitated for a moment, then asked doubtfully:

"How do you know so much?"

Mo Hua did not conceal it, saying: "I've seen it, so the impression is deep."

"Seen it?"

Gu Changhuai was puzzled.

"Yes," Mo Hua nodded. "Back when I was still in Tongxiancheng, working as a Demon Hunter…"

"The heretic cultivators in Great Heishan used concealment arrays to hide the path to the back mountain, then took advantage of thick fog to murder and plunder, committing all manner of evil deeds…"

"I've also seen some heretics build shanzhai behind Yixiantian to cultivate corpses, with corpse halls and such…"

Gu Changhuai frowned. "Aren't you an Array Master? When did you become a Demon Hunter too?"

Mo Hua said: "My father was a Demon Hunter. I inherited his trade—what's so strange about that? It's ancestral craftsmanship; you can't let it die…"

"But I was born weak, not suited for hunting demons, so I had to find other paths…"

"Besides being a Demon Hunter, I'm also an Array Master—and a rogue cultivator in Dao Ting Si… a non-official cultivator of Dao Ting Si…"

"Sigh…" Mo Hua sighed, looking helpless:

"There's no choice—grew up poor, so had to endure hardship, do everything I could…"

Gu Changhuai looked at his delicate skin and occasional reckless boldness, and didn't believe he'd ever endured any "hardship"…

Yet…

"Your mere dozen or so years of life have been quite eventful…"

said Gu Changhuai.

Demon Hunter, heretic killer in the back mountains, shanzhai corpse cultivator…

Not sure if it's true or just a story he made up.

"Not bad…"

Mo Hua nodded.

Gu Changhuai shook his head.

Regardless, Mo Hua's speculation held some merit.

Especially regarding arrays…

Gu Changhuai had now confirmed that Mo Hua's claim of being "proficient in arrays" was, indeed, the plain truth.

He had originally thought "proficient in arrays" was merely an excuse his cousin invented to sneak Mo Hua into Grand Void Gate, to save face.

But now it seemed Mo Hua wasn't just "proficient" in arrays.

His array skill had become almost inconceivable.

He had seen talented disciples, he had seen disciples skilled in arrays.

But never one so skilled in arrays that he couldn't understand them, so extraordinarily gifted that he had no words to describe it…

Gu Changhuai sighed helplessly.

His cousin's great effort to sneak Mo Hua into Grand Void Gate might have turned out to be Grand Void Gate getting a "great windfall."

Not his cousin acting on impulse, wasting Grand Void Gate's favor.

Grand Void Gate might even owe his cousin a favor now…

Gu Changhuai's emotions were complicated.

He thought for a moment, then nodded to Mo Hua:

"I'll have someone investigate along these lines…"

Mo Hua's eyes lit up. "Then I—"

"You're done here."

Mo Hua froze.

Gu Changhuai said: "You need to go back to class."

"Huh?" Mo Hua stared blankly.

Gu Changhuai glanced at him. "What else did you expect? How long do you plan to keep slacking?"

"You only have two days of break. Tomorrow you return to the sect. Leave the rest to me…"

"Besides, if you actually run into Huo Fotuo and have to fight him face to face, you can't help at all…"

As he spoke, Gu Changhuai patted Mo Hua's shoulder.

"Focus on your cultivation."

Mo Hua's heart instantly turned cold.

He felt he'd been "used and discarded."

Uncle Gu had been labeled "cross the river, then break the bridge" in his mind.

But he had to return to the sect.

Absent without leave meant expulsion.

Mo Hua asked: "Can I take leave?"

Gu Changhuai looked indifferent. "What's that to me? I'm Gu Diansi of Dao Ting Si, not an elder of Grand Void Gate—I can't approve your leave."

Mo Hua had no reply.

Gu Changhuai waved him off. "Go back…"

Thus, helplessly, Mo Hua returned to Grand Void Gate, unwilling and resentful.

Back at Grand Void Gate, Mo Hua still trained, attended classes, and drew arrays every day.

But day and night, his thoughts were consumed by Huo Fotuo…

"My Meteor Fire Art..."

Without capturing Huo Fotuo, I cannot obtain the incantation for the Meteor Fire Art; without a stable technique reference, my research into the fireball fusion spell has hit a dead end.

My spell's destructive power will not improve significantly either.

What should I do?

Mo Hua refused to give up, sending messages every day to inquire about progress in locating Huo Fotuo.

"Uncle Gu..."

"Uncle Gu..."

Seeing no reply, Mo Hua sent:

"Gu Changhuai!"

Gu Changhuai finally replied, "Watch your wording..."

Mo Hua quickly adopted a conciliatory tone and asked:

"Uncle Gu, Uncle Gu, did you find anything? Where's the demon den?"

"No..."

A day passed, and Mo Hua asked again: "Uncle Gu, did you find anything?"

Gu Changhuai replied as before: "No."

Every day after that, Mo Hua asked; Gu Changhuai always replied: "No."

Mo Hua sensed something suspicious.

"Uncle Gu, you're not lying to me, are you..."

"One must be honest!"

The other side fell silent.

Mo Hua thought: So it's true.

"Did you find the location of the demon den?"

After a moment's hesitation, Gu Changhuai replied: "Focus on your cultivation; don't meddle in this."

Mo Hua was displeased: "If you won't tell me, and I need to help you later, I won't lift a finger!"

Gu Changhuai snorted inwardly.

Ask you for help?

I, the esteemed Dao Ting Si Diansi, a Jin Dan cultivator—what could I possibly need from a mere Foundation Establishment novice like you...

Gu Changhuai froze.

The complex, incomprehensible array techniques Mo Hua used when reconstructing the transmission talisman flashed back into his mind.

And the array dismantling, the sealing removal...

And his perception of arrays...

Gu Changhuai suppressed his impulse to boast; as a my lord, he decided honesty was better than lying to a child.

Gu Changhuai sighed and replied: "We found it."

Mo Hua perked up: "How did you find it?"

Gu Changhuai sighed again and began from the start:

"We conducted a loose external search but tight internal surveillance... publicly spreading rumors that Huo Fotuo was likely hiding elsewhere, lowering vigilance within Bishan City."

"Secretly, we deployed more personnel to surveil day and night."

"Huo Fotuo, hiding in Bishan City, would inevitably try to escape—he couldn't hide forever."

"Indeed, after several days, we spotted a suspicious cultivator."

"Bishan City had been sealed; all cultivators' origins were registered, yet none matched this man's profile."

"He appeared out of nowhere..."

"He emerged from the 'demon den' to scout the situation..."

"We followed the suspicious cultivator and saw him circle the city, then go alone to the perilous northern mountain, after which he vanished..."

"Dao Ting Si dispatched array masters and several spirit instruments for detecting hidden traces, and finally discovered the entrance to the demon den..."

Gu Changhuai stopped here.

Mo Hua hurriedly asked: "And then?"

"That's it."

"Isn't it the demon den? Isn't Huo Fotuo inside?"

"We can't get in..."

Gu Changhuai sighed: "A solitary cliff hangs in the sky, a narrow gap, the opposite side brimming with demonic qi—no telling how many demonic cultivators lie within."

"To enter rashly would be to risk life and death—and likely alert them."

"Moreover, arrays surround it inside and out."

Mo Hua frowned: "Dao Ting Si has plenty of personnel, and array masters aren't scarce..."

Gu Changhuai fell silent for a long while, then replied:

"I can't tell you this..."

Mo Hua was stunned, muttering to himself: "Putting on airs..."

Then he thought for a moment and asked: "Shall I help?"

Gu Changhuai remained firm: "No."

"No need to be polite."

"No need."

"I won't take risks or act—just let me look at the array, find its flaws…" Mo Hua said with patient persuasion.

Gu Changhuai was indeed swayed.

"You… have class, don't you?" Gu Changhuai hesitated.

Mo Hua thought: Just as I expected.

It seemed Uncle Gu really was in trouble and needed someone as skilled as himself to lend a hand with the array.

"I can try to request leave."

Gu Changhuai fell silent.

Mo Hua roughly understood.

Uncle Gu was surely too proud to admit he needed help.

Mo Hua thought for a moment, then generously offered him a way out, sending a message:

"Uncle Gu, if the sect grants me leave, I'll go help you catch Huo Fotuo?"

Only then did Gu Changhuai say stiffly:

"Fine…"

But between the lines, he clearly sighed in relief.

Mo Hua shook his head, helpless before him.

Uncle Gu was settled, but requesting leave… wasn't that easy.

Usually, elders could approve one or two days of leave, but not more—they lacked the authority.

Entering the Demon Cavern to catch Huo Fotuo certainly wouldn't be finished in one or two days.

Even if everything went smoothly, it would take at least six or seven days.

If I combine two days of rest days, I'd still need to request at least five days of leave…

I can only go to Master Xun.

But Master Xun…

He wouldn't approve my leave, would he?

Mo Hua was troubled.

Should I tell Master Xun: "Master, I need five days off to help Dao Ting Si catch a Foundation Establishment late-stage cultivator—a vicious criminal who slaughtered entire families and studied forbidden arts?"

Unless Master Xun had lost his mind, he'd never agree.

Then I'll have to be more subtle…

Mo Hua found Master Xun and rephrased it, saying Dao Ting Si had invited him to draw an array, and it would take about five days.

Master Xun looked puzzled. "Dao Ting Si? Invited you? To draw an array? For five days?"

Mo Hua gritted his teeth and nodded.

"Why?"

Master Xun asked.

Mo Hua evaded: "Gu Diansi from Dao Ting Si invited me—I don't know the details…"

Master Xun shook his head. "Where can't you draw an array? Why go to Dao Ting Si? And five days' leave is too long…"

Mo Hua sighed, disappointed.

Just as Master Xun was about to say more, he suddenly froze. "You just said… Gu Diansi of Dao Ting Si…"

"Yes, yes!" Mo Hua nodded eagerly.

"How did you come to know the Gu family's Diansi?"

"I know Xu Wanyi of the Shangguan family—Gu Diansi is Xu Wanyi's cousin."

Master Xun paused slightly, then asked:

"Did they say what kind of array?"

Mo Hua shook his head. "No, only that it's a second-rank array, very difficult, probably taking a long time—so I need five days off…"

Master Xun gave Mo Hua a surprised look.

Dao Ting Si… the Gu family…

The Gu family had deep roots and wide connections in Dao Ting Si.

If this boy of mine formed ties with the Gu family, it would make things easier for him in Dao Ting Si later…

At least he wouldn't be targeted or suffer unjust misfortune there.

Master Xun pondered briefly, then asked Mo Hua:

"Just drawing the array—no other dangers?"

"None!" Mo Hua said firmly.

"Hmm." Master Xun nodded. "Go to Elder Song—I'll vouch for you. I'll approve five days' leave."

Mo Hua was overjoyed, beaming:

"Thank you, Master!"

"Hmm." Master Xun nodded, then added, "Draw that array well. The Gu family in Dao Ting Si is still upright—make friends, get familiar."

"Yes, yes! Don't worry, Master!"

Mo Hua nodded.

He was already quite close with Uncle Gu.

"Alright, go then." Master Xun waved him off.

Mo Hua bowed respectfully, then left, unable to contain his delight.

He found Elder Song and said he needed five days' leave, approved by Master Xun.

Elder Song was utterly stunned, and inwardly displeased.

Mr. Xun is far too indulgent toward this child!

Five days' leave? This is utterly unacceptable!

Then he signed his name, stamped the seal, and approved Mo Hua's leave request.

"I can't control him anyway—let him take as many days as he wants; I'll just stamp the papers..."

Elder Song thought indifferently.

Mo Hua, having received approval, returned happily to the disciples' quarters.

He had timed it perfectly.

Five days' leave plus two days' biweekly rest added up to exactly seven days.

He must capture Huo Fotuo within seven days to have any chance of obtaining the Falling Fire Technique, thereby laying the foundational spell pattern for his own improved version of the Forbidden Art of Fire Ball Fusion.

Once seven days passed, he would have no further say in the matter.

After seven days, Huo Fotuo would either be captured by Dao Ting Si or escape.

He would gain nothing—everything would be in vain, a complete waste of effort.

Therefore...

Mo Hua's small face hardened, his gaze resolute.

"Within seven days, Huo Fotuo must die!"

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