Chapter 669: Counterkill

Mo Hua's expression was puzzled.

Sacrifice?

What sacrifice?

Who is the sacrifice?

Mo Hua lifted his eyelids and looked ahead.

Does "sacrifice" refer to this black-cloaked leader, or to… the third sinister eye on his forehead?

As Mo Hua gazed at that sinister eye, the eye quivered violently, rolling uncontrollably, and at the same time, a voice like a divine thought pierced his ears with sharp intensity:

"Kill!"

"Kill him!"

"Kill him!"

Mo Hua froze.

The black-cloaked leader's eyes filled with fear.

Since the Divine Eye had taken residence within him, he had never encountered such urgency, such frenzy, such near-loss-of-control from the Divine Eye.

Why would a mere hidden little cultivator cause the Divine Eye to react so anxiously, even revealing a hint of…

Fear?

The Divine Lord's command must not be disobeyed.

The black-cloaked leader raised his sword, but instead of attacking Mo Hua first, he aimed to kill Cheng Mo and the other four, whose hearts were destabilized by the blood-red eye and unable to resist.

They had seen the Divine Eye—they must die.

They had killed over a dozen of his brothers—they must die too.

The black-cloaked leader's killing intent surged.

Mo Hua instantly sensed it; his gaze turned solemn, and he pressed two fingers together, preparing to block with the Water Prison Technique.

But before either could act, the sinister eye quivered violently again, its surface crisscrossed with blood vessels, fixed unblinkingly on Mo Hua, the divine thought voice growing hoarser and sharper:

"Ignore the other livestock!"

"Kill him!"

"Kill him!"

"Kill him!!!"

Blood began to seep from the sinister eye.

The black-cloaked leader's face twisted in pain, his forehead's flesh trembling and contorting.

He no longer hesitated; he immediately pointed his spirit sword, wreathed in demonic energy, at Mo Hua and gritted his teeth:

"I obey the Divine Lord's command—I shall kill this brat now!"

Mo Hua's expression showed no fear, only slight astonishment.

After a moment, his eyes brightened slightly, revealing a glimmer of understanding.

"The Divine Lord…"

"Finally, I've caught a whiff of your trail…"

Mo Hua's lips curled into a faint smile, then he adopted a solemn, haughty expression:

"Want to kill me? You?"

The black-cloaked leader frowned.

Mo Hua's gaze turned icy; he formed a sword with two fingers, and an arrogant, dangerous aura suddenly rose from his body.

"You mere demonic beast—I'll show you the true power of my Flame Art!"

The black-cloaked leader was unnerved by Mo Hua's aura, his heart sinking.

Appearances can be deceiving.

This brat is so young, yet possesses such astonishing presence—he must have some hidden trump cards.

Moreover…

The fact that the Divine Eye fears him suggests something is deeply odd.

I must not underestimate him because of his youth.

The black-cloaked leader gripped his spirit sword tightly, unleashing demonic energy, fully on guard.

Mo Hua's expression remained haughty; he suddenly thrust his finger forward, his eyes flashing with killing intent.

"Forbidden Technique: Falling Flame!"

Forbidden Technique?!

Hearing this, the black-cloaked leader was stunned; he immediately summoned all his demonic energy to shield himself.

But moments later, no powerful spell struck before him.

He looked down and saw pale blue waterlight coiling around his body—water chains binding him firmly in place.

It wasn't a fire-based forbidden technique at all—it was a water-based binding spell!

He looked up again; the boy across from him had already vanished in a blur, leaving behind only a small, slippery, retreating back…

The black-cloaked leader stood frozen for a moment, then a seething rage surged into his chest, making him tremble with fury.

"You damn little brat!"

In front of the Divine Eye, in such a solemn moment, he actually… mocked me?!

Utterly… despicably vile!!!

"I will tear you into a thousand pieces!"

The black-cloaked leader's eyes turned bloodshot, teeth grinding as he snarled.

He swung his sword, demonic qi churning, shattering all the water-chain restraints coiled around his body, and moved to chase after Mo Hua.

But as soon as he took a step, he turned and saw Cheng Mo and the others.

He thought to take advantage of the moment and kill these few first.

Yet Mo Hua, far away, shimmered with water-light and accelerated his movement.

If he didn't pursue now and missed the opportunity, this brat might vanish somewhere unknown…

The black-cloaked leader spat a curse, demonic qi coiling around him, transforming into a streak of black light; with several leaps, he chased after Mo Hua.

He feared Mo Hua would escape.

He also feared Mo Hua would join forces with Dao Ting Si's hounds.

If that happened, he could not kill Mo Hua, and would defy the Divine Lord's command—facing the terrifying "Divine Punishment."

Fear gripped the black-cloaked leader, making him tremble involuntarily.

Therefore, this brat must die!

……

In the mountain forest at midnight.

Two figures, one ahead, one behind—one fleeing, one chasing.

After chasing for a moment, the black-cloaked leader felt a slight easing of tension.

The brat's escape direction was opposite to where Dao Ting Si's cultivators were located…

Probably his spiritual sense was weak, his perception range limited, so he couldn't detect the distant reinforcements, hence running like a headless fly in the mountains…

This gave him an opening.

Without Dao Ting Si's pack of hounds interfering, everything would be easier.

As long as he caught him, he could kill him!

Just a Foundation Establishment beginner brat—his blood qi and spiritual energy were weak, only knew disgusting spells, and loved to hide, lurking in shadows to ambush…

Now that he had opened the "Divine Eye," blessed by the Divine Lord, he could see through the brat's concealment.

The brat had no means left to hide.

Besides, those disgusting spells and treacherous tricks—just stay alert, and they're no problem.

"This brat can't escape!"

The black-cloaked leader sneered, accelerated his movement, and chased after Mo Hua.

Mo Hua's silhouette looked panicked, as if terrified of being caught—he ran blindly, desperately forward, even appearing "desperate and reckless."

He fled toward a remote direction, and the farther he ran, the more remote it became.

At first he followed clear mountain paths, but as the chase tightened, he had no time to think—he now ran along rugged mountain trails, desolate valleys, and lifeless forests.

To the black-cloaked leader, this was no different from seeking his own death.

The chase continued…

Night was as thick as ink, moonlight as cold as frost.

After fleeing for who knew how long, in a valley enclosed on three sides, overgrown with dead trees, Mo Hua was finally caught.

The black-cloaked leader raised his spiritual sword, sending a blade of light wrapped in demonic qi slashing toward Mo Hua.

Mo Hua's water-shadow flickered, barely avoiding it—he landed panting heavily, looking utterly disheveled.

The black-cloaked leader sneered, "Run again?"

Mo Hua's face was pale. "Why are you killing me?"

The black-cloaked leader stepped closer, a sneer on his face. "The Divine Lord commands your death—you must die!"

Mo Hua stepped back slowly, asking fearfully:

"Then your trafficking of cultivators—was that also ordered by the 'Divine Lord'?"

The black-cloaked leader opened his mouth to answer, but held back, only snorting coldly:

"You're not worthy to know."

He strode forward.

Mo Hua continued retreating, his expression tense: "Don't come closer…"

The black-cloaked leader's spiritual sense was icy, his sword steeped in deep demonic qi—he watched Mo Hua's every move, blocking all escape routes, inching closer step by step.

Mo Hua's eyes were like a fawn's, his expression pitifully vulnerable.

But this did not shake the black-cloaked leader's cold killing intent.

As he was cornered with nowhere to flee, Mo Hua gritted his teeth: "If you come any closer, I…"

The black-cloaked leader had already raised his sword, a smile curling on his lips: "And if I come closer, what then?"

Mo Hua's fear vanished; his gaze grew clear and profound, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

"If you come any closer, I will kill you."

The black-cloaked leader froze, then his eyes widened sharply.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a flicker of firelight beneath his feet.

Same familiar aura. Same familiar array.

This time, he tried to dodge—but realized the ground had long been covered in a vast array; there was nowhere to escape.

The array activated.

Crimson array lines glowed, interconnecting to form several Li Huo Arrays.

Before the black-cloaked leader could think, the array exploded instantly.

Flames erupted in all directions, fire surging upward.

Amidst a series of rising and falling "Boom—" sounds, the black-cloaked leader was completely engulfed in flames.

The array exploded, and the flame spiritual energy ravaged through the valley.

But these tongues of fire, the moment they neared Mo Hua, instantly recoiled, as if afraid to offend the array's "master."

Mo Hua stood nearby, his pupils flickering with firelight, silently watching the black-cloaked leader being consumed by flames.

After more than ten breaths, the flames subsided.

The smoke cleared, revealing the black-cloaked leader's figure.

His body was scarred and blistered from the explosions, covered in charred marks; the face covering had been burned away, exposing the face beneath the black cloth.

It was a relatively young face.

Though burned, its contours were still discernible.

Mo Hua did not recognize him, so he looked strangely unfamiliar.

The black-cloaked leader instinctively raised his hand to cover his face, but then remembered he had already been seen for this long—so he abandoned any attempt to hide it.

With his true face exposed, the black-cloaked leader grew calm.

He coldly regarded Mo Hua: "This time, you're truly dead."

Mo Hua sighed. "You've said that too many times. My ears are calloused."

Then he added regretfully: "I don't know if I'll die, but you almost just did."

The black-cloaked leader's face darkened with rage, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

This brat is too arrogant!

But he also trembled inside, deeply confused.

The black-cloaked leader stared coldly at Mo Hua: "When exactly did you set up the array? Why did I see neither array flags nor array plates?"

Mo Hua smiled sweetly: "I won't tell you."

The black-cloaked leader could not bear that adorable yet infuriating expression—he immediately surged with demonic energy, brandished his sword, and charged at Mo Hua.

At the same time, a denser wave of demonic energy surged from his heart meridian.

This demonic energy fused with his flesh and blood, repairing his wounds while replacing spiritual energy as it flowed through his meridians.

As he raised his sword, his injuries still made his movements sluggish.

But after the demonic energy surged, his aura暴涨 violently, his speed increased, his sword strikes grew stronger, and the demonic energy coiling around his blade thickened.

He was fighting for his life.

He was unleashing his primordial demonic energy, at any cost, to slay this brat!

Sword qi was sharp, demonic energy raged, aiming to kill Mo Hua.

Yet each time the sword qi mixed with demonic energy struck toward Mo Hua, he evaded by the narrowest margin.

When the black-cloaked leader moved faster, Mo Hua moved faster.

It was like a sword cutting through flowing water.

Mo Hua transformed his body into water, always slipping away between the blade's edge.

The black-cloaked leader's expression jolted.

"Zhang Family's Departed Water Step?!"

Then he shook his head: "No… not quite… Departed Water Step isn't this refined or eerie…"

The black-cloaked leader frowned.

At that moment, a flash of firelight appeared beneath his feet.

Startled like a frightened bird, he leapt away instantly.

The array lines connected into an array and exploded immediately—though the formation formed quickly, it was far too obvious.

Having been blasted twice, the black-cloaked leader was already on guard and still managed to dodge.

The array did not hit him.

Yet even so, the black-cloaked leader's eyes filled with shock.

This time he saw clearly: no array flags, no array plates, not even an array medium—the spiritual ink had spontaneously curled along the ground, forming the array according to its core structure.

"An array formed without a medium?"

No…

The black-cloaked leader frowned in thought, then suddenly realized:

"Not without a medium—but using the earth as the medium… drawing the array?"

He snapped his head up, staring fixedly at Mo Hua, disbelief in his voice:

"Who are you?"

"What is your connection to the Earth Sect?"

Mo Hua froze, then frowned.

This man knows too much…

What is his true identity?

He's deduced some of the karmic connections behind my steps and array techniques from just a few exchanges…

This human trafficker cannot be left alive!

And the black-cloaked leader dared not let Mo Hua live either.

His face had been seen by Mo Hua.

Moreover, Mo Hua's steps and array techniques clearly came from an illustrious origin, with deep karmic ties.

He must be killed early, then the matter covered up by Mr. Jiang Yuanmo to sever all karmic consequences.

At the same time, a sharp pain throbbed in his forehead.

It was the Divine Lord's Eye urging him on.

Urged him to kill the brat immediately.

In this urging, there was even a faint hint of... fear.

It seemed the Divine Eye, through the brat's array, had sensed something indescribable.

"Kill!"

The black-cloaked leader's gaze darkened, his sword strikes grew faster, his demonic qi more ferocious, forcing Mo Hua to give his all, using the Step of Flowing Water to evade.

Under such suppression, Mo Hua had no chance to set up an array.

Likewise, if Mo Hua so much as slipped—cut by sword qi or corrupted by demonic qi—he would die on the spot.

The black-cloaked leader's assault grew ever more frantic.

Although Mo Hua had kept evading with his footwork, he was clearly growing increasingly strained.

At that moment, the sinister eye on the black-cloaked leader's forehead suddenly blazed, emitting a crimson glow that enveloped Mo Hua.

Though Mo Hua's spiritual sense remained unaffected by the sinister eye, he was suddenly bathed in blood-red light, causing his spiritual sense to falter for an instant, and his body to hesitate slightly.

That slight hesitation was seized by the black-cloaked leader.

He slashed downward, demonic qi transforming into a long rainbow streaking straight for Mo Hua.

Mo Hua gritted his teeth, pushing his spiritual sense to its limit; on the Step of Flowing Water, a faint afterimage formed, his body moving a fraction faster—barely avoiding the demonic qi.

But he lost his balance, stumbled, cried "Oof!", and fell to the ground.

The black-cloaked leader sneered, slashing again.

This strike, he poured out vast demonic qi, aiming to kill Mo Hua in one blow, once and for all.

To ensure Mo Hua wasn't protected by any talismanic artifact that might survive a single strike, he intended to finish him with one blow—no need for a second.

So, he charged this strike a little longer.

Just that extra moment of charging—and as the blade came down, the black-cloaked leader's pupils shrank sharply.

He realized: Mo Hua was gone!

In the corner of his eye, he caught a flicker of pale blue water-light, circling behind him.

Behind him, a flame-like aura was coalescing.

The black-cloaked leader's heart trembled.

He suddenly recalled Mo Hua's earlier words:

"I'll let you see just how powerful my fire arts really are…"

Meteor Fire Forbidden Art?

Could it really be… that Meteor Fire technique?

Fuck…

The black-cloaked leader went on high alert, terrified—he condensed demonic qi into armor around his body, then spun around—and saw a fireball strike his face.

That fireball was nothing but an ordinary Fireball Technique.

Weak in power, it didn't even pierce his demonic qi.

It was more like…

An insult.

The black-cloaked leader fell silent for a moment, his expression twisting into pure fury.

"Little brat!"

"You're fucking with me?!"

At death's door, he still had the audacity to mock him again and again!

The black-cloaked leader's eyes bulged, demonic qi surging like a tidal wave.

Clutching his sword, he went berserk, slashing wildly at Mo Hua without regard for anything.

Within the valley, sword qi and demonic qi churned and intertwined.

Sword qi carved deep gashes; demonic qi corroded patches of grass and trees.

Mo Hua's form grew even more ragged.

Yet despite this, he still found moments to hurl one or two fireballs straight at the black-cloaked leader's face.

Minimal damage, maximum humiliation.

The black-cloaked leader's killing intent intensified, his sword strikes grew fiercer; as he slashed, he sneered with hatred:

"Where's your Meteor Fire Forbidden Art?"

"Is that all?"

"Just a few measly fireballs?"

"Aren't your arrays supposed to be powerful? Use them again!"

"Little brat, show me how powerful your fire arts really are?!"

…

After how long he'd cursed, the black-cloaked leader's spiritual sense grew weary, his mind foggy—and when he looked again,

Mo Hua seized the opening, his form flickered, the water-light vanished in an instant, and he disappeared from the black-cloaked leader's sight.

At the same time, the black-cloaked leader sensed Mo Hua's presence—and that faint flame aura—behind him again.

Same familiar feeling…

But this time, the black-cloaked leader only sneered in contempt.

He did not dodge.

He did not form demonic armor.

He did not use any other defensive technique.

Instead, he swung his sword backward, gathering demonic energy, intending to withstand the Fireball Spell and casually kill Mo Hua.

But halfway through the slash, the black-cloaked leader suddenly froze, ice crawling over his entire body.

He sensed something was wrong with the aura behind him.

It wasn't one fireball—it was two fireballs forming simultaneously.

After the fireballs coalesced, in an instant, a powerful spiritual pressure slammed down, followed by a tearing, howling sound.

Something seemed to collapse, then merge.

What followed was an incredibly condensed, intensely hot flame energy—so compressed and concentrated it inspired terror…

A crisp, icy voice sounded beside his ear:

"Let me show you my fire technique…"

The black-cloaked leader's pupils trembled.

"What is this?!"

In the nick of time, he tried to turn, to channel demonic energy to shield himself—but it was too late.

Behind the black-cloaked leader, Mo Hua rubbed his two small hands together.

A small, pale-purple "meteorite," brimming with immense spiritual energy, formed.

Then, with lightning speed, he pressed the "meteorite" against the black-cloaked leader's back.

Enormous spiritual energy erupted instantly.

Spiritual force twisted; surging flames raged wildly.

The black-cloaked leader felt as if nearly a hundred "Firebomb Talismans" had been stuffed into his chest and detonated at once—the terrible flames shredded, burned, and obliterated his flesh, spiritual energy, and demonic energy alike.

Then, a blinding, color-distorting flash of fire burst through his chest.

The black-cloaked leader's expression was one of utter disbelief.

"How… could this really be… a forbidden technique?"

He looked down at the massive, charred hole blasted through his chest, his pupils still trembling with shock, then slowly losing focus.

His body slowly knelt to the ground, lifeless.

(End of Chapter)