Chapter 759: The Truth

A crimson stream trickled gently onward, its end invisible in the distance.

What flowed within was unknown—demon blood or human blood.

The stones beside the stream, soaked in blood year after year, had hardened into a layer of dried blood crust, glowing with an eerie black-red hue.

Around them lay demon beast bones, marked with gnawing traces, as if chewed by human hands—or something else.

These bones were scattered along both banks, piled together like a beach of white skeletons.

Mo Hua and Elder Xun Ziyou's expressions both turned solemn.

The sheer number of demon bones indicated an immense quantity of demon beasts had died here.

Likewise, this suggested the demon cultivators hiding here were no small number.

Instantly, both of them simultaneously raised the same question:

Where had these demon cultivators come from?

Mo Hua glanced at Elder Xun Ziyou, whose brows were furrowed, and asked softly:

"Elder Xun, have you ever seen this place of white bones before?"

Elder Xun Ziyou paused in thought; though reluctant to admit it, he could only sigh:

"I've served duty in this Demon Refining Mountain for two or three decades, and I've never seen this blood stream or these white bones before…"

"Nor have I ever seen any demon cultivators," Elder Xun Ziyou added.

Mo Hua pondered a moment, then asked:

"Elder Xun, is it truly impossible for outsiders to enter the Demon Refining Mountain?"

Elder Xun Ziyou looked solemn: "The Demon Refining Mountain is sealed by arrays; apart from sect disciples and a few duty-bound elders, no other cultivator could possibly enter…"

Here, Elder Xun Ziyou suddenly froze, understanding Mo Hua's implication, his gaze trembling slightly:

"You mean… these demon cultivators are all sect disciples?"

Mo Hua corrected him: "They 'were' sect disciples."

Elder Xun Ziyou's heart tightened, then a chill crawled up his spine.

If so, the matter might be far more serious than he had imagined.

Demons and devils are despised by the righteous path, forbidden by Dao law, and eradicated by the Dao Court.

If Mo Hua's words were true—that a large number of demon cultivators had appeared here—it meant a large number of disciples had fallen into demonhood and darkness.

This would be the greatest "scandal" in Qianxue Province to date.

The entire Qianxue Province would be thrown into massive upheaval.

"We must find out the truth!"

Who had the audacity to lure, condone, and shelter so many disciples into becoming demon cultivators?

Elder Xun Ziyou's gaze turned icy.

He stepped forward to examine the white bone beach, but Mo Hua suddenly grabbed his arm.

"We cannot leave this forest," Mo Hua said.

Elder Xun Ziyou froze.

Mo Hua pointed to the dense woods: "This forest is laced with divine arrays that obscure spiritual sense…"

"It's a double-edged sword—it hides the demon cultivators' traces, but also hides ours."

"But ahead is different: the blood stream and white bone ground are barren, with no trees to conceal them, no divine arrays."

"If we walk out there, we might be seen clearly."

Elder Xun Ziyou frowned: "What about concealment spiritual artifacts?"

Mo Hua asked: "Elder Xun, do you have a concealment spiritual artifact?"

"Yes," Elder Xun Ziyou nodded. "I don't usually carry one, but I've been carrying one lately."

Mainly to stealthily track you…

Elder Xun Ziyou thought silently.

Mo Hua nodded slightly, thought again, then shook his head: "It's not just about concealment—I suspect there are arrays too…"

"Arrays?"

"Yes," Mo Hua pointed to the white bone ground. "Beneath these bones lie arrays—though I don't know what kind, they're highly strange; advancing recklessly would bring great trouble."

"Concealment probably won't work either…"

These were insights he had just gained.

Demon cultivators wouldn't randomly dump demon beast remains before this stream.

They did this for a reason.

Mo Hua glanced briefly and knew:

This was a demonic array.

And it wasn't an ordinary one.

"If we just walk over, causing anomalies, we'll surely be noticed—Jin Dan demon cultivators are manageable, but if there's a Liu Yuhua…"

"There are no Liu Yuhua," Elder Xun Ziyou said.

Mo Hua blinked in surprise. "None?"

"None," Elder Xun Ziyou affirmed. "When the Demon Refining Mountain was first built, the elder masters who sealed it with arrays also imposed a limit on the cultivation levels of cultivators near the outer mountain."

"The highest cultivation level near the outer mountain is Jin Dan."

Mo Hua's pupils shrank slightly. "Celestial Array?!"

Elder Xun Ziyou was startled. "What Celestial Array?"

Mo Hua pointed upward: "The heavenly tribulation thunder…"

Elder Xun Ziyou suddenly understood, shaking his head, "There's no great array in the sky—you mean the Heavenly Dao's prohibitions."

Mo Hua then remembered that his master had said the Heavenly Dao Array was merely legend, and most cultivators didn't believe such an array existed in the heavens.

But Mo Hua knew the Heavenly Dao Array was real.

Because he had seen it with his own eyes.

"Mm-hmm!" Mo Hua nodded. "It's the Heavenly Dao's prohibitions."

Elder Xun Ziyou shook his head. "That's different. The Nine Provinces are ranked; in low-ranked provinces, using transcendent-level cultivation will result in annihilation by the Heavenly Dao."

"But the power of such Heavenly Dao prohibitions is beyond any cultivator's control."

"The sealing array of the Demon Refining Mountain couldn't possibly possess such power."

"That sealing array is actually an expulsion array—it issues a warning when a Liu Yuhua-level cultivator enters the Demon Refining Mountain."

"If the Liu Yuhua-level cultivator doesn't leave within one incense stick's time,"

"the mountain's protective array activates the fifth-rank spatial array within the compound, forcibly expelling the Liu Yuhua-level cultivator from the Demon Refining Mountain…"

"Why expel Liu Yuhua cultivators?" Mo Hua asked. "Are they afraid Liu Yuhua cultivators will do evil?"

"Precisely," Elder Xun Ziyou nodded. "Jin Dan elders are sufficient to guard these disciples. If we allowed Liu Yuhua-level elders inside, and one of them went mad, fell into demonic obsession, and went on a rampage within the Demon Refining Mountain, it would be a catastrophe."

"Liu Yuhua differs from Jin Dan—Liu Yuhua can transform spiritual energy into wings and fly through the void."

"Once unleashed, their killing intent lets them dart back and forth, slaughtering wildly. The Foundation Establishment disciples here would be like grass and weeds—countless would die."

"For the sect, this would be a massive disaster."

"Long ago, such incidents did happen. That's why, later, they simply cut it off entirely—banning all cultivators above Liu Yuhua level from entering the outer mountain of the Demon Refining Mountain."

"So that's why…"

Mo Hua understood, nodding.

So the strongest of these demonic cultivators here couldn't exceed Jin Dan level.

Mo Hua glanced at Elder Xun Ziyou.

Elder Xun was at late-stage Jin Dan, his cultivation deep and his combat ability formidable—he could surely protect himself.

Mo Hua's confidence grew stronger.

"Elder Xun, let's go back," Mo Hua said.

"Go back?" Elder Xun Ziyou frowned.

Mo Hua explained, "We'll come back at night. Most demonic beasts lie dormant by day and emerge at night."

"Demonic cultivators practice demonic arts, drink demonic blood, eat demonic flesh—they follow the demonic Dao. Generally, they only make major moves at night."

"Moreover, over these many years, these demonic cultivators have lain low here without leaving a trace—they likely only mobilize en masse at night, when the Demon Refining Mountain is nearly deserted, to poach demonic beasts, which is why no one ever discovered them…"

"So coming at night is better."

Elder Xun Ziyou said, "Then why not just wait here?"

Mo Hua silently glanced at Elder Xun Ziyou and whispered, "We're going back to look something up."

"Look up what?" Elder Xun Ziyou was confused again.

Mo Hua pointed at the ground littered with bones bearing "gnawing" marks, and said slowly:

"Find out the origins of these demonic cultivators."

Elder Xun Ziyou's gaze sharpened, instantly understanding.

If these demonic cultivators had once been sect disciples, the Demon Refining Mountain's archives must contain records of them.

For example, disciples who went "missing" in the Demon Refining Mountain in recent years…

…or those declared "dead"…

They were not necessarily truly "missing" or "dead" within the Demon Refining Mountain.

More likely, they "transformed" into demonic cultivators here, abandoned their original identities, and were recorded as "dead" in the sect's archives…

Elder Xun Ziyou's heart tightened.

This theory was highly plausible.

He then gave Mo Hua a strange look.

Had this child already anticipated this, while he himself only just realized it?

Why did he feel Mo Hua knew more than he did?

As if he'd been dealing with these demons and monsters every day…

While Elder Xun Ziyou was still stunned, Mo Hua had already turned to leave. Halfway there, he glanced back and saw Elder Xun Ziyou still standing there dazed, and couldn't help saying:

"Elder Xun, come on."

Elder Xun Ziyou snapped out of it and nodded. "Alright."

But as he watched Mo Hua's back, his gaze remained shaken.

Perhaps not only had he misjudged, but even the Ancestor had misread this child.

This boy… might not just be a "talent for arrays."

He might not even be suitable to be treated as a "disciple" at all…

…

The two returned to the mountain gate, and Mo Hua said:

"Elder Xun, we need to check the archives—find out which disciples went missing or were declared 'dead' in the Demon Refining Mountain in recent years. Ideally, with portraits…"

Mo Hua secretly harbored another hypothesis he needed to verify.

"Fine."

Elder Xun Ziyou sighed, somewhat reluctant.

He suddenly had the feeling that Mo Hua was the real "elder," and he himself was just a bodyguard for "Elder Mo."

Xun Ziyou walked toward the Juan Sect chamber in the Great Hall of Lianyao Mountain.

Mo Hua followed naturally.

But after a few steps, Xun Ziyou stopped him: "You cannot enter."

Mo Hua froze.

Xun Ziyou said: "Only the duty elders may enter the Juan Sect chamber, and only they are qualified to review Lianyao Mountain's Juan Sect records."

Mo Hua was deeply disappointed.

He very much wanted to flip through Lianyao Mountain's Juan Sect records and see what they contained.

What a pity.

Mo Hua instructed: "Then please look carefully—note all the names, and don't forget the portraits…"

Xun Ziyou sighed: "Alright…"

Holding the Elder's Token, Xun Ziyou entered the Juan Sect chamber. After about an hour, he emerged and gave Mo Hua a signal.

Mo Hua understood at once.

The two returned to Lianyao Mountain, found a secluded boulder with no one around, and sat on the ground.

Xun Ziyou whispered:

"I secretly took these—these are copies. Names, native places, origins, resumes, portraits—all are here… You finish reading, and I'll burn them."

Mo Hua's heart trembled.

This Elder Xun Ziyou was truly reliable!

He not only knew what Mo Hua wanted, but had even anticipated things Mo Hua hadn't thought of.

No wonder he's a distant descendant of Elder Xun!

No time to waste—Mo Hua immediately began reviewing the Juan Sect records.

The records listed names of disciples who had either "gone missing" or "died" within Lianyao Mountain over the past century:

"Kuang Ping, Duanjin Gate, third-grade Kuang family disciple, age nineteen, entered Lianyao Mountain, vanished three days later. Mountain search lasted two months—no trace found. Suspected killed by beast."

"Jiang Rulong, Guishui Gate, second-grade Jiang family disciple, age twenty, entered mountain to hunt beasts. Lacked experience, panicked under pressure, failed in hunt, dragged into deep forest by beast—body never recovered…"

"Lan Hui'er, Danqing Gate… entered mountain with male fellow disciple; both perished…"

"Liao Ying, Wanzhen Gate…"

…

Among the missing or deceased disciples listed, those from Duanjin Gate and Guishui Gate were not alone—Qitage Sects were also represented.

Some of them likely truly died within Lianyao Mountain.

But others… were harder to explain…

There was a strong chance that some of the deceased disciples on this list were now inside Lianyao Mountain, transformed into beast-kind, feeding on flesh and blood.

It might not stop there.

In Mo Hua's intuition, some names and faces were unfamiliar, yet strangely familiar.

It was a karmic intuition.

As if they had once crossed paths.

Mo Hua paused, then suddenly remembered:

Sinful cultivators!

Earlier, based on Jiang Laoda's list, he had captured many sinful cultivators who carried sect lineages and should have had roots within their sects.

But Dao Ting Si had investigated and found nothing.

Mo Hua had been puzzled before—now, seeing this list, it suddenly made sense: those sinful cultivators living outside, committing crimes, had likely already been declared "dead" in their sect's records.

That was why Dao Ting Si found nothing.

The sects themselves could hardly verify anything!

In other words, not only were beast cultivators within Lianyao Mountain, but also the evil cultivators outside Qianxue Province who trafficked cultivators and committed countless atrocities—all used Lianyao Mountain to "erase their records."

Lianyao Mountain was a black rag.

Through "death records," it erased all traces of disciples before they became sinful cultivators, beast cultivators, or even demonic cultivators.

After erasure, they changed faces, changed names—no one could trace their origins.

Mo Hua was quietly startled.

"No wonder…"

"No wonder those black-clad traffickers, who became the Black God's pawns, were so brazen—yet Dao Ting Si hit a wall whenever they investigated, because tracing back to the sects revealed the truth: 'No such person exists'…"

"Because the disciples matching the criteria had already been declared 'dead'!"

"And in the sects' eyes, Dao Ting Si investigating a dead—or nonexistent—disciple and 'defaming' him as linked to traffickers or other demonic cultivators was clearly provocation, slander, and deliberate defamation."

"No sect could possibly ignore this."

"To protect sect interests, reputation, and even the honor of the 'dead' disciples, the sects were forced to oppose Dao Ting Si and obstruct its investigations."

"Thus, whenever Dao Ting Si began investigating, it inevitably hit a dead end."

"Even Gu Shuji—no matter how powerful he was—was powerless."

"He was Gu Diansi of Dao Ting Si. Starting from Dao Ting Si, he was forever blocked by the sects' closed doors…"

Mo Hua finally understood—he had pieced it all together.

But he still wasn't entirely certain.

After all, these were only his conjectures.

Karmic intuition was still just intuition—it didn't guarantee absolute accuracy.

"Need to verify…"

Mo Hua flipped through the list again.

He didn't know how long he'd been flipping, but Mo Hua's pupils contracted, and a moment later a faint smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

"Found it…"

On the list, a name was recorded:

"Xie Cangshan, disciple of the Guishui Sect, twenty-one years old, born of the third-grade Xie clan, mid Foundation Establishment cultivation, arrogant and complacent in temperament, entered the mountain alone to hunt yao, went missing… three months later, declared dead."

This name, Mo Hua had never heard of.

But the portrait beside the name, Mo Hua found very familiar.

This person, this face — it was that black-clothed leader from back then!

That seemed to be two or three years ago, when Cheng Mo and the others had stumbled upon over twenty black-clothed men trafficking cultivators, were pursued by the black-clothed men, and at their wits' end, happened to run into him.

He had lent a slight hand.

He saved Cheng Mo, and also killed the traffickers, rescuing the abducted cultivators.

At the time, most of this group of traffickers died, dissolving into a puddle of black water.

There was only one exception — that black-clothed leader!

The black-clothed leader carried the Evil God's remains on his body, chased him all the way to the barren mountain, and was then killed by him after he had exhausted every means at his disposal.

After the black-clothed leader died, Mo Hua had looked at his face.

Though it had been blasted by the Departing Fire Array, leaving some scorch marks, with a sinister look, it still appeared to be a fairly young cultivator, estimated to be only in his twenties.

That face now slowly overlapped with the portrait before him.

Xie Cangshan!

Mo Hua's eyes lit up brightly.

This could confirm his conjecture!

Mo Hua checked the time again and discovered that the time Xie Cangshan "went missing" was exactly the second day after he had been "killed" by him.

In other words, the moment the black-clothed leader who was a trafficker died, Xie Cangshan who was a sect disciple also "went missing" in the Yao-Refining Mountain.

This was no coincidence, but a very mature, stable, and nearly "seamless" operation.

And the people and forces involved behind it were bound to be no small matter.

Mo Hua's gaze grew slightly cold.

Beside him, Elder Xun Ziyou, seeing Mo Hua's focused gaze and shifting expression, couldn't help but ask:

"Did you see something again?"

Mo Hua glanced at Elder Xun Ziyou, thought for a moment, and still did not lay everything out, only mentioning what was right before him:

"Those yao cultivators in the Yao-Refining Mountain are most likely the disciples on this list who went missing or died."

Elder Xun Ziyou, unaware that Mo Hua was holding back, nodded and sighed inwardly.

Darkness under the lamp…

No one had expected that within the Qianxue State border, right under the noses of a group of sect elders, such a thing could happen.

Some people's guts were truly too big.

And their methods were indeed thorough.

The conspiracy behind it was probably no small matter…

Elder Xun Ziyou looked up at the sky and said, "It's getting late, let's go take another look at that place of white bones."

"Mm!" Mo Hua nodded.

The two set off again.

At this moment the setting sun sank behind the mountain, the morning glow splashed across the sky — a sight all too common in the Yao-Refining Mountain.

But the difference was, at this hour Mo Hua would normally have finished hunting yao beasts and, bathed in the sunset, be heading down the mountain to return to the sect.

Yet now, he was walking toward the depths of the Yao-Refining Mountain's dense forest.

Taking advantage of the setting sun, step by step, he walked into the darkness of the Yao-Refining Mountain…

dengbidmxswqqxswyifan

shuyueepzwqqwxwxsguan

xs007zhuikereadw23zw