Chapter 794: The Situation

"Old Master…"

Mo Hua spoke softly, his voice dry and hoarse, as if the lingering effects of his spiritual sense had also affected his body.

"Mm." Mr. Xun continued tracing something on the array parchment with his vermilion brush, then slightly lifted his head, glanced at Mo Hua, and asked:

"How are you?"

Mo Hua turned his spiritual awareness inward, sensing his own mind sea—he found it still filled with the "evil thoughts" of demonic influences, slowly eroding his Dao heart, though significantly weakened.

It seemed that during his unconsciousness, his mind sea had been continuously and autonomously "digesting" these mottled, bloodthirsty desires.

"Much better," Mo Hua said.

Mr. Xun nodded.

Mo Hua glanced at the array parchment in Mr. Xun's hand. "Old Master, what are these…?"

Mr. Xun let out a faint sigh.

"You took such a long leave, and lay unconscious for two days—I had to grade all these array assignments myself…"

No slacking off allowed.

Mo Hua smiled apologetically.

Mr. Xun looked at Mo Hua again, his eyes brimming with countless thoughts, all of which he quietly buried beneath the surface.

"Ziyou told me everything about the Ten Thousand Demons Valley."

"You did well."

"But you must not mention a single word of this matter to outsiders—I've already instructed all the inner sect elders and disciples involved not to reveal your 'name.'"

"I've also warned the Tai'e Sect and Chongxu Sect."

"Not just you—Linghu Xiao, Ouyang Mu, and Song Jian—all their names will remain undisclosed…"

Mo Hua frowned in confusion. "For secrecy?"

"Not entirely," Mr. Xun sighed. "Secrecy is necessary."

"The Ten Thousand Demons Valley incident is a grave scandal—but precisely because it is a 'scandal,' it must not be exposed, or it may bring…"

Mr. Xun paused, then continued, "... unpredictable consequences, fortune and misfortune impossible to foresee."

"Moreover, this is also for your own good."

"You are disciples of the sect—your true duty is to cultivate in peace; you have no need to be drawn into these bloody, treacherous conspiracies."

"Besides, this matter involves some demonic and beast sects."

"Once you become entangled in such affairs, you will easily invite gossip. Too much idle talk will harm your own Dao progress—it's not worth it…"

Mr. Xun's expression grew solemn.

He mentioned it only briefly.

But Mo Hua understood roughly.

If the Ten Thousand Demons Valley incident became public, they could never explain themselves clearly.

How could three Foundation Establishment mid-stage disciples, trapped in the Ten Thousand Demons Valley—where demonic beasts were rampant and even Foundation Establishment peak-level entities dwelled—have escaped with the help of another Foundation Establishment mid-stage disciple?

It sounded like a fairy tale.

Logically, it was impossible.

Others would find it hard to believe.

And once trapped in a demonic realm, surrounded daily by demonic cultivators, had they been coerced or tempted into taking demonic pills, eating human flesh, practicing demonic arts, or forging evil swords?

These would all spark baseless suspicion.

Words can kill.

If someone maliciously spread rumors behind their backs, stoking the fire, smearing them with filth, then under the power of "three men make a tiger," proving their innocence would be impossible.

When people demand you slit your belly to prove your purity, they don't care whether you're innocent.

He himself didn't mind—he was a lone cultivator, got along well with his sectmates, and wasn't afraid of rumors.

He didn't care about slander from other sects either.

But the other three were different.

Linghu Xiao was a sword prodigy of the Chongxu Sect.

Ouyang Mu, though unremarkable, was a direct heir of the Ouyang Clan, with an outstanding elder brother.

And both had personalities—either reclusive or taciturn—and poor relations with their sectmates, lacking the skill to speak up for themselves.

Once rumors spread, they probably wouldn't even know how to defend themselves.

And Song Jian…

Oh, Song Jian didn't matter.

Mo Hua suddenly understood.

He had always thought of himself as an obscure little disciple, unknown and unimportant, so he'd never considered such a possibility.

Now, with Mr. Xun mentioning it, he realized that sometimes harm doesn't require knives or guns—no facts needed—just the ability to spread rumors.

Mo Hua nodded solemnly. "Old Master, I understand. Thank you for your concern."

Mr. Xun nodded.

Smart kids are always easier…

Just a hint, and he grasped it himself.

Mo Hua whispered quietly: "Old Master, how will the Ten Thousand Demons Valley matter end?"

He was deeply curious.

Within Qianxue Prefecture, where sects abound and cultivation studies flourish, to establish a base, raise demonic cultivators, and lure disciples into the path of evil—

The Duanjin Sect has dug such a massive pit—no matter how hard they try to cover it up, they can't possibly hide it anymore.

Old Master Xun hesitated, then suddenly paused, turning to Mo Hua with a question:

"What do you think?"

Mo Hua blinked. "Me?"

Old Master Xun nodded. "If you were the 'Ancient Ancestor' of Qianxue Province, how would you act? And if you were a high-ranking official of the Dao Court, what would you do?"

Mo Hua frowned, following Old Master Xun's line of thought:

"If I were the 'Ancient Ancestor' of Qianxue Province..."

After pondering, Mo Hua had to admit: "... then this matter must be buried as deeply as possible."

"Though Duanjin Gate caused the trouble, the entire Qianxue Province suffers together."

"If others learned that within Qianxue Province, someone had built a Demon Valley to coerce and lure disciples into the demonic path, every sect in Qianxue Province would suffer reputational damage."

"If Duanjin Gate lured disciples into the demonic path, other sects likely aren't clean either."

"After all, to outsiders, Qianxue Province is one entity. They don't know the rivalries and conflicts between sects—they only see Qianxue Province as corrupt, rotten, and united in wickedness. No one would send their disciples here to study after that."

"So this is the entire Qianxue Province's family shame. And family shame must not be aired publicly."

Old Master Xun nodded.

"And if I were a high-ranking official of the Dao Court..." Mo Hua continued, "if I didn't know about the Demon Valley, fine. But once I did..."

Mo Hua's eyebrows lifted, his tone turning sharp: "Then I'd squeeze them hard."

"Using Dao Law as an excuse, using this as leverage, I'd extort every last drop of wealth from the implicated sects of Qianxue Province, then find some pretext to pretend magnanimity and let it slide."

"Handling this fairly would be extremely difficult—and it would anger every sect."

"Better this way: gain both face and profit."

"If Duanjin Gate realizes there's no turning back, they'll naturally embrace a die-with-the-fish mentality."

"But if the Dao Court appears greedy, only demanding 'benefits,' they'll cling to hope, grit their teeth, and pay tribute without fierce resistance..."

Mo Hua spoke with perfect logic.

Old Master Xun looked at Mo Hua, his gaze complex.

Mo Hua noticed the look, blinked slightly, uncertain, and asked softly:

"Old Master, did I say something wrong?"

Old Master Xun sighed. "No."

It was more or less like that.

A qualified 'Ancient Ancestor' would indeed think this way.

Old Master Xun asked: "But from your own perspective—what did you originally think?"

Mo Hua blinked, then said with a hint of embarrassment:

"I thought simply: expose the matter and make Duanjin Gate suffer terribly!"

Old Master Xun asked: "Why?"

Mo Hua thought, then frowned: "Because Duanjin Gate blurs right and wrong, acting against Daoist morality..."

Old Master Xun nodded. "Your thinking isn't wrong."

Mo Hua was surprised. "Even this isn't wrong?"

Old Master Xun's expression turned solemn: "A sect that blurs right and wrong, acting against Daoist morality—what use is it?"

Mo Hua's expression hardened.

Old Master Xun said: "You're neither a Qianxue Province 'Ancient Ancestor' nor a Dao Court official. Why should you care about their interests?"

"You have your own thoughts—and your thoughts are correct. Then act according to them."

Mo Hua was momentarily confused. "Then..."

Old Master Xun said: "I asked you to imagine yourself as an 'Ancient Ancestor,' to see this matter from their perspective, so you'd understand: never consider only your own viewpoint."

"Don't just think 'you think'—otherwise your thinking is limited, your vision narrow, and you'll eventually become someone else's pawn."

"To know others is wisdom. The more you understand others, the stronger your control over the situation."

"But you needn't reject your own thoughts."

"If your thoughts align with 'Daoist morality,' then you are right—and they are wrong."

"It's just that your strength is too weak, and the 'Ancient Ancestors' who care only about interest and reality are too powerful—so events won't unfold as you wish, but according to their schemes."

"You must understand this."

"Sometimes, it's not that you're wrong—it's that you're too 'weak.'"

"If one day you ascend to Void-Permeation, or even beyond, possessing supreme power, many things in the world will naturally unfold according to your will..."

"But now you're not strong. The course of events is controlled by others. So when faced with matters, think harder: what do they think? Only then can you foresee how things will unfold—and know what you must do."

Old Master Xun gave Mo Hua one final, profound look.

"You must learn to stand above, from the 'Ancient Ancestor's' perspective, and look down—"

"But I don't wish for you to become only such a lofty 'Ancient Ancestor'..."

Mo Hua's gaze trembled, then slowly nodded.

"Enough," Old Master Xun said, his tone lightening. "I'm old. Before I knew it, I've talked too much."

Mo Hua replied solemnly:

"Thank you, Old Master, for your teaching."

Old Master Xun's brow twitched slightly, his gaze softening.

"By the way, Old Master," Mo Hua suddenly blinked, "didn't our Grand Void Gate extract any profit from Duanjin Gate?"

Old Master Xun blinked, then smiled faintly. "I'm also an 'Ancient Ancestor.' If others can squeeze profit, how could I possibly let it slip?"

Old Master Xun glanced at Mo Hua and said calmly:

"From now on, you can use anything from Duanjin Sect—whether sword techniques or sword arrays—that you have in your possession."

Mo Hua blinked in surprise, finally realizing that Elder Xun Ziyou likely knew everything.

But then again, it was only natural.

Elder Xun Ziyou had been watching him closely; how could he not know about Mo Hua's usual methods?

If he knew, then Elder Xun Ziyou naturally knew too.

Mo Hua still felt uneasy:

"Really? Can I use them...? Duanjin Sect is so stingy..."

"Use them without hesitation," said Elder Xun Ziyou. "Duanjin Sect and our Grand Void Gate originally agreed to 'discard sectarian prejudice and exchange cultivation methods,' and we have exchanged some of our legacies."

"Some of their sect's foundational first- and second-rank sword techniques and sword arrays have already been stored in our Grand Void Gate's library."

"Exchanged legacies?"

Mo Hua was stunned, then asked: "Then what did our Grand Void Gate give Duanjin Sect in return?"

Elder Xun Ziyou sneered: "A pile of common, worthless spells—no one remembers them..."

Mo Hua froze.

Right. So that's how this "exchange" worked.

"So... only the foundational sword techniques?"

Mo Hua asked softly again.

He felt that the Duanjin Sword Technique and Duanjin Sword Array he held didn't seem like "foundational" legacies at all.

He now carried these legacies and felt more "authentic" than even Duanjin Sect's direct disciples.

"Foundational is enough," Elder Xun Ziyou said firmly. "Even if you only learned the 'foundational' parts, you're still stronger than them."

"No matter how good their legacy is, if they themselves are incompetent and can't match you, it's their problem."

Mo Hua felt slightly embarrassed, but he finally understood.

This was just an "excuse."

As long as his Duanjin Sect techniques had an origin and an explanation, the truth didn't really matter.

Elder Xun Ziyou thought for a moment, then added:

"This matter involves too much. All rumors have been sealed off. On the surface, everything is calm, but beneath, currents run wild."

"The Dao Court, the Sida Sect, and numerous other sects—especially Duanjin Sect, and even our own Grand Void, Tai'e, and Chongxu sects—are engaged in open and covert struggles. They won't stop until everything settles."

"So for now, keep a low profile and don't let anything slip."

"As for your leave of absence, if fellow disciples ask, say I assigned you a task that took you on a long journey to paint seven or eight days' worth of arrays."

"As for the exact reason..." Elder Xun Ziyou looked at Mo Hua with deep meaning, "Make it up yourself—you should be very familiar with that."

"I... am not that familiar..."

Mo Hua said nervously.

Elder Xun Ziyou raised an eyebrow slightly but didn't press further. Instead, his expression turned solemn as he asked his final question:

"Did your spiritual sense pick up any malevolent influences inside the Spirit-Burning Map?"

"Yes." Mo Hua nodded slowly.

More accurately, he had "eaten" them—not merely picked them up.

But even Elder Xun Ziyou didn't consider that possibility.

"Picking up" malevolent influences was already the worst scenario he could imagine.

He had never witnessed it firsthand, so he could never have guessed how "ferocious" Mo Hua's spiritual sense truly was.

"Picked up malevolent influences..." Elder Xun Ziyou frowned.

"It's fine," Mo Hua said. "Old Master, when I meditate, I can gradually purify these malevolent thoughts."

"Meditate?" Elder Xun Ziyou paused, his heart stirred.

Could it be... that man's meditation technique?

Elder Xun Ziyou pondered briefly, then nodded:

"Very well."

Still, he remained uneasy. He took from his storage pouch a sandalwood incense with golden-edged markings and an ancient scroll in a jade box.

"This Peaceful Incense is top-grade. Light it while you meditate—it will help you focus your mind and dispel distractions."

"As for this scroll..."

Mo Hua saw the scroll and his heart leapt—he blurted out:

"Observation Chart?!"

Elder Xun Ziyou raised an eyebrow—slightly surprised, yet not entirely so. "You've seen an Observation Chart before?"

"Yes, I've seen a few," Mo Hua answered honestly.

Elder Xun Ziyou was mildly startled.

Seen "a few."

More than one?

"Such a young boy, yet surprisingly well-traveled..."

Elder Xun Ziyou thought to himself.

"Since you know, I won't explain further. This Observation Chart is a divine artifact treasured by our Grand Void Sect. Don't open it casually—especially not in front of outsiders."

"When you return to the disciples' quarters, light that incense, then open this chart and observe it—it will benefit your spiritual sense."

"True 'pure' Observation Charts are rare in this world. Cherish this one while you can."

Mo Hua was deeply surprised: "Old Master, you're giving me something this precious?"

Mr. Xun fell silent, shooting Mo Hua an irritated glare:

"What do you mean 'give' it to you? It's only temporarily lent to you. After you've finished reading and your spiritual sense has recovered, you'll return it."

"Oh…" Mo Hua nodded.

Fine, lend it then—better to have it than nothing.

Mr. Xun handed the visualization chart to Mo Hua.

Mo Hua received it solemnly.

Yet at the very moment Mo Hua took it, Mr. Xun's heart jolted sharply—he felt as if he'd just sent a lamb into Hukou.

His hand stiffened, gripping the chart tightly, unwilling to let go.

Mo Hua held the chart with both hands, but seeing Mr. Xun still clutching it, he frowned in confusion. "Mr. Xun?"

Mr. Xun snapped back to himself, gave Mo Hua a peculiar look, hesitated a moment longer, then spoke with solemn gravity:

"Remember to return it."

"Absolutely, absolutely—don't you dare damage it…"

"Mm-hmm." Mo Hua readily agreed. "Mr. Xun, rest assured."

So far, every visualization chart he'd seen—or handled—had never remained "unharmed."

But those were all other people's charts.

And they were filled with minor ghosts and corpse spirits—nothing but vile things.

His own sect's chart would surely be different.

Having received Mo Hua's assurance, Mr. Xun no longer hesitated and temporarily handed over the visualization chart.

Mo Hua solemnly received it and cherished and valued it carefully.

Afterward, Mr. Xun gave a few more instructions, then rose to leave, adding before departing:

"For these days, take good care of yourself. Return to class only when you've fully recovered—but don't forget to make up the missed lessons."

"Cultivation is like rowing upstream—stand still, and you fall back. Don't slack off."

"Yes, Mr. Xun." Mo Hua replied obediently.

"By the way…"

Mr. Xun had already risen, cast one final glance at Mo Hua, then remembered something else. After much hesitation, he confirmed:

"Has your spiritual sense grown stronger again?"

Earlier, when Mo Hua lay in bed, plagued by malevolent spirits, his spiritual awareness had been faint, his aura barely noticeable.

Now, after chatting with him for a while, Mr. Xun clearly perceived that Mo Hua's spiritual sense had become noticeably deeper and more refined than before.

"Mm, my spiritual sense accidentally broke through again…" Mo Hua said.

Though he'd anticipated it, Mr. Xun's heart leapt.

Broke through again.

His cultivation barely advanced, yet his spiritual sense kept breaking through—indeed…

"Good, good,"

Mr. Xun nodded with satisfaction.

With this, he was one step closer to his plan.

What he'd once thought impossible now seemed to have taken on a glimmer of possibility.

Mr. Xun felt immense relief and said with great hope:

"Rest well. When your spiritual sense is fully recovered, come find me—I'll teach you the Eighteen-Stroke Array."

But Mo Hua shook his head. "Not Eighteen-Stroke."

Mr. Xun froze.

"I accidentally broke through a bit more…" Mo Hua whispered. "Now it's Nineteen-Stroke…"

Nineteen…

Mr. Xun felt a tightness in his chest, nearly gasping for air.

Spiritual sense at Nineteen-Stroke?

From Seventeen straight to Nineteen—breaking through two realms in one go?!

Mr. Xun drew a deep breath, eyes wide with disbelief.

His cultivation had just reached Foundation Establishment mid-stage, yet his spiritual sense had already approached the peak of Foundation Establishment?

That young man surnamed Zhuang… where in the world did he find a disciple so unassuming, yet with spiritual potential so "heaven-defying"?

Thank you, Master Pharyde, for your Grand Patronage!

I weep with gratitude—I owe you one more.

(.)

Also, I recommend a friend's novel—a cultivation novel in the "ordinary man" style, worth a look if you're interested~

《Ascending to Immortality, Eternal Youth》

【Ordinary Man】【Native】【No System】

A simple village boy stumbles onto the immortal path.

With mediocre talent, how will he carve his way through thorns on the road to immortality?

A thousand years later, looking back—he stands alone:

Ten Thousand Dao Paths to Immortality, Yet He Treads Solely on Azure Clouds!

dengbidmxswqqxswyifan

shuyueepzwqqwxwxsguan

xs007zhuikereadw23zw