Cheng Mo took another bite of meat and continued speaking:
"These wounds—I fought with Sever Gold Sect disciples while out Monster Hunting this morning after they tailed us again. I finally lost it and fought them head-on."
"Though I look battered, they fared much worse."
"I broke several of their legs."
"But I doubt that will stop them—they’ll likely be back at it the next time."
Mo Hua frowned slightly and said to Cheng Mo, "Next time during the rest period, I’ll enter the mountain myself and take a look."
"No need." Cheng Mo immediately objected, "You just focus on painting Formations. You’re Junior Brother; dealing with these little punks doesn’t require your involvement."
Cheng Mo understood that Mo Hua had been busy drawing Formations daily and did not wish to disturb him.
Furthermore, the troublemakers in Sever Gold Sect were mostly disciples in the Foundation Building Middle Stage—the same cohort as him and his companions.
No need for Mo Hua to step in personally.
Mo Hua thought for a moment and nodded, "All right then."
He truly was preoccupied lately.
That was because he faintly sensed that within his Sea of Consciousness, the restrictions imposed by the Heavenly Dao Laws were loosening considerably.
Perhaps his Realm had ascended high enough for it to seem not too outrageous.
Or maybe the Heavenly Dao Laws were "satiated," resulting in their gradual dispersal.
Mo Hua felt he might just breakthrough into Eighteen Patterns of Divine Sense very soon.
The matters surrounding Refining Demon Mountain, he would leave to Cheng Mo and the others to handle.
Although Cheng Mo appeared brash—and indeed was brash—he still possessed a sharp mind.
Furthermore, having been close companions with Mo Hua for so long, he had gained plenty of practical experience and picked up no small number of "shrewd" tricks.
Dealing with the arrogant Sever Gold Sect disciples, who relied on their strength to bully, was well within his capacity.
Thus, led by Cheng Mo, the Taixu Sect Disciples began engaging in open and covert conflicts with the disciples from the same cohort of Sever Gold Sect within Refining Demon Mountain.
After a month passed, Cheng Mo came to visit Mo Hua again, his expression somewhat dispirited.
It wasn’t that they hadn’t won.
Their victories, ultimately, amounted to nothing.
"Those Sever Gold Sect bastards are truly despicable—they resemble beasts more than humans. In Refining Demon Mountain, they do absolutely nothing productive but shadow us Taixu Sect disciples, stealing our Monster Beasts."
"At first, they’d still confront us for a few rounds head-on, but after realizing that our Gold-breaking Armor makes us formidable, they stopped fighting altogether."
"Now they behave like flies—when we hunt Monsters, they disrupt us."
"If we retaliate, they flee."
Cheng Mo was thoroughly disgusted by their behavior.
"Refining Demon Mountain’s entry fee costs one hundred Merit Points, yet they willingly squander it purely to harass us. Engaging in such vile acts of harming others to gain nothing themselves."
"Though we don’t fear them, their constant interference prevents us from successfully hunting Monsters or earning Merit Points. So, we can’t claim victory either..."
Cheng Mo sighed ruefully, frustration evident.
Mo Hua’s gaze darkened slightly.
This Sever Gold Sect truly was despicable.
"It’s fine..." Mo Hua took a sip of fruit wine, paused in thought, and calmly remarked, "They keep up their indecency because they haven’t been properly scared yet."
"Strike them hard enough, break some bones—they feel the pain, and they’ll cease their despicable conduct..."
Mo Hua’s eyes turned cold.