Chapter 133: Searching for People (Second Update)_1
Elder Yu finished speaking and led the crowd into Big Black Mountain.
In a camp at the entrance of the outer mountain, everyone met with Yu Chengyi.
Elder Yu asked, “How did it go?”
Yu Chengyi’s clothes were wet from rain and dew, his face slightly pale, frown deeply furrowed:
“The rain was too heavy. After the downpour, there were no traces left in the mountain, no idea where he could have gone.”
Elder Yu sighed deeply, “This is troublesome now.”
Big Black Mountain is so vast, even just the outer mountain, if one were to stroll around, it would take seven to eight days, and even longer if searching thoroughly.
If Old Zhao is fine then all is well, but if something indeed happened, I fear the worst.
The Monster Hunters in the camp all had gloomy expressions.
“Where did Uncle Zhao enter the mountain?”
A crisp and youthful voice rang out from the crowd.
Everyone turned towards the source and saw Mo Hua following behind Mo Shan.
Though Mo Hua was young, he was quite familiar with most of the Monster Hunters there, and they all called him “Junior Formation Master,” so nobody ignored him due to his age.
Yu Chengyi hurriedly called Mo Hua over, spread out a map, and pointed to a mountain path:
“Old Zhao entered the mountain through this pass in the evening.”
Mo Hua glanced at it, then closed the map, and took out the map he had drawn from his storage bag.
When Mo Hua unfolded his map, everyone was somewhat taken aback.
This map was exceedingly detailed, not only showing paths, poison marshes, miasma zones, but also marking points for spices, spirit grass, and mineral veins.
At a glance, it was densely marked with information; had space allowed, it seemed that Mo Hua would have marked the number and types of trees in every piece of forest…
Mo Hua pointed to a location on his map, “Is it here?”
Yu Chengyi nodded his head.
Mo Hua compared the location with the nearest stone needle on the map, then took out the compass marked with the Compass Mother Formation pattern and looked at it for a moment; his brow furrowed gradually.
A tightness gripped Yu Chengyi’s heart, and he asked, “What’s wrong?”
Mo Hua pointed to several positions on the map and said, “There were fluctuations of spiritual power here.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means that someone was using force here!”
The crowd exchanged looks, momentarily astonished.
“You can tell all that?” a Monster Hunter couldn’t help but ask.
Mo Hua nodded his head, “This is the Compass Parent-Child Formation. I’ve placed stone needles in the mountain, so if there’s spiritual power fluctuation nearby, it will show on this compass.”
The crowd was shocked, and their gazes towards Mo Hua became much more solemn.
Elder Yu’s expression lightened slightly, “There’s no time to waste, we go there now!”
Without further delay, everyone set off immediately, Mo Shan cautioned “Be careful,” and silently followed behind Mo Hua.
An hour later, the group reached the spot Mo Hua mentioned.
This was a small hillside. Below was a narrow mountain path, and above was a stretch of woodland, with a cliff on the right side.
Mo Hua found the stone needle and noticed that the formation patterns on it were somewhat dim and distorted, caused by the excessively strong spiritual power fluctuations.
“How is it?” Yu Chengyi asked anxiously.
Mo Hua nodded, “Indeed someone took action, and their cultivation is not low. They caused quite a stir, there should be traces nearby.”
Yu Chengyi then ordered, “Spread out and look around.”
Shortly after, someone shouted, “Here!”
The group went over to see that the stones on the ground were mottled and shattered; some trees were snapped in half, and on the stone wall nearby, there was a slanted palm print with faint earth series spiritual power lingering in it.
Yu Chengyi looked and said, “Mountain Splitting Palm, it’s Old Zhao.”
Mo Shan also stepped forward, wiping the stone wall with his finger, then brought it to his nose to sniff. His expression turned cold as he said:
“There are blood traces, washed away by the heavy rain.”
The faces of the crowd all took on a grave expression.
Elder Yu asked Mo Hua, “Are there any other traces?”
Mo Hua looked at the compass, noticing many points had dimmed, even disappeared. He shook his head:
“Too much time has passed, the spiritual power fluctuations are very weak now, I can’t make them out.”
The Compass Parent-Child Formation had a time limit; when the spiritual power fluctuation began, the points would be very bright, but as time passed, the points would fade until they vanished.
Elder Yu and the others all furrowed their brows.