302 Taoist Soldiers_1
Mo Hua was somewhat disappointed and couldn’t help asking, “Why?”
Zhang Lan explained, “The deployment of the Taoist Soldiers is a secret of the Taoist Court. Their actions are generally quite covert, adhering to the principles of being immovable as a mountain and as swift as the wind, striking like thunder. Either they proceed without others’ knowledge, or, once discovered, they resort to thunderous measures to achieve a swift and decisive outcome!”
“Therefore,” Zhang Lan said with a smile, “it is impossible to let you know how the Taoist Soldiers operate.”
“What if you need my help?” Mo Hua asked.
Zhang Lan gave a slight smile, “Why would we possibly need your help…”
Zhang Lan stopped mid-sentence.
He suddenly realized that, in this campaign to annihilate the Black Mountain Stronghold with the Taoist Soldiers, whether they needed Mo Hua’s help or not was truly uncertain—considering he was a Formation Master after all.
Facing the enemy head-on was a tough battle, and they might not need Mo Hua for that, but if it involved Formation, then there probably weren’t many Formation Masters in the entire Tongxian City who could be more reliable than Mo Hua…
After all, there was a Foundation Establishment Stage-ranked Evil Formation Master in the Black Mountain Stronghold.
Yet Zhang Lan didn’t really want Mo Hua to take the risk, so he said:
“Don’t worry, you probably won’t need to take action. Just stay put in the city, and don’t wander off again.”
“Alright then,” Mo Hua nodded.
At times like this, perhaps not causing them trouble counted as offering help too.
A few days later, Mo Hua met Elder Yu, who also began by instructing him:
“Don’t venture into the deep mountains, especially not the Black Mountain Stronghold.”
“Elder, rest assured, I won’t recklessly enter the deep mountains again.”
Mo Hua promised, but then he felt puzzled:
“Why are you instructing me about this again all of a sudden?”
Elder Yu looked around to make sure no one else was present, then spoke in a low voice:
“I asked Court Leader Zhou, and the Taoist Court has already given approval. Soon they will dispatch Taoist Soldiers to enter the deep mountains and annihilate the Black Mountain Stronghold. I’m worried you might follow the excitement and enter the deep mountains too.”
Mo Hua scratched his head.
He wasn’t that fond of watching excitement, and besides, he didn’t watch every spectacle that arose.
Yet Elder Yu looked at Mo Hua with a solemn expression.
Qi Refinement Cultivation, Divine Sense Foundation Establishment!
Even now, he found it a little hard to believe.
Although Elder Yu didn’t understand Formation, he knew that Divine Sense was the foundation for a Formation Master. With such profound Divine Sense, Mo Hua’s future achievements in Formation were bound to be immeasurable.
So, no matter what, Mo Hua could not be exposed to even a slight risk.
There were four Foundation Establishment Evil Cultivators in the Black Mountain Stronghold. If they learned of Mo Hua’s identity and his talent for Formation, they would certainly stop at nothing to kill him.
Elder Yu said, “You’ve shown your face in front of the Third Householder; it’s better to be cautious to avoid their grudge.”
Mo Hua thought about it and nodded, agreeing that it made sense.
Having devoured the little ghost from the Contemplation Map and deceived the Third Householder, if he stayed out of sight, the Third Householder would be filled with suspicion and might not be able to figure out his true identity.
Even if the Third Householder noticed that the Formation of the Black Mountain Stronghold had been tampered with, like a rat had gnawed through it, being secretly unraveled bit by bit, they might not suspect Mo Hua.
Because Formation wasn’t something just anyone could learn, and Mo Hua, at around ten years old, certainly didn’t look like a Formation Master.
But if he showed himself and the Third Householder realized he was actually a Formation Master and also a Monster Hunter, then all the blame would fall on him.
Although all those troubles were indeed caused by him…
However, it’s still best to avoid trouble if possible. He didn’t want the Third Householder to be too preoccupied with him.
Deceiving people like this should be done without anyone’s notice, leaving others to hold a grudge without knowing against whom it should be directed.
Mo Hua then asked Elder Yu, “When the Taoist Soldiers arrive, can I go have a look?”
Mo Hua held up a little finger, “Just a quick glance!”
Elder Yu, just like Zhang Lan, flatly refused, “No.”
Mo Hua was somewhat disappointed again.
Elder Yu then consoled him:
“The Taoist Soldiers are meant for slaughter. It is better for ordinary Cultivators not to get involved. Besides, the actions of the Taoist Soldiers are secret and generally not open to inquiry.”
“Fine then…”
Although Mo Hua still couldn’t stop thinking about it and wanted to know what the Taoist Soldiers were really like, he couldn’t just ignore the words of Elder Yu and Zhang Lan.
In the following days, Mo Hua persisted in his Qi Refinement practice, as well as in practicing formations.
One day, when Mo Hua grew tired from drawing formations, he sat down at an Eight Immortals Table in the eatery to flip through Formation Books and rest for a while.
On the table, there was also a plate of pastries, flaky and crisp, newly tried out by Liu Ruhua.
Mo Hua read the book while snacking on the pastries.