Chapter 1315: Incident

Chapter 1314: Incident

These words instantly made the assembled prodigies fly into a rage of shame and anger.

If it had been ordinary rumor-mongering or slander, they could have ignored it.

But the problem was, they really had eaten barbecue together with Mo Hua.

They really had stood right in front of Mo Hua without daring to say a single tough or vicious word.

Lies don’t hurt.

The truth is the sharp knife.

“Bullshit!”

“I ate barbecue with Mo Hua to give him face.”

“If Mo Hua hadn’t begged me and invited me, I wouldn’t even have bothered going.”

“Exactly, exactly!”

“Speaking of which…” someone suddenly countered, “weren’t you there too? Didn’t you eat Mo Hua’s barbecue as well? Otherwise, how would you know we were eating barbecue with Mo Hua?”

That person sneered. “How could I possibly eat barbecue with Mo Hua?”

“Then how do you know we were eating barbecue with Mo Hua?”

With a mocking tone, the man sent a transmission:

“I was nearby. I saw it with my own eyes, you so-called sons of heaven, crowding around Mo Hua, eating and drinking, fawning over ‘Mo’ and clinging to power! Your behavior is truly despicable!”

Someone immediately cursed back, “You were watching from afar? So you didn’t even dare sit in front of Mo Hua?”

“It’s not that I didn’t dare,” the man retorted stiffly. “He didn’t invite me, understand? If he didn’t invite me, why would I go eat barbecue?”

“If he invited you, you would’ve gone?”

“Impossible. A mere Mo Hua, even if he invited me, I still wouldn’t go.”

“No matter what you say, eating barbecue with Mo Hua is a heinous crime!”

“Then what was I supposed to do? Mo Hua personally called my name, it felt like the King of Hell calling roll. Scary as hell. I couldn’t exactly not go.”

“And ultimately, we can’t really make a move to kill Mo Hua right now anyway…”

“Exactly. Didn’t we already say it? We’ve graduated, we’re no longer Qianxue disciples. This isn’t the Sword Debate Conference, and there’s no grand formation protecting anyone.”

“Back during the Sword Debate, killing Mo Hua didn’t matter. But now this is the Great Wilderness, no protection at all. If we really killed Mo Hua, how would we explain it to the Great Void Sect…”

“Then what do we do?”

“Killing him doesn’t work. Not killing him doesn’t work either…”

“If we don’t kill Mo Hua, can it still be called the Slaughter Mo Alliance? Wouldn’t our alliance fall apart instantly?”

“That’s why I said it already, it’s not that we won’t kill him. It’s delayed killing. Slow killing. Planned killing. You all just didn’t listen to me before.”

“What do you mean…?”

That man said, “Mo Hua still has to die. No chance now doesn’t mean no chance later. As long as we stay by Mo Hua’s side, act falsely cordial, earn his trust, probe his intelligence, and uncover his weaknesses…”

“Once we fully understand Mo Hua and the timing is ripe, we strike once and kill him outright, completely settling this monster and washing away our past humiliation!”

“That sounds pretty insidious…”

“Vicious enough.”

“But… how exactly do we do this ‘false cordiality’? We can’t possibly go out of our way to flatter Mo Hua, right?”

“That’s way too sycophantic. I can’t do it.”

“I will never bow my head to Mo Hua!”

“My pride won’t allow it!”

The man explained, “That’s not necessary. Just maintain surface-level politeness. Don’t reject him, don’t oppose him, just treat Mo Hua like an ordinary disciple.”

“Let Mo Hua lower his guard and expose his flaws. When the time is ripe, one blade to end his life…”

“This is what I meant by delayed killing, slow killing, planned killing!”

“…That actually sounds rather reasonable…”

“But there’s still one problem, what exactly counts as ‘the time is ripe’?”

The Slaughter Mo Token fell silent for a moment as everyone sank into thought.

After a while, someone slowly said, “For example… if one day Mo Hua committed the grave crime of plotting rebellion against the Dao Court?”

“Don’t joke. Mo Hua is way too sharp, how could he possibly rebel against the Dao Court?”

“You rebelling would be more likely than him rebelling.”

“I was just saying casually. Even if it’s not rebellion, there could be other crimes…”

“Exactly. When that time comes, we’ll kick him while he’s down, ruin his reputation completely. Once the Dao Court convicts him, we can justifiably continue the ‘Great Slaughter Mo Cause.’ By then, Mo Hua will be abandoned by everyone, and it’ll be time for him to die.”

“That really is ‘planned’ killing.”

“Good! Then it’s settled.”

“First, restrain our hostility and pretend nothing happened—let Mo Hua grow complacent. That’s the ‘delay’…”

“Then observe Mo Hua’s cultivation and weaknesses, further refining the ‘Mo Hua Countermeasures Code’…”

“Mo Hua Countermeasures Code? What’s that?”

“How can you forget so quickly? The Mo Hua Countermeasures Code! Full title:

‘Code of Conduct That Must Be Adopted in Response to the Various Insidious Tactics of Mo Hua During the Sword Debate Conference.’”

“The Sword Debate was only ten years ago, and you’ve already forgotten?”

“That humiliation back then, our effort, our blood and sweat…”

“Wait, that name is way too long. Why not just call it the Slaughter Mo Scripture instead? The supreme scripture compiled by our Slaughter Mo Alliance comrades, pooling collective wisdom and exhausting effort, specifically to target the evil Mo Hua.”

“You’re being a bit… dramatic.”

“For a mere Mo Hua, is this really necessary? A scripture?”

“Mo Hua is strong, but this feels like overpraise…”

“Whatever. Call it whatever you want…”

At this moment, no one really took this so-called scripture very seriously.

But the future development framework of the Slaughter Mo Alliance, along with its strategic direction, had already been roughly finalized.

In the end, this Slaughter Mo Alliance “strategic conference”—sparked by nothing more than barbecue—came to a close amid repeated shouts of:

“The shame of the Sword Debate must never be forgotten! Mo Hua must die!”

The significance of this conference was not yet apparent.

To Mo Hua, it merely meant that while reading that night, he sneezed a few extra times.

…

The next day, the encirclement of Bai Zisheng began again.

This “uncontrollable” factor named Mo Hua was still restrained by True-Person Zhuge, watching from afar.

And Bai Zisheng truly was extremely strong.

The Qianxue’s gathered prodigies couldn’t go all out, and weren’t in a good position to go all out either.

Thus, after a fierce round of fighting, they still failed to take Bai Zisheng down.

Even when the Huá Clan dispatched several Golden Core cultivators, they still couldn’t do anything to Bai Zisheng.

After all, due to the restrictions of the Heavenly Dao, the second-grade realm was capped. In true Foundation Establishment combat power, those Golden Cores were simply no match for Bai Zisheng.

Mo Hua couldn’t help but think of the Fire Buddha.

Fire Buddha had cultivated a Forbidden Art. Though only at peak Foundation Establishment, he was a notorious great demon in the regions around Qianxue.

Even Uncle Gu at the Golden Core realm had trouble dealing with him.

Back then, Mo Hua himself had expended tremendous effort just to kill Fire Buddha.

Now, his Little Senior Brother was extremely similar to “Fire Buddha.”

And in fact, Little Senior Brother was far stronger, if one had to compare, he was an ultimate-form Fire Buddha.

Just as Mo Hua thought that his Little Senior Brother was about to escape again…

True-Person Huá unexpectedly made a move.

He didn’t strike directly. Instead, long beforehand, he had laid out the Huá Clan’s heavenly nets and earth traps across the surroundings, along with all kinds of maze-like illusion formations.

Illusion formations.

This was a type of light-and-shadow bewildering formation that Mo Hua had rarely encountered before.

Like illusion arts, illusion formations had an extremely low floor and an extremely high ceiling.

Used well, whether illusion formations or illusion arts, they could confuse the mind, falsify perception, and wield terrifying power.

Used poorly, they were nothing more than crude sleight-of-hand tricks.

Moreover, such inheritances were exceedingly rare.

Previously, Mo Hua had almost never seen cultivators employ them.

But now, the Huá Clan had used them.

And Mo Hua could faintly discern that within these illusion formations, there was not only formation logic, but also an extremely profound form of causality technique embedded within.

This causality art was something even he struggled to see through.

With illusion formations combined with causality entrapment, Bai Zisheng—though like a white dragon rampaging in all directions, unstoppable in battle—was as if trapped in a “ghost wall,” utterly unable to break out.

The prodigies couldn’t stop him.

But causality and illusion formations made him trap himself.

In Mo Hua’s eyes that pierced heavenly secrets, this was a causality fate pattern of “a dragon stranded in shallow waters.”

And this causality setup, paired with formations, was an application he had never tried before.

“Causality and formations…”

Mo Hua’s thoughts stirred, and he felt a sudden flash of enlightenment.

On the other side, after trapping Bai Zisheng with illusion formations and causality, True-Person Huá didn’t rush to strike. Instead, he gathered the prodigies and sighed:

“Bai Zisheng truly is a rare genius…”

The crowd looked somewhat unconvinced, yet no one voiced an objection.

Having fought him to this point, they knew better than anyone whether Bai Zisheng lived up to his reputation.

True-Person Huá said regretfully, “Such a talent, if he cannot be put to use by the Dao Court, it would truly be a pity… I also really don’t wish to push matters to the extreme, lest he develop resentment toward the Dao Court.”

A prodigy from the Xuanyuan Clan frowned. “What does True-Person mean…?”

True-Person Huá sighed. “First, find someone to go persuade him.”

The crowd froze. “Persuade?”

True-Person Huá nodded. “Put yourselves in his shoes. Bai Zisheng is a youthful prodigy, proud and arrogant. We move to arrest him, of course he will resist. That’s only natural.”

“But that doesn’t mean he has truly done anything against the Dao Court.”

“Perhaps it’s merely youthful infatuation, a moment of impulsiveness.”

“If that’s the case, why not send someone to persuade him?”

“If Bai Zisheng can voluntarily cease fighting and explain the circumstances, as long as he hasn’t committed a grave offense, the Dao Court likely won’t pursue it too harshly.”

“If we insist on arresting him with force, first, his strength makes him hard to capture; second, it will damage his loyalty to the Dao Court.”

“Even if the matter is eventually clarified and he is innocent, he will inevitably harbor resentment.”

“And if we were to lose the loyalty of such a Heavenly prodigy, that would be a tremendous loss for the Dao Court…”

Hearing this, the crowd nodded one after another.

Some Dao-soldier commanders and aristocratic elders also cupped their hands. “True-Person is benevolent and cherishes talent. Admirable indeed.”

“Since that’s the case, we need to choose a suitable person to persuade Bai Zisheng?” someone asked.

True-Person Huá nodded. “Correct.”

Mo Hua’s eyes lit up. Just as he was about to say, “I’ll go!” True-Person Zhuge pressed a hand on his shoulder.

Mo Hua felt unhappy.

Persuading people was exactly what he was best at. With his eloquence, he could talk the dead back to life.

Let alone persuading his own Little Senior Brother.

But True-Person Zhuge shot him a “threatening” look, meaning: don’t you dare cause trouble.

If you go persuade him and end up provoking Bai Zisheng into skewering you with a spear, how am I supposed to explain that to Old Mister Xun?

Besides, you have no real relationship with Bai Zisheng, what are you persuading him for?

Mo Hua sighed inwardly.

At this moment, someone stepped out from the crowd—a refined aristocratic disciple—and said:

“True-Person, I’ll go?”

“You?” True-Person Huá glanced at him.

The aristocratic disciple said, “My surname is Huangfu, given name Wen. I’m from the Huangfu Clan of Dao Province. Back then, Bai Zisheng and I trained together in the Great Wilderness and fought side by side. We have some acquaintance. If I go persuade him, he should be willing to listen to a few words.”

True-Person Huá looked at the others. “Is there anyone else willing to go persuade Bai Zisheng?”

None of the prodigies answered.

Most of them harbored grievances toward Bai Zisheng—jealousy, rivalry, competitiveness—and were unwilling to lower their faces to persuade him.

Moreover, this wasn’t exactly a pleasant assignment.

Seeing no response, True-Person Huá nodded and looked at Huangfu Wen, sighing gently:

“Much obliged. Go persuade Bai Zisheng. With his heaven-bestowed talent, if he were to be stained with infamy because of a demoness from the Great Wilderness Royal Court and suffer a difficult Dao path thereafter, it would truly be regrettable. If you truly succeed in persuading him, I will record this as your primary merit.”

Huangfu Wen cupped his hands. “Thank you, True-Person Huá.”

True-Person Huá nodded. “Go.”

Thus, under the protection of several Golden Core elders from aristocratic clans, Huangfu Wen walked toward the illusion formation to negotiate and persuade Bai Zisheng.

A strange feeling suddenly arose in Mo Hua’s heart.

But exactly what was strange, he couldn’t quite put his finger on it yet.

Before the persuasion yielded any result, it wasn’t appropriate to launch an encirclement and kill.

Afterward, everyone dispersed. Mo Hua returned to his tent to rest, but the uneasiness lingered in his heart; no matter how he thought about it, something felt off.

And so it continued until late into the night.

Mo Hua was sitting in his tent, reading a formation manual, when his heart suddenly jolted, he felt that something had happened.

A faint clamor also reached his ears.

Mo Hua immediately exited the tent, only to see True-Person Zhuge stepping out of his own tent as well. True-Person Zhuge wore a grave expression, speaking to several Golden Core elders, and appeared ready to head out.

Mo Hua hurriedly asked, “True-Person, what happened?”

True-Person Zhuge pressed his lips together and said nothing. After a moment, he merely said, “It’s nothing. Rest well.”

With that, he turned to head outside the military camp.

Mo Hua immediately said, “I’m going too!”

True-Person Zhuge glanced at Mo Hua but didn’t reply.

Mo Hua added, “You’re really at ease leaving me here alone?”

To others, it sounded like he wanted True-Person Zhuge to protect his safety.

But to True-Person Zhuge, it sounded like an uncontrollable powder keg asking, Aren’t you worried I might explode at any moment?

True-Person Zhuge truly couldn’t help but worry.

He sighed. “Then follow me.”

Mo Hua nodded, his figure flashing as he quickly fell in step beside True-Person Zhuge.

True-Person Zhuge could only helplessly bring Mo Hua along as the group headed outside the camp.

…

Outside the camp, they encountered True-Person Huá.

True-Person Huá glanced at Mo Hua, somewhat surprised, but said nothing, only nodded to True-Person Zhuge. “Let’s go.”

True-Person Huá’s expression was also grim.

Mo Hua was full of questions and could only follow the group forward.

The night was deep; the sky was dark and lightless.

True-Person Huá led the way, guiding everyone straight into an empty mountain range, passing through layers upon layers of Illusion Formations.

After who knew how long, they emerged from the formations and arrived before a cave.

Inside the cave was a strong, familiar karmic aura.

This was Little Senior Brother’s karma.

Little Senior Brother had once hidden in this cave for a long time.

But at the same time, an even stronger stench of blood wafted out from within.

Mo Hua’s pupils contracted slightly.

Frowning, True-Person Huá led everyone into the cave.

Mo Hua followed behind. As he stepped into the gloomy cave and lowered his gaze, he saw a person lying on the ground.

The man had a refined build. There was a bloody hole in his chest—pierced through by a long spear—and blood had flowed all over the ground.

His aura had already vanished.

It was Huangfu Wen.

Huangfu Wen… was dead.

Mo Hua stared at the bloody hole in his chest, his heart trembling. “Was it… Little Senior Brother who killed him?”

Huangfu Wen had gone to persuade Bai Zisheng. Bai Zisheng killed Huangfu Wen.

Everyone present wore heavy expressions, as though an enormous weight pressed upon their hearts.

True-Person Huá looked at the blood-soaked corpse before him, suppressing his fury, his expression icy to the extreme:

“Bai Zisheng… colluded with a Great Wilderness demoness, resisted arrest, and slaughtered his comrades—lawless and unrestrained. According to Dao Court statutes, he deserves death!”

“Pass down the order… at any cost…”

“Kill Bai Zisheng!”

Mo Hua’s pupils shook violently as he looked up at True-Person Huá, his eyes filled with disbelief.

(End of Chapter)