Chapter 1448: "Black-Faced Fiend"
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Chapter 1446: “Black-Faced Fiend”
Manager Zhao had a bit of a headache. “Black-Faced Fiend? What kind of name is that? Just hearing it, it doesn’t sound like a proper title.”
Mo Hua found it strange. “This isn’t proper?”
He thought that since they were already tomb raiding, they should have at least some self-awareness. Not to say that all tomb raiders are necessarily bad people, but most are involved in shady dealings to some extent. Given that, the title “Black-Faced Fiend” should actually fit quite well with the atmosphere of the tomb-raiding profession.
Manager Zhao sighed. “Change it. It’s quite frightening.”
His reputation in the underworld was already poor enough. Now, if he were to use “Black-Faced Fiend” as the Grave Head, others would hear it and think he was out to kill for profit.
“Really not acceptable?” Mo Hua asked.
Manager Zhao said, “Change it.”
Mo Hua sighed, somewhat regretfully, and then suggested, “Then how about ‘Ghost’s Bane’?”
Manager Zhao was speechless. If everyone who goes tomb raiding with you becomes a “ghost,” then of course it’s Ghost’s Bane.
“This… is a bit unlucky. Change it again.”
Mo Hua said, “Then there’s only ‘Heavenly Calamity Star’ left.”
Manager Zhao let out a deep sigh. “Can’t it be a bit more plain? A bit more low-key?”
Mo Hua shook his head. “If it’s too plain, it won’t sound good.”
This was his “title.” His three favorite names were all here. If none of these worked…
“I can’t possibly be called ‘King of Hell Mò,’ can I?” Mo Hua said.
“King of Hell Mò…” Manager Zhao’s gaze grew despondent, thinking to himself, “Just finish me off already.”
Afterward, Mo Hua listed a few more, even bringing up names like Wuchang, Ox-Head, and Horse-Face.
Manager Zhao thought for a long time and finally compromised. “Then let it be Black-Faced Fiend.”
At least this name still sounded like a person. Ghost’s Bane, Heavenly Calamity Star, King of Hell Mò… those weren’t even human.
Mo Hua sighed. Sometimes, people are just unreasonable. You propose something, and others aren’t satisfied. Then, after racking your brains and going through all the options, you end up coming back to the original title.
However, Mo Hua couldn’t blame Manager Zhao too much. After all, he was the manager and had his own difficulties. Besides, the title Black-Faced Fiend wasn’t bad. It was the most fitting and appropriate name for his image. Mo Hua actually quite liked it.
“Then it’s settled. I’ll be the Grave Head, with the alias ‘Black-Faced Fiend,'” Mo Hua said.
Manager Zhao reluctantly accepted it, then realized a problem. “You… can you really be the Grave Head?”
Mo Hua said, “If I become the Grave Head, then I am the Grave Head, right?”
“No,” Manager Zhao shook his head. “Being the Grave Head isn’t that simple. The Grave Head is the ‘leading boss.’ You submit the lead, issue the Document, I gather the people for you, and afterward, you lead the team. You’re responsible for all matters related to the tomb raiding. If disputes arise, you settle them. If something goes wrong, you have to hold the fort.”
“Can you hold the fort?” Manager Zhao asked.
Mo Hua said, “I should be able to.”
Back in the day, when he was a Divine-Shaman in the Desolate Wilderness, he could hold the fort for millions of barbarian tribes. Now, for tomb raiding, a small team of five shouldn’t be a problem, in theory.
In theory… Manager Zhao thought for a moment and sighed. “Forget it.”
If it were before, he might have been very worried about this Young Master Mò’s safety, but now, the situation was a bit different. Manager Zhao realized that his worries might be a bit unnecessary.
Rather than worrying about this young master Mo, whose fate is as hard as iron, it would be more reasonable to worry about others—or even worry about how to avoid being “cursed” to death by him.
Manager Zhao sighed deeply and said, “Then I’ll spread the word tonight. But whether we can recruit anyone is hard to say. Young Master Mo, you’d better be mentally prepared.”
The business of Entering the Earth is inherently unpredictable, and it’s not as if you can just recruit people whenever you want.
Mo Hua nodded. “I understand.”
After chatting for a while longer and discussing some details, Mo Hua left.
By evening, news that “Black-Faced Fiend” had issued a Document and was bringing people to make a fortune quietly spread through the underground world of Kun Province.
The name Black-Faced Fiend also appeared for the first time in the sight of the people of Kun Province.
…
Two days later
“First of all, your name ‘Black-Faced Fiend’ sounds like a huge trap. Entering the Earth with Black-Faced Fiend sounds ominous and easily attracts unclean things,” Manager Zhao said.
“My reputation as a manager continues to decline.”
“Some ‘rivals’ in business are spreading rumors behind the scenes, slandering me, saying that working with me is a nine-in-ten chance of death.”
“It’s tough.”
Manager Zhao added:
“Some people have contacted me, but I don’t recognize several of them. Either they’re outsiders here for a quick job, or they’re hiding their identities, just here to gather information.”
“These people also have poor skills and aren’t suitable to work with.”
“No news.”
Mo Hua looked at the Message Transmission Token and sighed inwardly.
It seemed that reputation in business was indeed important. Once your name was tarnished, no one wanted to work with you.
If he ever had the chance to establish his “Black-Faced Fiend” reputation in the future, he would have to cherish it carefully and never let it rot like Manager Zhao’s.
Just as Mo Hua thought this matter was going to fall through, Manager Zhao suddenly sent him a message one day:
“There’s a lead. They should be experienced, but I don’t know them.”
Mo Hua was taken aback and asked, “What’s the situation?”
Manager Zhao replied, “Today, a few people contacted me, saying they’re willing to join the team and Enter the Earth with you.”
“I asked some tricky questions, and they answered fluently. They seem like old hands.”
“But these people all look unfamiliar. They probably don’t usually work in our area.”
“I don’t know them well, so I’m not sure about their backgrounds. It’s up to you, Young Master Mo.”
Mo Hua pondered for a moment and asked, “Aside from them, is there anyone else?”
Manager Zhao said, “No.”
Local Tomb Raiders who were familiar with him basically kept their distance as soon as they heard the names Manager Zhao and “Black-Faced Fiend.”
Only outsiders or strangers who were new to the area would cooperate with him.
Mo Hua sighed, “Alright then.”
After all, there was no one else.
These days, putting together a team was just too difficult. There was no room to be picky.
Mo Hua asked, “Are they actually useful?”
He hoped they weren’t just a bunch of useless people.
Manager Zhao said, “They should be experienced. According to them, they’re also skilled at Tomb Investigation.”
Mo Hua said, “Fine, let’s give it a try.”
After all, there was no one else.
Manager Zhao said, “You need to set a time for when to depart so I can discuss it with them.”
“Time…”
Mo Hua’s heart suddenly skipped a beat as he remembered something. He said to Manager Zhao, “I need to think about it.”
Manager Zhao said, “Good, but make it quick.”
Mo Hua replied, “I’ll give you an answer within two days.”
Manager Zhao: “Alright.”
The discussion in the Message Transmission Token ended there.
Mo Hua put away the token and began pondering the timing of his departure.
There was another matter he had to consider carefully and prepare for in advance.
That was the two Feather Ascension True Persons he had encountered earlier—one shrouded in black mist, the other dressed in black.
Who were these two people?
What were their identities, backgrounds, cultivation levels, and methods?
The black mist Feather Ascension True Person could draw Imperial Decrees and summon Earth Ghosts. Could he be related to the Earth Sect’s Shadow Division?
And what about the black-clothed man, whom even Mo Hua hadn’t detected?
What faction did he belong to? Was he also from the Earth Sect?
Before killing Tian Xiu (Huo Li), the Tian Clan’s steward named “Uncle Ping” had said, “He married a girl from the Lu Clan.”
This girl was likely secretly married by Tian Xiu, who dared not reveal it.
Since Tian Xiu had been taken in by Elder Tian, his marriage to a Lu Clan girl implied…
He had betrayed the Tian Clan?
So when Uncle Ping mentioned this, Tian Xiu knew he had been exposed and tried to strike first. However, his cultivation was insufficient, and he ultimately died at Uncle Ping’s hands.
This also suggested that the Lu Clan was involved in this matter.
If the Lu Clan was involved, what about the Wu Clan, Jin Clan, and Zhu Clan? Would they also take action?
“The more I think about it, the more complicated this seems,” Mo Hua frowned.
Additionally, he was uncertain about his perception of Feather Ascension cultivators.
During the previous encounter, his Divine-Sense could detect the black mist Feather Ascension True Person but failed to notice the black-clothed Feather Ascension True Person.
The black mist Feather Ascension True Person couldn’t detect Mo Hua but could sense the black-clothed Feather Ascension True Person.
As for whether the black-clothed Feather Ascension True Person had detected Mo Hua, he couldn’t be sure.
The mutual perception among them was highly chaotic.
This likely had something to do with a certain “trait” of Feather Ascension cultivators, but Mo Hua, still only at the early Golden Core stage, couldn’t grasp the intricacies of this relationship.
This time, when he went to rob Elder Tian’s tomb, he didn’t know if he would encounter those two Feather Ascension True Persons again.
At this stage, Mo Hua really didn’t want to run into Feather Ascension cultivators.
Although most Feather Ascension cultivators were busy with affairs and generally didn’t have the leisure to move around freely, it was still necessary to take precautions.
At the very least, he needed to reduce the probability of encountering Feather Ascension cultivators.
“How can I… avoid Feather Ascension cultivators as much as possible?”
Mo Hua thought for a moment, then went to the study and found True Person Rong, asking, “True Person Rong, does the Earth Sect hold meetings?”
True Person Rong was taken aback. “Meetings?”
Mo Hua nodded. “Like the usual internal meetings of a sect. The kind where the sect leader, grand elders, and some influential elders gather to discuss matters and arrange sect plans.”
After all, Mo Hua came from the Great Void Sect, had studied Array Formations with Old Mister Xun, and had tea with the Great Void Sect Leader. He was quite familiar with such conventions in major sects.
Although the Great Void Sect was a cultivation sect with a different nature, “systems and formalities” were the same everywhere.
“High-level meetings” were unavoidable.
True Person Rong also nodded. “Yes, we do.”
Mo Hua asked, “When are they held?”
True Person Rong replied, “Why do you ask?”
Mo Hua said, “It’s a minor matter.”
True Person Rong frowned, but since Mo Hua had asked, she answered, “The Earth Sect’s high-level meeting is in ten days.”
Ten days later.
Mo Hua’s heart skipped a beat as he asked, “Will all the high-ranking members attend?”
True Person Rong replied, “Unless there are unforeseen circumstances, no one is allowed to be absent.”
“Will you be attending, True Person Rong?”
“Normally, I do not attend,” True Person Rong said, her gaze deepening, “but this time, I will go.”
True Person Rong did not explain why she would attend this time, and Mo Hua felt it inappropriate to press further. He simply said, “True Person Rong, could you do me a small favor?”
True Person Rong asked, “What favor?”
Mo Hua said, “At the Earth Sect’s high-ranking meeting ten days from now, if anyone is absent, could you tell me their name?”
True Person Rong was surprised. “Why do you want to know that?”
Mo Hua replied, “I just want to have a clear picture.”
True Person Rong didn’t know what Mo Hua was planning, but she didn’t ask further either. She simply nodded and said, “Alright.”
Mo Hua nodded in return. “Thank you, True Person Rong.”
For now, his objective was achieved.
Ten days later, at the Earth Sect meeting, all the high-ranking members would be present, so the Earth Sect’s Feathered Ascension should not be absent either.
If he took that opportunity to rob Elder Tian’s tomb, the risk would be significantly lower.
And if, by chance, the Earth Sect’s Feathered Ascension was indeed trying to seize Elder Tian’s corpse at the same time, then that person would likely be absent from the Earth Sect meeting.
In that case, he would be able to uncover the identity of this Feathered Ascension.
No matter what, he wouldn’t lose out, and he would gain insight into the Earth Sect’s inner workings.
Of course, the prerequisite was that he could return safely.
Having settled on his plan, Mo Hua looked up at True Person Rong and felt a pang of guilt.
He was living in her minor blessed land, had planted orange trees, stolen Spirit Ink and puppets, and now he was asking for her help again. He truly had caused her a lot of trouble.
Just then, Mo Hua’s gaze shifted to the chaotic draft of the Causality Calculation on True Person Rong’s desk.
Whether it was the Divine-Sense calculations, the transformations of the symbolic medium, or the Causality Deduction, it was truly… a sight to behold.
Mo Hua couldn’t bear to look any longer. He sighed, took a blank sheet of paper from True Person Rong’s desk, and picked up a brush.
True Person Rong was momentarily taken aback but did not stop him.
Mo Hua then dipped the brush in ink and, right in front of True Person Rong, meticulously calculated the introductory causality problem she had been working on.
These causality concepts had taken True Person Rong a long time to grasp, but when it came to actually calculating them, she was still tangled in confusion.
Mo Hua, however, moved the brush with swift and fluid strokes, completing the calculation in no time. He then handed the “answer” to the causality problem, along with the detailed deduction process, to True Person Rong.
True Person Rong took it, glanced at it, and froze.
Mo Hua didn’t say much else. He simply cupped his hands and said, “True Person Rong, I’ll take my leave now.”
True Person Rong nodded silently, watching Mo Hua’s retreating figure. She then looked at the deduction process he had left behind, glanced back at his retreating figure, and then at the answer again. Her expression was a mix of emotions for a moment.
After an unknown length of time, True Person Rong finally snapped out of her daze and let out a deep sigh.
In her heart, she felt both gratitude and a touch of exasperation.
“Some people’s minds… I really don’t know how they work,” True Person Rong sighed.
…
The time for Entering the Earth was set—the same day as the Earth Sect meeting.
Mo Hua informed Manager Zhao of the time via the Message Transmission Token.
Manager Zhao didn’t understand the significance of this timing, but he trusted Mo Hua’s judgment implicitly.
With some time still left before the Entering the Earth ten days later, Mo Hua decided to use this period to learn another Array Formation.
Namely, the Twenty-Eight Runes Blazing Inferno Slaughter Formation.
Following the Twenty-Seven Runes Earth Coffin Formation, the Twenty-Eight Runes Blazing Inferno Slaughter Formation—which had previously been Mo Hua’s most frequently used Fire-Element Killing Formation—was not particularly difficult for him.
Moreover, he had started learning it much earlier, so within two or three days, he had roughly mastered it.
After that came the practical testing phase, where he could apply what he had learned.
This time, his Senior Sister accompanied him during the testing.
Since they had studied the Array Formation together, it was only natural to include her in the testing phase as well.
Not to mention, the testing ground for the Blazing Inferno Slaughter Formation, the Golden Stone Puppet, and the most valuable Third-Grade High-Tier Fire-Element Superior Quality Spirit Ink were all provided by his Senior sister.
It would have been unreasonable not to bring her along.