Chapter 303: Dao Soldiers

Mo Hua felt a little disappointed and couldn’t help but ask, “Why?”

Zhang Lan explained, “The deployment of Dao Soldiers is a secret of the Dao Court. Their actions are typically shrouded in secrecy — they emphasize stillness like the mountain, swiftness like the wind, and strike like thunder. Either no one knows of their presence, or once discovered, they annihilate the target with thunderous speed.”

“So,” Zhang Lan smiled, “there’s no way you could be told how the Dao Soldiers operate.”

“What if you needed my help?” Mo Hua asked.

Zhang Lan smiled faintly, “How could we possibly need your hel—”

Halfway through, he stopped.

He suddenly realized that in this mission to annihilate Black Mountain Stronghold, it wasn’t impossible that Mo Hua might be of use — after all, the boy was a formation master.

In direct combat, perhaps not. But if formations were involved… in all of Tōngxiān City, there were few formation masters more reliable than Mo Hua.

And within Black Mountain Stronghold lurked a first-grade evil formation master at the Foundation Establishment stage.

Still, Zhang Lan didn’t want to let Mo Hua take any risks. He said, “Don’t worry. You probably won’t need to act. Just stay in the city quietly — and don’t go wandering off again.”

“Alright.” Mo Hua nodded.

At a time like this, not causing trouble was already a form of helping.

—

A few days later, Mo Hua met Elder Yu. The elder began with the same warning:

“Don’t go into the deep mountains, and especially not to Black Mountain Stronghold.”

“Elder, rest assured,” Mo Hua promised, “I won’t go recklessly into the mountains again.”

But then, curiosity got the better of him.

“Why are you suddenly warning me again about this?”

Elder Yu glanced around to make sure no one was nearby, then said in a low voice:

“I asked Director Zhou — the Dao Court has already approved it. Soon, Dao Soldiers will be dispatched to the mountains to eradicate Black Mountain Stronghold. I’m afraid you’ll try to go ‘watch the excitement’ and end up getting involved.”

Mo Hua scratched his head.

He wasn’t that eager to watch every commotion…

But Elder Yu looked at him gravely.

Qi Refining stage, yet Divine-Sense at Foundation Establishment level!

Even now, he still found it hard to believe.

Although Elder Yu didn’t understand formation arts, he knew that Divine-Sense was the foundation of all formation masters. With such spiritual depth, Mo Hua’s potential in formations was limitless.

Under no circumstances could he allow the boy to take risks.

There were four Foundation Establishment evil cultivators in Black Mountain Stronghold. If they ever learned of Mo Hua’s identity and his extraordinary talent with formations, they would stop at nothing to kill him.

Elder Yu said, “You showed your face before that Third Master. It’s better to stay cautious — in case they bear a grudge.”

Mo Hua nodded thoughtfully. That was true.

He had devoured the little ghost from the visualization diagram and tricked the Third Master. If he stayed out of sight, the man might only suspect and not deduce the truth.

Even if the Third Master discovered that many of the stronghold’s formations had been secretly dismantled — like rats gnawing holes in them — he likely wouldn’t suspect Mo Hua.

After all, formation arts weren’t something just anyone could master, and Mo Hua’s youthful appearance didn’t fit the image of a formation master.

But if he appeared again and was recognized as both a formation master and a demon-hunter, then all accounts would immediately be settled on his head.

…Which, admittedly, they already should have been.

Still, avoiding trouble was always better. Mo Hua had no desire to live rent-free in that man’s mind.

If one wanted to play tricks on others, the art lay in doing it so stealthily that no one even knew whom to hate.

“Elder Yu,” Mo Hua asked, “when the Dao Soldiers arrive, can I go take a look?”

He raised one small finger. “Just a peek!”

Elder Yu, like Zhang Lan before him, refused flatly. “No.”

Mo Hua sighed in disappointment.

Elder Yu consoled him:

“Dao Soldiers specialize in slaughter. Ordinary cultivators are better off keeping their distance. Besides, their operations are top secret — not for outsiders to observe.”

“…Fine.”

Though he tried to let it go, Mo Hua’s curiosity lingered. He couldn’t help but wonder what the Dao Soldiers were really like. But since both Zhang Lan and Elder Yu had spoken, he could only obey.

In the days that followed, Mo Hua continued his cultivation and formation practice.

One afternoon, exhausted from drawing arrays, he sat down at a restaurant table — an eight-immortal table — with a formation manual open before him. On the table sat a plate of flaky pastries, freshly baked from Liu Ruhua’s latest recipe.

He read and munched at the same time.

A while later, Zhang Lan arrived. He looked at Mo Hua, hesitating, clearly torn about something.

Mo Hua noticed but pretended not to.

After lingering awkwardly for a bit, Zhang Lan walked up, cleared his throat, and said, “Reading again?”

Mo Hua nodded, still chewing, and didn’t reply.

Zhang Lan fidgeted, not knowing how to start.

Mo Hua pushed the plate of pastries toward him and said casually, “Uncle Zhang, want to try one? My mother just made these — they’re delicious.”

Zhang Lan wasn’t in the mood to eat but tried one anyway. His eyes lit up — it really was good.

After they’d nibbled a few pieces in silence, Zhang Lan finally stammered, “Mo Hua… could you help me with something?”

“Sure,” Mo Hua answered briskly, his eyes bright. Then he asked, “But… is there a reward?”

Zhang Lan nodded. “Yes. I’ll count it as official merit under the Dao Court Division.”

“Deal!”

Mo Hua quickly told his mother he was going out, then followed Zhang Lan beyond Tōngxiān City and into the outer ranges of the Black Mountains.

The whole way, Zhang Lan said little — and Mo Hua didn’t ask.

Zhang Lan glanced sideways at him. The boy was humming a light tune, steps springy, his face glowing with anticipation. “You seem… rather happy?” he asked.

“Of course.” Mo Hua’s tone was cheerful.

“Why?”

“You’re taking me to see the Dao Soldiers, aren’t you?”

Zhang Lan froze. “…How did you know?”

Mo Hua thought for a moment, then counted on his fingers:

“You hesitated at the door — must mean it’s something you’d refused before, but changed your mind.”

“When I asked about benefits, you said it counted toward the Dao Court Division — so it’s a Dao Court matter.”

“Elder Yu already told me the Dao Court had mobilized Dao Soldiers.”

“You and Elder Yu both told me not to enter the mountains, but now you’re silently bringing me into the outer range — and since Dao Soldiers operate secretly…”

He spread his hands. “Put it all together — the Dao Soldiers must already be stationed in the mountains, secretly. You ran into some difficulty and came to me for help.”

Zhang Lan looked at him, conflicted. This kid’s brain turns faster than a formation wheel…

Mo Hua, however, was beaming. “So it really is to see the Dao Soldiers?”

“…Yes,” Zhang Lan admitted helplessly.

Mo Hua’s face brightened further, though he quickly asked, “But did you tell Elder Yu? He’s been forbidding me from entering the mountains lately.”

“I did,” Zhang Lan sighed.

“Elder Yu agreed?” Mo Hua blinked in surprise.

Zhang Lan sighed again. “He refused at first. I had to invoke the authority of the Dao Court Division — even the Dao Soldier commander himself — and promise to guarantee your safety at all costs. Only then did Elder Yu reluctantly agree.”

He looked at Mo Hua and continued, “Honestly, I didn’t want to bring you either. But the situation’s urgent — and we really do need your help. As long as we don’t go near the Black Mountain Stronghold or meet those leaders, you’ll be safe. With your Concealment Technique and Flowing-Water Step, you’re probably safer than most of our cultivators.”

Zhang Lan paused, a faint sigh escaping him.

He realized their previous worries about Mo Hua were now outdated.

The time for true concern had been back when the boy snuck into Black Mountain Stronghold alone, playing tricks and even facing the Third Master directly.

But now? Times had changed.

Mo Hua’s Divine-Sense had already reached the Foundation Establishment level. His Concealment Technique was likely undetectable even to evil cultivators of that realm.

With his intelligence, familiarity with the terrain, and seamless concealment arts, Mo Hua moved through the Black Mountains like a fish in water.

Their worries, Zhang Lan thought, were beginning to feel… unnecessary.

(End of Chapter)