Chapter 432: Capturing

Bai Zisheng asked, “Should we just strike directly?”

Mo Hua thought for a moment and shook his head:

“Although Zhang Quan is injured and suffering the backlash from the elixir, weakening him considerably, this is his lair. We still need to prepare and be thorough.”

After speaking, Mo Hua took out several formation plates.

On the plates were Earth Prison Formations he had drawn in advance.

Ever since seeing Zhang Quan’s Earth-Element Escape Technique, Mo Hua had been pondering how to counter it.

His strongest skill was formations, so naturally, he would start there.

These Earth Prison Formations were something he had recently learned and had taken time to draw on the plates, specifically to counter Zhang Quan’s Earth Escape Technique.

Zhang Quan was a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

These Earth Prison Formations were only first-grade, so their effectiveness at restraining an enemy would be limited.

But in an encirclement battle, even a few breaths’ delay could influence the outcome.

Although the mine wasn’t large, sealing it with just the plates wouldn’t be enough.

So Mo Hua personally drew a few Earth Prison Formations on the ground.

These formations were unique: Mo Hua infused them with spiritual ink, integrating the runes with the earth itself—a technique he had learned by observing the Profound-Earth Formation and contemplating the essence of the earth.

Using the ground as the medium, he turned the earth itself into the formation.

These Earth Prison Formations blended with the earth, making their presence subtler and their effect stronger.

After preparations, Mo Hua discussed precautions against Zhang Quan with Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi:

“Don’t let him take the elixir.”

“If he tries, stop him immediately.”

“Without the elixir, Zhang Quan’s body and techniques are nothing special.”

“Watch out for his Earth Escape.”

“If he burrows underground, try to drive him toward the Earth Prison Formation…”

“The formation can hold him for a few breaths—use that chance to hit him hard!”

“Cultivation is dangerous; don’t be reckless.”

“If it looks bad, we run and rethink our strategy…”

After finishing the discussion, Mo Hua said:

“I’ll go in first and take a look.”

His Divine Sense was strong, and he was highly concealed—Zhang Quan wouldn’t detect him.

Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi, though also not weak in Divine Sense, were still at the Qi-Refining stage. Relying only on cloaking cloaks, Zhang Quan could easily detect them.

Bai Zisheng nodded.

Bai Zixi whispered, “Be careful.”

“Mm.”

Mo Hua concealed himself and quietly crept into the abandoned mine.

Outside the mine it was messy, and inside, even worse.

The abandoned tunnels were filled with scrap iron, rusty carts, and scattered stones.

The smell of rust, decay, filth, and death mingled together.

Mo Hua frowned.

Zhang Quan could still stay here…

Could it really be, like entering a fish market, that after a while, the stench goes unnoticed?

The mine was small, and not very deep.

After a short walk, Mo Hua found Zhang Quan at the end, in a semi-enclosed stone chamber, pale as if “frost on snow,” cultivating and recovering.

He looked seriously injured.

Mo Hua touched his chin.

Should he strike directly?

But the mine was dangerous.

This was Zhang Quan’s hideout, and in his haste, Mo Hua hadn’t examined the place thoroughly and didn’t know what traps were set.

Mo Hua thought for a moment and quietly stepped back.

He then began placing several Earth-Fire Formations along the mine walls.

The Earth-Fire Formation was quite handy. Mo Hua had used it frequently during the Big Black Mountain demon hunts.

It was essential for ambushes, traps, and killing enemies.

He always kept a few ready in his storage pouch.

Now was the perfect time.

Mo Hua wanted to force Zhang Quan out.

Or perhaps, collapse the mine and bury him directly?

“A Foundation Establishment cultivator, even if weak, shouldn’t be buried alive…”

Mo Hua decided to use Zhang Quan to test this.

After setting the formations, he sneaked out and whispered to Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi:

“Let’s move a little farther.”

Bai Zisheng eyed him suspiciously, “What did you do?”

Mo Hua grinned mischievously:

“I prepared a little welcoming gift for Zhang Quan!”

The three of them moved behind a large rock.

Mo Hua covered his ears. Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi, not knowing what was happening, copied him.

Soon, there was a loud rumble—the mine collapsed.

The noise was huge.

Luckily, the location was remote and the area was a mine; blasting rocks was common, so no other cultivators paid attention.

The collapse stirred up thick dust.

When the dust cleared, the entrance was blocked by large stones.

Mo Hua was slightly surprised.

Perhaps the mine was special—its mixed and dangerous air had amplified the Earth-Fire Formation more than expected.

Bai Zisheng asked, “You didn’t blow him to bits, did you?”

Mo Hua wasn’t sure, “Shouldn’t have… it’s only a first-grade Earth-Fire Formation, and the mine isn’t deep…”

Before he could finish, there was movement at the entrance.

The sounds grew louder. Soon, the stones blocking the entrance were shattered, and a gray-faced, dirt-streaked cultivator with tattered rags came out.

He shouted angrily:

“Who? Who’s there?”

“Who the hell is it?”

“How dare you ambush me?!”

It was Zhang Quan, Foundation Establishment.

The moment the Earth-Fire Formation exploded, he had sensed it and fled desperately, but the boulders blocked his path.

The formation’s power inside the tunnel intensified, scorching his skin and ringing his ears. Though not fatal, it left him miserable.

This mine was his hiding place.

Zhang Quan, furious, couldn’t imagine who had found him—or who dared to plot against him.

And they used formations!

Not every cultivator could master formations.

At that moment, Zhang Quan was suddenly startled.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glint of gold behind him.

That golden light was very familiar.

He spun around hastily and saw a young boy in white. In the same instant, his spear appeared, the tip shining brilliantly.

A golden beam shot forth, followed by the spear like a dragon.

Bai Zisheng’s spear struck fiercely toward Zhang Quan’s throat.

Zhang Quan panicked.

It was the boy from the Hundred Flowers Pavilion!

Back then, at the Hundred Flowers Pavilion, he had taken a Corpse Blood Pill, boosting his cultivation just enough to barely suppress this young cultivator in white.

Now, heavily injured and under elixir backlash, he was no match.

Zhang Quan used his arm to block the spear, cutting a line of blood along his hand.

Gritting his teeth, he used Earth Escape, vanishing into the ground.

The instant he disappeared, a Fireball Technique struck a nearby pile of rubble with lightning speed.

Bai Zisheng and Mo Hua were senior and junior brothers, well-coordinated despite occasional bickering.

The moment Mo Hua’s fireball flew, Bai Zisheng’s gaze shifted.

When the fireball hit the rubble, Bai Zisheng thrust his spear.

Blood seeped from the ground.

Several streaked marks extended outward, revealing Zhang Quan in a pitiful state.

He clutched his bleeding shoulder, eyes bloodshot.

He knew this Fireball Technique!

That wretched, cunning little brat!

Zhang Quan looked around and saw Mo Hua sitting cross-legged atop a distant boulder, grinning mockingly.

“It’s you!!”

Zhang Quan’s eyes widened.

Mo Hua nodded, “It’s me.”

Zhang Quan gritted his teeth, suddenly paled:

“That needle… you left it?”

Mo Hua asked, puzzled, “How did you guess?”

Zhang Quan fell silent.

When he had left the secret passage and changed clothes, he noticed the needle.

He didn’t understand it, but years of cultivation taught him such things couldn’t be left behind. He had destroyed and discarded it.

Yet now, even in this remote, hidden mine, he was found.

Clearly, the needle was for tracking.

The three young cultivators had come following it.

Among them, the youngest, seemingly innocent but cunning, had to be the one behind the needle.

Zhang Quan ground his teeth in hatred.

He wanted to rush and kill Mo Hua immediately.

But then he noticed Bai Zixi beside Mo Hua.

The cold, beautiful girl held a sword glowing with white fire.

Back at the Hundred Flowers Pavilion, this golden sword light had pierced his iron corpse shell.

He felt wary and cursed:

“Shameless brat, abusing power! Come face me directly if you dare, don’t hide!”

Mo Hua was shocked:

“You’re such an old cultivator, and yet you dare ask a ten-year-old to duel you…”

“Do you think I’m as stupid as you?”

Zhang Quan hissed in hate, “Sharp-tongued brat!”

At that moment, Bai Zisheng thrust his spear again.

Zhang Quan struggled, growing weary after several rounds.

Still not fully healed, if he continued, defeat was inevitable.

He endured Bai Zisheng’s spear with all his strength, slammed him back with a palm, then escaped underground.

But soon he found the soil had shifted, forming a barrier—an earth prison holding him.

Zhang Quan was shocked.

“What is this?”

The Earth Prison Formation trapped him. He struggled and broke it after several breaths, freeing himself.

But Bai Zisheng caught up.

Zhang Quan tried to escape again, only to be trapped again, and pursued once more.

After several rounds, he realized—

It’s the formation!

There were formation plates nearby, using formations to counter his Earth Escape.

Truly clever!

Chilled, Zhang Quan was not panicked.

Since he knew it was a formation, he could deal with it.

He didn’t understand formations, but he had experience dealing with formation masters.

Nearby earth formations used plates as mediums, visible on the ground. Avoid the plates, avoid the formation.

Zhang Quan escaped underground, choosing a spot without a plate.

Unexpectedly, he was still trapped.

This time, the earth-based formation was stronger, holding him longer.

The formation merged with the earth, as if the land itself wanted to confine him.

Zhang Quan’s expression changed drastically.

“What kind of technique is this? How can one set a formation like this? Who laid it, and how did it merge with the earth?”

Before he could comprehend, Bai Zisheng thrust his spear into Zhang Quan’s back.

Zhang Quan shivered, enduring the pain, then grew furious.

A Foundation Establishment cultivator, yet humiliated by Qi-Refining juniors, chased like a dog.

Blood poured from his body, his expression sinister and menacing.

“I will kill you all!”

He pulled out a blood-marked bronze pill bottle.

Even under backlash and inner fire, he was determined to kill these young cultivators!

But Bai Zisheng, anticipating this, struck the bottle out of his hand, cutting his palm.

Zhang Quan’s face contorted in shock and anger.

“You bastards, giving me no chance at all?!”

His escape techniques and elixirs—every trick—were countered!

Bai Zisheng, in white robes, pointed his spear at Zhang Quan and said loudly:

“Use every trick you have!”

Mo Hua had instructed him to speak this way—commanding and defiant.

Zhang Quan’s face turned even paler, veins reddening in his eyes.

With nowhere to run, he had no need to hide.

“These things… I never intended for any living person to see…”

His voice dripped with malice.

Bai Zisheng frowned slightly, and Mo Hua’s gaze hardened.

Suddenly, in the silent mine, a ringing alarm sounded.

The bell rang, a chill wind blew.

Surrounding rocks trembled and fell, revealing dozens of black coffins hidden among the rubble.

Scratching sounds came from inside.

As if something had awakened…