Chapter 438: Hiding

The traitor from the Little Spirit-Seclusion Sect, who betrayed his master and destroyed his ancestors, had very likely fallen into the demonic path, refining corpses for someone else.

And as for Instructor Yan… if his desire for revenge grew too strong, he might also act rashly and stray from the right path.

Mo Hua sighed, deeply concerned for Instructor Yan.

He hoped that Instructor Yan would remain safe, and at the same time, that he wouldn’t let a fleeting obsession lead him astray and cause harm.

Instructor Yan was righteous, no doubt, but even the most upright person could sometimes act impulsively and without restraint.

Bai Zisheng asked, “Are we going after Zhang Quan?”

Mo Hua nodded. “Yes, we are.”

All the current clues pointed to Zhang Quan.

The deaths of the miners, the corpse-refining methods, the hidden corpses, the complete formation diagram, and Instructor Yan’s whereabouts—

all of these were likely connected to Zhang Quan.

Bai Zisheng’s eyes brightened, rubbing his hands eagerly. “Then let’s go early. I want to deal with him!”

Thinking of Zhang Quan’s corpse-refining deeds these past few days made him furious.

Bai Zisheng had even learned a few Daoist techniques specifically to practice on Zhang Quan.

Then a hint of worry crossed his mind:

“After all these days, can we still find him?”

“Hard to say, but there are still clues,” Mo Hua replied.

He then took out the mother-and-child compass of the Sinan.

On the compass, the three original bright points now had only one remaining.

This meant one Sinan needle was still on Zhang Quan.

It might be hidden so well that Zhang Quan hadn’t noticed it.

Or he might have noticed but deliberately left it as a trap to lure Mo Hua.

Regardless, Mo Hua had to check.

He returned the zombies to the coffins, drawing a Golden Lock Array and an Ice Array on top to lock the coffins and preserve the zombies.

This was to prevent them from escaping or decaying.

The next morning, Mo Hua called Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi. The three of them left Nanyue City, concealing themselves, and used their movement techniques to head toward the desolate mountains west of the city.

Mo Hua had studied the city’s map.

The bright point on the Sinan compass corresponded to the mountains west of the city.

These mountains resembled a mining area but had no ores or other resources, so cultivators rarely came—completely desolate.

The grass and trees were low, mostly pale green or gray-brown.

Exposed rock was dry and white.

Wild grass sprouted in crevices.

Occasionally, unknown beasts emitted strange cries that echoed through the empty valleys.

Mo Hua crouched behind a large rock, watching the compass.

Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi peered over.

The bright point moved suspiciously through the mountains, zigzagging east and west, as if hiding something or deliberately concealing itself, with no discernible pattern.

What was Zhang Quan doing?

The three exchanged puzzled looks.

“Could it be a trap?” Bai Zisheng asked.

“If it’s a trap, it would probably stop somewhere to set an ambush. Random wandering is useless.”

“That’s true…” Bai Zisheng nodded, then speculated:

“Maybe he removed the needle and stuck it onto a wild boar or some beast?”

Mo Hua stroked his chin. “Possible…”

Bai Zisheng said, “Let’s check. If it’s Zhang Quan, we capture him. If it’s a wild boar, we see whether it eats meat or grass…”

Mo Hua was stunned. “What does it matter what it eats?”

“If it eats meat, we kill it and leave it; if it eats grass, we kill it and take it back—I want pork…”

Bai Zisheng looked at Mo Hua expectantly.

Bai Zixi sighed slightly.

Mo Hua’s expression was complicated. “I’m not cooking it for you.”

Bai Zisheng argued earnestly:

“I don’t care. It’s mainly to honor Master…”

“I kill the pig, you stew the meat, then give it to Master. Master won’t finish it all, so as a disciple, I must help him…”

His calculations were going nonstop.

Mo Hua asked, “Why don’t you cook it yourself?”

“You cook it, it’s filial; I cook it, it’s poisoning Master…”

Bai Zisheng was very aware of his cooking skills.

“Fine…” Mo Hua nodded.

The city food was mediocre, and recently, Mister Zhuang had eaten little.

Bai Zisheng cheered and said quickly: “Then let’s set off.”

The three concealed themselves and followed the compass, searching for the bright point.

Soon, under a hillside bush, they found it.

It was Zhang Quan, not a wild boar.

The needle was still on Zhang Quan, not transferred to an animal.

Bai Zisheng felt both relieved and slightly disappointed.

Zhang Quan crouched in the bushes, eyes darting around as if wary.

Mo Hua and the others kept a distance, watching.

After a while, Zhang Quan stealthily entered the forest, zigzagged, and disappeared.

Mo Hua checked the compass and pointed a direction.

Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi followed him to another hilltop. Looking down, they saw Zhang Quan emerge from a cave, glance around, and leave a formation behind.

From a distance, Mo Hua couldn’t see the details.

Judging from the spiritual power, it seemed to be a trap formation, about first-grade with seven or eight patterns—subtle but not high-level.

Zhang Quan laid the formation, then continued down the mountain path.

He walked, wound along paths, entered forests, found caves, set formations…

The cycle repeated endlessly, seemingly tireless and meaningless.

Mo Hua frowned. “What is he doing…”

Bai Zisheng thought for a moment. “He’s being cautious, probably worried about being followed.”

“Followed by who?”

Mo Hua didn’t understand.

Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi exchanged looks, then both glanced at him silently.

“Me?” Mo Hua asked.

Bai Zixi said, “You can conceal yourself. He’s probably afraid of you shadowing him.”

Mo Hua clicked his tongue. “Paranoid.”

Meanwhile, Zhang Quan’s mind was in turmoil.

“Why… why isn’t there anything?”

Lately, he vaguely felt something was off.

As if someone was watching.

Every move he made was known to someone else.

But he searched his surroundings and found nothing suspicious.

He was baffled.

Yet his instincts, honed from years in darkness, didn’t lie.

Someone was following him!

But who could follow him so stealthily?

After thinking, he had his answer:

That little brat!

The one skilled in concealment, whose divine sense could not be detected even by a Foundation Establishment cultivator!

Among all cultivators he knew, only he could track Zhang Quan so secretly, leaving no trace, like a worm on the bone.

“Persistent little ghost…”

Zhang Quan cursed silently.

He could not be followed!

He released his divine sense but still found no cultivator—because no one had been following from the start.

Still uneasy, he circled through the forests and caves, setting formations to test for followers.

The formations remained untouched; no one triggered them.

Zhang Quan was puzzled.

Had he guessed wrong, or was the little brat simply too cunning to detect?

Meanwhile, Mo Hua frowned.

Bai Zisheng asked, “Are you plotting something again?”

“I’m not plotting anything!”

Bai Zisheng snorted. “It’s fine to deceive others, but are you deceiving too?”

Mo Hua ignored him, muttering:

“This Zhang Quan is overly cautious.”

Bai Zisheng thought for a moment. “After all he’s suffered and how embarrassed he’s been, caution is understandable.”

“Yes, but he’s overdoing it.”

Bai Zisheng glanced at Zhang Quan from afar—couldn’t see his expression clearly—but his movements seemed too stealthy.

Bai Zixi’s gaze narrowed. “Afraid of being discovered?”

Mo Hua nodded slightly and scanned the surroundings.

The desolate mountains stretched endlessly, seemingly barren, yet peaks and ridges hid details from view.

“What could he be afraid of being discovered?”

The three frowned in thought. Then, all at once, their eyes brightened as realization struck.

“It’s where he hides and refines corpses!”

Mo Hua said, “We’ll follow quietly, not alarming him.”

Bai Zisheng and Bai Zixi nodded.

The three watched Zhang Quan, letting him lead them, hoping to trace the path to his corpse lair.

But Zhang Quan’s patience exceeded their expectations.

Three or four days passed. He wandered through the mountains, zigzagging, repeatedly testing with formations and markers.

Mo Hua watched, annoyed. Zhang Quan remained meticulous.

“This Zhang Quan is really good at hiding…”

Bai Zisheng complained.

And it seemed he could keep this up much longer.

Mo Hua’s expression darkened.

The more cautious Zhang Quan was, the more it indicated that his corpse-refining and hiding places contained great secrets—nothing could be left to chance.

Hence, he dared not risk a thing, removing any possible concern entirely.

Mo Hua thought for a moment, then said:

“We’re not following him!”

Bai Zisheng was surprised. “Why not?”

Mo Hua looked at the distant mountains, raising an eyebrow:

“We’re at the entrance. We can find it ourselves; we don’t need him to lead the way.”