Chapter 560: Don’t Underestimate
Chapter 562: Don’t Underestimate
Just as expected!
The Strange Daoist was somewhat stunned, yet still found it hard to believe.
Could the Heavenly Secret Deceptive Algorithm really be so easily stolen and learned?
Looking at this little thing, which had only used it a few times, and now was able to apply it effectively, with proper form?
Moreover, right in front of him, while being affected by his Dao-Heart Demon seed, teetering on the edge of life, this little one still had the audacity to steal his Heavenly Secret Deceptive Algorithm…
What exactly had his junior disciple produced…
It appeared harmless, yet was incredibly strange…
The Strange Daoist’s gaze turned icy.
No matter what, having learned the Heavenly Secret Deceptive Algorithm meant certain death!
Mo Hua’s expression also grew serious.
He sensed the intense killing intent in the Strange Daoist’s eyes.
But at this moment, the situation was already one of no retreat—fight to the death.
The Dao-Heart Demon seed eroded the Sea of Consciousness.
From his master’s expression, it was clear he had no intention of letting him off either.
He had to find a way to survive his master’s hands…
Within his Sea of Consciousness, there was only silence, condensed with killing intent.
The Strange Daoist remained cold and indifferent, raising the Sumeru Sword horizontally as a strange sword aura coalesced.
Mo Hua’s gaze was sharp; his fingers focused, manifesting his spells.
Within Mo Hua’s Sea of Consciousness, the true confrontation of divine-sense began…
The Strange Daoist’s demonic-seed body, a late Foundation Establishment peak, had immense divine-sense and profound expertise in deceptive techniques.
Mo Hua, though possessing only thirteen strands of divine-sense, had it refined; he knew many divine-sense methods and had survived numerous life-threatening battles, making him battle-hardened—just barely.
The clash of divine-sense was imminent.
Black sword aura swept through, scarlet fireballs flew.
After several exchanges, Mo Hua realized a terrifying truth:
He was no match for his master…
This master was simply too strong!
His presence was like an abyss, like a mountain, wrapped in swirling deceptive aura, his methods unfathomable.
Mo Hua’s fireball techniques and manifested formations could not harm him in the slightest; all attacks were dissipated by a mere three or four sword strikes before reaching him.
And his sword aura was deadly, inflicting injury on contact.
Mo Hua dared not take it head-on.
He could only restrain, delay, and try to survive…
The two continued their duel.
After dozens of rounds, Mo Hua remained on the defensive, retreating chaotically under the relentless sword aura, yet to his surprise…
He had held his ground under his master…
Though still in a sorry state, he had managed to “scrape by.”
He hadn’t been killed by a single sword…
“Am I really that strong?”
Mo Hua was startled, his thoughts stirring, suddenly enlightened.
His speed was faster than his master’s!
He realized his spell and formation manifestation were slightly faster than his master’s…
His master’s speed came from sheer power.
His own speed came from the enhancement of divine-sense by the Celestial Evolution Art, the use of the Spirit-Pivot Formation, and the daily practice of formations—over time, honing his divine-sense.
That slight edge in speed allowed him to barely endure under his master’s hand.
In the world of magic, speed conquers all!
“Grandpa Kui was right!”
Mo Hua steadied his mind and focused, maneuvering against the Strange Daoist.
The Strange Daoist remained cold, though a trace of surprise flickered within.
“This little thing… how can its attacks be so fast? It’s like Grandpa Kui…”
This set of spells and techniques was almost identical in style to Grandpa Kui.
All the techniques of the heavens and earth hinge on the mind.
Learned to depth, fast and difficult to counter…
Just like this little one…
Fireball technique—fast and fierce;
Water Prison—fast and precise;
Flowing-Water Step—quick and versatile…
How many more techniques did he know?
The Strange Daoist’s gaze sharpened.
Originally, he could have resolved all of this with his Strange Daoist Sky-Sealing Formation.
But he never expected that this little junior disciple had discerned the Dao-Heart Demon seed and stolen the Heavenly Secret Deceptive Algorithm.
Now, even if he sealed him with formations, the little one could use the algorithm to free himself.
Truly slippery and elusive…
“Do I just have to wear him down?”
This thought caused the Strange Daoist to pause, then anger arose.
To deal with a Qi-Refining junior disciple, unable to crush him outright, and now having to rely on “attrition”?
Absurd beyond belief!
The Strange Daoist’s face darkened, but he suddenly sensed something was wrong. His anger faded, replaced by a frown.
This little junior disciple… was ridiculous…
In the divine-sense duel, he moved with ease. His techniques, though somewhat raw, were extremely skilled, as if he had faced countless divine-sense battles.
But this… how could it be…
He was still so young.
Divine-sense incarnations, manifested spells, formations…
Put in perspective, if it weren’t for his own Dao-Heart Demon seed based on the Heavenly Secret Deceptive Algorithm, a typical Foundation Establishment divine-sense would never have been a match…
Did this divine-sense really need the Mysterious-Heaven Formation for protection?
Was the formation protecting the little one’s divine-sense from being killed, or protecting someone else’s divine-sense from being slain by him?
To guard against the Dao-Heart Demon seed?
No…
If it were just to counter the Dao-Heart Demon seed, the junior disciple could have used other means, no need to expend so much effort setting up the Mysterious-Heaven Formation…
Moreover…
Did the junior disciple even have the skill to set up such a formation?
The Strange Daoist recalled his junior disciple, pale and weak, barely alive…
Exhausted, even with the utmost derivative calculations, it would be impossible to deploy such a grand Mysterious-Heaven Formation, even at first rank!
His heart trembled.
“Did I… get this wrong?”
This Mysterious-Heaven Formation wasn’t set up by the junior disciple to protect him…
It was something already in the little one’s Sea of Consciousness!
The Strange Daoist was slightly shocked.
“Already in his Sea of Consciousness…?”
Impossible…
Whose Sea of Consciousness would contain a Mysterious-Heaven Formation?
What was this formation for?
He reviewed countless cultivation experiences, classic texts, running through his mind…
Looking at Mo Hua, considering his cultivation level, a sudden realization came: Qi-Refining, ninth layer, breaking through to Foundation Establishment…
If the Sea of Consciousness truly held a Mysterious-Heaven Grand Formation, then most likely… it’s the bottleneck of Foundation Establishment!
The Strange Daoist shivered.
Was his junior brother intending for him to help this little one overcome the bottleneck of Foundation Establishment?!
For a moment, he didn’t know whether to be angry or amused.
But soon, his heart turned solemn.
A cultivation method…
What kind of cultivation method would use a “Mysterious-Heaven Grand Formation” as a bottleneck for Foundation Establishment?
A method that uses a Mysterious-Heaven Grand Formation as a bottleneck—is that really meant for people to learn?
And what kind of person could actually master such a method…
The Strange Daoist looked at Mo Hua, only about ten years old, seriously executing the Flowing-Water Step, condensing Fireball Technique, manifesting the Earth-Fire Array to try to restrain him, and under his sword Qi, though clumsy, remaining calm and composed, moving forward and back with measured restraint, and murmured in his heart:
“This little thing… is actually… a little monster…”
Not only that…
The cultivation method he was learning was by no means simple…
The Strange Daoist’s gaze darkened.
“Then… I cannot simply kill him…”
“I must capture him and interrogate properly.”
“Completely uncover the secrets of this cultivation method!”
The Strange Daoist suddenly stopped, sheathing the ancient-bronze Sumeru Long Sword in his hand.
Mo Hua was stunned, and his expression grew even more serious.
Sure enough, in just a moment, the Strange Daoist’s aura changed drastically.
A dense black mist, interwoven with intricate array patterns and containing a powerful, eerie force, rose from him.
Mo Hua was alarmed.
“Not good… Senior Uncle is angry!”
He immediately used the Flowing-Water Step, toes touching the ground, flashing several times, retreating far away.
Then Mo Hua focused, seeing the black mist first rise and then gather tightly around the Strange Daoist.
The Strange Daoist was now wearing a strange, pitch-black Dao robe.
This robe was completely different from his previous one.
It seemed woven from black mist, covered with countless human faces, writhing in pain, grotesque and terrifying.
Mo Hua’s Divine Sense stirred, and his heart trembled.
This robe contained a far more advanced “Heavenly Secret Deceptive Algorithm,” devouring souls and spirits, violating the natural order.
But this Heavenly Secret Deceptive Algorithm was far too profound.
Mo Hua could not comprehend it at all…
All he knew was that his Senior Uncle was furious and would likely stop at nothing to kill him!
“What should I do?”
Mo Hua’s gaze grew serious, then suddenly paused.
He sensed a familiar aura…
At the same time, the Strange Daoist, draped in the pitch-black robe of human faces, aura terrifying, ready to strike Mo Hua, was also stunned.
Mo Hua’s Sea of Consciousness radiated a vast aura.
The Strange Daoist trembled all over, feeling excitement, anticipation, and fear.
This was…
The primordial aura of the Dao?!
Impossible!
The Strange Daoist suddenly turned and saw, at the center of the Sea of Consciousness, a Dao Monument had appeared without him noticing.
The monument was ethereal, a fragment of chaos.
Broad and ancient, strangely malformed, as if a vast, profound aura floated within it, yet in an instant, it seemed empty and void, nothing at all…
The Strange Daoist’s pupils contracted sharply.
So that’s it…
The real secret of this little thing…
Was this… mysterious fragment of a monument, containing the primordial Dao’s aura!
Mo Hua’s expression changed drastically, face pale.
The Strange Daoist sneered, leaving Mo Hua behind, and walked toward the monument.
The monument trembled, and an ancient, mysterious, overwhelming aura instantly spread around.
This aura suppressed and eroded the Strange Daoist.
His expression grew grave; the black robe billowed in the wind, black-gray array patterns crawling over the grotesque human faces, intertwining into strange demonic thoughts.
It seemed he was using the Heavenly Secret Deceptive Algorithm to conjure residual souls, transform them into human thoughts, hide the source, conceal the scheme, and thus avoid being obliterated by the Dao’s aura.
His robe was slowly wearing away.
The strange black aura around him dissipated bit by bit.
Faces were erased by the Dao into ash…
Yet the Strange Daoist’s figure continued to advance toward the monument…
He wanted to see what secret lay on this little one’s Sea of Consciousness monument.
Why did this fragment contain the primordial Dao’s aura?!
Mo Hua gasped in alarm, hurriedly calling:
“Senior Uncle, don’t look!”
But the Strange Daoist ignored him, stepping closer to the monument, flickering between real and illusory.
Mo Hua gritted his teeth, repeatedly flicking his fingers; fireballs roared forth, trying to repel the Strange Daoist.
Yet the fireballs vanished upon touching the black soul robe, dissipating without a trace.
Mo Hua then deployed the Water Prison Technique.
The Water Prison could only slightly hinder the Strange Daoist, barely slowing him.
Mo Hua’s gaze hardened; he began forming an array.
Moments later, he pointed at the Strange Daoist.
Golden-red array patterns spiraled at the Strange Daoist’s feet, intertwining, forming the Golden-Lock Three-Lotus Earth-Fire Complex Array.
The Golden-Lock Array trapped the Strange Daoist.
The Three-Lotus Earth-Fire Array responded in unison, three fire-lotus blooms suddenly erupting, engulfing the Strange Daoist in roaring flames.
Previously, Mo Hua had been suppressed by the Strange Daoist and had no chance to use this complex array.
Now, with the Strange Daoist distracted by the monument, Mo Hua finally had the opening to manifest the trapping array fully.
The Strange Daoist was not afraid of such an array’s power, but all his attention and cunning were focused on resisting the monument’s aura.
Caught off guard, he could not avoid it and was struck by the Golden-Lock Three-Lotus Earth-Fire Array.
His robe trembled, his strange aura flickering.
The Strange Daoist took a few steps back, then was further pushed back by the monument’s overwhelming Dao aura, retreating another dozen steps.
He looked up, black aura around him, eyes showing some surprise.
The manifested trapping array…
This little one’s mastery of arrays was indeed unexpected.
There is a vast difference between knowing a complex array and being able to manifest it; the understanding of array principles involved is worlds apart.
This little ghost’s array skill far exceeded his age.
Could it… all be thanks to this monument fragment?
The Strange Daoist looked up at the monument.
Mo Hua, at some point, had positioned himself in front of it, arms outstretched, tense, as if to block the Strange Daoist from seeing.
But his small body could not hide the monument.
“Senior Uncle, you can’t look!”
Mo Hua’s face was serious.
The Strange Daoist sneered, yet was certain in his heart.
This monument must hold a great secret, and it surely relates to arrays!
Perhaps this is also why my junior brother, using the Heavenly Secret Derivative Algorithm, has been covering it up, preventing this little disciple from discovering it…
“In that case, I must see for myself!”
The Strange Daoist’s pupils darkened, his momentum intensifying.
Mo Hua gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, focused, and pushed his Divine Sense to the limit, beginning to manifest the Five-Element Mountain-Protecting Array.
This array was derived from the Five Elements Sect’s Grand Mountain-Protecting Array.
Only first-grade.
And merely a part of the Grand Mountain-Protecting Array, simplified by Mo Hua while studying the second-grade version.
Still, it was the strongest defensive complex array he could muster.
As he manifested it, he instinctively applied the Heavenly Secret Deceptive Algorithm, allowing the array to manifest extremely quickly.
Five-colored array patterns layered upon each other, forming a spiritual curtain that protected the Dao Monument at its center.
The Strange Daoist’s eyes glinted with ferocity.
“A mere Five-Element Mountain-Protecting formation dares to block me?”
As always, he stepped forward. At the same time, the remnants of his soul on the black Daoist robe twisted into ghostly faces, scattering outward, relentlessly “gnawing” at Mo Hua’s Five Elements Mountain-Protecting Formation.
Though it looked like “eating,” in essence it was “dismantling.”
The Five Elements Mountain-Protecting Formation was gradually eroded…
Even so, Mo Hua’s gaze remained steady, continuing to manifest the formation as if to match his Martial Uncle move for move…
One Five Elements array after another appeared.
Then another, only to be devoured by the Strange Daoist’s soul remnants.
The Strange Daoist, clad in his black-soul Dao robe, defying the destruction of the Dao, dismantled Mo Hua’s formations while steadily advancing toward the Dao Monument.
Every array Mo Hua manifested was immediately broken; the formations retreated step by step.
With his level of Divine Sense, mastery of Divine Methods, and formation skill, trying to face the Strange Daoist directly—even against a single Baseline Demon Thought of the Strange Daoist—was extremely difficult.
Mo Hua’s brows were tightly furrowed, his face pale as paper.
Time passed, though neither side knew exactly how long.
Finally, the Five Elements Mountain-Protecting Formation was completely eroded, shattered beyond repair…
The Dao Monument was fully exposed before the Strange Daoist.
Mo Hua attempted to condense his spell, but the Strange Daoist’s expression turned cold. A wave of his robe sent forth a ghostly remnant, its face twisted with malice, lunging to tear at Mo Hua.
The remnant was vicious, exuding a grim, eerie aura.
Mo Hua had no choice but to use the Flowing-Water Step to evade it.
But the remnant was relentless, continuing to strike at Mo Hua and forcing him to retreat several meters…
As Mo Hua distanced himself, at that moment, the Strange Daoist was only a few steps from the Dao Monument.
“Martial Uncle…”
Despair washed over Mo Hua’s face.
The Strange Daoist, repeatedly thwarted by Mo Hua, saw the “despair” on his young face. All doubt vanished, and without any defense, he glanced at the Dao Monument…
On the monument, the surface seemed at once bright and dim, real and illusory, appearing to contain everything yet ultimately nothing at all.
At first, the Strange Daoist was stunned. Then, upon closer inspection, his expression instantly changed to horror.
For on the monument’s chaotic, void-like surface, there was a single, vivid, terrifying array marking in crimson!
This single marking radiated the aura of annihilating all things!
Threads of blood-red calamity lightning, shocking to the eye, flowed across it in light and dark, containing the supreme law of Daoic annihilation…
It was a single stroke…
A pattern capable of erasing everything… an Immortal-Heavenly Thunder Pattern?!