Chapter 727: Tracking

Chapter 728 – Tracking

The disciple with the Thousand-Mile Windwalking technique took the order and departed.

White-haired Elder Xun sat calmly at the table. His gaze was tranquil, but his heart was like a lake struck by a stone—rippling with waves of unease.

He had a feeling…

That he might uncover some astonishing truth.

But what exactly that truth was,

Elder Xun didn’t yet have a clue…

After getting Elder Xun’s approval, Mo Hua was in high spirits, walking with a spring in his step.

Once he returned to his quarters, he immediately began planning—

What exactly would he do once he entered Beast-Taming Mountain?

“Those who prepare prevail; those who don’t, fail.”

That was the hunter’s motto.

When studying formations, Mo Hua was a formation master.

But now, in this, he returned to his old identity: beast hunter.

Outside of the Qianxue Prefecture, non-sect cultivators were strictly forbidden from entering.

Mo Hua had no choice.

He took out his Great Void Token and spent 100 contribution points to buy a Beast-Taming Permit.

Each sect’s contribution points held equal value, but could only be used within their respective sects.

At the mountain gate, the disciple guarding the entrance gave Mo Hua a scrutinizing look and frowned,

“Your blood energy is so weak… you’re not a body cultivator, are you? Your spiritual power is lacking too. And you’re going alone?”

That was just how Beast-Taming Mountain worked.

It was a place for sect disciples to spar, train, and hunt beasts—open to those who paid with merit points.

“I just want to take a look. One person is enough,” Mo Hua replied.

As long as you had a permit, you could enter.

The gatekeeper was speechless.

Seeing Mo Hua clearly had no intention of listening, he could only mutter,

“Forget it, pretend I didn’t say anything.”

“Mm.” Mo Hua nodded.

Shortly after, a handsome young man with a carefree air arrived.

There was even a hint of excitement in his steps, like the thrill of returning to one’s hometown.

(Which made one wonder—if you’re that thrilled, why are you guarding the gate?)

Mo Hua had bought his Beast-Taming Permit and now set off alone into the mountain.

Even seasoned hunters wore grim expressions upon entering.

No one dared to be careless.

“Beast-Taming Mountain is vicious. Even if you’re just going in to look, it’s still dangerous,” the gatekeeper warned gravely.

But since Mo Hua insisted on going alone, he couldn’t stop him. He could only sigh inwardly:

“Kids these days really don’t know the meaning of danger…”

When Mo Hua asked earlier if a permit could be used for multiple people, the gatekeeper blinked in disbelief:

“What are you talking about? You think this is a group pass to a tourist site?”

Seeing that Mo Hua remained unbothered, calm and bright-eyed, the gatekeeper fell silent.

The mountain loomed ahead—its terrain perilous, thick with demonic aura, mist swirling among jagged peaks.

It gave off an oppressive air, like a slumbering beast.

Occasionally, the howls of demon beasts rang out.

The air carried a faint metallic tang—blood.

Around him, several rookie disciples hesitated at the foot of the mountain, their expressions nervous and uncertain.

Only Mo Hua remained calm and composed, eyes lit with quiet confidence.

The gatekeeper spotted someone approaching and immediately bowed,

“Elder Xun.”

The man nodded casually.

“I’m going up the mountain for a look.”

“Understood.”

The gatekeeper let him pass respectfully.

Elder Xun looked up the winding path.

There, a young boy in Great Void Sect robes was marching up the mountain, full of spirit.

Elder Xun couldn’t help but shake his head.

“That old man, seriously… if he’s so worried about the kid’s safety, why let him out of the sect?”

“And if he must let him out, why send him to Beast-Taming Mountain, of all places? It’s just begging for trouble.”

“And this kid too… Doesn’t he know his own strength? Walking around Beast-Taming Mountain alone… does he have a death wish?”

While muttering inwardly, Elder Xun suddenly noticed something:

Far ahead, Mo Hua paused, stopped in his tracks, and turned to glance down the mountain path.

Elder Xun’s heart jumped, and he instinctively darted to the side to hide.

Mo Hua stood and scanned the lower path.

But after staring for a long while, he saw nothing unusual.

He tilted his head, looking puzzled.

“Did I sense wrong?”

“I swear someone was just watching me… even probing me with spiritual sense—and they were probably bad-mouthing me in their head too…”

“Why is there no one now?”

He glanced around left and right, shook his head, and muttered:

“Must’ve been my imagination.”

Then he turned and continued walking up the mountain path.

Once Mo Hua had left, Elder Xun slowly emerged from hiding.

He watched the boy vanish into the misty path ahead, eyes flickering with unease.

“This brat… did he almost discover me…?”

He’s just a kid.

How strong could his divine sense be?

How could he possibly detect the gaze of a late-stage Golden Core cultivator?

“No way… that’s way too spooky.”

Elder Xun frowned deeply.

After a moment, he lifted his head and continued up the mountain.

But this time, he was more cautious.

He didn’t follow directly anymore.

Instead, he stuck to the trees, concealing himself with foliage, and used secret techniques to hide his presence—careful to keep a safe distance.

After all, he had a mission:

To quietly watch over this little boy, whose single hair was worth more than Elder Xun’s own arm.

Because if his arm got broken, well, so be it.

But if Mo Hua’s hair went missing…

He dreaded what kind of “tempering” the Old Ancestor might unleash upon him.

Elder Xun sighed deeply.

And so, with Mo Hua walking in front and Elder Xun tailing from afar…

Mo Hua remained blissfully unaware that the moment he entered the mountain, he’d gained a personal bodyguard.

He was focused—executing his plan.

In unfamiliar territory, the first step was always to understand the terrain.

That was a basic rule of beast hunters.

It had applied in Mount Dahei,

and it applied here in Beast-Taming Mountain.

Mo Hua pulled out a topographic map of the mountain.

He’d bought it for two spirit stones in the small immortal city at the mountain’s foot.

The map roughly showed the general terrain—mountains, rivers, forests—but it was crude and incomplete.

Useless for a true hunter.

Mo Hua got to work.

He began personally surveying the mountain, using the crude map as a base to draw his own detailed, custom version of Beast-Taming Mountain.

Beast-Taming Mountain was vast—and teeming with demon beasts.

In the outer areas, second-grade beasts were the norm.

But deeper into the mountains, it was said that even third- and fourth-grade demon beasts could be found.

Fortunately, those high-grade beasts were sealed within the depths of the mountain by formation arrays.

Disciples weren’t allowed into those deep zones.

Likewise, those powerful beasts couldn’t come down the mountain either.

Mo Hua only planned to operate in the outer ring.

The more experienced a beast hunter was, the more cautious and self-aware they became—

And the longer they lived, the more beasts they could slay.

That was something his father, Mo Shan, had taught him.

And Mo Hua deeply agreed.

He might not be “old,”

but his methods were practiced. That made him just barely count as a “seasoned” beast hunter.

On the mountain path,

Mo Hua found a large stone to sit on.

He unfolded his crude topographic map and studied it carefully, memorizing the various mountain peaks.

Then he looked out over the outer mountains, comparing what he saw with the map, building a mental layout of the terrain.

Once he was satisfied, he selected a route and started up the mountain.

As he walked, he observed and took notes.

Far behind, hidden in a clump of grass, Elder Xun followed silently, a look of surprise on his face.

He realized he had underestimated the boy.

“Sharpening the axe doesn’t delay the chopping.”

Before heading into Beast-Taming Mountain, Mo Hua first familiarized himself with the terrain.

This wasn’t something most disciples even thought of, let alone did.

Sect disciples only cared about things like:

– how high their cultivation was,

– how deep their spiritual power ran,

– how powerful their techniques were,

– or how sharp their weapons and spiritual tools looked.

When they entered the mountain, all they thought about was:

“Time to kill some beasts!”

But almost none considered learning the terrain first.

Yet in battle—especially in deadly encounters—victory wasn’t determined by strength alone.

Time, location, and teamwork—none can be neglected.

The environment was the “location” part.

Only experienced hunters or weathered cultivators understood this.

Yet this young boy performed with a natural fluidity—

as if such caution was engraved into his bones.

Elder Xun gave a slight nod.

“No wonder the Old Ancestor values this kid so highly…”

Though his spiritual roots seemed mediocre, he had skill—and foresight.

And so Elder Xun watched as Mo Hua wandered the mountain for an entire day.

Whenever Mo Hua encountered special terrain, rare ores, medicinal herbs, dangerous swamps, bogs, miasmas, or beast dens—he noted them all.

If a beast approached, Mo Hua would sweep with his divine sense, detect it early, and avoid it altogether.

If his luck was bad and he got cornered with no escape, he’d use concealment techniques to hide.

Some beasts, though, were blind and relied on aura-sensing.

For those, Mo Hua relied on footwork, using agile movements to outmaneuver them.

He’d lure them toward a cliff’s edge, then strike quickly with instantaneous, ever-changing spells—

sending the beast tumbling off the cliff, while he retreated safely.

The more Elder Xun watched,

the more shocked he became.

If Mo Hua weren’t clearly a Foundation Establishment cultivator with a clean human aura,

he would’ve suspected him to be some ancient demon beast in disguise.

His experience and techniques were far too refined.

In this perilous mountain—where even late Foundation Establishment disciples had to tread carefully—

Mo Hua strolled around like it was his own courtyard.

“At this age… he’s already this capable?”

The deeper Elder Xun observed, the more impressed he became.

And the more respect he felt toward Elder Xun (the Old Ancestor).

“He truly has vision… able to see through the poor spiritual roots and discover this child’s hidden brilliance.”

Elder Xun mused:

“Perhaps that’s why the Old Ancestor had me come along.

So I could see this firsthand.”

“So I’d understand why someone with weak spiritual roots still deserved such care—

Because his methods and mind were both first-rate.”

“The Old Ancestor really thinks long-term…”

Elder Xun sighed in admiration.

Just as he was deep in thought, he noticed the sky had dimmed.

The sun was setting, and the evening clouds painted half the sky red.

In less than half an hour, it would be dark.

“Time to head back…”

Elder Xun crouched on a tree branch, rotating his shoulders.

He was just about to return to the sect—until he looked down and saw…

Mo Hua was still moving through the forest—completely unaware of the time—

showing no sign of turning back.

Elder Xun froze, frowning.

“Don’t tell me… this kid’s planning to spend the night in the mountains?”

In any forest where demon beasts dwelled,

nightfall was always dangerous.

Once darkness fell, and the yin energy rose, beasts would grow violent and bloodthirsty.

Some yin-type demon beasts—who couldn’t move in daylight—

would emerge in droves at night, stalking the darkness for prey.

Beast-Taming Mountain was no exception.

That’s why an unspoken rule existed:

Unless you were a late Foundation Establishment cultivator in a team of five,

and had no choice but to continue a hunt—

staying overnight in the mountain was strictly forbidden.

At night, the mountain became far more deadly.

The patrol elders were fewer after dusk,

so even if something happened, rescue wouldn’t come in time.

Even elite disciples, in teams of five, still faced tremendous risk sleeping here.

And Mo Hua?

Just a mid-Foundation teen, frail as a twig, wandering alone?

Elder Xun felt a headache coming on.

“This kid… is way too bold…”

Translation – Chapter: Overnight in the Beast’s Lair

Mo Hua, however, looked utterly unconcerned.

His thinking was actually quite simple.

If he returned now, he’d have to come back again tomorrow—

That would mean spending another 100 merit points, and that was just too wasteful.

Merit points were like spiritual stones:

the more, the better; save them if you can.

So Mo Hua continued focusing on observing the terrain, carefully marking key locations on his map.

It wasn’t until night had completely fallen—

The sky dim and starless, the surroundings so dark it was hard to see one’s own hand—

that Mo Hua finally started considering where he’d sleep.

At this time, the demonic aura in the mountain had grown even thicker beneath the chill of night.

Low beastly growls echoed from all around.

Within the darkness, many eerie, predatory creatures stirred restlessly.

Even Elder Xun, late-stage Golden Core, felt a chill creep into his heart.

He glanced again at Mo Hua and saw the boy standing still, scanning the area—

clearly searching for a place to stay the night.

Elder Xun pursed his lips, thinking helplessly:

“If you were planning to spend the night in a monster-infested mountain, you should’ve prepared earlier!

Now you’re scrambling? Good luck finding anywhere decent at this hour…”

If worse came to worst, he’d have to show himself and drag the boy down the mountain.

But… that didn’t match the Old Ancestor’s instructions.

He was told to protect from the shadows, not interfere openly.

Elder Xun was mulling this over when suddenly—

Mo Hua moved.

He seemed to have found a place.

Elder Xun squinted into the deep darkness.

He watched as Mo Hua nimbly climbed a tall tree, then leapt onto a mountain ridge, scaling it halfway.

From there, he jumped to a cliff on the opposite side, used the bushes as cover, and after some cautious trekking…

He found a hidden, well-concealed cave.

Mo Hua headed straight toward it.

Elder Xun froze—

then suddenly sucked in a sharp breath.

A demon beast’s den!

No, seriously—this wasn’t a cave for people!

That was the lair of a vicious demon beast!

Judging from the lingering aura, this was at least the late stage of second-grade!

“You crazy brat, you trying to get yourself killed?!”

Elder Xun almost rushed in to pull him out—

But when he swept the cave with his divine sense, he paused.

“…No beast?”

He scanned it again—

and finally calmed down a little.

It seemed the beast was out hunting tonight.

Or maybe this was one of the creature’s “backup dens.”

Though the demon aura was thick, the beast definitely wasn’t inside—at least, not tonight.

Elder Xun exhaled slowly.

And then… he watched as Mo Hua confidently walked right into the lair—

as if it were his own home.

“This boy… really just claimed a monster’s cave…”

Inside, Mo Hua first took out some fragrant medicinal herbs and scattered them around to neutralize the beast’s odor.

Then he picked a secure corner and set up several array formations:

First, an alert array

Then a concealment array

Followed by a defensive earthen array

And finally a ground-killing array that could counterattack on its own

Once all the formations were laid, he took out some jerky and filled his stomach.

Then he pulled out a jug of fruit wine, had a few gulps…

And finally rolled himself up in a soft blanket like a dumpling,

lay down peacefully,

and drifted off into a calm, steady sleep.

Outside the cave, Elder Xun was completely dumbfounded.

“Wait, wait, WAIT—

This is a monster’s lair!

How are you treating it like your vacation lodge?!”

“And how can you SLEEP in here?!

Are you missing a heart or did you replace it with a rock?!”

Elder Xun let out a long sigh. He truly didn’t know what to say anymore.

In the end, he just accepted fate and stood guard at the cave’s entrance.

He didn’t dare rest himself—only closed his eyes and meditated.

He was terrified that if the beast returned in the middle of the night,

it would swallow this bold little lunatic in one bite.

And then…

The Old Ancestor would probably flay him alive.

The night was deep, and the mountain wind was cold.

Mo Hua slept soundly inside the lair.

Elder Xun stood outside, on edge the entire time.

That was how they spent the night.

At dawn, when the sky began to lighten and the east turned pale,

Mo Hua slowly opened his eyes, sat up, stretched lazily—

his gaze sharp and his spirit refreshed.

Meanwhile, Elder Xun outside looked like a ghost—expression blank, eyes hollow, visibly haggard.

It was getting late.

Mo Hua got up, packed his blanket, erased the array formations,

and marked the lair’s location on his map with a small campfire symbol.

“If I need to stay the night again, I’ll just come back here.”

He ate a quick breakfast, geared up again, and hit the road.

Time was tight—

He needed to complete at least a quarter more of the map today.

Elder Xun rubbed his temples, sighed helplessly, and resumed quietly tailing the boy.

Just like that, Mo Hua spent another full day in Beast-Taming Mountain.

And Elder Xun dutifully followed him for another full day.

Mo Hua had no idea.

His personal map of the mountain was now over halfway complete, meeting his goal.

When this ten-day rest period ended, he returned to the Great Void Sect.

After cultivating for eight days, the next rest cycle arrived.

Mo Hua once again made his way to Beast-Taming Mountain.

Spent another 100 merit points, bought another Beast-Taming Token, and entered.

But this time, he was completely familiar with the area.

He already knew the general terrain, the threats, the miasma zones, the poisons—everything.

So he surveyed much faster now.

Two days later, his custom topographic map of Beast-Taming Mountain was complete.

Next?

He’d officially begin devising a full hunting strategy,

using a combination of formations and spiritual tools.

So that next time—

he could bring Cheng Mo and the other little juniors along for some fun in Beast-Taming Mountain.

(End of Chapter)