Chapter 261: The Map
"I'll go back and ask the Bald Monk again," Zhang Lan said.
"Mm."
Mo Hua nodded. This matter felt strange, and he needed to get to the bottom of it.
For the remaining time, Zhang Lan had his subordinates, the Law Enforcers, tally the stolen goods and record them. Tomorrow, the Dao Court would send people to transport these items back to Tōngxiān City.
Mo Hua and the others would stay overnight in the inner mountains.
Once the cave was tidied up, they prepared to set off for the camp.
Just as they were leaving, Mo Hua suddenly exclaimed, "Huh?"
Zhang Lan turned around and hurriedly asked, "What is it?"
Mo Hua pointed to a small corner. "There's something here."
Zhang Lan's eyes brightened. He walked over to the corner Mo Hua indicated, extended his divine sense, and carefully examined it. Surprised, he said:
"There really is a hidden compartment."
Previously, this area had been blocked by clutter, so no one noticed it. Now that the cave was cleared, Mo Hua's divine sense detected it.
"Any formation?" Zhang Lan asked.
"No," Mo Hua shook his head.
Zhang Lan then looked at Mo Shan. "Brother Mo, it's up to you."
Mo Shan nodded, clenched his fist, and flames erupted. With a "boom," he struck the stone wall in the corner.
The wall creaked and developed cracks.
He repeated this five or six times, smashing the stone completely.
Behind the broken wall was a tiny hidden compartment, containing a wooden box.
Zhang Lan took out the box and scanned it with his divine sense. Finding no danger, he opened it.
Mo Hua leaned over to take a look as well.
Inside the box were two books and a map.
One book was *Long Wind Art*, and the other was *Gale Technique*.
*Long Wind Art* was a wind-based cultivation method, and *Gale Technique* was a wind-based movement skill—both practices of the Bald Monk.
It seemed this hidden compartment was used by the Bald Monk to store items.
As for the map, it appeared to be a topographic map.
The lines roughly depicted mountains and cliffs, with messy handwriting and no textual notes. At first glance, it was hard to tell exactly what area it represented.
Zhang Lan said, "These cultivation and movement techniques are valuable. Wind spiritual roots are rare, so few can learn them. You two should make a copy, you can sell it or trade for other cultivation methods. It's probably worth a good amount of spirit stones."
"As for this map…" Zhang Lan frowned and asked Mo Hua, "Can you tell which area it depicts?"
Zhang Lan was not familiar with the terrain around Tōngxiān City, especially the paths of Great Black Mountain. He hadn't used topographic maps much.
He remembered that Mo Hua had personally drawn a map of Great Black Mountain, marking every stream, forest, and tree clearly. If this were truly a map of Great Black Mountain, Mo Hua should be able to recognize it.
Mo Hua took the map and studied it carefully, feeling puzzled.
It looked familiar, yet strange.
"This mountain formation resembles Great Black Mountain, but I haven't seen these specifics before," Mo Hua said thoughtfully, then asked Mo Shan:
"Father, can you recognize it?"
Mo Shan studied it for a while, also feeling something was odd, then said, "You drew maps of the inner and outer mountains, compare them and see."
"Oh, right." Mo Hua nodded, took out his own map, and spread it on the ground.
With the Bald Monk captured, the criminal cultivators' lair taken down, and Lu Hui dead, there was nothing else pressing. The three of them carefully compared the maps.
After about half an hour and several inspections, they still couldn't find a corresponding location.
Zhang Lan said, "It could be a map of Great Black Mountain's terrain outside Tōngxiān City."
Mo Hua nodded, thinking it was likely.
Great Black Mountain was huge, and its terrain extended beyond Tōngxiān City.
If that was the case, it was no wonder Mo Hua felt familiarity yet couldn't pinpoint the exact location.
"We can ask the Bald Monk later where this map came from and what it's for," Mo Hua said thoughtfully.
The Bald Monk had stored this map with his cultivation and movement manuals, clearly valuing it highly—there was likely a significant secret behind it.
Mo Hua made a copy of the map as well.
The three spent the night in Great Black Mountain, and at dawn, accompanied by mountain dew and morning sunlight, returned to Tōngxiān City.
Mo Hua rested briefly, then went to the Dao Court to find Zhang Lan. "Are you going to interrogate the Bald Monk? Let me come along."
Zhang Lan hesitated. "Interrogations at the Dao Court cannot allow outsiders…"
"I was involved in capturing the Bald Monk. How am I an outsider?"
"Technically yes, but rules are rules," Zhang Lan replied tactfully.
"Fine, I'll ask the Division Chief," Mo Hua said and started to leave.
Zhang Lan quickly grabbed him. "Why go to the Division Chief?"
"If you can't decide, the Division Chief will."
"The Division Chief won't agree."
Mo Hua smiled slyly. "How do you know he won't?"
Zhang Lan thought for a moment and realized the Division Chief probably wouldn't refuse.
After all, Mo Hua had helped capture the Bald Monk, and now he wanted to observe the interrogation. That seemed reasonable.
Mo Hua also had wide connections and access to information; he might know things even Zhang Lan didn't.
Letting him help with the interrogation could actually uncover something useful.
The old Division Chief admired Mo Hua's talent, and besides, he was a first-grade formation master—this face had to be given.
Zhang Lan's expression grew complex. He sighed. "During the interrogation… there will be some blood…"
He paused, then realized Mo Hua was a Demon Beast Hunter, used to seeing cultivators and beasts clash, so he probably had no fear of bloody scenes.
Deciding this, Zhang Lan relented. "Come with me."
Mo Hua smiled. "Thanks, Uncle Zhang."
The Dao Prison's interrogation chamber was in a dark corner to the west.
Mo Hua followed Zhang Lan inside and immediately smelled blood and decay. The chamber was dim, with torture instruments hanging along the walls. Dark bloodstains marked the floor, and a furnace burned hot irons.
The air was thick with blood and oppression.
No wonder Zhang Lan didn't want him to enter.
Zhang Lan instructed, "You stay to the side. If it gets uncomfortable, step outside for air. This isn't a pleasant place—avoid it if you can."
"Thank you, Uncle Zhang!"
Mo Hua thanked him again.
Zhang Lan smiled faintly, patted Mo Hua's shoulder, and ordered the Bald Monk brought in.
Mo Hua found a relatively clean stool to sit on. Soon, he heard the clanging of chains and looked up to see a few enforcers escorting the Bald Monk, chained through the bones, into the chamber.
The Bald Monk was covered in wounds, looking disheveled—he had clearly suffered in Dao Prison.
The enforcers tied him to the rack.
Zhang Lan put on a cold expression. "Bald Monk, I'll ask you some questions. Answer truthfully, and you'll suffer less."
The Bald Monk kept his eyes closed, giving no reply.
Zhang Lan asked several questions, but the Bald Monk remained silent. Even under torture, he didn't utter a word.
He looked like a dead pig unafraid of boiling water.
Knowing death was inevitable and considering the Dao Court cultivators as lackeys, he felt no need to speak.
At death's door, there was nothing left to do but await the end.
Zhang Lan asked multiple times and applied some torture, but ultimately shook his head helplessly.
Then he noticed Mo Hua giving him a subtle signal.
Zhang Lan considered it and nodded.
Mo Hua walked forward leisurely, smiling. "Big Baldy, do you know the Water Prison Technique?"
The Bald Monk heard a clear, cheerful voice. Looking up, he saw a young cultivator with bright lips and white teeth smiling at him.
A child in the Dao Court's interrogation chamber?
Moreover, the figure and aura were familiar—he must be the little Demon hunter who saved Ji Qingbai that day.
The Bald Monk asked suspiciously, "What Water Prison Technique?"
Mo Hua smiled faintly, raised his hand, and condensed a chain of spiritual energy, locking it onto the Bald Monk.
This technique…
The Bald Monk's heart trembled violently, eyes widening.
"It's you!"
(End of chapter)