Chapter 262: Clues
The Bald Monk, relying on his sharp agility, acted without restraint in the Great Black Mountain. The only reason he was captured was the disgusting Water Prison Technique, which completely restrained his movements.
The practitioner's Divine-Sense was strong, his technique superb, both fast and precise.
The Bald Monk had thought that even if this person wasn't a Qi-Refining stage cultivator, he must be a Head Enforcer Officer from the Dao Court Division, or an experienced spiritual spells master.
Instead of killing him outright, he was repeatedly trapped by the Water Prison Technique, played with like a cat with a mouse.
It wasn't personal grudge—it was for the Dao Court Division's bounty.
Over the years, he had committed countless evils, accumulating endless karma. Anyone targeting him was within reason.
But he never imagined that the one to toy with him so completely… would be this little brat?!
Where did this little monster come from?
His gaze was both venomous and incredulous.
Mo Hua smiled at him, "Now you know who I am?"
"I remember."
The Bald Monk twisted his mouth into a blood-stained grin. "I'll remember your face. If I ever escape, I'll come back and kill you!"
Mo Hua was unfazed. "You're in the Dao Prison, sentenced to death. Stop daydreaming and wait for your end."
"If by some chance you escape, run as far as you can. Dare to come back for me? You're asking for death."
Mo Hua's tone was calm, with a hint of disdain in his eyes.
The Bald Monk fumed, his face twitching, yet had no words to refute.
He knew the boy was right.
He hadn't even escaped the boy's grasp now; it would be even harder later.
Besides, in his memory, this kid's agility was exceptional, slippery and untouchable, coupled with profound Divine-Sense and the precise, cunning Water Prison Technique.
Killing him would be difficult; escaping from him was even harder.
The Bald Monk thought for a moment, then sneered, "You came here to ask me something?"
"Yes," Mo Hua did not hide it.
The Bald Monk scoffed, "I'm trapped by you, itching to kill you. Now, dead anyway, why would I answer?"
Mo Hua didn't care. "I just want to humiliate you. If you don't answer, I'll ask someone else."
"Oh, and," Mo Hua added as if recalling something, "I'll spread the word: the notorious and infamous Bald Monk was trapped by a thirteen-year-old little cultivator like me, played with by my spells like a mouse, darting everywhere, unable to escape…"
The Bald Monk spat blood, "You dare?!"
"What's there not to dare?"
"You're asking for trouble. Some other criminals will seek revenge," the Bald Monk hissed.
"You're already trapped by me. Forget about the other cultivators."
Mo Hua formed a Water Prison with his right hand, smiling, "I'll fish them out one by one. Anyone daring to mess with me won't escape!"
The Bald Monk gritted his teeth, "I'm dead anyway…"
"Even in death, it won't end," Mo Hua continued. "Think about it—if I tell this story, you'll become a laughingstock. Nearby Dao Court officers, demon hunters, even those criminals, will mock you."
"They'll ridicule you as useless, defeated by a child, call you stupid, call you a pig brain."
The Bald Monk coughed up more blood.
Mo Hua sighed, "See? Death doesn't guarantee peace. If you're punished for evil, you might not care. But being mocked for stupidity and incompetence? That's unbearable."
Mo Hua's eyes brightened. "Oh, I forgot to tell you, there's a Fushan Pavilion in the city with storytellers. I'll have you made into a tale, told every day…"
The Bald Monk shouted, "Silence!" After a moment, he relented, "I'll tell…"
Mo Hua wasn't done, "I haven't finished yet…"
The Bald Monk said angrily, "Ask, and I'll say everything!"
He might die, but he could not die as a joke, entertaining all these random cultivators.
The enforcers escorting the Bald Monk were stunned, their eyes showing shock at Mo Hua.
Zhang Lan wasn't surprised but was impressed.
No wonder he followed Elder Yu; words sharper than knives, capable of punishing the mind.
Others kill with knives; this kid kills with words…
Seeing the Bald Monk subdued, Mo Hua asked,
"Among the caravans you recently raided, were there any selling pills?"
"Yes."
"How many pills?"
"Not many, just a few dozen. Their business was messy, not purely selling pills."
Mo Hua and Zhang Lan exchanged a glance, both surprised.
That caravan hadn't been raided by the Bald Monk.
"Do you know Kong Sheng?" Mo Hua asked.
"Who's Kong Sheng?"
"The young master of the Kong family."
The Bald Monk sneered, "Kong family? What good are they? Never seen them."
Mo Hua was momentarily speechless, these criminals and the Kong family were both rotten, yet disdainful of each other…
"The young master of the Kong family may have died at the hands of your group of criminals."
"So what?"
Mo Hua asked, "You had dealings with the Kong family, right?"
The Bald Monk coughed, "We criminals operate on spirit stones. Whoever pays, decides. Without stones, what Kong family, what young master? Piss me off, same outcome—dead."
Mo Hua nodded, understanding. Then he asked:
"One last question. This map, where does it depict?"
Mo Hua took the hastily drawn map from his storage pouch and spread it before the Bald Monk.
The Bald Monk's eyes widened in shock. "You found the secret compartment?"
"Yes."
The Bald Monk murmured, "Impossible…"
Mo Hua said curiously, "Why impossible? The compartment isn't hidden deeply."
"The compartment was in a cave, with a formation outside…"
"I dismantled that formation," Mo Hua said lightly.
The Bald Monk froze, nearly coughing blood, "How the hell are you a formation master?"
Then he understood, no wonder his Divine-Sense was so strong.
And the formations he encountered were all drawn by this kid himself.
Mo Hua glared, thinking if he insulted him again, he'd smash his mouth with the Thousand-Jin Rod!
The Bald Monk dared not speak further, his face twitching, gradually slumping.
The cave was discovered, its treasures gone.
These were his decades of accumulated loot from murder and theft; even if he escaped, he would have nothing.
Mo Hua raised the map. "Now can you talk?"
The Bald Monk had completely given up.
At this point, there was nothing left to hide.
He sighed, "This map belonged to a good brother of mine long ago…"
"We were all criminals, drank together, ate together, killed together, and were pursued by the Dao Court together."
"He treasured this map. I wanted to borrow it, but he refused, so I poisoned his wine, killed him, and took the map."
"Afterward, I regretted it. The map was hastily drawn, unclear, useless. I studied it for decades, still clueless. What hurt most… I lost a good brother over this worthless thing…"
Mo Hua listened, utterly speechless.
(End of Chapter)