Chapter 265: Strange Occurrence
After returning home, aside from his daily cultivation, Mo Hua devoted all his focus to the Spirit-Reversal Formation.
At night, he entered his Sea of Consciousness to practice the Spirit-Reversal Formation on the Dao Stele. During the day, he continued to draw the formation, stroke by stroke, either in his small hut or at the tables of the eatery.
In this way, over ten days passed. His Divine-Sense had grown considerably, and he could already sketch the rough structure of those nine and a half incomplete Spirit-Reversal Formation. He estimated that before long, he would be able to complete them.
Once he mastered those nine and a half Spirit-Reversal Formation, he could visit Mister Zhuang to seek instruction on the Concealment Formation.
After learning the Concealment Formation, Mo Hua could use formation techniques to compensate for the flaws in his own concealment technique.
Once he mastered concealment, he would have far greater flexibility when facing danger—whether advancing or retreating.
He also handed the recipe Bai Zixi had given him to his mother, pointing at the pastry named *"Blossoms and Full Moon."*
"Mother, I want to eat this."
"You and your sweet tooth again." Liu Ruhua lightly tapped Mo Hua's nose, her tone scolding, but her gaze filled with fondness.
She took the recipe and glanced at it, frowning slightly. "Is this really what you want to eat?"
Though Mo Hua was never picky about food, Liu Ruhua knew his tastes well.
This particular pastry used many flowers for filling—it would be overly sweet and floral, not at all to his usual liking.
Mo Hua blinked. "Mother, I just want to try something new."
Sweet... with flowers...
Liu Ruhua suddenly understood, then smiled knowingly. "Alright, I'll make it for you."
Though *Blossoms and Full Moon* was a bit complicated to prepare, its ingredients weren't rare. After studying the recipe for two days, Liu Ruhua understood the method and steamed a batch.
Mo Hua packed the pastries and brought them to Bai Zixi when he went to visit Mister Zhuang.
Bai Zisheng also had a share—his long-desired rabbit meat.
It was a dish ordered by a customer, and Mo Hua had asked his mother to make extra so Bai Zisheng could have some too.
Under the great locust tree, Bai Zisheng ate with delight, eyebrows dancing in satisfaction.
Bai Zixi, in contrast, ate quietly and gracefully, savoring every bite. A few petals clung to her lips without her even noticing.
Mo Hua looked at her, intending to point it out, but then noticed her lips were more vivid than the flower petals, he froze, momentarily stunned.
Bai Zixi, seeing him staring, thought perhaps he wanted a bite too. She hesitated briefly, then picked up a piece and offered it to him.
Mo Hua blinked, then shook his head. "You eat."
He had already tasted it before—too sweet, too floral. Eating too much made him queasy, so he didn't plan to eat more.
Bai Zixi asked softly, "You really don't want it?"
Mo Hua hesitated, then finally accepted it.
So what if it was a bit too sweet? One piece wouldn't hurt.
Bai Zixi nodded lightly. The two of them sat silently under the tree, eating flower pastries in peace.
After that, Mo Hua continued his studies of the Spirit-Reversal Formation.
Whenever he had free time, he would also take out the map rubbing to examine it again.
But no matter how long he studied, he still couldn't figure out which part of the Great Black Mountain it depicted.
He also wondered how the interrogation of that bald monk and the one-eyed criminal was going. Had they found any new clues?
That day, Mo Hua was again practicing the Spirit-Reversal Formation at the eatery when Zhang Lan came by for a meal. His expression, however, was unusually grave.
When he saw Mo Hua, Zhang Lan seemed hesitant to speak.
"Something happened?" Mo Hua asked.
Zhang Lan thought for a moment, then said, "That one-eyed criminal has confessed."
Mo Hua's eyes lit up.
Zhang Lan sighed lightly. He hadn't planned to tell Mo Hua.
Mo Hua had already helped them capture the Bald Monk, that matter was concluded. What came next—interrogation, sentencing, execution—was the Dao Court Division's business.
It had nothing to do with Mo Hua. But if what the one-eyed man said was true, this might concern all demon hunters.
Zhang Lan continued, "About that map... the Bald Monk indeed lied."
Mo Hua snorted. "That bald bastard, still lying even on the brink of death!" Then he asked, "What did the one-eyed man say?"
Zhang Lan's gaze sharpened slightly. "That map *is* indeed of the Great Black Mountain."
Mo Hua frowned deeply, sensing something ominous.
Zhang Lan went on, "Among the criminal cultivators, there's a rumor: those drenched in blood—when they have nowhere left to run—can enter the Great Black Mountain."
"When did that rumor start?" Mo Hua asked.
"It's old," Zhang Lan said. "According to the one-eyed man, it's been around for a hundred, maybe two hundred years."
His tone grew heavy. "But in the past, few believed it. Tōngxiān City was remote, and the Great Black Mountain perilous, so not many criminals dared to come. But recently... things changed."
"Tōngxiān City has grown prosperous. Rogue cultivators are wealthier, merchants travel more often, profits abound. So many criminals have begun gathering in the Great Black Mountain. That's why we could catch so many at once—and uncover this clue."
The more Zhang Lan spoke, the heavier his tone became.
If this was true, then the greatest threat in the Great Black Mountain might not be the criminals themselves.
"Those drenched in blood, when they have nowhere to run... can enter the Great Black Mountain…"
Mo Hua murmured softly, then asked, "And then what? What happens after they enter?"
Zhang Lan shook his head. "That we don't know. Or rather... those who do know haven't lived long enough for us to catch them."
"Not even the Bald Monk or the one-eyed man?"
"No." Zhang Lan nodded. "We used every interrogation method. Still, they didn't say. I believe they truly don't know."
If neither of them knew, then the only clue left was…
Mo Hua's heart skipped a beat. "That map?"
Zhang Lan nodded slowly. "That's what I think. If we can locate the place marked on the map, perhaps we can uncover the truth behind the rumor."
"And the Bald Monk? The map belonged to him."
Zhang Lan sighed. "He didn't know either. He stole it after killing someone, but he had no idea what it meant or where it led."
"Though," Zhang Lan added, "that one-eyed man mentioned something strange."
"Something strange?" Mo Hua frowned.
Zhang Lan nodded, then recounted the story:
"Over ten years ago, the one-eyed man went to the Great Black Mountain to rob travelers. He gained nothing that day. Wrapped in thin clothes, braving the mountain winds, he spent the night sleeping on a tree branch, too afraid to sleep on the ground, lest he be eaten by beasts in his sleep."
"Half-asleep, he heard voices."
"He couldn't tell if there were two or three people. Their voices were low and hoarse—strange in the dark night, and hard to make out."
"Alone, he didn't dare breathe loudly. He listened for a long time and finally caught fragments of what they said."
"They were criminals too, rapists and murderers who had wiped out an entire cultivator clan, looted their wealth, and were now being hunted by the Dao Court Division. With nowhere to run, they had come to the Great Black Mountain seeking refuge."
"Their cultivation was high, their tone vicious. The one-eyed man was terrified, trembling in the tree until dawn. When he finally looked around, there was no one left."
"And after that day, he never saw those men again. Those criminals, who had supposedly gone into the Great Black Mountain to hide, vanished... like they'd evaporated from the world."
A chill crept up Mo Hua's spine.
If that was true, then the Great Black Mountain truly hid filth beyond imagination—its depths were far too dark.
Zhang Lan glanced around the eatery; seeing there were other patrons, he leaned closer and lowered his voice:
"The one-eyed man also heard those criminals say one more thing…"
Zhang Lan's expression turned grave, and Mo Hua's heart tensed.
"What did they say?"
Zhang Lan thought for a moment, then said slowly:
"The Black Mountain's mist can conceal the Abyss-Marsh;
At midnight's third watch, cast a stone to find the path."
(End of Chapter)