Whenever Da Hu and his two companions had free time, Mo Hua would accompany them into the mountains to hunt demonic beasts using trap formations.
After slaying the beasts, they would share the spirit stones, and Mo Hua could also extract the demonic blood.
While Da Hu and the others were happy, they also felt some concern and said to Mo Hua:
"By only killing severely wounded beasts and avoiding direct confrontation, could our Dao techniques become weaker?"
Mo Hua replied, "This is nurturing through battle. First, hunt the beasts to earn spirit stones and enhance your cultivation. Once your cultivation is high enough, considering direct confrontations won't be too late."
Mo Hua looked at them and added, "We are still young. Engaging with demonic beasts directly is at a disadvantage. Without a strategy, we would only be courting death."
Da Hu and the others nodded repeatedly.
Thus, following the methods designed by Mo Hua, their hunting skills improved, becoming more familiar and coordinated. Facing demonic beasts no longer left them panicked as before.
However, an accident still occurred after several hunts.
After a dozen rounds, the Hyena Flame Hound, despite taking a blow from the twins, found a gap and, with a flash, escaped the encirclement.
This Hyena Flame Hound was a mid-stage Grade One peak beast, almost advancing to late-stage Grade One, so the damage caused by the Earth Fire Array was far less severe than with other beasts.
The Hyena Flame Hound moved ten feet away, its eyes glowing red, seemingly memorizing Da Hu and his companions' faces before turning to leave.
Halfway through, it sniffed the air and suddenly noticed Mo Hua hiding behind some nearby rocks.
Mo Hua, only at the fifth level of Qi cultivation, was not highly skilled and had weak vital energy.
The Hyena Flame Hound's eyes brightened fiercely, its fangs bared in a stench-filled grin, dripping with drool. It turned and charged directly at Mo Hua.
"Mo Hua, run!" Da Hu cried out in panic.
Mo Hua froze for a moment.
The Hyena Flame Hound had already circled behind him, its huge mouth biting down.
Its eyes gleamed with cruelty and excitement, but upon snapping its jaws shut, it tasted neither the sweetness of fresh blood nor the delight of flesh.
It bit into thin air.
By then, Mo Hua had already moved ten feet away, his expression tense but not panicked.
The Hyena Flame Hound, confused, did not understand how this young cultivator had dodged its attack.
Da Hu and the others shouted loudly from a distance as they approached.
The Hyena Flame Hound, its eyes mocking, leaped with even greater speed toward Mo Hua.
But within a span of ten feet, Mo Hua effortlessly drifted back a step, his movement light and composed, easily evading the claw.
The Hyena Flame Hound paused, and Mo Hua took the opportunity to retreat another thirty feet, his gaze calm and slightly mocking.
This mocking look infuriated the Hyena Flame Hound. Its eyes flashed red, and its fur glowed red until flames erupted.
When the Hyena Flame Hound was enraged, its body would burst into fierce flames.
"This is bad!"
Da Hu and his companions, arriving halfway, were startled.
The raging Hyena Flame Hound, like a blaze, rushed towards Mo Hua, its speed increased and its demonic power burning fiercely.
This kind of flame, transformed from the beast's demonic power, could erode a cultivator's flesh, burn their spiritual power, and even destroy their meridians. Once it entered the body, it was difficult to eradicate.
Mo Hua's expression grew solemn as he pushed his spiritual sense to the limit, tracing the Hyena Flame Hound's trajectory while stimulating his spiritual power to perform the Passing Water Step.
With every advance of the Hyena Flame Hound, Mo Hua retreated a step.
With every attempt to strike, Mo Hua managed to float away in the nick of time, his form fluid like water, elusive and unfathomable.
After several bouts, Mo Hua appeared in peril but remained unharmed.
Da Hu and his companions watched, heart pounding and dumbfounded.
What kind of movement technique was this...
Coming to their senses, the three immediately rushed towards Mo Hua.
After several fruitless attempts, the Hyena Flame Hound, seeing Da Hu and the others approaching, pushed its demonic power to the limit, its flames intensifying.
It glared at Mo Hua, its eyes filled with ferocity.
Mo Hua instantly guessed that it was desperate.
If it could kill him, consume his flesh and blood to replenish its energy, it could continue to contend with Da
Hu and the others, or at least retreat smoothly.
Mo Hua's gaze sharpened as he gathered energy for the Fireball Technique between his fingers.
The distance was close enough for Mo Hua to cast the Fireball Technique, but it was uncertain how effective it would be against the beast.
But before Mo Hua could launch the Fireball Technique, a blade descended from the sky, piercing the Hyena Flame Hound and pinning it to the ground.
The Hyena Flame Hound struggled a few times, its flames gradually dissipating until it breathed its last, its eyes still filled with malice.
Mo Hua was shocked and looked up to see Mo Shan standing alone on a distant rock, his expression as still as water.
Mo Hainsides grew cold.
It was over. He had sneaked into the mountains and his father had discovered him.
Mo Hua had not informed his parents because he feared their worry, and they would not have agreed to him entering Dahei Mountain.
Although Dahei Mountain was dangerous, it was not a place one could avoid forever.
With thorough preparation and caution, Dahei Mountain was not necessarily a deadly trap.
Mo Hua knew his parents would discover his activities eventually, but he did not expect to be caught so soon.
His plan to hunt demons in Dahei Mountain had just begun...
Mo Hua sighed, finally understanding the meaning of "a venture failing midway."
Mo Shan said nothing, but his expression was clearly unhappy.
Mo Hua felt uneasy, and Da Hu and the others dared not even breathe too loudly.
After collecting the Hyena Flame Hound's body, Mo Shan asked Da Hu and the others to head back first.
"Unclet Mo, don't blame Mo Hua, it's our..." the twins said weakly.
"Go on, head home," Mo Shan said softly.
A father knows his son best.
Though Mo Hua was young, he was intelligent and assertive.
Although Da Hu and the others were older, when they played together, Mo Hua was always the one making decisions. It was definitely Mo Hua who had persuaded them to go demon hunting in the mountains.
Mo Shan sighed. He wanted to reprimand Mo Hua, but he was at a loss for words.
Father and son returned home and ate their meal in silence.
Mo Shan's face was expressionless, and he said nothing, while Mo Hua ate obediently, eyes on his bowl.
Liu Ruhua glanced at Mo Shan curiously, then at Mo Hua with interest.
After the meal, just as Mo Shan was about to speak, Liu Ruhua said, "Hua'er, go back to your room and read."
Mo Shan was caught off guard and paused.
Mo Hua, relieved, gratefully glanced at his mother before slipping away to his room.
Then Liu Ruhua finally asked, "What happened?"
Mo Shan sighed and recounted the incident at Dahei Mountain.
Liu Ruhua was shocked. "He's so bold!"
"Yes, Dahei Mountain is so dangerous, and if something had happened..."
Mo Shan frowned, his expression filled with apprehension.
"What do you think we should do?"
Mo Shan thought for a long time and said:
"I watched from a distance. When Hua'er entered Dahei Mountain, it wasn't out of curiosity or for fun. He definitely had a plan. And the way he hunted demons, setting traps and formations, and having Da Hu and the others finish up, it was all meticulously planned, even more cautiously than some seasoned demon hunters..."
"But places like Dahei Mountain are always risky. You never know what dangers you might encounter..."
Mo Shan's voice was firm as he continued, "I won't blame him this time, but he absolutely cannot go to Dahei Mountain again!"
Liu Ruhua pondered for a moment, sighed, and gently held Mo Shan's hand, softly saying:
"You know, as parents, we can't be with Hua'er for a lifetime."