Mo Shan's expression tightened as he and Mo Hua found Elder Yu.
Mo Hua pointed to a spot on the map, saying, "There was a fight here."
It couldn't be the demon hunters because everyone had agreed to signal with fireworks if they engaged in battle to alert each other.
Aside from that, it was unlikely but possible that demon beasts were fighting each other, causing the demonic power fluctuations.
More likely, Qian family cultivators encountered demon beasts and a fight ensued.
In any case, it was necessary to investigate.
Elder Yu immediately ordered, "Gather everyone; we're going over there."
Although demon hunters usually spread out, they weren't far from each other, and information spread quickly. Soon, hundreds of late-stage Qi cultivators gathered together.
Elder Yu briefly explained the situation, then waved his hand, saying, "Move out!"
Half an hour later, they arrived.
It was a desolate and remote hill. Because no one came here often, the demon hunters hadn't bothered to name it, simply calling it "Nameless Peak."
In a clearing among the trees, they found the remains and blood of a demon beast.
Mo Shan went up, looked at it, wiped the blood with his hand, and said, "It was killed by a cultivator, but the method was rough, not the work of a demon hunter."
Elder Yu's eyes narrowed as he expanded his spiritual sense.
Mo Hua could only vaguely sense a slight fluctuation, then nothing.
A person with strong spiritual sense is hard to detect.
When spied on by someone with strong spiritual sense, it is also hard to notice.
Mo Hua felt a chill in his heart. The spiritual sense of a Foundation Building cultivator was indeed extraordinary.
Mo Hua mimicked Elder Yu, expanding his spiritual sense to search for any clues in the mountain.
After a while, Elder Yu retracted his spiritual sense and looked at Mo Hua with a surprised expression.
After a bit more time, Mo Hua also retracted his spiritual sense.
"Did you find anything?" Elder Yu asked.
Mo Hua nodded. "There are mine tunnels in the mountain, hidden with wood and stones."
Elder Yu's eyes brightened. "Mark them for me."
Mo Hua took out the map and circled several spots near the summit of Nameless Peak.
These were the locations of the mine tunnels he had detected with his spiritual sense.
Elder Yu nodded, then marked a few more spots on the map.
Mo Hua looked at them and realized his mistakes.
Some were too far, beyond his spiritual sense range. Some were hidden too deeply, and his spiritual sense wasn't strong enough. Others were missed due to his lack of experience and carelessness.
Mo Hua silently reflected and summarized the use of his spiritual sense in his heart.
Elder Yu, looking gratified, patted Mo Hua's shoulder and said, "Not bad."
Then his expression turned serious, his eyes sharp as he instructed:
"All demon hunters, remember these locations!"
"Divide into teams and enter these mine tunnels quietly, don't alert the enemy."
"If you encounter Qian family cultivators, cripple them. If necessary, kill them. I'll handle any issues with the Dao Court."
The demon hunters received their orders, their eyes blazing with fighting spirit.
One by one, black shadows leapt forward, approaching the mine entrances on the mountainside.
Mo Shan instructed Mo Hua, "Stay hidden on the side, don't go in. If any cultivators come out, don't engage, just protect yourself!"
Mo Hua nodded, saying, "Dad, wear that vine armor."
The vine armor had a top-tier Iron Armor Array drawn on it by Mo Hua.
Mo Shan's heart warmed. He patted Mo Hua's head, then his figure flashed as he too headed towards the mine entrances on the mountainside.
Mo Hua scanned the surroundings with his spiritual sense, found a safe, well-hidden pit, and hid inside.
After a while, there was commotion in the mountain, signaling the start of a battle.
Even from outside, Mo Hua could hear the rumbling, the shouts and curses of the cultivators, and the multicolored spiritual power surges.
Then there was a loud bang.
The oppressive spiritual power Mo Hua could sense grew stronger.
It was likely Elder Yu fighting with the Qian family's Foundation Building cultivator.
The intense fluctuations continued for a while before a figure shot out from one of the mine tunnels on the mountainside.
The figure fled without looking back, leaving a trail of afterimages.
Given the speed of the escape, it was undoubtedly a Foundation Building cultivator!
Mo Hua sighed in relief.
With the Foundation Building cultivator fleeing, the remaining Qian family cultivators would soon be defeated.
Sure enough, within the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Qian family cultivators began to stagger out of the mine tunnel entrance one after another.
Most of them were bloodied and battered, covering their arms or limping, fleeing down the mountain in panic.
Mo Hua didn't want to act rashly, considering he was alone. It was better to be cautious.
He stayed quietly in the pit.
After a while, he heard footsteps approaching. Looking up, he saw two Qian family cultivators, evidently having endured a fierce battle, walking towards him.
They were battered and their spiritual power was weak, clearly at their limits.
Not following the others, these two chose to walk alone, and of all the paths, they had to limp through the grass in front of Mo Hua.
Mo Hua felt that if he didn't act, he would be letting them off too easily.
One of the Qian family cultivators cursed continuously:
"Those bastards, where did they get this information..."
"When we report back to the family head, they'll pay for this!"
"...damn it!"
He cursed as he ran.
Suddenly, a Fireball Technique exploded in his face.
A surge of pain hit him as the fiery spiritual power blasted him into a daze, his ears ringing, and his face burning.
"What..."
Before he could react, another fireball hit him, and he fell flat.
"Ambush?!"
The other Qian family cultivator was shocked, turning to flee, but after a few steps, a fireball hit the back of his head.
He fell, face hitting a rock, and lost consciousness.
Mo Hua didn't rush out.
He scanned with his spiritual sense, finding the spiritual power in their bodies flowing erratically.
This indicated they were unconscious and couldn't control their spiritual power.
To be safe, Mo Hua hit each of them with another Fireball Technique. Seeing no response, he climbed out of the pit.
What to do now?
Mo Hua thought for a moment, then took their storage bags.
The Dao Laws prohibited robbery.
Mo Hua wanted to be a law-abiding cultivator, but since the Qian family had bullied him, he couldn't just let it go.
"Seems cultivators are often forced into situations beyond their control..."
Mo Hua sighed, feeling a bit melancholic as he put the storage bags into his own pouch.
He then ran back to the pit, waiting to see if more Qian family cultivators would come his way, giving him another chance to be "forced beyond his control."
Sure enough, more Qian family cultivators came by one after another.
If there were many, Mo Hua let them go.
If there were few, he repeated his previous actions.
By dawn, as the battle in the mine tunnel drew to a close, Mo Hua's pouch was already full...