Chapter 246: Ambush
The one-eyed criminal cultivator led his companions back along the same path, hiding in the bushes at the foot of the hillside. Looking up, they saw only four figures on the quiet slope.
Ji Qingbai and the two others were covered in blood, sitting cross-legged to heal, while the young cultivator stood vigilantly beside them.
"Not running? Waiting to die here?" Diao Lao San sneered.
The one-eyed criminal frowned. "There's probably a trap."
"Should we release our Divine-Sense to check?" another asked.
"We'd be detected."
"But there aren't any Foundation Establishment cultivators here. We can be careful."
"That kid's Divine-Sense is ridiculously strong. If we try to probe with ours, he'll definitely notice."
"Impossible."
"Do you think I'd lie to you?"
…
After a brief argument, the one-eyed cultivator asked, "Big brother, what do we do?"
The bald criminal considered. "Ji Qingbai is from another region. In Tōngxiān City, he has few connections; not many cultivators would help him.
"And that kid seems to be a local demon hunter, but he's too young to know many people.
"Even if there's an ambush, it won't involve many."
"We alone are enough to kill them all!"
The one-eyed cultivator nodded, flattery in his tone: "Big brother, you are wise!"
The bald criminal's gaze turned cold. "We deal in bloody business. Meat brought before our blades, why would we leave it uneaten?"
All the criminal cultivators' faces twisted into grim smiles, eyes gleaming with greed.
"Attack!"
The bald criminal commanded.
Over twenty criminal cultivators surged up the hillside like hungry wolves, then spread out to encircle Mo Hua and the others, preventing any escape.
One stepped forward to seize Mo Hua, but as his foot touched the ground, a burst of fire erupted.
The cultivator was thrown to the ground, half-charred, curling up in agony, a pitiful sight.
"Formations?"
The criminals were startled, exchanging uneasy glances and halting.
The power of the formations could not be underestimated. No one was certain who had set them or how many there were.
Tension hung in the air as both sides resumed their standoff.
Mo Hua's expression showed a trace of fear and tension, but Diao Lao San didn't believe it. This kid is too cunning to show such emotions.
His gaze turned vicious. "Kid, stop pretending. Let the ambushers show themselves."
Mo Hua's fear and tension faded. He scratched his head. "Was my acting really that bad?"
He felt he had done fine.
Diao Lao San's eye twitched with anger. "At death's door and still talking back!"
"How do you know I'm at death's door?"
Diao Lao San raised his dagger, a chilling gleam on the blade. "I'll slit your throat, blind your eyes, you'll find out soon enough."
Mo Hua smiled calmly. "Then come on."
Diao Lao San stepped forward, but hesitated.
He didn't know if more formations were hidden on the ground and didn't dare act recklessly.
The one-eyed cultivator frowned. "Something's wrong."
This kid's composure was too relaxed.
How could he be so calm with just a few formations on the ground? Or was there something else backing him?
Deciding to probe with Divine-Sense, he released his perception. The moment he sensed the surrounding energy, his face drained of color and his body chilled.
"Big brother!" the one-eyed cultivator exclaimed.
Before he could say more, demon hunters appeared across the hillside, surrounding the criminals. A black wave of figures... over two hundred in total!
The one-eyed cultivator's face turned pale, and the criminals' expressions immediately lost all color.
So many demon hunters!
How could there be so many? Who had summoned them in such a short time in this part of the mountains?
Mo Hua arched his brows, pointing at the criminals with his small finger, his voice clear:
"You're the ones at death's door!"
Before his words fell, the demon hunters surged down the hillside, a dense wave like a dark storm, unstoppable and fierce.
"Big brother! What do we do?" the one-eyed cultivator panicked.
The bald criminal's eyes flashed with fear before he barked, "Grab that kid!"
He had realized that Mo Hua was no ordinary kid. Capturing him could be used to threaten the demon hunters and give them a chance to survive.
Two criminals rushed toward Mo Hua, but midway they were blasted by the Earth-Fire Formation.
Others tried to bypass the formation, one was blocked by Ji Qingbai, another knocked back by Yu Chengyi's punch.
The remaining few finally reached Mo Hua, but before they could act, he used the Flowing-Water Step to gracefully retreat, leaving them unable to touch even the hem of his robe.
The demon hunters pressed in; over twenty criminals were quickly overwhelmed, unable to resist for long.
Mo Hua stepped out of the fight, scanning with Divine-Sense. His gaze sharpened, and he fired a Fireball at a distant bush.
The explosion elicited a cry of pain—Diao Lao San, hiding, was revealed, his small frame exposed.
Mo Hua pointed and shouted, "Grab that shorty! Don't let him escape!"
Nearby demon hunters rushed at Diao Lao San.
He hated Mo Hua with all his heart.
And cursed himself for learning the concealment technique, now completely countered by Mo Hua.
With concealment useless, he was like a rat in daylight, anyone could strike him.
There was no way out except to await death.
Within a few rounds, Diao Lao San was knocked down by the hunters and restrained with iron chains.
The main battlefield was equally decisive. Several criminals were cut down immediately; the rest were captured, only two escaping.
One was the one-eyed cultivator, who luckily evaded pursuit when a wild beast suddenly blocked the hunters.
The other was the bald criminal, extremely agile and cunning. He shouted about capturing Mo Hua, but seeing the situation turn, he was the first to flee. His speed was ghost-like; the hunters couldn't catch him.
After the battle, only a few demon hunters were injured and recovered with a few pills.
All the criminals were injured, some missing limbs, chained together with iron restraints used for beasts, too strong to escape.
Yu Chengyi was delighted. "I was worried we couldn't catch these bastards, they came back to die on their own."
Mo Hua asked, "Uncle Yu, what should we do with them?"
Yu Chengyi thought for a moment. "First, beat them and interrogate them. See if we can get any information. Then send them to the Dao Court Division for the bounty."
These criminals had murdered and looted before; by law, they were already sentenced to death.
The hunters would collect the reward, the Dao Court would gain merit, everyone benefits without dirtying their hands.
Mo Hua nodded, then pointed at Diao Lao San. "That shorty is mine. I'll ask him a few things."
Yu Chengyi was momentarily surprised, then grabbed Diao Lao San, examining him closely. "So it's you!"
He recognized the criminal, the small black-clad cultivator skilled in concealment hired by the Qian family during the spirit mine attack.
They had suffered greatly because of him.
Yu Chengyi snapped Diao Lao San's arm to prevent resistance and tossed him in front of Mo Hua:
"Ask whatever you want."
Mo Hua's eyes shone as he looked at Diao Lao San, then suddenly smiled warmly:
"Hand over the secrets of your concealment technique!"
(End of chapter)