Chapter 618: The Eagle Catches the Bird
Half a day later. Canglang Mountain — Compass Mountain Path.
Mo Hua and his group arrived at a rugged outcrop beside the mountain path.
This was where the three family disciples had died.
Though the corpses had already been removed, some scattered stones and the grass still bore faint traces of blood.
The bloodstains were concentrated, indicating that the victims hadn't panicked or struggled — they were killed instantly, blood draining rapidly as they fell straight down.
According to the Dao Court, the disciples had also been bizarrely disemboweled postmortem — their deaths had been tragic.
Of course, Mo Hua didn't think it was anythi
ng that shocking.
As a former demon hunter, he'd seen far more gruesome scenes since childhood.
He crouched down, studying the stone floor curiously with a puzzled expression.
Murong Caiyun asked, confused:
"Junior Brother, what are you looking at?"
Mo Hua mused aloud:
"Based on my experience, Second Master Hidden definitely didn't act on impulse. He stalked them for a while, then struck when they reached this remote location. One hit. Killed on the spot."
"After killing them, he disemboweled them..."
"Either it's a habit of his…"
"Or he was trying to cover something up."
Mo Hua cupped his chin like a seasoned detective.
He looked… very professional.
The others exchanged strange glances.
"Your experience...?"
Murong Caiyun narrowed her eyes:
"Junior Brother… you often do things like this?"
Mo Hua nodded instinctively—then froze.
He quickly shook his head.
"I'm a respectable cultivator! I would never rob and kill people! Don't frame me!!"
"...Alright then."
Murong Caiyun didn't press further. She knew her little junior brother—mischievous, full of tricks—asking would only waste time.
She turned to the others:
"Can any of you track where he went?"
Ouyang Feng swept his divine sense around and shook his head.
"Too many days have passed. The spiritual traces are too faint—nothing useful."
Shangguan Xu added:
"Especially in the mountains, with wind, mist, miasma, and demonic energy all mixed in. It's hard to separate a single trace of spiritual power."
"Maybe that's why he chose this place—to hide the evidence."
Murong Caiyun frowned.
That meant the trail was cold… and the investigation couldn't move forward.
Mo Hua frowned too.
His spiritual sense was sharper than the others', and he could separate out the various auras—but even then, the lingering traces from Second Master Hidden were far too faint.
They had no idea where he'd gone.
"Too faint…"
Then something clicked in Mo Hua's mind.
He suddenly thought of Secondary Thunder Runes.
There were many things in heaven and earth that truly existed—but if a cultivator's spiritual sense wasn't strong enough, they simply couldn't see them.
Just like Secondary Thunder Runes—those subtle, hidden lines embedded in magnetic currents.
Ordinary cultivators wouldn't detect them, but that didn't mean they weren't there.
So… maybe just because a trail was faint, didn't mean there wasn't a trail.
All things in heaven and earth arise from the same source.
Spiritual energy was part of that source.
And array formations embodied the principles of all things.
If formations could be deduced… then what about the paths left behind by spiritual power?
Could those also be deduced?
Mo Hua's thoughts stirred.
He began to quietly activate his Heavenly Pattern Deduction, attempting to sense the faint traces of spiritual energy.
But after a few breaths… nothing.
Spiritual energy remained just that—energy. No change.
Mo Hua refused to give up.
He believed that spiritual power must contain some deeper mysteries.
Just because he couldn't sense them didn't mean they weren't there—it might just be that his divine sense wasn't strong enough.
His pupils darkened slightly.
He activated his Heavenly Secret Illusion Calculation, forcibly amplifying the deduction process.
A dozen breaths later—Mo Hua's expression suddenly shifted.
He saw it.
The faint traces of spiritual energy left behind by Second Master Hidden… began to change.
Strange, illusory patterns appeared—interwoven, subtle threads forming a chain of causality.
They resembled the causal chains seen when nightmarish entities clawed their way out of the void—those twisted demons that coveted Yu'er.
Except this time, they weren't the usual gray-black, foul-smelling demonic threads.
They were faint blue, tightly woven, cycling into one another…
Mo Hua was shaken.
Could this be…
True Heavenly Pattern Deduction?
Heavenly Pattern Deduction—meant to deduce all things, to comprehend the truth of the world.
From formations derived from Dao principles…
To the spiritual essence behind them…
To the spiritual traces in all things…
Eventually extending to fate, karma, and destiny itself.
And finally—grasping the great truth, the Heavenly Secrets.
In that moment, Mo Hua's mind became crystal clear.
He had a brief glimpse—just a glimmer—of what the Heavenly Pattern really meant.
But it lasted only an instant.
As his spiritual sense drained, the moment of clarity faded, and the intricate causal threads began to disappear from his vision.
"No…"
Mo Hua panicked slightly and quickly refocused, deducing again.
The trace of spiritual power left behind by Second Master Hidden began to peel apart—its causal threads reconfiguring, locking into a looping pattern that extended into the distance like a guide.
Mo Hua's eyes lit up.
He suddenly pointed west toward the depths of Canglang Mountain and declared:
"He fled into the mountains!"
Everyone froze.
Murong Caiyun blinked in confusion.
"How do you know?"
Mo Hua paused, then invented an answer with a deadpan expression:
"If I were the killer, that's where I'd run."
"…"
Everyone went silent.
Ouyang Feng chuckled and said gently:
"Well then, let's trust our 'little killer' and go check it out."
Murong Caiyun sighed:
"Looks like that's our only option."
There were no better leads anyway, and she had to admit—her quirky little junior brother had great instincts for these strange situations…
And so the group began heading west toward the deeper parts of Canglang Mountain.
Mo Hua walked at the rear, glancing once more at the faint bloodstains and the lingering spiritual traces above them.
These traces weren't true "Heavenly Secrets."
They were merely threads of spiritual causality deduced through his technique.
But these threads—this Qi resonance—were likely the precursors to the true Heavenly Pattern.
With his current divine sense, he could only sense faint echoes.
But if he continued to train…
If he pushed his deduction technique far enough…
One day, he would truly be able to deduce the full structure of all things—
The cause and effect of the universe, and the destiny of all living beings.
Mo Hua's eyes glimmered with light—heavenly patterns swirling faintly like stars in his pupils.
Then, as he turned away, the starlight faded—submerged and hidden deep in his gaze.
His eyes were clearer now.
And deeper.
...
West of Compass Mountain Path lies the deeper region of Canglang Mountain.
The terrain here was rugged and complex—beyond jagged stones, there were creeks, marshes, thick soil mixed with fallen leaves, and deep forests shrouded in fog and miasma.
After traveling several dozen li, the group finally discovered something unusual.
A demonic snake, as thick as a forearm, had been sliced cleanly in half. The wound was smooth, clearly made by a sharp spiritual weapon—most likely a dagger.
This snake was at the second rank—early-stage—but had died cleanly and without resistance. There were no signs of struggle, meaning it had been slain instantly and likely never even sensed danger before death.
"Second Master Hidden…"
Everyone's expressions turned serious, and their eyes all turned toward Mo Hua.
Mo Hua nodded confidently:
"My guess was spot on!"
Murong Caiyun smiled slightly, a meaningful glint in her eyes.
"Indeed. Very accurate…"
Then her expression turned solemn as she looked at the snake corpse and spoke softly:
"The snake's blood hasn't fully dried—it hasn't been dead long. That means Second Master Hidden is likely still in the mountain."
"According to Lord Gu, this man is a master of concealment, cunning by nature, and extremely ruthless. We all must be extra cautious."
The group nodded seriously.
They began their manhunt in the deep mountains.
If they could catch him, they would. If not—they'd kill him.
That was the rule they'd all agreed on beforehand, applicable to all criminal cultivators.
As for how to capture him—under Mo Hua's suggestion—they had a strategy.
Mo Hua had prepared many small Primordial Magnetic Arrays and was deploying them as they searched the mountain.
Canglang Mountain was massive, and this deeper region was even more treacherous in its terrain.
These small arrays might not catch every movement, but they could still provide crucial positioning—great for navigating, locating people, pursuing them, or coordinating rescues.
The only downside?
They were expensive.
One array alone wasn't much, but when used in bulk… the cost stacked up fast.
Fortunately, Senior Sister Murong had assured him—she would reimburse the expenses.
She'd compensate him with spirit stones based on the arrays he used.
For children of noble families like hers, spirit stones weren't a problem. As long as they could earn enough merit, it was all worth it.
With Murong's generous backing, Mo Hua went all-in—scattering arrays wherever he went, weaving half of Canglang Mountain into a Primordial Magnetic Web.
If Second Master Hidden was a moth, the moment he flew into this web…
He'd be trapped, wingless and helpless.
Hua Qianqian watched as Mo Hua dropped array after array, several compasses in his hands as he tracked data and locations, and couldn't help but ask with concern:
"Mo-shidi, are you sure your spiritual sense can handle all these arrays?"
The more arrays you laid down, the broader the network. Monitoring them all took a serious toll on one's mind…
Mo Hua replied humbly:
"It's fine. My spiritual sense is… not weak."
Still, Hua Qianqian looked worried.
Moments later, Mo Hua suddenly froze and pointed to a flickering dot on one of his compasses:
"There's someone here!"
Everyone was startled—and then their expressions lit up with joy.
In this remote part of Canglang Mountain, seeing any trace of someone most likely meant they'd found Second Master Hidden.
"Let's go!" Murong Caiyun ordered.
Mo Hua nodded.
The group followed the compass reading to a small forest grove. Near the roots of a large tree—right where Mo Hua had buried a small Primordial Magnetic Array—there was a fresh corpse.
A monkey demon lay sprawled on the ground. Its throat had been slit, its abdomen cut open, and its core removed. Blood soaked the rotting mud and fallen leaves.
Monkey demons were humanoid in appearance.
And its death… was almost identical to the three slain disciples.
It had to be Second Master Hidden.
Murong Caiyun released her spiritual sense and scanned the silent surroundings. No trace of any cultivator.
"Can you tell where he went?" she asked Mo Hua.
Mo Hua glanced at the compass and pointed to the right.
"That way."
"Alright," Murong nodded.
The group pursued in that direction, reaching a small creek—but again, no sign of Second Master Hidden. Mo Hua rechecked the compass and pointed out a new path…
Step by step, they didn't catch him—but they kept up with him.
And everyone could sense—they were getting closer.
With that thought, Murong Caiyun looked at Mo Hua more seriously than ever.
This junior's ability to lay formations, sweep terrain, and track prey… was incredible.
And that was against someone as elusive and cunning as Second Master Hidden. If it had been any regular Foundation Establishment cultivator, Mo Hua would've captured them long ago.
Everyone silently reevaluated Mo Hua in their minds.
Mo Hua, however, remained focused—studying the compass, recalling Canglang Mountain's terrain, trying to guess where Second Master Hidden would hide.
He felt it wouldn't be long before they made contact.
The pursuit continued…
Sure enough, just over an hour later—they caught up.
The short, withered, hawk-eyed Second Master Hidden sat by a rocky cliff, roasting an unidentifiable chunk of meat.
The moment Mo Hua and his group closed in, he noticed.
But he didn't run. Nor did he hide.
He slowly stood, glaring at Murong Caiyun and the others with cold eyes, his voice raspy and puzzled:
"How did you know… I was here?"
Murong Caiyun had no intention of answering. She simply said coldly:
"Second Master Hidden, you've slaughtered fellow cultivators. Your crimes are grave. Surrender now, or face the consequences."
Second Master Hidden sneered:
"Face the consequences? Just the four of you?"
Murong Caiyun blinked.
Four?
She looked around—realizing that Mo Hua had silently used a stealth technique and disappeared.
So Second Master Hidden only saw four people.
"Clever…" Murong Caiyun thought.
She narrowed her eyes and said clearly:
"The four of us are enough."
Second Master Hidden scoffed, tearing off a piece of roasted meat and chewing noisily.
"Fools. Think you can catch me? Try again in your next life."
As he finished speaking, his body began to fade—until he vanished.
The moment his figure began to blur, Murong Caiyun had already launched a five-colored spiritual light at him, splitting the air—only to shatter stone, missing her target.
Ouyang Feng and Shangguan Xu charged in from the sides, but also found nothing.
Second Master Hidden had already activated his Lesser Five Elements Stealth Technique and slipped away.
Murong Caiyun frowned.
Then, a soft, crisp voice reached her ear:
"Senior Sister, to the right—by the stream."
She turned instinctively and saw faint footprints in the flowing creek.
She pointed, unleashing a ray of light.
Second Master Hidden blocked it with his dagger, revealing his form again, his face puzzled.
Murong Caiyun's gaze sharpened.
"After him!"
Ouyang Feng and the others nodded, unleashing movement techniques and giving chase.
Second Master Hidden merely sneered—and vanished again.
Halfway through the pursuit, Murong Caiyun lost sight of him and had to stop.
Just then, Mo Hua's voice rang out again:
"He dove into the underbrush…"
"He's in the bushes…"
Ouyang Feng and the others heard this too.
They exchanged surprised glances, nodded to one another, and continued pursuing Second Master Hidden.
Second Master Hidden had burrowed into the underbrush, crossed a creek, scaled a cliff, and finally arrived at a patch of desolate forest.
He concealed himself and climbed up a tall tree, his gaze cautious and obscure as he peered back down the path he'd taken. His brows were tightly furrowed.
Can't shake them?
What's going on…?
These sect disciples had cultivated for only twenty-some years. They clearly couldn't see through his concealment techniques—so why could they always catch up?
It wasn't like they had any anti-stealth methods.
He had carefully checked his clothes and storage pouch for tracking items—there were none.
So how were they tracking him?
And there was an even more pressing question Second Master Hidden couldn't wrap his head around—
How did they even know he was hiding here, in the western region of Canglang Mountain's deep forest?
He hadn't left behind a single clue…
Could it be…
His heart shuddered.
"Did some expert skilled in fate and heavenly divination deduce my karmic ties, lock onto my life path, and pinpoint my location?"
A chill ran down his spine.
But after a moment of consideration, he shook his head.
"No way… why would such a powerful figure waste time calculating me?"
No matter how he thought about it, he couldn't make sense of it. Finally, he let out a cold snort:
"Fine, I'll play with these brats a little longer…"
But the longer he "played," the more Second Master Hidden realized something wasn't right.
He began to discover small Primordial Magnetic Arrays.
They were subtly placed, intricately designed—clearly the work of a highly skilled Rank Two formation master.
And in this deep mountain, these arrays were everywhere…
In a moment of dazed clarity, Second Master Hidden suddenly felt like a tiny bird, and this entire Canglang Mountain was a massive net.
Behind the scenes, there was some hidden, invisible figure—meticulous and malicious—tightening the web inch by inch, trying to capture him like prey.
He wasn't playing with those brats…
He was the one being played.
Second Master Hidden's face darkened, fury bubbling in his chest.
How bold!
Did they really think he was some soft fruit they could squeeze at will?
His face twitched as murderous intent surged.
But… he restrained himself.
Now wasn't the time to complicate things.
These sect disciples likely had high status. If he really killed them, it would only bring him greater trouble.
If he slipped up and got captured by the Dao Court Division… things would get even worse.
Not to mention… that invisible "black hand" behind the scenes was still lurking, watching.
Second Master Hidden forced down his anger and kept fleeing deeper into Canglang Mountain.
But no matter how he ran, he eventually realized—he couldn't escape their pursuit.
All day, he ducked through thickets, waded streams, slogged through swamps, even smeared himself in beast dung to mask his scent—nothing worked.
Finally, his patience snapped.
Murderous intent exploded in his heart.
"Alright then! You little bastards!"
"You really think I don't dare kill you?!"
Just a few mid-stage Foundation Establishment kids, still training in their sects, probably hadn't even killed anyone before—and they dared to hunt him?
Second Master Hidden's eyes gleamed red.
"I'll let you die quickly…"
"And those two little girls… well, before I kill them, I might as well have a little fun…"
He'd sneak up while concealed, strike swiftly—one stab, one corpse.
Numbers didn't matter.
It wouldn't be the first time he'd done it.
As the group drew near again, Second Master Hidden let out a low, sinister chuckle and pushed his Lesser Five Elements Stealth Technique to its absolute limit—his body vanished completely, even his spiritual power faded to near nothingness.
For a moment, even Mo Hua—who had been tracking him non-stop—could no longer sense his presence.
Second Master Hidden… had completely disappeared.
Mo Hua's heart tensed.
So this… was the Lesser Five Elements Stealth Technique?
It could even erase spiritual fluctuations?
He pushed his spiritual sense to the limit, his eyes sharp as blades.
He could barely perceive wispy traces of a figure—but they flickered in and out, impossible to lock onto.
Body gone, aura faint, presence hazy…
Suddenly, Mo Hua sensed a piercing killing intent.
Startled, he shouted:
"Senior Sister Murong—behind you!"
Murong Caiyun had been moving quietly through the forest, searching. Upon hearing the warning, her expression changed, and in that split-second, she crushed the talisman she had been holding.
Golden Bell Talisman!
A faint golden light expanded into a bell-shaped shield around her.
At that moment, a sharp dagger coated in toxic water energy slashed toward her neck from behind.
It struck the golden light instead.
The protective bell shimmered as layers of light were peeled away—yet it held on long enough, giving her one or two precious seconds.
Murong Caiyun used her movement technique to dodge back.
Ouyang Feng flashed forward, placing himself in front of her and thrusting his sword at the point of attack.
Shangguan Xu slashed from behind, while Hua Qianqian unleashed a flurry of Hundred Flower Spirit Needles, sealing off every escape route.
Second Master Hidden cursed, twisted his body, and barely slipped away between the sword strikes—though a spirit needle embedded into his shoulder.
Still, he escaped, vanishing once more into stealth—soundless and traceless.
Ouyang Feng and the others stood at the ready, every nerve on edge.
But the forest had gone eerily silent. The dead leaves crunched under no one's feet.
Just then, Murong Caiyun's expression changed—she looked toward the distance and shouted:
"Mo Hua!"
Beneath a tall tree in the distance—
There had been nothing there.
Then suddenly, a venomous dagger appeared out of thin air, surging forth with chilling spiritual power.
Beneath the dagger—there had also been nothing.
But the moment it struck, a faint blue ripple appeared—like water shadows overlapping.
A graceful figure emerged from under the strike, like a river ebbing, flowing backward with serene elegance.
Second-Rank Flowing Water Step!
Mo Hua had used Flowing Water Step to narrowly dodge the attack—but it also exposed his figure.
Opposite him, the dagger-wielding Second Master Hidden was forced to reveal himself as well.
When he saw Mo Hua clearly, he froze, his eyes filled with disbelief.
This was the mastermind?
The one who had laid the magnetic net throughout Canglang Mountain, tracked him like a hawk, forced him to flee like prey—
Was just this baby-faced brat?!
(End of Chapter)