Chapter 632 – Fire Buddha
Foundation Establishment Late Stage. Wanted by the Dao Court. A slaughterer who cultivates forbidden fire techniques—the Fire Buddha!
Mo Hua's heart turned cold.
Just a moment's thought and he knew—there's no way I can beat him!
He was early Foundation Establishment. The Fire Buddha was late Foundation Establishment. Same realm, yes—but one at the start, the other at the peak. The gap was enormous.
Array formations? Also out of the question.
Someone with such a bloody history must be extremely cunning and vigilant.
Trying to set up a killing array under broad daylight was basically like covering one's ears while stealing a bell—it wouldn't fool his senses one bit.
Not to mention, the man had three companions:
Two burly men—one with coarse, callused hands, the other with a vicious face. And a tall, thin cultivator.
Anyone who could follow someone like the Fire Buddha… their cultivation was at least mid-Foundation Establishment—possibly even late.
And all of them were obviously criminal cultivators, cruel and ruthless without exception.
Mo Hua's eyes darkened slightly.
He just quietly sped up his noodle-slurping—cheeks puffed like a chipmunk—"slurp slurp slurp", and in a few bites, polished off the noodles and even drank all the broth.
"Keeping my little life is top priority!"
Meanwhile…
The strand of divine sense that had probed him was incredibly refined—far beyond what a young cultivator should be able to cultivate.
This kid… something's off.
The man's eyes turned cold, face mildly displeased, heart puzzled…
But with his years of fighting at the edge of life and death, he wasn't so easily deceived.
What was strange was—that divine sense disappeared in an instant.
Then, just as he was about to take a step, a gentle and calm voice drifted past his ear:
"Young master…"
Now that was truly unusual.
The man looked peaceful, his voice calm, but his gaze carried a deep edge:
"You… know who I am?"
His expression remained kind, but his gaze grew darker and deeper.
Especially in a situation like this—a chance encounter, with no preparation beforehand…
By all reason, it should have been impossible to recognize him.
At that moment, Mo Hua's heart also tightened slightly.
When he'd gone back to probe again, there was no trace. The only suspicious thing nearby was… this noodle-eating child.
The shopkeeper smiled and said, "Take care, young master."
But the man had definitely sensed a moment of divine sense probing earlier.
He thought the kid had glanced at him, then lowered his head and continued eating noodles.
If anyone had ever seen his face—man, woman, old, or young—he had killed them, then burned the bodies to ash. No survivors. No exceptions.
Peak Eighteen-Rune Divine Sense!
Mo Hua had no choice but to feign confusion, turning his head with an innocent look.
But in that moment, he knew: these guys… were way beyond his current ability to deal with.
Still, that battle-hardened instinct of his screamed:
Danger.
He calmly averted his gaze and resumed slurping noodles as if nothing had happened.
But that kind of refined divine sense—no beginner cultivator could possibly use it.
He recognized me. He figured out who I am. Now he wants to leave to avoid risk…
Mo Hua nodded silently to himself and stood up to go.
The man furrowed his brows.
This kid—face full of childish innocence—really didn't look like someone who knew his identity.
But Mo Hua felt it—the weight of powerful divine sense locking onto him.
This man—very likely the Fire Buddha—was now suspicious of him.
Too cautious. Too paranoid…
Especially the fact that, after a glance, Mo Hua had clearly accelerated his eating and immediately got up to leave.
His cultivation… was at least Core Formation.
I've got to think of something… bluff my way through…
Mo Hua stayed calm outwardly, but his mind was racing.
One of the burly men glanced over at him and asked:
"Big Bro, this brat's suspicious?"
The others murmured in low voices:
"Really?"
"Doesn't look like it…"
"Too young…"
"Sect disciple?"
"Eating noodles alone in a place like this?"
Mo Hua wasn't wearing the Great Void Sect's robes—just his ordinary clothes—so they didn't know his identity.
The leader's eyes carried a trace of thought. He didn't speak.
Then, one burly man stepped toward Mo Hua and barked:
"Brat, where are you from? Name? Sect? What are you doing out here alone?"
He sneered, adding:
"Don't tell me you came all the way into the mountains just to eat a bowl of noodles…"
Mo Hua looked a little nervous, a little "scared," and puffed up in fake bravado:
"I don't even know who you are—why should I tell you anything?"
The big man snorted.
"Brat, don't push your luck."
The other three slowly stood, their faces dark, eyes locked on Mo Hua with hostile intent.
Mo Hua "nervously" took two steps back.
Just then, a righteous cultivator nearby stepped forward, frowning:
"You're a grown man—what kind of coward bullies a child? Pathetic."
The big man's face twisted with rage. In a flash, he was in front of the man, fist wrapped in grayish-brown spiritual energy, and slammed it out viciously.
The punch landed with a thunderous force.
"Late-stage Foundation Establishment!"
The righteous cultivator's eyes widened. He managed to cross his arms and block—but was sent flying ten feet, blood spraying from his mouth.
The brute stepped forward again, reaching toward his storage pouch, clearly about to draw a weapon and finish the man off.
But just then—the leader's gaze turned ice cold.
Cold sweat broke out on the brute's back.
Only then did he realize—don't make trouble. He laughed awkwardly, withdrew his hand, and spat at the injured cultivator:
"Scram."
That man knew he was outmatched and left with clenched fists, full of frustration.
The other customers quickly fled, sensing danger.
The shopkeeper gave Mo Hua a worried glance, sighed, and quietly retreated to a safer spot.
In a backwater town like this within a second-grade prefecture, a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator was someone they couldn't afford to offend.
In the teahouse, only Mo Hua and the four strangers remained.
Mo Hua put on a face full of tension and timidly asked:
"Are you guys… bad people?"
The burly man licked his lips and grinned maliciously:
"What do you think?"
The other burly man and the sallow-faced thin cultivator both revealed amused, wicked smiles.
"Gotta admit, this little brat's got soft skin, red lips, white teeth… kind of a pretty face, eh?"
Just then, the leading man's gaze sharpened slightly, and he said in a flat tone:
"Little cultivator, drop the act. You're not afraid of us."
The moment he spoke, the three others were stunned, their expressions visibly shaken.
Mo Hua dropped his "scared" look and tilted his head curiously.
"Did I not act well?"
The leader's brows furrowed.
The two burly men looked furious—clearly feeling mocked.
The sallow-faced man's expression turned even more sinister.
The burliest man sneered coldly:
"Well, well… Slippery gutters and slippery brats. Never thought a veteran like me would be played by a kid today..."
"You've got some guts, brat."
"Tell us—did you recognize us?"
Mo Hua shook his head and answered truthfully:
"No. I don't know you."
He only suspected the leader was the infamous Fire Buddha. As for the other three? He honestly had no clue.
The leader's gaze sharpened as he stared at Mo Hua, silently weighing his words.
Mo Hua's expression didn't seem faked—he really appeared unfamiliar.
Then, the thin, sinister man sneered:
"Chopper Fifth, what's the point of all this talk? Just grab the kid already. Kill him, sell him, or keep him for… fun."
The burly man spat and cursed:
"You twisted creep. If you want to catch him, do it yourself."
Chopper Fifth?
"Twisted creep"...?
A "Chopper" and a "Yin"...
Mo Hua mentally cross-referenced the notorious list from Boss Jiang—and suddenly, everything clicked:
The one with "Chopper" in his name: Bloodwood Cutter
The one with "Yin": Yin Thunder Child
As for the last burly man…
Mo Hua glanced at the guy's face—twisted with brutality, like a demon's when angry—and immediately recalled:
Ghost-Face Fiend!
Fire Buddha, Bloodwood Cutter, Yin Thunder Child, Ghost-Face Fiend—
These four were all on Boss Jiang's hit list.
All of them—blood-soaked criminal cultivators.
Mo Hua's eyes flashed with sudden realization. His gaze grew clear.
That tiny shift in expression—just that instant of realization—was instantly caught by Fire Buddha.
His eyes turned razor-sharp, filled with disbelief.
The brat… recognized us…
All of us?!
How the hell did he figure it out?!
Their identities were well-hidden. They rarely appeared together.
Even a senior Dao Court enforcer wouldn't necessarily recognize them all at once.
And yet… this kid?
Just a brief glance and a few casual words, and he'd pegged all four of them?!
Who the hell was he?
Fire Buddha's previously gentle expression turned cold.
Some associations... couldn't be exposed to light.
Now that things had reached this point—this brat must not be allowed to live.
"Chopper Fifth," Fire Buddha said, his tone ice-cold and unquestionable.
"Kill him."
Chopper Fifth was stunned.
But at the word "kill," Mo Hua's expression sharpened, and—whoosh!—he was gone in a flash, leaving only a faint watery blur behind.
"You little rat!" Chopper Fifth bellowed.
He whipped out a long, hooked woodcutter's machete, stained with blood, from his storage pouch and slashed at Mo Hua with a gleam of bloody light.
But Mo Hua's movement was like flowing water, ghostlike and graceful—he effortlessly dodged.
Chopper Fifth slashed again.
Mo Hua dodged again.
Like trying to chop a stream with a blade—each swing useless.
No matter how hard he hacked, he couldn't even graze Mo Hua.
Fire Buddha remained seated, eyes narrowed in contemplation. He didn't move.
The other two simply sat back to enjoy the show.
Seeing Chopper Fifth and Mo Hua locked in a back-and-forth dance, still going after over ten exchanges, they laughed mockingly:
"Fifth, you serious?"
"Can't even catch a little brat?"
"All that cultivation, and you're swinging crap?"
Chopper Fifth flew into a rage, slashing even more wildly.
Mo Hua broke into a "cold sweat," weaving and dodging, looking absolutely desperate—but always slipping away at just the right moment.
Fire Buddha looked a little surprised.
Ghost-Face Fiend and Yin Thunder Child's faces turned grim.
"This brat's movement technique… it's got something to it."
Chopper Fifth might've recently advanced, but he was still late Foundation Establishment. And yet—he couldn't even catch this kid?
Sure, part of it was because Chopper Fifth focused on brute force and didn't train movement skills.
But the bigger reason—was because Mo Hua's footwork was damn impressive.
Fire Buddha gave a slight signal with his eyes.
The other two nodded, and like wolves, they lunged forward to form a three-way pincer.
Now surrounded, Mo Hua looked even more panicked, ducking and dodging desperately.
The trio grinned coldly, thinking they'd have the kid caught in ten moves max.
But after just three moves—
Mo Hua's eyes twinkled mischievously. He seized the moment, flicked his fingers, and—
Bang bang bang!
Three fireballs shot out, each aimed directly at the trio's faces!
It all happened in a flash—lightning-fast.
They were completely unprepared. With no time to react, they took the fireballs square in the face!
They weren't seriously injured, but their faces were now blackened and sooty, their formation broken—and their pride shattered.
In that brief instant—
Mo Hua's movements suddenly grew even faster.
Like flowing water, he slipped right through their broken formation and bolted toward the nearby grove.
Yin Thunder Child and the others finally realized what had happened.
"That sneaky little brat!" they cursed inwardly."
Such fast fireball technique!
Even faster movement!
This kid, despite being surrounded by the three of them, still maneuvered with ease, holding back some tricks.
All just waiting for a chance to exploit a weakness, striking unexpectedly to escape.
And—he actually managed to get away!
A complete humiliation!
Chopper Fifth and the other two ignored the soot on their faces and continued the chase.
Mo Hua kept running, the forest just ahead—almost freedom!
But suddenly, a tall figure appeared in front.
Fire Buddha!
Mo Hua's gaze sharpened, forced to stop.
Behind, Chopper Fifth and his two comrades arrived, standing steadily to block Mo Hua together with Fire Buddha.
Still burning with anger, the three taunted Mo Hua.
"Little brat, you running again?"
Mo Hua ignored them, staring at the immovable Fire Buddha.
After a moment's thought, he flicked his fingers and shot three fireballs straight at Fire Buddha.
He wanted to test Fire Buddha's strength.
Unexpectedly, Fire Buddha didn't dodge or avoid—he stood firm and took the three fireballs head-on.
The fireballs struck Fire Buddha like stones sinking into the sea—instantly extinguished, no ripple, no trace.
Mo Hua's face showed shock.
What was going on?
Fire Buddha's expression didn't change as he lightly said:
"Your fireball technique is mediocre at best. How about I teach you…"
Fire Buddha spread his arms; flames rippled around him, his eyes blood-red like a sea of fire.
Such a powerful aura!
Mo Hua frowned, releasing his spiritual sense to sense Fire Buddha's energy.
He found two blazing flames burning inside Fire Buddha's chest.
These two flames were fierce, like two hearts sharing the same origin, lodged inside Fire Buddha's body, containing immense fire spiritual power.
Could this be... the signature of the Forbidden Falling Fire Technique?
A taboo—planting two fireballs inside the body as hearts, used to trigger spells?
This was truly advanced fire magic.
Yin Thunder Child and the others sneered, mocking Mo Hua's arrogance:
"Showing off at the master's gate, daring to throw fireballs at Fire Buddha?"
Mo Hua was a bit defiant, staring seriously at Fire Buddha:
"My fireball technique isn't just that simple!"
Fire Buddha was slightly surprised, then smiled with interest:
"Then let me see…"
He was very curious.
"Big brother, maybe we should—" Chopper Fifth, burning with frustration, wanted to just grab Mo Hua first to avoid trouble.
Fire Buddha's sharp gaze cut across him like a blade. Chopper Fifth felt fear and swallowed his words, keeping quiet.
Fire Buddha turned back to Mo Hua, his face gentle:
"Come on, show me…"
"Alright!"
Mo Hua's eyes were sharp, full of fighting spirit and fearless resolve.
"This technique, I'll only use once in my life…" he said solemnly.
This made Fire Buddha's expression grow serious.
Then Mo Hua began making all kinds of bizarre, complicated, even nonsensical hand seals…
He acted completely serious, shaping the atmosphere that this was a powerful ultimate move requiring long charge time.
He really could only use this technique once in his life—
Because those hand seals were completely improvised…
He wasn't sure if he could replicate it next time…
But Fire Buddha didn't know that.
He couldn't gauge Mo Hua's depth or intent, only trusting his cultivator instincts: the more unknown, the more dangerous.
When Mo Hua finished the seals, he suddenly shouted and simultaneously conjured two fireballs—one in each hand.
This move really shocked Fire Buddha.
"Dual technique at once?!"
Yin Thunder Child and the others were clueless, but Fire Buddha, deeply versed in magic, knew this move looked simple but was extremely complex in theory and difficulty.
This kid… was serious?!
Fire Buddha instinctively condensed spiritual power into a fiery shield before him.
Mo Hua pushed his spiritual sense to the limit, distorting and twisting the two fireballs, then slammed his hands together, causing the two fireballs to violently collide.
This move unnerved Fire Buddha.
He swung his hands, forming a fiery shield to block Mo Hua's attack.
But the expected surge of spiritual power, violent explosion, and strange magic... didn't happen.
Mo Hua's two fireballs didn't collide but veered off their paths, exploding on the ground, sending up dust and stones.
Fire Buddha and the others were stunned for a moment.
They couldn't figure out what just happened.
After a few breaths, the dust settled—they realized Mo Hua…
Had escaped again.
Fire Buddha's face turned extremely ugly.
He'd been played!
What powerful fireball technique?
All bullshit!
He'd committed so many crimes in Qianzhou, killed so many people—
Never had anyone dared mock him like this!
A mere child, barely out of diapers, truly brazen!
A flash of murderous intent appeared in Fire Buddha's eyes as he coldly said:
"You want to run? I want to see how you'll escape."
The four moved like wind, fiercely chasing Mo Hua all the way to a forest.
They looked around but found only rustling trees—no trace of Mo Hua.
(End of chapter)