Chapter 634 – Extermination of a Clan
Mo Hua's pupils shrank sharply.
Extermination of a clan?!
The Xie Clan?
"Is it the Xie Clan from Bishan City—?" Mo Hua asked.
Murong Caiyun nodded. "Yes. The very same Second-Grade Xie Clan we dealt with when we were arresting the traitor from the Broken Gold Sect."
Mo Hua remembered.
That day, he, Senior Sister Murong, and Senior Brother Feng had accepted a mission to go to Bishan City to apprehend a traitor from the Broken Gold Sect.
That traitor had allegedly stolen something from the Xie Clan and vanished without a trace. Unable to catch him, the Xie Clan had issued the mission to the sect.
To capture him, the Xie Clan locked down the city and searched every street—an exhaustive effort.
Yet despite the scale of the operation, the reward they offered was surprisingly stingy.
And the traitor was indeed hard to catch.
Recalling that scene, Mo Hua felt a sudden chill run down his spine.
While sympathizing with the Xie Clan, he was also confused.
When they left Bishan City, Mo Hua had a vague feeling that the matter wasn't over.
It had indeed taken a great deal of effort to catch the traitor.
"Some are saying that Fire Buddha used the Xie Clan as a blood sacrifice to cultivate a demonic technique…"
"In a sea of karmic flames, Fire Buddha stood clad in robes, eyes ablaze with fire, chanting Buddhist sutras, his expression filled with cold compassion…"
"The Xie Clan… they're all dead…"
"But logically, how could even Fire Buddha manage to completely wipe out an entire clan of cultivators?"
"Worse still, some people—unable to distinguish right from wrong—claim the Xie Clan must've committed too many sins, and that Fire Buddha's slaughter was divine justice…"
"But the truth is…"
"According to local cultivators from Bishan City, that night, the entire Xie estate was engulfed in fire. Blood lit up half the sky. All the cultivators of the Xie Clan were slaughtered, dismembered, and reduced to ashes in the karmic inferno…"
"Senior Sister, why would Fire Buddha exterminate the Xie Clan?" Mo Hua asked.
"What kind of rumors are spreading?" he added, curious.
Softly, Mo Hua continued:
"Some say the Xie Clan offended Fire Buddha years ago and created a vendetta—this attack was his revenge…"
That traitor's disguises had been exceptionally refined—male, female, old crone, dwarf… By the time they captured him, he looked like a brawny man.
And something about the whole thing felt… off.
Murong Caiyun shook her head. "I don't know. The Dao Judiciary is still investigating, and the rumors outside aren't very reliable."
She sighed heavily, her face solemn. "There's also another rumor…"
"That the Xie Clan's patriarch once stole away the woman Fire Buddha loved. He despaired, renounced the secular world, fell into darkness, and after mastering powerful magic, returned to sacrifice the entire clan in her name…"
"The Xie Clan, even if not top-tier, was still one of the most influential in Bishan City…"
"There's something strange about all this…"
"Everyone has a theory…"
"No matter how strong Fire Buddha is, he's still only a second-grade criminal."
"The Xie Clan was a second-grade clan. With so many cultivators, even if they couldn't win, they should have been able to buy time—at least a few should've escaped…"
And the Falling Flame Art might be far more terrifying than Mo Hua had imagined…
The traitor had used the Broken Gold Sect's Golden Escape Technique, and was also skilled in disguises—hiding in a shady brothel disguised as a tavern.
Murong Caiyun raised her pale fingers and counted out the theories for Mo Hua one by one…
"Rumors spread like wind. No one really knows what happened…" she said with a shake of her head.
"Some say Fire Buddha colluded with the Xie Clan and, after a disagreement over dividing the spoils, decided to slaughter them all…"
And no one even knew what the traitor originally looked like.
…
Nor did Mo Hua know what exactly the traitor had stolen from the Xie Clan.
Spiritual sense could only probe for spiritual power—it didn't capture physical features.
So even though Mo Hua's spiritual sense was strong enough to identify his energy, he couldn't restore his actual appearance.
"Did the Xie Clan put up no resistance?" he asked.
But to think things would escalate… to the extermination of the entire Xie Clan—
Mo Hua frowned, then asked, heart heavy:
"Really… not even one survivor?"
Murong Caiyun's eyes narrowed. "I thought the same…"
Fire Buddha may be far more dangerous than we realized…
Mo Hua thought of Bloodwood Chopper, Yin Leizi, and the others, and asked:
"Did Fire Buddha… have accomplices?"
A massacre of this scale—it was unlikely he did it alone.
"That, I don't know…"
Murong Caiyun shook her head. "Something as brutal and total as clan extermination is horrifying and has a massive ripple effect. The Dao Judiciary is locking the information down tight—they're not releasing any clues."
"Has there ever been another extermination like this?" Mo Hua asked.
Murong Caiyun thought for a moment. "Very rarely… I think the last time was over a hundred years ago. A small clan was wiped out by demonic cultivators…"
"I only know about it because my aunt told me the story."
"That incident caused a panic among the smaller clans. The higher-ups in the Judiciary were furious. They sent dozens of investigators who hunted the culprits relentlessly."
"In the end, all the criminals were captured, executed by dismemberment using formation arts, and their corpses displayed to the public as a warning."
"Since then, we haven't heard much about clan exterminations."
"And now—this Xie Clan tragedy at the hands of Fire Buddha…"
"This kind of event shakes people's hearts. That's why until the culprits are caught and the truth is revealed, the Judiciary won't release any information."
"Then…" Mo Hua asked softly, "Will the Dao Judiciary issue a bounty for Fire Buddha to the sect?"
"They won't," Murong Caiyun said firmly.
"They won't?" Mo Hua looked disappointed.
"No." She nodded and explained:
"This matter is too dangerous…"
"The Judiciary's bounties are typically for criminals in the early or middle stages of Foundation Establishment—dangerous, but manageable with sect disciple assistance."
"But Fire Buddha is different. He's a ruthless killer and extremely dangerous. The Judiciary wouldn't dare assign his case to the sect."
"Most sect disciples come from noble clans. If anything happened to them, the Judiciary would be held accountable."
"And since this involves a clan extermination, the Judiciary is prioritizing secrecy. They won't leak anything."
"At most, once Fire Buddha is captured and the matter settled, they might issue some follow-up missions—like hunting down his accomplices."
"I see…" Mo Hua nodded, his expression pensive. Clearly deep in thought.
Murong Caiyun glanced at him and warned:
"Don't even think about doing something reckless."
Mo Hua froze.
"You're interested in Fire Buddha, aren't you?" she asked.
"…Sort of," Mo Hua replied vaguely.
He wasn't really interested in the man—he was interested in his forbidden technique.
Murong Caiyun saw the gleam in his eyes and sighed.
"Chasing after Fire Buddha is the Dao Judiciary's job. We have no place interfering."
"This is incredibly dangerous. If you end up in Fire Buddha's hands, you'll be lucky to die cleanly. You escaped him once—but you might not escape again…"
Her face filled with worry. "So don't take the risk. Stay out of this."
Mo Hua thought seriously for a moment, then solemnly said:
"Don't worry, Senior Sister!"
…
After Murong Caiyun left, Mo Hua began pondering the matter of Fire Buddha again.
Senior Sister was right—this whole thing really was too dangerous.
But forbidden techniques weren't something you could get easily. Merit points couldn't buy them either.
What's more, Fire Buddha's Falling Flame Art was a fire-type forbidden technique, where two blazing flames burned within his body like twin hearts.
This could very well be the key Mo Hua needed for his own research into fireball collisions, spell collapse, and spiritual power fusion.
If the opportunity came, he must get his hands on this Falling Flame Art!
If he missed it this time, who knew when he'd ever come across it again?
He'd just need to be extremely cautious.
After all… he needed to stay alive.
He still had to care for his parents in their old age!
Mo Hua furrowed his brow and began seriously thinking:
"But how do I get the Falling Flame technique?"
Catch Fire Buddha before the Dao Judiciary does?
Because once they caught him—even if Fire Buddha did spill the secret of the Falling Flame Art—there was no way someone like Mo Hua would ever get access to it.
The Dao Judiciary would never hand over a forbidden technique to a mere disciple from the Great Void Sect.
And besides, with Fire Buddha's personality, he was far more likely to take it to the grave than hand over his technique.
If Fire Buddha was captured, that fire-type forbidden art would be buried with him.
"Should I try to catch him before they do? Or even kill him and search his corpse?"
Kill him?
With his strength?
Mo Hua considered it, then could only shake his head helplessly.
"Highly unlikely…"
Fire Buddha was cautious by nature, and his cultivation, techniques, and methods were all terrifyingly strong.
Not to mention, he had a band of criminals tagging along—Yin Leizi, Bloodwood Chopper, Ghostface Fiend—none of them were easy targets either.
If he were to try it himself, he'd need meticulous preparation, an ambush, and even detonate a top-grade array formation just to kill a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator like Fire Buddha.
But where would he even find a top-grade formation to blow up?
And beyond that, using a priceless formation just to kill Fire Buddha would be such a waste!
Plus, Fire Buddha was incredibly cunning—even with a trap in place, he might not walk into it.
So in the end, he'd have to rely on someone else to do the killing…
And he'd just provide a little "help" from the sidelines.
But who?
Mo Hua rubbed his chin, deep in thought…
Murong Senior Sister and Brother Feng were definitely out.
They were only mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators. Even if they were top disciples of the Great Void Sect, they were no match for a clan-exterminating late-stage cultivator like Fire Buddha.
Could they win? Maybe.
But one mistake could cost them their lives.
Murong Senior Sister cared about him and didn't want him taking risks.
And Mo Hua didn't want the ones who had helped him the most to face that kind of danger either.
Unlike him, they didn't have a dozen ways to stay alive.
So who else?
After thinking it over, Mo Hua realized there was only one person who might be able to help bring down Fire Buddha.
That was Uncle Gu—Gu Changhuai.
A Core Formation cultivator and an officer of the Dao Judiciary.
Perfect identity. Sufficient strength.
And Uncle Gu did seem intent on bringing Fire Buddha to justice.
But therein lay the problem—he was part of the Dao Judiciary.
Even if he captured Fire Buddha and extracted the Falling Flame Art, there's no way he'd give it to Mo Hua.
If Mo Hua put himself in Gu Changhuai's shoes, he wouldn't hand a dangerous forbidden technique to a suspicious disciple either.
And Mo Hua was already considered a "risky" individual in Gu's eyes.
There was no way he'd let someone already considered "dangerous" get their hands on something even more dangerous.
Still, Mo Hua couldn't think of another option.
Uncle Gu was his only chance.
Mo Hua sighed softly.
"Guess I'll just take it one step at a time…"
"First, I need to find a way to work through Uncle Gu, get involved with the Dao Judiciary, gather some leads, help track Fire Buddha…"
"Then, when the opportunity comes, maybe I can sneak in behind Uncle Gu's operation and snatch the Falling Flame Art for myself…"
That was the best plan for now.
After that, Mo Hua went about his routine as usual: attending lectures, cultivating, helping Yu'er with her homework, drawing formation diagrams, and using every spare moment to investigate Fire Buddha's movements.
But Senior Sister had been right—
The Dao Judiciary wasn't assigning any Fire Buddha missions to the sect.
To most disciples, "Fire Buddha" was just a name—a tale told after class.
Something they'd never get involved in their whole lives.
Feeling helpless, Mo Hua made time to visit the Dao Judiciary to find Uncle Gu.
But the Judiciary was heavily guarded, and the official halls weren't somewhere you could just wander into.
Relying on memory and his own cunning, Mo Hua slipped past several patrols, reaching Gu Changhuai's office—only to find it completely empty.
Gu Changhuai had gone out to pursue a criminal.
Mo Hua didn't know if that criminal was Fire Buddha, and there was no one around to ask.
In the end, he had no choice but to leave empty-handed.
"The Dao Judiciary is so locked-down… it's impossible to get anything done," Mo Hua muttered with a sigh.
He'd have to think of something else.
During the ten-day rest period, Mo Hua finally had some free time, so he accompanied Yu'er for a visit back to the Gu residence.
This was Yu'er's first time returning home after joining the Great Void Sect.
At the gate of the Gu household, Wenren Wan was already waiting eagerly, her face full of anticipation.
Sending Yu'er to the Great Void Sect had been her idea—but as a mother, her heart had never stopped worrying for her child...
She worried whether Yu'er was cultivating well, eating enough, feeling happy—and more than anything...
Whether she could sleep soundly, free from the torment of nightmares.
Before long, the carriage pulled up in front of the Gu residence.
Yu'er hopped off the carriage and called out in a clear, sweet voice, "Mama!" Then, pumping her little legs, she ran straight into Wenren Wan's embrace.
Wenren Wan hugged her tightly. Seeing Yu'er's fair skin, rosy cheeks, bright spirit, and the solid weight in her arms—she could feel Yu'er's vitality had returned, and maybe she'd even gained a little weight—her joy was beyond words.
It was proof that Yu'er was doing well in the Great Void Sect—happy, healthy, free from illness...
And most importantly, untouched by nightmares.
Wenren Wan glanced at Mo Hua with a heart full of gratitude.
That evening, she put together a feast of rare delicacies—dishes Mo Hua had never eaten before.
Mo Hua ate heartily.
Yu'er sat beside him, holding her little bowl, mimicking Mo Hua as she stuffed her cheeks until they puffed up adorably.
Wenren Wan sat nearby, resting her cheek on her hand, watching the pair—one big, one small—her gaze soft with gentle affection.
After a while, Gu Changhuai arrived.
He seemed to have just returned from the Dao Judiciary, travel-worn and dusty, but upon hearing Yu'er was home, he came to see her.
The moment he walked in and saw Mo Hua sitting next to Yu'er, his expression grew complicated, and his scalp tingled slightly.
He had a sinking feeling that trouble was here...
"Changhuai, you're back just in time. Come, eat something." Wenren Wan's voice was warm and gentle.
Yu'er straightened up and greeted him carefully and formally: "Hello, Uncle."
That soft little "uncle" melted Gu Changhuai's heart. But his face remained as stiff as ever—wanting to show kindness, but unable to express it.
Mo Hua shook his head at the awkward display.
Wenren Wan glanced at Mo Hua, then at Gu Changhuai. Her meaning was clear. With a smile, she said:
"I'll take Yu'er out for a walk, help her digest dinner…"
Then she turned to Gu Changhuai and gave him a sharp look:
"Changhuai, entertain Mo Hua, would you?"
Gu Changhuai's mouth tasted bitter already.
Wenren Wan then took Yu'er by the hand and left.
Gu Changhuai sighed, sat down across from Mo Hua, poured himself a cup of wine, downed it in one gulp, and then said helplessly:
"Don't tell me… you came here just for me?"
Mo Hua answered honestly:
"Not entirely…"
He'd brought Yu'er back partly to reunite her with her mother, so Wenren Wan wouldn't worry.
And partly because if Yu'er had come back alone and suffered from nightmare disturbances at night, she'd have trouble sleeping.
Also, he'd miss his own "divine sense snack" if she wasn't around.
Of course, the final reason was indeed Gu Changhuai.
"Alright then, what is it?" Gu Changhuai sighed.
This little troublemaker was here—there was no avoiding it.
Mo Hua blinked and asked in a low voice:
"Uncle Gu, when the Dao Judiciary goes after Fire Buddha… can I come with you?"
Gu Changhuai knew he'd ask that and immediately rejected him, full of righteous authority:
"No way!"
"Why not?" Mo Hua pressed.
Gu Changhuai gave him a look and sighed:
"You're too young, your cultivation is too low, and you've only just joined the sect. Most importantly… you're not part of the Dao Judiciary."
Mo Hua's eyes lit up:
"So if I were part of the Dao Judiciary… then I could go?"
Gu Changhuai snorted in his heart.
Dao Judiciary personnel?
As if it were that easy to get in.
From low-ranking Judiciary Agents to Supervisors and Judges, every rank required passing strict assessments.
And those assessments were no joke—they evaluated everything from spiritual roots, cultivation methods, martial or magical skills, family background, criminal record, and whether you had any direct relatives who had ever been imprisoned or turned demonic in the last three generations…
The Dao Judiciary had extremely high standards.
And this kid? A wandering cultivator, with no background, no family connections—how could he possibly get in?
So Gu Changhuai casually brushed him off:
"Sure, if you were a Dao Judiciary officer, I might consider it…"
Mo Hua silently pulled out a bronze waist token.
Simple in design, rough in quality—but very familiar-looking…
Gu Changhuai froze, eyebrows twitching wildly.
Mo Hua's gaze gleamed slyly, but his face was all seriousness:
"Uncle Gu… actually, I do have a Dao Judiciary identity."
(End of chapter)