Chapter 799 – Blood Sacrifice
Lord Huangshan's expression changed for a moment—but quickly returned to normal as he gave Mo Hua an awkward smile.
"A fallen god like me… of course I have to hide from everything."
"I'm afraid of passing cultivators tearing down my clay statue…
afraid of mountain beasts stealing my offerings…
afraid of ghosts and fiends polluting my temple and occupying my shrine…"
"This temple was built deep in the mountains. The more broken and shabby it looks, the better.
If it were even a little luxurious, it'd definitely draw unwanted attention."
As he spoke, Lord Huangshan's face turned bitter.
Mo Hua simply looked at him in silence.
He could tell at a glance—Lord Huangshan was lying.
But he didn't call him out.
Whether man or god, everyone has their own secrets.
And frankly, Mo Hua had more secrets than Huangshan ever would.
To maintain a long-lasting friendship, one must leave space for each other—space to hold and protect those secrets.
Since he wasn't willing to say, Mo Hua wouldn't force him.
After all, it wasn't him sleeping in a drafty old ruin…
Mo Hua gave Lord Huangshan a deep look, then nodded.
"Fair enough."
Lord Huangshan had been squirming under the weight of Mo Hua's penetrating gaze. But hearing this, he finally let out a huge sigh of relief.
Mo Hua looked up at the broken temple, pondered a moment, then said:
"Mountain Lord, hiding like this isn't very safe. Want me to help you?"
"Help?" Lord Huangshan blinked, confused.
"How would you help me hide?"
Mo Hua explained:
"I've recently learned a new formation that conceals divine sense perception.
If I inscribe it on your idol, and you hide inside it, others will have a much harder time finding you."
Lord Huangshan was surprised—but didn't want to reject Mo Hua's kindness. He cupped his hands and said:
"Then I'll be in your debt, little friend."
Mo Hua glanced around and said:
"Your clay statue is right at the entrance—way too conspicuous. Even with the formation, it won't help much.
Do you have any other idols for hiding?"
"…That…" Lord Huangshan hesitated.
Mo Hua's eyes lit up.
"The little dog statue behind the temple? You like hiding in that one? I can—"
"No, no, definitely not!" Lord Huangshan quickly shook his head.
He had hidden inside that dog statue once just to avoid Mo Hua—and that embarrassing incident was something he never wanted to talk about again.
Even if he was a fallen god, he still had some pride.
After a long silence, he looked at Mo Hua and, after much hesitation, finally gritted his teeth and said:
"Little friend… come with me."
Mo Hua's eyes narrowed slightly, but he nodded.
Lord Huangshan floated out from the clay statue and led Mo Hua out of the ruined temple, to the edge of a nearby cliff.
"A cliff?" Mo Hua raised an eyebrow.
Looking a bit embarrassed, Lord Huangshan pointed downward:
"There's a cave down there. This way, please…"
He stepped toward the cliff's edge.
Mo Hua followed and discovered that behind a patch of tangled vines was a narrow, steep stone staircase.
About a dozen feet down, there was indeed a shallow cave.
Inside the cave, a statue stood hidden from view.
The statue was tall and dignified, its face narrow and solemn, with commanding eyes—it looked strikingly similar to Lord Huangshan himself.
It was cast entirely of refined bronze, with parts plated in gold—far more majestic than the clay statue in the ruined temple.
Mo Hua was a bit surprised.
"Is this… your true divine statue?"
Lord Huangshan smiled without answering.
Mo Hua thought for a moment and decided probably not.
Even if Lord Huangshan trusted him, there was no way he'd reveal his true divine core statue so casually. Not unless his brain was fried.
The saying goes: "A person is judged by his clothes; a god, by his gold plating."
This was clearly his backup treasure, meant to maintain appearances—and perhaps to hide in during emergencies.
"Alright, I'll draw the formation now," Mo Hua said.
Lord Huangshan bowed deeply.
"I'll trouble you, little friend."
Mo Hua pulled out his brush and paper, and began inscribing intricate formation lines around the golden statue.
Lord Huangshan silently watched, curious what kind of formation Mo Hua would create for him.
But as he kept watching… his face gradually changed.
"This…"
His body trembled. After a long pause, he stammered:
"L-Little friend… is this… is this a divine-path formation?"
"It is," Mo Hua nodded.
It is?!
Lord Huangshan inhaled sharply.
This little calamity actually knows divine-path formations now?!
Unbelievable…
If he could do this, then who could stop him in the future?!
And he was painting a divine-path formation on his statue?! What the hell did that mean?
Lord Huangshan's face froze in horror.
Regret flooded his heart.
Humans are indeed cunning… Cultivators are never to be trusted.
He should never have revealed the location of this statue!
Now he was trapped, and could only plead:
"Little friend, please go easy! Don't seal this statue—I need a way out!"
If this idol got sealed, he'd have no escape route left.
Mo Hua looked confused.
"Who said I was sealing you?"
Lord Huangshan looked at him with deep suspicion.
Mo Hua chuckled and reassured him:
"Relax. It's not what you think."
"I'm using a divine-path formation to seal the statue, yes—but I'll leave a hidden opening.
You'll be able to come and go freely. The formation will actually shield your divine aura and help you hide."
"If you're ever in danger, you can dive into the statue—and others, even evil spirits, may not be able to detect you at all."
Lord Huangshan froze.
Realization suddenly dawned on him.
He hadn't expected that a formation designed to suppress gods could be used like this.
But upon further thought—it made sense.
Proper gods didn't need to hide. They stood tall, basked in incense offerings, and had no need for concealment.
Those who fell into evil paths, though, would naturally clash with divine-path cultivators.
Formation masters would aim to seal them completely, leaving no escape.
But to flip the script—using a sealing formation as a hiding place—was truly a stroke of genius.
Lord Huangshan was awed, and gave Mo Hua a curious look.
Where had he learned such a divine-path formation?
He wanted to ask—but wisely kept quiet.
With someone as sharp as Mo Hua, asking was pointless. He probably wouldn't say anyway.
Once Mo Hua finished, he left a hidden gap at the back of the statue and said:
"Go ahead and try it."
Lord Huangshan frowned.
As a divine being, he had an innate aversion to divine-path formations, which were designed to restrain gods like him.
Not to mention, this one had been created by an unpredictable little cultivator.
If he stepped in—and got trapped—he'd have no one to cry to.
But when he looked into Mo Hua's clear, sincere eyes…
He suddenly felt a bit guilty.
Ah, screw it…
"Forget it…"
Gritting his teeth, Lord Huangshan finally transformed into a wisp of white smoke and, trembling slightly, slipped into the divine statue.
Once inside, the surrounding formation felt like a narrow cliff wall closing in on him—suffocating and oppressive.
He had a terrible premonition:
If Mo Hua were to seal the opening right now…
He would be trapped inside this statue, bound by the formation, never to see daylight again.
A knot of unease twisted in Lord Huangshan's heart.
Fortunately, after a while, Mo Hua's voice came:
"How is it?"
"S-still… tolerable…" Lord Huangshan replied, forcing himself to stay calm.
"Good." Mo Hua nodded. "Then come back out. No need to stay in there normally—only use it when real danger comes."
He still didn't know what exactly Lord Huangshan was hiding from in that ruined temple.
But having a backup plan was always wise.
A moment later, Lord Huangshan emerged from the sealed formation in a puff of green smoke. The pressure lifted instantly, and he let out a long sigh of relief. He bowed deeply and said sincerely:
"Many thanks, little friend."
"Alright, I should get going," Mo Hua waved his hand.
"I'll come visit again when I have time."
Mo Hua turned to leave the mountain cave.
At the temple gate, Lord Huangshan saw him off, a complex look in his eyes. Finally, after much hesitation, he spoke up:
"In the Qianxue Prefecture realm… there's an evil god…"
"Does this evil god have ram horns?" Mo Hua interrupted.
"Yes…" Lord Huangshan nodded—then froze.
"Wait—you already know?"
Not just know.
He'd seen it, fought it… and even "tasted" it.
"How did you find out?" Lord Huangshan asked in shock.
"I ran into a few minor evil spirits in a nearby region," Mo Hua replied casually.
"They seemed like that evil god's minions."
Lord Huangshan looked at him in astonishment.
"And… you're okay?"
"Perfectly fine," Mo Hua smiled.
Lord Huangshan nodded.
Yes, that made sense.
If the kid could draw divine-path formations, then a few little demons wouldn't be much trouble for this "little plague god."
He fell silent for a moment, then said gravely:
"The minions aren't the real threat. The terrifying one is that evil god itself…"
"It's ancient, has been slumbering for ages, and its evil thoughts are boundless.
Right now, its power might not be even one-thousandth of its peak,
but if it ever awakens—and even manages to hatch a divine fetus—
it'll be a disaster for the entire world…"
Hearing this, Mo Hua's expression grew serious as well.
Though Lord Huangshan had fallen far, he had once been a high god. His insight was still sharp.
If he thought the evil god's true form was terrifying, then it likely was far worse than Mo Hua had imagined.
And more importantly—it might be awakening…
"Do you remember what I told you before?" Lord Huangshan added.
Mo Hua was about to ask, Which part?
He'd met Huangshan many times and heard plenty of ramblings—how was he supposed to know which "before" he meant?
But after frowning in thought and piecing things together, he remembered:
"You mean… 'Qianxue Prefecture is no place to linger'?"
"Exactly." Lord Huangshan sighed.
"I told you before—after you reach the late Foundation Establishment stage, you should leave.
Even if you delay a few years, don't stay past ten.
Within ten years, it should still be safe…"
"But now… I'm not so sure."
Mo Hua blinked.
"What do you mean?"
Lord Huangshan looked up at the seemingly peaceful, blue sky, brow furrowed:
"Lately, I don't know why, but the evil aura has grown restless.
It feels like someone is working in the shadows…
pushing that evil god to accelerate its plans.
The way things are going, it might not last another ten years…"
"Someone's… pulling strings behind the scenes?" Mo Hua frowned.
Who's that powerful…
Who could force an evil god to move faster?!
As he kept thinking, a terrible realization struck him.
Wait a second… what if that "someone"… is ME?!
I'm the one forcing the evil god to act early?
No way… right?
Mo Hua paused, then cautiously asked:
"Mountain Lord, this 'plot' you mentioned… what is the evil god actually planning?
If it wants to awaken—what exactly does it have to do?"
Lord Huangshan looked troubled.
"You can't say?"
"It's not that…" Lord Huangshan sighed.
"I honestly don't know all the details.
I only know one thing: whenever an ancient evil god revives, it's always accompanied by a…"
His expression turned grim. His voice grew cold:
"…a grand blood sacrifice."
Mo Hua's pupils shrank.
A grand… blood asacrifice?!
And right here, in Qianxue Prefecture?!
Lord Huangshan looked at him seriously and said:
"That's all I can say. If it really comes to that… once the blood sacrifice begins— the land will drown in suffering. All life will wither."
"Little friend… you must take care of yourself."
Mo Hua's brow furrowed tightly.
"But… Qianxue Prefecture has so many fourth- and even fifth-grade sects and families. Their patriarchs are powerful. How could a blood sacrifice happen under their watch?"
"That," Lord Huangshan said, shaking his head, "is something even I don't know."
Mo Hua wasn't sure whether he truly didn't know… Or if he was simply too afraid to say more.
Either way, he nodded and cupped his fists:
"Thank you, Mountain Lord. I'll remember your warning."
Then he took his leave.
Lord Huangshan watched him go. But just before Mo Hua vanished from sight, he called out one last, meaningful line:
"The evil in human nature… is the evil god's favorite feast."
Mo Hua froze slightly.
That phrase echoed in his mind, over and over— even after he left Withered Mountain and boarded the carriage to Smokewater City, he couldn't let it go.
"The evil in human nature… is the evil god's favorite feast…"
Was Lord Huangshan warning him?
Or… was it a lament from his own bitter experience?
Mo Hua remained silent—but deep in thought.
And in his mind, one phrase returned like a shadow.
And… a grand blood sacrifice?
Small-scale sacrifices might exist—but to sacrifice an entire Qianxue Prefecture realm? That kind of massive blood ritual… No matter how Mo Hua thought about it, it just didn't seem possible.
Besides, Lord Huangshan only said that the resurrection of ancient evil gods is always accompanied by a grand blood sacrifice. He didn't say this particular evil god was definitely the Great Wilderness Evil God. Nor that its resurrection site would necessarily be Qianxue Prefecture.
In fact, the more likely location might be… the Great Wilderness itself?
Mo Hua shook his head.
"Forget it. I won't think about that for now…"
Schemes involving ancient evil gods were well beyond his current level.
At most, he'd only borrowed a teeny bit of that god's authority, snacked on a few of its demonic minions, and wrecked a couple of its puny little altars.
And those altars? All second-grade, tops.
To a Great Wilderness Evil God—whose tier was obviously far beyond that—such acts were probably too insignificant to even register.
"I should be spending my time and energy on improving myself..."
Mo Hua silently reminded himself.
Then he settled into meditation, closing his eyes to rest.
The carriage swayed gently as it carried him lazily toward Smokewater City.
Nothing happened along the way.
By the time he arrived, it was already dusk.
He asked around for the location of the Ye family, confirmed the direction, and headed straight there—only to find their estate under tight security, absolutely barring entry to any non-family cultivators.
There was no way for Mo Hua to sneak in.
And if he tried to ask too many questions, it might arouse suspicion. They'd probably label him a "suspicious cultivator."
Worse—if the Ye family really was hiding something, he might spook the snake by beating the grass.
Mo Hua circled the Ye estate once, studying the formation defenses.
He could roughly deduce 70-80% of the general formation layout.
But the Ye family was a third-grade clan, and their compound was guarded with several third-grade formations. With Mo Hua's current formation skills, they weren't easy to handle.
If it were a second-grade formation, he might be able to sneak in by "cracking a wall."
But if he got caught… that would be very bad.
After circling twice and failing to find a good entry point, he gave up for the evening and went to a nearby noodle shop for dinner.
The shop was simple and modest, named "Wang's Noodles."
It wasn't large, and the only person running it was a spry, talkative auntie.
In fact, this noodle shop was Mo Hua's deliberate choice after scouting the area. What attracted him was exactly that—this auntie's habit of gossiping.
It was already late and past the dinner rush, so there were only a few other customers eating.
Mo Hua called out warmly:
"Big sis!"
The auntie beamed with joy at the flattery, and not only gave him extra noodles, but also two extra plates of pickled vegetables.
They chatted for a bit, and soon Mo Hua subtly shifted the topic to the Ye family.
Some matters weren't easy to ask about openly—but folks who lived and breathed street gossip, like this kind of loose cultivator running a shop, were often very well-informed.
After a short conversation, Mo Hua had the gist of things.
The Ye family didn't have a great reputation in Smokewater City.
Downward—they bullied loose cultivators, acted like tyrants in the countryside. Not enough to provoke official punishment from the Dao Court, but enough to earn plenty of private disdain.
Upward—they flattered and clung to power shamelessly.
Even within the family, the relationships between disciples were known to be cold and strained.
And there was one thing the Ye family was especially infamous for: "Selling their daughters."
"That Ye family," the auntie said with a sneer, "To curry favor with powerful sects, they'll stoop to anything. Just last year, they married off a twenty-something clan daughter to an elder from who-knows-which sect—an old man pushing three hundred and widowed!"
"Only the Ye family would be shameless enough to pull something like that…"
Mo Hua's eyes flickered slightly. He suddenly leaned in and lowered his voice:
"I heard about that.
Rumor has it the girl couldn't stand the humiliation and ended up… taking her own life?"
The auntie froze.
"Suicide? Really? I never heard that…"
"She didn't?" Mo Hua put on a confused face.
The auntie frowned, thinking hard, then shook her head:
"Shouldn't be. I haven't heard anything about that from others."
Mo Hua muttered to himself:
"Maybe I got it wrong… Could it have been someone else? Did anyone else from the Ye family… commit suicide?"
"Suicide…" the auntie shook her head again.
"Not that I know of. Better a hard life than an early death. No matter how rough things get, people usually just grind through it. Who takes their own life unless they're absolutely desperate?"
"Yeah… maybe you're right." Mo Hua's eyes narrowed slightly.
"But then again, who knows…" the auntie added.
"The Ye family's done plenty of shady stuff. Even if someone did die, they'd cover it up real tight. If a girl sent to marry into a higher sect was abused and died… The Ye family wouldn't just keep it quiet—they'd probably pick another girl and send her in next."
"Big sis… Does that kind of thing happen a lot?" Mo Hua asked.
"Who's to say?"
Without thinking, the auntie scooped Mo Hua another helping of noodles.
"Even if a core Ye clan son dies, they usually don't announce it. Who knows how many they've secretly gotten killed…"
"A core son… died?"
"Yup," she nodded.
"Was it last year or the one before… One of the Ye family's young masters went out drinking and whoring— And died on the Smokewater River."
Mo Hua's pupils constricted.
A Ye clan heir… died while partying… on the Smokewater River…
(End of Chapter)