Chapter 1044: Chapter 663 Hao Xuan Chapter 1044 -663 Hao Xuan What could possibly happen? Mo Hua furrowed his brows and poked his head to look outside the carriage. Outside, the night was deep. The carriage was moving on the road, to the left not far away, laid a small Immortal City, and to the right, a barren mountain. Mo Hua hesitated for a moment before deciding to go down and have a look. He reined in the carriage to a stop, then hopped off, tied the horse nearby, and released his Divine Sense, perceiving the unknown threads of causality. A trace of blood… And a faint hint of killing intent. Mo Hua concealed himself and followed the weak trail silently toward the barren mountain on the right. The ground was covered in withered grass and dense thorns. The rugged rocks were uncomfortable underfoot. After walking for 30 minutes, Mo Hua sensed something amiss and stopped. He crouched down and looked at the ground, his gaze slightly heavy. There were blood traces on the ground, not yet dry, seeming to have just been spilled. The rocks were scattered chaotically. As if someone had been running with all their might. The faint smell of blood lingered in the air, along with a weak presence of Spiritual Power. This was… Mo Hua’s heart turned cold. “Is someone being hunted down?” And the causal threads were somewhat gloomy and even a bit familiar. Mo Hua focused and started his Calculations, and then he was taken aback. In a trance, he saw in the gloomy night of the barren mountain, two figures in black pursuing a young man. The cold moonlight made the blade gleam chillingly. Blood was flowing from the young man… This image flashed by. When Mo Hua looked again, all light and shadow shattered, dissipating into nothingness. The young man… Mo Hua’s eyes revealed a thoughtful look, and then he continued his pursuit while maintaining his concealment. Following the bloodstains and aura, he chased for several miles and emerged from the narrow mountain path to a suddenly expansive landscape. But the scent of blood in the air had intensified. The residual presence of Spiritual Power was also more pronounced. Clearly, a fierce battle had taken place. A chill ran through Mo Hua’s heart as he swept the area with his Divine Sense. He saw on a slope not far ahead, a large patch of blood, with the ground shattered and some of the earth collapsed. There were also marks of Spiritual Artifacts being wielded and Spells burning. If Mo Hua’s conjecture was correct, the young man fleeing for his life had been caught up with by the people in black on this broad mountain slope. After a battle and struggling to fight, the young man was overpowered and captured by the black-clothed Cultivator. He should still be alive… Or at least, not dead yet. Otherwise, what would be left at the scene wouldn’t be just bloodstains, but a body or at least fragments of flesh… “Captured, but not yet killed…” “Should be nearby…” Mo Hua’s gaze darkened, his pupils profound, as he extended his Divine Sense to its limits. Moments later, his eyes brightened. Nearby was a concealed cave. Inside were several indistinct auras. Mo Hua cast the Minor Five Elements Stealth Skill, merging his aura with that of the surrounding Earth and Wood and the rocks, making his footsteps silent as he inched closer to the cave. As he neared the entrance, there indeed was movement inside, and the auras became clearer. There were three people, all at the Foundation Establishment Early Stage. Inside, there seemed to be sounds of interrogation. “You little shit… damn…” “Who sent you here?” “Speak!” “…damn it… hurry up and say something!” “Where are your accomplices?” “What exactly is your goal?” “What did you really see?” … This was followed by the sound of whipping and torture. After a while, a young voice spoke with a feeble breath, in disjointed phrases: “I… don’t know… cough…” Mo Hua was startled. This voice was so familiar… He slowly approached the cave entrance, peeked inside, and found the interior dimly lit, a young man tied up, his face covered in blood. Two black-clothed Cultivators with their faces covered, their gazes ferocious. That young man… Mo Hua watched for a while and then was taken aback with realization. It was actually one of his fellow disciples… Hao Xuan? There were many disciples in the same cohort at Taixu Gate, and Mo Hua did not know all of them. But he had an impression of Hao Xuan. They were from the same Disciple’s Residence, and though they did not interact much, their faces were familiar and they were on good terms. Hao Xuan always turned in his Formation assignments on time, was very serious and respectful, and treated others kindly. Key point being, he had called Mo Hua “Junior Brother.” And, he had also treated Mo Hua to chicken legs before… He was one of their own! Now, the once amiable Hao Xuan was covered in wounds, his breath fleeting. The two black-clothed Cultivators continued to interrogate him. But it seemed Hao Xuan indeed knew nothing and could say nothing. The two black-clothed Cultivators then furrowed their brows. “Can’t pry his mouth open…” “What shall we do?” “How about…” One of them made a gesture with his hands as if holding a blade, and a surge of killing intent filled his eyes. Mo Hua was alarmed. What were the identities of these two in black? Taixu Gate disciples of noble family’s direct lineage, and yet they speak of killing so casually? Hao Xuan’s pupils shook, and with a breath he urged: “I am of the Hao family’s direct lineage from Qian State, both my parents are at the Late Golden Core Stage, with an ancestor at the Heaven Void Realm…” “I am the son of a direct lineage noble family, you…” One of the black-clothed men sneered: “Is that all? Who isn’t…” The other black-clothed Cultivator immediately slapped his companion, speaking sharply: “Shut up!” The previous black-clothed Cultivator realized his blunder, covering his face, his complexion growing pale, he dared not speak any further. Hao Xuan also came to understand, his eyes filled with horror, his face turning as pale as death. About to be silenced… They… Before he could think further, one of the black-clothed Cultivators had already raised the knife with the blade gleaming ominously. Just then, from the cave entrance came a sharp cry: “Ah—” This cry seemed to be filled with great fear. Then, someone started running away at full speed. Their steps grew fainter as they fled into the distance. The few people inside the cave were all stunned.