Chapter 187: Chapter 187: 187_1

Afterward, Mo Shan did the same and began to capture the Qian Family’s Formation Masters.

The Qian Family’s guards had respectable cultivation, but they were overwhelmed trying to fend off the Monster Hunters while also preventing Mo Shan from capturing people.

In this critical situation, those few Formation Masters of the Qian Family, who would usually care about their manners and demeanor, had thrown all that to the wind, racing for their lives and wishing they could grow an extra pair of legs.

In the end, Mo Shan only managed to catch three Formation Masters; the rest had escaped.

The scene after the chaotic battle was a mess, with some Monster Hunters injured and several Qian Family cultivators lying on the ground, wailing.

Mo Shan and the other Monster Hunters took action together, tying up the Formation Masters and the other Qian Family cultivators, then brought them back to the Refinery Shop.

The Monster Hunters threw the Qian Family cultivators onto the ground, and Mo Shan waved at Mo Hua, who was sitting atop the high wall. Mo Hua nodded, leaped down with a graceful figure, and landed lightly on the ground.

He had just used the Water Passing Step to climb the tall gate wall of the Refinery Shop and sat on top of the wall, witnessing everything that happened outside.

Although the Qian Family cultivators had avoided the Earth Fire Formation, by entering the Refinery Shop, any movement that generated Spiritual Power fluctuations would trigger the Compass Child Formation. The patrolling Monster Hunting squad, holding the parent Compass, would feel the reaction from the child formation and come to assist.

On the surface, the Qian Family seemed to be employing a strategy of making a noise in the east and striking in the west, catching them by surprise, but in reality, they had completely exposed their positions.

Therefore, the Qian Family cultivators who had infiltrated did not cause much of a commotion before being suppressed one by one.

And Mo Hua was also curious as to how they had avoided the Earth Fire Formation he had set up.

He had specifically asked Uncle Chu for advice.

In the matter of setting traps, the Monster Hunters are the most skilled, and among them, Uncle Chu is the best at using traps.

After learning from Uncle Chu and having studied and applied many himself, Mo Hua’s skill in trap setting was also considered top-notch among the Monster Hunters.

There seemed to be no problems with the Earth Fire Formation he had watched being set up outside, so why had the Qian Family detected it?

Therefore, Mo Hua climbed onto the wall top and swept the surroundings with his Divine Sense.

With Elder Yu absent, among all the cultivators present, Mo Hua’s Divine Sense was the strongest. The Divine Sense of an ordinary Qi Refining Ninth Level cultivator couldn’t possibly compare to his.

Then Mo Hua discovered those Formation Masters from the Qian Family, and everything suddenly made sense to him.

Suddenly, a joy rose in Mo Hua’s heart.

Fish that came knocking on his door were not to be ignored.

Mo Hua found Mo Shan, explained the situation, and said, “Keep an eye on the Formation Masters to capture them alive!”

Mo Shan nodded, then led a team of Monster Hunters with notable cultivation and dashed out, heading straight for those Formation Masters. After a battle, they finally caught a few and brought them back.

“It’s a shame we only caught three, letting the others get away,” lamented Mo Shan.

Mo Hua nodded repeatedly, “That’s enough, that’s enough!”

“What are we going to do with these Formation Masters?” Mo Shan asked curiously.

“Just hand them over to Elder Yu, I reckon everyone will be eating well for the coming month,” Mo Hua said with a laugh.

The next day, Elder Yu arrived at the Refinery Shop and was surprised to see the Qian Family Formation Masters tied up, asking, “How did you bind them?”

“They came straight to our doorstep,” replied Mo Hua.

Elder Yu was slightly astonished, “Has Qian Hong lost his mind?”

“They wanted to break my Earth Fire Formation but ended up shooting themselves in the foot.”

The captured Qian Family Formation Masters kept their distance, thinking they wouldn’t be in any danger if they didn’t risk themselves, but they hadn’t expected Mo Hua’s Divine Sense to be so powerful, able to detect them from such a great distance.

After hearing the whole story, Elder Yu couldn’t help but admire Mo Hua for his attentive mind and skilled use of Divine Sense.

Even with his stronger Divine Sense, he would not necessarily notice these people upon a cursory scan, nor would he associate them with being Formation Masters.

Elder Yu nodded, “You’ve all worked hard; leave the rest to me. Tonight, we’ll have a good meal!”

After Elder Yu finished speaking, he took the captured Formation Masters to the Qian Family.

These Formation Masters could not be killed; otherwise, the Qian Family would not let the matter rest. After all, cultivating a Formation Master can cost a fortune, and success is not guaranteed.

Moreover, even if they were killed, it would be hard to explain to the Taoist Court. The rules that everyone abides by openly in Tongxian City dictate that taking a life should be a last resort.

Since they cannot be killed nor kept, the only option left was to use them for extortion.

And as a bargaining chip, Formation Masters were quite valuable—Elder Yu planned to take a heavy toll!

Qian Hong was so angered that he coughed up blood. He had inquired earlier and found out that Elder Yu would not be at the Refinery Shop that night. The Formation Masters would be far away, and with the Divine Sense of someone in the Qi Refinement Realm, they would not be detectable.

Even so, he had deliberately sent guards to follow them, taking every precaution. How could they still have been captured?

How exactly were they captured?

Qian Hong was puzzled and could not understand it.

Meanwhile, Elder Yu had already arrived with the Formation Masters. This time, he did not rant and rave but instead looked quite pleased, as if he had won a bet and was waiting for the dealer to exchange his chips for Spirit Stones.

But they were the losers, they were the dealer, and they were the ones who had to pay out the Spirit Stones. Even the chips had been delivered by them!

Qian Hong was gnashing his teeth with rage, yet his face remained expressionless. Instead, he took the offensive and sneered,

“Elder Yu, you, a Cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Stage, have abducted our Qian Family Formation Masters and you even have the audacity to come extorting us?”

Elder Yu waved his hand dismissively, “Enough with this nonsense, who are you trying to fool? We all know what’s going on here, so why put on an act?”

Qian Hong sneered, “I shall report this matter to the Court Leader of the Taoist Court.”

“Please do,” Elder Yu replied nonchalantly, “And while you’re at it, you might want to mention how your Qian Family came to make trouble at the Refinery Shop, how many of our people you injured, how much property you damaged, how many Formations you disrupted, and how much time of our work you delayed…”

“So, as a Cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Stage, you target the younger generation?”

Elder Yu chuckled and replied, “I didn’t lift a finger this time, and, in fact, I knew nothing about the whole affair from start to finish. It’s your own fault for causing trouble and getting caught in the act. Only this morning did I learn about it, so I’ve come to talk terms with you.”

Qian Hong stared at him coldly, “What terms do you want?”

“Show some sincerity, and I’ll return your people. This way, you save face and avoid harming our amicable relations,” replied Elder Yu.

Qian Hong’s eyelids twitched at these words. What saving face? What amiable relations? Since when did Yu Changlin care about such niceties?

“What sincerity do you want?” he demanded.

Elder Yu retorted, “What else could it be?”

Controlling his anger, Qian Hong gritted his teeth and said, “Five hundred Spirit Stones per person!”

Elder Yu shook his head, “That’s not enough sincerity.”

“What then?” asked Qian Hong impatiently.

“These are Formation Masters, it requires extra,” said Elder Yu.

“How much do you want?”

Bluntly, Elder Yu declared, “Ten thousand per person!”

Qian Hong rose to his feet furiously, “Don’t push your luck!”

Trying to reassure him, Elder Yu said, “As the Family Head, you don’t need to lose your temper. Stay calm, I never said we couldn’t negotiate…”

Qian Hong, swallowing his fury, asked once more, “How much?”

Elder Yu began to haggle, bargaining over each Spirit Stone as if Qian Hong were not the Family Head but an old man selling vegetables in the market town.

After an exhaustive negotiation, Elder Yu walked away with the Spirit Stones, satisfied with the deal,

while Qian Hong’s face turned an iron shade of blue, and in his rage, he brought his hand down in a fierce smack that reduced the tabletop to dust.

“Yu Changlin, I will kill you!”