Immortality Through Array Formations Chapter 1967 - 952: Opening the Coffin (Part 2)

Watching the display, Mo Hua felt a sense of awe. He realized then that the various paths of Tao Cultivation were vast; for Mr. Hui and his companions to earn their bread this way, they surely possessed deep family legacies and genuine expertise.

It was no surprise that the four black-robed cultivators had sought out Mr. Hui's team specifically for the purposes of grave robbing and unsealing coffins.

Mo Hua carefully observed Mr. Hui’s methods, burning every detail into his memory.

Even if the logic eluded him for now, he knew it was wise to store this knowledge for later.

After all, one can never have too many skills.

If he were to come across a tomb-related heritage in the future, the prospect of studying, excavating graves, cracking open coffins, and unearthing hidden treasures seemed like a profitable endeavor.

Mr. Hui finished the preparations about an hour later.

The remaining minor chores were left to Stone and Rat.

Approaching Mo Hua, Mr. Hui gave a stern caution: "Little brother, the process of opening the coffin will be perilous. No matter what happens, you must not go down there."

"Understood," Mo Hua replied, nodding his head vigorously.

There was no need for the warning; Mo Hua was well aware of the risks involved.

Such dangerous labor was best left to others.

Satisfied with Mo Hua’s compliance, Mr. Hui nodded and prepared to walk away, but he paused as a thought struck him. After a moment of hesitation, he questioned Mo Hua:

"Little brother, did Rat cause you any trouble back in the branching tunnels?"

Mo Hua’s Divine Thought flickered as the realization hit him.

Mr. Hui had indeed witnessed the events in those tunnels; he knew Rat had been hunting him, yet he had remained silent until now.

These men were truly cunning.

In that case...

After a quick mental calculation, Mo Hua adopted an expression of feigned reluctance and whispered, "No..."

Mr. Hui spoke in a soothing tone, "Don't be troubled; there is no need to fear. If something occurred, you can tell me."

Mo Hua maintained his look of hesitation, as if he were holding back a secret.

Seeing this, Mr. Hui made his own assumptions and said: "Rest easy. While I am here, Rat will not lay a finger on you."

Appearing a bit more emboldened, Mo Hua muttered: "He... he wanted something from me."

"Wanted something?" Mr. Hui was momentarily stunned. "What kind of thing?"

Mo Hua peered toward the distance to ensure Rat was out of earshot before whispering:

"The artifact..."

Mr. Hui’s brow furrowed, and he fell silent.

Mo Hua’s eyes shifted; judging by Mr. Hui’s reaction, he could tell that the man knew Mr. Pi possessed such an object.

However, he likely didn't understand the artifact's true nature, or his reaction would have been far more intense.

Even a master of composure would show some ripple in their Divine Soul.

To Mo Hua’s perception, the typical fluctuations of a cultivator’s Divine Soul were impossible to hide.

After a moment of reflection, Mr. Hui looked at Mo Hua and asked: "Is this artifact currently with you?"

Mo Hua shook his head.

"Be truthful. I won't hold it against you," Mr. Hui urged.

Mo Hua continued to shake his head, "I truly know nothing about any artifact."

Mr. Hui frowned deeper. "If you don't have it, why would Rat be pursuing you so relentlessly?"

Mo Hua put on a look of total confusion. "I don't know... I don't even know what this artifact is supposed to look like..."

"Mr. Hui," Mo Hua asked with a touch of curiosity, lowering his voice, "do you know what it looks like?"

Following a brief silence, Mr. Hui nodded. "The artifact is crafted from the talon of an Exotic Beast. Its tip is as clear as jade, decorated with gold and silver, and it possesses an ancient aura..."

Before Mr. Hui could finish the description, Mo Hua’s face went pale, looking completely shocked. He quickly tried to regain his composure, though his eyes remained darting and uneasy.

Such a reaction could not escape Mr. Hui’s sharp eyes.

Mr. Hui pressed, "What is it?"

"It’s nothing," Mo Hua said, shaking his head.

"Speak." Mr. Hui’s voice was soft, yet it carried a heavy weight of authority.

"I..." Mo Hua wavered for a long time before whispering, "That artifact... I believe I’ve seen it."

Mr. Hui’s expression shifted slightly. "You’ve actually seen it?"

"Yes," Mo Hua nodded.

"Where?"

"Right...," Mo Hua dropped his voice to a bare whisper, "right on his person..."

"On him?" Mr. Hui’s brow creased. "On Rat?"

"Yes," Mo Hua said, his voice trembling with feigned disbelief.

"That day, when he snatched Mr. Pi’s storage pouch away from me, I caught a glimpse of him secretly palming a tooth-like object."

"I didn't know what it was at the time, and I was too scared to speak up."

"Afterwards, he kept accusing me of stealing an 'artifact'..."

"But..."

Mo Hua’s frown deepened as he looked utterly perplexed. "If the 'artifact' was clearly in his hands, why would he insist that I was the one who took it?"

Mr. Hui’s face turned increasingly grim.

Having spent years in this dark trade, the truth was obvious to him.

Rat was playing the role of a thief shouting 'thief.' He was framing Mo Hua to deflect suspicion so he could hoard the treasure for himself.

He likely intended to murder Mo Hua to ensure his silence.

That way, the secret of the artifact would die with the boy.

Earlier, in the branching paths, Rat had tried to finish Mo Hua off while the group was separated, but Mr. Hui’s presence had forced him to retreat and resort to threats instead.

Combining Mo Hua’s testimony with his own vast experience in the Cultivation World, Mr. Hui quickly reconstructed the betrayal in his mind.

The artifact...

"Is it truly that valuable? Valuable enough for Rat to go to these lengths, deceiving me just to keep it?"

Mr. Hui’s eyes turned cold and sharp.

Mo Hua said softly: "Mr. Hui..."

Snapping out of his thoughts, Mr. Hui looked at Mo Hua and gave a gentle reassurance: "Don't worry. As long as I am here, he won't dare harm you."

Mo Hua exhaled a long breath of relief, saying gratefully: "Thank you, Mr. Hui."

Mr. Hui offered a kind smile before turning to walk away.

However, after only a few paces, the kindness vanished from his face. His expression became dark, and his eyes slowly burned with an intense greed.