Chapter 284: The Alchemy Chamber
Chapter 284: The Alchemy Chamber
Feed the pigs?
Mo Hua was taken aback, his eyebrows knitting together in confusion. He had wandered around Hei Mountain for quite some time, but he didn't recall seeing any pigs...
And what were these heretical cultivators doing, raising pigs? Surely they weren't keeping them for meat...
Just what kind of pig was this?
Was it a demonic beast?
For some reason, Mo Hua suddenly became very curious.
The phrase "feeding the pigs" struck him as particularly odd within the context of Hei Mountain.
"Should we take a look?"
Mo Hua glanced up at the sky; night had just fallen, casting everything in a shadowy hue.
It was still early; he could take a quick peek and then use the cover of darkness to sneak back later.
He had decided—he couldn't stay any longer in Hei Mountain.
As Mo Hua made up his mind, he concealed himself once more, quietly following the scar-faced man.
The man with the scar carried Kong Cheng's body in a sack, his blood dripping along the way, all the way to the back gate of the mountain stronghold.
The scar-faced man pushed open the door and entered.
Mo Hua's eyes narrowed, his brows furrowing.
So it was in the back area, no wonder he hadn't seen it before.
"Are you going in?"
The Third and Fourth Elders of the heretical sect, both Foundation Establishment cultivators, resided in the back area. While Mo Hua's concealment technique could temporarily hide him from their spiritual sense, he knew that he had to be extra cautious to avoid exposing himself.
Just then, he heard the scar-faced man speaking with another elderly heretical cultivator:
"Is the Third Elder in? I've brought something."
Kong Cheng's corpse was referred to as merely "something," not even considered a person.
Or perhaps, in the eyes of these heretical cultivators, all cultivators who died in Hei Mountain were reduced to mere objects, not worthy of being called humans.
The elderly heretical cultivator croaked, "The Third Elder just left, and the Fourth Elder is also absent, but I have the key, so I can open the door for you."
Mo Hua was taken aback by this revelation, his eyes glinting with newfound interest.
With both Elders away, he would be able to enter the back area without issue.
He had always been curious about what was hidden in the back area of Hei Mountain, and now was his chance to find out.
The elderly heretical cultivator led the scar-faced man deeper into the compound, eventually stopping in front of a large bronze door adorned with beast faces and sharp fangs, exuding an air of sinister heaviness.
The old man took out a white skull from his bosom and inserted it into the mouth of the beast on the bronze door.
Above the door, bloody array patterns lit up one by one, and the crimson light flowed inward, converging and concentrating at the mouth of the beast.
It was as if fresh blood was flowing into the mouth of a demonic beast.
As the beast drank its fill of blood, it opened its mouth wide, and the massive door swung open with a boom.
Mo Hua's eyelids twitched involuntarily.
This array...
It was definitely not a normal five-element array or any other orthodox cultivation array.
It was a true heretical array! Those red lights were not demon blood, but human blood; that skull was not a demon skull, but a human skull.
Studying heretical arrays and cultivating heretical arts were both strictly forbidden by the Dao Court, and anyone found practicing them would be put to death without exception.
What secrets lay beyond the door guarded by this heretical array?
Could it be that Hei Mountain's true secrets were hidden here?
Mo Hua's curiosity had been piqued long ago, and he had often wondered if these heretical cultivators had gathered here merely to find a place to hide. What was the true purpose of the First Elder in establishing Hei Mountain and gathering so many heretical cultivators?
Was that purpose hidden behind this door?
Mo Hua felt a surge of nervous excitement.
The elderly heretical cultivator pushed open the door and said to the scar-faced man, "Go on in."
The scar-faced man seemed to be a frequent visitor, as he nodded and entered the bronze door while carrying the sack.
However, the elderly cultivator did not follow him inside but stood guard outside.
With only a Cultivation at the ninth layer of Qi Refining, he couldn't detect Mo Hua's concealment technique.
As long as the Foundation Establishment cultivators were absent, these Qi Refining stage heretical cultivators were effectively blind to Mo Hua's presence.
Mo Hua cautiously extended his spiritual sense, probing beyond the door.
He detected only the scar-faced man's presence and no other traps or arrays.
Relieved, Mo Hua relaxed slightly. Then, taking advantage of the elderly cultivator's inattention, he stealthily stepped inside, moving as quietly as possible to avoid making any noise.
As soon as he entered, he was assaulted by a pungent, bloody smell.
A faint blood mist hung in the air, emitting a dull, putrid stench that turned his stomach.
Mo Hua wasn't surprised by the smell; he had encountered it throughout Hei Mountain, only more intensely here.
What surprised him, however, was the layout and furnishings of the place.
In front of the hall stood a massive alchemy furnace.
The furnace was white, appearing to be made of bones.
Beneath it burned a sinister green ghostfire, flickering eerily as the flames licked the cauldron, emitting a sizzling sound from whatever was being refined within.
The entire room resembled an alchemy chamber.
An alchemy chamber filled with a sinister and uncanny aura, refining something unknown.
Mo Hua felt uncomfortable just looking at it.
"What kind of pill are these heretical cultivators refining?"
Mo Hua frowned, deep in thought.
Suddenly, he heard the voice of Scarface, "This pig sure has a disgusting appetite!"
Intrigued, Mo Hua followed the voice and indeed found Scarface on the other side of the cauldron, along with a gigantic demon pig before him.
This pig stood at a height of four men, its eyes bloodshot red, drooling like blood, and its body covered in mottled bloodstains.
It looked both ferocious and deformed, an oddity to behold.
Scarface was feeding it Kong Cheng's corpse.
The pig seemed mindless, only knowing how to eat.
Mo Hua was perplexed.
Alchemy aside, why was there a pig in the alchemy chamber?
What was the purpose of this pig?
Before he could ponder further, Mo Hua's heart skipped a beat.
He sensed someone approaching with a concealed and profound aura—it was the Third Elder!
Mo Hua immediately used the Flowing Water Steps, climbing onto the wide beam with quick steps, and lay down flat, holding his breath and remaining absolutely still.
After a short while, the Third Elder entered the room.
Upon seeing the Third Elder, Scarface's expression turned respectful, and he bowed, "Third Elder."
The Third Elder nodded, noticing him feeding the pig, "You may leave."
"Yes." Scarface respectfully acknowledged and left after a bow.
Only the Third Elder and the secretly hidden Mo Hua remained in the alchemy chamber.
Mo Hua lay on the beam, not daring to move a muscle. Thoughts raced through his mind:
"Didn't the Third Elder go out? Why is he back?"
Could it be that he had some business to attend to temporarily, and now he's back after finishing it?
If this Third Elder stays here, will I be trapped here?
Mo Hua's heart sank at the thought.
After a moment, the room fell silent, and Mo Hua cautiously poked his head out, glancing downward.
His gaze swept past the cauldron, the demon pig, and landed on the Third Elder.
Startled, he quickly retracted his gaze, burying his head and remaining still.
A while passed, and the Third Elder showed no reaction.
"Did he not sense my gaze?" Mo Hua wondered.
He poked his head out again, stealing a quick glance at the Third Elder before swiftly retracting it.
Still, the Third Elder remained oblivious.
Mo Hua thought for a moment and understood.
Among the two elders of Black Mountain, the Fourth Elder had keen senses, and he would instinctively sense any gaze upon him.
The Third Elder, on the other hand, had strong divine sense but lacked the sharp senses akin to a magical beast.
Thus, Mo Hua's stealthy glances, devoid of malicious or killing intent, went unnoticed by the Third Elder.
Mo Hua quietly exhaled in relief.
It was better that he remained undetected; otherwise, his situation would become even more dangerous.
Then, curiosity got the better of him, and he wondered what the Third Elder was doing alone in the alchemy chamber at such a late hour.
Mo Hua peeked out again, quietly observing the Third Elder.
The Third Elder sat on a meditation mat, calming his mind and entering a meditative state.
This was something he often did.
The Third Elder appeared calm and composed.
However, he was unaware that within the seemingly impregnable Black Mountain stronghold, in this mysterious blood-colored alchemy chamber, a little cultivator had sneaked in and was now curiously peering at him.
At that moment, the little cultivator was poking his head out, inquisitively spying on the Third Elder.
After meditating for a while, the Third Elder felt his mind tranquil and his divine sense clear. He then took out a scroll painting from his storage bag and spread it out before him.
The Third Elder performed hand seals and sat cross-legged, his eyes fixed on the painting as he entered a state of contemplation.
Mo Hua, hidden by the beam, could only see the Third Elder's actions and not the contents of the painting.
Despite this, Mo Hua was still astonished.
Did the Third Elder truly possess a contemplation scroll?
Was he, at this very moment, comprehending the scroll?!
(End of Chapter)
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