Chapter 517: Go and Die
Chapter 517: Go and Die
On the hill of graves, the Funeral Pyre Array burned brightly, its flames consuming the corpses.
With the exception of the little zombie, all the walking corpses and iron corpses, including the Corpse King, had to be completely refined and their evil karma resolved within the array.
There were too many walking corpses, so most of their ashes would be buried together after the cremation.
The Lu family's house was ransacked and collapsed.
Among the iron corpses, no one bothered to inquire about the elders of the Lu family. After they were burned, they were buried hastily with a simple grave marker. Not only was there no one to pay respects, but they were also despised and spat upon by passing cultivators from South Mountain City.
Some other families or sect's Foundation Establishment cultivators would be claimed after cremation and buried in their family's ancestral tombs.
Mo Hua solemnly collected the ashes of the previous generations of elders from the Little Spirit Seclusion Sect. Later, they would be handed over to Yan Jiaoxi to be properly buried.
Having learned the Spirit Pivot Array, he considered himself to have received the Little Spirit Seclusion Sect's grace.
Thus, he wanted to express his gratitude in some way.
The Funeral Pyre Array continued for over a dozen days, cremating all the walking corpses and iron corpses. Finally, only the Corpse King remained.
However, the Corpse King could not be incinerated.
Even though the array used to refine the Corpse King within the Funeral Pyre Array was a second-grade array, and the flames were as hot as molten iron, it was still unable to do anything to the Corpse King.
The Corpse King kept its eyes closed, its hands folded in front of its chest, its body immersed in the raging flames. The bronze-colored deep red of its body showed no signs of burning.
After several days, the Corpse King's body remained unchanged, untouched by the fierce fire.
Yang Jishan frowned.
Everyone else wore solemn expressions.
Those cultivators who understood the situation were even more astonished.
The Corpse King was a calamitous fetus of Dao evil, and it had the potential to transform into Dao evil, making it extremely tricky to deal with.
Now that it had submitted to Mo Hua and lost its qualification to advance into Dao evil, it was temporarily dormant. However, no one could say for sure if it would undergo a transformation in the future if it wasn't killed.
Yang Jishan and the others tried various methods—spiritual tools, spells, talismans, and other more powerful second-grade arrays—but they could only injure the Corpse King's flesh, and they were ultimately unable to completely incinerate it.
Left with no choice, Yang Jishan could only go and find Mo Hua to see if he had any ideas.
The Funeral Pyre Array was under the jurisdiction of the Dao Court, and Mo Hua hadn't paid much attention to it.
He had merely controlled the Corpse King as it walked into the array and left it at that.
When Yang Jishan asked him about it, Mo Hua specifically went to take a look.
On the hill of graves, the flames raged like a sea of fire.
The Corpse King was immersed in this sea, its body enduring the scorching blaze.
Mo Hua also furrowed his brows, puzzled by this development.
According to reason, with the power of a second-grade array, after refining for so long, even if the Corpse King was a copper corpse, it should have been melted into a pool of "copper water."
Mo Hua released his spiritual sense to perceive it, and after a moment, he realized that there seemed to be a faint trace of Dao essence entwined around the Corpse King.
The copper corpse could not withstand the cremation of the Funeral Pyre Array.
But this Corpse King was not just a copper corpse; it was also the king of corpses.
This strand of Dao essence was similar to the Dao essence of the earth that Mo Hua had sensed before.
However, it was warped, mutated, vicious, and perverted into something sinister.
This was the twisted "Dao essence" of Dao evil.
It was also the root of Dao evil.
This twisted strand of Dao essence prevented the Corpse King's body from being refined, while also fostering the growth of the Corpse King's independent consciousness.
Just as Mo Hua clearly sensed this strand of Dao essence, the Corpse King suddenly opened its eyes.
Its eyes became pitch-black and hollow, coldly staring at Mo Hua.
At the same time, in Mo Hua's sea of consciousness, a fierce phantom appeared.
This phantom was both the Corpse King and not the Corpse King.
Its body was wrapped in a faint, profound, and terrifying aura, filled with deep hatred as it glared at Mo Hua.
This was the aura of Dao evil.
It seemed to harbor intense resentment towards Mo Hua for causing its demise.
Mo Hua remained unafraid and calmly stared back.
The "Corpse King" met Mo Hua's gaze, and a hint of fear flashed beneath its fierce exterior. Its hateful expression concealed a deep fear.
It was like a vicious servant wanting to devour its master, but its treacherous heart had been discovered.
Thus, beneath its ferocity lay a hidden cowardice.
Mo Hua understood.
The Corpse King had submitted to him, so naturally, the strand of Dao essence on the Corpse King's body also feared him.
It wanted to devour its master.
Only by devouring its master could the Dao essence grow, and only then could the Corpse King become Dao evil.
But as long as it couldn't devour its master, it had no choice but to obey his every command!
Since it would listen to him, then things would be easy.
Mo Hua's eyes turned cold, his voice indifferent and brooking no refusal as he ordered, "Vile beast, go and die."
Upon hearing this, Yang Jishan and the others trembled.
The Corpse King's eyes widened further, revealing extreme terror.
When the lord commands his vassal to die, the vassal has no choice but to die!
As Mo Hua gave the order, the strand of Dao essence on the Corpse King's body transformed into a fierce corpse shadow. With red eyes and a twisted, ferocious face, it roared and howled in protest.
But no matter how unwilling or how it struggled, under the rules of the Grand Dao, it had to obey Mo Hua's command to die.
Its figure gradually faded, and the aura of Dao evil slowly dissipated.
At the same time, the Corpse King let out a shrill cry, causing the Funeral Pyre Array to blaze even more intensely. Then, amidst everyone's shocked gazes, its flesh withered, its face collapsed, and it was slowly reduced to ashes by the fierce flames...
The Corpse King was truly dead...
The cultivators looked at Mo Hua with a hint of fear in their eyes.
The king of countless corpses, the embodiment of Dao evil—the Corpse King—had actually died just because Mo Hua told it to...
However, they were all clueless as to what had truly transpired.
Nonetheless, with the death of the Corpse King, the crisis was truly averted.
The matter was finally coming to a close, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
After enduring numerous trials, fierce battles, and unexpected twists, hovering on the brink of life and death, and witnessing chilling and incomprehensible scenes, they could now finally relax and ease their worried minds.
Mo Hua, too, felt relieved.
He turned to leave with light, quick steps.
However, as soon as he turned, his heart skipped a beat.
An ominous premonition crept into his mind.
It felt as if something vicious had taken residence within him.
This entity was malformed and violent, resembling a strand of Dao essence, yet extremely twisted, akin to the malevolent thoughts of the Corpse King, filled with hatred and glaring at him with malicious intent.
But whenever he tried to perceive it, it would vanish without a trace, as if startled and hiding from him...
This sensation was identical to the warped Dao essence within the Corpse King.
"But didn't it already dissipate?"
Mo Hua was perplexed.
Since it concerned the Dao evil, Mo Hua knew he had to be cautious.
Upon returning, he sought out Master Zhuang and shared his concern.
"Master, it seems like the perished Dao evil has attached itself to me..."
Master Zhuang was somewhat surprised but not entirely caught off guard. Reclining in his bamboo chair, he replied calmly, "You ruined its opportunity to become a Dao evil, so naturally, it resents you. Thus, its Dao essence has merged with your karma."
"Merged with my karma?" Mo Hua asked, puzzled.
Master Zhuang explained, "Everything in this world operates within the scope of karma—from a blade of grass to a tree, from a sip of water to a bite of food, nothing escapes the law of karma."
Mo Hua felt that he understood what Master Zhuang was saying, but when he thought about it more carefully, he found it quite confusing.
Master Zhuang sighed. "Don't overcomplicate things. Karma is simply one aspect of the Grand Dao's laws. The workings of the universe follow their own set of rules, and that's what karma is."
"The same applies to people."
"A person's past, their actions, thoughts, and everything they've done are all part of the cycle of karma."
"And everything from a person's past forms the cause, while their future is shaped by the effects of that cause."
"Hence, karma also shapes one's destiny."
"Past destiny is fixed and unchangeable, but future destiny, based on one's past, can take on countless variations..."
Mo Hua nodded, feeling enlightened.
Master Zhuang looked at him, his eyes revealing a glimmer of hope. "It's good that you understand karma now. There's no benefit in dwelling on it too much..."
"In the future, when your spiritual sense becomes stronger, when you gain more experiences and broaden your horizons, when you comprehend the Grand Dao, arrays, and the nature of all things more profoundly, then you can delve deeper into this matter..."
Mo Hua couldn't help but ask, "Master, is this concept of karma truly useful?"
Master Zhuang replied, "It can be useless, but it can also be immensely useful, depending on the depth of your understanding."
Mo Hua's eyes lit up, and he asked,
"Master, then is it a good thing or a bad thing that the Dao evil has merged with my karma?"
"It's not a good thing," Master Zhuang stated.
Mo Hua's heart tightened at his words.
"But it's not necessarily a bad thing, either," Master Zhuang added.
Mo Hua opened his mouth to speak but couldn't help muttering,
"Master, what you said is like you didn't say anything at all..."
Master Zhuang gently tapped Mo Hua's head and chuckled, "In this world, everything has its pros and cons. Blessings and misfortunes are intertwined. There are no absolute good or bad things."
"So, what should I do?" Mo Hua asked.
Master Zhuang replied calmly, "Just maintain a calm mind. Keep your heart aligned with the Dao, and there's no need to worry or fear. Don't even think about it. When your spiritual sense becomes stronger, everything will fall into place..."
Mo Hua's eyes sparkled as he recalled Master Zhuang's previous words: "A pure heart aligned with the Dao and a powerful spiritual sense can ward off all evil..."
Master Zhuang nodded in satisfaction.
Mo Hua felt reassured.
However, he didn't notice the weight of Master Zhuang's gaze or the solemnity in his expression as he watched his disciple leave.
Just as Mo Hua was about to take his leave, Master Zhuang called out, "Mo Hua."
Mo Hua turned to look at his master, a hint of confusion in his eyes.
Master Zhuang paused for a moment before asking, "How did this strand of mutated Dao essence merge with your karma?"
Mo Hua thought for a moment and replied honestly, "It seems that... when I ordered it to die, it obeyed, but it didn't completely perish, and so it came to hate me..."
Master Zhuang's gaze flickered, and his fingers, hidden within his sleeves, trembled slightly as his heart skipped a beat.
"You ordered it... to die?"
"Yes." Mo Hua nodded, a hint of worry creeping into his voice. "Master, is there a problem?"
Master Zhuang's gaze softened, and he smiled gently. "It doesn't matter. Just remember what I told you earlier."
"Yes, Master!" Mo Hua replied eagerly.
If Master said there was no problem, then there probably wasn't.
Mo Hua's heart felt lighter, and he left happily.
After Mo Hua left, Master Zhuang heaved a deep sigh and furrowed his brows.
The figure of Kui Lao appeared, and he sighed softly,
"He's too bold..."
Uncharacteristically, Master Zhuang didn't argue but nodded in agreement. "Yes, he's too bold..."
To actually command the Dao evil to perish...
Ignorance is indeed bliss.
The critical point was that the Dao evil had listened and obeyed his command to die...
Master Zhuang shook his head helplessly. "The Corpse King wasn't even a true Dao evil. By making it kneel, he merely touched upon the grand karma. But now, by directly ordering the Dao evil to die, he has essentially swallowed this grand karma whole. He's truly fearless..."
Kui Lao glanced at Master Zhuang with disdain. "You seemed rather proud of him before.
Unexpectedly, a new complication had arisen.
In hindsight, he should have set aside his pride and refrained from acting so aloof, giving Mo Hua more detailed instructions to mind his own business.
The cremation of the Corpse King was someone else's headache, best left to the people of the Dao Court.
Kui Lao frowned, "However, even if the path of evil merges with cause and effect, it shouldn't matter. It's not a true path of evil, just a twisted strand of energy."
"The problem lies here..."
Master Zhuang sighed, "Mo Hua is walking the path of 'enlightenment through spiritual sense.' When his spiritual sense becomes strong enough and his understanding of the heavens and earth is profound, he will inevitably cultivate his own Dao essence."
"But with the presence of the path of evil's aura, entangled in his cause and effect..."
"...what he cultivates may not be Dao essence, but rather...using his flesh and blood to nurture his own 'path of evil'..."
Upon hearing this, Kui Lao's face turned pale.
To become one with the path of evil!
That would truly make Mo Hua a more terrifying demonic cultivator than the heretic cultivator.
Kui Lao frowned, "Mo Hua's heart is pure and clear. It shouldn't come to that, right?"
"It seems so for now..." Master Zhuang slowly reclined, his eyes shining with a mysterious light, "But who can predict the future?"
"Especially...he's still young and innocent."
"But as he grows older and experiences more, his thoughts will inevitably become complicated. If emotions cause a change in his heart and a single thought turns him into a demon, then..."
Master Zhuang's voice gradually became inaudible.
Kui Lao raised an eyebrow, "Are you talking about the Bai family?"
Master Zhuang raised his eyebrows but did not explicitly confirm.
However, both elders understood each other's thoughts.
The budding relationship between the two children, spending day and night together, might be oblivious to their own feelings, but the elders clearly saw the growing affection between them.
"The Bai family..."
Master Zhuang shook his head, a hint of disdain in his eyes, but also a deep wariness.
Kui Lao's expression turned as sharp as a knife.
The Bai family's depths were truly unfathomable...
Master Zhuang gazed into the distance and sighed, "Mo Hua is a passionate and sincere person. The more so, the more easily he will be hurt. Even without that little girl, his parents, and friends, if something unexpected happens, it will likely change his temperament..."
Kui Lao furrowed his brows and glanced at Master Zhuang, shaking his head, "I disagree. While his heart is pure, he's not the stubbornly honest type. He's clever, occasionally mischievous, thoughtful, and adaptable. He knows how to make compromises and shouldn't end up on that path."
"Let's hope so..." Master Zhuang sighed.
"Won't you explain this matter to him?" Kui Lao asked.
"It's useless to explain..." Master Zhuang shook his head.
"The path of evil and Dao essence are concepts that, if explained, will only make him overthink and disturb his mindset."
"It's better for him to believe that a pure heart aligned with the Dao can ward off all evil. With an unwavering focus, he can refine his spiritual sense, and there's a chance he will truly become impervious to evil..."
"After all, what he needs to do remains the same—to cultivate his spiritual sense to the extreme, without any distractions, and forge ahead."
Kui Lao nodded slightly.
Master Zhuang closed his eyes in thought. After a moment, he opened his eyes as if he had thought of something, and said:
"Moreover, this may not be a bad thing..."
Kui Lao was in sync with his thoughts and slowly said:
"Are you talking about the Heretic Cultivator?"
The Heretic Cultivator, a demonic cultivator who practiced a heretical path.
One must not think, speak, or even utter his name.
Yet, Kui Lao showed no hesitation as he directly addressed the cultivator by his title, and his body remained unaffected.
Master Zhuang nodded, his eyes deep and profound, "The path of evil has form and spirit."
"The Corpse King was an embryo of the path of evil. After its physical form was destroyed and its spirit perished, filled with resentment, the remaining strand of the path of evil's aura merged with cause and effect."
"The path of evil on the level of cause and effect is nearly indestructible and extremely difficult to deal with."
"Even for my senior brother, it is the same."
"But for Mo Hua, it's a little different."
"Although there are some coincidences, it is his own ability that made the path of evil submit and obey his order to perish."
"Mo Hua is the master of the path of evil."
"The path of evil hides in Mo Hua's cause and effect, and it must still harbor a desire to turn on its master. It will scheme endlessly to devour its master, but as long as it cannot, it must protect its master!"
"So, this is a double-edged sword."
"If the blade is turned inward, it may ruin Mo Hua's Dao essence, but if the blade is turned outward, it may truly make Mo Hua impervious to all evil within his cause and effect!"
"Because his destiny hides the most sinister and vicious path of evil!"
"The path of evil is extremely sinister and vicious, hence the immunity to all evil!"
Master Zhuang's eyes gleamed sharply.
Kui Lao's heart trembled with awe.
If this were true, then Mo Hua, this seemingly ordinary young cultivator, would be the true source of terror in the heavenly calculations.
His destiny, shrouded by the path of evil, would be an unfathomable abyss that defied scrutiny, calculation, and invasion!
(End of Chapter)
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