https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-703-Divine-Comedy-and-Divine-Authority/12543234/
Chapter 704: "Placing an Order"
Chapter 704: "Placing an Order"
Yu'er was situated on a node of the World Tree, symbolizing the authority of the Dark God of Dahuang.
This indicated that Yu'er held a significant position in the pantheon of the Dark God, perhaps even playing a crucial role in one of its grand schemes.
However, Mo Hua didn't quite understand.
"What is so special about Yu'er, who is just a child, that the Dark God of Dahuang desires?"
Could it be his spiritual root?
Indeed, Yu'er possessed an excellent spiritual root, but within the Qian Xuezhou realm, geniuses abounded, and there were other cultivators with spiritual roots comparable to Yu'er's.
Why was the Dark God specifically targeting Yu'er and placing him on the node of its World Tree? Could it be because of the divine fetus? Does Yu'er possess a unique talent in divine consciousness that qualifies him as a divine fetus? But what exactly is a divine fetus? And why must it be Yu'er?
Mo Hua furrowed his brows slightly.
Regardless of the reason, he couldn't allow anything unfortunate to happen to Yu'er.
Aunt Wan had been so kind to him, and Yu'er treated him like an older brother, sharing all his good fortunes. Such a kind-hearted child must be protected from any harm.
And as for the Dark God of Dahuang...
Mo Hua had quietly devoured a significant portion of its resources.
He had consumed both its demonic creatures and its original source.
He had repeatedly foiled its plans, destroyed its temples, dismantled its altars, devoured its divine remains, and absorbed its divine marrow.
Now, he was even sitting on its altar, usurping its authority...
Mo Hua himself felt that he had gone too far.
By this point, he had indeed committed numerous "atrocities" against the Dark God.
Even if the Dark God were a benevolent deity who had cultivated for a hundred lifetimes, it might not spare him, let alone a bloodthirsty and vengeful deity like the Dark God of Dahuang.
However, the Dark God, with its acts of slaughtering cultivators, breeding demonic creatures, driving away evil spirits, and defiling divine beings, was not a benevolent force to begin with.
Mo Hua didn't feel any psychological burden for his actions.
After all, such was the way of divine consciousness.
Whether he devoured the Dark God or it devoured him was merely a matter of time.
To yield now would be to seal his uncertain fate.
To retreat would be to fall into an abyss of endless calamities.
Since he had already started, he had to persist to the end! Mo Hua secretly steeled his resolve.
Of course, there were times to be cautious and times to hide, preferably in the shadows, never revealing himself to the Lord of Dahuang.
After all, he was just a small cultivator at the foundation establishment stage and couldn't afford to provoke such a powerful dark god, at least not yet.
Mo Hua glanced at Yu'er's node again.
Although the node was bright, it seemed to be under some sort of blockade, appearing dim and exuding an ancient sword intent.
This sword intent was something Mo Hua might not have been able to sense before.
Now, having learned the introductory technique of transforming divine consciousness into a sword, he could perceive it clearly.
Mo Hua guessed that this was probably due to the influence of the Tai Xu Sect.
As a sect with a long heritage and profound foundations, there were undoubtedly ancient ancestors within the Tai Xu Sect who protected the mountain gate.
With Yu'er having joined the Tai Xu Sect, he was also under the protection of these ancient ancestors.
Of course, this was just Mo Hua's speculation.
He didn't know which ancient ancestors were in the sect, as they remained in secluded cultivation and were unfathomable.
Even as a disciple of the Tai Xu Sect, he might never have the chance to meet these ancient ancestors, from the time he entered the mountain gate until the day he graduated from the sect.
Apart from the sword intent, there was another subtle aura of protection surrounding Yu'er.
This aura was weak and obscure.
When Mo Hua sensed it, he found that it belonged to him, so he ignored it.
Afterward, Mo Hua studied the World Tree further.
Combining what he knew of Yu'er's experiences, he formed a general understanding of this symbolic tree of divine authority.
The authority of the Dark God of Dahuang was likely related to "dreams."
Weaving nightmares and infiltrating dream realms.
Dreams served as a bridge for divine consciousness.
However, it was unclear if this was a unique ability of the Lord of Dahuang or if all dark gods used "dreams" as a medium for their divine power.
The nodes on the World Tree represented individual "dream realms."
But dreams were an extension of divine consciousness, and divine consciousness created reality.
Thus, each node, corresponding to a dream realm, also corresponded to a specific, tangible altar, along with the temple or dojo that venerated it.
In simpler terms, they were similar to the dark god's strongholds, like the fishing village.
However, among all the nodes, Yu'er was a unique case.
He was not a dark god's stronghold but merely an innocent child.
"Is there a way to save Yu'er once and for all?" Mo Hua thought to himself.
"By destroying the node, severing the authority of the World Tree, and eliminating the 'path,' the demonic creatures would have no way to find him. They would never be able to invade Yu'er's nightmares again, and he would be able to sleep peacefully from then on..."
"But... how can I destroy it?"
Mo Hua attempted to communicate with the World Tree and exercise divine authority, but to no avail.
His authority wasn't sufficient, and he lacked the permission to modify the World Tree, change the nodes of divine authority, or alter the endpoints of that authority.
Forget about destroying the nodes through the use of authority.
It was a bit of a dilemma...
Mo Hua frowned in thought, and suddenly, an idea flashed through his mind.
If he couldn't alter or destroy the node to directly save Yu'er...
Why not turn it around?
He could directly exercise his authority and command the demonic creatures to invade Yu'er's dream realm, and then he could wait by Yu'er's side for those creatures to arrive? Mo Hua's beautiful eyes sparkled with excitement.
This way, he could not only weaken the dark god's influence and relieve Yu'er of the pressure from his nightmares but also feast on the creatures to make up for the gap in his divine consciousness, which had only reached seventeen strands.
There was even a possibility... that he might surpass seventeen strands? Mo Hua's little heart couldn't help but pound with excitement.
By usurping the dark god's authority, assuming the role of a "little dark god," issuing orders, and commanding the evil spirits and demonic creatures to invade Yu'er's nightmares, he would be...
Ordering himself a "delivery"!
This had once been Mo Hua's wild fantasy, and now it seemed to be the best option.
Without further delay, Mo Hua began his attempt.
In just a moment, his divine consciousness communicated with the World Tree.
In that instant, he gained control over the countless demonic creatures nurtured within the dream realms of the various nodes.
Mo Hua first set a "path."
The endpoint of this path was Yu'er's dream realm.
Then, Mo Hua began to exercise divine authority through the World Tree, manipulating the demonic creatures and setting a specific time for them to start invading the dream realm.
Considering the timing, Mo Hua decided on seven days later.
It was definitely too late to do it now, as he wasn't by Yu'er's side.
He might not have free time in the next few days either, as there were still some matters that needed to be wrapped up.
Moreover, invading Yu'er's dream realm with the demonic creatures carried a certain level of risk, and he needed some time to prepare.
"A fish demon? Could the Lord of Dahuang have also polluted other river gods or built more river god altars?"
Mo Hua frowned. "Never mind, I'll take 50 of them for now..."
"A sheep-headed enforcer? I'll take two of those!"
"A pig-headed demon...too greasy, one will do."
"A fox demon? What kind of demon is this, pink? Strange...let's try 100 of them."
"Sheep-horned warrior! Anything with horns must be good, bring three...only one in stock? Alright, I'll take the one, I might not be able to handle more anyway."
"This demon is a black mass of water, can't tell what it is, hope it doesn't upset my stomach..."
"But it's rare, so I should probably order it. It's free anyway, no harm in trying."
"This demon looks sturdy and strong, I'll take one of these too."
...
And so, Mo Hua scrutinized and selected, scrolling through the endless list of bizarre demons.
"That's about it..."
After an unknown amount of time, Mo Hua finally finished placing his order.
The countless demons formed a stream of sinister karmic lines, converging into a river of blood that flowed towards Yu'er.
Suddenly, Mo Hua felt a twinge of worry. "I hope I can defeat them all..."
If he couldn't, he would only end up harming Yu'er. Mo Hua assessed his divine consciousness, the power of his divine consciousness array, and the might of his sword transformed from divine consciousness, and felt slightly more at ease.
He had already slain the incarnations of the evil god.
The rest should not pose a problem.
However, the sheer number of demons was indeed overwhelming...
After some thought, Mo Hua adjusted his order, staggering the arrival times of the demons to allow for rest and recovery between waves.
He would feast and fight, using each battle to strengthen himself for the next, and thus, he would fear no enemy.
Mo Hua nodded in satisfaction.
He felt he had ordered enough, but a greedy urge still tugged at him.
Usually, when enjoying a grand feast, one would save the hardest, most challenging dish for the grand finale.
Mo Hua's gaze swept across the countless nodes of the World Tree, and his heart skipped a beat as he spotted a colossal being.
It was a pitch-black, blood-tainted, semi-divine creature, exuding an intense aura of evil. It was part-demon, part-monster, and almost part-god.
Mo Hua had no idea what it was, but he could sense its immense power.
It resembled an incarnation of the evil god yet was somehow different.
Mo Hua hesitated, a surge of impulsiveness urging him to add it to his order, but after much deliberation, he decided against it.
This was his first time "ordering," and it was best to play it safe.
Once he became more experienced and confident, he could then attempt more challenging dishes.
Reluctantly, Mo Hua tore his gaze away from the colossal being, mentally noting its node, and then exercised his authority, imprinting his order onto the World Tree with his will.
The World Tree shimmered with endless radiance, exuding the majesty of the divine.
The "little evil god" wielded his newfound power, issuing commands.
The horde of demons bowed their heads, obeying his orders.
Seven days hence, the demons would march, invading the divine fetus's dream realm.
This command was branded onto the World Tree by Mo Hua.
After successfully issuing his orders, Mo Hua's divine consciousness immediately withdrew from the World Tree.
The altar, the authority, and the demons all belonged to someone else.
He was merely borrowing them temporarily and had to be careful not to leave any traces that could be traced back to him by the Lord of Dahuang.
Although Mo Hua was unsure how the Lord of Dahuang could discover his involvement, he knew it was best to be cautious.
After all, one could never be too careful when dealing with an evil god.
Furthermore, since he was borrowing the evil god's authority, it was prudent to be discreet and swift, leaving no evidence behind.
And, of course, he had to "cover his tracks."
Mo Hua opened his eyes at the altar and, without hesitation, took out the spirit ink. He manipulated it with his divine consciousness, setting up several second-rate, sixteen-pattern earth-killing arrays on the altar.
This altar could only be used once.
After that, it had to be destroyed to prevent the evil god from tracing the location and exposing Mo Hua's identity.
Mo Hua scanned the surroundings once more, ensuring he hadn't missed anything valuable or left any traces of his presence, before retracing his steps.
Gu Quan and the others were still waiting at the cave entrance.
Seeing Mo Hua emerge, Gu Quan breathed a sigh of relief and asked, "Young Master, what's the situation inside?"
Mo Hua's expression turned solemn. "It's too dangerous inside. I didn't dare to go too deep and didn't find anything significant, so I decided to blow it up."
The group: "..."
Gu An spoke in a low voice, "Is that...really necessary?"
Mo Hua nodded. "If you know there's a tiger in the mountains, there's no need to go provoking it. Blowing up the mountain achieves the same result."
The group pondered his words and slowly nodded in agreement.
Since there were arrays inside, it was only natural for Young Master Mo to make the call.
After all, none of them could claim to be more knowledgeable about arrays than him.
"Everyone, step back," Mo Hua instructed.
The group moved away from the cave entrance, and Mo Hua, from a distance, manipulated the arrays with his divine consciousness.
Several earth-killing arrays detonated, the explosive rumbling echoing through the area as powerful spiritual energy fluctuations ravaged the altar, reducing it to rubble.
After about a dozen breaths, the explosions subsided.
The cave entrance collapsed, burying the altar beneath the falling rocks and debris.
Mo Hua was finally relieved.
With his mission accomplished, he could now return.
He wanted to get back to the sect early to await the arrival of his "delivery" in seven days.
Mo Hua felt lighthearted and cheerful.
"We can leave now."
"Yes."
Gu An and the others nodded, their faces reflecting a mix of relief and uncertainty.
Their journey had been filled with twists and turns, and while they couldn't quite understand some of the eerie occurrences, they were grateful that it had ended without any major incidents.
They had rescued the person they needed to and captured the one they sought. The mission was a success.
The weight on the hearts of the Gu family cultivators had finally lifted.
The river god temple still exuded an air of creepiness.
Unwilling to linger, the group began their return journey, but just as they were about to leave, they spotted someone lying on the ground—it was She Da Shi, their guide.
His face was ashen, and he lay motionless, having already breathed his last.
She Da Shi's eyes snapped open, and he jumped to his feet, startled.
"Don't kill me!" he pleaded.
Annoyed, Gu Quan kicked She Da Shi in the leg, forcing him to kneel.
Gu Quan then twisted She Da Shi's shoulder with one hand while holding a knife to his neck with the other.
She Da Shi's face turned angry, but with the knife at his throat, he couldn't muster any defiance. "Spare my life! Spare me!" he begged.
Gu Quan looked to Mo Hua for guidance.
Mo Hua sighed and shook his head in disappointment. "Kill him."
This old man knew too much, and keeping him alive would be a constant threat. Besides, as an evil pill master and an evil formation master, he must have had blood on his hands from refining evil pills and creating evil formations. His death would not be a loss.
Gu Quan was about to slash She Da Shi's neck.
But She Da Shi's voice changed as he exclaimed, "You can't kill me!"
"Why not?" Mo Hua asked, curious.
She Da Shi's expression became conflicted.
Gu Quan dragged the knife across She Da Shi's neck, cutting the skin and drawing blood.
Startled, She Da Shi quickly added, "I have secrets!"
Mo Hua silently observed him.
She Da Shi's heart raced as Mo Hua's gaze bore into him. Knowing that this little Yama had a innocent face but a cruel heart, he dared not play coy any longer. With a bite of his teeth, he whispered, "I am... a descendant of the Great Wilderness Emperor..."
Gu Quan and Gu An's expressions changed at the mention of the Great Wilderness Emperor.
"A descendant?" Mo Hua furrowed his brows.
She Da Shi continued, "South of Li Zhou, in the endless Great Mountains, the Shen Tu family once unified the Great Wilderness and established a kingdom... I am a descendant of the Shen Tu clan, with the blood of the Great Wilderness royalty flowing in my veins!"
Mo Hua's heart stirred at this revelation, and he gave She Da Shi a meaningful look. "You?"
He didn't look convinced.
She Da Shi's anger rose, but he dared not direct it at Mo Hua. Instead, he said with deep regret, "I'm not lying to you..."
"The Great Wilderness royalty... they are no more. Only a handful of descendants remain, scattered across the Nine Continents, barely surviving. They are but a shadow of the once-powerful Great Wilderness Court..."
"I even dared not use my original surname, choosing instead a similar-sounding character. That's how I came to be named 'She'..."
Mo Hua's eyes twitched at the mention of 'She'.
Shen Tu... She... Tu.
Mr. Tu? Could that Mr. Tu also be a descendant of the Great Wilderness royalty? Mo Hua glanced at She Da Shi, but ultimately decided against asking about "Mr. Tu."
Gu An frowned and whispered, "Little Mo, if this man is truly a descendant of the Great Wilderness royalty, we should be careful..."
Mo Hua looked puzzled.
Gu An explained, "Over a thousand years ago, the Shen Tu clan of the Great Wilderness rebelled, usurping the power of the Dao Court and proclaiming themselves emperors. The Dao Court sent the Azure Dragon Dao Soldiers to suppress and exterminate them."
"The battle was fierce and lasted for decades. Eventually, the Great Wilderness Emperor was beheaded, and the rest of the royalty was also put to death. Only a handful survived..."
"If this man truly carries the blood of the Great Wilderness royalty, we must be cautious. We cannot kill him lightly..."
Mo Hua remained noncommittal, but his eyes narrowed as he considered She Da Shi, his murderous intent fluctuating.
She Da Shi's scalp tingled with fear.
He was well aware of the events in the River God's Nightmare. This little Yama, who answered to no god, certainly had no rule against killing royalty.
If Mo Hua truly wanted him dead, not even the gods could save him.
"Don't kill me, I'll agree to anything!" She Da Shi pleaded, his face full of panic.
Mo Hua's interest was piqued by She Da Shi's reaction.
Perhaps this She Da Shi could be of use in the future.
Keeping him alive was an option, but he needed to be threatened to ensure his silence, especially regarding Mo Hua and his "god."
Mo Hua nodded slightly, deep in thought, and then leaned closer to She Da Shi, whispering, "I can spare your life, but you must keep your mouth shut. Pretend you never saw me, and don't speak a word about me to anyone, especially your 'god'..."
She Da Shi's expression shifted uncertainly.
"Don't forget..." Mo Hua smiled faintly, his smile carrying a hint of wickedness.
"...who opened the altar in front of the River God Temple, leading me into the Nightmare... Who opened the door for me in my dream, who showed me the way, who leaked secrets to me, and who colluded with me..."
Mo Hua gently patted She Da Shi's shoulder. "It was you."
She Da Shi shuddered, quickly denying, "I didn't! I didn't collude with you!"
Mo Hua sighed. "Do you think anyone will believe you? Do you even believe yourself?"
She Da Shi was at a loss for words, his expression tortured.
He had realized a terrifying fact—unknowingly, he had become a "traitor" to his god.
The kind of traitor that even jumping into the Yin-Water River couldn't wash away his sins...
"But the River God knows..." She Da Shi said, his voice filled with fear.
"No," Mo Hua shook his head. "It knows nothing."
She Da Shi was taken aback, confused for a moment, before suddenly understanding. His face paled, and he couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"You... you..."
In the Nightmare, when the River God had unleashed its Blood River Divine Ability, he had fainted. When he woke up, he had been pretending to be dead, unaware of what had transpired. Now he realized...
Why the Nightmare had collapsed, why everyone had woken up unharmed, why the River God had not only spared them but also released the two children's souls that were to be sacrificed...
Because the River God had...
A chill ran down She Da Shi's spine, and he shivered, unable to meet Mo Hua's gaze.
Mo Hua seemed like a terrifying evil god.
Mortals could not look directly at a god.
Mo Hua's voice turned gentle again as he said, "The Nightmare is gone, and so is the River God... So, as long as you keep quiet, no one will know what happened in the Nightmare, and no one will know that you were the traitor who led the way..."
She Da Shi's voice trembled as he tried to defend himself, "I... I'm not a traitor."
"Does it matter?" Mo Hua sighed. "Who would care anyway?"
"Whether you are or not, you are now..." There was a hint of enticement in Mo Hua's voice.
She Da Shi slumped to the ground, his face ashen.
A thought took root in his mind: "I am a traitor..."
(End of Chapter)
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