Chapter 740: Conspiracy
Chapter 740: Conspiracy
Of course, these were all just speculations for the time being.
Mo Huaxin understood that this was likely a "shortcut" or a "gimmick," a non-traditional method of sword control unique to him.
Learning it in practice would still require a lot of effort.
How should he forge the sword? Should he modify the existing spiritual sword design, and if so, how? What were the principles behind orthodox sword control, how did they differ from his own, and how did they compare in terms of power and advantages?
There was also the issue of sword formations.
Typically, the "sword formation" within spiritual swords was meant to "enhance" the spiritual power's shape transformation, sharpening it like a sword and thereby amplifying the power of the cultivator's sword qi.
If he were to use it, he would have to redesign the sword formation based on the principles of the Sword Dao.
Since he was not a sword cultivator, his sword qi was negligible, and amplifying it would be pointless.
Therefore, he had to abandon the amplifying sword formation and utilize spiritual power shape transformation to turn the sword formation into an "explosive" one.
The essence of the sword formation remained the same, but its purpose was different.
While traditional spiritual sword formations aimed to "convert and amplify sword qi," what he needed to do was to "convert and explode sword qi."
Just thinking about the challenges ahead made Mo Huaxin feel overwhelmed.
He could only take it one step at a time.
For now, he had to focus on resolving the issue with the Duan Jimen sect.
Having mastered the complete Duan Jin Sword Formation, Mo Huaxin began selecting the most suitable array patterns to counter it, constantly combining and testing them to further perfect the Duan Jin Armor.
He had already been working on this before.
During the arranged duel between Cheng Mo and Song Jian, he had also tested the functions of the "Duan Jin Armor" step by step.
Not long after, the true "Duan Jin Armor" was perfected by Mo Huaxin.
Gu Shi also began mass-producing the armor in earnest.
Mo Huaxin once again led his fellow disciples, clad in the "Duan Jin Armor," on a "map sweep" within the Refining Demon Mountain.
Even the core disciples of the Duan Jimen sect, those who had cultivated the orthodox Duan Jin Sword Control Technique, found their sword qi greatly diminished in the face of Mo Huaxin's specially customized Duan Jin Armor, which was designed based on the underlying principles of the sword formation.
When it came to actual combat, the disciples of the Duan Jimen sect were thoroughly defeated.
Some of their disciples refused to accept their loss and tried again and again, but with their sword qi countered, they were like toothless beasts, defeated time and time again.
The Duan Jimen sect realized that there was a problem with their armor.
They had been aware of this before, but due to their high regard for their own sword techniques, they had not paid much attention to these armors.
The belief within the Duan Jimen sect was that their sword techniques could cut gold and break jade, invincible and unstoppable. There was no armor that their swords couldn't pierce.
This was the common understanding among the sect's disciples.
However, after suffering several setbacks, they had to admit that their Duan Jin Sword Techniques were being severely countered by the armor of the Tai Xu Men sect.
In subsequent encounters, their goal was no longer to win but to strip the Tai Xu Men disciples of their armor.
Mo Huaxin also understood the intentions of the Duan Jimen sect.
Thinking about it, he instructed his fellow disciples at Refining Demon Mountain:
"It's fine to lose a fight, but we must not lose our armor. If they try to take it, destroy it rather than let it fall into their hands."
Additionally, as a precaution, Mo Huaxin asked Gu Shi to implement some restrictions on the sale of the Duan Jin Armor:
"Only disciples of the Tai Xu Men sect, carrying the Tai Xu Token and with my signature, are allowed to purchase the 'Duan Jin Armor'."
Mo Huaxin also tampered with the interior of the Duan Jin Armor.
He consulted with Gu Shi and referenced some methods used to maintain the secrecy of sword formations within spiritual swords. He added self-destruct array patterns to the armor's formation, causing it to self-destruct if forcibly dismantled.
This way, even if others discovered the intricacies within the armor, they wouldn't be able to see the array patterns and understand its true secrets.
Subsequently, the Duan Jimen sect launched several sneak attacks in their attempts to seize the armor.
However, they never managed to gain the upper hand in direct confrontations.
Yet, they persisted.
As the saying goes, there are a thousand days of being a thief, but no thousand days of guarding against one.
Through repeated battles and some despicable schemes, a few sets of armor eventually fell into the hands of the Duan Jimen sect.
...
Within the luxurious cave abode of the Duan Jimen sect.
Jin Yicai sat in the main seat, with a tall and rugged cultivator clad in the Duan Jin robe sitting beside him, exuding a subtle air of sinister hardness.
The two men were on equal footing.
Below them stood Jin Gui, his face respectful.
Jin Gui retrieved the armor from his storage bag and presented it to them, slightly bending his body.
"I asked several Core Formation cultivators from our sect to conceal their presence and mix with the crowd. After much effort, we finally managed to seize these three sets of armor..."
"The first set of armor was destroyed by the people from Tai Xu Men."
"When they realized the armor was about to be taken, they acted decisively, choosing to destroy it even at the cost of injuring themselves."
"This must have been instructed by someone in the shadows..."
"The second and third sets are mostly intact, with only minor damage. However..."
Jin Gui paused, "When I asked a few sect artisans to dismantle the armor and reconstruct the formation, one of the sets self-destructed, obliterating the internal structure and the sealed array patterns."
"This armor has self-destruct array patterns like spiritual swords, indicating that the cultivator who forged it had something to hide and didn't want us to uncover its secrets..."
"I made a quick decision and ordered them to stop, thus preserving the last set."
"I dared not tamper with this last set myself, so I sought help from an elder of the Jin family, a Feathered Spirit realm artificer, through your connections, Young Master."
"The elder was intrigued by the mention of self-destruct array patterns and made an exception to help."
"And indeed, with just a slight touch, the elder dismantled the armor..."
"But after doing so, the elder's expression turned solemn."
"He said that this armor was crafted by a 'master,' featuring a unique design and careful customization, especially the formation within, which was rather special..."
"This formation is a hybrid one, possessing the effects of countering metal, physical defense, and countering sword qi. It seems chaotic but is actually carefully designed, emphasizing practicality over structure. It carries a hint of the essence of 'victory through formlessness'."
"The strangest thing is that the formation within perfectly counters the 'shape transformation' of the sword qi from the Duan Jin Sword Control Technique, as if it were..."
Jin Gui hesitated.
Jin Yicai frowned, "As if it were what?"
Jin Gui stole a glance at him and still didn't say it.
Jin Yicai was slightly annoyed, "Just say it, stop beating around the bush."
So Jin Gui said: "The elder said that it seemed to be... crafted by a master artificer who had profound knowledge of the Duan Jin Sword Formation..."
"Only then could one create an armor that counters both the sword and the technique, using spiritual power shape transformation to counter sword qi transformation, resulting in an armor that counters our Duan Jin sword techniques so thoroughly..."
Jin Yicai's expression turned gloomy.
Jin Gui cupped his hands and replied, "Elder Jin did not explicitly say so, but it is possible that our Duan Jimen sword formation has been leaked outside."
Jin Yicai coldly humphed, "The sword formation is a closely guarded secret of our sect, sealed away tightly. Those who learn the sword formation sign a 'death pact', so how could it possibly be leaked to outsiders?"
"Unless..." Jin Gui trailed off, his eyes narrowing dangerously.
Jin Yicai, understanding his meaning, asked, "You mean there are people within our sect who..."
"Yes, nephew," Jin Gui whispered, "the Song family..."
At the mention of the Song family, Jin Yicai's eyebrows twitched.
Jin Gui hesitated, finding it hard to believe, "The Song family may have their differences with our Jin family, but they are still part of the Duan Jimen sect. Could they really collude with outsiders, secretly communicate with the Tai Xu Men sect, create array patterns for them, and counter our own Duan Jimen sword qi?"
"Are they planning to use the Tai Xu Men sect to overthrow our Jin family's position?" Jin Yicai's eyes narrowed in thought, "This matter is still unclear, and we cannot jump to conclusions, but it is indeed a possibility."
Jin Gui slowly nodded, but confusion lingered in his heart. "For someone to be proficient in our Duan Jimen sword formation, create their own array patterns, and counter our Duan Jin sword qi, they would have to be an elder of the Song family or someone of similar status..."
"Would such a person bother with a mere second-grade array pattern and the creation of a second-grade spiritual artifact?"
"You know nothing," the tall Duan Jimen cultivator beside him scoffed, his voice cold and indifferent. "When it comes to array patterns, don't be shortsighted and only consider the grade. The true depth lies beyond the grades."
"The real intricacies lie in the subtleties outside of grades. The Dao is vast and complex, but true masters of array patterns simplify and refine, making the difficult seem easy. Even a low-grade array pattern can showcase unique ingenuity that is beyond the reach of ordinary array masters."
"Furthermore, those people from the Tai Xu Men sect are all newly initiated disciples at the mid-Qi Refining stage. Why would they need a second-grade array pattern?"
The tall Duan Jimen cultivator looked down on Jin Gui, his words carrying an air of arrogance.
Jin Gui immediately bowed and greeted him with cupped fists, not daring to show any disrespect: "Senior Brother is absolutely right!"
Jin Yicai frowned and asked the tall cultivator, "Cousin, you are skilled in array patterns. Can you tell who is creating the array patterns for the Tai Xu Men sect, forging their armor, and countering our Duan Jimen sword qi?"
The tall cultivator picked up the armor from the table and examined it for a moment, his expression turning solemn. "The array lines are intricate and precise, executed with a mastery that suggests at least a hundred years of cultivation..."
"The array core is complex yet harmonious, indicating a profound understanding of array paths."
"Our Duan Jimen sect does have high-grade array masters, but to recognize the essence and disregard the form, to be able to effortlessly create various array lines... there are only a handful of people with such insight and talent."
"It is indeed puzzling that such an accomplished array master would lower themselves to create a mere second-grade array pattern and meddle in the affairs of external disciples."
Jin Yicai pondered for a moment, then his expression changed as a chilling thought occurred to him. "Could it be that... we've leaked information?"
The tall Duan Jimen cultivator's face also turned grim at the suggestion.
Jin Yicai's expression turned serious as he said, "It could be the Song family or some other Duan Jimen elders who secretly learned about our plans and conspired with the Tai Xu Men sect. They intend to use the hands of the Tai Xu Men disciples to ruin our grand scheme in the Refining Demon Mountain, thereby toppling our Jin family..."
"Cousin," Jin Yicai's face paled, "this matter must not be exposed. Otherwise, I'm finished..."
The tall cultivator's eyes narrowed, "Don't worry. Even if you made a grave mistake, your uncle and aunt will handle it for you."
"No, no, you don't understand," Jin Yicai shook his head, his expression bitter, "My father hates me."
"He used to be the vice sect master, and he had been waiting for almost seventy years. In less than ten years, he would have been promoted to sect master."
"But because of what happened before, he lost that opportunity."
"The Jin family pulled some strings to cover up my actions, but there was a price to pay. My father's promotion has been put on hold."
"With the various factions within the Duan Jimen sect, including the different Jin family elders, it's difficult to push for his promotion at the moment..."
"He blames me for all of this, thinking that it's my fault he can't become the sect master." Jin Yicai's expression twisted with resentment, "He refuses to consider that if he had the capability, he would have become the sect master in those seventy years."
"Where was he all this time, and why is he blaming me now, when it's almost within his grasp? Is it my fault?"
"How is this my fault?" Jin Yicai's eyes glinted with malice, "If it weren't for that meddlesome Gu Changhuai, who caught me red-handed and listed my crimes, reporting them to the Court of Law, would I have ended up like this, reprimanded by my father, losing face, and confined to this cave abode?"
"It's laughable..." Jin Yicai sneered, "My father and the others always talk about how the lives of mortals are insignificant, how we are superior and they are like ants. They say that we, the Jin family disciples, are born with a higher status, unlike those mortals."
"And what happened? I believed them. I treated lives as insignificant, and I did feel superior. But all I did was order some underlings to kill a few people and refine some pills, without even getting my own hands dirty..."
"And now, my father and grandfather have the nerve to blame me, saying that my heart is twisted and that I'm not walking the right path." Jin Yicai's cold laughter echoed, "It's truly incomprehensible!"
The tall cultivator's pupils narrowed, and he said indifferently, "Do not speak ill of your elders in front of outsiders."
He glanced at Jin Gui as he finished speaking.
Jin Gui immediately lowered his head, pretending he hadn't heard a thing.
He knew that despite his surname being "Jin," in their eyes, he wasn't truly part of the Jin family. He was just slightly better off than those insignificant mortals and beasts of burden.
Jin Yicai realized he had spoken out of turn, but his expression remained cold, unwilling to back down. However, towards this "cousin" of his, who had grown up with him and was known for his prudence and ruthlessness, he felt a mix of familiarity and reverence.
"Then let's not rush into anything. Let's lay low and act discreetly for now."
"We'll settle the score with the Tai Xu Men later."
"Good!" Jin Yicai clenched his teeth, his eyes full of hatred, "And we can't forget about Gu Changhuai and the Gu family!"
Jin Yicai's eyes narrowed, "That day, when they tried to capture me, aside from Gu Changhuai and his lackeys from the Gu family, there was also a small fry from the Tai Xu Men who used a despicable water prison technique!"
"If it weren't for his water prison technique, I might have been able to escape that day."
"I've been confined to this cave abode and haven't been able to send anyone to investigate his background. I still don't know which sect he's from."
"If I come across him again, I'll cut him into a thousand pieces and let him suffer a thousand cuts to vent my anger!"
"No, a thousand cuts is too good for him..."
Jin Yicai's eyes turned cold, "I want to sacrifice him alive, feed him to the Refining Demon Chart, and let him suffer the agony of a thousand demons tearing at his soul, bit by bit, until he dies a painful death, his soul and spirit destroyed, never to be reborn!"
Jin Yicai's handsome face began to twist with hatred.
The tall cultivator shook his head slightly.
His cousin's thirst for revenge was too strong.
With such an extreme temperament, where his emotions were written all over his face, how could he remain calm and make rational decisions when faced with important matters?
Was cultivating the path so easy? If it weren't for his privileged birth and influential parents, he would have died countless times over by now.
However, he was still useful, and his use was significant...
The tall and imposing cultivator in the Duan Jin robe glanced at Jin Yicai beside him, his eyes deep and inscrutable.
...
"Has the Duan Jimen sect lost their spine?"
Inside the Tai Xu Men, Mo Huaxin was surprised.
Cheng Mo nodded, "Yes, they've turned into turtles, too scared to show their faces."
As he finished speaking, Cheng Mo picked up a large piece of meat and started gnawing on it.
It was noon, and a group of disciples were gathered in the dining hall, noisily enjoying their spiritual meal.
Mo Huaxin frowned slightly.
Something felt odd...
This was completely unlike the style of the Duan Jimen sect.
He had thought that they would be petty and vindictive, holding a grudge and harassing them to the end.
Even if they couldn't win, they would continue to be a nuisance.
Yet, they had surprisingly admitted defeat so readily.
"Let's wait and see. Be on guard against their tricks." Mo Huaxin instructed.
"Mm!" Cheng Mo nodded.
In the following days, the situation in the Refining Demon Mountain remained peaceful, with no more signs of provocation from the Duan Jimen sect.
Only then did Mo Huaxin confirm that the Duan Jimen sect seemed to have truly conceded, giving up their struggle against the Tai Xu Men in the Refining Demon Mountain.
Of course, there was only one person who hadn't given up.
That person was Song Jian.
One day, as Mo Huaxin entered the mountain, he was blocked by Song Jian and seven or eight others.
However, Mo Huaxin wasn't worried.
With a single whistle, he could call upon seventeen or eighteen disciples of the Tai Xu Men in the outer mountain.
Moreover, seven or eight cultivators at the mid-Qi Refining stage were no match for him.
Song Jian pointed at Mo Huaxin, his face filled with anger, "I know everything now! Your name is Mo Huaxin!"
"My Duan Jin Sword was stolen by you!"
"Cheng Mo is just a foolish lackey, he's not the real leader! You are!"
"You're their 'little senior brother'!"
Mo Huaxin was a little surprised. This fool... seemed less foolish than he appeared?
"So what?" Mo Huaxin asked.
Song Jian raged, "Return my Duan Jin Sword, or you'll regret it!"
Mo Huaxin thought for a moment and asked, "If I return the sword to you, will you stop bothering me?"
Song Jian wanted to say that it was impossible.
The grudge between them was too deep.
However, the spiritual sword was still in Mo Huaxin's hands. When one was at a disadvantage, one had no choice but to bow their head.
Song Jian suppressed his anger and said, "If you return my Duan Jin Sword, I will forget about the past grievances."
"Deal!"
Mo Huaxin readily agreed.
He had originally intended to keep the sword.
But after some thought, he realized that he had already deduced the Duan Jin Sword Array from Song Jian's sword qi and had even used him to test the effectiveness of the Duan Jin Armor.
Song Jian had unknowingly helped him a great deal.
Even though Song Jian might not be aware of it himself.
Since Song Jian had helped him, Mo Huaxin should at least reciprocate.
Mo Huaxin tossed a blackened, curled, and broken sword that looked like "junk" to Song Jian.
"Here's your sword." Mo Huaxin said.
Song Jian took the broken sword, his face twisted in anger, "This is my Duan Jin Sword? What is this thing?!"
Mo Huaxin sighed and revealed the cruel truth, "This is your Duan Jin Sword..."
Song Jian looked down at the familiar sword patterns on the sword and felt the familiar connection as he held it in his hand. He stood there, stunned, as if he had been struck by lightning.
"This is your Duan Jin Sword..."
Those words echoed in his ears over and over again.
Song Jian stood there, his face ashen, like a statue weathered by wind and rain, unmoving.
When he finally came to his senses, he was filled with rage.
"I'll kill you!!!"
Song Jian brandished his sword and looked around, but there was no sign of Mo Huaxin anywhere.
Mo Huaxin had long since disappeared without a trace.
Song Jian's anger surged, and he trembled with fury. With all his might, he roared to the heavens, "Mo Huaxin, as long as I live, I will never rest until I've taken your life!!!"
"...I will never forgive you!!!"
That roar echoed throughout the Refining Demon Mountain.
Mo Huaxin, strolling casually through the mountains, heard the roar but paid it no mind.
Although Song Jian's cultivation was not weak and his sword skills were decent, compared to someone who had gutted the Fire Buddha, he was a little lacking.
If he really wanted to scheme against him, there were too many ways to do so.
While Song Jian was a disciple of the Duan Jimen sect and had some grievances with the Tai Xu Men, he was far from being truly evil.
If he were to truly walk down the path of no return, not knowing the immensity of the heavens and the earth and daring to go against Mo Huaxin, then Mo Huaxin would not show him any mercy.
But that was a matter for another day.
Compared to that, Mo Huaxin had more important matters to attend to.
Currently, a large area of the outer mountain of the Refining Demon Mountain was occupied by the Tai Xu Men.
Mo Huaxin, who was in the mountain, decided to practice the "Spirit Sense Sword Control" technique.
He wanted to see how far he could push the power, speed, and range of his sword using his spirit sense, and then refine a suitable "flying sword" based on his sword control technique.
On this day of rest, Mo Huaxin woke up early in the morning, carrying several broken swords he had bought from Master Gu, and headed towards the Refining Demon Mountain.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
