Chapter 754: Secrets (An extra chapter dedicated to Alliance Leader Shouxiao)
Chapter 754: Secrets (An extra chapter dedicated to Alliance Leader Shouxiao)
Mo Hua chatted with Cheng Mo for a while longer, reassuring him to focus on recovering from his injuries, before returning to the disciples' residence. There, he secretly retrieved the small severed arm of the demon cultivator.
This arm still carried a faint demonic aura, and according to the rules of the sect, it was not something that could be brought within the sect.
However, Mo Hua had explained the entire situation to Elder Song, essentially getting a pass from him.
Elder Song didn't know what Mo Hua intended to do with the arm, but since it was a trophy of their victory over the demon cultivator, he hesitated for only a moment before returning it to Mo Hua.
Although there was still a trace of demonic energy lingering on the severed arm, it was now barely noticeable. Even if it were given to Mo Hua, it wouldn't pose a significant threat.
Moreover, Mo Hua was a disciple favored by Elder Xun. With Elder Xun backing him, as long as Mo Hua's requests weren't too outrageous, Elder Song would turn a blind eye.
Mo Hua expressed his gratitude to Elder Song and, upon returning to his residence, immediately began his investigation.
First, he found some spiritual herbs and soaked the arm in them, washing away the bloodstains as well as the tiny fragments and golden sword qi that remained after the Disintegration Sword Array had exploded.
These spiritual herbs had been specially prepared for him by a "junior martial brother" skilled in pill refining.
Once the arm was cleaned, the blood color faded, revealing its original flesh tone. And on the skin, intricate array patterns emerged.
These array patterns were ancient and carried a hint of the demonic. They seemed to be of great antiquity, and while they appeared primitive and wild, they were clearly well-structured.
They were Four Symbols array patterns! And upon closer inspection, these Four Symbols array patterns seemed to take on the form of pictographic characters, resembling the shapes of beasts. The belly of the brush strokes resembled a demon's back, and the tips resembled claws and fangs, resembling wolf markings.
It seemed to be a Four Symbols Wolf Pattern Array.
Mo Hua focused his attention on the intricate patterns, his eyes filled with contemplation.
This wasn't the first time he had encountered Four Symbols array patterns. Previously, he had seen similar patterns on the bald head of the vulture.
Additionally, Elder Xun had also taught him the basics of Four Symbols array patterns.
However, these two sets of patterns were completely different.
The array patterns taught by Elder Xun were neat and majestic, true "beast patterns."
In contrast, the patterns on the vulture's head and the demon cultivator's arm were obviously from a different lineage. Their design was unconventional, and the lines resembled those of a demon, making them appear more like "demon patterns."
Within the Four Symbols array, the beast patterns and demon patterns clearly shared a similar origin.
But as to what that origin was, and which of the two patterns was the orthodox one, Mo Hua couldn't say for sure.
After all, his knowledge of the Four Symbols array was limited, and he had only heard snippets of its origins from Elder Xun.
The Four Symbols array originated from the wild and barren lands south of the Nine Provinces, where the barbarian cultivators passed down their ancestral array from generation to generation.
The barren lands...
Mo Hua's thoughts stirred as he quickly recalled everything he had seen and heard after entering the boundary of Qian Xue State...
Previously, through derivation and comparison of array patterns, he had deduced that the Four Symbols Demon Pattern Array was likely created by "Mr. Tu."
And Mr. Tu worshiped the Horned Devil God, whose name was "Master of the Great Wilderness." This Great Wilderness likely referred to the Three Thousand Wilderness Mountains.
The Four Symbols array originated from the barbarian cultivators of the wilderness lands.
The Horned Devil God was the devil god of the wilderness.
So, could it be said that the Four Symbols array was a "tradition" from the devil god's homeland? Were these demon cultivators bearing the Four Symbols array also the minions of the Great Wilderness Devil God?
"If that's the case, what are these demon cultivators doing hiding in the Refining Demon Mountain?" Mo Hua wondered, his heart filled with suspicion, but no matter how he turned it over in his mind, he couldn't grasp the key to unraveling the mystery.
He retraced every detail of Refining Demon Mountain in his mind, and suddenly, a startling realization hit him.
"Demon beasts!"
Thus far, the demon beasts he had encountered in Refining Demon Mountain were indeed rare and exotic, many of which he had seen for the first time. Yet, inexplicably, there was always a subtle sense of familiarity.
The first time he encountered the Pig-Headed Demon was when Duan Jinmen tried to rob him.
Then there was the Blood Enchanting Fox that the demon cultivators had stolen.
And there were other ordinary demon beasts like wolf demons, snake demons, and bull-horse demons...
These were the demon monsters he had encountered, slain, and "consumed" on his journey as he opposed the devil god. There was a faint resemblance among them.
Especially the huge pig-headed demon and the enchanting fox demon, which was half-fox, half-woman, and capable of casting enchanting spells. He had even "ordered" and "consumed" them using the altar before.
Demon monsters were half-human and half-demon, their blood refined into demonic beings.
The demon monsters under the Great Wilderness Devil God were composed of hideous and bloody limbs, half-human, and half-demon.
The human limbs came from abducted, massacred, and mutilated cultivators.
Then, the "demon" limbs of these demon monsters mostly came from...
Refining Demon Mountain?!
Mo Hua's heart turned cold at the realization.
So, was Refining Demon Mountain the "farming mountain" in the Great Wilderness Devil God's plot, where he bred his army of demon monsters?
"It's not just that..." Mo Hua frowned.
If most of the demon beast materials used to refine blood demon monsters came from Refining Demon Mountain, then the number of demon cultivators who had fallen under the devil god's influence must be substantial.
Moreover, relying solely on demon cultivators wouldn't be enough.
Demon cultivators could, at most, hunt demon beasts.
In this process, there must be others involved in transportation, dismemberment, refinement, and so on.
And most importantly, it had to be kept secret.
No one could be allowed to discover their activities.
Mo Hua then thought of that vast and desolate forest, integrated with the Shinto array, where even divine senses couldn't detect any aura. A chill ran down his spine.
Within that seemingly ordinary forest, there might be hidden secrets far more terrifying than he had imagined...
"Aside from the demon cultivators, who else is aiding the devil god?" Mo Hua pondered for only a moment before a suspicion formed in his mind.
Duan Jinmen...
That fat pig-headed demon had tried to rob him before.
At that time, he had thought that Duan Jinmen was just being shameless and greedy, acting according to his usual nature of coveting others' possessions.
Of course, Duan Jinmen was indeed shameless and greedy, and he did like to take what belonged to others.
But now, as he thought about it carefully, there might be more to it than met the eye.
And after Duan Jinmen had suffered a loss, he had surprisingly lain low and refrained from causing further trouble for Tai Xu Gate.
Perhaps this secret is...
Duanjin Gate is helping the Evil God hunt down demonic beasts and refine demon monsters! Mo Hua's heart trembled, and he became even more perplexed.
Where did Duanjin Gate get such audacity?
Aren't they afraid of the Dao Court holding them accountable, severing their Dao lineage, destroying their foundation, sealing their legacy, and erasing their name?
Also... To what extent is Duanjin Gate involved in this matter?
Are they all involved, from top to bottom? Or is it just a small group of disciples or a family faction secretly plotting behind the scenes? Does the Duanjin Gate's sect leader know about this? What about their secluded elders? Moreover, do they truly understand the consequences of their actions?
The Great Wilderness Evil God has forsaken the path of the divine, and is truly a formidable evil god...
This is not merely a matter of taking a tiger's skin.
In the eyes of the Evil God, perhaps all beings are but insignificant ants, and humans may not even be considered 'people' in their eyes.
Aren't they afraid of falling into the Evil God's schemes, becoming their puppets or sacrifices, with no hope of rebirth even in death?
Mo Hua shook his head, his heart filled with emotion.
These people have no idea how terrifying the Evil God is! If he hadn't "consumed" a few of the Evil God's divine remains and incarnations, he wouldn't have known either.
For ordinary cultivators, especially those who do not cultivate divine consciousness, the Evil God is a true "taboo," an unseen, unknowable, and unstoppable source of great fear...
Mo Hua was well aware of this.
However, it was not easy to speak of the Evil God to others.
There were too many secrets involved.
Firstly, others might not believe him if he spoke about it.
Secondly, it was risky to speak out about it; once the information got out, those with ulterior motives might take advantage of it, bringing trouble and entanglement.
Moreover, there were too many secrets regarding the Evil God, including heavenly calculations, divine machinations, Lord Huangshan, the study of divinity, enlightenment through divine consciousness, and the consumption of divine consciousness... and so on.
He simply couldn't explain it all clearly.
Therefore, it was better to be cautious and keep silent.
Furthermore, there were so many powerful cultivators in the Qian Xue State, and he, as a minor cultivator, didn't need to worry about everything.
It was better to mind his own business.
Mo Hua pondered his next course of action.
First, the secrets of Refining Demon Mountain were related to the Evil God, so he had to investigate.
He would disrupt the Evil God's schemes whenever possible.
Even if he didn't openly mention the Evil God, he would still expose Duanjin Gate's secrets to prevent them from causing further harm.
Then there was the altar...
He wondered if there was an altar dedicated to the Evil God within Refining Demon Mountain.
If there was, it would be a grand "feast" that he couldn't afford to miss.
Secondly, he needed to capture a few demon cultivators and study the Four Symbols Array on their bodies.
Lastly, there was the Shinto Array.
The Shinto Array involved the use of divine consciousness, and it had a restraining effect on divine beings.
Since he might have to face the Evil God or other powerful evil entities in the near future, it would be wise to learn this array as well.
However, the Evil God's schemes were profound and mysterious, and it was not easy to uncover them.
Demon cultivators were too strong to capture easily.
Among all these options, the Shinto Array seemed the most accessible, as it was set up in the mountains and forests, immovable and always within reach.
Yet, Mo Hua was still hesitant to venture into that mysterious forest.
No one knew what awaited them in those woods.
If he encountered a large group of demon cultivators or a Golden Core realm evil cultivator, he would be finished.
It would be best to have a bodyguard.
But where could he find one?
Mo Hua thought of Gu Changhai and shook his head.
"What a pity..."
Uncle Gu wasn't a sect disciple and couldn't enter Refining Demon Mountain.
Otherwise, with his support, Mo Hua could have ventured into the forests of Refining Demon Mountain without worry.
He needed a Golden Core cultivator who was also a sect disciple and could enter Refining Demon Mountain.
With these requirements, there were hardly any suitable candidates.
Mo Hua sighed deeply.
But as he sighed, he suddenly paused, a figure and a familiar aura resurfacing in his memory.
Mo Hua frowned.
He recalled that the first time he entered Refining Demon Mountain, he felt like someone was watching him.
Even when he hunted demons in the mountain, he often had a similar feeling.
This sensation was strongest when he was deducing Song Jian's sword energy and extrapolating the Duanjin Sword Array.
Initially, Mo Hua thought it was just his imagination.
Until later, when he encountered that elder named Xun Ziyou at Master Xun's door...
Xun Ziyou was Master Xun's junior.
When he saw Mo Hua, his expression clearly showed a moment of guilt.
Although his words were distant, his gaze held a sense of familiarity.
Moreover, the aura he exuded felt strangely familiar to Mo Hua.
Now, putting all the pieces together, Mo Hua gradually understood.
"Perhaps I don't need to look for a bodyguard specifically?"
Mo Hua paused, murmuring softly:
"Perhaps there's a possibility... that I already have a 'bodyguard'?"
...
Deep within the dense forest of Refining Demon Mountain, in a dark and unseen place.
A demon cultivator, missing an arm and with half of his body mutilated, crawled and staggered to a valley.
He took out a bone and lit it with a greenish flame.
An eerie, green-tinted demonic aura rose from the bone.
The demon cultivator waited at the site.
Soon, heavy footsteps approached, and a tall, black-clad figure appeared, having silently walked over.
"What happened?"
The man's voice was dull and cold.
"I..." The demon cultivator's breath was ragged, "I was ordered to hunt a Blood Enchanting Fox, but on the way, a few sect disciples intercepted me."
"The Blood Enchanting Fox is rare, and it took me a month to find this one."
"I didn't want to make a big deal out of it. I just needed to take advantage of their conflict and steal the demon beast."
"After that, I don't know what happened. I just vaguely remember that I seemed to have stolen a demon beast and almost killed a disciple. Then, his fellow sect members came after me."
The man in black frowned. "What cultivation level were they?"
The demonic cultivator replied in a low voice, "Mid-Qi Refining Stage."
The man in black let out a cold laugh. "You're at the late Qi Refining Stage, and you've cultivated demonic techniques and inscribed demon patterns, yet you couldn't handle a few mid-stage Qi Refining disciples? Are you even more useless than that?"
The demonic cultivator's expression turned flustered as he hurriedly explained, "It's not my fault! Those disciples were just too strange."
"Which sect were they from?"
"They weren't wearing sect robes, and their methods were all over the place. They used sword techniques, spells, and array formations—anything you can think of. I couldn't pinpoint their origins..."
The man in black grew increasingly impatient.
Engaging in a battle and not even being able to discern the opponent's background.
Indeed, cultivating demonic techniques had damaged his brain.
"What sword techniques and array formations did they use?"
The demonic cultivator replied, "They used a fire-attributed sword technique. Although it was quite powerful, it wasn't too tricky to handle."
"The spell was water-based and really disgusting..."
"There were too many array formations buried, and they were extremely potent. However, I know nothing about array formations, so I couldn't differentiate..."
"Aside from that, there was a sword cultivator among them. He had sharp features, an imposing aura, and wielded a moon-white longsword. His sword qi was incredibly fierce, and he didn't seem like a mid-stage Qi Refining disciple at all..."
Upon hearing this, the man in black's pupils constricted.
"Moon-white longsword, fierce sword qi... Could it be from the Chongxu Sect...?"
The name of a sword cultivation genius from the Chongxu Sect floated into his mind.
The man in black's gaze turned icy as he glanced at the demonic cultivator and asked, "Were you injured by that sword cultivator?"
"No, it wasn't..." The demonic cultivator's eyes were filled with lingering fear. "I was injured by... the Severing Gold Sword Qi!"
At these words, the man in black immediately rebuked him angrily, "Nonsense!
How could you possibly be injured by the Severing Gold Sword Qi?"
"It's true..." The demonic cultivator's voice trembled. "Moreover, it wasn't ordinary Severing Gold Sword Qi. It was a sword controlled using the orthodox and powerful 'Severing Gold Sword Manual.' The sword was manipulated from a distance of at least 160 zhang away, severing my arm and nearly taking my life!"
The demonic cultivator was both angry and deeply fearful.
The man in black's eyes turned sharp as he scanned the demonic cultivator's wound, indeed seeing the sharp traces of the Severing Gold Sword Qi. His face turned cold as he asked, "Who was controlling the sword?"
The demonic cultivator shook his head. "I don't know, but it definitely wasn't one of those sect disciples..."
"A sword controlled from a distance of over 160 zhang, with such powerful sword qi, could only be achieved by someone at the peak of the Qi Refining Stage or even the early Golden Core Stage."
"Those sect disciples weren't qualified."
"Moreover, I fought against those five, and none of them cultivated the Severing Gold Sword Manual."
"So, the person who tried to kill me with the sword must be a sword cultivator hiding in the shadows, launching a sneak attack!"
"And this person not only cultivated the Severing Gold Sword Manual but also the most orthodox and exquisite sword manipulation technique from the Severing Gold Sect!"
The demonic cultivator's voice turned cold.
The man in black's face turned as dark as water as he said, "You mean..."
The demonic cultivator lowered his voice and gritted his teeth. "The Song Family!"
The man in black's eyes turned vicious.
The demonic cultivator persisted, his face stubborn, "That's the only explanation."
The Song Family cultivated the orthodox Severing Gold Sword Manual.
The Song Family had always been enemies with the Jin Family.
The Song Family understood the Jin Family the best.
Aside from the Jin Family disciples, only the Song Family disciples could exhibit such powerful Severing Gold sword techniques.
"I suspect..." The demonic cultivator coughed out a mouthful of blood and continued in a solemn tone, "They must have caught wind of our plans and wanted to use others to bring down the Jin Family, so they could take their place..."
The man in black remained silent, but the murderous aura swirling around him grew more intense.
A bloodthirsty demonic power coiled around him like a giant serpent, as if it would tear through the void at any moment.
Fortunately, the man in black forcibly suppressed the brutality within him.
After a while, the murderous aura gradually faded.
The man in black's aura also calmed down, becoming as deep and inscrutable as a mountain.
"I understand now..."
He said indifferently.
After a moment, the man in black glanced at the demonic cultivator and asked in a low voice, "What about your severed arm?"
The demonic cultivator gritted his teeth against the pain. "It was shredded by the sword qi and turned into a cloud of bloody mist..."
The man in black nodded. "That's good."
He glanced at the demonic cultivator and threw him a fresh, red flesh-colored pill. "Take it."
The demonic cultivator was overjoyed and immediately swallowed the pill, expressing his gratitude. "Thank you, Brother!"
The man in black lightly hummed in acknowledgment and said indifferently, "After healing your injuries, don't forget the task. Master Tu said that the plan has been moved forward, so we need to act quickly."
"Yes!" The demonic cultivator bowed.
After consuming the pill, a surge of bloody energy coursed through his body, healing his wounds and reviving his flesh.
Although this method of healing with flesh and blood pills was quick and effective, it would leave some sequelae.
However, as long as he consumed more blood and flesh in the future and nourished his body, he would gradually recover, which was still better than losing his life.
The man in black said, "Let's return to the valley."
The demonic cultivator followed respectfully behind him.
After taking a few steps, the man in black suddenly stopped and turned his head to glance in the direction outside the Refining Demon Mountain. A cold snort escaped his lips.
"Chongxu Sect, Song Family...
"How dare you ruin my grand plan! I will make you pay for this, sooner or later!"
The man in black let out a cold laugh and then turned back, leading the demonic cultivator into the deepest and most sinister part of the dense forest...
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
