Chapter 769: Tiger Stripes
Chapter 769: Tiger Stripes
The leader of the black-robed figures wore a sinister smile on his face, which, despite being human, now resembled a demonic fiend. It was as if his body harbored an evil spirit.
A chill ran down Jin Gui's spine, and any thoughts of resistance vanished. Gritting his teeth, he resigned himself to his fate, "As long as I can serve the Young Master and follow your commands, I am willing to brave any dangers."
The black-robed leader nodded in satisfaction and, with a profound gaze, said, "You have never had a demon mark inscribed on your body. To reward your loyalty..."
"...I will personally inscribe it for you!"
Jin Gui's pupils constricted.
Although he had secretly carried out tasks for the Young Master, which often involved breaking the rules of the Dao, he had not yet delved into the forbidden arts of demons and evil.
The path of demons and evil was not tolerated by the Dao Court.
One could argue against breaking the rules of the Dao, but practicing the arts of demons and evil was an indisputable capital offense.
And after spending a considerable amount of time in the Valley of Ten Thousand Demons, Jin Gui was well aware of the significance of the 'demon mark'.
Once the 'demon mark' was inscribed, demonic power would assimilate with one's flesh and blood, marking the true beginning of the path of demons and evil.
However, this was something he had anticipated.
It was a ritual, a form of 'acceptance'.
At this point, there was no turning back.
Given his humble background, he had to take this risky opportunity to strive for a better future.
Jin Gui cupped his hands together and said, "Thank you, Senior Brother!"
This time, the black-robed leader did not correct his form of address but instead acknowledged the title of 'Senior Brother'.
Subsequently, the black-robed leader led Jin Gui to a secret chamber.
The chamber was surrounded by intricate arrays, their patterns sinister and mysterious.
Moreover, the room was filled with items associated with the dark path: human blood, flayed skin, skulls, man-eating plants, Yin spirit stones, rotting flesh, and more.
At the center of the chamber were numerous tomes and manuals on arrays, recorded on what appeared to be either human or beast hide.
The black-robed leader retrieved a book, opened it, and said to Jin Gui, "Choose one from these dozens of demon marks."
On the hide paper were drawings of various demon marks: bear marks, eagle marks, wolf marks, dog marks, snake marks, and more.
Each different demon mark corresponded to a category of the Four Symbols Demon Array.
Likewise, they also represented a powerful type of demonic power.
The bear mark bestowed immense strength, the wolf mark granted sharp claws, and the snake mark came with deadly poison...
After examining each type of demon mark, Jin Gui pointed to one and said, "Senior Brother, I choose this one."
The black-robed leader followed his gaze, and his eyes narrowed as he looked up at Jin Gui, a hint of interest flashing in his eyes.
"Tiger stripes?"
Jin Gui nodded slowly.
He did not want to be a dog forever.
Even if he was currently in a lowly position, serving others, he aspired to one day become the 'King of Beasts', a majestic tiger!
The expression on the black-robed leader's face was ambiguous, a mix of mockery and appreciation.
He nodded, "Very well."
In life, one is either a dog or a tiger.
Having a tiger stripe mark does not make one a tiger.
"The Four Symbols Array originates from the Four Sacred Beasts of the Great Wilderness. However, as the bloodlines of the Four Sacred Beasts have been severed, their sacred marks have been transformed into beast marks and further evolved into demon marks."
"And the tiger, the King of Beasts."
"One of the Four Sacred Beasts is the White Tiger."
"Among the numerous powerful and ferocious demon beasts, a single tiger can dominate a mountain and rule over a region."
"Thus, the Four Symbols Tiger Demon Mark is one of the most superior heritages among the Four Symbols Demon Marks."
"This type of tiger mark not only amplifies the demonic power of a tiger but also allows one to merge with the strength of a tiger, harnessing the might of all beasts and the power to dominate mountains through the array."
"Now, I shall inscribe the 'Four Symbols Mystical Tiger Demon Array' on your back, merging it with your flesh and blood..."
The black-robed leader used a bone pen, dipped in blood, to inscribe the array on Jin Gui's back.
With each stroke of the pen, Jin Gui's body trembled in pain.
The bone pen felt like a scraper, its tip like a sharp needle.
The blood ink resembled molten lava.
Each stroke felt like a thousand cuts, and the burning sensation was akin to being scorched by lava, causing immense agony.
But Jin Gui clenched his teeth and endured the pain.
This was his opportunity!
He would bear the Mystical Tiger Demon Array, sacrificing his human dignity to climb up and make a name for himself!
Stroke by stroke, the array was inscribed.
Jin Gui's face grew paler, and the pain he endured intensified. However, the Mystical Tiger Array on his back was also taking shape.
Finally, after an unknown amount of time, a tiger's roar echoed in the chamber, signaling the completion of the Four Symbols Mystical Tiger Demon Array.
The black-robed leader put away the array pen and the array diagram.
In a detached tone, he said, "Remember, this is a gift from the Young Master."
"You must not harbor any disloyal thoughts or act in defiance."
"Everything you have is bestowed upon you by the Young Master."
Jin Gui knelt on the ground, his body trembling, and bowed his head to the ground, "Thank you for the Young Master's gift! I will devote my life and die for the Young Master!"
Slowly, he stood up.
As he rose, his body seemed to stretch, growing taller.
The demonic aura around him intensified.
An aura of a fierce tiger began to emanate from him.
Finally, when he stood fully erect, his stature had increased by several inches, and his build had become more robust.
However, his eyes now held a colder, more detached gaze.
A hint of humanity had been replaced by a touch of beastly nature.
The black-robed leader nodded and said indifferently, "Go, and serve the Young Master with your life."
"Yes!"
Jin Gui's voice had become hoarse, and it now carried a hint of a wild beast's breath.
After replying, he turned and left, passing through the numerous secret chambers deep within the Valley of Ten Thousand Demons, heading towards the Ten Thousand Demons Prison, which would soon be under his command...
...
At that moment, in the Ten Thousand Demons Prison...
Time passed slowly as Mo Hua waited, and just when he thought that the Many Demons Valley might not have enough personnel to assign a new manager, a new figure finally appeared on the spirit sight array.
A "newcomer" had arrived in the Myriad Demon Prison.
This figure was also tall and imposing, a characteristic common among demon cultivators, except for those of the canine or serpentine variety. Moreover, this person's aura was exceptionally robust and distinctive.
At a glance, they seemed unlike any other demon cultivator.
What was even more peculiar was that Mo Hua felt a sense of familiarity with this figure, but he couldn't quite place it.
Intrigued, Mo Hua decided to take a closer look.
This new "manager" went straight to the stone chamber previously occupied by the "Bear Manager" and blatantly took over the space, making himself at home.
As for the Bear Manager, Mo Hua had already marked him, keeping track of his every move. Now that this new manager had taken the Bear Manager's place, he naturally fell under Mo Hua's surveillance as well.
Mo Hua navigated through the array's pivot channel with ease, arriving at the manager's stone chamber. He poked his head out from a hole he had secretly dug earlier in the corner of the stone wall and peered downward.
After observing for a moment, Mo Hua suddenly paused, his eyes widening in recognition.
This person's face seemed to be...
Jin Gui?
The same Jin Gui from quite some time ago, who had led a group of Broken Golden Gate disciples to bully and rob him of his pig-headed demon in Refining Demon Mountain, only to have Mo Hua take it back later.
And that wasn't all...
Mo Hua recalled how he had stripped Jin Gui naked, painted a turtle on his back, and hung him from a tree.
There was no mistaking it; Mo Hua was certain he had painted that turtle.
"Well, well. Instead of being a proper sect disciple, you've decided to become a demon cultivator here in the Myriad Demons Valley, and you're not even trying to hide it. Your brain must have been squeezed by a door frame..."
However...
Mo Hua was puzzled by something.
How had Jin Gui grown so tall? His build had become much sturdier, and his entire demeanor had transformed.
Could one grow taller by becoming a demon cultivator?
For a moment, Mo Hua felt a twinge of envy, his resolve as a cultivator wavering slightly.
He quickly shook his head to clear his thoughts and reaffirmed his beliefs:
"Even if it means growing taller, I won't compromise my principles and become a neither-human-nor-demon demon cultivator!"
Moreover, Jin Gui's growth was most likely forced and unnatural, and he probably wouldn't be able to grow any taller in the future, unlike Mo Hua, who still had immense potential. Mo Hua nodded to himself.
Then, his eyes lit up as another realization struck him.
Jin Gui... Broken Golden Gate...
Now they had solid evidence, as certain as a board nailed down. There was no way they could deny their involvement.
Broken Golden Gate, one of the Twelve Streams, had made such a grave mistake.
Let them face the consequences...
The question now was how many Broken Golden Gate disciples were in the Myriad Demons Valley and how deeply they were involved.
Additionally, considering the length of time and the vast resources invested in building the Myriad Demons Valley, Mo Hua wondered if there might be some hidden agenda that he was not yet aware of.
Mo Hua's eyes narrowed in suspicion.
He pondered for a moment, then shrunk back, hiding himself more carefully. He decided to keep an eye on Jin Gui to see if he could uncover any clues.
Jin Gui sat in the manager's seat, deep in thought, his expression fluctuating between gloom, anger, and jealousy.
Then, as if struck by a sudden realization, he let out a cold laugh, his face reflecting his smug satisfaction.
After sitting for a while longer, Jin Gui summoned a demon cultivator and instructed, "Take me to the prison."
The demon cultivator glanced at Jin Gui and replied in a low voice, "Yes..."
However, the tone of this response was clearly disrespectful.
Demon cultivators were notoriously unruly and difficult to control, especially towards a "newly arrived" manager like Jin Gui, who seemed to have only recently turned to the demon path himself.
This subtle contempt did not escape Jin Gui's notice.
A hint of anger flashed in his eyes, and his demonic power stirred, emitting a oppressive aura.
The demon cultivator's body trembled as he felt his "bloodline" being suppressed, a look of astonishment appearing on his face.
Although he felt resentful, he dared not act out again. Instead, he quickly lowered his head and cupped his hands together, saying, "Please calm your anger, Manager. I will take you there now."
This time, his tone was much more respectful.
Jin Gui huffed coldly in his mind.
Whether human or demon, they were all the same at their core—despicable creatures who bowed to those above and trampled on those below.
However, Mo Hua was taken aback.
There seemed to be something unique about the demonic power emanating from Jin Gui's body.
It was as if he had been marked with a special Four Symbols demon mark.
Mo Hua couldn't recall ever sensing this type of Four Symbols demon array aura in the Myriad Demon Prison before.
"Top-notch stuff..."
Mo Hua's eyes sparkled with interest as he thought to himself.
In the stone chamber, the demon cultivator was subdued by Jin Gui's aura and became much more obedient, leading the way with a stooped posture. He guided Jin Gui to the prison where Xiao Mhoutou and the other two were being held.
Mo Hua decided to follow and see what would happen.
He crawled through the array's pivot channel towards the prison, a sense of relief washing over him.
He was glad to be of a weaker constitution and smaller stature.
If he had been as bulky as Cheng Mo, he might not have been able to squeeze through these narrow passages.
The array's pivot channels were intricate and interconnected.
The corridors outside, on the other hand, were winding and convoluted.
Thanks to his familiarity with the layout, Mo Hua arrived at Xiao Mhoutou's prison cell ahead of Jin Gui.
Upon seeing him, Ouyang Mu and the other two were taken aback.
Then, Song Jian suddenly exclaimed, "Jin Gui?! It's you!"
Jin Gui let out a cold laugh.
Song Jian looked at Jin Gui, his expression a mix of shock and disbelief. His voice trembled as he asked, "What...What have you done to yourself? What have you become?"
Jin Gui smirked, "Young Master Song, you used to look down on me, but now the tables have turned. Your life is in my hands now, and whether you live or die is entirely up to me..."
Song Jian's defiance was tinged with a hint of fear as he retorted, "Jin Gui, you should know better. If anything happens to me, my parents and my ancestor will never let you get away with it!"
Jin Gui scoffed, "Always relying on others. Be it your parents or your ancestor, that's the extent of your capabilities."
Song Jian's face flushed with anger.
Jin Gui glanced at him coldly, his gaze dangerous, but he didn't do anything. Instead, he said indifferently, "I'll deal with you later..."
He turned his head and looked at Ling Hu Xiao, his expression filled with malice, and his eyes revealing unconcealed jealousy.
Ling Hu Xiao's expression remained cold, his eyes sharp as swords.
"Sword Heart's Clarity..."
Jin Gui stared deeply at Ling Hu Xiao, a cold sneer playing at the corners of his mouth. Without doing anything to Ling Hu Xiao, he pointed at Ouyang Mu beside him and said coldly, "Take him away."
Ouyang Mu was stunned.
Ling Hu Xiao's expression darkened as he asked in a low voice, "What do you plan to do?"
Jin Gui's eyes narrowed, "You'll find out soon enough..."
A demon cultivator stepped forward, ignoring Ouyang Mu's resistance, and put shackles on him before dragging him out of the cell.
"Jin Gui!" Ling Hu Xiao called out coldly, his eyes flashing with killing intent. "If anything happens to Ouyang Mu, I will kill you!"
Jin Gui, now partially transformed into a demon, shuddered slightly under Ling Hu Xiao's gaze.
After a moment, anger flashed across his face, and he snorted inwardly. "Empty threats. Take care of yourself first."
With that, he turned and left.
The demon cultivators escorted the shackled Ouyang Mu, following Jin Gui out.
Ling Hu Xiao felt anxious but was helpless at the moment. In the end, he could only look up and sigh inwardly.
Usually, he relied on no one.
But now, he truly hoped that Mo Hua would follow and keep an eye on the situation...
...
Indeed, Mo Hua was tailing Jin Gui and Ouyang Mu.
He was worried about Xiao Mhoutou.
But at the same time, he wanted to know what Jin Gui was plotting and what methods he intended to use against Xiao Mhoutou.
It seemed that not only Xiao Mhoutou but also Ling Hu Xiao and Song Jian would not be spared.
Jin Gui led the way, with the demon cultivators escorting Ouyang Mu behind him.
Mo Hua stealthily brought up the rear.
Although Jin Gui had reached the late Qi Refining stage, his divine consciousness was not strong.
Now that he had turned into a demon, his physical body had become stronger, but his divine consciousness had weakened instead, making it impossible for him to detect Mo Hua's presence.
As Mo Hua followed them, time passed unnoticed, and before he knew it, they had arrived at an unfamiliar place within the Myriad Demons Prison, an area he had never visited before.
This place was shrouded in a cold and desolate atmosphere, and the spirit sight arrays nearby had never been activated.
Soon, Jin Gui led Ouyang Mu into a stone temple.
The temple wasn't large, but it exuded an imposing aura. From within, the clanging of metal could be heard from time to time.
After Ouyang Mu was brought into the stone temple, the large door was closed.
Mo Hua frowned slightly.
He didn't dare to approach too closely but only observed from a distance, releasing his divine consciousness to scan the area. He discovered that the stone temple was surrounded by various arrays—defensive, alerting, and some unknown evil arrays.
Mo Hua breathed a sigh of relief.
"As long as there are arrays, it's fine..."
Arrays were not a problem for him.
Mo Hua circled the stone temple, then used his divine consciousness to calculate and probe, searching for a weak spot in the arrays. Afterward, through the means of dismantling and setting up arrays, he slowly "infiltrated" the stone temple by moving along the walls or beams...
Fortunately, the stone temple was not constructed meticulously, and the arrays were not that tight.
It was challenging to dismantle the arrays, but not too difficult.
After some effort, Mo Hua managed to erase a section of the stone wall using an array, creating an opening in the roof's corner, through which he quietly slipped into the stone temple.
As soon as he entered, he was hit by waves of blood and fire qi.
A hot, putrid gust washed over him, almost suffocating him.
Mo Hua covered his mouth and nose, waiting for a while before lifting his head to look around.
The scenes inside the stone temple shocked him.
There was a white bone furnace, a sinister green fire burning within, various demon beasts' white bones, human skulls, numerous blood pools, evil artifact embryos, and more...
Mo Hua even spotted a row of evil swords.
This was a forge, specifically, an eerie and sinister evil sword-forging chamber.
Mo Hua's gaze was irresistibly drawn to the row of "evil swords," each engraved with blood patterns...
(To be continued...)
(End of Chapter)
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