Chapter 771: A Legacy
Chapter 771: A Legacy
"Yes, right now, use the expression I taught you..."
Mo Hua sent a message to Ouyang Mu, guiding him from afar.
A strange sense of joy suddenly filled Ouyang Mu's heart.
After practicing his expressions all night, he finally had a chance to put them to use.
He first wore a serious expression, conveying his unwavering determination and stoicism. However, his eyes flickered slightly, revealing his inner turmoil and desire for a more advanced swordsmithing technique...
The evil artificer smiled faintly.
He's taken the bait!
This kid wears his heart on his sleeve; his thoughts are written all over his face, easy to read.
Although his expression was a bit stiff.
But for someone as socially awkward as him, it was normal for his emotions to manifest as stiffness and hesitation.
The evil artificer continued, "This Manyao Valley is heavily guarded and sealed off. The only way out is through a central road controlled by the leader."
The evil artificer's eyes narrowed, "It is sealed with an extremely profound and abstruse formation. To this day, I have only seen the leader use this kind of formation."
"If you don't understand the essence of formations, forget about ordinary second-rate formation masters. Even third or fourth-rate formation masters would be helpless in this situation..."
At this point, the evil artificer sighed.
"The disparity between formation masters is far greater than that between artificers."
"The barriers between formations are also much deeper and more mysterious than those in artificing..."
"No wonder our status as artificers is far inferior to that of formation masters..."
The evil artificer turned to look at Ouyang Mu, his voice hoarse, "I'm telling you this so that you understand that once you're in Manyao Valley, give up any unrealistic fantasies."
"Instead of futilely resisting and dying here, being eaten by beasts and leaving no remains, it's better to bear the burden and move forward, spending the rest of your life forging swords."
"Even if it means treading the path of evil, even if there's no redemption, do not lose your ambition to forge supreme sword artifacts..."
...
Mo Hua listened, feeling somewhat enlightened.
This old evil artificer actually had such aspirations. He couldn't help but view him with newfound respect.
Moreover, the information he revealed was intriguing.
The only way out, the central road, was controlled by the "leader."
A profound and abstruse formation sealed the road.
Even third and fourth-rate formation masters might be helpless against it...
Could it be... a Divine Formation?
And this "leader," being able to control a Divine Formation, implied that he was likely a Divine Formation Master?
Mo Hua's heart skipped a beat.
A genuine Divine Formation Master...
He must be a formidable expert!
If given the chance, I must meet him, learn from him, and then find a way to kill him.
I must learn the Divine Formation, but a Divine Formation Master cannot be allowed to live.
After hearing the evil artificer's words, Little Mu was still a bit dazed and unsure of what to do.
Mo Hua continued to guide him: "Show a hint of despair on your face..."
"Imagine that you believe you'll never get out, that you'll be trapped here for the rest of your life, forever doomed to be an evil artificer and never a true swordsmith..."
As expected, despair washed over Ouyang Mu's face.
"Then, let your eyes reflect a contemplative gaze, looking slightly conflicted..."
"Conflict yourself over whether to uphold the righteous path and die with integrity, or to compromise and forge evil swords in pursuit of the art of artificing..."
There was no need to say that Little Mu was already deeply conflicted.
"Finally, let your eyes harden with determination..."
"Even if it means forging evil swords, become an unparalleled evil swordsmith, crafting the number one demonic sword in the world, and aspiring to the supreme path of sword artifacts!"
Ouyang Mu internally replaced the words "evil sword" with "spirit sword," and a surge of passion and determination ignited within him.
"Yes, that's right, I want to be the greatest swordsmith!"
Ouyang Mu's awkward expression transformed into unwavering determination, and his eyes blazed with fiery passion and ambition.
The evil artificer was taken aback, even feeling a bit dazzled by Ouyang Mu's intensity.
This pure obsession with swordsmithing made him feel ashamed and inferior.
But these emotions were quickly hidden away.
The evil artificer nodded, "Good!"
Often, people's words can be deceptive, but their emotions are harder to fake.
Ouyang Mu's emotional journey was laid bare on his face, clearly illustrating his inner conflict, and it was far more convincing than any words he could have spoken.
The evil artificer trusted his judgment of character, confident that he was correct.
Like the day before, the evil artificer took out a bone and handed it to Ouyang Mu, saying indifferently, "Refine this bone and fuse it with the fine iron. As a disciple of the Ouyang family, you should know the artificing techniques, so I won't say more..."
His tone was indifferent, but his attitude had softened considerably.
Ouyang Mu hesitated for a moment, then glanced at his sleeve, where Mo Hua had sent him a single word: "Refine."
What this old demon cultivator said wasn't entirely accurate, but it wasn't too far off either.
After a person died, their bones were just dead objects. Refining them and fusing them with fine iron wasn't inherently evil, and it wouldn't immediately cause someone to degenerate into an evil artificer.
However, it was strictly forbidden to use human blood, human skin, or human bones in artificing...
This law was strictly enforced by the Daoting Court.
Because if they didn't, people would find loopholes and exploit them.
Once artificers started using human bones, it would become a habit, and eventually, they might even start killing people, wiping out entire clans, and using their bones for artificing.
Thus, they stopped evils before they started.
In Ouyang Mu's case, however, he was being coerced by a demon cultivator. It was understandable that he would have to break some rules to ensure his survival, and the Daoting Court would likely turn a blind eye to this "emergency evasion."
Mo Hua often interacted with Gu Changhuai, the Registrar of the Daoting Court, and he was well-versed in these minor details.
Ouyang Mu's worries faded away.
"Brother Mo Hua knows a lot. If he says to refine it, then I'll do it..."
So he quietly took the bone and, following the artificing process, quietly refined it and fused it with the fine iron nearby.
The old demon cultivator watched for a while, satisfied that Ouyang Mu was following his instructions, and then turned back to his own business.
In the eerie green flames of the furnace, the bone gradually melted and fused with the fine iron...
Once Ouyang Mu started artificing, he became completely focused, treating the task with the utmost seriousness.
"Huh?"
Ouyang Mu was taken aback.
The old demon cultivator beside him frowned and asked, "What's wrong?"
Ouyang Mu shook his head. "Nothing, I made a mistake..."
It was common to make mistakes during artifact refinement.
The old demon cultivator didn't mind and turned his head back to focus on the demonic beast hide paper in his hand, meticulously studying whatever was recorded on it.
However, he still divided a portion of his attention to keep an eye on Ouyang Mu.
Ouyang Mu pretended to be obedient for a while longer before checking the transmission talisman. Mo Hua had written:
"Take your time and don't refine it too quickly. Show that you're struggling internally. Even though you've decided to embark on the path of a 'Malevolent Swordmaster', your heart hasn't fully accepted this path yet, so you're hesitant..."
"Otherwise, if you refine this bone too quickly, that old demon will definitely make you refine even more sinister things..."
Ouyang Mu nodded.
As expected of Brother Mo Hua, he's so considerate.
These are things I wouldn't have thought of.
So, Ouyang Mu displayed a conflicted expression, slowing down the refining process, occasionally furrowing his brows and looking pained, even deliberately making small mistakes as if his heart wasn't in it.
The old demon cultivator noticed all of this.
But he didn't say anything.
It continued like this until Ouyang Mu finished refining the bone, and most of the day had passed. The old demon cultivator said, "That's enough for today. I'll teach you something else tomorrow."
Ouyang Mu put down the fine iron that had fused with the dead man's bone and silently heaved a sigh of relief. He bowed to the old demon cultivator but didn't say anything.
Soon after, a demon cultivator came and led Ouyang Mu away.
After Ouyang Mu left, the old demon cultivator picked up the fine iron and glanced at it before nodding, "This is indeed the Ouyang family's sword-forging technique..."
His tone was filled with emotion.
Then, he coldly snorted, "Taking your sweet time, trying to fool me, huh?"
"But it doesn't matter," the old demon cultivator sighed, his eyes filled with a profound meaning as he murmured, "As long as you can help me refine the sword..."
After speaking, he took out the demonic beast hide paper again, his fingers tremblingly caressing the painting on it, his eyes shining with greed.
Mo Hua was too far away and at a bad angle to clearly see what was painted on the demonic beast hide paper.
He wanted to take the opportunity to get closer and take a look, but he felt it was too risky, so he gave up.
After all, there would be other opportunities in the future.
Mo Hua quietly made his way back.
First, he returned to his array hub room, which had been sealed away for a long time within Manyao Valley. This room had now become his "base."
Mo Hua reported the situation to Elder Xun Ziyou and the others, so they would be aware of the circumstances.
Then, he compiled all the intelligence he had gathered so far.
Subsequently, Mo Hua scratched his head as he realized an issue:
"It seems like I've been in this Manyao Valley for quite some time now..."
It wasn't a problem for him since he could continue blending in without any issues. However, Little Mu and the others were a different story; they had been captured, and the longer they stayed, the more unfavorable their situation became.
Moreover, Mo Hua almost forgot that he was now a disciple of the sect.
He still had classes to attend.
Although Elder Xun could help him request leave, it wouldn't be good to be absent for too long, and he would fall behind in his studies.
Furthermore, there was also Elder Xun himself.
By now, Elder Xun might already know everything, and Mo Hua couldn't let the old man worry any further.
Mo Hua nodded to himself.
"I need to speed things up..."
The current progress was too slow.
With how vast Manyao Valley was, who knew how long it would take for him to figure everything out?
"First, I need to rescue Little Mu and the others. Then, according to the usual procedure, I'll call for Elder Xun to come and flatten Manyao Valley, and afterward, I can slowly milk this place for all it's worth..."
...
Outside Manyao Valley.
Xun Ziyou furrowed his brows as he looked at the blood-colored valley before him.
During these past days, he had been stationed outside with the inner sect elders and disciples, and they couldn't just do nothing.
However, the white-boned blood creek stood in their way, preventing them from crossing over.
Xun Ziyou had invited a third-rate array master elder from the Tahuy Manor to take a look.
After studying the situation for several days, the initially perplexed elders' expressions gradually turned grave.
"Ziyou, this is a place of evil enticement."
A gentle and refined array master elder from the Tahuy Manor spoke.
This array master elder was also a junior of Elder Xun, surnamed Xun and named Zixian. He was one of the top third-rate array master elders within the Tahuy Manor, known for his extensive knowledge and experience.
"Enticing evil spirits?"
Xun Ziyou was stunned.
"Indeed." Xun Zixian nodded, "You were right before, that Mo Hua child's insight is indeed razor-sharp. He more or less saw through the general situation..."
Xun Zixian sighed, "There is indeed an evil array here, using the white bones as a medium and the blood water as ink, forming a place of 'enticing evil spirits.'"
"But Mo Hua is, after all, only a second-rate array master. Even though his talent and ability are... stunningly exceptional..."
Xun Zixian used the phrase "stunningly exceptional."
He was a Golden Core cultivator and a third-rate array master elder from a prestigious family background, well-versed in the ways of the world.
Yet, despite all this, he still found Mo Hua's array talent somewhat incomprehensible.
In fact, precisely because of his extensive knowledge and background, he truly understood that the phrase "stunningly exceptional" was not an exaggeration when applied to Mo Hua.
The elders and disciples present, who lacked knowledge of arrays and were not proficient in array techniques, could not possibly understand how outrageous Mo Hua's array-related abilities were.
But, to be fair, Mo Hua was only a second-rate array master.
"Restricted by his cultivation realm and array master rank, there are some things that Mo Hua hasn't seen through yet."
Of course, this was an issue of the array perspective brought about by his cultivation realm, not a flaw in his abilities...
Xun Zixian added this thought silently in his heart.
"What do you mean?" Xun Ziyou asked.
Xun Ziyou looked up at the Manyao Valley before him, his tone grave, "This Manyao Valley is a large-scale evil array that permeates the entire valley. These evil arrays are just a part of it."
"Moreover, this construction is very unique and must originate from some long-established demonic sect. If I'm not mistaken, it should be..."
"Manyao Mountain?"
Xun Zi You frowned, "It's actually from the Myriad Demon Mountain..." Despite his knowledge, he was still puzzled. "How powerful is this demonic array? Is it a second or third-rate array? Why can't we, a group of Golden Core elders, break through it?"
Xun Zi Xian replied, "I don't want to waste my breath explaining the obvious. Just know that we can't get through it for now."
His demeanor was elegant, but his words could be quite irritating.
Compared to him, Mo Hua was much more "endearing."
Xun Zi You sighed, "You could have just explained it simply so I could understand the basics... This matter is of great importance. If it were any other time, I wouldn't bother probing further, but given the current situation, you should at least give me some insight."
Xun Zi Xian remained silent for a moment, considering his words, then pointed at the blood creek and the white bones before them, and said, "There are numerous evil spirits ahead."
"I know, both you and Mo Hua have mentioned that," Xun Zi You replied.
"But those evil spirits are not actually kept here," Xun Zi Xian added.
Xun Zi You was taken aback, "What do you mean?"
With a furrowed brow, Xun Zi Xian explained, "I haven't seen the specific array diagram, so I can't be certain, but from what I can observe, this array seems to be a combination of reality and illusion."
"Reality and illusion?"
Xun Zi Xian continued, "By utilizing a powerful force, the array reflects and merges the mortal world with divine consciousness, and then constructs it through array formations."
Xun Zi You inhaled sharply, "What level of power would be required to achieve that?"
Xun Zi Xian shook his head, his expression grave.
He had his suspicions, but he couldn't voice them.
Moreover, part of his guess involved the secrets of the 'Slashing Divinity' technique of the 'Void God Consciousness Transformation Sword' true manual, which he had studied when he was an array master. He had also researched divine consciousness techniques, but they were incredibly profound and demanding. He couldn't master them.
Additionally, some of the rumors he had heard were difficult to verify, so he couldn't be sure of their authenticity.
"Do you think this is a grand array?" Xun Zi You asked, his worry evident.
"No," Xun Zi Xian replied, "Creating a grand array is not that simple."
Xun Zi You breathed a sigh of relief, then asked, "Can you break this array?"
Xun Zi Xian sighed, "If I could, I would have done so already."
Then, with a hint of reluctance, as if he had to explain something obvious, he added, "As I mentioned before, this array is founded on divine consciousness. The true array medium, array patterns, array core, and array eye are all hidden deep within the Myriad Demon Valley."
"While the evil spirits seem close by, if you rashly attempt to pass through, they will devour your divine consciousness."
"However, their actual bodies are not here."
"This is a place for nurturing evil, but it's merely a projection of the true evil-nurturing location. We have no idea where these evil spirits are being 'farmed'."
Xun Zi Xian had explained this several times before.
However, Xun Zi You still didn't fully understand, so even though Xun Zi Xian explained it again, he only grasped a small portion of it.
Xun Zi You couldn't admit his confusion, so he simply nodded as if he understood.
Then, he furrowed his brow and asked, "What is the origin of this bizarre array?"
Xun Zi Xian's expression turned solemn as he frowned in thought. Suddenly, he asked, "Did Mo Hua ever mention 'Divine Path Arrays' to you?"
"Yes," Xun Zi You nodded. Then he asked, "Is this a 'Divine Path Array'?"
Xun Zi Xian hesitated, then sighed, "It's similar... but I can't be sure. Divine Path Arrays are almost extinct. Aside from a few fragmented records, there is very little information about them."
"But if this truly is a Divine Path Array..."
Xun Zi Xian's eyes narrowed, his tone turning grave, "Then it's highly likely that there is an entire lineage of extremely profound and profound Divine Path Array techniques hidden within the Myriad Demon Valley."
"Otherwise, it would be impossible to construct such a comprehensive, exquisite, and grand-scale Divine Path Array system..."
"And the array master capable of creating such a large-scale, nearly extinct Divine Path Array must also be..."
Xun Zi You's expression changed, "Then isn't Mo Hua in danger?"
Xun Zi Xian nodded, "Keep the Void Sword Token that Elder gave you close at hand. If anything unexpected happens, don't hesitate to use it."
Xun Zi You nodded solemnly.
He then remembered to pass this information on to Mo Hua as well.
Mo Hua was inside, and the more he knew, the better.
However, there were too many words, and the Yuan Magnetic Sensory Transmission was prone to interference, so it would take some time to send the message, and it might end up fragmented.
He would have to be patient and send it bit by bit.
...
Inside the Myriad Demon Valley, Mo Hua received the message, but it was intermittent and difficult to decipher.
Large chunks of text could easily lead to misunderstandings if not read together.
He decided to decipher it later.
Soon, Ouyang Mu began learning how to forge evil swords under Mo Hua's guidance, alongside the old demon cultivator.
While Mo Hua wasn't as skilled as Ouyang Mu in the craft of forging, he could easily identify suitable materials and point out problematic techniques or those that would lead to the infiltration of evil thoughts.
As a result, Ouyang Mu's forging seemed half-hearted.
However, the old demon cultivator seemed to turn a blind eye to it, not seeming to mind at all.
After a while, the old demon cultivator nodded slightly, a faint sharpness hidden within his cloudy gaze, "Now, I will teach you how to forge a sword bone."
Ouyang Mu frowned.
He could fake his way through other aspects of sword-forging, but the sword bone was the core of the sword, and there was no room for error or evil influence.
"I know how to forge a sword bone," Ouyang Mu said.
"No, you don't," the old demon cultivator said with a sinister smile, his voice hoarse. "What I'm going to teach you is not an ordinary sword bone, but..."
The old demon cultivator paused, his cloudy eyes taking on a profound depth, "A sword bone for a Nascent Soul level magic weapon!"
(End of Chapter)
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