Chapter 773: Sword-Forging Bones
Chapter 773: Sword-Forging Bones
Ouyang Mu glanced at the elderly Demon Cultivator once more, his expression filled with emotion.
Thinking about it, this elderly man trapped in the Demon Cultivator's lair should be considered his senior, a true predecessor from the same sect and lineage. And having been here for hundreds of years, his generation was probably much older than his own.
Ouyang Mu couldn't help but feel a sense of respect for the elder.
The old Demon Cultivator looked at Ouyang Mu, his eyes filled with a mix of emotions, and said with a sigh:
"Back then, I was like you. I had a natural talent for crafting, but I was wooden and taciturn, spending all my days forging swords. I dreamed of creating a unique, peerless immortal sword that would be renowned in the heavens and on earth."
"An immortal sword..."
The old Demon Cultivator's eyes were filled with melancholy as he continued, "In those days of youthful arrogance, I knew nothing of the world and had no idea how unattainable and despair-inducing those two words were."
He let out a self-deprecating laugh. "We call ourselves cultivators, striving for immortality, but what 'immortality' truly is, no one knows."
"Anything associated with the word 'immortal' is profound, terrifying, and indescribable..."
Ouyang Mu's expression turned solemn as he nodded in agreement.
He, too, had always dreamed of forging an immortal sword as his life's pursuit.
But the deeper he delved into his cultivation and the more swords he crafted, the more he realized how unattainable immortality seemed.
Perhaps in this lifetime, he would never even come close to an immortal sword.
Not only was he unlikely to forge one himself, but even catching a glimpse of one would probably be an extravagant luxury.
The old Demon Cultivator's cloudy eyes silently observed Ouyang Mu for a moment, his thoughts complex and inscrutable. Finally, he sighed and continued,
"Hundreds of years ago, I was a member of the Great Sword Sect, a disciple of the Ouyang family."
"Even back then, the Ouyang family had already begun planning to shift their focus away from sword forging and towards sword techniques, intending to become a true sword cultivation sect."
"But I didn't want to learn sword techniques. I only wanted to forge swords."
"While others abandoned sword crafting in favor of sword techniques, I remained single-mindedly devoted to my craft, tirelessly researching and refining my sword-forging techniques day and night."
"It didn't matter if I wasn't valued by the sect. As long as I could continue forging swords, that was enough for me..."
The old Demon Cultivator paused, his hunched figure racked by a fit of coughing that brought up blood.
But he didn't seem to mind. He simply wiped away the blood and continued, "I thought I would continue learning and refining my crafting skills within the Great Sword Sect until old age, but I never imagined..."
His expression turned bitter as he recalled, "During a hunting trip in the mountains, I accidentally strayed into the dense forest outside the Demon Valley. I lost my sense of direction..."
"Several demon cultivators found me and began chasing me. My cultivation was insufficient, and I couldn't fight them off. They captured me."
"They opened their bloody mouths, intending to devour me, but when they discovered my talent for sword forging, they spared my life and forced me to forge demonic swords for them."
"I... had no choice."
The old Demon Cultivator's expression was wooden as he continued, "Back when I was in the sect, I thought I was a resolute cultivator of the righteous path, believing that even in the face of demons, I would uphold my principles and face death with dignity."
"But when I actually encountered those sneering demon cultivators, I realized I was wrong."
"I knew nothing about myself."
"I... am a coward."
As he spoke these words, his eyes were cold, as if the years of inhumane torture had eroded his self-esteem, and he had accepted the harsh reality.
Ouyang Mu's face showed sympathy as he said, "Senior, it's not your fault."
The old Demon Cultivator shook his head. "It is what it is. I am already in this state, and arguing about right and wrong at this point is meaningless..."
Ouyang Mu wanted to comfort him but struggled to find the right words.
The old Demon Cultivator sighed and continued, "I compromised. I surrendered. I betrayed my sect, my family, and my own sword path."
"From that day on, I became a demon cultivator, a demonic sword master."
"I abandoned my past identity and stayed in this lightless Demon Prison, keeping company with demonic beasts and demon cultivators. Using human bones, flesh, and blood, I crafted demonic weapons, and to this day, I don't know how many demonic swords I've created for these demon cultivators. Nor do I know how many people have been killed by these swords..."
The old Demon Cultivator smiled, his mouth tinged with blood, whether in self-mockery or satisfaction.
Ouyang Mu's feelings were complicated.
Even righteous sword forgers like himself had no say in whether the swords they crafted would be used for good or evil.
How much more so for a demonic sword master like the old man?
"And now, as my life nears its end, I have committed countless sins in this lifetime, but at least I have... some closure."
The old Demon Cultivator paused and looked at Ouyang Mu. "But before I die, I have one last wish. I have spent most of my life trapped in this Demon Prison, unaware of the passage of time or the difference between day and night, constantly researching and refining my crafting techniques..."
"These techniques encompass both righteous and demonic methods, and in the end, even I can't distinguish between the two."
"However, regardless of their nature, they are the fruits of my life's work, and I must pass them on, or I will never find peace in death."
The old Demon Cultivator fixed his deep gaze on Ouyang Mu.
"In this entire Demon Prison, the only person I can transmit my knowledge to is you."
Ouyang Mu was taken aback, his expression hesitant.
If it were righteous sword-forging techniques, he would have been grateful.
But this senior of his was a demonic sword master, and his skills were likely steeped in blood and sinister arts.
He had no desire to learn them.
Just as he was wondering what to do, he unconsciously lowered his head and glanced at his sleeve, and a surge of determination filled his heart.
"Thank you for your kindness, Senior..." Ouyang Mu's expression became "conflicted" once more before he finally sighed and said, "I will learn..."
The old Demon Cultivator breathed a long sigh of relief, his entire body seeming to relax.
Then, with a hint of arrogance in his demeanor, he said to Ouyang Mu,
"I learned my sword-forging techniques from the Ouyang family of the Great Sword Sect, and my skills have been honed through countless trials and tribulations..."
"At least within the scope of second-grade artifact refining, I believe I am no less skilled than any sword forger."
"I have also dedicated a significant amount of effort to studying the principles of soulbound artifacts."
"With the skills I will impart to you, you will undoubtedly be among the best in your realm. Even if you cannot leave the Demon Prison and can only associate with these demon cultivators, you will still be able to thrive and gain their respect."
"No matter how vicious a demon cultivator may be, they will not dare to slight you..."
"And if, one day, you are able to form a pellet in this Demon Prison and become a third-grade demonic sword master..."
A glimmer of hope appeared in the old Demon Cultivator's eyes as he slowly continued, "The Demon King may even release you and make you his trusted aide, sending you out to serve him."
The elderly Demon Cultivator nodded. "All you need to do is form a pill."
"However," he sighed again, "forming a pill is no easy task. Here in the Myriad Demon Prison, with so many Demon Cultivators, only a handful have managed to achieve that feat over the past hundreds of years."
"While it's true that the lack of resources, incomplete cultivation techniques, and the difficulty in controlling demonic energy have played a part, it still shows just how challenging it is to form a pill."
"But at least it's something to aspire to..."
Ouyang Mu slowly nodded.
Then, he glanced at his sleeve out of the corner of his eye and, following Mo Hua's instructions, asked, "Senior, you mentioned serving the 'Young Master'... Who is this 'Young Master'?"
Unexpectedly, the moment Ouyang Mu mentioned the Young Master, the elderly Demon Cultivator's expression turned solemn, and he said in a trembling voice, "Don't ask, and it's better if you don't know. Just know that here in the Myriad Demon Prison, everything is done according to the Young Master's orders. Don't be too curious, or you might end up dead before you even know what hit you."
Ouyang Mu's heart skipped a beat, and he nodded. "I understand."
The elderly Demon Cultivator's expression softened slightly, and he said, "Starting tomorrow, I will begin imparting all my knowledge to you. The first thing I will teach you is..."
"...forging the Life-Binding Evil Sword!"
"Mmhmm." Ouyang Mu's expression was somewhat indifferent.
Seeing this, the elderly Demon Cultivator sighed. "I know that although you agreed to become an evil sword master, you might not be fully accepting of it in your heart yet."
"Since you're also from the Ouyang family, from the same sect and lineage as me, I don't want to force you."
"How about this: Tomorrow, when you come over, I'll start by teaching you the righteous methods of artifact refining. After you've mastered those, you can gradually transition from the righteous path to the evil path, refining evil artifacts and forging evil swords..."
"The Myriad Demon Valley is a dangerous place, and I'm powerless to change your situation here. I can only help you this far. From then on, you'll have to rely on yourself..."
Ouyang Mu was taken aback but quickly expressed his gratitude with a bow. "Thank you, Senior."
The elderly Demon Cultivator waved his hand dismissively. "Don't bother with the pleasantries. Off you go now, and come back tomorrow."
Ouyang Mu bowed once more before taking his leave. He was then escorted back to his cell by a Demon Cultivator.
The elderly Demon Cultivator was left alone in the evil artifact chamber.
"Tai Ah..."
His voice was hoarse, like an old crow in a withered tree, as he muttered these two words. Suddenly, his entire body began to shake violently.
The elderly Demon Cultivator raised his hand to cover his mouth, but he was too slow, and he ended up coughing up blood.
Hurriedly, he took out a large pile of red and white pills from his storage bag and popped them into his mouth.
After a while, the coughing subsided.
The elderly Demon Cultivator's hunched figure slowly sat down, tilting his head to stare at the sinister flames in the bone refining furnace. A strange gleam appeared in his cloudy eyes.
Mo Hua frowned and quietly left.
He went to the prison cell.
Inside, Ouyang Mu was chatting quietly with Ling Hu Xiao, while Song Jian was sneaking some food on the side.
He was eating the dried meat that Mo Hua had given him, tearing off small pieces carefully and chewing on them. It was a precious treat, and he didn't want to waste a single bit.
With the guarding Demon Cultivator absent, Mo Hua revealed himself.
The three prisoners were already used to his comings and goings.
Mo Hua truly was like a ghost, appearing and disappearing without a trace.
After a brief chat, Ouyang Mu couldn't help but sigh. "That senior turns out to be from the Ouyang family..."
"I wonder if he can help us escape..."
Mo Hua shook his head. "Don't even think about it."
Ouyang Mu was a little confused.
Mo Hua explained, "That old man is a con artist. He's deceiving you."
Ouyang Mu was stunned. "He's not from the Ouyang family?"
"It's hard to say," Mo Hua mused. "That old man, out of ten sentences he speaks, eight or nine are lies. Maybe one or two are true at most."
"It's possible that he's a disciple of the Tai Ah sect's Ouyang family. But other than that, every other word he says is highly suspect."
"Think about it..." Mo Hua said, "What would a lone artifact refiner be doing in the dangerous forest outside the Myriad Demon Valley?
"And that forest has an array that confuses spiritual senses, making it impossible for cultivators or Demon Cultivators to discern their direction."
"So, how could he just happen to stumble upon a group of Demon Cultivators by accident if he merely wandered into the forest?"
"If the Demon Cultivators were starving, they would have torn him apart and eaten him long ago. Why would they keep him alive, a sword forger?"
"Unless he told them himself, how would the Demon Cultivators even know if he could forge swords or not?"
"Also, he's been trapped in this Myriad Demon Prison for hundreds of years, subsisting on raw flesh and blood. His humanity has long since faded away. How could he possibly still care about the sentiments of being from the same sect or lineage?"
"So what if we're from the same sect and lineage? What difference does it make?"
"Therefore, while what that old man says may sound reasonable, if you think about it carefully, you'll find plenty of flaws in his story..."
Of course, this was just Mo Hua's explanation on the surface.
In truth, while the elderly Demon Cultivator was speaking, Mo Hua's keen spiritual sense had detected some unusual fluctuations in the old man's spiritual thoughts, as if he had some ulterior motives.
Additionally, his intuition, honed by his understanding of cause and effect, told him that there was something amiss with the old man's words.
As the elderly Demon Cultivator spoke, the lines of cause and effect became disordered.
Mo Hua instinctively sensed that there was something suspicious about what the old man was saying.
Little Wooden Head stood there with his mouth hanging open, his heart filled with wonder:
How does Xiao Shi's brain work? How many schemes and stratagems is he keeping in that head of his?
Ling Hu Xiao frowned upon hearing this. "If that old Demon Cultivator has ulterior motives, isn't Wooden Junior Brother in danger?"
"Yes," Mo Hua nodded. "But to be honest, you've never been safe to begin with. Whether it's Jin Gui, that old Demon Cultivator, or the Young Master they mentioned, they all have their eyes on you."
So far, the Demon Cultivators had already used numerous methods, both overt and covert.
Currently, they were only targeting Ouyang Mu openly.
But this was likely just the beginning. Ling Hu Xiao and Song Jian wouldn't be able to escape unscathed either.
Based on the intelligence Mo Hua had gathered over the past few days,
Among the three of them, Ling Hu Xiao's situation was slightly better.
With his clear sword heart, he was a once-in-five-centuries genius of the Chongxu Sect.
Whether he walked the path of righteousness or fell into darkness, he was still a "treasure."
Although the Demon Cultivators had cut off Ling Hu Xiao's little finger, they treated him with respect and clearly dared not offend him easily.
According to Mo Hua's speculation,
But Song Jian...
Mo Hua turned to glance at Song Jian, who was still gnawing on his dried meat, and felt a twinge of sympathy.
Song Jian was a hostage.
These Demon Cultivators probably didn't plan on "converting" him.
Perhaps one day, they might just kill him without a second thought.
Song Jian sensed Mo Hua's gaze and coldly huffed, turning his back as if he didn't want to see Mo Hua, but he continued chewing on his dried meat quietly.
Mo Hua sighed inwardly:
"Forget it, this poor kid. I won't tell him, lest he loses his appetite for his dried meat after knowing the truth."
On the other hand, Ouyang Mu felt a bit sad.
He had thought that the old Demon Cultivator truly hadn't forgotten the Tai Ah Sect, that he still cared for the family, and wanted to pass on his lifelong knowledge of sword forging to him.
Human hearts were indeed treacherous...
"Brother Mo, what should I do? Should I still learn sword forging from him?" Ouyang Mu asked, his voice carrying a hint of disappointment.
Mo Hua pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "Yes, you should learn."
"Just pretend you know nothing and forget what I said earlier. Treat that old man as a senior from your Ouyang family who, despite straying from the righteous path, still retains a shred of kindness in his heart, even as his end nears."
"Learn what he teaches you. After all, it won't hurt to learn something new."
"If other situations arise, we'll deal with them as they come. I'll instruct you on what to do then..." Mo Hua advised.
"Okay, Brother Mo." Ouyang Mu nodded repeatedly.
"But," Ouyang Mu frowned, a hint of confusion in his eyes, "what is that old Demon Cultivator's true intention?"
Mo Hua's gaze sharpened slightly.
"We'll find out soon enough..."
...
The next day, in the evil artifact chamber.
The old Demon Cultivator was examining the demonic hide parchment again.
Ouyang Mu was melting white bones and refining fine iron.
Once the bones were melted, the old Demon Cultivator put away the parchment and said in a hoarse voice, "It's almost ready. Now, I'll teach you how to forge a sword-forging bone."
"Yes," Ouyang Mu replied, remembering Mo Hua's instructions and nodding.
The old Demon Cultivator's expression turned solemn as he slowly said, "All swords must have a bone."
"This bone refers to the sword's root bone, its 'spine,' which may not necessarily be a 'skeleton.'"
"Depending on the sword-forging tradition, the material of the sword bone can be gold and jade, silver and copper, or wood and stone spiritual objects. Of course, it can also be demon bones, beast bones, or even human bones and other types of skeletons..."
"There aren't as many requirements for the sword bones of spiritual swords."
"But for a Nascent Soul sword embryo, the sword bone must be nurtured to the point where spiritual energy is seamlessly fused, and the requirements for a life-related Nascent Soul treasure are extremely strict."
"In fact, the sword bone itself directly determines the ultimate quality of the Nascent Soul spiritual sword treasure."
"Only the best bones can forge the best swords."
"A sword without a proper bone is nothing but scrap metal..."
After finishing his explanation, the old Demon Cultivator took out a long spinal bone from his storage bag and said solemnly, "This will be the material for forging the sword bone."
Ouyang Mu noticed the bloodstains on the bone and his expression changed slightly. "Is this... a human bone?"
The old Demon Cultivator waved his hand dismissively. "So what if it's a human bone or a demon bone? As long as it can forge a high-quality sword bone, it's a good bone..."
"You need to gradually discard those rigid notions of righteousness and evil. Otherwise, how will you survive in the Myriad Demon Prison in the future?"
"Yes, Senior," Ouyang Mu mumbled.
The old Demon Cultivator's expression softened slightly, and he said, "I'll do the forging, and you can watch from the side."
"Okay."
Then, the old Demon Cultivator began to teach Ouyang Mu how to forge a "sword bone" in earnest.
This process was extremely tedious and required a high level of skill in artifact refining.
Mo Hua couldn't quite understand most of it.
His knowledge of artifact refining was mostly theoretical, including some knowledge of array design.
When it came to the actual refining process, he was quite inept.
He struggled even with a second-grade refining hammer.
So, as the old Demon Cultivator taught Ouyang Mu how to forge a sword, Mo Hua could only observe from the sidelines.
However, while Mo Hua might not fully comprehend the intricacies of artifact refining, there was one thing that caught his attention:
"Whose bone is this that's being used to forge the 'sword bone'?
"This bone is clearly very important to the old Demon Cultivator, as he has kept it safe and intends to use it to refine a Nascent Soul sword bone. There must be a significant story behind its origin..."
Mo Hua's eyes narrowed as he glanced at the old Demon Cultivator's hunched figure, and a chill ran down his spine.
Could this bone be...
The old Demon Cultivator's own spinal bone?
Had he extracted his own spine to forge a Nascent Soul sword bone?
Mo Hua took a sharp breath.
What kind of sword-forging technique was this?
It was too cruel.
Mo Hua's gaze shifted to the old Demon Cultivator's curved, bone-extracted figure, and the more he looked, the more convinced he became.
Demon Cultivators were ruthless, extracting the bones of others to forge swords, but this old man was even harsher to himself...
"But what special significance does using one's own bone to forge a sword hold?"
Mo Hua couldn't quite understand the reasoning behind this.
Inside the evil artifact chamber, the old Demon Cultivator tempered the bone with blood, melted iron, and refined it... his artifact refining skills were indeed exceptional.
Ouyang Mu watched intently, absorbing as much as he could and considering which techniques he could emulate.
After a while, the old Demon Cultivator said, "The next step in the sword-forging process involves blood sacrifice. If you don't want to learn it, you can look away."
Ouyang Mu hesitated for a moment, then slowly nodded.
The old Demon Cultivator took out a piece of fine iron and handed it to Ouyang Mu. "Dip this fine iron into the blood pool over there. We'll need it later."
"Yes, Senior," Ouyang Mu replied, taking the fine iron and walking over to the blood pool to temper it with blood.
The old Demon Cultivator glanced at Ouyang Mu, his eyes cautious, and then slowly took out a brush from his storage bag.
He began to paint something on the sword bone with the brush, his movements subtle and secretive.
Although he had diverted Ouyang Mu's attention, he hadn't noticed Mo Hua, who was observing from the side.
Mo Hua was startled when the old Demon Cultivator took out the brush.
This evil sword master wasn't going to use a hammer but a brush instead?
What was he painting?
Mo Hua was curious, so he held his breath and tilted his head to watch. Suddenly, his pupils contracted, and his entire body trembled.
This old Demon Cultivator, who was adept at sword forging, was secretly drawing...
A divine formation pattern?!
(End of Chapter)
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