Chapter 779: "Mister"
Chapter 779: "Mister"
Jian Goutou's eyes were wide with horror, his body trembling uncontrollably.
What in the world was this little ancestor doing?!
The supreme and venerable ram-horned skull, revered by the Myriad Demon Valley, was not meant to be sat upon so casually! His actions were utterly reckless and blasphemous.
"I need to get away from this little ancestor as soon as possible. If I continue to follow him, one day his reckless actions will incur the wrath of the heavens, and when the heavenly tribulation strikes him down, I will also be implicated." Jian Goutou anxiously thought to himself.
However, Mo Hua paid no heed to these concerns.
The ram-horned skull was not the most comfortable seat—it was icy cold and emitted a faint sinister aura—but at least it was smooth, making it bearable to sit on.
Given the circumstances, he couldn't afford to be too picky.
And so, Mo Hua used the revered ram-horned skull of the Myriad Demon Valley as a little stool, sitting and eavesdropping on the conversation between the black-robed leader and Jin Gui.
At that moment, Jin Gui was reporting something with utmost respect.
"Forgive me, Leader... That old artificer suddenly went insane for some unknown reason. He killed the guarding demon cultivators, detonated the Evil Artifact Chamber, and ultimately took his own life. Thankfully, the young master of the Ouyang family was unharmed..."
"But with the death of that old artificer, there is currently no one in the valley capable of teaching the art of forging the Evil Sword. I'm afraid the young master's plan will be delayed for a while..."
"Additionally, outside the gates of the Myriad Demon Prison, there have been cases of demon cultivators suddenly dying and going berserk..."
"This is already the seventh incident."
"Also, for some reason, I occasionally sense that something is watching me, and perhaps even the entire Myriad Demon Prison."
"I suspect..." Jin Gui paused, leaving the sentence hanging.
The black-robed leader's eyes narrowed, and he spoke in a deep voice, "You suspect... that someone has secretly infiltrated the valley?"
"Not necessarily a person," Jin Gui said. "It could be... something from the Refinement Demon Diagram that has escaped..."
The black-robed leader's eyes darkened.
Jin Gui quickly explained, "I've thought about it carefully. The likelihood of these events occurring naturally is minuscule, and it's improbable that someone is causing trouble from within the valley."
"First of all, the Myriad Demon Valley is heavily guarded. It's questionable if anyone could even enter undetected."
"Even if someone managed to infiltrate the valley, it's impossible for them to carry out such acts without leaving a trace, especially when it comes to causing demon cultivators to lose control."
"The only plausible explanation is... the Refinement Demon Diagram!"
Jin Gui raised his eyes to meet the black-robed leader's gaze, his expression solemn. "So, I speculate that something fearful from within the diagram has escaped. Due to their intangible nature, they can wreak havoc without leaving any evidence."
The black-robed leader's pupils contracted, and he gave a slight nod.
Hiding behind the ram-horned statue, Mo Hua also couldn't help but nod in agreement.
This Jin Gui was rather clever.
His explanation seemed quite reasonable.
The black-robed leader fell into deep thought for a moment before speaking slowly, "Very well, I understand. I will handle this matter, and you need not concern yourself with it further. Since it involves the Refinement Demon Diagram, which is unpredictable and dangerous, it is beyond your capabilities to resolve."
Jin Gui bowed his head and replied, "Yes."
Although he remained expressionless, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Finally, he had managed to pass on the blame...
With all the mishaps and disruptions occurring in the Myriad Demon Prison today, he, as the one in charge, would inevitably be held accountable.
If he tried to cover it up, the blame would only grow heavier, and eventually, the truth would come to light. He would then face punishment from the young master.
If he didn't attempt to cover it up, he had to find a way to shift the blame.
And the choice of whom to blame required careful consideration.
Firstly, he had to rule out the demon cultivators within the Myriad Demon Valley.
These demon cultivators were controlled by the demon marks, daring not to show any sign of disobedience. Moreover, they spent most of their time in the valley, so any investigation would quickly reveal the truth, making it impossible for them to lie.
Secondly, blaming an "outsider" wouldn't be a good idea either.
It was common knowledge that no "outsider" had ever infiltrated the Myriad Demon Valley since its establishment hundreds of years ago.
It would be too coincidental if an "outsider" managed to break in during his tenure as the person in charge. Such an excuse would be too obvious.
Furthermore, there was no way to verify it.
Therefore, the only plausible explanation was the fearsome entities within the Refinement Demon Diagram.
This excuse had required a great deal of thought on his part.
If it turned out to be true, then he would have guessed correctly.
If it wasn't, then given the mysterious circumstances, no one could be certain anyway.
Either way, the blame wouldn't fall on him.
The calamity was unforeseeable, and the entities within the Refinement Demon Diagram were enigmatic and beyond his capabilities to control.
Thus, the blame was naturally shifted away from him.
Not only would the leader not hold him accountable, but he would also appreciate his careful observation and caution.
In this day and age, whether it was sect disciples or demon cultivators on the path of magic, they all needed to know how to handle matters appropriately.
Personal ability was one aspect, but the ability to "report" and shift blame was another crucial skill.
As expected, the black-robed leader no longer dwelled on Jin Gui's mishandling of the situation and focused entirely on the Refinement Demon Diagram.
While Jin Gui might have tried to shift the blame, his speculation was not without merit. The Refinement Demon Diagram was the very heart of the Myriad Demon Valley, and ensuring its safety was of utmost importance.
The black-robed leader furrowed his brows in thought.
Just then, Jin Gui's eyes flickered, and he continued, "Leader, wasn't there a surveillance array in the Myriad Demon Prison before? If we reactivate that type of array, wouldn't we be able to find out what's happening in the prison?"
The black-robed leader shook his head. "No, we cannot use those arrays anymore."
Jin Gui was perplexed. "Why not?"
The black-robed leader replied in a solemn voice, "You are not yet aware of the reason... About two years ago, a magic den in Byland City, a second-grade state, was about to be completed when it was raided by the Court of Divine Judgement, resulting in the demise of a Venerable one."
"After investigating the matter, we learned that the spiritual sight restoration array used for surveillance within the heavily guarded Byland City magic den had been infiltrated and utilized by others, providing an opportunity for the dogs of the Court of Divine Judgement to strike."
"Mister Tu was worried that the Myriad Demon Valley would suffer the same fate, so he temporarily dismantled the entire Yuan Magnet Restoration Array and sealed it away completely to prevent future troubles."
"This was done to ensure that our 'eyes' would not be used to watch for others..." The black-robed leader explained.
Mo Hua, hiding behind the ram-horned statue, was taken aback.
So that was the reason...
He had been wondering why the perfectly functional Yuan Magnet Spiritual Sight Restoration Array had been dismantled and sealed away.
It turned out that it was because of the mess he had created in the past!
Jin Gui still had some doubts. "The Yuan Magnet Array is an extremely obscure array, and the Yuan Magnet Spiritual Sight Restoration Array is an advanced version of it. It's highly improbable that the Court of Divine Judgement, with their lax attitude, would have someone capable of infiltrating and utilizing such an array. Who could have achieved this?"
Mo Hua nodded.
This Mister Tu certainly knew what he was talking about.
The black-robed leader continued, "Be cautious in your actions and keep a close eye on those three brats..."
"As for the Ouyang family's brat, find a way to make him forge the Evil Sword. That way, with a brother who can forge the sword for us, his righteous and upright elder brother will have no choice but to serve us as well..."
"As for the sword genius from Chongxu Sect, the young master is quite interested in him. Bring him aboard, intoxicate him with a life of decadence and earthly pleasures, and he will become a man of the world."
"As for the brat from the Song family... See if his parents will cooperate. If not, just sacrifice him directly. He's of no use anyway."
The black-robed leader gave his instructions.
"Yes," Jin Gui replied with a bow.
"You may leave now," the black-robed leader waved his hand.
Jin Gui bowed once more and retreated.
Now, the black-robed leader was alone in the grand hall. He sat in the center and took out several scrolls of demon hide paper, which he began to peruse.
Mo Hua was very curious about what he was reading, but from his hiding spot, he couldn't make out the contents.
"I wonder if he's reading about the Divine Formation..."
Mo Hua felt a tingling itch in his heart.
Half an hour passed, and there was movement outside the hall again.
The black-robed leader closed the demon hide paper and said, "Come in."
A figure clad in a black robe entered, but compared to the black-robed leader, Jin Gui, or the other demon cultivators, this figure appeared much "slenderer."
He seemed more like an ordinary "human" than a demon cultivator.
Mo Hua was perplexed.
Just then, the black-robed figure walked into the grand hall, lifted his hood, and complained, "This damn place is so gloomy and stinky, cousin. I don't know how you stand it..."
Cousin?
Mo Hua frowned and took a closer look. Suddenly, he was taken aback.
He knew this person.
It was Jin Yicai!
The one from Duan Jinmen, with an illustrious background as a direct descendant of the Jin family.
Mo Hua remembered clearly that Jin Yicai's ancestor eight hundred years ago was the sect master of Duan Jinmen. Currently, his grandfather was the grand elder, his father was the deputy sect master, and his mother was a true-transmission elder...
They were all high-ranking members of Duan Jinmen.
He had practically been raised with a golden spoon in his mouth.
The last time at Yanshui River, Jin Yicai had almost been caught red-handed smuggling cultivators and forbidden pills. However, the matter had been suppressed by higher-ups.
After that incident, he had kept a low profile on the surface.
But who would have thought that he was still causing trouble behind the scenes?
The black-robed leader glanced at Jin Yicai and asked, "Have you been discreet?"
Jin Yicai replied, "Rest assured, my father has confined me, but the ones watching me are all guest elders. They have to obey my orders, and if I really go somewhere, they dare not question me. Otherwise, if I complain to my mother about their bad attitudes and disobedience, they won't be able to stay in Duan Jinmen."
Jin Yicai coldly smiled, "That's the principle of favoring outsiders over one's own family."
"If I give them face, they are guest elders and elders. If I don't give them face, they are nothing but dogs of the Jin family."
As Jin Yicai spoke, he walked to the center of the grand hall and sat down arrogantly.
The black-robed leader frowned, "Be cautious in your words and actions, and show some respect to the guest elders as well. Regardless of what you think, at least pretend on the surface."
"I'm too lazy to pretend..." Jin Yicai shook his head, then his eyes lit up as he asked, "Cousin, did you call me here because you've figured out how to use that set of things?"
At this, Mo Hua's eyebrows furrowed slightly.
What set of things? What was he talking about?
Just then, he heard the black-robed leader say, "Now that we have a lead, you can give it a try."
Jin Yicai's face lit up with excitement, "Good!"
The black-robed leader hesitated for a moment, then opened a scroll of demon hide paper and slowly said, "Normally, someone of your status, being watched by your ancestor and the sect master, would not be marked with demon patterns to avoid exposing your tracks."
"But the upcoming Discussion Dao Conferences are of great importance and cannot be delayed... Therefore, even with the risk of being discovered, we must take this risky move."
Upon hearing this, Jin Yicai's expression turned tense, as if he still held some fear for his ancestor and the sect master. He worriedly asked, "But what if I'm found out...?"
The black-robed leader interrupted, "The current situation is special. Even if you're found out, it won't matter."
Jin Yicai's face showed confusion, "Cousin, I don't quite understand..."
The black-robed leader glanced at him and asked meaningfully, "Are you doing all this for yourself?"
Wasn't that obvious?
If one didn't look out for themselves, the heavens would strike them down.
Jin Yicai nodded, then suddenly paused as he slowly realized, "Not for myself..."
The black-robed leader nodded in agreement, "That's right. With the upcoming Sword Discussion Conference, what you're doing is for the sect and the family, not for yourself!"
"No matter what means you use, as long as you truly achieve results in the Sword Discussion Conference, bringing glory to the sect and making great contributions to the upcoming sect reform, your ancestor and the sect master will turn a blind eye even if they find out."
"In fact, not only will they not blame you, they will even think that you are capable and worthy of greater responsibilities!"
"It doesn't matter if the means are dirty or not, as long as they work. The winner takes all, and the end justifies the means—that's the rule of this world."
"As long as you win, even if you are stained with countless vices and evils, there will still be foolish people who admire you."
"On the other hand, if you lose, no matter how noble your conduct is, you will only be ridiculed and rejected."
Jin Yicai still had some concerns, "But what if the matter is exposed...?"
The black-robed leader's eyes turned slightly gloomy, "As long as you win, even if the matter is exposed, your ancestor will cover it up."
"Don't forget, you are a direct descendant of the Jin family. Your fate is tied to the Jin family and Duan Jinmen. Your ancestor and the sect master are well aware of this!"
Jin Yicai finally understood, and his worries disappeared.
"Alright, cousin, I'll do as you say."
The black-robed leader nodded slightly, then opened the demon hide paper and said, "This set of techniques still requires a demonic art or demonic skill as a foundation."
"In my opinion, it's best to be marked with demon patterns. Here in the Myriad Demon Valley, the demon patterns are complete, and the various bone and blood materials are also of superior quality.
Jin Yicai scanned the designs, none of which particularly appealed to him.
His eyes trailed downward, and suddenly, they lit up as he pointed to a particular demon pattern. "Cousin, mark me with this dog pattern."
The black-robed leader was clearly taken aback, "What?"
"The dog pattern," Jin Yicai repeated.
The black-robed leader thought he had misheard.
But Jin Yicai merely smiled, his expression turning sinister, "Cousin, to be honest, lately, there have been too many female cultivators sneaking into my cave abode in the middle of the night. That bunch of worthless people are incredibly annoying, but they're also tender and juicy, tickling my fancy. I really need to teach them a lesson."
"It's said that dog demons..."
Jin Yicai's expression was filled with innuendo.
The black-robed leader's face turned grim, and for a moment, he found it hard to believe what he was hearing.
Then, his face darkened with contempt and rage.
As expected, spoiling a child leads to their ruin!
In this world, even a lapdog has the heart of a wolf.
This young master, who had grown up with a silver spoon in his mouth, was, in essence, nothing but a lustful wild dog?!
The black-robed leader's temples throbbed, and he suppressed his anger as he asked, "Are you sure about this?"
Oblivious to his cousin's disdain, Jin Yicai proudly declared, "Of course, I've thought it through. There are so many people willing to risk their lives, why should I bother with dangerous endeavors like charging into battle? As long as I live comfortably and indulge in my desires, that's all that matters."
The black-robed leader remained silent for a long time before finally relenting, "Fine."
Jin Yicai's face lit up with joy, "Thank you, cousin!"
The black-robed leader's expression remained unchanged, and he said in a deep voice, "This was your choice."
"Of course," Jin Yicai agreed.
His face was filled with anticipation as he imagined himself indulging in endless nights of pleasure, never needing to rest.
"Good," the black-robed leader said indifferently.
Then, he took out a brush and ink and began to carefully paint the dog pattern from the demon hide paper onto Jin Yicai's back, creating a Four Symbols Dog Pattern Formation.
He used a bone brush, dipped it in human blood, and painted the demon pattern.
This was the process of a sinister formation, accompanied by excruciating pain.
Jin Yicai clenched his teeth and struggled to get up several times, crying out in pain.
But the black-robed leader paid no heed, treating him like a pig for slaughter as he held Jin Yicai down on the table, his wrist steady as he painted with precise strokes, bloodily marking the Four Symbols Dog Pattern Formation.
When he finished, Jin Yicai was drenched in cold sweat, slumped on the ground, panting heavily. He mumbled, "Cousin... it's just a formation, why does it hurt so much? It feels like the blood, flesh, and formation patterns are being forcibly sewn together..."
The black-robed leader's expression remained unchanged, but his gaze turned even more disdainful.
If he couldn't endure this little pain, what kind of cultivator would he be?
What could he possibly achieve?
However, he didn't voice these thoughts and simply said, "This Four Symbols Formation is rather unique, emphasizing the fusion of the formation with the flesh. Your body refinement has been lacking, so it's natural that you would feel pain. It will get better over time."
Jin Yicai's face paled, "Cousin, let's just do this formation once, alright..."
He didn't want to go through this agony again.
The black-robed leader nodded, "Alright."
Jin Yicai breathed a sigh of relief.
Then, as he thought about how the formation would soon allow him to "perform valiantly," indulging in his desires, his worries quickly faded away.
Enduring some pain was acceptable if it brought him such benefits.
Jin Yicai asked, "When can I leave the valley?"
Hidden behind the statue, Mo Hua's eyes flickered at the mention of leaving the valley.
But the black-robed leader replied, "Not yet, we'll discuss it again when the valley opens next time."
Jin Yicai nodded.
Although he couldn't wait to return to his cave abode in Duan Jinmen, no matter how small and humble it was, it was still better than this place.
However, he knew he had to be patient and that there were more important matters at hand.
The black-robed leader instructed, "Go back first. After the Four Symbols Formation on your body merges with your flesh and blood, come back, and then we'll proceed with the crucial steps."
Jin Yicai hesitated, "Then..."
The black-robed leader understood his concerns and coldly huffed, "The ones afterward are different formations, not as bloody and painful as this one."
Relieved, Jin Yicai cupped his hands and said, "Then, cousin, I won't disturb you further. I'll take my leave."
After saying goodbye, he turned and left.
After Jin Yicai left, the black-robed leader watched his departing figure, standing there for a long time before finally letting out a cold laugh, "Relying on such scum, it would be strange if Duan Jinmen didn't decline..."
"Obsessed with fame and fortune, drowning in a sea of honey, fed with heavenly treasures... What kind of people are they nurturing generation after generation?"
The black-robed leader's gaze turned cold.
Then, he walked to the center of the grand hall and continued studying the formation patterns on the demon hide paper, seemingly learning something.
The hall fell silent, with only the sound of the paper rustling in the flickering light of the lamps.
With no one to eavesdrop on, Mo Hua had nothing to do, feeling bored and restless.
Time passed slowly, and just when Mo Hua was feeling utterly bored, the black-robed leader stirred once more.
He glanced at the hourglass on the table and closed the demon hide paper, murmuring, "The time has come..."
Mo Hua was taken aback.
What time had come?
Just as he was wondering, the black-robed leader started walking towards him.
Mo Hua's heart skipped a beat, but upon closer inspection, he realized that the black-robed leader hadn't noticed him and was instead walking towards the ram-horned statue. He knelt down solemnly in front of it.
His kneeling posture was extremely reverent.
At the same time, he began to chant in a low voice, "The boundless wasteland, the supreme godmaster..."
"Whose life is immortal, and whose age is infinite..."
"I beg the godmaster for blessings, bestow upon me the mighty divine consciousness..."
"I beseech the master to guide me and impart the secrets of the formation path."
...
As Mo Hua listened, he felt something was amiss. Just then, the black-robed leader bowed three times reverently to the ram-horned demon statue.
After the third bow, a strange and eerie divine consciousness rose from his body.
On his shoulders and above his head, a bloody figure slowly materialized.
This bloody figure had a mysterious and terrifying aura, resembling a teacher, but the blood-red mist obscured his features, making it impossible to discern his face.
Mo Hua's pupils suddenly contracted.
A familiar name floated into his mind:
"Mister Tu!"
(End of Chapter)
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