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Chapter 788: The Malevolent God
Chapter 788: The Malevolent God
"All... dead?"
For the first time in his life of privilege and comfort, the young master felt a chill seep into his bones.
How could they have died?
What killed them?
And whose hands dealt the fatal blow?
What exactly was inside the Demon Refinement Diagram?
The grand hall was empty, the soul lamps extinguished, leaving only wisps of pale white smoke curling upward with no one to answer his questions.
Just then, the soul lamp in front of Jin Yixuan flickered with a crimson light, an eerie flame dancing in its glow.
Jin Yixuan's dead body twitched and contorted before lifting its head and slowly opening its eyes.
His eyes, once vibrant, now showed only the whites, crisscrossed with blood-red veins.
And on his shoulder, a fresh, sanguine shadow appeared—the embodiment of Mr. Tu.
The young master's expression turned grave as he asked in a chilly tone, "Mr. Tu, what exactly happened here?"
The entity known as Mr. Tu, now inhabiting Jin Yixuan's body, had tears streaming from his eyes, his voice aged and tinged with fear:
"A Malevolent God has invaded the Myriad Demon Valley."
The young master's face paled at the mention of a "Malevolent God."
"I didn't enter the diagram myself, so I didn't witness it firsthand," Mr. Tu explained. "But through the fleeting fragments my consciousness perceived before this physical body's death, I sensed a hint of... divine presence!"
"This divine presence was peculiar, like a god yet also human, and so profound it was terrifying."
"Divinity and humanity are mutually exclusive. A being that is half-human, half-god must tread the path of evil. It is a formidable creature in terms of spiritual presence."
"Within the boundaries of Qian Xue Province, we cannot borrow the might of the Lord of Desolation."
"I, too, have only a wisp of residual soul here, unable to employ my full range of abilities. Against such a Malevolent God, we stand no chance."
The young master, proud and unyielding, furrowed his brows in confusion. "What is the origin of this Malevolent God, and why has it intruded upon our Myriad Demon Valley?"
"I don't know..." Mr. Tu's voice was hoarse, and then he suddenly shuddered as if remembering something. His teeth chattered as he spoke: "It's a 'divine war'!"
"Humans are the followers and kin of the divine."
"All actions of cultivators may appear diverse, but ultimately, they stem from the 'will' of the divine..."
"The cultivators of Tai Xu and Chong Xu Sects are attacking the Myriad Demon Valley with all their might because they aim to..." He paused, his voice heavy with dread, "... usher this Malevolent God into the valley, infiltrate the Demon Refinement Diagram, and destroy the foundation of our Divine Master!"
As these words landed, the young master felt a chill run through his entire body.
Even Mr. Tu hadn't anticipated that the so-called "divine war" would be so direct and vicious.
He had assumed that the divine would remain behind the scenes, manipulating their followers like puppets, orchestrating schemes in the shadows, and plotting their moves carefully.
But now, a Malevolent God had taken the field personally.
The forces of Tai Xu and Chong Xu Sects were indeed not to be underestimated.
The "divine" backing them was equally unpredictable, defying all conventions and making them difficult to fathom.
"If that's the case," the young master's eyes grew solemn as he looked at Mr. Tu, "does it mean that He already knows... the true 'secret' within our Demon Refinement Diagram?"
Mr. Tu's expression turned grave. "He is a divine being. The ways of the divine are profound and unfathomable. It's not surprising if He possesses omniscience and omnipotence."
The young master asked, "Then what should we do now?"
Mr. Tu's pupils quivered, and his heart felt as if it were dripping blood. With gritted teeth, he said, "Sever the 'Divine Bridge'!"
The young master was taken aback, finding it hard to believe. "Sever the Divine Bridge?"
Mr. Tu asserted, "It must be done! We absolutely cannot let Him glimpse the true 'Divine Temple'!"
"Nor can we allow Him to lay a finger on the Divine Master's 'Divine Homeland'!"
The young master's expression turned solemn, and he nodded slightly.
Mr. Tu continued, "I will escort you into the Demon Refinement Diagram, steering clear of this Malevolent God. We will head directly for the central hub and forcibly sever the 'Divine Bridge,' cutting off the path to the 'Divine Homeland.' We must not give Him the chance to covet what belongs to the Divine Master!"
"If things take a turn for the worse," Mr. Tu looked at the young master, "this wisp of my residual soul will 'cover your retreat'!"
Entering the Demon Refinement Diagram and facing the Malevolent God...
The young master's expression became resolute as he gave a slight nod.
...
Meanwhile, the "Malevolent God" that Mr. Tu spoke of was still wandering cluelessly within the Demon Refinement Diagram, searching for something to "eat."
"Where are the demons in this diagram?" Mo Hua muttered to himself.
The hideous and terrifying Jian Goutou obediently followed behind Mo Hua.
His mind was elsewhere, still reeling from the scenes that had just unfolded.
In the blink of an eye, over a dozen Demon Master-level cultivators had their souls obliterated.
Even the leader of the demon cultivators was no match for this little ancestor.
Before becoming the "Sword Demon," Jian Goutou had been an old demon cultivator, forging evil swords in the Demon Refinement Valley for hundreds of years.
During that time, he wasn't sure if the Myriad Demon Valley had changed leaders, as he had little knowledge of their affairs.
It was hard to say if this leader was the same one from hundreds of years ago.
But to become the leader of the Myriad Demon Valley, one's identity and strength must be extraordinary, and their abilities indispensable.
And indeed, this current leader was not to be underestimated.
Even in his nightmare, the leader could manifest a pen of white bones, using his own spiritual consciousness to turn his blood into a malevolent array.
The array contained the principles of the grand dao.
Manifesting an array with spiritual consciousness was more powerful than manifesting spells, martial arts, spiritual artifacts, and other such techniques.
This leader was already formidable.
At the very least, Jian Goutou knew he couldn't compare.
But... the only reason for their victory was that this little ancestor was a "deviant."
The demon cultivator leader used his bones as a pen and his blood as ink, but before he could finish drawing the malevolent array, the little ancestor merely pointed a finger. In just a few breaths, intricate array patterns had enveloped the leader.
The outcome was clear.
Jian Goutou felt the despair that the leader must have felt.
However, as they traveled, Jian Goutou saw countless demon cultivators who were stronger than him being squashed like ants by Mo Hua, and he couldn't help but feel relieved that he had begged for mercy early on and flattered his new master well.
Meanwhile, Mo Hua, who was wholly focused on his task, furrowed his brows slightly. He had searched almost everywhere but still hadn't found any trace of the demons.
"Where are they hiding?" Mo Hua continued deeper into the valley, and after a moment, he paused, sensing something within the depths of the Myriad Demon Valley that seemed to be beckoning to him.
It was an inexplicable attraction, a longing for a "divine homeland" that stirred restlessness and desire within the divine part of his being.
Divine homeland? Mo Hua wondered, his brows knitting together.
He lifted his gaze once more to the valley in his nightmare, his thoughts stirring.
The entire Myriad Demon Valley before him was built upon the power of a divine being's reality and illusion. It was a world of divine consciousness, reinforced by divine array formations.
It was like a "divine consciousness" architecture, with the Refinement Diagram as its bricks and stones, and divine array formations as its locks, sealing away a realm that housed countless demons.
Reality and illusion intertwined...
Everything within the diagram corresponded to the real world.
So, did that mean there was also a Refinement Diagram within the diagram?
What would a diagram within a diagram look like? Could it be that this was the core of the entire nightmare?
Mo Hua racked his brains, trying to recall.
While there were array formations on the outside of the Refinement Diagram, there didn't seem to be any obvious array eyes or central hubs.
His master had once told him that while array formations could take on countless forms, their fundamental framework remained unchanged. The principles of array eyes, hubs, and patterns were constant.
"A divine array is a formation of divine consciousness. This implies that its true hub may not be on the physical Refinement Diagram made of earth and stone but within the Refinement Diagram constructed by divine consciousness."
"And such a grand divine array would undoubtedly require a massive array eye and a vast amount of divine power to maintain its operation."
This meant...
Mo Hua's eyes sparkled with realization.
The Refinement Diagram relied on the sealing of countless demons, using them as "array eyes" to construct the divine array formation and stabilize the entire divine world within the diagram.
In other words, by finding the array eye, he could also locate the sealing place of those countless demons.
He could find where his "feast" was hidden...
"Refinement Diagram... array eye..."
Mo Hua followed the path in his memory, heading deeper into the heart of the Myriad Demon Valley.
He was going to find the Refinement Diagram within his nightmare.
Soon, he passed by the Refinement Cauldron, the Pill Refinery, and some unorthodox structures. Suddenly, Mo Hua noticed that the surrounding terrain had changed.
The path ahead became convoluted and confusing.
He was momentarily disoriented.
However, instead of panic, Mo Hua felt a spark of excitement.
In theory, the Myriad Demon Valley within the Refinement Diagram corresponded exactly to the one outside of it.
While the details might differ, the overall structure should be identical.
Yet, the mountain path before him seemed to have been altered, tampering with the original array formation structure.
Such alterations could only mean that someone was trying to hide something.
They were attempting to confuse others and conceal something by changing the layout.
Mo Hua smiled faintly.
"Found it..."
He released his divine sense, perceiving the flow of divine power within the nightmare and using his calculations to deduce the array patterns.
Soon enough, he had found his direction.
Jian Goutou, confused by the unfamiliar surroundings, was about to voice his concern when he saw Mo Hua stride off in a certain direction. With a resigned sigh, the hideous creature followed.
After traversing a maze of paths and breaking through a few walls, Mo Hua finally arrived before an imposing mural.
It was the Refinement Diagram itself.
But the mural was empty, devoid of any markings.
Mo Hua studied it for a moment, his eyes gleaming with insight. Then, he clenched his fist, and with a golden glow enveloping his arm, he punched forward. Accompanied by a thunderous boom, the entire stone wall crumbled.
As a formation master, he should have been unraveling the formation.
But pressed for time, he could only resort to this crude method of "breaking" it.
With the wall collapsed, a long passageway was revealed.
From the depths of the corridor, the low growls of countless demons could be heard.
Mo Hua breathed a sigh of relief and, with a bright smile, stepped lightly into the unknown passage.
The corridor was narrow and pitch-black.
After walking for an indeterminate amount of time, the passage suddenly opened up into a vast space.
Mo Hua's eyes widened as he took in the sight before him, and he drew in a sharp breath.
Before him was a prison for demons, a massive jail housing innumerable ferocious demons.
They were heavy with malevolent intentions, their eyes glowing crimson, chained by divine restraints and sealed within divine "cells."
At the sight of Mo Hua, countless demons raised their heads.
Their bloodthirsty eyes gleamed like crimson stars in the night sky.
"So many demons?!" Jian Goutou's whole body trembled, his head throbbing.
No wonder the demon cultivators of the Myriad Demon Valley dared not venture near the Refinement Diagram.
With so many sinister demons, even ten of him would be torn to shreds and devoured, leaving behind not even a trace of bone.
"Li... little Ancestor..." Jian Goutou's voice quavered.
He wanted to suggest that they leave, that it was dangerous to play around here.
If these demons revolted, even Mo Hua's powerful divine consciousness might not be enough to save him.
But before he could finish his plea, Jian Goutou realized that Mo Hua had vanished.
He spun around, his eyes widening in shock. He saw that the little ancestor had already charged into the midst of the demons and was wreaking havoc.
But in the next instant, its head was seized by Mo Hua, who then viciously slammed it onto the ground, shattering its skull.
With a swift twist of his hand, Mo Hua broke its neck.
The wolf demon's essence dissipated into malevolent shadows that faded away.
Mo Hua opened his small mouth and sucked in all the remnants, devouring the essence.
"Finally, some food..."
It had been too long since he last tasted the nourishment of consuming evil spirits to replenish his divine consciousness.
After swallowing the wolf demon, Mo Hua licked his lips, savoring the aftertaste before continuing his feast, killing and consuming the next demon.
He repeated the process, snapping the Divine Lock chains, twisting the necks of the demons, and if they didn't die instantly, he would pummel them with his tiny fists until they were reduced to a mess of shattered bones and souls before sucking them into his mouth.
One by one, he killed and devoured them, eating as he went.
These Divine Locks, originally meant to restrain the demons, now served as their protection.
Without the chains, Mo Hua could feast even faster.
Beside him, Jian Goutou's jaw nearly hit the floor in astonishment.
He had thought that consuming over a dozen demon cultivators on their journey was already quite a feast, but he never expected that this little ancestor would be an even more voracious eater!
His tiny stomach seemed like a bottomless pit.
No matter how powerful, robust, or ferocious these countless demons appeared to be...
With a yank, a twist, a strike, and a suck, this little ancestor made short work of them.
Devouring these demons was faster than drinking water.
The horde of demons, both enraged and terrified, struggled against their Divine Locks, snapping and snarling furiously at Mo Hua.
The entire Demon Prison resounded with howling evil winds and the furious roars of the imprisoned demons.
Mo Hua paid them no heed.
Food was the most important thing in the world.
Despite their ferocious cries, once they entered Mo Hua's stomach, they would be subdued.
Mo Hua continued his feast, but as he ate, he frowned.
"This is too slow..."
"At this rate, it'll take forever to finish them all. I need to find a better way..."
Mo Hua looked up, scanning the surroundings, and his eyes lit up as he spotted a door in the distant central wall.
It was a door reinforced with layers upon layers of divine array formations.
Carved on the door was a massive, pitch-black "ram's horn" skull, exuding an aura of solemnity and terror.
Ram's horns!
Based on Mo Hua's experience, ram's horns were intimately connected to the Great Desolation's Evil God.
In the pantheon of the Lord of Desolation, anything adorned with ram's horns was no ordinary object.
There must be something extraordinary behind that door!
Moreover, it was highly likely that the core array structure of the Refinement Diagram was hidden within.
Controlling the array hub meant unlocking all the seals, and he would be able to devour everything in one go.
Mo Hua's spirits lifted, and he leaped forward, stepping on the heads of various demons—bear, tiger, and leopard—as he rushed towards the distant door.
The demons whose heads he stepped on could only howl in helpless fury.
Soon, Mo Hua arrived at the ram's horn door.
He threw a punch at the door, but it didn't budge.
Mo Hua was not surprised. The seal on this door was arguably the strongest divine seal he had encountered on his journey so far.
It would require some effort to break through.
Mo Hua took a deep breath, and his small fists began to glow with dazzling golden light. With a crisp shout, he unleashed a rapid flurry of punches at the ram's horn door.
"Boom! Boom! Boom..."
The concentrated power of his divine consciousness bombarded the door relentlessly.
The impact sent shockwaves through the door, vibrating the walls of the entire Demon Prison, causing it to tremble slightly.
After a while, Mo Hua paused, sensing something within the door. There seemed to be movement and the presence of a living being's divine consciousness.
"Is there someone else in this Refinement Diagram?"
Who could it be? Mo Hua's curiosity was piqued.
Ordinary demon cultivators certainly didn't have the qualifications to enter this ram's horn door.
Almost all the high-ranking demon cultivators had been killed by him.
The only ones remaining, who also had the credentials to enter this door, were...
The lingering soul of Mr. Tu and that legendary "Young Master"? Mo Hua's eyes narrowed in a smile.
"I wonder what this Young Master looks like..."
If they had met outside, Mo Hua knew he wouldn't stand a chance against this Young Master.
Not to mention, the Young Master's noble status meant he was likely surrounded by a host of disciples and elders for protection.
Mo Hua would have had to keep his distance and avoid him at all costs.
However, they were currently inside the dream realm of the Refinement Diagram, where they both existed as divine consciousness. With his "Enlightenment of Divine Consciousness," Mo Hua could slaughter evil spirits as easily as snapping his fingers, and he had no fear of any so-called Young Master.
Now, due to a twist of fate, he had inadvertently "cornered" this Young Master behind the door, presenting a rare opportunity.
Breaking through this door would be akin to lifting the veil of mystery surrounding the Young Master.
"I wonder if he has the Primordial Longevity Seal planted within him..."
"If he does, I probably won't be able to kill him..."
Mo Hua pondered, but he didn't mind. Even if he couldn't kill the Young Master, he would at least get to see what he looked like.
Mo Hua's pale hand clenched into a fist, and a golden sword materialized in his palm. The sword was ancient and crudely shaped, yet it exuded a sharp and intimidating aura.
Divine Consciousness Manifestation!
In the distance, Jian Goutou felt the chilling sword intent and turned even paler—if that was possible for his already white bones.
Within the ram's horn door, "Mr. Tu" also sensed the sword aura and paled in fear, but at the same time, a realization dawned on him.
"Sure enough, it's the sword manifestation of the Tai Xu Sect's divine consciousness!"
Everything was a setup by the Tai Xu Sect!
(End of Chapter)
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