Chapter 852: The Fishbone Token
Chapter 852: The Fishbone Token
Mo Hua’s eyes were fixed on the altar for a moment.
After a short while, he came to his senses and looked at the vast, blood-red sea stretching endlessly before him, with no boat or path in sight. He frowned.
"How do we get across?"
Mo Hua asked Mr. Wu.
Mr. Wu replied, "There is a Bone Boat that can ferry us across the blood sea and reach the other side."
"A Bone Boat?"
"Please follow me," Mr. Wu nodded.
Ever since they entered the inner chamber and approached the blood pool, which was near the altar and the "Divine Lord," Mr. Wu’s face had lost its fear and gained a sense of composure and reverence.
He led the group to the edge of the blood pool, where a massive fish demon statue stood. He made some hand seals, and with a loud rumble, the statue’s head separated from its body.
The fish demon statue, made of white bones, slid into the blood sea, forming a perfect "Bone Boat."
Mr. Wu said, "Please, board the boat."
The group hesitated for a moment before they were about to move. Suddenly, Mo Hua said, "Hold on."
Mr. Wu turned back to look at Mo Hua.
Mo Hua asked, "When was this blood pool constructed?"
Mr. Wu clasped his hands and said, "When the Dragon King Temple was first built, the blood pool was already there."
"What is it used for?"
"Well... naturally, it is used to make offerings to the Divine Lord..."
Mo Hua sneered, "You lie. Although my cultivation is not high and my array knowledge is limited, I come from a major sect and know a thing or two about arrays..."
When Mo Hua mentioned his limited array knowledge, Gu Changhuai’s eyelid twitched.
He thought to himself that this kid was trying to show off again.
"Don’t think I don’t know that this blood pool radiates dark energy and is situated right in the center of the Dragon King Temple. It must be the focal point of some kind of array. Driven by dark blood, this array is undoubtedly a dark array."
"You so easily agree to take us across with the Bone Boat, which means you have ulterior motives. You probably plan to capsize the boat halfway and dump us into the blood pool."
"Or perhaps you intend to use the dark array against us..."
Dark array...
When Mo Hua said this, everyone’s hearts sank.
Even Xiao Diansi’s expression became more guarded.
Mr. Wu’s face changed slightly, and he chuckled nervously.
"Young Master jests. Since you have studied arrays, you should know that all arrays require a medium. Without a medium, there is no array."
"This vast blood pool has no medium to anchor to, so it’s impossible to draw array patterns, let alone set up array cores or focal points."
"Furthermore, the blood in this pool has accumulated dark energy over the years. Any flesh that touches it will perish, and any metal will corrode. Even if a medium were placed, it would have long corroded away, and any array drawn would be impossible to activate..."
After Mr. Wu finished speaking, he suppressed his unease and looked at Mo Hua.
Mo Hua frowned, seemingly puzzled, and finally nodded, muttering, "You’re right, I don’t see any array patterns around here..."
Mr. Wu’s expression remained calm, and he silently breathed a sigh of relief.
He thought he had been caught, but it turned out to be a false alarm.
Fortunately, this kid was just a half-baked novice, who had learned a few things from his elders and was eager to show off.
Though his vigilance was high and his intuition sharp, his youth and lack of knowledge prevented him from causing real trouble.
Mr. Wu said calmly, "The Fishbone Token is on the altar. If you trust me, follow me. If not, I have no other choice. You can do as you please."
Xiao Diansi studied Mr. Wu for a moment, then after some thought, said, "Let’s get on the boat."
At this point, even if Mr. Wu had other intentions, they had no choice but to proceed.
There was no turning back.
However, thanks to Mo Hua’s warning, Xiao Diansi was a bit more cautious. He instructed Xie Liu, "Keep an eye on him and don’t let him make any moves."
Xie Liu didn’t like being bossed around, but in front of Xiao Diansi, he had to suppress his temper. He drew his sword and placed it at Mr. Wu’s throat, coldly saying, "Mr. Wu, I’m sorry."
Mr. Wu looked at him coldly, silently noting this down.
He was a servant of the Divine Lord.
These people, not even worthy of being servants, dared to threaten him.
Under Xie Liu’s watch, Mr. Wu boarded the Bone Boat.
The rest of the group followed.
The Bone Boat set sail, and Mr. Wu steered it through the vast blood sea, cutting through the waves toward the altar in the center of the blood pool.
The blood pool emitted a pungent, foul smell and radiated dark energy.
Sitting on the Bone Boat, the group could see nothing but a vast expanse of blood water, which made them uneasy.
Fortunately, the journey was smooth.
Whether Mr. Wu truly had no other plans or was restrained by Xie Liu, the blood sea, though turbulent and seemingly dangerous, was surprisingly calm.
After about half an hour, they reached the shore.
The shore was covered in bones, forming steps that led to the altar, guarded by several fierce demon statues.
Mo Hua stared at the altar, almost unable to move.
If not for the presence of so many others and the bad timing, he would have rushed over, climbed the demon statues, kicked away the ram’s horn skull, and sat on the majestic altar, feasting on a grand demon "banquet."
This would have advanced his nineteen-pattern divine consciousness even further.
With nineteen patterns, he could almost learn any array below the Golden Core level, except for the rare supreme arrays.
Mo Hua was salivating.
"What a pity..."
Unfortunately, the timing was bad, and there were too many people around. He would have to be patient and clear them out one by one.
Mo Hua’s eyes narrowed slightly, feigning nonchalance, and quietly blended into the group.
The group approached the altar and stopped in front of the ram’s horn skull.
For some reason, the altar was filled with a chilling aura, as if a terrifying will had once descended here, making everyone uneasy and hesitant to step forward.
Even Xia Diansi, who didn’t believe in the "Divine Lord" and thought the cultivators in the Dragon King Temple were merely using the name of the divine to justify their madness, felt a sense of unease and sensed that something was wrong.
Xiao Diansi asked Mr. Wu, "Where is the fish bone token?"
Mr. Wu pointed to the altar and said, "Under the altar, in the center, there's a hidden compartment beneath the cushion."
Xiao Diansi glanced at the altar, particularly at the fierce ram's skull with horns, feeling a bit wary. He didn't dare to go himself and said to Mr. Wu, "Go and fetch the token honestly. Don't make any sudden moves. My sword qi is locked onto your heart. Any false move, and I'll take your life."
Mr. Wu obediently replied, "Yes."
He walked forward but began to prostrate himself even before reaching the altar, mumbling apologies like "Please forgive the insolence, divine master" as if he feared the wrath of the evil deity.
He took three steps and bowed, then nine steps and prostrated, all the way to the altar. Once there, he bowed rapidly several more times.
Mr. Wu then lifted the cushion, revealing a hidden compartment, from which he retrieved a wooden box.
He held the box, head bowed, and respectfully retreated, taking about thirty steps before turning and walking straight to the group.
"I have fetched the token," Mr. Wu said, then opened the box in front of everyone.
Inside was indeed a fish bone token, oddly shaped, similar to the one Water Yanluo had used.
Xiao Diansi looked back at Water Yanluo.
Water Yanluo examined the fish bone token for a moment and nodded, "It's definitely the token to open the door, no doubt about it."
Xiao Diansi finally felt relieved.
Mr. Wu placed the wooden box containing the fish bone token on the ground and slowly retreated, looking at everyone calmly.
However, no one in the group made a move.
The atmosphere became tense.
Earlier, they might have had a brief moment of cooperation, but that was then.
Now that the token was in sight, the temporary alliance had crumbled.
"This token..." Xiao Diansi looked at Xia Diansi and Gu Changhuai and said solemnly, "Who should take it?"
Gu Changhuai's eyes narrowed, "Definitely not you."
Xiao Diansi sighed, "After working together for so many years, Gu Diansi, you really don't trust me?"
Gu Changhuai sneered, "Precisely because we've worked together for so long, I don't trust you."
Xiao Diansi's gaze darkened, and he spoke earnestly, "To be honest, this Dragon King Temple is full of mysteries. Fighting among ourselves here is unwise. Let's temporarily put aside our differences. We can settle any grievances once we leave the temple..."
Gu Changhuai frowned slightly, "What do you propose?"
Xiao Diansi pointed to the fish bone token on the ground, "To show my sincerity, I will hand over this token to you two."
"Ensure that you can open the temple door and let me leave safely, and I will keep my end of the bargain."
"Let's settle other matters after we leave this place."
Gu Changhuai and Xia Diansi exchanged glances, both slightly surprised.
But with Xiao Diansi's offer, they had no reason to refuse.
Xia Diansi nodded, "Agreed."
She slowly walked to the box and bent down to pick up the fish bone token.
Gu Changhuai held his Qingluan Feather Fan, subtly channeling his spiritual power, and focused intently on Xiao Diansi, positioning himself to protect Xia Diansi.
Just as Xia Diansi reached out to touch the fish Bone token...
Xiao Diansi's gaze darkened, and he vanished, transforming into several water shadows, layering and sinister.
"Be careful!" Gu Changhuai warned softly.
Xia Diansi barely managed to dodge as she grabbed the token.
Gu Changhuai immediately summoned several wind blades to sweep through the water shadows.
The windblades shredded the water shadows, but none of them contained Xiao Diansi.
Gu Changhuai was startled, then alarmed, shouting, "Mo Hua!"
He turned to see Mo Hua had vanished.
When Xia Diansi reached for the token, Mo Hua sensed something was wrong and had already gone into hiding, far.
He knew Xiao Diansi would target him, and he had sensed Xiao Diansi's concealed malice intent throughout their journey.
This smiling fox Xiao Diansi thought he could hide his ill intentions, but Mo Hua's prowess in the realm of divine consciousness far surpassed that of ordinary cultivators.
Mo Hua remained hidden, retreating about ten paces, before he could breathe a sigh of relief.
But before he could breathe, a chilling intent descended upon him.
Mo Huapupils contracted, and he immediately used his Water Step technique to evade, catching a glimpse of a deep blue water prison forming where he had stood.
"Water Prison Technique!"
A spell Mo Hua frequently used to trap others had finally been used against him.
The water prison was bound by eight chains, two more than he could create.
This water prison was stronger than his own!
Mo Hua's expression turned grim.
He knew the effects of the water prison all too well.
If trapped, he would become a sitting duck, unable to escape.
Moments later, a cold, cruel presence locked onto him.
Mo Hua's expression grew serious, and he used his Water Step technique, barely evading the attack.
Meanwhile, from a distance, Xiao Diansi's figure appeared from a water shadow, holding a mirror. He looked at Mo Hua with surprise and admiration.
"If speaking of quick thinking and agile movements, young master, you rank among the top three cultivators I've ever met," Xiao Diansi remarked, "Considering your cultivation, you are undoubtedly first."
"To catch you, I prepared a Shadow Mirror to break your concealment, let the token go to Gu Changhuai and Mo Hua, and used water shadows to mask my sudden attack. Yet, you managed to evade both times..."
Xiao Diansi's admiration grew as he continued, "Your quick thinking and agility are truly remarkable."
Don't even mention a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator; even an early-stage Golden Core cultivator would find it difficult to escape if I put in this much effort and use these means.
This kid is indeed sinister...
Mo Hua said somewhat unhappily, "Xiao Dian Si, you and I have no grudges or enmities. Why are you targeting me, a small cultivator?"
Xiao Dian Si's expression remained silent. "Do you really not know?"
Mo Hua nodded.
Xiao Dian Si gave a cold laugh. "That thing, is it in your hands?"
Mo Hua looked bewildered. "What thing?"
"That..." Xiao Dian Si's gaze sharpened, but he didn't say it aloud. Instead, he said, "The thing you took from Water Yama..."
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present was stunned.
Even Gu Chang Huai and Xia Dian Si looked surprised, caught off guard.
When did this kid, Mo Hua, ever take something from Water Yama?
Mo Hua shook his head directly. "I don't know what you're talking about."
Xiao Dian Si's forehead twitched.
"How do you know I took something from Water Yama?" Mo Hua asked, his voice righteous.
Xiao Dian Si glanced back at Water Yama.
Mo Hua understood and said with some anger, "Water Yama is a slippery character; you can't trust a word he says!"
"That thing might have been hidden by him himself. He's trying to frame me to get you, Xiao Dian Si, to kill me."
"I'm so weak; if you kill me, I'll die instantly. Then, with no one to testify, Water Yama can take the thing for himself."
"His intentions are truly nefarious..."
Mo Hua spoke with confidence.
As Xiao Dian Si listened, he gradually began to think that Mo Hua had a point.
That thing being in Mo Hua's hands was just Water Yama's one-sided claim; no one else could prove the true whereabouts of the Water Prison Box.
Xiao Dian Si glanced at Water Yama again.
Water Yama was already fuming with rage and quickly said, "Brother, don't believe this kid's nonsense. This kid is cunning and despicable; you can't trust a word he says!"
Xiao Dian Si gave him a cold look, making Water Yama feel uneasy. Then he turned and said, "Little brother, let's not beat around the bush. Even if Water Yama doesn't say it, that thing is in your hands."
Mo Hua still wouldn't admit it. "What thing?"
Xiao Dian Si's anger grew, and he gave a cold laugh. "Fine, you're still pretending to be ignorant."
He instantly used the Water Shadow Step, attempting to get close to Mo Hua. By leveraging his higher cultivation, he could restrict Mo Hua's movements and use the Water Prison Technique. If he could trap Mo Hua for even a moment, Mo Hua would become his "easy prey."
But as soon as Xiao Dian Si made a move, two figures appeared in front of him.
They were Gu Chang Huai and Xia Dian Si.
Gu Chang Huai held a feather fan, with wind blades swirling around him. Xia Dian Si gripped a short sword, its blade gleaming with a cold light.
The two stood protectively in front of Mo Hua, their gazes unfriendly as they stared at Xiao Dian Si.
Xiao Dian Si's face twitched, and he sighed slightly. "I didn't want to be enemies with the two of you, but you keep pushing me. You've obstructed me multiple times. Since that's the case, don't blame me for not remembering our past cooperation."
Gu Chang Huai's face was cold, but he soon sensed something amiss.
A thick aura of malevolence enveloped Xiao Dian Si, and at the same time, an overwhelmingly cold spiritual energy flowed through his meridians.
"This is..." Gu Chang Huai's expression changed, and he suddenly understood, "a high-level spell?!"
He immediately summoned all the wind blades, transforming them into a green gale that rushed toward Xiao Dian Si.
Almost simultaneously, Xia Dian Si moved like a flash of cold light, appearing in front of Xiao Dian Si with his short sword raised, the blade emitting a chilling aura.
High-level spells are powerful, but they take longer to cast.
Against ordinary cultivators, it might be easy to build up a powerful spell and decide the battle in one move.
But Gu Chang Huai and Xia Dian Si, with their extensive combat experience, knew better.
They understood that before the high-level spell was fully formed, they should attack as aggressively as possible. Even if they couldn't interrupt the spell, they could severely wound Xiao Dian Si.
However, their prediction was slightly off.
The time it took for Xiao Dian Si land's activation:
Xiao Dian Si's high-level spell took much less time to form than they had anticipated.
Almost as soon as their wind blades and sword energy reached Xiao Dian Si, his spiritual energy surged, and deep blue water energy transformed into countless chains, layer upon layer, enveloping him.
In an instant, the chains burst outward, spreading like a thousand threads.
Prison bars rose from the ground.
These countless chains and layers of prison bars intertwined, forming a formidable and terrifying...
Dead Water Dao Prison!
This Dao Prison seemed to bind and suppress all cultivators within its range.
Gu Chang Huai was entangled by a dense network of chains, unable to move.
Xia Dian Si, who was closer to Xiao Dian Si, was even more severely restrained by several prison bars.
Within the Dao Prison, the dead water was suffocating.
Mo Hua, who had already run far away the moment he sensed something was wrong, now saw this and couldn't help but draw a sharp breath.
This spell might be unknown to Gu Chang Huai and Xia Dian Si, but Mo Hua knew its origin all too well.
The Water Prison Sect's supreme control spell, rarely seen in the cultivation world, almost as rare as a phoenix feather or a qilin horn—
The Water Prison Spell!
Mo Hua remembered that Elder Yu Cang Hai of the Water Prison Sect had once said:
This Water Prison Spell is the highest-level 'control spell' in the Water Prison Sect's tradition. It can suppress any cultivator who practices the Water Prison Sect's techniques or movements.
Moreover, the Water Prison Spell is a true 'strong control' spell that can bypass the immunity effects of spells like the Golden Body Spell or Golden Body Talisman, forcibly restraining all cultivators...
The supreme technique of the Water Prison Sect, a high-level Dao spell, and a strong control spell that ignores the Golden Body effect.
Mo Hua's heart was filled with shock.
He never imagined that the Water Prison Spell would fall into the hands of Xiao Dian Si.
(End of Chapter)
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