Chapter 938: Funeral Rites
Chapter 938: Funeral Rites
"Master Gu, how did you figure it out?"
Master Gu picked up a piece of stone debris and examined it closely for a moment, then nodded, "This stone is half new and half old, with a musty smell, and these chisel marks... Near Mount Gu, the mining tools used by Miner Cultivators, such as spirit tools, have all been refined by Artisans. I'm very familiar with them, and a normal mining tool wouldn't leave such marks on the stones."
"These marks were left by spirit tools used for tomb robbery."
Master Gu recalled for a moment and continued, "Back when I was learning the Artisan's craft, I met a few fellow cultivators, and we became good friends. During our drinking sessions, they shared some secrets, and that's how I found out... they had crafted spirit tools for tomb robbers."
Mo Hua's expression turned peculiar, "Wouldn't the Dao Administration cause trouble for them?"
Master Gu gave a bitter smile, "There's no other way. Some Artisans live in poverty, and if they don't earn some extra income, they won't have enough spirit stones to improve their cultivation or advance their Artisan skills."
"Usually, the Dao Administration doesn't bother with such matters unless there's a big mess. Otherwise, they won't trace it back to the Artisan."
"And sometimes, there's no choice. Tomb robbers are ruthless and merciless fugitives. If they set their sights on you and ask you to craft something, you might as well comply to avoid trouble. As long as they don't speak, and you don't either, no one will find out."
"If you refuse, they'll threaten you in every way possible, even using your family, relatives, and fellow cultivators as leverage."
"It's better to avoid trouble and earn some spirit stones on the side, which most Artisans can't refuse..."
Mo Hua nodded, indicating his understanding.
Although one should have a clear sense of right and wrong, people still need to survive.
Since survival is the priority, there are many things beyond one's control, and it's not fair to be overly critical.
He himself had once been "coerced" by Lu Chengyun to refine a Corpse King.
Master Gu glanced at Mo Hua and, seeing his understanding, heaved a sigh of relief. Then he continued, "Those fellow cultivators had no choice, and one day when we were drinking, they let something slip. I questioned them, and that's how I learned about some of the secrets."
He pointed at the marks on the ground, "These axe marks are of an ancient and ingenious design, like a crane's beak or a crescent moon. Others might not notice, but to those in the know, it's immediately apparent that these are marks left by spirit tools used for tomb robbery."
Mo Hua nodded and pondered silently.
"Tomb robbery..."
As far as he knew, the cultivation world had funeral customs, and they were diverse.
There were water burials, cremation, wooden burials, and earth burials.
Except for the remote and unconventional state boundaries in the wilderness, most cultivators, after death, would choose to be buried, finding peace in the soil.
And there were also many intricacies to the burial process.
Mo Hua remembered that a long time ago, back in Nanyue City, his master had told him about the burial customs of cultivators, also the formation theories related to Yin and Yang mansions.
In Taixu Sect, he had a junior senior brother named Xie Ling, who was from the Gen State.
The Gen State was known for its mountains, with peaks so high they seemed like dragons, gathering the essence of heaven, earth, the sun, and the moon. It also concealed numerous ancient burial sites.
Xie Ling's family, the Xie Family, seemed to be one of the major clans in the Gen State. They specialized in the art of Feng Shui, discerning the energy of mountains and rivers, determining burial sites, and passing down the secrets of Yin and Yang formations.
They emphasized the art of discerning energy, hiding in the mountains, selecting burial sites, and suppressing evil spirits. By understanding the energy of heaven and earth, they could use the mountains and rivers to conceal themselves, analyze Feng Shui, determine burial sites, prevent corpse transformations, and drive away evil spirits...
But the intricacies of this art were profound.
In Mo Hua's two decades of experience, though it had been "colorful," he had encountered few burial sites and didn't know much about the funeral customs of cultivators.
Tongxian City was poor, and there were hardly any grand tombs.
"Do all cultivators have to be buried?" Mo Hua asked Master Gu.
Master Gu, a Golden Core cultivator from the Gu family, had traveled extensively in his youth to learn the Artisan's craft. He had endured many hardships and seen much of the world, so he likely knew more than Mo Hua.
Master Gu replied, "Generally, that's the wild look in his eyes, said, "That's usually the case. People are born between heaven and earth, standing tall during their lives, and after death, they find peace in the soil."
"But if they are poor and alone, it doesn't matter. When they were alive, they had no place to call their own, so how could they have a piece of land to cover their bodies after death?"
"For those without descendants, it's also not a concern. Without children or heirs, there's no one to build a tomb; without incense or fire, no one will visit their graves. Once they're gone, they're gone forever."
"For those who meet an untimely end and are left to rot in the wilderness or become food for demons, such considerations are unnecessary."
"Of course, these are mostly for solitary cultivators. Family cultivators are different."
"Once there's a family, even a small one, there will be ancestral halls and ancestral tombs, and naturally, funeral rites become more important."
"The larger the family, the more significant the funeral, and the stricter the rules. Many family cultivators consider it an honor to be buried in the family's ancestral tomb after death."
"And when it comes to Great Clans, the Dao Administration strictly requires the burial of high-level cultivators."
"Why would the Dao Administration force burials even after death?" Mo Hua asked, puzzled.
"They usually don't interfere, only with high-level cultivators from Great Clans."
"What's considered high-level? Golden Core?"
Master Gu shook his head, "It depends on the state boundary. In smaller state boundaries, if a Golden Core cultivator is the highest level, then their burial will be managed by the Dao Administration. But in some larger state boundaries with powerful Great Clans, only cultivators at the Ascension Realm and above will receive attention from the Dao Administration regarding their funeral arrangements."
Mo Hua was perplexed, "Why does the Dao Administration care about this?"
Master Gu pondered for a moment and slowly said, "It's said... to allow the spiritual energy between heaven and earth to recover."
"Spiritual energy recovery?" Mo Hua's heart skipped a beat.
"Yes." Master Gu pointed upwards, "It's said that in ancient times, the spiritual energy between heaven and earth was very rich. Ancient cultivators didn't need spirit stones to cultivate; they could simply find a mountain, meditate, and after a few cycles, the spiritual energy would flow into their meridians and settle in their Dantian."
"Now, times have changed, mountains and rivers have shifted, and the spiritual energy between heaven and earth has become extremely thin. Cultivators have to rely on spirit stones mined from spirit mines to cultivate."
"But spirit stones are different from spiritual energy."
"Spiritual energy is a gift from heaven and earth to all things, while spirit stones become private possessions of cultivators.
"Spiritual Qi roams the heavens and saturates the earth, treating all living beings equally."
"However, Spirit Stones, once treated as 'wealth', only flow from the lower to the higher, eventually concentrating in the hands of a few."
"The very act of mining Spirit Stones is depleting the earth's resources. If this continues, it will be unsustainable."
"So, over ten thousand years ago, an ancient ancestor of the Dao Administration established a rule: all powerful cultivators, especially those who have ascended, must undergo Spirit Dissolution upon death."
Mo Hua's pupils quivered at the mention of "Spirit Dissolution."
Gruesome images of dismembered corpses flashed through Mo Hua's mind.
Master Gu, noticing Mo Hua's reaction, quickly explained, "It's not the literal meaning of Spirit Dissolution. What's meant by 'Spirit Dissolution' is not the disintegration of the physical body but the disintegration of spiritual power."
"Spiritual power disintegration?"
"Yes," Master Gu confirmed, "Through a certain formation, the vast spiritual power accumulated by these powerful cultivators during their lifetime is broken down and transformed into pure spiritual qi, which is then released back into the heavens and earth."
Master Gu's voice carried a solemn tone.
"Cultivating during life to gather spiritual qi within oneself, and upon death, releasing spiritual power back into the heavens and earth..." Mo Hua muttered, feeling awe.
He couldn't help but admire the ancient ancestor of the Dao Administration who established this rule for ascended cultivators. This ancestor must have had not only unparalleled cultivation and immense power but also extraordinary foresight and a grand vision.
However...
Mo Hua frowned, "The aristocratic families would never agree, right?"
"Of course not," Master Gu nodded, "Cultivators are seekers of the Dao, relying solely on their cultivation. This cultivation is hard-earned in life, and even in death, they would be reluctant to release it back into the heavens and earth."
"It's said that when the Dao Administration promoted 'Spirit Dissolution,' it angered many, causing aristocratic families to rebel."
"But the Dao Administration persisted, even deploying the Dragon Soaring Forbidden Army to enforce the 'Spirit Dissolution Law' across the Nine States, suppressing the aristocratic families with an unyielding will."
"During that time, fires of war raged, and disputes were constant. Some of the Fifth Rank aristocratic families, refusing Spirit Dissolution, had their ancestors executed and their family status stripped, leading to their demise."
"This turmoil lasted for nearly a thousand years before gradually subsiding."
"The aristocratic families eventually accepted this rule, and Spirit Dissolution became a norm."
Mo Hua listened, feeling a sense of awe and shock.
This piece of history in the cultivation world, though brief, encompassed the rules of the Great Dao, the power struggles of the mighty, the laws of the Dao Administration, the aristocratic rebellions, and countless conflicts, power shifts, and casualties among cultivators—a truly epic tale.
"But... will Spirit Dissolution really help with the current scarcity of spiritual qi?" Mo Hua asked.
Master Gu smiled bitterly, "This involves the struggles of the ascended, which I, as a mere Golden Core cultivator, am not privy to. But it should make a difference... Now, it's just scarce, but without the Spirit Dissolution of powerful cultivators, returning their spiritual power to the heavens and earth, there might not even be this 'scarcity' of spiritual qi."
Master Gu sighed, "If that day comes when there's not a trace of spiritual qi left in the heavens and earth, even Spirit Stones would be useless."
"Without spiritual qi, some naturally formed spiritual beings and objects would go extinct."
"So-called blessed lands, immortal mountains, and divine sites would lose their spirituality, becoming ordinary rocks and soil."
"Spiritual mines would shrink, and Spirit Stones would become even scarcer."
"Lower-level cultivators would find cultivation and survival increasingly challenging."
"Who knows what would happen then..." Master Gu's concerns were evident.
Mo Hua also furrowed his brows, his emotions in turmoil.
After a moment, he glanced at Master Gu and said with admiration, "Master Gu, you know so much."
Master Gu was taken aback, chuckling, "Young Master, you flatter me. These aren't my words."
"Not yours?"
"When I was studying abroad, I met an elderly storyteller. During our chats, he shared these insights with me."
"A storyteller? Was his cultivation high?" Mo Hua was curious.
Master Gu shook his head, "I was only at the Foundation Establishment stage back then, so I couldn't tell... But even if this elderly storyteller's cultivation wasn't that high, his insight and vision alone were awe-inspiring."
"Indeed," Mo Hua agreed.
Aristocratic burials, ascended cultivators' Spirit Dissolution, the revival of spiritual qi... These were secrets beyond the reach of ordinary cultivators.
"The storyteller..."
Mo Hua pondered for a moment, then asked, "Master Gu, what if a high-level cultivator doesn't undergo 'Spirit Dissolution,' doesn't release their spiritual power, and is buried in a tomb? What would happen?"
Master Gu's brows knitted, "This... I won't hide it from you, Young Master. I've only heard a little about this, and it might not be entirely accurate."
"I understand, please continue," Mo Hua urged.
Master Gu lowered his voice, "It's said that if a high-level cultivator doesn't undergo Spirit Dissolution and retains their spiritual power, being buried in a tomb might lead to a transformation."
"Transformation?" Mo Hua's eyebrows rose.
"Yes," Master Gu confirmed, "Corpse Transformation or Ghost Transformation..."
"If malevolent energy surrounds them, they might become Copper Corpse Flying Corpses. If they hold onto their grudges, they might transform into Red Cloak Malevolent Ghosts."
"Moreover, tombs are Yin Mansions, tainted with death energy. The Corpse and Ghost Transformations within tombs are far more ferocious and terrifying than those of the demonic cultivators' Corpse and Ghost Transformations..."
Mo Hua's heart sank.
"Of course, these are just things I've heard, Young Master, so don't take them too seriously," Master Gu emphasized again.
"Mmm," Mo Hua nodded, committing everything to memory.
Master Gu's words revealed many secrets that Mo Hua had never known before, so he needed to remember them well and digest them.
Sometimes, knowledge and experience in cultivation could be more valuable than one's cultivation level, precedents, Dao Administration laws, aristocratic rebellions, and the countless conflicts, power shifts, and casualties among cultivators—a truly epic tale.
Mo Hua pondered for a long time. When he finally snapped out of his thoughts, he realized it was getting late.
He turned to look at the stone debris and chisel marks in front of him and asked, "Are there any burials here in Solitude Mountain?"
"That's the strange part," Master Gu frowned, "This is a mine with countless abandoned mines. Who would bury their ancestors here? Are these tomb robbers foolish, or do they have a hidden agenda..."
"Do they have another purpose? Is tomb robbing just a cover?"
"Mo Hua guessed."
"It's possible..." Master Gu nodded in agreement.
Mo Hua rubbed his chin, "Let's look for other clues to see what these tomb robbers are up to."
Master Gu hesitated.
This was a matter concerning Lonely Mountain City, and he didn't want to trouble Mo Hua with it.
The Young Master was someone who dealt with "great matters," and there was no need to waste time here.
Moreover, most tomb robbers were greedy and ruthless, and he didn't dare let Mo Hua take such a risk.
But before he could say anything, Mo Hua was already searching for clues in the surroundings.
Master Gu sighed inwardly.
With the Young Master's current status, he could do as he pleased, and he didn't have the qualifications to stop him.
Master Gu could only follow closely within a zhang of Mo Hua, protecting him while searching for traces of the tomb robbers near the mine.
In fact, he was also curious about the intentions of these tomb robbers.
He even felt a sense of vigilance in his heart.
When something unusual happens, there must be a reason; in a mine that was usually peaceful, the appearance of foreign thieves meant something strange was afoot...
After that, the two of them searched the area, but there were few traces outside the mine, and the mine shaft was deep and had many passages, so they couldn't find any other clues.
Master Gu glanced at the sky and said, "Young Master, let's go back."
Mo Hua could only nod.
The matter of the tomb robbers was strange, and it wasn't worth wasting too much time on it.
The most urgent matter was Gu Mountain, especially the affairs of the Shen family.
However, even though he said that, it wasn't right to do nothing.
Mo Hua thought for a moment and said, "Let's go to the Gu Mountain Dao Administration and inform them."
By the way, he could also visit the Registrar of Lonely Mountain City, Fan Jin.
"Okay," Master Gu nodded.
So the two of them left Gu Mountain and entered the city, walking along the bluestone street straight to the Gu Mountain Dao Administration in the north of the city.
The Gu Mountain Dao Administration was quite large, but it was dilapidated and old.
It was obvious that it had once been prosperous but had since fallen into ruin.
There weren't many people in the Dao Administration either.
Lonely Mountain City was in decline, and the cultivators couldn't make a living, which also affected the Dao Administration, making it a poor and idle office that couldn't support so many idle hands.
Upon entering the Dao Administration, there was a clerk at the door.
This clerk was listless and impatient, until he saw Master Gu, a Golden Core cultivator, and immediately stood up and smiled, "Master Gu, how come you have time to come today?"
In recent years, the business of the Gu family's Artisan Shop had suddenly improved, earning more spirit stones, and the spirit stone taxes paid to the Dao Administration had also increased significantly.
If not for this, the days of these small clerks would have been much harder.
"The one who provides food and clothing," they must be well-treated, so this clerk was especially polite to Master Gu.
Master Gu said, "Is Registrar Fan here?"
"Yes, he is," the clerk nodded.
"Please inform him, I'd like to invite him for a cup of tea and chat."
"Please wait, I'll go and inform him."
After the clerk finished speaking, he hurriedly ran into the inner hall.
The Registrar's room in the inner hall.
Fan Jin was slumped in his chair, looking annoyed and in a foul mood.
The clerk entered from outside, his footsteps hurried, which made Fan Jin even more irritated.
As soon as the clerk entered the door, Fan Jin couldn't help but scold him, "Didn't I tell you not to bother me today? This is such a godforsaken place, and there's no peace..."
The clerk was used to being scolded and stuttered, "It's not that, it's..."
"What is it?"
"It's Master Gu."
"Master Gu?" Fan Jin frowned, "What does he want?"
"Master Gu said he'd like to invite you for tea... to chat," the clerk said in a low voice.
Fan Jin rubbed his forehead impatiently, "You should tell him to come another day... I'm not in the mood today."
"Yes," the clerk said, "I'll tell him that you're not in the mood and ask him to come another day."
Fan Jin's forehead twitched, and his anger grew. He gritted teeth, said, "Are you... a pig-headed fool? Can you reply to people like that? I've told you so many times, and you still can't remember! You should say that I'm 'busy with affairs' and 'invite' him to come another day."
Fan Jin felt a sense of despair.
It was said that a prosperous land breeds outstanding people, but Lonely Mountain City, with its poor mountains and bad water, only attracted clerks with unintelligent minds and unpolished speech.
"Oh, okay..." The clerk remembered the words "busy with affairs" and "come another day," and headed towards the door.
"Wait," Fan Jin frowned and asked, "Did Master Gu come alone?"
"No," the clerk said, "He has a companion."
"A companion?" Fan Jin frowned and waved his hand, feeling disappointed, "Never mind then."
The clerk walked towards the door again.
After taking a few steps, Fan Jin's heart jumped, feeling uneasy. He stopped the clerk again.
"Wait!"
Fan Jin asked, "What does this 'companion' look like?"
The clerk thought for a moment and described, "He's fair-skinned and not very tall, and he's quite handsome."
Before the clerk could finish, Fan Jin, who had been slumped in his chair, suddenly leaped up like a fish.
"I'm going to be driven crazy by you sooner or later," Fan Jin said angrily.
Just a moment ago, just a moment ago...
"Quick, go and invite them in!" Fan Jin ordered.
The clerk was confused and replied, "Yes," just as he was about to turn around, Fan Jin called out to him again.
"Never mind..." Fan Jin hesitated, "No need to invite them, I'll go myself!"
"You're going yourself?" The clerk was stunned.
"Yes."
Fan Jin took out a mirror from somewhere and looked at himself. He straightened his clothes and adjusted his headdress, then in an instant, he put on an extremely bright smile. Amidst the clerk's ghostly gaze, he walked out of the inner hall.
After leaving the inner hall and reaching the front courtyard, Fan Jin saw Mo Hua from a distance, and his eyes lit up, and his smile became even brighter.
"Master Gu! Mo Gongzi! Forgive me for not coming to greet you, please forgive me!"
Fan Jin was extremely enthusiastic.
After the darkest hour comes the dawn, and his luck was finally turning around; the "Great Benefactor" had finally arrived!
(End of Chapter)
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