Chapter 982: Fulfilling the Promise
Chapter 982: Fulfilling the Promise
What exactly was the 'Ancient Formation' that the Second Elder mentioned? Mo Hua's eyes narrowed in contemplation.
The Ancient Strange Pattern Formation, obtained from the endless Primeval Abyss, was improved by the Great Shaman and sealed by the Great Wilderness Imperial Clan, inscribed within the Anthropomorphic Goat-Horned Skeleton Evil Deity Statue...
The Second Elder didn't know what this formation was, and he had never even seen it with his own eyes. Why did he think that this formation was suitable to become his Life-Bound Treasure?
Mo Hua recalled the subtle expressions of the Second Elder in the Dragon Hall and pondered them carefully in his mind.
At first, the Second Elder didn't seem to have any intention of mentioning this matter.
Moreover, this "Ancient Formation" was just an ancient secret of the Great Wilderness that he had buried deep in his heart.
He should have kept it hidden forever and never revealed it, even in death.
But the events in the Dragon Hall seemed to have changed his mind. After an internal struggle, he finally shared this secret with Mo Hua.
On the surface, this seemed like a desperate act of the Second Elder on his deathbed.
However, this Second Elder had lived for too long, using Dragon Bones to extend his life.
When a person lives for a long time, they become deeply scheming, especially an old demon cultivator skilled in plotting.
His gratitude and blessings towards Mo Hua might be genuine, but there could also be hidden calculations within.
"Does this formation truly exist?"
"Could the Second Elder be baiting me with a lure?"
Mo Hua frowned.
The problem was that even if this ancient formation was just a "lure," he couldn't possibly refuse it.
Furthermore, the Second Elder said that this Primeval Wilderness Ancient Formation was suitable to become his Life-Bound Formation Diagram, which was likely not groundless talk, and there must be a reason for his claim.
"Then, what exactly is this Primeval Wilderness Ancient Formation? Is it a type of Great Wilderness Dragon Formation, or something else?"
Unfortunately, the Second Elder had already perished, and many details could no longer be asked of him.
There was no way to find out what this formation diagram was.
Mo Hua couldn't help but sigh.
His quest for a Life-Bound Treasure had indeed been full of twists and turns. After all this time, he only had a vague idea of what it might be.
Mo Hua shook his head.
However, the path of cultivation was never easy, and precious legacies were always extremely scarce.
To obtain something valuable, one must put in the effort.
In the past, he had his master's help, and at Tai Xu Gate, Xun Old Master and the other elders took care of him. But they couldn't help him forever.
He needed to learn to overcome difficulties and seek his own foundation in the Dao.
Only then could he truly rely on his own abilities to stand firm on the land of the Nine States.
In the future, he would have the ability to travel alone across the world, explore dangerous places, search for lost Dao teachings, and collect ancient formation diagrams, gradually becoming stronger.
Mo Hua's resolve deepened, and his eyes shone with renewed clarity.
He had made up his mind about the Primeval Wilderness Ancient Formation and no longer dwelled on it.
After that, he picked up the Dragon Vein again.
With the Dragon Hall now silent and the Dragon Emperor dead, it seemed that a part of the legacy's origin had been severed, and the Dragon Vein had become much quieter.
The aura within the Dragon Vein was no longer as savage as before.
Mo Hua tried to communicate with the Dragon Vein using his Divine Perception.
But he failed.
The Dragon Vein didn't respond at all.
Mo Hua furrowed his brows.
"This shouldn't be..."
In his imagination, having swallowed the Dragon Soul, he should naturally resonate with the Dragon Vein.
Why was there no sense of connection at all? Mo Hua sank his Divine Sense into his Sea of Consciousness and perceived the state of his Divine Perception.
After a moment of introspection, Mo Hua realized that although he had swallowed the Dragon Soul, his Divine Perception had not undergone any fundamental changes; it had only been imbued with a faint trace of Dragon Qi.
When he called out, his crisp voice would carry a hint of a dragon's roar.
This was far from what Mo Hua had expected.
He had thought that by consuming the Dragon Soul, even if he couldn't transform into a dragon, he could at least manifest some Dragon Scales or Dragon Claws.
His Divine Perception would also become increasingly sturdy.
But the situation was not as favorable as he had hoped.
This Dragon Soul was not as "nourishing" as he had imagined.
"Why?"
"Is it because the Dragon Emperor of the Great Wilderness had lived for too long and had become decrepit, so the Dragon Qi was aged, and consuming it had no 'nutritional' value?"
"Or... is it because the Dragon Soul's source is too resilient, and although I consumed it, I haven't truly 'digested' it?"
Mo Hua frowned, thinking that both possibilities could be true.
However, no one had ever consumed a Dragon Soul before, so no one should know if the Dragon Soul was easy to digest or not.
"Since I've already eaten it, I'll slowly refine it and see what it becomes. But..."
Mo Hua muttered to himself.
"Divine Sense Enlightenment, Divine Perception Dao Transformation, merging with Dragon Power, is this... Divine Perception Dragon Transformation?"
"If it's Dragon Transformation, then does my Divine Perception Sword Technique become 'Dragon Transformation Sword'? With a single sword strike, a dragon is born?"
Did he... go astray again? Unconsciously, he had complicated the issue once more.
Mo Hua sighed.
"Forget it, too many lice don't itch, too many debts don't worry, it's already chaotic enough, and one more dragon won't make a difference."
He'll slowly refine it; there's no rush.
Mo Hua withdrew his Divine Sense from the Sea of Consciousness, opened his eyes, and stared at the Dragon Vein. Then, he realized another problem:
"What should I do with this Dragon Vein?"
For now, this 'Dragon Vein' was temporarily unusable.
It couldn't be stored in a storage bag.
He couldn't research it either.
His project to 'nurture' the dragon had just begun, and it would take an unknown amount of time to gather the essence of ten thousand demons and cultivate a complete Dragon Texture.
The finishing touch on the dragon was not yet due.
This Dragon Vein, if kept, would be like a useless possession.
Not only useless, but also a hot potato.
This was the secret treasure of the Great Wilderness Imperial Clan and the entrance to the Great Wilderness Dao legacy. Once it was discovered, it would undoubtedly stir up a storm, and he didn't know how much trouble it would bring him.
"Would the Dao Court sentence me for 'treason'?"
"The Great Wilderness is the Destined Dragon, and the Destined Dragon Pulse is not a true dragon, so it shouldn't be that serious, right...?"
Mo Hua had some doubts in his heart.
He was innocent and had never harbored any thoughts of rebellion.
Mo Hua contemplated for a moment and carefully wrapped the Dragon Vein in black cloth, keeping it safe.
The next day, early in the morning, he visited Xun Old Master and handed over the Dragon Vein.
Mo Hua was well aware that Xun Old Master would know exactly what he had brought into the sect. However, out of respect for Mo Hua, he would turn a blind eye.
This was a sign of Xun Old Master's trust.
But Mo Hua also had to be cautious and not overstep his boundaries.
Currently, this Dragon Vein was beyond his control, so it was better to leave it in the hands of the sect.
Indeed, when Xun Old Master saw the black cloth Mo Hua handed over, he understood its contents without even unwrapping it.
"Bored of it already?"
Mo Hua felt a bit embarrassed, "I... I don't quite understand it."
Xun Old Master nodded, "Then I'll keep it for you. When you figure it out, come back and claim it."
Mo Hua was grateful, but also a little worried. He asked in a low voice, "Old Master, if we keep this Dragon Vein for ourselves, will it... cause trouble with the Dao Court?"
Xun Old Master raised an eyebrow, "No need to worry. What could the Dao Court possibly blame us for? The dragons of this world don't belong to them alone."
"You didn't skin a true dragon, extract its tendons, refine its dragon veins, or pick up a destined dragon pulse. The Dao Court won't go out of their way to cause you trouble."
"Moreover, only you and I know about this matter. Heaven and Earth are our witnesses."
"With this Dragon Vein kept in our Tai Xu Gate, the Dao Court won't even know about it. There won't be any trouble."
Mo Hua was relieved and smiled at Xun Old Master, "Then I'll leave it in your hands, Old Master."
Xun Old Master waved his hand, "You can rest assured and focus on your cultivation."
"Yes," Mo Hua nodded and smiled, bowing before taking his leave.
Xun Old Master shook his head helplessly and turned to look at the Dragon Vein in front of him, its aura seemingly weaker. He couldn't help but wonder:
"What has this child been researching..."
...
After leaving Xun Old Master, Mo Hua continued his usual cultivation.
A few days later, during the ten-day rest period, he took a trip to Ku Mountain.
With the matters of Gusu Mountain and the Dragon Vein mostly settled, Mo Hua finally had the time for this trip.
He intended to return the 'Life-Linked Divine Statue' of Huangshan Jun to its rightful owner.
This was the request of Huangshan Jun from Gusu Mountain.
Having accepted the task, he naturally had to fulfill it.
Moreover, Huangshan Jun had given him a generous gift before his death.
Since it was a long journey, Xun Ziyou naturally accompanied him.
Mo Hua carried the statue, invisible and imperceptible to others, on his back.
The two traveled by carriage, arriving at Ku Mountain.
The mountain was serene, its forests lush and dense.
A thick carpet of fallen leaves covered the ground, from the foot of the mountain all the way to the summit.
They climbed the steps, treading on the soft and crispy leaves, until they reached the ruined temple.
Mo Hua said, "Elder Xun, this is far enough. I'll go in by myself."
Xun Ziyou looked at the desolate mountain, devoid of any human presence, and the empty, dilapidated temple. His eyebrows furrowed.
"You're going in alone?"
Mo Hua nodded, "I'm visiting an old friend."
"An old friend?" Xun Ziyou was puzzled.
(To be continued in Chapter 169)
A surge of excitement and emotion, beyond belief, welled up from the depths of Huangshan Jun's heart, coursing through his entire being. His body trembled, his heart raced, his scalp tingled, and his head buzzed with a deafening roar.
Huangshan Jun's mind was filled with disbelief.
"This..." His voice quivered.
Mo Hua spoke softly, "I saw it as your 'family heirloom,' and since I happened to find it, I brought it back for you."
As he spoke, Mo Hua lifted a corner of the gray cloth.
Huangshan Jun took only a glance, and his whole body shuddered uncontrollably, his eyes even beginning to well up with hot tears.
"You... You brought it back for me?"
"Mm-hmm!" Mo Hua nodded.
Huangshan Jun's chest tightened, and he almost couldn't breathe.
He looked at Mo Hua again, and at that moment, Mo Hua's brows resembled distant mountains, his eyes shone like bright stars, his lips red and teeth white, exuding unparalleled handsomeness and elegance.
In this world, there was no one more handsome than Mo Hua, not even among gods or immortals.
Mo Hua was so handsome that his entire body seemed to radiate golden light.
This little cultivation practitioner had actually... retrieved his 'Life-Linked Divine Statue'?
From the hands of that ancient evil deity, from the already hatched evil fetus, he had brought back the Life-Linked Divine Statue that had been lost at the bottom of Gusu Mountain, occupied by evil spirits?
For Huangshan Jun, a mountain god, this was an immense favor, one that could be likened to being reborn by his parents, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration.
This little ancestor was indeed his 'ancestor.'
At the same time, Huangshan Jun was also deeply shocked.
He couldn't even imagine how Mo Hua, a Foundation Establishment cultivation practitioner, had accomplished all this.
At the bottom of Gusu Mountain, a burial ground for countless corpses, the Evil Fetus Temple.
Huangshan Jun couldn't even fathom the countless dangers and obstacles that lay within.
Even if he, as a mountain god, was lucky enough to cultivate for another thousand years and return to the peak of the Third Rank, he might not be able to fight his way to the bottom of Gusu Mountain, retrieve his Life-Linked Divine Statue, and escape unscathed.
How had this little cultivation practitioner, Mo Hua, managed to do it? Huangshan Jun was stunned, his mind blank.
Seeing Huangshan Jun standing there in a daze, Mo Hua kindly reminded him, "Quickly put it away, don't lose it again."
Huangshan Jun was startled, suddenly remembering the matter at hand.
Without hesitation, he reached out to take his Life-Linked Divine Statue, but the next moment, he hesitated, seemingly considering whether to hide it from Mo Hua.
However, after some thought, he realized that Mo Hua had found this Life-Linked Divine Statue. If Mo Hua had wanted to keep it for himself, he would have done so already.
In this situation, hiding it from Mo Hua would be treating him with suspicion.
Huangshan Jun stopped hesitating, and with a flicker, he entered the Life-Linked Divine Statue. A moment later, Huangshan Jun emerged, his upper body radiating golden light.
His appearance had changed slightly; his robe was a bit more luxurious, his stature more robust, his face less pale, and his eyes now held a hint of divine splendor.
Overall, he also appeared a bit more formidable.
His Primordial essence had become denser.
"You merged with the Life-Linked Divine Statue?" Mo Hua asked curiously.
Huangshan Jun replied, "After being separated for so long, I need to nurture it for a while, and then..."
Huangshan Jun paused, not hiding the truth, "Then, when the Primordial essence is in place, I'll find another secret location to store this precious item."
Mo Hua nodded, not asking further questions. Seeing the broken bowl on Huangshan Jun's altar filled with rainwater and a stale steamed bun on the dish, he knew that Huangshan Jun's life remained unchanged, with no signs of improvement. Mo Hua took out chicken, duck, fish, and meat from his storage bag and placed them on the table. He opened a small jar of wine and invited Huangshan Jun, "Come, let's eat and chat."
Huangshan Jun was deeply moved, and he clasped his hands respectfully, "Then, I shall follow your lead."
Thus, the two sat side by side on the altar, eating meat, drinking wine, and chatting.
Mo Hua mainly wanted to ask about Gusu Mountain's past.
Huangshan Jun was willing to share whatever he knew.
Unfortunately, it seemed that with the loss of his Primordial essence, his memory had also suffered, and most of what he said was already known to Mo Hua.
Regarding the Tai Xu Gate senior who had beheaded him, Huangshan Jun only had a vague impression of a figure in white and a sharp Tai Xu Sword, unable to recall the person's appearance or even their face clearly.
This was a bit strange.
Mo Hua frowned, his heart secretly suspecting two possibilities.
One was that Huangshan Jun had indeed lost his memory after being beheaded, forgetting the appearance of the senior.
The other possibility was that the Tai Xu Gate senior had other unknown karma, and for the sake of secrecy, had erased his past using some unknown means.
It was also possible that someone else had erased his past karma due to certain secrets.
That was why Huangshan Jun couldn't remember the senior's appearance.
However, this was just Mo Hua's speculation based on his intuition after cultivating the Path of Karma.
The truth remained uncertain.
Mo Hua asked some additional questions, all of which were doubts he had accumulated over time while cultivating the Path of Divine Thoughts.
These questions included the development of cultivation practitioners' Divine Sense, the advancement of deities, the relationship between rank and level, the nature of Dao Transformation, and especially whether deities' Divine Thoughts would undergo a 'qualitative change' with the increase in rank.
Long ago, the Third-Ranked Blood-Colored Divine Skeleton he had encountered had a body as hard as iron.
And the Third-Ranked Evil Fetus was even more so, its entire body covered in 'Demon Armor,' indestructible.
But cultivation practitioners' Divine Senses didn't undergo such changes.
Mo Hua himself seemed to have only a hint of this 'qualitative change.'
Hence, he was a bit confused.
Was there something else he had overlooked on the Path of Divine Thoughts?
However, his Divine Thoughts were a mix of human and divine, too complex in composition, and the source of his Divine Thoughts was too chaotic.
With Mo Hua's own experience, he couldn't untangle the relationship, so he could only seek guidance from Huangshan Jun, hoping for some inspiration to further strengthen his Divine Thoughts.
(End of Chapter)
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