https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-985-Divine-Slaying-Sword-s-Awakening/13113518/
Chapter 984: The Great Demon Hall
Chapter 984: The Great Demon Hall
The Great Demon Hall?
Mo Hua was taken aback, then slowly nodded.
Back when they were suppressing the Demon School, he had researched its origins from the Court of Dao and the Tai Xu Gate's archives, learning about the term "Great Demon Hall."
The ultimate goal of evil cultivation is to receive power from Demon cultivators.
The ultimate goal of Demon cultivation is to receive the Dao from the Demon School.
And the ultimate goal of the Demon School is the Great Demon Hall, where a Demon Lord reigns supreme, ruling over countless Blood Slaves and Soul Slaves, consuming people to the bone, and monopolizing everything.
But the Great Demon Hall was too distant in the past, and many have forgotten about it.
Elder Zheng spoke solemnly, "Over twenty thousand years ago, before the first year of the Dao Calendar, the Court of Dao had not yet unified the cultivation world. It was a time of chaos and darkness."
"The Great Demon Hall dominated the entire cultivation world, controlling countless Demon Schools."
"The Great Demon Hall was all-powerful, and the Demon Path ran rampant. Countless Demon Schools stood tall, and Demon cultivators spread across the land."
"Corpse cultivators refined corpses, Blood cultivators sucked blood, Demon cultivators ate flesh, evil cultivators replenished themselves, and Demon cultivators fused souls... It was a true 'survival of the fittest' where the weak were devoured."
"Demon Qi covered the sky, and blood dyed the earth red... Countless weak cultivators were killed, slaughtered, plundered, enslaved, refined into cauldrons, devoured alive, and had their souls extracted..."
"Adding to this were various natural disasters, and the proliferation of evil spirits, leading to the deaths of countless cultivators."
"The population of cultivators plummeted, human power declined rapidly, and the land became barren and desolate, almost to the point of extinction."
"In this time of crisis, there were righteous cultivators who tempered their hearts through hardship, clarified their Dao with the Great Tao, and with a passionate heart, they upheld the will of heaven, using their cultivation to eradicate demons, evil spirits, and Corpse cultivators from the world. They forged a righteous path through the thorns and hardships."
"Subsequently, righteous schools emerged one by one, and the righteous forces grew stronger with each step."
"All righteous cultivators had unwavering Dao hearts and considered eradicating demons and protecting the Dao as their responsibility."
"After thousands of years, countless righteous predecessors sacrificed their lives, shedding blood and sweat, and finally, they almost wiped out all Demon cultivators in this world."
"Even those Demon Lords with overwhelming evil powers had to hide and lie low."
"The remnants of the Demon Path could only hide in dark corners, barely surviving."
"The world became clear and bright, and the Court of Dao unified the Nine Provinces, followed the Dao's laws, promoted righteousness, and banned all Demon cultivation techniques and classics. Only then did the cultivation world enjoy over twenty thousand years of peace and prosperity, with countless cultivators and a thriving Nine Provinces..."
"As for the Great Demon Hall, with its boundless sins, and the countless cultivators who suffered through that tragic and bitter history, after over twenty thousand years, these stories gradually faded into the long river of cultivation history, rarely remembered and almost never mentioned again..."
As Elder Zheng spoke of these past events, his voice grew passionate with endless emotions.
Mo Hua listened, his heart stirred.
But then, he couldn't help but feel puzzled, unsure why Elder Zheng was telling him all this.
Elder Zheng looked at Mo Hua and asked a question:
"Mo Hua, do you think the 'Demon' in this world can be completely eradicated?"
Mo Hua frowned, thought for a moment, and shook his head:
"As long as people have greed, anger, ignorance, desire, and delusions, they will give birth to 'Demons'."
"Demons originate from people. As long as there are people, there will be Demons, and as long as there are cultivators, there will be Demon cultivators."
Upon hearing this, Elder Zheng nodded with satisfaction, "The human heart can give birth to Demons. If one does not cultivate the Dao heart, one will eventually develop demonic thoughts."
"Once the Dao heart is not firm, and demonic thoughts arise, people will eventually make mistakes, stray from the path, and become Demon cultivators who practice demonic cultivation techniques, killing and harming others."
"This is from the perspective of individuals. But what about from the perspective of power and influence?"
Elder Zheng stared at Mo Hua and asked in a low voice, "What's the difference between Demon Schools and righteous forces?"
Mo Hua frowned and pondered, "The way of humans is to take from those with surplus and give to those in need..."
"Demon Schools practice demonic and evil cultivation techniques, slaughtering and enslaving the weak, drinking their blood, eating their flesh, absorbing their spiritual power, and extracting their souls... This is exploitation of the cultivators' lives, as well as the origin of the Great Tao."
Elder Zheng nodded and sighed, "Well said."
Then, his gaze sharpened, and he asked, "What about the righteous forces? What about the great families and clans? Do they follow the Heavenly Dao or the Human Dao?"
Mo Hua was taken aback, instantly understanding Elder Zheng's meaning, and a chill crept into his heart.
Elder Zheng spoke slowly, "The great families and clans seize the resources of lower-level cultivators, exploit their labor, deprive them of their means of survival, and then discard them like worn-out shoes. Isn't this also 'exploitation'? It's just a more gentle approach..."
"But this gentleness will eventually change."
"You should know about the Shen family, right?" Elder Zheng glanced at Mo Hua with a meaningful look.
Mo Hua nodded.
"This is the most typical example," Elder Zheng said, "The lower-level cultivators are exploited of their spirit stones, labor, time, and energy. All that's left for them is a useless 'rubble'."
"Since it's useless rubble, it's only natural to discard and kill them."
"But the Shen family didn't go far enough..."
Elder Zheng's tone carried a trace of objective coldness and cruelty, "Because they still had a sense of righteousness. They only killed those useless mine cultivators after exploiting them."
"But are useless mine cultivators truly useless?"
Elder Zheng shook his head, "No, they are still useful. Their skin can be peeled, their blood can be drunk, their flesh can be eaten, their souls can be refined, and their corpses can be used for Corpse cultivation..."
"This is the Demon."
"The Shen family didn't go this far, but human greed is limitless, and exploitation knows no bounds... Eventually, some families will cross the line and take this step."
"Once they do, once they cross this line, the family becomes a Demon School, and the 'righteous' becomes 'evil'..."
Mo Hua's face paled.
Elder Zheng looked at Mo Hua with profound eyes, speaking in a deep voice, "Therefore, the opposition between righteousness and demons is unified, yet they are distinct and clear, but they are also one in origin."
"The so-called 'demon' is not born from the womb, nor from eggs, but from 'transformation birth'."
"Human hearts can transform, great families can transform, and the Tao Court is no exception."
"Once the entire cultivation world is unified, the Tao Court, with its profound foundation, strongest strength, and greatest influence, will eventually complete its transformation, and it is highly likely that it will evolve into a new..."
Elder Zheng paused, his tone turning grim, "The Great Demon Hall!"
Mo Hua's pupils constricted, and his heart trembled.
Elder Zheng's words were something he had never considered before.
But the experiences of Gusu Mountain, the cold hard facts of the Shen family, all flashed through his mind, and the more Mo Hua thought about it, the more his heart chilled.
"These things..." Mo Hua's voice trailed off, "The righteous sects, those ancient ancestors of the great families, don't they realize this themselves?"
Elder Zheng spoke indifferently, "People rarely have self-awareness. Once they have benefits, they will fight for them, without realizing what they are truly doing."
"Some people are unaware, some don't want to know, and even if some do know, they are helpless."
"Not to mention there are those who are happy to see it happen..."
Mo Hua's eyes flickered with a slight tremor, and he fell silent.
"Additionally, there's an even more severe problem," Elder Zheng sighed and continued.
"A more severe problem?"
Elder Zheng asked Mo Hua, "In your opinion, what's the difference between the righteous path and the demon path?"
Mo Hua initially wanted to say it was the cultivation system, but after some thought, he felt this answer was too simplistic.
After a moment of contemplation, Mo Hua slowly replied, "Is it... the Dao heart?"
Elder Zheng nodded, "Over twenty thousand years ago, when the demon path was rampant, the righteous cultivation practitioners were able to forge ahead, slay demons, and protect the Dao because they had an unwavering heart that resisted evil, discarded personal desires, cared for the world, had compassion for all living beings, and possessed an incredibly firm 'Dao heart'."
"Only with such a heart could they strive in an extremely harsh environment, persevere in the face of adversity, overcome the impossible, and ultimately, step by step, overthrow the once-powerful Great Demon Hall, which had immense power and influence."
"Only then could they open up a future for the cultivation world of the Nine Provinces and for all living beings."
"The most important thing for righteous cultivation practitioners to inherit is this very Dao heart."
"But..."
Elder Zheng looked up at the sky of Qianzhou, then at the distant, vast mountains, and the numerous sects nestled among them. He shook his head and sighed, "Today, we transmit cultivation techniques, Dao arts, formation techniques, forging, alchemy, and talismans, but the one thing we don't pass down is the Dao heart."
"Having cultivation but lacking the Dao heart, they are selfish and self-serving."
"They seize the benefits of the world for their own gain. These are the so-called 'pride of heaven' from the top sects of Qianzhou..."
Elder Zheng's expression was a mix of self-mockery and helplessness, and he continued with pain, "Cultivation is just an empty shell; the Dao heart is the essence. Having cultivation but lacking the Dao heart, such cultivators, no matter how high their cultivation or how strong their power, will eventually become nothing more than 'vessels' for the demon path..."
"Moreover, they are vessels with exceptional spiritual roots and talents, who have devoured vast cultivation resources and inherited the most superior cultivation methods—the ultimate 'vessels' of the demon path..."
Elder Zheng's words carried a deep-rooted worry.
If one day a great catastrophe were to descend upon the world, with evil gods awakening, Tianmo reviving, and the demon path making a comeback, what would happen with the current cultivators' Dao hearts? He didn't even dare to think about it.
Furthermore, the great families, in their efforts to solidify their status, monopolized these inheritances.
The disparity in resources and inheritances between the disciples of the great families and the lowly wandering cultivators was immense, and the situation would only deteriorate further.
Elder Zheng's expression was filled with melancholy, "Back then, with a heart full of passion, I left Zhenzhou and came to Qianzhou, joining Qian Dao Sect and becoming an elder of the Four Great Sects. I thought I could change things with my own strength."
"But after all these years of bitter dedication, I've ended up with nothing but a head full of blood and a heart filled with despair."
"In the grand scheme of things, my voice is insignificant. Even if I argue with reason, it's of no use..."
Elder Zheng sighed with a heavy heart.
Mo Hua's expression was equally somber.
Elder Zheng glanced at Mo Hua again and spoke slowly, "I'm only telling you these things here. Keep them to yourself and don't mention them to outsiders, especially..." He trailed off, "the matter of the Great Demon Hall."
Mo Hua nodded seriously.
Elder Zheng waved his hand, dispelling the surrounding formations, and whispered, "Alright, it's getting late. I still have to pack some luggage, so I won't keep you."
"Take these formation diagrams and jade parchments back and study them well. You have great talent, and your future is limitless."
Mo Hua carefully put away the formation diagrams and jade parchments that the Divine Thoughts. He stood up, bowed, and said, "Thank you, senior. I will remember your words."
Elder Zheng nodded slightly and then stared deeply at Mo Hua, feeling a surge of reluctance in his heart.
He would be leaving soon.
This departure would span across Qianzhou and Zhenzhou, a distance of tens of thousands of miles.
The next time he saw Mo Hua, who knew when that would be?
It was uncertain if they would even meet again in this lifetime.
After all, a cultivator's life was filled with too many thresholds.
Not to mention the unpredictability of heaven's will and the uncertainties of human fate.
If Mo Hua were to suddenly encounter misfortune, unexpectedly fall, or face obstacles in his cultivation, unable to progress, and eventually perish due to the exhaustion of his lifespan, it would be a great pity.
Even if his cultivation went smoothly and his Dao fate was not yet exhausted, it might be decades or even centuries before they met again.
Time passed, and who knew what Mo Hua would be like then?
Would he remain true to his heart, forging ahead, or would he encounter changes, undergo a transformation in character, or even fall into a path of no return, going astray and losing his way?
There were too many variables in a person's life.
Those who can truly uphold their Dao heart from beginning to end are indeed too few and far between, and it is truly a challenging endeavor.
As this thought crossed Elder Zheng's mind, he suddenly felt apprehensive. He heard Mo Hua's clear voice beside him, "Elder Zheng, the mountain path is long and treacherous, please take care."
Mo Hua's voice was crisp, and his eyes shone with clarity and determination, filled with a vibrant divine aura.
Elder Zheng's heart calmed as he was influenced by Mo Hua's gaze, which exuded an enigmatic charm.
With a serene smile, countless thoughts flooded his mind, but in the end, he could only muster a sincere wish, "Take care..."
Mo Hua respectfully bowed and left with a hint of reluctance.
Elder Zheng stood at the doorway, watching Mo Hua's departing figure until he was out of sight.
Night had fallen, and darkness enveloped the land.
Elder Zheng stood at the doorway for a long time.
He kept his gaze fixed on Mo Hua, as if he were witnessing the only faint "light" in the dimly lit world as the long night approached.
...
After bidding farewell to Elder Zheng, Mo Hua returned to the Tai Xu Gate and sat alone at the disciples' table, staring blankly at the candlelight.
Elder Zheng's words still echoed in his mind.
"'Demon' is not born from the womb or egg, but from transformation..."
"The righteous and demonic paths are distinct, yet they originate from the same source."
"The Great Demon Hall..."
Mo Hua vaguely sensed a grand cosmic order, a "Dao" that governed the lives of all beings.
A deep sense of urgency welled up within him.
Mo Hua realized that the situation might be even more dire than he had imagined.
Moreover, a more terrifying thought crossed his mind.
"The way of Heaven takes from the surplus to make up for the deficiency; the way of Man takes from the deficiency to serve the surplus."
Only by attaining the way of Heaven can one achieve immortality.
If this is true, then in this vast world, countless cultivators who seemingly strive for enlightenment and immortality are actually treading a completely opposite path.
They are not seeking the heavenly Dao.
They are not cultivating true immortality.
A deep chill rose in Mo Hua's heart.
In this grand scheme, if he truly wanted to attain heavenly Dao and cultivate genuine immortality, he would inevitably become an enemy of the most powerful and elite forces in the cultivation world.
The difficulties, dangers, and life-and-death struggles ahead were suffocating just to think about.
And it might not end there...
These were just the apparent aspects of the grand scheme that he could see.
In the shadows, were there unknown terrifying entities plotting something even more grandiose, ancient, and sinister related to "immortality"?
Mo Hua's heart trembled, and he remained silent for a long time.
"It's too difficult..."
Mo Hua sighed, but his gaze gradually became resolute.
Difficulties are a sign of being on the right path.
If achieving immortality were this easy, countless people would have ascended by now.
The value lies in the pursuit of the challenging.
It is through overcoming challenges that one's strength is proven.
If one seeks only comfort and goes with the flow, wouldn't they waste their innate talent for the divine path, squander the opportunities presented by their master, and betray the kindness of their parents and all the elders who have guided them along the way?
As the night deepened, the flickering candlelight reflected in Mo Hua's eyes, making them shine like starlight.
"I must become much, much stronger..."
...
The next day, Mo Hua continued his usual cultivation and practiced the Contrary Spirit Formation.
In his free time, he meticulously studied the knowledge of the divine path he had heard from Huangshan Jun, using it to plan his advancement in divine thoughts.
In the short term, his physical body and mystical power would not see significant progress.
He could improve in formations, but there was no need to rush.
The only aspect he could enhance was his divine thoughts, which were the foundation of his understanding of formations and the path to enlightenment through divine consciousness.
Mo Hua's divine thoughts were already powerful, but they needed to be stronger.
Especially after the battle with the evil fetus, Mo Hua was not satisfied.
On the surface, the evil fetus was dead, and he had won.
But Mo Hua knew he hadn't truly won.
He had exploited a weakness, using the divine_slain Sword to sever the divine skeleton of the evil fetus and Huangshan Jun, causing the evil fetus to "split" internally.
In the end, it was Huangshan Jun's divine prowess that led to their mutual destruction, allowing Mo Hua to escape the nightmare.
During this time, the vengeful spirits and ghosts of Gusu Mountain had also aided him.
In other words, he had won the battle at Gusu Mountain because of his "connections" and "face."
The righteous are aided by many, while the unrighteous are aided by few.
The fact that others helped him indicated that his path was correct.
However, Mo Hua also realized that this was not ideal.
He didn't want to rely on others for success or failure, nor did he like the feeling of not being in control of his own fate.
His divine thoughts must become even more powerful!
The path to power lay in two directions: first, as Huangshan Jun had suggested, continuing to follow the divine path, breaking through the limitations of humanity, and achieving a "form change" in his divine thoughts, with divine thought crystals forming an armor-like shield.
Second, he could continue to absorb the dragon soul, and see if he could imbue his divine thoughts with the power of the dragon soul!
With this, he might even be able to manifest dragon scales, dragon claws, and don dragon armor.
His divine thoughts would reach new heights.
By pursuing both paths simultaneously, along with the refinement through formations, the transformation of divine thoughts, and the variations of the Tianyan Secret, his divine consciousness could become infinitely powerful.
One day, he might even become strong enough to tear apart evil gods with his bare hands.
However, this goal was still a distant one.
And even this was not enough.
No matter how strong his divine consciousness was, it was still limited to the virtual realm of divine thoughts.
The real world also required a certain power of destruction.
Mo Hua already had an idea.
This was the method he had been contemplating and practicing repeatedly, but had failed due to his divine consciousness not reaching twenty patterns.
Now that his divine consciousness had formed a golden Dan, he finally had the qualifications to try again.
By condensing the divine_slain Sword of Tai Xu with his divine thoughts and releasing it through his eye aperture, breaking the boundaries between the virtual and real realms, he could perform divine destruction.
With the divine sword in his consciousness sea, he could slay physical enemies in the real world.
(End of Chapter)
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