Chapter 1060: Shangguan Wang

Mo Hua stepped into the demon's maw and entered the passage.

The stone walls on both sides were entirely flesh and blood, trembling faintly, with blood veins weaving and drifting, accompanied by a stench of decay and the karmic weight of slaughter—no one knew how many lives had been taken, their flesh and blood melted down to forge this passage.

Mo Hua sighed softly in his heart.

This flesh-and-blood passage connected to the earth veins, linking all regions of the Vast Feng Tianxue Sacrifice Array; only the Master of the Evil Path, the chief array master, seemed to possess the secret method for free passage.

Master Tu led Mo Hua through boundless crimson, heading deeper into the blood sacrifice array.

After walking for an unknown length of time, a faint glow appeared ahead.

Mo Hua looked up and saw another pillar stone wall, carved with crimson demonic runes shaped like ram's horns—sacred yet grotesque.

These ram-horn demonic runes seemed far more advanced.

Master Tu bowed deeply, clasped his hands in reverence, then reused his old trick: his fingertip exuded blood threads that seeped into the stone wall and merged with the demonic runes.

The stone wall slowly transformed, becoming a flesh-and-blood maw that reopened, revealing another passage.

Master Tu turned and glanced at Mo Hua, his gaze icy:

"Remember this: obey me, and I won't kill you. If you act recklessly, no one can save you."

Mo Hua nodded: "As long as you don't kill me."

Master Tu's face turned deathly pale; his gaunt, demon-like figure bowed slightly, then stepped through the demon's exit.

Mo Hua followed him out of the flesh-and-blood passage.

In that instant, a chilling wind struck his face, howling with dark gales, and ear-splitting clamor erupted all around; Mo Hua looked up—and froze in shock.

Before him stood a vast, unfinished demonic structure.

Massive demonic energy machines were excavating the mountain, constantly expanding outward.

Majestic yet sinister palaces, pavilions, towers, and chambers stood in dense rows.

Countless evil cultivators and demonic cultivators moved through them like ants.

At the heart of the structure, towering above all, was a grand hall: its beams forged from demonic bones, eaves shaped like ram's horns, surrounded by countless grotesque demonic statues kneeling and bowing toward a colossal demonic deity statue.

The Vast Wilderness Demonic Deity Statue.

This was unmistakably a vast, magnificent demonic temple, built to carry boundless mad faith and welcome the true body of the demonic deity's descent.

The grander the "miracle," the more easily it breeds faith.

Even Mo Hua, gazing upon the colossal demonic statue—even though it was unfinished and the deity had not truly descended—could not help but feel a fleeting urge to kneel and worship.

Fortunately, the thought vanished in an instant.

One lifetime, one breath: bow to heaven, bow to earth, bow to parents—this Vast Wilderness Demonic Deity was not worth

his reverence.

Master Tu walked ahead of Mo Hua the whole time, but his peripheral vision and spiritual sense never left Mo Hua; he sensed the inner tremor Mo Hua felt upon seeing the deity statue.

This was the instinct of mortals.

Yet that tremor vanished instantly, like a pebble dropped into an endless deep pool—no ripple remained.

Mo Hua's gaze was clear; when he looked at the statue, it was as if he were staring at a mere "inanimate object."

Master Tu's pupils shrank slightly, and his expression grew darker.

The two continued forward, entering the demonic temple; along the way, they passed all manner of sinister, unnatural things, until they reached a grand hall and encountered someone face-to-face.

This man possessed profound cultivation, his face stern and imposing, deep lines etched beside his mouth; though he stood within the demonic temple, he wore a Daoist robe—clearly an oddity.

And Mo Hua recognized this man.

Shangguan Wang…

A fifth-rank Daoist clan elder of the Shangguan family, at the Liu Yuhua realm, wielding immense power within the clan, even nearly becoming its patriarch.

And he was the one who had kidnapped Yu'er.

Mo Hua's eyes narrowed; he thought: So it was him. This old bastard had clearly become a pawn of the Vast Wilderness Demonic Deity, colluding with Master Tu, if he could appear here, deep within the Vast Feng Tianxue Sacrifice Array.

Yet Mo Hua was deeply puzzled.

A fifth-rank Daoist clan, Liu Yuhua realm elder, holding real power—what an honor.

What had Master Tu—or rather, the Vast Wilderness Demonic Deity—offered this old Shangguan bastard to make him abandon all this, forsake the light for darkness?

As Mo Hua studied Shangguan Wang, Shangguan Wang also saw Mo Hua; his cold, indifferent expression instantly flickered with surprise.

"You?"

Mo Hua nodded. "It's me."

Shangguan Wang turned to Master Tu and said coldly: "What is the meaning of this? Why bring this boy here?"

Master Tu replied devoutly: "It is the Lord's grace."

Shangguan Wang frowned, thought for a moment, then said coldly: "Kill this boy."

Mo Hua stepped back behind Master Tu.

Master Tu shook his head. "This boy cannot be killed."

Shangguan Wang said slowly: "Master Tu, don't say I didn't warn you—this boy is deeply unnatural. Keeping him alive may cost you dearly."

Mo Hua's face darkened; he thought: You all, a pack of evil devils, dare call me—a righteous Daoist cultivator—"unnatural"?

Master Tu remained expressionless. "He cannot be killed."

Shangguan Wang shot Mo Hua a venomous glance and said no more; even as a Liu Yuhua cultivator of high rank and power, he clearly could not defy Master Tu's will.

Master Tu turned to Mo Hua. "You'll stay here for a while, in this land blessed by the Lord. I've found you a place to rest. Come with me."

"Oh." Mo Hua nodded.

Master Tu stepped forward, heading toward the pavilion on the right.

Mo Hua followed closely behind Master Tu, not glancing once at Shangguan Wang.

Mo Hua closely followed Mr. Tu, not even glancing at Shangguan Wang.

But Shangguan Wang stared fixedly at Mo Hua, his facial creases drawn tight, his expression fiercely stern.

……

Mo Hua followed Mr. Tu into the great hall, walked forward, passed a stretch of demonic murals depicting the Great Waste Hell, then stepped onto a long staircase.

But this staircase did not ascend—it descended underground, growing deeper, darker, narrower, damper, and more sinister until, at its end, he finally reached the lodging Mr. Tu had prepared for Mo Hua:

A dungeon.

The dungeon was deep, sealed, pitch-black, surrounded by sheer walls, filling one with utter despair at just a glance.

Mo Hua gazed silently for a moment, then reminded Mr. Tu:

"I am the Heavenly Sword Disciple of the Qian Academy, the Array Art Grandmaster; people usually call me 'Crown Prince of the Grand Void Gate'…"

Meaning: You expect the "Crown Prince" to live in a place like this?

As the "chief steward" of the Great Waste Demon God, is this how you treat your guests? Isn't this a bit too impolite?

Mr. Tu replied coolly: "This is already the most honored hospitality. Locking you here keeps you calm and spares me trouble."

"Please," Mr. Tu said politely, but his voice was hoarse and ghastly, like a demon's.

When under someone else's eaves, one must bow one's head.

Mo Hua had no choice; he obediently walked into the prison.

Mr. Tu sealed the prison door, said not another word to Mo Hua, and left—yet just before reaching the dungeon's entrance, he gave a chilling order to the several Jin Dan demon cultivators guarding it:

"Watch him closely. Allow not the slightest slackness, allow not the tiniest oversight…"

Mr. Tu did not finish his words, but the demon cultivators all felt ice freeze in their hearts.

What consequences would follow an oversight? Those who guarded this dungeon knew better than anyone.

The demon cultivators bowed their bodies, not daring to breathe.

After uttering those words, Mr. Tu departed.

Only after Mr. Tu had vanished far away, and the chilling, scalp-crawling aura dissipated, did the demon cultivators slowly straighten, dare to breathe deeply—and yet remained deeply puzzled.

One demon cultivator with a cold, sinister face frowned:

"This is the deepest layer of the Great Waste Prison. Inmates here are at least late-stage Jin Dan; even Liu Yuhua has been locked here. Now you imprison only a Foundation Establishment cultivator?"

"And even Mr. Tu himself acts with such meticulous caution, not daring to let down his guard… Just who is this boy?"

The other demon cultivators were about to speak when someone barked:

"Shut your mouths!"

"Don't meddle in idle matters, don't ask foolish questions. Here, the more you talk, the faster you die."

All fell silent.

One tall, monstrous demon cultivator sneered:

"Mr. Tu's depths are unfathomable; his actions always have reason. Anyone who makes Mr. Tu cautious—even if merely Foundation Establishment—is not for you to gossip about."

"Beware of entangling karma. You'll die in his hands."

At these words, all demon cultivators fell as silent as frozen cicadas.

The Great Waste Prison never holds ordinary people.

Especially not those locked in its deepest layer.

Some may have low realms, but their karma is terrifying; if their fate is not strong enough, contact means certain death.

These demon cultivators who guarded the Great Waste Prison did not understand karma or fate, but they had seen many fellow demon cultivators with weak fate die from karmic retribution—so they understood certain taboos.

From then on, none of the demon cultivators dared to spy on Mo Hua, nor did any fool dare approach within three zhang of him.

……

Inside the dungeon.

Mo Hua looked up at the ceiling, feeling it towered impossibly high, narrow as a chasm.

He reached out and tapped the walls; the stone was unyielding, uneven, feeling like human bones.

Under his spiritual sense, the stone walls were inscribed with a third-grade high-level demonic array.

The third-grade high-level demonic array sealed off everything within the prison—Mo Hua's blood qi and spiritual energy flowed sluggishly, and even his spiritual sense felt dizzy.

"Can't escape…"

This prison, in a third-grade realm, was truly a "dead end."

Mr. Tu had indeed shown him respect—locking him here, completely isolating him, granting not the slightest opportunity for maneuver.

Mo Hua sighed faintly, "Well then. Since I'm here, I might as well make peace with it."

There was still much to do. The situation was unclear; it was not wise to act rashly.

Even his spiritual sense grew weary under the dungeon's demonic array.

If so, better to conserve strength and sleep.

The dungeon's walls were chilling and oppressive, stained with bloodstains; the air carried the stench of old blood and decay.

From some unknown place, cold yin energy seeped out, icy and biting.

Mo Hua touched his waist and pulled out his storage pouch.

To Mo Hua's surprise, Mr. Tu had not confiscated his storage pouch.

Of course, the pouch held nothing valuable—only cheap spirit stones, array materials, pills, and second-grade array diagrams…

The real treasures were hidden in his Na Zi Ring.

Even if Mr. Tu had taken it, he'd only seized trash.

Mo Hua took array materials and ink from the pouch and drew

a Clear Wind Array to dispel the dungeon's stench, then drew a Warm Wind Array to keep himself warm, pulled out a small blanket, covered himself, and lay down on the ground, ready to sleep soundly.

But as he lay down, Mo Hua looked up—and saw a massive, bloody eyeball staring back at him.

Being watched, I can't even sleep.

Not to mention being stared at by such a large, blood-dripping eyeball.

Mo Hua said calmly: "You're disturbing my sleep."

He is currently inside the demon god's "stronghold," and he doesn't want to stir up trouble.

Besides, he just "ate" a meal, and now he has no appetite.

The blood-dripping eyeball suddenly trembled, then snapped shut tightly.

Only then did Mo Hua nod in satisfaction, slowly closing his eyes; soon, a steady breathing sound emerged.

In the dark, profound, and despairing abyss of the Demon Prison, where malevolent forces hungered, Mo Hua lay there, wrapped in a small blanket, sleeping peacefully…

…

In the demon god's temple, a secret chamber.

Mr. He Yong was in secret conversation with Shangguan Wang.

"The agreed matter, I hope Mr. He Yong will not break his word. If it succeeds, and if I gain… " Shangguan Wang paused, then reluctantly offered the honorific, "if I gain the 'Divine Lord's' favor, grant me immortality…"

Mr. He Yong was certain: "Naturally."

Shangguan Wang's expression was gloomy, as if his doubts still lingered; he confirmed again:

"Mortals seek the Dao, enduring countless trials and perils, yet still have only the faintest chance of ascending to immortality."

"Immortals live as long as heaven and earth, shine as bright as sun and moon—only then is it true immortality."

"Yet I am merely at the Liu Yuhua realm, far from the status of an immortal. If I believe in the 'Divine Lord,' can I truly achieve immortality?"

Mr. He Yong whispered: "Elder Wang, do you know how long I have lived?"

Shangguan Wang's expression eased slightly; he nodded faintly, then remembered another question and asked:

"If I believe in the Divine Lord and gain immortality, will I still… retain my reason?"

This was his greatest concern—he did not wish to become immortal only to lose his mind and turn into a bloodthirsty beast.

Mr. He Yong did not soothe Shangguan Wang; instead, he sneered: "What use is reason?"

Shangguan Wang's expression changed.

Mr. He Yong pressed his hand on Shangguan Wang's shoulder and said calmly:

"Elder Wang, do you truly believe that people in this world possess such a thing as 'reason'?"

"People, to satisfy their desires, sometimes do things more insane than beasts—can that be called reason?"

"Chasing fame and fortune, craving power, craving material desires—even at the cost of self-destruction… can that be called reason?"

Shangguan Wang

Blinked his eyebrows slightly.

"People have always lived by their own greed and foolishness, driven through life by their greed and desires—not by reason," Mr. He Yong said slowly. "If so, what meaning does reason have?"

"What difference is there between being driven by fame, fortune, and desire, and being driven by the Divine Lord?"

"Worship fame and fortune, and after centuries, when your time comes, you become nothing but a handful of yellow earth."

"Worship the Divine Lord, and even as the great calamity approaches, you may shed your flesh and bones, achieving immortality."

"If it were you, which would you choose?"

Shangguan Wang remained silent, but the wild ambition in his eyes grew ever more frenzied, ever more fearless—he clearly already had his answer.

Mr. He Yong gave a slight nod.

"How much longer?" Shangguan Wang asked. "When will the Divine Lord be reborn?"

The usually calm Mr. He Yong frowned, filled with inner frustration.

Everything had been planned perfectly.

The great array, the divine embryo, the offerings… all arranged properly.

But precisely at the Sword Forum, unforeseen disruptions occurred, forcing him to activate the array prematurely—and causing the Shen family to destroy one of his carefully nurtured, centuries-old, light-sensitive flesh corpses.

And now, the offerings have become problematic.

Those sect prodigies had all been lured in, and were soon to be raised like "parasites," killing each other until their spiritual hearts twisted into demonic forms, leaving only the strongest few to become the Divine Lord's personal servants after his rebirth.

But at the final moment, they were all rescued by the damned Dao Ting Si and that Gu Changhuai.

The demonic array masters were also slaughtered in large numbers.

All these setbacks together severely delayed the activation of his Huang Tian Blood Sacrifice Array.

And severely postponed the day the Divine Lord would be reborn and descend upon the world.

Shangguan Wang, caught in the midst of these events, sensed at least some of this, and said coldly:

"I feel these setbacks are all because someone is secretly obstructing us."

Mr. He Yong gave a slight nod, his expression indifferent:

"Ever since we abducted the Shangguan family's divine embryo, I've sensed the presence of a strange 'phantom shadow'—flickering in and out, obstructing the Divine Lord's rebirth…"

But the phantom shadow's actions throughout these events left him baffled.

Sometimes he thought this person must be of extremely high realm—only a high-level cultivator could participate in this game; yet a moment later, he thought this person's cultivation might not be strong at all—if so, many things could be done with a mere gesture, without so much elaborate planning.

Sometimes he thought this person was a mastermind pulling strings from behind the scenes; yet at other times, he thought this person might merely be a frontline executioner, ordered to slay demons and destroy enemies.

Sometimes he thought this person must be a

centuries-old, even millennia-old, ancient monster.

But then again, he thought this person might just be a greenhorn fresh out of training…

Every time Mr. He Yong thought of this, his mind grew chaotic.

Even the Divine Lord could not give him clearer revelations.

Sometimes, when he fed, he even wished he could devour more cultivators' brains, just to clear his thoughts.

The only lead right now is Mo Hua.

He suspected that this Mo Hua was closely connected to the "phantom shadow," which seemed not to exist yet was present everywhere.

"Mo Hua…"

"That Mo Hua…" Shangguan Wang's gaze flickered, his tone grave. "In my opinion, it's best to kill him, to avoid unnecessary complications."

Mr. Tu shook his head. "I'm keeping him for great use."

Shangguan Wang frowned. "What use?"

Mr. Tu had no intention of answering, but Shangguan Wang was a key figure—he couldn't afford to lose his loyalty.

Mr. Tu said: "His karmic ties are vast and deep—do not act rashly."

"When a man dies, his lamp goes out. No matter how great the karma, death erases it." Shangguan Wang's gaze was icy.

"His identity is special, his status high, and he is deeply favored by the Grand Void Ancestor."

"You don't understand the Grand Void Gate, you don't understand its Void-Realization Ancestor," Shangguan Wang said, shaking his head. "The Grand Void Gate was once obscure, but it inherits the Divine Mind-Sword technique, upright and righteous, sharply distinguishing between good and evil—it never bargains with demonic cultivators."

"No matter how favored this boy is, he won't be an exception."

"If he turns to evil, the first thing the Grand Void Gate will do is painfully purge him from its ranks…"

As a senior elder of the Shangguan Clan, Shangguan Wang had deep ties with the Three Gates of Grand Void and understood their ways well.

Mr. Tu added: "Too many demonic array masters have died. The completion of the great array will be delayed."

Shangguan Wang frowned. "You want this boy to draw the array for you, to perfect the Blood Sacrifice Array?"

Mr. Tu gave no answer.

Shangguan Wang said: "He's only one man."

"You saw what happened at the Sword Contest," Mr. Tu said. "He alone used his spiritual sense to wield ink, drawing arrays on the ground—his array formation speed is astonishing, comparable to ten… no, even dozens of top-tier Second-Rank array masters."

Shangguan Wang pondered for a moment, then shook his head. "We still have array masters. The great array can proceed slower—but we must avoid unnecessary risks."

No matter what, Shangguan Wang must kill Mo Hua.

First, because he has a poor relationship with Mo Hua, and this Mo Hua holds grudges and seeks revenge for the slightest slight.

Second, because he has now abandoned the light and turned to darkness, pledging allegiance to the Great Wilderness Divine Lord. If Mo Hua were later assimilated by Mr. Tu and also pledged to the Divine Lord,

his own standing before the Great Wilderness Divine Lord could never surpass that of Mo Hua—the one whose spiritual sense is monstrous and whose array skills are a nightmare.

Granted, he himself is a Yu Hua, so his status won't be low.

But Mo Hua is already at the late Foundation Establishment stage, just one step away from a Jin Dan. The Divine Lord has a thousand demonic methods to help Mo Hua rapidly form a Jin Dan.

At that time, a Jin Dan cultivator who has turned to the demonic path, empowered by demonic arrays, young, with terrifying talent as an array prodigy, under the protection of the Great Wilderness Divine Lord, would truly be untouchable—even he, a Yu Hua, would have to avoid his edge.

This would render all his previous plans useless.

Therefore, he made no effort to conceal his intent to kill Mo Hua.

Mr. Tu could see this too, but he didn't absolutely need to keep Mo Hua alive—he simply felt an obscure, inexplicably alarming aura on Mo Hua that made him dare not strike.

"I suspect… this boy has been seeded by some unknown high-level master…"

Mr. Tu paused, his pupils shrinking slightly, then spoke slowly:

"A Lifespan-Enduring Talisman…"

(End of Chapter)