Chapter 518: Die

On Fen Mountain, the Corpse-Burning Array blazed with roaring flames.

Aside from the Little Zombie, all Walking Corpses, Iron Corpses, and even the Corpse King must be utterly refined in the Corpse-Burning Array to end their evil deeds.

There were too many Walking Corpses, so their ashes after burning were mostly buried together in a communal grave.

The Lu family was seized and shattered.

Among the Iron Corpses, the Lu family's elder was left unclaimed; after burning, he was casually buried, a simple mound erected—no one paid homage, and even worse, he was despised; every time a cultivator from Nan Yue City passed by, they spat on his grave.

Some other family or Zuhuoshi Sect Foundation Establishment cultivators, after cremation, were claimed by their kin and buried in their ancestral graves.

Mo Hua also solemnly collected the ashes of generations of elders from the Little Lingyin Sect; he would later hand them to Yan Jiaoxi for proper burial.

Having learned the Ling Shu Array, he had received a debt from the Little Lingyin Sect.

So he wished to repay some of that kindness.

The Corpse-Burning Array burned for over ten days, until all Walking Corpses and Iron Corpses were fully cremated, leaving only the Corpse King.

But the Corpse King could not be burned.

Although the array used to refine the Corpse King was a second-rank array, its flames thickened and glowed like molten iron, yet still it could not touch the Corpse King.

The Corpse King sat with closed eyes, hands folded over his chest, amid surging flames, enduring the fire—his body dark copper-red, yet showing not a single trace of burning.

Days passed, and the Corpse King's body remained untouched by the flames.

Yang Jishan frowned.

Everyone else looked solemn.

Those who knew the truth were even more startled.

The Corpse King was the spawn of a Dao-fiend; it had the potential to become a Dao-fiend, and was already extremely troublesome.

Now that it had submitted to Mo Hua, it had lost its chance to ascend into a Dao-fiend and lay dormant for now—but if it wasn't killed, who could say whether it might change later?

Yang Jishan and the others tried every method they could.

Spirit weapons, spells, talismans, even other powerful second-rank arrays—they could at most wound the Corpse King's flesh, utterly incapable of fully cremating it.

With no other option, Yang Jishan still had to go find Mo Hua, to see if Mo Hua had any solution.

The Corpse-Burning Array was under the Dao Court's jurisdiction; Mo Hua had paid little attention to it.

He had merely guided the Corpse King into the array and left it at that.

Now, when Yang Jishan asked him, Mo Hua finally went to take a proper look.

On Fen Mountain, flames surged like an ocean.

The Corpse King lay immersed in this sea of fire, enduring the blaze, his flesh unharmed.

Mo Hua also frowned, puzzled.

Logically, with the power of a second-rank array, after so long, even a Copper Corpse should have been melted into a pool of "copper water."

Mo Hua extended his spiritual sense to perceive—after a moment, he realized the Corpse King's body was entwined with a faint, almost imperceptible thread of Dao essence.

A Copper Corpse could not withstand the Corpse-Burning Array's refinement.

But this Corpse King was not merely a Copper Corpse—it was a Corpse King.

This thread of Dao essence resembled the Dao essence Mo Hua had sensed earlier in the earth.

But it was deformed, mutated, cruel, and corrupted.

This was the twisted Dao essence of a Dao-fiend.

This was the root of the Dao-fiend.

This twisted Dao essence rendered the Corpse King's body unrefinable, while simultaneously nurturing the Corpse King's independent consciousness.

The moment Mo Hua clearly perceived this thread of Dao essence, the Corpse King suddenly opened its eyes.

Its eyes turned pitch-black and hollow, coldly fixing on Mo Hua.

At the same time, a vicious phantom appeared in Mo Hua's mind.

This phantom was the Corpse King—and yet not entirely the Corpse King.

Its body was entwined with a faint, mysterious, terrifying aura, filled with deep loathing and hatred as it stared at Mo Hua.

This was the aura of the Dao-fiend.

It seemed to harbor resentment because Mo Hua had thwarted its birth.

Mo Hua remained unmoved, calmly meeting its gaze.

The Corpse King, meeting Mo Hua's eyes, suddenly grew fearful despite its fierce expression—its hatred concealed profound terror.

Like a vicious servant who wished to devour his master, but whose treacherous heart had been discovered.

Thus, beneath its ferocity lay cowardice.

Mo Hua understood clearly.

The Corpse King had submitted to him; thus, this thread of Dao essence within it naturally feared him.

It wanted to devour its master.

Only by devouring its master could the Dao essence grow, and the Corpse King become a Dao-fiend.

But as long as it could not devour its master, it must obey him utterly!

Since it had to obey him, it was simple.

Mo Hua's gaze turned cold, his voice icy and unyielding:

"Spawn of evil, die."

Yang Jishan and the others trembled at the words.

The Corpse King's eyes filled with terror.

When the lord commands the subject to die, the subject must die!

As Mo Hua gave his command, the Dao essence on the Corpse King transformed into a vicious corpse phantom, eyes blazing red, face twisted, contorting, roaring, screaming.

But no matter how unwilling it was, no matter how it struggled, beneath the laws of the Dao, it had no choice but to obey Mo Hua's command and die.

Its figure gradually faded, and the aura of the Dao Deviation slowly dissipated.

At the same time, the Corpse King let out a roar, causing the pyre array's flames to surge skyward; then, before the stunned gazes of all, its flesh withered, its face collapsed, and it was slowly reduced to ashes by Xiong Xiongliehuo…

The Corpse King was truly dead…

The cultivators' gazes toward Mo Hua now carried a trace of fear.

The Lord of Ten Thousand Corpses, the embodiment of the Dao Deviation, had truly died—simply because Mo Hua had spoken a single word…

Yet no one understood what had truly happened.

They wanted to ask, but were momentarily awed by Mo Hua's commanding aura that had ordered the Corpse King to die, and dared not speak.

Only the emaciated old man stared solemnly, his expression deep in thought.

But regardless, with the Corpse King dead, the corpse plague had truly been quelled.

This matter had finally come to a close.

Everyone exhaled softly.

These past days had been filled with trials, relentless battles, and one upheaval after another, as they had teetered on the edge of life and death, witnessing scene after scene both chilling and inconceivable—now, at last, they could finally relax, their burdens lifted.

Mo Hua also exhaled in relief.

He turned and walked away with light steps.

But the moment he turned, his heart suddenly skipped.

Somewhere in the void, a premonition stirred.

As if something fierce and malevolent had taken root within him.

This thing was deformed and savage—like Dao essence, yet grotesquely twisted, like the Corpse King's murderous intent, brimming with hatred, watching him with predatory eyes.

Yet the moment he tried to perceive it, it vanished in fright, nowhere to be found…

This feeling was identical to the corrupted Dao essence on the Corpse King.

"But wasn't it already dispersed?"

Mo Hua was puzzled.

Concerning the Dao Deviation, Mo Hua had to be cautious.

On his way back, he went to consult Mr. Zhuang.

"Master, the dead Dao Deviation seems to have latched onto me…"

Mr. Zhuang was slightly surprised, but not startled; he lay on his bamboo chair and said calmly:

"You ruined its chance. It could not become a Dao Deviation, so naturally it hates you—thus its Dao essence merged into your karmic thread."

"Merged into karma?"

Mo Hua did not understand.

Mr. Zhuang explained:

"All things in the world are bound by cause and effect—every blade of grass, every tree, every sip, every bite, none escape the realm of karma."

Mo Hua felt he almost understood what Mr. Zhuang meant, yet when he thought deeper, he remained confused.

Mr. Zhuang sighed: "Don't overcomplicate it. Karma is simply one form of the Dao's law—the natural rhythm of all things, that is karma."

"Humans are no different."

"A person's past, their deeds, thoughts, and intentions—all are woven by the cycle of cause and effect."

"And all that a person has done in the past becomes the cause; everything in the future is the effect shaped by those past causes."

"Thus, karma forms a person's destiny."

"The past destiny is fixed, unchanging—but the future destiny, based on your past fate, holds countless possibilities…"

Mo Hua seemed to grasp something, and nodded.

Mr. Zhuang glanced at Mo Hua, his eyes carrying a hint of hope: "You need only know about karma now—thinking too much won't help…"

"When your spiritual sense grows stronger, when you've experienced more and broadened your understanding, when you comprehend the Dao, arrays, and all things more deeply—then study it further…"

Mo Hua couldn't help asking: "Master, is 'karma' really useful?"

Mr. Zhuang said: "It can be useless—or it can be immensely useful. It all depends on how deeply you comprehend it."

Mo Hua's eyes flickered, and he asked:

"Master, if the Dao Deviation has merged into my karma—is that good or bad?"

"Not good," Mr. Zhuang said.

Mo Hua's heart tightened.

"But not bad either," Mr. Zhuang added.

Mo Hua opened his mouth and muttered under his breath:

"Master, you might as well not have said anything…"

Mr. Zhuang lightly tapped Mo Hua's head and chuckled:

"In this world, everything has pros and cons—misfortune and fortune are intertwined; there is no absolute good or bad."

"Then what should I do?" Mo Hua asked.

Mr. Zhuang said calmly: "Maintain a calm heart. Uphold your Dao heart. Don't worry. Don't fear. Don't even think about it. When your spiritual sense grows strong enough, everything will resolve itself…"

Mo Hua's eyes lit up—he remembered what Mr. Zhuang had said before:

"A clear Dao heart and strong spiritual awareness repel all evil… is that right, Master?"

Mr. Zhuang nodded, pleased.

Mo Hua finally felt at ease.

Yet he did not notice that Mr. Zhuang's lowered gaze was solemn, his expression grave.

When Mo Hua rose to take his leave, Master Zhuang suddenly said:

"Mo Hua."

Mo Hua looked at Master Zhuang with slight confusion.

Master Zhuang paused, then asked:

"How did this taint of Dao essence become entwined in your karmic thread?"

Mo Hua thought for a moment, then answered honestly:

"It was… I told it to die, and it died—but not completely—and then it hated me…"

Master Zhuang's gaze grew still; his fingers hidden in his sleeves trembled, and his heart gave a sudden jolt.

"Told it… to die?"

"Mm." Mo Hua nodded, worried. "Master, is there a problem?"

Master Zhuang's gaze softened, and he smiled faintly:

"It doesn't matter. Just remember what I just told you."

"Yes, Master!"

If the Master said it didn't matter, then it probably didn't.

Mo Hua left, light-hearted and cheerful.

After Mo Hua departed, Master Zhuang let out a deep sigh and frowned tightly.

The Puppet Elder materialized, sighing softly:

"Too bold… too bold."

Master Zhuang, for the first time, did not contradict him—he nodded in agreement:

"Yes, too bold…"

He actually commanded a Dao taint to die…

Ignorance breeds fearlessness.

The key is, that Dao taint actually obeyed him and died…

Master Zhuang sighed helplessly:

"The Corpse King isn't even a true Dao taint—making the Corpse King kneel merely entangled him in great karma. But now he directly commanded a Dao taint to die—he's swallowed that great karma whole. Truly… audacious beyond measure…"

The Puppet Elder gave Master Zhuang a scornful glance. "Didn't you just boast about this? Now you regret it? What do you plan to do?"

Master Zhuang sighed.

The karma he had foreseen ended the moment the Corpse King was subdued.

He never expected this final twist.

Had he known, he would have lowered his pride, shed his aloofness, and warned Mo Hua repeatedly to mind his own business.

Let the Dao Court worry about burning the Corpse King's corpse.

The Puppet Elder frowned again:

"But even if the Dao taint is entwined in karma, isn't that fine? It's not a true Dao taint—just a twisted trace of energy."

"The problem lies precisely here…"

Master Zhuang sighed. "Mo Hua walks the path of 'Spiritual Insight to Realize the Dao.' When his spiritual insight grows strong enough, and his understanding of Heaven and Earth deepens sufficiently, he will inevitably cultivate his own Dao essence."

"But now, the scent of a Dao taint is entangled in his karma."

"What he cultivates may not be Dao essence at all—but… a Dao taint, nourished by his own flesh and blood…"

At these words, the Puppet Elder's face paled.

To become a Dao taint himself!

He would then be a demon more terrifying than the Ghost Daoist.

The Puppet Elder frowned. "Mo Hua's nature is pure and clear—surely he won't sink so low."

"Right now, he seems so…" Master Zhuang lay back slowly, his gaze flickering between light and shadow. "But who can say what the future holds?"

"Especially… he's still young, still free of distractions."

"But when he grows older, sees more of the world, his thoughts will grow tangled. If emotion stirs, and one thought turns to evil—then…"

Master Zhuang's voice faded into silence.

The Puppet Elder raised an eyebrow. "You mean the Bai family?"

Master Zhuang raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

Yet both understood perfectly.

The two children, growing up side by side, may still be too young to understand their own feelings—but the affection forming between them was plain to these two elders.

"The Bai family…"

Master Zhuang shook his head, dismissive, yet his eyes held deep dread.

The Puppet Elder's expression turned as sharp as carved stone.

The Bai family's depths are bottomless…

Master Zhuang gazed into the distance and sighed. "Mo Hua is a man of deep feeling. The more sincere he is, the more easily he'll be wounded—even without that little girl, if his parents or friends meet misfortune, it will surely change him."

The Puppet Elder frowned, glanced at Master Zhuang, and shook his head.

"I disagree. Though his nature is upright, he's not rigid—he's clever, sometimes downright cunning, and his mind is Zhou Mi—he knows how to adapt. He won't reach this point."

"I hope so…" Master Zhuang sighed.

"Won't you explain this to him?" the Puppet Elder asked.

"Explaining won't help…" Master Zhuang shook his head.

"Talking about Dao taint and Dao essence will only make him hesitate, cloud his thoughts, and ruin his inner peace."

"Perhaps it's better to let him believe that his Dao heart is pure and untouched by all evils—that with no distractions, he hones his spiritual awareness—perhaps he truly will become immune to all evils..."

"In any case, what he must do is the same: refine his spiritual awareness to its utmost limit; without hesitation, he can advance unimpeded."

Old Puppet nodded slightly.

Mr. Zhuang closed his eyes in thought, then after a moment, remembered something and opened them again to say:

"Moreover, this may not necessarily be a bad thing..."

Old Puppet, sensing his meaning, spoke slowly:

"You mean the Deceiver Daoist?"

The Deceiver Daoist is a Mo Sect Daoist who cultivates the Deceptive Dao.

Do not speak of him, do not think of him, and certainly do not utter his true name.

Yet Old Puppet spoke his title—"Deceiver Daoist"—without the slightest hesitation, and not a trace of anomaly stirred around him.

Mr. Zhuang nodded, his gaze deep and piercing:

"The Dao Corruption has form, and has spirit."

"The Corpse King was a seed of Dao Corruption; after its form perished and its spirit died, its lingering hatred fused into cause and effect."

"Dao Corruption on the level of cause and effect is nearly immortal and indestructible—extremely difficult to confront."

"Even for my senior brother, it is the same."

"But for Mo Hua, it is somewhat different."

"Though some karmic circumstances played a part, he subdued the Dao Corruption through his own ability, and commanded it to die."

"Mo Hua is the master of the Dao Corruption."

"The Dao Corruption lies hidden within Mo Hua's karmic thread, and surely still harbors a desire to devour its master—but as long as it cannot devour him, it must protect him!"

"Thus, it is a sharp blade."

"If the blade turns inward, it may damage Mo Hua's Dao essence; but if it turns outward, it may truly render Mo Hua immune to all evils within cause and effect!"

"For his destiny harbors the most evil, most ferocious Dao Corruption!"

"The Dao Corruption is supremely evil and ferocious—therefore, he is immune to all evils!"

Mr. Zhuang's gaze was sharp.

Old Puppet was also struck with dread.

If this were true, then Mo Hua, this seemingly insignificant little cultivator, was in truth the greatest terror within the Heavenly Mechanism's calculations.

His karmic destiny, concealing the Dao Corruption, was a vast abyss—unseeable, uncalculable, inviolable!

(End of Chapter)