Chapter 770: Unforeseen Events

In the Ten Thousand Demons Valley, before a prison cell.

A corpse of a demonic cultivator lay twisted on the ground, limbs contorted, eyes bulging, blood pooling everywhere.

Several demonic cultivators nearby looked solemn, their voices cold.

"In just two days, this is already the fifth…"

"Fuck, we've got a ghost."

"Don't talk nonsense—what ghost?"

"If not a ghost, then what? Out of nowhere, they went mad, biting and gnawing, then exploded to death…"

One demonic cultivator's face turned pale:

"I've got a feeling… something 'unclean' has slipped into our prison…"

Another demonic cultivator sneered, "You're such a coward! Scaring yourself! We're demonic cultivators—we cultivate demonic power, not the usual orthodox path. Risk is normal."

"These cultivators all died from reversed demonic energy—either their cultivation went wrong, or they ate too much demonic flesh and couldn't suppress their blood qi… Why make such a fuss?"

"But five are dead…" a demonic cultivator questioned, "Isn't that a bit too many?"

"Also," another said, "the overseer is dead too."

"The overseer was eaten by a demonic beast."

"He was too bold—he dared steal and drink the blood of Elder Two's Xiong Zhang, and ended up getting his comeuppance, getting his throat torn open by the black bear, swallowed whole… otherwise…"

The demonic cultivator paused, his voice icy: "... he'd have had to walk through the Demon Refining Map, soul scattered, body erased…"

At the mention of the "Demon Refining Map," the other demonic cultivators all felt a chill.

It seemed the Demon Refining Map was something terrifying, making them pale at the very thought.

Mo Hua, who had been eavesdropping, wanted to hear more about the Demon Refining Map, but the demonic cultivators dared not speak further.

The atmosphere grew heavy.

After a silence, another demonic cultivator spoke: "Still, how could Overseer Xiong, who managed the Ten Thousand Demons Prison for nearly a century, die so 'easily'?"

"People make mistakes, horses stumble—everyone has their moment of misfortune…"

"Besides, the cultivation world is treacherous and unpredictable—no one can guarantee they won't encounter something horrific."

"One slip, and your life is gone…"

The demonic cultivators whispered among themselves; soon another asked:

"If Overseer Xiong is dead, what happens to the Ten Thousand Demons Prison?"

"Is that your concern?" one sneered, pointing upward, "Above us are the Elders; even if the Elders are absent, the Young Master is still here…"

Young Master?

Mo Hua froze.

Mo Hua strained his ears to listen.

But another demonic cultivator immediately glared sharply and hissed low:

"Do you want to die? You dare ask about the Young Master?"

"I'm not asking," the cultivator frowned, stubborn, "I've heard you mention the Young Master, but never seen him—I don't know what kind of person he is, one person or a group…"

"Still asking? You're truly ignorant of death!"

"Do you think you're still a scion of a noble family, coddled and allowed to speak without restraint? Here, speaking out of turn means death!"

"I—"

"Shut up!" a demonic cultivator with far stronger aura said coldly.

His gaze, like that of a tiger or leopard, swept the group, warning:

"Everything in the Ten Thousand Demons Valley is decided by the Young Master."

"Don't care whether the Young Master is one person or many—just know this: whenever you see the Young Master, bow your head. Every order from the Young Master must be obeyed—even if the Young Master commands you to die, you must die!"

The demonic cultivators' expressions turned solemn—some fearful, some indifferent, some resentful.

But all their thoughts, they dared only hide within, never showing the slightest disrespect toward the Young Master.

"Enough…"

Seeing no one dared speak further, the strongest aura cultivator nodded slightly and said calmly, "Clean up the blood. Take the corpse, skin it, remove its heart, and use it to brew pills."

After speaking, the group dispersed, each returning to their own tasks.

Mo Hua's gaze sharpened, his mind sinking into thought.

The Ten Thousand Demons Valley hides a "Young Master"?

But was he… a real Young Master, or a fake one?

Suddenly, the image of a "Young Master"—around his own age—flashed in his mind: beside the Misty River, a lavish flower boat, soft songs and dancing, enchanting music swirling…

Shadows upon shadows on the boat's curtain.

Dressed in robes, resembling beasts, draped in a splendid human skin, yet like a demon…

Mo Hua frowned slightly.

The secrets here in the Ten Thousand Demons Valley must be many.

And that "Overseer Xiong"…

Overseer Xiong had already been tricked to death by him, swallowed whole by a demonic beast, dying quietly, leaving not even a trace.

But he was still an "overseer," and according to these demonic cultivators, he had managed this prison for a hundred years.

Now that he's dead, will the higher-ups in the Ten Thousand Demons Prison take action?

"Send a new overseer?"

Should he, then, also make this new overseer "die suddenly"?

If overseers kept dying, wouldn't that lure the "Young Master" out?

"Let's see how things develop—it's still too early to say..."

Mo Hua noted the time and sent another Heavenly Stem and Earthly Branch code to Elder Xun, then turned and went to the prison cell of Linghu Xiao and the others.

He needed to bring them something to eat.

As for the Four Symbols Array Core, over these two days he had secretly killed five or six demonic cultivators and acquired three types of Four Symbols demonic patterns: snake, dog, and bear—his gains were substantial.

He could afford to slow down for now.

Assassination requires balance—create tension, but occasionally let them breathe; don't kill too brutally all at once.

Now that he had mastered the Four Symbols Array Core, it was as if he held a "Book of Life and Death" in his hands.

Mo Hua's posture grew stiffer; he no longer needed to sneak around—he simply concealed his form and walked boldly through the prison.

After all, with demonic cultivators everywhere, anyone who saw him would die.

Mo Hua arrived at the prison, looked inside, and saw Xiao Mutou and the other two sitting like wooden statues, their faces pale and gaunt.

A cultivator won't die from going without food for a while, but they will grow hungry.

And their blood qi will decline to some degree.

The demonic cultivators did bring them food, but Linghu Xiao and the others dared not eat it.

Demonic cultivators practice the demonic Dao, gradually being assimilated by demonic power—on some level, they are no different from "demonic beasts."

The food they consume cannot be eaten by ordinary people.

Linghu Xiao and Ouyang Mu remembered Mo Hua's instructions and naturally refused to eat the demonic cultivators' food.

Even Song Jian understood the stakes and knew the dangers, so he had been enduring hunger silently.

The dog-headed demonic guard left; the prison fell silent, with no other watchers present, so Mo Hua gradually revealed his form.

Seeing Mo Hua, Ouyang Mu's eyes lit up and he exclaimed in delight:

"Mo..."

Then he realized he had spoken too loudly and immediately lowered his voice, whispering:

"Brother Mo!"

Mo Hua nodded, then took from his storage pouch some fruits, dried meat, and Qi-preserving pills for sustenance, and handed them to Ouyang Mu and Linghu Xiao.

"Eat something."

Ouyang Mu's expression brightened and he smiled:

"Thank you, Brother Mo!"

Linghu Xiao also bowed slightly, his gaze complex, and whispered, "Thank you."

The feeling of hunger was excruciating.

If they went on starving, they might not hold out much longer.

Once they ate the unknown meats offered by the demonic cultivators, their blood qi would likely be corrupted.

Ouyang Mu and Linghu Xiao devoured the food ravenously.

Song Jian watched hungrily from the side.

Mo Hua had no choice but to give him a portion of the dried meat.

Song Jian accepted it silently, then immediately gobbled it down—but his usual arrogance kept him from uttering "thank you"; instead, in his heart, he erased a little more of the "great evil man" Mo Hua's sins.

After eating some fruit and dried meat, Ouyang Mu's hunger eased, and he curiously asked Mo Hua:

"Brother Mo, where have you been these past days?"

Mo Hua sat down on a spot and said, "I went to scout the area, checked the situation."

"But the defenses here are too tight, and I still don't know how to open the valley entrance—rescuing you all won't be easy in the short term..."

Ouyang Mu gratefully said, "You've worked hard, Brother Mo."

Then, with a touch of guilt and worry, he added, "There are so many demonic cultivators in this valley, danger everywhere—why don't you find a way to escape first? We shouldn't hold you back..."

Mo Hua waved his hand. "Don't worry, it's fine."

At least within the Ten Thousand Demons Prison, as long as he didn't go looking for demonic cultivators to kill, he was safe enough.

Seeing Mo Hua calm and composed, effortlessly in control, Ouyang Mu felt inexplicably reassured and said no more.

Mo Hua thought for a moment and added, "Don't worry about my affairs. It's you three who need to be careful..."

Mo Hua frowned. "These demonic cultivators went to great lengths to kidnap you and bring you here— their intentions must be significant. Who knows what other tricks they'll use? Stay alert."

He was in the shadows, free to move.

Xiao Mutou and the others were in the open, and they were precisely the targets of the demonic cultivators' schemes—next few days would be hard for them.

Linghu Xiao and Ouyang Mu's expressions turned serious, and they nodded slightly.

Song Jian, chewing on dried meat beside them, turned slightly pale.

Mo Hua gave a few more warnings, then said, "I'll leave now—I'll come back when I can..."

"Yes, Brother Mo, take care," said Ouyang Mu.

Linghu Xiao also said, "Take care."

Mo Hua nodded, then before Linghu Xiao and the others, gradually vanished without leaving a trace.

Linghu Xiao and Ouyang Mu exchanged glances, astonished.

Such an exquisite concealment technique...

Even Song Jian, who had long known Mo Hua's abilities, still felt a chill run through him upon witnessing this level of concealment firsthand.

"No trace at all—appearing and disappearing like a ghost. How can we ever fight him? When will I ever get my revenge for that 'sword'?"

Song Jian felt powerless and sighed.

Leaving the prison, Mo Hua sent a message to Elder Xun:

"I checked on Linghu Xiao and Ouyang Mu; everything is fine for now."

"I'm fine too!"

Behind it, Mo Hua added a smiley face.

Then Mo Hua went back to his own business.

The tasks of killing demonic cultivators, copying demonic patterns, and deconstructing the Four Symbols Demon Array's core must be postponed for a while.

Using this time, he continued repairing the Meta-Magnetic Spirit Sight Array within the Ten Thousand Demons Valley, striving to expand the scope of his "surveillance."

With this, any whisper or movement within the entire Ten Thousand Demons Valley would escape none of his eyes.

Should any unusual situation arise, he could act accordingly.

It would also make hunting demonic cultivators and analyzing the Four Symbols Array much easier.

As he thought of this, Mo Hua suddenly froze.

The Four Symbols Array...

Why is it called the Four Symbols Array?

The Five Elements Array is named so because it follows the Way of the Five Elements.

The Eight Trigrams Array is named so because it studies the Principle of the Eight Trigrams.

But what about the Four Symbols Array?

Logically, shouldn't it be called the Ten Thousand Beasts Array or the Ten Thousand Demons Array?

Why is it called "Four Symbols"?

Ultimately, what exactly do these "Four Symbols" refer to?

Could it be the Four Divine Beasts?

The legendary Azure Dragon, Bai Hu, Zhu Que, and Xuan Wu...

If this is true, then the true Four Symbols Array, which follows "Divine Beast Array Patterns" and commands the power of the Divine Beasts, must be immensely powerful.

Mo Hua's expression grew distant, his heart filled with awe.

Outside the Ten Thousand Demons Valley.

Elder Xun Ziyou saw the smiley face Mo Hua sent, and his heart turned bitter.

He didn't know whether to call this child fearless due to his skill, or simply naive like a calf unaware of danger...

Elder Xun Ziyou shook his head and showed the message to the Grand Void Gate elder beside him, who wore a frown: "Don't worry—Xiao'er is fine for now."

Elder Shangguan Xuanjian's heart eased, but not completely.

He smiled bitterly: "My life is nearly forfeit here. Only if Xiao'er emerges can I return to the sect and report. If he..."

Elder Shangguan Xuanjian dared not finish, fearing he'd jinx it; he only muttered bitterly: "I'd have no face to face our Ancestor."

Elder Xun Ziyou sighed too: "I feel the same..."

Elder Shangguan Xuanjian shook his head: "You're far better off than I am."

Then he frowned in confusion: "Your Grand Void Gate—where did you even pick up this child?"

He can conceal himself, track targets, master arrays—and in this deadly demon valley, he not only protects himself but still has energy to gather intelligence.

Can a mere disciple really do all this?

How on earth did the Grand Void Gate find such a disciple?

Elder Xun Ziyou silently thought:

"He wasn't picked up—he was smuggled in by your Shangguan family lord's daughter-in-law through connections..."

But he didn't say it aloud; instead he replied:

"This child has no real strengths—just a bit clever, a bit lucky. Nothing special."

Elder Shangguan Xuanjian shook his head, too tired to argue.

Then he frowned again: "Forget the Song sect disciple—didn't the Tai'e Sect's Ouyang family also have a disciple captured inside? Has the Tai'e Sect made no move at all?"

Elder Xun Ziyou also frowned.

Ouyang Mu, though lacking talent, is still a direct heir of the Ouyang family.

After disappearing so long, how could the Ouyang family not notice?

Or is the water in the Tai'e Sect also murky?

Elder Shangguan Xuanjian and Elder Xun Ziyou exchanged glances, silent.

Elder Xun Ziyou's gaze turned cold, and he spoke slowly:

"Let's wait and see what happens after this Ten Thousand Demons Valley affair—I want to see how some people will clean up this mess..."

Deeper within the Ten Thousand Demons Valley.

In a blood-red, opulent cave.

Jin Gui, dressed in a gray robe like a demonic cultivator, bowed his head and clasped his hands in reverence toward a massive black-robed cultivator seated on a tiger-skin chair.

"Senior Brother..."

The black-robed cultivator's gaze turned cold: "In this valley, call me 'Leader,' not 'Senior Brother.'"

"Yes, Leader..."

Jin Gui quickly bowed again.

The black-robed Leader gave a slight nod. "Speak."

Jin Gui kept his head lowered and continued: "A warden in the Ten Thousand Demons Prison died—he supposedly stole demonic blood and was eaten by a demonic beast..."

"After cultivating for so many years, you've turned into dogshit! Useless!" the black-robed Leader cursed, then spoke coldly: "One warden dead? Replace him. This is the Ten Thousand Demons Valley—there are plenty of demonic cultivators."

"You've cultivated for so many years and ended up worthless—like a dog!" the black-cloaked leader spat, then his expression turned cold. "One overseer dead? Replace him. This is Ten Thousand Demons Valley—there are plenty of demonic cultivators here..."

"Yes." Jin Gui bowed his hands.

The black-cloaked leader glanced at Jin Gui and asked:

"Have the fingers been delivered?"

Jin Gui said: "The severed finger of Ouyang Mu has been delivered to Tai'e Gate, handed into the hands of his elder brother, Ouyang Feng."

"At the Song family, Song Jian's parents have also received their son's severed finger."

"But for Chongxu Gate..."

Jin Gui hesitated, "This Linghu Xiao is isolated within his clan, with no close elders; I don't know who to deliver it to."

The black-cloaked leader said: "Set aside Chongxu Gate for now. This Linghu Xiao is different from ordinary people—his public identity must be preserved, at least kept 'clean.'"

"This boy is born with a Sword Heart, his Sword Dao is crystal clear; Young Master holds great hope for him. Perhaps one day, Chongxu Gate will even be ruled by him..."

"Yes."

Jin Gui bowed his hands, but as he lowered his head, a flicker of envy passed through his eyes.

This is the difference.

Those with talent are always favored by heaven—they need do nothing to receive preferential treatment.

Even if one cultivates beasts and descends into demonic ways, they are still treasured.

I have worked so hard, bent over backward to please, yet still treated like a dog to be called and dismissed.

But this thread of jealousy, he dared not show even a trace of.

First enter the valley, then board the boat.

Entering the valley is the first step.

Now that he has stepped into this Ten Thousand Demons Valley, his fate is sealed—he can never turn back. To rise above others, he must grit his teeth and press forward.

"There's one more thing..." Jin Gui fell silent for a moment, then spoke again.

"Speak." The black-cloaked leader's face remained cold.

Jin Gui thought for a moment, then slowly frowned:

"In recent days, within the Ten Thousand Demons Prison, demonic cultivators have frequently lost control..."

"Often, demonic cultivators suddenly, without reason, lose their sanity."

"I wonder if it's because the overseer is dead and control is gone—that these lowly demonic cultivators can no longer suppress their beast nature—or if there's another reason..."

Jin Gui's voice was low.

"Demonic cultivators losing control?" The black-cloaked leader frowned, then his expression slowly darkened. "What are you implying?"

Jin Gui's gaze shifted slightly, and he spoke gravely:

"Could there be a traitor within the Ten Thousand Demons Valley—or someone who has secretly slipped in and tampered with things...?"

The black-cloaked leader's expression changed instantly; his gaze turned fiercely cruel, sharp as a sword.

The air grew heavy with tension.

Jin Gui kept his head lowered, silent.

The black-cloaked leader pondered for a moment, then slowly shook his head. "This Ten Thousand Demons Valley was built according to the structure of Wanyao Mountain, one of the Mo Sect's great demonic masters;"

"These numerous unruly demonic cultivators are controlled by Mr. Tu using the secret Four Symbols Array from the Great Wasteland;"

"The valley's gate is sealed with the lost Divine Array technique;"

"Within the valley, there are also many demonic techniques..."

"There cannot be a traitor. No one could slip in. No one could tamper with things to cause demonic cultivators to lose control."

Jin Gui still found it suspicious: "But..."

"No 'but.'" The black-cloaked leader sneered, inhaling deeply. "You are not an Array Master—you have no idea what the 'Four Symbols Array' and the 'Divine Array' truly mean."

"If you understood, you wouldn't harbor such amateur concerns..."

Jin Gui quickly said: "Yes, in matters of arrays, your servant is ignorant and unworthy even to carry your boots."

His demeanor was fawning.

But this flattery was too crude to move the black-cloaked leader.

The black-cloaked leader frowned in thought, lost in his own musings.

Seeing this, Jin Gui bowed to take his leave—but before he reached the door, he was suddenly called back.

"Jin Gui..."

The black-cloaked leader glanced at him, then suddenly said:

"You will be the overseer of the Ten Thousand Demons Prison."

Jin Gui was stunned; cold sweat broke out instantly. "Leader, I—"

The black-cloaked leader's expression was indifferent. "Your insight is lacking, but your caution is valid. For now, Young Master is within the valley, so not a single mistake can be made—lest he form a bad impression."

"Since the overseer is dead, you will take his place. This is a sign of trust."

"If you perform well, I will report to Young Master and recommend you for merit."

Jin Gui wanted to explain, but the black-cloaked leader's gaze had shifted from indifference to cold brutality.

Jin Gui's heart turned icy—he knew there was no turning back. He gritted his teeth and answered:

"Yes!"

The black-cloaked leader gave a slight nod, then added:

"You will also be responsible for those three brats. Use any means necessary to get them to 'submit'—join us..."

The black-cloaked leader smiled faintly, revealing blood-red gums.

"... and eat human flesh."

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