Chapter 774: Birth Talisman

Ascend to Jin Dan!

Birth Talisman!

Mo Hua took a deep breath.

Inside the gloomy, sinister forging chamber, Ouyang Mu also looked stunned, then shook his head and said:

"I'm only at Foundation Establishment mid-stage—I can't yet forge the sword bone for a Birth Talisman."

The old demonic cultivator said coolly, "That's why I told you—I'll teach you. You just watch and learn well."

As Ouyang Mu hesitated, unsure what to do, Mo Hua sent him a message:

"Let him teach!"

This is a great opportunity.

Not only will Little Wood learn forging and sword bone casting, but I can also overhear key secrets about ascending to Jin Dan and forging a Birth Talisman.

This old demonic cultivator seems to know something.

Ouyang Mu naturally followed Mo Hua's instruction.

Having received Mo Hua's guidance, his acting had improved—he feigned inner conflict, as if unable to decide, hesitated for a long time, then finally sighed and said:

"Fine, I'll learn!"

The old demonic cultivator was not surprised.

As a sword forger, the chance to learn how to forge a sword bone was right before him—he could never refuse.

How to nurture and consecrate a Birth Talisman—every sect in Qianxue Province teaches that.

But how to forge a sword bone, using it as the core to create a Birth Talisman from nothing…

This is one of the most secret techniques in sword forging.

Even the specialized forging sects of the Shierliu Sect won't teach these things to outsiders.

"Do you know the origin of a Birth Talisman?" the old demonic cultivator asked in a hoarse voice.

Ouyang Mu naturally knew.

He was a disciple of the ancient Ta'o Sect, and a direct scion of the Ouyang family; since childhood, he had been steeped in the ways of sword forging, Jin Dan, and Talismans—he knew them all by heart.

Ouyang Mu was about to nod, but caught a glimpse of his sleeve—Mo Hua had sent him a message:

"Say you don't know!"

Ouyang Mu, born into a sword-forging clan, naturally understood all about Talismans.

But Mo Hua was clueless.

Occasionally, when instructors taught in the sect, touching on Talisman knowledge, they either thought it too early to elaborate, or assumed everyone present came from noble families with deep ancestral knowledge, so they barely mentioned it.

Mo Hua sometimes wanted to ask, but had no way to begin.

Moreover, this old demonic cultivator seemed to know a lot—his teachings would likely differ from those in the sect.

Now was the perfect chance to let this old devil explain it to him.

Ouyang Mu blinked, puzzled.

Weren't these basic Talisman facts common knowledge?

Why would the "omniscient," "erudite" Mo Senior Brother make him say he didn't know…

Ouyang Mu didn't understand.

But Mo Senior Brother always acted with deep intent—he'd just obey.

Ouyang Mu hesitated, about to speak that he didn't fully understand Talismans, when the old demonic cultivator let out a cold snort.

"Hesitating like this proves you're unskilled, empty-headed…"

The old demonic cultivator frowned, "You don't even grasp these basic forging principles—Ta'o Sect truly abandons its roots, growing worse with each generation…"

The old demon cultivator frowned, "You don't even understand these basic forging principles—Tai'e Sect has truly abandoned its roots, growing worse with each generation..."

If the old devil thought that, it saved him the trouble of explaining.

The old demonic cultivator glanced at Ouyang Mu again, snorted, and spoke with a tone of frustrated disappointment, "Since you're unskilled, I'll teach you from the very beginning…"

The old demon cultivator glanced at Ouyang Mu again, snorted coldly, filled with frustrated disappointment, "Since you've learned poorly, I'll teach you from start to finish..."

Ouyang Mu nodded.

Mo Hua, eavesdropping, also nodded.

The old demonic cultivator coughed, as if aged and weary, unable to stand long—he hunched over, sat on a stone chair, took out a white bone, and stroked it slowly before speaking:

"Any cultivator who breaks through to Jin Dan must first forge a Birth Talisman…"

"Before the breakthrough, prepare the embryo of your Birth Talisman. When your spiritual power crystallizes upon reaching Jin Dan, fuse the Talisman embryo with the crystallized spiritual power."

"In Qi Condensation, spiritual power is like vapor; in Foundation Establishment, it's like mercury; in Jin Dan, it crystallizes…"

"Only crystallized spiritual power can fully merge with a solidified Talisman, becoming one with it…"

"From then on, this Talisman belongs solely to you—your spiritual power resonates with it, your life and cultivation are intertwined; when you grow strong, so does it; when it is damaged, you are damaged too."

"And the embryo of a Birth Talisman has many requirements…"

The old demonic cultivator slowly straightened, finding slight comfort, then continued:

"Heirs of great clans mostly use their family's heirloom supreme spirit artifacts as the embryo of their Birth Talisman."

"These heirloom spirit artifacts have ancient lineages, crafted from the most precious Jin Stones and jade materials, forged with perfected techniques through countless hammerings…"

"They are perfectly aligned with the family's inherited cultivation arts and techniques, forming an integral, tightly matched part of the clan's legacy—the finest possible Birth Talisman embryos…"

Moreover, it aligns seamlessly with the sect's treasured scriptures and techniques, forming an integral, perfectly matched component of the clan's transmission system—the finest possible core for a life-bound artifact...

"Small families are even worse; most have no heirloom spirit artifacts at all, and must substitute with ordinary spirit artifacts."

"As for cultivators without sects, few even reach Jin Dan, let alone care about the quality of their Birth Talisman…"

"As for loose cultivators, the number who can even form a Core is pitifully few, let alone discussing the quality of their Natal Dharma Treasures…"

The old demon cultivator sighed faintly, his gaze complicated. "This is the true 'heritage barrier' between great aristocratic clans — from the inheritance of cultivation methods to the monopoly of cultivation resources, it fits together seamlessly, tightly interlocked."

"Small families, and even ordinary loose cultivators, even if they can form a core, their lack of heritage and spirit stone finances means they definitely cannot refine any life-bound dharma treasure worth looking at."

"Even if by luck they refine a fine embryo and nurture a superior-grade dharma treasure, their inheritance is not systematic, their techniques and Daoist methods don't match, and compared to the scions of great clans, they still fall far short…"

"And with an inferior life-bound dharma treasure, even if one cultivates to Jin Dan, one will fall far behind others, almost unable to be mentioned in the same breath as the scions of great aristocratic clans, let alone compete with them…"

Ouyang Mu nodded, half-understanding.

He came from a great clan background, so he didn't feel this deeply.

But Mo Hua's heart was filled with sighs.

"The barriers of cultivation are strict and severe…"

Sure enough, it was no empty saying.

On the surface it might not be visible, but loose cultivators at the bottom, every step they try to climb up, will crash head-on into these barriers, their heads broken and bleeding.

The old demon cultivator continued: "This is the orthodox method of refining a life-bound dharma treasure…"

"The demon path, the demonic path, the corpse path, the evil path are all largely similar — they just use top-grade demonic-path heritage evil artifacts to temper and nurture life-bound demonic-path dharma treasures."

"But beyond this, there are many differences."

"After all, in this world, the orthodox path is all the same, but the demonic path has countless variations."

"Some forge evil artifacts, some forge demon artifacts, some forge demonic artifacts…"

"Some treat demon, evil, and demonic artifacts as pets, nurture them within their bodies, and feed them with their own flesh and blood…"

"Some fuse the embryo of their life-bound evil artifact with themselves, treating it as part of their own body…"

"Besides this, there is also…"

The old demon cultivator paused, did not continue, and said lightly: "…Besides this, there are still many, methods of strange and varied kinds, too many to enumerate."

Hearing these demonic-path methods, Ouyang Mu's complexion turned slightly pale.

The old demon cultivator looked at him and said in a hoarse voice: "The way of evil artifacts is vast and profound; I will teach you slowly."

"At first you may not be used to it, but slowly, you will get accustomed to it…"

"In this world, apart from one's own divine soul, flesh and blood, skin and shell, including other people's limbs and bones, are all just external things, dead things."

"When a demon beast dies, its entire body of materials can be taken to refine artifacts."

"When a person dies, why can't they be refined?"

"Next, you follow me and learn…"

After speaking, the old demon cultivator casually took out a section of bone-white spine, tossed it into the blood pool, quenched it in human blood, then placed it over a greenish furnace fire to roast; once its blood color merged into the marrow, he took it out to forge…

This process was very tedious.

Mo Hua could only understand the general idea.

Ouyang Mu helped out as an assistant, while also remembering what Mo Hua had said — he watched the old demon cultivator's artifact-refining methods with his eyes, kept them in his heart, chose the good ones to learn, and discarded the bad ones.

For some overly evil artifact-refining methods, Mo Hua did not let Ouyang Mu do them.

Unexpectedly, that old demon cultivator did not force him either.

Whatever Ouyang Mu was unwilling to do, he did it himself one by one.

Only some leftover bits and pieces, procedures that wouldn't "dirty one's hands," would he silently leave for Ouyang Mu to do.

Mo Hua frowned slightly.

"This old thing is a bit strange…"

Just like this until the end, although this old demon cultivator had been constantly "guiding" Ouyang Mu in refining evil artifacts, he never truly made things difficult for him.

After finishing quenching that spine in blood, Ouyang Mu went back to his cell.

Mo Hua also returned to his own secret chamber.

He sat cross-legged on the ground, frowning in thought, because he suddenly realized that for such a long time now, he seemed to have been neglecting the matter of dharma treasures.

Ever since entering the Grand Void Gate, he had been constantly busy.

He had to capture criminal cultivators, earn merit, learn formations, hunt demon beasts, and find ways to eat evil entities… and so on and so forth, so busy he couldn't cope.

Now coming back to his senses and thinking about it, he only just realized that he still didn't know what dharma treasure to use.

If he were to form a core, what should he use as his life-bound dharma treasure?

Other fellow disciples all had their family elders plan things out in advance.

From their own techniques, the superior Daoist methods they cultivated, to their heritage spirit artifacts, and life-bound dharma treasures — all were passed down in one continuous line.

They didn't need to consider it themselves; they only needed to follow clan conventions, or the guidance of elders, and proceed step by step.

But he was different…

Mo Hua sighed.

He had no family heritage either.

When he left home, his parents were only at Qi Refining; he was the first among the three of them to reach Foundation Establishment — where would any Jin Dan heritage come from.

As for a master's lineage…

Mo Hua felt a bit sorrowful.

His master had suffered a great catastrophe, his life or death still unknown, and he had never mentioned anything about after Jin Dan.

"Nazijie?"

Mo Hua's eyes lit up, and he turned over the Nazijie on his right thumb.

But regrettably, in the Nazijie, nothing like a spirit artifact or dharma treasure had "suddenly appeared."

"Master didn't leave me anything…"

Thinking about it, it made sense — master wasn't an immortal, and the Nazijie wasn't a treasure chest; how could it have everything one wanted.

Mo Hua pondered for a while.

"Master left me nothing, and didn't teach me any related Dao cultivation knowledge, so that means..."

"Testing me?"

"Not restricting my choices, letting me act freely?"

"Letting me think for myself, decide what kind of True Spirit Artifact is most suited to me?"

Mo Hua slowly nodded.

Then he frowned in difficulty.

But I'm so poor—what can I use as my True Spirit Artifact?

Inherited Spirit Artifact?

Too expensive, and even if I had one, it wouldn't match my cultivation method or Dao principles—probably couldn't compete with the sect's prodigies anyway.

Ordinary Spirit Artifacts? Forget it.

I'm already far behind from the start.

Besides, I'm already at Foundation Establishment mid-stage.

Even if I had a top-grade Spirit Artifact core, I wouldn't have much time to nurture it.

According to that old demonic cultivator's words, the longer you nurture the True Spirit Artifact's core, the more it harmonizes with your spiritual energy—when finally forged, it will respond to your will like an extension of your arm, and its power will be greater.

"This is troublesome..."

Mo Hua furrowed his brows, then suddenly had an idea.

He closed his eyes, sank his spiritual sense into his mind sea, arrived before the Dao Stele, reached out, tapped it, and whispered quietly:

"Will you be my True Spirit Artifact?"

The Dao Stele remained silent as a mountain, not even bothering to respond.

Mo Hua snorted, "Stingy little thing, looking down on me..."

But then again, it made sense.

The Dao Stele was so mysterious, so ethereal and profound, seemingly imbued with some great Dao resonance—even the demonic god feared it—its origins must be immense.

With such origins, even if it offered to be my True Spirit Artifact, I wouldn't dare accept it.

I don't have that kind of destiny.

Thinking of this, Mo Hua's mindset grew much calmer. He apologized to the Dao Stele:

"Sorry—I overstepped."

The Dao Stele remained silent, but a faint tremor resonated.

It seemed quite satisfied with Mo Hua's "self-awareness."

"Even the Dao Stele won't do..."

Mo Hua sighed.

"Fine, I'll leave it like this for now. I'll think it over slowly when I have time. After all, I'm already far behind—no need to rush this now."

Besides, my spiritual energy and blood qi foundations are already far weaker than others—especially compared to the sect's prodigies—so one more shortfall doesn't matter.

Thinking this way, Mo Hua suddenly felt much better.

Once the thought of giving up arose, the world felt vast again.

Moreover, I've cultivated through spiritual sense—I don't need to force myself to "compete" with these sect prodigies in innate disadvantages like spiritual energy, blood qi, Spirit Artifacts, or True Spirit Artifacts.

As long as I can barely get by, break through the realm, and form a Jin Dan, that's enough.

Mo Hua nodded.

He took out the Grand Void Token again.

On the Grand Void Token was a long passage of text sent by Elder Xun Ziyou.

In the Ten Thousand Demons Valley, the geomagnetic signals were weak, so these words took a long time to transmit fully.

Mo Hua read through it once, and was startled.

"The power of illusion and reality—merging the manifest world with spiritual thought..."

"The Blood Stream and White Bone Lands are not the true place for breeding demonic creatures—the real secret lies deeper."

"The entire Ten Thousand Demons Valley is a massive spiritual Dao architectural structure woven through by an array..."

"Within the Ten Thousand Demons Valley lies an entire lineage of extraordinarily profound spiritual Dao array transmissions..."

This array elder is a master!

I did notice some clues in the Ten Thousand Demons Valley's arrays, but my understanding was incomplete.

Moreover, some details I completely missed.

This is the difference in array perspective and cognitive scope brought by cultivation realm.

And...

An entire lineage of extraordinarily profound spiritual Dao array transmissions!

Mo Hua's eyes lit up.

The spiritual Dao array transmissions here might be even more powerful than I thought.

Seizing the rare opportunity, Mo Hua immediately sent a message to Elder Xun Ziyou, asking simple questions about "the power of illusion and reality, merging manifest world with spiritual thought, array patterns, secrets of spiritual Dao arrays," and so on.

After reading it, Elder Xun Ziyou's scalp went numb.

"How could a Foundation Establishment disciple ask such array questions...?"

Elder Xun Ziyou grumbled inwardly, but he couldn't answer, so he went to ask Xun Ziyan.

When Xun Ziyan heard these questions, his eyes glinted slightly, and he answered each one.

Elder Xun Ziyou then relayed the answers to Mo Hua.

After Mo Hua asked again, Xun Ziyou had no choice but to ask Xun Zixian, who finally grew impatient and extended his hand:

"Give me your Grand Void Elder Token."

Reluctantly, Xun Ziyou handed over his Elder Token to Xun Zixian.

Afterwards, Xun Zixian chatted with Mo Hua for a while.

The two exchanged views on array techniques, conversing enthusiastically and completely forgetting Xun Ziyou, who was left standing aside.

Xun Zixian was no longer in that annoying "I'm talking to a cow" mood—he was now eager and full of enthusiasm.

Xun Ziyou sighed helplessly.

Finally, their conversation ended.

Xun Zixian returned the Grand Void Elder Token to Xun Ziyou and remarked, "An excellent prospect—his potential in array arts is boundless…"

After speaking, he glanced at Ten Thousand Demons Valley, his expression solemn: "This child must not be lost within Ten Thousand Demons Valley."

Xun Ziyou silently glared at him, thinking: Of course—do you really think I don't know that?

Then he sighed again.

This stalemate had already dragged on for days, but he still didn't know when a breakthrough might come.

…

Inside Ten Thousand Demons Valley, Mo Hua chatted with Elder Xun Ziyou and gained much insight.

Although Elder Xun Ziyou's array craftsmanship was far inferior to Elder Xun's, his understanding of arrays, along with his experience and observations, held unique value.

Mo Hua felt deeply moved: truly, among any three people, there is always something I can learn.

One must never underestimate any array master—maintain humility, think deeply, learn widely, and ask often.

Moreover, Elder Xun Ziyou had offered some conjectures regarding the "Divine Path Arrays" within Ten Thousand Demons Valley.

After their exchange, Mo Hua had a faint inkling in his mind, but it was still too early to confirm…

The next day, in the Evil Artifact Chamber of Ten Thousand Demons Prison.

The old demonic cultivator, as an Evil Artifact Master, continued teaching Ouyang Mu to forge Sword Bones and craft Evil Swords.

Ouyang Mu stood between the Blood Pool and Bone Furnace, diligently forging his sword.

Outside the Evil Artifact Chamber, Jin Gui watched with serpent-like eyes; seeing Ouyang Mu never slacking and indeed gradually deepening his forging of the Evil Sword, he nodded in satisfaction.

"Once Ouyang Mu enters the demonic path and becomes an Evil Sword Master, everything will be easier…"

Jin Gui remained expressionless and turned to leave.

But he did not know that, on the surface, Ouyang Mu had indeed participated throughout.

In truth, he had never touched a single step of the true demonic crafting process.

This was due both to Mo Hua's teachings on "smooth evasion" and the old demonic cultivator's deliberate blindness.

Mo Hua found this strange and sent Ouyang Mu a message:

"Ask this old thing what his connection is to the Ouyang family."

Ouyang Mu froze, gave a slight nod, then turned to the old demonic cultivator: "Old D—"

Under Mo Hua's influence, he nearly blurted out the three words "old thing."

Ouyang Mu coughed, changed his address, and whispered:

"Elder, do you have… some connection to our Ouyang family?"

The old demonic cultivator trembled, halted his movements, and radiated intense malice and resentment.

The atmosphere inside the chamber instantly froze.

Silence enveloped all around, broken only by the hissing, crackling of the venomous, emerald furnace fire, emitting a suffocating sound.

Ouyang Mu swallowed hard, lowered his eyes slightly, glanced at his sleeve, then stammered:

"If you… don't wish to speak, then forget it…"

The old demonic cultivator suddenly turned his head, his cloudy gaze fixing on Ouyang Mu, his expression filled with sorrow and complex emotion.

Finally, he sighed.

"Very well—I might as well tell you…"

Ouyang Mu exhaled in relief, about to set down the white bone in his hand.

The old demonic cultivator said: "Don't stop."

"Oh…"

Ouyang Mu paused, then resumed forging the white bone by the furnace.

The old demonic cultivator sat motionless, took a deep breath, then slowly spoke:

"This story is a long one…"

"You're right—I do… have some connection to the Ouyang family, and once, I truly was…"

Here, the old demonic cultivator seemed reluctant to speak, but finally gritted his teeth and said:

"…an Ouyang family disciple!"

Ouyang Mu's expression changed.

An Ouyang family disciple!

Of course!

He was both shocked and furious.

The mighty Tai'e Sect's Ouyang family had, for hundreds of years, been forcing its own disciples into this sunless prison, compelling them to aid demons, crafting bloody Evil Swords for these cruel beasts.

(End of Chapter)

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