Chapter 833

Water Prison Sealed Casket.

Inside it is a single "Sealed" character…

Mo Hua's eyes gradually brightened, and he asked quietly: "Elder Yu, what is the Water Prison Sealed Casket?"

Yu Canghai had just heard Mo Hua mention this casket, and for a moment he was overcome with emotion, losing composure; now he slightly regained himself, looked at Mo Hua's curious face, and hesitated, speaking vaguely:

"Nothing much—just a lost legacy of our Water Prison Sect. I heard it fell into the hands of this vile beast, and I couldn't help but feel indignant."

"Oh…"

Mo Hua, seeing he wouldn't speak, felt a flicker of displeasure.

This Elder Yu speaks in riddles, too evasive.

Mo Hua shifted his thoughts, sighed, and said regretfully:

"Pity—two Dao Ting Si Jin Dan Diansi both failed to catch Water Yama. With his cunning, he'll never be caught again; this jade casket may be lost forever…"

At these words, Yu Canghai trembled and rose abruptly, stunned.

"Lost forever…"

"Yes," Mo Hua nodded helplessly. "After all, this is a second-grade prefecture—once Water Yama enters water, no one can touch him. Not even two Jin Dan. Even seven or eight more wouldn't stand a chance…"

Mo Hua subtly flattered Water Yama.

But Yu Canghai believed him.

He had fought Water Yama before and knew his deceitfulness and tenacity well.

Especially here, in the Yan Shui River.

The vast, labyrinthine Yan Shui River itself was Water Yama's perfect shield—he was as adept in water as a water dragon.

Yu Canghai's expression turned utterly solemn, thick with anxiety.

If they couldn't catch Water Yama and recover the Water Prison Sealed Casket, wouldn't the pinnacle legacy of the Water Prison Sect be lost forever to another?

Mo Hua observed his expression and understood; he feigned ignorance and asked softly:

"Elder Yu, is this Sealed Casket an extremely important legacy?"

Elder Yu froze, then his gaze grew dry as he forced a weak smile. "It's somewhat important… but not truly vital—not a supreme legacy…"

"I see…" Mo Hua sighed with relief, his tone light. "Then I'm at ease. If it's just an ordinary legacy, even if Water Yama has it, it's no big deal."

"I'll tell Uncle Gu later—no need to rush about the casket. Take it slowly. In a hundred years, or even a few decades, we'll eventually capture Water Yama and reclaim it."

Elder Yu's face twisted in bitterness.

A hundred years—or even a few decades.

Others might have time to search; he himself might not live that long.

If he died before finding the Water Prison Sealed Casket, then…

Elder Yu let out a deep sigh and looked up at Mo Hua again.

He now knew clearly: Mo Hua was using the Water Prison Sealed Casket to pressure him, demanding his stance.

If he revealed the truth, Mo Hua would use his connections to hunt Water Yama and recover the jade casket.

If he stayed silent, Mo Hua would wash his hands of it entirely.

Yu Canghai was helpless.

This was the Water Prison Sect's legacy—a true secret. He never intended to tell anyone, unless he found someone truly worthy to inherit the Water Prison Dao.

But now, it seemed he had no choice.

If he didn't speak now, these secrets—and the Water Prison Sect's Dao—would die with him in his coffin.

How could he face the Liezulie Sect in the netherworld?

"Enough… telling this young brother is better."

"Even if this casket ends up in his hands, it's better than remaining in the hands of that vile beast."

Yu Canghai fell silent for a moment, then spoke slowly: "Young brother is a sensible man. No need for obfuscation—I'll cut to the chase…"

He sighed, his expression grave: "The Water Prison Sealed Casket… is the supreme legacy of our Water Prison Sect. It has always been passed only to the Sect Master."

Mo Hua's expression stiffened.

He had known the jade casket was significant, but never imagined it was this precious.

Passed only to the Sect Master!

In today's terms, it meant—in a twelfth-tier sect—something above Outer Sect, Inner Sect, Direct Lineage, and Core Direct Lineage: a Dao only the Sect Master could learn.

Far higher in rank than the legacy he currently held in the Grand Void Gate.

And this was from a thousand years ago—a "twelfth-tier" sect.

Compared to today's twelfth-tier sects, its Dao was purer, deeper, and far more unique.

Seeing Elder Yu had begun speaking, Mo Hua dropped all pretense and asked directly:

"Does the 'Sealed' in 'Water Prison Sealed Casket' refer to… Forbidden Arts?"

Yu Canghai's eyelid twitched.

The words "Forbidden Arts" did not exist in the awareness of ordinary cultivators.

Aside from fanatics obsessed with Forbidden Arts, ordinary cultivators avoided such Dao Ting Si-prohibited techniques like the plague.

Yet Mo Hua uttered them casually—as if Forbidden Arts were nothing unusual…

What kind of Daoist education had this boy received in his sect?

Yu Canghai's gaze sharpened; he pondered briefly, then nodded slowly:

"There is truth to that…"

"The 'Sealed' in the Water Prison Sealed Casket refers first to prohibition. To the entire Water Prison Sect, this jade casket is a forbidden object—no one except the Sect Master may touch it. Violators face, at minimum, cultivation destruction and expulsion; at worst, imprisonment in the Water Prison, sinking into eternal darkness."

Mo Hua's expression turned solemn.

The Water Prison Gate, no doubt once the Dao Ting Si's "hounds," had built water prisons and set up private tortures…

Then he muttered inwardly, "Thank goodness I'm not a disciple of the Water Prison Gate—if I'd touched the Water Prison's forbidden casket, I'd already have my cultivation stripped and thrown into the water dungeon, never to see the light of day again."

Yu Canghai didn't know Mo Hua's private thoughts and continued:

"The second point refers to the 'forbidden technique.'"

"What forbidden technique?"

Yu Canghai hesitated a moment, then spoke gravely, "It's a visual technique."

Mo Hua thought to himself, just as expected, "That visual technique used by the Water Yama?"

But Yu Canghai, upon hearing this, exclaimed in shock, "The Water Yama knows a visual technique?"

Mo Hua was also surprised: "You didn't know?"

Yu Canghai's face paled slightly as he shook his head.

"That doesn't make sense," Mo Hua frowned. "Didn't you fight the Water Yama? Didn't he use his visual technique on you?"

Yu Canghai's expression turned complex. "No. I fell into their ambush, surrounded by nearly a hundred Foundation Establishment cultivators. They wore me down in rotation, and the Water Yama struck from the shadows."

"Under such circumstances, even if I could've used my Jin Dan power, I still wouldn't have stood a chance against them…"

"Aside from those gifted cultivators with extraordinary killing arts, generally speaking, a Jin Dan beginner's power is roughly ten times that of a Foundation Establishment late-stage cultivator."

"I'm a Jin Dan mid-stage cultivator, so I'm stronger still—but even then, I couldn't possibly survive an assault by nearly a hundred Foundation Establishment cultivators."

"Not to mention the Heavenly Dao suppression, and that most of these water bandits had cultivated demonic arts and were already ruthless killers, murderers without number…"

"Oh."

Mo Hua nodded, then grew slightly puzzled.

Why hadn't the Water Yama used his visual technique in front of Elder Yu?

Was he afraid of being recognized?

Mo Hua pondered, a faint shock stirring in his heart.

The Water Yama's jade casket was likely itself "illegally obtained."

That's why he dared not use his visual technique before Elder Yu, who came from the Water Prison Gate.

He feared Elder Yu would see through it and reveal that the forbidden casket was in his possession.

And earlier, at the ferry crossing, when the Water Yama discovered Mo Hua knew the Water Dungeon Technique, he assumed Mo Hua was a remnant of the Water Prison Gate and tried to kill him to silence him.

Aside from other reasons, it was likely because, during his fight with Uncle Gu, the pressure had been too great—he'd been forced to use his visual technique.

He feared Mo Hua, as a "Water Prison Gate remnant," would recognize the origin of his visual technique.

If so, could this Water Prison forbidden casket be something the Water Yama stole?

From where? The Gui Water Gate?

Mo Hua frowned in deep thought.

Yu Canghai, meanwhile, wore a solemn expression and asked, "What did the Water Yama's visual technique look like?"

Mo Hua recalled, "It was heavy with malevolent energy. His eyes were red, as if soaked in blood. Within the blood were countless strange, twisted figures—human-like, yet demon-like—writhing, screaming in torment, as if trapped in a hellish abyss…"

Yu Canghai's brow tightened further.

Mo Hua asked, "Is this your Water Prison Gate's visual technique?"

But after a moment's thought, Yu Canghai shook his head. "Not quite…"

Mo Hua blinked. "Not quite?"

Yu Canghai nodded. "The Water Yama's visual technique is bloody, heretical, and brimming with malevolent energy—it's unmistakably a demonic art."

"Our Water Prison Gate is a righteous sect. Even if we are ruthless and merciless, we would never adopt such a bloody technique as our sect's core art. Even if we wanted to, the Dao Ting Si would never permit it."

Mo Hua thought it over, then nodded. "That makes sense."

Then he asked, puzzled: "So what exactly is the Water Yama's visual technique?"

"I've never seen it firsthand, so I can't be certain—but judging from what you describe…" Yu Canghai frowned, "the Water Yama likely rushed his cultivation, draped himself in the shell of our Water Prison Gate's visual technique, while secretly using a demonic art to refine malevolent energy…"

Refining Malevolent Energy…

The Demonic Art of Transmuting Malevolence!

These six characters suddenly surfaced in Mo Hua's mind.

This scripture had been hoarded by Huo Fotuo, and later stolen by Mo Hua together with the Falling Fire Technique.

Huo Fotuo and the Water Yama were both likely "Venerables" within the Evil God Cult.

That means the two of them probably both studied this *Demonic Art of Transmuting Malevolence*.

To transmute malevolence is to convert killing karma into malevolent energy.

Huo Fotuo refined his malevolent energy through killing, condensing it into the Falling Fire Technique.

The Water Yama refined his malevolent energy through killing, condensing it into his visual technique.

Mo Hua's gaze darkened slightly.

Yu Canghai continued: "I don't know what specific refining art the Water Yama cultivates, but he's clearly cut corners—he's grafted this demonic art onto the shell of our Water Prison Gate's visual technique, using the technique to condense malevolent energy and seize the soul."

"Then what is your Water Prison Gate's visual technique like?" Mo Hua asked. "If not malevolent energy, what does it cultivate?"

Yu Canghai hesitated, then sighed. "Our Water Prison Gate cultivates malevolent energy too…"

Mo Hua: "..."

He paused, then summarized: "The Water Yama cultivates malevolent energy using a visual technique. Your Water Prison Gate cultivates malevolent energy using a visual technique too?"

Yu Canghai: "Yes…"

Mo Hua whispered his "interrogation":

"Aren't you saying your Water Prison Gate is a righteous sect? But your visual technique doesn't seem any different from the Water Yama's. Isn't it also based on killing to refine malevolent energy?"

Yu Canghai shook his head, bitterly:

"This is precisely why I was unwilling to explain the full truth to you earlier…"

"Cultivating sha-qi lies between righteousness and evil; one misstep, and you'll stray onto a corrupt path."

"That's why this inheritance jade casket is called the 'Forbidden Casket.'"

"That's why this eye technique is classified as a 'Forbidden Art.'"

"Throughout history, only the Water Prison Sect's sect leader has been permitted to cultivate this Dao method."

Mo Hua became interested. "What's the reasoning behind that?"

Yu Canghai said solemnly: "What is called 'sha-qi' is itself a kind of 'qi' found in the heavens and earth, but this qi fuses factors like karmic retribution, spiritual soul, and death—its lethal power against cultivators is unfathomable, which is why it is not classified as orthodox."

"And when broken down, sha-qi has many varieties: Heavenly Sha, Fate Sha, Corpse Sha, Evil Sha, Inauspicious Sha, Demon Sha, Year Sha, Death Sha… and so on."

"I only know the names of these sha-qi. The knowledge within is profoundly deep; only those who have devoted themselves to this path can distinguish them clearly, understand their essence…"

"Yet all these sha-qi, at their root, relate to 'death and injury.' These deaths and injuries come from natural disasters or human-caused calamities."

"Natural disasters are unpredictable; human-caused ones are easy to create."

"Therefore, if a cultivator wishes to cultivate sha-qi, they must personally commit killings—in short… they must kill people!"

Yu Canghai had a solemn expression.

Mo Hua frowned slightly.

"The more people you kill, the heavier the karmic burden, and the stronger the sha-qi you cultivate. Young friend, let me ask you this," Yu Canghai said, "Is killing right?"

Mo Hua wanted to say no, but after pondering, he shook his head. "Not necessarily."

"Exactly!" Yu Canghai said. "On the surface, killing is wrong, and cultivating sha-qi through killing is the act of evil heretics—but…"

"What if someone deserves to die? What if someone deserves to be killed?"

"Should such people be killed or not?"

Mo Hua's gaze grew deep, but he said nothing.

Yu Canghai sighed. "Having a kind heart is good, but good and evil are two sides of the same coin—excess is as bad as deficiency."

"Too much kindness is foolishness; foolishness gives rise to evil."

"If someone says, 'Life is precious; even if one commits grave sins, repentance should spare them death,' or 'Put down the butcher's knife and instantly become a Buddha; past sins shall be forgiven'—such people are the ones truly deserving of death!"

"Those who deserve to die, must die. Those who deserve to be killed, must be killed."

"Killing evil people can also cultivate sha-qi. In our Water Prison Sect's inheritance, such sha-qi is called 'Righteous Sha!'"

Mo Hua's gaze trembled. "Righteous Sha…"

"Precisely!" Yu Canghai nodded solemnly. "Our Water Prison Sect has always entered Dao Ting Si, meting out cruel punishments to criminals, imprisoning evildoers in Dao prisons, slaying all traitors, demons, and corrupted beings—using slaughter to forge majestic sha, cultivating a body full of righteous qi, so that Feng Xiaoxiao and treacherous villains tremble at the mere mention of our name—this is what we call 'Righteous Sha!'"

Yu Canghai spoke with passionate conviction.

Mo Hua was stirred, but soon felt a pang of suspicion. "This 'Righteous Sha' must be prone to problems too…"

Yu Canghai blinked in surprise, then sighed helplessly.

This young brother truly has a sharp mind—nothing escapes him.

Yu Canghai sighed:

"You're right, young brother—Righteous Sha is extremely difficult to cultivate…"

"One who cultivates Righteous Sha must possess extraordinary willpower, an unshakable Dao heart, and must never make a single mistake."

"Once you cultivate Righteous Sha and commit killings, the vengeful spirits that cling to you are mostly utterly vicious people. These malevolent thoughts never cease assaulting your spirit. If your nature develops even a crack, and you cannot resist these evil thoughts, you will suffer backlash—your nature will fall, your sha-qi will mutate, and Righteous Sha will transform entirely into an even more extreme form of Evil Sha…"

Hearing this, Mo Hua felt a chill.

But he knew it was likely more than that.

Kill evil people. Cultivate Righteous Sha.

What if one day, you accidentally killed even one innocent person? Wouldn't that Righteous Sha instantly lose its claim to the word 'Righteous' and be utterly ruined?

Put yourself in the shoes of a great villain—wouldn't it be absurdly easy to scheme and frame someone, causing a Righteous Sha cultivator to mistakenly kill an innocent?

This flaw is far too great.

And this is only accidental killing.

Among Dao Ting Si cultivators, if someone has a corrupt heart or a warped nature, they might deliberately fabricate wrongful cases, frame the innocent, create 'criminals,' then kill them with a clear conscience to cultivate Righteous Sha—becoming a hypocritical 'cruel official.'

When you think about it carefully, it's terrifying.

These words, Elder Yu would never speak aloud, out of concern for the sect's reputation.

But Mo Hua suspected that this eye technique's classification as a Forbidden Art, restricted only to the sect leader, was at least partly due to these very factors.

Still, Mo Hua did not dwell on it.

The Water Prison Sect had been destroyed a thousand years ago; old debts were not his to settle.

He was only curious about one thing.

Mo Hua thought for a moment, then asked Yu Canghai:

"Elder Yu, how exactly is the Water Prison Sect's eye technique used? After cultivating Righteous Sha, how does one use the eyes to intimidate others? Is there more to it?"

"This…" Yu Canghai smiled bitterly. "You're putting me in a difficult position, young friend—I'm just an ordinary elder. How could I possibly know the secrets of a Forbidden Art reserved only for the sect leader?"

Mo Hua simply stared at him.

Under Mo Hua's clear yet penetrating gaze, Yu Canghai felt a slight prickling on his scalp. Finally, he sighed:

"I only know a little…"

"Even a little is enough."

Yu Canghai sighed helplessly. "It's the diagram on the casket."

"Diagram?"

Yu Canghai nodded. "The diagram contains a visualization method. By contemplating this image, you can fuse Righteous Sha into your spiritual soul, then release powerful majestic sha through the eye aperture—the eyes—to intimidate others' minds."

"It's a kind of unconventional spiritual soul assault technique."

"It may seem unimpressive at first glance, but in a life-or-death battle, at the critical moment, eyes filled with malevolence can shock and paralyze the opponent—even if only for a few breaths, it's enough to decide life or death. Worse still, this eye technique has nothing to do with Qi, and can be used simultaneously with spells, making it utterly impossible to defend against; one misstep, and you'll suffer greatly."

Mo Hua nodded involuntarily.

He had fought against Water Yama and knew this technique was not powerful, but incredibly troublesome.

Even a Jin Dan could be caught off guard.

If not for my strong spiritual awareness, which was unaffected by Water Yama's eye technique, I might already have been defeated by him at the ferry crossing.

Worse still, if someone doesn't know you possess an eye technique and you strike them suddenly, it's truly lethal.

But…

Mo Hua was still puzzled.

"The diagram on the jade casket depicts a prison, eight cells, each holding a condemned prisoner, each subjected to a different punishment, each criminal distinct… Where is the visualization method?"

Yu Canghai, upon hearing this, also became confused.

He was genuinely confused.

Though he was an elder of the Water Prison Sect, this was the first time he had learned what image was painted on the Water Prison Forbidden Casket, the sect's supreme legacy.

"Eight cells, eight punishments, eight prisoners…"

Yu Canghai frowned in thought for a moment, then suddenly froze, looking at Mo Hua: "Wait—this isn't something in Water Yama's possession? How do you know so much about it, young friend?"

He even knows how many cells are on top, how many punishments, how many prisoners.

Mo Hua also froze for a moment.

Fortunately, though his face was pale, his skin was thick.

Mo Hua said calmly:

"I have a good memory—I never forget what I see. When Water Yama fled, he was carrying the casket, and I happened to see it clearly—every detail!"

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