Chapter 1517: Living Dead Corpse Embryo
Chapter 1515: Living Dead Corpse Embryo
Living dead… Corpse Embryo?
Mo Hua’s pupils contracted, his thoughts shifting restlessly as he slowly asked True Person Rong, “What is… a Living Dead Corpse Embryo?”
True Person Rong’s tone was calm, though a faint trace of surprise flickered in her eyes: “In this world, some people have different destinies.”
“Factors such as birth date, the eight characters, the balance of Yin and Yang in their birth year, their place of birth, their parents’ bloodline… occasionally produce anomalies beyond the Heavenly Dao, causing extraordinary changes in the cultivator’s very existence and Fate Pattern.”
“These individuals may appear no different from ordinary cultivators in daily life, and their differences only become apparent when they encounter upheaval, exposing the anomalies in their own Fate Patterns.”
“The flesh you brought me might be the same.”
True Person Rong looked at the tissue slice in the glass slide in her hand, her gaze grave: “The Divine-Sense residue within this flesh is grayish-white, indicating that the owner of this fate is spiritless and is already a corpse. Yet, paradoxically, this seemingly dead Divine-Sense… still retains a certain vitality, allowing this corpse to live like an ordinary person…”
“Dead yet resembling the living, like a living dead. The corpse after death retains residual vitality and can continue to grow, much like an embryo(seed).”
“I consulted some ancient medical texts, which contain similar records, referring to such anomalous Fate Patterns as… Living Dead Embryos.”
As True Person Rong spoke to this point, her tone turned cold. A chill also crept into Mo Hua’s heart.
He had only thought that the child Tusheng, killed yet not dead, was certainly peculiar, but he had never imagined it would involve something like a ‘Living Dead Corpse Embryo.’ The name alone carried an aura of danger.
Mo Hua asked, “Then what is the use of this Living Dead Corpse Embryo… what is it for?”
True Person Rong, however, shook her head. “Don’t ask me.”
Mo Hua looked at True Person Rong.
True Person Rong said, “It’s not that I won’t tell you… but the uses of the Living Dead Corpse Embryo are all recorded in the Demonic Sect’s Forbidden Codex. How am I supposed to tell you?”
Mo Hua was taken aback, understanding slightly, but after a moment of contemplation, he couldn’t help but press further: “Even if it’s recorded in the Demonic Sect’s Forbidden Codex… it should only be the specific methods that are unknown, but the general purpose can still be inferred, right?”
“What kind of Demonic Path inheritance is this Living Dead Corpse Embryo?”
“Is it used for corpse dissection, corpse nurturing, soul refining, as a vessel for some kind of existence… or for refining Evil Artifacts or Human Pills?”
True Person Rong silently watched Mo Hua, her eyelids twitching slightly before she asked with some suspicion, “Aren’t you from Great Void Sect? How are you so knowledgeable about the Demonic Path?”
How do you know these Demonic Dao subjects so thoroughly, as if you’ve “studied” in a Demonic Sect?
Mo Hua’s heart skipped a beat, and he said solemnly, “True Person Rong, to be honest with you, I am an upright orthodox cultivator. My greatest joy in life is slaying demons and vanquishing evil. To know your enemy, you must know yourself, so it’s only natural that I know a little more about Demonic Dao matters…”
True Person Rong was momentarily at a loss for words.
After a moment of silence, she sighed inwardly and could only say, “You should stay away from Demonic Path things. Don’t let them corrupt you.”
“Some influences are actually intangible. If you constantly approach problems from the perspective of the Demonic Dao, contemplating the methods of the Demonic Dao, over time, you might start to feel… that Demonic Cultivators are also people, the Demonic Dao is also a Dao, and cultivating demonic arts is quite normal, nothing unacceptable.”
“Over time, your own Dao Heart will gradually develop problems, and it’s very likely… you will turn demonic.”
Upon hearing this, Mo Hua was taken aback.
After pondering carefully, he couldn’t help but feel a chill in his heart, realizing that True Person Rong’s words made a lot of sense.
The Great Dao divides into Yin and Yang, transforming into righteousness and evil. Yet Yin and Yang permeate each other, and righteousness and evil can transform into one another.
Taking a wrong step at the beginning might seem insignificant, but once it accumulates over time, evil habits form, and one can unknowingly stray onto the wrong path, making it difficult to turn back.
The boundary between righteousness and demonic ways must be clearly measured and distinguished in one’s heart.
True Person Rong meant well for him.
Mo Hua took this as a serious warning and respectfully cupped his hands toward True Person Rong, saying, “Thank you for the reminder, True Person. Mo Hua understands.”
Upon hearing this, True Person Rong felt even more astonished.
This child seemed like a freak, acting lawlessly. Yet once he truly recognized a problem, he would quickly correct himself.
At such a young age, with such a temperament, he was so upright it bordered on being sinister.
True Person Rong fell silent for a moment.
But Mo Hua still had some confusion in his heart and asked again, “Then… for someone who becomes a Living Dead Corpse Embryo, are they actually alive or already dead? Can they… still become a living person?”
True Person Rong thought for a moment and explained to Mo Hua, “This likely relates to Mind-Consciousness. If the Mind-Consciousness can remain alive, then the person can live.”
“If the Mind-Consciousness dies, then this Living Dead Corpse Embryo will either perish quickly or… incubate and evolve toward the existence state of certain aberrant corpses…”
“What it will ultimately become, no one can say for sure.”
True Person Rong frowned.
Mo Hua’s expression also turned grave.
Tusheng’s situation seemed even more dangerous than he had thought.
But there was something else in True Person Rong’s earlier words that caught Mo Hua’s attention.
“True Person,” Mo Hua said with a frown, “Mind-Consciousness, Divine Soul, Ethereal and Corporeal Soul, Divine-Sense… are these all the same thing?”
What Mo Hua understood best was Divine-Sense, or Divine-Sense Thought, he was even quite familiar with divine consciousness.
As a cultivator who had Proved the Dao through Divine-Sense, possessing the power of Dao-Transformed Divine Sense, his Divine-Sense approached that of a deity.
But recently, he had frequently encountered cultivation concepts like Divine Soul, Mind-Consciousness, Ethereal soul and Corporeal soul.
Initially, Mo Hua thought these concepts referred to the same thing, just different names for Divine-Sense or Divine-Sense Thought.
However, based on True Person Rong’s phrasing, as well as the legacies related to Fāngshì, geomancers, and Ghost Arts he encountered in Kun Province—along with the “Living Dead Corpse Embryo” that could exist without Divine-Sense—Mo Hua suddenly realized that these Divine Dao terms might not be so simple.
Moreover, there were the methods related to Ethereal and Corporeal he had come into contact with while cultivating the Forbidden Art “Seven Corporeal Souls Blood Prison Eye Technique” of the Water Prison Sect at Great Void Sect.
Mo Hua vaguely felt that Divine Dao concepts like Divine-Sense, Mind-Consciousness, Divine Soul, and Ethereal and Corporeal might not be interchangeable.
Divine-Sense itself likely had many deeper distinctions within it.
It was just that most cultivators were confused by the seemingly similar yet different names like heart, spirit, soul, and corporeal.
But True Person Rong said, “I don’t know.”
Mo Hua couldn’t be sure whether True Person Rong genuinely didn’t know or simply didn’t want to tell him.
True Person Rong sighed, “I truly don’t know. The pure path of Divine-Sense is too ethereal and elusive… It’s not within my field of study. I only specialize in the Dao of Alchemy, medical arts, and dissection.”
True Person Rong shook her head, “If you really want to inquire about such matters, you’d have to go to Fāngcùn Mountain.”
Mo Hua’s gaze trembled slightly, “Fāngcùn Mountain?”
True Person Rong nodded, “The cultivators of Fāngcùn Mountain enjoy discussing subtle metaphysics, are obsessed with the ways of gods and ghosts, nurture invisible spirits, and cultivate metaphysical arts.”
Fāngcùn Mountain…
Mo Hua felt a deep yearning in his heart upon hearing this.
Such a place seemed perfectly suited to his tastes.
He too was obsessed with the ways of gods and ghosts and cultivated invisible spirits.
Moreover, this wasn’t the first time he had heard the name “Fāngcùn Mountain.”
Mo Hua asked, “Is Fāngcùn Mountain off-limits to outsiders?”
True Person Rong nodded, “It is a reclusive sanctuary, rejecting all worldly cause and effect. Outsiders can’t even find its gate, let alone enter.”
Mo Hua said, “What if I force my way in? Would that work?”
True Person Rong glanced at Mo Hua, “How would you force your way in? Can you break through the mountain gate? Or can you suppress the reclusive Ancestor?”
Reclusive Ancestor…
Mo Hua said, “Never mind then.”
He wouldn’t dare provoke the Ancestor’s displeasure. Still, he wasn’t ready to give up, “Then… if I could find a way, could I sneak in?”
“How do you plan to sneak in?” True Person Rong asked.
Mo Hua shook his head. He couldn’t even locate the mountain gate, so how would he know how to sneak in?
True Person Rong sighed, “You have high Heavenly Secret comprehension; you should know that everything follows cause and effect. There must be a cause for an effect, and affinity for a method. Even if you want to sneak in, you must follow the thread of cause and effect.”
“Do you… have any cause and effect with Fāngcùn Mountain?” True Person Rong asked.
Mo Hua still shook his head. He had only recently heard the name Fāngcùn Mountain and knew nothing about it before. How could he have any cause and effect with it?
True Person Rong said, “Exactly, no cause, no effect; no affinity, no method. You don’t even have the cause to sneak in.”
Mo Hua sighed.
True Person Rong thought for a moment and said, “There is another possibility, though.”
Mo Hua was taken aback and asked, “What possibility?”
True Person Rong said, “If you stay in Kun Province for several hundred or even a thousand years, and by chance, some major upheaval occurs within the reclusive sect, forcing it to emerge into the world, then you might have a chance to sneak in.”
“But this is also relying on luck… If you’re lucky, there’s a slight possibility; if not, you’ll be without affinity for a lifetime.”
Mo Hua shook his head helplessly.
How could he possibly wait in Kun Province for hundreds of years? He still had many things to do.
Moreover, given the current situation, Kun Province might not remain stable for hundreds of years. He wondered if Fāngcùn Mountain would open its gates and allow him to enter and learn its teachings if Kun Province suddenly fell into chaos.
Mo Hua fell into deep thought.
True Person Rong glanced at Mo Hua, pondered for a moment, and suddenly her expression changed as she asked, “Mo Hua, from whom did you obtain this piece of flesh?”
“Where is this Living Dead Corpse Embryo now?”
Mo Hua was startled.
After thinking for a long time, he asked seriously, “True Person Rong, I can tell you about the Living Dead Corpse Embryo, but are you sure you want to hear it? And what do you intend to do after hearing it?”
True Person Rong was taken aback for a moment, realizing that Mo Hua was asking her if she truly wanted to get involved in this cause and effect.
Once she got involved and learned the identity and location of the Living Dead Corpse Embryo, she would become a player in the game, her own cause and effect would change, and her actions would consequently shift as well.
True Person Rong wrestled with the decision for a long time before finally sighing and saying, “Forget it, the trouble is too great. You handle it yourself.”
Mo Hua nodded.
True Person Rong asked Mo Hua, “Is there anything else?”
Mo Hua shook his head. “No.”
He also understood that True Person Rong was politely seeing him out, so he cupped his hands and said, “Thank you for your trouble, True Person Rong. I’ll take my leave now.”
True Person Rong nodded. “Mm.”
After that, Mo Hua respectfully left. True Person Rong stood before the desk, staring at the slice in her hand, her brow furrowing tighter and tighter.
After an unknown length of time, she murmured under her breath: “Living Dead Corpse Embryo…”
…
After bidding farewell to True Person Rong and walking through the forest of Little Luan Mountain, Mo Hua’s thoughts were equally tumultuous.
“Living Dead Corpse Embryo…”
True Person Rong hadn’t explicitly stated it, but since it contained the character for ‘corpse,’ did that mean it was related to the Yin Corpse Valley?
What exactly in the Yin Corpse Valley was it related to?
And what would the Yin Corpse Valley do with a ‘Corpse Embryo’?
Moreover, if Tusheng truly was a Living Dead Corpse Embryo, then the Corpse Cultivators of the Yin Corpse Valley would definitely not let him go once they caught wind of him.
Even if Tusheng were in the Dao Court Division, he might not be entirely safe.
Mo Hua frowned, unable to set his mind at ease.
After thinking for a moment, he decided to go and confirm it.
Mo Hua first found Little Senior Sister and said, “Senior Sister, I have some business to attend to and need to go out for a bit.”
Bai Zixi was somewhat surprised but didn’t stop him, only asking, “Will it take long?”
“Very quickly,” Mo Hua said. “I’ll be back soon.”
Bai Zixi seemed to be thinking about something, then nodded. “Be careful on the road.”
“Mm.”
Mo Hua took another look at Little Senior Sister before setting off to bid farewell.
…
After leaving the minor blessed land, he had only walked about ten miles when he suddenly sensed something unusual around him.
Mo Hua’s Divine Sense swept roughly over the area, clearly detecting that quite a few Divine Senses were secretly watching him.
These Divine Senses were all at the Golden Core level, with considerable cultivation and obscure auras, clearly indicating experienced practitioners.
If not for Mo Hua, other Golden Core cultivators would have had difficulty detecting them.
Mo Hua’s gaze darkened. “People from the Kun Province Aristocratic Clans?”
Had they sent people to tail him this morning, right after he left the Jade Fragrance Pavilion last night?
They didn’t dare get too close to Little Luan Mountain, fearing they might offend True Person Rong, so they hid quietly about ten miles away, keeping an eye on his movements.
The young masters of the Kun Province Aristocratic Clans truly held grudges over the smallest matters.
Mo Hua also realized that the situation was becoming increasingly troublesome.
One could be a thief for a thousand days, but one couldn’t guard against thieves for a thousand days.
Although he wasn’t afraid of these people tailing him, if he was constantly watched, his actions would inevitably be restricted, and he wouldn’t have much freedom.
He also didn’t know if it might lead to other troubles in the future…
Mo Hua’s gaze sharpened, intending to intimidate these people and the young masters behind them. However, thinking of Tusheng, who was a Living Dead Corpse Embryo, he decided to hold back for now.
Mo Hua pretended not to have noticed anything and continued walking naturally.
As soon as he entered a fork in the road, he turned a corner and activated the Minor Five Elements Concealment Technique, blending into the mountain rocks and disappearing without a trace.
The stalkers, even though they were all skilled Golden Core Realm experts, had rarely encountered such a masterful concealment technique. Having lost track of Mo Hua, they could only wander aimlessly on the spot like headless flies, inwardly cursing in frustration.
Meanwhile, Mo Hua easily shook off these “flies,” maintaining his concealment as he circled Houtu City a few times before hiring a carriage and heading toward the Dao Court Division.
The journey was uneventful.
Upon arriving at the Dao Court Division, Mo Hua walked straight into a secluded office building.
This was where Gu Changhuai and others, the Archive Officers appointed by the Dao Court, handled cases.
The people inside were either Gu Changhuai’s trusted aides or Executive Officers from the Demon Suppression Division, and most had seen Mo Hua before, so they dared not obstruct him.
Entering the building, Mo Hua swept it with his Divine-Sense and immediately spotted Tusheng in a corner, wearing plain, unranked Dao Court robes and moving files. He worked diligently and earnestly, and in his Dao Court Division attire, he looked just like a trainee Executive Officer, without the slightest hint of incongruity.
Mo Hua called his name.
Tusheng looked up, surprised and delighted to see Mo Hua.
He had thought that after leaving him at the Dao Court Division, Mo Hua would no longer care about him.
Tusheng quickly put down the files in his hands and bowed to Mo Hua. “Sir.”
Mo Hua glanced at Tusheng, noting that his complexion seemed normal, and nodded. “Come with me.”
Tusheng didn’t understand why but complied obediently. “Yes, sir.”
Mo Hua found a secluded room in the office building, brought Tusheng inside, closed the door tightly, and sealed it with a Formation.
Only then did he carefully examine Tusheng for a long while before his gaze sharpened slightly, and he asked softly: “Have you felt… unwell lately?”
“Unwell?” Tusheng thought for a moment and shook his head. “I’ve been… fine here… nothing unusual.”
Mo Hua continued, “Haven’t you felt… something strange in your Sea of Consciousness?”
Tusheng pondered, then fell silent.
Mo Hua reassured him, “It’s fine. Tell me everything.”
Tusheng nodded. “It’s not exactly strange, but sometimes I feel a bit dazed. I don’t know why… it’s like… I’ve lost my soul…”
“And sometimes, it feels as if something is calling to me…”
Mo Hua’s pupils contracted slightly.
…
Translator’s Note:
Hún (魂): Ethereal Soul – (the intellectual, spiritual soul)
Pò (魄): Corporeal Soul – (the physical, bodily soul)