Chapter 637: The Transformation of Retribution - The Quest for Immortality

Chapter 637: The Transformation of Retribution Mo Hua's pupils contracted. Is this... the scene of the Xie Family's annihilation? Are these the residual soul memories of the Xie Family cultivators, slaughtered and burned to death in agony on that fateful day? Are they remnants of divine thoughts? In broad daylight, a sea of flames stretched before him. Mo Hua suppressed his discomfort and focused his gaze, determined to see the end of this brutal "butchery." He wanted to know what exactly befell the Xie Family... The massacre, a bloody fusion of fire and chaos, continued unabated. Demon-like criminals, grinning wickedly, wielded their butcher knives, slaughtering the Xie Family cultivators one by one, dismembering them like cattle and swine. After the slayers were killed, their bodies were piled together... Yet in the midst of this, some force seemed to activate. The scene then suddenly blurred. The blood-red hue intensified, and the fire raged, obscuring everything in sight. The screams and wails around him were torn and intermittent as if what came next was forbidden, a secret someone intended to keep from Mo Hua, masking the aftermath of the slaughter... Mo Hua frowned, his eyes dark and filled with strange intent as he invoked the art of divination to continue peering into the mystery. Sensing Mo Hua's intrusion, the inferno suddenly swelled, its flames as crimson as blood, engulfing those slain and those slaying, blocking Mo Hua's line of sight. Unfazed, Mo Hua persisted in looking. The fire roiled and surged. The flames writhed like serpents, threatening Mo Hua but not daring to encroach. Yet Mo Hua lacked the means to "see through" this fiery veil. With a resigned sigh, Mo Hua understood that the power veiling the cause and effect was immense, far beyond his level of divination. His methods, learned through trial and error under his master's guidance, were rudimentary at best. While he fared well with divination arrays, foreseeing heaven's machinery was another story, showing clear inadequacies. His master had yet to formally teach him true divination arts... Or rather, hadn't lived to do so... A gentle, doting face resurfaced in his mind... A pang of sorrow touched Mo Hua's heart. Soon, the flames receded. Mo Hua's vision cleared somewhat. He saw the fierce criminals, including the Fire Buddha, had disappeared. The Xie Family cultivators vanished as well, seemingly "evaporated," leaving no trace of body or soul. Mo Hua frowned in bewilderment. At that moment, his heart twitched. For an instant, the strands of fate tangled. A seed of retributive change sprouted, altering the scene. On the ground, eerie shadows overlapped, revealing dozens upon dozens of dismembered Xie Family cultivators piled high, like the embers of burned-out wood. Like slaughtered livestock, drained of blood. It seemed everything was extracted from them, discarded without care. Quickly, the air thickened with an ominous, twisted presence... The remnants stirred, unwilling and monstrous, rising once more. Simultaneously, their limbs began to deform. What once were human "hands and feet" reshaped into forelegs of cattle, hooves of horses, a grotesque transformation into beastly, non-human "creatures"... They now took on the guise of vile, sinister entities—evil incarnate. Though "dead," they lived on through this transformation into sin. No longer human, they seemed to become more like those who "devour" humans... "Demons?!" Mo Hua felt a chill of dread. Those grotesque beings, leering at Yu'er and ensnaring her dreams, resurfaced in his mind... Studying them closely, Mo Hua made a silent comparison and suddenly focused. "No..." Though bearing resemblance, they were not the same. The demons plaguing Yu'er's dreams were mere appendages of malevolent spirits, embodiments of wicked thoughts. Their existence was more of an “illusionary entity.” Conversely, the transformation of these Xie Family cultivators into beasts resembled a celestial mutation, a deviation of fate. More akin to... The wayward path of Tao?! Mo Hua's heart turned cold, his gaze heavy. He sensed... Though the signs of transformation were faint and limited, what he witnessed indeed heralded the "transformation of the great Tao." As Mo Hua pondered gravely, the transformed half-human, half-beast "demons" suddenly turned their blood-red eyes toward him. They were filled with hatred from their wrongful deaths, eager to consume the living. And Mo Hua was the sole "human" within this layer of causality. Twisted and struggling, these "demons" rose, malevolently fixing their gaze on Mo Hua. Standing his ground, Mo Hua remained calm. In an instant, murderous intent surged. These "demons" howled, roared, and charged at him on all fours, jaws gaping wide. Mo Hua looked upon them silently, a trace of compassion in his eyes. Simultaneously, behind Mo Hua, a sea of blood surged. A towering mountain of corpses appeared without warning. Across the landscape, zombies and iron-cadaver horrors roamed. A formidable, imposing Corpse King stood above the multitude, its eyes crimson, exuding a terrifying aura, dominating the legion of undead. The transformed demonic creatures, marked with only faint signs of change and numbering in mere hundreds, were but ants in its eyes. Moments later, the Corpse King bellowed skyward. The horde of corpses surged, hundreds of demonic creatures shuddered in terror. Then, the sky turned crimson with blood as the sea of the undead descended, cascading like an unstoppable tide, sweeping through the transformed "demons" in an instant, annihilating every trace. The fleeting sign of transformation within the Xie Family was thoroughly erased. Yet, after vanquishing the transformed "demons," the horde's bloodlust was ignited, causing them to howl towards the sky, an overwhelming killing intent permeating the air. The blood sea atop the corpse mountain deepened in crimson. The aura of the wayward path grew increasingly intense. Under the shrouding blood sea, the Corpse King's aura turned more violent by the minute. Its eyes glowed a deeper red, hints of breaking free and further transformation apparent. Suddenly, a clear, commanding voice cut through the chaos. "Stand down!" Instantly, the restless corpse mountain fell silent. The horde bowed, silencing their screams. The Corpse King's eyes, tainted with an overwhelming killing intent and swirling with violent malice, fixated on Mo Hua, glaring at the one only nominally its "young master," longing to eliminate him. Mo Hua's gaze remained indifferent as he met the Corpse King's stare. His look was clear and compelling, carrying the irresistible authority of an "overlord." The meaning behind his gaze seemed to say, "Don't make me repeat myself." At Mo Hua's piercing look, the Corpse King bristled with anger. It almost defied him, but the mark deep within its being flared with pain, and blue runes like chains of causality and laws of the great Dao coiled around it. Frightened, it had no choice but to submit. Its eyes bore residual malice and defiance, yet its body obediently "bowed." The blood sea gathered, the undead returned to their lairs, the corpse mountain vanished. The Corpse King, before disappearing, gave Mo Hua one last, fearsome glance... As if to say, "I'll be back..." And with that, the corpse mountain and sea of blood receded entirely, dissipating all traces of causality and sin. The Xie Family's brief sign of transformation was obliterated and extinguished. The rampant sea of fire gradually died down... Mo Hua felt the world blur as once vibrant flames and bloodshed faded, replaced by the glaring brightness of the midday sun—dazzling and disorienting. ... "Mo Hua?" "Mo Hua!" A frantic voice rang out. Mo Hua hesitated momentarily, then slowly opened his eyes to find himself lying beside Gu Chang Huai. Gu Chang Huai, frowning, was calling his name repeatedly. Upon seeing Mo Hua awake, he finally sighed in relief. If something happened to this child, he'd have no way of explaining it to his cousin or Yu'er. Yet his mind was still troubled with lingering doubt. The scene Mo Hua had just witnessed still lingered vividly in his mind. As soon as he entered the devastated Xie Family estate, his expression turned grave. His face paled, and then his eyes lost focus and closed as he fainted. It seemed he had seen something he shouldn’t have... Adding to the eeriness, after Mo Hua collapsed, the atmosphere over the entire Xie Family site suddenly grew sinister and oppressive, as though some terrifying transformation was underway. The presence of malevolence seemed to be growing. Under the clear blue sky, there was a bone-chilling coldness. Even Gu Chang Huai, at the Golden Core stage, felt a weight on his chest and was beset by a sense of alarm. Yet, when Mo Hua opened his eyes, everything had disappeared... Gu Chang Huai looked at Mo Hua, his gaze heavy as he asked, “What... actually happened?” Mo Hua rubbed his eyes and slowly sat up, quickly recalling the sequence of events in his mind. The sea of fire... the Xie Family... the massacre... The overwhelming fire that obscured the truth... The signs of a vast transformation due to the wayward path... These were things he couldn’t speak of. Mentioning them could bring immense trouble. Especially anything related to the “wayward path”—a taboo of the Dao Court... Mo Hua pondered briefly before saying, “I’ve been pushing myself too hard with learning formations. With too many drawings, I overtaxed my spiritual consciousness and occasionally black out... It’ll pass after a while.” Gu Chang Huai, hearing this, knew Mo Hua was fibbing. Just moments before, Mo Hua had been lively, his eyes sparkling with life. How could he suddenly faint from overexerted spiritual consciousness? Clearly, the kid was keeping something to himself... Gu Chang Huai shot Mo Hua a deep look and asked, “Are you still interested in examining the Xie Family?” Mo Hua nodded, “Yes, I need to.” With a slight nod, Gu Chang Huai didn’t push further. For the next hour, he escorted Mo Hua around the blackened ruin of the Xie Family estate. The entire estate had been reduced to ashes. Everything was turned to char. After their tour, Mo Hua found nothing unusual. There were occasional clues, but these were things Gu Chang Huai was already aware of. With his deep cultivation, extensive experience, keen observation, and instincts as an inspector, Gu Chang Huai would have noticed anything Mo Hua could. Furthermore, anything Mo Hua missed, Gu Chang Huai would certainly detect. In the business of investigation, Gu Chang Huai was thoroughly professional. Following Gu Chang Huai, Mo Hua surveyed the Xie Family estate, observing everything. The Fire Buddha and his cohorts left no trace. Everything from the members to the buildings of the Xie Family had been incinerated, leaving behind little to no evidence. Aside from what Mo Hua witnessed in the sea of fire, there were indeed no other traces. A sense of disappointment welled up in Mo Hua. Gu Chang Huai wasn't surprised by Mo Hua’s disappointed expression. The Dao Court had searched the Xie Family thoroughly, both inside and out. If there were something to be found, it had long been uncovered. It wasn't something that could wait for Mo Hua to discover. “Let’s head back...” Gu Chang Huai suggested calmly. His goal was to return Mo Hua safely to the Gu family, back to his cousin’s care, simplifying his responsibilities. Avoiding any unexpected troubles or incidents while escorting this youngster around. Like the one they’d just encountered... “Okay.” Mo Hua nodded in agreement. Having found nothing, he could only prepare to leave. As he turned to depart, Mo Hua hesitated, looking back at the rubble of the Xie Family estate, his brow furrowing. Gu Chang Huai appeared puzzled, “What is it?” Mo Hua deliberated briefly, then said, “Uncle Gu, do you have the architectural plans for the Xie Family’s estate?” Gu Chang Huai nodded, “I do.” “Could I take a look?” Mo Hua asked. Gu Chang Huai’s gaze deepened, “What are you looking for?” Mo Hua replied, “I’m looking for a particular place...” “A particular place?” Gu Chang Huai frowned, thinking for a moment before deciding not to press further. He nodded, “Very well.” Finding a relatively clean spot, Gu Chang Huai retrieved a map from his storage pouch and spread it on the ground, indicating to Mo Hua, “This is the architectural map of the Xie Family estate...” The map detailed the topography, structures, and formations used within the Xie Family estate. Mo Hua was well-acquainted with such diagrams. Diligently, he began to scrutinize the map... In the recent vision of the sea of fire, after the Fire Buddha slaughtered the Xie Family cultivators, he gathered their bodies together. Despite the crucial events shrouded by the flames, managing to obscure the truth from Mo Hua’s view, he vaguely remembered the nearby scenes. These scenes were evidently within the Xie Family grounds. Yet, during his circuit, Mo Hua noted their absence. “It seems there’s a place I overlooked...” As Mo Hua replayed the fiery visions in his mind, he compared them with the Xie family map, searching for a match. Finally, his eyes lit up. On the architectural map, there was a secluded corner in the Xie Family’s backyard — an obscure pavilion with an open yard, surrounded by annex buildings and flower pots. The layout and setup closely matched his memory. Pointing to the pavilion courtyard on the map, Mo Hua said, “Uncle Gu, let’s check this spot.” Gu Chang Huai cast a surprised glance at Mo Hua but nodded slightly. Following the indication on the map, they navigated through the unrecognizable paths, stepping over ashes to reach the location of the pavilion. The entire area around the pavilion had collapsed, with charred beams and walls blocking access. That explained why Mo Hua hadn’t seen it earlier. With a wave of a paper fan, Gu Chang Huai unleashed his spiritual energy to clear the path. Mo Hua proceeded inside until they stood in the courtyard before the pavilion. Secluded and hidden. The pavilion was similarly incinerated, and it appeared the fire had raged more fiercely here, leaving barely any remnants. The courtyard was desolate, blackened just like the rest of the site, bearing no apparent difference. Though they searched thoroughly, no clues emerged. Gu Chang Huai turned to look at Mo Hua. Mo Hua frowned, lost in thought. “No traces at all...” “That’s not right...” Mo Hua extended his spiritual consciousness, finding nothing but the lingering fire element from the ruined remains, adding no clarity beyond the desolation. “Nothing?” Mo Hua’s brows knit tighter, but then he paused, sniffing the air. “Uncle Gu, do you smell anything?” “Smell?” Gu Chang Huai sniffed subtly, commenting, “Burnt?” “No...” Mo Hua continued to sniff, his gaze sharpening. “It’s faint...” “Fresh, but a bit off, slightly viscous and smooth...” Standing by, Gu Chang Huai was speechless, frowning, “Are you sure it's an aroma, not something you're tasting?” “Something tasted...?” Startled, Mo Hua’s mind raced. This was... The scent of golden marrow?! Unicorn Enforcer… the marrow of consciousness! This was… the aura of an evil god?! Invigorated, Mo Hua sniffed once more, following the thread of this divine “scent” to a corner of the courtyard. Sniffing again, Mo Hua found and unearthed a pile of charred remains. Gu Chang Huai approached, also examined it with his senses, ultimately disappointed, “It’s just ordinary debris, nothing special.” “Who knows what could have burned though...” Mo Hua shook his head, his expression grave, “It’s far from ordinary!” He detected the “evil god’s” aroma in it. Though he couldn’t tell what the charred remains were, he knew they were extraordinary. These remnants surely masked some astounding secrets. Gu Chang Huai noticed Mo Hua's rare serious demeanor and felt compelled to take it seriously. He took out a storage bag, carefully dividing and preserving the charred remains into two portions. “I’ll take these to the Dao Court for examination to determine what this residue is…” Spiritual artifact, spiritual object, elixir, or perhaps... Human flesh and blood. Mo Hua nodded and asked, “If you find out...” Gu Chang Huai sighed, “I'll let you know when I do.” “Alright.” Mo Hua glanced at the Xie Family estate that had been annihilated by fire. An entire family slaughtered, bodies destroyed to eliminate evidence. The cause and effect obscured. Traces of transformation due to divine retribution. And... The sinister aura of the evil god on those charred remnants... Mo Hua's brows furrowed deeply. He initially thought it was merely a heinous crime committed by the Fire Buddha and other criminal cultivators. But now, it seemed the situation was far more complex... --- Thank you to those who rewarded this with contributions: 3997, Past of Leeks, and Ha~ (.) ---