Chapter 647: Assassination - The Quest for Immortality

Chapter 647: Assassination The entire structure of the Devil's Den was more complex than it appeared from the outside. The demon palace was divided into three segments: the Outer Hall, the Middle Hall, and the Inner Hall. Mo Hua deduced this layout based on the direction of the formation nodes. The formation core chamber was located in the Middle Hall, connecting both the Outer and Inner Halls. It served as the nucleus of the entire geomagnetic formation, with the main control center regulating all the geomagnetic arrays. From the Outer Hall to the Middle Hall, many demon cultivators and demon hounds patrolled the pathways, but they rarely approached the formation core chamber. Clearly, to the demon cultivators, the formation core chamber was also a forbidden zone. Typically, a skilled geomagnetic array master sitting at the core would have little to worry about. But now, an "unusual" young cultivator, accompanied by three "bodyguards," had come to "deal with" this nefarious array master. In the Middle Hall, patrolling demon cultivators and hounds crisscrossed. Even though the defenses were tight, there were always gaps during the alternation. A constant thief is less worrying than a thief plotting persistently. Mo Hua concealed himself, observing for quite a while and finally discerning the pattern of the patrols switching. Taking advantage of the changeover, he led Gu Chang Huai and the other two from the Outer Hall to the Middle Hall. Walking along the Middle Hall for a moment, they arrived at the entrance of the formation core chamber. From the outside, this chamber appeared to be just an ordinary stone room. However, the entire stone room exuded a solemn and severe aura. Mo Hua could see, from the outside, the densely engraved locking formation on the walls. He could also sense the turbulent yet orderly geomagnetic flow within the chamber. "This is it…" Mo Hua whispered softly as he checked the surroundings to ensure no one was nearby. Gu Chang Huai glanced at the chamber and asked solemnly, "How do we get in?" The chamber door was tightly shut, seemingly locked. Moreover, it appeared to be equipped with a hidden array lock. "I'll handle it…" Mo Hua whispered. He crouched, stealthily creeping to the chamber entrance. Gu Quan remained on guard at the corridor's entrance. Gu Chang Huai drew a short blade, standing to Mo Hua's right, while Gu An, holding a heavy staff, stood to his left. The two kept a vigilant eye on the chamber's door, ready to rush in and kill the evil array master inside if Mo Hua made too much noise and alerted him. A second-grade high-level evil array master was a considerable threat, potentially even more hazardous than an early-stage Golden Core evil cultivator. Golden Core evil cultivators merely caused killings. An evil array master spread harm through formations, causing widespread damage. Whether their mission succeeded or not, this second-grade high-level evil array master was doomed to die. Mo Hua meticulously unraveled the array lines. The lock formation on the door was a second-grade sixteen-line metal-lock array, just within Mo Hua's spiritual sense limits. Perhaps the evil array master, despite strong spiritual senses, didn't know lock formations above sixteen lines. Or maybe he presumed a second-grade middle-level lock formation was adequate. After all, with him guarding the chamber from inside, no one dared trespass. This presented Mo Hua with the perfect opportunity… He dared not dismantle it in one go, fearing rapid strokes might stir a strong spiritual fluctuation, alerting the array master. He cautiously traced one line, paused to check the reaction, then continued. Gu Chang Huai and Gu An waited patiently. Finally, after an indeterminate period, the array lines on the lock subtly hummed before dimming slightly. Mo Hua halted and held his breath. Gu Chang Huai and Gu An also held their breath. After a while, with no reaction, it seemed the array master inside hadn't noticed. Mo Hua pushed the door open a crack, squinting inside. He saw the array master sitting in a chair, in a deranged state, incessantly clawing at his arms and face, even leaving bloody streaks. Blood seeped underneath his nails. With the door ajar, muffled, hysterical muttering drifted out… "I can't see…" "Why can't I see…" "My spiritual sense…" Mo Hua hesitated, uncertain if he heard "sense" or "sight." "…can't see the true God's form, can't see the world's truths, can't see the eternal path…" "Why…" "I clearly…" "Drank the eyes brewed with blood…" "Why can't my eyes become His eyes?" "Why do I only see the world's filth and ugliness?" "Why can't I see…" "The true God is omnipresent, it's right here, I should be able to see…" The array master trailed into a babbling frenzy. Mo Hua frowned upon hearing this. What insanity was this array master exhibiting? Had drinking the blood wine brewed from those ominous eyes clouded his mind and sense? Mo Hua glanced back at Gu Chang Huai. Gu Chang Huai frowned too, unsure of what was transpiring. As a Court Inquisitor, he had encountered many madmen with deranged spiritual senses. However, such a bizarrely "deranged" array master was something he hadn't really faced. After babbling senselessly, the array master's body convulsed, spewing blood, before eventually stopping, becoming like a dead corpse. Moments later, he slowly regained consciousness. The torn flesh slowly healed, and his skin turned deathly pale, eyes laced with more blood vessels. "Why… can't I still see…" "Is it because my faith isn't devout enough, or my heart isn't corrupt enough…" Mo Hua silently scoffed. At death's door, still contemplating corruption… Go ponder it in the underworld. Mo Hua signaled to Gu Chang Huai with a glance. Gu Chang Huai's gaze steeled, while Gu An stood fully alert. The array master, just recovering from the blood wine-induced insanity, with his half-alert spiritual senses, was about to look toward the geomagnetic core. Suddenly, a chill spread across his chest. Looking down, he saw a small knife tip protruding from his chest. At the same time, a breeze of wind-attribute spiritual power fragmented into a multitude of blades, exploded within his chest, slicing his heart's veins and arteries asunder. The array master's heart quaked with terror. Assassination! He stood in disbelief. In this Warding Mountain's secluded Devil's Den, in an unknown ritualistic demon palace, within the highly secretive geomagnetic chamber… Could someone really assassinate him here?! Impossible! Yet the knife tip in his chest, the soul-wrenching agony, and the formidable aura of a cultivator behind him confirmed this steel-hard reality. Moreover, the assassin was a powerful Golden Core cultivator! "Death is near." The array master quivered with shock. He wished to shout in defiance. A slender, pale hand clamped mercilessly on his throat. It was imbued with potent spiritual energy, pressing against his throat, stifling his voice. The array master's eyes widened in horror. In a flash of panic, he bit the tip of his tongue, using blood to invigorate his spiritual sense and keep his mind clear. Simultaneously, his gaze turned blood red, eyes morphing peculiarly, resembling the eye soaked in the wine jar. A scarlet, enigmatic spiritual aura began to unfurl… Spiritual sense sorcery! But before the blood-colored spiritual sense could spread, a resounding "clang" echoed as an iron staff struck his forehead. Gu An remembered Mo Hua's advice: if the array master's spiritual sense exhibited any anomaly, smash his head with the staff. This single blow made the array master's scalp tingle. Gu An, a body cultivator, wielded extreme might. The array master, not being a body cultivator, couldn't withstand the blow. Blood streamed from his head, waves of agony surged. The array master's spiritual sense stifled. The blood-soaked spiritual sorcery was abruptly disrupted. Yet, moments later, the latent bloodborne neuropathy from the blood-hued eyes began reviving his spiritual sense. He discreetly concealed one hand in his sleeve, attempting to reach his communication talisman covertly. He presumed his actions well hidden. Just then, a clear voice echoed: "Hands!" Before the array master could react, searing pain shot through his arm. Gu An smashed his arm with the staff, causing the communication talisman to fall to the floor. Unyielding, the array master reached for his storage pouch with his other hand. That damning voice rang out again. "There's another one!" Before the words had even left his mouth, Gu An swung again, breaking the evil array master's other arm. Shocked and infuriated, the evil array master realized that all his actions were anticipated by his enemies. Damn it! The anger surged within him. Just as he was about to act, he noticed an uncontrollable paralysis running through his body. Threads of venom had already seeped from Gu Chang Huai's blade, infiltrating the evil array master's bloodstream, spreading through his body with each heartbeat. Poison?! He even used poison?! A Golden Core cultivator assassinating a Foundation Establishment cultivator resorting to poison? How could there be such a despicable person in the world?! "It's too late now…" Resolute, the evil array master bit through his own tongue, swallowing the ruby-red blood down his throat. His blood was as potent as an eerie brew. As the blood entered his system, his eyes protruded grotesquely, twisting into the semblance of a demonic gaze. Simultaneously, his spiritual senses surged in strength. With these sinister eyes, the evil array master fixed his gaze on the geomagnetic core in the center of the chamber. He hoped to amplify his spiritual senses through these malevolent eyes, instantly connecting with the core to summon all demon cultivators from the palace to converge and slay the assassins. "Staff!" A clear voice interrupted his thoughts. With a solemn expression, Gu An struck again with his staff. This blow left the evil array master's head soaked in blood but could not hinder his enhanced malevolent intentions. His sinister thoughts continued to connect with the core. His eyes were monstrous and bloodshot, and they stared intensely at the central array disk. Just as he was about to succeed, a flash of fire caught the corner of his eye. Two fireball spells were unleashed in an instant, one striking left, the other right, exploding on his face and scorching his protruding eyes. The burns on his eyes left the evil array master in intense pain, causing his malevolent intentions to weaken. Although his eyes were burned and blind, his spiritual senses could still extend beyond. The evil array master once more pushed his sinister spiritual senses to the limit, striving to connect with the chamber's geomagnetic control array… Seeing this, Mo Hua swiftly stepped in front of the array disk, unfurling a prepared scroll in front of the evil array master. The scroll revealed a profound abyss-like primal mark. Five Elemental Flow Array! As the scroll unfurled, the primal mark seemed to come alive. Starved, suppressed, and fearful for ages—neglected due to its low probability of being deciphered—the primal mark finally saw the light of day. In the array scroll, the primal mark began to writhe, as if it were the source of a "plague." As the evil array master attempted to connect with the core, he plummeted headlong into the primal mark. In that instant, his spiritual senses felt utterly oppressed. It was as if he were amidst a tidal wave of "plague." His heart chilled, and a touch of his spiritual senses sent him plummeting into an icy abyss. Within his mind's eye, he "saw" a prismatic eye, slowly opening and gazing coldly back at him. "What is this?!" Terror gripped the evil array master's heart. But before he could think further, he realized that dense formations, like viruses, were suffusing his spiritual senses. In the blink of an eye, his external spiritual senses were parasitized, infected, assimilated, and completely devoured. No turning back! The evil array master's thoughts went ashen. This was a meticulously orchestrated assassination! He had been ensnared completely, and all countermeasures were snuffed out in their infancy; he had no shot whatsoever. Even his spiritual defenses had been flawlessly preempted. "There's a cunning and treacherous master array manipulator scheming against me!!" The evil array master's eyes bulged with fury. "Who on earth?!" In his final moments, he yearned to see the face of the one who had orchestrated his downfall. Straining with all his might, he turned his head, recalling that crisp, eerie voice that had echoed nearby. But his eyes, scorched and blurred, failed him. He could not discern anything clearly! Finally, Gu Chang Huai unleashed a final push of spiritual power, snapping the evil array master's throat, and used blade energy to completely shred his heart. The evil array master was dead. And he never saw Mo Hua's face. Nor did he ever know who had meticulously schemed his demise. All these series of events, back and forth, unfolded in merely a dozen breaths. The evil array master was silenced. The chamber holding the formation's core returned to tranquility. Mo Hua called Gu Quan—who had been on guard outside—into the chamber, quietly closing the door. Now, any demon cultivator wouldn't know that the second-grade high-level evil array master stationed at the geomagnetic core chamber was but a corpse. Gu Chang Huai released his grip from the evil array master's snapped neck, withdrawing the short blade used to shred the heart. The evil array master's lifeless body slumped to the ground like a ragdoll. Mo Hua retracted the flow array scroll. Gu Chang Huai frowned slightly, asking, "What is that diagram of yours…?" Without batting an eye, Mo Hua replied, "Specially made to trap array masters. Uncle Gu, you can't look." Gu Chang Huai gave a start, skepticism written across his face. Meanwhile, Gu An and Gu Quan regarded Mo Hua with admiration: "Young Master Mo is truly thorough." Even their usually cold and ruthless young master wasn't usually so ruthless in method… Gu Chang Huai sighed, still complying, piercing the evil array master's forehead, energy core, and heart again with a knife each. With this, a Foundation Establishment cultivator was dead beyond doubt. Mo Hua relaxed a bit. He glanced at the wretched corpse of the evil array master, reflecting internally. The evil array master had formidable spiritual senses, sinister malevolent thoughts, and incredible skills. It's fortunate that he died first. Mo Hua nodded inwardly. An incapacitated opponent is a good opponent. As a demon hunter, "winning regardless of valor" is the principle. It's a lesson instilled in him by his father, Mo Shan, the experienced demon hunter. He must remember it well and always act upon it! After tidying up the scene, Mo Hua observed the array disk in front of him. The disk was dense with magnetic patterns, lines intertwining deeply and precisely, inscribed with the core geomagnetic array structure. A brief glance was enough for Mo Hua to realize his ignorance… He had never studied geomagnetic formations, let alone such a complex one above seventeen lines. Scratching his head, he turned to ask, "Uncle Gu, what about the evil array master's storage pouch? Let's see if there's an array diagram inside…" Gu Chang Huai hesitated. The array master was a nefarious practitioner; his pouch would likely contain demonic or sinister array techniques, and thus he had taken custody of it. These items couldn't be shown to Mo Hua. As a Court Inquisitor, Gu Chang Huai knew the better the aptitude of an array master, the deeper and quicker they could grasp evil formations. It might take just a glance or two for one to spiral into perdition. Mo Hua understood and said, "Just let me see the geomagnetic ones…" Gu Chang Huai pondered for a moment, eventually nodding slowly. Geomagnetic formations should be fine… He rummaged through the evil array master's pouch, retrieving a few books and a large, complex diagram. Though Gu Chang Huai couldn't differentiate magnetic patterns, the books and diagrams were plainly labeled "Geomagnetic," so they should be correct. "Geomagnetic Spirit Vision Array," "Geomagnetic Spirit Vision Composite Diagram," "Introductory Analysis to Geomagnetic Array Core"… Mo Hua's eyes brightened. These were treasures indeed! Far beyond what he had learned about geomagnetic formations. The evil array master's expertise, especially in geomagnetic formations, was truly exceptional. With such adeptness in geomagnetic formations, it's probable his skills in other formations, especially sinister ones, were also deeply refined… Good thing he died first! Otherwise, it would have been troublesome. "Come to think of it, I don't even know the name of this evil array master..." Mo Hua mused, then shrugged off the thought. No matter, he's dead anyway. Mo Hua contentedly shifted his focus to the geomagnetic formation books, especially the detailed "Geomagnetic Spirit Vision Formation Diagram." As he delved deeper, his brows furrowed. Gu Chang Huai asked, "Can you understand it?" Mo Hua shook his head, "This compound formation is an eighteen-line one, more difficult than typical eighteen-line formations..." "Moreover, the geomagnetic array knowledge within is somewhat unfamiliar." "The Geomagnetic Spirit Vision Array is a seventeen-line formation…" "And the geomagnetic central control sequence is even more complex..." Gu Chang Huai was confounded by the complexity. "If that's the case, why not destroy this geomagnetic compound formation?" Mo Hua shook his head, "This geomagnetic compound formation is bi-directional. If we destroy it, the geomagnetic warning in the palace will fail, and communication among the demon cultivators will be disrupted, which might alert them instead..." "Then should we just leave it be?" "Without supervision, it might easily go wrong..." Mo Hua pondered for a moment, then said, "Let me try to learn it, see if I can figure it out…" Gu Chang Huai was taken aback, "You're going to learn it now?" "Yes..." Mo Hua seemed a bit lost. If you don't know something, you learn it, right… Gu Chang Huai's expression was complex, and he said, "But your spiritual sense might not be enough…" Mo Hua nodded, "I don't need to know how to deploy it, just how to use it." He pointed to the geomagnetic core, "It's already been set up. I only need to learn how to control this geomagnetic core. The spiritual sense requirement isn't that stringent, and my current spiritual sense is sufficient…" "Oh…" Gu Chang Huai didn't quite understand but nodded, "Alright, give it a try." Working for the Court Inquisitors for so long taught him that 'professional' tasks should be left to professionals… Gu Chang Huai and the others kept watch as Mo Hua focused on studying the higher-level geomagnetic formation. Time was limited, so he couldn't delve too deeply. Moreover, his spiritual sense was limited, making it impossible to fully master these formations right now. He needed to first understand the principles behind them. He began with the Geomagnetic Spirit Vision Array. The single Geomagnetic Spirit Vision Array forms the foundation of the compound version. Mo Hua scrutinized the array lines, the basic central structure, and diagram explanations. By understanding the fixed magnetic lines in the Spirit Vision Array, he grasped the array's purpose. It was a "spiritual power surveillance" array. Through magnetic flow sensing, he could manifest the state of a cultivator's spiritual energy. However, its range was limited, and given its "spiritual power representation," it was susceptible to interference from various ambient energies, resulting in some blurriness in images. Mo Hua realized the significance. The reason those three demon cultivators and one demon hound doubled back in the corridor must have been because the nearby Geomagnetic Spirit Vision Array detected traces of their spiritual energy. But the evil array master was uncertain. So he sent the group back to check. Once the array's principle was clear, everything became easier. As for mastering the array, it was something to save for later. Mo Hua discreetly tucked the formation books into his storage pouch. Next was the compound Geomagnetic Spirit Vision Formation. Understanding the principle of the single array, he could comprehend the overall compound formation. This compound formation combined surveillance, monitoring, and communication, forming the geomagnetic defense system of the Devil's Den. Geomagnetic defense didn't guard against a cultivator's attack; it prevented leaks of confidential information. With this compound Geomagnetic Spirit Vision Formation, all demon cultivators within the palace could be coordinated and unified. Thus, the entire Devil's Den became impenetrable, as firm as a fortress. Yet, as often with formations, they could be touted as both a strength and a vulnerability. Though it served as a shield for the palace, in Mo Hua's eyes, it also presented the greatest flaw. Mo Hua absorbed himself in studying the geomagnetic formation… Gu Chang Huai observed silently. He watched Mo Hua, head lowered, engrossed in formations—sometimes frowning, at times easing his brow, occasionally deep in thought, sometimes muttering to himself, or tracing patterns on the ground with his finger… In his world, there existed nothing but formations. Gu Chang Huai sighed inwardly. In such a perilous place, to focus so entirely on formations, oblivious to everything else… No wonder he mastered them so well at such a young age… After an uncertain period, Mo Hua's eyes suddenly lit up. Gu Chang Huai noticed, his expression attentive: "Did you master the core?" "Somewhat," Mo Hua replied. He then stood up, swiftly moving ahead of Gu Chang Huai, stuffing all the geomagnetic formation books and diagrams into his storage pouch. A fortune! Geomagnetic formations above seventeen lines and compound formations as well. Buying these from a sect would cost countless merits. Just thinking about it stings the heart. Feigning indifference, Mo Hua walked to the central control disk of the geomagnetic formation and began attempting to operate the entire core system. Gu Chang Huai watched as Mo Hua brazenly "helped himself" to the items. Yet at that moment, he couldn't interrupt, only sighing and pretending nothing happened. The central core of the Geomagnetic Spirit Vision Formation was enveloped in a fog-like "magnetic flow." Mo Hua repeatedly attempted to connect with the core using his spiritual sense. However, the compound formation's core remained highly resistant. The magnetic flow inside was chaotic, putting considerable pressure on his spiritual sense. Despite several attempts, Mo Hua found no success and finally became impatient. With his spiritually transformed sixteen-line understanding, he forcefully cut through the chaotic magnetic fog. Utilizing the geomagnetic knowledge he had just acquired, he seized control of the Spirit Vision Formation's core. In that moment, Mo Hua's spiritual sense felt brilliantly illuminated. The entire demon palace appeared in his mind as an abstract, coherent network of array cores. Each array was like an anchor. Each demon cultivator, a pawn. Each Spirit Vision Array, a godly eye, depicted spiritual representations, surveying the crucial corners of the palace… Mo Hua suddenly felt a sense of omniscience: "This demon palace is mine now!" Thank you to book friends Kong Ming!, Qing'e, Yeeeeea, 20230107145925878 for the rewards~ Today, I wrote a little more, 6.6k words. (.) (End of this chapter) [Previous Chapter] [Bookmark] [Directory] [Next Chapter] Minor Tip: Press [Spacebar] to return to the directory, press (left arrow on the keyboard) to go to the previous chapter, press (right arrow on the keyboard) to proceed to the next chapter. Chapter Error? Click here to report Report Mobile Reading Said good for developing match-three games, what's this Earth War? 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