Chapter 649: The Fiery Calamity - The Quest for Immortality

Chapter 649: The Fiery Calamity Mo Hua's mind froze for a moment before he quickly collected himself and began scrolling through the chat history between Master Yuan and Fire Buddha. Indeed, there were only a handful of lines, mostly concerning the construction of the demonic formations. In their exchanges, Master Yuan referred to the other as "Venerable," and he himself as... "Yuan someone"? Mo Hua thought for a moment, then promptly replied to Fire Buddha: "Overwhelmed by worldly matters, my temper flared, and after consuming some 'wine,' I misspoke. I hope the Venerable can forgive me..." The person on the other side paused and responded, "Is the Master indulging in wine? My intrusion was inappropriate..." Mo Hua concentrated, thinking. Referring to oneself in such a manner... this person must be Fire Buddha. Using wine... Mo Hua pondered deeply. It seemed that particular gaze, and the blood wine brewed with it, were indeed extraordinary. Even Fire Buddha would refrain from disturbing an evil array master while he drank. Unfortunately, that gaze had been snatched away by Uncle Gu. Otherwise, he would have had a chance to study it further. Mo Hua then inquired, "Does the Venerable have urgent matters?" If not, then kindly leave... I'm not in a position to say much; speaking too much risks exposure... Mo Hua felt a touch of anxiety. Fire Buddha frowned, sensing some urgency from the other side, but considering "Master Yuan" was drinking, even when sober, one's spirit might remain intoxicated, needing to experience the "divine essence," so it was understandable for him to be in a bad mood. Fire Buddha transmitted, "These days I've been uneasy, as if something is about to happen..." "Is there anything unusual in the hall?" Mo Hua's heart skipped a beat, and he feigned nonchalance: "With me overseeing, the Venerable can rest assured." Fire Buddha: "Could there be... oversight?" Though fearing he might slip, he couldn't afford to show weakness, as that would make him more conspicuous. Mo Hua pretended to be displeased: "This formation is the eighteen-patterned magnetic spirit vision matrix, with the mind as its core, spirit vision as its eyes, and magnetism as its ears. Not a whisper escapes my attention... Yuan someone..." "The hall is impenetrable, wind and rain cannot breach it..." Then, Mo Hua seized the initiative, asking in return: "Venerable... could it be you doubt Yuan someone?" Fire Buddha paused, then slowly replied: "With the Master in charge, I am reassured." "Indeed, rest assured." Fire Buddha paused again, silent for a long time, then hesitantly noted, "Master Yuan seems... more 'spirited' lately." Pretending to be "Master Yuan," Mo Hua felt a chill. At least a hundred years younger, wouldn’t that make one more spirited... Mo Hua paused briefly, then said, "I drank..." "Drank..." Fire Buddha queried, "And how is the wine?" Fire Buddha's tone was obscure, whether out of genuine curiosity or as a test. Mo Hua tensed. He hadn't tasted it; how could he possibly describe it? Mo Hua initially thought of saying, "The taste is good," but such a standard response wouldn't fit the profile of an evil array master... The image of the evil array master drinking floated before his eyes, along with his delusional mutterings... Mo Hua had a flash of inspiration and sighed: "Even after drinking wine, mere mortal eyes still cannot see..." Upon hearing the words "cannot see," Fire Buddha felt reassured. Fire Buddha: "There is truth in this world; within the truth lies great horror, and within horror, the opportunity for eternal life..." "Mortal eyes naturally cannot perceive the truth of this world." "Yet transcending spirit and shedding mortality is not achieved overnight." "Master, you seem a bit too hasty in pursuit..." Mo Hua realized, no, it was "Master Yuan" who realized, and admired: "As expected of the Venerable, truly insightful and admirable." "Master Yuan praises too highly." Fire Buddha maintained a humble tone, "These are mere superficial insights of a practicing Buddhist, hardly worth mentioning." Mo Hua wondered if he should "flatter" him again. Typically, with Fire Buddha so humble, one would continue to flatter. But with "Master Yuan's" solitary and malevolent nature, he might not enjoy being "fawned over" by others... Even if that person was Fire Buddha. Mo Hua was conflicted. Fortunately, he wasn't given much time to decide, as Fire Buddha turned the praise back on him. "Master Yuan is adept in formations, his divine insights surpassing ordinary understanding of the worldly ways..." Mo Hua replied with restrained pride: "The Venerable praises too highly..." "The way of formations is vast and deep, and I've only scratched the surface, knowing the world is but remnants of the great path, appearances that come and go." "People cannot see through it, their path clouded, possessing cultivation but in vain search, ultimately bound to be erased by the great path..." Mo Hua intertwined formations, the great path, and the path of the heart, speaking earnestly to Fire Buddha. Fire Buddha remained silent for a long time before slowly saying: "The Master is truly someone with great 'enlightenment'!" Fire Buddha continued: "These days have been an imposition on Master Yuan..." "The wine is inferior..." "Once the Sacred Hall is built, live sacrifices will be made, at that time a batch of prime spiritual roots will be slaughtered, and the purest essence given to the Master to brew wine..." Mo Hua frowned, feeling a chill within. The Sacred Hall... is this the demonic hall? Demonic cultivators flattering themselves, calling it "sacred" instead of "demonic"? And live sacrifices? That certainly sounds like something demonic cultivators would do... Yet "prime spiritual root sacrifices"... Even sacrifices need prime spiritual roots? His own middle-lower spiritual root aptitude couldn’t even qualify as a "sacrifice"? Mo Hua felt a mix of emotions. He didn’t know whether to be angry or relieved. Simple demonic cultivators, perpetuating spiritual root discrimination! But the blood of these prime spiritual roots, in the end, was meant for "him" to brew wine... Fire Buddha was indeed being "gracious." Mo Hua wasn’t sure how to respond. Thank you? Would a mad and delusional evil array master be expected to say "thank you"? Moreover, would that seem... narrow-minded? After all, being a high-ranking second-tier evil array master, maintaining appearances was important. Mo Hua said, "For us, to turn to the path of demons and see the world as mere dog, building the Sacred Hall to pursue great feats, can hardly be called an imposition. The Venerable underestimates Yuan someone..." Fire Buddha remained silent for a while, seemingly taken aback, then praised: "Master Yuan, despite your silence in formations research, truly harbors boundless insight, unlike ordinary men..." "Would the Master consider taking refuge in Buddhism?" Mo Hua paused once more. Was Fire Buddha trying to convert him to Buddhism? "No, he doesn’t know that 'I' am 'I,' he's trying to convert the deceased 'Master Yuan'..." But take refuge in Buddhism? Mo Hua said, "I fear Yuan lacks the Venerable's 'enlightenment'..." "No," Fire Buddha confidently responded, "The Master's enlightenment is exceptional, merely hiding its light, appearing unnoticed before..." That's because the real "Master Yuan" who conversed with you hadn't died yet, hence remaining hidden... Mo Hua still gently refused: "I am engrossed in evil formations, using human flesh and blood to refine arrays, burdened by heavy karma, likely without a connection to Buddhism..." "Master Yuan is mistaken!" Fire Buddha persisted in persuading "Mo Hua": "Buddha preached equality among all beings..." "All beings are born equal, so too do they die equal." "Humans die, so what of killing a few more? Heavy karma is of little concern." "It's merely guiding those destined to die to their fate prematurely." "Since cultivating demons leads to inevitable killing." "After killing, resentment binds, polluting the core..." "Belief in Buddhism can pacify resentment, calm the dark energy, and guard the heart..." "As the saying goes, 'Lay down the butcher's knife, and instantly become a Buddha.'" "One uses a knife to kill, for pleasure; when not killing, the knife is set aside, to nurture body and mind..." "Even if one kills indiscriminately, reciting 'Amitabha,' one can still find peace." "If not killing, not doing evil, with a clear heart, no sin to atone for, then why eat vegetarian, why chant Buddha?" Mo Hua was stunned. This Fire Buddha was truly a talent. What exactly is he practicing... Could this even be called "Buddhism"? "What does the Master think?" Fire Buddha's transmission arrived again. Mo Hua silently criticized. "Why don't you go ask 'Master Yuan' instead of me? I can't possibly agree on behalf of the deceased 'Master Yuan'..." Mo Hua felt a headache coming on but decided to humor Fire Buddha by saying, "Is the Buddha's dharma truly so profound?" "Indeed, it is so profound!" "Could it calm my wicked nature post-drinking and suppress my insanity thereafter?" "The Master may try..." Mo Hua vaguely replied, "Then on another day, surely I will seek the Venerable's guidance and explore the profundities of the Dharma together..." "Very well," Fire Buddha conceded, "Master Yuan is busy, so I won't disturb you further. We shall discuss the Dao on another day." Afterward, there was no communication from Fire Buddha, as if he was occupied with other matters. Mo Hua's expression turned grave. He had actually engaged in conversation with Fire Buddha... This was entirely unexpected, not part of any planned strategy. What should he do next? Continue impersonating "Master Yuan" and chatting with Fire Buddha to extract information? Mo Hua shook his head. Fire Buddha is no fool. Discussing grand and abstract topics like the Dao and Buddhism might be feasible, but straightforward questions like: "What’s inside the inner hall?" "Your Incandescent Fire Technique is quite formidable, where's the manual hidden?" Or "What exactly made you annihilate the entire Xie family?" could immediately raise suspicion with Fire Buddha. Neither could he continue discussing Buddhism—if Fire Buddha became enthusiastic and decided to meet him, only to find the already deceased "Master Yuan" and the "lively" Mo Hua managing the magnetic reversal formation, the deception would be over. "So... lure Fire Buddha out?" "And then have Uncle Gu and the others try to assassinate him?" However, a late-stage Foundation Establishment like Fire Buddha, essentially at the pinnacle of Foundation Establishment, wouldn't be easy to assassinate... Fire Buddha is very vigilant. Uncle Gu can't yet use his Golden Core strength. If the attempt fails, and Fire Buddha isn't killed, they’d be surrounded by demonic cultivators. Currently, in the outer and middle halls, there are about three hundred demonic cultivators, some have been eliminated, but many remain. Even if all are killed, at least a hundred should still be in the inner hall... Mo Hua furrowed his brows in thought. He couldn't wait for Fire Buddha to catch on and develop a solution, as by then it might be too late... "I must plan early and find a swift resolution..." Delaying would only complicate matters. Mo Hua immediately sent a message to Gu Changhuai: "Uncle Gu, quickly gather forces and surround the demonic hall..." Gu Changhuai's expression darkened, "Have we been discovered?" "Not exactly," Mo Hua responded, "Fire Buddha initiated a conversation with me..." Gu Changhuai: "..." After a moment, Gu Changhuai inquired, "What did he say to you?" "Not much..." He couldn’t very well admit that Fire Buddha attempted to recruit him, even tried to convert him to "Buddhism"... Especially while he was masquerading as "Master Yuan"... "I managed to fib my way through it, but what happens next is uncertain..." Mo Hua explained. Gu Changhuai contemplated briefly before deciding: "I will mobilize forces immediately; meanwhile, we should seize the time to eliminate as many as possible to weaken the demonic cultivators’ strength..." "Agreed." In the outer and middle halls, there are approximately two hundred remaining demonic cultivators. Time was of the essence, and Mo Hua wasted none, proceeding to "notice" names while Gu Changhuai and the others continued their assassinations. One demonic cultivator after another was eliminated. Mo Hua not only controlled the magnetic reversal formation, issuing commands leading to demonic cultivators' demise, but also used the magic talismans of the fallen to converse with the living ones, concealing the truth of their deaths. Time steadily ticked away. At this moment, Mo Hua intercepted a "message" at the magnetic core center: "The malice in the outer hall is thickening, someone is killing people, Qiao Lao Liu, go check it out..." Mo Hua was taken aback. They’d been discovered! Upon verification, Mo Hua found that the message originated from Fire Buddha. As expected, the truth hadn't been entirely obscured... Mo Hua frowned. However... "The malice is thickening," how exactly did Fire Buddha perceive this? What exactly was "malice"? Mo Hua was puzzled. But there was no time to dwell on it. Mo Hua immediately transmitted a message: "Uncle Gu, we need to retreat; Fire Buddha has discovered the deaths outside..." Gu Changhuai quickly acknowledged: "Understood, we're on our way." Mo Hua awaited in the formation center's secret chamber. Before leaving, he needed to prepare. The magnetic spirit sight reversal array couldn't be destroyed yet. Its destruction would render the magic talismans inoperative, instantly alerting Fire Buddha and the others. Mo Hua could only use basic fixed magnetic patterns to "lock" the magnetic spirit sight reversal array, temporarily disabling its use by others. The chamber also housed Master Yuan's corpse. Not decomposed due to the short time since death, it couldn't just be discarded and was left in the chamber for now. Processing this corpse wasn't an immediate option. Mo Hua pondered briefly, then decided to simply leave the body there. After a while, Gu Changhuai and his group returned. Seeing Mo Hua unharmed, Gu Changhuai let out a subtle sigh of relief. "Let's leave," Gu Changhuai urged. "Yes," Mo Hua nodded. They concealed themselves, guided by Mo Hua, and departed from the magnetic core's secret chamber, heading out of the demonic hall. Mo Hua, familiar with the way, navigated effortlessly. During his extensive monitoring from the formation center, he had become intimately familiar with the demonic hall's structure. Walking through it now, Mo Hua felt as though he was traversing his own courtyard. On their way, Mo Hua discreetly queried: "Uncle Gu, did you manage to gather everyone?" Gu Changhuai nodded, "Everyone is assembled; two hundred eighty people are stationed outside the narrow passage." Mo Hua slightly nodded. Two hundred eighty people...having the numerical advantage should suffice. Many of the demonic cultivators had already perished, leaving an estimated one hundred eighty or ninety. The impending confrontation would be tough. This location couldn’t be stayed at. Mo Hua could linger a while longer, but without protection, he wouldn't risk it. Besides, there were other tasks at hand... Gu Changhuai needed to return and coordinate with Daoting’s two hundred eighty enforcers. Mo Hua also needed a way to dismantle the outer traps and magnetic formations at the hanging stone bridge. Otherwise, crossing for these two hundred individuals would be arduous. Thus, Mo Hua retraced his path, discreetly exiting once more. Upon passing the main gate of the demonic hall, it was tightly closed with several demonic guards outside. "This main gate... is a problem..." Mo Hua pondered briefly; then instructed Gu Changhuai to eliminate the guards. Inside the gate, he made some covert modifications to the formations before leaving assured. They didn’t exit through the main gate, instead concealed themselves, navigating to the hall's periphery, climbing up the jagged mountain stones surrounding the demonic pit, and exiting through the dug-out cave entrance... Just as Mo Hua exited the demonic pit, Qiao Lao Liu emerged from the inner hall and headed straight to the outer hall. The outer hall was desolate. Qiao Lao Liu, rough in nature, cursed, "Where is everyone? Where did they all go?" His voice echoed within the demonic hall. No response came. Qiao Lao Liu frowned, pacing and exploring, yet no shadow appeared. Perplexed, Qiao Lao Liu couldn’t comprehend it. The demonic hall, while large, never had such a void, always possessed a vague shadowy presence, but never emptiness to this degree. Glancing down at the rot river, he spotted the garments of several demonic cultivators, their bodies reduced to blood-mud, blending into the putrid, green waters. Qiao Lao Liu's face drastically changed. "Dead?!" He immediately communicated with Fire Buddha: "Bro, bad news, they're all dead!" Moments later, the inner hall doors reopened. A tall, solemnly serious Fire Buddha, donning a blood-red robe, stepped through. Surveying the scene, he muttered softly: "Such dense malice..." "Many have died." "What a pity..." Fire Buddha's icy gaze remained emotionless: "They weren't slain by me... I cannot draw the malice into my body, making it impossible to cultivate the fiery calamity..." Thank you to all for the support, and happy Lantern Festival~ I originally planned more updates, but procrastination struck, so I'll add them at the end of the month~ Fire Buddha, after this festival, likely won't last the month. 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