Chapter 769 – Tiger Mark
The black-robed leader wore a sinister smile. Though his face was human, he looked no different from a demon.
It was as if a malevolent spirit had taken residence in his body.
Jingui felt a chill in his heart. All thoughts of resistance vanished as he gritted his teeth and accepted his fate.
"As long as I can serve the Young Master and follow the Leader, I will walk through fire and blades without hesitation!"
The black-robed leader nodded in satisfaction and gave Jingui a deep, scrutinizing glance before saying solemnly:
"You don't have any demonic marks on your body yet. To reward your loyalty…"
"I will personally draw one for you."
Jingui's pupils contracted.
Until now, though he had done many deeds for the Young Master—some even violating the Dao's laws—he had not yet dabbled in true demonic cultivation.
The demonic path was strictly forbidden by the Dao Court.
Breaking the Dao's laws might allow some excuse, some defense.
But once one practiced the demonic arts—there would be no mercy.
He had been in the Myriad Demon Valley for some time now. How could he not know what these "demonic marks" represented?
Once they were etched into his body and the demonic power fused with his blood and flesh, he would have truly stepped onto the path of demons.
But… this was what he had anticipated all along.
It was both a ritual and a form of recognition.
Now that things had reached this point, there was no turning back.
He had no noble background. If he wanted a future, he had to risk everything.
"Many thanks, Senior Brother!" Jingui said, cupping his hands.
This time, the black-robed leader did not correct his use of "Senior Brother." He silently accepted the title.
He then led Jingui to a secret chamber.
The room was surrounded by intricate formations.
The array patterns were wicked, eerie, and unpredictable.
All around were the trappings of demonic cultivation: human blood, flayed skin, skulls, man-eating plants, ghost stones, rotting flesh, and more.
At the center of the room were many books and scrolls made from unknown human or beast hides, filled with arcane diagrams and demonic formation texts.
The black-robed leader pulled out one such book, opened it, and said:
"Here are several dozen demonic marks. Choose one."
On the hide were drawn many types of demonic symbols: bear marks, eagle marks, wolf marks, hound marks, serpent marks, and more…
Each demonic mark corresponded to a specific Four Symbols Demon Formation.
Each also conveyed a different kind of demonic power:
The bear mark gave overwhelming strength.
The wolf mark generated razor-sharp claws.
The serpent mark bestowed deadly poison…
Jingui carefully reviewed each one, then pointed at a specific mark and said:
"Senior Brother, I choose this one."
The black-robed leader followed his gaze. His expression changed slightly as he raised an intrigued eyebrow.
"The Tiger Mark?"
Jingui slowly nodded.
He didn't want to be a dog forever.
Even if he was groveling now—doing the bidding of others—one day, he would become a fierce tiger, the King of Beasts!
The leader's expression turned somewhat ambiguous.
It was unclear whether he was mocking Jingui… or admiring his ambition.
"Fine," he said.
A man is either a dog or a tiger.
Etching a tiger mark won't make you a tiger.
"The Four Symbols Formation is derived from the sacred markings of the Four Great Beasts of the Great Wilderness. But with the divine bloodlines now extinct, we can only convert sacred marks into beast marks, which then mutate into demonic marks."
"The tiger is the king of beasts."
"Among the Four Sacred Beasts, one is the White Tiger."
"Among the many savage and ferocious demon beasts, a single tiger can dominate a mountain, rule a domain."
"Thus, the Tiger Mark of the Four Symbols is one of the highest-tier demonic lineages."
"This tiger mark not only enhances tiger-like power, it also allows the user to infuse that power into their own body. With the formation's help, they can command the aura of all beasts and wield the force of a mountain lord."
"Now, I shall draw upon your back the Four Symbols Profound Tiger Demon Array, and fuse it into your blood and flesh."
The leader dipped a bone-white brush into fresh blood and began drawing the array on Jingui's back.
As soon as the first stroke fell, Jingui shuddered in agony.
The bone brush was like a carving knife. The tip stabbed like a needle.
The blood-ink felt like molten lava.
Every stroke was like being skinned alive and scorched at the same time.
But Jingui clenched his teeth and endured.
This was his opportunity!
He would engrave the Profound Tiger Demon Array, abandon his human dignity and lowly status, and from that moment, begin his rise!
One stroke after another fell.
Jingui's face grew paler and paler, and the pain deepened.
Yet bit by bit, the tiger formation on his back took shape.
At last—after who knew how long—a tiger's roar echoed within the chamber, seemingly appearing from thin air.
The Four Symbols Profound Tiger Demon Array was complete.
The leader put away the brush and the diagram scroll.
"Remember," he said coldly,
"This is the Young Master's gift."
"You may not betray. You may not disobey."
"Everything you are… was given by the Young Master."
Jingui trembled as he knelt, pressing his forehead to the ground.
"Thank you for this blessing, Young Master! I will serve unto death—mind, body, and soul!"
Then he slowly rose to his feet.
As he stood, his body began to stretch and grow.
The demonic aura around him thickened.
A feral tiger's might began to emanate from him.
By the time he had fully straightened up, his body was already several feet taller, and his frame was broader and more muscular.
But in his eyes, all traces of humanity had faded.
There was less of a man—and more of a beast.
The black-robed leader nodded.
"Go now. Serve the Young Master."
"Yes!"
Jingui's voice had grown raspy—tainted with the breath of a wild beast.
Without another word, he turned and left—walking through the deep, winding corridors of the Myriad Demon Valley toward his new post:
Warden of the Myriad Demon Prison…
...
At this moment, within the Myriad Demon Prison—
The previous overseer had already been dealt with.
Mo Hua was waiting for the new one.
He wanted to see what kind of demon cultivator the new overseer would be—
and whether he might be able to extract some fresh clues from this person to help rescue Xiao Mutou and the others.
And maybe even profit a little himself while he was at it.
He didn't know how long he'd been waiting. Mo Hua was getting restless—
just when he began to suspect that the Myriad Demon Valley might be understaffed and couldn't spare anyone to send…
A new figure finally appeared on the Spirit Vision Formation.
A newcomer had entered the Myriad Demon Prison.
It was another tall silhouette—unsurprising, as most demon cultivators had large frames,
especially those not of the canine or serpent varieties.
But this figure's aura was powerful—and unusual.
At a glance, Mo Hua could tell he was not like the others.
What was stranger was the creeping sense of familiarity.
Why does he look so familiar?
Perplexed, Mo Hua decided to take a closer look.
The new "overseer" headed straight for the stone chamber that had belonged to the previous "Overseer Xiong," and shamelessly settled in as if it were his own.
That stone chamber had been fully mapped out by Mo Hua.
Every move made within it was already under his surveillance network.
Now that this new guy had taken over the post, he'd naturally stepped right into Mo Hua's net.
So Mo Hua slipped down a formation control tunnel, one he knew like the back of his hand, and popped his head out from a secret hole he'd dug near the wall of the chamber.
He peeked down—
—and immediately froze.
That face…
"Is that… Jingui?"
The same Jingui who, back at Demon Refinement Mountain, had brought Broken Gold Sect disciples to bully others,
snatched away his Pig-Head Beast, and was later robbed right back by Mo Hua?
Not only that…
Wasn't this the same guy he had stripped naked, drew a turtle on, and hung from a tree?
He would never forget someone he'd drawn a turtle on.
"Well, well. So you've ditched being a righteous sect disciple and gone full demon, huh? Not even pretending anymore. You must've hit your head on a doorframe."
Still—
Mo Hua narrowed his eyes in confusion.
"Why is he… taller now?"
Jingui's frame was bulkier, his whole aura different.
"Does becoming a demon cultivator… make you grow taller?"
For a moment, Mo Hua felt a twinge of envy. His Dao heart nearly wavered.
But he quickly shook his head and firmed his conviction:
"Even if I could grow taller, I won't give up my principles to become some half-human, half-demon freak!"
Besides, someone like Jingui probably grew through some kind of forced acceleration. He'd probably stop growing forever after that.
Unlike Mo Hua—whose potential was still sky-high.
He nodded firmly.
Then his eyes lit up.
Jingui… Broken Gold Sect…
This was solid evidence—nailed down tight.
Even if they tried to deny it, it wouldn't work.
One of the Twelve Recognized Lower Sects—Broken Gold Sect—had committed such a grievous act?
They were in for a world of trouble.
The only question was, how many Broken Gold Sect disciples were here in the valley?
And how deep were they involved?
Also, the sheer scale of this Myriad Demon Valley—the long planning, the huge resources involved—
surely it wasn't just a simple operation.
Was there an even deeper conspiracy Mo Hua didn't yet know?
Suspicion clouded his gaze.
He pulled back a little, tucking himself further into his hiding spot, deciding to observe Jingui for a while and see what he might uncover.
Jingui, seated in the overseer's position, was lost in thought. His expression shifted—
at times cold and dark, at times angry, then suddenly jealous.
Eventually, whatever he was thinking seemed to amuse him, and a cold smirk crept across his face—his eyes full of self-satisfaction.
After a while, he summoned a demon cultivator and said:
"Take me to the prison cells."
The demon cultivator glanced at him, replying curtly:
"Yes…"
But it clearly lacked respect.
Demon cultivators were notoriously difficult to control to begin with,
and Jingui was obviously new to his role—and new to being a demon.
That trace of contempt was not missed.
Jingui's expression darkened. His eyes gleamed red, and his demonic power surged.
A wave of oppressive pressure radiated outward.
The other demon cultivator's body stiffened—
he could feel his bloodline being suppressed, and his eyes flickered in disbelief.
He didn't want to yield, but he dared not act out again. He quickly bowed his head and cupped his hands:
"Forgive me, Overseer. I'll lead the way."
Now that sounded a lot more respectful.
Jingui snorted coldly in his heart.
"Whether human or demon, at their core, everyone's just a bootlicker who bullies the weak and fears the strong."
Mo Hua, watching from his hiding place, was stunned.
"That aura on Jingui… it's different."
"Did he receive a special kind of Four Symbols demon mark?"
"I've been in this prison for a while, but I've never sensed a formation aura like that…"
His eyes sparkled.
"Top-tier goods…"
He mumbled quietly to himself.
Meanwhile, under the pressure of Jingui's new aura, the demon cultivator stayed obedient and led him down the corridor—toward the cell that held Xiao Mutou and the others.
Mo Hua decided to follow.
He crawled along the formation control tunnel toward the prison—silently thankful:
"Good thing I'm small and weak."
"If I had a big frame like Cheng Mo, I probably wouldn't even fit in this tunnel."
These control tunnels were intricately connected.
The external hallways were much more winding and circuitous.
So Mo Hua actually arrived before them—reaching the cell that held the three prisoners.
Moments later, Jingui also arrived.
The demon cultivator unlocked the iron door.
Jingui, towering and brimming with demonic energy, walked in with an arrogant air.
Inside the cell, Ouyang Mu and the others were stunned—
Then Song Jian suddenly shouted:
"Jingui?! It's you!"
Jingui let out a cold laugh.
Song Jian stared at him, shocked and almost in disbelief. His voice trembled as he asked:
"You… how did you become this monstrous thing? What… what have you done?"
Jingui grinned, baring his teeth.
"Young Master Song, you used to look down on me. But now, things have changed. You've fallen into my hands—whether you live or die from now on, it's all up to me…"
Song Jian, though a little fearful, tried to put on a tough front and shouted:
"Jingui, you'd better watch yourself! If anything happens to me, my parents—and my ancestor—won't let you off!"
Jingui sneered.
"Always your parents this, your ancestor that. Is that all you've got?"
Song Jian's face flushed red with anger.
Jingui gave him a dangerous look, but didn't do anything just yet. He only said flatly:
"I'll deal with you later…"
He then turned toward Linghu Xiao. His expression grew even more unfriendly—his eyes were filled with naked jealousy and hatred.
Linghu Xiao's face was cold, and his gaze sharp as a sword.
"A sword heart, clear and bright…"
Jingui stared deeply at him and gave a silent snort. He didn't act against Linghu Xiao either, instead pointing at Ouyang Mu and saying coldly:
"Take him away."
Ouyang Mu froze.
Linghu Xiao's expression darkened, and he snapped:
"What are you planning to do?"
Jingui's eyes were filled with shadow:
"You'll know soon enough…"
A demon cultivator stepped forward, ignoring Ouyang Mu's resistance, shackled him, and dragged him out of the cell.
"Jingui," Linghu Xiao called out coldly, his eyes brimming with killing intent, "If anything happens to Junior Brother Mu—I will kill you."
Jingui met Linghu Xiao's gaze—and despite having already undergone demonization, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.
Moments later, his face twitched with anger, but all he did was sneer.
"A clay Bodhisattva crossing the river—better worry about yourself."
Then he turned and left, his gaze dangerous.
The demon cultivator dragging the shackled Ouyang Mu followed behind him.
Linghu Xiao was anxious but helpless. In the end, he could only look up at the ceiling and sigh deeply in his heart.
He never liked relying on others.
But now… he sincerely hoped—
That Mo Hua was following them.
And indeed, Mo Hua was tailing Jingui and Ouyang Mu.
He was worried about Little Wood.
But he also wanted to know what Jingui was planning—what kind of move he was about to make.
And perhaps, it wasn't just Little Wood who was in danger. Linghu Xiao and Song Jian might not be spared either.
Jingui led the way. The demon cultivator holding Ouyang Mu followed.
Mo Hua moved quietly behind them, light of foot and silent as a shadow.
Although Jingui was in the late Foundation Establishment stage, his divine sense was weak to begin with.
Now that he'd become a demon, his body had grown stronger—but his divine sense had weakened. There was no way he'd notice Mo Hua.
Mo Hua followed for quite a while. By the time he looked up and glanced around—
He realized that Jingui had brought Ouyang Mu to a completely unfamiliar part of the Myriad Demon Prison.
A place Mo Hua had never been before.
Though the surroundings were still filled with stone chambers and cells, the atmosphere was cold and remote.
Even the nearby spirit vision arrays had never been activated.
Before long, Jingui led Ouyang Mu into a stone hall.
The hall wasn't particularly large, but it had a much more imposing feel to it. Occasionally, the clash of metal could be heard from inside.
Once Ouyang Mu was dragged in, the large doors slammed shut.
Mo Hua frowned slightly.
He didn't dare get too close. He observed from a distance, then released his divine sense and scanned the surroundings.
Sure enough, the area around the stone hall was layered with arrays.
Defensive arrays, alert arrays, and even some unknown evil formations.
Mo Hua exhaled in relief.
"Good… if there are arrays—then this isn't a problem."
When it came to arrays, Mo Hua had no fear.
He circled the stone hall once. Using divine sense, deduction, and subtle probing, he identified a weak point in the formations.
Then, combining array-breaking and array-weaving techniques, he crept in little by little—along the walls and beams—infiltrating the hall from within.
Fortunately, the stone hall itself was somewhat sloppily built, and its defenses weren't airtight.
There was a challenge—but nothing he couldn't handle.
After some careful effort, Mo Hua opened a small gap in a tight corner of the ceiling. He used a formation to dissolve part of the stone wall and slipped inside.
The moment he entered the stone hall—
A wave of blood and fire surged toward him.
A foul stench of heat and decay hit him like a hammer, almost suffocating.
Mo Hua clutched his nose and mouth, enduring for a moment before raising his eyes.
What he saw made him freeze.
A bone-white furnace, its flames glowing an eerie green. Piles of sharp white bones—some clearly from demonic beasts, others human skulls. Blood pools. Twisted spiritual artifacts still in embryonic form…
And worst of all—
Rows of evil swords, engraved with sinister blood markings.
This was no ordinary place.
This was a demonic forge room.
More precisely—a grim and twisted demonic swordsmith's chamber.
Mo Hua couldn't help but stare at the row of blood-marked "demonic swords"—
(End of Chapter)