Chapter 771 – Inheritance
"Yes, right now—use that expression I taught you…"
Mo Hua sent a message via the transmission talisman, guiding Ouyang Mu remotely.
A strange joy welled up in Ouyang Mu's heart.
All those expressions I practiced last night… I finally get to use them!
He started with a solemn look, showing his unwavering Dao heart and resistance. But his eyes still held a subtle flicker—revealing internal hesitation and a yearning for higher sword-forging skills…
The evil artificer smiled faintly.
Hooked!
This little brat wore all his thoughts on his face—emotions and desires plain as day. He was easy to read.
Though his expressions were a bit stiff…
Well, for someone awkward and dull by nature, having conflicted and awkward expressions was believable enough.
The evil artificer continued:
"This Myriad Demon Valley is heavily guarded and sealed on all sides. The only central path out of the valley is controlled by the Leader."
His gaze sharpened.
"That path is sealed by a deeply profound and obscure formation. I've only ever seen the Leader draw it once."
"Without true mastery of formations, not even a Second-Grade formation master—no, even a Third or Fourth-Grade formation master—could do a thing about it…"
At this point, the evil artificer gave a rare sigh.
"The difference in skill between formation masters is far more drastic than between artifact refiners."
"The barriers between formations… are deeper, more complex, more unknowable than anything in the smithing arts."
"No wonder we refiners are always looked down on by formation masters…"
He turned to Ouyang Mu, his voice rough and raspy:
"I'm telling you all this so you understand—now that you're in the Myriad Demon Valley, give up any delusions. Don't dream of escape."
"Rather than resist stubbornly and die here—your bones picked clean by beasts—it's better to endure the weight and devote the rest of your life to forging swords."
"Even if you walk the demonic path—even if you fall into endless calamity—do not lose the ambition to forge the supreme sword!"
—
Mo Hua, listening from above, was a little surprised.
This old evil artificer… actually has ambition? That's… kind of impressive.
And more importantly, the information he let slip was very interesting.
The only path out of the valley is sealed and controlled by the "Leader."
A profoundly obscure formation seals the road.
Even Third or Fourth-Grade formation masters might be helpless?
Could it be… a Divine Dao Formation?!
And this "Leader" could control such a formation—meaning he was likely a Divine Dao Formation Master?!
Mo Hua's heart trembled.
A genuine Divine Dao Formation Master…
He must be powerful.
If the chance came, Mo Hua definitely wanted to meet him—learn from him if possible… and then figure out how to kill him.
Divine Dao Formations must be learned.
Divine Dao Formation Masters must be eliminated.
Meanwhile, Little Wood (Ouyang Mu) was still stunned and unsure what to do.
Mo Hua prompted again through the talisman:
"Show some despair…"
"Pretend you've realized there's no escape—you'll be trapped here forever. That your life will be spent as a demonic artificer, never becoming a true swordsmith…"
Ouyang Mu's expression turned grim with despair.
"Now look conflicted… like you're torn between sticking to the righteous path or settling for less—choosing to forge demonic swords for the sake of the smithing path…"
He didn't even need to act here. Ouyang Mu was already struggling with that exact dilemma.
"Now firm your gaze. Show resolve…"
"Even if you're making evil swords, you'll become an unmatched demon swordsmith! Forge the greatest demonic sword in the world and ascend to the ultimate sword-forging Dao!"
Ouyang Mu mentally substituted the words "demonic sword" with "spirit sword," and a wave of passion surged in his chest.
Yes! That's right! I want to become the greatest swordsmith!
His normally wooden face became as firm as a mountain. Fire-like determination and passion burst from his eyes.
The evil artificer stared, briefly stunned. For a moment, he found Ouyang Mu… dazzling.
That pure obsession with sword-forging stirred shame in his own heart.
But the feeling passed quickly, buried under years of indifference.
The evil artificer nodded.
"Very good."
Most people could lie with words—but not with feelings.
Ouyang Mu's inner journey had been written clearly on his face. That alone was more convincing than any speech.
The evil artificer prided himself on reading people well—and he saw no lies here.
As he had the day before, he pulled out a white bone and handed it to Ouyang Mu.
"Refine this bone and fuse it with the iron. As a disciple of the Ouyang family, you should know the techniques. I don't need to explain."
The tone was cool, but clearly less harsh than before.
Ouyang Mu hesitated, glancing down at his sleeve—where Mo Hua's latest message read: "Refine."
That old demon's reasoning wasn't completely wrong.
After death, a bone was just a dead thing. Refining it and fusing it with iron wasn't inherently evil—not yet enough to fall into demonic forging.
But—using human blood, skin, or bone in forging was a strict prohibition by the Dao Court.
Why?
Because once you allowed it, people would find loopholes.
A few artifact smiths experimenting with bones would eventually lead to murder, massacres, and harvesting bones for swords.
"Do not commit evil just because it seems small."
That's why the law had to be strict from the start.
In Ouyang Mu's case, however, the situation was exceptional. He was being coerced. If he didn't bend a little, he'd lose his life.
Even the Dao Court had allowances for that.
It was called: Emergency Evasion.
Mo Hua had dealt with the Dao Court's Adjudicator, Gu Changhuai, many times—so he knew all these little rules.
Ouyang Mu relaxed.
Senior Brother Mo knows what he's doing. If he says refine, then refine!
He silently accepted the white bone and, following proper forging methods, began refining it and merging it with the nearby iron.
The old demon watched for a bit, then, reassured, turned back to his own work—focusing on a piece of monster-hide paper that recorded who-knows-what.
Still, he kept a fraction of his attention on Ouyang Mu.
After a while, Mo Hua couldn't take it anymore. He sent another message:
"Slow it down a little…"
"Huh?"
Ouyang Mu blinked, confused.
The old demon glanced over, frowning. "What's wrong?"
Ouyang Mu quickly said, "Nothing—just slipped a bit…"
Mistakes while forging? Totally normal.
The old demon didn't press, returning to his notes.
But he kept a thread of his awareness focused on Ouyang Mu.
Ouyang Mu pretended to stay obedient for a while, then peeked at the talisman again.
Mo Hua had written:
"Drag it out a bit. Don't refine so fast. Look conflicted—like your heart hasn't fully accepted the path of the 'demonic swordsmith' yet, so you're still hesitating…"
"Otherwise, if you finish too quickly, that old geezer's going to hand you something even more evil to refine…"
Ouyang Mu nodded.
Senior Brother Mo really thinks of everything.
I would've never thought of that.
So he put on a tormented face and slowed down the refining. Occasionally, he'd frown in pain or deliberately make small mistakes—looking distracted and half-hearted.
The old demon saw it all…
He didn't say anything.
It wasn't until Ouyang Mu finished refining the white bone that most of the allotted time had passed. The old demon artisan finally spoke:
"That's enough for today. Tomorrow, I'll teach you something new."
Ouyang Mu put down the refined iron that had been fused with human bone and let out a silent sigh of relief. He cupped his hands toward the old demon, but didn't say anything.
Before long, another demon cultivator came in and led Ouyang Mu away.
Once Ouyang Mu had left, the old demon picked up the piece of refined iron. After just a glance, he nodded and muttered:
"Definitely the Ouyang family's sword-forging method…"
His expression turned somewhat sentimental.
Then he sneered.
"Trying to fool me by dawdling, huh…"
"No matter," the old demon sighed deeply, his eyes revealing deeper meaning. He murmured to himself, "As long as you can help me forge the sword, that's all that matters…"
After speaking, he took out that same piece of demon-hide parchment. His fingers trembled as he caressed the drawings on it, his gaze treasuring it like a priceless artifact.
From where he was watching, Mo Hua was too far away and poorly positioned to make out what exactly was drawn on that parchment.
He wanted to sneak closer for a look, but it felt too risky. He decided to wait—there would be other chances.
So, Mo Hua quietly made his way back along the route he came.
He returned first to the formation control secret chamber.
Now, this long-forgotten hidden chamber in the Myriad Demon Valley had essentially become his base of operations.
Mo Hua first reported the situation to Elder Xun Ziyou, so they'd be kept in the loop.
Then he summarized and organized all the intel he had so far.
Afterward, he scratched his head—realizing a small problem.
He'd been in the Myriad Demon Valley for quite some time now…
He didn't mind staying longer—he could lie low for ages. But the same didn't apply to Little Wood and the other two. They'd been captured, and the longer they remained here, the more dangerous it became.
And besides… Mo Hua had almost forgotten—he was still a disciple of the sect.
He had classes to attend.
Elder Xun could excuse his absences for a while, sure—but too many days off wasn't good. He'd fall behind in his studies.
Not to mention… Old Man Xun.
By this point, the old man probably knew everything already. Mo Hua couldn't afford to make him worry.
Mo Hua nodded to himself.
"Time to pick up the pace…"
Progress so far had been too slow.
The Myriad Demon Valley was massive. If he kept poking around until he understood everything, who knew how long it'd take?
"I'll get Little Wood and the others out first. Then, as usual, call Elder Xun to flatten this place. After that, I can come back and slowly fleece them for loot…"
Outside the Myriad Demon Valley
Xun Ziyou stood before the blood-drenched valley, frowning deeply.
These past days, he'd been camped outside the valley with inner sect elders and disciples—doing more than just standing around.
But the bloody stream and field of bones ahead barred their way—they couldn't cross.
Xun Ziyou had invited a Third-Grade formation elder from the Great Void Sect to examine the place.
A few formation elders had studied it for days. At first, they were puzzled. But gradually, their expressions grew heavier.
"Ziyou, this is a land for nurturing malevolent spirits."
The speaker was a refined and scholarly formation elder of the Great Void Sect. His surname was Xun, given name Zixian, and he was one of the top Third-Grade formation elders in the inner sect.
"Nurturing malevolent spirits?" Xun Ziyou was taken aback.
"Indeed," Xun Zixian nodded. "What you mentioned before wasn't wrong. That child Mo Hua has quite the discerning eye—he's managed to figure out most of what's going on…"
Xun Zixian sighed.
"There's definitely an evil formation here—using white bones as catalyst, and blood as ink, it constructs a place for nurturing malevolent spirits."
"But after all, Mo Hua is still only a Second-Grade formation master. Though his talent and skill are… truly exceptional…"
He used the phrase "astoundingly talented" (惊才绝艳).
And he didn't use it lightly.
Xun Zixian was at the Golden Core stage, descended from a lineage of formation masters. He was well-read and widely experienced.
And because he was so knowledgeable, he knew that using these words to describe Mo Hua was no exaggeration.
None of the elders or disciples present were formation specialists, so they couldn't possibly comprehend how outrageous Mo Hua's formation skills really were.
Still, facts were facts—Mo Hua was just a Second-Grade formation master.
"Due to limitations of cultivation and formation rank," Xun Zixian said, "there are some things that child Mo Hua simply cannot see through."
Of course, that wasn't his fault—it was a matter of perspective granted by cultivation level.
Xun Zixian silently added that in his heart.
"So what does that mean?" Xun Ziyou asked.
He looked up at the valley before them, his tone grim.
"This Myriad Demon Valley is one massive evil structure built atop a grand formation. These evil formations are just a part of it."
"Moreover, the design is quite unique—it must originate from some ancient demonic lineage or monster sect. If I'm not mistaken, it should be…"
"The Myriad Demon Mountain?" Xun Ziyou interrupted.
As an elder of the Great Void Sect, he was well-informed about major demonic factions.
Xun Zixian nodded.
Xun Ziyou frowned. "So it really is the Myriad Demon Mountain…"
But then he added, confused:
"But I still don't quite get it. This evil formation… is it Second-Grade or Third-Grade? We're a whole squad of Golden Core elders, and we still can't break through?"
Xun Zixian replied coolly:
"I'd rather not waste breath explaining to cows how flutes work. Just know that—for now—you can't get through."
He looked refined, but his words could be sharp.
Formation masters had a habit of being prideful.
By comparison, Mo Hua seemed way more approachable.
Xun Ziyou sighed.
"Just simplify it a little, so I can at least get the gist of it… This is serious business. If this were any other day, I wouldn't push, but now's not the time for secrecy. At least tell me something."
Xun Zixian fell silent. He admitted that was fair. After a moment of thought, he pointed at the field of blood and bones ahead.
"Up ahead, malevolent spirits are being nurtured."
"I know. You and Mo Hua both said that," Xun Ziyou responded.
"But the spirits aren't actually being nurtured here."
Xun Ziyou was startled. "What do you mean?"
Xun Zixian frowned.
"The underlying mechanism—I can't say for certain without seeing the full formation diagram. But judging by appearances, the formation here… blends illusion and reality."
"Illusion and reality..."
"Illusion and reality intertwined?"
Xun Zixian said, "It borrows a certain kind of great power to fuse the real world with divine sense—reflecting and merging them, and constructing the formation through that process."
Fusing reality with divine sense?
Xun Ziyou drew in a sharp breath. "What kind of power operates on that level?"
Xun Zixian shook his head, his expression grave.
He had his suspicions, but wasn't willing to speak them aloud.
After all, part of what this touched on involved the secrets of the Great Void's Divine Sense Sword Transformation Technique—'Severing the Divine'. Back when he studied formations, he'd been interested in divine sense techniques and had researched a little.
But the path of divine sense was too obscure and punishing—he couldn't walk it.
Moreover, some of the rumors surrounding it were hard to verify. He couldn't be sure what was true.
"You said this is a large formation… Surely it's not a Grand Array, is it?" Xun Ziyou asked, a little anxious.
"No. A Grand Array isn't something so easily constructed," Xun Zixian replied.
"Good…" Xun Ziyou sighed in relief, but then asked again, "Then can you break this formation?"
Xun Zixian sighed. "If I could, I would've done so already."
Then he wore a look that clearly said I really don't want to explain this to someone who won't understand, but I'm going to anyway:
"Besides, I've already told you—this array is built with divine sense as its foundation. The true formation medium, runes, control node, and core eye are all hidden deep within the Myriad Demon Valley."
"The evil spirits in front of us appear to be right here. But if you try to barge through, they'll devour your divine sense."
"Their true forms aren't here at all."
"This is a place for cultivating evil spirits—but only a projection of the real one. We don't even know where the actual spirits are being 'raised'…"
Xun Zixian had already said all this more than once.
But Xun Ziyou still didn't quite understand. Even after hearing it again, he only half-grasped it.
Still, he couldn't admit that, so he just nodded along like he got it.
Then he frowned.
"Such a bizarre formation—where could it have come from?"
Xun Zixian's expression turned solemn as he thought, then asked suddenly:
"Did that boy Mo Hua ever mention the term 'Divine Dao Formation' to you?"
"Yes," Xun Ziyou nodded. "Is this… a Divine Dao Formation?"
Xun Zixian hesitated, then sighed.
"It's very similar… But I can't say for sure. Divine Dao Formations are all but lost to the world. There aren't even many incomplete records remaining."
"But if this is truly a Divine Dao Formation…"
His gaze grew incomparably heavy, and his voice became even more serious:
"Then it's highly likely that the Myriad Demon Valley houses an entire lineage—an advanced inheritance of Divine Dao Formation techniques."
"Otherwise, there's simply no way to construct such a complete, intricate, and grand-scale formation system."
"And the formation master capable of laying down such a vast and nearly extinct Divine Dao Formation… would be unimaginably powerful…"
Xun Ziyou's expression changed.
"Then Mo Hua and the others… they're in danger?"
Xun Zixian nodded gravely.
"Hold tightly to the Void Sword Token that the Patriarch gave you. If anything happens—do not hesitate to use it."
Xun Ziyou nodded solemnly.
Then he remembered—he needed to tell all of this to Mo Hua.
If Mo Hua knew more, it would definitely help.
The problem was… this was way too much information to send at once. And the magnetic interference was strong. Messages were hard to send—when they did go through, they arrived chopped and scrambled.
He could only take his time, transmitting it bit by bit.
Inside the Myriad Demon Valley
Mo Hua received the message—but it came through spotty, fragmented, and stuck together in inky smudges.
When long messages weren't delivered continuously, they were easy to misinterpret.
So Mo Hua decided he'd read it later, when more of it arrived.
Soon, Ouyang Mu resumed learning to forge evil swords under Mo Hua's remote guidance.
As for the technical process of crafting, Mo Hua naturally wasn't as skilled as Ouyang Mu.
But when it came to identifying whether a material was usable, which methods were flawed, and which procedures might implant evil intent into the mind—Mo Hua was very clear.
As a result, Ouyang Mu was somewhat half-hearted in his work.
But surprisingly, the old demon artisan seemed to turn a blind eye to this, not caring at all.
After some time had passed, the old demon nodded. In his clouded eyes, a nearly undetectable sharpness flashed.
"Now, I'll teach you how to forge the sword bone."
Ouyang Mu frowned.
Everything else he could fake—but the sword bone was the core of the entire blade. Whether it was righteous or evil was crystal clear. He couldn't just bluff through it.
"I know how to forge a sword bone…" Ouyang Mu said.
"No, you don't," the old demon rasped with a sinister smile. "What I'm going to teach you isn't just any sword bone, but…"
He paused, his clouded eyes unusually deep, his voice laced with a strange, indescribable tone:
"A sword bone meant to become your life-bound magic weapon… when you form your Golden Core."
(End of Chapter)