Chapter 831 – True Forbidden Art
Water Prison Forbidden Box.
That word "Forbidden (禁)"…
Mo Hua's eyes gradually lit up. He leaned in and quietly asked:
"Elder Yu, what exactly is the Water Prison Forbidden Box?"
Yu Canghai had clearly lost composure when Mo Hua first mentioned the box—his emotions bubbling up uncontrollably. Now regaining some calm, he looked at Mo Hua's curious expression, then hesitated, speaking vaguely:
"It's nothing much—just a lost legacy of our Water Prison Sect. I was merely agitated upon hearing it had fallen into that beast's hands."
"Oh…"
Mo Hua's eyes dimmed slightly—dissatisfied.
This Elder Yu… speaks with too many layers, too much concealment. Not refreshing at all.
Mo Hua's mind turned quickly. He sighed in deliberate regret:
"A pity. Even with two Golden Core Commanders from the Dao Court, Water Yama still managed to escape. He's so slippery… I doubt we'll ever catch him again. That jade box might be gone forever…"
As soon as he said that, Yu Canghai trembled, again rising in shock.
"Gone… forever…"
"Mm," Mo Hua nodded with a helpless expression. "We were in a second-grade province. As long as Water Yama dives into a river, he fears no one. Even if you sent seven or eight Golden Cores after him, they might not catch him…"
Mo Hua gave Water Yama a proper dose of "respectful exaggeration."
Yu Canghai believed him.
He had fought Water Yama before—knew just how cunning and slippery the man was.
Especially in the Mistwater River—a vast, complex web of tributaries. That environment was tailor-made for someone like Water Yama, who was practically a water wyrm in human form.
Yu Canghai's expression turned grave, a thick worry clouding his features.
If Water Yama couldn't be caught… then the Water Prison Forbidden Box—his sect's supreme legacy—might be lost forever, falling into enemy hands.
Mo Hua observed his expression, understanding dawned. He feigned ignorance and quietly asked:
"Elder Yu… this box… is it a very important legacy?"
Yu Canghai was briefly startled. Then his gaze turned dry and evasive. He forced a smile:
"It's important, yes… but not that important. Not exactly our top-tier legacy…"
"I see…" Mo Hua let out a relieved sigh, voice relaxed. "That puts my mind at ease. If it's just an ordinary legacy, even if Water Yama has it, it's not too big of a deal."
"I'll tell Uncle Gu not to worry about the box for now. We'll play the long game. Maybe in a few decades—or even a century—we'll catch Water Yama eventually. We can reclaim it then…"
Yu Canghai's face twisted into bitterness.
Decades? A century?
Others might live that long—he wasn't so sure he had that much time left.
And if he died without ever finding the box again… then…
Yu Canghai let out a deep sigh and looked at Mo Hua again.
At this point, how could he not understand—Mo Hua was using the Forbidden Box to pressure him—waiting for him to show some sincerity.
If he revealed information, Mo Hua would leverage his connections to help search for Water Yama and retrieve the box.
If he kept his mouth shut, Mo Hua would also do nothing—shrug and walk away.
Yu Canghai felt helpless.
This was their sect's true inheritance. A genuine secret. He didn't want to tell anyone—unless he had found a worthy heir to carry on the Water Prison legacy.
But now, it seemed… if he stayed silent any longer…
This secret, along with the sect's legacy, would go with him—to the grave.
How could he face the ancestors of the Water Prison Sect in the afterlife?
"Forget it… telling this young man might not be a bad thing."
"Even if, in the end, the box ends up in his hands—it's still better than staying with that damned Water Yama."
Yu Canghai fell silent for a long moment, then slowly opened his mouth:
"You're a smart young man. No need to speak in riddles—I won't play coy either."
He sighed deeply, and his tone turned solemn:
"The Water Prison Forbidden Box… is the supreme legacy of the Water Prison Sect. By tradition—only the sect master is allowed to inherit it!"
Mo Hua's heart skipped a beat.
He had suspected the jade box was no ordinary item—but he hadn't thought it would be this precious.
Only the Sect Master may inherit it!
In modern terms, that meant: in a twelfth-rank sect, it was a unique inheritance—above the outer disciples, inner disciples, bloodline disciples, even core disciples. It was something only one person—the sect master—was permitted to cultivate!
Compared to the legacy Mo Hua currently had in the Great Void Sect… this was on a whole other plane.
And this was from a twelfth-rank sect a thousand years ago.
Such sects back then had purer, deeper, and more unique Dao lineages compared to modern ones.
Seeing that Elder Yu had finally opened up, Mo Hua no longer held back either. He asked directly:
"In the Water Prison Forbidden Box, this word 'Forbidden'—does it refer to Forbidden Techniques?"
Yu Canghai's eyelid twitched.
Forbidden Techniques—these words weren't something regular cultivators even dared to think about.
Unless they were madmen obsessed with forbidden arts, most cultivators avoided these Dao Court-banned spells like the plague.
Yet Mo Hua just casually dropped the term… as if it was no big deal.
What kind of education did this kid receive in his sect!?
Yu Canghai narrowed his eyes slightly, pondering for a moment, then slowly nodded:
"Yes… it does imply that."
"The 'Forbidden (禁)' in the Water Prison Forbidden Box has two meanings. First: Forbidden by command. This box is a restricted item—forbidden to be touched by anyone besides the sect master. Violators, at best, would be expelled and crippled. At worst… they'd be imprisoned in the Water Prison itself, condemned for life—never to see the light of day."
Mo Hua's expression turned serious.
No wonder the Water Prison Sect had once been the Dao Court's bloodhound… they even built their own prison and used private punishments.
He inwardly muttered, "Thank heavens I'm not a disciple of the Water Prison Sect. Otherwise, just touching that Forbidden Box might have gotten me crippled and tossed into some cold dungeon forever…"
Yu Canghai was unaware of these petty internal thoughts. He continued:
"The second meaning of 'Forbidden'—refers to a Forbidden Technique."
"What kind?"
Yu Canghai hesitated, then said solemnly:
"It's an Eye Technique."
Mo Hua's heart stirred—just as I thought.
"The same kind of eye technique Water Yama used?"
But to his surprise, Yu Canghai was shocked:
"Water Yama… can use an eye technique!?"
Mo Hua blinked. "You didn't know?"
Yu Canghai's expression paled slightly and shook his head.
"But… didn't you fight him? He didn't use it on you?"
Yu Canghai's face turned complicated:
"No. I fell into their ambush—surrounded by nearly a hundred Foundation Stage cultivators. They took turns wearing me down. Water Yama only attacked from the shadows."
"In that kind of situation, I couldn't even unleash my full Golden Core power. Even if I could—it wouldn't have helped. I was hopelessly outnumbered…"
"Barring those with extreme talent and killing prowess, the average early-stage Golden Core cultivator is about ten times stronger than a late Foundation cultivator."
"I'm mid-stage Golden Core—stronger, yes—but not strong enough to face nearly a hundred Foundation cultivators and walk out unscathed."
"Especially not with Heaven's restrictions pressing down—and those water bandits, many of them practiced evil arts. They were desperate, ruthless killers…"
"Oh."
Mo Hua nodded slightly but was still puzzled.
Why hadn't Water Yama used his eye technique in front of Elder Yu?
Could it be… he was afraid of being recognized?
Mo Hua pondered for a moment, heart trembling slightly.
That jade box Water Yama had—it likely wasn't acquired legitimately.
Which meant, in front of Elder Yu, who was from the Water Prison Sect, Water Yama didn't dare use the eye technique… for fear it would be recognized. And if it were, it might expose that the Forbidden Box was in his possession.
Also, back at the riverside encounter, when Water Yama saw him use Water Prison Art, he assumed Mo Hua was a surviving remnant of the Water Prison Sect—and wanted to silence him.
That, on top of other reasons… probably also included the fact that he had no choice but to use the eye technique against Uncle Gu due to the immense pressure.
He feared the origins of the technique might be recognized—by this supposed "remnant" of the Water Prison Sect.
So… could it be that Water Prison Forbidden Box was stolen by Water Yama?
But from where?
The Yin Water Sect?
Mo Hua frowned deeply in thought.
Meanwhile, Yu Canghai's face turned grave as he asked:
"What did Water Yama's eye technique look like?"
Mo Hua recalled:
"It reeked of murderous aura. His eyes turned red—like they were soaked in blood. And in the blood, there were all sorts of grotesque shapes—like humans, like demons—writhing, howling in agony… as though trapped in some hellish purgatory."
Yu Canghai's brow furrowed even more tightly.
Mo Hua asked:
"Is that the eye technique of your Water Prison Sect?"
But Elder Yu, after some silent pondering, shook his head.
"Not exactly…"
Mo Hua was taken aback. "Not exactly?"
Yu Canghai nodded:
"Water Yama's technique is full of bloodlust and demonic malice. Just one look and you can tell—it's a technique of the Demonic Path."
"Our Water Prison Sect is a righteous sect. Even if our methods were harsh and merciless, we would never make something as bloody as that our signature technique. Even if we wanted to, the Dao Court would never allow it."
Mo Hua thought for a moment and nodded. "True."
Then he asked again, confused:
"Then what's going on with Water Yama's eye technique?"
"I haven't seen it firsthand, so I can't be sure," Yu Canghai said, frowning. "But judging by your description… Water Yama likely cobbled it together—took our Water Prison eye technique as a framework, and secretly grafted some kind of demonic煞-refining technique onto it…"
煞-refining technique…
"True Demonic Art of Fiendish Refinement"!
Those six words suddenly flashed through Mo Hua's mind.
That manual—he had stolen it from Fire Buddha's collection, alongside the Falling Flame Technique.
Fire Buddha and Water Yama were both likely "Elders" in the Evil God cult.
Which meant—it was very likely that both had studied the "True Demonic Art of Fiendish Refinement".
"Fiendish Refinement" meant turning murderous karma into Slaughter Qi (煞氣).
Fire Buddha cultivated his Slaughter Qi through killing, then infused it into his fire techniques.
And Water Yama… infused his own killing aura into his eye technique.
Mo Hua's gaze turned a little darker.
Yu Canghai continued:
"I don't know what kind of Fiendish Art that beast cultivated, but I'm certain he took a shortcut—grafted some demonic art onto our Water Prison Sect's eye technique. He uses it to refine slaughter energy and overwhelm people's minds."
"Then what's your sect's version of the eye technique like?" Mo Hua asked. "If it doesn't cultivate Slaughter Qi, then what does it cultivate?"
Yu Canghai hesitated, then admitted bitterly:
"We… also cultivate Slaughter Qi."
Mo Hua: "…"
He thought for a moment, then summarized:
"So Water Yama cultivates Slaughter Qi, and uses an eye technique… and your sect also cultivates Slaughter Qi… and uses an eye technique?"
Yu Canghai: "…Yes."
Mo Hua leaned in, mock-interrogating:
"Didn't you just say your Water Prison Sect was a righteous sect? This eye technique of yours doesn't sound all that different from Water Yama's. Don't tell me you refine Slaughter Qi through killing too?"
Yu Canghai shook his head, bitterly:
"That's exactly why… I didn't want to explain this earlier."
"Fiendish refinement lies on the border between good and evil. One careless step… and a cultivator can stray and fall."
"That's why the inheritance box is called the Forbidden Box."
"And that's why the eye technique is labeled a Forbidden Technique."
"For generations, only the Sect Master of the Water Prison Sect was allowed to cultivate this method."
Mo Hua's interest was piqued.
"What's the reasoning behind that?"
Yu Canghai grew solemn:
"Slaughter Qi (煞氣)… is, in truth, one of the many types of energy under Heaven and Earth. But it's a kind of energy that's mixed with karma, spirits, death, destruction… it harms the soul and brings unknown consequences. That's why it's not considered part of the righteous path."
"But Slaughter Qi has many forms—Heavenly Fiend Qi, Life-Doom Qi, Corpse Fiend Qi, Evil Fiend Qi, Calamitous Qi, Demonic Fiend Qi, Yearly Affliction Qi, Death Fiend Qi… and so on."
"I only know the names. The actual study of them is incredibly deep. Without intense study, it's impossible to distinguish between them or even understand them."
"But all of these types share the same root—they're connected to death and destruction. Be it natural disasters… or man-made calamities."
"And since natural disasters are unpredictable, but man-made disasters can be caused at will…"
"A cultivator who wants to refine Slaughter Qi… inevitably has to commit murder. To put it bluntly—you have to kill people!"
Yu Canghai's expression was heavy.
Mo Hua frowned faintly.
"The more you kill, the more karma you accumulate. The more killing karma, the stronger the Slaughter Qi you refine. So let me ask you, young friend," Yu Canghai said, "is killing… wrong?"
Mo Hua was about to say yes, but after thinking for a moment, he shook his head. "Not necessarily."
"Exactly," Yu Canghai said. "On the surface, killing is wrong. Refining Slaughter Qi through murder is clearly the act of demonic cultivators. But…"
"What if the one being killed deserves to die?"
"Then should we still hold back?"
Mo Hua's gaze deepened, but he didn't answer.
Yu Canghai sighed:
"Compassion is a virtue. But excessive compassion becomes foolishness—and foolishness breeds evil."
"If someone says, 'Life is precious, even those who commit great crimes should be spared as long as they repent,' or, 'Put down the butcher's knife and become a Buddha on the spot; the past is past, let's forgive and forget'…"
"Then that person deserves to die a thousand deaths!"
"Those who should die… must die. Those who must be killed… must be killed."
"Even righteous killing refines Slaughter Qi. And that kind of Slaughter Qi, in our Water Prison Sect, is known as—Righteous Fiend Qi (正煞)!"
Mo Hua's eyes quivered slightly. "Righteous Fiend Qi…"
"That's right!" Yu Canghai nodded firmly, his tone righteous and clear.
"Our Water Prison Sect once served in the Dao Court—punishing evil with harsh justice, subduing criminals with Dao prisons, executing the wicked, eliminating demons and traitors, using killing to nurture majesty, refining Fiend Qi through justice, and embodying righteous power. We strike fear into all evil and treacherous beings. That is what we call—Righteous Fiend Qi!"
Yu Canghai spoke with righteous pride and passion.
Yu Canghai spoke with passionate conviction.
Mo Hua was deeply shaken, but soon, a trace of doubt surfaced in his heart.
"This 'Righteous Fiend Qi'… seems like it would still be easy to go wrong, doesn't it?"
Yu Canghai froze, then sighed helplessly.
This young man really is sharp… nothing escapes his notice.
Yu Canghai lamented:
"You're absolutely right, young friend. Righteous Fiend Qi… is extremely difficult to cultivate."
"Anyone who attempts to do so must possess immense willpower, an unshakable Dao heart—and not a single mistake can be made."
"Once you start cultivating Righteous Fiend Qi, the souls of the wicked you've killed will constantly surround you. These malicious thoughts will ceaselessly invade your mind. If even a crack appears in your heart… if your will falters… you'll be consumed. The qi will twist, and the righteous becomes demonic—turning into a far more dangerous Evil Fiend Qi."
Mo Hua's heart grew tense at these words.
But he knew—it might be even more dangerous than that.
You refine righteous qi by killing the wicked. But… what if one day, you kill a good person by mistake?
Then wouldn't the word "righteous" (正) in your qi be a complete farce?
Wouldn't the Righteous Fiend Qi collapse entirely?
And when he put himself in the shoes of a scheming villain—he realized:
It'd be incredibly easy to frame someone. Just trick a cultivator of Righteous Fiend Qi into mistakenly killing an innocent…
The flaw was massive.
And that was only a mistaken kill.
If a cultivator from the Dao Court had ulterior motives or a twisted heart, they might deliberately frame the innocent, create false criminals, then righteously slay them—just to cultivate "righteous" Fiend Qi—becoming a so-called "iron-faced judge" while hiding their true cruelty behind a mask of justice.
The more he thought about it, the scarier it became.
Yu Canghai, for the sake of his sect's reputation, would never say these things aloud.
But Mo Hua guessed that this very flaw might be why the eye technique was classified as a forbidden art—taught only to the Sect Master.
Still, Mo Hua wasn't too bothered.
The Water Prison Sect had been destroyed for over a thousand years.
He wasn't about to start dragging up old scandals.
There was just one thing he was curious about.
After thinking for a bit, Mo Hua asked:
"Elder Yu, how exactly is the Water Prison Sect's eye technique used? After cultivating Righteous Fiend Qi, how do you use your eyes to overwhelm others? There must be something else to it, right?"
Yu Canghai gave a bitter smile.
"You're putting me in a tight spot, young friend. I'm just an ordinary elder. How could I know the secrets of a forbidden art taught only to the Sect Master?"
Mo Hua simply looked at him silently.
Yu Canghai, staring into Mo Hua's clear but perceptive gaze, felt his scalp tingle. At last, he sighed:
"…I know just a little…"
"A little is fine."
Yu Canghai sighed again. "It's the image engraved on the jade box."
"The image?"
Yu Canghai nodded.
"There's a diagram on the box that contains a visualization method. By meditating on it, you can merge Righteous Fiend Qi into your soul, then release its fierce might through your eyes—overwhelming an opponent's spirit."
"It's essentially… an alternate type of spiritual-soul attack technique."
"It may not look impressive, but in a life-or-death battle, at a critical moment—if your gaze carries killing intent and the opponent is mentally shaken—even if it only lasts for a few seconds, it can determine victory or defeat. Worse still, this eye technique doesn't require spiritual power. It can be used simultaneously with spells, making it almost impossible to defend against. A single lapse—and you're in deep trouble."
Mo Hua couldn't help but nod.
He had fought Water Yama before.
He knew firsthand: this technique wasn't particularly strong, but it was insidious.
Catch someone off guard—even a Golden Core cultivator could fall.
If not for his own strong divine sense, which had resisted the eye technique, he might've died back at the river crossing.
Even worse—if your opponent doesn't know you can use such an eye technique and you hit them suddenly?
Deadly.
And yet…
Mo Hua was still puzzled.
"The image on the jade box," he said, "shows a prison. Eight cells. Each one holds a criminal under a different form of torture. The punishments vary. The criminals are all different…
But where's the 'visualization method' in that?"
Yu Canghai was also confused when he heard this.
Truly confused.
As an elder of the Water Prison Sect, this was actually his first time learning what was depicted on the jade box that was revered as the sect's highest inheritance.
"Eight prison cells… eight punishments… eight criminals…"
Yu Canghai frowned and pondered. Then suddenly, he froze—and turned to Mo Hua:
"Wait, that's the box Water Yama had, isn't it?
Young friend, how do you know all that in such detail?"
Even the number of cells, punishments, and criminals—he knew it all?
Mo Hua was briefly stunned too.
Thankfully, although his face was pale, his skin was thick.
He answered calmly:
"I have a good memory. Perfect recall. When Water Yama was fleeing, he happened to have the box with him—and I just happened to get a good look. Saw it clear as day!"
(End of this Chapter)