Chapter 1145

Inside the cave, sealed by a formation, a familiar, cold, and eerie chill permeated the void.

Mo Hua held his breath, not daring to exhale. He forcibly cut off his thoughts, halting all mental activity and keeping his mind blank. This was to avoid triggering certain karmic links and inviting the descent of a malevolent thought.

Time passed slowly, and the eerie chill flowed gently through the void.

Mo Hua was like a quiet mouse, lurking underground.

After an unknown period, the eerie aura in the air slowly faded and gradually disappeared.

Mo Hua still dared not be careless; he breathed very carefully, remaining quietly hidden, not daring to show the slightest bit of laxity.

Thus, three full days passed, with sunrises and moonsets.

The oppressive feeling in the air was gone. The karmic links, too, were free of that elusive and inscrutable eeriness.

Only then did Mo Hua truly sigh with relief. Yet, even so, he still didn't dare to relax. He wouldn't utter, or even mentally recall, that three-word title.

Mo Hua could only refer to him as 'Martial Uncle'.

'Guidaoist' was an exclusive title. In this world, any mention of 'Guidaoist' pointed solely to the one who had walked the sinister path of Heavenly Secrets, achieving the highest demonic title with only Ethereal Ascension cultivation.

However, there were many 'Martial Uncles'. Many people had 'Martial Uncles,' and many would become 'Martial Uncles.' In this world, the term 'Martial Uncle' referred to too many individuals, making the karmic implications incredibly vast. Such vastness implied chaos and ambiguity.

Therefore, when Mo Hua thought of these two words, almost no one would know that the 'Martial Uncle' he was referring to was that terrifying Taoist, whose name instilled dread.

The words 'Martial Uncle' were relatively safe. At least, they were far safer than the three words 'Guidaoist'.

"So, this matter…" Mo Hua carefully considered the entire sequence of events, his expression extremely grave: "Was this a scheme secretly orchestrated by Martial Uncle?"

"The malevolent energy on me, was it actually Martial Uncle’s doing?"

"What did Martial Uncle… intend to do?"

"And what means… did Martial Uncle actually employ?"

Mo Hua frowned deeply, able to ponder only the most fundamental concept: 'malevolent energy'.

Righteous cultivators generally didn't study malevolent energy, as it was the domain of demonic sects. The Water Prison Sect was an exception; however, their research focused on 'righteous malevolence' — a concept that, despite its name, was still considered somewhat heterodox within righteous traditions. Otherwise, the Water Prison Sect would not have met its current fate.

Even the Water Prison Sect could not be considered an authority on malevolent energy research. True expertise lay with the demonic sects, many of whose traditions were fundamentally rooted in it.

Malevolent energy was a destructive 'evil energy' that could intimidate and terrify. When integrated into various demonic spells, it also amplified their power.

Killing others would inevitably taint one with malevolent energy. Many demonic cultivators would wantonly slaughter the innocent to accumulate malevolent energy for their demonic cultivation.

Therefore, in the eyes of demonic cultivators, the heavier and stronger the malevolent energy, the better. The heavier the malevolent energy, the more profound their demonic cultivation and the stronger their destructive power.

However, this was only true for 'demonic cultivators'. For righteous cultivators, it was entirely different.

Malevolent energy, stemming from killing, had extremely potent side effects for cultivators. Once too many lives were taken, one would naturally grow numb to the concept of 'humanity'. They would increasingly cease to treat others as human beings, instead viewing them as expendable 'consumables,' 'slaves,' or 'livestock,' to be slaughtered at will. Similarly, they would increasingly stop perceiving themselves as human; their disposition would become numb, selfish, cold, and cruel. Rationality would steadily give way to madness, and basic human nature would gradually fade away.

This side effect was entirely irrelevant to demonic cultivators, as most of them were essentially 'beasts.' Few truly retained their humanity, and even if they possessed a conscience, it would eventually be extinguished after cultivating demonic arts.

Therefore, there was a saying in the cultivation world: 'There are beasts wrongly killed, but no demonic cultivators wrongly killed.' All demonic cultivators deserved to die.

The distinction between righteous and demonic was largely clear-cut. The fundamental dividing line was 'humanity' — whether one treated others as human, and whether one treated oneself as human.

Demonic cultivators didn't treat themselves or others as human, so the malevolent energy's extinction of humanity was irrelevant to them.

However, for righteous cultivators, this was a major taboo. Even though 'slaying demons and eradicating evil' was a righteous act, killing too many demonic cultivators to the point of numbness would be an immense test for one's humanity.

For the Dao Heart, it was an even greater trial and torment. Many righteous cultivators, steeped in battle and surrounded by bloodshed, held a taut string in their hearts. As long as that string remained, their humanity endured. But should they suddenly be provoked and that string snap, rationality would be entirely replaced by bloodlust, and the Dao Heart would instantly collapse. A revered, decisive righteous master could, in an instant, descend into a bloodthirsty, addicted fiend. Such regrettable events occurred frequently.

Therefore, righteous cultivators emphasized self-cultivation and self-restraint, and did not overly indulge in killing intent. Unless absolutely necessary, they would not slaughter large numbers of demonic cultivators at once, which would burden their Dao Heart. Furthermore, the Dao Court and Dao Laws advocated that, whenever conditions allowed, demonic cultivators should be apprehended and sent to Dao Prisons for execution. The Dao Court's 'Life-and-Death Chopper' and 'Killing Array' would bear this malevolent energy. All these measures were aimed at preserving humanity and protecting the Dao Heart.

The intensity of Mo Hua's malevolent energy stemmed from the sheer number of demonic cultivators he had annihilated in an instant. The deaths of these cultivators caused a massive, unresolvable accumulation of malevolent energy. Moreover, among the deceased, besides those at the Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment stages, there were numerous Golden Core cultivators and even four fiends at the Ethereal Ascension realm.

Not only was the 'quantity' of malevolent energy immense, but its 'quality' was also absurdly high. Mo Hua, however, was only at the Foundation Establishment stage. Regardless of the strength of his spiritual sense's 'quality,' he simply lacked the cultivation level to withstand such malevolent energy, its backlash on his Dao Heart, and its erosion of his humanity.

But this was not the fundamental reason. Normally, even if he had truly killed so many demonic cultivators, he wouldn't have to endure such an exaggerated backlash of malevolent energy. This was because he killed demonic cultivators, who were inherently beasts whose deaths were not to be regretted. Moreover, he didn't kill them directly; he used a formation to kill them indirectly. The deceased demonic cultivators had no idea that he, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, was their slayer. The karmic implications were vague, convoluted, hidden, and unknown. Therefore, while there would be a backlash of malevolent energy, it wouldn't be very strong at all. It certainly wouldn't be as terrifying as it was now, like mountains and seas.

Mo Hua had only been confused before, but now, having suffered the backlash and experienced the 'life and death' of his humanity, he finally understood. Someone had manipulated this situation. A terrifying master of Heavenly Secrets, using incredibly potent methods, forcibly manifested his own 'karma.' He exposed himself as the 'culprit' to the deceased demonic cultivators. In doing so, all matters gained an 'anchor point,' all grievances found a 'debtor,' and all vengeful spirits had a 'target' for retribution. The killing karma, malevolent energy, fierce souls, and vengeful spirits were all merged, forcefully drawn to him by karmic threads, and firmly locked into his destiny.

And this master of Heavenly Secrets was very likely his Martial Uncle… that terrifying Taoist.

Once this scheme was set, should he commit a killing offense and generate even a trace of malevolent energy, that energy would likely become a 'spark,' igniting the 'fierce malevolence and vengeful spirits' within his destiny. The fierce malevolence would then devour his heart, and vengeful spirits would demand his life. His mind would be clouded by killing intent, and his memories consumed by the vengeful spirits. Should rationality be lost and memories become void—forgetting the past, forgetting who he was, losing his 'anchor point' and the very foundation of his humanity—his 'humanity' would also gradually fade away.

If his humanity truly vanished, he would completely fall into the demonic path and become a fiend.

"No, this is just the general scenario…" Mo Hua frowned, his expression grave. "If Martial Uncle's hand was truly involved, it wouldn't be this simple…"

"Once my memory is lost and humanity extinguished, Martial Uncle… would he directly descend, seize control of my 'body', refine me into a flesh-and-blood puppet, and transform me into a true… 'Little Guidaoist'?"

Mo Hua gasped, his hands and feet growing cold as an uncontrollable chill welled up from the depths of his heart. There was such an abyssal, irredeemable pit hidden within this. Martial Uncle's intentions were truly terrifying.

But then, Mo Hua felt a pang of self-doubt: "Was this truly a scheme Martial Uncle orchestrated for me?"

"I'm just a small Foundation Establishment cultivator; is it worth Martial Uncle personally setting such a grand scheme for me?"

"Am I overthinking this?"

At this thought, Mo Hua pondered another question: What was his 'identity' in Martial Uncle's eyes?

A disciple of the Grand Void Sect? The foremost talent in the Qianxue Formation Dao? The disruptor of the evil god's conspiracy? The one who dismantled the blood sacrifice array? Or was it… his 'little martial nephew'?

Mo Hua suddenly paused, feeling strange in his heart. "Does Martial Uncle actually know that he is my 'Martial Uncle'?"

"Does he actually know that he has me, this 'little martial nephew'?"

Mo Hua frowned, falling into deep thought.

Logically, Martial Uncle should know. After all, back in Dali Mountain Prefecture, he had traveled with him, eating noodles by the roadside, lodging in a temple, and roasting sweet potatoes. He had even learned the Dao Heart Demonic Seed technique from Martial Uncle. Although Martial Uncle eventually intended to kill him, he still helped Mo Hua break through the bottleneck of the Heavenly Evolution Art's Foundation Establishment. By all accounts, his 'relationship' with Martial Uncle was quite profound.

But this was the crux of the problem. Mo Hua put himself in Martial Uncle's shoes: if he were 'Martial Uncle' and aware of 'this menace' (himself), he would undoubtedly spare no effort to eliminate him first. Yet, since then, Mo Hua felt as though Martial Uncle had 'forgotten' him, never seeking him out again. It was as if he didn't know who Mo Hua was...

Why? Mo Hua frowned: "Martial Uncle's malevolent thoughts can split into thousands. The 'Martial Uncle' in Lishan City was definitely not his true body."

"The 'Martial Uncle' in Lishan City died and never returned to the main body, so Martial Uncle's true body still doesn't know who I am?"

"Martial Uncle has, for a long time, perhaps even until now, not known… that I am his martial nephew? Or at least he is uncertain?"

"What about the blood sacrifice array?"

"Martial Uncle gathered malevolent energy, drew it to me, refined vengeful souls into malevolent spirits, and made them demand my life… Does this mean he knew my identity?"

"Or does he actually still not know who I am, but merely saw my usefulness and so used me as a 'pawn'?"

Mo Hua felt this was possible. But the next instant, he was suddenly startled: "How could I presumptuously be trying to fathom Martial Uncle's thoughts?"

"If Martial Uncle's thoughts were so simple that I could fathom them, would he still be a Taoist cultivating the 'sinister path'?"

"Or rather, if I believe I truly have fathomed Martial Uncle's thoughts, then it's highly likely because… Martial Uncle deliberately allowed me to fathom them?"

At this thought, Mo Hua's heart suddenly began to panic again.

"No, I can't think too much; that's enough. If I think too much, and I actually summon Martial Uncle, I'll be dead for sure…"

If he continued thinking this way, Mo Hua even felt a subtle sense of being subjected to the 'Dao Heart Demonic Seed' technique, as if a 'demonic seed' had unknowingly been planted in his mind by Martial Uncle.

Mo Hua quickly reined in his thoughts, composed himself, and temporarily stopped pondering Martial Uncle's schemes.

However, his heart felt incredibly heavy. He had a premonition that one day in the future, he was bound to 'encounter' Martial Uncle.

He even felt now that Martial Uncle seemed to be getting closer and closer to him.

And one day in the future, what he would have to confront might not just be Martial Uncle's malevolent thoughts, but very likely, Martial Uncle's 'true body'.

Mo Hua didn't even dare to imagine the true strength of Martial Uncle's 'true body.' With his current cultivation, formation skills, and spiritual sense mastery, he would have absolutely no power to resist before Martial Uncle's true body. He feared that in the blink of an eye, he would be turned into a 'toy' by Martial Uncle and played with until death, without even knowing how he died.

A strong sense of urgency arose in Mo Hua's heart.

"Form a Golden Core!"

Only by quickly forming a Golden Core, advancing his cultivation as much as possible, and further strengthening his spiritual consciousness, could he survive Martial Uncle's grasp. Additionally, he needed to learn more profound Heavenly Secret Karma arts to resolve the 'malevolent spirits and fierce malevolence' predicament Martial Uncle had left him. Otherwise, from now on, he wouldn't dare to easily commit any killing offenses. As long as he committed a killing offense, malevolent energy would be generated. For normal cultivators, the malevolent energy from killing one or two people, and its backlash, was actually very slight. But Mo Hua was different; as long as he killed someone, even the slightest malevolent energy generated would become a 'catalyst,' activating the fierce malevolence and vengeful spirits in his destiny, leading to a massive backlash. The fierce malevolence and vengeful spirits would stir his killing intent, distort his mind, devour his memories, and extinguish his humanity, thereby making him utterly irredeemable. Without advanced Karma arts, he simply couldn't break this destiny or dispel these malevolent entities. And this scheme was Martial Uncle's doing. Once he committed too many killing offenses, and the destiny was triggered too frequently, Mo Hua could even be certain that Martial Uncle would detect it, then 'locate' him, causing his malevolent thoughts to descend directly upon him. In other words, every additional killing offense he committed, every additional time he triggered the malevolent backlash, the probability of being detected by Martial Uncle would increase, and his 'encounter' with Martial Uncle would arrive that much sooner.

Thinking of that day, Mo Hua's scalp began to tingle.

"Form a Golden Core as soon as possible, the faster the better…"

Mo Hua introspected, confirming that the fierce malevolence was contained, his destiny was stable, and his sea of consciousness was unharmed. Then, he gathered his belongings and erased all traces of the formation within the cave.

After leaving the cave, Mo Hua scanned the surroundings with his spiritual sense. The other elders of Yin Corpse Valley were indeed gone and no longer dared to pursue him.

Mo Hua lightly exhaled, then consulted his map to confirm his direction. His body transformed into a streak of watery light and he sped away towards the Great Wilderness…