Chapter 1082: Life-Bound Formation
Every Strange Daoist was not him.
Yet every Strange Daoist was also him.
As long as a single trace of his sinister will remained, he could neither die nor perish.
The mere thought of it made Mo Hua's scalp tingle.
He hadn't forgotten—there was deep, deep karma and enmity between him and his Martial Uncle.
He, being magnanimous, might overlook the hardships his Martial Uncle had inflicted upon him.
But his Martial Uncle was narrow-minded by nature. Given the chance, he would surely not let Mo Hua off. Even being noticed or sensed by him would put Mo Hua in grave danger.
Previously, Mo Hua had deliberately avoided his Martial Uncle. But as his cultivation advanced and he became entangled in increasingly complex events, the threads of karma grew more visible. Mo Hua couldn't shake the feeling that, imperceptibly, the distance between him and his Martial Uncle was closing.
There was even another possibility...
*"Have I already encountered Martial Uncle at some point, in some place, without even realizing it?"*
The moment this thought surfaced, Mo Hua couldn't help but suck in a sharp breath.
It wasn't just possible—it was *highly* possible.
A chill ran down Mo Hua's spine.
He shook his head vigorously, forcibly peeling these thoughts from his mind.
*"No, I can't dwell on this any longer..."*
His Martial Uncle wasn't someone he could handle to begin with.
Overthinking it was useless—worse, it might backfire and invite trouble.
What if his obsessive thoughts *actually* summoned his Martial Uncle? That would be the end of him...
Suppressing these distractions, Mo Hua turned his attention back to the Evil God's True Embryo, bound by his Divine Path Array.
Since this was a "True Embryo," it was fundamentally different from other evil spawn.
If other evil spawn were "princes," then the one in his grasp was the "Crown Prince"—the closest to the Evil God's origin, the most qualified to ascend as the Great Wilderness's next Evil God.
At his current strength, Mo Hua couldn't kill this "Crown Prince."
In fact, the only reason he had been able to defeat it, bully it, and thrash it was because it had just been born, inherently frail, with no time to grow or awaken its divine powers and memories.
Any delay, and the tables would turn.
Even with his divine sense swords and Divine Path Arrays, he would stand no chance against it.
So... annihilate it with Heavenly Tribulation Lightning?
Mo Hua frowned, a dangerous glint flashing in his eyes—but then he shook his head slightly.
In theory, Heavenly Tribulation Lightning could obliterate all things in existence.
An Evil God's True Embryo should be no exception.
But what then?
The vast divine essence, the overwhelming psychic power, the endless malevolent will—he couldn't digest any of it in his current state.
Moreover, erasing the True God's primordial will might trigger unpredictable and terrifying consequences.
Mo Hua hadn't forgotten—he was still deep within the Evil God's stronghold, at the heart of the Wilderness Blood Sacrifice Array, surrounded by dangers that left no room for recklessness.
And...
*"Yu'er might still be tied to the Evil God's karma..."*
Mo Hua's pupils contracted. After a moment of contemplation, he formed a plan.
He grabbed the True Embryo and, with practiced ease, carved a path through the seals. Following the intricate lattice of divine chains, he arrived at a temple.
Inside waited his newly acquired "good friend"—
A divine beast of warding: the Pi Xiu.
At that moment, the big-headed Pi Xiu lay sprawled on the ground, lazily swishing its tail in boredom—until Mo Hua entered. Its head jerked up, golden eyes locking onto the pitch-black evil creature in Mo Hua's grip.
This thing... its aura was overwhelming, its corruption dense. This was no ordinary evil spawn, but a newborn—
*Evil God?!*
The Pi Xiu froze, its large head unmoving, staring at Mo Hua in disbelief.
A second later, its golden fur bristled in excitement. It leaped up, circled Mo Hua several times, and even affectionately licked him with its massive tongue.
The Pi Xiu had never imagined that in the brief time it had dozed off, Mo Hua would fulfill their pact—
And *exceed* it.
Mo Hua had captured a *juvenile Evil God* for it!
The Pi Xiu's joy was so unrestrained it practically turned into an overgrown "licking hound."
Mo Hua, unable to withstand its enthusiasm, hastily tossed the True Embryo its way. Only then did the Pi Xiu calm down.
It placed the True Embryo before itself, binding the evil creature's soul with golden chains of warding light.
The True Embryo roared in terror, struggling violently—
Until the Pi Xiu slammed a massive paw down, pinning it effortlessly.
Trapped beneath the Pi Xiu's suppression, the Evil God couldn't move or speak, leaving it no choice but to glare at Mo Hua with impotent fury.
But to Mo Hua, that fury meant nothing.
What *did* surprise him was the Pi Xiu's power.
He'd known divine beasts excelled at suppressing evil, but he hadn't expected it to be *this* effortless. The Pi Xiu had completely sealed the True Embryo's corruption, leaving no room for it to grow.
*Is this the might of a heaven-born, quasi-divine beast?*
*Is evil-warding an innate law of its existence?*
Mo Hua marveled inwardly.
At the same time, the Pi Xiu horns on his forehead glowed brighter, their golden light intensifying—a sign of the beast's approval and the generous "blessing" it had bestowed.
Truthfully, as someone already nearing divinity himself, this blessing wasn't as useful as one might think.
But it symbolized his "friendship" with the Pi Xiu.
The horns' growth meant the Pi Xiu was pleased—and that pleased Mo Hua in turn.
Moreover, the Pi Xiu's ability to suppress the True Embryo was a tremendous help.
This Evil God's True Embryo was a calamitous menace, yet Mo Hua lacked the means to kill it or the time to monitor it constantly.
With the Pi Xiu guarding it, Mo Hua could rest easier.
For now, the Evil God situation was resolved.
*"One last thing to do..."*
With that thought, Mo Hua bid farewell to the big-headed Pi Xiu. His divine sense returned to his Sea of Consciousness, and his awareness gradually stirred...
---
**Qianxue Province, Sword-Viewing Pavilion.**
Above the Profound Heaven's North Star Seven-Star Array, fourteen divine sense cultivators lay with fading auras, their lives hanging by a thread. The Seven-Star Lamps before them dimmed one by one, nearing extinguishment.
The atmosphere was suffocating.
Every Void-Sphere Patriarch wore expressions of utmost gravity.
Suddenly, Wen Renwan's eyes flew open. Before she could speak, agony lanced through her Sea of Consciousness—the backlash of the Great Dream Heavenly Pull ravaging her mind.
She spat blood, a crimson mark forming between her brows, then collapsed unconscious.
At that very moment, the Great Dream Heavenly Pull rotated, and the Seven-Star Array flared.
Elder Situ also awoke.
His condition was equally dire.
His divine sense was depleted, his divine treasures shattered, and Mo Hua's Heavenly Demon Sword had cleaved away part of his soul. Even though his spirit had returned to his body, his vitality was severely damaged.
Elder Situ's face was deathly pale, his divine sense in tatters, pain wracking his being—yet he clenched his teeth and mustered his remaining strength to activate the Seven-Star Array.
He guided the surviving wisps of the other cultivators' souls—purified by Mo Hua's sword—back into their bodies, using the Seven-Star's power to nurture them and cling to the last threads of their lives.
This task brooked no delay.
A moment's hesitation could mean their deaths.
Thus, Elder Situ relied on sheer willpower to steady his Dao Heart, enduring the torment of his shattered Sea of Consciousness as he painstakingly returned the others' flickering souls to their rightful vessels.
Only when it was done did he finally exhale in relief.
Having completed this, Elder Situ finally allowed himself a sigh of relief.
Yet he dared not truly relax—if this last breath scattered before his message was delivered, catastrophe would follow.
Remembering Mo Hua's warning, Elder Situ clenched his jaw until blood seeped, forcing out each word through gritted teeth:
"Evacuate... everyone... from the Wilderness Blood Sacrifice Array!"
"Elder Situ..." Old Master Xun steadied him, grave-faced and poised to question further.
Elder Situ abruptly seized Xun's arm, his clouded eyes burning with conviction.
He knew he was at his limit. Every word now felt like a blade carving through his Sea of Consciousness—no room for explanations. To Xun, his most trusted ally, he rasped:
"Now... GO!"
With those final syllables, Elder Situ—his primordial spirit already in tatters—could hold on no longer. Color drained from his face as consciousness fled, his eyelids sliding shut.
Xun's heart lurched. He channeled a wisp of vital qi into Elder Situ to sustain his meridians, simultaneously harnessing the Seven-Star Array's power to shield his crumbling spirit.
Elixirs for stabilizing the soul were administered, calming incense lit to regulate his waning vitality.
The other patriarchs rallied to assist.
Though Elder Situ's pallor remained deathly, their combined efforts stabilized his flickering life force—but relief swiftly gave way to furrowed brows.
"Did the弑神succeed... or fail?"
"Was the Evil God slain?"
"Elder Situ said nothing... only to evacuate the array, urgently."
The Void-Sphere patriarchs exchanged troubled glances.
This made no sense.
If their plan had succeeded and the nascent Evil God was扼杀in its cradle, this was the moment to press their advantage—to obliterate the demonic cultivators and dismantle the blood array before the threat could resurge.
If they had failed...
Then retreating now would grant the Evil God precious time to recover, allowing the blood array's corruption to spread unchecked. Once the Evil God regained strength, all of Qianxue Province would face annihilation.
Retreat was untenable in either scenario.
Yet these were Elder Situ's final words, dragged from the nightmare depths of the Evil God's domain. He had clung to his last shred of will to deliver them—a warning heavy with unspoken因果.
To withdraw or not?
The patriarchs split into factions.
"Evil must be eradicated—we cannot retreat!"
"Elder Situ is Profound Truth Valley's Grand Elder. His words demand trust."
"And what if it's no longer truly him? What if the Evil God corrupted his mind, using him to lure us away so its forces may regroup—"
"A valid concern..."
"But if he speaks true? To ignore this may doom us all."
Debate raged until Old Master Xun—unable to divine clarity from his tangled celestial calculations—suddenly froze.
Mo Hua's innocent face had flashed through his mind.
Not from mere worry, but...
A因果revelation?
Was the boy involved?
Xun's hands trembled. Could Mo Hua have been the one to send this message through Elder Situ?
Impossible...
That realm was the Evil God's nightmare-born cradle. How could Mo Hua—
Then it struck him.
Of course he would go.
Knowing the child's penchant for hurtling toward danger—often being the very spark that ignited it—Xun didn't hesitate.
"WITHDRAW!"
Every patriarch turned in shock.
Xun's voice brooked no argument. "Now. Immediately. Every moment counts!"
As dissent swirled, he summoned a messenger sword, dictating to the Great Void Sect Leader:
"All disciples must evacuate the blood array at once. This is absolute. No delays tolerated."
"All Great Void Sect members must immediately evacuate the blood sacrifice array. This is an ironclad order—no delays, no mistakes!"
The Void-Sphere patriarchs watched in shock and indignation.
For a revered patriarch to act so unilaterally, so obstinately—it was utterly improper.
Yet in the next moment, the more astute among them felt a chill.
Old Master Xun was a fifth-rank formation master, a scholar of celestial mechanisms and karma. His actions were never reckless—they carried profound purpose.
If even he insisted on this course... then this matter likely involved some terrifying thread of *karma*.
"Old Xun, for Great Void Sect to retreat now is laughable," sneered the Broken Gold Sect's patriarch. "Don't think we'll follow just because—"
"We withdraw," rumbled the Vajra Sect's patriarch.
The Broken Gold elder's face darkened.
Soon, patriarchs from the Eight Great Sects voiced agreement:
"Free Wanderer Sect withdraws."
"Better safe than ruined—Violet Mist Sect complies..."
"Darkwater Sect retreats..."
These sects lacked deep insight into celestial karma. Normally they wouldn't blindly follow Great Void's lead—but with lives hanging in the balance, they fell in line after only brief hesitation.
The tide turned swiftly. After the Eight Great Sects came the Twelve Minor Schools. Even the Dragon Cauldron Sect of the Four Great Clans chose withdrawal.
Faced with this momentum, even hesitant factions relented. The Broken Gold patriarch, left with no recourse, ground out through clenched teeth:
"Broken Gold... withdraws."
The order sent shockwaves through the ranks.
With demons at their gates, most cultivators couldn't comprehend this retreat. Some burned with rage, decrying their elders as cowardly and incompetent.
Yet a patriarch's decree was absolute.
Thus the once-ferocious Qianxue forces began their withdrawal.
The demonic cultivators, drunk on the Evil God's will, howled with laughter:
"Look at these righteous worms! Scuttling away with tails between their legs!"
"Qianxue will drown in blood! Men as slaves, women as playthings—all shall feed our—"
The taunts drew furious glares, but the cultivators held their tongues.
Meanwhile, at the blood array's heart...
Within the flesh labyrinth's altar chamber—
Mo Hua's eyes snapped open, gold light fading into fathomless dark.
"Almost out of time..."
He checked Yu'er first. The boy remained unconscious, but his breathing steadied, the sinister aura fading from his features. The divine essence was working.
Then Mo Hua saw the markings on Yu'er's back—
A complete, juvenile-scale Azure Dragon formation pattern, stitched together from human skin.
So *this* was what Mister Butcher had been developing in Ten Thousand Demon Valley—the Great Wilderness Dragon Diagram, with Shentu Ao as its medium.
But explanations could wait. Saving Yu'er came first.
As he lifted the boy, Mo Hua paused at the cumbersome sacred relic overhead. With deft fingers, he dismantled the bone structure until only the pi xiu's fang remained.
He might lack crafting skill, but *disassembly* was another matter—especially for an artifact he'd studied inside out.
The so-called sacred relic was merely a man-made divine array medium. Its true core had always been this single tooth housing the pi xiu's spirit.
Threading it onto a cord, he hung the fang around his neck.
Thus the Great Wilderness's sacred relic became a mere tooth pendant.
*His* pendant.
After all, it now contained his contractual "friend" the pi xiu—plus a freshly captured juvenile Evil God. By all rights, this treasure now bore the surname *Mo*.
He was about to leave when something in the shadows froze him mid-step—
A sinister idol.
Human face, ram's horns, skeletal frame.
Dripping with sacrilegious divinity.
Mo Hua's breath hitched. Then his eyes ignited like a starved man beholding a feast.
This was...
*His* evil god idol.
*His* life-bound array diagram!
(End of this Chapter)