"Master Gu, how did you figure it out?"
Master Gu picked up some stone debris, examined it carefully for a moment, and nodded, "These stone fragments are half old and half new, carrying a stale scent, and these chiseling marks... Around Solitary Mountain, Mining Cultivators use pickaxes and other Spiritual Artifacts for mining, and the refinery shops are all too familiar with them. A normal mining pickaxe could never leave such marks on stone."
"These marks are left by Spiritual Artifacts used for tomb raiding."
Master Gu reminisced for a moment, then continued, "Years ago, when I was learning to refine artifacts, I met several fellow travelers and got along well with them. While drinking and chatting, I heard some secrets and found out... they made tomb raiding Spiritual Artifacts for the tomb robbers."
Mo Hua’s expression was somewhat peculiar, "Wouldn’t the Taoist Court cause trouble for them?"
Master Gu smiled wryly, "There’s nothing that can be done; it’s a grey market. Some Artifact Refiners struggle financially and, without some side income, they can’t earn Spirit Stones. Their cultivation can’t progress, and their artifact refining skills can’t advance either."
"Generally speaking, the Taoist Court is too lazy to investigate unless it escalates into a major incident. Otherwise, they won’t trace it back to the Artifact Refiners."
"Moreover, sometimes there’s no other choice. Tomb robbers are ruthless desperados. If they target you and ask you to refine artifacts, following their orders may keep you safe. They don’t say anything, you don’t say anything, and no one traces it back to you."
"If you refuse, they’ll find ways to threaten you, hold your weaknesses against you, or even use your family, relatives, and Taoist friends as leverage."
Mo Hua nodded, understanding the situation.
Although one should distinguish between right and wrong, after all, people have to live.
Since they must live, there are many situations where one is not in control, and it’s hard to blame them harshly.
He himself had been "coerced" by Lu Chengyun to refine a Corpse King for him.
Master Gu glanced at Mo Hua, seeing that he was empathetic, he sighed in relief, then continued:
"Those fellow travelers of mine had no choice either. Later, during a drinking session, they inadvertently let it slip. Only when I questioned them did I grasp some of the intricacies involved."
Pointing at the marks on the ground, he said, "These axe and chisel marks are fashioned cleverly, like a crane’s beak or a crescent moon. Others might not recognize them, but those with intent can see at a glance that they are left by tomb-raiding Spiritual Artifacts."
Mo Hua nodded, pondering silently.
"Tomb raiding..."
As far as he knew, the Cultivation World had funeral customs, and they were diverse.
There were water burials, cremations, wood burials, and earth burials.
Aside from the Wildland, where customs were unique and state boundaries remote, most Cultivators would still choose earth burial after death, to rest in peace.
And there were many methods for burial too.
Mo Hua remembered that long ago, back in South Yue City, his Master talked about Cultivator funerals and the theory of formation for both yang residences and yin residences.
At Taixu Gate, he had a Junior Brother named Xie Ling, who came from Gen State.
Gen State was mountainous, with peculiar peaks, high ridges like dragons, gathering the essence of heaven and earth, sun and moon, hiding many ancient tombs. ȓ𝓪ƝÒBË𝙨
The Xie Family, which Xie Ling hailed from, seemed to be one of the great families of Gen State. Their family passed down the Kanyu Skill, discerning the mountain and river energy, determining life and death burials, and transmitting the Yin Yang Feng Shui Secret Formation.
They emphasized discerning Qi, burrowing into mountains, determining graves, and warding off malevolent spirits. They identified the Earth Qi Mechanism, used mountains and rivers as concealment, checked Feng Shui, pinpointed graves, prevented Corpse Transformation, and expelled ghosts...
But the intricacies within it ran deep.
And Mo Hua, from childhood till now, has seen a "colorful" twenty years of experience, but has come across very few tombs, understanding little about Cultivator funerals.
Tongxian City was very poor, almost devoid of grand tombs.
"Do Cultivators have to be buried after death?" Mo Hua asked Master Gu.
Master Gu, being a Golden Core from the Gu Family, wandered far and wide during his youth to learn artifact refining, enduring many hardships and witnessing much of the world, likely knew more than Mo Hua.
Master Gu replied, "Generally, yes. Born between heaven and earth, standing tall during life, resting in peace after death."
"But if impoverished and solitary, it doesn’t matter: while alive, there’s no place to stand; after death, there’s no place to be buried."
"Without descendants, it also doesn’t matter: no offspring, no one to erect a tombstone; no incense, no fire, no one to visit the grave. Death is death, before and after."
"Those who die unexpectedly, their bodies exposed in the wild, buried in the belly of a demon, naturally don’t adhere to any custom either."
"Of course, most of these are Loose Cultivators. Family Cultivators are different."
"Once there’s family, even if just a small family, there will be ancestral halls and ancestral graves, and more attention will naturally be paid to funerals."
"The larger the family, the more important the funeral, with stricter rules. Many family cultivators take pride in resting in the family ancestral grave after death."
"And when it comes to family level, some High-Rank Cultivators, after death, are strictly ordered by the Taoist Court to be buried."
"Forced burial?" Mo Hua was a bit confused, "The Taoist Court even manages burials after death?"
"Normally, they wouldn’t, only for family-born High-Rank Cultivators."
"What qualifies as High-Rank? A Golden Core?"
Master Gu shook his head, "It depends on the state boundary specifically. Generally, in a small state boundary, if Golden Core is the pinnacle, then Golden Core funerals are managed. But in some Great Province Boundaries and Great Families, only when Cultivators of the Feather Transformation Realm fall will the Taoist Court care about their funerals."
Mo Hua was quite puzzled, "Why does the Taoist Court involve itself in this?"
Master Gu contemplated for a moment, then slowly said, "It’s said... it’s to revive the Spiritual Energy of this world."
"Revive Spiritual Energy?" Mo Hua’s heart skipped a beat.
"Yes." Master Gu pointed upwards, "It’s said that in ancient times, the Spiritual Energy of this world was very abundant. Ancient Cultivators didn’t need Spirit Stones to cultivate; they just needed to find a mountain, meditate, and through a few circulations, the Spiritual Energy would flow into their meridians and settle into their Qi Sea."