"Of all things to use, you dare use ’Planting Devil in Taoist Heart’ on me..."
As Young Master Xuan walked in front, a slight tremor coursed through his heart. He suddenly turned back, only to see Mo Hua with a dim gaze and a vacant expression, following behind like a fool, showing nothing out of the ordinary.
Young Master Xuan frowned, a bit puzzled.
But just as his confusion rose, the words Mo Hua had spoken and the incantations he had chanted echoed once more in his mind.
Young Master Xuan pondered briefly, his frown gradually easing.
"The Planting Devil in Taoist Heart technique, used on a Foundation Building Cultivator, how could it be wrong? This kid is already my ’plaything’..."
Young Master Xuan nodded, turning around to continue leading Mo Hua forward.
The Divine Temple was resplendent with gold and emerald, the towers majestic, bronze pillars stood in a forest, corridors crisscrossed, and the directions difficult to discern.
Yet it seemed Young Master Xuan knew the way, directly passing through layers of golden terraces and towers, arriving at a front hall.
In the front hall, shadows flickered, all the Golden Core Demon Cultivators were present.
Even Mr. Hui and Stone were there.
But both of them, with eyes vacant and listless, were clearly also victims of ’Planting Devil in Taoist Heart.’
And judging by their state, it seemed Young Master Xuan was responsible.
"All present." Young Master Xuan said.
The old man in the black robe nodded slightly, then glanced at Mo Hua, "This young brother, you’ve also planted?"
"Of course," Young Master Xuan said, then looked at Mo Hua, "It’s for his own good..."
"Planted with Demon Thought, turned into puppets, they’re oblivious to our words. This way, there’s a chance he might survive afterward. Otherwise, any secret of this Divine Temple he overhears would be a death sentence."
"Moreover, this kid seems nave, but he’s actually quite clever. I wouldn’t feel at ease not planting a demon in him."
"That makes sense," the old man in the black robe nodded, then glanced at Young Master Xuan, "You seem to value this kid quite a bit?"
Young Master Xuan smirked, "I need a servant to serve tea and water, one with a pleasing visage, this kid fits the bill perfectly."
The elder in the black robe said nothing more.
Young Master Xuan instead glanced at the Shen Qingsheng in the elder’s hand, asking, "And what about this kid from the Shen Family, will you take him with you?"
The elderly man nodded, "The Shen Family won’t let things rest, he’s useful as leverage."
"True enough." Young Master Xuan nodded.
"It’s getting late, let’s go."
"Yes," Young Master Xuan nodded, his expression turning slightly solemn, smiling faintly, "After overcoming countless hardships, we’ve reached this point. I hope the Second Elder and Third Prince won’t disappoint me." ꞦÂꞐỘВĚ𝙨
The black-robed elder gave no reply, stepping forward to lead the way.
The leader of the Demon Sect followed him, heading deep into the temple.
Young Master Xuan, leading Mo Hua, Mr. Hui, and Stone, the three "puppets" implanted with devil seeds, walked at the back.
The stairs of the Divine Temple were wide and long, like a golden-scaled flood dragon, winding upwards to the highest point, leading to the most majestic and magnificent hall atop overlapping silver terraces and golden pavilions.
All along the way, with carved beams and painted rafters, golden palaces, jade halls, splendid and breathtaking views, that were overwhelming.
Mo Hua walked on the steps, like a humble "pilgrim", going to meet a mighty deity, secretly grumbling in his heart:
"What a decadent Lord Yellow Mountain you have become..."
But he dared not look around too much, instead keeping his hands and feet stiff, like a wooden figure, stepping up one step at a time.
It was not clear how long they walked before a vast square appeared ahead.
The square was enormous, constructed of bright yellow copper ore, shining golden.
And within the square, densely packed, knelt innumerable bronze statues.
These statues included men and women, young and old, mostly in ragged clothing and sorrowful expressions, all piously kneeling on the ground, praying toward the temple atop the mountain.
Though it was a solemn and sacred scene, the black-robed elder inexplicably felt a sense of creepiness.
Because above this grand golden hall, there was an intense concentration of sinister energy.
As if it were an entire sea of darkness, enough to make one’s skin crawl.
The black-robed elder halted, glanced at Mr. Hui, and asked Young Master Xuan, "To what level have you cultivated your Planting Devil in Taoist Heart?"
Young Master Xuan understood the elder’s implication and said:
"My skills are still shallow, those implanted with the demon cannot use cultivation techniques or Taoist skills, only some instinctive martial arts. However, they can answer questions and perform basic tasks."
The black-robed elder said: "Have him take out the Maoshan Jade to measure the sinister energy."
"Yes," Young Master Xuan nodded, then commanded Mr. Hui, "Take out the Maoshan Jade."
Mr. Hui complied as instructed, retrieving the jade pendant from his storage bag.
The jade pendant gleamed with an eerie green light.
This light was deeper than before, almost turning black.
Young Master Xuan asked, "What does this mean?"
Mr. Hui blankly said: "This is... an omen of great darkness, overwhelming resentment."
With those words, the atmosphere grew heavy, and everyone’s faces fell.
Mo Hua also subtly nodded.
Indeed, it was a sign of great darkness.
He could now see with his own eyes, that on the golden plaza where thousands of kneeling bronze statues stood, countless vengeful spirits and fierce ghosts were roaring and howling, a dark mass like an army besieging the city, an overwhelming black cloud, deeply unsettling.
Regrettably, this scene was invisible to Young Master Xuan and his companions.
The black-robed elder frowned in contemplation, slowly saying:
"This is the Divine Temple, also the imperial tomb of our Great Wilderness, deities require worship, our royal descendants of the Great Wilderness also demand obeisance."
"These bronze statues before us are made from living humans, worshipping both deities and royals. From life to death, they continuously bow."
"In life, they were slaves to the imperial power. In death, they transform into sinister fierce ghosts, guarding this imperial tomb and the Divine Temple."