Chapter 1545: Taisui

Chapter 1545: Taisui

“Taisui...”

Lord Qingchou’s ashen face instantly paled a shade.

Though he did not fully understand what 《Taisui》 was in the Unorthodox Path tradition, he had heard rumors, that the so-called 《Taisui》 was a general term for the unknowable malevolent gods of Kun Province.

Rumor had it that 《Taisui》 was a terrestrial malevolent god, vicious, cruel, and incomparably powerful.

Those who offended 《Taisui》 were sure to meet calamity, dying without a place of burial.

Lord Qingchou recalled Master Wu’s terrifying transformations moments ago—gouging out his own eyes, severing his limbs, losing his mind, swallowing his own hair—and his heart trembled with fear.

Master Wu himself was also shaken.

He looked around. Though his eyeballs had been cracked by his own hand, now a blur of blood, they were only superficial wounds.

At the Golden Core Realm, superficial wounds healed quickly.

Thus Master Wu could see the spider corpses strewn across the floor, and along with them, the strands of dreadful power of Evil Mutation that had been drawn out and sealed away.

Master Wu immediately composed himself, enduring his pain as he knelt in the center of the great hall, kowtowing toward the divine statue veiled by hanging yellow silk strands, and prayed devoutly:

“Thank you, Lady Thousand Spiders, for saving my life.”

“Compassionate and merciful Lady Thousand Spiders, may your Incense Offering last forever, your lifespan equal to the earth itself...”

Lord Qingchou was reluctant to kowtow to Lady Thousand Spiders.

He was a brutal murderer, having killed and devoured countless people. Though he believed in Unorthodox Path Fāng Arts, he was only half-convinced of the existence of gods and spirits.

But now, in the Thousand Spiders Temple, he had witnessed with his own eyes Master Wu’s miserable ordeal and the sight of Lady Thousand Spiders’ Divine Power dispelling calamity.

Lord Qingchou could no longer afford to dismiss it.

He followed Master Wu’s example, kneeling halfway to the ground and chanting:

“Thank you, Lady Thousand Spiders, for your lifesaving grace...”

“Lady Thousand Spiders, compassionate and merciful, may your Incense Offering last forever...”

The deity remained silent, lofty and aloof, yet a tranquil and profound aura enveloped the great hall, absorbing the devout Divine Sense Thought Power of Master Wu and Lord Qingchou to repair the depletion caused by suppressing the Evil Mutation.

Master Wu and Lord Qingchou kowtowed once more before respectfully rising.

Seeing the hall filled with spider corpses, they dared not linger and temporarily left the great hall.

Outside the hall, there was not a single person. Master Wu knew that his disciples and grand-disciples had sensed the aura of Evil Mutation, panicked, and scattered in all directions to flee.

His face flushed crimson like pig liver.

The Unorthodox Path was difficult to pass down. These disciples truly grew worse with each generation, lacking both innate talent and mental fortitude.

No wonder the Ancestor’s teachings had all been lost.

The Unorthodox Path had declined so greatly.

Lord Qingchou cared little about such matters, but he still had many doubts in his heart, so he asked in a low voice:

“Master Wu, this... 《Taisui》, what exactly is it, and what Divine Power does it possess, to have caused you such great suffering?”

Master Wu was reluctant to recall the terrifying ordeal he had just endured, but the matter of 《Taisui》 was of grave importance.

If 《Taisui》 truly was passing through, it would be an earth-shattering event, stirring up a storm of blood and carnage. He could not afford to take it lightly.

Master Wu frowned and pondered for a long while before forcing himself to recall the past despite his trembling heart, though he dared not think too deeply.

He only allowed his memory to rewind to the moment he saw that flawless, jade-white human face.

Anything beyond that, he dared not recall.

Even less did he dare to remember what he had said to that handsome young cultivator, or what had happened to him.

In this way, it was relatively safe, and would not trigger his phobia.

Master Wu stood in place, brows furrowed, deep in thought.

The fear had kept him from thinking clearly moments ago, but now, the more he pondered, the more questions surfaced in his mind:

Where was the 《Taisui》?

Was it the young man in black robes?

“Impossible... if that young man truly were the 《Taisui》, I would have dropped dead the very first moment I laid eyes on him...”

“The true 《Taisui》 Deity is a being of great ill omen, its malevolent thoughts overwhelming. There is absolutely no way I could have escaped from before Him alive...”

“And yet I did collide with the 《Taisui》, and I did not die...”

“Then... what exactly is going on here?”

Master Wu marshaled every scrap of Unorthodox Path knowledge he had acquired over a lifetime and sank into deep contemplation:

“Did I guess wrong? Perhaps it wasn’t a collision with the 《Taisui》 at all, but merely some illusion cast by a vengeful ghost or demon?”

“Or could it be... that this is a special kind of 《Taisui》?”

“Or perhaps... this is merely a 《Taisui》 that has not yet matured, has not even hatched... which would mean it is...”

Master Wu’s heart suddenly leaped.

The Taisui Embryo?!

Those three words seemed to carry a kind of magic. An almost unbelievable surge of excitement welled up from the depths of Master Wu’s heart, causing even his fingers to tremble slightly:

“The 《Taisui Embryo》 that the Ancestor recorded in the ancient texts... one of flesh and blood for a body, not yet half-hatched, its Divine Power not yet formed?”

Could such an 《Embryonic Transformation into a Baleful Deity》 truly exist in this world? And he had actually stumbled upon one?

Master Wu was stunned for a moment, then immediately began counting on his fingers, thinking to himself:

“To collide with the 《Taisui》 is calamity. To collide with the 《Taisui》and not die, that is fortune.”

“The Taisui is a baleful deity, governing slaughter and ill omen, that is calamity. But if the Taisui has not yet hatched, its baleful killing power is insufficient, and the calamity can turn to fortune.”

“Misfortune is that which fortune leans upon... calamity and fortune turn upon each other, that is the Dao.”

“This 《Taisui》 is my fortune, my... opportunity?”

“Among the teachings passed down through my sect, there is an ancient art conceived by prodigies and visionaries of old, a method by which one might borrow the Baleful Aura of the Taisui to cultivate Fāng Arts of the Unorthodox Path, attaining might approaching that of Divine Power."

“Only, no one has ever attempted this method, because no one has ever been able to capture a living Taisui to use in cultivating Fāng Arts.”

“Not only has no one ever captured one, of all the Fāngshì who have ever collided with a Taisui, nine in ten have died, and the last one could hardly be called alive either.”

“But now, I have survived...”

“I collided with the Taisui and lived. Is this not, in some inscrutable way, a sign from the Ancestor?!”

“And what’s more, this Taisui seems to be a ‘fetus,' it has not even hatched...”

In an instant, an extraordinarily audacious idea burst into Master Wu’s mind.

So audacious that even he found it terrifying.

But if it could truly be accomplished, then he would be far more than just a grandmaster of the Unorthodox Path.

He could even, from this day forward, found his own sect and rise in one leap to become an Ancestor of the Unorthodox Path, a Supreme Ancestor, perhaps even rivaling the gods themselves...

An Unorthodox Path method capable of wielding the power of the Taisui.

An Unorthodox Path master capable of commanding the Baleful Aura of the Taisui.

Would that not mean he could kill whoever he wished? Who could possibly stand against an Unorthodox Cultivator versed in the baleful arts of the Taisui Baleful Deity?

Master Wu felt his very blood boiling, his heart nearly leaping out of his throat.

Lord Qingchou had no idea what fresh fit had suddenly seized Master Wu, and asked, “Master Wu, you... what’s wrong?”

Had he been possessed, or struck by some manic madness, trembling all over, eyes turning red? Were the aftereffects not yet gone...

Master Wu expended tremendous effort before finally calming himself, his voice hoarse as he spoke:

“It’s nothing... my injuries haven’t fully healed, and I lost my composure for a moment...”

Lord Qingchou nodded and asked, “Then this Taisui...”

Master Wu was about to say something when his expression suddenly shifted. “I misjudged. It’s not a Taisui.”

Lord Qingchou was taken aback. “Not a Taisui?”

Master Wu nodded and let out a sigh. “I thought it over carefully... A Taisui is a baleful god, those who avoid it live, those who offend it die. If it truly were a Taisui, then at this very moment, I would have already dropped dead. There would be no chance of survival, and even Lady Thousand Spiders couldn’t have saved me...”

Lord Qingchou frowned. “But... Master, what you just went through... was practically the same as dying...”

It was almost worse than simply dying.

“But I didn’t die,” Master Wu said. “Therefore, this is most likely nothing more than an extremely vicious Curse Art, not the Baleful Aura of a Taisui.”

“Curse Arts?”

“Indeed,” Master Wu said with firm conviction. “Someone used that black-robed youth as a conduit to cast a Death Curse upon me. This person’s methods are extraordinarily skilled, and I failed to notice in time, falling victim to their treacherous schemes on the Unorthodox Path. I nearly perished on the spot...”

Lord Qingchou furrowed his brow deeply.

Could the maddening, self-mutilating, sinister and terrifying state Master Wu had just displayed truly be the work of an ordinary Curse Art of the Unorthodox Path?

But he didn’t feel it was appropriate to say anything more.

Master Wu was the true expert of the Unorthodox Path, holding the authority and right of interpretation over knowledge of the Unorthodox Path.

Whatever he said, that was simply how it was.

Lord Qingchou thus gave a slight nod of acknowledgment and said:

“If it’s not a Taisui, then that’s for the best, at least we won’t have to face further calamity... So what should we do next? Still pursue and kill Gu Changhuai?”

Master Wu nodded. “Gu Changhuai still must be killed. Without killing Gu Changhuai, matters in the Qingchou Prefecture Realm will not proceed smoothly.”

“The upheaval in the Qingchou Prefecture Realm this time is a once-in-a-thousand-years opportunity for you, for me, and for the entire Unorthodox Path faction. We must not let it slip away.”

Lord Qingchou nodded and asked again, “And the white-faced young man in black?”

Master Wu remained expressionless. “Capture him.”

“Capture him?” Lord Qingchou was slightly startled. “Not kill him?”

Master Wu shook his head. “This person is mysterious and treacherous, he must carry some inheritance of the Unorthodox Path on him. Someone tried to use him to cast a curse and harm me. I want him brought to me so I can interrogate him thoroughly.”

Lord Qingchou nodded. “Very well.”

Master Wu pondered for a moment, then added, “Do not harm him.”

Lord Qingchou frowned. “Not harm him?”

Master Wu nodded. “His flesh, blood, skin, and hair are likely all mediums for the curse. If he sustains any injury, unforeseen calamities could occur. Therefore, do not harm him, only suppress him with treasures and bring him to me. I will interrogate him carefully...”

A flicker of an indescribable, yearning light passed through Master Wu’s eyes, but it vanished in an instant.

Lord Qingchou simply nodded. “I will follow Master’s instructions in all things.”

Master Wu said, “Then go and carry it out. If any problems arise, come find me again...”

“Very well,” Lord Qingchou said, cupping his fist in salute. “Master, I take my leave.”

Master Wu returned the gesture. “Lord, go safely.”

One was a Master, the other a Lord, one cultivated the Unorthodox Path with precision, the other had incited the uprising. Both were at the Late Golden Core Stage, and with storms to stir and waves to raise, they naturally had no time for idle chatter.

After exchanging a few more brief words, the two departed on their separate ways.

After watching Lord Qingchou walk far into the distance, Master Wu’s expression finally shifted slightly. He took a deep breath, recalling the Ancestor’s records, after three hundred years of cultivation, a great fortune was about to descend upon him. His heart was a mix of fear and joy.

Meanwhile, after Lord Qingchou left, he walked for a while, then glanced back at the Thousand Spider Temple hidden among the ancient forest. A flicker of coldness passed through his eyes:

“Those who cultivate the Unorthodox Path, none of them are any good... Do they all take me for a fool?”

“Sooner or later, I’ll devour every last one of you...”

...

Outside the Thousand Spider Forest.

A stretch of mist and dense woods.

Half a day later, Mo Hua led Gu Changhuai and the other cultivators of the Dao Court Division out of the Thousand Spider Ancient Forest, arriving at the sealed Thousand Spider Temple.

The temple was exactly as Mo Hua had left it, not a single change.

Mo Hua’s gaze swept through the temple, finally lifting to look at the enshrined statue of the old woman. It appeared solemn and kind, yet carried an inexplicable hint of gloom.

And the statue seemed to be looking back at Mo Hua.

Man and statue stared at each other for a moment. The light in the statue’s eyes faded, and some kind of presence dissipated without a trace.

Mo Hua likewise withdrew the sharpness from his own eyes. He did nothing more, simply leading Gu Changhuai and the others out of the wild temple.

Beyond the temple, they were still within the bounds of the Thousand Spider Forest.

The trees were layered and dense, making directions hard to discern, but the danger had greatly diminished, and that feeling of being watched was gone.

Mo Hua, familiar with the path, led Gu Changhuai’s group steadily forward. Eventually they left the Thousand Spider Forest entirely, then followed the wilderness south for several dozen li, until the surrounding woods gave way to bare slopes. Only then did he finally relax.

Mo Hua said, “There’s no immediate danger for now. Let’s rest here temporarily.”

The cultivators of the Dao Court Division, as if granted a reprieve, bowed to Mo Hua in thanks one after another, then found places to sit, taking pill medicine and meditating to heal their wounds.

Gu Changhuai also let out a long sigh of relief.

Though there had been some deaths and injuries, at least he had managed to lead many of his comrades out of the deadly place and preserve their lives.

Gratitude welled in his heart.

Gu Changhuai clasped his hands toward Mo Hua and said sincerely:

“Words cannot express my gratitude for this great kindness.”

Mo Hua waved a hand. “Between us, there’s no need for such formalities...”

They were old acquaintances, what was there to thank?

Seeing how lightly Mo Hua treated this life-saving grace, Gu Changhuai felt a surge of emotion.

If not for the fact that, back in the Qianxue Prefecture realm, he had come to know Mo Hua, then merely a young disciple of Great Void Sect at the Early Foundation Establishment Stage... This current crisis would likely have been insurmountable.

All these brothers who had followed him through life and death would have been buried alongside him...

At this thought, Gu Changhuai felt a lingering dread, and his face paled slightly.

Mo Hua said, “Uncle Gù, you should rest for a while too.”

Gu Changhuai looked around, still somewhat concerned.

Mo Hua assured him, “Don’t worry. I’ve calculated it, there shouldn’t be any danger within the next thirteen shichen (26 hours).”

Even the hours were calculated to such precision...

Hearing Mo Hua say this, Gu Changhuai found it almost unbelievable, yet he truly felt at ease.

In the turbulent Qingchou Prefecture realm, danger lurked everywhere, and peace was hard to come by even for a moment.

Had anyone else said such words, Gu Changhuai would never have believed them.

But coming from the 'divinely capable' Mo Hua, the sense of security was on an entirely different level.

Gu Changhuai nodded. “Alright.”

With that, he wasted no more words, sitting down on the spot to rest, calming his mind to tend to his injuries and recover his Spiritual Power.

Mo Hua sat to the side, guarding Gu Changhuai while his gaze shifted, his mind continuously running Derivative Algorithm.

He pondered the situation in the Qingchou Prefecture Realm and the deep secrets of the Unorthodox Path.

On the desolate earthen slope, time trickled away bit by bit.

By the time Gu Changhuai’s injuries improved and he opened his eyes again, the sky had fallen completely dark.

A crescent moon hung in the air.

But because of the frequent uprisings in the Qingchou Prefecture Realm, where bloodshed pervaded the land, even this moon carried a bloody red tint.

Mo Hua had been staring blankly at the moon, lost in thought. Sensing that Gu Changhuai had awakened, he turned his head and asked:

“How are your injuries?”

Gu Changhuai nodded and said calmly, “It’s nothing.”

He had been trapped in the Thousand Spider Forest earlier, fighting in successive rounds against Lord Qingchou and his followers, and the injuries he had accumulated were already considerable.

Then he had taken a Spirit Bursting Pill and fought a life-or-death battle against Lord Qingchou.

Although Mo Hua’s assistance had driven Lord Qingchou back, his internal injuries had worsened further and were not so easily healed. He was merely putting up a brave front by saying “it’s nothing.”

Mo Hua glanced at Gu Changhuai’s complexion and understood in his heart.

With the Qingchou uprising in full swing and hidden dangers lurking, this was indeed not a good time to recuperate peacefully.

And injuries accumulated from prolonged combat were indeed not something that could fully heal in a short time.

Still, compared to when he was being hunted before, Uncle Gu’s complexion had improved somewhat, and color was beginning to return to his face.

Gu Changhuai looked at Mo Hua, then remembered something and asked, “By the way, weren’t you in Houtu City?”

Mo Hua sighed. “Not staying there anymore. It’s boring.”

“Boring?”

“Yeah.”

Gu Changhuai asked, “Did you offend too many people?”

Mo Hua fell silent.

Gu Changhuai nodded, looking as if he had expected as much.

If he hadn’t offended many people, he wouldn’t be Mo Hua. To this day, Gu Changhuai had never seen anyone more capable of drawing hatred than Mo Hua.

Especially after the battle in the Thousand Spider Forest just now, having been harassed by Mo Hua’s Fireball Technique...

Even if it was only for that brief period of several dozen exchanges, Gu Changhuai was even more convinced of this.

“So you’re not going back to Houtu City?” Gu Changhuai asked again.

Mo Hua said, “For now... I probably won’t go back.”

Gu Changhuai’s gaze turned somewhat subtle as he asked, “Then can you bear to part with the courtesan?”

Mo Hua was momentarily taken aback. “What courtesan?”

Gu Changhuai said, “What other courtesan could there be? The Jade Spring Pavilion’s courtesan, Yu Nujiao.”

Mo Hua froze. “You know about that too?”

Gu Changhuai nodded. “The mysterious Young Master Mo of Great Void Sect used a single Spirit stone to win over the most beautiful courtesan of the Jade Spring Pavilion, shaming the young masters of the Kun Province Aristocratic Clans who had been vying to offer treasures for a smile from the courtesan...”

Gu Changhuai’s tone was like someone reading an official document.

Mo Hua’s scalp tingled. “Who told you this?”

Gu Changhuai said, “That’s how it’s written in the documents of the Dao Court Division.”

Mo Hua’s expression turned sour. “Such a trivial matter, and the Dao Court Division records it in their documents?”

“This is no trivial matter...” Gu Changhuai said thoughtfully. “Put yourself in their shoes, if I were a young master of the Kun Province Aristocratic Clans, I probably wouldn’t be able to swallow this either, and would want nothing more than to kill you...”

Mo Hua felt helpless and didn’t want to continue this topic.

Then he suddenly remembered something and asked, “By the way, how are Aunt Wan and Yu’er?”

Gu Changhuai paused at the question, and his expression gradually darkened.

Seeing this, Mo Hua’s gaze shifted slightly. “What’s wrong?”

Gu Changhuai shook his head. “Nothing...”

Mo Hua’s heart stirred, and his gaze sharpened as he asked, “Has something happened to Yu’er?”

Gu Changhuai knew he couldn’t hide it from Mo Hua, so he let out a sigh. “It’s not exactly that something happened...”

Gu Changhuai paused for a moment, his expression solemn and his brows furrowed tightly:

“Ever since you left, Yu’er... has changed greatly...”

“His temperament has become somewhat... unrecognizable...”

(End of Chapter)