Chapter 130: Six Desires Heavenly Demon Art

After leaving Woodmount City, the surroundings became desolate, filled with overgrown weeds and thorny bushes, devoid of any discernible path.

Fortunately, neither Chen Luo nor Dry Corpse Old Ghost were ordinary individuals. By harnessing their spiritual energy, they glided effortlessly through the air, needing only occasional boosts from tree peaks along the way.

“Once upon a time, Guo Mountain County was a decent small town. It had a minor spirit mine nearby, attracting several small sects to establish roots there.”

As they soared mid-air, Dry Corpse Old Ghost shared the background of Guo Mountain County with Chen Luo.

The lead on Mind-Centering Grass that he possessed led them directly to this place.

“And what happened after?”

Chen Luo had already finished reading the information in the jade slip, gaining some understanding of Guo Mountain County. It was peculiar; during his visit to the capital, he did not find Guo Mountain County on the Luxury Nation’s imperial maps. He wondered if it was simply too insignificant or if it no longer existed.

“Afterward, a group of evil cultivators arrived, and Guo Mountain County vanished from the Luxury Nation’s maps. The living disappeared without a trace, and even finding the dead proved difficult,” Dry Corpse Old Ghost recounted matter-of-factly, sharing the details he knew.

Evil cultivators? Isn’t the Corpse-Raising Sect one of those?

Chen Luo felt puzzled; based on the methods employed by the Corpse-Raising Sect so far, they hardly seemed aligned with any righteous sect.

“As if reading Chen Luo’s thoughts, the Dry Corpse Old Ghost, without turning back, said, “True evil cultivators are far more bizarre than our Corpse-Raising Sect.”

“Evil cultivators excel in spiritual soul techniques, including illusions, demonic arts, and ghostly spells,” he continued.

Chen Luo listened attentively. In terms of knowledge, the Dry Corpse Old Ghost far surpassed him, sharing insights not found in books.

“Our Corpse-Raising Sect primarily deals with refining corpses and excavating tombs. Our mainstream cultivation aligns closely with the broader cultivation world. However, evil cultivators differ significantly. Their practices resemble ancient methods, starkly contrasting with contemporary Qi Refinement techniques. Even their path to Foundation Establishment is distinct from ours.”

“How so?”

The mention of ancient methods piqued Chen Luo’s interest, as his previous knowledge from the Yue Tomb was also rooted in such antiquity.

“Have you heard of the ‘Six Desires Heavenly Demon Art’?”

“No, I haven’t.”

Recalling Daoist Wuwei teaching him the Xin Mo Art, along with the spiritual techniques primarily studied at Wu Dao Peak, Chen Luo couldn’t help but wonder: Could these Guo Mountain County evil cultivators be referring to Daoist Wuwei himself?

“The evil cultivators of Guo Mountain County practiced the ‘Six Desires Heavenly Demon Art.’ Once they reached the Perfection of the Thirteenth Layer of Qi Refinement, they could bypass the need for a Foundation Establishment Pill by absorbing emotions and desires to attain Foundation Establishment.”

“Is there really a method to circumvent the Foundation Establishment Pill?” Chen Luo couldn’t help but ask. The challenge they faced was precisely the difficulty of reaching Foundation Establishment. If such a shortcut existed, why wouldn’t the Dry Corpse Old Ghost utilize it instead of seeking Mind-Centering Grass to craft the pill?

“Eating humans to forge one’s path seals their destiny,” the Dry Corpse Old Ghost murmured somberly.

“The Six Desires Heavenly Demon Art fundamentally contradicts today’s cultivation world. Initially, those who unearthed this art were merely solo cultivators with little hope of Foundation Establishment. Upon discovering such a divine technique, how could they resist practicing it? There were originally five individuals cultivating this art. After searching extensively, they settled in Guo Mountain County, intending to use the tens of thousands of residents as their ‘great pill’ for advancement.”

This revelation was entirely new to Chen Luo; even the immortal sect’s records contained no mention of it. The true cultivation world proved far less glamorous than its surface appearance, revealing a cold and ruthless reality.

“The six desires encompass: one, lust; two, desire for appearance; three, craving for demeanor and posture; four, longing for voice and sound; five, yearning for touch; and six, hunger for human connection. How could ordinary people withstand such divine influence? Within less than half a month, under the effect of the Six Desires Heavenly Demon Art, every inhabitant of the city lost their sanity. Women, driven by the pursuit of beauty, murdered their husbands and neglected their children, becoming monstrous beings after shedding their skin. Officials and courts, seeking power and authority, unjustly killed innocents, accumulating might to become demonic entities. Witnessing these injustices bred resentment, fueling a path of slaughter.”

Though brief, Chen Luo could sense the chaos and bloodshed that engulfed the city during those times.

When desires are infinitely amplified, they give rise to boundless evil.

And this ‘evil’ served as the foundation-building sustenance for practitioners of the Six Desires Heavenly Demon Art!

“By the time the three major immortal sects discovered it, Guo Mountain County had already turned barren, with everyone’s desires pushed to their utmost limits. The five solo cultivators harnessed the collective ‘desire’ of the entire city, successfully breaking through the barrier to Foundation Establishment, establishing their Dao Foundations.”

“How is it possible that I’ve never heard of such a significant event?” Chen Luo interrupted the Dry Corpse Old Ghost, questioning him.

During his time at Wu Dao Peak within the Divine Lake Immortal Sect, he had read most of the books in the library. If the “Six Desires Heavenly Demon Art” truly caused such havoc, there should have been records within the sect. At the very least, some warnings or references would exist to alert new cultivators about individuals practicing this technique.

“The grand and illustrious deeds are recorded for posterity to praise,” Dry Corpse Old Ghost sneered, offering a succinct explanation. “The dark and despicable acts are burned in secrecy, preserving the image of the sects.”

“What happened to those five Foundation Establishment solo cultivators?”

“How did it end? Naturally, they perished, their souls dispersed and bodies reduced to dust.”

Dry Corpse Old Ghost had detailed knowledge, and since they were now cooperating to retrieve the Mind-Centering Grass, addressing these doubts early was crucial to avoid misunderstandings later.

“The three great sects had Core Formation ancestors. Could mere Foundation Establishment cultivators truly overturn everything? After that battle, Guo Mountain County vanished; its entire populace buried, transforming the county into a forgotten land erased by the combined efforts of the three sects.”

No wonder it was so thoroughly cleansed, with Gold Core patriarchs involved.

“It wasn’t until over twenty years after this incident that I discovered the presence of Mind-Centering Grass here. The specifics are complex, but suffice to say, my refined corpse played a significant role in uncovering Guo Mountain County’s secrets.”

With these words, the sequence of events became clear. Further details would delve into Dry Corpse Old Ghost’s personal secrets, so Chen Luo refrained from asking more questions.

They continued flying on their qi-powered journey.

Several days later.

As they crossed a mountain range, the sky ahead turned gloomy, with ominous clouds gathering overhead, accompanied by flashes of lightning and thunder rumbles.

Crack!

Thunder cracked across the sky.

A cold wind blew, rustling the mountain leaves as rain began to fall.

“Let’s find somewhere to rest for a bit.”

Dry Corpse Old Ghost, flying ahead, furrowed his brow and glanced upward, a hint of apprehension flashing in his eyes. As a practitioner of refined corpses, he greatly feared celestial thunder. The masculine energy of lightning gathered by nature starkly contrasted with the Yin Thunder techniques used by the Corpse-Raising Sect, making it fatally dangerous to him upon contact.

“Agreed,” Chen Luo responded, feeling somewhat weary himself.

They had been traveling nonstop for days, far from Woodmount City now. One could only wonder if Zhu Jie would go berserk upon returning, finding that their Loose Cultivators Union pill master had once again vanished without a trace.

After gliding through the forest for some time, they spotted a Mountain God Temple.

In such an isolated location, with no nearby villages or settlements, it was unclear who had built this temple.

Shortly after entering the Mountain God Temple, torrential rain poured outside. Silver streaks of lightning illuminated the downpour amidst deafening thunderclaps. Streams mixed with mud coursed downhill, causing sections with loose soil to begin collapsing.

The sudden intensity of the rain, without any gradual build-up, increased the risk of mudslides.

Inside the temple,

a solitary statue of the Mountain God sat atop the altar. Its form seemed vaguely inspired by a yaksha but with distinct differences. Under the intermittent flashes of lightning, the deity’s image appeared even more menacing.

On the right side, one of the window shutters was damaged and creaked incessantly due to the wind and rain, as if ready to fall off at any moment.

The roof tiles were relatively intact, with no major breaks, though slight leaks occurred where the seams joined. As the torrential downpour continued, several streams soon flowed inside, saturating the floor and emitting a scent reminiscent of decaying vegetation.

In a dry corner on the left, a woman dressed in white clothing huddled close to a young scholar. Despite their proximity, both trembled slightly from the cold.

These two individuals were peculiar; upon entering, Chen Luo noticed they didn’t acknowledge him, acting as if he were invisible.

“People here?”

Chen Luo and Dry Corpse Old Ghost simultaneously paused.

When Chen Luo and Dry Corpse Old Ghost entered earlier, they did not detect any signs of living beings. The fact that these two could evade their senses clearly indicated they were no ordinary individuals.

“Matters within this mountain concern us not,” said the Dry Corpse Old Ghost, his expression indifferent. After a brief glance, he turned away and walked to the other side of the Mountain God Temple, taking a seat there. As members of the Corpse-Raising Sect, they were unbothered by discomfort; having slept in grave pits before, they paid little heed to the damp leaves and accumulated water on the floor.

Chen Luo also disregarded the pair, unconcerned with who or what they might be, as long as they didn’t interfere with him.

Unlike the Dry Corpse Old Ghost, Chen Luo began exploring the temple. Passing through the main hall, he discovered a side chamber behind the statue of the Mountain God. The dust here was even thicker, leaving deep footprints with each step. The wooden floorboards were severely decayed, creaking incessantly underfoot.

The side chamber’s furnishings were simple, consisting only of some offerings and two bookshelves.

On one of the bookshelves, Chen Luo found several relatively intact bamboo scrolls:

‘Scriptures of Guo Mountain’s Mountain God.’

Picking up one of the bamboo scrolls, Chen Luo glanced at its title from the side:

‘The Mountain God raised his divine halberd and thrust it towards the evil spirits. Struck, the Water Goddess wore a face filled with anguish, unable to believe that her beloved would harm her for those insignificant mortals.’

The bamboo scroll was extremely ancient, with inscriptions in archaic script, many parts already blurred over time.

However, thanks to possessing knowledge from over a hundred minds, Chen Luo had studied these obscure subjects during his time at Wu Dao Peak. Another person might not have been able to comprehend them.

Flipping through several more scrolls, Chen Luo discovered they all recounted the deeds of the Guo Mountain’s Mountain God.

There were tales of him leading the residents of Guo Mountain County against formidable challenges, as well as accounts of his battles against demons, restoring peace and stability. The narratives often used exaggerated embellishments, but after reading two scrolls, Chen Luo lost interest.

Returning to the main hall, Chen Luo observed the other three individuals present.

The Dry Corpse Old Ghost sat with closed eyes, engrossed in cultivation.

In the corner, the peculiar man and woman remained nestled together. Unnoticeably, the young scholar’s hand had slipped beneath the white-robed woman’s skirt at some point.